Mu Yuanqing was impaled on the wall, covered in blood from head to foot. His clothes were thoroughly stained; gold robes became red robes. But suddenly, it was like he couldn’t feel the pain. He just stared, anguished, at the people in front of him, his eyes red and wide with anger.
He was heartbroken for his shixiong and despaired of his own powerlessness.
At first, he would curse angrily, but later, he only bit his lip hard, refusing to make a sound, and even forced himself not to watch.
The one he dearly loved, the one as haughty as an exiled immortal, had been ruthlessly remolded, taken, and ravished by that devil, forced to reveal a demeanor he never had before…
It shouldn’t be like this. Shixiong shouldn’t have to suffer this kind of humiliation and torture.
But not only was he incapable of helping him, he even made it worse for him.
Time crawled by dreadfully slowly and painfully. Mu Yuanqing could feel that his blood had not yet run dry, and suddenly he really hated that he was a cultivator. Why did his body cling to life so tenaciously? Why was he still alive?
Because his being alive was nothing more than a tool that that devil used to humiliate shixiong.
That devil wanted him and his shixiong to suffer endlessly, unable to live or die.
Zong Jun draped some robes over Ye Ming and lifted him horizontally in his arms, leaning him against his chest.
The front of his robes were half open, the marks on his neck and clavicle visible.
Ye Ming’s half-lidded eyes contained a sad, dazed expression. He didn’t resist…He no longer had the strength to, or the right to, because he was nothing more than a soul imprisoned inside of this body…Zong Jun had been dead set on bringing him back to life precisely to make him hurt.
And he did really hurt. But this pain didn’t come from his body; it came from his heart.
A cold smile danced on Zong Jun’s lips. He dipped his head and kissed away the blood on Ye Ming’s mouth. Coldly, serenely, he said, “I spared his life. Are you happy?”
Ye Ming’s lips trembled.
Ye Ming felt so pained he wanted to die—upon seeing his expression, Zong Jun laughed uproariously and took to the skies with Ye Ming in his arms. Soon after, several other demonic cultivators arrived. They took the dying Mu Yuanqing down from the stone wall and brought him back to the Devil’s Palace.
Ye Ming lay in Zong Jun’s embrace, looking for all the world like he was suffering.
[888 finally spoke: You took too much of a risk today. According to my calculations, it’s possible that Zong Jun would’ve killed Mu Yuanqing directly. Then you would have regretted counting your chickens before they hatched.]
[Ye Ming: Oh…nah, I understand Zongzong very well. It’s clear from the way he brought me back to life at any cost that he thinks that life is more painful than death, which he views as an end to all of one’s troubles. The more I provoke him, the less likely he is to kill Mu Yuanqing so easily. I want Mu Yuanqing to find out who we are, so Mu Yuanqing can help clear my name in the future. After all, he’s also a very important assistant. I’m killing two birds with one stone ^_^]
[888: But you can’t be one hundred percent sure. As long as you’re not one hundred percent sure, there’s always a possibility. And even if he doesn’t kill Mu Yuanqing, Mu Yuanqing has it pretty rough like this, doesn’t he?]
[Ye Ming was very earnest: What’s a bit of hardship to a cultivator? Don’t I have it pretty rough too?]
[888: …]
[Ye Ming: I’ve rounded up two assistants. There’s just one more left—the most important one! He’s the real knot in Zongzong’s heart! Also, I don’t feel bad at all about using him, heehee.]
[888 laughed scornfully: Hehe.]
………………
Zong Jun carried Ye Ming back to the Devil’s Palace and tossed him directly onto the bed.
Ye Ming ached all over. His face was flushed from humiliation, but it also contained a staunchly stifled look of hurt.
Under the pressure of that desperate situation, the memories that Ye Ming had deliberately forgotten finally returned to him, and he recognized Zong Jun’s true identity. But very quickly, he succumbed to the painful suffering and lost his ability to think…
Now, he finally had the time to carefully study the man in front of him.
Zong Jun was completely different from before. His appearance and temperament had totally changed. The gentle, devoted man who silently guarded him had completely disappeared. In his place was a wicked, unfeeling demonic cultivator.
But Ye Ming didn’t even have the right to fault him, because he had personally caused this to happen. When he took his sword and killed the one who loved him, it brought this evil out from the abyss.
As long as there was a cause, there was bound to be an effect.
Zong Jun bent over and gripped Ye Ming’s chin. There was a mean smile on his grave, stern face. “You remembered after all.”
Ye Ming opened his mouth as if wanting to say something, but he couldn’t voice it.
Once, he’d wondered, if he could bring this man back to life, how could he make up for his past mistakes? What should he say? But when he really did see him again, he realized that all words would be spoken in vain.
There was no use saying anything.
Zong Jun gently pulled Ye Ming into his arms and let out a low laugh against his ear. “I’ve been waiting for you to wake up for two thousand years. It’s all your fault…You left first, all by yourself, without waiting for me to come back and find you.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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As Ye Ming listened, he began to recall memories from long, long ago.
What exactly had he done to make the man who loved him turn into this?
He would rather not remember any of it. He would rather be a puppet without any memories, accompany Zong Jun with what remained of his fragmented soul, than remember…This was the price he should pay.
Ye Ming finally spoke, slow and hoarse. “I’m sorry.”
Zong Jun’s expression hardened. The smile in his eyes disappeared, replaced by cold hatred once again. “I already told you, there’s no need to apologize to me. You will hate me!”
Just like I hate you!
I don’t need your pity!
Ye Ming didn’t speak anymore and closed his eyes.
He couldn’t plead for Mu Yuanqing because that would make Zong Jun take his anger out on him and torment him even more. All he could do was to stay silent. He wouldn’t apologize again—he knew that Zong Jun had the right not to accept it.
He just…felt so helpless.
The immortal cultivation path was bound to be a bumpy one. Countless people’s corporeal bodies perished, and their cultivation subsequently vanished. Under the heavenly law, everyone was equally insignificant. He and Zong Jun, in the same way, were nothing more than the cruel heavens’ playthings.
………………
From that day onward, Zong Jun never let Ye Ming out of his bedchamber again. He shut him inside of his room and tormented him in a new way every day, delighting himself in seeing his pained expression.
Ye Ming once again became Zong Jun’s exclusive property.
It was rumored that the new demonic envoy had lost favor. It was said that he had failed to accomplish his mission twice in a row, and the Lord killed him out of rage…Because he never appeared in front of anyone again, and given the Lord’s habits, he was likely already dead.
Everyone was frightened. The Lord had publicly beheaded Han Sha as well a few days ago. The Lord seemed to be irritable and in a bad mood—two demonic envoys in a row had already been beheaded.
When they faced Zong Jun, they were twelve times more cautious than usual.
The days seemed to go by peacefully, but in fact, the winds were rising and the clouds were stirring.
Mu Yuanqing was Yuan Ming shangren’s last disciple and was well-doted on. He was also the disciple the Xuanguang Sect had the highest hopes for, after Bai Qianhong.
Yuan Ming shangren’s cultivation had been at a standstill for four thousand years. He was only one final step away from going beyond the great Dao, yet stubbornly, that final step evaded him. The end of his life was nearing. If he died, the Xuanguang Sect would be short of powerful masters; perhaps it would be difficult for them to maintain their current status.
Mu Yuanqing was the most promising candidate to take over for him. The Xuanguang Sect couldn’t afford to lose him.
So after they received news that Mu Yuanqing had been captured by the Demonic Lord, the entire sect grew anxious. That very night, the senior sect members gathered for a meeting. They joined forces with several other large sects and finally decided to attack the Devil’s Palace.
For a long time now, ever since the Devil’s Palace sprang up, shadows had loomed above the heads of the righteous sects. There was constant friction, but thanks to a precarious equilibrium, they had never engaged in an all-out war, because the cost of that would be too disastrous.
But Mu Yuanqing’s capture thoroughly unsettled the other sects. The Demonic Lord was extremely powerful and completely unscrupulous. This time he captured the Xuanguang Sect’s Mu Yuanqing, but next time it might be one of their own. If they continued to quietly tolerate it, perhaps the Devil’s Palace would eventually crush each and every one of them.
They couldn’t bear to see the Devil’s Palace get stronger and stronger. In addition, Mu Yuanqing’s capture had touched on the righteous sects’ sensitive nerves.
So for once, they cast aside their schemes against each other and secretly assembled. Each rounded up their most powerful and prepared to make a move against the Devil’s Palace!
………………
Every single day, Zong Jun stayed with Ye Ming. He derived more pleasure out of hurting Ye Ming now that he’d recovered his memories.
On this day, he was in his bedchamber when he suddenly heard one of his subordinates coming in to look for him, panicked.
Zong Jun was fully aware that unless there was something urgent, they wouldn’t dare disturb him, so he opened his door and went out.
In the split second that the door opened, the demonic cultivator nervously waiting outside saw that inside the room, behind layers and layers of gauze curtain, there was a man suspended by his hands. That…The scene made his throat feel tight. He hurriedly looked down and masked his shock. That man was the head demonic envoy, Yu Hun! Not only was he still alive, the Lord had been keeping him by his side!
This would’ve been huge news—normally, it’d be enough for them to talk about for a long time. But in the face of the critical present situation, it wasn’t so important anymore. The demonic cultivator didn’t have the time to spare to examine Ye Ming and blurted, “My Lord! Bad news! The three great sects, the Xuanguang, Lietian, and Lishui Sects, along with several hundred other sects have joined forces and are attacking together! We couldn’t stop them, and now they’ve nearly reached the Palace!”
Zong Jun’s expression didn’t waver upon hearing the news. On the contrary, a trace of an unfeeling smile flashed in his eyes. Indifferent, he asked, “Is that so?”
The demonic cultivator was taken off guard. The situation was so dire—why didn’t the Lord seem surprised at all? Had he already known, and had he already made preparations? The thought calmed him down, though he was still very scared. The righteous sects had come at them in full strength in order to eliminate them. Regardless of how strong the Lord was himself, how could he resist such a strong tide?
Zong Jun glanced at him and said, “No need to worry. You may leave. I’ll come in a moment.”
The demonic cultivator was full of uncertainty, but he didn’t dare ask any more questions and could only back away out of the room.
Zong Jun’s gaze hardened, and he laughed scornfully. Those righteous sects had been plenty careful, but did they really think they could hide such a major operation from him? Truthfully, Zong Jun hadn’t wanted to kill every last one of them and conquer the entire realm; he was set only on taking revenge against Ye Ming. But that didn’t mean he was still a good person.
Though he didn’t have any interest in going out of his way to conquer those sects, he would kill those who wanted to steal his treasures and end those who offended him, and he would not be charitable to those whom he found unpleasant or who happened to run into him when he was in a bad mood.
By now, he’d long since become a real, proper devil.
He couldn’t be bothered to actively attack those sects, but if they couldn’t stand him and wanted to come provoke him, then he didn’t mind killing them off, either.
Zong Jun went back inside the room. He flicked a finger, and the red rope binding Ye Ming’s hands broke. Ye Ming fell bonelessly to the floor. His body was a powerful spiritual tool, but it still couldn’t endure the daily torture. He was unable to move; his hands and feet felt like they didn’t belong to him. A pained groan escaped his lips.
Zong Jun smiled a little bit. His dark blue eyes were fixed on the figure on the ground. He ambled over to Ye Ming and helped him put on his clothes, putting his mask on for him. Then, carrying Ye Ming, he stood up and smiled. “You must’ve heard. The Xuanguang Sect has come to attack.”
“Looks like they really care about Mu Yuanqing.” Zong Jun’s voice carried a mocking laughter.
In Ye Ming’s eyes, pain and anxiety intertwined. For a long time now, Mu Yuanqing had been imprisoned in the Devil’s Palace, thrown into the soul-smelting pool to be tortured. All the while, Ye Ming was unable to save him. Now, shifu was…finally coming to save him?
He hoped shifu would be able to rescue Mu Yuanqing, but didn’t want to see Zong Jun and his former fellow sect members in a deadly battle with one another.
Zong Jun’s finger brushed against the silver mask on Ye Ming’s face. He gazed at him with gentle yet cruel eyes. “Do you miss them? How about I take you to go see them one last time?”
“No…” Ye Ming finally couldn’t help but plead shakily.
He knew his plea would only make Zong Jun pleased or maybe hate him more, but he just couldn’t act unconcerned anymore, couldn’t watch the people he loved die because of him again—and even kill each other.
What was the difference between those he killed himself and those who indirectly died because of him?
Zong Jun gazed at Ye Ming’s eyes. During this time, no matter how he tormented him, he remained like a vacant shell, as if he were completely indifferent to how he was treated.
But in fact, there still are things you care about, right? You care about Mu Yuanqing, Yuan Ming shangren, and your former sect.
But why am I the only one you don’t care about?
It really makes me want to destroy everything you care about as you watch. In the end, I’ll be the only one left. How about that?
The resentment in Zong Jun’s eyes intensified.
He carried Ye Ming out.
The Devil’s Palace had already activated a huge array. Outside, the sounds of fighting shook the skies. The demonic cultivators and Daoist cultivators battled violently. Cultivators fell by the second; it was a very awful scene.
Although they were in the demonic domain, at the largest, most powerful Devil’s Palace, the righteous cultivators were attacking with all their might and gradually gained the upper hand. Zong Jun’s subordinates grew immensely anxious. Some of them even became visibly frightened and thought about fleeing.
Only Zong Jun stood atop the gates of the Devil’s Palace, watching on, unconcerned. He neither cared about the seemingly dire situation nor the deaths of his underlings.
As he watched countless people lose their lives, Ye Ming felt pained and helpless.
The Daoist cultivators were unstoppable. Soon they would make it to the gates. The demonic cultivators eventually grew restless. If even the Devil’s Palace was breached, it’d be difficult for them to flee with their lives. Just then, Zong Jun grinned and said coldly, “Open the gates!”
The demonic cultivator at his side was shocked. Looking at Zong Jun in disbelief, he asked, “My Lord, what did you say?”
This was his first time questioning one of Zong Jun’s orders.
Zong Jun looked over at him with pitiless, cold eyes. “Open the gates.”
The demonic cultivator gave a full-body shudder. If he opened the gates and let the Daoist cultivators in, he would die. But if he didn’t open the gates, the Lord would kill him right now. How could he dare make the Lord repeat himself a third time? Finally, he grit his teeth and made the split-second decision to open the gates!
The Daoist cultivators didn’t expect the gates to suddenly open. They charged inside without a second thought.
Zong Jun watched as they flocked inside. Just as before, he was standing there, motionless, gazing off into the distance with an unfeeling smile.
Just as the Daoist cultivators were feeling overjoyed at the turn of events and the demonic cultivators were despairing, a huge group of cultivators on flying treasures appeared behind them. They were dressed strangely and wielded treasures made of spiritual objects of the sea. The Tianhai Palace had come, leading the maritime cultivators!
Waves swelled. Imposing and towering, they arrived.
In their midst was an enormous, hollow flying treasure made out of a white shell. It was like a small palace. A handsome, white-clothed, white-haired man sat leisurely inside it. His long, slender fingers grasped a white jade cup; he seemed to be enjoying a cup of wine by himself.
He sensed that someone was looking at him. He raised his head a little bit, and his slender phoenix eyes, across thousands of li, met Zong Jun’s, and he smiled faintly.
Ye Yin had unified the seas and had long since turned his covetous gaze to the vast dry land. He knew, however, that if he acted impulsively, he might cause the righteous sects to violently resist.
After ten thousand years of lying dormant, Ye Yin was finally able to take over a body and come back to life. He resolved only to make a move after careful planning and did not act rashly. He didn’t want to lose his corporeal body again, just like ten thousand years ago.
Many years ago, he tried to join forces with Zong Jun—they were both thorns in the sides of the righteous cultivators—but unfortunately, Zong Jun had always declined, indifferent, as if he didn’t really care to rule the world.
Zong Jun’s nature was cruel and disagreeable, and he was also invulnerable. Even Ye Yin couldn’t do anything. Until finally, against the joint attack by the righteous sects, Zong Jun invited him to help.
Together, the two of them massacred nearly all of these righteous sects, who had sent all their strongest and most powerful! He was certain that when he trampled all the sects one by one, they would all surrender to him! Ye Yin had even already decided on how to split the Immortal Cloud Realm’s resources between himself and Zong Jun.
He would achieve the great Dao again, no matter what it took!
Ye Yin’s arrival suddenly turned the entire situation around. As the righteous cultivators entered the Devil’s Palace, they were met with an array and the demonic cultivator’s fierce attacks, while behind them, the Tianhai Palace blocked the exit. Finally, they understood that they had entered a trap.
The Tianhai Palace was so far away that they had no idea it would manage to secretly arrive without a whisper of warning! This devil had been prepared long ago!
Ye Ming hadn’t expected the situation to be turned around so quickly. He looked shocked.
Zong Jun laughed quietly and set Ye Ming next to him, watching the chaotic battle below. Finally, he made fist, and a long black sword appeared in his hand. As soon as the demonic sword appeared, its presence made everyone feel as though there were a huge boulder crushing their hearts.
They realized that this frightening Demonic Lord was finally going to personally join the battle!
Zong Jun looked toward the Xuanguang disciples and told Ye Ming, “Wait for me, I’m going to pluck their heads to bring back for you.”
Then, wielding his sword, he made his way down!
No one was any match for him. Wherever he went, Daoist cultivators fled in panic, like stray curs, so he quickly arrived before the Xuanguang disciples!
Yuan Ming shangren was nearing the end of his life. For the sake of his sect and the righteous path, he personally led his disciples here. Initially he’d thought he could rescue his disciple and eliminate this devil, but contrary to his expectations, they had made the wrong move in this chess game they were playing, and now they were stuck in this situation!
He didn’t want his sect’s disciples to be killed. As sect leader, he went forward to personally meet Zong Jun’s blade!
Zong Jun was completely apathetic toward Yuan Ming shangren. He sneered as spiritual force flared throughout his body so powerfully that Yuan Ming shangren was forced backwards, little by little!
The Xuanguang disciples saw that their strongest sect leader, Yuan Ming shangren, who like a god had lived thousands and thousands of years, wasn’t a match for this devil either, and their expressions grew even more despairing.
Ye Ming watched as everything unfolded.
[Ye Ming: The people I’ve been waiting for have finally all arrived. It’s time to show my face.]
[888: Oh.]
[Ye Ming: Oh, but my kidneys have been weak recently. Ge, help me out? Let me show my face a little more prettily. Pleading.jpg]
[888: …]
In order to avoid his whining…888 decided to compromise.
Zong Jun’s eyes were cold, his attack relentless! Indeed, he was really trying to take Yuan Ming shangren’s life!
After coming back to life, Ye Ming didn’t expect to be able to see his shifu again. At five years old, he went up the sect mountain, where shifu patiently taught him to cultivate. Not even his birth father could be as dear to him as his shifu—and shifu was now his last remaining loved one…How could he watch as shifu was killed?
Did he come back to life just to watch as everyone he loved died by Zong Jun’s sword?
With a determined look in his eyes, he summoned the last of the spiritual power within him and flew toward them on his sword! In the most critical moment of peril, he blocked in front of Zong Jun! He would rather die than watch this all happen!
He didn’t want to let everything go awry anymore!
How could Zong Jun let Ye Ming die? The end of his sword suddenly veered off to the side, but his sharp spiritual force continued to make its way toward Ye Ming. It sliced at Ye Ming’s face, and his silver mask silently split apart, falling to the ground in two broken halves!
Zong Jun didn’t continue his actions. He simply gazed at him frigidly, his eyes dark as night.
Everyone had noticed that the cultivator in white robes and a silver mask had been brought by Zong Jun. It seemed he was someone the Demonic Lord really favored. But they hadn’t expected for that cultivator to suddenly save Yuan Ming shangren, risking his life to block the Demonic Lord’s way! And to their surprise, the Demonic Lord didn’t kill him; instead, he stopped himself!
The moment his mask broke, everyone could see his face.
Those who didn’t recognize him gasped. What an immortal-like man! Even in the Immortal Cloud Realm, where cultivators were plentiful, it was rare to come across an existence so cold and pure.
Those who recognized him were utterly shocked.
Wasn’t this Bai Qianhong from three thousand years ago? He…was still alive?!
Yuan Ming shangren stared fixedly at Ye Ming. On his aged face, an incredulous, sentimental look appeared in his eyes.
Meanwhile, far away, Ye Yin narrowed his eyes, looking at the white-clothed cultivator high in the sky with rapt attention. He gripped the white jade cup in his hands a little harder.
Ah…so that interesting little guy was still alive, huh.
Woah, I never thought that our dear gong would actually do it with our shou in front of Mu Yuanqing! I thought that with how possessive he was, he would not let others see it. He must be evolving, huh?
currently his possessiveness is being directed towards revenge and not actual love. So while he will be the only one to possess YM, any way to degrade, abuse, and torment him is game.
oooh that makes sense…. Thanks for clarifying :3
Actually kind of an evolution too, since I binge read all the way here, in the first world, he wasn’t willing to let anyone see or hear him. Afterwards in the father-son world, he allowed second ml to listen, and now finally he’s come to the point where he allows them to see lol
Thanks for the chapter! ^ ^)/♡
Thank you for the chapter
yw ♡
😖 SSSG+SCSG=heart torture.
the reason y i’m hurting rn tbh
Waowowowoww, spicy..now commence the angst
it’ll come soon! gong abuse in about…3 chapters?
😯 i wonder what Ye Ming’s explanation is gonna be for trying to kill Zong Jun
Is it okay to dislike this ML? although he’s revenging towards Ye Ming he kinda deserve it lol but killing other lives is quite….he truly become evil. ugh ye ming my bae why did u have to do that to him huhu
This gong just loves voyeurism, how many times has he done this?🙃