Futile Devices Scans

Such a wondrous scene attracted the attention of many cultivators. Some even ventured into the forest to search for hidden treasures. However, although the vegetation was indeed lush and abundant, not even a single stalk of spiritual herb could be found—it resembled nothing more than a forest from the mortal world.

In addition, with Wu Fei driving people away in the name of the Li Kui Demon Palace, even those cultivators who still harbored doubts did not dare to press forward recklessly.

“The Li Kui Demon Palace… isn’t that where Martial Uncle is?” Lin An, trailing behind the seven-person group, spoke in a low voice to Shen Xiang. They too were among those being driven away, but upon hearing Wu Fei and the others’ affiliation, he found himself unable to move on.

“We shouldn’t call him Martial Uncle anymore,” Shen Xiang said as she stepped forward—only to see that their fellow disciples ahead had already come into conflict with Wu Fei’s group.

“If we detour around this place, not only will it take us an extra half a month, we may also encounter the strange winds of the Xiguang Plains. We are disciples of the Jade Cauldron Sect—how can we be treated the same as those rogue cultivators?”

The one speaking was a female cultivator who appeared to be in her twenties. She was the granddaughter of one of the sect’s elders and had always enjoyed certain privileges. Traveling across the Xiguang Plains, where flight was impossible, she had already endured much hardship from Chaotic Demon City to this place, and the same had been true within the Burning Heaven Nether Palace. Now, she was unwilling to endure any longer.

Moreover, in her view—and in that of many Jade Cauldron Sect disciples—although Chen Yixin had married into the Demon Palace, he had originally come from their sect. Compared to cultivators of other sects, they were different.

“Ming’er, do not cause trouble!” Xiao Zhe turned around and issued a stern warning. Their current attire made them indistinguishable from the rogue cultivators, but if Wang Ming’er’s loud words reached the ears of the Li Kui Demon Palace, who knew how they would react?

They themselves had not harmed Chen Yixin, but Jing Zhihua had—and the sect master and elders of the Jade Cauldron Sect had condoned it. It was inevitable that they might be implicated.

“Move.”

Before Xiao Zhe could finish speaking, Wu Fei led several people to block their path.

“I seem to have heard the words ‘Jade Cauldron Sect’… would that be you?”

Wu Fei said with a smile, casually waving the fan in his hand. He appeared exceedingly amiable, yet the men behind him bore entirely different expressions—cold and emotionless, radiating killing intent, embodying the ruthless demeanor of the demonic path.

Xiao Zhe’s gaze darkened; he knew things had gone wrong.

“Yes, it is us. We wish to pass through this forest,” Wang Ming’er said without the slightest awareness that she had caused trouble. Stepping forward, she spoke directly. Among those beside her, some shared her hopeful expectations, while others wore expressions as grave as Xiao Zhe’s.

“Then please, go ahead,” Wu Fei said, gesturing with a wave of his hand, still appearing easygoing.

“Ming’er!” Jing Zhihua called out through gritted teeth. He had been distracted after hearing of Chen Yixin’s deeds within the Burning Heaven Nether Palace,  but he had not expected Wang Ming’er to ruin matters like this. Others might still be spared out of lingering sentiment—he, however, certainly would not be.

“Brother Jing is the Divine Son. Since Martial Uncle did not kill you last time, he won’t this time either. Let’s just pass through here.”

Wang Ming’er believed she had done nothing wrong. They themselves were disheveled and worn, while the demonic cultivators appeared clean and composed—and now there was even such a convenient path to leave. They were merely borrowing the road; what harm was there?

“Then let’s go,” Xiao Zhe said, placing a hand on Jing Zhihua’s shoulder before gesturing for the group to follow Wu Fei and his men. The demonic cultivators vastly outnumbered them, and their cultivation levels were far higher. Any conflict would only end badly.

Xiao Zhe was always one to recognize the situation—his decision was not surprising.

Wang Ming’er was genuinely pleased, walking at the front with her chin held high in pride. Lin An and Shen Xiang exchanged a glance and could only follow behind. They did not worry that Chen Yixin would take their lives—but not killing them did not mean he would let them off lightly.

“She’s even more thoughtless than I am,” Lin An muttered under his breath. But at the thought of possibly seeing Chen Yixin again, he found himself rather pleased. “Wen Yun and Wen Xue will definitely be jealous of me…”

Wen Yun and Wen Xue had been Chen Yixin’s attendants in his early years at the Jade Cauldron Sect. Later, seeing that their aptitude was decent, he allowed them to formally enter the sect, though they were not placed under his direct tutelage. Even so, because of that connection, their lives in the Jade Cauldron Sect had not been difficult.

Lin An was on good terms with them and knew that the two of them cultivated diligently, always hoping to return to Loxin Peak. However, before they could even emerge from their Foundation Establishment seclusion, Chen Yixin had already met with misfortune and left. After they emerged, their freedom was restricted—otherwise, they would likely have been part of this journey to Chaotic Demon City.

Shen Xiang turned her head and shot Lin An a warning glance. She herself did not mind his words, but Jing Zhihua and Xiao Zhe might. One harbored malicious intent, the other delusions—both now most feared encountering Chen Yixin, especially the Chen Yixin who had once again set foot on the path of cultivation.

Walking beneath the dense forest canopy that blocked out the sky, free from wind and sand, Wang Ming’er let out a sigh of relief. As she walked, she even took the time to tidy her appearance. “Last time, I didn’t even get to speak with Martial Uncle, or the Demon Lord.”

She continued murmuring, her cheeks faintly flushed—though whether it was because of Chen Yixin or Wenren Li, no one could tell.

No one paid her any attention. Even among the Jade Cauldron Sect disciples, many wished she would simply stay silent.

In the past, her petty jealousy over Jing Zhihua might have been tolerable, but even now she still harbored such thoughts—did she not realize that Chen Yixin’s current partner was the foremost Demon Lord of the Southern Domain? How could she still dare to entertain such fantasies?

Jing Zhihua’s face was ashen. A sense of fear crept into him—the shadow Wenren Li had left on him that day had yet to fade.

Moreover, Chen Yixin had allowed Wenren Li to force him to kneel in humiliation; whatever past ties they had likely no longer remained. This time, Chen Yixin might very well seek revenge personally.

With this thought, Jing Zhihua exhaled deeply and, unexpectedly, felt somewhat relieved. He continued walking forward—but suddenly found himself unable to move. Behind him, a rift in the wind split open. His eyes widened, a spark rekindling in their depths.

“Master!” he cried out inwardly.

“Zhihua,” Yun Zhenzi stepped out from the spatial rift, grasping Jing Zhihua’s arm. His gaze sharpened slightly as he cast a spell toward Wu Fei and the others—had it landed, they would have died without question.

Wu Fei, merely at the late Nascent Soul stage, had no means of resisting a Soul Transformation powerhouse.

Yet none of the demonic guards, including him, showed even a trace of fear. This was not just any forest in the Taixuan realm—this was a forest created after the dual cultivation of their Demon Lord and Consort. In other words, it was formed by Wenren Li himself—everything here was under his control.

Yun Zhenzi believed he had arrived silently, but in truth, the moment Jing Zhihua’s aura appeared, Wenren Li had already become alert. It was precisely for this reason that he had instructed Wu Fei to detain them—he had been waiting for Yun Zhenzi to come.

Jing Zhihua still held the status of “Divine Son”, and even for his own sake, Yun Zhenzi could not allow him to fall into Wenren Li’s hands.

The spell struck Wu Fei and the others—but it was like a breeze brushing past them. Not a single one of them was harmed. At the same moment, a massive hand formed of spiritual power descended from the sky. Yun Zhenzi’s body was crushed into fragments—but that was not his true body.

He spat out a mouthful of blood and stepped out from the void, appearing at the edge of the forest. Without attempting further rescue, he immediately used teleportation to escape.

He could sense that the power of Wenren Li’s strike far surpassed what he had displayed in the Burning Heaven Nether Palace. Either he had held back his strength at that time, or he had made another breakthrough within this past month.

Yun Zhenzi leaned toward the former. After reaching the Soul Transformation stage, breakthroughs were exceedingly difficult. A single month was hardly enough even to fully comprehend a technique, let alone advance further—no matter how gifted Wenren Li might be.

He fled in a sorry state, now fully aware that alone, he could no longer attempt a rescue. Otherwise, next time, he might not be fortunate enough to escape alive.

As for Jing Zhihua and the others—after that massive hand descended, they were swept away by Wenren Li and relocated outside the town, within the town god’s temple.

“A-Li…” Chen Yixin murmured softly, nestling further into Wenren Li’s embrace. After a month of intense dual cultivation, his energy was completely spent. Though he was exhausted and wanted to sleep, some instinct within him still wished for Wenren Li to remain by his side. The moment Wenren Li tried to rise, Chen Yixin frowned and called out to him.

“I’m here,” Wenren Li replied, lying back down again. He gently patted Chen Yixin’s shoulder, continuing to coax him back to sleep.

From sunset to sunrise, Chen Yixin did not wake until the following afternoon. By then, he and Wenren Li were no longer on the bed in the room, but in a pool behind the small courtyard. The temperature was just right. Leaning against Wenren Li, he found it even more comfortable than sleeping in bed.

“A-Li,” Chen Yixin called softly. Opening his eyes, he lifted his head and pressed a kiss to Wenren Li’s lips. “Did A-Li sleep well?”

“Well,” Wenren Li nodded. Turning Chen Yixin gently around, he began washing his hair.

Chen Yixin’s current body was free of dust and impurities; even his hair remained spotless. Wenren Li simply used a water-dampened comb to gently smooth through it, carefully tending to him.

Sitting with his back turned, Chen Yixin’s heartbeat was neither particularly fast nor entirely calm.

There was no doubt he liked Wenren Li—but that affection deepened with each passing day. Feelings once worn away by time had all returned. Having tasted the most sincere emotions in this world, he could no longer live the detached, desireless life of a cultivator.

“A-Li…”

“Mm?” Wenren Li responded softly in inquiry, his hands still moving, the comb gliding from root to tip. A few strands of hair floated upon the water’s surface, ripples spreading gently—two beautiful figures reflected side by side.

“It’s nothing. I just felt like calling your name,” Chen Yixin said, a faint blush rising to his cheeks. He said nothing further.

After finishing with his hair, Wenren Li turned him back around. Seeing the flush on Chen Yixin’s face, he lowered his head and pressed a kiss to his glabella. “What is A-Rong thinking about?”—to the point that he had made himself blush like this.

“I’m happy… that A-Li likes me just as much.”

This was what it meant for two hearts to be joined, for mutual affection, for love freely given—a warmth surpassing all things in the world.

“I like A-Rong,” Wenren Li said with certainty. His kiss moved slowly downward, landing on Chen Yixin’s lips. Their gazes met, lips parting slightly as the kiss deepened without end.

It was half an hour later when they finally emerged from the pool. After changing clothes, Chen Yixin was led out for a walk by Wenren Li. They circled the small town, where in front of every courtyard lay piles of cut grass and wood.

For an entire month, the townspeople had been unable to go out to work. From morning till night, they labored to clear the overgrown vegetation, only just managing to cut down what blocked their paths.

“A-Li, young man, have you finished clearing yours? Why is it still growing so tall? Do you need everyone to come help?” Old Man Lin called out. He had no idea that this rampant growth of plants was caused by Wenren Li and Chen Yixin. The townspeople held no resentment toward it—instead, they treated it as a blessing from heaven and were delighted.

The Xiguang Plains were plagued by wind and sand, with almost no towns or villages to be found. This lone small town existed only by relying on the Burning Heaven Nether Palace. Though the people here appeared human and followed human routines, in truth, they were not entirely human.

“No need. A-Li and I will cut it down ourselves later,” Chen Yixin said. Turning his head, he smiled at Wenren Li, his brows lifting slightly in clear delight.

Old Man Lin glanced at their clasped hands and smiled kindly before returning to clearing his own courtyard.

Even after touring the town, Chen Yixin was not satisfied. He pulled Wenren Li along to fly through the forest for a while, then climbed onto Wenren Li’s back, continuing to revel in his joy. His A-Li was truly wonderful—he had given him an entire forest and countless blooming flowers.

To Chen Yixin, this was perhaps the kind of romance he loved most.

“Mother, Yinzi is hungry.”

Still riding on Wenren Li’s back, Chen Yixin had not yet finished enjoying himself when something appeared at his feet. Turning his head, he saw Yinzi’s long whiskers tightly clinging to his calf. Those naturally intimidating eyes blinked repeatedly—it was acting cute again.

Chen Yixin turned back and kissed Wenren Li’s cheek. “Let’s go over there. I’ll feed Yinzi.”

The place Chen Yixin pointed to was the town god’s temple, where Wenren Li had imprisoned Jing Zhihua and the others.

Inside and outside the temple, Wu Fei and the others were busy. They did not know how long they would remain here, so they were currently using spells to repair the temple. At the same time, they were clearing out an underground space filled with dry bones.

“Greetings, Demon Lord. Greetings, Demon Consort.” The demonic guards paid their respects to Chen Yixin and Wenren Li.

“And Yinzi—I am your Young Master.”

Yinzi bounced twice, feeling a little aggrieved at being ignored.

Chen Yixin bent down, grabbed Yinzi’s whiskers, and waved it toward the guards. “This is Yinzi—your Young Master.”

He and Wenren Li were unlikely to have a child, but raising one they had picked up was not a bad idea.

“Greetings, Young Master,” Wu Fei and the others responded. Though their expressions remained composed, their hearts were anything but calm.

So after a month of dual cultivation, their Demon Lord and Consort had even produced a child… Though this “child” was oddly flat… it was still a child! The Demon Palace had an heir!

Yinzi’s whiskers perked up in satisfaction. It squeezed back between Chen Yixin and Wenren Li’s feet, looking exceedingly proud. The corners of Chen Yixin’s lips curved upward—Yinzi’s temperament was, in some ways, quite similar to his own.

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