The shadow left on Yan by the last activation of the “slave mark” was immense. One look from Wenren Li was enough to make him collapse to his knees in fright, and now he absolutely dared not harbor even the slightest rebellious thought.
“Elder An said that after you and the Divine Lord settle matters here, you should make another trip to the Northern Sea.”
Wenren Li gave no response upon hearing this. He waved his hand, dismissing Yan and the Roc Demon Emperor first. After pondering for a moment longer, he picked up his brush once more and continued repairing the formation array.
Meanwhile, the phoenix egg Chen Yixin, who had already bounced onto the desk to play, rolled over beside Wenren Li’s hand and rubbed against him before spreading his little wings and flying all around the command tent. He paused briefly at the tent entrance before directly darting outside.
All of Chen Yixin’s movements remained within Wenren Li’s divine sense. He never restricted Chen Yixin’s freedom, though once Chen Yixin left, part of Wenren Li’s attention naturally followed him.
This was not the first time Chen Yixin had flown out to play. Though he was only an egg, his speed was astonishing. Once he concealed his aura, even the Roc Demon Emperor might not necessarily discover him, so in truth he did not require excessive protection.
“The Demon Lord treats the Demon Consort so well. It’s just a pity for our former emperor… no, our clan leader. Clearly our clan leader met the Demon Lord first.”
“Exactly. I wonder whether the clan leader has managed to let go yet.”
“Definitely not. The clan leader doesn’t even smile anymore…”
Among the Sky Clan army brought by the Roc Demon Emperor were naturally many talented younger members from Qingyu Palace and the various avian demon clans. Before coming here, the Roc Demon Emperor had already instructed them to address him as Clan Leader or Palace Master from now on, no longer as “Your Majesty.”
During battle they naturally remained fully alert, striving not to disgrace the Northern Sea Sky Clan. But now that the fighting had temporarily ceased, their gossiping hearts could no longer restrain themselves. Furthermore, the Sky Clan had always been well-informed, and the little secrets within Qingyu Palace were impossible to hide.
As for the claim that he no longer smiled—truthfully, the Roc Demon Emperor had probably never smiled much at these younger generations to begin with.
“Young Roc Lord said that the Demon Consort still has a ten-year duel agreement with our clan leader. Now that he won’t show himself, could it be because he’s afraid he can’t beat our clan leader? Hahaha—urk—”
The Eagle Clan warrior who had been laughing with his head thrown back suddenly had a red fruit stuffed down his throat. His face instantly flushed crimson, and he nearly choked to death on the spot.
Meanwhile, after eavesdropping the entire way, Chen Yixin exploded with rage once again. After stuffing the fruit into the laughing demon cultivator’s mouth, he revealed himself as well.
“Explain it clearly to this lord! Every single detail, from beginning to end!”
Releasing a trace of phoenix aura, Chen Yixin immediately caused the demon cultivators’ legs to go weak. They could not summon the slightest will to resist and promptly spilled all the gossip they had heard, one after another, until everything had been recounted.
Trembling fearfully, they stared at the phoenix egg radiating icy aura while slowly backing away. Then in the blink of an eye, the phoenix egg vanished before them.
Chen Yixin had already returned to the entrance of the command tent, floating before a Demon Guard as his voice clearly entered the guard’s ears.
“Go prepare the dueling platform. This lord is going to battle that audacious little Roc demon!”
How could his tree possibly be allowed to attract covetous attention from others? He had to beat him until he feared even thinking about it again!
After issuing the order, Chen Yixin let out an aggrieved hum before throwing himself into the arms of Wenren Li, who had just stepped out of the command tent.
“A-Li is bad. You didn’t even tell me about this.”
He rolled about within Wenren Li’s arms. The moment he sensed someone approaching, he immediately burrowed into Wenren Li’s robes, occupying the spot over his chest before poking out just a tiny bit. Even after losing his memories, the way he grew jealous had not changed at all.
“Demon Lord, Demon Consort, please forgive them. This subject will properly discipline them,” the Roc Demon Emperor said anxiously as he hurried several steps forward before dropping to both knees, pleading forgiveness on behalf of those younger demon cultivators who had offended Chen Yixin.
“Whether you discipline them or not can wait. First, little Roc demon, let’s fight!”
Though Chen Yixin remained nestled in place, his voice rang clearly in the Roc Demon Emperor’s ears. The provocation within it immediately stirred the Roc Demon Emperor’s fighting spirit as well.
But when he raised his eyes, he first met Wenren Li’s gaze. The battle intent he had just worked up instantly froze and was completely extinguished by that single look. Shaking his head lightly, he replied, “The ten-year agreement was for when the Demon Consort’s strength became roughly equal to this subject’s. Right now…”
Before the Roc Demon Emperor could finish speaking, a blue phoenix egg filled his vision. The small spiritual wings transformed into enormous wings over an arm’s length long. His pupils violently contracted as though he were witnessing a fully matured phoenix gazing coldly upon him. The sensation of even his soul freezing prevented him from finishing his sentence.
“Go prepare it,” Chen Yixin ordered the Demon Guard once more. The guard bowed and departed, while Wenren Li likewise made no move to stop him.
The news that Chen Yixin intended to fulfill the ten-year duel agreement with the Roc Demon Emperor spread through the entire military camp like wildfire. Any mid- and high-ranking officers not currently assigned duties crowded around the dueling platform that very day.
There were also two guests whom absolutely no one had bothered to entertain, yet who had found their own way there anyway. One was Demon Lord Black Feather, who had become too restless staying in his own territory. The other was Han Zichuan, who likewise could not sit still back at the Heaven’s Secret Sect.
“A-Li, don’t worry. I won’t smash him to death,” Chen Yixin said as he flew up to rub against Wenren Li’s cheek before soaring onto the dueling platform.
The Roc Demon Emperor no longer looked toward Wenren Li and instead flew upward as well. He held the same thought as Chen Yixin—an agreement was an agreement, but fighting to the death was impossible unless he wanted Wenren Li to personally end his life afterward.
The spiritual wings upon the phoenix egg grew another arm’s length longer. Though formed entirely from spiritual power, they resembled genuine phoenix wings, every feather pattern vividly visible and extraordinarily beautiful.
The instant the Roc Demon Emperor stepped onto the dueling platform, Chen Yixin attacked directly. There was no need for pleasantries with a love rival. Since he could not kill him, then smashing him half to death would have to suffice.
“With a thunderous boom, killing intent and momentum erupted completely. Those who had still worried about the unhatched phoenix egg no longer dared entertain such thoughts.
Even if Chen Yixin had not hatched, he was still a genuine phoenix—one of the only two Heavenly Phoenixes in existence. Even unborn, he was not a being ordinary demon cultivators could offend.
The Roc Demon Emperor instinctively chose to retreat. One step back became step after step backward. Chen Yixin gave him no opportunity whatsoever to retaliate. Letting out an enraged screech, azure feathers emerged upon the Roc Demon Emperor’s face. Moments later he reverted to his true form as well.
Yet before he could rise very high into the air, Chen Yixin flashed above his head and smashed downward fiercely, slamming him back onto the dueling platform where he could no longer rise again. Even the platform itself cracked from the impact. That blow had seriously injured him.
At that moment, a mass of blue flames rose from the phoenix egg. The Azure Roc immediately curled into itself. If Chen Yixin had used his divine flames earlier, the Roc Demon Emperor would already have lost long ago.
A mighty Azure Roc demon of the Soul Transformation realm had lost to an unhatched phoenix egg…
“Even without hatching, this lord could still kill you easily. Remember this well—A-Li belongs to this lord.”
Even after saying this to the Roc Demon Emperor, Chen Yixin still did not feel it was enough. His voice spread directly throughout the entire military camp.
“Your Demon Lord Wenren Li belongs to this lord. Anyone else who covets him will end up like this platform!”
Blue flames descended. The dueling platform, covered in formation arrays, was instantly burned into nothingness. Even the Roc Demon Emperor had some of his feathers scorched bald, though Chen Yixin had no intention of taking his life. Burning a few feathers served as warning enough.
The phoenix egg’s spiritual wings spread high overhead. That pride and domineering arrogance needed no further description. This scene alone was enough to become a topic of excited discussion among the soldiers for a very long time.
At that moment, a red glow faintly appeared within the phoenix egg. The egg trembled slightly, and Wenren Li had already moved from the spectator stands to its side, gathering it into his arms. Everyone else merely assumed Chen Yixin had exhausted himself, though this level of exertion could hardly even count as effort for him.
“Ah, Elder Brother’s scent…” Chen Yixin’s delighted voice sounded before abruptly falling silent. Much later, when his voice finally reached Wenren Li again, it carried bewilderment and the edge of tears. “But why is Elder Brother’s divine power crystal inside my egg…”
A divine power crystal was something only an ancient god whose cultivation had reached a certain realm could condense. Before such a god fell, it was impossible for them to gift it to another. Yet now Qingruo was gone, while his crystal remained within Chen Yixin’s egg.
“A-Li… did something happen to my Elder Brother…”
Wenren Li carried the phoenix egg directly back to the command tent where they usually cultivated together. Before he could think of words to comfort Chen Yixin, a soul body had already begun taking shape outside the egg—a youth of fifteen or sixteen, so tender he seemed almost capable of dripping water, and most importantly, staring at others with reddened eyes in a way that was both pitiful and adorable.
It had been a long time since Wenren Li had seen Chen Yixin like this. Slowly raising a hand, he cautiously approached, afraid it might merely be an illusion. Only after his hand successfully touched Chen Yixin’s overly cold cheek did he finally confirm that, by some fortunate coincidence during the duel, Chen Yixin had managed to form a soul body for himself.
“I don’t know. But I think he wouldn’t want you to grieve for him like this,” Wenren Li murmured softly while stroking Chen Yixin’s cheek before slowly leaning forward to press a kiss against his smooth forehead. “Be good. Don’t be sad anymore.”
The phoenix egg completely merged into Chen Yixin’s soul body, allowing him full control over his newly acquired form. Slowly he raised his arms around Wenren Li’s waist, hugging him tighter and tighter.
Moments later, he buried his face against Wenren Li’s neck as crystalline tears rolled continuously from the corners of his eyes.
“A-Li… I’m still sad. So very sad.”
After waking from a single sleep, the entire world had changed. Of all the people closest to him, only Wenren Li—who remembered nothing—remained. Everyone else was gone.
And not merely missing temporarily, but likely already fallen forever. This fear had always lurked deep within Chen Yixin’s heart without ever finding release. Now Qingruo’s divine crystal had finally triggered it completely.
“I’ll stay with you…” Wenren Li gently smoothed down Chen Yixin’s hair from crown to waist, tender and unwavering. Gradually, within that atmosphere, Chen Yixin’s emotions slowly calmed.
He had long since stopped crying, yet still did not dare raise his head. A faint blush appeared upon his cheeks, seeming both shy and reluctant to leave this embrace.
“A-Li…”
“Mhm.” Wenren Li responded softly, the corners of his lips curving upward slightly as he stopped stroking him and patiently waited for Chen Yixin to continue speaking.
Chen Yixin seemed to ponder for a while longer. Wenren Li waited with equal patience. After another moment, Chen Yixin shifted to settle himself more comfortably within Wenren Li’s embrace before murmuring softly, “A-Li… sleep with me.”
“Alright,” Wenren Li agreed before lying down together with him upon the bed.
Chen Yixin continued lying atop Wenren Li’s chest, his gaze lowered but not yet closed. Then he continued, “That kind of sleeping…”
As a phoenix egg with broad worldly knowledge, the “sleeping” Chen Yixin referred to from the beginning had never been innocent.
The unease within him still remained, yet he did not know what could possibly fill it. Sleeping together had merely been an impulsive suggestion born from emotion, but once he said it aloud, he felt it was absolutely necessary. He wanted it now.
Wenren Li rolled halfway over while holding Chen Yixin, reversing their positions top-to-bottom. Meeting Chen Yixin’s startled gaze, the two stared at each other silently for a long while before Wenren Li slowly lowered his head. His hand settled beneath Chen Yixin’s chin and gently lifted it, causing their lips to meet directly.
The blush upon Chen Yixin’s cheeks instantly deepened into brilliant crimson, yet the passion within his eyes rose just as quickly—open and direct. This was Chen Yixin. Whether he remembered or not, he was still the Chen Yixin who had once fallen in love with and married Wenren Li.
Futile Devices Scans 
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