Futile Devices Scans

“Those two Divine Wells, we’ll bring them back to the Southern Domain. An Cheng, make arrangements here, then come to the Southern Domain as well.”

After glancing down at the Divine Wells, Wenren Li turned to An Cheng and gave the order. He and Chen Yixin could not continue remaining in the Northern Sea, but his belongings still remained within those two Divine Wells. For the sake of cultivation, it was best to bring them back to the Demon Palace.

“Yes.”

An Cheng bowed in acknowledgment. Yet when he slightly lifted his gaze, he saw Chen Yixin sit directly on the edge of one well again, casually patting its rim again and again, making An Cheng’s heart tremble with every slap. For the Divine Wells’ sake alone, he felt he absolutely had to follow them to the Demon Palace and watch from the side.

“As for Qiu Yi…”

Before Wenren Li could finish, Qiu Yi himself stepped forward.

“I’ll go with you.”

One of those two Divine Wells had been guarded by the Qiu Clan for generations. He likewise could not allow Chen Yixin to recklessly torment the Myriad Worlds Well.

“So much time has passed, and you still haven’t figured it out?”

Chen Yixin lightly patted the Three Lives Well while peering seriously inside. Yet the water’s surface remained mirrorlike, reflecting nothing except his phoenix true form.

Turning his head, Chen Yixin glanced at Wenren Li beside him. The well still could not reflect Wenren Li’s true form. It was not because the Divine Well refused, but because it simply could not accomplish it. It could reflect all things beneath heaven, yet Wenren Li alone remained the exception.

Even Chen Yixin himself had never fully understood the reason behind this. But if he wanted answers from the Divine Well, he would likely have to spend considerable effort extracting them.

Chen Yixin narrowed his eyes. The well body trembled faintly, finally showing some reaction instead of remaining completely unresponsive. It even knew how to beg for mercy. Yet the more it behaved like this, the less likely Chen Yixin was to let it off easily.

The corners of his lips curved into a faint smile as he poked the edge of the well with a finger.

“Forget it. I’ll spare you this time.”

Both An Cheng and Qiu Yi had the overwhelming urge to step forward and inspect the Divine Wells carefully, but Chen Yixin’s gaze drifted toward them slightly, silencing them instantly. Neither dared move closer. Soon afterward, Wenren Li began inscribing formations around the wells, directly transferring both Divine Wells into the rear garden of the Demon Palace.

The thunderous sound of rumbling echoed across the skies above Yan Province in the Southern Domain. Ze Fang, Black Feather, and the others were all alarmed into investigating. Yet aside from the deafening noise, nothing else unusual occurred. When they returned to the Demon Palace, they found Wenren Li and Chen Yixin standing upon the terrace in the palace garden after emerging from their three months of secluded cultivation.

Beside them stood a man in green robes, his aura detached from the mortal world, while his cultivation depth remained impossible to discern.

Ze Fang and Black Feather’s pupils contracted slightly. They themselves had already reached the late stage of Soul Transformation, yet they still could not see through this man’s cultivation. Had he perhaps already found a method to break through?

As for Chen Yixin and Wenren Li, they had long since given up trying to gauge the cultivation of those two, who no longer belonged within the category of ordinary cultivators.

“This is Qiu Yi. From now on, the Demon Palace’s Medicine Pavilion will be under his management.”

Wenren Li instructed Ping Cheng before gesturing for Ze Fang and the others to come forward and report the state of affairs within the Southern Domain.

With the Southern Domain unified, everything had already entered stable order. The Demon Guard army had expanded explosively from one hundred thousand to a full million troops. Prosperity flourished everywhere, far surpassing their original expectations.

After finishing the report on the Southern Domain, Ze Fang spoke of the Northern Domain.

“The Northern Domain’s situation is far more complicated than the Southern Domain’s. The immortal path possesses deep foundations and likely many hidden trump cards. Should the matter of unifying the Northern Domain perhaps be postponed for later discussion?”

Ze Fang felt it might be wiser to wait until the Southern Domain became even stronger before discussing the unification of the Northern Domain. Azure Roc and Black Feather shared the same thoughts. The greatest reason they had chosen loyalty and surrender lay in Wenren Li and Chen Yixin themselves.

Yet even including the Northern Sea’s forces, facing the deeply entrenched immortal path of the Northern Domain would still mean a brutal battle.

However, after hearing everyone’s opinions, Wenren Li still shook his head.

“In ten days, the northern campaign begins. We will not lose.”

Not to mention Chen Yixin’s current cultivation, which had recovered to the threshold of Emperor Lord perfection after this ordeal—even Qiu Yi alone, the immortal lord brought down from the Upper Realm, possessed enough strength to unify the Northern Domain by himself. The northern campaign was inevitable, and failure impossible.

Yet Wenren Li hoped these wars would ultimately be won through the efforts of his Demon Guards. The unification of the Southern Domain was only the beginning. The northern campaign was merely the second step, not the final one. Their wars had only just begun.

Wenren Li’s calm yet absolute certainty left Ze Fang and the others briefly stunned. Then they knelt together.

“Yes! We swear to follow Demon Lord and Demon Consort unto death!”

Wenren Li nodded and gestured for them to rise. Black Feather and the others departed to prepare their respective matters. Only Ze Fang, usually the busiest among them, lagged two steps behind before turning back toward Wenren Li and Chen Yixin.

“You two talk. I’ll take Qiu Yi to the Medicine Pavilion.”

After speaking to Wenren Li and nodding toward Ze Fang, Chen Yixin turned toward Qiu Yi.

He had abducted Qiu Yi into the Lower Realm, then immediately shut himself inside with Wenren Li for three months, leaving no chance to properly speak with him. Yet certain matters were best clarified sooner rather than later, even between close friends.

Qiu Yi nodded and followed Chen Yixin down a stone path. Everywhere his eyes landed, the flowers and plants were extraordinary. Taixuan was truly a treasure land, far from the barren wasteland the Upper Realm believed it to be.

“Lord Yi… Yixin, don’t worry. I don’t blame you. The Qiu Clan only has me left anyway. Since the Divine Wells descended into the Lower Realm, naturally I should descend as well.”

Had Chen Yixin truly left him behind in the Upper Realm, that would have unsettled him instead.

Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Chen Yixin’s face.

“That’s good. You can just tend flowers and herbs. There are some matters that won’t require your involvement.”

Eventually they would face the Upper Realm directly. Chen Yixin considered Qiu Yi a close friend, yet Qiu Yi also had many other friends. With such a gentle temperament, he likely would not wish to cross blades with them. Neither Chen Yixin nor Wenren Li intended to force him.

In truth, Wenren Li placing Qiu Yi in charge of the Medicine Pavilion already conveyed this intention clearly.

Yet contrary to Chen Yixin’s expectations, Qiu Yi did not simply agree quietly. He continued walking in silence for a long time before finally speaking.

“Yixin, you and Lord Li are now the masters of the Divine Wells. That also makes you the masters of my Qiu Clan. Fighting for you and Lord Li is my unavoidable duty.”

This was a choice he would eventually have to make. He could neither avoid it nor should he avoid it.

Hearing this, Chen Yixin halted his steps. Reaching out, he snapped off a flowering branch from a nearby tree and held it in his hand. Yet the moment he sensed a gaze directed toward him, he immediately stuffed the flower into Qiu Yi’s hands instead.

“There’s no rush to decide. We’ll see when the time comes.”

As he spoke, Chen Yixin pointed toward the other side of the pond.

“That’s the Medicine Pavilion. I’ll take you there.”

Qiu Yi looked down at the flower in his hands and spoke with mild disapproval.

“Qianshi Flowers are best picked at noon. Lord Yi should know this well. Why pluck them so casually?”

And after picking it, he had shoved it into Qiu Yi’s hands. Now the one receiving Wenren Li’s cold stare was him instead.

Chen Yixin glanced at the flower before slinging an arm around Qiu Yi’s shoulder with a light sigh.

“You have no idea how well-behaved I’ve been these years…”

Forget plucking flowers—he rarely even touched them anymore. Just now had merely been a casual reflex. And the moment Wenren Li looked over, had he not immediately reacted?

“Lord Yi, perhaps it’s best if you don’t drape your arm over my shoulders anymore.”

Qiu Yi’s body stiffened instantly. He could feel an absolutely terrifying pressure locking onto him. The shoulder Chen Yixin rested his arm upon nearly felt ready to shatter.

At his words, Chen Yixin released him and brushed a hand lightly over Qiu Yi’s shoulder. Turning back, he flashed Wenren Li a dazzling smile before continuing onward toward the Medicine Pavilion with Qiu Yi.

Following Wenren Li’s gaze, Ze Fang realized it was rare to see Chen Yixin treat someone in such a manner, and rarer still for Wenren Li to tacitly permit it. Clearly, Qiu Yi was not someone they had only recently met.

Though curiosity burned in his heart, Ze Fang wisely refrained from questioning Wenren Li directly and instead resumed their previous discussion.

“What does Demon Lord think?”

“That will do. You and Yan can handle it.”

Wenren Li nodded toward Ze Fang before stepping toward the direction of the Medicine Pavilion. He felt it necessary to speak with Chen Yixin again. Everything else could be indulged, but flirting around by plucking flowers was absolutely not acceptable.

Meanwhile, after escorting Qiu Yi to the Medicine Pavilion entrance, Chen Yixin immediately hurried back. His pace quickened more and more until he finally flew directly through the small stone path. Wenren Li reached out and caught the person throwing himself into his arms.

“I was helping Qiu Yi pick flowers earlier. It wasn’t because I wanted to pick them.”

Pressing against Wenren Li’s chest, Chen Yixin spoke in a soft, pliant voice, already surrendering before judgment arrived.

“Surely A-Li won’t be angry with me?”

“No.”

Wenren Li embraced Chen Yixin, lightly tapping his toes before carrying him directly into the waterside pavilion by the pond. Setting Chen Yixin onto a chair beside the water before sitting beside him, Wenren Li leaned over and placed a light kiss at the corner of his smiling lips.

“But I don’t like A-Rong touching other flowers.”

As he spoke, Wenren Li pulled Chen Yixin’s hand over and gently kissed the fingertips that had touched the leaves of the Qianshi Flower.

Hearing this, Chen Yixin lowered his head and kissed the crown of Wenren Li’s head.

“I’ll remember. A-Li can cultivate in seclusion peacefully. I’ll guard Taixuan and our home.”

This had already been decided back in the Northern Sea. Chen Yixin would lead the Demon Guards in the northern campaign, while Wenren Li would refine the remnants of broken wood and the Wheel of Reincarnation within the two Divine Wells back into his cultivation. Those objects had originally been fragments of Wenren Li’s true body. Using them would greatly shorten the time needed for him to recover his strength.

Now that the Divine Blood Barrier had shattered, Taixuan could temporarily know peace. Yet such peace could never last forever. They had to prepare early.

“But A-Li should remember to think of me sometimes too.”

Chen Yixin lightly played with Wenren Li’s hair. That was the true reason he had picked the flower in the first place. He simply wanted to see Wenren Li become jealous. Mm… a Wenren Li who became jealous just from seeing him pick flowers…

Wenren Li’s kisses moved from Chen Yixin’s fingertips to the back of his hand. Then he wrapped an arm around Chen Yixin’s waist and lifted him directly into his arms, carrying him toward the upper chambers of the pavilion.

Wrapping his arms around Wenren Li’s neck, Chen Yixin let a faint smile appear before suppressing it again as he knowingly asked:

“What is A-Li carrying me off to do?”

“To do things of pleasure.”

Wenren Li answered softly, immediately earning a loud kiss on the cheek from Chen Yixin.

The snow lotus seeds Ping Cheng had scattered beside the pavilion earlier bloomed across the entire pond within half a day, creating scenery beautiful beyond words, like a heavenly realm.

Moonlight poured down from the sky as Chen Yixin and Wenren Li walked out hand in hand. Looking at the pond overflowing with icy energy, Wenren Li suddenly recalled something. With a wave of his hand, an object flew out from the Three Lives Well.

After refining it briefly, Wenren Li cast it into the snow lotus pond. The already freezing pond instantly became unimaginably cold. In that single moment, everyone inside and outside the Demon Palace found both soul and consciousness frozen solid.

At that moment, Chen Yixin bent down lightly and tapped the surface of the pond with a fingertip. All the extreme cold instantly flowed into his body. Unable to resist, he poked the water again, then plunged both hands into it, happily playing around.

Only after quite some time did he turn back toward Wenren Li, cheeks faintly flushed and eyes overflowing with laughter.

“A-Li always likes teasing me this way…”

As an Ice Phoenix, Chen Yixin naturally loved objects of extreme cold. Back when Wenren Li had still been Great Emperor Yuxu, he had often done the same—collecting icy treasures to entertain Chen Yixin. One careless effort later, and he had accidentally created the Sea of Ice Extremity for him.

After considering briefly, Wenren Li replied:

“I like seeing A-Rong happy…”

In truth, he especially liked the way Chen Yixin appeared utterly defenseless and enchanted while playing, though completely unaware of it himself. It was exceedingly adorable.

That preference of his had never changed from past to present. Back then, Chen Yixin had been merely a phoenix egg requiring care and companionship. Now he had grown into a peerlessly beautiful half-step Emperor Lord.

“Mm. I’ll slowly recover everything A-Li once gave me. How could the things you gave me remain in the hands of outsiders?”

Even now, Chen Yixin continued threatening the Three Lives Well and Myriad Worlds Well partly for this reason.

The Myriad Worlds Well was merely a passageway, but the Three Lives Well could reflect all things in existence. The key to recovering everything that once belonged to him and Wenren Li ultimately still lay with the Divine Wells.

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