Futile Devices Scans

Wenren Li gently stroked Chen Yixin’s hair, and at last a faint smile appeared on his face. For someone who had worn an expressionless face for so long, this was an exceedingly rare sight.

“A’Rong needs to get better soon…” Wenren Li murmured softly. This was his greatest wish at present. Apart from that, everything else could be set aside for now, including the Void Heaven Battlefield, Tai Xuan, Dongfang Jin, Nangong Chuan, Qing Ruo, Lin Yu, and everyone else.

“I will,” Chen Yixin replied from where he was buried in Wenren Li’s embrace. A trace of guilt appeared in his expression. He knew very well how deeply he had hurt Wenren Li. If Wenren Li had dared do the same thing to him, he would definitely have locked him in a dark room and hung him up for a thorough beating before letting him go.

Yet up to now, apart from that slightly fierce “I’ll keep the account for now” on that day, Wenren Li had not been harsh with him in the slightest. The more Wenren Li acted this way, the more guilty Chen Yixin felt.

Wrapping his arms tightly around Wenren Li’s waist, he declared with the resolve of someone heading to his death, “When I get a little better, if A’Li still isn’t satisfied, you can beat me again. I deserve it. Beat me until A’Li’s anger is gone…”

“What are you talking about?” Wenren Li frowned slightly. Right now, if anyone dared touch even a finger of Chen Yixin’s, his expression would darken. Even hearing Chen Yixin say such things himself made him uncomfortable.

Chen Yixin raised his face to look at Wenren Li. After a while, he finally realized why Wenren Li was unhappy. Wenren Li simply could not bear to hit him. “Alright, I won’t say it anymore. I know A’Li loves me the most and likes me the most…”

Chen Yixin climbed up from Wenren Li’s chest again, cupped his chin, and planted a loud kiss on his lips.

Wenren Li pursed his lips as he watched Chen Yixin’s delighted expression, then stretched out an arm and pulled him back into his embrace.

The fact that he would not allow anyone to touch even a finger of Chen Yixin’s did not mean this matter was simply over. As for how it would not be over, Wenren Li did not yet have a specific plan, but letting it go was absolutely impossible.

For now, he would allow Chen Yixin to continue misunderstanding. Thinking this, Wenren Li gently patted Chen Yixin’s back. Looking at him like this, however, it truly did not resemble someone who was merely being misunderstood.

They remained on the abandoned star of the Little Cloud Realm for another ten years. Their dual cultivation progressed steadily, and the medicinal formulas used to assist it continued to improve. Finally, a year ago, Chen Yixin’s chest regained an extremely slow heartbeat.

At first, two or three beats a day were already considered good. By the present day, however, it beat at least once every hour. Chen Yixin was no longer as sleepy as before. Besides accompanying Wenren Li, he also spent some time practicing swordsmanship.

Although the Divine Heart was once again providing him with divine power, the amount was minuscule compared to a normally functioning Divine Heart. Sword techniques required far less divine power than divine arts and were therefore more suitable for Chen Yixin’s current condition.

Wenren Li sat on a small wooden stool outside the house, his fingers moving continuously as he refined something.

Returning from sword practice, Chen Yixin sat down on an even shorter wooden stool beside Wenren Li. He leaned his head over, forcibly squeezing past the mysterious object Wenren Li had been tinkering with for over half a year, and occupied the center of Wenren Li’s lap.

“A’Li looked at me two times less today than yesterday,” Chen Yixin said sourly. He tilted his head again, making it easier for Wenren Li to look at him and conveniently make up for the two missing glances.

Looking down at Chen Yixin, Wenren Li first rubbed his hair, then held his head and shifted it slightly inward. After that, he continued working on the item in his hands. Only the final step remained, and it would be completed today. That was why he had not paid as much attention to Chen Yixin’s sword practice as he usually did. Unexpectedly, he was now being held accountable for it.

But the next moment, Wenren Li’s hands stopped moving. A faint flush appeared on his face. His hand returned to Chen Yixin’s head, uncertain whether to pull him away or not. “A’Rong, you…”

“What could that thing possibly be? Is it more important than looking at me?” Chen Yixin stopped what he was doing and raised his brows slightly. After taking a glance at Wenren Li’s expression, he lowered his head again…

Licking and rubbing through the fabric of Wenren Li’s clothes, Chen Yixin could hardly claim he was doing it unintentionally.

“No…” Wenren Li explained softly, a trace of restraint entering his voice.

Yet in the next moment, both of them froze. An unexpected visitor had arrived outside the abandoned star and was clearly heading straight for them. It would take only moments to reach their location.

This time, Wenren Li did not need to pull him away. Chen Yixin immediately sat upright on his own. His eyes widened slightly as he looked toward the sky in displeasure. Then he saw a red figure descending, accompanied by a black-armored man with an exceptionally refined and elegant bearing.

“Elder Brother!”

Chen Yixin leaped to his feet and rushed forward. Qing Ruo flew over as well and caught him.

“A’Rong, are you alright? Why is your complexion so poor? Are you still ill?” Qing Ruo held Chen Yixin’s hands, his voice filled with concern. He carefully examined his face, looking him over from every angle as though he wished to inspect him from head to toe.

“I’m very well. A’Li cured me.”

Beaming with happiness, Chen Yixin wrapped his arms around Qing Ruo’s neck. The smile on his face widened. Just as he could not resist the urge to rub against Qing Ruo as he had in the past, something grabbed the back of his belt. In the next instant, he was pulled backward several steps and landed back in Wenren Li’s embrace.

“You’ve come,” Wenren Li said normally to Qing Ruo and Lin Yu, yet there was no intention whatsoever of loosening his hold around Chen Yixin’s waist. “How is Taixuan?”

The words “Taixuan” now referred not only to the Taixuan cultivation world but also to the forces they had established in the Upper Realm. Outsiders called them the Taixuan Prison Army, while the people of Taixuan referred to them as Taixuan Palace.

“All is well. We were simply worried because there had been no news of you or A’Rong,” Qing Ruo replied with his usual respect toward Wenren Li. When his gaze returned to Chen Yixin, relief appeared in his eyes, but so did a measure of sternness.

“A’Rong, in the future you are not allowed to act so recklessly again. Some burdens are not yours alone to bear, nor do you need to bear them alone. Lin Yu, the Divine Sovereign, and I are all here.”

Chen Yixin was considered their junior and had always grown up under their protection. As his elder brother, Qing Ruo had always regarded protecting Chen Yixin as his responsibility. He had never imagined that Chen Yixin would nearly lose his life for their sake.

“I know I was wrong,” Chen Yixin said, lowering his head.

Just as he was about to continue admitting fault, Wenren Li hooked an arm behind him, turned him around, and pulled him into his embrace. Holding him like that, he began walking toward the house.

“Please wait a moment. A’Rong needs to take his medicine.”

Qing Ruo opened his mouth, only to find himself speechless. He stood there stunned. He had come prepared for Chen Yixin to sulk at him, but Chen Yixin’s attitude in admitting fault was excellent. Instead, it was Wenren Li’s protectiveness that left even Qing Ruo, his actual elder brother, unable to bear watching it.

“I’m A’Rong’s elder brother!”

Qing Ruo’s red hair practically swayed with indignation. Turning around, he glared at Lin Yu, who was standing nearby watching the spectacle.

“It’s all your fault. You’re the one who had me send A’Rong to stay with the Divine Sovereign. Now I don’t even feel confident disciplining him anymore.”

He could hardly blame Wenren Li, but Lin Yu was another matter.

Back then, it had indeed been Lin Yu’s suggestion that led him to send Chen Yixin to accompany Wenren Li. Of course, the original purpose had merely been to see whether Wenren Li could help Chen Yixin hatch from his shell, since Qing Ruo and Lin Yu had already tried countless methods without success.

“Can’t you see? It’s not that A’Rong won’t let you discipline him. It’s that the Divine Sovereign won’t allow it,” Lin Yu replied as he took Qing Ruo’s hand and gently soothed him while also preventing him from charging inside. Qing Ruo had only said a few words to Chen Yixin, and the first person to stop him had been Wenren Li himself. Physical punishment was even more out of the question.

One was obsessed with his elder brother, and the other was obsessed with his younger brother. In comparison, Lin Yu and Wenren Li were the ones truly troubled by the situation.

“Also, all that hugging and nuzzling should stop from now on if possible…” Lin Yu said as he raised a hand and smoothed the feather crest on Qing Ruo’s forehead. In his view, Qing Ruo was the easier one to deal with. The truly difficult one was the little Heavenly Phoenix inside.

“A’Rong is my family. What’s wrong with me hugging and nuzzling him? The Divine Sovereign has been holding him for all these years. Do you know how long it’s been since I last hugged him?” Qing Ruo said, his voice growing slightly subdued as an inexplicable sense of grievance rose within him. He shot Lin Yu a sidelong glance, lifted his chin, and pulled his hand from Lin Yu’s grasp.

“In broad daylight, what kind of behavior is all this flirting and touching?”

What broad daylight? In front of them stood nothing more than a stone house and, farther away, an Otherworldly Demon that had been startled awake.

Inside the stone house, Chen Yixin was also somewhat puzzled, but he still accepted the bowl and drank the medicinal soup Wenren Li brought him. Setting the bowl aside, he immediately moved closer and took Wenren Li’s hand. “A’Li, what’s wrong?”

In the past, Wenren Li had never competed with Qing Ruo for him, and Qing Ruo was different from everyone else. The truth was that Wenren Li had never possessed the standing to compete with Qing Ruo before. Now, however, he was Chen Yixin’s Dao companion, and his confidence was naturally much greater.

“Nothing. Let’s pack up and head back,” Wenren Li replied after a moment of silence. Yet he did not immediately begin packing. Instead, the object he had been working on earlier returned to his hands, and right in front of Chen Yixin’s bewildered gaze, he continued finishing it.

Wenren Li’s lips moved as he recited a few incantations. The cluster of silver light immediately transformed into a pair of exquisite locks. He walked over, lifted Chen Yixin’s right hand, and with a sharp click, fastened one lock around his wrist. Then he raised his own left hand and locked the other around it as well.

“A… a Life-Binding Lock…” Chen Yixin stared blankly at the chain, then watched as it dissolved into the blood of both himself and Wenren Li. He could not refuse. To refuse now would truly break Wenren Li’s heart.

He pressed a hand lightly against his chest. In that instant, an immense surge of divine power flooded into him. His Divine Crystal Heart still beat far more slowly than an ordinary person’s, but compared to his previous condition, it was vastly improved.

“From now on, my life is in A’Rong’s hands as well. If you wish to die, I will accompany you.”

Wenren Li’s voice was neither loud nor soft. He was merely stating a fact he had already accepted. At the same time, this was the only method he could think of that would restrain Chen Yixin’s reckless tendencies without harming him.

When Chen Yixin became determined, he could disregard his own life entirely. But he would never disregard Wenren Li’s.

Chen Yixin’s eyes reddened. Taking half a step forward, he leaned into Wenren Li’s embrace and nodded. “I understand. From now on, I’ll listen to A’Li.”

After calming himself slightly, his gaze drifted toward Wenren Li’s chest again. Unable to resist, he touched it repeatedly. “Is it really alright? Does it hurt?” When the pain was his own, he felt he could endure it. But when it fell upon Wenren Li, he could not help caring.

“It hurts,” Wenren Li said as he pressed Chen Yixin’s hand against his chest. Lowering his head, he kissed Chen Yixin lightly on the lips. “But since this pain was shared from A’Rong, I accept it willingly. In the future, don’t ask such questions.”

Before Chen Yixin could feel moved, he instinctively shrank his shoulders. Somehow, ever since Qing Ruo and Lin Yu had arrived, Wenren Li seemed to be showing signs of a dark transformation. He definitely had not been like this during the previous ten-plus years.

“Oh. Then I won’t ask anymore,” Chen Yixin said as he took Wenren Li’s hand of his own accord. They walked out of the house, where Qing Ruo and Lin Yu were still waiting. Chen Yixin glanced at Qing Ruo and greeted him with a smile and a nod.

Qing Ruo’s expression twisted for a moment before he gave up on insisting upon speaking further with Chen Yixin.

The two brothers still possessed this much tacit understanding. From that point onward, they communicated entirely through exchanged glances. Yet even that left Wenren Li and Lin Yu feeling somewhat displeased. All those meaningful looks…

But Qing Ruo and Chen Yixin felt aggrieved as well. They were not allowed to hug, not allowed to nuzzle, and not allowed to talk too much. Surely they could still look at each other.

“Hey! Wait for me!” Jiu Yu came running madly from the distant hill. He had spent more than ten years quietly standing guard here like a door guardian. Now Chen Yixin and Wenren Li were leaving, and they were not even taking him along?

The moment he finished shouting, however, he regretted it. Chen Yixin looked over. Qing Ruo and Lin Yu looked over. Most terrifying of all, Wenren Li looked over. Before two breaths had passed, Jiu Yu had already wilted under their collective gazes. He visibly shrank again, reverting to the form of a little black child. Only then did those gazes gradually withdraw.

Chen Yixin cast another glance at Jiu Yu before turning to Wenren Li. “Did Yinzi come up with all of you as well?”

“Yes,” Wenren Li replied with a nod. Yet his grip on Chen Yixin’s hand tightened slightly. The greatest concern about returning was not the many matters awaiting them, but rather the growing number of things competing for Chen Yixin’s attention.

That included Qing Ruo and Lin Yu, but also Yinzi, An Cheng, Jiu Yu, the two wells… and so on.

Chen Yixin seemed to sense Wenren Li’s slightly conflicted mood. He said nothing more and did not look at Qing Ruo again. Instead, his body dissolved into spiritual light and transformed into his true phoenix form—a gray-feathered phoenix. He flew directly into Wenren Li’s arms and soon closed his eyes, falling asleep.

Wenren Li’s heart settled. Yet Qing Ruo and Lin Yu both revealed worried expressions. They possessed an almost blind faith in Wenren Li. Since he had personally gone to find Chen Yixin, they had never worried for Chen Yixin’s life.

But now, seeing Chen Yixin’s true form, they realized the problem was far more severe than they had imagined.

The Void Origin still remained within Chen Yixin’s body and had completely occupied him. He was still alive now, and still sane. But would that remain true forever, or only temporarily?

Wenren Li gently raised his hand. The long sleeve of his robe draped over the gray phoenix, concealing him from Qing Ruo and Lin Yu’s gazes. Looking ahead, he said, “Let’s go.”

Qing Ruo’s solemnity turned into speechless frustration. Then Lin Yu seized the opportunity to take his hand, and together they departed from the abandoned star.

Ten years earlier, when Wenren Li had brushed away Qing Ruo’s red feather, he had also sent them a message telling them not to continue searching for him and Chen Yixin. The fact that they had come again meant there was an urgent matter that required them to come in person.

“Nangong Chuan returned to the Immortal Realm and sent a message to Taixuan Palace. He says he wishes to negotiate peace with us.”

Qing Ruo informed Wenren Li with a serious expression. To him, this was an utterly unbelievable development. Leaving aside the old and new grudges between them and Dongfang Jin and Nangong Chuan, those two hated them just as deeply. The possibility of peace negotiations was practically nonexistent.

Yet not only had Nangong Chuan and Dongfang Jin proposed such talks, they had even come personally. Whatever they sought was certainly not as simple as it appeared. After discussing the matter with the Demon Generals of Taixuan Palace alongside Lin Yu, Qing Ruo had come to find Wenren Li and Chen Yixin.

Wenren Li gently stroked Chen Yixin’s feathers, a trace of coldness appearing in his eyes. “No negotiations.”

No negotiations meant war.

How could such deep old and new grievances be set aside so easily? Even for the suffering Chen Yixin had endured alone, Wenren Li could never let it go. If negotiations were truly to happen, then Dongfang Jin and Nangong Chuan would first have to endure pain hundreds or thousands of times greater than what Chen Yixin had suffered.

At those words, Qing Ruo exchanged a glance with Lin Yu, and both nodded. Taixuan was weak for now, but it would not remain so forever. Growing stronger through war had always been their primary method of advancement.

If they fought for a thousand years, they would continue for ten thousand. Even without conflict between their two factions, true peace had never existed for long between the Upper and Lower Realms.

After only half an hour, they crossed countless spatial barriers and returned to the Central Continent of the Immortal Realm. Taixuan Palace had already established firm roots there. Of course, at present, Qing Ruo and Lin Yu were still the primary pillars supporting it. Compared to the Immortal Lords and Immortal Kings of the Immortal Realm, the other Divine Generals still lagged far behind.

Qing Ruo and Lin Yu descended before Taixuan Palace, but Wenren Li, carrying Chen Yixin, did not. Neither did Jiu Yu. To them, Taixuan Palace was perhaps only slightly more comfortable than the Ice Extremity Palace Chen Yixin had once visited. It still left both him and Chen Yixin feeling uncomfortable.

At that moment, Wenren Li pointed toward Taixuan Palace. The radiant immortal lights covering it immediately dispersed. Only then did he descend and enter alongside the waiting Qing Ruo and Lin Yu.

An Cheng, Qiu Yi, and the Ten Great Demon Generals who had remained behind to guard the palace rushed out, nearly believing enemies had attacked their headquarters.

“Greetings, Divine Sovereign. Greetings, Sage Lord.”

At that moment, Wenren Li loosened his hold slightly, allowing Chen Yixin to poke half his head out. An Cheng immediately dropped to his knees once more.

“Welcome back, Your Majesty, the Sovereign Consort.”

“Welcome back, Your Majesty!” Qiu Yi and the Ten Great Demon Generals echoed in unison.

Chen Yixin rubbed lightly against Wenren Li’s chest before returning to human form. Taking Wenren Li’s hand, he looked toward An Cheng, Qiu Yi, and the former members of Taixuan. He nodded gently.

“You may all rise. A’Li and I have returned.”

“Yes. Your return is truly wonderful,” An Cheng said as he rather embarrassingly wiped away tears. Yet those tears were actually shed for Wenren Li. During the years Chen Yixin had been absent, Wenren Li had nearly become a true wooden statue. Simply looking at him had been heartbreaking.

“Mother!” Yinzi shot forward as a streak of silver light. Unfortunately, before reaching Chen Yixin, he was caught in Wenren Li’s hand. No matter how much he struggled afterward, Wenren Li refused to allow him into Chen Yixin’s arms.

“Let’s go inside and talk,” Wenren Li said as he continued forward while holding Chen Yixin’s hand.

Once seated in the main hall, Wenren Li casually stuffed Yinzi into the arms of the nearly invisible Jiu Yu at one side. At the same time, he gave Jiu Yu a look that clearly conveyed the mission expected of him.

Every hair on Jiu Yu’s body practically stood on end. Then, stunned, he hugged Yinzi, and hugged him even tighter, while simultaneously covering the little creature’s mouth before it could ask for help.

“If they’ve come back, they’ve come back. Why make such a fuss? Just watch from here…” Jiu Yu muttered. Even Chen Yixin’s actual elder brother could barely touch him now. Yinzi was obviously a counterfeit son. It would be stranger if Wenren Li actually allowed him to cling to Chen Yixin.

“But why give it to me…?” Jiu Yu was extremely puzzled by that point. Unfortunately, being unable to understand it was useless. After all, he was afraid of Chen Yixin, and he was also afraid of Wenren Li. Ah… truly a case of innocent bystanders suffering from collateral damage.

One after another, everyone reported quite a number of matters. At the same time, they filled Chen Yixin and Wenren Li in on the more than ten years they had been absent. With Qing Ruo and Lin Yu present, the safety of Taixuan Palace’s headquarters had not been a problem. However, the actions of personnel operating outside had become somewhat constrained.

No matter how capable the two of them were, they could not account for every detail.

Although Qiu Yi possessed the cultivation of an Immortal Lord, his talents were far more valuable in refining immortal pills. Sending him out on assignments would be a waste. Black Feather, Azure Roc, and the others still needed time to grow. At present, they were truly caught in the awkward stage between generations, with no suitable successors ready.

That was why Nangong Chuan’s proposal of “peace talks” gave them some room for consideration. Nangong Chuan’s motives were unquestionably impure, but the cultivators of Taixuan likewise needed time to grow. Otherwise, if these Demon Guards were sent into battle now, they would not even survive a single divine art from an Immortal Lord before being completely wiped out.

They reported all this because they did not know that Wenren Li had already made the decision of “no negotiations.” Qing Ruo and Lin Yu both looked toward him again, waiting to see whether he would alter his decision after hearing these circumstances.

Wenren Li did not immediately issue an order. Instead, he turned his head and glanced at Chen Yixin. In a gentle voice, he asked, “What does A-Rong think?”

Upon hearing this, Chen Yixin tightened his grip on their clasped hands and replied seriously, “If A-Li says we fight, then we fight. If A-Li says we don’t, then we don’t. I’ll listen to you.”

“Good. Then we fight.” Wenren Li lifted Chen Yixin’s hand and brushed a kiss against it. After lowering their joined hands, he turned slightly and said, “Qing Ruo, receive my command.”

“This subject is here.” Qing Ruo stepped forward and knelt on one knee.

“Release the Heavenly Phoenix Decree and summon our former forces to return. At the same time, recruit the Nine Divisions anew.”

As Wenren Li spoke, a silver command rune descended into Qing Ruo’s raised palm. Then he continued, “Lin Yu, receive my command.”

“This general is here.” Lin Yu stepped forward to stand beside Qing Ruo and likewise knelt on one knee.

“You will search throughout Taixuan and the Upper Realm for those possessing Heavenly Veins. Reestablish the Heavenly Language Pavilion as well. Whatever resources you require, request them directly from An Cheng.”

“Yes.”

Qing Ruo and Lin Yu bowed, rose to their feet, exchanged one more glance with Chen Yixin, and then departed from the main hall.

Once the Heavenly Phoenix Decree was issued, Taixuan Palace would not lack combat strength for a considerable period of time.

However, before they had even left the hall, Wenren Li instructed An Cheng to issue another decree to be announced throughout both the Upper and Lower Realms.

“Send invitations in the name of Yuxu Palace. Everyone who should receive one must receive one.”

The Ten Emperors and Nine Clans were unavoidable recipients. So too were a number of veteran Immortal Lords and hidden ancient tribes. Now that Wenren Li and Chen Yixin had returned, they had no intention of remaining hidden any longer.

At the same time, beginning now, Wenren Li intended to force every faction to choose a side. There would no longer be any middle ground.

As Qing Ruo and Lin Yu stepped out of Taixuan Palace once more, the words “Taixuan” on the palace plaque transformed directly into “Yuxu.” Simultaneously, deep within the innermost reaches of the Void Heaven Battlefield, the plaque of the original Yuxu Palace shattered into pieces.

Dongfang Jin opened his eyes, a trace of seriousness appearing on his face. Moments later, a subordinate reported that Hong Yu—the young master of Nangong Chuan’s household—had left behind nothing but a single scale in his cave abode. His true body had already vanished.

Meanwhile, back in the main hall of the new Yuxu Palace, Wenren Li and Chen Yixin continued issuing orders. This time, they were directed at the Ten Demon Generals. One by one, Wenren Li assigned training grounds to them.

If they wished to accomplish anything within Yuxu Palace, they would have to venture out independently and seek opportunities of their own. Wenren Li could provide only direction. Everything else would depend on themselves.

Once the orders had been issued, everyone dispersed. Even Yinzi who was still gazing longingly at Chen Yixin, was forcibly dragged away by Jiu Yu.

After they left, Chen Yixin naturally leaned into Wenren Li’s embrace. He said nothing, yet his heart felt exceptionally peaceful. Other than by Wenren Li’s side, nowhere and no one else could give him such a feeling.

Wenren Li lowered his gaze as well. After caressing Chen Yixin’s cheek for a while, he lifted him into his arms and carried him toward the sleeping quarters.

Only after the bedroom doors had closed did Chen Yixin quietly ask, “Dual cultivation?”

“No.” Wenren Li shook his head.

“Oh.” Chen Yixin responded, finding that reasonable enough.

Now that they had returned, Wenren Li surely had many other matters to handle. It did not seem likely that he would immediately drag him off for dual cultivation. Although he still felt some regret over having been interrupted by Qing Ruo and Lin Yu earlier, there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.

Yet just as Chen Yixin finished consoling himself, Wenren Li’s hand remained firmly at his waist. He blinked, then watched as Wenren Li stripped him completely naked.

“A physical examination? I’m doing very well. Better than ever before.”

The Life-Link Lock had connected his fate to Wenren Li’s. As a result, he now shared nearly half of Wenren Li’s vitality. Even the intermittent pain in his chest had diminished significantly.

The pain had not truly disappeared. Most likely, Wenren Li was sharing part of it.

Therefore, Chen Yixin felt that such a thorough examination was probably unnecessary. Nevertheless, although he said so, he remained completely cooperative with everything Wenren Li did.

“Hm?” Chen Yixin’s confusion deepened, but Wenren Li still did not answer. Instead, he gently tugged at his own clothing before leaning forward and capturing Chen Yixin’s lips. While kissing him, he began removing his own robes as well.

Wenren Li’s urgency was obvious at a glance. He swept his clothes onto the floor, one hand sliding up to Chen Yixin’s neck and drawing all of his attention onto himself.

“This isn’t dual cultivation. It’s lovemaking.”

Wenren Li answered Chen Yixin’s question through soul transmission. At the same time, his kiss deepened. During their previous dual cultivation sessions, he had always prioritized Chen Yixin’s comfort. He had not dared to indulge himself, nor had he dared to go too far.

Now, thanks to the Life-Link Lock, Chen Yixin’s condition could withstand a little excess. As a result, Wenren Li no longer restrained himself as he once had.

Chen Yixin blinked. He could not tell whether what he felt was more heartache or more excitement. Soon enough, however, he had no time to think about either. He did everything he could to cooperate. Whenever he could take the initiative, he did. When he could not, he simply accepted everything.

For the first time, he realized just how scorching Wenren Li’s kisses could be. Again and again, they seemed to burn straight into his bones and blood. From the tips of his hair to the ends of his toes, it felt as though he had been thoroughly marked.

And for the first time in a very long while, he experienced something other than coldness. It was warmth—warmth that belonged solely to Wenren Li—and the profound affection that only Wenren Li could give him.

“A-Li, I’m yours.”

The words slipped out unconsciously. Afraid Wenren Li might not hear clearly, he repeated them over and over, hoping to soothe the unease in Wenren Li’s heart, as well as the wounds he himself had left behind.

Breathing unevenly, Wenren Li pulled Chen Yixin tightly into his arms. His arms trembled almost imperceptibly. Only after quite some time did those traces of instability disappear. He pressed a kiss to Chen Yixin’s brow and then moved to rise and retrieve their clothing.

Yet when he rose, Chen Yixin rose with him. Like a spoiled child, he wrapped himself around Wenren Li’s waist.

“A-Li, stay a little longer.”

Wenren Li nodded and lay back down with him in his arms. But Chen Yixin wriggled downward like a slippery fish.

The matter that had been interrupted on the abandoned planet now resumed.

This could be considered an extra benefit Chen Yixin was giving Wenren Li.

Such things were not unfamiliar to Chen Yixin, but this time he was particularly diligent. If Wenren Li enjoyed it, he would gladly do it often. Any lingering embarrassment he might once have felt had completely vanished.

At this point, all he cared about was making Wenren Li happy. Everything else was secondary.

Outside the main palace, An Cheng and Qiu Yi were wandering about. They gazed expectantly at the courtyard full of divine herbs and immortal plants. Yet despite waiting so long, nothing unusual had happened.

“Could it be that Their Majesties simply went off to rest?” An Cheng scratched his head, somewhat annoyed that his prediction seemed to have been wrong. Based on past experience, whenever those two were together, something was bound to happen. Why was there no reaction at all this time?

Just as An Cheng and Qiu Yi were puzzling over the matter, Jiu Yu came sprinting out of a nearby building while carrying Yinzi.

“This is unbelievable! The demon flowers in Yuxu Palace actually grew on their own! We were just talking, and suddenly there wasn’t even any place left to stand!”

He had been educating Yinzi on behalf of Wenren Li and Chen Yixin. While they were talking, demon flowers had completely overtaken the area where he and Yinzi were standing. They were growing with astonishing enthusiasm. Jiu Yu was beginning to suspect that someone in Yuxu Palace disliked him and was deliberately making things difficult for him.

He looked toward An Cheng and Qiu Yi with suspicion and vigilance in his eyes.

Yet the very next moment, the two people he was watching were already gone in a gust of wind, racing toward the courtyard where he had previously been staying.

“That’s it! That’s exactly it!” An Cheng stroked the beard he had worked so hard to grow. “When Their Majesties dual cultivate, this is the kind of reaction there should be. Those calm and obedient divine herbs and immortal plants from before were the strange part!”

Qiu Yi continued inward while casually scattering demon herb seeds as he went.

Throughout Yuxu Palace—and indeed throughout ninety percent of the Upper Realm—one typically found immortal herbs and divine herbs. Demon herbs required much harsher conditions to grow. These seeds were difficult to obtain. Normally, Qiu Yi’s alchemy focused primarily on immortal pills that aided cultivation. In the future, however, Yuxu Palace might very well become a major producer of poisonous demon pills.

An Cheng’s eyes lit up. He immediately arranged for people to begin replacing the divine herbs and immortal plants cultivated throughout Yuxu Palace.

Poison pills could not improve cultivation, but for warfare, they were exceptionally useful.

Neither Wenren Li nor Chen Yixin knew that An Cheng and Qiu Yi had long been looking forward to their return. They had been hoping for exactly this outcome. Such a benefit was something no other faction could possibly possess.

As for the wide-eyed Jiu Yu and Yinzi, they were completely ignored by An Cheng and Qiu Yi from beginning to end.

With the divine herbs and immortal plants throughout Yuxu Palace gradually being replaced by demon flowers and grasses—and with even more growing afterward—the transformation of the entire palace was enormous. The old Yuxu Palace still resembled a residence fit for immortals. This new Yuxu Palace, however, truly looked like a demon palace.

When Chen Yixin pushed open the door, he froze for a moment. Then he turned around and immediately threw himself back into Wenren Li’s arms.

“A-Li, you’re amazing!”

Originally, he had thought that Wenren Li would no longer be able to make flowers bloom together with him. He had never expected it to still be possible.

“Chirp chirp chirp… I love it so much!”

He pecked nonstop at Wenren Li’s cheeks and neck, while secretly glancing behind him as though he wanted to drag Wenren Li back inside and continue “making flowers bloom.”

Wenren Li was stunned by the praise. He accepted Chen Yixin’s affection and clinginess before lowering his head to kiss him lightly on the lips.

“As long as A-Rong likes it.”

The changes within Yuxu Palace were not yet especially dramatic. However, given enough time, once those who had gone out to train returned, the place would likely become unrecognizable. Yet whether it was called an Immortal Palace or a Demon Palace, as long as Wenren Li and Chen Yixin were there, it would remain the one and only Yuxu Palace of the Upper and Lower Realms.

As the decrees of the new Yuxu Palace spread outward, the Ten Emperors and Nine Clans were all shaken. The once-taboo names—Yuxu Palace and the Great Emperor Yuxu—swept through the Immortal Realm like a storm.

Qing Ruo issued the Heavenly Phoenix Decree. Zhu Yan was the first to arrive, bringing the entire Vermilion Bird Clan to pledge allegiance. Once he had taken the lead, the reclusive Azure Luan Clan, the Gray Eagle Clan, the Heavenly Roc Clan, and others followed.

Rebuilding the Nine Divisions of the Heavenly Phoenix was not difficult. The Heavenly Phoenix Decree held tremendous authority among the divine bird tribes. Furthermore, it was Qing Ruo himself who had personally come to summon them.

The only awkward exception was the Divine Phoenix Clan.

By all rights, the Divine Phoenix Clan should have been the first to respond when Qing Ruo issued the Heavenly Phoenix Decree. Yet they remained silent. Instead, the relatively unknown Vermilion Bird Clan took the lead. Afterward, the other eight divisions all answered the call, while the sole direct lineage above the Nine Divisions still showed no response.

“Sage Lord, shall we continue waiting?” Zhu Yan asked with a slight bow.

The leaders of the other clans all turned to look at Qing Ruo as well.

Qing Ruo rose to his feet and gently shook his head.

“No need to wait.”

As for whether they were disappointed or not, that was hard to say. It could only be said that it was their choice. However, just as they turned to leave, Emperor Feng Yuan arrived with the Phoenix Empress, his eight children, and a portion of their clansmen. All of them knelt.

“We pay our respects to the Sage Lord. We arrived late and hope the Sage Lord will not hold it against us.”

To say that Qing Ruo held no resentment at all would be impossible. After all, he had entrusted Chen Yixin to them back then, yet they had failed to give Chen Yixin the care he deserved. However, now was the time to gather strength, and there was no reason to push the Phoenix Divine Clan into opposition.

“Rise. From this day forward, the Phoenix Clan will be incorporated into the Nine Divisions as the Tenth Division. Come, return with me to pay respects to His Divine Majesty.”

When Qing Ruo finished speaking, neither Feng Yuan nor the Phoenix Empress dared utter another word beneath his sharp phoenix eyes. Still, this outcome was already fairly favorable.

“How is Xiao Jiu? I heard you’ve been searching for him throughout the Void Heaven Battlefield. Have you found him?”

After hesitating again and again, the Phoenix Empress finally asked Qing Ruo. Feng Yuan had concealed many things from her, leaving her largely unaware that Chen Yixin and the Phoenix Divine Clan had long since reached a state of near estrangement.

“Xiao Jiu… there is no Xiao Jiu anymore. He is my younger brother, Qing Rong,” Qing Ruo turned around as he spoke. These words were directed not only at the Phoenix Empress, but also at everyone in the Phoenix Divine Clan who might have known Chen Yixin before.

“He is also His Divine Majesty’s Dao companion and the Sovereign Consort of all immortal citizens. Do you all remember that?”

As his question fell, all ten divisions, including the Phoenix Divine Clan, bowed and acknowledged his words without daring to object.

As for Lin Yu, he found an immortal city near Yuxu Palace, purchased an entire building, renamed it, and before long, the various families who received the news began sending over their promising younger generations.

Those known as Heavenly Vein bearers were individuals who possessed not only outstanding aptitude, but also special traits. Only in Lin Yu’s hands could those unique qualities be transformed into true strength. The destruction of the Heavenly Language Pavilion had once been regarded as one of the Upper Realm’s greatest regrets.

Now, it was being rebuilt under the banner of Yuxu Palace, with Lin Yu himself—the former Clan Chief of the Heavenly Language Clan—personally presiding over it. Even hostile factions would likely be tempted to secretly send their people to the Heavenly Language Pavilion.

The fact that the new Yuxu Palace was rising in such an openly conspicuous manner was undoubtedly beyond the expectations of many. Nangong Chuan, who had returned to the Immortal Realm from the Void Heaven Battlefield, had likewise received the invitation Wenren Li had instructed An Cheng to distribute to the various factions.

Dressed in green robes and seated upon a golden chair, he looked somewhat out of place. His features carried traces of Han Zichuan’s appearance, yet their temperaments were entirely different. Under ordinary circumstances, few would ever connect the two. Moreover, in his mind, Han Zichuan had always been nothing more than a discarded pawn—something expendable.

He set the invitation aside and frowned slightly. Chen Yixin’s reckless actions had indeed disrupted the plans he and Dongfang Jin had laid. Yet they had not spent all these years accomplishing nothing. Even if Wenren Li gathered every Immortal Emperor in the Immortal Realm beneath his banner, it would make little difference.

The Demon Abyss Well housed every Immortal Emperor throughout history. The vast majority merely slumbered there. Once awakened, they would surely provide Wenren Li and Chen Yixin with a tremendous surprise.

Thinking this, he never once considered the price those people would pay upon awakening. At most, within a hundred years, they would rapidly die.

For now, however, the thing that worried both him and Dongfang Jin most was still Chen Yixin. More precisely, it was the Void Origin within him.

“Why won’t he die? Why won’t he die…? The Heavenly Phoenix… could it be that he underwent Nirvana?”

“That doesn’t make sense either…”

Even if he had undergone Nirvana, the Void Origin would still remain attached to Chen Yixin’s soul. He would live again only to die once more. Moreover, every Nirvana experienced by the Phoenix Divine Clan exacted an unimaginable price.

Yet aside from that possibility, he simply could not understand how Chen Yixin had survived.

The first court assembly following the reconstruction of Yuxu Palace was scheduled for the Spring Origin Day six months later. Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion. There was still no movement from Nangong Chuan’s side. Even if Wenren Li wished to launch an attack, now was not the time.

His stance was simple: there would be no negotiations. Instead, they would make every possible preparation for war and remain ready to face whatever provocations Nangong Chuan and Dongfang Jin might attempt. The time for taking the initiative had not yet arrived, nor was there any need for it.

Chen Yixin sat in the garden admiring the demon flowers Wenren Li had caused to bloom for him. While he was engrossed in watching them, a flash of red leapt onto his lap. Lowering his head, he found a small beast whining pitifully at him.

“Hong Yu? Why are you here?”

“Do you not know that A-Li and I are destined to become mortal enemies with the one from your family?”

Chen Yixin poked one of the little beast’s horns and spoke with a cold, serious expression. He was not trying to frighten him. He and Wenren Li were forcing everyone in the Immortal Realm to choose sides. Hong Yu could not be an exception.

“I don’t want that. I like Rong Rong and the Great Emperor. I want to live here. I used to live here too.”

Hong Yu transformed into the form of a young man and tightly hugged Chen Yixin’s leg, looking utterly stubborn.

He had indeed lived in Yuxu Palace before.

But this Yuxu Palace was not that Yuxu Palace.

“What if A-Li and I kill him?”

Chen Yixin reached out and tried to push Hong Yu away, but the more he pushed, the tighter Hong Yu clung to him. Chen Yixin could not truly do anything to him. After all, he owed Hong Yu a tremendous favor from the time beneath the Demon Abyss Well.

“Could you not kill him? Anything else is fine. As long as he doesn’t die…”

Hong Yu looked up at Chen Yixin pleadingly. A moment later, tears began rolling from his eyes.

“I’ve wanted to kill him too. I really have… but I… I just can’t bring myself to do it.”

As he spoke, he tried to rub against Chen Yixin again. Before he could, however, he was sent tumbling far away in a streak of red light, reverting to his original form.

At the same moment, another figure appeared beside Chen Yixin.

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