She had already pieced together the truth.
Chao’er had fallen to the demonic path, reached Nascent Soul, and harbored such a crazed, twisted possessiveness for Shen Mo, even…
From her pallid complexion and tattered robes, the bruises and… bite marks visible through the tears, it all told the story.
His state like this, besides physical injuries, the mental shock and humiliation he must have suffered were unimaginable.
He had always… valued teacher-student ethics, and he was soft-natured. How could he withstand such disgraceful treatment?
That wretch!
That shameless, demon-path-fallen, rebellious disciple who dared to do such… beastly things to her Master’s Husband!
Qin Shuying’s chest heaved violently, a terrifying storm raging in her cold eyes.
She wished she could immediately slice her into pieces and annihilate her soul!
“Oh, if it isn’t Senior Uncle Qin of Heavenly Sword Peak? What, the lofty Ice Mountain Sword Immortal is also coming to snatch someone else’s Master’s Husband? This is an internal matter of my Jiaoyue Peak.”
“Internal matter?” Qin Shuying sneered. “Whether you’re still Chao’er is debatable. A demon lord is addicted to pretending to be someone else?”
Chao’er was not angered but smiled instead. “Do I need to prove it to you? I only need my Master’s Husband to know that is enough.”
“Then die.”
Qin Shuying couldn’t be bothered to say even one more word. Her voice barely faded before both moved at the same time.
BOOM—!
In an instant, heaven and earth lost their color.
Qin Shuying pointed two fingers like a sword, unleashing a cyan sword gleam 100 zhang long that spanned the sky, falling like divine punishment.
Chao’er let out a shriek, and the demonic Qi behind her instantly condensed into a huge ghostly face, opening a gaping bloody mouth to meet the sword gleam.
The two forces collided fiercely in midair, and the resulting shockwave instantly flattened the forests for ten li around.
Giant rocks shattered, ancient trees turned to ash!
The entire space trembled violently, as if it would collapse in the next second.
Blood Orchid, at the edge of the battle circle, raised a shield large enough for two people, but still found it extremely taxing!
Also at Nascent Soul stage, she considered herself outstanding, yet she didn’t even have the right to intervene!
That woman, even when unleashing that world-destroying sword strike, still diverted half her gaze to Shen Mo.
Her sword qi was violent, yet it precisely avoided Shen Mo’s position, and amid the crisscrossing sword qi, she even diverted her focus to use a gentle spiritual power to protect the hem of Shen Mo’s robe, not letting dust settle on him.
“Bitch! How dare you look down on me!” Chao’er clearly also noticed this.
The humiliation of being ignored drove her completely mad.
“Demon Abyss Descent!”
Chao’er let out a shrill howl, the demonic Qi inside her completely losing control, black hair wildly dancing.
Her originally pure little face was now covered with black demon runes, and her aura instantly surged several times.
Qin Shuying frowned slightly, finally withdrawing her gaze from Shen Mo.
The two forces crashed together.
Heaven-shattering, earth-splitting.
Sky and earth spun.
Shen Mo was knocked back repeatedly by the shockwave, finally falling to the ground.
He looked up and watched the two figures in midair intersecting, colliding, separating, and colliding again—
He had never seen such a battle.
It was already beyond what he could comprehend.
Each collision was like a thunderclap.
Each separation brought a flurry of blood droplets.
Frost-white sword light and shadowy demonic Qi intertwined, like two giant dragons fighting, biting, devouring.
Chao’er’s expression finally changed.
She had thought that after merging with the Demoness, she could crush any Nascent Soul cultivator.
But Qin Shuying—this woman was no ordinary Nascent Soul.
Her sword was like it was burning.
Burning—what?
Chao’er saw it.
She saw that trace of obsession in Qin Shuying’s eyes.
It was an obsession that could burn everything for someone, something.
She suddenly understood.
This woman also loved her Master’s Husband.
It wasn’t a shallow desire for beauty.
Chao’er’s heart suddenly surged with an indescribable anger.
Why? Why did they all come to snatch him?
Her, Yun He, and that Su Wan’er still in seclusion— why?
Demonic Qi surged violently.
Chao’er roared and struck with all her power.
This attack was her strongest after merging with the Demoness.
Demonic Qi condensed into a huge black dragon, opening its giant mouth and biting forward fiercely.
Qin Shuying’s pupils contracted sharply.
This strike, she could not block.
But just as she was about to be bloodied on the spot— a thin figure, heedless of death, stumbled and rushed into the center of the battle circle.
If the two hadn’t been careful to protect Shen Mo, just the shockwave alone would have been enough to kill him.
“Stop—!”
Shen Mo spread his arms, blocking in front of Qin Shuying.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Chao’er’s lethal demonic dragon stopped abruptly three inches from Shen Mo’s chest.
The demonic Qi backlashed, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.
Her eyes, full of demon runes, were filled with grievance.
“Master’s Husband…” Chao’er’s voice trembled, her demonic Qi flickering. “You… block my way for this woman?”
“Chao’er.” He said softly. “Please let me go.”
Chao’er froze, her eyes suddenly red. “No, you are mine. I won’t let go.”
At that moment—a vast, ocean-like aura swept in from the horizon.
Deity Transformation?! Lady Yunhe!
Chao’er jerked her head up, a glint of wariness in her eyes.
At her peak, she naturally wouldn’t fear, but now… this body, this initial fusion state, was truly not enough to face her head-on.
She didn’t want to leave.
She had just tasted her Master’s Husband’s flavor.
But… if she took Master’s Husband now, that old woman Yun He would smash her into meat paste.
Only by living, only by returning to the peak, could she possess her Master’s Husband forever, completely.
“Master’s Husband, wash your body clean… no, don’t wash. Keep your disciple’s scent. Wait for me. Wait for your disciple to return to the peak, raze this Jiaoyue Peak, slaughter that old bitch Yun He…”
Chao’er’s figure began to become ethereal, demonic Qi turning into black flames enveloping her and Blood Orchid.
At the last moment before being engulfed by the black flames, her twisted yet strikingly beautiful face revealed a brilliantly eerie smile:
“Then I’ll come for you. When that time comes, we will never be separated… even in death, we will die on the same bed.”
“Master’s Husband—! Remember to think of me—! If you dare let others touch you, I’ll break your legs and turn you into a human swine—!!”
The voice trailed off, eventually dissipating in the wind.
The valley once again returned to deathly silence.
Only Shen Mo remained, along with Qin Shuying standing opposite him, holding a longsword, her face grim enough to drip water.
—
Heavenly Sword Peak, Cold Jade Bed Chamber.
This was Qin Shuying’s seclusion site, where normally even a fly couldn’t enter, but now it was filled with a blushing, oppressive ambiguity.
He didn’t know how he had returned.
He only remembered that at that time Yun He came, glanced at him with a look so complex it was unreadable.
Then Qin Shuying said something to Yun He, which he didn’t catch.
Then, he was brought here.
“Shen Mo.”
Qin Shuying stood before him, having changed into a clean daoist robe, frost-white, which made her face look even paler.
Her wounds were not yet healed, and her movements were still a bit sluggish, but her eyes were astonishingly bright.
“Sit,” she said.
Shen Mo did not move.
Qin Shuying glanced at him, didn’t say more.
She walked to the table, sat on a stool.
Then, she bent over.
Reached out.
Took off her shoes and socks.
Shen Mo was stunned.
They were extremely beautiful feet, fair, slender, with elegant arches and toes round like pearls.
Candlelight fell on them, casting a lustrous glow.
His face suddenly flushed red.
“Peak Master Qin…” His voice tightened.
Qin Shuying looked up at him.
“Say my name,” she said.
Shen Mo opened his mouth.
“Qin… Shuying.”
She slightly curled the corner of her mouth.
“Come here.”
Shen Mo did not move.
Qin Shuying reached out and grasped his wrist.
She pulled him closer, making him stand before her, beside those bare feet.
“Shen Mo,” she began, in a very low voice.
“Hmm?”
“These past ten days,” she paused, her gaze deep, “how did you get through them?”
“She touched you?”