Chen Liushang ran wildly through the mountain forests, chasing butterflies with a carefree, tipsy abandon, occasionally taking sips from her flask of wine.
At this moment, the Xiuxian Continent was bathed in profound peace, the moonlight enchanting and the tranquility absolute.
The surrounding flowers and time itself seemed frozen in this single instant. A dark shadow flashed by, and the Glazed Bone within Chen Liushang's butterfly Immortal Body suffered a hairline fracture. The Liúlí spiritual pressure around her burst forth in a flurry of sword qi, scattering in all directions toward the surroundings of Qianxuan Lake.
Within a radius of ten thousand meters, the Flower Spirits were cut down at the waist, leaving behind nothing but a scene of bloody light and flashing swords.
The Liúlí radiance around her scattered in all directions, and her delicate face wore a dazed expression, her divine sense clouded.
Stumbling in her pursuit of the butterflies just moments before, she now came to a halt. The aura around her seemed to freeze, and the air instantly turned bone-chillingly cold.
Suddenly, her gaze transformed into sharp, blood-stained blades, her eyes flushing crimson. She materialized a Liúlí light sword and, with a ferocious expression on her face, dashed straight toward Ming Shaofan's chambers.
"I never expected her to arrive so soon. Xuan'er, Jing'er, do not blame your master. Your swordsmanship is the highest, and you value loyalty above all else, but the Demon race is far too powerful—powerful beyond your imagination. Your master was forced to resort to this despicable method: to kill your father, to make you hate me, and to drive your swordsmanship to its absolute peak. Only in this way can you survive a hundred years in peace after my death."
"Swish!"
With a light wave of her hand, her gaze turned resolute and her expression utterly cold.
A stream of fresh blood spurted out, splashing across the windows, books, and floor of the chamber, creating a deeply unsettling scene.
With just a single strike, Ming Shaofan fell right before her eyes. The interplay of blood and Liúlí light within the hall, brimming with spring blossoms, made the scene exceptionally ironic.
With tears welling in her eyes, she rushed onward toward the grand hall of Leng Qianxuan at the Qianji Pavilion.
Her face radiated murderous intent, her gaze pitch-black as she flashed directly into his room.
Leng Qianxuan was busy attending to Qianji Pavilion affairs when, without batting an eye, she swung her sword directly at him. She had come in complete silence, leaving Leng Qianxuan entirely unaware of her approach.
With a chilling gaze, she bit down on her lip until a trace of blood appeared, and with a tear of crimson sorrow in her eye, she spoke with unyielding firmness.
"If you do not die, my disciples Xuan'er and Jing'er will find it hard to accomplish great things. The great war is about to begin; when that time comes, I will naturally restore your immortal bodies and protect the immortal lives of you precious sons."
With that, she took up their mutilated remains and tossed them straight into the mountain cave at Qianxuan Lake where the two of them underwent their trials.
With a casual wave of her hand, she instantly altered the trial grounds for Xuanjing and Ming Xuan.
The two hanging corpses were still oozing blood. Suspended there alone in the open, brightly lit space, they looked exceptionally glaring and conspicuous.
At this moment, a trace of icy clarity flashed through her eyes. Her divine sense was crystal clear, her delicate Liúlí face exceptionally aloof, and powerful Liúlí immortal light radiated from her body.
She made a quick calculation on her fingers and thought to herself: I calculated correctly; tomorrow this will be the place where they undergo their trial.
A flash of astonishing decisiveness and sword qi gleamed in her gaze as she whirled around to launch a direct counterattack against her pursuer.
"What right do you have to live so joyfully!"
The woman in black was engulfed in dense black miasma as she screamed at Chen Liushang. Every single word was like a blade, piercing straight into Chen Liushang's heart.
With a single wave of Chen Liushang's hand, the web-like barrier around Qianxuan Lake suddenly grew vastly sturdier, marking the true beginning of this ruthless battle.
Endless black miasma emanated from Liu Liuli, a blinding darkness so profound that even the brilliant moonlight could not wash it clean.
Her brow and eyes were filled with utter disdain and hatred. If she did not seek vengeance for her murdered brother from this woman, from whom else could she seek it? How could she possibly forget the deadly grudges from Wanzhong Heaven all those years ago?
"Cowering tortoise!"
"To think you care so much about this rabble! I'll slaughter all your right-hand men right now and see how they plan to fight against our Demon race."
"Pay with your life, you female demon!" she shouted, her face contorted with hatred.
Out of the corner of her eye, Chen Liushang cast a lingering glance at these deeply loyal people. They were the sole key to guarding the Xiuxian Continent; they could not be allowed to suffer even the slightest harm.
A cold, dismissive look flashed in her eyes as she spoke to her indifferently.
"Are mere trash like this even worthy of your plotting? I have merely raised them as expendable pawns, their cultivation not even reaching the first realm, yet they dared to think they could rival the heavens."
"Hmph, who knows if you're lying? Pay with your life!"
Liu Liuli's dazzling black hair transformed into flashing dark shadows, and her black sword light morphed into a barrage of afterimages that flew toward Chen Liushang from all directions.
Suddenly, these beams of sword light transformed directly into the venom of the poison pools of Wanzhong Heaven, hurtling straight toward her Glazed Bone.
"You? You're actually using this against me. Played ruthlessly, I must say."
A trace of panic flashed across Chen Liushang's delicate Liúlí face, for this venom melted bone into blood; she had no idea how Leng Hongyan had managed to forge this venom-tempered blood sword.
Clenching her teeth, she cast a lingering sideways glance at her disciples down by Qianxuan Lake before bolting wildly into the depths of the forest surrounding the lake. Her sole desire was to lure this witch away quickly, pushing forward at top speed while enduring the searing pain in her arm.
A large portion of her Glazed Bone had already been corroded, leaving behind ink-stain-like scars that looked exceptionally striking.
"I never thought she would track me down so quickly, and that she has actually mastered such a vicious cultivation technique. She truly is difficult to deal with, and right now Xuan'er and the others have only reached the first realm of cultivation—I have no idea what to do."
Enduring the biting pain, she gritted her lips and splashed a small stream of Liúlí wine back toward Liu Liuli, who was closing in behind her.
She burst into hearty laughter and called out to her pursuer.
Thinking to herself: "Let's see how you like the power of the Liúlí wine from my purified vase."
Without a moment's hesitation, she ripped open her Liúlí Dress, took a blade to her own wound, and splashed a generous amount of Liúlí wine directly onto the injury. In an instant, the entirety of her Glazed Bone dissolved, only to slowly regenerate anew.
She uttered no cry of pain, for compared to the loss of her dearest friend in Wanzhong Heaven all those years ago, this pain was merely a drop in the ocean.
"Have another flask from me."
Suddenly, a semi-circular arc of Liúlí light appeared within the forest. With a swift whirl, she hurled half a flask of Liúlí wine without an ounce of mercy straight at the pursuing witch, Mo Ruyan.
The move filled the midair with a vast, glittering river of Liúlí stardust.
Liu Liuli's gaze was ice-cold, her entire body roiling with black miasma. With a few agile dodges, she easily evaded these attacks.
"Pulling your punches? Do you think I'll pity you! Or forgive you!"
With that, she accelerated her pace. Heavy black clouds now blotted out the sky across the Xiuxian Continent, and countless flashes of lightning surged through the air.
The two of them came to a halt in the very center of the forest—one demon, one immortal—raising their protective swords, determined to fight to the finish.
Chen Liushang coated her Liúlí sword with a shimmering layer of Liúlí wine-light. Her gaze was cold, yet a trace of lingering reluctance remained in her heart; the events of that year truly held a hidden story.
"Liuer, what happened back then was not as you saw it. I only... I only wanted..."
Chen Liushang swallowed back the truth of what had happened all those years ago. For ten thousand years, she had repeated it endlessly to herself, but now was still not the time to tell her.
With a flash of steadfast resolve in her eyes, she materialized directly behind her and delivered a swift strike, causing the Glazed Immortal to instantly faint.
"I never imagined she would have fallen so deeply into the demonic path."
Picking up the small flask from her Liúlí purifying vase, Chen Liushang poured the wine straight down Liu Liuli's throat, hoping only to awaken a shred of clarity within her heart.
Slowly raising her head thereafter, she gazed up at the blood-red moonlight. Clenching her teeth with tears welling in her eyes, the moonlight-like face of Liuxian rose before her, and she could not help but recall the tragic, unbearable memories she wished she could forget.