Are There Only Demonesses Left in the Cultivation Realm?

The moonlight flowed like quicksilver, masking the darkness.

"I can no longer recall the Palace Master’s face, or even her name."

Someone spoke these words in a corner of Miao Yu Palace.

A closer look revealed the speaker. She was dressed in a Miao Yu Daoist Robe, the hem of her sleeves embroidered with green lotuses, a Floating Dust in her hand.

This was Hanyi Master.

She said, "When I joined the palace, the Palace Master was already no longer managing its affairs. Han Shui had taken over the position of Deputy Palace Master."

"Your Palace Master has been in seclusion for a century. In all the world, no one has been in seclusion for a hundred years."

Before Hanyi Master stood a kindly old man leaning on a cane. He was none other than Hunting Deer Master of the Canglan Sect.

Hunting Deer Master said nonchalantly, "Your Palace Master wished to break through the realm above Yao Guang and went into seclusion for a century. And now, even True Masters no longer remember her name."

Hanyi Master’s expression remained unchanged. "Yes. It is highly likely the Palace Master has already passed away. I’ve been to the forbidden grounds to check—there’s no one inside. The Palace Master is nowhere to be found. That’s why Han Shui was in such a hurry to enter death seclusion. But it was no surprise her talent was insufficient. Naturally, she failed to reach the Yao Guang realm."

Hunting Deer Master added, "The power of the Yao Guang realm is heaven-shaking, but a century of seclusion is too long. Your Palace Master didn’t show herself even once during that time. It’s highly likely she suffered a backlash from the Dao and has lost both her name and her face."

A Path Breaker must endure the Dao’s backlash.

The Miao Yu Palace Master hadn’t appeared in a hundred years and had now lost her name and face. It was inevitable that people would suspect she had passed away.

With one Yao Guang and three Kai Yang masters, they could naturally hold their position securely among the Nine Gates and Twelve Palaces.

But now, with the Miao Yu Palace Master’s life and death uncertain, some had naturally begun to harbor wicked intentions.

Hunting Deer Master seemed to recall something. "Didn’t Feng Xianlong have a Direct Disciple back then? What was her name... What happened to her?"

"No need to worry about her. Han Lian disappeared three hundred years ago."

Han Lian was one of the disciples Lu Changyuan had mentioned, one who never had the chance to ascend to the Yao Guang realm.

Hunting Deer Master nodded. He then tapped the ground with his cane, but it was abruptly flung back.

Looking closely, one could see a thin layer of patterns where he had tapped, which slowly rippled outward from the impact.

Hanyi Master said, "This is the Mountain Defense Array. If you were to try a frontal assault, even a Sixth Realm Kai Yang master would suffer for it."

Sects like the Yuyue Immortal Palace and Miao Yu Palace have stood upon this land for hundreds, even thousands of years. From this, one could glimpse a fraction of their accumulated power.

Hunting Deer Master withdrew his cane. After the people from Canglan Sect entered Miao Yu Palace, Han Ze Master closed the Grand Array again.

"Have you obtained the Seal Sword?"

Hanyi Master shook her head. "I can’t get it. After Han Shui gave the Seal Sword to Han Ze, Han Ze has been guarding it jealously. Not only that, but she spends all day confirming the Grand Array’s integrity. As far as I know, she has even improved the array, though I don’t know what she changed."

Hanyi Master extended her hand. With a gentle wave of her Floating Dust, a thin crack suddenly appeared in the membrane before Hunting Deer Master.

"This is a weak point in the Grand Array that Han Ze hasn’t discovered yet. When the time comes, I can use a Miao Yu technique from the inside to link with the array and temporarily open a gap."

Only then did Hunting Deer Master nod and say, "Good."

Hanyi Master’s voice was utterly cold, like ice formed on a celestial Cold Pool. "What you promised me. Give him back to me."

"You will have him when this is done."

"At least let me see his condition now!"

The auras of the two flared in opposition. After a long moment, Hunting Deer Master finally nodded. "You know his condition. He just had his lower body replaced. He can’t remain in the outside world for long."

With a casual wave of his hand, Hunting Deer Master summoned a coffin, which appeared under the moonlight.

The coffin looked ancient. The wood had begun to rot, and the characters carved upon it were no longer legible.

But at the sight of this coffin, Hanyi Master’s breathing grew ragged.

She greedily caressed the coffin, crying out, "Lin Lang... Lin Lang."

Slowly, Hanyi Master slid the coffin lid aside. A man’s pale face was gradually revealed. It was a rather ordinary face, made somewhat puffy from years without sunlight.

The man opened his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "Ruo Yi."

That single utterance of "Ruo Yi" made Hanyi Master’s eyes well up. She reached out to touch the man’s cheek, but Hunting Deer Master immediately put the coffin away. "You will have him when this is done."

Hanyi Master gritted her teeth and shot a venomous glare at Hunting Deer Master.

Hanyi Master of Miao Yu Palace. She had been on the path of Cultivation for 296 years. Her talent was exceptional, and a century ago, she broke through the Kai Yang Great Pass to enter the Sixth Realm.

But before joining Miao Yu Palace, she once had a mortal husband named Lin Yi. The two were a perfect match, deeply in love. If Han Shui Master had not severed Hanyi’s worldly ties, they would have been a blessed, immortal couple.

Hanyi Master turned and vanished into the night.

She had never considered Miao Yu Palace her home. She despised the Sect, and she despised Han Shui Master even more. Therefore, she would destroy everything Han Shui Master left behind—including Xia Lianxue!

A short while later, long after both Hunting Deer Master and Hanyi Master had departed, another breeze swept through, and someone let out a soft sigh in the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"To see emptiness is also emptiness. Emptiness is that which cannot be emptied."

Qiu Yuehan quietly recited the scripture, finally managing to calm her mind.

She reached out and touched the Demon Pattern on her shoulder. A warm current slowly flowed into her body. The Fairy slipped off her small shoes and sat on the bed, curling her little feet. Her toes, like round, white jade beads, clenched and unclenched.

’Hooo...’

Qiu Yuehan told herself to be calm. ’The Dao discussion is tomorrow. I have to compose myself and be ready.’

’My junior sister is also ascending the mountain tomorrow. There’s so much to do.’

But the more she tried to think this way, the less calm she became.

’So annoying.’

Right now, Qiu Yuehan’s mind was completely filled with Lu Changyuan.

’How could I let my junior sister see me throw myself into a man’s arms?! Where can I, the Chief True Inheritor of Miao Yu Palace, show my face?!’

"Hm?"

she murmured softly.

The warm current gathered once more, just as it had that day on the immortal crane, finally coalescing into a cultivation technique manual.

A Sword from the West

’Isn’t this the swordsmanship I just overheard?’

The Old Monster had said this swordsmanship was suitable for her, so Qiu Yuehan began to carefully savor this sword art.

Just like the Supreme Pure Spirit Forget Immortal Technique, Lu Changyuan had transmitted this swordsmanship directly to her through the Demon Pattern. Along with it came the indomitable Sword Intent he wielded when using A Sword from the West.

’What powerful swordsmanship.’

Qiu Yuehan murmured, "An indomitable sword... A Sword from the West... Junior Sister, were you also corrupted like this, bit by bit?"

She couldn’t help but recall how Xia Lianxue had been ready to fight her over Lu Changyuan just moments ago.

’Was that... jealousy?’

’Junior Sister has already been molded into the Old Monster’s shape. What about me?’

As Qiu Yuehan thought of A Sword from the West, it was as if she were gazing into an abyss.

’If I learn it, how will I be able to face that Old Monster in the future?’

Qiu Yuehan clenched her fists.

After a long moment, the fight went out of her.