AUOF - 58

The next morning, Sang Li was summoned to the Fucha Hall early.

The Fucha Hall was dark and solemn, with a hundred steep steps leading directly to the throne.

Yen Jinglou sat in his position, lazily propping up his cheek, his expression devoid of emotion.

She bowed and waited silently for his command.

“Everyone, leave.”

Yen Jinglou dismissed the guards and maidservants from the hall.

The sound of footsteps faded into the distance, leaving behind an expansive silence. Sang Li dared not raise her head directly, maintaining her posture of deference.

After a moment, Yen Jinglou spoke: “Come forward.”

She slightly lifted her eyes, picked up her skirt, and ascended step by step.

“Lord.”

Yen Jinglou flicked his eyelashes.

Sang Li had changed into the plain robes the little fox used to wear, standing gracefully before him. Her bright eyes resembled a tender bamboo shoot blooming in utter darkness.

The clothes were the same, the appearance unchanged, but her personality felt foreign.

Yen Jinglou casually twirled a strand of hair by his temple, tightening it fiercely before letting go. Beneath his calm demeanor, murderous intent began to surge.

“Ah Li has failed you. Please punish me, Lord.”

In the next instant, Sang Li knelt at his feet, loudly confessing her faults.

His fingertips paused. “Hmm?”

Sang Li pressed her hands to the ground, her forehead tightly against the floor.

She had already rehearsed her words. Closing her eyes briefly and then reopening them, she spoke without hesitation: “I have failed you, my lord, bringing shame upon myself. Ji Hengyu has uncovered my identity and learned all about me.”

A shadow of gray passed over Yen Jinglou’s eyes.

Sang Li continued: “He extracted the heart’s blood from one of your puppets to break the Dual-Life Curse on me but placed another curse instead. He coerced me into serving the Abyssal Realm, plotting against you, my lord.” Her voice trembled with anger. “You saved my life, and I would never obey him. Rather than suffer under his coercion, it is better for you to kill me. My life was given to me by you, and if you take it back, I will willingly accept it.”

She raised her head, tears welling in her eyes.

Yen Jinglou stared at her intently, his gaze piercing as if attempting to seize her soul, nearly causing her to crack and reveal her true emotions.

Cold sweat trickled down Sang Li’s back.

She forced herself to remain composed, her expression a mixture of pain and resilience.

After a long pause, Yen Jinglou tossed a dagger toward her. “Very well.”

The two words were light, landing on the ground with little weight.

Sang Li’s breath caught, and for a moment, dizziness overwhelmed her.

The ornate dagger reflected her unfocused eyes, filled with fear.

In that fleeting moment, her mind raced. Yen Jinglou was always someone who maximized utility—even the smallest pawn on the chessboard wouldn’t be discarded until its remaining value was fully exploited.

Five hundred years, not fifty.

The original body had been utterly loyal, never betraying him. So… wasn’t this also a test?

Gritting her teeth, Sang Li picked up the dagger and thrust it toward her heart without hesitation.

When the blade was only an inch away from her chest, Yen Jinglou intervened with a spell, stopping her.

Her wrist went numb, and the dagger clattered to the ground with a sharp sound.

Her fear hadn’t subsided, yet she stumbled forward to pick it up again.

“Enough.”

His voice remained cold, tinged with impatience.

Sang Li gripped the dagger tightly. “What does my lord mean?”

Yen Jinglou closed his eyes, channeling a wisp of spiritual energy to probe her spirit sea.

Sure enough, he discovered an unusual binding technique.

—It was Ji Hengyu’s handiwork.

Exactly the kind of thing he would do.

Yen Jinglou sneered inwardly, leaning indolently against the throne. “I thought the outside world’s allure had long blinded you. I didn’t expect you to return.”

His words were subtle, laced with sarcasm.

Sang Li wasn’t foolish. Kneeling on the ground, she replied: “Observing others’ words and actions, adapting accordingly—these are the lessons you taught me, my lord. In Huashan City, I was exposed. To avoid arousing Ji Hengyu’s suspicion, I had no choice but to act rudely toward you then. But my intentions were pure.”

Her expression was sincere, almost as if the word “honesty” was etched onto her forehead.

Sang Li stared directly at him, her upturned eye corners resembling two small hooks, yet her gaze was clean and earnest. Even Yen Jinglou, facing those bright, fox-like eyes, felt his thoughts waver for a brief moment.

“Rise,” he said, avoiding eye contact, his fingertips tapping slowly on the armrest.

Sang Li stood up.

Yen Jinglou pressed a finger to his temple. “What did Ji Hengyu say to you?”

Sang Li replied: “He threatened my life, ordering me to return to Yin Zhou and retrieve the Liuyan Pearl.”

Yen Jinglou remained still.

Suddenly, he asked: “Is that all?”

Sang Li answered solemnly: “He also instructed me to gather intelligence from you. The Liuyan Pearl is just the first step. What Ji Hengyu truly wants me to do is find the right opportunity to kill you, my lord. That’s why I am unwilling.”

Yen Jinglou tapped his temple rhythmically, his eyelids drooping. “I can turn the tables and give you the Liuyan Pearl. But…” His tone shifted. “Why should I trust you?”

Sang Li’s spine stiffened abruptly.

Yen Jinglou suddenly smiled faintly. “The Dual-Life Curse is gone from your body. It’s possible this is a lie you and Ji Hengyu conspired together. I have no leverage left—what proof do you offer to convince me?”

Sang Li’s hands clenched and unclenched at her sides. She opened her mouth, her voice dropping lower: “I am of the Ling Clan. The upper heavens rejected me, and the demon realm offers no place for me to take root. You’ve never trusted me, but aside from you, my lord, I have no one else to rely on.”

Her brows carried a trace of desolation, her figure standing solitary in the light and shadow, like a lone blade of grass abandoned in the wilderness rain, without a home to return to.

The emotions in Yen Jinglou’s eyes deepened. Through those eyes, it was as though he was transported back a thousand years, to the moment of his parting with Wanwan.

He stood beneath the bridge, while she stood above it.

This one farewell meant there would be no chance of seeing each other again.

Unconsciously, Yen Jinglou reached out his hand, as if intending to touch the sorrow etched on her brow.

“A Yan?”

The sudden voice interrupted him.

Yen Jinglou quickly snapped out of his daze, lowering his hand without betraying any emotion. He composed himself and personally rose to greet Cui Wanning.

Watching the two of them standing close together, Sang Li felt a slight sense of relief.

That moment when Yen Jinglou had raised his hand had frightened her. His gesture hadn’t seemed like an act of violence—it had felt more like the precursor to an intimate action. Based on the little fox’s previous personality, she surely wouldn’t have resisted. But Sang Li wasn’t the little fox. Forget intimacy—even just talking to him for this period of time made her feel uneasy all over.

“Master, since Lady Ningyue has arrived, I’ll…”

“Wait.” Yen Jinglou shot her a glance. “Aren’t you here for the Liuyan Pearl?”

A flicker of joy passed through Sang Li’s expression. “Does this mean Master agrees?”

He lazily hummed in response.

Summoning her courage, Sang Li ventured further: “There is one more thing I wish to ask of you, Master.”

Yen Jinglou furrowed his brow slightly but didn’t object.

She took a deep breath and said: “While I was in the Abyssal Realm, I found myself without a proper weapon. Therefore… I humbly request that Master grant me a weapon for self-defense.”

The original little fox had followed the path of assassination.

Approaching her enemies, she would strike directly at their hearts—a method both primitive and brutal.

Sang Li couldn’t pull off such a move, nor did she have the courage to engage in such ruthless acts.

As soon as she finished speaking, she regretted it slightly, fearing that her words might reveal yet another difference from the past and arouse Yen Jinglou’s suspicions once more.

In truth, Yen Jinglou had never paid much attention to her. How she killed or completed her missions was not within his considerations—what mattered was that she accomplished her tasks. Even with this request, Yen Jinglou didn’t delve too deeply into it.

A mere weapon was, to him, as insignificant as a feather.

Just as Yen Jinglou was about to nod in agreement, Cui Wanning suddenly interjected: “Ah Li needs a weapon for protection while traveling. In my opinion, ordinary weapons are too fragile and unsuitable for her use.”

She smiled as she looked at Yen Jinglou. “Do you remember, A Yan? You once had a weapon called Hua Gu Ling crafted for me. Unfortunately, it seems we were not destined for it. Why not let Ah Li give it a try?”

Yen Jinglou remained silent, though his brow tightened slightly.

Sang Li frantically searched her mind for any memory related to Hua Gu Ling , but came up empty. Still, she didn’t believe Cui Wanning was being genuinely kind-hearted. After all, just yesterday, she had attempted to kill her, and today she was suddenly concerned about finding her a weapon.

“Since it belongs to Lady Ningyue, I shouldn’t claim it as my own.”

Sang Li politely declined.

Yen Jinglou responded: “It doesn’t belong to her.”

Though it was true, his blunt statement left her feeling awkward.

After a pause, Cui Wanning gently explained: “The Hua Gu Ling was forged using three ancient materials: Hua Sui Shi , Que Xie Yu , and Dui Ze Sha . However, the Que Xie Yu originates from your own body. Being a feather of the malevolent phoenix, it has absorbed miasma over thousands of years. Once fashioned into a weapon, it gained its own consciousness. Ordinary people cannot wield it, so it was temporarily stored at the Du Sheng Cliff .”

“With Ah Li’s cultivation level, she should be able to control it.”

The description sounded impressive enough, but the mention of the Du Sheng Cliff …

If she remembered correctly, it was a hellish prison where souls were punished. The infernal flames at the bottom of the cliff, fueled by the Wu Yao , burned eternally. With her current abilities, Sang Li doubted she could emerge unscathed.

“I think I’ll still…” She hesitated.

“Since Lady Ningyue has spoken, then go,” Yen Jinglou casually finalized the matter. “If you can tame the Hua Gu Ling , it will belong to you henceforth.”

A sharp pain gripped Sang Li’s chest.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and followed them to the Du Sheng Cliff .

The surroundings were desolate.

A ten-thousand-foot-deep chasm split the earth in two. Standing at the edge and looking down revealed a fiery sea below, thick with karmic energy.

“D-d-down there?”

Sang Li stammered nervously, receiving only a nod from Yen Jinglou.

With a whoosh , her heart sank along with the realization.

Her throat went dry.

Sang Li swallowed hard, trying to moisten her parched mouth. On second thought, if she truly managed to obtain the Hua Gu Ling , it wouldn’t be a loss. If she couldn’t handle it, she could always retreat—surely Yen Jinglou wouldn’t force her to stay.

Taking a deep breath, Sang Li closed her eyes and leapt into the abyss.

Her green figure descended like a leaf falling into raging flames, instantly swallowed by the tongues of fire.

Cui Wanning watched silently.

At the bottom of the cliff, she had arranged for some of her people to wait. She didn’t believe the Hua Gu Ling would recognize Sang Li as its master. When Sang Li neared death, her people would extract the demon core from her body.

Cui Wanning’s eyelashes fluttered slightly before she raised her head, once again donning an obedient and gentle expression. “I hope Ah Li stays safe.”

“Hmm?” Yen Jinglou’s voice was indifferent. “If she stays safe, how would that suit your intentions?”

The smile froze on her face.

Yen Jinglou’s tone was casual, his gaze sweeping over her indifferently. “You wanted her dead, didn’t you?”

It wasn’t a question—it was a statement.

So he had known all along!!

Everything she had done, her thoughts, her desires, her hidden intentions… he knew it all.

Cui Wanning’s lips turned pale, her emotions in turmoil. Still unwilling to accept defeat, she tried to defend herself: “A Yan, what are you talking about? I didn’t—”

“Don’t be afraid.” Unexpectedly, Yen Jinglou grasped her cold hand, his icy gaze contrasting sharply with the blazing flames before them. “No matter how malicious, selfish, cunning, or deceitful you are, I will grant your every desire.”

He said—

“It’s only because you are Wanwan.”

As his words fell, all strength drained from her body.

Cui Wanning couldn’t help but glance down at the roaring inferno below.

[“It’s only because you are Wanwan.”]

These six words seared into her heart like a curse.

They reminded her of that rainy spring night—the memorial hall, the coffin, and the girl inside who had died. The girl whose abdomen she had cut open to extract the heart’s blood.

Her surname was Luo, her given name Wanzhi.

She had always been favored, often called by others—

[Wanwan.]

Cui Wanning suddenly realized.

Yen Jinglou didn’t love her for her gentle appearance or kind nature. He loved the name Luo Wanwan, this soul.

As long as she was Luo Wanwan, even if she were ugly and despicable, it wouldn’t matter to him.

But… what if she wasn’t? What if one day he discovered this was all an illusion? Would he treat her like those who betrayed him, stripping her bones and flaying her skin?

No, no, no—it would be a hundred times, a thousand times more terrifying than that.

Fear made Cui Wanning unsteady on her feet. She could only pray that Sang Li would die quickly, that her demon core would soon be extracted, allowing her essence to fully merge with the Fan Sha flower, enabling her to remain Luo Wanwan for the rest of her life.

For a lifetime…