AUOF - 65

Sang Li and Ji Hengyu arrived at Huashan City.

She found a large pawnshop, exchanged part of the demon cores for cash, and used the remainder to purchase a jade pendant engraved with an intertwined dragon motif.

The material was considered top-grade, but Ji Hengyu had never lacked such luxuries; undoubtedly, it would be beneath his notice. However, Sang Li’s gesture was symbolic of her sincerity.

She handed over the jade pendant: “This is more appealing than the sachet. If My Lord doesn’t mind, please wear it.”

Under her anxious gaze, Ji Hengyu took the pendant with a flick of his finger.

He examined it briefly before securing it around his waist.

The white jade naturally complemented him, and paired with his elegant beauty, he appeared even more refined and virtuous.

Seeing the hint of joy in his brows, it was clear he didn’t disdain it, and Sang Li’s eyes curved slightly with satisfaction.

Just as she was about to turn and leave, the shopkeeper called out: “Honorable guests, please wait a moment.”

The shopkeeper, a rat spirit transformed into human form, had a sharp-nosed, monkey-cheeked appearance that immediately made Sang Li wary.

He rubbed his hands together, smiling obsequiously: “Esteemed patrons might not know, but the arena has acquired a rare spectacle, something unheard of, which will officially debut in seven days. If you wish to see this marvel, you can purchase tickets from me…”

“Not interested.” Ji Hengyu showed signs of impatience, not even allowing the man to finish his pitch. He reached out and pulled Sang Li out of the pawnshop.

Huashan City wasn’t peaceful these days.

Perhaps it was due to the so-called performance the shopkeeper mentioned, or maybe because Yan Jinglou was dispatching people everywhere to find her. The already narrow streets were bustling with crowds, and even the taverns and teahouses on both sides were filled with magic cultivators and immortals from all corners.

With her face veiled and her aura concealed, she wasn’t afraid of being discovered.

Nevertheless, she became intrigued: “Si Tu previously told me that the arena mostly featured malevolent spirits from the Heavenly Gates?”

“Yes,” Ji Hengyu replied. “However, malevolent spirits are difficult to capture. Even if they exist, their numbers are sparse. Moreover, the Upper Heavens strictly prohibit such activities. Unless one is from a prestigious family, ordinary households wouldn’t dare to make such ostentatious displays.”

Sang Li nodded thoughtfully.

She wanted to continue browsing, but a large hand suddenly grabbed the back of her collar, lifting her up. “Let’s go.”

Her body abruptly rose into the air. The sensation of weightlessness made her cling tightly to Ji Hengyu beside her: “Where are we going?”

He only said four words—

“Exterminate demons and evil.”

“???”

________________________________________

Outside Huashan City lay a lair of demons, a gathering place for monsters.

This cave was peculiar; located in an underground chamber, there was a spring at its heart. Anything that approached the spring would become frenzied, transforming into demons that posed a threat to humanity.

Ji Hengyu chose this location for training for two reasons: first, it allowed for swift completion of tasks; second, the variety of demons could quickly enhance her abilities. This place was fraught with danger, not short of high-level demons. Unless absolutely necessary, Ji Hengyu didn’t plan to intervene.

The environment below was much better than Sang Li had anticipated.

The landscape was harmonious, with glowing stones embedded in the cliff walls illuminating the entire cave, leaving no place for lurking creatures to hide.

The cliffs were densely packed with nests, appearing like a series of consecutive black holes at first glance.

“Go ahead.”

Ji Hengyu leisurely climbed onto a tree, resting his cheek on his hand. “I’ll watch from here.”

Sang Li swallowed nervously, cautiously moving forward.

The sound of footsteps first caught the attention of flying beasts. A swarm of demonic birds circled overhead, their wings flapping with sharp, piercing sounds.

“The Huagu Ling you wield can change in myriad ways, following your will. To master it freely, you must align your mind with it.”

Following one’s will, aligning the mind.

Sang Li raised her palm high. Her bracelet gleamed brightly, erecting a spiritual barrier to protect her form.

The demonic birds couldn’t break through and dispersed chaotically.

In the next instant, an even more massive monster charged forward.

This creature was entirely crimson, with three claws, compound eyes, and a long tail trailing lightning—it looked formidable.

Ji Hengyu lazily drooped his eyelids: “It’s called a ‘Hou.’ It fears fire and can be attacked at the upper three cun; that’s its weak point.”

Facing the approaching monster, Sang Li’s breathing quickened, and a plan swiftly formed in her mind.

The Huagu Ling transformed into a soft ice ribbon, resembling a blue river winding at her feet. Sang Li leapt into the air, stepping on the ice ribbon, using her agility to evade the monster’s attacks. She quickly maneuvered behind it, and the ice ribbon beneath her feet instantly turned into a shower of fine rain and pear blossom needles, launching them at the monster with thunderous force.

Several whooshing sounds echoed.

Countless ice needles embedded into its back, and the massive form fell silently to the ground, melting into a pool of black mud.

Successfully slaying the monster, feeling the surging spiritual energy coursing through her limbs, Sang Li felt both relaxed and immensely satisfied. She retracted the Huagu Ling and looked at Ji Hengyu with bright eyes, resembling a child seeking praise from their master.

Ji Hengyu remained silent. A cold light shot out from the fan in his palm, slicing past her ear. Something seemed to die behind her, leaving no sound.

She turned her head to see a featureless, half-human, half-horse monster.

Sang Li’s expression turned grave with shock.

Ji Hengyu casually swung his fan: “No matter where you are, vigilance must always be your foremost concern.”

Sang Li clenched her jaw, a sense of lingering fear creeping in.

He gracefully leapt down from the tree, his robe forming an ethereal arc in mid-air.

To prevent monsters from approaching, Ji Hengyu specially cast a barrier around them.

“Attack me.”

Sang Li was taken aback; Ji Hengyu intended to personally instruct her.

She instinctively hesitated, then the Huagu Ling coiled around her fingertips, transforming into a whip of connected ice blades, which she lashed out.

Ji Hengyu held one hand behind his back, using his fan to block with the other. “Before making a move, you must understand the flow of spirit through the four seas, keeping your soul steady internally and your spirit focused externally.”

His figure flashed like a wild goose, instantly closing the distance. In the blink of an eye, he struck a pressure point on her inner wrist with his fan. A wave of numbness surged, nearly causing the Huagu Ling to fall.

“Your limbs are too stiff, your strength too weak, your speed too slow—utterly disastrous.”

“…”

“…”

Why not just call her useless outright?

Sang Li, unwilling to admit defeat, switched the Huagu Ling to her other hand. The ice blade condensed into a sword, which she swung toward his shoulder.

Ji Hengyu neither dodged nor resisted. The sharp blade pierced straight through his shoulder.

Sang Li froze, hastily pulling the sword out. In an instant, the figure before her turned into a wisp of mist. A cool sensation brushed against her neck—it was his sword, or more accurately, the back of his sword.

“Whoever stands against you with a sword is your enemy. Never hesitate, and show no mercy. Also…” Ji Hengyu withdrew the sword from her neck, “don’t be clever.”

Sang Li: “...”

“Take a break.” Ji Hengyu sheathed his sword and handed her a small bag of snacks.

The confidence Sang Li had built up just moments ago was completely shattered. She shook her head dejectedly: “I’ll practice for another half hour.”

“There’s no rush.” Ji Hengyu said, “You won’t become strong from this brief effort, nor will you fall behind from a moment of rest.”

Sang Li pondered.

His words held some truth.

She didn’t insist further, sitting down on a clean rock and accepting the bag of snacks.

The shape of the snacks seemed familiar, like the ones she bought while shopping with Si Tu.

Sang Li glanced suspiciously at Ji Hengyu.

Could it be that he had been keeping track of her movements?

No way…

She set aside her suspicion, picked up a piece, and popped it into her mouth. It was overly sweet, not to her taste.

After a couple of bites, she stopped eating.

The earlier bout of training had drained her significantly. During the fight, she hadn’t noticed, but once seated, fatigue hit her all at once.

Thinking about Ji Hengyu’s teachings, Sang Li couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Ziheng.”

“Hmm?” He lowered his head.

“Did Wuyan Zhaoxu True Lord teach you everything?”

Ji Hengyu raised an eyebrow, surprised that she was curious about his past.

He neither nodded nor shook his head: “Not entirely.”

“Can you tell me about it?” Sang Li’s curiosity was piqued, then added hesitantly, “If you don’t want to, that’s fine too.”

Ji Hengyu’s tone was nonchalant: “It’s nothing worth hiding.” He continued, “Before I joined Gui Xu, I was a disciple of the Heavenly Gates.”

Sang Li’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Her surprise amused Ji Hengyu slightly as he went on: “The current overseer of the Divine Realm, also known as the Supreme Dao Lord, was my master. I learned swordsmanship from him. Later, during the Battle of the Barren Mountains, my spiritual marrow was shattered, and my immortal soul became unstable. Everyone thought I was beyond saving, but Wuyan Zhaoxu True Lord used the Heavenly Fire Lotus to save my life, so I also call him master.”

Sang Li listened, stunned.

Before coming to this world, her best friend always said the male lead was tragically powerful and handsome. At the time, she dismissed it, not giving it much thought. Now, sitting here in this world, hearing him recount these events himself evoked a different feeling.

The trials briefly sketched on paper were hardships he personally endured through half his life.

Sang Li couldn’t imagine how formidable he must have been at his peak. Even now, after only a few exchanges, she felt a sword aura far surpassing others.

Shattered spiritual marrow, unstable immortal soul.

Had he not suffered these injuries, would he have stood proudly in the Upper Divine Realm? Would he have avoided walking the path of destruction?

“Then… did it hurt a lot?”

She blurted out the question without thinking, her cautious gaze seemingly empathizing with his pain.

Ji Hengyu was momentarily taken aback. This was the first time in a long while that someone had asked if he was in pain.

For immortals, the first trial they undergo is the excruciating pain of rebirth. In the Upper Heavens, “pain” is merely an inevitable, necessary part of cultivation.

No one paid it any mind.

He was the Heavenly Balance Lord, the God of War. His titles bore missions. Even if his soul scattered, it would be considered rightful. No one cared about life or death, let alone pain.

Seeing Sang Li’s expression, it was as if a gentle, persistent rain fell into his heart. He softened his gaze, “Yes, it hurt.”

Sang Li grew even more anxious, “Does it still hurt now?”

He nodded, “Yes, it does.”

Upon hearing this, Sang Li frowned guiltily, “Then… then I’ll try to get hurt less, so you won’t suffer more.”

Upon reflection, though she was weak, she at least had Ji Hengyu backing her, so she didn’t need to worry about physical pain.

Ji Hengyu was different. His body was bound to hers. No matter how strong he was, if anything happened to her, he would suffer.

New wounds atop old ones, along with occasional flare-ups of karma—just thinking about it made her feel uneasy.

Sang Li resolved to train seriously. Without hesitation, she set aside the snacks and rose again: “I’ll continue practicing. My Lord, you sit and rest, take a good rest…”

She didn’t dare delay, wielding the Huagu Ling and charging directly into the demon nests. Her silhouette was graceful yet resilient, carrying an indescribable drive.

[...] Ji Wu, [What are you doing?]

Ji Hengyu remained expressionless: “A scheme of suffering.”

“...”

Impressive.