#48: Recognition

On the way to the palace, Shi Luoyi’s heart was consumed almost entirely by hatred and the desire to kill.

However, as the moon rose, the clay rabbit in her arms leapt onto her shoulder, enveloping her in a warm glow. For a brief moment, Shi Luoyi regained clarity and remembered fragments of her past life.

At that time, Hui Xiang had already died. Shi Luoyi had slaughtered all the disciples guarding the prison, her eyes blood-red with madness. She had descended into obsession, feeling only the injustice of fate.

The last person in the world who loved and cherished her had perished because of her. Cradling Hui Xiang’s mutilated body, she stepped out of the dungeon.

The Divine Collapse Blade floated in the air as Shi Luoyi’s crimson eyes glowed with bloodlust, pointing toward the disciples who had rushed to stop her.

They appeared so young, their faces still green and innocent. They hadn’t harmed Hui Xiang, nor had they committed any grave sins.

They were just like her and her fellow disciples from long ago—rushing to prevent a “demonic woman” from trespassing. Shi Luoyi surveyed their youthful faces and laughed bitterly.

Her blade turned toward them.

What did innocence matter? What had her father done wrong to be condemned to eternal slumber in the Boundless Sea? The world had forgotten his merits, and now he was reviled because of her!

Was Han Shu innocent? She had saved this useless demoness, only to die tragically in Qingshui Village. While Bian Qingxuan was celebrated, Han Shu was reduced to nothing more than a forgotten name.

And what had Hui Xiang done wrong? She was a kind spirit, never harming anyone. Yet, for protecting her, she had been left without a complete corpse.

Fate was cruel to Shi Luoyi. Everyone who loved her met tragic ends. If this was how it was, then why not embrace demonic possession? These people—they were all accomplices in Hui Xiang’s death.

When the prison guards tormented Hui Xiang, had these disciples stepped in to stop them?

They all deserved to die!

Countless demonic patterns spread across Shi Luoyi’s face as she reveled in the intoxicating joy of bloodlust.

She set Hui Xiang down and smiled coldly: “Hui Xiang, I’ll send them all to accompany you. You won’t be lonely on the journey to the underworld.”

These disciples were no match for her. Within moments, they lay sprawled on the ground, powerless to resist. But Shi Luoyi didn’t want their deaths to be so easy. Hui Xiang had suffered so much in her final moments—she wanted these people to taste the same agony.

But as her blade moved to flay them alive, a massive silver-white beast blocked her path.

Shi Luoyi narrowed her blood-red eyes and sneered: “You’re the guardian beast of this sect? You stand in my way—do you wish to die first?”

The silver-white beast was filthy, its body battered and broken, save for its shimmering scales and few remaining feathers. It looked like a grotesque amalgamation of creatures, yet its silver eyes gazed at her with an ancient sorrow.

In the end, Shi Luoyi couldn’t defeat the beast, but she managed to sever one of its horns at the cost of injuring herself.

Blood poured from its severed horn, yet the beast lowered its head and swallowed her whole.

Shi Luoyi burned with hatred. She hadn’t avenged Hui Xiang, and now she would die like this? How could she accept such an outcome!

But instead of swallowing her immediately, the beast held her in its mouth.

Trapped inside, Shi Luoyi fought back with ferocity, stabbing her blade into its soft palate.

The beast trembled in pain, its blood soaking her completely. But it only stiffened for a moment before continuing to run, seemingly unfazed by the pain.

It carried her farther and farther from the sect.

Drenched in its blood, Shi Luoyi’s vision blurred with rage. She wanted nothing more than to perish alongside this monster.

Finally, it released her by a stream surrounded by wildflowers. The silver-white beast spat her out into the water. Submerged in the icy stream, she resurfaced, drained of strength but still able to curse the creature.

Shi Luoyi unleashed every vile word she could think of, hurling insults at it. After she exhausted herself, the beast picked her up gently and wrapped her in its belly.

Her crimson eyes blazed with bloodlust, demonic patterns covering her forehead. Though she couldn’t control the urge to kill, the beast pinned her down completely, leaving her unable to resist.

At first, she struggled fiercely, but eventually, her strength faded. Before losing consciousness, she still harbored the thought of biting off a piece of its flesh. If it dared to press her against its vulnerable abdomen, she would tear through its entrails if she could.

Its fur was warm but hard enough to strain her jaw.

When Shi Luoyi awoke, she didn’t know how much time had passed.

The wildflowers had withered, and she had slept through an entire season in the vastness of the world.

The beast was gone, leaving behind only the faint scent of flowers and a trace of blood in her mouth.

Hui Xiang, in her true form, appeared beside her. And at that moment, a cultivation manual for suppressing inner demons materialized in Shi Luoyi’s arms. She realized the beast hadn’t meant her harm—it might have been a destined encounter, one of countless opportunities in the world.

Some wished for her death, yet even after she severed its horn and filled its mouth with blood, it still chose to let her live.

Where had it gone? Had it died?

Her murderous intent had dissipated. Gazing at the sky, tears streamed silently down her face. In the end, by the stream surrounded by wildflowers, she buried Hui Xiang.

Reflected in the water, her face was free of demonic patterns, though her eyes remained crimson, brimming with tears.

Shi Luoyi had been born a celestial child, raised under the loving guidance of her parents. Her mother had devoted her life to protecting the people of Southern Yue, while her father sacrificed himself for the greater good. Neither would have wanted to see her raise a blade against the very mortals they had once protected at the cost of their lives, nor would they have wanted her to become a merciless killer.

With the help of the cultivation manual, even during decades of demonic possession, Shi Luoyi managed to restrain herself from harming the innocent.

Illuminated by the palace lanterns, Shi Luoyi recalled those past events. Her thoughts cleared significantly, the protective barrier emitted by the clay rabbit enveloping her. She recited the cultivation manual, striving to calm her mind.

A grand banquet was indeed being held within the palace.

Seductive dancers swayed to the music while a qin player plucked strings behind a screen. However, the high seats were empty, and there were no guests.

All Shi Luoyi saw was a massive cauldron.

Within a black array, dozens of ragged women were shackled together, their chains connected to the eight cardinal directions of the formation. Some carried infants on their backs, and all were adding firewood beneath the cauldron.

The incense beside the cauldron was already half-burned.

The cries of infants mingled with the sound of the qin, creating a bizarre and cruel scene. The entire array was shrouded in a protective barrier.

The night breeze stirred Shi Luoyi’s skirts as she stood alone in the vast emptiness, chilled to the bone. Her gaze shifted toward a distant tower.

The lights there were brightest, and faint silhouettes could be seen. At the forefront was Zhao Shu, with the black-robed Grand Master beside him.

The Grand Master chuckled: “Your Majesty, I told you she would come.”

Zhao Shu’s eyes were fixed intently on Shi Luoyi as he explained: “I never intended to harm you or Miss Hui Xiang. I simply… wanted you by my side. I know life hasn’t been kind to you in the immortal sect, but I will treat you well.”

Shi Luoyi felt nothing but revulsion.

She ignored Zhao Shu and turned her gaze to the Grand Master. She recognized the array as a Life-and-Death Array, one her father had once taught her about, describing it as an exceedingly sinister formation. Zhao Shu was merely a mortal—there was no way he could have set up such an array.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

The Grand Master chuckled, his voice raspy: “Who I am doesn’t matter. Surely you’ve already figured out what kind of array this is. A Life-and-Death Array. To break it, one life must be sacrificed for another. Miss Hui Xiang is inside the cauldron. When the incense burns out, she will become nothing more than an ingredient. Saving her is simple—just kill those wretched slaves feeding the fire.”

He spread his hands wide and smiled: “Neither His Majesty nor I will stop you from saving Miss Hui Xiang.”

Zhao Shu met Shi Luoyi’s gaze, his expression calm and cold: “They are nothing but lowly slaves and criminals.”

In the eyes of an emperor, these women and children were indeed just criminals. But cultivators were forbidden from wantonly killing mortals. If they did, the entire cultivation world would issue a death warrant, branding them as demonic fiends.

They wanted her to become an outcast in the cultivation world.

Shi Luoyi tightened her grip on the Divine Collapse Blade. The Grand Master clapped his hands, and the barrier dissipated. The sound of Hui Xiang’s anguished cries emerged from within the cauldron.

“Hui Xiang!”

But only for a brief moment. Realizing something, Hui Xiang clenched her teeth tightly, refusing to make another sound.

The Grand Master laughed: “Truly resilient, isn’t she?”

Shi Luoyi gritted her teeth and leapt toward the Grand Master, her blade slicing through the air. The Grand Master’s eyes flickered, seemingly aware that directly blocking her Divine Collapse Blade would be unwise. Yet, with the ease of someone teasing a child, he casually evaded her attack.

“It’s no use killing me, Immortal Lady. Look—the incense is almost burned out. Those slaves, desperate to survive, are working hard to feed the fire.”

However, Shi Luoyi abruptly shifted the direction of her blade. In the next instant, it pierced Zhao Shu’s shoulder.

Feigning a strike, her figure moved like the wind, and in the blink of an eye, she appeared behind Zhao Shu: “Release Hui Xiang, or I’ll kill Zhao Shu!”

Zhao Shu’s shoulder was impaled, and the blade was now pressed against his neck.

The Grand Master hovered in the air, concealed beneath his black robes, and said nothing in response.

Shi Luoyi’s blade pressed closer to Zhao Shu, exuding a chilling aura. She said: “Order the Grand Master to release Hui Xiang.”

Zhao Shu refused to speak, his lips tightly pressed together, sweat pouring down his face from the pain.

Shi Luoyi applied more pressure, unleashing a torrent of blade energy without mercy. It felt as though Zhao Shu’s body was being flayed alive.

Though Zhao Shu desired Shi Luoyi, he valued his own life more. Now that he was at her mercy, he had no choice but to say: “Release her first, Grand Master.”

The Grand Master, hearing this, let out a soft laugh: “This isn’t good, Your Majesty. It seems your love for Immortal Lady Luo Yi can’t even outweigh your fear of death. Perhaps Your Majesty should endure a little longer. The lady is kind-hearted; who knows, she might be moved by your devotion and spare your life.”

Zhao Shu picked up on the strange tone in the Grand Master’s voice: “You’re deliberately harming me?”

“How could I?” the Grand Master replied nonchalantly. “Your Majesty is the master I serve wholeheartedly.”

Turning his attention back to Shi Luoyi, his raspy voice carried a hint of amusement: “Miss Shi, make your choice quickly. Time is running out—if you delay any longer, Miss Hui Xiang will become nothing more than an ingredient in a pill.”

At this point, Shi Luoyi realized the Grand Master’s true target was her.

She glanced at the array. As the qin music grew more intense, only two finger-lengths of incense remained.

She understood now that the Grand Master cared nothing for Zhao Shu’s life or death. Her blade energy descended, and Zhao Shu let out a blood-curdling scream.

For every leaf that fell from Hui Xiang, Shi Luoyi carved a piece of flesh from Zhao Shu.

As for colluding with demons, Zhao Shu’s fate was sealed. His life was forfeit, awaiting a decree of self-condemnation to bring stability to Southern Yue.

After dealing with Zhao Shu, Shi Luoyi charged toward the Grand Master.

They exchanged several blows, but she couldn’t subdue him. Only through their clash did she realize the Grand Master’s cultivation was unfathomable. His techniques were those of a cultivator, yet they reeked of demonic cunning. The Grand Master didn’t attack her directly; instead, he smiled: “Immortal Lady, you still refuse to kill? There’s only one finger-length of incense left.”

Shi Luoyi’s heart raced with agitation. The blood mist within the array—it was Hui Xiang’s blood.

Hui Xiang suppressed her cries of pain, refusing to utter another sound.

But Shi Luoyi knew that if this continued, Hui Xiang would die. Her cultivation wasn’t enough to defeat the Grand Master.

The ragged women trapped in the array, desperate to save the children on their backs, frantically fed firewood into the cauldron. Tears streamed down their faces.

If Hui Xiang survived, they would perish.

Shi Luoyi had never faced such a choice. She knew Hui Xiang was already at her limit. Was she to watch Hui Xiang die again because of her? But killing the women and infants in the array—she couldn’t bring herself to do it either.

The Grand Master watched the struggle on her face with amusement, smiling: “Choose, Miss Shi. You’re out of time.”

Her blade movements grew faster, matching the frantic beating of her heart.

Shi Luoyi closed in once more. Just as the Grand Master prepared to evade, she suddenly spoke: “Senior Brother Jiang Qi, why do you hate me so much?”

The Grand Master froze momentarily. In that brief instant of distraction, a Binding Spirit Technique ensnared both him and Shi Luoyi.

Shi Luoyi decided to take a gamble.

Facing her calm and resolute expression, the qin music still playing, she dragged him into the cauldron along with her.

A wave of scorching heat engulfed them.

The Grand Master sighed, breaking free from the Binding Spirit Technique, but it was too late to escape the cauldron. He looked at the young girl before him, determined to drag him down with her. Even in the end, she refused to kill those women and children. The Grand Master chuckled softly: “How did you recognize me?”

He reached out and embraced her.

The flames consumed them entirely, leaving only ashes behind.

Hui Xiang lay amidst the ashes, barely clinging to life.

The flower spirits who had followed Shi Luoyi tried to pull her away. She opened her eyes, bloodshot with fury, and gazed at the fire, crawling toward it: “Miss…”

But there was no one there—neither Shi Luoyi nor the Grand Master’s figure remained. Only a group of surviving women and children were left, their cries drowned out by the lingering sound of the qin.

When Shi Luoyi regained consciousness once more, she found herself in a cave.

She had leapt into the cauldron of True Fire along with the Grand Master. As expected, his goal wasn’t mutual destruction—the True Fire had burned for only a short while before extinguishing.

Another way to break the Life-and-Death Array was for the person who set it to dismantle it themselves.

Shi Luoyi’s wrist was shackled to a stone bed, and the black-robed Grand Master sat before her: “Awake?”

Seeing that she had regained consciousness, the Grand Master lowered his hood and removed his mask. To her astonishment, it was Jiang Qi’s face.

He smiled at her: “I’m curious—how did you, my junior sister, recognize me?”

“You’ve become a demonic cultivator? Did you also kill Zhang Xiangyang?”

Jiang Qi chuckled, letting out a sigh: “Junior Sister Luo Yi, how perceptive. Then allow me to ask—can you guess why I’ve grown so powerful?”

Shi Luoyi pressed her lips together, saying nothing. She couldn’t sense any demonic energy emanating from Jiang Qi.

It was inconceivable—a person who was clearly a demon yet exuded an aura of purity. What exactly had Jiang Qi become?

Thinking of the disturbances plaguing all of Southern Yue, the shadow everyone was chasing, a faint thread began to connect in her mind—but the picture remained hazy.