#65: Returning

Bian Qingxuan half-closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to subside.

The double hooks piercing her collarbone effectively sealed her cultivation and shattered her foundation, a wound that would take many years to heal.

But she didn’t care much—this body had already died eleven years ago.

Perhaps it was the eerie silence of the dungeon, or perhaps sheer boredom, but Bian Qingxuan found herself reminiscing about the past eleven years in the mortal realm. Before, a thousand years seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, but these eleven years were etched vividly into her memory.

From the moment Shi Luoyi dug her out of the pile of corpses and held her in her arms, to this very day, every memory was sharp and clear.

Originally, Bian Qingxuan hadn’t been among the one hundred and twenty-four gods who descended with Bian Lingyu to exterminate the fallen demons.

She had secretly mastered a forbidden technique, separating her soul from her body, and followed the gods down to the mortal realm. Her plan was to endure hardships alongside Bian Lingyu while he was still naïve, hoping to secure the position of Empress of the Divine Realm. But that battle turned out far more devastating than she anticipated. In the end, only she and Bian Lingyu survived, barely clinging to life, while the Untransformed Toad and Zhu Yan escaped.

When they left the Wandering Sea, Bian Lingyu had lost his divine pearl, and with her essence reduced to just a wandering soul, she couldn’t linger long in the mortal realm. By the riverbank, Bian Qingxuan spotted two recently deceased bodies—one belonging to a young man resembling a destitute scholar, and the other to a young woman surnamed Bian.

Without hesitation, she chose the woman’s body.

Later, when Bian Qingxuan brought Bian Lingyu back to the Bian family estate, she learned that this Miss Bian had always harbored feelings for her scholarly cousin. Unfortunately, her cousin’s family had fallen on hard times, and after failing the imperial exams, Miss Bian was forced into marriage with a local tyrant.

On the eve of her wedding, both Miss Bian and her cousin were driven to desperation and committed suicide by drowning together.

When Bian Qingxuan opened her eyes, she had become the new Miss Bian.

At the time, her powers were still strong. Using illusions, she convinced everyone she was truly Miss Bian and fabricated an identity for Bian Lingyu. She drove the tyrant mad with fear, leaving her stepmother and father trembling in submission. The entire Bian household became her domain.

Bian Lingyu, carried out of the fierce winds by Shi Luoyi, spent seven years bedridden, slowly healing his shattered bones.

In the seventh year, on the day the immortal gates opened, Bian Qingxuan smiled faintly: “Brother, shall I take you to find her?”

As a member of the divine race, she was personally divined by the elder of the Celestial Pavilion, and her fellow disciples showered her with flattery and obedience.

Back then, Bian Lingyu knew little, and she had effectively confined him to a small courtyard, gradually wearing him down like taming a hawk.

All things considered, her plans had gone relatively smoothly.

She was just one step away from what she desired. The biggest disruption came from one person—Shi Luoyi.

In the Wandering Sea, before Bian Lingyu fell in love with her, he had already fallen for Shi Luoyi.

On the mountain of Eternal Night, Bian Qingxuan personally pushed Shi Luoyi toward madness step by step, yet in the end, the girl reclaimed her true self.

The excruciating pain now shooting through her collarbone, making her face pale, was all thanks to that girl.

Su Li suspected that she was the one who let them escape.

Bian Qingxuan lowered her gaze to the filthy dungeon floor, a cold smirk twisting her lips: “You were born… to oppose me, weren’t you?”

But no one answered her whisper.

The sound of footsteps echoed again in the dungeon. Bian Qingxuan lifted her eyelids, expecting the useless young master of Shengyang Sect to return. Instead, she saw a figure clad in blue robes adorned with cloud patterns, carrying a sword on his back, silently observing her.

Bian Qingxuan raised an eyebrow: “Senior Brother? Long time no see.”

Wei Changyuan unsheathed his sword, Light Feather, and swung it toward Bian Qingxuan. She studied him calmly, not even batting an eyelid as the sword’s qi approached.

Moments later, the black iron chains binding Bian Qingxuan shattered, and the talisman array crumbled.

Bian Qingxuan pulled the silver hooks from her collarbone herself, suppressing the dull ache deep in her throat, waiting for Wei Changyuan to speak.

“Su Li and my master have ordered the cultivators to head to the Wandering Sea soon,” Wei Changyuan said. “Su Li hails from the Divine Realm, and many have guessed his identity. He claims that Bian Lingyu is the demon who escaped from him eleven years ago, and that Luoyi has allied with demons.”

Bian Qingxuan raised her eyes to look at him, remaining silent. Oh? So do you believe him?

Wei Changyuan remained silent for a long time: “My junior sister wouldn’t ally with demons. I know you have ways to find her.”

Bian Qingxuan sneered: “You’ve released me privately—don’t tell me you want me to save her? Can’t you see how much I detest her?”

Wei Changyuan shook his head and said: “You are also of the divine race. You betrayed Su Li.”

His tone was calm as he spoke. Regardless of whether Bian Qingxuan’s betrayal stemmed from her feelings for Bian Lingyu or her own interests, Su Li wanted them dead, and Bian Qingxuan stood on the opposite side.

Bian Qingxuan didn’t respond, simply glancing at him.

Four years ago, this senior brother had been a rigid youth, blind and deaf to everything around him. Now, however, with the entire cultivation world thrown into chaos by Su Li, where everyone cried out for the extermination of demons, he alone had seen through the truth.

One by one, they exited the dungeon. The Hengwu Sect was now eerily empty.

Outside, the situation had changed drastically. Su Li’s grand display had compelled the master of the Shengyang Sect to step down, and the young master ran errands for him. Any sect leader who wasn’t a fool could guess Su Li’s true identity.

With Su Li declaring Bian Lingyu a fallen demon and the Hengwu Sect leader corroborating the claim, the entire cultivation world believed it without question.

The term "fallen demon" was nothing short of a nightmare for the cultivation world.

Eleven years ago, countless cultivators perished in the Wandering Sea because of fallen demons. Today, the mere mention of their return struck fear into the hearts of cultivators.

Just as Su Li understood her, Bian Qingxuan understood him equally well.

Su Li was born with a weak constitution, his roots flawed from birth.

His mother, the Empress of the Divine Realm, nearly went mad trying to compensate for her youngest son’s deficiencies. She took her eldest son, imprisoning the heir of the divine race in the Sky Ravine, extracting his power to nurture her younger son.

Su Li grew up under his mother’s indulgence. He was sensitive, violent, cautious, and selfish. His soul descended to the mortal realm, seizing the body of a disciple from the Shengyang Sect.

No one in the mortal realm could harm him—except for the fierce winds of the Wandering Sea, capable of slaying even the divine.

Now, Su Li was determined to kill Bian Lingyu. Lacking natural talent, his divine pearl could only supplement his divinity, not his innate aptitude. Fearing his soul might perish in the Wandering Sea, he sent the cultivators ahead as scouts.

There were always fervent souls willing to sacrifice themselves to exterminate demons, even if they were as weak as ants.

If Su Li hadn’t descended to the mortal realm, these few days would have marked the once-every-fifty-years grand sect competition. Young disciples would gather here, exchanging techniques and honing their skills.

Now, most had been swayed by Su Li and the sect leaders to head to the Wandering Sea.

Bian Qingxuan placed her hand over the bloody hole in her body, her expression unreadable.

Under the balance of Heavenly Dao, Su Li daring to use the cultivators to test the fierce winds was akin to accumulating sin upon sin.

Bian Qingxuan lowered her eyes: “Truly the favored child of Mother…”

Only someone deeply loved could be so foolish, malicious, and reckless.

With Wei Changyuan’s help, escaping the Hengwu Sect was easy. The sect was now an empty shell. Though Bian Qingxuan was gravely injured, her mortal body had already exhausted most of her cultivation over eleven years in the mortal realm. With Su Li still possessing the divine pearl, she couldn’t match him for now.

She hadn’t gone far when a surge of blood rose to her throat.

Wei Changyuan supported her, his brows furrowed as he fed her a few medicinal pills.

She swallowed them and asked, "Are you so certain that I can find them?"

Wei Changyuan replied, "Gather your qi."

Bian Qingxuan sneered, "Even if I find them, what if I choose not to save her? What will you do then?"

The man in green robes fell silent for a long moment. Finally, he said, "I never expected you to save her. I was absent for four years during the time my junior sister needed me most. If you don’t save her, then I will."

With that, he released Bian Qingxuan and walked ahead on his own. No matter how much things had changed, Shi Luoyi was still the person he had sworn to protect since she was young. He couldn’t stand by and do nothing while others branded her a demoness and sought to kill her.

Behind him, Bian Qingxuan watched as the wind whipped Wei Changyuan’s green robes into a flurry of motion. His figure, carrying a sword on his back, remained unchanged despite the storms he had weathered over the years. He still resembled the same Wei Changyuan from before.

Come to think of it, those days felt like they belonged to another lifetime.

On the day the immortal gates opened, the senior disciples were helping with trial runs within the Green Mountain formation. A disciple accidentally bumped into Wei Changyuan, who steadied him. Despite his stern and cold demeanor, several candied chestnuts unexpectedly tumbled out of his arms.

Everyone froze.

At that time, Bian Qingxuan had been watching from afar, her gaze mocking as she glanced at the fallen chestnuts. Now, years later, she looked at the swordsman in green ahead of her and thought for the first time that if Shi Luoyi hadn’t met her in the Wandering Sea, perhaps Wei Changyuan and Shi Luoyi might have ended up together.

But one misstep in fate led to countless others.

If only Wei Changyuan had been more resolute back then, if only he had trusted Shi Luoyi just a little more, everything might have turned out differently.

Her eyes lowered to her blood-stained hands, and she gave a cold, self-mocking smile—

After all, you can’t expect someone as despicable as a bastard child to feel guilt or compassion.

She never regretted anything she had done, not even for a moment.

When Shi Luoyi awoke, the sun was just rising on the horizon. The barren land lay bathed in a cold light.

Having decided the previous day to return the divine pearl, Shi Luoyi hadn’t expected to wake up again. Yet here she was, finding herself riding on the back of the Qilin.

They were avoiding the fierce winds as Bian Lingyu carried her back.

At first, she thought the transfer had failed. But after a while, she realized her dantian was completely empty, unable to gather any cultivation energy. She understood—it meant the divine pearl had been returned.

Her body now felt heavy, and she was overwhelmed by exhaustion. Reaching out, she touched Bian Lingyu’s face. He paused briefly but didn’t shy away this time. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, allowing her to feel the warmth of his scales.

She whispered softly, “Where are we going?”

Bian Lingyu didn’t answer.

He was still in an uncivilized state, but Shi Luoyi quickly deduced the situation. To enable her to assimilate the divine pearl, Bian Lingyu had sealed it. Now that it was back inside him, the seal hadn’t fully unraveled yet.

But it was only a matter of time. In a few days, once the seal broke, he would recover.

For now, Shi Luoyi’s survival depended entirely on the residual divine energy nurtured by the pearl over the years, keeping her soul intact and preventing her immediate death.

Soon, Shi Luoyi noticed that Bian Lingyu had brought her back near the small hut.

Thinking for a moment, she understood his intentions. Last night, when her consciousness had been hazy, Bian Lingyu had evaded the fierce winds multiple times to keep her safe.

It took immense skill and boldness—Shi Luoyi’s heart had nearly stopped each time. Though Bian Lingyu instinctively sensed the winds’ approach, it was inconvenient nonetheless. And he knew that while he could dodge, the "little female" he had claimed wouldn’t be able to sense the danger.

The safest place was near the hut. To ensure her safety, Bian Lingyu decided to reclaim this territory.

Seeing him set her down and prepare to confront Cangwu, she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. “You can’t,” she pleaded.

He turned his head, his cold silver eyes reflecting her image.

Shi Luoyi repeated herself, a faint smile on her lips: "Don’t fight. Don’t hurt your ‘cousin.’"

In the end, Bian Lingyu calmed under Shi Luoyi’s soothing words, though he paced restlessly.

Male creatures were territorial by nature. Deep in his subconscious, this place represented safety. But Shi Luoyi clearly didn’t want him to fight Cangwu, and he couldn’t possibly share space with Cangwu either.

After some thought, he picked Shi Luoyi up again, intending to leave once more.

Shi Luoyi said, "Wait a moment."

Sliding off Bian Lingyu’s back, she waved to Cangwu. She knew she wouldn’t last much longer and needed to discuss a few things with him.

Cangwu hesitated before shuffling over. “Did you return the divine pearl?”

Shi Luoyi nodded. “Thank you for all your help along the way. I hope you’ll find the person you’re looking for.”

Cangwu’s emotions were tangled. He hadn’t slept all night. Selfishly, he wanted Bian Lingyu to recover and return to the Divine Realm. But after spending so much time with Shi Luoyi, he knew she was a good person.

Without the divine pearl, she wouldn’t survive.

Cangwu didn’t want her to die either.

He had spent the entire night conflicted, feeling as though he owed Shi Luoyi something. Now, he didn’t know what to say and simply lowered his head. “You two stay here—it’s safe. I’ll leave…”

Shi Luoyi shook her head and reassured him, “Don’t be so pessimistic. I’m not dead yet. I want to go deeper into the Wandering Sea.”

Cangwu was taken aback: “The place where the Dao Lord is in slumber?”

Shi Luoyi nodded.

She had never considered accepting her fate, and besides, there was Bian Lingyu, who wished even less for her to give up.

Bian Lingyu had sacrificed everything to give her another chance. As long as there was even a glimmer of hope, she had to try.

The place where her father lay in slumber had once been protected by an array that凝聚ed souls, set up by Bian Lingyu. If her consciousness were to dissipate and enter this array, perhaps she might still retain a sliver of life.

After pondering for a moment, Cangwu immediately understood why she wanted to do this. By going there, Shi Luoyi wasn't just doing it for herself but also for Bian Lingyu.

He glanced at Bian Lingyu. If Bian Lingyu were to recover only to watch Shi Luoyi fade away, he wouldn’t be able to bear it.

Sure enough, Shi Luoyi said, “When he wakes up, if his emotions are unstable, tell him this: beneath Evernight Mountain, Father still keeps my soul lamp lit. If that wisp of my soul remains, then I haven’t completely vanished. Tell him to live on, return to the Divine Realm, reclaim everything he has lost, and then come save me.”

Her expression was gentle as she spoke these words, yet Cangwu’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

By venturing into the depths of the Wandering Sea, she was leaving a thread of hope for Bian Lingyu. Though everyone knew how faint this hope was.

Cangwu took out a white fruit and handed it to Shi Luoyi: “This… feed it to him.”

“What is it?”

“After Master ascended, I scoured secret realms and found this Carefree Fruit. It allows one to retain their memories but dulls emotional pain,” Cangwu explained. “Each fruit lasts three years, and I’ve eaten all but this last one.”

He had originally found five fruits. During the hardest times when thoughts of that person nearly drove him mad, he would consume one.

The most difficult days were endured because of these fruits.

He had always been reluctant to eat the last one, and now he gave it to Shi Luoyi. She accepted it without refusal.

To be honest, she couldn’t bear to watch Bian Lingyu die either. With this fruit, even if Bian Lingyu were to nearly lose his mind, he could have three years of peace. If she didn’t wake up, perhaps in three years, when Bian Lingyu thought of her again, the pain wouldn’t be as sharp.

While they were talking, Bian Lingyu had been waiting patiently nearby. Shi Luoyi climbed back onto Bian Lingyu’s back and gestured for him to head deeper into the Wandering Sea.

This was the path she had once walked; the place where her father rested was etched in her memory.

She waved to Cangwu and never looked back.

Under the rising sun, perhaps knowing she preferred his human form, Bian Lingyu transformed into a tall, slender man not long after they started walking.

Shi Luoyi exclaimed in surprise: “You can transform already?”

With her on his back, Bian Lingyu proceeded toward the location she pointed out.

At first, Shi Luoyi thought Bian Lingyu was about to regain consciousness and felt a bit anxious, fearing he wouldn’t be able to handle the return of the divine pearl. Unexpectedly, when night fell and the fierce winds were relatively calm, Bian Lingyu found a temporarily safe spot and stopped. He buried his face in her embrace.

Well, the second instinct of beasts—when well-fed and warm, they think of intimacy.

Shi Luoyi gazed at the stars scattered across the sky and felt his advances: “…I wonder if you’ll feel better someday when you remember these tender moments.”

He naturally didn’t understand, pausing his actions, thinking she wasn’t in the mood, hesitating as he pulled back.

Shi Luoyi reached out and embraced him, whispering softly in his ear: “Come.”

Seize the day, and may one day when you return to the Divine Realm, these memories bring you happiness.

Eleven years of falling into the mortal world, despite many wounds and pains, remained beautiful.