Are There Only Demonesses Left in the Cultivation Realm?

"Yes, it is."

Lu Changyuan replied crisply.

’That was me. Who else could it be? It’s not like I could be the Celestial Dao itself.’

Jiang Jiayi’s body trembled slightly. She said softly, "Sect Leader, it has been a long time."

Lu Changyuan grunted in acknowledgment, his expression a little complicated.

"Hm? What are you doing?!"

Lu Changyuan’s eyes widened abruptly. Not far away, Qiu Yuehan also stared in shock at the Red-clothed Sword Immortal.

The red robes were gently shed, revealing a small, delicate chest wrap underneath. The woman’s smooth, tender shoulders were exposed to the air.

Jiang Jiayi walked up to Lu Changyuan.

"Here. A Demon Pattern."

She pointed to her own pale shoulder. "Sect Leader, carve another Demon Pattern on me."

After a pause, Jiang Jiayi added, "Otherwise, I’ll tell *her* about your existence, Sect Leader."

The "her" she referred to was, of course, the current Daoist Sect Master.

Lu Changyuan’s brow twitched sharply. "What is the meaning of this?"

Jiang Jiayi’s tone was matter-of-fact. "Back then, I begged you to remove the Demon Pattern. Now, I want it back. Is that a problem?"

Who would have thought such a thing could happen in this world? The beautiful Red-clothed Sword Immortal, begging to be branded with a Demon Pattern.

Jiang Jiayi continued, "I can’t defeat her. I’ve always wondered, if I had become your disciple back then instead, would I be the one who is now the strongest in the world?"

Lu Changyuan sighed. Knowing Jiang Jiayi wouldn’t give up so easily, he pretended to channel his power and tapped a finger on her shoulder.

The Demon Pattern didn’t form. Lu Changyuan was currently completely incapable of carving a Heart-Devouring Demon Pattern.

"I can’t carve it. Your Innate Sword Body has reached grand completion. Nothing in this world can leave a mark on you now."

Jiang Jiayi stared blankly at Lu Changyuan’s hand, suddenly thinking how beautiful it was. "Not even you, Sect Leader?"

Lu Changyuan was silent for a moment before saying, "Mm, not unless I enter the Yao Guang realm again someday."

"Then I’ll wait until you enter Yao Guang, Sect Leader. You can carve one for me then."

Jiang Jiayi said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Once the Sect Leader has given me my mark, I’ll go and challenge her to another sword duel."

Lu Changyuan asked, "What has she been up to lately?"

"Suppressing demons. The Desire Demon showed signs of activity a couple of days ago, as if it wanted to descend. So she can only keep watch from the Celestial Mountain Peak."

"A Desire Demon has appeared within the Blood Thunder. You can tell her that I’m heading to the Netherworld next." Lu Changyuan waved his hand and covered his forehead. "Now, hurry up and put your clothes on."

But the Red-clothed Sword Immortal simply said, "Sect Leader, you saw much more back then. This is nothing in comparison."

Qiu Yuehan was dumbfounded as she listened.

’What does she mean, she almost became his disciple? And what’s this about him having ’seen more’ of her?’ The Moon Fairy couldn’t help but fret, wondering if calling Lu Changyuan ’Master’ had been a mistake.

"What did you see back then, Sir?"

The voice floated in as the door was suddenly pulled open.

A Little Fairy in a white dress stood under the moonlight, looking at the three people in the room with an amused expression.

’Looks like there’s no need to deliver the letter now.’

Jiang Jiayi’s face showed no hint of surprise. She simply fastened her clothes gently and said, "It’s nothing."

For some reason, Qiu Yuehan felt like she had seen this scene somewhere before.

’Last time, I think I was the main character.’

Xia Lianxue walked step by step towards Lu Changyuan. "Hm? Sir, I have a few questions for you. About my senior sister’s Demon Pattern, and about Jiang the Sword Immortal’s..."

Jiang Jiayi cut Xia Lianxue off. "I’ll take her back to the sect first. You shouldn’t stay in the outside world for too long either, or the Thunder Tribulation will find you again."

Before Lu Changyuan could even react, the Sword Immortal had swept Qiu Yuehan up and departed.

"Sir? Look into my eyes. Can you tell me what’s going on?"

The Little Fairy smiled gently, but her eyes held a terrifying emotion.

Lu Changyuan couldn’t identify it, but a chill ran down his spine.

He coughed twice. "The Demon Pattern is for seeking the Dao, really. Come, let me explain it to you properly."

Xia Lianxue obediently walked over to Lu Changyuan and took the teacup from his hand. "The tea is cold, Sir. You shouldn’t drink it."

The Little Fairy’s smile never faltered.

Lu Changyuan then asked, "Are you sure it’s alright for you to leave Celestial Mountain?"

"I used a Time Technique to pause my own state. It allows me to maintain my Celestial Mountain state for half a day. I have to go back to Celestial Mountain by dawn."

Lu Changyuan turned his head and looked at the moon outside the window.

’Can someone save me?’

’It’s urgent.’

The Little Fairy reached out and turned Lu Changyuan’s head back to face her. "Sir, your explanation? You’ve kept me in the dark for so long, and it’s been agonizing."

In a few swift motions, she undid Lu Changyuan’s clothes.

"Wait, at least blow out the lamp!"

But Xia Lianxue wasn’t planning on doing anything inappropriate. Instead, she looked with heartache at the scars on Lu Changyuan’s body.

It had only been a few days since he had endured the Blood Thunder. The flesh on his body had not yet fully healed, and the sight of the new, pink skin showing through the blackened wounds was heart-wrenching.

The Little Fairy’s gentle hand caressed these wounds. "Does it hurt?"

"It’s alright."

Xia Lianxue never had any intention of holding Lu Changyuan accountable.

Her heart ached for him too much for that.

She just wanted to let Lu Changyuan know that even if she didn’t mind, he couldn’t just bring home every woman he met!

"It must hurt a lot."

Lu Changyuan breathed a sigh of relief. "It’s really fine. You just stay on Celestial Mountain. I’ll make a trip to the Netherworld and bring back the Sun and Moon Gnomon. That way, you won’t be trapped on Celestial Mountain anymore."

Legend has it that at least three thousand years ago, there was a genius Cultivator known as the Nether Monarch. After many years of cultivation, he attained the Yao Guang realm.

The Nether Monarch intended to ascend beyond Yao Guang, so he created the Netherworld, drawing the spirits and resentments of living beings into it. He combined them to create the Magical Artifact, the Sun and Moon Gnomon. Later, the Netherworld shattered, the Nether Monarch fell, and the Sun and Moon Gnomon was lost in the Mortal World.

This artifact was eventually found by the Sun and Moon Palace Master by a stroke of luck. She used it to establish the Sun and Moon Palace, and with its help, the Sun and Moon Palace rose to prominence swiftly.

Lu Changyuan’s reason for seeking the Sun and Moon Gnomon was also very simple: the device could obscure the secrets of heaven and trace the past.

Currently, Xia Lianxue could only stay on Celestial Mountain. But with the Sun and Moon Gnomon, she would be free to go anywhere in the world.

The Little Fairy rested her head on Lu Changyuan’s chest, listening to his heartbeat.

But she couldn’t tell if it was her own heart or Lu Changyuan’s that was beating faster.

"It’s not really necessary. The Netherworld exists outside the law of Magic; it’s very dangerous. I don’t mind staying on Celestial Mountain."

Lu Changyuan interrupted Xia Lianxue. "I’m very familiar with the Netherworld. It won’t be dangerous."

’Besides, I have to go to the Netherworld to reflect on the Dao anyway.’

It wasn’t that Xia Lianxue didn’t believe Lu Changyuan’s words.

It was just that the thought of him venturing into the Netherworld—a trip he didn’t need to take, but was undertaking for her sake—made her heart ache.

When she looked up again, the emotion in her eyes had softened into pools of water. She said gently, "Sir, tell me another story. The story of the Sun and Moon Palace."

Lu Changyuan thought for a moment. "When I was retracing my steps through the Red Dust, I met Su Wuxiang and the Sun and Moon Palace Master. They later founded the Sun and Moon Palace."

The Little Fairy hugged Lu Changyuan’s waist. "The Third Princess mentioned several times that the Sun and Moon Palace Master is a woman."

Lu Changyuan chuckled softly.

He recalled, "She is, indeed. I almost became Daoist partners with her back then..."

’Oops.’

’I said something I shouldn’t have.’

Lu Changyuan looked down and saw the Little Fairy’s eyebrows knitted with a murderous aura. He quickly ruffled her hair and explained, "It didn’t happen. We had a falling out later, and we’ve been estranged ever since."