A few kilometers away,
Yun Weilian was wandering through the crowded city streets, purchasing some rare herbs requested by his master.
The sun was tilting toward the horizon, painting the sky in deep crimson hues.
Suddenly, he overheard whispers from a group of cultivators standing at a street corner.
"I heard the Gan family captured a demonic practitioner yesterday."
"A demonic cultivator? Really? But how?"
"They say she was one of the disciples of the Purple Star Sect called wu ruxian"
Yun Weilian stopped abruptly, his eyes widening. "Wu Ruxian is a demonic cultivator ?"
Before he could think further, the ring on his finger vibrated, and a low voice emerged from within. "Yun Weilian, this is your golden opportunity."
"Master?" Yun Weilian whispered, his expression shifting instantly.
"Wu Ruxian is now at her weakest. Rescuing her now will make you a hero in her eyes... and perhaps replace that foolish disciple in her heart."
Yun Weilian smirked cunningly. "But how will I rescue her? The Gan family has high-level guards."
"I have a plan. But you must act now before they transfer her to another prison."
---
Inside the Gan family prison
Wu Ruxian was in the center of the room, unbound since she had become useless after her dantian was shattered.
But internal injuries remained; her blue eyes were half-closed from pain, yet her lips were pressed together with determination.
Her mind kept replaying the previous moments over and over.
So this is what Zhang Yong felt when he lost his dantian.
Yet somehow, she felt an inner peace.
'Perhaps... it's better that I let him go. All this time, I've only been causing him trouble. All I want is for him to be safe, but I think I was selfish in my choices'
Suddenly, she heard the sound of an explosion in the distance, followed by the shouts of guards. The ground trembled beneath her feet, and dust rained from the ceiling.
"What's happening?" she whispered in a hoarse voice.
Minutes later, she heard rapid footsteps approaching. The iron door of the prison swung open violently, revealing a young man with long black hair and dark eyes.
"Sister Wu? I'm here to rescue you." Yun Weilian said as he approached quickly.
Wu Ruxian slowly raised her head, her blue eyes widening in astonishment. "Yun Weilian? How...?"
"No time to explain!" He grabbed her hand firmly and pulled her toward the door. "We need to get out of here now!"
Yet Wu Ruxian stopped him after thinking for a moment. "Wait a moment."
---
Outside the Prison moments later, the scene was chaotic. Pillars of black smoke rose from one wing of the mansion, and guards were running in all directions.
Yun Weilian used the chaos to lead Wu Ruxian through side passages.
"Wait..." Wu Ruxian suddenly stopped, clutching her injured side. "How did you know I was here? And who blew up the mansion?"
Yun Weilian turned to her, his dark eyes flickering with a strange light. "Everything will be fine, just trust me."
Yun Weilian led her through a hole he had previously created in the wall.
---
After Yun Weilian and Wu Ruxian emerged from the hole in the wall, they found themselves in a dense forest on the outskirts of the Gan family territory.
The night air was cold, and the sound of crickets filled the space.
Wu Ruxian, still suffering from the pain of her shattered dantian, suddenly stopped by a large tree. "Wait... just a moment."
Yun Weilian turned to her anxiously. "We don't have time; they'll follow us soon!"
But she ignored him, slowly bending down and beginning to dig into the ground with trembling fingers. Moments later, she pulled out a small object wrapped in black cloth and buried it deep beneath the tree's roots.
"What is that?" Yun Weilian asked with widened eyes.
"Nothing important..." Wu Ruxian whispered, though her blue eyes flickered with a mysterious light.
Yun Weilian seemed unconvinced, but he didn't press further. "Fine, let's go. We have a long way ahead."
---
After hours of continuous travel, the pair reached the edge of a massive rock gorge, stretching beyond sight in the darkness. The only crossing was a narrow stone bridge, barely wide enough for one person.
"This path will take us to the forest's edge. From there, we'll be safe." Yun Weilian said as he headed toward the bridge.
Suddenly, a ball of yellow flame flew toward him, and he couldn't resist in time.
The fire spread across his entire body, and he began to burn and scream in agony.
Suddenly, black chains exploded from nowhere, like serpents wrapping around Wu Ruxian's body.
At that moment, Zhang Yong appeared as moonlight shone upon his face, his red eyes glowing in the darkness like burning embers, his right hand clenched into a fist.
"I didn't imagine I would be able to dispose of you today, Wu Ruxian—or rather, I should say, the Heavenly Demon," Zhang Yong said in the calmest voice in the world.
"W... what?" she whispered, her voice breaking.
"Do you truly think I didn't know?" he said in a quiet voice. "From the very first moment we met, I knew everything."
Wu Ruxian tried to move, but the black chains tightened around her. "Zhang Yong... this..."
"Enough lies!" His voice suddenly erupted, waves of dark energy rising from his body. "All those 'coincidences' that brought us together. All those times you tried to save me... they were all part of your plan, weren't they? All of it just to obtain my constitution, the Life and Death Constitution."
Wu Ruxian's eyes widened terrifyingly, tears beginning to fall down her pale cheeks. "No... it's not exactly as you say..."
"Oh, really now?" Zhang Yong looked at her with disgust. "The great Heavenly Demon, with three hundred years of experience, are you telling me you had no plans to possess my constitution? What about a year ago when you offered to help me on my journey to the Decayed Demon Valley? Or when you tried to help me escape, or when we faced a Venerable together, or the Heavenly Border Realm—all of those were attempts to get close to me so you could obtain it."
Wu Ruxian's eyes filled with tears, but this time she didn't try to deny it. "Yes... at first, that was the case," she whispered in a broken voice. "But..."
"There is no 'but,'" Zhang Yong cut her off sternly, the black chains tightening further around her body. "I grew suspicious when I was accused by the elders as the murderer. You were the one who invited me to that place, and I was discovered and became the victim."
Wu Ruxian looked down, her gaze pained. "Yes... I did that, but..."
"And what about what happened recently? You sent that exact scroll to inform me about the elder, knowing full well I would tell my master, who in turn would inform the sect leader. You chose to act during this precise period when everyone was busy, making it easier for our absence from the sect to go unnoticed. Then you sent me to steal the formula, which would make me a criminal and easier to capture, since from the moment they saw me, I would be apprehended."
"Then by revealing beforehand that I have a connection with the sect guardian spirit, you would most likely lure me back. And since the guardian would be busy fighting outside the sect, it would make it easier for you to reach the Origin Spring and use it. Thus, you would have succeeded in obtaining both the constitution and the entire spring to use, while the Purple Star Sect would face destruction."
Wu Ruxian's eyes filled with tears, her lips trembling as the black chains pressed against her slender body. "You... you're right about everything," she whispered in a broken voice. "At first... that was indeed the case."
Wu Ruxian looked down; Zhang Yong's words had struck a chord, but that too was her fault.
"I ruined everything, didn't I? At first, I planned to obtain the constitution, but... all that time I spent with you... it actually made me reconsider. You allowed me to feel what it means to be normal, like an ordinary girl."
Wu Ruxian raised her head and looked at Zhang Yong. "Forgive me. I know I've caused you many problems, and... I don't want to cause any more."
Tears flowed quietly down her face. "I... I truly loved you... I wished we had met in my first life, but... I don't think that's possible. I've stood in your way many times, so this time... end it."
Zhang Yong raised his sword in his hand. "Yes, I will end it with one cut, then swallow your memories and knowledge."
A faint smile appeared on her face. "Does that mean I will live on in your memories? I couldn't have wished for more. If there is a next life, I will try then to earn your heart properly. Farewell, Zhang Yong."
Zhang Yong looked at her with empty eyes. This was not the time to have a heart—not now, not ever. "Farewell... Ruxian."
With one swing, he severed Wu Ruxian's neck, and her blood spilled across the ground.
Wu Ruxian's body fell heavily to the ground as the chains around her disappeared. Her blood flowed profusely, forming a small pool on the rocky ground and staining her white clothes red.
Zhang Yong stood silently, his red eyes staring at the corpse without any expression. The sword in his hand still dripped with blood.
Zhang Yong sighed heavily as the first light of dawn appeared. "This time I spent plotting against you... was enjoyable."
Zhang Yong gazed at Wu Ruxian's body for a long moment before extending his hand.
Demonic Devouring Flame – Devour
A purple flame shot from Zhang Yong's palm and began to quietly consume Wu Ruxian's body.
There was still a smile on her dead face, like a withered flower amidst the flames.
But that flower turned to bone, then to black ash that flew away in the wind.
The only reason Zhang Yong had been able to stop her until now was that he had used the Blood Parasite ability—the same ability Yuan Ling had used—and had been absorbing Wu Ruxian's spiritual energy to weaken her. That was why, even after a year of training, she had not surpassed the Guru stage.
He had placed it earlier on their return journey from the Decayed Demon Valley.
Zhang Yong looked away and turned around. For some reason, it left an unpleasant taste in his mouth—it was bitter.
But what was truly bitter at this moment?
Was it that he had to consider himself having killed a girl who loved him , or that he had killed an enemy who was trying to exploit him?
Or was it himself, who felt compelled to do this because he wanted freedom?
---
Zhang Yong returned to the Gan family with heavy steps. The sun had fully risen in the sky, but his heart was sinking in darkness.
The guards at the gates bowed respectfully, but he didn't even return their gaze.
"Zhang Yong!" Gan Luo called out as he hurried toward him upon seeing him. "You've returned! Where... where is the demonic cultivator?"
"Dead," Zhang Yong answered in a hoarse voice. "Her body was completely incinerated."
Gan Luo smiled proudly. "Excellent work! But... there's something I must show you."
Gan Luo led Zhang Yong through the dark corridors of the prison until they reached the empty cell that had held Wu Ruxian.
The cold stone walls still bore traces of blood from her wounds.
"Look here." Gan Luo pointed to a section of the wall where there was an unexpected shimmer in the surrounding area. "This appeared after you and the demonic cultivator left. No one can penetrate it—if I tried, it might explode."
Zhang Yong approached the wall, his red eyes suddenly widening. It was sealed with mental energy, accessible only to those possessing something specific. In this case, it was the Eternal Dream Truth technique.
"Zhang Yong, if you are reading this, then I have already left with Yun Weilian. I don't know when we might meet again, but do not look for me. I hope you survive. I have left something for you outside—I planned to leave it for you beforehand. I wanted to give it to you before but never had the chance, so I will give it to you as a farewell gift.
I lied to you about many things... but my feelings were real. So, just this once, trust me."
Zhang Yong's heart suddenly tightened. His right hand trembled without him realizing it, while his eyes fixed on those final words.
"What does it say?" Gan Luo asked curiously.
"Nothing important," Zhang Yong answered, erasing the message with a flicker of his energy. "Just empty words."
Zhang Yong turned and quietly left the place, heading toward the location mentioned in the message. He followed the residual energy traces and arrived at the spot where Wu Ruxian had been digging earlier.
'She was digging here earlier after having Yun Weilian help her escape'
Zhang Yong dug with his hands into the damp earth until he found a jade scroll.
He brought it close and placed it on his forehead, where bright words imprinted: "Records of the Heavenly Demon."
It was a technique scroll, and surprisingly, it contained techniques entirely based on Death Qi! There could be no techniques more suitable for him.
Zhang Yong stood alone under the sunlight filtering through the tree leaves, the jade scroll still pressed between his fingers.
The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and the fading blood of battle.
"Records of the Heavenly Demon..." he whispered, tightening his grip around the scroll.
Zhang Yong closed his eyes for a moment. Everything had been part of her plan until the very end—even in her death, she was pushing him forward.
"Perhaps if there is another life and another meeting, things will be different. But in this life, allow me to become the next Heavenly Demon," he whispered quietly to himself as he retreated into the distance.
He didn't believe for a single moment that she had feelings for him, but what would drive someone on the verge of death to lie? Yet he wouldn't afford himself the luxury of doubt.
It was time for him to walk his own path, face his own destiny, and forge his own legend.