After Infusing Love Poison to the Cold Sword Sovereign - Chapter 66.2

This was probably punishment for not cherishing her dao companion, punishment for truly entertaining the thought, before the gu poison was resolved, when she was chosen by the sect’s primordial spirit but found herself powerless: “What if I had never known Wu Ruo? What if I had never broken my dao?”

It was her sin.

She would build herself a dungeon, a place to imprison herself. Whenever the illusions grew too frequent, she would lock herself away.

Later, perhaps by fate’s design, she unexpectedly heard rumors of the Wish-Granting Temple. It was said that every wish could be fulfilled.

By then, she was already plagued by inner demons. She didn’t even want to consider whether it might be a trap or what price she would have to pay.

Wrapped in demonic thoughts, she wavered between life and death. Her cultivation had stagnated, unable to progress any further.

She went to that red temple shrouded in yin energy, located at the foot of Black Mountain in the former Miaojiang region. An illusion resembling Wu Ruo suddenly appeared beside her, calling her name, then abruptly transformed into a vision of bleeding profusely.

The moment she pushed the temple door open, the inner demons instantly dissipated into nothingness. There were no bloody holes, no dripping blood from a sword’s tip only Wu Ruo, still with the face of a young girl, giving her a gentle, relieved smile.

“I want to bring someone back.”

She knelt on the prayer cushion, eyes closed she was used to closing them, because whenever she opened them, she often saw the image of the other dying by her sword.

“I am willing to pay any price.”

Suddenly, she opened her eyes again. There was nothing before her no inner demons swirling around her, no silver bells tinkling in her ears, nothing at all.

“Including my life.”

A life for a life. She had already lost her way in this world. Without Wu Ruo, she couldn’t take a single step. But if Wu Ruo were without her.

If none of it had ever happened, if Wu Ruo had never known her, never been harmed because of her. With her cheerful and generous nature, she probably would have lived a good life.

It felt as if demonic energy was brewing within her heart. Her eyes turned crimson, and the sin in her heart finally surfaced. She realized that black energy surrounded her at her fingertips, around her body, everywhere, the materialization of her inner demons.

This was the true inner demon, not the ever-present illusions of Wu Ruo.

Those longed-for illusions were merely a cherished sentiment that had decayed into a quagmire, a putrid mist, the root cause of her meridians reversing and her qi and blood falling into chaos.

The demonic energy roared lowly in her ears, solidifying, taking the form of her own face.

So, this Wish-Granting Temple was a creation of the demonic cultivators? To fulfill her wish, it would use the power of demonic cultivation?

It seemed a certain demon sovereign was once related to it. She couldn’t remember. It didn’t matter.

After the heavenly tribulation, the conflicts between the righteous and demonic paths had lessened, with both sides focused on rebuilding their homes. For a long time, she had almost forgotten the existence of demonic cultivators.

Was she about to become a demonic cultivator and die as one of them? So be it. Plagued by inner demons and unable to distinguish right from wrong, her demise would be deserved.

As long as her life could bring Wu Ruo back.

Yet, she did not die.

In the depths of her consciousness, a woman’s voice echoed in her ears not Wu Ruo’s, nor anyone she knew but she distinctly felt that this person had a long-standing connection with her, or with Wu Ruo.

“You still wish to see her, don’t you.”

Yes.

No matter how many times she said she would trade her own life to bring the other back, deep in her heart, there remained an unspoken wish.

Yes. I think, I truly do. If only I could see her one last time before I die.

“You don’t want to fall into demonic ways, do you?”

No.

“Good. Be a good child and go back.”

*Senior, if I go back, will I be able to see her?

“No, not exactly. Everything will follow your heart’s desire. Whatever lies deepest in your heart, the Heavenly Dao will grant it in its own way.”

Why?

“Because she wishes for you to have what you desire.”

She stayed in the temple the entire night. When she stepped out the next day, something seemed different.

Overnight, her raven hair had turned completely white. The snow-white strands carried the hope she had sought all her life, while also suppressing the inner demons in her heart.

She could not see the shadow of Wu Rao beside her, yet she harbored an unspoken wish in her heart.

Amidst this strangeness, she achieved a new balance.

That mysterious senior was gentle, telling her to go back and wait for the guidance of the Heavenly Dao, and advising her to start everything anew. When she found her long-lost partner again, she should cherish the one before her.

And later, she finally found her.

“Qingyi”

Is this an illusion? Has that inner demon returned? How terrible. I thought I wouldn’t fall into this state again.

It must be an illusion. How could she possibly hear Wu Rao’s voice?

“Qing Yi!” This time, the voice was louder, and she could see the other’s silhouette more vivid than any illusion before, even calling her name with such concern in its tone.

It must be the inner demon. No, wait, why is Jiang Qingbei here too, shouting something about being a third wheel? Where is this?

She steadied her mind and looked around.

A blood-red sky, cracked earth, black demonic energy swirling in the air, and not far away, a red-brick temple.

Oh, the Demon Realm.

The Demon Realm?!

She snapped back to reality, breaking free from the obsession of the past, and suddenly recalled what had just happened.

She had argued with Wu Rao and had no choice but to come to the Demon Realm to find her. But on the way, she encountered the Right Envoy lying in wait near a red temple, intending to harm Wu Rao.

She fought with them, was dragged into the Hundred Coffins Array, and in a moment of carelessness, fell under the Curse of the Inner Demon.

The Curse of the Inner Demon, as the name implies, awakens the curse of one’s inner demons. The inner demon she hadn’t faced in so long had finally returned.

Before her eyes, Wu Rao began to multiply. One, two, three.

“Qingyi…”

“Qingyi…”

“Qingyi, what’s wrong with you?”

The third voice was different from the previous two.

It was filled with worry, urgency, and overflowing concern for her, it was Wu Ruo.

Was it Wu Rao?

Luo Qingyi opened her eyes in confusion, only to see multiple Wu Ruo’s some close, some distant, some smiling, some dejected, some mangled and bloody.

Amidst the countless illusions, many Wu Ruo’s called her name at once, and for a moment, she couldn’t distinguish them.

“Don’t come closer,” she murmured.

It was happening again. She had seen this outcome countless times. The next scene would inevitably be each Wu Ruo’s flesh rotting away, blood gushing out, their faces twisted in agony.

She closed her eyes.

But she soon realized something was wrong. The other’s voice was loud and steady, accompanied by the urgent sound of footsteps, the tip of a shoe tapping firmly against the ground.

A figure approached her, robes fluttering, covered in the dust of travel, eyes filled with worry.

“It’s me,” Wu Ruo said.

A warm sensation spread from her wrist, a gentle and steady flow of inner energy coursing through her limbs, soothing the precarious turmoil within her core.

She closed her eyes, leaning into the other’s embrace. The energy in her chest burned and roiled violently, a fierce current that felt just like the beginning, the heart demons swirling around her.

She heard the other’s voice, comforting, softly explaining, and in the end, they held her gently.

It seemed to ease her suffering a little.

It was Wu Ruo. Her lover, lost and found again, the one who…

She struggled to part her lips, straining to activate her vocal cords. There was so much she wanted to say, how much she had missed him, how she was plagued by heart demons, how he should stay away so she wouldn’t hurt him. She wanted to say everything, to pour out all her thoughts.

But in the end, her vocal cords could only manage a single name: “Right Envoy.”

Ah, it was starting again.

The moment Wu Ruo drew his sword to confront the Right Envoy and his fingers left her, the heart demons seemed to surge back from all directions.

“I will never forgive you,” said the first Wu Ruo.

“Why must you cling to me? We owe each other nothing. You go your way, I’ll go mine. Can’t you just take a Forgetful Dust pill and let us part ways?!” said the second.

“Why do you make choices for me? Erasing my past memories, do you think that would make me stay with you?” said the third.

“You!” the fourth.

“…” the fifth.

Countless more.

Her eyes opened and closed, and she seemed to witness countless endings where she fled in panic, like a rat in the gutter, existing in every corner of the world, lost and bewildered.

It won’t happen.

It will.

Wu Ruo wouldn’t abandon her.

Wu Ruo had long wanted to cast her aside.

He won’t.

He will.

Everything around her felt light, then vanished into nothingness with an earth-shattering explosion. Every Wu Ruo beside her suddenly wore a look of astonishment, but instead of bleeding profusely as she had imagined, they disappeared in an instant.

Only one remained, holding a long sword, his hair tousled, striding quickly toward her.

“Qing Yi.”

His voice was solemn, filled with affection she could hear it, she was sure she could. Even if there was some other emotion hidden within it, just let her be lucky this once.

Truthfully, she was already accustomed to being haunted by heart demons. Even if she was afflicted with a heart demon curse, she wouldn’t die. With the restrictions set by Sect Leader Sun of the Xinglin Sect, she wouldn’t harm anyone; she posed no threat.

She wouldn’t become a blood-soaked demon in this world. She was the noble and virtuous Immortal Luo, and she would only ever be Immortal Luo. She could control herself as long as she redirected her violent impulses into self-harm, she could keep herself in check.

She just needed to be alone, to calm herself. Perhaps it would take a long time, perhaps she would never wake from that calm.

But in that moment, an unreasonable hope seeped into Luo Qingyi’s heart. She just wanted to be willful, even if it didn’t suit her status, even if it was just one sentence.

Leaning into the other’s embrace, she breathed in his long-missed scent. She missed it so much.

“The Right Envoy just planted a heart demon curse in me. It’s irreversible and unsolvable. Once it takes effect, I’ll act no different from a demonic cultivator, perhaps even more destructive. A Ruo, before I fully succumb, kill me.”

Don’t kill me.

Look at me.

Just look at me, please?

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