After Provoking the Mad Beautiful Deity - Chapter 33.3

Hongchen nodded, and Qilin cast the spell. A moment later, they left the Crystal Palace.

Returning to the inn, they found Yanlai standing by the window with her back to the door. Hongchen walked over with a light step. “Let’s go. We’re heading back to Phoenix Mountain. I heard there are hot springs there. There’s an expression about ‘bathing in the river of love’—let’s go try it.”

Yanlai turned and nodded. “Alright.”

On Phoenix Mountain, an additional layer of restriction had been added, trapping several Immortal messengers who had come to deliver decrees. They hovered in the air, looking down at the palace on the peak, unable to get close. Those with lower spiritual power were blasted back by the barrier.

After countless failed attempts, a host of Heavenly Soldiers arrived. The Gods of Wind and Thunder cast spells in the air, trying to break the seal. Instead, they were heavily injured and retreated to the Heavens to report, gasping for breath.

In the Hall of Profound Heaven, the Emperor had a throbbing headache. Hearing about the mysterious barrier on Phoenix Mountain, he finally found an excuse. “Yanlai refuses to meet us. Her intentions are traitorous.”

The Empress glanced at him. “She only strengthened the barrier because demons appeared on the mountain to harm people.”

The Emperor choked on his anger. The Empress continued, “For now, you must first clear Yanlai’s name regarding the killings. If there was no reason for her to kill, the Immortals will realize they wronged her. Only then can you clear the Prince of the false accusation regarding the bone replacement.”

The Emperor was tempted, but remained silent. The Empress rose lazily and left.

Back in her quarters, the Empress looked at the silent celestial grass. she reached out to touch its leaves, her eyes filled with a doting sorrow. Even after ten thousand years, she could not let go. Immortals did not tolerate demons, and demons did not forgive immortals; it was a cycle without end since the dawn of time.

She took a deep breath as the memory of A-Rou being forced to take her own life surfaced. In that moment, her world had collapsed. Yet, she hadn’t even had the chance to go and hold A-Rou’s body.

A righteous sect, an Imperial Princess of the Immortals… The Empress snapped her eyes open as the reality of her lavish surroundings returned. She gasped, the pain in her chest nearly unbearable. She stood up and paced the hall restlessly, walking to the door, turning back, standing by the window, and finally returning to her bed.

She was utterly unsettled. Sitting down, she looked at the celestial grass and pulled a bottle of sleeping pills from under her pillow, swallowing three or four at once. Soon, she fell into a deep sleep.

The medicine aided her sleep, but it also dragged her memories back to the distant past.

Ten thousand years ago, Yanlai took in a disciple named Hongyan. Hongyan had poor aptitude and was looked down upon by everyone on Phoenix Mountain. What others didn’t know—but the Empress did—was that Hongyan had no immortal root. Yanlai didn’t know either, raising Hongyan like a mortal and teaching her from the very beginning.

At that time, Qinggu had inherited the position of Fire God, and Qingfeng’s cultivation had surged, leading to his title as Prince of the Immortals.

A-Rou often went to Phoenix Mountain in secret to watch over Hongyan. Hongyan was solitary and had no one to help her, so A-Rou sent a flower spirit. The spirit was a product of the Flower Clan and possessed great spiritual awareness; with Yanlai’s help, she took human form.

The spirit had a beautiful name: Yuqi.

Yuqi became Hongyan’s constant companion. Unlike her master, Yuqi was exceptionally gifted in cultivation. When others bullied Hongyan, Yuqi would step in to help.

Everything was peaceful until Qinggu discovered A-Rou on Qingyan Peak. It was no secret that A-Rou, a Demon Guardian, had once been an Immortal before falling into a demonic state. When the elders realized Hongyan was her daughter, they demanded she be expelled from Phoenix Mountain. Yanlai, unable to bear it, stood against the pressure of her seniors to keep Hongyan.

The tragedy that followed was Qinggu’s fault. Qinggu pressured the sect to deal with Hongyan, claiming an Immortal sect could not harbor the offspring of a demon. Yanlai was sent away from the mountain, and Qinggu captured Hongyan to lure A-Rou out.

A-Rou went to Phoenix Mountain alone to face the sect.

Qinggu, being of a violent temperament, attacked the moment she saw the demon. A-Rou dodged several times, but Qinggu grew more aggressive, unleashing lethal moves. Despite her best efforts, she could not wound A-Rou.

The battle drew every disciple on Phoenix Mountain to watch. Finally, A-Rou suppressed Qinggu and moved to save Hongyan.

The High Elder of Phoenix Mountain, who had lived for over a hundred thousand years, stepped in to block A-Rou. As they fought, A-Rou—usually of a gentle nature—grew furious. “A righteous sect casting aside all honor and shame to resort to such low-handed kidnapping for blackmail!”

A-Rou was too young to realize it was a trap; she thought only of saving her daughter. She didn’t know that once she stepped onto Phoenix Mountain, she could only leave through death.

The battle dragged on without a clear winner. The old saying that “demons are a foot higher than the way of the righteous” held true. Seeing that they could not subdue her, Yanlai’s senior brother, Immortal Yanjing, grabbed Hongyan by the throat. “If you do not submit, I will kill her.”

A-Rou stopped instantly. She looked at Qinggu, who wore a triumphant smirk. “When dealing with your kind, there is no need for rules or righteousness. Execution is the only path.”

Hongyan was so young, looking at Yanjing in terror. She struggled instinctively, trying to use her tiny bit of spiritual power to resist. With every struggle, Yanjing’s grip tightened. She couldn’t breathe, and her face turned a deep red.

Yanjing wore a gentle smile, clearly enjoying the process of tormenting Hongyan. “A useless waste. Helping us eliminate a Demon Guardian is the greatest contribution you’ll ever make.”

Hongyan suddenly stopped struggling. She stared blankly at A-Rou. She didn’t move, gave up resisting, and there were no tears in her eyes.

A-Rou landed on the ground and discarded her weapon. “Yanjing, let her go! Whatever you want, I will grant it!”

Yanjing had long been overshadowed by Yanlai. Despite being from the same sect, Yanlai never took him seriously. He looked at A-Rou and laughed loudly. “Are you begging me? Let me think… if I squeeze just a bit harder, she’ll die. She is my niece, after all; should I let her go?”

He laughed with a twisted madness, yet no one stopped him. Even Qinggu stood by, watching with a smile. A-Rou looked at Qinggu, who caught her breath as their eyes met. A-Rou looked past her to the Guardian Elder in charge of the mountain—Yanlai’s own master.

“Elder, can you face Yanlai after this?”

The Elder replied, “Eliminating demons is the duty of every Immortal.”

Yanjing then released Hongyan, throwing her to the ground. She gasped for air greedily. The Elder said, “If you surrender to the law, I will spare her and let her leave the mountain.”

Hongyan suddenly shook her head, coughing miserably on the ground. Her eyes were filled with panic as she looked at A-Rou. She tried to speak, but no sound came out. The pain in her throat was too great. She scrambled to her feet to run toward A-Rou, but Yanjing caught her again, stepping on her back. “So eager to run to the demon? Why did you come to Phoenix Mountain? To spy for your demon mother?”

Hongyan shook her head desperately. In the next heartbeat, Yanjing suddenly collapsed, spitting blood.

A-Rou burst into laughter. “You think you can bully her? Elder, I respect your sect. I will surrender, but she must remain under Yanlai’s care. Yanlai is a member of Phoenix Mountain, and so must she be. If Yanlai leaves, you must let her leave too.”

The Elder hesitated. Qinggu flew into a rage. “As if she’s worthy!”

“She isn’t worthy, but you are?” A-Rou looked at Qinggu without hatred. She beckoned her over, and Qinggu approached warily.

A-Rou smiled. “She isn’t worthy, and neither are you. She is the daughter of the Emperor and myself. She is your biological sister. And her immortal root was stolen by the Prince.”

Qinggu’s face went pale with shock. She stumbled back and fell to the ground. A-Rou laughed even louder. “A righteous sect performing such foul deeds… once she has entered Phoenix Mountain, she belongs to it. You are using your own person to threaten a demon. Shameful, laughable, and loathsome.”

“I, A-Rou, was born of the Flower Clan and was forced to become a demon. I do not regret it. Elder, I respected you as an Immortal. But if you break your word…”

She paused, looking up at the sky. A single tear fell. She smiled and beckoned to Hongyan. Hongyan crawled toward her, her legs unable to carry her. As she reached A-Rou, the mother placed a hand on her head.

“A-Yan, do not hate. What you lost, Mother will give back to you. The root, the power… I give them all. Do not hate.”

“Yanlai is a person of integrity. You can trust her.”

Suddenly, Hongyan’s face turned bright red, and the veins in her body bulged. She was in agonizing pain. A-Rou let go, and Hongyan rolled on the ground, clutching her head as if being burned by fire. Tears flowed uncontrollably.

Her screams echoed across Phoenix Mountain. Qinggu suddenly rushed forward, using her spiritual power to soothe her, shouting at A-Rou, “She’ll die!”

“It is a narrow escape. If she cannot handle it, who will protect her in the future?” A-Rou smiled faintly. Her stunning features grew dim, like a moon covered by dark clouds. In an instant, her ink-black hair turned snow-white.

A-Rou walked calmly to a disciple and smiled. “May I borrow your sword?”

The terrified disciple immediately unbuckled his sword and handed it to her. A-Rou slowly drew the blade and looked at Qinggu. “Tell your mother… in all of heaven and earth, I never regretted it.”

Qinggu frowned in confusion as her own spiritual power poured into Hongyan’s body. A-Rou had aged significantly and had no power left. She gripped the sword, looked up at the void, and gave a brilliant smile. The blade slid across her neck, and blood splattered across the stone.

“No! No!” Qinggu panicked, withdrawing her power to catch A-Rou.

Blood stained the steps of Phoenix Mountain. Hongyan sat on the ground as if she had lost her soul. Her injuries were gone, and spiritual power surged through her body. She felt stronger than ever.

Strong enough to kill.

She picked up the bloody sword and, without a second thought, lunged at the Guardian Elder. Her surging power blasted back thousands of disciples. Several High Immortals and Gods of the mountain cast spells to resist, but Hongyan fought her way up the steps like a mad demon.

“Hongyan.”

A soft call, low and beautiful, made Hongyan stop instantly. She turned around to see a very familiar face. Yanlai walked up to her, took the sword from her hand, and looked at the Elder. “You sent me away just so you could use my disciple to threaten a demon? You are my master, but you are also my shame.”

The dream suddenly collapsed. Sanmeng was forced out, spitting a mouthful of blood, her eyes full of terror. The Empress had discovered her.

She sat up as someone rushed in. “Sanmeng, Sanmeng! I want to see a beautiful dream!”

A tall figure stood before her, hands on hips, with a warm smile. She leaned over, her eyes sparkling like gems and her face as vibrant as the most beautiful flower in the Heavens.

Sanmeng clutched her chest in surprise. Hongchen let out a small cry. “You’re spitting blood! Serves you right for not taking me with you to see the beautiful dreams.”

Hongchen cast a spell, and a stream of spiritual power enveloped Sanmeng, slowly soothing her burning meridians. Sanmeng gradually calmed down, looking at the familiar face before her, her mind still filled with the image of Hongyan from the dream.