I Reborn on the Night I Divorced the Sword Deity, My Childhood Friend - Chapter 21

Zhongzhou, Yuheng Sect

The news that Shen Du attempted to offer Shen Siyuan to Yuan Muzhou as a concubine, only to be rejected, spread across all of Zhongzhou overnight. At this moment, not only had the Yuheng Sect become the laughingstock of the cultivation world, but the masses also secretly mocked Shen Du for his blindness. It was bad enough that he could not hold onto his excellent eldest son, but now he was even treating his younger son as a tool for a political marriage. Whether as a Sect Leader or a father, he was a total failure.

When these rumors reached the Yuheng Sect, Shen Du was so enraged that he locked himself in his room. His eyes were bloodshot as he smashed everything in sight to vent his fury. Once finished, he closed his eyes, his breath hitching in heavy, ragged gasps. He never expected that the plan he considered foolproof would fail.

Originally, Shen Du had not intended to go this far. However, Shen Siyuan’s health had been deteriorating day by day. Even after Shen Du severed his father-son relationship with Shen Junyu and spread rumors to blacken the latter’s name, the Sword Sect remained completely indifferent. Eventually, Shen Du truly did not want to waste any more spiritual power or resources on Shen Siyuan.

Thus, he thought of Yuan Muzhou. He reasoned that since Yuan Muzhou was Shen Siyuan’s fated match, if he handed Siyuan over to him, Yuan Muzhou surely would not shirk his responsibility. Although Shen Siyuan was now half-crippled and could no longer be Yuan Muzhou’s officially wedded Dao companion, being a concubine was more than enough. As long as Siyuan could be sent to Yuan Muzhou’s side to live together day and night, the power of their fated bond would surely ensure that Yuan Muzhou would eventually elevate his status. The Sword Sovereign would surely be willing to grant such a favor as well.

With this in mind, Shen Du had cast aside his pride to approach the Sword Sovereign, and as expected, the Sovereign agreed. Shen Du was overjoyed, believing the matter was mostly settled. He never imagined that Yuan Muzhou would actually reject Shen Siyuan as a concubine because of Shen Junyu. It was utterly preposterous. Could it be that Shen Junyu had truly stripped away Shen Siyuan’s providence so thoroughly?

At this thought, Shen Du gritted his teeth, forced himself to calm down, and exerted his strength to perform a divination. After finishing, a subtle glimmer of hope finally flickered in his bloodshot pupils. He then pushed open his door and headed straight for the courtyard where Shen Siyuan resided.

Inside the bedroom, Yun Suyi was watching over Shen Siyuan. Over the past few days, Shen Siyuan had wept several times due to the piercing pain in his dantian and the humiliation of being rejected as a concubine. His face was deathly pale, his body had wasted away until he was barely recognizable, and his eyes were deeply sunken.

Initially, when Shen Du proposed sending him to be Yuan Muzhou’s concubine, it was extremely difficult for him to accept, especially since Yuan Muzhou’s nominal fiancé was still Shen Junyu. To be a concubine to his own elder brother’s fiancé was a blatant insult. But unable to withstand Shen Du’s cold pressure and realizing that Yun Suyi, while conflicted, never tried to dissuade Shen Du, he finally understood that his parents did not love him as much as he thought. Forced by circumstance, Shen Siyuan had to swallow his pride and agree.

Afterward, though filled with daily anxiety, he had briefly indulged in fantasies where Yuan Muzhou would be so deeply devoted to him that he would break the engagement, leading the Shen couple to look up to him once more. He never expected that Yuan Muzhou would not want him. Yuan Muzhou actually did not want him. Was it because he was nearly a useless person now that even Yuan Muzhou found him distasteful?

Realizing this, Shen Siyuan’s heart turned to ash. For the past few days, he had refused food and water, lying in bed like a puppet whose soul had been extracted. Even when Yun Suyi tried to persuade him, he gave no reaction.

Suddenly, Shen Du pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing Shen Du enter, Shen Siyuan remained lying in bed like a mannequin, his expression gray and defeated. Yun Suyi stood up somewhat awkwardly and nervously, whispering, “Husband, you have come.”

Shen Du’s eyes flickered as he said to Yun Suyi, “You go out first. I have words to say to Siyuan in private.”

Yun Suyi’s expression changed slightly. Shen Du’s face immediately darkened as he said, “Get out.”

Yun Suyi’s body trembled, and she had no choice but to leave. For a moment, only Shen Du and Shen Siyuan remained in the room. Shen Du looked at Shen Siyuan, who was pale, gaunt, and devoid of any spark in his eyes. His brow furrowed, and he felt a brief moment of softening. But quickly, he discarded that meager bit of pity. He walked to Shen Siyuan’s side and said, “Siyuan, even at this stage, if you do not pull yourself together, do you really want to be a useless person for the rest of your life?”

The words sounded like encouragement, but they carried a heavy threat. This time, Shen Siyuan finally reacted. After a long while, his lips curled into a self-deprecating smirk. With lifeless eyes and a voice devoid of emotion, he rasped, “Father, it is not that I do not want to pull myself together. But in this state, how can I?”

Seeing Shen Siyuan’s complete loss of fighting spirit, a flash of disgust crossed Shen Du’s eyes. “Just because Yuan Muzhou does not want you, are you truly going to let go? You two are a fated match. As long as you can be together, he will never be able to abandon you.”

As if provoked, Shen Siyuan suddenly hissed, “But Brother Yuan already does not want me!”

“There is still a chance,” Shen Du said calmly.

Shen Siyuan looked at Shen Du blankly. Shen Du looked back at him, his eyes void of emotion. After a moment of silence, he said, “The Sword Sect’s Sword Competition will be held soon. At that time, I will have your mother disguise you and take you there. You just need to find a way to finalize things with Muzhou, and everything will be fine. You are a fated match; once you are entangled, you cannot be separated.”

Shen Siyuan was shaken to his core, hesitating for a long time. Seeing this, an impatient look flashed across Shen Du’s face. He said coldly, “This is the final opportunity your father has divined for you. If you do not go, then stay at home from now on. You will not need to go anywhere ever again.”

Hearing this, Shen Siyuan froze. His body began to tremble involuntarily as a wave of panic surged in his heart. He understood exactly what Shen Du meant. If he did not cooperate this time, Shen Du would truly abandon him completely.

But soon, a subtle hope sprouted in his heart. Shen Du’s divinations were never wrong, and he remembered the way Yuan Muzhou had looked at him while protecting him back then. Yuan Muzhou cared about him. So, should he really not gamble one more time? Finally, Shen Siyuan’s pale fingers slowly gripped the bedding beneath him. After a long pause, he spoke in a trembling yet hopeful tone, “Fine. I will go.”

Upon hearing this, a satisfied smile finally appeared on Shen Du’s face as he turned to leave. Staring at Shen Du’s retreating back, Shen Siyuan sat in a daze for a long time. Gradually, a hint of color returned to his deathly pale face. He thought that his future finally had hope. This time, he would not lose to Shen Junyu again.

The Demon Realm

The white jade floating ship carrying Shen Junyu’s group of three followed the current. Within a dozen days, they arrived at the foot of Mount Yuhuang. Mount Yuhuang truly lived up to its name. Its tail wound elegantly while its peak soared toward the sky, resembling a phoenix rising from the flames. The mountain was covered in maple trees, and in this season, the leaves were a deep red, stretching out like a sea of fire. Maple leaves drifted down with the wind, floating into the river. It was an exquisite sight.

Since Mount Yuhuang was the cultivation site of the Cloud Dream Demon Lord, the surrounding area was protected by checkpoints and restrictions. Large flying artifacts or ships were not allowed to pass, so Meng Xingyan had switched to a small boat early on. The three of them stood or sat at the bow, enjoying the falling autumn leaves, feeling quite at ease.

Shen Junyu leaned against the side of the boat. In one hand, he held a white jade slip Meng Xingyan had gifted him recently. His other hand dangled unconsciously over the gunwale, his fair, slender fingertips lightly brushing the cool, green surface of the river, leaving shallow ripples. A gentle river breeze blew, causing his white robes to dance in the wind, reflecting in the clear water like a drifting mist.

Both Wen Su and Meng Xingyan had been standing at the bow to view the scenery, but eventually, both inadvertently shifted their gaze toward that elegant white shadow in the water. After watching for a while, Wen Su stepped forward unobtrusively, blocking Meng Xingyan’s line of sight. He leaned down and reminded Shen Junyu in a low voice, “We are almost there. Once we are settled on the mountain, it will not be too late to look.”

Shen Junyu returned to his senses and looked ahead. Sure enough, he saw a row of Demon Generals guarding the end of the riverbank, along with a massive white jade archway. On the archway were four large characters: Cloud Dream Immortal Abode. Amidst the fiery red maple forest of the mountain, ancient buildings rose in layers, elegant and magnificent.

Seeing this, Shen Junyu tucked away the jade slip and stood up. “This Cloud Dream Demon Lord is truly grand, turning an entire mountain into a residence.”

Meng Xingyan could not help but smile. “The Cloud Dream Demon Lord’s estate is indeed grand, but if we are talking about unique style, it would be the Jiuyou Demon Lord’s Yingzhou Water Pavilion. At night, with the nine-curved floating corridors and the stars reflected on the water, the atmosphere is incredibly beautiful.”

As soon as Meng Xingyan said this, Wen Su glanced over, his expression somewhat subtle. Shen Junyu did not notice Wen Su’s oddity. Instead, after hearing the description, he became quite curious about the Jiuyou Demon Lord’s taste. Just as he was about to ask more, two Demon Generals flew toward them, landing on the bow of their boat. They spoke expressionlessly, “Mount Yuhuang is a restricted area. Unauthorized persons may not enter. Please show the Demon Lord’s command token.”

Meng Xingyan hurriedly said, “The token is here.”

He took out an exquisite token engraved with white cloud patterns and handed it over. After the two Demon Generals verified it, they nodded and allowed them to pass. The small boat successfully entered the territory of Mount Yuhuang. When the three arrived under the archway, a plump and smooth-looking manager came to receive them.

The manager clearly knew Meng Xingyan. He was quite enthusiastic at first, but when he saw Shen Junyu and Wen Su behind Meng Xingyan, his expression became extremely subtle. However, being a shrewd man, this subtlety lasted only a moment before he brushed it aside with a chuckle. “This way, Young Marquis. I will find a very secluded and quiet residence for you to ensure no one disturbs you during your stay.”

Both Wen Su and Shen Junyu caught the manager’s slight change in expression. They shared a knowing look but said nothing. Meng Xingyan noticed nothing and simply said, “Then I shall trouble Manager Wang.” He offered a gift as well.

Manager Wang accepted the gift with a practiced smile and led the three further up the mountain. Half an hour later, he brought them to a courtyard halfway up the mountain that was decently charming but incredibly remote. Upon seeing the place, Meng Xingyan’s face soured. He thought that with his status, even if he did not get a room near the Cloud Dream Demon Lord, he should at least be at the summit. What was the meaning of dumping him in this middle-of-nowhere spot? Living in such a place, how could he find opportunities to get close to the Demon Lord? Was he not starting at a disadvantage?

Meng Xingyan’s gaze shifted, intending to question Manager Wang. Sensing his displeasure, Manager Wang did not make excuses but said unhurriedly, “It has not been easy for the Young Marquis to travel so far. The Demon Lord has specifically ordered a banquet at the Yunlai Palace at 7:00 PM to entertain the young talents. Perhaps the Young Marquis should rest here first and head to the banquet when the time comes.”

This immediately caught Meng Xingyan’s interest. “The Demon Lord will be there tonight?”

Manager Wang smiled and nodded, adding, “Also, please do not blame me for the poor hospitality. It is truly because the Young Marquis arrived late. The spots on the summit have all been taken. You know that those who can come here are all prominent figures. I cannot afford to offend them. If the Young Marquis desires a better residence, you could see if anyone else is willing to switch with you. If you find someone, I can certainly handle the arrangements.”

Hearing this, Meng Xingyan’s anger dissipated significantly. He truly believed it was just because he arrived late. After a moment of silence, Meng Xingyan said, “Forget it. I will handle the housing matter myself. You may leave.”

Manager Wang hurriedly took his leave with a bow and a smile.

Once he was gone, Meng Xingyan frowned. “These old fossils are all incredibly slick. They didn’t even give us a decent place to stay.”

Shen Junyu stepped forward. “I suspect my brother and I have been a burden to the Young Marquis.”

Meng Xingyan was briefly stunned, but he quickly caught on. Manager Wang likely saw that Shen Junyu and Wen Su had low cultivation levels and assumed Meng Xingyan was merely there to participate for fun rather than to compete seriously. Consequently, he had treated them with intentional neglect.

In truth, Meng Xingyan had brought Wen Su and Shen Junyu along with the intent of “playing a pig to eat a tiger”—hoping to make his opponents lower their guard before snatching a surprise victory. He hadn’t expected to be looked down upon first by a minor figure like Manager Wang.

“It truly is…” Meng Xingyan trailed off. Fortunately, he was open-minded. Once he understood the situation, he laughed it off. “Actually, this is fine. Let’s just stay low-profile until the end.”

Shen Junyu smiled. “The Young Marquis has a great temperament.”

Because he needed to prepare for a strong performance at the evening banquet, Meng Xingyan let the two of them pick their rooms first while he hurried to the main room on the east side of the courtyard. He went into seclusion, busy tinkering with something unknown.

Shen Junyu had slept well the previous night and wasn’t tired. Finding the scenery of Mount Yuhuang exceptionally beautiful, he didn’t go to his room but instead strolled through the courtyard to admire the view. Wen Su followed him.

The mountain breeze was crisp, carrying the refreshing, faint scent of maple leaves. Shen Junyu gazed at the red maples shrouded in mist and the pavilions peeking through the trees. He felt the scenery here was more spiritual and elegant than many places in Zhongzhou. To live here long-term would truly be a blessing in the human world.

Suddenly, his gaze fell on a spot in the mountains that was faintly glowing with spiritual light. The light was moving.

Shen Junyu blinked in confusion. He focused his vision and gradually discovered several other glowing spots, all moving, each a slightly different color. However, the distance was too great; with only a Golden Core cultivation, his eyesight was limited.

Feeling a sense of curiosity, he couldn’t help but ask Wen Su, “What are those flickering spiritual lights? Can you see them?”

Wen Su narrowed his eyes to look. He replied indifferently, “Nothing more than the carriages of those young lords. They have people carry them and hang many bright pearls and treasures on them, which is why they glow. It is just the usual atmosphere of luxury and vanity in the Demon Realm. It’s quite meaningless.”

Shen Junyu suddenly grew quiet. After a long while, just as Wen Su noticed his unusual state, Shen Junyu slowly shook his head. “Some vanity is indeed unnecessary, but… I recall that the Young Marquis didn’t prepare one of those. Mount Yuhuang has restrictions forbidding boats or flying on the wind. How are we supposed to get up there later?”

Wen Su paused.

Shen Junyu continued, “I don’t mind walking up on my own legs, but I’m afraid the Young Marquis will lose face.”

Wen Su went silent. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “He surely wouldn’t be that careless, would he?”

Shen Junyu shook his head, his expression as calm as ever.

Around 6:00 PM, Meng Xingyan finally emerged, having changed his clothes. Today, he wore a black-trimmed white robe with a crane pattern. Two strands of black hair framed his face, and he wore a lotus jade crown, giving him an unexpectedly ethereal, immortal-like aura.

Shen Junyu and Wen Su both had subtle expressions upon seeing this outfit. Meng Xingyan, however, gave a confident smile. “The Cloud Dream Demon Lord loves this kind of transcendent, otherworldly style. I am simply catering to her tastes.”

Shen Junyu played along. “The Young Marquis looks very handsome in this.”

Meng Xingyan laughed and spread his arms. “Right?”

Beside them, Wen Su’s brow twitched slightly. He said calmly, “It is getting late. Let us set off. It would not be good to arrive late.”

“Right, let’s go!” Meng Xingyan agreed.

The three of them left the courtyard. When they reached the mountain path and Meng Xingyan saw the continuous flickering of spiritual lights from the treasure carriages and ornate canopies at the summit, the confident expression on his face finally collapsed.

Shen Junyu observed him. “The Young Marquis did not prepare one of these?”

Meng Xingyan shook his head, his face turning slightly pale. However, he quickly recovered and let out an awkward laugh. “Actually, it doesn’t matter. We’ll just take the side paths and arrive a bit later. No one will know we walked up.”

Shen Junyu was very understanding. “Whatever the Young Marquis says.”

With his confidence somewhat restored, the three stepped onto the mountain path. However, the path was rugged, the mist was thick, and there were no lamps at night. They also had to dodge the passing carriages. For a while, the trek was extremely difficult.

Shen Junyu and Wen Su were fine, but as they walked, Meng Xingyan’s spirit began to crumble. He had only finished a small portion of the long path and felt as though he had already endured a lifetime’s worth of hardship. When he looked up, the lights of the Yunlai Palace were still hanging far above his head, as distant as the stars and moon.

Looking at Wen Su and Shen Junyu helping each other without a single word of complaint, Meng Xingyan wished he could travel back in time and slap himself twice. How could he have been so stupid?

At the very moment his regret and guilt reached their peak, a familiar voice drifted through the mist. “Young Marquis Xingyan! Please wait a moment! I finally found you!”

Meng Xingyan jumped. His first instinct was that a competitor had caught him and was about to mock him. He instinctively turned to retreat.

But the voice called out again, “Wait, Young Marquis! The Jiuyou Demon Lord sent me!”

Meng Xingyan stopped, full of suspicion. He turned around and realized the voice belonged to a manager under the Jiuyou Demon Lord. Sure enough, a man holding an umbrella and wearing the cyan-gold robes exclusive to the Jiuyou Demon Lord’s palace approached from down the path.

In the misty rain, the area behind the manager was blindingly bright, lit up almost as clear as day. Meng Xingyan squinted at the glare, but when he saw what was behind the manager, he was stunned.

Following behind the manager was an incredibly magnificent eight-man treasure carriage. Hanging above it were over a hundred night-luminescent pearls the size of fists. Even the tassels and ornaments were high-tier spiritual treasures. The dazzling spiritual light illuminated the surrounding area for miles. Carrying the carriage were eight Jade Puppets in the Transformation Stage, handsome in appearance, dressed in splendid clothes, and radiating a majestic and overbearing aura.

For the first time, Meng Xingyan lost his composure in public, his mouth hanging slightly open.

Seeing this, the manager gave a faint smile. “The Demon Lord happened to see that the Young Marquis had no carriage when he ascended the mountain. Fearing you would be exhausted, he ordered me to bring this treasure carriage. You may ride it up the mountain, Young Marquis; do not let the journey weary your body.”

Meng Xingyan snapped out of it, his heart filled with immense gratitude. If the Jiuyou Demon Lord were standing before him, he would have knelt and kowtowed right then and there! He thought to himself: I didn’t expect this ‘uncle’ to be so reliable in a crisis, despite his usual coldness! No wonder my father praises him so highly!

Meng Xingyan did not forget his manners. He thanked the manager repeatedly and promised to visit the Jiuyou Demon Lord to express his gratitude soon.

The manager bowed with a smile. “If the Young Marquis wishes to go, simply send your own invitation.”

From the manager’s tone, Meng Xingyan sensed a slight, subtle distance, as if the man were being polite yet detached. But in his state of ecstatic joy, he didn’t think too deeply on it and offered his thanks once more.

After the manager left, Meng Xingyan washed away his previous dejection. He stepped onto the treasure carriage with an air of heroic grandeur.

Inadvertently, his gaze swept to the side. Wen Su was looking down, lifting a corner of Shen Junyu’s hem for him, whispering, “Your white clothes stain easily. Be careful.”

The misty rain fell like white gauze, and the light hitting the two was soft and gentle. The scene appeared incredibly warm and tranquil. Watching them, Meng Xingyan felt a shift in his heart. He suddenly thought: In the future, I will stop pursuing Shen Junyu. Seeing how well they cared for each other and how much hardship they had endured with him, why should he try to come between them?

In front of the Yunlai Palace

The square, hundreds of feet wide, was already packed with magnificent treasure carriages. Each one radiated soaring spiritual light, their levels of luxury nearly equal. The demon cultivators riding them had already stepped down and were currently engaging in false pleasantries, testing one another.

Manager Wang stood in the center of the square with a beaming smile, circulating among the young lords. He had already collected quite a few benefits along the way.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the crowd. Manager Wang froze and looked up. What he saw made his heart skip a beat.

Was that not the Jiuyou Demon Lord’s personal carriage?!

He knew the Jiuyou Demon Lord had arrived, but he hadn’t known the Lord would attend the banquet tonight. Usually, the Jiuyou Demon Lord disdained such social gatherings. But that was undeniably his carriage. One might misidentify other things, but the eight Transformation Stage Jade Puppets were impossible to mistake!

Many other young demon lords also recognized the carriage. Their faces lit up with joy as they hurriedly adjusted their clothes and stepped forward. Among the eight Demon Lords under the Demon Sovereign, the Jiuyou Demon Lord was the undisputed leader. He usually lived in seclusion, making him nearly impossible for ordinary people to meet. Since he had appeared by chance, shouldn’t they rush to make an impression?

A crowd gathered, their faces filled with either respect or flattery. Manager Wang was the fastest among them.

Finally, the treasure carriage stopped in front of the square. Manager Wang, acting very sensibly, immediately dropped to one knee. He bowed low, exposing his back to the carriage, and laughed, “Manager Wang Yuzhi welcomes the Great Demon Lord!”

The other young lords crowded around as well.

However, a second later, the curtains of the carriage were slowly pulled back, revealing Meng Xingyan’s confident, beaming face.

“Greetings, everyone! To be welcomed with such a grand reception really makes me feel quite flattered!”

Everyone: “???”