I Reborn on the Night I Divorced the Sword Deity, My Childhood Friend - Chapter 24

At the summit of Mount Yuhuang, a highly elegant and grand snow-white palace sat quietly amidst the overlapping maple forests. The palace was guarded at both the front and rear by Demon Generals of the Transformation Stage, creating a solemn and quiet atmosphere.

When the treasure carriage carrying Meng Xingyan and his two companions came to a halt, Meng Xingyan prepared to disembark. To his surprise, a manager approached silently and signaled to him. “Young Marquis, this way please. The Demon Lord is already waiting for you in the hall.”

Meng Xingyan was astonished to see the manager appear. He jumped down from the carriage in two quick steps. “Uncle Wen knew I was coming?”

The manager smiled faintly. “The Demon Lord is omniscient and all-seeing. What is there that he does not know or understand?”

Upon hearing this, Meng Xingyan realized that the puppets carrying the treasure carriage likely had a connection to the Jiuyou Demon Lord, or perhaps his arrival had been noticed by the Demon Lord’s informants as he ascended the mountain. Regardless, since the Jiuyou Demon Lord was willing to see him, there was at least a fifty percent chance of success.

With that in mind, Meng Xingyan cupped his hands to the manager. “In that case, I will trouble Manager Wen to lead the way.”

The manager nodded and led them forward. Shen Junyu and Wen Su followed silently, and the manager did not stop them. Meng Xingyan breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried that requesting an audience alone might be seen as abrupt, and he was unsure how to ask the manager to let Shen Junyu and Wen Su inside. Fortunately, Shen Junyu had suggested earlier in the carriage that Meng Xingyan should not report their presence; they would simply follow along. As long as no one stopped them, once they were inside, the deed would be done. If anyone questioned it later, at least it would not be seen as a direct violation of orders.

Because the Cloud Dream Demon Lord favored an ethereal and celestial atmosphere, every chamber was draped in silver silk curtains with cloud patterns and scented with the elegant fragrance of Snow-Spring Messenger. As the breeze blew, the curtains fluttered like a room full of white mist, creating an incredibly graceful and immortal-like ambiance.

However, Meng Xingyan was in no mood for appreciation. He followed the manager respectfully to the inner hall. Once the manager had brought them there, he withdrew on his own, leaving only Meng Xingyan, Shen Junyu, and Wen Su.

At the far end of the inner hall stood a high platform covered in curtains. A tall, slender figure was hidden behind them, sitting at a long white jade table. He sat with his head resting on his hand, leaning slightly to one side in a posture that was not formal, but rather possessed a casual air of laziness. Below the platform, a small table and a prayer mat had been prepared, clearly for Meng Xingyan.

Upon seeing the silhouette behind the curtains, Meng Xingyan quickly stepped forward, knelt, and bowed. “Your nephew greets Uncle Wen. It has been a long time. Your uncle’s bearing has become even more transcendent; your cultivation must have progressed further.”

Shen Junyu followed closely behind Meng Xingyan and also knelt in greeting. A brief silence followed. From behind the curtains came a faint, nonchalant laugh.

“It has been a long time. My good nephew, your cultivation has not progressed much, but your skill at flattery has certainly improved. No wonder your father still has such a headache over you.”

Meng Xingyan was speechless. However, sensing that the other party was in a decent mood, he bolstered his spirit and spoke subserviently. “Uncle Wen, the reason I have come this time is”

“Get up first. Sit and talk,” the Jiuyou Demon Lord said.

Meng Xingyan was briefly stunned, but then felt a surge of joy. He thought the Jiuyou Demon Lord was being exceptionally considerate. After thanking him repeatedly, he rose and sat on the prayer mat to begin explaining the purpose of his visit.

Now that Meng Xingyan was seated, Shen Junyu rose silently behind him and stood to the side. He kept his eyes lowered, listening quietly to the conversation. During the exchange, Shen Junyu noticed that the Jiuyou Demon Lord’s voice was quite young and pleasant. He did not sound like a member of an older generation, but rather like a peer. Moreover, certain nonchalant tones in his speech felt strangely familiar to Shen Junyu. Unfortunately, the Jiuyou Demon Lord spoke very little while Meng Xingyan spoke a great deal, making it difficult for Shen Junyu to distinguish the voice clearly.

Finally, Meng Xingyan finished explaining his predicament. After a long silence, the Jiuyou Demon Lord spoke calmly. “Since you are afraid of death, why not just withdraw? Why force yourself to continue?”

Meng Xingyan gritted his teeth and bowed low. “A real man cannot shrink from a fight. Even if he wants to use this opportunity to kill me, I do not want to become a coward who avoids battle. I beg my uncle to help me!”

The Jiuyou Demon Lord’s voice was cold. “Nephew, the rules of the arena state that life and death are determined by fate. If you felt Qin Huaique intended to harm you, you should have raised an objection during the draw today. If Qin Huaique truly has the ability to kill you, for you to come and ask me to save your life now is equivalent to asking me to openly cheat for you during the competition. Your courage in not wanting to be a coward is commendable, but you should not expect this Lord to take the blame for it, should you?”

Meng Xingyan had not considered this point at all. He froze, cold sweat pouring down his face as his skin turned deathly pale. His mind was filled with the thought that it was all over; he had offended the Jiuyou Demon Lord as well. How could he have been so thoughtless?

As Meng Xingyan’s anxiety reached a peak, a graceful figure in white robes stepped past him and bowed toward the high platform. “The Demon Lord is wise. This matter was indeed a lapse in judgment on our Young Marquis’s part, but he had no intention of framing the Demon Lord. We hope the Demon Lord can forgive him.”

After a moment, the Jiuyou Demon Lord’s voice came back, neutral and unreadable. “And who might you be?”

Shen Junyu bowed calmly. “A guest of the Young Marquis, Wen Yu.”

“Since you are his guest, you should have advised him to return home and stabilize his cultivation before coming out. Otherwise, he only brings shame to the Sky-Eye Demon Lord.”

Shen Junyu remained quiet for a second before responding neither humbly nor arrogantly. “The Demon Lord is absolutely right. I have learned my lesson.”

Beside him, Meng Xingyan was at a loss for words. However, hearing the Jiuyou Demon Lord’s composed attitude, he knew that even if he could not get help, he would not be punished. He felt a great sense of relief. He stopped worrying about his pride and thought only of returning home the next day. Why stay here and be mocked? It seemed that having poor talent really made one useless; no one was willing to help when it truly mattered.

Just then, the Jiuyou Demon Lord’s voice came from behind the platform. “You may leave. If you descend the mountain today, it is not too late.”

It was a final decision. Hearing this, Meng Xingyan felt a slight sense of loss, but he quickly comforted himself. He was still young. Even if he lost the Cloud Dream Demon Lord, there might be better opportunities in the future. He prepared to bow and withdraw.

But at that moment, Shen Junyu suddenly stepped forward, looked up at the platform, and said, “Demon Lord, wait. Could you listen to one more word from me?”

Meng Xingyan, who was about to bow, was shocked. But then, a thought flashed through his mind, and he belatedly realized that Shen Junyu was trying to climb a higher branch. His expression changed, and he prepared to stand up and stop him.

“Speak,” the Demon Lord said.

Meng Xingyan had to endure it, though his gaze toward Shen Junyu became unfriendly. Ignoring the look, Shen Junyu took another step forward. “Demon Lord, if I can help the Young Marquis win tomorrow’s duel against Qin Huaique, would you be willing to ensure that the Young Marquis is not severely injured or assassinated after his victory?”

Meng Xingyan’s eyes widened in utter disbelief. Cold sweat poured down his forehead, and his facial muscles twitched. Is Shen Junyu crazy? What kind of dream is he talking about? To lie so blatantly in front of the Jiuyou Demon Lord, he would surely kill them!

“With just you?” the Jiuyou Demon Lord asked. His voice was calm, his emotions impossible to read.

Hearing those words, Shen Junyu smiled faintly. He looked directly at the tall silhouette behind the curtains. “With just me. Does the Demon Lord dare to make a bet with me?”

The massive hall became deathly silent, a silence so heavy it was oppressive. The sound of sweat dripping from Meng Xingyan’s forehead onto the white jade floor was clearly audible. The Jiuyou Demon Lord suddenly let out a light laugh, though it held no emotion.

“How interesting. This is the first time someone has tried to make such a bet with me. But what do you wish to bet with this Lord?”

Shen Junyu looked up, his gaze steady and honest. “I have heard that the Demon Lord does not yet have a strategist. If I win this time, would the Demon Lord be willing to save that position for me?”

After a long silence, the Jiuyou Demon Lord spoke slowly. “So, that is what you are after.” He chuckled. “Nephew, did you know your guest had such ulterior motives?”

Meng Xingyan’s face turned purple with rage. He gritted his teeth, wanting to tell the Demon Lord that he had been blind and that Shen Junyu should be severely punished.

However, the Jiuyou Demon Lord continued. “But this bet is somewhat interesting. This Lord accepts.”

Meng Xingyan was stunned.

“It is only a strategist position,” the Demon Lord said slowly. “If you can truly make my useless nephew win against Qin Huaique, then forget a strategist position. This Lord could even consider marrying you.”

Meng Xingyan, feeling like he had been kicked while just passing by, was speechless. Shen Junyu simply stood there.

“But if you do not have the ability, after tomorrow, as long as you appear in this Lord’s sight again, you will be executed on the spot.” As he finished the sentence, the Demon Lord’s voice carried a layer of chilling killing intent. Meng Xingyan shivered.

The palace fell silent again. After a moment, Shen Junyu raised his hands neither humbly nor arrogantly. “Thank you, Demon Lord. I will certainly make you admit defeat tomorrow.”

Meng Xingyan was horrified.

“Then this Lord shall wait and see,” the Demon Lord replied.

“I shall take my leave,” Shen Junyu said. He glanced at Meng Xingyan, whose face was twisted in a knot of emotions. Although he was fuming, Meng Xingyan did not dare to act out in front of the Jiuyou Demon Lord. He suppressed his anger and followed Shen Junyu out. Throughout the entire exchange, neither of them noticed that Wen Su had not said a single word.

On the way back inside the treasure carriage, the atmosphere was exceptionally eerie. Meng Xingyan’s handsome face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. His expression suggested he wanted to eat Shen Junyu alive.

Shen Junyu, however, was perfectly composed. Seeing Meng Xingyan look like he was about to explode, he spoke slowly. “If I can truly make you win against Qin Huaique, won’t you benefit without losing anything? Why be angry?”

Meng Xingyan glared at him. “Is that what I’m angry about? I’m angry because I treated you like a brother, but you used me as a stepping stone! And if you truly had such a great method, why didn’t you mention it before, huh?!”

Shen Junyu was silent for a moment. Instead of making excuses, he said, “If you must think that way, there is nothing I can do.”

Meng Xingyan was once again driven to the brink of fury. Just as his anger reached its limit and he was about to snap, Wen Su, who had been silent, spoke up in a deep voice. “Regardless of the details behind your actions, are you truly confident in this?”

Wen Su’s words snapped Meng Xingyan out of his tantrum. He looked at Shen Junyu with a mix of suspicion and doubt. Facing their varying gazes without flinching, Shen Junyu spoke a single word.

“Yes.”

That single word somehow managed to ease the incredibly tense atmosphere. Meng Xingyan’s probing gaze swept over Shen Junyu’s pale, calm face several times, but he saw no sign of cowardice or evasion, only an extreme, steady composure.

Finally, Meng Xingyan snorted. “You had better be confident.” His tone was still stiff, but his anger had clearly softened.

Shen Junyu smiled. “Rest assured, Young Marquis. I never joke with my own life. Besides, do you not truly want to wash away your previous humiliation and make Qin Huaique suffer a great loss?”

Meng Xingyan froze, remembering what the Jiuyou Demon Lord had said. If Shen Junyu lost, his life would be forfeit if he stayed in the Demon Lord’s sight. Furthermore, Shen Junyu’s question truly appealed to him; he did indeed want to teach Qin Huaique a lesson!

After a moment of thought, Meng Xingyan finally put aside Shen Junyu’s perceived betrayal. He looked at him with a curious and suspicious expression. “Since you say you are confident, how are you going to make me win?”

“I was just about to discuss that,” Shen Junyu replied.

Shen Junyu took out a pen and paper from his storage ring, spread them across the long desk, and began meticulously listing a large number of rare spiritual herbs and materials. Once finished, he handed the list to Meng Xingyan.

Meng Xingyan took the paper, glancing over the wet ink. He noticed that the items requested were exceptionally precious and difficult to find even in the Imperial Capital. He frowned and asked, “What is this for? Are you refining medicine for me?”

“The key to ensuring your victory, Young Marquis.”

Meng Xingyan was puzzled, but Shen Junyu continued, “While it is still early, you must send someone or go personally to gather every item on this list. At the latest, by 7:00 PM, I will use them to boost your cultivation.”

Seeing Shen Junyu’s solemn expression, Meng Xingyan was mostly convinced. Moreover, while these items were valuable, they weren’t particularly bulky; there would be no point in Shen Junyu taking them to run away. After a moment of contemplation, Meng Xingyan said deeply, “In that case, I will trust you one last time.”

“Good,” Shen Junyu replied.

Meng Xingyan gave Shen Junyu one last steady look, took a deep breath, turned, and leaped from the treasure carriage. He transformed into a streak of rainbow light and headed down the mountain to gather the materials.

Seeing him depart as instructed, Shen Junyu lifted the curtain to watch for a moment, his gaze finally relaxing. However, when he let the curtain fall and turned back into the carriage, he was met with a pair of pitch-black, fathomless eyes that held no emotion.

Shen Junyu went still. He knew Wen Su was truly angry this time. He was well aware that his risky actions had involved Wen Su as well. Sighing inwardly, he tentatively reached out and placed a hand on Wen Su’s shoulder. “Brother Wen,” he whispered.

Wen Su did not speak. He simply stared at Shen Junyu with those ice-cold black eyes for a moment before ruthlessly reaching up, grabbing Shen Junyu’s wrist, and slowly prying the hand off his shoulder.

Shen Junyu’s palm suddenly felt empty. His fingertips curled slightly, and the light in his glass-colored eyes dimmed a fraction. After a long silence, he sighed and did not try to move closer again. He spoke in a low voice, “Brother Wen, I know I was reckless this time, but I have my own unspeakable reasons. I had to fight for this. If you feel I act too dangerously, I will not involve you in my future actions.”

“That is not why I am angry.”

Shen Junyu was startled. Wen Su frowned, his gaze cutting across Shen Junyu’s face like a sharp blade. For a moment, it seemed as if he wanted to carve a hole through him. Finally, he looked away and said coldly, “You do not even know what kind of character the Jiuyou Demon Lord possesses, yet you spoke so boastfully in front of him. If he had taken offense just now, you would have died a hundred deaths already.”

“He is a Great Power in the Void Refinement Stage, and you are but a Golden Core. How did you dare?”

Shen Junyu remained silent for a long time before suddenly smiling faintly. “So, Brother Wen is concerned for my safety.”

Wen Su was speechless, but he quickly snapped back coldly, “What are you laughing at?”

Shen Junyu felt his heart soften even more. He composed himself and looked at Wen Su with eyes as clear as a mirror. “Brother Wen, I am no fool. I would not truly be so stupid as to gamble with my life.”

“And so?” Wen Su asked.

“And so, before I spoke, I had already calculated the odds. The Jiuyou Demon Lord would not kill me over those specific words.”

Wen Su looked puzzled. A subtle light flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly masked by his cold exterior. “The art of stellar divination is not accurate every single time. How can you ensure you are perfectly safe?”

Shen Junyu paused before explaining slowly, “He was willing to lend a treasure carriage to a ‘useless’ nephew like the Young Marquis and even teased him occasionally. He has no history of indiscriminate killing. I don’t believe he is that kind of Demon Lord.”

Wen Su fell silent. After a long while, he spoke with an unreadable tone, “Earlier you claimed he was suspicious and crafty.”

Shen Junyu went quiet, unable to explain that those judgments came from the righteous path’s rumors in his past life. He offered a more immediate explanation instead. “I misunderstood him previously. I thought his purpose in lending the carriage was impure. After today’s meeting, I realized that was not the case.”

“Impure purpose?” Wen Su asked.

Shen Junyu nodded. “I thought he understood the Young Marquis’s reckless nature and intentionally provided the carriage so he would cause a scene at the banquet, triggering reactions from all sides. You saw how Qin Huaique and the other ambitious lords fell for it, did they not?”

“At the time, I thought the Jiuyou Demon Lord didn’t even need to appear in person; a single carriage was enough to set the banquet into a frenzy. His schemes and methods seemed incredibly high. But after today, perhaps I was overthinking it.”

Wen Su remained silent for a moment before raising an eyebrow. “Perhaps you weren’t overthinking it. His purpose in sending that carriage might indeed have been impure.”

“Oh?”

This time, it was Wen Su who looked at Shen Junyu. His cold gaze lingered on Shen Junyu’s curious face for a moment before he said, “I will tell you my speculation, provided you tell me why you are so desperate to secure that strategist position. How about it?”

Shen Junyu was stunned into silence. After weighing his words for a long time, he finally spoke. “It is actually nothing much. I simply have an urgent need to increase my strength. If I lose this opportunity and leave the mountain with the Young Marquis, I don’t know how long it will take to see such a Great Power again. Thus, I took a gamble. Fortunately, the result wasn’t too bad.”

“An urgent need to increase your strength?” Wen Su repeated the words slowly. Suddenly, his brow twitched violently. “Is your injury still not healed?”

Shen Junyu did not answer. Wen Su stared at him for several seconds before suddenly leaning in and reaching for Shen Junyu’s collar.

Shen Junyu was quick, grabbing Wen Su’s wrist just as his fingertips touched the white fabric of his robe. Their eyes met. Wen Su’s gaze was sharp. “I am not talking about the recent injury. You have an old wound, and you need a Great Power to heal you, do you not?”

Shen Junyu held Wen Su’s wrist firmly, looking at him with a helpless smile. After a moment of silence, he slowly shook his head. Meeting those eyes, Wen Su fell silent for a long time. Eventually, he twitched an eyebrow and withdrew his hand. “Fine, if you won’t say it, then forget it.”

Shen Junyu lowered his eyes and smoothed his collar with perfect composure. “I have told you. If you do not believe me, Brother Wen, there is nothing I can do.”

Wen Su closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, seemingly suppressing some emotion. Sometimes, even when he knew Shen Junyu was hiding things from him, he couldn’t bring himself to push further once he saw those eyes.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and spoke with rare seriousness. “But you must know that the Demon Realm’s capital is already filled with undercurrents. The struggle between the Demon Lords and the Sovereign is more complex than you think. For a mere Golden Core to try and make a name for yourself in such muddy waters is truly”

“I will become stronger,” Shen Junyu interrupted softly. “Today I am a Golden Core, but I will not remain one forever. If I did not have the confidence to protect myself, I would not take risks. I have always cherished my own life. Does that make sense, Brother Wen? Can you understand me?”

Wen Su remained silent. Just as Shen Junyu thought Wen Su might be disappointed in him, Wen Su spoke. “Fine. Since you have this determination, I will accompany you.”

Shen Junyu was utterly astonished. “Brother Wen? Truly, you don’t need to”

Wen Su glanced at him. “You are allowed to want to get stronger, but I am not allowed to want to make a name for myself?”

Shen Junyu was speechless. A warm current of gratitude welled up in his heart. Unable to find the words to express his feelings, he simply gazed at Wen Su with gentle eyes.

This time, it was Wen Su’s turn to feel embarrassed. After a moment, he turned his head and raised a hand to block Shen Junyu’s view, frowning. “Do not look at me like that. It is nauseating.”

Shen Junyu laughed softly and looked away as requested. Wen Su silently withdrew his hand and sat up straight. After a while, Shen Junyu turned back to him. “Brother Wen?”

Wen Su looked straight ahead. “What?”

“What did you think was the impure reason the Jiuyou Demon Lord sent the carriage?”

Wen Su paused for a moment. “Has the Jiuyou Demon Lord not already said it?”

“Hmm?”

“The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. With the Young Marquis’s personality, he deserved to be taught a lesson in public. Once he took a beating, he would know to back off, preventing him from shaming his father in the actual competition tomorrow.”

Shen Junyu thought about it and smiled. “It seems that truly was the case?”

“Yes,” Wen Su replied.

“Looking at it that way, this Jiuyou Demon Lord is a rare, warm-hearted man. It seems I have followed the right person?”

Wen Su’s lip twitched slightly. He did not answer.

Around 5:00 PM, Meng Xingyan finally returned to Mount Yuhuang with all the materials before sunset. Shen Junyu had already prepared the tools in the room. When Meng Xingyan appeared, Shen Junyu said, “You have returned just in time, Young Marquis. I have just finished my preparations.”

Meng Xingyan was exhausted after running about for half the day. He tossed his storage ring onto the table and said, “You prepare first. I am going to rest for a while.”

“Alright,” Shen Junyu smiled.

An hour later, as the sun set, Shen Junyu had finished all the preliminary work. He rolled up his sleeves and placed a large bowl on the table containing a multicolored liquid extracted from various spiritual herbs that radiated a steady spiritual light. After washing his wolf-hair brush, he had Wen Su wake Meng Xingyan.

Meng Xingyan was a bit reluctant to wake up. He rubbed his eyes as he walked over to Shen Junyu, glancing at the bowl of liquid. “I drink this, right?” he asked, reaching for the bowl.

Shen Junyu pulled his hand back, and Meng Xingyan grabbed nothing but air. Meng Xingyan glared at him, but Shen Junyu smiled. “This liquid is not for drinking.”

“Then what is it for?” Meng Xingyan frowned.

“Young Marquis, please undress.”

This time, even Wen Su looked puzzled. Meng Xingyan was startled at first, but then it clicked. “You are going to paint a spiritual array on my body?”

Shen Junyu nodded. “Exactly.”

Meng Xingyan had a decent understanding of spiritual arrays and felt this was a reliable method. He began to strip off his clothes with perfect composure. Beside them, Wen Su’s expression was subtle, but he remained silent. Finally, Meng Xingyan removed his outer robes, inner shirt, and undershirt, leaving only a thin pair of trousers. He flexed his well-defined arm muscles and looked at Shen Junyu with a hearty expression. “Let’s do it.”

Shen Junyu gestured. “Take off the trousers as well.”

“What?”

“Take them off.”

Meng Xingyan remained silent for a long time. Wen Su’s expression became even more bizarre, though he continued to restrain himself. Ultimately, Meng Xingyan had to remove his trousers, leaving only a small loincloth tied around his waist. He was much less hearty now, his face slightly flushed with embarrassment. He looked at Shen Junyu, who was stirring the liquid, and asked, “Do I need to take off more?”

Shen Junyu looked up, his gaze sweeping down. After a brief silence, he said, “Unless Qin Huaique has a hobby of attacking below the belt, that will not be necessary.”

Meng Xingyan shook his head quickly. “At his cultivation level, he definitely does not.”

“That is good then.”

Meng Xingyan breathed a silent sigh of relief. Throughout this process, Wen Su’s brow had been twitching repeatedly. Finally, just as Shen Junyu finished preparing the liquid and picked up the brush, Wen Su stepped forward.

“Is this array difficult to draw? Your injuries are not fully healed. Why don’t you tell me the pattern, and I will draw it?”