I Reborn on the Night I Divorced the Sword Deity, My Childhood Friend - Chapter 32

A remarkably gentle and indifferent voice, yet one saturated with boundless majesty, drifted down from the high heavens. It carried a sea-like pressure that profoundly shook the entirety of Phoenix-Bathing Mountain.

Upon hearing this voice, the gathered demonic cultivators were struck with horror. Not a single soul dared to move.

Only the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord’s expression remained grim. The power gathering in his palm did not falter; it seemed he was dead-set on striking Shen Junyu dead beneath his hand this very day.

In the next instant, a brilliant, dazzling bolt of black-gold demonic energy descended from the sky, exploding directly above the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord’s head.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord spat out fresh blood and was violently sent flying. His entire body was embedded deep into a distant mountain peak, and for a long while, there was no movement.

A deathly silence fell over the summit.

It was the Nine Nether Demon Lord who first retracted his dharma manifestation, slowly descending and bowing toward the sky. “Nine Nether pays respects to the Sovereign.”

The other Demon Sovereigns and Demon Lords snapped out of their daze, hurriedly bowing one after another.

Upon seeing that black-gold demonic energy, which was identical to his own, Shen Junyu felt his heart skip a beat. He realized then that Wen Su had not fully disclosed the unique nature of this energy to him before.

However, seeing the cultivators bowing, Shen Junyu forced down the metallic taste of blood in his throat. He pulled his hand away from his chest, composed himself, withdrew his sword, and bowed.

“No need for such formality. You may all rise. Today was meant to be a joyous day for Yunmeng. You should be drinking and making merry at your leisure. To come to blows over a trivial matter? Where is the decorum?”

The cultivators murmured their compliance.

Just then, amidst the distant mountain peaks, a spray of rubble exploded. A blood-stained figure struggled to crawl out from the debris. From within came the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord’s weak, hoarse voice, laced with thick indignation. “Sovereign, please discern the truth! This is no trivial matter. That Wen Yu is a spy for the human race! His real name is Shen Junyu, the Young Sect Leader of the Yuhang Sect, and he is a master of astral divination. He has wormed his way to the Ninth Brother’s side and is using that status to win over other Demon Sovereigns and Lords. He poses a significant threat to our Demonic Realm. I implore the Sovereign to investigate him thoroughly!”

As soon as these words left his mouth, the other Demon Lords and Sovereigns froze, then quickly began to chime in. Shen Junyu’s identity was indeed too suspicious, and the evidence was damning. There seemed to be no way to clear his name.

Seeing this, the Nine Nether Demon Lord felt a cold, murderous intent flicker in his eyes again. But what he never expected was the Sovereign’s response.

“Everything you have said, this Deity already knows. Is there anything else?”

The cultivators were stunned.

The Nine Nether Demon Lord’s expression also changed slightly.

Only Shen Junyu, standing in the distance with his sword held low, remained exceedingly calm. His white robes fluttered in the wind, and his expression was unreadable, as if he were not the one standing at the center of this storm.

His indifference, paired with the Demon Sovereign’s all-encompassing composure, suddenly filled the demonic cultivators with uncertainty.

Finally, the Sovereign continued. “However, you only know one side of the story. Wen Yu is indeed a spy, but he is a spy this Deity sent to go undercover among the humans, not a spy from the humans.”

The Demon Sovereign’s voice was extremely calm and unhurried. The moment these words were uttered, it was like a drop of water falling into a vat of boiling oil. Instantly, the atmosphere exploded.

The righteous indignation on the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord’s face completely shattered, replaced by a look of utter, unforeseen disbelief.

The Nine Nether Demon Lord’s cyan-gold pupils also constricted violently.

The rest of the crowd was in an uproar, completely dumbfounded.

After all, no one could have anticipated such a development. Wen Yu was actually an undercover agent sent by the Demon Sovereign? Who could believe such a thing?

Yet, when they recalled Wen Yu’s arrogant behavior and the black-gold demonic energy revealed today, they realized there had been clues all along. If he did not have someone backing him, and if that person was not the Demon Sovereign, how could he dare to be so brazen?

Thus, as soon as the Sovereign spoke, more than half of the cultivators believed him. Only a small fraction wondered if the Sovereign had deeper motives. After all, exposing an undercover agent so directly could easily cause upheaval in the Central Plains. Was the Sovereign playing a much larger game?

The cultivators had varying expressions, their hearts filled with speculation and hidden undercurrents.

Only Shen Junyu, standing with his sword in the distance, appeared calm and composed. In truth, his mind was racing, but his long, lowered eyelashes effectively concealed his turmoil.

Suddenly, the Demon Sovereign spoke again, his voice carrying a hint of chilling coldness.

“Heavenly Desolation, though your investigation of Wen Yu was well-intentioned, you have directly disrupted this Deity’s plans. What is your crime?”

The Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord never expected this twist. He had never imagined the Sovereign would lie publicly over such a matter. He broke into a cold sweat and immediately staggered forward to kneel again. “Sovereign, please discern! This subordinate truly did not know this was your arrangement. I beg the Sovereign to forgive my ignorance!”

The Demon Sovereign replied, “This Deity will not bicker over such trifles. However, your repeated attempts to kill Wen Yu have likely disheartened him. You should seek his forgiveness.”

The Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord’s pupils shook. He never expected the Sovereign to handle things this way, but since the Sovereign had put it in those terms, he had no choice but to comply. This was not truly for Wen Yu’s sake, but to prove to everyone that he had not intentionally sabotaged the Sovereign’s plans, but was acting out of loyalty.

Therefore, despite the immense reluctance in his heart, the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord eventually transformed into a streak of light and landed in front of Shen Junyu. He dropped to one knee and, with a wooden expression, cupped his hands. “This was my recklessness. I have offended young friend Wen. I ask for your forgiveness.”

Looking at the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord, who was forcing an air of respect while murderous intent practically overflowed from his eyes, Shen Junyu actually became even calmer.

Whatever the Demon Sovereign’s goal was, as long as he did not intend to kill him now, there was still room to maneuver.

Thinking this, he showed no fear. He gazed clearly at the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord and said indifferently, “Since the Demon Lord’s actions were indeed an unintentional mistake, I naturally will not take it to heart. Please, rise.”

Facing a kneel from the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord, Shen Junyu was so composed that even the habitually suspicious Demon Lord began to truly believe in his identity as the undercover strategist.

Moreover, with the Demon Sovereign present and everyone watching, he could only swallow this bitter pill. He rose without a word and spoke no more of the matter.

The other Demon Sovereigns and Lords tactfully remained silent. After all, they had intended to use Wen Yu’s spy status to rightfully kill him and put the Nine Nether Demon Lord in his place, never expecting the Demon Sovereign to be the one behind him.

Even though they had lost the wife and the soldiers, meaning they failed on all fronts, they could only suppress their frustration.

At this moment, the Demon Sovereign spoke up at the right time. “Now that the misunderstanding is resolved, this Deity shall not linger. Carry on as you please.”

The moment the words fell, the heavy pressure lingering in the air suddenly dissipated. The cultivators froze for a moment, then let out a collective breath of relief.

After a brief silence, the atmosphere, which had been at a breaking point just moments ago, became strangely harmonious. Several Demon Sovereigns and Lords shifted their gaze and, with a hollow laugh, stepped forward to try and get close to Shen Junyu.

Unexpectedly, the Nine Nether Demon Lord flicked his sleeve, releasing a wave of pressure that subtly blocked them.

He then looked at Shen Junyu and said coldly, “After such a scene, are you still not leaving?”

His voice carried a hint of hidden anger, though it was unclear if it was directed at Shen Junyu or something else.

Shen Junyu silently cupped his hands. “Yes.”

As soon as the Nine Nether Demon Lord spoke, the others could only sigh and watch, not daring to step forward. If they guessed correctly, the Demon Sovereign’s move indicated he intended to support the factions of the Nine Nether and Heavenly Eye Demon Lords. They could not help but regret their earlier impulsiveness in siding with the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord.

Now, trying to win back favor would be doubly difficult.

They could only watch as the Nine Nether Demon Lord led Shen Junyu back to his palanquin to leave the arena.

Meng Xingyan had been watching the whole time without speaking.

Now that the palanquin had departed, he shifted his gaze and suddenly gave a smug smile, looking at the Heavenly Eye Demon Lord. “Father, do you think your son is a fool with fool’s luck?”

The Heavenly Eye Demon Lord frowned slightly and glanced at him. “Mind your words.”

Meng Xingyan immediately fell silent.

But as the Heavenly Eye Demon Lord watched the direction the palanquin took, he fell into a strange contemplation. The Demon Sovereign’s actions were indeed unconventional, but today’s events were bizarre in every respect.

If he only wanted to save someone, he could have just suppressed Heavenly Desolation’s move and framed him for slandering Nine Nether. Why bother exposing Wen Yu’s identity as a human undercover agent?

It did not fit the Sovereign’s usual airtight style. What was the deeper meaning here?

Could it be that the Sovereign had truly mastered his cultivation technique?

It was simply impossible to fathom.

Inside the Nine Nether Demon Lord’s palanquin.

Once they were clear of the summit, a cold flash of anger finally appeared on the Nine Nether Demon Lord’s flawless face. He looked sharply at Shen Junyu and said coldly, “I did not expect you to be my Brother’s man. You kept me in the dark for so long. Have you nothing to say?”

Shen Junyu went silent for a moment. Just as he was about to speak, the suppressed blood in his chest suddenly surged up.

He could no longer hold it back. His face turned deathly pale, and he gripped the armrest of the seat, leaning forward to cough up a mouthful of blood.

As luck would have it, the blood splattered onto the hem of the Nine Nether Demon Lord’s opulent robes.

With the backlash of his injuries flooding through him, Shen Junyu lacked the strength to explain. His slender fingers gripped the armrest so hard that the veins on the back of his hand stood out. Cold sweat poured down his forehead. Catching a glimpse of the blood-stained hem out of the corner of his eye, he silently closed his eyes, lamenting his terrible luck. Today, even drinking cold water would get stuck in his teeth.

Unexpectedly, in the next moment, someone gripped his shoulder, steadying his sliding body.

At the same time, an incredibly thick stream of demonic energy poured into him from the palm resting on his shoulder.

Shen Junyu’s long lashes fluttered. He looked up in surprise and met the Nine Nether Demon Lord’s cyan-gold eyes, which were filled with anger yet hid a deep sense of concern and anxiety.

Meeting those eyes, Shen Junyu’s heart skipped a beat, feeling a vague sense of familiarity.

However, the Nine Nether Demon Lord only looked at him for a second before withdrawing his gaze. With a still-chilly expression, he helped him sit properly.

Shen Junyu finally recovered slightly. Before he could even wipe the sweat from his eyelashes, he rasped, “Thank you for your understanding, Demon Lord.”

The Nine Nether Demon Lord said indifferently, “You are my Brother’s man. I cannot let you die in my palanquin.”

Shen Junyu remained silent.

The Nine Nether Demon Lord also fell quiet, but the anger hidden in his eyes suggested he was far from appeased.

After a long while, Shen Junyu spoke again. “No matter what the Demon Lord thinks of me, when I first offered to be your strategist, it was out of pure admiration. I had no ulterior motives, and it had nothing to do with the Sovereign. I ask the Demon Lord to see the truth.”

The Nine Nether Demon Lord finally looked at him again, his gaze deep and cold.

At this moment, he had many questions for Shen Junyu.

He wanted to ask: You worked so hard to make a name for yourself in the Demonic Realm and finally got ahead, only to nearly be killed today. Do you regret it?

He wanted to ask: Even if the Sovereign’s goal is unclear, you have been pulled into a massive game and cannot escape in the short term. Is this what you wanted?

Most of all, he wanted to ask: If you had truly died today, have you thought about how your Brother Wen would have dealt with that news?

But none of these three questions could be asked in his current identity.

He could only use Shen Junyu’s betrayal as an excuse to vent his anger.

Yet, how could that be enough?

Shen Junyu, unaware of the Demon Lord’s thoughts, struggled to stay upright, but his vision was beginning to darken again.

But sensing the cold, angry aura emanating from the man before him, he forced himself to endure.

Suddenly, the Nine Nether Demon Lord reached out and gripped Shen Junyu’s shoulder again, lunging toward him.

In an instant, the cyan-gold light of the black robes flashed before Shen Junyu’s eyes, and a familiar scent of a hundred flowers faintly lingered. The next second, the Nine Nether Demon Lord’s handsome face was almost pressed against Shen Junyu’s temple.

Shen Junyu’s heart leaped.

A warm breath brushed his ear, and a deep, magnetic voice spoke, though the words were cold and devoid of emotion.

“I shall believe your words for now. But in the future, if you ever dare to betray me, the consequences…”

He did not finish the sentence, but his slender fingers tightened on Shen Junyu’s shoulder, as if he were full of hate.

Yet, curiously, even so, he did not use his overwhelming pressure.

Shen Junyu’s thoughts raced, but he could not understand the intense emotion suddenly erupting from the Nine Nether Demon Lord.

After a long while, he lowered his eyes. “Wen Yu shall follow the Demon Lord’s teachings.”

The faint scent of flowers finally pulled away.

Shen Junyu breathed a small sigh of relief as his vision blurred again. He could only lower his head and hold on.

He did not know that a pair of deep, narrow cyan-gold eyes were quietly watching his every change, wavering several times but ultimately holding back.

The palanquin stopped.

Rarely, the Nine Nether Demon Lord did not bring Shen Junyu to his own palace but let him leave on his own.

Shen Junyu speculated that the Demon Lord was disappointed in him, and a faint sense of melancholy rose in his heart.

But he quickly suppressed it, for he had only one thought now. He needed to find Wen Su.

Fortunately, when he returned to the side hall, Wen Su was still there.

Seeing Wen Su, Shen Junyu did not care about his unhealed injuries or Wen Su’s current expression of extreme restraint.

He first looked around to ensure no one was spying, then reached out to grip Wen Su’s shoulder and pushed him into the side hall.

Once the doors and windows were shut, Shen Junyu turned back. Forcing down the blood in his throat, he looked steadily at Wen Su. “Brother Wen, you said you had a sworn brother in the Demonic Realm. Is his residence far from Phoenix-Bathing Mountain?”

Wen Su had not expected this to be his first question. After a moment of silence, he said calmly, “I do not know where he is currently. Is something wrong?”

Before he could finish, Shen Junyu took off his storage ring and pressed it into Wen Su’s hand. Looking at him with extreme seriousness, he rasped, “I encountered some difficult situations today. I fear people have started looking into our backgrounds. I am not afraid for myself, but I cannot let you be dragged down by me. If you have somewhere to go, Brother Wen, that would be best. If not, it is best you leave Phoenix-Bathing Mountain as soon as possible, otherwise…”

“Why should I leave?” Wen Su interrupted.

Shen Junyu was surprised. “Brother Wen?”

Wen Su suddenly stepped closer, pinning Shen Junyu against a nearby pillar. He looked down, his gaze dark. “In your heart, am I someone who can only share in the good times but not the bad?”

With his back against the hard, cold pillar and meeting Wen Su’s gaze, Shen Junyu froze. A faint warmth inexplicably surged in his heart.

Coming back to his senses, he gave a low sigh and advised, “Brother Wen, that’s not what I meant. I just feel that if you leave, I can have peace of mind. These matters started because of me; I should not involve you.”

“I have already heard about what happened. I do not consider this being involved,” Wen Su said calmly, cutting him off.

Shen Junyu was shocked. He had not expected Wen Su to find out so quickly.

For a moment, he did not know what to say.

Then, Wen Su tightened his grip on Shen Junyu’s shoulders, gazing at his pale, clear face. “You keep saying this is for my own good, but have you thought about it? If I were to leave you alone, how much guilt would I feel the moment I heard something happened to you? If I were afraid of danger, I would have abandoned you the moment you went to Meng Xingyan. But I did not. I want you to understand that I have followed you all this time not for profit or benefit. I did it only for…”

At this point, Wen Su suddenly bit his lip and stopped. He spoke no more, only looking at Shen Junyu with a gaze that was both burning and utterly candid.

As their eyes met, Shen Junyu was stunned.

He vaguely sensed what the rest of that sentence might have been, but then thought he might be overthinking.

Regardless, he did not want Wen Su to be this upset because of him.

Shen Junyu’s lips moved slightly. He still wanted to explain.

But before he could say anything, another surge of blood rose in his chest. He could not hold it in any longer, furrowing his brows and coughing violently. Specks of blood stained his lips and fell onto his snow-white clothes.

聞宿 saw this, and his brow twitched violently. Casting everything else aside, he reached out with a heavy gaze and scooped Shen Junyu up, carrying him toward the nearby soft couch without a word.

With his blood roiling, Shen Junyu could not quite react. Furthermore, since it was Wen Su, he felt no urge to push him away, simply leaning against Wen Su’s shoulder and coughing quietly.

Otherwise, he would never have exposed his most vulnerable state so easily to anyone else.

Sitting on the couch, Wen Su held Shen Junyu’s hand, channeling demonic energy into him, while watching him with an expression Shen Junyu could not quite decipher.

Under that gaze, and thinking back on Wen Su’s words, the clouds of doubt in Shen Junyu’s heart grew thicker. Yet, he did not dare assume anything, so he simply studied the Wen Su before him, so familiar, yet somehow a stranger.

He tried to see something different in Wen Su’s eyes.

Ultimately, Wen Su was the first to look away.

He then took the storage ring Shen Junyu had given him, reached for Shen Junyu’s slender white hand, and carefully slid it back on.

That intensely focused look made Shen Junyu dazed for a moment.

Once the ring was back in place, Wen Su finally regained his composure. The burning emotion in his eyes had faded, replaced by a thick, unreadable depth.

He looked up calmly into Shen Junyu’s beautiful glazed eyes. “I am not afraid of being involved by you. So, in the future, do not make decisions on my behalf.”

Shen Junyu looked at Wen Su’s eyes, then down at the ring on his ring finger. His fingertips trembled. Finally, the suspicion hidden in the deepest part of his heart began to sprout.

Since he had recognized Meng Xingyan’s advances at a glance, how could he lie to himself and ignore Wen Su’s many focused, deep gazes?

Shen Junyu did not consider himself a conservative or pedantic person. Even after experiencing that catastrophic century in his previous life, he still believed it was a matter of being forced by circumstances. He had no choice then, and he had chosen poorly.

But that did not mean that in this new life, he had to lock his heart away.

However, at this very moment, aside from Wen Su himself not being wrong, everything else was.

The place, the time, and the future, all of it was wrong.

After an unknown amount of time, while Shen Junyu still did not know how to speak, Wen Su suddenly reached out and brushed a hand against his temple, making him look at him.

Feeling the slight coolness at his temple, Shen Junyu instinctively looked up.

Their eyes met.

In Wen Su’s dark, deep eyes was an unprecedented honesty.

He gazed at Shen Junyu and said, “You are a smart person. I think there are some things I do not need to say out loud.”

Shen Junyu’s gaze trembled slightly.

“But what I want to say right now is not that.”

As Wen Su spoke, his finger gently tucked a stray hair behind Shen Junyu’s ear. His expression was calm but absolutely certain. “I only want to say that from the moment we met until now, I have never forced you to do anything you did not want to do. So, at this time, do not make me do something I do not want to do. Alright?”

How could Shen Junyu say no?

He could not say it; the words would not come.

He could only sigh quietly in his heart and say in a low, steady voice, “Alright.”

Finally, Wen Su gave a faint smile, and the storms gathering in his eyes vanished in an instant.

Faced with Wen Su’s candid and bright smile, Shen Junyu felt a bit awkward.

After a moment of silence, he coughed softly and said, “I am thirsty.”

Wen Su had received the answer he wanted. He saw through the deflection but did not call it out. He returned to being the patient Wen Su, whispered a soft alright, and stood up to pour tea.

Once Wen Su walked away, Shen Junyu watched his back.

As he watched Wen Su pour the tea, Shen Junyu’s glazed eyes were very calm, carrying a hint of relief mixed with a faint sadness.

Wen Su understood their current situation; keeping things in a state of mutual, unspoken understanding was indeed best.

Yet, this made him feel a bit guilty.

Because he himself did not know if he could ever give Wen Su the answer he wanted.

Suddenly, a loud celebratory commotion erupted outside. Shen Junyu heard it from a distance and, having an idea of what it was, stopped his brooding and instinctively tried to get up to look.

Wen Su, returning with the tea, immediately stepped forward and pressed on his shoulder. “Do not move. I will go check.”

Shen Junyu stayed put.

Wen Su gave him a look, then handed him the teacup. As Shen Junyu took it, Wen Su went out to gather news.

Before Shen Junyu had even finished half a cup, Wen Su returned.

He looked at Shen Junyu. “It is Meng Xingyan who has won the top spot. Cloud-Coming Palace is celebrating.”

Hearing this news, Shen Junyu’s spirits lifted, and his expression brightened considerably.

At a time like this, this was rare good news.

There were eight Demon Lords in the Demonic Realm. Previously, most had been swayed by the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord, while the other three went their separate ways, leading to Heavenly Desolation’s dominance.

Now, after this martial arts tournament for marriage, the Nine Nether, Heavenly Eye, and Yunmeng Demon Lords had clearly formed an alliance, with the secret support of the Demon Sovereign.

Compared to the situation in his previous life, this was much better.

The upheaval of the Demonic Realm should be delayed.

Seeing Shen Junyu’s expression, Wen Su pondered for a moment, walked over, and said, “Is Meng Xingyan winning really something to be that happy about?”

Shen Junyu looked at Wen Su, sensing the slight, inexplicable bitterness in his words. He suddenly gave a faint smile. “I thought you would be happier than me to see the Young Marquis win the beauty’s hand.”

Wen Su?

But after looking at the faint smile in Shen Junyu’s clear eyes for a moment, and recalling his own earlier wariness toward Meng Xingyan, Wen Su suddenly understood everything.

After a long silence, he said with an unreadable expression, “So, you were already laughing at me back then?”

Shen Junyu looked at Wen Su and slowly shook his head, his expression honest. “At that time, I truly did not know your heart. I simply thought you did not approve of the Young Marquis’s character.”

Wen Su stared at him for a while, an eyebrow arching. “You had better truly not have known.”

After a while, Shen Junyu let out a helpless, faint sigh, deciding not to argue over this point with Wen Su.

He looked out the door, thought for a moment, and then coughed softly. “Brother Wen, in a moment, could you take a letter to the Young Marquis for me? And please thank him in person on my behalf.”

Wen Su frowned. “Your injuries are not healed yet; why are you starting on things again so soon?”

Shen Junyu did not speak, only looking at him quietly.

Ultimately, Wen Su lost yet again to those beautiful eyes and said, “Fine. Prepare the letter; I will deliver it in a bit.”

Shen Junyu smiled slightly. “Alright.”