I Reborn on the Night I Divorced the Sword Deity, My Childhood Friend - Chapter 36

Yuan Muzhou had never expected Lord Jiuyou to be so blunt and direct. For a moment, he fell into a stunned silence. Once he regained his composure, he replied in a heavy voice, “So what if I am? I cast an extra glance at him only because he bears a slight resemblance to my missing fiancé. Lately, I have been desperate in my search, which led to my moment of suspicion. It has nothing to do with your Daoist partner himself.”

“If your eyes are useless, you might as well gouge them out,” Lord Jiuyou interrupted indifferently.

He turned his gaze back, facing Yuan Muzhou’s chillingly sharp expression, and let out a faint, mocking laugh. “Everyone knows that Young Sect Master Yuan became entangled with his fiancé’s younger brother back in the secret realm. Not only did you lose your fiancé, but now you cannot help but try to claim someone else’s partner as your own. Whether this is deep devotion or mere philandering is truly hard to say.”

Yuan Muzhou remained speechless. His patience finally reached its breaking point. He raised his hand, summoned his longsword, and unleashed a powerful strike toward Lord Jiuyou.

The sword light was as frigid as frost, transforming into a silver rainbow that pierced the sky. It surged toward Lord Jiuyou and Shen Junyu with dazzling brilliance, carrying a majestic force that seemed to freeze the surrounding space. However, the opponent Yuan Muzhou faced today was Lord Jiuyou. Seeing the incoming sword energy, Lord Jiuyou merely quirked an eyebrow and remarked with disdain, “Flashy but hollow.”

He raised a hand and, with a flick of his finger, shattered the descending sword energy. With a soft chime, a powerful pressure erupted in all directions. The sword energy burst into countless sharp, glowing fragments that scattered through the air, raining down toward the tower ship.

Yuan Muzhou was startled. Only now did he realize that Lord Jiuyou’s cultivation level was far beyond simple. He hurriedly brushed his sleeve to block the shards and stabilize the ship. Yet, the vast space was already filled with the lethal debris. Several shards rebounded onto Yuan Muzhou, grazing his skin and leaving ragged, bloody streaks across his face.

In contrast, Lord Jiuyou had calmly manifested a barrier over himself and Shen Junyu, effortlessly deflecting the scattered energy. He watched Yuan Muzhou’s struggle from a distance with composure.

After much effort, Yuan Muzhou finally stabilized the tower ship. Realizing the weight of Lord Jiuyou’s identity, he suppressed his fury and spoke coldly, “I do not know which senior wishes to mock me so intentionally. If I or the Sword Sect have offended you in the past, I am willing to offer an apology. However, I ask that the senior does not use his superior power to oppress others.”

Lord Jiuyou’s expression shifted. At the mention of the phrase “oppressing others,” a piercingly cold and sharp killing intent suddenly emanated from him. The intent was so raw and direct that Yuan Muzhou felt it even from across the distance. In an instant, the hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he gripped his sword with all his strength.

At that moment, Shen Junyu, who had remained silent, reached out and touched Lord Jiuyou’s sleeve. He sent a silent telepathic message: “My Lord, this is the Central Province after all. It is better to avoid unnecessary trouble. We are not far from the Sword Sect. Killing him is a small matter, but if it draws the attention of other powerful masters, it may become difficult to manage.”

After a moment of silence, the killing intent surrounding Lord Jiuyou gradually dissipated. Ignoring Yuan Muzhou’s look of surprise and suspicion, he said indifferently, “Put away that hypocritical face of yours and get lost.”

Yuan Muzhou was left speechless. Despite the immense resentment in his heart, he lacked the power to challenge a master of the Void Refinement stage. After a brief silence, his face turned ice-cold. Without a word, he steered the damaged tower ship toward the Sword Sect. Lord Jiuyou watched the retreating ship, the cold murderous intent in his eyes never fully fading.

Suddenly, Shen Junyu looked at him and asked, “Was the Lord venting his anger on behalf of Brother Wen just now?”

Lord Jiuyou snapped back to reality and frowned. “What does this have to do with him?”

Shen Junyu gave a slight, knowing smile. “I do not think I have enough influence to make the Lord stand up for me. Nevertheless, I thank you for your help.”

Lord Jiuyou remained silent for a long while before saying softly, “There are many things you do not realize.”

Shen Junyu looked puzzled. However, reclaiming the Soul Lamp was the priority. Not wishing to dwell on the matter of Yuan Muzhou, he said, “Since the uninvited guest has left, should we also depart?”

Hearing Shen Junyu refer to Yuan Muzhou as an “uninvited guest,” a faint smile played in Lord Jiuyou’s eyes. He let the matter drop and said, “Let us go.”

Shen Junyu did not move.

“What is it?” Lord Jiuyou asked.

Shen Junyu discreetly glanced at Lord Jiuyou’s hand, which was still resting around his waist. Under his gaze, Lord Jiuyou’s long, slender fingers twitched instinctively. After a brief silence, he kept his hand firmly in place and said matter-of-factly, “Your sword is too narrow and small; I am not used to standing on it. Let it be for now. Surely you do not think I am trying to take advantage of you?”

Shen Junyu was rendered speechless. He chose not to nitpick over such minor details and simply said, “Then, My Lord.”

“You were about to say it again, and yet you did not change your address.”

Shen Junyu had no choice but to correct himself. “Brother, stand firm. We are departing.”

“Good,” Lord Jiuyou replied. As he spoke, his warm hand naturally tightened its grip around Shen Junyu’s waist.

Shen Junyu felt a subtle flicker of emotion but ignored it, steering the sword toward the Yuheng Sect.

In the distance, on the tower ship, Yuan Muzhou accelerated until he was out of sight of Lord Jiuyou and Shen Junyu before slowing down. He was deeply shaken, his mood somber and heavy. He no longer wished to return to the Sword Sect so quickly. Recalling Lord Jiuyou’s mockery, his expression turned frigid. Unable to vent his frustration, he struck the railing of the ship’s bow. With a muffled thud, the railing shattered and plummeted into the mist.

As he watched the debris fall, Lord Jiuyou’s arrogant taunts continued to echo in his mind. The more he thought, the more suffocating his anger became. But just as he was about to give in to his murderous impulses, a tiny fragment of a memory flashed through his mind.

During the confrontation, the hand of the white-clad man held by the man in black seemed familiar. Though beautiful and slender, the pinky finger did not reach the third joint. Years ago, many sword masters had looked at that hand and concluded that the boy was not suited for the sword, though his talent was so great that he could achieve success in any other path. At that time, the owner of that hand had said five words: “I do not believe in these.”

Later, he indeed became a young genius who could stand as an equal beside Yuan Muzhou. And the owner of that hand was Shen Junyu. At this realization, Yuan Muzhou’s pupils contracted. A flood of memories surged forth. Disregarding everything else, he immediately retrieved Shen Junyu’s Soul Lamp from his storage ring. With trembling hands, he activated it.

The Soul Lamp instantly flared with light. Simultaneously, a golden thread drifted out from the flame, pointing directly in one direction. It was the exact direction where Lord Jiuyou and Shen Junyu had gone. A tidal wave of emotion overwhelmed him. Yuan Muzhou turned his gaze toward the misty horizon, and his dark eyes were tinged with red. It was truly him.

The moment Yuan Muzhou activated the Soul Lamp, Shen Junyu felt it. While steering the sword, his mind suffered a sudden shock. His body swayed, and he struggled to balance the sword to keep them from falling. Lord Jiuyou immediately supported Shen Junyu’s shoulder, using demonic energy to stabilize his form. “What happened?” he asked deeply.

Shen Junyu did not answer immediately. Instead, he spun around to look back at the direction where the tower ship had disappeared. He realized that the path led from the Yuheng Sect to the Sword Sect. His Soul Lamp was with Yuan Muzhou. No wonder he had felt a lingering sense of unease earlier. He had initially thought it was due to Lord Jiuyou’s provocative words, but now he knew it was the Soul Lamp.

Shen Junyu did not hesitate. He turned to Lord Jiuyou and said, “My Soul Lamp is with Yuan Muzhou. He just activated it.”

Lord Jiuyou looked surprised. Before he could respond, Shen Junyu attempted to turn the sword back. However, as soon as he moved, the hand around his waist tightened. With a sweep of his long sleeve, Lord Jiuyou took Shen Junyu and rose into the air, chasing after the direction of Yuan Muzhou’s departure. Yuan Muzhou was also steering the tower ship back toward them.

Half an hour later, the three met again. Or rather, it was no longer just the three of them. Behind Yuan Muzhou stood three elders of the Sword Sect, all at the Void Refinement stage. Looking at Lord Jiuyou and Shen Junyu from afar, Yuan Muzhou said firmly, “Elders, this is the demon cultivator who took Junyu away. Please, kill him.”

The three elders nodded and immediately manifested a sword array, striking toward Lord Jiuyou and Shen Junyu. To them, a single demon cultivator at the Void Refinement stage was nothing against the three of them. Seeing the three elders ascending, Lord Jiuyou and Shen Junyu shared a brief look. In that instant, their minds were perfectly aligned.

With a flick of his sleeve, Lord Jiuyou sent Shen Junyu soaring upward. Shen Junyu drew his sword and struck at Yuan Muzhou, while Lord Jiuyou’s gaze turned cold. He unleashed a magnificent wave of demonic energy, blocking the path of the three elders.

The situation was instantly reversed. Lord Jiuyou and Shen Junyu shifted from the defensive to the offensive. Seeing Shen Junyu draw his sword against him without hesitation, Yuan Muzhou felt a pang of pain in his heart. But he quickly steeled his expression and drew his own sword to parry the attack.

However, Shen Junyu’s strike was a feint. Just as Yuan Muzhou prepared to block, Shen Junyu pivoted sharply, swinging his blade to cleave through the mast and rudder of the tower ship. Cables and the mast crashed down, and the rudder exploded into fragments under the sharp sword energy. The tower ship lost all structural support and shuddered violently before plunging downward.

Standing on the deck, Yuan Muzhou suddenly lost his footing and fell uncontrollably. His first instinct was to stabilize his descent, but this caused his counter-strike to be slow and off-target. His sword energy swept harmlessly across the falling wreckage. Shen Junyu evaded it easily and unleashed another strike. Before Yuan Muzhou could fully regain his balance, the sword energy pierced through his left shoulder, sending him flying.

A piercing pain shot through him. Yuan Muzhou let out a muffled groan as his body crashed into a nearby mountain. As he moved to rise, a sharp, brilliant golden blade was already pressed against his chest, piercing his clothes and drawing a trickle of blood. The atmosphere froze. Yuan Muzhou hung in the air, staring in disbelief at the person before him. The reflection from the Phoenix Feather Sword cast a light into Shen Junyu’s clear eyes, which held nothing but indifference.

“Give the Soul Lamp to me,” Shen Junyu said.

Yuan Muzhou’s Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily. At that moment, the Phoenix Feather Sword pierced deeper, causing his blood to flow even more profusely.

In the distant sky, demonic light erupted as Lord Jiuyou traded blows with the three Void Refinement stage elders, yet he still found the clarity to glance back at the situation here.

Shen Junyu repeated in a heavy, commanding voice, “I do not wish to kill you. Give the Soul Lamp to me.”

Yuan Muzhou finally snapped back to reality. For a long time, he stared directly at the indifferent, unfamiliar, and plain face before him; his gaze, filled with disappointment and pain, seemed as if it wanted to see right through Shen Junyu.

Finally, he spoke in a raspy voice, “Junyu, must the two of us truly come to this? Do you truly hold no regard at all for our past affection?”

Shen Junyu looked at the pain and disappointment on Yuan Muzhou’s face as if he were looking at a complete stranger.

He thought to himself: Past affection? For Yuan Muzhou to talk to him about past affection—how laughable.

It was for the sake of this “past affection” that in his previous life, Yuan Muzhou had dragged him along so relentlessly, refusing to let him go even after the love had died. It was because of this “past affection” that Yuan Muzhou thought to wait until Shen Junyu’s lifespan was utterly exhausted before flying off to be with Shen Siyuan.

As soon as these thoughts surfaced, they utterly severed the last lingering thread of kindness in Shen Junyu’s heart.

Shen Junyu tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. Without a shred of hesitation left, he lunged forward with a sudden thrust.

Just as the blade was about to transfix Yuan Muzhou, a shocking and vast pressure suddenly erupted from his body, crashing toward Shen Junyu with a roar!

It was a life-saving sword intent bestowed upon Yuan Muzhou by the Sword Sovereign. A supreme sword intent from a Great Enlightenment stage cultivator!

Shen Junyu’s expression shifted instantly. He retracted his sword and retreated mid-air.

Lord Jiuyou, who had been monitoring the situation, saw his face change drastically at the sight of this Sovereign sword intent. Ignoring the three elders, he flew forward and intercepted the sword intent head-on with a single palm!

Light and shadow oscillated; heaven and earth shook.

Lord Jiuyou’s face turned slightly pale, and a thin line of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. Shen Junyu, caught in the aftershock, was slammed into a nearby mountain and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Seeing Lord Jiuyou injured, the three elders behind him were momentarily stunned. That was the Sword Sovereign’s life-saving sword intent—even they wouldn’t dare take it head-on. This demon cultivator had intercepted it and only suffered minor injuries; just what was his background?! Could he be one of those prominent figures?

While they were paralyzed by shock and suspicion, Lord Jiuyou had already recovered. He looked grimly at Yuan Muzhou, who was preparing to flee on the wind, and suddenly pointed a finger of demonic energy into the void.

A shrill scream rang out.

Yuan Muzhou plummeted from the sky.

With an indifferent wave of his hand, Lord Jiuyou recalled a streak of demonic energy. Now, resting in his palm was a blood-drenched finger, adorned with a storage ring.

Seeing this from a distance, Shen Junyu struggled to stand. However, Lord Jiuyou had already swept over to his side. With a flick of his sleeve, he pulled Shen Junyu into his embrace and transformed into a streak of bluish-gold demonic light, soaring away into the horizon.

The moment they saw that dazzling bluish-gold demonic light, the three elders finally realized the truth. Their faces paled.

“It is Lord Jiuyou, Wen Shuo! The head of the eight Demon Lords! Why would he come to the human realm? Quickly, go back and inform the Sword Sovereign!”

“Wait, the Young Sect Master is injured; we must save him first.”

While they were in a state of chaos, a figure in black formal robes came flying unsteadily out of the clouds and mist at the base of the mountain. Yuan Muzhou’s hair was disheveled, his face pale, and he was missing a finger on his left hand, the wound still dripping blood. He looked extremely wretched, but the emotion simmering in his narrow phoenix eyes was indescribably dark and terrifying.

Seeing his state, the three elders fell silent.

Yuan Muzhou glanced at them, his expression indifferent. “I am fine. It is just a finger; it can be reattached. Send a message back to the sect; tell them to hunt down that demon cultivator immediately.”

As he spoke, Yuan Muzhou extracted three drops of blood from the severed stump, consecrated them, and handed them over.

The elders hesitated. “Does the Young Sect Master want us to find someone with matching blood to reattach the finger for you?”

Yuan Muzhou’s gaze was icy as he slowly shook his head. “I left a blood seal of mine within Junyu’s Soul Lamp. As long as the Soul Lamp remains by his side, he can be found. I do not care what happens to that demon cultivator, but I want Junyu alive.”

Hearing the hint of obsession and madness in Yuan Muzhou’s voice, the three elders felt a slight chill in their hearts. Yet, they chimed in with praise. “The Young Sect Master is indeed farsighted. By leaving this blood seal, they won’t be able to hide even if they run to the ends of the earth.”

Yuan Muzhou did not speak. A faint coldness filled his heart.

He hadn’t wanted it to be this way; his original intent in leaving the blood seal was simply because he didn’t want to lose Shen Junyu again. But this blind demon cultivator, Lord Jiuyou, had to interfere and ruin his plans.

Fortunately, they were still in the Central Province. As long as they remained here, there was no place the Sword Sect’s influence could not reach. Sooner or later, he would bring him back. He could not stand by and watch Shen Junyu go astray.

Lord Jiuyou sped away with Shen Junyu in tow, only slowing down once they had completely left the Sword Sect’s sphere of influence. Finding a secluded cave on a barren mountain, Lord Jiuyou set Shen Junyu down. With a wave of his sleeve, he placed a sealing ward at the cave entrance. He then pressed his hand against the stone wall, lowered his head, and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The blood was bluish-gold, with faint glimmers of sword intent flickering within it. Clearly, the Sword Sovereign’s strike contained the principles of the Great Dao, damaging Lord Jiuyou’s foundation.

Seeing the pool of blood, Shen Junyu’s heart tightened. Before he could say anything, Lord Jiuyou walked to a corner and sat cross-legged. Demonic energy began to steam from his body; he was clearly starting to heal his injuries.

Shen Junyu was also injured, but he had only been hit by the aftershocks, causing minor internal damage to his organs—nothing as severe as Lord Jiuyou’s condition. Thus, he steadied his mind and walked over to the pool of blood Lord Jiuyou had coughed up, examining it intently.

Inside the blood, the sword intent was still surging and churning with a piercing momentum. One could only imagine the agony of the person struck by such energy. Shen Junyu’s heart grew heavy.

Fortunately, in his previous life, he had thoroughly studied nearly all the techniques of the Sword Sect. He used to think such knowledge was useless. Now, it had finally found its purpose.

With that thought, Shen Junyu walked up to Lord Jiuyou, placed a hand on his shoulder, and whispered, “My Lord, can you hear me?”

Lord Jiuyou’s long lashes fluttered as he silently opened his eyes. Their gazes met, and Lord Jiuyou’s eyes fell upon Shen Junyu’s clear, elegant face so close to his own.

After a moment of silence, though his face was pale, his tone remained as provocative as ever. “Rest assured, I won’t die just yet. Don’t be in such a hurry to turn against me.”

Shen Junyu paused for a moment and gave a faint smile. “Seeing that the Lord still has the heart to joke, I am relieved.”

Catching the hidden sliver of a smile in Shen Junyu’s glass-like eyes, Lord Jiuyou couldn’t help but give a slight smirk, even while enduring the torment of the Sword Sovereign’s intent.

Then, he took out the blood-stained storage ring and handed it to Shen Junyu. “I checked with my spiritual sense earlier; that boy only had this one ring. The Soul Lamp must be inside. Take it out and merge with it.”

Having spoken a few extra words, Lord Jiuyou’s slender brows involuntarily furrowed, revealing a flash of pain.

Seeing Lord Jiuyou in such a state, Shen Junyu was in no rush to take the ring. He quickly grabbed his hand and sent a strand of very gentle demonic energy into him. As the energy entered his body, it actually neutralized a bit of the sword intent within Lord Jiuyou.

Lord Jiuyou, who had been enduring the pain, looked up in doubt. Shen Junyu remained composed, simply looking at him with clear eyes. “Yuan Muzhou once let me see some of the Sword Sect’s techniques. I have some understanding of this sword intent.”

At the mention of Yuan Muzhou’s name, Lord Jiuyou’s eyes darkened slightly. “Don’t bring up that unlucky thing.”

Shen Junyu startled for a moment, then replied softly and compliantly, “Alright.”

Lord Jiuyou finally felt a bit more at ease. At this moment, Shen Junyu was holding his hand, eyes cast down, quietly and seriously working to dissolve the sword intent in his body.

Lord Jiuyou watched Shen Junyu’s gentle and tranquil profile from above for a while, and a strange, unknown emotion welled up in his heart. He felt this was an opportunity—not a perfect one, perhaps, but having just suffered, he wanted to claim some compensation from Shen Junyu.

With his mind made up, he suddenly leaned closer to Shen Junyu, his face almost touching Shen Junyu’s porcelain-white cheek. A warm breath escaped him as he exhaled.

Before Shen Junyu could react, Lord Jiuyou leaned in even further, almost biting Shen Junyu’s earlobe as he whispered, “I helped you so much this time. When we get back, how do you plan to thank me?”

Shen Junyu was stunned. He couldn’t help but look up at Lord Jiuyou. Because they were so close and Shen Junyu’s eyelashes were so long, those soft lashes lightly brushed against Lord Jiuyou’s slightly curving lips in that instant.

Now, it was both of them who fell silent. Within the cave, the atmosphere quietly froze.

“In order to prevent outsiders from becoming suspicious and sending word to Nine Abysses during this time, I need you to disguise yourself as me. Our cultivation realms are not far apart, and as father and son, it will be difficult for others to spot the flaw as long as you do not show yourself too often. Furthermore,” the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord continued, “if that old fox of a Demon Sovereign truly tries to intervene, or if other Demon Lords attempt to fish in troubled waters, I can learn of their movements through you and make subsequent arrangements.”

Qin Huaique finally understood. “Father’s strategy is seamless. I am certain that success is within reach this time.”

The Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord smiled slightly. “Go and make your preparations. I am also ready to depart.”

Qin Huaique bowed and withdrew. “Yes.”

Inside the mountain cave.

Since the conversation a few days ago where Shen Junyu and the Nine Abysses Demon Lord nearly bared their hearts to each other, a faint yet close understanding had mysteriously developed between them. The Nine Abysses Demon Lord no longer sought to “test” Shen Junyu. Occasionally, however, he would rest his chin on his hand and gaze toward the Demon Realm, seemingly lost in thought.

Today, as the sun began to set, the Nine Abysses Demon Lord finally neutralized half of the Sword Sovereign’s lingering sword intent within his body. Unwilling to wait any longer, he rose with a flick of his sleeves and said to Shen Junyu, “We shall depart for the Demon Realm under the cover of night at the hour of the Boar. Any later, and I fear it may be too late.”

Shen Junyu thought for a moment and grasped the Demon Lord’s meaning. “Is the Demon Lord afraid that someone in the Demon Realm will kick a man while he is down?”

“It is an old trick they are fond of playing,” Nine Abysses replied flatly.

Shen Junyu was silent for a moment. “It is no wonder the Sovereign favors you. With the Heavenly Desolation Demon Lord’s character—stopping at nothing for power and status—the Demon Realm would likely fall into chaos if he ever took that seat.”

The Nine Abysses Demon Lord glanced at him. “In the Demon Realm, being unscrupulous is the norm. People like the Sovereign and me are the outliers.” He paused, then looked at Shen Junyu with a faint smile. “And you are an outlier among outliers.”

Although the Nine Abysses Demon Lord was peerlessly beautiful, he usually maintained a cold, distant demeanor. Even when he smiled, it was rarely pure. Yet, his smile today was devoid of any ulterior motive; it was like the Milky Way descending or stars bursting into bloom. For a moment, the cave was filled with a brilliant radiance.

Shen Junyu dazed for a heartbeat. When he recovered, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonder. He said softly, “I suppose one takes on the color of those they are near.”

The Nine Abysses Demon Lord remained noncommittal. After a long while, he glanced at the faint moon shadow appearing in the sky and asked, as if casually, “Tell me, if two people share mutual feelings, but one of them is hiding a vital matter from the other, what should be done?”

Through their idle chats over the past few days, Shen Junyu had already guessed that the Demon Lord’s beloved was likely someone he met while traveling in incognito. Now that the Demon Lord was asking this, Shen Junyu knew he was asking for his own sake.

After thinking it over, Shen Junyu said, “If the concealment is not malicious, then it is not an unforgivable matter.” He paused, then added, “With your appearance and talent, Demon Lord, I believe that if that person found out, they would only be happy and would not think much of it.”

Nine Abysses: “…”

Since Shen Junyu had spoken so plainly, the Nine Abysses Demon Lord stopped hiding his feelings. He lowered his lashes and curled his lips in a somewhat helpless smile. “If he were truly a commoner who cared about such things, it might actually be easier. Unfortunately, he does not care about these things at all.”

The hint of self-pity currently showing on the Demon Lord’s face was something Shen Junyu could never have imagined. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly; indeed, the word “love” brings endless troubles to anyone, regardless of their status.

Yet, he also felt a sense of luck—at least he and Wen Su were doing well, free from such complicated worries. However, Shen Junyu would never express these thoughts. He pondered for a moment and offered serious advice. “If the Demon Lord trusts me, you could introduce that person to me one day. Although I am not eloquent, I could try to persuade them on your behalf.”

The Nine Abysses Demon Lord, who had been reflecting while gazing at the moon, felt a strange light burst forth in his blue-gold eyes upon hearing this. After a long silence, he looked deeply at Shen Junyu and asked, “Are you serious?”

Shen Junyu was surprised but replied, “Such a small matter is merely a simple favor. Why would I lie to the Demon Lord?”

The Nine Abysses Demon Lord burst into a sudden laugh. “Very well. When the time comes, I shall ask you to give him a good talking-to. If things work out, you may ask me for whatever you desire.”

Shen Junyu did not refuse. He simply said, “In that case, I shall wish the Demon Lord success in advance.”

The Nine Abysses Demon Lord fell silent for an instant, a faint smile playing on his lips. “I shall take your auspicious words to heart.”

The two chatted for a while longer. Seeing that the Demon Lord was in a good mood and their relationship was much closer than before, Shen Junyu couldn’t resist asking about Wen Su. However, the moment Wen Su was mentioned, the Demon Lord’s state became peculiar, and he remained vague in his responses.

Eventually, the Nine Abysses Demon Lord changed the subject. “By the way, I recall you have yet to fuse with the Soul Lamp. You should do so first.”

This was indeed an urgent matter. Although Shen Junyu knew the Demon Lord was diverting the conversation, the task had to be done. In front of the Demon Lord, he produced the Soul Lamp. The lamp glowed brightly, and the flame flickered slightly; it was in excellent condition.

However, Shen Junyu was naturally meticulous. Although he did not immediately find the blood seal left by Yuan Muzhou, a quick probe revealed that the oil inside the lamp had been freshly replaced. He fell into a brief contemplation.

At that very moment, far away in the Sword Sect, several elders finally sensed the location of the blood seal. They drew their swords and took to the sky instantly, heading straight for the cave.

Inside the cave.

Seeing Shen Junyu staring at the Soul Lamp in thought, the Nine Abysses Demon Lord asked, “What is it? Is there a problem with the lamp?”

Shen Junyu shook his head. “I haven’t found a problem yet, but I feel something is strange.”

“Let me see,” the Demon Lord said, reaching out.

Shen Junyu handed the Soul Lamp over without suspicion. The Nine Abysses Demon Lord took the lamp and used his divine sense to probe every corner. Finally, he discovered a tiny blood seal located on the wick. Upon seeing it, his expression changed slightly, and he immediately pulled the lamp back into his storage ring.

“What did you find?” Shen Junyu asked.

The Demon Lord’s gaze was solemn. “We will talk on the way.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he flicked his sleeve and pulled Shen Junyu into his embrace. He then transformed into a streak of blue-gold demon light, soaring into the sky.

Above the clouds, the bright moon shone like a silver plate, clear and vast. The strong wind whipped their robes, weaving black and white together in an inexplicably intimate manner.

Leaning in the Demon Lord’s arms, Shen Junyu looked up at his grim face. “Did someone tamper with my Soul Lamp?”

“A Divine Soul Blood Seal,” Nine Abysses replied.

Shen Junyu’s expression shifted. After a long while, he said in a heavy voice, “It was Yuan Muzhou.”

Hearing the strange tone in those words, the Nine Abysses Demon Lord lowered his gaze to look at Shen Junyu. He saw Shen Junyu’s brows locked tight, and a dark, complex expression—one he had never seen before—appeared on his fair face.

He couldn’t help himself; he reached out and gently smoothed the space between Shen Junyu’s brows.

Shen Junyu was dazed for a moment and looked at the Demon Lord in surprise. Their eyes met. This time, the Nine Abysses Demon Lord offered no concealment. He simply gazed at him quietly and said, “Do not show such an expression. I only blame myself for not killing him with one sword strike earlier.”

Shen Junyu suddenly fell still. He looked into the Demon Lord’s eyes and clearly saw a very complex, tender emotion within them. He felt a sense of bewilderment. He could read these emotions, and it was precisely because he understood them that he was even more confused.

Clearly, the Nine Abysses Demon Lord had his own beloved, and the feelings he had expressed previously were by no means fake.

Suddenly, the Nine Abysses Demon Lord raised his hand and gently covered Shen Junyu’s clear, glaze-colored eyes. Shen Junyu’s long lashes brushed against his palm, causing a slight itch.

After a long while, the Demon Lord sighed softly. “Do not look at me with those eyes, or I fear I—”

I won’t be able to resist wanting to kiss you.

However, the Nine Abysses Demon Lord did not say those last words.

In the darkness, Shen Junyu felt the cool touch of the hand over his eyes and smelled a very familiar floral scent. He knew that at this moment, nothing was quite right, yet a strangely stable emotion welled up in his heart.

After a long while, Shen Junyu reached up and gently grasped the Demon Lord’s wrist. The Demon Lord pursed his thin lips and finally let go of his hand, inch by inch.

Their eyes met again. Shen Junyu looked at the Demon Lord’s handsome, complex face. He did not say anything harsh; he simply sighed softly and said, “Demon Lord, if you act like this, your beloved would be sad if they knew. They are so good; could you bear to make them heartbroken?”