Moonlight Mystique – Bai Lu, Ao Ruipeng

Sixty thousand years ago, the Hidden Lord brought calamity to the world, causing the fall of the Divine Race. The Night Race’s Moon Goddess passed away, and her divine artifact, the Desireless Stone, was damaged. It remained hidden in the Lanling Sect, and no one has dared to open it to this day. For nearly a hundred years, the Immortal and Demon Races have kept a truce, with an agreement not to use magic against the Human Race.

Ning'an City, under the protection of the Immortal Race, has remained peaceful. The city lord, Bai Xun, was a mere warrior. He had fought bloodily on the battlefield for decades, earning great military achievements. He had two daughters, both cherished as precious gems. His eldest daughter, Bai Xi, was calm and graceful, while his second daughter, Bai Shuo, was lively and active, the complete opposite of Bai Xi.

When they were children, the two girls sneaked out on the night of the Lantern Festival to play, only to be kidnapped by a monster. Because Bai Xi possessed extraordinary fate and pure spiritual energy, the monster intended to absorb her for its own use. In the nick of time, the purple moon appeared in the sky, and the Demon God Tian Qi descended from above, killing the monster and rescuing Bai Shuo.

In order to save her elder sister, Bai Shuo knelt before Tian Qi and promised to cultivate Immortal Arts to repay the divine being’s life-saving grace. In the end, Tian Qi revived Bai Xi and, before leaving, told Bai Shuo that not all gods pity mortals. She should be thankful for having eyes so similar to her sister’s.

However, when Bai Shuo woke up, she could not remember the appearance of her benefactor, only that he had a red moon jade ring hanging at his waist. Not long after, Bai Xi fell seriously ill for an unknown reason. The city’s doctors were helpless. Fortunately, a wandering Daoist passed through, and though he saved Bai Xi’s life, he said her fate was unusual. She must leave the mortal realm to grow up safely.

Therefore, Bai Xun, with great pain, allowed Bai Xi to follow the Daoist away, and she was never heard from again. Since then, Bai Shuo spent her days searching for immortals and seeking the Dao, misunderstood by everyone, including her father. At a young age, she was promised in marriage to Zhong Zhao, the son of the nearby steamed bun shop owner.

Bai Xun and Zhong Zhao’s parents were old acquaintances, and when Zhong Zhao’s parents died unexpectedly, Bai Xun took him in as a son to care for. As time went on, he grew fond of the boy and eventually decided to adopt him as his son-in-law. Bai Shuo never took the engagement seriously, and Zhong Zhao never mentioned it either. The two shared a sibling-like bond, growing closer year by year.

Through all seasons, the meaning of home and family accompanied her as she grew into a young woman. More than a decade passed, and many things changed, but Bai Shuo’s resolve to cultivate the Dao remained unwavering. One day, Bai Shuo overheard from Master Sun that Immortals, in order to protect the people, would secretly send "Immortal Envoys" to observe every city.

If one were to find such an envoy and win them over with a hundredfold sincerity, they could join the Immortal sect. Believing this to be true, Bai Shuo brought her treasures to the Unbridled Pavilion, unaware that the true identity of the Pavilion’s master was Fan Yue, the King of the Polar Realm and Master of the Bright Moon Palace.

He had come to collect the five emotions of the world—love, hate, killing, greed, and desire—in order to restart the Desireless Stone and obtain the divine power left by the Moon Goddess. Upon meeting Bai Shuo, Fan Yue immediately embraced her, thinking she was an Immortal sent by the Lanling Sect to capture him. However, he was shocked to realize she was merely an unarmed mortal.

Bai Shuo, on the other hand, misunderstood and thought Fan Yue was testing her abilities, so she did not resist and even embraced him back, stunning him further. He was about to cast a spell to reprimand her when his guardian, Cang Shan, intervened. While Bai Shuo and Fan Yue exchanged cautious moves, Bai Xun suddenly arrived with his soldiers on a routine patrol.

He was shocked to find his daughter here and angrily scolded Fan Yue, calling him a man who used his charms to seduce his daughter. Bai Shuo’s accidental touch caused the Desireless Stone to glow, and before Fan Yue could react, Bai Shuo was taken away by her father, with plans to discuss matters another day. Meanwhile, the Lanling Sect held its regular meeting, gathering the Immortal Envoys.

Due to a lack of funds for repairs, the venue was humble, and the Sect Leader, Jin Yao, hesitantly chaired the meeting. He announced that the Desireless Stone had gone missing a few days ago. To appease the Immortal Envoys’ anger, Jin Yao staged a death penalty scene, and sure enough, the Immortal Envoys dispersed in frustration. Zhong Zhao, as the chief disciple of Lanling, bore the responsibility of earning money to support the sect.

Jin Yao, with a heavy heart, urged him to focus on making the bun shop profitable, not only to repair the roof and furniture but also to prepare supplies for future battles. Bai Shuo returned to the city lord’s mansion with her father, receiving a harsh reprimand from Bai Xun. Despite this, she refused to give up on her dream of cultivating immortality, which made Bai Xun furious. He threatened to sever their father-daughter relationship.

At the Unbridled Pavilion, Fan Yue, Tian Huo, and Cang Shan discussed the Desireless Stone. Since only Bai Shuo could make the Desireless Stone react, they decided to monitor her closely. On the other side, the Demon Race’s Lingquan Palace Master, Zhen Yu, and Fu Ling launched a covert attack on the Immortal Race to find the Desireless Stone but were unsuccessful.

Fu Ling suggested continuing her transformation into the courtesan Furong and infiltrating Ning'an City to sow discord between the Immortal Race and Fan Yue. The next morning, Bai Shuo, still in a cold war with her father, went back to the Unbridled Pavilion to probe Fan Yue’s identity. Fan Yue, seeing through her intentions, decided to play along, pretending to be an Immortal Envoy and testing her emotions to see if she could trigger the Desireless Stone.

Fan Yue had been waiting at the Unbridled Pavilion for a long time. When Bai Shuo arrived, the two exchanged words over drinks, testing each other. In response to Bai Shuo's doubts, Fan Yue claimed to be an immortal, a disciple of the former sect leader of the Lanling Sect. He had traveled the world and had stopped by Ning'an City on his journey. However, Bai Shuo did not easily believe him and hoped for Fan Yue to demonstrate his powers.

Without a word, Fan Yue summoned the wind and rain with a wave of his hand, which eased some of Bai Shuo’s suspicions. But it was precisely this use of magic that caught Zhong Zhao’s attention, and Fan Yue continued testing Bai Shuo's spiritual power. However, despite their combined spiritual energy, they couldn’t activate the Desireless Stone, and his strange behavior began to irritate Bai Shuo.

At this moment, Zhong Zhao, sensing the presence of demon energy, entered the Unbridled Pavilion and engaged in a struggle with Tian Huo and Cang Shan. It wasn’t until he saw Bai Shuo that he deliberately concealed his identity as an immortal. While both Fan Yue and Zhong Zhao had recognized each other's true identities, they did not reveal them.

Zhong Zhao, realizing that this was not a place to linger, grabbed Bai Shuo and pulled her outside, just as Fu Ling returned from outside. Meanwhile, Fan Yue, growing increasingly interested in Bai Shuo, pondered the fact that as a mere mortal, she could not only activate the Desireless Stone but also had an engagement with someone from the Lanling Sect.

He speculated that Bai Shuo might be a pawn sent by the Immortal Sect to get closer to him, and so he decided to test her further. To this end, Fan Yue sent a wolf demon to attack Bai Shuo, placing restrictions on it so that it would only injure and not kill her. If Bai Shuo were indeed an Immortal, she would surely be able to reveal her true nature.

Zhong Zhao, sensing the demon energy outside, chased after the small flower demon “Xi Xi” to a mansion and stopped Fu Ling from spreading demon poison. Fu Ling seized the opportunity to escape, and Zhong Zhao had to halt his pursuit to treat a wealthy merchant who had been poisoned. Meanwhile, Bai Shuo suspected that the wolf demon was arranged by Fan Yue and deliberately led it to the Unbridled Pavilion.

At first, Fan Yue used Bai Shuo’s blood to restrain the wolf demon, but to his surprise, her blood seemed to amplify the demon’s power. Just as Fan Yue was about to stand back and observe to uncover Bai Shuo’s true identity, the Desireless Stone suddenly flew out, protecting Bai Shuo and transporting her and Fan Yue to the Moon Hidden Sea in the Divine Realm.

There, Bai Shuo saw an elderly man fishing, with a red moon jade ring hanging from his waist. She confirmed that he was the “benefactor” she had been searching for. But the next moment, the benefactor vanished. Fan Yue demanded that Bai Shuo return the Desireless Stone, but to his fury, the stone had chosen Bai Shuo as its master.

Enraged, Fan Yue attempted to kill Bai Shuo and take the stone, but this backfired on him, triggering the Seven Star Soul Mark. The fourth star dimmed, and if the mark flared up three more times, he would die. The only way to save himself was to restart the divine power within the Desireless Stone. To save his life, Bai Shuo quickly proposed a cooperation.

She asked Fan Yue to help her return to the Moon Hidden Sea to find her benefactor. Fan Yue, considering the strange events surrounding Bai Shuo, suspected that there might still be gods among the mortal world. Bai Shuo also guessed that Fan Yue was likely a demon. When she heard that her father was coming to the Unbridled Pavilion, she rushed out to cover for Fan Yue.

Bai Xun, angry that his daughter kept visiting brothels, was about to take action when Zhong Zhao, seeing the situation, mentioned their past engagement and expressed his wish to marry Bai Shuo. Bai Xun, overjoyed, took the two back to the city lord’s mansion. That night, Bai Shuo searched ancient texts and concluded that Fan Yue was likely a demon. She then took the knife her elder sister had left for her.

Zhong Zhao came to see Bai Shuo the next day, repeatedly warning her not to be deceived by Fan Yue. He accidentally discovered that the Desireless Stone was inside Bai Shuo’s body and could not be removed. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Zhong Zhao chose to conceal this matter for the time being and did not report it to the sect.

At the same time, a flower demon sent by Fu Ling was observing the situation at the city lord’s mansion. The next morning, Fan Yue invited Bai Shuo to meet at the pavilion, claiming that he knew her benefactor. However, to restart the Desireless Stone and enter the Moon Hidden Sea again to rescue her benefactor, he needed to gather the five emotions of love, hate, killing, greed, and goodness.

Despite Bai Shuo’s many doubts, the thought of her benefactor suffering made her willing to give trust a chance. Fan Yue said that to gather the emotions, they would need to leave Ning’an City, but Bai Shuo hesitated and decided to first stay and celebrate her father’s birthday. She promised to give him an answer in three days.

Fu Ling returned to the Cold Spring Palace with a "Xi Xi" and reported the situation in Ning'an City to Zhen Yu. Upon hearing that Bai Shuo had absorbed the Desireless Stone into her body, and that the Master of Bright Moon Palace, Fan Yue, was able to let her carry the stone freely, Zhen Yu immediately ordered Fu Ling to capture her. In addition, Fu Ling had already spread the Nether Poison throughout the city.

When she found that the poison hadn't taken effect immediately, the demon lord Chen Ye, who was responsible for crafting the poison, suddenly appeared, mocking Fu Ling for her impatience. The two argued fiercely, until Zhen Yu intervened and broke up the conflict. That night, a poisoned merchant lost his sanity and bit his wife to death, then attacked others in the market the next day.

Just as Zhong Zhao was accompanying Bai Shuo to buy birthday gifts, he recognized the crazed person immediately. Confused, he wondered why the antidote he had given the merchant hadn’t worked. Deputy Commander Bai Yu and his men arrived just in time to subdue the merchant and quickly explained the situation to Bai Shuo. Realizing the severity of the situation, Zhong Zhao decided to seek help from the Immortal Sect.

He learned that several Lanling Sect disciples had been killed, all by the demons. To avoid alarming his master, Zhong Zhao personally sought out his martial uncles, Jing Lei and Yu Feng. He also mentioned the matter of the Desireless Stone recognizing its master.

The two uncles stated that if it had recognized the Immortals, they would bring it back to the sect, but if it had recognized the demons, they would kill on sight, even if the individual was of the Human Race, as there could be no future threat. As the number of poisoned people increased, Bai Xun locked them away in a remote courtyard, where the doctors were helpless.

Fu Ling attempted to ambush Bai Shuo but was severely injured by Fan Yue and had to flee in a panic. Zhong Zhao happened to encounter the injured Fu Ling and, thinking she was a human, sent her to the clinic for treatment. The doctor mistakenly thought they were a married couple.

In order to protect Bai Shuo, Fan Yue wanted to take her away, but the Desireless Stone caused her to see a vision of the chaos in Ning'an City, including the remote courtyard where Bai Xun had locked away the poisoned people. Through Fan Yue, Bai Shuo learned that the images shown by the Desireless Stone were events that had not yet occurred but would certainly happen in the future.

To achieve her goals, she had to ensure these events unfolded step by step. Bai Shuo realized that, at this moment, the enemy and ally were unclear, and Fan Yue might not truly be on her side. She decided to leave the Unbridled Pavilion on some pretext, and sure enough, she saw the madmen in the remote courtyard.

It was because the Desireless Stone had given her this insight that Fan Yue, not in a rush to leave Ning'an City, was instead waiting for the first clue to emerge. He had also learned that the Nether Poison was linked to the Cold Spring Palace and decided to wait patiently. Meanwhile, Fu Ling woke up and killed the doctor, deliberately creating chaos in the city, leading to many citizens being bitten by the madmen.

Bai Xun was also affected, and in his madness, he nearly harmed Bai Shuo. Zhong Zhao recognized Fu Ling as a demon and drew his sword. Fu Ling took the opportunity to frame Fan Yue, claiming to be acting under orders and refusing to hand over the antidote. When the city’s guards regained control of the situation, they tied up Bai Xun and brought him back to the mansion.

As Bai Shuo searched through the house, she found a birthday gift she had given her father hidden away. It finally dawned on her that Bai Xun had always cared for her, but he was simply not good at expressing it. Because the Nether Poison came in such a strange way, Bai Shuo knew that regular medicine wouldn't work, and she immediately thought of asking Fan Yue for help.

At this point, Zhong Zhao ventured into the Unbridled Pavilion to confront Fan Yue and unexpectedly learned that the brothel's courtesan was actually the demon lord Fu Ling in disguise. She was known for her expertise in demon flower escape techniques. Zhong Zhao was half-believing, and he ordered Fan Yue to hand over the antidote. Just as the two were engaged in a fierce battle, Bai Shuo, who had come to seek the antidote, witnessed the confrontation.

It was then that Bai Shuo was shocked to discover that Zhong Zhao was an immortal and had been hiding his identity all along. Faced with Bai Shuo’s questioning, Zhong Zhao had no choice but to admit the truth and took her to a small hut outside the city. Bai Shuo angrily accused Zhong Zhao of deceiving her, as she had hoped to seek help from the Immortals to save Ning'an City.

However, Zhong Zhao explained that the Nether Poison was a demon poison and that the Immortals had no antidote for it. In order to protect Bai Shuo’s safety, Zhong Zhao stopped her from seeking Fan Yue's help and trapped her in the hut with a barrier. He also realized that this event would forever change their relationship.

Zhong Zhao then decided to find Fu Ling alone, believing that only by locating the true instigators of the chaos could the turmoil in Ning'an City be resolved.

In order to draw the five top immortals of Lanling Sect to fight Fan Yue, Fu Ling continued to cause chaos in Ning'an City. Zhong Zhao suddenly appeared to stop Fu Ling. When he saw her using the Cloud Fire Bow, he confirmed she was a demon lord from the Cold Spring Palace. As the two fought, Zhen Yu appeared to protect Fu Ling, wounding Zhong Zhao and attempting to kill him to silence him.

Seeing this, Fu Ling blocked the attack aimed at Zhong Zhao and covered for him to escape. Although Zhong Zhao owed Fu Ling his life, according to the rules of the Cold Spring Palace, the mistake she made today should result in her death and the destruction of her soul. Fu Ling, however, expressed her willingness to let Zhen Yu handle her fate.

She explained that saving Zhong Zhao was not just out of gratitude but also because she felt he was someone worth drawing into their fold. If properly utilized, he might become an ally within the Immortal Sect. Zhen Yu found this idea interesting and decided to spare her punishment. Bai Shuo, in an attempt to break the barrier, decided to gamble and tried to self-destruct in order to summon the power of the Desireless Stone. As expected, her method worked.

When she ran back to Ning'an City, she found the city in utter chaos, with madmen infected by the Nether Poison wandering the streets. Zhong Zhao had previously warned Bai Shuo not to expect Fan Yue's help, as he was of the demon race. Bai Shuo, daring to take the risk, was bitten by one of the madmen and immediately went to the Unbridled Pavilion to find Fan Yue. During this time, Bai Shuo saw Fan Yue's true nature.

She uncovered that he had been deceiving her all along by gathering five desires and gaining her trust to manipulate her. As for why Fan Yue refused to help Bai Xun, it was because he intended to turn the chaos of Ning'an City into hell, forcing the five desires to be born, and then use Bai Shuo to absorb them.

Because of this, Bai Shuo revealed her arm, which had been bitten by the madman, and demanded Fan Yue hand over the antidote, betting that there was something in his heart he could not let go of. Fan Yue was touched by her words and took out a seed of the Ghost Grass. He explained that the seed needed to be watered with human blood to bloom—one flower a day could alleviate the effects of the Nether Poison.

His implication was clear: it was a trade of life for life. Bai Shuo then planted the seed under a tree and fed it with her own blood. In order to speed up its growth, she weakened her own body considerably. However, she was reluctant to harm anyone and bet that human nature was inherently good. But Fan Yue believed that human nature was inherently evil.

If a mortal were to develop selfish desires for the Ghost Grass, the plant meant to save lives would turn into a weapon that killed. He watched to see how she would deal with this situation. Soon, the Ghost Grass bloomed. Bai Xun took the flower and fed it to Bai Shuo, who passed out from excessive blood loss. Fan Yue appeared just in time and carried her back to her room.

As he looked at the various cultivation items in Bai Shuo's room, he found it amusing yet ridiculous. He sighed quietly and left. In the dim light, Bai Shuo felt that Fan Yue's figure resembled that of a benefactor. Zhong Zhao returned to the Lanling Sect to request support for Ning'an City and revealed the fact that Bai Shuo had the Desireless Stone within her body. Meanwhile, Bai Shuo woke up feeling weak, which made Bai Xun anxious and suspicious.

He asked about the origin of the Ghost Grass and the method of treatment, leading to a heated argument between father and daughter. After Bai Xun left the room, Bai Shuo also felt troubled, as it wasn’t that she didn’t want to reveal the truth, but the truth was simply too cruel. Zhen Yu had been observing the situation in Ning'an City from the shadows. Fan Yue came personally to confront Zhen Yu, warning him not to harm Bai Shuo.

Fu Ling deliberately spread the rumor that the City Lord’s residence had the antidote, which immediately caused unrest among the people. They surrounded the City Lord’s mansion, crying out in desperation. Bai Xun had no choice but to appear and promise to find a solution. At this moment, Bai Shuo fainted again. The doctor diagnosed her with excessive blood loss. Under Bai Xun’s intense questioning, she reluctantly revealed the truth.

In the garden, Bai Xun wanted to destroy the Ghost Grass, calling it a bottomless abyss that traded life for life. He could not bear to see his daughter bleed for him, nor did he want to see the people fight over the Ghost Grass and cause killings. That night was Bai Xun's birthday. Father and daughter shared a meal and drinks in the small courtyard, talking heart-to-heart and resolving years of misunderstanding.

Bai Shuo, still under the influence of the medicine, lost consciousness. Bai Xun’s actions were filled with good intentions—he ordered his men to quietly take Bai Shuo out of the city. At the same time, the outer perimeter of the City Lord’s mansion was surrounded by out-of-control citizens. Even though Bai Yu was injured, he would not turn his blade against the people. Bai Xun, however, burned all the Ghost Grass, preparing to fight to the death to protect Ning'an City.

The scene outside the City Lord’s mansion was more chaotic than ever. Those shouting and cursing outside the gates were all the citizens whom City Lord Bai Xun had protected and cherished. When Bai Shuo woke up, she found herself in a carriage. She hurriedly shouted for the driver, Wang Bo, to stop. However, since this was the City Lord’s order, Wang Bo stubbornly refused to let Bai Shuo return to the city.

On the surface, Bai Shuo agreed to Wang Bo, but in truth, she knocked him unconscious when he wasn’t paying attention. With Fan Yue’s help, she quickly returned to Ning’an City, only to encounter the five top immortals of Lanling Sect and Zhong Zhao, who had come to provide support. Jin Yao wanted to take Bai Shuo away, but Fan Yue told her to leave first while he stayed behind to face Jin Yao and his group alone.

Zhong Zhao followed closely behind, trying to convince Bai Shuo to return to Lanling with him. Bai Shuo firmly refused, but fortunately, Tian Huo and Cang Shan arrived just in time to block Zhong Zhao’s way. Fu Ling deliberately set up a barrier along the road to the City Lord’s mansion, preventing Bai Shuo from getting closer, forcing her to watch as her father faced an angry mob of citizens alone.

These people began to doubt and curse Bai Xun, even hitting him on the forehead until it bled, showing no gratitude for the past kindness he had shown them. Under Fu Ling’s influence, Bai Xun began to lose his sanity. This caused the citizens to panic and, in the end, they shouted for his death and rushed to beat him.

Seeing this scene, Fu Ling couldn’t help but reflect on how Bai Xun’s beloved citizens had completely turned their backs on him, filled with hatred and a desire to kill. Fu Ling tried to persuade Bai Shuo to join the Demon Race and serve the Cold Spring Palace, claiming that Zhen Yu would surely appreciate her.

Bai Shuo was heartbroken and begged Fu Ling to cure the Nether Poison, but Fu Ling told her that the poison had no cure and that today, someone would have to die. Fu Ling once again invoked her demonic power, causing Bai Xun to go mad and try to kill. A little girl, tearfully pleading with him to stop hurting her father, managed to awaken his reason.

To protect the people of Ning’an City, Bai Xun kneeled and prayed to the gods, offering his life in exchange for the safety of the city. He then drew his sword and ended his life. Bai Shuo, who had witnessed everything, was devastated. When the barrier was lifted, she rushed to her father’s side, holding him tightly and filled with hatred for those around her. But in his final moments, Bai Xun reached out to his daughter.

His death triggered a surge of "good" thoughts, and the Desireless Stone absorbed this positive energy, releasing a divine light that enveloped Ning’an City, curing the citizens of the Nether Poison. Fan Yue rushed to Bai Shuo’s side and caught her as she floated in the air. Zhen Yu, wanting to harm Zhong Zhao, was stopped by Fu Ling once again, which displeased him.

The immortals led by Jin Yao arrived, and the citizens of the city, now cured, showed gratitude, ignoring the fact that the peace had been achieved thanks to the City Lord’s sacrifice. Originally, Fan Yue planned to take the unconscious Bai Shuo and leave, but Jin Yao reminded him to let Bai Shuo say her final goodbyes to her father, at least allowing her to send Bai Xun off on his last journey.

At this moment, Bai Shuo’s consciousness returned to the Moon Hidden Sea, where she met the "benefactor" she had been searching for. She begged this benefactor to bring her father back to life, but the benefactor told her that she was the one who could truly intervene in life and death. The benefactor reminded Bai Shuo that she needed to gather the desires again to restart the power of the Desireless Stone.

The benefactor’s existence wasn’t to repay anyone but to show her that she shouldn’t live for anyone else. The Desireless Stone entering her body was both an opportunity and a result of fate. Back in reality, Bai Shuo hurried to the mourning hall and cried bitterly beside her father’s coffin, personally sending him off. Outside the City Lord’s mansion, Ning’an City was gradually calming down after the chaos.

Jin Yao looked out from a high vantage point and sighed, lamenting that today’s events were a failure of the Eternal Race and the Bright Moon Palace. He hoped that Fan Yue would let Bai Shuo choose for herself, whether to join the Immortal Sect or the Demon Palace.

Zhen Yu took Fu Ling back to the Cold Spring Palace and gave her a harsh punishment for repeatedly showing “good intentions” in saving Zhong Zhao, which went against her usual style of behavior. Fu Ling denied any romantic interest in Zhong Zhao, explaining that she only wanted to recruit him into Cold Spring Palace. Zhen Yu ordered Fu Ling to make Zhong Zhao serve her within a month, or he would personally deal with him.

In the mourning hall, Bai Shuo finally understood the nature of both the Immortal and Demon races, realizing that she could never return to the past with Zhong Zhao. They would now become strangers. Due to Jin Yao’s use of immortal magic to erase the memories of the citizens, on the day of the funeral, the people mourned without remembering that they had once forced the City Lord to his death.

Only Bai Shuo, Fan Yue, and a few others retained the memory of that tragic event. After burying her father, Bai Shuo knelt at Bai Xun’s grave. From this experience, she realized that relying on others was futile and silently swore to become stronger and avenge her father by going to the Cold Spring Palace.

Just as Fan Yue appeared to take Bai Shuo away, she, filled with sorrow and anger, pulled out a hairpin and stabbed it toward his chest. At that moment, Zhong Zhao arrived to take Bai Shuo, but Bai Shuo ultimately chose to leave with Fan Yue. Though she refused Fan Yue’s help, he bluntly told her that, in his eyes, she was merely the vessel for the Desireless Stone.

As soon as Fan Yue spoke, Bai Shuo felt a surge of anger in her heart. She drew a dagger and aimed it at her chest, stating that if she died, the Desireless Stone would become a useless rock. However, Fan Yue was completely unfazed. He even exposed her desire for revenge, telling her that relying on the Human Race alone wouldn’t work.

She would have to choose between the Immortal and Demon Races, but he was sure that she had already seen the futility of the Immortal Race. Only the Bright Moon Palace, he claimed, was her best choice. Although Bai Shuo stubbornly retorted, she couldn’t deny that Fan Yue had hit the mark. Fan Yue then told Bai Shuo to attack him, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t hurt him.

In contrast, Fan Yue easily controlled her, mocking her for being unable to even get close to him, let alone kill Zhen Yu. He reminded her that Zhen Yu, as one of the three kings of the Demon Race, was not someone to be underestimated. Fan Yue then reminded Bai Shuo that she had no other options. Only by becoming strong enough to make her enemies fear her could she begin her revenge. He urged her to calm down.

Tian Huo, noticing Fan Yue’s unique attitude toward Bai Shuo, warned him not to be swayed by momentary pity. Fan Yue reassured Tian Huo that he knew exactly what he was doing. Bai Shuo, as a member of the Human Race, had involved herself in the conflict between the Immortal and Demon Races, and she needed to learn the power to protect herself.

Meanwhile, Jin Yao, the leader of the Lanling Sect, discussed the whereabouts of the Desireless Stone with other immortals. The immediate priority was to find the location of the Bright Moon Palace and find Bai Shuo to bring her back. Zhong Zhao had been punished with three hundred red-bone lashes due to the events in Ning’an City. This punishment was a severe one, as the red-bone whip was meant to torment the soul, making it unbearable for most people.

Although Jin Yao felt sympathy for him and knew that the Cold Spring Palace was the real culprit, he couldn’t absolve Zhong Zhao of his responsibility in the Ning’an chaos. In addition to the lashes, Zhong Zhao was also required to guard the Heart Cliff and reflect on his actions. Bai Shuo locked herself in her room for two days, until Tian Huo brought her a bottle of medicine and a knife, telling her to choose between the two.

With Tian Huo’s provocation, Bai Shuo snapped out of her despair and decided to take the initiative. She asked Fan Yue to teach her magic. She was willing to learn from him directly or, if he preferred, he could find someone else to teach her. Fan Yue gladly agreed. On the other hand, Fu Ling, having helped Zhong Zhao twice, was punished by Zhen Yu.

She declared her intention to recruit Zhong Zhao into the Cold Spring Palace, hoping to buy herself a month of time. Zhong Zhao, reflecting on his guilt over Bai Shuo, was suddenly approached by Fu Ling, who hinted at the mysterious circumstances surrounding the deaths of his parents, urging him to come to the Demon Race for answers.

It turned out that ten years ago, during the Lantern Festival in Xun Garden, the Human Race had been attacked by the Demon Race, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Lanling Immortal, Zhong Tai, and his wife Meng Ning had been ordered to investigate, but they were killed by the Scorpion Demon, Qian Yin. Zhong Zhao, suspecting that the true cause of his parents’ deaths was different, had been searching for answers for years without success.

Fu Ling informed him that his parents had not died at the hands of the Scorpion Demon, since the demon had already died two days ago. She hinted that the truth was not always what it seemed. Soon after, Fan Yue took Bai Shuo to the armory, where she chose the most powerful Fire Wheel Staff. Despite her strong will, she couldn’t fully control it, and the staff burned her hands with intense fire.

Seeing this, Fan Yue ordered Tian Huo to take Bai Shuo back to her room. Tian Huo treated her burns, warning her not to wander around the Bright Moon Palace, as there were taboos that she should avoid. After Tian Huo left, Bai Shuo reflected on her past with her father and silently vowed to take vengeance. She was determined to find her own path. In the following days, she didn’t see Fan Yue.

Unable to wait any longer, she secretly followed him into a secret room one night. The room was dimly lit by candles, with plaques hanging around, each engraved with different names. As she explored deeper, Bai Shuo was shocked to find a plaque with the name “Fan Yue. ” However, Fan Yue discovered her intrusion and became furious, warning her not to pry into any secrets. Bai Shuo, in her anger, insisted that she had every right to grow stronger.

Fan Yue replied that he understood her urgency to grow stronger, but the changes she had faced were not the only ones she had encountered. After Fan Yue used his magic to throw Bai Shuo out of the secret room, the surroundings fell silent once again. The plaques hanging on the walls were from the deceased members of the Bai Ze Clan, each one a memory that led Fan Yue to reflect on the past.

Years ago, when Fan Yue had woken up with no memory, he had spent some unforgettable and happy times with the clan leader, Gu Shang, and his little companion, Qi Feng. Unfortunately, the Bai Ze Clan had fallen into disaster when the Tiger Clan slaughtered their people. Fan Yue had been the sole survivor. The next morning, Bai Shuo arrived with fresh fruit to apologize to Fan Yue for her reckless behavior the night before.

However, she suddenly felt the effects of a backlash from demonic energy. When Fan Yue asked her about it, she admitted that she had been secretly practicing the Demon Race’s heart techniques. Fan Yue explained that the Desireless Stone was an ancient artifact of the Night Clan, which naturally clashed with the Demon Race’s techniques.

To resolve the backlash, Fan Yue took Bai Shuo to the Lanling Sect, where they sought out Lao Gui, a thousand-year-old mystical turtle with whom Fan Yue had a strong relationship. Fan Yue had previously saved Lao Gui’s life and helped him sever Zhen Yu’s tail, creating a rivalry with the Cold Spring Palace. Fan Yue instructed Bai Shuo to learn from Lao Gui, and despite his reluctance under Fan Yue’s threat, Lao Gui agreed to teach her. However, Bai Shuo was deeply dissatisfied with Lao Gui’s teaching methods.

While Lao Gui was teaching Bai Shuo magic, he first taught her how to hold her breath and how to escape in dangerous situations. This frustrated Bai Shuo, and she threatened him in the same way Fan Yue had threatened others. In response, Lao Gui said he would teach her his most prized skills, but to her surprise, these skills turned out to be divination and pill refining, which was far from Bai Shuo’s goal of quickly becoming stronger.

Bai Shuo was dissatisfied with the content of Lao Gui’s teachings, but Lao Gui explained that one couldn’t achieve success overnight or leap straight to the top. Seeking rapid results would only make things worse because strength isn’t just about physical power; it’s equally about cultivating one’s mind and character. After hearing this, Bai Shuo had an epiphany. She sincerely pledged to learn from Lao Gui and began studying pill refining and divination.

Lao Gui was pleased by her dedication and talent, feeling reassured by her progress. Originally, Jin Yao had sent the immortal Yan Huo to write letters to the seventy-two immortal sects, calling for a joint effort to attack the Cold Spring Palace. However, the response was lackluster. Most of the letters went unanswered, and only the Kunlun and Wuliang sects expressed willingness to fight.

Jin Yao wasn’t greatly surprised by this outcome, but he hadn’t expected that fewer than three sects would be willing to go to war. Without Zhong Zhao’s support from the bun shop, Lanling Sect’s treasury was quickly running dry. Now that Zhong Zhao had been punished and had spent time reflecting, Jin Yao lifted his confinement and sent disciples to Lao Gui to obtain healing pills for Zhong Zhao.

Bai Shuo happened to be in her room at that time and overheard the conversation between the disciples and Lao Gui. She finally learned that Zhong Zhao had delayed reporting the situation to save her, almost causing the deaths of everyone in Ning’an City. Meanwhile, Jin Yao personally visited the Reflection Cliff to check on Zhong Zhao and offer advice. He told him to go down the mountain and experience the world to hone his character.

Zhong Zhao still wanted to investigate the cause of his parents' deaths, but Jin Yao reminded him that the entire Lanling Sect had spent a year looking for answers without success. He encouraged Zhong Zhao to let go of the past and start a new life. Recently, the Cold Spring Palace had been very active, destroying three clans within three months. Zhen Yu had even taken the inner dan of the clan leaders to heal his tail injury.

This intense action suggested that the Cold Spring Palace was planning something bigger. Fan Yue wasn’t too concerned, though. As long as he was around, Zhen Yu wouldn’t be able to stir up trouble. The immediate priority was to help Bai Shuo gather the five thoughts. Tian Huo suspected that Fan Yue had developed feelings for Bai Shuo and warned that she should not become a weakness for the Bright Moon Palace.

On the other hand, Bai Shuo, upon hearing about Zhong Zhao’s punishment, felt conflicted and heavy-hearted. She confided in Lao Gui, understanding that neither she nor Zhong Zhao could go back, and that she had no right to blame him. She accepted that everything that happened in Ning’an City was her fault.

Lao Gui told her that life is a process of moving from nothing to nothing, where the beginning and the end are already decided, but the journey in between is something that one must shape for themselves. He reminded her to live authentically, without attachment, without self-inflicted suffering, without forcing things, and without being pretentious. Before setting off to train in the outside world, Zhong Zhao carefully read through the notes left by his parents.

Reflecting on Fu Ling’s words, he decided to personally investigate the truth in the Demon Race. Fu Ling had been waiting for him and took him to the Demon Race’s graveyard. There, she pointed out that the Scorpion Demon, Qian Yin, had died before Zhong Zhao’s parents, so it was impossible for him to have been the murderer. Bai Shuo, meanwhile, was flipping through a pill refining manual and noticed that it didn’t contain any recipes for the first-grade pills.

She asked Lao Gui about it, betting that she could definitely refine a first-grade spiritual pill. In the middle of the night, as Bai Shuo was refining pills and feeling bored, she used a small seashell to chat with Fan Yue. They shared details of their lives and admired the same bright moon.

Fu Ling reported her progress with Zhong Zhao to Zhen Yu, saying that she had provided him with the clues he needed and was helping him cultivate the obsession to grow stronger. Once a heart demon was born, he would become a useful tool for the Cold Spring Palace.

Zhen Yu admired Fu Ling’s plan and ordered her to do whatever it took to make Zhong Zhao abandon the Immortal path and join the Demon Race, thus joining the Cold Spring Palace. Not long after, Bai Shuo successfully refined a second-grade pill. Just as she was about to celebrate, the Immortal of Thunder, Jing Lei, appeared and tried to kill Bai Shuo for associating with the Demon Race. Zhong Zhao intervened and stopped Jing Lei with his sword.

Bai Shuo explained that her actions had nothing to do with Zhong Zhao and decided to leave the Immortal Race. However, Jin Yao blocked her path, deciding to forcibly erase her memory. At that moment, Bai Shuo’s forehead seal activated, revealing the next thought’s information. In a critical moment, Fan Yue arrived just in time to take Bai Shuo away.

Lao Gui was then punished by Lanling Sect, ordered to refine an additional one hundred powerful healing pills each month and sell them to supplement the sect’s finances. Jin Yao remembered the Lanling ancestral teachings, which mentioned that one day, a Human Race girl would awaken the Desireless Stone. She would be the only one in the world capable of unlocking the power of the divine stone.

It seemed that Bai Shuo was the fated person spoken of in the prophecy. Zhong Zhao asked Jin Yao if he was deliberately avoiding bringing back the Desireless Stone. Jin Yao replied that he always had his own reasons for what he did. At that moment, in the Bright Moon Palace, Bai Shuo drew the vision she had previously seen and realized that the object was called "Wutong Heartfire.

" Everyone analyzed that the next thought would lead to a different city, but the location of this city was hard to find. Bai Shuo had seen many Immortal and Demon Race disciples gathered in this city. It seemed that not only they needed to enter, but they also needed to host the Wutong Martial Banquet to allow more disciples to enter the city. Fan Yue explained that the Wutong Martial Banquet hadn’t been held in seven years, and no one knew why.

After Zhong Zhao returned to Lanling Sect, he once again asked Jin Yao about the cause of his parents’ deaths. However, Jin Yao became angry, accusing him of getting involved with a Demon Race woman. Jin Yao stated that once the soul lamp extinguishes, the soul's connection is severed, leaving no chance for survival. Moreover, if his parents were truly alive, they wouldn’t have stayed away for so many years.

Jin Yao advised Zhong Zhao to let go of the past. Fan Yue and Bai Shuo explored the desert in search of the location of the Hidden City. During their investigation, they triggered a dangerous sand formation. At the critical moment, Fan Yue used his whip to anchor himself to a wall, holding onto Bai Shuo tightly with his other hand. He reassured her that no matter what, he would never let anything happen to her.

His words stirred something in Bai Shuo’s heart, but she quickly shifted her focus and deduced the Hidden City’s location from a nursery rhyme. Following the clues, they entered the eye of the storm and successfully found the city's entrance. Fan Yue's selfless protection during the sandstorm began to earn Bai Shuo's trust in the great demon king before her. When they arrived at the Hidden City, they met Hua Lin, the King of the Hidden City.

Bai Shuo persuaded him, using both soft and hard tactics, to send invitations to the Eternal and Demon Races within three days and reopen the Wutong Martial Banquet, which had been discontinued for seven years. She promised Hua Lin that if he complied, the Hidden City could be integrated into the Polar Realm for protection. Hua Lin's deputy, Wu Zhao, advised against reopening the banquet.

Hua Lin, torn between choices, acknowledged that with the city's exposure, relocating the city within three days was impossible. If the Eternal and Demon Races discovered the city's location, the secrets within would be in jeopardy. At this moment, Zhen Yu entered, offering to help Hua Lin keep the city’s secrets and handle any trouble—on the condition that Hua Lin find the Desireless Stone for him.

In Lanling Sect, Sect Leader Jin Yao convened the high immortals to announce that Hua Lin had sent invitations for the Wutong Martial Banquet, inviting both the Eternal and Demon Races to the Hidden City. The winner of the banquet would receive a Wutong Spirit Pill. Initially, the high immortals showed little interest. However, upon learning that the Spirit Pill could be sold to other sects for money, they became eager to participate.

Jin Yao ordered Zhong Zhao to lead the team and gifted him the Cang Xuan Sword. With the Eternal and Demon Races closely monitoring the banquet, tensions rose in the Hidden City, where the Hidden People harbored hostility toward outsiders. Bai Shuo quickly realized that the Hidden People, despite their naturally strong physiques, had weak spiritual powers and were thus discriminated against by both the Eternal and Demon Races. This had fostered mutual animosity.

To maintain balance, spiritual powers were prohibited within the city. Zhong Zhao arrived with his sect brothers, attempting to persuade Bai Shuo to abandon her alliance with the Demon Race. However, prompted by Fan Yue, Bai Shuo declared that the Eternal Sect couldn’t provide what she desired and that her path was destined to diverge from theirs.

Meanwhile, Zhen Yu, confirming that all sects had fallen into his trap, instructed Fu Ling to monitor Bai Shuo and planted other spies in the city. Later, Bai Shuo and her companions witnessed a brawl between the Eternal and Demon Races at an inn. Bai Shuo was nearly caught in the chaos but was saved by Fan Yue, who shielded her.

Nan Wan, a disciple of Yunxiao Sect, led her sect members in a fight with the Demon Race over lodging, while Bei Chen, a disciple of Kunlun Sect, tried to mediate, though his words fell on deaf ears. Seeing the unrest, Bai Shuo questioned why the Eternal and Demon Races were staying in the same inn despite their animosity.

Fan Yue explained that the Hidden King had once hoped to foster reconciliation among the three races and had established rules for their coexistence. However, Bai Shuo dismissed the rules as superficial, asserting that peace was impossible as long as their stances remained opposed. Zhong Zhao tried to defuse the conflict but was mocked by Nan Wan. Bai Shuo defended Zhong Zhao, angering Nan Wan further. Instinctively, Bai Shuo turned to Fan Yue for help.

With a single lash of his whip, Fan Yue knocked Nan Wan to the ground, intimidating the onlookers. Bai Shuo relished the moment of standing up to the bullies. Just as the commotion settled, a group of Hidden People arrived at the inn, led by a woman holding a sickly child. They angrily accused the Eternal and Demon Races of causing the child’s illness.

Yunxiao Sect and the Demon Race were eager to escalate the conflict, but Bai Shuo used a pill to cure the child, earning her the first Heart Flame. This, however, drew resentment from both the Eternal and Demon Races. Deputy Wu Zhao then announced the rules of the Wutong Martial Banquet: only those who collected three Heart Flames would emerge as the ultimate victor.

It was also revealed that Fan Yue was the Master of Bright Moon Palace, deterring others from antagonizing Bai Shuo. The Demon Race chose to remain neutral, unwilling to offend Bright Moon Palace or Cold Spring Palace. Bai Shuo found the appearance of the first Heart Flame suspicious, suspecting a prearranged scheme. Fan Yue speculated that it was likely tied to the Desireless Stone, and the two decided to investigate further.

Fu Ling approached Zhong Zhao, warning him of dangers in the Hidden City and urging him to leave. Zhong Zhao rejected her warning outright. Bai Shuo unexpectedly appeared, prompting Fu Ling to depart. Bai Shuo then asked Zhong Zhao about Lao Gui’s condition and expressed that their relationship could never return to what it once was.

When Bai Shuo left Zhong Zhao's room, she discovered Fan Yue standing nearby. The two went off to investigate together and uncovered the existence of evil cultivators within the strange city. Before they could delve deeper into the matter, they were attacked by a monster. Only Tian Huo remained unaffected by the city’s restrictive magic, which made Bai Shuo suspicious of her identity.

While tracking the monster, Bai Shuo and Fan Yue arrived at the palace of the Strange King, where Wu Zhao intercepted them. Although they suspected a connection between the monster and Hua Lin, they had no choice but to return to the inn. Later, Bai Shuo confronted Tian Huo, accusing her of being a member of the Strange People. She argued that since they had made a deal with the Master of Bright Moon Palace, mutual trust was necessary.

Fan Yue admitted that Tian Huo had indeed been one of the Strange People in the past, though he didn’t know why she possessed such extraordinary spiritual power. Still, he believed in her unwavering loyalty. Fan Yue promised Bai Shuo that as long as he lived, he would ensure her safety. However, Bai Shuo retorted that his protection was solely for the Desireless Stone, causing a rift between them.

That same night, Tian Huo snuck into the Strange King’s palace and encountered Wu Zhao, who was overjoyed to see her. It turned out that Tian Huo’s true identity was Hua Hong, the daughter of the Strange King. Years ago, the queen sacrificed herself for the city, fueling Hua Hong’s hatred toward her father, the Strange King, and Wu Zhao, her foster uncle. She left the city in anger and joined the Demon Race.

However, Tian Huo’s purpose in returning to the palace wasn’t to reminisce but to question Wu Zhao about the monster and the second Heartfire. Wu Zhao denied everything. As they spoke, Hua Lin appeared. The reunion between father and daughter after years of separation turned into a heated argument. Hua Lin angrily ordered Tian Huo to leave the city, but she remained unaware of her father’s true intentions.

Back at the inn, Tian Huo reported her findings to Fan Yue, who emphasized the urgency of collecting the Heartfires. Meanwhile, Zhong Zhao approached Bai Shuo, warning her that something was amiss in the city and revealing that Fu Ling was also present. He urged her to leave quickly. Bai Shuo, furious at Zhong Zhao for hiding Fu Ling’s involvement, warned him never to deceive her again.

When Zhong Zhao left her room, Fan Yue noticed his departure, and both men were preoccupied with their own concerns. The next morning, Hua Yong sent pastries to his sister Tian Huo, who angrily threw them to the ground, declaring that she would never forgive him. When Fan Yue stopped Bai Shuo from interfering, she decided to investigate the second Heartfire on her own.

She approached Hu’er’s mother to inquire about the monster and the Heartfire, learning that the monster had been appearing since seven years ago. As Bai Shuo prepared to leave, she realized Fan Yue had been following her to protect her. This softened the tension between them. Elsewhere, Fu Ling arrived at the palace, praising Hua Lin for using a blood sacrifice on the Strange King’s sword to prematurely summon two Heartfires.

However, she urged him to act swiftly to avoid unforeseen complications. Late at night, a shadow appeared above the inn, prompting the gathered immortals and demons, along with Bai Shuo, to pursue it to the Grave of the Strange People. The shadow vanished, leaving them face-to-face with Rong Xian, the tomb guardian. Initially appearing as an old man, Rong Xian revealed his youthful form when he discovered their intention to steal the second Heartfire. A battle broke out.

In the chaos, Mu Jiu, the young master of the Fox Clan, tried to avenge his clan and Ling Long, the saintess, by ambushing Rong Xian, but he failed. Unable to defeat Rong Xian, the group was turned into stone statues. Since Tian Huo was the daughter of the Strange King, she was unaffected. However, Fan Yue, Bai Shuo, Bei Chen, and Mu Jiu were drawn into the realm of Rong Xian’s memories, distorted by resentment and the Desireless Stone.

The timeline shifted back a thousand years. Bai Shuo, Fan Yue, and Bei Chen found themselves as the younger sisters and guards of Ling Long, the saintess of the Fox Clan. Though they appeared to be visiting Kunlun for peace talks, their true mission was to steal the Kunlun snow lotus to prolong their elder's life.

Meanwhile, Mu Jiu transformed from the young master of the Fox Clan into a Kunlun disciple and encountered Rong Xian, who was then the holy son of Kunlun. All these changes were shaped by Rong Xian’s consciousness. The real Rong Xian and Ling Long had died a millennium ago. To break free from this realm of resentment, they would need to follow the cycle of life and death.

According to Bei Chen's account of events from a thousand years ago, Bai Shuo learned about the Fox Clan maiden, Ling Long, who entered Kunlun and fell in love with Rong Xian, the holy son. However, the ongoing conflict between the Eternal Race and the Demon Race made their love unacceptable to both sides. The two decided to live in seclusion, away from worldly affairs. One day, Ling Long suddenly stormed into Kunlun and began a massacre.

Hearing the news, Rong Xian rushed over and killed Ling Long, then unleashed his fury in Jingyou Mountain. To completely break free from the realm of resentment, Bai Shuo proposed preventing Ling Long and Rong Xian from falling in love. However, her immediate priority was to accompany Ling Long to meet Rong Xian.

Ling Long planned to use her charm to seduce Rong Xian and obtain the snow lotus, so Bai Shuo interrupted their conversation at the banquet and diverted Rong Xian’s attention toward herself. Meanwhile, outside the hall, Mu Jiu encountered Bei Chen and was shocked to find him also trapped in the realm of resentment. When Ling Long emerged from the hall, she noticed Mu Jiu being particularly attentive to her, finding it amusing.

However, she misunderstood Rong Xian’s interest in Bai Shuo as love at first sight, which made Fan Yue incredibly jealous. He barged into the banquet, leading Ling Long to mistakenly believe that Bai Shuo and Fan Yue had feelings for each other. To conceal his identity, Fan Yue played along with Ling Long’s assumptions.

Ling Long, wanting to help her “sister” find happiness, decided to distract Rong Xian herself, arranging for Bai Shuo and Fan Yue to steal the snow lotus. Through their secret communication, Fan Yue emphasized the need to complete their mission quickly, as bringing Ling Long back to the Fox Clan sooner would reduce her chances of falling for Rong Xian. Elsewhere, the Kunlun elders captured Bei Chen and subjected him to whipping, demanding to know the Fox Clan’s true intentions.

Bei Chen, having no way to explain, suffered in silence. Mu Jiu, delighting in his plight, even joined in to whip him personally. As night fell, Rong Xian accepted an invitation to have tea with Ling Long. The two engaged in pleasant conversation, while Fan Yue led Bai Shuo to the snowy mountain, deactivated the formation, and retrieved the snow lotus. However, Kunlun disciples ambushed them.

Hearing the alarm bells, Ling Long realized the ambush had been set up long before and angrily accused Rong Xian. To her surprise, Rong Xian revealed they had met once before. Ten years earlier, Rong Xian had been gravely injured and collapsed in Qingling Mountain, where Ling Long had saved him. At the time, his face had been obscured, so Ling Long did not recognize him.

Knowing she needed the snow lotus to save her elder, Rong Xian willingly offered it to her. Ling Long was both shocked and moved, making a note to remember his kindness. Fan Yue, unwilling to fight the Kunlun disciples, used teleportation within the realm of resentment but ultimately failed to prevent Ling Long and Rong Xian from developing feelings for each other. In the next moment, Rong Xian’s obsession transported the four of them three years into the future.

By then, Ling Long and Rong Xian were already married and living in seclusion. Despite occasional arguments, their deep love for each other allowed them to overlook any flaws and focus only on their virtues. While Bai Shuo and Fan Yue initially tried to separate them, they gradually began to understand love through the couple’s influence. At this time, Ling Long was pregnant but had yet to tell Rong Xian.

Just as she prepared to share the happy news, Rong Xian received word from Kunlun that his sect master was gravely ill and near death. The sect master wanted Rong Xian to succeed him as the leader, but Rong Xian refused. He believed the bloodshed between the Eternal and Demon Races over the past millennium should end and was determined to honor his vow to stay with Ling Long for life.

The sect master, seeing Rong Xian’s resolute stance, conspired with the elders to subdue him. They transferred all their spiritual power to Rong Xian and forcibly altered his memory, turning his love for Ling Long into hatred. This scene was witnessed by Mu Jiu from outside the door. Influenced by the memory manipulation, Rong Xian came to believe that the Fox Clan was responsible for his parents’ deaths. Enraged, he personally went to Jingyou Mountain and began a massacre.

Bei Chen tried to stop him but was severely injured. Sensing danger to her clan, Ling Long told Bai Shuo before leaving to cherish her time with Fan Yue and live peacefully in Forget-Worry Valley. She then returned to Jingyou Mountain but was tragically killed by Rong Xian’s sword. Ling Long’s blood splashed into Rong Xian’s eyes, restoring his clarity and memories.

When he learned that Ling Long was pregnant, he was devastated to realize he had killed his wife and child with his own hands, plunging him into unbearable grief.