Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 60

Gu Xiyan sensed a powerful aura, carrying waves of scorching heat, faintly emanating from the horizon. The massive crater beside her still bore traces of this domineering force.

Her heart tensed abruptly. She immediately stood up from Ye Qinming’s embrace, stepping slightly in front of her as a shield. Quickly, she said, “Qinming, someone from the Immortal Realm is here. You must leave at once.”

Ye Qinming gazed at the person standing protectively before her, and her sharp expression softened. The murderous air around her dissipated as she spoke gently, “Don’t be afraid.”

With that, she reached out, wrapping an arm around Gu Xiyan. From the palm of her right hand, a jade-colored longsword materialized. With a swift slash, a surge of immense sword energy shot forward, carrying a wooden door directly toward the source of the oncoming flames. Simultaneously, the two of them broke through the rooftop and, with a swift whirl, landed on another eave.

Ye Qinming glanced sideways at the rapidly approaching shadows. A drop of blood emerged from the tip of her right index finger. She quickly traced an invisible sigil in the air, pressing her left hand over it, infusing it with a surge of verdant spiritual energy. The blood-formed pattern suddenly erupted in golden light, transforming into a massive circular barrier that she forcefully launched forward, blocking Yanyang and his companions in midair.

“All demon clans lingering in the Mortal Realm, heed my command! Proceed to Zhuoguang Mountain—I shall lead you back!”

This voice, carrying immense authority, spread in all directions. In the blink of an eye, surges of demonic energy burst forth from various locations, streaking across the sky like shooting stars, all converging toward Zhuoguang Mountain.

“Quick, look! What—what is that?!”

The people in the city had stopped in their tracks, their mouths agape as they watched the dazzling multicolored lights streaking across the sky. A collective gasp of awe and astonishment spread among them.

Yanyang flicked his sleeve, staring at the golden barrier before him. A surge of crimson flames erupted from his palm, blasting against it. Three breaths later, the golden screen shattered with a sharp explosion, fragments scattering like a rain of sword-like shards.

Yanyang’s expression shifted. The proximity caught him off guard—too close for comfort. He barely had time to shield himself. Nearby, Qujing, Tanlang, and Tianshu were all seasoned cultivators. Though the sudden impact made their hearts pound, they managed to evade in time. The less fortunate among their group were not so lucky; they were pierced by several sword-like fragments, blood splattering as they stumbled and fell.

From just that one exchange, both the fire god and High God Qujing grew solemn. Had Ye Qinming truly lost her former strength?

But there was no time to dwell on the thought. The demon clans were heading toward Zhuoguang Mountain—returning to the Demon Realm under the Demon Emperor’s lead. This was an undeniable threat to the Immortal Realm.

“Follow them at once! High God Qujing, proceed to Zhuoguang Mountain!”

At the command, five figures, including High God Qujing, immediately pursued Ye Qinming and her companions, following closely behind Fire God Yanyang.

Gu Xiyan’s expression turned grave. She had never interacted with deities before and had no sense of their power. However, after witnessing that last exchange, she knew those figures were strong enough to rival Ye Qinming.

“Qinming, who was that just now?”

“One of the Four Supreme Gods of the Heavenly Realm—Fire God Yanyang. The other is High God Qujing.” Ye Qinming chuckled, her voice laced with mockery. “Taiyi really overestimates me. Even after I’ve fallen to this state, he still sent two big names after me.”

Gu Xiyan’s heart sank. She didn’t know exactly how powerful the fire god was, but just from their titles alone, she knew they were not to be underestimated.

“Qinming, if things become too dangerous, don’t worry about me. Return to the Demon Realm first.”

Ye Qinming glanced at her before breaking into a bold grin. “You always underestimate me. Even if I’m not as strong as I once was, I won’t let those two brats take my wife from me.”

Gu Xiyan was momentarily stunned. Hearing her carefree, audacious laughter, she couldn’t help but blush. Yet, she found herself smiling as well, feeling slightly more at ease.

The approaching aura grew ever closer. Ye Qinming leaped to the summit of Zhuoguang Mountain, bringing Gu Xiyan along. She placed her gently to the side and whispered, “Don’t worry. Wait here for me.” Then, turning away, her voice rang out loud and clear, “All demon clans, listen! Protect this person!”

“Yes!” The thunderous response echoed across Zhuoguang Mountain like an earth-shattering tremor.

Ye Qinming ascended into battle, her robes billowing as she infused a powerful surge of demonic energy into the rift leading to the Demon Realm. At that moment, dark clouds churned and roiled across the sky, cascading like turbulent waves. The entire Zhuoguang Mountain stood as a striking beacon within the Northern Wasteland.

Just then, two streaks of divine energy—one azure, one crimson—ripped through the heavens, summoning the force of thunder and lightning. Like a stampede of galloping horses, they tore apart the sea of clouds, hurtling straight toward Ye Qinming.

Ye Qinming’s eyes gleamed with a crimson glow. With a flick of her wrist, her jade-colored sword materialized. Both hands drove it downward in midair, unleashing an electric surge of sword energy from its tip. In a blink, it clashed violently against the combined assault of Yanyang and Qujing.

As the two forces collided, an enormous curtain of light exploded outward, the shockwaves sending tremors through the surrounding mist. Lesser demons, unable to withstand the impact, were thrown back, spiraling into the air.

Gu Xiyan channeled her spiritual energy, sinking her legs to stabilize herself with difficulty. Her long hair whipped wildly in the wind, and the white silk covering her eyes, intertwined with her hairband, fluttered along with it. Despite the chaotic and disheveled scene, the figure in white stood out strikingly among the gathered demons.

Even High God Qujing, in the midst of the tense battle, caught a glimpse of her. However, he was quickly forced to refocus as Ye Qinming intensified her pressure, pulling his attention back. Yet, his brows furrowed—during that brief glance, why did he find that woman somewhat familiar?

There was no time to dwell on it. Ye Qinming’s left hand surged with another wave of demonic energy, which she slammed onto Bixiao. The two opposing barriers exploded simultaneously, forcing both sides to retreat several feet. If not for Ye Qinming deliberately shifting the battlefield, the weaker demons on Zhuoguang Mountain would have already been forced back to their original forms.

The fire god felt a dull pain in his chest, and whatever trace of luck he had clung to was completely extinguished. Ye Qinming was just as terrifying as she had been back then—enough to make his heart tremble. No wonder the Heavenly Emperor was so uneasy. Despite being a demon, she wielded spiritual energy in one hand and demonic energy in the other—two inherently opposing forces that she had fused together flawlessly. In his memory, Ye Qinming had struggled to control these clashing powers. How had she now mastered them so completely?

His gaze darkened as he spoke in a loud voice, “A thousand years have passed, yet the Demon Emperor remains as formidable as ever. It seems Divine Lord Zhuoqing’s efforts back then were still too lenient, and even the Abyssal Prison of Demons’ thunder tribulations weren’t severe enough.”

At the mention of Divine Lord Zhuoqing, Ye Qinming’s eyes narrowed, and a chilling aura burst forth. Yet in the next instant, she regained her composure.

Her left hand gathered spiritual energy, while her right hand casually twisted a lock of her black hair. Her slanted gaze brimmed with a reckless smile. “Aren’t you underestimating your Immortal Realm, Fire God? You all schemed so thoroughly back then—throwing away even your self-righteous, dignified façade—just to destroy me. That’s enough to prove how ‘mighty’ the Immortal Realm and its thunder tribulations are. How can you say your Divine Lord wasn’t ruthless, or that the tribulations weren’t harsh?”

“You—!”

The fire god’s furious retort was cut short as Ye Qinming struck again. Her sword, carrying the weight of ten thousand jins, slashed diagonally toward him in a flash. He barely had time to evade, but a lock of his hair was still severed.

Ye Qinming narrowed her eyes, her tone sharp and cutting. “Why lose your temper? If your people hadn’t been ruthless enough, that strike would have taken your head.”

High God Qujing frowned but remained silent. He recognized the fire god’s attempt to provoke Ye Qinming by mentioning Divine Lord Zhuoqing—after all, everyone in the Immortal Realm knew that the Demon Emperor and Divine Lord Zhuoqing had once been the closest of friends. Yet, instead of falling into the trap, Ye Qinming turned the insult back on him, deliberately goading the fire god instead.

Without a word, Qujing lifted his sword and launched a direct assault. The Heavenly Emperor had issued an absolute order—Ye Qinming must die.

Gu Xiyan, standing at a distance and unable to see, sharpened her hearing and extended her spiritual sense as much as possible to grasp the situation. She was highly sensitive to Ye Qinming’s aura—though Ye Qinming appeared calm and carefree, Gu Xiyan couldn’t shake the feeling that her powerful attacks were already taking a toll on her.

Ye Qinming herself was aware of this. Years ago, her demon core had been shattered. Though it had later been mysteriously repaired, the damage was substantial. Afterward, she had been cast into the Abyssal Prison of Demons, leaving her no time to properly heal. Although her power had gradually recovered, her demon core could no longer withstand the intense impact of both spiritual and demonic energy. She needed to end the battle quickly.

Holding back her demonic energy to conserve strength, she pressed forward with her sword, launching fierce attacks against her opponents. At their level of power, the lesser immortals from the Immortal Realm could no longer keep up. Meanwhile, the fire god’s gaze turned toward the demons on Zhuoguang Mountain. He transmitted an order. 

Tanlang, Tianshu—leave no demon on the mountain alive!

Tanlang and Tianshu nodded and immediately charged toward the demon horde. Mujin, who had been guarding Gu Xiyan closely, could no longer restrain herself and rushed forward to assist in the defense.

Ye Qinming, glancing over mid-battle, felt a surge of cold anger mingled with urgency. She had already sent a message—if it had been received, the barrier to the Demon Realm should have opened by now. Yet, there was no sign of activity. What was going on? Could there be a traitor in the Demon Realm?

Her fears were justified. The demons responsible for the barrier had indeed received her message and were preparing to notify Guiche when Jiuying suddenly arrived and stopped them. All the demon guards were swiftly subdued. Jiuying stood before the fluctuating barrier, his expression cold and unreadable.

It was the perfect outcome—if Ye Qinming died here in the Mortal Realm, it would cost him nothing. The Demon Realm would remain stable, and there would be no casualties. Everything was proceeding flawlessly.

With the barrier unopened, Ye Qinming’s situation grew more precarious. She could only stall for time while sending out another urgent command to the demons, “Open the Demon Realm barrier!”

Gu Xiyan heard the transmission clearly. She carefully sensed the fluctuations in spiritual energy and had already located the weakened section of the Demon Realm’s barrier.

She stepped forward cautiously, then leaped over the surrounding demons to reach the barrier at the summit of Zhuoguang Mountain. In front of her, a shimmering entrance was faintly visible, sealed by a thin veil of light that wavered gently.

“My lady!” Mujin’s expression changed, and she rushed forward to stop her. 

But Gu Xiyan’s voice was calm and resolute. “Hold them back. Don’t let anyone get close.”

Opening the barrier required both time and substantial spiritual energy. From within the Demon Realm, it would be easy—but from the human world, it was far more difficult.

Gu Xiyan knew her cultivation was insufficient, but at this point, she had no choice but to try. Those immortals showed no mercy toward the demon race—but she was human, and at least the gods wouldn’t pay her any attention.

Her hands swiftly formed a seal, and a soft spiritual light surged from her palms into the damaged section of the barrier. The originally calm light screen trembled violently, its glow becoming even more dazzling. At the same time, Gu Xiyan felt a powerful resistance pushing back against her attempt to break through.

Mujin immediately retreated a few steps, positioning herself nearby to guard against anyone from the Immortal Realm who might try to harm Gu Xiyan.

At first, no one paid any attention to the mortal girl, but the disturbance in the barrier caught the eyes of Tanlang and Tianshu. Tianshu, who had already drawn his bow, was about to release an arrow when Tanlang stopped him. Dazed, he said, “She’s not a demon… she’s human.”

Tianshu hesitated. He pushed back a demon attacking him before taking a closer look. Indeed, it was a human girl. He frowned and said, “Her cultivation isn’t low—why is she helping the demons?”

Tanlang shook his head, casually cutting down an attacking demon as he spoke. “Don’t kill mortals—it violates the divine laws. Besides, it’s impossible for her to open the barrier.”

The boundary between the Mortal and Demon Realms had been created by Divine Lord Zhuoqing using the Mountain and Sea Diagram. It was unbreakable—if not for Divine Lord Zhuoqing’s soul being scattered, the barrier wouldn’t have been damaged at all.

A mere mortal, so young—no matter how early she started cultivating, it was laughable to think she could break through that barrier.

Reassured by Tanlang’s words, Tianshu relaxed his focus and turned his gaze elsewhere. But the next moment, his eyes narrowed in alarm, and he swiftly flipped backward to dodge.

Two figures shot toward the battlefield from the sky, their voices ringing out. “Menghuai and Liangqu—here to aid Your Majesty!”

The newcomers were none other than Menghuai and Liangqu, the two who had once protected Ye Qinming during her return to the Demon Realm. Back then, both had been severely injured, barely escaping with their lives. They had been in seclusion in the human world to recover, and only now, noticing the disturbance, did they realize Ye Qinming had returned—prompting them to rush to her aid.

Tanlang and Tianshu, having fought against them before, knew these two were powerful—on par with their own cultivation. At their arrival, both immediately tensed.

Hearing their voices, Ye Qinming felt a rare sense of relief.

At that moment, an intense burst of light exploded from the summit of Zhuoguang Mountain, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. When Tanlang and Tianshu turned to look, they were stunned to see that the mortal girl—through her own strength—had torn open a rift in the Demon Realm’s barrier, and the opening was growing larger!

Both the immortals and demons on the battlefield were momentarily frozen in shock—even Ye Qinming was taken aback. She knew firsthand how difficult it had been for her to open this barrier back then, and yet this mortal girl had managed to force it open alone.

But there was no time to be surprised. Ye Qinming’s expression changed sharply as she called out urgently, “Gu Xiyan, move away! The rest of you—protect her!”

Her words had barely fallen when Tianshu, who had just lowered his bow, raised it again and aimed at Gu Xiyan’s back. A golden arrow of pure energy shot out, piercing through the demons in its path as it sped toward Gu Xiyan.

Ye Qinming must not be allowed to escape—no matter the cost. Even if it meant risking backlash, Gu Xiyan could not be allowed to open the barrier!

Ye Qinming’s pupils contracted violently. Without hesitation, she turned and raised her hand to intercept the arrow—but the fire god immediately moved to block her path, forcing her into combat.

“Xiyan!” Ye Qinming’s hands grew cold as panic surged through her. She no longer cared about the fire god’s attacks—her entire focus was locked onto Gu Xiyan, her expression verging on desperation.

In a flash, she managed to evade the fire god and lunged toward Gu Xiyan—but blazing flames pursued her closely, their scorching heat pressing against her back.

Tianshu’s Sun-Chasing Bow was a soul-piercing weapon. Gu Xiyan, being a mortal, would face annihilation with no hope of reincarnation if struck by that arrow.

“My lady!” Mujin’s anguished cry was raw with fury. She transformed into her true form and roared as she charged at Tianshu to stop him.

Author’s Note:

Green Tea: I would never lose my wife.

And then one day, the wife got lost—and Green Tea cried like a baby.

“In Jiangnan, one gathers lotus seeds, the lotus leaves sway so gracefully.

Green Tea plays among the lotus leaves.

East of the lotus leaves, West of the lotus leaves,

South of the lotus leaves, North of the lotus leaves.”

White Lotus: …A perfectly good Yuefu poem, and you turned it into this…