Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 68

After Ye Qinming returned, Gu Xiyan’s mood noticeably improved. Though she still occasionally drifted into a daze, she no longer buried herself in endless cultivation.

That day, after Mujin was persuaded by Gu Xiyan, she went out with Zhijin. A group of demons who had come from the Mortal Realm had yet to leave the Demon Capital. Except for Qingwu, who chose to stay in the human world for Qu Lin’er, the others, including the mint demon, remained in the Demon Capital. Letting them have fun together seemed like a good idea.

Mujin was naturally lively, and devils were an active race by nature. Afraid that she would become restless, Gu Xiyan had Zhijin take her out for a stroll.

Sitting alone in the Thousand Leaf Palace, Gu Xiyan was surrounded by Ye Qinming’s personal guards. At her current cultivation level, she could vaguely sense their presence.

The cultivation techniques Ye Qinming had left behind were now fully committed to her memory. She found them effortless to practice, but the deeper she delved into them, the more she realized how extraordinary they were. Their profound mysteries far exceeded her imagination.

She reached out, and the jade slip Ye Qinming had given her appeared in her palm. As she gently opened it, golden characters shimmered across the unfolding light screen.

Her fingers slowly touched the surface, and in an instant, her thoughts returned to that day. The eerie remnant soul’s words echoed in her ears, sending a sudden chill down her spine.

Back then, the situation had been too urgent for her to think deeply. But now, she realized that if he found her familiar because she had practiced the techniques Ye Qinming gave her, then that could only mean…

She and Ye Qinming might have known each other in the past. Otherwise, why would she possess an Immortal Realm technique—one that was connected to her previous life?

If her guess was correct, yet Ye Qinming herself had no memory of where this technique came from, there was only one possibility—she had forgotten.

But why had she forgotten? What exactly had she forgotten?

Recalling Ye Qinming’s words from the previous night, an icy sensation spread from her head to her toes. Absurd. Impossible. That person was already dead!

Yet, as this thought resurfaced in broad daylight, it brought an even deeper fear.

Yes, everyone believed she was dead.

So if she was still alive, no one in the Immortal Realm would know. That meant that even if Ye Qinming claimed she was the reincarnation of an immortal, there was no one in the Immortal Realm who would protect her!

The jade slip slipped from Gu Xiyan’s hand, and she nearly lost her balance. Her face turned pale as she struggled to steady herself. She clenched her palms tightly, desperately trying to reassure herself.

This was all just her speculation. Perhaps she was being too sensitive, overthinking everything these past few days, connecting the dots in a way that only made them seem real.

Just as her thoughts were in turmoil, a dark demonic aura silently seeped in from the side hall of the Thousand Leaf Palace. It skillfully avoided the layers of guards outside and made its way toward the main hall, lurking in the shadows.

It moved with intent, carefully probing its surroundings before locking onto the white-clad woman leaning over the table. Satisfied, it stirred slightly.

Clearly, the intruder had sensed Gu Xiyan’s inner turmoil. It cautiously tested the waters before suddenly turning aggressive.

By the time Gu Xiyan realized something was wrong, an overwhelming force had already surged toward her!

However, the enemy had underestimated Gu Xiyan’s reaction speed. Although she was caught off guard, before the force could completely restrain her, she had already summoned her longsword. With a swift release of spiritual energy, she created a protective barrier around herself.

Though trapped, she was not entirely powerless.

At that moment, just as she raised her head to listen for any movement around her, the oppressive force suddenly wavered, as if something had interfered with it.

A deep, incredulous voice rang out, “How could it be you?” The voice was low and gruff. But as soon as he spoke, he seemed to realize this was not the time for shock and immediately fell silent.

In the next instant, a figure materialized before Gu Xiyan.

The moment he extended his hand, his formidable strength became undeniable, pressing down on Gu Xiyan like an unshakable mountain. She tensed, gritting her teeth to endure it.

Yet, in that brief moment, the sheer power he displayed was enough for Gu Xiyan to guess his identity.

She bit the tip of her tongue. Just as he reached for her shoulder, she spat out a mouthful of blood essence, quickly inscribing a spiritual talisman.

The talisman exploded before her eyes, forcing the man to take a step back. She immediately launched a rapid series of sword strikes—three aimed at him and one slashing toward a weak point in the palace’s barrier.

The man, initially surprised, now looked even grimmer.

He had actually let a mere mortal withstand ten moves under his hand—and even allowed her to alert the guards of the Thousand Leaf Palace!

Gu Xiyan kept her head down, flexing her fingers slightly.

It had only been a few days in the Demon Realm, but after refining the demon core within her, her strength had increased significantly. Otherwise, she would have been nothing more than a helpless lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

Turning her head slightly, Gu Xiyan calmly faced the man before her—the strongest of the Four Great Demon Kings of the Demon Realm. Her voice was steady as she said, “For the mighty Lord Jiuying to personally act against a mere mortal like me… I must be quite an honored guest.”

Jiuying’s expression was immensely complex. The person before him was no longer the same as in his memories. Her presence was no longer unfathomably deep, yet her composed demeanor, her elegance—it was exactly as he remembered.

“How did you know it was me?” Jiuying forced himself to believe that she was no longer that person. Even if she was still remarkably gifted, she was just a pitiable mortal now. And a blind one at that.

Gu Xiyan’s voice was light but sharp. “To dare enter the Thousand Leaf Palace… To even be able to enter the Thousand Leaf Palace… In the entire Demon Realm, who else but you could have done it?”

Before Jiuying could respond, a sharp surge of sword energy shot straight into the hall from outside. He forcefully suppressed all his emotions, swung his left hand fiercely, and broke through the Thousand Leaf Palace’s barrier with Gu Xiyan in tow. His voice was low and heavy. “You shouldn’t be in the Demon Realm. She must have lost her mind to keep you by her side. Go back to where you came from.”

Gu Xiyan furrowed her brows, struggling to steady herself as she replied calmly, “You barged into the Thousand Leaf Palace—this means you’ve completely torn apart any pretense of peace with her. The Demon Realm is already being crushed under the weight of the Immortal Realm’s oppression. Instead of focusing on how to help it survive, you’re choosing to exploit the situation. Aren’t you afraid of mutual destruction, giving the Immortal Realm an opportunity to invade?”

Jiuying’s gaze darkened, and his attacks grew increasingly ruthless. “The only reason the Demon Realm keeps suffering under the Immortal Realm’s pressure is because of her. Getting rid of her is the greatest protection for the Demon Realm. As for you… you still don’t know who you are, do you? Once you find out, you’ll never want to stay by Ye Qinming’s side. You’ll only be grateful that I came to take you away today!” 

With that, he turned, his wide sleeves sweeping outward, stirring up a fierce gust of wind that instantly scattered the approaching demon guards. 

“A bunch of useless fools—you’re not even as good as her.” He then looked at Gu Xiyan, who was struggling bitterly, and said softly, “Stop struggling. Stop stalling for time. She won’t be coming back—she won’t stop me.”

Gu Xiyan’s face shifted. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t be nervous. I’ve only delayed her,” Jiuying said, pressing down with his hand. A muffled groan escaped Gu Xiyan’s lips as she was forced down onto one knee, unable to move.

“Let go of my lady!” A voice filled with fury and urgency rang out from the distance. Mujin shot toward them like a meteor, her curved blade wrapped in a violent gale as she slashed down with full force.

Jiuying sidestepped the attack, giving Gu Xiyan a chance to breathe. She immediately slid backward, her sword flashing as sword energy burst forth.

Zhijin saw the scene and was momentarily stunned. She frowned and shouted,

“Lord Jiuying, this is an act of treason!”

Jiuying’s expression was grim. After forcing Mujin back, he said coldly, “She is no longer the Demon Emperor. Prioritizing personal emotions over the Demon Realm’s survival—she is unfit for the throne.”

Jiuying’s strength was no exaggeration. The arrival of Mujin and Zhijin had completely drained his patience. He no longer held back—turning sharply, he summoned a bone-chilling blade, striking with such force that the earth trembled. Even the protective barrier of the Thousand Leaf Palace shuddered violently under the aftershocks.

The charging guards were cut down instantly. Those at the front were obliterated, their bodies and souls alike. Mujin narrowly dodged the attack but was severely injured, spitting up blood, her eyes turning bloodshot. She knew she was no match for him—but Gu Xiyan was in danger. She couldn’t take a step back. She forced herself to stand, but before she could make another move, Gu Xiyan teleported in front of her and held her down.

Gu Xiyan knew she had no chance of victory against Jiuying. Mujin’s injuries had also torn open her own old wounds. Suppressing the pain in her voice, she said, “Mujin, stand down.” Mujin refused. Gu Xiyan suddenly raised her voice, “Stand down!”

Mujin’s eyes reddened. She gritted her teeth and growled furiously, “I won’t!”

Gu Xiyan’s ears twitched. As Jiuying attacked again, she abruptly pushed Mujin aside and whispered, “Please, stop throwing yourself into danger for me.”

She took Jiuying’s attack head-on, blood spurting from her mouth as she dropped to her knees, utterly spent. Jiuying had no intention of dragging this out—he swiftly waved his sleeve, and in the blink of an eye, both he and the wounded Gu Xiyan vanished.

Just as Jiuying disappeared, a streak of green light descended in front of the Thousand Leaf Palace. A figure in white followed closely behind.

Ye Qinming’s face was icy, as if carved from frost. She glanced at the traces left behind in the surroundings, and though her voice was calm, it carried an unmistakable urgency. “Where is she?”

“Your Majesty, Jiuying just took her away—he left only moments ago,” Zhijin quickly reported.

Ye Qinming’s gaze darkened instantly. Without a moment’s hesitation, she transformed into a streak of light and shot off in pursuit.

Before the white figure had even fully landed, Ye Qinming was already gone. The woman clad in white armor who had just arrived was none other than Liuli, who had rushed back. Her expression was a mix of urgency and anger as she swept a cold glare at Zhijin, reprimanding sharply, “Foolish! Do you have any idea how tense the battle at the frontlines is? Right now, the three Supreme Gods of the Immortal Realm have joined forces in a fierce assault. Her Majesty cannot afford to be absent! Yet you recklessly used a blood oath to send a message, disturbing Her Majesty’s focus?”

Zhijin’s face turned pale. Clearly, she was still suffering from the effects of the blood oath. Lowering her head weakly, she replied, “Miss Gu is extremely important to Her Majesty. If anything happened to her, I would be to blame even if I died a thousand times over. It was an urgent matter—this was Her Majesty’s order to me.”

Liuli’s expression shifted slightly. “Miss Gu? Who is this ‘Miss Gu’ that matters so much to Her Majesty?”

Important enough that the moment Ye Qinming received the message, her expression changed drastically. Important enough that she immediately had Feidan and Guiche take command of the troops and left without a word.

“She’s the girl Her Majesty brought back from the human world.”

Liuli’s expression darkened. She didn’t want to hear any more. Gritting her teeth, she turned and rushed after Ye Qinming, but Mujin was even faster, vanishing before her in the blink of an eye.

The three of them streaked through the skies above the Demon Realm, one after the other. But Jiuying and Ye Qinming’s cultivation far outstripped the others, and in no time, Mujin and Liuli were left far behind.

Jiuying hadn’t expected Ye Qinming to arrive so quickly. Seeing her standing in his path, eyes cold and murderous, he couldn’t help but laugh.

In Ye Qinming’s hand, the Bixiao Sword gleamed with a sharp, menacing light. A faint crimson glow flickered in her eyes, and her gaze locked onto Jiuying like iron hooks.

“Who gave you permission to touch her?” she demanded, her voice barely containing her fury. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Gu Xiyan, restrained in Jiuying’s grasp.

Jiuying stopped laughing and pulled Gu Xiyan closer, glancing at her before speaking.

“You truly are devoted. You swear vengeance against the Immortal Realm, vowing blood for blood… and yet, for this woman—the very one who personally raised a hand against you, who nearly killed you—you still treasure her so much. You would even abandon the battlefield just to chase after her.” He sneered, his voice thick with mockery and anger. “I’m deeply moved, Your Majesty.”

The last two words were bitten out with unmistakable scorn. But the former thing he said made both Ye Qinming and Gu Xiyan’s faces change.

Gu Xiyan felt as though the carefully built walls in her mind were cracking, on the verge of collapsing completely.

“What do you mean?” Ye Qinming asked, looking at Gu Xiyan. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she forced herself to remain calm.

“What do I mean?” Jiuying found it laughable. His smile turned even more mocking, but then, abruptly, he stopped laughing. Studying Ye Qinming, his voice took on a probing edge. “Ye Qinming… don’t tell me you truly don’t recognize this woman? With this face, nearly identical… are you seriously saying you haven’t guessed?” Then he laughed, a sharp, almost delighted sound. “Ha! Ye Qinming, you’ve forgotten—! You actually forgot her!”

For the first time, he shed his usual cold, brooding demeanor. He seemed to find it genuinely amusing. With a vicious motion, he shoved Gu Xiyan forward, forcing Ye Qinming to look at her. Enunciating each word, he declared, “This woman—the mortal you so carefully hid away in Thousand Leaf Palace—the one you protect so dearly… she looks exactly like Divine Lord Zhuoqing, the god who schemed against you a thousand years ago, wounding you so gravely beyond the Nine Heavens! You never found it strange? That this so-called ‘mortal’ possesses such heaven-defying cultivation? That her natural spiritual body is something even most immortals could never have? In all the Three Realms, only one being has ever reincarnated without losing their immortal foundation. Only one was blind in the eyes, yet clear in the heart. Besides her, who else could it be?”

Ye Qinming felt a bone-deep chill wash over her. She took an unconscious step back

The same despair flickered across Gu Xiyan’s face.

She had heard it, every word.

The truth she had fought so desperately to deny, the one she never wanted to face—now, it was torn open, bloody and undeniable, right in front of them.