Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 78

Liuli watched from a distance as Gu Xiyan and her two companions left Thousand Leaf Palace, a flicker of hatred surfacing in her eyes.

The man beside her glanced at her and smiled faintly. “There’s no need to resent her so much. After today, there won’t be even the slightest trace of Divine Lord Zhuoqing left in this world. In her place, there will only be me. Without Zhuoqing, who else could stand in my way? Hahaha.”

With that, he transformed into a shadowy figure, sweeping Liuli along as he pursued them.

Halfway along their journey, Gu Xiyan suddenly sensed something amiss and reached out to pull Mujin and Zhijin closer.

Mujin blinked in surprise. “My lady, what’s wrong?”

Gu Xiyan furrowed her brows and murmured, “I don’t know, but something feels off. Stay on guard.”

Just as she finished speaking, a cold wind swept through the area. The sky had been bright and clear, yet an eerie white mist surged in, carrying a faintly acidic scent. Though Gu Xiyan couldn’t see the thick fog, her heightened senses immediately detected the anomaly. Holding her breath, she warned, “Ah Jin, Miss Zhijin, don’t separate—hold on tight.”

However, no response came. A sense of unease gripped Gu Xiyan. “Ah Jin? Miss Zhijin?”

She cautiously took two steps forward before quickly retreating three, then leaped into the air, narrowly dodging two swift attacks of spiritual energy. Her sword flashed into her hand, vibrating slightly as she held it at a ready angle by her side.

“Why hide in the shadows?” she called out.

A chuckle rang through the mist, clear and crisp—an unfamiliar voice to Gu Xiyan.

“Impressive perception. Unfortunately, you won’t be as lucky this time.” The amusement in the voice faded, replaced by an unmistakable chill.

Gu Xiyan had initially wondered if she had unknowingly offended someone from the Demon Realm. But upon hearing this, she realized she was dealing with an old acquaintance.

Lowering her gaze slightly, the gentle aura around her shifted abruptly into something sharp and fierce. Her voice was calm but firm. “I should have known you followed me to the Demon Realm as well. Qiongqi—that’s your real name, isn’t it?”

The man hesitated for a brief moment before his expression twisted into a snarl. “So, you know… Haha, Zhuoqing, oh Zhuoqing. Look at you. You gave everything to protect the world, even sacrificed yourself—what did it get you in return? You don’t belong in the human world, you can’t return to the Immortal Realm, and even the Demon Realm holds nothing but contempt for you. Plenty want you dead now—even the Demon Emperor, who once stood by your side, hates you to the core. And to think, you were once the greatest benefactor of the Demon Realm! Hah! How pitiful!”

Gu Xiyan remained silent, her head slightly bowed. In Qiongqi’s eyes, her lack of reaction only made his victory feel sweeter. He raised a long, blood-red blade and pointed it at her. “How does it feel to be betrayed by those you saved?”

Gu Xiyan’s expression remained tranquil. “Whether it was me or Zhuoqing, we simply followed our own convictions. Be it protection or slaughter, we acted according to our beliefs. You and I are no different—only the world chooses how to see us.”

Qiongqi despised her calm, knowing gaze, as if she saw through everything. His patience ran out. The crimson blade in his hand gleamed ominously as he swung it down toward her.

Strangely, now that she knew her opponent was Qiongqi, Gu Xiyan felt a little relieved—this meant Mujin and Zhijin were likely safe. However, before she could engage him properly, a sudden spatial distortion enveloped them both, teleporting them elsewhere.

Gu Xiyan couldn’t see, but she could feel the overwhelming surge of malice in the air. Qiongqi, on the other hand, grew more excited—clearly, he had lured them here on purpose.

“The news of Qinming’s injury—you deliberately fed that to Zhijin, didn’t you?” Gu Xiyan was sharp, piecing together the sequence of events in an instant. A faint sense of relief washed over her—if it was a trap, then Ye Qinming’s injury was likely not as severe as the rumors claimed.

“Feeling relieved?” Qiongqi sneered. “You’re on the brink of death, and yet you’re still worrying about others. Zhuoqing, you really are something! But it doesn’t matter. Today, you die. No more pretending to be righteous.”

With that, he lunged.

Gu Xiyan tightened her grip on her sword and met his attack head-on. This time, Qiongqi no longer played games—he went straight for the kill. He had no choice. This terrifying woman was no longer at the level she had been in the Mortal Realm. Without the countless lingering battle spirits and resentment from the Underworld Water acting as a force multiplier, he wasn’t even certain he could defeat her.

That thought alone sent a dark, volatile energy surging through his eyes. His aura thickened with black mist, and his strikes became even more brutal. Gu Xiyan pressed her lips together, sweat beading on her forehead, but she remained unfazed.

Time passed, second by second. Gu Xiyan struggled to defend against his onslaught, but Qiongqi, too, failed to gain the upper hand. However, her injuries were piling up. Blood streaked across her pale skin, her once-white robes now stained crimson. Her face had grown visibly paler, but her eyes still held steady determination.

“Why struggle in vain? Living so painfully in this ugly world—aren’t you exhausted? The person you love hates you to the bone, and those you protect see you as their enemy. Doesn’t that kind of despair consume you?”

Gu Xiyan didn’t respond, but her breath wavered slightly. She clenched her teeth, knowing that there was no escape for her today. Yet, she couldn’t help but think of Ye Qinming—if she were to die here today, would Ye Qinming grieve for her?

She braced herself against Qiongqi’s heavy strike once more, the deadlock between them unbroken. A thin trail of blood seeped from the corner of her lips as she let out a muffled groan. Qiongqi’s eyes gleamed with a crimson hue amidst the darkness as he pressed down harder, but even his hands were trembling.

Then, he suddenly let out a cold chuckle. “Will you really let such a perfect opportunity slip away?”

Gu Xiyan immediately turned her ear toward the sound, sensing a faint ripple of spiritual energy surging from behind her. Silent, yet carrying a chilling killing intent. With Qiongqi pressing her down from the front, she had no room to evade.

At the last moment, as the attack came for her, she dropped to her knees and arched her body backward. The spiritual energy sliced past her cheek, leaving a bloody gash as it shot toward Qiongqi. At the same time, the long blade in his hands cleaved into her shoulder.

Qiongqi’s expression changed as he pulled out the blade, stepping in swiftly. The assailant behind Gu Xiyan struck at the same moment. 

Severely wounded, even lifting her left arm took great effort. She knew Qiongqi’s cultivation far surpassed hers—she could only block his strike while enduring the full force of the other attack.

The impact sent her flying, blood gushing from her mouth.

She couldn’t see what was happening behind her, and her reactions were naturally slower than most. Before she could regain her footing, she suddenly felt empty space beneath her. A crushing pain spread through her chest as her spiritual energy scattered—she had no time to react before she plummeted downward.

Qiongqi’s pupils contracted. He flicked out a burst of spiritual energy, but it vanished into nothingness. All he could do was watch as Gu Xiyan disappeared from sight. Fury surged through him. “What do you think you’re doing?!”

Liuli emerged from the swirling mist, her gaze resting on the churning black fog over the cliff’s edge. She spoke softly, “Do you know where this is?”

Qiongqi’s expression darkened, a flicker of fear flashing across his face—but it was quickly replaced by resentment. “Do you think I chose this place by chance? The Nine Abysses of the Yellow Springs—no one knows it better than I do. But her spiritual energy is what I want. You think too highly of yourself. I can work with you just as easily as I can crush you like an ant.”

A flash of fury appeared in Liuli’s eyes, her brows arching sharply. “And what do you think you are? If not for me, you—”

Before she could finish, a surge of black mist erupted from Qiongqi’s eyes. Liuli’s words were abruptly cut off. Her irises turned completely black, swallowing even the whites of her eyes. In that moment, she looked soulless, eerily terrifying.

“A woman consumed by hatred—foolish and ignorant. Look at yourself, so pitiful. And then look at the mighty Demon Emperor—laughable.” Qiongqi flung Liuli aside, then turned his gaze to the abyss below, his voice icy. “This place—you sealed me here for eight hundred years, then suppressed my shattered soul for ten thousand more. Now, it’s your turn to suffer as I once did. Die in agony.”

No one understood the horrors of the Demon Realm’s forbidden land—the Nine Abysses of the Yellow Springs—better than he did.

“Beneath the Yellow Springs, the Nine Abysses descend—no man enters, no demon lingers. The living who pass shall never return, the dead who fall shall never escape.”

As Qiongqi turned to glance at Liuli, his voice was cold. “Let’s go. Ye Qinming is no easy opponent. You’d best be prepared.”

However, before they could get far, a sudden burst of spiritual energy tore through the air. A brilliant emerald glow swept through the thick mist like a raging tide, revealing the world beneath it.

Ye Qinming stood there, her expression terrifyingly cold. Her eyes burned red as she locked onto Qiongqi. Then, she shifted her gaze to Liuli at his side. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, shaking with barely restrained fury. Her voice was hoarse as she demanded, “Where is she?”

She had rushed to the Thousand Leaf Palace, only to find it empty—Gu Xiyan was not there. A chill seeped into her bones, from head to toe. Her heart pounded violently, a sharp pain spreading through her chest. The mere thought that something had happened to Gu Xiyan made her limbs go numb with dread. Waves of regret surged over her—she should never have stayed at Underworld Water to recover. The moment she woke up, she should have returned immediately, should have gone to Gu Xiyan, should have confirmed the burning suspicion in her heart.

She had searched frantically, but there was no sign of Gu Xiyan—only Mujin, on the verge of madness with worry.

That was when true fear gripped Ye Qinming.

She was too late.

Now, as she stood before Liuli and the unfamiliar man beside her, she understood everything instantly. She had dealt with Qiongqi enough times to recognize him at a glance. And seeing Liuli only confirmed the truth.

But Gu Xiyan was nowhere in sight.

That nearly drove Ye Qinming to the brink of collapse.

Liuli still looked dazed, but Ye Qinming’s eyes were already rimmed red. Step by step, she advanced—like a god of death descending upon them.

“I’ll ask you one more time—where is she?!”

Ye Qinming’s voice was almost a roar, her killing intent so dense it felt tangible. Even though the wound on her abdomen had yet to heal, she could not afford a single moment of restraint. That terrifying thought gnawed at her mind, pushing her beyond the limits of reason.

Qiongqi was caught slightly off guard, a faint unease creeping into his heart. He knew that he had no chance of winning against Ye Qinming at this moment. Without showing any signs of panic, he took a quiet step back before suddenly grabbing Liuli and shoving her forward.

Ye Qinming’s pupils shrank in an instant. She struck Liuli aside without hesitation, summoning Bixiao in the same motion, reaching out to stop Qiongqi.

She fought with all her might, Bixiao crashing down like a thunderclap. She stomped hard on Qiongqi’s chest, her voice sharp as a blade. “Where is Xiyan?! What have you done to her?!”

Qiongqi tumbled from the force of her kick, his breath stagnating as blood seeped from the corner of his lips. Yet, he seemed unbothered. Wiping the blood away, he let out a low chuckle. “It seems the Demon Emperor remembers me well—recognizing me at just a glance. You want to know where she is? Ha, shouldn’t you already know exactly what I’d do to her?”

“I have no patience for your games, Qiongqi. Since you’ve been given a second chance at life, you should’ve known better than to stir up trouble. Do you really think I can’t do anything about you?”

Qiongqi’s smile stiffened. Ye Qinming had actually figured out his identity. His expression darkened before he suddenly said, “Do something about me? Ye Qinming, do you think this is still ten thousand years ago? Zhuoqing is dead. That pitiful reincarnation of hers never received the respect she deserved, and in the end, she met such a miserable fate. And now, even her reincarnation is dead. What do you have left to fight me with? Ha ha!”

Ye Qinming’s face went pale. She whispered, “What did you say?” She seemed unable to believe what she had just heard, her eyes fixed on Qiongqi.

Qiongqi caught the flicker of disbelief in her gaze and smirked. “Zhuoqing is dead, and so is Gu Xiyan! Just now, your loyal subordinate and I killed her together! There’s nothing left—not even a corpse. You won’t even have a body to bury. Tell me, does that make you sad? Ha ha!”

He laughed wildly before suddenly feigning a look of realization. “Ah, but of course, you must not be sad at all! Didn’t you hate her to the core? Now that she’s dead, you’ll never have to see her again. For all eternity, she will never reincarnate. You should be thanking me. That so-called Divine Lord of the Three Realms has finally disappeared forever!”

Ye Qinming’s grip on her sword tightened as it let out a piercing, uncontrollable wail. Her entire body trembled—from shock, from rage, from despair. Her aura surged violently, demonic energy thickening around her, while her eyes turned a deep, bloodthirsty red.

“Say that again!”

With both hands gripping her sword, she became a blur of movement, slashing down upon Qiongqi with unrelenting fury. A storm of killing intent swept forth, and Bixiao struck without hesitation.

A deafening explosion echoed through the air. Blood splattered, leaving behind only the broken remains of Qiongqi’s body. Yet, Ye Qinming failed to notice his escaping soul.

She let out a desperate, trembling cry. Her right hand clenched the air with a force that shook the heavens, blood spilling from her lips.

In the distance, a pained scream rang out before fading into nothingness.