Chapter Nine: Jealousy and Confrontation

Chapter Nine: Jealousy and Confrontation

"I never thought there would be news about me in the records; anyone who didn’t know better might assume I had already perished," Lord Mufeng joked.

"Mufeng’s cultivation rivals that of the Divine Lord and Demon Lord. It’s only natural that some would be wary of him," Yuori replied in place of Qinglan, who didn’t know Mufeng well enough to respond.

"All just empty titles, blown out of proportion," Lord Mufeng demurred.

"You’re too modest, my lord."

"I happened to come looking for Brother Yi. He will return to the Mortal Realm, won’t he?"

"Ah Yi won’t be back until evening—you might have to wait an hour or two," Qinglan replied; this, at least, she knew.

"In the Demon Realm, such a wait is but a cup of tea, it’s no trouble at all. Would your residence allow me to stay for a while?" Mufeng asked, bowing politely.

"Of course you may. You’re Ah Yi’s friend, and you’re even helping me look for a magical artifact. It’s only right for me to treat you with courtesy," Qinglan replied graciously.

"Lanlan, should we keep watching, or head back?"

"Let’s stay a bit longer. It would be so dull to return early, especially when Ah Yi isn’t even home yet."

"As you wish. I’ll enjoy myself this time," Yuori agreed without the slightest hesitation.

—

There wasn’t much left for Xiao Cangyi to handle in the Demon Realm, so he left Jinhan behind to finish up whatever remained and returned to the Mortal Realm.

It was only dusk, the sky still holding a sliver of light before nightfall. Returning to his residence and not finding Qinglan there, he headed to her favorite teahouse.

He spotted them just as they stepped out of a restaurant, laughing together. His sharp gaze immediately caught sight of Lord Mufeng. Clearly, Mufeng hadn’t had his fill—itching for more, it seemed.

"Ah Yi, you’re back so early?" Qinglan blinked, thinking she was mistaken, but upon confirming it was really him, she hurried to his side.

"You two go ahead. I have matters to discuss with this man," Xiao Cangyi said, eyes unfriendly as they locked on Mufeng.

"Very well." Qinglan took Yuori’s hand and led the way.

"So, Mufeng, what brings you idling around the Mortal Realm?" Xiao Cangyi asked as he walked.

"I finished what you asked of me, and when I didn’t find you in the Mortal Realm, I came searching. Pure chance I ran into you two at the teahouse."

"By your account, it was mere coincidence?"

"Exactly that," Mufeng replied, more resolute than before, not wanting to risk another challenge between them.

"I’ll trust you this once," Xiao Cangyi said, though his gaze betrayed not a hint of trust.

"Ah Yi, how can you not trust your own brother? And not only that, you have a lovely wife now and didn’t even tell your brother—are you planning to hide her away in a golden house?" Mufeng’s words spoke of deep camaraderie; anyone watching might have thought them blood brothers.

"Lan is my wife. What does that have to do with you?" Xiao Cangyi’s expression changed at these words, looking as though he might strike at any moment.

"I’m just curious how a man as taciturn as you managed to win the War God’s daughter. Will you share your secret with me? Maybe one day I’ll have a beautiful wife too," Mufeng mused, unable to hide his hopeful grin.

"You don’t need my advice," Xiao Cangyi replied, eyeing him with amusement.

"Why not?" Mufeng asked, exasperated. If he knew how, would he still be alone after all these millennia?

"Just keep quiet, and fooling someone should be easy enough."

"What’s wrong with the way I talk? Is it something I say, or am I too dull? What do you think, Ah Yi?" Mufeng barely paused before Xiao Cangyi hurried off to Qinglan’s side, breaking into a run.

"Ah Yi, you walk so fast you’re ruining my composure," Mufeng muttered, tempted to throw his jade flute at him, but lacking the courage.

"Lan, ignore him. Let’s go," Xiao Cangyi said, not wanting to see Mufeng any longer.

"Alright."

As they walked away, leaving only Yuori behind, Mufeng felt as though he’d found a savior.

"Miss Yuori, do you think it’s bad if someone talks too much?"

"I don’t think it’s about good or bad. It’s about whether it’s annoying," Yuori replied succinctly, leaving Mufeng stunned as she ran to catch up with the others.

"Annoying?" Mufeng wondered if he should ask a few more people, acting on that thought and quickly making his way to the Demon Realm. He asked his way all the way to the Flame Demon Palace, where he found Jinhan busy working.

"Jinhan, your lord is off playing in the Mortal Realm while you’re here working so hard," he said, and when there was no response, he added a few more words.

"Aren’t you supposed to be a good host? Not even as good as Ah Yi," Mufeng complained, plopping down on a chair and refusing to leave.

Jinhan continued his work, only able to do anything else once it was done. After half a stick of incense, he finally exhaled and said, "In the future, best not speak while I’m working."

"Do you all think I’m annoying?" Mufeng finally understood.

Jinhan gave him a look, suggesting self-awareness would be preferable, and hoped he might change.

"Come, let’s go. I still have matters to discuss with Ah Yi."

"As you wish," Jinhan said just as the Demon Princess arrived.

"Is the lord inside?"

"No."

"In the Mortal Realm?"

"Yes, indeed—" Mufeng started, but stopped short at Jinhan’s warning look.

"Too talkative," Jinhan said, disappearing at once.

"What’s going on?" Mufeng followed, wanting an explanation.

Every year at this time, Cangyi would go to the Mortal Realm and never allowed Moyan to accompany him. This time, she had come to ask, but he had already left.

As she thought about it, Moyan recalled her encounter with Qinglan, and how the Demon Lord, usually so stern, had revealed a gentle side in her presence.

What secrets were hidden in the Mortal Realm? She was determined to find out. In a flash, the Flame Demon Palace was left empty, save for the guards.

—

By the time they arrived in the Mortal Realm, the moon hung high, and dawn was only an hour or two away.

"Lord Mufeng, if you can’t keep from speaking, it’s best not to speak at all," Jinhan said as he entered the Xiao residence, walking so quickly he didn’t even want to look at Mufeng, whose mere presence was infuriating.

"I..." He suddenly remembered that Moyan had long been infatuated with Ah Yi; if she saw he was married, she might make trouble for Qinglan.

"Jinhan, what’s wrong? Why are you walking so fast?" Xiao Qingyue, sitting on the threshold, rose to greet him.

"Miss, it’s late. Why aren’t you asleep?" Jinhan bowed.

"I don’t know, I just can’t sleep tonight," Qingyue replied, gazing at the moon.

"Staying up late isn’t good for your health, miss."

"I know. You seem in a hurry, so I won’t hold you up. I’ll return to my room," she said, turning away.

"Did something go wrong?" Mufeng guessed at Jinhan’s haste.

"Nothing at all. But once you’ve finished your business, it would be best for everyone if you left the Mortal Realm quickly," Jinhan replied bluntly.

"How unpleasant you make it sound, as if I’m some disaster," Mufeng grumbled, huffily going to find Cangyi.

Jinhan watched him go, wondering how someone who had lived for over a hundred thousand years could still be like this—a true divine lord, indeed. He sighed and returned to his quarters.

With Yuori back in the Divine Realm, Qinglan found it difficult to settle into her cultivation. What if Huazhen, so strict, punished Yuori for staying away from her training? Yet, it was a family matter, and she couldn’t intervene.

Seeing her troubled, Cangyi asked, "Lan, is something on your mind?"

"Yuori’s father is Lord Huazhen, strict and unyielding. I’m worried he’ll punish her for spending so long here and neglecting her cultivation."

"A tiger will not eat its cubs. No matter how stern, he won’t truly harm her. Don’t worry too much," Cangyi reassured her.

"It makes me realize how kind my own parents are," Qinglan mused, feeling fortunate.

"I heard you ascended to Immortal Lord at forty thousand years old."

"Yes," Qinglan nodded.

"Most with great talent in the Divine Realm ascend to Immortal Lord near sixty thousand years, but you were different. It shows your exceptional talent and effort. Your parents know you work hard and naturally trust you."

It was true. Over the past ninety thousand years, apart from reading and cultivating, there was only mischief—though that counted as training, too. She carved ice sculptures, crafted delicate artifacts, practiced small spells, all to hone her spiritual power.

After all, mastering spiritual power allowed one to conserve energy during spellcasting, making combat last longer and more effective—a boon for cultivation.

"I just like your praise."

"I’m only stating facts," Cangyi replied. He had inquired about her before, so he knew.

"Come, let’s go inside. I can finally settle down and cultivate."

Just as Cangyi was about to lead her inside, Lord Mufeng strode into the courtyard.

"Ah Yi, I’ve found what you asked me for."

"What is it?" Qinglan asked, curious at his excitement.

"I saw you lacked a magical artifact, so I asked him to look for one for you," Cangyi explained.

"I read in a book about the divine ‘Icefeather Fan,’ a primordial artifact said to be born with the Lord Ling Shuang and to vanish with her. No one knows where it is. If you can find the place where it disappeared, you might be able to claim it," Mufeng said.

"Can you be serious? The ‘Icefeather Fan’ was born with Lord Ling Shuang, belonging only to her. You want me to find it? I’d be chasing a dream," Qinglan replied. She knew the story well: the ruler of three realms, her artifact—retrieving it would be nothing short of impossible.

"My own creations don’t please you, and you claim you can’t get this one. Do it yourself then!" Mufeng shouted, feeling bullied. After all, he was well known in both the Divine and Demon Realms.

"People are resting. Must you be so loud?" Cangyi frowned.

"I’ll be as loud as I want, hmph!" Mufeng huffed off.

"Is this really the Lord Mufeng I met before?" Qinglan wondered. He seemed like an overgrown child.

"He’s always been this way—talkative and easily tiresome if you spend too much time with him."

"Compared to that, you’re much better."

"Then remember, never care about anyone else. No one is as good as I am."

"Alright," Qinglan suddenly realized what he meant.

This scene was just what Moyan, newly arrived in the Mortal Realm, witnessed. She had always been the one by his side—so why had he fallen for someone else?

A god and a demon—she was determined to see how they could possibly end up together. Would the Divine Lord approve?

Returning to her training grounds, Moyan remembered that Lord Chiyan of the Divine Realm seemed very fond of Qinglan. Perhaps she could join forces with him—surely, not all the gods were paragons of virtue.

Masking her demonic aura, Moyan slipped unnoticed into Chiyan’s quarters. Before she could observe her surroundings, a voice called out to her.

"You’ve arrived. Why not show yourself?"

"It seems Lord Chiyan’s cultivation has advanced again," Moyan remarked.

"I doubt you came all this way, disregarding the feud between gods and demons, just to test my abilities," he replied.

"I do have a proposal to discuss. I hear you grew up with Qinglan—but what a pity…"

"I see nothing to pity," Chiyan replied coldly. He had befriended Qinglan at his father’s behest, seeking the War God’s support. Whether she loved him or someone else was of no concern to him.

And if Qinglan wished to marry the Demon Lord, there was not the faintest chance it would happen.

"Will you really let her marry someone else?" Moyan’s smile vanished.

"Does the princess think I’d be worried?" Chiyan sneered.

"Could it be…" Moyan realized Chiyan only used Qinglan and was indifferent to her fate. "I must have misjudged you." With that, she vanished.

Back in her chambers, Moyan meditated. This would require more thought.

—

Upon returning to the Divine Realm, Yuori had barely entered her family’s gates when she ran into her father, Lord Huazhen.

"Father," Yuori greeted him.

"You remember to come home at last? Instead of cultivating, you roam about—even going to the Mortal Realm. Do you think everyone has the privileges of Qinglan?" His tone was stern and sharp.

"I only went because Qinglan hasn’t returned to the Azure Hall in two days, and Lord Lingxi was worried. I volunteered to look for her," Yuori replied, standing firm.

"Still lying," Huazhen rebuked.

"I am telling the truth," Yuori insisted, hoping for a life like Qinglan’s—even if her own powers remained meager.

"Then why have I heard you spent days playing in the Mortal Realm?" said a young woman approaching from the house—her younger sister, Fuyi, recently ascended to Immortal Lord.

"I accept my punishment," Yuori replied.

"Reflect well in the ‘Violet Blaze Array’."

"Yes," Yuori said, not looking back as she entered the clan’s training grounds and stepped into the array.

The array was the family’s most powerful, filled with the purest purple lightning of the Divine Realm. It was unpredictable; anyone lacking sufficient cultivation could be gravely injured or even suffer permanent damage to their soul.

Seeing Yuori punished so severely, Fuyi felt nothing but satisfaction. Why should Yuori alone garner their father’s attention and all the best resources?

Once Huazhen left on business, Fuyi set off to find entertainment elsewhere. She’d read about the demon beasts in the Mortal Realm and thought that catching one might liven up her days.

She stumbled into the Demon Realm by mistake, ending up right in Moyan’s training grounds.

"Who’s there?" Moyan sensed the unfamiliar aura and appeared before Fuyi instantly.

Fuyi hadn’t concealed her own aura, so Moyan saw at once she was from the Divine Realm. She sat on the ground, but Moyan grabbed her by the throat and lifted her easily.

"I loathe Divine Realm people most," Moyan snarled. Already furious about Qinglan and Cangyi, she now had a Divine visitor—how could she not kill her? Her grip tightened.

"Don’t… kill… me. I’ll do… anything," Fuyi gasped, desperate.

Moyan saw she was a coward and was quite pleased—finally, an opportunity. She infused a strand of demonic energy into Fuyi, marking her right arm with a withered leaf. Releasing her throat, she let Fuyi collapse.

"This is my personal mark. I’ll use it to send you instructions. Of course, whatever you think or do—I’ll know. Don’t even think of playing tricks."

"Yes," Fuyi stammered, shivering.

Moyan’s eyes glittered with disdain. Now, let’s see what you’ll all do.

—

As the year in the Mortal Realm drew to a close, Qinglan returned to the Divine Realm to greet her parents and master, immediately inquiring after Yuori.

But the news was dire: Yuori’s soul was damaged, and she was unconscious—punished in the Violet Blaze Array. If she hadn’t been rescued in time, she might have died.

Everyone in the Heavenly Realm knew—only Huazhen had ever passed through that array. It was like weathering a heavenly tribulation; with insufficient cultivation, it was suicide.

"Yuori, are you alright?" Qinglan asked anxiously, but Yuori remained semi-conscious. "What did she do to deserve such heavy punishment?" Qinglan glared at Fuyi, knowing she had always been at odds with Yuori.

"She made a mistake and was punished by our father. It’s only fair," Fuyi replied, emboldened by their father’s protection.

"Is that so? Then what was the mistake?" Qinglan’s ice-blue eyes flashed dangerously.

Fuyi was silenced. She had exploited her father’s strictness to punish Yuori.

With a cold laugh, Qinglan seized Fuyi by the throat, her grip tightening with every intention to kill. Unexpectedly, Huazhen arrived and saved Fuyi.

"Qinglan, will you kill my daughter in my own house before my very eyes?" Huazhen demanded, wielding his authority as a divine lord.

"You’ve raised a fine daughter. But what sort of progeny comes from one who can’t tell right from wrong?"

"A mere immortal like you dares to lecture me?"

"Then come try me!" Qinglan’s eyes gleamed with bloodlust as her ice sword appeared, lunging at Lord Huazhen.

He hadn’t expected her to attack, and blocked hurriedly. They battled for half a stick of incense before his artifact was knocked from his hand.

"You should be grateful—you wouldn’t have survived these moments otherwise," Qinglan said, her voice wild and wicked.

As her ice sword swept toward his throat, Cangyi appeared, blocking the strike.

"Lan!"

Hearing his voice, Qinglan looked up. It sounded so familiar. Before she could gather her senses, she fainted, and Cangyi caught her, carrying her away to the Flame Demon Palace.

After half an hour, she slowly woke.

"Ah Yi, why am I here? Why is my spiritual power depleted?" she asked, holding her head.

"Just now you insisted on sparring with me, and halfway through, you fainted."

"Did I make such a scene?"

"No. You only need to ask once, and I will oblige," Cangyi replied, perfectly calm.

"Where’s Yuori? I remember going to find her."

"She tried to pass through the Violet Blaze Array, but her soul was damaged and she’s unconscious."

"Ah Yi, do you know how to heal the soul?"