Chapter 114 The Way Back

Countless demons and devils surged out of the Devil Domain, all reverently looking at their new Devil Lord.

Seeing how Su Su stopped Tantai Jin, Si Ying’s nails dug deep into her palms.

Under everyone’s gaze, Tantai Jin turned around, his red eyes coldly staring at Su Su.

His pale fingers reached out, then gripped the young girl’s chin.

Though thin, he was still taller than her. At this moment, he was looking down at her coldly, with a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes.

It was the same gaze that had haunted Su Su’s childhood nightmares, the gaze of the Devil God.

Five hundred years ago, she had asked that young mortal to act out this scene in the carriage. Now, five hundred years later, it had become reality.

“Ye Xi Wu?” His gaze seemed to be suppressing something, but he let out a cold laugh. “You think too highly of yourself. Five hundred years ago, didn’t you come to my side because you feared this day? What makes you think I’ll still be controlled by a liar?”

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No, this must not happen!

Su Su climbed up from the ground. “Tantai Jin!”

The blood-red sword reflected in the young man’s pupils, but in the blink of an eye, he had already disappeared.

A spinning red umbrella blocked Su Su’s path.

Si Ying caught the umbrella. Although her lips were smiling, her eyes had a hint of coldness.  

“Little girl, you’re too reckless. You’ve even become a demigod. But unfortunately,  you are destined to die here today.”

Si Ying had already realized that the girl before her posed a significant threat, and for the first time, a strong murderous intent surged within her.

A thought flashed through Su Su’s mind, and she instantly came up with a plan. She no longer pursued Tantai Jin but turned to face the drought demon head on.

Chongyu transformed into a konghou, shielding Su Su from the front.

Now, Su Su no longer needed to worry about the backlash from using Chongyu. The soundwaves were like flowing water, fine as silk, and sharp as blades.

Si Ying initially thought that dealing with this little girl would be effortless. But she soon realized that Su Su was far more troublesome than she had anticipated.

Her gaze flickered as she studied the cold and distant young girl in front of her. Then she laughed and asked, “Do you know where I found the Devil Lord and why he was willing to become a devil?”

Su Su was momentarily distracted.

Si Ying’s red lips slightly parted, “I’m afraid you’ll never know the answer.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a streak of purple light struck Su Su’s body, and Jing Mie suddenly appeared behind her. Blood trickled from Su Su’s lips as she fell from the sky like a withering leaf.

The umbrella flew out from Si Ying’s hand, aiming straight for Su Su’s heart.

Yao Guang tried to stop it. “Su Su!”
Qu Xuanzi shouted out too, “Su Su!”

Suddenly, a black arrow pierced through the dark clouds and sky, landing on the red umbrella.

Si Ying staggered back, her smile fading, “Devil Lord?”

Tantai Jin’s devilish pupils were icy cold. He emerged from the thick devilish Qi, carrying the goddess who had fallen from the sky in his arms, and said, “Withdraw.” 

At his order, all the devil soldiers retreated back to the Devil Domain.

Jing Mie briefly paused, but then also half-kneeled in salute and retreated back to the Devil Domain. 

To retreat on the verge of success¹功败垂成 (gōngbài-chuíchéng) – to fail within sight of success (idiom); last-minute failure, Si Ying looked back at the remaining immortal realm soldiers with unwillingness in her heart. The rims of her eyes reddened with frustration.

“The last Life-Gathering Pearl is with Li Su Su,” Tantai Jin said emotionlessly.

Hearing this, Si Ying’s sorrow turned to joy.

No wonder the Devil Lord returned to save this young demigod girl. It’s because he knew the location of the Life-Gathering Pearl.

With the last Life-Gathering Pearl, the Shared Sorrow Dao could be immediately activated.

Indeed, now that Su Su was in their hands, they had no need to continue entangling themselves with these immortal realm Daoists.

*****

She could sense someone watching her.

Su Su held her composure, keeping her eyes shut.

Still and silent, that person gazed at her for a long time, their icy eyes filled with hatred, before finally getting up to leave.

The young girl lay prone on a smooth stone bed, her hands bound by iron chains.

After a long time, Chongyu said, “He’s gone, you can stop pretending!”

Su Su, who had just been “spitting blood”, opened her eyes and sat up from the stone bed, looking completely unharmed. 

She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and the wound in her mouth healed instantly.

Su Su looked down and observed her surroundings.

“He locked you in the Devil Domain’s water prison,” Chongyu said. “How strange. Isn’t the Devil Domain supposed to be barren? This place is so bright, and there’s even flowers blooming.”

Su Su looked over, and just as Chongyu said, there were indeed large patches of purple lotus flowers floating on the water. If it weren’t for the pervasive black Qi, this scene could almost be called beautiful.

A few beams of light shone down on her. Su Su lifted her gaze and stared up at the several holes which were letting in light. After a while, she couldn’t help but smile. 

Chongyu was puzzled. “What are you smiling about?”

She didn’t answer.

The person who kept saying he hated her had locked her up in the only place within the Devil Domain that had both light and living things.

“Chongyu, proceed according to plan.”

“Alright.” Chongyu transformed into a key that fit perfectly into the lock, unlocking the chains that bound her hands.

Su Su moved her wrist, and with a wave of her hand, another body identical to hers appeared on the stone bed.

Chongyu happily said, “It’s a good thing we expected this situation before coming to the Devil Domain.”

Su Su crouched down and said to the puppet, “I’ll be counting on you.”

The puppet on the stone bed smiled and nodded. Its smile was so lifelike²以假乱真 (yǐjiǎ-luànzhēn) – (lit.) mix the false with the true (idiom); mix the spurious with the genuine; pass fake imitation for genuine; A tick is only as good as you make it look. that it was almost indistinguishable from the real Su Su. 

Fortunately, the power of the fox demon in Ye Chufeng’s body was the only thing in the Six Realms that could briefly rival the Mirage Pearl’s power.

With that, Su Su’s figure disappeared from the water prison.

Before coming to the Devil Domain, she already had a bad premonition. It was impossible for someone to vanish without a trace. Hence, the most likely possibility was that Tantai Jin had gone to the Devil Domain.

Inspired by Zhang Yuanbai’s Mirage Pearl, Su Su had discussed a plan with Ye Chufeng in advance. If there were any unforeseen events during the attack on the Devil Domain, they would find a way to infiltrate and destroy the Marrow Cleansing Seal and the Ninefold Mysterious Returning Array.

This plan was also approved by Qu Xuanzi. It wasn’t an easy task for someone his age, as he had to restrain himself outside the Devil Domain and play along with the younger generation.

However, poor Yao Guang who knew nothing almost rushed over when she saw Su Su injured and captured. Luckily, her master, Qing Qian, had quickly reacted and took her away.

Su Su’s figure became transparent as she carefully avoided the devil guards.

This time, entering the Devil Palace felt completely different from before. In the past, it had been a mess³一盘散沙 (yīpán-sǎnshā) – lit. like a sheet of loose sand; fig. unable to cooperate (idiom), but now everything was in perfect order⁴井然有序 (jǐngrán-yǒuxù) – everything clear and in good order (idiom); neat and tidy; orderly.

Lava bubbled and gurgled, and the fishy smell outside the Devil Palace was overwhelming. There was no life or water, only dirty blood.

“Where do you think the Ninefold Mysterious Returning Array is?” Chongyu had transformed into a butterfly, and was fluttering beside Su Su.

“In the place of highest importance.”

“Where’s the place of highest importance?”

Su Su paused, signaling for Chongyu to take a look.

Before them stood the most exquisite palace within the Devil Palace, with a large monster lying at the entrance.

Chongyu flew to Su Su’s ear and said in surprise, “That’s actually the ancient ferocious beast, Taotie.”

Su Su observed it for a while and thought, why do I see a tiger in Taotie?

But none of this mattered. She silently avoided Taotie and snuck into the palace.

Inside, the dim blue flames on the walls flickered. A young man in black propped his chin up, his cold devilish eyes lazily looking at the people below.

Several cultivators were being forced to kneel on the ground, along with a few devilish cultivators.

Si Ying and Jing Mie stood on either side.

Tantai Jin lifted his hand, his eyes devoid of emotion. In the next moment, his fingers slowly curled, and both the devilish and spiritual Qi from them all surged toward him.

In an instant, the people on the ground turned into piles of yellow sand.

Chongyu gasped.

We actually came to the main hall of the Devil Palace, and the three most powerful devils are all here.

Even Su Su didn’t dare to move.

Last time, she was discovered by Si Ying, so this time, she had to be extremely careful no matter what. Now she was a demigod, and the gap between gods and immortals was more than just a single level apart. If she hid well enough, not even Si Ying and the others would be able to detect her. 

Tantai Jin looked up, his gaze shifting toward the spot where Chongyu and Su Su were hiding.

Su Su’s heart clenched, thinking that she was discovered. Fortunately, the young man then averted his gaze and said in a low voice, “Leave.”

Si Ying and Jing Mie bowed and retreated.

Su Su quickly noticed something unusual. The drought demon had always been charming and arrogant in front of Gongye Jiwu, but now, she was extremely respectful and submissive in front of Tantai Jin.

Her instincts couldn’t be wrong. The drought demon didn’t submit to Gongye Jiwu, but to Tantai Jin. 

So, what happened to Tantai Jin?

Su Su stared at the overwhelming devilish aura on Tantai Jin. Could it be that the devil core in Gongye Jiwu’s body is now inside Tantai Jin?

Even without the evil bone, Tantai Jin still had the divine marrow and three devilish artifacts.

In a way, he could be called a fallen immortal or Devil God.

Then where is Senior Brother now? Could he be in danger?

Once Si Ying and Jing Mie left, Tantai Jin closed his eyes and lay back on the black couch.

The devilish Qi circulated around him, transforming into power.

Things had finally reached the worst possible outcome. 

Su Su didn’t know how to return to the time before everything happened. Gongye Jiwu might have a chance to start over, but what about Tantai Jin?

Su Su composed herself, knowing that now was not the time to confront Tantai Jin. Destroying the Ninefold Mysterious Returning Array was the top priority.

She noticed that the couch had four corners, each depicting one of the four ancient ferocious beasts, resembling some kind of mechanism for an array.

Su Su walked towards the couch. Tantai Jin, who was still refining the power, hadn’t woken up. 

The couch was very wide. Su Su lifted the hem of her skirt and stepped onto it. She held her breath and leaned in to study the patterns on it.

Returning, returning. How can I get to the entrance of the array?

She had learned formations from Curved Jade in the past. Just as she grasped the meaning of a pattern and was about to check out another one, the person beside her unexpectedly opened his eyes.

Su Su: “…!”

She didn’t dare to move, let alone leave, in front of him.

The young man turned over, resting his head on his arm, facing her direction.

His red pupils were cold and eerie.

If not for the lack of focus in his pupils, Su Su would have thought he could see her.

A sudden wave of unease washed over her. Is Ye Chufeng’s method really working or not?!

They were so close, that if Tantai Jin moved just a little nearer, he would almost touch her cheek.

The two of them stayed still.

The young man extended his pale fingers, and Su Su’s entire body tensed up.

Just as she thought his fingers might touch her cheek, a black cloak flew over, and was caught in his hand.

Tantai Jin got off the couch and put on his cloak.

With a cold expression, he walked out the door.

“Go interrogate Qu Xuanzi’s daughter, Li Su Su.”

Chongyu, who was still transformed into a butterfly, fluttered beside Su Su. “Su Su, are you relieved or disappointed?”

Su Su glared at it. “If you don’t know how to talk, just shut up!”

---

Edited by: Gaze

Translator’s Note: Hello everyoneeee!!! It’s been a few months, I know. Don’t worry, this novel ain’t dropped! Both my editor and I were super busy with our jobs and lives, which is why it took so long! I published as soon as I could after my editor was done editing 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️