Chapter 1: Prologue

Ti Ying admired the chaos below.

This was Lord Qingmu’s Ascension Ceremony, where numerous cultivators gathered to witness the event. Little did they know that this place would turn into a demonic lair.

Dark clouds shrouded the area as demons roamed freely. A fierce battle raged between humans and demons below, with the great demon, Ti Ying, sitting on a cloud above, casually giving pointers to Qingmu, the only one capable of achieving immortality in this world.

“Qingmu, why not choose a different place for your ascension?” Ti Ying suggested.

Qingmu and his fellow cultivators were shocked. Such audacity from a demon!

Ti Ying casually scanned the surroundings. “I want it to be here…”

She hesitated for a moment and then casually said, “to enjoy the flowers.”

On the elevated platform, Qingmu maintained a dignified composure and sternly questioned the demon, “Where are the flowers?!”

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Mk Zkdt, pbyxlzlppzu, alrzkle, “Gexkal vbl qzsolap kd xu blyav.”

Plprkvl vbl kdpwzvp qasx vbl nasoe, Mk Zkdt alxykdle csale, oyvnbkdt vbl elxsdp sd bla pkel ldtytl kd y qklanl cyvvzl ytykdpv vblka srrsdldvp.

Rv oypd’v wdvkz Ckdtxw ydtakzu rskdvle yv bla, pyukdt, “Zsw, yv zlypv, olal sdnl y ekpnkrzl yv Mkydiwl Yswdvykd,obs byp clld vykdvle cu elxsdkn ldlatu. El puxryvbkgl okvb uswa rzktbv, cwv usw pllj vs scpvawnv xu ryvb vs kxxsavyzkvu yde bkdela vbl layeknyvksd sq elxsdp. Fwnb pkdp elplahl rwdkpbxldv. Gal usw osavbu sq Mkydiwl Yswdvykd?”

Mk Zkdt’p rzyuqwz elxlydsa ekpyrrlyale.

Rd vbl xke yka, bla clzz, dyxle “Fwk Tyd,” obknb oyp bla saktkdyz Pyskpv yavkqynv, aydt okvb y nzlya pswde, nzlydpkdt bla prkakvwyz nsdpnkswpdlpp.

“Fwk Tyd” oyp y Pyskpv yavkqynv nayqvle cu bla pldksa casvbla, psxlvbkdt pbl sdnl nblakpble. Tsolhla, dso ellrzu kxxlaple kd elxsdkn ldlatu, pbl bye clnsxl vbl xspv qsaxkeyczl elxsd kd vbl osaze, yde lhld “Fwk Tyd” nswzed’v cakdt bla y xsxldv sq nzyakvu.

Mk Zkdt vkzvle bla qynl yde vbalyvldle, “R’zz pyu kv ytykd, ds sdl pbswze xldvksd Mkydiwl Yswdvykd vs xl.”

Fbl zssjle yv Ckdtxw yde obkprlale, “Mkydiwl Yswdvykd’p qyzzld ekpnkrzl, Mk Zkdt, kp blal. Zsw oydv vs ynbklhl kxxsavyzkvu? Palyx sd!”

She abruptly stood up.

—

Ti Ying thought life was unfair.

She was just a small cultivator, practicing diligently at Tianque Mountain, with senior brothers, senior sisters, and master and senior uncles. It was a great cultivation environment.

But one day, Tianque Mountain was attacked by demons, and the entire sect was wiped out.

Later, when she sought revenge for her sect, people accused her of wrongdoing. She killed demons, and people accused her of massacring her own kind. If she did evil, people agreed: her demonic nature was too strong.

Becoming a demon, her consciousness was eroded daily, cutting off the path to immortality. As she delved deeper into the demonic path, the closer she is to losing consciousness, transforming into a demon path that harms the world.

Recently, Ti Ying had been having a recurring dream.

She dreamt of vast skies, bright springs, and Tianque Mountain still standing. Her senior brothers, senior sisters, master, and senior uncles stared at her with eyes full of sorrow.

“How did you become a demon?”

“We spent our lives cultivating and eradicating demons. How did you become a demon?”

Ti Ying was tormented by these dreams every night. She knew it was the result of the increasing influence of demonic energy. She shouldn’t have cared, but she couldn’t help it. Those who turned into demons became indifferent to past emotions, yet their obsessions deepened, leading them to fall further.

After thinking it over, she decided to do one last thing while still conscious:

Kill Qingmu.

—

A black wind howled as Qingmu was knocked down from the cloud by the great demon, spitting blood as he hit the ground.

Being obstructed during the process of ascension was a grave taboo. Qingmu’s path to immortality was blocked, and cracks appeared in his spiritual roots. With this, it was nearly impossible for him to achieve immortality.

Ti Ying watched with a triumphant smile.

The once-beautiful girl, now turned into a demon, had fair skin, red lips, and flowing black hair. However, her round, pitch-black eyes with enlarged pupils gave a chilling feeling when she focused on someone.

Thunder roared in the sky, signaling the interference with the ascension. Purple lightning illuminated the horizon, warning against defying destiny. Ti Ying awaited her own demise, struck down by the divine will.

In the pool of blood, Ti Ying approached step by step, her clothes fluttering, surrounded by demonic energy.

Qingmu, lying on the ground, retreated in fear and anger. “By fighting like this, you’ll end up dead too!”

Ti Ying, a beautiful lunatic, grinned, “I’m really looking forward to it.”

Ti Ying’s strength wasn’t much stronger than Qingmu’s, but she fought recklessly. Her suicidal battles left those around her horrified, prompting them to scatter. In a multitude of hallucinations before her eyes, she fought until everything turned red, no longer aware of what she was doing.

When a crisp sound echoed, people gasped, “Qingmu, Qingmu…”

Ti Ying lowered her head, only then realizing that Qingmu had died at her hands. She held his neck, her hands sticky with disgusting blood.

Expressionless, Ti Ying stared at the blood on her hands.

It was as if she saw the night when Tianque Mountain was destroyed, blood covering the mountains, a sea of demons… If someone hadn’t leaked the information, how could the demons have broken through the protective array of Tianque Mountain?

In Ti Ying’s trance, a wisp of soul fled from Qingmu’s body. In her unclear state of mind, she didn’t notice it.

As she stood up, the surrounding cultivators pointed their artifacts at her.

“You killed even Qingmu. I sympathized with you in the past, but now, seeing this, your demonic nature is truly deep!”

“Why waste words with her? Kill her!”

Ti Ying revealed a wicked smile.

Walking forward, she opened her arms, and her disheveled hair brushed against her cheeks stained with blood. The sweet smile on the girl’s bloodied face left those people at a loss.

Softly, she said, “Come on, compete with me for a longer life.”

The provocation of the madwoman intensified the chaos on the scene. Everyone considered it their duty to eliminate demons, and Ti Ying’s injuries increased as various attacks struck her spirit. She remained oblivious.

Eventually, she was knocked down, and the demonic aura around her weakened with her diminishing strength.

With a venomous tone, she mocked, “You’re all useless, huh? Can’t even kill a demon like me?”

The cultivators were filled with anger.

Sitting slumped on the ground, Ti Ying faced the piercing sunlight, looking at the various attacks.

She felt a sense of satisfaction in her heart: Master, senior brothers, senior sisters… I’m coming to see you.

But at that moment, the attacks suddenly stopped.

A bell hanging in mid-air rang out, and for a moment, Ti Ying’s consciousness cleared. She realized that everyone and everything around her had been frozen.

Snowflakes fluttered in the air.

Controlling snow… There was only one person in this world who could do that.

—

In this world, Qingmu was one of the only two people with the opportunity to become immortal.

The other person with the chance to become immortal had already achieved it.

His name was Jiang Xuehe.

He used to be an unknown cultivator, only gaining attention for one particular identity before becoming immortal.

Ti Ying referred to him as “Senior Brother.”

He was Ti Ying’s fiancé before her fall into demonic path.

—

However, Jiang Xuehe was not the immortal that people hoped for.

An immortal should eliminate demons and consider the well-being of the people.

Jiang Xuehe, however, followed the path of non-action. His whereabouts were unpredictable, and he did as he pleased. Regarding Ti Ying’s situation, he never uttered a word.

All things fell into silence, and the thunder subsided.

In the deathly still flurry of snow, Ti Ying slowly turned her head, looking at the figure that had fallen behind her.

Time truly seemed to have stopped.

Jiang Xuehe emerged from the snow mist, tranquil and gentle, with a vast expanse of snow blurring his features. There was no one else in the world who resembled snow more than him, but unfortunately, separated by the long storms of life and death, Ti Ying could no longer recognize him.

Time remained stagnant around him. The expressions of the surrounding cultivators showed shock and anger, yet they were unable to move or make a sound.

It was a comical scene.

Ti Ying couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Her laughter sounded like that of an innocent girl.

Just by looking at her appearance, who would think she was a demon?

Jiang Xuehe crouched in front of Ti Ying, wiping away the bloodstains on her cheeks.

Ti Ying’s vision was already blurred by the invading demonic energy, but she didn’t care. She just opened her round, black eyes and blinked. “Senior Brother, are you here to kill me too?”

A seemingly innocent girl, laughing with blood on her face, was truly frightening.

Jiang Xuehe raised his hand toward her.

Immortal energy acted as restraints, trapping her.

Instantly, Ti Ying’s hair stood on end, revealing a vigilant and fierce struggle, like that of a wary and ferocious beast.

Jiang Xuehe’s expression softened at this: You provoked me, wanted me to take action against you. But when I really did, you felt wronged.

Jiang Xuehe enveloped her with immortal energy and took Ti Ying away.

Before leaving, he left a message for those cultivators.

“Fellow cultivators, let’s make a deal.

“I’ve taken Ti Ying away.

“I know she’s a fierce demon. You want to eliminate demons to restore clarity to the world. I’ll use immortal energy to create an array called the ‘Vast Dream.’ When the Vast Dream array is activated, it will trap both her and me, and we will be killed together.”

The cultivators were shocked but remained immobile.

They thought, an immortal like you, who can’t die or be extinguished, who can eliminate you? If you want to protect a demon, you don’t need to be so circuitous.

Jiang Xuehe seemed to hear their thoughts.

He spoke amiably, “I will personally suppress her and cleanse the demonic energy from this realm. For thousands of years,Ti Ying will be the last demon in the world. She was born from the filth, and the filth will be extinguished by her.

“But if you want me to set up an array to eliminate demons, you all must make a vow—spare the divine souls of Ti Ying and me.”

The next day, in a cave, Jiang Xuehe invaded Ti Ying’s divine soul.

The girl sitting cross-legged in meditation suddenly looked up. The sound of bells echoed continuously, and the tall figure of a young man approached her slowly, step by step.

For a moment, it felt as if a hundred years had dissipated between the two of them. In the waking hours, the former lively girl hopped and skipped, chasing the young man all over the mountains, sweetly calling him “Senior Brother.”

Countless storms of wind and snow, and the scars of death separated them.

Ti Ying knew this was the haunting of old desires. But she actually didn’t like him—once a person becomes a demon, past friendships are like flowers reflected in water, visible but untouchable.

She was tired of his lofty appearance, so she stood tall, her eyes challenging and proud.

Until Jiang Xuehe kneeled in front of her.

In the spiritual sea of consciousness, the boy with snow-like mist gazed at the exquisite and beautiful girl. The girl’s eyelashes were stained with blood, like a madwoman.

This was because even her Dao body had been eroded by demonic energy. Even if Ti Ying didn’t die today, she wouldn’t live much longer.

She would soon be consumed by demonic energy, ceasing to exist.

When Jiang Xuehe thought about this, he heard Ti Ying’s sweet and crisp voice, yet ruthless: “Keep looking at me like this, and I’ll gouge your eyes out.”

Jiang Xuehe glanced at her for a moment, lips curling into a smile. “I bet you won’t.”

Ti Ying found it ridiculous and was about to explode.

But she thought of her inability to defeat an immortal in her current state.

So, in her rage, Ti Ying only moved her eyes, which looked somewhat cute.

Jiang Xuehe calmed down: The little Ying from a long time ago, mischievous and lively, used to do many naughty things but never spoke harshly to him.

Later, people destroyed Ti Ying. Everyone wanted to judge her, but no one was qualified to do so.

The current situation was not what he wanted.

Jiang Xuehe’s hand landed on Ti Ying’s forehead.

He calmly said, “Little Ying, don’t be afraid.”

The familiar address from the past calmed the enraged girl. She looked up, her face filled with confusion.

In Ti Ying’s spiritual sea of consciousness, Jiang Xuehe, whose face couldn’t be clearly seen, lowered his eyes, appearing sacred and serene. He bent down, drawing near.

His words were like a distant and sighing breeze, “Senior Brother has a particular fondness for you.”

Ti Ying stared blankly—

Even though her consciousness was hazy and unclear, when he spoke such words, her heart trembled vaguely, as if it was touched by something. But how could a demon be moved by worldly affections?

The girl, covered in wounds throughout her Dao body, was embraced by the young man. His immortal energy descended onto her divine soul, swaying gently like a feather.

A clear, snow-like breath surrounded Ti Ying, not warm, but rather repelling. Yet at the same time, it subtly comforted the restlessness in her heart.

How strange.

Ti Ying, feeling dizzy, closed her eyes, hearing Jiang Xuehe’s gentle voice:

“Little Ying, I won’t let you be tormented by demonic energy forever. I will set up the Vast Dream array. When the Vast Dream array is activated, our divine souls will enter the cycle of reincarnation. I will trap you through endless lifetimes, purifying your demonic energy. How about it?”

Ti Ying couldn’t really hear clearly, and she couldn’t see either. She was being held by him, vaguely hearing words like “trap” and “reincarnation.”

She thought with a sense of grievance: He still wants to kill me.

Oh well.

Kill me then.

After all, he is an immortal, nobler than a demon. Truly disgusting.

But, but—

Ti Ying also harbored a lot of reluctance.

As consciousness faded into nothingness, the girl with long, soft hair and a face covered in blood lay in the young man’s arms. She spoke softly, as if coquettishly, “If there really is reincarnation, I want to be the good one, and you can be the bad one…”

Her lips moved, but she lacked the strength to say more.

However, being a good person doesn’t lead to a long life. She was extremely rebellious, extremely willful, wanting to be lawless, wanting to be a villain. But they all blamed her, said she was wrong… If only someone favored her.

In the blur, Ti Ying heard a warm promise, “Okay.”

An immortal’s promise, unchanging for a hundred years, regretless for a thousand years.