Many years ago, Ling Qi had stumbled upon this place by chance. That was when he learned of the Snow Sect’s so-called Saintess and the so-called sacrificial ritual. Enraged, he destroyed the sacrificial altar formation and abducted the Saintess, Xu Qingxue.
Although the Snow Sect had recaptured Xu Qingxue, the altar formation was beyond repair. Only someone like Ye Youluo, with deep knowledge of formations and immense cultivation, could restore it. Xu Qingxue knew this well. Now that Ye Youluo had truly come, it could only mean one thing—her death was imminent.
Once the altar formation was restored, she would be brought to the altar, where her blood and bones would be refined until she turned to ash…
At this moment, Xu Qingxue no longer feared death. What she worried about was her daughter. If she died, she’d never see her again. That forced separation… really might have been the last.
“Qiyue… you must live on. Don’t be afraid, don’t worry about Mommy. Be brave and walk forward. Your life… is still long.”
Xu Qingxue raised her head and looked at the glimmer of light outside the tiny window. “After I die, don’t drown in sadness. Time will dull the pain. One day, you’ll be able to walk out of the shadows.”
There was nothing she could do now… only silently pray for her daughter.
And that man—the one who left her without a word.
If anything happened to her daughter, she swore she wouldn’t forgive him… even in death!
“Let’s go, the two of you guard the Saintess. The rest, follow me to welcome the Sect Master.”
An older jailer waved his hand and left with a group, leaving only two guards behind.
But even with just two guards, Xu Qingxue couldn’t escape. Though she was a Saintess, her cultivation wasn’t high. She had always been protected, a fragile woman. There was no way she could break her chains and escape the Snow Sect.
All she could do now was pray… and resign herself to fate.
…
At the grand gates of the Snow Sect, under the command of their patriarch, the entire army of the Snow Sect stood in neat formation to welcome Ye Youluo with grand ceremony.
From within the icy blizzard, a large procession gradually approached. At the center, a sedan chair slowly moved forward. Ye Youluo was inside.
“Greetings, Sect Master!” the entire Snow Sect shouted in unison, led by the patriarch.
The Snow Sect was comparable to a small remote nation. The entire population barely exceeded 100,000. Top-tier experts were rare—only two or three at the Heaven-Revering Realm, and not even at the peak. While they were a decent force, they were nothing compared to the Demon Sect or the Great Yan Empire.
That’s why they showed such respect to the Demon Sect.
Most importantly, they needed Ye Youluo to repair the sacrificial formation.
Inside the sedan, Ye Youluo raised her hand lightly. The Snow Sect patriarch stepped forward, “The feast has been prepared for Sect Master. Please!”
Behind him, the army split open on both sides, clearing a wide path. The Demon Sect members entered and were escorted to the grand hall at the center of the sect.
Ye Youluo was respectfully invited to the main seat. Many had never seen her before, and now that they had, she lived up to every rumor—cold, noble, and stunningly beautiful.
Though called a demoness, her aura and looks were majestic and flawless. The Snow Sect had once met the Empress of the Great Yan Empire, Jiang Ling. And now, seeing Ye Youluo, it was clear that the two were equals in both charm and dominance—goddesses among queens, queens among goddesses.
Unfortunately, neither seemed to care about men.
Or perhaps… no man in this world was worthy of their attention.
If even one of them were to choose someone, it would be a fortune worthy of this lifetime.
Some of the Snow Sect’s men even wondered—did these queens really not have any men? Or were they secretly hiding one?
Who could be so lucky to be their man… even as a servant, it would be a blessing.
As such thoughts ran wild, many men straightened up, hoping to catch Ye Youluo’s eye, hoping to impress her with conversation or poise.
But Ye Youluo never even glanced at them.
To her, apart from Ling Qi, every other man in the world was just a mediocre mortal not worth her attention.
After the grand feast, Ye Youluo got straight to the point, “Where is your sacrificial altar formation? I’ll restore it now. But don’t forget the promise your Snow Sect made to me.”
“Haha, thank you, Sect Master!” The patriarch cupped his fists and gestured forward. “As long as you help us repair the altar and complete the ritual, the Snow Sect… will follow your command.”
“The Great Yan Empire… vast and rich, once tried to devour our Snow Sect.”
“This time, they plan to move against you, Sect Master. We may as well fight back together.”
“If the Great Yan Empire falls, it will be like a whale collapsing—nourishing all. Then the world… can be divided.”
The Great Yan Empire was the ruler of the current world. Many forces had their eyes on it. And every border force, like the Snow Sect, shared the same thought—if they could split the Empire’s spoils, they certainly would.
Ye Youluo smirked coldly but said nothing.
If the Great Yan Empire were to fall, its spoils would be hers alone.
Split it? That was never going to happen.
She stood up and followed the Snow Sect group to the sacrificial altar located at the very center of the sect grounds—a vast, snowy plaza. At the center, a pyramid-shaped altar towered over the land.
At the top was a complex formation, but it was damaged, a corner missing.
“You Snow Sect have some power, yet someone managed to break into your core and destroy this formation?” Ye Youluo asked curiously. It was as if someone had walked into a fortified army camp and casually wrecked their most sacred ground.
“It’s true, Sect Master. That man was powerful, beyond our combined strength. Not only did he destroy the formation, but he also abducted our Saintess. After many years, we finally found her again,” the patriarch said.
“Heh, so… you still haven’t found out who that person was?” Ye Youluo asked indifferently.
“No. We never learned his name. When we recovered the Saintess, he wasn’t with her. If he had been, we likely wouldn’t have succeeded.”
Ye Youluo’s eyes narrowed slightly. A man with that kind of strength… could it be Ling Qi?
He had mentioned a friend in the Snow Sect—was it the Saintess?
If so, it made sense that they couldn’t stop him.
She didn’t say more and stepped toward the altar. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, she ascended to the peak.
Then, without delay, her blood-red aura burst out and illuminated the entire altar.
Everyone stared silently.
Soon, the damaged portion of the formation, though not physically restored, began to reconnect mid-air with complex runes linking together.
“It’s done! It’s done!” the Snow Sect members exclaimed in joy. As expected of the Demon Sect Master—her mastery of formations was exceptional. She’d used her aura to re-link the severed part of the formation.
Now, the sacrificial ceremony could proceed.
Ye Youluo didn’t stop. She continued until the entire formation stabilized. When her aura finally receded, the blood-red glow lingered faintly across the altar.
Standing atop the formation, Ye Youluo looked down and smirked.
This so-called altar was nothing more than a killing formation, designed to refine someone until nothing remained.
How ironic that the Snow Sect treated it as a sacred ritual.
But… it wasn’t her concern.
Every clan had its own twisted traditions. It wasn’t her job to care.
“This formation is now repaired, but it won’t last long,” Ye Youluo said coldly. “If you want to begin your ritual, you’d best start now.”
Rather than fixing the formation, she had simply stabilized it using her aura. It was temporary. Once the energy faded, the formation would fall apart again.
“Understood! Many thanks, Sect Master!”
The patriarch beamed, then barked an order, “Quick, bring out the Saintess! Prepare for the sacrificial ritual!”
“Yes!” the Snow Sect roared.
To them, completing this ritual would bring divine favor to their race.
They didn’t realize… it was all self-deception.
“Sect Master, please be seated and watch our ceremony,” the patriarch said, bowing.
Ye Youluo nodded and descended the altar to take a seat among the spectators. Since she was here, she might as well watch. Ling Qi hadn’t arrived yet. She could wait.
Soon, accompanied by the clinking of chains, the so-called Saintess was brought forward.
Ye Youluo’s blood-red eyes glanced over.
So this was the Saintess?
She looked full of despair—as if she knew she was already dead.
Rather than a Saintess, she was nothing but a sacrificial offering.
And a pointless one at that—her death would bring the Snow Sect no blessings.
“Heh. What a backward and superstitious race. Calling this a sacrifice? It’s nothing more than an open, justified execution.”
Behind Ye Youluo, members of the Demon Sect scoffed.
“They think killing someone will bring divine protection to their people?”
“Utterly foolish. Ridiculous.”
“That poor Saintess… unwillingly dragged to her death by her own people.”
Still, right or wrong, they couldn’t interfere. After all… it was the Snow Sect’s tradition.
“High Priest, begin!”
With that command from the patriarch, torches were lit all around the plaza. The ritual attendants wore bizarre outfits and masks. Then, to the beat of war drums, they began to dance wildly around the altar.
At a glance, it all looked quite formal.
“Bring forth… the Saintess!”
The High Priest’s cry echoed across the snow.
Xu Qingxue was dragged up the altar and forced to kneel at its center.
So-called altar… it was nothing but an execution platform.
And she… was today’s condemned.
The High Priest began chanting in a language no one understood, then led the entire Snow Sect in kneeling toward the altar. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
“Heaven bless the Snow Sect!”
“Heaven bless the Snow Sect!” they all chanted, voices booming, kneeling in unison.
The members of the Demon Sect watched, sneering coldly.
The more backward a people were, the more they relied on so-called divine favor… and useless prayers.
HUM!
As the entire Snow Sect knelt, praying and chanting in unison, the formation atop the pyramid altar was fully activated.
Xu Qingxue knelt at the center of the array, her face full of despair.
The next moment, she clearly felt her life force and breath being continuously absorbed by the formation beneath her. In the blink of an eye, streams of visible blood essence surged from her body and were pulled into the array.
Her complexion, already pale, became even more ghastly as her blood continued to be refined. Looking at the Snow Sect crowd bowing below, she couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.
A race so backward and ignorant would inevitably be wiped out from this world.
She had long been filled with disgust and hatred toward the Snow Sect. Unfortunately, she was powerless. All she could do was endure the slow refining of the formation.
Very soon, she would become a dry corpse, and even that would be completely refined until only her clothes remained atop the altar…
“Qiyue…” she whispered.
Her beautiful pale face was etched with pain and hopelessness. Even in this moment, the only one in her thoughts was her daughter.
“I’m sorry… Mother failed you…”
Tears streamed down both cheeks.
Soon, she would leave this world for good—and leave her daughter forever.
She was still so small, with no one to care for her. Alone and helpless, how pitiful would she be?
Xu Qingxue was overwhelmed with grief and helplessness. With her strength continuously drained, not to mention breaking the chains, she couldn’t even stand up.
She weakly raised her head, tears streaming down as she gazed at the sky.
Snowflakes gently drifted down, landing on her cheeks before quickly melting…
The Snow Sect continued their kneeling prayers. No one cared what the Saintess was feeling. In fact, they hoped she would complete the ritual quickly. In their eyes, this was an honor.
To them, the Saintess wasn’t dying—she was ascending to the heavens.
Beneath the icy sky, this so-called sacred ritual looked nothing but tragic.
Ye Youluo and the Demon Sect understood all too well—this was a kind of sorrow beyond remedy. But it wasn’t their place to interfere. They simply watched in silence.
Ye Youluo had already decided—after this cooperation, she would never deal with such a tribe again.
Atop the altar, as the refinement continued, Xu Qingxue’s face became bloodless, her lips pale as paper. Her consciousness faded. Her vision grew blurry, the world around her dimmer and darker…
“Qiyue…” she thought.
Her daughter, whom she had raised from infancy.
She remembered when she was born—how fragile and tiny she was. Then she learned to babble, to speak clumsily, to walk while falling many times.
Later, she could call her “mother.” She could run. She learned to dress herself, to help with chores…
One memory after another flashed through Xu Qingxue’s fading mind.
She wanted so badly to hear her call “Mother” again. That sweet little voice was always so pleasant…
Qiyue, my Qiyue… my precious daughter… even without your mother, you must live well in this world…
“Mother!”
Suddenly, a child’s voice echoed in her ears.
In her final moment of fading consciousness, a faint smile formed on Xu Qingxue’s pale face.
Was it a hallucination?
Even if it was, she was happy to hear it one last time.
“Mother!!”
This time, the voice was louder.
No… something was wrong!
Xu Qingxue struggled to hold onto her awareness—this didn’t feel like a hallucination.
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion rocked the altar, and cracks began spreading from its peak, instantly covering the entire structure. The sacrificial formation halted in an instant.
Xu Qingxue could feel her blood flow stop.
“What… happened?” she said weakly, forcing her head up. In her blurry vision, she saw three figures approaching.
A man.
A catgirl.
And a small girl.
As her vision cleared, her pupils shrank in shock. Her heart, which had nearly stopped, pounded furiously again.
“Qi… Qiyue?”
It was her daughter—her daughter had come to find her.
And not just her daughter…
Also that man.
The man she had hated all her life, yet missed just as much.
It was none other than Ling Qi, arriving with Xiao Chan and Xu Qiyue.
Their sudden arrival stunned the entire Snow Sect.
The array had just been repaired—how could it be destroyed again?
And who were these people who dared to interrupt their sacred ritual?
All eyes turned toward the source… and the moment they saw Ling Qi, every expression changed.
It was him.
The very man who had destroyed the array and taken the Saintess all those years ago.
He had come back?
And this time… completely destroyed the formation?
From the edge of the square, Ye Youluo shook her head as she saw Ling Qi, “So it really is like this?”
So his so-called old friend… was indeed Xu Qingxue.
Of course he wouldn’t let her be sacrificed.
But wait—what’s with the little girl?
She called Xu Qingxue “mother”?
The Saintess had a child?
“Mother, are you okay?” Xu Qiyue cried, running to the altar and hugging her mother tightly. “Mother, I brought Father to save you!”
“Qiyue… you…” Xu Qingxue’s tears gushed.
Her daughter was alive. And she had brought her father.
She looked up at Ling Qi, her eyes filled with sorrow, pain… and hatred.
“Don’t speak,” Ling Qi said gently, kneeling beside her. He placed his hand on her shoulder, sending waves of spiritual Qi into her body, restoring her strength.
“You…” As her vitality returned, Xu Qingxue’s mind cleared. Her eyes focused.
It was really him.
The man who had left without a word.
That heartless bastard.
“I’m sorry… for everything these years.”
Ling Qi spoke gently as he continued healing her.
“Sorry? Sorry?” Xu Qingxue sobbed, laughing bitterly, then suddenly screamed, “You think sorry is enough?!”
She raised her hand, aiming a slap at him—but couldn’t bring herself to strike. Instead, her hand cradled his face.
And then… she threw herself into his arms, trembling and weeping. “You bastard… you heartless bastard!”
She wanted to hit him, to vent all her pain—but she couldn’t do it.
She hated him. But she couldn’t let go.
All she wanted now… was to hold him tight. Never let go.
And maybe… hear his explanation.
Maybe… he had a reason.
“Curse me, hit me, do whatever you want,” Ling Qi said with a gentle smile as he held her tightly. “As long as it makes you feel better.”
Xu Qingxue sobbed harder, her fists weakly pounding his chest. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
She wanted to beat him to death.
But if she did… what would happen to Qiyue?
“Bastard… where were you all these years? What were you doing?”
She cried loudly, years of buried pain pouring out without restraint.
“I had my reasons. I’m sorry. I didn’t know… you were pregnant back then.”
Ling Qi gently comforted her.
Next to them, Xu Qiyue also cried out loud.
After so many years, their little family was finally reunited.
The cries of mother and daughter echoed across the ritual square.
Ye Youluo sat quietly at the edge, her face emotionless. But as she listened and watched, she understood everything.
Ling Qi and Xu Qingxue… weren’t just old friends. They had a past.
And that child… was theirs.
So he had a child?
For some reason, Ye Youluo suddenly felt a sense of loss.
It was the first time in her life she had taken a liking to a man.
And the moment she did… he already had someone else. He even had a child.
“Hmph! How dare you return to our Snow Sect!” the patriarch suddenly roared. “Men, capture them!”
Swish, swish, swish!
Dozens of Snow Sect experts rushed toward the altar.
Ling Qi stood up, lifting Xu Qingxue into his arms. “I’ll take you away. From now on… I’ll always be with you and Qiyue. Always.”
He looked at the wave of enemies swarming in.
Then stomped the ground.
BOOM!
The chains binding Xu Qingxue shattered into fragments.
The shards exploded outward, piercing through the attackers. Corpses fell one after another.
Not a single one made it to the top.
Seeing this, fear filled the patriarch’s eyes.
He’s still just as terrifying as before…
“Please, Sect Master! Help us, Snow Sect!”
He turned and bowed to Ye Youluo.
Only she, a Supreme Limit Realm cultivator, could match him.
Ye Youluo slowly stood but didn’t act. Her crimson eyes gazed at Ling Qi atop the altar.
Their eyes met.
She smiled faintly, then asked, “So… who is she to you?”
Ling Qi looked down at Xu Qingxue in his arms. “She is my wife.”
Xu Qingxue’s eyes reddened further.
They’d never formally married, even after being together back then.
Now, he called her his wife in front of everyone.
Of course she was happy.
She’d never had anyone to rely on.
But now… she did.
Her husband.
Everyone present was shocked.
The Saintess… his wife?
Even the Demon Sect members were stunned.
Wait… hadn’t Ling Qi once claimed to be the Sect Master’s husband?
Didn’t he show interest in their Sect Master?
Now suddenly… he had a wife and a daughter?
How could he possibly be with the Sect Master now?
“Haha… wife?” Ye Youluo sneered, turning to look at Xu Qiyue. “Then… she’s your daughter?”
Ling Qi nodded.
Again, gasps of shock spread through the Snow Sect.
The Saintess not only had a husband… she had a child?
She was supposed to be pure and chaste—this ritual was now blasphemy!
The Demon Sect members said nothing.
So Ling Qi… already had a family?
What a shame.
He and the Sect Master really did seem like a perfect match…
And the Sect Master—this was the first time she’d ever shown interest in a man.
Now it was all over.
“Wonderful.”
Ye Youluo’s cold voice rang out again. “Now I truly see what kind of man you are.”
If he’d had no woman, his actions could be understood.
She might have even believed he cared.
But not only did he have someone else… he had a child.
Everything he did before…
Was nothing but a lie.
“Do you know him?” the patriarch asked again. “Sect Master, you must help us. Otherwise, we can’t cooperate.”
If the ritual couldn’t be completed, the alliance was off.
In their eyes, only Ye Youluo could stop Ling Qi now.
But Ye Youluo knew better than anyone…
No one here could stop Ling Qi and his family.
“Since the Saintess is no longer pure, then her daughter shall take her place. She will become the next Saintess!” the patriarch said, bowing again. “Please, Sect Master—take action and seize the child.”
Ye Youluo narrowed her eyes.
This old fool…
You want Ling Qi’s daughter to become your sacrificial offering?
You really are asking for death.
Sure enough, the moment the words left his mouth, a wave of killing intent enveloped the patriarch.
He turned toward it—only to see Ling Qi.
SWOOSH!
In the blink of an eye, Ling Qi appeared before him.
“You…” the patriarch trembled, trying to speak.
BANG!
Ling Qi’s foot smashed into his head.
His skull flew into the air, blood spraying as his headless body collapsed.
The snow turned red.
“Patriarch?!”
All the Snow Sect cultivators shuddered in horror.
Our patriarch… is dead?
“I was only bored back then. Just wanted to teach your Snow Sect a lesson,” Ling Qi said as he gently placed Xu Qingxue down.
Then, step by step, he walked forward, placing his foot atop the patriarch’s severed head, and said coldly,
“Now I see clearly—your entire race… deserves to be wiped out!”