Chu Xinyue could clearly feel that Ling Qi’s pulse was abnormally violent—so erratic it was simply unnatural.
What on earth had happened?
What had he encountered in the deepest part of the Forbidden Demon Region?
“It’s a long story,” Ling Qi said with a bitter smile. He had originally intended to take that broken sword away.
But who could have guessed that the sword would fuse directly into his body?
And now, the entire sword was inside him. Ghosts knew what kind of state his body was in now. One thing was certain—it wasn’t looking good. He had to leave the Forbidden Demon Region as soon as possible.
He also needed to find Ye Youluo.
More importantly… the Thousand-Year Calamity.
The fragmented visions he’d seen seemed to be glimpses of the future.
But why was he the one slaughtering the world?
Why was he the one who would bring destruction upon it?
These questions now plagued Ling Qi’s mind.
He carried Chu Xinyue and Xiao Qian as he flew at full speed toward the edge of the Forbidden Demon Region.
Behind them, the six remaining demon kings led their endless army in pursuit.
That demonic sword was the demon race’s greatest trump card. Without it, they had no way to counter a Supreme Limit Realm cultivator.
No matter what, they had to stop Ling Qi.
He had coughed up blood earlier—surely he was in a weakened state now. This was the best chance to kill him.
RUMBLE…
The three of them fled desperately up front, while the thundering army behind them made the heavens and earth tremble.
No one knew how long it had been until Ling Qi finally burst out of the misty veil of the Forbidden Demon Region with Chu Xinyue and Xiao Qian.
At the distant Great Wall, General Xiao Jiankong stood with his broadsword in hand, eyes locked on the horizon.
“They’re coming!”
As soon as he saw Ling Qi’s group emerge, he roared, “Sound the drums! Prepare for battle!”
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The war drums of the border rang out like thunder.
The enormous army along the wall assembled in tight ranks.
Everyone stared at the barren lands ahead.
With all eyes on them, Ling Qi carried Chu Xinyue and Xiao Qian across the sky toward the wall.
And behind them, an overwhelming tide of demon soldiers surged out of the mist.
When the soldiers atop the wall saw the terrifying number of demons, their expressions all changed drastically.
So this… this was the true size of the demon race’s army?
Terrifying!
They far outnumbered the border’s own forces.
Could they really win this?
“What are you panicking for? We garrison the border to stop the demons. Even if we die in battle today, it’s our sworn duty to protect the Empire’s territory!”
Xiao Jiankong raised his broadsword. “Even if we fight to the death, so be it!”
“Archers, fire!”
With his command—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A hail of arrows rained down like a storm, flying over Ling Qi’s group and crashing into the demon army behind them.
Countless demon soldiers were struck down in chaos.
Ling Qi and the others landed safely atop the Great Wall.
As soon as they did, and upon seeing the wall’s forces ready for battle, the six demon kings raised their hands.
The tide-like demon army slowed… and then stopped at the edge of the misty border.
The six kings furrowed their brows.
If they started a battle now, with Ling Qi and nearly a million border troops, even if the demons won, it would come at a disastrous cost.
So… it wasn’t worth it.
Though they were furious about the sword being taken, they couldn’t afford to throw away the future of the demon race over it.
The true all-out war between humans and demons couldn’t be fought so recklessly.
“Looks like… our plans have changed,” one of the kings muttered.
They exchanged glances.
Now that the sword was gone, they’d have to shift to another strategy.
“This Ling Qi… is truly a calamity to our demon race.”
Their fists clenched tightly, killing intent in their eyes.
“In that case, activate the two demon nests inside the human territories.”
With that, the six kings issued their orders and led the army back into the Forbidden Demon Region.
The demon race had nine kings in total.
Seven stayed within the Forbidden Demon Region, while two others led hidden nests within human lands.
Their plan had been to coordinate from within and without, surrounding the humans for a decisive strike.
Now that a head-on war wasn’t ideal, they’d have to resort to erosion and sabotage first—sowing chaos among the humans before delivering the fatal blow.
The demon army turned around and, in the blink of an eye, vanished into the mist…
Seeing them retreat, everyone atop the Great Wall finally let out a collective sigh of relief.
Though they were not afraid of battle, no one truly wished to start a war if it could be avoided.
After all, who didn’t want to live another day?
With the army gone, Ling Qi sat down against the wall, clutching his head.
“Daughter, are you all alright?” Xiao Jiankong rushed over.
Xiao Qian nodded. She and Chu Xinyue were fine. But Ling Qi clearly wasn’t.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, squatting beside him. Chu Xinyue also looked worried.
“I don’t know…” Ling Qi rubbed his head.
He didn’t understand what was happening with his body now—or what those shadowy visions meant.
Hearing this, Chu Xinyue frowned. “You don’t know what’s happening to your own body?”
Suddenly, Ling Qi reached up and tore open the front of his robe.
Chu Xinyue looked down—and her eyes widened. “Your wound… it’s healed?”
Indeed, his chest showed no trace of injury.
But bizarrely… the strange void patterns had spread.
The marks had expanded from his chest all the way to his shoulders.
The wound was gone—but the void patterns had spread further.
What did this mean?
“Wound? What wound? And what is this?” Xiao Qian asked, frowning as she gently touched the void lines on his body.
Beneath his skin, the lines glowed faintly with a bluish light. They looked beautiful—but felt strangely ominous.
“What exactly did you do?” Chu Xinyue pressed.
He’d gone to the deepest part of the Forbidden Demon Region and came back without injuries, but something about him felt far worse.
“The demon sword… it’s inside me now,” Ling Qi looked up at Chu Xinyue and forced a bitter smile.
Her brows furrowed deeper.
The broken sword in his body had now become a whole sword?
That was definitely not a good sign.
It meant his condition had become even more unstable.
And his life—probably even shorter.
“What sword? What’s in your body?” Xiao Qian’s expression turned anxious.
Was he joking? A sword was inside his body?
How was he even alive?
“It’s fine, don’t worry.” Ling Qi smiled weakly, raising his hand to gently stroke Xiao Qian’s cheek.
“How can you say that? Tell me what’s going on! What happened?”
Xiao Qian’s eyes were red with worry.
You’ve got a sword inside you!
How can I not worry?
We’ve only just reunited—and now this?
How am I supposed to live if something happens to you?
“I’m tired… just let me sleep for a bit…”
Ling Qi shook his head, and his eyelids began to fall shut.
He had only been hanging on with the help of Ye Youluo’s medicine.
Now that its effects were wearing off, exhaustion hit him like a wave.
“Ling Qi? Ling Qi!” Chu Xinyue quickly squatted down and held his hand.
“His pulse is still chaotic… but stable. Let him rest for now,” she said.
Xiao Qian nodded with tear-filled eyes.
They helped him to her room and laid him down to rest. Get faster updates on g.com.
…
In the small courtyard room.
Ling Qi lay on the bed. Chu Xinyue and Xiao Qian stood nearby, while an elderly doctor with a graying beard checked his pulse.
“Doctor, how is he?”
Xiao Qian asked urgently when she saw the doctor frowning.
He shook his head and gently put Ling Qi’s hand down.
“In all my years of medicine, I’ve never seen a pulse like this.”
“On the surface, he looks fine—but inside, it’s chaos.”
No wonder—there was a sword inside him.
“What should we do then?” Xiao Qian asked anxiously.
She didn’t care about anything else now—she just wanted Ling Qi to be okay.
The doctor shook his head again. “I… don’t know what to do.”
“…”
Xiao Qian’s expression darkened.
You’re the doctor! At least try something! Prescribe something!
Chu Xinyue shot her a look and shook her head.
She knew Ling Qi’s condition better than most.
Even the Medical Immortal of the Great Yan Empire couldn’t help—how could a regular doctor?
Xiao Qian sighed and nodded.
The doctor quietly excused himself.
Once he was gone, Xiao Jiankong—who had been sitting quietly—finally spoke, “Just what the hell happened to him? What happened in that Forbidden Demon Region?”
Chu Xinyue let out a soft breath but didn’t explain.
Instead, she said calmly, “General Xiao, regarding Ling Qi’s condition… please keep it confidential.”
“The demons fear Ling Qi. We can’t let them learn of his current state.”
If the demons hadn’t learned of his connection to Xiao Qian, none of this would’ve happened.
So anything related to Ling Qi had to be kept secret.
“I understand.” Xiao Jiankong stood up. “Then I’ll leave him to you. I’ll inform the troops to keep quiet.”
Chu Xinyue nodded.
Xiao Jiankong turned and left the room.
Now only Chu Xinyue, Xiao Qian, and the unconscious Ling Qi remained.
“This is the first time I’ve seen him like this,” Chu Xinyue said with a soft sigh.
To her, Ling Qi had always been invincible—capable of anything.
He could always solve every problem easily.
But now… he had collapsed from exhaustion.
This was truly a first.
“Miss Chu… what is your relationship with him?” Xiao Qian asked, curious.
“Friends,” Chu Xinyue smiled. “Let’s talk outside—let him rest.”
Xiao Qian nodded. The two of them left the room.
…
In the courtyard, Chu Xinyue sat at the stone table.
“Although I’m only a friend—and not as close to him as you are,” she said calmly, “I understand him better than anyone.”
Xiao Qian turned to glance at the room.
She knew that even though she and Ling Qi had a past, she didn’t really understand him.
For example, she’d never even known he was Supreme Limit Realm.
“There are things he probably wanted to tell you himself. But since he’s unconscious, I’ll tell you.”
Chu Xinyue looked up.
“Once you hear this—whether you stay or leave—the choice will be yours.”
“…You could have phrased it a bit more gently.”
Hearing Chu Xinyue’s words, Xiao Qian frowned slightly. What did she mean by “stay or leave”? Of course she was going to stay by Ling Qi’s side—why would that even need to be asked?
“Miss Chu, please speak.” Xiao Qian cupped her fists.
Whatever it was she wanted to say, she’d at least listen first.
Chu Xinyue nodded gently. “You might not know… but the way he used to view this world was entirely different from everyone else.”
Then, she began recounting everything about Ling Qi in full detail to Xiao Qian—including the fact that he now had a daughter.
Of course, she put things rather tactfully, always trying to explain from Ling Qi’s perspective, as if defending his actions…
…
Meanwhile, inside the room, Ling Qi, lying on Xiao Qian’s bed, had fallen into a dream.
In the dream, the world was drenched in dark red, filled with wailing and despair.
A crimson sky. Crimson earth. Even the air was dyed blood red.
It was as if countless souls had died, forming a mist of blood that blanketed heaven and earth.
Corpses littered the ground. Rivers of blood flowed.
In the middle of this nightmarish scene stood Ling Qi, holding a fully restored demonic sword. His face was cold and expressionless, his eyes a chilling crimson.
“Ling Qi! You devil! You demon!”
A shrill scream erupted in the bloody fog.
Ling Qi turned and looked at the person screaming at him.
Then, with one swing of his blade, he split them cleanly in half.
“Monster! You deserve a thousand deaths!”
Another voice roared.
Ling Qi turned and struck again.
The world was filled with curses and screams.
And each time someone appeared, they were cut down by his sword.
Ling Qi couldn’t understand—what was he doing?
Why was he slaughtering people like this?
Was this a dream, a hallucination, or… the future?
“Daddy?”
A soft child’s voice suddenly called out.
Ling Qi turned toward the sound—and saw a little girl.
She looked about seven or eight years old. It was his daughter.
Yet even then, Ling Qi raised the demonic sword high—ready to strike…
“No… NO! Qiyue! QIYUE!!!”
Ling Qi roared and jolted upright from the bed.
He was drenched in sweat, panic written all over his face.
What was that?
A nightmare?
Why did it match the visions he had seen earlier in the demon blood pool?
What were those images?
How could he possibly do such things? How could he raise a sword against Qiyue?
No, that man wielding the sword wasn’t him!
But then… why had he seen it all through his own eyes?
And Qiyue looked about eight years old—three years from now.
Was that really the future?
Just then, the door opened and Xiao Qian and Chu Xinyue rushed in.
“What happened? Are you okay?”
They had run in as soon as they heard him shout Qiyue’s name.
“I’m fine. Just… a nightmare,” Ling Qi replied with a bitter smile, shaking his head.
He had to figure out what the dream meant.
If it was truly the future, he couldn’t allow that to happen.
He would never—could never—hurt his own daughter.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Xiao Qian sat at the edge of the bed and reached out, pulling open Ling Qi’s robe.
His chest was still uninjured.
But… the strange void markings had spread further.
Xiao Qian immediately stripped off his top.
“What are you doing? I know it’s been seven years, but this is a bit much—especially with someone el—someone around.” Ling Qi chuckled awkwardly.
This time, he deliberately avoided calling Chu Xinyue an “outsider.” She was far too good at holding grudges.
But Xiao Qian wasn’t in the mood for jokes. When she saw the markings had spread to his arms, her expression turned grave.
Ling Qi glanced down. The bluish void markings had spread to his shoulders and biceps.
And worse… the color had begun to shift—from pale blue to deep crimson.
Could it be… that really was his future self?
“We’re going to see Ye Youluo. Now.” Xiao Qian helped him put his clothes back on.
The spread of the markings meant the sword’s corruption was intensifying.
And that meant Ling Qi’s life was in even greater danger.
They couldn’t afford to wait.
Hearing that, Ling Qi smiled, “So… you already know?”
“I told her,” Chu Xinyue replied.
Ling Qi smiled again and caught Xiao Qian’s hand as she straightened his collar. “So… what now? What will you do?”
Xiao Qian pulled her hand back and continued fixing his clothes. “What can I do? What else can I do?”
Her eyes were red, voice full of jealousy.
Now that she knew everything—about his other women, about his daughter—and maybe even more children…
But so what?
What could she do now?
After waiting seven long years, was she really going to walk away the moment they reunited?
“That doesn’t matter. What matters now is your condition.” Her words were firm.
Whether she accepted his relationships or not was irrelevant now.
And by saying it didn’t matter—she had already accepted it.
Seeing her like this, Ling Qi smiled. “Sorry, back then—”
“You don’t need to apologize. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me.” Xiao Qian cut him off.
If she had acknowledged her feelings back then, if she had kept him by her side, maybe…
Maybe he’d still belong to her alone.
There wouldn’t have been someone like Xu Qingxue.
After all, she had met Ling Qi before Xu Qingxue. It was only after he returned from the Forbidden Demon Region that he encountered her.
Ling Qi chuckled and reached out to pinch Xiao Qian’s cheek. “It’s not your fault…”
He knew the blame lay entirely with himself.
The fact that Xiao Qian was still willing to accept him was more than he deserved.
She glared at him but said nothing.
In a world like this, having multiple wives and concubines was nothing unusual.
The more capable a man was, the more women he was expected to have.
“How are you feeling now?” Chu Xinyue asked.
“I’m alright. Just… a little tired.” Ling Qi shook his head.
Whoosh!
Before he finished speaking, a burst of icy sword Qi shot at him and halted just before his forehead.
“You call that ‘alright’?!” Chu Xinyue said sharply.
He hadn’t even reacted—clearly his condition was worse than he thought.
“That doesn’t prove anything. I knew you wouldn’t kill me,” Ling Qi smiled. “Try again if you don’t believe—”
He paused.
Because out of the corner of his eye, he saw a second sword Qi hovering near his temple.
He hadn’t even noticed it.
“Two strikes at once. Still want to argue?” Chu Xinyue said coldly.
Ling Qi gave a bitter laugh and clenched his fists.
So… it really was that serious.
“We’re going to Ye Youluo. Now,” Xiao Qian declared, standing up.
If she was the only one who could save Ling Qi, they couldn’t waste another moment.
“Then we’re coming with you,” Chu Xinyue said. “Besides… I’d like to meet that so-called demoness myself.”
“Is it really a good time for that?” Ling Qi chuckled. “Don’t forget, you were planning to join Jiang Ling to attack her Demon Sect. Aren’t you afraid she’ll kill you?”
Chu Xinyue smiled faintly, “Don’t worry. She’ll never kill me.”
“Oh?” Ling Qi raised a brow. “You’ve seen what condition I’m in. If she tries, I can’t stop her. You better be sure.”
“I have my reasons.” Chu Xinyue said calmly.
Ling Qi nodded. Alright then—time to head for Demon Island.
He made the preparations and set off with Chu Xinyue and Xiao Qian, leaving the border stronghold for the Demon Sect.
As for the demon race’s offer of peace?
One word: Reject.
He even instructed the border troops to act tougher—more arrogant.
Because the more arrogant they were, the more afraid the demon race would be.
They all knew—if the human race dared act like this, it was because of Ling Qi.
As long as Ling Qi was alive, they wouldn’t dare make a move.
…
Elsewhere—Demon Island.
The subordinates Ye Youluo had sent to look for Ling Qi, Qing’er and Wan’er, quickly returned. “Reporting, Sect Master. Ling Qi isn’t in the capital—he’s at the Great Yan Empire’s border wall.”
They reported everything they had seen in full detail.
Ye Youluo frowned slightly and sneered, “The demon race? Peace talks? What a joke.”
Peace between humans and demons? Complete nonsense.
“And the Empress—did she give you trouble?” Ye Youluo asked.
“We said we were looking for Ling Qi, so she let us go,” Qing’er and Wan’er replied.
Otherwise, as high-ranking members of the Demon Sect, they would never have left the capital alive.
Ye Youluo nodded faintly. So Ling Qi’s relationship with Jiang Ling was indeed quite solid.
“And his wife and daughter? Still in the capital?”
“Yes. In fact, they enjoy the Empress’s special protection,” the two women replied.
Ye Youluo nodded again. So Ling Qi and Jiang Ling… were really just friends?
“You may go,” she waved them off.
“Yes, Sect Master.” They bowed and left.
Originally, they had hoped to help bring Ling Qi and Ye Youluo closer together. But since they hadn’t met him, it would have to wait for another time…
Just then, a small boat drifted toward Demon Island from the sea.
“Another one? Why do people keep trying to approach Demon Island lately?”
The guard at the watchtower frowned.
Every other day, someone new dared to come near. What, did they think Demon Island was a tourist spot?
“Prepare to fire—shoot them down!” the lead guard ordered.
“Wait—Captain, it’s a small boat!” one subordinate shouted.
The captain furrowed his brow.
A small boat?
Could it be Ling Qi?
If it was, of course he’d be allowed ashore. No one could stop him anyway.
“Hold your fire. Wait and confirm first,” he ordered.
The guards held position.
As the boat neared, they finally saw clearly who was aboard.
“It’s Ling Qi. Lower your weapons!” the captain called.
Since it was him, there was no need to act.
“But… who are the others? Is that… Chu Xinyue?”
He didn’t recognize Xiao Qian, but he certainly recognized Chu Xinyue.
Why would Ling Qi bring her?
Wasn’t Chu Xinyue planning to join the Empress to attack the Demon Sect?
She was supposed to be an enemy!
“Report to the Sect Master immediately!” the captain ordered.
“Yes!”
The guards rushed to inform Ye Youluo.
Upon hearing that Ling Qi had returned, Ye Youluo flew straight to the harbor with her followers.
As she and the others waited, Ling Qi’s boat docked.
Ling Qi, Chu Xinyue, and Xiao Qian stepped ashore.
Xiao Qian instinctively tightened her grip on her spear. This was the Demon Sect’s headquarters. As a subject of the Great Yan Empire, she couldn’t afford to lower her guard.
“You’ve got some guts,” Ye Youluo said coldly, eyes like blood-red crystals.
Ling Qi was about to speak, but Chu Xinyue stepped forward first. “If I didn’t, who knows how long it would take to meet you?”
With that, she walked up to Ye Youluo, extended her hand, and said, “Nice to finally meet you… Sister.”
Ling Qi’s brow furrowed slightly.
Wait, what?
Ye Youluo… and Chu Xinyue… were sisters?