Chapter 112

A violent tremor coursed through Ye Zhongyu’s heart. His mind was a chaotic mess, words stuck in his throat.
Ling Qingxiao slowly turned around, his gaze calm and distant as he looked at them. “We meet again.”
Ye Zhongyu instinctively sensed that those words weren’t meant for him—they were directed at the being hidden within his sea of consciousness.
The old man in black made no sound. Ye Zhongyu’s mind felt eerily empty, as though the man had never been there to begin with.
But Ling Qingxiao wasn’t fooled. “When old acquaintances meet again, you’re not even going to say hello?” he said indifferently. “I would’ve thought you’d be itching to kill me.”
Clearly, Ling Qingxiao had already discovered his presence. With things at this point, the old man could no longer remain hidden. Slowly, he manifested.
“Hmph. Ignorant brat,” the black-robed elder sneered. “You got lucky, that’s all. Do you truly believe this seat fears you?”
A second voice rang out in the still night air. Su Yinyue jumped in fright and instinctively stepped behind Ye Zhongyu. “Cousin, who...who is that?”
“A senior,” Ye Zhongyu said, patting her hand reassuringly. “Don’t be afraid.” He looked up. “Ling Qingxiao, you chase us to the ends of the realm—what exactly do you want?”
“What I want?” Ling Qingxiao’s eyes were frigid. “Naturally, to uphold justice and cleanse the Six Realms.”
He looked at them coldly, his aura sharp. “One of you has fallen from the path of immortality, the other has clawed their way back from death. Both have defied the will of Heaven. And so I—must eliminate you as the taint you are.”
His intentions were clear. Ye Zhongyu tensed, the old man in black growing guarded. But even so, he frowned.
“How did you know I was here?” he asked. “My void-breaking technique is soundless, formless. Even if there were wards outside, you shouldn’t have been able to trace us…”
As he muttered, a realization struck him like lightning. “No...it’s her!”
Ye Zhongyu followed the implication and suddenly turned to Su Yinyue, stunned.
Su Yinyue was taken aback by their sudden change in demeanor. She shook her head frantically. “I didn’t! Cousin, I swear on the heavens—I would never betray you!”
Ye Zhongyu didn’t believe she would either. Yun Menghan might defect to Ling Qingxiao, but Su Yinyue? Never.
“I swear I don’t know anything!” she cried. Then something clicked in her memory. Her eyes widened in horror. “It was you! You planted something on me!”
Ling Qingxiao didn’t deny it. “Correct.”
“You...You shameless man!” Su Yinyue trembled with rage. “My father trusted you. He handed over half the Linshan estate to you. But you—ever since you returned from the Demon Realm, you were plotting this! Your heart is truly despicable!”
Ling Qingxiao’s expression remained utterly indifferent. “If you had stayed in Linshan as instructed, the locator would never have activated. You chose to run. That was your decision.”
Su Yinyue’s chest ached. This time, it truly hurt.
Ye Zhongyu realized now that ever since Ling Qingxiao had taken Su Yinyue back to Linshan, he had already been setting the trap.
He had walked straight into it. His attempt to rescue Su Yinyue not only exposed his own whereabouts but revealed the presence of the old man too.
“I’ll admit it,” he said bitterly. “Your scheming runs deep. I concede defeat.”
“But Ling Qingxiao,” his voice turned sharp, “you dug out my core, imprisoned my mother, and killed my father. Every step has been a calculated cruelty. And you call yourself righteous? What a joke.
“As long as I draw breath, I will never let you go.”
Ling Qingxiao's sword floated before him, radiant with deadly light.
“Then you must die.”
“Ye Zhongyu. Demon God. Both of you must be eliminated.”
Anyone or anything that threatened to take Luo Han from him...whether divine or demonic, deserved to vanish.
Ye Zhongyu reeled. “What are you talking about? What Demon God?”
Before he could make sense of it, a streak of black smoke erupted from his sea of consciousness. He had tried countless times to expel it, but now, it moved like a ghost—unimpeded.
Hadn’t the old man said he was weak? That only a wisp of his soul remained? But this—this didn’t look weak at all.
A horrible realization struck Ye Zhongyu. Not just Ling Qingxiao...the old man had been using him too.
Is anything in this world real?
Ling Qingxiao’s sword clashed with the black smoke in a sharp ring of steel. The smoke visibly struggled to hold its shape—it could no longer maintain its disguise. The illusion fell away. Ye Zhongyu stared in shock.
The old man wasn’t some ancient cultivator passing on a legacy. He wasn’t even an old man.
He was a fragment of the Demon God.
That ruin, hidden deep within the celestial domain, was surrounded by Immortals. The Demon God had long been unable to find a host. Then Ye Zhongyu had come—one of the only demons present, and with the highest cultivation among them. Of course the Demon God would seize his chance.
Everything...had been a lie.
This wasn’t about teaching a disciple. The Demon God didn’t want a successor—he wanted a vessel. Whether he planned to possess Ye Zhongyu or devour his soul, Ye Zhongyu dared not guess.
But somehow, he had survived. And now, as Ling Qingxiao battled the Demon God, Ye Zhongyu seized the chance. He grabbed Su Yinyue’s hand and took off at once.
The two fighters noticed—but neither had the time to care about two fleeing gnats.
The Demon God dodged another attack, then snarled, “Ling Qingxiao, do you not realize your current state? You’re riddled with inner demons. Your defenses are full of holes. And yet you come seeking me? Do you have a death wish?”
The Demon God fed on corruption. Those plagued with inner demons were ripe for manipulation. Right now, Ling Qingxiao was in no condition to be fighting. One wrong move could mean complete collapse.
And yet he still came. Alone.
Ling Qingxiao’s attack missed, but he didn’t pause for a second. He pivoted and launched again. “I may die here,” he said, “but you must vanish from this world.”
The Demon God was livid. “You lunatic!”
Soft yields to hard. Hard yields to madness.
Ling Qingxiao wasn’t afraid of death. He was throwing everything he had into this fight—just to erase the Demon God.
The fragment flared with rage. He had already been weakened by death, and now, only a shard of him remained. Back in the ancient era, even at full strength, he had fallen to Ling Qingxiao.
Now, what chance did a mere fragment have against a man with nothing left to lose?
In the end, the Demon God was pierced through the heart by Ling Qingxiao’s sword. His semi-transparent figure began to fade into nothingness.
This marked the third time Ling Qingxiao had slain the Demon God: once in the ancient battlefield, once within the murals, and now, here and now.
Three times felled by the same man—even a divine being like the Demon God couldn’t help but fear him. As his form dissipated, the Demon God’s wicked, narrow eyes locked onto Ling Qingxiao—and then he burst into wild laughter.
“Hahahaha! So that’s it! So that’s why!”
No wonder Ling Qingxiao was hellbent on killing him. No wonder even the Celestial Emperor hadn’t sensed his return, yet Ling Qingxiao had.
It all made sense now—the root of Ling Qingxiao’s inner demons...was him.
The Demon God’s maniacal laughter rang through the skies, even as his soul scattered. Fixing Ling Qingxiao with a gleeful, twisted look, he crowed:
“You’ve slain me again—so what? As long as you live, Ling Qingxiao, I shall be reborn again and again, never truly dying. If you wish to destroy me completely...then kill yourself!”
Ling Qingxiao gripped his sword tighter. The blade of Jiuxiao flared with blinding light, and with one final strike, he annihilated the Demon God entirely. That loathsome visage vanished, leaving only the echo of his laughter lingering in the air.
Ling Qingxiao stood motionless for a long time, sword still in hand.
The moon had long since vanished, and heavy clouds loomed above. Thunder rolled faintly in the distance, as if the heavens were holding their breath. On Jiuxiao’s blade, dark mist clung and coiled—residue from slaying the Demon God.
With a flick of his wrist, Ling Qingxiao cleaved through the black mist.
“So what if you return? I’ll kill you every time you do. A thousand times, ten thousand times, until you’re gone for good.”
Overhead, thunder roared. The skies split open, unleashing a torrential downpour.
—
Luo Han had been sitting in her room for quite some time, troubled and uneasy.
She couldn’t let it go.
Eventually, she stood up. If possible, she wanted to talk to Ling Qingxiao—about the heart demons he was facing. Inner demons were something no cultivator could escape, and the stronger the person, the more impossible the trial.
Since he had already shown signs of heart demons, they needed to find the source and face it together.
The banquet had just ended. The palace was still bustling with attendants cleaning up. Luo Han didn’t alert anyone; she simply picked up a lantern and quietly made her way toward Ling Qingxiao’s quarters.
But when she approached, she found his residence eerily silent.
Normally, if she even came close, Ling Qingxiao would sense her immediately and come out to meet her. But this time, she stood at the doors for a long while, lantern in hand, and no one responded.
A cold feeling gripped her chest. He’s not here.
Ever since the ancient war, they had always faced everything together. This was the first time Ling Qingxiao had acted without telling her.
…Or maybe it wasn’t the first time. Maybe this was just the first time she had caught him doing it.
She knocked lightly. “Ling Qingxiao. It’s me. Are you inside?”
Silence. After a moment, Luo Han pushed the door open.
The inner chambers were spotless, almost as if no one had lived there at all. She walked in a circle, about to leave, when she noticed something in the study at the back.
On the desk were several scrolls, still open. It looked like Ling Qingxiao had been reading and left in a hurry—so rushed, he hadn’t even put the books away.
She picked up the top scroll. It was about ancient seals.
Why is he reading about ancient seals? What is he planning?
Luo Han stood at the desk, confused. But before she could piece anything together, a violent wind rose outside. The scrolls flapped open wildly. Luo Han jumped in surprise and quickly shut the windows with a wave of her hand.
Why such sudden wind? She put the scroll down and headed toward the door.
Outside, the wind howled, heavy with moisture. It smelled of rain—imminent, powerful.
Palace attendants bustled to and fro, rushing to shutter the doors and windows of each hall. A group of maids spotted Luo Han and hurried over.
“Miss Luo, it’s late—what are you doing here all alone? Do you need anything?”
Luo Han shook her head. “I’m fine. I just went out for some air. You don’t have to worry about me. Go tend to your duties.”
As she spoke, the lanterns along the corridor trembled violently...and were suddenly extinguished.
Luo Han’s eyes widened. These were spiritual lamps—no ordinary wind could blow them out.
Unless...this wasn’t wind.
Heart pounding, she ran to the edge of the floating platform. The attendants, nervous, followed closely behind. Halfway there, the rain began—fast and fierce.
This time, Luo Han didn’t need to search for a good vantage point.
Everyone in the palace had heard the sound. They turned to look. Beyond the edge of Yunzhong, a mass of dark clouds churned. Azure lightning writhed within them, striking fear into all who beheld it.
This was no ordinary storm. This—was a lightning tribulation.
—
Back in her chambers, the Phoenix Queen had already removed her crown and robe, preparing for bed. But upon hearing the commotion, she hastily redressed and stepped out onto the veranda.
“What’s going on?” she asked coldly. “Why such a sudden storm?”
The attendants shook their heads. “We do not know, Your Majesty.”
A palace official quickly ran off. Moments later, she returned, soaked to the bone, and bowed.
“Your Majesty, I went to investigate. There are many gathered outside the residence of Lord Ling. The attendants say...Lord Ling is not currently in the palace.”
The Queen’s face darkened. “Why?”
“…It seems this may be Lord Ling’s Ascension Tribulation. The Crown Princess has already gone ahead. We should have word soon.”
Feng Yujia, Ye Zinan, and others rushed in, anxious for news. When they saw Luo Han, they were startled.
“Where is Ling Qingxiao?” Feng Yujia asked.
Luo Han shook her head. “He’s...undergoing tribulation, I think.”
Think? Feng Yujia was surprised. She had assumed Luo Han would know every detail—after all, they had seemed inseparable at the ruins.
But she didn’t press further. She gently reassured her, “Lord Ling is a man of great destiny. His cultivation is deep. He will be fine.”
Luo Han could only nod silently.
As they spoke, Feng Yujia’s attendant ran up, voice trembling. “Princess! It’s bad—the rain is too heavy! Parts of the city are already collapsing!”
When Feng Yujia heard the report, she immediately furrowed her brows. Yunzhong was built among the clouds—its very foundation was unstable. Under a storm like this, it was in grave danger. Normally, Wuzhou had a mild climate, springlike all year round. Such violent rainfall was unheard of.
Anxious beyond measure, Feng Yujia paid no heed to the storm. She rushed out of the palace to assess the damage herself. Luo Han and Ye Zinan, hearing the news, followed close behind, hoping they could be of help.
Never in Yunzhong’s history had there been a tempest like this. The entire city swayed in the violent winds. While the royal palace held firm thanks to powerful wards, much of the city was built upon smaller floating platforms—many of which couldn’t withstand the assault.
Feng Yujia braved the storm throughout the night, personally directing the evacuation of civilians and the reinforcement of the platforms. Luo Han did her best to fend off the lightning and wind from striking the city directly, but even she could not protect every corner.
The thunder grew louder. A bolt of heavenly lightning split across the sky, and one of its branching strikes clipped Yunzhong. Several protective formations shattered instantly, and the floating enchantments failed.
Half the city began to fall.
It wasn’t just those within the city who panicked—the people on the ground below trembled in fear. Yunzhong was their holy capital, suspended above the world, a symbol of purity and power. Every day they had looked up to it in awe. Never had they imagined...that it would fall from the sky.
On the ground, the avian tribes wailed in despair. In the heavens, Luo Han felt the city tilting, trembling beneath her feet. Her head ached from the strain. She turned to Feng Yujia and shouted, “Save the people first! We can rebuild a city—but lives cannot be replaced!”
Feng Yujia nodded at once and ordered the construction of sturdy cloud ladders to evacuate the trapped citizens. Just as chaos swelled on all sides, the raindrops in the sky abruptly froze, turning into shimmering shards of ice.
People on the ground looked up, confused and stunned. A little girl tugged at her mother’s sleeve and pointed upward.
“Mother, look! Yunzhong...it’s freezing over!”
A thick sheet of ice formed beneath the great stone base of the city, halting its descent. Slowly, the city steadied in the air. Then, under an invisible force, it began to rise—little by little—returning to its rightful place above the clouds.
A wave of cheers erupted across the ground.
Within the city, people felt themselves ascending. Many clung to one another in tears, overjoyed to have survived. It felt like a miracle—like being pulled back from the edge of death.
Luo Han looked up.
The ominous clouds outside the city had finally dispersed. Only now did everyone realize—the long night had passed. A golden sun was rising on the horizon.
Sunlight glinted off the frozen shards of the city’s underbelly, scattering radiant beams across the sky. And within that light—someone stepped through the void, slowly approaching Yunzhong.
It was Ling Qingxiao.
Feng Yujia stared at the figure walking toward them. For once, she was completely speechless.
This was the first time she had ever met someone who claimed they needed to ascend urgently—and then actually did it the very next day.
Gathering herself, Feng Yujia adjusted her robes and offered the traditional salute of the phoenix clan:
“Congratulations, Immortal.”
Though a princess, even Feng Yujia bowed. In the heavens, strength reigned supreme. Titles meant nothing before power. Among immortals of the same rank, status and family name could dictate formality—but before an True Immortal, even the child of the Celestial Emperor must show respect.
The Celestial Realm was a rigid hierarchy. Most mortals remained forever at the stage of Spirit Immortal. Those born of noble blood, nurtured by vast resources, might reach the Celestial rank—but to ascend further, into the realm of the True Immortals, was nearly impossible. That path could not be paved with resources alone.
To reach the realm of the True Immortals—every one of them was a true prodigy.
At a thousand years old, Ling Qingxiao had already approached that level. Though technically still a Celestial Immortal, his power had long been brushing against the higher tier. But brushing against it was not the same as standing within it.
Now that he had truly ascended, Feng Yujia realized just how vast the gulf was between Celestial and True Immortal. A True Immortal could split mountains, part seas, and lift entire cities alone.
All around, more figures bowed and offered greetings.
Luo Han, however, did not bow. She ran.
Ling Qingxiao hadn’t expected her to rush over. He caught her midair, surprised. “What’s wrong?” he asked gently.
She threw her arms around him, holding him tight by the neck.
He felt her trembling and whispered, “It’s all right now. I’ve returned.”
He didn’t explain why he’d gone alone, and she didn’t ask.
After a moment, she loosened her arms and smiled. “Congratulations.”
Ling Qingxiao smiled softly and brushed back a strand of her long hair. “There’s nothing to boast about. It’s all because of you.”
—
A new True Immortal had risen in the Celestial Realm. The news was compiled into an urgent memorial and sent directly to the Celestial Emperor.
The emperor glanced at the scroll—name, date, location—and raised an eyebrow in mild amusement.
He placed the report down and chuckled to his attendant. “I just reminded him yesterday to make some progress...and by nightfall, he’d already ascended. Seems the younger generation just needs a bit more...motivation.”
The court ministers standing below wore expressions of quiet despair. That wasn’t how it worked. You couldn’t just urge someone into ascension.
If it were that easy—who wouldn’t want to ascend?
The joys and sorrows of ordinary beings could never be understood by those who stood above the clouds. Monsters like Ling Qingxiao and the Celestial Emperor...they lived in another world entirely.
News of Ling Qingxiao’s ascension spread across all realms—the Celestial, the Demon, even the Monster Realm. By now, people had been shocked so many times that shock no longer registered. In Zhongshan, the others merely gave a calm, collected “oh.”
Business as usual.
Zou Jibai thought he had already steeled himself. But when he saw Ling Qingxiao the next morning, he still clutched his chest and gasped, “He was a Celestial yesterday...and now he’s an True Immortal? Is it really that easy to ascend?”
Ye Zinan gave him a cold side-eye. “What are you thinking? Wake up. He’s him. We’re us. Stop dreaming.”
Zou Jibai wiped away a sorrowful tear. “It’s hard to believe...when we went to the Western Sea, we were all the same rank.”
“I know,” Ye Zinan sighed. “Now my father’s definitely going to yell at me when I get back.”
Being Ling Qingxiao’s contemporary...was truly terrifying.
As for the Phoenix Queen, she had spent the entire previous night recovering from one shock after another. By the time she heard the confirmed news of Ling Qingxiao’s ascension at dawn, her worldview had been rewritten.
Just yesterday, the Celestial Emperor had sent word to urge him onward. Ling Qingxiao had nodded and promised he would ascend soon. Who would’ve thought that when he said soon, he really meant immediately?
Truly, what kind of monstrous talent was this?
Even the Phoenix Queen now approached Ling Qingxiao with caution. She personally offered for him to stay a few more days, but Ling Qingxiao declined.
He said, “I appreciate Your Majesty’s kindness, but there’s a matter that has long troubled me—one that only Senior Xuan of the Eastern Sea may be able to resolve. The journey is long and the waters deep. I must depart as soon as possible and cannot afford further delay.”
The Black Tortoise of the Eastern Sea—like the Bodhi Tree—was one of the most ancient beings of the Six Realms. If Ling Qingxiao sought him out, not even the Phoenix Queen dared to obstruct him.
She could only smile and say, “Since the Immortal has urgent business, I shall not keep you. The Eastern Sea is far from here, and I’ve prepared some supplies for your journey. Just a humble offering—I hope you will accept it.”
Ling Qingxiao lacked for nothing, but since the Queen offered sincerely, he could not refuse. “Many thanks, Your Majesty.”
Zhongshan and Wuzhou were both autonomous regions—except Wuzhou had royalty, while the dragon clan, owing to their connection to the Celestial Emperor, refrained from setting up a royal hierarchy and instead used clan heads. Technically, the head of the Ling clan and the Phoenix Queen held the same rank.
But now that Ling Qingxiao had ascended to True Immortal, everyone addressed him with the higher honorific, Qingxiao. News quickly spread: Ling Qingxiao was heading to the Eastern Sea.
The Eastern Sea—the cradle of life, home to the living encyclopedia of the heavens, the ancient Black Tortoise.