Since Gu Jiang had incorporated the territory of the Ancient Law Sect into his own spatial domain, the Blood Moon Shadow and the mountains, rivers, and vegetation of this land had rged into one.
While demonic energy contaminated spiritual energy, the two had beco inseparable. Originally, the spiritual and demonic energies in this region had reached a balance, but with the revival of spiritual energy across the world, this equilibrium was disrupted. The turbulence of spiritual energy affected the Blood Moon Shadow, and in turn, affected Gu Jiang.
This wave of spiritual energy fluctuations sweeping across the world was sothing even Gu Jiang could only go along with.
When he lazed on Nie Yinzhi's swing to sleep, his demonic energy unconsciously leaked out, lting the entire garden of the Nie family. The Blood Moon Shadow almost swallowed a servant who happened to be in the garden at the ti.
His demonic energy fluctuated too violently, forcing him to leave the densely populated Yuan Province. Nie Yinzhi naturally couldn't let him go alone, so their wedding had to be postponed.
The Qianjiang Cliff outside the Floating Cloud River was a suitable place. Feng Hanying had initially planned to build the Demon Lord's palace there, so the cliff was heavily fortified with layers of restrictions, keeping out any unwanted visitors.
Now, the Demon Lord was busy leading his generals on campaigns, fighting with righteous cultivators over resources in secret realms, and accumulating wealth for the construction of the demonic domain. He was too occupied to return.
Nie Yinzhi followed Gu Jiang and moved into the Chongle Palace atop Qianjiang Cliff. While Gu Jiang was in seclusion, Nie Yinzhi wandered around the cliff, transforming it according to her preferences.
The entire cultivation world was experiencing chaotic seasons due to the turbulence of spiritual energy. On Qianjiang Cliff, both spiritual and demonic energies were exceptionally dense, creating a bizarre climate. One mont, the sun was shining brightly, but as soon as she crossed a suspension bridge, the weather suddenly turned gloomy. A fierce wind carrying chaotic spiritual and demonic energy blew, causing the bridge to sway violently.
Nie Yinzhi stood in the middle of the suspension bridge between two palaces, steadily stepping on the swaying planks as if walking on the crest of a wave. Her bright yellow dress fluttered wildly in the gloomy sky, resembling a sunflower dancing in the wind.
Holding a few plum blossoms in her hand, Nie Yinzhi gracefully leaped across the swaying bridge, landing on the cliffside. Before her feet could touch the ground, she was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace.
Sitting on his arm, Nie Yinzhi wrapped her hand holding the plum blossoms around his shoulder and looked down in surprise. "Why did you co out?"
The weather on Qianjiang Cliff was erratic. While the Chongle Palace was filled with the sound of cicadas, another palace ten miles away was covered in snow. Sotis, the entire cliff would be draped in red maple leaves when she woke up, but after a short nap, the leaves would have fallen, and new buds would sprout on the bare branches.
In this land of chaotic seasons, Gu Jiang's demonic energy was also in constant turmoil, which must have been uncomfortable for him.
Gu Jiang smiled. "I thought you might be bored alone, so I ca out to see you." The plum blossoms near his ear still carried snow crystals, emitting a faint, cold fragrance. "You really like flowers, don't you?"
"Mm." Nie Yinzhi wasn't actually bored, but she did miss him—so much. "The Chongle Palace is too hot. I wanted to pick so plum blossoms for a bath, but they wither so quickly. I only managed to gather these few branches."
Gu Jiang carried her back across the suspension bridge. The wind had stopped, and the bridge was calm again, but the surrounding air was heavy with moisture, as if the river below the cliff had evaporated, creating a thick fog that shrouded everything in a misty haze.
"It might take about three more months for this land to absorb the surging spiritual energy. After that, everything will return to normal."
Nie Yinzhi gently touched his cheek. "Then you'll be better too?" His complexion didn't look good, and his lips were pale. This man, who had stood at the pinnacle of the cultivation world since their first eting, sotis seed as fragile as the plum blossoms in her hand—still in full bloom, yet always on the verge of withering.
"Mm." Gu Jiang nuzzled her fingertips.
Nie Yinzhi obediently let him carry her as they slowly made their way back to the plum grove. The snow in the palace had lted, leaving the ground wet and muddy, with fallen petals mixed into the mud. New buds sprouted on the damp branches.
As Gu Jiang walked into the plum grove, the trees rapidly grew new leaves, sprouted buds, and blood.
Gu Jiang helped her pick a basket of petals, varying in shades of pink, and then led her back to the Chongle Palace. They scattered the fresh plum petals into the pool, and as the hot water stead, the room filled with the fragrance of plum blossoms.
Without hesitation, Gu Jiang removed his outer robe and stepped into the pool with her, holding her in his arms.
There must have been so magic in the embrace of this demon, for as soon as she was in his arms, she felt drowsy. Nie Yinzhi hadn't slept well for so ti, and now, with him holding her, her eyelids grew heavy.
Gu Jiang kissed the nape of her neck. "Sleep."
And just like that, Nie Yinzhi was lulled into sleep.
When Nie Yinzhi woke up, Gu Jiang had already returned to seclusion. She reached out to touch the spot where he had slept, pulling a snow rabbit from the blankets.
The rabbit shook its ears and hopped into her palm.
The revival of spiritual energy also affected the broken formations within the Floating Cloud River. Sitting in a pavilion, Nie Yinzhi watched the formations on the other side of the Weijiang River, their symbols glowing like ribbons of light.
With nothing else to do, Nie Yinzhi boldly used her spiritual energy and divine sense to create a nimble little cat, sending it across the river to explore the remnants of the formations.
One day, the restrictions on Qianjiang Cliff were triggered. Nie Yinzhi withdrew her divine sense and flew down from the Chongle Palace, where she saw several familiar faces at the outer hall at the foot of the cliff.
"Aren't you supposed to be with Feng Hanying?" Nie Yinzhi asked, puzzled.
One of them replied, "The Lord has taken Zai Yi and the others into a secret realm. We were left behind to guard the place."
Nie Yinzhi nodded. "What brings you here?"
"Taixin Gate has allied with several other sects. Taking advantage of the revival of spiritual energy, which suppresses our demonic energy, and with the Demon Lord absent, the righteous cultivators are launching a large-scale attack. We're struggling to hold them off and were hoping to ask the Demon Ancestor for help."
Nie Yinzhi thought for a mont. "No need for him. I'll handle it."
The demon generals, recognizing her high cultivation level, quickly agreed.
Nie Yinzhi returned to the Chongle Palace and told the rabbit about the situation, rubbing her hands together. "This is the place you wanted. I'll definitely fight for it."
Gu Jiang's voice ca from the snow rabbit, laughing. "Alright, go ahead."
Nie Yinzhi led the demon generals with great montum. The two sides, righteous and demonic, t on the open plains. Across the vast wilderness, the righteous cultivators hurled insults, accusing the demonic cultivators of seizing sacred mountains and defying the natural order.
The burly man beside Nie Yinzhi took a deep breath and shouted back, "When your sects invaded our demonic city and forced us into the Ten Thousand Demons Cave, you didn't say that! How is it that trampling our city is justified, but us taking a few mountains is wrong?"
"Demonic cultivators are inherently cruel and evil. They slaughtered entire sects like Tianluo Gate and Wangxing Pavilion, which is why the righteous cultivators united against them."
"Nonsense! Why don't you count how many demonic cultivators were sealed in the demon-sealing formations or how many died in the Ten Thousand Demons Cave at your hands?"
Nie Yinzhi, who had been playing in the mortal world back then, wasn't familiar with the grand battles between the righteous and demonic cultivators. Both sides had their reasons.
The demonic cultivators needed a place to settle after leaving the Ten Thousand Demons Cave. Feng Hanying wanted to rebuild a demonic domain within the territory of the Ancient Law Sect, so such conflicts were inevitable.
"Enough talk." Nie Yinzhi, growing impatient, raised her spiritual sword. A frosty sword aura spread out, and the spirit of the Honghu Sword soared into the sky, charging toward the righteous cultivators.
She had co here because the Blood Moon Shadow had rged with this land. If Gu Jiang had chosen this place, he must have liked it. Though a thousand years had passed, and the Gu family was no more.
Soon, magical treasures and talismans filled the sky, and waves of demonic energy spread across the plains, clashing with spiritual energy.
The battle ended quickly. The overwhelming pressure of a Great Ascension cultivator spread across the plains, catching the righteous cultivators off guard. They soon retreated.
Nie Yinzhi stood high in the clouds, looking down at the retreating righteous cultivators and the demonic cultivators bowing at her feet. For a mont, she understood Feng Hanying's ambitious drive.
She couldn't help but touch her wrist. Although the forest hadn’t fully grown, she had subtly achieved the grand ambition she once had of trampling the entire cultivation world under her feet.
Nie Yinzhi basked in her pride for a while, but when she saw the faint traces of the blood moon amidst the chaotic spiritual energy, she imdiately tossed aside any thoughts of unifying the cultivation world. All she wanted now was to return to Qianjiang Cliff and hold the precious one she had hidden away in her golden nest.
The demon generals followed behind her, their eyes practically engraved with the phrase "strength reigns supre." They seed eager to switch allegiances, fawning over her as they escorted her back to Qianjiang Cliff.
From a distance, at the outer hall of Qianjiang Cliff, a figure stood on the rooftop. Nie Yinzhi waved off the demon generals behind her, stepped onto her spiritual sword, and swiftly dashed through the barrier. She leaped off the sword and threw herself into Gu Jiang's arms.
The demon generals observed for a mont, exchanged glances, and finally understood. These two were only intermittently ambitious. Since ancient tis, the allure of soft jade and warm fragrance had always been the greatest demotivator. Only Feng Hanying still harbored grand aspirations.
By the ti the spiritual energy in the cultivation world had completely dispersed into the mountains and rivers, the atmosphere finally cald down. As Gu Jiang had predicted, it took a full three months.
In the mortal realm, it was already the end of the year.
A grand wedding in the Nie family of Yuan Province marked the beginning of the new spring. Following their parents' wishes, they held the ceremony according to mortal customs, and the entire city's liveliness seed to converge there.
The snow in the courtyard had lted from the bustling crowd, leaving only the rooftops still blanketed in white. Nie Yinzhi, dressed in crimson and gold wedding robes, leaned against Gu Jiang's shoulder, watching the bursts of fireworks overhead.
"What I said before doesn’t count anymore," she murmured.
Gu Jiang tilted his head to look at her. "Hmm?"
The drop of heart’s blood in Nie Yinzhi’s spiritual core ward slightly. "Brother, when you gave your heart’s blood, was it just to protect , or was there sothing else?"
Gu Jiang stared into her eyes, illuminated by the fireworks, and blinked in confusion. "What do you an?"
Nie Yinzhi glared at him for a mont, then puffed out her cheeks in frustration. "Never mind, then."
She stood up, ready to jump off the roof, but Gu Jiang grabbed her waist and pulled her back, holding her tightly against him. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he chuckled amidst the crackling fireworks. "It also ans I want you to stay with for a very, very long ti—longer than seven hundred and eighty-two years and one month."
Nie Yinzhi suppressed the smile tugging at her lips, feeling a bit teased. She huffed, "I’ll have to think about it."
"Too bad. The heart’s blood is already yours. You can’t return it," Gu Jiang said, yawning as he carried her down from the roof. "We have plenty of ti. You can think about it while you sleep."
Nie Yinzhi pressed her hand against the demon lord’s chest, unconsciously rubbing it. "Well, I suppose that’s not entirely out of the question."
After all, she also wanted a very, very long ti.
[End of Main Text]
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