Night descended upon Pingyang City, the silence of the curfew settling over the streets like a heavy shroud. Aside from the rhythmic clatter of night watchmen and the occasional patrol of soldiers, the capital of the Tianyue Kingdom was devoid of life.
In a secluded corner of the city, within a humble courtyard far removed from the grandeur of the palace, three figures sat around a stone table.
"Brother, are you truly alright? Those ruffians didn't cause any internal injuries, did they?" Yuge looked at Zhang Tianzhi with concern, her brow furrowed. Beside her, Yurou shared her anxious expression.
"I’m fine. What could a few street rats do to me? Your brother was once a general who faced armies of thousands," Zhang Tianzhi replied with a forced laugh, trying to sound gallant. However, the purple bruises swelling on his face and the split in his lip betrayed his bravado.
Since arriving in Pingyang, the trio had purchased this modest dwelling, hoping to live out their days in anonymity. But a frail man in his forties, accompanied by two devastatingly beautiful women and spending money with the ease of royalty, was a beacon for trouble.
Local hooligans had marked them. They harassed the household daily, and today, Zhang Tianzhi’s temper had snapped. He had tried to fight back, but drained of his life force and cultivation, his aging mortal body was no match for youthful aggression.
"I thought leaving the treacherous currents of the dynasty would grant us peace," Yuge sighed, her voice laced with exhaustion. "But it seems strife exists in every corner of this world."
"If it becomes unbearable, perhaps we should move again in a few days," Yurou suggested softly.
"Scum like that exist everywhere. It is my fault for being useless," Zhang Tianzhi said, his fists clenching on the table. "I will begin cultivating the technique Young Master Xiao gave me immediately. I swear, I will protect both of you."
Yurou’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink. She gazed at him with undisguised tenderness, reaching out to cover his rough hand with her small, jade-like palm.
Watching their intimate exchange, Yuge felt a flicker of warmth for them, though it was quickly overshadowed by the gloom in her own eyes.
"Sister Yuge, are you thinking of Young Master Xiao?" Yurou, perceptive as ever, noticed the shift in her mood. "Since you hold him in your heart, why not tell him? After all, he and Fairy Su have clarified they aren't Taoist Companions."
"Yes... but I wonder if I will ever see him again in this lifetime," Yuge murmured, looking up at the slice of moon above the courtyard walls. "I am just a dying mortal woman. How could I ever be worthy of someone like him?"
Even though Su Miaoqing and Xiao Yifeng denied a romantic relationship, Yuge wasn't blind. She had seen the way the Phoenix woman looked at him—the fierce protectiveness, the subtle reliance.
"Yuge, there is no need to belittle yourself. And please, do not speak as you did that night on the boat," Zhang Tianzhi said, pain etched on his face. He had been hiding in the cabin that night, and hearing her offer herself so desperately had broken his heart.
"Brother, so you were eavesdropping?" Yuge smiled sadly. "It doesn't matter. My time is short. To find someone I admire before the end... that is already a blessing."
She let out a long, ghostly sigh. "I have nothing left to my name. The only thing I possess is this fading beauty. But alas, even that did not tempt Young Master Xiao."
Yurou looked between the siblings, confused by the context. Just as Zhang Tianzhi opened his mouth to comfort his sister, the atmosphere shifted.
The temperature plummeted.
Wisps of black smoke began to curl up from the ground, seemingly birthing themselves from the shadows. Within moments, the courtyard was engulfed in a thick, swirling darkness. An oppressive, sinister aura locked down the space, suffocating the moonlight.
"The Innate Icy Meridians... He may not be interested, but this seat finds them quite intriguing."
The voice was cold, indifferent, and seemed to echo from everywhere at once.
Zhang Tianzhi leaped to his feet, instantly on high alert, shielding the two women behind him. Yuge and Yurou turned pale, trembling as the temperature continued to drop.
The black smoke converged in the center of the courtyard, solidifying into a figure.
He was a young man clad in majestic black robes embroidered with gold. His hair was a cascading waterfall of silver-white, and his face was obscured by a semi-transparent mask that looked like carved ice. He stood there, shrouded in mist, radiating an aura of terrifying mystery.
It was, of course, Xiao Yifeng. His Sword Spirit Doppelganger moved with incredible speed, crossing the ocean and reaching the capital in less than a day.
"Who are you?" Zhang Tianzhi barked, trying to hide the tremor in his voice. "Hiding your face... are you a demonic cultivator from the Entwined Pavilion?"
"Prince Tianzhi, rest assured. I am not from the Entwined Pavilion," the silver-haired figure replied smoothly. "In fact, we are sworn enemies. And as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I bring you a supreme Fated Chance. I wonder, does the Prince have the courage to accept it?"
"Speak plainly!" Zhang Tianzhi snapped.
"I possess a method to cure Princess Yuge’s terminal affliction," the figure stated, his blue eyes glowing behind the mask. "I can set her upon the path of cultivation, freeing her from the fragile fate of a mortal. Furthermore, I have a technique that can restore the life force you sacrificed, Prince Tianzhi, and allow your cultivation to advance beyond your previous peak."
He spread his arms, his voice taking on a seductive, devilish cadence.
"Think of it. Whether you wish to restore your fallen kingdom or roam the world as a carefree immortal, the choice will be yours. And you..." He turned his masked gaze toward Yuge. "You need no longer fear an early grave. With the long road of immortality ahead, you will have centuries to seek whatever companion your heart desires."
The words struck them like lightning.
It was a temptation straight from a devil's tongue, yet it pierced their deepest insecurities. Zhang Tianzhi claimed to have let go of his ambitions, but the desire for strength—and the guilt over his sister—still gnawed at him. To hear that Yuge could be saved... it was enough to make a man sell his soul.
"What do you want from us? Why would a mighty cultivator be so kind?" Zhang Tianzhi asked, fighting to keep his rationality amidst the surge of hope.
"Prince Tianzhi is indeed sharp. There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world," Xiao Yifeng, playing the role of the aloof Demon Monarch, chuckled darkly. "I value Princess Yuge’s utility. You, Prince, are merely a bonus thrown into the deal."
"What utility could I possibly have for an Immortal Master?" Yuge asked, her voice trembling.
"Princess Yuge, are you familiar with the concept of a 'Furnace Cauldron'?"
The air in the courtyard seemed to freeze.
"I possess a specific cultivation art that requires the practitioner to have Innate Icy Meridians," the silver-haired figure explained without an ounce of shame. "It is a Furnace Cauldron technique. The cultivator must maintain their primordial purity—their virginity. Once the technique is mastered, if that purity is taken, their entire cultivation base flows into their partner, helping them break through their own Bottleneck."
He looked at Yuge with a predator's assessment.
"Princess, you can use this method to completely resolve the backlash of your icy veins. When the time is right, I will come for you. You and I will each take what we need. You will lose your cultivation and revert to a mortal, but you will live a long, healthy life."
The implication was brutal and direct. He wanted to raise her like livestock, fattening her up with cultivation only to harvest her body and energy to break his own limits later.
Yuge’s face went paper-white. She had not expected his "cure" to be so vile.
"You demonic fiend!" Zhang Tianzhi roared, his eyes red with fury. "You harbor such evil intentions! Get out!"
"Why is Prince Tianzhi so enraged?"
The silver-haired figure tilted his head, his voice dripping with mockery. "Did you not plan to send Princess Yuge to a rival kingdom as a political bride to secure peace for your throne? You were willing to sell her body and freedom then. Why pretend to be righteous now?"
He stepped closer, the black mist swirling aggressively around him.
"What I propose is no different from your past actions. In fact, my deal is far fairer. At least with me, she survives."
Xiao Yifeng’s laughter echoed through the courtyard, a cold sound that stripped away Zhang Tianzhi’s dignity, leaving the former prince pale and speechless.