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Tan Fang was driven to anger by a few of Chu Liuxue's exasperated words. He had been unable to understand Chu Liuxue for a long time.

He could hardly recall the days when they relied on each other for survival. Back then, a mere glance from Chu Liuxue would let him instantly know what she was thinking.

Did such times really exist?

"Why do you want to inherit Sky's End Valley?" His voice was suppressed, filled with confusion and resentment. "Liuxue, I chose to return to the Demonic Realm to overcome the limits of my lifespan, to become stronger, to protect you and Shi Fu. Why did you come back too, and why did it have to be Sky's End Valley?"

When Tan Fang was still Chu Suiyan, it would have taken three days and nights to explain the enmity between Sky's End Valley and Netherworld Hall, and he still wouldn't have understood a bit.

It wasn't until he returned to the hall, read the ancient books in the library, and stood all night at the tomb in the back mountain, that he still couldn't dissolve the pain that roared in his bloodline.

Netherworld Hall and Sky's End Valley had been enemies for hundreds of years, their powers rising and falling over the centuries. Whenever one side was strong, it was a nightmare for the other. Mountains of corpses, seas of blood, broken bones, and flesh... these were the pen and paper that wrote their history.

Even though Tan Fang couldn't forgive his biological father for abandoning their mother and son, he could still understand why his father had severely injured Sky's End Valley back then.

The more he understood, the more painful it became.

Because Chu Liuxue chose to return to Sky's End Valley.

Tan Fang once had naive thoughts. Even after learning Chu Liuxue's true identity, he still comforted himself with fantasies.

It didn't matter, as long as Liuxue didn't acknowledge her ancestry, he could pretend he never saw that secret report.

Once Netherworld Hall completely destroyed Sky's End Valley, he could leave everything behind and return to Peach Blossom Mountain, with Liuxue and Shi Fu.

Spring rains add flowers to the path, flowers move, and a mountain of spring colors.

As long as he wished, after experiencing the mortal world, he could still return to that mountain.

But Chu Liuxue's choice shattered his dream.

It all came to nothing.

Tan Fang's words were heard word for word by Chu Liuxue. She curled her lips, unsure if she was mocking herself or him.

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"So you still thought about going back? There's no going back, Chu Suiyan. Neither of us can go back."

She seemed to sigh, but her next sentence returned to her previous questioning tone.

"We're both rotten to the core, beyond saving, but why did you involve Tao Mian? He should stay as far away from this mess as possible, and then you and I can decide life and death."

Round and round, back to the original question.

Tan Fang also became impatient.

"I said, I invited Shi Fu here, not for anything else. No matter how evil I become, I won't harm the most important person. I just wanted to see him."

But after being away for years, without a good excuse, how could he dare to presumptuously invite Shi Fu to meet?

Both were for Tao Mian, yet their words never aligned, and they began to argue in low voices.

This bickering moment seemed to pull them back to many years ago, though neither realized it.

If it were just verbal sparring, it would be fine.

In the end, the two couldn't agree and started fighting.

The guests had some premonition, but it still happened too suddenly.

Tao Mian, standing aside, was even more stunned.

What was going on?

Originally, he was quite happy to receive the invitation from Netherworld Hall. His disciples were all capable people, and he didn't want to disturb them without reason. Besides, they seemed to have no intention of contacting him, so over time, Tao Mian stopped reaching out.

This time, the fourth disciple sent him an invitation, showing that he still thought of him as Shi Fu. Tao Mian was delighted and wrote a letter to Xue Han overnight, asking for some Soul Return incense to enter the Demonic Realm.

Xue Han asked why he was going to the Demonic Realm, and he truthfully said he wanted to see his disciple.

Soon, the necessary incense was sent without any additional message.

This was unlike Shopkeeper Xue's character. Usually, if he asked for something, the other party would demand ten favors in return.

Tao Mian nervously burned the incense, as usual, vomiting for three days, then floated into the Demonic Realm on unsteady feet.

Sure enough, his bad premonition came true. As soon as he arrived in the Demonic Realm, he spotted the Xue residence's carriage.

There was no avoiding it.

Xue Han waved the invitation in his hand, indicating he was also invited. Tao Mian didn't dare ask where he got the invitation, pretending to be deaf and mute, speaking as little as possible, and feigning deafness when Xue Han asked him anything.

"Pretending to be deaf and mute, are you?"

At that time, Xue Han was still coldly laughing.

But with the well-connected Shopkeeper Xue, entering Netherworld Hall became much easier. Tao Mian treated himself like luggage, being carried along by Shopkeeper Xue, not needing to worry about anything else.

Because he was so casual and quiet, dressed simply, the steward at the entrance of Netherworld Hall mistook him for Shopkeeper Xue's servant.

Tao Mian was frustrated.

"Next time, when I use illusion, should I not make myself look like a passerby?"

"From a mediocre servant to a slightly more handsome servant?"

"......"

"You should be glad they only took you for a servant. If they mistook you for something else—" Shopkeeper Xue chuckled.

"............"

Tao Mian returned a longer silence.

Originally, after successfully entering, seeing his disciple would have been the end of it.

But things went wrong midway. The demonic energy in the hall was too strong, and Tao Mian felt dizzy, nearly tripping over the threshold.

He staggered after Xue Han into the hall, planning to sit and gather his wits before seeing his disciple.

However, before he could clear his head, a fight broke out.

The instigators were none other than his third and fourth disciples.

The two fought fiercely, and even though it was just a skirmish, as cultivators, they could turn the grand hall upside down.

The Hall Master and Valley Master were fighting, Netherworld Hall's subordinates rushed over, and the Left Envoy on the opposite side protected Chu Liuxue.

The fight escalated into a brawl.

Though the Demonic Realm wasn't as rule-bound as the mortal world or the Immortal realm, such a brawl during a banquet was still uncommon. The guests didn't know what to do, as helping either side would offend someone. The roof of the grand hall shook, a few tiles fell, shattering outside the main door.

Not only the roof, but even the beams were about to collapse. Tao Mian had just stood up, ready to intervene, when his life-saving sachet suddenly fell to the ground.

As he bent to pick it up, half a beam suddenly collapsed.

If Xue Han hadn't yanked him back, Tao Mian's head would have been in danger.

Now the Immortal was angry.

At that moment, almost no one realized what had happened. Just as Chu Liuxue and Tan Fang were about to charge at each other again, two long swords stabbed into the ground in front of them, sinking a foot deep.

The two were forced to stop, the dust cleared, and everyone looked in the direction the swords had flown from.

The figure was somewhat blurred, but the voice came through first.

"Still fighting?"

His tone was stern and righteous, an unknown figure had arrived.

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