She reached out and touched the Yezi. Dewdrops clung to her fingertips, Sisi.
"Shouldn't you grow faster too?" she whispered to the seedling. "He wants to see it."
The seedlings stood quietly in the moonlight, silent, but their Yezi swayed slightly, as if they had heard something.
For the next two weeks, Snow Empress began to arrange matters concerning the Ziwei Sect. She carefully put away the sect leader's seal, but did not immediately announce her succession. Instead, she gradually transferred the authority over the daily operations of the sect to several reliable elders. She publicly stated that she was seriously injured and needed to recuperate in seclusion, but in reality, she had already made up her mind—she was going to the Demon Domain.
The thought startled even her for a moment. What was she, the acting head of the Ziwei Sect and the guardian of the Eye of Chaos, going to the Demon Domain for? For thousands of years, the righteous and demonic paths in the cultivation world had kept to themselves, rarely interacting openly. If word got out that she was going, who knew what people would say about her? But another voice echoed in her heart: Didn't Master say that you are free?
The word "freedom" was too unfamiliar to her. From childhood to adulthood, she had carried the mission of the Eye of Chaos, the expectations of her master, and the rise and fall of the Ziwei Sect. She had almost forgotten how to write the word "freedom." Now that her master was gone, the Source of Chaos was sealed, the covenant was signed, and the sect was stable, she suddenly found herself in an empty space, not knowing which way to go. She stood at a crossroads, surrounded by roads on all sides, but only at the end of one of them stood a person, waiting for her to see a flower growing from its petals.
Let's take that road then. We'll figure out the other roads later.
After making her decision, Snow Empress didn't delay. She spent three days finalizing the sect's affairs, leaving a letter for each of the elders, outlining the matters requiring attention over the next six months. Then, one morning, she shouldered her pack and set off. She didn't carry much: a few changes of clothes, some healing pills, the Perfected Qingxuan, and—the Xuantie token and the dried purple petal. She tucked the petal into a thin book she always carried with her, while the token remained close to her body, pressed against her chest through her clothing, cool and quite noticeable.
Shen Qing saw her off at the courtyard gate. The little girl's eyes were red, and she clutched Shen Qing's sleeve tightly, refusing to let go. "Master, when are you coming back?"
"You'll come back when it's time." Snow Empress patted the top of her head. "Practice diligently, don't slack off, I'll check."
Shen Qing sniffed and nodded vigorously.
The Snow Empress rose with the wind, her white robes sweeping past the bamboo grove's tips, heading northwest. Morning light spread behind her, the mountains receded slowly beneath her feet, and the wind filled her sleeves. She had never flown so lightly before. She couldn't help but laugh in mid-air, the wind scattering her laughter into the clouds, unheard by anyone, but she felt that after all these years, today she was finally truly breathing.
After flying for about two days, the earth beneath their feet began to change. The once lush forests gradually thinned out, the soil color changed from dark brown to dark red, the vegetation grew shorter and shorter, until finally only some withered yellow thorns lay prostrate on the ground. The air became more arid, the Spiritual Power became thin and mixed, and another completely different power began to emerge between heaven and earth—wild, sharp, and with an unrestrained wildness. This was Demonic Qi.
The Snow Empress descended from the clouds, landing on a crimson mountain ridge. Ahead lay a vast plain, at the edge of which stood a city. The city walls were entirely black, as if cast from a single piece of Xuantie, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen in the setting sun. People came and went at the city gate; ferocious-looking Demonic Beast carried goods slowly along, while human cultivators of various attire lined up to enter the city. The order seemed surprisingly orderly, a far cry from the chaotic and bloody scene she had imagined in the Demon Domain.
She stood on the ridge, gazing at the city, and pressed her hand against the token on her chest. The token was warm to the touch, as if it sensed something.
Just as she was about to head towards the city gate, a lazy voice suddenly came from behind her, carrying that familiar, infuriating laugh, "I thought you were going to dawdle for another half a month."
Snow Empress suddenly turned around.
Yin Wujou stood three steps away, his dark robe fluttering in the wind. He looked much more energetic than a few months ago, with a rosy complexion and bright, clear eyes like two cold stars. His thin lips were slightly upturned, and a smile emanated from him, spreading throughout the mountains and fields. He just stood there, as if he had been waiting there for a long time.
"How could you—" Snow Empress stopped mid-sentence, realizing that the corners of her mouth were turned up so wide that she couldn't suppress them, so she simply let them be.
"How was I supposed to know you were here today?" Yin Wujou walked towards her, quickly reaching her and looking down at her. "I have spies at every gate of the three cities in the Demon Domain. I knew the moment you stepped into the Demon Domain Realm. I rushed here from the main city, and even took half a day to get here, afraid you might have already entered the city and couldn't find your way."
"I'm not a three-year-old." Snow Empress turned her face away, the tips of her ears starting to burn again.
"Hmm, you're not." Yin Wujou smiled, his gaze moving from her face to her waist—where hung a small, bulging pouch, the outline of a token vaguely visible inside. His gaze lingered on the pouch for a moment, his smile deepening, but he said nothing. He turned to the direction of the black city gate and gestured, "Come on, let me show you where I buried the flower petals."
The two walked side by side toward the city gate. The gate guards bowed respectfully upon seeing Yin Wujou, their gazes lingering on Snow Empress beside him for a moment before they dared not ask further and quickly made way. The scene inside the city was even more breathtaking than outside. The streets were wide, lined with houses, lanterns hanging from the eaves emitting a Youyou blue glow. Pedestrians thronged the streets; besides demonic cultivators, there were even many ordinary people selling goods at roadside stalls. Next to a steaming bun stall, a black spirit beast, half a person's height, squatted gnawing on a bone. A vendor called out in Yin Wujou's direction, "Lord of the Domain, what brings you here for a stroll today?" his tone casual, as if greeting a neighbor.
Snow Empress watched intently. She had been observing the whole way, and the more she looked, the more she felt that it was different from what she had imagined. Yin Wujou glanced at her, but did not urge her. Instead, he slowed down and walked with her.
"It's more lively here than I expected," Snow Empress finally said.
"What do you think the Demon Domain is like? A land of bones and rivers of blood?" Yin Wujou scoffed. "That's all made up in storybooks. The three cities of the Demon Domain have a combined population of nearly a million. Some farm, some trade, and everyone has to make a living wherever they are. It's just that the spiritual energy here is thin and the Demonic Qi is dense. People from outside are prone to going astray if they stay here for too long, so righteous people don't like to come."