Venting her hatred
The scenery here is all too familiar; this is Ethereal Peak.
The small pavilion on the mountaintop is gone, replaced by three tombs.
Under the sunlight, these three tombs stood out so conspicuously that a sense of desolation instantly welled up in my heart.
She tiptoed over.
The tombstones were newly carved; the first one reads "Tomb of the late student Shen Ji".
Qiaoqiao's heart skipped a beat.
The second tombstone reads "Tomb of Tu Wen Zhi," and the third reads "Tomb of Tu Fu Fengyuan."
She felt her legs go weak and knelt down in front of the monument.
Reason told her that this wasn't true.
But the tombstones of the eldest senior brother, the third senior sister, and the fourth senior brother in front of me were so real, as if... as if they were really dead.
Qiaoqiao felt a pang of pain in her heart and could barely speak.
"Bai Fu, you need to rest."
Voices could be heard coming from the mountains and forests.
"I heard that your fourth disciple committed suicide, and it has nothing to do with you, so why blame yourself?" This was Mu Liuyun's voice.
She had no idea that her deceased fourth senior brother was her own son.
"Although the crisis in Tianji City has been resolved, you have suffered too much damage and must recuperate properly." Mu Liuyun looked at him with great concern.
During the time Bai Fu was protecting Tianji City with his Protective Sword Formation, Shen Ji was abandoned by the Demonic Sect and then besieged by the righteous sects. Bai Fu managed to collect Shen Ji's remains, and just as he returned to Ethereal Peak, he heard the news that his fourth disciple Fu Fengyuan committed suicide.
Moreover, even his second disciple went to the Demon Realm and disappeared without a trace.
Mu Liuyun almost wondered if Immortal Venerable Wanghan had encountered some bad luck, as his disciples had all run into trouble one after another, without even giving him a chance to catch his breath.
Now, only his young disciple named Qiaoqiao remains by his side.
Even though he still appeared as stern as ice and snow, and even though he didn't say it, Mu Liuyun knew how much he blamed himself.
The Guardian Sword Intent is the protection of all people under heaven.
If he can't even protect those around him, can his swordsmanship remain as it was?
He will doubt himself, and his swordsmanship will crumble.
Mu Liuyun felt that the fact that his Dao heart hadn't collapsed yet showed that his inner strength was sufficient.
"Anyway, you should get some rest. I'll send people to look for Xiao Tingyu."
Thank you.
"Don't thank me. If it weren't for you, the Flowing Cloud Sect would have been destroyed by the other three sects long ago."
Mu Liuyun was well aware of how incompetent he was as the sect leader. If it weren't for the prestige of Immortal Venerable Wanghan that shook the Three Realms, and the fact that even the Devil Master was no match for him, Flowing Cloud Sect would be a piece of fat meat that everyone wanted to take a bite out of.
However, now that the grand formation of Tianji City is severely damaged, Bai Fu is worried that someone might take this opportunity to target Flowing Cloud Sect, especially Flowing Cloud Divine Lamp.
She, this incompetent sect leader, should also be prepared.
"... metropolitan."
Just as she was about to leave, Bai Fu spoke up, "Be careful of Song Wuya."
Mu Liuyun's brow twitched. Song Wuya? Could it be that he sensed something during their time in Tianji City?
She nodded and left, lost in thought.
The rain kept falling in the mountains, and the unnamed wildflowers beside the tombstone trembled gently in the rain.
The white-robed immortal was completely untouched by rain, his black hair cascading down his back like a lustrous piece of silk. His gaze swept over the three tombstones in turn, his eyes filled with a vast expanse of ice and a chilling desolation.
Qiaoqiao stared at him blankly.
He reached out and gently brushed his hand across one of the tombstones.
"Master..."
Bai Fu's fingertips paused.
Qiaoqiao thought that this illusion was just like last time, where the other person couldn't hear her or see her.
"Master, don't be sad."
"You're still here for me. I'll always be with you."
She reached out and took his hand, which was hanging by his side.
The movements were very, very gentle.
Chapter 60 Revenge
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and finally the day of the Demon King's wedding arrived.
Perhaps the scene that unfolded in the royal palace was too shameful. Although Zi Rong had ordered a cover-up, there are no secrets that stay hidden forever, especially since the entire palace had been crushed. Where could one find a wall to keep secrets?
Rumors spread like wildfire. "The old demon king, on his deathbed, suddenly sat up and got into a fight with the Empress Dowager's two attendants, even collapsing the royal palace! The fox king tried to break up the fight, but he got slapped by both of them, and the Empress Dowager's fur was all pulled out!"
"Didn't the Fox King pluck the Empress Dowager's fur?"
"But I heard that the Empress Dowager herself flew into a rage and lost control of the fire, which caused her to burn her own hair."
"You're all wrong—it was clearly the Empress Dowager who shaved her head in front of the old demon king to atone for her sins!"
The rumors grew increasingly outrageous, reaching a point where they couldn't be stopped. It was said that after hearing them, the Empress Dowager was so angry that two of her newly grown hairs broke off. But it was no use silencing the gossip. Those around her advised her to be patient for a couple of days until the wedding day, when everyone's attention would be diverted and no one would discuss the matter in the palace anymore.
For the next three days, the Empress Qiaoqiao and Wen Zhi did not have a chance to see Xiao Tingyu again.
But Qiaoqiao's plan was already in place, Wen Zhi always had great confidence in her junior sister.
On the bustling main street of the royal city, the wedding procession was parading through the streets. The couple blended in discreetly among the accompanying palace maids, attracting no attention.
According to the customs of the Demon Realm, the Demon King's wedding involved sixteen open-top wedding carriages that circled the entire city, with the Fox King and Xiao Tingyu riding in the lead carriage.
Behind her sat the equally elaborately dressed Empress Dowager Zi Rong, with her attendant, the snake demon, beside her. After the commotion that day, both attendants were confined to their quarters by the Empress Dowager. The snake demon, however, was more skillful, using his eighteen tricks to coax the Empress Dowager into letting him out to see the world.