Chapter 230: Shared Adversity

Chapter 230: Shared Adversity

Ning Xiaochuan had his own judgment and did not fully trust the words of the Demon Sect Saintess.

"Can you take off your mask? I want to see who you really are," Ning Xiaochuan said, staring into the Demon Sect Saintess's eyes as if trying to see through her completely.

The Demon Sect Saintess remained silent for a long moment before finally shaking her head.

Even if she didn’t remove the mask, Ning Xiaochuan already knew who she was.

For Ning Xiaochuan, uncovering the truth of what happened eleven years ago was most important to clear the Mo family’s name and help Yu Ningsheng regain her freedom. This was the promise he had made to her.

As for why Ning Xiaochuan’s parents had died—he wasn’t particularly concerned about that.

Because he wasn’t the real Ning Xiaochuan. He felt no true familial bond with Ning Qianyi or Duanmu Ning, let alone any desire to avenge them or clear their names.

Yet Ning Xiaochuan never expected that the very person he wanted to help would be the one to deceive him.

Yu Ningsheng.

The Demon Sect Saintess.

Ning Xiaochuan took a deep breath, calming himself before speaking. "Why did you want to enter the Emperor's Martial Palace?"

The Demon Sect Saintess remained silent.

Ning Xiaochuan nodded. "I understand now. Your true identity is the Demon Sect Saintess. Only by entering the Emperor's Martial Palace could you truly infiltrate the imperial court. I shouldn’t have asked such a foolish question."

"It’s not what you think—"

"I don’t blame you," Ning Xiaochuan interrupted. "From the beginning, it was all my own wishful thinking. I was too stubborn, foolishly believing I could help the renowned Demon Sect Saintess. Tell me, Your Highness, did you ever laugh at my ignorance?"

"No. Never."

The Demon Sect Saintess wanted to say that she had been deeply moved—because Ning Xiaochuan had done so many reckless things for her, even daring to challenge imperial authority, all while completely unaware of her true identity.

A prince going to such lengths for a courtesan—there was probably no one else in the world who would do the same.

Ning Xiaochuan took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to her. "I’m returning this to you now."

The letter was written by Yu Ningsheng to Ning Xiaochuan, its contents reading: "You have fulfilled your promise. We owe each other nothing now."

By returning the letter, Ning Xiaochuan was telling her: "Now, we truly owe each other nothing. From this moment on, you are the Demon Sect Saintess, and I am Ning Xiaochuan. We are strangers."

With Duanmu Linger on his back, Ning Xiaochuan spread his wings and leaped from Nine Death Cliff, gliding through the mist until he disappeared into the clouds.

The Demon Sect Saintess stood frozen in place, watching as the letter fluttered to the ground. Her eyes glistened as she stared at Ning Xiaochuan’s resolute departure, forcing herself to hold back her tears.

The Dark Heavenly King spoke. "Does it hurt?"

"Yes… Father… I don’t want to be the Saintess anymore…"

Her voice trembled, fragile and weak—nothing like the unyielding demeanor she had shown when facing the Lifeless Dao Leader.

The Dark Heavenly King said, "You must understand one truth—whether it is Yu Ningsheng of the Jade Viewing Tower or the Demon Sect Saintess, her identity and status are incompatible with Ning Xiaochuan. There can be no outcome between you. You are two different kinds of people. Even if you force yourselves together, the end result will be no better than Ning Qianyi and Duanmu Ning."

The Demon Sect Saintess struggled to control her emotions, repeatedly telling herself not to grieve, not to show weakness. Yet, when Ning Xiaochuan threw the letter at her and left resolutely, she found herself utterly unable to restrain her feelings—wronged, pained, self-reproachful, and helpless.

The Dark Heavenly King gazed into the void, looking at the war banners fluttering beneath the Nine Death Cliff, and said, "The imperial army and the Demon Sect have been locked in battle for nine days now, with no fewer than a hundred clashes. Relatively speaking, the imperial army has suffered heavier losses and will likely retreat soon."

The Demon Sect Saintess steadied her emotions and asked, "This time, the scale of the imperial army is even smaller than it was ten years ago. Knowing full well they cannot breach the Nine Death Cliff, why do they still come to besiege the Demon Sect?"

The Dark Heavenly King replied, "The Yulan Empire has flourished for eight hundred years. The surrounding minor nations are no match for it in battle. One could say the Yulan Empire has reached its zenith, and external forces no longer pose a threat. The real threat lies within. The Demon Emperor emerged from seclusion and convened the Demon Sect Conference, shocking the world. If the imperial court turns a blind eye, it would only embolden the Demon Sect."

"So, whether it's a genuine siege or just for show, the imperial court must put on an appearance."

The Demon Sect Saintess said, "Given the imperial court's current military might, if they were to fully commit to besieging the Demon Sect, I fear the Demon Sect would be utterly annihilated."

The Dark Heavenly King shook his head. "It's not that simple. The imperial court of the Yulan Empire is not monolithic either. The Jade Emperor can only mobilize limited forces—most of the court's power lies in the hands of the various princes and marquises. Just wait and see. The political situation within the court is far more volatile and complex than that of the Demon Sect. It might not be long before the Jade Emperor's throne changes hands." His words carried deep meaning.

Beneath the Nine Death Cliff lay a primeval forest spanning 1,300 kilometers, dense with ancient trees, thorns, Poisonous Grass, and roamed by ferocious Mystic Beasts. For ordinary people, entering this forest meant certain death.

Ning Xiaochuan, carrying Duanmu Linger on his back, dashed swiftly through the forest, his body transforming into Rainbow Radiance. The Demon Sect Martial Artists pursuing them had all fallen to his hands. Only after completely shaking off the pursuers did Ning Xiaochuan finally stop to rest.

They were now 300 kilometers away from the Nine Death Cliff. Looking back, only a vague black shadow was visible, the mountain's shape no longer discernible. Ning Xiaochuan had narrowly escaped death by repeatedly using the Martial Arts Divine Ability "Rainbow Teleportation," depleting a significant amount of his Profound Qi. He circulated the "Heaven and Earth Profound Qi" technique, absorbing Profound Qi at sixty-four times the normal rate to quickly replenish his energy.

Half an hour later, Ning Xiaochuan ceased his cultivation, having fully recovered to his peak state—even surpassing his previous level of strength.

Duanmu Linger, having refined the medicinal power of the Intermediate Elixir, gradually regained sensation in her legs and managed to stand shakily. Her large, round eyes fixed curiously on Ning Xiaochuan as she asked, "Did you know the Saintess before?"

Ning Xiaochuan stood up and carefully surveyed the surroundings. At regular intervals, a squad of elite imperial soldiers riding Mystic Beasts would fly overhead, holding war banners and beating war drums. The battle between the imperial army and the Demon Sect was still ongoing.

Duanmu Linger hated being ignored by Ning Xiaochuan the most. She angrily placed her hands on her hips and said, "Do you like the Saintess? Want to pursue her but got rejected?"

Ning Xiaochuan narrowed his eyes and glanced at her. "She saved my life once, and I saved hers."

Duanmu Linger gaped. "So it's adversity that reveals true feelings!"

"Between us, the debt has long been settled. And we've never faced adversity together, so there's no 'adversity revealing true feelings.' If anything, you and I are the ones sharing hardship now."

Duanmu Linger retorted, "Do you think I want to share hardship with you? I told you to go to Tian Du Peak to find my father, but you insisted on carrying me out of Nine Death Cliff. Now look—the imperial forces are hunting us, and the Demon Sect is hunting us too. Ugh, I see it now. You dragged me into this on purpose, didn’t you?"

Ning Xiaochuan shot her a look, then turned to leave. "We’re not far from Nine Death Cliff. If you want to go back, go on your own. I’m not returning there."

"Ning Xiaochuan, stop right there! My injuries aren’t healed yet—how am I supposed to go back? Besides, I escaped from the Iron Prison. I’m now a fugitive of the Demon Sect and a suspected imperial spy. Going back would be suicide!" Duanmu Linger grew frantic, but after taking two steps, a sharp pain shot through her legs, and she collapsed to the ground.

Ning Xiaochuan walked back, reached out, and scooped her up by the waist, tucking her under his arm like a piece of cargo before heading away from Nine Death Cliff.

"A woman’s waist shouldn’t be touched!"

"Can’t you hold me properly? This is so uncomfortable!"

"Where are you taking me? Ning Xiaochuan, would it kill you to say something? Let me go! Let go!"

Duanmu Linger struggled wildly, flailing her limbs.

Thud.

Ning Xiaochuan loosened his grip, and Duanmu Linger fell hard into the grass, nearly knocking the wind out of her. She punched the ground, gritting her teeth. "You—you—! Ning Xiaochuan, I’m your cousin, your blood cousin! Show me some respect!"

Ning Xiaochuan crouched down. "We can’t stay at Nine Death Cliff. Our only option is to return to the Imperial City first. Cousin Duanmu, you can come with me. Once your father uncovers the truth, he’ll come for you. He’s a top-tier overlord in the Demon Path—have some faith in him. Once he repels the imperial army, he’ll deal with the Lifeless Dao Leader."

"...That... kind of makes sense."

Duanmu Linger lifted her head. "I just remembered—Xiao Ling'er is still at Nine Death Cliff. Do you think the Lifeless Dao Leader will silence her?"

Ning Xiaochuan said, "With the Demon Sect Saintess protecting her, no one should be able to harm her."

"You used to hate the Saintess. Why are you suddenly so confident in her?" Duanmu Linger asked.

Ning Xiaochuan replied, "I never hated her. It’s just..." He stared at Duanmu Linger for a long moment before adding, "Some things, even if I explain them, you wouldn’t understand."

"What do you mean? You haven’t even said anything, so how can you assume I won’t understand?"

"Because... given your level of intelligence, you wouldn’t grasp what I’m about to say."

Duanmu Linger was so furious she felt smoke rising from her head. "Are you calling me stupid?"

"No, just not clever enough."

Without caring whether she resisted or not, Ning Xiaochuan once again tucked her under his arm and carried her away.

There were many who wanted Ning Xiaochuan dead—the Slaughter God Camp dispatched by the Jade Emperor, Xiao Cheng, the Alliance Leader of the Cloud Alliance, the Lifeless Dao Leader of the Demon Sect, and even Mu Honglai, the former Chief Altar Master of the Heavenly Annihilation Dao.

All of them were scouring the land for traces of Ning Xiaochuan.

His journey back to the Imperial City was destined to be fraught with peril, another life-or-death battle awaiting him.