Chapter Twenty: The Celestial Abode of the Azure Luan Palace

Outside the palace gates, solemnity reigned; inside, the air was lively with voices, the sound of bells and drums, music and recited poetry echoing everywhere. Each note seemed to be the melody of immortals, drifting into the ear, ethereal and enchanting.

High walls enclosed the grounds on all sides, with jade paving the paths that stretched far into the distance. The roads were lined with exotic immortal plants, their colors dazzling and unfamiliar to me; even in the demon realm, I had never seen such flowers, so radiant they took one’s breath away.

As I walked further, a magnificent palace came into view, its gilded beams and painted corridors overwhelmingly beautiful. Green vines climbed the emerald tiles and crimson walls, lush foliage sprouting delicate purple blossoms. Truly, a place for immortals was unlike any other—a realm alive with spirit.

I lifted my gaze to the plaque above the entrance: “Palace of Endless Regret.” “Endless Regret”? Or perhaps “Eternal Sorrow”—such a name was hardly auspicious.

Beneath the sunlight, the golden inscription gleamed so brightly it was hard to look at directly. I marveled inwardly at the wealth displayed here. How wonderful it must be to possess such riches! This sacred place of cultivation was indeed extraordinary, its palaces built with such lavishness. I wondered where they acquired the gold and jade used for these splendid halls.

Throughout our journey, she remained silent. I was curious about Zilian’s whereabouts and wished to find an excuse to speak, but her stern, unsmiling face made me hesitant to ask.

After a long walk, Yunxiang Moyu led me to another palace. I looked up—the name read “Azure Luan Hall.” This must be Zilian’s residence.

We entered Azure Luan Hall. The interior was utterly empty—not a single object in sight, not from lack of vision, but because nothing truly existed here.

Suddenly, Yunxiang Moyu spoke. “Azure Luan Hall is the palace of the Sect Master’s elder. Before you arrived, only the Sect Master’s elder lived here.”

“Oh,” I replied politely, echoing her words.

“The Sect Master’s elder prefers solitude and dislikes disturbance. She has never accepted a disciple before. You, Young Lord Yuge, are fortunate indeed, to become her very first pupil today.”

Her tone was neither warm nor cold, utterly devoid of emotion. She did not glance back at me, simply walked on, leaving me behind.

Zilian loved quietude, living alone in Azure Luan Hall. I was her first disciple. All of this was unknown to me, and now I learned it only through her. The thought made my heart ache with a small sadness.

Turning it over in my mind, I reasoned: since I was disguised as a man and had successfully become Zilian's disciple, it was only natural to inquire about my master. Seeking guidance from Yunxiang Moyu seemed reasonable, even expected, as a gesture to please my new teacher.

Summoning my courage, I asked, “Senior Sister, may I ask you a few questions?”

My query appeared to surprise her. She halted, nodded slightly, but still did not look back.

After a moment, she said, “Speak.”

I hesitated before continuing, “At present, the relationship between the immortal and demon realms is extremely tense. There are rumors that the Supreme Lord of the demon realm intends to attack Lingyun Mountain to avenge the death of Mo Meili, the demon lord of the upper realm.”

“Hm?” Yunxiang Moyu stopped and turned, her gaze fixed on me so intensely that it made my skin crawl.

“This matter is unknown to anyone on Lingyun Mountain. How did you come by such knowledge?”

A jolt of fear struck me. The demon realm’s plan to attack Lingyun Mountain was something I had overheard a few days prior, during a secret meeting between Zhixiao and the demon clan’s protector. Now, recalling this, I realized that aside from a handful of demons and myself, none in the other five realms knew of this scheme. I had spoken out of haste, and now, unwittingly, dug my own grave.