THE WHITE MOONLIGHT ONLY HAS A HAPPY ENDING - CHAPTER 58

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Chapter 58: Journey to Jade Sword Mountain (Part I)

At the sacrificial ceremony, a single "Begone!" shook the heavens like rolling thunder, echoing without end. The sound left the people below dazed and reeling, almost convinced they had misheard.

Was the Demon God not the legendary deity of ultimate evil and darkness? Was it not said that gods were devoid of desire or temper? Why was the divine statue that had just opened its eyes so utterly irritable?

But there was something that provoked even greater fury.

With a single glance, the god beheld the pool of blood atop the sacrificial altar. Rage instantly ignited. With a casual sweep of his palm, he sent the crowd, who had been chanting "Demon God" at the top of their lungs, flying into the distance.

They should count themselves lucky that the Demon God had descended into this particular statue and currently lacked feet. Had it been otherwise, they would have suffered a repeat of the scene at the Demon Palace, kicked into the horizon.

The people below were struck so hard they spat blood, yet they seemed mentally prepared, as if they had long expected the Demon God’s cruelty. One man crawled forward, crying out with fervor, "Demon God! O, Demon God!"

He bore the look of a loyal official risking death to give counsel. Finally, the god spared them another look. He finally remembered what this was, a blood sacrifice.

In the past, when he was merely "Yanyan" and had not yet awakened the memories of the Demon God, such rituals naturally held no sway over him. But things were different now. He had awakened a portion of the entity known as the "Demon God." Through this sacrifice, he could indeed be summoned.

Surveying the grand and bloody spectacle they had prepared, the god thought: You lot had better actually have something important to say.

"The Heavenly Dao has been revived!" someone shouted excitedly.

"God, the Heavenly Dao is about to resume its rightful place!" another wailed.

They believed that by mentioning the Heavenly Dao, the Demon God would surely take heed and cease his temper, perhaps even deigning to listen. After all, the Demon God was the incarnation of the world’s ultimate evil and chaos, born as the natural enemy to the Heavenly Dao.

Instead, the god fell silent. A vein began to throb violently on the god's temple.

"That’s it?" the god demanded.

The god thought: My beloved has awakened. Do you think I wouldn't know? I need you to remind me?

The god thought: All this fuss for such a trivial bit of flatulence?!

Enraged, the god sent another palm strike flying, swatting every single one of those bastards to their deaths. The Demon God possessed great self-awareness. He was the avatar of death, disorder, and primal chaos. What kind of good person would worship him? They were undoubtedly all scoundrels; killing them was simply doing the world a favor, one by one.

***

He opened his eyes and found himself still within the carriage.

This ancient method of sacrifice had vanished for ten thousand years. Theoretically, no one should have known of it except the Demon God himself, yet he had actually been disturbed by a blood sacrifice this time. Had Yan Xueyi not already awakened the full memories of the Demon God within the Bodhi Tree, this ritual truly would have forcibly awakened that dormant part of his nature.

The great devil thought that by swatting those people to death, he would find peace. However, for the next several days on the road, this demon’s ears did not know a moment of silence. It felt as though ten thousand bees were buzzing incessantly around his head, giving him a piercing headache and a violent urge to slaughter everyone in sight.

"Yanyan," Sui said, "I told you faking an illness was bad luck."

The devil's face was pale from sheer irritation, his eyes bloodshot from a lack of sleep. He looked like he was at death’s door.

"Which bastard is doing this?" he hissed darkly. "Pray I never catch them!"

Finally, the group arrived at the Jade Sword Alliance. Their destination was a magnificent city constructed atop a soaring mountain peak.

All along the way, sects great and small flocked toward Jade Sword Mountain. Every sword-cultivating sect in existence would be present to partake in this grand event. The Centennial Jade Sword Conference could be described as a total reshuffling of the power dynamics among the sword sects of the cultivation world.

Many sects rose to fame in a single stroke at this conference, leaping from obscure, third-rate status to renowned Great Sects. Countless rogue cultivators, seeing their strength, would flock to join them. Conversely, many sects saw their rankings plummet due to insufficient power, falling from the elite tier into total irrelevance. The centennial event had witnessed the rise of many a genius swordsman and the ebb and flow of countless sects.

As soon as Chao Zhaoyue and his companions arrived, Yuan Tianyu of the Jade Sword Alliance dispatched people to receive them. Having received the grace of Chao Jinsui saving his life, the Alliance naturally treated them as honored guests, arranging the finest courtyard for them in the very heart of the main city.

The one sent to receive them was Xiang Si. She smiled and said, "The Jade Sword Conference officially begins in seven days. During the event, if you wish to recruit rogue cultivators, simply hang a sign before your courtyard and post someone at the gate. People will naturally come to register."

Xiang Si handed over a small booklet. "Here, take a look at this."

Inside was a map of the entire Jade Sword Alliance and the schedule for the conference. Just as her voice trailed off, a commotion broke out ahead.

"Oh look, the Kunlun Sword Sect! You actually dare to show your faces?"

"Aren't you afraid of being beaten to death during the conference?"

Chao Jinsui looked up and saw the familiar uniforms of the Kunlun Sword Sect. However, the leader was not Chao Taichu, but Elder Bai. They were hurrying away, their retreating figures looking utterly pathetic.

The little junior sister, Xiang Si, let out a cold snort at their backs before leading Chao Jinsui’s group to their lodgings. Their courtyard was the finest the Alliance had to offer, featuring a small bridge over flowing water and a sprawling layout.

When Chao Jinsui returned to her room, she carried calming medicinal pills she had purchased outside. The Demon Lord desperately wanted to swat the people buzzing in his ears, but for some reason, he hadn't been pulled back into that "dreamscape" again for the rest of the journey.

It wasn't until their first night at the Jade Sword Alliance that the demon finally entered the dream once more. This time, the location had changed, and so had the people.

The Demon God did not fly into a rage this time. He did not immediately strike them dead; instead, he listened quietly to the people below. This group was performing the sacrifice specifically to wake the Demon God so he could kill the Heavenly Dao. Logically, there was nothing wrong with their plan, except they had clearly failed to consider the god's own personal wishes.

Finally, the god spoke. "Why?"

Someone replied fervently, "Currently, demonic energy is overflowing. It is the era of your great ascendance! As long as you slay the Heavenly Dao, you shall be the sole ruler of heaven and earth!"

"And what benefit is there," the god asked, "in being the sole ruler of heaven and earth?"

The others fell silent, confused.

"The Demon God already does as he pleases. Why go through the trouble of killing the Heavenly Dao?"

The god thought: If I kill the Heavenly Dao, I lose my wife. What possible benefit is there in that?

The crowd before the altar discovered that this god’s temperament was entirely different from the records. He was supposed to be ambitious, bloodthirsty, and cruel. But this summoned Demon God spoke with a very peaceful tone, even showing a hint of being utterly unmotivated.

They grew anxious. How could the Demon God be like this?

Someone hurriedly said, "But... but if you kill the Heavenly Dao, your believers will increase in number!"

The god looked at them. "Will they all be like you?"

Thinking the Demon God was interested, they nodded with wild joy.

"Then I'd rather not have any," the god said.

He raised his hand and, with another casual slap, sent them all to their deaths.

The Demon Lord woke up. He drifted out, found Chao Jinsui, and leaned in to nuzzle her. He thought: I've swatted two waves of them now. That should be the end of it, right?

But clearly, the Demon Lord had been too optimistic. His ears were quiet for only half a day before the buzzing grew even louder. Only by hiding within Sui’s sea of consciousness could he feel a modicum of relief.

Yet, every time he attempted the union of souls with her, he would be yanked into the dreamscape.

"..."

At first, the god asked, "What the hell is so important?!"

By the third time, the moment the god opened his eyes, he delivered several strikes, sending the people spinning seven or eight times in the air before they died. Even that wasn't enough to vent his frustration, so he added a few more hits for good measure.

The Demon Lord's expression grew darker by the day. "People these days have no manners!" he grumbled. "No morals! No conscience!"

Sui watched as the demon pulled out an almanac from somewhere, carefully selecting an auspicious day for their spiritual intimacy. She wondered: Why has the Demon God become so superstitious?

On that auspicious day, the demon was not pulled to the altar, because the Demon God had indeed awakened.

The two of them sat in the room, drinking tea all afternoon. After the Great Demon God woke up, he remained depressed for a long time. He thought: This 'Demon God' business is simply not worth the effort.

These believers popping up out of nowhere provided no real influence other than preventing him from being intimate with his beloved and creating noise. However, they had indeed awakened the part of him that belonged to the god. Moreover, they were using blood sacrifices, which carried a heavy, murderous aura that easily stimulated the Demon God's bloodlust.

The most direct result was that during the day, Chao Jinsui would occasionally see the golden-eyed Demon God appear. The Demon God was clearly displeased as well, for he had no desire to manifest while "Yanyan" was walking through the streets, holding her hand and eating snacks.

Last time, the Demon God had given her the black sand sphere as a final farewell, indicating he wouldn't appear again before his full return to his position. He had intended to spend this lifetime as "Yanyan." This would have separated the identity of "Yanyan" from the original Demon God, allowing the god to remain majestic and formidable, while all the "puppy-like" behavior could be blamed solely on Yanyan.

Now, the Demon God woke up only to find himself eating noodles with her, picking out all the vegetables she disliked and putting them into his own bowl.

"..."

The dignity of the Demon God made him want to refuse eating leftovers. But she asked, "Will you go for a walk with me? I promised Yanyan."

The dignity of the Demon God made it impossible for him to break a promise. He followed behind her with his hands tucked behind his back, thinking: She needn't think she can make me do the things only Yanyan would do.

In the end, she simply walked him around the area twice and did nothing else. The Demon God felt a sense of dissatisfaction, but he said nothing.

Once the Demon Lord returned, he carefully analyzed his mindset as the Demon God and immediately went to tattle. "Sui Sui, the Demon God thinks you are noisy."

The Demon God flickered back into existence. "I do not," he said. "You... are very good."

Then he vanished again. So he came back just to say that?

Sui was speechless.

As they passed a tea shop, the sounds drifting from inside made them both pause. Someone was telling a story:

"At that time, Sect Leader Chao's call was met by hundreds. He placed righteousness above family, earning the applause of the world! Everyone thought Sect Leader Chao was a man of noble character who unfortunately sired a rebellious daughter. With a wave of his arm, the sects of the world responded, entering the Water-Cloud Realm to capture that traitor to the human race."

"Who could have guessed that Sect Leader Chao wore the face of a man but possessed the heart of a beast? That Water-Cloud Realm was actually a collapsing illusion! He concealed this truth, and the elite disciples of various sects nearly perished within!"

"...Though in the end there were no casualties, the Jade Sword Alliance, the Five Poison Valley, and other Great Sects all demanded an explanation from that man named Chao. He simply went into seclusion. However, all the sects have withdrawn their arrest warrants for the Young Sect Leader; her crimes have been wiped clean. Instead, it is Sect Leader Chao who has thoroughly offended the world's sects."

"For this Jade Sword Conference, the Kunlun Sword Sect should have stayed in the 'Heaven' rank courtyards. Instead, the Jade Sword Alliance shoved them into the 'B' rank courtyards, crowded in with a bunch of second-rate sects. Tsk, tsk."

Chao Jinsui was not surprised. Those who had entered the Water-Cloud Realm that day were the young elites of the major sects. The influence Chao Taichu prided himself on, the power to brand her a traitor with a single word, had naturally crumbled under the resentment of those he had endangered.

What leverage did Chao Taichu have left? Even if he managed to win the title of the world's number one swordsman, his current reputation would never allow him to become the leader of the Jade Sword Alliance. Unlike her past life, Chao Taichu no longer had a Heavenly Dao oath to bind her; he couldn't rally the world to besiege her; and he could no longer use the matter of her mother against her.

All his paths were blocked.

The Great Devil suddenly leaned in and asked, "What are you smiling about?"

"I was thinking," she replied, "if Chao Taichu is finding it hard to sleep every night now."

Chao Taichu must be terrified, living in fear of when she might appear to take his life. Even hiding behind a protective sect array would offer no peace, because once she became the Heavenly Dao, he would have nowhere to run. The feeling of a sword constantly hanging over one's head was surely unpleasant.

But then, her steps faltered. No, Chao Taichu would not sit and wait for death. She knew her father; he was not that kind of person. He was a man of ultimate selfishness. He would be terrified of dying and would surely use any means necessary to save his own life.

Chao Taichu was indeed not waiting for death. He was also at the Jade Sword Alliance. However, he did not appear openly with the Kunlun Sword Sect’s delegation. Instead, he was at the home of the Alliance's Vice Leader, Yuan Fengnian.

The Leader of the Jade Sword Alliance was Yuan Jingtian, so the Vice Leader’s presence was often overlooked. Yuan Fengnian and Chao Taichu sat facing each other over tea.

"Taichu," Yuan Fengnian said, "the situation is excellent."

The Demon God had awakened and had quite energetically swatted a dozen people at the sacrificial altar to death. Because there were no survivors, they had no idea what had actually occurred; they only knew the Demon God had displayed his characteristic brutality. This was much better than they had anticipated.

However, Yuan Fengnian hesitated. "I only worry about playing with fire and getting burned."

That was, after all, the Demon God, a name of cruelty that shook the ages. Was he truly so confident he could handle a deity?

Chao Taichu raised bloodshot eyes. "Do I have any other choice?"

He could hardly sleep. The prophecy of the "Heavenly Dao slaying the father to prove the path" echoed in his dreams, jolting him awake in a cold sweat. While Chao Jinsui’s cultivation grew day by day, his had stagnated. Not to mention, she was accompanied by a Demon Lord. His influence had vanished in the Water-Cloud Realm. If he wanted to borrow a knife to kill or fan the flames of public outrage now, he simply couldn't.

Yesterday, he had dreamed of a sword piercing his heart, dying exactly like Su Liuyun. He was truly at his wit's end. He remembered what that person had told him:

Once the Demon God awakens, the first thing he will kill is the Heavenly Dao.

What is a deity? One without desire, one who has severed all love. Once he awakens, how could he possibly remember some trivial affection?

Driven to a frenzy, Chao Taichu had sought out Yuan Fengnian and activated every arrangement he had made over the years. He let out a raspy laugh. "Playing with fire? I cannot sit here and wait for death!"

The blood sacrifice was something that person had taught him, no ordinary ritual, but a method to maximize the Demon God's ferocity and bloodlust.

Chao Taichu said to Yuan Fengnian, "I never intended to control the Demon God. But when the Demon God awakens, he will naturally want to kill the Heavenly Dao. That is only right and proper, is it not?"

"The day she takes the title of the world's strongest sword shall be the day she dies!"

Chao Taichu was oblivious to the fact that he had been completely lured by the "only path to survival" offered by that mysterious person, losing himself in a beautiful dream. But neither Chao Taichu nor the person behind him could have guessed one thing:

The Demon God they had awakened was indeed the genuine article, he was just hopelessly poisoned by love.

***

That night, Chao Zhaoyue called everyone together for a brief meeting to discuss the Jade Sword Conference. As soon as they had checked in, invitations had arrived like falling snowflakes because of the lives Chao Jinsui had saved. Chao Zhaoyue was nearly seeing stars from the stress of these social obligations.

When he was a mere "sword fanatic," he hadn't realized how painful it was to handle complex interpersonal relationships as a Sect Leader.

Chao Jinsui flipped through the conference booklet. Suddenly, her gaze froze. The prize for first place was a seemingly ordinary stone. They likely didn't know the value of the Heaven-Mending Stone and were treating it as a simple exotic treasure.

"It seems I really must try for the title of the world's finest sword," she said.

Chao Zhaoyue stared at her. "Wait, you weren't planning to go at first?"

"That's right."

Chao Zhaoyue continued to stare. "If you don't take the title, how is our Xirang Sect going to become famous?" He then looked at Yan Xueyi, his interest piqued. "You..."

The Demon God stood with his hands behind his back, stating calmly, "I do not participate in the trifles of the mortal realm."

The next second, his crimson eyes flashed, and he reverted to the devil. "I'm not going."

Chao Zhaoyue leaned in and whispered to Hong Niang, "Why has your Lord been speaking in that tone lately?" It felt like his mental state wasn't quite right.

Chao Jinsui remained silent.

The blood sacrifice was truly extraordinary. This secret sacrificial method for communicating with deities dated back to ancient tribal priests. Using so many lives as a price, the sacrifice's influence on the Demon God was beginning to grow. Gradually, strange thoughts that didn't belong to him began to surface in his mind.

For instance: The Heavenly Dao is a rival for your position. Kill her!

But the Great Devil would immediately think: Wait, I actually have a 'position' in her presence?

Or sometimes, when he looked at her, an intense killing intent would arise for no reason. The devil would quickly rationalize: Ah, there’s a mosquito near her. It must die.

He was already naturally irritable, but under the influence of the blood sacrifice, he became exceptionally volatile, frequently seized by an urge to destroy or kill. Consequently, Chao Jinsui found that he had ruthlessly plucked all the flowers in the room until they were bald. He even stole a tanghulu from a child on the street with a expressionless face, letting out an ambiguous cold laugh as they wailed.

He looked like he was descending into madness.

That night, the devil realized he was being affected by the sacrifice. The influence was insidious. Previously, it was mere harassment, but now it was showing real effects. If it continued to accumulate, it would result in a "brainwashing" effect.

He wasn't worried about himself; he was worried about the version of himself that was the Demon God. He could guarantee his own self-control, but what about the god? He looked at her as she slept and thought: I cannot gamble on a 'what if'.

So, he left a line of words in the palm of his hand.

When the Demon God opened his eyes in the night and saw her, a surge of baseless killing intent rose in his heart. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, but the Demon God merely frowned and calmly averted his gaze.

The Demon God was calm and disdainful: If even I cannot kill her, do you think a mere blood sacrifice can?

It wasn't as if the Demon God hadn't tried. Back in the Asura Path, when he first opened his eyes, he truly intended to strike the Heavenly Dao. But did he succeed? No, he failed miserably.

Under "Yanyan’s" influence, the Demon God couldn't even say a harsh word to her, let alone raise a hand. He had already fallen to the point where he accompanied her for tea, carried her bags while shopping, and ate the onions she didn't want in her noodles.

The Demon God even felt a flicker of anticipation, would the sacrifice return him to his former decisive, cold self? Would it cure his brain of this romantic nonsense? Would it restore the majestic Demon God?

Then, the Demon God saw the words in his palm. The handwriting was arrogant and sharp, brimming with aggression:

If you lay a hand on her, I will kill myself.

"..."

The Demon God thought: When I possessed seven emotions and six desires, why was I such a pathetic creature?

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