Chapter 123: The Aftermath and an Unexpected Encounter

At the boundary where the eternal crimson sky of the Illusory Realm met the cold moonlight of the real world’s deep night, space rippled and blurred like water.

Several figures quietly materialized on the fifth floor of one of the large teaching buildings, standing before an old wooden door marked “Chemistry Preparation Room.”

The corridor remained dim, the broken light tubes still buzzing faintly. The air carried the lingering scent of dust and old wood, a stark contrast to the oppressive, blood-red, and demon-infused Illusory Realm they had just left.

Su Baixue stumbled, her balance precarious. Her face was ashen, her eyes hollow and unfocused. Dark red bloodstains on her clothes appeared particularly jarring in the gloom.

Her hands were unconsciously clasped together, her fingertips icy cold, and her body trembled uncontrollably, as if she hadn’t fully escaped the bloody nightmare and the profound shock of taking a life with her own hands.

Ling Chen’s dying gaze, the sensation of his teeth biting her shoelace, the chillingly strange power of the demonic blade in her grasp, and the berserk intent that had erupted within her heart…

Innumerable fragmented images crashed violently in her mind, making her feel on the verge of vomiting, yet also consumed by a bone-deep cold.

Xiao Moyuan held the still-sleeping Su Mian steadily, seemingly oblivious to Su Baixue’s state.

He first quickly scanned their surroundings, confirming there were no lingering abnormal spatial fluctuations or low-level demons attracted by the previous rift.

Only then did his gaze turn to the other two “travelers” beside him. Hua Liang and Xue Li had already reverted to their human student forms.

Hua Liang retained his flaxen short hair and relaxed smile, his hands tucked into his pockets, as if he hadn’t just endured an intense battle or witnessed an execution.

Xue Li stood quietly beside him, her icy-blue hair draped smoothly over her shoulders, her face devoid of expression. Yet, as her eyes swept over Su Mian in Xiao Moyuan’s arms, a faint flicker of concern could be discerned.

Xiao Moyuan’s gaze paused on them for a moment before he spoke in a flat tone, breaking the suffocating silence of the corridor.

“The Exorcist Court’s response will not be slow. Sensing the extinguishment of a Grade A Exorcist’s soul lamp, especially at the location of a ‘Special Grade Seal’ mission, high-level exorcists will arrive to investigate in no more than fifteen minutes.”

His gaze settled on Hua Liang’s face, the meaning of his words unmistakably clear.

“For you two ‘non-human’ beings, remaining here now is not a wise decision.”

Hua Liang raised an eyebrow at this, his usual playful smile deepening. Far from appearing nervous, he took half a step forward, studying Xiao Moyuan with keen interest.

“Oh? Warning us to leave?”

He tilted his head, his tone laced with a hint of mockery.

“But aren’t you also an exorcist from the Exorcist Court? According to your Court’s rules, shouldn’t you apprehend and bring back to the Court for investigation any demons like us who are legally residing in the human world but get involved in sensitive incidents?”

He deliberately emphasized the words “legally residing” and “assisting investigation,” yet his eyes held no fear, only scrutiny.

Xiao Moyuan’s expression remained unchanged, the arm cradling Su Mian as steady as a rock. He met Hua Liang’s gaze, his voice still devoid of inflection.

“Apprehending the Lord of Hundred Ghosts and bringing them back to the Exorcist Court—”

He paused, his tone betraying neither a statement nor a rhetorical question.

“I currently have no such intention, nor have I received such orders.”

Hua Liang’s smile faltered slightly, then melted away, replaced by even deeper interest, even mixed with a hint of appreciation for an intriguing opponent. He stroked his chin.

“So that’s it… my identity was seen through long ago.”

He didn’t seem surprised; rather, he found it perfectly natural.

For a human capable of tearing through spatial barriers barehanded and ignoring Miyuki-maru’s aura in such circumstances, it would be strange if they couldn’t discern his and Xue Li’s true forms.

“You are quite an interesting person.”

Hua Liang chuckled, his smile this time less cynical and more genuine.

“Much more interesting than those rigid exorcists I’ve dealt with before.”

“If you have time, perhaps I could come over for a drink sometime?”

These words were half courtesy, half probe, and also carried a certain level of acknowledgment.

Xiao Moyuan offered no comment, merely stating blandly, “No need to see you off.”

Hua Liang didn’t mind, shrugging his shoulders and returning his hands to his pockets. He then casually nodded to Xue Li.

“Let’s go, Xue Li.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Xue Li responded softly, casting one last, imperceptible glance of worry at Su Mian in Xiao Moyuan’s arms before following Hua Liang’s footsteps.

Their figures quickly vanished into the shadows of the stairwell, their footsteps fading into the growing silence of the old teaching building.

It was only then that Xue Li couldn’t help but speak in a low voice, her concern palpable.

“Young Master… leaving Su Mian with that human exorcist, is that really… alright?”

She recalled Su Mian’s astonishing power during her demonization, and her current defenseless, sleeping form. She also remembered Xiao Moyuan’s unfathomable strength and his identity as an exorcist.

‘Those not of our kind are sure to be of different hearts’ —this saying was equally prevalent in the demon world.

Hua Liang’s steps didn’t falter, but the relaxed smile on his face receded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. He didn’t answer immediately, instead analyzing slowly.

“From what I can see, it’s not a big problem.”

His voice was steady, imbued with the calm judgment of the Lord of Hundred Ghosts.

“Firstly, you saw that man’s attitude towards Su Mian.”

He recalled the scene when Xiao Moyuan appeared—tearing space, precise positioning, immediately shielding Su Mian, his almost casual composure when feeding her spiritual energy, and the sudden, icy killing intent when Ling Chen spoke disrespectfully of Su Mian.

“He was willing to use his primordial spiritual energy to forge that level of guardian spirit tool for her.”

“And he was willing to feed her like that…”

Hua Liang paused, his tone subtle.

“How long has Su Mian been awakened?”

“In the Illusory Realm just now, the demonic power she unleashed had already touched the threshold of Special Grade, hadn’t it?”

“While this is certainly due to her unique bloodline, it would be absolutely impossible without long-term, pure, and substantial spiritual nourishment.”

Xue Li nodded, a flicker of understanding and surprise in her eyes.

“Indeed. Before Young Master arrived, Su Mian faced the pseudo-Special Grade Ox-Demon alone. Although her fighting style was rough, the quantity and quality of her demonic power were astonishing, far exceeding that of newly awakened demons.”

“That man’s spiritual energy… it’s terrifying, its purity unimaginable.”

“Therefore,” Hua Liang concluded.

“At least in terms of investment and protective instinct, he is completely unreserved towards Su Mian.”

“Such a person either has immense ulterior motives, or…”

He paused, leaving the unspoken understood, but Xue Li grasped his meaning—or, he truly cared.

Xue Li frowned, voicing her greatest concern.

“But he is an exorcist after all. And there is indeed a contractual link between them… I can feel it.”

“What if, in the future, he discovers Su Mian’s true identity, or more secrets of her bloodline, and uses the power of the contract to coerce her?”

“Su Mian’s blood and demonic aura are an irresistible temptation to any cultivator.”

“This is the core issue.”

Trust was based on the present, but human hearts were unpredictable. Power could breed desire, and secrets brought risks.

Upon hearing this, Hua Liang chuckled softly and shook his head.

“You can rest assured on that point.”

His tone was certain.

“On the way here, I carefully sensed the contractual fluctuations between them.”

He looked at Xue Li, his eyes appearing exceptionally deep in the dim light.

“That is not a master-servant contract.”

Xue Li was startled.

“Not a master-servant contract? But such a close connection…”

“It’s an equal contract,” Hua Liang affirmed.

Xue Li’s icy blue eyes widened slightly, a clear look of astonishment appearing on her cool face.

“An equal contract?”

“He… his strength is clearly so much greater than Su Mian’s, why would he sign an equal contract?”

This completely defied common sense. Most exorcists who formed contracts with demons did so to control and utilize the demon’s power.

A master-servant contract guaranteed absolute control. Only if the demon’s strength far surpassed the exorcist’s might an exorcist be forced into, or pay a great price for, an equal contract.

In Xiao Moyuan’s situation, where his strength clearly overwhelmed Su Mian’s, choosing an equal contract meant voluntarily relinquishing most control, granting the shikigami immense freedom and respect—this was almost unheard of.

“That’s precisely what explains it.”

Hua Liang’s gaze was distant, as if piercing through walls to see the back of the man holding the fox demon.

“He doesn’t view Su Mian as a tool or possession that can be arbitrarily manipulated or disposed of. An equal contract implies respect, and to some extent… an equivalent relationship.”

“At least in his heart, Su Mian is more than just a shikigami.”

He recalled the look in Xiao Moyuan’s eyes when he gazed at Su Mian, and his instinctive protective stance when she was threatened.

“Moreover, did you notice his urgency when he arrived?” Hua Liang added.

“Violently tearing open the boundary between the two realms directly… such consumption and risk are not what one would undertake for an ordinary shikigami.”

“His level of concern for Su Mian is probably no less than… well, no less than for certain special relationships.”

Xue Li listened silently, her inner worries slightly alleviated, though not entirely gone.

She said in a low voice, “Young Master’s analysis is correct. I was overthinking.”

“It’s just… I still feel somewhat uneasy.”

Hua Liang reached out and gently patted Xue Li’s shoulder, a gesture carrying a rare sense of comfort.

“I understand your concern.”

His tone softened.

“But for now, forcibly taking Su Mian away is neither realistic nor necessary. That man’s strength…”

He narrowed his eyes slightly, recalling the spiritual energy fluctuations that Xiao Moyuan wielded with effortless ease yet contained destructive power.

“He is one of the strongest humans I have ever encountered.”

“If it came to a fight, even I wouldn’t be absolutely confident in safely taking Su Mian away from him, let alone provoking his hostility, which wouldn’t benefit Su Mian either.”

Xue Li pursed her lips, whispering, “In Xue Li’s heart, Young Master is the strongest. While that human is formidable, he’s certainly no match for Young Master.”

Hua Liang gave a wry smile and shook his head, but did not refute. He simply said, “Nothing is absolute in this world. At least for now, he seems harmless to Su Mian and can provide her with protection and the resources needed for growth.”

“We will observe from the shadows. If he truly harbors ill intentions…”

A faint, cold glint flashed in his eyes.

“It won’t be too late to act then.”

Xue Li truly nodded then, her composure returning.

“I understand, Young Master.”

The sound of their conversation gradually faded, eventually disappearing into the depths of the stairwell leading downstairs.

***

Less than ten minutes after Hua Liang and Xue Li departed, subtle, swift sounds of air being cut, along with several well-contained but still perceptible powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, emanated from outside the old teaching building.

Xiao Moyuan still stood in place, leaning against the mottled wall. Su Mian in his arms seemed to be sleeping even more soundly, her fox ears and tail having quietly retracted at some point. Her cheek merely rubbed unconsciously against his arm.

His gaze calmly fixed on the stairwell.

Su Baixue, however, shuddered violently like a startled rabbit, instinctively shrinking further into the corner, burying her head even lower, her body trembling more intensely.

Footsteps rapidly approached, steady and powerful.

The first to appear at the fifth-floor corridor entrance was a middle-aged man, seemingly in his early forties.

He was tall and imposing, dressed in a well-tailored dark grey collared trench coat. His face was resolute, his eyes sharp as an eagle’s. Simply by standing there, he exuded a sense of mountain-like stability with a hidden, formidable edge.

The spiritual energy subtly circulating around him was solid and refined, far surpassing that of an ordinary Grade A Exorcist.

Xiao Moyuan’s eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly upon seeing him.

The newcomer’s gaze, sharp as lightning, instantly swept across the entire corridor—the mottled walls, the closed chemistry preparation room door, Su Baixue shivering in the corner with blood-stained clothes, and Xiao Moyuan, calm-faced, holding the sleeping girl.

His gaze lingered on Xiao Moyuan for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

“Xiao Moyuan?”

The middle-aged man spoke, his voice deep and powerful, carrying the authority of one long in a high position.

“Why are you here?”

Xiao Moyuan nodded slightly in greeting, his tone as flat as ever.

“I’ve been tracking the Special Grade blood kin, Xia, in the city. Is it strange for me to appear here?”

The newcomer was Tian Hai, one of the Twelve Divine Generals of the Exorcist Court, known for his profound spiritual power, impartial conduct, and extremely keen perception of spatial magic and abnormal fluctuations.

Tian Hai offered no comment, his gaze then falling upon Su Mian in Xiao Moyuan’s arms.

The sleeping girl’s features remained breathtakingly beautiful even in the dim light. Even with her demonic aura suppressed, her inhuman delicacy and the subtly emanating pure demonic power could not escape his eyes.

“Tsk,” Tian Hai raised an eyebrow, remarking with curiosity, “She truly is… an impossibly beautiful little demon.”

Xiao Moyuan remained impassive, subtly adjusting his arm to press Su Mian’s cheek closer to his chest, shielding her from Tian Hai’s overly direct scrutiny.

He responded calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion, “This is my shikigami.”

“Shikigami?”

The surprise in Tian Hai’s eyes became more pronounced. He scrutinized Xiao Moyuan from head to toe, as if he had heard something novel.

“You, Xiao Moyuan, actually take on a shikigami? That’s truly rare.”

“If those old fogeys in the Court found out, they’d probably drop their jaws.”

He was clearly aware of Xiao Moyuan’s solitary style, never relying on external aid.

Xiao Moyuan didn’t take the bait, directly asking, “Did you come personally for Ling Chen’s matter?”

At the mention of official business, the hint of playfulness on Tian Hai’s face immediately receded, replaced by the solemnity and gravity befitting a Divine General.

He nodded, his gaze sweeping over Su Baixue in the corner again, his brow furrowing slightly.

“The Court detected Ling Chen’s soul lamp completely extinguished fifteen minutes ago, with the location locked to the old teaching building area.”

“And his Grade B Exorcist partner, Su Baixue,” he pointed to the huddled figure, “her soul lamp fluctuated violently before stabilizing, but contact was lost. The Court judged that a major incident occurred during the mission, possibly involving the sealed target, so I was dispatched to investigate.”

He looked at Xiao Moyuan, his gaze sharp.

“Do you know the specific situation? How did Ling Chen die?”

“He was a newly promoted Grade A, after all. Even if he was no match for a Special Grade evil spirit sealed for years, he shouldn’t have perished here without a trace.”

“I… I didn’t mean to… I really didn’t mean to…”

Just then, Su Baixue, who had been huddled in the corner, seemed to be stimulated by the name “Ling Chen.” She suddenly lifted her head, her face pale, her eyes unfocused, and began to unconsciously murmur, her body trembling like a sieve.

“It’s all his fault… it’s all his fault… he forced me…”

She was incoherent, her mental state clearly extremely unstable. She clutched her head tightly, as if trying to squeeze out those terrifying memories.

Tian Hai’s brows furrowed even deeper. Looking at Su Baixue’s near-collapsed state, a flicker of doubt and scrutiny crossed his eyes.

He slowly approached, his voice slightly louder, but still carrying an oppressive quality.

“Su Baixue, calm down.”

“Tell me, what happened? How did Ling Chen die?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know…”

Su Baixue shook her head desperately, tears streaming uncontrollably, mixing with the dried bloodstains on her cheeks.

“The blade… that blade… it controlled me… it wasn’t me… it was it…”

She spoke disjointedly, utterly unable to articulate clearly.

Tian Hai turned his questioning gaze to Xiao Moyuan.

Xiao Moyuan glanced at the frenzied Su Baixue, then spoke expressionlessly, concisely stating the “facts.”

“They accidentally became involved in the Illusory Realm.”

“Within the Illusory Realm, Su Baixue’s mind was briefly controlled by a powerful demonic blade. In a state of mental confusion and inability to control herself, she personally killed Ling Chen.”

He did not mention Hua Liang and Xue Li, nor his own punishment of Ling Chen, nor details like Su Baixue being lured into removing her necklace.

He simply provided the most direct conclusion that best explained the “current situation”—controlled by a demonic blade, resulting in infighting.

Tian Hai’s pupils constricted.

“Demonic blade control? Personally killed?”

He looked at Su Baixue again, his eyes becoming complex.

If a grave mistake was made due to being mind-controlled by a powerful demon or evil artifact, it differed in nature from actively slaughtering a companion in Exorcist Court rulings, but it was still an extremely serious crime.

“What demonic blade? Where is it now?” Tian Hai pressed.

“The blade has been reclaimed by its owner, who has already departed,” Xiao Moyuan replied, blocking any possibility of tracing the demonic blade’s origin.

“The specific details might become clearer once Su Baixue’s emotions stabilize, or when the Court uses secret arts to retrace the final memory fragments of Ling Chen’s residual soul.”

Tian Hai remained silent for a moment, seemingly processing the information and weighing the pros and cons.

Though Xiao Moyuan’s account was brief, it contained no obvious logical flaws and aligned with the intense demonic energy fluctuations and spatial distortions that were still perceptible and not yet fully dispersed at the scene.

Most importantly, Xiao Moyuan himself was present, and his testimony carried considerable weight.

After a long pause, Tian Hai slowly exhaled, his gaze regaining its steady composure.

“I understand. I will report this truthfully. Su Baixue,” he looked at the girl who was almost collapsed on the ground, his voice commanding, “you must return to the Exorcist Court with me for a detailed investigation and psychological evaluation.”

Upon hearing “return to the Exorcist Court,” Su Baixue’s body trembled violently, her eyes immediately filling with terror. But at this moment, she lacked the strength or courage to resist, likely having lost her very soul.

She nodded dully, tears silently streaming down her face.

Seeing this, Xiao Moyuan said no more, stating directly,

“My mission target has not yet been eliminated; I need to continue tracking them. Furthermore,” he paused, his tone flat,

“regarding the loosening of the Special Grade evil spirit seal beneath the teaching building, since I have already intervened and the situation may be more complex than anticipated, I will take over its subsequent handling.”

“Please inform the Court that there is no need to send additional personnel, to avoid unnecessary interference or casualties.”

His words were polite, but the meaning was clear: I’m taking care of things here, including the evil spirit seal, so don’t send anyone else.

Tian Hai gave Xiao Moyuan a deep look, then glanced at the sleeping fox demon shikigami in his arms, his eyes flickering.

He knew Xiao Moyuan’s strength and methods, and was also aware of the subtle attitudes some high-ranking officials in the Court held towards him.

Now that Xiao Moyuan had voluntarily taken on this troublesome matter, while perhaps overstepping his authority, it might, in the end, resolve the situation more quickly and prevent further losses.

“I will convey your message.”

Tian Hai finally nodded, raising no objections. “You also be careful. That blood kin is not simple, and the evil spirit seal here is a long-standing problem.”

“Mm.”

Xiao Moyuan responded, no longer lingering. Holding Su Mian, he turned and walked along the corridor towards the stairs at the other end, his steps steady, his figure quickly merging into the dimness.

Tian Hai watched him leave until his footsteps completely disappeared, then withdrew his gaze to look at Su Baixue, who was on the verge of a breakdown. He frowned deeply and sighed.

Su Baixue was considered one of the talented newcomers in the Exorcist Court in recent years. After encountering this incident, even if she didn’t die, her life was ruined. Moreover, she would certainly face retaliation from the Ling family.

“Let’s go.”

He said to Su Baixue, his voice devoid of emotion. He extended his hand in a guiding gesture, and a gentle spiritual force lifted Su Baixue, who was almost unable to walk on her own.

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