When Shen Changyuan heard about the Cultivation Realm, he frowned subconsciously. Had Yin Ao really fled to the Cultivation Realm? The demons under his command wouldn’t be able to search openly there, so it was indeed a perfect hiding place.
“Continue.”
“An examination of Yin Ao’s assets revealed close ties with some merchant groups. We believe he has hideouts.” The investigation revealed more than expected, including some shocking truths. It turned out that over the years, Yin Ao had quietly built considerable force, ordering his subordinates to secretly expand black market operations across the three realms. Among their numerous deeds was trafficking their fellow demons in secret partnerships with humans and devils.
There existed a large black market organization that extended across the Three Realms. Its main commodity was slaves, mainly trafficked beings from all three races. While it wasn’t confirmed to be under Yin Ao’s control, the connection was undeniable. The waters in the black market were murky and deep. The demon general had dispatched several subordinates for an initial investigation, but no one returned. Not daring to act rashly, he promptly went to His Majesty for instructions.
After learning about Yin Ao’s involvement in the trades, Shen Changyuan realized the complexity of the situation. Once, his world was clear-cut, but he had since become aware of the darkness of the world. He trusted Yin Ao unconditionally back then, so when he found out that the relatives of that woman had been engaging in illegal business, he left the matter to Yin Ao to handle. However, he now realized the naivety of his former self; by entrusting Yin Ao with the matter, he had inadvertently provided the perfect opportunity for all evidence to be obliterated.
After handing over the matter to Yin Ao, Shen Changyuan no longer thought about it. He had held the belief that Yin Ao, given his character, would not allow a blood relationship to compromise the integrity of justice. Looking back, he recognized how foolish that thought was.
Now Shen Changyuan was determined to thoroughly obliterate Yin Ao’s forces. However, addressing this issue wouldn’t be easy. The intricate web of relationships intertwined, touching one aspect would affect everything else. Countless slaves — humans, demons, devils — traded hands in the black market every day. They were auctioned, gifted, and circulated throughout the Three Realms, and many powerful figures owned such ‘pets.’ If Yin Ao turned those slaves into spies, he would have eyes and ears all over the Three Realms.
The deeper Shen Changyuan pondered, the tighter his brows knitted. Was this why Yin Ao managed to escape his pursuit and escape the Demon Realm? If his suspicions were accurate, what was Yin Ao planning? Unfortunately, he had discovered nothing; everything was still speculation by now. Yin Ao had concealed himself too well.
“Keep searching,” Shen Changyuan finally ordered, pausing before adding, “Be careful not to expose yourselves.” He wanted to see what Yin Ao was ultimately scheming.
“This subordinate obeys,” the demon general acknowledged, taking his leave.
Now alone in the massive main hall, Shen Changyuan pulled out another envelope. It wasn’t the most recent letter this time, but rather one from earlier. He had carefully preserved every letter from Yaoyao and occasionally took them out to read.
This letter had Yaoyao complaining about her Father and Daddy keeping secrets from her. She cried out aggrievedly about her Father’s ‘cruelness’ for not telling her that he was also there the night she returned home from the Abyss, causing her to go through great difficulties to find him. Shen Changyuan’s heart jumped a beat when he read this part, because he had been there too that night, and yet he hadn’t said a word about it.
Well, he really didn’t know that Yaoyao’s Father and Daddy hadn’t mentioned his presence, and Yaoyao herself clearly didn’t remember he was there that night either. Shen Changyuan naturally wouldn’t remind her. If he did, Yaoyao definitely would get angry and stop writing to him for days. Thus, Shen Changyuan chose to quietly make her forget this incident, while also speaking well for Yaoyao’s two fathers so she would quickly move past it.
Among Yaoyao’s many letters, Shen Changyuan noticed she was writing about her Father and Daddy two-thirds of the time, with the remaining one-third reserved for the friends she had made. Only in the remaining few lines would she write about herself. Shen Changyuan felt a pang of jealousy every time, but the letters’ vivid description made him feel as if he were right there with her, creating a mix of sweet and sour feelings.
Shen Changyuan was absorbed in the letters when a series of loud noises disturbed him, causing him to frown in displeasure. A gorgeously dressed young woman brushed past the palace guards, ordering her servants to hold them back as she dashed into the hall. “Brother Yuan!”
Upon seeing Shen Changyuan on the throne, the woman lifted the hem of her skirt and hurried over, “Brother Yuan, I won’t leave. You promised my aunt when we were young that you would take good care of me!”
Shen Changyuan’s face turned cold.
“Brother Yuan, please believe me, I truly didn’t know what Yin Ao did to you. I was deceived…” Xia Qinxin reached out as if to touch Shen Changyuan, but was repelled by an invisible force. She stepped back, her face paled with grievances, “Brother Yuan, are you still mad at me?”
Shen Changyuan looked at her coldly. This woman was a distant relative from his mother’s side. After her parents’ death, she was brought to the Dragon Palace to be raised by his mother who, despite her weakening health, always looked after her. Even on her deathbed, his mother entrusted him to treat her like his own younger sister and take good care of her.
For years, he fulfilled that promise, ensuring she lived a life of luxury. Yet, after he returned for vengeance, this younger sister whom he had taken great care of chose to stand against him even after learning the truth about his ‘death,’ insisting it was all a misunderstanding and that Yin Ao wasn’t such a vile person.
Only then did he know that during his absence, his dear sister had been hooking up with Yin Ao. Even though they were not married yet, she lived in the Dragon Palace as the future queen.
Had she remained steadfast in her decision to stand with Yin Ao, he might have respected her more. However, after he defeated Yin Ao and took over the Dragon Palace, she claimed to have been deceived and tearfully fell to her knees, begging for forgiveness in front of him.
After more than two hundred years of acquaintance, he never realized she was such a person. Perhaps he had never truly known the people close to him. Out of respect for his mother and because she hadn’t actively participated in Yin Ao’s schemes, Shen Changyuan spared her life. He had been busy consolidating power in the Demon Realm ever since and hadn’t had time to deal with her.
In other words, he had forgotten her existence.
Unexpectedly, she started trying to show her presence in front of him again and again these past few days. Could it be that she thought he was keeping her alive out of affection?
From the day she stood against him, it did not matter whether she knew the truth or not, because Shen Changyuan no longer cared for her. So, when she came to him, he simply ordered his servants to send her back to her hometown. His mother had taken pity on her for being an orphaned at a young age and worried that she couldn’t survive on her own. Now that he no longer wished to care for her, it was time for her to return to where she came from.
Tears welled up in Xia Qinxin’s eyes, “Brother Yuan, I realize my mistake now. Please don’t cast me away. I can’t live anywhere else but by your side.”
“Yin Ao deceived me. I truly wasn’t aware of his actions… Brother Yuan, I was blind to his true nature … are you really going to drive me out?”
Shen Changyuan’s expression remained cold as he surveyed Xia Qinxin, who was crying pitifully, “Where is Yin Ao?”
“I don’t know…” Xia Qinxin sobbed.
With tear-filled eyes, Xia Qinxin pitifully looked up at Shen Changyuan, “Brother Yuan, the truth is… I’ve adored you for many years. But you always saw me as a sister, so I kept my feelings hidden. When I was told that you had lost your life after falling into qi deviation, I regretted never confessing my feelings to you…”
“Then, Yin Ao confessed to me. He bore some resemblance to you, and in a daze, I accepted him. I’ve regretted it ever since. I should never have seen him as you, let alone transferring my feelings to him. Brother Yuan, you’re the best person in the world; he can’t compare to you…”
Xia Qinxin held a glimmer of hope, “Brother Yuan, will you allow me to stay by your side?”
< Previous | TOC | Advanced TOC | Next>
Wants more chapters?
Click this page for the status of sponsored chapters.
Click this page for advanced chapters TOC.
Xia Qinxin will probably be dying an unknown death sometime in the future if she keeps on bothering Shen Changyuan. It would be best for him to get rid of her before she becomes the “childhood sweetheart” in Lu Yaoyao’s ears in the future, lol.
Thanks for the chapter! 😀
You can use her you know, extract informations subtly