Sensing the change in his body, the small Nascent Soul circled around Liu Changning’s spiritual sense, wishing it could applaud. The frank eyes showed undisguised admiration.

Liu Changning felt that she could do it again. Elder Pei cared about his image, and in this life, he would never show her such… well, frank admiration. Being able to see it was already a gain.

The Nascent Soul was being silly again. Pei Ziyuan’s loosened fingers involuntarily clenched tight again. The previous tenderness disappeared, replaced by embarrassed anger. He said harshly, “Come out!”

The phoenix’s face was like March weather, changing without warning. Liu Changning inwardly complained, but dared not say it aloud.

She coughed lightly and instructed, “I’ll hide nearby. We’ll act according to the situation later.”

“Mm…” Elder Pei lowered his head. Perhaps feeling his voice was too obedient, his eyes flickered, and he said fiercely, trying to cover up, “You talk too much!”

“I don’t talk much in bed, Ziyuan be good.”

Liu Changning quickly withdrew her spiritual sense after speaking.

Looking up again, she saw the red-robed immortal in the distance, his robes fluttering, the only exposed slender neck bearing a subtle, ambiguous light red that others could hardly notice.

Liu Changning’s heart fluttered. She suddenly realized that if Elder Pei’s exposed long neck were covered with blue and purple marks, it would surely be even more tempting.

Her heart moved, and she curved her lips, revealing a wolfish, infatuated thought.

A chill ran down his neck, and Pei Ziyuan shivered for no reason.

Jing Huan sat on the wooden chair, seemingly observing casually, taking in all the reactions of the excessively handsome red-robed male cultivator. She revealed a playful smile at the corner of her mouth, carelessly turning the rim of her cup.

Ten years ago, how Liu Cang Yun treated her, today she would inflict all the pain of her demonic body’s self-destruction on Pei Ziyuan.

She had become a monster, neither human nor demon, feeding daily on the essence of female cultivators, not to rule the three realms.

But to make Liu Cang Yun kneel at her feet, to be her sole love slave.

And Pei Ziyuan, he must die.

Even if she was nowhere to be found now, when she appeared, she would personally tell her that despite defying the cycle of reincarnation, the outcome would still be eternal delusion.

The aura around her instantly turned cold. Jing Huan’s smile faded slightly, and she sneered at Pei Ziyuan, “What? Don’t dare to accept?”

Elder Pei, who had just been teased by someone’s gaze, his heart trembling, heard these words and his eyes blanked for a moment before coming back to his senses.

He gave Jing Huan a meaningful look and said loudly, “Of course I dare to accept. However, this lord has a question that, no matter how I ponder, I cannot understand. I wonder if the Demon Lord could enlighten me?”

Jing Huan raised an eyebrow, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

“Your Lordship harbors such deep hostility towards me. The outside world widely claims that there is a grudge of wife-stealing between us. This lord has thought left and right, and it’s truly baseless gossip. You and I have only met once before, yet now you’re pressing me step by step, as if we have a deep blood feud. It’s truly perplexing. I wonder if you could clear up this confusion before our duel?”

Jing Huan turned her teacup, fixing her gaze on Pei Ziyuan’s ink-black phoenix eyes, and asked in return instead of answering, “Do you really want to know the reason?”

Seeing him nod, she laughed out loud, “Maybe it really is a grudge of wife-stealing? Past lives, present life, life after life, I’ve come for revenge. Do you believe it?”

Pei Ziyuan narrowed his eyes, suddenly not wanting to waste words with a madwoman. Of course he didn’t believe it. In this life, the next life, as long as his soul didn’t perish, he feared he would only fall in love with one person.

The Vermilion Bird clan, once they fall in love with someone, they are always faithful from beginning to end. Let alone Jing Huan’s wife, even the most beautiful woman wouldn’t catch his eye.

“Of course I don’t believe it. What does the woman you speak of have to do with me? Why would I steal someone else’s wife? What I want is one life, one world, one person. I already have a wife, the Demon Lord can rest assured.”

These words shocked everyone present. The number one figure of the righteous path, Elder Pei, had finally blossomed like an iron tree and actually had a wife?

Who would believe this if it got out? Even the people of Dunshi Immortal Palace looked confused.

Liu Changning, hiding in the shadows, gritted her teeth, glanced at Jing Huan who was stirring up trouble, and pressed down the corner of her lips, her eyes cold.

Jing Huan shuddered for no reason, alertly looking around. Seeing nothing unusual, she gathered her thoughts.

She used a bit more force with both hands, and with a “crack,” the blue jade porcelain cup was crushed into pieces, scattering on the ground with a harsh sound.

Jing Huan took out a silk handkerchief from her bosom, wiping the remaining ceramic shards from her hands, and said with narrowed eyes, “Interesting. A wife? I wonder who this great person, Immortal Pei’s wife, might be. Could she also be present here?”

Her words seemed watertight, but they were full of deep meaning.

Pei Ziyuan could clearly distinguish this. He raised an eyebrow, his ink-black phoenix eyes coolly sweeping over Jing Huan, and said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “The Demon Lord’s skill at prying is as formidable as a village gossip. Come on, didn’t you want to fight me openly and fairly? The way I see it, you’re just stalling for time.”

After saying this, he didn’t waste words either, drawing the Nine Netherworld Flame Whip from his waist. Suddenly, the atmosphere at the mountain gate changed dramatically. Pei Ziyuan released the pressure of a Tribulation Transcendence stage elder, and for a moment, the tension was palpable.

Jing Huan sneered indifferently, “Iron-willed and unyielding, admirable courage. Since that’s the case, come and die!”

Saying this, she soared into the sky, black energy swirling around her body, a drum appearing in her hand.

As the drum appeared, the temperature on the open ground in front of the mountain gate suddenly dropped, and the faint sound of infants crying could be heard.

This drum was called the Soul-Devouring Demon Drum, its drumhead made from infant skin, hence the constant crying sound. When beaten, it disturbed one’s mind and seized one’s soul.

Liu Changning’s spiritual sense lingered on the drumhead for a moment, and she transmitted a message to Pei Ziyuan: “Can you hold out for half an incense stick’s time?”

There were ordinary people mixed in at the base of Dunshi Immortal Palace’s mountain gate who couldn’t withstand the aftermath of their duel.

As soon as Liu Changning’s words fell, Pei Ziyuan understood. He summoned a protective shield armor, encasing himself in a light barrier. He solemnly responded with a sound.