Once this thought took root in her mind, it spread like wildfire, unstoppable.
According to reports from the Qingxu Sect's spies scattered around, after staying near the coast for three days, Fu Guang and his group had headed north toward Kunlun.
Based on the timing, they should be halfway there by now.
Su Luowei could roughly guess Fu Guang's intentions. Meng Shuying had once mentioned that although Fu Guang's injuries had healed, his time was running out, and he needed to draw upon Kunlun's spiritual veins to extend his life.
In the previous life, the demons invaded from Qingxu, but they were quickly blocked by Wen Miaomiao and other cultivators. Afterward, Wen Miaomiao ascended to immortality, and the conflict between the human and demon realms dragged on.
This time, however, Fu Guang had already encountered Wen Miaomiao and gravely injured her. He must have deduced that she had lost the protection of the Heavenly Dao, so now, unafraid, he intended to march on Kunlun to extract its spiritual veins.
Kunlun, situated in high terrain and perpetually blanketed by snow, was difficult to attack, especially in winter. However, it was now autumn, the season when Kunlun's snow was thinnest. Missing this chance would mean waiting another year for such an opportunity.
No wonder the demons had bypassed the nearby East Pole Sect and headed north to Kunlun instead.
Now, what Su Luowei needed to do was ascend to immortality before Fu Guang could conquer Kunlun.
Meng Shuying had once told her that the hope of humanity rested with her. At the time, she hadn't fully understood. But after witnessing the devastation in Fuxiao City—the corpses, the shattered families, the displaced children—Su Luowei realized that she wasn't an outsider to this world.
Here, she had blood relatives, cherished friends, and a beloved Dao companion with whom she wished to spend her life.
These were not just cold words on a page; they were living, breathing people.
She wanted to protect all of them, not let them be reduced to ashes under the demons' trample. Therefore, she had to stand up and share the responsibility with them.
At Ink Peak, where spring was eternal, the grass was lush, and the flowers bloomed in abundance. The peach blossoms in the courtyard were in full bloom, just as they had been for a hundred years.
When Zhan Xuehan learned of Su Luowei's decision to take the next step, she was both overjoyed and worried. She was glad that Su Luowei had reached the pinnacle of the Grandmaster stage, a level she herself could only admire. But she also feared the celestial tribulation, a perilous trial where even the slightest misstep could lead to death.
The three peaks of Qingxu, Ink Peak, Baizhan Peak, and Qionghua Peak, had faced their own trials. After Min Lanmeng's betrayal, the position of Qionghua Peak's master was taken by Meng Shuying, but now, with Meng missing, Zhan Xuehan could only discuss Su Luowei's upcoming tribulation with Nie Wentian.
Nie Wentian, being straightforward, spoke openly, "Though neither the master nor I have faced the tribulation ourselves, rest assured, I have a plan. When you undergo the tribulation, both your master and I will personally protect you to ensure your safety."
Zhan Xuehan produced a qiankun pouch from her sleeve, "In here are defensive treasures I've collected over the years. Take them with you."
Su Luowei accepted the pouch without hesitation.
Zhan Xuehan continued, "It's been many years since anyone from Qingxu Sect faced the celestial tribulation. I'm happy you've reached this opportunity. I've already set up a protective array in the forbidden area of Ink Peak for your tribulation. Though the celestial tribulation is dangerous, there's no need to be too fearful."
Despite her reassurances, both Zhan Xuehan and Nie Wentian were visibly more anxious than Su Luowei herself. Watching them prepare everything gave Su Luowei an unexpected sense of belonging.
In this world, so many people cared for her.
Thinking back on her journey since entering this world, Su Luowei realized how blessed she had been. She had received love from her family, support from friends, and had found her Dao companion. Everything had gone smoothly for her.
Now, as she tried to recall her life before entering this world, the memories felt distant, as if obscured by a thick veil, only visible in fragments.
Even so, Su Luowei wasn't fully confident about the upcoming tribulation.
The higher one's cultivation, the more they could sense destiny, and she had a vague feeling that her tribulation wouldn't be easy.
But regardless of the difficulty, she had to overcome it. Her Dao companion was waiting for her.
At this moment, Wen Miaomiao's experience with the celestial tribulation became particularly valuable.
Now that her secret was out, Wen Miaomiao no longer hid anything from Su Luowei. She shared everything she knew about the tribulation process.
"The Dao is vast and multifaceted. Cultivators focus on cultivating their life essence, and apart from cultivation, the most crucial thing is a clear heart and enlightenment. If the previous tribulations were tests of cultivation, the celestial tribulation is a test of the heart. Only those with a complete state of mind can overcome inner demons and pass the tribulation."
Wen Miaomiao opened the qiankun pouch that Zhan Xuehan had given Su Luowei, sifting through its contents. "When I faced my tribulation, my master also gave me treasures like these. Many of these items can be useful during the tribulation."
Reflecting on the past, Wen Miaomiao felt a mix of emotions. "Since embarking on the path of cultivation, I've been blessed by the Heavenly Dao, with extraordinary talent and smooth progress. Back then, I was young and proud of it. It wasn't until later, as my cultivation grew, that I realized, the greater your power, the heavier your responsibility."
For years, she had exhausted herself for the survival of humanity.
The demons were too powerful, and humanity was losing ground. During those years, the cries for help, the prayers, the doubts, and the anger all weighed heavily on her shoulders. She had fought with all her strength to carve out a path for humanity to survive.
Though they were fellow disciples, Wen Miaomiao had never shared her innermost thoughts with Su Luowei due to various concerns. Now, with the burden of saving the world shifting from her to Su Luowei, Wen Miaomiao felt a mixture of relief, sadness, and worry.
Under the storm clouds, Meng Shuying had long lost track of time.
Her body had long since reached its limits, and under the relentless barrage of tribulation lightning, she looked battered. Her skin had cracked and healed, broken and regenerated, in a cycle of agony.
But deep within, a fierce determination burned. It told her she could not surrender to fate.
She could endure all the suffering in the world, but not the thought of never seeing her master again.
If she fell here, what would all the hardships of her two lifetimes mean? After searching, waiting, and hoping for so long, she had finally broken through the clouds to embrace the moon, feeling its warmth and gentleness.
She could not give up.
She had promised her master that she would find her. They still had so much to do together—so many beautiful places to see and vast lands to explore. They were meant to be together for a long, long time.
As long as her master waited for her, nothing could shake her resolve.
Meng Shuying let out a low laugh, standing tall once again, wiping the blood from her face.
Up until now, she had only used the spiritual energy in her spiritual palace to resist the tribulation lightning. But at this moment, she made a bold decision.
She would tap into the demonic energy within her to fight the tribulation.
For both of her lives, Meng Shuying had disliked her identity as a half-demon, believing it to be the source of all her misfortune.
But after being with her master, she realized her background didn't seem so shameful after all. Even if her bloodline was lowly, and her status humble, there was someone who didn't care at all, someone who loved her wholeheartedly.
Such a wonderful master—how could she give up?
How could she give up?
Meng Shuying exhaled deeply, no longer holding back as she unleashed the demonic energy hidden within her. The demonic energy surged forth, repairing her body and strengthening her flesh.
Her heartbeat quickened, thumping faster and faster, reaching an unprecedented intensity. She could hear the sound of her bones breaking and her flesh tearing, but there was no pain. Her body's healing outpaced the damage, and the thunderclouds and purple lightning could no longer harm her.
The thunder began to fade, the clouds dispersed, revealing the sky's original appearance. Though the demon realm had no sun, at this moment, a beam of light pierced through the heavens, softly illuminating the small island.
The light was as gentle as the dawn, shining down on the island that had been nearly leveled, and onto the face of the woman standing tall.
Though covered in blood, her eyes shone with an unprecedented brilliance. It was as if the sun and moon had fallen into her gaze, glowing with radiance and light.
A faint melody echoed through the heavens and earth. In that moment, Meng Shuying heard a voice say to her, "Congratulations." The voice was calm and devoid of emotion, like it came from the heavens itself.
Raindrops of spiritual essence fell upon her, washing away the grime on her body and rapidly restoring her spiritual energy. This was a reward from the laws of the universe, recognizing that another person had broken through the shackles and attained immortality.
"She did it!"
A sea beast surfaced, greedily absorbing the spiritual energy in the air. A small demon swished its fish tail in excitement and quickly swam away.
It had to spread the good news to all the demon kings in the sea, letting them know that today, a human had successfully passed the tribulation and ascended to immortality!
"She really succeeded." In the distant Nanshi City, Ming You stood up from her chair, gazing at the sky where the storm clouds had dispersed, softly murmuring, "The demon realm has gained a new demon lord."
"Did Meng Shuying succeed? That's wonderful!" Behind her came the sound of clapping. The green-robed servant girl's cheeks flushed with excitement. "Master, you've been stuck at the peak for so long. If Meng Shuying can pass the celestial tribulation, then so can you!"
"Yes, Master will definitely succeed!" Another green-robed servant girl's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Once Master becomes a demon lord, no one will dare to threaten us anymore. Then we'll show them just how powerful we are!"
The birth of a new demon lord quickly became the hottest topic in the demon realm. It sparked huge waves, especially in the territories once ruled by the other three demon lords. Nearly every demon was speculating about the identity of this new lord and to which faction within the demon realm they belonged.
Ever since their demon lords had fallen, those territories had not seen a single peaceful day. Fu Guang, domineering and untrusting, had steadily eroded their influence. Over the years, their power had been reduced step by step, forcing them to constantly look over their shoulders.
Now, the emergence of a new demon lord gave them fresh hope. Even if this new lord didn't belong to their faction, it didn't matter. If there could be a first, there could be a second. And if another of their own could ascend to become a demon lord, they could finally rid themselves of Fu Guang's shadow.
In every street and alley, almost all the demons were eagerly discussing this matter. Under both deliberate and unintentional guidance, news of Meng Shuying's true identity quickly spread throughout the demon realm.
Once they learned who she really was, the excitement among the demons seemed to be doused in cold water. No matter how they looked at it, they found it hard to accept that the second demon lord was Fu Guang's daughter.
Fu Guang had already ruled the demon realm with an iron fist. Now that his daughter had become the new demon lord, it threw half of the demon realm into despair. The demons no longer openly discussed the matter, as Meng Shuying's connection to Fu Guang left them with conflicted feelings.
They admired her for overcoming the tribulation on her own, yet they feared that her rise would bring even greater misfortune to the other demons.
At the same time, some neutral demons grew increasingly curious about Meng Shuying. Among them were demons who frequently traveled between the two realms due to the ongoing war. Using their positions, they gathered a wealth of information about her from the mortal world, including various stories inspired by Meng Shuying and Su Luowei.
One such story was A Thousand Autumns, which praised Meng Shuying's unwavering devotion and her long, bitter wait. Another was The Two or Three Things I Cannot Speak of with My Senior Sister, which focused on their sweet love story. There were even many risqué and scandalous poems that opened the demons' eyes to entirely new realms of imagination.
The demon race had no strict moral codes like the humans and generally acted on their desires. Though they were more open about love and relationships, they had never possessed a large body of romantic literature like the human realm.
Thus, the influx of these stories not only deepened the demons' understanding of Meng Shuying but also filled a literary gap in the demon realm. These stories continued to be widely circulated and cherished in the demon realm for many years.