The Ziwei Ruins had been open for several days now, and the number of cultivators lingering at the entrance had only increased.
A group of new arrivals hurriedly approached, but were quickly stopped by some well-meaning peers.
"Hold up, fellow cultivators! You shouldn't go in right now! The major sects are currently working together to hunt down the Jade Demon, Bai Siyao. You might get caught in the crossfire and suffer the consequences."
The young cultivator who had just arrived turned pale with shock. "The Jade Demon is here too? What is that demoness planning this time?"
"Of course, she's after the treasures of the Immortal Palace. It's said that there's an ancient relic inside the Ziwei Ruins called the Mirror of Reincarnation, capable of moving mountains, stirring seas, and defying the heavens themselves. If it falls into the wrong hands, rivers of blood will flow, and the world will be thrown into chaos."
This grim declaration made the young cultivator's heart tighten. "If such a powerful treasure is seized by that demoness, won't the entire cultivation world be thrown into turmoil?"
"Exactly! That's why all the major sects have stationed people at the entrance, determined to kill Bai Siyao within the ruins."
Cultivators who were too fearful to enter but unwilling to leave gathered around, discussing the situation.
"That demoness has committed countless atrocities. She should've been killed long ago."
"Indeed. I've heard she lost her parents when she was young and only survived thanks to her clan's protection. But when she perfected her cultivation, the first thing she did was wipe out her entire clan—even the family dog didn't escape."
"Remember Zhou Yuehuai from the Seven Stars Sect? Back when that demoness was still at Danxia Palace, they were close friends. Who knows what she did to offend her, but in the end, her entire sect was annihilated."
"The most tragic case has to be Immortal Lord Ning of Danxia Palace. He was relentlessly pursued by that demoness. Refusing to submit to her, he was struck by her treachery, causing his meridians to reverse, nearly driving him mad. To this day, he still hasn't fully recovered and endures constant torment."
One after another, tales of her crimes were shared, so many they were impossible to fully recount.
An older cultivator sighed deeply upon hearing these stories. "Speaking of which, I saw her in her early years when she was still known as Jade Immortal. She was the beloved disciple of the Danxia Palace Master, with unparalleled talent and breathtaking beauty. The 'Jade' in her name suited her perfectly. Who could have known she would end up like this..."
The Jade Immortal became the Jade Demon, and those who had once admired and pursued her now burned with righteous fury, eager to see her destroyed.
But how did it come to this? It all began when Bai Siyao became a disciple of Danxia Palace.
"Bai Siyao successfully passed the Heaven's Road trial and caught the eye of Master Cen, who accepted her as his final disciple. At that time, she was the talk of the entire cultivation world. The Heaven's Road of Danxia Palace only produces one successful disciple every ten years, and each one has been a prodigy in both talent and temperament. These disciples go on to become pillars of Danxia Palace."
"And sure enough, Bai Siyao built her foundation upon entering the sect and reached the Golden Core stage within twenty years, nearly matching Immortal Lord Ning's record. Everyone believed she would be the next prodigy of Danxia Palace."
"Then how did she fall into demonic cultivation?" the young cultivator asked, puzzled. Danxia Palace was one of the three great sects, and as the final disciple of Master Cen, her future should have been nothing short of brilliant. There seemed no reason for her to turn to demonic practices.
The older cultivator sighed again. "It was fate, a twisted one at that. She happened to encounter Immortal Lord Ning."
"So, the rumors were true?" A knowledgeable cultivator raised an eyebrow. "That demoness and Immortal Lord Ning once..."
Before he could finish, a devotee of Immortal Lord Ning cut him off angrily. "Nonsense! Immortal Lord Ning had nothing to do with her. It was all her one-sided obsession!"
"Exactly! She shamelessly pursued Immortal Lord Ning, but he never reciprocated. Don't slander him by implying otherwise!"
Ning Yanzhi, the current Master of Danxia Palace, was born with a sword spirit and was the number one sword cultivator of his time. From a young age, he had been a genius admired and respected by countless men and women. No one would tolerate any disrespect toward him.
"Calm down! We didn't mean any disrespect; we were just discussing the past."
"Indeed, everyone knows that Immortal Lord Ning is above reproach. We had no intention of defaming him."
After smoothing things over, the bored cultivators continued their gossip.
"After Bai Siyao became Master Cen's disciple, she and Immortal Lord Ning became fellow disciples. With his peerless grace, it's no surprise she developed feelings for him after spending so much time together. But Immortal Lord Ning was solely focused on the Dao and paid her no attention. In her frustration, Bai Siyao's heart turned dark, and she cast a love gu curse on him."
"Fortunately, Immortal Lord Ning was vigilant and exposed her treachery. He asked Master Cen to expel her from the sect. Bai Siyao, deeply agitated, feigned remorse and took the opportunity to strike Immortal Lord Ning with a sneak attack. The blow shattered his sword heart, leaving a lasting wound."
The storyteller let out a long sigh. "After this, Immortal Lord Ning's sword heart was broken, nearly driving him mad. Bai Siyao used the chaos to escape Danxia Palace and became a traitor to the sect. Master Cen, heartbroken over the loss of his two beloved disciples, passed away soon after."
These old tales, when contrasted with the present, only deepened the sense of tragedy.
"Love truly is a harmful thing. If Bai Siyao hadn't succumbed to her desires, imagine the glory Danxia Palace would have achieved today. Immortal Lord Ning, free from the injury to his sword heart, would have reached even greater heights, and Danxia Palace would surely have become the foremost of the three great sects."
"If they had reciprocated each other's feelings, it would have been a love story for the ages. A matchless genius and a peerless beauty—a perfect pair! But alas, the goddess had feelings, yet the king had no dreams."
"Bah! Stop spewing nonsense. With that demoness's twisted nature, does she deserve such a comparison?"
"In that case, doesn't it make her even more despicable? She nearly brought Danxia Palace to ruin."
"Women can never accomplish anything. Their heads are always filled with love and lust, and she even fell into demonic cultivation because of it! How disgraceful!"
This remark immediately sparked outrage among the female cultivators present. "Bai Siyao's low character is her own fault. What does that have to do with all women?" "Even if Bai Siyao has committed countless sins, she's still the leader of the demonic path. And what great achievements have you made?"
"As if men don't lose their heads over jealousy and rivalry. Haven't we seen you lot fighting over lovers just as much?"
In the midst of the quarrel, the ground suddenly shook violently.
"Not good, the barrier is about to break!"
The cultivators stopped arguing and scattered in panic.
The disciples guarding the entrance of the ruins rushed forward under the guidance of their elders, using their powers to reinforce the barrier.
But it was too late. The barrier covering the ruins trembled and then shattered with a deafening crash.
A beam of purple light shot into the sky, only to be intercepted by several figures.
As the light dispersed, the silhouette of a woman in purple was revealed.
Her graceful figure and jade-like features stood out as she floated in the air, her robes billowing around her like a celestial being descended to earth. Her demeanor was so ethereal that she seemed more fitting of her old title, the Jade Immortal, than the fearsome demoness she had become.
"Bai Siyao," a handsome young man in green robes and a bamboo crown blocked her path, "as a traitor to your sect, surrender and come back with me to Danxia Palace to face your punishment!"
Despite the fierce battle she had just endured, the female demon appeared completely at ease, the slight trace of blood on her sleeve only adding to her air of carefree elegance.
Her gaze lingered on the young man's face before the corner of her mouth curved into a smile. "So, Senior Brother Huo, you're the one leading the group today. And what of Senior Brother Ning? Doesn't he want to kill me himself?"
"I don't deserve to be called your senior brother," Huo Chongxiao, the head of Danxia Palace, said coldly. "There's no need for Senior Brother Ning to dirty his hands. Besides, he has no desire to see you."
Bai Siyao let out a light laugh, her smile mocking. "I figured he wouldn't want to see me."
Before anyone could decipher the meaning behind her words, she flicked her sleeve, and a brilliant light erupted from her body. A gleaming ancient mirror flew out, radiating golden light.
"You all keep saying that you're after this, right? Well, here it is. Come and take it if you can."
With those nonchalant words, shards of jade filled the air like falling snow, and a sudden, fierce wind swept through the crowd.