Chapter 56 Original Work

Chapter 56 Original

The main hall of the Demon Palace.

Lin Xun sat on the main seat, with Jun Xueyi beside her.

Chu Ji couldn't be bothered to come, so she brought Jun Xueyi along. The matter had to be resolved, and if she wanted to cut someone down, it would have to wait until after things were settled.

She looked at the immortal sect members and declared, "Jun Xueyi is right here. If you have any questions, ask now. If you cause trouble at my Demon Palace again, your lives will no longer be your own."

As soon as these words were spoken, the thousand-plus people fell silent as if struck mute.

What questions could there be?

Who dared to have questions?

Who could possibly have questions?

Everyone shut their mouths and looked toward the one who should speak—the Qingfeng Sect Leader.

Ultimately, this matter was all the fault of the Clear Wind Sect. They had made it sound so serious, portraying the demon clan's Young Master as utterly wicked, but now it seemed it was a case of mutual affection.

Many felt a belated fear.

Fortunately, today it was Immortal Venerable Lin Xun who emerged from seclusion, not the Demon Lord.

Otherwise, with their uninvited visit, the peace between immortals and demons would have been shattered, and they might have died unjustly on demon territory.

Some looked at the Clear Wind Sect members in terror.

They couldn't help but suspect this was a plot by the Clear Wind Sect. Rumors had circulated before that the Clear Wind Sect's head disciple and the demon clan's Little Demon Lord were cultivation partners. This move was too ruthless. If not for Immortal Venerable Lin Xun coming out of seclusion, they would have perished here today.

The disciples and elders of the Clear Wind Sect felt as if they were sitting on needles. They wanted to explain but had no idea how. After all, they were the ones who started the trouble.

Not daring to blame Jun Xueyi, they could only direct their resentment toward the one who initially stirred things up.

It was all Lang Yue's fault.

Lang Yue said Jun Xueyi had been captured.

Lang Yue said Jun Xueyi's soul would be exploited.

It was also Lang Yue who gathered so many people under the name of the Clear Wind Sect, without their knowledge.

Lang Yue was a mediocre disciple, and no one knew why he had the sect leader's trust.

Some disciples looked around for him but didn't see Lang Yue in the hall.

-

Lang Yue was still in Chu Ji's courtyard, sitting across from him. "How is he alive?" he asked.

Chu Ji bit into a banana, eyeing Lang Yue's composed demeanor. He raised an eyebrow. "What are you?"

Not an insult, just a direct question.

Lang Yue clearly understood. He picked up a banana, took a bite like Chu Ji, and said, "What if I told you I am you?"

Chu Ji stared at Lang Yue, scrutinized him seriously for a moment, then relaxed into his chair and continued eating his banana.

Lang Yue kept his eyes fixed on Chu Ji. "You don't believe me?"

Chu Ji: "Even in death, I wouldn't be you."

He stretched his legs and propped them on a nearby chair. "You care about Jun Xueyi because if Jun Xueyi ascends to godhood, he can take one person with him, right?"

He had figured it out back in the three-layer tower. Otherwise, why could the trials be taken by two people but not three or four? Essentially, this setup was designed for the protagonist's convenience. For the protagonist to ascend, half the world's population would have to die. Perhaps to prevent the protagonist from backing out, a secondary godhood status was provided.

Unfortunately, Jun Xueyi didn't cooperate. Even with this opportunity, Jun Xueyi didn't absorb the cultivation fortune of those people. Even when the ancient secret realm opened, Jun Xueyi only reached the level of a Quasi-Demigod.

Chu Ji learned all this after waking up.

Because at the time, Jun Xueyi had the highest cultivation. Jun Xueyi's sacrifice was equivalent to transferring the cultivation fortune of the highest cultivator to him. His cultivation was that of a Demigod, not a Quasi-Demigod.

He also glimpsed the heavenly secrets originally intended for the protagonist.

If he wished, he could now absorb the cultivation fortune of others. Without cultivation fortune, those with high cultivation in the cultivation world would have long turned to dust, following the lifespan of ordinary people.

Belatedly, he realized Jun Xueyi had planned this from the very beginning.

Chu Ji tsk'ed. But since Jun Xueyi wasn't here, he didn't lose his temper. Instead, he smiled at Lang Yue. "You want to be the one he takes with him when he ascends, right?"

They shared the same master, had grown up together since childhood.

But Jun Xueyi used to be unlike a living person, detesting everything. Even recalling how Jun Xueyi was when they first met made Chu Ji grit his teeth in frustration.

He dared say that if he hadn't killed Jun Xueyi, this person would still be as terrible as before.

"You can't be me," Chu Ji said, looking at Lang Yue. "I would never beg for a god's position in such a way."

He preferred a fight to the death.

After finding the Divine Essence, he never considered persuading the Three-eyed Auspicious Beast, clearing his name, or using the beast to deal with Jun Xueyi. From start to finish, all he wanted was to destroy.

Lang Yue replied calmly, "What if I am you after you died?"

Chu Ji paused.

Lang Yue gazed at Chu Ji's breathtakingly beautiful face and said, "Watching your parents die after Jun Xueyi drained their fortune, seeing him always a step ahead no matter what. You gave your all to grow, shouldered the entire demon clan, did everything perfectly, yet still came up short—always just a little behind. In the end, Jun Xueyi killed you with one sword strike. Can you accept that?"

"At first, you only wanted a Duzun Herb. You got there first, were about to pick it, when Jun Xueyi appeared and took it from you. You were just resentful. He stole your Duzun Herb, so you opposed him. You didn't lack those things, right? If Jun Xueyi had backed down and apologized back then, you wouldn't have cared about him at all. When did you start wanting to kill him?"

Lang Yue grew more agitated as he spoke. "Was it the night he kissed you while not in his right mind? He wronged you, but no one else knew, no one remembered. The next day, he showed up with a woman, inseparable for seven days. That's when you decided to kill him. At first, you were just resentful. You called the Demon Guard, but the immortal sects accused you of deliberately stirring conflict between the two races. Before you could kill him, he took their cultivation fortune and caused your parents' deaths. You hated him, but no matter how much you hated, you couldn't save your parents. And then he killed you."

Chu Ji clenched his sword hilt as he listened—the sword Jun Xueyi had repaired for him during their days at the Clear Wind Sect.

By the time Lang Yue finished, the banana in Chu Ji's hand fell to the ground.

He only knew he and Jun Xueyi were mortal enemies. How could they have kissed?

The Little Demon Lord was completely confused.

That wasn't what the text said.

He and Jun Xueyi were mortal enemies.

Mortal enemies!

Did Lang Yue even know what a protagonist and antagonist were?

He's the villain!

Now that the plot has deviated, he doesn't think anything of it when he kisses Jun Xueyi, but in the original work, why did Jun Xueyi kiss him?

Lang Yue looked at Chu Ji's expression and burst out laughing. "You don't know?"

How could he not know yet still recognize Jun Xueyi in advance? How could he not know and still foresee the future? The first time he saw Chu Ji at the Clear Wind Sect, he detected the Water Essence within Chu Ji.

A treasure that should have been obtained by Jun Xueyi years later was inside Chu Ji instead.

He'd immediately concluded that Chu Ji was different.

But now he realized with shock Chu Ji didn't know.

He didn't know!

Chu Ji: "......"

He grabbed another banana, took a bite to compose himself, but still couldn't help asking, "Are you saying he kissed me?"

"What's his problem? Why would he kiss me?"

Weren't they villain and protagonist back then?

Is that the kind of relationship where you can just kiss?

Lang Yue clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palm, forcing a smile. "Not only did he kiss you, but he also went and found someone else afterward."

Chu Ji instinctively replied, "He wouldn't. Jun Xueyi doesn't have the capacity for that."

Honestly, it wasn't an insult—the original Jun Xueyi really didn't have the capacity for romance.

The protagonist, cold and unfeeling.

He looked at Lang Yue and couldn't help asking, "Then what?"

Lang Yue was confused. Given Chu Ji's personality, if he really knew nothing, why was he so calm now? Shouldn't he be furious, demanding I prove it, and then killing Jun Xueyi?

If Chu Ji killed Jun Xueyi, he could then tell Chu Ji the truth, and Chu Ji would spend the rest of his life in regret. That's how it should be.

He only benefits when these two are at odds.

"Don't you hate him?" Lang Yue asked.

Chu Ji blinked. "Yeah. So?"

Lang Yue snapped. "Shouldn't you hate him enough to kill him?"

Chu Ji stated the facts. "I already tried killing him."

Lang Yue: "But he didn't die."

Chu Ji: "He got lucky."

Lang Yue pushed further: "So just because he's lucky, you won't kill him? Chu Ji, since when have you become such a softie?"

Chu Ji: "......"

Stumped, he wondered, should he not kill someone just because they're lucky?

He glanced at Lang Yue and mumbled, "He's handsome."

Lang Yue widened his eyes: "......"

What's that got to do with anything?

Chu Ji grew impatient. "Enough. You claim to be me, but how are you like me?"

Lang Yue was at a loss for words for a long time.

After a long moment, he finally said, "Someone who was betrayed and killed—why would they, getting a second chance, still act like their old self?"

Chu Ji had an answer to that. He said, "'Cause I'm good-looking."

Why wouldn't he want to be like himself when he's good-looking?

He was pretty damn satisfied with his appearance.

Lang Yue finally understood why Chu Ji was unfazed—he still didn't know this person well enough. Just like he didn't understand why, that night when Jun Xueyi was out of his mind, Chu Ji had the chance to kill him but only gave him a kicking, stomped on his face a couple times, and then left...

The face...

Jun Xueyi's face was exposed that night.

He stared at him in disbelief. A question that had haunted him for two lifetimes now had an answer.

Because of Jun Xueyi's face, Chu Ji was angry that night but didn't kill him.

It was actually because of that.

Just because of that.

He exploded in rage, overturning everything on the table. "You and Jun Xueyi are the same—both useless mud that won't stick to the wall, both worthless!!!"

Both useless.

Two worthless failures.

One passed up the chance to kill because of a face.

The other threw away the chance to become a god because of love.

Chu Ji coolly observed Lang Yue. "Have you forgotten? Jun Xueyi can't be killed."

Lang Yue went rigid.

He hadn't forgotten. That's why he chose Jun Xueyi when he got this second chance.

Chu Ji glanced at the fruit scattered on the ground. "What exactly are you?"

He can't kill Lang Yue.

Lang Yue claims only Jun Xueyi can kill him.

Is it because Jun Xueyi is the protagonist?

Is that really why?

Lang Yue suddenly started laughing. "Turns out, I'm your brother."

He laughed until tears streamed down his face, "The moment I was born, my parents offered me up as a sacrifice for your birth—you, the Little Demon Lord, the one the demon blood chose."

The Little Demon Lord stood up, his face expressionless as he watched Lang Yue.

"Impossible."

If he truly had an older brother, his parents could never have done something like that.

Lang Yue looked at the Little Demon Lord with madness in his eyes, "Otherwise, how do you think I possess their demonic energy and sword aura? Because I was born unsightly, because I was a failed demon. The demon blood chose them, but it wanted wasn't them—it was all because of you."

The Little Demon Lord watched coldly.

He didn’t believe it, but the demonic energy radiating from Lang Yue grew stronger, identical to his father’s. On the day he tried to kill Lang Yue, the defensive sword energy that protected him was exactly like his mother’s.

But his parents would never abandon their own child.

Lang Yue backed away several steps, laughing hysterically, "So I must become a god. I will trample over them and show them—I am not the one who was discarded."

The Little Demon Lord watched as Lang Yue fled outside, uncertain for a moment, he didn't command the Demon Guard to stop him.

Earlier, he had deliberately instructed the Demon Guard to detain Lang Yue; it took considerable effort to keep him trapped.

It had to be said, Lang Yue’s escape methods were inexhaustible.

Rubbing his temples, he sensed his father approaching and suddenly realized—Lang Yue’s earlier explanation could have simply been an attempt to make him spare his life.

Would he even go so far as to claim to be his brother just to survive?