Chapter 366: Evil Story

The Three Thousand Worlds.

Zhao Xiang'er slowly awoke from her dream.

The dream had ended abruptly.

She recalled the Vermillion Bird attendant's deadly finger and the silver-glowing moon rising behind her.

It was an unnamed woman in white.

Zhao Xiang'er couldn't see her face, yet she felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and familiarity.

After that came the dream of her past and present lives with Ning Changjiu. In the dream, the woman with the golden robe and golden hair was even more beautiful than her current self, but that beauty seemed superficial, like a wondrous sight in a desolate land — meaningful, yet soulless.

Zhao Xiang'er was very curious why Ning Changjiu had liked such a version of her in his past life.

Soon, she realized: Ning Changjiu simply liked that astonishingly beautiful facade.

She believed this wasn't her baseless conjecture; the current Siming could corroborate it!

Indeed... even after thousands of years and countless changes, some people's superficial traits still persist, subtly surfacing when least expected.

Thinking this, Zhao Xiang'er slowly opened her eyes.

The Vermillion Bird's trial illusion was now far behind her, but the terror of Peacock King Ming and Jiuyu's betrayal still left her with lingering trepidation.

Her rapid heartbeat gradually steadied.

Then, she noticed that the place where the Post-Heaven Spirit should have been was empty; Jiuyu was nowhere to be found.

She was now back in her own room.

After a month of trials, the girl's already petite figure appeared even more slender. Light streamed through the windows, entwined with ethereal energy, falling upon her tight-fitting combat attire. As she propped herself up, her jade-like neck also caught the light, her icy skin and delicate bones imbued with a soft glow, revealing faint contours.

Outside the door, faint sounds could be heard – the clashing of swords.

Zhao Xiang'er stepped down from the jade couch, which gently emanated mist. Her small, snow-white feet, bare, trod upon bricks formed from condensed clouds as she walked to the doorway. She listened to the sounds from outside.

"Sister Shiyu, stop struggling. You weren't my match before, and you aren't now. Move aside. Once she wakes up, we'll have no way out."

"I won't let you touch Sister."

"Heh, you are indeed closer to her. But she only offered you a few small favors, and you're bought just like that? How ridiculous."

"I'd rather follow Sister than you!"

"Foolish girl, you don't understand at all. We are merely Mother's blades, blades she uses to kill Zhao Xiang'er! She is destined to die; even if she miraculously escapes everything else, we will be the ones to kill her."

"You wouldn't dare... Ah!"

The girl's pained cry came from outside the door.

Xue Yuan, stepping on patches of white snow, raised her sword and attacked outside the door. Shiyu knelt, supporting herself with both hands gripping her sword. Her dark hair had turned golden, as if charged with electricity, arcs of light crackling and sparking.

Shiyu struggled to her feet, blocking Xue Yuan with her sword.

Xue Yuan looked at her and sighed, "If you block me again, don't blame me for truly killing you."

Shiyu said coldly, "Haven't you always been trying to kill me? You just haven't succeeded!"

Xue Yuan condensed snow into a sword and said, "Since you think so, I won't hold back."

Behind Xue Yuan, an ice crystal snowbird with three crowns spread its wings. As the snowbird appeared, the surrounding temperature plummeted. She raised her hand, and rough snow particles condensed into an exquisite longsword. The longsword floated in the air, spinning at high speed, each swirling ice crystal like a flying blade.

A small world of ice and snow was instantly formed, trapping Shiyu. Although she also summoned her own Pre-Heaven Spirit—a bird with a long, thin beak, its feathers bristling with lightning—her cultivation realm was far inferior to Xue Yuan's. Before her electrical field could fully expand, she was confined by the wind and snow to a narrow space.

Shiyu gripped the longsword formed of lightning, but her limbs were assaulted by the cold, making it difficult to move.

"As sisters, I'll give you one last chance," Xue Yuan said, glaring at her, "Move aside!"

Shiyu gritted her teeth, her figure like a slender lightning bolt in a storm.

"I won't..." Shiyu ground out.

Xue Yuan's pupils were devoid of emotion. "Since you are so stubborn, you can die alongside your Sister Zhao."

The snow sword, as if thrown, whistled through the air.

Shiyu's pupils suddenly constricted.

As the sword reached her, the heavy snow filling the air suddenly froze.

Zhao Xiang'er had changed out of her blood-stained black combat attire. She had bathed and was now wearing a white tunic and trousers. Her outstanding figure was erect, and her unbound, jet-black hair fell straight down like a waterfall, reaching just past her hip, covering the ends of her thighs, fluttering in the cold wind and scattered snow.

As Xue Yuan's sword arrived, Zhao Xiang'er stepped in front of Shiyu, extending a single finger to stop the blade.

Zhao Xiang'er watched the sword expressionlessly, ice and snow melting in her eyes.

Xue Yuan was utterly shocked, but instead of turning to flee, she charged forward as if her life meant nothing.

Zhao Xiang'er reached out and grasped Xue Yuan's neck.

At the same time, Zhao Xiang'er's hand, which had been behind her back, also moved.

She once again caught a sword between her fingers.

It was a sword forged from lightning.

"You want to kill me too?" Zhao Xiang'er turned her head, casting a faint glance at Shiyu. Shiyu was kneeling on the ground, the hand holding the sword, which had been poised to stab Xue Yuan in the back, still trembling.

"Sister... I... Mother told us that once you woke up, we should..." Shiyu didn't know how to explain.

"Waited for me to wake up specifically?" Zhao Xiang'er looked at the sword, murmuring to herself, "Is this the Vermillion Bird's final sword strike?"

She broke the sword.

Zhao Xiang'er swung Xue Yuan to the ground, then threw the broken lightning sword into the girl's arms.

Her voice was calm. "Alright, you two can stop pretending. I'll let bygones be bygones regarding today's incident. As for your mother... in seven years, I will settle things with her myself."

Xue Yuan lay on the ground, clutching her neck with a look of fear. Shiyu, meanwhile, cradled the broken sword, staring blankly at Zhao Xiang'er's cold and beautiful profile for a long time.

Zhao Xiang'er quickly turned and left, returning to the wooden house.

She lay back on the couch, immersed in the clouds, her cold, beautiful expression softening once more. Involuntarily, she thought of many scenes from her past lives, then casually pulled the clouds over her like a blanket, burying herself within and curling up slightly.

Unobservable.

Siming pushed Ning Changjiu's wheelchair, heading back towards the Taoist temple.

"Didn't you always say you wanted to contend with my Master? Why are you like this now?" Ning Changjiu couldn't help but mock her, recalling her previous respectful demeanor.

Siming said sternly, "You are not allowed to speak ill of our Master behind her back!"

"'Our Master'?" Ning Changjiu said helplessly, "You change your tune too quickly, don't you?"

Siming looked in the direction of the Taoist temple, yearningly saying, "Anyway, you are not allowed to slander Master! Master and I regret not meeting sooner. If we had met earlier, it wouldn't be you reflected in the mirror when I peel fruit."

Ning Changjiu sighed, saying, "But wasn't your God-Lord beheaded by Master?"

Siming said earnestly, "The God-Lord was tyrannical and unjust; Master merely acted on behalf of heaven to uphold justice."

Ning Changjiu asked, "Weren't you and Yechu exiled to Broken Boundary City for seven hundred years because of Master?"

Siming sighed deeply, "This was a meticulous trial arranged by Master, intended to temper my character."

Ning Changjiu frowned, pondered for a moment, then said, "You're saying this because Master can hear you, aren't you?"

Siming's cool and resolute expression finally faltered. She bent her slender, jade-like finger and tapped Ning Changjiu's head, gritting her teeth as she said, "You know and you still ask?! Are you trying to bully me, or are you trying to betray your Master and ancestors?"

Ning Changjiu dared not voice the answer in his heart and sulkily kept quiet.

Siming pressed her red lips together and pushed the wheelchair exasperatedly.

"Oh, right," Ning Changjiu suddenly asked as they walked, "Having lived for so many years, is there anything you miss the most?"

Siming's jade-like knuckles rippled as she pushed the wheelchair. She caught on to his point, narrowed her eyes, and asked, "If we're really talking about age, aren't you older than me?"

Ning Changjiu calmly replied, "Every reincarnation is a new beginning; I am still young."

Siming silently twisted the wheelchair's handle, steering it towards the edge of the cliff.

Ning Changjiu hastily called out "Junior Sister" several times before stopping Siming's actions.

Siming let out a cold snort, then looked up at the clear sky, leisurely saying, "As long as nothing happens to you again, there's nothing else for me to worry about."

Ning Changjiu smiled, "You really have to worry about me."

"What about you?" Siming countered.

Ning Changjiu replied, "The same for me."

"Hmph, how perfunctory," Siming murmured softly. A gentle breeze happened to blow by, lifting her fine silver hair. She raised a hand to shield her hair from the disruptive wind.

The gentle breeze was pleasant, and her heart felt a little lighter. She smiled, "Don't think you can get away with such perfunctoriness. I'll ask you a few more questions, and you must answer truthfully."

Ning Changjiu smiled, "Please ask."

Siming asked, "What's your favorite color?"

Ning Changjiu replied, "White."

Siming asked, "What place do you miss the most?"

Ning Changjiu answered, "Here."

Siming's delicate brows slightly furrowed. After thinking for a moment, she asked again, "What's the cultivation technique you're most skilled at?"

Ning Changjiu immediately replied, "The Grand Codex of Yin-Yang Firmament."

Siming gasped, hearing this grand and magnificent name, and asked curiously, "Which sect's classic is this?"

"The Joyous Union Sect," Ning Changjiu answered.

Siming's chest rose and fell. She continued to ask, "Then which woman do you like the most?"

Ning Changjiu pondered, "I like the woman who likes me the most."

Siming narrowed her eyes, a hint of killing intent within them. Her black sleeve lightly covered Ning Changjiu's shoulder, and her soft red lips curved into a smile as she asked again, "Then what do you most look forward to doing with the woman you love?"

Although it should have been a very warm question, Ning Changjiu felt a chill run down his spine.

After waking up, shouldn't Xueci be gentle, considerate, and completely obedient? Like Jiajia, traveling with him through the night, boating in Lotus Field Town, shedding Master's airs and clothes completely. But Xueci... why was she so different from what he imagined?

Ning Changjiu's mind was calm, and he said from the bottom of his heart, "I want to comprehend my most skilled cultivation technique with the woman I love most, in the place I like most!"

Siming closed her eyes, her jade-like cheeks slightly puffed, her pearly teeth gently pressed together. She said, "Now that it's just the two of us, can't you speak honestly?"

Ning Changjiu sighed, "It's not the recording stone that makes me feel apprehensive... Besides, every word I've spoken comes from my heart."

"Hmph, you can't fool me!" Siming declared haughtily.

When they passed the five saplings, Siming went to water them again. This time, she didn't water Ning Changjiu's at all.

But not watering Zhao Xiang'er's and Ning Changjiu's together made them seem like a pair... This further distressed Siming, so she poured all the remaining water onto Zhao Xiang'er's tree, hoping to drown it.

Ning Changjiu said, "Hate me all you want, but the saplings are innocent."

"What do you know? This is called 'killing the tree to warn Ning'!" Siming said. "You no longer have a slave mark to control me. If you anger me in the future, I'll take care of you, Jiajia, and the rest of them all at once. So remember to choose your words and actions carefully!"

Ning Changjiu only regretted that he couldn't move his limbs at that moment.

The more Ning Changjiu suppressed his anger, the more it built up, and he finally couldn't help but say, "Even if I can't control you, isn't there still Master? I am Master's closed-door disciple, after all."

Siming's smile suddenly widened. She pushed Ning Changjiu up the steps, through the first door, and then, right in front of him, slowly closed the door, saying, "Now, your last bit of value is gone too."

Ning Changjiu leaned back in his chair, feeling utterly dejected.

Siming's red lips curved upwards, her slightly bent eyes holding a faint, elusive smile.

When they reached the entrance of the divine hall, Siming gently bent down and whispered into his ear, a hint of concern in her voice, "Do you want me to accompany you inside?"

Ning Changjiu also lowered his voice, saying, "No need. I must protect you; I can't let you directly face your inner demons."

Siming, however, immediately 'sold him out'. She cleared her throat twice and said, "You are not allowed to speak of our Master that way. Master is an immortal; you are the demon!"

Just as Ning Changjiu was about to speak, Ye Changong's voice drifted out from within the divine hall.

"Stop fooling around. Xueci, push your senior brother in and wait outside."

Siming bowed gently.

The grand doors of the divine hall slowly closed. Ning Changjiu, turning the wheels of his chair himself, arrived alone before a white veil, which glowed with golden shadows and the red of candlelight.

He gazed at the silhouette outlined on the white veil. Even now, he still felt an unreal sense, as if falling into a dream.

Ning Changjiu was about to express his gratitude for Master's great kindness in saving both him and Siming, when he heard Ye Changong's slightly weary voice drift out, "Just tell me the story of evil."

"Yes, Master," Ning Changjiu said, swallowing the words he had prepared.

He slowly unsealed the memories in his mind, gradually retrieving the story that had been sealed within his recollection.

Ning Changjiu began to recount this brief, absurd story:

Long, long ago, there was a place called Cili Platform, a cliff at the end of the world. The stones along the cliff curved outwards one by one, like the teeth of a beast or the eyelashes of a young girl.

Beneath Cili Platform lay a country called the Land of Eternal Night.

As its name suggested, the Land of Eternal Night was shrouded in darkness year-round. Its people had never seen light and could only live in shadows. Their lifespans were all very short; even the healthiest young adults lived for a maximum of ten years.

At that time, there was a legend in the Land of Eternal Night: a Demon King resided above Cili Platform, hoarding all light for himself. Only by defeating this Demon King could everyone live happily in this land.

But the Demon King was immensely powerful.

Cili Cliff was like a colossal eye reaching to the heavens, watching over them on behalf of the Demon King, constantly testing their loyalty.

After careful consideration, the young king was still unwilling for himself and his subjects to live forever in darkness. He had heard legends of light on the other shore and believed the Land of Eternal Night was a cursed place. He began to gather warriors, seeking a way to defeat the Demon King, promising all the kingdom's wealth and his own daughter as rewards.

With such generous rewards, a brave man appeared.

A young man came to the royal palace, met with His Majesty the King, and honestly explained his identity: he was a stranger from afar, shipwrecked and washed ashore here. He had seen light on the other shore and knew how to obtain it.

The King was overjoyed and had him meet his daughter. The King's daughter was very beautiful; she had a pair of clear, captivating eyes and a graceful, noble figure. However, her hair was grayish-white, looking like withered grass.

The young man paid no mind to her hair. He only looked into the King's daughter's eyes and vowed, "I will surely light up these most precious gems with light. Will Your Highness accompany me on a journey to find the light?"

The Princess, having long resided in the deep palace and finding it dull, gladly accepted the young warrior's invitation.

The young man and the Princess set off. He took the sword and armor presented to him by the King and boarded the colossal boat specially built for him by the King.

The young man sailed the colossal boat, traversing fierce winds and waves, until he reached a valley floor surrounded by a deep sea.

"There's actually a hidden wonder here," the Princess exclaimed, her cheeks even paler after several days of bumpy travel, as she gazed at the cave beneath the deep sea.

The young man said, "This is the Sea of Hope. The bottom of this cave is the deepest part of the ocean."

The Princess asked curiously, "What is hidden in that cave?"

The young man replied, "At the deepest part of the Sea of Hope, hope is naturally what is buried."

The young man fetched six ropes, tied them together, hung them from the wall, and let them drop into the sea. He and the Princess climbed down the ropes.

They reached the bottom of the deep sea. The Princess said, "I can't see anything at all."

The young man smiled and said it was alright, then handed her an axe, telling her to chop at the darkness.

The Princess did as he said.

She chopped them down and, together with the young warrior, carried them onto the boat.

On the boat, the young man, despite being clad in armor and carrying a precious sword, was still covered in blood and scars. The Princess, however, was completely unharmed; on the contrary, her dress was spotless, and the tips of her grayish-white hair had even darkened slightly.

"What exactly is this?" the Princess asked angrily, looking at the wood in her arms. "You brought me to such a dangerous place just to chop some firewood to take back? Darkness covers not just a room, but an entire nation. What good will this firewood do?"

The young man ignored his injuries. He smiled and explained, "This is no ordinary wood; this is painting wood."

"Painting wood?" The Princess grew even more curious.

The young man said, "They can be used as brushes. When people hold them, they can paint colors."

"Colors? What are those?" The Princess was very confused.

In her world, she had never encountered the concept of colors. The City of Eternal Night was composed of black: alternating deep and light blacks in the sky, varying shades of black from stones to the throne, or the thin black on the surface of the sea, contrasting with the frighteningly dense black of the seabed earlier.

She couldn't even use the word 'black' to describe all this, because that too fell within the realm of colors, but her world lacked the concept of color.

The young man said, "Colors are light. That is the devil's exclusive secret. It doesn't want us to discover them, because with them, we can illuminate the entire world."

The Princess didn't understand. She said, "But in ancient epics, it is the sun that illuminates the world, not these 'colors' you speak of."

The young man said, "Colors can restore the world's true form. Once the world takes on its true appearance, people will gain unprecedented power. At that time, we can drive away the Demon King and summon the sun. When I return, I will distribute the painting wood to all brave people, and then the Land of Eternal Night will be renamed the Land of Seven Colors."

The Princess pursed her lips and said, "I am a noble princess, yet I've accompanied you for so long. If you dare to deceive me, I will have my father flay you alive."

"I've already experienced the taste of being flayed alive," the young man said, not at all angered. He smiled, "Moreover, I cannot deceive such clear and beautiful eyes. When light reappears, I will invite you to witness the birth of the new kingdom together."

The Princess was half-believing, half-doubting.

The two returned to the kingdom.

The King saw the pile of wood. He was also very angry and asked, "Is this what you traveled thousands of miles to bring back?"

The young man smiled, "Your Majesty, please calm your impatience. I will demonstrate its marvelous use for you."

With that, the young man drew his treasured sword, shaved off a small piece of wood, and then ignited it with fire.

The firelight could not illuminate the world; it only made light black closer to void, and deep black closer to pure black.

After the wood was set ablaze, a miracle occurred.

It was a flame with colors.

The entire grand hall fell silent.

The King had never seen such a thing. He stared at the flame, trembling as he asked, "This... what exactly is this?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this is color, the most precious thing in the world, and what the Demon King fears," the young man said with a smile. "Now, I will show Your Majesty its magic."

With that, the young man brought the matchstick-like burning wood close to the Princess's face and said, "My beloved Princess, I shall paint the first stroke of color upon you."

The Princess looked at his sincere gaze and trustingly closed her eyes.

The young man brought the flame-flickering wood closer.

A miracle happened. The King could not believe what he saw: he watched wide-eyed as his daughter transformed completely—her cheeks became a pure, gentle color, while her pupils resembled deepened darkness. The color of her dress evoked an inexplicable warmth, and the color of her scarf brought an inexplicable chill.

These were things that had never appeared in their entire world before.

The young man told the King their names: "White, black, red, blue."

As he spoke these names, it was as if he were proclaiming the most solemn imperial decree.

The young man continued painting, telling the King their names: "This is green, this is yellow, this is azure."

By the time the wood in his hand had burned away, the Princess had been adorned with a rich array of colors.

This was a beauty almost demonic.

At that moment, she appeared incredibly dazzling in the grand hall.

Everyone was captivated by the Princess's beauty. On this day, they finally found what they had lost. The so-called light was, in fact, such a vibrant and captivating presence. They rejoiced at the Princess's beauty.

"This is the primordial, true beauty," the young man said with a smile. "Princess, please remember, it will bring you good fortune for thousands of years to come."

"Thousands of years?" The Princess was somewhat surprised. At that moment, she couldn't comprehend a timescale longer than ten years, because, as the saying went, life was but ten years long.

The young man said, "Colors have appeared, and the curse has been broken. From now on, time can no longer imprison us. We have flown out of our cage and can enjoy long stretches of time."

The Princess believed his words and, overjoyed, wanted to kiss him.

The young man, however, politely declined. He said, "I currently have no color, and thus cannot embrace Your Highness, who possesses true beauty. I ask Your Royal Highness to ignite the painting wood and add your favorite colors to me."

The Princess carefully agreed.

Following her own ideas, she painted him with white skin, black hair, and a dazzling golden robe.

He became the second person in the kingdom to receive colors.

The Princess was overjoyed and wanted to distribute the painting wood so that everyone could add colors to the world together.

The young man, however, stopped her, saying, "Colors are sacred. They cannot be placed in the wrong spots. Flowers have their colors, and leaves have theirs. If placed incorrectly, we will not be able to embrace the true world."

The Princess asked, "Then what should we do?"

The young man said, "I will compose the colors of all things. Then, everyone can follow it to bring light to our world."

This was the last day of the Land of No Colors, and the first day of the Land of Seven Colors.