Meanwhile, on the other side, Yan Jue had also fallen into a valley.
Sitting amidst a field of flowers, she silently recited a calming mantra, feeling her demon core circulate fiercely within her qi center, gradually restoring her energy. Her form shifted from that of a small fox back into her human shape.
Looking around, Yan Jue was momentarily bewildered. Although it was the middle of a bitterly cold winter, the valley was lush with green grass and warm as spring.
Then, she noticed something, and her pupils tightened abruptly.
At the other end of the flower field stood Qi Xianqing, watching her from afar.
A soft, ethereal song floated through the valley, its melody light as a breeze, wrapping around her like tiny, gentle hooks. The atmosphere felt like a realm of dreams.
Next to Yan Jue, a girl who looked identical to her whispered into her ear.
"Look at her; she's watching you over there. See it? She's thinking about how to kill you."
The inner demon chuckled softly, covering her mouth. "Even though you two have expressed your feelings for each other, she still doubts you."
Yan Jue met Qi Xianqing's gaze. It was colder than she had seen in a long time—icy and distant, an expression that had once been typical for Qi Xianqing.
Yan Jue felt a shiver down her spine. It had been so long since she'd seen that cold look from Qi Xianqing, but now those dark, intense eyes sent an involuntary chill through her.
"She wants to kill you."
"Have you forgotten, Lord Mengheng? She despises demons more than anything. No matter what you do, she won't stop doubting you."
Qi Xianqing raised her head, staring at the figure on the other side of the flower field.
A voice echoed in her mind.
Kill her... kill her...
Beside her, her own inner demon wore a face as cold as frost but smiled faintly.
Qi Xianqing's hand tightened around her sword, Zhu Ying, as she stared at the person before her.
Her foot lightly pressed on the sea of flowers as she slowly walked toward Yan Jue.
Seeing the look in Qi Xianqing's eyes, the sight of her enchanted sword Zhu Ying, Yan Jue felt a deep-seated fear.
Since she had entered this world, she had lived in this quiet terror—so much that, despite all they'd gone through, despite her shared feelings with Qi Xianqing, this fear had never fully disappeared.
This fear was her inner demon.
Especially now, seeing Qi Xianqing standing right before her with that unreadable expression.
Yan Jue couldn't tell if she was real or just another illusion conjured by the valley's mirage.
Dying in an illusion probably wouldn't hurt much.
Qi Xianqing knew, deep down, that this was the work of her own inner demon.
When trapped in a mirage, it was all too easy to be overwhelmed by illusions.
All she needed to do was kill Yan Jue—the illusion in front of her—and she could escape.
In a heartbeat, Qi Xianqing was standing right in front of Yan Jue.
An icy glint flickered in her eyes as she slowly drew Zhu Ying. Her voice was calm as she asked, "Must the person before me die?"
Though the Yan Jue in this mirage appeared real, especially those amber, tear-filled eyes watching her with a mix of fear and sorrow.
