My Husband’s Ascension C35
Chapter 35 Adrift
Li Feng had heard whispers before regarding the Successor of the Demon Realm.
All in the Cultivation Realm knew that the Demon Realm was filled with countless strange customs and peculiar practices. Unlike the mortal world, which relied on bloodline inheritance, or the Cultivation Realm, which relied on strength and merit, the Demon Realm chose its Successor, the next Demon Lord, by a most extraordinary method.
Upon the death of the reigning Demon Lord, the demons would conduct a grand ritual, searching the Demon Realm for the reincarnation of the departed lord.
Infants born at the moment of the Demon Lord’s death would be brought to the Palace of Eternal Night (大夜弥天宫). There, before the Demon Lord’s divine artifact, they would drip their blood in recognition of their master. Whoever gained the artifact’s acknowledgment would become the next Demon Lord.
In a sense, the search was not strictly for a reincarnated Demon Lord, but for a bloodline strong enough to earn the divine artifact’s recognition.
Once acknowledged, the infant was assuredly the heir of the Demon Realm.
The infant’s parents, meanwhile, would be cast into raging flames at the moment of the Successor’s birth, to prevent any future attempt to manipulate the Demon Realm in the child’s name.
Though the Cultivation Realm had long criticized this succession ritual, the Demon Realm had followed it for millennia, and outsiders could not alter it.
Yet in this generation, war had broken out between the Demon Realm and the Cultivation Realm. Dao Lord Tianshu was but one step from striking into the Palace of Eternal Night. In the ensuing chaos, even the Successor vanished.
As the Successor’s longevity lantern* had not extinguished, the Demon Realm could not select a new heir, and could only search with all their might.
(TLN: A ‘长命灯’, or ‘Longevity Lantern’, functions like a life lamp that reflects whether a person is alive; if the flame weakens or goes out, it signals danger or death.)
That search had lasted three years.
“…I heard the Demon Realm still believes that during the war back then, Kunwu took advantage of the chaos to steal the Successor. In my opinion, Kunwu was wrongly accused. They had lost even their own Dao Lord in the aftermath of that battle, how could they possibly have had the leisure to snatch someone else’s child?” Li Feng scraped the last remnants of porridge from his bowl and handed it to Dao Lord Tianshu. “Another helping!”
Xiao Bai, seeing the icy sharpness in Dao Lord Tianshu’s gaze, feared the situation might spiral out of control and hastily took the bowl to refill it.
Li Feng had no idea that the very subjects of his gossip were present at their sect. He continued musing aloud, “Come to think of it, their Successor must be two hundred years old by now.”
“Two hundred years—!?” Zhao Zhao’s sudden exclamation drew the attention of everyone at the table.
Xiao Bai explained with a smile, “Indeed. Demons differ from humans; their growth is tied to cultivation and innate talent. The Successor, having earned recognition from the demon artifact, may appear no older than five or six, even at one or two hundred years.”
Zhao Zhao was utterly gobsmacked.
She had treated Rong Yu as a child, yet this Demon Realm Successor could practically be her ancestor by age!
“Something the matter?” Dao Lord Tianshu’s gaze sharpened perceptively. “You seem…quite interested in this Successor of the Demon Realm.”
“…No,” Zhao Zhao steadied her racing heart and replied, “it’s just that Jimo Sea lies close to the Demon and Ghost Realms. I’m a little worried, that’s all.”
The young woman lowered her gaze slightly, her delicate brows knitting as if truly unsettled by the thought.
Dao Lord Tianshu suddenly recalled how fearful she had been of these non-human entities. On summer nights in Yunmeng Pier, young men and women would gather by the bonfire to sing, dance, and trade idle tales. In those days, she had not yet wed him, and whenever listening to ghost stories, she would quietly inch closer to his side.
He opened his mouth in comfort, “If Miss Immortal is truly concerned—”
“But Kunwu should reinforce the border guards, right?” The young woman, deep in thought, suddenly spoke up. Her voice held no trace of fear; instead, it was rational, strategizing a course of action. “No, that’s still not enough. Last time, those evil demons nearly surged onto Beaconlight Mountain, and we were completely unaware. Relying on others is no substitute for relying on oneself. We must devise our own measures…”
“Isn’t the solution right in front of you?” Li Feng, having finished another bowl, leaned back with his hands clasped behind his head and legs crossed. “Didn’t Kunwu say to put the Zhongli Clan under your care? Just have the Zhongli cultivators guard Beaconlight Mountain. They may be poor, but which sword cultivator isn’t? Skill in combat is what truly matters.”
Zhao Zhao’s expression grew somewhat troubled.
The Zhongli Clan was hers in name, yet whether she could truly command them was another matter entirely.
A family so vast and intricate, one misstep, and it might very well swallow their Cloudculm Abode whole.
Yet despite the great risk in taking over the Zhongli Clan, the rewards were visibly tempting.
From top to bottom, every member of the Zhongli Clan was a promising cultivator. The Tushan Clan had spent years scheming, all to integrate the Zhongli Clan and strengthen their own forces.
Zhao Zhao was, in the end, merely nineteen. After a moment’s hesitation, she looked up at Xiao Bai and said, “After we finish eating, remember to change your appearance and come find me, just like last time. Understood?”
Xiao Bai nodded knowingly.
Dao Lord Tianshu watched Zhao Zhao until her silhouette disappeared; meal box in hand, she had already gone back to her room. Only after Li Feng had eaten his fill and departed did he inquire, “What did she mean by ‘last time’?”
Xiao Bai smiled faintly. “That is a secret between Master and me—Dao Lord, mercy! I’ll spill!”
Just as the blade of spiritual ice formed in Dao Lord Tianshu’s palm near the space between Xiao Bai’s brows, the ever-pliant arctic fox confessed every last detail without reserve.
…
Zhao Zhao remained unaware that she had been betrayed.
Carrying breakfast for three, she returned to her room. Yao Ling, having finished a round of cultivation, had just washed her face and bounded toward her with sparkling eyes.
“Master, Master! I’ve just begun practicing the second formset of the sword manual today and instantly broke through the third realm of First Comprehension! Master, tell me, am I not more talented than that Zhongli Shun?”
Zhao Zhao smoothed the damp strands of hair at her temples. “Why must you compare yourself with A’Shun?”
“He wants to steal my senior disciple position. I will never yield to him! I am Master’s first disciple, the Senior Sister of Cloudculm Abode!”
The young girl puffed up like a proud little rooster. The more Zhao Zhao looked at her, the more endearing she found her, so she reached out to pat her head.
“Then Senior Sister, make sure you eat plenty today.”
At the sound of ‘Senior Sister’, Yao Ling’s tail practically curled to the heavens. When Rong Yu slowly emerged from the inner room, she shook her head at him with open disdain.
“A’Yu, if you don’t become diligent, you really will fall from Senior Brother to a Junior Brother.”
Rong Yu blinked blankly. “Is being a Junior Brother not good? If I become a Junior Brother, will you stop playing with me?”
Yao Ling faltered, her voice weakening a little. “Well… no, not really.”
Rong Yu settled beside her, offering a soft, tender smile. “As long as you’re willing to play with me, I can be anything.”
“……”
Zhao Zhao’s heart grew unusually complex as she watched the scene unfold.
Who could have imagined that such a sweet‑talking, easily bullied little dumpling was already two hundred years old?
Though the Demon Realm’s age could not be directly compared with the human world, two hundred years was still two hundred years.
She stuffed a few pastries into her mouth, chewing absently. The flavor was, once again, familiar and delicious, and she could not help taking a few more bites before rising.
“Master must step out for a while. A’Yu, you and Ling Ling stay here on the mountain and cultivate in peace. Make sure to take good care of Ling Ling.”
Yao Ling’s eyes widened. “Master! Why am I being taken care of by him? Before, you always had me look after him!”
Rong Yu was so weak, it was humiliating to have him look after her!
Zhao Zhao patted her shoulder and looked at Rong Yu’s bewildered face, hesitating before speaking, “In any case, it’s never wrong to follow Master’s instructions.”
Two hundred years old and still being tended by a true five‑year‑old girl—there was no logic in the world for this.
Closing the courtyard gate, Zhao Zhao glimpsed a figure among the peach blossoms.
A silver‑haired youth in white stood in the midst of the blooms. A branch, angled diagonally, blocked his path. He lifted a hand clad in black leather to move it aside. Like polished jade, his gaze fell, and his dignified, handsome bearing carried him toward her.
It had been a long time since Zhao Zhao had seen that face. She froze in place, staring, until she convinced herself that this was not Dao Lord Tianshu himself, but Xiao Bai, using Tushan’s charm techniques to take his appearance.
When Xiao Bai had first arrived, Zhao Zhao had indeed had him take this form once before.
The last time, it had been so that when contacting Uncle and Auntie of Yunmeng Pier, they could see that she and ‘Xie Lanshu’ were faring well in the cultivation world, and would not worry.
This time, though it was not for casual conversation, Zhao Zhao still intended for Xiao Bai to stay nearby, so that whenever questions arose, she would not have to explain that Xie Lanshu was too busy to be present.
“You…” Stepping closer, Zhao Zhao measured him from head to toe. “Your technique seems to have improved again. I can’t say exactly how, but it certainly looks more convincing than last time, except for the hair.”
“Is that so?” He offered a gentle smile. “Then it will be even harder to arouse suspicion from your Uncle and Auntie, won’t it?”
Indeed, it was true.
Zhao Zhao let her gaze linger on him for a moment, inwardly admiring the subtle skill of the Tushan Clan’s charm techniques.
They found a stone in the woods and sat side by side. After activating the Yearning Mirror, the scene of the Xie Residence in Yunmeng Pier gradually appeared.
“It’s our Young Lady! Young Lady has contacted us from the Immortal Mountains again!”
“Make haste and call for Master and Madam! Be quick, Young Lady is busy on the Immortal Mountain, don’t waste time!”
“It’s been several months since we last saw Young Lady. Young Lady and Young Master have both grown so thin. Even immortals need to eat.”
Though Zhao Zhao contacted Yunmeng Pier every month, the Yearning Mirror was still a rare and wondrous thing to ordinary mortals, no matter how often they saw it.
Before long, the Xie Residence members had once again gathered before the mirror.
Dao Lord Tianshu watched in silence, observing each familiar face.
There was the Xie Residence steward. When he had left, the steward’s granddaughter had just been born, and he had gleefully distributed red eggs to every member of the residence.
There was the servant who had once followed him, now seemingly assisting the steward, waving vigorously at Dao Lord Tianshu in the mirror and shouting, “Young Master, rest assured! I’ve been cleaning your and Young Lady’s chamber every day! There is not a speck of dust!”
There was the gardener who had once tended flowers for him, the cook who had taught him to prepare dishes…
The Xie Residence was not small, yet only now, seeing them with his own eyes, did he realize that he remembered every single person, every single event, with perfect clarity.
When the Master and Madam of the Xie family arrived and saw Zhao Zhao and Dao Lord Tianshu, their first words were, “Have you thought over the situation regarding the children we spoke of before?”
Dao Lord Tianshu, sitting quietly beside her, cast a glance at Zhao Zhao.
She had almost forgotten this matter. The Xie Couple took her cultivation as a matter of course, yet they were remarkably fixated on the issue of having children.
Even when Zhao Zhao explained that mortals bear children to continue their lineage, while immortals, living long lives, have no need to, they would always respond, “The longer you live, the better! Mortals are extraordinary if they bear seven or eight children at most. As an immortal, you could bear children your whole life!”
Hearing this, Zhao Zhao nearly fainted.
“…Let us not speak of that matter right now.” Zhao Zhao, unwilling to broach the topic of bearing children for a lifetime, quickly recounted the matters of the Zhongli Clan and Cloudculm Abode.
The Xie Couple were merely mortals, yet they had climbed from humble landowners to the wealthiest household in the region. While they might know little of cultivation, when it came to business and family affairs, they were far more competent than the cultivators.
“I see,” Auntie remarked after a moment’s reflection, offering her thoughts.
Zhao Zhao diligently took out a small notebook, recording each point.
“That Zhongli Clan…for you, an outsider, to manage them is indeed no small feat. To hastily absorb them into your sect could risk draining your resources instead.”
Her Uncle added, “Yet such a providential opportunity must not be wasted. In the early days of establishing your foundation, merging with a clan of this caliber will greatly strengthen your power. You must not abandon such an opportunity out of fear. I remember in my time, with your father—”
Auntie interrupted his long discourse, “From what you said just now, you still have considerable wealth, and your master’s alchemical pills are invaluable. Why not reclaim the lands the Zhongli Clan once sold, cultivate spiritual herbs or the like? This would be a substantial source of income, and reclaiming their lands would also win you greater favor among the people.”
“But Zhao Zhao, you must never spend your money recklessly for other’s sake.” Uncle’s face was grave as he warned her, “The old fogies of great families, when they see you have wealth, may well take it to support their own people and then exclude you. You need to cultivate your own confidants. You cannot pay whatever they ask; every penny must bring back benefits commensurate with its value.”
Zhao Zhao nodded firmly, committing every word to memory.
With the demons searching everywhere for their Successor, she could not rely solely on Kunwu in times of peril.
The demons were numerous; her sect must have a sufficient number of capable people to stand against them.
Though the Zhongli Clan bore myriad ties to Dao Lord Tianshu, for Rong Yu’s safety, she had no choice but to take on this hot potato of a responsibility.
Her Auntie, seeing her attentiveness, covered a smile with her hand, “When you were at home, you never had patience to learn such things. Now that you are cultivating as an immortal, why do you suddenly wish to learn them? These matters, Lanshu excels at. Why not leave them to him?”
Zhao Zhao paused mid-stroke.
Before the person beside her could respond, she looked up and smiled, “He has his own responsibilities as well.”
“You didn’t used to say that,” Uncle teased with a gentle laugh. “You used to claim that with Lanshu there, you needn’t learn anything. As long as he knew it, you only needed to learn how to spend wisely. No matter how your Auntie and I advised, you would not listen.”
Dao Lord’s long lashes twitched as his half-lidded eyes concealed a depth of somber emotion.
Zhao Zhao, momentarily lost in thought, remained silent.
In retrospect, those words, and the scene in which they were spoken, felt as distant as a lifetime ago.
How could she have harbored such foolish thoughts then?
In life, even the closeness of parents and kin cannot guarantee that one will never part. She and Xie Lanshu had known each other but a few short years; bound by nothing more than a marriage contract devoid of real authority, she knew nothing of his past.
Yet she had dared to claim that with him present, there was nothing she needed to learn.
A hand clad in a black finger guard glove twitched.
He wished to take Zhao Zhao’s hand, but before his fingers could touch hers, she raised her small notebook tightly in her grip.
With a bright smile, she turned to her Uncle, “That was but a childish jest. Auntie was right to scold me then; it was my fault. Such words, I shall never speak again.”
