Chapter Ten: The Jade Pendant Desired

“Do you think he can get it?” Yu Xiyue glanced speechlessly at Jun Yang. Not to mention that the two of them were still here, it was clear that the Celestial-Demonic Duality Jade had no desire to go with anyone else either.

“I remember now—his name is Yuan Yibai, at the Earth Immortal stage. My junior told me about him, so what is he here for?” Jun Yang looked at Yuan Yibai in puzzlement.

Yuan Yibai glanced at the Celestial-Demonic Duality Jade, still absorbing demonic energy, then with a flicker, appeared before Yu Xiyue.

“The jade pendant at your waist—where did you get it?”

Yu Xiyue pinched the pendant, looked down at it, then calmly raised her eyes. “You mean this one?”

“Yes.”

“Oh? So you recognize it?” Yu Xiyue narrowed her eyes, staring intently at Yuan Yibai.

Jun Yang also looked at the jade pendant. It was only a Celestial-grade artifact, the least valuable item on Yu Xiyue. She had worn it at her waist ever since he’d known her—bamboo encircled by a few drifting peach blossoms, nothing particularly remarkable.

“Does this jade pendant have some kind of story?” Jun Yang glanced between Yuan Yibai and Yu Xiyue.

In ten years, no matter how unhappy Yu Xiyue had been, she had never shown an expression like this. She looked dangerous now.

Yuan Yibai noticed Yu Xiyue’s sensitivity to the question. He pressed his lips together and explained, “The design of this pendant is identical to the hairpin often worn by the Thousand-Faced Demon Lord. That hairpin was his life-bound artifact.”

“You know the Thousand-Faced Demon Lord?” Yu Xiyue continued to scrutinize Yuan Yibai. His bone age was thirteen hundred, Earth Immortal cultivation—matching what Jun Yang had said.

“We’ve only met twice,” Yuan Yibai replied, glancing at the pendant, a hint of expectation in his voice. “So… could you tell me where you got this jade pendant?”

Yu Xiyue didn’t believe for a second that Yuan Yibai’s reaction came from just having met the Demon Lord twice.

Still, she replied perfunctorily, “It fell from the sky.”

That answer left even Jun Yang without a retort. After all, not long ago, they had all witnessed a Celestial-Demonic Duality Jade fall from the sky to Yu Xiyue.

“Well… would you consider selling—”

Before Yuan Yibai could finish, Yu Xiyue cut him off directly.

“No. I like this pendant very much. Besides, are you sure it would be willing to follow you?”

Her words were blunt, but not enough to warrant the look of wounded loss on Yuan Yibai’s face, as if he’d lost something precious, never to find it again.

Yu Xiyue and Jun Yang exchanged a glance.

“Could it be that this pendant is no ordinary thing to Yuan Yibai?” Jun Yang communicated secretly to Yu Xiyue.

Yu Xiyue frowned at Yuan Yibai and asked again, “Is this pendant very important to you?”

Yuan Yibai collected himself, forced a smile, and said, “No, I just like the design. But it seems now that it and I are not fated to be together.”

“Oh.” Yu Xiyue had no patience for someone who wouldn’t speak plainly and simply ignored him, her gaze shifting to the Celestial-Demonic Duality Jade.

By now, it had nearly finished absorbing the demonic energy, and life was slowly returning to the city.

But the absence of demonic energy didn’t mean the demons themselves were gone; the Celestial-Demonic Duality Jade couldn’t absorb the creatures, only their energy. Yu Xiyue decided to wait until midnight, when the hidden demons would emerge, destroy them, and only then return to Qinglan Sect to find her disciple, Feng Qinghe.

She put the Celestial-Demonic Duality Jade into her storage pouch and returned to the Wang residence in Anlin Town.

Yuan Yibai followed her inside.

Jun Yang eyed Yuan Yibai with a touch of hostility. “Why are you following us?”

Yuan Yibai’s smile softened. “To help you.”

“Tch—” Jun Yang sneered, “As if we need your help.”

Yuan Yibai kept smiling. “I only wish to be friends with you.” He was speaking to Yu Xiyue.

Yu Xiyue neither looked up nor replied.

But although she didn’t respond, she didn’t throw Yuan Yibai out either. That was as good as permission for him to linger, so Jun Yang didn’t do anything rash, only muttering under his breath, “There’s no shortage of people wanting to be friends with our little ancestor.”

Yuan Yibai merely smiled.

There were still two hours until midnight. Bored of waiting, Yu Xiyue took a Dreamshade Mushroom from her storage pouch and prepared to sleep.

Jun Yang kept a wary eye on Yuan Yibai, curling up beside Yu Xiyue.

Yuan Yibai, not far away, also closed his eyes to rest.

After the demonic energy dissipated, the demons became more cautious. Midnight came and went, yet none appeared.

Still, Yu Xiyue sensed a disturbance. In the backyard’s dry well, a demon poked its head out for just an instant, but her spiritual sense was sharp enough not to miss it.

What surprised her was that Yuan Yibai was just as perceptive. Before she could act, he had already thrown out his artifact—the Night-Chasing Sword.

The sword, jet-black and wreathed in a dim glow, was nearly indistinguishable from the night itself.

The Night-Chasing Sword shot straight towards the demon.

From deep in the well came the clashing of battle.

The demon was about to be pierced through when, unexpectedly, more demons surged from all sides, swarming into the well, entangling the Night-Chasing Sword and pinning it in place.

Yuan Yibai hesitated for a moment, then prepared to leap into the well.

“Cloudsilk Ling.”

At last, Yu Xiyue sat up lazily from her Dreamshade Mushroom.

At her call, Cloudsilk Ling seemed to grow excited, leaping into the air. A sudden burst of white light illuminated the whole town of Anlin.

The demons, sensing the intense light, abandoned the Night-Chasing Sword, scrambling for any corner to hide themselves.

Cloudsilk Ling would not let this rare battle slip away. It darted straight for the dry well.

Seemingly soft and supple, Cloudsilk Ling circled the demon, wrapping it up.

With a sudden force, the demon was crushed to dust—utterly annihilated, not a trace left.

Cloudsilk Ling soared through the Wang residence, up and down, searching for more demons, relentless in its pursuit.

Jun Yang flicked out his tongue, eyeing Cloudsilk Ling in confusion. “Why do I feel like it’s playing hide and seek? And having a great time at it?”

Yu Xiyue gave a light, rather displeased laugh.

Cloudsilk Ling clearly heard her. Instantly, its form stiffened, and it stopped its playful flight, charging straight for the demon whose location it had already marked.

No more gentle wrapping or winding—Cloudsilk Ling struck like a spear, piercing and shattering the demon, far more efficient than the Night-Chasing Sword.

In just a quarter of an hour, every demon in the city was wiped out. Then Cloudsilk Ling obediently returned to Yu Xiyue’s arm, as if it had never caused any mischief at all.

Yuan Yibai retrieved his Night-Chasing Sword and turned to glance at the Cloudsilk Ling on Yu Xiyue.

Jun Yang blocked his view, disgruntled. “Don’t tell me you’ve set your sights on little Cloud too.”