By this point, Yun Panlong had dropped any pretense.

He used to have control over his actions, but now he moved with an almost lazy, nonchalant demeanor, his large frame behaving more like a small girl’s, his face growing increasingly blurred, and his voice becoming more androgynous. In short, he was looking less and less like the original Yun Panlong.

Looking at him now, Xie Shuangxue found it more fitting to call him by his true name, the one lurking within.

“Yun Ruowei, you don’t have to worry,” he said calmly. “Yun Pannan and his followers are all under your control. You know they’re not going anywhere.”

Hearing Xie Shuangxue use her real name, Yun Ruowei no longer felt the need to hide. She snorted, sat down nearby with her large blade in hand, and said, “Not only them, but you’re also trapped here. So don’t go thinking you can pull anything.”

Xie Shuangxue, though capable of absorbing demonic energy, could only absorb smaller amounts due to the limitations of his dark arts—it was like a big fish eating a smaller fish. At this stage, he was just a small fish compared to Yun Ruowei. Against such overwhelming power, any tricks would be futile.

He seemed to understand this and didn’t try any sleight of hand. Instead, he continued the conversation calmly, “The reason you’re using Yun Panlong as a vessel is because he controls all the guards in the city. Starting with him makes things much easier, and it also serves as an ideal form of revenge.”

“His hatred for the Demon Clan was so intense it blinded him to any sense of morality or reason. To have Yun Panlong remembered as a murderous demon despised by everyone is a fitting way to repay blood with blood.”

Yun Ruowei only shrugged, neither confirming nor denying, waiting as Xie Shuangxue continued.

“But Yun Pannan is just as guilty. Although he wasn’t the one who dealt the final blow, Demon Sword saved his life, yet he tried to discredit Yun Panshan and reported her knowing full well the consequences. This is nothing short of betrayal.” Xie Shuangxue went on, “And then there’s everything he did to Yun Qiang. Just because her mother’s family fell on hard times, he neglected her to the point where it nearly cost his daughter’s life. Don’t you think someone like him deserves the same punishment?”

Xie Shuangxue had inquired about Yun Qiang’s situation later, and these details were common knowledge in the game’s background, known to anyone who looked into it. Yun Pannan’s actions were well-known among players.

Yun Ruowei responded, “That’s why I want him dead—blood for blood. What’s wrong with that?”

“Of course there’s something wrong with it.”

A faint smile tugged at Xie Shuangxue’s lips, the sunlight from outside streaming in and highlighting his face, making him look as delicate and flawless as a porcelain doll.

“Yun Pannan has spent his entire life scheming for the City Lord’s position, willing to do anything to achieve it. But just as he’s on the brink of success, if his dreams were to shatter, leaving him to die a meaningless death—wouldn’t that be a fitting end?”

“If I were you, I’d keep him alive a bit longer. I’d even consider planting someone to secretly pass him messages from time to time, posing as a member of the Feather Clan. They’d tell him that the Demon Clan’s defenses are merely for show, and that the Feather Clan will soon take over the city. I’d make him believe that if he endures just a bit longer, he’ll become the City Lord.”

“That way, when you finally take over, he’d be watching from a hidden corner, witnessing all his renewed hopes crumble before his eyes. Isn’t that the greatest punishment?”

“You wouldn’t even have to lift a finger; he might just die from spitting up blood himself.”

Yun Ruowei was silent for a moment, a strange glint in her eye. Finally, her lips curled into a smile. “You truly have a mind suited for a Demon King.”

“No need to put it that way,” Xie Shuangxue sighed. “What goes around comes around. If the Yun family had any heart back then, they wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

“Alright, alright. You’ve made your point. Go on.” Yun Ruowei seemed intrigued. She leaned in closer, showing none of the reluctance she’d shown moments before when she claimed, “I’m not falling for it.” She continued, “But then why would you want Yun Qiang to keep Yun Jia and Yun Mu around?”

Just as she was getting interested, Xie Shuangxue stopped speaking.

Raising his chin slightly, he used the moment to make a demand. “If you want to know, release those wanderers. What’s the point of tying them up and tossing them on the ground? They haven’t done anything wrong.”

Yun Ruowei didn’t particularly care about those “insignificant wanderers.” Hearing Xie Shuangxue’s request, she waved a hand, bringing them all together in one corner.

“I don’t get you,” she said, casting Xie Shuangxue a curious glance. “Aren’t you supposed to be ruthless? Yet you still have time to care about them.”

“Good deeds earn rewards, bad deeds incur consequences. How could they be like the Yun family? They’ve helped me numerous times, and they came here for my sake.” Xie Shuangxue replied, adding after a moment’s thought, “Besides, wanderers are always in the right.”

It seemed he felt justified in his double standard.

But as the ones benefiting from his bias, the players didn’t feel there was anything wrong with it.

Qiao Zhihui, for one, finally found herself in a more comfortable position, no longer forced to crouch on the ground.

After all, it was just a game. Being captured by NPCs wasn’t a first for most players, and it was easy enough to turn down the pain sensitivity. What bothered them more was how tightly they’d been tied up, preventing Qiao Zhihui from even adjusting her streaming angle. Now that she had some room to breathe, she quickly readjusted her stream’s perspective.

“Thanks, my baby; my chronic neck pain is finally cured,” commented one viewer.

Soon, more fans voiced their admiration.

“Waaah, even demonized, my baby hasn’t forgotten his mom. He knows how to treat us well. I just can’t blame him for being ruthless.”

“A cold-hearted, beautiful villain—thank you, I love him even more. Sigh.”

“Ah, he’s still protecting His Majesty. So, that ‘benefactor’ His Majesty once mentioned—it must’ve been Shuangxue, right? I have a feeling this story will lead to Shuangxue becoming the Demon King.”

“My treasure is clear about his grudges and gratitude; how could he be in the wrong?!”

The livestream bullet screens were filled with increasingly strange messages. There seemed to be two opposing factions debating in the dedicated forum threads.

Qiao Zhihui, as a seasoned “dad fan,” had the thickest fan filter possible. While many others were still wavering, he remained unwavering.

No matter what my precious child does, he’s always right!

He’s here, locked up, yet he’s still thinking of us—if that’s not the mark of a pure-hearted white flower, what is?

“They’re fine now; is that good enough for you?” Yun Ruowei asked. “So, what’s your plan?”

Her face had a look of mild interest, but after Xie Shuangxue spoke, her expression changed drastically, and she shot to her feet.

Because he’d said, “Don’t you want to restore Demon Sword’s honor?”

“What do you mean by that, Xie Shuangxue?!”

“Demon Sword wasn’t just anyone. She was a good person. Revenge is one thing, but she shouldn’t just disappear without a trace,” Xie Shuangxue replied. “The Yun family made a terrible mistake, but at least they kept it under wraps out of concern for their reputation. Many still believe Demon Sword simply went missing, and some are still searching for her.”

For a moment, the demonic energy around Yun Ruowei flared violently. Xie Shuangxue waited patiently until she finally murmured to herself, “You mean…someone’s still looking for her?”

Xie Shuangxue nodded.

“Many people,” he replied. “They haven’t given up.”

He’d realized earlier that Demon Sword, though long gone, was a central figure. The entire Lu Yun Tower incident, the Yun family’s current state, Yun Qiang, and Yun Ruowei’s actions—everything traced back to her.

Using this as a breakthrough point would be the key.

His hidden quest hadn’t been in vain. Since Yun Panshan’s reawakening, players had been probing him for information, and Bai Qiuyan had relayed everything during Xie Shuangxue’s recovery. Now, it was finally proving useful.

“Demon Sword was renowned for her chivalry and for forging weapons, always helping those in need and arming them with suitable tools to prevent further oppression. Naturally, many remember her fondly.” Xie Shuangxue explained, “When she arrived here, Lu Yun Tower wasn’t the flourishing place it is now. It was chaotic, and it was thanks to her that order was established, leading to the prosperity you see today.”

Even the secluded Feather Clan had heard of her from afar, with Chun Yao speaking of her with reverence.

“So the Yun family wanted her not out of any romantic affection between her and Yun Panshan, but because having her as the future City Lord’s wife would greatly benefit them.”

The grand wedding had been planned to coincide with Yun Panshan’s official induction as City Lord, adding pomp and ceremony to the event. Until then, Demon Sword had hesitated to stay and hadn’t told anyone.

Despite being free-spirited and even having a child, the Yun family exploited her loyalty, convincing her to be part of their image. But upon discovering her Demon Clan identity, they hadn’t listened to a single explanation, choosing instead to kill her. They even refused her pleas for her child’s life, all in the name of reputation.

The Yun family had secretly handled the matter, leaving no trace of her, and many younger family members didn’t even know what had happened.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t let it end like this.”

“I’d write a record of her deeds, build a monument to honor her, giving those who remember her some closure. I’d provide an explanation for her disappearance—Yun Pannan’s jealousy, his slander, Yun Panlong’s cruelty, and Yun Panshan’s cowardice. As for her Demon Clan origins, there’s no need to mention them. People will judge for themselves.” Xie Shuangxue continued, “Yun Pannan would never admit these things, but Yun Jia and Yun Mu would, especially if you pressured them. Even Yun Panshan would, in the end, say whatever you wanted him to.”

“Yun Panshan!” At the mention of his name, Yun Ruowei’s eyes turned blood-red. “How dare you even bring him up? He should’ve been the first to die!”

“You have no idea,” her voice trembled with fury, “the Demon Clan members they killed were used as sacrifices to feed the divine vein. Lu Yun Tower’s prosperity is built upon the suffering of the Demon Clan, their blood and bones!”

“Yun Panshan is just as guilty!”

“Then why not use Yun Panshan instead of letting him die?” Xie Shuangxue remained composed. “If you want to be the rightful City Lord of Lu Yun Tower, you should claim what you’re owed. Use those with hope to inspire, those with guilt to control. That way, when you ascend, there’ll be no resistance.”

He found Yun Panshan’s attitude intriguing.

The truth of Demon Sword’s Demon Clan heritage was something Yun Pannan knew, and the Feather Clan would surely investigate it. Yet Yun Panshan didn’t lie about this, knowing it would easily unravel and raise suspicions. Yun Panlong’s sudden attack on him was suspicious, even Yun Pannan noticed, yet Yun Panshan said nothing and instead insisted that Demon Sword and Yun Ruowei’s remains were gone, deflecting attention from Yun Ruowei’s involvement in all of this.

Though she was a Demon, Yun Panshan’s connection to the divine vein meant that Yun Ruowei’s demonic energy could be hidden or even replaced entirely with divine energy—Xie Shuangxue guessed that the golden amulet served precisely that purpose.

In the original storyline, Yun Ruowei eventually made a grand entrance, dealing a decisive blow in the conflict by “neutralizing Yun Qiang” and “killing Yun Panlong,” earning her credit. With no other Yun family members left, she ascended as City Lord despite Feather Clan suspicions about her identity. Following some complications, she took the role as planned.

If she followed Xie Shuangxue’s advice, even those complications would be avoided, and Demon Sword’s reputation would remain untainted.

Now that was true revenge.

Yun Ruowei quickly grasped the idea.

Her emotions settled, and she gave Xie Shuangxue an appraising look. “Why would you help me like this? Shouldn’t you hate me?”

“That has nothing to do with it,” Xie Shuangxue replied. “You seem to have forgotten that I, too, have a grudge to settle.”

Yun Ruowei paused, falling silent.

“I had nothing to do with what happened in Penglai City, nor did I know about it beforehand,” she eventually replied, her tone serious. “My grudge lies solely with Lu Yun Tower.”

Yun Qiang had said something similar.

Xie Shuangxue had no reason to doubt her. Seeing her summon the Skeleton Ghosts just yesterday confirmed that she’d only recently taken control of Yun Panlong’s body. Busy with Lu Yun Tower, she hadn’t had the chance to wreak havoc in Penglai City.

Going back further, who had rescued Yun Ruowei and taught her dark arts?

She was too young when she “died” for Yun Qiang to have saved her, and she had no reason to target the Feather Clan. Her victory at Lu Yun Tower was complete, so why would she still want to demonize Ling Luo and sink the city?

Clearly, Yun Ruowei wasn’t the one pulling all the strings; someone else was behind her.

Xie Shuangxue’s remark struck a chord with Yun Ruowei, though she quickly suppressed it.

“That all?” she asked, almost defensively.

“One more thing—return my hairpin, the sword,” Xie Shuangxue replied. “I wanted to repair it, but Demon Sword is gone now. At least let me keep this memento of her, and I’ll return what belongs to you. It was yours to begin with.”

Yun Ruowei hesitated.

“Wait a bit,” she muttered. “It’s not like you can go anywhere right now.”

There was another reason Xie Shuangxue hadn’t mentioned.

Now that he’d established a deeper connection with Yun Ruowei, he’d have more chances to fully replace Ling Luo’s storyline. Besides, players still hadn’t uncovered the truth behind Lu Yun Tower’s sinking, and getting closer to Yun Ruowei would help them.

“Oh, and you don’t need to worry about me escaping. I’m full of demonic energy; going to the Feather Clan would be a death wish.” Xie Shuangxue added, “You know, my foot still hurts from that last sneak attack of yours. Yun Ruowei, I owe you nothing, but this is outright mistreatment.”

Yun Ruowei bristled. “I didn’t!”

“Then don’t keep me locked up.” Xie Shuangxue said, “Have a few people keep an eye on me instead. That’s better than leaving me in here, isn’t it?”

Before coming here, Yun Ruowei hadn’t intended to consider such a request, but now she seemed to be giving it real thought.

There was something about Xie Shuangxue—he truly had substance.