The moment Yun Ye finished speaking, a sharp pain shot through his abdomen—he had taken a brutal punch.

He frowned and let out a muffled grunt, only to suddenly feel the weight beneath him disappear. The person he had pinned down vanished in an instant, leaving him without support. The next thing he knew, his head slammed hard against the bed’s headboard.

The loud thud startled the attendants tidying up at the desk. Alarmed, they rushed forward, lifted the bed curtains, and were met with the sight of their revered lord curled up on the bed, his face contorted in pain.

“Your Excellency! What happened?!”

“I-I’m fine.” Yun Ye weakly waved them off, pressing a hand to his stomach. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a small, fluffy white creature—fur bristled like a startled hedgehog—vanishing swiftly beneath the blankets. He let out a strained sigh. “Leave me.”

As it turned out, taking liberties always came at a price.

Lying facedown on the bed, the great Demon Lord brooded in silence.

As for Bai Tu’s plan to visit Tianyan Sect, Yun Ye had found excuse after excuse to delay it. He stalled for so long that Bai Tu nearly lost his temper before he finally relented with great reluctance.

That day, the carriage bound for Tianyan Sect stood waiting at the gates of Linyuan City. Yun Ye accompanied Bai Tu to the side of the carriage, still reluctant to let him go. “Master, why don’t I go with you…”

“No,” Bai Tu cut him off. “We already agreed. It’s not a good time for you to appear before the righteous sects. Just wait for me here.”

“But—”

Bai Tu’s expression hardened. “But what?”

Yun Ye hesitated. “…Nothing.”

Lowering his gaze, he put on a pitiful expression.

Bai Tu sighed, his heart softening. Stepping closer, he lowered his voice. “Are you upset?”

“…I wouldn’t dare be angry with Master.”

Bai Tu had long since seen through his tricks and mercilessly exposed him. “You wouldn’t dare, but you do love pretending to be pitiful to make me feel bad.”

Yun Ye’s expression became even more pitiful. “Master…”

“Alright.” Bai Tu gently ruffled Yun Ye’s hair in reassurance. Then, as if remembering something, he added in a soft voice, “Be good and wait for me in the Abyss of Demons. When I return, I’ll tell you a secret.”

At that moment, behind them, a prison carriage carrying Wu Jiu slowly approached.

The two protectors—a man and a woman—who stood beside Yun Ye stepped forward, bowing respectfully. “Your Excellency, Immortal Lord, everything is ready. We can depart at any time.”

Bai Tu nodded. “Let’s go.”

With that, he turned and stepped into the carriage. The two protectors took their seats at the front, guiding the spirit beasts that would pull them forward. As the curtain fell back into place, the leading beast let out a low cry, and the carriage slowly began its journey toward the Abyss’s exit.

Bai Tu was traveling only to clarify the truth. To avoid arousing the righteous sects’ suspicion, he had chosen not to bring too many attendants from the Abyss.

Yun Ye, unable to convince him otherwise, had no choice but to compromise—at the very least, he insisted that his two personal protectors accompany Bai Tu.

These two had been with Yun Ye since his past life, their cultivation profound and their loyalty unwavering. With them by Bai Tu’s side, Yun Ye should have felt more at ease.

…What utter nonsense.

Yun Ye was anything but reassured—how could he possibly be at ease?

The moment the carriage departed, he wasted no time gathering a small squad of elite forces from the Abyss of Demons and discreetly followed after them.

Meanwhile, Bai Tu’s carriage swiftly left the Abyss. Lifting the curtain, he gazed out at the distant sea of clouds.

Beside him, a woman dressed in black gracefully poured him a cup of water. “It will take another two hours to reach Tianyan Sect. Would the Immortal Lord like to rest for a while?”

“No need.” Bai Tu shook his head. “Thank you, Lady Zhifeng.”

Zhifeng smiled. “No need for such courtesy, Immortal Lord. His Excellency instructed Nanqiao and me to look after you. If anything were to happen to you, we would surely suffer his wrath.”

“He worries too much,” Bai Tu replied calmly. “Tianyan Sect has upheld centuries of cultivation and discipline—they wouldn’t dare act against me.”

Zhifeng’s expression remained composed, but her tone carried a hint of meaning. “The past is not the present. A little caution never hurts.”

Bai Tu lowered his head, his hand gently brushing over his abdomen beneath the folds of his cloak. His lips curled into a faint smile.

“…Indeed. Caution is always wise.”

Zhifeng studied him intently for a long moment before suddenly asking, “Immortal Lord, do you know that His Excellency has been having me investigate the people you’ve interacted with recently?”

Bai Tu wasn’t surprised. “I expected as much.”

“Aren’t you curious about what I’ve found?”

Bai Tu lifted his gaze to her.

“Nothing at all,” Zhifeng said. “You rarely associate with others. The people you’ve interacted with the most over the years are merely a few senior cultivators from the sects. But that’s not the answer His Excellency is looking for.”

“This puzzled me for quite some time,” she continued, a knowing glint in her eyes. “But recently, I’ve started to form a suspicion.” She playfully winked at him. “I believe His Excellency is simply too caught up in his own emotions to see the truth.”

Bai Tu’s eyes flickered slightly. He hadn’t interacted much with this woman before, yet her keen insight was unexpectedly sharp.

He had never intended to keep it a secret. Relaxing against the soft cushions, Bai Tu exhaled lightly and murmured, “Isn’t he the one blinded by his own emotions?”

With the hints laid out so clearly, that fool was still running around searching for the father of the child in his belly.

Zhifeng’s eyes flickered with realization before she broke into a smile. “His Excellency will be overjoyed.”

“Oh?”

“Of course.” Zhifeng’s expression brightened. “The moment you arrived in the Abyss of Demons, he was already over the moon. If he finds out about this… he’ll be even happier. I can’t wait to see his reaction.”

Bai Tu pressed his lips together, his gaze softening. “Neither can I.”

Before long, the carriage arrived at the gates of Tianyan Sect.

Prior to his departure, Bai Tu had sent a letter informing Ling Weijun of his visit, so the sect had already made preparations for their arrival.

Entering the sect grounds, Bai Tu personally escorted the prison carriage carrying Wu Jiu into the council hall. Inside, Ling Weijun awaited him alongside several elders and the heads of the major sects within the cultivation world.

Bai Tu’s brows furrowed slightly.

He hadn’t intended to draw too much attention on this visit and had made that clear in his letter to Ling Weijun. Yet, seeing so many people gathered here still caught him off guard.

Still, it wasn’t a major issue.

Pulling his cloak tighter around himself, he shielded himself from the astonished gazes directed his way and stepped forward with composure.

His disguise might have fooled the low-ranking disciples outside, but in the presence of these top cultivators of the realm, there was no hiding.

Unbothered by the scrutiny, Bai Tu walked to the center of the council hall and addressed the figure seated in the main position. “Ling Weijun, it’s been a while.”

It had been months since they last met. Ling Weijun looked noticeably more haggard, a far cry from the carefree demeanor he once had.

He, too, was visibly stunned by Bai Tu’s appearance. It took him a moment to find his voice, and when he did, it was with a touch of unease.

“Immortal Lord… please, have a seat.”

Bai Tu didn’t stand on ceremony and took a seat beside him without hesitation.

The prison carriage holding Wu Jiu was pushed into the council hall.

Wu Jiu remained shackled in heavy iron chains, his head lowered in silence, showing no reaction.

Bai Tu spoke calmly, “I have already explained the details to Ling Weijun. Now that I’ve brought the person to you, you are free to investigate the matter yourselves.”

The hall immediately erupted into discussion.

Someone questioned, “Even if Yun Ye was falsely accused, he is still from the Abyss of Demons. Now that he has returned and taken the mantle of Demon Lord, how can we simply let him be?”

“Exactly! He even issued a war challenge to Tianyan Sect before. The demons are unpredictable by nature—who’s to say he won’t turn on the cultivation world again? Are we just supposed to sit back and wait for disaster?”

“As long as the Abyss of Demons exists, the righteous path will never know peace! Can the Immortal Lord guarantee that the Abyss will never make a move against us?”

Bai Tu replied calmly, “I can.”

His words left the room in stunned silence. People exchanged uncertain glances, while Ling Weijun hesitated before attempting to mediate. “I understand that the Immortal Lord favors Yun Ye. In the past, he surely wouldn’t have dared to disobey you. But now, he has become the Demon Lord. Do your words still hold weight?”

Before Bai Tu could respond, a voice came from within the prison carriage.

Wu Jiu lifted his head, his cold, piercing gaze locking onto Bai Tu. “Of course, Immortal Lord Zhaohua’s words hold weight. But it seems none of you are aware—your esteemed Immortal Lord has already become the Demon Lord’s consort.”

Gasps filled the hall.

Wu Jiu sneered. “Our great Demon Lord is utterly bewitched by him—so much so that he doesn’t have time to concern himself with a bunch of old fools like you.”

Bai Tu sighed inwardly.

“W-what?!” Ling Weijun’s expression twisted in shock. Turning to Bai Tu, he demanded, “Immortal Lord, is what this demon says true?”

Bai Tu lowered his gaze, remaining silent.

Ling Weijun’s eyes fell upon Bai Tu’s midsection. Hesitantly, he asked, “Then… does that mean the child in your womb is…”

“This is a demon’s child!” someone finally lost their composure and accused angrily. “As a revered Immortal Lord of the righteous path, how could you do such a thing?!”

Bai Tu rose abruptly. “My personal affairs are none of your concern. I came here today only to clarify the truth and convey the Abyss of Demons’ intent for a truce. I have said what I needed to say. Now, I take my leave.”

He stepped forward, only for a sword’s energy to cut off his path.

At the same time, two figures dressed in black materialized beside him. The male and female protectors swiftly shielded Bai Tu, their weapons at their waists faintly exuding demonic energy.

Bai Tu waved a hand, signaling them to stand down.

The one who had drawn his sword was an elderly man with a long beard—likely a sect leader. Bai Tu glanced at him but couldn’t immediately recall his name.

The man said sternly, “Immortal Lord, you are mistaken. If this child carries demonic blood, then this matter is no longer merely personal. You—”

Before he could finish, his sword was suddenly struck by an invisible force, sending it flying from his grasp. It shot straight into the wall, embedding itself with a deep, resonating thud.

The council hall erupted into chaos once more.

“Do not point your sword at me.” Amidst the tense standoff, Bai Tu withdrew his internal energy, his hand instinctively shielding his abdomen. His voice remained calm. “What do you intend to do?”

Silence fell over the room, the gathered cultivators eyeing him warily.

This was the worst outcome Bai Tu had anticipated. He knew that the Tianyan Sect wouldn’t dare act against him outright. In truth, if he refused to acknowledge his connection to Yun Ye, the cultivation world—despite its suspicions—had no concrete evidence against him.

But he had no intention of denying it.

He was never one to evade responsibility or hide behind half-truths.

More importantly, it would be unfair to Yun Ye.

After days of being force-fed Yun Ye’s elixirs, his spiritual energy had mostly recovered. Leaving this place wouldn’t be difficult. He had no desire to turn against the righteous path, but if they insisted on making him their enemy, he was prepared to face them head-on.

The council chamber remained deathly quiet until, at last, Ling Weijun spoke.

“Put away your weapons. This is the Tianyan Sect. Bai Tu has ties here, and as long as I preside over this hall, no one will harm him.”

He rose to his feet, stepped toward Bai Tu, and bowed slightly. “Since you’ve come all this way, why not rest at Tianyan Sect for now? We can discuss the rest later.”

At Luoxia Peak, Bai Tu sat in the pavilion, letting out a helpless sigh.

Who would have thought that when he finally returned to Luoxia Peak, it would be as a prisoner?

Ling Weijun had insisted he stay at Tianyan Sect, calling it “a time for recuperation,” but in reality, he had been placed under house arrest.

Bai Tu knew exactly what Ling Weijun was thinking. The man had always been tactful and diplomatic—otherwise, he wouldn’t have elevated Tianyan Sect to its current standing.

Ling Weijun didn’t dare make an outright enemy of him, yet he also couldn’t allow Bai Tu and the half-demon child in his womb to simply leave. So, the only choice left was to keep him confined within the sect.

As for what came next—whether they chose to apply pressure or coax him with persuasion—it didn’t matter.

The little one in his belly seemed to sense his predicament, shifting uneasily inside him.

Bai Tu lowered his head and gently stroked his abdomen. “Don’t be afraid. Daddy will take you home soon.”

After all, there weren’t many things in this world capable of holding the Sovereign of Zhaohua captive.

At the foot of Tianyan Sect’s mountain, Yun Ye paced restlessly through the forest.

He had followed Bai Tu out of Moyuan but dared not stay too close for fear of being discovered. Now, all he could do was wait—anxiously lingering at the base of the mountain.

They had already waited for most of the day. As the sun dipped below the horizon, there was still no word from Tianyan Sect.

Suddenly, a Moyuan attendant appeared before Yun Ye. “Your Excellency, there’s news.”

Yun Ye immediately turned to him. “What is it? Where is my master?”

“According to reports from within Tianyan Sect, the Immortal Sovereign is currently under house arrest at Luoxia Peak by order of their sect leader.”

“House arrest?” Yun Ye’s brows furrowed. “Why? My master said he wouldn’t recklessly provoke a conflict with the righteous sects.”

“There was no conflict, it’s just that… um…”

Yun Ye grew impatient. “Speak clearly. What is it?”

The attendant hesitated for a moment before answering truthfully, “It seems… the righteous sects discovered that the Immortal Sovereign is carrying your child. They refuse to let a demon bloodline leave, so they’ve detained him in Tianyan Sect for now.”

“…What?”

=^_^=