Sheng Lingyuan saw Xuan Ji suddenly take a breath and awkwardly tuck his claws into his chest, rubbing it - the hand that had the Clear Mind Talisman drawn on it was covered in a thick layer of white frost.

"I told you not to think too much and get distracted," Sheng Lingyuan thought he had accidentally let go of his hand and warned him, "The Clear Mind Talisman can only remind you, it can't overcome your inner demons. In the illusion, there are dangers at every step. Even if you see something that has nothing to do with you, you can't take it lightly."

Xuan Ji shivered and held his hand that had lost all feeling, suspecting that his arm could be amputated with just a tap, and for a moment, he couldn't speak.

Sheng Lingyuan glanced at him again, suddenly feeling a bit suspicious - two people were brought into the Heavenly Demon Illusion, but why did it seem like there was one extra person here? All the memories in the illusion were directed towards him.

"If I remember correctly, you were born and raised in Chiyuan and only came to the human world ten years ago?" Sheng Lingyuan asked.

Xuan Ji's teeth were chattering intensely, making it difficult for him to speak.

He could only nod his head.

"What have you done since coming here?" Sheng Lingyuan continued.

"I-I w-went to school and w-w-worked odd jobs," Xuan Ji replied, stuttering.

"Have you encountered any difficulties?" Sheng Lingyuan asked.

Life had been full of ups and downs for him.

When he first arrived, he was trampled on by the rigorous courses of advanced mathematics and foreign languages. He failed exams and even had to send his makeup exam results back home for his parents to sign.

After starting work, he was chased by KPIs, dealt with difficult clients on a daily basis, and faced the uncertainty of his year-end bonus.

Before he could even make sense of it all, the emperor scrutinized him and made a judgment: "You don't seem to have any problems living a comfortable life on earth. Have you experienced the trials of love?"

His teeth chattered as he tried to respond, causing him to bite his tongue.

Thinking that he didn't understand what "trials of love" meant, Sheng Lingyuan rephrased the question using an advertising slogan he had seen on TV: "Have you ever had a significant other?"

Xuan Ji shook his head frantically.

"Well, that explains it," Sheng Lingyuan thought to himself.

During the peaceful years, time flew by like a flick of the finger.

Xuan Ji, born and raised in Chiyuan, had no worries of life and death. Even if he was useless, he had never encountered any danger in the mortal world. He lived carefree, with no burdens or responsibilities, indulging in food, drink, and pleasure.

After pondering for a while, Sheng Lingyuan couldn't think of any emotional baggage that this little demon could have, except for the fact that he never had enough pocket money.

It seemed that he truly had no worries.

Could it be that because of this, his heart demons couldn't find any weaknesses and simply gave up on him?

Tsk...youth is truly blissful.

Three thousand years later, the Emperor held a palace lamp in his hand, and the milky white halo was slightly yellow, outlining a beautiful profile.

Sheng Lingyuan's birth was a deliberate plan, so every feature and contour on his face was meticulously designed.

It was a face that couldn't be scrutinized carefully, as staring at it for too long could be intoxicating.

"Your Majesty," Xuan Ji was momentarily bewitched by the hazy profile and blurted out impulsively, "Towards Sword Spirits, what is your..."

Sheng Lingyuan turned his head slightly, "Hmm?"

Xuan Ji was swept by his gaze and immediately lost his nerve, causing the words on the tip of his tongue to falter and leaving him tongue-tied.

At that moment, he heard the hoarse voice of the Emperor from three thousand years ago in the illusion, asking, "Has the Vermilion Bird ever intermarried with outsiders during their generations of seclusion in the Nanming Valley? Do they have any descendants?"

"This is exactly what I wanted to report," Wei Yun lightly bit his lip, "there's someone... no, there's a demon clan, who wants me to pass on a message to you. They said their clan is guarding a big secret and they want to meet with you in person."

"Who is it?"

Wei Yun said, "Chief of the Bifang tribe."

Now, the Sheng Lingyuan from three thousand years later listened to Xuan Ji's incomplete question and gave him a puzzled look, "What were you trying to ask just now?"

"Nothing," Xuan Ji quickly found an excuse for himself and asked a stupid question, "Is there really a Bifang in the world?"

Sheng Lingyuan was bewildered, "You were born from the Vermilion Bird's tomb yourself, and you're asking me if there's a Bifang?"

Xuan Ji: "..."

Sheng Lingyuan continued, "Yes, there is. I even raised one before. Trying to put something in its brain was harder than moving mountains and seas. It's as foolish as the rest of the winged clans."

Xuan Ji felt like he was being scolded again.

"The Vermilion Bird is the leader of all birds, so after Jiu Xun slaughtered them, the winged tribe rebelled against the demon tribe, led by Bifang. Unfortunately, these feathered fools were too stupid and were suppressed before they could make any waves. The Bifang tribe has been in exile for over twenty years, hated by the human tribe and hunted by the demon tribe, like a plucked chicken... Ah, here he is."

As he spoke, the illusionary Wei Yun had already brought the Bifang tribe leader in.

The Bifang tribe leader's human form was that of an old man in his seventies or eighties, with barely two ounces of flesh on his body.

He had a mournful face, a fresh Vermilion Bird feather pinned to his chest, and was wrapped in tattered white cloth with fur trim on his head and body, possibly mourning for his former master.

The young emperor's gaze briefly landed on the Vermilion Bird feather, but quickly averted as if it had burned his eyes.

He repeated "no need for formalities" three times, but the leader of the Bifang tribe ignored him and insisted on performing the full three kowtows and nine prostrations, addressing him as "Your Majesty."

The emperor sighed, "Please rise, tribe leader. I am just a human, why are you bowing to me? Rest assured, with the death of the demon king and the ceasefire between our people, I will not pursue any further actions..."

"Your Majesty," the Bifang leader trembled as he spoke, "You have the last remaining Vermilion Bird blood in your veins!"

Xuan Ji listened as the leader rambled on about the misdeeds of the demon princess, and cautiously turned to look at Sheng Lingyuan beside him. "So...this is when you found out about your true identity."

"Empress Chen doesn't like me, I had some suspicions before, but I didn't expect it to be so shocking," the old demon said nonchalantly as he lifted the palace lamp in his hand and curiously shone it on the face of Bifang tribe leader, who was crying with tears streaming down his face.

"The winged clans are all very vain, they won't stop until they are all dressed up. This old man must be so ugly that he stands out, I wonder if it's because he became the tribe leader because of it."

Xuan Ji: "..."

"I was actually raised by them. Although I stayed in the Empress Chen's womb for a few days, I am not purely human. I have natural flame-coloured eyes and a Vermilion Bird mark on my chest. I look like the legendary ghost child, which scared Empress Chen at first glance. I couldn't show myself to others, so Dan Li arranged for Bifang and his group of fools to steal me away and raise me for two years.

"After two years, my demonic appearance disappeared and I looked like a human. That's when my teacher pretended to calculate and found out where the Emperor's son was, and 'rescued' me back to the human race."

He spoke lightly, but Xuan Ji felt a lump in his throat and couldn't imagine how Sheng Lingyuan felt when he first learned about his identity.

However, when he looked at the young man from three thousand years ago, he found that the man was only stunned for a moment.

Then, he came to life inch by inch, like a statue made of mud and snow.

It was as if a poor man who had been struggling for a hundred years suddenly won a huge prize.

He was so surprised that he could hardly believe it.

He was almost cautious, trying to suppress his emotions, and asked, "Are you saying that I have the blood of the Vermilion Bird in me?"

"Your Majesty," but the old Bifang did not answer directly.

He knelt down with a thud and bowed deeply, wailing and kowtowing repeatedly.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

"Our divine god, the Vermilion Birds, have been entrusted with the duty of guarding the Nanming Valley for generations. In the past, due to the shortage of spiritual energy within the territory of the demon race, even the descendants of the Vermilion Bird were stillborn.

"The demon race was forced to flee, but was relentlessly pursued by the former emperor, causing the people to suffer and the situation to become unbearable. The the old chief of the Vermilion Birds could not bear the demon king's pitiful pleas and, in a moment of weakness, ignited the Nanming Valley in order to create a balance of power between the human and demon races, and thus end the war. Who would have thought that this would lead to a great mistake?

"The demon king, Jiu Xun, went against the natural order and used the opportunity to slaughter our gods in order to seize power over the Chiyuan. The chief's greatest sin was igniting the Nanming Valley, which led to the extinction of his own people and decades of chaos and bloodshed throughout the world."

The Emperor's brow furrowed.

"I know what Your Majesty is planning," the old Bifang cried out like a bird, filling the cold South Study with a  melodious chirping.

"In this world, except for the humans who are clueless, all other races will use the power of the Chiyuan to grow stronger. Over time, disasters will surely arise again. If Your Majesty wants peace for the humans, you must exterminate all other races. But Your Majesty, why is the heavens blind? Why should a few people's ambitions expand and make the world suffer?"

Wei Yun's eyes were also moist.

He lifted his robe and knelt down beside the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, to refine the Heavenly Demon Sword, we need the blood and bones of the Vermilion Bird. Since Your Majesty carries the blood of the Vermilion Bird, please forgive my boldness, but we will need to borrow a few drops from you. As for the Vermilion Bird's bones, the Vermilion Bird Tomb is located in the Chiyuan, and ordinary people cannot approach it.

"However, Bifang is a divine bird of the Vermilion Bird family and also a fire bird. Our clan has a special method that can allow us to enter the tomb and find the Vermilion Bird's bones for you... If possible, it would be best to use the bones of the Sword Spirit's biological parents. The Vermilion Bird family has only had one child in the past hundred years, so it shouldn't be difficult to find out."

The Emperor remained silent for a moment before returning to his cold and aloof demeanor.

He lowered his eyes and looked down at the two kneeling before him, saying, "Oh? What do you two plan to offer in exchange for the Vermilion Bird's bones?"

The chief of the Bifang clan bowed his head heavily and choked out, "I beg Your Majesty to spare my clan!"

Wei Yun quickly knelt beside the old Bifang and pleaded, "I also beg Your Majesty to spare my clan!"

Xuan Ji's blood pressure rose as he listened, almost wanting to roast these two alive - he had never realized that some birds could only crack seeds and not speak human language.

The ambitions of people had swelled, and it was not right to let the world's people pay for it. Should they let Sheng Lingyuan pay for it instead?

Just because he was born at an unfortunate time, in an unfortunate womb, he had to scrape every drop of blood and every inch of soul, offer it to the altar, and pray for the safety of these people?

Xuan Ji muttered, "These...ugh..."

Damn it, his hands were frozen again.

Sheng Lingyuan held Xuan Ji down and asked, "What's going on with you?"

The Clear Mind Talisman was originally drawn with lamp oil, but after being touched twice by him, the edges had become blurred and it was about to lose its effectiveness.

Xuan Ji, however, raised his hand and grabbed the hand that Sheng Lingyuan had placed on his shoulder.

Sheng Lingyuan tried to struggle, but Xuan Ji held him down with almost brutal force.

Xuan Ji turned away, as if suddenly afraid to look at him, and asked, "They're forcing you to this extent...Why don't you just ignore them and quit?"

Sheng Lingyuan was first stunned, then couldn't help but laugh.

He never expected that after thousands of years, an unrelated little demon would get angry for him.

Xuan Ji was annoyed by the carefree laughter behind him and turned his head abruptly, "You..."

But the old demon didn't say anything and just tapped his forehead, "Calm your mind - what did I tell you?"

Xuan Ji shuddered.

Suddenly, he heard the laughter of the emperor who had been "bullied" three thousand years ago.

Without warning, the emperor launched an attack, and a black mist rose from his body, forming a massive net that covered everything.

Even the mighty demon, the old Bifang, was unable to resist and was bound tightly with Wei Yun, with his mouth sealed shut.

Xuan Ji" "..."

This was not the outcome he had expected.

The "bullied" emperor was playing with a piece of broken iron in his hand, on which the sword inscription "Tong" was faintly visible.

The sharp blade, which could cut through hair and break strands of silk, was skillfully manipulated between his fingers, leaving no trace of marks.

He didn't seem angry, but spoke in a voice that was almost gentle, "Ah Yun, you are a 'Tian'er', which is impressive. But there are more than just you as a master craftsman in the world. Who told you that you could use this to blackmail me?"

Xuan Ji stared at him in disbelief.

It had only been a year since the Heavenly Demon Sword was broken, but the young emperor who had been helpless in the court seemed to have undergone a complete transformation.

The youthful innocence had vanished from his now gaunt face, replaced by a smile that was tinged with a hint of coldness and unpredictability, foreshadowing the emergence of a future demon king.

"Chiyuan," the emperor lightly flicked his finger, forcing the old Bifang to raise his head. "If you little sparrows can go, why can't I? The Vermilion Bird is your clan's divine bird, not mine. Even if I were to desecrate its ancestral tomb, it wouldn't come back to peck me, would it? To think that mere ants like you dare to negotiate with me... your courage is commendable. Guards!"

A group of guards from the Qingping Division appeared silently like shadows.

"Even a humble mountain man can provoke the heavens," the Emperor leaned back slightly and waved his hand, "Take these two to the Sky Prison for a nap."

The guards efficiently dragged the prisoners away.

The Emperor stood up, dressed in his magnificent robes, yet he wore them with a cold and aloof demeanor.

He summoned a eunuch and ordered, "Summon Prince Ning."

The eunuch hesitated, "Your Majesty, it's the middle of the night and Prince Ning has been on sick leave..."

The Emperor lifted his eyelids, his expression inscrutable, "Oh, has he already passed away?"

The eunuch bowed deeply and retreated, disappearing in a flash.

In the illusion, Prince Ning arrived soon after.

The prince was a seasoned patient who lived a peaceful life without any worldly ambitions.

Every year, people thought he was going to die, but he managed to survive until now, still lingering on this earth and refusing to depart.

He stood at the door and performed a series of formalities, but before he could finish, he coughed so hard that it seemed like he was about to meet the late emperor: "Your Majesty... cough cough cough... I, your humble servant..."

The emperor didn't even bother to call him and interrupted him with a blank expression: "Wei Yun has brought back the leader of the Bifang clan."

The prince, who was coughing heavily, choked in the middle of his sentence.

The emperor got straight to the point: "You ordered it, didn't you?"

It wasn't a question, and the prince immediately broke out in a cold sweat and fell to his knees: "Your Majesty..."

"I don't have the energy to argue with you," Sheng Lingyuan interrupted him again.

Xuan Ji noticed that he was being very impolite in his speech.

"If you have something to say, just say it directly to me. Don't beat around the bush like this next time. Don't you know that Wei Yun is a blacksmith with a one-track mind? He and the Bifang clan leader are a pair of precious treasures in this world. One says he wants to go to Chiyuan to get me a Vermilion Bird bone, the other says he wants to repair my broken sword. They were just kneeling where you are now, begging me with snot and tears to spare their lives. Prince Ning, tell me, what should I say in response?"

Prince Ning's face changed and he blurted out, "This idiot..."

The Emperor sneered.

The Prince Ning dared not cough and immediately spoke with conviction, "This Mountain prince is too arrogant and does not behave properly. How dare he challenge the might of heaven and speak such nonsense! I will teach him a lesson on behalf of Your Majesty."

The Emperor remained silent, and Prince Ning quickly got up and hurriedly left the study.

Just as he was about to leave the room, the Emperor's tone suddenly softened, "Big brother, how is my newly-wedded sister-in-law doing?"

Prince Ning paused and sighed, "She...she is pregnant. With so many people in the family, I arranged for her to stay in a separate courtyard."

The Emperor exclaimed, "Ah! That's wonderful news. Congratulations!"

Prince Ning lifted his head and locked eyes with his peculiar brother across the spacious study.

Their faces didn't look alike, but their profiles were strikingly similar, a testament to their blood ties.

The Emperor raised his teacup and spoke, "No wonder you've been traveling with your illness, it turns out you're trying to secure a future for your wife and unborn child. Big brother, your efforts are commendable and your love runs deep."

Prince Ning replied calmly, "Your Majesty, it's just a personal matter between a common man and his wife. Please don't take it seriously."

"When the child is born," the Emperor said without revealing his emotions, "I will give them a proper status."

Prince Ning gave him a deep look before turning to leave.

In the South Study, the light and shadows danced, and time in the illusion suddenly accelerated.

Xuan Ji and Sheng Lingyuan were swept along, moving forward.

Three days later, Wei Yun, who had been personally reprimanded by Prince Ning, pleaded guilty in the sky prison and begged for forgiveness from the Emperor. Bifang also proposed that the winged clans would forever submit to the humans.

However, the Emperor ignored them and even punished them several times. So Wei Yun used the secret technique of the Mountain people and, together with Bifang, made a "never betray" blood oath.

The Mountain people had the evil habit of keeping slaves.

In order to control their slaves, especially those from other clans, they invented a "blood oath" which was a one-sided constraint on the slaves.

Even if the living beings turned into weapon spirits, as long as the master did not lift the blood oath, it would still be effective. Once violated, it would immediately be met with ten times the backlash, not even allowing the thought of betrayal.

Only then did Sheng Lingyuan spare them and order Bifang to make amends by finding the remains of the Vermilion Bird in the Chiyuan and then handing over the remaining pieces of the Heavenly Demon Sword to Wei Yun.

A month later, the Bifang clan honestly presented the Vermilion Bird bone. The Emperor of Humanity gave Wei Yun three drops of his own blood and erected a "Sword Furnace" behind his own sleeping quarters.

With this, the blood and bone were complete, and the Heavenly Demon Sword was whole and intact.

The Emperor personally guarded it.

Xuan Ji watched as he guarded the Sword Furnace for eighty-one days, his mind and soul in turmoil, not knowing day from night.

Every day, he struggled to muster up a bit of energy, donning a mask to deal with the trivial matters of the court and those with ulterior motives, who drained him of his spirit, only to crawl back to the small room next to the Sword Furnace.

The flames in the furnace burst forth in a dazzling display, like the scorching sun at noon, sometimes emitting a white light that was almost like the Vermilion Bird's flames.

Sheng Lingyuan looked at his former self and suddenly felt a moment of confusion, as if there were a pair of wings raised in the wind within the flames.

The dusty memories were like tiny bubbles that finally floated to the surface.

Without Xuan Ji noticing, his figure blurred and almost merged with the other version of himself in the illusion.

But suddenly, a severe headache interrupted Sheng Lingyuan's thoughts, causing him to snap back to reality and take a step back.

In the illusion, the eastern horizon broke into dawn, and a clear sound echoed as a sword was forged in the furnace.