Chapter 165: Snow in September, the Heart of the Demon Lord Shattered

There are things we don’t necessarily have to do, as they may not happen, but there are things we must do, for what’s destined will occur—we must face it and tell ourselves to be brave.
Snowflakes drifted from the sky, pure and light. Though it was September, the peaks of these mountains saw snow all year round. Amidst the cold winds, atop these summits, lay the City in the Sky—the symbol of the New Demon Realm, the Eternal City.
Standing in this City in the Sky, Liu Yi held the “Sorrowful Dream” sword in his left hand and July’s hand in his right. Overwhelmed with emotions, he sighed, “I’m back again.”
July nodded and said, “Yes. This is your world.”
Liu Yi looked up at the sky. Everything around was gray; snow couldn’t fall here. The City in the Sky remained as prosperous as before. Here lived those abandoned by the three realms—demons—who came here seeking a simple life.
At that moment, the Wolf King received news and came out along with the White Tiger, Qi, and Lin. Seeing Liu Yi, the Wolf King’s face lit up with indescribable joy. He never thought he’d see Liu Yi again, yet there he was—his familiar figure, his familiar white hair, and that face… In the Wolf King’s mind, Liu Yi, having lost his memory, should have been unable to leave the “Chaos Immortal Realm.” Calculating carefully, fifteen days meant fifteen years in that realm. It was truly admirable that July had stayed by his side to take care of him all this time.
Liu Yi stepped forward, smiled slightly, and said, “Teacher, it’s been a long time. How are you?”
The Wolf King nodded excitedly and said, “I’m fine. We’ve been doing well here.”
Liu Yi nodded and sighed, “We’ve all changed so much… I didn’t expect to be so old. Seeing you all unharmed brings me great relief.”
The Wolf King said, “Lord Demon, shall we go inside?”
Liu Yi shook his head. “No. I want to go to the Flower Sea first to seeJili’er. I’ll return later. Prepare some food and drinks. Haha, we won’t leave until we’re drunk.”
The Wolf King nodded. “Indeed. For the Lord Demon, much time has passed…”
The White Tiger stepped forward and said, “Lord Demon, please hurry back. We’re waiting for you with drinks, haha.”
Liu Yi nodded. “Okay.”
July stepped forward and said, “I want to go with you too.”
Liu Yi looked at July, thought for a moment, and said, “Alright.”
Seeing the Wolf King and knowing the Eternal City was safe, he thought ofJili’er still alone in the Flower Sea. So, he wanted to visitJili’er’s grave. To his surprise, July also wanted to go.
Thus, after bidding farewell to the Wolf King, Liu Yi flew with July toward the Flower Sea in Lotus Town…
Here lay the stories of him andJili’er, as well as those of him and July—only the time and place were different. Here, his story withJili’er seemed to have reached its end, while on the Nine Lotus Peaks, it was the beginning of his story with July. Too much helplessness, too many accidents—these led to this story that shouldn’t have happened.

The speed was incredible. By the time Liu Yi stepped out of the “Chaos Wonderland,” his cultivation level had reached an entirely new realm. With the help of Dragon Emperor, Dragon Flame, and Dragon Ze, even if the Nine Nether Demon God were still alive, Liu Yi was confident he could kill him.

It was unclear how much time had passed, but the two of them had already flown above the sea of flowers. The sun was rising in the east, and the morning breeze caressed their faces. The sea of flowers in September was exceptionally beautiful, stretching as far as the eye could see, filled with the fragrance of blossoms.

Liu Yi gently landed and slowly followed July toward the two graves—Liu Yi’s and Jili’s graves. But before those graves stood a person wearing a long white dress and a light yellow robe. From behind, Liu Yi recognized her—it was Tianjiao. How could she be here?

It seemed Tianjiao also noticed someone approaching behind her and quickly turned around. It was him… Tianjiao recognized him—this person was Liu Yi, the one who had turned three times in his life. And the person beside him was July. Tianjiao blurted out, “It’s you.”

Liu Yi looked at that familiar face, seemingly lost in thought, but quickly regained his composure and said, “Miss Tianjiao, do you still remember me? Why are you so interested in coming here today?”

Tianjiao seemed to think of something and quickly replied, “No, nothing. I was just walking around. I saw this sea of flowers and noticed graves here, which seemed strange, so I came to take a look.”

Liu Yi noticed Tianjiao’s shifting expression, as if she was hiding something. But since they weren’t very familiar, Liu Yi didn’t dare to ask. Just then, he heard a voice, “Scholar, the scenery here is so beautiful. How did you think of coming here?”

Another voice replied, “Don’t you always like this sea of flowers? Coincidentally, Brother Ling has a palace here. It must be lonely for him to live alone. It’s better if we come here together. And sure enough, as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw this sea of flowers.”

Another familiar voice said, “Scholar, Jili is truly fortunate. For ten years, she’s always had you by her side, always able to see this sea of flowers, always able to smell its fragrance. I think this is the greatest happiness in the world.”

With his cultivation level, Liu Yi could naturally hear from afar. But July and Tianjiao couldn’t. They suddenly noticed Liu Yi’s expression becoming very strange and complex. For a moment, his eyes showed a hint of blur, joy, and something strange. Suddenly, Liu Yi moved—his feet lightly stepping, lifting a flurry of petals as he disappeared from their sight…

July was puzzled as to why Liu Yi had acted like that suddenly. Meanwhile, Tianjiao seemed to remember something and muttered, “Oh no…” Then she turned and chased after Liu Yi. Although July didn’t know what had happened, she still followed.

When July stopped, she was stunned. On the other side of the sea of flowers, across from Liu Yi, stood Jili. But beside Jili was a man dressed like a scholar, whose appearance was exactly Liu Yi’s ten years ago. In that instant, July felt as if struck by lightning. What was going on? What exactly had happened?

July couldn’t find any reason to calm down. Hadn’t Jillier died ten years ago? She had seen it with her own eyes. And who was that person who looked exactly like Liu Yi ten years ago? Why was he by Jillier’s side? July’s mind became chaotic—no explanation, no reason could calm her down.

At that moment, Tianjiao stood beside July, watching the three people frozen in shock. She didn’t know what to say, nor what to do. In that instant, she felt so insignificant, so powerless.

Liu Yi quickly stepped in front of Lan Ying and Jillier. The distance between the three of them was less than fifty feet. In an instant, Liu Yi felt his heart stop beating. That woman in blue, with her beautiful and lovely face and neat appearance—wasn’t she Jillier? The figure from so many dreams, the nights filled with indifference, the endless longing—all were for her.

Liu Yi struggled to control his emotions…

Lan Ying spoke up then, saying, “Sir, why are you blocking our way?”

Liu Yi didn’t answer Lan Ying’s question. Slowly, he stretched out his right hand and took a step forward. He wanted to feel, to confirm her real existence. He wanted to know if Jillier was truly alive. That face had appeared in his dreams so many times. He had reached out before but failed to hold her back. Now, he had to try again…

As the distance narrowed, Liu Yi’s hand gradually approached Jillier. Just when his hand wearing a black glove was almost in touch with her, another hand quickly reached out from the side and pushed Liu Yi aside.

It was Lan Ying. As Liu Yi got closer, he suddenly stretched out his hand, pushed Liu Yi aside, and quickly stood in front of Jillier. He said, “Don’t be rude to my wife. Who are you? Blocking our way in broad daylight!”

Unprepared and still lost in his dreams, Liu Yi almost fell under Lan Ying’s strong push. He suddenly raised his head, red light flashing in his eyes as he stared at Lan Ying and asked, “What did you say? Is she your wife?”

Lan Ying looked into Liu Yi’s eyes and said, “Yes, Jillier is my wife. Who are you? Why are you blocking our way?”

Liu Yi was stunned by Lan Ying’s words. He asked himself, “Who am I?” Looking at Jillier, he fell into confusion once again and said tremblingly, “Jillian, it’s me! It’s me, Liu Yi!”

Before Jillier could speak, Lan Ying burst into laughter. “Haha, what a joke! A huge joke! I don’t care what your purpose is. But Jillier and I have been living together for ten years. If you’re Liu Yi, then who am I?”

Hearing his words, Liu Yi re-examined Lan Ying before him. Suddenly, he realized that someone exactly like himself was standing in front of him. No, not exactly the same—his face was that of his self from ten years ago, while he himself was no longer the weak scholar of ten years prior. In an instant, Liu Yi seemed to understand everything.

He moved his right hand, placing his sword directly on Lan Ying’s throat, and snapped, “What did you say? Say it again—who are you?”

The sword blade was black, with three dragon shadows swirling around it—red, purple, and blue—creating an eerily sinister appearance. The sharp tip of the sword seemed capable of slicing through the blue shadow’s throat with just a slight movement, yet the blue shadow resisted not because it knew it didn’t need to act; Gillier would help it. That was precisely its cunning.

Sure enough, Gillier suddenly stepped in front of the blue shadow and said, “He is my husband. Do I need to repeat it? If you didn’t hear clearly, I can say it again.”

Gillier’s words were like knives dipped in saltwater, slowly cutting into Liu Yi’s heart. That already scarred heart was now bleeding. Liu Yi’s hands trembled as he shouted loudly, “No! I am Liu Yi! Gillier, have you forgotten me? Don’t you recognize me? Have you fallen in love with him?” He didn’t know why he could say those words, but the burning flame of jealousy had made his blood boil and his reason gradually fade.

Gillier looked at the white-haired man before her and shook her head. “No, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Liu Yi is my husband, and he has always been by my side. I love him very much. I’m sorry, I don’t know you. Please leave.”

A warm aura emanated from Liu Yi’s sword blade, calming him momentarily. He knew nothing he said would matter. If this fake Liu Yi had truly been with Gillier for ten years, then even if he stayed silent, Gillier wouldn’t admit it. The truth was clear: his appearance had changed—he was no longer the scholar of ten years ago, with his white hair as well. No one would believe he was Liu Yi.

For a moment, Liu Yi stood there, seemingly lost in thought or making a decision. She had fallen in love with that fake Liu Yi, but what about him? What had his day and night longing, his thousand-year wait, gotten him?

The blue shadow revealed a sinister smile—a smile of victory. It didn’t need a knife; just a bit of cleverness was enough to easily gain Gillier’s help. Taking Gillier’s hand, it said, “Let’s go. He must be mistaking someone.”

Gillier smiled at the blue shadow and said, “Mm.”

The two passed by Liu Yi. In that fleeting moment of passing, Liu Yi’s heart shattered. He no longer had the strength to hold on, nor any hope left. With a thud, he knelt down…

As the blue shadow and Gillier disappeared, Liu Yi’s weathered eyes could no longer bear the weight of sorrow. Tears of magic finally fell beneath the sea of snowflakes. The moment those tears landed, endless love vanished. The boundless sea of flowers withered instantly. His heart died, and his tears declared its death…

Liu Yi’s eyes turned blood red. His murderous heart tormented him constantly. Suddenly, he threw his head back and laughed. Amidst his laughter, the dark clouds in the sky quickly gathered, and a cold wind blew. The weather in September suddenly turned as cold as winter.

After his laughter subsided, Liu Yi’s dried eyes shed tears once again. He shouted to the sky, “Is this love? A thousand years of waiting, a thousand years of love—what have my reincarnations gotten me? What? Answer me…”

“The suffering of three lifetimes, obsession with love, madness—is this all I get? Why, why? Everyone is against me, everything is displeased with me. Hahaha! Do you think this can defeat me? I hate everything, hahaha! My suffering, the torment I endure—one day I’ll make you all pay ten times over.”

Tianjiao and Qiyue listened to Liu Yi’s words from behind. By the end, they seemed unable to understand anymore, but they could truly feel his hatred. Liu Yi’s hatred seemed to ignite a killing desire in him. If this continued, when that desire completely consumed his kindness, he would become a demon.

Liu Yi’s eyes turned blood red as he suddenly stood up, holding his long sword and laughing wildly. The sorrow in his heart could no longer be resolved, and his hatred was gradually devouring his heart. With the sword in hand, its cold light shone. In just an instant, Liu Yi’s sword left an eternal mark in the sky. As that light flickered, pure snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

The cold snow fell on Liu Yi’s body but did not melt, because at that moment, his heart was colder than the snowflakes—his heart was dead.

Qiyue, witnessing the strange snowfall, could no longer hold back. She ran over, placed a hand on Liu Yi’s shoulder, and said, “You can hate anyone, but you can’t hate Jillier.”

Liu Yi looked at Qiyue, his eyes glowing red, and asked doubtfully, “Really? Can I really stop hating Jillier?”

Qiyue nodded, tears streaming down her face. She understood Liu Yi’s feelings at that moment and said softly, “Do you know? Jillier has always loved you. The people around her are just substitutes. All of Jillier’s love is for Liu Yi. Do you know that?”

Hearing Qiyue’s words, Liu Yi seemed calmer, but he did not accept it. He shook off Qiyue’s hand, pointed his sword at the snowy sky, and shouted, “I will remember everything you’ve done to Liu Yi. One day, I’ll make you all pay ten times over…” By the time he said these last words, he had already leaped into the snowy air. To Qiyue and Tianjiao, they could not see the future, but they could see the loneliness of the man before them and the sorrow in his white hair.

Watching Liu Yi’s back, Tianjiao sighed, “He must be in great pain. After seven thousand years, all he got was a mistake. Three lifetimes of reincarnation only brought heartbreak, and the curse of a lifetime of suffering became just a story.”

Qiyue nodded. “I can understand the pain in his heart, but he still can’t get out of that shadow of reality. The fake Liu Yi is an undeniable fact. Who would believe him? His helplessness is his deepest wound.”

Tianjiao said softly, “Perhaps I have a way. Before the end of my life, let me awaken my sister’s memories of those seven thousand years. Maybe… he’ll remember Nie Ren’s face.” Her voice was so low that Qiyue didn’t hear it.

The vast sea of flowers was covered with those sad snowflakes. The endless withering spoke of the misery of demons, and the steadfastness of love had now been torn apart by that curse.

Seven thousand years of love, longing in dreams, guidance in darkness—yet all that was gained was a mistake.
Three lifetimes of suffering, the tears of a true demon, snow falling in September—yet all that was achieved was a passing moment.
PS: What can we ask of such helplessness? Just as there are too many such situations in life that have changed us greatly, I can only express love through stories. It may be exaggerated or false, but it is still a story. People are selfish, yet Tianjiao thought of using his life to awaken his sister’s memories and bring her back to Nie Ren’s side. Perhaps this shows that there might be things in this world that are more precious and worth striving for than life itself—only… we have forgotten them.
Can Tianjiao awaken Jili’er’s memories? Can Jili’er return to Nie Ren’s side? What will Liu Yi, filled with despair, do? He may hate heaven, hate earth, hate everything. Perhaps, without love, he can unleash his murderous instincts fully, becoming a true demon, letting his demonic sword soak in more blood to ease the resentment in his heart.