Chapter 457 - Thousand-Layer Tower

Heavenly Seal Sword Master, in his youth, was given the courtesy name An with the style name Hidden Sword.

Only those who were extremely close to him would occasionally refer to him by this name in private settings.

The aura of gods and the Demon Lord tangled and intertwined in the air.

After a long time, the arms that were tightly embracing her waist slowly loosened, and he asked, “Are you satisfied now?”

Arao slowly pushed herself up, frowning as she rubbed her waist.

It seemed…

she had gone too far.

“By your own choice, you degrade yourself.

Have all the things I’ve taught you gone to the dogs?!”

“Degrade myself?” she touched her unusually warm and full lower belly, smiling carefreely on her face, “Why does Master think that I am degrading myself and getting what I want?

The treasure that Yun Rong did not treasure, what’s wrong with me claiming it for her in advance?”

As she spoke, her expression slightly darkened, and she lowered her head, “I know Master did not wish for tonight, if not for that Enchanting Demon’s meddling, your Heart Clearing Technique would have left me without recourse, but I do not regret it.”

He was silent for a long while before suddenly saying in a low voice, “Arao, come here.”

Arao was startled and slowly approached, “Master?”

He pulled over a piece of clothing, tore off a clean strip of cloth, and handed it to her, “I have something to tell you.”

Arao hesitated and drew back, “I don’t want it!

This is what Master has left for me!”

His gaze weighed heavily upon her as he repeated, “Come here.”

His name and his cultivation now completely dissipated, he posed no threat to her, but Arao couldn’t help but get goosebumps and approached again, lowering her head, “I won’t just…”

He was almost pissed crooked, “Are you planning to never bathe for your entire life?”

She murmured something softly, too quiet to hear clearly.

He suddenly asked, “Why have you never spoken about it?”

Arao replied, “Would Master accept it if I did speak?

From your resistance and rejection today, it’s clear you wouldn’t.

Master, if I’m not mistaken, if you had known Arao’s heart from the start, you would have promptly pushed me away and sent me to Central Netherworld to be looked after by your mother.”

Suddenly, she smiled, a smile somewhat abject and pitiful, “But look, I carefully hid those feelings, not only did I spend a thousand years by Master’s side, but now Master is mine.

I have gained far more than Yun Rong, haven’t I?”

She knew it was not really so.

Bodies without love involved, no matter how intensely entangled, would cool off once parted.

Her Master was known for his infuriating calmness and rationale.

This absurd night, no matter how much she treasured it, was nothing more than a fleeting dream, both moving apart.

He was speechless for a moment before finally looking down and saying softly, “Arao, it shouldn’t have been this way…”

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

It might have been her imagination, but at this moment, she thought she saw a faint sadness in Master’s eyes, “If all these misunderstandings stemmed from your belief that Yun Rong harmed your mother, I…”

Her eyes were scornful as she suddenly interrupted with a laugh, “Even now, Master wishes to protect her?”

He pursed his lips, his eyes that held many secrets shielded by his lashes, his voice chilled a few degrees, “With a clear conscience, there is no need for protection.”

“How noble!” Arao’s eyes, still flushed with pleasure, now carried a chilling malice, “Does Master remember his promise to Arao, that he was willing to give me three days to prove my innocence?”

“If I had known earlier that you went to seek Shu Ci, I would not have granted you those three days,” he said.

Arao sneered coldly, “After a thousand years, Master finally speaks his mind.

In the end, Master just thinks my intention in going to Taiqi Mountain was impure!

Thinking I went to awaken the Yihe Shu Ci to revive the Six Rivers and solidify the Demon World’s territories.

But what kind of gentleman and Saint are you, Master?

Without hard evidence, how could you sever the master-disciple relationship over such rumors and suspicions?

You make promises of three days on one hand and on the other, you allow your disciples to release my contact-restricted mother.”

She let out a pitiful smile, “How foolish I was, it took a thousand years to realize that in Master’s eyes, I was always incompatible with your Mortal World storms; to you, the Demon Blood in my bones is an indelible stain.”

“Actually Master, you don’t have to live such a hard life, all you have to say is ‘Arao, you are not needed here,’ and I would have hidden well, not letting anyone discover it and lose your face.”

“But why do you test me!

If you don’t trust me, why give me those three days!

You say my mother’s death has nothing to do with Yun Rong!

But why then were traces of Tianxi Demonic Control found on my mother’s corpse?

Who manipulated her consciousness to come to me, for me to annihilate?!

Master, tell me!

Among all the Heavenly Seal, only two are qualified to learn the Forbidden Tianxi Technique!

As Master, you’ve always been upfront about killing; if not Yun Rong, who else could it be?!”

As she said this, her smile disappeared, the love and lust in her eyes vanished completely, her voice cold as a Fierce Ghost in the night, a cold light of hatred gleaming.

He, who had listened to all this in silence, suddenly trembled, whether shocked to his core or for some other reason, his hand unconsciously grasped his chest, his face pale and beaded with sweat.

The pain hardly borne in the depths of his eyes was a pity unseen by Arao, lost in her own emotions as she discussed the past.

His pale lips parted, his voice hoarse, “Knowing I kill with integrity, why do you think I would allow Yun Rong such behavior?”

Her gaze was icy, her paranoia venomous, “With the great battle against demons imminent, I was doubted and questioned by all, only by having my mother die by my hand could your followers’ hearts be quickly stabilized.

Loyal to the sword in her hand for her entire life, Yun Rong is the sword of Tianxi, and she would undoubtedly use any means to relieve you, the Sect Master, of your worries.”

“She has always been heartless and emotionless, the death of an insignificant demon is a trivial matter to her, wouldn’t it be easy for her to cast the Tianxi Demonic Control?”

The hidden injury beneath his chest began to ache again, he pressed his brows together, his voice growing colder, “Who told you these things?”

Arao’s expression faltered, then she hardened her face, “Does it matter who said it?

Master has always respected the deceased, if you were unaware of Yun Rong’s actions, why did you disperse my mother’s remains with heavenly lightning after her death, if not because you were afraid I would notice traces of Yun Rong’s techniques?”

His pale and gaunt face turned cold like jade, his deep eyes looked black and cold, as if carrying a confusing mix of emotions that couldn’t be spoken clearly.

Looking at the disciple before him, twisted and dominated by hatred until she was unrecognizable, he spoke, “Senior Sister was not heartless, when she was too focused on one thing, she often neglected others, she was just…

especially attentive and careful with the things she cherished.”

“Arao, your suspicion and conjecture are no excuse to destroy and harm her, some things are simply wrong when they are wrong.”

Arao was sick of his ever calm and detached demeanor, as if he understood everything in the world.

Who was he to think that those in darkness should look up to light, while those in light could ignore the dark?

“Master, what do you know?” she closed her eyes, her voice resigned.

A person who has always been accompanied by the light can only see the brilliance and fragrance brought by the sunlight; how could they possibly understand the rich darkness and decay that lay beneath it.

He looked bewildered, murmuring to himself, “What do I…

know?”

Seeing his slightly desolate face, Arao continued, “What’s the use of Master explaining all this now?

Back at Taiqi Mountain, did Master ever give me a chance to defend myself?”

“Upon knowing that I was the Demon Lord, you did not hesitate to lock me away in Demon Suppressing Tower.”

“For a thousand years, I’ve been hoping Master would come and look at me once, just once, and I’d be willing to endure all the undeserved suffering.”

“But Master seemed to have forgotten about me; in the Tower, I dwelled with demons.

In the eyes of your people, that Thousand Layer Tower is a supreme accomplishment of the Immortal World, an untouchable sacred treasure, but to me…”

“The Tower of a Thousand Layers is my Thousand Layers of Hell.”

“A hundred years per layer, Master, I endured layer after layer, yet I never saw you, even though I am a demon, I too hope…

that someone would come to cherish me.”

With a bleak smile, she concluded, “Forget it, I’ve said so much to Master.

In your eyes, I am that Great Demon guilty of slaughtering the masses, and if you had the power, you would certainly execute me yourself.”

His demeanor grew colder.

Although he was touched by the stories she told, his eyes remained focused, discriminating between right and wrong, “You’re right, your past suffering doesn’t change the fact that you’ve committed grave errors with blood-stained hands.

If I am capable, I will not tolerate you.”

“Not tolerate me?

Master, how will you not tolerate me when you’ve already lost this wager today, you are mine, and Yun Rong’s life is also mine.”

His anger flared, “Nonsense!”

“Does Master really intend to let that Enchanting Demon harvest him?” Arao’s long eyes narrowed dangerously.

His face turned ashen at the memory of what had occurred, feeling immense revulsion, “Even being consumed by an Enchanting Demon is better than being humiliated by you!”

Seeing his genuine distress, which seemed truer than accepting the Enchanting Demon, Arao exploded in jealous rage, “Since Master thinks this way, then I won’t deceive my Master thoroughly enough to be worthy of this disdain!”

“You dare!”

“How naive!”

Arao pinched his chin harshly and blocked Master’s breath.

He raised his hand, intending to slap her insolent face, but his hand froze mid-air.

Turning his head to avoid her kiss, he grew furious, his gaze fierce and disgusted, “Get away!”

Arao was stung by the disgust in his eyes, a sentiment she saw for the first time in Master’s eyes, her emotions shaken, the flame Demon Mark between her brows revealing itself.

Eventually, she slowly let go, her voice chillingly hollow, “Fine, I won’t touch Master, but if Master still wishes to continue this wager to protect Yun Rong today, then why don’t you do it yourself?”

At these words, his tone became chilling, “Rebellious disciple!

Do you realize what you’re saying!”

Mad!

Completely mad!

What kind of demon had he raised?!