Chapter 4

Descendants of the Gong clan, even if they did not cultivate, possessed tendons, bones, and flesh far stronger than ordinary body cultivators. Although Gong Miaohua appeared delicate, she could shatter a mountain stone with a single punch without using spiritual energy.

She was convinced that Yu Youyou had disgraced her, and now that she was carrying another child in her womb, the entire Demon City was watching.

Even though the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord was deeply devoted to her and comforted her with gentle words, she still feared that he might doubt her ability to bear an outstanding demonic bloodline.

She no longer wished to see Yu Youyou before her.

She already had a beloved child.

This child, as the continuation of the Demon Lord and the Gong bloodline, had been growing in her womb for a full year and would surely be strong!

The beautiful female cultivator wiped her tears and complained, while Master Yu listened quietly.

He had just been furious, but now suddenly calmed down, and Gong Miaohua breathed a sigh of relief.

“Senior Brother, then…” she asked tentatively.

“You Youyou belongs to me. But today we swore an oath: since you have given her up, unless Youyou grows up and still wishes to forgive you, if she refuses, you will no longer have any mother-daughter ties with her. Don’t use maternal gratitude to manipulate her.”

Hearing this, the radiant female cultivator’s eyes brightened, and she nodded, saying, “I am willing to swear to you, Senior Brother!”

She would have more children with the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord in the future; who would care about the daughter of an ex-husband?

Still hesitating slightly, she spoke gently to Master Yu, “I know that Senior Brother has always cared for me. But the past is like smoke; please look forward. I originally thought that by leaving Senior Brother a Gong bloodline, I could repay you for your years of care. Unfortunately, this child is disappointing and may even be a stain on you.”

During the past six months of Yu Youyou’s illness, she refused to give up, unwilling to believe in her poor aptitude. Together with the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord, she sought the help of several cultivators skilled in medical arts from the cultivation world to examine her condition.

The feedback chilled the hearts of the couple.

Weak as a mortal, not a trace of spiritual energy in her bloodline, with fragile bones; even if she barely cultivated, it would be lucky to merely establish a foundation.

Master Yu, a sect leader whose name struck fear across the cultivation world, a man who commanded the wind and rain, had such a useless daughter—how could he not be ridiculed?

Though they could no longer be husband and wife, as senior brother and sister, Gong Miaohua still encouraged Master Yu to remarry a talented female cultivator and bear a gifted child.

She spoke as if to herself, and Master Yu looked at her deeply.

“Miaohua, I once regarded you as a dear sister.”

But what did she consider herself?

Was a female cultivator’s worth only measured by her ability to bear valuable offspring?

Born into a prestigious family and now a seasoned high-level female cultivator, yet every day she cared only for such matters.

“You Youyou is my treasure,” he paused, then said coldly, “She is fine as she is.”

The little girl who affectionately snuggled up to him and called him “Daddy,” he felt as if in holding her briefly, he embraced the most beautiful thing in his life.

But judging by Gong Miaohua’s current appearance, she surely could not understand such feelings of cherishing.

Master Yu did not wish to say more, continuing, “As for you, from now on, you have no ties with me. When you see me, call me Sect Leader.”

Those words shocked Gong Miaohua.

“What?!”

In the past, when she betrayed him and eloped with the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord, he still recognized her as a junior sister.

How could he now cut ties so decisively?

“When we severed ties back then, I didn’t mind. But now that you look down on and mistreat my daughter, only hatred remains between us.”

Master Yu lowered his head to look at his large hand calmly and said, “Don’t delude yourself into thinking I still cherish you or miss you. If you hadn’t cried and threatened to die to marry me, and if my master hadn’t ordered me to marry you, I would never have made you my partner.”

---

He had a difficult background. It was the previous sect leader who pulled him from the mud and took him under his wing, setting him on this bright path.

He regarded the master as a father and knew the master’s only concern.

The Gong clan had only one remaining heir—Gong Miaohua.

Countless powerful cultivators coveted the Gong bloodline.

If it weren’t for the might of the Ancient Sect, a powerful faction in the cultivation world, Miaohua’s fate would likely have been grim.

At that time, he was preparing to take over the sect, and the master’s only hope was to entrust the child of his closest friend to someone who would neither covet the ancient celestial bloodline nor fail to protect, love, and provide a stable life for her.

Moreover, it was Gong Miaohua who cried and insisted on marrying him.

He had looked after her since childhood and, knowing his master’s concerns, thought that since the marriage was arranged, he would protect his junior sister.

Of course, when she eloped with the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord and tearfully told him she had mistaken emotion for love before and only found true love with the Demon Lord, he did not oppose them.

She had found true love, and as a senior brother, he was happy for her.

Though they could not be husband and wife, they could still be siblings and protect her.

As long as there was no animosity between them and he remained her support, even the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord would have to treat her well.

But now that she mistreated his daughter, why should he care?

Master Yu slowly stood.

“Brother Yu, are you leaving?”

The Scarlet Flame Demon Lord was an intriguing man. Despite having once stolen the wife of another, and despite the fact that the daughter was neglected and related to him as the city lord, he still smiled as if no grudge existed between him and Master Yu.

He stood and smiled, “Miaohua is pregnant now, so her words are somewhat…” Before he could finish, a fist the size of a bowl flashed with spiritual energy and struck him.

The punch was brief but powerful, carrying the roar of wind and thunder, smashing into the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord’s strikingly handsome yet sinister face!

Though demons possessed robust bodies, this blow, charged with the fury of a powerful cultivator, made him groan and stagger back, crashing heavily against the palace wall.

Many demons served in the main hall, numerous and imposing, yet this swift strike caught everyone off guard.

Just as Gong Miaohua finally screamed, the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord’s slender body was pulled from the wall, and another heavy punch, charged with spiritual energy, struck him again!

His eyes briefly scattered before clearing with fury. A fierce black flame flickered in his narrow eyes, and the demonic markings on his forehead glowed a vivid red.

He was about to counterattack when Master Yu had already thrown him aside and stepped back.

“No one can harm my Youyou, and she is safe. If you, as her biological mother, do not care for her, then I will take her away. But I hate you for letting her fend for herself while she is ill, such a tiny child.”

Turning to the tearful, beautiful female cultivator covering her mouth, Master Yu said coldly, “These fists should have landed on you. But since you are pregnant, I do not strike a pregnant woman. These blows are on his behalf. Today you harm my beloved daughter, so I strike your beloved man. He has suffered for you, and you are deeply in love and bearing children for him; in both reason and emotion, he must be willing.”

As he spoke, the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord’s aura surged, causing the entire hall to tremble under the demonic pressure.

The alarmed demons gathered, seeing Master Yu alone and seemingly vulnerable, and began to move restlessly.

As eavesdropping grew brazen, Yu Youyou, who had been quietly observing, suddenly grew anxious.

“Yes!”

Her “Daddy” was right.

Just as she tried to say more, she clenched her small paws and struggled to speak again.

Chu Xingyun pressed her face gently against his neck, his spiritual sword flashing, spiritual energy surging skyward.

---

“Half-step Great Ascension.”

The Scarlet Flame Demon Lord’s eyes, filled with killing intent, suddenly fixed on the entrance of the main hall.

There stood a young man dressed elegantly, whose hands and bearing surpassed even his own in handsomeness.

Chu Xingyun calmly drew his sword and nodded slightly to him.

“Hmph.”

The Scarlet Flame Demon Lord, wary after observing the young man who was indeed young yet already at half-step Great Ascension, narrowed his fiery black eyes.

As the lord of a demon city, being handled like a weakling today was a great humiliation he would not easily forgive.

Had this been a stranger, he would have crushed him to dust without hesitation.

But Master Yu was not someone to be easily besieged.

As a great sect leader, though there might be internal discord, when faced with external enemies, they would unite as one.

Just as when he eloped with Gong Miaohua and was blocked by cultivators of the Ancient Sect all night, if it hadn’t been for Master Yu’s word, those cultivators would have torn him to pieces.

“Darling.”

Gong Miaohua, seeing the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord’s bloodied face, sobbed and rushed to him.

But to Master Yu’s cold gaze, her tears seemed more mournful than losing a father.

“I’m fine. Brother Yu’s kindness today is noted.”

The Scarlet Flame Demon Lord’s gaze lingered on Gong Miaohua’s swollen belly, his voice softening, “Don’t worry, it’s only superficial wounds. You’re carrying a child—don’t be startled and harm yourself.”

Such gentle words made Gong Miaohua feel even more protective of him, glaring angrily at Master Yu.

But that look did not faze Master Yu in the slightest.

The demons nearby, seeing the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord order them to disperse, could only retreat with resentment.

At last, Yu Youyou, after holding in for some time, managed to utter a word.

“Send!”

She called out, then, exhausted, collapsed onto her senior brother’s shoulder.

Master Yu was momentarily stunned, then looked suddenly at his precious daughter.

“You mean I ordered those years of precious treasures to be delivered to you, and you never ate them?”

Chu Xingyun frowned as well.

“Ah.”

Her “Daddy” and her senior brother truly seemed to be in sync with her thoughts.

One word, and everything was understood.

Surely they were her true father and true senior brother.

Yu Youyou thought of the Yu Youyou in the book who had done many bad things but still felt exceptionally fortunate.

Yet... she weakly clenched her small fists, feeling that at this very moment, something was wrong everywhere.

She remembered that in the story, Yu Youyou lived with the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord couple until she was nine before reluctantly being taken back to the Ancient Sect by Master Yu.

She loved the Demon City.

The Scarlet Flame Demon Lord treated her like a real father, pampering her so she could reign unchecked in the city.

The couple had always been kind and gentle to her.

When later Master Yu wanted her to return to the Ancient Sect, she even resented him for standing in the way of her closeness with the Demon Lord couple and hated this father.

Why, now that it was her, did the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord couple not even feign loving kindness but instead drove her away?

And why had her “Daddy” come to take her home so early?