Chapter 49
Even after his name was cleared and he was freed, Zhuo Yichen could not find peace…
Too many questions remained unanswered.
Too many pieces refused to fit together.
How had Wen Zongyu planned everything so perfectly?
How had their hideout been discovered?
How had Li Lun seemingly died… only for his shadow to continue appearing everywhere?
And most frightening of all-
why did Yichen feel as though something deep inside him was waking up?
Something that did not belong to this life.
The feeling haunted him…
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So when he heard Zhao Yuanzhou was alone at Taoyuan Residence again, he immediately left.
By the time he arrived, he had already broken through the barriers surrounding the courtyard.
Two jars of wine from Ying Lei rested in his arms.
The familiar peach blossoms swayed overhead.
For a brief moment, it almost felt peaceful.
Then Zhao Yuanzhou appeared.
The demon’s eyes widened.
“Yichen?”
He immediately walked forward.
Then stopped.
His expression changed.
“Why are you here?”
Yichen frowned.
“What kind of greeting is that?”
“Leave.”
“What?”
“Leave now.”
“I’m dangerous.”
Yichen’s irritation immediately surfaced.
“Do you ever say anything else?”
But before Zhao could answer-
his expression suddenly twisted.
His golden eyes darkened.
A terrifying pressure exploded from his body.
“Li Lun.”
The name left his mouth like a growl.
Yichen’s heart sank.
At the same moment, Zhao Yuanzhou drew his umbrella and attacked.
The battle began instantly.
Spiritual energy tore through the courtyard.
Peach blossoms scattered into the air.
The ground cracked beneath them.
Neither held back.
Yichen quickly realized something was wrong.
Zhao wasn’t attacking him.
He was attacking something he could see.
Something hidden inside himself.
Meanwhile, Wen Xiao and the others arrived outside the courtyard.
The moment they saw the battle, they prepared to rush forward.
Pei Sijing immediately stopped them.
“Wait.”
“Are you serious?”
“If we interfere now, we’ll only make it worse.”
She looked toward the sky.
“The priority is restoring the Bai Ze Amulet.”
At her side, the Yaoshui Sacred Wood slowly emerged.
Wen Xiao raised both hands.
Golden light spread outward.
The sacred wood floated into the air.
Its form gradually changed.
Branches twisted.
Ancient runes appeared.
A brilliant radiance descended across the courtyard.
Slowly-
the Bai Ze Amulet was reborn.
As the light spread, Wen Xiao suddenly noticed blood.
Her face changed.
“Yichen!”
During the battle, Zhuo Yichen had already been wounded several times.
Blood stained his sleeve…
A cut stretched across his shoulder.
Yet Zhao Yuanzhou didn’t seem aware of it.
The demon wasn’t attacking Yichen.
He was fighting Li Lun’s influence…
And every strike accidentally landed on the person he loved most.
For a brief moment, Zhao’s gaze cleared.
His eyes widened.
“Yichen…”
The demon looked horrified.
As if waking from a nightmare.
Then suddenly-
a figure emerged from Yichen’s body.
Dark energy gathered.
A familiar laugh echoed across the courtyard.
Li Lun.
Bai Jiu’s eyes widened.
“So it was him…”
Wen Xiao’s expression darkened.
“Li Lun possessed him all along.”
The truth finally became clear.
Li Lun had never truly disappeared.
He had hidden himself from the very beginning.
Because for once-
With the reborn Bai Ze Amulet shining behind him, Yichen rushed toward Li Lun.
Yunguang Sword flashed.
Sword light illuminated the sky.
His attacks were swift.
Precise.
Relentless.
Li Lun was stronger than before.
Far stronger.
The moment their weapons collided, Yichen felt the difference.
His injuries slowed him.
His spiritual energy wavered.
And Li Lun showed no mercy.
“You still lose every time.”
A wave of dark energy erupted.
Yichen was thrown backward..
The Yunguang Sword trembled violently.
Cracks appeared along its blade.
“No-“
Yichen’s eyes widened.
Li Lun smiled.
Then struck again.
A deafening sound echoed through the valley.
The legendary Yunguang Sword shattered.
Fragments scattered through the air like falling stars.
For a heartbeat, everything became silent.
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Li Lun stood over Zhuo Yichen.
The shattered pieces of the Yunguang Sword lay scattered across the ground.
Blood stained Yichen’s robes.
His breathing had become shallow.
Every part of him hurt.
Not just his body.
His heart.
His mind.
Everything.
Nearby, trapped within the wooden box, Bai Jiu pounded desperately against the invisible prison.
“Yichen Gege!”
“Get up!”
“Please get up!”
But no sound reached the outside world.
Li Lun glanced toward the box and laughed.
“It won’t matter soon.”
His voice was cold.
“The longer he remains trapped, the weaker his consciousness becomes.”
“Eventually…”
He smiled.
“There won’t be anything left.
For the first time, genuine fear crossed his face.
Meanwhile, Zhuo Yichen slowly pushed himself up.
His vision blurred.
Blood dripped from his fingertips.
Then he remembered.
Bai Jiu.
The young doctor who followed him everywhere.
Who trusted him completely.
Who called him gege.
A faint smile appeared on Yichen’s bloodstained face.
“Sorry…”
He whispered.
“I can’t lose another person.”
Without hesitation, he drew a blade across his own palm.
Fresh blood spilled onto the broken fragments of Yunguang Sword.
Bingyi Clan blood.
Ancient.
Powerful.
Sacred.
The fragments trembled.
Light surged through them.
For a brief moment, the shattered sword reformed.
Yichen immediately attacked.
Sword light flashed.
The strike was beautiful.
Desperate.
Everything he had left.
The blade cut across Li Lun’s shoulder.
Blood appeared.
But only a little.
Li Lun looked down.
Then sighed.
“You really never know when to give up.”
The next moment-
dark energy exploded.
A devastating blow struck Yichen directly.
His body was thrown backward.
The sword shattered once more.
This time completely.
Yichen crashed against the stone ground.
Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
His consciousness flickered.
The world spun.
For a moment, he couldn’t even hear properly.
Couldn’t move.
Couldn’t think.
Only sadness remained.
Not because he was injured.
Not because he was dying.
But because everything kept falling apart.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Just as Li Lun stepped forward-
two figures appeared.
A golden barrier blocked his path.
Zhao Yuanzhou.
And Wen Xiao.
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Li Lun smiled.
“Persistent as always.”
His eyes settled on Zhao Yuanzhou.
“I really have to admire you.”
The demon remained silent.
Li Lun laughed softly.
“No matter how many times people try to control you…”
“No matter how much pain you suffer…”
“You always break free.”
His smile gradually faded.
“And somehow that annoys me.”
Zhao Yuanzhou glanced toward the fallen Yichen.
His expression darkened.
Dangerously.
“Li Lun.”
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
“You should be worrying about yourself.”
Li Lun raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?”
“Wen Zongyu.”
“What about him?”
Zhao Yuanzhou’s gaze sharpened.
“You think you’re his partner.”
The wind suddenly grew colder.
“You think you’re helping each other.”
Li Lun’s smile weakened slightly.
“And?”
Zhao Yuanzhou stepped forward.
“But have you ever wondered why he’s willing to sacrifice everyone around him?”
“Wen Zongyu used Bai Jiu.”
“He manipulated Pei Sijing.”
“He destroyed lives without hesitation.”
“A man like that doesn’t keep allies.”
“He keeps tools.”
For the first time, uncertainty flickered across Li Lun’s face.
But only briefly.
“A tool?”
He scoffed.
“You think I would allow myself to become someone’s pawn?”
Zhao Yuanzhou’s response came immediately.
“You already are.”
The words landed harder than any attack.
Li Lun’s expression slowly changed.
“Wen Zongyu wanted power.”
“He wanted the glory Chongwu Camp once had.”
“He wanted influence.”
“He wanted control.”
Zhao Yuanzhou’s voice remained steady.
“And you wanted a body.”
“A way to survive.”
“A way to escape your suffering.”
“So tell me.”
“Who used who?”
Li Lun’s fists slowly clenched.
Wen Xiao watched quietly.
Then Zhao Yuanzhou delivered the final blow.
“You’re not the mastermind.”
Li Lun’s expression froze.
“You’re another experiment.”
The courtyard became deathly silent.
“Wen Zongyu has spent years researching demonized humans.”
“He studies possession.”
“Inner cores.”
“Negative energy.”
“Human transformation.”
“You aren’t his partner.”
His voice became colder.
“You’re proof.”
For the first time, Li Lun genuinely looked shaken.
His confidence cracked.
Zhao Yuanzhou continued.
“If you don’t believe me…”
He pointed toward Tiandu.
“Go to the dungeon.”
“See it yourself.”
“See what he’s been hiding.”
The silence stretched.
Nearby, Zhuo Yichen struggled to remain conscious.
His body ached.
His heart ached even more.
Through blurry vision, he watched Zhao Yuanzhou standing between him and Li Lun.
Protecting him once again.
The sight made his chest tighten.
Because no matter how many times disaster struck-
no matter how many times fate separated them-
that demon always came back.
Always.
And somehow…
that hurt even more than the wounds.