🎄 Merry Christmas, my dear readers! 🎄
I want to sincerely thank every one of you who follows my stories, leaves comments, favorites, and supports my work. As a small way to give back, I've prepared a special extra chapter as a Christmas gift for you.
This chapter is my way of showing gratitude for every read, every theory, and every emotion we've shared along the journey. You bring these stories to life far beyond the words, and that means more to me than I can put into words.
May this Christmas be filled with peace, inspiration, and joyful moments. Let's continue this adventure together, with many more chapters, arcs, and emotions waiting for us in the year to come.
Thank you for being here. Truly. ❤️
Merry Christmas and happy reading! ✨📖
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A few days later, the sky above the Imperial Demon City was shrouded in gray clouds.
A fine drizzle had been falling since dawn, so light that it barely wet the skin, leaving only a silvery veil hanging in the air. The petals of the spiritual flowers in the private garden drooped heavily, crystalline droplets sliding slowly along their edges, as though even they were silently weeping for the departure that drew near.
Ren Zu was once again on the veranda.
Seated cross-legged on the cold wood, his hands rested calmly on his knees, palms turned upward. The black robe he wore absorbed the faint light, making him appear like a living shadow amid the rain. His long hair cascaded over his shoulders, some strands clinging to his forehead and temples from the dampness, yet he seemed not to mind.
His eyes were closed.
Within his body, his profound veins were filled to the brim with profound energy. Each circulation grew more violent than the last, as if something ancient and ravenous were awakening in their depths. Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed inside his chest, as though an invisible chain had snapped…
He had broken through to the Fifth Level of the Emperor Profound Realm!
But that was not all. He had also reached the highest degree of mastery over the Laws of Darkness, becoming completely immune to the element and able to subdue it with a mere thought. The next element he chose was "Space," for he intended to push his Spatial Ancestral Symbol to its limits; with such an artifact, completing this path would be considerably easier…
"Space" was a concept that only those who reached the Sovereign Profound Realm could truly touch. At that level, cultivators gained the ability to form small dimensional pockets—personal domains used to store important objects. Though rudimentary, these pockets already required a genuine degree of comprehension of the Law of Space.
With that initial insight, most were able to create, distort, and manipulate three-dimensional space within a limited area, controlling positions, directions, and even the relationships between objects contained within that spatial fragment. It was simple manipulation, yes, but compared to what lower realms could achieve, its effectiveness bordered on the absurd.
The most common application of this ability was teleportation: moving instantly from point A to point B simply by choosing a new location to occupy. The distance was still limited by the depth of one's understanding of the Law, yet it still allowed instantaneous movement within a defined radius—a capability that completely separated Monarchs from ordinary profound practitioners.
From what he knew, Space varied depending on the world and plane, and like any other fundamental element, it too could be ranked from high to low. The space in the Realm of the Gods, for example, possessed spatial laws that were infinitely denser and more complex, making it far more resistant to interference.
A cultivator in the Sovereign Profound Realm could never tear through the space of that higher plane; they simply lacked sufficient depth in comprehending the Law. The reverse, however, did not apply: any higher-realm profound practitioner who fully mastered a Law could easily tear through the space of lower worlds, for the spatial laws of those planes were more fragile and less refined by comparison.
He, however, could ignore all such limitations thanks to the Spatial Ancestral Symbol. With it, even the strictest laws of higher worlds could be bypassed, allowing manipulations that would normally require a much higher realm.
And when he finally mastered the Dao of Space and completed this stage according to the [Ten Extreme Daos], he would no longer even depend on the artifact. At that point, his comprehension of the Law would be absolute enough to perform the same feats regardless of his cultivation level—tearing, distorting, and shaping space as he wished.
That was why he had chosen this "element."
It might even become possible to travel to other worlds!
Ren Zu slowly opened his eyes.
His pupils were darker than usual—not merely black, but like voids that swallowed the very existence of the light around them.
He exhaled slowly.
A small, almost imperceptible smile curved his lips.
"…I've finally advanced! It's time to say goodbye…"
He uncrossed his legs and stood without hurry.
In the days leading up to that gray morning, he had finished everything required for his journey to the Profound Sky Continent. The first thing he had done was inform his adoptive parents of his absence: he simply said he would be away for three months, wholly devoted to secluded cultivation. For them and everyone close to him within the Imperial Demon City, that explanation was more than sufficient. He had chosen his words carefully, delivering the news calmly so that no unnecessary worry would arise.
The only person who knew the truth—who knew his real destination—was the Little Demon Empress.
He had decided to conceal the rest for a simple reason: it was better that way. Keeping his departure secret was the wisest choice. It protected his plans, prevented outside interference, and preserved the stability of the Illusory Demon Realm during his absence. Whether he liked it or not, he was now the co-ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm alongside the Little Demon Empress. If their subjects learned he was heading to the Profound Sky Continent—a place many still associated with the deaths of the former rulers—they would inevitably fall into paranoia, fearing history would repeat itself.
With all preparations complete, all that remained was to advance his profound strength, which had been teetering on the verge of breakthrough for days, and then depart.
That was also why he had postponed his departure for a few days after the wedding… aside, of course, from enjoying the company of his wife, who seemed to want children at every possible moment. And let's be honest—what man would waste such an opportunity? It was almost comical: no one would believe that the utterly dignified and fearsome Little Demon Empress, capable of making an entire crowd of Monarchs hold their breath, would—under his care—assume positions that would make even experienced courtesans avert their eyes. Her moans alone had left all the maids of the Demon Imperial Palace blushing like tomatoes on countless occasions…
They had been good times…
But now, he had to make his move.
Ren Zu walked through the corridors of the Demon Imperial Palace.
Rain still fell outside, yet inside the palace it felt as though time itself had stopped: golden lanterns flickering softly, the faint scent of lotus-flower incense mingling with the palace's unique perfume.
He pushed open the double doors of the main bedroom without knocking.
The Little Demon Empress stood with her back to him, facing the large black-jade mirror. She wore an imperial robe of golden silk so fine it seemed liquid, flowing over her skin as though alive. The long sleeves fell around her arms like the wings of a Golden Crow. Her hair, still damp from her bath, was being carefully combed by a single maid who moved with rigid, silent professionalism.
Yet the instant she sensed his presence, the maid froze. She bowed so low her forehead nearly touched the floor and, without daring to lift her eyes, hurriedly retreated, closing the door behind her with almost reverent care. Deep down, she simply didn't want to be forcibly thrown out by the Little Demon Empress—because whenever the two of them were alone, Her Majesty tolerated no one nearby… and made that very clear.
The room now belonged solely to them.
The Little Demon Empress, who had already noticed his arrival, did not turn immediately. She continued staring at her own reflection in the black-jade mirror, lifting her chin a little higher than necessary.
Ren Zu smirked.
Three steps were all it took to stand behind her.
His arms encircled her waist before she could even pretend to resist. Her petite body stiffened for a moment, out of old habit of authority… then yielded, as if she had never truly had a choice.
"You kept me waiting, husband. I suppose you've succeeded in advancing your profound strength and are here to bid this empress farewell…" she said expressionlessly, her gaze fixed on their reflections.
"…Yes. That's right. And as we agreed, when this moment came… it would be time for me to leave." Ren Zu sighed, his voice low and tinged with resignation. "Won't you give your husband one last hug?"
The Little Demon Empress huffed, yet she was already rising onto her tiptoes, turning within his embrace. A second later, she jumped. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms locked around his neck with enough force to leave marks.
Ren Zu caught her easily, his hands firm on her thighs, feeling the fabric slide slightly beneath his fingers.
"Three months…" she whispered against his neck, trying to sound threatening. Trying. Her voice, however, came out muffled, trembling at the edges. "Not one day more. If you're even a second late… I'll come fetch you myself. Even if I have to drag you back by the hair in front of the entire Profound Sky Continent…"
"Understood, my Empress. As I've been assuring you these past few days, I'll be fine. There's no one in this world who can kill me if I decide to escape; you have to trust my ability to get away… You know I've mastered a powerful profound art capable of manipulating space itself." Ren Zu had spent days trying to ease her worries, even revealing that he still possessed the ability to teleport—and that it did not stem from an artifact, but from a profound technique he himself had mastered. It was, technically, a half-truth. He did indeed possess an artifact superior even to one of the Seven Heavenly Profound Treasures, capable of granting the power to move through space, but he believed she didn't need to know that…
There were many secrets he could not share with anyone. Not even with his wife. No matter how much he trusted her, some things remained beyond reach, untouchable.
Caution was not a whim; it was a principle. A villain worthy of the name could not allow himself to trust blindly—not in his own feelings, and certainly not in those around him.
Hearing his words, the Little Demon Empress lifted her face. Her eyes glistened, brimming with emotion almost tangible.
"Don't you dare die. Don't you dare get hurt. Don't you dare…" Her voice wavered for a moment: "…don't you dare look at another woman for longer than three breaths…"
Ren Zu chuckled softly, that low, husky laugh that made her chest vibrate.
"Caiyi…"
"What?"
"You're crying."
"I am not…" she answered far too quickly, burying her face in his shoulder as if she could hide the tears there, as if he didn't notice everything about her.
He held her tighter, feeling her heart pounding frantically against his—fragile yet fierce, like a deer caught in headlights.
"I'll come back…" he murmured, kissing her temple, then her eyelid, then the corner of her mouth. "I'll return before you can truly miss me…"
She let out a trembling huff—half sob, half anger.
"Idiot. I've missed you since the second you said you were leaving."
Then she kissed him.
It wasn't gentle; it was pure need. Desperation. Hunger. As if she wanted to brand his very soul with her taste. Her teeth grazed his lower lip, her nails scratched the back of his neck. Ren Zu returned it with equal intensity—one hand cradling her nape, the other gripping her thigh hard enough to leave marks that would last the full three months.
When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless, foreheads pressed together, noses touching, breaths mingling.
"Take care of yourself…" she whispered, voice low and shaking. "And come back to this empress soon… because if you don't, I swear I'll destroy that entire continent just to find you."
Ren Zu smiled—that slow, dangerous, absurdly tender smile he showed only to her.
"I promise."
He set her gently on the floor, but she didn't immediately release his neck. She clung there, as if she could stop the world from taking him, as if she could lock him in the room and never let him leave.
At last, she took a deep breath, lifted her chin, and stepped back.
The tsundere glare returned—cold and arrogant—yet her cheeks still burned with a red impossible to hide.
"Go already…" she muttered, crossing her arms and turning her face away. "Before this empress changes her mind and chains you to the bed…"
Ren Zu let out another husky laugh, leaned in, and stole one final kiss—quick, light, and insolent.
Just to tease her.
"I'm going then, Caiyi…"
He turned and vanished in a blink of absolute darkness.
The room fell empty.
The Little Demon Empress stood there for long seconds, staring at the spot where he had been.
Then, very softly, almost inaudible:
"Come back soon, you idiot… this Empress already misses you…"
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