When Huan Changming was still facing Lu Pianpian as his junior sister, Lu Pianpian also believed that his junior sister Changming was in love with him.
Junior Sister Changming is frail yet kind, innocent and naive, so Lu Pianpian sincerely wants to protect her, pity her, and even risk her life for her.
He had never been in love with anyone, but when he was with his junior sister, he always felt a little shy and uncomfortable. He thought that must be love.
He and his junior sister Changming were in love. The king granted them a marriage, and he prepared a grand dowry for her. On their wedding day, he went to fetch her with great anticipation.
But what did Huan Changming bring him?
Deception, and the cruel truth.
There was never a Junior Sister Changming. Everything Huan Changming brought him was fake, including his innocent, youthful heart, which vanished without a trace.
Therefore, Huan Changming will never understand what he was feeling the day before their wedding, so happy that he couldn't sleep all night.
He thought about how hard his junior sister had worked before, and after they got married, he would treat her the best in every way possible and never let her suffer any grievances.
But Huan Changming ruined this opportunity with his own hands.
Huan Changming's affection for him was nothing more than a carefully crafted lie, born out of a desire to gain something from him.
Lu Pianpian was fooled by such a lie once, and she wouldn't be fooled a second time.
The sword in his hand suddenly transformed into vines, and the thorns growing from the vines viciously tore at Huan Changming's pierced flesh.
Blood spurted from Huan Changming's mouth, and he hugged Lu Pianpian even tighter, "I love you, don't you believe me?"
Lu Pianpian mimicked his past mockery, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. "Is Jingyi still alive?"
"If he were still alive, I wonder what he would think upon hearing your remarks?"
The thorns bent and burrowed into flesh and bone, staining a large patch of the white jade steps beneath them red with blood.
Tianjun quickly pulled Huan Changming from behind, dragging him away from Lu Pianpian, "Brother, stop!"
Huan Changming, however, gripped the thorny vines with his bare hands and said to Lu Pianpian in a hoarse voice, "I killed Jingyi."
Lu Pianpian discarded the vine that Huan Changming was holding, "He was so devoted to you, yet he ended up like this."
"I've never liked him." Huan Changming broke free from Tianjun and scrambled towards Lu Pianpian. "Pianpian, the person I've always liked has always been you..."
This was the most delightful joke Lu Pianpian had heard all day. He responded to Huan Changming with a smile, "Really? But not only do I dislike you, I also wish I could grind you to dust."
"Pianpian, you don't believe me?"
"What aspect of you, from head to toe, is worthy of my trust?"
Huan Changming's expression froze for a moment, then he said in a hoarse voice, "Whether you believe me or not doesn't matter... I finally found you, so I won't let you leave my side so easily."
Lu Pianpian frowned deeply. "Forget about it."
He pulled the vines out of his body, tearing the wound open to a larger, more gruesome state, with blood flowing freely.
He covered his face with his hand, stood up from the ground, and looked at the Heavenly Emperor. "I don't care what you Heavenly Realm want to do to me, but if you want to convert me, you'll have to exchange Pianpian for me."
"Huan Changming, you—"
The Heavenly Emperor embraced Lu Pianpian, preventing him from striking again, and loudly said to Huan Changming, "I will consider your request! You should leave tonight!"
Before Huan Changming left, he gave Lu Pianpian a somewhat bitter smile, then mouthed silently: You are mine.
This life is, and the next life will be, and life after life will be.
The Heavenly Emperor looked at the furious Lu Pianpian with a troubled expression, "Brother, you..."
Lu Pianpian said, "There is only one way for me to convert him, and that is to let me kill him with my sword and let him be reborn as a human!"
He was furious and embarrassed. The Heavenly Emperor knew that no amount of persuasion would work, so he could only postpone the matter for the time being.
"Your Majesty need not say more, my mind is made up."
Lu Pianpian quickly left the Heavenly Lord Palace, following Huan Changming's scent to catch up. Tonight, he was determined to settle things with Huan Changming!
Huan Changming was already injured multiple times. Lu Pianpian showed him no mercy. Although he said he was determined to have Pianpian, he had no confidence at all.
He used his spiritual power to repair the pierced area, and the bleeding stopped temporarily, but the skin and flesh that had been snagged by the thorns did not heal so quickly.
Huan Changming gritted his teeth and walked to the entrance between the Heavenly Realm and the Lower Realm. This was what he deserved. If letting Pianpian stab him a few times would make them reconcile, then even if he was riddled with bloody holes from head to toe, he would gladly accept it.
However, his relationship with Pianpian was not so easily restored.
The only chance he can grasp now is the "Buddha's disciple" mentioned by the Heavenly Emperor.
The Heavenly Emperor said he was the reincarnation of a Buddha, and only Pianpian could convert him. Huan Changming had no interest in this Buddha's identity; what he cared about was whether the Heavenly Realm could push Pianpian towards him.
The bright moon hangs high in the sky, yet the entrance between the celestial realm and the mortal realm is perpetually filled with wind and thunder.
If someone with shallow cultivation were to fall in carelessly, they would be struck by the heavenly lightning and their soul would be destroyed.
Huan Changming decided to postpone his treatment and return to the Demon Realm first. He had already revealed his conditions to the Heavenly Emperor and could no longer push Pianpian too hard; he needed to wait patiently.
A gust of wind blew from behind him. Huan Changming dodged to the side, and the wind blew landed, shattering and collapsing the ground beneath his feet.
Huan Changming whirled around to look at the person who attacked him, narrowing his eyes. "Huan Juntian?"
Jun Tian, expressionless, attacked him again with his knife. Each move seemed ordinary, but it was full of hidden killing intent.
Huan Changming had no choice but to grip his sword and retaliate, "Huan Juntian, isn't it a bit too late to seek revenge now?"
The blades collided, sparking dazzling flames.
Jun Tian refused to back down, using the force of the knife to force Huan Changming back to the entrance of the lower realm in one fell swoop. "The affairs of the mortal world are nothing but fleeting clouds, gone in an instant. I kill you not for old grudges."
Huan Changming gripped his sword with both hands, resisting Juntian's force. If he took another step back, he would fall unprepared into the entrance to the lower realm, where heavenly lightning would strike him, severely injuring him even if he didn't die.
"If it's not for revenge, then what are you after?"
“If your senior brother is unwilling to convert you, then I will kill you with my own hands and sever your entanglement with your senior brother.”
Huan Changming's mind raced, and he finally realized what he meant. He sneered, "You want to kill me? You want to block my and Pianpian's path... Huan Juntian, you lost miserably in the last life, and you won't win in this one either!"
He raised his sword to break free from Juntian's blade, and with his left hand, he formed a sword incantation and slashed at Juntian.
Just as Jun Tian was about to dodge the attack, Lu Pianpian's voice suddenly came from behind him: "Junior Brother!"
Jun Tian paused in his steps, and Huan Changming's sword technique struck him the next moment, sending him flying and falling into the entrance to the lower realm.
"Junior brother—"
Lu Pianpian anxiously leaped down, trying to pull Juntian back, but Huan Changming grabbed one of his sleeves, "Pianpian, it's dangerous!"
Lu Pianpian frowned and glared at him fiercely. She used her fingertips to apply spiritual energy and cut off the sleeve he was holding. He grabbed nothing and watched Lu Pianpian jump down, the scene of her like a furnace of burning bones reappearing before his eyes.
Huan Changming jumped down immediately after him, searching for Lu Pianpian's figure. Heavenly lightning struck him like a net, and he was a step too slow in mobilizing his cultivation to resist. He was struck hard by a bolt of lightning and immediately spat out blood.
"Pianpian! Where are you?"
Huan Changming steadied himself and redeployed his spiritual power, searching for Lu Pianpian's figure within the lightning net.
Fortunately, he found her. Lu Pianpian carried Huan Juntian and flew upwards. Seeing that Lu Pianpian was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then, a bolt of lightning struck Lu Pianpian. Without thinking, Huan Changming flew over and stood in front of Lu Pianpian. He was numb and dizzy from the impact, but he managed to ask Lu Pianpian, "Pianpian, are you hurt?"
Lu Pianpian gave him a cold look and said, "Get lost."
Lu Pianpian, holding Huan Juntian, kicked him into the densest part of the heavenly lightning. Several bolts of lightning struck him, further aggravating his injuries, and his spiritual power to resist the heavenly lightning was about to collapse.
Huan Changming hung precariously in mid-air, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Lu Pianpian who was holding Huan Juntian, trying to explain, "Huan Juntian attacked first, I was just trying to protect myself..."
His tone was tinged with grievance and resentment, which Lu Pianpian could hear, but she remained calm.
What does his grievance and resentment have to do with him?
He was no longer the foolish cultivator he had once been completely deceived.
Lu Pianpian's back turned to Huan Changming with a resolute expression; he didn't even bother to give Huan Changming a proper look.
"Lu Pianpian." Huan Changming's spiritual power to resist the heavenly lightning gradually disappeared, a faint smile remaining on his lips. "If I were to perish in this heavenly lightning right now, would you still be willing... to look back at me one more time?"
Jun Tian was fully conscious. He opened his eyes and looked at his senior brother. Seeing that his senior brother's face was cold and unwavering, he grasped his senior brother's hand in return.
Looking at Lu Pianpian and Huan Changming's clasped hands, Huan Changming suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly, "Yes, you could abandon me once for him... naturally, there will be a second time..."
He closed his eyes unwillingly, and the spiritual power protecting his body suddenly dissipated. Several bolts of heavenly lightning mercilessly pierced through him, and his body was instantly riddled with holes, with blood splattering everywhere.
A strong, pungent smell of blood wafted into Lu Pianpian's nostrils. The emotions in his eyes were obscured by the shadows cast by his eyelashes, making them difficult to discern.
Lang Xu appeared just in time, waved his hand and used Huan Changming to split the heavenly lightning. The lightning's trajectory was skewed, heading towards Lu Pianpian and Huan Juntian.
Huan Changming managed to say with difficulty, "Pianpian, be careful..."
Lu Pianpian wielded her sword with one hand and slashed down the heavenly lightning. Lang Xu grabbed Huan Changming and laughed, "You're so devoted to her, but she just wants you to die under this heavenly lightning!"
After saying this, Langxu's legs suddenly transformed into a snake-like body, its sharp tail oozing dark green venom, and it swiftly stabbed towards Lu Pianpian. "Changming, I will avenge you today!"
Tian Lei and Lang Xu attacked Lu Pianpian simultaneously. Jun Tian's eyes darkened as he blocked Lang Xu's attack for Lu Pianpian. The snake's tail pierced his chest. Lang Xu was somewhat surprised, then pulled out the snake's tail and withdrew it, saying, "You killed the wrong person."
"Junior brother!"
Lu Pianpian hugged Juntian, furious and wanting to fight Langxu, but Juntian stopped her, "Senior brother, let's go back first, this place is not safe to stay..."
Langxu carried the unconscious Huan Changming on his back. "I'll spare you both for now, but I'll kill you two another day to avenge Changming for what happened today."
After saying that, he quickly left with Huan Changming.
Lu Pianpian gritted her teeth and helped Juntian leave the entrance to the lower realm. After returning to the celestial realm and seeing the sunlight, she noticed that the blood flowing from Juntian's chest was an abnormal dark green.
Jun Tian was already in a semi-conscious state. Without thinking too much, he carried Jun Tian straight to the Heavenly Physician.
As night fell, there were not many physicians on duty.
Seeing the divine son hurriedly carrying the Heavenly Lord Juntian in, he quickly woke up from his drowsiness.
"Medical officer!"
Three physicians quickly gathered around and helped Lu Pianpian place Juntian on the small couch. One took his pulse, one examined his injuries, and the other observed Juntian's demeanor and condition.
Before long, the three of them exclaimed in unison, "It's dragon poison!"
Lu Pianpian asked, "Is there a solution?"
The three divided the work: preparing the medicine, grinding the powder, bandaging the wound, and feeding Juntian the pill.
One of them bowed to Lu Pianpian and said, "Divine Child, this poison can be cured. However, the poison comes from the body of the dragon demon. To completely cure the poison of the Heavenly Lord, the dragon demon that injured the Heavenly Lord needs to extract the antidote from its body before we can prepare the medicine to cure it."
Jun Tian struggled to open his eyes and weakly said to Lu Pianpian, "Senior brother, I won't die. Don't go looking for... Huan Changming for me."
Lu Pianpian saw that his lips were black and his expression was restrained, so he must be suffering terribly from the poison.