Chapter 656 - 663: The Price of Naivete

’This must be the scene of the Immortal Artifact facing its Heavenly Tribulation when it was forged.’

Song Wanning became more and more certain that the owner of this tomb was Xuan Yan.

But Xuan Yan had been killed a long time ago. How could he have become a Demon after his death?

His soul should have been scattered to the winds long ago.

With many questions in her heart, Song Wanning slowly reached her hand toward the stone door.

However, before her left hand could even touch it, the stone door suddenly opened on its own.

RUMBLE—

The smell of dust assaulted her, and Song Wanning instantly went on guard.

But the danger she expected never came.

When the stone door was fully open, she looked inside and discovered a black coffin.

All sorts of Arrays were carved into the black coffin, giving it an eerie and unsettling aura.

Song Wanning paused. After a moment’s hesitation, she slowly walked inside.

In the vast space, only the coffin before her remained.

The prying gaze she had felt earlier had completely vanished the moment she stepped inside.

She finally stopped in front of the coffin, staring at it fixedly.

"Aren’t you going to show yourself, Senior?"

Song Wanning raised her eyelids lazily, her tone feigning nonchalance.

Her attitude clearly showed she wasn’t taking the coffin before her seriously.

And her disrespectful attitude did the trick. The moment the words left her lips, a dark shadow flew out of the coffin.

It was a Demon, brimming with Demonic Qi.

The Demon before her was breathtakingly handsome. Even wreathed in Demonic Qi, his innate charisma couldn’t be hidden.

He opened a pair of clear eyes and sized up Song Wanning with curiosity.

"So, you’re the one who ruined my plan?"

His tone held no anger, only curiosity.

Song Wanning stared intently at the Demon, her guard rising instead of falling.

"Yes, that was me."

A smile touched her lips. "You must be Senior Xuan Yan, right? You guided Song Que to raise that monster, and your goal is to destroy the world?"

’From the start, it was highly suspicious that Song Que even had access to that monster.’

’And how did he learn how to raise it?’

’Clearly, someone was intentionally guiding him.’

Now, the person behind it all had finally shown their face.

"Hehehe."

Hearing Song Wanning’s title for him, Xuan Yan suddenly started to laugh.

"You’re right. I designed all of it. Everything was going smoothly, but unfortunately, you came along and threw a wrench in my plans."

Although his words were accusatory, Xuan Yan’s eyes remained clear and calm, as if he didn’t care at all.

But Song Wanning knew he cared a great deal.

Because from the moment Xuan Yan appeared, she had felt an unconcealable killing intent.

"You are Song Wanning?"

Xuan Yan slowly floated down from midair, coming to a stop before Song Wanning.

"You’re very beautiful, and your talent is exceptional. Not bad at all."

"Now, I’ll give you two choices. One, be my wife. Two, be devoured by me."

"You can think it over."

A smile played on his lips, as if he truly admired Song Wanning.

His gaze even held a hint of doting affection.

But the hairs on Song Wanning’s body stood on end, and a sense of crisis flashed through her mind.

She looked at Xuan Yan, her expression grim. "I don’t believe you’ve taken a fancy to me. Spit it out. What do you want?"

’I’m not so conceited as to think a Demon could fall for me at first sight. He must be up to something.’

"Hahaha—"

As expected, Xuan Yan burst into laughter upon hearing her words. "You really are direct. And bold!"

"I’m actually starting to like you now!"

His face instantly darkened, and his eyes were finally stained by an inky blackness, revealing his true nature.

"Be my wife. Be my servant. Accompany me in destroying this world. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?"

He tilted his head, a look of reverie in his eyes.

"This world should have been destroyed long ago! Only when the world is destroyed can we attain eternal life, don’t you know?"

A flash of madness flickered in Xuan Yan’s eyes, and his gaze toward Song Wanning became filled with aggression.

"You have no other choice!"

The Demonic Qi behind him swirled wantonly, pressing down on Song Wanning with oppressive force.

Yet Song Wanning remained motionless, allowing the Demonic Qi to pass through her without the slightest change in her expression.

She raised her eyelids languidly and asked with curiosity, "Why do you want to destroy the world?"

"And why did you become a Demon? According to the records, you were already surrounded and killed by your Sect..."

She deliberately brought this up, watching Xuan Yan’s reaction without blinking.

As expected, Xuan Yan’s previously stable mood instantly shattered.

"What do you know?"

"What do you know?!"

"This world deserves to be destroyed! This world should have been destroyed long ago!!!!"

He grew agitated, and the Demonic Qi on his body thrashed about wildly in all directions. He looked completely unhinged.

"You succumbed to your inner demons, so your Sect eliminated a public menace by surrounding and killing you. That is the truth as I know it."

Song Wanning continued to provoke Xuan Yan, looking at him with an expression of disgust.

"A Demon like you should have been erased from this world in the first place. What’s wrong with that?"

The moment she said this, the surrounding Demonic Qi went completely wild, and gusts of hurricane-force winds suddenly appeared.

The raging winds blew so hard that Song Wanning couldn’t keep her balance. She had to reach out and hold onto the coffin to keep from being blown away.

But her face still stung from the abrasive wind.

She kept her eyes fixed on Xuan Yan, wary of a sudden attack.

But unexpectedly, Xuan Yan started to laugh.

His laughter grew louder and louder.

He laughed until he was bent over, until tears formed in the corners of his eyes, before he slowly composed himself.

"So, that’s what they say about me?"

He straightened up, his eyes filled with Evil Qi.

"How ironic!!"

He looked at Song Wanning, the corners of his mouth twisting into a self-deprecating arc.

"You know? I was so naive back then. My life was incredibly smooth from a young age. Whether it was cultivation or Artifact Refining, my talent was something others could never hope to match!"

"I thought I was incredibly happy. The Sect cherished and respected me, and they would always think of me first whenever something good came up!"

"So, even though I didn’t want to accept custom orders for those Magical Treasures, I took on most of the commissions from important figures because I didn’t want to make things difficult for the Sect."

"I dedicated myself to Artifact Refining, not even caring if it delayed my own cultivation. I even contributed many Magical Treasures to the Sect!"

"My master, my senior brothers, and my senior sisters... all their Magical Treasures were modified by me time and time again..."

"Back then, they were all grateful to me, saying they would compensate me handsomely."

A hint of mockery appeared in Xuan Yan’s eyes, leaving only profound self-derision.

At that moment, Song Wanning had already guessed the outcome, but she still listened as Xuan Yan continued, "Until I forged that Immortal Artifact, everything changed!"

"They say Magical Treasures can stir the hearts of men. I was naive enough not to believe it back then."

"But the reality was that my master, my senior brothers, and my senior sisters... for the sake of that Immortal Artifact, they wanted me dead!"