Sickly White Thousand Bones

High above the clouds of the Nine Heavens, a bride was preparing herself.

Bai Qiangu sat before a bronze mirror, gazing at her own reflection.

Twenty years had passed, yet her appearance remained just as it was back then—if not more exquisite and flawless.

She wore the most splendid red wedding gown.

It was crafted from the finest material she had personally chosen: Tianshan snow silkworm silk, dyed with a millennium-old cinnabar, and embroidered with the majestic Phoenix of the Nine Heavens.

Every stitch, every thread, was painstakingly sewn by her own hands during her moments of cultivation.

Twenty years—an entire two decades. With each stitch she sewed, she silently whispered a name in her heart: Ye Xuan.

Her heart brimmed with joy, as if she were a young girl experiencing her first bloom of love.

Yes, even though she was the supreme overlord of the demonic path, even though her hands were stained with blood, even though the righteous sect saw her as a villain that must be eradicated—

At this moment, the emotions surging within her were exactly the same as twenty years ago, when a young boy had saved her: pure, fierce, and utterly unreserved.

She remembered that rainy night.

She remembered the frail figure who had found her, barely clinging to life, amidst the pouring rain.

She remembered those clear eyes, how they welled up with tears of pity upon seeing her battered body.

She remembered that trembling voice, softly saying, "Sister, don’t be afraid. I will protect you."

From that moment on, her heart beat for no one but him.

"Little Xuanzi..."

Bai Qiangu murmured softly, reaching out to caress her own face reflected in the bronze mirror, her gaze tender beyond measure.

"Sister is coming to marry you."

She smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons. The smile was so sweet, so innocent, as if she were not a merciless demon overlord, but simply an ordinary woman about to wed.

She stood, smoothing her gown. The red wedding dress on her was breathtaking—so beautiful it took one’s breath away. She stepped onto the clouds, ready to descend to the mortal world.

Twenty years.

She had waited for this day for twenty long years.

Every silent night, she would recall the face of that boy. Every time she broke through a cultivation barrier, she would whisper to him in her heart: Little Xuanzi, Sister has grown stronger again. Soon, I will come to marry you.

Every time she slew an enemy, she imagined how, when she returned, she would recount every experience of those years to him, bit by bit.

She had even rehearsed the very first words she would say upon meeting him.

"Little Xuanzi, Sister is back."

Just six simple words. She had practiced them countless times in her mind. What tone should she use? Gentle? Playful? Should she give him a hug first, or show him her new gown?

She was like a girl about to meet her beloved, her palms sweating with nervousness.

Yet—

When her divine perception swept over the Ye family estate—

She saw a glaring red.

In that instant, Bai Qiangu’s heart seemed to be crushed by an invisible hand.

Red.

Everywhere was red.

But it wasn’t the red that welcomed her.

It was... someone else’s wedding.

Hovering above the clouds, Bai Qiangu froze in place. Her divine sight clearly revealed the Ye mansion decked out with lanterns and banners, guests filling the halls. A huge “Double Happiness” character adorned the main gate, red lanterns hung throughout the courtyard, and joyous wedding music floated in the air.

That was... a wedding.

A wedding was taking place.

At her Ye residence.

In the home of her Little Xuanzi.

“No…”

Bai Qiangu’s lips trembled as she uttered a faint syllable.

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. There had to be some mistake. Surely the Ye family was celebrating some other joyous occasion. Maybe it was Little Xuanzi’s sister getting married? Yes, it had to be that.

Her divine awareness probed deeper.

And then, she saw it.

The young man she had longed for day and night had now grown into a handsome youth.

Twenty years had left their mark on him. He was no longer the skinny child he once was but had blossomed into a tall, striking man. In his brows and eyes, traces of the boy he used to be still lingered, but more than that, there was maturity and calm.

He wore the groom’s ceremonial robes.

A bright red wedding gown, a golden belt, and a groom’s crown atop his head.

He was holding the hand of another woman.

She was a gentle lady, dressed in equally splendid bridal attire, her head adorned with a phoenix crown, her face veiled by a red silk cover. Though her face was hidden, her slender figure and graceful demeanor revealed she must be a beauty.

He bowed deeply in the wedding ceremony with a face full of tenderness.

Ye Xuan’s expression bore a smile of happiness. It was so genuine, so warm—he was surely living the most beautiful moment of his life.

The master of ceremonies stood to the side, loudly chanting:

“First, bow to Heaven and Earth…”

Ye Xuan and the woman knelt side by side, paying homage to Heaven and Earth.

“Second, bow to the elders…”

They turned and bowed to Ye Xuan’s parents seated in the hall. Ye Xuan’s parents wore looks of pride, tears glistening in their eyes.

“Third, the couple bows to each other…”

Ye Xuan turned to face the woman. He reached out gently and lifted her red veil.

Beneath the veil was a gentle and virtuous face. The woman’s smile bloomed like a flower, her eyes full of shyness and happiness.

Ye Xuan looked into her eyes just as he once looked into Bai Qiangu’s: clear, warm, and full of love.

High above in the clouds,

Bai Qiangu’s smile froze instantly.

She kept the sweet smile she had just worn, but it had lost every ounce of warmth.

Her eyes opened wide; her pupils contracted violently as if she had witnessed the most unbelievable sight in the world.

Her heart’s joy, in that moment, turned into overwhelming bitterness and icy murderous intent.

“Why…”

Her voice was barely audible, so faint she could hardly hear it herself.

“Why…”

Her body began to tremble. Not from fear, but from rage. The kind of rage born from betrayal, deception, and abandonment—extreme pain and fury.

“Lies…”

“Nothing but lies…”

She muttered to herself, her nails digging deep into her palms. Blood dripped from between her fingers, staining her wedding gown red.

But she felt no pain. Or rather, the pain in her body was nothing compared to the agony in her heart.

Why?

That question echoed wildly in her mind.

You promised to marry me.

Why are you holding someone else’s hand?

Why are you marrying another?

Scenes began to flash through Bai Qiangu’s mind.

She saw how, for these past twenty years, she had thought of him day and night.

She saw how, in every lonely night, she softly whispered his name.

Twenty years.

A full twenty years.

She had given her everything to one person.

Her heart, her soul, her entire being existed solely for that one person.

Yet, when she was not around, that person married someone else.

"Heh... heh heh..."

Bai Qiangu began to laugh.

"Hehehe... hahaha..."

Her laughter grew louder, wilder, more unhinged.

The sky started to change color.

The once clear sky was instantly shrouded by dark clouds. Thunder rumbled, as if even heaven and earth trembled in response to her rage.

"Since you have forgotten..."

Bai Qiangu’s gaze gradually twisted into something ferocious. Her once exquisite face now resembled a vengeful spirit. Her eyes turned blood red, pupils flickering with a mad light.

"Then I’ll help you remember."

A terrifying black lightning bolt shattered the grand gates of the Ye Mansion.

The deafening explosion shattered the joyous atmosphere of the wedding.

Joy and celebration came to an abrupt end.

Guests screamed in terror.

Dust billowed, stones flew everywhere. The once magnificent gate instantly became ruins.

Amidst the swirling dust, Bai Qiangu descended step by step, treading on empty air.

Her arrival was like the death god’s descent.

With each step she took, a blood-red lotus bloomed beneath her feet. The lotus blossomed and withered repeatedly, telling a tragic and horrifying story.

Her crimson robes were even more vivid than the red carpet beneath her— the color of blood.

No, it was more than just red.

It was the red that only a merciless demon lord could wear.

The guests saw her and instinctively stepped back. Some, too frightened, collapsed weakly to the ground. Those with profound cultivation cautiously summoned their spiritual energy, ready to strike at any moment.

But no one dared to move.

Because the aura emanating from this woman was unbearably terrifying. It was a pressure that made souls tremble, as if with a single thought, she could reduce everyone present to ashes in an instant.

"Ye Xuan."

Bai Qiangu stopped and spoke coldly.

Her voice was low but clear enough to reach every ear.

Ye Xuan stood before his bride, pale and staring at the terrifying woman who had descended from the sky.

His body trembled.

Not from the cold, but from fear.

A primal fear.

As if something deep within his soul was wildly warning him: Danger! Run!

But he couldn’t run.

Because behind him stood his bride, his parents, his family.

He froze for a moment, then his pupils suddenly contracted.

Those eyes...

Those blood-red eyes...

Though their color had changed, though her gaze was different, he would never forget their shape.

Even after twenty years, he recognized those eyes.

The elder sister he had once saved in the valley.

"I... is it really you...?"

Ye Xuan’s voice trembled; he could hardly believe his own eyes.

How could the gentle, kind sister from back then become like this now?

"I... I thought you would never come back."

The moment the words left his mouth, Ye Xuan regretted them.

Because he saw Bai Qiangu’s eyes grow even more frenzied.

"I won’t come back?"

Bai Qiangu laughed.

A laugh that shook her branches and flowers, tears streaming down her face.

"You thought I wouldn’t come back..."

She repeated the words again and again, and with each repetition, her laughter grew more and more unhinged.

“Ha ha ha... ha ha ha ha...”

She bent over with laughter, tears streaming down her cheeks, falling to the ground with a faint sizzling sound.

“So…”

She lifted her head, her eyes wild to the extreme.

“So you’re going to marry someone else?”

“How dare you…”

That last sentence was almost a scream.

Suddenly, she swung her hand fiercely.

A terrifying suction force erupted.

The bride behind Ye Xuan hadn’t even reacted to what was happening before her body was uncontrollably pulled toward Bai Qiangu.

“No!”

Ye Xuan tried to grab her, but his hand only grasped empty air.

The gentle bride behind Ye Xuan didn’t even have time to scream before her body instantly exploded into a cloud of blood mist!

Blood splattered all over Ye Xuan, staining his terrified face crimson.

The warm blood, tinged with the scent of rust, smeared across his face.

He froze.

Completely frozen.

Mechanically, he raised his hand and stared at the blood on it.

That was… Xin’er’s blood.

Just moments ago, she had been by his side, her smile radiant as a blooming flower.

Just moments ago, she had stood with him, exchanging vows as husband and wife.

Just moments ago, she had promised to grow old with him.

And now…

She was gone.

“Xin’er!”

Ye Xuan screamed with a heart-wrenching cry.

He dropped to his knees, trembling hands reaching out desperately to grasp the drifting blood mist.

But he could catch nothing.

The blood mist dissolved at his fingertips, just like Xin’er’s life—gone forever, never to return.

“Xin’er… Xin’er…”

He kept calling her name, his voice growing hoarse and filled with despair.

“You are not allowed to call any other woman’s name!”

Bai Qiangu’s voice cracked like thunder.

She teleported in front of Ye Xuan, gripping his chin tightly and forcing him to look into her eyes.

Her gaze was wild—so wild it was unbearable to meet.

“You can only call my name!”

Her voice trembled—not with fear, but with a mixture of rage and pain.

“Do you know?”

She leaned close, so close they could feel each other’s breath.

“For these twenty years, I’ve thought about you every single day.”

“I thought about you until I nearly lost my mind.”

“Every day, I counted the days, counting down until I could come back to see you.”

“I thought about what I would say, what I would do when I saw you again.”

“I even thought about what we would name our child.”

“And you?”

Bai Qiangu’s voice sharpened.

“What have you been doing?”

“You’re marrying someone else!”

“You’re smiling at someone else!”

“You’re telling someone else you’ll grow old together!”

“And what about me?”

“What am I to you?”

“What are these twenty years of waiting worth?”

“What is my twenty years of longing worth?”

Her voice rose higher and higher, crazier and crazier.

“You lunatic! You monster!!”

Ye Xuan finally exploded.

His eyes were bloodshot, filled with pure hatred.

Xin’er was dead.

The woman he loved had died right before his eyes.

And the murderer was someone he had once saved.

Summoning some unknown courage, he drew the long sword at his waist and stabbed at Bai Qiangu.

Clang!

The sword shattered.

The blade turned to fragments the moment it touched Bai Qiangu’s body.

Bai Qiangu didn’t even move.

She simply stood there, letting the long sword pierce through her, then watched it shatter.

Bai Qiangu looked into his eyes, filled with hatred, her heart torn apart.

That look—she knew it all too well.

It was the gaze of a sworn enemy.

A look that wished nothing less than to tear the other apart piece by piece.

Yet, this pain only drove her further into madness.

"Good."

She laughed, tears streaming down her face, her expression twisted—almost deranged.

"Good, very good."

"You’re finally looking at me."

"Even if it’s with eyes full of hatred, at least you’re looking at me."

She reached out, gently caressing Ye Xuan’s face.

"Do you know? For the past twenty years, what I feared most wasn’t your hatred."

"What I feared most was that you would forget me."

"But now, it seems you haven’t forgotten."

"You still remember me."

"That’s enough."

Her smile grew even more distorted.

"Hate me if you want."

"As long as you’re looking at me, hating me doesn’t matter."