By All Means Necessary

"Ha ha ha ha..."

Ye Xuan let out a low laugh, the sound echoing through the empty cave dwelling, carrying with it an extreme pleasure born of thoroughly trampling everything beautiful and noble in the world.

"Husband, what are you laughing at? Did those two bad women send messages?" Ying'er asked curiously as she shuffled closer.

Ye Xuan opened his eyes and casually tossed two communication stones to the ground, his gaze filled with mockery and disdain: "Yes. Two clever little canaries. Each of them thinks she's my only ally in this world, each preening with self-satisfaction as she pledges her loyalty to me, even taking care to stab the other in the back."

"A single lie, a small spell, and they treat each other like fools while worshipping me like a god."

Ye Xuan raised his head, those grey-white eyes flickering in the firelight, like a demon from the abyss: "Look, Ying'er. This is what they call human nature. This is the lofty immortal cultivation world."

"Hypocritical, filthy, and utterly fragile."

Ye Xuan stood up and walked to the edge of the cave, gazing down at the Burial Abyss of Heaven shrouded in bloody mist below.

"Mu Qingxue, Su Xingyao... Since you both enjoy playing your little games so much, I'll give you the grandest stage of all." Ye Xuan's voice was cold enough to pierce bone. "Bai Yujing, Luo Qingqiu... your nightmare is only just beginning."

The next day.

Ye Xuan walked forth, his white robes standing out starkly against the blood-red mist.

Ying'er followed behind him, but she no longer carried her usual lively demeanor. Instead, she kept her head lowered, her face sullen and unhappy.

Her footsteps dragged and felt heavy. Her normally spirited eyes were now veiled with a sheen of moisture, looking pitiful and vulnerable.

Ye Xuan noticed something was off. He stopped, turned around, and looked at the little girl who had always stayed by his side.

Seeing her aggrieved expression, his heart suddenly softened. In this cruel world of cultivation, Ying'er was the only warmth in his heart.

He quickly stepped forward, took her hand, and spoke to her gently: "Ying'er, what's wrong? Why the long face? Are you still thinking about what happened earlier?"

Ying'er lifted her head, her eyes carrying a hint of reproach as she looked at him, her voice slightly choked: "Husband... just now... why... why did you do those things to those two bad women? I know you hate them, but... but doing it that way only makes Ying'er feel like you've changed."

Ye Xuan sighed, reached out to gently wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes, a trace of complexity flashing through his gaze. He said softly: "Ying'er, my dear, don't be upset. You know they're both bad women. Back on Yuzhao Peak, if they hadn't stood by and watched Bai Yujing frame me just to save their own skins, how could I have been stripped of my immortal bones by Luo Qingqiu?"

"During those three years I sank at the bottom of the Burial Immortal Lake, I thought about revenge every moment. Mu Qingxue and Su Xingyao weren't just accomplices—they betrayed the bond we once shared as fellow disciples. The reason I did what I did to them is absolutely not because I have any feelings for them. They're simply tools I'm using. For what they did to me, I will never forgive them. Which means they must die."

"It's just that killing them outright would be too merciful. I want to turn them into my pawns, make them personally experience the taste of being betrayed by the one they trust most."

Listening to Ye Xuan's explanation, Ying'er remained silent for a long time.

Though she knew his words rang true, as a simple-minded young girl, she still couldn't accept such methods.

She bit her lower lip, and finally couldn't hold it in: "But... but I noticed something just now. Whether it's Mu Qingxue or Su Xingyao... both of them are still pure maidens."

Ye Xuan was momentarily taken aback, surprised that Ying'er had noticed such a detail.

But he quickly regained his composure, a flicker of indifference passing through his eyes: "Pure maidens? So what? A flawless body can't mask a filthy soul. Ying'er, being a pure maiden isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card, and it certainly can't be their excuse to escape punishment."

"Remember, Bai Ningbing is also a pure maiden right now. She's even my fiancee. But what happened in the end? To benefit her family, to show her loyalty to Bai Yujing, she betrayed me and personally carved out my immortal bones."

"In her eyes, my life, my feelings, even my immortal bones—none of it mattered. If she could be that heartless, why should I care about something like a pure maiden's body? In the face of betrayal, all physical purity is nothing but mockery."

Ye Xuan's words left Ying'er speechless.

She looked at his resolute face and the chilling murderous intent flickering in those grey-white eyes, and finally understood Ye Xuan's pain and his ruthless resolve.

She knew that the gentle Ye Xuan of the past was dead. What remained was a demon god who would stop at nothing to exact his revenge.

She let out a sigh. Though discomfort still lingered in her heart, she chose understanding and acceptance: "Husband... Ying'er understands. I'm not blaming you. I just... I just care about you so much. I'm afraid hatred will blind your eyes and make you lose yourself."

Ye Xuan looked at her, a hint of gratitude shining in his eyes.

He pulled Ying'er into his arms, held her tightly, and whispered by her ear: "Ying'er, thank you. Only in front of you do I still feel like I'm alive. Don't be upset anymore, alright? I promise you, no matter what I become, I will always protect you and never let you suffer the slightest grievance."

He kissed her cheek again and again, until Ying'er finally broke into a smile, her cheeks flushing pink.

Ye Xuan watched her smile return, and only then did he feel a weight lift from his heart. He turned around and continued leading her deeper into the Burial Abyss of Heaven.

Next, Ye Xuan brought Ying'er around, searching everywhere, as if looking for something extremely precious.

Ying'er followed behind him, initially assuming he was searching for some rare treasure. After all, the Burial Abyss of Heaven was fraught with dangers, but it was also filled with endless opportunities.

However, to her great surprise, Ye Xuan paid no attention to the many rare spiritual herbs around them. Some were even growing in extremely dangerous locations, yet he completely ignored them. He showed no interest in these medicinal herbs that could boost cultivation. Instead, he aimlessly searched through the ruined relics and dried-up riverbeds.

Ye Xuan's search was extremely meticulous. He even used his spiritual sense, not leaving a single corner unchecked.

Ying'er watched him curiously from the side, full of doubt: "Husband, what exactly are you looking for? These spiritual herbs are such a waste to leave behind. Some of them could even be refined into pills of extremely high grade."

Ye Xuan didn't answer, simply offering a faint smile.

After a long while, when they arrived before an abandoned cave dwelling, Ye Xuan's eyes suddenly lit up.

He strode quickly to a massive boulder, and in the crevice of the rock, he finally found a grey, palm-sized, heart-shaped stone.

Ye Xuan held the heart-shaped stone in his hand and gently wiped the dust off its surface.

Although it looked extremely ordinary, without even the slightest trace of spiritual energy fluctuation, Ye Xuan treated it as if he had found a treasure. The most excited expression he had shown throughout the entire journey spread across his face. "Finally found it. All the time I spent was worth it."

Ying'er leaned in for a closer look at the dull, gray stone, completely unable to see what was so special about it.

She asked curiously, "Husband, what is this? It just looks like an ordinary rock. Why are you so happy about it? What's its origin, and what does it do?"