Chapter 421: I Trust You

Lu Sangjiu ignored Ye Zhiyao, looking only at Cangming. "My affairs have nothing to do with you, and it’s not your place to lecture me."

She turned her gaze to Master Qian He and the others. "If the peace talks fail today, there may never be another chance. Are you... certain you want to give up on this just because I’m a Demon Cultivator?"

For some reason, several of them couldn’t bring themselves to meet her eyes and lowered their heads.

Hua Jianzhi hesitated for a moment before suddenly asking, "Just now, Cangming said you exchanged yourself as the price... What does that mean?"

Lu Sangjiu’s expression faltered.

She hadn’t wanted to talk about this, but things had already come to this point. It no longer mattered whether she spoke of it or not.

But before she could speak, Cangming spoke up first.

"What does it mean?"

"Heh. It means the condition for my agreeing to the peace talks is that she must return with me to the Western Demon Realm!"

"I have already planted a Gu Worm in her body. She has no chance to back out."

"Today, whether you sign this treaty or not, she’s coming with me!"

Cangming, at least, left Lu Sangjiu with some dignity, not revealing the whole truth.

Lu Sangjiu pressed her lips together slightly and said nothing more.

Hua Jianzhi was stunned for a moment. Looking from one to the other, she more or less guessed what was going on.

Her expression grew complicated. She never would have imagined that Lu Sangjiu had persuaded the Western Demon Realm by offering herself as the price!

At this moment, however, Ye Zhiyao saw they seemed to be wavering and spoke up again. "Don’t be fooled by her! Are you really going to believe her just because she says so?"

"Everyone knows Cangming and Fa Shan are her subordinates! Her returning to the Western Demon Realm is just going back to a life of luxury. How is that a sacrifice?"

As Ye Zhiyao’s provocative words hung in the air, the crowd fell silent, each person struggling internally.

Lu Sangjiu sighed softly and said with a bitter smile, "So be it. It seems this won’t be settled today."

"Such is the time, such is fate."

"I won’t make things difficult for you. I only ask... my master and the others have nothing to do with my affairs. Please do not trouble them in the future. Thank you."

After speaking, Lu Sangjiu calmly walked toward Cangming.

At that moment, however, Xie Ningyuan suddenly grabbed her hand.

Lu Sangjiu froze, and a crack finally appeared in her tough facade.

She didn’t turn around, only lowered her head and murmured, "I... I didn’t want to look at you."

’Because if I looked at you for even a second longer, I’m afraid I would waver, I would break down.’

Xie Ningyuan didn’t force her. His voice was gentle as he slowly said, "Little Jiu, you did your best. None of this is your fault."

"The fate of the three realms has never been your responsibility alone. We just do our best and leave the rest to fate. You don’t need to carry this burden any longer."

He didn’t say he was worried about her, nor did he tell her not to go.

He just wanted to comfort her in this moment. At the very least, if she had to leave, she shouldn’t leave with a heart full of wounds.

"They don’t believe you not because you didn’t do well enough, but simply because they can’t afford the price of trusting the wrong person."

"But I, your master, and your friends—we all believe in you, because you are worthy of our trust."

"Little Jiu, after you go to the Western Demon Realm, don’t worry about the outside world anymore. Cultivate well, live happily... and wait for me. I’ll come bring you home."

Hearing this, Lu Sangjiu could finally hold it in no longer. Her tough exterior shattered, and tears suddenly streamed down her face.

Pain, sorrow, injustice...

She couldn’t help but turn and throw her arms around Xie Ningyuan, hugging him tightly.

She buried her face in his chest. "Okay... I won’t think about anything anymore. I’ll wait for you to bring me home."

Cangming stood there, his face suddenly pale.

He couldn’t help but raise a hand to his chest... He was feeling everything she was feeling in that moment.

’An intense reluctance to part, pain... yet mixed with happiness.’

’Happiness... because there’s someone in this world who cares for her so much, understands her so deeply, someone she can let go of everything and rely on.’

’Even though he’s done nothing, just an embrace, just a few words, are enough to make her feel happy.’

’Is this... what she feels like when she loves someone?’

Cangming suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

’Because now that I know what she feels when she loves someone, I understand even more clearly that I’ll never have the chance to be loved by her in this lifetime.’

He abruptly turned away, no longer watching them, and said in a cold voice, "We should go."

Lu Sangjiu released Xie Ningyuan and, with resolve, turned and walked toward Cangming.

At that moment, however, Ye Zhiyao suddenly spoke up. "Are you all really going to just stand by and watch them leave?"

"This is Gu Huang! Hundreds of years ago, she ran rampant through the Cultivation World! If you let her go back today, I’m afraid the Western Demon Realm will soon have another expert at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage!"

"When that time comes, are you sure the Cultivation World will still be a match for the Western Demon Realm?"

"They are on our territory today! If we don’t take this chance to kill these Demons here and now, while Lu Sangjiu has yet to fully rise, we’ll never get an opportunity like this again!"

Cangming’s eyes narrowed. "You’re courting death!"

However, as he lunged to attack Ye Zhiyao, Feiyun moved again.

"We haven’t made a move. By attacking suddenly, are you trying to start a war?"

Ye Zhiyao hurriedly took a few steps back, her face a mixture of fear and intense malice.

"Senior Feiyun, you’ve seen how utterly vicious these Demon Cultivators are! Take this chance and kill them now!"

She had assumed that when Feiyun True Man made a move, it was to side with her.

But Ye Zhiyao never expected that after she finished speaking, Feiyun would just snort coldly, "Shut up."

"I have never in my life met someone as annoying as you. Say one more word of nonsense, and don’t blame me if I can’t stop myself from striking you!"

"If it weren’t for the fact that you’re also from an Immortal Gate, this old lady couldn’t be bothered with you!"

Ye Zhiyao froze, her face flushing red. "Senior Feiyun!"

She couldn’t understand. She was the one who had exposed Lu Sangjiu’s true identity, so why were they still speaking to her so harshly?

She was about to say more when Lu Sangjiu spoke up. "Ignore her. We can’t kill her right now. Let’s go."

But then, Master Qian He suddenly spoke again. "Wait!"

Lu Sangjiu paused and turned back. "What, does Master Qian He also wish to annihilate us here?"

Master Qian He looked at her with a resolute expression. "No... What I mean is, wait. I am willing to sign the peace treaty!"

Lu Sangjiu was stunned, and so was everyone else.

Ye Zhiyao could hardly believe her ears. "What did you say? Sect Leader, have you gone mad?"

Master Qian He didn’t even glance at Ye Zhiyao, keeping his eyes on Lu Sangjiu as he said, "I am willing to sign, and I am willing to trust you this once."

The nearby Lingjian Sect Leader frowned. "Qian He, are you sure?"

Master Qian He nodded. "She’s right. There’s no benefit in deceiving us... Perhaps we truly have been too fixated on the distinction between Immortal and Demon."

"Let’s call it a gamble... but I don’t want to miss this chance for peace!"