Three hundred years ago was an era before I was even born, and I knew absolutely nothing about it.
The Demon Lord and I stayed in a small town outside Cang Lan Mountain for a few days. During that time, we tried to piece together this chaotic and absurd situation while gathering information about the events unfolding at this point in time within the Cang Lan Sect.
Eventually, we confirmed a few key points:
First, it was likely the power of the Ling Jing that brought us here. The Demon Lord explained that the Ling Jing had another name—the Mirror of Retrospection. No one had ever understood why it was called that; everyone assumed it was just a highly spiritual artifact meant for cultivation. Only when I broke it did the Demon Lord finally realize the meaning behind its name.
“Honestly, I don’t think this is entirely my fault…” I muttered, but under the Demon Lord’s cold gaze, I quickly shut my mouth and fell silent.
Second, the only way to return to our own time was to locate the Ling Jing of this era. Although the Ling Jing three hundred years in the future was destroyed by me, the one in this timeline should still be intact.
Third, the Ling Jing was in the possession of the Cang Lan Sect’s senior disciple, Mu Xuan.
When the Demon Lord mentioned the third point, I froze. “How do you know? And… the name Mu Xuan sounds oddly familiar.”
The Demon Lord silently stared at me, and in that wordless moment, I suddenly understood. “Ah… it’s you, isn’t it?”
To be precise, we had traveled roughly three hundred and fifty years back in time. At this point, the Demon Lord was not yet the feared figure he would become. He was still Mu Xuan, the most renowned senior disciple of the Cang Lan Sect—a candidate most likely to inherit the position of the sect’s leader. He was radiant, celebrated, and full of promise.
I snuck a glance at the Demon Lord, noting his gaunt face, pale complexion, and the faint traces of demonic energy in his eyes. Life truly was unpredictable. I couldn’t help but sigh.
What could have driven him to commit such atrocious acts—betraying his master, slaughtering his peers, and defying all moral laws?
The next day, we set off to find Mu Xuan. There was no need to search extensively; the Demon Lord knew exactly where his past self was.
However, as we neared Mu Xuan’s location, the Demon Lord suddenly grew uneasy.
The closer we got, the darker his expression became. I grew worried—if he were to die here, I’d have no way of returning to my own time. After all, with my meager century of cultivation, there was no way I could defeat the senior disciple of the Cang Lan Sect and seize the Ling Jing.
Before I could voice my concerns, the Demon Lord dragged me away.
“I cannot meet him,” he said.
I realized he was referring to Mu Xuan, but I was confused. “Why not?”
“He and I are the same person. The laws of heaven and earth cannot be defied. If we meet, one of us is bound to disappear.”
I was shocked. “Then how are we supposed to get the Ling Jing back? I still need to return to my time and take care of my own affairs!”
The Demon Lord silently stared at me again.
“Why are you always looking at me in silence like that?!” I snapped, nearly losing my composure. “I can’t even beat you!” Whether it was three hundred years ago or three hundred years later, the fact remained: I couldn’t defeat him.
He frowned. “I’m not asking you to fight him. I’m asking you to use your brain,” he said. “Approach him.”
I nearly burst into tears. “I’ve lived over a hundred years and haven’t managed to charm a single man. Don’t entrust me with something so important!”
He gave me a solemn look. “I’ll help you.”
Help me charm… himself? That… actually sounded reliable.
I gave in.
And so, he pushed me onto a remote mountain path where Mu Xuan was certain to pass.
I lay there, gazing southeast.
The Demon Lord had said that on this day, three hundred years ago, Mu Xuan would walk this path and encounter his first disciple.
That disciple was supposed to be an honest, resilient, and eager-to-learn young boy. At the time, the boy’s family had fallen into ruin, and he was being hunted by enemies. With no other choice, he had fled into the mountains. On the brink of death, he was rescued by Mu Xuan. Moved by the boy’s perseverance and integrity, Mu Xuan took him back to Cang Lan Mountain, initiating a wave of discipleship within the Cang Lan Sect, led by Mu Xuan himself.
Looking back, I saw the Demon Lord in the bushes. He had already hoisted the dying boy—who was supposed to be lying here—onto his shoulder.
He glanced at me and coldly reminded me, “Remember my instructions.” With a few leaps, he disappeared into the sky, presumably to drop the boy off in some remote, desolate corner.
Was it really okay to casually change someone’s fate like this…?
Watching the Demon Lord leave, I sighed, wiped the dirt off my face, and rubbed my empty stomach. To make my act more convincing, he had denied me food for three days and nights.
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