I am Guhuoniao, not an umbrella demon, please do not disturb me.

Beside her, Changsheng, who was immobilized by the binding spell, glared angrily but could not speak. She was not angry at Dongqing's reaction, as she was naturally kind and gentle. The main problem was that this woman was going too far!

My hands and feet are immobile, and I feel a deep sense of powerlessness.

I hate that I have no power.

"Yimiao!" Yunru scolded softly. Lin Yimiao responded with an "oh," released the binding spell on Changsheng, and returned to her master's side.

Having regained his freedom, Changsheng's face was expressionless, devoid of joy or sorrow, his eyes eerily calm. Only he himself knew what was in his heart at this moment. Never before had he craved power more than now. The feeling of being frozen in place, watching helplessly as the enemy approached his family, was unbearable.

Lin Yimiao had no idea that her small, willful act would affect a boy's entire life. In her eyes, it was just playing around and harmless, and she didn't know that she would pay the price for it in the future.

Every bite and sip has its predetermined course.

Yunru took out two porcelain bottles and wanted to hand them to Changsheng. Changsheng could sense the rich spiritual energy inside, but he still tossed them aside.

Lin Yimiao was about to say something when her senior brother, Li Wujiang, grabbed her sleeve.

As the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, Bai Qingyu finally returned.

Clad in pure white, untouched by the mundane world, her exquisite and beautiful face was concealed beneath a veil, which resembled a conical hat with layers of curtains draped around her body. The white robes and veil, her graceful, ethereal movements, from afar exuded a beauty beyond mere mystery, a truly otherworldly charm.

The three of them turned around at the same time and met Bai Qingyu's gaze from afar.

Having just completed his tribulation, the weariness in his heart vanished the moment he saw the intruders in the valley. Bai Qingyu instantly drew his long sword from his waist, released a phantom image in front of the two children, and teleported to block their path, holding an umbrella in his left hand and a sword in his right.

Bai Qingyu's voice was cold and clear, "Who are you?"

Her beastly instincts told her that the three people in front of her, especially the mature and beautiful woman in the middle, were extremely dangerous. Her instinctive warnings felt like sharp thorns piercing her skin, as if the person standing in front of her was not a woman but some kind of monstrous beast.

Bai Qingyu trusted his intuition and instincts; this woman was definitely not someone to mess with.

Seeing Bai Qingyu, Yunru felt somewhat disappointed. Although she had known the answer for a long time, seeing reality and the shattering of her illusions still left her feeling sad and lost.

The demon before her was not the one she remembered; Yunru felt nothing but disappointment and shock.

This is......

Ubume!

Please vote for me! *sobs* I'm doing the splits for you all!

Volume 1: Chapter 32 Itsumade

There's no mistake, this demon is definitely the Guhuoniao. Yunru is too familiar with this aura. Everything in front of her makes sense. No wonder there are demons who adopt human children and raise them so well. The demon book her mother gave her also recorded this: "The Guhuoniao has no children, so it likes to take human children and raise them as its own."

Each auspicious beast in the world has only one of its kind, born and raised by nature. The moment Yunru saw Bai Qingyu, she knew that all her hopes were false. Her mother was really not coming back. Perhaps her mother had turned into this bird after she died.

No wonder everything is so similar.

Bai Qingyu gripped her wooden umbrella and slender sword tightly, protecting her three children firmly behind her. Beneath her bamboo hat and veil, her eyes were sharp as swords. It's no wonder she reacted so strongly; the auras of these three humans were far too strong, and she was a demon—a demon who had once slaughtered over a hundred people.

Yunru sighed softly. Since it wasn't her, then so be it. Although the Guhuoniao in front of her had killed many people, it was understandable in general. Protecting her child was her nature, and her bravery in entering the water to kill the catfish demon for her child was also a merit.

"My name is Yunru from Tianyang Palace. I have come here uninvited for a reason. You look very much like an old friend of mine. I thought it was her, so I came here. I am very sorry for disturbing you. I wonder if you would be willing to talk to me. My old friend is the same as you, a Guhuoniao."

What Yunru didn't know was that Bai Qingyu still hadn't figured out his own identity and only thought of himself as a giant bird that had become a spirit.

"Guhuoniao?" Bai Qingyu frowned. She was Guhuoniao?

“Indeed, to be honest, I am quite similar to that little girl named Dongqing. I was also raised by a Guhuo bird when I was young, so I have a lot of feelings about it.” Yunru was not pretentious at all and treated Bai Qingyu as an equal, and her attitude was very polite.

Hearing this, Bai Qingyu lowered his guard slightly and believed Yun Ru's words to some extent. A cultivator of this strength wouldn't need to waste any words if they wanted to attack him; they could easily kill him on the spot.

A moment later, Bai Qingyu and Yun Ru sat facing each other in the pavilion, while Lin Yimiao stood obediently to the side. Her personality was too mischievous, and if left unchecked, she might cause some trouble. It was wrong of her to use magic to freeze someone else's child without permission.

Yunru picked up her teacup and took a small sip. Her overall demeanor was gentle and refined, and her every move exuded elegance and poise. She looked to be in her late twenties, but her actual age was impossible to ascertain. Bai Qingyu had to admit that this woman possessed a mature and intellectual beauty, except that she was too cold and gentle, but actually kept people at arm's length.

Moreover, most of these sword cultivators are one person before drawing their sword and another person after drawing it.

Bai Qingyu removed her veil. Compared to Yunru, she looked much younger, only seventeen or eighteen years old, about the same age as Lin Yimiao beside her. At first glance, her appearance and temperament exuded an ethereal and otherworldly aura. Her phoenix eyes were different from Dongqing's pure and innocent eyes, instead carrying a hint of aloof loneliness. Her exquisite and perfect face was filled with pride.

But upon closer inspection, one can sense a certain allure; her aloof and stunning beauty is imbued with a captivating softness, and this contradiction creates a feeling that makes one's heart flutter.

In reality, Bai Qingyu's allure wasn't what she imagined. After all, she was a demon incarnate. Just like snake spirits and fox spirits are naturally seductive, demons incarnate with an alluring physique that no one can change.

She raised her hand to pick up the cup, revealing her fair hands and delicate wrists.

Yes, hands.

Bai Qingyu has already made his move after this tribulation.

Just like when she first transformed, these hands also need demonic power to maintain. Without demonic power, they will eventually turn into wings. It is worth mentioning that she no longer needs to use demonic power to maintain her human form. After transforming, she has a human head and face, which is a great improvement.

"My surname is Bai and my given name is Qingyu. I must say that I did not know my true identity, or rather, what you humans call me, before this."

Upon hearing this, Yunru raised her jade-like hand, and an ancient book appeared in her palm. The book looked like it was made of some kind of animal skin, and it immediately caught Bai Qingyu's attention as soon as she took it out.

The moment I saw this book, I inexplicably wanted to possess it.

Turning to the first page of the book, Yunru pointed to the blurry image on it, "This is not what humans call it, but a record in this book. This book records all the divine beasts in the world, and it was a gift from my mother."

Bai Qingyu saw a portrait of her true form in the book. The painting wasn't particularly beautiful, but some details still revealed that it was her true form. Unfortunately, she couldn't understand the text in the book, only the three large characters on the portrait: "Gu Huo Niao".

Yunru turned to the next page. The monster drawn on this page was rather peculiar, with a snake's body, a human face, and bird feathers and wings. She still couldn't understand the written text. The image only had four characters written on it: "Itsumade."

After reading this book, Bai Qingyu felt as if a new power had entered his body, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.

"I see." Bai Qingyu nodded.

Yunru put the book away. "I will not pursue the matter that Miss Bai committed in Peach Blossom Town. I only give you a piece of advice: regardless of whether the person you killed was good or evil, I hope you will keep your true heart. The strange beasts recorded in the book are ferocious beasts. When a ferocious beast appears, heaven and earth will punish it. I see that you are already burdened with karmic obstacles. It is not too late for you to go down the mountain to earn merit and offset your karmic obstacles."

He then took out a jade pendant with the words "Asking the Heavens" engraved on both sides.

"This is a token from Tianfeng that I wear. Wearing it on my body can help me avoid a lot of trouble when I go out."

"And there's that young girl named Dongqing. She's already quite old. If we delay any longer, she might miss the best time to cultivate and waste her great talent. I see that she has a good heart for cultivation. I obtained this cultivation manual by chance many years ago. If Miss Bai doesn't mind, please give it to her and teach her how to cultivate."

"This..." Faced with the jade slip cultivation technique called "Silver Rain" that Yun Ru pushed to him, Bai Qingyu was a little embarrassed. Was this guy being a little too polite?

However, thinking of her son's future, she shamelessly accepted it.

"Thank you very much."

"No need. We are destined to meet again, and perhaps we will have the opportunity to meet in the future."

After Yunru finished speaking, she added, "When practicing the Demon Sword Technique, remember to maintain your original mind. Techniques and swords are like swords; they are neither good nor bad in themselves, it depends on the user. However, the Demon Sword Technique can easily lead you astray into the path of evil. For your own sake and for the sake of your two lovely children, I hope you will be cautious."

Seeing at a glance that Bai Qingyu was practicing the Demon Sword Technique and swordsmanship, Yunru thought for a moment and still gave him a reminder.

A year ago, Bai Qingyu easily found the cultivation technique in Luoxian River by following the guidance of the Demon Sword, and has been practicing it ever since, but she has practiced sword techniques more.

"Thank you for the reminder, Immortal. I understand." Bai Qingyu's form of address had changed from "Your Excellency" to "Immortal," yet he remained calm and composed.

"Then I shall take my leave. Please take care, young lady."

For many reasons, Yunru gave Bai Qingyu several benefits. Perhaps because of her mother, she naturally had a very high regard for Bai Qingyu. If it weren't for the feeling that it was impolite and disrespectful, she would have wanted Bai Qingyu to go up the mountain and become a guardian beast.

Of course, I also thought about taking Dongqing with me. Dongqing's talent is too good. With more training, her future achievements will definitely not be worse than mine.

But the strong sense of déjà vu made her abandon her idea. Years ago, she had bid farewell to her mother and resolutely went up the mountain to cultivate herself. Now she regretted it, but it was too late.

Yunru got up and left, and Lin Yimiao followed in small steps. No one noticed that Senior Brother Li Wujiang was still standing there in a daze. It was only when Lin Yimiao called him that he came back to his senses. After saying goodbye to Bai Qingyu, he quickly followed. Even so, he couldn't help but look back at the beautiful figure in the pavilion halfway there.

There is no shortage of handsome men and beautiful women among cultivators, but not everyone can have a certain kind of temperament.

When Li Wujiang first saw Bai Qingyu remove her bamboo hat and veil, his feelings could be summed up in one sentence.

It felt as if I were in a painting, and the person in front of me was a fairy in the painting. The sounds of birds and beasts gradually faded away, as if only I and her remained here.

No one noticed the slight change that had occurred in Li Wujiang's heart; even he himself was unaware of it, or rather, dared not believe it.

Please vote for me, sob sob sob, I did a handstand split for everyone.

Volume One: Chapter Thirty-Three - Descending the Mountain and Traveling the World

Back at Tianyang Palace, Lin Yimiao noticed that her senior brother was often distracted lately, even when practicing swordsmanship, which was very abnormal. You see, her senior brother was very serious and focused on everything he did, especially when practicing swordsmanship, and he often scolded her for her improper attitude.

Lin Yimiao subconsciously felt that something was not right, as if she had discovered something extremely interesting. A devilish smile appeared on her face, and she vowed to find out the reason. Perhaps it was because her senior brother had fallen in love with some girl?

This is a big event!

Bai Qingyu knew nothing about what happened at Tianyang Palace. He never dreamed that after removing his veil, he would be so captivating to the top disciple of Wentian Peak that he couldn't even practice his swordsmanship.

At this moment, she was studying the "Silver Rain" cultivation technique that Yunru had given her. This jade slip contained a lot of information. As long as she held the jade slip and concentrated, she could see what was inside. Not only did it contain cultivation techniques, but it also contained a set of complementary sword techniques.

Having practiced the Demonic Sword Technique for some time, Bai Qingyu had a discerning eye; this technique was definitely a superior one.

Silently thanking the kind cultivator surnamed Yun, Bai Qingyu packed up her belongings, taking everything she could carry with her and placing it in the book box she had painstakingly crafted over two days. The book box resembled the kind carried by scholars going to the capital for the imperial examinations, except it lacked a roof to shield them from the sun and rain.

"Auntie, are we really leaving?" The little girl leaned against the window, cupping her face in her hands, her big eyes sparkling with excitement.

The valley scenery was beautiful, but ultimately it was a bit too boring.

On the other side, Changsheng leaned against a pillar, staring blankly at the demonic sword in his hand, lost in thought.

Ever since Lin Yimiao immobilized him two days ago, he has often remained in this position. Yesterday, he even took the initiative to ask Bai Qingyu if he wanted to learn the Demon Sword Technique, and Bai Qingyu readily agreed.

He was a man of few words, and only he knew what was on his mind.

The small, somewhat immature hands, though calloused from years of practice, held it tightly.

After two sleepless nights, he had already made up his mind that from now on, no matter how hard or difficult things get, he must have the strength. He didn't want to experience that feeling of helplessness a second time.

Yesterday, that woman easily immobilized him and groped Dongqing. He actually hated himself more.

If he has the ability, will things change?

Even someone as formidable as his aunt could only offer that woman a forced smile and pour her tea; he had never seen his aunt show such an expression before.

Bai Qingyu poured tea and smiled apologetically, simply because Yunru had given too much. But Changsheng saw it all differently. He thought Bai Qingyu had no choice but to do it to protect him, his sister, and Xiaobai.

"Demon sword, can you give me power?"

The demonic sword trembled slightly, as if in response to his words.

Inside the house, Bai Qingyu came out carrying a book box, her attire somewhat strange.

She was still wearing her favorite white dress, with a large book box on her back, which was filled with many things: dried meat, fruit, children's clothes, books to be memorized every day, and all sorts of herbs for treating illnesses and saving lives. There was even a not-so-thick quilt tied to the back with a rope.

Bai Qingyu was petite to begin with, and her height of just over 1.5 meters was not noticeable at all under this large book box. If she were wearing a dark-colored dress, some passersby might mistake the book box for a sentient being that could grow legs and walk on its own.

With such attire, she naturally couldn't wear a veiled hat and bamboo hat on her head. Bai Qingyu tied the bamboo hat to the top of the book box, and the light gauze veil trailed behind her like a phoenix tail.

He had no weapons on him except for a wooden umbrella hanging on his book box.