NOVEL NEXT Chapter 63: Mo Xue
The Demonic Blood Serpent Mountain, a place shrouded in eternal mist and saturated with a crimson hue, stood like a spine of the underworld piercing through the heavens. Its slopes were jagged and lifeless, save for the dark, thorned vines that coiled around ancient rocks like serpents of doom. At its summit, the air was thick with demonic intent, and not even birds dared to fly overhead. This was the forbidden peak of the Heavenly Demon Sect—a place few dared approach, even within the sect itself.
Within a secluded cave palace carved deep into the heart of the mountain, a strange red glow pulsed with an ominous rhythm, as though echoing the heartbeat of the mountain itself. This inner sanctum, etched with blood runes and bordered by obsidian pillars, belonged to the one known as Mo Xue—the fearsome Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
She sat upon a black lotus dais hovering in midair, suspended by ancient array formations etched into the cavern walls. Her form was draped in luxurious black and crimson robes, embroidered with serpentine patterns that seemed to writhe with life under the flickering light. Her long hair, once as dark as midnight, now bore streaks of silver that shimmered like blades under moonlight. It flowed behind her like a river of ghostly silk.
Around her, dozens of blood-red crystals hovered in silent orbit—soul-forged remnants of powerful cultivators she had slain over the centuries. Each crystal pulsed with a dim light, leaking misty trails of resentment and despair. Whispers filled the chamber, not from any living mouth, but from the tortured souls sealed within these hellish gems. They wept, cried, screamed, and sometimes laughed in madness—a symphony of suffering that danced through the air like a forgotten song of death.
Mo Xue's eyes were closed, her expression calm yet stern, as she cultivated in solemn silence. Her breathing was slow, measured—each breath drawing in the miasma of slaughter, and each exhale spreading pressure throughout the cavern. Veins along her arms pulsed with a dark energy that seemed to writhe beneath her skin like living tendrils. This was the Thousand Vein Blood Scripture at work—a cruel, ancient cultivation technique that absorbed resentment, rage, and the will to kill.
With every beat of her heart, her demonic core pulsed in response, circulating dense spiritual energy through her meridians like molten iron. The very air twisted around her, and the walls of the chamber shuddered slightly every few minutes from the waves of power rolling off her body.
Suddenly, the array at the edge of the cave flickered faintly, indicating the arrival of someone. Mo Xue didn't stir. She had long since sensed the presence of another entering her domain. Quietly, a figure stepped forward—garbed entirely in a black robe from head to toe. Not an inch of skin was visible, and even her face was veiled behind multiple layers of enchanted silk.
The figure did not speak. She simply stood there with her head bowed, awaiting permission. Mo Xue opened her eyes slowly, revealing pupils like twin blood moons—cold and unfathomably deep. Her gaze fell upon the messenger with indifference.
"You may speak," she said, her voice calm but layered with underlying authority that could silence even the wind.
The black-robed woman bowed low, her voice respectful and precise. "I greet the Heavenly Demon, Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect."
Mo Xue gave a small nod, her tone curt. "Report."
Without hesitation, the messenger began. Her voice was quiet but clear, reciting recent updates regarding the sect's political standing, border skirmishes with rival factions, intelligence on righteous sect movements, and various internal matters. She spoke of trade routes being contested, outer disciples defecting, and rising tension with several cultivation clans in the eastern region. Mo Xue listened silently, occasionally closing her eyes again as she processed the information. The reports went on for several minutes, covering all aspects of sect administration.
Finally, the messenger bowed again. "That concludes the standard report, Sect Master."
Mo Xue exhaled lightly. "Good. You may leave."
She waved her hand dismissively, intending to return to her cultivation.
However, the messenger remained in place.
"Sect Master," the woman said, her head still lowered. "My report is not yet complete."
Mo Xue's brows twitched faintly, her gaze sharpening as she looked once more at the veiled figure.
"Oh?" she said with mild interest. "Then what remains?"
The messenger hesitated only for a breath before speaking. "It concerns the Young Sect Lady—Mo Zhou."
At the mention of her daughter's name, Mo Xue's stern expression softened just a touch, an almost imperceptible warmth flashing across her eyes.
"What about her?" she asked, though her tone remained detached.
The messenger spoke calmly. "She has recently brought a new man into the sect."
Mo Xue leaned back slightly. "That girl again… Let her be. She's at that age. Playing with men is natural. She'll be bored of him in a week or two, just like the last ones. There's no need to report every time she takes a fancy."
She spoke casually, not taking the matter seriously.
But the messenger didn't move.
"…Sect Master," she said cautiously, "This time, it may be different."
Mo Xue's fingers, which had been resting on the edge of her lotus dais, paused mid-motion. She narrowed her eyes. "Different?"
The messenger nodded. "Yes. According to our internal watchers, the Young Sect Lady has not only brought the man directly to her residence but has allocated a personal room for him. Furthermore, she has canceled several cultivation sessions and meetings with elders just to spend more time with him."
A faint chill crept into the chamber.
Mo Xue's voice dropped several degrees in temperature. "She canceled meetings with elders?"
"Yes, Sect Master."
For a long moment, there was only silence. The blood mist around Mo Xue grew denser, spiraling faster in reaction to her inner thoughts. Her demonic aura fluctuated slightly, the soul crystals around her trembling as if fearing her displeasure.
"She's never done that before," Mo Xue said quietly, mostly to herself.
The messenger added, "Furthermore, she has assigned a Divine Transformation realm puppet—one of her personal guardians—to him, claiming it is for his protection."
That made Mo Xue sit up straighter. "She gave him one of her puppets?"
"Yes. And… it's been observed that she is exceptionally gentle with him. Observers report no signs of her usual impatience or playfulness. She treats him as if he were… irreplaceable."
The cavern seemed to fall into a deeper silence.
Mo Xue closed her eyes.
Irreplaceable?
That word echoed in her mind like a discordant bell.
The Mo Zhou she knew was prideful, ruthless, and indulgent. She treated men like playthings, useful only for brief amusement before they were discarded like dried herbs. She had inherited much of Mo Xue's nature—calculating, indifferent, and dominant.
But now, there was someone she didn't want to discard?
The idea was absurd… and yet…
Mo Xue's lips pressed into a thin line.
"Who is this man?" she asked.
The messenger answered promptly. "His name is Meng Hao. He was picked up during a mission when one of the Young Sect Lady's puppets was scouring the outer territories for Golden Core cultivators to use in rituals. He stood out due to his charm and spiritual aura. It is believed she fell for him at first sight."
Mo Xue's brows rose slightly. "First sight?"
"Yes, Sect Master. Our spies believe this may be her first emotional entanglement."
Mo Xue didn't respond immediately.
Instead, she leaned forward slightly and placed a finger on one of the blood crystals. A wave of spiritual energy passed through it, and an image flickered within the gem—a memory, long buried, of her own youth… of a time when emotions still swayed her.