Volume One: The Demon God's Young Master Chapter One: None But Him Will I Marry
Eastern Divine Continent, Heavenly Firmament Sword Sect.
Beside the gentle brook flowing through the rear mountain, beneath the sprawling willow tree, Qi Yu lay at ease upon the grass, eyes closed in quiet repose. A stem of foxtail grass hung from his lips, his arms folded beneath his head, a picture of tranquil indolence.
The grass rustled softly nearby, and another figure—an elder with hair and beard as white as snow—stretched out beside the youth.
“Liu Rouxue has come looking for you again. Do you wish to see her?”
The elder was Chen Qingming, the sect master of Heavenly Firmament Sword Sect.
“No,” Qi Yu replied without a hint of hesitation.
Chen Qingming sighed. “Qi Yu, you and Liu Rouxue entered the sword sect together. Three years have passed since then. That girl’s talent is remarkable—she reached the Profound Entry Realm a year ago and became the saintess of our sect. Yet you remain without the slightest cultivation.”
Qi Yu smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor objecting.
The cultivation realms in Eastern Divine Continent are divided thus: Initial Profound Realm, Profound Entry Realm, Profound Martial Realm, Profound Sovereign Realm, Profound Emperor Realm, Profound Saint Realm, Divine Transformation Realm, Divine Martial Realm, Immortal Sovereign Realm, Immortal Emperor. Each realm, save for the Immortal Emperor, is split into nine heavens; only upon mastering all nine does one ascend to the next great realm.
Liu Rouxue was truly a favored child of Heaven in her cultivation. Qi Yu, no matter how he tried, could not retain spiritual energy within his core; he was a hopeless waste, and so he simply gave up.
“Life lasts but a few decades,” Qi Yu thought simply.
Chen Qingming frowned slightly, his tone laden with meaning. “You are betrothed to that girl. She is resolute—her heart is set on marrying you.”
Qi Yu laughed. “You mean I am holding back the saintess?”
Chen Qingming fell silent, tacitly admitting it.
Qi Yu chuckled softly. “The engagement was arranged by my father, who has passed on to the immortal realm. Naturally, it no longer holds weight.”
As his words faded, hurried footsteps approached, accompanied by a lively, melodious voice.
“Brother Qi Yu!”
A girl in white, her hair adorned with a tasseled hairpin, eyes bright with spirit, lips rosy and teeth gleaming, bounded joyfully to Qi Yu’s side.
“Sect Master Chen.”
She greeted Chen Qingming first, then grasped Qi Yu’s hand.
Cool and soft, her touch pressed into his palm, yet Qi Yu gently forced her hands away.
“Liu Rouxue, come back!”
A stern voice rang out.
Accompanying her were the sect’s Grand Elder and Second Elder, both with gloomy countenances, especially upon seeing Qi Yu.
Who could fathom why this girl had set her heart solely upon Qi Yu?
Liu Rouxue was the Grand Elder’s last disciple, his most cherished student, now revered as saintess—her status and rank beyond question.
The Grand Elder frowned, shooting Qi Yu a sharp glance. “Qi Yu, you are without cultivation. In the future, you and Liu Rouxue will be as far apart as clouds and mud.”
The Second Elder nodded. “Only Heaven’s chosen are worthy of the saintess, not a worthless waste. I urge you, know your limits and stop entangling Liu Rouxue.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Rouxue grew flustered, gripping Qi Yu’s hand tighter, shaking her head fervently. “Brother Qi Yu, it’s not like that. I work so hard at cultivation just to make you happy. This life, I am devoted only to you.”
The Second Elder’s gaze flashed with malice.
Liu Rouxue turned to the Grand Elder. “Master, you promised to let me marry Brother Qi Yu. How can you go back on your word?”
The Grand Elder snorted coldly. “I brought you to see him so you could recognize the gulf between you. As for marrying this waste, don’t even think about it.”
“Master—”
“The Grand Elder is right!”
Liu Rouxue tried to speak again, but Qi Yu interrupted her.
Chen Qingming looked toward Qi Yu; Qi Yu’s expression was calm, his brow furrowed slightly.
“Brother Qi Yu.”
Liu Rouxue seemed to sense what Qi Yu was about to say, gripping his hand even tighter.
Qi Yu raised his other hand, gently ruffling her hair. His voice was gentle: “Silly girl, the elders are thinking of your well-being. Let’s dissolve the engagement. Without its constraint, you can focus on your cultivation.”
“Breaking off the engagement?”
Liu Rouxue’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Brother Qi Yu, you want to end our betrothal? Didn’t we promise to be together for life? Are you abandoning me?”
She stepped back, murmuring in shock.
Ten years ago, on a snowy night, Liu Rouxue was but an orphan, helpless and waiting for death on the street.
Qi Yu’s father, Qi Zhenming, happened by and took her in. That was the first time Qi Yu and Liu Rouxue met. From that moment, Liu Rouxue’s heart belonged to him. Later, under Qi Zhenming’s witness, their engagement was set.
But all changed three years ago.
When the demon clan invaded, Qi Zhenming entrusted Qi Yu and Liu Rouxue to Heavenly Firmament Sword Sect, then went off to slay demons—never to return.
That year, many perished, only a handful survived. When the survivors spoke of the battle in the demon lair, they blamed Qi Zhenming.
They said Qi Zhenming was a coward, terrified by the demons; he disrupted the battle formation, abandoned his sword, and fled, bringing shame to the entire Eastern Divine Continent.
Thus, as Qi Zhenming’s son, Qi Yu endured scorn everywhere. Only Liu Rouxue stayed by him, refusing to leave—even though he was a useless waste, she insisted on marrying him, vowing to be his wife.
Suddenly, Liu Rouxue drew a white jade dagger from her waist.
“Brother Qi Yu, this was the token your father gave me as a pledge. If my cultivation makes you uneasy, I am willing to destroy it myself!”
She aimed the dagger at her own core, ready to strike.
“Liu Rouxue, don’t!”
The two elders were shocked, unable to stop her in time.
Yet the dagger did not pierce her body. Liu Rouxue looked down to find a hand gripping the blade tightly, blood oozing between the fingers.
“Brother Qi Yu…”
Her eyes grew misty, a veil of tears shimmering.
Qi Yu’s face was cold and stern. “You are impossible!”
He flung her hand away and turned to leave.
Liu Rouxue was stunned. In the ten years since they had met, this was the first time Qi Yu had ever become angry with her.
As he passed Chen Qingming, the sect master whispered, “Qi Yu, have you truly decided?”
Qi Yu grunted in assent, leaving without a backward glance.
“Brother Qi Yu!”
Liu Rouxue rose to chase after him, but the Grand Elder blocked her path.
“Master…”
“Enough! This is sheer foolishness. Come with me; you will be punished by facing the wall in reflection.”
At the foot of Sky-Piercing Peak.
Qi Yu approached a solitary grave. The once-powerful figure was gone forever.
He looked up—Sky-Piercing Peak stretched from earth to heaven, its summit lost above the thick clouds.
The first time he came here, he rode upon his father’s shoulders; Qi Zhenming climbed the mountain as if walking on air. Qi Yu saw the summit’s view—a vast, rolling sea of clouds.
His father took out the white jade dagger he always carried and carved two words into a stone.
“I was here.”
When Qi Yu grew older and joined the sword sect, he learned that Sky-Piercing Peak was not something ordinary people could climb. Every step up was like bearing a thousand weights.
Qi Yu had tried. With only a mortal body, even a single step pressed him back by the mountain’s force. Only then did he realize how difficult the road was without his father’s strong shoulders.
It was said that even those at the Profound Saint Realm, whose cultivation was unfathomable, could not fly up to the peak—they must climb, step by step.
Throughout history, those who had witnessed the summit’s scenery were few and far between.
Qi Yu’s eyes dimmed, his fists clenched, a trickle of blood dripping from his palm.
“Father, perhaps I will never be able to follow your footsteps.”
But how could someone who reached Sky-Piercing Peak’s summit be a coward?
He could not understand.
Nor could he believe!
After a long silence, Qi Yu closed his eyes and sighed softly.
At that moment, a mocking voice rang out.
“Well, who has the leisure to visit Sky-Piercing Peak? So it’s you, Qi Yu! Come to pay respects to your coward father, have you?”