Chapter Three: Abao: I Admire Sister Bai Yue the Most

Maple Xiu’s heart and eyes were filled with guilt over having missed Bai Yue’s life for nineteen years. She should have lived carefree, showered with love, and been cherished and nurtured in the palm of his hand. Yet, he, as an irresponsible father, had only recently learned of his daughter’s existence. He was utterly unworthy.

Before Bai Yue and Maple Xiu left, the secret silver base knight who had been covertly hiding and watching Bai Yue was already detected by Maple Xiu.

When he barged into the room earlier, he had set up a soundproof barrier.

Maple Xiu informed his daughter that someone was spying on the room. Bai Yue smiled coldly, having anticipated this. Given Long Xingyu’s nature, how could he not leave any backup after she proposed breaking off their engagement?

“Father, pretend to kidnap me and leave a letter for Long Xingyu, telling him to come to Xindu to look for me,” Bai Yue said calmly.

Maple Xiu looked at his daughter, puzzled by her plan. He didn’t understand the purpose but it didn’t stop him from doing as she said.

After all, a father naturally dotes on his daughter.

On the way, he had heard some rumors: Bai Yue and Long Xingyu were to marry. He had originally intended to leave silently to protect the secret of their bloodline, wishing only for his daughter’s happiness. But when he heard Bai Yue wanted to break the engagement and Long Xingyu disagreed, Maple Xiu appeared to support Bai Yue and give her a chance to choose anew.

Maple Xiu wrapped his arm around Bai Yue’s waist, boldly tore open a spatial rift, and strode away without any concealment. The secret silver base knight watched helplessly as this unfolded.

After all, when the Demon God Emperor Maple Xiu personally abducts someone, who can truly stop him?

In the blink of an eye, Maple Xiu brought Bai Yue to Xindu and entered the Demon God Palace.

Abao came running excitedly but saw the emperor holding the hand of a young girl. His little mouth puckered and he burst into tears.

“Father is going to marry a new wife, Abao will be a child without a father’s love, wuwu, Abao will have a stepmother and stepfather.”

Maple Xiu’s head throbbed in frustration. He pinched Abao’s cheek with a sour expression.

He frowned seriously and corrected, “Abao, this is your sister, my daughter. Don’t listen to nonsense anymore! What kind of wild ideas are these?”

Abao’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, looking at Bai Yue in confusion and hiccupping.

“Sister? Wow! This beautiful young lady is my real sister!”

As the only child in the Demon God Palace, Abao was only six years old. In the long lifespan of the Defiant Demon Dragon clan, six years was barely beyond infancy, so Maple Xiu indulged his only son greatly.

In fact, Abao’s name alone hinted at Maple Xiu’s hopes for his children.

He once thought Abao was his only child, but after reaching the demigod realm, the soul’s release caused fluctuations in his bloodline, revealing two other offspring—one carried by a palace maid he had drunkenly favored in the Demon God harem, and another far away at Zhen Nan Pass, a human-demon hybrid.

Immediately, Maple Xiu set out for Zhen Nan Pass to bring his daughter home.

Regarding Bai Yue, Maple Xiu felt guilt, love, and the joy of reunion.

Bai Yue’s mother, Bai Lingxuan, was the woman he loved most—without equal. Otherwise, how could a mighty Demon God Emperor disguise himself as a sixth-rank human warrior and live for years in a thatched cottage outside Zhen Nan Pass with Bai Lingxuan? Only deep love could sustain such sacrifice.

Bai Yue curiously examined Abao. In her past life, she had never met him, but now she found this little brother quite entertaining, especially since he was so sweet-talking, which she greatly admired.

She reached out, took Abao’s small hand, and smiled. “Little brother Abao, I am your sister Bai Yue. From now on, sister will protect you.”

“If Father dares to marry a stepmother, I’ll join you to fight her off!”

Maple Xiu’s face darkened as he lightly frowned, hesitating. “Yue’er, don’t listen to this brat’s nonsense. In my heart, there is only your mother.”

“I have never appointed an empress precisely because only your mother is worthy of that position.”

This was the first time Bai Yue had heard this from Maple Xiu. Thinking back to her past life, her father had never revealed any empress or beloved consort until the calamity descended.

But now, the moment was too late. Bai Yue’s eyes dimmed. “Father, if you loved Mother so deeply, why did you abandon her back then?”

“She gave birth to me alone, only to discover I had a dark attribute, with half demon blood in my veins. Do you understand the despair she felt at that time?”

Maple Xiu opened his mouth to explain but found words pale and powerless.

He too was filled with regret. Had he been more cautious, had he not left a trace, had the title-level demon hunting guild and Demon God’s Fall not ambushed him, perhaps he would not have lost the love of his life, would not have been separated from his daughter for over a decade, and would have fulfilled his duties as a father.

Abao looked up at Bai Yue with admiration. This was the first time he had seen someone silence the emperor with their words. At this moment, he declared that Sister Bai Yue was the strongest in the entire Holy Demon Continent!

“Yue’er, I was ambushed by human forces from the Demon God’s Fall, my identity was uncovered. With my cultivation sealed, I was gravely injured by six assailants. After a narrow escape, I secluded myself to recover. When I emerged, all I received was news of your mother’s passing.”

“I visited her tomb. She lay quietly in the coffin, eyes closed. I sealed the last breath of her life with secret arts, but I could not revive her completely,” Maple Xiu said with a face full of pain.

Bai Yue stared at him in shock. “Mother is still alive?”

[Host, if you wish to resurrect Bai Lingxuan, you must seek the aid of the undead scourge, Ilex, the deity most profound in the study of living beings.]

[Your mother’s condition is very similar to when Long Haochen was first slain by Maple Xiu—on the brink of death, sustained only by the life prophecy of the Star Demon God.]

The voice of Liuli came from her mind, causing Bai Yue to pause.

She recalled correctly: the life prophecy was a one-time prophecy spell used only by the Star Demon God, at the cost of the Star Demon God’s own life.

If the Star Demon God Vashak had used this spell, he should have died. How could he have survived until the calamity struck?

“Is the life prophecy not a spell cast at the cost of one’s life? How could Vashak be unharmed?”

[Host, Vashak remains alive because Maple Xiu signed a life-sharing contract with him, sharing lifespans to sustain Bai Lingxuan’s life consumption.]

[That is why Maple Xiu is now a demigod; otherwise, he could not withstand such a lifespan drain.]

Liuli spoke with lingering fear.

Bai Yue had never known her father had done so much for her mother, going to such lengths for a fragile hope of resurrection.

“Child, all I can say is, Lingxuan is not dead, but when she will awaken, when she will appear lively before you so you can call her ‘Mother’—I cannot say.”

Maple Xiu sighed and lowered his head, afraid to see disappointment in his daughter’s eyes.