The Archdemon’s Unmasking and the Treacherous Logbook

Si Fenglang had once believed that the most agonizing torment was to harbor a heart brimming with affection, yet be forced to suppress it, unable to confess his feelings. He loved a demon; his emotions were destined to remain unrequited, leaving him only to hope that time would eventually extinguish them. The true tragedy lay in his love for a demon, a truly ill-fated connection.

Now, however, it seemed this was indeed a cursed entanglement, not because of the love itself, but because his feelings had been revealed to the other party—a party utterly devoid of moral scruples.

“While it appears he fell for you after you saved him, I suspect these feelings were present from your very first meeting,” Chen Gui analyzed with a serious expression.

Dan Fusheng stroked his chin. “What makes you say that?”

“He profoundly suppresses his true nature, whereas you, the Archdemon, live with exceptional freedom,” Chen Gui explained. “Upon seeing you, he must have experienced a profound impact.” Chen Gui had pondered this deeply. He had even consulted netizens in the emotional advice forums just moments ago, and this was his distilled conclusion.

“Oh?!” Dan Fusheng’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you praising your Senior Brother?”

“No, it’s merely that you aren’t quite so peculiar in front of others.” In Chen Gui’s presence, Dan Fusheng was truly an enigma.

“Perhaps this Crown Prince actually fancies my peculiar side,” Dan Fusheng said, cupping his face and tilting his head towards Si Fenglang. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

“I apologize,” Si Fenglang continued to say. “I was wrong. Could you please ask your Junior Brother to stop? No more analysis.” He was genuinely terrified.

Dan Fusheng knew well that no one could withstand Chen Gui’s relentless analyses.

Bai Yu, having listened to Si Fenglang and Dan Fusheng’s past, felt as though he had witnessed a brutal interrogation. Yet, Dan Fusheng had inflicted no physical harm upon Si Fenglang.

“Can we discuss proper matters now?” Dan Fusheng asked him.

Si Fenglang nodded.

“Are you still going to curse at me?”

Si Fenglang shook his head.

Satisfied, Dan Fusheng released Si Fenglang. He then conjured a chair within the barrier and sat down. “Excellent. Then I shall speak plainly.”

Si Fenglang hummed in agreement. “Please, speak.”

Dan Fusheng: “…”

The blow seemed too severe. Dan Fusheng felt a brief pang of guilt before quickly getting straight to the point. “I’ll release you to the authorities. How about you leave the Qianyu Sect to me?”

Si Fenglang, who had already grown numb, was stunned by Dan Fusheng’s proposition. He instinctively wanted to refute it, but considering the potential consequences, he chose to suppress his temper. “That wouldn’t be appropriate; it would cause trouble for the authorities.”

“Mr. Bai, if Si Fenglang voluntarily accepts official supervision, would that cause you trouble?” Dan Fusheng inquired of Bai Yu.

Bai Yu finally understood why Dan Fusheng had brought him along. Indeed, the authorities hoped to take the three former members of the Yu Kingdom royalty into custody. Bai Yu shook his head, indicating it wouldn’t be a bother.

Si Fenglang could no longer hold back. “Why?! You’re living in my home!”

“It used to be,” Dan Fusheng didn’t deny it. “But you also need to give your disciples a chance to grow.”

Si Fenglang thought Dan Fusheng was utterly mad, yet he dared not curse him. “I don’t want to move out.”

Dan Fusheng sighed, turning his back in exasperation and pressing his temples. Chen Gui watched, not stopping Dan Fusheng. He felt as though he was discerning something new from his senior brother’s actions.

Once composed, Dan Fusheng turned back to Si Fenglang. “You’ve been provoking me, hoping I’d kill you. I don’t know what’s inside your body, but even if we assume the worst, do you truly believe your actions constitute a righteous sacrifice?”

“Your memories aren’t even fully restored, so why are you so fixated on an old matter whose full scope you don’t even recall?” Dan Fusheng gazed into Si Fenglang’s eyes.

“Do you even know what you’re doing? Saving all living beings? Who needs you to save them?” Dan Fusheng spread his hands. “You have memories of this life; you should know clearly that the joys and sorrows of people in this era no longer concern me.”

“If you trade your life for mine, they won’t applaud you or cheer.” Dan Fusheng was well aware that even if Si Fenglang truly possessed some secret weapon, it would ultimately fail. Quite simply, the mastermind behind all of this did not wish for Dan Fusheng’s demise.

Regardless of Dan Fusheng’s apparent apathy, he was, without a doubt, the most formidable Demon Lord in history—bar none. He had commanded eleven leaders from various races, and their demands varied, yet they held comparable authority. His ability to hold them in his grasp stemmed from his immense power.

He had brought them tangible benefits and hope. While they might not be genuinely devoted to him now, they were even less willing to submit to each other. For some, Dan Fusheng was a spiritual icon. Anyone who truly decided to kill him would become a target.

Dan Fusheng explained the entire situation to Si Fenglang, but Si Fenglang dismissed it as mere rhetoric.

“Who killed that deceased disciple?” Dan Fusheng asked him. “It wasn’t me, nor was it a demon. Who was it?”

Si Fenglang was silent.

“You had no idea your Master even existed before. He killed your subordinate disciple; wasn’t that disciple important to you?” Dan Fusheng asked.

Si Fenglang: “I…”

“You are not the Crown Prince of the Yu Kingdom,” Dan Fusheng interrupted him. “He was a self-righteous ‘good person’ who disdained demons but genuinely cared for humanity. For him, no one was expendable except himself.”

“You are not that Crown Prince; you don’t need to inherit his joys and sorrows. You can live as yourself.” Dan Fusheng spoke with a rare gentleness. “Many things might be heavier than you imagine. You don’t need to understand them; just focus on living first.”

“Live first? Like you?”

“Being like me is quite good.”

Si Fenglang refused Dan Fusheng’s proposition, stubbornly remaining within the barrier. Dan Fusheng had no choice but to continue to wear him down; after all, he had plenty of time.

“Are you truly considering his well-being?” Chen Gui suddenly asked Dan Fusheng.

“Yes, yes, your Senior Brother is far too kind,” Dan Fusheng replied dismissively.

Chen Gui pondered for a moment, then suggested, “You could express your goodwill more directly.”

Dan Fusheng raised an eyebrow. “Do you actually believe that?”

“I do think you’re being genuinely gentle this time,” Chen Gui said, pulling out a notebook from his storage artifact. He began writing in it. “Your previous behavior was much stranger.”

“Uh, what is that?” Dan Fusheng pointed at the notebook. If he wasn’t mistaken, it was a magical artifact.

“Observation Log,” Chen Gui offered no further explanation.

Dan Fusheng pressed, “Observing what?”

“You.” Chen Gui couldn’t fathom Dan Fusheng’s thoughts, so he could only record his words and actions, then slowly analyze them.

Dan Fusheng was greatly astonished. “Junior Brother! When did you pick up this habit?!”

“…I started recording when I was eighteen.” Chen Gui was unlike Dan Fusheng, who had been an infant when True Monarch You Qing took him in. Chen Gui’s parents were friends of the Master; after something happened to them, True Monarch You Qing took him in. He didn’t understand the peculiar sect, so he began documenting the things he couldn’t comprehend.

“Why didn’t I know?!” Dan Fusheng was utterly shocked. His Junior Brother had been recording since he was eighteen; how could he have been completely oblivious?!

“Oh, because this artifact was given to me by Master.” Chen Gui originally used ordinary notebooks, but when Master discovered his habit, he gifted him this artifact. Furthermore, he always made his entries at the Master’s residence, so it was perfectly normal for Dan Fusheng to be unaware.

Dan Fusheng frowned in deep thought, pondering his Master’s personality. Suddenly, his brow furrowed fiercely. “Let me see it!!”

Chen Gui handed him the notebook. He had expected Dan Fusheng to look at the recent entries, but to his surprise, Dan Fusheng immediately flipped to the very first page.

Dan Fusheng’s expression grew increasingly solemn with each page he read. By the end, a raw emotion of fury was clearly visible on his face.

Good heavens! Good heavens, indeed!

He had always wondered why he was so easily caught whenever he stole Master’s cranes and spirit medicines. He had always acted with his Senior Sister, whose concealment techniques were divine. Yet, every time they finished eating, Master’s palm would land on them immediately after.

So, it was this little bastard all along?! For the sake of sect camaraderie, they had always brought Chen Gui along when they stole from Master. His Senior Sister and he would even look after him, encouraging him to eat more.

And Chen Gui, in turn, would go and write it all down for Master to read! This artifact must have been linked to Master, so even when he wasn’t near, he knew exactly what Chen Gui was writing! Each punishment… Master’s triumphant gaze… Dan Fusheng had pondered it for so long, yet never understood…

Chen Gui sensed the killing intent emanating from Dan Fusheng and immediately drew his sword. “Archdemon! You’ve finally revealed your true colors!”

Meng Lei arrived, carrying a basket of eggs for Dan Fusheng. He recalled Dan Fusheng saying he wanted to hatch chicks to raise as pets. However, before he could knock, the courtyard door swung open from the inside.

Something was thrown out, rolling several times on the ground.

Meng Lei squinted. It appeared to be True Monarch Yaoling.

“Take your broken sword!” Dan Fusheng tossed Chen Gui’s natal sword beside him, then threw out another object. “And this broken notebook!”

Meng Lei hadn’t fully processed what happened before the small courtyard door slammed shut with a heavy thud.

Meng Lei: “…”

Had he arrived at an inopportune moment?

Chen Gui picked up the notebook from the ground and continued to record using his spiritual energy.

[The Archdemon (former Senior Brother) became furious after reading the logbook, suddenly erupted, and then began beating me.]

[Judging from his curses, he believes I betrayed our small group and informed Master. I believe his reasoning is sound, so this outburst will temporarily not be counted as evidence of the Archdemon being uncontrollable.]

Chen Gui realized that Master had indeed always gone to catch his Senior Brother and Senior Sister after he finished his entries. Master had nearly given Dan Fusheng a psychological trauma; Dan Fusheng believed he would never escape Master’s grasp in this lifetime.

Chen Gui closed the notebook and looked up. Dan Fusheng, in the small courtyard, instinctively made the same gesture.

Alright, this notebook wouldn’t be monitored by a second person. No one would come.