Chapter 1

Yale Xenford was the Divine Son of the Ninth Heaven and carried the responsibility of saving all living beings.

When the Heavenly Tribulation descended, my master, Emma Carter, heartlessly pushed me forward to face it on everyone’s behalf. She sent me to die in Yale’s place.

The Heavenly Tribulation put me through endless agony. I lost all my cultivation before I managed to survive by the narrowest of margins.

After I returned to the Ninth Heaven, my wife, Snow Lockwood, promised me a grand wedding.

But on our wedding day, Yale left behind a letter and went to challenge the Demon Queen, Grace Sullivan, to a fight to the death.

He lost the battle and fell into her hands. Snow could not bear to see him suffer. She joined forces with Emma and offered me to Grace in exchange for Yale’s freedom.

In the end, Grace tore out my heart, and I lost all five of my senses. Only then did the people who had always protected Yale start to deeply regret their actions.

Chapter 1

The Demon Queen, Grace Sullivan, wanted my heart. With it, one could be perceptive and see things crystal-clear. But she refused to accept a heart tainted by mortal emotions.

She said, “Let’s make a deal, Henry. If your wife or your master is willing to come and save you, I’ll spare your life.

“However, if neither of them comes, your heart will be mine. I’ll forge it into an artifact of immortality.”

I lowered my eyes. My body was covered in wounds sliced almost down to the bone. Even the slightest movement sent waves of unbearable pain through me.

I no longer wanted to vie with Yale Xenford. But I was trapped in the Demon Realm. I had lost all my cultivation, so I had no choice.

Grace flicked her wrist, and a Spirit Mirror appeared before us. The bargain began.

I saw my wife, Snow Lockwood, sparring with Yale. Their swords danced back and forth, and they exchanged affectionate glances with every move.

My master, Emma Carter, sat nearby. She sipped her drink and meditated in silence.

The wound in my heart had only just begun to heal, but it started to ache again.

Grace smiled. She drew the Vital Blood from my heart and ignited a long-distance distress charm.

The crimson charm burned inside the Spirit Mirror. Its brilliant light was impossible to miss.

Yet Emma, who had once cherished me, ignored it. Snow, the woman who had once loved me, ignored it too.

Yale was the only one who frowned. He lowered his sword and stared at the burning charm.

He murmured, “This is all my fault. I was too arrogant. I’m the reason Henry ended up like this. Madam, Snow, let’s go save Henry.”

His eyes were teary, and worry filled his face.

Emma did not move. Instead, she said in a cold voice, “Yale, have you already forgotten what Henry did to you? Don’t let your kindness become a reason for others to hurt you.”

The pain from my wounds grew even worse. The Demon Realm was bathed in blazing heat all year round, yet I felt as though I had fallen into an icy abyss. The cold cut straight to my bones.

Kindness? Hurt? Why did those words belong to Yale?

I was the one who had faced the Heavenly Tribulation for the sake of all living beings. I was the one who had lost all my cultivation.

Yet Yale, the Ninth Heaven’s Divine Son, was the one the gods praised and all living beings revered.

What did he have to feel wronged about?

…

At that moment, hatred and resentment consumed me.

Why was it that a few tears from Yale were enough to make everyone protect him?

Why did I have to become his scapegoat and let everyone trample over me?

Alas, I had no choice.

A faint spark of hope still burned deep inside my heart. I fixed my gaze on Snow.

We had grown up together. We had shared a bond since childhood. I wanted to believe I still held a special place in her heart.

I begged Grace once more. I asked her to help me send another plea for help, this time with a voice transmission.

She was happy to help. This time, the distress charm and the voice transmission charm passed through the Spirit Mirror and appeared in the Ninth Heaven.

I cleared my throat and tried my best to keep my voice from trembling.

“Snow… I’m hurting so much. Please… save me…”

Before I could finish, she lifted her hand with an impatient look and scattered both charms with a burst of spiritual power.

“Urgh…”

The spiritual power rebounded against me. Blood burst from my mouth.

Through the Spirit Mirror, I saw her gently tuck a loose strand of hair behind Yale’s ear.

She said in a cold voice, “If Henry insists on being cruel, if he insists on baiting you to travel to the Demon Realm to fight Grace, then he can stay there and find out what it feels like himself.”

Chapter 2

“It would also help temper his arrogant, spoiled personality!”

I was being cruel? I was baiting him? I would never do any of that.

When had I ever been arrogant and spoiled?

I was suddenly filled with resentment. I went mad with desperation. I forced out my Vital Blood and begged for help again and again.

But all I got in return was the sight of the three of them leaving without a second thought.

Yale seemed to sense something. He looked toward the empty space in front of him and smiled proudly. The corners of his lips lifted, and he looked like a contender who had already won.

“You lost. This heart belongs to me now.”

I curled up on the floor. Tears silently fell down my face as I nodded.

I let Grace cut open my chest and forcibly tear my heart out from my body. Blood splattered everywhere. The pain was unbearable. It felt as if every inch of my body was being torn apart.

Old wounds that had yet to heal began to bleed again.

It hurt. It hurt so much. But when my heart was taken from me, all the feelings and bonds from the past disappeared with it.

It was tens of thousands of years of affection. How ironic. How laughable.

They did not even bother to look at me. They did not care whether I lived or died.

One was the person I had respected and cared for since childhood. She had been both a teacher and a parent figure to me. The other was my wife, the woman who was supposedly destined to be with me across three lifetimes.

Yet their hearts and eyes held only Yale.

At this point, I finally let go. I chose to stop fighting for them.

I no longer wanted them.

…

After Grace took my heart, she sent me back to the Ninth Heaven out of spiteful amusement. Before I left, she even kindly reminded me that I could survive a little longer if I stayed there.

Following the route I remembered, I returned to Henry Tower.

Everything there was exactly the same as before. The decorations were still bright and festive, just like they had been on the day of my wedding.

I no longer had my cultivation to protect me. After losing my heart, I could barely walk a few steps without gasping for breath.

Still, those decorations were unbearable to look at. I tore them down one by one. Then, I took out a fire starter and set them on fire in the courtyard.

When I got up to remove the ribbons, I ran into Snow. A flicker of surprise crossed her face. She was holding Yale’s hand.

The moment she saw me, she let go.

I found it ironic. I ignored her and continued taking down the ribbons.

“Henry, why didn’t you tell us you were back? We could have gone looking for you. It looks like you had a pretty good time in the Demon Realm. You even look a little heavier than you did on your wedding day.”

Yale spoke with a cheerful smile. He purposely emphasized the words “your wedding day.” He walked over and held my arm affectionately. The wounds beneath my sleeve sent waves of pain through me. Cold sweat covered my forehead.

I frowned and shoved him away.

He staggered back several steps and almost fell. His eyes immediately turned teary.

Snow, who had been standing there with an elegant and ethereal air, quickly stepped forward to catch him.

She looked at me coldly. Her voice was filled with disgust.

“Henry, it seems you still haven’t learned your lesson in the Demon Realm. The first thing you do after returning is lose your temper at Yale. You have no respect for Yale, and your heart is full of malice.

“How shameless of you to send out a distress signal when you don’t actually need it. You truly have no limits.”

A group of immortals had already gathered outside the hall to watch the scene unfold.

When they saw me being humiliated in front of everyone, they immediately began whispering.

“Henry actually came back from the Demon Realm? How could he bully Yale the moment he returned? He’s truly vicious.”

“Exactly. Yale has always cared about him and given in to him. He treated him like a real brother. Yet just as he was about to wed Snow, he forced Yale to kill Grace and bring back her head as a wedding gift.”

“Everyone knows how cruel and lustful Grace is. I have no idea what tricks Henry used to return safely from the Demon Realm. Maybe he already offered himself to her.”

“Disgusting. How could someone like him ever be worthy of Snow, the Celestial Princess?”

“Exactly. In my opinion, Snow and Yale are the ones who truly belong together.”

Everyone looked at me with contempt. Their voices rang clearly between the three of us.

Chapter 3

They remained silent.

As for me, the empty space in my chest no longer brought me any sorrow.

There was no point in feeling sad anymore.

My heart was gone. Before long, I would lose all five of my senses. No medicine or cure could save me.

Besides, there was no one left in this world who was worth my heartbreak.

I lowered my eyes and said calmly, “I’m not feeling well, so I can’t receive guests. Snow, Yale, everyone, please leave.”

After saying that, I turned around and went back into my room.

Snow frowned as if she wanted to stop me. Before she could say anything, Yale swayed slightly. She immediately panicked. She hurried over to support him and left in a rush with everyone else.

“Yale, are you all right? Is the Heart-Devouring Affliction acting up again? Don’t worry. I’ll take you to Madam right away.”

She supported Yale as they walked away.

Yale nodded faintly and leaned weakly against her shoulder. She looked at him with nothing but concern.

I found it utterly absurd. I was the one who had taken the Heart-Devouring Affliction into my own body to save her.

How had Yale become the one suffering from it?

For the first time, I found myself looking forward to something. When Snow learned the truth, would she finally feel pain and regret?

…

On the seventh day after I returned to the Ninth Heaven, Emma finally remembered me.

She sent a celestial attendant to invite me to Yale’s birthday celebration.

In the past, Yale and I shared the same birthday. From the moment the sun rose, an endless stream of priceless treasures flowed into my tower.

Some were gifts from Emma. Some were gifts from Snow.

Everything came in matching pairs. Emma always said she had to treat us both equally.

But Snow’s gifts were always mine alone.

I always believed I was different. At the very least, I believed I meant more to them than anyone else.

But every painful experience had carved the truth into my heart. Everything I thought I had was nothing more than an illusion.

Before Emma brought Yale back from the mortal world, everything had belonged to me alone.

After he arrived, he took everything from me, little by little.

There was no reason for me to attend his birthday celebration.

No one remembered that today was my birthday too.

“Please tell Madam that I’m not feeling well today. I’d rather not spoil such a joyous occasion.”

Then again, my absence was probably exactly what they wanted.

This was also the first time I had ever declined one of Emma’s invitations.

I spent a long time gathering everything Emma had ever given me. The magical artifacts and priceless treasures no longer meant anything to me.

Yale had wanted some of them for years, but I had never been willing to give them to him.

He could have them all.

I did not care anymore.

I had no desire to compete with him again.

I also spent a long time sorting through everything Snow had given me. Then, I wrote a letter to end our engagement.

Since her heart belonged to Yale, I would let them be together.

After I finished everything, I had the gifts delivered.

One was carried to Yale’s place. The other was delivered to Snow.

Only after everything was done did I finally feel a weight lift from my shoulders.

…

Rain rarely fell in the Ninth Heaven. I stood beside the pond with an umbrella and watched the fish swim happily through the water.

I never expected Snow to come looking for me, filled with rage, on such an important day. She kicked the gate open and stormed inside.

She saw me standing in the rain with an umbrella. The hem of my robe was wet from the rain. She froze for a moment.

Then she furrowed her brows together. She was furious.

“Henry, what tricks are you trying to pull this time?”

She held the letter ending our engagement tightly in her hand. I had written every word myself.

When I remained silent, she walked over awkwardly, grabbed my arm, and pulled me beneath the eaves.

“Henry, are you determined to make things difficult for Yale?

“First, you purposely skipped his birthday celebration. Then you pulled another stunt by sending me a letter ending our engagement. How long are you going to keep this up?

“Can’t you behave yourself for once?

“If you keep acting this way, our wedding will have to be postponed indefinitely.”

Chapter 4

She looked irritated. Her fingers tightened around the letter.

When she saw that I only looked at her calmly, the anger in her eyes grew even stronger.

“Don’t look at me like that. What are you trying to do this time? If you want something, can’t you just say it? Why do you always have to use such disgraceful methods to force Yale?

“What did he ever do to you? Why do you insist on opposing him?”

I knew her too well. I could see it immediately. She still cared about Yale.

She was upset that I had asked Yale to cut off Grace’s head as my wedding gift on the day of our marriage.

She was upset that I had deliberately skipped Yale’s birthday celebration and made him unhappy.

…

I admitted it. I had opposed Yale before.

When I discovered that he was purposely trying to make Emma hate me, and when I discovered that he was secretly trying to take Snow away from me, I opposed him.

I told Emma that Yale had framed me. I told Snow that Yale was trying to sow discord between us.

I wanted them to see Yale’s true nature.

I wanted them to see me, care about me, and love me.

I did everything I could to please them and draw their attention back to me.

But I failed. They did not believe me.

They gave me hope, only to take it away from me.

So I no longer needed their love. I no longer needed to please anyone.

But why did my entire body still hurt with countless tiny aches after my heart had been taken away?

Grace had lied. She said that I would live a little longer after I returned to the Ninth Heaven.

But ever since I came back, every single day had been a thousand times, ten thousand times more painful than my time in the Demon Realm.

Before Snow completely lost her patience, I smiled faintly and said, “You’re right. I did it on purpose.

“I purposely sealed Yale’s cultivation and framed him so he would die for all living beings. I purposely baited him to cut off Grace’s head and give it to me as my wedding gift. I was the one who wanted him dead.

“Today was no different. I purposely wanted him to have an unhappy birthday.

“Snow, are you satisfied now?”

My entire body was in excruciating pain. Back then, I took the Heart-Devouring Affliction from her and transferred it onto myself to save her.

After my heart was taken from me, I endured unbearable pain every moment.

It felt as if someone was slowly breaking every bone in my body, one by one. Cold sweat covered my forehead, and my face twisted from the agony.

Yet at that moment, Snow grabbed me by the throat in anger. Her rage burned fiercely. She looked like she wanted to crush my neck.

I forced out a weak smile as tears streamed down my face.

“Kill… kill me if you dare.

“Kill me to vent your anger for Yale, since you care about him so much.”

Snow froze. Her eyes filled with complicated emotions. In the end, she released me. Without her support, I fell heavily to the floor.

Blood kept flowing from my nose. My chest heaved violently, and I could not stop coughing up blood. The pain spread through every inch of my body.

I curled up on the floor and struggled to breathe. My mind became more and more clouded.

“Henry, you deserve this! Who told you to keep using Yale to provoke me?

“You cruel man, stop putting on this act! I won’t fall for your tricks!”

I coughed up even more blood. I could barely hear what she said afterward.

The world spun around me. My consciousness was about to disappear.

She stared at me in shock as I continued coughing up blood. A trace of regret appeared in her eyes.

She muttered to herself for a long time. For a moment, I almost thought she was blaming herself.

“You managed to return from the Demon Realm. You shouldn’t be this weak.

“You’re just pretending again, trying to gain my sympathy. You’re truly disgusting.”