Douluo:Peerless Tang Sect: Douluo of Peaceful Heaven

Life in the Inner Court flowed peacefully.

Zhu Ziyang spent his mornings training Sovereign's Reign under Mu En's guidance. His afternoons were varied—sometimes sparring and exchanging pointers with senior disciples, other times playing with Xingcai around the academy.

Evenings were reserved for dual cultivation of undead magic and soul power.

Every day was rich and full.

One morning, after finishing his Sovereign's Reign practice, Zhu Ziyang went to report to Mu En as usual.

But instead of leaving right away, he asked something that had been gnawing at his mind for some time:

"Teacher… what's your relationship with Bei Bei?"

Mu En chuckled.

"What brought that on?"

"I've just been curious," Zhu Ziyang admitted freely. "Lexuan-jie's connection to him doesn't seem ordinary."

Mu En sighed. His aged eyes softened, touched by a trace of regret.

"You probably know by now—Bei Bei and I are both descendants of Yu Xiaogang. Technically, he should call me 'grandmaster elder.'

"But as for Lexuan…"

His face grew more serious.

"She's someone I owe deeply."

Zhu Ziyang's ears perked up. He sensed the conversation was headed into darker territory—perhaps even Mu En's own buried regrets.

"When I first met Lexuan," Mu En began, "she was about eleven or twelve. Her entire clan had been slaughtered. Despite her age, she was unbelievably resolute. She knelt before me, begging for vengeance.

"At that time, I myself was mourning the death of my own family. I agreed to help her… but in exchange, I made her swear to a condition."

"What condition?"

Zhu Ziyang asked, heart already sinking with dread.

Mu En's face grew dark with shame.

"I told her: if she wanted my help, I would not only avenge her, but also ensure Shrek Academy raised her to become a top soul master. But in return—she had to vow to spend her life guarding Shrek, and… to become Bei Bei's child bride."

Zhu Ziyang's jaw dropped.

"C-Child bride?!"

He was floored. He had never imagined Mu En—this revered, enlightened elder—would ever make such a… transactional, even manipulative request.

So even Mu En had a past he wasn't proud of.

Mu En gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"You must think I'm shameless."

"Lexuan was an understanding child," he continued. "After I avenged her, she stayed at Shrek—raising Bei Bei, caring for him like a mother until he was ten, when his clan took him back to Heaven Dou City.

"I've always regretted binding her with that vow. She's suffered for it. I wanted to let her go… but I didn't know how to say it. So I kept delaying. My plan was to let things run their course—once Bei Bei came of age, I'd have them marry. But who would've guessed—Bei Bei fell for that little girl from Tang Sect… and Lexuan truly gave her heart to him."

Mu En sighed deeply.

"A true mess…"

"Does Bei Bei… know about this?"

Zhu Ziyang asked cautiously, his mind spinning with all this new information.

"No," Mu En said gravely. "Other than me and Lexuan, you are the only person who knows."

"I don't want to break up Bei Bei and Tang Ya… but I can't ignore what I've done to Lexuan. It weighs heavily on me."

Zhu Ziyang fell silent.

This entire situation was… a disaster.

"What will you do now?" he finally asked.

"I need to convince Lexuan to release herself from the vow," Mu En said, tone serious. "She's still young, a genius soul master with a long future ahead of her. She doesn't need to live under this kind of burden."

"I agree, Teacher," Ziyang said. "But… you're the only one who can tell her that."

"Of course," Mu En nodded. "But I'll need your help too. Lexuan's stubborn. She won't change her mind easily."

"Uh…"

Zhu Ziyang laughed bitterly.

"Guess I walked right into that one…"

Three days later.

Zhang Lexuan was summoned to the Sea God Pavilion.

Meanwhile, Zhu Ziyang waited outside, leaning casually against the wall. His eyes wandered up through the golden leaves of the ancient tree above him, watching a single star trail across the early night sky.

A moment later, the doors opened.

Lexuan emerged, her face expressionless. But the slight tremble in her fingers—and the dull, clouded look in her eyes—told Zhu Ziyang everything.

She wasn't okay.

"Lexuan-jie."

He called softly.

"Huh?"

She responded absentmindedly. Then, recognizing him, she tried to smile.

"Ah, Ziyang. Why are you here?"

"You're upset. Don't hold it in. If you need to cry… cry."

Ziyang said gently.

"Will you take a walk with me?"

she asked suddenly.

She didn't wait for a reply—just turned and began walking.

Zhu Ziyang followed silently.

They walked to the edge of Sea God Lake.

Lexuan sat down by the shore, her feet dipped into the cool water. Her eyes stared blankly at the reflection of the moon. Her expression shifted erratically—from smiles to anger, from sorrow to despair.

Zhu Ziyang opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted him.

"Ziyang… why is Mu Lao asking me to go back on my vow?"

Her voice was as gentle as ever—but tinged with deep pain.

"Did I… do something wrong?"

"No, you didn't," Ziyang said firmly. "The one who was wrong… was Teacher."

Lexuan suddenly burst into sobs.

"He made me swear that vow. How can he just… undo it now? I don't understand! I don't—!"

Zhu Ziyang didn't know how to comfort her. He simply stayed by her side. This was her inner demon—only she could overcome it.

"I honored that promise for ten years!"

she cried.

"Was it meaningless? Doesn't he realize… I've already given my heart to Bei Bei?"

Her sobs grew softer and softer—until at last, she simply sat there, silently crying.

Ziyang took a deep breath.

It was time.

"Lexuan-jie," he said carefully, "what you feel for Bei Bei… are you sure it's love?"

Her head snapped up. She stared at him, confused.

That's when she noticed something:

Ziyang had released his martial soul.

In his hand, the Judgment Scythe of Eternal Rest glowed with celestial light.

The ultimate light attribute—in its purest form—shone down on her like sunlight piercing through storm clouds.

"Lexuan-jie," Ziyang said softly but firmly,

"What you feel isn't love—it's twisted familial attachment. You've become lost in it."

His voice struck her like thunder, shaking her fragile heart.

"Have I… been clinging to the wrong thing all along?"

she whispered.

"Yes," Ziyang nodded. "You deserve your own life. Your own future. The chains Mu Lao placed on you—they're gone now. It's time to let go."

"I… I should let go…"

Her eyes, once clouded, gradually cleared.

The brilliant light continued to bathe her.

She slowly… fell asleep.

Zhu Ziyang sat down beside her, utterly drained. His martial soul vanished instantly—his body unable to maintain it a second longer.

Just now, he had used the fully released state of his ultimate light innate ability: Radiance of Righteousness.

It didn't directly erase emotions—but it could dispel fixation, magnifying a person's most dominant emotions to gradually consume the weaker ones. In Lexuan's case, her "love" for Bei Bei was, in truth, mostly familial. That was what Ziyang had amplified.

As long as her feelings were pure familial affection, the curse of her child-bride oath… would naturally lose its power.

Behind them, Mu En appeared.

He had witnessed everything.

"Is this… the full power of Ultimate Light's Radiance of Righteousness?"

he whispered, awe in his voice.

Zhu Ziyang turned to him, exhausted but satisfied.

"Teacher… I think she'll be okay now."