[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-watching-the-immortals-fall":3,"chapter-watching-the-immortals-fall-watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-182":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Watching the Immortals Fall",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2260055,4410,"Chapter 182: West Courtyard","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-182",182,"\u003Cp>With a thunderous boom, dust and smoke surged as another tall building in the Jade Garden collapsed under violent qi forces, the shattering of stone tiles echoing across the land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, from within the black imperial palace, which loomed like a crouching beast, a vast and overwhelming aura suddenly surged forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon sensing this aura, the Chieftain of the Scale Clan and the Chieftain of the Fang Clan immediately turned their heads toward the Demon Emperor’s Palace, clenching their fists instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems… His Majesty has already realized.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I also sensed the presence of a Heavenly General.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Mule, you’ve truly ruined me this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though it took longer than planned, since Shu He has already infiltrated inside, it’s ultimately a success—only regrettable that I wanted to kill a few cultivators to make this irreversible…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chieftain of the Scale Clan murmured softly in the cold wind, then turned his gaze toward the West Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That place had previously echoed with sword intent—someone must have been guarding the courtyard, and Shu He had stumbled upon them—but now the sword aura had faded, bringing him considerable relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the Emperor’s Heavenly Demon General arrived with the imperial demon troops, crashing down in a roar and instantly filling the entire street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All wore heavy black armor, gripping gleaming long spears; when lined up in formation, they resembled a massive dark cloud rolling forward, their overwhelming pressure instantly sweeping across the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, the demon troops and generals surged into the Jade Garden, causing the sounds of battle within the courtyard to erupt violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet four others did not enter the garden; instead, they leapt from the ground before the Jade Garden, their heavy qi crushing the accumulated snow beneath their feet as they soared upward onto the tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a word, all four simultaneously struck, seizing the shoulders of the Chieftains of the Scale and Fang Clans and dragging them down from the tower’s peak to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout this process, neither resisted, nor made even the slightest movement, and not a single one cried out in protest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the Demon Emperor had said in his hall: they were not traitors, they had not defied their sovereign; they merely sought to ease His Majesty’s burdens and wished for their clans to return to the Nine Provinces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, even as they were captured, they stood tall, chests proud, like unyielding pines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a soft rustling of footsteps arose as Feng Yang stepped through the snow-covered street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She still wore her thin, plain white robe, her face pale, her expression grave as she gazed at the Jade Garden, then settled upon the two chieftains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is a war that stains the earth with blood truly beneficial for our demon kind?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chieftain of the Scale Clan lifted his gaze: “Your Highness, our clans once lived in the Nine Provinces; we came to the Snowlands only out of desperation. We bear responsibility—we cannot let our descendants live forever in this barren land.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Feng Yang regarded this fearless chieftain with icy eyes: “If all our people die in this war, what future generations will remain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We must try—otherwise, we’ll never have a chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is nothing but your selfish desire. Stop pretending to be righteous. Prepare to spend the rest of your lives in the Frozen Cells atop Twin Peaks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chieftain of the Scale Clan raised his eyes: “Your Highness, Mule knows he is guilty, but I will not enter the Frozen Cells—after tonight, I vow to die on the battlefield for His Majesty, to atone for my sins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【If any humans are killed, eliminate them all—leave no trace.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【If the human envoy truly perishes, our demon realm’s counterattack on the Nine Provinces is sealed.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling her father’s and brother’s words, Feng Yang’s face grew even paler: “Where is Shu He? Where did he go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chieftain of the Scale Clan suddenly smiled with relief: “Shu He has slipped into the West Courtyard like the wind. A moment ago, the sounds there ceased—Your Highness, this was not my choice; it was Heaven’s.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chieftains of the Mao and Claw Clans now arrived as well, for the concealment device used by the Scale and Fang Clans had failed, allowing them to sense the commotion within the Jade Garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing Mule’s words, they could not suppress a bitter expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though their political views clashed, they were not enemies; hearing how decisively the Scale and Fang Clans had acted tonight, they had no idea how to judge it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Feng Yang clenched her silver teeth and stepped forward into the Jade Garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle in the central courtyard had already ended under the overwhelming power of the Heavenly Demon cultivators; the three demon generals of the Scale Clan lay pinned to the ground by demon troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic transformation of these Dark Demon Generals had ended, yet their battle fury had not faded; their eyes now burned with resentment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Chuan, Huo Hong, and others stood opposite them, panting, disheveled, wounded across their bodies—but still alive, their gazes filled with wariness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You used the banquet as bait to scatter us, then launched a night assault on the envoys—is this your demon kind’s way of treating guests?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Yang stepped into the courtyard and spoke: “Last night’s incident was a misunderstanding—caused by rebels within the city. Our demon realm will certainly give you all an explanation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Chuan snorted coldly: “Save it. Your demon kind clearly isn’t fit to host guests—we dare not stay. Our human realm sent envoys only to preserve the ancient bond between our peoples, not to be provoked. If your demon kind refuses peace, we will not shrink from war.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, remain calm—first, let us see if there are any casualties.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Feng Yang spoke, her gaze turned to the silent West Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battles in the central courtyard and East Courtyard had continued until the imperial troops arrived from the Demon Emperor’s Palace, with sword qi still filling the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the West Courtyard—the residence of the human envoy—was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even before they arrived, it had fallen as still as death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Yang, though noble and powerful, was still a woman; now, facing the West Courtyard, she hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon general Shu He was not particularly strong, yet ranked among the top three in the Scale Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Chieftain of the Scale Clan had just said Shu He had infiltrated the West Courtyard long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she did not know what scene awaited her upon stepping inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout this journey, Ye Han had followed behind his imperial sister; seeing her remain silent and motionless, he understood her fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is anyone guarding inside?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Yang turned her head toward Elder Yan Chuan of the Spirit Sword Mountain, who stood nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Chuan, leaning on his sword planted in the ground, replied: “Since nightfall, Ji You has been guarding the courtyard alone—but no one has crossed my sword to enter the West Courtyard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Chenfeng arrived from the East Courtyard, frowning: “No—I saw Ji You draw his sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Chuan: “?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Ye Han instinctively glanced at his sister and saw her face whiter than when she’d learned the Scale and Fang Clans had attacked the Jade Garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongshu Chou arrived from the East Courtyard, his left sleeve soaked in blood; upon seeing the two chieftains, he flew into a rage and raised his foot to kick them—but was finally calmed down by others’ pleading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, Jiang Yan, Yan Qiubai, and Jiang Yuerou arrived, swords in hand, their fury toward the demon clan impossible to conceal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who entered the West Courtyard?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Shu He—extraordinarily swift, most skilled in assassination…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did Jiang Yan, Yan Qiubai, and Jiang Yuerou realize the atmosphere was wrong; they turned to Jiang Chenfeng: “What happened? What West Courtyard?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Chenfeng looked at his cousin: “During last night’s chaos, a demon general—most skilled in killing—slipped silently into the West Courtyard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Qiubai’s eyes widened: “How is that possible? To enter the West Courtyard, one must pass through the central courtyard or East Courtyard—both guarded by Elder Yan and Elder Huo, both Wujiang cultivators—how could they not have noticed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Precisely—that’s what makes it terrifying…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Gongshu Chou stepped forward and slashed his sword, shattering the West Courtyard’s gate; the others followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the crowd entered the courtyard, the first thing they saw was utter chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snow pines planted in the courtyard had all been severed at the trunk, buried under fresh snow; doors and windows were carved with deep gashes, and one crossbeam had been cut through and collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snow on the ground, too, appeared sliced by sharp blades, shattered into countless fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most crucially, before even entering, they saw blood splatters scattered across the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These bloodstains must have been scalding hot when sprayed, burning deep pits into the pure white surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this entrance scene, everyone froze, as if they had already foreseen the envoys slaughtered inside their rooms, cut down as they fled, murdered in terrified sleep, then piled together, rivers of blood flowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes—this was the habit of that bloodthirsty demon general.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was cruel and terrifying, always piling his victims together to admire them alone for long hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Yang entered last; seeing the chaos at the entrance, her jade hand trembled slightly within her sleeve, her eyes as if swept by blizzards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the Chieftains of the Scale and Fang Clans, whose gazes had shifted from calm to burning intensity, stared as if trying to pierce through the entire courtyard to see if everyone was truly dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Chuan, enraged: “How could you let Ji You guard here alone? He’s only a Tongxuan cultivator!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongshu Chou frowned: “He arranged it himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He said he assigned the elders to guard the central courtyard, East Courtyard, flower pavilion, and bamboo grove perimeter—no one could possibly break in. His arm hasn’t fully healed, so he’d rather not use it—thus, the West Courtyard was safest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Hong, clutching his wound, narrowed his eyes: “Looks like he doomed himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chieftains of the Scale and Fang Clans exchanged glances, realizing that tonight, while everyone else had avoided the banquet, they had each stationed themselves within the Jade Garden—all because of this Tongxuan human’s arrangement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a man, capable of seeing the whole picture, sent a chill through them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it ended here. Everything ended here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a faint sound echoed from within the courtyard; everyone snapped back to attention, immediately stepping through the bamboo grove before the West Courtyard’s gate and advancing to its deepest point—only to freeze in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaos within the courtyard surpassed even that at the entrance; broken forms lay everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as they had feared, corpses were indeed present in the West Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unlike their expectations, there was only one corpse—and it was not human, but a slender demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lay face-down in a snow hollow—or rather, a blood hollow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snow around his body had long been soaked through with blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On his back were seven terrifying sword wounds, deep to the bone; the torn flesh had been frozen solid by the extreme cold of the Snowlands, and the blood staining the snow had flowed from these wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his hands’ positions were two long, narrow depressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They appeared to be impressions left by his weapon as he fell—but now only the impressions remained, the weapon gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You sat to the left of the corpse—or rather, on the stone steps of the East Wing of the West Courtyard—his face marked by a bloodstain running diagonally from chin to cheek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the slash Shu He had aimed at his throat—he had dodged it, but not completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His clothing was torn; a wound ran from collarbone to shoulder—Shu He’s attempt to pierce his heart—he had dodged it, but not entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, hearing footsteps approach, Ji You turned his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword intent had not yet faded; seated before the gate, his gaze was razor-sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet as his eyes swept across the faces of the celestial sect prodigies and saw no one was missing, he quietly exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone present was stunned—looking from the corpse on the ground to the sword marks scattered across the courtyard, their gazes fixed upon him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He killed General Shu He.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During last night’s chaos, the West Courtyard—supposedly empty—witnessed a hidden battle so perilous it made one’s blood run cold just to imagine it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some believed the envoy residing in the West Courtyard was surely dead; others thought the corpses there had piled into a small hill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he slew the demon general Shu He here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, the demon clans present did not know Ji You well; Feng Yang viewed him as frivolous, lacking the transcendent aura humans claimed he possessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet last night, he stood alone in the West Courtyard and killed Shu He, the most formidable and dangerous of the demon generals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ones least able to accept this outcome were naturally the two clan chieftains of Lin and Ya, for in their eyes, the battle in the West Courtyard should have been the easiest of tonight’s assaults on Jade Garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this demon general, who always struck to take lives, had fallen today, lying sprawled in the snowdrift, unable to rise again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Yang stood silently watching him, lost in thought for a long while, then finally turned her gaze aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Ji You’s voice suddenly rang out from the deathly silent West Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This demon is terrifying—I never expected he could beat me senseless with nothing but bare hands, leaving me covered in sword wounds…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Han did not follow the others into the courtyard; instead, he summoned the three Heavenly Demon Generals and ordered them to surround the entire West Courtyard with demon troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His view remained unchanged from before anyone entered: upon learning Ji You stood alone in the West Courtyard, he had already imagined the entire human envoy slaughtered within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For he had once personally experienced Shu He’s blinding speed when hearing tales of his killing reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That kind of speed talent, combined with his hidden abilities, meant no one could possibly survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Father said that if humans truly died, we must make it absolute, for though human immortal sects are disunited, they care deeply for face—if someone truly dies, explanations become impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an elder brother, Ye Han understood his sister Feng Yang’s nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it were Father’s imperial decree, she would never obey it—so the task of slaughtering the humans in this courtyard must fall to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Honestly, even I dislike facing Shu He alone—he’s just too troublesome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Cang, stationed at the main gate, couldn’t help murmuring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not just you—I heard Mu Le, though willing to use him, refuses to let him come near, for this fellow is dangerously out of sync with his realm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had he spoken than Feng Yang stepped out of the courtyard, her gaze blazing at Zhao Cang: “Arrest everyone involved tonight and send them to the Demon Emperor’s Palace—including the chieftains of the Lin and Ya clans!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Han turned to Feng Yang, his brow furrowing slightly: “Feng Yang, I know you’re reluctant, but don’t act on impulse—let me handle what comes next.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder brother, I am carrying out Father’s imperial decree.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shu He is dead. The human envoy is unharmed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Feng Yang’s command, every demon soldier and general moved instantly, seizing all those already subdued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the chaos, Ye Han stepped into the West Courtyard, confused and bewildered, his first sight being the fallen Shu He, his body riddled with sword wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shu He’s greatest strength was not stealth but speed—many couldn’t even touch his sleeve, let alone strike him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, seeing his body, it was clear: he had been struck squarely, each wound perfectly even.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon prince fell silent for a long while, then lifted his head and gazed toward the west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You had been placed on a wheelchair, his hands limp at his sides, being wheeled out of the courtyard under his gaze—weak, frail, like a bookish scholar…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn, the sun began rising slowly behind the snow-capped peaks, the east brightening, the frosty mist thinning under its glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jade Garden, which had roared with noise all night, now fell utterly still—yet every shattered brick and broken tile bore witness to yesterday’s brutal battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the masterminds behind the entire affair, the chieftains of the Lin and Ya clans were shackled upon leaving Jade Garden, and every demon general who took part in tonight’s assault was escorted by imperial guards to the Demon Emperor’s Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Demon Emperor did not appear; instead, Shan Dian, his chief minister, waited alone before the palace gates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Princess Feng Yang bring them back, Shan Dian descended the grand hall and bowed before them: “The Emperor is deeply disappointed—he does not wish to see you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chieftains of Lin and Ya clenched their fists, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shan Dian could not help adding: “You are not easing the Emperor’s burdens—you are forcing him to choose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Le sighed: “We… are guilty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You are indeed guilty—so go to the Cold Prison and reflect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Finally home—going to sleep hard. Tomorrow I’ll work harder. Please give me monthly votes… or2)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2900,"2026-06-19T15:28:39.995Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d2de0d61ebb85e02d1383f5ed38a07a22b4988b34efe3c64bcd1704caed405c5","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-183","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-181",430,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwatching-the-immortals-fall-cover.jpg"]