Yin Changli’s emotions fluctuated wildly.

Earlier, fearing he might mess up what Xiang Haikui had instructed him to do, he had been anxious while dealing with Han Qi.

When Xiang Haikui rushed in to confront Han Qi, he became even more nervous.

Finally, when everything went smoothly, he breathed a sigh of relief, only to be angered again by Han Qi’s words.

Yin Changli pointed at his waist: “I was chopped in half, while you’ve only been stabbed once. How dare you compare yourself to me?”

Han Qi was about to speak.

“Enough!” Xiang Haikui stopped them. Were they elementary school students, competing over everything?

Besides, this person had called out “Brother Changli.” Did he know the boss?

Just as she was thinking this, the Tian Kuang sword lying quietly in her sword case suddenly began to jump wildly, its wild intent surging forward.

Such speed!

Xiang Haikui was truly shocked. What kind of high-level expert had the Meng family sent down from the upper realm?

A powerful figure who knew the boss and loved to compete with him? Xiang Haikui could hardly believe it. “You must be the nemesis named ‘Han Qi’ that Senior Yin mentioned, right?”

She paused briefly, “The lackey who does dirty work for the Emperor of the upper realm!”

She had already stabbed him, so what was there to fear?

Han Qi showed no sign of irritation: “That’s right, it is I, Han.”

Before Xiang Haikui could question him, he explained, “Young Jing is fine. I’ve locked him in my divine treasury spiritual realm, where he’s focused on cultivation. But my divine treasury spiritual realm and my incarnation are one. If my incarnation’s soul is damaged…”

Han Qi tremblingly removed the jade pendant from his waist and placed it on the table.

He silently recited a spell that required no magical power to support it, and an image appeared on the surface of the jade.

Xiang Haikui saw the enormous treasure library of books. Inside, it was shaking like an earthquake, with bookshelves trembling violently.

Jing Ran stood against the wall, his brows deeply furrowed: “Senior? Senior, are you injured?”

Xiang Haikui’s pupils contracted: “Senior Brother!”

Jing Ran pondered for a moment: “Is that Student Xiang? Please don’t give Senior a hard time. I voluntarily entered into this transaction with him.”

Xiang Haikui: …”Have you gone mad?”

Han Qi: “He can’t hear you. When I came out, I sealed the divine treasury spiritual realm. Even I can’t communicate with him unless I return to my original body.”

The soul-sealing blade was still stabbed in his back, and the jade pendant showed the divine treasury space shaking more and more violently.

Xiang Haikui gritted her teeth: “No wonder you performed so half-heartedly. You had nothing to fear!”

“I apologize, I did my best.” Han Qi wanted to say that he was naturally bad at acting and didn’t mean to disrespect his opponent. “But Miss Xiang, it would be best to quickly remove this blade. If my incarnation is damaged, the spiritual realm will also be damaged. If my incarnation perishes, the spiritual realm will collapse, and Young Jing will be annihilated along with it.”

“You…” Xiang Haikui was so angry that her arm tightened around him again.

Han Qi’s meaning was very clear: don’t waste breath arguing with me. No matter how you deal with me, I cannot release him.

And if you deal with me, your Senior Brother will suffer. At most, I’ll lose an incarnation.

Simple, clear, and striking at the core.

“Senior has always hidden behind the scenes.” In Xiang Haikui’s understanding, he was a strategist-like figure. “What exactly are you trying to do by descending to the lower realm this time? Why not just be straightforward?”

She pulled out the soul-sealing blade and threw it on the table with a “clang,” then simply sat down sideways nearby, her cold eyes staring fixedly at him.

Han Qi inhaled sharply in pain, channeling energy to stop the bleeding while saying: “What if I say… that I simply didn’t want to do anything anymore, so I came down to the lower realm to watch the show? Would you believe me, young lady?”

After a while, Xiang Haikui nodded: “I believe you.”

She pointed at Yin Changli.

The boss’s consciousness fragment in the jade slip had forbidden her from saying too much, fearing that if she knew the situation in the outside world, she might not be able to resist commenting on it, thereby allowing Han Qi to deduce his plans.

Han Qi probably recognized this point too. His original self was too capable, too well-informed, always wanting to meddle in affairs.

It was better to descend to the lower realm as a novice and leave the rest to fate, letting things take their natural course.

“Is that so, Senior?”

Han Qi was slightly startled, his impression of her improving somewhat.

Her “brutishness” was more like an unrestrained boldness rather than complete thoughtlessness.

“Your understanding is fairly accurate.” Han Qi nodded. “So, young lady, you need not concern yourself with me. I won’t interfere in your affairs. When I think it’s time to leave, I will go, and Young Jing will return safely.”

As he spoke, he picked up the double-sided embroidered handkerchief from the table. “As I am now, I’m just a tourist stealing a moment of leisure, riding a horse, and reminiscing about old times with amusement. I am not your enemy.”

Xiang Haikui glanced at the handkerchief, half-believing, half-doubting.

Although this overly competitive fighting cock was acting like a fool, he was a big shot certified by the boss. His strength was not to be underestimated.

“You said you’re watching a show?” Xiang Haikui had a flash of insight, catching the key phrase. “What show? Whose show?”

Han Qi remained silent.

Xiang Haikui didn’t even need to think: “Are the little golden people hiding in the royal capital going to cause trouble again?”

The Meng family from the upper realm was determined to elevate Xiang Tianqing. Their routine was to create incidents for Xiang Tianqing to resolve.

So how could they miss a grand occasion like the King’s birthday banquet in Jin Ling?

After all, currently, all the talented youths and wealthy second-generation nobles of the entire Central Continent were gathered in the royal capital.

“Looking at me won’t help, young lady. I don’t know.” Han Qi spread his hands, his face pale. “I don’t have the abilities you think I do, with the whole world in my grasp…”

Before he could finish speaking, Xiang Haikui suddenly stood up and drew her sword!

Tian Kuang was placed against his neck, pressing out a line of blood. She sneered: “Don’t think that just because you hold my Senior Brother’s life, I dare not act. Do you understand what it means to be the master of Tian Kuang? When I go crazy, even I’m scared of myself!”

This was the truth.

“If you anger me, I’ll not only send you back home, causing injury to your original body, but I’ll also stab Xiang Tianqing to death with a single sword! Innocent or not, what does killing the innocent matter? I’ve already died once; I’m not afraid of divine punishment! If scum like you who do every evil deed aren’t afraid, what should I fear!”

Han Qi frowned: “Killing Xiang Tianqing won’t help. With her around, the crises they create can still be resolved. If you kill Xiang Tianqing, they’ll become enraged and cause even more bloodshed. Besides, your current crisis may not even be related to Xiang Tianqing.”

“Oh?” Xiang Haikui sheathed her sword and sat down again. “Then what is it related to?”

Han Qi fell silent again.

Xiang Haikui said, “Did you know that Jing Wenxiu wanted to take me as his disciple?”

Han Qi nodded: “Yes.”

Xiang Haikui suddenly became coquettish: “I’ll go accept his offer right now. From now on, we’ll be martial siblings. I’ll cling to you coquettishly every day, sticking to you, constantly calling you ‘my darling’…”

Han Qi’s breath caught.

The hateful gaze that Yin Changli shot at him from across the table was about to turn him into a porcupine again.

Just as he was covered in goosebumps, Xiang Haikui suddenly slammed the table: “You still want to watch the show with a smile? Would you believe me if I said I’ll make all of Jin Ling watch your show?”

Han Qi found two types of people most troublesome in his life: unreasonable brutes and shameless clingy women.

He suddenly realized that Xiang Haikui embodied both.

Double critical hit.

Han Qi sighed: “Young lady, I truly don’t know. When I say you’re in danger, that’s certain. Going against heaven to change fate will inevitably lead to backlash. Brother Changli changed your fate, your father’s fate, the fate of countless border people—did you think it would end just like that?”

It wouldn’t. Yin and yang wax and wane in opposition, as do fortunes.

“Moreover, he was originally undergoing a tribulation. Do you understand what ‘undergoing a tribulation’ means? All sorts of unfortunate events can happen—even taking a sip of water could potentially choke him to death.”

Yin Changli, who was just about to pick up his cup to drink some tea, heard this and put it down again.

He couldn’t die yet; he hadn’t won Little Kui’s heart.

No, that’s not right. If he won her heart, he definitely couldn’t die, or she would remarry, and he would wear a green hat.

Han Qi continued: “As for why I said your opponent this time might not be related to Xiang Tianqing, it’s because when Meng Xilou descended to the lower realm, his third brother, Meng Nanting, came with him.”

Meng Nanting—Xiang Haikui memorized this name.

Han Qi: “He was responsible for handling all matters after Xiang Tianqing came to the royal capital. I’ve never paid attention to this person, firstly because he’s unrelated to me, and secondly because the destiny star belonging to him is dim and lackluster.”

Xiang Haikui didn’t understand: “Does that mean Meng Nanting is useless?”

Han Qi: “Not useless, just not greatly useful. He can’t accomplish great things or commit great evils; he can’t shake the pattern of the star chart. Like you, you were once dim and lackluster until Brother Changli forcibly brightened you.”

Xiang Haikui understood. If it wasn’t related to Xiang Tianqing, then it was an unpredictable calamity.

There was no solution for that; they could only meet challenges as they came.

“Alright.” Xiang Haikui stood up. “I hope, as you say, that your journey to the mortal realm is purely as a tourist.”

“Wait.” As she was about to leave, Han Qi called out to her.

Xiang Haikui turned her face.

Han Qi cupped his hands: “Since you’ve already stabbed me, why not stab me a couple more times?”

Xiang Haikui:?

Han Qi looked provocatively at Yin Changli: “You said one stab isn’t enough. Three should be enough, right?”

Yin Changli glared at him: “Little Kui, you are not allowed to stab him.”

Han Qi: “Now you’re breaking the rules.”

Both of them looked at Xiang Haikui.

Xiang Haikui: …

Are they mentally ill? How did these big shots suddenly develop such strange thought processes? Was it true that one couldn’t achieve greatness without going a little mad?

She turned and left.

Han Qi suddenly called out behind her with a very serious tone: “Young lady, you’ve already escaped death once. You should stay away from him, a man undergoing tribulation. Why insist on seeking your destruction?”

…

After leaving the Sword Dao Academy, it began to snow in Jin Ling.

Xiang Haikui folded her arms, pondering Han Qi.

Yin Changli stood beside her, holding an umbrella, saying nothing.

“Senior?” Xiang Haikui, lost in thought, caught sight of his naturally upturned mouth corners that had now turned down. “Did Han Qi upset you?”

“No.” Yin Changli lowered his eyes to look at the umbrella handle, his voice faint. “I just suddenly feel that I’m being too selfish.”

“Huh?” Xiang Haikui was confused for a moment, then realized that Han Qi’s final words of admonition had struck his heart.

She hadn’t taken it seriously at all.

This life had been saved by the boss; even if she gave it back to him, it wouldn’t matter.

After all, there was still her father’s life—overall, she had gained.

Besides, she didn’t think she was seeking death. The road was long and difficult, but even if she cultivated Tian Kuang alone, she should face challenges head-on.

However, before she could comfort him, Yin Changli stopped walking first: “But, I still won’t let you go.”

He turned to face her, reaching out to brush the snow from the flower bud on top of her head. “I must awaken quickly to protect you instead. Then we’ll see who still dares to say that staying by my side is seeking your destruction.”

There he goes again with the mushiness. Xiang Haikui rolled her eyes, but halfway through the eye roll, she noticed his expression and slightly reined in her disdain.

It wasn’t his usual earnest look, but a sort of casual nonchalance with a hint of teasing.

For some reason, it reminded her of the boss’s consciousness fragment in the jade slip, the way he looked when he wrote “wait for me” before dissipating.

Her heart suddenly tightened. Never had she felt more directly that the boss was truly just one step away from awakening.

What should she do?

Would she be beaten to death?

Xiang Haikui stiffly extended her hand to grab the snow umbrella from him. From now on, she needed to start performing a bit.

Unexpectedly, not only did he not let go, but he also covered her hand with his other hand: “How is your hand colder than mine?”

He bent down and blew a breath of warm air onto her hand.

When they had left, both were preoccupied—one forgot to wear his cloak, and the other forgot to remind him.

From the Sword Dao Academy to the inn, Yin Changli had attracted countless gazes from female cultivators.

Now, seeing this scene, they all confirmed that he and this sword-bearing woman were a couple.

All those envious gazes fell on Xiang Haikui’s head. If it were them, their hearts would surely be racing with excitement.

Little did they know that Xiang Haikui’s heart wasn’t racing like a little deer; it was stampeding like an elephant.

She truly feared that the puppy boss would suddenly raise his head and reveal a cunning smile: “Have you prepared for how you want to die?”

Xiang Haikui, who had been acting high and mighty for ten years, finally began to feel a bit timid.

…

Back at the inn, Bai Xingxian wasn’t there.

After dinner, just as the two were about to return to their room, a servant from the Lu family suddenly arrived, saying he was looking for Lu Xiqiao.

Xiang Haikui then learned that Little Bai had gone to the Lu mansion in the morning, and at noon, Lu Xiqiao had escorted Little Bai back to the inn, but he had never returned home.

The Lu family tradition was that Lu Xiqiao couldn’t be out of sight of the Lu family members for more than two hours.

Initially, Xiang Haikui didn’t think much of it, but as it approached midnight, Little Bai still hadn’t returned, which was abnormal.

Lu Xiqiao was rather wild, but Little Bai was very obedient and would never stay out all night without notice, causing her and the boss to worry.

Xiang Haikui couldn’t sit still. Standing in the inn’s courtyard, she released Tian Kuang, bit her finger, and dripped a drop of blood onto the eye of the flood dragon coiled around the sword body.

The flood dragon came to life, winding around the sword’s body.

Xiang Haikui held the sword and pointed to the sky: “Go!”

The small snake-sized flood dragon flew from the sword, tumbling continuously in the high sky above her head.

The twelve divine swords could sense each other. As long as they weren’t beyond a certain distance, Tian Kuang could sense Tian Bao.

Finally, the flood dragon determined a direction.

Xiang Haikui chased after the flood dragon, coincidentally meeting Lu Xigu, who was also searching for someone.

He was about to leave the city: “Second Young Lady Xiang, I’m also looking for my brother. Some people recall them going toward the north gate. I checked with the city guard; there’s no record of them leaving the city, but my brother has a magical item that can penetrate the city gate barrier…”

“Impossible.” Xiang Haikui directly denied this. “Little Bai wouldn’t leave the city with him. If Young Master Lu has no direction, why not follow me first?”

Lu Xigu was momentarily stunned.

Xiang Haikui had already left him behind and continued walking.

The flood dragon finally stopped in front of a mansion gate, blocked by the protective barrier and unable to enter.

Xiang Haikui looked up to see the large characters “Lu Mansion.”

“Young Master Lu, they’re still in your mansion and haven’t left?” Xiang Haikui observed that the mansion was quite large, almost as big as the imperial palace. Had they perhaps gotten lost?

Lu Xigu was slightly bewildered: “How could that be?”

Xiang Haikui: “There can be no mistake.”

People might misidentify people, but swords wouldn’t misidentify other swords.

Once inside the Lu mansion, with the isolation barrier gone, the flood dragon continued to fly, eventually landing at Lu Xiqiao’s wooden tower.

The flood dragon circled the wooden tower round and round, as if dizzy, falling from the high sky and coiling back around the Tian Kuang sword.

Approaching this wooden tower, Xiang Haikui’s head also felt dizzy. During the dizziness, the wooden tower before her eyes seemed to come alive, like a seductive waist, constantly wiggling.

Lu Xigu warned: “This tower is a divine artifact. Young lady, be careful not to use magical power, lest it harm you by mistake.”

Xiang Haikui didn’t use magical power but instead released some wild intent, entering a wild state.

After her weight increased, her stance became stable, and the dizziness disappeared.

She entered the tower and checked it once—it was empty: “Are there no hidden compartments or mechanisms?”

“None.” Lu Xigu seemed somewhat impatient. “Second Young Lady Xiang, the divine tower is my younger brother’s residence. He has lived here for nearly two hundred years. We are very familiar with it inside and out. There won’t be any problems. Although I don’t know why the young lady insists on focusing on this place, I must tell you clearly, this is a waste of time.”

Xiang Haikui ignored his words as nonsense. After pondering for a moment, she said: “I’ll go back to fetch an item and return later, if that’s alright?”

Lu Xigu’s expression grew even more displeased, but he still nodded.

After she left, Que Chi appeared: “I told you performing wouldn’t work. The twelve divine swords are connected by the same energy; Tian Kuang can sense Tian Bao.”

Lu Xigu pinched the bridge of his nose: “Given this unexpected incident, it seems we can’t wait for the celebration. We must act ahead of schedule.”

Que Chi mockingly said: “You’ve been warning me all along, telling me to be patient, yet you’re the one who made a mistake, allowing Lu Xiqiao to bring Bai Xingxian into the divine tower.”

“How could I have known that a mere five-hundred-year-old little hamster demon would have the ability to see through the divine tower’s secret?”

“A hamster that can stay by the side of a Mountain Sea candle dragon, calling him ‘uncle’ rather than ‘master’—how could it possibly be an ordinary hamster?” Que Chi licked his lips; whenever the candle dragon was mentioned, he couldn’t help but salivate.

“Senior, please stop with the hindsight criticism.”

Lu Xigu’s mood was utterly terrible, and he didn’t want to exchange pleasantries with him.

…

Xiang Haikui returned to the inn and dragged Yin Changli toward the Sword Dao Academy: “There’s a problem with the Lu family. That tower is very strange. I suspect Little Bai might have discovered some earth-shattering secret of the Lu family and is being held captive in the tower…”

She had clearly expressed that Little Bai was in the tower, and Lu Xiqiao, who had also disappeared, might be there too.

But what about Lu Xigu? He was anxiously preparing to leave the city at night, yet after she confirmed their location, he kept emphasizing the dangers of the divine tower with no intention of entering it.

Even though he had searched the divine tower before, this behavior wasn’t normal.

Anyone would search inside again.

What was he worried about?

Xiang Haikui even suspected that Lu Xigu might be one of the little golden people who had descended from the upper realm, but this tower had been acquired by the Lu family’s patriarch when Lu Xigu was only two or three years old.

Yin Changli was also very concerned about Little Bai: “I’ll go take a look; perhaps I’ll recognize that divine tower.”

Xiang Haikui shook her head: “No, I walked through the Lu mansion, and the security was extremely tight. Tian Kuang kept either jumping or warning, indicating that the mansion is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.”

The boss was on the edge of awakening. What if he got injured again and regressed?

Yin Changli worried: “But…”

“If there’s a problem and I can’t handle it, I can transform into a flood dragon and escape.” Xiang Haikui patted her sword case. “Besides, I plan to use one of the arrows.”

The boss had previously given her three arrows, saying that when facing difficulties, she could write her questions on the arrowhead and shoot it.

Yin Changli was silent for a moment: “Then why are we going to the Sword Dao Academy now?”

Xiang Haikui said, “To find someone to protect you.”

Xiang Haikui dropped him off with Han Qi, who was lying down to recover from his wounds.

Han Qi didn’t react for a while: “Young lady, you have a big heart.”

“It’s not that my heart is big. After all, you wouldn’t stand by and watch Senior Yin get beaten to death before he reveals the whereabouts of that weapon, would you?”

Xiang Haikui smiled shamelessly. Before leaving, she also took one of Han Qi’s embroidery needles.

After leaving the Sword Dao Academy, she found a secluded place and took out the three arrows from her storage ring, randomly selecting one.

“I wonder which race of Mountain Sea bigshot this arrow traces back to.”

Xiang Haikui held the thin needle, concentrated her magical power, and began writing on the arrowhead, carefully depicting that strange divine tower.

She had wanted to ask Han Qi, but she felt he wouldn’t tell her and might even mislead her.

The arrowhead was too small, and she had too many questions. Carving characters with the small needle, she carved densely, exhausting herself and resting several times in the middle.

After finishing, she threw it out with her internal force. The bright silver arrowhead suddenly vanished into thin air.

She stood in place, waiting.

According to the boss, this spiritual arrow was a treasure that could break through the void, taking at most a quarter of an hour to reach its destination.

As she waited, her Tian Kuang suddenly warned frantically.

Xiang Haikui quickly drew her sword, vigilantly guarding against her surroundings.

But it was just the short arrow she had shot out, flying back. Xiang Haikui reached out to catch it, only to grasp a handful of starlight.

Yet Tian Kuang continued to warn.

She was truly bewildered until those starlight particles began to gather and rush into her spirit platform. Only then did she fearfully focus her mind to resist.

—”This is merely a strand of my divine thought, not a soul, not a possession, and not entering your spiritual realm.”

A deep male voice echoed in her mind.

—”Mountain Sea Formless Clan, no name. Anyway, there’s only one Formless in each generation. You can directly call me Formless.”

Indeed, it wasn’t a possession. Xiang Haikui felt no pain: “Senior Formless, why did you personally send a divine thought over? Couldn’t you just send back a reply?”

Wait!

She suddenly realized that the bastard boss was tricking people again!

Shooting out the arrowhead could bring over the big shot’s divine thought, yet he insisted she carve characters!

—”This time, you’ve wronged him. Our agreement was indeed to carve characters, because for those of us who are imprisoned bodies, sending out divine thoughts is a tremendous harm.”

Xiang Haikui: “Then why did you…”

—”Well… as an elder, I was too embarrassed to tell him at the time that I… cannot read.”