Xiang Haikui was shocked and speechless. With a sharp ping, the embroidery needle she had been using to carve characters snapped between her two fingers.

Damn it! All that time spent carving was completely wasted!

As she lamented her misfortune, she couldn’t help but scorn her master at the same time.

So much for his boasting about planning three steps and having flawless strategies. How did he fail to calculate that Wu Xiang was illiterate?!

She responded irritably, “And you’re only telling me this now? How shameless!”

—”You are not my junior. Consider this analogy: would you feel shame toward your dinner?”

He chuckled softly, causing Xiang Haikui to shudder.

—”Don’t be afraid. Since cultivating a human form, I no longer eat humans. Moreover, you’re old Qi’s disciple.”

Xiang Haikui placed a hand over her chest, having been genuinely frightened.

She might fear him, but she didn’t find him terrifying.

Though she was a meat-loving fiend herself, if “food” had already cultivated a human form and could speak human language, she would exclude it from her menu. She couldn’t explain exactly why.

“My master isn’t old; he’s quite young,” Xiang Haikui corrected.

He knew who she was, which meant her master had arranged everything, saving her considerable trouble.

Concerned about Bai Xingxian’s situation, Xiang Haikui cut to the chase: “Then let me explain my situation to you again.”

She described the Divine Tower in detail, including her reactions when facing it.

—”From what you’ve described, this doesn’t sound like a divine artifact. The tower’s appearance is merely a disguise; its essence is more akin to a plant.”

“Could it be a tree demon?” Xiang Haikui also sensed the Divine Tower was alive.

—”I can’t quite recall at the moment… but since I’m here, I’ll accompany you to take a look.”

“Thank you.”

Spirit consciousness typically dissipates quickly. Unsure how long he could maintain it, Xiang Haikui hastily dripped blood onto Tian Kuang.

She wasn’t certain whether the Lu family had moved Bai Xingxian during this time, so she still needed Tian Kuang to guide her.

Judging by the direction, it still pointed toward the Lu residence.

While hurrying along, she couldn’t contain her curiosity: “Senior, you’re from the Wu Xiang clan of the Mountain and Sea races. What type of species is Wu Xiang?”

In this world, the Mountain and Sea races weren’t the same as in the Classic of Mountains and Seas from Huaxia, though there were certain similarities. She had heard of Qiongqi and Zhujiuyin, but had no impression of Wu Xiang.

“I have no fixed form. Mountains, rivers, floating clouds, wild cranes—whatever surrounds me, I can transform into. That’s why I’m called Wu Xiang—without inherent form. The Mountain and Sea ancestors spent many years researching whether my kind are objects or beasts.”

Since they were ultimately accepted, they must be beasts. An image of a chameleon floated in Xiang Haikui’s mind—an extremely advanced form of chameleon.

She was tempted to ask this formidable figure how he had been imprisoned by the Heavenly Race.

But it wasn’t difficult to understand why the Mountain and Sea races couldn’t defeat the Heavenly Race.

The Mountain and Sea races were naturally powerful, but their weaknesses were equally obvious.

For instance, her master was a Qiongqi, fierce and unmatched in battle, but particularly bellicose and easily provoked.

As the strongest warrior and backbone of his entire race, while leading his forces in a major battle, he was provoked by a few taunts from Dugu He, the Heavenly Race’s foremost swordsman, and abandoned his troops to duel him alone.

Even after being pierced through the chest by his disciple’s sword, he still kept his appointment, ultimately falling to Dugu He’s blade and becoming a captive.

Then there was her boss, accomplished in both internal and external cultivation, almost perfect without flaws, yet every few hundred years, he had to hibernate. During hibernation, he was like a defenseless white rabbit waiting to be slaughtered.

By targeting the weaknesses of each Mountain and Sea race and defeating them one by one, the Heavenly Race could achieve a perfect record.

—”I remember now. That Divine Tower should be a transformed Lesser Jianmu.”

Xiang Haikui continued walking without pause: “Lesser Jianmu? I only know of the Jianmu Divine Tree. In my homeland’s mythology, isn’t that the World Tree? A passage connecting heaven and earth?”

—”I don’t know. I’ve never seen the Jianmu Divine Tree. But I have seen Lesser Jianmu. They say it splits off from the Jianmu Divine Tree, with a new one emerging every few thousand years. It’s quite small and moves around like ginseng. When mature, it produces two small fruits—one pure and one turbid, one good and one evil. Peak tribulation-transcending cultivators of the righteous and demonic paths can eat the pure and turbid fruits, respectively, to increase their chances of successfully merging with the Dao. They’re also called Dao Merging Fruits.”

—”The Dao Merging Fruits were highly sought-after treasures in the place where I was imprisoned, though no one competed for the Lesser Jianmu itself. What they didn’t know is that the Lesser Jianmu has value too.”

Xiang Haikui listened attentively.

—”If bound in place, its roots will continuously extend downward, penetrating spatial barriers and entering… entering where was it again? I can’t quite remember.”

Xiang Haikui held her breath: “Please try to recall?”

—”Do you have any more spirit arrows?”

“I used one, so two remain.”

—”Use another one.”

Having to use two of the three life-saving magical arrows made Xiang Haikui’s heart ache, but she had no choice. She stopped and drew out another arrow: “What should I write?”

With the needle broken, carving would be even harder now.

—”Ask him to send a strand of divine consciousness here, too. Write my name.”

Xiang Haikui frowned: “Is that necessary?”

From Wu Xiang’s meaning, they had already determined it was Lesser Jianmu. The great expert the arrow pointed to could just confirm this, and there seemed little use in sending over a strand of divine consciousness, especially when it would cause unnecessary damage to his body.

Nevertheless, Xiang Haikui complied. After shooting the arrow, she remarked: “Senior, you just want to catch up with an old friend, don’t you?”

That was understandable.

—”I wouldn’t miss them even if I never saw them again in my lifetime. It’s just that since I’ve already damaged my body, having a fellow clansman with me would make me feel more at ease.”

Xiang Haikui: …

No wonder your Mountain and Sea races were defeated. It would have been unjust if they weren’t.

Wu Xiang probably guessed what she was thinking.

—”Over these years, Changli has located at least twenty or so imprisonment sites, yet he only gave you three spirit arrows. Do you know why?”

Probably because the other great experts are even less reliable, Xiang Haikui thought to herself.

—”Because we three are completely transparent to him, completely under his control… Well, except for my illiteracy, since I’ve been in disguise for longer than his age.”

Xiang Haikui understood his meaning—she shouldn’t underestimate the Mountain and Sea races, as the three of them weren’t representative of the overall capability of the Mountain and Sea powerhouses.

Just as she was thinking this, Tian Kuang again issued a frantic warning.

This time, Xiang Haikui remained perfectly calm. When the short arrow flew toward her, she caught it decisively, grabbing a handful of soil particles.

As those soil particles condensed, they burrowed into her spiritual sea.

She heard Wu Xiang exclaim: “Father?”

A new voice responded excitedly: “Xiang-xiang!”

Xiang Haikui was startled. Was the one they had summoned this time Senior Wu Xiang’s father?

No, hadn’t Senior Wu Xiang said that his species only had one individual per generation? Perhaps it was an adoptive father?

Wu Xiang: “First, greet Old Qi’s disciple.”

“Oh, right.” The new voice introduced itself, “I am Ba Ying of the Mountain and Sea Ba Xia clan.”

Ba Xia? It took Xiang Haikui a moment to recall that it was another name for Bixi, the sixth of the Nine Sons of the Dragon.

So it was this Ba Ba. She was covered in black lines as she responded: “Xiang Haikui pays respects to Senior.”

Ba Ying chuckled: “Sweet little Kui, don’t be so formal. I call your master Uncle, so we’re of the same generation. Usually, peers call me Ba Ba, but you’re really too young, so just call me Brother Ba.”

Xiang Haikui: “Brother Ba!”

Ba Ying laughed heartily: “As expected of Uncle Qi’s disciple, so straightforward!”

Of course, she was straightforward. When even Wu Xiang called him “Father,” calling him “Brother” was an absolute bargain.

After her internal ridicule, Xiang Haikui said, “Let’s get to the main issue. Brother Ba, do you know about Lesser Jianmu…”

She explained everything again, along with Wu Xiang’s conjectures.

Ba Ying confirmed with certainty: “It must be Lesser Jianmu. A little tree that grows legs and wanders around. Once bound to a location, given time, its roots can extend into the Underworld.”

“The Underworld?” Xiang Haikui was surprised.

Ba Ying: “Yes, it essentially creates a passage between the mortal realm and the Underworld, but this is very difficult to achieve.”

Xiang Haikui: “How so?”

Ba Ying: “Those two fruits—the Pure Good Fruit and the Turbid Evil Fruit—are objects of intense competition between the righteous and evil paths. Once the fruits leave the tree, the tree dies. That’s the first issue.”

“Even if no one picks the fruits, when they mature, they transform into human form and leave the tree, which still causes the tree to die. That’s the second issue.”

“Even if the fruits don’t leave, binding Lesser Jianmu to mortal soil requires enormous amounts of celestial crystal to nourish it. Celestial crystal is a material from the upper realms; mortals have no means of obtaining it. That’s the third issue.”

Wu Xiang asked: “You said your friend surnamed Lu has lived on the Divine Tower since childhood?”

Xiang Haikui: “Yes, his family said he had a short lifespan and they were protecting him…”

Wu Xiang asked another question: “And he has a twin brother?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, I understand now. So that’s what happened.” Wu Xiang said, “These two brothers are the two fruits produced by Lesser Jianmu, which fell to the ground and became human. The Lu family never allowed him to leave the tower before, and now they forbid him from leaving the capital, all to prevent Lesser Jianmu from withering. Lesser Jianmu’s roots have probably spread throughout the entire city by now… Ba Ba.”

Ba Ying: “Kui Kui, stomp your foot.”

Some unknown force was released, and Xiang Haikui suddenly felt as if her legs were filled with lead. She strained to lift her foot and then brought it down with a “thud.”

A ring-shaped ripple spread from beneath her feet. Xiang Haikui’s breath caught—in that instant when the ripple spread, she saw hundreds of zhang below the ground, dense, intertwining roots everywhere!

Ba Ying wondered curiously: “But where did the Lu family get celestial crystal? To have nourished Lesser Jianmu for two hundred years requires such extravagance that only a great family from the upper realms could provide.”

Wu Xiang: “I’m more curious about why the Lu family is raising Lesser Jianmu in the first place.”

Ba Ying: “Perhaps they want to visit the Underworld? The City of the Other Shore is quite beautiful.”

Wu Xiang: “That depends on where Lesser Jianmu’s roots have reached. If it’s not the City of the Other Shore but the Land of Nine Sufferings, that place is filled with fierce beasts and unappeasable evil spirits. If they climb out through Lesser Jianmu’s passage…”

Even a few would be enough to cause havoc in the capital.

The Land of Nine Sufferings was vast and far from the City of the Other Shore. By the time high officials of the Underworld discovered the problem, enough blood would have been shed to form rivers.

Xiang Haikui listened with growing alarm: “The Lu family specializes in profiting from war. Could they be planning something major during Jin Ling King’s upcoming birthday celebration in a few days?!”

Ba Ying: “Kui Kui, stomp your foot again.”

He released a bit more power, and after Xiang Haikui stomped, the tangled roots beneath became visible for another instant.

Ba Ying said, “Not enough yet. It would take at least another two or three years of nourishment to breach the Underworld’s barrier, unless they could extract a living soul from someone of the Heavenly Race to use as a sacrifice…”

A living soul from someone of the Heavenly Race. Xiang Haikui was dazed for a moment before her mind exploded with realization: “But there is one! Xiang Tianqing!”

“This is terrible!” Xiang Haikui slapped her forehead, trying to clear her mind, which was already chaotic from absorbing too much information. “They might be planning to open the Underworld passage in a few days, but now that Little Bai discovered it and I’ve come in pursuit, they’ll surely move up their plans!”

“Miss Xiang.”

As she was thinking about what she should do first, another voice suddenly entered her spiritual sea.

The source of the voice was different—someone nearby was transmitting a message to her.

She looked in the direction of the voice and saw a black shadow emerging from the crown of a large tree not far away.

Her pupils contracted. It was the same black shadow that had appeared behind her master earlier!

This time, the black shadow didn’t disappear but instead grew increasingly dense, like a blob of ink, before coalescing into a human form.

The figure appeared rather thin, dressed in vermilion robes, with long, enchanting eyes and thin, red lips, resembling a fox spirit.

Unfortunately, a scar on his left cheek—an old sword wound—marred his appearance.

Wu Xiang and Ba Ying’s voices simultaneously rang out in her spiritual sea: “Que Chi!”

Wu Xiang: “It seems Lesser Jianmu’s roots have reached the Land of Nine Sufferings. I heard Que Chi was sealed there, yet he’s escaped.”

Ba Ying spat: “What terrible luck to meet him here.”

Xiang Haikui: “An enemy of you both? Someone from the Little Jin… from the upper realms?”

The usually gentle Ba Ying spoke fiercely: “He’s from our Mountain and Sea Zhu Yan clan. No, he’s already betrayed his clan!”

The name Que Chi rang a bell for Xiang Haikui; she had heard it in her master’s dream: “He ate Senior Yin’s elder brother!”

“Far more than that…” Wu Xiang’s typically calm, leisurely voice finally revealed a hint of emotion…

Back then, Que Chi had switched sides amid battle, joining with another faction of their people to betray their clan. This was all so he could take advantage of the chaos among the Mountain and Sea races to capture and kill his kind to strengthen himself.

After the Mountain and Sea races were suppressed, the former Di Jun privately rewarded this meritorious assistant.

But the Crown Prince, who was on good terms with the Mountain and Sea races, couldn’t tolerate this. He hunted down these traitors alone, killing those he could and throwing those he couldn’t kill into the Land of Nine Sufferings in the Underworld for imprisonment, including Que Chi.

It was precisely because of this incident that he completely lost his position as Crown Prince and was cast into the Underworld by the former Di Jun.

Ba Ying: “But now, Kui Kui, it’s mainly you who has the unfortunate encounter with him.”

“Hmm?” Zhu Yan seemed to be a type of ferocious beast that loved war. Xiang Haikui wasn’t sure what connection she had with him.

Suddenly, she realized, raising her eyes to glare at Que Chi with a fierce expression: “You’re my Eighteenth Senior Brother, that traitorous disciple who betrayed our master!”

Que Chi spread his lips in a smile, his laughter cutting to the bone: “I never expected this. Is Master still so stubborn? He still dares to take disciples, and even accepts a girl with so little talent, gifting her with Tian Kuang? Tsk tsk…”

He looked Xiang Haikui up and down, narrowing his eyes. “Could it be that Master has been imprisoned for too long, growing so lonely that he’s eating whatever comes his way?”

Xiang Haikui raged: “I’ll cut out your tongue!”

“With your abilities?” Que Chi sneered. If it were any other young girl, he wouldn’t even spare her a glance, not worth expending the energy of one finger. But the young woman before him was his little junior sister, which gave him a different feeling. “But don’t worry, I won’t kill you.”

Xiang Haikui: “Then you…”

Que Chi: “I just want to sleep with you.”

Xiang Haikui:?

Que Chi suddenly grew excited: “Afterward, remember to go cry to Master about it, hahaha…”

Damn, another perverted lunatic!

Xiang Haikui felt sick to her stomach. It seemed that people who lived too long either easily became mentally ill or perverted!

“Come now, let’s not waste time. I still need to go feast on that Zhulong.” Que Chi winked at her as a sword made of energy slowly formed before him.

He stood motionless atop the tree crown, but the energy sword suddenly flew toward Xiang Haikui!

Xiang Haikui immediately swung her sword to block, but the energy sword made a swift turn.

She hastily dodged sideways, but the sword simultaneously pivoted.

Within an instant, Xiang Haikui changed her position several times, but Que Chi could accurately predict each move. The energy sword eventually cut a wound on her shoulder before dissipating.

He wasn’t using much strength, merely toying with her.

Que Chi raised an eyebrow: “Little junior sister, you may be able to challenge others across cultivation realms, but you and I were taught by the same master. We learned identical techniques, and I know your methods all too well. What are you going to do about that?”

At the Lu residence, beneath the Divine Tower.

“Junior Sister Xiang?” Lu Xiqiao patted Xiang Tianqing’s face.

Xiang Tianqing slowly regained consciousness, her head throbbing. When her vision focused and she saw Lu Xiqiao, she suddenly became alert and sat up straight, pulling away from his embrace: “Was it you who knocked me unconscious?”

Earlier, she had been meditating in her room when she sensed the door wards fluctuate, and then she had passed out.

Lu Xiqiao protested his innocence: “Listen to yourself! If I had that ability, I wouldn’t be called Lu Xiqiao.”

That made sense. Xiang Tianqing looked around—it appeared to be some sort of dungeon: “Where is this place?”

Lu Xiqiao sighed: “It’s in my tower. I never knew there was a maze beneath the tower where I live.”

Yesterday, when he brought Bai Xingxian to play, Bai Xingxian had imitated him by reaching for the hanging vines. But instead of pulling him to the top of the tower, the vines had burst into flames.

Lu Xiqiao had come down from the tower top, and Little Bai had extended his hand, a flame igniting in his palm. Surprised, he had said: “My uncle once served in the Underworld. This is the Netherworld Fire Seed he gave me. Why has it suddenly ignited? How does your wooden tower contain the essence of the Underworld?”

Lu Xiqiao had been completely bewildered.

He had watched as Little Bai explored with the Netherworld Fire in his hand, which had somehow opened a layer of barrier seals.

The two had entered the world beneath the tower and discovered a tunnel that extended downward.

At the end of the tunnel, they had found a small, dark red vortex. Little Bai had exclaimed in surprise that this vortex was some sort of gate, with the Underworld likely on the other side.

He had also mentioned that this wasn’t a divine artifact, which explained why Tian Bao hadn’t reacted.

It was a Lesser Jianmu plant, whose roots could penetrate the Underworld, and so on.

Lu Xiqiao had found it all incomprehensible until his elder brother had suddenly appeared and immediately attacked Little Bai.

Little Bai was no match for him, and Lu Xiqiao couldn’t stop his brother either. He had even been immobilized to the side. Just as Little Bai was about to be killed, the Netherworld Fire in his palm had suddenly flared up, entrapping his elder brother instead.

Severely wounded, Little Bai had seized the opportunity to jump into the vortex, falling into the Underworld.

It was indeed the Underworld.

When Little Bai had jumped in, Lu Xiqiao had caught a glimpse of the scene on the other side of the vortex—a dark red world, without stars or moon, year after year, century after century, never seeing the light of day.

Afterward, Lu Xiqiao had begun to question his entire existence.

“Miss Xiang is awake.” Lu Xigu entered.

Xiang Tianqing couldn’t figure out what was happening. She normally had no interaction with the Lu family: “Why have you captured me?”

Lu Xigu approached with his hands behind his back, smiling slightly: “To use you to open the gate, my dear sister. This Lesser Jianmu has been nourished with the money meant for raising you. I told the Meng family that I needed large quantities of celestial crystal to raise some otherworldly species to help you accumulate merit. The old man, for his most beloved granddaughter, was truly generous, giving me as much as I asked for.”

To accumulate merit?

Hah.

“I intend to use your living soul to cause a massacre of living beings!”