Han Qi thought that if this were true, then Di Jun must have already taken action.

According to his usual style, Di Jun preferred to play mind games with lions and battle wits with foxes.

Han Qi thought of that girl with defiant eyes but a somewhat desolate silhouette. For a moment, he couldn’t distinguish whether she was someone blessed with great fortune or someone entangled in calamitous fate.

“Master,” Xing Nü approached, “we just received news that the Meng family’s third son has also returned.”

“Mm.” Han Qi nodded. “The entire Meng family, except for the third son who caught Di Jun’s eye, is going to suffer misfortune. Their actions in the lower realm have been caught red-handed by Di Jun.”

Xing Nü’s eyes widened: “Di Jun went to the lower realm? That seems excessive, after all, the Meng family…”

“Originally, it would have been excessive, but unfortunately, the Meng family offended the wrong person this time.”

Han Qi didn’t return to his palace but changed direction and went out again.

“Master, where are you going?”

“The Meng family.”

…

Meanwhile, at the Meng family residence.

Meng Nanting knelt in the hall, trembling uncontrollably. His soul had been separated from his body for many years, causing severe damage.

Family head Meng Yingzhou was stabilizing his soul while struggling to understand: “You schemed for so many years, why, when you were just one step away…”

“Father, I had no choice but to stop—it was Di Jun’s order,” Meng Nanting replied, outwardly calm but inwardly terrified. “Di Jun commanded me to abandon merging with the Jianmu fruit body and also warned our Meng family to behave and cause no more trouble.”

“Di Jun?” Meng Yingzhou was stunned for a moment, then shocked. “Are you certain?”

Meng Nanting nodded firmly: “It was Di Jun without a doubt.”

The Heavenly Race looked identical to humans in appearance, differing only in their longevity and naturally powerful “spiritual perception.”

The power that humans needed to cultivate, the Heavenly Race possessed from birth, all depending on their “spiritual perception.”

This “spiritual perception” was like the “bloodline” of the Mountain Sea Tribe, with distinctions of superior and inferior, ranked into different levels, transmitted through bloodline and soul energy.

Di Jun’s clan possessed the most superior “spiritual perception” among the Heavenly Race, exerting suppression over all Heavenly Race members.

At that time, in the Lu family courtyard, two of Meng Nanting’s trusted subordinates were keeping watch. Suddenly, one of them was struck by a powerful “spiritual perception” and, unable to withstand it, immediately fainted.

Seeing this situation, the other knew it was a spiritual message transmission and used a special jade talisman to receive the information. He didn’t dare to examine it himself and took it directly to Meng Nanting.

As soon as Meng Nanting opened it, despite his Meng family’s upper-third-grade “spiritual perception,” he was struck dizzy by the impact.

“Other than Di Jun, who else could it be?”

Xiang Haikui emerged from the corridor constructed of spider lilies and entered a valley.

The entire world seemed to have a filter applied—hazy, dim, and dull red.

The atmosphere was extremely turbid; ordinary mortals couldn’t breathe here. But during the transfer, her boss had fed her a spirit pill, so she was now “breathing” with the help of the pill and felt no discomfort.

But…

Where was her boss?

Xiang Haikui watched in surprise as the corridor closed, looking around: “Senior?”

After calling for a while with no sign of Yin Changli, she recalled being tricked during her previous training when he had suddenly disappeared, abandoning her in an unfamiliar environment.

Xiang Haikui cursed inwardly, then turned apologetically to Jing Ran beside her: “I offended him earlier, and he’s the kind of person who…”

“Let’s go,” Jing Ran didn’t let her finish, walking north along the valley path. “This is outside the main gate of Farshore City. He’s probably at the side or back entrance. If we enter the city, we’ll surely meet him.”

Xiang Haikui followed: “How do you know? Were there books about the Underworld in Han Qi’s spirit storage space?”

Xiang Haikui had seen that the spirit storage space was a massive library.

Her senior brother had spent ten years in there, equivalent to earning a post-doctorate degree.

She didn’t expect Jing Ran to answer as she took the opportunity to observe their surroundings.

The valley seemed to have a skin-like surface, through which flowed visible bright red blood-like fluid, probably some kind of magma.

Yet walking on it didn’t burn her feet.

Further ahead was a river with nine bends and eighteen curves. Because it was so long, the curvature wasn’t particularly obvious.

On both banks of the river valley bloomed clusters of flowers—white on the left side and black on the right.

Xiang Haikui followed Jing Ran on the left side. Looking carefully, she discovered they weren’t flowers at all, but dragonfly-like insects.

The river was filled with floating lotus lanterns, like those released by common people during festivals in ancient Huaxia.

The lotus lanterns emitted light, with a wisp of mist wrapped within the glow.

Jing Ran: “Those are withered souls.”

The lotus lanterns floated downstream, sitting at different depths in the water, some heavier than others.

Xiang Haikui asked curiously: “Do souls have different weights?”

She stopped at the riverbank to examine the lotus lanterns.

Jing Ran also stopped, standing beside her overlooking the river: “Different species naturally weigh differently.”

“What about those dragonflies?” Xiang Haikui saw the dragonflies from both banks leaving their perches to fly over the river, landing on the lotus lanterns.

Jing Ran looked where she pointed: “Those aren’t dragonflies but White Spirit Fairies and Black Spirit Fairies.”

Xiang Haikui listened attentively to the scholar’s lecture.

Jing Ran explained: “Spirit Fairies can sense the aura within souls. Souls burdened with resentment in life emit an odor similar to rotting flesh, which is food that Black Spirit Fairies love. It attracts them to come and gnaw.”

Haikui took a breath: “Do souls feel pain?”

Jing Ran nodded: “Extreme pain.”

Xiang Haikui said, “This river, in our world’s mythology, would be the River of Forgetfulness, right?”

Jing Ran made an affirmative sound: “More or less.”

Xiang Haikui thought how convenient it was to communicate with someone from the same world.

“If by the time they reach Farshore City, all resentment in the souls has been devoured, they’ll have a chance to reincarnate.”

“What about the White Spirit Fairies?”

“Opposite to the Black Spirit Fairies, they enjoy virtuous energy. After feeding, White Spirit Fairies bestow their good fortune as a reward. After entering Farshore City, these souls enter the Palace of Extreme Bliss, with considerable fortune in their next life.”

As Jing Ran said this, Xiang Haikui was surprised to see a White Spirit Fairy transform into a human-like figure, slowly bending down to kiss the lotus it had landed on.

“What’s happening?”

Jing Ran looked over: “In our homeland’s terms, this is a fortunate one kissed by an angel.”

Seeing Xiang Haikui’s expression, he asked, “Is Classmate Xiang envious?”

Haikui sighed: “It seems I probably wasn’t a good person in my previous life—I must have disturbed a Black Spirit Fairy nest!”

Jing Ran glanced at the Tian Kuang sword in the box on her back: “In just ten years, Classmate Xiang has reached the eighth rank, and those around you are the peaks of this world. Regardless of your past, after Yin Changli altered your fate, you are someone blessed with great fortune.”

“Is the strength of one’s fortune measured solely by cultivation level?” Xiang Haikui shook her head miserably, not explaining further. After all, only she knew her suffering. If she told others, they would only think she was being pretentious.

While feeling dejected, the man beside her suddenly handed her a… lollipop?

A handmade candy wrapped in colorful cartoon paper.

Xiang Haikui was slightly surprised: “Did you bring this from home?”

“Yes, I made it myself. I kept two in my jacket pocket and brought them over. I preserved them as a memento, sealing them with spiritual power.” Jing Ran broke the seal. “So they’re still within the expiration date—eat without worry.”

Xiang Haikui’s eyes lit up. She quickly took it, unwrapped the candy, and popped it into her mouth.

Turning her head, she saw him slowly unwrapping one for himself.

With his flowing long hair and black robes with wide sleeves, he stood by the River of Forgetfulness, eating a lollipop.

Xiang Haikui found the scene surreal, absolutely surreal.

But this long-missed lollipop was truly sweet, penetrating to her very bones and sweetening her heart.

All the depression she had felt lately seemed to melt away with the lollipop.

Xiang Haikui let out an “Ah!” with high spirits and continued walking along the riverbank. She had been worried about monsters or Underworld guards suddenly appearing, but there were none.

“Besides, the peak figures Senior Brother mentioned—are you referring to Yin Changli and Han Qi? You think too highly of them.”

Once in a good mood, her mouth started chattering away. “They argue fiercely about all sorts of grand principles. But they’re essentially just debating which is better—primitive society, slave society, or feudal society.”

“And they want me to comment? We’re the successors to socialism—why would we comment on their backward systems?”

“If you ask me, both Yin Changli and Han Qi are idiots.”

She didn’t notice Jing Ran’s lips curve behind her.

“Oh right, and that Heavenly Race Di Jun,” Xiang Haikui suddenly remembered. “Almost forgot about him. He’s also an idiot, a top-tier fighter jet among idiots.”

Jing Ran’s smile froze.

Xiang Haikui vented all her recent anger, using their hometown language, simple and clear.

Jing Ran’s hand suddenly reached out from behind, stopping in front of her forehead.

Xiang Haikui was startled, only then noticing a wall ahead, like a water curtain, with no detectable aura. If not observed, it was nearly invisible.

Jing Ran walked past her and through the wall: “Come.”

Xiang Haikui quickly followed through the spot he had passed, wondering how he seemed so familiar with the Underworld. Could Han Qi’s books allow dream-travel to the Underworld?

But after passing through the wall, Xiang Haikui’s thoughts were captivated by the scene before her.

Just as rivers eventually join the sea, countless Rivers of Forgetfulness reached their end and converged into a vast ocean.

Like the oceans of the mortal world, waves surged, magnificent and boundless.

The sky had neither stars nor moon, but the sea’s surface was covered with glowing insects, like a layer of stars.

After floating in, the lotus lanterns began to bob up and down in the sea.

“Is Farshore City across the sea?” Xiang Haikui gazed into the endless distance.

“It’s there,” the lollipop now finished, Jing Ran wiped his hands and pointed toward the center of the sea.

“Where?” Xiang Haikui looked carefully.

Suddenly, a gigantic spider lily rose from the distant waters, countless tentacle-like petals swaying and unfurling, supporting clusters of palatial buildings—some magnificent, some majestic, all brilliantly lit.

Before Xiang Haikui could recover from her surprise, another enormous spider lily emerged from beneath the sea.

One after another, in no time, her eyes were filled with swaying petals, forming a… sleepless city in this eternal night world!

Was this her boss’s workplace where he had stayed for thousands of years?

It was too beautiful!

She had truly missed the good times, only able to stay with him in the small black sphere.

As she was marveling, she heard Jing Ran say softly, “Classmate Xiang, do you know? Back home, I learned everything quickly. In elementary school, I had already completed the entire middle and high school curriculum.”

“I also learned various combat sports like Sanda, martial arts, and Taekwondo. After just one week of learning, I could defeat the instructors. Such a life was truly… dull, extremely boring.”

Xiang Haikui: …

This was a critical hit from a top student.

But Xiang Haikui could testify that he was telling the truth. He indeed rarely studied, with his desk full of comic books.

Facing the sea, feeling the sea breeze, Jing Ran’s voice softened: “My family background was good, and my parents were beyond reproach, but for some reason, I always felt a lack of authenticity, as if… I was living in a dream.”

“I remember after watching ‘The Truman Show,’ I developed deep self-doubt for a while.”

Xiang Haikui fidgeted with the candy stick, thinking this must be the trouble of a genius.

Xiang Haikui turned to examine his sharply defined profile.

Her senior brother had thick eyebrows, phoenix eyes, and deep-set features—too austere, not really her preferred type.

Dressed in black year-round, his entire cool face seemed to say, “I’m not to be messed with, I’m very displeased, don’t bother me.”

Back in high school, so many girls from different classes secretly admired him, but Xiang Haikui had been disdainful.

She had no time to fawn over such a person.

But on that rainy night when he came to her rescue and helped her stand up with the tip of his umbrella, Xiang Haikui realized he wasn’t arrogant—he just had a naturally stern face.

Ten years ago, when she came to this world, her father’s assessment of Jing Ran wasn’t favorable.

He thought Jing Ran was too cold-blooded, seemingly devoid of any feeling toward his parents. Xiang Haikui had found countless reasons to defend him in her heart.

In short, in Xiang Haikui’s heart, her senior brother might be aloof, but deep down he had a sense of justice and tenderness.

Such a person couldn’t be without feelings or loyalty.

She asked: “Did you find the reason?”

“I did,” Jing Ran looked toward the brightly lit Farshore City ahead. “After your father brought me to this world, I found some sense of reality.”

Xiang Heng believed that when ordinary people came to the cultivation world, they would all want to cultivate and seek immortality.

But Jing Ran knew he wasn’t like that. He seemed to have no interest in immortality; he simply didn’t want to return.

“I was locked in Han Qi’s spirit storage space for ten years, until you took a soul-sealing knife and stabbed my spinal bone.”

Jing Ran pointed to his back.

Xiang Haikui explained: “I was trying to control Han Qi…”

Jing Ran: “I know, but that stab of yours sealed Han Qi’s soul and awakened mine.”

Xiang Haikui didn’t understand: “Hmm?”

Jing Ran: “You reminded me that I was originally from this world, and I had reincarnated to Earth to undergo tribulation. Classmate Xiang, your coming here meant leaving your homeland, while for me, it was returning to my native soil. I… have come home…”

Xiang Haikui’s eyes widened in disbelief.

But it wasn’t too difficult to accept, after all, her senior brother’s genius had always seemed beyond ordinary people.

Xiang Haikui cautiously asked: “Since it was tribulation, Senior Brother must have been an important figure before?”

“Yes.” Jing Ran nodded without modesty. “You haven’t met me, but you’ve heard my title.”

Xiang Haikui guessed: “Could you be one of the other two Sword Venerables?”

Jing Ran shook his head.

Just as Xiang Haikui was about to guess again, she suddenly saw countless lotus lanterns rising from the sea before them.

These weren’t the soul-carrying lotus lanterns from before, but golden lotuses.

The golden lotuses formed a path leading directly to Farshore City.

Xiang Haikui saw people emerging from various tower clusters, including Luo Yunxiu, whom she recognized.

Luo Yunxiu was startled upon seeing her.

Xiang Haikui had already sensed something unusual, but she didn’t move to escape.

After the golden lotuses appeared, her Tian Kuang sword suddenly began to leap wildly, its wild energy continually climbing.

She was both unwilling and unable to flee.

She watched as people flew forward to greet them, bowing respectfully: “This subject (this humble one) greets Di Jun.”

Xiang Haikui looked at Jing Ran: “Senior Brother, are you the current Lord of the Underworld?”

“She is,” Jing Ran pointed to the spirited woman walking toward them on the golden lotuses, then looked up at the sky. “While I am one of those three idiots you mentioned.”