Although no one else was near the ruined palace pavilion besides them, many divine consciousnesses were peering in their direction.

Jing Ran didn’t feel embarrassed by being cursed by Qi Yin with such pointed accusations.

Qi Yin was right. Before deciding to eliminate the Mountain Sea Clan, even his father, the King, had to show deference to Qi Yin.

Qi Yin was an elder and indeed had the capital to be so arrogant.

Dugu He leapt in front of Jing Ran, shielding him: “Qi Yin, why bother with this youngster? Come, I am your opponent!”

“I’ll fight both of you!” Qi Yin pushed Xiang Haikui toward Yin Changli and prepared to charge at them.

Xiang Haikui grabbed him: “You can’t, Master! You must go back immediately…”

“Going back and forth would take too long; it’s already too late.” Qi Yin didn’t care at all. Suppressing the sword energy about to burst forth, he pinched his disciple’s small face, wet with tears. “Whether I win or lose isn’t important, nor is living or dying. What’s important is that you, Little Kui, must know—regardless of talk about belonging, no matter which world you’re from, in my eyes, once a master, a father for life.”

“What did Han Qi tell you? It’s not like that…” Xiang Haikui cried even harder. Despite all her previous suffering, she hadn’t shed a tear until now.

“Besides, Master isn’t just doing this for you. Their bullying of my disciple is a slap to my face. If I can tolerate this, what’s the point of living?”

Xiang Haikui wouldn’t let go: “Senior Yin, please talk some sense into him…”

As Yin Changli’s lips began to move, Qi Yin first berated him: “Don’t give me any high-minded principles! You should hope for my death, otherwise wait and see how I’ll deal with you later!”

He applied a bit more force, prying Xiang Haikui’s hands off himself.

Sword energy erupted, forming a sphere of light around him, sending wooden splinters flying in all directions.

Dugu He had waited too long for this day. Excited, he had just drawn his sword when he suddenly froze: “What’s this? You’re only in soul form?”

He was disappointed, terribly disappointed. “Fine then, I’ll only use fifty percent of my power!”

There was no choice left. Xiang Haikui wiped away her tears and drew her sword, ready to charge.

She couldn’t watch her master fight two opponents alone. She would hold off Di Jun and continue to wear him down!

Yin Changli caught her wrist: “Di Jun won’t join the fight. He only wants to escape now. Once Dugu He draws his sword, he recognizes no one, not even family. Di Jun can’t count on him anymore and must return quickly to the Upper Realm to guard Wentian Palace.”

Sure enough, Jing Ran only dodged without attacking, looking for an opportunity to escape.

His imperial guards didn’t dare approach—when the world’s two strongest swords clashed, death came with a mere touch.

Even Jing Ran was in a miserable state, as if trapped in a thorn bush. His dark robe, already punctured and stained with blood, was slashed to tatters.

Despite Dugu He’s assistance in blocking, he was still struck heavily three or four times by Qi Yin.

The force was like ten thousand mountains pressing down—he might not have withstood it even at his spiritual peak, let alone in his current half-dead state.

Finally catching an opening to break away from the battle, he immediately transformed into a golden lotus and fled from the Other Shore City.

The Netherworld was gained and then lost again. Jing Ran had no choice; this series of unexpected events had exhausted him mentally and physically.

Xiang Haikui watched him escape with an expressionless face.

All her thoughts were focused on her master now.

Yet she could still sense Jing Ran’s divine consciousness lingering on her briefly as he departed.

But he never transmitted any message to her. She didn’t know what he was looking at.

“If anything happens to my master, I’ll abandon everything else and fight Han Qi to the death,” she murmured, clutching her chest as she crouched down.

Yin Changli, who had been silently observing the battle, seemed to suddenly awaken from a trance.

Seeing her crouching, he knelt on one knee facing her: “Don’t worry, I’ve checked. Everything is fine.”

Xiang Haikui raised her head in surprise: “You checked?”

Yin Changli nodded slightly, using his thumb to wipe away the tears from her eye socket: “Remember when Han Qi asked if I was tired of supporting our clansmen? Yes, I’m tired—it’s truly exhausting.”

Xiang Haikui stared at him without blinking.

He smiled: “I buried countless treasures in their prison, including recording stones that documented their actions. Old Master Qi was my primary surveillance target, naturally receiving more preferential treatment.”

Xiang Haikui’s eyes gradually brightened: “Are you saying your protective measures stopped Que Chi?”

“Your blood circulation is impaired; you shouldn’t crouch for long. Come, stand up and we’ll continue,” Yin Changli helped her to her feet before continuing, “No, those measures couldn’t stop Que Chi. But when I guessed it was Que Chi, I felt relieved. Just now, through a bridge linking divine thoughts, I looked back at Wangu Cave, and sure enough, it was as I expected.”

“Oh?” After steadying herself, Xiang Haikui pulled away from his hand.

Yin Changli’s eyes dimmed slightly as he placed his hands behind his back: “Did you know that Que Chi was previously imprisoned in the Nine Sufferings Ground?”

“Yes, I knew.”

“Que Chi devoured my third brother before my eyes, yet in my thousands of years serving in the Netherworld, I never troubled Que Chi. There was a reason for this.”

Now that he mentioned it, Xiang Haikui also found it strange.

His enemy was in the Netherworld, yet he never confronted him.

Que Chi was completely different from those clansmen who had stripped his scales.

In the past, Xiang Haikui would have certainly pursued this curiosity with endless questions. Now she had grown much more silent, and Yin Changli spoke to her more cautiously: “Que Chi was captured by Shu Luoye… the former Netherworld Lord.”

After the Mountain Sea Clan’s defeat, Shu Luoye killed those traitors he could and imprisoned those he couldn’t immediately kill in the Nine Sufferings Ground of the Netherworld.

They would be killed after being refined by turbid energy.

The young Yin Changli, believing in his abilities, infiltrated the Netherworld and found the Nine Sufferings Ground specifically to kill Que Chi.

By then, Que Chi was already very weak. Yin Changli could have killed him effortlessly.

But at the entrance, he encountered Shu Luoye, who stopped him.

“That was my first time meeting Shu Luoye.” Recalling his only true friend in life, Yin Changli’s expression grew increasingly sorrowful, his tone melancholic. “His erudition and wisdom were truly rare in this world. My skill in calculating fate was taught by him. To me, he was actually… more like my master, a guiding light on my life’s path.”

“At that time, he told me to endure my hatred momentarily, spare Que Chi’s life, and create a bond of goodwill. He asked if I was willing.”

Of course, Yin Changli wasn’t willing.

With his enemy right before him, how could he not kill him?

But Yin Changli couldn’t defeat Shu Luoye. After struggling against him for over a decade, he still couldn’t enter the cave where Que Chi was imprisoned.

In the end, he was even persuaded by Shu Luoye to become the master of the Bliss Palace, becoming his subordinate.

Looking back, Yin Changli found it somewhat tragicomic.

Hearing this, Xiang Haikui realized that the former Netherworld Lord was nothing like Jing Ran had described—neither extreme nor mad. But she had no interest in this matter now and anxiously asked: “Then, where did this bond of goodwill end up? With my master’s?”

Yin Changli placed his hand on her shoulder: “Han Qi has always believed himself to be flawless, but in reality, he has one fatal weakness.”

Xiang Haikui had just uttered “Oh?” and was about to ask what weakness when suddenly the scene before her became a swirl of light and shadow, as if falling into a virtual world.

Yin Changli had instantly transported her to the shore of the Netherworld Sea.

At this moment, two people stood on the shore—the familiar Han Qi and a sweet-looking young woman.

As soon as Xiang Haikui saw Han Qi, her eyes became sharp as knives. She pressed her lips together, murderous intent surging around her, causing Xing Nü to take a couple of steps back and hide behind Han Qi.

Han Qi, eating a tangerine halfway, was momentarily stunned, clearly not having anticipated this.

But he still calmly finished the remaining half before cupping his hands and smiling slightly: “Brother Changli, Miss Xiang, we’ve only just parted and meet again so soon. What a coincidence.”

Yin Changli didn’t even glance at him, continuing his previous conversation with Xiang Haikui: “Han Qi’s greatest weakness is his strong prejudice against our Mountain Sea Clan. When a person harbors such deep-seated prejudice, they’re very prone to making mistakes.”

Xiang Haikui coldly replied: “Oh?”

Yin Changli, as if deliberately performing, helped Xiang Haikui tidy her disheveled hair at the temples, curling his lips slightly: “In his eyes, our Mountain Sea Clan is divided into three categories. I belong to the first category, the second consists of warmongers, and the third is made up entirely of brutal villains.”

Han Qi remained silent, merely pursing his lips, smiling lightly, and continuing to eat his tangerine.

After all, he had already won this game. Letting the losers vent with words in front of him was nothing—at least he should allow them to release their frustration.

“You think you’ve won?” Yin Changli glanced at him, then waved his sleeve, tossing out a crystal-clear oval stone.

The stone flew into the air and suddenly projected a beam of light. An image appeared on the light screen.

As the image cleared from its initial blurriness, Xiang Haikui’s pupils contracted—it was her master’s Wangu Cave.

Que Chi, dressed in red, walked leisurely through layers of sword arrays into the long corridor of Wangu Cave.

At the end of the corridor, Qi Yin sat cross-legged on the ground, his hands and feet bound by iron chains.

“Master, it’s been a long time…”

After reaching Qi Yin, Que Chi bowed respectfully, “This disciple has come to pay respects today on Han Qi’s instructions. He wants me to devour you.”

Qi Yin kept his eyes closed, his soul absent from his body, naturally giving no response.

Que Chi stood silently in place for a long while, lost in thought. Then he lifted his robe slightly and sat cross-legged facing Qi Yin.

Resting his chin on his hand, a puzzled expression crossed his face: “But there’s one thing I can’t figure out, no matter how I think about it. Why would this Han Qi believe that I would want to devour Master?”

And he had been certain, straightforwardly saying he had a way to help him devour his master, asking if he was willing to cooperate.

“Back then, I merely stabbed Master once. I never wanted Master’s life. I don’t understand his thinking…”

Que Chi and Qi Yin had conflicting principles, and he was frequently disciplined by Qi Yin, which indeed fostered rebellious thoughts.

There was no deep-seated hatred between him and Qi Yin. On the contrary, he had been carefully nurtured by Qi Yin since childhood, who had taught him swordsmanship hand by hand—there was genuine gratitude there.

Just as he had told Xiang Haikui, Master had never expelled him from the sect, and he had never truly betrayed the sect in his heart.

He had never thought of killing his suddenly appearing little junior sister, so how could he kill his master?

“Don’t you think this Han Qi is ridiculous? Some infallible strategist of a minister? Pah! We are beasts, not stones.”

The contempt in Que Chi’s eyes was undisguised. He had agreed to Han Qi’s plan only because he feared that if he refused, Han Qi might devise other schemes.

“Master, go ahead and support little junior sister. This disciple will guard this place for you.”

Seeing this scene, Han Qi’s face alternated between green and white, his fists clenched, unable to utter a word for a long moment.

Xiang Haikui first heaved a long sigh of relief, then froze slightly in realization.

Indeed, Que Chi was vicious and evil, but he had intended to sleep with her to anger his master.

Perverse as he was, he truly harbored no killing intent.

When Meng Nanting said she would be useful alive, Que Chi had even displayed a protective attitude.

Observing his posture when wielding a sword, it was almost a replica of her master’s, showing his complete recognition of his master’s sword dao.

But Que Chi’s usual actions were so malicious that everyone naturally assumed he would certainly take the opportunity to devour his master.

“Han Qi, this is your weakness.” Yin Changli’s gaze toward him was filled with mockery. “In your eyes, apart from a very few exceptions, all Mountain Sea Clan members are just ignorant, inhuman beasts. Fundamentally, you and Di Jun are the same—arrogant.”

Han Qi slowly unclenched his fists and smiled again: “Having lost this round, I have nothing to say. Say what you will.”

As he turned away, his face darkened. “Xing Nü, let’s go.”

“Yes, Master.” Xing Nü lowered her head, answering softly.

“Elder Han.” Xiang Haikui called out to him.

After adjusting his facial expression, Han Qi slowly turned around: “Does the young lady wish to stab me twice as she did Di Jun, to vent her anger?”

Xiang Haikui lowered her eyelashes, not knowing why she had called him back.

Well, she did want to stab him twice, but unfortunately, in her wounded state, she couldn’t.

So she thought of cursing him severely to release her anger.

But as the words reached her lips, suddenly she didn’t want to curse anymore.

Somehow, the viciousness in her heart seemed to have lessened; she couldn’t even muster the energy to curse.

She bowed her head in contemplation.

Han Qi waited patiently, neither urging her nor rushing to leave.

Finally, she seemed to have figured it out and looked up at him: “Elder, with things having developed to this point, where do you think I should stand?”

Han Qi looked back at her but didn’t speak.

“Previously, I said I felt no sense of belonging to this world and didn’t want to get involved in your war.”

Xiang Haikui wasn’t skilled at reasoning with people and struggled to organize her thoughts. “Besides my lack of a sense of belonging, I privately thought that you all had your points—it was merely a difference in stance. Since it didn’t concern me, I didn’t want to easily take sides.”

Han Qi nodded: “And now?”

Xiang Haikui was silent for a moment: “Now, do I still have a choice?”

Han Qi made an affirmative sound, nodded, and then sighed deeply. Given the current situation, both Di Jun and he had offended her terribly.

One had harmed her child, the other her master—both touching upon her most intolerable reverse scales: “I never wanted to reach this point with you.”

“But you all forcibly pushed me to this point.”

Xiang Haikui suddenly seemed unsteady on her feet. Yin Changli quickly stepped back half a pace and used his palm to support her lower back.

Xiang Haikui frowned slightly but didn’t reject him. With her anger dissipated, she truly felt exhausted.

She leaned back, placing her weight on his palm.

Yin Changli hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward half a pace, misaligning his shoulder with hers by half, becoming like a tree with his half-body for her to lean against.

“So, Elder Han, our paths differ. Thank you for your intentional or unintentional guidance during this time.” Xiang Haikui steadied herself with Yin Changli’s support, her eyes showing unprecedented calmness. She bowed with clasped fists: “Henceforth, we’ll meet on the battlefield!”