After that mouthful of blood was spat out, the dream immediately collapsed.

Xiang Haikui awoke startled from her dream.

She was still sitting in her original position, her head leaning against Yin Changli’s shoulder, as she heard him ask softly, “Awake?”

Xiang Haikui sat up straight and blinked her eyes.

Just as she was wondering whether what had just happened was a dream, the carriage door suddenly opened by itself, and a stream of light flew into the compartment.

As the door slammed shut with a “bang,” a person sat down on the opposite bench—it was Blood Demon Lord.

His narrow phoenix eyes were opened to their fullest, glaring at Yin Changli.

Beyond the rage, Xiang Haikui also noticed a hint of grievance.

Yin Changli, however, acted as if nothing had happened, maintaining an elegant smile. “You can move freely now. We have other matters to attend to. We’ll set out for the Mirage Realm in ten days.”

“Yin Changli, how can there be such a despicable scoundrel as you in this world? If you must be this way, I can also say…”

Blood Demon Lord could say that his promise was also just dream talk.

But when Yin Changli had confirmed with him, he had deliberately added, “under any circumstances.”

He hadn’t noticed at the time that this was a trap.

Yin Changli asked, “Your request all along has been for me to apologize to you, and I indeed apologized. Do you also need to control what I say to others afterward?”

Blood Demon Lord clenched his fists, speechless.

Yes, he had apologized, but not only had the heart demon not dissipated, it had become worse!

“Please.” Yin Changli gestured with his eyes for him to leave the carriage. “Meet us at the post station villa in ten days.”

Xiang Haikui also cupped her hands toward him. “Senior Blood, see you in ten days.”

Alas, both were great figures of the Tribulation Crossing realm, yet while others were revered by thousands, look at his miserable state!

Xiang Haikui couldn’t help but transmit a message: “Senior Yin, you just know how to bully ‘honest people.'”

It was so embarrassing she could hardly bear to watch.

Disgraceful.

Yin Changli gave a mental “hmph.”

He bullied the dishonest ones just the same.

But except for that fighting cock Han Qi, anyone with a bit of brain wouldn’t choose to quarrel with him.

He didn’t say this out loud.

Because he sensed Xiang Haikui’s “disdain” toward him.

Yin Changli frowned slightly and began to reflect on his behavior.

It seemed he had done something wrong.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling to suffer a loss, but rather that he wanted to demonstrate to Xiang Haikui that he would never take a loss.

He thought this was part of his charm.

At least he was quite pleased with this quality.

But in Xiang Haikui’s view, was it a kind of maliciousness?

When Blood Demon Lord asked if he did it for her, he should have answered “yes”!

“Little Kui, I’m not bullying him. Given what his grandfather did, I feel no guilt about breaking their family’s legacy. Besides, I’m of the same generation as his grandfather, which makes me his elder, yet every time he sees me, he calls me directly by name without any term of respect. If he had just a bit of…”

Yin Changli tried to explain.

Blood Demon Lord had been ready to obey and leave, but seeing the two whispering together, his heart stirred.

He had spent most of his life in other people’s dreams and was accustomed to seeing lovelorn men and women, joys and sorrows, unions and separations.

Yin Changli was old and cunning—it was impossible to discern his emotional changes from his facial expressions.

But his eyes couldn’t lie. His feelings for Miss Xiang ran very deep.

However, while the king of Xiang had intentions, the goddess didn’t seem to care much.

Blood Demon Lord’s eyes turned, and he sat down again, holding his sword. “I have nowhere to go. I’ll just follow you for these ten days.”

Yin Changli’s eyes narrowed slightly, glancing over darkly at him.

Blood Demon Lord remained unmoved, asking Xiang Haikui, “Miss, you’re going to see the Great City Lord Xiang, right? Would it be convenient for me to come along and stay for a few days?”

Xiang Haikui quickly replied, “Of course it’s convenient.”

The warning in Yin Changli’s eyes intensified. What are you trying to do?

Blood Demon Lord returned a provocative smile. Just wait and see!

…

Last time Xiang Haikui came to Jin Ling to celebrate the king’s birthday, she stayed at the post station, which was like an official inn.

Xiang Heng, as the Great City Lord, was staying in a separate villa at the post station while in Jin Ling’s capital—a detached residence.

Before Yin Changli left Ice Spring, he had already sent a message through a communication talisman via the small bird guarding the spirit spring, informing Xiang Heng to stay at home for the next few days and not go out.

After the beast carriage arrived at the post station villa, Xiang Haikui stood outside the door but didn’t immediately go in.

Yin Changli stood beside her. “Xiang Tianqing isn’t in the courtyard right now.”

Xiang Haikui responded with an “Oh?” and then asked, “Is she deliberately avoiding me?”

After the incident with the small Jianmu tree’s capture, she didn’t know what Xiang Tianqing might be thinking now.

Did she believe her true background—that she was a noble lady reincarnated from the upper realm?

“Not at all.” Yin Changli shook his head slightly. He had sent word ahead, originally intending to have Xiang Heng arrange for Xiang Tianqing to leave for a few days. No matter how the two got along, they could never become “real sisters” or “good sisters,” so it was better to avoid each other, out of sight, out of mind.

Unexpectedly, she wasn’t home to begin with. “Both her senior brother and master have disappeared, so she had no choice but to go search for them with her fellow disciples from the Sword Path Academy.”

“Hmm?” Xiang Haikui was suspicious.

Xiang Tianqing’s master was Sword Lord Jing Wenxiu, and her senior brother was her schoolmate Jing Ran.

Jing Ran hadn’t disappeared; he had just transformed into Di Jun and returned to the upper realm.

What was going on with Jing Wenxiu?

Yin Changli explained, “During the incident in Jin Ling, Jing Wenxiu never appeared. As the Supreme Elder of the Sword Path Academy, no one in the entire academy knows where he went.”

“That is rather strange,” the Blood Demon Lord said, coming forward holding his sword. “That fellow Jing Wenxiu isn’t like me and Old Xu. He cultivates the worldly sword path. Normally, he doesn’t wander around without reason, and when he leaves the capital, he usually states his destination.”

As he spoke, he deliberately squeezed between the two of them.

Xiang Haikui moved to the side to make room for him.

Yin Changli lifted the corner of his lip with an unclear meaning. “Moreover, his ten-year agreement with you is about to expire. He’s always been a man of his word and wouldn’t break a promise without reason.”

Blood Demon Lord tilted his head and said, “With his cultivation level, he won’t be in any danger. Don’t worry.”

Xiang Haikui found it amusing—why would she worry about him?

She just felt somewhat regretful. This time back, she had planned to use these ten days to challenge him and end that ten-year agreement. She hadn’t expected him to disappear.

This agreed battle would have to wait until she returned from the Mirage Realm.

At this moment, the post station gate opened, and Xiang Heng walked out. “Little Kui!”

His expression was complex, both joyful and full of self-reproach.

“Father!” Xiang Haikui’s face was filled with smiles as she rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly.

Her smile wasn’t fake.

Though there was some lingering resentment in her heart, her father had been dead for so many years. Learning that he was still alive in another world was an enormous surprise for her.

Let alone time making him forget how to love her—even if he had forgotten his daughter entirely, it wouldn’t matter.

Xiang Heng held her, looking her over from left to right. Seeing that her body showed no signs of problems and that her cultivation had risen to the peak of the eighth rank, he felt relieved. He reached out and tapped her nose. “Your cultivation is almost catching up to your father’s.”

Xiang Haikui was quite proud. “Soon, I’m just one step away from the ninth rank.”

Yin Changli said from behind, “Fellow Daoist Xiang…”

He paused, changing his form of address. “Uncle Xiang also needs to continue working hard, otherwise Little Kui will truly surpass you soon… However, now that the situation in Yin Sha is stable, no longer like the chaos of those years, it’s not easy for Uncle Xiang to improve his cultivation.”

“That’s true,” Xiang Heng nodded, deeply agreeing.

When governing Yin Sha years ago, Xiang Heng had been covered in wounds and endured tremendous hardship, but his cultivation had risen rapidly.

After pacifying Yin Sha and settling down, his cultivation progress had slowed and continued to become more gradual.

It seemed he also needed to go out and gain some experience…

Wait.

He was facing Yin Changli, and seeing his expression wasn’t quite right, it didn’t seem like he was just giving advice.

Yin Changli’s words had a deeper meaning.

Xiang Heng thought carefully and understood what he was implying.

His daughter must have suffered greatly during these past few months.

“Father, let me introduce you—this is Senior Blood, Blood Demon Lord.” Xiang Haikui turned to present the Blood Demon Lord.

“Blood…” Xiang Heng was stunned for a moment before finally remembering who the Blood Demon Lord was. He quickly cupped his hands. “Senior Blood.”

Blood Demon Lord returned the gesture. “You’re too kind.”

“Let’s go in first.” Xiang Haikui took Xiang Heng’s arm as they entered the gate.

It was already nightfall.

After entertaining the two great figures, it was deep into the night.

Any matters would have to wait until the next day.

Yin Changli and Xiang Haikui stayed in the same courtyard.

The moon was bright, and Yin Changli, seeing the light on in her room, went to knock on her door and asked with a smile, “Are you tired?”

“Not tired.” Xiang Haikui also had something to ask him. She walked out of her room and accompanied him to sit in the pavilion, leaning close to ask, “What did you notice about my father?”

She pointed to her eyes. “Does my father have a talent for seeing other worlds?”

Yin Changli already had a good idea, but he was purely using this as an excuse to cultivate a relationship with Xiang Haikui.

Before he could answer, Xiang Haikui suddenly asked, “Senior, would this delay your important business?”

“There’s no important business to attend to right now.” Yin Changli reassured her.

They needed to wait until Xiao Bai’s condition stabilized, see how things went, and then proceed with other matters. “Besides, the strange situation with your father might be related to my important business.”

Xiang Haikui frowned.

Yin Changli folded his hands. “When speaking of the Twelve Divine Swords, I mentioned that the neighboring Three Thousand Realms has a powerful race, the Four Races of Heaven and Humanity, namely the Heavenly Maidens, Heavenly Warriors, Heavenly Craftsmen, and Heavenly Spirits.”

“Yes.” Xiang Haikui was curious. “What’s the relationship between the Four Races of Heaven and Humanity and the Heavenly Race here?”

“There is no relationship.” Yin Changli said, “Both were created by higher-level intelligent beings, namely ‘gods.'”

But comparatively, the Four Races of Heaven and Humanity in the neighboring Three Thousand Realms were stronger than their own Heavenly Race.

“For example, the Heavenly Craftsmen who excel at ‘creation’ make artifacts that inherently possess divine might.”

Xiang Haikui touched the sword case beside her.

“Even a random pure-blooded Heavenly Warrior could exchange several moves with Di Jun.” As Yin Changli was speaking, a suona horn suddenly sounded in the courtyard.

Xiang Haikui had been listening attentively to Yin Changli, and the suona sound startled her so much that her heart skipped a beat—her soul nearly leaving her body.

Following the sound, she saw Blood Demon Lord standing on the courtyard wall, grinning at the two of them. “Under the moon and flowers, what better accompaniment than a suona horn? Let me add to the atmosphere for you two?”

Yin Changli, do you think I want to steal your woman?

No, you guessed wrong. I just want to ruin your good times.

You were the tiger blocking my cultivation path, so I’ll be the stone tripping you on your path to winning a wife. Hmph!