The companion spirit offered no resistance, allowing itself to be completely consumed by the spirit fire that had merged with Xiang Heng’s primordial soul power.

It stood at the center of the flames, its slightly transparent skin emitting a pale blue glow, making the fire look exactly like a candle flame, with itself as the wick.

“Yin Changli, may I ask whether your belief that I was the one who stole the Heavenly Martial Divine Arrow is mere speculation, or did I say something or do something that aroused your suspicion?”

The companion spirit laughed softly. “For instance, you discovered that when battling with you, I deliberately concealed my strength, pretending to be suppressed by you, forcing myself to obey you, and going with the flow to send Xiang Haikui to impersonate the mirror spirit and steal the formation disk?”

Yin Changli shook his head. “No, the timing was wrong.”

The companion spirit was confused. “What timing?”

Yin Changli explained, “The reason Di Jun knew Shuluoye was crafting a ‘divine weapon’ was because you reminded him.”

It explained that Shuluoye’s nightmare had once flowed into the Dream Prison.

It had been glimpsed that he had created a ‘divine weapon’ that destroyed the entire Heavenly Race.

The companion spirit nodded. “Correct.”

“Incorrect,” Yin Changli said coldly. “After you glimpsed Shuluoye’s nightmare, you didn’t immediately inform Di Jun. You waited many years before telling him.”

Therefore, when Di Jun went to kill Shuluoye, he did not discover the whereabouts of the divine weapon from Shuluoye.

That unfinished divine weapon had already been handed over to Yin Changli.

And Yin Changli had already “broken ties” with Shuluoye and defected to Bi’an City many years ago.

Furthermore, Shuluoye, fearing that his consciousness might be extracted, had erased this part of his memory after handing over the divine arrow.

Once erased, he would no longer dream about it.

So Yin Changli was absolutely certain that the companion spirit, in Shuluoye’s nightmare, clearly knew about the existence of the “Heavenly Martial Divine Arrow.”

It wouldn’t tell Di Jun because it wanted the divine arrow to be successfully forged more than anyone else.

Then it would steal the divine arrow and use it to pierce through the “wall” between the Nightmare Prison and the real world!

What it never expected was that Shuluoye would have a son during the arrow’s creation, and would throw the divine arrow to Yin Changli.

Yin Changli’s personality was rather free and casual, far less focused on tasks than Shuluoye’s.

In a twelve-hour day, Shuluoye could work diligently for eleven hours, while Yin Changli would work for at most one hour before running off to do something else.

The companion spirit grew too impatient and had to disguise itself as the Xuantian Mirror Spirit to tell Jing Ran about the divine weapon.

It exaggerated, saying the divine weapon was powerful enough to destroy the entire Heavenly Race, forcing Jing Ran to take it seriously.

Although it knew the divine arrow was already in Yin Changli’s hands, it still exposed Shuluoye.

This was to use Shuluoye’s death to stimulate Yin Changli.

“Since then, Di Jun has continuously pressured me, harming my clansmen…” Yin Changli paused briefly, the soul fire reflecting in his pupils. “All because you hoped that under such pressure, I would quickly complete this divine arrow.”

But the result disappointed it once again.

As soon as the divine arrow was completed, Yin Changli sent it into the cycle of reincarnation.

There wasn’t even a chance for the companion spirit to react.

As Yin Changli sorted through the causes and consequences, the companion spirit didn’t admit anything, but its violently heaving chest was enough to prove its anger.

It probably hadn’t expected that these sworn brothers would create such complications in forging a divine arrow.

Yin Changli continued, “Thinking about it now, when Di Jun abandoned everything to reincarnate and undergo tribulation for a slim chance of survival, going to little Kui’s world—that was also your guidance in the guise of the mirror spirit, wasn’t it?”

After sending the Heavenly Martial Divine Arrow into reincarnation, even Yin Changli didn’t know where it would go.

He had also tried to search for it. After all, Shuluoye and he had sacrificed too much for this divine arrow, and it felt somehow unsatisfying to just hand it over to the Heavenly Dao for judgment.

After exhausting all methods and finding no clues, he finally gave up.

But the companion spirit had ways that Yin Changli did not.

This realm of nightmares had existed for countless years, and the companion spirit, disguised as the Xuantian Mirror Spirit, had sent off who knows how many Heavenly Race Di Juns.

Yin Changli’s age might be just a fraction of its own.

Peering into the countless dreams flowing through the river of history, its experience had become so vast that it was immeasurable.

“How… did you manage to do it?” Setting aside grudges, Yin Changli was genuinely curious. “What secret technique did you use on Di Jun to make him follow the divine arrow’s path into reincarnation?”

To be precise, he wasn’t following the divine arrow, but Shuluoye.

The Heavenly Martial Divine Arrow was mostly forged by Shuluoye, with Yin Changli only responsible for the finishing touches.

The divine arrow was imbued with much of Shuluoye’s spiritual essence, and Di Jun was his biological brother from the same mother, their spiritual essences sharing the same source.

The companion spirit must have used some secret technique, performing some exquisite calculation, to make Di Jun follow that spiritual essence track during reincarnation, ultimately reaching Earth.

Earth was so vast, yet he ended up in the same city as Xiang Heng, the reincarnation of the divine arrow.

This wasn’t arranged by the Heavenly Dao; it was the companion spirit’s “calculation method” that was accurate enough.

Jing Ran had always believed that his “Heavenly Dao father” had sent him to Xiang Haikui’s side, that this was a glimmer of hope given by the Heavenly Dao to the Heavenly Race, which he must firmly grasp.

Little did he know, it was just the companion spirit’s deception.

The traditionally proud Di Jun of the Heavenly Race, painfully going through reincarnation, was merely to help the companion spirit track down the divine arrow’s reincarnation location.

Literally a tool.

Yin Changli’s lips curled in a mocking smile, which quickly froze on his face.

Who was he mocking?

Except for the companion spirit, they had all been fooled.

In the Heavenly Realm.

Xiang Haikui, carrying a sword case, had casually walked out from under the imposing gate of the Divine Palace, only to stop in her tracks.

The Heavenly Dao Divine Palace, where the Xuantian Mirror was kept, and the Wentian Palace, where the Mountain Sea Clan’s formation disk was stored, were both in the royal capital, but they weren’t adjacent; several mountains separated them.

Flying there wouldn’t be far, but the problem was that Xiang Haikui had no idea where the Wentian Palace was located.

“Where are you planning to go after leaving the Divine Palace?” Jing Ran, carrying the Xuantian Mirror, approached and stopped beside her, maintaining a certain distance.

Ever since Xiang Haikui had jumped out of the divine mirror, his scrutiny had never ceased.

He couldn’t understand why the mirror spirit, which had never shown itself before, would appear in Xiang Haikui’s form.

Xiang Haikui leaned against a pillar carved with strange glyphs, gazing far into the distance at a delicate arched bridge between mountain peaks. “To Wentian Palace.”

Jing Ran tilted his head slightly, staring at her high, straight nose. “Oh? What business do you have at my royal palace?”

Xiang Haikui was straightforward: “To take a look at the formation disk.”

Jing Ran’s brows furrowed, his voice tightening. “The formation disk that seals the Mountain Sea Clan prisoners?”

Xiang Haikui met his gaze. “What else?”

Among hundreds of thousands of races, the Heavenly Race’s adversary had always been the Mountain Sea Clan. Even if other races had imprisoned leaders, their formation disks wouldn’t be stored in the royal palace under Di Jun’s supervision.

Jing Ran remained silent.

During their exchange, the question of “who exactly is she” overshadowed “what does she want to do.”

He wasn’t sure if she was truly the Xuantian Mirror Spirit, but she… couldn’t be Xiang Haikui.

Outward appearances were easy to fake, but eyes were not.

Her gaze at him was wrong, somewhat too calm.

For a moment, Jing Ran felt disappointed.

His attitude became more respectful, but his eyes grew colder. “It seems the esteemed Mirror Spirit has suddenly appeared for those formation disks?”

Xiang Haikui once again used the explanation Yin Changli had provided: “I sense those formation disks might be stolen, so I want to go personally and investigate.”

Jing Ran responded without hesitation: “Impossible.”

Xiang Haikui: “May I ask where Di Jun’s confidence comes from?”

Jing Ran: “This lord—”

Xiang Haikui cut him off: “The great opportunity you fought for through reincarnation and tribulation, wasn’t that ruined by you?” She gave a cold glance at his chest. “What, have you forgotten the pain of your past wounds?”

His face darkened, and after gripping the Xuantian Mirror frame tightly, Jing Ran said in a deep voice: “Return to the palace!”

Immediately came a series of phoenix cries, accompanied by the rustling sound of leaves.

Xiang Haikui looked toward the source and saw dozens of colorful phoenixes flying up from the valley.

It wasn’t the imagined phoenix-drawn carriage. The Heavenly Race Di Jun’s true mount was a giant dragon turtle, carrying an octagonal pavilion on its back—Xiang Haikui was no stranger to this dragon turtle species; it belonged to the Mountain Sea Baxia Clan, a younger relative of Brother Ba Ying.

The colorful phoenixes were merely stepping stones, arranged in formation between the ground and the pavilion, serving as stairs.

They were all descendants of those who surrendered after defeat years ago, indoctrinated by the Heavenly Race from childhood, with little concept of their Mountain Sea Clan heritage remaining.

Of course, the Mountain Sea Clan no longer recognized them, referring to them as Heavenly Beasts.

“Please.” Jing Ran stepped up using the phoenixes as stairs.

Xiang Haikui followed.

Entering the pavilion, after both were seated, layers of gauze cascaded from the top, swaying gently in the breeze as the dragon turtle began to move slowly.

It moved at a turtle’s pace; an impatient person would probably jump off and climb the mountains themselves.

Xiang Haikui, harboring guilt and irritated by his company, naturally couldn’t sit still.

She opened her mouth to speak to Jing Ran, who was meditating opposite her, then held back.

From senior to Di Jun, this aspect of Jing Ran hadn’t changed much—he preferred tranquility over activity, practicing elderly-style wellness daily.

Xiang Haikui shifted her gaze outside the pavilion to admire the scenery.

The mountains below rose and fell in an endless chain, just like in the mortal realm.

She had heard Yin Changli explain that this world was like a great tree, with the Heavenly Realm at the crown, the human realm at the trunk, the Underworld at the roots, and those spaces nurturing strange races hanging on branches of various sizes.

Xiang Haikui mentally constructed this great tree, with herself standing at the highest point.

Her father was in a certain section of the trunk.

Xiao Bai and Lu Xiqiao should still be “rescuing” those small race leaders; they were on the branches.

The Ten Thousand Bones Pit, where her master was sealed, was also on a branch.

As for the Nightmare Prison where her boss resided, should it be considered a shadow of this great tree?

Jing Ran slowly opened his eyes, glanced at her, then looked at the Xuantian Mirror on the table between them.

“Dugu Ning,” he couldn’t help but transmit to his guard.

“At your service.”

“Who do you see?”

Dugu Ning was stunned for a moment before hastily responding: “It’s Miss… Xiang.”

Ever since Xiang Haikui had appeared, every nerve in Dugu Ning’s body had tensed up.

From childhood, he had been sent by his family to serve as Di Jun’s guard, mainly acting as a shield to protect Di Jun from danger.

The Di Jun’s excessive strength had always made him feel his existence was redundant.

But after the battle at Bi’an City, Dugu Ning became terrified of this seemingly not-so-bright woman before him.

Not only did she have the ability to severely wound the Di Jun’s body, but she could also make the Di Jun lose his composure.

“You also see Xiang Haikui?” Jing Ran didn’t quite believe it and asked again.

Dugu Ning didn’t understand the purpose of his inquiry, but affirmed: “Yes!”

“Then it seems not.” Jing Ran closed his eyes again.

He thought of a type of monster that had no fixed appearance; whoever was the object of one’s desire was who one would see.

Once, when a small clan had attempted to assassinate him, they had summoned such a monster.

But it did not affect Jing Ran; he had no desires, so what he saw was just a mass of black energy.

Given that, why would he now suspect she was a monster?

With this thought, he couldn’t help but frown again.

The dragon turtle’s pace seemed to be getting slower, and a series of buildings began to come into Xiang Haikui’s view—this was Wentian Palace.

All the power of the Heavenly Race was concentrated here, so one can imagine its grandeur.

But the overall color scheme was dark, the style rigid, giving a rather oppressive feeling.

Xiang Haikui preferred magnificent architectural styles; even just looking at the palace for a while made it difficult to breathe.

It did, however, suit the figure beside her, with his fitted black robe and hard, cold features.

Before the dragon turtle had even landed, a host of guards had already knelt in reverence.

After descending via the colorful phoenixes, Xiang Haikui looked up at the plaque hanging high on the palace gate, which formally displayed the three characters for “Wentian Palace.” Within the two “mouth” components of the character for “palace,” there were sword holes, both made by her master.

The plaque had been replaced before, but new ones would still get pierced, so they eventually stopped replacing it.

Through the swirling clouds, Xiang Haikui seemed to see her master with his disheveled hair, arriving in anger and using his sword as a javelin.

Of course, there was also the young man in plain white, kneeling in the heavy snow, expressing submission to Jing Ran.

When she had unintentionally glimpsed this scene in her puppy-like boss’s consciousness dream, she had felt great sympathy.

Now, “field investigating” and standing where her boss had once knelt, putting herself in his place, her feelings became complex.

For her boss, who had psychological trauma, Wentian Palace was probably a hellish place. She had come to steal the formation disk; he had easily consented and even personally sent her to this hell.

So, what exactly was he facing now?

In the Nightmare Prison, the companion spirit continued to be burned by Xiang Heng’s soul fire. The fire burned more and more fiercely, yet it showed no sign of distress.

This was the judgment criterion.

It proved that it harbored the power of the Heavenly Martial Divine Arrow within its body, resonating with Xiang Heng’s soul fire.

Yin Changli asked: “Still unwilling to admit it?”

At this point, the companion spirit confessed: “You guessed correctly. I encouraged Di Jun to reincarnate and undergo tribulation only to use him to confirm the reincarnation location of the Heavenly Martial Divine Arrow.”

Although Yin Changli was already 99% certain, hearing it admit it still made his heart sink.

He withdrew his soul fire with a flick of his sleeve: “After locating Xiang Heng, you found you couldn’t directly seize the power sealed within his soul, so you controlled his wife Shen Yun, accumulating day by day, gradually plotting, slowly breaking through…”

“No.” The companion spirit shook its finger. “Little Dragon, it’s not that I couldn’t directly seize it, but that I couldn’t.”

Years ago, a strand of the companion spirit’s divine consciousness had followed the reincarnated Jing Ran to Earth.

Before finding Xiang Heng, by constantly entering and exiting the dreams of locals, the companion spirit accidentally discovered that this world called Earth, though seemingly lacking in spiritual energy, had many cultivators hidden among ordinary people.

These cultivators were uniformly managed by an alliance called the “China Special Incidents Investigation Department,” or simply the “Special Department.”

The companion spirit originally thought that when the divine arrow reincarnated and took form on Earth, it might produce some unusual phenomena, which the alliance might have recorded, so it attempted to enter the dream of the alliance leader to search.

It still remembered that the leader’s name was Qu Song.

With only an eighth-grade cultivation level, entering his dream wasn’t difficult.

However, unexpectedly, as soon as it entered Qu Song’s spiritual realm, it triggered a protective prohibition left by one of his parents.

Instantly, the spiritual realm experienced a cataclysmic upheaval, nearly scattering this divine consciousness strand that it had taken tens of thousands of years to cultivate!

The power of the prohibition fully demonstrated the cultivation realm of his parents.

Moreover, it was a mysterious power that transcended the five elements, similar to the “Heavenly Martial Divine Arrow” and “Tiankuang Sword.”

“The China Alliance isn’t like the cultivation organizations we know; it’s more like a secular government office, doing things methodically, with rules and regulations for everything.” In short, after finding Xiang Heng, the companion spirit didn’t dare to forcibly seize the power, otherwise, the sudden emergence of the divine arrow’s power would be detected by the alliance.

According to Chinese cultivator regulations, they would investigate the matter, possibly crossing mountains and worlds to pursue it to the Nightmare Prison.

There was no “suspect” they wouldn’t dare to arrest across the three thousand worlds, regardless of how powerful the figure might be.

Of course, the companion spirit wasn’t afraid of them.

It just didn’t want to cause more trouble before obtaining freedom and immortality.

It snorted with a laugh: “Little Dragon, by using the soul-summoning formation to call Xiang Haikui to this world, you’ve made a commotion, which has probably already attracted their attention.”

Today was the first time Yin Changli learned that little Kui’s homeland had cultivators, and even figures that made the companion spirit somewhat wary: “Are you saying they might break through the void to arrest me?”

The companion spirit affirmed, “Whatever your reason, little Kui is a native-born Chinese citizen. By forcibly abducting a Chinese citizen, you’ve already violated their laws, so of course they’ll search for little Kui and arrest you.”

Yin Changli’s expression showed slight surprise.

The companion spirit continued: “It’s just that the time flow between our two worlds is different. Only a few months have passed on Earth since you abducted her, otherwise, they would have come already… The China Alliance has a prison called the Tianluota; once locked inside, even with heaven-defying abilities, you cannot escape.”

Listening, Yin Changli’s gloomy expression gradually regained a hint of vitality: “That’s good.”

Now it was the companion spirit’s turn to be stunned.

Yin Changli laughed with relief. He hadn’t figured out how to send little Kui back to Earth yet. If the China Alliance truly could come here and take little Kui back to her homeland, that would be ideal.

Additionally, if little Kui knew that after her disappearance, people from her homeland had been doing their utmost to find her, even though they were strangers, acting only out of solidarity with a compatriot, wouldn’t that make her happy?

It would.

Having been in the storm for too long, even a single ray of sunlight could easily shine into her heart.

Thinking of this, Yin Changli’s mood became heavy again, his gaze turning cold as he looked at the companion spirit opposite him.

Anger surged in his chest, a storm brewing.

“Little Dragon.” The companion spirit took a small step forward. “You’re extremely intelligent, so why do you always act foolishly in certain matters?”

It was referring to Yin Changli’s plan to selectively release the Mountain Sea prisoners.

Yin Changli didn’t take its bait: “When did you start controlling little Kui’s mother, Shen Yun?”

The companion spirit countered: “You have the strength to become the hegemon of the three realms, so why must you support Bai Xingxian to become the lord of the Heavenly Race?”

Yin Changli curled his lip in silence.

The companion spirit questioned: “Wanting to quell the war and balance the races with minimal sacrifice? Yin Changli, do you think you’re a god?”

Yin Changli ignored its mockery: “I only ask you, when did you start controlling Shen Yun? Did you control her and then approach Xiang Heng, or was it after Shen Yun was pregnant?”

The companion spirit frowned: “Is this important?”

Yin Changli gave it a look that said “extremely important.”

It must have controlled Shen Yun’s physical body before little Kui’s birth.

This way, little Kui could absorb some of the companion spirit’s demonic spiritual power in the womb, offsetting the divine arrow power inherited from Xiang Heng.

After birth, she became an ordinary mortal without any talent.

The “mother” in little Kui’s memories for five years was undoubtedly the companion spirit.

But whether it seized the physical body before Shen Yun became pregnant or after still made a difference.

The companion spirit pondered, understanding the “detail” that Yin Changli cared about.

It walked to the palace threshold, raising its eyes to the sky, where a row of seductive red moons hung eternally.

Whether touched by memories or considering how to answer, it fell into a long silence.

At the gates of Wentian Palace, Jing Ran noticed she hadn’t followed: “Mirror Spirit Elder?”

Xiang Haikui gathered her thoughts and followed him.

As she approached, Jing Ran turned first: “Elder seems extremely worried?”

Xiang Haikui heard the doubt in his tone, which translated to: as an emissary of the Heavenly Dao with probably several million years of age, why would the Xuantian Mirror Spirit’s emotions be so easily revealed?

It shouldn’t have emotions at all.

She inwardly scoffed and said, “If you were me, after a million years, watching the Heavenly Race deteriorate generation after generation, having to personally clean up messes with these old arms and legs, you’d be worried too!”

Indeed, the tall, imposing figure ahead seemed to freeze, as if his pressure points had been struck.

“This way, please.” When he stepped forward again, he was already more than ten zhang away.

Xiang Haikui hurried to catch up.

After dozens of teleportations, they arrived at Jing Ran’s sleeping quarters.

Heavy guards surrounded the palace, and not just those visible. Since Xiang Haikui approached, countless divine senses had been cast upon her, as cutting as if scraping bone.

Tiankuang trembled continuously in its case, waves of danger warnings rising one after another.

It hadn’t been this “nervous” for a long time.

The Heavenly Race’s First Sword, Dugu He, wasn’t here. Even with numerous guards and secret protectors, Tiankuang shouldn’t have such a reaction.

It seemed that what stimulated it was the Mountain Sea Clan’s formation disks.

Those formation disks were kept in Jing Ran’s chambers, with the aura of those imprisoned within each disk. Who wouldn’t be afraid when all thirty-seven Mountain Sea bigwigs were gathered together?

Xiang Haikui walked into the sleeping quarters under everyone’s gaze.

This wasn’t unfamiliar to her; previously in Bi’an City, she had followed in and out just like this.

The six palace maids raised their heads and exchanged glances after the palace doors closed, all transmitting messages to question Dugu Ning.

These six were able to serve the Di Jun closely because they all had some status. When Di Jun returned from tribulation, he first went to Bi’an City, bringing a small human girl with whom he ate and slept, showing great affection. Naturally, portraits had been transmitted from the Underworld to their hands.

They all knew Xiang Haikui’s appearance.

“Brother Dugu, what’s happening? Wasn’t this little miss just supposed to be a bargaining chip for Di Jun against Lord Changli?”

“Wasn’t it she who severely wounded Di Jun?”

“How did she end up being brought back to the Heavenly Realm? Was she picked up from the Heavenly Dao Palace? So the Heavenly Dao Palace has a well connecting to the mortal realm?”

No, the key point was that except for the royal family, outsiders had historically been forbidden from entering the Heavenly Dao Palace—even the empress had no qualification.

“Just looking at her behavior and speech, there’s nothing special about her?”

She was charming and beautiful; they knew that from seeing her portrait. But they were all intelligent people and knew that merely based on appearance, she couldn’t have caught the eye of those “important figures”—she must have some exceptional qualities.

Dugu Ning was overwhelmed by their questions and remained silent, pretending not to have received them.

He only gave a hint to Wen Yan among the six, since the Wen family was on good terms with the Dugu family: “Do not provoke her under any circumstances.”

Wen Yan took a breath: “Could it be that Di Jun has truly developed feelings for this young lady?”

Dugu Ning didn’t answer.

Wen Yan frowned, remembering a cousin from her family who had secretly traveled to the lower realms multiple times, been caught and brought back several times, yet still kept going to the mortal realm: “They always say mortal women have extraordinary charm; it seems it’s true…”

Dugu Ning: “Well, I haven’t noticed Miss Xiang’s charm, I only know that when she goes berserk, it’s truly… unforgettable for me.”

Wen Yan was surprised: “Berserk?”

Dugu Ning didn’t explain further: “Just stay behaved; don’t underestimate her.”

Looking down on humans and viewing them as an inferior race was a common flaw throughout the Heavenly Race, from top to bottom.

…

Inside the sleeping quarters, Xiang Haikui nervously clenched her fists.

Jing Ran’s hand was already on the mechanism to open the secret chamber.

There were two secret chambers in his bedroom: one storing the Mountain Sea Clan’s formation disks, and one used to collect treasures looted from various races.

Not necessarily valuable, but like the Xuantian Mirror to the Heavenly Race, these treasures each had their significance.

They were purely collected as trophies.

The mechanism for the secret chamber was simple—two circular metal protrusions on the wall, somewhat like fingerprint locks.

“Elder.” Just as the mechanism was about to light up, Jing Ran suddenly lowered his hand.

Xiang Haikui’s heart skipped a beat.

Jing Ran turned to look at her, the exploration and scrutiny in his gaze becoming increasingly intense: “As you’ve seen along the way, those capable of entering Wentian Palace, avoiding guards and barrier formations to reach my sleeping quarters, currently number no more than three. Moreover, this mechanism will only activate when it senses my spiritual essence.”

Spiritual essence was unique to the Heavenly Race; blood relatives might have similar ones, but never identical.

Xiang Haikui snorted dismissively: “Then how did Han Qi manage it?”

Previously, Han Qi had diverted Dugu He and sneaked into the secret chamber to alter Qi Yin’s sealing formation disk.

He had no “spiritual essence” to provide to the mechanism, nor could he forge “spiritual essence” to deceive it, but he could dismantle the mechanism.

No matter how sensitive and intelligent the mechanism was, its physical form remained a magical treasure, not beyond Han Qi’s capabilities.

Mentioning this, Jing Ran’s eyes darkened: “This lord can guarantee to Elder that he is no longer capable of that. This lord is well aware that currently, these formation disks are most likely to be stolen by him.”

This statement confused Xiang Haikui: “Shouldn’t Han Qi be even more unwilling than you to let these Mountain Sea prisoners be released?”

In Han Qi’s eyes, her master and the others were all soulless killing machines.

Jing Ran’s expression grew gloomy: “That was before. My elder brother left a son who became Yin Changli’s servant. Although he’s been raised as a waste, he still has a royal bloodline, and it’s hard to guarantee Han Qi won’t develop other ideas… Serving me isn’t easy, but controlling that waste is very easy.”

Xiang Haikui frowned.

It seemed her boss had deep intentions in sending Xiao Bai to rescue those small race leaders and making him confront Han Qi.

Jing Ran noticed her thoughtful expression: “Is Elder perhaps concerned about Yin Changli?”

Xiang Haikui shook her head: “I know he can’t do it.”

When he surrendered after defeat, Yin Changli was branded with the mark of a Mountain Sea lowly commoner by the Heavenly Race.

The purpose of the mark wasn’t just humiliation. According to his explanation to Xiang Haikui, that mark functioned similarly to a tracking, positioning, and alarm device.

This way, the Heavenly Race could feel at ease sending them to various places for labor.

Of course, Yin Changli had long found a way to wash off the mark, but it had been carved into his body for over a hundred years, precisely during his growth period from small snake to large snake. No matter how thorough the cleansing, traces of its power had seeped into his bone marrow.

It was these trace marks, like being held by the throat by Jing Ran, that allowed him to sneak into other areas of the Heavenly Realm but prevented him from setting foot in the royal capital. No matter how he tried to hide, he would inevitably be exposed.

Jing Ran’s hand moved further from the mechanism: “So your sensing of the Heavenly Dao this time must be mistaken.”

Xiang Haikui knew it wouldn’t be that easy. He still doubted her identity, so she again used the countermeasure Yin Changli had taught her: “That heaven-destroying divine weapon, do you know what it is?”

Jing Ran’s gaze deepened: “Could it be that Elder…?”

Xiang Haikui shook her head: “I don’t know.”

Jing Ran frowned in thought: “A divine weapon capable of destroying my entire race shouldn’t be meant for stealing formation disks…”

The Mountain Sea prisoners were certainly brave warriors, but they weren’t undefeatable; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been captured back then.

Even if Yin Changli joined as their leader now, and the Heavenly Race unfortunately lost the war, they still couldn’t be destroyed.

Xiang Haikui watched him think, knowing he would surely err on the side of caution.

Sure enough, his hand hesitantly moved back to the mechanism, his palm gradually releasing a pure golden light.

She held her breath, her heart racing once more.

As he called out “Elder,” that golden light dispersed!

Damn it, Xiang Haikui gritted her teeth: “What now?!”

Jing Ran asked in a deep voice: “When you previously sensed the existence of the ‘divine weapon,’ what did you write on the Xuantian Mirror? Do you still remember?”

Xiang Haikui sneered: “You are quite suspicious.”

Fortunately, Yin Changli had anticipated what he would ask and had already asked the companion spirit.

He had also instructed her not to answer without thinking; if her acting skills were poor, she should look down at her toes and count to seven in her mind.

After doing so, Xiang Haikui raised her head and recited: “In your brother’s hands, there may be a divine weapon. The Heavenly Race’s downfall is imminent.”

The clouds of doubt in Jing Ran’s eyes finally dispersed.

The golden light in his palm appeared again, growing increasingly brilliant. From Xiang Haikui’s angle, he seemed to be holding a small sun.

After just a few moments, the “small sun” extinguished again!

Xiang Haikui was furious!

His fingers rhythmically tapped the wall as Jing Ran mused: “No matter how this lord searches, I cannot find a reasonable explanation for why Mirror Spirit Elder would look exactly like Xiang Haikui.”

Including her tone when mocking him. “Could you open the sword case? This lord wishes to see what’s inside.”

Surely even Tiankuang couldn’t be replicated?

That was a sword unique in the world.

It had pierced his heart, consumed his blood energy, and reached its peak through him.

He should be able to recognize it.

Xiang Haikui’s face turned ashen, her lips tightly pressed together.

Seeing her expression, Jing Ran’s gaze gradually deepened: “As you said, the Heavenly Race deteriorates with each generation. This incompetent lord, after being wounded by Tiankuang, has not fully recovered even now, and truly dares not risk it. I hope Elder understands…”

Xiang Haikui’s patience was completely exhausted. She wanted to angrily retort, “Is that so! I’m old, my temper is bad, and I hit people ferociously—please understand that too!”

Then, grab the Xuantian Mirror placed on the table and smash it against his forehead!

She dared, but couldn’t. One such blow would give her away.

The formation disks were just a wall away. Whether she could rescue her master from prison ahead of schedule depended on this one move. She must remain calm!

As for checking Tiankuang, her boss had anticipated this as well.

Unable to tamper with Tiankuang, she had to take a risk.

Xiang Haikui untied the shoulder strap, held the sword case in her hand, and passed it over.

Jing Ran reached out to take it.

Xiang Haikui asked: “You’ve been back from reincarnation for quite some time, your cultivation has fully recovered, why haven’t you discarded your human appearance?”

Her sudden question caused Jing Ran’s outstretched hand to pause in mid-air.

Xiang Haikui slightly raised her chin: “Unhealed injuries shouldn’t affect your return to your original appearance, right?”

Jing Ran pressed down on the sword case again: “It’s just an appearance.”

“Just?” Xiang Haikui brazenly examined this face she knew all too well, the face belonging to “senior.”

Jing Ran suddenly felt his face burn and avoided her gaze, his hand unnaturally hovering around the edge of the sword case.

Xiang Haikui’s gaze was piercing: “The reason you don’t change your appearance might be the same reason I would take on this appearance. I’m more curious than the Di Jun—why not tell me?”

His lips moved slightly.

“It’s merely an appearance. Why is Elder so fixated on this?” The case seemed to burn his hand as Jing Ran withdrew it and once again covered the mechanism on the wall.

The golden light flashed so brightly that Xiang Haikui had to turn away, though she inwardly sneered.

Humming…

The secret chamber door slowly opened.

Tiankuang’s vibration frequency had broken records. If not for Jing Ran blocking part of it in front, the thick demonic energy rushing out would have nearly made Xiang Haikui cough up blood.

She forcibly stabilized herself, calming her rapid heartbeat, shouldered the sword case again, picked up the Xuantian Mirror, and mentally rehearsed the steps.

After entering, pretend to sense the Heavenly Dao’s guidance, and ask Jing Ran to leave first.

Put the formation disks into the Qiankun bag Yin Changli gave her, while reciting the spell to activate the Xuantian Mirror. Once the companion spirit or Blood Rakshasa sensed it, they would open the passage connecting to the Nightmare Prison and bring her back.

If Jing Ran was too vigilant and insisted on staying, her only option would be to transform into a horned dragon, suck all the formation disks into her stomach, activate the Xuantian Mirror, and return in dragon form.

The passage between the mirror and the Nightmare Prison wasn’t easy to traverse. As long as the companion spirit didn’t want to let Jing Ran in, he couldn’t enter.

Xiang Haikui did truly want him to meet the companion spirit, to see his expression upon learning that the lofty Heavenly Race had been played like fools by a nightmare spirit.

But the condition for the companion spirit to help her steal the formation disks was not to expose the existence of the Nightmare Prison.

She had sworn an oath and dared not act recklessly.

“Please.” The door had been open for quite some time before Jing Ran spoke.

Xiang Haikui carried the Xuantian Mirror and passed by him: “I’ll go in to sense things; you guard outside.”

Jing Ran hesitated: “Mm.”

Xiang Haikui: “Close the door.”

He touched the mechanism again, and the two jade stone doors slowly closed.

Xiang Haikui grew suspicious—he had agreed too readily. Could he have discovered something and intended to trap her here?

No matter; with the Xuantian Mirror in hand, she couldn’t be trapped, which suited her perfectly.

Xiang Haikui had wanted to turn her head and give him a mocking smile, but instead saw him close his eyes, two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, appearing troubled and disturbed.

Xiang Haikui’s upturned corners of her mouth quickly dropped.

Her boss had said this was a gamble, betting that Jing Ran still had feelings for her.

With his pride, he wouldn’t admit it in his heart, and under questioning, he would likely lose his composure.

When saying this, her boss’s expression was somewhat bitter.

It seemed Jing Ran had indeed lost his composure.

So, did he have feelings for her?

Xiang Haikui was quite certain that previously, she had been nothing more than a somewhat favored pet to Jing Ran, kept around for amusement and conveniently used.

If he truly had feelings, it would have been after she stabbed him.

The woman who once had eyes only for him, who disregarded life and death to rush forward and embrace his legs, suddenly resolved to be earth-shatteringly decisive. He was stimulated, he was shocked.

Was this love?

This was pathetic!

Those clichés of playboys turning back, scoundrels suddenly awakening—Xiang Haikui used to love watching such dramas.

When it happened to her, she only felt disgusted.

Moreover, this scoundrel would never truly awaken or acknowledge he had done wrong.

Everything was simply because she, a lowly mortal woman, didn’t know what was good for her.

Just before the stone doors completely closed, Xiang Haikui turned around early.

With her back to him, her gaze ice-cold, she walked towards the depths of the secret chamber, withstanding the terrifying demonic power.

One disk per slot, thirty-seven formation disks floated regularly overhead.

The formation disks looked exactly like feng shui compasses from the outside, with no names written on them. Xiang Haikui had no idea who was who, and naturally couldn’t pick out which one belonged to Qi Yin.

If she could release them all, Xiang Haikui could simply damage all the formation disks.

Unfortunately, among the thirty-seven bigwigs, only nineteen had reached an agreement with Yin Changli.

The content of the agreement was essentially that they must obey, give up seeking revenge against the Heavenly Race, constantly restrain themselves, and not fight unnecessarily except in necessary warfare.

Fighting must not harm innocents.

Especially humans.

Yin Changli had long defined the Mountain Sea Clan’s activity areas, separated from humans by layers of mountains and seas. Unless necessary, they were not to arbitrarily enter human territories.

Those who didn’t agree couldn’t be released.

Not only were they major threats in themselves, but with their “underworld status,” the many Mountain Sea clansmen already under Yin Changli’s control would lose control again.

The world would certainly fall into chaos.

The storage bracelet couldn’t hold these formation disks. Xiang Haikui fixed the Xuantian Mirror not far away, then took out a large-capacity “Qiankun bag” from her bracelet.

Loosening the string, the bag opened upward, and a greenish-brown smoke flew out from inside, continuously expanding upward.

Xiang Haikui silently recited the incantation, using her mind to guide the smoke to wrap around the formation disks.

Then, a massive attractive force emerged from within the “Qiankun bag,” pulling on the formation disks.

Although they appeared no larger than a washbasin, each formation disk weighed at least several tons.

Pulling them was quite strenuous, requiring considerable time.

One formation disk was particularly heavy, taking several times longer to pull than the others. Xiang Haikui suspected it was her master’s.

“Hurry!”

Xiang Haikui occasionally glanced at the closed doors of the secret chamber, worried that Jing Ran would discover what was happening.

In the Nightmare Prison.

The companion spirit said, “I directly consumed her soul with my divine consciousness and occupied her physical body when Shen Yun was seven months pregnant.”

“Because I discovered that the fetus in her womb also had a tiny bit of the divine arrow’s power. Although it was minimal, it couldn’t be overlooked, so through the final three months of pregnancy, I completely absorbed all the divine arrow’s power from within the fetus.”

“The reason I’m now in seclusion to recover is precisely because of the excessive consumption during that previous journey to the mortal realm.”

Cultivating until now, after sending off several generations of Di Jun, it had only cultivated a strand of divine consciousness that could venture out.

As Yin Changli listened to its narrative, he occasionally revealed thought-provoking expressions.

It looked back: “What are you surprised about?”

Yin Changli couldn’t understand: “You could have told me that you chose Shen Yun first, then approached Xiang Heng, subsequently conceived little Kui, nurtured her for ten months, raised her for five years…”

In that case, the companion spirit would truly be little Kui’s mother in the real sense.

This was the answer Yin Changli least wanted to hear.

But with this account, it had completely classified itself as little Kui’s adoptive mother.

Most importantly, it had created the blood feud of killing her mother.

Yin Changli now had fewer concerns.

The companion spirit laughed: “Do I need your mercy? If you were confident you could defeat me in my domain, you wouldn’t have sent little Kui away.”

Yin Changli frankly admitted: “Yes, I wasn’t confident I could protect her fully while dealing with you.”

In that room connected to the Xuantian Mirror, Blood Rakshasa, who was guarding the formation and waiting to assist Xiang Haikui, overheard their conversation and learned many significant “secrets.”

It wasn’t eavesdropping; Yin Changli had permitted him to listen, otherwise, he would have set up barriers.

He understood that since they had stumbled upon this place, this demonic spirit had determined it was heaven-sent aid, with no intention of letting them leave.

In its territory, without killing it, leaving wouldn’t be easy.

If Xiang Haikui hadn’t proposed stealing the formation disks, it would have led her to threaten Yin Changli, achieving her goal of inciting war.

Not to mention how strong the demonic spirit was; as Xiang Haikui’s adoptive mother, controlling her would be too easy, impossible to guard against.

Blood Rakshasa suddenly realized how truly miserable Yin Changli was—every being, human or ghost, wanted to grab Xiang Haikui to threaten him.

Even Blood Rakshasa himself had done it.

All because this dog was too unyielding, and a weakness was rare.

Thinking further, what had Xiang Haikui done to deserve this? Both her love interest and her adoptive mother wanted to use her as a weapon. How pitiful.

Yin Changli was truly an ill-starred person, bringing misfortune to anyone close to him.

The companion spirit, however, appreciated Yin Changli’s honesty and smiled: “Moreover, if I lied to you, would you show me mercy? You wouldn’t. Your relentless questioning is merely to consider how to kill me—more gently, or more brutally.”

“Correct.” Yin Changli would certainly kill it.

He wasn’t a deeply resentful person and was good at endurance, good at deliberating before acting.

There was no choice but to plan; at their level of cultivation, a fight could last dozens or hundreds of days without determining a winner.

Even in victory, relying on force to ensure the opponent was truly dead wasn’t easy. Each had nine lives like a cat.

So, Yin Changli had never truly experienced the emotion of “today I must fight someone to the death.”

The companion spirit had given him that experience.

Yin Changli bent down and gave it a deep bow: “In any case, thank you, Elder, for your honest disclosure. This bow is to thank you for the kindness of raising little Kui for those five years.”

The companion spirit was slightly moved: “Little Kui… she was a very sensible child from a young age, understanding how to consider others. Little Dragon, you have good taste.”

“Yes, being able to discover this treasure earlier than others will be an achievement I take pride in.” After bowing, Yin Changli straightened his back.

With respect set aside, his gaze was like icicles hanging from eaves in deep winter—cold and sharp.

“Shuluoye’s vengeance, the vengeance of my clansmen and me—these can wait,” after all, they were in the past, “but you shouldn’t have tried to take little Kui’s life…”

“It’s not me who wants her life, it’s you!” the companion spirit shouted. “It’s because of your stubborn obstinacy that I had no choice but to sacrifice her!”

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

“Is that so?” Yin Changli’s brow gradually revealed a patch of black scales as he questioned fiercely, “Even if I released all the prisoners, causing chaos throughout the world to satisfy your wishes, could little Kui escape calamity? Could Xiang Heng?”

The companion spirit’s mind shook—he had thought of this too?!

Yin Changli’s gaze was frost-cold: “After Xiang Heng dies by your hand, would little Kui let it go? With what kind of emotions would she fight you to the death, and would you show her mercy?!”

Xiang Heng didn’t die when he lost the divine arrow’s power, but he died several years later.

Someone knocked on the door while he was sleeping; he opened it, went out, fell, and died from the fall.

Then his soul left his body and came to this world, along with all the companion spirits.

After stealing the divine arrow back, this demonic spirit discovered that piercing through the walls between two worlds wasn’t as simple as it imagined.

It needed not only a larger-scale war but also a target.

Just like how the divine stone used to forge the Heavenly Martial Divine Arrow came from the Heavenly Martial Tribe of the greater world. After shooting the divine arrow, it had a high probability of going to the Heavenly Martial Tribe of the greater world.

Then, their small world would connect with the greater world.

This demonic spirit must have realized the target problem after stealing the divine arrow back.

When it used the divine arrow in the demon realm, it wouldn’t hit wherever it aimed; the divine arrow was very likely to fly toward Xiang Heng.

If Xiang Heng were still on Earth, the demon realm would connect with Earth, which wasn’t its intended destination.

Earth belonged to the three thousand greater worlds, and the demonic spirit wasn’t arrogant enough to not know its limitations, leading its dream beast army to conquer an unknown greater world.

Therefore, Xiang Heng’s “crossing over” to their small world, obtaining a physical body with decent talents, was all to serve as its target!

Soon after, when the demonic spirit shoots an arrow imbued with nightmare power at him, Xiang Heng won’t be able to withstand it and will certainly die!

But the gate to this demon realm would finally be opened!

Yin Changli vaguely gained some other insights—Xiang Heng’s original fate line was to become Xiang Tianqing’s stepping stone, dying at Xiang Tianqing’s hands.

Perhaps it was the Heavenly Dao trying to eliminate this hidden danger, preventing their small world from becoming a purgatory.

Yet this was forcibly changed by his and Han Qi’s intervention.

On that fate line, little Kui died even earlier than Xiang Heng. Did this indicate she also had the potential to be a “target”?

Setting aside this terrifying possibility for now, just to prevent little Kui from facing the situation where her “adoptive mother” killed her “birth father,” Yin Changli must emulate the Heavenly Dao and eliminate this hidden danger in advance.

Reclaim the divine arrow’s power and destroy it!

“Did that girl know when she left?” Blood Rakshasa rushed out of the secret chamber. “You surely wouldn’t have told her directly that the demonic spirit is her adoptive mother, but did you secretly tell her not to steal the formation disks and to escape directly through the Heavenly Well?”

The Heavenly Well was the passage between the upper and lower realms.

Yin Changli remained silent.

Blood Rakshasa thought: This is bad. Judging by Xiang Haikui’s eager appearance when leaving to steal the formation disks, she likely knew nothing.

It made sense—that girl wore her emotions on her face. If Yin Changli had told her, her expression would have changed, and the demonic spirit would have noticed, making escape impossible.

“Then why aren’t you making your move yet?” Blood Rakshasa was more anxious than him.

Once Xiang Haikui stole the formation disks, she would recite the incantation to return through the Xuantian Mirror.

The demonic spirit was the master of this place and the creator of the Xuantian Mirror passage. Even if they knew it planned to destroy Xiang Haikui and the formation disks within the passage, they couldn’t stop it.

The only solution was to kill the demonic spirit before Xiang Haikui returned.

Was it possible?

Difficult.

If so, why waste time talking with it earlier?

Oh, no wonder the demonic spirit had been so cooperative, answering every question—it was trying to delay.

Blood Rakshasa guessed it must fear Yin Changli too.

It feared that if they fought, no one would attend to the Xuantian Mirror, and he, as the Dream Sword, might successfully bring Xiang Haikui back, possibly even dragging the Di Jun in as well.

Once the Di Jun learned he had been deceived for so many years, tsk tsk…

Yin Changli seemed to hear his thoughts and mocked: “You think the Di Jun would join forces with me to kill it after finding out? When he learns that the heaven-destroying divine weapon doesn’t exist, he’ll first ally with the companion spirit to eliminate me, then make a deal with it.”

Blood Rakshasa was shocked: “No way? From what I know, this Di Jun is quite arrogant?”

He always believed the Heavenly Race was the superior race, and all other races must submit—if they didn’t submit, he would kill until they did.

Finding out he had been deceived for years, even going through reincarnation as someone else’s pawn, wasn’t that trampling on his dignity? Could he tolerate that?

Yin Changli raised an eyebrow: “You think his position as hegemon of the three realms was achieved solely through brutal force?

How many Mountain Sea bigwigs were imprisoned through his schemes rather than strength?

When Han Qi plotted against him before, even at the height of his anger, he didn’t openly break ties with Han Qi, still sending him on missions.

He assigned Han Qi to specifically handle racial affairs just because the Heavenly Race finds it inconvenient to go to the lower realms, and because Han Qi alone equals an army of a hundred thousand?

After crossing swords with him, Yin Changli understood—he was assimilating Han Qi.

Initially, Han Qi truly took on racial affairs to advocate for human interests.

But the more he did it, the more desensitized he became.

Gradually, Han Qi would be influenced by Di Jun’s way of doing things, becoming more and more like him.

The Di Jun could then better control him, and through him, control those elite humans who had ascended behind him.

Giving resources to humans didn’t worry the Di Jun. Though humans were numerous, their talents were limited.

No matter how they developed, only a small handful could climb to the peak, unable to shake their position.

Yet with this small concession, he could grasp all the peak figures of humanity in his palm.

Most frightening of all, Han Qi still thought he was getting the better deal.

“Then stop wasting words! Let’s kill it together before that girl returns!” Blood Rakshasa, always a lone wolf without even a sect, naturally didn’t understand these power dynamics.

Pointing his sword at the companion spirit, he shouted: “A demonic spirit that covets world chaos must be killed by all!”

The companion spirit burst into laughter.

Blood Rakshasa: “What are you laughing at?”

“Laughing at your overestimation of yourself. Both of us excel at controlling dreams, but you’re just a grandson trying to fight against a grandfather?” Yin Changli gave him a disdainful look. “Even I’m not confident of beating it, what hero are you trying to be?”

As he spoke, the black scales on his brow suddenly brightened and flew out.

He slightly raised his right arm, and the black scales landed in his palm, transforming into a cluster of black fire that blazed fiercely.

The flames crackled, and a strange current of air rose from the ground. In the howling wind, his light gray sleeves puffed up.

Killing intent, like a tidal wave, spread outward in all directions from his center.

The wind swept away clouds, an imposing presence.

When the thick killing intent struck, Blood Rakshasa couldn’t help but shiver, even the Dream Sword in his hand trembling slightly.

For years, Yin Changli, this fortune-telling charlatan, had given him a fixed impression: if he could escape, he wouldn’t deceive; if he could deceive, he wouldn’t fight; if he had to fight, he would still deceive while fighting.

In short, Blood Rakshasa was more annoyed by his verbal tactics than impressed by his profound cultivation.

But now, he was unleashing his killing intent without reservation.

He had decided not to attack the mind, not to scheme, and regardless of the cost, to fight the companion spirit to the death.

In the brief moment, Blood Rakshasa shuddered, the overwhelming killing aura condensed into countless energy swords.

Yin Changli formed a hand seal, and millions of sharp swords swiftly changed direction.

The sword hilts pointed toward the palace, but all the sword tips pointed outward.

Those dream beasts and monsters trying to approach the palace instantly turned to dust!

Blood Rakshasa was astonished. He didn’t know the name of this sword formation, but it was at least on par with Jin Ling’s royal city-sealing formation.

Even if the three Sword Venerable Masters joined forces, they might not last fifteen minutes against it.

Yet he claimed he wasn’t confident of defeating the demonic spirit?

Understanding now, Blood Rakshasa immediately sheathed his sword and retreated behind Yin Changli: “You deal with the demonic spirit, I’ll handle those nightmare beasts outside. Don’t be distracted.”

Knowing when to yield was why he had risen to become a Sword Venerable Master—he always knew who the real boss was at crucial moments.

The companion spirit didn’t know what treasure the black fire in Yin Changli’s hand was, but it sensed that the sword formation’s power came from this black fire: “Is this all? If so…”

Yin Changli chuckled, interrupting it: “What are you thinking? Have you ever seen anyone play cards and start with their strongest hand in the opening move?”

He had learned this expression from Xiang Haikui.

When he had lost his memory and “descended” to blend in with mortals, to get closer to his beloved little Kui, he had learned many such phrases.

The companion spirit was momentarily speechless, needing a moment to recall the meaning of these words.

It had lived on Earth before, but only for a few short years.

In its long life, that experience was like a brief dream during an afternoon nap.

Admittedly, this dream was somewhat different.

Compared to the countless dreams it had experienced, this one had some vibrant colors and left a particularly deep impression.

Whenever it recalled those memories, its lips would involuntarily curve into a smile.

But that was all…

“But if you don’t use your full power, how will you subdue me before little Kui returns?” The companion spirit laughed, and a “vine” sprouted from its spine, growing wildly upon contact with air, crawling all over the palace.

A smell of decay and rot permeated the air, constantly clashing with the energy swords condensed from killing intent, producing sizzling sounds of scorching.

Yin Changli’s already fair complexion lost even more color, but the smile on his face contained a hint of cunning: “Oh? Are you so certain she can get the formation disks?”

“With timing, location, and people all aligned, it’s not difficult, is it?”

“Indeed, it’s not difficult, but after getting the formation disks, she won’t come back.”

“What do you mean?” The companion spirit didn’t believe it. It was certain Xiang Haikui had left without knowing anything, focused entirely on stealing the formation disks.

If she succeeded, she would return.

Yin Changli’s eyes curved in a smile: “That little muddle-head has a terrible memory. She got the ‘knocking’ incantation wrong.”

All thirty-seven formation disks were stored in the Qiankun bag, and Xiang Haikui was drenched in sweat.

She tightened the bag’s opening and held it in her hand.

Then, facing the Xuantian Mirror, she silently recited the incantation.

After completing the long string of words, the Xuantian Mirror showed no reaction whatsoever.

She frowned, stepped forward, placed her hand on the cold mirror surface, and repeated the incantation, but still nothing happened.

After reciting it more than a dozen times in succession, there was still no response.

What was going on?

Xiang Haikui was dumbfounded.

She had suspected something might have gone wrong on Yin Changli’s end, but had it become so serious in such a short time that neither he nor Blood Rakshasa could spare the attention to bring her back?

Or was there an issue with the incantation?

The incantation to activate the Xuantian Mirror was taught by the companion spirit. Xiang Haikui had just memorized it once when Yin Changli began transmitting instructions about other matters.

Such as things to note when dealing with Jing Ran.

After finishing, he had her repeat it, but then suddenly mentioned the incantation again, asking if she still remembered it.

The incantation was as complex as code; how could she remember it after hearing it just once? She scratched her head, and just as she was about to ask the companion spirit again, Yin Changli taught her once more.

The incantation was broadly similar, but not the original version. Xiang Haikui hadn’t noticed at the time, repeatedly memorizing the incorrect version.

That must be it!

Xiang Haikui was shocked—Yin Changli didn’t intend for her to return?!

Recalling his words and behavior, Xiang Haikui guessed that initially he hadn’t had this idea; it was after an internal struggle that he finally decided.

She was in trouble now. Xiang Haikui, holding the heavy Qiankun bag, suddenly lost her balance and stumbled backward.

Tiankuang released a sword energy from within the case, like a powerful hand pushing hard against her back.

After steadying herself, Xiang Haikui slapped her forehead, forcing herself to calm down and think.

If Jing Ran had followed her in earlier, and she had forcibly seized the formation disks, only to discover the incantation was wrong when trying to escape, what would her situation be now?

Would he not have realized?

If staying in the nightmare was more terrifying than her current situation, he could have simply told her the truth. She was clear-headed; she would have left!

At the same time, she wouldn’t have bothered stealing the formation disks while fencing with Jing Ran; she would have escaped directly back to the mortal realm through the Heavenly “Well.”

Yet he hadn’t said a word, leaving her unprepared.

There were two possibilities: he worried her acting skills weren’t good enough, and the companion spirit would see through her, making escape impossible.

Or, after learning the truth, she might lose her clarity and refuse to leave, causing even bigger troubles.

Xiang Haikui dared not think deeply about what truth could make her lose her clarity.

One thing was certain: the path Yin Changli had chosen for her was the result of his careful deliberation.

It was the most viable option.

It was what was best for her.

On this point, Xiang Haikui had never doubted.

“You…!?” The companion spirit was furious!

The nightmare power and Yin Changli’s killing swords were still locked in a stalemate, like pillars maintaining the palace’s structure.

In its rage, the companion spirit’s nightmare power gained the upper hand over Yin Changli.

The palace shook violently, threatening to crumble to dust at any moment.

Blood Rakshasa, suppressed by these two forces, couldn’t straighten his back. One was demonic energy, one was evil energy—neither righteous energy—both severely restraining him.

Supporting himself with his sword, he looked at Yin Changli: “That’s easy to say, but that girl’s situation outside won’t be much better than staying here.”

“No, it’s much better.” Yin Changli’s voice was deeper than before as he withstood the companion spirit’s power. “The Di Jun won’t kill her for now.”

Di Jun’s feelings for her were only a small part of the reason, almost negligible.

When necessary, the Di Jun would undoubtedly kill her.

But in the current situation, there was no necessity.

Little Kui was still his, Yin Changli’s, “weakness”—for the Di Jun, she had complete utilitarian value.

“Thankfully, little Kui doesn’t have such strong pride; she knows how to leverage her value. The worst outcome is suffering some injuries…”

Yin Changli’s expression was hard to discern. Suddenly, he looked directly at the companion spirit. “The Di Jun can no longer hurt her, but you can.”

Here, “hurt” didn’t refer to physical injury.

“Demonic spirit, I now have ample time to battle with you. Surrender the divine arrow willingly, and I might consider sealing your demonic realm, letting you fade naturally. Otherwise, I will scatter you to dust!”

As Yin Changli finished speaking, his killing intent surged, and the black fire in his palm suddenly expanded!

In an instant, it reversed the pressure against the nightmare power!

The surrounding swords, originally pointing outward, rotated with his will, clanging as they turned, all pointing toward the companion spirit!

—What now?

Xiang Haikui had a headache.

With the Xuantian Mirror path blocked, the only way to leave the Heavenly Race was through the “Well.”

“Well” was the name of a type of tree.

This tree belonged to a branch of the divine Jianmu Tree. It was hollow, with its entire body above the roots in the Heavenly Realm, while its roots extended downward, penetrating the barrier between the Heavenly and Human Realms. After entering the tree canopy through the trunk, it was like a slide leading to the Human Realm.

Once, there were many Heavenly Wells, but many years ago, the Heavenly Race sealed a large number, keeping only a small portion for passage.

Because the wells’ existence caused the Heavenly Realm’s pure spiritual energy to flow downward constantly, something the Heavenly Race certainly wouldn’t allow.

The previous Di Jun had even begun reverse operations, cultivating new tree species to channel the Heavenly Realm’s impure energy downward.

The Mountain Sea Clan had been fighting against this, calling the new tree species “Demon Wells.”

Whenever the Heavenly Race planted them, they would destroy them. After destruction, Qi Yin would transform the tree roots into swords and pin them to the plaque of Wentian Palace, eventually triggering war.

Though the Mountain Sea Clan was defeated, they had killed all the Heavenly Race bigwigs capable of cultivating Demon Wells, and all the Demon Well seeds were destroyed.

However, it was said that Jing Ran had again allocated substantial “funds,” gathering a group to resume cultivating Demon Wells.

Setting that aside, the well nearest to the royal capital was at Han Qi’s residence, located east of the royal palace. Though still within the royal capital, it was quite remote.

Jing Ran had never completely dispelled his doubts about her. Taking these formation disks to the Heavenly Dao Palace wouldn’t be difficult, but going elsewhere was impossible.

Especially positions near the “Well”—it would be self-incriminating.

Tiankuang was extremely irritated, constantly striking the sword case, as if saying: What are you still considering? If you can’t deceive, of course, you must seize by force! Listen to me, swallow the Qiankun bag now and transform into a horned dragon, flying straight to the Well!

Once inside the Well, neither Jing Ran nor the Heavenly Race’s First Sword Dugu He would find it easy to catch her.

The Heavenly Realm’s sealing of numerous “Wells” had created a disadvantage for them.

The Heavenly Race people constantly breathed pure spiritual energy—like people who had drunk pure water since birth getting diarrhea from polluted water—they found it difficult to endure the impure air of the lower realms.

So the Heavenly Race usually sent avatars to the lower realms, unable to stay long, and needing to seize mortal bodies.

Someone of Jing Ran’s level didn’t need this, but his power would still be restricted in the turbid mortal realm.

And a transformed Xiang Haikui, as a horned dragon, had an astonishing flight speed.

After descending to the mortal realm, Jing Ran might not be able to catch up with her.

But…

Xiang Haikui mentally suppressed Tiankuang: “Dream on!”

Thirty-seven formation disks gathered together, even with their weight halved by the Qiankun bag, could still flatten a mountain if thrown.

Even she, accustomed to heavy swords, needed Thousand-Jun gloves to lift them.

After swallowing them, her flight speed would decrease, and her form would become clumsy.

However, there was a way to compensate for the flying disadvantage…

But that wouldn’t work either. No matter how fast she could fly, Jing Ran might still capture her during takeoff.

The golden whip in Jing Ran’s hand, made from Candle Dragon skin and Immovable Dragon bone, severely restricted her; she simply couldn’t break free from it.

It had been cut by Yin Changli before; she wasn’t sure if he had a second one.

Tiankuang struck more fiercely: What do you mean? You’ve already put everything in the bag; are you going to take them out again?!

Xiang Haikui bit her lip. Though she didn’t know which one, her master’s formation disk was in her hand. Giving up at the last step was indeed hard to accept!

But what could she do if she couldn’t accept it?

Tiankuang: “Risk it! How will you know if you can do it without trying?”

“Haven’t we risked it before? Previously in Bi’an City, have you forgotten?” Xiang Haikui reminded Tiankuang. “Back then, he had just awakened from reincarnation, his heart pierced, his abdomen mangled, yet when I transformed into a horned dragon, he could still restrain me…”

Moreover, his cultivation had fully recovered now. He was among the top-tier existences in this world, a ceiling-level presence.

Without the Xuantian Mirror as a convenient door, it was impossible to escape with the formation disks from under his nose.

Impossible!

Tiankuang: So what? Qi Yin fought to the death to support you, and this is how you repay him? You coward, where did your courage and arrogance from fighting him earlier go?!

Xiang Haikui: “If fighting to the death could succeed, I would willingly risk it, but the chance is too slim; there’s no need! Without the formation disks, the boss can still break the formations one by one to rescue people through his abilities. There’s still hope…”

Tiankuang roared: That stinking snake doesn’t know what he’s facing; what if he dies!

Xiang Haikui was silent for a moment: “Shut your filthy mouth!”

Emotions surged, resentment churned, and a layer of blood-colored mist covered her eyes.

This was the biggest drawback of Tiankuang at max level—she easily lost her rationality at the slightest provocation.

But arguments aside, Xiang Haikui had to admit Tiankuang had a point this time. What if Yin Changli…

No, no, no!

She kicked this thought out of her mind.

Recently, Yin Changli had been so gentle with her, gradually soothing her many previous grievances with his tenderness.

So much so that she found him increasingly agreeable, almost forgetting he was a cunning old dog.

When sending her away, there wasn’t a hint of “farewell forever” in his eyes.

Nor was there “regret”—if he had calculated death, he would have regretted it, since he still hadn’t won her over yet.

But even if he could remain safe and sound, her master’s formation was the most difficult to handle.

At least ten bigwigs would need to be released first, working together to unseal the Ten Thousand Bones Pit, taking at least one or two hundred years.

Whether complications would arise during this period, no one could guarantee. Even Yin Changli himself dared not promise he could rescue her master.

Previously, there had been no choice—he couldn’t come to the Heavenly Realm or approach the royal palace.

Now, with the formation disks in hand, asking her to put them back… though she might say she had no choice, her hands simply wouldn’t obey; they refused to let go of the Qiankun bag.

Moreover, if she really put the formation disks back today, she would never be able to suppress Tiankuang again in the future. Her cultivation would likely stop at this level!

Xiang Haikui steeled her resolve.

Sensing her determination, Tiankuang immediately transformed anger into excitement.

But she didn’t rush to transform. Instead, she raised her arm and summoned a short arrow.

Years ago, before her boss went into hibernation, he had given her three arrows, each pointing to three Mountain Sea bigwigs.

Xiang Haikui had used two, summoning Wu Xiang and Ba Ying, with one left unused before her boss awakened.

Later, when she wanted to return it to him, he didn’t take it, letting her keep it for emergencies.

He also told her that this last arrow pointed to a Vermilion Bird Clan bigwig.

Among all creatures in heaven and earth, birds had the fastest flight speed.

The Vermilion Bird must have flying divine abilities.

Xiang Haikui needed to borrow flying divine abilities to increase her chances.

She produced a needle and carved words on the arrowhead, hoping the Vermilion Bird bigwig could spare more divine consciousness to assist her.

It would certainly cause significant damage to the bigwig, but the formation disks also contained a share for the bigwig, so there was no reason to refuse.

—”Greetings, Vermilion Bird Elder. This junior, Xiang Haikui, seeks your assistance…”

After carving, she infused spiritual power into the arrowhead and waved, letting it fly.

Previously, when releasing arrowheads, she had deliberately gone to open, uninhabited places, but it was unnecessary.

She had underestimated her boss’s skill in crafting magical tools. Once released, the arrowhead would merge with the air, making it difficult for anyone except her and the targeted bigwig to capture it.

Its penetrating power was equally extraordinary. The secret chamber’s walls were like water, rippling only briefly after penetration, leaving no trace.

Xiang Haikui suspected these three arrowheads might have been made from scraps of the “Heavenly Martial Divine Arrow.”

“Elder?” Jing Ran’s voice suddenly sounded from outside.

Xiang Haikui was startled.

He had probably detected the ripples caused by the arrowhead, but fortunately, he hadn’t intercepted it.

“What do you want?” She feared if she remained silent, he would directly open the door and enter.

There was no response from outside, and Xiang Haikui didn’t press further.

After waiting for quite some time, she heard a “swoosh”—the arrowhead had returned.

Xiang Haikui was somewhat disappointed; only the arrowhead returned, with no divine consciousness from the Vermilion Bird bigwig.

Swish! Following her intuition, she reached out and grabbed a mass of air. The arrowhead materialized.

The arrowhead had been split in half, indicating the Vermilion Bird bigwig had kept one half.

—”Little Kui Flower, I can lend you the divine ability, keeping half the arrow to lock onto your position. I’ll come to assist you ten days later, after sunset. Take care.”

Wait ten days?

Xiang Haikui’s eyelid twitched. In ten days, her boss might have already arrived.

Did the Vermilion Bird bigwig need ten days to separate more divine consciousness?

That shouldn’t be the case. More likely, it had some quirk, like calculating that today wasn’t an auspicious day for Vermilion Birds to venture out, only suitable for Azure Dragons.

This wasn’t a joke; it was entirely possible.

If the Mountain Sea bigwigs had known how to prioritize, they wouldn’t have been imprisoned in the first place.

“Elder?” Jing Ran’s voice sounded again, probably detecting the energy once more, his suspicions growing.

Seeing the half arrowhead in her hand lose its spiritual power and turn to sparks, Xiang Haikui began to struggle with her decision.

Impersonating the mirror spirit could only fool Jing Ran temporarily; it wouldn’t work for long.

Moreover, even if she could deceive him, Xiang Haikui didn’t want to keep up the act with him.

Being able to face him and wanting to face him were two entirely different matters.

Acting for a few hours was fine, but for ten days?

To hell with that.

Xiang Haikui opened the sword case and threw the Qiankun bag inside, squeezing it together with Tiankuang.

When she transformed later, the Qiankun bag would already be in her stomach.

She decided to stay in the Heavenly Realm for ten days in a different way: “Tiankuang, if we’re going to do it, let’s go big!”