Xiang Haikui thought the same, glancing at Jing Ran beside her: “Doesn’t this count as forcing me to act?”

Then, looking at the father and son before her, “They don’t seem very cooperative, kneeling and trembling like this. I truly don’t have any desire to harm them.”

They underestimated her too much. She wasn’t like those Mountain and Sea powerhouses—as long as her demonic blood wasn’t controlling her too severely, she could still distinguish between priorities.

Even if she wanted to hack this trash to death with wild sword strikes, she had to restrain herself.

Moreover, her desire to take action truly wasn’t strong now.

Back then, her boss and master had trained her and dared to send her to Yin Sha to confront Meng Xilou without a trace of worry.

Xiang Haikui never understood where their confidence came from.

Was it because they believed in their teaching methods? Was Tian Kuang strong and domineering enough? Or was Xiang Haikui herself especially gifted?

None of these.

The real reason was that in her boss and master’s eyes, someone like Meng Xilou didn’t even register.

So when her enemy became Jing Ran, her master risked his life to support her.

The reason enemies stick in your eye and can’t be pulled out is that they’re difficult to defeat.

Looking at them today, they were nothing but a pitiful bunch.

Think about Meng Xilou, how indignant he must have been losing to a little human girl, his avatar dying without understanding why he lost.

He returned and rushed into seclusion to heal his wounds, eager to recover and go back to the lower realm to deal with her.

But when he emerges from seclusion, he’ll suddenly discover that in just over a decade, the outside world has completely turned upside down.

What expression would he have?

While her mind wandered, the Meng father and son felt waves of shock in their hearts.

They had been kneeling because they were caught red-handed by Di Jun earlier—as guilty people, they dared not stand.

But with her words, it seemed they were deliberately kneeling to diminish Xiang Haikui’s anger, unwilling to serve as Di Jun’s testing stone, sacrificing themselves for the conflict between the Heavenly Race and Mountain and Sea tribes.

“Father?” Meng Nanting couldn’t help sending a mental message under Di Jun’s nose, wanting his father to make a decision—whether to stand up and provoke Xiang Haikui.

The Meng family head gradually lost his composure.

If he didn’t provoke her now, he would bear the blame.

If he did provoke her and enraged her, he couldn’t bear the consequences.

Fortunately, Jing Ran resolved their dilemma, though with words that terrified them even more: “This Lord has no intention of forcing you to draw your sword. If you want to kill them, do so. The ‘drawing of the sword’ in our wager refers to you trying to seize the array disks, not taking revenge.”

He glanced at Meng Nanting, still feeling somewhat reluctant—he’d been well-cultivated, a good seedling, but… “If you don’t want to dirty your hands, this Lord can do it for you.”

The atmosphere in the Meng household, already oppressive as if dark clouds pressed down, now became a violent storm uprooting everything.

Meng Nanting hurriedly kowtowed: “Di Jun, spare my life!”

He had already guessed in his heart that Di Jun had changed his strategy.

After all, the two had once been in a relationship. Di Jun wanted to please her, to sway her with sentimentality.

He quickly kowtowed to Xiang Haikui as well: “Miss Xiang, I was blind and ignorant before, causing you harm. I know my crimes are unforgivable, but please spare my life for my sister’s sake!”

Xiang Haikui had no time to deal with Meng Nanting now; she couldn’t understand what Jing Ran was trying to do.

Meng Nanting continued: “Your father always loved my sister dearly. If my sister regains her identity and learns that you killed her brother, she might seek revenge against you. Your father, caught in the middle, would surely find it difficult…”

He was truly bringing up the worst possible topics. Xiang Haikui’s expression suddenly froze as she shot a murderous glare at him!

Her palm slapped the sword case with a series of “cracks,” and all the spiritual bricks in the courtyard that had already shown cracks turned to powder.

Amid this killing atmosphere came a sudden “boom”—the sound of a skull shattering!

Xiang Haikui was shocked.

The Meng family head had struck without warning, landing a heavy palm on Meng Nanting’s temple!

Though Meng Nanting had been constantly on guard, his divine sense and true energy came from the same source as his father’s.

His protective true energy couldn’t even be identified, let alone blocked the attack.

It was a sacrifice of a rook to save the king. With Meng Nanting’s intellect, he could have anticipated and even had a premonition that he would be sacrificed, but he still held a sliver of hope.

After all… they were father and son.

Even without this hope, he couldn’t evade.

Otherwise, his mother, who had no family background whatsoever, would suffer.

As he fell, he looked at the Meng family head with eyes showing no surprise or sadness, but rather a form of entreaty.

The Meng family head understood his request and promised with his eyes: I will treat your mother well.

After Meng Nanting’s breath ceased, the Meng family head’s face contorted with pain, seemingly struggling to contain himself: “Miss Xiang, all the plans regarding my daughter after she descended to the mortal realm were this unfilial son’s doing. Is this resolution satisfactory to you?”

Xiang Haikui remained silent for a long time.

She seemed to somewhat understand why Xiang Tianqing’s heart was filled with her father, fearing that she might dilute this paternal love.

Her mood grew increasingly irritable as she looked toward Jing Ran.

This despicable man wanted both to please her and disturb her mind—a two-pronged approach with guaranteed profit.

Meng Nanting deserved to die; he had nearly killed Lu Xiqiao and ambushed her, causing severe injuries.

If not for that, she wouldn’t have been forced into dual cultivation with her boss, and subsequent events wouldn’t have occurred.

But comparatively, she found Jing Ran’s attitude of treating lives as chess pieces even more detestable!

The demonic blood gradually boiled in her body. If she stayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to control her emotions.

Gritting her teeth, she resolutely picked up her sword case, turned around, and strode out of the Meng residence.

“Little Kui.” Jing Ran turned to pursue her.

Xiang Haikui walked on foot toward the royal palace.

Jing Ran caught up: “I brought you here for revenge, yet you’re not happy but instead angry with me?”

Xiang Haikui’s gaze was icy.

Jing Ran continued: “I’ve sent people to investigate Que Chi’s whereabouts. I’ll kill this baboon myself.”

“It was you who bribed him to switch sides and wound my master, causing him to be imprisoned, wasn’t it?” Xiang Haikui’s pace grew increasingly rapid, almost becoming a shadow. “He at least rendered meritorious service for you. How can you suddenly forget all old affection?”

“Of course it’s for you.”

“Ah, is that so? Well, he protected my master before, so I’m not very eager to kill him now.”

“Little Kui, I don’t want to see you fighting desperately anymore. Can we… start over?”

His words were abrupt, low, and slow, showing slight unnaturalness.

Xiang Haikui’s footsteps faltered, and the wind around her ears ceased.

Jing Ran circled to face her. He initially wanted to place his hand on her shoulder, but held back—she was sharp as a sword, and touching her would surely wound him: “I can arrange with you. Return the array of disks and treasures to me, and I will release your master alone, fulfilling your wish.”

Xiang Haikui frowned.

He stated his condition: “You need only promise me that from now on, you’ll cut ties with Yin Changli and your master, contentedly staying by my side. I can let bygones be bygones.”

“You’ll let bygones be bygones?” Xiang Haikui doubted her ears.

“Yes, I’ll let bygones be bygones,” Jing Ran repeated.

Xiang Haikui nearly laughed from anger: “Don’t bother helping me seek revenge. My number one enemy is you. Why don’t you stab yourself a few times first, and then I’ll consider whether to accept your ‘letting bygones be bygones’?”

She had always been aggressive, and Jing Ran was mentally prepared: “Little Kui, making this decision, I’ve experienced much that you cannot understand…”

“Then why not spare yourself?” Xiang Haikui interrupted him. “And spare me, too. I have no desire to feel grateful to you!”

Jing Ran was so angry his hands trembled, yet he desperately maintained his patience: “You want me to ’empathize’ with you, but have you ever ’empathized’ with me? I’ve repeatedly told you that the divine artifact concerning my entire Heavenly Race left me with no choice…”

Xiang Haikui interrupted again: “Suppose you handed the throne to Bai Xingxian. The divine artifact would immediately vanish, and Xiao Bai would make a better Di Jun than you. Would you do it?”

Jing Ran replied: “Don’t you find such hypotheticals boring?”

Xiang Haikui insisted: “Answer me.”

Jing Ran kept a stern face and remained silent.

Xiang Haikui: “See, you don’t even hesitate.”

Jing Ran’s patience waned: “Aren’t you just being unreasonable? What’s wrong with my desire for power and position?”

“Nothing’s wrong. If you’d directly say, ‘I just want to be the Three Realms’ overlord, this world will prosper for those who follow me and perish for those who oppose,’ even if I disagree in my heart, I would respect you as a real man!”

She coldly stared back at him. “So, stop trying to make me understand your ‘helplessness.’ It’s not that I can’t understand—there just isn’t that much helplessness in this world. Being hypocritical—who the hell are you trying to disgust?!”

No matter how mentally prepared he was, Jing Ran couldn’t endure such humiliation: “Don’t push your luck too far!”

“Di Jun need not waste time on this foul stone. Your ‘sincerity,’ cheaper than grass, won’t move me.” Xiang Haikui ignored him and continued walking without a backward glance. “Why not focus your energy on defeating me, feed me a pill to make me lose my memory—that would better suit your style!”

Jing Ran stood with a tense face, watching her receding figure. The flowing long dress accentuated her slender frame.

Just such a frail woman, carrying the heaviest sword, speaking the most venomous words, possessing the hardest heart.

So unwilling to accept kindness, preferring punishment, not receiving fate’s favor was entirely deserved!

Very well, then, as she wished.

“Xiang Haikui, listen well! You chose this path yourself. Don’t later blame This Lord!”

Xiang Haikui strode forward, raising her middle finger toward him without turning around.

…

Upon returning to the royal palace and ascending the golden lotus, Xiang Haikui immediately began to meditate, but couldn’t calm herself for a long time.

The trip to the Meng family had indeed made her rather agitated.

Meanwhile, Jing Ran, who had been irritable for days, sat cross-legged with closed eyes, his expression serene.

He was creating an avatar.

Usually, only those with cultivation rank nine or above could create avatars, and normally, the avatar and true body could only control one at a time.

But at his and Yin Changli’s level, they could essentially control both simultaneously.

The avatar silently left his body, streaking across the night sky like a meteor, once again landing outside the Meng family’s gate.

In the human realm, at Jin Ling’s royal city branch residence.

Tonight the weather was extremely stuffy. Xiang Tianqing, carrying an ice pillow, came to the courtyard and looked at Xiang Heng sitting there through the arched doorway.

After hesitating for a moment, she walked in: “Father, are you worrying about sister again?”

Xiang Heng was slightly stunned. Since being enlightened by Yin Changli, he had frequently reflected on his attitude toward Little Kui, while also worrying about her safety during her journey, often becoming distracted.

Xiang Heng turned around, looking at her with affection: “Not asleep yet?”

Xiang Tianqing didn’t speak but walked through the courtyard into his room, replacing his pillow with the ice pillow she had made these past few days.

When she had gone out earlier to find her master, Xiang Haikui had returned.

By the time she found her master and came back, Xiang Haikui had already left.

She wondered if her sister had deliberately avoided her.

And recently, her father often furrowed his brow, looking deeply worried…

Xiang Tianqing controlled herself, banishing these chaotic thoughts from her mind.

By now, she had gained some insight—her previous perspective and mindset were indeed somewhat narrow.

That was because she had grown up in Yin Sha city and had never ventured outside.

In her world, there were only her father and senior brothers; they were all the colors in her life.

Especially her father, who had extracted the demonic poison for her, raised her, and firmly protected her through blood and fire, loving her like the apple of his eye.

She had been spoiled.

As an adopted daughter, wasn’t it natural to fear that when the biological daughter returned, she would fall from being a star in the sky to mud underfoot?

Besides, no matter how petty she might be, she kept it to herself and never did anything harmful to Xiang Haikui.

It was Xiang Haikui who, with a single sentence, had created a rift between her and her father.

“Father, you should rest early.” After changing the pillow, Xiang Tianqing prepared to leave.

Xiang Heng couldn’t help bringing up the topic she disliked: “Little Qing, you still don’t believe it at all, do you?”

Xiang Tianqing stopped: “That’s not it.”

Previously, she had been kidnapped by the Lu family, and after a series of events, she woke up to find Jin Ling in chaos and the Lu family fallen.

She had been confused for a while, then gradually started to believe some of what Xiang Haikui had “slandered” about her.

She might truly be a reincarnated soul from the upper realm.

“But even if all this is true, Xiang Haikui’s claim that in her ‘future dream’ she saw me kill you with my own hands must be false!” This was what angered Xiang Tianqing most, becoming an indelible rift between her and her father!

Xiang Haikui was deliberate—mixing one lie among ninety-nine truths made the lie seem true, causing her father to deeply believe it.

She had become the “murderer” of her father, bearing an accusation she could never wash away for her entire life.

A false accusation!

“Little Qing, it’s not impossible, is it?” The father and daughter had relied on each other for many years. If not for this matter, Xiang Heng wouldn’t have known that this gentle, almost timid daughter of his was so stubborn at her core. “In the past, when my demonic poison would easily flare up, didn’t I always instruct you before each seclusion that if I couldn’t control myself, you must…”

“I agreed only to ease your mind for seclusion. Did you believe me?” Hearing these words, Xiang Tianqing felt a heart full of bitterness and grievance. “Try turning the entire human realm into a hell of slaughter and see if I would raise a hand against you.”

She began to choke up, closed her mouth, and turned to leave.

The more Xiang Heng called after her, the faster she walked.

Ah, these two daughters truly gave him headaches.

Xiang Heng couldn’t help thinking that if he had two sons instead, or one son and one daughter, wouldn’t there be fewer issues?

He was straightforward and not skilled at guessing a daughter’s delicate thoughts.

Forget daughters—in the past, he couldn’t even understand why his wife would suddenly fall silent or become angry.

Xiang Tianqing left the branch residence and headed for the sword academy in the outskirts.

Just after leaving the city and not walking far, Xiang Tianqing focused her senses, slowly moving her hand to her sword hilt: “Who’s there?”

The forest on both sides of the path was too quiet.

No, under the night wind, the leaves didn’t move at all!

Drawing her sword, Xiang Tianqing shouted fiercely: “Come out!”

“Daughter.” Suddenly, a voice emerged from the depths of the forest.

Just as Xiang Tianqing locked onto the direction, the person was already right before her—it was the Meng family head’s avatar.

Having spent only a short time in the lower realm, members of the Heavenly Race didn’t need to possess human bodies; the Meng family head still maintained his original appearance.

Xiang Tianqing had no recollection of him, but his calling her “daughter” made her heart tremble.

She hastily tried to escape, completely unwilling to face him.

But just as she turned to flee, the Meng family head appeared like a ghost before her, blocking her path: “Nanting said you should know everything by now. If so, why do you try to avoid your father when you see him?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know you, Senior.” Xiang Tianqing gripped her sword hilt tightly, trying to calm her emotions.

Don’t be confused. She only needed to remember that she was Xiang Tianqing, and Xiang Heng was her father.

She had already reincarnated and was originally Xiang Tianqing—this was a fact.

Everything else was irrelevant to her.

The Meng family head was dissatisfied with her attitude: “Don’t you remember your eldest brother, Meng Xilou, either? He was severely injured for your sake…”

Xiang Tianqing’s heart lurched as she recalled her loving eldest senior brother and couldn’t help wanting to ask about his current condition.

But then, thinking about Meng Xilou’s purpose for staying by her father’s side, she felt her teeth itch with hatred.

Just as Xiang Tianqing was about to rebuke the person before her, telling him to go back to wherever he came from, she heard footsteps rustling as a dark figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

The man wore a hooded cloak with black hair cascading from within, though his face remained obscured.

His voice was low and hoarse: “Fewer idle words.”

“Yes.” The Meng family head bowed to him in trepidation.

The familiar yet strange feeling made Xiang Tianqing furrow her brow.

As he approached, she glimpsed the jawline exposed beneath the hood’s edge and her pupils contracted: “Senior Jing?!”

The Meng family head hurriedly stopped her: “Don’t be disrespectful! Quickly bow to Di Jun!”

“Di Jun?” Xiang Tianqing had no concept of this in her mind.

“Xiang Tianqing, This Lord needs you to do something.” Jing Ran raised his hand, revealing a sharp instrument similar to a fish bone in his palm.

The fish bone dart flew toward her, hovering in the air before her.

“Daughter, Xiang Haikui is currently in the Heavenly Realm, and her sword case is filled with array disks containing the Mountain and Sea prisoners.” The Meng family head sent a private mental message explaining.

These words weren’t suitable to say in front of Di Jun.

Yin Changli still hadn’t appeared, the Mountain and Sea tribes showed no movement, and Xiang Haikui was difficult to deal with—the entire Heavenly Race was apprehensive, alarmed at every rustling leaf.

Fundamentally, it was because the war with the Mountain and Sea tribes had erupted too suddenly back then.

The Heavenly Race had suffered heavy losses, with a severe talent gap, leaving only Di Jun and Dugu He at the top.

Dugu He was an unreliable brute. Last time, he went to the lower realm on his own to duel with Qi Yin and hadn’t returned, becoming increasingly undependable.

Otherwise, Di Jun wouldn’t have heavily relied on Han Qi and the human forces behind him.

Now, Di Jun either lacked confidence or wanted absolute certainty, deciding to move against Xiang Heng.

Today, when Xiang Haikui visited the Meng family, just Meng Nanting’s mention of Xiang Heng made her lose her composure.

Filial piety was her fatal weakness.

With Xiang Heng under control, the array disks would essentially be half secured.

The difficulty lay in that Xiang Heng was no easy target. Though not scheming, he was fierce and skilled in battle, with a strong character, naturally possessing “wild nature.”

Although Di Jun still maintained his human appearance, he had completely restored his Heavenly Race physical body. His avatar descending to the lower realm had less than twenty percent of his true body’s power—capturing Xiang Heng alive in the human realm was impossible.

If Xiang Heng chose to shatter like jade rather than be captured, he couldn’t serve as leverage and would further enrage Haikui.

Fortunately, Xiang Heng had Xiang Tianqing by his side.

The Meng family head instructed: “Daughter, when Xiang Heng is off guard, stab this into Xiang Heng…”

Before he could finish, Xiang Tianqing swung her sword at the fish bone dart!

With a “clang,” when the sword struck the dart, it emitted a blinding flash. Xiang Tianqing was thrown back more than ten zhang, her sword flying from her hand.

When she hit the ground, she coughed up a mouthful of blood, which wasn’t obvious on her red gauze skirt.

She immediately stood up, pulling her sword back with a gesture of her five fingers, and angrily pointed it at them: “Keep dreaming! Don’t even think about harming my father!”

Knowing she couldn’t defeat the two, she quickly threw down a thunder talisman and sprinted toward the royal city gates.

She hoped the thunder talisman would attract the city patrol while she rushed back to warn Xiang Heng.

The Meng family head was stunned—the daughter who had always been weak and obedient had been taught by Xiang Heng to become like this after reincarnation?

He didn’t pursue but asked Di Jun with clasped hands: “What do you think…?”

When members of the Heavenly Race reincarnated as humans, not everyone could awaken at will like Di Jun.

Even he couldn’t make his daughter, connected by divine sense, remember her past life.

Di Jun should be able to.

Jing Ran extended his hand toward Xiang Tianqing, a golden light ball forming in his palm.

“Go!” The light ball flew from his palm.

Struck in the back by the light ball, Xiang Tianqing cried out “Ah!” as her entire body was instantly paralyzed.

Unable to resist this invasive force, it was as if a dam had broken in her consciousness sea, with memories surging in torrents.

“Daughter?” The Meng family head called cautiously.

Xiang Tianqing’s beautiful eyes were opened wide, her entire body trembling like a sieve.

It was true.

So Xiang Haikui hadn’t lied—it was all true!

Her life in the human realm, all the efforts she thought she had made, had been arranged, and she had even agreed to it…

After a long while, Xiang Tianqing finally turned her head, her face deathly pale, her voice trembling as she called out: “Father…”

Then her gaze involuntarily moved to Jing Ran, instantly feeling the powerful divine sense pressure emanating from him.

Though she had never seen Di Jun before, there was no doubt this was him.

Xiang Tianqing couldn’t help her legs weakening as she “plop” fell to her knees.