Mu Sui carried Meng Ruji down from the night sky.

Half of Zhuliu City’s main hall had been destroyed, but Zhuliu City itself hadn’t suffered much impact.

Meng Ruji wanted to find Zhan Ye, so Mu Sui sensed Zhan Ye’s aura and came beneath the Marriage Tree.

She had heard about the Marriage Tree many times and had even seen the Marriage Tree illusion that Mu Sui had conjured, but when this tree appeared before Meng Ruji, she still felt shocked.

The canopy was enormous, like clouds covering overhead, with many flower buds on it. As Miaomiao had said, it was already the season for the Marriage Tree to bloom.

Within the thick trunk, faint threads of red light flowed.

Each thread of light connected two people’s names. The characters were small but very clear—some marriage lights were dazzling and flickering, while others were dim and hard to distinguish.

Meng Ruji didn’t need much effort to see her own and Mu Sui’s names on the trunk.

Not for any other reason, but because they were currently the most eye-catching two names on the tree, small, yet emitting blinding light.

“Is this tree glowing with love?” Meng Ruji casually teased without much thought. “Seems like we love each other quite deeply.”

Mu Sui had glimpsed the characters on the tree the moment he landed, but he said nothing. Hearing Meng Ruji’s joke now, he remained silent, only letting his gaze linger an extra moment on those names that were “glowing with love.”

The earlier chaotic fighting in the sky had been thunderously loud, and it had only just quieted down. Many people in the city hadn’t emerged yet, so there was no one around the Marriage Tree, except for…

“How did you use malevolent energy to contact that heavenly god?”

Meng Ruji walked around the thick trunk and saw Mo Li half-crouching in front of Zhan Ye behind it, asking him with a solemn expression, “When did you make contact?”

As expected, this old man had saved him with ulterior motives.

Meng Ruji turned to look at Zhan Ye on the other side.

He was sitting against the trunk, his form withered, hair disheveled, like a discarded puppet. In his wretchedness was despair toward this world.

When he heard Meng Ruji’s footsteps, the previously silent Zhan Ye moved his ears slightly and raised his head a little.

His scar-covered face was now pale as death.

Zhan Ye glanced at Meng Ruji, then his gaze shifted to Mu Sui behind her.

“I always have the same dream.” Zhan Ye, who wouldn’t speak no matter how Mo Li questioned him, now said hoarsely to Mu Sui, “Ever since Meng Ruji saved me from that frozen lake, I have always dreamed that in chaos, the heavenly gods pierce my flesh with ice picks and scrape my bones. I thought they were granting me malevolent energy, instructing me to kill everyone. I thought they had chosen me. But it turns out… what I saw was your past, what I obtained was your malevolent energy, what I heard… was your mission.”

These words from Zhan Ye startled Meng Ruji, and she turned to look at Mu Sui beside her.

Mu Sui’s expression was ice-cold, but he didn’t refute Zhan Ye.

Meng Ruji’s heart tightened even more.

She suddenly recalled many previous details—Mu Sui’s attitude toward the wilderness god statues, his hesitation and questioning about acts of saving people…

If what Zhan Ye said was true, then… the one who truly wanted to kill all “people” was Mu Sui.

He was the one meant to destroy the world?

“What I did should have been what you were supposed to do, yet you chose to stop me, betraying the gods and your mission.” Zhan Ye smiled self-mockingly. “I know why you did it.”

Zhan Ye looked toward Meng Ruji. Like someone who had finally found a moment’s respite in despair and exhaustion, he paused.

Meng Ruji frowned, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

Zhan Ye continued: “If everyone in the world were like her, I might have some fondness for this place, but… unfortunately.” Zhan Ye lowered his head. “Most people are disgusting. Soon, you should be able to see for yourself.”

Zhan Ye looked behind Mu Sui, as if he could already hear the footsteps gathering together and surging toward them.

“You betrayed your mission to save them, but they will succumb to the fear in their hearts, then find a reason they all accept, claiming righteousness… to execute you.”

“I’ve long seen the human heart,” Mu Sui said indifferently. “I don’t need you to teach me.”

Hearing this, Zhan Ye smiled slightly: “But you’re now immersed in warmth. You’re not like me—I chose this path, but you… You were chosen by this path. I’ve seen your past. You can’t escape it.”

Mu Sui’s eyes drooped slightly, as if stung by Zhan Ye’s words.

The night wind blew, and flowers seemed to bloom on the Marriage Tree. Petals were blown by the wind, falling gently. Zhan Ye watched the flying flowers before him, and the last bit of light in his eyes was completely extinguished.

“I knew I would fail.” Under this tree that symbolized love, Zhan Ye closed his eyes. “Meng Ruji, I can’t learn to be like you. I can’t forgive too many things. I don’t want to live in the same world as such a majority of people. I’m extreme, yes. Both this world and I look down on each other.”

His voice grew weaker, and Zhan Ye’s eyes, which seemed to forever carry hatred, never opened again.

Meng Ruji was somewhat stunned, but Mo Li, beside Zhan Ye, pried open his palm. Hidden in his palm was a copper coin from the Land of No Refuge, and the glow of a technique had just faded from the coin.

“Where did he get the money?” Meng Ruji was puzzled.

“Money in the Land of No Refuge is formed from human thoughts. His final thought condensed into a copper coin to end his own life.” Mo Li sighed, looking at Zhan Ye’s body, which was already beginning to gradually turn into points of light and scatter. He smiled wistfully. “The clue is broken again. It’s truly difficult to ask about a heavenly god’s whereabouts.”

Meng Ruji looked at Zhan Ye, who had lowered his head and was completely lifeless. She walked through the flying flowers and the light points that Zhan Ye had become to reach Mo Li, extending her hand toward him: “Give it to me.”

Mo Li gave it to Meng Ruji: “What? Are you saddened by an old friend’s departure?”

Meng Ruji said nothing. After receiving the copper coin, she crushed it in her palm, and in an instant, the coin also turned to powder.

Mo Li was stunned, and Mu Sui also showed surprise.

“If you’re going to leave, leave completely. Don’t leave any thoughts behind.”

Meng Ruji raised her hand and scattered the powder. It followed the light points, swirling and gradually merging. They drifted away together, finally disappearing completely from their sight.

“Now it’s time to sort out your affairs.” After watching all the light disappear, Meng Ruji closed her eyes and was quiet for just a moment, then turned to look at Mu Sui. Flying petals passed by, but couldn’t disturb her gaze. “Husband, give me an explanation.”

“What explanation do you want?”

“Your malevolent energy, past, purpose. I want everything.”

“But right now, I may not have time to tell you.” Mu Sui turned his head to look into the distance. “The majority of people Zhan Ye mentioned are probably almost here…”

“City Lord brother!” A loud, burly man’s roar came through.

Recognizing the voice, Meng Ruji didn’t even need to turn around to know who was running frantically toward them from behind.

Footsteps shook the earth as Tuzi slid on his knees to Mu Sui’s feet. He wept bitterly, hugging Mu Sui: “City Lord brother! How could you! How could you use malevolent energy? Didn’t you always want to hide it? Now everyone has seen! How are we going to handle this?”

Hearing these words, Meng Ruji was surprised, and Mu Sui was even more surprised.

“You knew!?” Meng Ruji was shocked.

“When did you find out?” Mu Sui’s cold voice asked with more precision.

Mo Li whistled from the side: “Even the pet knew when the wife didn’t.”

Meng Ruji’s left ear heard this and instinctively glared at Mu Sui.

Mu Sui felt it and gritted his teeth as he scolded Tuzi: “Answer!”

“Last time you came, I was your life-sustaining object!” Tuzi wept: “You didn’t even avoid me when you slept! How could I not know!”

Meng Ruji understood: “Oh.”

Tuzi continued his output: “I also know about your forbearance and pain, your struggles and unease, I…”

Mu Sui raised his hand and slapped it over Tuzi’s mouth, pressing all his words back down his throat.

Mu Sui’s hand was very slender—placed on Meng Ruji’s face, it could cover her entire face, but placed on Tuzi’s face, it barely managed to grasp his cheeks, and that was somewhat strained, considering the man had a full beard…

Mu Sui closed his eyes, as if recalling the past or controlling his emotions. Finally, he opened his eyes and asked: “Is there still any use in keeping you?”

“Yes!” Tuzi immediately said. “I came to bring news! City Lord, brother! When you went to Linlan Mountain to ask Luo Yingfeng for money, didn’t you also have Luo Yingfeng notify all the important people in the Land of No Refuge about Zhuliu City’s crisis? Then everyone knew!”

“Get to the point.”

“Then, when that big hole appeared in the sky, all the knowledgeable people stepped forward to restrain that hole. Even the injured Luo Yingfeng came near our Zhuliu City!”

“The. Point.”

“The point is! The huge commotion you made in the sky using malevolent energy! All those knowledgeable people who were helping to patch the hole saw it! They’re all rushing this way! Luo Yingfeng is coming the fastest! They’re probably almost here!” Tuzi said urgently. “That bad woman’s old flame has already found a way to hold back one group of people.”

Mo Li interjected: “My second son-in-law is quite reliable.”

Meng Ruji shouted at him: “Shut up, don’t add to the chaos!”

Mu Sui glanced at Mo Li, then turned back to Tuzi: “This is your point?”

“Yes! City Lord, brother! So many of them are coming to Zhuliu City, and knowing you have malevolent energy, they’ll be hostile toward you! What should we do now? Brother!”

Hearing Tuzi’s resonant voice shout this in the night air amid flying flowers, Mu Sui sighed.

Meng Ruji also rubbed her forehead: “Your point is to come ask what to do?”

“Yes!”

Meng Ruji glanced at Mu Sui: “Good pet, really knows how to help you waste time.”

“Bad woman, what do you mean!?”

Meng Ruji completely ignored him and strode to Mu Sui’s front, grabbing his hand firmly.

This action was decisive and direct, leaving Mu Sui somewhat dazed as he looked at Meng Ruji, who was busy shouting at Tuzi: “What else can we do? Of course, we take my husband and run! Are we going to wait here for people to come catch us?”

“This is Zhuliu City, City Lord brother’s place. Where do you want my City Lord brother to run to!? Wouldn’t that just boost those people’s morale!”

Meng Ruji gestured with her fist: “If you don’t go help your City Lord brother divert some people like Ye Chuan did, I’ll start a fire right here and make stir-fried rabbit meat!”

Tuzi was scared and instinctively shrank back. He turned to look at Mu Sui.

But Mu Sui didn’t have a chance to speak at all, being directly pulled away by Meng Ruji holding his hand.

Meng Ruji walked quickly while shouting: “Old man, keep up!”

Mo Li was more sensible than Tuzi and immediately responded with “Right,” transforming into a stone and burrowing into Meng Ruji’s belt: “Just catching that Zhan Ye from the sky took quite a bit of my effort. I need to rest.”

Meng Ruji only focused on pulling Mu Sui down a small path, paying no attention to Mo Li.

Tuzi was left alone under the Marriage Tree. He watched Mu Sui being dragged away by Meng Ruji, saw that Mu Sui showed no resistance, saw him walking a step behind Meng Ruji but constantly turning to watch her, and saw Mu Sui’s slightly curved lips.

Finally, Tuzi turned back and saw those two names on the Marriage Tree, glowing blindingly bright…

No.

To be precise, it was one name—”Mu Sui.”

Because these two characters were so bright that they made the three characters of Meng Ruji beside them appear brighter than other characters, too.

Tuzi stamped his feet angrily: “City Lord is confused!”

Tuzi still dutifully followed Meng Ruji’s arrangement and went to divert people.

Meanwhile, Mu Sui, who had been pulled away by Meng Ruji, followed her down Zhuliu City’s steps into a small alley.

Zhuliu City was built into the mountain, with the main hall at the highest elevation. Below that was the platform where the Marriage Tree was located, and further down were residential areas. The residences were arranged with many alleys crisscrossing throughout Zhuliu City.

After walking for a while, Meng Ruji lost her sense of direction in the darkness.

“Like a cunning rabbit with three burrows, do you have other hideouts?” she asked Mu Sui.

In the quiet alley, Mu Sui looked into her eyes for a while before saying, “No need to hide. Since the malevolent energy is already exposed, there’s no need to conceal it anymore. If they dare come, I dare kill.”

Hearing this, Meng Ruji rolled her eyes: “How many will you kill?”

“However many people want to kill me, I’ll kill that many.” He asked Meng Ruji, “Do you want to save them too?”

Meng Ruji irritably punched Mu Sui hard in the chest. Mu Sui had no defenses against her and was hit so hard he coughed dully. Mu Sui suppressed the metallic sweetness in his throat.

“Save them?” Meng Ruji said coldly, “Do you think I can’t tell? That huge Heaven-Falling Formation—you said you’d destroy it, and you destroyed it? You can use malevolent energy, but does malevolent energy make you immortal?”

Mu Sui, having been scolded, remained silent.

“Right now, I only want to save you!”

After scolding Mu Sui for his bravado, Meng Ruji stopped looking at him. She looked up at the sky and saw golden light flying across the horizon—one of the “knowledgeable people” from the Land of No Refuge had arrived.

Earlier, they had worked together from a distance against the enemy, turning the tide and saving the Land of No Refuge, but now it was unclear whether those coming were friends or foes.

Zhan Ye was right—human hearts are dark and always hard to fathom.

“More people will come later, not fewer, but they should temporarily only rush toward Zhuliu City. Let’s leave the city first—that can’t be wrong.” Meng Ruji asked Mu Sui, “When you built the city, did you create any hidden exit routes?”

Mu Sui didn’t answer.

Meng Ruji found it strange and turned to look at Mu Sui, only to see that even in such a critical situation, this person was still staring at her.

“I’m asking you.”

“You want to save me?”

A conversation at cross purposes.

Meng Ruji was a bit annoyed: “What else am I doing? Playing hide and seek?”

“You heard everything Zhan Ye said. You understand what he meant behind his words.”

Meng Ruji was stunned, then fell silent for a moment: “It’s hard not to understand.”

Zhan Ye, who wanted to destroy the world, was just a mortal who had misunderstood the gods’ intentions. The one who truly carried out the mission to destroy the world was Mu Sui.

“And you’re still willing to save me?”

“I’m waiting to hear you explain everything in detail after I save you and get you out of here.”

Hearing this, Mu Sui was also silent for a moment: “Whatever I say, will you be willing to believe?”

“Of course not.” Meng Ruji immediately refuted, crisp and decisive. “I have my judgment.”

Mu Sui suddenly laughed: “Meng Ruji, your personality makes it very hard for people not to like you.”

Meng Ruji rolled her eyes again. Seeing a second golden light arrive in the sky, she observed while casually responding: “Yes, too bad my husband always disagrees with me and doesn’t like me.”

“I like you.”

Meng Ruji’s eyes, which had been fixed on the sky, lost focus for a moment.

She turned back to look at Mu Sui.

Mu Sui didn’t avoid her gaze.

Meng Ruji suppressed the jumping in her heart. She said with forced calm and restraint: “Qianshan Jun, this isn’t the time for you to express your feelings.”

“Mm.” Mu Sui nodded and also looked up at the sky. Watching the third golden light arrive, he said, “Let’s talk after we get out.”

Next time, for sure, definitely next time.