The waters of the Nai River eternally flow upward without cease. In the misty vapor, Meng Ruji and Mu Sui gazed at each other. After a moment, Mu Sui was the first to stand up.

“Let’s say farewell today. I should go take the thousand gold and return to the mortal realm.”

Upon hearing this, Meng Ruji fell silent for a long while.

Thinking she wouldn’t say anything more, Mu Sui turned to leave. It was then that he heard her speak softly behind him:

“In the mortal realm, on Hengxu Mountain, I have five guardians. Qing Rao is a short-haired girl who talks incessantly. She’s also the one who cries the most. Sometimes when she does something wrong and I scold her, she can cry all night. The next day, she’ll come to apologize and bring little sweet cakes. Her cooking is better than mine…”

Mu Sui’s steps paused for a moment before he continued forward.

“Shang Yan likes Qing Rao, but his tongue is clumsy. For decades, he hasn’t managed to squeeze out a single confession. Qing Rao often teases him about it, but he never gets angry, just scratches his head and grins foolishly. He’s the most honest-hearted of them all.”

“Shang Lan is Shang Yan’s younger sister. Her temperament is completely different from her brother’s. She doesn’t like to laugh or talk, keeping a cold expression all day long. But she’s learned the mystic arts the best. She tells me that if I ever want to rest, she can help share the burden. She’s the most mature-minded…”

“I picked up Xiao Yi and Xiao Bu when they were children. I gave them casual names, but they both grew up to be quite outstanding. They were childhood sweethearts, and before I sealed myself, they had already become immortal companions…”

“Meng Ruji.” Mu Sui finally stopped in his tracks. He gazed at the path ahead through the mist. “What use is there in telling me all this?”

“In the Nai River, I felt as if I lived a lifetime with you, so I know I can’t dissuade you. But…” Meng Ruji lowered her head. “The world you want to destroy has people I care about.”

Mu Sui was slightly stunned.

“Divine beings stand too high, and immortals are too distant. To me, real people aren’t the so-called human race, but each specific individual who has lived beside me. They’ve spoken with me, eaten with me, laughed heartily with me, and listened to me cry in pain. I… can’t let them go. I exist among them. And you…”

Meng Ruji’s gaze dropped slightly:

“After you left the ice lake, when you wandered the world alone and were weak, how did you survive?”

Mu Sui’s fists at his sides clenched slightly. Meng Ruji naturally sensed his emotional change.

“You’ve long been among us, too, haven’t you?” Meng Ruji said. “That’s why you’re a lost one, isn’t it…”

Mu Sui lowered his head: “No…”

Whether he was denying Meng Ruji’s words or reminding himself, it was unclear.

“On that journey back to Zhuliu City with Miaomiao, when the flowers bloomed brilliantly and the songs were moving, didn’t you… feel it too…”

“No.”

“Mu Sui.”

Meng Ruji suddenly called his name solemnly: “The Inner Core you took away can save me.”

This statement came out of nowhere.

Mu Sui couldn’t help but turn to look, only to see Meng Ruji cup a handful of Nai River water and bring it to her lips. Without hesitation, she drank it down in one gulp.

Mu Sui’s eyes widened in shock.

Meng Ruji turned to look at Mu Sui, her expression calm, but her complexion was visibly turning ashen at an alarming rate.

The Nai River water was extremely poisonous. Zhuliu City had developed an antidote that previously cost eight silver pieces. She had bought it for him with her “entire fortune,” but…

There was none here.

“Meng Ruji!” Mu Sui nearly ground his teeth. He rushed back and caught her just before her body collapsed.

Meng Ruji lay in his arms, her face and lips a ghastly color, yet she smiled: “You just can’t bear to let me go.”

She couldn’t stop him from getting the thousand gold from Mo Yi, nor could she prevent him from returning to the mortal realm.

But she knew that after Mu Sui’s first thousand-gold life purchase, when he returned to the mortal realm, he had gone to steal her Inner Core. This Inner Core must be related to his world-destruction plan.

So she used this tactic to force Mu Sui.

She deliberately exploited his feelings and soft-heartedness, deliberately tore through his defenses and pretenses.

You are a lost one. You’ve always been hesitant, and you’ve always been soft-hearted.

Meng Ruji had drunk a large amount of Nai River water. A surging, bloody smell churned in her throat, and she felt her mind beginning to grow chaotic. But just before the chaos completely eroded her consciousness, Meng Ruji felt her lips being covered by another pair of lips.

The temperature of those lip petals…

I was very familiar.

A glowing pearl condensed within Mu Sui’s body, slowly moving upward from his chest, passing through his throat, finally reaching his mouth, then transferred into Meng Ruji’s mouth.

The familiar power of the Inner Core flowed along her bloodstream and merged into Meng Ruji’s body. After their long separation and reunion, Meng Ruji’s body recognized the familiar power, yet within this familiar power was a strange aura she didn’t recognize.

It belonged to Mu Sui’s warmth.

The poison of the Nai River water was quickly suppressed by the Inner Core’s power.

But the Inner Core could only suppress the toxicity of the Nai River water, not completely detoxify it.

For Meng Ruji, this was already enough. Her fingertips regained some strength, and she pressed against Mu Sui’s chest.

Meng Ruji knew she had to quickly take the Inner Core and escape from Mu Sui’s side. Otherwise, if he took her to get the antidote, he could steal her Inner Core back, and wouldn’t that mouthful of Nai River water have been drunk for nothing!

But Mu Sui grabbed hold of Meng Ruji’s hand and pressed against his chest, forcefully pinning it to his side.

Meng Ruji struggled, trying to break free from his control, but Mu Sui tightened his grip on her hand even more. He didn’t move away from her, including… their lips.

He was no longer saving her now…

He was kissing her.

As if he had finally found an excuse…

Meng Ruji sensed his intention, and her struggling diminished slightly. She responded to him, like a silent confession or an emotional plea for him to stay.

Until both their breathing became rapid.

Finally, Mu Sui voluntarily moved away from Meng Ruji.

He closed his eyes, sorting through his emotions.

But Meng Ruji kept her eyes open, staring straight at him: “Mu Sui, you and I could have a future…”

She watched as Mu Sui’s brow furrowed slightly and his lips trembled lightly. She could see that Mu Sui was using all his strength to suppress his emotions—whether hatred or love, unwillingness or lingering attachment, he suppressed them all.

Then Meng Ruji heard him say softly:

“I know flowers are beautiful and songs are moving, but I cannot admit it. Admitting it would mean… betraying my past.”

Meng Ruji’s gaze flickered. When Mu Sui opened his eyes again, his gaze had become resolute. He grabbed Meng Ruji’s hand, and malevolent energy surged from his palm, transforming into ropes that tightly bound Meng Ruji’s hands.

He stared at Meng Ruji: “After buying the antidote, I’ll take back the Inner Core.”

This naturally wouldn’t do.

Meng Ruji also quickly suppressed her emotions and rapidly calmed down.

In the Land of No Reprieve, money couldn’t be used and mystic arts couldn’t be employed, but malevolent energy wasn’t included in these restrictions, and naturally, techniques to counter malevolent energy weren’t restricted either.

Previously, in Ye Chuan’s illusion, Meng Ruji had utilized this rule to teach Mu Sui how to use Inner Core techniques for the first time.

And now, the Inner Core was within her body.

Coincidentally, because of Zhan Ye, she had practiced techniques to counter malevolent energy quite proficiently.

The Inner Core’s radiance flickered slightly within her body. She steadied herself and calmly apologized: “I’m sorry.”

Light wheeled and turned, instantly breaking through the malevolent energy binding her. It then formed a barrier of light that forcefully repelled Mu Sui away from her.

Mu Sui was completely unprepared and was forced back ten feet. Meng Ruji showed no mercy, following up with another technique. Light formed an arrow that pierced toward Mu Sui’s shoulder. Mu Sui raised his hand to block the light arrow with malevolent energy. When he lowered his hand, Meng Ruji had already vanished without a trace.

Mu Sui touched his shoulder. Fresh blood flowed from the wound, staining his fingertips red, showing that Meng Ruji had been serious.

He had pulled her from the Nai River and saved her life, but now this Meng Ruji had schemed against him and run off with his Inner Core…

Mu Sui looked at the fresh blood on his fingertips. After a moment of silence, for some unknown reason, he suddenly laughed.

He glanced in the direction of Meng Ruji’s escape.

“Since you’ve taken it back, keep it safe.”

His voice fell upon the misty grassland. Without further hesitation, Mu Sui turned and left.

Mu Sui returned alone to Madam Lin’s courtyard, only to find Mo Li being controlled by Mo Yi, sitting on opposite sides of the stone table, while Madam Lin was nowhere to be seen.

Mu Sui’s expression showed no abnormality. He raised his hand, and malevolent energy shot out, directly drawing the thousand gold that Mo Yi had placed on the stone table into his palm.

Mo Yi didn’t try to stop him. She had intended to give Mu Sui this thousand gold anyway.

She observed the wounded Mu Sui, then watched him weigh the thousand gold in his hand, saying calmly: “It seems I won. Miss Meng became suspicious, and Qianshan Jun wants to return to the mortal realm.”

“I always wanted to return to the mortal realm.” Mu Sui looked at the thousand gold in his hand, his expression seeming somewhat ironic. “I just didn’t expect it to be this easy.”

Mo Li found it strange: “Where’s Meng Ruji? She ran away?”

“She ran away.”

Mo Li opened his mouth to say something about how ridiculous this was, but then he stared at Mu Sui and frowned: “Did she… dig out your Inner Core?”

At these words, Mo Yi’s gaze finally fell upon Mu Sui’s dantian region. Her expression turned cold, and she immediately made to stand up.

But this time, holding the thousand gold, Mu Sui didn’t let Mo Yi move.

Just as Mo Yi had restrained Mo Li, Mu Sui used the thousand gold to activate a technique that trapped her in place.

The restriction on Mo Li was immediately lifted.

Mo Li looked at Mu Sui in bewilderment, not knowing what he was planning now.

“I will return to the mortal realm and do what needs to be done, but I’m also keeping the Land of No Reprieve.”

Mo Yi looked at him coldly: “Qianshan Jun, the path of world destruction has no retreat.”

Without saying another word, Mu Sui activated his technique. The strand of Mo Yi’s divine soul that had infiltrated the Land of No Reprieve was immediately dispersed by the power of the thousand gold. With a thunderous “boom,” the atmosphere between heaven and earth shook, even forcing Mo Li to retreat several steps.

Watching Mo Yi disappear, Mo Li almost instinctively reached out to grab something, but his fingers closed on nothing but empty air.

“Tell Meng Ruji.” Mu Sui glanced at Mo Li and left only one final, indifferent statement: “Consider her already dead. Stay here and stop causing trouble.”

Mo Li wanted to say something more, but Mu Sui had already borrowed the power of the thousand gold to rise with the wind, vanishing in an instant to places Mo Li couldn’t pursue.

Mo Li knew he could buy his life with a thousand gold again and return to the mortal realm.