The great army stood majestically like an endless iron wall at the foot of Emerald Heaven Mountain.

Known as the sacred mountain, revered by the world for many years, the unreachable Emerald Heaven welcomed hostile gazes for the first time.

Those military boots stained with blood from the battlefield were about to ruthlessly trample upon those lush vegetation that no one had ever touched.

Qin Chang Ge dismounted and stared entranced at a small white jade stone tablet ahead, simply inscribed with two characters: “Emerald Heaven.”

The calligraphy was elegant and graceful, as if touched by immortal spirit—personally written by the founding ancestor of Qian Jue when establishing this sect. Any disciple dispatched down the mountain must kowtow three times before this stone tablet before departing, while disciples who ventured into the mortal world and could never return could only come as far as this stone tablet when missing their sect, kowtowing from afar toward the mountain peak. One step further would be considered betraying the sect.

For thousands of years, no one had ever violated this sect rule. In fact, the Qian Jue sect rules were sacred law for all disciples. From the moment of entry, everyone was daily admonished, and no one dared harbor even a trace of rebellious thought.

Well then… let it begin with me!

With a cold smile, Qin Chang Ge slowly stepped forward, her plain white robe passing beyond that jade tablet.

From now on, I expel myself from the sect walls. Since I am already an abandoned disciple of Qian Jue, whatever I do is justified.

Qin Chang Ge stepped onto the jade tablet and gave her first command:

“Cut down the trees!”

There were many formations at the foot of Emerald Heaven Mountain. Rushing in recklessly would only lead to being trapped to death. Only by first cutting them down… The great army received orders and moved out, cutting down trees from right in front of them, stake by stake. Those trees that had grown for many years gradually crashed down with thunderous roars, then were dragged away by follow-up troops.

Qin Chang Ge didn’t plan to hide or sneak around, didn’t plan to be gentle, respectful, frugal, and yielding. Since she had stepped onto Emerald Heaven’s foot without regard for anything, since she had already torn away that facade of master-disciple relationship, what was the point of being so polite?

Qin Chang Ge’s plan was: if trees blocked the way, cut down trees; if people blocked the way, cut down people!

When the military was deployed for anything, it was always swift and efficient. Soon the foot of Emerald Heaven Mountain became bare ground. Trees kept rolling down, their trunks revealing pale white cross-sections. That line of white continuously extended upward like a jade dragon, coiling menacingly, roaring as it surged upward.

Halfway through the cutting, a fierce howl suddenly arose from mid-mountain. The howling sound rolled across the sky like thunder, making the tree-cutting soldiers’ hands go weak in unison. Then blue flowing light flashed across the horizon, and several blue figures appeared ghostlike among the treetops. With a wave of their sleeves, soldiers screamed as they rolled down.

Qin Chang Ge narrowed her eyes, studying those men and women of various ages in blue cloth. She remembered the legendary nameless family that had guarded the Gate of Heaven’s Secrets for generations but never appeared before anyone. She had only known of them, but unexpectedly, having killed her way up the mountain today, she finally saw them.

With a light whistle, riding her sword upward, Qin Chang Ge flew up to the treetops facing those people, her gaze coldly examining them one by one. Those people met her gaze with wooden expressions.

Mountain wind howled, Qin Chang Ge’s black hair danced wildly, and a fierce light flashed and died in her eyes.

With a wave of her sleeve, she said: “Kill!”

Crossbow and firearm units surged up like an iron-blue tide, all adjusting their angles. Those dark barrel mouths pointed at those people, ready at any moment to unleash killing intent with flames and cold steel light.

Those people neither avoided nor yielded, standing motionless without even moving an eyebrow, as if in their concept of cultivation, for many years there had been only the goal of guarding Emerald Heaven. They could naturally live for this and die for this, to the point of losing any emotional fluctuation.

Qin Chang Ge looked at them as she would look at trees—blocking the path, then die.

The battle was about to break out. In the stagnant silence, one could vaguely see the blood that was about to flow—the enemy’s, or one’s own.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!”

Three crisp sounds, like stone chimes, suddenly echoed down from the mountain peak.

Those stiffly standing people in blue robes all looked up toward above, then dismissed them with a glance. Without looking at those menacing guards, they rolled up their blue robes and shot backward like projectiles, disappearing into the deep forest.

Qin Chang Ge frowned at their sudden retreat. The stone chime sounds from the mountain peak hadn’t ceased, leaving her somewhat confused—why had Qian Jue Sect withdrawn its guards?

No one came out to obstruct them afterward. Qin Chang Ge gazed at that cloud-shrouded mountain peak, calculating in her mind who might be in the sect now. Senior Brother should be there. Master and Grand Master were both quite old—she wondered if they had ascended to immortality? Sword Immortal, as a scattered immortal with deep ties to the sect, was probably also there. Before she descended the mountain, there were still Second Senior Brother and Third Senior Brother in the sect. As for whether any new disciples had been taken later, that was unknown.

In terms of martial arts, none of these people were her match. Even in the entire world, there was no match for her. Having reached this point, Qin Chang Ge didn’t care anymore. Kill if she must—she had already been killed once, so why fear being killed a second time?

Without getting a clear answer, she truly couldn’t rest in peace.

The next day brought light rain, making the mountain path muddy. Fortunately, there were felled tree stumps to step on. Qin Chang Ge silently waved her hand, leading carefully selected guards and elite soldiers straight toward the mountain peak.

The first heaven in the east, filled with blue clouds, was called Emerald Heaven, far above in the high sky, atop the mountain peaks.

There was no path at the mountain peak. Qin Chang Ge naturally didn’t mind, flying up all the way. Those guards and elite soldiers with insufficient skill could only climb slowly. Qin Chang Ge, who had gone ahead, looked up and suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

The Qian Jue mountain gate stood before her eyes, and the great door was actually open.

Above that door, clouds and mist rose, with thousands of dragons soaring. Shrouded in the colorful glow of the vast sea of clouds, they seemed about to break through the door and ascend straight to the heavens.

Qin Chang Ge stared at that door in amazement—where was the great formation? Where was the Xuanji Formation at the entrance? And why was the main gate open? The Qian Jue Sect’s main gate was rarely opened. When she descended the mountain years ago, she had left through a side door. Could it be that they opened the main gate waiting for her to come fight?

The wind at the mountain top was particularly fierce, howling through the wide-open main gate. Inside the gate, clouds and mist swirled as always, obscuring all scenery.

Having come this far, there was no reason to stop at the threshold. Qin Chang Ge swept her sleeve, stepped over the two-foot-high threshold, and slowly entered her long-missed sect.

A great bell suddenly tolled.

Nine consecutive sounds.

The sound was steady and heavy, breaking through clouds and splitting mist, echoing far across the high and vast mountain ranges. The reverberations continued endlessly, like hundreds and thousands of bell sounds, wave after wave pressing forward.

Nine bell tolls, main gate wide open—a flash of inspiration struck Qin Chang Ge’s mind. She suddenly remembered there seemed to be such a rule in the sect regulations: when an emperor personally comes to pay respects, this ceremony should be used to welcome them.

In her memory, the Qian Jue texts recorded this ceremony being used only once—the third emperor of the former Yuan Dynasty, Emperor Yuanming, had been assisted from childhood by Dong Shuxuan, a 22nd generation disciple of Qian Jue Sect, to secure his throne. Their bond was extraordinary. After the throne was stabilized, Dong Shuxuan resigned and departed, initially disappearing without a trace. Emperor Yuanming personally climbed Emerald Heaven Mountain to search for Dong Shuxuan’s whereabouts—that time, nine bell tolls, main gate wide welcome.

Qin Chang Ge suddenly wanted to laugh. What was this? Qian Jue Sect truly followed rules meticulously—even treating the killer at their door according to protocol. Besides, she hadn’t ascended the throne yet. Even if she did, it should be Rong’er. She would at most serve as regent. Was she worthy of such great ceremony from Qian Jue?

The more she thought about it, the more laughable and ironic it seemed. She couldn’t help but look up and laugh loudly, her laughter like ten thousand sharp swords shooting in all directions, echoing far in the spacious corridor, forcing apart those gathering clouds and mist again.

Where the dispersed clouds and mist ended, at the end of the corridor, appeared a man in hemp robes standing solemnly.

Behind him stretched buildings in black and white—arched bridges and pavilions, spacious terraces. The corridor railings were carved with blue reliefs of strange large birds with spread wings, simple yet domineering, with proud postures.

Pebbles in blue, white, and black formed nine-palace patterns, extending all the way to the depths of the buildings. In the courtyard, white plum trees grew as luxuriously as before, their brown branches stretching vigorously. The high mountain climate was cold, and at this season they still bloomed quietly. Those ancient, simple black continuous windows faintly glowed, and under the corridors hung octagonal eternal lamps with slightly blue flames, arranged in a straight line like they hung from heaven.

Everything was as before.

Yet never again as before.

Qin Chang Ge smiled extremely slowly, her eyes without a trace of mirth, staring at that man. “Xuan Yuanyin, have you been well?”

The man bowed slightly. “Little Junior Sister.”

“Don’t call me that. I am no longer your little junior sister, and you are not my Third Senior Brother. Didn’t you see me call you by name directly?” Qin Chang Ge said coolly. “Xuan Yuanyin, today I’ve come, and you all presumably know why. Now there are only two choices. First, you block me one by one, letting me spill blood within five steps, or you spill blood within five steps.”

Xuan Yuanyin listened without changing expression, his wide sleeves swaying slightly in the wind.

“Second, let me pass, let me personally ask Grand Master why.”

He smiled slightly, his smile full of a cultivator’s clear and scattered charm, without any worldly fire. Xuan Yuanyin then lowered his eyes and said: “Grand Master ascended to immortality last year. You cannot see him.”

“What about Master? He didn’t ascend too, did he?” Qin Chang Ge smiled sarcastically.

“Master is in Taiwei Pavilion,” Xuan Yuanyin said. “He has been in closed-door cultivation for several years. Even we have not been able to see him.”

“Oh,” Qin Chang Ge tucked her hands in her sleeves, smiling. “Xuan Yuanyin, I’m not in the mood for modest and yielding nonsense with you. Give me a straight answer—fight, kill, or group attack? Anyway, today I have only one breath left. Even if I have to crawl, I’ll crawl to Taiwei Pavilion and have intimate words with our master—oh, I should call him Master Qingxuan—with Master Qingxuan.”

“Little Junior Sister, you’ve always had this temperament,” Xuan Yuanyin didn’t answer her question, only smiled. “When Grand Master selected candidates to descend the mountain from among all disciples, he chose you despite everyone’s objections. Do you know why?”

“It wouldn’t be because I’m a woman, would it?” Qin Chang Ge smiled sarcastically.

“You guessed correctly.” Xuan Yuanyin lowered his eyes, saying calmly: “Your time in the sect wasn’t long, so there are some things you don’t fully know… However, you surely know Qian Jue Sect’s most important iron rule.”

“Any worldly disciple, no matter how high their official rank or noble their title, must not covet the supreme position or compete for imperial power, or they will be punished by heavenly law.” Qin Chang Ge recited slowly, looking at him mockingly. “…Could it be that Grand Master chose me because women absolutely wouldn’t compete for imperial power? That doesn’t make sense. All those disciples who descended the mountain before were men.”

“I said there are things you don’t necessarily know completely,” Xuan Yuanyin stood with hands behind his back, his robes fluttering in the mountain wind. “Before you entered the sect, Grand Master had made calculations about Qian Jue Sect’s future destiny succession. The result was that there must be a disciple who would ascend to the Nine-Five position—you know, for our sect that assists emperors, swears never to touch imperial power, and extremely values reputation, this would be nothing short of a devastating blow. Once a disciple violates this iron rule, what face would Qian Jue Sect have to face the world? What face to continue as an imperial teacher sect?”

“So to avoid this situation, you deliberately chose a woman?” Qin Chang Ge seemed to understand, saying slowly: “…I see.”

“Having said this much, with your intelligence, you should know the reason. If there’s anything else unclear, go ask Grand Master.” Xuan Yuanyin stepped aside.

Qin Chang Ge looked at him and suddenly asked: “That matter—were you involved?”

“The sect’s affairs are our affairs.” Xuan Yuanyin’s tone was calm. “I will never answer that question for you.”

To reach Taiwei Pavilion, one must first pass Second Senior Brother’s Chengxin Pavilion and Senior Brother’s Chuxiu Residence.

In Chengxin Pavilion, Second Senior Brother Di Jue, cold as ice yet most devoted to the sect, stood coldly before the gate, watching the “abandoned disciple of Qian Jue” approach leisurely.

Behind him, his long sword sang without being drawn, ringing continuously.

Qin Chang Ge gave him a smile without warmth, very gently saying: “Di Jue, do you really want to kill me?”

Di Jue glared at her fiercely, grinding his teeth after a long while: “Sect rules decree that under no circumstances may there be any harm to the heaven-mandated emperor, and no direct staining with fellow disciples’ blood.”

Qin Chang Ge laughed heartily: “Emperor? I’m not. Fellow disciple? I no longer consider this place my sect. You’re free to vent your anger.”

“Master hasn’t ordered your expulsion from the sect walls, so you still count as one of our sect.” Di Jue’s tone was quite unwilling.

“Is that so? Then that’s truly my shame.” Qin Chang Ge walked away with a smile. After going quite far, she heard a thunderous crash behind her.

Lifting her eyelids, she saw behind her a huge crack like a wave stirred by wind, rapidly extending forward until it reached her feet. The crack grew larger and larger, with black and white pebbles on both sides all shattering, piling into clearly demarcated black and white powder that immediately scattered without trace when blown by wind.

Still that explosive temper, yet only able to take it out on the ground. Qian Jue disciples who loved sect rules were truly pitiful.

However, his martial arts… were indeed getting stronger and stronger…

Qin Chang Ge shook her head. Looking up, she saw Senior Brother Sui Jiyun with kind brows and gentle eyes, standing quietly before Chuxiu Residence waiting.

Toward this person, Qin Chang Ge truly couldn’t be as impolite as she was with Xuan Yuanyin and Di Jue. Back then, it was Sui Jiyun who descended the mountain to bring her to Qian Jue Sect. In the icy lake waters of Emerald Lake, he taught her the first lesson about survival in Qian Jue Sect. Afterward in the sect, initially it was also he who taught her in place of Master, until she displayed exceptional talent unlike others, then Master personally instructed her.

The first words he said to her were: “Qian Jue disciples take defending the world and enlightened rulers’ imperial enterprises as their responsibility, take defending the sect’s glory and succession as their responsibility.”

Defend, defend without any reason or principle, even unto death.

Looking up at this man who was both brother and teacher, seeing his temples slightly touched with frost, suddenly a desolate pain arose in her heart. Even these people above the clouds, in the sacred sect, ultimately couldn’t resist time’s erosion. What about fate then? Those people caught in fate’s wheel—had they too failed to escape?

Qin Chang Ge’s question was direct.

“Senior Brother, the reconnaissance emissary from the sect back then, including the one who contacted Bai Yuan throughout the entire plan, was you, wasn’t it?”

Sui Jiyun only looked at her silently, sighing after a long while: “Heaven’s will… Heaven’s will ultimately cannot be escaped…”

He moved slightly aside, also clearing the path, saying: “Chang Ge, Master hasn’t expelled you from the sect walls. We will never act against you. Please proceed.”

Qin Chang Ge silently walked past his side. As she brushed past him, she suddenly asked: “In your third year in the mortal world, I had already been reborn. Why didn’t you seize that last opportunity to try to find me and find a way to make me die again, achieving permanent peace?”

“I looked, and knew you had returned then, but couldn’t confirm who you were,” Sui Jiyun answered frankly. “But sect rules dictate that only one Qian Jue Sect member can appear beside the Imperial Star per generation. I couldn’t go to Xiao Jue’s side to search, so I asked Sword Immortal Master Uncle.”

Qin Chang Ge was startled, remembering when she first took Rong’er to Shanglin Temple and Xiao Jue was assassinated. So Shangguan Qingxun’s appearance then was truly to force her out. If Qing Shadai hadn’t blocked that sword, if Shangguan Qingxun hadn’t been a casual, indifferent person, she would have been exposed that day.

“Master Uncle Shangguan told me he didn’t find anyone. The three-year return period had arrived then, and Qian Jue’s mountain gate would close, never to open again in this lifetime. If I didn’t return, I would never be able to come back, so I had to return immediately.”

“Why didn’t you try to find ways to locate me later?” Qin Chang Ge looked at him sideways. “Because according to sect rules, without disciples or reconnaissance emissaries needing to be dispatched down the mountain, you can never again interfere in mortal affairs?”

Sui Jiyun didn’t answer, tacitly agreeing.

Qin Chang Ge threw back her head and laughed loudly.

“Qian Jue Sect’s hundred-plus iron rules truly are wonderful things—they fully protected me for several years, protecting me until I came knocking at the door!”

“That’s because Qian Jue bears responsibilities different from others. This is an imperial teacher sect. The slightest carelessness, the appearance of scoundrels, will bring disaster to the world and implicate the sect.” Sui Jiyun said with hands behind his back: “You shouldn’t think the sect treats human life lightly or has wronged you, or that the sect wholeheartedly wanted to kill you. You should know that whatever the sect does, it has always been only for Qian Jue’s continuation and reputation.”

“I know,” Qin Chang Ge strode away. “I’m that scoundrel, I’ve already brought disaster to the world. So what? I’ve decided now—I’m definitely becoming this emperor. You desperately don’t want a Qian Jue Sect member to become emperor, so I absolutely must do it!”

She waved her hand, and the guards, elite soldiers, crossbow units, and firearm units that had followed quickly stepped forward, densely surrounding the three courtyards. Qin Chang Ge said coldly: “Keep them here for me. If one person comes over, you don’t need to go down the mountain either.”

Below, there was a chorus of agreement. Those raising bows raised bows, those lifting swords lifted swords, surrounding the three men.

Xuan Yuanyin was thoughtful and unmoved, Di Jue kept sneering, and Sui Jiyun looked back toward Taiwei Pavilion with melancholy expression.

Qin Chang Ge laughed loudly: “If you want to kill, then kill. See if you can kill them all!”

Taking several steps past them, she headed straight for the rear courtyard’s Taiwei Pavilion. Looking up at the Taiwei plaque ahead, she shouted: “Master Qingxuan, I’ve come!”

Silence.

“Tell me why!”

Another stretch of silence.

Qin Chang Ge crossed her arms and leaned against the door, saying coldly: “Master, don’t force me. My great army is outside the door. If I give the order, even if tens of thousands die, I can still burn down Qian Jue Sect. Respected Master, don’t you cherish living beings? Don’t you consider Qian Jue as precious as life? Can you bear for so many lives to be sacrificed in vain? Can you bear for Qian Jue’s hundred-year foundation to be destroyed?”

“You’ve come.”

A voice that was difficult to distinguish as male or female, young or old, suddenly sounded, close by her ear, as if someone was speaking right behind her. Yet Qin Chang Ge didn’t even turn her head, only looking at that black plaque with golden characters, saying coolly: “Cut the nonsense.”

“Back then, your Grand Master calculated using Purple Forbidden astrology that within ten years, an Imperial Star would surely emerge from Qian Jue’s sect walls and ultimately bring disaster to the sect.” That voice floated leisurely above the entire Qian Jue Sect, sometimes distant, sometimes near, like evening drums and morning bells, cleansing the human heart. “To avoid such a situation, your Grand Master specifically chose you.”

Qin Chang Ge raised an eyebrow, calling out loudly: “An empress is not an Imperial Star!”

“You weren’t then. Before you descended the mountain, your Grand Master recalculated and confirmed you weren’t,” that voice contained no emotion. “But after you became empress, once your Grand Master had a sudden inspiration and re-examined your fate chart, he suddenly discovered the star map had changed—your life star would move toward the Purple Forbidden Enclosure.”

“May I say this is a very ironic joke,” Qin Chang Ge laughed coldly. “According to your explanation, I was going to plot rebellion and usurp the throne, so you laid plans, using Bai Yuan’s hand to kill me. But don’t you think that if I hadn’t died, if I hadn’t been reborn to seek revenge, annexing the six kingdoms until now controlling the entire world, I might very well still be Empress Ruiyi in Xiliang’s rear palace, and then nothing would have happened, and I wouldn’t have killed my way up the mountain.”

“It was merely heaven’s will playing tricks,” that voice said indifferently. “Perhaps it was so, but who knows if you wouldn’t have truly plotted rebellion and usurped the throne as empress afterward, ruining our Qian Jue Sect’s rules and reputation?”

“What a fine ‘who knows,’ what a fine ‘baseless suspicion’!” Qin Chang Ge laughed loudly. “Very good, very good, so that’s how it is. Because I ‘might’ become emperor, you had to act against me to maintain Qian Jue’s rules and reputation. But constrained by Qian Jue Sect members not being able to slaughter fellow disciples, you chose the chess piece Bai Yuan, that youth full of hatred. Perhaps from guard to State Teacher, all had the handiwork of my great reconnaissance emissary Senior Brother. I wondered why, though he was remarkably talented, some things he knew so clearly—what he should know and shouldn’t know, he knew everything. Grand Master’s astrology was mystical—what couldn’t he calculate?”

That voice fell silent. Qin Chang Ge sneered: “Why didn’t you try to deal with me later? Did you think Bai Yuan alone was enough to handle me?”

“After Jiyun returned, we recalculated and discovered that after your rebirth, your life star had positioned itself in the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, not invading the Imperial Star as originally thought. By then you were already the heaven-mandated emperor.” That voice floated faintly in mid-air. “Qian Jue Sect, teacher of emperor’s assistants, would never commit any treasonous acts against the true heaven-mandated emperor.”

“Even if this heaven-mandated emperor would lead great armies to attack Qian Jue in the future?” Qin Chang Ge said mockingly: “I’ve discovered that your adherence to and defense of sect rules has reached an outrageous degree.”

Then she laughed bitterly, her voice suddenly lowering as she said softly: “Originally… wasn’t I the same?”

Yes, wasn’t she the same? At fourteen, she descended the mountain on her master’s orders, wholeheartedly assisting Xiao Jue to ascend the throne, yielding the empress position, even reluctantly arranging marriages for him to balance power, always thinking of his imperial enterprise… Even since rebirth, she still habitually considered herself a minister, strategizing for him, governing the country and pacifying the world for him… Always remembering Qian Jue’s rules, never betraying in past or present life those precepts instilled from childhood, never even thinking of betrayal, yet the result was so ironic…

Thinking about it was truly laughable—enduring countless hardships in the sect to pass ten trials, only to be driven toward her own death in the end.

One could only say that Qian Jue Sect’s brainwashing skills were even more formidable than those running pyramid schemes.

“One last question,” Qin Chang Ge exhaled and said: “My background.”

That voice suddenly fell silent, only responding after a long while.

“Haven’t you already guessed? The Snow-Drinking clan has always only been able to have one goddess. Unexpectedly, the previous generation’s goddess gave birth to twin daughters. According to custom, if such a situation arose, one must be killed. But at that time, your Grand Master sensed heavenly secrets and made an exception to descend the mountain seeking worthy disciples throughout the world. He happened to pass by the ice circle and saw you sisters. Both had excellent bone structure, making it extremely difficult for your Grand Master to choose. In the end, he took you away. Your Grand Master loved talent and felt it was quite a pity he couldn’t take your sister as well, so he let your mother choose a martial art as a gift. Your mother was grieving at the time and randomly pointed to the Mirror Flower Dance. Afterward, because your Grand Master had an appointment with Shangguan, it was inconvenient to take you along, so he fostered you in Yunzhou. Later, when he comprehended the heavenly way, he hurriedly returned to Emerald Heaven for closed-door cultivation. Your Senior Brother went to Yunzhou to fetch you. In your memory, you naturally only remember Yunzhou as your hometown.”

“So Yunzhou wasn’t my hometown… What a pity for those 400,000 fellow townspeople…” Qin Chang Ge closed her eyes, murmuring: “After Senior Brother received the mission to kill me, he descended the mountain as a reconnaissance emissary. He couldn’t directly stain his hands with my blood, so he could only use a borrowed knife to kill. He chose Bai Yuan as that knife. He probably saw Yu Zixi desperately searching for the dancing woman in the ice circle and provided this information to Bai Yuan; he helped Bai Yuan rise and gain the power to deal with me; even Fei Huan encountering Li Kingdom’s internal strife at that time, failing to protect me in time, might have also involved Bai Yuan and his machinations… Moreover, Senior Brother’s mystical numerology for peering into human hearts was also quite formidable… Observing expressions to know thoughts, he probably saw the hidden thoughts of those people in the Xiliang royal family. So at that time, various forces and people’s hearts were cleverly dismantled and utilized by those two, finally becoming an inescapable killing trap…”

She suddenly opened her eyes: “That mechanism, the mechanism that killed me—who made it?”

“I did.”

But this wasn’t the ethereal, empty voice of Master Qingxuan from before.

This voice was clear and familiar. That single word squeezed from between teeth carried deep, painful anguish that seemed tangible, rushing toward her.

Qin Chang Ge’s fingers grew cold. She calmly and slowly raised her head to see that man in white robes, supporting himself with a long sword, slowly emerging from behind the pavilion.

Su Xuan.

He looked unwell, his expression haggard, his breathing somewhat unstable. Standing under the pavilion’s plaque, he looked deeply at Qin Chang Ge.

His gaze was like rolling clouds and smoke, like a vast river surging forward, carrying endless undercurrents and waves, with light glimmering and fading.

Qin Chang Ge took a step back.

At the peak of Emerald Heaven, the man and woman faced each other, looking at each other without words.

When they last met, they were still friends, confidants, people who could trust each other with life and death. Now, heaven and earth had turned upside down, everything unrecognizable.

Taking a deep breath, Qin Chang Ge laughed hoarsely: “Junior Brother.”

Su Xuan trembled, smiled bitterly, but didn’t answer.

“I almost thought the Snow-Drinking Goddess was that exceptional non-entering nominal disciple from the sect. I didn’t expect it was still you.”

Su Xuan gripped his sword hilt tightly, saying with extreme difficulty word by word: “I… only learned recently too.”

Qin Chang Ge looked at him in amazement: “But I feel like you’ve known my identity for a very long time.”

Su Xuan turned to glance at Taiwei Pavilion, took a deep breath and said: “I mean, I only now learned that I’m actually a nominal disciple of Qian Jue Sect, your junior brother.”

He looked at Qin Chang Ge: “When… did you know?”

“I suspected very early but confirmed very late,” Qin Chang Ge smiled helplessly. “When you said you were going to visit your teacher, the carriage you drove at Wanyang Pavilion in the outskirts of Ying Capital—I recognized familiar techniques in the mechanism, but it seemed ambiguous. At the time I thought maybe you were just a mechanical genius. Not all ingenious mechanisms necessarily come from Qian Jue. But the confirmation came because of that nine-linked ring.”

Meeting Su Xuan’s questioning gaze, she raised her hand and slowly removed a black strand from her hair: “This thing is unique to a valley called Solitary Peak in the Emerald Heaven mountain range. It’s actually the warp and weft of an extremely tough tree bark that, after special processing, doesn’t fear blade cuts or fire. Qian Jue Sect members often use it to make various weapons. After my rebirth, I had people make it hair-thin for me to use against enemies. Then that day, in that nine-linked ring, I saw this material.”

She smiled: “That nine-linked ring was given to you by Senior Brother, wasn’t it? Qian Jue Sect members often like to incorporate this material inside various instruments, making them more resilient and less likely to scatter. So when I saw it, I knew you were connected to Qian Jue. I just didn’t understand how you became a nominal disciple when no Qian Jue Sect members were walking in the world at that time.”

Su Xuan’s eyes suddenly showed tragic sorrow. After a long while, he said: “Master Uncle Shangguan saved me and healed my hand. He said he was too lazy to teach disciples and would find me a good place, but he didn’t bring me to Emerald Heaven Mountain. He just gave me some secret manuals, saying I was a nominal disciple and telling me not to ask which sect was my master sect.”

“Last time you left Ying Capital, was it because you heard from Master Uncle Shangguan that Senior Brother was still in the mortal world, and you wanted to meet him once, asking him to take some gifts to the sect, but you missed him?”

“Yes, by one step. Senior Brother’s three-year term had ended and he’d already returned to the mountain. Master Uncle Shangguan remembered the date wrong. Senior Brother only left me a letter.”

“The letter asked you to find a way to locate me?”

Su Xuan nodded, his expression helpless: “Senior Brother didn’t say much, but between the lines I sensed something was wrong. Later, after returning and observing His Majesty’s and Brother Chu’s expressions more, watching your demeanor, behavior, and speech more, I gradually guessed who you were. I was very confused then. I didn’t know what grudge my sect had with you. I didn’t want to harm you, but I also didn’t want to betray the sect.”

Qin Chang Ge smiled bitterly, suddenly not wanting to ask about the mechanism master. Su Xuan was a mechanical genius—that mechanism master was probably something he’d made unintentionally while practicing martial arts in his early days. Shangguan Qingxun took it to give to Senior Brother, who then gave it to Bai Yuan. Qin Chang Ge remembered that when Senior Brother originally chose what martial arts to study, he hadn’t included mechanical arts—he wasn’t skilled in that area.

Why ask further? It would be too cruel to Su Xuan.

But Su Xuan quietly said himself: “I just heard your conversation and suddenly understood… Among the secret manuals Master Uncle gave me initially, I was most interested in mechanical arts. I once made a linked spring mechanism and designed a multi-segmented belt that could use internal mechanisms to kill enemies. After making these two items, Master Uncle Shangguan said they were very good and should be shown to my master to make him happy. But I didn’t know they would…”

He didn’t know his mechanisms would be used against the woman he constantly thought about repaying. One succeeded, one nearly succeeded.

With Bai Yuan’s intelligence, even just getting the blueprints, creating ingenious mechanisms was only a matter of time. So when Su Xuan’s blueprints fell into his hands, he developed them into the deadly belt that nearly killed Qin Chang Ge and two others.

Looking at Su Xuan’s pain-filled eyes, Qin Chang Ge couldn’t bear to look and turned her gaze away, suddenly murmuring: “I wish it had been Sword Immortal who killed me! Why wasn’t it him? Why go to such great lengths?”

“Master Uncle swore to seal his sword and never kill again many years ago…” Su Xuan said slowly. “Because he once killed the wrong person, for twenty years after, his sword never touched blood.”

Qin Chang Ge’s gaze wandered, scanning the surroundings: “Where is Sword Immortal? Qian Jue Sect is constrained by sect rules and can’t kill me anymore, but he can—at least he can defeat me.”

“No need to look for him,” Su Xuan slowly raised his sword. “Master Uncle won’t come.”

Sword level with his chest, lowering his eyelashes to no longer look at her, Su Xuan said calmly: “I know you want to go in and kill Master… That won’t do. This final battle, let you and I handle it. After all, I’m also your enemy—I exterminated the Snow-Drinking clan…”

He said word by word: “Su Xuan of Qian Jue Sect requests battle with Senior Sister Qin Chang Ge!”

Qin Chang Ge looked at him in amazement: “You—”

Su Xuan’s expression made her immediately understand that his unstable breathing and haggard appearance weren’t just from learning the truth—there had probably been a fierce battle too.

First he acted against his teacher-father figure for her sake, then he challenged her for the sect’s sake.

Su Xuan, trapped in others’ debts of gratitude his entire life, at the end found himself caught between those overturned and tangled grudges and kindnesses, no longer knowing how to choose.

Long wind swept up, lifting the robes of that man and woman who had drawn swords against each other.

She looked at him with desolation filling her eyes; he looked at her with helplessness filling his heart.

Qin Chang Ge stood before Taiwei Pavilion with its flying eaves, looking at that brilliantly gleaming long sword reflecting into her eyes. Her heart, already numbed by deep wounds and torment, suddenly felt sharp pain again.

In her ears, the vast mountain wind made the iron chimes under the corridors ring softly, first with melodious, rounded sounds, then growing more urgent, as if life initially began full of kindness, hope, warmth, and sweetness, but grew more sinister and fierce toward the end, becoming tragically desolate. When would it be struck one final harsh blow by fate, shattering into pieces, finally exchanging all eternal matters for flying smoke and scattered clouds, with all grudges and kindnesses eventually coming to rest?

Walking to this point, fate’s mockery had reached such extremes—those wanting to repay kindness harmed their benefactors, and confidants from one moment were destined to become enemies for the rest of their lives.

Qin Chang Ge smiled slightly.

She had never been Su Xuan’s match, even if he had first defeated the formidable enemy Shangguan Qingxun, expending part of his true power.

Then let her die here. If she died, all grudges would be extinguished, and Su Xuan’s future days might be easier.

This person bound by debts of gratitude his entire life…

Slowly raising her sword in an extremely respectful starting stance, Qin Chang Ge said slowly: “Qin Chang Ge requests battle with Su Xuan of Qian Jue Sect.”

Sword light blazed like a bright moon.

Su Xuan’s sword momentum was like rippling light across a full sea, instantly reaching Qin Chang Ge’s eyes.

Dodging sideways at the waist, Qin Chang Ge had already crossed that sea to the opposite shore in one drift, her backhand sword flowing like clouds and water toward Su Xuan’s back.

“Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding.”

Seven sounds rang in an instant, with countless collision sounds condensed into one because of their speed. In a flash, the two had already exchanged dozens of moves. In this painful decisive battle, neither wanted to savor the fight. Qin Chang Ge didn’t use her endless tricks, Su Xuan didn’t use his unparalleled true power. They simply fought fast with fast using swords. Sword light flashed like a startled rabbit and striking falcon, but neither really wanted to strike the other. They kept brushing past each other, continuously destroying all the emerald leaves of the surrounding cypress trees, which turned into deep blue-green rain, scattering onto their white and plain robes, turning white shadows into green shadows.

It was already the two hundredth move.

Qin Chang Ge knew she couldn’t survive two hundred moves under Su Xuan’s hand. With this current fighting style, even two thousand moves might not determine victory.

And from Taiwei Pavilion, that ethereal, distant voice no longer sounded.

What a difficult situation—you can’t kill me, I can’t kill you, yet we must kill… Su Xuan, let me help you end this quickly.

You’re the world’s foremost martial artist, you still have a long road ahead, while I… I only have Rong’er left. Rong’er is precocious—being a little emperor should work out well.

Emperor Kangxi ascended at age eight. Rong’er isn’t any less intelligent than him, so it should probably be fine.

I… will fulfill you.

With a faint smile, when Su Xuan’s sword thrust toward her chest, Qin Chang Ge danced her sword in protection around her vital points, creating an impenetrable defense. By convention, Su Xuan’s sword momentum would usually slide away only at the final step.

Su Xuan’s sword light indeed slid over as expected.

The sword momentum approached her chest, only millimeters away.

Qin Chang Ge suddenly withdrew her sword, gathering her true power then releasing it.

White light flashed as the long sword, with unstoppable momentum, headed straight for her chest.

So close she could already feel death’s piercing cold.

Qin Chang Ge closed her eyes, smiling gently.

A’Jue… Fei Huan… I’m coming to see you…

“Hiss!”

Suddenly true power surged wildly, pulling and dragging, lifting Qin Chang Ge’s withdrawn hand, miraculously raising her horizontally withdrawn sword to thrust forward upright!

“Chi!”

The subtle sound of sword edge entering flesh.

Yet it rang like thunder in Qin Chang Ge’s ears.

Opening her eyes in shock, Qin Chang Ge discovered her sword had actually pierced through Su Xuan’s left shoulder blade, completely penetrating.

Blood gushed wildly, flowing over the long sword in her palm, accumulating then continuously dripping to the ground when it could hold no more, quickly forming a large pool that spread like blood-moon halos, staining the entire black and white ground.

Qin Chang Ge stared blankly at that sword she had raised and pierced into Su Xuan’s body, watching her hand slowly stained with his blood, so deeply red. For a moment she felt her vision blur with chaos, red spots everywhere, flashing and jumping like maple leaves falling piece by piece, obscuring her sight.

She staggered back a step. Before she could release the long sword, Su Xuan had already smiled tragically at her and slowly retreated, forcibly pulling his body from the sword.

The creaking sound of the sword edge scraping against muscle and bone rang particularly clear in the silent air. Qin Chang Ge felt her heart grow cold, as if everything from fingers to toes was ice-piercing to the bone.

But Su Xuan no longer looked at her.

He stepped past her, lifting his robes to rise, slowly kneeling toward Taiwei Pavilion.

“Master, this body and these skills are finally given to Qian Jue… This disciple’s strength ends here.”

One kowtow, heavily falling on the black and white pebbled ground.

Taiwei Pavilion remained silent, seeming completely unmoved by those two excellent disciples’ helpless mutual combat, by the world’s foremost person’s resolute sacrifice.

But Su Xuan no longer needed an answer.

He kowtowed three times, stood up freely, and slowly turned back.

The setting sun was perfect on the distant mountains, shooting countless crimson clouds edged with gold, tumbling among layered mountain clouds like golden dragons traveling across the vast wilderness. The man standing in golden light, amid wind and clouds opening and closing over ten thousand acres of misty waves, turned back with passionate spirit. Though half his body was bathed in blood, his brows showed outstanding clarity again, his soaring spirit rising once more, commanding all winds between heaven and earth.

He laughed loudly, echoes from the peak continuing endlessly.

“Are worldly grudges and kindnesses satisfying? From now on they have nothing more to do with me.”

Nothing more nothing more nothing more… over and over like great drums and bronze bells ringing beside Qin Chang Ge’s ears. Before she could recover, Su Xuan had already shaken his sleeves and turned away calmly.

Qin Chang Ge stepped forward blankly, wanting to say something but ultimately not knowing what to say.

But Su Xuan suddenly turned back, smiling at her over his shoulder.

That smile was bright as the moon and clear as wind, faintly like their first meeting at the Blazing Flame Gang’s main hall, when he threw a pomegranate and approached with graceful bearing—the dashing Gang Leader Su.

Qin Chang Ge’s eyes grew wet, murmuring: “Why did you have to do this…”

“It shouldn’t be you,” Su Xuan looked at her gently, looking at this woman he had searched for all his life, remembered all his life, whose thoughts had stirred his heart all his life, yet whom he ultimately had to pass by. “You still have things you need to do.”

He smiled, with a hint of small cunning and satisfaction.

“Return to the palace. Someone is waiting for you.”

………………

“Your Majesty, this Hundred Phoenix Thousand Pearl Sea-water River-tooth Pattern Bright Red Ceremonial Robe is what you need to wear for the upcoming Heaven Sacrifice. Should this servant attend to changing you into it now?”

Qin Chang Ge stopped her hand from reviewing memorials, lazily glancing at the ceremonial robe that required two people to carry, waving her hand: “Remove all the pearls and send them to the Crown Prince for playing marbles.”

After thinking, she added: “Also send that Thousand Treasures Balm that Zhongchuan just tributed to Dragon Manifest Palace. See if that fellow Qi Fan’s medicine this time works better—the last batch wasn’t bad.”

Thinking again: “Never mind, I’ll go myself.”

Throwing down her brush, she walked away with clicking steps, leaving the Imperial Wardrobe and Palace Protocol eunuchs looking at each other in dismay, crying without tears: “Heaven, the time for Heaven Sacrifice is almost here…”

But that person playing hooky paid no attention to those frantically running eunuchs, striding purposefully toward Dragon Manifest Palace while waving the box in her hand: “A’Jue, there’s another good thing…”

Before turning the corner of the long corridor, a ball of flesh pounced over, grabbing her knee to snatch that box: “Let me see what good thing it is.”

“Not for you,” Qin Chang Ge snatched it back. “Go read your books. Did you skip class again?”

“Hey, aren’t you playing hooky?” Crown Prince Xiao looked disdainfully at his equally delinquent mother. “I remember today is your Heaven Sacrifice day, and you’re still wearing regular clothes. Speaking of lazy, who’s lazier than you?”

“I think it’s you who are lazy,” Qin Chang Ge sighed. “But what can I do? Your father won’t be emperor anymore. He finally woke up with such difficulty, and with this body, I don’t dare let him overwork. You also won’t do it, saying you want to go to Li Kingdom. What can I do?”

Baozi burrowed into her arms, suddenly falling silent, saying softly: “Mother, I’m not willing. I promised godfather I would go, promised to get back what belongs to him. A man’s word is his bond.”

“Right, a man’s word is his bond,” Qin Chang Ge gently stroked her son’s smooth black hair, saying leisurely: “Just like your father emperor once promised to accompany me well for life. He almost broke his word. Fortunately his memory was good—he struggled to survive. Otherwise, whether in heaven or on earth, I wouldn’t let him off.”

The morning breeze blew refreshingly, lifting the equally black and shining long hair of mother and son, carrying the faint fragrance of flowers from the imperial garden, and the vegetable fragrance from a garden plot ahead that had actually been converted into a farmhouse pastoral style, with ponds and field ridges, growing vegetables and raising fish. Under dense tree shade, a man sat on a wooden chair covered with blue felt, fishing. Sunlight fell on him, creating a warm and leisurely silhouette.

Qin Chang Ge gazed at that silhouette from afar, holding her son, thinking of several months ago when she rushed back to the palace to discover Xiao Jue hadn’t died. Originally, the arrow Bai Yuan shot that day, because it was split into four parts by Xiao Jue’s counter-shot, when the quarter-arrow finally reached his vital spot it had already thinned considerably. Combined with Su Xuan arriving in time, using all the elixirs on his person and continuously providing true power to protect his breath from dissipating—he had just remained unconscious, though seriously injured. No one knew if he could survive. Su Xuan feared giving Qin Chang Ge hope only to disappoint her, which might cause her already strained composure to completely collapse, so he simply concealed everything until Xiao Jue awakened.

After Qin Chang Ge returned to the palace, she nearly wept with joy. She immediately applied both Master Shi Yi’s elixir and all the miraculous medicines she’d found in Taiwei Pavilion. These peerless medicines finally saved Xiao Jue’s life.

The elixir Master Shi Yi gave her, Qin Chang Ge never used at all. She had originally planned to die at Emerald Heaven’s peak—with her beloved already dead, what use was peerless martial arts?

That day when she burst into Taiwei Pavilion, she discovered that after answering her questions, Master had also ascended. Senior Brother Sui Jiyun led the disciples in bidding farewell to Master, sighing: “From now on, there is no more Qian Jue.” He too severed his heart meridian and died.

Qin Chang Ge only remembered Su Xuan’s parting words then, anxious to return home with burning heart. Not wanting to make things difficult for the other two senior brothers who had nothing to do with this matter, she hurriedly descended the mountain. Halfway down, she heard the thunderous sound of Qian Jue’s great gates closing forever.

She quietly looked back from the mountainside, knowing that from then on, Qian Jue’s gates would never open again. The name Qian Jue would eventually be buried in dust. This generation of renowned imperial teacher sect would become legend.

Only legend.

Just like everything she had experienced, along with those brilliantly talented men and women, these deep conspiracies and long-buried grudges and kindnesses, these desperate entanglements written in dripping ink across the vast canvas of history because of love and remembrance, longing and separation—after a hundred years, these too would become tales people told with relish.

The men and women in the story loved, hated, came, and departed in different ways, leaving the world a stunning silhouette.

But at least now, she had finally grasped the last bit of happiness.

After Xiao Jue awakened, because of his serious injuries he couldn’t recover health for a long time. Having walked through death’s door once, he no longer had any interest in imperial power and insisted on abdicating. Qin Chang Ge wanted their son to ascend the throne, but Crown Prince Xiao jumped up and down, fighting desperately against it.

Meanwhile, all officials submitted petitions requesting the establishment of a female emperor.

Left with no choice, Qin Chang Ge had to first shoulder this burden that others desperately pursued but which seemed “quite troublesome” to her.

…The small body in her arms was soft and sweet. Qin Chang Ge gently caressed him, remembering that dream not long after returning to the palace.

In the dream, a barely perceptible voice asked her: “Lingyuan, your grudges are settled. Why not return?”

She ignored it, but that voice persisted like a lingering spirit, sighing repeatedly: “You were all originally people of the Nine Flower Assembly. Why be greedy for mortal smoke and fire? You and he are both stubbornly in love with the human world—those who should die won’t die, those who should leave won’t leave.”

She asked: “Is Fei Huan waiting for me at the Nine Flower Assembly?”

That voice carried laughter: “It was just experiencing tribulation in the mortal world. How could you take it seriously?”

“How could it not be real?” she laughed. “Those loves, hatreds, lives, deaths, grudges, and entanglements, those horizontal blades toward enemies and raised swords to heaven, that spilled blood, that given deep feeling, those wind, smoke, blood, and fire walked through together, those reincarnation tribulations crossed together—all truly passed through my heart again and again. Without personally experiencing those bittersweet flavors, you immortals who live forever, forever dining on dew and lying on clouds, forever transcendent and refined, not knowing what is joy or what is sorrow, wouldn’t understand.”

That voice sighed, suddenly filled with yearning: “Hearing you describe it, it sounds very meaningful…”

“So I can only apologetically ask Fei Huan to wait a bit longer. We’ll return later,” Qin Chang Ge smiled with slight melancholy. “This journey has been too difficult, and besides, Rong’er is still small. I can’t bear to part.”

I can’t bear to part.

This journey has been too arduous. That precious warmth gained through hundreds of death-defying struggles—I can’t bear to let go immediately.

The mortal world has much suffering, but it suffers truly. Those flavors lightly tasted by tongue on blade’s edge are sweet after pain.

Like this moment—having returned from tribulation, everyone’s heart bore several more wounds that ached faintly when recollected in quiet nights, but everyone was working to heal those wounds, waiting for some day when clouds would scatter and moon rise, clear light covering the earth, sharing beauty across a thousand li.

This too was very good.

The morning breeze blew gently. The fishing man under the trees ahead seemed to sense this spiritually and suddenly turned to look over from afar. Qin Chang Ge raised her face toward that direction, revealing a warm smile.

………………