[1]

Qin Wan first met Jian Zhiyan on a summer day when she was sixteen.

That day, she had gone to help Jun Shu retrieve the spiritual herbs he wanted, fighting her way back to Wenxin Sect, only to encounter Jun Shu and Su Yueli admiring flowers in the garden.

She still carried wounds on her body, yet she watched as Jun Shu plucked a magnolia and placed it in Su Yueli’s hair. Unable to contain herself, she lost her temper and argued with them. After the quarrel, still seething with anger, she descended the mountain alone and went to a small courtesan house, slapping down spirit stones and demanding the owner summon all the male entertainers.

Dozens of beauties filed in one after another, all kneeling before her. She drowned her sorrows in wine, merely saying: “Raise your heads.”

The group of male courtesans lifted their heads, and she swept her gaze across them, her eyes stopping on Jian Zhiyan.

She hadn’t expected that such an ordinary small courtesan house could harbor such extraordinary beauty. But with her heart occupied by Jun Shu, her gaze only paused briefly before she turned her head and pointed at Jian Zhiyan: “Him then.”

Jian Zhiyan seemed unsurprised that she had chosen to keep him. After everyone else withdrew, he knelt calmly on the ground.

Qin Wan said nothing either, merely drinking wine, one cup after another.

Mortal wine couldn’t intoxicate a cultivator. She drank it like water, and after a while, she actually calmed down instead.

Once she had completely sobered up, she found the situation absurd. She was Wenxin Sect’s eldest senior sister, the betrothed of Yuecheng’s young master—what business did she have coming to a place like this?

She tossed down two spirit stones, stood up intending to leave, but when Jian Zhiyan saw her rise, he hastily called out: “Is the immortal leaving?”

“Do I need your permission?”

Qin Wan glanced at him coolly. Jian Zhiyan grew flustered, grabbing the hem of her robe, his eyes full of pleading as he looked at her: “Did this slave do something wrong?”

“Nothing wrong,” seeing his panic, Qin Wan softened her voice instead, saying gently, “I have matters to attend to, I must go.”

“Immortal…” Seeing her speak so kindly, Jian Zhiyan grew bolder, “Would the immortal be willing to purchase this slave?”

“Purchase you?” Qin Wan raised an eyebrow, “We’ve only just met, why would I purchase you?”

At her words, Jian Zhiyan froze, despair surfacing in his eyes. But he still released Qin Wan’s robe, saying nothing more, only bowing respectfully: “Immortal, please go carefully.”

Qin Wan paid no mind, turning to leave. After she descended the stairs, the owner approached her, engaging in some pleasantries before having a servant escort her out.

As she walked through the back courtyard, she saw Jian Zhiyan walking along the corridor, being led by someone toward another private room.

She involuntarily stopped, hesitating a moment before pointing at Jian Zhiyan and asking the servant beside her: “Where is he going?”

“To meet a new client.”

The servant smiled: “Young Master Jian just became available. Many people specifically requested to see him. Father is thinking of selling his first night for a good price.”

Hearing this, Qin Wan swept the private room with her divine sense and saw that the room seemed to be filled with elderly men around fifty years old. She suddenly understood Jian Zhiyan’s earlier actions—if he was to be sold sooner or later, being sold to her would indeed be better than being sold to these people.

But thinking about it, they were strangers meeting by chance with no real connection. The world was full of suffering people—she wasn’t a living bodhisattva who could save them all.

So she paid no more attention and turned to leave.

Walking along the road, she asked curiously: “This Young Master Jian’s appearance is extraordinary, he doesn’t seem to be of ordinary birth?”

“The immortal has keen eyes,” the servant praised Qin Wan, explaining, “Young Master Jian’s parents also seemed to be cultivators, but they offended someone and were killed. When his parents died, his adoptive father happened to be passing by. His parents entrusted him to this man on their deathbed, so the adoptive father carried him down the mountain. Later they encountered a famine, and the adoptive father’s family couldn’t support too many children. For the sake of his own children, he sold him. After changing hands several times, he came to our establishment. We’ve been carefully training him since he was thirteen. Now he’s just turned eighteen and become available—the immortal arrived at just the right time.”

Qin Wan said nothing as she stepped across the threshold.

The sound of stringed instruments and pipes from within the courtesan house seemed to diminish all at once. She thought of her own youth, hiding in a protective array under the bed, watching the entire Qin family being slaughtered. She suddenly wondered—if City Lord Jun hadn’t come to save her back then, would she have ended up like Jian Zhiyan?

This thought made her stop. The servant asked in confusion: “Immortal?”

“I want to buy him.”

Qin Wan turned her head, making her decision.

“Summon your owner.”

[2]

Buying Jian Zhiyan was an impulsive decision, but afterward she discovered this person was extremely useful.

Especially for irritating Jun Shu and her master Shen Zhiming.

Ever since Su Yueli came to Wenxin Sect, all their attention had been on her. Not until she brought Jian Zhiyan back to Wenxin Sect did they finally give her some reaction.

Shen Zhiming told her not to disgrace herself. Jun Shu cursed her for being shameless.

The more they scolded, the more strangely pleased she felt, and she treated Jian Zhiyan even better, keeping him by her side to serve her, even letting him rest in her room.

Having gained her protection, though Jian Zhiyan said nothing, his eyes always shone with light when he looked at her.

He did everything possible to manage her affairs, learning the music she liked, learning the dishes she favored, using all the skills he’d learned in his first half of life to please people, hoping to win her favor.

But she didn’t realize—all her energy was focused on Jun Shu.

At the time, she thought her conflicts with her master, Jun Shu, and her senior brother were just quarrels, like family members bickering.

Until in the secret realm, to protect Su Yueli’s life, she pushed her off a cliff, and when she returned covered in wounds, her master dug out her dragon core.

She became a useless person. Only then did she know—they weren’t quarreling with her, they were truly abandoning her for Su Yueli.

Her golden core was damaged, her cultivation plummeted. As she lay in bed like a useless person, her heart was filled with nothing but resentment.

And at that time, only Jian Zhiyan pushed open the door and entered. He trembled as he fed her medicine. After finishing, he tucked in her blanket. She spoke hoarsely: “You should go.”

Jian Zhiyan looked back in surprise. Qin Wan’s voice was steady: “The contract of sale is in the third row, second compartment of the cabinet. My golden core is damaged, ascension is hopeless. From now on I’m just a useless person. I can’t support you. Following me will only bring you hardship.”

“You’re not afraid of hardship.”

Jian Zhiyan shook his head, somewhat panicked: “I’ll follow you!”

Qin Wan didn’t pay him much mind, only saying: “As you wish then.”

She had already warned him. What happened afterward wasn’t something she would concern herself with.

After all, he was just a slave.

She put no effort into this servant. She single-mindedly focused on reclaiming what was hers.

She began cultivating anew. People mocked her, saying her dao heart was broken. So she simply switched to cultivating the demonic path.

She kept fighting, kept seizing, but somehow, the Heavenly Dao kept protecting Su Yueli. The more she fought and seized, the more she lost.

Meanwhile, Su Yueli rose steadily, surrounded by handsome men.

She lost her master, her senior brother, Jun Shu, her friends…

Until finally, only Jian Zhiyan remained by her side.

Her golden core was damaged. He began cultivating to protect her.

She fell into demonic ways. He followed her into demonic ways.

She needed to cultivate. He willingly became her cultivation cauldron.

Until the end, when he stood before her, pierced through the heart by Jun Shu’s sword, coughing blood as he told her to flee quickly, she suddenly felt dazed.

She didn’t flee.

She looked at this familiar, intimate face pierced through by Jun Shu’s body, and suddenly wondered—why?

Why had she sacrificed so much to pursue one person? She was so tired.

[3]

Later she learned why.

Because she was in a book, a villainous female supporting character.

And this time, the system told her she had a chance to be reborn, to change her fate.

But she had no qualifications.

She had harmed Jian Zhiyan for her own selfish desires. She had been obsessed with a love affair. She had no right to restart her life.

Nor did she want to.

She had never experienced happiness in this life. Her only regret was simply that she hadn’t cultivated properly, hadn’t taken good care of Jian Zhiyan.

“Then are you willing to let the system arrange for your body? We can have another person fulfill your wishes.”

The system told her.

Qin Wan nodded without hesitation: “As long as she can make Jian Zhiyan’s life good, that’s acceptable.”

The system agreed. She thought she would disappear from this world.

But unexpectedly, she was only temporarily sealed within her body by the system. She shared the body with that female immortal named Qin Wanwan, watching everything Qin Wanwan experienced.

She watched Qin Wanwan experience that despair on Shenming Platform, watched her and that man using Jian Zhiyan’s body, called Jian Xingzhi, expose Su Yueli together, watched Jun Shu collapse, watched them leave freely, watched them live boisterously, watched them adventure through this small world, watched them fall in love, watched them save the world.

She finally learned that Shen Zhiming’s special treatment of Su Yueli back then wasn’t because of love, but because of exploitation. He had long harbored a demonic seed, colluding with Xieshen, wanting to use Su Yueli’s special constitution to transform himself and achieve ascension.

She also finally learned that Jun Shu actually didn’t love Su Yueli, nor did he love her. He only loved himself. His love was childish and laughable, shallow and dull.

Somehow, she suddenly realized—this world had so many ways to live.

She had probably been blind.

[4]

Later, Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi ascended the Dengxian Platform and left. She and Jian Zhiyan remained in the cultivation world.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in Heavenly Sword Sect. Jian Zhiyan sat beside her. He still had the temperament of an eighteen-year-old, and unlike at the end of their previous life, he hadn’t suffered too much hardship. Just like before, seeing her, he rushed over.

“Master, you’re finally awake! These past days there was another person in my body. I don’t know why I couldn’t control my body the whole time, I…”

“I know,” hearing Jian Zhiyan speak, Qin Wan remembered this was now the most important matter. She smiled, turning her head to look at Jian Zhiyan, “I was awake too.”

After she awoke and adapted to her body, she went with Jian Zhiyan to see Heavenly Sword Sect’s sect master, Luo Bufan.

When they arrived, there were many people in the great hall. From Qin Wanwan’s memories, she knew these were all old acquaintances of Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi—Cuilu, Yan Wushuang, Ning Huihe, Luo Xingzhou, Liu Feishuang…

And Song Xinian.

These people all looked at them with a hint of anticipation. Though they knew Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi had long departed, somehow, when Qin Wan and Jian Zhiyan appeared, everyone still harbored a trace of hidden hope—except for Song Xinian sitting to one side, completely unaware of everything that had happened.

Qin Wan’s gaze swept across everyone’s faces. After hesitating a moment, her eyes finally landed on Song Xinian, who was staring at her blankly. She nodded and spoke: “Senior Brother.”

Everyone’s eyes dimmed, except for Song Xinian who stared blankly at Qin Wan.

“It really is you…” Song Xinian looked at her incredulously, seeing her Tribulation Transcendence stage cultivation, his face full of shock: “Junior Sister, how are you already…”

Already at Tribulation Transcendence stage.

Before Song Xinian could say it aloud, Luo Bufan interrupted: “Is Fellow Daoist Qin’s body alright?”

“Yes.”

Qin Wan nodded: “Thank you for Sect Master Luo’s concern. After a bit more time, I’ll be able to adapt.”

“That’s good then.”

Luo Bufan nodded.

Everyone chatted for a while. Since they weren’t familiar, after simple pleasantries, Qin Wan took her leave.

She brought Jian Zhiyan back to the guest quarters. Along the way, Jian Zhiyan was quite apprehensive: “Master, where shall we go next?”

Qin Wan had no idea. She felt that living a second life, aside from Jian Zhiyan, she had no attachments. She thought for a moment, then asked: “Where do you want to go?”

“Wherever Master goes,” Jian Zhiyan pressed his lips together, “this slave will go there.”

“I have nowhere particular I want to go. You choose somewhere you want to go.”

Qin Wan’s voice was indifferent. Jian Zhiyan didn’t dare speak, standing obediently behind Qin Wan, only saying: “This slave will listen to Master in everything.”

“Then let’s go to my home.”

Since Jian Zhiyan refused to make a decision, Qin Wan made one: “Phoenix City.”

Having decided their destination, after Qin Wan bid farewell to Luo Bufan, she didn’t inform Song Xinian either and led Jian Zhiyan down the mountain.

Jian Zhiyan followed behind Qin Wan. Seeing her not looking back, he asked carefully: “Master, won’t you tell Daojun Song?”

“No need.”

Qin Wan’s voice was flat: “From now on, we have no relationship with him.”

“Mm.”

Jian Zhiyan’s voice carried a trace of small joy. Qin Wan remembered: “Also, from now on you needn’t call me Master. Call me Qin Wan.”

“This slave wouldn’t dare.”

Jian Zhiyan immediately spoke. Qin Wan glanced at him coolly, only saying: “That body of yours has done everything. What’s there to not dare?”

Jian Zhiyan froze in place. Qin Wan continued down the mountain. Jian Zhiyan hesitated a moment, then followed Qin Wan, speaking softly: “This slave is a few months older than you. May this slave call you Wanwan?”

“Calling yourself ‘slave’ while calling my name—don’t you find that presumptuous?”

Qin Wan looked at him with a half-smile. Jian Zhiyan blushed, only saying: “This slave… I, may I call you this?”

“You may.”

Qin Wan spoke casually: “We’ll be traveling around from now on. Do you know how Jian Xingzhi and Qin Wanwan got along before?”

“I know…”

“We’ll get along the same way then.” Qin Wan’s voice was very steady. “You and I are friends, companions. No need for restraint.”

[5]

Jian Xingzhi’s arrogance had somewhat influenced Jian Zhiyan.

Even though he tried hard to remain humble and submissive, sharing one body with two souls with Jian Xingzhi, having watched how Jian Xingzhi interacted with people, he ultimately couldn’t return to his previous state of not considering himself human.

When Qin Wan told him to call her by name, he didn’t refuse. He even went further, calling her name with a repeated syllable.

After calling her this for a few days, he felt it sounded too similar to the tone of “Immortal Qin Wanwan,” so he changed it to Awan.

The two traveled together to Qin Wan’s hometown. The Qin family had once been a great clan here, but they were wiped out overnight. Qin Wan was the orphaned survivor. Later, the murderers were hunted down by Shen Zhiming and Jun Shu all the way until they were jointly killed. When Qin Wan grew up, she couldn’t even find an enemy for revenge.

Qin Wan arrived at the original location of her family estate. No one had lived here for years—it had long been overgrown with vegetation. Qin Wan opened the sealing array and led Jian Zhiyan into the Qin manor, explaining as they entered: “Many people died here. There may be wronged spirits who haven’t departed. Don’t be afraid.”

In the past, Jian Zhiyan would have been afraid, but having followed Jian Xingzhi in cultivating to Divine Transformation stage, although Jian Xingzhi had given all his cultivation to Qin Wan’s body in the end, he still remembered the cultivation process and heart techniques used. Now encountering wronged spirits, he felt indifferent.

Qin Wan ferried away the wronged spirits in the estate—mostly servants. Then she led Jian Zhiyan in cleaning up the manor before they settled in together.

Before sleeping, she told Jian Zhiyan: “Starting tomorrow, you should cultivate.”

Jian Zhiyan didn’t refuse, only saying: “Alright.”

“I thought you would refuse?” Seeing him agree immediately, Qin Wan teased.

Jian Zhiyan pressed his lips together, speaking earnestly: “I… I also want to become powerful. That way, in the future if anyone harms you, I can kill them.”

Hearing this, Qin Wan froze.

She couldn’t help but recall the later Jian Zhiyan from her previous life.

He had indeed done as he said—cultivated, killed people, fell into demonic ways, died for her.

In their previous lives, both their states of mind had been too narrow, which made their cultivation difficult to advance.

She looked at him and smiled: “Just cultivate for yourself. I have my own blade.”

[6]

From that day on, Qin Wan began teaching Jian Zhiyan to cultivate.

Jian Zhiyan remembered Jian Xingzhi’s heart techniques, but Jian Xingzhi’s techniques were too advanced. Without any cultivation foundation, Jian Zhiyan found them difficult to understand and master. So Qin Wan taught him from the most basic level.

She taught, and Jian Zhiyan learned desperately.

After staying in Phoenix City for a while and growing tired of it, the two would go to the next place, stay for a while, then move forward again.

Qin Wan would take Jian Zhiyan to various secret realms, bringing him to exorcise demons and evil spirits. Jian Zhiyan grew rapidly, soon becoming a minor celebrity in the cultivation world.

Having gained strength, he also gradually developed his own small temper.

He began managing many of Qin Wan’s affairs—controlling her drinking, controlling her risk-taking in dangerous places, sometimes even controlling where she went.

Qin Wan loved drinking.

One year, they accepted a demon-catching mission and came to Flower City. The task was simple—Jian Zhiyan alone was sufficient. So Qin Wan let Jian Zhiyan go out while she waited at the inn.

After waiting for a while, seeing Flower City’s scenery was quite good and hearing that Flower City’s dancers were exceptional, she boarded a flower boat.

The flower boat was hosting a grand banquet. There were both male and female dancers. Qin Wan drank immortal wine, admired the beauties, and felt thoroughly delighted.

As she drank more and became somewhat intoxicated, she was keeping time for a young man dancing a demonic tribe dance when suddenly the entire venue fell silent.

She turned her head and saw a young man standing at the doorway.

The young man wore plain clothes and a jade crown, with a sword at his waist, and in his hand he carried a bloody demon head.

After a brief moment of shock, everyone reacted, crying out and fleeing in panic.

Qin Wan helplessly supported her forehead, watching the young man walk before her, toss the bloody demon head aside, sit down opposite her, and take the cloth from the table to clean the blood from his hands.

“If you’re coming, just come. Why bring that thing?”

Qin Wan glanced at the demon head beside her with distaste: “All bloody and frightening.”

“If I didn’t bring this thing,” Jian Zhiyan finished wiping the blood from his hands, looked up at Qin Wan with a smile, “how would you still remember that I’m earning drinking money for you?”

“I’d remember even without you bringing it.”

Seeing the people around trembling in fear, Qin Wan also found it tiresome and lazily stood up: “Let’s go.”

Qin Wan left. Jian Zhiyan rose satisfied, casually flicking the demon head out the window with his sword, tossing it directly into the river.

He followed behind Qin Wan at a neither close nor distant distance. After walking for a while, as Qin Wan’s intoxication rose, she stumbled forward. Just as she was about to balance herself, someone caught her in their embrace.

The other person simply picked her up horizontally, saying steadily: “I’ll carry you back.”

Not having to walk herself while still able to enjoy the night scenery—Qin Wan was happy to be at ease, lazily nestling against him, murmuring groggily: “The wine today was good.”

“What about the people?”

Jian Zhiyan asked with a smile, as if consulting a friend. Qin Wan thought seriously for a moment, then said: “Not as stunning as when I first saw you, but livelier.”

Or rather, more coquettish.

But Qin Wan still felt too embarrassed to say this word to Jian Zhiyan. However, having grown up in such places since childhood, how could Jian Zhiyan not understand her meaning?

He smiled slightly, only saying: “To attract customers, such places naturally train them from a young age.”

Hearing this, Qin Wan grew somewhat curious and unconsciously asked: “Did you learn too?”

After speaking, Qin Wan sobered up considerably, feeling this question was inappropriate.

For any cultivator, being enslaved or prostituted was not a pleasant past.

Fortunately, Jian Zhiyan seemed not to have heard, didn’t answer, and carrying her into the room, placed her on the bed, only asking: “Would you like to wipe away the sweat?”

After drinking, the body grows hot. Wiping would naturally be more comfortable.

Qin Wan nodded, mumbling an agreement.

Jian Zhiyan went to fetch water and wiped the sweat from her body.

Starting from her forehead, then her neck, arms, calves.

As he wiped, sometimes his hand would inadvertently touch her skin—seemingly with his fingertips, or perhaps his trimmed nails—lightly brushing past, bringing a tingling sensation.

Qin Wan couldn’t quite describe that feeling. Inexplicably, she suddenly recalled her previous life, when she and Jian Zhiyan had dual cultivated to advance their cultivation.

He was indeed well-versed in such matters.

Because it was so pleasurable, she would naturally respond to this person.

Her breathing changed. When he wiped behind her ear, she grabbed his hand, staring at him fixedly.

The two gazed at each other for a long time before he lowered his head and kissed her earlobe.

“The boat used aphrodisiac incense. Awan, it’s not your heart wavering,” his voice was hoarse, “let me help you?”

Actually, there was nothing to resist. Everything flowed naturally, as it should.

His movements were somewhat inexperienced but extremely patient, perfectly appropriate everywhere.

The only problem was at the end—he kept things unfinished, repeatedly asking her: “Awan, I can do better than all those they taught. Don’t go there anymore, hmm?”

She didn’t speak at first, until later, unable to bear it, she agreed. Only then did the matter finally conclude.

When she woke the next day, she stared at the bed canopy, somewhat dazed. Jian Zhiyan embraced her from behind, asking softly: “What are you thinking about?”

“Wondering what incense was used on the boat last night,” Qin Wan frowned tightly, “that I didn’t notice anything wrong?”

Jian Zhiyan remained silent. After a moment, Qin Wan realized he was secretly laughing.

“What are you laughing at?”

She was puzzled.

“It was ordinary sandalwood.”

Jian Zhiyan answered with a laugh. Qin Wan froze, then saw Jian Zhiyan look up, his gentle eyes gazing at her as he raised his hand to her chest, as if touching her heart: “Last night on the boat, there was no aphrodisiac incense.”

It wasn’t external control.

It was her own desire and infatuation.

[7]

From that day on, when they traveled, they didn’t need to reserve two rooms.

They even needed to specifically request a larger bed.

This sort of thing in the cultivation world wasn’t a big deal.

Two people together, happy and content, doing such things daily—no harm in it.

Qin Wan was open-minded. Jian Zhiyan was even more so.

The two traveled to many places, cultivating in deep mountains, adventuring in secret realms.

Qin Wan was quite laid-back, but Jian Zhiyan was extremely diligent.

However, having cultivated from scratch, even after a hundred years of effort, he only reached Divine Transformation stage, while Qin Wan was finally about to break through and face her lightning tribulation.

After the tribulation, she would either ascend or die.

When she realized she was about to break through, Qin Wan was somewhat stunned, but she quickly understood this was a good thing. She told Jian Zhiyan. Jian Zhiyan paused slightly, then after a moment, he recovered and only smiled: “Perfect timing. Some magical artifacts we collected before should come in handy now.”

He was happy for her, but somehow, that night, he was particularly vigorous.

Those days weren’t particularly unusual, except that Jian Zhiyan became more clingy, more passionate.

He wished he could be with her every moment, never wanting to leave the bed.

But beyond that, he did nothing else.

He never tried to keep her, never even tried to tell her not to ascend, to wait a bit longer.

She felt vaguely displeased. At night she even had strange thoughts—she wondered what relationship she and Jian Zhiyan actually had.

The immortal realm did indeed have similar relationships—two people together without any feelings, just making do and enjoying themselves.

When it came time to ascend, they’d leave freely, leave that person behind, find another to continue enjoying themselves.

After she ascended, would Jian Zhiyan do the same?

Thinking of this possibility, Qin Wan couldn’t help but bite her nails.

Jian Zhiyan lightly tapped her hand away, scolding her: “How old are you, still biting your nails.”

Interrupted, she looked up at him, wanting to ask something but afraid of hearing an answer she didn’t want to hear.

“I’ll make you wine-fermented osmanthus cake,” seeing she seemed to have something to say, Jian Zhiyan didn’t press, only saying, “Alright?”

“Mm.”

She responded perfunctorily, but those questions remained in her heart.

Watching as everything needed for ascension was prepared one by one, tribulation clouds gathering overhead, finally the day of her ascension arrived.

Jian Zhiyan thoughtfully packed everything into a cosmos pouch and hung it at her waist, saying gently: “In a moment, you don’t need to worry about anything else. Focus on dealing with the heavenly lightning. I’ll protect you.”

“Jian Zhiyan,” she looked at his face so close at hand, finally speaking, “if I fail to ascend, what will you do?”

Jian Zhiyan’s movements paused. Qin Wan pressed further: “And if I succeed?”

“I told you before,” he arranged her clothing, his voice gentle, “wherever you are, that’s where I’ll be.”

“I don’t understand.”

Qin Wan spoke directly: “Perhaps this is the last time we meet. Can’t you tell me the truth?”

Jian Zhiyan’s movements stopped. After a long time, he raised his eyes, gazing at her: “If you ascend, I’ll ascend to find you. If you fail to ascend…”

“What if I fail?”

“I’ll go to the Yellow Springs to find you.”

Qin Wan froze, staring at Jian Zhiyan blankly: “Then why don’t you ask me to stay?”

“Would you?” Jian Zhiyan asked in return.

Qin Wan hesitated. Jian Zhiyan smiled: “So I won’t force you. I was originally a slave. You gave me everything. I cannot hinder your great path to ascension. Therefore, I won’t ask you to stay.”

Qin Wan said nothing. Jian Zhiyan finished arranging everything for her and stepped back: “Go.”

Qin Wan hesitated. She placed her hand on the hilt of her blade and walked outward.

In those few steps, her mind was filled entirely with Jian Zhiyan.

Only then did she realize—in her life, the vast majority of her time had been with this person.

Was ascension important?

Important.

But waiting a bit longer…

What harm was there in that?

She stopped, turned around, and looked back at Jian Zhiyan.

“Let me give you a gift,” she smiled, “what do you want most?”

Jian Zhiyan’s expression was calm. As if this were their final meeting, he lost the gentleness he usually deliberately created. His eyes held only her.

“You.”

He spoke without hesitation.

Qin Wan smiled, only saying: “Alright.”

Jian Zhiyan froze. Qin Wan spoke: “Then from today on, you and I are dao companions.”

“I’ll ascend with you, die with you. How about that?”