Qiongsang City floated suspended above the ninth heaven—the domain of the Qingyang Clan, where outsiders were almost never seen.

Years ago, when Qi Nan had sought the Qingyang Clan’s assistance, he had searched the ninth heaven countless times without finding any trace of Qiongsang City. Who would have thought that now, Shao Yi had actually brought their entire Zhuyin Clan family there.

Xuan Yi let out a cold laugh: “The Qingyang Clan certainly hides themselves deep. Even the decree to slay demons across all heavens couldn’t summon their dijun out—could it be that all these years they’ve been holed up in Qiongsang City plotting how to deal with the Zhuyin Clan?”

Shao Yi filled her teacup and passed it to her with elegant grace, then sat cross-legged on the floor beside the bed: “The Qingyang Clan’s bloodline today is even thinner than your Zhuyin Clan’s. Father only has me as his sole son. He has always been frail and cannot leave Qiongsang City. The Tian Di knows this too, which is why this decree made a special exception for him.”

Didn’t the Qingyang Clan have all kinds of heart feathers for regeneration? And yet they’d still be frail?

Xuan Yi had wanted to splash the tea in his face, but her mouth was full of the taste of blood and she felt terrible. In the end, she lowered her head and took a sip of tea, then wrinkled her brow in disgust—what awful tea!

Shao Yi couldn’t help but smile: “Little loach, you can’t have such high standards in the lower realm. If you want to enjoy yourself, you can enjoy all you want in Qiongsang City.”

“If I go to Qiongsang City, will I be able to leave?” she asked coldly.

Shao Yi actually thought seriously for a moment: “Probably difficult. What, do you still have unfulfilled wishes?”

Unfulfilled wishes? There were far too many—so many that she herself was afraid.

She wanted Qing Yan and her father to be able to return to Zhongshan, so that at least Qi Nan would have some comfort. She had heard enough of all kinds of weeping—he absolutely must not add another handful of tears. She also wanted Qing Yan to stop blaming himself all the time. Although he never spoke of it, she knew he had always blamed himself for the heart feather matter. Though her life had been preserved, this life was left in the hands of the Qingyang Clan. He devoted himself to cultivation day after day without any leisure for romance, yet look at how carefree the other young shenjuns were—the Zhuyin Clan shouldn’t lose to them.

She also wanted to know what had happened between Gu Ting and Yan Xia afterward, and where had Zhi Xi run off to? She rather missed her.

Oh right, there was also Senior Brother Fucang.

Shao Yi propped his chin and idly watched Xuan Yi for a long while. Her expression was calm at first, but then the light in her eyes began to shift, revealing a gentle yet sorrowful gaze. He couldn’t help but slowly reach out and stroke her disheveled long hair, his voice tender: “Devoted infatuation always hurts both the lover and the beloved. I told you long ago, but you just wouldn’t listen.”

Xuan Yi tilted her head to avoid his hand, set down her teacup, and said coolly: “I can go to Qiongsang City right now.”

Shao Yi took the teacup she had used and played with it in his hand: “Then let me request leave first. Otherwise, Qiongsang City is vast and empty—I’m afraid it would bore this precious princess to death.”

Xuan Yi frowned: “You just said my father and Qing Yan are both in Qiongsang City.”

“That’s right.” Shao Yi wiped away the tea stain on the cup’s rim with his fingertip and smiled slightly at her. “When the Zhuyin Clan makes a commotion, it’s absolutely earth-shattering. I have to find a way to keep them from smashing Qiongsang City to pieces. It would actually be better not to see them, but if you insist, I’ll naturally let you have your way.”

Xuan Yi suddenly closed her eyes and took several deep breaths before finding her normal voice again: “…What method did the Qingyang Clan use to capture them?”

Shao Yi spoke slowly: “Actually, it’s quite simple. All you need to do is write about the phoenix heart feather matter and your name on a piece of paper, then cast it out at the right moment. With the Zhuyin Clan’s exceptional intelligence, they would naturally understand immediately. Xiaolong Jun went on his own. Zhongshan Dijun took a bit more effort, but fortunately his Zhuyin’s Darkness had been swallowed by half by the Sea of離恨, and besides, he really can’t be considered gifted, so dealing with him was easier than expected.”

The Sea of Lihating could also devour the Zhuyin’s Darkness? No wonder the decree to slay demons across all heavens had been issued in such a rush—was it because Father’s Zhuyin’s Darkness had been swallowed, causing the Sea of Lihating to spread again? This young junior dared to evaluate a dijun with such a condescending tone?

Xuan Yi was increasingly unable to understand what exactly the Qingyang Clan was trying to do: “Do you really want to become a demon king dajun? Even if you imprison the Zhuyin Clan, there are still countless war generals in the upper realm. That’s too delusional.”

Shao Yi laughed with a “chi” sound: “You’re more likely to become a demon king dajun than I am. As for what I want to do, I’ll tell you when we get to Qiongsang City. These divine clans nowadays are truly far too inadequate—even a Sea of Lihating can make them utterly frantic. They deserve to be awakened. Though romantic pleasures are indeed amusing, the duties of celestial gods must not be forgotten.”

Xuan Yi’s tone carried hidden mockery: “You make it sound as if you’ve done some great deed.”

Shao Yi said coolly: “When I do things, I never ask whether they’re good or bad, only whether they should be done. If something should be done, I’ll do it no matter what.”

He rose and walked toward the inner chamber, removing his blood-soaked silvery-white robe. His body was covered with wounds—she really had turned him into a pincushion.

He paid no attention to his injuries, changing into a dark black war general’s outfit, then came out and scooped Xuan Yi up at the waist, pushing open the door and walking out: “I need to see what your true cultivation level is now.”

His wide sleeves wrapped her tightly, not exposing the slightest bit. He walked leisurely along the vine-shadowed corridor, not forgetting to greet the war generals he passed with a smile. All the gods knew he was normally dissolute, so seeing him carrying a slender body in his arms, they thought nothing of it.

Leaving the war generals’ palace, Shao Yi looked around, then rose on the wind. After flying for half a day, he landed on a solitary peak. The golden-cyan radiance around his body flashed, and all his wounds healed instantly.

He looked surprisingly serious: “Release your Zhuyin’s Darkness completely, until your divine power is exhausted.”

Xuan Yi’s face was so pale it seemed about to melt. After gasping for air a while, the dissipating severe pain revived her spirits somewhat. She didn’t ask why—she simply opened her palm. A faint, ghostly candlelight appeared in her palm, and all around suddenly became so dark one couldn’t see their hand before their face.

…Truly worthy of a member of the Zhuyin Clan who had gained human form in just two hundred years—she certainly had exceptionally outstanding talent. If not for her unhealing heart injury, if she weren’t being sustained by just two phoenix heart feathers and unable to fully release her divine power, her achievements would inevitably be extraordinarily brilliant. Now that her body contained three heart feathers, the release of her divine power should be much smoother.

Shao Yi carefully observed the surrounding Zhuyin’s Darkness. The flickering ghostly candlelight cast Xuan Yi’s slender silhouette into this profound darkness. He lowered his head to look at her—she was no longer frenzied now. The candlelight reflected off her pale, blood-stained face, two faint glimmers dancing shallowly in her eyes, making her appear serene yet eerily beautiful.

He sat down beside her and asked in a conversational tone: “What are you thinking about?”

Xuan Yi’s tone was calm: “I’m thinking about how to flay your skin, knock out your teeth, and slowly chop you into pieces starting from your feet.”

He neither smiled bitterly nor sighed, only said gently: “Even if you did that, I wouldn’t perish. I’m just afraid I couldn’t endure that kind of pain.”

She said nothing more. The turbid air of the lower realm was thick and heavy. Releasing the Zhuyin’s Darkness gradually began to tire her. The tiny candlelight started to flicker and flash urgently in her palm. Her breathing gradually grew heavier, and fine beads of sweat seeped from her frost-like jade porcelain skin, washing the bloodstains on her cheeks into streaks.

Shao Yi wiped the blood and sweat from her face with his sleeve. The golden ring in her hair hung from several strands of hair, about to fall off. He simply sat behind her, combed her disheveled long hair straight with his five fingers, and reinserted the golden ring.

Just as he finished this task, the pitch darkness where one couldn’t see their hand before their face suddenly vanished completely. He extended his arm—Xuan Yi had already fainted in his embrace.

Shao Yi lowered his head and stared at her face for a while. There was still a spot of blood at the tip of her brow. He rubbed and wiped it carefully with his fingertip.

Did she really have no unfulfilled wishes? Still, if she had spoken them aloud, he might not have been able to resist satisfying her a second time—it was better that she didn’t speak.

Her beautiful, full lips were half-open. Shao Yi gazed at them for a long time, as if hesitating, as if being vigilant about something, then lowered his head and pressed his lips lightly against them.

Frigid ice and blazing flames collided once again. He only touched them for an instant before pulling away, his brow furrowing, seeming lost in thought about something.

The clear wind howled past, tousling both his and her long hair. Shao Yi suddenly sensed a flash of golden light in the distance. His eyes narrowed slightly. He didn’t dodge, allowing that golden light to shoot toward him like lightning. Several strands of long hair, along with the fiery red jewel on his forehead, were severed and fell onto his clothes.

He turned his head and met a pair of profoundly cold eyes.