“That makes sense.” Er’er nodded in complete agreement, then pinched her sleeve to wipe the fruit skin before offering it to his lips. “Ah—”

Li Ye quickly took a bite.

Afterward, he frowned with disdain: “Still not as good as those from the back mountain of the Li family.”

Humming in agreement, Er’er turned the fruit to a different side and offered him another bite.

By the time they returned to Shangbing Palace, only the bare pit remained of the fruit. Er’er tossed it beside the palace gate, where it immediately sprouted a new green shoot.

Li Ye wiped the corner of his mouth in slight disbelief, his eyebrows nearly knotted into a tangle. He opened his mouth wanting to scold her, but found himself at a loss for words.

Devil knows how he ended up eating the entire fruit.

Catching his expression from the corner of her eye, Er’er softly laughed as she took out a silk handkerchief to wipe her fingers: “Why are you annoyed? I won’t laugh at you.”

You’re laughing right now.

…

…

Entering the door with an irritated sweep of his sleeves, Li Ye had only walked two steps when his body slightly stiffened.

A faint trace of netherworld energy still lingered in Shangbing Palace.

If it had been the previous Er’er, her meager cultivation wouldn’t have noticed anything amiss, but now, as soon as she entered, she let out a curious “Hmm?”

“What’s this smell?” Her nose wrinkled as Er’er reached out to pinch up a strand of black energy from the ground, examining it with confusion.

The black energy, as thin as a hair, didn’t resemble the death and resentment energy that had already been refined within the big boss, but rather seemed like the essence of some minor ghost with limited abilities.

With Li Ye presiding over Shangbing Palace, any evil spirit that dared intrude would certainly be slaughtered without mercy. If an energy trace remained, it meant the visitor had escaped unscathed.

Low cultivation, yet able to escape unharmed.

With her heart sinking slightly, Er’er looked up at Li Ye.

Whether from guilt or something else, the big boss walked toward his throne with his back to her, not turning to meet her gaze.

The air grew awkwardly quiet, with only footsteps echoing against the pitch-black stone walls, reverberating softly.

Er’er wasn’t stupid. She could roughly guess that today’s events involved the big boss’s participation, but how much he was involved and what his intentions were, she couldn’t guess, nor did she have the ability to ask.

In her original prophetic dream, Li Ye had become merciless in his killing from the moment he began cultivating both divine and demonic paths, but now, he had not yet fallen into demonhood.

Her fingertips trembled slightly before slowly clenching into a fist. Er’er took a deep breath and stopped asking about the black energy, turning instead toward the screen: “I’m going into closed cultivation!”

Li Ye’s steps on the stairs paused, and he turned back: “Closed cultivation for what?”

“To practice cultivation, of course.”

After stepping behind the screen, her gentle silhouette was cast by candlelight. The shadow touched the candlestick on the table, her lips opening and closing: “Didn’t you say my meridians were blocked and spiritual energy was difficult to integrate?”

Li Ye: “…”

Those meridians couldn’t be unblocked simply through closed cultivation.

His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, his misty eyes darkening two shades. He sat back on his throne and made an ambiguous sound of acknowledgment.

The person behind the screen said nothing more. With a hand seal, a barrier descended around her.

The silhouette disappeared, and everything returned to silence. Li Ye quietly stared at the patterns on the screen, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

After the barrier was established, Er’er didn’t immediately begin to regulate her breathing, but sat on the stool, lost in thought.

“Seven meridians and eight vessels,” she murmured. “Even if I unblocked them, I still wouldn’t be his match.”

Forget being a match—she might not even be able to stop him momentarily.

Just as she was about to sigh despondently, before she could even exhale fully, a familiar voice suddenly sounded beside her: “Who told you to unblock the seven meridians and eight vessels?”

Startled with a jump, Er’er whipped her head around, looking left and right but seeing no one. Her eyes widened: “Who’s there?”

“Me.”

A faint voice emanated from the candlestick, flickering with the firelight.

Er’er looked down, surprised to see the soul lamp before her: “Senior Brother?”

In the Ninth Heaven above, where immortal energy was abundant, Meng Wan had awakened early, but his soul remained weak, unable to form a human shape. Only a trace of divine consciousness remained as he spoke softly: “Answer me.”

Answer what? Seven meridians and eight vessels? Er’er found it strange: “I thought of it myself. They said one becomes powerful after unblocking them.”

“…” Exhaling heavily, Meng Wan’s voice sounded like he was gritting his teeth. “Don’t listen to their nonsense. For immortal cultivators, unblocking the seven meridians and eight vessels is equivalent to consummating a marriage in the mortal realm. If you have no intention of becoming someone’s immortal partner, don’t mention this matter.”

What?

Er’er was shocked. This serious? No wonder Li Ye’s reaction had been so strange when she brought it up.

Why had the Qian Heavenly Deity lied to her?

Recalling Li Ye’s expression when she had foolishly asked him for help, Er’er’s face flushed red. She immediately covered her face and pounded the table.

What should she do? Would the big boss think she had no sense of shame? Although she was indeed rather thick-skinned, she truly hadn’t known!

However, given how Li Ye had refused, he probably didn’t like her at all, right?

Her brows unconsciously furrowed as Er’er raised her face, staring unhappily at the candlestick: “Senior Brother, if you liked someone, would you agree to help them unblock the seven meridians and eight vessels?”

The question was too explicit, and Meng Wan remained silent for a long time, unusually hesitant: “I… I suppose I would.”

“As expected.” Slumping back onto the table dejectedly, Er’er sighed.

How could the big boss possibly be interested in a little weakling like her? The recent intimacy was probably just his way of making up for previous misunderstandings. As for any romantic feelings, there were none.

Wait, why was she feeling disappointed?

Patting her cheeks, Er’er sat upright.

She had come to save her immortal sect, not to find an immortal partner. How could she harbor improper thoughts about someone just because the big boss was somewhat attractive?

That’s too much!

After strongly reprimanding herself, Er’er composed herself and asked again: “If the seven meridians and eight vessels were unblocked, would I truly become very powerful?”

“That depends on who your immortal partner is,” Meng Wan said. “Immortal partnerships among gods and immortals are even more stringent than in the mortal realm. Since both parties cultivate together, their cultivation levels merge and are then divided equally. That’s why immortals often seek advantageous matches, or at least partners of comparable cultivation levels, before they’re willing to form attachments.”

No wonder. Explained this way, her request at that time seemed even more ill-intentioned.

Embracing her head in unbearable embarrassment, Er’er thought desperately that Li Ye must truly be kind-hearted. Despite her behavior, he hadn’t killed her—he was genuinely a good person.

She must never make such a foolish mistake again!

“Wait for me a while longer,” Meng Wan continued. “Once my injuries are healed, I will come find you myself.”

His physical body and remaining soul fragments were still at the Taihe Immortal Sect. After recovering, he could still ascend even with an incomplete soul.

Coming back to her senses, Er’er obediently nodded: “Alright.”

“At that time, you’ll come with me to the Qian family,” Meng Wan said. “I heard from the Qian Heavenly Deity that you’re no longer a disciple of the Li sect.”

“…About that.” Scratching her head awkwardly, Er’er said, “The Li sect is quite good.”

“You don’t want to come with me?” Meng Wan was somewhat surprised.

“It’s not that I don’t want to, but…” But how would she explain this to the big boss?

Before she could finish her question, Er’er sensed someone approaching outside the barrier.