Li Ye found it amusing: “Do you know what life and death truly mean?”

The old man’s lips trembled as he slowly nodded: “People who die cannot be brought back to life, that’s what everyone says. I understand, but you… You have methods, don’t you?”

What methods could there be? Li Ye shook his head: “Life and death are predestined, even immortals cannot defy this law. You still have other children, so why are you so fixated on this one?”

The corner of the old man’s eye twitched as he looked at Li Ye with hesitation, taking a long while before finally speaking: “No matter how many children I have, she is still my daughter, my flesh and blood, the daughter I raised for over ten years… If she can be saved, take my old life instead, exchange it for hers, would that work?”

Slightly startled, Li Ye furrowed his brows in confusion.

Wasn’t he supposedly unconcerned about this daughter? Wasn’t he just stopping by to check on her? How had it escalated to him being willing to give up his life?

Weren’t mortals supposed to value their lives above all else?

The old man clutched Li Ye’s robe, his grip tightening. His emotions were so intense that he could barely kneel properly, murmuring repeatedly: “I’m not afraid of death, I’ve lived long enough, but she’s so young, she has barely lived… Please help, please…”

The commotion grew louder, and Er’er turned her head. Seeing that the boss’s expression didn’t look good, she quickly came over to help the old man up, moving him a few steps away.

…

…

It wasn’t that the boss was heartless. Life and death truly were predestined. Forcibly defying this order could potentially cause chaos in both the mortal realm and the underworld, a responsibility no one could bear. Li Ye had never been fond of emotional weakness; such pleading would only anger him.

Gently calming the old man’s agitation, Er’er said softly: “Please accept my condolences.”

The old man turned to look at her, tears welling in his eyes, his lips trembling uncontrollably: “How can I accept this? How can I bear this grief? I want her to live. Even if she were unfilial and rebellious, even if she lived in poverty not knowing where her next meal would come from, at least she would be alive! Being alive is all that matters! Not like now, when they won’t even leave me her body…”

A surge of blood rushed up, impossible to suppress. The old man’s eyes rolled back, and he was about to faint. Er’er reacted swiftly, her hand sealing the blood flow throughout his body, quickly locking his unstable soul within his physical form.

The Death-Life Door struggled to escape, but Li Ye sent down a beam of fire, and the overwhelming immortal energy forced it back into the cleaver, not daring to move another step.

He walked forward unhurriedly, his right hand materializing the Phoenix-Slaying Blade, pointing its tip at the cleaver.

Black energy surged out like ocean waves, coiling into a storm, leaping from the cleaver into the Phoenix-Slaying Blade. The flames surrounding the Phoenix-Slaying Blade flared violently, as if somewhat uncomfortable, humming twice before quickly adapting, greedily devouring the Death-Life Door.

If Er’er had looked in this direction at that moment, she would have noticed something was wrong. The decree from the Heavenly Dao Diviner was for them to bring the Death-Life Door back to the Nine Heavens for continued suppression, but Li Ye was absorbing the resentful energy within it.

The resentful energy of the Death-Life Door was immense. Even if just a wisp was released, it could throw an entire town into chaos. Ordinary cultivators who came into contact with it would experience mental turmoil and fall into cultivation deviation.

But Li Ye, as if he had prepared for this long ago, watched the surging black energy on the Phoenix-Slaying Blade with complete calm, his eyes still and unperturbed.

At the peak of the black energy’s surge, he instinctively glanced in Er’er’s direction.

The little one was frantically attending to the old man and Chu Xiao. Her immortal techniques had improved rapidly; she could now use spiritual power to lift people, though her demeanor still didn’t resemble that of an immortal, still carrying the emotions and weakness found only in mortals.

“Li Ye,” she suddenly called out to him.

His heart stirred slightly. He casually set up a small barrier to shield the Phoenix-Slaying Blade, then turned around and walked back to her side in a few steps.

“What is it?” he asked.

“His natural lifespan should last until eighty.” She pointed at the unconscious old man in the lounge chair, then looked up with sympathy in her eyes. “But after what he’s witnessed today, I fear he won’t live past three days.”

That’s also his fate.

Li Ye wanted to say this, but as he moved slightly closer to the old man, he sensed something was wrong.

It wasn’t fate. If the little one could calculate this person’s lifespan, he could certainly see through it at a glance. This old man was deeply blessed with good fortune; there was no way he would die prematurely.

Unless he no longer wished to live.

His brow furrowed, and Li Ye couldn’t help but let out a cold snort. How foolish, trying to use his own life to coerce them into helping? If he didn’t want to live, that was his own choice.

He reached out and pulled Er’er away: “Don’t meddle in affairs that don’t concern you.”

Er’er pursed her lips. She naturally knew this matter was beyond her control, but she still felt sorry for the old man who, after being stubborn for so many years, couldn’t even see his daughter one last time.

Li Ye flicked a strand of immortal energy into the old man’s brow, his deep voice coldly informing him that even if he died, it would be useless.

Merchants were typically clever, understanding how to pursue benefits and avoid harm. Given what he had said so plainly, the old man should have gained some understanding.

However, the vitality within this man continued to drain away steadily.

Li Ye found it extremely difficult to comprehend.

What was the point? He had other children. His death would be in vain. Knowing the outcome already, why would he still make the worst choice?

The Phoenix-Slaying Blade beside him seemed affected by his mood, humming twice and ceasing to devour the black energy.

Li Ye regained his focus and impatiently cast a formation, retrieving the Phoenix-Slaying Blade.

At the same time, a streak of black energy quickly darted toward the outside of the barrier.

Er’er jolted, suddenly standing up to look outside: “What was that?”

Dark and oppressive, it moved with incredible speed, crossing the boundary of the barrier and plunging straight into the ground.

Li Ye looked in the same direction and said with tight lips: “I was careless for a moment and let it escape.”

“What?” Er’er’s eyes widened. “The Death-Life Door?”

“Mm.” He turned his face away, summoning fire birds and instructing them to transport the old man and Chu Xiao to the magistrate’s office. Then he vaguely said, “We’ll have to continue the pursuit.”

Er’er stared at him fixedly, her face slightly pale.

She had always believed that with the boss around, no trouble would arise. The mere Death-Life Door, once within his control, should have had no chance of escape.

Yet now, it had indeed escaped.

If anyone said Li Ye hadn’t done this deliberately, she wouldn’t believe it even if they killed her.

Glancing at the Phoenix-Slaying Blade in his hand, wrapped in black energy, Er’er couldn’t help but grab his left hand, pressing her palm against his, and carefully probing.

Supreme immortals naturally had barriers that she couldn’t easily penetrate, but Li Ye only resisted for a moment before allowing her immortal power to invade two inches into his flesh.

She sensed the churning death resentment energy within him, mixing with high-grade spiritual power, struggling and surging, blending into light gray immortal energy that circulated throughout his body.

Her eyelashes trembled as Er’er looked up at him.

Li Ye’s expression remained calm. He stared back indifferently, as if nothing had happened, snorting lightly as he asked: “What?”

“…Nothing.” Withdrawing her hand, Er’er hugged her head.

She had been too idealistic. The death resentment energy within Li Ye had always existed; he hadn’t been transformed by her influence, he was merely suppressing it. One thought leads to Buddha, another to a demon—he was still someone who could become demonized at any moment, endangering all living beings.

The Death-Life Door had been deliberately released by him.