“The Mirror Flower Water Moon drifted to the Western Sea only about ten thousand years ago, and later became Long Xu’s dowry through various transfers,” Xin Wu answered indifferently. “Before that, where it was kept and who guarded it, no one knows.”

“Then…” Er’er’s eyes shifted slightly, “Does that mean if someone tampered with it, no one would know either?”

Xin Wu lowered his eyes, raised his hand to summon the cloud vehicle, and stepped onto it with difficulty: “Those with the ability to tamper with it wouldn’t have the leisure time, and those with the leisure time wouldn’t have the ability.”

The Mirror Flower Water Moon had been sealed for too long, and the key was also hidden by Kan Ze. To tamper with it would require doing so at least ten thousand years ago. The period was too long—countless immortals had ascended since then. Who could plan so far ahead?

Er’er fell silent and followed him onto the cloud vehicle.

They were both heading back to the Nine Heavens anyway, and Xin Wu didn’t mind taking her along.

However, as the cloud rose higher, the atmosphere around them grew increasingly strange.

It should have been clear weather, but the clouds on the horizon were pitch black and impenetrable. Even after flying past the Third Heaven, they hadn’t seen a single immortal anywhere.

Xin Wu slowed down, focusing his gaze on that peculiar mass of black clouds in the farthest west.

…

…

At first glance, it appeared pitch black, but in less than a moment, it changed to a brilliant red, like summer sunset clouds. Er’er didn’t notice anything unusual, but Xin Wu said: “They’re already fighting?”

“Hmm?” Following his gaze, Er’er didn’t understand. “Who’s fighting whom?”

“I’m not sure, but the scent of blood is very distinct.” He beckoned, and a wisp of blood scent drifted over from the distance, like willow catkins caught between his fingertips, gently passing his nostrils.

“It’s the blood of high immortals, exceptionally fragrant.”

Inexplicably shuddering, Er’er moved further away from him, then asked: “Should we go take a look?”

“No.” Withdrawing his gaze, Xin Wu continued leading her upward. “The Nine Heavens have been inviolable for tens of thousands of years. Since someone has come to invade now, it will surely be a fierce battle. If we go there, we would only add to the lost souls.”

The dream flashed through Er’er’s mind, and she tensed up, frowning: “Li Ye?”

Who else would dare bring forces to invade the Nine Heavens?

Xin Wu didn’t answer. He could anticipate how serious the situation was and could predict that this war might not cease for hundreds of years to come, but at the moment, he didn’t want to deal with this mess. He only wanted to go to the Immortal Banquet Platform to properly nurture the weak soul fragment in his arms.

Thus, rather heartlessly, he directly sent Er’er back to the Li Clan Immortal Gate.

This girl was formidable. With Li Ye’s protection, she wouldn’t die no matter where she went.

Without even entering the gate, seeing Er’er standing on the steps, Xin Wu turned and left.

Er’er didn’t blame him; after all, she needed to return to find the Mirror Flower Water Moon.

Earlier, when they were spending time together, she had joked that it would be better if the Mirror Flower Water Moon didn’t see them. At that time, Li Ye had said that the Mirror Flower Water Moon was too heavy, and he didn’t want to carry it around, so he had thrown it in the immortal pool behind the Upper Bing Palace.

Pinching the edge of her sleeve, Er’er stepped forward and crossed into the immortal gate. Who would have thought that with just this one step, blades of light instantly flashed all around her.

Nimbly avoiding several wisps of immortal energy, she laughed in extreme anger: “To deal with a minor immortal like me, you have to resort to such underhanded methods?”

Gen Qi silently appeared, standing before her with his hands behind his back.

Er’er raised an eyebrow, instinctively looking back at the characters on the gate lintel, then back at him: “Did I enter the wrong immortal gate?”

“No,” Gen Qi’s voice was deep. “Your return is timely. Li Ye is waiting for you.”

Xin Wu had just said there was fighting outside, so how could Li Ye be here waiting for her? Moreover, with his temperament, how could he allow others to run wild in his immortal gate?

Something was wrong.

Stepping back half a pace, Er’er smiled at him: “Upper God, you are all rulers, quite formidable. Why play word games with me? If you want to capture me, I can’t escape anyway.”

Gen Qi liked this young lady’s talent, but unfortunately, they stood on different sides. He could only look at her with regret in his eyes: “You’ll understand once you go in.”

Er’er turned around and stood in silence for a moment.

Gen Qi thought she would run, but after a while, she turned back and obediently followed him through the gate.

Seven or eight immortal binding ropes flew up, tying her tightly.

She didn’t struggle or cry out in pain, but instead smiled and asked: “Could I visit the immortal pool behind the Upper Bing Palace? I left something there, and it would be good to bring it along when I see Li Ye.”

Gen Qi shook his head: “Not possible.”

“From the moment I saw you at the Heavenly Gate, I felt you were a kind-hearted person,” Er’er sighed. “I stole your immortal power, yet you weren’t angry, but rather pleased.”

Gen Qi pressed his lips together, continuing to pull the binding ropes forward.

“Please let me go there. Bound like this, I can’t run away anyway,” Er’er pouted. “At worst, let’s make a deal—if you let me go there once, I’ll return your immortal power to you, and also return all the Gen Clan immortal techniques I’ve secretly learned.”

His steps faltered slightly, and Gen Qi was somewhat surprised: “You also secretly learned my clan’s immortal techniques?”

“It’s not secret learning. Some basic Gen Clan magic techniques are documented in scrolls at the Taihe Immortal Gate. I casually learned a few.”

“Oh?” Turning around, Gen Qi looked deeply at her. “Which ones did you learn?”

Er’er smiled slightly, gesturing with her chin toward the direction of the immortal pool.

Since he was curious about what she wanted to find anyway, Gen Qi thought to himself, indulging her once wouldn’t hurt.

So the two changed direction and went around to the immortal pool.

“Can you tell me now?” he stared at her curiously.

Er’er stared motionlessly at the immortal pool, her speech becoming increasingly indistinct: “Gen Clan magic originated from Goddess Nüwa; creating objects from earth is the most basic magic.”

Bubbles began to rise on the surface of the immortal pool, as if something was surging up. Gen Qi became alert, reaching out to grip her pulse, only to find that her skin was ice-cold to the touch, without a trace of warmth.

“Splash—” Water splashed open, and a purple crystal leaped out, flying over Gen Qi’s head and falling behind him.

His pupils contracted slightly as Gen Qi turned back in astonishment.

A delicate white hand caught it nimbly. With clear black and white almond eyes showing a hint of playfulness, she wiped the water off the crystal and continued with a smile: “But this basic magic, when used to create a person, can deceive even immortals of the Gen Clan.”

The person he was holding seemed to lose support and quickly turned into a pile of earth. Gen Qi let go, rubbing the soil between his fingers, yet surprisingly, he wasn’t particularly angry.

“When did you use this substitution technique?” he asked softly, as if afraid of startling her.

Er’er tucked the Water Moon Mirror Flower away and answered honestly: “Just now when I turned around.”

In that brief moment, she had created an earth replica of herself that could speak and move, infused with immortal energy, deceiving even him?

A strange light gleamed in his eyes as Gen Qi couldn’t help taking two steps toward her: “Don’t follow Li Ye anymore. Come to my immortal gate, and in the future, you can ascend to become an Upper God, a ruler.”

“Thank you for your kind offer, Upper God.” Er’er stepped back. “But this minor immortal has urgent matters and cannot stay long.”

This place was already a trap with nets spread in all directions. Did she think she could leave just because she didn’t want to stay? Gen Qi shook his head, just about to try persuading her again when he saw that the person who had been chatting and smiling a moment ago had suddenly also turned into an earth figurine.