Even with his heart’s regrets, Li Ye was still the most powerful god under heaven—how could he be desperate? The Queen Mother of the West disagreed with Kan Ze’s words in her heart but didn’t voice her thoughts.

It was too soon, she thought. Given more time, Li Ye would eventually let go.

However, a hundred years passed, and Li Ye traveled through mountains and rivers with the eastern pearl.

Two hundred years passed, and Li Ye returned to Seven-Colored Immortal Mountain for secluded cultivation.

At the beginning of the third century, Long Xu’s three souls and seven spirits were finally nurtured to completion, settling into the physical body Xin Wu had prepared. She was once again graceful and elegant.

She looked bewilderedly at the man before her, her purple pupils filled with wariness.

Xin Wu’s face showed no expression. He knew she would likely forget him—souls reborn discard their most painful memories.

And perhaps he was destined from birth to bring her pain.

It didn’t matter. He wasn’t saddened.

…

…

Forcing a smile, Xin Wu composed himself: “Since I saved your life, from now on, why not follow me?”

Long Xu sized him up, feeling this man seemed unsavory. Her fine eyebrows furrowed as she said softly: “All living beings under heaven are free. Why must I follow you?”

Xin Wu was stunned, his hand hidden in his sleeve, slowly clenching: “You’re unwilling?”

“Unwilling.” Long Xu shook her head. “I have a marriage engagement with someone. I should go find him.”

Trying to maintain his composure, upon hearing this, Xin Wu couldn’t help but darken his face: “Engaged to whom?”

“Zhong Su.”

Rubbing her head, Long Xu stood up unsteadily. “I remember I promised him. He’s still waiting for me.”

Lips pressed tightly together, even the typically frivolous High God Xin Wu finally put on a stern face, pushing her back onto the soft couch: “You’re mistaken. You’re from the Western Sea—what connection could you have with the Netherworld?”

Looking at him perplexed, Long Xu brushed off his hand from her shoulder, her eyes growing more guarded: “Do you take me for a young girl? After I left the highest heavens, I went to the Netherworld. Why would I have no connection to it?”

She remembered the Netherworld and remembered Zhong Su—none of these memories had caused her pain.

The only one forgotten was him.

His chest heaving, Xin Wu’s voice also grew colder: “You want to leave without repaying the life-saving grace?”

Life-saving grace…

Long Xu turned her head, looking at the broken soul-nurturing lamp beside her, somewhat confused: “We have no relation by blood or marriage. Why would you use centuries of immortal energy to save me?”

“…” Feeling a bit guilty, Xin Wu tightened his hand, remaining silent.

He knew his words were somewhat shameless. Even saying he was repaying her wouldn’t be enough, let alone claiming she owed him. But he simply didn’t want to let her go.

Hundreds of years had passed. Finally meeting again, she wouldn’t even spare him a smile.

Both sides suddenly became rigid. The strange atmosphere filled the surroundings, eventually spreading out from the side hall.

Li Ye was sunning the pearl in the front courtyard.

Er’er was truly an unambitious immortal. After three hundred years, the pearl still only contained soul energy without forming even a complete soul. He placed it on the stone table, then rested his chin on his hand, staring at it.

The sun was just right. Light shone on the eastern pearl, giving off a warm luminescence. She seemed to yawn, rolling the pearl over to another side, continuing to lazily bask in the sunlight.

Li Ye couldn’t help but poke it.

“Useless,” he muttered. “If it were someone else, fed with fine divine blood for two hundred years, even a stone would sprout a monkey. How can you not even form a proper soul?”

After speaking, he felt his words were too harsh and quickly cradled them in his palm: “But I can wait.”

With such cautious behavior, previously, Xin Wu would certainly have laughed at him. But today, he couldn’t laugh.

Long Xu walked in front, passing by Li Ye’s side. She looked at him curiously and asked: “Where is Er’er?”

Startled by this sudden voice, Li Ye looked up. The moment his gaze touched her sun-flushed profile, his eyes darkened.

Long Xu was surprised, not knowing what had displeased him, and hastily retreated with a bow. Xin Wu, following behind, stepped forward casually to block Li Ye’s line of sight, then said to him: “I’ll escort her for a while.”

Withdrawing his gaze, Li Ye made no sound, holding the eastern pearl in his hand, silently waiting for the two to leave.

Long Xu had already returned.

He felt somewhat aggrieved.

His soul nurturing should be more powerful than Xin Wu’s.

However, Xin Wu didn’t seem to be faring well either. With a gloomy face, he escorted her out, then returned to sit before him with the same gloom.

“Want a drink?” he asked.

Li Ye stared at him for a while, then very generously summoned celestial nectar from the highest heavens.

Xin Wu immediately drank three large bowls.

Setting down his wine bowl, he listlessly asked: “Is Zhong Su a good person?”

Sometimes, one’s happiness must be built upon another’s suffering. Especially as fellow sufferers, seeing someone more miserable than oneself is always consoling.

Li Ye was thus consoled. His brow relaxed, and he very generously told the truth: “He is quite good. These few hundred years, as the Netherworld and highest heavens redrew their boundaries, he fought for many benefits for the Netherworld. With Zhong You severely injured and in seclusion, he became the ruler of the Netherworld. I’ve heard he’s never married.”

Xin Wu let out a cold laugh.

Li Ye, in a good mood, refilled his bowl with celestial nectar.

“I thought of making it up to her properly, but she doesn’t want that, so I can’t be blamed.” Downing it in one gulp, Xin Wu lazily leaned on the table, swirling the wine bowl in his hand, saying, “She thinks Zhong Su is good, then so be it. See, I’m not stopping her.”

“If the Netherworld holds a grand wedding, should I get an invitation for you?” Li Ye smiled.

Waving his hand, Xin Wu said: “I don’t care. What’s so great about a grand wedding? I’ve seen it before. When she wore a wedding robe to ascend to the highest heavens back then, I was watching from the side.”

“Is it the same?” Li Ye raised an eyebrow.

“How is it different?” Xin Wu tilted his head back to drink.

“When she ascended to the highest heavens then, she married Dui Feng—a marriage in name only, with someone else in her heart,” Li Ye sighed. “If she marries again now, she’ll be partners with him with a joyful heart. No matter how many times you appear before her, she won’t entangle with you anymore.”

“…” His hand holding the wine bowl paused. Xin Wu was somewhat annoyed: “Who cares?”

Nodding in realization, Li Ye respectfully said: “The person you saved after nurturing a soul for two hundred years, yet you’re so willing to let go. I truly admire you. My admiration is beyond words—let me give High God a treasure.”

With that, he placed a mother-child mirror on the table.

Xin Wu glanced at it, knowing it was an ancient divine artifact. The mother mirror could observe images within a hundred miles of the child mirror’s location. After the three realms were redrawn, it was used by the highest heavens to monitor the Netherworld’s movements.

“So it’s in your hands,” he snorted with a laugh. “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to manage affairs?”

“Precisely because I don’t want to, I’m giving it to you.” Rising with a sweep of his sleeve, Li Ye cradled the pearl and walked toward the great hall. “Take it and play.”

“I don’t want to see,” Xin Wu called after him.

Li Ye snorted and laughed, paying him no mind as his figure slowly merged into the darkness of the great hall.