When Jiang Zhaoxue woke up, the sky was not yet bright.
She heard rustling sounds and groggily opened her eyes to see Pei Zichen outside the gauze curtain, his clothes and crown already arranged, head lowered as he tidied up the scattered garments on the floor.
Jiang Zhaoxue lay on the bed and reminded him drowsily, “There are people to handle this, you don’t need to bother.”
Hearing this, Pei Zichen still finished organizing everything at the scene completely. He rolled up the curtain and sat back at the bedhead, lowering his eyes to look at Jiang Zhaoxue lying on the bed.
He raised his hand to add protective sword intent to her body, then began using spiritual power to clear the marks left on her. The warmth of his spiritual energy traveled throughout her body as Pei Zichen instructed her in a low voice, “During the days I’m not here, stay on Yunfu Mountain and go out less.”
“I know,” Jiang Zhaoxue said lazily. “I’m your elder, do I need you to remind me?”
This word “elder” made Pei Zichen laugh. He lowered his eyes to the scattered marks on her shoulders, watching as these marks slowly disappeared under the light of his technique, and said softly, “I’ll try to return within ten days.”
“Ten days?” Jiang Zhaoxue scoffed. “I won’t even be done counting my money by then.”
With that, Jiang Zhaoxue’s tone became more serious. She closed her eyes and advised him, “You don’t need to push yourself too hard or take too many risks. Sleep when you should sleep, rest when you should rest.”
Listening to this, Pei Zichen raised his eyes to look at the person resting with closed eyes. After thinking for a long time, he said softly, “But if I spend too much time, how can I become famous in one stroke?”
“Hm?”
This made Jiang Zhaoxue somewhat puzzled. “Why do you want to become famous in one stroke?”
“Going to Penglai…” Pei Zichen seemed to have some trepidation. “I should at least make Island Master Jiang feel that I have some use.”
Most importantly, he needed to make the Jiang family feel that he was comparable to Shen Yuqing and worthy of Jiang Zhaoxue.
He had snatched Jiang Zhaoxue away from Shen Yuqing’s hands—he couldn’t let Jiang Zhaoxue suffer hardship by following him.
Jiang Zhaoxue understood Pei Zichen’s little thoughts clearly. She closed her eyes and smiled secretly, only saying, “Don’t worry, you look so well-behaved and you’re willing to go to Penglai—my parents will definitely like you.”
With that, Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly remembered something. “But when you go to the battlefield, don’t be too ruthless when you fight.”
Hearing this, Pei Zichen’s movements paused. He turned his eyes to look at her, and heard Jiang Zhaoxue say casually, “I estimate that Ye Tianjiao is in the Jiuyou Realm.”
These words made Pei Zichen’s actions halt. He raised his eyes to look at Jiang Zhaoxue, seeming to want to say something but not opening his mouth.
Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t notice his unusual emotions and continued, “Last night I asked my brother and confirmed that Qian Sisi’s reincarnation is Qingye. Since Qian Sisi was reincarnated, someone must have sent her demon core over. I guess this person should be Ye Tianjiao. According to legend, the Jiuyou Realm is a realm that Emperor Xuanming opened up alone. It appeared in the Great Wilderness a thousand years ago, spent eight hundred years annexing the Great Wilderness, and only then touched the borders of the True Immortal Realm. And Qingye was also reincarnated in Penglai two hundred years ago, which means Ye Tianjiao stayed in the Jiuyou Realm with Li Xiuji for a thousand years…”
As Jiang Zhaoxue spoke, she fell silent.
A thousand years—too many things could change in that time.
She remained quiet, thinking for a long time before continuing, “When you go there, first try to see if you can contact him and confirm the situation. If Ye Tianjiao has changed…”
Jiang Zhaoxue was silent for a moment, then still said, “Put the True Immortal Realm first—there’s no need to hold back.”
If Ye Tianjiao had truly changed, Pei Zichen holding back on the battlefield would become Pei Zichen’s weak point.
A weak point on the battlefield was often the reason why the strong suffered crushing defeats.
“Mm.”
Pei Zichen seemed to understand. After confirming there wasn’t the slightest trace of him having been there, he pulled up the blanket for her, lowered his head to kiss her forehead, then got up and said, “I understand. Rest first, I have to go.”
Jiang Zhaoxue was still sleepy anyway, so she responded drowsily.
Pei Zichen left Yunfu Mountain silently. After leaving Yunfu Mountain, he returned to his guard post and waited to switch shifts with other disciples before returning to his own room.
He had left in a hurry back then, leaving everything in its original place. Now that he was heading to the battlefield, when he returned he would probably leave directly with Jiang Zhaoxue, so he packed everything up and put it into his Qiankun pouch.
He didn’t have many possessions at seventeen, so he finished packing quickly.
Just as he finished organizing his things, the sky brightened. Following the previous notice, Pei Zichen went to the mountain gate and boarded the spirit boat to the battlefield with the other disciples.
After his battle the other day made him famous, when everyone saw him, they all greeted him warmly.
Back in the day, he had loved associating with the disciples of Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. Every time someone called him “Senior Martial Brother,” he felt it was a responsibility—these were his bonds, his family.
But now hearing this title of “Senior Martial Brother,” he felt it was especially distant. However, he was no longer as rash as a youth. Even if he didn’t acknowledge it in his heart, on the surface he was still extremely courteous. After greeting everyone, he went to the room specially arranged for inner sect disciples.
As Shen Yuqing’s first disciple, he naturally had a room to himself. After entering, he finally had space to rest. He sat in a chair, turned over a teacup, and poured himself some tea.
The tea had just been poured and still carried residual warmth.
Pei Zichen belatedly remembered that in the past when Gu Jinglan was alive, it was often Gu Jinglan who poured tea for him.
Gu Jinglan…
Jiang Zhaoxue’s voice echoed in his mind again: “I estimate that Ye Tianjiao is still in the Jiuyou Realm.”
Ye Tianjiao, Gu Jinglan.
Mu Jinyue, Xinluoyi.
Li Xiuji…
If Mu Jinyue was Xinluoyi, then Ye Tianjiao… was probably Gu Jinglan.
If Ye Tianjiao was Gu Jinglan, then from the very beginning, Gu Jinglan being by his side was a deception.
With so many people from the Jiuyou Realm hidden in the True Immortal Realm and embedded in Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, they must have designs on the True Immortal Realm.
And this design probably centered around him to be completed.
Pei Zichen looked at his reflection in the teacup, recalling Jiang Zhaoxue’s words just now: “Put the True Immortal Realm first.”
He knew Jiang Zhaoxue was not joking.
Penglai was her home. Penglai belonged to the True Immortal Realm. She could never do anything that would harm the True Immortal Realm.
He and Li Xiuji would have no connection whatsoever.
Pei Zichen drained the tea in one gulp, steadying his mind.
Drive the Jiuyou Realm out of the True Immortal Realm—he and the Jiuyou Realm would absolutely have no connection.
Having made up his mind, Pei Zichen returned to the bed.
These resentment insects were essentially grown in the Jiuyou Realm. He was all too familiar with the Jiuyou Realm’s techniques. He took out his Zhan Sword and lowered his head to write incantations on the Zhanshen Sword, inscribing techniques that countered the Jiuyou Realm into the blade.
He wrote for an entire afternoon, accumulating tens of thousands of sword intents. When they arrived at the battlefield at night, just as everyone was about to advance, he struck with one sword. Ten thousand sword intents descended together, the night sky became as bright as day, instantly illuminating the land occupied by the Jiuyou Realm.
That very night, theè°äº‹ hall in the Jiuyou Realm erupted in chaos.
The woman in red robes was discussing the next steps with everyone around a sand table when she suddenly saw an illuminated stronghold on the sand table go completely dark.
The woman in red was stunned. Just as she turned around, she heard a thin young man rush in from outside, urgently saying, “Lady Xinluoyi, Lady Xinluoyi, the Ninth Hall is gone!”
“What happened?” Xinluoyi reacted. “Weren’t the people the Immortal Alliance sent to the Ninth Hall all young disciples? How could it be gone without even sending a call for help?!”
“It was… it was the Demon Lord,” the thin young man said with anxiety on his face. “The Demon Lord was instigated by Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. Now he’s already clearing the entire southern line. His constitution is naturally our nemesis, he knows the weaknesses of our techniques well, and he’s carrying divine artifacts. Moreover, we can’t really attack him. What should we do?”
With that, the thin young man asked in confusion, “My lord, since we’ve already obtained the divine artifacts, why hasn’t the Demon Lord returned?”
As these questions rained down one after another, Xinluoyi bit her teeth and remained silent.
After a moment, laughter came from outside.
“Xinluoyi,” everyone turned to look and saw a yellow-robed young man with his hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a tall crown appear at the doorway. His yellow robes were embroidered with talismans, his golden crown carved with scriptures. With both hands tucked in his sleeves, he leaned casually against the doorframe and said as if watching a good show, “I told you long ago he doesn’t care about unifying the three realms at all. Why not just listen to me and withdraw everyone? Let him live his little life, you be the Left Protector of the Jiuyou Realm, and everyone minds their own business. What’s wrong with that?”
“Protector Ye’s words are mistaken,” before Xinluoyi could speak, a burly man carrying a large hammer spoke first, declaring loudly, “Our lord is the supreme powerhouse of the three realms. The three realms should rightfully belong to our lord. Just because our lord doesn’t care doesn’t mean we aren’t loyal. The Demon Lord simply hasn’t awakened yet. When he returns one day, he certainly won’t blame us!”
“Blame or not blame, he’s too lazy to pay attention to you,” Ye Tianjiao laughed mockingly. “You make it sound so noble, but isn’t it just that you all depend on his blood and flesh to become human, and the stronger he is, the stronger you can become, so you’re desperately trying to fatten him up?”
“Protector Ye!”
“Enough.”
Xinluoyi coldly interrupted everyone, looked at Ye Tianjiao at the door, and calmly ordered, “He can’t stay in the True Immortal Realm forever. Think of a way to get him back.”
“But I think he doesn’t want to come back,” Ye Tianjiao spoke honestly, trying to dissuade her. “Why don’t you just give up?”
“He is the Demon Lord!” Hearing this, Xinluoyi raised her voice, her expression stern. “He must return. Back then we made plans together to go to Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. Now you and I have both returned, but the Demon Lord hasn’t. As subordinates, shouldn’t we guide our lord home?!”
Hearing this, Ye Tianjiao laughed lightly. “I listen to him. If he wants to return to the past, then return to the past. As for now, if you want to continue, then continue.”
With that, he turned and walked out. “Go die if you want. I’m not going anyway.”
“Ye Tianjiao!”
“I’m going into seclusion.”
Ye Tianjiao waved his hand directly. “Just consider me dead. But Xinluoyi, let me give you one piece of advice.”
Ye Tianjiao turned back to look at the people in the hall, speaking extremely seriously. “If you dare use tricks to forcibly bring him back, when he returns, the first to die will be you.”
Hearing this, a trace of fear flashed through Xinluoyi’s eyes.
Ye Tianjiao obviously noticed and, knowing his goal was achieved, turned to leave.
After he left, the people around gathered over, saying anxiously, “Lady Xinluoyi, what should we do? If the Demon Lord continues like this…”
“Leave some disciples who should be cleared out and are useless there with the resentment insects.”
Xinluoyi stared at the direction Ye Tianjiao had left, thought for a long time, and bit her teeth. “If he’s unwilling to return, then make it so he can’t stay in the True Immortal Realm.”
“But this way…” the person beside her was somewhat afraid, “when the Demon Lord returns…”
“I have my own methods.”
Xinluoyi considered carefully, raised her head to glance in the direction Ye Tianjiao had gone, and said coldly, “Keep a close eye on Ye Tianjiao.”