After the day of soul-summoning at the water pavilion, Li Xiuji’s temperament had obviously improved considerably.

He would come find her every day at the hour of chen. Knowing he was both a germaphobe and had obsessive-compulsive disorder, Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t dare provoke him. Every morning upon waking, she would carefully examine herself in the mirror.

Whether her makeup was appropriate, whether her clothing was neat and tidy, whether her waist sash and accessories hung properly centered…

After finishing her preparations and going out, she would see the young man standing before the bedchamber’s main door waiting for her. After his gaze swept over her from top to bottom, if anything was amiss, he would step forward to help her arrange it. If everything was proper, he would nod and lead her to begin today’s garden tour.

He truly seemed afraid she would be bored—every day he would prepare some activities.

Playing chess today, playing the qin tomorrow, observing the Jiuyou Realm’s exotic animals the day after.

The schedule was packed full. Jiang Zhaoxue felt like she was a student who had come to the Jiuyou Realm to study.

In just a few days’ time, she had thoroughly grasped the Jiuyou Realm’s customs and culture, territorial distribution, and powerful clans.

However, this wasn’t what concerned her most. What she cared about most was still “Li Xiuji.”

Li Xiuji had a spiritual body. This kind of spiritual body entering Tribulation Transcendence and becoming a “demigod body” was truly something she had never seen before.

She carefully observed him, always feeling he was full of contradictions, exceptionally strange.

He seemed unable to see colors, unable to identify the colors of butterflies or flowers.

Yet he could clearly confirm whether her lip rouge was evenly applied, what kind of blush she used, what color ribbons she wore.

He seemed unable to smell scents—no matter what incense she burned, he never showed any reaction.

Yet he could distinguish what fragrance she had used today.

He seemed to have no sense of touch, wouldn’t feel pain, heat, or stinging sensations, wouldn’t have any reaction from these touches.

Yet when competing with her to grab chess pieces during games, when their fingers inadvertently touched, his fingertips would instinctively withdraw.

…

She observed for a long time, vaguely having an illusion—it seemed he only had the five senses when it came to her.

This conclusion made her feel somewhat absurd and incomprehensible, yet it seemed she had to believe it.

Besides this, she also carefully observed his body, slowly understanding that his so-called spiritual body was actually a “shell” that could bear power, or rather, be sustained by power.

“This is the distinction between gods and humans or immortals.”

When she raised this question, Li Xiuji patiently explained: “Whether human or immortal, the soul resides within the physical body. Once the physical body perishes, the soul has nowhere to return. But the divine body has three layers—the divine shell bears the soul, the physical body bears the divine shell that fuses with the soul. The existence of the divine shell means the divine body has no form limitations. It is the vessel for the soul—whatever form the soul wishes to take, the divine shell becomes. The divine shell also breaks through the limitations between soul and physical body. Even if it’s only the soul, once the divine shell’s power is filled, it’s no different from having a physical body.”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue glanced at the resentment energy flowing around his body and asked curiously: “Then whether one has a physical body or not isn’t important?”

“It’s important.”

The other party played chess while answering patiently as if knowing everything: “Having a divine shell only makes one a demigod. When one truly possesses a physical body and can completely circulate divine power, that is a true god. Divine power operates differently from a cultivator’s power. Though I’m called a demigod, in essence I’m merely a cultivator approaching divinity, not a true god.”

“So you’ll ultimately seek a physical body?”

Jiang Zhaoxue asked curiously. The other party replied casually: “Why would I?”

The young man raised his eyes and asked back: “Must I become a god?”

This question stumped Jiang Zhaoxue. She couldn’t help saying: “If you don’t want to become a god, why work so hard?”

The young man paused. After a moment, amusement floated in his eyes as he laughed softly.

His laughter seemed quite clear and bright. When he laughed, his eyes were like pools filled with spring water from the third month—rippling and enchanting.

Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t help but stare somewhat dazedly. She saw the other party laugh for a moment, then press his lips together, raise his eyes, and say gently: “The Immortal Lord is right. But how I ultimately obtain a physical body doesn’t depend on me either.”

“On whom?”

The young man didn’t immediately respond, only gazed at Jiang Zhaoxue and called out quite seriously: “My Lady.”

Jiang Zhaoxue froze. Ripples suddenly arose in her heart. A sense of familiarity spread outward. She suddenly had a strange thought.

Just as she was about to speak, she saw the other party’s gaze fall back to the board. He tapped an empty space with a chess piece, reminding: “It’s your turn to place a stone.”

These words made Jiang Zhaoxue react—that “My Lady” just now was merely his joke. Something heavy dropped in her heart. An indescribable sense of loss surged up. She suddenly felt even the board before her was boring, but she still forced herself to place her piece.

The latter half of the game was played in complete chaos. Pei Zichen also noticed her distraction. When she placed another stone, he simply stopped her, saying softly: “If you don’t want to play, then don’t.”

Saying this, he glanced around. Seeing the lanterns light up, he tossed the chess pieces into the box, stood up, and said slowly: “Let’s go. I’ll escort you back.”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue collected herself and followed the other party up.

As they walked out of the water pavilion, she glanced at the incense burner there. Her heart settled.

These past days, starting from the first day of soul-summoning, she had been secretly drugging Li Xiuji in small but frequent doses.

Spiritual bodies perceived the world differently from humans. They were extremely sensitive—any medicine would be detected and distinguished by the subtle differences in energy.

To find a way to trap Li Xiuji, she first had to greatly reduce the spiritual body’s sensitivity.

Using medicine directly would naturally be discovered. But there was a special spice called Soul-Seeking Grass. This spice could affect soul bodies, but the result of this effect was determined by the formation using it.

Soul-summoning formations used Soul-Seeking Grass to guide souls. That day at the water pavilion, when she lit Soul-Seeking Grass in front of Li Xiuji and opened a soul-summoning formation, she had secretly hidden a small formation within.

This small formation was used to reduce his spiritual body’s sensitivity.

After this formation activated, whenever he smelled Soul-Seeking Grass, it would continuously reduce his spiritual body’s sensitivity.

Fearing he would discover it, she didn’t dare use much at first.

But after discovering he had no five senses, she gradually began increasing the dose. Over several days, accumulating bit by bit, today she deliberately lit some calming incense in the water pavilion. If it were before, Li Xiuji would definitely notice, but today he was unaware. She knew it was about ready.

She followed Li Xiuji back to the bedchamber. Watching the young man stand before the door, she heard him say softly: “We’re here. Go back inside.”

Saying this, he turned to leave. Jiang Zhaoxue remembered the calming incense on his body and quickly called out to stop him.

“Emperor.”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen turned around. He saw Jiang Zhaoxue standing under the lantern-lit corridor, instructing: “Wait a moment.”

Pei Zichen was puzzled. Then he saw Jiang Zhaoxue enter the room. Very quickly she retrieved a cloak and came running out from inside.

Dressed in white gauze, stepping through the palace lantern light, in the night wind she was like a clear moon rushing toward him.

Pei Zichen stared blankly as Jiang Zhaoxue came over holding the cloak. She reached him and naturally raised her hands to unfold it, standing on tiptoe. He instinctively lowered his head, letting her wrap the cloak around behind him.

The cloak she gave carried warmth and the fragrance from her body. Pei Zichen’s heart pounded. Between the lantern lights he raised his eyes and saw the woman looking at the fastenings before his chest, seriously tying the cloak’s ribbons for him, saying softly: “Tonight is somewhat cold. Wear an outer garment before you go.”

Pei Zichen couldn’t speak. He only gazed at her fixedly, his gaze flowing, as if carving this person into his eyes, reflecting her in his heart.

Jiang Zhaoxue pretended not to know of his scrutiny. After tying the cloak properly, she looked up at him and asked softly: “Will the Emperor come again tomorrow?”

These words carried implication—obviously tomorrow would be different.

Pei Zichen looked down at the expectant eyes of the person before him. His throat moved slightly.

Knowing her actions were unusual, he still asked back: “Have I not come any day?”

“Then perfect.” Jiang Zhaoxue smiled, seeming very happy. She took a step back and said respectfully: “I brought some water wine from the True Immortal Realm. Tomorrow when the Emperor comes, I’ll host a banquet at the water pavilion to express my gratitude for the Emperor’s hospitality. How about it?”

Pei Zichen didn’t speak, only looked at her silently.

After a long while, he laughed lightly: “I’ve placed you under house arrest here—this also counts as hospitality?”

“Though it’s house arrest,” Jiang Zhaoxue seemed to see it very openly, blinking: “I’ve been living quite well.”

The other party didn’t respond. Jiang Zhaoxue also felt this seemed somewhat forced.

Indeed, these past days she had been too focused on drugging him. Things had gone too smoothly—she had even forgotten her original purpose for coming.

She coughed awkwardly and said in a small voice: “I… just want to drink some wine.”

Hearing this, the young man’s eyes beneath the mask grew gentler. He nodded: “Alright.”

Saying this, he turned around. Wearing the cloak she had given him, his responding voice seemed to carry the gentleness of summer wind: “Tomorrow at nightfall, I’ll come over.”

His words carried a bit of Pei Zichen’s flavor. Hearing it made Jiang Zhaoxue’s heart soften. She couldn’t help but sigh, sighing softly: “When people are too good-looking, they’re easily forgiven.”

Having said this, Jiang Zhaoxue waved and went back inside. After washing up, she lay back on the bed, went through her plan once more, confirmed everything was correct, then closed her eyes and went to sleep at ease.

Meanwhile, Pei Zichen sat in the Demon Palace council hall, listening to Xin Luoyi report recent news, asking casually: “Where has Shen Yuqing reached?”

“This subordinate is incompetent,” Xin Luoyi bowed in response. “After infiltrating Cangdu today, we lost his trail.”

Hearing these words, Pei Zichen didn’t respond. He still wore the cloak Jiang Zhaoxue had given him. The fragrance lingered at his nose. Pei Zichen lightly tapped the armrest, thinking of tomorrow’s banquet. He laughed softly.

“Tomorrow, take people and wait outside my Tingxin Water Pavilion. Listen for my orders.”

He supported his forehead. In an instant, his mind was filled with the lingering bloody scent on the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion’s heavenly ladder. Violent energy churned around his body. He closed his eyes somewhat painfully.

Xin Luoyi raised her head with a smile, hearing the lord on the seat murmur lowly.

“Since they won’t let me go, then let no one be spared.”

Jiang Zhaoxue slept through one night until noon—a good sleep.

After dawn, she first went to the bath pool. In the water she opened a domain and began taking inventory of what she needed for today.

After finishing the inventory, she dressed herself carefully, then went early to the water pavilion and began arranging the venue.

Jiang Zhaoxue spent the entire afternoon arranging things. When Pei Zichen arrived at night, he saw the water pavilion had already transformed completely.

All surrounding lanterns were extinguished. Only floating palace lamps guided him all the way toward the water pavilion.

Golden gauze curtains hung from the water pavilion. He could vaguely see the woman’s silhouette and the shape of hydrangea flowers.

Pei Zichen walked in the direction indicated by the lights. Rolling up the curtain, he saw the entire water pavilion was piled full of flowers of different heights.

He couldn’t distinguish colors—he could only identify from the shapes that they were probably hydrangeas and such. Viewing the forms, they were quite pleasing to look at.

In this expanse of black and white, Jiang Zhaoxue wore a white gauze gown with gold thread, sitting at the edge of a long table. Lantern light flowed over her with shimmering radiance, making her entire person exceptionally dazzling and eye-catching.

Beautiful wine vessels and small dishes were placed on the table. Jiang Zhaoxue supported her chin, tapping a porcelain bowl with chopsticks, gazing out from the water pavilion waiting for someone.

Hearing the person behind her roll up the curtain and enter, Jiang Zhaoxue turned back with a smile. Her beautiful, bright eyes met the other party’s: “The Emperor has arrived?”

“Li Xiuji” today wore clothes not much different from usual—still that purple-black magnificent robe, but obviously a new one, with jade beads at his waist and gold patterns on his sleeves.

He smiled slightly, lowered his head and entered the water pavilion, lifting his robe hem to kneel and sit across from Jiang Zhaoxue. After sizing up Jiang Zhaoxue from top to bottom, he said softly: “What day is today that would make the Immortal Lord mobilize forces like this?”

Saying this, he swept a glance at the surrounding fresh flowers and said slowly: “I didn’t notice the paper immortals doing these things today. Did the Immortal Lord move all these flowers herself?”

The paper immortals were manifested from his power—their every move could be sensed by him.

Jiang Zhaoxue already knew this and wasn’t surprised. She admitted openly: “That’s right, I arranged everything.”

“The Immortal Lord went to such trouble.”

Pei Zichen’s gaze fell on Jiang Zhaoxue’s scraped palms. His look darkened slightly. He couldn’t help saying: “For such things, the Immortal Lord should just have the paper immortals do it.”

“Then how would I show my sincerity?”

Jiang Zhaoxue immediately retorted, then realized the other party was perhaps concerned she was physically weak as a dharma cultivator. She quickly explained: “And don’t be fooled by how delicate I look—my true form is actually a tiger! For this kind of physical labor, I’m incredibly capable!”

This made the other party laugh. But his gaze fell on her hands. After thinking, he still moved aside the small dishes, raised his hand and brushed across, then extended his hand: “Give me your hand.”

Jiang Zhaoxue extended her hand in confusion. It was grasped by his ice-cold hand, held in place and set on the table. Then she saw him raise his hand and brush across—a small medicine box appeared on the table. The young man casually took out tools for cleaning wounds, first carefully washing her hands, then began applying medicine.

The small scrape wound was being made into such a big production by him. Jiang Zhaoxue felt somewhat restless and couldn’t help saying: “Just a scrape… isn’t this excessive…”

“Then consider that I’m taking advantage of the Immortal Lord,” the young man’s tone was flat, his words seeming shameless, but his expression was exceptionally cold and pure, not tinged with half a bit of desire, even carrying some immortal air. As if reciting scriptures or discussing the Dao, he said flatly: “I want to use bandaging wounds as an opportunity to touch more of the Immortal Lord’s noble body. May I?”

With words taken to this degree, Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t say much more. She only watched him finish applying medicine, seeming finally satisfied. He put away the medicine box and said softly: “The Jiuyou Realm’s spiritual plants naturally carry demonic energy. For you, this is an innate curse—wounds won’t heal easily. You absolutely must not be careless.”

“I know…”

The other party’s concern was too genuine. Thinking of what she was about to do, Jiang Zhaoxue felt somewhat guilty.

Hearing her tone, the young man looked at her.

Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t know if it was her guilty conscience at work, but she felt that glance seemed to see through her thoughts.

She awkwardly withdrew her hand. Watching the person across from her restore everything, only then sitting properly, he spoke of the main matter: “Tonight the Immortal Lord invited me over—is it only to drink?”

“Just drinking would naturally be somewhat dull,” Jiang Zhaoxue came prepared. From her sleeve she took out a stack of cards, placed them on the table, and said with a smile: “The Emperor and I could also be considered old acquaintances. We haven’t seen each other for many years and don’t really understand each other. Why don’t we draw cards while drinking—it will both increase our feelings and add interest.”

Hearing this, the young man’s gaze moved to that stack of cards. His voice carried a question: “The Immortal Lord wishes to deepen feelings with this seat?”

“Of cours—”

“What kind of feelings?”

This question made Jiang Zhaoxue pause. After secretly cursing the shamelessness of the person before her, she cheerfully accepted: “Naturally the feelings of life-and-death friends who know each other intimately!”

A smile tugged at the corner of the young man’s mouth. His eyes revealed some mockery, but he didn’t say much more. He only raised his hand to flip through the cards she had placed beside them, asking curiously: “What kind of cards are these?”

“Question-and-answer cards.”

As soon as Jiang Zhaoxue mentioned this, she became extremely proud: “I created these myself when I was young—they’re most suitable for making friends and getting familiar with each other. Each card has a question. The person who draws the card asks the question to the other party. If the other party doesn’t want to answer, they drink instead. There’s a special kind of card among them—blank cards. Blank cards have the highest authority—any question can be asked.”

“Oh?”

The person across casually flipped through the questions on the cards, saying softly: “Any question at all?”

“Of course,” Jiang Zhaoxue said generously. “After all, one can always drink instead.”

“You have quite a lot of blank cards.”

The young man looked around and roughly counted the number of blank cards. Jiang Zhaoxue’s thoughts had been seen through, but she didn’t deny it. She said openly: “Otherwise how would there be opportunities to drink?”

The young man glanced at her but didn’t say more. Jiang Zhaoxue poured wine for him, raising her eyes to look at him: “What does the Emperor think? Do you want to play this game?”

“What number am I?”

The young man didn’t answer directly, only continued fiddling with the cards.

Jiang Zhaoxue was somewhat confused: “What number?”

“Among men who have played this game alone with you,” the young man raised his eyes meaningfully, “what number am I?”

“Uh…”

“If I’m not the first, then it’s not very interesting.”

The young man put down the cards and was about to move away. Jiang Zhaoxue quickly pressed his hand down on the cards, telling the truth: “The first!”

The young man raised his eyes. Jiang Zhaoxue steeled herself: “I made these cards temporarily last night.”

The young man said nothing, only quietly watching her, as if he already knew.

Jiang Zhaoxue endured his scrutinizing gaze and continued lying, saying with difficulty: “The Emperor is a legendary great power and sage. I… I wanted too much to understand the Emperor, so I resorted to this inferior strategy, hoping to quickly close the distance between myself and the Emperor, glimpse the divine path, and make more progress.”

“I see.”

The young man’s tone was flat, his gaze moving to the hand pressing down on his own: “I can see that.”

Their relationship had indeed become quite close.

Hearing something off in his tone, Jiang Zhaoxue followed the other party’s gaze and instantly realized what she had done.

She withdrew her hand as if burned, saying awkwardly: “This junior’s crude thoughts have made the Emperor laugh.”

“Using your thoughts on me is quite good.”

The other party’s emotions were indiscernible. He slowly withdrew his hand, still seeming to savor the feeling as he stroked the back of his hand. Yet his tone was sarcastic, his words pregnant with meaning: “Better than being thoughtless.”

Jiang Zhaoxue smiled without speaking. Recently she had grown accustomed to this person’s strange way of speaking. She just pretended not to hear—in one ear and out the other.

After speaking, the other party didn’t say more. He only leaned his body forward, elbows propped on the table, chin supported as he looked at her, smiling politely with gentle warmth: “The Immortal Lord is the guest. Please.”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Li Xiuji had agreed to this game.

She immediately picked up the cards, quickly shuffled them once, then pushed aside the small dishes and placed them on the table. She rubbed her hands together: “Then I’ll begin?”

The person across nodded, raising his hand: “Please.”

Jiang Zhaoxue reached out her hand, full of anticipation as she drew a card. She saw it was written in gold characters—an innocuous question: “What color do you like?”

“White.”

The other party’s gaze didn’t move from her face, answering without hesitation.

Jiang Zhaoxue found this somewhat strange and raised her eyes to look at his clothing: “Then why do you wear black clothes from morning to night?”

“That’s the next question.”

Saying this, the young man reached out to draw a card. Expressionlessly, he read it aloud: “When was your first kiss?”

What a terrible question…

Jiang Zhaoxue closed her eyes in despair and chose to drink a cup.

She took a deep breath and continued drawing cards.

The cards ahead were all innocuous questions—what flowers do you like, what animals do you like, what do you like to eat…

As the cards gradually decreased, Jiang Zhaoxue began praying she would draw a blank card.

She silently chanted in her heart for a long while. When she drew the first blank card, Jiang Zhaoxue raised a smile and waved the card in her hand at the other party: “A blank card.”

The young man raised his eyes, completely unafraid: “Please.”

Jiang Zhaoxue thought for a moment, glanced at the stack of cards beside them, and decided to first choose a question that wasn’t too sharp but that she had always wanted to know: “Emperor… are you the senior who repeatedly saved me in the Time Mirror back then?”

Hearing these words, the person across paused.

Between their gazes meeting, Jiang Zhaoxue stared into his eyes: “I’ve always felt the Emperor bears some resemblance to that senior, but I didn’t dare confirm. I wonder…”

Before she finished, she saw the young man directly drain the wine in his cup in one gulp. Then he supported himself up, seeming to carry some temperament, and reached out to take a card.

Afterward, blank cards obviously increased. Pei Zichen drew one as soon as he reached. He slapped the blank card on the table, staring at Jiang Zhaoxue: “Have you had intimate relations with that senior?”

This question was too sharp. Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t answer. Regardless of whether the person before her was that senior or not, she didn’t dare respond to these words.

If he was that senior, this question was no different from flirtation. If she said they had “kissed once” back then, it would add even more color to it.

If he wasn’t, admitting such a thing in front of others would also be awkward.

Jiang Zhaoxue certainly didn’t have that kind of shamelessness—she could only turn to drink.

But if such a thing had never happened, she could just say so openly. Drinking was tantamount to confessing without being asked.

The corner of the person across’s mouth curved up, but his eyes grew colder.

After Jiang Zhaoxue drank, having dodged past, she quickly drew another card. When a blank card turned up, Jiang Zhaoxue was greatly delighted.

Since the other party asked impolitely, Jiang Zhaoxue also decided not to be polite. She directly raised her eyes to stare at the person across: “What exactly is the relationship between Pei Zichen and the Jiuyou Realm?”

“A relationship of exploitation. The Jiuyou Realm used him to obtain the five divine artifacts.”

This matched Jiang Zhaoxue’s speculation. Then she saw the young man pinch with two fingers, draw out a blank card and place it on the table, raise his eyes to look at her, continuing to press: “How far did you two go?”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue was fairly certain the person before her wasn’t that “senior.”

The vague sense of guilt vanished like smoke. Her face immediately thickened. She said at once: “We kissed.”

The person across stared at her fixedly. Jiang Zhaoxue noticed his obvious displeasure. Not knowing if it was the wine going to her head or if she was getting into the spirit of the game, she asked curiously: “What, you’re unhappy about it? What exactly is that senior’s identity that I can’t kiss him?”

“You can.”

The person across rubbed his fingertips, the words seemingly squeezed out.

Having won back a round, Jiang Zhaoxue was quite pleased. She drew a blank card, placed it on the table, and continued pressing: “Then now that the five divine artifacts are in my hands and Pei Zichen has passed away, does the Jiuyou Realm have no reaction at all? What do you plan to do?”

“We don’t plan to do anything.”

The other party answered easily. Jiang Zhaoxue frowned: “You don’t want the five divine artifacts anymore?”

This question was outside the game. The other party smiled provocatively: “With the Immortal Lord here, why would we need any divine artifacts?”

Jiang Zhaoxue’s momentum cooled several degrees. Watching the young man draw cards, she joked: “So it seems my coming to the Jiuyou Realm this time is like a lamb entering a tiger’s den?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” The other party laughed lightly, looking at the card face, saying casually: “I’ve coveted the Immortal Lord for a long time. That the Immortal Lord could come brings radiance to the Jiuyou Realm.”

Saying this, the young man placed the card face on the table. Jiang Zhaoxue looked at the blank card face and heard the other party seriously inquire: “Why exactly did you come to the Jiuyou Realm?”

Jiang Zhaoxue calmly drank.

Afterward, the two seemed to have reached some kind of tacit understanding. Aside from unimportant questions, every remaining blank card asked exceptionally sharp questions that could only be ended by drinking.

By the time they reached the end of the questions, both had drunk quite a bit and their heads were somewhat dizzy.

Jiang Zhaoxue held her liquor well—she only had a slight headache. But the person across had long been supporting his head and leaning to one side.

Only a few cards remained on the table. The young man drew one with a smile, placed it on the table, and asked a relatively simple question.

“Do you love Pei Zichen?”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue raised her eyes. After thinking, she said softly: “Yes.”

“Can one lie in this game?”

The young man closed his eyes and laughed lightly, seeming to find it absurd: “You love him, yet you set a Spirit-Locking Formation on his body. You and Shen Yuqing, husband and wife of one heart and mind—don’t you know this would truly drive him to death?”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue had some head pain. She couldn’t recover her senses. In one ear and out the other, she said casually: “This is between him and me.”

“But you’re lying to me.” The other party entangled with this: “One cannot lie in this game.”

“I’m not.”

Jiang Zhaoxue shook her head, forcing herself to wake up a bit, and asked him a question: “Can you help me resurrect Pei Zichen?”

As long as she confirmed he couldn’t, she could act without any more scruples.

She stared at the other party. Hearing her words, the other party seemed to be dazed, thinking for a long while.

Seeing he didn’t answer immediately, Jiang Zhaoxue’s heart lifted, knowing there was hope. She said carefully: “Emperor.”

Hearing Jiang Zhaoxue’s call, the young man slowly raised his eyes. His entire person was like a gorgeous, extravagant golden snake, tilting his head to examine her.

He was observing her, staring at her confused face. After a long while, he suddenly laughed: “I can.”

Seeing this, Jiang Zhaoxue was overjoyed. Just as she was about to speak, she saw the other party lean over, press close before her, and ask in confusion: “But what can you give me?”

Jiang Zhaoxue froze, then immediately said respectfully and solemnly: “As long as the Emperor can resurrect Pei Zichen, whatever the Emperor requests, I dare not refuse.”

“Is that so?”

The young man tilted his head, his gaze falling to her lips: “Then what if I want you?”

Jiang Zhaoxue’s breath suddenly turned cold. She slowly raised her eyes.

She saw the person before her looking down from above, his expression hazy with several degrees of provocation as he looked at her, murmuring in a low voice: “I want you to stay by my side forever. Look at me, accompany me, touch me. You cannot converse with anyone, cannot give anyone a smile, cannot look at them an extra glance, cannot speak of them an extra sentence…”

As the person before her spoke, clearly immersed in some kind of frenzied fantasy, his breathing became rapid.

“Everything of yours belongs to me. Apart from me you cannot love anyone, cannot think of anyone. You’ll just stay here, sleep in my bed, live in my room. Everything I give you, you’ll accept. Everything you have, you’ll give to me. As long as you can do this,” the young man lowered his head, carefully: “I’ll return Pei Zichen to you. How about it?”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t speak. She only picked up the teacup beside her and drank a mouthful of cold tea.

Seeing she didn’t respond, Pei Zichen’s expression slowly darkened.

He stared at her coldly. She had always been the same—sitting high on a lotus platform, untainted by mortal dust.

But why?

Why should he sink into hell suffering bitterly while she could be so composed here, like an immortal, like a Buddha?

Jealousy and resentment rose up. He wished he could transform into thousands of vipers coiling around her, licking her, constricting her, penetrating her, coexisting with her as one body. He would offer up everything of his, deliver it to her, present it to her, sacrifice it to her, then drag her down from the altar to sink together with him into the mud.

Just thinking of this scene, Pei Zichen couldn’t control his excitement. He couldn’t help but urge out loud: “Have you decided, Immortal Lord Jiang? Don’t you love him? Since it’s love, you’re unwilling to make even this small sacrifice?”

“The premise of willingness is that I’m begging the Emperor.”

Jiang Zhaoxue drank her tea, her tone flat.

Hearing Li Xiuji’s words that didn’t match before and after, she knew Ye Tianjiao was right—his mind had problems.

She felt relieved and no longer counted on this person. She only calculated that the time was about right.

The Soul-Seeking Grass had long taken effect. The drug in the wine combined with the fragrance of the surrounding flowers should have reacted by now.

She raised her eyes to look at the person before her whose aura was somewhat chaotic, saying softly: “But if the Emperor is begging me, why should I agree?”

“What am I begging you for?”

As soon as Pei Zichen opened his mouth, he felt a numbing sensation spreading from his body.

His expression changed slightly. Jiang Zhaoxue instantly raised her hand and pushed him to the side, saying coldly: “Bind!”

Vines from the flower beds beside them emerged like swimming dragons. Black energy attacked from all directions. But Jiang Zhaoxue had already taken the first step. She brought her fingers together, pressed them to her lips, and chanted in a low voice: “Heaven’s Will summons—domain, open.”

Golden light burst forth from the ground. The golden runes hidden in the water pavilion suddenly brightened. In an instant, golden light clashed with black energy. Vines instantly wrapped around “Li Xiuji’s” limbs. The moment the domain formed, Li Xiuji’s arms were pulled open and suspended on both sides. A vine suddenly lashed at his knees, forcing him to kneel within the formation.

In merely an instant, the water pavilion was completely enveloped by Jiang Zhaoxue’s power. At the same time, a strand of black energy still drilled into the domain, transforming into— Jiang Zhaoxue lowered her fingers and turned to look. She saw “Li Xiuji” kneeling in the light of the formation, panting as he raised his eyes to look at her: “What did you do?”

“Fed you some sedatives.”

Jiang Zhaoxue took out the pill Li Xiuji had given her, stood up, and walked toward Li Xiuji, saying casually: “I used the soul-summoning formation as cover and set up a formation to reduce your spiritual body’s sensitivity level. Using Soul-Seeking Grass, I lowered your spiritual body’s sensitivity. The drug was in the wine.”

Saying this, she stopped before Li Xiuji, grabbed his chin in one hand, and looked down at him: “Anything else you want to ask?”

“So,” the young man slowly smiled, his eyes poisoned with toxicity, full of disappointment: “You’ve been lying to me all along?”

“Correct.”

Jiang Zhaoxue slapped the pill into Li Xiuji’s mouth, forced him to swallow it, then smiled slightly: “But the game is over, Emperor. You’re on your own now.”

Saying this, Jiang Zhaoxue’s gaze fell on the mask on Li Xiuji’s face.

She looked at the mask, hesitated for a moment, and finally said: “Emperor, I’m merely entrusted by someone. I’ll leave you three degrees of dignity. I hope in the future you’ll also leave me three degrees.”

Having said this, she didn’t remove the mask. She turned back to the side, took the clothing hanging on the rack, and prepared to open a transmission formation to leave.

Just as she moved, she heard the person behind her speak: “The soul-summoning formation was for you to cover up the formation using Soul-Seeking Grass?”

Jiang Zhaoxue paused and turned to look at him.

The young man knelt on the ground, his hair covering his face, his emotions invisible. Yet somehow, in that instant, she actually saw on this divine lord several degrees of sorrow extremely similar to Pei Zichen.

He seemed sad, yet also in pain.

Jiang Zhaoxue’s heart softened. For a moment unable to bear it, she told the truth: “Yes.”

“Then you…” Pei Zichen spoke with some difficulty. Asking these things at this time was exceptionally humiliating, yet he had to ask: “The cloak you gave me…”

“I knew you had no five senses,” Jiang Zhaoxue knew what he wanted to ask and said calmly: “That day I tested you with calming incense. Your spiritual body’s sensitivity had decreased—you couldn’t sense it, but the people beside you would smell it.”

“Then today’s arrangements…”

“Just closing the net.” Jiang Zhaoxue answered coldly. “I have never had any sincerity toward the Emperor. If the Emperor has misunderstood anything, I apologize here.”

Hearing this, the young man seemed as if within expectation. He shook his head lightly, seeming to cry yet laugh: “Jiang Zhaoxue… you truly… you truly are…”

As he spoke, Jiang Zhaoxue instinctively felt something wrong. She instinctively turned to look, only to see the young man raise his eyes—a pair of black pupils like snake eyes staring fixedly at her, saying icily: “Stub. Born. And. Unre. Pen. Tant.”

The moment the words fell, the space beside them suddenly shattered. A strand of black energy broke through the wall from within the space, rushing urgently toward Jiang Zhaoxue!

This strand of black energy came too fiercely and quickly. Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t even have time to turn around, relying purely on instinct to cry out urgently: “Open formation!”

The instant the sound emerged, the entire domain suddenly shook violently. A familiar sword light fiercely cleaved down with a “boom,” splitting open the domain. Together with the defensive formation, it thunderously collided with the black energy breaking through space!

Three strands of magical power collided simultaneously. In an instant the earth shook and mountains trembled. Before Jiang Zhaoxue could react, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist, toes touched down, and leaped out of the pavilion!

A transmission formation opened at the center of the lake. Jiang Zhaoxue turned to see who had come, crying out in shock: “Shen Yuqing?!”

The other party didn’t turn back, only throwing the transmission formation forward.

The moment the two leaped into the transmission formation, Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly felt the space behind her shatter. She looked back in shock and saw within the mirror-like shattered space, the young man reaching out, like an evil ghost crawling from hell. Among moonlight and scattered flowers, he extended a pale hand and grabbed her wrist in one grasp!

Hearing the sound, Shen Yuqing turned back with a sword strike. Pei Zichen simultaneously pulled Jiang Zhaoxue behind him, his other hand gathering water into ice, thrusting toward Shen Yuqing’s sword!

That sword drew upon the power of rivers—heaven and earth resonated. Seeing this, Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t hesitate to press down on “Li Xiuji’s” life gate, pulled backward fiercely, and shouted sternly at Shen Yuqing: “Go!”

The moment the sound fell, Jiang Zhaoxue dragged “Li Xiuji” heavily crashing to the ground. The other party instinctively protected her head and rolled once. Jiang Zhaoxue took the opportunity to kick the person away, toes touching down to pull open distance: “Heaven’s Will summons—swords, come!”

Dozens of flying swords shot rapidly toward the young man. The young man raised his hand and swept. Sword light like torrential rain met Jiang Zhaoxue’s sword light head-on. At the same time, the person followed the swords out, rushing rapidly toward Jiang Zhaoxue!

The sword was like thunder. The young man’s body like a phantom. Jiang Zhaoxue saw him carrying the sword rain approaching rapidly. Wherever he passed, sword light shattered inch by inch. In just a moment he had already reached before Jiang Zhaoxue.

Jiang Zhaoxue’s expression instantly turned cold. She immediately changed formations: “Nine Palace Spirit Lock—open!”

A Nine Palace grid light formation suddenly appeared on the ground. Nine golden chains burst forth from positions like Qian, Kan, and Gen, coiling toward the young man like flood dragons.

The young man’s form turned. One sword slashed toward the chains. Jiang Zhaoxue took the opportunity to form seals and change again: “Five Elements Rotation—Departing Fire Burns Heaven!”

Fierce flames roared up from the Xun position. Pei Zichen swept horizontally with his sword. The flames instantly froze. Jiang Zhaoxue simultaneously pulled back distance and changed again, throwing out three great formations in succession:

“Big Dipper Demon Execution.”

“Green Wood Becomes Barrier.”

“White Tiger As Attack!”

“Tianyuan—” Jiang Zhaoxue landed at the formation’s center, watching the person rushing rapidly toward her. She slashed her palm, bringing blood as she urgently struck down toward the ground, calling out: “Thunder’s Ten Thousand Jun—Execute!”

With a tremendous boom, purple heavenly thunder thunderously fell!

Li Xiuji was a spiritual body, condensed from resentment energy. Thunder was his natural counter.

Purple thunder instantly filled the formation. Jiang Zhaoxue turned panting.

However, in that very instant, Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly felt something wrong. The moment she turned back, she saw a figure unexpectedly slash through the formation with one sword, breaking through the formation facing the thunder!

He came too quickly. Jiang Zhaoxue was greatly alarmed and raised her hand, only able to passively defend: “Open formation!”

But ultimately too late. Just as the formation was about to open, the young man at the moment before the formation brightened suddenly grabbed her spell-casting left hand, circled behind her, raised his hand to cover her lips, and her entire body was heavily pushed and pressed against the table!

This action was too humiliating. Jiang Zhaoxue’s blood rose. The moment he covered her lips, she violently shouted: “Sharp!”

Saying this, a sharp blade suddenly appeared in her hand, quick as lightning stabbing toward the young man’s neck.

With Heaven’s Will’s blessing, the other party couldn’t avoid this strike. The young man’s pupils contracted sharply. Demonic energy instantly exploded.

The demonic energy was like blades rushing at her face. The moment it attacked, the heart-bound sword Pei Zichen had left in Jiang Zhaoxue’s body leaped out, transforming into a small sword, directly stabbing at the young man’s brow!

Then a crisp sound was heard. The small sword heavily struck the young man’s mask.

The mask shattered into pieces, revealing the young man’s pale, handsome face.

The moment she saw the young man’s face, Jiang Zhaoxue’s hand paused. The small knife was fiercely knocked away by demonic energy, falling to the ground with a clear “ting” sound.

Both their movements stopped completely. Jiang Zhaoxue stared blankly at the face of the person before her, watching the other party slowly raise his eyes.

Everything around them quieted. Jiang Zhaoxue’s eyes were filled entirely with that person’s face.

He looked twenty-six or twenty-seven, extremely handsome. His facial features had clean, sharp lines. His complexion was pale to the point of near transparency.

His eyelashes were very long, appearing exceptionally thick. The corners of his eyes carried a thin red, contrasting and reflecting with his skin color, giving his entire person a kind of deeply colored beauty.

Jiang Zhaoxue stared at him in a daze.

In her memory, though this person was born sharp and beautiful, his temperament was exceptionally gentle. Yet the young man before her seemed to finally match his appearance, carrying a kind of cold violence, looking at her with cold eyes.

But his hand grasped hers, blocking between her and the table, separating the sharp edge of the table from her, as if afraid she would be hurt.

A layer of defensive barrier enveloped her body. There was also demonic energy swirling. Just now, to prevent the uncontrolled explosion of demonic energy, even if Pei Zichen’s heart-bound sword hadn’t emerged, he had simultaneously opened a defensive formation for her. She wouldn’t suffer any harm.

Who was it?

Sourness surged up. These past days, his words and actions suddenly reflected one by one.

Who would, as the lord of the Jiuyou Realm, roll up the sedan curtain for her and personally go to receive her?

Who, seeing her frolicking with others in utmost anger, would only cast a joke-like spell preventing others from touching her?

Who would be delighted hearing her call out Pei Zichen’s name in a dream? Who would carefully bandage her even if she merely scraped her skin?

Who would compare Pei Zichen with others again and again? Who would question her saying “You love him, yet you set a Spirit-Locking Formation on his body. You and Shen Yuqing, husband and wife of one heart and mind—don’t you know this would truly drive him to death?”

Moisture rose in her eyes. Her covered lips trembled lightly.

Pei Zichen watched the woman’s eyes suppressing joy, suppressing grievance, suppressing anxiety and unease. He watched her use the hand that had just gripped the knife to point at his heart.

A tingling, numbing itch spread from his heart. He felt her writing stroke by stroke.

She wrote so seriously. Every stroke seemed to have been written countless times—practiced yet carrying slight trembling.

Pei Zichen’s eyelashes trembled lightly. His heart also couldn’t restrain itself from contracting and curling up.

One vertical, one horizontal, one left-falling stroke, one right-falling stroke. On his heart, slowly and seriously, she wrote down his name.

Pei Zichen.