“Song Wulan?”

Hearing this name, Ye Tianjiao couldn’t help but voice his surprise, “Didn’t he die?”

“I did kill him back then,” Jiang Zhaoxue immediately recalled, saying with uncertainty, “But he said something to me—he told me, ‘See you in the future.’ He has a Void Body. He can host any spiritual entity. If I were the Book of Fate, I would definitely want his body.”

“But why would it need Song Wulan?” Ye Tianjiao couldn’t understand, “It’s doing fine as an artifact spirit…”

“Because it wants to become a god.”

Jiang Zhaoxue interrupted him. Ye Tianjiao and Pei Zichen looked over as Jiang Zhaoxue organized her thoughts, saying slowly, “It’s been intercepting the fortune of those with great destiny. Fortune is the most important power for us fate masters, and perhaps it’s also the Book of Fate’s power. It’s been making itself stronger all along. Possessing the power of the Heavenly Dao—this is already just half a step away from godhood. If it has a physical body, it will have the opportunity to cultivate, the opportunity to become a god.”

“It wants to become a god?” Ye Tianjiao murmured, “Its ambition is huge. But it’s already the Book of Fate—why does it want to become a god?”

“To escape the constraints Haocang Shenjun placed on it.”

Pei Zichen spoke up, reminding them, “Haocang Shenjun had it govern the destiny of the three realms. There’s no way he didn’t impose restrictions, and rules set by a divine being can only be ignored by another god.”

“So it wants to entice Song Wulan to sacrifice his body to it, to intercept the fortune of those with great destiny, to collect divine artifacts.”

Jiang Zhaoxue summarized gravely. All these steps were remarkably similar to Li Xiuji’s path to godhood.

Sufficient power, a body, divine artifacts.

These were all necessary conditions for becoming a god.

“Wait.” Listening, Ye Tianjiao suddenly realized something, “Then according to what you’re saying, a thousand years ago the Book of Fate already seized Song Wulan’s body and became Song Wulan, which means from the very first moment it saw you, it already knew you would return to a thousand years ago, knew you would obtain the divine artifacts?”

“Of course.” Jiang Zhaoxue had no doubt, “It’s the Book of Fate. It definitely knows more than we do.”

“Then why didn’t it kill you?”

Ye Tianjiao blurted out, feeling his brain turning to mush as he desperately analyzed, “If our guess is correct, the Book of Fate developed an artifact spirit, and back then Song Wulan was constantly competing with us for the divine artifacts, which means the Book of Fate wanted the artifacts. If that’s the case, why didn’t it just kill you? That way no one would interfere with it…”

“Because it needed Song Wulan.”

Pei Zichen interrupted Ye Tianjiao, reminding him, “If the Female Lord hadn’t returned to the past, Song Wulan might never have offered up his body. A Void Body must willingly sacrifice itself to be possessed by another. The Book of Fate didn’t dare gamble on that.”

“But it must have done something.”

Jiang Zhaoxue stated with certainty, “If I were it, already knowing everything, I couldn’t possibly allow Pei Zichen to obtain the divine artifacts. I would definitely impose some restriction on Pei Zichen during this process, ensuring Pei Zichen absolutely couldn’t obtain the artifacts.”

Just like how she had placed the Soul-Locking Array on Pei Zichen back then, Song Wulan’s methods would only be more ruthless than hers.

But what had Song Wulan done? How did he ensure the artifacts would ultimately return to his hands?

Jiang Zhaoxue looked at Pei Zichen, her heart clenching.

Pei Zichen sensed Jiang Zhaoxue’s gaze and knew her worry. He said softly, “It’s fine.”

“How can it be fine!” Hearing this, Ye Tianjiao broke down, “We planned for a thousand years, and now we’re almost at the final step of becoming a god, and suddenly you’re saying it predicted everything from the start—how can this be fine!”

Ye Tianjiao stood up and paced back and forth in the water pavilion, “But what could it have done? What did it do? I’m at least a grandmaster—how come I can’t see anything? What kind of ghostly thing is this Book of Fate?!”

“Let’s ask around.”

Jiang Zhaoxue suppressed her emotions, forcing herself to calm down. She thought carefully, “Know your enemy and know yourself, and you’ll have better odds. If we want to understand the Book of Fate now, we must find someone who understands it.”

“Who?” Ye Tianjiao instinctively turned around, only to see Jiang Zhaoxue look up and calmly speak a name.

“Shen Yuqing.”

At these words, Ye Tianjiao instinctively looked at Pei Zichen sitting beside him.

Jiang Zhaoxue thought aloud, “The Lingjian Immortal Pavilion has served the Book of Fate for three thousand years. As the Pavilion Master of the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, Shen Yuqing is one of the few who has directly communicated with the Book of Fate. And the only place in the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion that can’t be spied upon by the Book of Fate is Shen Yuqing’s bedroom. His ability to completely isolate the Book of Fate means he must understand it to some degree.”

“But he won’t talk.”

Pei Zichen lowered his eyes, picked up his teacup, and said calmly, “I already asked.”

“Let me try.” Jiang Zhaoxue said gravely, “You’re now the identity of the Jiuyou Realm’s Demon Lord. It’s normal for him not to tell you. Let me go ask—perhaps I can find out something.”

At these words, the surroundings fell silent.

Jiang Zhaoxue felt something was off. She looked up to see Ye Tianjiao quickly lower his head the moment their eyes met, while Pei Zichen beside him was drinking tea, as if he hadn’t heard anything.

Jiang Zhaoxue’s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately felt somewhat nervous. She had experienced Pei Zichen’s pettiness, not to mention his mind still hadn’t fully recovered.

She cleared her throat lightly, explaining, “That, I’m just going to ask…”

“Fine.”

Pei Zichen also agreed immediately, setting down his teacup and standing up, “Then I’ll lead the Female Lord there.”

With that, he took the initiative to head out. Jiang Zhaoxue felt somewhat uneasy, glanced at Ye Tianjiao playing dead on the side, and still steeled herself to follow.

She followed behind Pei Zichen. Seeing Pei Zichen walking ahead without speaking, she thought about it, then still poked her head forward to explain, “I’m just going to talk business.”

“What else would there be to talk about?”

Pei Zichen glanced at her. Jiang Zhaoxue immediately smiled, proactively reaching out to link her arm with his, saying sweet words, “Oh well, I’m afraid you’ll overthink. Your mind isn’t well right now—what if you suspect I’m colluding with Shen Yuqing to do something to you? Don’t worry,” Jiang Zhaoxue leaned on his shoulder, letting him drag her forward, full of affection, “You are my heart, you are my liver, you are my…”

“We’re here.”

Pei Zichen stopped and reminded her. Jiang Zhaoxue looked up to see the large door ahead and the paper immortals standing at the entrance. She blinked, then immediately straightened up.

Pei Zichen turned to look at her. After thinking, he finally said, “Say what needs to be said clearly, bid farewell when it’s time to bid farewell, Yaoyao.”

He stared at her, particularly serious, “I don’t mind that he existed, but I will mind indecisiveness, lingering attachments.”

“There absolutely won’t be any of that.” Jiang Zhaoxue immediately said, “I’ll definitely make things clear and immediately pack him off back home.”

Pei Zichen didn’t speak, seemingly assessing the truthfulness in her words.

After waiting a moment, he turned his head and moved forward, “Let’s go.”

Jiang Zhaoxue relaxed, but after taking just a few steps, she suddenly thought of something, “What if he’s deeply devoted to me without regret?”

“That would be his business then.”

Pei Zichen raised his hand and pushed open the door. Jiang Zhaoxue saw the pitch-black doorway and heard Pei Zichen turn around to beckon her, “You go first.”

This time the main interrogator would be her, with Pei Zichen following. He might not even need to go inside.

Jiang Zhaoxue understood his meaning and stepped into the room. After walking just a few steps, Pei Zichen followed anyway.

A’Nan let out a soft “tsk,” quietly muttering, “Still followed after all.”

Jiang Zhaoxue listened, pretending not to know anything, and walked along the corridor all the way into the depths.

Reaching the end, she saw a large door covered in talismans. The door blocked off the aura inside, and Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t sense whether there was anyone within.

She was about to turn around when the door suddenly opened, and Shen Yuqing’s spiritual breath came through. Jiang Zhaoxue confirmed the location and strode inside. Entering the room, she saw darkness all around, with only a circular platform in the center illuminated by a light source. Shen Yuqing sat cross-legged on the platform with his eyes closed in meditation, looking like he hadn’t suffered any hardship.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhaoxue emerged from the darkness. Her footsteps startled Shen Yuqing, who instantly raised his cold eyes and assumed a defensive posture. But the moment he moved and saw who it was, he froze in place, then exclaimed in shock, “Axue?”

Just after speaking, he immediately became alert again, forming a heart-purifying seal with his fingers and looking at Jiang Zhaoxue defensively.

Jiang Zhaoxue knew he was afraid of having been imprisoned too long and developing hallucinations. She cleared her throat lightly, explaining, “No need to be nervous. It’s me. I came to see you.”

As she spoke, Pei Zichen pushed out a chair from the shadows.

There was clearly a special formation here. Shen Yuqing couldn’t see people outside the light source clearly, only vaguely making out a male figure. He stood in the darkness, delivering the chair behind Jiang Zhaoxue, his posture respectful, vaguely familiar somehow.

He stared at Pei Zichen in the darkness. Jiang Zhaoxue inexplicably felt nervous, feigning composure as she sat down. She took A’Nan from her shoulder, placed him in her embrace and stroked him gently to ease her anxiety, smiling, “How have you been lately?”

Hearing this, Shen Yuqing’s gaze shifted from Pei Zichen to Jiang Zhaoxue. He carefully examined the person before him, and after confirming Jiang Zhaoxue wasn’t injured, he felt somewhat reassured. He pressed his lips together but instead asked in return, “How are you now? That demon…”

Before finishing his words, he seemed to remember the current situation and glanced darkly at the area behind Jiang Zhaoxue, lowering his voice, “What does the Demon Lord plan by keeping you?”

“Him?”

Jiang Zhaoxue stroked A’Nan’s feathers, thinking about how to probe Shen Yuqing. She said casually, “Ah, let’s not talk about him. At least I can stay alive for now. As for you,” she seemed somewhat puzzled, her voice becoming serious, “how did you end up here?”

“I heard you were in trouble…” Hearing her inquiry, Shen Yuqing seemed somewhat embarrassed but still said, “I told you I owe you. Since you’re in difficulty, naturally I can’t stand by and do nothing.”

“But I killed your master.”

Jiang Zhaoxue reminded him. Shen Yuqing’s entire body stiffened. Jiang Zhaoxue was somewhat puzzled, “You’re not avenging your master but came to save me instead?”

Shen Yuqing didn’t speak, looking to the side. This reaction was in line with his temperament.

He wouldn’t let her die, but he also couldn’t get over Gujun’s death.

Jiang Zhaoxue roughly probed that he had indeed come for her, feeling somewhat more confident. She examined his body again. Although his cultivation had suffered greatly, his meridians had almost completely recovered. Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t help but chuckle lightly, saying casually, “The Lingjian Immortal Pavilion still has a deep foundation. Injured as you were, you could still repair your meridians and preserve half your cultivation. Since they spent so much effort keeping you alive, Liu Mingxiu probably doesn’t plan to give up on you. If you snuck out against the sect’s orders to save someone and ended up folding halfway here, and the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion comes after Penglai…”

“I have the sect’s permission,” Shen Yuqing said coldly, “Even if I die here, they won’t trouble Penglai.”

“That’s good then.”

Jiang Zhaoxue nodded. Seeing Shen Yuqing’s face had turned extremely ugly, and thinking of how he’d risked his life to come here, she finally sighed and said softly, “Then for the sake of your sincerity, let me apologize first.”

Hearing this, Shen Yuqing instantly felt his nose sting.

He didn’t know how the two of them had come to such a state. He couldn’t watch her die, but continuing anything else was also impossible.

He looked to the side, forcing himself to suppress this emotion, saying in a low voice, “Your apology is unnecessary. As fellow members of the True Immortal Realm, I would save anyone the same.”

“Oh.” Jiang Zhaoxue nodded, then boldly asked in return, “Then how do you plan to save me?”

This question stumped Shen Yuqing. Jiang Zhaoxue observed his expression and sighed, “I’m half-dead now anyway. This Li Xiuji and I have karmic ties too. A thousand years ago we forced him to become the Jiuyou Xuanming Emperor, and he’s been obsessed with me ever since, insisting I become the mistress of this Jiuyou Realm.”

Hearing this, Shen Yuqing secretly clenched his fists. A’Nan beside them coughed lowly.

“Pei Zichen is still behind you—don’t say too much…”

“But you also know my heart’s intent,” Jiang Zhaoxue’s face showed sorrow, “Zichen’s mourning period isn’t even over yet—how could I do such a thing? I’ve also thought it through. If he forces me again…”

“You should agree to him.”

Shen Yuqing spoke up. Jiang Zhaoxue alertly raised her eyes. Pei Zichen also lifted his gaze in the darkness as they saw Shen Yuqing sitting cross-legged on the platform, seemingly struggling to control his emotions as he looked at Jiang Zhaoxue and said calmly, “Axue, the Emperor is magnanimous. You’ll have a chance to return to the True Immortal Realm eventually.”

Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t speak. Others couldn’t tell, but she understood—Shen Yuqing’s words were hinting that he had a way to rescue her.

Jiang Zhaoxue looked at him calmly. Unable to see Jiang Zhaoxue’s response, Shen Yuqing’s eyes couldn’t help showing a bit of urgency as he advised, “Axue, I know your temperament is unyielding, but too much rigidity leads to breaking. Nothing is more important than life.”

“But how can you be certain I can return?”

“You can.” Shen Yuqing spoke with certainty, and Jiang Zhaoxue made her judgment.

She looked at Shen Yuqing calmly and stated with certainty, “The Book of Fate is still at the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion.”

This statement made Shen Yuqing’s expression change drastically. Jiang Zhaoxue immediately pressed on, “You already saw clearly back then that the Book of Fate isn’t heavenly destiny. It’s now just an evil thing that developed spiritual intelligence. Why hasn’t the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion given it up yet?”

“What exactly did you come here to do?” Shen Yuqing raised his cold eyes, already understanding Jiang Zhaoxue’s intent, “You came to test me for Li Xiuji? Jiang Zhaoxue, do you know…”

“I know what I’m doing.” Jiang Zhaoxue stated firmly, “You’re Shen Yuqing—you give me a reason. Why exactly does the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion worship the Book of Fate? Because it can repair your meridians for you, and you think the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion can use it to rise again?”

Shen Yuqing’s breathing quickened. He seemed to be struggling to endure, not wanting to respond.

Jiang Zhaoxue frowned and continued, “What exactly did you come to the Jiuyou Realm to do? What task did it give you? It…”

“I just came to save you!” Shen Yuqing raised his voice, looking up with tears in his eyes, emphasizing, “Jiang Zhaoxue, I won’t discuss sect grudges. This time I came only to save you.”

“Then what if it wants to kill me?”

Jiang Zhaoxue calmly questioned in return. Shen Yuqing paused. He hesitated for a long time before slowly saying, “It said… it won’t let you die.”

This made Jiang Zhaoxue laugh. She stood up, walked onto the platform, sighed and said, “Shen Yuqing, oh Shen Yuqing, do you think you understand how you came to this day?”

Shen Yuqing looked up in confusion, only to see Jiang Zhaoxue stop before him. She lowered her eyes to look at him, her eyes carrying pity, “You were supposed to have great fortune, you and I were supposed to be a heavenly destined marriage. Do you think you understand why you’ve come to this day?”

“What are you trying to say?” Shen Yuqing stared at Jiang Zhaoxue, “What words are you trying to use to bewitch me?”

Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t speak. She thought for a long time, then swept her hand across the steps and sat down openly on them, saying calmly, “Shen Yuqing, I know that since childhood you’ve been trained that the Book of Fate is the foundation of your Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, that you must devote your entire life to the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. But what exactly is the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion?”

She raised her head to look at the tall pillars in the darkness above, “Is it the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion’s plaques, the scenery of the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion’s one hundred and eight peaks, or a certain sect master, a certain magical artifact? None of these.”

Jiang Zhaoxue turned back to look at Shen Yuqing, speaking earnestly, “You told me before that the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion is your fellow disciples, the ones who took you as an orphan back to the mountain, gave you food, clothing, and shelter, gave you the warmth of a home. In your youth, you said you wanted to make the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion flourish, you wanted every Lingjian Immortal Pavilion disciple to not suffer bullying. People are the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. You worship the Book of Fate because the Book of Fate is the Heavenly Dao, because the Book of Fate can save more people and make the world better. But now I—Pei Zichen—used his life to sever the karma thread, already proving the Book of Fate isn’t the Heavenly Dao. It developed an artifact spirit that can alter…”

“Is it wrong for destiny to be alterable?!” Shen Yuqing couldn’t help but raise his voice, “It developed an artifact spirit, but it has cared for the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion for three thousand years. It has guided the True Immortal Realm toward prosperity all along. Is it wrong?!”

“What if it’s not just an artifact spirit?”

Jiang Zhaoxue stated firmly.

Shen Yuqing was about to speak again when he heard Jiang Zhaoxue say with certainty, “It is Song Wulan.”

At these words, Shen Yuqing froze.

Jiang Zhaoxue looked at him calmly, speaking earnestly, “A thousand years ago, in that confrontation at the ancestral altar, Song Wulan was killed by me. Before dying, he sacrificed his body to the Book of Fate. From that day on, the Book of Fate has been Song Wulan. And he met both you and me. Do you know what this means?”

Shen Yuqing stared blankly, vaguely understanding something. He listened as she said, “He knows you and I were husband and wife in later lives. He knows everything. When he first had Gujun save you, he already knew you would become the True Immortal Realm’s first sword cultivator in the future. When he saw me, he knew we would become dao companions in the future. He also clearly knows who Song Qingyin is.”

“Who is…” Shen Yuqing asked knowingly, “Who is Song Qingyin?”

Jiang Zhaoxue’s eyes held pity, “She is Xinluoyi.”

Shen Yuqing’s pupils contracted sharply. Jiang Zhaoxue said calmly, “Song Qingyin and Mu Jinyue were both Xinluoyi whom you killed back then. Two hundred years ago, she infiltrated the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion as Song Qingyin to provide intelligence for Li Xiuji while driving a wedge between you and me. Because she is Xinluoyi, she ate Li Xiuji’s flesh and blood to cultivate a human body, so her bloodline is the same as Li Xiuji’s. When she encountered the Heaven-Devouring Vine, she was devoured by it.”

“But the Heaven-Devouring Vine was Pei Zichen—”

Shen Yuqing spoke urgently, but it was at that moment he suddenly realized something, looking toward the darkness in shock.

In the darkness, Pei Zichen slowly walked out.

Purple-black ornate robes, long hair flowing loose, a divine seal clearly branded between his brows on his pale face—but raising his head revealed a handsome, familiar countenance.

“Pavilion Master Shen.”

Pei Zichen spoke calmly. Shen Yuqing stood shocked in place.

Jiang Zhaoxue turned to look at Shen Yuqing, patiently explaining, “Pei Zichen is Li Xiuji’s reincarnation.”

Shen Yuqing stared blankly at Pei Zichen. Jiang Zhaoxue continued explaining from the side, “Back then, Xinluoyi became Song Qingyin on Li Xiuji’s orders to spy for the Jiuyou Realm at the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. Later, to help Li Xiuji’s reincarnation Pei Zichen obtain the divine artifacts, Xinluoyi became Mu Jinyue. In between, perhaps afraid you and I would join forces, or perhaps she harbored resentment about you killing her back then, or perhaps… there were other thoughts. In any case, she didn’t want you and me to be together. And all of this—if the Book of Fate is Song Wulan, do you think it didn’t know?”

It knew.

At that moment, Shen Yuqing clearly realized.

When he was young, before he’d ever met Jiang Zhaoxue, Gujun told him again and again that demon cultivators were promiscuous.

Later, when he first returned to the sect and told Gujun about Jiang Zhaoxue, he told him that Jiang Zhaoxue was just seeking momentary pleasure.

The Lingjian Immortal Pavilion toward Jiang Zhaoxue was always both belittling and courting.

They taught him again and again that Jiang Zhaoxue was a demon, that demons were no different from beasts, that he must control her, train her, pull out all her claws and fangs, polish her heart and mind, make her into a person—

A “polite,” “obedient,” “upright,” “self-controlled” “person” of the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion.

But who would treat a loved one this way?

He resisted the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion’s training with his instincts again and again, yet felt ashamed and angry when she did something wrong.

He was born with prejudice against her, so he would unconsciously believe Song Qingyin, believe everyone in the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, but not her alone.

But where did his prejudice come from?

If the Book of Fate was Song Wulan—

“He knew you and I were a heavenly destined marriage. He knew you were a person of great fortune. So from the moment you entered the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, you were already one of his chess pieces. He allowed Xinluoyi to drive a wedge between you and me. He trained you, indoctrinated you, pushed you to a desperate situation, then made you like every person whose fortune he plundered. Either you lost your way and he seized your fortune, or for what you lost, you offered him everything.”

Shen Yuqing listened blankly, slowly raising his eyes to look at the person sitting in the light who turned to look back at him, “Shen Yuqing.”

She spoke with certainty, “Your life shouldn’t have been like this.”

He should have been heaven’s favored son. He should have had a beautiful marriage.

He should have been able to meet someone he loved who also loved him—a heaven-ordained match, a complete life.

“You shouldn’t, Ye Wenzhi shouldn’t, Song Wuya shouldn’t, those common people who died a thousand years ago shouldn’t, how many people of great fortune throughout history shouldn’t. An artifact spirit isn’t wrong, but an artifact spirit that develops selfish desires and uses its abilities to intercept the fortune of those with great destiny to fulfill its own private desire to become a god—that is wrong.”

As Jiang Zhaoxue spoke, her voice lowered, “As long as the Book of Fate exists for one day, the True Immortal Realm can never produce people of great fortune, and neither can the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. You think the Book of Fate leads the True Immortal Realm to prosperity, but if it truly led the True Immortal Realm, why would there be the Heavenly Dao catastrophe and the dissipation of spiritual energy? Perhaps a world without the Book of Fate would be a better world.”

Shen Yuqing didn’t speak. He looked at the person before him with clear eyes. She looked at him, yet her eyes seemed to also be looking at many others.

Looking at all living beings, looking at mountains and rivers, looking at the passage of time.

That inclusive and gentle gaze seemed to erase him specifically. He became one of these countless beings, completely different from how she used to look at him in the past.

They were supposed to be a heaven-ordained match. She was supposed to be his wife.

Realizing this, his eyes trembled.

Jiang Zhaoxue observed his expression, knowing she couldn’t push him too hard. She stood up, saying in a low voice, “Alright, I’ll say this much. Think it over slowly. If you figure it out, use the transmission jade token to find me.”

With that, she stepped down from the platform. Pei Zichen followed behind her.

Watching the two figures walking away one in front of the other, seeing they were about to leave, Shen Yuqing abruptly spoke up, “Axue.”

Jiang Zhaoxue halted her steps and turned to look. She saw Shen Yuqing sitting in the light. He had been looking at her all along. After a long while, he finally said, “Pei Zichen cannot condense a divine core.”

This statement made Jiang Zhaoxue’s face turn cold. But Pei Zichen had already anticipated this and raised his eyes.

Shen Yuqing’s expression was indifferent as he continued, “When he first entered the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, Master made him swear before the Book of Fate to seal his own Emotional Soul, then erased his memory.”

At that time, Pei Zichen was only ten years old and had never received immortal sect education. He wouldn’t have understood at all what sealing the Emotional Soul meant.

At that time when Gujun made him swear before the Book of Fate, Pei Zichen wouldn’t have resisted.

Jiang Zhaoxue looked at Shen Yuqing in shock. Shen Yuqing continued explaining expressionlessly, “Among the three souls of Heaven, Earth, and Human, the Human Soul’s Ethereal Essence governs romantic love, so he can love others. But the Emotional Soul governs perceiving others’ feelings toward him. With his Emotional Soul sealed, it means he has great difficulty sensing others’ emotions toward him. If according to what you’ve said, Pei Zichen is Li Xiuji’s reincarnation, then he must walk the path of becoming a god, otherwise he will surely die. But to become a god, one must first condense a divine core, then have a divine shell, and finally unite spirit and flesh to ascend as a god. Especially for him—”

Shen Yuqing raised his eyes to look at Pei Zichen, examining his body, “If he doesn’t want to become an evil god, then he must first possess a divine core to have sufficient benevolent thoughts to transform the resentful power in his body, ultimately uniting spirit and flesh. But the divine core itself is the condensation of a cultivator’s dao heart. It requires an extremely pure dao heart. If his divine core is obtained through righteous benevolent thoughts… a person without an Emotional Soul, who cannot sense others’ affection, cannot possess pure benevolent power.”

A person who has never received enough goodwill will always retain a sense of unease and anxiety.

Even if forcing himself to be a good person, forcing himself to love others, he will always be just a little distance away from “purity.”

Song Wulan had probably anticipated this day long ago, so he took his Emotional Soul from the very beginning.

And Pei Zichen… fell in love with her while missing three breaths of his Emotional Soul, based on her meager, shallow, deception-filled kindness.

She slowly came to this realization, bitterness surging in her heart. Suppressing her emotions, she only said, “Doing this, isn’t Song Wulan worried he’ll become an evil god and strike back at him?”

“Do you know what the Book of Fate’s limitations are?”

Shen Yuqing no longer concealed anything. Jiang Zhaoxue was curious, “What are they?”

“The Book of Fate is a divine artifact connected to the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It can sense everywhere spiritual energy reaches, influence cultivators who cultivate spiritual energy, to advance the destiny written in the Book of Fate. This is the ability Shenjun granted it.”

Shen Yuqing’s tone was flat as he said calmly, “But the power to control an entire world is too immense, so Shenjun also imposed corresponding restrictions. It cannot use the power Shenjun gave it to harm anyone, except those who violate what’s written in the Book of Fate, or those who actively make wishes to it.”

“Then who writes the Book of Fate?” Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t understand, “If it writes it itself, wouldn’t it be able to harm anyone it wants?”

“The content in the Book of Fate naturally isn’t written arbitrarily. It must follow the Heavenly Dao rules given by Shenjun, so what can be written in the Book of Fate is destiny.”

Shen Yuqing’s expression grew serious, “If someone violates destiny, the Book of Fate can impose suppression according to the degree of their deviation. The higher the degree of deviation and the greater the threat to this small world, the stronger the power the Book of Fate can use to suppress this deviant. When necessary, it can even mobilize the spiritual energy of the entire small world to kill this person who violates destiny.”

“So you’re not worried about Pei Zichen becoming an evil god,” Jiang Zhaoxue completely understood, “because if he becomes an evil god, the Book of Fate will act to kill him.”

“Yes.” Shen Yuqing nodded, saying calmly, “Whether him or Li Xiuji, as long as they deviate from their own destiny, the stronger their abilities, the stronger the Book of Fate’s suppression of them. Unless he becomes a god, the closer he gets to the critical point of becoming a god, the greater the power the Book of Fate can obtain to kill him.”

“Then why isn’t it acting now?”

Jiang Zhaoxue spoke sharply.

“Because it’s still recovering.”

Shen Yuqing frowned, “After it was injured by Pei Zichen, it was taken away by Master Uncle Liu. Now Master Uncle Liu is worshipping it in the Heavenly Pool. When I left, Master Uncle Liu told me that if I’m unfortunately captured, I must hold on no matter what. Once the Book of Fate is repaired, it will annihilate the demon and restore peace to the world.”

“How long does she want you to wait?”

“Three months.”

Shen Yuqing looked at Jiang Zhaoxue, already knowing her questioning intent, and said calmly, “Within three months, Pei Zichen must become a god.”