These words were like hot iron entering water, instantly causing the icy water to surge and roil, sending up boiling steam.

Yet those emotions like stormy waves were too shocked to be expressed, transforming into bewildered helplessness, quietly gazing at the person before him.

Seeing him only staring blankly at her, Jiang Zhaoxue knew Pei Zichen needed some time to digest this.

Although she wasn’t clear about exactly what Shen Yuqing and Pei Zichen had said on the cliff—at the time, the illusion Shen Yuqing showed her had only images without sound—connecting the prior circumstances with Pei Zichen’s current state, she could roughly guess most of it.

Moreover, even if there was no such thing as being Heaven-Forsaken…

Jiang Zhaoxue remembered the scene on the cliff with everyone pointing swords at Pei Zichen. She raised her hand to pat his shoulder and said earnestly: “Don’t be sad. Everything will pass. And don’t have any foolish thoughts about ending it all. You must know that to save your life, I wasted quite a bit of effort. If you just close your eyes and die, all my work will have been for nothing.”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen looked at the mud on Jiang Zhaoxue’s face, her broken nose, her frozen red cheeks, her disheveled clothes and hair, and his eyes filled with apology.

Whether at Penglai or Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, even when unwelcome, Jiang Zhaoxue had lived pampered and privileged, honored like gold and jade. When had she ever been in such a wretched state?

“I’m sorry.”

Pei Zichen spoke hoarsely. Seeing him recover, Jiang Zhaoxue nodded and walked to the side, taking some wood and the stick she had whittled. She wrapped her hands with cloth and began rubbing, saying as she worked: “You rest well first and feel out your body. Tell me specifically what condition you’re in, and we’ll discuss what to do next.”

If he could walk even one more step, she would never carry him again!

Jiang Zhaoxue thought indignantly. Hearing this, Pei Zichen made no further sound. He only sat quietly in place, lowering his eyes to look at his fingers, trying to move them.

His lower body had completely lost sensation. His hands could still move a bit, but lifting heavy objects was impossible.

His sword weighed over a hundred jin. Now he couldn’t even grip it.

But the sword was also shattered.

Pei Zichen looked at his fingers, feeling somewhat empty inside.

With all friends and family dead and no attachments remaining, what was he still living for?

As this thought emerged, Pei Zichen raised his eyes and saw Jiang Zhaoxue crouching on the ground, working hard to rub the wooden stick.

Her face was full of determination, rubbing with fire in her eyes, clearly already impatient and getting angry.

Her entire person crouched on the ground, curled up like a snow-white glutinous rice ball.

Looking at the person before him, Pei Zichen’s heart stirred slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke: “Shifu’s wife…”

“What?” Jiang Zhaoxue raised her head. She saw Pei Zichen’s gaze fall on the wood in her hands as he asked puzzled: “What are you doing? Is there anything this disciple can help with?”

Hearing his question, Jiang Zhaoxue’s gaze fell on his hands. Her eyes gradually brightened, and she quickly took the pointed wooden stick and wood she had whittled, ran over to Pei Zichen, and said somewhat excitedly: “You can still move?”

“Inconvenient to walk, but my upper body has no major problems.”

“Oh, so it’s paraplegia.” Jiang Zhaoxue understood. It must be that the Tianji Lingyu’s power was exhausted halfway through.

These words made Pei Zichen somewhat embarrassed. He hesitated, speaking with some difficulty: “Shifu’s wife, your saving this disciple’s life is already more than enough. You need not be implicated by this disciple any further. Why not leave me here…”

“Can you do fire by friction?”

Jiang Zhaoxue stared at him seriously. Pei Zichen was stunned, then watched as Jiang Zhaoxue handed him the tools in her hands, saying earnestly: “You definitely can. You’re Lingjian Immortal Pavilion’s most outstanding, most promising disciple. There’s nothing you can’t do, right?”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen looked at the wood in Jiang Zhaoxue’s hands with shock and uncertainty, then moved his gaze to Jiang Zhaoxue’s expectant face, probing: “Shifu’s wife, you want to use this thing to make fire by friction?”

“That’s right,” Jiang Zhaoxue nodded, saying with complete seriousness, “I’ve learned this. Rub wood with your hands, convert mechanical energy into thermal energy, and you can have fire!”

“It’s possible…” Pei Zichen frowned, “But this is wet wood.”

Jiang Zhaoxue paused, lowering her eyes to look at the wood in her hands, suddenly realizing that wood this hard with such high moisture content would indeed not be easy to ignite.

“For fire by friction, the wood must be dry and somewhat soft. In winter, following the seasons, one should use locust wood or sandalwood. At the same time, prepare kindling. If one lacks sufficient strength, one must also make a bow drill, using the bow drill to strike the wood. When sparks appear, ignite the kindling to start a fire.”

Jiang Zhaoxue listened blankly. Pei Zichen thought for a moment, looked around the cave, and considered: “If Shifu’s wife wants to make fire, you might go select some soft dry wood. If there are vines, bring some as well. I can…”

Before he finished speaking, Jiang Zhaoxue had already run out.

How could she not tell?

An expert!

An expert in wilderness survival!

Excellent, she was saved!!

Before entering the cave, Jiang Zhaoxue had already thoroughly surveyed everything. She quickly searched according to Pei Zichen’s requirements, finding many soft wood blocks, sticks, dead leaves, vines… She gathered a huge pile of things and ran back, dumping them all in front of Pei Zichen with a “thud,” saying excitedly: “What else do you need?!”

Pei Zichen looked at the mountain of miscellaneous items before him, momentarily speechless.

Jiang Zhaoxue really picked up any garbage—useful or not, she gathered a huge pile.

But fortunately, he found everything he needed. He selected the wood blocks he required and borrowed a knife from Jiang Zhaoxue. As he tried to whittle the wood with the dagger, a sharp pain came.

Seeing him pause, Jiang Zhaoxue looked at him puzzled: “What’s wrong?”

Then she suddenly realized: “Oh, your meridians haven’t recovered, so using the knife hurts? How about I do it…”

“I can do it.”

Pei Zichen decisively stopped Jiang Zhaoxue. Jiang Zhaoxue halted her movement, watching as the young man said earnestly and insistently: “Shifu’s wife, I can do it.”

Jiang Zhaoxue looked at his expression. After hesitating for a moment, she slowly withdrew her hand.

She watched as the young man lowered his eyes, gripping her dagger, slowly and heavily, persisting in whittling the board well.

After finishing whittling the base board for drilling wood, his hands seemed to tremble slightly from the pain. Yet he insisted on taking another piece of wood and began making a bow drill.

Jiang Zhaoxue quietly watched him without speaking.

After nightfall, it snowed again outside the cave.

Jiang Zhaoxue found a spot and sat silently beside Pei Zichen, watching him make the bow drill.

The young man was very serious when working. His profile wasn’t very clear in the dim night, yet one could still feel his captivating handsomeness that made it impossible to look away.

Jiang Zhaoxue watched silently for perhaps nearly half a shichen when a bow drill was born in his hands.

Pei Zichen finally showed a weak smile, turning back to look at her: “Shifu’s wife, it’s done.”

With that, Pei Zichen took the bow drill and taught her: “Look, insert this bow drill into the hole and press down several times.”

Before long, sparks lit up in the darkness. Jiang Zhaoxue quickly passed over dry grass, and the fire “whoosh” ignited in the cave.

The entire cave instantly brightened. Pei Zichen turned his head and saw Jiang Zhaoxue’s face in the soft light.

The woman kept adding dry grass, trying to use the grass to ignite the wood. Seeing there wasn’t enough dry grass, Jiang Zhaoxue immediately said: “I’ll go pick up more dry grass!”

With that, she ran out.

Pei Zichen gazed at her retreating figure, lowering his eyes to look at the dry wood in his hands that was faintly catching fire. The dry wood flickered with sparks, appearing and disappearing.

Just like some emotion in his heart that he himself had never understood.

Jiang Zhaoxue came back carrying a large pile of dry pine needles and threw them on the ground. Only then did she discover the fire had already been lit.

Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t help but feel happy. She turned to look at him: “Wow, you’re really amazing!”

Looking at the smile on the face of the person before him, Pei Zichen found it somewhat difficult, yet couldn’t help it, even felt he should smile.

Jiang Zhaoxue moved closer to him and quickly asked: “Can you catch rabbits?”

“Hey…”

A’Nan couldn’t listen anymore and couldn’t help but say: “He’s already paralyzed, and you’re still making him catch rabbits. Isn’t that a bit too much?”

“I can try.”

Pei Zichen didn’t think she was being excessive at all. He only felt somewhat self-reproachful: “But I can’t guarantee it will be a rabbit.”

“It doesn’t matter as long as it’s edible!”

Jiang Zhaoxue wasn’t picky. Although she didn’t need to eat, she was craving food.

Pei Zichen smiled, raised his hand to point to the side, and said softly: “Then I’ll trouble Shifu’s wife to bring me that vine.”

Jiang Zhaoxue quickly handed it to him. Under his guidance, she cooperated with him to make a trap.

After making the trap, they ambushed together and caught two rabbits. Pei Zichen skillfully cleaned the rabbits in the snow, then had Jiang Zhaoxue help him return. Using the wooden fork he had just whittled, he began roasting the rabbit.

Having not eaten for several days, Jiang Zhaoxue was somewhat excited seeing meat. She sat to the side rubbing her hands together, her attention entirely on the meat.

Pei Zichen listened to the crackling sound of the charcoal, sensing Jiang Zhaoxue’s anticipation. After thinking for a moment, he said slowly: “Does Shifu’s wife know where we are now?”

“I don’t know.”

Jiang Zhaoxue answered decisively. Pei Zichen raised his eyes to look at her. Jiang Zhaoxue said casually: “When we jumped down, I opened the Su Guangji and proved your innocence. But the Su Guangji disrupts time and space. We’ve entered the turbulent flow of time and space now. I don’t know which specific time we’re in.”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen was somewhat surprised and couldn’t help but ask: “Did Shifu’s wife do this intentionally?”

“Um… not exactly.”

Jiang Zhaoxue thought about it and slowly said: “When you went to seize the Su Guangji, I knew you wanted to use its memory playback function to prove your innocence. To play back memories, the Su Guangji only needs your divine consciousness and blood. You had already prepared everything inside, but at the last moment, it was seized by Shen Yuqing. I had already decided to leave with you, and I felt unwilling not to seek justice, so I took advantage of Shen Yuqing’s unpreparedness and snatched the Su Guangji from behind him!”

As Jiang Zhaoxue spoke, her face showed pride, but it quickly fell again: “But when I injected spiritual power, I hadn’t thought about entering the turbulent flow of time… Who would have known?”

“Can this be controlled?”

Pei Zichen thought about it and analyzed: “Can anyone use the Su Guangji to travel back through time?”

If so, going back to the past would be far too simple.

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue immediately denied it: “Of course not.”

Pei Zichen frowned. Jiang Zhaoxue also began to think: “Actually, the Su Guangji and Xun Shiji are one divine artifact, just split into two parts. They must be used together to travel back through time. The Xun Shiji belongs to Shen Yuqing, and the Su Guangji has never acknowledged a master. So in all these years, I really haven’t heard of it opening time and space.”

“Then how does Shifu’s wife know we’ve entered the turbulent flow of time?”

Pei Zichen keenly sensed something wrong. Jiang Zhaoxue paused. She couldn’t directly tell him she was guessing based on the plot from the book. She could only smile awkwardly: “I just saw some sights along the way that seemed like things from the past.”

“That may not be accurate.”

Pei Zichen frowned. Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t dare say more.

May not be accurate?

They crossed the sea, saw the snow mountain, the plot all matched up—how much more accurate could it be?

But she couldn’t say any of this. Jiang Zhaoxue could only silently lower her head, listening as Pei Zichen continued to inquire: “Then if we’re in the turbulent flow of time and space, what does Shifu’s wife plan to do?”

“What to do?” Jiang Zhaoxue raised her head in surprise, blurting out: “Find a way to go back, of course.”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen nodded, not surprised.

Seeing him deep in thought, Jiang Zhaoxue quickly added: “But don’t worry, I won’t abandon you, and you won’t always be like this. I’ve inquired clearly—there’s jade ganoderma on this mountain, which can perfectly restore your golden core. Once you’re better, we’ll go down the mountain.”

“And then?” Pei Zichen continued to press.

Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t understand: “Then what?”

“After we go back, Shifu will continue trying to kill me. Even if Shifu’s wife brings me back, it will just be killing me again. What’s the difference?”

Pei Zichen’s tone was bland, vaguely containing persuasion.

Jiang Zhaoxue heard that he was trying to persuade her to give up on him. She was somewhat curious: “What did Shen Yuqing say to you? Why kill you?”

“He said the Book of Fate said I should have died at age nine.”

Pei Zichen seemed somewhat sad: “Everyone died because of me.”

“If they didn’t kill people, would people die on their own?”

Jiang Zhaoxue rolled her eyes. Pei Zichen was stunned, then heard Jiang Zhaoxue say: “What ‘died because of you’—I’d say ‘died because of him’ is more accurate. If he disbanded Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, who would die?”

“Shifu’s wife…”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen couldn’t help but laugh bitterly: “That’s the Book of Fate.”

The absolute authority of Zhongzhou, the faith of all disciples of Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, up and down.

Pei Zichen turned to look at the flames, murmuring: “It’s because I’ll bring the great calamity of the Heavenly Dao that they kill me.”

“Why not think that it’s because they killed you that you became the great calamity of the Heavenly Dao?”

Jiang Zhaoxue spoke with dissatisfaction. Pei Zichen didn’t quite understand.

Jiang Zhaoxue thought for a moment and explained: “The Book of Fate was written by Haocang Shenjun with heart pages when the rules of the mortal world were not yet established. It was meant to help the world form karmic order. Therefore, all the contents of the Book of Fate are under the rules of karma. If you committed evil in your past life, you cannot be wealthy and noble in this life. Everything must be repaid. In the past, the Book of Fate was only a legend. Until three thousand years ago, when Haocang Shenjun, who guarded the Book of Fate, died, before dying, he handed the Book of Fate to Gujun Daoren.”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen was somewhat puzzled why Jiang Zhaoxue was saying all this.

Knowing he didn’t understand, Jiang Zhaoxue only continued: “Gujun Daoren appeared with the Book of Fate when the Heavenly Dao was about to collapse. The Book of Fate, to protect the world and save the common people from danger, established Lingjian Immortal Pavilion to maintain the rules of fate. From then on, Lingjian Immortal Pavilion enshrined the Book of Fate and received its favor. Each successive pavilion master could offer it spiritual power in exchange for the opportunity to inquire about fate. But each time is an enormous drain.”

And Shen Yuqing, for Mu Jinyue’s sake, didn’t even hesitate to inquire of the Book of Fate.

Thinking back to that time, Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t help but smile. But it had already passed.

She suppressed the surging emotions in her heart and continued: “Through its guidance, Lingjian Immortal Pavilion grew increasingly powerful. Each time, it would give advance warning at critical moments for the cultivation world, turning the tide. Through repeated battles protecting the True Immortal Realm, everyone gradually accepted the Book of Fate’s existence. Of course, there were those who didn’t accept it—like many ten-thousand-year sects. They didn’t trust this suddenly appearing Book of Fate and refused to follow its commands. The result—”

Jiang Zhaoxue tilted her head: “All these great sects were destroyed. So the Book of Fate writing destiny became common knowledge. No one dares discuss it or disobey it. Everyone is within its observation and calculation. Heaven-Forsaken Ones are those it calculates will bring the great calamity of the Heavenly Dao. To protect everyone, people are ordered to kill them. But the Heaven-Forsaken One’s outcome is calculated by it, which means once a change sufficient to disrupt the result appears in the process, the result will change. This is what we Fate Masters call—altering fate.”

“So…” Pei Zichen looked at her quietly, “Is Shifu’s wife altering fate for me?”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue paused, only then feeling she had said too much.

She didn’t speak, hoping to muddle through.

However, the usually gentle person didn’t give her this opportunity, staring at her and pressing: “Why?”

“When I was nine years old, you saved me. Now you’ve saved me again. Shifu’s wife, why?”

He gazed at her, as if seeking an answer: “What do you want to do with my life?”