Upon hearing Qian Sisi’s name, Jiang Zhaoxue froze, then hurriedly asked, “Where is she?”
“Waiting in a private room in the main hall.”
“Lead the way!”
Jiang Zhaoxue’s spirits lifted as she followed Pei Zichen outside, asking while walking, “Didn’t she forget everything? How did she suddenly find us?”
“Before parting with Miss Qian, this disciple left her a transmission talisman and told her to contact me if anything came up.” Pei Zichen raised his hand to lift aside a withered branch extending into the courtyard, allowing Jiang Zhaoxue to pass through.
As she passed, the scent from his body was carried by the cold winter wind to her nose.
Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t help but glance at him. He had been practicing Jiuyou Realm techniques for at least four years now. Generally, those who cultivated Jiuyou Realm methods would carry some trace of baleful energy, yet he remained warm and refined, showing not the slightest resemblance to a demonic cultivator.
He walked slightly ahead of her, just enough to shield her from the cold night wind, speaking as they went, “This afternoon she contacted this disciple, saying someone wanted her to deliver a message, so I brought her here.”
“A message?” Jiang Zhaoxue’s thoughts were drawn back, momentarily confused. “Didn’t she lose her memory? Whose message is she delivering?”
“Her master’s.” Pei Zichen followed Jiang Zhaoxue into the main hall and guided her upstairs. The hall was bustling with voices and crowds. Pei Zichen stayed close to protect her, his voice soft and gentle yet each word landing clearly in her ears, “Her master refused to enter reincarnation, insisting on seeing us once.”
Jiang Zhaoxue frowned as she listened, somewhat puzzled. “Her master knows us?”
“Her master learned that this disciple obtained the Lingxu Fan and originally wanted to speak with me,” Pei Zichen led her along the corridor, “but what her master has to say relates to the Zhanshen Sword. This disciple felt this matter should be decided by you.”
Jiang Zhaoxue understood immediately.
Qian Sisi’s master valued Pei Zichen, but it was Pei Zichen who requested she take the lead.
Her heart filled with both jealousy and happiness—still jealous of Pei Zichen’s fortune, but she had to admit Pei Zichen handled this matter properly. At least by putting her first, he made her feel pleased.
The two emotions canceling each other out, Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t feel particularly unhappy. She let Pei Zichen lead her to the private room door. Before even entering, she heard Qian Sisi’s voice, “Even if you’re married, you can still divorce. You’re so handsome—marrying only once would be such a waste, wouldn’t it?”
Just as she spoke, Pei Zichen pushed open the door. Jiang Zhaoxue looked up and took in the scene inside.
Shen Yuqing sat in the main seat with a cold expression, Mu Jinyue standing behind him. Qian Sisi sat beside Shen Yuqing cracking melon seeds, her eyes practically glued to him. Even after Jiang Zhaoxue opened the door, she continued chattering absently, “Just consider me, won’t you, Immortal Lord?”
Hearing this, Shen Yuqing said nothing, merely lifting his gaze to look at Jiang Zhaoxue and asking directly, “This is your friend?”
Jiang Zhaoxue felt somewhat embarrassed, completely unwilling to acknowledge such a disgraceful person.
But if she didn’t acknowledge her now, she feared Shen Yuqing might cut Qian Sisi down with a single sword strike. She could only clear her throat lightly and say, “Um, Sisi.”
Hearing Jiang Zhaoxue call her name, Qian Sisi froze, seemingly only just remembering the actual business. She sized Jiang Zhaoxue up and down, asking tentatively, “Jiang Zhaoxue?”
“You still recognize me?”
Jiang Zhaoxue raised an eyebrow and walked curiously to Qian Sisi’s side. Pei Zichen pulled out a chair for her and took her cloak as she removed it. After Jiang Zhaoxue seated herself gracefully, Pei Zichen immediately began preparing tea for her.
Their movements coordinated seamlessly, flowing naturally.
Shen Yuqing quietly observed their interaction, and Mu Jinyue also frowned slightly.
Sensing Shen Yuqing’s gaze, Jiang Zhaoxue glanced at him but said nothing. Only Qian Sisi, hearing Jiang Zhaoxue’s words, laughed openly, “I don’t recognize you, just heard about you.”
“Heard from whom?”
Jiang Zhaoxue accepted the tea Pei Zichen poured and leaned back in her chair, quite curious.
Qian Sisi jerked her chin toward Pei Zichen. “This fellow told me. He said you’re my good friend, that you’ve helped me a lot and we have deep feelings for each other. But let’s not talk about that. I came to deliver a message from my master.”
As she spoke, Qian Sisi became serious and opened her palm. The Soul-Nurturing Pearl appeared in her hand. She patiently explained, “This object is my sect’s treasure, the Soul-Nurturing Pearl. It can preserve souls for a hundred years without dispersing. Last night when I was conscious, Pei Zichen placed this in my hand. I used my cultivation method to recognize my master, and when he learned someone had used the Lingxu Fan to help him, he wanted to find the fan’s owner to inform them about the divine artifact. So I found Pei Zichen for help…”
“And then he brought you here to find me.”
Jiang Zhaoxue understood and said bluntly, “Say what you need to say.”
Qian Sisi nodded, then said, “My master doesn’t have much soul power left, so he can only make it brief.”
With that, Qian Sisi raised her hand and formed a seal. Although she had forgotten past events, her cultivation techniques were pure instinct. In no time, smoke curled out from the Soul-Nurturing Pearl, and an elderly figure appeared behind Qian Sisi.
Seeing the old man, Pei Zichen’s eyes flickered slightly, yet the person before them acted as if he’d never met him. He bowed to Jiang Zhaoxue and Pei Zichen respectfully and said, “This humble one is Hanzhouzi, the sixty-third generation master of Wenjian Manor in Shu. Greetings to the two immortal masters.”
Then the old man turned to greet Shen Yuqing as well, “Greetings to Immortal Master Shen.”
Shen Yuqing nodded coldly in acknowledgment, and Jiang Zhaoxue returned the courtesy.
This Hanzhouzi before her was very different from the old man always joking around in the illusion. He appeared to have an immortal bearing, quite dignified.
Jiang Zhaoxue lowered her eyes and fiddled with her teacup, speaking flatly, “The Lingxu Fan has already helped the disciples of Wenjian Manor enter reincarnation. What purpose does Fellow Daoist Han have in waiting here?”
“This humble one has been waiting for the owner of the Lingxu Fan.” Hanzhouzi became serious, looking up at Jiang Zhaoxue. “The Lingxu Fan was once the magical treasure of our Wenjian Manor’s founding ancestor. On the day the ancestor underwent weapon dissolution, the Lingxu Fan returned to heaven and earth. At that time, the ancestor left behind instructions that if the Lingxu Fan ever appeared in the world again, it would herald a great calamity in that era, and he instructed us disciples to watch for it through the generations.”
Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue sensed something amiss and looked up coldly. “Why would the Lingxu Fan’s appearance necessarily mean a great calamity in that era?”
“Because the appearance of Haocang Shenjun’s divine artifacts is not coincidental.”
Hanzhouzi frowned. “The divine artifacts were formed from Haocang Shenjun’s body. The Shenjun pitied the people, and so do the divine artifacts. For them to appear, two conditions must be met: first, the artifact’s power must be sufficient; second, there must be someone to awaken the artifact.”
“Awaken?”
Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t understand.
Hanzhouzi continued, “There are two ways to awaken a divine artifact. Either the artifact senses an evil entity and appears to eliminate it, or the artifact senses someone with great fortune related to the Shenjun. But those with great fortune are rare, so when divine artifacts appear, it’s usually when calamity strikes the mortal realm.”
“No wonder.”
Listening, Jiang Zhaoxue finally understood. “When the Yuan Luogong appeared, it was because of the vengeful spirit Zhuang Yan’s existence. After Zhuang Yan was killed, her power was absorbed by the Yuan Luogong, and thus the bow appeared.”
Hearing this, Shen Yuqing looked up at her.
Jiang Zhaoxue noticed but said nothing more, continuing, “As for the Lingxu Fan, Song Wuya sacrificed the vital essence of two hundred thousand people to nourish it. The wrongful deaths of those two hundred thousand created resentment that formed into a vengeful spirit. The Lingxu Fan, nourished by this power and sensing the vengeful spirit, thus appeared. With divine artifacts appearing one after another…” Jiang Zhaoxue looked at Hanzhouzi. “You fear someone is deliberately causing this to force the Zhanshen Sword to appear?”
“The divine sword won’t appear so easily.”
Hanzhouzi remained fearless, speaking calmly, “Though the Zhanshen Sword is a divine artifact, unlike the Yuan Luogong, Lingxu Fan, and Shiguang Mirror, it ranks alongside the Tianji Lingyu as a supreme treasure. The Tianji Lingyu governs life, the Zhanshen Sword governs death. The Tianji Lingyu was created from spiritual energy, endlessly regenerating, while the Zhanshen Sword was forged from the Shenjun’s spine bone, indestructible. And the Shenjun’s spine bone is flame bone—extremely yang and violent, the ultimate in fire. Without an extremely yin object to balance it, when the flame bone appears, the temperature it brings cannot be endured by ordinary beings. The divine sword pities all things, so it set its own seal. Only when watered with the blood of a pure yin body to extinguish the flame fire can the seal be opened.”
But pure yin bodies are difficult to find in the world. The only pure yin body Jiang Zhaoxue had heard of in her lifetime was Shen Yuqing’s junior sister from two hundred years ago who died just before their wedding, someone named Song Qingyin.
This was the first time Jiang Zhaoxue thought so carefully about this person.
Pure yin bodies were extremely conducive to cultivation. If one also possessed superior spiritual roots, they would be genius disciples.
But the drawback was that such bodies were great supplements for evil entities—just one bite could increase their cultivation by a hundred years.
This Song Qingyin supposedly had wood-element heavenly spiritual roots. Due to her special constitution, her sect dared not let her leave the mountain and face any danger before she achieved enlightenment, so she was always treasured and protected, with almost no one having seen her.
When Shen Yuqing mentioned her, he only said she had poor health and had been cared for by him since childhood, no different from his other junior disciples.
But the reputation of pure yin bodies was too great, so when Jiang Zhaoxue was twenty, the entire True Immortal Realm waited for her and Song Qingyin, watching to see which of them would first step into the Nascent Soul stage.
Her father was indignant at the time, constantly reminding her to cultivate diligently and surpass Song Qingyin.
For a period then, she didn’t much like this person and would secretly ask Shen Yuqing about her, comparing herself.
How could Shen Yuqing not know her thoughts? Each time he would tell her, “She’s just a junior sister, don’t overthink it.”
Then he would remind her, “Fate masters are different from sword cultivators. The higher you go, the more you suffer heavenly punishment. Your life won’t be long—don’t force yourself to advance in realm. In everything…”
“Everything what?”
Jiang Zhaoxue found it strange, then saw the young man’s face redden as he turned his head stiffly and said calmly, “The Lingjian Immortal Pavilion and Penglai are on good terms. The Lady and I also have some fate. In everything, I will naturally help.”
Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t help but laugh, sighing, “But my talent is too high, I can’t help it.”
Indeed she couldn’t help it. Even doing nothing, she still entered Nascent Soul at age twenty-two.
As for Song Qingyin, she never even left the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, never appeared in any True Immortal Realm battle, and in the following year, just before her wedding to Shen Yuqing, she died of illness.
In over ten thousand years of the True Immortal Realm, there had been only one Song Qingyin. How easy would it be to find a pure yin body in the mortal realm?
“Pure yin bodies are hard to find. Without one, even if the divine sword appears, it cannot be awakened or used—just a piece of useless iron.”
Jiang Zhaoxue tapped the table lightly, pondering Hanzhouzi’s words. “So what are you worried about?”
“This old one worries someone will force it.”
As Hanzhouzi spoke, he raised his eyes and swept his gaze over those present, saying slowly, “This old one knows all of you—you are not people of this realm. The mortal realm has its own fate. Telling you is merely this old one trying his best. This old one has but one request—”
Hanzhouzi’s gaze returned to Jiang Zhaoxue, but he didn’t speak.
Jiang Zhaoxue sensed what he was waiting for and looked up at him.
She saw Hanzhouzi standing behind Qian Sisi like a guardian deity, pleading in his eyes.
Jiang Zhaoxue paused, realizing what Hanzhouzi was requesting.
Soul bodies have greater perception of the future than living bodies. Jiang Zhaoxue looked at Qian Sisi before him, thought for a moment, and only said, “I cannot change fate that’s already set, but what I see, I will save.”
Hearing this, Hanzhouzi knew Jiang Zhaoxue had agreed. His face showed relief as he hurriedly bowed, saying emotionally, “Many thanks, Immortal Master Jiang!”
Jiang Zhaoxue accepted his courtesy. Hanzhouzi felt reassured and then looked down at Qian Sisi, saying gently, “Sisi.”
Hearing her name, Qian Sisi turned around to see Hanzhouzi watching her. Though Qian Sisi remembered nothing, sorrow still welled up within her as she murmured, “Master…”
“Child,” seeing Qian Sisi’s appearance, Hanzhouzi couldn’t help but raise his hand to pat her head. “After Master is gone, you must take good care of yourself. You’re not very clever, so just listen to Immortal Master Jiang from now on.”
“Ah?” Qian Sisi looked somewhat shocked and glanced uncertainly at Jiang Zhaoxue beside her.
Hanzhouzi seemed to see her future. Though worry filled his eyes, he still comforted her, “At least there’s a way to survive.”
“Don’t worry, Master!” Hearing this, Qian Sisi laughed and patted her chest happily. “I’m full of skills—I can definitely survive!”
Hanzhouzi smiled. His soul body began showing faint signs of dispersing. He knew he couldn’t stay longer and turned to look at Pei Zichen, who had been watching him all along.
Though they’d never met, he always felt this young friend seemed somewhat familiar.
He thought about it, his gaze sweeping over Pei Zichen and Jiang Zhaoxue. Seeming to realize something, he then smiled, nodding and saying, “This humble one wishes Young Friend Pei a complete life and all his wishes fulfilled.”
Hearing this, Pei Zichen’s eyes grew moist.
His hands clenched behind his back as he forced himself to remain composed, speaking calmly, “This disciple also wishes you a smooth next life.”
Hanzhouzi smiled gently. Thinking he had said all that needed saying, he flicked his whisk, bowed respectfully, and said goodbye with a smile, “Many thanks to all of you. Until we meet again in the next life.”
With that, he dispersed on the spot.
A breeze swept through, pushing open doors and windows, carrying wind and snow as a farewell. One parting, two worlds, never to meet again.
Qian Sisi stared blankly at the doors and windows outside. Pei Zichen remained silent.
After a long while, Jiang Zhaoxue raised her hand to form a seal and recited a passage from the Scripture of Crossing the Dead.
Her voice drifted through the air. Shen Yuqing turned to look at her.
He saw the woman’s cool brows carry a touch of compassion, and his gaze flickered.
After waiting a long time, Qian Sisi slowly came to her senses, sighing, “Just acknowledged a master, and now he’s gone again. Forget it, forget it. At least I did what the old man asked. I’ll be leaving now. The rivers and lakes are vast,” Qian Sisi raised her hand to bow to everyone, “until fate brings us together again?”
Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue stood up. “I’ll see you out.”
As she spoke, Pei Zichen immediately retrieved Jiang Zhaoxue’s cloak and bowed to Shen Yuqing. “This disciple will accompany Master’s wife to see Miss Qian off.”
With that, Pei Zichen turned and followed Jiang Zhaoxue.
As the door opened, cold wind rushed in. The three left talking and laughing.
Shen Yuqing sat alone in the room, listening to the sounds outside, drinking his bone-chilling tea in the silent, dark room.
Jiang Zhaoxue saw Qian Sisi out, briefly explaining their relationship. When they reached the entrance, she didn’t know what to say to Qian Sisi. After thinking, she only said, “You should have a transmission jade token.”
“How do you know?” Qian Sisi was surprised.
Jiang Zhaoxue glanced at her and said directly, “I gave it to you.”
“So generous! You’re a rich woman!”
“Give me the jade token.”
Jiang Zhaoxue asked for the jade token. Qian Sisi curiously handed it over.
Jiang Zhaoxue demonstrated how to use it. “Send your spiritual power into it and think of my name, Jiang Zhaoxue.”
As she spoke, the name on the transmission jade token lit up. Jiang Zhaoxue looked up at her. “Then you can talk to me.”
“Oh.”
Qian Sisi nodded and put away the transmission jade token, looking up at Jiang Zhaoxue. “My master said to listen to you from now on. What exactly do you people do? What are you planning?”
Then Qian Sisi asked curiously, “Save the world?”
Jiang Zhaoxue laughed at her words. After thinking, she only said, “We’ll see in the future. These coming years… you can think about saving the world.”
“These years?” Qian Sisi was perceptive. “You won’t see me again for several years?”
“Perhaps.”
Jiang Zhaoxue looked at her. After hesitating a moment, she finally spoke, “Farewell.”
Qian Sisi wasn’t as sentimental, mainly because she didn’t remember. She smiled openly, raised her hand in salute, and said quite solemnly, “Happy New Year. Farewell.”
With that, Qian Sisi turned around. Looking at the dark, oppressive sky outside where snowflakes were falling, Qian Sisi paused only briefly before shouldering her sword. One person, one sword—she walked into the snow humming a tune.
Jiang Zhaoxue stood with her hands tucked in her sleeves, watching Qian Sisi go. She sensed Pei Zichen’s presence behind her. The scent of pine and cypress drifted through the cold wind as she spoke softly, “When Hanzhouzi left just now, you seemed very sad.”
“In the Lingxu Fan’s illusion, this disciple had the fortune of a master-disciple bond with this senior.”
Pei Zichen’s tone was calm as he watched Qian Sisi’s retreating figure. “This is the first time this disciple has felt what a master is truly like.”
Someone who would guide him, accompany him, joke with him, plan for his future.
Just like Hanzhouzi with Qian Sisi—even unto death, he sought a path of survival for his disciple from Jiang Zhaoxue.
Jiang Zhaoxue said nothing, only quietly watching the long street. After a long while, she descended the steps.
Pei Zichen found this strange and hurried forward, forming a seal to shield her from the wind and snow, saying urgently, “Master’s wife, if you’re going out, put on something…”
“No need.”
Jiang Zhaoxue raised her hand to stop Pei Zichen and walked to a small stall, browsing through red brocade pouches.
After searching for a moment, she bought one and took a copper coin from her sleeve, tossing it to Pei Zichen.
Pei Zichen froze, looking down at the brocade pouch in his hand. “This…”
“New Year’s money.”
Jiang Zhaoxue started walking back toward the inn. Pei Zichen clutched the brocade pouch in his hand, following in a daze, momentarily unable to process what had happened.
Jiang Zhaoxue led him through the door into the courtyard, smiling as she said, “I used to love receiving New Year’s money. Ya sui ya sui—pressing down the year, pressing down evil spirits, bringing luck for the whole year. Your master is a bit cold…”
“But I have Master’s wife.”
Pei Zichen spoke softly.
Jiang Zhaoxue’s movements halted. In that instant, Shen Yuqing’s voice came from the courtyard.
“You’re back.”
The courtyard gate seemed pushed open by the cold wind. Jiang Zhaoxue turned around in surprise to see Shen Yuqing standing quietly in the corridor, as if he’d been waiting for a long time.
Jiang Zhaoxue inexplicably felt her heart tighten, though she didn’t know why she was nervous.
She saw Shen Yuqing’s gaze slide from her face down to the red brocade pouch in Pei Zichen’s hand.
His gaze lingered on the pouch in silence. After a moment, he withdrew his eyes back to Jiang Zhaoxue’s face and said calmly, “About what Hanzhouzi said earlier, I need to discuss it with you.”
Jiang Zhaoxue came to her senses and nodded. “Oh, then let’s sit inside.”
With that, she walked forward and pushed open the door.
Shen Yuqing stood motionless in the corridor. Pei Zichen hesitated briefly before raising his hand in salute. “This disciple takes his leave.”
With that, Pei Zichen turned to leave, passing by Shen Yuqing.
As they passed, Shen Yuqing suddenly spoke, “Zichen.”
Pei Zichen stopped and turned to look. He saw Shen Yuqing look up at him and say calmly, “You’re not young anymore. Change your incense blend.”
Pei Zichen made no sound. He forced himself not to show any emotional change, only speaking softly like an ignorant young man, “This disciple’s incense blend has accompanied him for several years…”
“It contains your master’s wife’s incense blend.”
Shen Yuqing showed no mercy, stating directly, “This isn’t how you repay kindness. From now on, stay away from her. Her clothes aren’t yours to touch, her side isn’t where you should stand. Don’t cause her trouble.”
Hearing this, Pei Zichen’s heart was thrown into chaos, though he knew Shen Yuqing was right. He could only force himself to say, “Then… when we’re out, who will attend to Master’s wife from now on?”
“I will.”
Shen Yuqing answered decisively.
Pei Zichen froze. He looked up to see Shen Yuqing watching him as if looking at his younger self, declaring, “I am her husband. When I was twenty, I did better than you.”
Pei Zichen’s heart clenched. Shen Yuqing turned to go back inside, flicking his whisk to close the door behind him.
Pei Zichen stood before the door, looking up to see lamplight kindle inside, two silhouettes sitting face to face.
He clutched the brocade pouch Jiang Zhaoxue had given him, constantly telling himself.
It’s all right.
She doesn’t remember anything anyway. What isn’t remembered doesn’t exist. What right did he have to compete or fight for anything?
She was the Penglai Lady, the most noble female immortal in the True Immortal Realm. He couldn’t let any disgrace appear on her because of him.
It was enough that she lived well.
She even gave him New Year’s money.
Pei Zichen smiled, then felt his eyes sting.
She had been good enough to him.
He took a deep breath and gripped the brocade pouch tightly, pushing open the door to his own room. He couldn’t even light a lamp, only sitting in the room, quietly sensing the sounds of people next door.
The feeling of two people existing in the adjacent room was so clear—clear as a bone-scraping steel blade, scraping back and forth over the flesh of his heart.
He sat in the darkness waiting. Jiang Zhaoxue’s room blazed with lamplight.
Shen Yuqing and Pei Zichen’s exchange had been perfectly clear to her. She poured tea and drank it herself. When Shen Yuqing entered, she sneered coldly, “When did Pavilion Master Shen become so idle that he even competes to do servant’s work?”
“He’s not a child anymore.” Hearing her displeasure, Shen Yuqing sat across from her and said calmly, “Even for his future prospects, you should maintain some propriety.”
Jiang Zhaoxue paused, somewhat coming to a realization. “You’re really considering handing the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion to him?”
“If all five divine artifacts end up with him, he must belong to the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion.” As Shen Yuqing spoke, he seemed somewhat unwilling.
Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t tell where his unwillingness stemmed from. She only remembered the reason he hadn’t formed the Fate Servant contract and said hurriedly, “But the Fate Servant contract…”
“There’s no contract that can’t be broken!”
Shen Yuqing finally lost some control, his eyes full of coldness.
Jiang Zhaoxue sensed his anger but didn’t know what he was angry about.
After thinking, not wanting to entangle with him over this, she changed the subject. “Forget it. You came to find me to discuss the Zhanshen Sword?”
“The only recorded appearance of Xinluoyi is five years from now.”
Shen Yuqing spoke, his tone calm. “According to what’s known, nearly a million people in the mortal realm died because of it at that time. This is currently the most likely time for the Zhanshen Sword to appear.”
Listening, Jiang Zhaoxue tapped the table, knowing Shen Yuqing was right.
For the Zhanshen Sword to appear required three conditions: sufficient power, someone with great fortune or an evil entity to awaken it, and the blood of a pure yin body.
Pure yin bodies were hard to say, but to simultaneously generate enough power and an evil entity… nothing was more suitable than cultivating a vengeful spirit.
Song Wuya had used this method—using two hundred thousand lives to cultivate the Lingxu Fan, the resentment from their deaths forming a vengeful spirit.
If she were Song Wulan and had seen how Song Wuya obtained the Lingxu Fan, she would certainly escalate and imitate him.
And Xinluoyi clearly had some connection to Song Wulan. With Xinluoyi’s appearance affecting over a million people, the most likely scenario was that Song Wulan, following Song Wuya’s example, used over a million people to nourish Xinluoyi while sacrificing them to replenish the Zhanshen Sword’s power.
“Using the Xunshi Mirror and Su Guangji together allows us to locate specific times and spaces.” Shen Yuqing directly stated his plan. “We go directly to five years from now. After arriving, the divine artifacts can sense where the Zhanshen Sword is. We wait for the divine sword to appear and seize it.”
Jiang Zhaoxue listened without responding.
Seeing she didn’t answer, Shen Yuqing turned to look. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking…” Jiang Zhaoxue propped her forehead, thinking about Shen Yuqing’s earlier words, tapping the table as she slowly said, “You said ‘seize’… do you know what price it takes for it to appear?”
Shen Yuqing made no sound, only watching the woman before him.
She lifted her eyelids and questioned, “Millions of lives… you and I could have saved them.”
Shen Yuqing quietly watched her. The woman’s eyes danced with firelight under the lamplight, extraordinarily clear, like mountain spring water reflecting his face.
He looked at this Jiang Zhaoxue, his gaze flickering.
This time it was Jiang Zhaoxue’s turn to ask, “Why aren’t you speaking?”
“These are recorded events.”
Shen Yuqing reminded her.
Jiang Zhaoxue paused. Shen Yuqing continued, “If you violate recorded events, you cannot predict what will happen. Moreover, if you don’t let the Zhanshen Sword appear, what will the True Immortal Realm do? Are the lives of people in the mortal realm lives, but those in the True Immortal Realm are not?”
Jiang Zhaoxue was momentarily speechless.
Shen Yuqing thought for a moment, then after calming down, only advised, “Jiang Zhaoxue, heavenly fate cannot be defied. We can only choose to save more people, not all people.”
“Understood.” Jiang Zhaoxue smiled and looked up at him. “Just like when you killed the Heaven-Forsaken.”
Shen Yuqing said nothing. Jiang Zhaoxue knew he was right and said listlessly, “Fine, then prepare. We’ll set out after the Lantern Festival.”
“Mm.”
The two settled on this, but Shen Yuqing didn’t move.
Seeing he wasn’t leaving, Jiang Zhaoxue looked at him curiously. “What are you standing there for?”
Shen Yuqing sat there, hesitating for a long time.
He seemed to be deliberating. After a long while, he finally took out a red brocade pouch from his sleeve.
Seeing the red brocade pouch, Jiang Zhaoxue froze, then heard Shen Yuqing say, “For you. New Year’s money.”
Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t know how to respond for a moment and didn’t move.
Shen Yuqing seemed somewhat embarrassed, lowering his eyes. “When you were young, you always asked me for New Year’s money. Back at the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion when you asked me to come home for dinner that evening, I thought at the time, if you… if your heart was good, we weren’t impossible.”
Jiang Zhaoxue looked up. Shen Yuqing’s lashes trembled lightly as he said with difficulty, “The next day, I had intended to come back and have dinner with you.”
Jiang Zhaoxue remained silent. Seeing she wouldn’t accept it, Shen Yuqing simply placed the brocade pouch on the table and only said, “What’s past is past. Rest well.”
With that, he turned to leave. Jiang Zhaoxue finally spoke up, “When I used to ask you for New Year’s money, it was because New Year’s money represents blessings, warding off evil spirits, wishing that person smooth sailing for the year. By rights, you and I are of the same generation—you shouldn’t have given it to me. But I felt that if you like someone, you think of them constantly, wanting to give them all the best blessings in the world. What I wanted wasn’t the New Year’s money.”
Shen Yuqing stood frozen as he listened to Jiang Zhaoxue speak candidly, “What I wanted was for you to like me.”
“I…”
“But there’s no need now.” Jiang Zhaoxue looked down at the red brocade pouch on the table and said calmly, “Trying to resuscitate the dead is meaningless. There’s no need to bring up things from two hundred years ago.”
“But we’ve only just started!”
Shen Yuqing suddenly spoke out. He controlled his emotions, looking back coldly. “The wager between you and me—hasn’t it only just begun?”
Hearing the word “wager,” Jiang Zhaoxue made no sound. After a pause, she smiled.
“Fine.” She looked at Shen Yuqing, her eyes carrying a trace of pity. “You’ve always been blind—unable to see yourself clearly or others. I’ll accept this year’s New Year’s money.”
With that, she reached out to take the red brocade pouch and tilted her head, seemingly challenging him. “I’ll wait and see about next year.”
If she lost, they likely wouldn’t meet again next year.
Shen Yuqing’s throat tightened, his heart swelling with pain.
He didn’t want to show it, only nodding before turning to leave.
Before opening the door, Jiang Zhaoxue called out to him, “One more thing—”
Shen Yuqing stopped. Jiang Zhaoxue casually tossed the brocade pouch, praising him, “Today you didn’t let your little sweetheart sit and eat with us. I was quite pleased. After all these years, you’ve finally improved a bit.” With that, she smiled mockingly. “Learning the rules?”
Shen Yuqing’s robes swirled—clearly she had angered him.
He didn’t know what to say.
How could he explain? She could praise everything about his attempts today—praise the New Year’s money he prepared, praise that the sword tassel he used was the peace knot she had woven, praise that he turned a blind eye to Pei Zichen’s impropriety—she could praise anything except this one thing.
Because this wasn’t his gesture of goodwill—it was Pei Zichen’s.
But he couldn’t say it aloud.
He only stood at the door, took a deep breath, and left with, “Absurd.”
Then he pulled open the door and strode away quickly.
Seeing him angry, Jiang Zhaoxue snorted derisively. “Can’t even take a compliment.”
With that, she raised her hand and swept it, closing the door before turning back to bed.
Lying in bed, A’Nan finally crawled out and sighed, “Why does it feel so troublesome whenever Shen Yuqing comes? One person but like three—making my head buzz.”
“Let him be.”
Jiang Zhaoxue thought about it and said slowly, “Anyway, once we get the Zhanshen Sword, he should get lost.”
“Why are you so confident?” A’Nan found it strange. “Looking at him now, he seems like he really wants to turn over a new leaf?”
“He’s afraid I’ll run away.” Jiang Zhaoxue rolled her eyes, then said, “Think about this part of the plot in the book—during that period when Shen Yuqing and Mu Jinyue went to chase Pei Zichen together, how much injury did I take on Shen Yuqing’s behalf?”
The plot Jiang Zhaoxue saw was all from the perspective of her character in the book.
In the plot where Shen Yuqing brought Mu Jinyue to find Pei Zichen and Pei Zichen obtained the Zhanshen Sword, she suffered poison and blade wounds at the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. Later, Shen Yuqing also admitted these were all taken on Mu Jinyue’s behalf.
Though it wasn’t clear why Mu Jinyue would encounter danger so many times, or why Shen Yuqing kept her with him in such dangerous situations, the plot was the plot.
“There are no key plot points that have been missed so far.”
Jiang Zhaoxue considered this. “Pei Zichen was slandered, obtained the Yuan Luogong, practiced Jiuyou Realm techniques, obtained the Lingxu Fan, Shen Yuqing and Mu Jinyue chased after to get the Zhanshen Sword together… it’s all the same, meaning the key nodes won’t change.”
“But…” A’Nan hesitated. “Some things are still different.”
“Like what?”
“By rights, Mu Jinyue should have saved Pei Zichen, and Pei Zichen would have developed feelings for her because of it. Then Shen Yuqing gave your spiritual roots to Mu Jinyue, and in the process of hunting down Pei Zichen, he fell deeper and deeper…” A’Nan spoke, finding it increasingly strange. “But now, Mu Jinyue and Pei Zichen seem to have almost no relationship. She and Shen Yuqing spent several years together in some ambiguous way, yet Shen Yuqing seems only concerned with reconciling with you…”
A’Nan wondered, “Who does Mu Jinyue actually like right now?”
This question stumped Jiang Zhaoxue.
She thought back carefully, considering it. “That’s really hard to say…”
“What if she doesn’t like Pei Zichen now, and Shen Yuqing doesn’t like her? If the character relationships break down,” A’Nan pondered, “will the plot still happen?”
This question silenced both person and bird.
Jiang Zhaoxue thought about it, somewhat troubled, and simply scratched her head. “Stop overthinking! As long as it doesn’t affect getting the Zhanshen Sword, it’s all minor. Let’s go to five years from now first,” Jiang Zhaoxue considered, “then adapt as needed!”
With that, Jiang Zhaoxue pulled up the blanket and turned over to sleep.
But as soon as she turned, she felt something under her pillow.
She reached under and pulled out a red brocade pouch.
Jiang Zhaoxue froze, pulling the pouch out and asking uncertainly, “What is this thing?”
“Open it and see?”
A’Nan hopped over. “Doesn’t look like an evil object.”
Jiang Zhaoxue thought so too. Opening the pouch, she saw a bracelet fall out.
Picking up the bracelet, Jiang Zhaoxue discovered it was a qiankun chain with storage space.
The chain had already been bound to an owner. As soon as Jiang Zhaoxue put it on, it opened the space inside.
Box after box was filled with women’s ornaments—from simple wooden hairpins to the finest jade, various types of crystalline jewelry made from precious stones, dazzling sets of necklaces. It was overwhelming, leaving Jiang Zhaoxue momentarily stunned.
She scanned through the boxes one by one until the very last one, where she saw a fireworks display frozen by magic.
These were the very fireworks from last night when Pei Zichen had kissed her, captured from outside using that spectacular display.
At this moment, the scene of fireworks blooming was frozen by magic, suspended in mid-air, three-dimensionally repeating their brilliant explosion over and over again, permanently preserved.
Beneath the fireworks lay a talisman. Jiang Zhaoxue’s heart trembled as she looked at the words written in ancient runic script:
With the passing year, ward off evil spirits. Year after year, peace and safety.
There will always be someone who, without you saying a word, will always want to quietly present all the blessings in this world, fearing you might face even half a hardship.
For themselves, they may not believe in fate, but for you, they are willing to believe in heaven, earth, and all the gods and buddhas.