How could this be?!

Seeing that face, Pei Zichen froze in shock.

How could Li Xiuji look exactly like him?

But before he could react, he heard Jiang Zhaoxue urgently call: “Pei Zichen!”

The moment the voice appeared, Pei Zichen’s meridians ached violently. His last bit of spiritual power was suddenly extracted. His entire body fell straight down.

He looked up to see the Suguang Mirror somehow already pieced together completely, suspended high above, madly absorbing the spiritual power from his body.

The Suguang Mirror lit up. Space shattered into pieces. The Zhanshen Sword leaped from his hand. As if using his spine as a scabbard, from his neck bone it forcibly pried open the bones and inserted itself inch by inch.

Meridians and bone marrow seemed to be crushed. Intense pain exploded. Cold sweat spread across his entire body. His vision went black. He felt himself falling all the way down until a hand suddenly grabbed him. Spiritual power re-entered his body, wrapping around his spine. Only then did his pain lessen. He tremblingly raised his eyes to see before him the person gripping him tightly as they shuttled through the cosmic stars.

Her strength wasn’t great, but in the wild wind she gripped him tightly.

Behind her, Shen Yuqing was chasing from above, clearly trying to reach for Jiang Zhaoxue, calling out in alarm: “Axue—”

He came.

Seeing that form of address, the entangled marital time between Shen Yuqing and Jiang Zhaoxue instantly flashed through his mind. Like the Zhanshen Sword embedded in his spine, it struck his heart, completely igniting emotions accumulated for so long, suddenly erupting.

He knew he was wrong.

He knew Shen Yuqing was his master, was Jiang Zhaoxue’s husband—he shouldn’t.

He knew Shen Yuqing had feelings for Jiang Zhaoxue. This relationship could only be chosen by Jiang Zhaoxue, not seized by him.

But—

But—

His reason completely couldn’t control him. Just as Shen Yuqing’s hand was about to touch Jiang Zhaoxue, he grabbed her and violently pulled her forward!

Instantly, powerful suction exploded from behind Shen Yuqing. Space split between Shen Yuqing and Jiang Zhaoxue. Shen Yuqing’s fingers barely touched Jiang Zhaoxue’s fingertips. If Jiang Zhaoxue just reached out her hand, she could grasp him.

However, the moment Jiang Zhaoxue felt Pei Zichen’s tremendous force, she only delivered the last protective talisman Jiang Zhaoyue had given her into his hand. Her fingertips passed by his in error. She was pulled heavily into Pei Zichen’s embrace. Like a snake, he coiled around her, holding her tightly.

Space completely split apart. Spirit stones swept up by the gale in the space heavily struck Shen Yuqing. His spiritual power was completely exhausted. Only the protective talisman Jiang Zhaoxue left him lit up, like gentle spring water, enveloping his entire being.

Protected by the talisman, he fell heavily all the way down, watching the two people above from afar.

Pei Zichen protected Jiang Zhaoxue in his arms. Jiang Zhaoxue nestled against him wholeheartedly, completely unguarded.

He remembered that feeling.

He had embraced her like this countless times.

In his youth, he held her tightly, using his body to block all harm for her.

When he grew older and became strong enough, he protected her with one hand while wielding his sword with the other, not letting anyone advance even half a step.

When did she leave?

When this question appeared, the last bit of spiritual power was finally exhausted. The red mark on his palm began to burn in his hand in a slow, bone-eroding way.

For a moment, he didn’t want to think about anything, and wouldn’t think.

But his mind still couldn’t help floating up the image of the twenty-year-old Jiang Zhaoxue.

He looked ahead and walked forward. She followed behind him, constantly testing: “Shen Zeyuan, if you don’t turn back, I’m leaving?”

“Shen Zeyuan, I’m really leaving.”

“Shen Zeyuan? Shen Zeyuan?”

He listened as he walked, from a young swordsman finally becoming the Alliance Leader with horsetail whisk in hand and high crown on head, Pavilion Master of Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, the first sword cultivator of the True Immortal Realm.

Then he heard Jiang Zhaoxue curse angrily: “Shen Yuqing!”

This name instantly awakened him. In this moment, he finally remembered the path he’d come from and turned back in panic.

He saw the twenty-year-old Jiang Zhaoxue standing at the end of time, smiling brilliantly: “Just kidding. I’ve always been here, Shen Zeyuan.”

In his memories.

In time.

“Yaoyao…”

Shen Yuqing closed his eyes, feeling the pain on his hand completely disappear. His palm became clean, as if at the beginning. The marriage string completely broke from his ring finger. The Unity Contract’s connection also vanished entirely.

At that very moment, beside the Marriage Stone recording marriages in the True Immortal Realm, birds took flight in alarm. The names of Jiang Zhaoxue and Shen Yuqing, as if they had never appeared, silently dispersed.

On the other side, Jiang Zhaoxue clearly sensed the Unity Contract’s disappearance, but had no time to think further.

She clearly felt Pei Zichen’s condition was wrong. He had first used heart’s blood and spiritual power to forcibly suppress the Zhanshen Sword, then used the Zhanshen Sword to separately create a space to seal Li Xiuji. Now the Suguang Mirror was desperately extracting his spiritual power. Though she was now desperately transferring spiritual power trying to help him, she had after all just advanced and fought a great battle. It was a drop in the bucket. She only felt the person embracing her rapidly weakening. Jiang Zhaoxue was both panicked and afraid, saying anxiously: “Pei Zichen, stay conscious. You’ve already obtained the Zhanshen Sword. Think of something…”

Pei Zichen didn’t speak. Only his hands slowly loosened, as if about to fall into slumber.

Jiang Zhaoxue instantly panicked. She grabbed him, madly transferring spiritual power over, calling in alarm: “Pei Zichen! Don’t sleep! Do you hear me!”

“Pei Zichen!”

“Pei Zichen!!”

“Pei—”

Before she finished speaking, Jiang Zhaoxue felt a familiar presence come behind her, gently embracing her from behind, softly holding the back of her hand.

Jiang Zhaoxue’s movements stiffened. She felt spiritual power surge from behind, gently smoothing her meridians, flowing into Pei Zichen’s body.

This feeling of salvation at a desperate moment made her nose sting. The person behind seemed to sense it and chuckled softly: “Don’t be afraid.”

“Senior…” Jiang Zhaoxue said hoarsely, “Thank you.”

As they spoke, Pei Zichen groggily regained consciousness.

In his daze, he felt Jiang Zhaoxue gripping him tightly. He opened his eyes with difficulty to see Jiang Zhaoxue held in someone’s embrace, purple radiance enveloping her. Though he couldn’t see the other’s face clearly, he knew it was an extremely possessive posture.

Pei Zichen instantly erupted. Space shattered inch by inch. He violently yanked Jiang Zhaoxue behind him, drew his sword urgently, and rarely lost composure as he roared: “Get lost!”

“Wait…”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue quickly tried to stop him. But the sword light passed, space completely shattered, the figure vanished. Pei Zichen suddenly released his force, pulled Jiang Zhaoxue around to embrace her in front, and holding her, crashed heavily to the ground.

Even with Pei Zichen protecting her, when Jiang Zhaoxue hit the ground, she still felt her head go fuzzy. Then she heard Pei Zichen cough. Blood sprayed onto the sand beside them that had just been washed by seawater.

Seawater came again in an instant, slapping against them both, carrying away the blood Pei Zichen had coughed up as it rapidly retreated. Jiang Zhaoxue hurriedly grasped his pulse, sending spiritual power in while checking his pulse, saying: “Are you alright?”

Pei Zichen panted, urgently saying: “That person just now…”

“I know that person,” Jiang Zhaoxue sensed the chaotic spiritual power rampaging through his meridians. Afraid he might do something else to deplete spiritual power, she quickly said, “It’s the senior I mentioned before, who’s helped us many times. You don’t need to be nervous.”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen fell silent.

For a moment he didn’t know how to speak. He only felt—perhaps because he had absorbed too much resentment—his heart felt both sour and irritated. Silently and imperceptibly, he curled his empty hand lightly, saying quietly: “It’s this disciple’s fault, disturbing the Female Lord’s reunion with an old friend.”

Jiang Zhaoxue’s movements paused. But Pei Zichen had already recovered. Raising his eyes to see Jiang Zhaoxue was unharmed, he pulled his hand from hers, supporting himself as he rose: “This disciple is fine. Let’s first find a place to rest.”

With that, he rose and walked forward.

Jiang Zhaoxue quickly stood up, calling to stop him: “Don’t move around first…”

Before she finished speaking, Pei Zichen fell straight forward, completely collapsing into the fine white sand.

Jiang Zhaoxue froze, then cursing his ancestors rushed forward, quickly grasping his pulse.

This grasp shocked Jiang Zhaoxue so much she nearly jumped. The spiritual power that had barely been maintained just now had completely exploded. His meridians nearly had cracks. Jiang Zhaoxue hurriedly fed him two life-saving Primordial Pills, then used spiritual power to stabilize his meridians.

But his spiritual power was too violent now. She couldn’t maintain it for long either. She couldn’t help cursing: “How did it suddenly become like this?!”

“He can’t bear the Zhanshen Sword’s power. He was barely supporting himself to begin with. Just now with his emotions flaring, it completely lost control!”

Yuan Luo suddenly roared. Her soul form appeared beside Pei Zichen. She rushed forward in a slide on her knees, grabbing Jiang Zhaoxue’s hand urgently: “Mistress, please save him!”

“Yuan Luo,” Lingxu’s form followed behind Yuan Luo, looking at Yuan Luo’s appearance somewhat helplessly, “She can’t hear you. Don’t waste your—”

“How do I save him?”

Jiang Zhaoxue immediately spoke. Lingxu froze and couldn’t help saying: “How can she…”

Before he finished, tremendous pressure crashed down. Lingxu’s legs went soft and with a “whoosh” he knelt on the ground.

Lingxu looked up in shock. Jiang Zhaoxue stared coldly at him, threatening: “Less nonsense. How do I save him?!”

“Master and Mistress are dao companions. You can dual cultivate with Master to guide his spiritual power, which can save him from danger.”

Lingxu Fan reacted extremely quickly. Why Jiang Zhaoxue could see him and why she could control him as mistress didn’t matter. What mattered was that Jiang Zhaoxue could hear them speak—then there was hope.

With one sentence, he completely calmed down, raising his hands respectfully before him: “Right now Master’s body has rampaging spiritual power, mainly from the resentment absorbed in the space and the Zhanshen Sword’s own power being too violent. You have a wood-type spirit root, naturally possessing purifying power. You can purify the violent energy in the Zhanshen Sword. Additionally, dual cultivation helps consolidate his mental state. Once Master’s mental state is stable, he can resolve the effects of that resentment himself.”

He spoke frankly. Jiang Zhaoxue held Pei Zichen without a word. Seeing this, Lingxu Fan lowered his head and added: “Of course, you can also not care for Master. He won’t die. You should trust him.”

With that, Lingxu Fan looked at Pei Zichen on the ground, his eyes full of trust mixed with pity: “He’s quite strong.”

“Spare me the sarcasm.”

Jiang Zhaoxue heard Lingxu Fan’s mockery. With a wave of her hand, she recalled both Lingxu and Yuan Luo into Pei Zichen’s body, saying coldly: “Rest for now, you two.”

With that, she severed both their external connections, placed Pei Zichen on the ground, stood up, took out a palm-sized small house from her qiankun pouch, and sent it aside with a wave. The small house landed on the empty space and transformed into a small courtyard.

“Huh?” A’Nan tilted his head. “What are you making a house for?”

“You rest too.”

After Jiang Zhaoxue finished speaking, she returned A’Nan to her consciousness sea and severed the connection.

After confirming no one was present, Jiang Zhaoxue took a deep breath, transformed into tiger form, bit Pei Zichen’s clothes in her mouth and tossed him onto her back, then carried him running into the courtyard.

Entering the house, she carried Pei Zichen running into the back courtyard, directly tossing him into the hot spring pool, then followed by jumping in.

Pei Zichen sank into the water upon entering. Groggily, he was pulled up by Jiang Zhaoxue and pressed to sit at the pool’s edge.

There was a layer of steps in the pool water. Jiang Zhaoxue supported Pei Zichen to sit and lean back. After steadying him by his shoulders, she finally raised her head to look at him.

Looking, Jiang Zhaoxue froze in place.

He tilted his head against the pool edge. His entire body was drenched by the pool water. Hair with moisture fell at his sides. Wounds still bled. His face was deathly pale.

But this pallor made his features even more striking. Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly clearly perceived—he was no longer a youth.

His features had completely shed youthful naivety. Lines were hard and sharp. Eyelashes were long and dense. His nose bridge was high. Lips were thin and light, but looked extraordinarily soft.

This made Jiang Zhaoxue’s heart tremble. She forced herself to look away, not to let her thoughts wander. But she quickly realized—at a time like this, she should let her thoughts wander.

Only thinking this way, her heartbeat raced uncontrollably.

She forced herself to remain composed as she quickly pulled open his belt, stripped his outer robe and threw it aside, then removed her own outer garment and tossed it out. When only the last layer remained, she really couldn’t remove it. Not wanting to waste time, she simply bit her lip and sat on his lap, cupped his face and leaned down to kiss him.

His lips were somewhat cool. The moment they touched, Jiang Zhaoxue shivered.

But she still forced herself to continue, crushing his lips, slowly guiding his spiritual power from his body, actively drawing it into her own meridians.

The moment his spiritual power entered, Jiang Zhaoxue felt her body become extraordinarily sensitive. She couldn’t help crushing his lips with more force, her breathing gradually growing heavier.

Hot spring mist rose, making her head somewhat dizzy. She couldn’t help tentatively exploring with the tip of her tongue.

The moment they touched, Pei Zichen instantly awakened, suddenly opening his eyes. He grabbed the back of Jiang Zhaoxue’s neck, violently pulling her away, looking up in panic.

The moment his gaze touched Jiang Zhaoxue, Pei Zichen’s entire body froze.

Jiang Zhaoxue sat on him, wearing one layer of clothing. Underwater, the garment floated like flowers in the water, concealing the enchanting scene. Above water, the garment was half-removed, chest wide open. With her breathing, water drops followed valleys downward, stirring the heart.

Pei Zichen’s gaze condensed for a moment, then he hastily closed his eyes, asking hoarsely: “What does the Female Lord mean by this?”

“You need to channel your spiritual power,” Jiang Zhaoxue quickly reacted, hurriedly pressing down his hand, forcing casualness as she cupped his face again, about to kiss him, “I’ll help you…”

Before she finished speaking, she felt Pei Zichen’s hand on her shoulder stopping her.

This movement seemed to have already cost him considerable effort. His face paled further.

This rejection shocked Jiang Zhaoxue. She looked up in astonishment: “What are you doing?”

“This disciple is only a disciple,” Pei Zichen listened to her words, slowly opening his eyes to look at the two people in the water’s reflection. Thinking of how Jiang Zhaoxue had rushed to save Li Xiuji without hesitation, and finally worried about Shen Yuqing giving him the protective talisman, his heart couldn’t help feeling sour. Accumulated emotions churned and stifled in his chest, brewing a sour bitterness in his mouth. He said quietly: “The Female Lord hasn’t given me an answer yet. How can we do such intimate matters?”

“Are you crazy?”

Hearing him bring this up at such a time, Jiang Zhaoxue instantly flared with anger and couldn’t help saying: “Do you know what condition you’re in right now? If I don’t save you now, your meridians will be ruined, do you know that?!”

“But if you do this with this disciple, do you know what I want?”

Pei Zichen spoke seriously. Jiang Zhaoxue froze. She saw him staring at her, eyes trembling slightly, obstinately saying: “Female Lord, I can want nothing. I can wait forever. But you must think carefully.”

As Pei Zichen spoke, he pulled Jiang Zhaoxue’s hand to place on his chest. Jiang Zhaoxue felt the heartbeat beneath the muscle, hearing him say: “If you choose me, you can’t choose anyone else anymore.”

Jiang Zhaoxue’s heart trembled. Pei Zichen also seemed afraid, gripping tightly her hand on his chest, reminding: “Whether to save someone or for other reasons—there can’t be anyone else anymore.”

Jiang Zhaoxue listened, raising her eyes to look at him. Pei Zichen gazed at her eyes, calmly asking: “Have you thought it through?”

Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t respond to him. She gritted her teeth, breathing urgently. After a long while, she suddenly shoved him against the pool edge. Pei Zichen heavily struck the wall with a muffled grunt. Jiang Zhaoxue cupped his face and kissed him.

Jiang Zhaoxue was forced by this person until fire rose in her heart. She only thought about teaching him a lesson.

No matter what he was like in the illusion realm, his body was still a novice. Within moments of Jiang Zhaoxue’s kissing, his breathing completely lost rhythm.

Jiang Zhaoxue cupped him while seductively kissing, while guiding his spiritual power into her own meridians. After she soothed and purified it, it flowed back.

The process of spiritual power circulation made both increasingly sensitive. Pei Zichen propped himself on both sides of the steps, letting Jiang Zhaoxue kiss him, completely not daring to move.

After a while, Jiang Zhaoxue raised her eyes to look at him. As if seeing through him, she said hoarsely: “Why so stiff? Won’t you touch me?”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen raised his eyes.

His expression was still as plain as always, appearing completely unmoved. Only his eyes had darkened. Seeing this, Jiang Zhaoxue smiled, pulling his hand to guide it under her skirt, saying hoarsely: “Come, the Female Lord will teach you.”

Pei Zichen said nothing, stiff and not daring to move. Only his breathing grew heavier as Jiang Zhaoxue led him all the way to where he wanted to go. At the end, his throat moved slightly. Stormy waves rose in his eyes, yet his expression didn’t change at all.

Jiang Zhaoxue smiled and actively reached toward him.

Pei Zichen pressed down her hand, raised his head to kiss her, saying hoarsely: “This one—in the room.”

With that, Jiang Zhaoxue went soft against him. The mischievous hand was pressed down. She panted lightly and complained: “Afraid of dying here, aren’t you?”

Pei Zichen made no sound. Only the water rippled more. Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t speak. She simply bit down on his shoulder.

Jiang Zhaoxue led him to circulate spiritual power for several cycles. Her entire body went completely soft against him. Pei Zichen turned to glance at the person panting lightly on his shoulder. Seeing the timing was about right, he withdrew his hand and carried her out of the water.

Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly felt empty and immediately dissatisfied, entangling him with kisses, heedless of everything.

Pei Zichen was kissed until his breathing was in complete disarray. Responding to her, he placed her on the bed, moving before her. Both fell silent.

In the illusion realm, he was already familiar with the person before him, but the actual experience was completely different.

He was somewhat nervous propping himself on both sides of her, couldn’t help carefully experiencing it. Jiang Zhaoxue had been waiting for him since the hot spring. Now seeing him still dawdling, she couldn’t help urging: “Stop dawdling. Your primordial yang is almost gone. Don’t come in and have nothing left.”

Pei Zichen paused, raising his eyes to look at her, gaze deep and dark.

Jiang Zhaoxue was about to speak. Before she made a sound, she was startled into grabbing his arm, groaning.

Pei Zichen had prepared sufficiently. Shortly after entering, it was like a violent storm. Jiang Zhaoxue gripped the bedsheets. Pei Zichen watched her quietly, forming seals to circulate energy. After a while, his voice was like grinding gemstones, softly reminding: “Female Lord, guard the yin gate. It’s not time yet.”

This reminder left Jiang Zhaoxue rather embarrassed. For a moment, competitive spirit arose. She turned her head away, not letting herself focus attention on this matter, silently competing with Pei Zichen.

Pei Zichen saw through Jiang Zhaoxue’s intention but said nothing. The two silently purified spiritual power circle by circle, all the way without a word.

Pei Zichen kissed her silently. He knew all her weaknesses, deliberately entangling. Jiang Zhaoxue gritted her teeth without a sound. Both secretly held guarding techniques, enduring for a long time with neither yielding.

Pei Zichen was secretly annoyed in his heart, yet somewhat uncontrollably indulging. After a long while, rain sounds came from outside. Jiang Zhaoxue could barely endure. Afraid she would lose first, she turned her head away, deliberately distracting herself with casual conversation: “We agreed to return to you at the Ninth Realm. Why suddenly force an answer?”

Pei Zichen said nothing, silently working doggedly.

Jiang Zhaoxue felt herself somewhat losing control. She cursed quietly: “Said you could wait. Just a liar. Pushing for more, advancing step by step. Just taking advantage of the situation. Ah… mm!”

Before Jiang Zhaoxue finished speaking, Pei Zichen scooped her up, kneeling on the ground. Before she could react, he half-covered her mouth, pressing the sound under his palm. He leaned by her ear, softly responding: “Because this disciple is jealous.”

Jiang Zhaoxue froze. He slowly began moving, saying hoarsely: “Though it’s a wicked act, this disciple can’t help being jealous. I met you too late—”

Outside, the rain fell steadily. Pei Zichen supported her waist, his voice full of regret: “I saw you at ten, but you first saw me at seventeen. But Li Xiuji—you named him at birth. At four, twelve, seventeen—you saw him, saw such a complete him. And me? Too late.”

With that, Pei Zichen closed his eyes. Outside the window, the rain intensified. Jiang Zhaoxue’s breathing grew urgent, muscles trembling uncontrollably.

This was the position she could least endure. Pei Zichen also closed his eyes, fully experiencing this soul-consuming existence, continuing quietly: “Compared to that senior, I’m also too late. You were moved the first time you saw them, weren’t you? I remember. That day when you spoke with me, your eyes kept avoiding mine. I knew. How could I not know? But I understood nothing then. They kissed you, didn’t they? Are they in your heart? And Master—”

Outside the window, the rain grew more urgent, falling like threads without pause.

Pei Zichen pressed against her back, listening to her whimpering muffled under his palm. As if finally finding an outlet, his usually gentle voice, though calm, still carried faint traces of grinding teeth: “Master’s disagreement with you lies with junior sister. Now that you know the truth, you must know Master’s feelings for you. Such deep affection—surely the Female Lord was extremely moved. At the critical moment of life and death, the last talisman must also be delivered to Master’s hands. Such deep affection—how should this disciple think?”

“This disciple is jealous… this disciple is afraid. I can guard you forever. I can guard you knowing I can never touch you. But I cannot gain and then lose. You saved me—you shouldn’t save others. If you save one person, I’ll save all under heaven for you. Just look at me.”

Pei Zichen completely lost control. He released the hand covering Jiang Zhaoxue’s lips, both hands tightly gripping her slender waist. Jiang Zhaoxue looked at the wind and rain outside, teeth clenched, listening to the person behind repeatedly calling her name: “Yaoyao… Yaoyao… look at me, only at me… don’t have anyone else… Yaoyao…”

At the final moment, he seemed to suddenly awaken, violently turning Jiang Zhaoxue over, tucking a soft pillow under her waist.

Jiang Zhaoxue groaned heavily. Pei Zichen held her entire body tightly.

“I love you.”

He murmured.

For the first time while conscious, remembering all their identities and circumstances, in this time-space where their friends and family existed, on this side of the vast ocean in the dark night, tightly embracing her, he spoke the three words he should never say in his lifetime.

I love you.