Xiang Haikui smiled sinisterly. She hadn’t played any mind games; he had voluntarily taken the bait.

Oh, but sleeping with him wouldn’t be enough.

After sleeping with him, she’d make him wear an extra-thick green hat, then kick him to the curb!

Tian Kuang’s progress bar would explode.

She would then have the resources to escape, and who knows, during his pursuit, she might become stronger through his relentless hunting.

Hehe, with her head lowered as she fantasized about various ways to torment him, Xiang Haikui felt no shame whatsoever, and even experienced a small thrill.

If Tian Kuang were beside her now, he would certainly leap out of his box and start dancing.

As for Yin Changli, he truly hadn’t considered this possibility before. Seeing Xiang Haikui’s expression, some rather unpleasant thoughts suddenly arose in his mind.

Indeed, one can guard against thieves day and night, but it’s hard to guard against thieves in one’s own home. What if she developed some improper ideas, thinking of taking advantage of their proximity, and actively tried to seduce him? This…

Yin Changli wanted to warn her, but ultimately felt it unnecessary.

Needless worrying.

During the silence, Xiang Haikui inadvertently glanced again at his finger writing on her palm. It flickered like a television losing signal, displaying some static.

Her heart tightened. Time was almost up; this strand of his consciousness was about to disappear.

What could have been said in a quarter of an hour had taken a full hour through writing.

Focusing on the urgent matter, she prompted: “Do you have any other instructions?”

Yin Changli came back to his senses and shook his head, writing: “None of this is too difficult, is it?”

Xiang Haikui shook her head: “Not difficult!”

Yin Changli was silent for a moment: “Actually, in my current state, I can’t help you much and will only become your burden. If you…”

“That’s enough, Senior.” Why bother with such empty talk? Xiang Haikui interrupted him, slapping her chest and firmly promising, “You changed the fate of my father and me by defying the heavens. I’m willing to brave any danger for you!”

Seeing her look of grim determination, Yin Changli found it amusing yet couldn’t laugh. Instead, a heaviness gathered in his eyes.

“Trust me, this will be the darkest moment before dawn.”

He wrote slowly and powerfully, stroke by stroke, “Today you protect me with your life, and I promise you, once I recover, with me by your side, you’ll never again fear the sky falling on your head.”

If anyone else had said this, Xiang Haikui would have thought they were boasting, but the boss was different. If the boss said he would hold up the sky for her, he definitely could.

Just as she was feeling moved, Yin Changli added, “After all, with your short stature, if the sky falls, it would hit me first.”

Xiang Haikui: …

Indeed, the moment of emotion lasted no more than three seconds.

But Xiang Haikui wasn’t disappointed. She knew that while the boss might joke, his attitude was serious.

Furthermore.

She still had Tian Kuang.

She had already come to a clear realization.

The sword would be her greatest support from now on.

All other powerful allies were merely icing on the cake.

“You’ve indeed grown quite a bit these days.” Yin Changli seemed to have observed something in her expression, nodding with satisfaction and silently smiling.

His time was up.

Suddenly, his fair, delicate skin cracked like an eggshell, breaking into fragments that turned into points of starlight.

Xiang Haikui stared blankly as those lights floated above her head like a cluster of fireflies, forming the final two characters.

—”Wait for me.”

…

After Yin Changli’s consciousness disappeared, Xiang Haikui didn’t rush to leave.

She remained in the jade slip, observing the shadows sparring, and only left when her mental focus waned and became inefficient.

She was lying on the bed, holding the jade slip, in the same position as before entering it.

She somewhat doubted whether she had fallen asleep and merely dreamed it all.

Raising her hand to touch her bun hairstyle with three jade hairpins arranged in a fan shape, she confirmed it was all real.

What about the night-luminous pearl for detecting demonic energy?

As she wondered this, the pearl suddenly fell out of the jade slip, hitting her on the bridge of her nose.

Xiang Haikui drew in a sharp breath, sat up, and rubbed her nose, thinking that this must have been deliberate on the boss’s part. She pouted and stored both the jade slip and the luminous pearl in her storage ring.

When she opened the door to go out, she discovered it was already dusk of the following day.

She had heard from her father that Jing Wenxiu would wait for Xiang Tianqing at the Buddhist cave until dusk today.

She was curious whether Xiang Tianqing had left or not.

“Junior Sister.” Ye Qianzhi’s voice came from outside the courtyard.

Xiang Haikui frowned and walked out: “Does Second Senior Brother have something to discuss with me?”

She had just unlocked the door when he appeared; there was no such thing as coincidence. He had probably been waiting outside for a long time.

Ye Qianzhi bowed deeply: “I’m about to leave Yin Sha. Before departing, I wanted to apologize to Junior Sister once more.”

Xiang Haikui: “Did my father ask you to leave?”

Ye Qianzhi smiled bitterly: “Even if Master hadn’t asked me to leave, I wouldn’t have the face to continue staying at the City Lord’s mansion. Besides, now that Tianqing has left, my heart is at ease.”

Xiang Haikui was slightly stunned: “She left with Jing Wenxiu?”

Ye Qianzhi: “Last night, Master and I explained everything to her, but she refused to believe the truth. She stubbornly insisted that everything was orchestrated by you, and even tried to persuade Master to be wary of the expert behind you, suspecting that person might have designs on Yin Sha, and…”

He didn’t continue, but Xiang Haikui could guess. Xiang Tianqing probably thought she had sold her soul to the “devil” to reclaim everything.

She and Meng Xilou were truly siblings, with equally strange thought patterns.

Ye Qianzhi: “Master was quite hesitant about whether to send Tianqing away.”

He paused. “Junior Sister, please don’t blame Master for protecting Tianqing. Master has always valued relationships and clearly distinguishes between gratitude and grudges. Tianqing was completely unaware of these matters, and after so many years of depending on each other, Master viewed her as his daughter. Tianqing likewise greatly respected Master. Master couldn’t immediately change his perspective and tended to think from the standpoint of a father protecting his daughter…”

Xiang Haikui understood all this, which is why, after dealing with Meng Xilou, regardless of her thoughts, she hadn’t discussed Xiang Tianqing with her father at all.

“Then why did my father suddenly change his mind?”

Given Xiang Tianqing’s personality, if her father hadn’t expressed his opinion and had left the decision entirely to her, she definitely wouldn’t have left.

“Perhaps Master realized that Tianqing doesn’t need his protection. Or perhaps after last night, Master discovered that Tianqing was too stubborn and immature, truly needing growth and experience. Of course, it might also be that for the safety of Yin Sha and Junior Sister, he had to harden his heart.”

Ye Qianzhi sighed, “Master didn’t insist she follow Jing Wenxiu; he gave her many choices and spoke very tactfully, suggesting she go out and gain some experience. Tianqing cried and made a scene for quite some time. I was worried Master would soften, but fortunately…”

Xiang Haikui also sighed, imagining that Xiang Tianqing’s choice to follow Jing Wenxiu was also a form of defiance.

She had probably become number one on Tianqing’s blacklist.

Xiang Haikui asked: “Where is my father?”

Ye Qianzhi pointed toward the city tower: “Master has been standing on the tower for a long time. Junior Sister, if you’re free, perhaps you could go keep him company.”

Xiang Haikui nodded: “Alright.”

She was about to head to the city tower when Ye Qianzhi added, “By the way, your fellow townsman came looking for you over an hour ago. Your door was securely locked, so he waited outside for a while, then left.”

“Oh, I see.” Xiang Haikui touched her chin. The senior must be truly heading to the royal capital this time, so he came to say goodbye.

She walked past Ye Qianzhi, took a few steps forward, then turned back, “Second Senior Brother…”

Ye Qianzhi’s gaze seemed to hold a glimmer of hope: “Yes?”

“Have a safe journey.” Xiang Haikui smiled at him, then turned and left.

Ye Qianzhi had come to apologize, likely seeking her forgiveness.

But she had almost been killed by him. Forgiveness was impossible.

Nor would she intercede with her father on his behalf. A grown man should be prepared to face the consequences of his actions.

The smile she gave him was to thank him for not dying, for not breaking her father’s heart.

With these thoughts, Xiang Haikui made her way to the city gate and flew up to the outer city wall.

Xiang Heng stood alone in the sunset. As Xiang Haikui approached from behind, he spoke first: “Xiao Kui, do you know what the biggest difference is in how I treat you and Tianqing?”

Xiang Haikui walked up beside him: “In your eyes, there shouldn’t be any difference, right?”

Though she was his biological daughter, Xiang Tianqing was only an adopted daughter.

But she had only spent nine years with her father, so they didn’t have the extremely deep emotional foundation that he shared with Tianqing.

Xiang Heng shook his head and sighed: “The biggest difference between you two is that I’ve beaten you—beaten you many times—while Tianqing has never been hit by me.”

Xiang Haikui didn’t like hearing this: “Because I was too mischievous as a child, while Sister was well-behaved and sensible, right?”

Seeing her dissatisfied pout, Xiang Heng reached out to rub her head and smiled: “It’s because I knew that hitting you wouldn’t create any gap between us. But Tianqing was different. She was also very naughty as a child, but after I told her the truth, she seemed to grow up overnight, becoming obedient and sensible, never making mistakes again.”

Xiang Haikui remained silent.

Xiang Heng: “From that moment on, I never spoke harshly to her again, cherishing her a hundredfold, a thousandfold. I regret it quite a bit. I shouldn’t have told her the truth back then. It feels like I deprived her of a carefree childhood, but I also didn’t want her to ‘mistake a thief for her father.'”

Xiang Haikui pondered: “Father, are you trying to tell me that her obsession with competing against me stems from a lack of security since childhood?”

Xiang Heng didn’t answer: “Neither then nor now have I been a clever person. That’s why I’ve stayed in Yin Sha all these years, a frontier plagued by demons and monsters, which perhaps suits me better for survival. I’ve always avoided the scheming and deception of the outside world.”

Xiang Haikui nodded. She wasn’t particularly clever either and disliked plotting and calculating.

Her approach to solving problems had always been simple and direct. This was probably why the boss had taken a liking to her, finding her suitable for cultivating Tian Kuang.

“But now I understand that avoidance isn’t a good strategy. Like the storms of Yin Sha, calamities either don’t come at all, or they come with devastating force.” Putting his arm around his daughter’s shoulders, Xiang Heng gazed at the desert sunset before them. “I should also change my thinking.”

Upper Realm.

Star-Plucking Palace.

Xing Nǚ hurriedly entered the hall, stood outside the star platform, and reported with clasped hands: “Master, the Meng family’s eldest young master has returned. I heard his injuries are severe; he coughed up a lot of blood and went to visit the Medicine Lord at Little Qiuming Mountain overnight.”

Han Qi, sitting cross-legged within the star platform, frowned slightly: “The Meng family’s divine protection artifact isn’t weak. How could he be injured so severely?”

Normally, when one’s avatar is killed, injuring the true body, one only needs to seclude oneself for a dozen years to recover.

Xing Nǚ said, “According to the message that came through, the Meng family’s eldest young master coughed blood from anger. He wants to recover quickly and return to the lower realm.”

Xing Nǚ was also surprised when she heard this. The divine protection artifact could only protect Meng Xilou once; was he risking his life by going back to the lower realm?

She knew he doted on his sister, but the Meng family still had Meng San in the mortal world. Why was he in such a hurry?

But thinking about it, it was understandable. Young Master Meng had always been arrogant and discourteous. This time, he went to the lower realm, accomplished nothing, and was soundly beaten by a mortal before dying and returning home in disgrace. Nobody could endure such humiliation.

“Indeed, if this grudge isn’t avenged, it could become a heart demon.” Han Qi used his palms to support himself as he stood up, his gaze fixed on the star chart on the ceiling of the hall.

The chaotic movement of the stars had gradually calmed down.

Now, they had entered a relatively stable state.

Han Qi: “Otherwise, he would end up as pitiful and pathetic as me.”

Xing Nǚ fell silent. Master had lost this round completely and looked somewhat dejected.

She consoled him: “Master, Lord Changli took us by surprise, breaking out of the game unexpectedly. He was indeed one move ahead. But now that he has exposed himself and has no more tricks up his sleeve, you can continue planning.”

“Though I was supremely confident in my strategy, I never believed I could easily defeat Brother Changli.” Han Qi spoke calmly, raising his hand to gather his scattered frost-white hair into a Daoist topknot. “Therefore, I prepared many contingency plans for failure.”

Xing Nǚ frowned: “Then why do you appear so helpless?”

“How did Brother Changli win this time? Because he could guess that I guessed that he guessed, so he simply stopped playing chess with me. He took a gamble and turned himself into a chess piece, going with the flow…”

This way, Han Qi could no longer predict his moves.

If he continued with his original logic and subsequent remedial measures, wouldn’t Yin Changli anticipate them?

Then these remedial measures would not only waste time but might also play right into his hands.

After understanding this, Xing Nǚ agreed wholeheartedly: “So what does Master plan to do now?”

Would he do nothing just because Lord Changli might anticipate his moves?

Han Qi pointed to a star in the sky: “Look.”

Xing Nǚ had already noticed that star. Besides the mad dog that Lord Changli had introduced into the game, another star had appeared, though it was dim and not particularly noticeable.

They had already investigated and found that this person had accidentally become involved. He seemed to be from the same hometown as the female mad dog and was called Jing Ran.

Xing Nǚ understood: “Master is interested in this person and plans to use him as a chess piece?”

“I’m not planning to continue playing chess.” Han Qi adjusted his collar, walking down from the divination platform. “I’ve decided to follow Brother Changli’s example and enter the game personally.”

Xing Nǚ was stunned: “You also plan to send an avatar to the lower realm, and you’ve chosen Jing Ran’s physical body?”

Han Qi: “Yes, he’s a rare talent with a good spiritual body. I’d like to borrow it temporarily.”

Xing Nǚ nodded. Being closer to them would make it easier to monitor their movements.

But there was one point…

She awkwardly reminded him: “Master, although Jing Ran is from outside the region, that mad dog… that Tian Kuang Sword Master knows him from before. What if she sees through the disguise…”

Master’s cultivation and intellect were top-tier.

But he had a severe case of expressionlessness.

She couldn’t imagine Master’s acting skills; he’d probably be exposed within two days.

Even though, according to their intelligence, Jing Ran was rather cold in temperament, somewhat similar to Master, the overall differences were still too great.

However, that Tian Kuang Sword Master didn’t seem particularly bright either, so it should be fine, right?