It was truly confusing.

Yin Changli couldn’t help but ponder: was he mentally ill and abnormal, as she had always insisted?

No, that thought was even more confusing.

Many girls had given strands of their hair as tokens, but Little Kui, who gave a cleaver, was so uniquely different.

What was that saying? Beautiful appearances are a dime a dozen, but interesting souls are one in a million.

Yin Changli contentedly accepted the cleaver.

He decided that once his memory and magical powers were restored, he would forge this cleaver into a divine weapon capable of severing destiny.

“Alright, let’s go back to sleep,” Xiang Haikui patted his shoulder and prepared to get off his bed when he grabbed her sleeve again.

Xiang Haikui narrowed her eyes, making a gesture as if ready to knock him unconscious. “Are you having trouble sleeping again?”

He hastily explained: “I’m afraid to sleep.”

Xiang Haikui was momentarily speechless, her voice becoming much gentler: “But if you continue sleeping, you might remember more, which could accelerate the healing of your sea of consciousness.”

Yin Changli lowered his eyes: “Then stay by my side. If it becomes too painful, wake me up. I want to take it slowly.”

“Alright.” Xiang Haikui sat down again.

Winter had set in, and her bare feet were quite cold on the floor. She pulled up her legs and sat sideways on the edge of the bed.

Yin Changli looked at her slightly arched feet, cold as they were, and felt an urge to grab them and tuck them under his clothes to warm them, but that would be too forward. “With you sitting there like a door god, how can I sleep?”

Why was he being so fussy? Xiang Haikui knew what he meant—he wanted her to lie down with him, to share the same quilt.

This man was truly playing with fire. Didn’t he know he might burn himself to death if he wasn’t careful?

Hadn’t he noticed that the Tian Kuang sword lying on the couch by the window had already sneakily stood upright?

She could sense what Tian Kuang was saying—

His memories are beginning to resurface. You don’t have much time left!

Go for it!

Just one night, and you’ll instantly ascend!

Xiang Haikui stretched out her leg and kicked Yin Changli, saying fiercely, “Stop talking nonsense and go to sleep!”

“Oh.” He quickly closed his eyes.

Xiang Haikui also closed her eyes to doze, when Senior Brother suddenly came to mind.

She couldn’t help but ask: “Senior, what were you saying to my Senior Brother on the lotus boat tonight?”

Yin Changli opened his eyes: “Quite a lot.”

Xiang Haikui looked at him: “My Senior Brother has a calm temperament, yet he was so aggravated that he kept arguing with you…”

Yin Changli immediately sat up: “What do you mean? Do you suspect I said something offensive that angered him?”

Xiang Haikui: “No…”

Yin Changli’s cheeks flushed slightly with anger: “He spoke to me first, pointing fingers, saying I couldn’t do this, couldn’t do that.”

Xiang Haikui frowned: “What do you mean?”

“And you say he’s calm?” Yin Changli snorted. “If he’s calm, then no one in this world is. He’s petty, wanting to compete with me in everything.”

Yin Changli grew angrier as he spoke, though he also worried about whether the other could manage that double-sided embroidery. “Moreover, he’s quite vulgar, with his mind full of obscene thoughts, using them to humiliate me. If it weren’t for your sake, I would have beaten him on the spot.”

Xiang Haikui:?

Yin Changli: “You don’t believe me? When you were performing sword swallowing, he mocked me, saying I liked you because you…”

He glanced at her cherry-like small mouth, the tips of his ears instantly turning red. “Because your oral skills are especially good. Don’t you think he deserves a beating?”

What the hell? Xiang Haikui’s eyes widened, almost spitting a mouthful of blood: “Did my Senior Brother say that?”

Yin Changli nodded: “Not the exact words, but that was the meaning. I admit I dislike him, but I’m not slandering him.”

Not a word from that bastard boss could be trusted, but the puppy boss never lied. Xiang Haikui couldn’t believe it at all. In ten years, had Senior Brother been so corrupted?

After being stunned for a while, Xiang Haikui shook her head: “Impossible…”

Yin Changli became angry: “So you mean…”

Xiang Haikui slapped the bed and gritted her teeth: “Senior Brother must have been possessed by some trash from the upper realm!”

Senior Brother’s talent, insight, and age all made him a suitable target for body possession.

Before, Meng Xilou had been Xiang Tianqing’s senior brother.

Now that Senior Brother had become Xiang Tianqing’s senior brother, they must have persuaded him to continue staying by Xiang Tianqing’s side.

The more Xiang Haikui thought about it, the colder she felt, shivering all over.

Suddenly, she flipped off the bed, returned to her couch to put on her boots, grabbed Tian Kuang, and was about to leave.

Yin Changli jumped off the bed and grabbed her: “Where are you going?”

“To the Sword Dao Academy!” Xiang Haikui’s eyes burned with fury, the veins on her hand gripping the sword standing out. “I want to see if Senior Brother has been possessed by that trash from the Meng family!”

“What will you use to see?” Yin Changli asked.

Xiang Haikui halted her steps. She didn’t have the Heavenly Eye, so how would she see?

Lu Xiqiao had it, but he was also on the lotus boat today. If there had been something wrong with Senior Brother, he would have said something.

Yin Changli: “You can’t just go and stab him with your sword. What if he injured his sea of consciousness while practicing, causing a change in temperament, similar to mine?”

That made sense. Xiang Haikui’s anger subsided somewhat, but she shook her head again: “No!”

Senior Brother, being such a cold and ascetic person, making crude jokes? She absolutely couldn’t believe it.

It had only been ten years. If it were a fragment of someone from the upper realm, Senior Brother’s soul might not have been devoured yet. She had to quickly figure it out, but she also feared alerting them.

She had been too impulsive just now, fortunately stopped by the boss.

Xiang Haikui was stunned for a moment: “But Senior, how do you think of so many possibilities?”

Yin Changli was also stunned: “Is this considered thinking too much?”

Of course it was. In the past, his head had been filled with nothing but romantic fantasies and jealousy.

Tonight’s dream was indeed a harbinger of his awakening.

Xiang Haikui walked quickly to the window, pushed it open, and looked at the sky: “Senior, you said he wants to compete with you in everything?”

“Yes, extremely competitive.”

“That doesn’t sound like Meng Xilou.”

Xiang Haikui pondered: “When daylight comes, accompany me to the Sword Dao Academy.”

…

When they had parted last night, they had agreed to visit Lu Xiqiao’s home today.

Lu Xiqiao’s family had many treasures, and Bai Xingxian could go to make exchanges.

But early in the morning, Xiang Haikui and Yin Changli went to the Jin Ling Sword Dao Academy. Entry to the academy was very strict. She had a token given by Xiang Tianqing, but it was only enough for two people to enter, so Bai Xingxian couldn’t go.

Thus, Bai Xingxian went to the Lu mansion alone.

“There, that’s where I live,” Lu Xiqiao first showed him his small courtyard.

Apart from being large, the yard had no other special features, but within the walls, instead of a house, stood a tall wooden tower.

It soared into the clouds, its wooden walls covered with moss and colorful mushrooms.

So this tower didn’t have the cold hardness of a building; it was like a living plant. At a glance, Bai Xingxian felt that the tower seemed to be moving, making him slightly dizzy.

“Impressive, right? Even you can’t handle it.” Lu Xiqiao took out a bottle and waved it under his nose.

Bai Xingxian’s dizziness immediately disappeared, and he was surprised: “Is this tower a treasure?”

Lu Xiqiao nodded: “Yes, didn’t I tell you? The fortune teller said I would die young, and I was nearly possessed as a child. My father feared something might happen to me again, so he spent a fortune to acquire this divine tower. I’ve lived in it since I was little. No demons, ghosts, or monsters can approach.”

“But why doesn’t my Tian Bao have any reaction?” Bai Xingxian touched his lips, muttering, “Could it have eaten such a treasure before?”

“Come, I’ll take you in for a look.” Lu Xiqiao opened the tower door.

Bai Xingxian followed him inside. The interior of the divine tower was also different from ordinary tall towers. The lower half was empty, without stairs.

“I live at the top of the tower.”

“How do we get up there?” Bai Xingxian tried but couldn’t use his magical powers, and the ground was at least a thousand feet from the top of the tower.

“Watch this!” Lu Xiqiao winked at him, pointing to a dozen or so vines hanging down from the top of the tower, and grabbed one.

The vine wrapped around his wrist, lifted him off the ground, and flew toward the top of the tower.

Bai Xingxian’s eyes lit up: “How interesting!”

…

Inside the Jin Ling Sword Dao Academy.

Xiang Tianqing was surprised to hear that Xiang Haikui had come to visit her.

She had initially wanted to scold her for embarrassing herself on the lotus boat last night, but then she saw someone else beside Xiang Haikui.

She was momentarily stunned. Not only was this person exceptionally striking in appearance and temperament, but more importantly, she seemed to have seen him somewhere before.

It wasn’t allowed to hide one’s face when entering the Sword Dao Academy, so Yin Changli wasn’t concealed by his black robe.

He walked toward Xiang Tianqing.

Xiang Tianqing stood there, still in a daze.

Yin Changli walked up to her: “Excuse me.”

Xiang Tianqing came to her senses and stepped aside: “Are you here to see my Senior Brother?”

“Mm.” Yin Changli nodded slightly and walked toward the courtyard next to hers.

Xiang Tianqing looked at Xiang Haikui: “Who is he?”

“A friend of mine,” Xiang Haikui said with a smile, evading the question.

Yin Changli knocked on Han Qi’s door.

Han Qi was quite surprised at his appearance: “Why have you come to find me?”

Yin Changli didn’t show him a friendly face: “Little Kui came to see her sister. I had nothing to do, so I came along to have a look.”

Han Qi scanned with his divine sense and confirmed that Xiang Haikui was indeed talking with Xiang Tianqing.

“You didn’t come to see if I had someone else do the work for me, did you?” Han Qi found it amusing.

But it also made sense. Even with amnesia, that competitive spirit remained. And because he had “returned to his original nature,” his competitive spirit should be even stronger.

After Yin Changli entered the room, he saw a pile of ruined embroidery on the table: “Looks like you failed.”

Han Qi put those pieces away and poured himself a cup of tea: “Please.”

Then he took out a square handkerchief from his storage bracelet, with sunflowers on one side and hyenas on the other: “Take out yours to compare. See if they’re identical.”

Oh! How infuriating!

Whether he was the original or possessed, Yin Changli was furious!

He had always thought his special skill was unique, but this guy…

Han Qi raised his eyebrows. Although his fingers were nearly raw and holding the teacup was painful, the tea of victory tasted especially sweet in his mouth.

Yin Changli took a deep breath, remembering Xiang Haikui’s instructions, and sat down opposite him: “So what if they’re identical? You and Little Kui may be old acquaintances, but I’ve spent ten years with her. And, I was personally chopped in half by her and then personally sewn back together by her. I still have a mark on my body…”

That was much better than embroidering a duck.

Han Qi suddenly understood why he would take a liking to the brute surnamed Xiang—there was such a connection between them.

Yin Changli continued: “Don’t be too happy too soon. I still have my trump card.”

Han Qi: “Oh?”

Yin Changli: “I can cry instantly.”

Han Qi: “…What kind of skill is that?”

Yin Changli recalled the rabbit that had been roasted and eaten, and tears immediately streamed down.

He wiped them away: “See.”

Then he thought of the alpaca Yin Mie Mie, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time, and tears flowed down again.

He brushed them away: “Look.”

Han Qi wasn’t surprised. He had placed the curse himself, so of course, he knew Yin Changli was left with only emotional thinking. He shook his head: “That’s not a skill.”

“If it’s not a skill, you try it?” Yin Changli looked at him challengingly.

“How childish.” Though he said this, Han Qi instinctively wanted to try.

He emptied his consciousness and mobilized his emotions, preparing to instantly shed tears to show him.

In just that brief moment, Xiang Haikui suddenly burst through the door, holding a short blade that could trap souls. She circled behind him, first using one arm to lock around his neck!

Jing Ran’s physical body was only of the fifth rank. No matter how powerful Han Qi was, entering this body limited him to the fifth rank.

Combined with his emptied consciousness, he didn’t even have the strength to fight back and was stabbed in the side of his spine!

Xiang Haikui shouted fiercely: “Speak! Who are you?”

Han Qi had never thought he could disguise himself for long, so he hadn’t put much effort into concealing his identity. Being exposed was expected and part of his plan.

He patted her arm that was restraining him, indicating that after being stabbed, his powers were locked, and he couldn’t speak, brave warrior.

Xiang Haikui was startled and loosened her arm slightly.

Han Qi first hissed in pain, then pointed at Yin Changli: “Brother Changli, you said you were chopped in half as soon as you descended. Look, I was stabbed as soon as I descended. I will never lose to you.”