Yin Changli descended from Jin Ling Sword Path Academy toward the inner city.

Han Qi had brought him here on his flying sword.

On the way, Yin Changli sat at the tail end of the flying sword with his eyes closed in meditation.

“It’s useless,” Han Qi knew the curse he had placed and advised Yin Changli to save his strength. “Even if you feel you’re just one step away, this door cannot be forced open.”

He had perfected this curse through experimentation, trying various counterspells and continuously improving it.

Based on his understanding of Yin Changli, the curse would last at least fifty years.

Yin Changli ignored him, but knew in his heart that Han Qi was right.

His memories were like water held back by a sluice gate. When the gate shook, his head would split with pain. He had intended to force it open with one determined push, but instead had only locked it tighter.

Therefore, Yin Changli’s current meditation was not to break through the gate, but to stabilize it.

He couldn’t afford to be chaotic now, or he wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything.

Entering the inner city in the dead of night, at a quarter past the hour of Yin, they landed and immediately encountered a fierce ghost.

The ghost was shrouded in black smoke, with no facial features except for two bloody holes where eyes should be.

Sensing people approaching, it jumped onto a rooftop, preparing to leap down and tear off their heads as they landed.

As it jumped into the air, Han Qi calmly drew his sword while Yin Changli looked up with furrowed brows.

When the fierce ghost saw Yin Changli’s face, it shrieked, “Oh my god!” Its legs flailed as it performed an emergency stop in mid-air, then retreated to the rooftop, transforming into a skeletal cat that fled in panic.

“It probably recognized you as the Master of the Palace of Extreme Joy in the City of the Other Shore.” Han Qi didn’t pursue it, sheathing his sword and teasing, “Look, even evil spirits run at the sight of Brother Changli.”

Yin Changli, worried about Xiang Haikui, reflexively retorted: “Even evil spirits know to avoid me, yet you insist on being my enemy.”

Han Qi responded smoothly: “That’s why it remains just an evil spirit, while I’ve become an Immortal Lord.”

Finding one intimate friend in life is not as good as finding one sworn enemy.

As long as Yin Changli didn’t anger him to death, he would surely achieve greatness.

Over the years, Han Qi had sometimes thought that if he hadn’t met Yin Changli in his youth, he might not have attained his current abilities.

Laughably, the so-called Great Astrologer was forged through rivalry.

“Oh, it seems Miss Xiang has succeeded,” Han Qi examined the roots on the street.

Jin Ling City was already half destroyed, with roots covering the streets and buildings, densely intertwined, creating a terrifying sight.

But the split roots were no longer emitting Turbid Qi.

Han Qi had learned from Yin Changli that the source of the trouble was the Lu family.

He suspected that the Turbid Evil Dao Merging Fruit was causing the trouble.

“But Lesser Jianmu’s roots are already connected to the Underworld. Unless you have two treasures—Pangu’s Axe to chop the tree or the Nine Heavens Hellfire to burn it—this passage cannot be severed…”

After a moment’s thought, Han Qi understood. Lesser Jianmu had not fully matured, and the Lu family, in desperate straits, had resorted to sacrificial techniques.

“It must be Xiang Tianqing. She has a protective divine artifact inside her, so they must be slowly bleeding her, but Miss Xiang stopped them.”

Han Qi led Yin Changli to the Lu residence gates, only to find them tightly closed.

“The Lu residence has activated a formation. People are fighting inside,” Han Qi took out a talisman and passed it before his eyes. “The Jin Ling City Lord is there… but Miss Xiang isn’t.”

He then took out a compass and extended his hand to Yin Changli: “Give me something Miss Xiang frequently uses.”

Yin Changli frowned slightly and retrieved a wooden comb from his storage bracelet.

Han Qi placed the compass on the compass, cast a spell, and the compass needle surprisingly pointed behind them.

“Not at the Lu residence?” Han Qi turned around. “Let’s go, Brother Changli.”

Following the compass for a considerable distance, they entered a civilian home where a red gemstone embedded in the compass lit up.

The residents had already evacuated, leaving the house empty.

“She’s underground,” Han Qi put away the compass and pointed downward. “Go, Brother Changli.”

Yin Changli looked down at the ground, hesitating: “How do I go down?”

Han Qi said, “Transform into your original form and burrow down. You spent over a hundred years digging in mine tunnels before. Jin Ling’s soil is soft, so it should be even easier.”

Yin Changli: “But I’ve forgotten how to dig.”

Han Qi: “A rat’s offspring is born knowing how to make holes. Your head is naturally harder—it’s a talent.”

Yin Changli stopped arguing and transformed back to his original form in the abandoned house.

As the little black snake prepared to burrow down, he suddenly raised his head: “Han Qi, do you know this burrowing and mining skill?”

Han Qi looked down: “We’re not of the same clan. We’ve never compared innate abilities.”

The little black snake had barely gone halfway into the ground when he heard Han Qi add: “But in human form, we once compared who could crack walnuts with their foreheads…”

…

Underground.

“Little Kui?”

In her dazed state, Xiang Haikui heard a man calling her name.

Before losing consciousness, she had collapsed on hardwood, but now someone was holding her in an embrace that wasn’t particularly warm.

The person’s long hair fell, brushing across her face like floating dust.

It tickled terribly. She tried to reach up and brush it away, but the effort caused pain throughout her body, making her internal organs ache. She awoke with a start, gasping for breath.

Struggling to open her eyes to a narrow slit, she saw it was her boss. Xiang Haikui’s tense body relaxed again: “How did you find me?”

“Han Qi helped,” Yin Changli held her in his arms. In this narrow tree root node, he had already laid down a cushion.

This cushion was what he carried when traveling to rest on, as his waist injury prevented him from standing or sitting for long periods.

“Why would Han Qi be so kind?” After being suddenly attacked by “Lu Xiqiao,” Xiang Haikui had become suspicious of everything.

“He said he couldn’t let you die, as you’re his weapon for disciplining me in the future,” Yin Changli replied, adjusting his arm to make her more comfortable against him. “Little Kui, you’re severely injured. All your meridians are blocked.”

“I was tricked by Meng Nanting.” Xiang Haikui felt utterly weak, clinging to him like a mollusk as she explained what had happened.

Just this brief conversation left her drenched in sweat.

Partly due to her internal injuries, and partly because the Turbid Qi flowing within the tree roots intensified her suffering.

Xiang Haikui’s consciousness remained foggy.

Yin Changli had been heartbroken since finding her. He lowered his head, pressing his forehead against hers: “Little Kui, can you still transform into a flood dragon?”

Xiang Haikui shook her head.

There was no other way, then. If Yin Changli enlarged his form, any movement would be sensed by Meng Nanting.

So to escape, they could only follow the small tunnel he had burrowed down through.

This would require Xiang Haikui to transform again into a lizard-sized flood dragon and crawl behind the little black snake.

But the wild energy accumulated in Tian Kuang was completely depleted.

And the wild energy needed to transform into a flood dragon was no small amount.

If they didn’t escape, they would either be captured by Meng Nanting and Que Chi or wait until Lesser Jianmu’s roots completely penetrated the Underworld. Then the trunk would be filled with Underworld Turbid Qi, which, given her current state, might kill her.

Yin Changli hesitated for a long time: “Little Kui, don’t think I’m taking advantage of your situation. There’s only one option left—dual cultivation. I’ll help clear your meridians. Simultaneously…”

He glanced at Tian Kuang’s sword by her feet, “Not only will you recover, but you’ll also have enough wild energy to transform into a flood dragon.”

As he spoke, Tian Kuang trembled slightly.

Xiang Haikui had already analyzed the situation and considered this option.

She was in the midst of an internal struggle when he brought it up first.

Having such a massive power station beside her, Xiang Haikui, influenced by Tian Kuang, had truly resisted temptation time and again.

Now, they were truly at a dead end.

If she died here, with Little Bai fallen into the Underworld, dangers all around, and her boss never fully awakening, a naive, innocent like him would likely perish before recovering.

Then there was Lu Xiqiao to consider.

Xiang Haikui had heard Meng Nanting say it would take half a day to break through the protective prohibition set by the Lu family’s ancestor. After breaking through, he would devour Lu Xiqiao, conservatively estimated to happen around noon the next day.

Back in Yin Sha City, when she was surrounded by enemies, Lu Xiqiao, though not very capable, had consistently stood by her side, helping as much as he could—a true friend in need.

Compared to her father’s disciples, who should have been close to her, Lu Xiqiao truly deserved to be called a “friend.”

But still…

Xiang Haikui had many reservations.

Yin Changli: “I just made a heart demon oath.”

Xiang Haikui looked up at him with effort from his embrace: “Hmm?”

Yin Changli’s gaze was resolute: “After my memories return, if I harm you in any way, may everything the former Underworld King instructed me to do, as well as my grand ambition to revive the Mountain and Sea races, end in complete failure.”

Xiang Haikui’s mouth opened slightly.

Yin Changli asked: “Is this still not enough?”

“It’s useless,” Xiang Haikui suddenly remembered, “Tian Kuang’s fifth level is full.”

Though the wild energy was depleted, the progress bar was filled, requiring her to guide it to upgrade to the sixth level.

But in her current exhausted state, she couldn’t direct the energy to do so.

Just as she finished speaking, with a hum, Tian Kuang’s blade glowed for a moment.

Xiang Haikui was surprised. When she checked, Tian Kuang had advanced to the sixth level on its own!

And the sixth level’s progress bar was twice as long as the fifth level’s.

Yin Changli followed her surprised gaze to Tian Kuang’s sword and understood: “You see…”

That was it.

Xiang Haikui’s final psychological defense had been breached.

She struggled to grasp Yin Changli’s collar and, after gritting her teeth for a long while, said: “I don’t want to.”

She stared into the puppy-like boss’s eyes, but was speaking to the wolf-like boss deep in his consciousness sea.

Then, Xiang Haikui closed her eyes. Her heart pounded, each beat faster than the last.

Feeling his somewhat heavy breathing drawing closer, with their lips about to touch, she couldn’t help turning her head, her ear brushing past his lips.

“Wait!” Xiang Haikui removed her clothes herself, leaving only an undergarment, then turned over to lie face down on the cushion. “Time is short, let’s get straight to the point.”

A hint of disappointment flashed in Yin Changli’s eyes.

Xiang Haikui sensed his disappointment, but there was no alternative.

She had heard people say that one could have the most intimate relationship with someone they didn’t love, yet couldn’t kiss them.

At the time, Xiang Haikui had scoffed, but now she knew it was true.

Not only did she not love him, but she was also terrified of him, as was Tian Kuang.

If not for this fear, Tian Kuang wouldn’t have gained so much wild energy from him.

…

“Sss…”

“I’ll be gentler.”

“Yes, you should be. Mind your waist.”

…

In the depths of the sea of memories, where darkness prevailed.

A little black snake broke through the ice and plunged into the seawater.

Though his head still felt dazed, Yin Changli knew his hibernation period had finally ended.

Each awakening felt like resurrection, and he had lost count of how many times this had happened.

Usually, after breaking through the ice, he would need to slowly stretch his stiff body in the cold seawater.

Once his body was loosened, he could go ashore.

But this time was different. It was as if he had fallen into a hot spring, with no need to exert effort to stretch his body.

Like warm sunshine on a winter’s day or a bonfire on a snowy mountain, it gave him warmth and comfort from body to soul.

Not since the destruction of his clan and family, when he knelt outside the heavenly palace gates amid falling snow, had he felt such warmth.

Yin Changli drifted among seaweed in the water for a while before swimming ashore.

After emerging from the water, Yin Changli transformed into human form and stood on the beach, with the sea water just covering his ankles.

Finally able to breathe, he took a deep breath, but frowned.

The air wasn’t as fresh and sweet as he had imagined, but rather murky, filled with the scent of… “desire”?

Such a breath of polluted air entering his lungs made his chest feel extremely constricted.

His previous feelings of joy vanished instantly, and he heard rumbling thunder.

Yin Changli looked up in confusion, only to see the previously cloudless blue sky suddenly fill with rolling black clouds, from which descended bolts of lightning.

As lightning struck, sparks flew everywhere.

In an instant, the “shore” before him had become a veritable inferno.

And within the raging flames, he vaguely saw two intertwined figures.

When he recognized who they were, Yin Changli froze for a moment.

Then, as if struck by celestial lightning, he suddenly awoke!

No…

This couldn’t be real.

“I must still be asleep.”

Yin Changli retreated in panic and disarray, wanting to return to the warm sea water.

Unexpectedly, a wave rose from the sea behind him, seemingly hiding a hand that pushed against his back, driving him forward.

Yin Changli continued to stagger backward, his face showing embarrassment: “No, I don’t want to go ashore.”

He broke free from the hand’s restraint and turned to rush toward the center of the sea, only to see the ocean raise a colossal wave.

Thus, he was powerlessly swept ashore by the massive wave.

…

Xiang Haikui’s experience couldn’t be described as anything but painful.

The puppy-like boss had been very gentle, but her injuries were likely the cause.

After all, he was also trying to clear her blocked meridians and energy points.

The two of them now resembled a doctor giving a patient a massage.

Suddenly.

The doctor stopped.

Xiang Haikui felt that he was reaching his limit.

“Is it your waist injury…”

She tilted her head back, trying to turn and see what was wrong with him.

But as her head had only turned halfway, a sweaty hand suddenly grabbed the back of her neck.

Five slender fingers almost completely encircled her delicate neck.

This hand pressed her face into the cushion, seemingly trying to prevent her from looking back.

But in his haste, he pressed too forcefully, numbing Xiang Haikui’s neck and embedding her entire face into the cushion.

Though the cushion was about thirty centimeters thick, Xiang Haikui’s nose nearly touched the floor beneath.

Without her magical powers, she couldn’t communicate mentally or hold her breath for long, bringing her to the edge of suffocation.

This sensation made her recall that dream from years ago.

The panic she felt when Huai Mie pressed her to death in the bathwater once again crept into her heart.

Stopping halfway because he couldn’t continue—was he embarrassed and didn’t want her to see? Fine, she wouldn’t look, but damn it, let go!

Like a drowning fish, with only her head immobile, she thrashed desperately.

She had no time to sense Tian Kuang outside the cave, but the sixth level’s wild energy progress bar had shot straight to the end.

She only sensed that with her thrashing, he seemed capable again.

“Don’t move!” Yin Changli suddenly spoke, his voice deep, restrained, and suppressed.

Before his self-destruction, he had imagined countless scenarios he might face upon awakening.

He had even prepared for the worst.

Yet he had never anticipated such… embarrassment.

Yin Changli, decisive and resolute throughout half a lifetime, who hadn’t even flinched when destroying himself, now deeply understood the meaning of one phrase, both physically and mentally.

—”Caught between a rock and a hard place.”