“Senior, aren’t you going too far just for the sake of winning or losing?”

Xiang Haikui didn’t even know what expression she should wear.

Han Qi asked, “Does Miss doubt my sincerity?”

“I don’t doubt it. Thank you for your respect and favor. I may be greedy, but I don’t follow just anyone who offers me candy.”

Before, she had no choice but to comply.

She patted her sword case, warning Tian Kuang to stay quiet.

A fierce ghost was lurking in the building to the left. Xiang Haikui opened a small gap in her sword case. She had intended to draw her sword, but after her cultivation level had increased, she wanted to test whether she could condense qi into a sword.

Previously, she had to rely on wielding Tian Kuang to control sword energy, holding the sword in her hand like a steering wheel.

Sword cultivators above the eighth rank could use their divine consciousness to direct sword energy, molding it like putty into whatever shape they desired.

She concentrated and attempted it, guiding the sword energy that escaped from the sword case to condense before her. To her surprise, it truly formed a sword of pure energy.

The energy sword flipped and flew according to her will, turning in every direction.

Then it flew toward the building, penetrating the wall, striking precisely where she aimed, and slaying the evil ghost that had been preparing to ambush them.

The energy sword then dissipated without damaging a single brick or tile of the building.

She remembered her master saying that true masters don’t compete to see who has more destructive power, but rather who has greater control over their abilities.

Xiang Haikui experienced this perfect control, and her previously gloomy mood became as radiant as the rising sun.

“Miss has great insight into the sword path,” Han Qi nodded in approval.

Xiang Haikui closed her sword case and quickened her pace. “Senior, you should go back.”

Han Qi matched her stride: “Don’t be so quick to refuse, Miss. Why not consider it?”

Xiang Haikui was annoyed: “I have neither time nor mood to consider it right now.”

Han Qi said, “Then let me help you think it through.”

Xiang Haikui walked with her head down. He was occupying her senior fellow disciple’s body, so she couldn’t draw her sword to cut him down. She could only listen to his endless chatter beside her.

“You’re unmarried, I have no wife, neither of us has someone in our hearts—why not give each other a chance?”

“We can first agree to marriage. If you still have attachments in the mortal world, I’ll accompany you through your journey here. Whatever Brother Changli can do, I can do as well. As you’ve seen, whether it’s embroidery or peeling crabs, I won’t lose to him.”

“I absolutely will not force Miss…”

Xiang Haikui’s current feeling was like Sun Wukong in A Chinese Odyssey, with a fly buzzing around her ear—so annoying she wanted to vomit.

“Aren’t you forcing me right now?”

“Of course not. I’m merely making my position clear, stating my conditions, so that Miss can make an informed choice.”

Xiang Haikui narrowed her eyes: “Senior, apart from your competitive spirit, are you trying to use me against Senior Yin?”

Han Qi admitted it without hesitation: “Yes, so this is a decision that accomplishes multiple goals at once.”

Xiang Haikui laughed: “I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. To Senior Yin, I’m just a chess piece, a tool.”

Han Qi shook his head: “Regarding the curse I placed on him, I tried male-female dual cultivation, but it didn’t work at all. Now I think I overlooked something at the time.”

Xiang Haikui frowned: “Oh?”

Han Qi continued: “The woman was just a dancing girl from an entertainment house, hired with my money. There was no emotion between them. Therefore, I conclude that when Brother Changli lost his memory due to the curse, he truly fell for you, rather than experiencing the imprinting mentality you believe. That affection was the key to successfully breaking the curse…”

Xiang Haikui’s footsteps involuntarily slowed.

She was stunned for a moment, then jumped over a tree root protruding a meter from the ground and continued walking: “That was also because of your curse. When the curse disappeared, so did that affection.”

Han Qi smiled: “Miss, I only sealed Brother Changli’s memories and spiritual apertures, making him think less, act more from his heart and instinct. I didn’t give him a love potion. His true feelings have nothing to do with my curse. You can think of it as my curse returning him to his youth. Even though he has awakened now, what has been engraved in his heart cannot be erased.”

In the end, Han Qi had won this round.

Won completely.

“If I secure you in my grasp while he’s still confused, it’s equivalent to capturing his weakness.”

Xiang Haikui looked at him in disbelief: “Senior, are you always this frank?”

Han Qi smiled: “I’m not particularly fond of lying.”

Xiang Haikui sneered: “Then what makes you think I would help you against Senior Yin?”

Even though their employment relationship had ended, she still owed her boss gratitude.

“Because Miss has no other choice.”

Ahead, two evil ghosts darted out from an alley. Before Xiang Haikui could draw her sword, Han Qi flicked several chess pieces from his fingertips.

The evil ghosts instantly dissipated.

Han Qi’s voice grew somewhat colder: “Miss, the Di Jun of the Upper Realm is deeply scheming and ruthlessly cruel, acting without regard for consequences. The war between the Mountain Sea Race and the Heavenly Race years ago was single-handedly instigated by him, with the purpose of removing his brother from the Crown Prince position.”

Xiang Haikui: “The former Lord of the Underworld?”

Han Qi nodded: “The Di Jun rarely acts personally, usually relying on his lackeys to do things, like me. But this doesn’t mean he lacks ability. On the contrary, he’s hiding his true strength, simply choosing not to act unless necessary.”

When Han Qi arrived in the Upper Realm, the Mountain Sea Race had already fallen, and the Three Realms had been pacified.

He had never seen the Di Jun use his cultivation powers. During their conversations, he could never quite figure out Di Jun’s methods—he appeared to be an “incompetent ruler.”

But could he be incompetent?

Impossible.

The death of the former Lord of the Underworld was undoubtedly connected to him.

And Yin Changli, though fully prepared, had never made his move. His concern was the Di Jun, not Han Qi.

“I’m not the only one plotting under the Di Jun. Now that I’ve failed and Brother Changli has awakened prematurely, the Di Jun might act personally or send someone else. The first person to be harmed will be you, Miss.”

What the fuck does this have to do with me, thought Xiang Haikui, sneering: “No matter how powerful the Di Jun is, how would he know I dual cultivated with him?”

Han Qi smiled: “I will report it to the Di Jun.”

Xiang Haikui’s mouth twitched, but thinking about it, that made sense.

Han Qi, the fighting rooster, was Di Jun’s lackey after all. Having failed his mission, he would naturally need to give the Di Jun an explanation.

“If the Di Jun doesn’t capture you, I originally would have. By helping Brother Changli, you’re helping the Mountain Sea Race. You’re not innocent. From my standpoint, killing you would be perfectly justified.”

As they spoke, they arrived at the main gate of the Lu family residence.

Standing at the entrance, Han Qi continued: “But I know you’re innocent. I don’t want to harm you, and I want to dual cultivate with you even more.”

“Then go ahead and say what you want. I’m not afraid,” Xiang Haikui refused to be intimidated.

She drew her sword, preparing to try to cleave open the Lu family’s barrier.

But Han Qi reached into the void and pulled out several small flags, throwing them outward.

The small flags arranged themselves in an octagonal pattern on the ground. He formed seals with both hands, and the small flags transformed into a doorway leading directly into the Lu family compound.

Han Qi made a gesture of invitation, still on the previous topic: “Even if I don’t report it, the Di Jun likely has channels to learn of this matter. Only by bearing the title of my fiancée would they hesitate to move against you, Miss.”

“Look, when a risk can be easily avoided, why must one act recklessly and charge in headfirst?”

Holy shit, was he a politician?

Xiang Haikui was nearly confused by his words.

They were both engaging in verbal attacks, but they weren’t on the same level.

After thinking for a moment, she simply said: “Senior, let me be honest with you. In my eyes, you’re a bad person, you know? I don’t want any involvement with you.”

“Yes, I’m certainly not a good person,” Han Qi said. Seeing she wasn’t moving, he walked into the formation first. “But by the time I had power, the Mountain Sea Race had already collapsed. For the rapid development of the human race, I had to act as I did.”

“No, even if the Mountain Sea Race hadn’t collapsed then, I still wouldn’t have stood with them.”

“No matter how much the Heavenly Race oppresses the mortal realm, they only treat mortals as slaves, not as food.”

“The Heavenly Race might be different from us, but in terms of ‘species’ and ‘civilization,’ we are closer to the Heavenly Race. The Mountain Sea Race is different…”

Xiang Haikui interrupted: “The Mountain Sea Race that I’ve encountered…”

Han Qi also interrupted: “The Mountain Sea Race that Miss has encountered are all figures at the pinnacle of their civilization. Do you understand the true Mountain Sea Race? No, so you have no right to criticize me.”

“I may not understand, but I know Senior Yin wouldn’t harm people needlessly, while you would. Senior Yin is resisting, while you rely on oppressing other races to gain benefits.”

Xiang Haikui put on her mocking face. “This human civilization you’ve gained by spilling the blood of other races, in my view, is nothing but self-indulgent delusion, no different from the Di Jun of the Upper Realm—equally garbage!”

Han Qi, neither angry nor upset, smiled: “Brother Changli says the same thing.”

Xiang Haikui was startled.

Han Qi: “You’ve been deeply influenced by him.”

Xiang Haikui frowned: “This is my own opinion.”

She walked into the formation, standing beside Han Qi.

Han Qi made hand seals to activate the formation. The two instantly disappeared from outside the gate, reappearing in the Lu family courtyard.

“I’ve wavered somewhat over these years. But I’ve always been particularly stubborn since childhood, with a personality that won’t turn back until hitting a wall.” Han Qi shook his head. “No, if there’s a wall, I’ll break through it and continue.”

“Madman.” As soon as Xiang Haikui landed, she saw more than a dozen fierce beasts staring at them menacingly.

She raised her sword. “I think I understand Senior’s meaning now. Besides wanting to dual cultivate with me, you also want to recruit me, turn me, and help you deal with Yin Changli.”

Han Qi nodded: “Correct. I think before Miss chooses sides, you might as well go out and see. Tour the Heavenly Race, tour the Mountain Sea Race, and after gaining perspective, make your decision.”

Xiang Haikui suddenly smiled, more brilliantly than the morning sun: “If I could deal with Yin Changli, aren’t you afraid that after these tours, I might lead you astray instead?”

Before Xiang Haikui could act, Han Qi walked forward.

Without even drawing the sword in his hand, he walked through the beast pack with steady steps, merely tapping each beast in different spots with his scabbard.

Those beasts burst with fresh blood and fell one after another.

He stood ahead, turned around, and, across a path of blood, extended his hand to her. “Whether you come to agree with me, or change me, push me into the abyss, or save me from fire and water—I would welcome it all. I wonder, Miss… what do you think?”