In the past, beyond their employment relationship, there was a debt of gratitude for Xiang Haikui.

No matter how much her boss emphasized that he acted for his benefit, Xiang Haikui remained grateful.

After ten years together, caring for her puppy boss and her relationship with Xiao Bai, there was genuine affection there.

Now things were different. Since awakening, her boss had repeatedly emphasized that they were completely even.

The two now truly had a contractual relationship.

Yin Changli glanced at the umbrella handle in his hand, disbelief gradually appearing in his eyes: “Xiang Haikui, do you believe…”

Believe what? That he would fire her?

Xiang Haikui wasn’t afraid at all. She was now an extremely valuable asset: “Senior Han Qi probably hasn’t gone far yet. If you want to send me away, do it quickly.”

Yin Changli tightened his lips: “Miss Xiang, I hope you understand that my taking you with me today isn’t because you’re useful to me, but because I feel I’ve implicated you…”

“I understand,” Xiang Haikui interrupted, spreading her hands. “It’s all business—you’re buying peace of mind.”

She thought for a moment and added, “Besides, Senior, you don’t need to force yourself to protect me. Following Senior Han Qi would be fine too. I don’t mind bearing his name. I’m not someone with much self-esteem—I’ve done all sorts of things to survive.”

She was no naive college student who hadn’t experienced society’s cruelty.

If it hadn’t been for wanting to follow her senior brother’s footsteps, she would have given up on college long ago.

She had struggled tremendously through high school. Being an attractive orphan, she was frequently harassed by local thugs.

The day her senior brother rescued her, a small-time boss had wanted to keep her as a mistress. When she refused, he sent some gangsters to corner her.

At that time, she was truly on the verge of giving in, as she had begun questioning why she was working so hard. With her looks and figure, she could have easily lived a comfortable life.

For survival, one’s bottom line keeps lowering.

Fortunately, she met her senior brother.

Those novels that talked about “a ray of light in the darkness”—they truly existed.

That very night, she had taken a fruit knife to that small-time boss’s residence, first calling the police, then inflicting a wound on herself.

The boss was so frightened that he never dared trouble her again.

She began studying seriously, following her senior brother’s footsteps to apply for the best university in their province. As her surroundings improved, she gradually started living like a normal person.

Yin Changli didn’t know what she was remembering as she kept her eyelashes lowered.

He didn’t speak again, continuing to walk with his umbrella.

Xiang Haikui snapped back to reality and followed.

To the royal city gates, they didn’t encounter a single evil spirit or ferocious beast—all seemed to be avoiding Yin Changli.

Although Jin Ling’s royal city was sealed by a grand formation, Yin Changli effortlessly led Xiang Haikui through the barrier.

“Classmate Xiang.”

Just as Xiang Haikui left the barrier, she heard her senior brother’s voice transmission.

She thought it might be Han Qi, but Han Qi wouldn’t call her “classmate.” Xiang Haikui quickly turned her head.

Jing Ran was following with his sword, blocked by the city-sealing formation at the gate.

“Senior Brother?” Xiang Haikui wasn’t certain.

Jing Ran nodded: “Senior Han Qi has already left.”

Having just returned to his physical body, he appeared quite uncomfortable, his energy disordered, and his face notably pale.

Especially around his neck, which was bruised from Yin Changli’s choking.

Xiang Haikui first turned to look at Yin Changli, silently questioning him with her eyes.

Yin Changli glanced at Jing Ran and gave a slight nod.

Relieved that it was truly her senior brother, Xiang Haikui, she smiled and asked: “Do you need something from me?”

He had just returned to his physical body and should be resting.

“Is this Senior Yin?” Jing Ran looked toward Yin Changli instead.

“Yes,” Xiang Haikui answered for him.

Jing Ran cupped his hands in respect: “Senior Han told me that you two are going to the Underworld. May I ask if Senior Yin could take me along?”

Yin Changli frowned: “What would you go there for?”

Jing Ran answered: “I’ve never been before and would like to broaden my horizons.”

Yin Changli replied carelessly: “No rush—you’ll naturally go there when you die.”

Xiang Haikui transmitted: “Don’t mind him, he always has a dog’s mouth, sniping at everyone.”

Jing Ran wasn’t bothered: “Senior Han Qi said that Senior Yin dislikes owing others the most. But Senior Yin, don’t you owe me something?”

“Oh?” Yin Changli laughed. “If you’re referring to my deliberately giving Xiang Heng the wrong array technique, causing him to bring you over, I don’t feel I owe you anything. After all, you wanted to cultivate, and I happened to fulfill your wish, isn’t that right?”

“But… deciding to stay was my own choice, and becoming a disciple was due to my abilities. What does any of this have to do with you, Senior?”

Jing Ran slowly continued with lowered eyes, “Senior Han Qi borrowing my physical body was, ultimately, caused by you. If I can still live, that’s due to Senior Han Qi’s benevolence. If I had lost my life, wouldn’t that karmic debt fall on you, Senior?”

Xiang Haikui suddenly grew nervous, shuffling her feet to stand between them.

“What you say makes sense,” Yin Changli said. “Did Han Qi teach you this?”

Jing Ran didn’t answer: “Senior only needs to take me there and back. I absolutely won’t interfere with your business. This way, we’ll be even.”

Yin Changli also didn’t answer but swept his sleeve, causing the city-sealing formation to split open.

Jing Ran passed through the opening and bowed again: “Thank you.”

Yin Changli turned and continued walking. Behind him, Xiang Haikui seemed to come alive, chattering incessantly.

He listened the whole way, his expression growing increasingly somber.

After passing through the corridor, Yin Changli arrived in the Underworld.

Strangely, he was alone—Xiang Haikui and Jing Ran still hadn’t appeared when the corridor closed.

The two had disappeared together.

After returning to his physical body, Han Qi meditated briefly, then rose and left the quiet room.

Xing Nü respectfully greeted him: “Master, you’ve returned.”

Han Qi nodded and walked out without a word.

Seeing his contemplative expression with furrowed brows, Xing Nü didn’t dare make a sound.

Han Qi suddenly stopped, turned around, and asked: “Xing Nü, help your master analyze—what exactly was disgusting about what I said?”

He told his disciple about the two occasions when Yin Changli had called him disgusting.

At first, Xing Nü also looked bewildered, but after pondering, her lips twitched.

Originally there was nothing wrong, but when viewed from a “disgusting” perspective, it indeed was quite disgusting.

If she didn’t know her master well, apart from his poor acting skills and complete ignorance about romance, she would have thought he was flirting with her.

“Never mind…”

Han Qi, seeing her lower her head without answering, assumed she didn’t know either.

After all, his disciple’s knowledge was still limited. Yin Changli’s level of understanding wasn’t something she could fathom.

Han Qi continued walking, troubled by this matter—it would probably occupy his thoughts for quite some time.

Leaving the Star-Plucking Palace, he came to Di Jun’s Heaven-Listening Palace.

“Di Jun still hasn’t emerged from seclusion?”

Two hundred years ago, when Han Qi had closed his doors to visitors and concentrated on observing the star chart, Di Jun had already been in seclusion for over three hundred years. It had now been five hundred years in total, yet he still hadn’t emerged.

Just as he was preparing to leave, a voice suddenly stopped him: “Han Qi!”

Although the Heavenly Race looked down on mortals, very few dared to address Han Qi directly by name.

Dugu He, the Heavenly Race’s foremost sword cultivator and the one who had defeated Qi Yin years ago, was one such person.

Han Qi particularly disliked him orx rather, Han Qi disliked all brutes.

“Senior Dugu,” Han Qi expressionlessly bowed with cupped hands, remaining polite.

Dugu He stepped forward. With his extremely tall and robust build, he leaned slightly forward, narrowing his eyes and asking in a low voice: “How did it go? Success or failure?”

His gaze was intense, appearing very curious.

Han Qi shook his head: “Hard to say—halfway, I suppose.”

Dugu He was surprised: “How can it be halfway?”

“Lord Changli has awakened. I didn’t learn the divine artifact’s whereabouts, but he now has a weakness.”

The timing wasn’t ripe, and Yin Changli wouldn’t act rashly. During this interval, there was still a chance to obtain the divine artifact.

“However, his next step will be to release the Mountain Sea Tribe prisoners. A large-scale war won’t break out, but small-scale conflicts are inevitable.”

Wild enthusiasm surged in Dugu He’s eyes: “Is that mad dog Qi going to be released?!”

Han Qi nodded: “The sealing power on him is the strongest, so it will probably take longer.”

“Excellent!” Dugu He clenched his left fist and struck his right palm, so excited that his face flushed slightly red. “This is truly excellent!”

As the strongest of the Heavenly Race, Dugu He’s only worthy opponent was Qi Yin.

When the two races were at war, he had wanted an honorable duel with Qi Yin, but the then-Second Prince, now Di Jun, had persistently persuaded him to prioritize the greater situation.

Reluctantly, Dugu He had cooperated with the scheme to defeat Qi Yin.

An ignoble victory—the regret of his lifetime!

He laughed loudly: “Fortunately, the Mountain Sea Tribe produced an Yin Changli, giving me another chance to battle that mad dog! Hahahahaha…”

Han Qi was truly tired of these brutes with nothing but violence in their minds. He subtly changed the subject: “Is Senior Dugu also here to see Di Jun?”

In his excitement, Dugu He answered readily: “No, I’m guarding the Heaven-Listening Palace, protecting Di Jun during his cultivation.”

“When did you arrive?” Han Qi hadn’t seen him when he visited two hundred years ago.

“I’ve been hidden all along. Di Jun forbade me from showing myself.” Dugu He smiled. “I saw your displeased expression and thought you had failed, so I couldn’t resist coming out to ask.”

Indeed, Han Qi had brought him good news.

Han Qi maintained his smile: “In that case, this junior will take his leave.”

Dugu He concealed himself again: “Go ahead!”

After walking away, Han Qi looked back at the towering gatehouse of the Heaven-Listening Palace.

Strange—why would Di Jun’s seclusion require Dugu He to stand guard?

Had Di Jun sent his avatar to the lower realm?

Even if an avatar went to the lower realm, such caution wouldn’t be necessary.

Unless Di Jun wasn’t in the Heaven-Listening Palace at all, and feared intruders, so he asked Dugu He to guard the palace gates?

If that were true, where had Di Jun gone for over five hundred years?

With the Mountain Sea Tribe war about to resume, did he still have the leisure to travel?

Han Qi had arrived with a mind full of concerns and departed even more anxious.

Just as he stepped onto the stairs of the Star-Plucking Palace, Han Qi suddenly halted, finally understanding why the person who informed Meng Nanting had acted so swiftly.

This person had complete knowledge of his movements.

This person had been right by his “side” at that time.

Was it… Jing Ran?

Could Jing Ran possibly be… Di Jun?!

The reason he hadn’t detected anything unusual was because Di Jun hadn’t sent an avatar to the lower realm—like Xiang Tianqing, he had directly reincarnated?

Yes, even before he and Yin Changli had prepared to challenge fate, Di Jun had already reincarnated.

Moreover, he had reincarnated into another world and become entangled with Xiang Haikui.

Could Di Jun foresee fate so far ahead?

No.

Han Qi guessed that Di Jun had reincarnated blindly. Di Jun had no idea what he and Yin Changli would do to the Wheel of Fate.

But Di Jun was the emperor of great fortune. By actively reincarnating to undergo tribulation, no matter how the Wheel of Fate changed, the god of luck would always favor him, reserving a lifeline for him.

For instance, sending him to Xiang Haikui’s side.

Han Qi marveled repeatedly.

Reincarnating to undergo tribulation while knowing nothing, seeking a lifeline for both the Heavenly Race and himself.

Such courage and decisiveness—truly worthy of being the Heavenly Race’s Di Jun.

And his soul possession had trapped Di Jun in a spirit prison for ten years.

Di Jun may have… awakened.