The vengeful ghosts outside didn’t withstand Xie Zhuo’s sword for long.

Over the past half month, Xie Zhuo seemed to have become more adept at killing.

In less than half an incense stick’s time, the vengeful ghosts outside were completely cleared away.

The immortals and villagers inside the barrier watched what seemed like an incredible performance, all of them stunned.

Only after the main god Ji confirmed that all the evil spirit aura outside had dissipated did he withdraw the barrier.

He was the first to walk out.

The Xie Zhuo outside, however, paid no attention to the people here. The round thing in his arms seemed to move a little, and he lowered his head with some concern, focusing only on what he held. His expression showed no sense that he had just done something extraordinary.

The main god Ji walked up to Xie Zhuo and nodded to him: “I am Ji, the main god of Mount Magpie. May I ask your name?”

Xie Zhuo glanced at the main god Ji: “Name?”

The main god Ji paused slightly: “Your name, or, how should I address you?”

“Xie Zhuo.”

The main god Ji, didn’t delve into which characters made up his name. It seemed this wasn’t important to him. The next question was what the main god Ji was most concerned about:

“Why are you here?” He glanced at Xie Zhuo’s still-dripping sword. “This cultivation technique of yours is it… from the Snow Wolf tribe?”

At the mention of the Snow Wolf tribe, Xie Zhuo’s expression finally showed a slight change. He looked at the main god Ji earnestly: “That’s none of your concern.”

Xie Zhuo, holding what was in his arms, turned to leave.

I watched anxiously, supporting myself on my lame leg, limping toward him.

But with my current form—a small cripple missing one of two legs—I was worse off than before as a dog missing one of four legs. How could I catch up with Xie Zhuo’s long strides?

Fortunately, the main god Ji, wanted to keep him.

“Young Master Xie Zhuo.” The main god Ji, stopped him.

He addressed him as “Young Master,” but Xie Zhuo now wore coarse clothes, dressed no differently from the fleeing villagers behind me. Calling him “Young Master” sounded rather strange to my ears.

Xie Zhuo seemed to find it a bit odd, too, but since he had been addressed, he stood in place.

Perhaps it was because few people had actively called to him like this before.

Xie Zhuo looked at the main god Ji: “Do you need me to do something?”

As he spoke, he appeared quite practiced, suggesting that during the half month since I left him, he had encountered many people in the Northern Wilderness who had emerged seeking help…

After all, the Northern Wilderness was now in chaos.

“I can’t stay long,” Xie Zhuo said. “I have matters to attend to.”

Watching this, I found it both amusing and sad.

He now understood the rule of stating unpleasant facts upfront. He must have suffered from being constantly asked for help.

Since leaving the ice and snow forest, Xie Zhuo had stepped into the mortal world. Even in the sparsely populated Northern Wilderness, he had acquired a hint of worldliness.

Looking at him, I thought this was good.

But thinking about how each sentence he spoke now came with heart-piercing pain, I felt deep sympathy, wishing I could answer all the main god Ji’s questions for him.

I moved more urgently toward him.

“You have matters to attend to?” The main god Ji, inquired. “May I ask, what important business does Young Master have?”

“Kill the Evil God.” Xie Zhuo didn’t avoid the question at all. His expression was as hard as a blade, just like the day he left the ice and snow forest.

At these words, the main god Ji fell silent suddenly, and all the immortal soldiers behind him froze.

The main god Ji, immediately looked back, not wanting more people to know about this matter at this time. This was evident from the way he concealed it from all the refugees at Mount Magpie.

Behind them, the villagers were more concerned with their belongings. Earlier, the possessed man had scattered their things everywhere. With the crisis over, everyone was gathering their remaining possessions. No one was deliberately listening to their conversation.

Only I, dragging one leg, incongruously approached them.

The main god Ji’s gaze instantly swept over me.

Compared to his compassion thousands of years later, at this time, still in his divine form, he appeared much more severe.

I shuddered under his stare, even wondering if he had seen through my soul… after all, it was he who had personally separated my soul from my body.

I hesitated, then thought: Since I wanted to tell Xie Zhuo about the Evil God, I might as well be straightforward about my identity, reveal everything about the future, and just tell the main god Ji directly.

Having Xie Zhuo and the main god Ji contact all the main gods now to deal with the Evil God together—wouldn’t that make victory easier?

After all, they shared a common enemy, and I wasn’t here to harm them.

With this in mind, I more determinedly walked toward him.

But the main god Ji, turned to whisper to a soldier beside him: “Take the survivors back to Mount Magpie first.”

The soldier acknowledged the order and turned to lead the villagers away.

Meanwhile, the main god Ji led Xie Zhuo farther away.

I felt both anxious and angry. Were a god and a demon intentionally taking advantage of my crippled state today?

What had been a short distance seemed to stretch as they walked, making it seem like I would never catch up!

I continued to limp after them, but a soldier stopped me: “Miss, by the God Lord’s command, civilians are to return to Mount Magpie with us first.”

“I have something important to tell the main god.”

The soldier blocked me, looking suspicious.

Judging by his expression, he seemed to be regarding me as an evil spirit.

Now I… did appear somewhat suspicious, with unclear origins, strange behavior, and dubious intentions.

Looking at the stern-faced soldier before me, I opened my mouth but found no explanation.

After some thought, I composed myself and solemnly told the soldier: “I’m not a bad person. I truly have something very important to tell the main god, concerning the Evil God…”

Before I could finish, I saw the main god Ji, and Xie Zhuo, who had walked ahead, apparently just finishing their conversation. The main god Ji, formed a fist-sized stone in his palm.

I recognized the glow on the stone, similar to Pangu Fu. It was the distinctive radiance from the divine weapons that guarded each immortal realm’s mountains.

That was the divine weapon of Mount Magpie in the Northern Wilderness.

I had learned about it from books in Kunlun. It was called the Heart of Mount Magpie.

As soon as the main god Ji revealed the divine weapon, Xie Zhuo seemed extremely uncomfortable. He leaped backward, immediately retreating several meters.

On his body, beneath his skin, the demon markings of the Snow Wolf tribe seemed to be revealed by the Heart of Mount Magpie, faintly visible, fluctuating for a long time before finally slowly disappearing.

Divine weapons naturally harmed demons!

Main god Ji, you old immortal, how dare you use a divine weapon to hurt my husband!

Before, without a body, I couldn’t deal with the Evil God. Now with a body, couldn’t I at least give you a slap?

“Stop right there!” I shouted.

The soldier in front of me was startled. I swung my sleeve, eyes fierce, not even taking time to regulate my inner breath, and forcefully pushed the soldier aside.

Limping, I used my largest strides to reach Xie Zhuo. I stood firmly in front of him, spreading my arms to shield him behind me.

This was something I had wanted to do many times since coming here, but had never been able to—

Stand in front of him protectively.

I blocked the light of the Heart of Mount Magpie, casting a shadow over Xie Zhuo behind me.

I spread my arms as wide as possible, fearing that at this moment, I wasn’t using my full strength to protect him.

“Just try to hurt him!”

I shouted with a mountain-swallowing气势spirit, and then…

The main god Ji, put the Heart of Mount Magpie away.

The movement was quick, smooth, and without any hesitation.

I was somewhat stunned. After the glow of the Heart of Mount Magpie disappeared, the person behind me stood up, his shadow now enveloping me.

It seemed…

They hadn’t been fighting.

I felt rather embarrassed now, and after the embarrassment, my heart began to race from being so close to the person behind me.

Very close, he was right behind me, with warmth, with breath.

I couldn’t help but tremble slightly, as if all the hairs on my body had been activated, shifting toward his direction behind me.

It was Xie Zhuo…

I turned my head, finally seeing him up close again. The demon markings revealed earlier by the Heart of Mount Magpie had disappeared, and his face had returned to calmness.

He looked at me, with my reflection in his clear eyes.

It was an unfamiliar face. He showed no particular expression, just glanced at me, and then looked at the round bundle in his arms.

I lowered my head, following his gaze, and realized that what he had been holding was a small yellow dog…

Picked up from somewhere.

He was stroking the dog’s head, saying: “No fighting, Second Little Wolf, don’t be afraid.”

“Second Little Wolf” seemed to be the name he had given to the small dog in his arms.

The little yellow dog gave a “woof” and curled up in his arms, appearing very warm and comfortable.

I looked at the dog, feeling something indescribable…

Very complex…

I had just used all my strength to stand in front of him, wanting to protect him, but he seemed not to have noticed.

He was only comforting the dog in his arms.

I felt as if I had been outshone by another dog…

But why was I fixated on being compared to a dog…

So complicated…

“The young lady misunderstood,” the main god Ji, walked up behind me, his expression very calm and serene. “I wasn’t attacking him.” He explained, “I was merely using the divine weapon of Mount Magpie to probe the Young Master’s true identity.”

Checking if his body contained an evil spirit aura…

It was the divine weapon’s natural intimidation of demons that had forced Xie Zhuo to retreat…

The most nervous person turned out to be me, the bystander.

“But, young lady, why are you so concerned about Young Master Xie Zhuo? Do you know each other?”

Hearing this, Xie Zhuo glanced at me, then shook his head.

I steadied myself, no longer looking at the dog in Xie Zhuo’s arms, and turned to face the main god Ji, opening my mouth: “God Lord, I…”

Am from the future, sent back by the gods…

These words didn’t leave my mouth.

I paused. At this moment, I vaguely felt that this matter shouldn’t be spoken of now, in this way.

Something was strange, paradoxical…

I turned to look at Xie Zhuo.

Xie Zhuo seemed to find me a bit odd and was examining me.

I looked at him for a while, then turned to look at the main god Ji.

The main god, Ji, had already put away the Heart of Mount Magpie, and now there was no trace of it.

But I knew that the Heart of Mount Magpie, like Pangu Fu, was a divine weapon that guarded mountains. Divine weapons had enormous deterrent power against demons. The current Xie Zhuo would almost immediately be forced back by the radiance of a divine weapon, unable to approach it.

Then, how was the Xie Zhuo who had been married to me for five hundred years able to pick up Pangu Fu with his bare hand, cleaving through space and time as if playing, again and again?

And keeping Pangu Fu on his person all the time…

And acting as if nothing was wrong…

I pressed my lips together…

Falling into silence.

If the Xie Zhuo who had just left the ice and snow forest was the Xie Zhuo who had just passed his growth phase, then the Xie Zhuo who had been married to me for five hundred years was the Xie Zhuo who had cultivated for thousands of years more than this moment.

During this time, Xie Zhuo had grown in power.

He had grown powerful enough to, as a demon, wield a divine weapon and cleave through space and time…

That’s why he was able to collect all the evil spirit aura in the world and return it to the mountains and rivers in one stroke.

Even so, he still paid with his life.

And the current Xie Zhuo…

Could he do it?

Though the evil spirit aura hadn’t fully spread, with his current power, could he achieve it?

Would it still cost him his life?

If successful, would his life end here in the Northern Wilderness?

If unsuccessful, then would there truly be no more Xie Zhuo in the world…

Revealing the secret in my heart was simple, but the consequences would be complex.

Complex to a degree I could neither control nor predict.

Concerning the Evil God, Xie Zhuo, and even everyone else…

Could I gamble?

Could I bear the win or the loss?

Looking at Xie Zhuo, my throat was dry, the words I had wanted to blurt out were now stuck in my throat, difficult to express.

Xie Zhuo frowned slightly, seemingly waiting for my answer.

This scene was familiar.

It was like many moments in our five hundred years of marriage when Xie Zhuo and I faced each other in silence.

I would ask him questions, frowning, and he would look at me, his eyes full of thoughts, but his lips always tightly pressed together.

So, having difficulty speaking wasn’t just because of the Evil God’s curse, but because of inner hesitation, difficulty in making decisions, difficulty in expressing one’s thoughts.

“Young lady?” The main god Ji questioned me from behind, “Do you know Young Master Xie Zhuo?”

“I…” I began, “I don’t know him.”

I lowered my head, my hands tightly clenched inside my sleeves, unseen by anyone.

“I just… just because of his actions earlier, I considered him our savior, and I didn’t want him to be killed by the God Lord like this. I am… very grateful to him.”

Hearing the word “grateful,” Xie Zhuo’s eyes widened slightly, a faint light seemingly rising from their depths.

Seeing his expression, I suppressed the complex emotions surging within me, smiled at the corners of my mouth, and said: “Thank you for saving… us…”

Xie Zhuo’s fingers gently stroked “Second Little Wolf’s” back twice. He lowered his eyes, showing a gentle warmth.

“You’re welcome,” he said softly, almost cautiously.

As if not knowing how to respond to this gratitude and kindness.

“Grateful?” The main god Ji, walked from behind to my side. He observed me sideways, his Buddha-like eyes seemingly able to see through everything: “Is that so?”

Startled by the main god Ji’s question, I could only force a smile and say: “Yes. Very grateful.”

“But it seems it was Mount Magpie’s soldiers who rescued you from the village.”

Gritting my teeth, I smiled hard: “I’m grateful for that too.”

“Is that so? Would the young lady also be willing to face danger for my Mount Magpie soldiers?” Another gentle, mild question.

I just swallowed and smiled: “God Lord, my lame leg is hurting. Perhaps, you should take me back to Mount Magpie first.”

“What is the young lady’s name?”

“Fu…” My eyes darted, realizing I couldn’t reveal my true identity or name, “Agou…”

I blurted out this name in an instant.

After speaking, I first fell silent.

Then deeply regretted it in my heart.

I had truly been a dog for too long!

Without thinking, the first name that came to mind was this!

I glanced at “Second Little Wolf” in Xie Zhuo’s arms, silently cursing. Even an ordinary dog was called Little Wolf, yet I had become Agou.

“Miss Agou.” The main god Ji, didn’t laugh at me but still spoke kindly and formally: “Come back to Mount Magpie with us.”

I gritted my teeth and agreed: “Alright, thank you, God Lord.”

Then I looked at Xie Zhuo, “Young Master Xie Zhuo, where are you headed?”

Knowing his whereabouts would help me find him after I escaped from the main god Ji.

“To Mount Magpie,” Xie Zhuo said.

I was stunned, instantly delighted—no need for separation!

But after the joy, I paused again: “Did the God Lord also invite Young Master Xie Zhuo?”

Xie Zhuo shook his head: “The business I need to handle is at Mount Magpie.”

Hearing this, my heart sank. I immediately looked at the main god Ji, whose expression was also grave. It seemed they had been discussing this earlier…

Xie Zhuo’s business at Mount Magpie meant he had traced Zhu Lian’s whereabouts there.

The Evil God had perhaps already hidden there…