Behind Xi Wang Mu’s throne in Kunlun’s main hall, there was a secret space—a secret I had never known about during my time in Kunlun.

Xi Wang Mu had hidden a stone mirror in that secret space.

On the evening of June 2nd, Xie Zhuo, keeping it from my past self, met with Xi Wang Mu in front of that stone mirror.

During the day, Xie Zhuo had accompanied “me” to pay respects to Xi Wang Mu in the hall, but in this private meeting, Xie Zhuo did not bow.

When Xi Wang Mu met Xie Zhuo, her expression was solemn, and the first question she asked wasn’t about “my” marriage to Xie Zhuo.

“You sealed him away?”

Over these years, all the Main Gods of various mountains knew of Xie Zhuo, though some had met him and some had not.

Xi Wang Mu, as it happened, had never truly met Xie Zhuo face to face before this time, but they weren’t strangers either.

Xie Zhuo simply nodded in response to Xi Wang Mu’s question, but then he turned his gaze to one side.

Seeing this, Xi Wang Mu glanced at the stone mirror.

“You can’t hide from him. Come out.”

From behind the stone mirror emerged a smiling person—it was the old fox, Qin Shuyan.

“Young Master Xie Zhuo, I’ve long admired your name. I am Qin Shuyan, Kunlun’s Word Keeper.”

Word Keepers were the network of informants placed throughout the world by the Main Gods.

They were responsible for keeping the matters of evil spirits secret and sending people who accidentally learned the truth to the Undying City.

Floating beside Xie Zhuo as a soul, watching this scene, I finally understood why Xie Zhuo would, after marrying me, come to know Qin Shuyan and be willing to trust him.

Because… they were both people who kept secrets from the world, advancing in the night.

Qin Shuyan’s Emerald Lake Terrace, a place that seemed chaotic and would breed evil spirits and corpse ghosts, was actually collecting information about evil spirits and corpse ghosts.

“A few months ago, we suddenly lost track of you and the Evil God. The Main Gods, and we were quite frantic for several days,” Qin Shuyan waved his fan a couple of times. “If we hadn’t seen the evil miasma in the world decreasing, we would have prepared for the worst.”

Xie Zhuo glanced at Qin Shuyan and said, “I sealed him in a magma cave beneath Kunlun.”

Xi Wang Mu frowned slightly: “For now, you can only seal him? Have you found a way to eliminate the Evil God?”

Xie Zhuo shook his head…

I grew somewhat excited on the side.

I have a way! It’s just that this method I know now still needs to wait five hundred years.

Five hundred years later, when Xie Zhuo could toss Pangu Fu like a toy, when he reached the peak of his cultivation, then I could tell him this method!

Just wait a little longer, it’s almost time!

But I couldn’t tell them these things now.

Seeing Xi Wang Mu and Xie Zhuo fall silent, Qin Shuyan smiled again, interrupting their mood:

“Regardless, now that he’s sealed and the evil miasma in the world has decreased, it’s already a good thing. A few days ago, people guarding outside the Undying City also sent news, saying they saw a message transmitted by Main God Ji on the wind and snow barrier. It said that the evil miasma in the Undying City has also greatly decreased. Young Master Xie Zhuo’s sealing has already alleviated many dangers.”

Hearing this, Xie Zhuo silently nodded.

“Things are temporarily improving, but we still need to find a method to completely resolve this.”

“But there’s one thing I don’t understand,” Qin Shuyan said, looking at Xie Zhuo with a smile. “Young Master Xie Zhuo bears such a heavy responsibility. Why would you still want to marry a minor immortal in Kunlun?”

As soon as Qin Shuyan said this, Xi Wang Mu also looked at him inquiringly.

I especially paid close attention to Xie Zhuo’s expression.

I saw Xie Zhuo remain silent for a moment, looking at Qin Shuyan, then said seriously: “She is already an Upper Immortal.”

To be honest, when I heard this answer, I was a bit confused.

Let’s just say, Xie Zhuo, the point you care about seems somewhat skewed…

“It’s good that Jiu Xia has ascended to Upper Immortal. But without your help, could she… possibly have succeeded in passing the tribulation?” Xi Wang Mu’s gaze was clear and sharp.

Xie Zhuo, neither humble nor arrogant, with a steady tone, said: “She could…”

“If she could, why did you help?” Qin Shuyan also asked provocatively from the side.

Xie Zhuo was silent for a moment: “She could, but it would have been very difficult.”

Qin Shuyan continued asking: “You didn’t want her to be severely injured during the tribulation?”

“I didn’t want that.”

“Why?”

Xie Zhuo remained silent…

“Could it be that you truly fell in love with Fu Jiuxia?” Qin Shuyan pressed persistently.

“I…” Xie Zhuo frowned, his expression somewhat hesitant, as if extremely difficult to decide. “I don’t know.” He looked at Qin Shuyan with confusion: “I don’t know. When the heavenly thunder fell, by the time I realized, I had already formed a blood oath with her.”

His confused answer left Qin Shuyan momentarily speechless. After a pause, he said:

“Then you do love her.”

“What is love?”

Qin Shuyan was stumped by the question.

Xie Zhuo continued to ask in confusion: “What if it’s not? What if it’s just a momentary confused feeling, or an unnamed impulse, does that count as well?”

Xi Wang Mu and Qin Shuyan fell silent.

My soul form also remained silent on the side.

I was…

I was stunned!

The questions I had asked countless times in our marriage, the words I could intuitively answer, when they reached Xie Zhuo’s ears, became such philosophical inquiries!

This…

If we delve this deeply, then indeed I’m not sure whether when Xie Zhuo and I got married, it was a moment of joy, impulse, longing, or this profound “love.”

I…

I collected myself, looking at the confused Xie Zhuo, and suddenly understood.

Why would he ask such questions?

Because, in these long years, no one had given him truly lasting, firm, unreserved love.

His mother had not given it, his tribespeople were all cold, and later Main God Ji and the people of Magpie Mountain had all briefly passed through his life.

He had experienced the world, experienced its vicissitudes, experienced romance, learned tenderness, read books, traveled thousands of miles, yet had never experienced steady, firm love.

He…

He was doubting himself.

Unable to categorize his feelings within the meaning of any word in this world.

“Then… if it were someone else, in a moment of crisis, would you also form a blood oath with them?”

Xi Wang Mu had been quietly listening to the conversation between Qin Shuyan and Xie Zhuo, and only now spoke again.

“In all these years, Young Master Xie Zhuo has seen so many people, experienced so many life-and-death moments, why have you never formed the Snow Wolf tribe’s blood oath with anyone else?”

Xie Zhuo frowned.

Qin Shuyan also nodded: “Yes, why is Young Master Xie Zhuo only special toward Upper Immortal Jiu Xia?”

I observed Xie Zhuo’s expression.

He seemed to be thinking, thinking for a long time.

And I vaguely felt I could guess his answer…

“She…” he said, “is like a dog.”

I knew it!!

Thank you very much!

I might have been able to guess Xie Zhuo’s familiar response, but Xi Wang Mu and Qin Shuyan were completely baffled by it.

This phrase, “like a dog,” left the entire secret room in dead silence.

After a long while, Xi Wang Mu spoke seriously: “Young Master Xie Zhuo, we see all you have done to eradicate the Evil God, and the Main Gods of the four directions are all grateful to you. But regarding personal feelings, I don’t want you to marry Jiu Xia for any reason other than love.”

Yes, which Main God could hear such an answer—you marry, yet treat your wife like a dog?

My soul sighed in the air.

Although I knew what Xie Zhuo meant, because I… had indeed been a dog…

But Xie Zhuo’s words, heard by others, would probably be completely incomprehensible.

Xi Wang Mu continued seriously: “She is a cultivator of my Kunlun, raised in Kunlun since childhood. I don’t want her to be hurt in this matter. If you… If you’re just playing, it would be better to dissolve this blood oath.”

Qin Shuyan also nodded on the side, seemingly feeling that Xie Zhuo’s words were a bit excessive.

Qin Shuyan said, “Moreover, Young Master Xie Zhuo’s identity is special. You’ve formed a blood oath with Fu Jiuxia. Although you don’t know your feelings for her, if the Evil God learns of this, he will certainly target Fu Jiuxia. It’s better to dissolve the blood oath and keep it from her.”

“I will keep this matter hidden, not letting her know. But my Snow Wolf tribe’s blood oath cannot be dissolved.”

Xi Wang Mu frowned: “If that’s the case, since Jiu Xia doesn’t know about this, you don’t need to tell her about the blood oath. As long as you don’t hold a wedding in Kunlun…”

“I will hold a wedding with her.”

Xie Zhuo interrupted Xi Wang Mu’s words.

“Having formed a blood oath, she is now my wife. The wedding will be held. I will also protect her well.”

Xie Zhuo spoke firmly. Xi Wang Mu and Qin Shuyan exchanged a glance, seeing his resolute attitude, which didn’t seem like someone treating marriage as a game.

Xi Wang Mu thought for a moment: “Young Master Xie Zhuo, I am the Main God of Kunlun. Even if you have done the world a service regarding evil spirits, in matters concerning Jiu Xia, I will not allow you to treat her carelessly.”

Xie Zhuo nodded without saying anything, seeming to fully acknowledge Xi Wang Mu’s attitude.

Seeing this, Qin Shuyan looked at Xie Zhuo with increasing curiosity.

With the conversation reaching this point, Xi Wang Mu had nothing more to say, finally just reminding him: “You have sealed that person in Kunlun. It’s best that you stay in Kunlun, but these things…”

“Keep them from her, I know.”

Xi Wang Mu nodded: “I hope that in the future, you can determine what your true feelings are.”

Xie Zhuo’s footsteps paused for a moment. Without saying more, he left the secret space.