The ink qilin appeared at the critical moment.

It roared and spewed a beam of blue light toward the hand in which Leng Yuan held her dagger.

Leng Yuan immediately withdrew her hand, stepping back several paces to avoid the qilin’s attack.

The ink qilin’s aura was earth-shaking, its qilin eyes shooting cold light as it stared intently at Leng Yuan, as if it would tear her to pieces the next second.

“Ink qilin…”

Mu Yunjin hadn’t expected the ink qilin to arrive so timely. If the ink qilin was here, was Chu Li also…?

She instinctively looked around but saw only the ink qilin alone.

Hearing Mu Yunjin call its name, the ink qilin stepped forward, wagged its tail, and gently nuzzled her with its head.

This docile and gentle demeanor formed a stark contrast with its majestic appearance just moments ago.

Leng Yuan stood to the side, watching the scene between person and beast. Angrily, she tore off the corner of her garment and roughly bandaged her hand.

Looking around again, Leng Yuan realized that Chu Li hadn’t come—only the qilin beast had arrived.

Hah…

It seemed even the heavens were helping her.

“Ink qilin, where is Chu Li?” Mu Yunjin looked at the ink qilin, completely ignoring Leng Yuan across from her.

The ink qilin heard these words, looked at Mu Yunjin, and nodded to her.

Mu Yunjin immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

At this moment, perhaps because of the ink qilin’s appearance, Mu Yunjin lowered her guard slightly. Her physical discomfort swept through her, and her vision began to darken.

“Awooo…” The ink qilin noticed Mu Yunjin’s discomfort and extended its paw to nudge her.

Mu Yunjin lifted her eyelids and smiled at the ink qilin.

Leng Yuan calculated the time—only about an incense stick’s worth of time remained. If she could just keep this qilin beast at bay during this time, the red seven stars would appear, and the moment of soul exchange would arrive.

From then on, she could occupy Fu Huan’s body and roam the four seas!

The more Leng Yuan thought about it, the more excited she became. Her eyes hardened, and with a wave of her hand, she manifested a soft sword, pointing it at the ink qilin. “Ink qilin, since we’re old friends, why not be sensible and accept me as your master?”

Hearing these words, the ink qilin swung its paw, sending a fierce light sweeping toward Leng Yuan.

“Even you, a beast, have such poor judgment. Today I’ll slaughter you and roast your qilin meat!” Leng Yuan’s words fell as her wrist flicked, sending invisible sword energy toward the ink qilin.

The ink qilin showed no fear, pouncing forward with earth-shaking momentum.

Mu Yunjin sat on the ground, finally unable to resist coughing up several mouthfuls of blood. This feeling of being completely powerless was truly terrible.

Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. The wound on her back had become numb from pain. Finally, as the last bit of strength supporting her body drained away, Mu Yunjin collapsed onto the ground.

After falling, Mu Yunjin took a few labored breaths and looked at the red star.

Whether it was her blurred vision or something else, that red star seemed to be gradually separating…

Had the half-hour time almost elapsed…?

In her hazy state, Mu Yunjin suddenly felt many familiar voices in her ears and familiar faces appearing before her eyes.

She even saw Chu Li, whom she had been longing for.

“Huan’er, Huan’er…”

Mu Yunjin dimly heard Chu Li anxiously calling her, but her eyelids were heavy, and she couldn’t lift them no matter how she tried. Was she dreaming?

On another side, she seemed to hear the voice of Daoist Feng Xuan, “Murong said that finding all three Soul-Avoiding Pearls can break the evil phenomenon of these seven red stars!”

“Now, one Soul-Avoiding Pearl is with Yu’er. We still need to find two more!”

Subsequently, in her haze, Mu Yunjin saw a pearl being placed at her lips.

This pearl…

Wasn’t it the one Fish Granny gave her?

Soul-Avoiding Pearl—could this be the Soul-Avoiding Pearl?

If so, she already had two Soul-Avoiding Pearls and needed just one more to break this celestial phenomenon!

“The mistress still has breath. The wound on her back seems to be from sword energy, severely damaging her vital energy. I’ll apply some medicine first; you all keep that crazy woman at bay.” Hua Ying’s voice sounded.

Seeing this, Yu’er immediately ran over and took out a medicinal pill from the sachet at her waist. “Sister Hua, let Sister Yun take this. It’s a medicine that Granny refined, excellent for wound healing.”

“Wonderful!” Having witnessed Murong Rusu’s skill in medicine refining, Hua Ying quickly took the medicinal pill and prepared to place it against Mu Yunjin’s lips.

Leng Yuan was entangled with the ink qilin, not expecting Chu Li to arrive so quickly.

Just a moment longer, and she would have succeeded, but these people had arrived at such an inopportune time.

Medicinal pill…

Wound healing…

Leng Yuan’s eyes grew fierce. She condensed a beam of purple light at her fingertips and shot it toward the medicinal pill in Hua Ying’s hand.

Chu Li’s expression darkened like water. Upon detecting Leng Yuan’s movement, he spoke coldly, “Harm someone of mine? Seeking death!”

A sharp light sliced out from his sleeve, carrying a devastating force directly toward Leng Yuan.

Leng Yuan was greatly alarmed. She immediately withdrew the purple light and extended both hands to block Chu Li’s attack. However, she underestimated its power. Although she blocked some of it, the true energy still struck her, sending her staggering back several steps.

“Pfft…”

Leng Yuan bent over and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Wiping the blood from her lips, Leng Yuan walked toward Chu Li as if nothing had happened. “Siqing, one of the Soul-Avoiding Pearls you need is with me.”

“Time is running short now. The red seven stars will reappear soon, and then Fu Huan and I will exchange souls.”

Chu Li’s pupils contracted, and his expression changed.

Daoist Feng Xuan also found it hard to believe—how coincidental that one pearl was in this woman’s hands.

“Siqing, for the sake of our past relationship, if you agree to one request of mine, I’ll give you the Soul-Avoiding Pearl.” Leng Yuan calmly met Chu Li’s gaze, traces of blood still staining her lips.

“What condition?” Chu Li asked without hesitation.

Daoist Feng Xuan quickly pulled at Chu Li’s sleeve. “Young man, don’t act rashly. Even if this woman gives us one Soul-Avoiding Pearl, we still need one more!”

At this time, Mu Yunjin, lying on the ground, swallowed the medicinal pill Yu’er had given her and felt a coolness at her wound, no longer burning with pain as before.

Her heart and lungs seemed to have a clear energy flowing through them. Though she still felt weak and powerless, she no longer had that heavy feeling in her body.

As her mind cleared slightly, Mu Yunjin realized that her earlier visions were not illusions.

Chu Li had truly appeared.

And she had heard everything Leng Yuan said.

Soul-Avoiding Pearls—two were already in her body, and the third one was surprisingly with Leng Yuan.

She understood Leng Yuan’s feelings for Siqing; otherwise, they wouldn’t have become enemies years ago.

Now, she couldn’t reveal that she already had two Soul-Avoiding Pearls in her body. Otherwise, Chu Li might agree to some of Leng Yuan’s conditions.

“Chu Li…” Mu Yunjin called out.

Hearing Mu Yunjin’s voice, Chu Li’s body stiffened.

He immediately turned around, and seeing Mu Yunjin with her eyes open, clouds of emotion surged in his eyes.

“Is there anything else that feels uncomfortable?” Chu Li bent down, wanting to lift Mu Yunjin but feared aggravating the wound on her back, momentarily at a loss.

Mu Yunjin shook her head. “I’m fine. I was careless and got injured.”

“Chu Li, the red seven stars will appear soon. There’s no time to find the Soul-Avoiding Pearls. Quickly take me out of Tiansheng Continent,” Mu Yunjin said.

Chu Li didn’t move, gazing silently at Mu Yunjin.

“Huan’er, this prince has seen the pearl Fish Granny gave you.” Chu Li opened his mouth and stated a fact.

Mu Yunjin was stunned, a question flashing through her mind: had she ever shown this pearl to Chu Li?

She had no recollection of it at all.

“What? You stinking girl, you have a Soul-Avoiding Pearl?” Daoist Feng Xuan exclaimed in surprise, looking incredulous.

Mu Yunjin pressed her lips together, silently saying nothing.

“Hahaha!” Leng Yuan’s wild laughter sounded again.

How interesting—so what Fu Huan had quickly swallowed earlier, refusing to show her, was a Soul-Avoiding Pearl.

If so, Fu Huan had already swallowed two Soul-Avoiding Pearls. Now they had only two choices:

First, watch helplessly as she and Fu Huan exchanged souls.

Second, have Siqing agree to her request, and she would give them the Soul-Avoiding Pearl. But even with the Soul-Avoiding Pearl, Fu Huan still couldn’t leave Tiansheng Continent.

“Siqing, what do you say?” Leng Yuan looked directly at Chu Li.

“State your conditions.” Chu Li spoke calmly.

Mu Yunjin instinctively reached out to grab Chu Li’s sleeve, shaking her head at him. “Chu Li, don’t.”

Leng Yuan smiled brightly, smoothing her hair with her hand. “A divorce letter, divorcing Fu Huan, then a marriage ceremony with me right here, making me your companion. Swear to heaven that you will never abandon me in this life, that I, Leng Yuan, am your only woman.”

“You shameless woman!” Daoist Feng Xuan couldn’t bear it any longer and cursed.

Leng Yuan paid no mind, continuing to smile at Chu Li. “Well? This request isn’t too harsh, is it?”

With these words, everyone’s attention fell on Chu Li.

Chu Li’s eyes seemed to tremble, his fingers tightening as if restraining his anger. Even so, he didn’t immediately refuse Leng Yuan’s request.

The smile on Leng Yuan’s face grew deeper.

Mu Yunjin bit her lip, her body trembling slightly. At this moment, in her heart, she also made a decision.

“Have you decided?” Leng Yuan smiled at Chu Li. “As long as you agree to my conditions, the Soul-Avoiding Pearl is yours.”

Chu Li opened his mouth, the word “yes” still in his throat, not yet spoken, when a cry of surprise sounded from the side, “Stinking girl, you…!”

Mu Yunjin took out the two Soul-Avoiding Pearls she had swallowed earlier, placed them in her palm, and crushed them fiercely. In an instant, the two pearls turned to powder, flowing through her fingers.

“Huan’er…” Chu Li was stunned, not knowing how to react.

Mu Yunjin knew she was wretched now, like a pitiful creature with her life in someone else’s hands, subject to change at any moment.

However, no matter how miserable she was, her pride and principles remained. No matter how destitute she became, she would never give her man to someone else!

Soul-Avoiding Pearls? She didn’t want them!

Now, Mu Yunjin was only grateful that these Soul-Avoiding Pearls were sentient things that hadn’t dissolved in her body. Even without internal energy, she could use her will to extract them from her body.

“Leng Yuan, stop your foolish delusions. Qing-gege will forever be mine alone!”