Ruyi looked at her perfectly intact arm, feeling somewhat curious: “Why would I be injured?”

Bringing up this topic, Shen Qiyuan’s expression became somewhat unnatural.

He lowered his eyes: “It was you who insisted on competing with Zhuzui. You can’t blame it on me.”

Zhuzui? Ruyi remembered this person—she seemed to be a fellow cultivator from long ago.

Since Shen Qiyuan knew her, he should also be her fellow cultivator, but why didn’t she have even half an impression of him in her mind?

“This medicinal food.” Shen Qiyuan tasted what was in the bowl and said with mixed laughter and tears, “Isn’t this the prescription for treating heavenly punishment injuries that I gave you before? My injury came from failing to ascend the Great Path, not from heavenly punishment. How would eating this be useful?”

A prescription for treating heavenly punishment injuries? Ruyi was astonished.

Something flashed quickly through her mind, and she clutched her forehead in pain.

…

“A prescription I came across by chance. You’re so prone to causing trouble—who knows when you might need it.”

“Heavenly punishment? That would only fall if we destroyed all living beings or fell in love with demons. Are you giving me this because you want to cultivate the demon path?”

…

A corner of the fog in her memory dispersed, revealing a face identical to Shen Qiyuan’s. Silk robes draped over his shoulders, ink-black hair bound behind him, he turned to look at her and extended his hand toward her.

Ruyi’s eyes widened.

Three thousand years ago, beneath the mountain gate of Qidou Mountain, misty rain shrouded the scene. Lake light merged with mountain colors, white clouds steamed the evening glow. She wore a blue gauze robe for god cultivation, standing at the very bottom of nine hundred and ninety-nine stone steps.

Looking up, he stood precisely at the highest point of the steps—brocade sash, ink-black hair, wide sleeves, narrow waist. His clear dark eyes held curiosity and also carried an inexplicable compassion.

Yes, that old acquaintance who had always been unclear in her memory should look exactly like this.

But why couldn’t she remember?

Thinking further, her skull began to throb painfully. Ruyi’s face turned pale as she groaned.

Shen Qiyuan instinctively reached out his hand but restrainedly stopped it in midair, maintaining a foot’s distance from her.

Pure white radiance emanated from his palm: “You battled Zhuzui for three days. She still can’t get out of bed—how could you truly be completely unharmed?”

God cultivators couldn’t heal wounds, but he transferred his magical power to her, wanting to forcibly suppress her pain.

Ruyi came back to herself and pressed down his hand. Her palm covered the back of his hand, warm and soft.

Shen Qiyuan quickly pulled back and said to her with a stern face: “Even if you defeated Zhuzui, I’m not something in your pocket. Don’t make such overreaching moves again.”

Ruyi smiled with pale lips: “Oh? So that battle was actually to compete for you?”

His ears suspiciously reddened: “Don’t speak nonsense. We all came up the mountain for a righteous result. Since we still can’t ascend the Great Path, we should concentrate more on cultivation. How can we indulge in romantic feelings all day?”

Seeing him like this, Ruyi wanted to mischievously tell him that they had done more than just hold hands—they had even rolled around in the red silk tent. If he heard that, what expression would be on his face?

Her index finger jumped excitedly, but she still held back.

Shen Qiyuan possessed part of her lost memory. She wanted to retrieve it and couldn’t be too hasty.

Song Zhenshan informed Shen Qiyuan that after failing to ascend the Great Path, he had come to the human realm to undergo tribulation and heal his injuries. His identity was the Eldest Princess’s son, the current Ministry of Justice’s Chief Supervisor overseeing clan administration affairs. What he needed to do was maintain the stability of Great Qian’s realm.

Shen Qiyuan was very serious about his work. He immediately read through all the relevant case files for this identity and even memorized the biographies of related figures.

So, three days later, when he left the Immortal Meeting Wine House, he already looked no different from before.

Except for his attitude toward Ruyi.

If the previous Shen Qiyuan was an unfathomable, stubborn, deep affection that she couldn’t see through, then the current Shen Qiyuan was like a blank sheet of paper touched with romantic feelings.

“In the human realm, unlike on the mountain, it’s inappropriate for me to spend day and night with you,” he said to her seriously. “But I will often come to supervise you, so that after we both cross this tribulation, we can return together.”

Ruyi asked amusedly: “Why must we return together?”

His expression was very natural: “From Purgatory Valley and Partridge Mountain to the later Ascending Immortal Platform, you and I have shared life and death throughout our journey. When have we ever separated?”

She was slightly stunned.

…

Purgatory Valley was the first checkpoint for god cultivators ascending the mountain. Inside were eight-directional evil spirits and ten-lifetime scorching fires. Ruyi, who had not yet achieved her potential, nearly died inside. The person beside her was also extremely disheveled. The two finally climbed up together and collapsed on the scorched earth, dizzy and gasping.

“No wonder the guide said gods must complement each other to achieve completion,” she muttered. “You’re quite capable. Why don’t we team up?”

“Good.” He was concise and to the point.

The wind brushed away the white mist before them, revealing Shen Qiyuan’s handsome face.

He lay beside her, his voice young yet serious: “I will never hold you back.”

“Neither will I.” She smiled and raised her arm.

…

Her vision returned, and Ruyi saw Shen Qiyuan seriously telling her, “Rest assured, I will do what I should do and will never hold you back.”

Her throat tightened somewhat. Looking at his features, she forced a smile and answered: “Neither will I.”

The Shen Qiyuan of two thousand years ago was like the morning sun among pine and cypress forests—upright and open. Facing Yuncheng’s case again, he made a completely different choice.

“Lady Zhang indeed committed suicide, and it was suicide from fear of punishment.”

In the court hall, he stood tall and upright, each word falling with resounding clarity: “Lady Zhang spent over ten years in Lin’an, using demonic and strange methods to collect intelligence. Not only did she earn ill-gotten wealth, but she also sent confidential reports about Great Qian’s military strength from Huizhou back to Great Xia’s borders. This matter involves twelve officials in total, whom I have all listed in the case.”

“Additionally, Lady Zhang’s method of suicide was complex with many suspicious points. Following the procedure, I sent her belongings through the Water Gate, and all showed anomalous signs.”

The Water Gate only showed anomalous signs when encountering demons and evil spirits.

All the civil and military officials were greatly startled, and clamorous voices immediately arose.

The Emperor’s expression was very ugly: “Thoroughly investigate this matter. We must catch all demons and evil spirits in one sweep. All related implicated personnel will be punished with the heaviest penalties.”

Though Great Qian’s practice of requesting gods to drive away demons was prevalent, the imperial family was taboo about this. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have set up Water Gates throughout the palace. Yuncheng was a favored minister. Though his wife had never entered the palace, she was still a figure under the Emperor’s very nose.

If such a person could be tainted by demons and evil spirits, how could the Emperor sleep peacefully?

Thus, Great Qian began the most severe demon-hunting campaign in its dynastic history. Water Gates stood throughout Lin’an City, with talismans filling the sky.

Ruyi sat cross-legged on the terrace, watching the farce throughout the streets, spitting out sunflower seed husks with casual indifference.

“Our sovereign is truly interesting,” she laughed. “In Lady Zhang’s case, isn’t the important thing that Xia Kingdom stole our dynasty’s secrets?”