The Heavenly Demon leader saw the mangled flesh of Yun Ya’s chest, then turned to see the stone heart in the Yan King’s assembled altar, still dripping blood…

In an instant, it understood what had happened and realized these two were dying. If it had a face, it would likely have turned pale with shock: “Dissolve the contract, quickly dissolve the contract!”

It had separated from Feng Miaojun’s body and was thus constrained by the Ao Turtle mark in her dantian! Since it couldn’t possess anyone else, if Feng Miaojun breathed her last, it would have to follow her to the netherworld.

Feng Miaojun gave it just one word in response:

“No!”

Her gaze was unwavering and firm. The red figure looked at their clasped hands and immediately understood that these two had reached an unspoken agreement. It couldn’t help but say sinisterly to Yun Ya: “Dying here is your destiny, not hers! Are you willing to let her accompany you in death?”

He covered his chest, sitting up slightly straighter: “As long as you exist, she would rather accompany me. Don’t you understand this principle?”

Their vision blurred as the red figure lunged toward Feng Miaojun. It understood the Divine Script and naturally knew that as long as one person sincerely offered their life, the life-and-death contract could be dissolved. Feng Miaojun absolutely could not die, which left only Yun Ya to sacrifice himself.

Its previous agreement with Yun Ya had only stated it would “leave” Feng Miaojun’s original consciousness intact, but never stipulated that it couldn’t return and take control again.

If it regained control of Feng Miaojun’s mind and pleaded gently, how could Yun Ya refuse?

But the leaf on the golden branch in his arms trembled slightly, and a brilliant light suddenly burst forth from the couple, directly repelling the red figure.

Yun Ya’s chest could hardly bleed anymore; his face was as yellow as gold paper, yet his smile was contented: “This is a treasure left by the Gods, specifically designed to counter soul magic. It was previously used to deal with creatures more formidable than you.” Having expelled this entity from his sea of consciousness, he felt unburdened and regained his usual quick wit.

The red figure laughed coldly: “How much longer can it last?” That small leaf had withered a bit more, with even less green remaining. After all, this was an ancient artifact from a thousand years ago.

Yun Ya was completely unconcerned: “Not long, just until we pass away, I suppose.”

The red figure was furious and charged twice more, only to be repelled each time. It commanded other Heavenly Demons to come and wear down the divine power, but the effect was minimal.

After all the trouble Yun Ya had gone through to lure it out of Feng Miaojun’s body, how could he let it return easily?

Feng Miaojun, however, wasn’t looking at it but staring unblinkingly at the Demon Rejection Formation. Suddenly, she asked: “Do you have any unfulfilled wishes?”

The red figure’s form paused: “What?”

Only then did Feng Miaojun shift her gaze back to it, staring deeply: “Our clan has escaped confinement, the Boundary God hasn’t appeared, and this world remains fractured, allowing our clan to roam freely. The oath of the past has been fulfilled. What obsession do you still need to uphold now?”

She said our clan.

The red figure fell silent.

When the Heavenly Demon leader had stripped away all her cultivation and infiltrated Dream Water City, she had vowed to bring the Heavenly clan back to the mortal realm and to keep the Haoli Empire forever fragmented. She had uttered this oath with hatred and perseverance, and those three portions of obsession had condensed with her cultivation into a ring, remaining in the Virtual Reality Ring.

Soul power differed from a cultivator’s spiritual power, naturally carrying the original body’s memories. As an obsession, it was fixated on advancing the wishes left by the Heavenly Demon leader.

However, it wasn’t a separate, complete life.

Feng Miaojun’s words struck at its core, one by one: “You’re nothing but a strand of obsession. Now that the vision has come true, what reason do you have to exist?”

Indeed, everything before them proved that the Heavenly Demon leader’s oath had been fulfilled. Her remaining obsession should have dissipated as well.

The red figure still did not speak, but its form dispersed somewhat, no longer as solid as before.

“I won’t live much longer unless I have your power.” She truly looked like a withering rose, her gaze gradually becoming unfocused, her vitality rapidly dissipating. Yun Ya hadn’t lied; even with their life force evenly divided, they wouldn’t last much longer.

The red figure couldn’t possibly sit by and watch her die.

Feng Miaojun’s voice softened: “You and I are one entity. I promise we will surely survive this.”

The survival instinct was also a form of obsession. She was too fixated on the matter of “staying alive,” and she believed her former self had been the same. Without such obsession, how could the Heavenly Demon leader have traversed the chaos of space-time and successfully infiltrated Dream Water City back then?

Between them, there was resonance. Even just gazing at each other across space, a sense of familiarity naturally arose in their hearts.

In this world, one knows oneself best, and one trusts oneself most.

The red figure circled in the air twice, then sighed deeply: “Stay alive.”

Feng Miaojun nodded firmly: “Stay alive!”

As soon as the words fell, the red figure swooped down toward her, approaching with tremendous force.

Feng Miaojun released Yun Ya’s hand; without physical contact, the cyan light on their bodies immediately disappeared. At the same time, she extended her wrist toward the red figure.

During their previous encounter in the Virtual Reality Realm, they had connected in this manner, resulting in the red figure immediately gaining the upper hand.

Yet Feng Miaojun’s face showed no fear.

Indeed, just before impact, it gathered its form, transforming back into a ring that fell, landing precisely in her palm.

Witnessing this scene, everyone’s expressions changed slightly. Yun Ya stared at her without blinking, trying to discern something from her face.

After all, this strand of obsession was too powerful, having once suppressed Feng Miaojun’s original consciousness in the Virtual Reality Realm.

A delicate white palm, a vibrant ring.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Feng Miaojun slipped the ring onto her ring finger, took several deep breaths, and her pale complexion returned to normal, her cherry lips regaining their redness.

Then, she stood up and walked toward the Demon Rejection Formation.

The Heavenly Demons immediately retreated, showing their respect for her.

Seeing her steady stride and composed expression, even the Yan King couldn’t help but ask: “Are you Changle, the Queen, or the Heavenly Demon now?” Any observant person could tell she was using Heavenly Demon power to move normally. The question was, who was controlling this body—Changle herself or the Heavenly Demon’s obsession?

“What’s the difference?” Feng Miaojun smiled slightly. “We were the same person to begin with.”

This wasn’t the answer everyone wanted to hear, but no one could tell the truth.

Only Yun Ya’s lips curved into a faint smile.

Feng Miaojun pointed at the altar on the ground: “Hand it over, and I’ll spare your lives.”

Everyone remained silent, while the Yan King’s gaze flickered.

Although it showed no movement, as long as he kept it and continued to study it, there was still hope. Would surrendering the altar now cut off the last possibility of reopening the Heavenly Ladder?

Feng Miaojun was unhurried: “You can’t summon the Boundary God anyway. Why struggle in vain? Better to offer it up and save yourselves.”

Before her words faded, a gleam flashed in the Yan King’s eyes as he murmured: “Offer it up… offer?”

These two words spoken by Feng Miaojun seemed to suddenly enlighten him.

In the next second, he gripped his knife and turned.