The Realm God remained silent for several breaths before speaking disdainfully: “Demons are rejected by heaven and earth, yet you dare count yourselves among the living beings of this world?”

Feng Miaojun’s expression remained neither humble nor arrogant: “We were born between heaven and earth, so why shouldn’t we have a place to exist? Tracing back to the cause, if there were no gods, where would demons come from?”

The divine war from over a thousand years ago led to celestial aberrations and caused living beings to suffer immensely. From this perspective, the emergence of demons was indeed a consequence of the gods’ actions.

Whatever exists must be reasonable. If the celestial law speaks of cause and effect, then the gods also bear responsibility for the current situation.

“You were rescued by Yun Ya and me. Otherwise, you would have been thrown into the sea by now. I’m now using this debt of gratitude to bargain for their lives!” Feng Miaojun pointed downward. “You and I both understand that if the demons hadn’t been sealed for a thousand years, leaving them weakened, you wouldn’t have won so easily today.”

They had been formidable rivals a thousand years ago, yet meeting again after a millennium, the outcome was quickly decided. This was simply because the demons were too weak while the Realm God had consumed spiritual essence and regained strength. This was nothing but the strong bullying the weak.

The Realm God tilted his head to ask Yun Ya: “What is your opinion?” Since they had worked together to repair the stone heart, this debt of gratitude should be decided by both of them.

Feng Miaojun bit her lip and also looked toward Yun Ya.

He and the demons were mortal enemies. Over the past three hundred years, her kind had schemed against him countless times. Would this man hold a grudge?

Though Yun Ya’s face remained pale, he managed a slight smile: “When husband and wife are of one mind, her decision is also mine.”

His gaze was warm, and Feng Miaojun felt reassured with just one look.

“Very well, I shall spare them from the death penalty, to repay your three hundred years of nurturing kindness,” the Realm God’s answer was straightforward. “As for their punishment, we shall decide after rebuilding the Celestial Ladder.”

The Celestial Ladder be reopened? All the cultivators were shocked, then overjoyed.

As they spoke, the Realm God had already withdrawn his lightning net and turned northeast. With his tall stature and long legs, each stride covered hundreds of zhang, making the ground rumble beneath him.

It seemed he intended to walk all the way there.

The Yan army, which had been rushing toward this location, unexpectedly encountered such an enormous being and was momentarily bewildered. Many fled immediately, yet some fools set up giant cannons preparing to fire. Fortunately, Prince Zhao Tang of Yan was knowledgeable and desperately stopped them.

Such a monster was beyond human resistance, so they’d better not provoke it.

Although the Realm God walked majestically, he was fully aware of the changes around him. His next step landed steadily, appearing like a mountain pressing down, yet neither humans nor animals were harmed.

After several strides, he left the valley far behind.

The Yan people watched his figure disappear into the distance, only then feeling their legs tremble with delayed fear.

Feng Miaojun’s soul wisp returned to the tiny bottle, reclaiming her body. After carefully arranging her clothes and hair, she emerged and sat beside Yun Ya.

As soon as she settled beside him, Yun Ya reached out and pulled her into his arms.

“Be careful of your wound,” she yielded readily, pressing her fingers gently around his injury. “You’ll need at least another half month of recovery.”

His complexion was still poor, but the turtle mark was no longer draining her life force, indicating that his life was not in danger. Feng Miaojun felt relieved and pulled out a small glass bottle from her bosom, shaking it gently. “Be good and drink this.”

The bottle was filled to the brim with a translucent, emerald-green liquid.

Spiritual essence.

Yun Ya pinched her small, delicate nose and laughed: “You’re quite shameless.”

Spiritual essence was a treasure worth thousands of gold, how could she let it go? Despite the urgency when saving Yun Ya, she hadn’t forgotten to take a share, directly filling her bottle.

This little minx truly didn’t consider herself an outsider. She took spiritual essence from the Realm God’s altar and then gave it to Yun Ya right in front of the Realm God—wasn’t she afraid of angering the stone giant?

However, the Realm God’s cultivation manners were indeed excellent, as he pretended not to hear and continued walking with full concentration.

Yun Ya was even more brazen, taking the spiritual essence and gulping down half the bottle before stopping: “That’s enough. Any more and I’ll explode.”

Spiritual essence had countless miraculous uses and great power. If he hadn’t been on the verge of exhaustion, he wouldn’t have dared drink so greedily.

The spiritual essence took effect immediately after entering his throat. His complexion quickly became rosy, and his wound area tingled—a side effect of rapidly regenerating muscle and skin. Only then did Feng Miaojun put away the bottle and lean against his shoulder, finding a comfortable position.

Her face showed fatigue.

Opposing the entire demon clan alone was truly an inhuman task. She had invested almost all her soul power, and it was only due to her strong willpower that she hadn’t immediately fallen asleep.

Yun Ya lowered his head to gaze at her: “Now, are you Anan or a demon?”

“Anan is the demon, and the demon is Anan.”

He pinched her cheek: “You know what I’m asking.”

After retrieving the memories that originally belonged to the demon, her body essentially contained two sets of memories.

“When unfulfilled wishes remain, I am a demon; when obsessions disappear, I am Anan,” Feng Miaojun lifted her head slightly, her eyes almost transparent in the faint dawn light. “I remember everything from the past, but they are merely like flowers in a mirror or the moon’s reflection in the water—watching someone else’s life, death, joy, and sorrow.” She grabbed Yun Ya’s hand. “From now on, I remain myself. I am Feng Miaojun.”

After Yun Ya devised a plan to drive away the obsession attached to her, Feng Miaojun still remembered the demon’s past. However, those memories were like watching a movie—the experience might be profound and the insights heavy, but they ultimately described someone else’s life. She could sigh with emotion or lament, but shouldn’t apply them to herself.

She would continue living with Feng Miaojun’s identity.

Her expression was solemn, but Yun Ya smiled casually: “Either is fine, as long as you’re my wife.”

The two faced the eastern sky, where a glimmer of dawn was appearing.

Yun Ya gazed at this point of light intently, his voice soft: “I always thought I would never see another sunrise after today.” He had believed that the Realm God’s return meant the end of his life.

He had experienced contradictions, struggles, and resistance, but never imagined this outcome.

Feng Miaojun looked up, observing his perfect profile. Both appeared somewhat disheveled. “Dream on,” she snorted lightly. “Would I let you off so easily?” The contract of life and death remained unbroken.

“Indeed,” he grasped her soft little hand, kissing each finger against his lips. His gaze was tender, just like on those many intoxicating spring evenings of the past. “My wife is formidable!”

“I saved you again,” Feng Miaojun wasn’t so easily placated, her fine eyebrows furrowing. “Three times now—no more credit! Tell me, how will you repay me?”