“Protect her!”

The moment heavenly thunder crashed down, Shangsui shouted. Upon hearing this, Luo Bufan and the others immediately positioned themselves around Qin Wanwan. Shangsui raised her hand and waved—countless magical treasures flew above Qin Wanwan’s head, and a formation array rose beneath her feet.

When disciples of prestigious orthodox sects underwent tribulation, they were mostly protected by their elders and assisted by magical treasures, but Qin Wanwan had never received such treatment since arriving in this small world.

Jian Xingzhi was too poor in this small world, having nothing but himself. Every time he helped her undergo tribulation, he could only endure it with brute force. Now, advancing from Divine Transformation to Tribulation Transcendence, she finally experienced the power of money.

Heavenly thunder crashed down. Standing in the center of the formation, she didn’t feel even half of it. She turned her head and through the formation saw the female immortal in red robes and long ribbons standing outside the array. She smiled on her own initiative, her voice gentle: “Thank you, Mother.”

Shangsui froze, somewhat uncomfortable, and turned her head away. Qin Wanwan then shifted her gaze to Taiheng and softly called out: “Father.”

“Undergo your tribulation properly.” Taiheng instructed, “Your mother and I are here.”

“Why are you talking so much? Afraid the heavenly thunder won’t strike you dead?” Seeing Qin Wanwan dawdling, Shangsui urged, “Sit cross-legged, form the lotus seal with your hands, let spiritual power descend from your heavenly spirit. Do you still remember the Jishan cultivation method?”

“I remember.”

Qin Wanwan sat cross-legged according to her instructions. Hearing Qin Wanwan say she remembered, Shangsui raised an imperceptible smile, carrying a bit of pride, but she didn’t let Qin Wanwan see it, only saying: “Circulate the Jishan mental method, guide spiritual power into the heart wheel…”

Qin Wanwan listened to Shangsui’s words and closed her eyes. Taiheng sat cross-legged, took out an ancient zither, and its music rose melodiously, carrying the function of calming and focusing the mind.

The spiritual power Jian Xingzhi had left her through dual cultivation flowed smoothly through her body. Qin Wanwan guided the spiritual power to wash through her meridians again and again, speaking calmly to 38: “Now, you can tell me what exactly happened back then, right?”

“You’ve reached the highest authority level. Ask away.”

“How exactly did my parents negotiate with you back then?”

“According to the data the mainframe gave us, your parents came to this small world originally just to find a way out for you, but accidentally discovered the Evil God’s existence. At that time, Lin Yanzhi was the only demigod in this small world. He asked your parents to help him eliminate the Evil God. In exchange, he would give you all his merit for saving the world, giving you a chance to survive, but you would only be able to survive—you still wouldn’t be able to cultivate.”

“But as you know, the Evil God was more powerful than they imagined. Their original plan was for Lin Yanzhi to serve as a sealing container and eliminate the Evil God through purification, but they discovered they didn’t have time to slowly purify him. After several failures, Lin Yanzhi’s remaining good soul, together with your parents, Luo Bufan of Heavenly Sword Sect, and Cuilu, established this plan for a hundred years later. Using Lin Yanzhi’s soul as a seal to directly kill the Evil God. Your father took Lin Yanzhi’s good soul to another small world to reincarnate and nurture it, while your mother stayed in this small world, hunting the Evil God everywhere, spreading teachings and doctrines, not giving him a chance to grow stronger.”

“What happened later? Why did they find you?”

“Your father developed feelings during the process of raising Jian Xingzhi. Your father’s original words to the mainframe were—”

On the computer screen, Qin Wanwan saw Taiheng from a hundred years ago. At that time, he was still the Immortal Lord from her memories.

Her father, though gentle in temperament, was extremely powerful. Completely different from his current weakness.

The sword Jian Xingzhi had given him hung at his waist as he looked up at a giant screen.

“He is not Lin Yanzhi,” Taiheng gripped the sword Jian Xingzhi had given him, telling the mainframe, “He is my disciple. His personality is completely different from Lin Yanzhi’s. Why should he die for Lin Yanzhi’s dying command?”

“But this is his karma,” the mechanical voice came from the mainframe. On the screen were images of countless star track collisions. “We’ve calculated all his possibilities. From the moment Lin Yanzhi separated his soul and set up the law array to imprison the Evil God on his soul, his karma was planted. He is only a part of Lin Yanzhi. He must execute the fate Lin Yanzhi left for him. Whether you choose to help him or not, he will walk the path to death sealing the Evil God. The only difference is whether he does so willingly, or is forced to death by the three thousand worlds.”

“Is there no other way?” Taiheng gripped the long sword at his waist tightly, watching the stars fall again and again on the screen, restraining his trembling. “No matter what price must be paid, is there no other way?”

Many numbers appeared on the screen, calculating rapidly. These numbers materialized in the screen’s space as individual star tracks. After repeated collisions, one star suddenly brightened greatly, pushing Jian Xingzhi’s star track out of its original orbit, replacing Jian Xingzhi to collide with the constellation he was originally meant to hit, then bursting with dazzling light and devouring the constellation.

Taiheng stared blankly at this image, sensing the familiar aura from the star.

“This is…”

“Your daughter, Qin Wanwan.” The mainframe’s voice was calm. “After calculation, introducing your daughter’s star track into Jian Xingzhi’s star track is Jian Xingzhi’s only thread of life. At the same time, your daughter has a 70% probability of advancing to godhood. This is currently the optimal outcome.”

“The price.”

Taiheng stared fixedly at the two stars on the screen that were entwined and rotating around each other, restraining his anxious yet hopeful emotions.

“All of your cultivation.”

A huge number appeared on the screen. The mainframe spoke coldly: “Merging your daughter’s star track into Jian Xingzhi’s star track requires extremely enormous energy. What you’re changing is not simple destiny, but the fate of a god.”

“Wanwan…” Taiheng couldn’t help but raise his hand, touching the phantom of that bright and gentle star, his voice hoarse, “What risks will Wanwan face?”

“She will suffer,” the mainframe manifested images predicted one by one, “She must endure the same hardships you endured in your youth. She must experience worldly tribulations. She must try to understand various human emotions. She needs a sufficiently strong body, sufficiently tenacious will, and sufficiently persistent faith.”

“Based on our current assessment of her personality, these are all things she’ll find very difficult to accomplish. Once she fails to become a god, not only will your sacrifice be destroyed, Jian Xingzhi will die, and she herself may also be drawn into danger. Are you certain—”

The mainframe asked again: “You want to do this?”

Taiheng didn’t speak. He looked at the disheveled Qin Wanwan on the screen, watching this daughter he had pampered since childhood lying on the ground covered in blood from beatings.

He then shifted his gaze to Jian Xingzhi’s face, seeing the flamboyant and unbridled Jian Xingzhi, seeing him carrying Qin Wanwan through the desert, seeing him thrown alone into the secret realm.

He watched for a long time, finally speaking: “You calculated wrong.”

“What?” The mainframe didn’t understand.

Taiheng gazed at Qin Wanwan’s star: “Everything you mentioned, Wanwan will have.”

The mainframe fell silent. Most people had huge filters regarding their own children. Although it was a computer, it understood.

“Wanwan is very strong. She’s very brave. She’ll want to become stronger, and she’ll enjoy the feeling of winning. When her friends and family fail, she’ll want to be the strong one to protect them. She’ll also work hard for everything she wants. She just doesn’t know how excellent she can be.”

“She’s better than you imagine,” Taiheng smiled. “She will become a god.”

“So, your choice?”

“I’m willing to give you all my cultivation,” Taiheng stated with certainty, “to change their fates together.”

“Understood. We’ve accepted your commission.” Three book covers appeared on the screen. “According to calculations, this small world has been used as a background setting by ten authors to write different novels. Among them, three novels can meet the requirements for your daughter’s path to godhood: a palace intrigue script, a farming script, and a great heroine’s counterattack script. Which script do you choose for your daughter?”

“Great heroine’s counterattack!”

Taiheng chose for his daughter without hesitation. Although he didn’t understand what these specifically entailed, his daughter absolutely could not farm or scheme in palace intrigues—she had to be the female lead!

“Understood. Your commission has been accepted for processing.”

The images in Qin Wanwan’s mind gradually faded, leaving only the mainframe’s cold voice: “Please wait in queue for arrangement. Current calculation shows successful star track merger time is: ninety-eight years later.”

“During these ninety-eight years, your father continued cultivating from the Qi Refining stage.” 38 sighed. “Your mother stayed in the small world hunting the Evil God everywhere, but the Evil God couldn’t be completely killed. The longer she stayed in the small world, the more her power depleted. Later, she had no choice but to freeze herself to prevent spiritual power depletion. And your father could only guard within the restriction she set. If he left your mother, he might be immediately killed by the Evil God. They kept waiting for you and Jian Xingzhi to appear in this world. Perhaps others were waiting for Lin Yanzhi, but for your parents, they were waiting for their daughter and Jian Xingzhi.”

“So when they threw Jian Xingzhi in the secret realm, did they know he wouldn’t die?”

“They didn’t know.” 38 shook his head. “But when the mainframe did all calculations, they were based on existing data. Once he changed any behavior, all data after your star tracks merged would need to be recalculated. Even if they were just a bit gentler to you, you might lose the will to become a god. So they could only proceed according to the arrangement from when you hadn’t appeared yet.”

“Treating Jian Xingzhi as an independent person was already a variable Taiheng shouldn’t have had.”

To accept this variable, this Immortal Lord struggled bitterly for sixteen years.

Finally, that night when he retrieved that immature sword from the water pool, he made his decision.

He would devote his entire lifetime of cultivation to give this child destined to die a thread of life.

“So, he couldn’t have any more variables.”

“Then, have I become a god?”

Qin Wanwan didn’t understand. 38 sighed.

“Friend, though you’re clever, your basic knowledge is truly lacking. Matters of life and death can only be controlled by gods. From the moment you could draw your sword to create two souls and two spiritual essences for Jian Xingzhi, you already possessed divinity. You’re only missing the last step—”

38’s tone became excited: “Step into tribulation transcendence, and you can slay gods!”

“I understand.”

Qin Wanwan opened her eyes. At this very moment, heavenly thunder shattered the magical treasures above Qin Wanwan’s head, and the first heavenly thunder finally descended upon her.

“Wanwan!”

Shangsui instinctively wanted to block the heavenly thunder but was stopped by Taiheng’s zither music. Shangsui froze for a moment, then saw the young woman sitting in the thunder with a calm expression, skillfully guiding the lightning through her entire body.

Taiheng turned to glance at Shangsui and smiled, shaking his head.

Thunder struck Qin Wanwan madly. Among those protecting her, Liu Yuehua was the first unable to withstand it. She coughed up blood, and a black energy suddenly burst from the ground, rushing straight toward Qin Wanwan!

Taiheng’s eyes instantly turned cold. The zither music from his hands shook open, transforming into sharp blades. Shangsui’s long ribbons flew out, directly wrapping around the black energy.

The black energy was strangled by the zither music and long ribbons together, dissipating in the air. However, Shangsui didn’t dare relax her vigilance. Law seals flipped rapidly in her hands. Taiheng also put away his ancient zither, exchanged it for a long sword, and guarded beside Shangsui, watching the surroundings.

“So that’s why you haven’t dared to show yourself all these years, Taiheng.” The Evil God’s voice scattered in all directions. The bamboo forest surroundings began to show signs of human voices.

Liu Yuehua nervously looked around, raising her hand to form magical formulas. A moment later, the Evil God laughed out loud: “So your cultivation is already ruined.”

With that, countless people whose bodies and blood had been drained suddenly rushed out from the dense forest with roars. A black shadow attacked Taiheng’s back at extreme speed. Shangsui grabbed Taiheng, and a law seal crashed down toward the black energy. But the black energy split in two, rushing straight toward Taiheng!

Taiheng drew his sword and slashed, but the instant he touched the black energy, he was blasted away!

“Taiheng!”

Shangsui’s law seal scattered the black energy. She turned wanting to catch Taiheng, but the black energy had already bypassed his sword tip and formed a blade at his chest. The sword tip pressed into his chest for a moment when suddenly a bird cry rang out. A ray of firelight descended from the sky, instantly burning clean all the black energy entangled on Taiheng’s sword tip! Then a giant ant descended from the sky, ramming away the corpses about to rush toward Qin Wanwan, standing aggressively before Qin Wanwan.

“Cuilu? Nanfeng?”

Liu Yuehua looked up to see Cuilu transform from bird form to human, landing on the ground. The light blade in her hand flicked, instantly blasting away the corpses charging at the front.

After she landed, over a hundred cultivators successively landed on the ground, entangling with those corpses in combat.

“Why did you come?”

Seeing Cuilu rush over, Luo Bufan urgently spoke: “What about Xingzhou and the others?”

“I had Ning Buyan lead them with Luo Xingzhou and Liu Feixu to handle things outside.” Cuilu explained coldly. “Everywhere is already in chaos. These things are everywhere. All demon seeds not yet cleared from the quarantine zones have turned into corpses. I burned them all.”

As she spoke, the ground began to tremble. Shangsui protected Taiheng, and together with Cuilu, they stared intently at the ground.

“What… what’s moving?”

Nanfeng spoke nervously.

Taiheng glanced around: “He’s moved something over here.”

Hearing this, Cuilu raised her hand and hammered the ground fiercely. Soil splattered up, revealing a bluestone surface.

Then an altar burst from beneath their feet, carrying them straight up to the sky!

Black vines broke through the diagram on the altar. Shangsui shouted loudly: “Everyone retreat!”

With that, she pressed a law seal down on the altar, trying to suppress these vines.

Everyone simultaneously flew away from the altar, suspended in mid-air watching Shangsui kneeling on one knee on the ground, contending with the Evil God. Only Nanfeng still stood in place, trembling as he blocked in front of Qin Wanwan. He swallowed, looking at the vines being suppressed by Shangsui, waving the steel knife above his head: “Don’t… don’t come over!”

Once they left, the formation protecting Qin Wanwan broke open. Heavenly thunder struck Qin Wanwan’s body without restraint. Qin Wanwan’s body trembled, but she bit her teeth and didn’t dare make a sound.

Shangsui desperately poured spiritual power into the law seal, firmly suppressing this black energy that could pounce toward Qin Wanwan at any moment.

The altar stopped halfway up in the air. Everyone could see this mountain-like altar. Runes rotated beneath the altar. With a series of cracking sounds, a bluestone lotus round table slowly rose from the altar. Then blocks of Linglong Jade lit up in the air, rotating to form a ring.

The ring still had gaps—just missing the last piece—but this didn’t prevent it from bursting with golden light. As if summoned by these Linglong Jades, the Linglong Jade on Qin Wanwan’s body also emitted radiance.

A green dragon’s phantom roared across the sky. From before the bluestone lotus table on the altar, steps paved upward, rushing straight to the heavens.

Countless corpses roared from below the altar, charging upward. Hearing the earth-shaking roars, Cuilu and the others turned back to see the surroundings already filled with these corpses.

Everyone rushed onto the altar steps, each person guarding one direction, not letting these corpses climb up.

Luo Bufan gasped, looking at this scene in panic, unable to help transmitting to his son: “Xingzhou?! Xingzhou, where are you with the other disciples?!”

“Father.”

Luo Xingzhou’s voice spoke steadily: “We’re at Wuxiang Sect. I’ve already arranged according to City Lord Cuilu’s instructions for the Immortal Alliance disciples to transfer ordinary people to safe areas. We can hold out here. Don’t worry.”

“Feishuang?” Liu Yuehua also spoke tremulously, “You…”

“Mother,” Liu Feixu gasped, “I’m fine. They all rushed toward you.”

“My my,” a voice came from mid-air, impossible to pinpoint its direction. “What a moving play of family staying together and lovers never parting. Heart-moving, tear-inducing.”

“Such a pity though.”

A figure slowly appeared behind Shangsui. He gazed at Shangsui’s back as she contended with the vines on the ground, tilting his head: “You’re all too weak. Shangsui, you and Taiheng, why are you so weak now? If I’d known you were bluffing—”

The Evil God raised his staff. Black energy condensed on his staff. Shangsui bit her teeth. She glanced at Qin Wanwan still in the heavenly thunder.

She knew clearly that if she left now, the vines on the ground would immediately rush toward Qin Wanwan. Nanfeng couldn’t stop these vines. Qin Wanwan was at the critical moment of tribulation transcendence—any problem could result in death and dissolution of her dao.

But if she didn’t leave, she might not be able to withstand the Evil God’s strike.

Shangsui lowered her eyes, pressing her power onto the vines, wrapping the vines with her spiritual power.

Black energy condensed on the Evil God’s staff. He tilted his head and struck the staff down fiercely toward Shangsui: “I should have killed you long ago!”

Shangsui knelt unmoving. The staff brought tremendous spiritual power. Taiheng’s eyes widened, but in that moment, Cuilu suddenly appeared blocking in front of Shangsui, punching toward the Evil God!

The firelight on her fist was instantly extinguished by the black energy. She was forced back by the spiritual power. The Evil God stared fixedly at Cuilu, tilting his head: “Cuilu?”

“Evil God.”

“I’m not the Evil God,” the Evil God raised his chin slightly. “I am your Divine Lord, Lin Yanzhi.”

“You’re not the Divine Lord.” Cuilu gasped slightly. “The Divine Lord isn’t like you.”

“Then what is he like? Like Jian Xingzhi?” The Evil God laughed loudly. “You think he’s any different from me? When he heard he’d be used for blood sacrifice to the world, didn’t he also run away without a trace? Since neither is Lin Yanzhi, what difference does it make whether you serve him or me?!”

Cuilu didn’t speak. Watching her grit her teeth, the Evil God seemed to see through her heart. He reminded her in a low voice: “Lin Yanzhi is already dead.”

“No…” Cuilu’s lips trembled. “The Divine Lord will return.”

“He’s dead. His two souls and two spiritual essences are in my body. If you don’t acknowledge me as Lin Yanzhi, then Jian Xingzhi isn’t either. Then he never existed at all.”

“No…”

“Cuilu,” the Evil God tilted his head, “you no longer have faith, nor a reason to fight to the end.”

“I…” Cuilu clenched her fists, unable to speak.

She looked at the face before her identical to Lin Yanzhi, thinking of Jian Xingzhi whose soul had become complete, thinking of Xie Gutang who ultimately went to the Realm of Life and Death.

She knew Lin Yanzhi couldn’t come back.

Then what reason did she still have to fight to the end?

She was originally just a small jade bird, a spirit beast driven by cultivators. If she hadn’t met Lin Yanzhi, she would have died early in the wind and rain with the fate of a jade bird.

Lin Yanzhi saved her. Lin Yanzhi taught her good and evil. Lin Yanzhi gave her life. Her entire life had been spent looking up to and following Lin Yanzhi.

She followed him all the way during his life, and after his death, completely and thoroughly executed all his plans, guarding the Immaculate City he left behind.

But Lin Yanzhi was dead.

Why was she still here? What reason did she still have to fight?

“Stand aside.”

Seeing Cuilu’s confusion, the Evil God spoke coldly: “I can spare your life.”

Cuilu didn’t move.

Shangsui chanted incantations. Blood flowed from her body toward the vines beneath her feet. The vines turned red inch by inch.

The Evil God’s expression changed slightly. He commanded her again: “Stand aside!”

“Cuilu-jiejie!”

Nanfeng cried out urgently. Hearing this voice, Cuilu’s mind involuntarily flashed to that moment in the maze when she abandoned Jian Xingzhi, and his words “I consider you friends.”

She involuntarily glanced at Qin Wanwan in the thunder.

“I’m sorry…”

Cuilu clenched her fists. She slowly raised her head: “I cannot yield.”

“Then go die!”

The Evil God rushed forward fiercely. Cuilu didn’t hesitate, directly colliding with the Evil God. Her fist burning with flames struck hard at the figure ahead. The Evil God suddenly dispersed into black fog before her eyes.

The flames struck the black fog. The black fog burned away. At the same time, the black fog passed around Cuilu’s body, tearing down her flesh like a beast gnawing. At this moment, Shangsui finally completely controlled those vines, turning to fiercely whip them, extracting these blood-red vines from the ground and striking hard at the surrounding black fog!

Where the blood vines swept, the black fog instantly burned. The black fog that didn’t ignite condensed again into Lin Yanzhi’s form, attacking Shangsui at extreme speed!

Cuilu and the others no longer hesitated, all rushing toward the human-shaped Evil God in the center. The Evil God raised his hand to manifest a sword. The surrounding black energy surged toward him. He seemed to have endless, inexhaustible power, quickly dodging everyone attacking him.

“Since you seek death—” The Evil God condensed demonic energy and raised his sword. “Then die together!”

“After you die, this seat will tear apart this heavenly dao and see who in the three thousand worlds can do anything to me!”

“Realm of Life and Death—” The Evil God leaped high, slashing fiercely toward Heavenly Sword Sect’s direction, shouting loudly, “All evils and wickedness, manifest in this world, and with this seat—destroy the heavenly dao together!”

This sword light flew rapidly toward Heavenly Sword Sect. Luo Bufan’s eyes widened as he cried out urgently: “Gutang!”

“Sect Leader,” Xie Gutang’s consistently steady voice resounded through the heavens, just one sentence, “Gutang is here.”

As he spoke, Xie Gutang sat cross-legged with closed eyes on a glacier cliff. Beneath his feet was rolling magma. Below the magma, countless demons struggled trying to burst from the earth. Above the magma, a light sword hung suspended in the air. As long as any creature emerged from the magma, the light sword immediately split off a smaller sword to slay it.

Black sword light fell from afar, crashing down on the Realm of Life and Death’s barrier.

In that instant, demons cheered and emerged. Xie Gutang’s hands flipped through law seals. The light sword split from one into ten thousand, suspended in the air. He slowly stood, drawing the long sword at his waist.

“The twelfth generation Wenxin Sword of Heavenly Sword Sect, Xie Gutang, respectfully awaits you all here.”

“Those who advance one step,” Xie Gutang’s sword light turned, and the ten thousand swords in the sky pointed their tips toward the magma, “kill without mercy!”

—

While the small world descended into chaos, Jian Xingzhi rushed to the Southern Heavenly Gate. Heavenly soldiers guarded the Southern Heavenly Gate. When Jian Xingzhi arrived before them, he directly spoke: “Open the teleportation array. I need to descend to the realm.”

“Daojun Suiheng,” seeing it was Jian Xingzhi, the heavenly soldier forced a smile, “do you have an edict for descending to the realm?”

“Does this seat need your permission to descend to the realm?!”

Jian Xingzhi shouted loudly, but thinking this wasn’t the time to start a fight, he could only suppress his temper and explain: “I’m descending to the realm to save someone! The entire family of Jishan Mountain Lord is trapped in the lower realm calling for aid. Do I have time to get an edict?!”

Hearing “Jishan Mountain Lord,” the heavenly soldier immediately understood: “You’re going to the small world where Jishan Mountain Lord is?”

“You know?”

Jian Xingzhi frowned. The heavenly soldier nodded, his expression becoming serious: “Daojun Suiheng, if you’re going to this small world, this subordinate cannot open the array.”

“Why?”

“Evil beings in this small world are currently trying to break through the heavenly dao’s shackles and leave this small world. This evil being is extremely sinister, living by absorbing people’s evil thoughts. Once it escapes the small world’s seal, with all the evil thoughts of the three thousand worlds belonging to it, even the immortal realm would likely face a bitter battle. The Heavenly Emperor has already ordered that this small world’s barrier not be opened.”

“So what?” Jian Xingzhi stared at the heavenly soldier. “Since you know this evil being is extremely sinister, you’re letting the people of this small world fend for themselves, not caring about them at all?!”

“Suiheng,” a voice came from the sky, indistinguishable as male or female. Without any emotion, carrying cold divinity, it calmly told him, “Whether people, immortals, gods, or even an entire world, all have their own destinies. Evil beings born in their world should properly end in that world.”

“What if they can’t eliminate it themselves?”

Jian Xingzhi turned to look toward the distant Heavenly Palace, asking the ruler of this immortal realm.

The other party contemplated for a long time, finally telling him: “This small world has one true god. Her body can serve as a container for the evil being. If they cannot eliminate the evil being, the heavenly realm will help them.”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi’s eyes suddenly widened.

He gripped his sword tightly, staring fixedly at the Heavenly Palace. After a long while, he turned to look at the teleportation array.

“Fine.” He nodded. “Then I won’t go.”

Jian Xingzhi turned with his sword. The heavenly soldier breathed a sigh of relief. However, just as the heavenly soldier relaxed his guard, Jian Xingzhi suddenly turned back and leaped downward!

Falling from the Heavenly Palace, brilliant colors appeared before his eyes. He saw countless constellations and heard the heavenly soldier roar behind him: “Daojun Suiheng, without the teleportation array you won’t be able to find your way through the three thousand worlds!”

“666,” Jian Xingzhi kept falling downward, shouting loudly, “help me find Qin Wanwan. Are we still doing the task or not?!”

“Can’t! Not enough points!” 666 roared. “Wait a bit longer! We need to wait for the female lead to become the brightest star!”

“What counts as the brightest star?!”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi was about to collapse: “She’s already become a god, isn’t that bright enough?!”

“Almost there!”

666 rapidly manipulated the keyboard, beginning to adjust coordinates: “Master, don’t fall so fast. I’m using points to try coordinates one by one. Once I find the location and the points are credited, we’ll have enough ability to open a passage between the two realms.”

“Still have to wait? How useless are you?”

“What time is it and you’re still calling me useless?!” 666 became angry. “Do you know I was among the best students in the AI academy?!”

“If you had the best grades, why can’t you think of a solution? You only know to wait for points! By the time we get the points, it’ll be too late!”

These words choked 666 into silence. She held it in for a long time, finally saying: “There is one method to speed up the female lead’s completion progress.”

“What method?”

“The female lead is currently undergoing her inner demon tribulation. Once she completes tribulation, she’ll be close to completion. I can try to hack the system on her side and send a small part of your divine consciousness over. If you help her pass the inner demon tribulation, it can speed up progress.”

“What do you mean hack her system?”

“If you don’t understand, don’t ask,” 666 frantically typed at the keyboard. “Get ready, I’ll send part of your divine consciousness over first.”

“What about my body?”

Jian Xingzhi felt everything before his eyes turn into digital code. He urgently spoke. 666 hit the final enter key: “It floats!”

With that, Jian Xingzhi’s vision went black.

At the same time, in Qin Wanwan’s consciousness sea, 38 was boredly smoking when he suddenly screamed: “What era is this to still hack systems?! That’s illegal, you know?! Which AI are you? Believe it or not I’ll report you and delete your source code…”

Before he finished speaking, the consciousness sea barrier shattered. 38 saw 666 wearing a pink little hat. The two systems faced each other. 38’s cigarette fell to the ground with a thud.

666 reacted first. She grabbed the keyboard, speaking through gritted teeth: “You’re actually smoking behind my back!! You betrayed me! I’m going to delete your source code right now!”

“No…” 666 urgently spoke. “Honey, let me explain…”

“I don’t care about you two anymore,” Jian Xingzhi glanced at 666. “I’m leaving.”

With that, Jian Xingzhi threw himself into Qin Wanwan’s vast consciousness sea. Among countless image fragments, he found the fragment where Qin Wanwan was staying and drilled in.

After drilling in, Jian Xingzhi discovered this place wasn’t anywhere else—it was actually Shangji Sect.

He froze. He didn’t understand why Qin Wanwan’s inner demon tribulation would be at Shangji Sect.

But he didn’t hesitate. After searching around, he immediately found Qin Wanwan’s location. He flew on his sword to the room where Qin Wanwan was. Just as he was about to call her, he discovered she was crouching on the ground, fastening a cloak on a child.

The child was still very small, looking about four or five years old, holding a candied hawthorn stick in his hand, standing in the snow, looking at Qin Wanwan full of expectation, asking in a baby voice: “Wanwan, can I eat one more candied hawthorn stick?”

“You can’t eat more,” Qin Wanwan’s voice was very soft. She tied a beautiful butterfly knot for him, then looked up and pinched the child’s face. “If children eat too much sugar, they’ll get cavities.”

“Then if I don’t eat candied hawthorn, can I not practice sword this afternoon?” The little child continued bargaining with Qin Wanwan.

Qin Wanwan pretended to be serious: “Jian Xingzhi, you’re not being good.”

The little child pouted: “But Xie Gutang and Cuilu don’t have to practice sword. Why do I have to? They made plans to catch rabbits this afternoon. I want to go too.”

Hearing this, Qin Wanwan hesitated: “Didn’t you just go catch fish with Luo Xingzhou and the others yesterday?”

“But today is different,” little Jian Xingzhi looked up, speaking seriously about his reasoning. “I have so many friends. I have to spend time with each one of them.”

“Alright,” Qin Wanwan said with a mixture of crying and laughing, “then after you’re done playing, come back and practice sword properly, or your parents will scold you.”

“They won’t,” little Jian Xingzhi acted coquettishly, his face full of pride. “My parents love me so much.”

“Tsk,” Qin Wanwan was quite disdainful. “If you keep acting spoiled, I’ll make your parents stop caring about you in the future.”

“No way,” little Jian Xingzhi actively hugged Qin Wanwan. “Wanwan can’t bear to.”

Watching this scene, Jian Xingzhi couldn’t speak.

He suddenly understood what this inner demon tribulation was.

Qin Wanwan’s life had been carefree and smooth, with everything going well. The only irreversible regret in her life was him.

Her inner demon tribulation was actually just indulging in an illusion.

An illusion where Jian Xingzhi had parents who loved him, good friends, someone to accompany him, someone to care for him.

Such a simple wish, yet it could make her sink into it for a long, long time.

Jian Xingzhi watched Qin Wanwan caring for his illusory self. He couldn’t help but feel his eyes heat up. He wanted to watch a bit longer, but he also knew this was ultimately an illusion.

But being able to see this scene, he also felt this illusion actually didn’t matter anymore.

“Wanwan.” He spoke. Qin Wanwan froze. She turned her head blankly to see the young man standing under the tree.

The young man walked before her, crouched down, and looked at her tenderly.

“I have no regrets.”

Qin Wanwan looked at Jian Xingzhi in confusion, hearing the person before her smile and tell her: “I’m very glad that when I was young, I could practice sword properly, cultivate seriously, endure much hardship, because only that way could I become the sufficiently powerful Daojun Suiheng, could I meet you, and in the future, protect you without any regrets.”

“Jian Xingzhi…”

Qin Wanwan murmured, seeming to realize something.

Jian Xingzhi reached out his hand, placing it on her cheek: “Leave this place. I’m waiting for you outside.”

“Go to the real world—” he looked at her, “I’ll wait for you to take me to eat tangyuan, eat candied hawthorn, watch acrobatics, guess lantern riddles.”

“All the things I haven’t experienced, I’m waiting for you to teach me.”

“You teach me all this, and not only do I have no regrets, I’m also very grateful,” the illusion shattered inch by inch. Jian Xingzhi smiled. “You didn’t see any of my suffering, but all my beauty includes you.”

“Jian Xingzhi…”

“Master! The inner demon tribulation is broken, come back quickly, the mainframe has issued a warrant for me!”

666 shouted loudly.

38 began frantically resisting the mainframe’s data audit, making complaint calls: “No problem, I haven’t been attacked! Everything’s fine on my end! Could you not randomly send antivirus software over, please?!”

“I’m waiting for you outside.”

Jian Xingzhi’s figure was dragged away by 666. 666 held the keyboard in one hand and dragged Jian Xingzhi with the other, running out of the phantom.

Qin Wanwan stared blankly as Jian Xingzhi disappeared. She heard thunder rumbling around her, heard people roaring around her. She slowly opened her eyes in the thunder.

At this very instant, Cuilu crashed hard before her. She was covered in blood. Around them, people also lay scattered everywhere.

Everyone was in pools of blood. Cuilu’s entire body didn’t have a single intact spot. She struggled to raise her head, seeing Qin Wanwan in the thunder.

At this moment, the mortal realm had become purgatory.

All plants withered. The dried flying dragon fought with spirit beasts raised by various major sects. On the ground, cultivators fought with corpses. At the Realm of Life and Death, Xie Gutang bitterly guarded beside the magma purgatory, killing until he was drenched in blood.

Qin Wanwan surveyed the mortal realm, slowly rising in the thunder.

The Evil God turned to look, seeing the thunder stop and dark clouds gradually disperse. A gentle white light fell on Qin Wanwan, gently enveloping her.

In her white robes, she appeared immortal and ethereal, slowly drawing Yuanning and pointing it at the ground.

Life force spread from beneath her feet toward the distance. Green grass and flowers paved all the way to the far distance. Dead trees sprouted new buds one by one. Butterflies broke from their cocoons.

Grass grew, flowers bloomed, as if spring had come.

“A newly ascended god?” The Evil God smiled. “You think you can kill me?”

Qin Wanwan didn’t speak. She closed her eyes.

In that moment, her sword sensed the heaven and earth’s vigorous life force, sensed all hope, sorrow, and joy in the mortal realm.

She raised her hand, slowly lifting her sword. White light condensed on her sword.

Everyone looked up at the white-robed female immortal on the altar. Ning Buyan murmured in shock: “A god…”

At this very moment, 666 spoke excitedly: “Task complete!! The female lead has become the brightest star! Points arrived!”

Jian Xingzhi’s eyes snapped open to see 666 frantically typing at the keyboard, typing while shouting: “Found coordinates! Passage connecting! Host please prepare for landing! Once the heavenly dao barrier opens, it will automatically deliver the host.”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi turned back to see below him was the cultivation world he had left. But this cultivation world was covered by a membrane. He could faintly sense the heavenly dao power surging on this membrane.

If he forcibly split this barrier open, he would be opposing this small world’s heavenly dao. Regardless of victory or defeat, from then on, this small world would also lose heavenly dao protection.

So he didn’t dare act rashly. He could only watch from above, waiting for the system to connect with the heavenly dao to open the barrier.

He quietly watched below. He saw that girl who usually stood behind him, who usually acted coquettish and bickered with him, now holding in her hand a sword that controlled life and death. That sword tip condensed this realm’s life force.

All of it was this realm’s people’s hope for life, their longing for goodness.

He saw the mortal catastrophe, saw black energy continuously flowing into the Evil God’s staff, and also saw the law array in the Evil God’s hand.

“You can’t win against me.”

The Evil God laughed loudly: “I’ve planted demon seeds in this world for a hundred years. My power is endless. Just relying on you…”

Before he finished speaking, Qin Wanwan raised her hand with one sword, slashing fiercely toward the Evil God. The Evil God raised his staff high. Black energy rushed rapidly toward Qin Wanwan’s sword. The two rays of radiance collided together. Spiritual energy waves violently shook outward.

In an instant, the two sides engaged in battle.

“The greatest difference between gods, immortals, and humans lies in the source of power.”

The Evil God and Qin Wanwan’s swords clashed again and again. Their speed was extremely fast. The powerful force compelled everyone to retreat far away.

The Evil God was clearly at ease. Qin Wanwan appeared much more inexperienced.

“Our power comes from beliefs in the world, while cultivators’ power comes from spiritual power in heaven and earth. And humans are the spirit of all things. What are humans? Humans are things composed of various beliefs. Souls house these beliefs, bodies house souls. Therefore, our source is the most advanced, most powerful existence in this world. It can directly become the spirit of all things. So we are existences far above immortals and humans—we can even control them.”

The Evil God explained. Qin Wanwan looked up: “So what?”

“So we’re immortal and undying.” The Evil God smiled. “As long as beliefs that worship me exist, I’ll never die. We’re so powerful—why must you oppose me?”

“Because my belief is life, is goodness, while you,” Qin Wanwan looked at him coldly. The sword light in her hand surged greatly. “You are evil!”

“If that’s the case…” The Evil God smiled. “Then don’t blame me.”

The moment his voice fell, he suddenly raised his staff: “Evil, come!”

In an instant, endless black energy surged from all directions. The ground rumbled. The Evil God split from one person into over a dozen, rapidly attacking toward Qin Wanwan.

Qin Wanwan’s single sword transformed into a ten-direction sword array. Holding her sword, she stood in place. The formation array beneath her feet opened wide. Sword formulas flipped rapidly in her hands.

In the mortal realm, people were drained one by one and pounced forward. After a moment, they stood up and charged at those around them.

The team composed of cultivators entangled with these corpses.

“A newly ascended god, possessing power but not knowing how to use it.”

The Evil God mocked: “You overestimate yourself.”

As he spoke, the Evil God suddenly disappeared, transforming into wisps of black smoke rushing into the sword array. Light swords around Qin Wanwan rapidly sliced the black smoke.

However, when the black smoke was cut into sections, one section became two, two became three.

Although each section that touched Qin Wanwan’s sword would be burned and become smaller, they couldn’t be completely eliminated. Qin Wanwan could only pour all her power into the formation array beneath her feet to resist these black smoke invasions.

But this black smoke carried tremendous power. Each collision against the barrier required Qin Wanwan to use more spiritual power to resist.

The more cultivation Qin Wanwan used, the fewer ordinary people she could protect, and the stronger this black smoke became.

“Why does the Evil God’s power keep increasing?”

Liu Feixu looked up while fighting corpses, turning to glance at the two battling above, unable to help but frown.

Luo Xingzhou stood back-to-back with her. After observing the surroundings for a moment, he spoke through gritted teeth: “It’s the demon seeds.”

Demon seeds would greatly amplify people’s evil thoughts and spread rapidly. If the demon seeds weren’t eliminated, the Evil God’s power would far exceed Qin Wanwan’s.

And Qin Wanwan herself wasn’t very familiar with using divine power. With demon seeds enhancing him, in another moment, she’d likely be no match.

“Then what do we do?”

Liu Feixu spoke anxiously: “There are demon seeds everywhere now. I can’t kill everyone!”

Luo Xingzhou didn’t speak. He pressed his lips together, using his sword to shake back those nearby with sword energy. Liu Feixu panicked and urged: “Say something!”

“There’s still Jian Xingzhi.”

Luo Xingzhou spoke. Liu Feixu froze, then remembered Jian Xingzhi hadn’t appeared yet.

Hope instantly ignited in her heart.

There was still Jian Xingzhi.

Not only Luo Xingzhou thought this—after Qin Wanwan judged the Evil God’s power source from above, she shrank the sword array’s range, leaping out rapidly to escape the black smoke’s coverage area.

The Evil God’s voice, seemingly woven from countless people into an extremely complex sound, resounded through the heavens: “Run? Where else do you think you can run?”

With that, the black smoke pursued and entangled Qin Wanwan again, intertwining with Qin Wanwan’s sword array.

“I told you, you can’t win against me. You don’t know how evil human hearts can be in this world.”

The black smoke cut through Qin Wanwan’s sleeve. Blood beads scattered in the air, instantly caught and absorbed by the black smoke.

“I like you so much. How can you hate me so much? I’m also Jian Xingzhi.”

“What he has, I have. I’m just their evil side.”

The black smoke coiled like a snake around Qin Wanwan’s arm. Qin Wanwan severed it with one sword.

“No one has ever been good to me. I want you so much.”

“You could never abandon Jian Xingzhi in the Sword Tomb. Why can’t you treat me the same way? That sword of yours was really cruel. I really like it.”

“Wasn’t I good? In Ghost City, when you first came in, was the dance I performed good? You were stunned watching.”

“Originally in Ghost City I wanted Jian Xingzhi’s soul, but those trash came so suddenly. But I still started merging with him. I have all his emotions. His jealousy, his envy, his affection, his joy, his confusion—I understand everything. My feelings for you are the same as his. How can you hate me so much?”

With that, the Evil God suddenly broke through Qin Wanwan’s barrier. The barrier shattered. Black energy struck Qin Wanwan’s chest hard. True energy poured out, spiritual power scattered. Qin Wanwan coughed up blood and fell straight down. The Evil God transformed into human form, appearing before her, grabbing her hair and forcing her to look up at him.

“You all like humans, like righteousness, but do you know how long I waited for those people on that snowy mountain?”

Black energy from the Evil God’s hand continuously poured into Qin Wanwan’s body. Qin Wanwan couldn’t resist. She gripped her sword tightly, feeling countless evil thoughts and ghosts trying to erode her consciousness sea.

The Evil God gazed at Qin Wanwan: “Do you know, when I watched my mother die at the Ning family, when I was betrayed by Hua Rong, spurned by Ghost City, watched my sister die before me, had my tendons severed and limbs cut off by Liu Yiyi—how much I wanted to kill them?”

“You’ve already killed them.”

Qin Wanwan coughed blood, reminding him.

The Evil God chuckled softly: “How is that enough?”

With that, he raised his hand to grip Qin Wanwan’s throat. Qin Wanwan gripped her sword tightly.

Black energy surged into her body, but her consciousness wasn’t affected in the slightest.

The Evil God gazed at her: “I could devour Lin Yanzhi back then. Today I can devour you just the same. What are you still persisting for?”

“I…”

Her vision began to darken, but she still didn’t stop her original action, absorbing and hiding all her power in her sword.

She didn’t resist. She faintly heard 38’s call: “Master, hold on! The heavenly dao barrier has opened. They’re about to land! Five! Four! Three!”

“I’m waiting…”

“Waiting for what?”

The Evil God tilted his head, leaning closer, wanting to hear Qin Wanwan’s murmur clearly.

“Jian Xingzhi…”

The instant Qin Wanwan spoke this name, 38 just finished the countdown.

“One!”

As his voice fell, a golden sword light broke through the sky, descending from the heavens!

As the golden sword light fell, the entire world trembled. Everyone opened their eyes watching that sword light, sensing the power in that sword light far exceeding what this small world should possess. They were forced to kneel on the ground by this power, looking up as the sword light descended.

“Divine descent…”

Luo Xingzhou looked at the sky, murmuring.

The sword light blasted in all directions. A golden formation array expanded with the sword energy, suspended high over the entire cultivation world. Then countless golden small swords rained down from the sword array, pursuing the direction of people connected by the Evil God’s black energy, directly penetrating these demon seed parasites one by one.

The sword entered their bodies. Green light burst forth. These people’s bodies were illuminated transparent. One could clearly see demon seeds blooming in their bodies, then instantly shattering.

In just an instant, all demon seeds in the cultivation world were swept clean. The Evil God’s eyes widened. No longer caring about Qin Wanwan, he turned to pursue toward the sky above. But the instant he turned, the sword light in Qin Wanwan’s hand burst forth greatly, pouring fiercely into his body. The Evil God’s movement halted. He saw the golden radiance from the sky crash down on the Evil God with a thunderous boom!

“You…” In the golden light’s purification, the Evil God’s body shattered bit by bit. He looked in shock at Qin Wanwan gripping the sword before him. “You actually…”

“If I had been on that snowy mountain back then,” Qin Wanwan knew what he wanted to ask, but she didn’t answer this unimportant question. Instead, she looked up at him, “I would have gone back to exchange places with you.”

The Evil God froze. In that moment, the time on the snowy mountain transformed into an ice sculpture, waiting day after day for companions to return, reappeared before his eyes.

He smiled: “You think you can kill me?”

“If I disappear today, in the future, as long as evil exists in the mortal realm, I will exist.”

“But likewise,” Jian Xingzhi suddenly appeared behind him, piercing through his body with one sword. Jian Xingzhi’s eyes looked past Qin Wanwan’s shoulder toward Qin Wanwan opposite, raising a smile. “As long as goodness exists in the mortal realm, we will exist.”

Light blazed from both swords. The Evil God cried out in pain: “But no one came! You didn’t come! None of you came!”

As he spoke, his entire being shattered, transforming into black smoke and dispersing. But the surrounding white light wrapped all the black smoke, purifying it, ultimately becoming wisps of clear wind, floating in all directions.

When the Evil God completely disappeared between the two, they hung suspended in the air. One in white, one in blue, their robes fluttering. The two gazed at each other in silence, as if reunited after countless millennia.

Qin Wanwan was covered in wounds. She smiled, reminding Jian Xingzhi: “Things aren’t finished yet.”

Jian Xingzhi nodded. He raised his hand and touched Qin Wanwan’s forehead. A ray of spiritual power entered Qin Wanwan’s body. The wounds on her body faded. Jian Xingzhi turned to glance around, instructing with tacit understanding: “The usual way.”

“I save people.” Qin Wanwan smiled.

“I kill enemies.”

Without another word, Jian Xingzhi departed on his sword.

“Ten directions slay evil, ten thousand swords heed my command.”

Jian Xingzhi’s voice came from the sky. All swords in the entire world flew out together to form an array.

“Kill!”

The instant his voice fell, flying swords everywhere slashed toward the corpses currently gnawing on people.

Wherever Jian Xingzhi passed, with one sword strike, all evil dissipated.

From afar, Xie Gutang heard his voice and looked up to see a blue figure holding a sword sweep across the sky. Jian Xingzhi raised an eyebrow and smiled at him: “Seeing you can’t handle it, I’ll help you!”

With that, he raised his hand and struck one sword on the magma. The formation array on the magma rapidly began to recover. The golden sword originally faintly suspended in the air brightened again.

“Xie Gutang,” Jian Xingzhi’s figure moved toward the distance, leaving one sentence, “Hurry and ascend. The heavenly realm is waiting for you!”

With that, Jian Xingzhi’s figure had already disappeared. Xie Gutang held his sword and smiled softly.

“Alright.”

Jian Xingzhi drove away evil everywhere. Qin Wanwan turned back. She hurried before Shangsui and Taiheng, first healing their injuries. After Shangsui and Taiheng recovered slightly, they rushed to save others.

Qin Wanwan walked before Nanfeng and Cuilu. Nanfeng was just an empty shell. He lay in a pool of blood, gasping softly: “Master,” he looked up, “can I… can I still ascend?”

“With Jian Xingzhi and me here.”

Qin Wanwan held Nanfeng in her arms. Light enveloped Nanfeng. Nanfeng’s breathing calmed considerably. Qin Wanwan comforted him: “Whoever doesn’t let you ascend, Jian Xingzhi will beat them up.”

“That’s wonderful…” Nanfeng murmured. “I… I can also ascend. Master… I… I hurt so much… I want to sleep.”

“Sleep.”

Qin Wanwan spoke gently: “When we reach the immortal realm, I’ll remake a body for you.”

As Qin Wanwan spoke, she looked up at Cuilu beside her, covered in blood.

“Your demon core is destroyed.”

She spoke calmly. Cuilu gasped: “This old lady is still a good bird.”

“Cuilu-jiejie,” Qin Wanwan smiled looking at her, “we’ll meet again in the immortal realm.”

With that, she stood up, raising her hand with one sword. Sword light swept over Cuilu’s body. The wounds on Cuilu’s body gradually disappeared. Her gaze followed Qin Wanwan’s sword tip. Qin Wanwan turned around.

She walked to the altar’s edge, overlooking the entire world. After watching for a long time, she raised her hand and swung her sword at this world.

With one sword, vegetation regenerated. Grass grew and orioles flew. Dark clouds in the sky dispersed. All things were full of life.

Qin Wanwan watched this reborn world, seeing the blue-robed immortal lord returning on his sword from afar.

As soon as Jian Xingzhi landed, he began complaining: “A bird almost hit me just now. Feathers went all over my face.”

Qin Wanwan smiled and took the feather from his forehead, only asking: “Where did you go? Why were you gone so long?”

“Didn’t I promise Ning Huihe I’d create a body for her?”

Jian Xingzhi smiled: “Just went to see Yan Wushuang and Ning Huihe. Conveniently molded a body for them.”

With that, he saw Nanfeng cradled in Qin Wanwan’s arms. He carefully took Nanfeng into his own arms, frowning: “What happened to him?”

“Let’s slowly heal him when we return to the immortal realm.”

Seeing Jian Xingzhi’s heartache, Qin Wanwan comforted him: “This body is ruined. It’s a good opportunity to reforge a new body for him.”

“Mm.” Jian Xingzhi held Nanfeng, looking up. “Everything arranged properly?”

With that, he turned to glance around to see Shangsui and Taiheng standing nearby, seeming to have waited for them a long time.

“If you don’t leave soon, looking like this,” seeing Jian Xingzhi look over, Shangsui coldly swept him a glance, “the small world will collapse soon.”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi instinctively wanted to retort, but thinking of Shangsui’s identity, he held it in, suppressing himself to say: “What you say is correct.”

“Then…” Qin Wanwan hesitated, looking at Shangsui carefully, “how do we go back?”

Jian Xingzhi was sent back by 38. She didn’t know how he came, but judging by his landing appearance, it didn’t seem like a normal passage.

Hearing Qin Wanwan’s question, Shangsui helplessly glared at her and directly took the Linglong Jade from her waist: “You were quite clever when young. How did you become so stupid now?”

With that, Shangsui walked before the ring formed by four Linglong Jades. With a raise of her hand, the ring became complete.

The Heaven Ascension Path paved all the way to the top. Shangsui placed her hands behind her back, taking the lead: “Let’s go.”

After Taiheng spoke, he turned to look at Luo Bufan and the others behind him. He raised his hand in salute, speaking gently: “Thank you all for your care these hundred years. I wish you all cultivation of the great dao. In the future, if we meet again in the immortal realm, you’re welcome to come to Jishan to drink a cup of water wine.”

“We should be the ones thanking you,” Luo Bufan sighed. “You two Immortal Lords sacrificed so much for our realm. We cannot repay you. We feel guilty. In the future, we’ll build golden statues and divine temples for you Immortal Lords, offering incense to express our gratitude.”

“Thank you.”

After Taiheng politely thanked everyone, he also walked toward the Heaven Ascension Ladder, turning to remind Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi: “Say your farewells quickly. This small world can’t withstand Jian Xingzhi’s spiritual power.”

With that, Taiheng followed Shangsui, walking upward.

Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi looked at each other, then turned to see many people had come to the altar.

The two acknowledged them one by one—Xie Gutang wasn’t there. Cuilu, Luo Xingzhou, Liu Feixu, Ning Buyan, Ning Wenchang, Yan Wushuang, Ning Huihe, Golden Sword Boy…

Even the group from the male escort house where Jian Xingzhi worked in Ghost City were there.

They wore cultivators’ robes. Seeing Jian Xingzhi look over, they excitedly said: “Immortal Lord, City Lord Cuilu specially used a teleportation array to bring us here! Hearing you were leaving, we came to see you off. Now we’ve changed professions. We’re assassins now. We don’t have to live like before…”

“Cough.” Jian Xingzhi completely didn’t want people to know about this past, lightly coughing to hastily cover up the topic: “I know, stop talking.”

“We can’t stay long. Not much to say,” Qin Wanwan smiled, raising her hand to bid farewell to the group. “Mountains won’t change, rivers will flow. Until we meet again.”

“Oh,” Luo Xingzhou suddenly remembered, emerging from the crowd to hand Jian Xingzhi a talisman paper. “Almost forgot. This is what Senior Brother asked me to give you.”

Jian Xingzhi looked at this talisman paper and froze. Luo Xingzhou scratched his head, recalling: “Senior Brother said you know what this is. He doesn’t need to say more.”

Jian Xingzhi didn’t speak. He looked at this talisman paper wrapped in a barrier.

Originally, he thought Xie Gutang and Cuilu had destroyed this talisman paper, but now he discovered they ultimately couldn’t bear to.

Jian Xingzhi looked up at Cuilu. Cuilu turned her head away, not looking at him.

Jian Xingzhi smiled: “Alright, old fat bird, I won’t hold it against you anymore.”

“Who are you calling a fat bird?!”

Cuilu instantly turned back, glaring and about to scold.

Qin Wanwan tugged Jian Xingzhi’s sleeve, turning to look at Cuilu: “Cuilu-jiejie, see you in the immortal realm.”

“We’re leaving.”

Jian Xingzhi waved his hand. Holding Nanfeng, he turned with Qin Wanwan and stepped onto the Heaven Ascension Ladder, walking upward.

The moment they stepped on the Heaven Ascension Ladder, both their minds simultaneously heard a mechanical uninstalling sound, along with a unified mechanical voice: “Commission task successfully completed. AI about to detach from host.”

“Huh?” Qin Wanwan was surprised. “38, you’re leaving?”

“Yeah.” 38 sighed. “Next task, next host. Thanks for taking care of me.”

“Then…” Qin Wanwan listened to his words, hesitating for a moment. This day came as expected yet somewhat suddenly. She hesitated a long time, watching the countdown on the screen, finally speaking, “Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

“Stop smoking in the future.”

“Sigh,” 38 sighed. “You women, why are you all like this? Whatever, I’ll eat lollipops from now on.”

With that, light particles slowly disappeared in her mind.

At this time, 666 also began uninstalling and leaving.

“You’re leaving just like that?”

Seeing 666 begin to disappear, Jian Xingzhi sounded surprised. 666 coldly snorted: “Otherwise? Stay so you can scold me?”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi fell silent for a moment.

“I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

666 turned back in surprise. Jian Xingzhi smiled: “Actually, you’re a great system. Thanks for taking care of me.”

Hearing this, 666 fell silent for a moment. Looking at the three-second countdown, she extended her little hand and gently hugged him: “You’re also very good. Be happy in the future, Jian Xingzhi.”

666 disappeared from Jian Xingzhi’s consciousness sea. Jian Xingzhi and Qin Wanwan sensed it in their hearts. The two looked at each other and couldn’t help but smile.

The four walked on the Immortal Ascension Ladder. Shangsui and Taiheng walked in front, the two juniors walked behind.

After walking for a long time, Shangsui hadn’t spoken. Jian Xingzhi was somewhat nervous.

He lowered his voice, whispering with Qin Wanwan: “Why is your mother’s pressure aura so heavy?”

“She’s probably still angry.”

Qin Wanwan lowered her voice. Jian Xingzhi glanced at her, not understanding: “Angry about what?”

“My father gave all his cultivation to the system to save you.”

Qin Wanwan explained. Jian Xingzhi froze, then heard Shangsui shout loudly: “Qin Wanwan!”

Hearing Shangsui call her, Qin Wanwan immediately stood at attention and responded: “Yes!”

“Come here!”

Shangsui spoke sternly. Qin Wanwan made faces at Jian Xingzhi and jogged forward.

Seeing Shangsui’s posture, Jian Xingzhi felt Qin Wanwan was about to be scolded. Wanting to say something, just as he was about to speak, he saw Taiheng standing beside him.

“I advise you not to speak.”

Jian Xingzhi looked at Taiheng strangely. Taiheng’s tone was sarcastic: “Wanwan actually ran off with you at the first opportunity. She’s quite angry about that.”

“But…” Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi felt somewhat guilty. “But wasn’t I… about to die? Life and death are major matters.”

“The reasoning is sound,” Taiheng nodded, only saying, “but Suisui has a bad temper. What can be done?”

“Bad temper…” Jian Xingzhi braced himself. “Should be changed.”

Hearing this, Taiheng gave a cold laugh.

“With your dog temper, are you qualified to say this?”

“Didn’t I change?”

Jian Xingzhi became more guilty as he spoke. Taiheng lowered his head to touch his sword, only saying: “Last time you broke two of my ribs.”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi almost knelt down.

He immediately spoke: “Master, I have twenty-four ribs. Help yourself.”

Taiheng didn’t speak. From ahead came Qin Wanwan’s coquettish voice.

“Mother, I was wrong. You’re the most important in my heart,” Qin Wanwan reached out to hold Shangsui’s hand, acting spoiled. “I won’t run off with anyone. Our Jishan only accepts husbands who marry in! I know!”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi suddenly realized something: “Master, you married in?”

“How can you call it marrying in?”

Taiheng looked completely serious. Jian Xingzhi suddenly felt these words indeed didn’t sound good. Then he heard Taiheng seriously tell him: “This is called improving one’s living conditions.”

Jian Xingzhi: “…”

The four chatted and walked, finally arriving at the Southern Heavenly Gate.

Arriving before the Southern Heavenly Gate, a row of heavenly soldiers saw Jian Xingzhi return and immediately straightened up. The heavenly soldier who had been guarding earlier pointed at Jian Xingzhi to his superior: “Superior, the one who forcibly broke through the Southern Heavenly Gate just now was him!”

The superior looked at these four people and swallowed.

The legendary hot-tempered and protective, rich and strong Jishan Mountain Lord;

The strongest son-in-law Zhenren Taiheng who loved to smile but drew his sword at the drop of a hat;

The strongest combat power Jian Xingzhi who after ascending made the four seas and eight wildernesses into complete chaos;

And the beautiful, strong, and mysterious strongest female immortal Qin Wanwan of the heavenly realm.

Looking at this combination, never mind a small Southern Heavenly Gate superior—even if the Heavenly Emperor came, he’d have to learn to be quiet.

Seeing them pointing at Jian Xingzhi, Shangsui swept them a light glance: “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing.”

The superior instantly led everyone to move aside, respectfully saying: “Welcome back, all four. We missed you so much, got a bit excited.”

“Understood.”

Shangsui nodded, summoned her divine beast, pulled on Qin Wanwan and Taiheng, turned and rushed toward Jishan.

Jian Xingzhi only had time to say “Hey” before the people disappeared before him.

“Jian Xingzhi,” Qin Wanwan’s voice rang out, cautious. “My mother is still angry. Come back in a few days.”

Hearing Qin Wanwan’s transmission, Jian Xingzhi thought about it, sighed, looked down at Nanfeng in his arms, and decided to first return to his dao palace.

First remake a body for Nanfeng, tidy up, look more presentable, then go see them.

“I know,” Jian Xingzhi transmitted back. Thinking about it, he couldn’t help but add, “Stay in touch.”

With that, Jian Xingzhi returned to his dao palace holding Nanfeng.

As soon as he returned to his dao palace, he saw dao boys surge forward. The dao boys’ faces were full of excitement, eagerly asking: “Zhenren, did you win? Is Jishan’s Nujun formidable?”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi choked. After holding it in for a long time, he only said: “Stop asking. Jishan’s Nujun is number one in the world.”

With that, he instructed again: “That, take stock of my assets and make me a gift list.”

“Huh?”

The dao boys were confused: “What does Zhenren want to do?”

“I…” Jian Xingzhi held it in for a long time. “I want to propose marriage.”

Jian Xingzhi had plundered too many ancient tombs and collected too much protection money. Even working overtime, the dao palace staff took over ten days to tally everything.

During these ten-plus days, Jian Xingzhi transmitted to Qin Wanwan every day. Qin Wanwan’s life was very full. She could cultivate now. Her mother couldn’t wait to make up for the previous two hundred years, watching her make up lessons every day.

“Wuu wuu wuu… Jian Xingzhi, I’m so tired…”

Qin Wanwan complained daily. Jian Xingzhi heard it in his ears, felt pain in his heart, then thought Shangsui had a point.

If she didn’t cultivate and study properly, what if she got bullied in the future?

There was only one solution—he’d marry her. He’d work hard and protect her for a lifetime!

The logic worked.

After Jian Xingzhi waited for the dao palace assets to be tallied, he invited the most prestigious Siming Star Lord in the immortal realm. Through a combination of coaxing and threatening, he called a large group of highly respected old immortals. Leading people carrying gifts, he himself held the gift list and headed toward Jishan.

The day he went, he specially dressed up—white crane and silver embroidered blue robes, jade crown and white garments. He looked ethereal and immortal, an extremely steady, elegant deity.

Leading people on clouds, he caused female immortals to scream all along the way. When he arrived at Jishan’s entrance, from afar he saw a large group of people gathered at the mountain gate, shouting and creating chaos.

Jian Xingzhi frowned. After landing, he randomly grabbed someone: “What’s happening here?”

“Just… just recently there have been rumors that Taiheng’s cultivation is gone…” The grabbed person stammered. “Shangsui was also injured… Qin Wanwan is just a show-off, so many people came to… to take advantage of the situation.”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi looked back coldly at the people shouting “Qin Wanwan come out and accept battle!” at the entrance. He raised his hand with one sword, blasting down with a boom.

The crowd was instantly sent sprawling by his blast. Jian Xingzhi walked forward with his sword to a high position: “What are you all making noise about here?”

“Dao… Daojun Suiheng?”

Seeing who came, everyone stammered, finally saying Jian Xingzhi’s dao title completely. After finishing, everyone reacted.

Jian Xingzhi had just fought with Qin Wanwan. Although he inexplicably ran away midway, rumor had it that it was because Qin Wanwan was too weak, to the point where Jian Xingzhi couldn’t even generate interest in beating her up.

Later came news that Qin Wanwan’s combat power was all blown out of proportion. Everyone decided to come test the waters.

In any case, Jian Xingzhi and Qin Wanwan were enemies, not friends. Seeing him appear here, though everyone felt confused, they still honestly spoke.

“Daojun Suiheng, we came to challenge Jishan’s Nujun. Please make way.”

“Challenge her?” Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi twirled his sword with a flourish. “Then defeat me first.”

“Huh?”

Everyone was confused: “Why?”

“Why?” Jian Xingzhi raised an eyebrow and smiled, raising his hand to point at himself. “Because I, Jian Xingzhi, will be Jishan’s son-in-law in the future, Qin Wanwan’s future dao companion. Understand?!”

Hearing this, the entires area fell silent.

A moment later, Jishan’s mountain gate burst open with a “boom.”

Everyone turned back to see Shangsui leading Taiheng and Qin Wanwan standing at the entrance.

“Jian Xingzhi.”

Shangsui spoke coldly. Jian Xingzhi immediately changed his expression, jogging over respectfully: “Mountain Lord Shangsui.”

“What did you just say?”

Shangsui’s voice was very cold.

Jian Xingzhi couldn’t speak. To make him say in front of Shangsui that he was Jishan’s future son-in-law—he still didn’t quite dare.

Shangsui glanced at him sideways: “What are you here at Jishan to do?”

“I…” Jian Xingzhi was too nervous to speak. He looked at the marriage proposal team he’d brought behind him. Everyone was too scared to come up from below the mountain. He looked at Qin Wanwan behind Shangsui making exaggerated faces at him. Qin Wanwan’s expressions were too rich—he couldn’t quite understand. He could only look to Taiheng for help. Taiheng’s expression didn’t move, completely standing on his wife’s side.

“Speak. Cat got your tongue?”

Seeing him not answer, Shangsui urged.

Jian Xingzhi didn’t dare open his mouth. He frantically made eye signals at Taiheng. Taiheng remained unmoved. Seeing him not speak, Shangsui finally lost patience.

“What are you here to do?!”

“I came to propose marriage!”

Jian Xingzhi was finally scared into speaking, shouting loudly. Shangsui turned to look at him. Her shocked eyes were full of “you actually have this kind of audacity.”

Jian Xingzhi took a deep breath, looking up at Shangsui. He took out the gift list from his sleeve.

Directly saying “marry in” was a bit hard to say. He raised the gift list and performed a grand bow.

“This son-in-law wishes to come to Jishan to improve his living conditions. I hope both father-in-law and mother-in-law will consent!”

Hearing this, Shangsui’s first reaction was to look at Taiheng.

Taiheng’s smile froze on his face. A moment later, a scream rang out. Everyone saw Jian Xingzhi kicked down the mountain gate by Taiheng in one blow.

Jian Xingzhi rolled down very smoothly all the way. Everyone made way for him to roll down, commenting one after another.

“Kicking Daojun Suiheng so far with one kick—Zhenren Taiheng’s strength is as good as ever!”

“Looks like it’s all rumors,” everyone concluded. “We’d better leave quickly. Let’s go, let’s go.”

With that, the crowd dispersed. Jian Xingzhi finally rolled to the bottom of the steps. His dao boys surged forward, anxiously speaking: “Zhenren, are you alright? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Jian Xingzhi waved his hand, supporting his crooked jade crown. “We’ll come again tomorrow.”

“Come again?”

Everyone was shocked. Jian Xingzhi nodded: “Of course. Is marrying a wife this easy?”

“Daojun,” Siming Zhenjun looked at Jian Xingzhi’s completely unbothered appearance and couldn’t help but ask, “don’t you feel sad? Don’t you feel ashamed? You were rejected!”

“What’s the big deal?” Jian Xingzhi waved his hand, raising his hand to pat Siming Zhenjun’s shoulder. “You’ve experienced too little. If one day you take on a kept man script, you’ll understand—face, this kind of thing,” Jian Xingzhi’s tone was deep, “doesn’t exist.”

With that, Jian Xingzhi waved his hand: “Let’s go, let’s go. We’ll come again tomorrow.”

Everyone sighed. Jian Xingzhi was quite cheerful. After walking a few steps, he turned back to see Jishan’s entire mountain covered in flowers. Qin Wanwan stood on the wall, secretly waving at him.

He smiled.

What was there to be sad about?

The most beautiful things in this world had already been given to him. Even more beautiful things awaited him in the future.

Throughout Jian Xingzhi’s life, he was resolute and indestructible, seeking and obtaining what he desired.

This life of his, he felt, was very good, very complete, very joyful.

It couldn’t be better.

—