“What night market?”
Qin Wanwan keenly turned back. Jian Xingzhi paused, then vaguely glossed over it: “The day you caught Yan Wushuang, I went home by myself and ran into him fortune-telling on the way.”
“You believe in that stuff?”
Qin Wanwan was surprised. Someone who had already ascended, still looking for fortune tellers?
“Ah…” Jian Xingzhi couldn’t continue answering, quickly changing the topic. “Whatever you want to ask, hurry up and ask. None of this is important.”
Reminded by this, Qin Wanwan didn’t dwell on it with Jian Xingzhi. She turned to look at Young Master Wuyou, about to speak, when she saw Young Master Wuyou raise two fingers: “Second question.”
Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi’s eyes widened instantly. Jian Xingzhi blurted out: “That counted as a question too?!”
“From when I began letting you ask questions, every interrogative sentence is a question. Third question.”
Young Master Wuyou raised three fingers. Jian Xingzhi was shocked and angry, about to speak, when Qin Wanwan clapped her hand over his mouth and quickly asked: “Do you know where those two immortal lords who came from the Immortal Realm back then, named Shangsui and Taiheng, took Lin Yanzhi after he fell into demonic cultivation, and what they did?”
“That’s two questions.”
Young Master Wuyou reminded her: “You can only choose one.”
Qin Wanwan froze. Young Master Wuyou slowly fanned himself, examining Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi. Qin Wanwan bit her lip and finally made a decision: “Where they went.”
Knowing where they went, she could slowly investigate what they did afterward.
Maybe if she went there directly, she could find her parents?
Young Master Wuyou nodded. He raised his hand, and the stellar phantoms changed before Qin Wanwan’s eyes. Young Master Wuyou reminded her: “Close your eyes and think of your question.”
Qin Wanwan followed his words and closed her eyes. She seemed to be traveling through the galaxy, countless starlight streaking past her. Finally the scene froze before a simple city gate.
She seemed to be sitting in a small boat, surrounded by rippling green waves. Ahead was a dock with willow trees planted beside it. Not far after disembarking, a row of willow trees encircled the city wall. On the city gate built of blue stone, two characters were written: “Flower City.”
Green hills rose on both banks, gentle breeze caressed – clearly Jiangnan scenery.
Just as the voice fell, a “ding” sounded in Qin Wanwan’s mind. The system’s cold mechanical voice rang out:
[Task Five: Flower City’s Joyous Occasion. Go to Flower City and obtain Flower City’s Exquisite Jade. Task points +2000, accept?]
A new task had opened.
Qin Wanwan opened her eyes, calmly accepting the task, forming a plan in her heart.
Having obtained such a specific task destination, the difficulty of this task had clearly decreased considerably. She still wanted to ask about her parents’ situation, but thinking that the three questions were already used up, asking more would be very presumptuous.
After hesitating a moment, she ultimately stood up: “I already know the answer. Thank you, Young Master Wuyou.”
“The young lady is beautiful,” seeing she asked nothing more, Young Master Wuyou smiled. “I can see the young lady should be very familiar with those two immortal lords, so let me tell the young lady one more piece of news.”
Hearing this, Qin Wanwan quickly looked up. Young Master Wuyou revealed information that made Qin Wanwan extremely happy: “The two immortal lords are very safe. The young lady can rest assured.”
Hearing this, the heart that had been suspended finally settled.
Qin Wanwan nodded. She performed a deep bow, sincerely thanking him: “Thank you, Young Master.”
“You’ve met them?”
Jian Xingzhi looked at this Young Master Wuyou, frowning. Young Master Wuyou pretended not to hear, turning his head to drink tea.
Jian Xingzhi wanted to say more when Qin Wanwan quickly pulled him: “Let’s go, don’t disturb him. Young Master Wuyou,” Qin Wanwan turned to smile apologetically at Young Master Wuyou, “my friend doesn’t understand manners. Please forgive him. Until we meet again by fate.”
“We will meet by fate.”
Young Master Wuyou turned back, speaking meaningfully.
“That’s wonderful,” thinking this kind of information-selling boss needed to be cultivated, Qin Wanwan quickly feigned excitement. “I couldn’t ask for more. If there’s a chance in the future, I’d like to learn more from Young Master Wuyou about secret realm creation methods. The secret realm you made this time was too excellent. Gathering True Samadhi Fire, extreme yin cold ice, lightning…”
“The young lady misunderstands,” Young Master Wuyou interrupted Qin Wanwan. “The secret realm I set up didn’t have these things.”
Qin Wanwan was stunned. She saw Young Master Wuyou raise his fan to point at Jian Xingzhi: “What you just mentioned to me – all of that should have been his doing.”
The air froze.
The atmosphere became eerily quiet.
Qin Wanwan turned to look at Jian Xingzhi. Jian Xingzhi pretended to be calm, whistling a tune as if nothing had happened, turning his head to walk outside. But as he walked, his steps quickened – he actually hurriedly opened the door and ran.
Qin Wanwan clenched her fist, bowed farewell to Young Master Wuyou, then walked out the door.
Reaching the entrance, she saw Nanfeng and the others already waiting there. Each of them carried a large bundle. Jian Xingzhi hid behind Xie Gutang, pretending to be calm as he greeted her: “You’re out?”
“What are you all carrying?”
Qin Wanwan was curious. Hearing her ask, Nanfeng immediately cried out with a mournful face: “Master, they gave us flatbreads worth nine thousand spirit stones! All three of our storage pouches are filled, and we still haven’t finished carrying them – we had to use bundles.”
“These flatbreads,” Cuilu said expressionlessly, “are enough for us to eat into our next lives.”
“But we can’t not take them,” Xie Gutang frowned. “Fortunately these flatbreads can be stored for half a year. We’ll ask Ning Buyan for ideas and donate these flatbreads.”
After the group chattered and decided the flatbreads’ fate, Cuilu finally remembered: “Did you ask all three questions? What was the result?”
Qin Wanwan didn’t speak. She moved her gaze to Jian Xingzhi.
Jian Xingzhi hid further behind Xie Gutang. Unfortunately, Xie Gutang wasn’t as tall as him, so his head was always visible bobbing behind Xie Gutang.
Qin Wanwan walked forward. Xie Gutang and Cuilu stepped aside, exposing Jian Xingzhi.
Jian Xingzhi swallowed: “I can explain. Actually at the time…”
Before he finished, Qin Wanwan’s fist, bearing the Jishan seal, delivered a vicious uppercut, smashing into Jian Xingzhi’s stomach.
Jian Xingzhi’s voice stopped. Qin Wanwan expressionlessly withdrew her fist and turned to leave.
Just as she turned, Jian Xingzhi spat out a mouthful of blood and knelt on the ground clutching his stomach.
Xie Gutang and Nanfeng hurried forward to support him.
“Senior!”
“Daoist!”
“You…” Cuilu was also frightened. She carefully examined Jian Xingzhi. “Are you alright?”
“So… so strong.”
After Jian Xingzhi spoke, with a “thud” he fell directly to the ground.
Before losing consciousness, he had only one thought in his mind.
Worthy of being the female immortal he personally taught – that punch really packed a wallop!
When Jian Xingzhi woke, it was already deep night. He suddenly opened his eyes, feeling his stomach cool and comfortable, as if it had already healed.
He breathed a sigh of relief. Just about to relax and lie flat, he suddenly realized something was wrong – there was someone here!
“Let’s talk,” Qin Wanwan’s leisurely voice came. “Why did you set fire to burn me? Was it revenge?”
“No,” Jian Xingzhi immediately sat up, apologizing to Qin Wanwan sitting to the side. “I just wanted to open the secret realm to save you, so I tried every method I could think of! I absolutely didn’t mean to take revenge on you!”
Qin Wanwan didn’t speak. She looked at him, her gaze completely lifeless.
“You might as well have been taking revenge on me.”
After all, revenge was intentional and controllable.
Wanting to save her but nearly getting her killed – you couldn’t even call him stupid. It seemed like any normal person would have that idea. You could only say their fates clashed, their luck was bad.
“Forget it…”
Qin Wanwan was somewhat weary. She raised her hand to her forehead: “We two are destined to clash. After returning to the Immortal Realm, you stay far away from me.”
“I can’t agree to that.”
Jian Xingzhi immediately refused.
He still wanted to pursue her!
Qin Wanwan didn’t understand why Jian Xingzhi would refuse. She just inexplicably felt a chill down her back.
Always this illusion that someone wanted to assassinate her.
She thought about it. Even though she cultivated immortality, she couldn’t be too superstitious. She didn’t want to discuss fate and such, so she discussed with Jian Xingzhi: “Tomorrow I’ll donate the flatbreads to the Ning family and plan to set out for Flower City.”
“Flower City?”
Jian Xingzhi sat up: “Your parents went there?”
“Correct.”
Qin Wanwan nodded: “The final scene I saw was Flower City. I speculate that back then, after my parents sealed the demonically-cultivating Lin Yanzhi, they went to Flower City wanting to redeem him. As for what happened afterward, I’ll probably only know after reaching Flower City.”
“Good.”
Jian Xingzhi nodded: “Then we’ll go.”
“Moreover, going to Flower City, I want to find someone.”
Qin Wanwan was thinking. Jian Xingzhi asked curiously: “Who?”
“Liu Feixu.”
Jian Xingzhi was stunned. He thought for a long time. Qin Wanwan reminded him: “Remember back in Ghost City, those people competing with you to be Hua Rong’s male companion? Shen Zhiming, Jun Shu, Ning Buyan, and one more…”
“I remember now,” Jian Xingzhi recalled. “Wore pink clothes, always had butterflies flying around him, got zero on the arithmetic test.”
“I didn’t think of it before,” Qin Wanwan pondered. “Now that I learned from Jun Shu that Shen Zhiming planned from the start to use Su Yueli as a cauldron to change his constitution, I suddenly realized something. In Qin Wan’s memories, in the previous life, there were mainly five men around Su Yueli – Shen Zhiming, Ning Buxiu, Jun Shu, Liu Feixu, and a young ancestor from Formless Sect.”
“What about it?”
Jian Xingzhi didn’t understand. Qin Wanwan raised her eyes to look at him: “Haven’t you noticed? Of the five, three are already demon seeds. And according to the book, if Su Yueli was a Mary Sue, Shen Zhiming shouldn’t have used her like this. But Shen Zhiming reached an agreement from the start with a cultivator raising an Azure Dragon to share a cauldron and obtain the Exquisite Jade. From beginning to end, he had no feelings for Su Yueli.”
“So you mean,” Jian Xingzhi pondered, “Qin Wan’s previous life memories might be wrong.”
“Qin Wan didn’t even know about the Exquisite Jade’s existence,” Qin Wanwan thought. “Her memories aren’t necessarily wrong, but what she saw might not be real. She thought everyone loved Su Yueli, so they all stayed by Su Yueli’s side. But what if we change perspective – these five gathered around Su Yueli not for love, but coveting Su Yueli’s constitution? Think about it – Jun Shu loved Su Yueli for her single-minded devotion. Why would he share her with others? If these five were all infected with demon seeds, joining forces to obtain the Exquisite Jade, using Su Yueli to change their constitutions, and opening the Ascension Gate to fly up – wouldn’t many things from the previous life make more sense?”
“And if Lin Yanzhi didn’t die back then and became the Evil God, he could be the true mastermind behind everything. Given his nature, not wanting Ning Buxiu to ascend would also be normal.”
Jian Xingzhi continued. He suddenly understood Qin Wanwan’s meaning: “So that means, if Lin Yanzhi didn’t die, one of these five people might be Lin Yanzhi?!”
Seeing he’d caught on, Qin Wanwan nodded: “That’s exactly what I mean.”
“Then we’ll set out tomorrow,” Jian Xingzhi made the decision. “Go to Flower City to find Liu Feixu and see who he really is.”
“Mm.”
Qin Wanwan nodded. She stood up: “Rest well. I’m leaving first.”
Saying this, she walked to the door. After thinking, she turned back to look at Jian Xingzhi, speaking coldly: “Thank you for the things you gave me today. They were quite nice.”
Hearing Qin Wanwan praise him, Jian Xingzhi also wanted to return a compliment. He racked his brain and praised: “Your punch today was also very beautiful!”
Qin Wanwan: “…”
Seeing Qin Wanwan standing at the door without speaking, Jian Xingzhi felt somewhat anxious and continued praising: “You’re also very beautiful!”
Qin Wanwan sighed, pulled open the door, turned and left.
Seeing her leave, Jian Xingzhi finally relaxed, falling back on the bed. At that very moment, he suddenly discovered a line of small text floating in his mind.
Jian Xingzhi couldn’t help clicking to view it.
[Task Twelve: Green Tea’s Invitation. Points +1500. Cannot be refused.]
[Task Objective: Invite Young Master Wuyou to team up for Flower City]
[Task Details: Jian Zhiyan discovers Qin Wan fell for Young Master Wuyou at first sight. Furious and anxious, he plans to go insult Young Master Wuyou to make him back down. Unexpectedly, he happens upon Young Master Wuyou being chased by enemies. Jian Zhiyan is taken hostage by the killer. To save Jian Zhiyan, Qin Wan teams up with Young Master Wuyou to defeat the enemy. Saved by Young Master Wuyou, Jian Zhiyan feels ashamed of his previous hostility and proactively begs Qin Wan to protect Young Master Wuyou, bringing Young Master Wuyou along to Flower City.]
Seeing such a detailed task description, Jian Xingzhi fell silent.
After a moment, he finally spoke: “When did this task come?”
“You…” 666 stuttered, “when you fainted.”
Giving him absolutely no chance to refuse.
“Writing it so detailed,” Jian Xingzhi said expressionlessly, “are you afraid I won’t know how to do the task?”
“Learning from past mistakes,” 666 swallowed. “Master, for the points, don’t act recklessly.”
Jian Xingzhi scoffed lightly and immediately lay flat: “Asking me to go scold him is fine. Running into him being chased and killed – impossible.”
Saying this, he closed his eyes. But after thinking, he immediately sat up from the bed: “No, what if Wanwan goes over there on her own initiative tonight? Delays breed complications. I need to take Wanwan away.”
Jian Xingzhi did what he said, immediately rushing into everyone’s rooms, notifying everyone: “Something big happened. We’re leaving Desolate City immediately!”
“Then…” Nanfeng murmured, “what about the flatbreads?”
“Leave a note. Leave the storage pouches for Ning Buyan. Take the rest to eat on the road. Go!”
Jian Xingzhi provided a solution. In less than half an hour, he dragged everyone along, stole a spirit beast carriage, and fled madly out of Desolate City.
As they left the city, Young Master Wuyou was sitting in Moon Ascent Tower, looking at the starry sky while drinking tea.
“Young Master,” the lark walked into the room, “everything is prepared, just waiting for Jian Xingzhi to come.”
“Good.”
Young Master Wuyou smiled: “Let’s wait.”
“However,” the lark frowned, “what if he doesn’t come tonight?”
“He will,” Young Master Wuyou was quite confident. He stood up. “Destiny will guide them before me.”
Saying this, he stood before the star tracks. After thinking, he still spoke.
“Send another love poem for me to let Jian Xingzhi see. I don’t believe,” Young Master Wuyou curved his lips, “he won’t come.”
As Young Master Wuyou said these words, Jian Xingzhi drove the carriage flying fast.
“Run!” Jian Xingzhi shouted at the spirit horses. Everyone in the carriage had strapped themselves in with safety belts to stabilize their forms, listening to Jian Xingzhi’s rather excited voice outside: “Run faster!”
Whatever you do, don’t let the male lead catch up.
—
**Author’s Notes:**
**[Mini Theater 1]**
Whenever Jian Xingzhi wants to pursue Qin Wanwan—
Qin Wanwan: “I always feel someone wants to assassinate me. Who is it?”
Jian Xingzhi: “It’s destiny.”
Destiny: “Don’t blame me, it’s the author.”
**[Mini Theater 2: Formidable Jian Xingzhi]**
Enemy: “I’ll kill Jian Xingzhi. He looks stupid but is physically strong, so I’ll trap him in a secret realm with many unkillable evil spirits. Can’t borrow lightning – he’ll be exhausted to death sooner or later. My plan is perfect.”
Jian Xingzhi: “System, I violated the rules, electrocute me!!!”
Enemy: “…”
Enemy: “I’ll lock Qin Wanwan with an evil demon. Let’s see how she dies.”
Jian Xingzhi: “My True Samadhi Fire! My lightning and thunder! Wanwan, I’m coming to save you!”
Evil demon: “He actually knows to occupy home advantage from outside to launch magic attacks, specifically using evil-purging techniques to help the female lead. This person is too formidable!”
Qin Wanwan: “…”
Young Master Wuyou: “I’m prepared. I’ll attack the heart. I’ll set up an ambush. Jian Xingzhi, I don’t believe you won’t come.”
Lark: “Master, they blocked the door with flatbreads – the letter can’t be delivered. Also, the city gate guards said they already fled overnight.”
Young Master Wuyou: A bunch of flatbreads!!!!!!