Yinguo Daojun was completely stunned.

Within the Doors of Right and Wrong and Cause and Effect, how many people were trapped here, unable to find the true door to exit?

Now she actually heard such words from her.

Xie Buchen’s figure had already become part of the endless karmic fire, no longer distinguishable between what was him and what was the karmic fire.

Or perhaps, he was Jian Chou’s karmic fire.

And she was wrapped in karmic fire, seemingly unable to break free, only those eyes of hers seemed to have already seen through the changes of worldly affairs, unperturbed by waves, with emotions unpredictable.

In the void, a faint emerald outline appeared.

Jian Chou’s gaze moved toward it.

In that instant, Yinguo Daojun saw Jian Chou’s smile.

The endless karmic fire immediately diminished, gradually receding, condensing back into scattered fishing fires on the river surface.

A small traveling boat also reappeared beneath Jian Chou’s feet.

Only this scene no longer contained Xie Buchen.

“Cough cough…”

From within the boat’s canopy came faint coughing sounds, suppressed, yet seeming to come from someone in an unconscious state.

Jian Chou stood on the worn boat, looking coldly toward the interior.

But just as she heard this sound, a figure walked out from within her body, like another her, suddenly stepping away from where she stood, her face showing worry and anxiety, quickly entering the boat’s canopy.

Inside the canopy lay a figure on his side, curled up in the cramped space.

Cotton bedding slightly damp with moisture wrapped around his body, Xie Buchen’s pale complexion was clearly visible even in the dimness.

His refined brows were tightly furrowed, the person hadn’t awakened, only coughing.

“Jian Chou” crouched down, touching his forehead, and tears of restraint appeared in her eyes.

“Still burning…”

She needed to fetch clean water; continuing to burn like this wasn’t a solution.

She immediately wanted to withdraw her hand and leave, but unexpectedly, she was suddenly grasped by a hand that reached out, the scorching palm instantly burning her so she couldn’t move.

The tightly closed eyes opened, the fatigue and weakness hadn’t dissipated, only a little smile appeared in the depths of his eyes.

With a forceful pull, he drew her back, making her fall toward him.

“Jian Chou…”

A murmur.

“You…”

Jian Chou was embraced by him, his sharp chin resting on her warm neck hollow, and she could clearly feel the burning temperature of Xie Buchen’s cheek, as if a furnace were embracing her.

He said nothing more, only heavily lowering his eyelids, as if knowing nothing at all.

Jian Chou stood outside the boat, while the other her, as if completely unable to see her existence, began to busily tend to him.

Slowly prying open Xie Buchen’s hand, she rose, walked outside to fetch clean water from the water pot, wrung out a wet silk cloth to place on his forehead, and watched over him for half the night. Only when she saw his fever break did she, at dawn, pole the boat toward the fishing boats not far away.

House by house she asked, using her meager savings to exchange for what she needed.

Those were some relatively fresh fish, some worn pots and bowls, which she washed clean one by one, tidied up carefully, and meticulously simmered a pot of fish soup that wasn’t particularly refined.

Though she too was weak and weary, she only tasted two sips of the fish soup before carrying it into the boat’s canopy.

…

Clearly a scene of mundane life.

Above Kunwu, the watching crowd was somewhat confused.

Who was she caring for? And why was she caring for them?

Was this Grand Master Sister of Yashan’s experience before she embarked on the path of cultivation?

…

Not only did the questions not decrease, they actually multiplied.

Wu Duan at the side couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath.

He had felt familiar at first sight.

And when that man reached his hand into the river water, a scene surged forth from Wu Duan’s mind—

That was at the heart of Jiutou River, where Xie Buchen drew the river current into a sword!

Who else could it be?

Who else could there be?

Wu Duan already had a bone-chilling feeling, yet didn’t dare confirm: no one knew what exactly was happening within the six Doors of Right and Wrong and Cause and Effect, it could be the past, it could also be the future…

Suspicious yet not daring to confirm, Wu Duan finally couldn’t help but direct his gaze toward Hengxu Zhenren, who still stood on the steps of the Heavenly Hall.

A bolt of lightning suddenly approached from far away, crackling and sparking, flying straight toward Hengxu Zhenren.

Many people around immediately looked over in surprise.

A thunder message.

Fudao Shanren glanced over, his expression unchanged: “Your Kunwu disciples are becoming more and more improper, actually daring to send you thunder messages, truly courting death…”

Nearby Kunwu elders who heard this couldn’t help but roll their eyes at Fudao Shanren.

Who knows who it was that originally sent a thunder message to the Heavenly Hall, nearly blowing up the sky.

And now he had the face to criticize others!

Hengxu Zhenren himself didn’t mind, only crushing the small electric serpent in his hand, instantly forming the thunder message.

The contents of the letter became clear in his mind.

Only…

After reading it, his expression couldn’t help but darken, carrying a grave coldness like frost.

At the same time, the sky was filled with countless incoming thunder messages.

A magnificent sight.

Due to the convening of the Left Three Thousand Assembly, the sect leaders and elders of all major sects in the Central Domain were almost all present here. At this moment, countless thunder messages flew toward different people, some early, some late.

The moment they crushed open the thunder messages, countless people’s faces changed drastically!

The Central Domain’s middle-tier sect Jianzhu Sect had been largely massacred, with few survivors!

The sword-wielding perpetrator: Yashan’s Qu Zhengfeng!

For a moment, the entire Cloud Sea Plaza fell into deadly silence.

Others were shocked by this scene and began whispering among themselves.

In the crowd, a white-robed cultivator couldn’t help but fall into deep thought.

His brows carried a heroic spirit, yet gave off a masculine impression.

His right eyebrow was touched with gray-white—this was precisely the Northern Domain cultivator Pei Qian whom Jian Chou and the others had encountered in Feitian Town.

Seeing the surrounding shock and discussions breaking out.

After listening carefully for a while, he saw that everyone seemed to be looking toward Fudao Shanren with implicit meaning, and his heart formed a guess.

Sigh…

The Central Domain was truly such a place of right and wrong.

After thinking for a moment, Pei Qian quietly looked around and spotted the Yashan disciples gathered together not far away.

With a flip of his hand, a Qiankun Bag was already hooked on his finger.

His figure flashed, transforming into a gust of wind, heading toward the Yashan people who were still chatting and laughing.

Qi Shaofeng, son of Elder Qi of Yashan, looked at the situation ahead and blinked in confusion.

Yan Chensha stood beside him, playing with that flute in his hands, also frowning tightly. Just as he was about to speak, a shadow suddenly swept past from ahead: “Who goes there!”

With a sharp shout, he was about to strike.

Unexpectedly, that shadow merely flashed past Qi Shaofeng and drifted away.

“Eh?”

Qi Shaofeng was somewhat dazed, feeling as if something had been pressed into his hand. Looking down, it was actually a Qiankun Bag that appeared ordinary and unremarkable. However, though the bag’s mouth was tightly tied, it bore no spiritual sense imprint—it was an ownerless object.

“What is this?”

He became puzzled, hesitating whether to open it and look.

Yan Chensha had already disappeared, obviously chasing after that shadow.

Only…

In a certain corner, Tang Buye, who had been watching the six Doors of Right and Wrong and Cause and Effect, suddenly seemed to sense something. A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes, and he immediately turned to look, then without hesitation leaped forward!

After more than half a year of searching, who would have thought—just when he’d worn out his shoes searching everywhere, it would come effortlessly!

If that wasn’t the traitor Pei Qian, then who could it be?

Tang Buye immediately let out a cold laugh, no longer bothering to watch any excitement, directly transforming into an arc and shooting toward the distance…

At this moment, the scene of that vast melon field on the western gate suddenly disappeared.

Light flickered across the giant gate.

Still wearing his beast-hide vest and barefoot, Xiao Jin actually walked out from within that giant gate.

The phantom of a huge watermelon also slowly emerged from this side of the giant gate, and as Xiao Jin stepped out, it gradually solidified, then suddenly detached from the gate and appeared in the air two zhang above Xiao Jin’s head.

That was a…

Huge watermelon that actually had two eyes and a small mouth!

“Damn, what is that?”

“Could that be his phantom body?”

“Oh my god, that can’t be a watermelon spirit…”

…

The atmosphere above Kunwu had originally been somewhat eerily heavy, but the moment this large watermelon appeared, several elders who had cultivated for many years felt their mouths twitching wildly. No matter how complex their thoughts had been, they all disappeared completely!

Xiao Jin also looked up curiously at the large watermelon above his head.

It only had eyes and a mouth, but no hands or feet.

“Heavens… such a big watermelon…”

That huge “watermelon spirit” turned its massive body in mid-air, looking down at him disdainfully.

“Ptui!”

Its lips twisted, its mouth opened wide.

Puff puff puff!

A spray of black watermelon seeds actually spewed from that huge mouth, falling like a rainstorm onto Xiao Jin’s body, immediately making him cry out in alarm!

“Mama! So scary!”

Xiao Jin never expected the cute big watermelon would become like this. Looking more carefully, the big watermelon’s eyes shifted and actually looked at him again.

In that instant, all the hair on his back stood up. With a strange cry, he began fleeing without hesitation!

The big watermelon turned and chased after him.

“…”

“…”

Above Kunwu, countless people slowly turned their indescribable gazes toward Fudao Shanren.

Fudao Shanren was nearly choked by a chicken leg, and looking again, even Hengxu Zhenren was looking at him.

He swallowed hard, rolled his eyes skyward, and coughed while explaining: “This… presumably because he eats too many watermelons daily, so the watermelon spirit phantom body above his head is his karmic retribution…”

This was acceptable?

Quite a few people were nearly driven to darkness before their eyes by such an explanation.

The first person to emerge from the gates, and his phantom body was actually a big watermelon. Who knew about the others…

For a time, people began worrying about the five still inside the gates.

Due east, within Jian Chou’s Door of Right and Wrong and Cause and Effect.

The small boat drifted downstream, traveling a great distance.

One “Jian Chou” was on the boat, while the other her remained forever a cold observer.

On their escape route, they encountered all kinds of people.

Once, when their travel funds were exhausted, “Jian Chou” pawned her only remaining jewelry and the jade pendant the old lady had given her. She had also worked for riverside fishing families for a few grains of rice, learning to weave nets and even catch fish herself.

She had also matched wits with peddlers and laborers along the river, obtaining medicinal herbs needed for treating illness from the hands of small-time thugs from the salt gang, and had once held scissors to her own throat to drive away lecherous rogues who coveted her…

…

It seemed nothing was in vain.

Because everything seemed to have a perfect outcome.

Xie Buchen finally awakened.

He took her and quickly found a secluded place where there were people unaffected by the Xie family’s downfall. He changed his name, married her, and everything seemed to settle down peacefully…

A village with a large banyan tree, called Ancient Banyan Village by the people.

Red ropes, red cloth, and red silk, both new and old, hung from the tree, along with small blessing pouches. The entire banyan tree was densely green, with dots of red swaying in the wind, carrying a peaceful and simple serenity.

“Jian Chou” stood beneath the tree, looking at this ancient tree with rare joyful eyes.

A gentle breeze caressed her cheeks, and sunlight broken by branches spread across the ground and upon her, making her entire person appear full of tranquility and gentleness.

This was the place, wasn’t it?

She clasped her hands together, like the most ordinary of devoted believers in this world, praying for something.

Xie Buchen stood beside her, bearing the dust of travel, also raising his head to look.

Only no one saw his indescribable expression at that moment.

Also beneath this tree, Jian Chou raised her head to look.

Branches full of foliage.

Red silk after red silk, carrying countless people’s beautiful wishes.

“Hang that silver lock of yours up there too.”

When leaving the village, passing by this ancient tree, Fudao Shanren had said thus.

At this moment, her thoughts stirred slightly.

Jian Chou felt as if she had returned to the past.

As if sensing something, the “Jian Chou” standing beneath the tree with hands still clasped suddenly turned her head toward where she stood.

Thus…

Her past and her present, their four eyes met.

The her from the past showed confusion and surprise in her eyes.

Taking a step forward, she seemed about to walk toward her.

Jian Chou suddenly remembered how “she” had walked out from within her body when they were on the boat earlier.

Seeing her approach step by step, seeming about to return to her own body, Jian Chou suddenly laughed and shook her head.

What abandons me and departs…

Yesterday’s day cannot be retained.

“Swish.”

Under her surprised gaze, Jian Chou drew out Guifu, slashing forward.

The flat ground was immediately split by a huge fissure, as distinct as the boundary between Chu and Han.

At this moment, everyone above Kunwu felt their hair stand on end.

Severing the past!

A chasm, a natural barrier.

The fissure gradually widened.

The village was immediately split in half.

Today’s Jian Chou stood on this side, yesterday’s Jian Chou stood on that side.

She gazed at her, and she gazed at her.

One’s eyes held incomprehension and confusion, the other’s held only coldness and calm.

One wore plain clothes without ornaments, carrying a heart full of expectations and yearning for life, so beautiful one couldn’t bear to shatter it; the other wore moon-white robes, holding a fearsome giant axe, her heart gradually becoming like still water.

…

Her plain lips slowly curved upward.

Under the gaze of her past self, today’s Jian Chou turned and departed, carrying herself like light clouds and gentle wind.

Across the chasm, her past self could only watch from afar, never again able to cross over.

The mountain village’s road remained as simple as ever.

But the moment Jian Chou turned and took her first step, the long road beneath her feet suddenly became an unfolded giant ancient bamboo scroll. Character after character carved by blade, following her advancing steps, slowly formed beneath her feet, recording the path she had walked.

The road ahead was completely blank, not a single character on the bamboo scroll.

Just like the near future before her eyes, waiting for her footsteps, waiting for her writing.

…

Countless scenes appeared like a revolving lantern on both sides of this bamboo scroll road, flickering quickly by.

The large banyan tree of the small mountain village, the lonely new grave in the rain, the tombstone fallen to the ground stained with soil…

The chaotic light outside the Hidden Realm Gate of Qingfeng Monastery, the figure of Fudao Shanren standing with sword in hand, the silhouette of the boundless Western Sea…

Nie Xiaowan grasping her hand tightly, Tao Zhang’s covered eye, Zhang Sui’s sheathed long sword on his back, mayflies dancing in the cold night…

The nine heavy heavenly tablets by the Western Sea, Yashan’s long cable bridges, the faces of countless Yashan sect brothers…

There were also endless voices flashing past her ears.

As Jian Chou walked step by step, she could gradually make out the deep emerald figure standing at the end. Yinguo Daojun’s blurred face remained unclear, yet carried a strange smile as she watched her.

“Mama.”

A childish call, carrying infinite innocence and naivety, suddenly appeared behind Jian Chou.

From among the characters carved by blade, a ball of light suddenly emerged, quickly transforming into a rosy-cheeked child, waving his chubby little hands, looking at Jian Chou’s retreating figure with endless longing in his eyes.

“Mama, Mama…”

He stumbled toward Jian Chou, extending his hand, seeming to want to hold his mother’s hand.

In that instant, moisture suddenly appeared in Jian Chou’s eyes.

Stay?

Go?

A moment’s struggle, and the little child finally ran up, happily grasping one of Jian Chou’s fingers with his small hand: “Mama!”

It was a child’s voice, soft and sweet.

It was a child’s palm, soft and tender, making one reluctant to struggle free, fearing to hurt his existence.

This feeling was so foreign that Jian Chou became momentarily dazed.

That small hand tugged at her little finger, somewhat powerlessly.

A red cord wound twice around his wrist, with a small silver lock hanging below, gently swaying.

In that instant, Jian Chou almost couldn’t control herself and was about to turn around.

But—

How could she turn back?

How dare she turn back?

That was her past that she had severed, the bygone days to which she could not return.

Instantly, tears fell like rain.

Her heart felt as if a thousand knives were cutting through it, yet she only closed her eyes, broke free from that nearly powerless small hand, and strode forward.

New characters appeared on the blank bamboo scroll, carving a new chapter.

Behind her came trembling, helpless cries.

“Mama, Mama…”

“Mama doesn’t want me anymore…”

“Wait, wait…”

“Mama—”

“Waahhh…”

…

As if he had suddenly fallen to the ground, followed by heart-rending sobs.

Her heart suddenly went numb the moment this crying began.

A sigh from Yinguo Daojun passed through this seemingly endless bamboo scroll road and fell into Jian Chou’s ears.

“Is your blood cold?”

Jian Chou didn’t answer, the tear tracks on her face not yet dried, she only raised her hand to wipe them completely clean.

Cold?

No, the blood flowing in her body was scalding hot, burning her so intensely she could barely take another step, could barely finish walking this long road beneath her feet.

Seeing her silence, Yinguo Daojun spoke again: “That is your child, your flesh and blood, won’t you turn back to look even once?”

“Does the Daojun possess the power to reverse life and death, to push back the wheel of reincarnation?”

Jian Chou raised her head to look at her.

“…”

Sudden silence, and after a long while, Yinguo Daojun finally answered: “No.”

“So what value do endless illusions hold for me to look back even once?”

Jian Chou murmured softly, as if using these words to convince herself.

If there truly came such a day when she glimpsed real hope, she would naturally go mad for it.

But now…

Why torment herself with the past?

“The revenge I should have, the hatred I should harbor, I lack none. Only in my heart, there are no demons or monsters from this journey.”

Her past self still stood on the other side of the temporal chasm, unable to cross this terrifying barrier.

She watched the continuously advancing her with an inexplicable gaze, seeming to bless, seeming to pray, and carrying a deep pity—though it was unclear whether she pitied her or herself.

Thus, a new gate suddenly appeared on the long road.

Yinguo Daojun stood before this gate, watching her gradually approach, suddenly remembering only that phrase: From where does the Daojun derive this misunderstanding, thinking me a coward?

She was not a coward, but a hero.

Jian Chou had reached the gate.

Under Yinguo Daojun’s gaze, she looked toward this giant gate. As if sensing her gaze, the originally dim, dark gate suddenly transformed—half became ice-cold pure black, half emitted brilliant golden light.

Yinguo Daojun’s voice rang in her ears: “Your world no longer has a second choice.”

Having severed the past, divided then from now.

Her world held only the future.