Standing at the doorway for a moment, Xie Buchen slowly stepped inside.

His footsteps were light, nearly silent.

Turning back to close the door, the sound seemed abrupt.

The room was too dark.

Only a bit of moonlight filtered through the window corner.

But Xie Buchen was completely unaffected by the darkness. He walked left, found the lamp, and gently blew on the wick. A small red flame ignited in the lamp, illuminating the oil within with brightness.

The lamplight flickered slightly, making his eyes also flicker slightly.

His shadow was cast on the ground by the lamplight, stretched into a deep black line—the thinner it became, the more lonely it appeared.

The entire wooden house suddenly became much brighter.

Xie Buchen walked to the next lamp, lighting each one in the room until the entire space was radiant.

But when he stood before the last oil lamp, looking at the wick burned black as ink, he suddenly felt somewhat dazed.

In the lamplight, a figure seemed to suddenly appear.

She stood before another lamp, having just lit it, the flame still weak and not very bright.

With a turn of her fair hand, she pulled out the simple silver hairpin from her head, using the pointed end to approach the flame and gently adjust it.

The wick moved slightly, and the flame brightened a bit.

The surrounding light also grew brighter.

Thus, her figure, face, and even the light smile on her face all became illuminated by the lamplight.

“Crack.”

The wick suddenly sparked, and the entire flame trembled violently.

The phantom in the lamplight suddenly vanished completely.

Xie Buchen stood before this lamp, looking back at the lamps he had lit one by one, feeling an indescribable taste.

The lamps of the past…

Someone had always lit them for him, waiting for his return.

The room was cold and desolate.

He didn’t know why, but he left this last lamp unlit, passing by the wall with bookshelves without glancing at the various ancient texts within, coming to the writing desk.

Brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were all there.

He had tidied everything neatly before leaving, but perhaps because the window hadn’t been closed, several sheets of rice paper had been blown up by the wind and scattered on the floor.

He bent down to pick them up page by page, placing them on the desk.

Sitting at the desk, Xie Buchen spread out a sheet of rice paper, seeming to want to write something.

But when he lifted the brush and applied ink, the brush tip soaked with ink left a trembling mark on the paper.

“…”

His gaze fell on this curved ink mark, and he remained motionless for a long time.

The too-saturated ink finally formed a drop and fell onto the snow-white paper, staining a patch, shocking to see.

In that instant, Xie Buchen felt his entire heart tremble with it.

As if this drop of ink hadn’t fallen on the paper, but on his heart.

Ripples spread outward, instantly becoming surging waves, washing through his body, deep in his blood.

Beneath the calm surface lay surging undercurrents; within the azure mountains, scalding magma was contained.

He slowly placed the brush back on the brush rest.

Drawing back his hand, Xie Buchen examined it carefully.

Azure blood vessels meandered through his palm, trembling uncontrollably.

Blood boiled within them, surging and crying out, wanting to rush forth…

Too hot.

Too boiling.

It made him feel a burning pain.

Xie Buchen’s eyelids drooped slightly as he calmly extended his hand, fingers like a blade, cutting across his palm.

Swish.

A line of blood immediately appeared in his clean palm.

Fresh blood flowed from the wound.

He watched quietly.

As if watching the warm blood slowly flow from his body could take away that heart-burning heat, that roasting pain, allowing him to become calm and composed again.

To become…

The familiar self.

Perhaps due to pain, perhaps due to blood loss, perhaps because that scalding sensation finally flowed out with the blood, Xie Buchen’s face gradually showed pallor.

His trembling fingers finally stopped trembling, resting quietly in a small pool of blood.

It seemed they had returned to his control.

Xie Buchen raised his eyes, his right fingertip slowly sliding over the blood line, and the wound quickly healed, disappearing from his palm.

Only considerable residual bloodstains remained.

His eyes finally returned to that nearly indifferent calm.

Taking the silk cloth beside him for wiping hands, Xie Buchen carefully, even elegantly, wiped the blood from his palm bit by bit.

Only when not a trace of red could be seen did he slowly withdraw his hand, placing the silk cloth on the desk.

A gentle breeze came through the window, lifting the hair hanging on his broad shoulders, only raising the ends slightly with some softness.

His gaze slowly lifted, naturally falling on the sword hanging on the wall.

Seven-Part Soul.

The black scabbard reflected no light, exuding a cold, sharp feeling throughout.

“Good, evil…”

Choices made, prices paid.

An unsheathed blade, an arrow from the string.

Xie Buchen ultimately calmed down, his heart like an ancient well.

Outside, the bright moon hung in the sky, a brilliant orb.

Xie Buchen sat withered in the room until deep night, when Real Person Hengxu’s words floated through his mind, and his tightly pressed thin lips suddenly curved slightly.

“Azure Peak Nunnery…”

His five fingers spread open, then slowly closed.

As if everything was known to him, everything was under his control.

Beside the desk, the open book remained on the page he had been reading when he left two years ago.

The ink characters emanated some fragrance, with a bit of dust.

“I was born only to contend for the throne…”

Xie Buchen’s lips moved slightly, almost murmuring, as he slowly withdrew his gaze, rose from his seat, and walked to the window, pushing it completely open.

Whoosh.

The night’s cool wind suddenly swept in, lifting his robes.

Behind him on the desk, the unwritten and written papers suddenly flew up and scattered all over the floor.

From here, he could see the quiet lake far below Kunwu’s main peak.

The solitary moon cast its reflection on the lake surface, creating two moons above and below.

Xie Buchen rode the wind out, his azure robes suddenly disappearing into the mountain forest, swaying downward, landing by the lake below.

A wooden walkway extended from the lakeside toward the lake’s center.

At the walkway’s end sat a wooden chess table, its annual rings still clear, with an unfinished game from the past remaining on top.

Walking slowly to the walkway’s end, Xie Buchen didn’t glance at the unfinished game before flipping into the lake.

“Splash.”

The sound of broken waves when entering the water.

The entire lake’s tranquility was shattered, the lake’s moonlight kneaded into rippling light throughout, illuminating the surrounding darkness.

At the lake bottom, a long sword was deeply thrust into the lake’s heart.

Like a king sitting on a lonely throne.

Only a small portion of the light and shadow from the lake surface could fall upon it, but the qi of heaven and earth, the essence of sun and moon, were all gathered by the entire lake onto its blade.

An ancient sword without sheath, three chi and five fen long.

Completely black throughout, but with a nearly gray map of one hundred and twenty mountains, rivers, and territories cast on the blade, carrying an ancient, simple aura—this was an ancient territorial map.

The long sword had a blunt edge, yet contained vast, restrained meaning.

Xie Buchen’s hand emerged from the icy lake water, calmly grasping this sword.

There were no celestial phenomena, no unusual movements in the lake water.

Only an inexplicable aura enveloped him as he drew this sword.

The sword’s name: Human Emperor!

Several glimmers of light poured from his eyes as Xie Buchen gazed at the territorial map on the sword, finally restraining all emotions and slowly surfacing in the lake center.

His clothes soaked through, holding only that black, lusterless sword, Xie Buchen walked from the lake center.

On the old walkway, the chess table was also old, with round, smooth chess pieces arranged on it.

Xie Buchen originally paid no attention—this was just a remnant game from his casual self-play. He was about to leave when…

After taking one step, something flashed through his mind like lightning.

Xie Buchen suddenly stopped and turned back to look at the chess board.

It was different.

His gaze fell on several corners of the board, eyes slightly narrowing.

Near Tianyuan, there were several more chess pieces.

The battle was more intense.

—Someone had moved this game.

Moreover, their playing style reached a level that could confuse the real with the fake.

He had played countless games, leaving countless similar patterns, so at first glance he hadn’t noticed that this board had more pieces than originally.

This was because the continuation player’s style was identical to his previous play.

The same ruthless decisiveness, the same step-by-step killing intent!

Moonlight shone down from above.

The ripples on the lake surface had gradually calmed.

Across the chess board seemed to sit an opponent whose face couldn’t be seen clearly, holding chess pieces, placing them one by one, showing killing intent in composure…

This feeling…

Xie Buchen slightly lowered his eyes, suddenly raising his sword and striking across the wooden chess table!

Sword light burst forth!

Crash!

The blunt-edged sword fell without obstruction, splitting the chess table in half. Black and white pieces immediately scattered everywhere, clattering as many splashed onto the walkway and into the lake.

Ripples spread again, but now there was only—

A lake full of killing intent!

Xie Buchen sheathed his sword and stood, only glancing once at the scattered pieces on the ground.

Ten generations of Human Emperors, one generation of unsubmissive ministers.

A hundred-zhang cliff, no room for retreat.

His azure robe deepened like ink as he turned and left, gradually disappearing into the shadowy dense forest.

Within the Nine-Head River bay, lush forests and fine trees spread endlessly.

Moonlight fell, and all of Kunwu’s main peak was completely silent.

The guest room door opened with a “creak.”

Jian Chou walked out, holding a jade slip in her hand, turning back to bow to the room: “Thank you for the disturbance and Master’s hospitality. It’s late, so please don’t see me off.”

“Be careful on the road.”

Master Jade Heart stood at the door, her face carrying some austerity, but her eyes held compassionate color, nodding slightly to Jian Chou.

Nie Xiaowan stood beside Master Jade Heart, looking at her with reluctance.

Once dawn broke, Senior Sister Jian Chou would go to the Azure Peak Nunnery’s hidden realm with the others. It would likely be a long time before they could meet again, and with the hidden realm’s dangers, who knew what might happen.

Seeing Nie Xiaowan’s worried state, Jian Chou only gave her a reassuring smile.

Her late-night visit today was the result of long consideration.

The Azure Peak Nunnery hidden realm journey, judging from Xie Buchen’s description in One Crane Hall today, would likely be extremely dangerous.

Not to mention when she first met Nie Xiaowan, Fudao Shanren had struck into the realm with such force to solve their troubles.

Now their group of six, except for Xie Buchen, had no one who knew the hidden realm’s conditions. Though Xie Buchen’s hall testimony seemed detailed, how could Jian Chou trust this person’s words?

Xie Buchen had killed his wife to prove his Dao—she was that murdered “wife.”

Real Person Hengxu had personally gone to the mortal island to take Xie Buchen as a disciple. Did he truly not know her identity?

To arrange for former spouses, now mortal enemies, to travel together…

To say there was no hidden malice?

Jian Chou didn’t believe it.

With Xie Buchen alone knowing the hidden realm’s situation and guiding them, it was equivalent to placing half their lives in his hands.

Jian Chou had died once—how could she dare be calculated against a second time?

After returning from the hall, Jian Chou’s thoughts churned. She finally called together the others, including Lu Xiangleng, and laid out her thoughts completely.

Young Master Ruhua, Xia Houshe, Zuoliu, Lu Xiangleng.

Except for Zuoliu, who seemed absent-minded lately, weren’t the other three all supremely clever?

No one wanted to be controlled by others, everywhere constrained.

Moreover, in One Crane Hall, the feeling Xie Buchen conveyed through his words was enough to make one wary.

They had met at the small assembly. Though their relationships weren’t necessarily good, they were much more familiar with each other than with Xie Buchen.

In this situation, how could one trust an unfamiliar person who controlled all information about the hidden realm?

So after Jian Chou stated her plan, the others all agreed.

Thus, tonight Jian Chou visited Master Jade Heart and Nie Xiaowan, asking them to contact Zhang Sui and Zhou Kuang who had returned to their sects, learning all about the hidden realm’s experiences and obtaining a map of the areas they had visited.

Only then did Jian Chou discover that her worries were completely justified—

Xie Buchen’s hall testimony had indeed held back information!

Comparing their descriptions of the hidden realm experiences, seventy to eighty percent matched, with differences due to different paths chosen.

But in that seventy to eighty percent of similarity, Nie Xiaowan had encountered several dangers that were glossed over in three words in Xie Buchen’s account, while other dangers were described in great detail.

This showed his omissions were no coincidence.

Xie Buchen’s deep scheming meant that even seeing her resurrected and having his emotions shaken, he would still instinctively avoid anything unfavorable to himself.

Just like his words in One Crane Hall, mixing truth and falsehood…

If not for Jian Chou already harboring killing intent toward him, unwilling to be constrained by him and unwilling to lose the initiative, coming to question Nie Xiaowan about the hidden realm today, who would know he had also concealed things when speaking to Real Person Hengxu?

Various thoughts crossed her mind, but Jian Chou’s face remained calm.

She bid farewell to Master Jade Heart and Nie Xiaowan, about to descend the steps.

But just as she reached the courtyard below, Master Jade Heart suddenly spoke behind her: “Little friend Jian Chou.”

Jian Chou stopped and turned: “Master Jade Heart?”

“Though we’re not well acquainted, I feel a connection. Before parting, please look up once.”

Master Jade Heart stood before the house, smiled, said no more, and closed the door.

Jian Chou was slightly stunned. Looking at the closed door for a moment, she slowly raised her head while standing in place.

At some point, the moonlight had disappeared.

Dark clouds covered the sky, drifting in the deep blue night, concealing the bright moon for a long time without revealing it.

All of Kunwu’s mountains were hidden in the shadows it cast.

Brows furrowed, Jian Chou somewhat understood, yet somewhat didn’t.

Though her disguise was good, beneath her current calm exterior lay only calculation and killing intent…

Someone like Master Jade Heart, with clear mind and perception, could see what ordinary people couldn’t.

But…

What was wrong with killing intent?

Night wind brushed her face, carrying bone-deep coldness in the cool autumn air.

Jian Chou walked with hands behind her back, fingers caressing the somewhat cold jade slip, slowly moving forward in the night wind.

Not far on the mountain path, four waiting figures stood.

Young Master Ruhua held a paper fan, sitting on a thick branch of an old pine tree growing among the rocks, lazily yawning;

Xia Houshe sat silently on the steps to one side, eyes closed in meditation;

Lu Xiangleng held a jade slip, seemingly reading its contents, occasionally showing thoughtful expressions, full of wisdom;

Only Zuoliu crouched by the mountain path, holding a small green mantis by the leg, looking pleased: “Little thing, you dare disturb your grandfather? Believe it or not, I’ll play you to death!”

From afar, Jian Chou heard this and showed a slight smile.

She walked over.

All four immediately noticed her.

Young Master Ruhua leaped down from the tree, Xia Houshe opened his eyes, Zuoliu dropped the mantis, and Lu Xiangleng turned toward her.

“Did Fellow Daoist Jian Chou succeed?”

“This is the hidden realm map Junior Sister Xiaowan drew for me.”

Jian Chou brought her hands from behind her back, opening her palm to reveal the jade slip.

Zuoliu immediately became eager, the first to snatch the jade slip. With a spiritual sense scan, massive information flooded his mind, and he was stunned: “This…”

“Give it here.”

Young Master Ruhua’s eyes flashed with brilliance as he directly took the jade slip from Zuoliu, laughing before scanning it.

The next moment, his brows also furrowed slightly.

Xia Houshe came near Jian Chou, and with Lu Xiangleng, they took turns examining the jade slip, all frowning.

Lu Xiangleng finally returned the jade slip, smiling slightly: “It seems there are some differences between what that Fellow Daoist Xie said in One Crane Hall and what Junior Sister Nie experienced.”

“People from Kunwu—when are they ever simple?”

Young Master Ruhua looked completely unsurprised, showing no worry or anxiety, but rather infinite interest.

Jian Chou gripped the jade slip again, intelligent light flowing through her eyes: “This journey, he’s alone, we’re five…”

Within her light tone lay barely detectable coldness.

Even if your schemes are demonic, how can you overcome…

Looking at the other four, Jian Chou smiled.

Here, were any of them simple?

The little mantis Zuoliu had thrown away crawled over in panic, foolishly bumping into Jian Chou’s foot.

She glanced down, viewing it like an ant, indifferently moving her foot three inches away.

So the mantis raised its arms and fled for its life.

She said no more, only turning to stand at the front of the mountain path with the other four, gazing toward the mountain’s distance, the sky’s end.

A strange sense of tacit understanding faintly lingered.

Dew was heavy throughout the mountain.

Night was ending, dawn approaching.

The distant Nine-Head River flowed endlessly, clamoring through countless people’s dreams.

Jian Chou grasped the jade slip, standing with hands behind her back, her slightly damp moon-white robes lifted by the dawn wind, showing complete composure and heart full of killing intent.

Waiting for dawn.

Waiting for a chance to draw swords and slaughter!

The hidden realm’s feng shui was excellent—it should be a good place for burial.