The entire Hidden Realm was already shattered beyond recognition.

Mountains began collapsing, starting from the mountain ranges where the eight corridors of the Valley of Wandering were located, falling one by one into the distance.

The sunless dark rivers completely broke apart.

Lone boats capsized, wooden bridges were damaged, long paths crumbled…

The painted wall corridor was once again broken into countless fragments. Even the gatekeeper pig developed ugly cracks on its body, causing it to scream continuously: “Ahhh, butchering the pig! Really going to butcher the pig!”

…

Within the Ten Thousand Beasts Maze Array, floods raged everywhere. Huge and dangerous whirlpools constantly appeared on the water surface. The aged spirit beasts struggling in the water would be swallowed if they weren’t careful.

Buildings, trees, bones…

Nothing seemed able to float on the water surface.

An injured silver fox, blood flowing from its legs, was swept by the whirlpool’s current toward the center of the flow.

“Wu wu…”

It cried out once but had almost no resistance.

“Squeak squeak squeak!”

Urgent cries suddenly came from the water surface.

The silver fox, carried by the whirlpool’s turbulent flow, was suddenly startled and looked desperately toward the source of the sound—

On the water surface where even a single feather would sink, a huge wooden boat was actually floating. It had a strange shape with pointed ends, though one end appeared somewhat rounded, colored chestnut mixed with deep brown.

The wooden boat was eight zhang eight chi long and two zhang five chi wide, just like…

Like a giant pine nut.

Compared to this vast water surface, it seemed insignificant.

But compared to the small, furry creature on the boat that was at most a few chi tall, it was enormous.

Standing at the bow, the little squirrel was extremely anxious.

It naturally saw the silver fox not far ahead, immediately calling out and waving its paws, hoping the other would see it right away.

At the same time, the entire large boat, following its will, quickly approached the silver fox.

Bit by bit, bit by bit…

The large boat actually moved through the whirlpools without any obstruction!

The silver fox’s eyes couldn’t help but show some surprise.

Soon, the large boat reached the silver fox’s side. The little squirrel immediately hugged a thick tree branch with both paws and extended it toward the silver fox.

The silver fox could barely move. It could only lower its head and bite the branch.

The little squirrel used almost all its strength—oh no, the strength of eating pine nuts—to pull on the branch and drag the silver fox from the water onto the boat.

The feeling of returning to dry ground was obviously somewhat dreamlike.

Fox clans always possessed the richest emotions and were most similar to humans. It gratefully nodded to the little squirrel, its fox eyes hiding infinite gentleness.

The little squirrel scratched its head with its paw, seeming somewhat confused.

But it immediately spotted another companion needing rescue, quickly waving its paws and manipulating the large boat like performing a ritual dance, rushing toward that direction.

The silver fox lay prostrate on the boat, slowly extending its tongue to lick the wound on its leg.

Occasionally looking up, it saw that the old turtle previously questioned by Wu E had also been rescued.

The silver fox’s gaze was moist, scattered with a bit of sorrow. When it turned to look at the few remaining floating ground pieces and the entire marsh country around, it became desolate…

It didn’t speak, and the old turtle only sighed.

The little squirrel still stood at the bow, constantly searching. Upon discovering companions, it would immediately approach and rescue them.

Soon, quite a few spirit beasts were already standing on the boat.

Some tall, some thin, some young, some old…

The pine nut boat moved across the water surface, parting the waves with splashing sounds.

When Jian Chou dragged Xie Buchen and threw him to the ground, she heard this water sound.

She turned to look and was somewhat surprised.

Due to the sudden movement earlier, Little Marten was scared half to death, almost thinking it would die with Jian Chou. Fortunately, there was a turnaround midway, and its master wasn’t stupid to that degree.

Even so, Little Marten was still shaken.

It gripped Jian Chou’s clothes tightly with its claws, hanging on her shoulder like a koala.

At this moment, seeing the little squirrel piloting the pine nut boat and constantly rescuing people, it was also dumbfounded!

These days, even squirrels couldn’t be judged by appearance!

Quite capable!

There were still many spirit beasts in the water, and even on many remaining fragments of earth, spirit beasts watched from afar.

The entire world was still continuing to crack.

Though the speed had slowed compared to before, new fissures constantly appeared. The entire Hidden Realm’s edges had even shown an extremely obvious black line, slowly devouring toward the center.

Small worlds within the great world were relatively independent.

When the protective seal disappeared, the entire world was in a completely defenseless state, not to mention its stability.

The rules of the great world would step by step shatter the Hidden Realm and devour it.

The Hidden Realm’s collapse and disappearance was almost just a matter of time.

Unless…

That seal was restored.

Jian Chou withdrew her gaze from surveying the surroundings and looked at the person at her feet who couldn’t rise.

Xie Buchen still had three black feather arrows on his body, all left by Wu E’s previous attacks, piercing through his entire body and even nailing him to the stone pillar.

Without a trace of pity in her eyes, Jian Chou looked down at him coldly: “What’s the deal with the seal?”

“Cough cough…”

Xie Buchen coughed twice, blood staining his lips.

Looking at Jian Chou’s calm eyes that harbored killing intent, he showed neither sorrow nor joy, replying lightly: “You cannot kill me.”

He knew what Jian Chou was thinking and why she had saved him.

But since he had the ability to calculate making her save him, he naturally had the ability to make it impossible for her to kill him.

Anyone who dared to gamble had some reliance. With Xie Buchen entering the Hidden Realm for the second time and receiving Hengxu’s guidance, how could he lack crucial skills?

Hearing this, the killing intent in Jian Chou’s eyes was almost uncontainable. She immediately wanted to draw her blade and chop this person into eight pieces, but ultimately forced herself to suppress it.

She smiled: “You know I have the keys to enter the maze’s three gates, so you didn’t hesitate to sacrifice a Budong Bell to save me. You similarly have this seal as leverage, so you dared to save me, even confident that if you’re in danger, I must save you.”

“Correct.”

Xie Buchen didn’t deny it.

What a deeply thoughtful person he was?

Taking one step while calculating three to five steps ahead was merely ordinary for him.

Strategy and schemes, learned from childhood, had long been branded into his bones like eating and drinking, never fading.

Originally not knowing Jian Chou also had leverage, only when she unexpectedly abandoned him and entered the maze array did he realize those four keys were in her hands, and he had even guided her in opening them.

The seal in his palm came from Master Hengxu. For complete assurance, this seal was connected to his life.

If the seal was lost, he wouldn’t die.

But without him, the seal would dissipate.

This was why he dared show this to Jian Chou and was confident she would save him.

He was clever, and Jian Chou had long calculated everything.

If she simply seized the seal without saving the person but tried to cut off his palm, he certainly wouldn’t put himself in danger.

So Jian Chou was also very clear—from the moment Xie Buchen opened his palm until matters related to this seal ended, she couldn’t move against him, and he couldn’t move against her.

The cleverest schemes were open strategies, with no lies and thus no flaws.

He didn’t lie, and Jian Chou knew he wouldn’t lie and put himself in danger.

An extremely strange silence spread between the two.

After a long while, Jian Chou finally said: “The whole story.”

Xie Buchen coughed twice more. Seeing Jian Chou’s cold expression, he knew that though they currently restrained each other and seemed evenly matched, he was severely injured and even struggling on death’s edge—how could he contend with her?

After brief silence, he ultimately explained the situation concisely.

This was his second time in Qingfeng Nunnery Hidden Realm. Though the route was different, his understanding of the Hidden Realm far exceeded others, not to mention that breaking array formations was as easy as a familiar road for him.

Entering the Hidden Realm for the second time, the seal was left by Master Hengxu for Xie Buchen’s emergency use.

This seal was called the “Great Brightness Seal,” obtained by Master Hengxu many years ago.

The Great Brightness Seal could sense heaven and earth’s spiritual energy, stabilize the Hidden Realm’s existence, and could serve as a key to open the heavenly palace overhead and discover Master Buyu Shangren’s research on the “Nine Meanders River Map.”

It could even re-condense a new Great Brightness Seal to guard the Hidden Realm.

“However, I’m temporarily unclear how to use this seal.” Speaking here, he paused slightly and continued, “If you want to save people, you must find Lijun before the Hidden Realm completely collapses.”

As the Hidden Realm’s guardian, Lijun naturally knew everything clearly.

After hearing this, Jian Chou knew it differed little from her imagination.

However…

“It seems this seal has a fourth function that Fellow Daoist Xie forgot to mention.”

Xie Buchen looked at her.

A mocking smile bloomed at Jian Chou’s lips: “Using this seal as a catalyst, it could probably make Qingfeng Nunnery Hidden Realm belong to oneself, becoming one of Kunwu’s Hidden Realms from then on, right?”

“…”

Undeniably, she was too clever.

This acuity left even Xie Buchen only able to marvel.

Unable to deny, unable to admit, so he remained silent.

“Splash splash…”

The pine nut boat circled past from ahead, with the little squirrel still busily rescuing people.

The boat already had a dense crowd. Jian Chou glanced over—all spirit beasts, not a single cultivator. As for those Central Domain companions, their whereabouts remained unknown.

Jian Chou turned back, her face covered with frost.

The wet, muddy ground had somewhat dirty water.

With Xie Buchen’s severe injuries, blood had spread out in a small patch. The three feather arrows in his abdomen, left ribs, and right chest had stopped bleeding.

Originally there were five, but two had remained in the stone pillar during the earlier fall.

Jian Chou felt not a trace of pity and had no leisure to pull out arrows and treat his wounds. She only methodically lifted her robe and gracefully lowered one knee, half-crouching down.

“You’re right. Not only can I not kill you, I must cooperate with you.”

Only because he was confident she wouldn’t stand by and watch the Hidden Realm’s beings suffer, only because he was confident that besides the seal in his hand, she definitely couldn’t find a second seal.

From this perspective, Jian Chou had no choice.

In this round, though she seemed to occupy absolute advantage through her calculations—the current Xie Buchen was her prisoner, subject to her life and death decisions.

Though he couldn’t kill her due to the secret seal keys for the four gates, she couldn’t kill him due to the seal in his palm.

Seemingly in the superior position, she was actually already restrained by him.

A chess move behind.

Endless calculations, fighting for life and death in silence.

Thinking this, Jian Chou was unusually calm.

Her gaze swept over Xie Buchen, not lingering long on his wounds, only slowly and deliberately pulling off the qiankun bag hanging at his waist.

Dark blue embroidered patterns coiled on it. Though it looked small, the corner bore Kunwu’s emblem.

Xie Buchen frowned, about to say something when Jian Chou directly spoke: “Open it.”

Open it?

He suddenly felt the urge to laugh, his features gentle yet hiding vague severity.

“Fellow Daoist Jian Chou—”

The remaining words couldn’t be spoken before being instantly interrupted by sharp pain!

Almost the moment he opened his mouth, Jian Chou’s face remained impassive as the two-chi Deer-Cutting Blade instantly appeared!

The blade tip pointed down, like piercing paper, resolutely and ruthlessly stabbing into Xie Buchen’s left shoulder!

“Mm!”

Xie Buchen gave a suppressed groan of pain. His gaze toward Jian Chou, unable to withdraw in time, was instantly filled with endurance.

Jian Chou gripped the blade handle, speaking again with casual ease: “Open it.”

His bloodless lips were pale and ashen, dry and cracked like a traveler dying of thirst on the road.

Xie Buchen’s brow furrowed, those handsome eyebrows showing some coldness.

He hadn’t expected her to act so decisively and ruthlessly.

The Deer-Cutting Blade piercing his shoulder was bone-chillingly cold, without any warmth.

Just like Jian Chou’s gaze at him.

Only then did he confirm that though he held leverage to prevent her from killing him, he had no right to refuse any of her demands at this moment—

His trembling fingers, pressed against the wet ground due to severe pain, were stained with mud. Even his clean finger joints were completely black.

He struggled to lift his finger, as if using all his strength, moving it slightly.

His index finger traced an extremely small arc before falling powerlessly.

But it was enough.

A dim light passed over the tightly closed opening of the qiankun bag, which then automatically loosened and opened toward Jian Chou.

She held the qiankun bag in one hand and the Deer-Cutting Blade in the other.

Seeing that Xie Buchen finally showed some sense and knew how to suffer less, she smiled faintly. When withdrawing the blade, she was as swift as when striking.

“Pfft!”

Blood splattered everywhere!

Xie Buchen’s entire body suddenly arched, nearly convulsing from pain, yet couldn’t make a sound.

Cold sweat covered his body!

Only after Jian Chou put away the bloodied Deer-Cutting Blade did he collapse backward. After that wave of pain passed, he looked like he’d just been pulled from water, lying face-up on the muddy ground, breathing heavily.

How much like a dying fish did Xie Buchen look now?

Extremely pitiful.

Jian Chou raised an eyebrow slightly, casually flicking away the blood drops from the Deer-Cutting Blade. With a turn of her hand, the two-chi curved blade disappeared from her palm.

Unhurriedly opening the qiankun bag and extending her spiritual sense, Jian Chou saw what was stored inside.

Kunwu was truly wealthy.

Countless spirit stones, countless array discs, even ancient books and texts, bamboo slips and jade slips…

However, she wasn’t interested in these.

Her gaze shifted slightly, and she noticed a sword stored in the corner.

With a thought, a three-chi azure blade in its sheath immediately flew from the storage bag!

The scabbard was black, seemingly old, with an ancient, simple aura.

Upon appearing, it brought magnificent energy.

Jian Chou was quick-eyed and quick-handed, grasping it immediately!

The Human Emperor Sword!

This sword was the one Xie Buchen had carried throughout, the one that had shown great power in their multiple battles.

Xie Buchen had never stored it within his body, never reaching a state of human-sword unity.

This sword…

Had never even acknowledged a master.

Her palm against the cold scabbard, a dark gleam flashed in Jian Chou’s eyes. Holding the scabbard with one hand and the hilt with the other, she forcefully drew the sword!

“Clang—”

A trembling sword cry.

The entire Human Emperor Sword seemed rusted, extremely stiff. Her initial force couldn’t draw it.

So she pressed with five fingers, suddenly applying more force!

Scrape!

Three parts cold light finally poured forth!

The scabbard and blade, like being cast with molten iron, finally separated.

Thus, Jian Chou saw that dark black blade body with heart-trembling dark light. A corner of ancient mountain and river maps, accompanied by that suddenly high-pitched sword cry, slowly appeared…

For the emperor, ruling all people, bearing the responsibility of all seas.

Hidden forms of mountains and peaks, vast rivers, countless poor and humble…

None didn’t heed its commands, none didn’t bow before it.

What a stunning sword!

Jian Chou held the sword hilt, five fingers tense, knuckles white. Even the veins on her hand’s back were faintly visible.

She gazed at those three parts of exposed blade, unable to withdraw her gaze…

This expression—Xie Buchen was too familiar with it.