It was ambition, desire, control, everything…

It was her gaze at this moment, his gaze from the past.

Xie Buchen looked at Jian Chou for a long time, Jian Chou looked at the Human Emperor Sword for a long time.

After an unknown amount of time, until the “chittering” calls came from behind, Jian Chou’s motionless eyelashes finally flickered slightly.

The force in her hand loosened, her blue veins receded, and her pale knuckles gradually returned to their original color.

Slowly, slowly, she returned the sword to its sheath.

Little by little.

The cold light disappeared.

The turmoil in Jian Chou’s heart, along with the gradually retreating cold light of the sword sheath, slowly calmed down, finally becoming a peaceful lake.

“This sword has never acknowledged a master.”

Xie Buchen said: “The Human Emperor Sword has no master. Any who would be emperor may take it and use it.”

It was merely a “tool.”

The emperor was the person, not the sword.

Jian Chou naturally heard the meaning within these words. After a moment’s thought, she could discern a few indescribable flavors: Xie Buchen…

Buchen, meaning “not a subject,” yet he styled himself as an emperor?

She had always known his ambitions were not shallow. Hearing these words today, she finally couldn’t help but laugh: “Any who would be emperor may take it and use it. Then, Fellow Daoist Xie, do you think I resemble one?”

“…”

Xie Buchen didn’t speak, but in that instant he understood Jian Chou’s intention. He looked at her.

Jian Chou turned her wrist, the three-foot-long Human Emperor Sword along with its sheath spun in her palm, then she gripped it firmly.

It seemed quite handy?

She was rather pleased: “This sword is not bad. Fellow Daoist Xie is generous—I’ll borrow it for use.”

Borrow?

Another high-sounding excuse.

Xie Buchen glanced at her, unable to find words to say.

His eyes closed slightly, and he simply shut his mouth.

“Splash splash…”

The sound of water came, along with the chaotic voices of spirit beasts conversing with each other.

The little squirrel stood at the bow, searching all around, trying to find a temporarily safe place in this collapsing hidden realm.

Its dark little eyes turned all about, and immediately spotted Jian Chou’s location.

That piece of ground appeared flat and wasn’t covered by water, looking like it could hold for a long time.

The little squirrel was immediately delighted, hurriedly controlling the large pine nut ship to dock at the shore.

“Chitter chitter chitter!”

It waved its claws, and all the spirit beasts on the ship jumped down one after another, leaping from the ship onto the ground where Jian Chou stood.

The silver fox’s injuries hadn’t healed, and it nearly fell when landing.

The old turtle moved slowly, taking great effort to paddle its four short legs, swimming through the air like it was in water, gasping as it landed beside the silver fox.

…

One after another.

The little squirrel still stood at the bow. Seeing everyone had disembarked, it then nimbly jumped down.

It had just landed at the shore when it wanted to run toward Jian Chou.

But after running only two steps, it slapped its forehead, remembering the large ship behind it.

The little squirrel thus scurried back over, bringing its two short little claws forward to embrace that several-zhang-wide large ship, like an ant trying to shake a tree, attempting to lift up that great ship.

“Chitter chitter chitter…”

It had to use all the strength from eating pine nuts.

The little squirrel’s eyes bulged wide, its cheeks puffing up, and only then did it fiercely lift up that several-zhang-wide pine nut ship!

In that instant, all the spirit beasts standing on the flat ground fell completely silent!

The scene before them simply exceeded everyone’s imagination!

The mighty little squirrel holding up the great ship was simply like a small ant lifting an elephant—terrifying yet somewhat comical.

Seeing this from afar, Jian Chou was also surprised.

Before she could figure out what was happening, the little squirrel’s feet had already swayed two steps, looking like it was about to drop the great ship.

Unexpectedly, the great ship swayed once, then again, and just as it was about to fall but hadn’t yet, it suddenly contracted, returning to a small pine nut.

“Chitter chitter chitter!”

The little squirrel immediately called out happily, giving the pine nut a kiss, then cheerfully ran toward Jian Chou who stood on this side.

Jian Chou had slain Wue and was the little squirrel’s savior. As soon as it approached, it began chattering wildly.

The little marten on Jian Chou’s shoulder rolled its eyes again.

Jian Chou stood holding the Human Emperor Sword, her other hand still gripping Xie Buchen’s Qiankun Bag.

She looked down, then swept her gaze over the gathered spirit beasts in the distance. The old turtle and silver fox stood at the front, both silent, only watching them.

Jian Chou really couldn’t understand the little squirrel’s words, feeling somewhat troubled.

“Sigh…”

The silver fox behind let out a gentle sigh, revealing an extremely soft female voice.

It slowly walked forward, its injuries still unhealed, walking with a slight limp, but this couldn’t affect its natural charm in the slightest.

Looking at it this way, Jian Chou actually saw a kind of graceful beauty, alluring and seductive.

She observed the other party.

These were fox eyes, yet filled with human emotions.

“Little Pine saved all of us.”

Unexpectedly, the silver fox spoke, actually speaking human words.

The little squirrel nodded repeatedly.

Jian Chou then knew the silver fox was speaking for the little squirrel.

She looked at them, thinking of everything she had encountered since entering the hidden realm, and the layers of mysteries. She had many questions she wanted to ask, but ultimately didn’t know how to begin.

The silver fox was understanding after all, knowing what she was thinking, and began to explain everything in detail.

A thousand years ago, Shangren Buyu’s cultivation reached the ultimate realm, and he finally decided to enter seclusion for ascension.

He had promised everyone, making a vow to take them to heaven, then completely disappeared from everyone’s sight…

All of Shijiu Zhou knew of his ascension, but none of these spirit beasts who had once fought alongside him ascended with him.

“We do not envy the scenery of the upper realm, but only for his promise from long ago…”

An aged voice added from behind.

The old turtle prostrated in place, also full of vicissitudes.

Ordinary cultivators and spirit beasts were merely master and servant, but they were all friends of Shangren Buyu.

Unwilling to part.

When cultivators ascended, they could always take spirit beasts with whom they had soul contracts, yet they had all remained here.

“Wue was originally proud by nature, initially tamed by our master, but after entering the hidden realm, he had always been benevolent toward people. We had all been with him, never expecting…”

The long wait could wear away that hard-won bit of “humanity.”

The silver fox’s eyes revealed a kind of compassion and sorrow.

They could not forgive Wue’s actions, especially everything he had done to Lijun, yet they could all understand his change.

Hearing this, Jian Chou was silent for a long time before asking: “Do you all have soul contracts with Shangren?”

The little squirrel was the first to nod.

Then came that group of silent spirit beasts.

The silver fox knew what Jian Chou was guessing and thinking, only letting out a bitter laugh: “If not for this, how could we determine he ascended rather than died by accident?”

Years of fruitless waiting—how could they, who trusted Shangren Buyu, not have their own speculations?

Perhaps he met with an accident, slept for a long time, or even perished…

But the connection deep within their souls easily shattered this fantasy: the contract still existed, and they could even sense through the contract that Shangren Buyu was very far from them, not in the same space.

When Jian Chou saw everyone nod, her heart sank.

Everything she had seen in the realm of hesitation surfaced again.

“The path of cultivation is long and endless, I hesitate in my heart… To pass my path, battle my heart demon… Do you dare to fight?”

“Foundation Establishment day 136, heart demon appears.”

“Golden Core day 36, heart demon appears again.”

“Soul Separation day 13, heart demon appears.”

…

“Hardships encountered raising the River Chart, a lifetime of bloody wind and rain. In the end, making wedding clothes for others. Ultimately unwilling! Shangren Buyu, true tomb.”

The spirit beasts had their own judgment, not entirely without reason.

All of this…

Was intricately interwoven, impossible to find where the threads began.

Only one crazy idea forcibly emerged from Jian Chou’s mind, impossible to suppress, yet how could she dare believe it?

The entire lands of Shijiu Zhou had never seen such strange and mysterious events.

Moreover, this involved ascension?

She wanted to ask more.

But the old turtle at this moment revealed a simple and kind smile: “But we always believe that Shangren Buyu never breaks his word.”

Thus, all the questions she wanted to ask were choked in her throat.

Looking at them this way, Jian Chou suddenly discovered that in the depths of each spirit beast’s eyes, there was still that faint glimmer of hope…

She suddenly didn’t dare voice the speculation that had suddenly arisen in her mind.

Her heart felt heavy, and she inexplicably thought of the little bookworm.

She hadn’t seen it in the middle either, probably…

Lowering her eyes, she didn’t want to think deeper.

She simply handed the open Qiankun Bag in her hand toward the silver fox.

“The hidden realm is shattered, yet independent of the greater heaven and earth, lacking spiritual energy supply. This bag contains countless spirit stones and pills, which can solve everyone’s urgent needs. This Fellow Daoist Xie from Kunwu beside me has the Great Bright Seal from the Celestial Palace dome. We won’t linger here much longer—we’ll go find Lijun. Perhaps we can still prevent the hidden realm’s collapse.”

The silver fox opened its mouth to bite the Qiankun Bag Jian Chou handed over, but its eyes burst with entirely new radiance!

“The Great Bright Seal?”

“There’s actually a Great Bright Seal?”

“Yes…”

“Indeed, if so the hidden realm can be saved!”

…

High and low voices of discussion rose and fell.

Jian Chou looked back at Xie Buchen.

Xie Buchen also glanced at her, making no comment on her actions, only already forcing himself to stand, swaying as he steadied himself.

The silver fox, old turtle, and little squirrel all looked at him, their gazes containing countless assessments.

“If we can preserve a thread of life for the hidden realm, nothing could be better.”

This was, after all, the home where they had lived for a long time. Though everything had become ruins, it still held countless memories.

The silver fox’s voice was somewhat ethereal, gentle as mist: “Lijun fought with Wue and must have fallen at the Koi Pool in the very center. From here go east, pass through three maze gates, and you’ll see it.”

Jian Chou looked east, seeing only the boundless water surface scattered with a few “islands,” some still continuously cracking, some colliding together, some motionless…

Going east from here would require crossing the great marsh, traversing several islands—dangerous at every step.

So she said: “We’ll go. You’d all better wait here, as it would be more appropriate.”

“Chitter chitter chitter!”

As soon as she said this, the little squirrel immediately called out, directly pouncing toward Jian Chou. It seemed unwilling to stay here at all.

But…

Just as it pounced out a little, before it could approach Jian Chou, a thin red light suddenly appeared, blocking between Jian Chou and the little squirrel.

This was a gentle light, softly flickering, like the whispers of elders and close friends.

It was like a warm patch of rosy clouds, gently concaving inward to prevent the little squirrel from being hurt, yet gently but firmly blocking it outside.

The little squirrel was stunned.

Holding the pine nut, it was slowly placed on the ground by that patch of thin red rosy light, staring foolishly at this light.

“Lijun…”

It was Lijun!

Lijun was still alive!

The little squirrel immediately became excited, even more urgently wanting to pass through that thin red light. It wanted to go with Jian Chou, go together to see Lijun.

But no matter how it struggled, it couldn’t penetrate this patch of thin red light.

Standing behind this light, Jian Chou was also somewhat stunned.

Behind the little squirrel, all the spirit beasts saw this scene and understood everything: that gentle Lijun didn’t want them to go, whether because of the danger or because it didn’t want to be seen in its current state.

“Chitter chitter chitter…”

The little squirrel’s calls gradually grew hoarse.

After much fruitless struggling, it seemed to finally understand that Lijun’s mind was made up. Its dark little eyes actually filled with moisture, looking ready to fall like it had been abandoned.

In the hidden realm for so many years, without any trace of Shangren, it was Lijun who had protected them all with its own strength.

To all the spirit beasts, during the time when Shangren was absent, it was their true guardian.

Jian Chou originally didn’t want so many spirit beasts to go with her. If any danger occurred on the road ahead, who could guarantee everyone’s safety?

It seemed that Lijun had the same thoughts as her.

She smiled slightly, speaking in a comforting tone to the little squirrel: “Just stay here and be good.”

The little squirrel looked pitiful, tightly hugging the little pine nut, seeming ready to cry but forcing itself to hold back.

It stood before that thin red light, looking at Jian Chou, then at the little pine nut cradled in its claws.

With reluctance and determination.

The little squirrel finally held up the little pine nut, offering it forward.

Its fluffy little claws seemed to have a few wet marks, unknown whether from getting off the ship or from secretly crying.

Jian Chou was stunned, silent for a long time without moving.

The little squirrel continued holding up the pine nut.

Finally sighing in her heart, she raised her hand, her fingertip touching that thin red light, unexpectedly passing through without obstruction, like passing through a thin membrane.

The little squirrel slowly placed the tiny pine nut into Jian Chou’s palm.

Its furry claws brushed past Jian Chou’s pale palm, warm.

The brown surface revealed a rounded luster, large at one end and small at the other. When the little squirrel held it, the size was just right, but falling into Jian Chou’s palm, it was only an insignificant little dot.

So small, so light, yet Jian Chou felt her palm suddenly grow heavy.

Heavy and burning hot.

She thought she might almost be unable to hold it, yet it lay there quietly.

Jian Chou slowly withdrew her hand.

The little squirrel still gazed at her eagerly.

As if knowing she was about to leave, and knowing she wouldn’t take it along, it showed a heavy and sorrowful expression, seeming to hold infinite hope yet fearing this hope would immediately shatter.

Lowering its claws from its chest, it also lowered its head.

The small body, two hind legs supporting its body, but its upper body bowed down—

The little squirrel bowed to Jian Chou.

Behind it were the old turtle, the silver fox, the long snake, the centipede, the spirit cat, the mountain sparrow…

One after another, whether big or small, whether aged or young…

All lowered their heads, bowing to Jian Chou!

The desolate earth, the vast water surface.

All around were ruins.

These surviving beings, carrying solemn dignity, with hearts full of hope, and that respect from the depths of their hearts, toward that figure standing behind the thin red light—

One bow.

The pine nut the little squirrel gave, merely touching it with her fingertip, she could feel its smoothness, as if it had been caressed countless times over the years.

Holding the Human Emperor Sword, standing before these countless spirit beasts bowing to her, she felt something heavy choking her, making it difficult to breathe.

All she could do was grip the sword tighter, grip that pine nut tighter.

“Let’s go…”

She knew their expectations, knew their gratitude, but suddenly couldn’t bear to look anymore.

So, turning around, her gaze swept over Xie Buchen’s face without much pause, only saying this lightly.

Like a sigh.

Perhaps, in this hidden realm, there was one person who knew the truth.

Taking steps forward, Jian Chou headed east.

Xie Buchen stood in place, turning as she moved forward, the end of his sight being her departing figure.

The Human Emperor Sword, for emperors…

Something seemed to flash in his eyes, finally returning to complete rationality.

Raising his hand, he only gripped the feathered arrow that had pierced his body, yanking it out violently!

The sharp black-feathered arrow, formed from the shape of Wue’s wings, had barb after barb. When he pulled it out so forcefully, it brought out threads of flesh and blood.

The pain nearly made him unable to stand.

But his face showed no great disturbance.

Three arrows in succession.

All the feathered arrows were released from his grip, casually thrown on the ground.

Blood spattered, a patch of残红.

Piercing pain spread through his limbs and body, but his body only trembled for an instant before standing firmly, like jade indifferent, mountains towering.

In his heart, only waves arose from flat ground, disappearing in a flash.

Stepping on the残红 on the ground, Xie Buchen finally took steps, heading in the direction Jian Chou had gone.

Ahead, Jian Chou had already reached the edge of this piece of land, but seemed to have discovered something, her steps suddenly stopping.

“Boom!”

Almost simultaneously, from the southeast direction, across three entire islands on a distant island, a terrifying black shadow exploded.

Several figures scattered as if heavily struck.

Someone cried out: “Immortal Lu!”

A burst of wild laughter echoed through the empty hidden realm: “Haha, cultivators from the Central Domain are nothing special! You all wait here to die—this young sect master won’t keep you company!”

Before the words ended, a black shadow shot up from the ground, rapidly fleeing toward the southern gate!

In that instant, Jian Chou’s reaction was extremely fast, directly slashing across the vast void!

Whoosh!

A brilliant blade light, suddenly like a curved moon hanging high, burst forth from the suddenly appearing Deer-Cutting Blade, illuminating the dark dome of the collapsing realm…