Yan Chaosheng raised his eyes to find Qing Luan staring at him intently from a distance.

What had just happened with Liu Shuang of the Chi Shui Clan remained unknown to her, but the creature had witnessed everything.

Qing Luan’s eyes carried a bright golden hue, shining like two luminous glass lanterns even against the steep valley cliffs.

Yan Chaosheng pressed his lips together, glaring coldly at it.

Sensing his embarrassed anger, Qing Luan wisely dragged its massive body aside, burying its head under its wing.

Liu Shuang’s voice came from behind: “What’s wrong with Qing Luan?”

Yan Chaosheng calmly replied: “Perhaps it’s tired.”

The two waited for Su Lun at the other end of the broken bridge. Yan Chaosheng closed his eyes; he didn’t want to look at Liu Shuang or Qing Luan right now.

Yan Chaosheng was no fool. If he had been deceiving himself before, it was because he couldn’t bear to part with the potent bloodline power within her. Just now, Liu Shuang had nearly offered her bloodline power with both hands, yet what caught his eye wasn’t the ancient bloodline power within the young woman, but rather…

His fingers tightened as he struggled to accept this sudden realization. This feeling was worse than when Bai Yuxiao had taken the spiritual power he’d worked so hard to cultivate.

Ancient clans that survived to the present day often intermarried to ensure their bloodlines continued, so their descendants would be born with divine power.

Failing that, they would seek the most promising disciples among the immortal clans in the immortal realm.

She might have patience and interest in him now, but what about later? Would she treat him as a mere plaything for her amusement?

The more Yan Chaosheng thought about it, the colder his heart grew. He despised himself for his momentary lack of clarity.

He had come to Kung Sang to learn skills with the goal of ascending the immortal path, to never again suffer humiliation or be caged, to never again be appraised as someone whose eyes could barely be harvested to inlay spiritual weapons.

He couldn’t ruin himself, nor could he allow Liu Shuang to ruin him.

She had caused him such harm, disrupting all his plans before they could even begin, nearly causing complete failure.

Therefore, he had to make a clean break immediately, without harboring any further thoughts. Even if he had to associate with her, he would use her as a stepping stone, obtaining everything he could from her.

Yan Chaosheng opened his eyes, his gaze cold. When something needed to be cut off, he would do so. Now that he had realized the situation, he wouldn’t allow the worst to happen. While there was still time, he had pulled himself back from falling too deeply.

The egg in his arms—he would find an opportunity to discard it. He couldn’t possibly share his heart meridian with a mystical bird of unknown origin.

Just as he had determined his future path, the broken bridge before them suddenly collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Dense white mist rose from the mountain ravine below, and Liu Shuang looked toward it.

“Su Lun is still on the other side!”

They watched as the already dilapidated bridge vanished completely before their eyes. Qing Luan caught Liu Shuang’s garment in its beak, preventing her from flying over to investigate. Soon after, countless rocks rose from the white mist, and someone stepped onto these floating stones, creating a path back.

Yan Chaosheng narrowed his eyes to look. Through the thick mist, Su Lun walked slowly toward them.

“Su Lun, what’s wrong?” Liu Shuang asked.

Since returning from the other side, Su Lun had been distracted, lost in thought.

“Did you see your mother?”

Su Lun nodded, his eyes filled with shallow sorrow, unwilling to say more. Despite fulfilling a thousand-year obsession, he didn’t appear relieved or happy. Instead, he carried an inexplicable heaviness.

Liu Shuang didn’t press further about why Su Lun’s mother’s soul remained eternally trapped in the Ghost King’s Tomb. Everyone had things they preferred not to discuss.

Before activating the Heritage Mirror, she looked uncertainly at the massive Qing Luan nearby: “What about it when we return?”

Su Lun said, “Qing Luan is an ancient mystical bird. The current Immortal Realm would not tolerate its presence.”

If they brought Qing Luan back, her appearance would cause a tremendous uproar and widespread panic.

Liu Shuang said, “We still haven’t revived the egg.”

Would Qing Luan, as a mother, be willing to let them take just the egg?

Yan Chaosheng directly tossed the egg back into Qing Luan’s embrace, saying coldly: “Returning property to its rightful owner. Now we don’t need to consider it anymore.”

Liu Shuang glared at him. Are you serious? This could be your future left and right arms as the Demon Lord in battle. One sweep of Qing Luan’s wings could freeze a thousand miles. Shouldn’t there be some mutual appreciation between destined master and servant?

Evidently not. Yan Chaosheng heartlessly discarded the Qing Luan egg, while Qing Luan protected the egg, blood tears once again flowing from its eyes.

Liu Shuang had read in ancient texts that ancient mystical creatures never cried easily. They were born without tears, and once they shed tears, each drop was their own heart’s blood.

Seeing Yan Chaosheng’s determination to refuse help, Liu Shuang could only ask: “Su Lun, can you save its child?”

Su Lun shook his head: “Forgive my inability. Its heart meridian has already disappeared. If it were merely severely injured, that would be manageable, but it has lost its life force. I cannot revive it.”

Qing Luan understood their words, its cries growing increasingly mournful and plaintive.

Yan Chaosheng frowned and said to Liu Shuang, “What is the Young Lord waiting for? Activate the Heritage Mirror so we can return.”

They couldn’t leave yet! If they left now, the Qing Luan egg would die.

Before Liu Shuang could think of a solution, a massive bird head bowed before Yan Chaosheng. Qing Luan suddenly prostrated itself before him, spreading its wings flat on the ground.

It cried pitifully, its blood tears falling into the soil below. It plucked a feather from its wing and gently pushed both the feather and the lifeless Qing Luan egg toward Yan Chaosheng’s feet.

Yan Chaosheng frowned: “Take them back. Don’t make me say it twice. I can’t save it, so giving it to me is pointless.”

Qing Luan let out a long cry and dove into the valley below.

A towering flame erupted, and before everyone’s eyes, the ancient mystical bird Qing Luan gradually burned to ashes, finally condensing into a black and gold whip that flew into Yan Chaosheng’s hand.

Qing Luan had sacrificed itself, transforming into a celestial weapon to implore Yan Chaosheng to save the Qing Luan egg.

The whip emanated fierce energy, containing surging mystical power. Upon landing in Yan Chaosheng’s hand, it seemed to resonate with his will. With a wave of turbid energy, the fierce and mystical energies transformed into nothing, becoming pure celestial power.

Yan Chaosheng remained silent for a long while, then bent down to pick up the egg and the colorful feather, tucking them into his robes.

Seeing this, Liu Shuang felt an indescribable emotion: “Will you save its child?”

Yan Chaosheng scoffed coldly: “We’ll see. Young Lord, the way you’re looking at me—do you think I’m selfish, cruel, and only pursue profit?”

Liu Shuang hadn’t thought that. She couldn’t save the Qing Luan egg herself, so she couldn’t force others to help. That’s why she had earlier offered to exchange her spiritual power with Yan Chaosheng.

She shook her head and said dejectedly: “No, I just feel sad.”

She thought of her mortal mother who remembered her until death, and of Purple Lady, whose memories she now possessed.

Perhaps all mothers in the world were this great, willing to sacrifice everything for their children. Even the mystical bird Qing Luan, entrusting its child with its dying breath, showed profound parental love.

Yan Chaosheng remained silent.

Liu Shuang said nothing more and activated the Heritage Mirror. Su Lun stopped her, saying, “You’ve already overexerted yourself earlier. Let me do it.”

Liu Shuang didn’t insist. After all this exertion, she was already at her limit and didn’t have confidence she could take them directly back to Kun Lun.

Su Lun took the Heritage Mirror, and soon, water-like ripples appeared.

Liu Shuang heard the young man beside her say coldly: “I’ll try my best to save it.”

She looked overjoyed. Yan Chaosheng’s expression remained indifferent: “But I am indeed profit-driven. If not for this celestial weapon, I wouldn’t have given it a second glance.”

As she was about to say something, a flash of light signaled the activation of the Heritage Mirror.

Liu Shuang sighed in relief. They had finally returned safely. Su Lun had seen his mother, and they had brought back the Qing Luan egg. Unlike before, this time, Su Lun hadn’t lost his seven ethereal souls—they were all safe.

When Liu Shuang returned, it was deep night in Kun Lun. Too exhausted for anything else, she collapsed into sleep.

The journey to the Ghost Realm had been incredibly tiring—her soul leaving her body and returning, being chased by the Henggong Fish creature. She slept deeply, and when she awoke, Bai Zhuixu stood before her.

He sighed: “Young Lord, we’ve been apart for half a month, and I’ve been very worried. Where did you and Su Lun go without telling anyone?”

Liu Shuang sat up: “We’ve been gone for half a month?”

A carefree voice nearby said, “Brother, you’ve been blaming me for half a month. Now that she’s back safely, you’ll finally stop blaming me, right?”

Bai Zhuixu angrily said, “You still dare speak? How could you give the Heritage Mirror to the Young Lord? If not for your recklessness, how could the Young Lord have faced such danger?”

“Hmph, she asked for it herself. With such courage to wander off, why don’t you teach her better?”

Hearing this, Bai Zhuixu turned to look at Liu Shuang.

With the original owner’s memories, Liu Shuang felt incredibly close to them now. She said, “Bai Yuxiao isn’t lying. I begged him to lend it to me.”

Bai Yuxiao snorted. Bai Zhuixu sighed deeply and said gently, “Young Lord, with your cultivation level, activating the Heritage Mirror is dangerous. Please never do this again.”

If he had scolded her like he scolded Bai Yuxiao, it would have been easier to bear. But his gentleness made Liu Shuang embarrassed, especially thinking about how he must have worried for half a month. During this time, Bai Zhuixu must have searched high and low for her.

Seeing the weariness on his face, Liu Shuang quickly nodded obediently.

She didn’t regret not telling Bai Zhuixu. With his temperament, he would either have forbidden her from taking such a risk or insisted on accompanying her. Considering their near-death experiences, where they survived more by luck than skill, if Bai Zhuixu had gone with them, he might well have perished inside.

“By the way, here’s your Heritage Mirror back.”

Liu Shuang handed the mirror to Bai Yuxiao. Both Bai brothers looked at the mirror, then exchanged glances.

Bai Zhuixu frowned slightly: “Yuxiao, this mirror is clearly… you…”

Bai Yuxiao nearly jumped: “I… I didn’t mean that! Brother, don’t misunderstand.”

With that, he glared fiercely at Liu Shuang, snatched the Heritage Mirror, and rushed out the door as if being chased. He didn’t even argue about Liu Shuang borrowing it for more than a day.

Liu Shuang asked curiously: “What’s wrong with him?”

Bai Zhuixu coughed lightly: “Nothing. Since the Young Lord is awake, let’s go to the main hall of Kun Lun. Su Lun is waiting for you there.”

After a pause, his eyes finally showed a smile: “Although I don’t know what the Young Lord has been doing during this time, since Su Lun is willing to lend the Shen Nong Cauldron, the Young Lord must have made significant contributions. I was too narrow-minded before. The Young Lord has grown up and can now stand on her own.”

Liu Shuang returned his smile and said softly, “Brother Zhuixu, thank you.”

Bai Zhuixu was startled: “Why say this suddenly?” Hadn’t she said that once she grew up, she wouldn’t call him Brother Zhuixu anymore?

Liu Shuang said earnestly, “In my heart, you’ve always been like a real elder brother. Thank you for your patience and understanding these past three hundred years.” These were words the original owner had always wanted to say to Bai Zhuixu but never expressed.

The original owner lacked parts of her soul. Besides Purple Lady, only Bai Zhuixu treated her best, with the most patience. In all of Kung Sang, only Bai Zhuixu truly respected her as the rightful Young Lord.

Bai Zhuixu’s eyes warmed: “The Young Lord deserves the best treatment in the world.”

In the great hall where the Shen Nong Cauldron was placed, many people had already gathered. Liu Shuang immediately spotted Su Lun sitting cross-legged in the center of the Eight Trigrams.

After bathing and burning incense, he wore a white robe. In the remaining seven positions of the Eight Trigrams sat seven immortal elders.

None of them looked kindly upon Liu Shuang. Wo Jiang was among them.

Su Lun said to Liu Shuang, “Sit in the Qian position. We will open the Shen Nong Cauldron to extract the Illusion Beauty Pearl from within you.”

Liu Shuang bowed to everyone: “Thank you, honored immortal elders.” She sat as instructed.

An old man next to Su Lun huffed indignantly: “It’s only because the Young Master is magnanimous and willing to let bygones be bygones, and still willing to lend this divine artifact.”

Su Lun smiled: “I entreat Elder Ci Wei’s assistance.”

Liu Shuang obediently echoed: “I entreat Elder Ci Wei’s assistance, and the assistance of all elders.”

Seeing her so polite and obedient, Ci Wei could say nothing more. He merely snorted and closed his eyes. Su Lun gave Liu Shuang a reassuring smile: “Don’t be afraid. Guard your meridians and heart, and follow my instructions.”

Liu Shuang nodded.

Beneath the Eight Trigrams formation, the earth trembled as the golden Shen Nong Cauldron emerged, spinning. Su Lun and the elders arranged the formation, with white light rippling outward in circles. The five elements circulated as Su Lun guided the power of the Shen Nong Cauldron toward Liu Shuang. She felt as if she were placed inside a fiery cauldron—quite uncomfortable.

Su Lun said: “Bear with it a little longer.”

Liu Shuang remained silent. This discomfort was tolerable. Something moved within her body as the power of the Shen Nong Cauldron repeatedly purified her body and meridians.

Shortly after, golden mist emerged from her body, transforming into a golden pearl that hung in midair.

Everyone withdrew their powers. Su Lun opened his eyes, caught the Illusion Beauty Pearl, and handed it to Liu Shuang.

“Young Lord of Chi Shui, it has been extracted.”

Liu Shuang was also delighted. After all this trouble, she could finally complete her task. Although she hadn’t particularly minded her appearance before, women naturally appreciated beauty. She was curious about the original owner’s true appearance.

She put away the Illusion Beauty Pearl, removed her veil, and conjured a water mirror to look into.

In the mirror was a face startlingly familiar.

Eyes like spring waters, peach-blossom cheeks, apricot-shaped pupils, radiantly beautiful beyond compare. Liu Shuang froze—the original owner looked exactly like her!

She lowered the water mirror in shock, only to see eight pairs of eyes in the hall staring at her with even greater astonishment.

Elder Ci Wei, who moments ago had nearly cursed her, gaped in disbelief: “You… you…”

Wo Jiang murmured: “So the old man of Chi Shui wasn’t lying after all.”

The other elders looked from Liu Shuang to Su Lun, each with a peculiar expression. For three hundred years, the Young Lord of Chi Shui had been confined to Kung Sang, so no one had seen her true appearance.

When Chi Shui Chong had come to arrange the marriage, he’d said his daughter was exceptionally beautiful, yet everyone in Kun Lun had seen Liu Shuang as ugly and ill-mannered.

At that time, everyone thought Chi Shui Chong was lying to trap their Young Master. Unexpectedly, now that she had regained her appearance, they realized Chi Shui Chong hadn’t been exaggerating—he had been modest! This beauty wasn’t merely charming—she was the kind of devastating beauty that could set even old hearts aflame with just a few glances!

Su Lun met Liu Shuang’s gaze and smiled slightly: “Congratulations.”

Liu Shuang smiled sweetly: “Thank you, Su Lun.” If not for Su Lun withstanding the pressure from everyone to open the Shen Nong Cauldron for her, she couldn’t have regained her appearance.

Su Lun’s expression remained as calm as still water. Compared to the shocked old men in the room, it seemed nothing could cause him the slightest ripple of emotion.

But Liu Shuang’s sharp eyes caught a faint redness spreading from the tips of his ears.

Before the blush could spread to his cheeks, Su Lun sighed and said resignedly, “Immortal Lady, please return to rest. We still need to reseal the Shen Nong Cauldron.”