Yao Mountain gleamed brilliantly in the sunset’s glow. Liu Shuang, lying on Shao You’s back, suddenly trembled unexpectedly.

She felt a hand lightly touch her waist.

She turned her head with a deliberately fierce gaze but saw nothing. The small realm of Yao Mountain was luminously beautiful, but they hadn’t yet seen Zhan Xue Ying’s house—only she and Shao You were present.

Was Shao You teasing her?

Liu Shuang observed Shao You’s expression; he appeared calm and composed, seemingly no longer irritated by her earlier joke. Could it be an illusion caused by her currently transparent body? No, she shouldn’t doubt Shao You.

But the next moment, that hand grew more unrestrained, moving downward, intimately pressing against her.

Liu Shuang’s stiffening was noticeable even to Shao You, who slightly turned his head: “What’s wrong?”

He saw the young woman on his back, face flushed red, gritting her teeth and shaking her head.

Shao You sensed something was amiss and set her down: “Are you feeling unwell?”

Seeing her look around without discovering anything, she finally couldn’t hold back anymore and complained to him pitifully: “Shao You, someone is taking liberties with me.”

Her tone was extremely aggrieved, and because it was difficult to speak of, her crimson face gained an additional tint of color in the sunset. She stood tightly beside him.

At that moment, Shao You had a feeling that the person before him was very dependent on him.

The age-old young Realm Lord felt something gently strike his heart. He raised his hand, and peach wood took root and sprouted at his fingertips, immediately growing wildly and spreading in all directions.

She stood beside him, waiting eagerly for him to “seek justice” for her.

After a while, the peach wood darting westward brought back a “sand person.”

The sand person had no trace of spiritual energy, yet could move freely and even speak. It squealed and yelled: “Robbery! Murder!”

It appeared to be the size of a six or seven-year-old mortal child, but its movements were extremely agile. If Shao You hadn’t bound it tightly, it could have darted far away in an instant.

It was properly dressed in a garment, with gemstones inlaid to form its facial features. If not for Shao You’s peach wood, which indiscriminately dealt with lifeless species, it would have been impossible to catch such a “little thief.”

Liu Shuang half-squatted and grabbed it with her hand: “Were you teasing me?”

Upon her touch, it immediately fell, feigning injury: “Ah, I’m dead!”

True to its word, the next moment it collapsed on the ground, the sand dispersing and even the gemstones falling to the ground. Liu Shuang was left speechless.

Shao You was both annoyed and amused: “Zhan Xue Ying, stop playing around.”

“Hmph, you trespass on my territory and won’t allow me to do anything?”

Liu Shuang followed the voice and saw a man in a long robe sitting lazily in a large tree under the sunset, looking down at them from above.

He wore jade ornaments on his forehead, appearing extraordinarily clear and bright, with magnificent patterns adorning his robes.

Quite contrary to his refinement, he carried an axe on his shoulder—a terrifyingly large axe gleaming with a cold light.

That axe ruined all his elegant air, making him seem like a bandit. Combined with his mischief toward a little immortal who had just entered Yao Mountain, his temperament was not very pleasant.

“We’ve come to ask for your help,” said Shao You.

Zhan Xue Ying jumped down from the tree, raising an eyebrow and smiling: “You need a favor from me?”

Shao You said, “I know your rules. I’ll give you the Double Fish Pendant.”

Zhan Xue Ying had coveted his divination Double Fish Pendant for a long time, particularly wanting to know when he could leave Yao Mountain.

Unexpectedly, this time Zhan Xue Ying didn’t respond but looked at Liu Shuang instead: “I don’t want your Double Fish Pendant. I want a drop of her blood.”

This statement surprised both Shao You and Liu Shuang.

Liu Shuang clearly understood the value of the Double Fish Pendant—it could predict all fortune and misfortune one wanted to know, a treasure of Kun Lun. Yet Zhan Xue Ying didn’t even want the pendant, merely asking for a drop of her blood?

Zhan Xue Ying put away his axe and said with a smile: “Consider it compensation for the sand person’s offense.”

Shao You frowned, looking at him.

Zhan Xue Ying pouted: “Don’t look at me like that. You know I’m not interested in women. Those sand people are peculiar creations unique to Yao Mountain. They don’t obey me, nor are they truly alive. They were merely curious about her. But as the master here, I must maintain Yao Mountain’s dignity. Well, what do you say? Just one drop of blood. I’ve never made such a losing deal before.”

Shao You looked at Liu Shuang, who nodded.

Her body had nearly been corroded by Weak Water. What mattered urgently now was to solidify her body, and one drop of blood was a small price to pay.

She had heard about the war between immortals and demons before leaving. Fearing that Kung Sang might repeat history and be defeated by Yan Chaosheng, she was eager to recover quickly and return.

“Give me your hand,” said Zhan Xue Ying.

He casually took a drop of blood from Liu Shuang’s fingertip, which felt almost nothing compared to the suffering under Weak Water.

Zhan Xue Ying nonchalantly collected the blood and said, “Follow me.”

Walking deeper into Yao Mountain, there stood a two-story bamboo and wood cottage.

Zhan Xue Ying proudly showed off: “How is it? Not bad, right?”

Liu Shuang couldn’t see what was precious about the bamboo and wood cottage with its thatched roof. Shao You, having visited this place several times, understood what Zhan Xue Ying was proud of: “Can plant life grow in Yao Mountain now?”

Including the large tree where Zhan Xue Ying had been perched earlier, it was too lush to be something that could naturally grow in Yao Mountain.

Yao Mountain naturally produced gemstones, but oddly couldn’t grow trees.

Zhan Xue Ying had been very troubled about this and had swindled numerous celestial treasures from the outside world in an attempt to improve Yao Mountain’s “dazzling jewel-like” environment.

Such a bamboo cottage would be worthless elsewhere, but here, it represented a pile of countless celestial treasures.

However, Shao You was not one to offer much praise, merely nodding: “Not bad.”

Zhan Xue Ying snorted, not expecting this mature-beyond-his-years young Realm Lord of Kun Lun to say anything flattering. The three entered the cottage, where a group of sand people tried to crowd in.

They were identical to the ones Liu Shuang had encountered, clustering to enter and serve tea.

“Don’t push, I’ll go!”

“Let me, let me!”

“Move aside, I’m going in first.”

Zhan Xue Ying glanced at Liu Shuang, covering the amusement in his eyes. Finally, two sand people emerged from the crowd, pushing aside the others to reach Liu Shuang’s side.

One shyly looked at her with sapphire eyes and asked: “Immortal, could you hug me?”

The other was more direct—the one with ruby eyes immediately hugged Liu Shuang’s skirt.

The sapphire one was quite adorable. Liu Shuang was taken aback and, seeing that Zhan Xue Ying didn’t object as he sipped his tea with interest, she reached out and picked up the sapphire one: “Of course I can.”

The sand people hadn’t expected her to be so gentle, adorable, and agreeable. One after another, they jumped up and down: “Me too, me too!”

Zhan Xue Ying coldly said, “If you jump and ruin my cottage, you’ll all die.”

Though reluctant, they finally quieted down somewhat.

“Can we line up for hugs then?” asked one with emerald eyes.

The gemstone people formed a line on their own.

Liu Shuang had never witnessed such a scene—a group of colorful gemstone people asking her for hugs. Strangely, the situation seemed somehow familiar.

Not only did she find it incredible, but even Shao You frowned, looking toward Zhan Xue Ying.

Zhan Xue Ying said, “It’s not me.” His mischief hadn’t even begun yet.

One by one, the gemstone people lined up for hugs, seemingly endless, each looking extremely satisfied. Eventually, it was Zhan Xue Ying who couldn’t stand it anymore: “Enough, will this ever end? All of you, get the hell out.”

With one kick, he scattered one, grabbed the amethyst person from Liu Shuang’s arms, and threw it out, slamming the door with a bang.

Now, everyone believed it wasn’t his mischief.

Outside, the sand people whimpered and called out.

Zhan Xue Ying said to Liu Shuang, “Let me examine your wound.” With a wave of his sleeve, a small crimson snake crawled onto Liu Shuang’s wrist.

The cold sensation made her shrink back uncomfortably. She didn’t know why, but it reminded her of the malicious ink snake in the Demon Suppression Tower that had deliberately bullied her.

Zhan Xue Ying glared: “Why are you moving? I’m examining you.”

Shao You explained: “Zhan Xue Ying is a descendant of Shu Shou.”

The western Shu Shou had a snake on his left ear and rode two dragons. By Zhan Xue Ying’s generation, trapped in Yao Mountain, his only inheritance was probably an axe that could split mountains and seas, along with a companion snake.

Before long, Zhan Xue Ying recalled his small snake, which disappeared at his fingertips.

“Staying under Weak Water for too long is very troublesome,” he frowned. “How come one after another…”

These words abruptly ceased. Zhan Xue Ying’s temperament wasn’t one for idle chatter: “It’s not impossible to treat, but difficult. Enter the Xuanhuang Formation and close off your five senses for refinement—that can dispel the cold energy brought by Weak Water. However, that’s all. If you want to quickly solidify a complete body, you’ll need elixirs. Although I haven’t refined pills for a long time, I won’t ruin my reputation. If you can find dragon blood, I’ll help refine it for you. If you can’t find dragon blood, I have no other way. You’d have to stay in the Xuanhuang Formation, and it would take at most three years, not ten, to solidify your body.”

Shao You said, “There are no more dragons in the world.”

Zhan Xue Ying replied: “I’m not asking you to find the divine Dragon Clan or Phoenix Clan. Those are ancient divine beings, impossible to find. Though dragons are gone, their descendants remain. Condensing several barrels of blood into one drop of essence isn’t difficult. Have you heard of the ancient divine general Ming Ye of the Upper Pure Immortal Realm? His true form was a flood dragon. His blood, or the blood of his descendants, would work.”

Liu Shuang had heard of this too: “But he was buried in the Mohe River long ago with Princess Sang Jiu. They left no descendants.”

Later, even the Mohe River gradually vanished. Where in the world could they find dragon blood?

Zhan Xue Ying looked at Shao You with a smile: “Ji Shao Lord, what about you? You have a way, don’t you?”

After pondering for a while, Shao You nodded.

He looked at Liu Shuang: “Although divine dragons are gone, however…”

His abruptly terminated words seemed too embarrassing to say. Zhan Xue Ying continued: “However, dragons are naturally lustful, and their descendants are not few.”

He had merely used Ming Ye as an example, after all, they were all immortal lords unafraid of falling into Weak Water. That one was truly formidable, soaking in it for a full three days, even losing his divine status.

The clam princess was also pitiful, melting all her shells inside.

These immortals truly didn’t take Weak Water seriously, jumping in like dumplings into water. Now that the Divine Dragon Clan was gone, finding descendants with even a tenuous connection wasn’t out of the question. However, once involved with the blood of ancient beings, each was a fierce beast, not easy to deal with.

One would have to kill and slaughter it completely to extract just a drop of blood.

Shao You said, “I will find dragon blood. Until then, please take care of her.”

Zhan Xue Ying waved his hand: “Fine, fine, hurry along.”

A slender white hand gently tugged at Shao You’s robe. Liu Shuang looked at Shao You, and he said gently, “Wait for me here. It will take at least seven days, at most half a month, but I will return. Don’t worry, it’s not very dangerous.”

Liu Shuang firmly shook her head. Don’t go—she could endure the pain for some time.

Zhan Xue Ying interjected, watching the drama: “I can vouch for him. He’s right. Ji Shao You is never arrogant. If he says there’s no problem, then there isn’t. It won’t be life-threatening. However, obtaining dragon blood is still somewhat troublesome. Ji Shao Lord, what is your relationship with her?”

Hearing this, Liu Shuang looked at Shao You, too. She also wanted to know the answer. In this life, did Shao You consider her a close friend, or a beloved he kept silent about but never spoke of? She desperately wanted to know.

Shao You looked at her as well, remembering how she had so resisted their arranged marriage. He calmly lowered his gaze: “Naturally, she is the daughter of my father’s close friend.”

Zhan Xue Ying maliciously chuckled while she stared at him with round eyes.

Having lived for thousands of years, the typically detached Ji Shao Realm Lord felt something akin to annoyance for the first time. Having been rejected in marriage, he should have gracefully let go. He didn’t want to feel this way, but even the most proper person had emotions beyond their control.

The next moment, a soft little hand slipped into his palm.

She took a breath, as if having made some determination, and said: “I understand. I’ll wait for your safe return, and then discuss with you how to continue the spiritual veins of Kun Lun.”

Shao You raised his eyes.

He hadn’t taken her fifth spiritual vein. For the continuation of Kun Lun’s spiritual veins, only two options remained: either marry into the Feng clan, or… marry her.

Her eyes were clear, nervously reflecting his image, strangely devout and gentle. If this was what Shao You had always wanted, she didn’t want to miss it again, to let him silently sacrifice everything, to watch her marry someone else, disappear from the world, leaving not a trace behind.

He couldn’t help but smile in his eyes, saying softly, “Alright.”

Suddenly, the small sand people outside let out agonized wails.

Liu Shuang realized something was wrong. Zhan Xue Ying’s expression also changed as he looked outside, cursing under his breath.

“It’s nothing,” he said. “You two carry on. I have… another venerable ancestor here. But he’s reclusive and won’t interact with you.”

Liu Shuang looked over: “Another patient of yours?”

Zhan Xue Ying irritably adjusted his forehead ornament: “Yes, and quite seriously ill.”

With a temper worse than his own, the visitor had already crushed several sand people in just a few days.

But he usually didn’t move around, only quietly nursing his wounds. Zhan Xue Ying didn’t bother to provoke him. A few days ago, he had gone to prank someone but ended up nailed to a tree, ruthlessly hung there for days. Why had he come out today, and in such a terrible mood?

Judging by the screams of the sand people outside, it was clear. This uninvited god of death was very displeased.

Zhan Xue Ying thought it certainly wasn’t his fault, so who had angered him?