In his final moments of life, Ji Chen still rode the silver crane chasing the moon, racing against the sun.

He knew he wouldn’t fall into the Death Sea because someone was supporting him from behind.

He wasn’t well acquainted with this person. Strangely enough, they had only met three days ago, yet they seemed like lifelong friends, flying together over mountains and rivers toward the ends of the earth.

Excruciating pain made Ji Chen’s consciousness blur as if his five viscera and six organs were being severed by formation lines.

He opened his eyes wide and saw pebbles, paper swallows, an afternoon pond, a swing by its edge, golden carriages with jade horses, and pavilions filled with joyful songs.

These suddenly transformed into poorly written talismans, mockery behind his back, a wandering journey, and endless conflicts.

Finally, some souls couldn’t be called back and stars couldn’t be reached.

Past events drifted like smoke as he saw himself rushing toward the heavenly barrier, like a bird crashing into a cliff.

Many years after his death, a cultivator named Wei Zhen Yu would come to White Phoenix Mountain, obtain his formation legacy and hidden treasures, improve his formation techniques, innovate upon them, and make them his own.

Wei Zhen Yu claimed to be Song Qian Ji’s disciple and inheritor.

Ji Chen vaguely thought that this person might deceive others but couldn’t fool him, because Song Qian Ji was his friend.

“No, that’s not right. If I lived out my life this way, how could I have such a good friend? Am I trapped in someone else’s illusion formation?”

As this thought arose, cold lake water rushed in eagerly. He sank to the bottom of the lake and saw a massive stone glowing brilliantly. He couldn’t help but want to approach it to see clearly…

A sharp shout rang in his ears: “Come back to me!”

Such a familiar voice—Ji Chen was startled. Brother Song is calling me?!

A powerful force broke through the water’s surface, forcibly pulling him out.

The cold water that had engulfed his soul rapidly receded. Ji Chen opened his eyes to see mountains encircling him and misty fog covering the lake.

In the sky, a faint trace of the moon was hidden among the clouds.

“Brother Song? Are you real?” Ji Chen breathed heavily, staring at him intently as if he couldn’t believe it. “We’ve returned?”

“You’ve returned,” Song Qian Ji said.

His anger had dissipated, replaced by intense weariness. Entering the illusory world twice had pushed even him to his limits.

Yet the moon’s shadow was about to fade, and dawn was approaching.

“Brother Song, are you injured?” Ji Chen felt like both crying and laughing. His soul had just returned to his body, and his thoughts were still sluggish.

“Time is urgent,” Song Qian Ji briefly explained the situation. “There’s something I need you to do.”

Ji Chen smiled and replied without thinking: “Not just one thing—even if Brother Song asked me to die after I’ve settled matters with my sister, I would immediately do so. I only fear Brother Song will handle everything himself and not use me at all.”

After speaking, he was stunned by his own words.

He knew Song Qian Ji wouldn’t send him to his death, so why did he speak so flippantly?

Perhaps the memories of “that life” were too vivid, and he couldn’t shake them off momentarily.

Song Qian Ji was accustomed to Ji Chen’s nonsense in the illusory world and didn’t notice anything amiss. He directly took out an object:

“Deliver this jade box to Midnight Manjusri, then go help Little Meng drive people away.”

Ji Chen reached out to take it, but the box didn’t budge.

He then realized that Song Qian Ji’s five fingers were tightly clenched, his face as still as water.

What could be inside that was so precious? Ji Chen was curious but had no intention of prying: “Does Brother Song have any other messages for Fellow Daoist Midnight?”

Song Qian Ji came to his senses and loosened his grip, saying only: “He will understand once he sees it.”

“Take care, Brother Song.” Ji Chen’s emotions were complex as he carefully stored the jade box and turned to disappear into the thick night fog.

Before his figure had vanished, True Person Hua Wei urgently pressed: “Let’s forget about the remaining three. Life is full of difficult choices—even if you were a supreme immortal, you couldn’t save everyone… Wait, alright, choose at most one! Quickly!”

He was also curious about how Song Qian Ji would choose.

Under the moon’s fading light, the three people in the lake’s center stood unaware, like three ice sculptures rising from the mist.

Among these three, Wei Zhen Yu had the highest cultivation and strongest fortune. With the heavenly treasure “Endless Fire” protecting his life, he had the greatest chance of breaking free from the Three Lives Stone on his own.

Although He Qing Qing’s cultivation was not as high as Wei Zhen Yu’s, her character was stubborn, brave, and determined. In terms of mental fortitude, she might not be inferior to the former.

The last one was Miao Yan.

Song Qian Ji dared not claim to understand Miao Yan’s past life; he only knew she was gentle on the outside but strong within, bearing too many burdens. He had always wanted her to live more freely and easily.

In this life, Miao Yan had fallen into a delusion because of “The Ballad of Wind and Snow Entering Formation,” which destabilized her mental state. She wanted to become “He Yun” and no longer wanted to be Miao Yan.

No matter how one looked at it, she was the most difficult person to save herself.

In the blink of an eye, Song Qian Ji had already reached the center of the lake.

True Person Hua Wei was puzzled—had this person already made his decision, or had he made his choice after just a moment’s thought?

He suddenly smiled and mockingly taunted: “Well, well, young Song, now I understand why you didn’t leave—you wanted to save the prettiest one! A hero can’t resist a beautiful—eh?!”

The “beauty” suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze focused.

True Person Hua Wei was utterly shocked.

“Song Qian Ji!” He Qing Qing’s fingers were like claws as she grabbed Song Qian Ji’s forearm.

Her grip was so strong that it made him feel slightly sore.

Song Qian Ji, considering that she had just returned to consciousness and her mind was unsettled, didn’t stop her immediately: “How do you feel?”

However, two voices rang out almost simultaneously from not far away:

“Let go of him!”

It happened suddenly—Song Qian Ji had just taken out his talisman paper when He Qing Qing awoke.

The three people in the lake regained consciousness almost simultaneously.

Miao Yan and Wei Zhen Yu were closest to each other. The two instinctively glanced at each other, then simultaneously turned their heads away, revealing expressions of extreme coldness and disgust.

Song Qian Ji thought to himself, weren’t you two Dao companions in your past life? Or were you bitter enemies?

“You’ve seen the Three Lives Stone before, which is why you treat me this way?” Miao Yan smiled sadly, then turned to Song Qian Ji and suddenly raised her voice: “But she is not me, and I despise her. I despise that woman who failed you! She had the best in the world—why didn’t she know how to cherish it?”

So she had seen her past life. Song Qian Ji sighed softly: “Whether it is or isn’t, what does it matter? The past tribulation is over. You still have a wonderful life ahead—why must you dwell on it?”

He had already tried to persuade He Yun with these four words. Saying them again felt like a mountain falling between him and Miao Yan.

Miao Yan took a step forward, but Wei Zhen Yu coldly said: “Don’t get near him.”

Song Qian Ji suddenly said: “You should already know where ‘The Ballad of Wind and Snow Entering Formation’ came from.”

Miao Yan paused, seemingly recalling something, and stopped. She said something seemingly unrelated: “So ‘Wind and Snow Entering Formation’ is actually ‘Hegemon Removing Armor’… why dwell on it?”

After speaking, she gave Song Qian Ji a deep look, then turned and swiftly departed, like a wandering spirit about to dissipate without a trace.

Even after she disappeared into the night fog, the three people could still hear her words echoing repeatedly.

He Qing Qing said: “Senior Brother Song, in the future I will have many lands and many seeds for you to choose from and plant. Would you be willing to join me? Together, we could create a new world…”

Had she seen the future? Song Qian Ji withdrew his arm and stepped back twice: “I have enough land to cultivate in this lifetime.”

This was an obvious rejection. No matter what promises about the future the other party made, he refused.

“You don’t believe I can do it?” He Qing Qing asked.

Song Qian Ji replied gently: “You can come to Thousand Channels for refuge, but I won’t help you seize power.”

He Qing Qing’s face suddenly turned pale: “I don’t believe it! You must have agreed to help me! Senior Brother Song, think again. I saw us standing together…”

“Senior Brother, don’t listen to her nonsense!” Wei Zhen Yu finally found an opportunity to interrupt. “Senior Brother has said he’s unwilling—if you have any sense, shouldn’t you leave now?”

He Qing Qing let out a cold laugh: “I lack sense, but what about you? Besides using the tactics of a secluded housewife, trying to please and act well-behaved in front of Song Qian Ji, what other abilities do you have?”

In the past, Wei Zhen Yu would have righteously cursed, argued, and shifted blame without hesitation, but now he could only remain silent.

Because he remembered the fleeting illusory world and felt his position was neither righteous nor strong.