“Only the spring garden moon is sentimental, still shining on fallen flowers for the departed.” Zanxing asked: “What does this mean?” It didn’t sound like good words.

“The literal meaning.” The man sighed, looking at Gu Baiying with quite a bit of pity: “This young immortal seems to have poor luck in matters of romance. The beloved is indifferent, difficult to find even in dreams. It appears that the person you admire is fickle and faithless, easily swayed by new affections. You are deeply infatuated with her, yet she discards you like worn shoes. In such cases, deep feelings inevitably lead to hurt. It would be better to see early and withdraw in time – that would be the right path.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” This time it was Zanxing who spoke, scolding: “Where do you see that the person is fickle and faithless? Is this how carelessly you interpret fortune slips?” She was being blamed for something she hadn’t even done – how unfair.

The man smiled: “Matters of romance are indeed difficult to explain clearly. I see this young immortal is still young, and I don’t want him to go astray, get stuck in a dead end, and waste his life on wrong love, so I’m reminding him. Don’t refuse medicine when you’re ill.”

Zanxing stared at him for a long while: “Very good, I’ll remember you.” Tomorrow, she will have Xiao Shuang ban this person’s stall in Heishi City. With such nonsense talk, after one night, how many lovers in Heishi City would part ways?

She pulled Gu Baiying away: “Forget it, forget it, let’s not shop anymore. I’ll take you somewhere else.” If they continued shopping like this, before they finished browsing this night market, she and Gu Baiying might finish first.

Gu Baiying let her lead him toward Heishi Mountain.

Heishi Mountain at night was darker than during the day, the entire mountain range like a piece of pitch-black jade sitting in the brilliant night.

Looking down from the mountaintop, countless flowing lights illuminated the city, making the cold, lonely night become bustling and noisy.

Zanxing stood on the mountaintop and said, “How is it? This place is no worse than Rainbow Platform, right?”

The evening stars at Rainbow Platform were the most beautiful, with long nights always clean and vast. Whenever she cultivated until deep night, looking up at the stars twinkling in the distant night sky, she would feel the vastness of heaven and earth, life like a mayfly, boundless in an instant.

But Heishi City’s night was different. She originally wasn’t used to the mountain range’s dark colors and gloom, and there were rarely clear starry skies here. But whenever Zanxing came to this place, overlooking the brilliant city at her feet, she would suddenly feel the reality and vitality of the human world.

One in the sky, one by her side – those twinkling stars had never left.

Gu Baiying walked to her side and asked: “Do you come here often?”

“Not really.” Zanxing thought for a moment: “When I first arrived at Heishi City, after coming out of the Extreme Ice Abyss, although I had awakened the Demon Lord’s primordial power, I wasn’t very good at using it. Most of the time, I was in seclusion. I rarely wandered around. Mother once brought me here. This place has few people, usually no one comes here, it’s very quiet, and you can think about things here.”

“Think about what?”

“Think about you,” Zanxing answered without thinking.

Gu Baiying was stunned and coughed uncomfortably. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Zanxing continue: “And also Hong Su, Senior Brother Tian, Master, Senior Sister Meng, Senior Brother Mu…”

Gu Baiying stared at her for a full moment and said, “Oh.”

Zanxing couldn’t help but laugh. She said, “I was teasing you. At that time, how could I have had the mind for romance? I just felt the path ahead was unclear and didn’t know what to do in the future.” Everyone in Heishi City thought she showed unusual composure when facing the sudden change in her identity. But only Zanxing herself knew that on many nights when she was alone, she always felt some hesitation about where her future would lead.

“At that time, I didn’t know what to do either, so I could only cultivate desperately, always feeling that this way I’d have more ability to protect myself and more choices for the future.” Zanxing smiled, then turned around and said: “Look.”

From her palm, a blue-black light point gradually floated up. The light point was like a seed, rising from the ground. The great tree quickly sprouted branches and leaves, delicate buds quietly bloomed, and countless fire-colored phoenixes spread their wings. In just a moment, a Love Bird flower tree had grown here.

The cold wind blew past, and red clouds swayed.

Zanxing said proudly, “Gu Baiying, how is my illusion technique now?”

Demon primordial power was naturally suited for cultivating illusion techniques. One Love Bird flower tree only needed a tiny bit of the Demon Lord’s primordial power. Zanxing looked at Gu Baiying: “I can make this tree stay here forever, just like the Love Bird flower tree in your hall.” She sighed: “Heishi Mountain’s soil is special, and ordinary flowers and trees are difficult to grow. When there’s a chance in the future, I’ll make this place more lush and beautiful than the forests on Gufeng Mountain.”

Gu Baiying slightly raised an eyebrow: “Quite thoughtful.”

Zanxing took out the silver unity lock she had just bought at the small stall from her bosom. She had specifically chosen the largest one, extending her finger to write two names on the silver lock. The names immediately appeared on the stone lock. She then used the key to lock the silver lock and hung it on the highest tree branch.

The silver lock was hidden among the Love Bird flower’s lush branches and leaves, flickering with a tiny gleam. Zanxing clapped her hands: “How is it? I think it’s not bad.”

Gu Baiying glanced at her: “Give me the key.”

Zanxing placed the key in his palm.

Gu Baiying’s gaze lingered on that tiny key for a moment. Before Zanxing could react, he suddenly raised his hand and threw it out.

The tiny key traced a faint arc in the night sky, rolling and falling into the depths of countless dense black forests, disappearing.

Zanxing was stunned.

This person raised his chin, looking at her somewhat provocatively, saying unhurriedly: “This way, there’s no need to open it.”

Zanxing: “……”

She looked for a long while, finally saying: “Gu Baiying, I never thought before that you were such a petty person.”

It had been so long, yet he still remembered that lock vendor’s words. Zanxing looked at him sideways, her tone somewhat indignant: “I never thought that in your heart, I was this kind of person. You don’t think I’m the type who’s fickle and easily swayed by new affections, do you?”

Gu Baiying snorted: “Aren’t you?”

“I’m not.”

His gaze suddenly became somewhat aggressive: “Then in the treasure vault, why did you ask Mu Cengxiao if he wanted to marry eight wives in the future?”

“……”

So, even settling scores after autumn could be calculated like this. Mu Cengxiao was meddlesome, even telling Gu Baiying about such things. When did their relationship become so good? Zanxing racked her brains to come up with a reason: “I saw him wavering between Senior Sister Meng and Miss Liu, worried he would hurt both their hearts, so I inquired about his plans to remind him not to be indecisive.”

Gu Baiying let out a barely audible laugh, his tone carrying a chill: “Is that so? But you just happened to find seven beloved consorts for your hall, and with me it’s exactly eight.”

“You even counted yourself in.” Zanxing marveled: “You really can bend and adapt.”