After Xiao Yan left, Xiang Su found the days increasingly meaningless. Previously, she had been full of longing for the mortal world, but now it was enough—it was nothing more than an endless cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

After all, she had crossed beyond the barrier. Xiang Su worried for two days, but fortunately everything remained peaceful and calm. In fact, she hadn’t encountered anyone, except for the fox that had mysteriously disappeared.

Xiang Su had never found her surroundings so tedious. The storybooks and calligraphy that had once attracted her no longer held any interest. She didn’t even have a teacher anymore. During the boring days of waiting for Junshang, she didn’t know when she had come to regard that precociously mature child as a companion. Wood spirits… truly couldn’t bear loneliness most of all. She checked the dagger more frequently each day, even simply holding it in her hand without putting it down, fantasizing that one glance would reveal it had suddenly rusted.

In the future, she would cultivate properly and couldn’t let Junshang abandon her for having “shallow cultivation.” Whatever place, whatever matter—she would follow by his side! Even if she encountered the most dangerous situations or the most detestable people, anything would be better than waiting so aimlessly like this!

Xiao Yan had taught her a phrase: “days pass like years.” At the time, she had even secretly laughed with disdain—for wood spirits, it was only “years pass like days.” Now she deeply understood the meaning of this phrase. Growing increasingly restless, she feared that the “slow means one year” Junshang had mentioned would come true. She had passed three hundred years with equanimity, yet these few short months felt like suffering through mountains of knives and seas of fire—no matter how much she hoped, she couldn’t see the end!

Perhaps because daily events were too few, she was always listlessly bored, and even her sleep was affected. She would lie in bed for a long time unable to fall asleep. The starlight was beautiful this night. Xiang Su liked to sleep with the window open, gazing at that small patch of starry sky until she fell into a daze… What was Junshang doing now? She had seen the blacksmith in town forging iron and imagined Junshang bare-chested, swinging a great hammer… He would look handsome that way too!

A very faint sound—Xiang Su still heard it keenly. Was it the fox coming back for revenge? Xiang Su grabbed the dagger by her side. Before she could draw it, a sinister wind came through the window. Xiang Su felt a chill on her neck—an ice-cold hand had already gripped her throat.

She struggled to breathe, desperately trying to swing the dagger, but the intruder disdainfully swept it aside with a flick of his robe sleeve. It fell to the ground with a harsh clanging sound. Xiang Su could only use both hands to pry at his grip. The intruder didn’t seem to want to kill her outright. Though her strength was insignificant to him, he no longer pressed his advantage.

Xiang Su gasped for air with difficulty, trying to use the starlight to see the intruder’s appearance clearly—definitely not the fox. His magical power exceeded the fox’s by a hundredfold at least. She hadn’t even seen how he entered the room.

The intruder stood with his back to the light, tall in stature. Xiang Su futilely tried to call Shaozi and Kuaizi for help, though she knew in her heart that with their abilities, they would be helpless even if they came. The intruder let out a cold laugh and slowly raised his other hand… Xiang Su stared at that hand in terror—it had sharp black fingernails. A demon! Was he going to gouge out her eyes?

Xiang Su was so frightened she even forgot to close her eyes, staring fixedly as those claw-like fingers touched her forehead. He wanted to probe for Junshang’s location! Xiang Su suddenly realized this and did everything in her power to lock down her spiritual consciousness.

Sealing one’s own spiritual consciousness was something only immortal spirits with profound cultivation could do. Xiang Su was already forcing herself, and with the interference of the intruder’s demonic energy, she only felt excruciating pain in her head. The blood vessels at her temples felt ready to burst, and her throat was full of a metallic sweetness. It felt like a sharp blade was scraping through her brain. Xiang Su was dizzy with pain and heard the intruder say with a cold laugh: “The banks of the Abyss River… he actually chose that place. How perfect!”

Xiang Su’s entire body went cold. She had ultimately harmed Junshang!

The dagger on the ground suddenly trembled slightly. Both Xiang Su and the intruder turned to look—it had fallen in a well-lit spot, very conspicuous. The dagger had rusted!

Xiang Su was overjoyed beyond measure and involuntarily cried out in celebration. Only when she heard her own unpleasant voice did she realize with chagrin that she had been choked hoarse.

“Haha, just in time!” With her neck gripped in the demon’s hand, Xiang Su still tried to appear very smug, arrogantly shaking her head. “Junshang’s holy sword is complete. Even if you go find him, you’ll only meet your death!”

Hearing this, the intruder threw her heavily to the ground. Xiang Su’s bottom hurt terribly from the fall, but to avoid losing face before the enemy, she forced herself not to make a sound. She had fallen right next to the dagger and grabbed it like a priceless treasure.

“Didn’t Dong Tianyun tell you?” The intruder walked into the area illuminated by starlight. Xiang Su glared at him furiously and was still startled at first glance.

The demon race had two characteristics: patterns on their faces and sharp, black fingernails. This person couldn’t be called ugly, but the circle of black floral patterns around his eyes was both frightening and comical. Looking at them with cold eyes at night was quite chilling. “The day the sword is complete is when his magical power is at its weakest.”

Xiang Su’s heart skipped a beat. She vaguely remembered Junshang saying this was the most dangerous moment of both their lives… Could what this demon said be true?

Her vision blurred, wind rushed past her ears. Xiang Su still didn’t see how he did it. The clothes on her back were gripped coldly in his hand, and she was already flying swiftly through the night sky.

“He chased me for three hundred years. He never expected to die at my hands, did he?” He laughed coldly, unable to contain his excitement, his voice even trembling slightly.

Chased for three hundred years… Bi Lian?!

Xiang Su was blown by the oncoming wind until she couldn’t open her eyes. Her mind was in chaos. As soon as she opened her mouth to speak, she swallowed a bellyful of cold wind, and her voice was instantly thrown behind her. But she still refused to give up and shouted: “Even if Junshang’s magical power is weak, with a divine sword in hand, you still can’t harm him!”

Hearing this, Bi Lian laughed twice and said like a curse: “I brought you along to make you watch carefully!”

Xiang Su felt increasingly uncomfortable—not only because Bi Lian flew faster and faster and the wind grew fiercer, but the place they were heading to had a strange aura. Though it was clearly spiritual energy, it pressed down on one until breathing became difficult. Her heart felt like someone was gripping it, making even its beating laborious.

Xiang Su was thrown to the ground again by Bi Lian. This time the fall was severe. No matter how much she wanted to maintain her dignity, she couldn’t help but cry out in pain. Her ears were filled with the sound of waves lapping the shore, quite urgent. When Xiang Su recovered from the pain and looked around, everything was shrouded in dark, heavy fog. She couldn’t see anything clearly.

Even Bi Lian didn’t know where he had gone!

Xiang Su stood up and groped her way forward, shouting loudly: “Junshang! Bi Lian has come seeking revenge! You must be careful!” She shouted over and over without any response. She grew increasingly anxious. Had Junshang heard her warning? Answer her!

Xiang Su stepped into empty air. Her body swayed and she fell by the shore. Her foot, which had touched some river water, burned painfully. Quite frightened, she quickly crawled back to a safe place and continued shouting without rest until her throat was completely hoarse.

The entire world seemed to contain only her. Junshang didn’t respond to her, and Bi Lian didn’t come to stop her. She just kept shouting like this, her voice going from high to low, finally becoming a pitiful rasp.

Faint light appeared in the east. Dawn was about to break. Xiang Su looked at the rosy clouds on the horizon, her heart also filled with hope. So much time had passed since the sword’s completion. Junshang must have already recovered significantly. With a peerless divine weapon in hand, Bi Lian, who had long been defeated before, posed no threat at all!

Xiang Su simply stopped giving warnings and sat silently by the shore. As long as dawn came, all hardships and worries would pass, and she wouldn’t have to wait anymore.

When the sun rose, the thick fog slowly dispersed, and Xiang Su saw the appearance of the “Abyss River.” Aside from its strange aura, it was no different from other rivers. Only the banks were barren of all vegetation. The river water rolled forth and surged away, its source invisible, its destination unseen. It was like an immensely vast lake, yet the current was very turbulent—truly a peculiar place.

In the morning light, several figures came riding swords. Xiang Su looked closely with delight. As they approached, she gradually recognized them as Elder Sister Qingsui, Yuanhou, and Yumu. At some distance from them, Chilin had also followed, though strangely she wasn’t riding her phoenix but only wielding an unremarkable sword.

“Over here, over here!” Xiang Su suddenly became energized, jumping up and gesticulating enthusiastically. They were all reinforcements—Junshang would be even safer now.

Everyone landed beside her. Chilin’s face was cold as usual, though she no longer shouted for battle and death, looking around as if searching for Dong Tianyun’s whereabouts.

“Elder Sister Qingsui, how did you find your way here?” Xiang Su clutched Qingsui’s sleeve in wild joy, nearly bouncing.

Qingsui remained smiling cheerfully, completely relaxed: “When your Junshang’s ‘Gu Wen’ came into the world, all swords submitted. As long as one follows the sword’s trail, what difficulty is there?”

“Your arrival is perfect.” Xiang Su sighed with emotion. “Bi Lian came to seek revenge on our Junshang and captured me here, then disappeared. Even though Junshang completed his sword, he hasn’t come out!” She was a bit resentful—throughout this night she had been terrified, her heart nearly leaping from her chest.

Hearing her words, everyone’s expressions grew grave. Even Qingsui frowned in thought, gazing silently at the river surface.

Seeing everyone’s reactions, Xiang Su’s heart rose to her throat again. But still… at least so many reinforcements had come. It was much better than just her alone earlier.

Without warning, there was a “boom.” The earth shook and mountains trembled. Dong Tianyun, Bi Lian, and Kunpeng burst forth from the earth on the opposite bank and shot straight into the sky.

“Jun…” Seeing Junshang safe, Xiang Su’s eyes immediately welled up. She wanted to call to him but feared distracting him, so she quickly covered her mouth.

After rising for a while, Kunpeng seemed dragged down by something and couldn’t fly any higher. Dong Tianyun and Bi Lian continued flying upward.

Xiang Su felt she had only blinked, yet the swords in Junshang’s and Bi Lian’s hands had already pierced each other’s chests. She was completely stunned, unable to believe the scene before her eyes.

Bi Lian suddenly lost his center of gravity and rapidly plummeted into the river. Xiang Su felt Junshang was looking at her. Though they were so far apart and thin, undispersed fog still hung over the river surface, she seemed to truly and clearly see Junshang’s eyes.

Just like that night when she had climbed the tree at Liusu Palace and Junshang came to see her—under the clear moonlight, that gaze that had nearly made her fall from the tree. Like when they pledged their lives to each other at Shengyun Palace, the way he looked at her…

She just watched like that. That heroic figure she thought of day and night paused briefly in the clouds… and fell, so quickly she didn’t have time to call out to him.

“Dong Tianyun!”

Chilin and Yumu rushed over recklessly. The surging spiritual energy on the river surface clearly obstructed them—no one could fly high. Yumu skimmed across the water trying to grab the Gu Wen sword in Dong Tianyun’s hand. Before he even touched the blade, his finger was already cut. This was a sword that neither he nor his clan could possess. He could only watch helplessly as it sank into the Abyss River together with Dong Tianyun.

Chilin only caught a corner of his robe.

Xiang Su stared blankly. Unable to long resist the aura of the Abyss River, Chilin and Yumu flew back dejectedly. Kunpeng, who had also been stunned in the clouds, suddenly revealed its true form. With a long cry, like a magnificent flowing light, it followed its master straight to the river bottom.

When the splash stirred up by Kunpeng fell back into the rushing river water… nothing remained.

All the people, everything—it was as if they had never appeared or happened at all.

Xiang Su stared at the calm water surface, momentarily uncertain whether what she had just witnessed was real.

All gone? Leaving only her alone?

Although Junshang had deceived her, saying that after performing that ceremony they must be together for life, she still believed it deeply.

So what should she do now?

She had never imagined Junshang would die. He was the most formidable person in the Three Realms. How could he die? Kunpeng had gone to find him—should she go too? It would be good to help him.

Qingsui seemed to guess Xiang Su’s thoughts. She walked over and pressed both hands on her shoulders. “Xiang Su.”

Xiang Su frowned, looking at Qingsui with great trust. Right now she truly didn’t know what to do. “Elder Sister Qingsui, I want to go find him.” Being left behind in the barrier to wait bitterly had already been annoying enough. Hadn’t she made up her mind that wherever he went in the future, she would follow?

Qingsui shook her head. “The Abyss River…”

Before she could explain how dangerous the Abyss River was, Yuanhou interrupted with a forced smile. “Little Pastry, with your meager cultivation, forget about helping Dong Tianyun. If you entered the river, most likely he’d have to rescue you instead. Don’t make trouble for him. He’s the kind of fellow who can easily go back and forth through the Sea of Flames. The Abyss River… though it will cost him some effort, he’ll ultimately return.”

Qingsui said very seriously: “If you act rashly and put yourself in danger, what if he returns but you’re gone? What would that accomplish?”

Xiang Su smiled. Dijun Yuanhou was absolutely right—Junshang would definitely return!

Many times she had only caused trouble for Junshang, including this time when she led Bi Lian here. She had learned her lesson. She wouldn’t make trouble for Junshang. He would definitely return with Kunpeng, radiant with glory.

He was Dijun Shenghuan Dong Tianyun. Between heaven and earth, there was nothing he couldn’t accomplish!

“Then alright…” Xiang Su nodded with unwavering determination. “I’ll wait right here.”

Yumu watched them expressionlessly. Having failed to obtain the Gu Wen sword, he had lost patience with everything around him. He had no inclination even to offer a few false words of comfort and simply left with a stern face and a flick of his sleeves.

“He’ll definitely return.” Chilin gazed at the river surface, her eyes blank but her tone resolute.

“Yes.” Xiang Su smiled. Though it was Chilin who said this, she liked hearing it too.

Though waiting was bitter, the pain in her heart at the moment Junshang fell into the Abyss River… If Junshang returned and couldn’t see her, would he feel this same ache? She didn’t want him to experience this pain.

Qingsui looked at Yuanhou with sorrow. Yuanhou frowned and shook his head.

Xiang Su gazed at the vast river surface. This was absolutely not her final parting with Junshang. He wouldn’t disappear like this without even giving her a single word.