Luo Luo’s vision darkened, her legs giving way beneath her.
With a heavy thud, she dropped to one knee beside Chen Xuanyi.
She shook her head violently, her sight clearing slightly.
Turning, she squinted at Chen Xuanyi—blood and golden Taiyi True Essence gushed from the wound in his chest.
Too weak to resist, veins bulged on his forehead, his eyes wide with terror, pupils trembling uncontrollably.
He had become a broken sieve, unable to retain even a trace of spiritual power.
His life force was draining away rapidly.
Stripped of his formidable body, his once-mighty soul now withered, fading alongside his ruined flesh.
"No! No—"
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be!
Why had it come to this?!
Luo Luo stretched out a hand, mimicking Li Zhaoye’s earlier gesture, and slapped Chen Xuanyi’s face twice. "Try provoking me again!"
The act itself was harmless, but the humiliation was absolute.
Chen Xuanyi’s eyes nearly burst from their sockets as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The crowd erupted once more.
"Taiyi True Essence! How does he possess Taiyi True Essence? Ah—" True Lord Pangyue leaped to his feet, whirling toward Master Lingxue. "So it was your people who broke the Sealed Divine Hall!"
Master Lingxue’s voice was icy. "Your son was the one who destroyed the Central Hall."
True Lord Pangyue’s stubby brows shot up. "Yue Ranchen already paid with his life! What more is there to say?"
The Master of Chongxing Sect hurried to mediate. "Enough, both of you! One side took Taiyi True Essence, the other Tianyin True Essence—meanwhile, our Chongxing Sect remains pure and blameless. If anyone should complain, it’s us!"
A heavy sigh came from an elder. "The world… it’s on the brink of chaos."
In ancient times, the Three Sovereigns sacrificed themselves to erect the Twelve Sealed Divine Halls, imprisoning the great demons and malevolent spirits of the world.
Now, with two True Essences stolen, only the Primordial True Essence remained—hardly enough to hold the balance.
If the Sealed Divine Halls crumbled, the ancient horrors within would break free, eventually tearing through the Netherworld’s barriers to ravage the mortal realm once more.
Humanity would become mere livestock, no different from chickens or ducks.
A cataclysm loomed—a sea of suffering for all living things!
How could those meant to protect the world stoop to such selfish acts?
"Clever, weren’t they?" Feng Baiyan sneered. "They all thought their predecessors were fools for leaving the True Essences untouched. Surely stealing just one wouldn’t hurt—after all, two remained to bear the burden."
Except two "clever" minds had the same idea.
"It’s… not that dire, is it?" someone ventured timidly. "If the Divine Palace appoints a new Divine Master to sacrifice themselves, the demons can be suppressed, buying time to repair the halls. And if not, the two Dao Lords can still hold the line."
A wizened old man nearby rolled his eyes. "Oh? So the Divine Master and Dao Lords are just meant to die for you, huh?"
The speaker’s voice quivered but rose defensively. "Don’t you understand? It’s for the sake of the world!"
"Pfah." The old man spat. "Waiting for others to die in your place? Might as well wait for death at home."
"You—" The man flushed. "The Divine Master and Dao Lords aren’t cowards like you!"
"Your Divine Master? Your Dao Lords? What’s your surname again?" The old man snorted, turning away with hands clasped behind his back. "Tch. Some of us actually have skin in the game."
Luo Luo’s mind was fogging over.
Her ears felt waterlogged, the crowd’s noise distant and muffled.
She stared down at Chen Xuanyi.
Trembling fingers probed his chest wound, groping for his heart.
Chen Xuanyi thrashed in terror. "D-don’t… don’t kill me…"
In his nightmares, he’d learned how merciless her "heart-to-heart" talks could be.
He strained his neck, desperately searching for Master Qingxu. "Where… where is he? Save… save me…"
Luo Luo’s fingers stilled.
She found it—the frantic, erratic pulse of his heart.
A slow, delirious smile spread across her face as she swayed, her gaze drifting across the sea of faces until it landed on Qingxu.
Master… you did so much for him. And for what? Are you happy now?
Their eyes met.
Master Qingxu wasn’t looking at Chen Xuanyi. He was watching her.
Arm raised, his lips moved in exaggerated slowness, his shouts reaching her as if through thick glass.
"Stop—he’s my master! Your grandmaster! Are you trying to annihilate your own lineage?!"
His expression was the same as ever.
In this moment, his tone was perfectly fitting.
Luo Luo’s heart ached. Even now, she couldn’t read him at all.
Li Zhaoye’s heart throbbed in her grip. She squeezed it, staring at Qingxu until her eyes burned and her chest ached.
Her lips pressed into a thin, bloodless line.
Not even her worst nightmares had conjured a scene like this.
She, too, wanted to know—how had things come to this?
Her mind still clung to old habits, replaying the chaotic memories of three people’s tangled lives.
Chen Xuanyi spat blood, his desperate gaze locked on Qingxu. "S-save me… why aren’t you…"
His brow twisted in confusion. They had been mentor and disciple, confidants, almost brothers.
Qingxu had been instrumental in his rise to Dao Lord status.
So why? Why wouldn’t he lift a finger now?
"Why…?"
Luo Luo knew his despair. Her eyebrow twitched. "I forgot to tell you something." She leaned in, her breath warm against his ear. "That day in Dongyu Province, Guangling Prefecture, at the Southwind Pavilion… the first voice calling for your flesh? It was his."
Chen Xuanyi’s pupils shrank to pinpricks.
In his final moments, understanding dawned.
"A… setup… all of it… was… a setup…"
As his heart turned to ash, Luo Luo struck.
His pulse stuttered—
Thud. Thud-thud. Thud-thud-thud—
Then silence.
The last wisp of Taiyi True Essence dissipated, his wretched soul scattering into the void.
Luo Luo lacked the strength to stand.
She sat beside him, feeling the platform tremble as figures rushed forward.
Blinking hard, she fumbled for her Qiankun Bag and smeared a bloody hand across it.
Whoosh.
The corpse vanished inside.
"Oh… so that’s how it works." A childlike wonder lit her face, as if she’d stumbled upon a delightful secret.
Qiankun Bags could hold lifeless things. That was how Li Zhaoye’s body had been taken from the beach.
Another lesson from her master.
She staggered to her feet, swaying as she descended from the platform.
Laughter bubbled up, hot liquid streaking her cheeks—blood or tears, she couldn’t tell.
Her head lolled forward, and she collapsed into a pair of waiting arms.
His fingers pressed against her body, paused for a moment, then stuffed a handful of medicinal pills into her mouth before gripping her neck and snapping her bones back into place with a series of sharp cracks.
Li Zhaoye had always been like this—never asking if it hurt, just swiftly and efficiently getting the job done, his hands heavy and unrelenting.
He had done this before, resetting every inch of her shattered bones without hesitation.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, his brows lifted in surprise as he glanced at her.
There was no resistance, no tension in her body as he worked. He had assumed she was unconscious, but when their eyes met, he saw hers half-open, her lips curling with great effort into a smile directed at him.
She was awake, yet she had entrusted herself completely to his hands.
She didn’t make a sound, even in pain.
Her body was relaxed, giving him absolute trust.
And she was smiling.
That smile made his hands falter, his heart stutter, and his movements grow clumsy.
With a frustrated huff, he pushed her head to the side. "You idiot, why are you smiling?"
Luo Luo obediently stopped smiling.
The stage and the audience roared with noise.
Following the prearranged script, after the victor of the Qingyun Summit was decided, fireworks exploded across the luminous screen, flooding the sky with Luo Luo’s name.
Amid the deafening cheers, the grand spectacle of lights and shadows made it unclear whether this was a triumphant celebration or a farce.
The world had lost a Dao Lord and gained a Qingyun Champion.
True Lord Pangyue struggled to contain his glee. "Well, your sect’s internal affairs can be settled behind closed doors. After all, we know nothing of such unorthodox methods—we’ve certainly never heard of anything like soul theft. For now, let’s focus on concluding the Qingyun Summit. Does Master Lingxue have any objections?"
Master Lingxue replied impassively, "None."
So True Lord Pangyue flourished his sleeves, pulled out a scroll, and began solemnly announcing the rankings and rewards of this year’s competition.
"The Qingyun Summit Champion—Luo Luo!"
After a brief silence, the entire Jianmu erupted into thunderous applause.
A young woman, avenging her late husband, had single-handedly defeated countless elites, slain a soul-stealing Dao Lord, and claimed the title of Qingyun Champion.
What a heroic, inspiring legend!
Li Zhaoye cradled Luo Luo’s neck and back, helping her sit upright to receive the honor she had earned.
Familiar faces filled Luo Luo’s vision.
Fellow disciples she had rarely spoken to (only ever fought with) now gazed at her with unwavering support in their eyes.
—Well done!
—Chen Xuanyi deserved it!
—Evil has met its retribution!
—Don’t worry, we’re all on your side!
Luo Luo scanned the crowd but didn’t see Xu Junlan.
Had she not recovered from her injuries, or had Luo Luo’s victory angered her to death?
Just as the thought crossed her mind, Xu Junlan strode forward, head held high.
As soon as Chen Xuanyi had fallen, the quick-witted Xu Junlan had rushed to the Heavenly Dao Sect’s enforcers and dragged the half-dead Gu Meng before the crowd.
Witnessing Chen Xuanyi’s demise, Gu Meng, horrified, scrambled to distance herself from the scandal.
"This wasn’t my fault! It was them—him, and him!" She pointed frantically at Master Qingxu. "Cough! Cough! They forced me, pumped me full of corrupted spiritual energy, ruined me… He wanted to kill me, he wanted to kill me!"
Master Lingxue’s voice was icy. "Silence."
She had long since lost patience with this habitual liar.
No one was blind—it was obvious whether Gu Meng had stayed by Chen Xuanyi’s side under duress or willingly.
As for Qingxu…
Master Lingxue shot him a frosty glance.
She had questions for him, but those would wait until they returned to the sect.
With a sweep of her sleeve, the female lord turned her piercing gaze to Gu Meng. "Your conduct is disgraceful, and you have repeatedly refused to reform. The Tai Xuan Sect can no longer tolerate your presence. From this day forth, you are expelled. Leave."
Under the crushing weight of a grand cultivator’s aura, Gu Meng trembled, not daring to utter another word.
Meanwhile, True Lord Pangyue was practically bouncing with excitement as he handed out rewards with exaggerated flair.
Too weak to lift her arms, Luo Luo let Li Zhaoye take the hefty Qiankun bag for her.
He mused, "I’ll get you some medicine for your injuries."
Luo Luo protested weakly, "Upgrade the swords first!"
Last time, Li Zhaoye had promised to enhance them after they won the next competition.
And yet, here they were, still broke.
Autumn Water and Eternal Sky vibrated eagerly. "Clang! Clang!"
Luo Luo sighed. "If you keep this up, even your swords will abandon you."
Li Zhaoye grinned. "Come on, Eternal Sky, tell me—have you ever needed top-tier materials? An unenhanced sword like you just shattered the legendary Taiyi Sword. What does that say?"
Eternal Sky: "Clang?"
"It says you’re already strong, brother!" Li Zhaoye patted the blade. "Isn’t that better than relying on fancy treasures?"
Eternal Sky: "Clang clang clang!"
Luo Luo: "…"
Great. He’d successfully talked his way out of it again.
Now, if she brought up upgrades, Eternal Sky would be the one protesting.
She looked at him, then at the two swords, and finally closed her eyes, content, slipping into a deep slumber.
Just as Li Zhaoye was about to leave, a delicate figure approached.
Gu Meng.
With tear-filled doe eyes, she bit her lip and whispered, "I was wrong. I… I was deceived, tricked into believing lies. Luo Luo was always so kind to me, and I misunderstood her. I just wanted to apologize."
Li Zhaoye was in no mood for this.
He had just scooped Luo Luo into his arms—an awkward, unfamiliar hold—and could barely spare a finger to wave Gu Meng away.
"They say you’re the real Li Zhaoye," she murmured, her smile fragile. "All this time, I loved the wrong person. You defeated Chen Xuanyi—even if it was for her sake, you still saved me. I’m grateful."
His patience snapped.
"I’ve truly realized my mistakes!" Gu Meng hurried on, seeing his expression darken. "I want to return everything Luo Luo ever gave me."
Li Zhaoye paused mid-step.
"Fine." His demeanor instantly softened. He tilted his head toward Luo Luo’s Qiankun bag, signaling Gu Meng to place the items inside.
Biting her lip, Gu Meng retrieved each belonging and returned them one by one.
"Then… I won’t disturb you anymore." A single tear clung to her lashes, trembling but never falling. "My body is ruined. Whether I live or die in the mortal world… I accept my fate. I only wish you both happiness."
She turned away, her retreating figure the picture of tragic grace.
One step. Two steps. Three—her shoulders slightly slumped, her back straight yet fragile.
"Hey—wait."
At Li Zhaoye’s lazy call, Gu Meng’s shoulders trembled. Suppressing a smile, she turned slowly, her eyes shimmering with hope.
Of course. No man could resist a woman’s tears.
She looked at him with sorrowful eyes.
Li Zhaoye wore the expression of a debt collector: "You haven’t returned the Qiankun Bag."
That thing was worth a fortune.
Gu Meng: "……???"
What kind of ridiculous man was this?!
Swallowing her indignation, she returned the Qiankun Bag, covering her face as she stumbled away.
"Pfft—hahaha!"
Xu Junlan doubled over with laughter beside them. "That idiot! She only knows how to rely on men for everything and assumes everyone else is the same! And she had the nerve to try seducing this one—did she even stop to consider his temperament? He’s practically the spitting image of a strict senior brother! Seduce him? As if!"
Xu Junzhu sighed wearily. "Let’s go, let’s go."
Li Zhaoye carried Luo Luo in his arms, returning triumphantly.
She was badly injured, and he knew better than to delay—within the time it took for an incense stick to burn, he had already settled her onto the bed.
Looking down, he saw her eyes tightly shut, her body covered in blood.
An inexplicable surge of frustration and gloom suddenly rose in his chest.
Somewhere deep inside, it felt like his heart was being torn apart.
He glared at her, his gaze fierce.
Then, in an instant, a sharp pain pierced his mind, and a flood of memories rushed in.
Blood.
So much blood. Thick enough to choke on.
In the memory, she lay motionless just like this, amidst a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
His heart felt as though it were being gripped, twisted, and crushed by an invisible hand.
In a flash, he lunged forward, seizing her so tightly that her bones creaked.
His vision darkened, his pupils contracting uncontrollably.
What if she died? What if she died?
What would he do if she died?!
For the first time in his life, he understood what it meant to be terrified.
His eyes trembled as he stared at her.
But she wasn’t dead. Instead, she smiled at him. No fatal wounds were found.
At that moment, a terrifying darkness ignited in the deepest part of him. Malice surged uncontrollably—and he had no intention of restraining it.
Yielding to the flood of darkness, he followed his instincts and bit down on her lips.
He wanted to draw blood. He wanted to claim her with every ounce of his strength, to make her his and his alone.
He wanted her to hurt, to fear him, to tremble beneath him and beg for mercy through tears.
He wouldn’t let her go.
True enough, she froze in shock, staring at him with wide eyes, her lips and teeth chattering.
She looked so pitiful.
He swept a glance over her, unwilling to soften—but then his gaze lingered.
Compared to him, she was all slender limbs, a delicate waist, and a soft stomach.
He couldn’t help but seriously consider the dimensions of his own… equipment.
Mentally measuring and comparing.
How could her tiny frame possibly accommodate him?
It didn’t seem feasible. He’d have to consult some books later—he couldn’t risk injuring her.
Gritting his teeth, he forced down the raging desire.
"If I kiss you, I won’t be able to stop," he growled. "I’ll take you right here!"
Even if he didn’t act on it, he could at least threaten her verbally.
She was stunned speechless again.
He hauled her up from the sea of blood and corpses, slung her over his shoulder, and carried her away.
After walking some distance, the dazed girl finally regained her senses and whispered timidly, "Then… why didn’t you?"
What kind of foolish question was that?! The moment she asked, she immediately regretted it, wishing she could bury her head in the ground.
Li Zhaoye remained expressionless and kept walking.
After a long pause, he tossed out a random excuse.
"Saving my purity core—breaking through to Nascent Soul requires peak condition, got it?!"
"……Oh."
As the memory settled back into his soul, he pressed a hand to his temple, dazed.
Wait.
So… did he ever find those books? Did he read them?
In the end… would it work or not?
