Under the pear blossom tree, Luo Luo was enveloped tightly in Li Zhaoye's embrace.
He pressed light kisses to her forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin, one after another.
His body was lean and firm, his arms wrapped around her, fingers gripping as if afraid she might dissolve into water and slip away.
Luo Luo tilted her face up to kiss his thin lips, but he dodged with a smirk.
Gazing at her with mischief in his eyes, he teased, "You sure you want more?"
Luo Luo: "..."
Her mind flooded with memories of his shameless words.
Li Zhaoye was nothing but a beast—once he bit her lips, he couldn’t hold back his desires.
Huffing, Luo Luo lowered her head and butted him with her forehead, pushing against his chest with both hands, wriggling out of his hold like pulling a stubborn radish from the ground.
Li Zhaoye laughed heartily and let her go.
He lounged lazily beneath the pear blossoms, his robe half-open, exuding an air of unrestrained charm.
Luo Luo summoned her sword, Autumn Water, ready to force him out of the illusionary realm.
Her fierce gaze landed on his chest—only to catch a glimpse of his toned, bare skin peeking through his disheveled robe. Her cheeks flushed instantly.
In moments of desperation, she had bitten him before, and the marks still lingered on his body.
Noticing her stare, Li Zhaoye glanced down and clicked his tongue. "Little Luo, the biter!"
Luo Luo thrust her sword forward. "Old Li, the beast!"
Clang—
He didn’t evade, allowing the tip of Autumn Water to pierce straight into his heart.
Thud.
The blade sank deep, closing the distance between them. He grabbed her neck, yanking her into a searing kiss.
His teeth scraped roughly against her lips, his fingers tightening abruptly—
A snap.
He kissed her even as he broke her neck.
A kiss, and mutual destruction.
Xu Junzhu noticed the odd tension between the couple.
Luo Luo barely acknowledged Li Zhaoye, shooting him fierce glares whenever their eyes met.
Yet he insisted on slinging an arm around her, pulling her against him. She shoved him away, only for him to shamelessly cling to her again moments later.
Xu Junzhu: "..."
The constant tug-of-war was too much to watch.
She took out a spirit jade box and carefully placed the spider spirit inside to nurture it.
Luo Luo leaned over the table, cupping her cheeks, her eyes practically glued to the box. "Hurry up and recover so you can feast on his brains! Take big bites!"
Xu Junzhu chuckled. "I, too, am eager to uncover the truth behind the Sage’s strange behavior."
Li Zhaoye: "...So no one cares if I live or die, huh?"
Luo Luo muttered under her breath, "You never die. Mischief-makers live forever."
Li Zhaoye caught her, pretending to poke her eyes. "Mischief-maker! Mischief-maker!"
Xu Junzhu: "..."
Ah, youth—full of bickering and play.
Peaceful days passed swiftly as a fleeting shadow.
Though the world seemed tranquil, an undercurrent of impending storm lingered in the air.
After reaching the Divine Transformation stage, Xu Junzhu fully inherited Master Lingxue’s profound and immense power, her cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds.
During a sparring session with Luo Luo, she nearly struck her dead by accident.
With a deafening boom, Luo Luo’s body instinctively activated its defenses—her flame-infused golden core surged through her meridians, transforming her into pure fire.
Her figure turned translucent, radiant like flowing embers, dazzling and fierce.
Xu Junzhu’s eyes brightened. She swiftly sheathed her sword, weaving hand seals as she retreated dozens of yards away.
Luo Luo’s aura suggested an imminent breakthrough!
Whoosh—
A deadly sealing thread shot down from the pavilion roof.
Luo Luo dodged, slashing her sword upward.
Streaks of fire, like sunset hues, erupted from her blade, crashing into Li Zhaoye with a thunderous explosion.
The two clashed violently.
Now in her flame form, his sealing threads could no longer harm her—severed flames simply regenerated.
Every collision sent sparks flying, painting the sky in fiery bursts.
Xu Junzhu watched from afar, heart pounding.
These two fought with terrifying ferocity, holding nothing back.
Amid the chaos of blood and fire, their figures flickered in and out of view—until finally, Li Zhaoye seized Luo Luo in his arms.
He left her barely conscious, pressing a finger to her forehead. "Retract."
Understanding, Luo Luo willed the scorching energy around her to condense, returning to her dantian like dying embers.
The flames dissipated, yet her cultivation remained at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.
Xu Junzhu’s pupils constricted in shock.
Most cultivators would seize any chance to ascend, even at the risk of death—yet Luo Luo had willingly suppressed her breakthrough.
Why?
Meanwhile, Luo Luo, now drained, slumped in Li Zhaoye’s arms, fast asleep and even drooling slightly.
Li Zhaoye wrinkled his nose, brushing her sweat-drenched hair aside. "Disgusting. Covered in sweat."
Xu Junzhu had a strange suspicion—he probably wanted to bite her but restrained himself because of her presence.
Sour grapes.
He lifted Luo Luo, surveying the wreckage around them. The pavilion lay in ruins, the pear tree reduced to a smoldering stump.
Nowhere to put her.
After a moment’s thought, Li Zhaoye dug a shallow pit and placed Luo Luo inside.
Xu Junzhu: "..."
...Surely just laying her on the ground would’ve been better?
Li Zhaoye, however, looked pleased. He patted a layer of loose soil over her like a blanket.
"See? Safe and warm."
Xu Junzhu: "..."
Thankfully, Luo Luo slept like the dead.
With her settled, Li Zhaoye turned to Xu Junzhu, smirking.
"Your turn."
A chill shot down her spine—his gaze was that of a predator locking onto prey.
Before she could react, he struck.
His sword descended like a guillotine. Xu Junzhu barely blocked it, her arms trembling under the force.
He wasn’t holding back.
Boom!
The ground beneath her feet shattered, half the mountain collapsing in a deafening landslide.
Amid the dust and debris, Li Zhaoye lunged again, his blade a relentless storm.
Clang—Boom!
His assault was ruthless, leaving no room to dodge or counter.
Xu Junzhu, forced to unleash her full strength, barely parried each strike.
Clang!
The shockwaves pulverized the surrounding rocks, carving out a vacuum in the air.
No respite—he came at her again, his movements ghostly.
Boom!
Her soul quaked; blood surged up her throat.
So this was the torment Luo Luo endured daily.
By the time they reached the cliff’s base, Xu Junzhu’s ears rang, her qi in turmoil. Li Zhaoye fought like a madman, indiscriminate in his brutality.
She crashed into the ground, cratering the earth.
Above her, his sword gleamed coldly—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Luo Luo woke up in a daze.
She sat up, shook off the loose soil, and crawled out of the "grave."
Her movements were slow, her gaze distant, her hair and body covered in dirt—she looked like a little zombie.
Looking around, she saw that the hillside in front of the pavilion had completely collapsed, and the distant base of the slope echoed with the fierce clashing of swords.
She leaned over the edge of the cliff, cupped her hands around her mouth, and called out weakly.
"I'm so hungry… so hungry… so hungry…"
Her voice carried down to the base of the slope, and Xu Junzhu reacted as if granted amnesty.
She exclaimed excitedly, "Senior Brother! Little Junior Sister is awake!"
Li Zhaoye swung his sword down with murderous intent. "So what if she's awake? Let her wait on her own!"
A moment later, realization dawned on him.
Xu Junzhu had just raised her sword to block when he vanished in a flash.
"…"
Xu Junzhu climbed to the top of the cliff with an exasperated expression.
Luo Luo, still sprawled at the cliff's edge, had already been scooped up by Li Zhaoye, slung over his arm like a sack.
He grumbled irritably, "We're in the middle of a fight, and you keep yelling. Can't leave you alone for a second."
Luo Luo: "…Oh."
He steadied her on her feet and tapped her nose. "What do you want to eat? Nothing too complicated."
Luo Luo: "Roast chicken."
"Fine." Li Zhaoye nodded. "Learned a new technique—alternating high and low heat, flipping it seven times up and eight times down. Guaranteed crispy outside, tender inside. You’ll love it."
Luo Luo: "Sounds good."
Xu Junzhu: "…"
Too—complicated—isn’t—allowed?
At any rate, Li Zhaoye left the illusion realm to kill a chicken, giving Xu Junzhu a chance to catch her breath.
She glanced at Luo Luo, covered head to toe in dirt, and her lips twitched. Rolling up her sleeves, she began dusting her off.
Luo Luo sat cross-legged obediently, flinching slightly with each pat.
Xu Junzhu’s heart melted.
"If only none of this had happened," she murmured wistfully. "We could’ve stayed in the sect, practicing swordplay, eating chicken. Occasionally going down the mountain to slay demons. Wouldn’t that have been nice?"
Luo Luo tilted her head to look at her.
Xu Junzhu’s eyes were clouded with faint sorrow.
Luo Luo knew—Senior Sister missed the sect leader. She missed the Taixuan Sect, where she and the leader had spent so many years together.
Luo Luo and Li Zhaoye brawled over the chicken wings and drumsticks.
Xu Junzhu: "…"
As the two fought beneath the pear blossom tree, Xu Junzhu silently reached out and ate the wings and drumsticks herself.
Luo Luo: "?"
Li Zhaoye: "?"
Re-entering the illusion realm, Xu Junzhu immediately felt the power of the twin swords, Autumn Water and Long Sky, working in unison.
"Boom!"
Flames surged, painting the sky crimson.
Luo Luo fought like a vicious little rooster: "Senior Sister, prepare to die!"
Xu Junzhu: "…"
Days of intense battle sharpened their skills, pushing their cultivation to new heights.
But as they approached the threshold of the Unity Realm, they hit a bottleneck.
Xu Junzhu slowly withdrew her energy. Frost swirled around her, dissolving into her body like stardust.
Her progress stalled—in fact, her cultivation seemed to regress slightly.
This was the sign of a breakthrough attempt.
If she failed, her realm would plummet, and she might never advance again.
Her expression icy, Xu Junzhu looked down at her left wrist.
"This…"
Luo Luo followed her gaze and gasped. A faint, half-formed blood-red soul mark had appeared on Xu Junzhu’s wrist.
"A Heartbond Pact?" Luo Luo exclaimed. "Senior Sister, when did you secretly get a lover?"
Li Zhaoye pressed a hand to her head. "She’s been with us the whole time. Where would she find one?"
Luo Luo gaped at him. "You’re the only man here—was it you?! Li Zhaoye, you two-timing scoundrel!"
Li Zhaoye’s pupils constricted. He yanked up his sleeve and shoved his wrist in her face. "Use your eyes! See for yourself!"
Xu Junzhu massaged her temples.
"Enough, both of you," she sighed. "It’s Master."
Luo Luo’s eyes widened. "Huh?!"
Xu Junzhu pressed her lips together, tracing the half-formed mark with her fingertip.
"Master never attempted the Unity Realm because his heart was burdened," she said with a bitter smile. "I inherited his legacy. Seems I can’t escape this karma either."
The Unity Realm meant becoming one with the Dao.
At this stage, elusive concepts like karma and fate could determine success or failure.
After a long silence, Luo Luo exhaled softly. "…Qing Xu."
Xu Junzhu raised a brow. "First time I’ve heard that name from you."
Luo Luo pursed her lips. "It’s his Dao name, not his real name."
His real name was Li Ermiao.
So Li Zhaoye had taken his surname.
Xu Junzhu stared at the soul mark on her wrist. It had throbbed from the moment it appeared.
"If I don’t resolve this, I’ll never advance," she said wryly. "I’d hoped to break through and crush him with sheer power—but I guess shortcuts aren’t an option."
Qing Xu was no easy opponent.
He wielded the Ink Box artifact, possessed the Primordial Breath of Hongmeng, and could cast the unfathomable Void Nightmare technique—and who knew what else he hid?
Not to mention Master Yuan stood by his side.
"The old fox won’t go down easy," Li Zhaoye said lazily, stretching. "Keep the Soul Illusion Jade close."
Xu Junzhu paled. "But his specialty is soul arts!"
Wouldn’t it be better to force him into physical combat?
Li Zhaoye smirked arrogantly. "What’s wrong with beating him at his own game?"
Xu Junzhu stared, speechless.
She turned to Luo Luo, who was nodding eagerly at Li Zhaoye, eyes shining.
Xu Junzhu: "…"
Fine. The couple was equally insane.
As they left Luo Luo’s pavilion, Bai Yi came rushing toward them.
The moment Luo Luo saw Senior Brother Bai, she knew trouble was coming.
Bai Yi: "We have a problem!"
Luo Luo: "I knew it! I knew it!"
Bai Yi blinked. "You already heard?"
Xu Junzhu sighed. "Ignore her. What’s wrong now?"
In the distance, figures on flying swords were approaching fast.
"Senior Sister! Senior Brother! Junior Sister!" Zhao Yu leapt off his medicine pestle, his chubby cheeks wobbling.
"Trouble at the sect," Bai Yi said grimly. "A few days ago, my old man sneaked back to recruit some of his fellow disciples. He never returned."
Elder Bai had sent a message via crane puppet: something major had happened at the sect.
To be precise, it had been brewing for a while, but the news had been suppressed to prevent widespread panic.
"The Divine Sealing Hall has been breached!" Bai Yi said gravely. "Countless demons have escaped, flooding the Netherworld. All three major sects’ Netherworld entrances are under attack."
The Celestial Dao Sect and the Heavy Star Sect were holding up, but the Taixuan Sect was in dire straits—without the Sect Leader’s Token, Master Yuan couldn’t activate the sect’s divine artifacts. With so many elite disciples gone, they were critically understaffed and overwhelmed.
Last night, demons had already breached the entrance seal and invaded the rear mountains of the Tai Xuan Sect, nearly turning the place into a river of blood.
Li Zhaoye casually raised a finger. "Bound to happen sooner or later."
"What do we do?" Zhao Yu asked, gripping his medicine pestle. "Should we offer help in their hour of need, or take advantage of the chaos?"
The group fell silent.
Thinking back to that day in the main hall, where those people had twisted the truth with their words, it was enough to make anyone’s blood boil with indignation.
"Serves them right," a senior from Qingyu Peak said bitterly. "Karma’s a bitch!"
"Exactly! They drove us out back then—did they really think we’d go crawling back now? Hah! They brought this on themselves!"
"Anyway, we’ve already moved all the furnaces and anvils here. If demons want that dump, let them have it!"
"We’re still stained with their slander—don’t expect us to lift a finger!"
"Serves them right! Hilarious, really!"
"The moment we left, that place stopped being our home! I’ll celebrate—I’ll even set off firecrackers!"
The group erupted in chatter.
Luo Luo, ever the honest one, couldn’t help but speak the truth: "Then why do you all look like you’re about to cry?"
Zhao Yu, his nose red, immediately jumped to his feet. "Who’s crying? Who’s that pathetic? Who’s upset? Huh?"
Xu Junzhu sighed. "Sect Rule Thirteen…"
After a long pause, a murmur rose from the crowd.
"When the sect is in peril, none shall stand idly by."
"..."
Xu Junzhu didn’t bother correcting the slight misquote. Instead, she smiled and raised her eyes. "Is everyone ready to move out?"
The group nodded in unison.
"Then let’s go."
"Hummm—"
A massive airship slowly emerged from the clouds.
"A b-battle cruiser…"
Those hovering on their swords nearly fell backward in shock.
The colossal vessel was pitch-black, gleaming coldly, its hull covered in a layer of armored scales. Layer upon layer of intricate defensive formations shimmered across its surface, pulsing with a dark glow—like a winged dragon poised for battle.
Along both sides of the ship were rows of spirit cannons, powered by high-grade spirit stones.
This thing… they’d only ever read about it in ancient texts.
"Oh," Xu Junlan explained casually, "my family built it to sell, but no one wanted to buy it. So we had no choice but to use it ourselves."
The group: "..."
Such extravagance. Such terror!
Boarding the airship, Luo Luo couldn’t resist touching everything in sight, marveling at every detail.
Xu Junlan scoffed. "Look at you—so easily impressed!"
Luo Luo grinned. "Heh heh heh!"
Xu Junlan narrowed her eyes. "…Why aren’t you snapping back at me? Where’s that attitude of yours?"
Li Zhaoye leaned over, pulling Luo Luo away. "She’s giving your sister face. Heh."
A crisp shattering sound pierced the sky.
Elder Bai stared blankly at the massive shadows crawling out one after another, his heart sinking like a stone.
He took a step back, feeling as though he’d stepped on his own heart—tight and heavy.
"We’re finished…"
He summoned his last crane puppet and sent a message to Bai Yi.
"Don’t come back. Run. Run as far as you can!"
After sending the puppet away, he hunched his shoulders, taking deep, steadying breaths.
Facing those mountainous shadows, even lifting a foot required every ounce of strength he had.
Looking around, the mountains were dotted with people frozen like statues.
"What kind of calamity is this…"
Above them floated hexagonal prism mirrors—Tai Xuan Sect’s mountain-protecting formation.
From the rear mountains came the deafening crashes of something colossal slamming against the earth.
"Boom—! Boom—! Boom—!"
Master Yuan struggled to maintain the formation, desperately holding back the demons.
"Senior Brother Yuan, I’ve never liked you… but you’re still slightly better than demons."
Elder Bai let out a shaky laugh before darting toward the battlefield.
The situation in the rear mountains grew increasingly dire.
The formation sealing the Netherworld’s entrance had been completely destroyed. Between reality and illusion, monstrous shadows swayed and surged like living mountains.
One glance was enough to make one’s scalp tingle and breath hitch.
Just how many demons were trying to break through?
"Pfft—!"
Master Yuan formed a seal with one hand, spitting blood as he threw his weight forward.
A thunderous light erupted in the sky as one hexagonal prism after another slammed down like blades of steel, temporarily replacing the shattered seal.
A demon, halfway out, was sliced clean in two by the formation’s edge.
It let out an ear-splitting shriek, lashing out with its claws in its death throes—shattering a cliffside with a single strike.
Boulders rained down.
Several disciples stood frozen, too slow to dodge, about to be crushed into pulp.
Elder Bai swooped down, grabbing two under each arm before wobbling back into the air on his sword.
Looking back, he saw Master Yuan fighting three demons alone—those that had already escaped the Netherworld.
Behind him lay the corpses of several other demons, their blood pooling into rivers that filled the valleys. Among the carnage, scraps of robes and broken swords were barely visible.
Elder Bai exhaled sharply, depositing the rescued disciples in a sheltered spot before turning back to the heart of the battle.
Master Yuan gasped for breath.
With the mountain-protecting formation now sealing the breach, he had no choice but to fight the three demons alone—while still maintaining the formation. The strain was unbearable.
"Hey!" Elder Bai called out as he flew closer. "Old Yuan, I’m shocked you didn’t run! You? The guy who only cares about power?"
Master Yuan spat blood. "I wanted to!"
"Oh really?"
"I’m just stuck here now!" Master Yuan roared. "I finally became sect leader—I can’t let Tai Xuan Sect fall under my watch!"
"Tch, don’t get ahead of yourself," Elder Bai teased. "You don’t even have the Sect Leader’s Token—who do you think you are?"
"Piss off!"
Master Yuan raised his sword and charged.
Behind him, the surviving elders and disciples formed the "No Regrets" sword formation.
"Senior Brother/Senior Uncle Yuan, fight without fear! If we die, we die together!"
After mocking Master Yuan, Elder Bai rejoined the formation, raising his sword with the others.
If they died here today, all grudges would be settled.
"Crash!"
Master Yuan blocked a devastating strike, only to be sent flying—smashing through several rock faces before finally stopping.
"Pfft—"
The sword formation trembled as everyone spat blood.
"Seems like there’s no escaping this," someone sighed. "Only shame is that the Heavenly Dao Sect and Heavy Star Sect haven’t fallen yet. We’ll be the laughingstock!"
"Ugh, humiliated for eternity!"
Even as they complained, they channeled their spiritual energy, fueling the formation to unleash a storm of sword shadows in Master Yuan’s aid.
Master Yuan could barely stand.
Maintaining the formation to seal the Netherworld had already snapped several of his fingers.
"Tch."
He bit through his collar, using the cloth to hastily bind his broken hand.
Master Yuan laughed bitterly, "If I die, it’ll only benefit that little vixen Xu Junzhu! How infuriating to think about!"
Elder Bai spat blood and shouted, "Stop wasting our energy with your nonsense! Hurry up, charge!"
This strike was practically a mutual annihilation.
"Clang—Boom!"
A colossal sword shadow slashed into the demon’s neck.
Master Yuan was already exhausted, unable to dodge the incoming claw strike.
Everyone shut their eyes, bracing for death.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
At the critical moment, thunder suddenly roared from the sky.
Looking up, a dragon-like black shadow emerged from the clouds as spiritual energy cannons rained down like meteors!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The demon’s massive body staggered backward.
The fatal claw swipe grazed Master Yuan’s body and smashed into the mountain wall behind him.
As the clouds parted, the warship above revealed rows of youthful figures standing tall and proud!
