In the midst of chaos, countless strands of void imbued with the aura of the Heavenly Dao converged, gradually forming a faint blue silhouette.
Even in this place closest to the origin of the Heavenly Dao, Xiao Yuyan's face remained slightly pale.
Altering the course of the past demanded a price, even for one who embodied the Heavenly Dao.
Moreover, this realm was far from flawless.
That was why no one had ascended in a thousand years, and why, a century ago, the world's strongest had to sacrifice themselves to the heavens.
And that was also why, through the wishes made upon the Formless Divine Stone, Xiao Yuyan awakened as the Heavenly Dao, then broke free from the constraints of its rules, gradually gaining human emotions.
Xiao Yuyan had always represented an incomplete Heavenly Dao, bound by even greater limitations.
The moment he returned to this era a hundred years later, his fingertips and wrists flickered with transparency, and the Heavenly Dao's power within him dimmed, as though restrained by something.
The Heavenly Dao's power was constant—what waned in one place would grow in another, though none could say where.
Xiao Yuyan sensed the shift in the void, yet his expression remained cold and detached.
Nothing around him, whether erupting or vanishing, could stir even the slightest ripple in his heart.
Only when his gaze fell upon Xu Wanci did a trace of warmth, like the first thaw of frost, soften his eyes.
He looked down at her in this era, his focus more unwavering than ever before.
Seeing her eyes once again brimming with tenderness and sorrow, his fingers curled slightly.
To him, their reunion had been but a fleeting thought, but for her, a century had passed—a long and arduous century.
Only after watching her drift back to sleep did Xiao Yuyan finally avert his gaze.
Once, he would never have cared about the ebb and flow of spiritual energy, nor the ancient Heavenly Dao's power lingering in the void.
But now, he had someone he wished to protect.
His gaze upon the mortal realm remained gentle, yet the aura around him was icy and overwhelming.
In an instant, all the Heavenly Dao's power in the void was locked in place, forcibly drawn back to him.
He lowered his eyes slightly as the Heavenly Dao's power surged into his body, refining into meridians—something only cultivators possessed.
The agony of reshaping meridians was enough to shatter the minds of even the strongest cultivators, yet Xiao Yuyan's expression remained as indifferent as ever, his cool eyes devoid of any flicker of emotion.
Within the newly forged meridians, spiritual energy unique to him began to flow.
After gaining human emotions, Xiao Yuyan was now acquiring a body akin to that of an ordinary person.
He stood motionless, the chaos of the heavens bowing to his presence.
In the cultivation world, secrets were nonexistent.
News of Xu Wanci's injuries at the tribulation site had already spread among the great sects and noble clans.
Aside from the Bai family, who rejoiced in her misfortune and grew even more convinced of Chu Qingchuan's status as the Child of Fortune, every other faction sprang into action.
Some sects prepared rare treasures to heal her wounds, others crafted defensive artifacts, while noble clans amassed vast quantities of spirit stones—
Even if they couldn’t win Xu Wanci’s favor, gaining the goodwill of the Taiqing Sect was still worthwhile.
After all, the sect master of the Taiqing Sect, Ning Menglan, was the first hurdle to seeing Xu Wanci.
Only a handful could pass his scrutiny to meet her.
Yet despite the near-impossible odds, no one gave up.
Not just because of the elusive karmic ties, but also the immense benefits of befriending Xu Wanci.
Take the Jiang family’s juniors—Jiang Ze had broken through to the Tribulation Realm and even obtained the legendary Qiyun Pill, which might one day propel him to the late-stage Tribulation Realm, making him one of the world’s most formidable experts.
Jiang Qiuning, the young master of the Jiang family, had also reaped great rewards. His already remarkable talent, enhanced by the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid, had evolved into the fabled Heavenly Spiritual Root, ensuring boundless potential.
Recently, he had even secured the Life-Lengthening Blossom, a treasure capable of extending the lifespan of Tribulation Realm elders, further cementing the Jiang family’s position as the foremost noble clan.
As for the Buddhist Sage, rumors from the Thousand Buddha Temple claimed he would soon undergo his Tribulation Lightning Trial anew.
How could such feats not stir envy?
Compared to Chu Qingchuan, who had received countless favors yet never reciprocated, Xu Wanci was nothing short of a blessing.
Even if their gifts went unreturned, they were willing.
At the Taiqing Sect, Ning Menglan sighed as he surveyed the dazzling array of storage pouches on the table.
His injuries had barely healed before the sect’s elders dragged him out to handle these treasures.
He understood the intentions behind these gifts, but Xu Wanci cherished solitude—even he dared visit her only once every few days, let alone these outsiders with no ties to the Taiqing Sect.
Yet he couldn’t allow these treasures to burden her with unnecessary karma.
Moreover, the Taiqing Sect had its pride—it couldn’t just take without giving.
Another sigh escaped him.
Preparing return gifts alone would keep him busy for half a month.
Though he had blocked most visitors, a few still required Xu Wanci’s personal decision.
Like the Buddhist Sage, who came to express gratitude; Jiang Ze, who brought a ten-thousand-year ocean pearl from the Silent Sea; or Ji Wang, who returned unscathed from the Fallen Demon Abyss with a Spirit-Slaying Fruit.
At the edge of the heavens, the chaos in the void seemed to sense something, struggling desperately to distance itself from Xiao Yuyan’s vicinity.
Xiao Yuyan sat facing Xu Wanci in the mortal realm, the dark jade table between them mirroring the one below.
His expression was as composed as ever, yet the aura around him seemed sharper than usual.
In the courtyard, Xu Wanci had already declined gifts from both the Buddhist Sage and Jiang Ze.
That day, they had risked their lives to enter the demon realm, intent on rescuing her.
Though she could have escaped on her own, their kindness was something she treasured.
The Qiyun Pill wasn’t about settling karma—it was her way of thanking them.
Thus, she needed no repayment.
Now, standing before her was Ji Wang, clad in crimson.
The once heavily cloaked Lord Ji Yun had begun wearing low-collared robes, the two crimson moles on his neck and collarbone now boldly displayed in the sunlight.
His ever-present Ji Yun Blade had transformed into an earring, dangling from his earlobe and adding a touch of allure.
As he faced Xu Wanci, the cruelty and ferocity he showed others vanished, replaced by cautious concern. Under the sun, his striking features took on an almost obedient gentleness.
Ji Wang, realizing she wasn’t injured, let out a quiet sigh of relief before extending a jade box toward her:
"This is the Soul-Slaying Fruit I found in the Land of Fallen Demons."
As if afraid she might refuse, he quickly added, "There were many of them there—this is just... a very small portion."
His eyes brimmed with sincerity, showing no trace of the bandit-like ruthlessness with which he had swept the Land of Fallen Demons clean.
Apart from the few fruits promised to the sect elders, every last one had been placed in this jade box—not a single one kept for himself.
Xu Wanci listened but did not reach out, instead taking a step back as she said,
"Many thanks, Venerable Jiyun."
"But this gift is far too precious. Wanci does not dare accept it."
Hearing her reply, Ji Wang glanced at the jade box in his hand and immediately downplayed its worth:
"Wanci, the Soul-Slaying Fruit only looks rare."
"These spiritual fruits are everywhere in the Land of Fallen Demons—hardly precious at all. Please, take them without worry."
A treasure beyond compare was casually dismissed as worthless in his words.
Had the sect leader of the Wuji Sect—who had long coveted the fruit yet been ignored by Ji Wang—heard this, he might have wept aloud.
Seeing Xu Wanci still shaking her head gently, Ji Wang did not press further. Instead, he carefully explained:
"Wanci, if not for your guidance that day, I wouldn’t have been able to retrieve the Soul-Slaying Fruit so easily from the Land of Fallen Demons."
"These were always meant to be yours."
Xu Wanci shook her head again:
"Had the Venerable One not possessed such profound cultivation, no amount of advice would have sufficed."
"Since these were obtained through your own efforts, Wanci neither dares nor should accept them."
Perhaps the lingering influence of that dream had finally taught her to refuse—to turn away the kindness of others.
After all, in that dream, she had once disregarded... someone’s favor.
Her fingertips twitched almost imperceptibly:
If she wanted something, she would obtain it herself.
She had no need for such heavy gifts from others.
Ji Wang, hearing her firm refusal, knew her mind was made up.
Silently, he withdrew the jade box. As he turned slightly, whether intentionally or not, the crimson mole on his neck came into Xu Wanci’s line of sight—bright enough to burn.
High above, Xiao Yuyan’s indifferent gaze swept over Ji Wang standing before Xu Wanci, his expression unreadable:
A poor imitation.
A pitiful mimic... one who could stay by her side, seeing her every day.
Xiao Yuyan averted his eyes, his demeanor cold, yet the speed at which he condensed the power of heavenly laws around him quickened slightly.
A breeze drifted through the courtyard.
For the third time that day, the wooden gate swung open in the wind.
Before leaving, Ji Wang’s words—"I’ll return tomorrow"—sent the void around Xiao Yuyan recoiling three feet back.
Xiao Yuyan watched as Xu Wanci sat by the dark jade table, lost in thought, her eyes downcast. His right hand lifted slightly, only to drop helplessly when he remembered the distance between them.
He was acutely aware—he was jealous.
Jealous of Ji Wang, who could stand before her, even knowing she would never spare him a second thought.
He wanted to see her.
To witness every sunrise and moonfall with her, to listen to every whisper of the wind, to watch every fallen leaf in the mortal world.
But the him now... was not the one she wished to see.
How could a single encounter compare to the long years she had shared with "him"?
Worse still—would she doubt whether the him she had met that day was even real?
He wanted to see her...
Unless it was a hundred years earlier.
The moment this thought surfaced, the same vortex that had once torn through time reappeared in the void.
Xiao Yuyan looked at the surging spiritual energy that moved faster than his own will and smiled mockingly at himself.
Yet his steps did not hesitate. One by one, he walked willingly into the vortex—knowing full well it would worsen his injuries.
Meanwhile, Xu Wanci felt the spiritual energy in her dantian stir more rapidly, a drowsiness creeping into her eyes.
Here in the Taiqing Sect, she was safe. So she rested her head on the dark jade table and let herself drift into sleep.
This time, when she awoke, it was to that dream again.
But two months had passed since the last one.
In those two months, something must have changed—the original owner’s life in the outer sect had improved.
Though still distant from the other disciples, she was no longer scorned or tormented. Instead, they regarded her with a subtle, newfound respect.
The original owner’s experiences now aligned more closely with the novel’s depiction of "Xu Wanci’s" life in the outer sect.
Xu Wanci wasn’t puzzled. To her, this made perfect sense—it matched her understanding of the original story.
Surveying the scenery around her, a thought struck her:
If this was still her dream, then...
Almost instinctively, she headed toward Luoyu Peak.
After all, it was just a dream—one that might vanish forever without warning.
She only needed to resist its pull and wake up in time.
Besides, she needed to confirm something.
Confirm whether this was truly just her dream.
A dream that had now connected twice.
At the foot of Luoyu Peak,
the same field of Rain-Transforming Night-Blooming Flowers.
The same familiar figure.
The moment Xu Wanci confirmed this was the dream, the emotions swirling in her heart were too tangled even for her to unravel.
Step by step, she approached, her voice carrying the same respectful warmth as two months prior:
"Venerable One, it’s been a while."
She was merely testing—testing whether this was truly a continuous dream.
Xiao Yuyan’s heartbeat faltered at the sound of her voice.
In that instant, he realized he was the more despicable mimic.
He had shamelessly stolen the meeting that should have belonged to the "him" of the past.
But...
He was willing to be despicable.
He would never let go.
