The celestial battle was truly a spectacle. Seeing that things on Bai Qingting's side didn't seem urgent for the moment, Lin Xi pulled over at a service area, bought a cup of oden, and watched while eating.
Of course, she didn't forget to send red packets to the friends in her group chat. The steaming oden was light and delicious, especially the large white radish and tempura fish cakes, which were incredibly tasty.
At the South Heavenly Gate of the immortal world.
Bai Qingting and her group stood watching the battle from the farthest point from the gate.
At the front, the Tiger Clan and the Flood Dragon Clan stepped forward first. One was the forest overlord; the other, in an era without true dragons, had become the undisputed master of the waters relying on their thin lineage.
If the White Fox Clan was known for avoiding trouble and had the best reputation in the demon realm, then these two clans were equally rotten. Both were the kind that bullied men and women, notorious for their evil deeds. Moreover, their clans were populous and powerful. Many demons who were wronged couldn't even seek justice.
The Tiger and Flood Dragon Clans had always been arrogant. They had long coveted the Heavenly Court for its dense immortal energy and superior location.
As everyone knew, immortal energy and spiritual energy were of the same origin, two branches from the same root. The Celestial Race could cultivate using spiritual energy, and similarly, demons could also cultivate using immortal energy, often with some unexpected benefits.
Driven by such immense benefits, the Tiger and Flood Dragon Clans were determined to take over the Heavenly Court. Besides, they had long been disgusted by the Celestial Race's haughty demeanor.
The clan leaders of both wanted to settle this matter immediately, taking advantage of the fact that many deities were away undergoing their tribulations. But just as a clan cannot have two leaders, a Heavenly Court cannot have two Heavenly Emperors.
Before entering the Heavenly Court, a battle between the Tiger and Flood Dragon Clans was inevitable. Standing close to each other, the two groups who had just been chatting amiably were now mutually wary.
The leaders of the Tiger and Flood Dragon Clans confronted each other, neither making a move. Their clans were indeed powerful, but who among those qualified to stand here today was a useless fool?
Take Bai Yi, for instance. She had lived for an extremely long time, her magic power was unfathomable, and the White Fox Clan was famously peaceful—they wouldn't provoke others if not provoked, earning them an excellent reputation in the demon realm. Furthermore, Bai Yi's seniority was extremely high; strictly speaking, all demons were her juniors.
Having ability, prestige, seniority, and being reasonable was one thing. The two clan leaders, about to clash, exchanged a glance and simultaneously turned, charging towards where the White Fox Clan was observing.
Those who could become clan leaders were no fools. They knew that if they wanted to smoothly ascend to the Heavenly Court after defeating their rival, this Bai Yi had to die. Otherwise, they could never make the broader demon populace submit wholeheartedly.
Bai Yi had long anticipated this. The reason she hadn't left was precisely because she knew that if any demon clan truly became the master of the Heavenly Court, these ambitious individuals would not let her go.
Rather than being chased and fought, it was better to stand her ground and face the battle openly. As the saying goes, even if she became the clam or the snipe, she would conserve her strength to fight the fisherman.
Bai Yi summoned her weapon and with a gentle sweep, effortlessly deflected the spiritual attacks launched by the two leaders.
However, even so, the actions of the two clans thoroughly enraged the White Fox Clan, especially Bai Qingting.
She was raised by her grandparents. In terms of seniority, this ancestor was her great-great-great-grandmother. They were both grandmother figures. When Bai Qingting was young, just after her parents in this world had died, she was personally raised by this ancestor.
Bai Qingting was very fond of her and respected her deeply. Now, someone actually dared to attack her family's ancestor right in front of her?
To Bai Qingting, this was simply rubbing her face in the dirt.
Seeing their leaders attack the White Fox Clan, the members of the Tiger and Flood Dragon Clans also closed in.
The Tiger and Flood Dragon Clans had a very poor reputation among demons, mainly due to their brutality. Killing members of other clans on a whim was common, and if they were in a bad mood, the victims would suffer many inhuman tortures before death.
These two races also shared a notorious lustfulness. In the demon realm, members of the Fox Clan, regardless of fur color or gender, were all stunning beauties.
Because of their beauty, many less powerful fox demons were often kidnapped by them. The White Fox Clan helped retrieve those they could, but for those who couldn't be found, there was nothing they could do.
The reason they hadn't dared to cross the White Fox Clan wasn't because the White Foxes weren't beautiful enough. On the contrary, the White Fox Clan's looks surpassed all other fox clans and were among the very best in all three realms.
The reason they didn't dare offend the White Fox Clan was due to the clan's unity and their legendary capacity for holding grudges.
But now things were different. The two clans had joined forces to surround the White Fox Clan. The White Fox Clan was small, only about a hundred members. The Tiger and Flood Dragon Clans, however, had three to four times their number.
The leaders of the two clans exchanged a glance, simultaneously revealing meaningful smiles.
That one glance was enough for these two scoundrels to understand each other's intent: they wanted to capture the members of the White Fox Clan alive. Regardless of age or gender.
Bai Qingting wasn't stupid. Seeing their smiles, she immediately knew what they were thinking.
Suppressing the fury in her heart, she raised her rocket launcher and aimed at them. "Stop right there. Don't come any closer, or I won't be responsible for the consequences."
Bai Qingting considered herself a reasonable person, and she gave this warning quite sincerely. Of course, if others chose not to believe her and insisted on coming to fight, then she couldn't be blamed.
She had fulfilled her duty of humanitarian warning. What could she do if others didn't listen?
The Flood Dragon Clan had the character for "dragon" in their name, and their habits leaned infinitely towards those of the dragon race, especially the trait of innate lustfulness, which they had mastered perfectly.
In their residences on land and underwater, they kept no small number of men and women in their rear courtyards.
Yet, they still constantly kidnapped people from outside, with no restrictions on race.
They heard Bai Qingting's warning. They didn't take it seriously at all, even relaxing most of the force behind their attacks.
To them, what was the difference between Bai Qingting's statement and the pleas of "Don't come closer, I'm scared" from the men and women in their quarters?
"Don't be afraid, beauty. Just say you'll follow your Brother Hu Xiao, and I promise you'll live in luxury from now on, enjoying endless riches and honor." A burly man with a thick, unkempt beard spoke these words, his eyes roving over Bai Qingting several times.
His gaze was utterly disrespectful, as if he wanted to strip Bai Qingting bare, making one feel uncomfortable, nauseated, and awkward.
"That's right, that's right. Just follow our Brother Hu, and we guarantee you a life better than the one you have now."
"Hey, little girl, what's so good about the Tiger Clan? They reek! Our Flood Dragon Clan is different—not only are we cool in summer and warm in winter to hold, but we can also give you... hehehe..."
"Shut up, you scaly snake! You all smell like mud. How can you think you're fragrant?"
The two clans, initially harassing Bai Qingting and the others, soon began exposing each other's flaws and hurling insults.
On the other side, Bai Yi was already engaged in combat with the two clan leaders. Their respective guards were brawling as well. In the sky and on the ground, spiritual energy flew chaotically everywhere. If spiritual energy had color, Bai Qingting was certain the air before the Southern Heavenly Gate would be ablaze with a riot of colorful lights.
Bai Yi, fighting two opponents alone, remained perfectly at ease. The three of them battled from the ground to the sky and back down again, locked in a fierce struggle.
Hu Xiao did not join the war of words between the clans. His gaze was fixed on Bai Qingting's face, his heart burning with desire. He was the grandson of the current Tiger Clan leader and the most favored among his grandchildren. Bai Qingting rarely ventured out in recent years, but on the one or two occasions she did, Hu Xiao had noticed her.
Since then, Hu Xiao had been coveting Bai Qingting, even entertaining thoughts of making her his principal wife. However, the Bai Fox Clan was famously known for not marrying their women outside the clan. Despite mentioning it to his grandfather several times, Hu Xiao had achieved no results.
Now, Bai Qingting was about to become his prisoner. Hu Xiao felt an indescribable excitement. He had already planned it: he would cripple her dantian, ensuring she could never cultivate again. Then, he could do whatever he wanted with her.
Hu Xiao was not alone in such thoughts. The very sight of them made Bai Qingting sick.
She truly couldn't understand it. Even in an immortal cultivation era, why must they cling to the ideology of male superiority? If the rule was that the strong are respected, why couldn't a woman be strong? Why did it have to be a man?
If not for the Bai Fox Clan's relatively less oppressive atmosphere, she didn't know how she would have survived these hundred million years.
She knew of this Hu Xiao. He had abducted several girls from the Red Fox Clan, many of whom didn't survive three months in his clutches.
"Third Princess Bai, we are here to aid you." A clear voice rang out. Bai Qingting turned to see people from the Azure Bird Clan.
It was almost laughable. In the entire immortal realm, it seemed only the Bai Fox Clan and the Azure Bird Clan truly practiced gender equality.
Bai Qingting had just met the Ninth Princess of the Azure Bird Clan a few days ago; they had even complained together about the Heavenly Clan's Crown Prince, Yu Xiao.
Bai Qingting smiled at her, then looked towards her ancestor. A jade-green figure had also joined the fray—the leader of the Azure Bird Clan.
The three-clan melee had now become a four-clan free-for-all.
Bai Qingting snapped back to attention and said to her subordinates, "Let me show you my newly acquired weapon."
She aimed the rocket launcher at the men who were still advancing towards them, their faces wearing lecherous grins, and pulled the trigger.
Bai Qingting felt a jolt in her shoulder as a streak of fire shot from the launcher and exploded precisely where she had aimed.
The blast was deafening, and a large, dense mushroom cloud rose from the point of explosion.
Compared to Gu Nuanyang's previous explosion, this nuclear weapon produced an even larger mushroom cloud.
The ground where the Tiger and Flood Dragon clans had just stood was now flattened. The entire Heavenly Court shook three times from the weapon's power.
Those three tremors caused everyone's expressions to change drastically.
The Heavenly Court was built in ancient times and had stood for hundreds of billions of years. Over those eons, it had suffered many heavy blows, even several life-or-death crises.
But no matter what, its foundations had never been shaken. They looked at Bai Qingting, cold sweat breaking out densely on their backs.
Hu Xiao and the others who had been harassing her moments ago were now reduced to pools of blood. Bai Qingting blew on the still-smoking army-green rocket launcher and smiled with an innocent, guileless expression.
The post-apocalyptic wasteland world, free from those peaceful coexistence treaties, really produced excellent weapons.
Indeed, even the demon tribes of the immortal world couldn't withstand a single hit from a rocket launcher. After all, weren't they still flesh and blood? With that thought, she felt reassured.
"Everyone, do you wish to continue fighting?" Bai Qingting swept her gaze around the area. Her guards uniformly aimed the rocket launchers on their shoulders at the onlookers. Those who had been watching from the sidelines immediately took a collective step back.
The Tiger Clan leader and the Flood Dragon Clan leader were sent flying, vomiting blood from a palm strike by Bai Yi. But they paid it no mind.
They stared at the spot, once densely packed with clansmen and now utterly empty, their eyes wide with fury, on the verge of bursting.
"Hu Xiao! Hu Xiao!" The Tiger Clan leader, Hu Rong, blood still trickling from his mouth, didn't bother to wipe it. He stretched out his hand, and a pile of life tokens appeared on his palm. He found Hu Xiao's among them.
It was dull and lifeless in his hand, covered in crisscrossing cracks. He searched further. One by one, tokens in similar condition appeared before him.
Hu Rong finally faced reality. His eyes bloodshot, he glared at Bai Qingting: "Witch! Poisonous woman! By the Lord God above, I, Hu Rong of the Tiger Clan, swear an oath of eternal enmity with the Bai Fox Clan in this lifetime. It will be you or me, a fight to the death!"
The Tiger Clan had long been aware of the Demon Clan's attack on the Heavenly Clan. To seize the opportunity when both sides were weakened, both the Tiger and Flood Dragon clans had brought their strongest members.
Besides their own clansmen, there were also many powerful individuals from other clans aligned with them.
They had considered many possibilities when they came—some might fall, many might be injured—but they had never imagined that everyone they brought, except for themselves, would be gone, utterly annihilated, leaving not even a whole corpse behind.
This was unacceptable to Hu Rong.
Although Bai Yi was also shocked by the destructive power of the weapon in Bai Qingting's hands, upon hearing Hu Rong's words, her expression hardened. She immediately reached out, and before anyone could react, the Tiger Clan leader's blood splattered onto Bai Yi's sleeve. She looked around, her gaze finally settling on the Flood Dragon Clan leader.
"Does anyone else wish to declare a fight to the death with my Bai Fox Clan?"
Compared to the Tiger Clan, the leader of the Dragon Clan was much more pragmatic. After a long, silent stand-off with Bai Yi, he quietly put away his weapon.
By this time, Bai Yi's guards had also subdued all the members of the Tiger Clan.
"Obey the orders of Clan Leader Bai!" Someone started shouting this slogan first. After a few repetitions, the chant grew smoother and louder.
Bai Yi stood proudly amidst the crowd. After an unknown length of time, she glanced up at the sky.
"My friends in the sky, having watched such a long show, aren't you planning to show yourselves?"
As her words fell, the chanting demons fell silent, and a group of figures appeared before Bai Yi.
Leading them, Chi Yan kicked aside the corpse of the Tiger Clan leader blocking his path.
"Clap, clap, clap~~~" Chi Yan, still in his demonic attire, smiled and applauded.
"As expected of the White Fox Clan. The White Fox Clan is truly formidable." Chi Yan sighed. "Thinking back to that battle on the Endless Shore, when I was betrayed by those closest to me, it was the White Fox Clan who protected me at the cost of their lives."
Having campaigned for many years, Chi Yan most admired the White Fox Clan's loyalty and courage. Back then, if not for Bai Ling of the White Fox Clan risking his life to spirit him away, he probably wouldn't be here today.
He knew Bai Ling saved him because he was the alliance's commander-in-chief; his death would have benefited no one. Yet, whenever he recalled that time, he was still moved. He had even thought that if the White Fox Clan remained as obedient as before, he would let them off, allowing them to rest and recuperate peacefully in Qingqiu.
He wished he could have a subordinate like Bai Ling.
"Originally, I thought if the Tiger or Dragon Clan seized this Heavenly Court, I would definitely fight for it. But since it's your White Fox Clan who has won it, forget it. After all, the Heavenly Court brings me nothing but trouble." Chi Yan glanced at the strange-looking divine artifact in Bai Qingting's hand, waved his hand, and this time, the demons vanished completely.
Plans can't keep up with changes. With that artifact in Bai Qingting's hand, he stood to gain no advantage. He had spent tens of millions of years building his status and position in the Demon Realm. He couldn't let Bai Qingting blow them all to pieces with one shot!
Chi Yan was certain that from now on, the former two hegemons of the demon race would likely fall to a state where anyone could bully them.
The Weiyu God was the last to leave. Before departing, he stood at the South Heavenly Gate for a long time, looking inside. After he left, a woman in a white dress, with a delicate and gentle appearance, stumbled to the South Heavenly Gate.
Learning that Weiyu had already gone, she collapsed to the ground, covered her face, and wept bitterly.
A fairy maiden beside her helped her up. "Madam, let's go back."
The gentle woman stared blankly at the drifting clouds on the horizon, replying with a bitter, twisted smile. "Go back? Where can we go back to? We lived in the Weiyu God's palace. Now he has rebelled and left the Heavenly Court. Do you think the people of the Heavenly Court will still let me live there?"
"Who among the Celestial Clan doesn't hate us now? What place do I have left if I go back?"
Hearing this, the fairy maiden supporting her instinctively took a step back.
Lian You laughed until tears streamed down her face, sobbing softly. "It's all my fault, all my fault for harming Weiyu. If I hadn't been greedy back then, if I had resisted the Heavenly Emperor's temptation, I wouldn't have harmed him."
After Chi Yan died back then, the strategist Weiyu returned against all odds, his exploits spreading across the Thirty-Three Heavens. The Emperor and Empress's child had grown up.
The couple unanimously believed that the Heavenly Court did not need a second voice. The Weiyu God's talent and seniority were the best in the Heavenly Court, and most celestial beings respected him.
The Emperor and Empress could not allow this situation to develop. So, they sought out the Lian You Grass, who secretly admired Weiyu.
The Lian You Grass was a celestial plant personally cultivated by Weiyu. After learning it had developed spiritual awareness, he would regularly water it with spiritual spring water. In just a thousand years, it took human form.
During that thousand years, the Lian You Grass grew to adore this handsome, high-status god. Like all other plants and beasts who gained form before her, she became a low-ranking fairy maiden in the Weiyu God's palace.
After taking form, the more she interacted with Weiyu, the deeper her affection grew. When given the chance to bind Weiyu's love thread to herself, Lian You agreed without a second thought.
She loved Weiyu so much. To be with him openly, even if it was in the mortal realm, filled her with joy.
Throughout those three lifetimes of tragic love, Lian You retained all her memories. She intensely felt Weiyu's love and care for her. She never understood why Weiyu, who in the mortal realm was willing to abandon a kingdom for her, seemed to strip away all emotion upon returning to the Heavenly Court. He became solely devoted to cultivation, forgetting her completely.
Along with their unforgettable three lifetimes. If she hadn't specifically asked the Empress and confirmed that Weiyu also retained the memories of those three lifetimes after his tribulation, she would have thought Weiyu didn't know her at all.
But this confirmation only made Lian You more miserable. Especially seeing other gods who returned from their tribulations showering their wives with care and attention, Lian You broke down countless times.
How could he just forget their three lifetimes like that?
It wasn't until just now, when news of Weiyu's rebellion against the Heavenly Court spread back, that Lian You finally understood. In Weiyu's eyes, those three lifetimes with her were such a grave mistake. So grave that it drove Weiyu to rebel against the Celestial Clan. It turned out, she was the only one who had been trapped, unable to move on from those three lifetimes.
The only one who day after day yearned for that passionate love from the three lifetimes was herself. Weiyu hated her because she had tarnished his divine integrity.
But she didn't know! She only wanted to be his wife, that's all!
Lian You wept and sobbed, the despair and grievance in her voice enough to make anyone's heart ache.
But none of the demons present, nor those watching the broadcast from outside, felt any sympathy for Lian You.
Lian You desired Weiyu's love, but instead of genuinely winning his heart, she chose to scheme for it. Putting themselves in Weiyu's shoes, everyone found it utterly repulsive.
Bai Yi didn't spare her a glance. She thanked the leader of the Green Bird Clan, agreed to visit another day, and then immediately led the White Fox Clan back home.
Taking possession of the Heavenly Court now was impossible.
Not to mention Chi Yan and Weiyu watching covetously from the sidelines, many of the celestial beings who underwent tribulations hadn't returned yet. Among them were several whose combat power was not inferior to Chi Yan's. The Heavenly Court was their home, their dwelling place.
If the White Fox Clan moved in, would those beings ever let them off?
Although their Qingting possessed a weapon of devastating power, the Celestial Clan was known for its cunning. How could one guard against a thief for a thousand days? And would those demon clans simply let the matter rest?
The best course now was to return to Qingqiu and shut their doors to visitors. The Celestial Court was a massive piece of fat meat. With the Tiger and Flood Dragon clans suffering heavy losses and the White Fox clan retreating behind closed doors, there were always ambitious souls who would come to seize the Celestial Court. When that time came, they would surely fight until both sides were severely wounded.
Then there was the Demon Realm. Chi Yan was now the Demon Lord. Together with the Weiyu God, they had set a trap that wiped out a significant portion of the heavenly immortals.
Damage to one's Divine Core was undoubtedly a fatal wound for an immortal. It was on the same level as having a tool but being unable to wield it. The importance of the Divine Core was evident from how someone like the Weiyu God could hate the Celestial Clan enough for this reason to betray it.
One must remember, the Weiyu God was originally of the Celestial Clan. For years, the Celestial Clan had maintained its position as the leader among the Three Realms of Heaven, Demons, and Monsters, largely thanks to the Weiyu God's efforts.
Otherwise, with that indecisive, incompetent pair—the Heavenly Emperor and Empress—they could never have managed the Celestial Court so well!
A great war between the Celestial Clan's immortals and the Demon Realm was inevitable.
Returning to Qingqiu, the place was eerily quiet. The elder responsible for educating the young had long since slipped away.
They gathered in the cave where Bai Yi resided for a clan meeting.
After the meeting, Bai Yi took Bai Qingting to her own cave abode. Setting up a barrier, Bai Yi inquired about the origin of Bai Qingting's weapon.
Bai Qingting was prepared with an explanation, following the prompts given by the group chat system.
This was what the system called "Weapon Source Rationalization." To make this item plausible, Bai Qingting had spent one-third of her own stock of supreme-grade spirit stones.
But Bai Qingting felt it was worth it. She had already learned about Gu Nuanyang's situation from the group chats, and she had no desire to experience something like that herself.
Bai Qingting knew Bai Yi was suspicious of her. She offered no resistance, allowing Bai Yi to sweep her body and soul two or three times with divine sense.
Soul possession wasn't an everyday occurrence in this immortal world, but it wasn't unheard of either.
Bai Qingting wasn't worried. She had been a transmigrator from birth, arriving right into her mother's womb. She wasn't afraid of being checked. Moreover, in this past hundred million years, such inspections happened from time to time, and Bai Qingting was long used to it.
Bai Yi soon withdrew her divine sense, her gaze towards Bai Qingting returning to its original fondness.
After some discussion and examining Bai Qingting's weapon, Bai Yi did not keep it but handed the rocket launcher back to Bai Qingting.
"Qingting, I am old now, and I don't know when I might fall. Our White Fox clan has few members, especially our main branch. Because of our special status, when disaster strikes the White Fox clan, we are the ones who must charge at the forefront."
"This is the mission of the White Fox clan's main lineage. Originally, I was not at ease with you, as all you did besides cultivate was drink and sleep among the magnolia trees."
"But now it's different, Qingting. You have grown up and can stand on your own. Seeing you like this puts my heart at ease." Bai Yi was genuinely happy.
Looking across the Three Realms, aside from the Tiger and Flood Dragon clans her Qingting had blasted today, among the other clans, only the main branch of the White Fox clan was in a state where the old were fading and the young not yet ready.
She was too old, Qingting too young, and Manman still too little. Sometimes when Bai Yi closed her eyes, the scenes that appeared were of Qingqiu being bathed in blood.
To prevent such a thing from happening, Bai Yi had been forcing herself to hold on.
But after today, Bai Yi knew she could relax a little. Her Qingting was no worse than her parents and elder brother, and was perhaps even a step above them.
The White Fox clan could be passed down forever and ever.
Bai Yi asked, "Qingting, do you wish to rule the Celestial Court?"
Bai Qingting blinked, smiling at her ancestor. "Ancestor, among us demons, who hasn't dreamed of unifying the Three Realms?"
There's a saying from Earth that goes, a soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier. Similarly, a demon who doesn't dream of being the supreme ruler of heaven and earth is not a good demon.
Bai Yi laughed. She had had such dreams in her youth too. She looked at Bai Qingting with affection. "I understand. Go back now and rest well."
Bai Qingting left. What exactly her ancestor had understood, Bai Qingting didn't ask. It was likely just some scheme to help her seize the position of Heavenly Emperor.
This suited Bai Qingting's intentions perfectly. If she could stand independently, her ancestor would surely lower her guard. Without that driving obsession, her body would inevitably decline.
Bai Qingting had experience with this. It was like when she graduated from university, her grandmother felt she had done right by her mother, and not long after, she passed away.
With this precedent, Bai Qingting felt she must give Bai Yi something to focus on. Wanting to become the Heavenly Emperor was a good goal. It would take tens of millions of years to achieve.
Bai Qingting walked out of the cave. Her guards, Qingzhu and the others, were already waiting outside. They had long since returned the rocket launcher to her, but their curiosity about the weapon was immense.
A divine artifact that could directly blast two entire clans to smithereens!
Bai Qingting took out a rocket launcher for them to study, watching with a smile from the side.
Those launchers were loaded with blanks; they wouldn't explode, but they were perfect for everyone to practice their aim.
Qingzhu and the others studied it with great enthusiasm for a long time before reluctantly leaving.
The livestream had ended long ago. Bai Qingting lay on her soft bedding. She loved comfort; everything on her bed was crafted from precious treasures of artifact forging. After being refined into bedding, these items were even more comfortable.
Lin Xi had already arrived at the auto repair shop Bai Qingting mentioned.
Bai Qingting's brother, Lu Qingfeng's repair shop, was still open. Besides repairs, it now had a car wash bay. Lin Xi parked her car in the bay to be washed and sat waiting in the lounge.
She didn't have to wait long. A man in work clothes and trousers, leading a little girl of about seven or eight, came out from the living quarters at the back.
Following behind them was a woman in a black dress.
The man, leading his daughter, waited a few steps. The woman quickly caught up.
"Are the things for your sister all prepared?" the woman asked Lu Qingfeng softly.
Lu Qingfeng replied, "Everything's ready. Let's go early, visit her, and then come back for dinner. Tomorrow morning, we'll go to your parents' place."
"Alright. Speaking of Qingting, she was so young. How could she have gotten that illness? If reincarnation is real, how old would she be now?"
"Six years old. She'd be starting kindergarten. The same age as our Niannian."
"Hey, Lu Niannian, in a bit when we go see your aunt, you'll perform the dance you just learned for her, okay?"
"Okay."
The family of three chatted as they went out.
After they left, Lin Xi struck up a conversation with the car wash worker at the shop.
"Ma'am, you guys aren't even taking a break on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Is the pay really high?"
"Yeah, the boss gives triple pay plus a two-hundred yuan bonus," the woman answered while diligently washing the car.
Lin Xi, holding a bottle of mineral water, stood to the side: "I just overheard they're going to visit a grave? That's strange. Who visits graves on New Year's Day?"
"Ah, it's normal. The boss's sister passed away on New Year's Day. Ever since then, every New Year's Day, they go to visit her. Their daughter was even given the name Niannian (meaning 'remembering')." The car wash lady was very fond of the boss's family.
The boss's family situation was quite a topic of conversation in the area, so she didn't mind telling customers: "Our boss didn't have an easy family. After his parents were gone, he and his sister were split up and lived with different relatives. His sister even took their mother's surname."
"Our boss was very good to his sister. He didn't take any of the property or savings she left behind. He donated it all to charity."
Lin Xi relayed this information to Bai Qingting.
After learning this, Bai Qingting was deeply moved. She felt that for her brother to have done this much for her was already more than enough.
Knowing that Lu Qingfeng was living well put Bai Qingting's mind at ease. She had no intention of letting Lu Qingfeng know she still existed.
However, she obtained a Gene Repair Fluid from Lin Duoxi and gave it to Lin Xi.
There was a restroom in the office. Lin Xi took the opportunity to go, and flicked a drop of the Gene Repair Fluid into the open cup on the boss's desk.
After the researchers on Lin Duoxi's side found out the Gene Repair Fluid was very popular in other cities, they upgraded it.
The new Gene Repair Fluid only dissolves in hot water, evaporates very slowly, and even when drinking, it takes a full month of continuous consumption to fully absorb one drop. Washing the cup isn't a problem either; it won't be washed away or become contaminated.
Next to the blue stainless steel cup was a pink bear cup. Lin Xi flicked a drop into that one as well.
After doing this, Lin Xi used the restroom, washed her hands, and by the time she went outside, her car was already in the final drying stage.
Lin Xi drove straight to Pingyuan.
By the time she reached Pingyuan, the sky had just turned dark. She hurried to Malu Gully, where the lights were bright and the lively atmosphere hadn't diminished at all.
There were even more cars than during the day. Lin Xi found a parking spot, parked, and walked down. All along the way, there were games and food stalls. The aromas of various foods drifted through the air, smelling wonderful.
Lin Xi didn't linger. Following Yao Yuran's phone instructions, she headed straight for the simple makeshift shed set up below the road.
Before long, Lin Xi found Chi Xiangping and the others, who were eating hotpot at a street stall.
They had just started eating too, having ordered two soup bases: sour soup and spicy. Both pots were filled with lots of meat, vegetables, and meatballs.
There was also a large bowl of fragrant rice on the table.
Chi Xiangping scooped a bowl of rice for her: "Come, come, eat, eat."
Lin Xi sat down. This small shed had seven or eight folding tables, all fully occupied. The air was thick with the intertwined scents of sour fragrance and spicy numbness, making one's stomach growl with hunger.
Lin Xi picked up her rice bowl and first took a bite from the sour soup pot.
As the bean sprouts mixed with meat and vegetables entered her mouth, Lin Xi's eyes lit up: "Is this Guizhou-style sour soup?"
As is well known, the people of Guizhou have their own unique understanding of sour soup. Their sour soup is tangy yet fragrant, with a hint of fresh sweetness after the fragrance.
Used for hotpot, especially fish hotpot, it not only removes the fishy smell from the fish but also adds an extra layer of sweetness to the fish meat.
"Yes, the boss here is from Guizhou. This is the sour soup they brought from home. If it weren't Guizhou sour soup, I wouldn't even bother eating it," Great-grandma's words were, as usual, not very pleasant to hear.
Chi Xiangping picked up a piece of fish for her, telling her to close her mouth. Great-grandma knew her own fault too and focused on eating.
Lin Xi wasn't very hungry, but the sour soup hotpot was appetizing! The spicy hotpot next to it was also made with Guizhou-style sticky rice chili paste, giving it a completely different feel from Sichuan's beef tallow hotpot.
Paired with a dipping sauce made with dried chili peppers, once you started eating, you couldn't stop.
After eating and drinking their fill and playing for a while longer, they headed home. As they were leaving, she saw Li Sheng carrying out patrol duties. This place was close to the mountains and woods, and with so many people, something always happened here every year. So, seeing Li Sheng here didn't surprise Lin Xi. They made eye contact, and Lin Xi gave him a slight smile and a nod before driving home.
In the car, Chi Xiangping, Yao Yuran, and Great-grandma chatted non-stop, talking all about the day's events.
In the world of immortal cultivation, Bai Qingting had a dream. She dreamed she was in front of something made of books.
She couldn't move, only able to watch as the book glowing with white light before her slowly turned its pages. Images formed alongside the text, flashing through her mind.
So, she was a character in an immortal cultivation novel titled "Our Love Across N Lifetimes."
But she was not the female lead, nor a supporting female character. She was a cannon fodder character who didn't appear for long.
The female lead of the book was Bai Qingting's acquaintance, Tang Jin. The male lead was the Heavenly Prince, Yu Xiao.
All the things Bai Qingting had experienced these past days were not the main text of the book, but the prologue.
In the book, Yu Xiao was originally the most noble Crown Prince in the Heavenly Court. Because he lacked for nothing, he became obsessed with love.
He liked Tang Jin, falling for her at first sight in his uncle, Chi Yan the War God's, koi pond.
He liked her so much he asked Chi Yan the War God for that koi.
But his War God uncle refused him. Later, when his uncle died in battle, Yu Xiao's first thought was: without anyone to feed it, would the little koi in the pond die?
Filled with worry, he went to the koi pond every single day to feed the fish. Later, that koi he liked so much took human form. She had a beautiful name: Tang Jin.
They quickly fell in love, but his father, the Heavenly Emperor, and mother, the Empress, disliked Tang Jin immensely, thinking her origins were poor and unworthy of their precious, golden son.
Hand in hand, they vowed to betray the whole world to fulfill their love.
Then one day, Chi Yan, who had died in battle, returned. He came back to the Heavenly Court to seek justice. Chi Yan became the common ruler of both the Heavenly and Demon races.
As the former Heavenly Emperor's son, Yu Xiao was stripped of his crown prince title.
And the Tang Jin he loved so deeply became his War God uncle's most loyal subordinate.
It turned out that their love had always been his solo performance. It had always been a deception.
Even the Heavenly Emperor and Empress were personally eliminated by Tang Jin.
Yu Xiao was deeply devastated and remained despondent all day long. Seeing this was no good, the few remaining loyal ministers of the Heavenly Emperor and Empress simply kicked him down to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations.
By sheer coincidence, Tang Jin was ambushed one day while returning from a mission and had no choice but to change her appearance, disguising herself as an ordinary person without any immortal or spiritual power.
In that lifetime, Yu Xiao became the son of a high-ranking official. Tang Jin recognized him at a glance. He was just like before, still so bright and lively.
As the female lead, Tang Jin, despite being ruthless and cunning, did have moments of softness. Yu Xiao was one of her few weaknesses.
Because Tang Jin knew that in this world, there would never be another Yu Xiao who would be so utterly devoted and kind to her.
And Chi Yan, whom she deeply loved, merely saw her as a useful blade, a tool for warming his bed that required no responsibility.
Faced with Yu Xiao, who had fallen in love with her all over again, and watching him stand before his mortal parents once more, arguing passionately on her behalf, Tang Jin's heart softened.
She decided not to return to the Heavenly Court for the time being. She wanted to live an ordinary life as a little married couple with Yu Xiao in the mortal realm, to bear his children and raise a family with him.
Decades later, Yu Xiao died of old age. Tang Jin, who should have returned to the Heavenly Court, still couldn't let him go. So, she kept searching for his reincarnations, living life after life with him.
In these successive lifetimes, their identities changed again and again. Things like sacrificing parents, sacrificing nations, sacrificing the world—they orchestrated them over and over.
The last time, Yu Xiao remembered everything. Those previous sweet lifetimes now brought him pain. He and Tang Jin would misunderstand over the smallest things, then reconcile over another small matter.
During this period, the two of them wreaked havoc together in the immortal world. The demon tribes of the immortal world were already weakened from their refusal to submit to Chi Yan.
Their havoc nearly drove the entire demon race to extinction. And indeed, some of the smaller tribes were completely wiped out.
For example, the White Fox clan. The reason was simple: one day, Yu Xiao and Tang Jin, having regained all their memories, passed by Qingqiu and recalled the humiliation they once suffered there.
With perfect tacit understanding, the two of them annihilated Qingqiu. At that time, Bai Yi had just fought with Chi Yan, damaging her foundation. With Yu Xiao and Tang Jin joining forces, and under the halo of the male and female leads, she was simply gone.
And she, this 'cannon fodder' who had given the female lead a hard time, also died under their swords.
In the end, the story concluded with Yu Xiao and Tang Jin setting aside their past grievances, joining forces to destroy Chi Yan and the demon race, reorganizing the three realms, and becoming the rulers of all under heaven.
Bai Qingting was furious. She shot up from her bed.
"What the hell? Is this author out of their mind? Can these male and female leads not have a romance without sacrificing other people? Good grief, by the time these two become the Heavenly Emperor and Empress, there aren't many Celestials left, the demon tribes are almost extinct, the demon race has a few more people—what exactly are they ruling? And most of those demons were killed by these two lunatics! With that, there are still demons who acknowledge them as rulers? How pathetic do you have to be?"
"And they even promote it under the banner of 'subverting tropes'? Subvert what? Just because the female lead in this book does everything the male lead does in other books, and the male lead is written like some pure white lotus, that counts as subverting tropes?"
"How pathetic is this male lead? The female lead killed your parents! And you can forgive that?" The dead memories attacked Bai Qingting, reminding her of those female leads in novels she'd read before who forgave the male leads for killing their entire families.
"Subverting tropes my ass! Is this subverting tropes? This is purely disgusting!"
