Zhao Changhe’s seclusion, which he had originally planned to last for three to five days, took much less time than anticipated. Aside from taking a few hours to give Xia Chichi a personal session, he ended up shutting himself away for just a day and a half. He sensed that something was off with his breakthrough to the third layer of the Profound Control Realm. This was not a new feeling. He had occasionally felt that his cultivation had progressed too quickly, that he lacked grounding, and that his leaps in strength felt hollow. But since his actual combat performance never lagged, often even surpassing those of the same level, he had dismissed those doubts as the natural byproduct of a fast-paced path. This time, though, the disquiet ran deeper. A persistent sense of unease gnawed at his heart. Long ago, Yuxu had once told him to look back at the road he had walked. Yuxu had reminded him that practice had indeed calmed his mind and helped him fill in the gaps in his foundation. But now, no matter how thoroughly he retraced his steps, he could not find any missing piece. The journey was still vivid, and so were the people and the events that had transpired. The days had been short, but the impressions had been carved deep. His mental strength and memory were no longer what they had been when he was still an ordinary university student. Ever since he had transmigrated into this world, even a fleeting glance would not be easily forgotten, and this was especially so for any insight gained along the way—those were etched into him like runes on steel. Techniques like the Fox Spirit Saber Intent, Sandstorm Saber Art, and even the Primal Slaughter Sword Art had long since been discarded or merged into his daily repertoire. Some were outdated and forgotten, while most others had been internalized to the point of indistinction. The tempering of his body, too, had evolved far beyond step-by-step tempering. Since receiving Li Shentong’s complete body-tempering technique, and especially after bathing with Piaomiao in the lotus pool, his physique had attained the perfected state of a demon god’s body in both form and function. After his final encounter with Lie, he had even discarded the usage of vicious qi, and he was now solely controlling his own body’s blood and qi. His path was one of having his flesh and blood embody the world, fusing the specialties of Lie and the Night Emperor without being shackled by either. Even when it came to the saber, he had long since transformed the original ultimate moves of the Vicious Blood Saber Art. The sky-consuming storm of vicious qi that his saber once unleashed had since transformed into a cascading starry river. And, having reached the third layer of the Profound Control Realm, this transformation would only grow more apparent. So what exactly was missing? What had left this hollow disquiet in his chest? The lack of tempering was certainly a factor. But something external might also be triggering his instincts. Something not yet understood. I already know about the Back Eye... But what’s this tugging feeling coming from the southwest? Is it the looming confrontation? If the Heavenly Dao isn’t entirely dead, then it must be locked in a confrontation with Ye Wuming. But, despite Ye Wuming’s plans continuing smoothly, there haven’t been any signs of an actual counterattack. Aside from the vague backlash when I killed Dark Oblivion, the Heavenly Dao hasn’t made a move. Where’s the confrontation taking place? What’s the Heavenly Dao doing? Unfortunately, his mastery of karma remained too shallow. Every time he tried to divine the future, he saw nothing but haze. What should have been five days of internal cultivation ended after only a day and a half. Zhao Changhe opened his eyes, unsettled and uneasy. He scanned the surroundings. Huangfu Qing and Piaomiao had yet to return. Yue Hongling, Lady Three, and Xia Chichi were each tucked away in their own shimmering wave within the Heavenly River, cultivating in silence. Zhao Changhe’s figure flickered. He went to find Yue Hongling first. Of all of them, her sword heart was the clearest and most sensitive to danger. Perhaps she could offer insight. Sensing his approach, Yue Hongling opened her eyes and sighed softly. “Amidst the countless waves of this boundless Heavenly River, pinpointing a single person is no easy feat. Your cultivation is beyond what I can grasp.” Zhao Changhe leaned against her with a tired smile. “But when I ran into a problem, the first person I thought of was still you, Big Sister.” Yue Hongling chuckled. “You’re still calling me Big Sister? You’ve long since surpassed me.” “You’ll always be my Big Sister.” Yue Hongling smiled faintly. “Lately, with all of us training and sparring together, there’s been this strange, lingering feeling... as if we’re all just waiting for you to draw a name or flip a plaque. It’s like we’re an imperial harem awaiting favor. Is this how you treat your Big Sister?” “I never saw it that way.” “We know, but we all feel it... Do you know why Venerable Vermillion Bird couldn’t hold back and challenged Jiuyou? It’s not just a matter of cultivation but pride. Lady Three may not care. She’d rather sleep. But me? I’ll speak plainly: I don’t mind using you as a mirror for my own cultivation, but I won’t live as someone waiting for affection.” “Mm, I understand...” “I’ve been thinking. Once this is over, you’d best not have everyone live together. Even I find it difficult. Those two ancient demon gods with entire worlds of their own will certainly find it suffocating.” “I know. I never intended for everyone to live under one roof. I only hoped that there wouldn’t be that great a distance between each of our hearts. This gathering was purely for the coming war.” “Then this issue you mentioned, does it have to do with the battle ahead?” “Yes... I came to ask whether you’ve felt anything strange lately—any heart palpitations or sword heart warnings?” “No, but I have felt something else.” Yue Hongling’s brow furrowed. “I have a strong premonition that I’ll fight the Sword Emperor again. It’s odd. He has his own pride, and we’ve never been true enemies. I don’t understand where this comes from. Perhaps it’s purely the predetermined fate of those who cultivate the Dao of the sword?” Zhao Changhe pondered a moment, then gave a faint smile. “I think I understand now. Thank you, Big Sister.” “Is there a need to say thanks between us?” “Then how about a kiss?” “Scram. You still smell like Xia Chichi.” Yue Hongling shoved him hard, sending him flying out of the wave. “If this heroine of the jianghu wants anything, she’ll come to you herself. Don’t bother me during cultivation.” Zhao Changhe staggered out of the water, dripping and awkward. After a moment’s thought, he headed toward Lady Three. Yue Hongling had voiced her discomfort at the feeling of “waiting to be chosen.” Lady Three might seem nonchalant and lazy, only interested in sleep, but was she truly unbothered? Could that faint sense of unrest he felt be tied, in part, to his own guilt at not taking better care of everyone’s feelings? When he reached her, he found Lady Three lying sprawled open on the surface of the water, sleeping soundly. The waves beneath her had been kneaded into a plush cushion beneath her belly, rippling gently—a perfect demonstration of her command over water, shaping it like soft cotton. There were no waterways beneath the heavens that refused her will. She looked so peaceful and absurdly cute that Zhao Changhe did not want to wake her. He simply crouched beside her and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Strangely, although Lady Three had always been known for her laziness, she had never slept quite this much. These days, she really seemed like a tortoise retreating into its shell, sleeping for days at a time. And yet the aura of impending breakthrough surrounding her was thickening. In fact, it was comparable even to Huangfu Qing, who was actively striving toward one. Zhao Changhe suddenly understood. Lady Three was not just sleeping because she was lazy—her body was accumulating energy in preparation for a massive breakthrough. This tortoise-like slumber was her natural way of drawing in and storing immense energy. If breaking through the barriers of cultivation required transcending one’s original framework, then in hindsight, Lady Three might have been the very first to do so—effortlessly and without intent. The Sword Emperor had tried to integrate the White Tiger’s principles. Vermillion Bird sought fusion with Jiuyou’s laws of life and death. These were conscious, external evolutions. But Lady Three? She had long since melded Black Tortoise’s path with the Sea Emperor’s faith. Unconsciously, unknowingly, she had already surpassed the upper limits of her “intended path.” The tortoise that sought nothing gained everything. Still, her method of natural growth would require a massive accumulation period. The question was how to help her shorten that time. Conventional natural treasures of heaven and earth were far too weak for a third-layer Profound Control cultivator. As for dual cultivation, she and Zhao Changhe did not share the intense synergy he had with Jiuyou, so progress would still be gradual. After much thought, Zhao Changhe found no shortcut. But perhaps that was fine. Lady Three did not need pressure. She simply needed to be ready for when the opportunity came. Silently, he pulled out every high-grade cultivation treasure from his ring and piled them at her side before quietly leaving the Heavenly River. Just as he vanished, the slumbering Lady Three reached out in her sleep, gathered the treasures into her arms, smacked her lips in satisfaction, and smiled in her dreams. Zhao Changhe cultivated for one more day. The following morning, Huangfu Qing returned. He stepped out to greet her. She was standing by the riverbank, frowning in thought as if wrestling with some complex question. When she saw him emerge, she smiled faintly. “You came out much earlier than expected... So, have you stabilized your cultivation at the third layer?” “Mm-hm... Actually, I emerged quite a while ago,” Zhao Changhe admitted. “What about you? You look troubled.” “Perhaps I was too eager... Jiuyou did give me a lot to think about. But no matter how I tried, I couldn’t quite cross the threshold. It feels like I’m almost there, but I just can’t find the door.” She paused, hesitating before adding, “And during my meditation, I kept getting this sense of unease. A kind of... heart palpitating dread. I couldn’t pinpoint the source.” Zhao Changhe’s expression shifted. “Did you talk to Jiuyou or Piaomiao about it? What did they say?” “They felt nothing. It was just me.” Zhao Changhe inhaled sharply, his brow furrowing. Yue Hongling, with her Sword Heart Illumination, had not sensed anything. Piaomiao and Jiuyou, both of whom had superior cultivation, had not sensed anything either. Only Huangfu Qing and himself shared this strange premonition. Could it be because she’s Vermillion Bird and tied to the prophecy? Yue Hongling, after all, was only a substitute White Tiger. Her core cultivation did not align with it. Xia Chichi had inherited some of the White Tiger’s teachings, but her connection was shallow. Only Han Wubing could be considered the true inheritor. I mean, the prophecy was specifically tied to the Vermillion Bird and the White Tiger. Huangfu Qing fulfills the former. But what about the latter? If it isn’t Yue Hongling, and it isn’t Xia Chichi, then... is it Han Wubing? “Overthinking won’t solve it,” Huangfu Qing said with a faint smile. “It’s nothing new. We’ve all had these gut feelings in battle. It’s just that, without me, the Four Idols Formation loses serious power. This isn’t exactly ideal, seeing as it seems that a final confrontation is imminent.” Zhao Changhe shook his head. If this were the pull of karma, evading it would not help. It was better to face it while his strength and allies were at their peak. And now that he had an idea of where the danger might lie, he could keep a focused watch. This was better than wandering in the dark. “Where are Jiuyou and Piaomiao?” Piaomiao’s voice answered from above, “Jiuyou said she has some preparations to make. She told us to go on ahead and that she’ll catch up.” As they spoke, Yue Hongling, Lady Three, and Xia Chichi emerged from their respective training spots. None had made major breakthroughs, but all of them looked visibly refreshed and spirited. Clearly, Zhao Changhe’s efforts to check on each of them had worked—at the very least, it dispelled the mood of “waiting for affection,” and everyone was in good spirits. When the heart is light, cultivation always flows better. Seeing Huangfu Qing and Piaomiao return, the group waved and teased with bright smiles. “Back already? How’d the fight with Jiuyou go? You were our official representative, you know. You better not have embarrassed us!” Huangfu Qing tossed her previous frustration aside and replied with pride, “Naturally, it was my absolute victory.” Everyone laughed. None of them seriously believed Huangfu Qing could defeat Jiuyou in combat; the so-called “absolute victory” clearly took place on another battlefield. And they had all fought that kind of battle before. Lady Three chuckled. “You? With your level, and you dare say you claimed absolute victory?” Huangfu Qing snorted. “What’s wrong with my level? Seal the mouth of that little maid by Tang Wanzhuang’s side, and who else is even close to being my match?” Xia Chichi looked like she wanted to say something, then held her tongue. What level? If not for constantly punishing people with book-copying duties, even I could beat you. However, she ultimately decided not to argue, as she felt it was better to avoid getting hit again. Instead, she changed the subject. “Now that we’re all here, should we set out early? I’ve been away from the capital too long. Wanzhuang must be under a lot of pressure.” Zhao Changhe nodded. “Then let’s go. Jiuyou can descend at any time. Since she said she’d follow, we can move ahead. I’m a little worried about Sisi.” Keeping to the appointed time was one thing, but it did not mean they had to arrive exactly on time. The storm was already gathering over Miaojiang, and Sisi’s forces were limited. Any further delay might lead to disaster. Rushing a breakthrough just to go late would backfire. It would be better to arrive early and be at ease. As Zhao Changhe raised his hand and pressed forward, distorting space, everyone around him stared in amazement. “What are you doing? You can move this many people through space now?” Zhao Changhe smiled faintly. “From here to Miaojiang, it shouldn’t be a problem. Someday, I’ll take you all back to my hometown. I don’t think that day is far off.” The warped space shimmered. Then, within a blink, the surging Heavenly River disappeared, and the scene shifted to serene Cangshan and Erhai, bathed in soft autumn light. Sisi stood upon the heights of Cangshan, gazing down at the golden rice fields that stretched for a thousand li below. The plains beside Erhai had long been fertile. Miaojiang had adopted agriculture early on, long before Sisi’s efforts to assimilate the region. Beyond this area, Miaojiang still had vast stretches of arable land. The Spirit Tribe, newly migrated from their secret realm, had filled the gaps left by war and famine, taking up the plow. After much toil and effort, the results had finally come. In the troubled times of previous years, the people had barely survived. War, famine, corrupt officials, and predatory warlords were not the only problems. Natural disasters had been relentless. In the past decade alone, Miaojiang had suffered through five or six major droughts and plagues of locusts. The previous year had brought milder weather but also the ravages of war. Miaojiang had been so short on food that they had had to import grain from the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm and coordinate shipments through Li Sian from Jingxiang. That Sisi had managed to maintain her throne in Dali was not solely due to brute force. Her ability to keep her people fed had been equally crucial. If another disastrous year came, Miaojiang’s fragile peace would crumble once more. Sisi had prayed countless times to the ancestral god, pleading for a year of calm and prosperity—just one year. She did not want Miaojiang to fall apart under her rule. But prayers were only that. As far as she was concerned, divine favor had never done much. It was nothing more than a balm for the soul. And yet, this year, heaven truly seemed to be smiling. The weather had been perfect, and the harvest had been bountiful. Laughter rang across Miaojiang, and Sisi’s standing as queen reached an unprecedented high. Her heart finally eased. As she listened to the flattering words of Pan Wan and the others nearby, Sisi could not help but think, What’s the point of prestige anyway? If every year could be this peaceful, I wouldn’t need to be queen. I’d happily leave for the capital and curl up in his bed instead. People said the Heart-Bonding Gu allowed lovers to sense each other’s thoughts. But with thousands of li between them, it was not that miraculous. Most of the time, the bond might as well not have existed. Of course, if she called to him with enough force, he would feel it. But that was not something to be used lightly. It was her trump card, after all. It had been winter when they last parted, and now it was early autumn. People said one day apart felt like three seasons. So what was this, then? Going whole quarters of the year without seeing each other? Was that what her name[1] meant? That she was destined to spend her life longing in silence? But Sisi understood that Zhao Changhe had many burdens to carry. Their enemies had not yet been vanquished. Demon gods still loomed in the shadows, watching and waiting. Even the very land she stood on—the heartland of her people—was itself a volatile force. Her role as the queen of Miaojiang was not just to give the people a safe home. She had another, critical duty: to keep watch over that. To ensure that this buried danger did not destroy the Spirit Tribe and did not drag Miaojiang into war. In this world, outside of Zhao Changhe’s group, no other demon god cared whether mortals lived or died. Take Lie, for instance—he had once been born of the Spirit Tribe, too. “Your Highness, have you made your decision?” a voice echoed in her mind, transmitted from somewhere unseen. Sisi answered calmly, “I’ve already said it. Be it the blood of all beings or the blood of a single one, it’s not acceptable.” “Do you truly not understand? The one to awaken is your ancestral god. Do you think the blood of all beings matters more than the resurrection of your own progenitor? You can’t possibly be so naive.” Sisi’s voice remained composed. “The prosperity the Spirit Tribe enjoys today comes from the Spirit Tribe itself. If we owe anyone thanks, it is my husband. He has saved our people from disaster time and again, not any so-called god.” “Then you’re saying that even if your ancestral god awakens... the Spirit Tribe will not follow Him?” “That depends on what He does after He awakens.” Sisi’s tone did not waver. “My husband once asked a senior: if he was to scatter the gods and Buddhas, why then walk the path of gods and demons himself? Today, I return the same question.” “Because there are greater choices to be made. If you insist on this path, I will act. Your approval is no longer relevant.” “You require voluntary participation, don’t you? No matter how powerful you are, it doesn’t matter.” “Oh, but there is something that I can do. I could infect their beloved queen with a cursed toxin, one so potent it can only be cured by the blood sacrifice of the masses. They would then offer their blood freely and willingly. But out of respect for the incense bond between me and your husband, I’d rather not break with him completely. Don’t force my hand.” Sisi chuckled softly. “Your so-called patience in negotiating with me isn’t for my husband’s sake. I suspect you’re also waiting for... a particular time. Once that moment comes, you’ll stop hesitating and do whatever you must.” Sisi smiled and said, “Then, let me wager something with you. You won’t need to wait for that moment. My husband will arrive before then, and he’s not afraid of you.” 1. Sisi’s name, 思思, can literally mean “to ponder or think.” ☜