Feud Recap, Plot, Synopsis

Feud Synopsis

Hua Ruyue, the Immortal Venerable of the Four Spirits, and Bai Jiusi, the Great Accomplished Mystic Venerable, were once an inseparable pair of immortal lovers, sharing a common origin. Yet, a grave misunderstanding led to their bitter enmity. Following their painful separation, the devastating loss of their child, and Hua Ruyue's brutal demise, both wrestled fiercely with their conflicting emotions of love and hatred. They eventually realized they were merely pawns in a much grander scheme. As an immense catastrophe loomed, they set aside their personal animosities and united their strength to protect all of existence.

Feud Recap

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Li Qingyue had been a gatekeeping disciple of the top cultivation sect, Jingyun Sect, for eleven years, yet remained an ordinary disciple. Still, she kept an upward heart, firmly believing that one day she would become a standout.

While she was dutifully guarding the mountain gate, she overheard the elders of the sect discussing that the next Sect Leader candidate, Jingyun Sect's number one disciple Meng Chu, had violated sect rules for falling in love with a demon girl and refusing to repent. He was to be expelled from the sect. Just then, Qu Xingman slowly approached the gate. Li Qingyue, guarding the entrance, was no match for her and was defeated in a single move.

Qu Xingman easily entered the sect — she had come to rescue her beloved Meng Chu. Qu Xingman caused havoc in Jingyun Sect and even used Li Qingyue as a human shield. Because she was unable to dodge due to her role and position, Li Qingyue was struck by a sword thrust by a sect elder and was seriously injured.

After just one day of rest, when Li Qingyue was still gravely wounded, Senior Brother Jiang Bian came to summon her to guard the gate again. But since she was still unfit, Jiang Bian had to take her place. Jiang Bian lived up to his name, chattering incessantly in front of Li Qingyue. Li Qingyue had wanted to ask him for a cup of water, but Jiang Bian never gave her a chance to speak.

After talking nonstop about how the demon girl stirred up trouble in the sect, he turned and left. Due to internal injuries, Li Qingyue needed medicine. However, the medicine hall told her she had to be treated by Lv Suguan first before she could get it. At that time, though, Lv Suguan was completely preoccupied with Qu Xingman and had no intention of treating anyone.

Before leaving, Lv Suguan still told Li Qingyue to go up the mountain to find some Gold Marrow Grass. With no other choice, Li Qingyue had to climb the cliff herself to gather the herb. While picking herbs, she encountered a monkey guarding the plants. Startled by the monkey, she fell off the cliff. Just as she was about to hit the ground, her body suddenly stopped in mid-air. Countless water droplets appeared around her, gradually gathering into human form.

Bai Jiusi appeared in front of her. Li Qingyue was deeply captivated by Bai Jiusi's ethereal and otherworldly aura, frozen in awe. The monkey that had fallen off the cliff with her suddenly woke up and, enraged, lunged at Bai Jiusi. Fearing Bai Jiusi would be knocked over, Li Qingyue instinctively rushed forward. The two of them ended up falling together into a bed of flowers, embracing each other. Li Qingyue’s pure-hearted nature also caught Bai Jiusi’s attention.

After returning, Li Qingyue kept thinking about the encounter, wondering if he was her fated one from the heavens. To find clarity, she even read some romance novels. Just then, Senior Brother Zhang Suan came to deliver her medicine. Seizing the opportunity, Li Qingyue asked him about the customs of betrothal gifts. Since she didn’t get a definite answer, she brought all her life savings and went to see Bai Jiusi, claiming it was her betrothal gift to him.

Bai Jiusi was very surprised and seemed to recognize her. Li Qingyue ignored his questions and began introducing her family background. Bai Jiusi accepted the betrothal gift and followed her back to Jingyun Sect. After returning to the sect, Li Qingyue had to hide Bai Jiusi to prevent others from discovering him. Even when fetching meals, she took portions for two people, which raised suspicion among her fellow disciples.

Bai Jiusi was also very delicate — he refused to wear the plain clothes Li Qingyue had found and found the sect’s food unpalatable. At night, Li Qingyue even gave up her bed for Bai Jiusi and slept on the floor herself. Wanting to find fruits that Bai Jiusi liked, Li Qingyue went out to search. When she returned that night, she happened to encounter Lv Suguan attempting to escape with Meng Chu.

Lv Suguan forcibly dragged Li Qingyue into their plan. Zhang Suan, worried about Li Qingyue, came to check on her room that night. Qu Xingman took all the blame for the attempted escape and still insisted on her love for Meng Chu without admitting any wrongdoing. Li Qingyue was mistakenly seen as one of the people who helped Qu Xingman escape.

She tried to explain herself but was reported for harboring a man in her room — suspected to be someone from a demonic sect. The three were imprisoned. Qu Xingman asked Li Qingyue if she really had taken in an outsider. At that moment, Li Qingyue didn’t know how to respond — just as Bai Jiusi appeared at the place where she was being held.

The sect leader sent people to search Li Qingyue’s room. Although they didn’t find any outsiders, they did find traces that someone else had been there. Jiang Bian even brought out a man’s clothing from Li Qingyue’s room, insisting she must be hiding someone. Zhang Suan kept defending her. At that moment, Zhang Suan’s master wanted him to return to his side.

It turned out Zhang Suan had voluntarily guarded the mountain gate for three years, and still insisted on continuing. Li Qingyue was very happy to see Bai Jiusi and asked him to help clarify things. However, Bai Jiusi lied, claiming that he, too, was a member of the demonic sect. Upon hearing this, Li Qingyue recalled what had happened to Meng Chu and decided to distance herself from Bai Jiusi.

The sect leader brought Li Qingyue to the main hall, where the elders questioned her about who was in her room. Since Bai Jiusi had admitted to being from the demonic sect earlier, Li Qingyue hesitated, but under the elders’ pressure, she had no choice but to say his name. The elders didn’t believe her, because “Bai Jiusi” was the name of Heavenly Lord Dacheng, and they thought Li Qingyue was lying.

News of Li Qingyue hiding Bai Jiusi spread quickly throughout the inner sect. Many of her fellow disciples found it hilarious, and Jiang Bian kept spreading rumors among them. Zhang Suan wanted to rescue Li Qingyue but was stopped by a junior who had joined the sect with him. Because Li Qingyue couldn’t say where Bai Jiusi was, the sect elders decided to abolish her cultivation and expel her from the sect.

Just as they were inflicting pain on her, Bai Jiusi suddenly appeared to stop them. The elders assumed Bai Jiusi was a demonic cultivator and tried to set up a formation to fight him, but they were no match for him. Just as they were about to act, Xuanwei, who had been in closed-door cultivation, appeared and acknowledged Bai Jiusi’s identity. Only then did everyone in the inner sect believe Li Qingyue.

Bai Jiusi also publicly declared that Li Qingyue was his Dao companion. Li Qingyue lay on a bed and woke from his coma, surrounded by sect members. Everyone tried hard to curry favor with Li Qingyue, especially Jiang Bian, who had previously spoken ill of her and now tried his best to please her. Li Qingyue was still in a daze, not knowing what had happened while she was unconscious.

When she saw Bai Jiusi in the main hall, she was filled with confusion. The elders once again confirmed whether Bai Jiusi had chosen Li Qingyue as his Dao companion. After Bai Jiusi gave a firm affirmation, the elders began praising Li Qingyue. One elder even said they would hold the wedding ceremony for Bai Jiusi. Li Qingyue was still puzzled when she heard this, and was surprised to learn that she was the one marrying Bai Jiusi.

Just as she was about to ask Bai Jiusi, he left. To prepare for Li Qingyue’s wedding, the elders began to inquire into her background. They wanted to see if she might secretly be the descendant of some reclusive master. But Li Qingyue’s family was very ordinary—she had no other relatives left.

Zhang Suan was assigned to protect Li Qingyue, and when he learned that she had once lived with Bai Jiusi and had feelings for him, he felt a bit disappointed. Since it was the wedding of Heavenly Lord Dacheng, the elders placed great importance on it. As Li Qingyue was alone, her master Qingyang was required to attend on the day of the wedding.

When Qingyang returned and met Li Qingyue, everyone around had been flattering and praising her these past days, but only her master calmly asked whether she had truly thought about the path ahead and the many inappropriateness that might come from marrying Bai Jiusi. With her master’s guidance, Li Qingyue went to find Bai Jiusi and asked why he had chosen her. She learned that Bai Jiusi truly liked her.

Joyful, on the way back to the sect, she was found by Lv Suguan, who wanted her to intercede on her behalf. Li Qingyue brought up the times she had previously sought help from Lv Suguan and how she had been dragged into sharing blame that night. She advised Lv Suguan to let go—everyone had their own cultivation path and shouldn’t interfere with others so easily. Zhang Suan was deeply saddened to see Li Qingyue getting married.

Li Qingyue carefully selected many spiritual herbs and gave them to Zhang Suan, hoping they would help him recover his meridians and become a prodigy once more. On the day of the wedding, the entire sect came together to send Li Qingyue off to the Ninth Heaven. As she left, Li Qingyue turned back and took one final look at Zhang Suan.

Li Qingyue arrived at Canglei Palace, where the steward Cang Tu and the maidservant Ning Yan came to greet her. When Li Qingyue saw the scenery in the courtyard, she was surprised—she thought the place where Bai Jiusi lived would be modest. But upon hearing it was prepared for her, she felt somewhat awkward. Li Qingyue had thought she would live with Bai Jiusi, and had imagined a grand ceremony for their wedding, which clearly wasn’t the case.

After settling Li Qingyue in, Cang Tu went to report to Bai Jiusi, who was reminded of his past with her. Li Qingyue waited anxiously all day, but even by evening, Bai Jiusi had not come. Ning Yan thought Li Qingyue would be very upset and went to comfort her, only to find that Li Qingyue was simply hungry.

Since they were in the immortal realm, where immortals rarely ate, Ning Yan could only bring her some fruits to stave off hunger. After a few bites, Li Qingyue instantly felt invigorated and marveled at how amazing the fruit was. It turned out the fruits she had eaten were from Ning Yan, who had cultivated into an immortal from a divine tree.

After eating her fill, Li Qingyue, with nothing else to do, wanted to seek out Bai Jiusi and consummate their marriage. But the area was vast, and there was no path down the mountain—only flight would get her there. Since Li Qingyue could not fly and could not leave her station, she had to use Ning Yan’s vines to slowly descend.

Although she made it down the mountain, the vastness of the Nine Heavens meant it would take ten days to reach Bai Jiusi’s residence. Determined not to be the bride who spent her wedding night alone, Li Qingyue resolved to stay awake for ten days and ten nights.

That night, Li Qingyue entered a forest and wandered into a stone forest, where three brothers had once made a bet involving a mortal woman and were now too ashamed to open their eyes. After chatting, they learned Li Qingyue couldn’t fly and decided to teach her a lesson. Following Ning Yan’s advice, Li Qingyue announced herself as Bai Jiusi’s wife, but the brothers still didn’t back down and ended up injuring her.

When Li Qingyue next woke, she found herself in a room, lying on a bed. She quickly took out her medicine to treat her injuries and began to look around. The room was very large and elegant in a simple way. She tried to speak with someone, but finding the room empty, she quietly packed her things and left.

At the main hall, Bai Jiusi was in the middle of a meeting with other immortals when the topic of Li Qingyue came up. Just then, Li Qingyue entered the hall. No one recognized her, and since she had intruded without permission, they scolded her and told her to leave. Bai Jiusi then introduced her identity to the others. Li Qingyue returned to their residence with Bai Jiusi and brought out fruits she had once picked for him.

Seeing the fruits, Bai Jiusi was reminded of their past together. He thought Li Qingyue had brought them up on purpose to provoke him, but Li Qingyue looked completely confused. After Li Qingyue left, Zhang Suan continued to train hard. However, the spiritual medicine Li Qingyue had given him could only strengthen his body, not restore his energy core.

Zhang Suan was still unable to recover his past power, and during his free time, he continued to think about Li Qingyue. On their wedding night, Li Qingyue asked Bai Jiusi when he had started liking her. Bai Jiusi refused to say. Li Qingyue shared her tragic life story—how she had always been ignored until Bai Jiusi came into her life and made her feel what it was like to be protected. Bai Jiusi was deeply moved by her words.

The next morning, when Li Qingyue woke again, Bai Jiusi was nowhere to be seen. Cang Tu brought her some fruit for the road and, citing rules, told her she had to leave. Left with no choice, Li Qingyue departed. Cang Tu found Bai Jiusi fishing and informed him that Fan Jiaojiao was getting married that night. Since Fan Jiaojiao took a wife every year, Bai Jiusi paid it no mind.

That evening, Li Qingyue got lost after wandering into a forest. She bumped into a woman in red, who panicked and warned her about a man-eating demon before running off. Li Qingyue stumbled into a wedding procession. Mistaking her for the bride, the group sealed her mouth before she could explain. She fainted upon being placed into the bridal sedan. In a daze, Li Qingyue was brought to the wedding site. At the critical moment of the ceremony, Bai Jiusi arrived.

Fan Jiaojiao, upon realizing he had married the wrong person—and that it was actually his master’s wife—panicked and kept trying to explain himself to Bai Jiusi. Cang Tu also kept explaining to Li Qingyue and briefly introduced her to the general situation of the Nine Heavens. After Cang Tu left, Li Qingyue was alone. She felt thirsty but couldn’t find a cup to hold water, so she searched everywhere and discovered a child hiding inside a cabinet.

The child insisted on telling Li Qingyue a story. Helpless, Li Qingyue listened for a bit and was shocked to realize the story was about her. She quickly covered her ears, unwilling to hear more. At the end of the tale, the child suddenly tried to eat her, startling Li Qingyue. Just then, Ningyan appeared and drove the child away.

Ningyan explained that the child was called Yin Tongzi, who fed on brains, and next time if they met again, Li Qingyue could just cover her ears and not listen to the story. After the experience of being mistakenly married, Bai Jiusi didn’t ask Li Qingyue to return to her former residence. Instead, she stayed at Bai Jiusi’s place, and Ningyan was brought to keep her company. Li Qingyue was putting on makeup.

Ningyan was surprised, not understanding what makeup was, thinking that Li Qingyue was painting on her own face. Li Qingyue dressed herself up exquisitely and went to see Bai Jiusi. But at Bai Jiusi’s door, the two gatekeepers—the Great General and the Grand Marshal—argued over who should report her arrival and ended up fighting. Li Qingyue waited the entire day, but the two hadn’t finished fighting. Helpless, she returned.

When she came again the next day, the same thing happened—the two were fighting again, and she had no choice but to leave. Li Qingyue believed Bai Jiusi was angry at her for carelessly getting married to someone else in a wedding ceremony, yet she couldn't even see him. Not knowing much about relationships between men and women, Li Qingyue imitated the methods from romance novels and boldly confessed her love to Bai Jiusi in different ways.

The stories in the books spread quickly in the immortal realm and eventually reached Bai Jiusi’s ears. As she spent more time with Yin Tongzi, Li Qingyue became less afraid of him. They even spent their days together, and Yin Tongzi loved the fruit she had. While Li Qingyue was reading a book, Bai Jiusi suddenly showed up and took away all her books.

But Li Qingyue had already memorized the contents and that night secretly sneaked into Bai Jiusi’s room, although it didn’t have much effect. Still, she wanted Bai Jiusi to teach her magic. At first, Bai Jiusi was confused. Li Qingyue explained that her spiritual power was weak and she couldn’t always trouble Bai Jiusi.

Besides, since Bai Jiusi shone like the sun and moon and she was merely a mortal who would age and die, she hoped to cultivate so she could spend more time with him. Moved by her words, Bai Jiusi agreed to teach her. While learning magic, Li Qingyue unintentionally revealed that she could control Fire-Parting. Having eaten Ningyan’s fruit for a long time, Li Qingyue grew a little tired of it.

Ningyan suggested she ask Bai Jiusi to build a kitchen for her. Li Qingyue thought Bai Jiusi would easily agree, but he refused. So she proposed a chess match—if she won, he would have to build the kitchen. While they were playing, Fan Ling Er returned. Hearing there was a young lady visiting Bai Jiusi, Li Qingyue grew jealous and used the excuse of bringing tea to see who it was. Upon seeing Li Qingyue, Fan Ling Er became hostile.

It was her father, Fan Jiaojiao, who held her back. Fan Ling Er had always liked Bai Jiusi. Back at her own place, she blamed her father for hiding the fact that Bai Jiusi had married. But after seeing Li Qingyue’s appearance, she understood why Bai Jiusi would choose to marry a mortal. That night, unwilling to give up, Fan Ling Er sent a shadow to assassinate Li Qingyue.

The shadow approached Li Qingyue’s bed and was about to strike when Yin Tongzi, hidden inside the cabinet, suddenly opened the door and spoke, giving Li Qingyue a chance to react. Li Qingyue fought with the shadow, but because her spiritual power was weak, she was no match and took the opportunity to escape. She ran off to find Ningyan, who had turned into a divine tree to rest, but no matter how much she called, Ningyan wouldn’t wake up.

Meanwhile, Fan Jiaojiao came looking for Fan Ling Er, worried that his daughter might act impulsively and cause trouble for Li Qingyue. He tried to persuade her to let go of personal feelings and consider the bigger picture. Fan Ling Er didn’t say much, just brushed him off. Seeing his daughter acting so nonchalant, Fan Jiaojiao thought nothing had happened.

But as he was leaving, he noticed her shadow was missing and realized she had used the Shadow Killing Technique to try to assassinate Li Qingyue. He immediately rushed to stop it. Li Qingyue was forced to the edge of a cliff by the shadow. Caught off guard, she fell. Bai Jiusi sensed Li Qingyue was in danger. Just before she hit the bottom, a vine caught her. However, a white flood dragon appeared in the lake below.

Li Qingyue panicked, not knowing what to do. Bai Jiusi arrived in time and forced the dragon back into the lake. Bai Jiusi asked Li Qingyue why she was at the bottom of the lake. Li Qingyue told him she had been attacked, but Bai Jiusi didn’t believe her, thinking she had ulterior motives. He even considered killing her, but when he saw that she wasn’t lying, he couldn't bear to do it. Watching her fall unconscious, he withdrew.

Zhang Suan, constantly worried that Li Qingyue might be bullied in the heavens, had been training hard, determined to ascend and find her. His master, seeing his dedication, told him that the Chiyang Fruit was about to mature. It could not only heal Zhang Suan’s damaged Qi Sea but also help him ascend. However, many people would fight over it. Zhang Suan made up his mind to seize it and asked about the origin of the Heavenly Lord Dacheng.

He also inquired about a former ancient god named Divine Lord Siling, who could rival Bai Jiusi and used to live in the Canglei Palace, the first place Li Qingyue had stayed after arriving in the Nine Heavens. It was Bai Jiusi who led a group to kill Divine Lord Siling and even took control of her white snake mount. Li Qingyue remained unconscious. Bai Jiusi investigated the attempted assassination, but no one had seen any shadow.

Because of her cultivation technique, Ningyan had lost all five senses and was unaware of what had happened. Fan Jiaojiao and Fan Ling Er were also present, listening to Cang Tu’s report. Fan Ling Er deliberately misled them, claiming Li Qingyue had made an excuse to approach the Cold Pool. Fan Jiaojiao, afraid his daughter would get into trouble and expose the truth, urged her to either leave or confess and apologize.

Li Qingyue finally woke up, much to Ningyan’s joy. The first thing Li Qingyue asked was whether Bai Jiusi had visited her. Upon learning he hadn’t, she began to question the true reason Bai Jiusi had married her. She even asked Ningyan about the origins of the white snake in the Cold Pool. But Ningyan only knew the Cold Pool was a forbidden area and had no knowledge of the snake.

Meanwhile, Bai Jiusi learned that the seal of Hell Ruins had weakened again and rushed off to reinforce it. Li Qingyue wanted to go out but discovered that Bai Jiusi had ordered the Grand Marshal and Great General to guard her courtyard, preventing her from coming and going freely. So she decided to learn magic from Ningyan. Bai Jiusi went to find Yin Tongzi and finally learned the truth about what had happened that night.

Realizing he had wrongly accused Li Qingyue, Bai Jiusi immediately ordered a kitchen to be built for her. Li Qingyue also heard from Yin Tongzi that Bai Jiusi had been secretly visiting her. Knowing Bai Jiusi truly cared for her, their relationship deepened once again. She also unexpectedly found out that the white snake at the bottom of the Cold Pool was going to be refined the next day.

At night, Li Qingyue used puppet magic to pretend she was secretly cultivating, then went to the bottom of the Cold Pool. Bai Jiusi also wanted to observe Li Qingyue’s feelings toward the white snake, so he checked on her that night. At first, he felt relieved seeing Li Qingyue cultivating, but when he realized she was using puppet magic, he immediately rushed to the bottom of the Cold Pool and found her attempting to kill the white snake.

He intervened to stop her. However, since Li Qingyue had already sustained serious injuries, Bai Jiusi, acting out of urgency, struck too hard and caused her to fall unconscious on the spot. Li Qingyue's injuries were extremely severe, and Bai Jiusi had no choice but to call Li Mo back for help with treatment.

However, because Li Qingyue had previously taken a pill that forcibly increased her cultivation, her body couldn’t withstand it, and now she had suffered severe internal injuries. She was suffering from backlash and beyond medical help. In order to understand what Li Qingyue had done, Bai Jiusi had Li Mo wake her up and asked her about trying to slay the white snake.

It turned out Li Qingyue wanted to kill the snake because, in her childhood, she saw it arrive at her village and bring disaster to the people. It was also the reason she lost all her family and ended up following her master to the Jingyun Sect—she wanted revenge. Bai Jiusi didn’t want Li Qingyue to die like this. From Li Mo, he learned that a Chiyang Fruit was about to appear in the mortal world.

It could help one become an immortal. If Li Qingyue, as a mortal, became an immortal, she wouldn’t have to die. Ningyan, upon learning that Li Qingyue was dying, also pleaded with Bai Jiusi to save her. Meanwhile, Zhang Suan was also competing with his fellow disciples for the Chiyang Fruit. However, because it was guarded by a divine beast, no one could easily obtain it. Instead, Bai Jiusi appeared and effortlessly took the Chiyang Fruit.

Zhang Suan was unwilling to accept that he had lost the only chance to ascend to the heavens and see Li Qingyue. He tried to stop Bai Jiusi but couldn't even withstand a single move from him. He watched helplessly as Bai Jiusi left with what he saw as his only hope, and hatred began to grow in his heart. After saving Li Qingyue, she was deeply moved and grateful, declaring that her life now belonged to Bai Jiusi.

But suddenly, Bai Jiusi coughed up blood and seemed seriously injured. Li Qingyue was very worried, but Bai Jiusi didn’t tell her the truth and simply asked her to leave first. Zhang Suan, after being struck by Bai Jiusi, was seriously injured and remained unconscious for three days. Lv Suguan saved him. Upon waking, Zhang Suan, unwilling to accept the loss of his only chance, immediately sought out his master.

After inquiring, he learned that the Chiyang Fruit was ineffective on immortals. From this, he deduced that something must have happened to Li Qingyue, which was why Bai Jiusi had descended to the mortal realm to fight for the Chiyang Fruit to prolong her life. After consuming the Chiyang Fruit, Li Qingyue’s cultivation progressed rapidly. Grateful for Bai Jiusi’s actions, Li Qingyue wanted to repay him and decided to make him some delicious food.

However, since Bai Jiusi was in seclusion, she didn’t get to see him. Bai Jiusi had been cultivating to heal his injuries—the very injuries inflicted on him by Li Qingyue in her past life on the day of their wedding, when she ambushed him. Bored during her free time, Li Qingyue stayed with Ningyan, constantly worrying that Bai Jiusi might starve during his seclusion.

From Ningyan, she learned that Bai Jiusi would enter seclusion once every ten years, possibly to repair old wounds. Fan Jiaojiao was preparing to get married again, and Fan Ling Er personally delivered an invitation to Li Qingyue. But because of the previous incident with the mistaken wedding, Li Qingyue didn’t intend to attend to avoid awkwardness. Fan Ling Er said she had some personal belongings of Bai Jiusi’s to give her and asked Li Qingyue to come alone. Without giving it much thought, Li Qingyue followed her alone.

Fan Ling Er brought Li Qingyue to a room filled with valuable jewelry and had her sit in front of a mirror, where she saw Siling and learned about the past between Bai Jiusi and Siling. That was when she realized Fan Ling Er held a grudge against her. But everything had happened so suddenly that she couldn't accept it right away and was a bit flustered.

In her panic, she noticed that Fan Ling Er’s shadow looked very much like the one that had tried to assassinate her previously. When Fan Ling Er saw that Li Qingyue had realized the truth, she attempted to kill her to silence her. However, Li Qingyue’s magical power had improved, so she was able to hold her own against Fan Ling Er for a while.

Li Qingyue accidentally broke into the Hell Ruins, a place where monsters had once been imprisoned, and encountered a little girl. At first, she was warm and friendly, but she soon noticed something strange about the child. By pretending and testing, she discovered that the little girl was actually a monster. Once the monster realized she had been exposed, she stopped pretending and transformed into her true form—an old woman—and fought Li Qingyue.

She also sensed Bai Jiusi’s aura on Li Qingyue, which made her attacks even more vicious. During the battle, Fan Jiaojiao appeared and helped Li Qingyue restrain the monster, giving Li Qingyue the opportunity to kill it. When Ning Yan learned that Li Qingyue had entered the Hell Ruins, she went to inform Bai Jiusi, who was still in seclusion. Upon hearing that Li Qingyue was in danger, Bai Jiusi rushed to her aid without regard for his own safety.

The monster, realizing she couldn't escape, tried to drag Li Qingyue down with her and have them both sealed in that place. At the crucial moment, Bai Jiusi appeared. When the monster saw him, she brought up the identity of Siling and claimed that Li Qingyue was just a replacement. That statement deeply wounded Li Qingyue’s heart. Meanwhile, Zhang Suan also had thoughts of ascending to the Ninth Heaven.

He spoke about how he met Li Qingyue and how he had come to like her. His fellow sect members were shocked to hear that Zhang Suan and Bai Jiusi were in love with the same person. They even advised Bai Jiusi to let go, saying that even if Zhang Suan really did ascend, he wouldn’t have the power to help Li Qingyue now. After Fan Ling Er’s plot was exposed, she was brought before Bai Jiusi.

Still unwilling to accept defeat, she received pleas for mercy from Fan Jiaojiao on her behalf. Bai Jiusi left the matter to Li Qingyue, who cast Fan Ling Er into the Guixu Realm. Bai Jiusi asked Li Qingyue about the release of Hong Lian in the Hell Ruins, but instead, Li Qingyue questioned him about the origins of the Siling people. Although Bai Jiusi was extremely reluctant, his silence confirmed the truth to Li Qingyue.

She was heartbroken—she had thought Bai Jiusi truly liked her, only to realize she was merely a stand-in for someone else. After returning, she was devastated and in a foul mood. Ning Yan, worried, even brought her medicine to help, but Li Qingyue ignored her and even knocked the medicine over, leaving Ning Yan very surprised. Still resentful, Fan Ling Er was imprisoned in the cold Guixu Realm. Yet she showed no fear and entered calmly.

On a rainy night, a drunkard was thrown out of a shop by a server. The drunk begged for more wine, but the inn refused to sell. Furious in the rain, the drunkard suddenly saw a woman in red holding an umbrella passing by. She was stunningly beautiful and seductive, and he was so captivated that he followed her. Bai Jiusi, dressed in clothes Li Qingyue had prepared for him, went to see her, intending to confess his love.

Seeing Bai Jiusi wearing her clothes, Li Qingyue’s anger immediately softened, though she remained stubborn in speech. Upon learning that Bai Jiusi intended to take her to capture Hong Lian, Li Qingyue became excited. They descended to the mortal world together. Along the way, Li Qingyue was constantly jealous over Siling. Seeing how deserted the streets were, Bai Jiusi suspected that Hong Lian might already be causing chaos. Li Qingyue found out that someone had already died—a man named Xu Ying—so the two of them headed to the home of the deceased.

Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue arrived at the deceased’s home. From the words of the deceased’s wife, they learned that he often drank at the largest brothel, Lanyue Tower, and she earnestly pleaded with Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue to capture the demon and avenge her husband. That night, Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue went to Lanyue Tower, which was brightly lit and crowded with people.

Li Qingyue was puzzled—there had been hardly anyone on the streets during the day due to the demon attacks, but at night Lanyue Tower was packed. After they sat down, Bai Jiusi told Li Qingyue about Hong Lian’s origin: only the blood from a poet’s heart could ease her pain. Just as he finished speaking, music began, and Hong Lian danced gracefully with the rhythm, earning waves of applause.

Li Qingyue suggested capturing her immediately, but Bai Jiusi explained that this was only one of Hong Lian’s clones, and even if they caught her, it wouldn’t help. On stage, Hong Lian acted seductively and pitifully, using every ounce of charm to attract the attention of all the men, many of whom offered her their treasures. Surrounded by admirers, Hong Lian noticed that only Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue remained indifferent at their table, which piqued her interest.

She personally invited Li Qingyue upstairs for a drink, and Li Qingyue agreed with pleasure. Li Qingyue learned that Hong Lian was waiting for someone. After returning, she asked Bai Jiusi about it. Though Bai Jiusi knew who Hong Lian was waiting for, he was unwilling to summon him. Li Qingyue then asked why Hong Lian had been sealed in the Hell Ruins.

Bai Jiusi recalled that it was because she had spread a plague and was jointly sealed by him and Divine Lord Siling. Upon hearing this story, Li Qingyue became jealous again. That night, while Li Qingyue was asleep, Hong Lian secretly entered and brought her into an illusion she had created. In this dream world, Hong Lian showed Li Qingyue several of her past memories. Hong Lian had experienced countless romances, but none of the men had treated her sincerely.

Since then, she believed all men were heartless—except for Li Mo. No matter what tricks she used, Li Mo never fell for her, and that became a lingering obsession in her heart. Bai Jiusi found Hong Lian, and Hong Lian threatened him with Li Qingyue’s life, demanding that he summon Li Mo in exchange. Bai Jiusi used a blood curse to summon Li Mo. Hong Lian then opened the entrance to her illusion and let Bai Jiusi in.

Without hesitation, Bai Jiusi entered and was able to recognize the real Li Qingyue among the many illusions. However, he could not leave the dream world unless Hong Lian dispelled it. Zhang Suan sought out Qu Xingman, bringing with him a letter written by Meng Chu asking her to help Zhang Suan ascend to the Ninth Heaven. With Meng Chu’s letter, Qu Xingman directly opened the Heavenly Ladder.

Zhang Suan guessed that climbing the ladder would come with a severe price. Qu Xingman told him he would have to endure soul-crushing agony that would transform his entire being. She also made Zhang Suan promise to deliver letters to Meng Chu regularly and gave him poison, telling him that he must take an antidote each month to ease the suffering. While staying in the illusion, Li Qingyue and Bai Jiusi suddenly saw more of Hong Lian’s memories.

They decided to observe the past between Hong Lian and Li Mo together, hoping to find a way out. Li Mo had discovered the reason Hong Lian harmed people and, wanting to help her and stop her from hurting others, decided to seek a cure for her condition. Because the resentment within Hong Lian was so deep, it would not be easily resolved.

Over a long period of interaction, Hong Lian constantly tried to seduce Li Mo into falling in love with her, but Li Mo stated that he was devoted solely to cultivation and had no interest in romantic affairs. Watching this, Li Qingyue was puzzled—could Li Mo truly remain untouched by love? Just as they were watching the tender moments between Li Mo and Hong Lian, Hong Lian suddenly cried out in pain.

During the process of Li Mo healing Hong Lian, she suddenly went into a frenzy. Li Mo used his own blood to stabilize her emotions. When Hong Lian woke up and saw the severely injured Li Mo, she was heartbroken. After Li Qingyue finished watching the past between Li Mo and Hong Lian, she recalled that Bai Jiusi had once said Hong Lian had been sealed for over a hundred years and her spiritual power was greatly weakened.

Creating an illusion capable of trapping Bai Jiusi wouldn't be easy, so she suggested that Bai Jiusi destroy the entire illusion directly. Bai Jiusi followed Li Qingyue’s suggestion, destroyed the illusion, and when he emerged, he saw the injured Hong Lian—it turned out the illusion was created by Hong Lian using her true form. Unwilling to be subdued just like that, Hong Lian fled. Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue chased after her but were separated.

Xu Ying’s wife found Li Qingyue, claiming her husband had turned into a zombie. Li Qingyue followed her back home and discovered that Xu Ying was actually being controlled, not resurrected. Li Qingyue subdued him easily. Meanwhile, Bai Jiusi caught up with Hong Lian, and the two began to fight. Because Bai Jiusi had forced himself out of seclusion to save Li Qingyue, he hadn’t fully healed, and his spiritual power was damaged.

Due to a lack of vigilance, Li Qingyue drank the tea offered by Xu Ying’s wife and fell unconscious. Bai Jiusi sensed Li Qingyue was in danger and tried to go rescue her, but Hong Lian blocked his way. Xu Ying’s wife blamed Li Qingyue and Bai Jiusi. It turned out she was the one who had killed Xu Ying. Xu Ying was an alcoholic and treated his wife poorly.

Encouraged by Hong Lian, she mustered the courage to kill him. Xu Ying’s wife stabbed Li Qingyue with a knife. Because Bai Jiusi had once used a spell to link their bodies so they could sense each other, Li Qingyue’s injury also affected Bai Jiusi. Just as Li Qingyue was in grave danger, Li Mo suddenly arrived and saved her. He then went to help Bai Jiusi fight Hong Lian.

Upon seeing Li Mo, Hong Lian no longer wanted to continue fighting and tried to approach him, but Li Mo struck her down, leaving her heartbroken. Zhang Suan endured immense torment while climbing the Heavenly Ladder but still didn’t turn back, determined to reach the Ninth Heaven. Li Mo briefly treated Bai Jiusi’s injuries, but because they were so severe, Bai Jiusi would need several months to fully recover.

Since Bai Jiusi was injured, none of them were a match for Hong Lian anymore, so they had no choice but to hide. Li Qingyue was somewhat surprised because she had seen how well Li Mo and Hong Lian got along in the past, but this encounter was nothing like what she had seen in the illusion. So she asked Li Mo about their relationship and history, hoping to resolve their grievances.

Li Mo recounted their past to Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue. It turned out that Li Mo had always kept Hong Lian by his side to help treat illnesses. Although he could help her dispel the internal heat in her body, it also stirred jealousy in her heart. To prevent Li Mo from treating other women, Hong Lian tampered with his medicine. Li Mo, not wanting her to harm anyone else, decided to part ways with her.

Li Qingyue asked if Li Mo had ever fallen in love with Hong Lian or any other woman. But Li Mo had never experienced romantic feelings and did not understand such matters. Li Qingyue believed Li Mo probably did like Hong Lian—he just didn’t realize it himself. In order to force Li Mo to come out and meet her, Hong Lian planned to freeze the entire village. Li Mo, unwilling to run anymore, decided to go explain things to her.

But Li Qingyue was worried that he might say the wrong thing and further anger Hong Lian. Determined to make Li Mo stop avoiding her, Hong Lian continued her plan to freeze the village. Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue joined forces to resist Hong Lian’s attack while Li Mo tried to persuade her to stop. Because of his serious injuries, Bai Jiusi could not withstand Hong Lian’s power.

Li Qingyue tried to shield Bai Jiusi, and Bai Jiusi pulled her behind him to protect her in turn. In a moment of desperation, Li Qingyue unleashed the Fire-Parting Technique, rescuing Bai Jiusi and defeating Hong Lian. Seeing Li Qingyue use the Fire-Parting Technique, Bai Jiusi realized that Li Qingyue was the reincarnation of A Yue.

Hong Lian overused her spiritual power and depleted her internal source. Li Mo used the blood from his heart to dispel the evil aura from Hong Lian's body. He also told her that his love was not romantic, but a love that embraced all living beings. The men from before had also truly loved Hong Lian, but their heart's blood failed to dispel the evil aura because her feelings toward them were false.

In other words, to truly rid herself of the evil aura, Hong Lian needed to learn how to love. She finally understood everything. This time had been beautiful, and having let go of the emotional tribulation in her heart, she prepared to cultivate anew. Zhang Suan reached the Ninth Heaven by climbing the Heavenly Ladder, where he encountered an old man rowing a boat.

Zhang Suan told the old man that he had endured countless hardships to reach the Ninth Heaven in order to find the place where the Heavenly Lord Dacheng resided. Long Yuan arrived and discovered Li Qingyue’s true identity, capturing her. Li Qingyue refused to admit that she was the Divine Lord Siling, but the fact that she could control the Fire-Parting Technique confirmed it. Both Long Yuan and Bai Jiusi had already recognized her.

Whether she admitted it or not, Li Qingyue was indeed the Divine Lord Siling. Zhang Suan was sent by the old man to the place where Bai Jiusi lived, which happened to be the land of Gui Xu where Fan Ling Er was imprisoned. The two of them fought, and Fan Ling Er also recognized Zhang Suan. Because Fan Ling Er mentioned Li Qingyue’s name, Zhang Suan realized that she must know Li Qingyue and thus inquired about her whereabouts.

Li Qingyue was imprisoned by Long Yuan. Bai Jiusi was also seriously injured and unable to recover quickly. Moreover, the medicinal ingredients needed to heal him were extremely rare and difficult to obtain. Fan Ling Er told Zhang Suan the way out of the land of Gui Xu and secretly kept the jade pendant from him. Xiao Jingshan was healing and discovered Zhang Suan’s arrival. Zhang Suan also noticed Xiao Jingshan’s injuries and inquired about Bai Jiusi’s residence.

Xiao Jingshan proposed a deal—he wanted Zhang Suan to do something for him in exchange. Li Qingyue, who was brought in while imprisoned, was in great pain. When she saw Bai Jiusi, she was initially excited, thinking he had come to rescue her—only to realize he was there to interrogate her. Bai Jiusi believed everything that had happened was part of a scheme Li Qingyue had deliberately planned to regain her former power. Li Qingyue was heartbroken.

She had only activated the Fire-Parting Technique because she saw Bai Jiusi in danger. What hurt her more was that the "A Yue" Bai Jiusi always called was never her—Li Qingyue believed she had always been a stand-in for someone else. No matter how she explained, Bai Jiusi insisted that she was scheming behind the scenes. Since their spells were mutually counteracting, if one became weaker, the other would inevitably grow stronger.

Li Qingyue didn’t care about any of that—what she cared about was whether Bai Jiusi truly liked her. But Bai Jiusi could not answer her question. Seeing his silence, Li Qingyue gave a bitter, self-mocking smile and refused to acknowledge her identity as the Divine Lord Siling, insisting she was just Li Qingyue. Overwhelmed with sorrow, she ignored her own severe injuries and recklessly activated the Fire-Parting Technique within the formation.

Because Bai Jiusi had previously used a spell that created a sensory and physical connection between them, when Li Qingyue was seriously injured, Bai Jiusi’s injuries also worsened significantly. Ning Yan pleaded with Bai Jiusi to spare Li Qingyue. Bai Jiusi had no intention of imprisoning her further, so he let Ning Yan take Li Qingyue away.

Xiao Jingshan forcibly took Zhang Suan as his disciple and passed down his lifetime’s cultivation techniques to him, even teaching him a set of swordsmanship he created himself. Because Zhang Suan deeply hated Bai Jiusi, he named the sword technique "God-Slaying Sword Technique." Although Bai Jiusi had ordered Li Qingyue’s release, Long Yuan refused to comply—because he discovered that beneath the Nine Nether there was no sign of the White Snake. The White Snake was likely still alive.

Longyuan earnestly begged Bai Jiusi to use the Heaven-Flipping Seal to imprison Li Qingyue. Since Li Qingyue had once used the Heaven-Flipping Seal to seal Bai Jiusi, Bai Jiusi could do the same to her without suffering serious injury—but he still couldn’t bring himself to make the decision. Zhang Suan woke up, and with the legacy of the senior’s cultivation technique, he now possessed strong spiritual power.

Ningyan found Li Qingyue, brought her some fruit, and told her that Bai Jiusi had originally intended to let her go, but Longyuan had stopped him. Longyuan remained persistent, standing outside Bai Jiusi’s door and pleading with him to seal Li Qingyue with the Heaven-Flipping Seal.

The Four Venerables also came to Bai Jiusi, likewise requesting him to seal Li Qingyue, fearing that if she awakened the power of the Divine Lord Siling, it could bring about another catastrophe in the world. Bai Jiusi resisted the pressure from the Four Venerables and still refused to seal Li Qingyue.

Then the Heavenly Venerable arrived, warning Bai Jiusi that if anything happened to the Infinite Stele under his watch due to personal entanglements, the Heaven Realm would intervene personally. Ningyan once again came to see Li Qingyue and told her about Longyuan. Just as the two were speaking, Ningyan was knocked unconscious—it turned out Zhang Suan had arrived, intending to rescue Li Qingyue. Li Qingyue was puzzled as to why Zhang Suan was in the Immortal Realm.

Upon checking, she discovered that Zhang Suan had climbed up to the Ninth Heaven through the Heaven-Linking Ladder. Zhang Suan didn’t care about the consequences he’d face; he only wanted to take Li Qingyue and escape. But they were soon detected by the barrier Bai Jiusi had set, and Bai Jiusi came to stop them. Outside Bai Jiusi’s main hall, Longyuan and the others also noticed Bai Jiusi leaving. Zhang Suan fled with Li Qingyue.

Li Qingyue noticed that Zhang Suan’s spiritual power had grown immensely and was very puzzled. Bai Jiusi appeared to block them, and Zhang Suan fought with Bai Jiusi, but he was still no match and ended up gravely injured by him. To protect Zhang Suan, Li Qingyue drew her sword against Bai Jiusi. Bai Jiusi spoke sweetly about their past entanglement, but Li Qingyue still refused to acknowledge it.

In order to protect Li Qingyue, Zhang Suan risked everything and severely injured Bai Jiusi. Just as he was about to escape with Li Qingyue, Longyuan arrived and knocked both of them unconscious with lightning. When Bai Jiusi and Zhang Suan woke up again, Zhang Suan had already been imprisoned. Li Qingyue anxiously asked Zhang Suan about his experience ascending via the Heaven-Linking Ladder, but Zhang Suan didn’t care about that and was more concerned about Li Qingyue.

At that moment, Zhang Suan’s Heart-Devouring Pill took effect, causing unbearable pain, and he fainted. Out of concern for Zhang Suan, Li Qingyue deliberately injured herself to get Bai Jiusi’s attention and called him over, pleading with him to save Zhang Suan. Seeing Li Qingyue care so deeply for another man, Bai Jiusi felt a surge of jealousy and was furious.

In order to make Bai Jiusi seal Li Qingyue, Longyuan acted on his own and made an official announcement to the world. The next day, still worried that Bai Jiusi might soften, Longyuan took Li Qingyue away without reporting it. When Ningyan learned that Li Qingyue was going to be sealed with the Heaven-Flipping Seal, she went to find Zhang Suan. Upon hearing that Li Qingyue was in danger, Zhang Suan rushed to rescue her despite his injuries.

Bai Jiusi arrived personally to seal Li Qingyue with the Heaven-Flipping Seal. When the heavenly thunder descended, Li Qingyue was in immense pain. Zhang Suan arrived at the execution site, saw Li Qingyue’s suffering, and tried to rescue her, only to be blocked by Longyuan. Meanwhile, in the Land of the Void, Fan Ling Er unexpectedly helped the white snake escape. Freed from its restraints, the white snake headed toward Li Qingyue, and Fan Ling Er followed along.

Bai Jiusi looked at the tortured Li Qingyue and couldn’t bear it. He wanted her to admit that she was once the Divine Lord Siling, but Li Qingyue stubbornly insisted she was just an ordinary mortal. At the critical moment, Fan Ling Er and the white snake arrived together and rescued Li Qingyue. Fan Ling Er even handed her sword to Li Qingyue. At that moment, Li Qingyue gripped the sword, stood atop the white snake, exuding an aura of defiance over the world.

After seeing Li Qingyue, Bai Jiusi couldn't help but laugh at himself, because the former immortal lord had returned. Li Qingyue resumed her position, and faint celestial anomalies followed. Elder Xuanwei of the Jingyun Sect also sensed Li Qingyue's return and prepared to ascend to the celestial realm to assist her. Li Qingyue led the disciples of the Jingyun Sect, along with Fan Ling Er, to cause a great disturbance in the celestial realm.

It turned out that this was all part of Li Qingyue's plan—she had deliberately used herself as bait, plotting to use the Heaven-Flipping Seal to strip Bai Jiusi of half his power in order to kill him. However, since Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue shared the same origin, she still couldn’t completely defeat him. Li Qingyue activated the Heaven-Flipping Seal, intending to perish together with Bai Jiusi. In the end, both of them fell back into the mortal world.

When Li Qingyue awoke, she wandered the streets, her face haggard. She saw a wedding procession and quietly followed it from behind, watching as a loving couple held hands and bowed before the altar. Li Qingyue recalled the time when she first met Bai Jiusi—it turned out the two had agreed to descend into the mortal world together to undergo the tribulation of love. After descending, they got married and were deeply in love.

Just as Li Qingyue was immersed in her memories, Bai Jiusi appeared behind her. When she saw him, Li Qingyue became furious and was about to strike him down, but fainted instead. Bai Jiusi took her back home. As it turned out, Li Qingyue had used a blood sacrifice to activate the Heaven-Flipping Seal and break through the void, bringing them both back to Songhe County, where their tribulation had first begun.

Bai Jiusi also revealed the truth to Li Qingyue: he had already guessed her plan from the beginning and had recognized her true identity. He just didn’t know what exactly she intended to do. It was only when she seized the Heaven-Flipping Seal that Bai Jiusi understood her full plan. Everything Li Qingyue had done had gone incredibly smoothly without any hindrance—all because Bai Jiusi had been secretly cooperating with her all along.

Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue also talked about events from 460 years ago. At that time, they were married and deeply in love. Bai Jiusi was engrossed in running businesses in the mortal world, and they were quite wealthy, living in a large estate. Li Qingyue enjoyed helping the people around them. She felt their love tribulation had made no progress and suggested they have a child.

In truth, she herself desired to have one, but Bai Jiusi rejected the idea. He had no interest in having a child with Li Qingyue, which greatly disappointed her. Even so, the two remained very much in love. Though Bai Jiusi claimed he disliked the idea, he had already asked around. Since they were undergoing the tribulation in mortal bodies, if Li Qingyue were to become pregnant, it would pose great danger to her health.

Bai Jiusi's refusal to have a child wasn’t due to lack of affection, but because he was deeply concerned about her safety. Li Qingyue was very interested in a child named Meng Chi who arrived at their residence. She often found opportunities to chat with him and even taught him how to paint using his sense of smell. The two developed a deep bond.

One day, while Li Qingyue was walking in the market, a startled horse charged toward her as she stood in the middle of the street. Not wanting to reveal her identity, she couldn’t use her powers openly. But in that life-threatening moment, she had no choice but to prepare to use her magic. Just then, Meng Chi suddenly rushed forward and pushed her out of the way, taking the blow himself.

He was severely injured and eventually died from his wounds. Li Qingyue couldn't bear to see Meng Chi die like that and secretly used her powers to bring him back to life.

After Li Qingyue brought Meng Chi back to life, the servants in the residence had seen that Meng Chi’s leg was already broken and he was on the verge of death. Only after Li Qingyue was left alone in the room did Meng Chi revive, so the servants began to gossip, suspecting that Li Qingyue either practiced witchcraft or wasn’t human at all, but a demon.

Because she altered someone’s fate at will, Li Qingyue suffered severe backlash and was seriously injured. Bai Jiusi fed Li Qingyue medicine while scolding her for meddling in mortal affairs so recklessly. He also used a formation to conceal Li Qingyue’s divine power, preventing the Heavenly Emissary from detecting her. The two remained deeply in love. Meanwhile, Meng Chi, who had been brought back to life, diligently worked every day. Their sweet life continued day by day.

As time passed, Meng Chi gradually grew up, still working hard and faithfully serving Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue. In the blink of an eye, twenty years had passed. Bai Jiusi believed it was time for Meng Chi to leave, as he would eventually discover their secret of immortality. Li Qingyue had genuine feelings for Meng Chi. After all, they had lived together for twenty years, and she felt reluctant to part with him.

However, in order to successfully pass the tribulation without being discovered, she resolutely decided to send Meng Chi away and gave him a large sum of money. Meng Chi was also unwilling to leave Li Qingyue. He knelt and begged her to let him stay, but Li Qingyue had already made up her mind. Meng Chi remained on his knees, and Li Qingyue began to waver.

Yet Bai Jiusi understood that if Meng Chi stayed, he would uncover their secret and cause their tribulation to fail. He repeatedly urged Li Qingyue not to give in. In the end, Li Qingyue couldn’t bear it out of concern for Meng Chi’s health. Seeing Meng Chi kneeling without rising, she decided to leave with Bai Jiusi and entrusted the residence to Meng Chi, promoting him to steward.

Grateful beyond words, Meng Chi devotedly guarded the residence for Li Qingyue and never left until the end of his days. When a new group of servants entered the residence, Meng Chi, though aged and frail, still earnestly taught them how to do their tasks. Even when his own son held an official post, Meng Chi was willing to remain by Li Qingyue’s side as a steward. Later, Meng Chi’s grandson, who had become an official, was sentenced to death.

That night, Meng Chi silently came to the courtyard of Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue to beg for her help. He already knew that Li Qingyue was not an ordinary mortal and believed that if she intervened, she would surely succeed. However, since Li Qingyue had already broken the heavenly rules once to save Meng Chi and interfered with mortal fate, she could no longer help again.

Meng Chi understood this and said no more, while Li Qingyue quietly returned to her room. The next morning, a heavy rain poured down. Bai Jiusi learned from the servants that Meng Chi had passed away. Li Qingyue was arranging flowers in her room when she heard a new steward had arrived. Only then did she realize Meng Chi had left. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow.

While reminiscing about Meng Chi, she came across a letter from his grandson. At the execution ground, Meng Zhangqin was shackled, and the supervising official was reading out the imperial decree for his execution. Meng Zhangqin remained unfazed, and the crowd watching cried out for justice, clearly recognizing him as a good official. Just as the execution was about to proceed, everyone suddenly froze as if time itself had stopped. Meng Zhangqin was bewildered, not knowing what had happened.

Li Qingyue suddenly appeared—she ultimately couldn’t hold back and saved Meng Chi’s grandson, Meng Zhangqin. After rescuing Meng Zhangqin, Li Qingyue was once again seriously injured for altering fate without permission. When Meng Zhangqin saw her collapse, he quickly carried her away. That night, by the river, Li Qingyue meditated to heal while Meng Zhangqin roasted rabbit meat.

Because he was an upright official unwilling to collude with corrupt ones, he was framed and no longer wished to return to court. Instead, he wanted to follow Li Qingyue and learn cultivation. When a great drought struck, many refugees fled to the north. Upon seeing the wealthy bullying the refugees, Meng Zhangqin couldn’t help but step in.

Li Qingyue secretly helped Meng Zhangqin drive away the bullies. However, the husband of the fleeing woman wanted to sell his wife and child to Meng Zhangqin, which enraged him even more, and he struck the man. The woman stopped Meng Zhangqin, knowing there was no other way. Meng Zhangqin also understood that even if he helped this time, the little girl and her mother might still be sold later. So he left behind some silver.

When the little girl asked for his name, Meng Zhangqin didn’t give it. He did good deeds without leaving his name and detested evil with a passion, leaving a deep impression in Li Qingyue’s heart. Just after helping, a swindler in disguise suddenly appeared, claiming Meng Zhangqin had an immortal bone and could learn celestial arts, and sold him a knife. As they walked on, the two arrived near where Li Qingyue lived.

She originally wanted to bring Meng Zhangqin home, but he refused, since that was where Meng Chi had lived. Meng Zhangqin couldn’t understand his grandfather’s choices. As an official himself, and with a father who was a well-known scholar, their family lived comfortably—Meng Chi could have lived out his years in ease. Yet he insisted on staying and serving as a steward.

Now that Meng Zhangqin was wanted, he didn’t want to go to his grandfather at this time, and took his leave from Li Qingyue. Meng Zhangqin walked alone through the forest, carefree, when suddenly he was surrounded by soldiers—they had come to arrest him. Holding the knife, Meng Zhangqin was unwilling to surrender and tried to resist. Li Qingyue was on her way home when she ran into Bai Jiusi.

Upon seeing her, Bai Jiusi initially scolded her, but didn’t say much more. Because the soldiers outnumbered him, Meng Zhangqin was no match for them. Just as they were about to execute him, a fierce wind suddenly blew through. When the wind died down, Meng Zhangqin had disappeared. It turned out Li Qingyue had once again saved him. Meng Zhangqin, seeing Li Qingyue silent, brought her some water and insisted she drink a bowl.

After seeing her drink, he worried the soldiers might catch up and urged to leave quickly. But Li Qingyue told him they were already a thousand miles away—the soldiers could not possibly catch up. Hearing this, Meng Zhangqin relaxed and knelt down to formally take her as his master. He even joked that the bowl of water earlier had already sealed the deal, leaving Li Qingyue speechless and unsure how to refute.

Late at night, when Meng Zhangqin still hadn’t returned, Li Qingyue went out to look for him and came to a village. Following a colorful butterfly, she arrived at a house and found that Meng Zhangqin had been deeply moved by the village's tragic state. No one in the village was still alive, and those who had fled due to hunger would find no food on the road either. In other words, they were all destined to starve to death.

When they returned to the temple, Meng Zhangqin asked Li Qingyue what the life of an immortal was like. When he learned that immortals all lived well and never experienced hunger, he felt the world was unfair. Immortals stood high above, without any suffering, and possessed supreme powers, yet did nothing to help the poor endure their tribulations. From then on, he resolved never to believe in or worship immortals again.

The next day, Li Qingyue wanted to persuade Meng Zhangqin to return home with her, but he was unwilling to see his grandfather at such a low point, nor to trouble him. He already had a clear goal in his heart. Seeing that his resolve could not be shaken, Li Qingyue used a bamboo sliver to cut Meng Zhangqin’s hand, letting it draw blood.

After returning home, Li Qingyue learned about Bai Jiusi’s recent situation from the maidservants and went to find him. At that time, Bai Jiusi was being surrounded by matchmakers trying to set him up with potential brides. One of the young women fell for Bai Jiusi at first sight and was very pleased. When Li Qingyue arrived and saw Bai Jiusi looking at other women, she grew jealous and deliberately disrupted the matchmaking, claiming to be his wife.

Bai Jiusi, doing this to provoke Li Qingyue, hoped to teach her not to casually interfere in worldly matters again. In order to swindle more money, the matchmakers even brought in a courtesan.

Bai Jiusi saved a child on the street. Li Qingyue was puzzled—why was it wrong for her to save Meng Zhangqin, but Bai Jiusi could save a child? Bai Jiusi told Li Qingyue that the two situations were different, because saving Meng Zhangqin would bring danger. When Meng Chi first arrived at the residence, there were already many rumors swirling around.

Bai Jiusi also explained to Li Qingyue why the divine race had to descend to the mortal world to undergo tribulation: because the human world is full of suffering—birth, aging, illness, death, love and separation. Only by triumphing over all these could one truly understand human hardship. Li Qingyue also felt that what Bai Jiusi said made sense and decided not to interfere with others’ fates so recklessly in the future.

The two opened up to each other and decided from then on to never part again and to face the tribulation together. Li Qingyue planted the bamboo stained with Meng Zhangqin’s blood. It was a spirit-connected tree—if the person dies, the tree withers. In other words, as long as Meng Zhangqin faced danger, the tree could alert Li Qingyue, showing that she still couldn’t let go of her concern for him. Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue went shopping together.

When Li Qingyue saw the soul-guiding lanterns on the street, she prepared one to guide the wandering souls who couldn’t find their way home. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three years passed. One rainy morning, Bai Jiusi suddenly woke up to find that Li Qingyue was gone. When he looked into the courtyard and saw the tree representing Meng Zhangqin had changed, he immediately knew what Li Qingyue had gone to do.

Meng Zhangqin was climbing a steep cliff when he slipped and fell. Just as he was about to hit the ground, he was caught by a mysterious force and landed safely, unharmed. He knew Li Qingyue must have come and excitedly searched around, but was disappointed not to see anyone—until Li Qingyue suddenly appeared. Seeing Meng Zhangqin’s condition, Li Qingyue felt a twinge of heartache, but Meng Zhangqin didn’t speak of his own hardships.

Instead, he showed concern for Li Qingyue. Li Qingyue lied, saying her residence was full of stewards and wanted to take Meng Zhangqin back with her, even offering him generous compensation. Meng Zhangqin refused. He wanted to continue his search and slay the drought dragon in Hankou that tormented the people. Worried for Meng Zhangqin’s safety, Li Qingyue said she was willing to take him back with her and ensure he would live a worry-free life.

But Meng Zhangqin still refused. He told Li Qingyue that his decision to become an official was so he could bring justice to the people—and that remained his goal. Unable to bear the thought of Meng Zhangqin being in danger, Li Qingyue agreed to help him slay the drought dragon. At first, Li Qingyue intended to reason with the drought dragon, but upon hearing that the dragon didn’t care at all about human life, she decided to kill it.

The Heavenly Emissary found Bai Jiusi and told him that Li Qingyue intended to slay a god, and ordered Bai Jiusi to bring her back to face severe punishment. Li Qingyue fought fiercely with the drought dragon and was seriously wounded, but the drought dragon was left unable to fight back. Li Qingyue then instructed Meng Zhangqin to strike the final blow, which enraged the heavens. Li Qingyue defied the heavens, which responded by sending down thunder punishment.

In the end, guided by Li Qingyue, Meng Zhangqin successfully slew the drought dragon. The human world was restored to life and vitality, and the once drought-ridden land blossomed with beautiful flowers and plants. When Li Qingyue awoke, she had already been brought back home by Bai Jiusi. She anxiously asked about Meng Zhangqin’s condition and was overjoyed to learn that although he was still unconscious, his life was not in danger.

She happily told Bai Jiusi about what she had done for the common people, but Bai Jiusi was not pleased. He insisted that Li Qingyue had acted wrongly. Li Qingyue believed she had saved all the people, and that Meng Zhangqin had accomplished something even the divine couldn’t do, leading to a disagreement between the two.

In order to stop Li Qingyue from meddling in mortal affairs again, Bai Jiusi planned to seal her powers for ten years to answer to the Heavenly Venerable. Li Qingyue was deeply hurt by Bai Jiusi’s actions, but due to her injuries, she was too weak to resist. The disciples of Jingyun Sect, unaware of the situation, asked Qingyang and the others why they had ascended to the celestial realm and returned. While everyone was discussing, Zhang Suan also returned.

The moment they saw him, everyone began asking about his time in the Ninth Heaven. None of the disciples knew the full story, because those who went to the heavens were mostly outer sect disciples with weak cultivation who had suddenly become powerful. After returning, Xuanwei gathered everyone to discuss searching for Li Qingyue. He also assigned sect disciples to scatter across the Twelve States to find her.

Xuanwei himself entered seclusion, preparing to use the Spirit Inquiry Array to locate Li Qingyue’s whereabouts. Zhang Suan sought out his master to ask about Li Qingyue’s situation and learned about the past grievances between her and Bai Jiusi.

Fan Jiaojiao was imprisoned because his daughter had followed Li Qingyue, and Long Yuan suspected him of colluding with her. Fan Jiaojiao knew that no explanation would clear him, as his daughter had indeed followed Li Qingyue. Though unwilling to accept it, he resigned himself to his fate. That night, Fan Jiaojiao entered his daughter’s dream. Fan Ling Er somewhat blamed her father and told him that she had always belonged to Li Qingyue.

Everything she had done before was an act, just to make Bai Jiusi trust her. Even entering the Land of the Void was part of the plan—it was all to save Li Qingyue’s mount, the white snake. Three hundred years ago, Fan Ling Er had accompanied her mother to Medicine King Valley for treatment and was saved by Li Qingyue after falling off a cliff.

Fan Jiaojiao wanted Fan Ling Er to return alone so he could protect her life, but she had long been disappointed in his lack of love for her and his indifference toward her mother. She decided to follow Li Qingyue no matter what—even if she were to vanish into nothingness, she would have no regrets. Zhang Suan came to see Fan Ling Er and asked about Li Qingyue’s whereabouts.

Zhang Suan’s overwhelming concern for Li Qingyue made Fan Ling Er realize his true feelings. She tried to persuade him not to fall too deeply in love with Li Qingyue and to pull himself out while he still could. But Zhang Suan had already fallen too deeply and could not turn back. Meng Chu was suddenly released, which puzzled him.

He went to ask his master, who revealed the original plan: it had all been a setup to lure Heavenly Lord Dacheng out, and they did not actually oppose Meng Chu being with Qu Xingman. Now, the master even encouraged him to pursue her and showed no concern about her identity. This abrupt change left Meng Chu feeling lost and unsure. As Meng Chu left, he unexpectedly ran into Shangguan, who was sweeping the courtyard.

Meng Chu found it strange since Shangguan was a core disciple, and these chores should have been done by outer sect disciples. Shangguan explained that those former outer sect disciples had all reached the threshold of Nascent Soul cultivation and had strong spiritual power. Meanwhile, the core disciples were now the ones doing chores. Zhang Suan, still unwilling to give up, was eager to find Li Qingyue as soon as possible.

He asked Fan Ling Er again, but she remained silent and told him that Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue would encounter many opportunities in the future—and every one of those opportunities would be a chance for Li Qingyue to kill Bai Jiusi. Long Yuan also began to set up a formation to locate Bai Jiusi, gathering many people from the divine realm to serve as guardians. At that time, Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue were at their former home.

Li Qingyue did not want to speak to Bai Jiusi, but Bai Jiusi hoped they could talk properly to resolve their inner tribulations. They once again discussed the slaying of the drought dragon. It turned out that Wuju Mountain, the place where the drought dragon once lived, had been damaged by humans who cut down the forest and slaughtered countless living creatures. As a result of karmic retribution, the people of Wuju Mountain had suffered.

Li Qingyue believed that what she did wasn’t wrong; karma had guided her to take Meng Zhangqin as her disciple and to save Meng Chi. Long Yuan’s formation pointed east, but as he continued his search, he was blocked by a flood and injured. He suspected that Bai Jiusi was hiding in the water and ordered the dragon clans of the four seas to deploy their water troops to search. Jingyun Sect also learned of Long Yuan’s actions.

Xuanwei dared not delay and immediately led a group to search as well. Qingyang also insisted on joining. Unable to persuade each other, Li Qingyue proposed that both she and Bai Jiusi seal their powers for ten years. If either used their powers within that time, they would suffer backlash. They would live as ordinary mortals. Bai Jiusi gladly agreed and suggested they live together as husband and wife in the mortal world.

Before long, Bai Jiusi used his accumulated knowledge and experience to make a great deal of money and hired people to decorate their home beautifully. Their neighbor, Lin Fan—who had once been the groom in a wedding procession—brought over some pastries. Meanwhile, Li Qingyue returned home with groceries and cooked a large meal. Bai Jiusi happily waited to eat, only to find that Li Qingyue had made food only for herself, leaving none for him.

She said that if he wanted to experience hardship, he had to rely on himself. Bai Jiusi had no choice but to go out to a restaurant, where he ran into Lin Fan and learned some tricks for pleasing women. He returned home intending to use them on Li Qingyue, but she didn’t fall for them and even picked out all the food he put into her bowl.