The Legend of Shen Li Recap, Plot, Synopsis

The Legend of Shen Li Synopsis

The ancient gods perished, leaving only the last one in the world - Xing Zhi.

According to rumors, this immortal had lived alone in the heavens for tens of thousands of years, without emotion or desire. During the war between the immortals and the devils, he saved the world with his own strength, and since then, he has kept the door closed and is nowhere to be found.

Hundreds of years have passed. a female lord born with a pearl. On her thousandth birthday, She was arranged a marriage for a political union purpose.

On her way to escape the marriage, Shen Li was beaten back to her original form as a phoenix and fell into the human world with injuries.

When she fell into a coma, a mortal vendor treated her like a fat chicken, plucked all her feathers,s and put her in a cage to be sold.

When Shen Li woke up, she was furious at the situation, but there was nothing she could do.

When she fell upset, a handsome man passed by, stared at her thoughtfully for a long time, and then said with a smile, "I'll take this one."

Their fates were tied together by a seemingly inadvertent deal.

The Legend of Shen Li Recap

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In ancient times, one evening amid thunder and lightning, Shen Li, the Jade Azure King of the Heavenly Realm, defied the Spirit Lord to escape an arranged marriage. Numerous heavenly guards attempted to forcibly bring her back. Outnumbered and outmatched, Shen Li had no choice but to punch a hole in the sky and fly out. Seeing that Shen Li was about to be overwhelmed, Mo Fang came up with a plan.

He injured himself to safely send Shen Li out. The pursuing guards from the Heavenly Realm didn’t see the truth and believed Mo Fang had struck Shen Li down. They assumed her descent into the mortal realm meant certain doom. In the mortal realm, in Qingsheng City, the Heavenly guards traced Shen Li’s landing.

Wounded and powerless, Shen Li, a phoenix, found herself worse off than a chicken, and was soon picked up by a crude farmer who mistook her for a mountain chicken with its tail feathers burned off, and tried to sell her. Late at night, Xing Yun was painting in his study when he suddenly heard a loud boom from the sky. Thunder on a clear night — clearly something strange. He shook his head and went back to painting.

The next morning, while out and about, Xing Yun happened upon Shen Li in a bamboo basket at the marketplace. He spent a few silver coins to buy her and brought her home. Having descended to the mortal realm, Shen Li lost all her spiritual power. Though she was a phoenix, people mistook her for a mountain chicken. Bought by Xing Yun and taken home, she was first forced to bathe in a pond, then force-fed.

Seeing that the pastries Xing Yun made weren’t bad, Shen Li reluctantly ate a large plate of them. With nothing to do, she watched Xing Yun quietly painting. Just as she thought he looked quite handsome, she suddenly heard him say he was heading out to "sell himself" (actually selling ginseng). Whatever shred of fondness she had instantly shattered. Xing Yun called Shen Li “Cluck Cluck” and, before leaving, reminded her to watch the house.

Shen Li was about to make her escape when a "little thief" broke in. Curious, she wanted to see what was going on, but was discovered by the Snail Girl, who caught her and prepared to cook her in soup. Poor Shen Li, tied hand and foot, was about to meet her end — when Xing Yun returned! Her life was saved at the last moment.

Shen Li sat quietly to the side as she heard Xing Yun tell the Snail Girl not to come again and even gave her a rag as a parting gift. Furious, the Snail Girl left. Shen Li immediately concluded that Xing Yun was utterly unromantic and dreadfully dull. Of the thirty-six stratagems, fleeing is the best. Seeing no reason to stay, Shen Li prepared to run away again. But no matter how she tried, she still couldn’t fly.

Just then, Xing Yun came over carrying a tray of freshly prepared food. He somehow knew exactly where the escaping Shen Li was and called her to come eat. Her stomach growling, Shen Li couldn’t resist the temptation of delicious food and ended up sitting down to eat with gusto. After eating and drinking her fill in the small courtyard, Shen Li stayed with Xing Yun to watch the sunrise and sunset. That night, she actually fell asleep peacefully.

Who knows how much time passed — Xing Yun put down his brush and stepped out of the courtyard. Seeing Shen Li sleeping soundly under the moonlight, he was moved by how pure and simple she was. The moonlight was shining directly into her eyes, so to keep her from being disturbed, Xing Yun casually picked up a stone and gently tapped it nearby, allowing the moonlight to be blocked by a shimmering glow.

Badly injured once more, Shen Li tried to escape again. But this time, her luck had run out. Mistaken for a strange pheasant, she was hunted far and wide and nearly ended up in someone’s cooking pot again. Shen Li barely escaped the clutches of evil, only to be drenched in a sudden downpour. Soaked through and utterly dejected, she thought of the forced marriage awaiting her in the Heavenly Realm and fell into deep despair.

Just then, Xing Yun appeared, holding an umbrella and walking slowly toward her. Half the umbrella tilted to cover Shen Li’s head. She looked up to see this handsome scholar once again carrying her home.

Shen Li returned to the courtyard once again and noticed that her wounds seemed to heal faster here. Xing Yun regularly fed her and even understood what she said. After some thought, Shen Li decided to stay temporarily to recover. It wouldn’t be too late to leave once she regained more strength. She stayed in the small courtyard for several days.

That day, Xing Yun brought over another batch of his homemade osmanthus cakes, but Shen Li was starting to grow tired of them. She suggested buying some meat to improve their meals. Xing Yun calmly said he was short on money — the cleaned ginseng still needed to be exchanged at the pharmacy for medicine. Hearing this, Shen Li was moved with sympathy. Since her benefactor had no money, she decided to repay his kindness.

Late at night, under the soft moonlight, Shen Li began casting a spell to turn stones into gold. She tried several times, all in vain. Again and again, she pecked at the stones with her beak, but nothing worked. Xing Yun silently watched from nearby. Shen Li didn’t give up, trying until she nearly gave herself a concussion, eventually collapsing from exhaustion and falling asleep. Xing Yun decided to spend a little money on meat.

Early the next morning, he got ready to leave. Shen Li noticed that he wasn’t carrying his usual bamboo basket and reminded him to take his tools. Xing Yun said he was going to the market. Shen Li, bored, ended up being carried along by him. At the market, the fresh pork looked especially fat and tempting. Shen Li couldn’t help but drool. Xing Yun felt around in his pocket but realized he didn’t have enough silver.

To improve Shen Li’s meals, he took over the fortune-telling business of a street daoist and performed a reading for a mortal. It turned out to be extremely accurate — not only did he earn two pieces of meat as a reward, but he also won ten copper coins from a bet. A true double win. After a satisfying meal, Shen Li even began to admire Xing Yun’s talent.

She asked why, with such skills, he still spent his days digging for ginseng in the mountains. Xing Yun admitted that he had possessed insight into omens since childhood, but divination wasn’t a reputable trade. Now, he was content with a simple life. Shen Li was once again astonished by his outlook — in a world where most people chased after wealth and luxury, Xing Yun chose otherwise.

The next morning, just as Xing Yun opened the door, there was a sudden urgent knocking. A peasant woman saw him and excitedly grabbed his sleeve, asking if he was the fortune-teller from the day before. She begged him to divine the whereabouts of her husband, who had gone off to war. Seeing the worry on her face, Shen Li understood that the woman’s husband had gone to fight on the battlefield, and with war came inevitable danger.

Xing Yun was clearly moved as well, but still insisted that he couldn’t predict her husband’s whereabouts. Watching the woman leave in despair, Shen Li even blamed Xing Yun a little for not saying anything — perhaps he had already seen the truth but remained silent for some reason. Late that night, Shen Li quietly left and went straight to the woman’s home. Unsettled, Xing Yun followed her.

At the woman’s modest house, Shen Li discovered that the strange aura she had sensed during the day was actually from the woman’s husband. Fifteen years ago, he had died heroically in battle and was elevated to immortal status, but he couldn’t let go of his wife. Instead of ascending to the Immortal Realm, he stayed by her side, silently protecting her. But the woman had no idea and had spent all these years in painful longing.

Xing Yun cast a spell to help the man reveal himself and reunite with his wife. Shen Li was moved when she saw the couple embracing tightly, weeping in sorrow and joy. Mortals and immortals walked different paths, and the man’s prolonged presence was already shortening the woman’s life span. Xing Yun urged Shen Li to tell them quickly — the spell wouldn’t last long. They needed to make their choice.

When the peasant woman heard that her husband had been by her side for over a decade, she immediately burst into tears. She clutched the man's hand tightly and asked if it was true. The man said nothing, his eyes filled with tears. But upon hearing from Xing Yun that staying any longer in obsession would shorten the woman’s lifespan, the man instantly decided not to disturb his beloved any further.

Shen Li nodded and agreed to help fulfill his wish. After the man gave his wife a deep kiss, he firmly declared his decision to leave. Shen Li cast a spell to help him return to the River of Forgetfulness, then helped the woman up and advised her to live well, for the man had always loved her deeply and only wanted her to have a better life.

On the way back, Xing Yun noticed that Shen Li had become unusually quiet and guessed that she was still affected by what had just happened. He comforted her, saying, "The past was an illusion; only the future is real life. " So it was better to cherish the present. Just as Shen Li’s mood began to lift, Xing Yun accidentally slipped and fell into the water.

There was no way Shen Li would stand by and do nothing—she jumped straight in to save him. Xing Yun thought she would gently lift him up from beneath the water, but to his surprise, she swam over and dragged him out by his hair, even yanking out a chunk of it in the process. Seeing that Xing Yun was unharmed, Shen Li stood up and formally bid farewell—but was quickly turned into a phoenix bird by Xing Yun again.

Apparently, she still hadn’t fully recovered, so she had no choice but to follow him back home once more. Shen Li being turned from a beautiful woman into a bird by Xing Yun happened to be seen by the peasant woman’s brother. Driven by greed, he immediately reported Shen Li’s various magical abilities to the local authorities, claiming he had seen everything with his own eyes.

Wanting to get to the bottom of it, the city lord immediately sent people to summon Xing Yun. A large group of guards with swords appeared at the door—clearly not with good intentions. Xing Yun instantly activated a formation, turned Shen Li back into her original form, and defeated the guards so soundly that they nearly wished they could burrow into the ground and escape. Shen Li realized that Xing Yun had been playing tricks on her all along.

She had revealed her true form on the very first night, but had been suppressed by him. He even saw her drenched like a soup-soaked chicken—what a humiliation. Acting on impulse, she struck him with a palm, but unexpectedly, the dashing and tall Xing Yun collapsed to the ground, claiming she had broken his arm. Having just helped fend off a group of bad guys, and now seemingly injuring her benefactor’s arm, Shen Li felt that it truly seemed inappropriate.

She hesitated for a moment and decided to stay a while longer—at least until Xing Yun’s arm healed. This was exactly what Xing Yun had hoped for, and he eagerly nodded in agreement. Shen Li lifted his chin curiously. Though he was clearly a man, how could he be so good at playing the pitiful act?

Xing Yun responded with a playful smile, saying that although Shen Li was a woman, she was bold and bright like the sun, and the two of them complemented each other perfectly. Looking at Xing Yun’s fawning face, Shen Li grew more and more suspicious of his identity. He was skilled in formations, able to divine fate, lived like a carefree wanderer yet never missed a meal, understood bird language, and could see through her true form—completely unlike any mortal.

She resolved to uncover his origins one day. Perhaps he was being tracked by guards from the Heavenly Realm. At the Crown Prince's residence in Qingsheng City, the Crown Prince heard from his servants that Xing Yun possessed great magical power, and the maid at his side could even snap their bronze token with her bare hands. Naturally, he dared not underestimate them, and his thought of forcibly taking them vanished instantly.

Ever since Shen Li descended to the mortal world, Mo Fang had closely followed behind. Unfortunately, after searching for a long time, he still hadn’t found Shen Li’s whereabouts. Unable to use spells in the mortal realm, he grew increasingly frustrated.

Shen Li couldn’t figure out Xing Yun’s true identity. In order to uncover his background as soon as possible, she took the opportunity to search through the notes on his desk while he was asleep. After flipping through quite a few pages, she found they merely recorded weather changes and the growth of plants—what a boring fool. Just as Shen Li was losing interest and putting the book down, she suddenly saw Xing Yun sitting right across from her.

Caught red-handed reading his journal, the moment was incredibly awkward. Shen Li pretended to be unfazed, but inwardly she panicked like a startled deer, claiming she had only picked up a leaf that had fallen into the book. Life continued on peacefully. Shen Li still hadn’t figured out Xing Yun’s true identity, only that he seemed like a pitiful man. He had no steady source of income, spending his days painting, admiring the moon, and enjoying the breeze.

Occasionally, he would stare off into the distance in a daze. Aside from that, he had no particular hobbies. Shen Li decided to stay for the time being and would leave once he had fully recovered. With three meals a day, Shen Li began learning to cook. In the Heavenly Realm, she had once been the mighty King of Bicang, and now here she was cooking for a mortal man—laughable, really.

Xing Yun, however, treated her as one of his own, even acting like her master, ordering her to cook noodles and add firewood. Shen Li would sometimes lose her patience and remind him that she was not a servant girl to be bossed around. But when the food was ready and Xing Yun came to the courtyard door, softly calling her name—“Shen Li, dinner’s ready”—his voice was so gentle it moved her.

All her life, people had called her "Your Highness," asking her about leading armies or healing wounds. Now someone was calling her to come eat, as if she were just a tender and gentle girl—it stirred something in Shen Li’s heart. The young master in the city could no longer hold back. He was desperate to have his fortune read to see if he had a chance of becoming city lord.

He stormed into Xing Yun’s small courtyard with a large group of guards, demanding that Xing Yun read his fortune at once. Xing Yun, no stranger to such scenes, refused. The young master then resorted to force. Hearing the commotion from inside, Shen Li stepped out and fiercely beat up the young master and his lackeys. The young master fled in panic with his entourage, and the courtyard finally quieted down.

Shen Li turned around and saw Xing Yun looking pitiful. The young master had splashed hot water on him, burning his eyes, and he was holding a cloth over them. Shen Li found it puzzling—how could such a delicate mortal remain so composed when facing a bully? What was it that gave him such strength? That night, Xing Yun sat nearby fanning a fire to brew medicine.

Noticing the scars on Shen Li’s hands from daily labor, he suddenly felt heartache and insisted on applying ointment for her as well. It was the first time a man had cared for her like that, and Shen Li was quietly touched. The young master hadn’t gotten his way and immediately ordered his men to summon Fu Sheng. After hearing the details, Fu Sheng assured him not to worry—he would soon make that Taoist pay.

Having clashed with the young master, Xing Yun knew their days of peace were numbered. At dawn, he took Shen Li to the Jin Yue Residence to seek help from someone else. The young master’s real name was Gu Chengrui. Spoiled since childhood, he was arrogant and unfit for leadership. His mother had passed away, and his father doted on him excessively. The second son, Gu Chengjin, by contrast, had a stable personality.

Since the position of the young city lord had yet to be decided, both sides were vying for influence. Xing Yun saw an opportunity and sought to ally with Gu Chengjin. At the Jin Yue Residence, Shen Li discovered a lotus spirit demon. The little demon was stunningly beautiful and delicate. Shen Li initially intended to capture her, but Gu Chengjin seemed to value her greatly.

When he saw her dress torn, he crouched down and carried her away in his arms. Shen Li noticed the scene, which greatly displeased Xing Yun. Jealous, he warned Shen Li not to develop feelings for Gu Chengjin. During the negotiations, Gu Chengjin seemed to believe Xing Yun. As they left, Xing Yun proudly jingled his money pouch, happily declaring that they wouldn’t have to worry about meat for a long while.

The braised pork Xing Yun made was sweet and fragrant, but Shen Li knew it was time for her to leave. Staying in the mortal world would only bring trouble to this man. The people of the Heavenly Realm were still searching for her, and she believed it wouldn’t be long before they found this place.

One time, while helping Gu Chengjin tidy up a room, the lotus spirit demon accidentally triggered a mechanism, opening the door to a secret chamber. Curious, she stepped inside and found a woman lying on the bed whose appearance was strikingly similar to her own. A demonic figure, like a mass of miasma, laughed at her, saying she had finally discovered the truth. That woman was the one Gu Chengjin truly loved—he had loved her from the beginning until now.

The demon even showed the lotus spirit scenes from the past between Gu Chengjin and the woman. Late at night, a group of black-clad men broke into Shen Li’s courtyard. Fortunately, Xing Yun had made preparations in advance. As soon as they stepped into the yard, they were trapped by formations and subjected to torment. The courtyard echoed with screams. Inside, Xing Yun sipped tea calmly. Hearing the commotion, Shen Li stepped outside and saw that the formation had activated.

She accidentally walked into it and was met with a scene of devastation. Luckily, Xing Yun arrived just in time to help her regain her senses. Gu Chengrui’s men were unwilling to accept defeat and fired flaming arrows into the courtyard, attempting to burn it down. With Shen Li’s protection, Xing Yun remained completely unharmed, but the assassins trapped in the formation suffered miserably.

Shen Li couldn’t bear for the courtyard to be stained with blood, so she soared into the air, used her formation to extinguish the fire, and then threw all the assassins outside the gate. Finally, the enemy realized it was hopeless and retreated. By using combat formations, Shen Li revealed her whereabouts to the Spirit Realm. In the royal palace, Shen Li’s mother immediately sent people toward the newly exposed location to search for her.

The small courtyard was no longer safe. Shen Li brought Xing Yun to Gu Chengjin’s residence. When she visited during the day, Shen Li already sensed something was off. Now, in the quiet of the night, she finally discovered the truth: the residence housed many undeveloped spirit beings. Tiny specks of them filled the courtyard, though Xing Yun, being a mortal, couldn’t see them.

Shen Li warned him to be careful, but he naively thought she was scared and sweetly reached out to hold her hand. Seeing the innocent expression on his face, Shen Li realized that he truly saw her as a woman. The feeling was wonderful. Shen Li leaned in close to Xing Yun and confessed under the moonlight that perhaps she had truly fallen for him. Xing Yun still looked calm on the surface, which made Shen Li uneasy.

Shouldn’t he be happy or grateful to hear her confession? Suddenly, something strange happened at the residence. The spirit beings being raised there began to turn on their master. The courtyard echoed with women’s screams. Shen Li warned Xing Yun not to leave her side and began searching for the place with the densest miasma. There, she found Xiao He, Shi Yin, and Gu Chengjin.

Xiao He realized she had been raised by Gu Chengjin solely to serve as a life substitute for Shi Yin. Overwhelmed with rage, she lost control and attempted to perish with Gu Chengjin. The Jin Yue Residence fell into chaos due to Xiao He’s rampage. Shen Li struggled to keep the situation under control and sought out the lotus demon, hoping she would abandon her dark path. If not, Shen Li would have to eliminate her.

Shen Li did her best to protect the innocent mortals within the Jin Yue Residence. Along the way, she encountered Mo Fang. Mo Fang had found her ahead of time and urged her to leave quickly, warning that pursuers from the Spirit Realm would soon arrive. Shen Li looked back at Xing Yun and told Mo Fang that she had fallen for a mortal and wished to stay just a few more days.

Time flowed differently—one day in the heavens equaled a year on earth. Shen Li knew Xing Yun’s body was weak, so she asked Mo Fang to help stall the pursuers. She promised to return after just a few more days. Mo Fang, who had always obeyed her, agreed. Xing Yun reminded Shen Li that Xiao He was likely hiding in the lotus pond.

Knowing she was going to capture the demon, Xing Yun gave her a hairpin made from a sleeve dart as a gift. Shen Li summoned the lotus spirit from the pond and, after spanking her a few times, the lotus spirit finally admitted her wrongdoing. She regretted implicating others because of Gu Chengjin. Many people had been harmed by the resentment she carried. Originally, Shen Li had planned to eliminate the lotus spirit if she remained unrepentant. Now, a more peaceful resolution was possible.

Xing Yun thought Shen Li shouldn’t have hit the lotus spirit, but Shen Li had always been decisive and preferred to solve problems with force. She told the lotus spirit to leave quickly—she would tell Gu Chengjin that the lotus spirit was already dead. The lotus spirit wept bitterly. Even though she knew Gu Chengjin was only using her as a medicinal ingredient to save another, she still wanted to see him one last time.

Shen Li tried persuading her several times, but to no avail. In the end, she agreed to let the lotus spirit see Gu Chengjin again—and also to see the woman who had made her so jealous she wished for death. Shen Li had the lotus spirit go into hiding, then told Gu Chengjin that she was dead and urged him to leave as soon as possible. But Gu Chengjin, heartbroken, didn’t want to go anywhere.

His beloved was here—he would rather die with her than leave. Hearing this, the lotus spirit lost all hope. In a moment of impulse, she clutched Gu Chengjin’s neck, but how could she bear to harm the man she had loved from the first moment she saw him? In the end, she sacrificed herself for the one she loved. Finally, Shi Yin awoke. Gu Chengjin realized it was the lotus spirit who had saved him.

As he watched the rising motes of light, he felt a deep sense of loss. Xing Yun had just been poisoned by the miasma. His wrist was bruised and blackened from the corrosive energy. Shen Li brought him back to the Jin Yue Residence and used her power to heal him. Seeing that Xing Yun’s condition had slightly improved, Shen Li knew she could no longer stay. The pursuers from the Spirit Realm were still searching for her.

If a battle broke out near Xing Yun, his frail body wouldn’t survive it. Sure enough, the Spirit Realm’s pursuers arrived in full force. Mo Fang did his best to delay them. Shen Li followed closely behind and summoned local earth deities and guardian spirits, ordering them to quickly go and save Xing Yun in the Jin Yue Residence. After all, he was a prince—how could the earth deities disobey?

They immediately promised to expel the poison from Xing Yun’s body within half an hour. Shen Li told them to look for a man in blue robes beneath the pavilion, and the earth deities rushed off in a panic to save him. Unexpectedly, two uninvited guests appeared along the way—one named Qing Yan, the other Chi Rong. Both were notorious troublemakers.

They told the earth deity to deliver a message to Shen Li: if she didn’t come quickly, they would take Xing Yun hostage and could not guarantee his safety. Soon, Shen Li received the message. Seeing strange phenomena repeatedly appear in the Heavenly Realm, she guessed that Mo Fang had already clashed with the pursuers. Knowing Xing Yun was still in danger, Shen Li had no choice but to turn back and rescue him.

When she arrived at Xing Yun’s side, Chi Rong and Qing Yan relayed her mother’s imperial command: return immediately and marry, or even if it meant breaking her arms or legs, they would still drag her back to the Spirit Realm. Shen Li looked up and saw the sky filled with Spirit Realm pursuers—densely packed like ants. To protect Xing Yun, she cut open her palm and used her blood to forge a powerful barrier, shielding him within it.

Shen Li’s mother flew into a rage, accusing her of harming her own kind and asking whether she acknowledged her guilt. Shen Li responded calmly. The Spirit Realm had lived under the rule of the Heavenly Realm for tens of thousands of years. Now even marriage was not up to them, with matches assigned randomly by the Heavenly Realm, and they were even forced to guard the demons and monsters of the heavens.

Everything Shen Li said was true, but her mother refused to listen. She ordered two celestial soldiers to take the prince away immediately. Hearing their conversation, Xing Yun finally understood—Shen Li was actually a prince! Though reluctant to part, Shen Li turned back and helped him to his feet, leaving him with a tender kiss. She told him that she was being forced into marriage and might never have the chance to see him again.

She hoped he would live well. With that, she left in sorrow. Watching her graceful figure disappear into the distance, Xing Yun was filled with deep longing.

When Shen Li ascended to the heavens, she infused some of her spiritual power into Xing Yun’s body, hoping he could overcome his trial and return safely to her mother. Her mother scolded her, saying she shouldn’t have expended five hundred years of cultivation for a mere mortal—especially since ten years from now, he might not even remember her. But Shen Li firmly stated that she was willing.

If she could say those two words—“I’m willing”—then what was five hundred years of cultivation in comparison? In the days that followed, Xing Yun lived in the small courtyard, relying on memories of Shen Li to get through each day. Whether it was spring breeze or summer rain, he would stand in the yard, lost in thoughts of her.

He remained there until he became an old man, and even when death was near, he still hobbled to the riverside Shen Li had loved most. There, it felt as if he could still sense her presence. At last, her mother lifted Shen Li’s restriction. When Shen Li emerged, she learned she had been imprisoned for a full thirty days. She immediately calculated that Xing Yun was likely no longer in the mortal world, and Mo Fang confirmed it.

At the Mo Cang Palace, everyone was elated at the return of the prince. The entire palace had been newly decorated. The little celestial attendants specially prepared a table of dishes for Shen Li to enjoy. Back when she hadn't descended to the mortal world, Shen Li had always had a good appetite. But now, for some reason, even the delicacies she used to love tasted bland and flavorless.

In the Heavenly Realm, numerous celestial gods welcomed the return of Shen Li’s elder brother, Xing Zhi. His descent to the mortal realm to endure trials had not been publicly announced. Everyone had thought he had simply gone traveling to ease his mind, and expected him to return refreshed. But instead, he was even more silent than before.

Xing Zhi bid farewell to the many attendants and went alone to the Thousand Mechanism Platform to pay respects to a dear friend who had once sacrificed himself. Fu Rong Jun, mischievous by nature, trembled in fear upon hearing he was to marry the renowned and battle-hardened King Bi Cang. Her power was well known throughout the Heavenly Realm.

Fu Rong Jun, accustomed to a life of indulgence and pleasure, was terrified at the thought of bringing such a war goddess home as a bride. He immediately rushed to Xing Zhi’s residence, kneeling and begging him to withdraw the decree and cancel the marriage altogether. Xing Zhi suddenly remembered that once, the Star God of Fate had handed him the Book of Marriages and asked him to designate a match.

He had never cared about such things and casually gave a number—unaware that it was Fu Rong Jun’s registry number. And thus, the engagement came to be. Xing Zhi helped the kneeling Fu Rong to his feet and agreed to delay things for now. He said they could get to know each other first, and then decide. When the people of the Spirit Realm heard that the marriage was being postponed, they were all puzzled.

Shen Li, however, felt a secret joy—at least she would still have a few days of freedom. Her master called her aside to explain the importance of this marriage. Shen Li complained that Fu Rong Jun was an unworthy deity—how could someone like her, with such distinguished achievements in battle, be married off to such a scoundrel? Her master understood. Though Shen Li disdained political marriages, once war broke out, it would not be a game.

It would involve innocent lives, and the Spirit Realm would suffer greatly. Not long ago, turmoil broke out in Xu Tian Abyss. Thick miasma tormented the people, leaving them in misery. Shen Li was given the task in a moment of crisis and quickly dispersed the miasma. But lasting peace required the power of the Heavenly Realm—only then could the Spirit Realm be protected and its people find respite.

Her master was thinking of the bigger picture, and Shen Li understood that. She just felt that Xing Zhi’s casual matchmaking had been far too careless.

The miasma in Xu Tian Abyss grew heavier and heavier. Upon receiving the order, Shen Li dispatched several capable subordinates to contain it. God Jun Zixia was burned by a demonic creature and fell directly into the Heavenly Realm, where he perished. The borders were constantly in danger. Shen Li volunteered to go into battle, but her master firmly refused. Instead, a few capable generals were assigned to take over Zixia’s mission.

Shen Li was furious—her master always favored the Heavenly Realm. Did he truly see the Spirit Realm as nothing more than a puppet of the heavens? Unable to reason with her master, Shen Li returned to her own palace in anger, shut the doors, and declared she was going into seclusion. In truth, she quietly rushed to Xu Tian Abyss to eliminate the demonic creatures and avenge the fallen Zixia.

Her master, upon hearing the news, did not send anyone to stop her. With the help of King Bi Cang, the morale of the Spirit Clan soared. A demonic beast nearly devoured Mo Fang, but was stopped when King Bi Cang knocked out several of its teeth with a sharp blade. The fierce battle turned the sky and earth upside down. The demonic creature was a beast of ancient times and not so easily destroyed.

Moreover, it had absorbed massive amounts of spiritual energy from the world, giving it endless power. Shen Li fought it several rounds without gaining the upper hand. Seeing that the creature still retained its strength, Shen Li resolved to act quickly. She ordered her subordinates to form an array. Smoke and dust filled the air, rocks and sand spun into a powerful tornado, annihilating everything in its path.

The demonic creature rampaged, soon breaking through the barrier Shen Li had set up and charged straight at her. Seeing Shen Li in danger, Mo Fang threw himself forward, using his chest to block the creature’s sharp fangs. Gravely wounded, he was gently supported by Shen Li. Just then, the creature opened its gaping maw again and swallowed Shen Li whole. Panic spread among the Spirit Realm forces—their King Bi Cang had been devoured. What were they to do now?

At that moment of panic, Shen Li steadied her breath, held her sharp spear, and pierced through the creature’s belly from within. She burst out in a blaze of golden light—King Bi Cang had returned alive and destroyed the creature! The crowd erupted in cheers. The demonic beast was bewildered—how could a mere princess of the Spirit Realm possess such courage? In its final moments, the beast saw Xing Zhi and finally realized who had orchestrated its demise.

Severely wounded, Shen Li caught a blurry glimpse of Xing Yun. Her face lit up with joy, uncertain whether it was dream or reality. She stumbled toward him, murmuring how she missed his cooking. Just as she reached him, Shen Li fainted. Xing Zhi immediately picked her up and asked where the Spirit Clan's military camp was—he would personally escort Shen Li there.

The Spirit Clan soldiers were nervous, cautioning that their princess was already engaged and must not cross boundaries with another man. Xing Zhi remained unmoved. He stated his name and carried the unconscious Shen Li to the camp for care. The nearby soldiers, upon hearing that this was Xing Zhi from the Heavenly Realm, stood in solemn respect.

Mo Fang, having met Xing Yun before, felt a sense of crisis from the familiar face—such a strong romantic rival, he stood no chance at all. When Shen Li slowly woke, Mo Fang immediately confessed his feelings. They had fought side by side for many years. Though Shen Li was a royal, he had never seen her only as a general.

Shen Li paused for a moment upon hearing this, then sternly warned Mo Fang not to entertain such thoughts again. From now on, he must never mention it. This completely shattered Mo Fang’s hopes—he could only remain a soldier at her side. Shen Li heard footsteps. Looking toward the sound, a burst of light entered her eyes. As she focused, she saw it was Xing Yun! Tears welled up instantly. The man before her looked so much like Xing Yun.

Shen Li knew Xing Yun had already passed away, but still asked Xing Zhi with hope in her voice—had he seen Xing Yun? Xing Zhi’s expression remained calm as he answered, never. A nearby guard told Shen Li that the Celestial God would be staying a few days to help seal the miasma and strengthen the Spirit Realm’s barriers. Xing Zhi took Shen Li’s pulse.

As she observed him closely, she thought it strange—this Celestial God, the last war god of the ancient era, looked so much like Xing Yun. Xing Zhi asked for someone to guide him. When the guard mentioned Shen Li’s name, he quickly explained that their general was seriously injured and might not be up to the task. Mo Fang also volunteered to lead in her stead.

Xing Zhi refused outright, saying he wanted only Shen Li, and that within three days, he would help her fully restore her spiritual power.

In front of Shen Li, Xing Zhi always claimed that he didn’t know her before and had never descended to the mortal realm. Yet, when Shen Li was unconscious, he stayed by her bedside, full of worry, and even transferred his spiritual power to help heal her. With Xing Zhi’s meticulous care, Shen Li felt her body recover quickly. That afternoon, Shen Li took Xing Yun to Xu Tian Abyss to check on the state of the seal.

The road was rugged and difficult to walk. Shen Li moved swiftly and nimbly, while Xing Zhi, dressed in flowing celestial robes, moved slowly. Shen Li looked back at his leisurely pace and couldn’t help but remark that he was like “an old ox pulling a broken cart. ”Along the way, Shen Li was entangled by a wild boar corrupted by the miasma. Ordinarily, such creatures were respectful toward their masters.

Xing Zhi suggested burning it, warning that it might cause trouble in the future, but Shen Li couldn’t bear to kill a spirit creature and simply kicked the boar away to release it. Although Shen Li had never held much fondness for the Heavenly Realm, she couldn’t help but be impressed when she saw Xing Zhi restore a long-dead spiritual tree to life with a wave of his hand. The surrounding withered grass instantly turned lush and green.

The soldiers of the Spirit Realm looked up to see the moon finally emerging from the haze, bright and high in the sky. The land was bathed in a soft glow, bringing peace and tranquility. All were filled with awe at the divine power of the Heavenly Realm. Mo Fang saw the gap between himself and Xing Zhi and couldn’t help but feel inferior.

Xing Zhi revived a millennia-old ancient tree in Xu Tian Abyss, then picked a fresh leaf and gave it to Shen Li, inviting her to climb the tree to “open the moon. ” Shen Li had never looked down on Xu Tian Abyss from atop a tree, especially not under a full moon in complete silence. She deeply enjoyed the rare moment of peace and casually remarked that it would be even better with music.

Xing Zhi then played a tune using the leaf, the sound crisp and melodious. As Shen Li gazed at his side profile, she still felt he looked incredibly like Xing Yun. Shen Li and Xing Yun hadn’t returned, so Mo Fang waited anxiously in the military camp. His fellow soldiers, knowing his feelings, couldn’t help but ask what exactly he liked about the princess. Thinking of Shen Li’s face, Mo Fang was filled with tenderness.

He had deep, unwavering affection for her, loved everything about her, and was willing to do anything for her. When Shen Li and Xing Zhi returned, Mo Fang was finally able to relax upon seeing her safe and sound. Shen Li asked how his injuries were healing. Remembering his confession earlier that day, she tried to keep some distance from him. Sensing Shen Li’s unease, Mo Fang admitted he didn’t want his impulsiveness to interfere with their battle.

Watching Mo Fang’s departing figure, Shen Li pondered: After hundreds of years, she had finally met a man who dared to confess to her, but the timing was wrong. Her heart was still filled with Xing Yun. Though he was no longer in this world, there was simply no room for anyone else. Moreover, she already had a betrothed—Fu Rong Jun—so she had no desire to become entangled with any other man.

Seeing that Shen Li had been at Xu Tian Abyss for a long time without word, the Spirit Lord personally performed a divination and sensed something was wrong. After hearing a report from a guard that Xing Zhi greatly resembled Xing Yun, he used the Shadow Concealment Art to go see for himself.

The moment the Spirit Lord saw Xing Zhi standing beside Shen Li, a chill ran down his spine—Xing Zhi was clearly the same person as Xing Yun, though Shen Li hadn’t realized it yet. The Spirit Lord urgently instructed Shen Li to return to the Spirit Realm. Shen Li hesitated, worried that the seal was not yet fully reinforced and that returning now would only complicate things.

With Xing Zhi also opposing her departure, the Spirit Lord could not insist further and simply urged Shen Li to strengthen the seal quickly and return as soon as possible.

Xing Zhi took Shen Li to the riverbed to examine the seal that had once been placed there. Although Shen Li was not good in water, Xing Zhi still forcibly brought her down. He held her wrist, claiming that the Water-Sealing Art required physical contact at the wrist, or else she wouldn’t be able to breathe freely.

Shen Li half-believed it, but when she saw that while Xing Zhi was urgently reinforcing the seal he no longer held her wrist and she could still breathe easily, she realized his earlier explanation had been false. Xing Zhi began awakening the spirit beasts stationed at the bottom of the river. In just a short while, the water turned crystal clear, a world apart from the lifeless, murky water from before.

Watching his focused and tender expression as he cast his spells—so identical to Xing Yun’s—Shen Li reminded herself once more that Xing Yun of the mortal world was already gone, and the man before her was now a god of the Heavenly Realm. After clearing the miasma from both the land and riverbed of Xu Tian Abyss, Xing Zhi revealed to Shen Li the hiding place of the artifact used to purify the area.

He also explained that the reason he had taken her to the ancient divine tree and the riverbed was not only to help her recover but also to calm her mind. The miasma’s invasion had not been completely purged from her body, and she would unknowingly fall into inner chaos. So that was the reason—Shen Li felt a bit touched.

She looked at Xing Zhi earnestly, though in her heart she kept reminding herself: this man is truly not Xing Yun. Xing Zhi then said that in the coming days, she need not guide him—he could handle reinforcing the seal on his own. Since he had spoken, Shen Li saw no reason to remain. Back in her room, Shen Li lay on the bed lost in thought.

She missed Xing Yun terribly and unconsciously wandered to the entrance to the mortal world, wanting to try seeing Xing Yun once more. Perhaps due to her unique physique, every time she came near the place where the miasma was strongest, her heart would become anxious and uneasy. This time, she was once again enveloped by a powerful, malevolent aura. Unable to break free, she struggled to stay conscious, afraid of being sucked into the void.

Just as she was on the verge of falling into madness, a bright light appeared, and Xing Zhi strode toward her. He dispelled the miasma surrounding her and returned her weapon to her hands. Shen Li was puzzled about why Xing Zhi was there. He simply explained that the miasma in Xu Tian Abyss was too thick, and he was wandering around to familiarize himself with every corner. Shen Li didn’t believe this excuse.

She asked again whether Xing Zhi would sometimes let fragments of his divine consciousness descend to the mortal world while resting. Xing Zhi clearly understood what she was really asking but gave a vague answer: “Perhaps. ”In the Heavenly Realm, Fu Rong Jun was enjoying a flower bath when a subordinate came rushing in to report that Shen Li from the Spirit Realm had slain a demon.

She had been swallowed by it, then tore her way out, covered in blood, with a fierce and terrifying expression. Upon hearing this, Fu Rong’s face turned deathly pale. Raised in luxury and unable to even kill a chicken, how could he possibly marry such a fierce and battle-hardened bride? The thought alone horrified him.

With the wedding date fast approaching and news from the Heavenly Realm urging him to go to the Spirit Realm early to develop feelings with Shen Li, Fu Rong became even more terrified. He even dreamed that Shen Li would come for his heart’s blood. Fu Rong finally couldn’t bear it anymore and ran off to plead with his imperial grandfather to cancel the engagement.

Fu Rong Jun had never seen Shen Li in person, but he often heard tales of her venturing alone into the wilds, her strong build, and her bravery in slaying demons. The more he thought about it, the more afraid he became. He knew himself well—he was someone who avoided hardship and couldn't even bear to kill a chicken. How could he possibly marry such a fierce woman and bring her home?

He was plagued by dreams until finally, one of his idle friends gave him an idea: go to the Spirit Realm in person and intentionally leave a bad impression on Shen Li, hoping she would give up on the engagement herself. This advice suddenly enlightened Fu Rong, and he immediately packed his things and set off for the Spirit Realm. Meanwhile, Shen Li and Xing Zhi were still purging the demons from Xu Tian Abyss.

Over the past five days, Xing Zhi had taken her through every corner of the abyss. Shen Li witnessed his divine might—where she would have to exhaust herself to eliminate even a single demon, Xing Zhi only needed to wave his hand. He was unbelievably powerful! After purifying Xu Tian Abyss, Xing Zhi brought Shen Li back to the Spirit Realm. The people of the realm welcomed Shen Li’s triumphant return by lining the roads.

For the first time, Xing Zhi felt the warmth of the Spirit Realm. Someone placed a delicate flower wreath on Shen Li. Without her armor, she looked both heroic and graceful, and the wreath gave her a rare touch of softness. Seeing her so peaceful and joyful, Xing Zhi wished Shen Li could always be this happy. In the Spirit Realm, Xing Zhi asked the Spirit Lord to let him stay for a few days.

This took the Spirit Lord by surprise. She responded that the customs of the Spirit Realm might be a bit rough and worried they might not treat him well enough, but Xing Zhi replied that he felt quite at ease. Since the god had just helped purify the miasma, the Spirit Lord had no reason to refuse. Then Xing Zhi requested to stay in the residence of Prince Bi Cang.

Since Xing Zhi had made up his mind, there was no room for objection, and the Spirit Lord finally agreed. The Spirit Lord sent Xing Zhi to rest and then spoke privately with Shen Li. Surprisingly, Shen Li was not at all in favor of Xing Zhi staying at the prince’s residence.

Now that she had tacitly agreed to the arranged marriage, and the Spirit Realm was in desperate need of a divine lord to help purify their lands, she had accepted her fate. The Spirit Lord had once sent someone to the mortal world to capture Shen Li and bring her back. The moment this subordinate saw Xing Zhi, he was stunned—his appearance and demeanor were exactly like Xing Yun from the mortal world.

Whispering in private, they became extra cautious around Xing Zhi, afraid he would hold a grudge for what they had done to Xing Yun. Fu Rong Jun arrived in the Spirit Realm and deliberately acted arrogant and overbearing, hoping to make everyone hate him. But the moment he saw Shen Li, he was completely smitten. How could there be such a handsome and striking prince in the world?

Full of regret, Fu Rong immediately changed tactics and began using his charms to win Shen Li over. But Shen Li, having seen all kinds of appearances, was completely unimpressed. Because they were engaged, she begrudgingly agreed to let Fu Rong continue staying at the prince’s residence. With this special permission, Fu Rong purposefully lingered around Shen Li, bragging that he had divine power to purify miasma—second only to Xing Zhi.

Anyone with a discerning eye could tell he was lying. Bothered by his endless chatter, Shen Li gently flicked the porcelain vase beside her. In a moment, it shattered into tiny shards, scaring Fu Rong half to death. He feared angering Shen Li and ending up like the vase. Xing Zhi, watching Fu Rong fawn over her, couldn’t help but feel jealous.

His words grew impatient as he suggested that if Fu Rong was truly so skilled at purifying miasma, he should go out and put his abilities to use. After seeing Fu Rong storm off, Xing Zhi started to wonder when he had become so irritable and uneasy. Wasn’t he usually calm and composed?

In private, the Spirit Lord called Shen Li to her room and returned the Bi Hai Cang Pearl to her, explaining that Shen Li had been born with this pearl in her mouth. Now that she had grown into a responsible princess, it was time to return the precious spiritual pearl to her, so it could serve as a protective artifact. Holding the Bi Hai Cang Pearl in her hands, Shen Li suddenly felt the warmth of her mother.

On leisurely days, Shen Li would take Xing Zhi around the Spirit Realm for a stroll. The Immortal Realm wasn’t nearly as lively, and Xing Zhi was soon drawn to the variety of street food at the market. When he heard someone selling “candied lotus seeds,” Shen Li was reminded of how General Zixia had once promised his young daughter that when he returned victorious, he would buy her plenty of candied lotus seeds.

Now that General Zixia had died in battle, Shen Li bought some and delivered them to his daughter. As Shen Li and Xing Zhi wandered through the market, Fu Rong Jun wandered off on his own. Hearing the people of the Spirit Realm speak of Xing Zhi with boundless admiration made him restless, and he schemed to shift their opinion in his favor.

To show off his “privilege,” Fu Rong began selling tickets—those who bought one could visit the Prince’s residence. Mo Fang heard about Fu Rong’s stunt and immediately took away his chair as a warning, telling him not to get carried away. When Shen Li returned to the residence and saw one of her maids stuffed into a sack by Fu Rong—along with hearing about his ticket-selling antics—she was both annoyed and amused.

Afraid that Shen Li would punish him, Fu Rong immediately flew up to the roof. Shen Li, remembering that he was her future husband, tried her best to save his dignity and didn’t scold him harshly. However, Xing Zhi couldn’t stand it anymore and gave Fu Rong two hits with a broom. Hearing Fu Rong cry out in pain, Shen Li scolded Xing Zhi for meddling in her household affairs.

Seeing Shen Li protect Fu Rong like that left Xing Zhi speechless. Recently, due to supporting both Fu Rong and Xing Zhi, the Prince’s residence had been facing financial strain. After hearing a report from her maid, Shen Li instructed her to ask Xing Zhi and Fu Rong for some silver. Fu Rong, always cunning, took advantage of the moment when he was handing spirit stones to the maid Rou Ya to secretly steal the key to Shen Li’s armory.

It was his first time entering the Prince’s armory, and inside was an overwhelming collection of cold weapons. Fu Rong was dazzled by the sight. He simply opened his Qiankun Bag and swept all the weapons into it, claiming them as his own. When Shen Li discovered that all her weapons were gone, she furiously confronted Fu Rong. Fu Rong immediately tried to use it as leverage, demanding that Shen Li cancel their engagement.

But Shen Li flatly refused, stating that breaking off the engagement would only be valid with her consent. With that, she turned and left. Watching Shen Li’s angry figure disappear, Fu Rong was filled with disappointment. Even after causing so much trouble, he still couldn’t get her to back down. Xing Zhi demanded that Fu Rong return the key—after all, he was a famed divine lord of the Immortal Realm. Naturally, Fu Rong obediently handed it over.

From within the Qiankun Bag, Fu Rong discovered the weapons Shen Li had collected, including a Heaven-Earth Golden Lock Box. The box was locked with multiple nested compartments. After opening six or seven layers, Fu Rong finally found the treasured item inside—a hairpin he had given Shen Li while in the mortal world. So Shen Li had been keeping it all along. Xing Zhi was secretly delighted.

After losing her weapons, Shen Li called Mo Fang to drink and drown her sorrows. The two had risked their lives together on the battlefield many times. After a night of drinking, Mo Fang carried Shen Li back home, only to be seen by Xing Zhi. Xing Zhi felt uncomfortable and reminded Mo Fang to be mindful of his behavior.

Mo Fang understood what was going through Xing Zhi’s mind and subtly hinted that he and Shen Li had long forged a bond through life-and-death battles. When Shen Li woke up, she found that her missing weapons had been returned, and she was overjoyed. She immediately guessed it must have been Xing Zhi’s doing. Hearing that Xing Zhi had gone out to eat and stroll, she finished breakfast and headed out.

Rou Ya delivered a message from Xing Zhi saying that if Shen Li wanted to call off the engagement, she could speak to him directly. But Shen Li instructed Rou Ya to avoid troubling Xing Zhi in the future. Fu Rong started causing trouble in the Spirit Realm again, freeloading and taking things without paying in the bustling market, deliberately acting unlikeable. Following Shen Li’s orders, Mo Fang settled all of Fu Rong’s outstanding debts.

Using the excuse of helping Shen Li retrieve her weapons, Xing Zhi asked her to accompany him for a stroll around the marketplace, sipping tea and tasting local delicacies. Meanwhile, Fu Rong Jun, unwilling to be left out, wandered into the Spirit Realm's pleasure district. The courtesan there was exceptionally graceful and seductive. First, she danced provocatively in front of a crowd, then acted as a wine peddler.

To taste the finest cuisine, Fu Rong Jun didn’t hesitate to spend a fortune getting drunk. At dawn, Rou Ya hurried to inform Shen Li that Fu Rong Jun hadn’t returned all night. Shen Li took Mo Fang with her to search for him, only to find Fu Rong Jun clinging to the courtesan’s leg to stir up trouble. The courtesan cursed him loudly, and Shen Li was stunned by the scene.

Fu Rong Jun was becoming increasingly unruly, so Shen Li wrote a letter to the Immortal Realm truthfully reporting his behavior in the Spirit Realm. Xing Zhi questioned why Shen Li didn’t write to inform the Spirit Lord. Shen Li didn’t want to go that far—she knew how important this marriage alliance was to the Spirit Realm. Even though she disliked Fu Rong Jun, she didn’t want to disappoint the Spirit Lord again.

Hearing this, Xing Zhi felt a pang of guilt. After all, he was the one who meddled in matchmaking in the first place, and now he was reaping what he had sown. Ever since the Spirit Lord returned the Bihai Pearl to Shen Li, she had been experiencing heart palpitations for several days. That night, her whole body was burning up with fever. Rou Ya first went to look for Fu Rong Jun, but he wasn’t in his room.

With no other choice, she turned to Xing Zhi. After checking Shen Li’s pulse, Xing Zhi used his divine power to cool her down. Once Shen Li’s condition improved, Xing Zhi got up to leave. In the courtyard, he had a vague sense that Shen Li had been poisoned with a heartless gu. Last time, Fu Rong Jun clung to the courtesan’s leg and ended up getting beaten by Mo Fang.

Though Mo Fang always wore a stern face, Fu Rong Jun found him interesting. From then on, whenever he had free time, he would run to the military camp to look for Mo Fang. Seeing Fu Rong Jun causing mischief again, Shen Li thought she couldn’t keep letting him lead her by the nose—she should take the initiative. So, in front of Fu Rong Jun, she deliberately said that Mo Fang was her man! Fu Rong Jun was stunned.

A bride-to-be claiming some other man as hers—what a disgrace! He immediately went to Xing Zhi, shouting about wanting to break off the engagement. That Fu Rong Jun was even in the camp caught Shen Li by surprise. Fu Rong Jun claimed he was just passing by—after all, he had the freedom to wander. Hearing Shen Li refer to Mo Fang as “her man,” Xing Zhi couldn’t help but get jealous.

Then he saw how friendly Shen Li was with the soldiers, even putting her arms around their shoulders, and felt even more unsettled. When Shen Li announced that she would spar with the soldiers and reward wine to whoever could defeat her, Xing Zhi purposely stepped onto the stage to spar with her. Shen Li was surprised by Xing Zhi’s move, but after ten rounds, she still hadn’t won once.

Xing Zhi moved as gracefully as a swallow, each move executed with uncanny mastery. With lightning speed, he won decisively, earning the respect of all present. Xing Zhi didn’t ask for wine. Instead, he posed three questions to Shen Li. He first asked about her relationship with the soldiers she had just been so familiar with. The two soldiers didn’t know what Xing Zhi was getting at. They were already married and clearly regarded Shen Li as their lord.

Shen Li honestly answered that they were comrades-in-arms. But when Xing Zhi pointed to Mo Fang and asked about her relationship with him, Shen Li immediately realized—was Xing Zhi upset because she had just claimed Mo Fang was hers? But she had just recently rejected Mo Fang, and now, in front of everyone, she couldn’t cause trouble for him. So Shen Li had no choice but to say that he was also just a comrade.

Satisfied with her answer, Xing Zhi joined everyone for a drink with the princess. Fu Rong Jun thought Xing Zhi had asked those questions to clear things up on his behalf and gratefully thanked him. But when Xing Zhi calmly said he had already written a letter to the Heavenly Lord reporting Fu Rong Jun’s actions and words in the Spirit Realm, Fu Rong Jun was stunned as if struck by lightning and was left speechless.

The Heavenly Lord received Xing Zhi’s letter via flying crane. At first, he could still calmly listen to reports of Fu Rong Jun bullying the maids of the Bicao Royal Residence and behaving outrageously in the Spirit Realm with arrogance and willfulness. But upon hearing that Fu Rong Jun had even publicly harassed women of the Spirit Realm, he was so furious that he shouted aloud.

Fu Rong Jun’s actions were utterly disgraceful and a complete embarrassment to the Immortal Realm. Enraged, the Heavenly Lord ordered that Fu Rong Jun must return to the Immortal Realm within three days. Knowing he was in trouble in the Spirit Realm, Fu Rong Jun decided to go all out in hopes that the Immortal Realm would cancel the marriage alliance. Late at night, drunk and staggering, he hurried back, only to see Mo Fang returning alone.

Planning to tease him, Fu Rong Jun ended up being kicked to the ground by Mo Fang. Despite being a dignified immortal, Fu Rong Jun couldn’t even win a scuffle with Mo Fang. Seeing that Mo Fang showed no signs of stopping, Fu Rong Jun immediately took to his heels. The next morning, the Spirit Lord summoned Shen Li and informed her that Fu Rong Jun had mysteriously fled the Spirit Realm and returned to the Immortal Realm the previous night.

Suspecting that the Spirit Realm had treated Fu Rong Jun poorly, the Spirit Lord ordered Shen Li to return to the Human Realm and bring him back. The Spirit Lord even specially instructed Shen Li not to rush back once she found Fu Rong Jun, so they could spend more time together and grow closer.

Naturally, the Spirit Lord hoped this would help cultivate love between Shen Li and Fu Rong Jun, unaware that the two felt nothing for each other. Shen Li arrived in the Human Realm and heard that Fu Rong Jun had landed near Jinxiu City. Coincidentally, a wedding was taking place nearby. The scene was lively and festive, with colorful decorations and crowds applauding and offering blessings.

Seeing the newlyweds beaming with happiness, Shen Li felt deeply envious, wishing she too could live like a mortal couple, growing old together in love. Unconsciously, she wandered to the small courtyard where she and Xing Yun had once lived. Now the courtyard was desolate and quiet, except for a single blooming pear blossom, dazzling and bright. Shen Li remembered when she was a phoenix, Xing Yun would often stand under the tree and call her to eat.

Those were such warm and cherished times. But now, separated by realms, there was no going back. Shen Li then went to Jin Yue Mansion. Outside, she overheard a storyteller recounting how the once heroic Gu Chengjin, with his wisdom and valor, had eventually become the city lord. His wife, Lady Ye, after returning from the dead, devoted herself to Buddhist practice, living out her days in silence and prayer.

Deeply in love with her, Gu Chengjin never sought the company of another woman. After her final passing, he too fell into despair and followed her a year later. Such a deeply touching story of love—Shen Li was moved. If even plants and trees could have feelings, how could humans not? She remembered the time she was drenched by rain in the Human Realm, and it was Xing Yun who found her and carried her home.

Shen Li returned to that same little creek and stared blankly at the water’s surface. A light rain was falling from the sky, mirroring the heaviness in her heart. Just then, Xing Zhi appeared. Shen Li shared her past experiences in the Human Realm with him, how she had been impressed by Xing Yun, even though they were not the same kind and could never be together.

Finally, Shen Li admitted she had already guessed that Xing Zhi was Xing Yun in the Human Realm. But she said she no longer cared—her memory of Xing Yun had faded and become distant. Shen Li asked why Xing Zhi had come to the Human Realm instead of staying in the heavens as a divine lord. Xing Zhi explained that he had come down out of boredom, wanting to experience the life of an ordinary human.

As for why he later hid the fact that he wasn’t Xing Yun in the Spirit Realm, it was, according to him, because he had no feelings for her. Xing Zhi deliberately twisted the truth, causing Shen Li pain. She thought he disliked her just as she disliked Fu Rong Jun and responded harshly, saying she would soon become Fu Rong Jun’s wife, and her past with Xing Yun was over.

Shen Li prepared to look for Fu Rong Jun, but on the way, she suddenly saw a group capturing an earth spirit. Xing Zhi used the Water-Stopping Spell. The captured earth spirit revealed that many earth spirits like him had been abducted by a small cultivation sect called Fusheng Sect. Realizing the seriousness of the matter, Shen Li decided to investigate the whereabouts of the missing earth spirits first.

At Qingya Cave, the escaped earth spirit led Shen Li and Xing Zhi to search for their missing companions. Sensing strong demonic energy ahead, Xing Zhi handed the earth spirit a magical artifact and told him to return first, while he and Shen Li went on to rescue the imprisoned earth spirits. As they drew closer, they heard anguished cries coming from the prison—demons were sucking the spiritual power from the earth spirits.

It appeared to be an organized and manipulative group. Xing Zhi divided the task: Shen Li would rescue the prisoners while he set up a magical formation nearby to support her. Shen Li charged into battle, brave and fierce. But at a critical moment, Xing Zhi lightly waved his sleeve and all the prison doors flew open, releasing the earth spirits from every section.

The freed earth spirits claimed it was people from the Spirit Realm who had captured them, and they spoke brazenly—showing great disrespect toward the Spirit Realm and openly insulting the Spirit Lord’s character. Shen Li couldn’t tolerate it and angrily grabbed the mouthy man by the throat. Xing Zhi stepped in to calm her, reminding her that acting rashly would only make the Spirit Realm seem more careless. Shen Li had no choice but to let go.

With the earth spirits rescued, Shen Li bid farewell to Xing Zhi and prepared to go look for Fu Rong Jun. But after the battle just now, she was feeling quite hungry. Xing Zhi offered to cook for her. It had been a long time since Shen Li had eaten a meal made by Xing Yun, and since someone had volunteered, she figured she might as well eat before setting out again.

Xing Zhi took Shen Li to a courtyard, intending only to borrow the kitchen. To their surprise, they discovered it was a shady establishment, and the proprietress turned out to be a snake demon. There was also a small snake hidden inside, whose appearance resembled that of Xiao He, the little girl Shen Li had met in the Human Realm. Shen Li gave the snake demon a stern warning.

The little snake, upon hearing they were heading to Jin Yue Mansion to slay demons, eagerly volunteered to go with them. In Jinxiu City, even though it was late at night, demonic energy was everywhere. The streets were littered with bodies of people poisoned by the miasma, and no one was tending to them. Xing Zhi casually saved a poisoned mother, and soon after, they heard the sound of footsteps.

A filthy man led a group to seek shelter in a safer place. Shen Li looked closely—it was Fu Rong Jun! The once elegant and handsome Fu Rong Jun from the Immortal Realm was now in such a wretched state. He explained that he had already rescued several injured and poisoned civilians. As he spoke, he led Shen Li and Xing Zhi to his residence, where indeed many people were receiving his aid.

It seemed Fu Rong Jun still had some conscience left. Shen Li smiled and nodded in approval, just as a little demon cried out excitedly, calling someone’s name. Shen Li turned toward the voice and was stunned to see a familiar face—it was Gu Chengjin! Seeing the little snake demon's joy upon recognizing her so-called older brother Jing Yan—Gu Chengjin—Shen Li couldn’t help but recall how Xiao He had once sacrificed her life to save the woman Gu Chengjin loved.

Though the name had changed, it seemed like the cycle had started all over again. Gu Chengjin was now carefully tending to a woman who had been deeply poisoned, and she bore a striking resemblance to Lady Ye. Xing Zhi told Shen Li that after becoming city lord, Gu Chengjin had planted many lotuses in the pond at his residence, in remembrance of Xiao He, who had sacrificed herself for him.

Shen Li and Xing Zhi went together to search for the Mortal Realm’s Fusheng Gate. They searched for a long time but found no trace of it until Xing Zhi used a strand of Shen Li’s hair to sweep away the gloom, making the gate instantly visible. As they stepped into the Fusheng Gate, resentment filled the air, and evil spirits were everywhere. Shen Li fought bravely and soon the ground was littered with defeated, lifeless spirits.

The last remaining spirit confessed that to the left was the prison where the earth spirits were held, and to the right was the mastermind’s hiding place. Shen Li entrusted Xing Zhi with the task of rescuing the earth spirits while she headed to the right to eliminate the demons.

Recently, rumors had been spreading everywhere in the Mortal Realm that it was the Spirit Realm’s people causing trouble and tarnishing their reputation, so Shen Li naturally couldn’t let this pass. Finally, Shen Li met the mastermind—Fu Sheng. Although Fu Sheng was clearly a mortal, Shen Li soon understood the truth: Fu Sheng had manipulated her former general, Zixia.

Everyone had believed that Zixia had already sacrificed himself, but Fu Sheng had schemed to confuse Zixia’s mind with resentment, turning him into an accomplice to evil. Shen Li couldn’t bear to strike harshly at her own subordinate, and Fu Sheng exploited her compassion to seize her by the throat, nearly choking her to death. At that moment, Xing Zhi arrived. Seeing the woman he loved almost die, he was furious.

He instantly froze the entire Fusheng Gate in ice; all the evil spirits were frozen in an instant, the miasma gradually dissipated, and the rescued innocent civilians cheered and prayed for blessings. Xing Zhi cradled the badly injured Shen Li in his arms, comforting her and urging her to recover well. With him around, he said, neither the Spirit Realm nor the Mortal Realm would suffer any harm. Hearing Xing Zhi’s tender words, Shen Li was deeply moved.

Until now, she had always fought desperately to protect others—today, someone was willing to protect her with all his might. Meanwhile, Jing Yan carefully tended to Shi Luo, the girl poisoned by the miasma. When he saw Jing Xi drawing close to Fu Rong Jun to help treat the poisoned people, he couldn’t help but feel jealous and went forward to remind Jing Xi to keep her distance from Fu Rong Jun.

Xing Zhi carried the unconscious Shen Li back to the academy. Fu Rong Jun, who was used to seeing the mighty and indomitable King Bicao, now saw her lying weakly and lifelessly on the bed, feeling quite upset inside. Xing Zhi ordered Fu Rong Jun to immediately return to the Immortal Realm to report. Recently, the frequent abductions of earth spirits were very strange.

Although he had just eliminated a major enemy, it was unclear if there were other accomplices, so it was crucial for the Immortal Realm to be informed as soon as possible. Fu Rong Jun knew that Jing Xi had been hurt by Jing Yan in a previous life. To help this innocent and pitiful girl, Fu Rong Jun deliberately appeared as a romantic rival.

Sure enough, Jing Yan grew increasingly jealous whenever he saw Jing Xi always by Fu Rong Jun’s side. Jing Xi didn’t understand who Fu Rong Jun had truly chosen. Jing Yan explained that when he was young, he had once been saved by Shi Luo, and now meeting again was merely his way of repaying a debt of gratitude. After understanding the truth, Jing Xi said no more. Xing Zhi recognized that this Jing Yan was actually Qing Ye.

He invited him for a walk and then awakened his divine consciousness, asking if he knew anything about Fu Sheng. Qing Ye only remembered that in a past life, Fu Sheng had been an advisor to the Eldest Prince and had been executed for aiding and abetting evil.

Xing Zhi consulted Qing Ye, asking who in this life might resemble Fu Sheng. Qing Ye pondered for a moment and indeed thought of someone—Jing Yan. After being captured by Fu Sheng, Jing Yan was rescued by Shi Luo, and the one who had caused the death of Jing Yan’s parents long ago also bore a striking resemblance to Fu Sheng. Xing Zhi could only awaken Qing Ye for a short time.

After a brief conversation, the proud and aloof Jing Yan regained consciousness. Xing Zhi reminded him that now he possessed the ability to purify miasma and hoped he would do more good deeds for the common people. After Jing Yan left, Shen Li stepped out from the shadows.

Xing Zhi explained Qing Ye’s past life: he was once a high god of the Immortal Realm, punished for breaking celestial rules and sent to the mortal world to undergo trials, repeatedly missing his destined love. Xing Zhi gave Jing Yan some spiritual power, hoping he could sooner realize what he truly sought. Shen Li sighed, recalling how in his past life Jing Yan wavered between two women, ultimately harming them both.

Now that the past seemed to be repeating, Jing Yan would have to make his own choice, for fate is three parts predestined and seven parts determined by choice. Fireworks bloomed in the sky, and the people of the Mortal Realm celebrated with lanterns and fireworks, rejoicing in their newfound life after the miasma’s dispersal. Xing Zhi also took Shen Li to stroll through the lantern fair and watch the fireworks. All around them were joyful, smiling faces.

The brief moment of peace made Shen Li cherish it all the more. She took off her battle robes and changed into a woman’s dress, letting Xing Zhi lead her through the bustling crowds. Several times they were separated by the throngs, but after a short while, they always found each other again. Seeing the rabbit lantern that Xing Zhi gave her, Shen Li was deeply moved.

Although she knew that those of the Immortal Realm were forbidden from falling in love, feeling Xing Zhi’s sincerity, Shen Li could not help but feel joy in her heart. Under the moonlight, Shi Luo went to bid farewell to Jing Yan. She saw him clumsily weaving a grasshopper out of straw, just like the one Shi Luo had made for him long ago to comfort him when she first rescued him as a child.

Now Jing Yan made a grasshopper for her. After a few words of farewell, Shi Luo got up to leave. For some reason, Jing Yan shed many tears as he watched her departing figure. The next day, Jing Yan left with his junior sister. As Shi Luo departed by boat, she saw the two of them together, their intimacy clear. The treasured grasshopper fell silently from her hand.

In this life, Shi Luo was the lotus spirit who would sacrifice for love, and Jing Yan was destined to keep missing his chances. Once Shen Li’s health recovered, Xing Zhi sent her back to the Bicao Palace. Rou Ya anxiously welcomed her mistress back and informed Shen Li that Fu Rong Jun had returned to their residence and was clinging to Mo Fang every day.

Now not only Fu Rong Jun but also the celestial maiden You Lan was present at Bicao Palace. At that moment, Ling Zun was in the main hall receiving this “honored guest” from the Heavenly Realm. Shangbei Xianjun revealed You Lan’s background: when she was a child, her body was extremely frail.

The high gods of the Immortal Realm had given up hope for her, but Xing Zhi took the sickly young You Lan away, treated her, and miraculously cured her strange illness. Since then, You Lan had developed feelings for Xing Zhi. Shen Li recounted her experiences in the Mortal Realm to her master, Ling Zun.

Although Ling Zun had never heard of Fu Sheng’s name, upon hearing that General Zixia had been refined into a puppet, she was greatly shocked and realized the gravity of the situation.

Upon hearing Shen Li’s account, Ling Zun said that she had never even heard of the villain named Fu Sheng. After Shen Li left, Ling Zun immediately ordered her subordinates to descend to the mortal world to capture Fu Sheng and execute him on sight without reporting to the Immortal Realm.

The celestial maiden You Lan went to find Mo Fang and demanded that he tell her everything about Xing Zhi’s visit to the Spirit Realm and the events at Xu Tianyuan. From the first moment Shen Li saw You Lan, she felt no goodwill toward her. Seeing You Lan aggressively ordering Mo Fang around, Shen Li immediately dragged Mo Fang away by force. You Lan started throwing a tantrum, her tone full of provocation.

Shen Li held tightly to Mo Fang’s wrist and insisted on leaving, and this was all seen by Xing Zhi. Unable to bear seeing Shen Li show concern for another man, Xing Zhi immediately stepped forward to protect You Lan. At this moment, Shen Li both loved and hated Xing Zhi. She felt that sometimes he treated her coldly, while at other times he deliberately seduced her with his looks—this hot and cold behavior was truly detestable.

To give him a warning, she deliberately grabbed Mo Fang’s arm and walked off proudly. Being pulled so close by Shen Li made Mo Fang’s heart race, but knowing that there could be no possibility between them, he tried hard to maintain a respectful distance. Shen Li handed General Zixia’s token to Mo Fang, instructing him to deliver it to Zixia’s widow. Soldiers who protect their homeland always face dangers, and sacrifice is inevitable.

Shen Li told Mo Fang not to blame himself too much. Seeing Zixia’s widow break down in tears upon receiving the memento left Mo Fang with a heavy heart. That night, he went to a tavern to drown his sorrows in alcohol. Shen Li, also saddened, called together the soldiers who had fought with them that night to drink and honor the memory of the fallen warriors. Late at night, Shen Li got drunk.

Mo Fang carried her home on his back. It had been a long time since they had been this close, and Mo Fang couldn't help but wish that time could freeze at this moment forever. Drunkenly, Shen Li murmured that she also wished time could stop at this very moment and suggested they go stargazing. Mo Fang, who always obeyed Shen Li’s words, really carried her onto the rooftop to watch the stars. The cool night breeze gradually sobered Shen Li.

Realizing that she was lying on the rooftop of her subordinate’s residence, she thought how embarrassing it would be if word of this spread. However, leaving right after just getting onto the roof would seem too abrupt. As she was thinking of a good excuse to leave, she suddenly heard Fu Rong Jun’s voice. Fu Rong Jun deliberately and mockingly accused Shen Li of meeting a subordinate secretly at night, damaging her reputation.

Shen Li was not afraid of Fu Rong Jun’s provocations, but when she heard Xing Zhi’s voice, she became truly nervous. Fu Rong Jun kept chattering away, which annoyed Shen Li greatly. She immediately put him in his place. Fu Rong Jun once again proposed breaking off the engagement, and this time Xing Zhi agreed on the spot. Now it was Shen Li’s turn to be unhappy. She openly scolded Xing Zhi for acting recklessly.

It was he who had irresponsibly arranged the engagement in the first place, and now he was just as carelessly calling it off. But this was the Spirit Realm—whether the engagement was broken or not was up to her, and she now refused to annul it. Xing Zhi had never confessed his feelings to Shen Li, leaving her heart always uneasy. Now his hurtful words stung even more.

Shen Li, speaking in veiled terms, said that now that the miasma in Xu Tianyuan had been cleared and there was nothing pressing in the Spirit Realm, Xing Zhi should return to his position in the Immortal Realm as soon as possible. Faced with her clear words, Xing Zhi could only reply that he would take You Lan back to the Immortal Realm the next day.

After Xing Zhi left, Shen Li often became absent-minded, frequently recalling the times they had spent together clearing the miasma in Xu Tianyuan. Back then, it had felt like Xing Zhi cared about her. Yet he often appeared cold and distant to others, making her wonder which was the real Xing Zhi.

Ling Zun, seeing Shen Li’s distracted state, mistakenly believed that Shen Li was lovesick over Fu Rong Jun’s departure from the Spirit Realm and deliberately assigned her a task that would send her to the Immortal Realm for a while.

Xing Zhi visited the Heavenly Lord and listened to him ramble about how he had recently taken a liking to a jade cup belonging to another immortal. Because he liked it so much, he thought about it day and night, unwilling to let it go. He wanted to seize it but felt that such behavior was beneath an immortal’s dignity. Yet not fighting for it left him feeling frustrated.

These words struck a chord with Xing Zhi, for he too harbored similar thoughts. The Heavenly Realm had its jade cup, just as he had Shen Li—both were things he found difficult to let go of. You Lan returned to the Immortal Realm, where many of her sisters came to visit and inquire about Xing Zhi’s heroic deeds in expelling the miasma among mortals. As You Lan recounted her experiences in the Spirit Realm, she couldn’t help mentioning Shen Li.

Several young immortals remarked that it seemed Shen Li had fallen for a mortal who closely resembled the Divine Lord, and that she had visited the mortal world several times to see him. Hearing that Shen Li once loved a mortal who looked like Xing Zhi, You Lan grew even more curious.

She went to find Fu Rong Jun to confirm the story, but Fu Rong Jun was vague and confused, unable to give a clear answer, leaving You Lan even more uneasy. Fu Rong Jun resumed his idle lifestyle in the Ninth Heaven. One day, at the Hundred Flowers Banquet, he saw Shen Li’s name. Remembering their old acquaintance, Fu Rong Jun happily went to greet her and personally showed her around various places in the Immortal Realm.

The Immortal Realm, long accustomed to its superior position, inevitably looked down upon visitors from the Spirit Realm. Shen Li could sense the disdain in their gazes. Since it was her first time in the Immortal Realm, she had no intention of seeking trouble. Fu Rong Jun proposed to Shen Li that they draft a prenuptial agreement: after marriage, they would treat each other as sworn brothers, ignoring whomever the other chose to be close to.

Fu Rong Jun confidently believed Shen Li would agree without hesitation. However, Shen Li did not consent. She looked at him steadily and stated word by word that although she would not sign the agreement, if she ever discovered that Fu Rong Jun crossed the line, she would show no mercy and kill without hesitation. Seeing the determination in Shen Li’s eyes, Fu Rong Jun felt a chill down his spine.

You Lan had once heard Xing Zhi play a sorrowful tune with a leaf, the music filled with sadness and longing. Some immortals skilled in music remarked that it seemed Xing Zhi had fallen in love, which greatly displeased You Lan. Not long after, she heard a similar melody coming from Fu Rong Jun’s residence. However, the tune was not sorrowful and was clearly played by someone unskilled.

Upon learning that Shen Li had just arrived at Fu Rong Jun’s estate, You Lan, full of anger, rushed over to cause trouble. Fortunately, Fu Rong Jun still had a sense of the bigger picture. Seeing a group of aggressive immortals charging toward his residence, specifically coming to pick a fight with Shen Li, Fu Rong Jun immediately stepped forward to shield her.

He claimed that Shen Li was only casually playing music and that her relationship with Xing Zhi in the Spirit Realm was extremely strained, making any romantic involvement impossible. Fu Rong Jun maintained his composure, and You Lan, deceived by his words, left with the other female immortals. One female immortal, infatuated with Fu Rong Jun and jealous that Shen Li had been betrothed to him, secretly poisoned Shen Li’s soup. However, Shen Li quickly saw through the petty trick.

Calmly drinking her porridge, Shen Li asked the immortal whether she truly loved Fu Rong Jun. If her feelings were deep, Shen Li said she would step aside and even help her petition the Heavenly Lord for the marriage. Unexpectedly, the female immortal had accomplices. In a sudden attack, a silver needle shot toward the back of Shen Li’s hand. Shen Li, unfazed by such tactics, swiftly captured several of the female immortals.

When Fu Rong Jun heard his subordinates hastily report the emergency, he rushed back and heard Shen Li say that she had killed the female immortals and made them into barbecue. Fu Rong Jun was utterly shocked. Seeing the fresh, bloody meat nearby that had not yet been grilled, he mistakenly thought Shen Li had used the immortals as ingredients and was so frightened that he immediately threw up.

Fu Rong Jun thought that Shen Li had turned those female immortals into barbecue and was worrying about how to report this to the Heavenly Lord when he looked up and saw several immortals hanging high from the roof, with fire basins burning beneath their feet. The immortals screamed in terror, their faces pale. Fu Rong Jun hurried to speak kindly of them in front of Shen Li, hoping she would spare them for his sake.

Although the immortals were untied, their noisy chattering remained extremely annoying. Just then, the Heavenly Lord arrived. Shen Li reported that ever since she arrived at Fu Rong Jun’s residence, she had been subjected to poison, silver needles, sneak attacks, and knockout incense—despicable tricks. The Heavenly Lord’s face turned red and then white as he listened.

When he heard that Shen Li was unwilling to stay at Fu Rong Jun’s place any longer, he immediately agreed and amiably arranged for her to move to a quiet courtyard. Shen Li only wanted to get away from Fu Rong Jun as soon as possible, lest the jealous immortal girls cause further trouble. She had hoped for some peace, but unexpectedly, the place the Heavenly Lord assigned her was Xing Zhi’s residence.

With a nervous heart, Shen Li arrived at the West Garden. The lively little catfish spirits tugged at her clothes, insisting she go play in the lotus pond with them. Seeing these mischievous but friendly little spirits who treated her like one of their own, Shen Li was drawn in. She joined them in splashing water by the lotus pond. It had been a long time since Shen Li experienced such childlike joy.

Soaked by the splashing children, she happily retaliated, splashing them back. Xing Zhi returned home and, hearing the boisterous laughter and shouting he had never heard before, followed the sound to find Shen Li having a water fight with the little spirits—a rather amusing sight. Shen Li noticed Xing Zhi and glared at him immediately. Every time they met, she seemed to end up in water—last time she was even a fallen phoenix.

To vent Shen Li’s anger, Xing Zhi playfully pretended to spank the little spirits and told them to take good care of Shen Li in the future. Early the next morning, Shen Li was driven nearly mad by the noisy little catfish spirits. She ordered them to quickly return to the lotus pond. Xing Zhi came over, smiling, and asked if she was getting used to living in the Immortal Realm. Just then, You Lan arrived.

Hearing their conversation, she was startled. She had always thought the two were barely acquainted, but the familiarity in their words revealed an undeniable bond, so much so that she dropped the fruit basket she was carrying. You Lan said she would take Shen Li to the Marrow Cleansing Pool for purification. Since it was a customary ritual in the Immortal Realm, Shen Li went along.

She found the Immortal Realm filled with spiritual energy, with much of it lingering in the surroundings—highly beneficial for improving cultivation. As Shen Li stepped into the Marrow Cleansing Pool, she sensed her celestial power being suppressed. She wondered if the Divine Realm feared the growing strength of the Spirit Realm. Suddenly, a roar rang out. Shen Li saw a furious divine beast charging at You Lan. You Lan’s celestial power was far too weak to resist.

If Shen Li did not act, You Lan’s life would be in danger. Shen Li immediately stepped in and subdued the rampaging divine beast. Just as she was about to punish it, an immortal messenger arrived, explaining that this was the Bai Ling divine beast raised by Xing Zhi, specially sent to accompany Shen Li. Somehow, it had passed through this place and had its temperament altered.

Shen Li then stopped her actions but understood almost immediately—this was surely due to You Lan’s secret meddling that caused the Bai Ling divine beast’s sudden change in behavior. After Shen Li left, Xing Zhi rebuked You Lan for her underhanded actions. You Lan knelt to admit her fault, tearfully reminding Xing Zhi to stay away from Shen Li, because the rules of the Heavenly Realm forbade any Heavenly Lord from falling in love. Xing Zhi’s face remained expressionless as he coldly replied that she was overthinking it—he and Shen Li were not even familiar with each other.

Early in the morning, Shen Li walked out of the courtyard and saw that breakfast was already prepared—it was Xing Zhi’s handiwork. She had tasted such exquisite dishes before when she was in the mortal realm. Shen Li carried the breakfast into her room and saw Xing Zhi coming out from a nearby courtyard. Shen Li gave a slight nod to express her gratitude.

After finishing breakfast, Shen Li strolled around the West Garden and often saw Xing Zhi coming in and out of a certain courtyard. However, it was not Xing Zhi’s sleeping quarters. Curiosity got the better of Shen Li, and she couldn't resist walking in. She discovered that inside were many spirit tablets with names such as Qing Ye, Luo Xing, Guan Yue, and Qian Ji. It turned out to be a place where tablets of ancient divine lords were worshipped.

As soon as the tablets sensed someone entering, they immediately gathered around Shen Li as if being very close to her. One of the tablets, named Qian Ji, showed Shen Li a past memory: a scene of Xing Zhi when he first arrived in the Immortal Realm, revealing that young Xing Zhi was actually quite adorable.

Xing Zhi also walked in and explained that most of the ancient gods had suffered misfortunes before death, and now, with both body and soul extinguished, they had gone to the mortal world to undergo trials and taste all hardships.

If Xing Zhi himself were to face misfortune one day, he too would be stripped of his divine status, losing his divine power and spells, and would vanish along with the collapse of Xu Tianyuan, dragging the lifeblood of the Spirit Realm into ruin with him. Hearing this, Shen Li deeply felt the heavy burden Xing Zhi carried. It was not only about his own fate but also concerned the destiny of the entire spirit race across generations.

She couldn't help but urge Xing Zhi to live on until the very end of his natural lifespan. Shen Li’s words came from the bottom of her heart. Now she finally understood what You Lan had warned her about not long ago: do not charm Xing Zhi, because there was only one supreme god left in the Immortal Realm, and he bore the fate of the Three Realms.

At that time, Shen Li hadn’t understood the meaning behind those words, but now it was all clear. Facing Shen Li, Xing Zhi couldn't help but confess that this was why he could not allow himself to like her. Shen Li was deeply moved. She had once blamed Xing Zhi for being hot and cold, but now she realized the reason behind it.

Shen Li responded that she would maintain a proper distance from now on and asked Xing Zhi not to tease her again. Xing Zhi couldn’t help but chuckle. The Hundred Flowers Banquet was about to begin. Shen Li went to the banquet venue, and You Lan introduced her to the Immortal Realm’s flat peaches and fine wine. After confirming that You Lan had not tampered with anything this time, Shen Li picked up a flat peach and began eating.

After downing a pot of wine, she fell into a deep sleep. The wine of the Immortal Realm was indeed different from that of the Spirit Realm. When she woke up, she heard the ethereal music from the Ninth Heaven, signaling that the Hundred Flowers Banquet was about to start. As Shen Li flew toward the Ninth Heaven, she suddenly encountered countless huge fireballs shooting directly at the West Garden with tremendous power.

Realizing that something was wrong, Shen Li saw several fireballs landing in the West Garden, instantly turning it into a sea of flames. The fireballs were clearly targeting the courtyard with the spirit tablets. Knowing how important they were to Xing Zhi, Shen Li immediately fought with all her might to protect the shrine. Seeing the disturbance from the Ninth Heaven, the soldiers of the Immortal Realm reported the mysterious fireball attack.

The Heavenly Lord immediately led numerous heavenly soldiers and generals to provide assistance. Fortunately, Xing Zhi rushed back just in time. Shen Li had defended the shrine of spirit tablets with her own strength. Everyone gasped at the charred ruins. Just as they remembered Shen Li, they saw Xing Zhi emerge from the wreckage, holding the heavily injured and unconscious Shen Li in his arms.

Normally, Fu Rong Jun only thought of Shen Li as brave and tough like a man, but now, seeing her so frail and still like a tiny bird, he realized that Shen Li, after all, was a delicate woman—even stronger than ordinary women. Under the gaze of the crowd, Xing Zhi strode forward, carrying Shen Li to heal her wounds. After a few days, You Lan, grateful for Shen Li’s life-saving grace, came to visit her benefactor.

Hearing the conversation between Shen Li and Xing Zhi, she found that Shen Li requested to leave early and not continue her recovery there. However, Xing Zhi, stubborn like a child, insisted that Shen Li must fully recover before returning.

You Lan saw that Shen Li and Xing Zhi were caught in an endless argument, so she immediately reported and asked them to go to Lingxiao Hall. When Shen Li arrived, she heard the Divine Lord speak about the attack on the Spirit Tribe five days ago. In that battle, the civilians of the Spirit Tribe suffered heavy casualties, ten generals were killed instantly, and countless other soldiers also fell. Even the Spirit Lord was seriously wounded and remained unconscious.

Hearing that this had happened five days ago and she was only now being informed, Shen Li couldn’t help but feel indignant. However, after thinking everything over carefully, she found the situation extremely suspicious. It seemed that the fire attack on the Immortal Realm was just a feint, and the real target was the Spirit Tribe. Shen Li softened her tone and immediately bid farewell to the Immortal Realm to return home.

Xing Zhi watched Shen Li’s departing figure with a deep sense of loss. Even though he knew he must not develop feelings for Shen Li, he found it beyond his control. When Shen Li returned to the Spirit Tribe, she was met with scenes of devastation. The few surviving soldiers were covered in bloodstains, making it heartbreaking to behold. The Spirit Lord lay unconscious on the sickbed.

The subordinates reported that the doctors had diagnosed the Spirit Lord as being poisoned by miasma. Shen Li saw a wound on the Spirit Lord’s neck, already purplish and yet long unhealed. The subordinates reported that only a little over three hundred enemies had attacked, but they possessed extraordinary strength. Though they looked no different from ordinary people, no blade could pierce their skin unless infused with spells.

Shen Li thought of the black-clothed figures she had encountered recently, who had attacked with mindless, puppet-like ferocity. It had already been five days, but the fallen generals had yet to be buried. According to the Spirit Tribe's tradition, soldiers must be buried before generals after a war. Shen Li mourned each fallen soldier one by one, recalling their smiles and voices from the past, feeling sorrowful beyond words.

Suddenly, she heard that Mo Fang had also been swallowed by the enemy during the battle. This news enraged her even more. She ordered the soldiers to search at all costs—living or dead, Mo Fang must be found. Besides that, she organized a grand memorial ceremony and swore to avenge them all. In the Dark Forest, Fu Sheng heard his subordinates report that even after scouring the Spirit Realm, they still had not found the Bihai Cangzhu.

Now that Shen Li had returned to the Spirit Tribe and the Spirit Lord had received an antidote to suppress the miasma poison, it would be much harder to launch another attack. Fu Sheng berated his subordinates for their incompetence. In the last battle, only a few puppets had been lost, which was insignificant. He planned to create even more puppets for a larger-scale assault.

To increase his power, Fu Sheng ordered his men to find some strong and robust young men for him to feed on. Fu Sheng’s true target was the Bihai Cangzhu. He speculated that the Spirit Lord had already handed the bead over to Shen Li. A full-scale assault would surely invite the master's rebuke, so Fu Sheng ordered his subordinates to keep the matter quiet and make preparations in secret.

Soon after, the Spirit Realm patrol reported that several black-clothed enemies from the last assault were moving straight toward Xu Tianyuan, committing atrocities along the way. The Spirit Tribe's generals, still grieving for their fallen comrades, were eager to launch a counterattack. However, Shen Li warned them not to act rashly, for the barrier of Xu Tianyuan would not be easily broken. This time, she would personally lead the forces to confront the invaders.

The residents living on the outskirts of Xu Tianyuan held a grand blessing ceremony for the Spirit Tribe’s generals. However, just as Shen Li set out, Xu Tianyuan was ambushed. Some villagers, terrified by the ghastly faces of the invaders, fled in panic. The clear skies were instantly covered by dark clouds. As the fiends closed in, and the villagers' lives hung by a thread, Shen Li led the Spirit Tribe's generals, arriving like the wind.

Wherever Shen Li’s spear pointed, the fiends were crushed into flesh and dust. A little boy, who had been wailing in despair moments ago, watched Shen Li descend, stepping on a red cloud, invincible and unstoppable, so awestruck that he even forgot the danger around him. Fu Sheng finally confronted Shen Li. This time, however, his palm was wounded by Shen Li’s attack, and he failed to gain the upper hand. Shen Li warned him that if he wanted to rampage through the Spirit Realm, he would first have to ask whether the weapon in her hand agreed.

Shen Li and Fu Sheng fought fiercely for several rounds. Fu Sheng used the Still Water Technique to summon towering waves in an attempt to drown Shen Li. However, Shen Li soared into the air and responded effortlessly. Seeing that the Still Water Technique posed no threat to her, Fu Sheng created even more puppets to drain Shen Li’s strength. The Still Water Technique was originally Xing Zhi’s formation.

Shen Li cursed Fu Sheng for overestimating himself and was about to finish him off when she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure—Mo Fang! Fu Sheng addressed Mo Fang as Young Master and hoped to get his approval to kill Shen Li that day. Mo Fang, unable to bear it, urged Fu Sheng to withdraw immediately, but Fu Sheng stubbornly refused.

He kept persuading Mo Fang to prioritize the greater good, saying that the Bihai Cangzhu was within their grasp and that retreating now would ruin everything. Hearing their conversation, Shen Li felt a chill in her heart. After the Spirit Realm’s crushing defeat in the last war, her people had suspected a traitor among them. Now, it seemed beyond doubt that it was Mo Fang.

She had known Mo Fang for three hundred years, having shared countless life-and-death experiences and trusted him with her life. Yet now she discovered that he was a traitor who had committed countless crimes against their people—it was simply outrageous. Shen Li questioned Mo Fang whether he was aware of his guilt.

Mo Fang once again demanded that Fu Sheng retreat, but Fu Sheng instead bound Mo Fang with ropes and ordered the puppets to spare no effort in killing Shen Li. Fu Sheng mustered all his strength and forced Shen Li into the depths of the lake, then froze the entire surface, instructing his men to retrieve the Bihai Cangzhu once Shen Li’s presence disappeared from the lake. Fu Sheng had underestimated Shen Li.

Holding her breath and concentrating her spirit under the water, she finally shattered the barrier and leapt out successfully. She defeated Fu Sheng and Mo Fang together and was ready to punish the traitor. Holding her spear, she needed only one strike to erase Mo Fang from the world. But as memories of the past three hundred years flooded back, Shen Li found herself unable to strike ruthlessly.

Fu Sheng absorbed endless dark power, flooding his body with malevolent energy and greatly increasing his strength. Half the sky was already shrouded in dark clouds. Mo Fang, seeing through Fu Sheng’s scheme, desperately urged Shen Li to flee and told her to run southwest. Tears streamed down Shen Li’s face. At this point, she didn’t even know if she should still trust him.

As Fu Sheng closed in, Mo Fang struggled to drag Shen Li away, but they were ultimately a step too late. Shen Li’s heart was pierced by Fu Sheng’s black claw, and the Bihai Cangzhu began to churn violently inside her, as if it was about to be taken. Determined to perish with dignity, Shen Li forced out all the spiritual power within her body to die together with Fu Sheng. The Bihai Cangzhu was not taken away.

Fu Sheng was incinerated by raging flames, and Shen Li perished as she sacrificed herself. In her final moments, Shen Li’s mind conjured the image of Xing Zhi. Now that Fu Sheng had been eliminated, the Spirit Realm should be safe. The only thing she could not let go of was Xing Zhi. She longed to eat another meal of the rice he once cooked. Tears slowly slipped from the corners of her eyes and fell into the molten lava.

The Spirit Tribe’s general brought back Shen Li’s belongings. The Spirit Lord finally awakened, and the first thing she instructed upon waking was to forbid Shen Li from seeking revenge for the Spirit Realm. But when she saw the urn carried by General Shang Bei and heard the news that Shen Li was gone, she was overwhelmed with grief.

Now that Shen Li was no longer alive, the Spirit Lord ordered General Shang Bei to report to the Heavenly Lord in the Immortal Realm and cancel the marriage agreement. In recent days, Fu Rong Jun had frequently visited Lingxiao Hall to pay his respects, hoping to gather news about the Spirit Realm. After all, he had once crossed paths with Shen Li.

On the way, he happened to encounter General Shang Bei, who was dressed in mourning white, his expression filled with sorrow, making Fu Rong Jun realize that something serious had happened. In the Immortal Realm, upon hearing General Shang Bei’s report that Shen Li had died in battle at the Eastern Sea, Xing Zhi’s hand trembled slightly. He interrupted General Shang Bei, reminding him that no unverified information should be recklessly asserted.

General Shang Bei reconfirmed the news of Shen Li’s death, and Xing Zhi, enraged, immediately grabbed him by the neck, warning that speaking falsehoods would bring divine retribution. General Shang Bei admitted that they had not found a body. The vast Eastern Sea was shrouded in thick mist, making it impossible to search.

Now, with madness in his eyes, Xing Zhi bade farewell to the Heavenly Lord and rushed to the Eastern Sea, determined to search once more for the whereabouts of the King of Bicao.

Xing Zhi searched every corner of the Eastern Sea but ultimately did not find Shen Li. He only found a torn piece of red clothing, indicating that Shen Li had indeed met with misfortune. Xing Zhi’s heart felt as if it were being torn apart. Once, they had been able to be together, but he had suppressed his feelings, believing he bore the responsibility of safeguarding the Three Realms.

Yet when he truly lost her, he realized how deeply it hurt. If he could not even save the one he loved, how could he care for the world? Scene after scene of the past flashed before his eyes. He remembered that in the Immortal Realm, Shen Li had joked that ever since she met Xing Zhi, she always got injured in battles. If one day she were to die unexpectedly, she would definitely come back to hold him accountable.

At that time, Xing Zhi had looked into her eyes and said that when that day came, he would repay it with his own life. Now, it had come true. Xing Zhi defied fate, willing to sacrifice all his cultivation, even at the cost of suffering a backlash of spiritual power, just to bring the King of Bicao back. Xing Zhi froze tens of thousands of miles of the Eastern Sea, vowing to find even the faintest trace of spiritual power.

Meanwhile, the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea hurried to the Immortal Realm to complain. The Heavenly Lord, hearing that Xing Zhi was acting for Shen Li’s sake, could only helplessly advise him to calm down. Upon hearing that Xing Zhi had frozen the Eastern Sea, Fu Rong Jun immediately went to find him. When he saw Xing Zhi, he was shocked to see him covered in bloodstains.

Every time he had seen Xing Zhi before, he had always been composed and steady, but now it was clear that real feelings had been stirred. Xing Zhi also sighed that he had finally tasted the pain of backlash, and it was so utterly humiliating. Normally, he had not felt how vast the Three Realms were, yet now, faced with just the Eastern Sea, he could not find the person he was looking for.

After regaining a little clarity, Xing Zhi lifted the ice seal from the Eastern Sea. Fu Rong Jun carried the unconscious Xing Zhi back to the Immortal Realm. Now Xing Zhi was the only ancient deity remaining in the Immortal Realm and could not afford any mishap. The Heavenly Lord prayed that Xing Zhi could survive this ordeal and, once his body recovered, maintain a clear mind.

Hearing the Heavenly Lord’s words made Fu Rong Jun very uncomfortable, feeling that Shen Li had sacrificed herself for the safety of the Spirit Realm and that it was far too tragic. You Lan overheard Fu Rong Jun blaming himself for not having tried harder to court Shen Li back when they were in the mortal world. Perhaps if he had, Shen Li might have paid him more attention, and then Xing Zhi wouldn’t have had a chance.

This greatly piqued You Lan’s curiosity, and she pestered Fu Rong Jun to recount every detail he had witnessed in the Spirit Realm. However, at the critical moment, Fu Rong Jun stubbornly refused and swore he would take those memories to his grave. Desperate, You Lan knocked Fu Rong Jun unconscious with a stone and threw him into the Marrow-Cleansing Pool. Through the divine power of the pool, she glimpsed his memories.

What she saw left her full of sighs over the missed fate between Shen Li and Xing Zhi. Clearly, both of them cared deeply for each other, yet they could not bring themselves to face it. The Immortal Lord ordered You Lan to bring half of the Immortal Realm’s spirit stones to the Spirit Realm as a token of condolence. However, the people of the Spirit Realm surrounded You Lan, preparing to seek justice for Shen Li.

For generations, their Spirit Realm had guarded the Immortal Realm’s artifacts without complaint. Now that the King of Bicao had sacrificed herself, they could not accept this outcome and cared nothing for the spirit stones. Hearing the commotion outside, the Spirit Lord ordered her subordinates to calm the emotions of the Spirit Realm’s people. They had suffered heavy losses and now was the critical moment when they needed spirit stones, so they could not act emotionally.

After dismissing the guards, the Spirit Lord recalled raising Shen Li from a young age. Tears poured from her eyes. Though they were master and disciple, their bond was no less than that of mother and daughter.

Since the battle at the Eastern Sea, Mo Fang had been resisting allowing his body to be borrowed by Fu Sheng. Fu Sheng accused Mo Fang of forgetting his past. A thousand years ago, when Xing Zhi opened the Xu Tian Abyss and imprisoned their lord, it was Fu Sheng who secretly rescued the infant Mo Fang. Because Mo Fang was frail and sickly, Fu Sheng often nourished him with his own heart’s blood until Mo Fang grew up safely.

Fu Sheng then secretly sent him to the Spirit Realm to develop his abilities. Unexpectedly, after Mo Fang went to the Spirit Realm, he did everything he could to obstruct Fu Sheng’s plans. Fu Sheng had tried more than once to corrupt Mo Fang, turning his originally kind nature cold and even blurring his sense of right and wrong.

To help the Demon Clan break the seal, Mo Fang had repeatedly joined Fu Sheng in ambushing Spirit Clan generals who guarded the seal. They collected magical artifacts everywhere, amassing power in hopes of one day dominating the Xu Tian Abyss. No matter what Fu Sheng urged him to do, Mo Fang could consider it—except anything that would harm Shen Li. After being wounded by Shen Li’s Red Feather Spear, Mo Fang’s strength declined.

Seeing Mo Fang’s growing disobedience, Fu Sheng took advantage of his moment of weakness, launched a sneak attack from behind, and completely took over Mo Fang’s body, thereby controlling his mind. At this point, Mo Fang became a mere puppet. Shen Li was tightly bound to a Bagua Formation by Fu Sheng’s Qiankun Nails and iron chains. The enchanted wedges consumed part of her blood every day.

Also trapped was the third prince of the North Sea King, whose inner core Fu Sheng had seized, leaving him imprisoned. When the third prince heard Shen Li speak, he sighed that she had been unconscious here for three months. Over these three months, Shen Li, who had lost all five senses, gradually recovered three; except for sight and touch, the others were still usable.

Shen Li worried about the Spirit Realm, having heard that the Immortal Realm had already declared her fallen in battle. She feared that her comrades, her master, and even Rou Ya might be grieving too much. Fu Rong Jun had carried the unconscious Xing Zhi back to the Eastern Sea. Three months later, Xing Zhi awoke. Upon hearing that the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea had found Shen Li’s Red Feather Spear, he immediately got up to see it.

The weapon was still there, but its master remained missing, making Xing Zhi even more sorrowful as memories flooded back. Shen Li’s condition was very poor. She had no spiritual power at all, like an ordinary mortal. Surrounded by formations, she could not escape and had no choice but to focus on recovering. Fu Sheng, coveting the Bihai Cangzhu within her body, subjected her to intense daily refining, yet he still could not obtain it.

Now that he had seized Mo Fang’s body, he was even more desperate to see Shen Li, willing to do whatever it took to extract the Bihai Cangzhu. Though Shen Li could not see, she recognized Fu Sheng by his voice. She mocked him, saying that she had not understood the meaning of his name before—now she realized it meant surviving by stealing others’ bodies. She deliberately provoked him.

Hearing her words, the third prince shook his head repeatedly, reminding her not to anger Fu Sheng any further. However, Shen Li had never taken Fu Sheng seriously. She only worried that the Spirit Clan had lost too many elite warriors and could be vulnerable to another attack. She still hoped to find a way to get a message to the Immortal Realm so that they could send reinforcements to the Spirit Realm.

Seeing that Shen Li still refused to submit, Fu Sheng resorted to an even crueler method, piercing Shen Li’s body with numerous Soul-Devouring Needles. Such a vicious tactic was something only Fu Sheng would use. Shen Li shuddered violently, a sharp pain searing through her very soul.

Fu Sheng did not give Shen Li a quick death. One by one, he drove nails into each of Shen Li’s joints. The third prince watched, terrified, while Shen Li gritted her teeth and did not utter a sound. Fu Sheng grinned viciously, but suddenly his body showed a trace of spiritual power. Mo Fang desperately suppressed Fu Sheng, stopping himself from further tormenting Shen Li, and fled in panic.

After Fu Sheng left, Shen Li urged the third prince to escape quickly and deliver news of the North Sea’s invasion to the Immortal Realm. However, the third prince was too afraid. He feared that if he failed to escape, he would be caught by Fu Sheng and suffer the same torture as Shen Li. Shrinking back, he said he was not as brave as she was, and that his mother was an unloved concubine.

He had no trusted allies in the North Sea and was afraid he would not be able to summon reinforcements. When Mo Fang regained a bit of clarity and before Fu Sheng could repossess him, he immediately rushed to rescue Shen Li. Seeing a chance to escape, the third prince quickly fled as well. Mo Fang dared not delay and carried Shen Li away to a hidden mountain stream.

Seeing that malevolent energy was still searching the skies for their aura, Mo Fang held Shen Li tightly, wanting to remove the nails from her body. However, Shen Li appeared to be in extreme pain, and he dared not act rashly. To prevent Fu Sheng from finding her, Mo Fang knelt before Shen Li and apologized for his past actions. At that moment, Shen Li could hear Mo Fang’s voice, and her vision blurredly made out his figure before her.

Her heart ached with both pain and sorrow—pain because a comrade who had once fought alongside her to the death was now rescuing her, and sorrow because Mo Fang had betrayed the Spirit Clan, causing the deaths of so many Spirit Clan generals. From that moment, she and Mo Fang were enemies. Mo Fang still needed to divert Fu Sheng’s spies, so he had to temporarily leave Shen Li hidden.

Not long after, Shen Li’s blood flowed into the Eastern Sea. Xing Zhi, who had originally decided to fast to death, caught the scent of her blood in the seawater. Feeling Shen Li’s life force, he immediately followed it and found her lying motionless on a rock, covered in blood but still barely alive. Xing Zhi was overwhelmed with emotion and wept, murmuring that Shen Li had saved his life. Xing Zhi carried the unconscious Shen Li back.

During the journey, Shen Li, unable to hear or see, mistook the one holding her for Mo Fang. She refused to let “Mo Fang” approach again and harshly declared that from now on, they were enemies and that on the battlefield, she would show no mercy. Xing Zhi realized that Shen Li had mistaken him for someone else. Seeing her in such pain, he guessed most of the truth.

To prevent the heavily injured Shen Li from struggling and hurting herself further, he remained silent, holding her gently and offering silent comfort. When Shen Li awoke again from her coma, she suddenly regained a faint sense of smell. Smelling the scent of seawater on him, she assumed he was a fisherman. Knowing that Shen Li only had her sense of smell, Xing Zhi obeyed everything she said to avoid upsetting her emotions.

From then on, he carefully cooked meals for her three times a day and personally cared for her by her bedside. When Shen Li felt slightly better, she asked the "fisherman" to help remove the black iron nails embedded in her body. Worried that he might be distressed by the bloody scene, she thoughtfully instructed him to pull them out quickly without worrying about her feelings.

Dozens of black iron nails were embedded in Shen Li’s body, and removing them was extremely difficult. Xing Zhi used his immortal arts to stabilize her heart meridians. Each time he pulled out a nail, blood spurted everywhere, and Shen Li trembled all over. Xing Zhi held her in his arms, waiting for her to stabilize before carefully removing the next nail.

Shen Li felt she was on the verge of death; otherwise, why would she no longer feel pain but instead have the illusion that the one holding her was Xing Zhi? After a long and unbearable night, Shen Li woke up the next morning with strength in her body and her vision restored. Hearing a sound outside the window, she looked toward it and to her astonishment, it was Xing Zhi! Tears welled up in her eyes as she smiled—no wonder the "fisherman" had been so gentle these past few days; it really was him.

Shen Li thought about how Xing Zhi had deliberately concealed his identity over the past few days. It must have been to avoid any awkwardness between them. Moreover, the Celestial Realm had strict rules, and besides, with her mobility limited after the removal of the black iron nails, she still needed time to recover. Thus, Shen Li decided to help keep the secret. She intentionally revealed that she could now see things.

Upon hearing this, Xing Zhi immediately changed his demeanor, believing that Shen Li surely would not recognize him. Shen Li said she really wanted to eat fish and hoped Xing Zhi could grill some for her. Since the beauty had spoken, Xing Zhi immediately got a small boat and cast a net to fish. The little immortals of the Eastern Sea, seeing the dignified Immortal Lord casting a net, quickly reported it to the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea.

After careful analysis, the Dragon King guessed that Xing Zhi certainly wasn't after mere small fish and shrimp, so he ordered his men to replace the fish in Xing Zhi’s net with pearls and rare treasures. After much effort, Xing Zhi still failed to catch a single fish and had no choice but to return and make seaweed soup.

As Shen Li drank the soup, she wondered in confusion whether Xing Zhi had even lost the ability to catch a fish, resorting to serving her seaweed soup instead. The next day, Xing Zhi, fuming, went straight to the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea to demand fish.

At first, the Dragon King specially prepared a seductive and enchanting mermaid for him, but when he heard Xing Zhi ask if she was good for making soup, his face immediately turned green. After understanding the situation, he carefully selected two fish for Xing Zhi—one suitable for making soup and the other for grilling. After Shen Li had some fish porridge, she specially praised Xing Zhi. Seeing the beauty in good spirits, Xing Zhi wanted to request a reward.

Shen Li, being straightforward, unceremoniously asked him to continue going out to fish. Taking advantage of Xing Zhi’s absence, she began earnestly practicing walking. After having her acupoints nailed with black iron before, even taking two steps was difficult now. Xing Zhi noticed Shen Li’s hard work and set up many ropes in the room to assist her. Seeing her sweating profusely in pain every day, Xing Zhi felt heartbroken.

You Lan hadn’t received any news from Xing Zhi for several days. She specially woke up Fu Rong Jun, hoping he could go to the Eastern Sea to check on Xing Zhi’s situation. When Fu Rong Jun heard from the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea that Xing Zhi had already come ashore, he indeed found Xing Zhi nearby and discovered an earth-shattering secret—Shen Li was truly still alive.

Xing Zhi asked Fu Rong Jun to keep it a secret for now and not to inform the Celestial Realm, including the Spirit Sovereign. Shen Li’s body was still recovering, and he also wanted to take good care of Shen Li without any interference. Fu Rong Jun immediately complied and kept the secret. Returning to the Celestial Realm, the kind-hearted Fu Rong Jun wanted to find some medical books to help Shen Li restore her vitality.

His elder sister You Lan, upon hearing that Fu Rong Jun intended to help Xing Zhi, immediately wanted to go with him. Seeing Fu Rong Jun looking nervous, she grew suspicious. With a little trickery, she discovered that Shen Li was still alive and was the one who had once saved her life. You Lan then thoughtfully gave Fu Rong Jun some medicinal talismans and no longer insisted on visiting Xing Zhi together.

The days continued to pass unhurriedly. Xing Zhi truly became part of the fishermen by the seaside, going out to fish with them every day, then returning home to prepare fish for Shen Li, carefully picking out the bones and personally feeding her. Shen Li’s vision often failed her, so her sense of smell grew more sensitive. She noticed that the scent on Xing Zhi had changed from when she first smelled him.

At first, it was the pure scent of the sea breeze, but now it carried hints of fishiness and various seafood smells. It was clear that Xing Zhi was earnestly living as a fisherman, just like the first time she met him. Although his memories of the Celestial Realm remained unchanged, he still faithfully lived as a mortal, meticulously following the life of an ordinary person. This was the most endearing thing about Xing Zhi.

Ever since You Lan learned that Xing Zhi had also suffered serious injuries, she became even more dedicated to refining medicine, sending the completed medicinal talismans to Xing Zhi through Fu Rong Jun as soon as possible. Shen Li, hearing Fu Rong Jun’s voice from her room, pretended not to see anything. She noticed that when Fu Rong Jun was applying medicine to Xing Zhi, there was a large wound on his shoulder. Her heart ached at the sight.

She had always accepted Xing Zhi’s care without worry, not realizing he had also been gravely injured. The days continued on. Living with Xing Zhi in their little courtyard was peaceful and carefree. Shen Li’s injuries recovered quickly. With nothing else to do, she grew curious about what Xing Zhi usually caught when he went out to sea, so she went to the shore to wait for his return.

The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, upon hearing from his subordinates that Xing Zhi was casting nets again, first ordered them to place some fine fish in the nets, then, following further suggestions, had them replace the catch with various rare treasures. Seeing once again that he had hauled up such things, Xing Zhi looked helpless. Shen Li chuckled silently; it was obvious the Dragon King had done it on purpose.

Xing Zhi let Shen Li pick a few items she liked and planned to exchange a few pearls at the market for some fish. Unfortunately, this time at the market, Xing Zhi and Shen Li encountered a scoundrel—the village chief’s son, Wang Bao. Wang Bao first coveted the pearls in Xing Zhi’s hand, then, dazzled by Shen Li’s beauty, developed wicked thoughts. Xing Zhi lightly waved his sleeve and instantly gave Wang Bao a black eye.

Late at night, Wang Bao brought two servants to sneak attack Xing Zhi for revenge. After climbing over the wall, he realized just how foolish he had been. He was facing the King of the Spirit Realm, Bi Cang, and an ancient deity of the Celestial Realm. A few mere mortals were no match at all. As expected, they were once again beaten miserably.

After being subdued by Fu Sheng’s black iron, Shen Li frequently had terrifying dreams—dreams of herself sinking endlessly into the seabed, with no sense of smell or touch, surrounded by endless darkness and terror. Many times Xing Zhi saw Shen Li struggling and trembling in her nightmares. He immediately ordered Fu Rong Jun to seek out the Blood Seven Sons and the Five-Colored Molten Fire Rock, two ancient medicinal treasures that could help Shen Li recover sooner.

Fu Sheng had sent out many spies with Shen Li’s portrait to search for her. By coincidence, Wang Bao recognized the portrait and revealed Shen Li’s residence, exposing her whereabouts.

The pursuers sent by Fu Sheng used the Still Water Technique, thinking it would intimidate Shen Li, but they did not realize they were facing the only ancient deity across the Three Realms. With just a light wave of his hand, Xing Zhi froze one of them into an ice sculpture. Xing Zhi announced his identity and told them to pass a message to Fu Sheng: he would formally meet him in a few days. Terrified, the pursuers fled.

Xing Zhi was now completely exposed before Shen Li. He smiled, having already guessed that Shen Li might have recognized him long ago. Shen Li was very grateful for Xing Zhi’s rescue, but Xing Zhi was not satisfied. Although he had defeated the pursuers, he had not protected Shen Li at her most critical moment. Even now, he was still blaming himself for letting her fall into danger and lose her strength. Fu Rong Jun arrived without invitation.

Hearing their conversation, he realized he no longer needed to disguise himself and promptly informed Xing Zhi of the latest information he had gathered. The two rare medicinal ingredients were in the possession of Jin Niangzi and a snow mountain demon. In order to help Shen Li recover her five senses as soon as possible, Xing Zhi announced that he would take Shen Li to the snow mountain to seek the treasures in a few days.

Fu Sheng, gravely wounded, spent his days practicing and cultivating. In order to quickly restore his strength, he decided to go to the snow mountain to find a spirit pearl to repair his inner core. Walking together through the vast snowy mountains, Xing Zhi told Shen Li that Jin Niangzi was actually a golden snake demon—an ancient spirit possessing endless treasures.

Shen Li casually marveled at how old this being must be, unintentionally touching a nerve in Xing Zhi, who thought she was disdaining him for his age. Realizing her mistake, Shen Li quickly apologized, finally coaxing Xing Zhi into a better mood. They eventually found the golden snake demon.

Shen Li curiously observed that this person wore men’s clothing, had two thin mustaches, but referred to herself as "this humble lady," making it impossible to tell whether she was male or female. Even stranger, the golden snake demon seemed to know everything Shen Li was thinking.

Shen Li quietly asked Xing Zhi if this demon must know some kind of bewitching fox magic, but Xing Zhi calmly reassured her, saying he would not be tempted by the golden snake demon. Through feeling Shen Li’s pulse, the golden snake demon quickly determined that there was a strand of spiritual energy inside Shen Li that clashed with her own vitality.

Originally, this spiritual energy might have been part of a magical artifact, but after being burned at high temperatures, it had fused into Shen Li’s blood, becoming a conflicting force. The snake demon’s diagnosis was completely accurate, and indeed, she possessed the medicinal ingredients needed to restore Shen Li’s five senses. Being extremely shrewd, the golden snake demon deliberately suggested introducing a handsome man to Shen Li.

Xing Zhi immediately cut her off, offering instead to pluck a star from the Celestial Realm to gift her. In return, the snow mountain would lose some of its coldness and gloom. Shen Li was deeply moved. If Xing Zhi plucked one of the Seven Stars of the Celestial Realm so rashly, would it not provoke dissatisfaction from the Celestial Realm? Xing Zhi urged the golden snake demon to begin restoring Shen Li’s five senses as soon as possible.

Although one day was originally scheduled for preparation, he did not want to give the snake demon any loopholes, so he insisted she send the treasure that very night to aid Shen Li’s recovery. The recovery site was extremely secluded. The snake demon repeatedly emphasized that, as a man, it would be inconvenient for Xing Zhi to enter and that he should wait outside the cave.

Although she gave many instructions, Xing Zhi once again warned her not to bring up any topics about other men during Shen Li’s recovery.

In the cave, the snake demon stayed by Shen Li’s side, watching her struggle painfully to recover with the Fire Lotus. After just one day, Shen Li was already finding it hard to endure. The snake demon tried to raise the Fire Lotus’s temperature to help warm Shen Li’s cold internal energy. During a break, Shen Li told the snake demon that she was born carrying a pearl.

Since the Bihai Cangzhu belonged to her, how could it clash with her own spiritual energy? From this, the snake demon guessed Shen Li’s identity and felt that the Lingzun must have hidden some truths from Shen Li. Perhaps the Bihai Cangzhu was merely a demon core. As she spoke, the snake demon took out her own core to show Shen Li; its color and luster were quite similar to the Bihai Cangzhu.

Shen Li was startled, asking whether the snake demon wasn’t afraid of someone stealing it by leaving it so casually aside. On the eighth day of the treatment, Fu Sheng led a horde of puppets to the snow mountain to snatch treasures. The snake demon urged Shen Li to stay put no matter what, to hold on for the full eight days, or else all their previous efforts would be wasted.

After giving her instructions, the snake demon personally went out to fight the enemies. Fu Sheng unleashed wave after wave of puppets. The snake demon remained calm and steady. Having lived so long, what scenes had she not witnessed? Fu Sheng’s ambition to snatch her core was simply laughable. Fu Sheng commanded countless puppets to directly steal the snake demon’s core. Realizing that Fu Sheng was no benevolent soul, the snake demon eventually lost her core during the battle.

Seeing him retreat, she too withdrew and did not pursue him. Some puppets traced Shen Li’s location. In protecting her, Xing Zhi accidentally fell with her into a mysterious formation eye. The snake demon said that this place was a sealed land, easy to enter but hard to exit. To get out, they would have to find the formation eye themselves. Shen Li was burning up; her recovery was not yet complete.

Xing Zhi asked how the snake demon had helped her heal the previous days. Embarrassed, Shen Li explained that the snake demon, whose body was naturally cold, would accompany her during her practice, lightly stroking her abdomen to help quickly lower her temperature. With only one precious day of treatment left, Shen Li was eager to fully merge the Bihai Cangzhu. Xing Zhi used his divine power to shield Shen Li and help her fuse the clashing energies within her.

Shen Li felt restless and soon sensed someone whispering in her ear. The voice said that since the place was sealed, no one outside could know what was happening inside, so she might as well give in to her desires. Shen Li reminded herself she must not violate Xing Zhi. He bore heavy responsibilities as the last ancient deity.

But the voice in her ear said that deities could not fall in love, while Shen Li was free to do whatever she wished. Since birth, Shen Li had carried the burden of the Ling Clan, suppressing her emotions every day—how could she have ever truly faced her own heart? Soon after, within the formation eye, Shen Li saw a scene: after learning of her death, Xing Zhi ran in despair to the East Sea.

In his hopelessness, he froze the entire East Sea, which led to a massive wound on his back as punishment from heaven. Only now did Shen Li realize how grievously Xing Zhi had been hurt because of her. She was deeply moved. Xing Zhi struggled to control his emotions, telling Shen Li that his injury wasn’t because he violated celestial laws, but because he lost her.

Not only did Shen Li hear voices; Xing Zhi too was being lured by countless whispers. As a deity who had lived alone in the world for tens of thousands of years, keeping the weight of the world on his shoulders, when sorrow overwhelmed him, he would sit alone facing the spirit tablets of fallen deities. How many could truly understand such loneliness? Xing Zhi longed to possess Shen Li—especially after discovering she was still alive.

They had already missed too much. When apart, he endured endless longing; when together, he constantly suppressed his feelings. He wished time could stop forever, yet he knew separation was inevitable. Every moment was unbearably cruel. Shen Li turned to face Xing Zhi, finally willing to confront her own heart. She gently kissed Xing Zhi, murmuring that she was fully aware of what she was doing and had long wanted to do so. Around them, the lake surface shimmered with waves of light as the two of them embraced with deep passion.

Shen Li could see that Xing Zhi was trying hard to restrain himself. Facing him, she calmly said that she had merely done what she had long wanted to do and did not regret her decision. Afterward, they shared a beautiful moment together. Thanks to the closed barrier, the two of them had a chance to express their true feelings. The next day upon waking, lying in Xing Zhi’s arms, Shen Li apologized to him.

She said that what had happened the night before was now in the past, and they did not know what challenges awaited them. Xing Zhi was the only ancient deity remaining and could not allow himself to falter because of her. Xing Zhi complained about Shen Li’s heartlessness, saying that just two nights ago she was full of tender affection, and now she wanted to become the iron-blooded King of Bi Cang again.

Xing Zhi also spoke about the origins of the Chimei and the Spirit Realm. Originally, the Spirit Realm and the Demon Clan were evenly matched, but the Demon Clan, wanting to dominate alone, found a method to refine Chimei. To completely consume the Demon Clan, countless Chimei and monsters were forged day and night. The Spirit Clan could not withstand it and urgently sought help from the Celestial Realm.

Xing Zhi personally went to the Spirit Realm and sealed Xutian Abyss. As for how Fu Sheng later came to use the Still Water Technique, it was probably because Xing Zhi once taught Gu Chengjin some celestial arts, which Fu Sheng happened to spy on. However, he only learned a superficial part and posed no real threat. Speaking of the Spirit Clan, Xing Zhi also mentioned how the Lingzun rose to power.

He suspected that Lingzun might have hidden some things from Shen Li. After all, he had raised her since childhood. Shen Li stopped Xing Zhi from continuing. She admitted that no matter what Lingzun had hidden from her, she would never blame him, and she was even willing to entrust her life to him. Xing Zhi understood the deep bond between master and disciple and promised to protect Shen Li’s safety from then on.

Fu Sheng followed the snake demon and found Shen Li and Xing Zhi. He sneered, thinking that Shen Li had lost her powers and that Xing Zhi was seriously injured, making them easy targets. However, he did not realize that Shen Li’s spiritual power had been fully restored. She opened her palm, and a massive fireball roared to life, shooting straight at Fu Sheng. Startled, Fu Sheng immediately merged into Mo Fang’s body and fled in a flash.

Shen Li could not bring herself to strike Mo Fang. Xing Zhi quickly found Mo Fang first. The two rivals locked eyes. Mo Fang looked down on Xing Zhi, considering him a latecomer unworthy of even mentioning Shen Li’s name. During the battle between Xing Zhi and Mo Fang, Xing Zhi learned about the history between Mo Fang and Shen Li.

At first, Mo Fang had despised Shen Li’s lack of power, but during a later accident, Shen Li had risked everything to protect him. From that moment, Mo Fang acknowledged Shen Li as the King of Bi Cang, fighting bloody battles across the lands for years. Xing Zhi also discovered that the violent aura within Mo Fang came from demon blood. However, due to his deep affection, he was exploited by Fu Sheng and turned into a puppet.

The little immortal servant beside Shen Li, Rou Ya, heard that Xing Zhi had taken the King of Bi Cang’s Chiyu Spear. To retrieve her master’s relic, Rou Ya rushed to the Celestial Realm to seek justice. However, the Celestial Realm was heavily guarded, and she was directly struck down to the mortal world. Xing Zhi brought Shen Li back to the Celestial Realm. The Celestial Realm was still unaware that the King of Bi Cang was alive.

Seeing the two of them arrive together, everyone’s expression turned tense. The Celestial Sovereign even accused the King of Bi Cang of disturbing the heavenly order.

The Celestial Sovereign had already perceived Xing Zhi’s intentions and led many celestial envoys to admonish him, urging him to remember the heavy burden he carried and to stay true to his original purpose, seeking the welfare of all beings across the three realms. Xing Zhi had expected some opposition, but he had not anticipated it would be so intense.

One heavenly general began listing Xing Zhi’s past offenses, saying that after Shen Li’s previous accident, Xing Zhi had gone alone to the East Sea and frozen the entire sea for ten days. Later, in a fit of anger, he had set the nearby forests ablaze—both acts were considered defiance against the heavens.

Xing Zhi willingly took all the blame upon himself, declaring that these were actions he alone had committed and had nothing to do with the King of Bi Cang. The Celestial Realm had never approved of their relationship. All the immortals knelt, pleading with Xing Zhi to have mercy on the suffering of the three realms. With stones continuously falling from beyond the heavens, they desperately needed a deity to suppress the chaos.

Despite all the pleading, the immortals remained stubbornly ignorant. In front of everyone’s eyes, Xing Zhi took Shen Li’s hand and walked away without hesitation. Xing Zhi took Shen Li to Tianwaitian. On the way, Shen Li showed some hesitation, but Xing Zhi firmly told her that she must dare to face her true feelings. If they compromised now, it would be even harder to be together in the future.

At Tianwaitian, Xing Zhi showed Shen Li the array that was being used to repair the breaches in the Celestial Realm. This process involved restoring a painting, and wherever the brush touched, even the tiniest cracks were filled, gradually returning the painting to its original perfection. Shen Li noticed that Xing Zhi was struggling to maintain his strength during the repair. At a critical moment, blood began to seep from the corner of his mouth.

Shen Li quickly protected the hand with which Xing Zhi was holding the brush, helping him complete the repair plan. Shen Li realized that Xing Zhi was beginning to suffer heavenly backlash for his defiance. Now isolated and betrayed, this was not the outcome she wished to see. After careful consideration, she decided to leave Xing Zhi.

The Spirit Realm had always relied on the Celestial Realm’s protection, and perhaps letting Xing Zhi go and returning things to how they were at the beginning would be best. Xing Zhi refused. After hearing the news of Shen Li’s sacrifice at the East Sea, he had even stopped eating and had already experienced the pain of losing her once. He would not let go again.

Seeing that Shen Li was still determined to leave, Xing Zhi immediately set up a barrier at Tianwaitian, protecting it with his own heart vein. If Shen Li forced her way through, Xing Zhi would suffer severe backlash. Fu Rong Jun learned that Xing Zhi and Shen Li had returned to the Celestial Realm. He supported Xing Zhi’s actions.

With stones continuously falling at Tianwaitian, Xing Zhi gave Fu Rong Jun some of his power to help him assist those in need. Rou Ya, who had bravely broken into the Celestial Realm to retrieve Shen Li’s Chiyu Spear, found that Lingzun did not oppose her. After all, the Chiyu Spear originally belonged to the Spirit Clan, and naturally, they hoped Shen Li’s belongings could be reclaimed.

After several days, Rou Ya returned to the Spirit Clan, gasping for breath, to report to Lingzun that Shen Li was still alive. Lingzun was overjoyed. You Lan, upon hearing that the Celestial Sovereign strongly opposed Shen Li and Xing Zhi’s relationship, secretly informed the Celestial Sovereign that Shen Li was trapped at Tianwaitian. However, entering Tianwaitian was not something easily done, and the Celestial Sovereign was frightened.

Just then, Lingzun also arrived at the Celestial Realm with Rou Ya to demand Shen Li’s return. Lingzun, along with the Celestial Sovereign and You Lan, tried to find a way to rescue Shen Li and bring her back to the Spirit Realm. They searched for an entrance to Tianwaitian together. You Lan vaguely remembered that when she was young, Xing Zhi had brought her there for healing, but she did not know how to ascend to Tianwaitian.

She carefully tested several formations, hoping to find the key mechanism. Despite their efforts, they failed to find a way in, and You Lan had no choice but to lead them back.

Shen Li was searching for a way to break the barrier at Tianwaitian. She knew she could not force her way through, or else Xing Zhi would suffer backlash. On the desk, a painting was still spread out—Xing Zhi had once repaired the celestial breaches through this painting remotely. Shen Li wondered if she could find the barrier’s exit through the painting and decided to give it a try.

She opened a scroll and saw Xing Zhi, dressed in gray, looking desolate and sorrowful. He sat alone by a table, drowning his sorrows in alcohol, surrounded by shards of broken wine jars. This was not the usual Xing Zhi. Shen Li realized that this was Xing Zhi from a thousand years ago. Over the millennia, Xing Zhi had guarded the Ninth Heaven alone, enduring endless loneliness and pain.

In the dead of night, when all was silent, he felt overwhelmed with anguish. Standing on shards of broken pottery, he looked down upon the vast, ever-revolving three realms and could no longer feel the meaning of his own existence. Shen Li then saw the Spirit Realm from a thousand years ago. She witnessed Liu Yu and the leader of the Spirit Clan.

The leader wanted to use the blazing fire in the alchemy furnace to forge more chimeras, believing that endless power would then be within their grasp. From the furnace emerged a man with totems on his face, evidently the king of the chimeras created by the Spirit Realm. Liu Yu watched him go mad and comforted him with her warm hand, telling him not to be afraid, even giving him a name: Feng Lai.

Feng Lai seemed to trust Liu Yu deeply, and so the leader instructed Liu Yu to take care of the chimera king. Suddenly, Shen Li heard Xing Zhi approaching and quickly returned from the painting. Upon seeing Xing Zhi, she expressed her wish to be returned to the Spirit Realm. Xing Zhi refused, unwilling to let her go again.

He had spent days reflecting on the rules set by the Celestial Realm, realizing that the so-called Heavenly Law was not flawless. They demanded he guard the three realms without allowing him to feel love—yet why give him emotions at all? Why grant him supreme power and yet bestow upon him a tender, sensitive heart? Shen Li, having just seen the scenes from a thousand years ago, naturally understood Xing Zhi’s current predicament.

She helped him vent his frustration, and while he was momentarily relaxed, she again brought up the idea of opening the barrier. However, Xing Zhi remained unmoved and deliberately changed the subject, saying he would make something delicious for Shen Li to fill her stomach. Meanwhile, Fu Rong Jun unknowingly wandered into a forbidden place, where he saw Mo Fang lying motionless inside a barrier.

Having had some past friendship with Mo Fang in the Spirit Realm, Fu Rong Jun ventured into the barrier and gave the injured Mo Fang a healing pill. Suddenly, the barrier vanished. After Xing Zhi left, Shen Li once again opened the painting at Tianwaitian. The previous two times, she had seen the Spirit Realm and the Chimera King. She did not know if these scenes appeared randomly or were meant to guide her.

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Shen Li continued to observe. This time, she saw Liu Yu interacting with the Chimera King. She also saw her master—turns out Liu Yu was the junior sister of her master. When her master first met Feng Lai, she was extremely shocked and rebuked Liu Yu for aiding evil by turning a chimera into human form.

Feng Lai, seeing Lingzun glaring at Liu Yu, retaliated by spitting at Lingzun like a llama, behaving just like one. Liu Yu even helped Feng Lai expand his knowledge and tried to persuade her senior sister to calm down. At that time, Feng Lai had only just taken human form and still resembled a child. Later, as Liu Yu and Feng Lai spent more time together, their bond deepened.

Liu Yu no longer saw Feng Lai as a chimera, but more like a gentle and loyal Spirit Clan comrade. Watching these scenes unfold in the painting, the doubts in Shen Li’s heart gradually began to unravel.

One month later, the leader of the Spirit Clan asked Liu Yu how her training of Feng Lai was progressing. Liu Yu lied, saying that Feng Lai was not the king of the chimeras, that his nature was no different from that of ordinary mortals, and that he could not bear such a great responsibility. The leader became furious and reminded her that he had already delayed the process of creating more chimeras for the sake of this chimera king.

Now, he gave Liu Yu one final month to mold Feng Lai into a king who could lead the other chimeras into battle. The master's orders could not be disobeyed. Liu Yu was seized by the throat and had no room to argue. Lingzun was standing nearby and saw that the master's obsession with creating chimeras had already driven him to madness. If things continued this way, the Spirit Realm would soon be doomed.

Lingzun took Liu Yu out of the hall and advised her to stand together with her and oppose the master's continued creation of chimeras. Liu Yu, by nature gentle and meek, had never thought of rebelling. She had previously volunteered to take care of Feng Lai only because she didn’t want him to be brainwashed and turned into a monstrous being who committed every kind of evil.

Through the scroll, Shen Li saw many past events and guessed that her master must now know she was still alive and was likely trying to find a way to bring her back. Sure enough, that night, Shen Li saw the shining stars at Tianwaitian—actually wish-orbs floating up from the three realms. Each star contained a wish. She saw her master praying for her well-being, and many others in the Spirit Realm praying for the safe return of their princess.

Deeply moved, Shen Li immediately called for Xing Zhi, hoping he would let her return to the Spirit Realm as soon as possible. Although Shen Li had already guessed that Xing Zhi must have a compelling reason for keeping her here, she still longed to go back. Xing Zhi did not agree. Lingzun later found Xing Zhi in the Immortal Realm.

Xing Zhi admitted that keeping Shen Li in Tianwaitian was actually the best choice, because Shen Li carried the final artifact that Fu Sheng desperately sought—the Seal of Fire. Lingzun understood then that Xing Zhi had already discovered Shen Li’s true identity. Hearing Liu Yu’s report about Feng Lai's ordinary nature, the leader of the Spirit Clan became furious and struck Liu Yu as punishment.

This provoked Feng Lai’s anger, and he retaliated immediately, thereby revealing his true nature as the king of the chimeras. The crazed leader then insisted on personally taking charge of Feng Lai and threatened to punish Liu Yu if Feng Lai did not comply. To prevent Liu Yu from getting hurt, Feng Lai agreed to go with the leader. The leader, eager to use Feng Lai for his purposes, forced him to kill someone.

But because Feng Lai had been instructed by Liu Yu not to kill, he resisted with all his strength and was punished severely. Fortunately, Liu Yu rescued Feng Lai during the night. During their days on the run, Liu Yu and Feng Lai finally lived a period of peaceful, happy life together, living like ordinary people. They even picked up a stray puppy in the wilderness. One day, the puppy that Feng Lai had carefully raised died.

It was his first experience understanding the meaning of death. Liu Yu comforted Feng Lai, telling him that after death, one would meet those they loved and be together forever, and so death itself was not frightening. Before long, the leader of the Spirit Clan found them. When Feng Lai saw Liu Yu being captured, he unleashed his full potential, defeated the leader, and carried the gravely injured Liu Yu away.

Liu Yu saw the red glow in the skies above the Spirit Realm and guessed that her senior sister had rebelled—something she had long desired, since she despised the leader's corrupt practices and the creation of chimeras. In the end, it was Xing Zhi who saved the beings of the Spirit Realm, isolating all the chimeras outside the Spirit Realm, leaving only the last batch remaining.

Lingzun found Liu Yu, hoping to use Feng Lai to seal away the last restless chimeras. For the sake of the Spirit Realm’s future, Liu Yu finally agreed. She told Feng Lai that if he could complete her senior sister’s mission, there would no longer be anyone in the Spirit Realm like them who would have to shed tears.

Feng Lai flew to the Immortal Realm to find Xing Zhi. When Xing Zhi first saw him, he saw a fire phoenix, showing that the king of the chimeras was indeed formidable. Feng Lai's entire body radiated dazzling flames. The Spirit Realm's guards asked if he was preparing to attack Xing Zhi, but Lingzun shook her head. Feng Lai was hinting to Xing Zhi that he could use him to form a formation.

As Feng Lai collided and perished, countless chimeras vanished into smoke. Fu Rong Jun infused Mo Fang’s body with a great amount of purifying power, and finally, Mo Fang awakened. Upon waking, he urged Fu Rong Jun to quickly return to the Immortal Realm, as someone was about to invade Xu Tianyuan, and the Spirit Realm was facing a great catastrophe. Seeing Fu Rong Jun’s look of surprise, Mo Fang immediately asked Fu Rong Jun to end his life.

Although Fu Rong Jun was flirtatious by nature, he had never killed anyone. He still wanted to use purifying power to save Mo Fang, but Mo Fang had already been controlled by Fu Sheng. Fu Rong Jun narrowly escaped and immediately ran to the Immortal Realm to bring the news to the Heavenly Lord. Upon hearing the news, Lingzun immediately set off back to the Spirit Realm.

Fu Rong Jun, affected by the situation, also decided to follow Lingzun and do what little he could to help. You Lan, hearing that the Spirit Realm was in danger, worried that Xing Zhi would not be able to withstand the assault. She ran to the Spirit Hall, pleading with the many ancient gods to protect Xing Zhi through the crisis. Just then, the barrier of Tianwaitian was opened.

You Lan entered Tianwaitian, found Shen Li’s Chi Yu Spear, and then fled with Shen Li. After Feng Lai’s sacrifice, Liu Yu soon gave birth to a baby girl—Shen Li. Liu Yu injected her own inner core into Shen Li’s body, trying to conceal the chimera aura on Shen Li, and then entrusted the swaddled Shen Li to her senior sister. After giving a series of instructions, Liu Yu passed away.

After seeing the story of her own origins, Shen Li understood the mission she bore and left the Immortal Realm with You Lan. Fu Sheng had already reached the formation core of Xu Tianyuan, releasing many chimeras to rampage unchecked. Lingzun rushed to Xu Tianyuan but was no match for Fu Sheng. Countless soldiers of the Spirit Realm were gravely injured. Fu Rong Jun began to rescue the wounded day and night.

Through these experiences, Fu Rong Jun finally matured and was no longer the carefree and naive little immortal he once was. Having witnessed so much life and death among the soldiers, he realized the severity of Xu Tianyuan’s threat and decided to personally enter Xu Tianyuan to eliminate the evil. You Lan, seeing her younger brother grown, felt very gratified.

Shen Li ordered the generals of the Spirit Realm to guard the formation cores and, upon hearing that Lingzun had already gone to slay the chimeras, immediately followed. Fu Rong Jun led many generals from the Immortal Realm to Xu Tianyuan. Normally used to scenes of peace, they had never witnessed such a battlefield filled with rolling smoke and carnage. The situation was even crueler than he had imagined. Countless miasmas rampaged wildly.

Many Spirit Realm generals were choked to death, blood flowing like rivers, while dense swarms of puppets, like ant colonies, attacked in overwhelming numbers, impossible to slay completely. At Fu Rong Jun’s command, the heavenly soldiers and generals engaged in fierce battle with the chimeras. Fu Rong Jun dueled Fu Sheng but was no match for him. Fortunately, You Lan was there to protect Fu Rong Jun in time.

Just as Fu Sheng was about to deliver a fatal blow to Fu Rong Jun, Shen Li arrived. She carried the Chi Yu Spear, her entire body radiating the dazzling red light of a phoenix rebirth. Wherever she went, chimeras and monsters were utterly shattered. Shen Li stood in front of Fu Rong Jun and questioned Fu Sheng about what exactly he intended to do. Fu Sheng had waited a long time for Shen Li and now planned to unleash a massacre to retrieve the demon core and lift the seal.

Shen Li and Fu Sheng engaged in a fierce battle. After being repaired and reforged by Xing Zhi, the Chi Yu Spear had become even sharper. Lingzun rushed over and stopped Shen Li from wasting more time fighting Fu Sheng, urging her to leave quickly. Fu Sheng began to release even more chimeras, summoning them to launch a massacre against the Spirit Realm.

Lingzun used all her strength to push Shen Li out of Xu Tianyuan, trying to protect her from falling into the trap. How could Shen Li allow her master to fall into danger? She returned to Xu Tianyuan to confront Fu Sheng once again. All the chimeras obeyed Fu Sheng’s command and launched attacks against Shen Li. Meanwhile, Xing Zhi continued to repair the painting scroll in the Immortal Realm, trying to purify Xu Tianyuan from afar.

Originally, Shen Li had the upper hand against Fu Sheng, but because Fu Sheng was inhabiting Mo Fang’s body, Shen Li hesitated to strike, unwilling to hurt him. As a result, Fu Sheng seized the opportunity and struck Shen Li into the formation core. Fu Sheng eagerly followed her into the formation core, wanting to snatch the inner core. However, he was momentarily restrained by Mo Fang’s remaining vitality.

In his moment of clarity, Mo Fang begged Shen Li to kill him quickly, so Fu Sheng would no longer be able to use him as a puppet for evil. Tormented to the brink of madness by Fu Sheng’s desires, Mo Fang confessed to Shen Li that fate had made him Liu Ming’s child, but his deep feelings prevented him from ever harming her. In the end, Mo Fang took Shen Li’s Chi Yu Spear and ended his own life.

Xing Zhi realized that remote purification of Xu Tianyuan was weakening and questioned whether the heavens no longer trusted him to bear the heavy responsibility of protecting the Three Realms. But he refused to resign to fate and immediately flew personally to Xu Tianyuan. At the formation core of Xu Tianyuan, Shen Li encountered Mo Fang’s father, Liu Ming, and also saw Feng Lai. After a thousand years, Feng Lai was still imprisoned by Liu Ming.

Now, in a moment of clarity, Feng Lai still missed Liu Yu. Liu Ming deliberately provoked him, saying that Liu Yu had long since died and that only by breaking the seal could he see her again. Feng Lai, who had never cared about anything else, could not bear the thought of Liu Yu being in trouble. In a fit of emotion, he broke through the barrier and soared into the sky.

Back then, Xing Zhi had promised to protect Liu Yu, but now, that promise was not being fulfilled. Xing Zhi trapped the furious Feng Lai within a barrier and stepped inside to face the crazed Feng Lai alone. Shen Li, sensing danger from within the formation core, desperately found an exit and escaped, just in time to block Feng Lai’s fatal blow and save Xing Zhi’s life. Xing Zhi was seriously injured, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

Even though Shen Li had just saved him, he remained as calm as ever, even jokingly saying he had just been taught a lesson by his future father-in-law. Rain began to fall in Shen Li’s heart. It turned out that Xing Zhi had known her origins long ago. Even so, Xing Zhi had chosen to guard that secret, worrying about her safety, willing to be misunderstood by everyone, and determined to protect her in Tianwaitian without ever revealing the truth. With a gentle smile, Xing Zhi explained that what he liked was Shen Li herself, and no matter what her identity was, he would always accept her.

In times of hardship, true feelings are revealed. Seeing the blood at the corner of Xing Zhi’s mouth, Shen Li felt gratified—he was indeed the man she had set her heart on. Feng Lai was still circling in the sky, ready to strike at any moment. Shen Li shielded Xing Zhi behind her and faced Feng Lai alone. At this moment, Feng Lai, enraged by Liu Ming, could no longer distinguish between good and evil.

Xing Zhi stood by, protecting Shen Li, buying some time to purify Feng Lai. All the generals of the Immortal Realm swore to defend the barrier of Xu Tianyuan with their lives. Having already let one Feng Lai escape, they could not afford another failure. Xing Zhi took Shen Li to Tianwaitian; they had to protect Xu Tianyuan.

Xing Zhi asked Shen Li to make a choice: one option was to destroy Tianwaitian, which would inevitably affect the Spirit Realm and the Immortal Realm; the other was to use the Fire Seal to completely seal away Xu Tianyuan and Tianwaitian, ensuring peace for the Spirit Realm and Immortal Realm, but at the cost of Shen Li’s life. Shen Li chose the latter without hesitation. As the King of Bicao, she had always been ready to sacrifice herself.

In fact, Xing Zhi could have guessed her choice, but he had still hesitated, hoping to find a better solution. Now, with no way out, Xing Zhi was prepared to die alongside Shen Li. He returned to Tianwaitian, trying to reinforce the seal on Xu Tianyuan through the formation. Shen Li felt the impact of the formation at Tianwaitian, and pain struck her like a thunderclap.

She was bound and tormented beyond endurance, but no matter how painful it was, she would hold on until Xing Zhi repaired the barrier. Xing Zhi poured his entire life’s strength into finally strengthening the seal of Xu Tianyuan. Many ancient gods on the spirit tablets smiled gratefully at Xing Zhi, for this was the price that a chosen one had to pay. At the final moment, Xing Zhi came to Xu Tianyuan to guard Shen Li’s side.

Shen Li slowly opened her eyes; the one she loved had come as promised. If not for defying the Heavenly Law, Xing Zhi might have remained the undefeated ancient god of the Immortal Realm, carefree and invincible. But this was their choice, and at this moment, they both had no regrets. After regaining his senses, Feng Lai first went to the small courtyard where he and Liu Yu had once lived together a thousand years ago.

But he could find no trace of Liu Yu anywhere. Lingzun Shen Muyue told him what had happened after he was sealed away: Liu Yu had left him a daughter to continue her bloodline. In her dying moments, she even asked her senior sister to bury her beside Xu Tianyuan. Feng Lai’s eyes were filled with tears. Liu Yu had once said she would wait for him forever, no matter when.

Feng Lai asked Shen Muyue if Liu Yu had loved this daughter. Shen Muyue truthfully replied that Liu Yu had loved the child more than her own life. To bear the child of the King of Chimeras was not something an ordinary body could endure. Shen Muyue had once tried to persuade Liu Yu to terminate the pregnancy, but Liu Yu had refused.

It was precisely because she insisted on giving birth to the child that Liu Yu’s life ended so early. Upon hearing this, Feng Lai returned resolutely to Xu Tianyuan. When he saw the child before him, who had the same eyes as Liu Yu, he knew she was truly their flesh and blood. Feng Lai gently touched Shen Li’s head, then replaced her, willingly continuing to act as the seal to completely seal away Xu Tianyuan.

The Three Realms finally returned to their former peace. Shen Li was pushed out of Xu Tianyuan by Feng Lai, and she immediately went to find Xing Zhi. In the distance, she saw a figure slowly walking toward her, and tears welled up in Shen Li’s eyes. That frail and broken figure was actually Xing Zhi. The invincible Xing Zhi of the past was no more.

Shen Li understood that Xing Zhi had violated the Heavenly Law and thus suffered its backlash. Xing Zhi lay weakly in Shen Li’s arms, smiling bitterly that now the Three Realms were clear and bright, no longer threatened by any chimeras, and thus there was no longer any meaning for the existence of ancient gods. Shen Li sobbed uncontrollably, begging him to hold on and live. The peaceful light above Xu Tianyuan was not the place she longed for most.

Shen Li knew that Xing Zhi’s life was nearing its end, but she still did not want him to give up, pleading with Xing Zhi to seek together with her that one light they most longed for. When the Heavenly Lord and the Heavenly Generals arrived, they saw the golden light of Xing Zhi’s passing and all knelt down in worship.

The Heavenly Lord asked Shen Li to return Xing Zhi’s remains so that they could honor him like the ancient gods who had been buried before. Shen Li refused. She angrily denounced the Heavenly Realm for never granting Xing Zhi freedom during his life, forcing him to dedicate himself to the Three Realms and abandon his own wishes. Now, even in death, they still wanted to take him back to the Immortal Realm.

Shen Li finally erupted in anger, warning them that if they wanted to take Xing Zhi away, they would have to kill her first. Fu Rong Jun and You Lan kept persuading the Heavenly Lord until they finally obtained his consent. Shen Li guarded Xing Zhi’s side beside Xu Tianyuan, day and night without rest, until she collapsed from exhaustion. Lingzun Shen Muyue brought back Shen Li and Xing Zhi’s bodies.

After Shen Li recovered a little strength, she took Xing Zhi to the Land of Ice to preserve his body. Regardless of the bitter cold or scorching heat, Shen Li returned there every day to guard Xing Zhi, barely surviving on memories of the past. Fu Rong Jun often returned to the Spirit Realm to train soldiers with the great general of the Spirit Realm.

Afterward, he would visit Shen Li and bring her amusing storybooks from the mortal world to cheer her up. This time, Fu Rong Jun brought her a storybook about the deep love between Shen Li and Xing Zhi. Seeing that Shen Li still had not moved on, he tried to coax her into smiling, even casually joking that if Shen Li had not run away from the marriage back then, perhaps she would not be so sad now.

Shen Li smiled lightly and said that she was not sad now. Besides, Fu Rong Jun had always been carefree, which was not the life she longed for. Fu Rong Jun understood Shen Li’s feelings and no longer entertained any other thoughts. That day, Shen Li went as usual to visit Xing Zhi, bringing along the storybook Fu Rong Jun had given her, intending to read it to Xing Zhi to pass the time.

Suddenly, she looked up and found that Xing Zhi, who should have been sitting in the chair, was gone! Rou Ya hurried in to report that people on the streets were all talking about a snowman who had appeared. Shen Li smiled gently. In a field of golden fragrant flowers, Shen Li saw that familiar figure—the man who had made her smile in countless dreams, who had occupied her thoughts and heart—he was truly alive!

Step by step, she approached, hearing Xing Zhi call her name, feeling as if she were still dreaming. Shen Li took Xing Zhi back to the courtyard where they had first lived together. But this time, Xing Zhi was no longer the sickly man Shen Li had once despised, but rather a devoted lover who cared for her daily, gazing at her with endless tenderness and affection.

Xing Zhi said that the reason he was able to awaken this time was because the remaining spiritual power of the ancient gods had prayed to the Heavenly Realm. Moved by their devotion, the Heavenly Realm allowed Xing Zhi to return and continue his fate in the mortal world.

One day, Shen Li and Xing Zhi were chatting leisurely in their small courtyard when a knock came at the door. A serpent lady came to deliver an invitation to Shen Li and Xing Zhi, inviting them to bring a starstone from Tianwaitian to attend her wedding. Shen Li was very curious.

That day, the serpent lady had helped her dispel the chimera’s poison, and she had seemed so independent and unruly, not like someone who would enter the bonds of marriage. Shen Li was also worried about finding a starstone from Tianwaitian. However, Xing Zhi was open-minded, telling Shen Li to simply pick any stone to deal with it, since Tianwaitian was sealed now and no one had seen its stars.

The serpent lady had fallen for a mortal man named Mu Zichun, who had obtained the path of cultivation. During a previous scuffle with Fu Sheng, she had coincidentally received Mu Zichun’s help, and unexpectedly fell in love at first sight. The serpent lady brought him back to her residence and took good care of him every day for over twenty years. Yet Mu Zichun still seemed indifferent toward her.

The serpent lady poured out her bitterness to Shen Li and Xing Zhi, confused as to why she had spent so many years warming a stone that never grew warm, almost doubting her own charm. Xing Zhi casually reminded her that men were often reserved and shy, and most likely Mu Zichun did like her but just wasn’t good at expressing it; otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to marry her.

Unsure, the serpent lady listened as Xing Zhi suggested testing him by taking back all the things she had invested in him over the years—maybe then Mu Zichun would reveal his true feelings. Originally, Xing Zhi intended to have the serpent lady "fall for someone else" to test Mu Zichun's reaction. However, Shen Li refused to let Xing Zhi himself act, so she transformed into Xing Zhi’s appearance and showed off around Mu Zichun.

Mu Zichun noticed that the serpent lady hadn’t come to visit him recently, hadn’t even shown concern, and now he saw her acting intimately with another man. He couldn’t help feeling jealous, though he still refused to admit it aloud. After harshly insulting the serpent lady, he angrily left. The serpent lady, eager to confirm Mu Zichun’s true feelings, promised a grand gift to Xing Zhi if he could help her verify them.

With the promised reward, Xing Zhi decided to speed things up. A mere taste of jealousy would not be enough to force Mu Zichun to confess, so they decided to add more fuel to the fire. This time, Xing Zhi and Shen Li intentionally acted even more intimate in front of Mu Zichun. Mu Zichun thought the serpent lady had been blind, believing she had fallen for someone two-timing her.

Enraged, he was about to shoot an arrow to seriously wound Xing Zhi, but luckily Xing Zhi dodged quickly. This reaction confirmed for Xing Zhi that Mu Zichun indeed cared for the serpent lady. Xing Zhi then carried out the next step: he had King Bicang knock the serpent lady unconscious and publicly announced that King Bicang had killed her.

Hearing the news after having been driven down the mountain, Mu Zichun immediately rushed back and fought with all his might to rescue the serpent lady. When he saw she was still alive, he was so overwhelmed that he wept. The serpent lady finally understood that Mu Zichun had feelings for her, and the wedding proceeded as planned. To show her gratitude, the serpent lady kept her promise and gave Xing Zhi an ancient jade pendant.

With it, Xing Zhi gradually regained his original abilities, and his physical condition improved day by day. Shen Li became an honored guest at the serpent lady’s wedding. Afterward, Xing Zhi asked Shen Li if she also wanted a wedding like that. In the past, Xing Zhi had always thought weddings were troublesome, but now he felt that publicly declaring his love for his beloved was a beautiful thing. Shen Li was moved.

She gazed into Xing Zhi’s eyes and smiled, saying, "Then we must hurry with the wedding, or it won’t look good wearing a gown with a big belly! " Xing Zhi was so emotional he shed tears. They were really having a child! After so many hardships, their happiness had finally blossomed, and looking back at everything they had gone through, it all felt truly worthwhile.

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