North Water Street, outside the main gate of the Zhen Mansion.
Su Chongxiao had already learned of Su Qingli’s whereabouts from the Zhen family servants, who were gradually returning to their senses. He carried the wooden box containing the Huai Fruit, preparing to head to Chengyu Lane to find her.
"Second Uncle! Second Uncle!" Su Qingli came sprinting from the end of North Water Street, her movements as light and joyful as a dancing bird.
The maid, Yuyao, was struggling to keep pace.
"Did you deliver Second Young Master Ding home?" Su Chongxiao asked, exhaling a quiet breath of relief. On the surface, however, he remained as detached and ethereal as ever.
Su Qingli blinked.
"How did you know?"
"Anyone who meets you would naturally take a few extra looks, and in doing so, they would recognize Second Young Master Ding." Su Chongxiao often felt quite helpless; his niece was brilliant when she wanted to be, but exceptionally naive when she chose not to use her brain.
He raised his left palm, displaying the wooden box.
"We are returning to the Tianyang Guild Hall. Eat the Huai Fruit on the way."
"Ren Youyang didn't want it?" Su Qingli was quite surprised.
Su Chongxiao glanced at her.
"Having died and become a god, the Huai Fruit is of no use to him now.
"Besides, didn't you help him quite a bit?"
"I just wanted to see if he could live long enough to become a Grandmaster." Su Qingli would never admit that she had simply had a moment of soft-heartedness.
She took the wooden box, her eyes sparkling as she waved at her uncle.
"Second Uncle, I’ve learned a massive secret!"
Su Chongxiao leaned in, his expression filled with confusion.
"You can't tell anyone else. I promised Sect Master Tao that this matter would only circulate within the Su family." Su Qingli set her terms before whispering, "The Zhen family affair involves Yan Yong, the previous Sect Master of the Absolute Saint Path who has been missing for a long time. He found the lost Kunlun and entered the Heavenly Emperor’s Palace..."
Su Chongxiao straightened his back instantly, his voice dropping to a low, stern tone.
"Tell me after we board the ship."
How could such things be discussed on the street? Even if it were just a whisper, and even with the Great Void Illusion present!
Not giving Su Qingli a chance to argue, Su Chongxiao spoke with grave formality to the mistress and her maid.
"Once we return to the Tianyang Guild Hall, I will give you only one quarter of an hour to pack your luggage. After that, we board the ship and depart."
"Aren't we supposed to go to the pier in the evening?" Su Qingli’s face was a mask of bewilderment.
Su Chongxiao glanced at Yuyao before turning his gaze back to his niece.
"I trust Sect Master Tao’s word, but I do not trust others.
"If we don't leave now, when will we?"
Seeing her uncle assume the stern authority of an elder, Su Qingli stammered, "Then let me go find Second Young Master Ding again. He is the first friend I’ve made while wandering the pugilistic world; I cannot leave without saying goodbye.
"Yuyao, Yuyao, you help me pack the luggage first!"
As she spoke, Su Qingli grew increasingly confident, adopting an attitude that suggested: *Second Uncle, you promised to take me, and if you don't agree, I’ll go secretly anyway.*
Su Chongxiao felt a headache coming on. He sighed and said, "Go quickly and return quickly. If you exceed the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, go straight to the East City Pier. Yuyao will have your luggage packed and ready."
"Second Uncle, you’re the best!" Su Qingli praised him with a smile in her eyes.
She handed the box containing the Huai Fruit back to Su Chongxiao and turned to sprint away from North Water Street.
"Eat it on the way to avoid any complications!" Su Chongxiao could no longer maintain his composed demeanor and shouted after her.
Su Qingli turned back with a graceful motion, grinning.
"I have to adapt after eating it, and I’m afraid I’ll smash Second Young Master Ding’s door down!
"I’ll eat it once we’re on the ship~"
She left behind a trail of laughter as she vanished from North Water Street.
Su Chongxiao shook his head helplessly, blaming his elder brother and sister-in-law for spoiling the child beyond reason.
He turned to instruct Yuyao.
"Return to the Tianyang Guild Hall immediately and pack the luggage."
…………
East City Pier.
A multi-story ship was sailing into the center of the river, preparing to head downstream.
In a cabin on the top deck, Qi Xiaoxiang sat by the window, watching the city gate in silence.
With a creak, the door was pushed open, and Qiu Chen entered, having changed back into his scholar’s *Lanshan robe* and square peace-settling cap.
After he and Qi Xiaoxiang had escaped into the woods, they had taken a wide detour, erased their tracks, and snuck back to the pier to board this ship, which had been prepared under the name of a certain merchant firm.
Qiu Chen looked at Qi Xiaoxiang with pity and whispered, "My condolences."
In this situation, he did not know how to comfort her, feeling that any words would only bring fresh pain.
Qi Xiaoxiang nodded slightly, saying nothing.
Qiu Chen thought for a long time before finally finding a topic.
"Where is your Sect Master?"
Qi Xiaoxiang withdrew her gaze from the window and looked at Qiu Chen.
"The Sect Master said earlier that he has his own way to escape this place. He told us not to wait for him and to meet at New Fu City."
New Fu City was located deep in the mountains north of the river, at the intersection of the Zhao, Gan, and Yu states—a notorious place where no one held authority.
Qiu Chen sighed. "I wonder what your Sect Master gained this time."
He had a share in that, after all.
"I don't know yet." Qi Xiaoxiang stood up and said calmly, "I am going to see the people from the sect."
Seeing that Qi Xiaoxiang’s state seemed to have improved, Qiu Chen gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"I have always been good with words, but I don't know why, when I am alone with you, Sister Xiaoxiang, I always become tongue-tied. I can't think of anything good to say. Just now, too—I clearly felt for you, but I didn't know how to express it."
Qi Xiaoxiang glanced at Qiu Chen, offering no response and showing no change in expression.
She walked slowly toward the door.
Qiu Chen hummed a line of a song to himself, self-mockingly:
"When the false is taken for true, the true also becomes false..."
As he hummed, he turned to look out the window, gazing at Dingjiang Prefecture.
For him, the past half-year had been quite wonderful—so wonderful that he had even considered retiring from the pugilistic world.
Suddenly, a sword tip pierced through his throat, accompanied by a flow of bright red blood.
"Hah... hah..." Qiu Chen struggled to turn around, wanting to see the person behind him, but the short sword held him in place, making it impossible.
*Thump.* Qiu Chen, his life force fading, collapsed onto the small table by the window.
He used the momentum to turn and look at Qi Xiaoxiang, who was withdrawing her short sword.
Qi Xiaoxiang looked at him with an emotionless expression.
"I practice the *Scripture of Severing Saints and Abandoning Wisdom*, so naturally, you would be tongue-tied."
*Drip.* A drop of crimson blood slid down the tip of her sword and onto the deck, one drop after another.
Qiu Chen’s eyes were wide open, filled with confusion, pain, and disbelief. From his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, red, ant-like "Moth Seeds" began to crawl out.
Qi Xiaoxiang watched him coldly.
"The Qi Xiaoxiang of the past was indeed kind-hearted, resilient, and strong—very pitiful and worthy of sympathy. But when she was in the demon’s den, she died. The one living now is merely a wicked ghost who has willingly fallen, aided the tyrant, and excels at exploiting the pity of others."
The corners of the woman’s mouth curled up slowly, revealing a faint smile.
Qiu Chen’s gaze froze.
He exhaled his final breath.
The "Moth Seeds" fluttering in the room fell to the ground one by one, and there was no more movement.
Qi Xiaoxiang wiped the short sword with her lapel, found a book on the corpse, and walked out the door. She nodded to the Absolute Saint Path members guarding the wooden ladder.
"Clean it up."
She put away the short sword, flipped through the book, and turned to walk toward the other side. She arrived at the room at the end of the hall and pushed open the wooden door.
The room was covered in thick, dark brown carpets with a Western Desert flair; stepping on them was soft and silent. By the window, a person stood with their back to Qi Xiaoxiang, wearing a pale green short shirt with silver trim and a light, goose-yellow silk skirt. Their black hair hung loose, long and bright.
Qi Xiaoxiang paused for a moment, then quickly bowed.
"Sect Master, when did you return?"
Ji Hanyi turned her body, nodding with a radiant smile.
"I was here before you boarded the ship.
"You’ve worked hard."
Qi Xiaoxiang lowered her head, speaking with great respect.
"It is what this subordinate should do."
After watching Qi Xiaoxiang for a moment, the smile on Ji Hanyi’s face gradually faded. She turned back to look at the East City Pier in the distance.
"Did you get the *Moth Nerve Scripture*?"
"It is in hand, but it lacks the method for Aperture Refining." Qi Xiaoxiang held out the book she had retrieved from Qiu Chen’s corpse with both hands, waiting for the Sect Master to take it. "Qiu Chen also modified some of the text in the *Moth Nerve Scripture*."
Ji Hanyi gave an "mm."
"No matter.
"Place the secret manual on the table and leave."
"Yes, Sect Master." Qi Xiaoxiang stepped forward and placed the *Moth Nerve Scripture* on the desk, which was set with brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone.
Once she had left and closed the door, restoring the room to silence, Ji Hanyi cast her gaze toward the other multi-story ship that was just weighing anchor.
The ship’s sails were half-filled, and it was slowly moving away from the East City Pier. On the deck stood an elderly man of tall stature.
The man wore a fine linen *zhishin* robe and a Huayang cap. His hair and beard were snow-white, his features ancient and simple. He held a brush in his hand, writing and drawing in an account book.
Seeming to sense Ji Hanyi’s gaze, he raised his head and looked in her direction.
Ji Hanyi gave a faint smile and nodded.
The old man nodded slightly, withdrew his gaze, and continued writing in the account book.
…………
Chengyu Lane, inside the Ding family courtyard.
Zheng Zhuxi had confirmed Ding Songyan’s condition before returning to the watchtower. Only Xu Chang'an remained, looking at Ding Songyan in disbelief.
"Second Brother Ding, when did you get to know Zheng Zhuxi?
"You two seem... to have some history?"
Ding Songyan shot him a sidelong glance.
"I met her when I went to report to the Xiaoming Sect."
"About the Zhen Mansion?" Xu Chang'an was startled.
Ding Songyan smiled.
"The Zhen Mansion affair is already settled."
Hearing this, Xu Chang'an breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly enlightened.
"I was wondering why there was thunder and rain only in that part of the city."
After his exclamation, he peeked toward the room.
"Is Sister Qingyan not here?"
*Why haven't you left yet? I need to eat the Remains of Chaos!* "She went to help my mother copy Buddhist scriptures," Ding Songyan replied irritably.
The warmth he had felt earlier had now turned into impatience.
"Oh, I see." Xu Chang'an looked disappointed.
"I have things to do. You should go back first," Ding Songyan urged.
With Sister Qingyan not there, Xu Chang'an left without a hint of reluctance.
Ding Songyan quickly closed the courtyard gate and dropped the latch. He then returned to the room and cautiously checked his surroundings.
He was genuinely worried that the demoness Ji might suddenly pop out.
…………
Inside the ship’s cabin.
Ji Hanyi withdrew her gaze from the surging, undulating river water. She sat down before a silver-backed glass mirror and carefully pinned up her hair.
Then, she took out a silver hairpin—finely crafted but without any pearl or flower inlay—and slowly inserted it.
She checked her reflection from both sides, a smile appearing on her face. She stood up, lifted her pale wrist, and stuffed a large, yellow, sac-like object into her mouth.
…………
Feeling the afternoon’s quiet and heat, listening to the cicadas and the barking of dogs outside the window, Ding Songyan closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and swallowed the small mass of the Remains of Chaos.
His mouth, his throat, and his stomach immediately felt a scorching heat, as if they were being burned by fire, collapsing inward.
A few breaths later, a profound and majestic power erupted, surging toward every corner of Ding Songyan’s body, pulling them toward his core and bringing with it intense pain.
Ding Songyan’s spirit and soul felt the same, but he discovered that a part of his consciousness had merged into the void. He looked down upon his own body from above, watching coldly as it underwent various changes.
At the entrance of Chengyu Lane, Su Qingli tapped her toes and ran lightly to the outside of the Ding family courtyard.
She was just about to knock on the door when a sudden, intense feeling of terror welled up within her, and she instinctively retreated.
She couldn't help but raise her right hand to cover her eyes.
Inside the house, Ding Songyan endured the excruciating pain, discovering that his skin was becoming stained with more yellow, and his internal organs were visible as if through a void, glowing red like fire.
Within his body, illusory lights, strange organs, and meridians that had never existed before began to condense.
That formless power spread outward, creating countless more points and masses of light in the void—more than the stars in the sky.
Ding Songyan’s legs first turned dark, then extended into four other nearly invisible limbs.
They stepped on the top, bottom, left, right, front, and back, causing the air in the room to freeze completely.
On Ding Songyan’s back, four illusory wings of different colors burst open with a *bang*: one was the vibrant, lush green of spring; one was the scorching, fiery heat of summer; one was the bountiful, crisp, and clear autumn; and one was the frozen, snow-covered winter.
Finally, a dark chaos rapidly formed between Ding Songyan’s brows. It rotated continuously, absorbing his very features into it.
Chaos: to consume it is to establish the six directions, divide the four seasons, derive morality, suppress demons and evil, and return all things to one.
(End of Volume)
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