The clouds and mist split apart, and Li Xun’s vision cleared. Far ahead, a thousand feet away, several figures hovered in the open air. The ancient Kunpeng demon and his group, who had entered before them.

Beyond Kunpeng stood Mistress Tianzhi, clad in a silver-white robe now splattered with blood like falling peach blossoms. Still, she held herself tall in the middle of the passage, chin slightly raised, eyes fixed on the flickering green shadow weaving in and out of the icy mist.

For no clear reason, watching the scene in front of him, Li Xun felt a strange, quiet sense of tragic awe.

Shui Die Lan pressed her lips together and gently led Li Xun, floating up over the battlefield as quietly and effortlessly as air. From up here, looking down, it was the perfect spot to take everything in.

Her illusion technique was truly extraordinary. Even with Li Xun in tow, not a single expert below sensed their presence.

They had barely settled when a piercing cry split the air. The note rang pure and sharp, and the icy mist for miles around shuddered and hummed in response.

Qing Luan dove down. Her body blurred after just ten feet, becoming a streak of blue light No, not light. A sword. A blade of pure brilliance, sharp beyond compare, slicing through the air in a single, devastating arc!

Where the edge passed, the dense ice mist split with a metallic clang. A straight fissure ripped open from where Tianzhi stood, stretching endlessly into the distance. For an instant, it looked as if the entire passageway itself had been cleaved clean in two.

A heartbeat earlier, Tianzhi had seemed to...

Li Xun never caught what was happening. The ice mist surged back in a violent rush, roaring past everyone like a storm. Even with his guard up, the piercing cold made him shiver.

Thankfully, this time, the passage held steady and didn’t shift again.

Behind Tianzhi, Qing Luan suddenly stopped. The gust she brought up rolled the clouds around her, spinning them into white lotuses that floated gracefully through the air. Then, with a smooth sweep of her sleeve, her entire aura shifted. Instead of fierce and sharp, it was graceful and fluid, like drifting clouds and flowing water.

Tianzhi wavered slightly, stepping a half-step to the side. Then, with a swift spin, she flicked her sleeve out as well.

Their sleeves brushed past each other. The air around them twisted and tighten like thousands of steel wires, tangling and grinding together before snapping apart in an instant.

In that split second, they exchanged who-knows-how-many strikes and counters. Then came a sharp boom

as both were pushed back.

Qing Luan stayed calm, stopping after just one step. Tian Zhi wasn’t so lucky. She skidded back several feet, her elegant robe now covered in fine cracks, as if it might crumble into dust at any moment.

When she finally came to a stop, Li Xun was stunned to see a glaring wound marring her flawless, beautiful face. It slashed from her forehead all the way to her temple. Blood streamed freely, tracing down through her hair and dripping onto her shoulder.

Her face, however, remained calm, almost cold. Just looking at her, you’d know she still had all the strength to fight.

Seeing her like this, Qing Luan was unexpectedly moved. Her brow furrowed slightly, and for the first time, a flicker of respect flickered across her usually cold, indifferent face. It looked like she was about to speak, but then something caught her attention. She turned her head slightly, gazing toward the path that led to the Heart Garden.

And she wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the passage turned to look the same way.

A faint, hoarse note of a zither resonated through the icy mist. Soft, distant, and hauntingly clear in everyone’s ears.

Out of the thick, swirling mist, Gu Yin emerged in a snow-white robe, cradling a five-stringed guqin and walking slowly. She looked so serene and gentle that it was hard to believe she was the sect leader whose word could decide the fate of thousands. She seemed more like... an elegant noblewoman, wandering the world with her music.

Li Xun felt the atmosphere shift ever so slightly.

Gu Yin seemed oblivious to the many wary, questioning eyes on her. Her fingers brushed lightly across the strings, and a soft chord filled the air. Over the lingering notes, her voice floated out:

“Let's hold off for now, Qing Luan. Even if our guest intends to cause trouble, we shouldn't be the ones to forget our manners first.”

Her gaze passed beyond Qing Luan and Tianzhi, landing briefly on the Ancient Kunpeng Demon and the Three-Headed Flood Serpent. She gave a graceful smile and a polite bow.

“My apologies for disturbing your cultivation. As it happens, I’ve just gathered some fresh Ice-Peak leaves. Would the two of you care to join me in the Heart Garden for a cup of hot tea?”

It seemed she wasn’t quite sure what deserved attention. Or maybe she was deliberately trying to embarrass Tianzhi. But Tianzhi only cast her a glance. She said nothing, her eyes fixed instead on the shifting waves of mist all around.

Kunpeng let out a booming laugh, stepping forward with the flood dragon and the others. Together with Qing Luan, they closed in, forcing Tianzhi back as her space grew ever tighter. Only then did he clap his hands and say, “It’s rare to have such excitement all in one place, so of course we can’t be impolite. But…”

His tone suddenly darkened. “Sect Leader Gu may have a gentle temperament, but the rules of this alliance are not mere decorations. Tianzhi’s rampage through our ranks has left who knows how many of our comrades dead. That kind of arrogance, tell me, Sect Leader, why would you still offer her tea?”

As a legendary demon of deep cultivation, Kunpeng’s anger carried real weight. The air itself seemed to thrum with his fury.

His piercing gaze locked onto Tianzhi, eyes glinting with predatory hunger. “Our alliance has never sought trouble with her Nightless City, yet she dares provoke us? If you ask me, it’s time these so-called righteous sects learned what true power looks like.”

Before Gu Yin could say a word, he took another step forward. His already massive frame seemed to swell even larger, and with a single breath, the fragile, shifting passage trembled. The mist around them roared and churned like a rising storm, a display of power unlike anything else.

As if startled by his words, Tianzhi finally snapped out of her cold, distant attitude. She didn’t look at him, though. Her gaze shifted to Gu Yin, and a small smile played on her lips.

She might have looked a bit disheveled at that moment, but hat genuine smile of hers made you forget everything else. What you saw was just pure, simple joy shining through.

“Gin Yin, you’ve been keeping this from me all along!” she exclaimed.

“She’s lost her mind,” Shu Dielan whispered into Li Xun’s ear.

Li Xun didn’t really like that description, but as he watched Tianzhi, so out of place with the tension around her, he couldn’t deny how fitting it was.

As a matter of fact, everyone there paused for a moment when they saw Tianzhi’s smile. The first to recover was Gu Yin. A flicker of confusion, and then thoughtfulness, crossed her delicate face. She lifted a finger, brushed the strings, and the guqin answered with a single, clear, ringing note.

“What do you mean by ‘keeping it from you,’ Mistress?”

Tianzhi let out a long breath, as if she’d just set down a heavy burden. Then she smiled again. But this time, her smile made Li Xun exhale quietly in relief. That smile was filled with confidence; without a doubt, a smile only the real Tianzhi could wear.

And then, in the very next moment, her words nearly made him lose it completely.

“I know that Gu Zhixuan is dead.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but the moment those words left her lips, Li Xun felt as if a thousand thunderclaps went off right beside his ears. Shockwaves crashing over one another until his mind was nothing but a blank, smoking ruin. Only one thought managed to survive in that wreckage—

A reason! I need a reason! Tell me why!

When Li Xun finally came back to his senses, he realized that Shu Die Lan’s grip on his arm was so tight she’d almost snapped it in two. And only because of that pain had he managed to keep himself from reacting in front of everyone.

His head was still fuzzy, and he missed what Gu Yin had just said. All he heard was Tianzhi’s voice again:

“He’s still alive, is he? Fine, then bring him out. If he can show himself right now, I’ll surrender on the spot. You can do whatever you like with me.”

Her tone was so firm, so absolute, that Li Xun was still trying to process it when Kunpeng burst out laughing.

“Crazy, she’s completely lost it! Tianzhi, what’s this? Feeling guilty about your sect and gone mad from shame? I don’t know about the rest, but I saw Gu Zhixuan myself just a month ago, flirting with that little concubine of his! You expect me to believe he’s dead already?”

Up in the air, Li Xun was taken aback again. Tianzhi didn’t even glance at Kunpeng; her gaze stayed locked on Gu Yin.

“I remember it perfectly,” she said quietly. “Back then, Gu Zhixuan told me that as long as he lived, I couldn’t seek revenge on you. But once he was gone... there’d be nothing holding me back. Isn’t that right?”

Gu Yin’s expression stayed calm, not a flicker of unease or surprise in her face. She gave a small nod and smiled. “So you do remember. It must have been a hard century for you, hasn’t it? But unless you’ve brokenthrough since then, I’m afraid your suffering isn’t over yet.”

Tianzhi gave a cold chuckle. “Why bother pretending anymore? Everyone here knows who you really are. The more you try to hide it, the more guilty you look.”

Gu Yin was about to reply when Kunpeng’s voice boomed from afar:

“Sect Leader Gu, why waste words on someone who’s about to die? She said it herself; if Gu Zhixuan shows up, she’ll surrender. So go on, bring Old Gu out. Even if you don’t want to take her down, humiliating her a little would be worth it.”

The Three-Headed Flood Serpent and the other demons nearby burst into raucous laughter.

Amid the noise, Li Xun frowned. “Something’s off…” he muttered.

Seeing that he finally seemed back to his senses, Shu Die Lan let out a cold snort and released his arm. “You’re what’s off! You’re just as crazy as that Tianzhi woman!”

Li Xun shot her a sidelong glance, then turned his attention back below. Tianzhi and Gu Yin were locked in a fierce stare, their eyes sharp as blades. Watching them, his chest tightened. He almost felt more nervous than the two of them combined.

Shui Die Lan wasn’t fooled for a second. With a low hum, she leaned in close until her lips were nearly brushing his ear.

“How interesting. I’ve made up my mind. After this is over, you’re going to tell me everything about how you ended up on bad terms with Gu Yin and the others. Every detail. No hiding anything. If you refuse… ’ll throw you off right here.”

Li Xun’s face darkened slightly.

“Though,” she added with a teasing lilt, “if your story’s good enough, who knows... maybe I’ll even give you a hand.”