Chapter 42: “Because she likes me.”

Fissures split the ground, and red wall bricks and tiles cascaded down with a crash.

The cultivators were thrown into a panic. Flustered, they looked wildly around and saw the sky pressing down ominously. The palace complex shook violently, collapsing into ruins.

From within the crowd, someone shouted, “The Immortal Abode is going to collapse!”

For the first time, Nangong Yin’s gaze left Yan Zhao. She looked up at the sky, where a dark wind suddenly howled.

Everyone felt a distinct emotion: rage.

This fury came from the Immortal Abode itself, an emotion erupting in a single thought from its master.

Just one thought was enough to bury them all.

The sudden turn of events made Jiang Ying and Lei Shuang cease fighting simultaneously. They turned back, awaiting new orders from Nangong Yin.

But Nangong Yin looked dazed, lost in the violent upheaval of heaven and earth.

Yuan Yi crawled out from the rubble. He coughed up blood after just two steps.

He had been on guard in every way since arriving, but never could he have imagined that this was the real killing blow.

Using Yan Zhao to lure Nangong Yin, then seizing the chance to eliminate both her and himself—and not hesitating to bury so many innocents along with them, including Ling Jiancheng and Ren Qingyue.

Staggering on the shaking ground, he walked over to Nangong Yin.

He wasn’t sure which was shaking more violently—the earth or his own body.

“Nangong Yin,” Yuan Yi spoke. “If the Immortal Abode is destroyed, not a wisp of her divine soul will remain.”

Nangong Yin snapped back to her senses, her eyes sharp as knives.

Yuan Yi sneered. “Glaring at me is useless. If you still have any hope left, you know what to do.”

“…”

Nangong Yin fell silent, her gaze turning toward the crowd.

The blood on Yan Zhao was like a knife, viciously slicing at her heart.

Just like that time, on the peak of Tianzhu Peak in the Fuyun Sect.

Because she refused to let go of Yan Yuanqing’s hand, a blade flew from nowhere and severed her arm.

Three hundred years had passed, but the lingering hatred was hard to dissolve.

Before she could even make a move, the other side was already so restless.

Nangong Yin withdrew her gaze and ordered Lei Shuang and Jiang Ying: “Get them out.”

Lei Shuang didn’t immediately grasp the meaning behind Nangong Yin’s words.

But Jiang Ying’s brows suddenly furrowed. Shocked, she said, “Then you…”

Nangong Yin turned away without answering.

One step took her a hundred zhang away. Her single arm stretched out, and vast Spiritual Power erupted from within her, contending against the force that was about to destroy the Immortal Abode.

Lei Shuang finally understood. She couldn’t believe it. “Her Eminence is… stopping the Abode’s collapse?!”

The Palace Wall trapping them vanished. The cultivators, seizing a sliver of hope, had no more mind for opportunities and fled frantically for the exit.

The Immortal Sect cultivators, who had just been gathered together, scattered like wild beasts and birds.

Lin Chao, snapping out of his terror, let out a shriek and scrambled away on all fours.

After a brief hesitation, Tushan Yu also decided to leave first.

Bai Jin wanted to take Yan Zhao with them, but Tushan Yu stopped her, forcibly dragging her away.

Feng Jin rushed over to Ren Qingyue. In a panicked voice, she said, “The Immortal Abode is about to collapse! You need to get out, quickly!”

Ren Qingyue was expressionless. She gathered Yan Zhao in her arms and turned to go.

But before she could take a step, Yan Zhao began to struggle violently, forcefully pulling free from her embrace and landing back on the ground.

Her wound had already stopped bleeding. In just this short time, it was showing signs of healing.

“I’m not leaving,” Yan Zhao said, her tone firm.

Ren Qingyue was simultaneously furious and anxious. All her worry for Yan Zhao now transformed into anger. “How long will you be so willful? Will you disregard your life too?!”

Yan Zhao remained unmoved by the scolding, her expression still stubborn.

“My fox hasn’t been found yet.”

Ren Qingyue froze.

As soon as she finished speaking, Yan Zhao walked past her.

Bi Lan opened her mouth several times but hesitated, words failing her.

Immortal Venerable Yuan Yi coughed up another mouthful of blood but finally managed to suppress his injuries.

He sighed, shook his head helplessly, and prepared to help Nangong Yin.

Just then, he saw Yan Zhao approach and stop before him.

Yuan Yi was horrified. “Why are you still here?! Get out!”

But Yan Zhao said, “Help me look for it. Where did my fox go?”

Yuan Yi fumed. “What fox?!”

Yan Zhao pressed her lips together.

No one wanted to help her.

From when she could first remember, right up until now, no one had ever fulfilled her wishes.

Only her fox did.

But if she left, and the Immortal Abode collapsed, the little fox wouldn’t survive either.

Yan Zhao lowered her eyes. A dim golden light gathered within them.

No one noticed the scarlet bloodstains on the ground flicker with a red glow before merging into the earth.

Moments later—WUMM—a deep thrum vibrated through the air, and the cave abode’s trembling stopped.

A hundred zhang up in the air, Nangong Yin’s Dharma Power was locked in a clash against the force destroying the abode.

Suddenly, a flash of white light blazed before her eyes.

In the next instant, the scenery around her underwent a heaven-and-earth-shaking change. She found herself outside the Immortal Abode.

An irresistible force had expelled her.

It wasn’t just her. Jiang Ying, Lei Shuang, Feng Jin, the Fuyun Sect group—including the half-dead Luo Qi—and all the Immortal Sect elders and disciples… everyone was cast out of the Immortal Abode by a tremendous Power of Laws, like discarded trash.

Feng Jin plummeted from the sky. Before she hit the ground, Lei Shuang grabbed her by the collar, pulling her up.

Jiang Ying and Lei Shuang appeared behind Nangong Yin simultaneously. Jiang Ying was full of confusion. “Your Eminence, what happened?”

Nangong Yin concentrated, deep in thought.

The only one who hadn’t been rejected by the Immortal Abode was Yan Zhao.

Yan Zhao was still inside.

Ren Qingyue and Bi Lan had been closest. Ren Qingyue activated her Protective Spiritual Qi, and Bi Lan activated her Compass, slowing their descent. Both landed safely.

Yuan Yi hit the ground and tumbled several times. Caught off guard, he nearly couldn’t catch his breath. His chest felt stifled, and he couldn’t help but cough violently.

Once he finally recovered, Ren Qingyue appeared before him.

“Immortal Venerable Yuan Yi, this disciple has something to ask you.”

The elders and disciples of the various Immortal Sects landed in a sorry state, barely escaping with their lives. No one dared to continue seeking the Immortal Abode’s secret treasures anymore. When they left, they didn’t even bother to say goodbye to Yuan Yi.

Ling Jiancheng was flung far away. Ignoring his own wounds, he wanted to find Ren Qingyue and explain.

But just as he scrambled to his feet, the light before him suddenly dimmed.

He looked up. A woman had appeared in front of him.

Black Robe. One-Armed.

Ling Jiancheng’s pupils contracted sharply.

~

On the now-still Floating Island, in the quiet courtyard, Yan Zhao stood alone in the Pavilion.

The clamorous world was finally peaceful.

The golden light in Yan Zhao’s eyes gradually receded, and the Dark Golden Bead at her chest also settled.

She tilted her head, experiencing a sensation she had never felt before.

It was as if her eyes could see every corner, her ears could hear every birdsong, and her nose could discern whether the scent lingering in the air belonged to a blade of grass or a particular flower.

With a mere thought, the fallen rocks and bricks flew back up as if time were rewinding, returning to the Palace Wall.

The collapsed palaces reconstructed and stood tall once more. The toppled trees righted themselves, returning to the earth.

She searched every corner of the Immortal Palace.

But she could not find her little fox.

Yan Zhao was puzzled.

Where could her fox have gone?

Unable to find her fox, Yan Zhao grew anxious.

Hugging the straw-woven little fox, she crouched on the roof of the Pavilion to think.

“Ah,” she realized after a moment. “It must have been thrown out too.”

The thought of going outside flashed through Yan Zhao’s mind. Instantly, she left the cave abode, appearing in the sky above the forest outside.

There was nothing beneath her feet.

A sudden sense of weightlessness hit, and Yan Zhao began to fall.

This height was too great. Hitting the ground would surely smash her to pieces.

She tried to use her will to save herself, but after leaving the Immortal Abode, her will was useless.

Watching the ground rush closer and closer, Yan Zhao’s heart didn’t waver. Instead, an idle thought crossed her mind: I’m done for.

In her blurred vision, caused by the extreme speed, a clear silhouette suddenly appeared.

Yan Zhao fell into a soft embrace.

In a flash of lightning and spark of flint, her gaze seemed to cross with someone’s.

Then her head grew heavy, and her consciousness faded.

~

Ren Qingyue landed lightly on the ground, holding Yan Zhao. The crowd outside the Immortal Abode had dispersed, leaving only a scattered few.

Bi Lan was one of them. She, like Ren Qingyue, had waited outside the Immortal Abode for Yan Zhao to emerge.

When Yan Zhao finally appeared, Bi Lan hadn’t expected her Senior Sister to be so fast.

Thinking back to how Ren Qingyue had defended Yan Zhao several times inside the Immortal Abode, Bi Lan couldn’t help but wonder: Eldest Senior Sister actually cares so much for Yan Zhao?

It was like seeing two completely different people.

Ren Qingyue ignored everything and everyone else, finding a relatively flat spot to lay Yan Zhao down.

Bi Lan walked over and stood before them, glancing at Yan Zhao’s rosy cheeks as she slept soundly.

Just as she was about to speak, Ren Qingyue cut her off. “I won’t say anything.”

Bi Lan: “…”

Ren Qingyue looked up at her and added, “Today’s events should make it clear to you. If you get too close to her, you’ll be implicated too.”

Bi Lan fell into thought.

Opposing the Devil Clan would lead to an unimaginably miserable end. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t afraid.

After a moment, she retorted, “Isn’t Senior Sister doing the same?”

Ren Qingyue answered her, “I am not the same as you.”

Abandoning her usual humility and gentleness, Bi Lan suddenly dug in her heels against Ren Qingyue. “How is it different?”

Ren Qingyue couldn’t think of a reason.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Yan Zhao.

The head of a straw-woven fox poked out from Yan Zhao’s arms.

Ren Qingyue then blurted out, “Because she likes me.”

Bi Lan: “…”