A Moment But Forever Recap, Plot, Synopsis

A Moment But Forever Synopsis

Tens of thousands of years ago, during the war between gods and demons, the Primordial God Taihe used the ultimate divine artifact, the "God's Left Hand," to seal the Demon God. However, the artifact was shattered and fell into the mortal realm, causing the gods to enter a deep slumber. Since then, divine miracles have disappeared from the Three Realms. Taking advantage of the chaos, the War Ghost Clan rose to power, triggering another war.

The divine maiden Wushuang, under the orders of the Celestial Realm, disguises herself as a mortal girl and infiltrates the Youhu Clan’s sanctuary, becoming the personal maid of Yuan Zhong, the clan’s High Priest. Her mission is to reclaim the "God’s Left Hand," which has long been embedded within him. However, instead of finding a powerful adversary, Wushuang sees Yuan Zhong being ostracized and slandered by his own people, despite possessing the means to resist. Pitying and sympathizing with him, she chooses to protect Yuan Zhong and help him break his seal, spending his remaining days happily by his side.

Just as the War Ghost Clan, thought to be long dead, resurfaces in triumph, panic spreads within the Youhu Clan. On the brink of falling into darkness after being persecuted by his own people, Yuan Zhong seizes the opportunity to descend the mountain and break his seal. However, on his journey, he is healed by Wushuang’s love. The two confess their feelings and become deeply devoted to each other.

In the end, Yuan Zhong rescues Wushuang from imprisonment by a jealous rival, and together, they defeat Han Nv. Their union brings peace and order back to the Three Realms.

A Moment But Forever Recap

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14
• 15
• 16
• 17
• 18
• 19
• 20
• 21
• 22
• 23
• 24
• 25
• 26
• 27
• 28
• 29
• 30
• 31
• 32
• 33
• 34
• 35
• 36

The divine lady Wu Shuang, Ji Tan Yin, awakened. As the creator of the Divine Hand, she descended to the mortal realm to search for the concept of the Divine Hand but was unable to return due to the collapse of the celestial ladder. Forced into slumber in the human world, she awoke to discover that a genius youth had emerged within the Youhu Clan.

She suspected that the Divine Hand was likely in his possession and rushed to the battlefield of Pinghu, where a war was taking place. Upon seeing the young man, Ji Tan Yin confirmed that he was indeed the host of the Divine Hand. However, he had yet to fully control its power, accidentally unleashing a devastating attack. To save the people, Ji Tan Yin intercepted half of the strike.

Although many were spared, she was ultimately swallowed by the sea—only to be awakened once again. Ji Tan Yin was then informed that she must retrieve the Divine Hand from Fangwai Mountain because the Great Jisi of the Youhu Clan was a cruel person unworthy of being its host. Since the human race depended on the Youhu Clan, they were forced to offer endless treasures and beautiful women as tribute every year.

Ji Tan Yin planned to use this opportunity to infiltrate Fangwai Mountain. However, when paying respects to the mountain forest, she refused to kneel, drawing the attention of the Youhu Clan members who had come to welcome her. Within Fangwai Mountain, a small stream flowed gently, surrounded by green hills, resembling a paradise on earth. The Great Jisi of the Youhu Clan, Yuan Zhong, sat leisurely by the lake, fishing.

A human sorcerer leading a donkey happened to pass by and noticed that Yuan Zhong’s fishing spot was the very site he had chosen for his employer’s burial grounds. He asked Yuan Zhong to move elsewhere, but Yuan Zhong merely smiled and told him that this was Fangwai Mountain. Upon realizing this, the sorcerer became fearful but, upon hearing that Yuan Zhong was an immortal of Fangwai Mountain, immediately flattered him.

The sorcerer, Wei Qing, performed a divination and told Yuan Zhong that he would soon meet his fated benefactor. Yuan Zhong simply smiled, showing little concern. Ji Tan Yin received special treatment—extra stones were added to her lantern. Noticing this, she removed them, coincidentally catching Yuan Zhong’s attention. Because her lantern had been tampered with, Ji Tan Yin lost her way and asked Yuan Zhong for directions.

Sensing that she was no ordinary person, he inquired about her reasons for coming. Ji Tan Yin lied, claiming that she admired the Great Jisi of the Youhu Clan and willingly came to serve as a maid. Yuan Zhong personally escorted her up the mountain, and before they parted, Ji Tan Yin gifted him a lucky egg.

Sheng Xiang led Ji Tan Yin and the others to Xiaoxiang Peak, where all maidservants had to complete their training before being selected for service. The instructor, Zhi Dai, was extremely strict, warning everyone that regardless of their past status, they were now mere servants in Fangwai Mountain. The artifact spirit, Zi Fei, delivered medicine to Yuan Zhong, and the two exchanged playful banter, demonstrating Yuan Zhong’s kind and easygoing nature toward his subordinates.

Yuan Zhong instructed Zi Fei to retrieve the registry of maidservants. Although Zi Fei found it unreasonable, he still obeyed. Ji Tan Yin asked the other girls in her quarters how she could get close to Yuan Zhong, but the four of them informed her that he had not chosen a maid in years. Zhi Dai distributed magical artifacts to all the new maidservants, placing them on their left wrists.

However, Ji Tan Yin quickly realized that the bracelets were restrictive devices and refused to wear one. Long Bo inquired about Ji Tan Yin’s experience in Fangwai Mountain. Although she had not yet met Yuan Zhong, she had heard others describe him as ruthless and relayed this information to Wang Long Bo. Hearing this, Long Bo no longer worried, as he feared Ji Tan Yin’s kind heart might lead her to pity Yuan Zhong.

He reminded her not to use too much divine power in the mortal realm, as doing so would trigger severe backlash. Ji Tan Yin, however, remained confident that she could retrieve the Divine Hand even without excessive power. Ji Tan Yin recalled that when she was frozen in ice, a small white fox had awakened and saved her. She wanted to find it but understood that after so many years, it might have changed beyond recognition.

Meanwhile, Shen Ying found Zhi Dai—it turned out they knew each other. Zhi Dai was the daughter of the city lord, while Shen Ying was his subordinate. Shen Ying wished for Zhi Dai to return to Yandu and offer the secret of eternal youth to prolong the old city lord’s life, ensuring the survival of humanity. From her roommates, Ji Tan Yin learned that today was the Youhu Clan’s White Robe Festival.

Seizing the opportunity, she planned to search for the Great Jisi but unexpectedly ran into Yuan Zhong. Upon returning, she found Zhi Dai frantically searching the room—someone had secretly performed a curse, and the culprit was wearing a maid’s uniform. Zhi Dai was determined to find the perpetrator.

Chi Yi was possessed and attempted to assassinate Yuan Zhong but ultimately failed, choosing to end his own life. Ji Tan Yin took advantage of the night to find Yuan Zhong, who was weak and unconscious at the time. She intended to retrieve the Divine Hand, but doing so would mean Yuan Zhong’s death. Ji Tan Yin, believing Yuan Zhong to be guilty of numerous crimes, felt little remorse.

However, as she attempted to take the Divine Hand, she discovered a restrictive artifact on Yuan Zhong’s body. She refrained from taking the Divine Hand and instead used her spirit to leave her body and return to the divine realm, where she asked Han Nv about Yuan Zhong. She began to suspect that the rumors of Yuan Zhong’s cruelty were false—otherwise, he would not have been bound and controlled.

Han Nv, however, insisted on retrieving the Divine Hand regardless of morality, as Yuan Zhong’s theft of it was a crime in itself. Still, Ji Tan Yin believed she should investigate the matter thoroughly before making a decision. While Ji Tan Yin’s spirit was away, her physical body remained, and Yuan Zhong discovered it. At that moment, Ji Tan Yin’s spirit returned to her body, and she found Yuan Zhong in an extremely weakened state.

Due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding Chi Yi’s actions, the Grand Elder gathered everyone for a discussion. Tang Hua suspected that Chi Yi had used the Art of Descent, but many elders dismissed this possibility, believing it to be an evil technique belonging to the War Demons and impossible to reappear. Ji Tan Yin, seeing Yuan Zhong injured, attempted to help him change his bandages.

However, due to the overwhelming number of items in her Qiankun Pouch, she took out many objects before finally finding the medicine. Yuan Zhong was intrigued by Ji Tan Yin’s pouch, and upon learning that it was a Qiankun Pouch, he realized it belonged to Wu Shuang, the divine maiden. Ji Tan Yin, however, falsely claimed it was just an ordinary artifact.

Before the conversation could continue, Zi Fei arrived to take Yuan Zhong to see the Grand Elder, interrupting them. Yuan Zhong, using the excuse of unfinished studies, refused to go to the main hall, and instead, he asked Zi Fei to inform the elders that the War Demons had been completely annihilated in the Battle of Pinghu, making it impossible for them to be behind the recent incidents.

The next day marked the grand selection event, a decisive moment for everyone’s fate. Yuan Zhong unexpectedly appeared, causing a stir, as he had not chosen a handmaiden in a long time. During the competition, Ji Tan Yin displayed outstanding abilities through various means. Meanwhile, Zhi Dai attempted to sneak into the forbidden grounds but found it impossible due to the tight security. As the competition reached its final round, contestants were allowed to showcase their own talents.

Ji Tan Yin boldly removed the restrictive bracelet on her wrist, shocking Lord Wen Ying. She also attempted to remove the shackles on Yuan Zhong, but the crowd opposed it, believing the restraints were crafted by the entire Youhu Clan specifically for Yuan Zhong. However, Yuan Zhong had long wanted to remove his shackles and spoke in Ji Tan Yin’s defense. In the end, he chose Ji Tan Yin as his handmaiden, and she readily accepted.

At that moment, Xia Zhi, who had lost all reason due to external control, suddenly appeared and attempted to kill Yuan Zhong. However, Zi Fei, Yuan Zhong’s artifact spirit, struck Xia Zhi down. Before dying, Xia Zhi uttered a series of cryptic words. Ji Tan Yin officially became Yuan Zhong’s handmaiden and moved into his residence.

Meanwhile, Zhi Dai discovered that the rejuvenation method she had acquired was ineffective for her father, so she set her sights on the Youhu Clan’s elixir of immortality. The elders gathered to discuss the Art of Descent, with some believing it was indeed orchestrated by the War Demons, suspecting that not all of them had been eradicated back then. Panic began to spread.

To maintain order, the Grand Elder decided to start a thorough investigation within the War Division, as the two previous victims of the Art of Descent were both from that faction. The Grand Elder, worried that Yuan Zhong would lose control over the Divine Left Hand, suggested sealing it temporarily with a golden ring. Yuan Zhong, not wanting to cause concern, falsely claimed that he had already mastered it.

However, the Grand Elder remained uneasy, knowing that true mastery of the Divine Hand required one to become a true god. Beneath the surface, unseen turmoil was brewing. When Ji Tan Yin learned of these developments, she was both surprised and felt a growing sense of injustice for Yuan Zhong.

Ji Tan Yin learned that Yuan Zhong had been shackled because the elders had deceived him into believing it was necessary for him to ascend to godhood. In truth, they feared him and had deliberately tricked him into wearing the restraints. Hearing this, Ji Tan Yin felt it was unfair to Yuan Zhong. He had defeated the War Demons for them, yet after his victory, everyone sought to seal him away.

At that moment, Ji Tan Yin coughed up blood—she had suffered a backlash from recklessly using divine power. Yuan Zhong had a dream in which he relived the torment he endured during his imprisonment and suddenly woke up. When he pushed open the door, he found Ji Tan Yin standing in the courtyard. He asked why she was there so late at night, but when Ji Tan Yin looked at Yuan Zhong, her gaze carried an unfamiliar hint of sympathy.

Unable to resist, she stepped forward and embraced him. The next day, Ji Tan Yin returned to the divine realm and revealed her findings about Yuan Zhong, shocking the divine realm’s inhabitants. Yuan Zhong was equally surprised by Ji Tan Yin’s sudden actions and confided in Zi Fei, his artifact spirit. Zi Fei believed that Ji Tan Yin had developed feelings for Yuan Zhong, but Ji Tan Yin explained that it was only pity.

She suspected that Yuan Zhong’s reputation for cruelty might have been fabricated by the Youhu Clan, using his name to commit atrocities. Ji Tan Yin told Yuan Zhong that with the Divine Left Hand, he should have been immune to all ailments, yet now he was as frail as an ordinary person. She believed this was due to the restraints and urged him to remove them.

While tidying up the Hexagonal Hall, Ji Tan Yin received medicine and supplements from Lü Yao, a fellow handmaiden. However, she quickly noticed that they were poisoned. Seizing the opportunity, she also took out a cursed object that had been used before and warned Lü Yao to stop her scheming. Meanwhile, Yuan Zhong had altered his training method without permission, resulting in severe physical weakness and putting his life in danger. To save him, Ji Tan Yin worked tirelessly.

Zi Fei had also exhausted himself, and Elder Xin Yao assisted in Yuan Zhong’s treatment. Ji Tan Yin, too worried to rest, kept vigil outside his door. Ji Tan Yin watched as Yuan Zhong obediently followed the Elders’ orders, relentlessly training to become a god so he could control the Divine Left Hand. However, no matter how hard he trained, there was no sign of progress, and his body only grew weaker.

In contrast, Ji Tan Yin had seen many others ascend to godhood in the divine realm without undergoing such grueling efforts. She began to suspect that Yuan Zhong’s training method was a lie and that everyone had been deceiving him. Unable to hold back, she warned Yuan Zhong, but he dismissed her doubts as mere stubbornness and ignored her concerns. Frustrated, Ji Tan Yin had no choice but to walk away.

Zhi Dai came to Yuan Zhong’s residence in search of Ji Tan Yin. She brought up the past incident involving a curse and informed Ji Tan Yin that the previous night, Lü Yao had betrayed her. Since the human clan wanted to break free from the Youhu Clan’s control, Zhi Dai understood Lü Yao’s actions. However, she could not comprehend why Ji Tan Yin continued to protect Yuan Zhong.

She had even secretly investigated Ji Tan Yin, only to find that her background was impeccably clean. Ji Tan Yin directly asked Zhi Dai why she was looking for her. Unable to keep it a secret any longer, Zhi Dai requested Ji Tan Yin to remove her bracelet and lift its restraints.

Ji Tan Yin saw Yuan Zhong preparing to train again and felt a deep ache for him, fearing he would once again push himself into a state of extreme weakness. She volunteered to accompany him. Together, they arrived at Ququ Peak, where the guards reprimanded Yuan Zhong for being late. Since Ji Tan Yin was not allowed to enter with him, she had to wait outside.

Meanwhile, Zhi Dai continued searching for a life-extending elixir and accidentally discovered Yuan Zhong’s training process. Ji Tan Yin remained outside, waiting anxiously. By noon, she grew even more worried, recalling how weak Yuan Zhong had been after training the previous day. Zhi Dai eventually found the beauty-enhancing elixir she sought—only to realize that it had been made by extracting liquid from Yuan Zhong’s body.

Yuan Zhong was pushed out in a wheelchair, extremely weak. Ji Tan Yin questioned Elder Ding Xu about why he had harmed Yuan Zhong, only to learn that Ding Xu had been secretly extracting Yuan Zhong’s blood under the pretense of training him. Ji Tan Yin, pushing the frail Yuan Zhong back to his residence, entrusted him to Zi Fei.

At that moment, the divine realm summoned Ji Tan Yin back urgently—she was being called to the Thunder Department’s Disciplinary Hall. Upon arriving at the Disciplinary Hall, Ji Tan Yin found all five Thunder Department Gods assembled. They inquired about her search for the Divine Left Hand, and Ji Tan Yin revealed that it resided within Yuan Zhong.

The five gods questioned why she had not brought it back to the divine realm, to which Ji Tan Yin explained that she could not. This angered them greatly. Ji Tan Yin further explained that Yuan Zhong had no choice but to become the host of the Divine Left Hand in order to protect his entire clan.

The rumors of him being an evil spirit were spread by others who had falsely acted in his name—it had nothing to do with Yuan Zhong himself. Ji Tan Yin insisted that Yuan Zhong was kind-hearted and refused to kill him just to retrieve the Divine Left Hand, which led to a confrontation with the five gods. She even staked her own life as a guarantee.

The five gods, wanting her to understand their stance, gave her a chance to reflect on her actions. Yet, Ji Tan Yin remained steadfast, suggesting they wait until Yuan Zhong’s natural death before reclaiming the Divine Left Hand. Faced with her unwavering resolve, the five gods had no choice but to accept her proposal.

However, they imposed strict conditions: Ji Tan Yin could not reveal her identity, had to stay by Yuan Zhong’s side at all times, must prevent him from committing evil, and was absolutely forbidden from falling in love with him. Ji Tan Yin was delighted that the gods had agreed to give Yuan Zhong a chance and accepted their conditions.

However, the five gods placed a seal on her body—should she break her promise, she would suffer a backlash, with the worst consequence being the complete destruction of her soul. Upon returning, Ji Tan Yin personally prepared a meal for Yuan Zhong, but it turned out to be barely edible. She even declared that she would stay with him for a lifetime and set rules forbidding him from leaving her side.

Since she did not understand human emotions, she did not grasp the true meaning of a lifelong commitment. Yuan Zhong was stunned upon hearing this, and even Zi Fei, who was nearby, found it unbelievable. Meanwhile, Zhi Dai obtained the beauty-enhancing elixir and handed it to No. 5. No. 5 wanted to take Zhi Dai away with him, but she still had unfinished matters to attend to and could not leave yet.

Ji Tan Yin brought Yuan Zhong a wild fruit, which surprised him. The fruit came from a very distant place, and with her restraints, Ji Tan Yin should not have been able to travel that far. At that moment, she effortlessly removed the bracelet from her wrist, making Yuan Zhong suddenly realize that the restraints had never affected her—she could take them off at any time.

However, by the time she had returned with the fruit, too much time had passed, and it was no longer edible. Just as Ji Tan Yin was about to leave, she noticed a faint glow from Yuan Zhong’s restraints. Moving closer, she lifted his clothing slightly to inspect it. At that moment, Zi Fei walked in, witnessing their seemingly intimate posture and misunderstanding the situation. Zhi Dai was deep in thought in her room when she suddenly heard commotion outside.

Upon inquiring, she learned that something had been stolen from Tianqu Peak, and a large-scale search was underway. Ji Tan Yin returned to the divine realm, seeking a way to remove Yuan Zhong’s restraints. The next time she brought him fruit, she continuously observed the location of the restraints on his body. Using the excuse of tidying his table, she closely examined them.

She became so engrossed in her observations that she momentarily forgot to hide her intentions, causing Yuan Zhong to notice and drive her out. That night, Ji Tan Yin continued researching ways to unlock Yuan Zhong’s restraints. She decided to investigate them more thoroughly and secretly sneaked into Yuan Zhong’s room while he was sleeping. Sitting beside his bed, she gently pulled aside his clothing to examine the restraints. She even leaned in closely, making their interaction appear rather intimate. At that moment, Yuan Zhong woke up and asked her what she was doing.

Because of Ji Tan Yin’s sudden arrival, Yuan Zhong hardly slept the entire night, staying on guard against her sneaking into his room. The next day, his listless state did not go unnoticed by Zi Fei, who was shocked upon learning the reason. Ji Tan Yin remained in her room, continuously studying how to unlock Yuan Zhong’s restraints. She discovered that there was only a single clasp on the restraints, making it impossible for them to function as true locks.

There had to be some hidden mechanism. To investigate, she sent her small dragonfly to secretly observe Yuan Zhong—only to find that he was bathing at that moment. Yuan Zhong, upon noticing the dragonfly, angrily swatted it down and went to confront Ji Tan Yin. Left with no choice, Ji Tan Yin admitted that she wanted to remove Yuan Zhong’s restraints, further explaining that they did not aid cultivation and were, in fact, harmful to his body.

Yuan Zhong, understanding her intentions, generously allowed her to examine the restraints up close. Through careful observation, Ji Tan Yin realized that the restraints were far more complex than they seemed—they contained hidden mechanisms and even poison. If they were unlocked incorrectly, Yuan Zhong’s life would be in danger. He then informed Ji Tan Yin that the restraints also contained magical seals, meaning they could not be removed by craftsmanship alone.

To ensure that Yuan Zhong could eat fresh fruit, Ji Tan Yin woke up early every day to collect it. However, as a result, the birds that relied on the fruit for food could no longer find any and followed the scent to Yuan Zhong’s residence, chirping in protest all day long. Sitting together on the steps, eating fruit and chatting, Ji Tan Yin candidly revealed that she was searching for someone and also shared the story of her awakening.

Watching Yuan Zhong’s departing figure, she suddenly recalled her most devoted follower from the past. It turned out that when Yuan Zhong was young, he had been one of her believers. However, Ji Tan Yin was unsure if he still remembered seeing her in her divine form. Determined to free Yuan Zhong from his restraints, Ji Tan Yin returned to the divine realm to investigate.

She discovered that there was an immortal technique that allowed one to alter their body size—if Yuan Zhong could shrink, he could slip free of the restraints. However, the only deity capable of performing this technique, the Sanqing Divine Lord, was currently in a deep slumber in Xuanqing Qinghai. Moreover, all of his disciples had perished in the great war between gods and demons. Just as hope appeared, it was crushed, leaving Ji Tan Yin disappointed.

While dealing with her disappointment, she learned that the demon clan possessed a similar technique. However, mastering it required three to five hundred years of cultivation—far beyond the time Yuan Zhong had left. Ji Tan Yin had been absent for a long time, preoccupied with finding a way to help Yuan Zhong. Meanwhile, Yuan Zhong felt that her absence did not seem to change his life much.

Zi Fei, on the other hand, frequently complained since he had to do all the work in her place. When Yuan Zhong announced that he was heading to Tianqu Peak, Ji Tan Yin adamantly opposed it and tried to stop him. Instead of seeking Ding Xu’s help, Yuan Zhong took both Zi Fei and Ji Tan Yin and left the mountain on his own. Ding Xu immediately became aware of his departure and even summoned members of the battle division.

As a consequence of Yuan Zhong leaving without permission, the restraints activated, causing him pain. Ji Tan Yin took out medicine and helped him treat the wounds caused by the restriction. Seizing the opportunity, Yuan Zhong questioned why she treated him so well—her actions far exceeded those of a mere attendant. Ji Tan Yin candidly replied that she intended to stay with him until he grew old and died, so she wanted him to live a happy life.

Just then, several elders arrived with reinforcements. As everyone prepared to return, Tang Hua was suddenly possessed, losing all rationality and attacking his companions. Even after being restrained, he continued to shout that he wanted revenge against Yuan Zhong. Shen Ying was preparing to leave and initially wanted to take Zhi Dai with him. However, upon hearing that Tang Hua had been possessed, Zhi Dai became deeply worried and rushed over instead of leaving.

Yet when Tang Hua regained his senses, Zhi Dai, despite having much to say, found herself at a loss for words. After regaining his clarity, Tang Hua confirmed that he had indeed been subjected to a possession technique—one that closely resembled the methods used by the War Demons. The elders were deeply concerned. If the War Demons had truly returned, how would they defend against them? Someone suggested lifting Yuan Zhong’s restraints as a precaution.

Ji Tan Yin continued her search for a way to unlock the restraints and came up with an idea—to infuse Yuan Zhong with divine energy in an attempt to deceive the restraints into loosening.

After returning to the mortal realm, Ji Tan Yin froze time in an attempt to infuse Yuan Zhong with divine power to unlock the restraints. However, transferring divine power required mouth-to-mouth contact. Ji Tan Yin assumed time had been completely frozen, but just as she was transmitting the power, Yuan Zhong unexpectedly woke up. Ji Tan Yin felt extremely awkward and tried to leave immediately.

Her unusual behavior made Yuan Zhong suspicious—he believed that someone had sent Ji Tan Yin to spy on him. Just as he was about to press her for answers, he was informed that the elders were looking for him. Upon meeting the elders, Yuan Zhong learned that they intended to remove his restraints. He immediately refused, arguing that he had cultivated for years and was just one step away from becoming a god.

If the restraints were removed now, all his efforts would be wasted. However, the elders tried to persuade him by warning that the War Demons were about to invade. Even so, Yuan Zhong stubbornly insisted on continuing his cultivation to become a god and did not want anyone to break the restraints. He appeared to struggle with the decision but ultimately agreed to the elders’ proposal to remove his restrictions.

Life in the War Demon tribe was harsh, with very limited food supplies. Qian Lin attempted to blend into the line of people receiving food but was discovered by the patrolling soldiers. While trying to escape, he was captured by Ming Zhang. It turned out that Qian Lin had secretly infiltrated from another hidden War Demon settlement, and Ming Zhang even found different command tokens on him.

The hidden settlements of the War Demon tribe were meant to remain secret, and unauthorized movement between them was strictly forbidden. Qian Lin had clearly violated the tribe’s rules. However, Ming Zhang saw that Qian Lin was both bold and talented, so he decided to cover up Qian Lin’s transgression and keep him in his territory for training. That night, after finishing his meeting with the elders, Yuan Zhong went to find Ji Tan Yin.

At first, Ji Tan Yin tried to avoid him by pretending to be asleep, but her deception did not fool Yuan Zhong. He pushed the door open and directly asked if what she had done during the day meant that she had feelings for him. Embarrassed and unable to explain, Ji Tan Yin became flustered and retorted that Yuan Zhong was like a naive child, easily deceived, so she could never like him. She then angrily drove him out.

Yet later, when recalling the moment she had been mouth-to-mouth with Yuan Zhong earlier that day, she found herself feeling strangely unsettled. The next morning, Yuan Zhong was awakened by the sound of knocking. Upon opening the door, he was surprised to see the courtyard filled with newly made tables and chairs—all crafted by Ji Tan Yin in just one night. Curious, he went to ask her about it.

Ji Tan Yin lied, saying she was lost in thought and could only clear her mind by keeping her hands busy. Seizing the opportunity, she also set a third rule for Yuan Zhong: he was not allowed to develop feelings for her. Yuan Zhong was infuriated by her words and ordered Zi Fei to drive her out. This was the first time Zi Fei had ever seen Yuan Zhong so angry.

Ji Tan Yin, bound by her promise to the divine realm, could not leave. From Zi Fei, she also learned that the elders were preparing to lift Yuan Zhong’s restraints. Meanwhile, Qian Lin inquired about his mother from the elders in the hidden settlement. It turned out that he had risked violating the tribe’s rules just to search for her.

An elder advised him to seek the guidance of the tribe’s Gu Granny, who had the ability to communicate with the gods. In an effort to make amends, Ji Tan Yin crafted a toy as a way to apologize to Yuan Zhong. Every word and action from her seemed to strike a chord in Yuan Zhong’s heart. Qian Lin arrived at Gu Granny’s residence, only to find the door shut.

He was told that she was not receiving visitors, but driven by his desperation to find his mother, he ignored the warning and entered on his own—only to fall victim to Gu Granny’s poison for intruding without permission. On the day Yuan Zhong was supposed to have his restraints lifted, all the elders had agreed to proceed. However, just as the ritual was about to begin, Baili Xiang suddenly stood up in opposition.

Meanwhile, Ji Tan Yin was summoned back to the divine realm by Han Nv. At first, she did not sense anything unusual, but Han Nv’s strange behavior soon raised her suspicions—she was being prevented from leaving. It turned out that Han Nv had deliberately kept Ji Tan Yin in the divine realm to stop her from returning to the mortal world.

Sensing that Yuan Zhong might be in danger, Ji Tan Yin insisted on going back, leading to a confrontation between the two. Ji Tan Yin firmly believed that all beings were equal and refused to accept the restriction.

Because Ji Tan Yin insisted on leaving, Han Nv had no choice but to fight her to stop her. Meanwhile, Baili Xiang conducted a secret investigation and discovered that the birthdays of the two generals who had previously undergone the descent ritual did not match the dates they were supposedly descended upon. He even brought in Madam Zhuo and Xia Zhi’s grandmother as witnesses.

This evidence suggested that the two generals might not have actually been subjected to the descent ritual. Furthermore, the symptoms of those who had supposedly undergone the ritual differed. Baili Xiang presented a Tian Kui Bug, which could make a person appear as if they had undergone the descent. He even suggested experimenting on Tang Hua, but Tang Hua adamantly refused.

Qian Lin woke up only to find himself tied up and hanging in mid-air by Gu Granny, who had also inscribed a spell on his forehead. Terrified, he was at a complete loss. Tang Hua inadvertently exposed himself, proving that the so-called descent ritual was a lie. When the elders questioned him, he defended Yuan Zhong, stating that he had orchestrated everything on his own.

At that moment, Yuan Zhong stepped forward, willing to take the blame on behalf of Qian Lin. Since Ji Tan Yin’s physical body was not present, she was unable to defeat Han Nv. However, in her desperate attempt to return and help Yuan Zhong, she exerted all her strength, even at the cost of suffering a backlash.

Seizing the opportunity, Ding Xu shifted the blame of the descent ritual onto Yuan Zhong, falsely accusing him of orchestrating everything just to have his restraints removed. Using this as an excuse, he had Yuan Zhong imprisoned. Tang Hua accused Ding Xu of exploiting the situation, yet in the end, he did not implicate Yuan Zhong and took the blame himself. At that moment, Gu Granny used Qian Lin’s blood to cast a descent curse upon Ding Xu.

Even with all the elders working together, they could not control him. Gu Granny manipulated Ding Xu, intending to have him kill Yuan Zhong. Just then, Ji Tan Yin suddenly appeared in front of Yuan Zhong, blocking the fatal attack and suffering severe injuries. Gu Granny’s unauthorized use of the descent ritual was soon discovered, leading to Qian Lin’s release. The curse she cast was interrupted before she could kill Yuan Zhong.

Gu Granny claimed that this was the will of the gods. The War Demon tribe’s leader, Li Zhaoyang, noticed divine light appearing and immediately ordered people to stand guard over Gu Granny. As Yuan Zhong looked at the severely injured Ji Tan Yin lying on the bed, he felt deeply puzzled. Initially, he had believed that Ji Tan Yin had approached him with ulterior motives.

But this time, she had risked her life to shield him from harm—if she had died, what could she possibly have been scheming for? Having witnessed the true descent ritual, the elders finally realized that the War Demons still existed. They all knelt outside Yuan Zhong’s great hall, pleading for him to lift his restraints. Ding Xu, severely injured due to the descent ritual, had no choice but to drag his weakened body to beg Yuan Zhong as well.

Seizing the opportunity, Yuan Zhong turned the situation to his advantage, forcing Ding Xu to swallow his pride. Eventually, the elders removed Yuan Zhong’s restraints, and he was no longer forced to suppress himself as he had before. Ji Tan Yin’s soul was taken back to the divine realm, where she was carefully tended to and eventually regained consciousness. Since her primordial spirit was damaged, she needed extensive rest. However, she remained determined to return.

Meanwhile, since her soul was not in her physical body, her mortal form remained unconscious on the bed. Yuan Zhong, believing that she would never wake up, stayed by her side. Eventually, thinking she would not survive, he instructed Zi Fei to arrange a proper burial for her. The night before her departure, Zhi Dai discovered that the area had been placed under heavy security. Realizing that something significant had happened, she also overheard that a human servant had died.

Yuan Zhong, noticing that Zi Fei had been busy with preparations, asked about Ji Tan Yin’s whereabouts. Upon learning that she had not yet been buried and was still lying in the room, he found it strange and questioned why she had not been laid to rest yet. Zi Fei explained that he wanted to ensure Ji Tan Yin had a dignified farewell and had been making special arrangements. He also invited Yuan Zhong to join him.

Knowing that the human race values proper burial rites, and given Yuan Zhong’s feelings for Ji Tan Yin, he did not want her funeral to be too desolate. Thus, he agreed. Dressed in a heroic military uniform, Zhi Dai turned back for one last glance at the place she had once called home before departing. She felt reluctant to leave, for there were people she cared about here. However, for the sake of her family, she had no choice but to go.

Zi Fei prepared an abundance of gold, silver, and jewels for Ji Tan Yin and conducted a memorial ceremony according to human customs. Meanwhile, Ji Tan Yin had nearly recovered from her injuries and was preparing to return to her physical body. Just as she was bidding farewell to Han Nv, she suddenly felt a sense of unease.

Upon investigating, she discovered that Yuan Zhong, believing her to be truly dead, was preparing to bury her and was in the process of setting her body on fire. Qian Lin, determined to find his mother, sought out an elder in town for guidance. The elder advised him to seek help from the clan leader. Following this advice, Qian Lin went to Gu Granny’s residence, where he found her in the middle of summoning a deity.

He personally witnessed the descent of the divine being, who was deeply dissatisfied with Li Zhaoyang. The deity reprimanded Li Zhaoyang for failing to achieve the perfect War Demon physique yet still becoming the clan leader—a disgraceful failure. In order to ensure Yuan Zhong’s death, the deity bestowed upon Li Zhaoyang a god-slaying dagger, stating that as long as the dagger pierced Yuan Zhong’s heart, he would be doomed without a doubt.

That night, as Yuan Zhong bathed, he reminisced about Ji Tan Yin, drinking while lost in thoughts of her. Unbeknownst to him, Ji Tan Yin had already crawled out of her grave. Covered in dust and dirt, she excitedly greeted Yuan Zhong upon finding him. However, Yuan Zhong, highly alert, mistook her for an assassin and, without hesitation, struck her down once more, causing her primordial spirit to return to the divine realm.

Yuan Zhong and Zi Fei saw the remnants of the firewood but noticed that Ji Tan Yin’s body remained unscathed. Yuan Zhong suddenly recalled that the War Demon physique was incredibly resilient. As a precaution, he sealed Ji Tan Yin’s body within a lake. Meanwhile, Ji Tan Yin’s soul responded once more, prompting her to hurry back to the mortal realm in search of her body. Upon awakening, she found herself submerged in the lake.

Climbing out from the icy water, she sought out Yuan Zhong again, only to nearly be killed by him once more. Ji Tan Yin questioned why she had been sealed in the frozen lake, but Yuan Zhong brushed off her concerns with a half-hearted excuse. He remained deeply skeptical of her resurrection, as he had personally confirmed her death. Ji Tan Yin kept making excuses, but they were flimsy at best, and Yuan Zhong found it difficult to believe her.

Convinced that she was of War Demon royal descent, he left under the pretense of searching for another spirit artifact. When Ji Tan Yin went to find Yuan Zhong, she discovered that he had disappeared. She pursued him using a mechanical bird, but upon seeing her approach, Yuan Zhong and Zi Fei split up and fled in opposite directions. Ji Tan Yin caught up with Yuan Zhong and questioned him, but he, in turn, asked about her origins.

When she failed to provide a convincing answer, Yuan Zhong destroyed her mechanical bird. Unable to fly, Ji Tan Yin fell to her death, and her primordial spirit returned to the divine realm once more. After reuniting with her physical body, she resumed her search for Yuan Zhong. Li Zhaoyang was elated to have received the god-slaying dagger and planned to use it against Yuan Zhong. However, the dagger soon went missing—Qian Lin had taken it.

Seeking vengeance for his family, Qian Lin intended to use the dagger to kill Yuan Zhong. Meanwhile, Yuan Zhong, unfamiliar with the area, sought directions and happened to encounter a merchant named Du Qi. After getting the necessary information, he successfully reached his destination and boarded a flying vessel. Qian Lin, having collapsed nearby, was rescued and brought aboard. During his treatment, the healer discovered that his wounds healed automatically.

Suspicious that he might be a War Demon, the ship’s steward attempted to alert the crew, but Qian Lin managed to escape. Learning that a War Demon had boarded the ship, the vessel’s owner ordered a thorough search by the security guards. While Yuan Zhong was speaking with Du Qi, he noticed the ship’s guards conducting a search. Du Qi panicked and hurriedly left. Returning to his storage area, he worried that the hidden goods he had smuggled might be discovered.

In an attempt to move everything before being caught, he stumbled upon Qian Lin hiding inside. When the guards surrounded him, they proved no match for Qian Lin, who swiftly knocked them unconscious. Meanwhile, A Xue, having sneaked out to grab some food, was startled to see Ji Tan Yin descending from the sky on a flying bird. Shocked, A Xue froze in place, clutching her food in confusion, while Ji Tan Yin awkwardly greeted her.

After seeing Ji Tan Yin, A Xue asked if she had bought a ticket and worried that she might be a bad person. Turning to run away, A Xue was quickly stopped by Ji Tan Yin, who feared being reported. Ji Tan Yin used a spell on A Xue, falsely claiming to be her good friend named "A Yin.

" From then on, A Xue introduced Ji Tan Yin as her close friend to everyone she met and even invited her to stay in her room, giving up her own bed while she slept on the floor. Meanwhile, Zi Fei kept blaming Yuan Zhong for their misfortune, even lamenting that they had lost all their money. However, Yuan Zhong remained indifferent. Zi Fei insisted that their string of bad luck stemmed from Yuan Zhong killing Ji Tan Yin.

That night, Ji Tan Yin sneaked out alone to assess the situation. The next morning, as A Xue left for work, she warned Ji Tan Yin not to go outside carelessly, as she hadn’t purchased a ticket and could be easily caught. Feeling guilty, Ji Tan Yin wanted to buy a ticket, but A Xue adamantly refused to let her. Ji Tan Yin wandered outside, searching for traces of Yuan Zhong.

Meanwhile, Yuan Zhong, while strolling, overheard an elderly man discussing the Yanluo Bird with his grandson. Watching their warm interaction, he felt moved and even approached them to share knowledge about the bird’s weaknesses. As a result of his good deed, he ended up getting splashed with water. Elsewhere, Du Qi and his group, having been tied up by Qian Lin, finally regained consciousness.

Though initially trying to intimidate Qian Lin, Du Qi soon realized that threats were useless, so he attempted to negotiate instead. Just then, the ship’s guards happened to pass by the door. Seeing it locked, they left, sparing them from immediate trouble. However, Qian Lin noticed that Du Qi was also afraid of being discovered by the guards. While preparing to drink some water, Qian Lin detected an unusual scent from the waterskin. Ji Tan Yin remained conflicted.

She had once believed Yuan Zhong to be a good person, but after he repeatedly tried to kill her, she was determined to settle the score. She confided in A Xue about her dilemma. A Xue advised her that one shouldn't judge a person’s character based on just one or two incidents. As they shared their thoughts, Ji Tan Yin unexpectedly learned that A Xue had developed feelings for a kind young master on the ship whose surname was Yuan.

Ji Tan Yin immediately realized that the person A Xue admired was Yuan Zhong. Meanwhile, the ship’s guards arrived outside Tang Hua’s cabin. Because Tang Hua refused to let them in, the guards grew suspicious, believing he was hiding someone inside. They called for a steward, who, upon opening the door, recognized Tang Hua and promptly reported it to Shen Ying. Surprised to learn that Tang Hua was onboard, Shen Ying ordered his subordinates to ensure he was well-treated.

Ji Tan Yin wanted to meet Yuan Zhong but feared her sudden appearance might cause a misunderstanding. She transformed into A Xue’s likeness, much to A Xue’s shock. Disguised as A Xue, Ji Tan Yin brought food to Yuan Zhong, intending to test whether he was truly kindhearted. Yuan Zhong continuously asked if she needed any help and, in the process, Ji Tan Yin noticed that his hand was injured. Just then, a young woman on the ship lost her father.

The crew planned to place the corpse in a filthy area, but Yuan Zhong unexpectedly volunteered his own cabin to store the body. Watching Yuan Zhong’s continuous acts of kindness, Ji Tan Yin felt reassured, confirming in her heart that he was indeed a good person. At the same time, Yuan Zhong’s hand injury healed completely. Meanwhile, Du Qi, unwilling to let Qian Lin hinder his plans, proposed an alliance to take down Yuan Zhong together.

On the night of the Lantern Festival, everyone left their cabins and gathered on the deck to release lanterns and make wishes. Ji Tan Yin found Yuan Zhong struggling to set his lantern afloat. Stepping forward, she taught him how to properly release it and curiously asked about his wish. Yuan Zhong, however, grew suspicious of Ji Tan Yin, who was still disguised as a maid, and questioned why she kept following him.

To deflect suspicion, Ji Tan Yin fabricated a backstory about A Xue’s hardships, claiming she had come aboard to work and wanted to serve as Yuan Zhong’s personal maid. Yuan Zhong rejected the idea outright. As he turned to leave, a lantern suddenly fell from above, about to strike him. In a moment of panic, Ji Tan Yin lunged forward and tackled him to safety. Meanwhile, Shen Ying hosted a banquet for Tang Hua. During the meal, Tang Hua continuously tested Shen Ying with his words and actions.

Ji Tan Yin summoned the ship's steward for questioning, completely forgetting that she was disguised as A Xue. Meanwhile, Shen Ying was delighted to learn that Yuan Zhong was also on board, considering it a great honor. Tang Hua returned to his room only to find Zi Fei there. Zi Fei relayed a message from Yuan Zhong, advising Tang Hua to stay away.

In truth, Yuan Zhong understood that Tang Hua was only concerned for him and didn’t want him to overexert himself. While Yuan Zhong was speaking with Zi Fei, he was suddenly attacked by a Yanluo Bird. Zi Fei began to suspect Ji Tan Yin's true identity, believing she might be the reason for Yuan Zhong’s misfortune. However, after realizing that Yuan Zhong was a genuinely kind person, Ji Tan Yin no longer wished to pursue vengeance for her attempted murder.

In an attempt to curry favor with Yuan Zhong, Shen Ying hosted another banquet, inviting both Yuan Zhong and Tang Hua. Through A Xue, Ji Tan Yin learned about the banquet and went to the back hall, where she noticed an ominous aura surrounding some of the performance props. During the banquet, Yuan Zhong kept blaming Tang Hua, creating an awkward atmosphere. To ease the tension, Shen Ying suggested a dance performance for entertainment.

Seizing the opportunity, Yuan Zhong proposed a game of chess with Tang Hua, where the loser would have to play a musical piece. This angered Tang Hua greatly. As the performance was about to begin and everyone had left the backstage area, Ji Tan Yin attempted to stop the performer carrying the ominous aura. However, she was slashed by the performer's dagger and discovered its sharpness. Concerned, she followed him, fearing for Yuan Zhong's safety.

Yuan Zhong lost the chess game and was ready to fulfill his promise to dance. Just as the performance began, Ji Tan Yin arrived but was blocked by the guards and denied entry into the banquet hall. Worried about Yuan Zhong, she forced her way in and tore off Yuan Zhong’s mask. The assassin, recognizing Yuan Zhong, immediately drew a dagger and attacked.

Tang Hua rushed to heal Yuan Zhong’s wound, but it was ineffective, and even Yuan Zhong’s divine left hand lost its power. Since Ji Tan Yin was impersonating A Xue, Shen Ying grew suspicious and questioned how A Xue knew Yuan Zhong. Ji Tan Yin remained silent. Yuan Zhong later summoned Ji Tan Yin to his room, seeing through her disguise.

Meanwhile, due to Qian Lin's sudden actions, security on the ship tightened, disrupting Du Qi's plans and forcing him to act ahead of schedule. Yuan Zhong once again questioned Ji Tan Yin’s true identity, but she refused to answer. At that moment, an explosion suddenly rocked the ship, interrupting them. Taking advantage of the chaos, Du Qi and his men began a massacre. With the ship’s protective barrier gone, Yanluo Birds swooped in amidst the turmoil, attacking the passengers.

The entire ship descended into chaos, with humans slaughtered like helpless lambs. Ji Tan Yin fought fiercely, eliminating many of the threatening Yanluo Birds and saving numerous people. However, their numbers were overwhelming, and she couldn't handle them all. She called for Yuan Zhong’s help, but he remained still, showing no emotion. Even as people were attacked and killed right in front of him, he kept a cold and detached expression, entirely unlike his usual gentle self.

Desperate to save more lives, Ji Tan Yin unleashed her mechanical bird. When she noticed someone planting explosives in the power cabin, she immediately flew there on the mechanical bird. She arrived just in time to see Du Qi attempting to destroy the ship’s power source. If he succeeded, the entire vessel would plummet, dooming everyone aboard.

Ji Tan Yin warned Du Qi that he too would die if he detonated the power source, but Du Qi had already resolved to perish and showed no fear. At that moment, Shen Ying and Tang Ji arrived as well. Du Qi blamed Shen Ying, arguing that if the artisans had followed the traditional path, the human race would have gradually grown stronger and surpassed their ancestors without having to rely on others.

However, by adopting temporary power solutions, they were essentially crippling themselves. Shen Ying questioned Du Qi’s identity and discovered that he was also an artisan who refused to abandon the path of true strength.

Du Qi was determined to sacrifice himself to destroy the ship, believing it was necessary for the advancement of the human race. However, Ji Tan Yin was deeply concerned that an explosion would take the lives of everyone on board. Du Qi, however, felt that such sacrifices were worthwhile for the future of humanity.

Upon learning that Ji Tan Yin had a mechanical bird that could allow her to escape, he urged her to flee and spread word of what had happened, so that humanity would strive for strength and no longer live under the control of others. Du Qi detonated the ship’s power source. To save the passengers, Ji Tan Yin took to the skies on her mechanical bird, attempting to hold the ship aloft.

She desperately called for Yuan Zhong to step in and save the people. However, even as she struggled to keep the ship from falling, Yuan Zhong did not act. As the ship’s structure succumbed to the pressure and began to break apart, Ji Tan Yin could no longer hold it up. Yet, Yuan Zhong still stood motionless at the bow, refusing to intervene. From her place on the mechanical bird, Ji Tan Yin pleaded with Yuan Zhong, but he remained indifferent.

Seeing his inaction, she was deeply disappointed. She had always believed that Yuan Zhong was kind-hearted, but now, as he watched people die without lifting a hand, she realized she might have been wrong about him all along. As the ship vanished from sight and seemed doomed to crash to the ground, Ji Tan Yin sat in despair atop her mechanical bird.

However, in a shocking turn of events, the ship’s power was suddenly restored, and it began moving forward once more. Yuan Zhong had finally taken action. Overjoyed, Ji Tan Yin watched as the ship was saved. Meanwhile, Zhi Dai had not boarded the ship and was instead traveling alone along a small path. At a roadside tea stall, she overheard people talking about what had happened on the grand vessel. Everyone praised the immortal aboard who had saved the passengers.

Unable to bear it any longer, Zhi Dai told them that human artisans were also highly skilled. Later, while dining at a tavern, she reminisced about her time with Tang Hua. Just then, someone approached her, captivated by her beauty, but she quickly frightened him away. As she finally settled down to eat in peace, she was startled to see Tang Hua enter the tavern, stirring emotions she thought she had already buried.

Ji Tan Yin was determined to follow Yuan Zhong, and this time, he no longer refused. Instead, he handed her a letter and instructed her to deliver it to the head of a family surnamed Bai. Ji Tan Yin soon realized that Yuan Zhong was deceiving her and chased after him. She then discovered that an ancestor of Mei Shan was undergoing ascension and that he and Yuan Zhong were supposedly enemies.

However, Yuan Zhong found Mei Shan Jun, and it turned out that their relationship was not as hostile as the world believed. In reality, they were close friends, and Yuan Zhong had even done Mei Shan Jun a great favor in the past. Mei Shan Jun pleaded with Yuan Zhong to help him endure the divine lightning tribulation. Ji Tan Yin, having guessed that Yuan Zhong would go to Mei Shan Jun, set out to find him.

On the way, she was intercepted by Zi Fei. To evade him and continue on her journey, she used a mechanism to render herself invisible. As Yuan Zhong helped Mei Shan Jun withstand the tribulation, the Sparrow Eye Lightning unexpectedly struck him instead. At that critical moment, Ji Tan Yin suddenly appeared and took the full force of the lightning on his behalf, suffering grave injuries. Ji Tan Yin’s selfless act of shielding Yuan Zhong with her life left him bewildered.

If she truly intended to harm him, she wouldn’t have risked her own life to protect him. At that moment, Yuan Zhong couldn’t understand what Ji Tan Yin truly wanted. Ji Tan Yin’s soul once again returned to the divine realm, but this time, even her original divine essence was injured. Due to the severity of her condition, she could not return to the human realm for the time being and had to stay in the divine realm to recover.

Yuan Zhong watched over Ji Tan Yin’s lifeless body, his face filled with worry. Day after day, she remained unconscious. Unlike before, this time, Yuan Zhong did not attempt to bury her. While she rested, Ji Tan Yin dreamed of Yuan Zhong disguising himself as Taihe Heavenly God and attempting to kill her. Meanwhile, Granny Gu suffered serious injuries and had fallen into a deep coma.

Li Zhaoyang’s subordinates reported that Granny Gu should have died, yet she remained alive, seemingly protected by divine power. Days passed, and Ji Tan Yin still did not wake. Yuan Zhong began to believe that this time, she would not come back. He decided to attempt a special revival technique through her navel. As he lowered his head, their faces mere inches apart, Ji Tan Yin’s eyes suddenly snapped open.

Ji Tan Yin suddenly woke up but soon fell back into a deep sleep. Yuan Zhong remained by her bedside, keeping watch. Her soul once again returned to her physical body, and when Yuan Zhong saw her regain consciousness, he was overjoyed. Ji Tan Yin told Yuan Zhong that from now on, she could no longer afford to let her body be harmed, as she would not be able to save him again.

Just as she was about to get out of bed, she discovered that her legs could no longer move. Han Nv, upon learning that Ji Tan Yin had dreamed of Taihe and Yuan Zhong committing atrocities together, became convinced that Yuan Zhong was trying to steal divine power to kill Ji Tan Yin. Determined to take back the Divine Left Hand herself, she planned to act.

Yuan Zhong brought Mei Shan Jun to examine Ji Tan Yin’s legs, but even Mei Shan Jun was at a loss. However, Mei Shan Jun, envious of Ji Tan Yin’s willingness to endure a divine tribulation for Yuan Zhong, joked about wanting Ji Tan Yin to introduce someone to do the same for him. Before Ji Tan Yin could respond, Zi Fei dragged Mei Shan Jun away.

Han Nv used Granny Gu’s body to manipulate Li Zhaoyang, intending to summon the War Demons to kill Yuan Zhong. Li Zhaoyang, seeing divine beings assisting in the effort, was deeply respectful and cooperated fully with the divine clan to eliminate Yuan Zhong. Taihe also saw that Han Nv was using the War Demons but believed they would not be a match for Yuan Zhong.

Meanwhile, Yuan Zhong remained confused—Ji Tan Yin had been so good to him and insisted on following him, but for what reason? Mei Shan Jun told him that Ji Tan Yin loved him. Yuan Zhong thought back on their past but didn’t want to let such emotions disturb his heart. When he brought Ji Tan Yin porridge, he found that she was not in the room.

Worried, he searched for her and saw Ji Tan Yin happily playing with a crane. The crane, just as joyful, even danced in front of her. Yuan Zhong was captivated by the beautiful sight. However, as the crane prepared to take flight, it accidentally knocked Ji Tan Yin into the water. Yuan Zhong quickly rushed to rescue her, pulling her out.

Since Ji Tan Yin caught a cold from the chill, Yuan Zhong carried her back to her room, shut all the windows, and thoughtfully kept pouring her hot water to drink. His concern was evident, and he no longer wanted to drive Ji Tan Yin away. Ji Tan Yin noticed this and was delighted. Tang Hua was deeply drawn to the sound of Zhi Dai’s flute and came to her window.

When their eyes met, Zhi Dai nervously shut the window. Tang Hua then invited her to dine with him. Meanwhile, Yuan Zhong and his group were also eating together, but no one had brought any money. In the end, Zi Fei had to pay. During the meal, Yuan Zhong instinctively took care of Ji Tan Yin, frequently serving her food. While eating, Ji Tan Yin accidentally knocked over a cup, but it did not break when it hit the ground.

Mei Shan Jun explained that nothing in Whitehead Mountain could be broken by external force—not even the leaves on the trees could be plucked unless they withered naturally. Yuan Zhong tested it himself and confirmed that some kind of restrictive force was at work on Whitehead Mountain. Yuan Zhong carried Ji Tan Yin back to her room. By then, she had regained some feeling in her legs and would soon be able to move freely again, though they still ached.

To ease her discomfort, Yuan Zhong voluntarily massaged her legs. Zhi Dai went to dine with Tang Hua, initially pretending that their meeting was coincidental. However, Tang Hua told Zhi Dai that he had finally remembered who she was. Hearing this, Zhi Dai was deeply moved, even hopeful. But Tang Hua was more concerned about her sword. It turned out that what he had recalled was merely that Zhi Dai had once been a maidservant.

Upon hearing this, Zhi Dai was bitterly disappointed. Her words toward Tang Hua became laced with veiled sarcasm. Heartbroken, Zhi Dai left without saying a word. Unable to find her, Tang Hua became anxious. Meanwhile, Ji Tan Yin crafted a small toy for Zi Fei, who was delighted to receive it. Later, when Ji Tan Yin went to Wushi Market for tea, she unexpectedly discovered two divine beings. She had no idea what their intentions were.

Ji Tan Yin vaguely saw two scholars walking out but didn’t pay much attention. Since she wanted to eat goose but had trouble moving around, she went down the mountain and bought one. On her way back, she saw the same two scholars again and tried to greet them, but when she caught up, they had disappeared. When Zi Fei returned, Ji Tan Yin eagerly wanted to invite everyone to enjoy roast goose together.

However, Zi Fei had only bought a live goose and insisted on roasting it himself. Yet, after struggling for a long time, he still couldn’t catch it. Ji Tan Yin sat at the stone table in the courtyard, watching Zi Fei chase the goose. At that moment, Yuan Zhong and Mei Shan Jun arrived. Just as Ji Tan Yin was greeting Yuan Zhong, the large goose suddenly flew toward her. Startled, she quickly dodged behind Yuan Zhong.

Yuan Zhong immediately activated the power of his divine hand to subdue the goose and then realized that Ji Tan Yin’s legs were fully healed—she no longer needed crutches. They all sat down for a chat. Zi Fei mentioned an odd incident he encountered on the way back. Since Ji Tan Yin had also seen the same thing, she became even more convinced that what they witnessed were mere images.

She explained to the group that Whitehead Mountain had a strange phenomenon—its barrier recorded past images of people and would release them during thunderstorms. Since Whitehead Mountain was once a renowned academy where many came to study, the images of scholars often appeared. Yuan Zhong found Ji Tan Yin’s knowledge of Whitehead Mountain peculiar, especially when she mentioned that she had studied there. Mei Shan Jun was also surprised.

Once again, Yuan Zhong grew suspicious of Ji Tan Yin’s identity and quickly wrote a letter to Baili Xiang, asking him to investigate the academy on Whitehead Mountain. Meanwhile, Zhi Dai was riding ahead on horseback when Tang Hua caught up to return her sword. It seemed that Tang Hua had started to recall that they had known each other before. The two sat at a tea stall and talked.

Zhi Dai gave the sword back to Tang Hua and recounted their first meeting and past events, even revealing the sword’s origin. Upon learning about their shared history, Tang Hua felt a pang of guilt. After finishing her story, Zhi Dai gracefully turned to leave. That night, during another thunderstorm, Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin both saw the images again and decided to follow them.

Ji Tan Yin discovered the formation core of Whitehead Mountain, and she and Yuan Zhong entered it together. To her surprise, the restrictions on Whitehead Mountain had been set by her teacher. The challenge leading to the next stage was actually one of the very exams she had studied during her time there. Suddenly, Yuan Zhong fell into an illusion, reliving the moment when his body merged with the Divine Left Hand.

It turned out that he had not wanted to merge with it at the time—he had been forced into it under Ding Xu’s pressure. After Ji Tan Yin completed the exam, she was about to proceed to the next stage when she noticed Yuan Zhong trapped deep in the illusion. At the critical moment, she rushed to save him, awakening him and helping him overcome his inner fears.

Just as they were about to move forward, they saw Mei Shan Jun and Zi Fei outside, engaged in a fight. They stepped out to investigate, only to find that their opponent was none other than Ji Tan Yin’s teacher, Xie You. Ji Tan Yin hadn’t seen her teacher in years, and the two spent the night catching up. Yuan Zhong, though outwardly indifferent, was secretly filled with jealousy.

Ji Tan Yin apologized to Xie You, explaining that when she ascended, it happened too quickly for her to inform him. Upon hearing her explanation, Xie You forgave her and also noticed that she had sworn an oath to the Heavenly Dao. Ji Tan Yin realized that Xie You had changed his cultivation path—he had abandoned craftsmanship and become a sword cultivator instead.

She found this regretful but, with just a few words, managed to coax Xie You into feeling delighted. The next morning, Ji Tan Yin prepared breakfast, and everyone gathered to eat. However, she specifically invited Xie You to sit beside her, leaving Yuan Zhong, who had originally intended to sit next to her, feeling awkward. Throughout the meal, Yuan Zhong spoke to Xie You in a sarcastic tone and deliberately found faults in everything he said.

Due to Yuan Zhong’s rudeness, Xie You strongly disliked him. When Ji Tan Yin learned that the restriction on Whitehead Mountain was set by Xie You, she earnestly pleaded with him to lift it so they could search for Yuan Zhong’s artifact spirit. However, Xie You refused to remove the restriction and had no intention of helping Yuan Zhong.

Since Yuan Zhong had taken over Xie You’s room, Ji Tan Yin, not wanting Xie You to suffer any grievances nor wanting to put Yuan Zhong in a difficult position, voluntarily gave up her own room and chose to sleep outside alone. Seeing Ji Tan Yin make such a great sacrifice for another man, Yuan Zhong became extremely jealous and angry.

Yet, in the end, he was more worried that Ji Tan Yin would catch a cold, so he gave up his own room to her and went to stay with Mei Shan Jun. Mei Shan Jun, concerned that Ji Tan Yin might be swayed by Xie You, even reminded Yuan Zhong to be careful. Early the next morning, Ji Tan Yin prepared a lavish breakfast for Xie You, which made Yuan Zhong even more jealous.

In front of Xie You, Ji Tan Yin continuously praised Yuan Zhong. Hearing this, Xie You asked her about her feelings toward Yuan Zhong, but Ji Tan Yin gave an ambiguous response. Worried for her, Xie You warned Ji Tan Yin that Yuan Zhong was the type to knowingly walk into danger without hesitation, advising her not to overthink his emotions. To help Yuan Zhong obtain his artifact spirit, Ji Tan Yin continued guiding him through the challenges.

When the door to the next stage opened, Ji Tan Yin stopped Yuan Zhong from entering, insisting on going in alone. With no other option, Yuan Zhong could only wait outside. Once inside, the entire space seemed to transform into another world. Unlike before, where they were indoors, this place appeared to exist in a realm where heaven and earth were still undivided.

That night, Tang Hua stood in the wilderness, gazing at the sword in his hand while contemplating Zhi Dai’s words. Just then, a subordinate rode up to report that Yuan Zhong was currently on Whitehead Mountain. Upon hearing this, Tang Hua decided to go there personally. Meanwhile, Yuan Zhong had been waiting outside for a long time without hearing any movement. Growing worried, he pushed open the door and entered.

Ji Tan Yin scolded him for not listening and barging in, but Yuan Zhong was puzzled—there was no apparent danger, so why had Ji Tan Yin insisted on going in alone? Realizing she could no longer hide the truth, Ji Tan Yin explained that this place was called the Realm of Bai Ju. Outside, only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn would pass, but inside, countless years might go by.

Ji Tan Yin transformed into two brushes and instructed Yuan Zhong to draw squares, ensuring they were of equal size with perfectly straight lines. Once the squares were drawn, she made some adjustments, turning them into a chessboard. It turned out that drawing squares wasn’t actually necessary to pass the stage—Ji Tan Yin simply wanted to play chess to pass the time. Yuan Zhong, feeling helpless, found the slow pace of the game somewhat dull.

Ji Tan Yin happened to have a jar of wine in storage, so she suggested they drink. Since there was only one jar and not much of it, they had to drink slowly. Yuan Zhong then proposed playing a drinking game to make things more interesting. While playing, they suddenly discovered the key to passing the challenge and successfully advanced to the next stage.

Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin entered a room where the walls were covered with sheets of paper filled with writing. These were the notes Ji Tan Yin had written when she had previously attempted the trial. She explained to Yuan Zhong that by removing the papers, they could uncover the method to pass the challenge. As the papers fell away, a Star Map appeared on the wall.

Back when Ji Tan Yin had first passed this stage, there had been only one hundred stars. Now, there were over a thousand, increasing the difficulty dozens of times over. Ji Tan Yin successfully calculated the way forward and entered the next stage. She and Yuan Zhong had reached the final challenge—constructing a Linglong House. However, the craftsmanship required for the Linglong House had been lost to time, leaving Yuan Zhong uncertain about how to proceed.

Ji Tan Yin, however, confidently claimed that she knew how, which left Yuan Zhong stunned. After returning, Yuan Zhong recounted their trial experiences to Mei Shan Jun. Each stage they had passed required immense knowledge, making Mei Shan Jun deeply admire Xie You’s wisdom. Determined to complete the challenge, Ji Tan Yin searched the entire mountain for materials to build the Linglong House.

Ji Tan Yin had been searching for books all night, without rest or food, which made Yuan Zhong feel distressed. He specially prepared roast goose for her. When Yuan Zhong saw that Ji Tan Yin had bought some books, he assumed they were related to the trials, but she told him they had nothing to do with that. Ji Tan Yin was still immersed in their past experiences of overcoming challenges together.

She couldn't quite grasp Yuan Zhong’s explanation about the nonexistence of time. Yuan Zhong explained to her that the most important thing in life is the journey and the experiences along the way. At that moment, a woman outside started playing the pipa and singing a local folk tune about life and death. This sparked a discussion between Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin. Xie You returned, surprising everyone.

He claimed to have brought a gift for Yuan Zhong, but while Yuan Zhong was unguarded, Xie You suddenly struck and injured him. Mei Shan Jun treated Yuan Zhong’s wounds but found no clear answer for why Xie You attacked. He angrily reprimanded Xie You for ambushing someone. Ji Tan Yin, unwilling to hear others speak ill of her master, stopped Mei Shan Jun.

Ji Tan Yin continued to care for Xie You as his student and questioned him about his reasons for harming Yuan Zhong. Xie You claimed it was revenge for Ji Tan Yin. He had discovered that, sixty years ago on the battlefield of Pinghu, Yuan Zhong had once injured Ji Tan Yin.

Xie You felt honored to have taught a disciple like Ji Tan Yin, but he knew she still had many unresolved doubts and had yet to reach a state of enlightenment. Ji Tan Yin, having followed the clues Xie You left behind, uncovered new information. Xie You admitted that he had chosen Ji Tan Yin as his disciple because of her intelligence.

He himself was deeply obsessed with craftsmanship, but after Ji Tan Yin ascended to godhood, her presence unsettled his mind. Now, however, he admired her greatly and even wished to acknowledge her as his master instead. Under Xie You’s guidance, Ji Tan Yin successfully completed the final challenge and created the Linglong Lake. Seeing his wish fulfilled, Xie You dissipated into the air. Tang Hua also arrived at Whitehead Mountain just in time to hear a thunderous noise.

It turned out that Ji Tan Yin had successfully lifted the mountain’s seal, and the deafening sound came from the unsealing process. However, while others rejoiced, Ji Tan Yin was unable to share their happiness. Her master's sudden passing left her feeling despondent. Yuan Zhong, realizing the reason behind her sadness, came alone to comfort her. Tang Hua also arrived to congratulate Yuan Zhong and presented him with the Giant Que Sword.

He then stated his intention to head to Yan Du, suspecting that the War Demons had received help from the human race and wanting to investigate further. Yuan Zhong, however, was unconcerned, as he had long known that the War Demons were still alive. Meanwhile, Chi Yi and Xia Zhi were also in Yan Du—Yuan Zhong had instructed Zi Fei to rescue them.

Yuan Zhong also discovered that over a thousand years ago, Whitehead Mountain was called Hidden Duke Mountain, where Xie You had once taught. Among his students, two had achieved the greatest accomplishments: one was the divine goddess Wu Shuang, and the other was the highly esteemed Mute Woman of Wushan from the human race. On the battlefield of Pinghu, the Mute Woman of Wushan had once taken a direct strike from Yuan Zhong.

Since Ji Tan Yin was Xie You’s disciple and highly skilled in craftsmanship, Yuan Zhong suspected that she might actually be the Mute Woman of Wushan. Ji Tan Yin was suddenly summoned by Han Nv, causing her primordial spirit to leave her physical body once again. The others, seeing her sitting motionless, were bewildered. After her spirit returned to the divine realm, Han Nv inquired about Ji Tan Yin’s birth details. Without much thought, Ji Tan Yin wrote them down.

Yuan Zhong, noticing Ji Tan Yin’s lifeless body, approached to check on her. As soon as he touched her, her body collapsed into his arms, completely devoid of vitality. Ji Tan Yin, hearing Yuan Zhong’s persistent calls, quickly instructed her spirit to return to her physical body. Yuan Zhong deliberately tested Ji Tan Yin by inquiring about the Mute Woman of Wushan, but she answered casually without giving it much thought.

Meanwhile, Yun Niang ran a tavern and frequently worshiped the Mute Woman of Wushan, praying for wealth. Ji Tan Yin observed the divine inscriptions dedicated to the Mute Woman of Wushan, while Yuan Zhong, standing nearby, closely watched Ji Tan Yin’s reactions. His unusual behavior made Ji Tan Yin quite suspicious.

Yuan Zhong prepared to head to the Eastern Wastelands in search of the next artifact spirit, Lu Chen. On the way, he encountered an old man and asked for directions to Rammed Earth City. However, due to the long journey, they needed to find a place to stay for the night. Spotting a house nearby, the group decided to ask for shelter, only to discover that the owner was the very same old man.

The old man told them that the Mute Woman of Wushan had helped the Eastern Wastelands by changing the climate to make it more livable and by building many libraries. The humans of the Eastern Wastelands greatly revered the Mute Woman of Wushan as their goddess. To test Ji Tan Yin, Yuan Zhong deliberately spoke disrespectfully about the Mute Woman of Wushan, angering the old man. However, Ji Tan Yin’s reaction was not what Yuan Zhong had expected.

Based on her response, she likely was not the Mute Woman of Wushan. That night, Ji Tan Yin visited the old man and found him copying books, though he had made mistakes in the text. When she pointed it out, she realized he was completely illiterate and was merely copying by sight. She decided to stay and help him transcribe the books.

Upon seeing Ji Tan Yin’s handwriting, the old man took out a notebook left behind by the Mute Woman of Wushan. Ji Tan Yin’s handwriting was strikingly similar to hers. Curious about the past of this place, Ji Tan Yin asked the old man, who told her that this area was once called Chaos Cloud Village. This triggered Ji Tan Yin’s memories—she had indeed been here before.

At that time, only a dozen families lived in the area, and she had just recovered from her injuries, being both deaf and mute. However, she was puzzled because, back then, she had not arrived riding a phoenix. The next morning, before they parted ways, the old man kindly gave Ji Tan Yin some food and even a few books. He urged her to study well and not to always serve others as a mere attendant, suffering grievances.

Tang Hua successfully arrived in Yan Du and met with Chi Yi and Xia Zhi. They informed him that he had come at a critical time, as the human race was currently discussing how to deal with the War Demons. They also told him about a secret organization called the Wu Shuang Society, which worshipped the goddess Wu Shuang.

The society claimed that the Youhu Clan was the greatest threat, had recruited many followers, and had even investigated whether Wu Shuang had ties to the War Demons. Xia Zhi and Chi Yi also discovered that Lü Yao, the owner of Green Garden Trading House, admired the Youhu Clan. He had once traveled to Fangwai Mountain but, after his father’s death, never returned there. His background was highly suspicious.

Meanwhile, Zhi Dai finally returned to her long-abandoned home, where her younger brother, Zhi Yue, was now in charge. Zhi Yue, now in his middle years, was shocked to see his sister, who, thanks to a rejuvenation technique, appeared young enough to be his daughter. Seeing that her room had remained exactly as she had left it, Zhi Dai felt deeply guilty about her past recklessness.

She informed her brother about the resurgence of the War Demons, leaving Zhi Yue in disbelief. Yuan Zhong, Ji Tan Yin, and their group successfully arrived at Rammed Earth City and lodged at Yun Niang’s tavern. The moment they entered, Yuan Zhong noticed Yun Niang worshipping the Mute Woman of Wushan. Meanwhile, Tang Hua found Shen Ying and requested a meeting with the city lord of Yan Du, but the lord was in seclusion, which Tang Hua found suspicious.

He took the opportunity to question Shen Ying about the Wu Shuang Society. Tang Hua had already deduced that someone was secretly aiding the society and instructed Shen Ying to investigate Lü Yao. Shen Ying then contacted Zhi Dai and informed her of Tang Hua’s arrival in Yan Du. Zhi Dai was puzzled upon hearing this because Lü Yao had already been imprisoned by Shen Ying. How had he escaped?

She ordered Shen Ying to investigate the Wu Shuang Society from the shadows. Yuan Zhong, accompanied by Zi Fei and Kai Shan, arrived at Orange Lake to rescue the third artifact spirit, only to find that Lu Chen was missing—the seal had already been broken. Meanwhile, Ji Tan Yin sat alone at the tavern, drinking. She noticed a small beggar and kindly shared her food with him. Seeing Ji Tan Yin’s kindness, Yun Niang devised a plan.

She had A Si throw out a person she had previously rescued while pretending to be impoverished. This was all an act to trick Ji Tan Yin into offering money. Ji Tan Yin had no money on her, but Yuan Zhong did. Without consulting him, she decided on his behalf to provide assistance. Yun Niang then led Ji Tan Yin to the back courtyard, where a comatose man lay in a room. At that moment, the unconscious man slowly opened his eyes.

The constable in charge of Rammed Earth City, Pei Jiu, noticed that Yuan Zhong and his group were unfamiliar faces, so he began investigating them. Yuan Zhong and his companions recognized Pei Jiu as Lu Chen, but Pei Jiu thought they were just trying to ingratiate themselves with him and remained indifferent. Feeling uneasy, Pei Jiu went to find Yun Niang and noticed that she and Ji Tan Yin were quite close.

He warned Yun Niang to be cautious, but she didn’t take his concerns seriously. Pei Jiu decided to find an opportunity to test Yuan Zhong and the others. Meanwhile, Ji Tan Yin showed Yuan Zhong the IOU she had signed. When Yuan Zhong heard the reason she had incurred the debt, he was exasperated.

Ultimately, Ji Tan Yin found a way to reclaim all the money she had borrowed under the pretense of requesting wages, then returned it to Yun Niang. Yun Niang was overjoyed when she saw the silver. Zi Fei also uncovered Pei Jiu’s background. It turned out that Pei Jiu had arrived in Rammed Earth City a few years ago, having been rescued after fainting by the town’s former chief constable.

After the old constable passed away, Pei Jiu took over his position. Yuan Zhong speculated that Lu Chen must have encountered some crisis in the past, which forced him to break the seal, leading to his unconscious state and subsequent rescue by the old constable. He instructed Ji Tan Yin to use her dragonfly to track Pei Jiu’s movements, only to discover that Pei Jiu was heading directly toward the courtyard where they were staying.

The next day, Yuan Zhong set out to investigate further and brought Ji Tan Yin along. Meanwhile, Pei Jiu arrived at an abandoned temple, where a small beggar, upon seeing him, immediately tried to flee. Pei Jiu caught up and noticed that two of the three children were missing, so he asked about Xiao Er and Qiu Qiu’s whereabouts. Hearing that the children were missing, Pei Jiu grew worried and wanted to search for them.

Just as he was about to leave, he ran into Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin. Yuan Zhong, using the excuse of wanting to take Pei Jiu as his apprentice, tried to keep him by his side. Pei Jiu, uninterested, attempted to leave, but Yuan Zhong blocked him. A fight ensued, but Pei Jiu was no match for him.

During the battle, Yuan Zhong discovered that Pei Jiu had suffered severe internal injuries, leading to blocked meridians, which had significantly weakened his strength. After returning to the tavern, Yun Niang dragged Ji Tan Yin along to worship the Mute Woman of Wushan. Ji Tan Yin felt awkward and tried to explain that the Mute Woman of Wushan was just an ordinary person.

However, Yun Niang’s faith was unwavering—no matter how Ji Tan Yin explained, in Yun Niang’s heart, the Mute Woman of Wushan was a goddess. This belief was shared by the entire population of Rammed Earth City. Yuan Zhong sought out Pei Jiu again, still hoping to convince him to leave with him. However, no matter what tempting offers Yuan Zhong made, Pei Jiu remained indifferent.

Meanwhile, Yun Niang carefully prepared a wedding outfit for herself, feeling joyful at the thought of marrying Pei Jiu. She even discussed marriage with Ji Tan Yin, asking about her relationship with Yuan Zhong. After Yun Niang’s analysis, Ji Tan Yin began to think that she and Yuan Zhong might actually have mutual feelings for each other. When Yuan Zhong returned, he began complaining about Pei Jiu.

Ji Tan Yin reminded him that Pei Jiu’s irritability might stem from a lack of money. Taking her words to heart, Yuan Zhong actually went and gave Pei Jiu some money that night. Ji Tan Yin, influenced by Yun Niang’s analysis, was filled with doubts. She began closely observing Yuan Zhong whenever they were together.

The next day, as Yuan Zhong was preparing to seek out Pei Jiu again, the tavern’s attendants, A San and A Si, suddenly pleaded to become his apprentices. It turned out that Yuan Zhong giving money to Pei Jiu had been misunderstood as him offering a hefty sum to recruit disciples.

Since Yun Niang had to settle accounts at the butcher shop and A San and A Si were persistently following Yuan Zhong, she asked Ji Tan Yin to help feed the unconscious man in the back courtyard. While feeding him, Ji Tan Yin suddenly recalled having seen this man before—on a boat. The two of them had even spoken to each other.

Meanwhile, during a technique transmission session, Yuan Zhong discovered that there was a foreign force within Pei Jiu’s body, one that almost invaded his own during the process. He suspected that this might be the cause of Lu Chen’s memory loss. As Pei Jiu walked through the streets, someone suddenly approached him, demanding repayment of a debt. However, Pei Jiu didn’t recognize the person. The man then pulled out an IOU as proof.

After winning some money, Pei Jiu hired workers to renovate a house in preparation for his marriage to Yun Niang. Yun Niang, overjoyed, busied herself with hosting guests. Meanwhile, at the tavern, Yuan Zhong couldn’t find a good meal and was exasperated to hear that Ji Tan Yin and Pei Jiu were enjoying meat together. Zi Fei and Kai Shan also began to worry—if Lu Chen ever regained his memories, would he still be as happy as he was now?

Zi Fei and Kai Shan also went to Pei Jiu’s house, where everyone happily enjoyed a meal together. Pei Jiu publicly announced his engagement to Yun Niang, and the group congratulated him. Ji Tan Yin even offered to craft a set of furniture for the couple. Zhi Dai invited Tang Hua to take a boat ride on the lake, sharing stories about the origins of Yan Du. However, both were secretly probing each other.

Zhi Dai noticed that Tang Hua harbored hostility toward her and was constantly on guard, so she questioned him about the reason. Tang Hua, instead of evading, directly revealed that he already knew Zhi Dai’s true identity. Zhi Dai declared that she was a friend, not an enemy, but Tang Hua, burdened by his biases, remained wary. He believed that humans were inherently fickle—when the Youhu Clan waged war against the War Demons, the humans stood by and watched.

It was only when the flames of war reached their lands that they reluctantly joined forces to resist the War Demons. Furthermore, humans were skilled at internal conflict, often squandering great opportunities due to infighting. Yet, paradoxically, when facing an external invasion, they displayed surprising unity. Tang Hua was especially cautious about humanity’s philosophy of balance and moderation. No matter how Zhi Dai tried to explain herself, Tang Hua refused to fully trust her.

He found it suspicious that someone of her esteemed status—second only to the ruler—would willingly serve as a maid in the Outer Mountain for ten years. To him, this suggested ulterior motives. Hearing Tang Hua’s accusations, Zhi Dai was infuriated. In a fit of anger, she splashed her cup of wine in his face and stormed off. Ji Tan Yin and the others happily returned to the tavern after dinner, only to find Yuan Zhong standing at the entrance, sulking.

No one dared to speak to him and quietly slipped past. Just as Ji Tan Yin was about to do the same, Yuan Zhong called out to her and led her to the pond. Yuan Zhong had sensed something unusual and wanted to investigate what lay beneath the water. He intended for Ji Tan Yin to stand guard for him, but she had already drunk too much. While Yuan Zhong was exploring the depths, Ji Tan Yin unexpectedly fell asleep.

Left with no choice, Yuan Zhong carried her back to the tavern. In her drunken state, Ji Tan Yin unintentionally voiced her true feelings—she wanted to build a house with Yuan Zhong and be with him forever. Yuan Zhong was utterly shocked, and her words unsettled him deeply. Meanwhile, Ming Zhang and a group of War Demons were waiting for Lü Yao.

Mo Yanlan and Qing Yu complained that Lü Yao was acting too arrogantly, but since they needed his help, Ming Zhang had no choice but to placate them. Tang Hua had also discovered traces of the War Demons and set out with his men to investigate. The reason Lü Yao never arrived was that he had been captured by Shen Ying, who wanted to interrogate him about how he had escaped from prison.

Upon learning of Lü Yao’s capture, Ming Zhang led a group to rescue him. Tang Hua and his men observed from the shadows, wary of any traps. However, when Zhi Dai arrived and started fighting the War Demons, she was clearly at a disadvantage. Unable to stand by, Tang Hua intervened. Realizing they were outmatched, Ming Zhang attempted to flee, but Zhi Dai and Shen Ying pursued him. They were, however, overpowered and wounded, nearly losing their lives.

Seeing this, Tang Hua shielded Zhi Dai from a fatal strike. Lü Yao managed to escape, and Tang Hua ordered his men to chase after him. But when they finally caught up, Lü Yao had already been silenced—murdered to prevent him from revealing any secrets. The unconscious man finally woke up—it turned out he was Qian Lin. The first thing he did was search for a dagger, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t find it.

He ignored everyone’s questions and refused to respond to anyone—except for Ji Tan Yin. Only when she appeared did his demeanor change. Meanwhile, Yuan Zhong went to see Pei Jiu, who was preparing to hang up a portrait of the Mute Woman of Wushan. Pei Jiu asked Yuan Zhong where it should be placed, but Yuan Zhong noticed that many of the items depicted on the Mute Woman were also frequently seen on Ji Tan Yin.

Yun Niang, upon handing a dagger to Qian Lin, sensed that he was no ordinary person. To avoid trouble, she urged him to leave quickly. When Yuan Zhong returned, he deliberately brought up the Mute Woman of Wushan in front of Ji Tan Yin, even suggesting that they should worship her. He subtly hinted at things, speaking in a way that prodded Ji Tan Yin. Ji Tan Yin, unsure of how to respond, could only sit quietly, pretending as if nothing was wrong.

Ji Tan Yin was chiseling a cabinet with an iron chisel. Curious, Qian Lin wanted to try as well. At that moment, A Xue arrived and suggested that Qian Lin try on the wedding attire in place of Pei Jiu, as Pei Jiu had yet to arrive. When trying on the outfit, both Qian Lin and Ji Tan Yin found it quite fitting, though a bit long. When A Xue left, Ji Tan Yin asked Qian Lin where his hometown was.

Qian Lin merely replied that it was a faraway place. Ji Tan Yin knew he was unwilling to reveal the truth and did not press further—just like how she, too, was unwilling to speak about her own origins. Seeing Ji Tan Yin lost in thought, Qian Lin was moved and asked whether she cared deeply about Yuan Zhong. If Yuan Zhong were in danger, would she go to save him?

Ji Tan Yin nodded without hesitation, which made Qian Lin feel uneasy. That night, Ji Tan Yin placed the finished furniture in the courtyard to dry. Qian Lin came to her again to express his gratitude for saving him earlier. Ji Tan Yin shook her head helplessly—Qian Lin had already thanked her many times. Feeling frustrated, Ji Tan Yin silently reflected on the misunderstandings and barriers between herself and Yuan Zhong.

Qian Lin advised her not to consider Yuan Zhong as a friend. In the room, Yuan Zhong watched the two in the courtyard, his brows furrowed tightly. Zhi Dai entered Tang Hua’s room and found that his condition had not improved in the slightest. A maid was carrying out a basin of blood-stained water. Worried, Zhi Dai gently called out to Tang Hua, but he did not respond.

Remembering how Tang Hua had shielded her from the blade without hesitation, Zhi Dai felt a complex mix of emotions. Seeing that he still refused to take his medicine, Zhi Dai placed the medicine in her mouth and fed it to him directly, mouth to mouth. Previously, Pei Jiu had already given A Xue the same item, but he brought it again, making A Xue feel that something was off. He seemed to have forgotten many things.

Hoping to find a solution, she asked Ji Tan Yin for help. Ji Tan Yin suddenly felt worried—if Pei Jiu were to return to his former, loathsome self, would A Xue still like him? That night, A Xue was in her room trying on her wedding attire when she suddenly saw a figure in black carrying someone out of the courtyard.

She immediately chased after them but did not forget to pluck a bead from her necklace and drop it on the ground as a marker. While training, Pei Jiu found that his spiritual energy was unable to break through the divine consciousness barrier. He suspected that Yuan Zhong was deliberately withholding a key component.

Yuan Zhong told Pei Jiu that he could only teach him the technique—breaking through the divine consciousness barrier was something Pei Jiu had to achieve on his own. Suddenly, Pei Jiu realized that he had been unusually forgetful lately. He asked Yuan Zhong whether this was related to his training. At that moment, Ji Tan Yin arrived and demanded that Yuan Zhong tell the truth.

She worried that, if this continued, Pei Jiu would lose his current memories and revert to Lu Chen’s past memories. What would happen to A Xue then? She pleaded with Yuan Zhong to spare Pei Jiu, at least allowing him to know the truth and make his own choice. Yuan Zhong, however, refused to listen and instead accused Ji Tan Yin of being overly sympathetic.

He even suspected that she had ulterior motives for staying by his side and warned her not to interfere in his affairs, stating that not even a deity had the right to do so. Ji Tan Yin wanted to explain, but Yuan Zhong refused to hear it. Yuan Zhong warned Ji Tan Yin to give up—he was not a good person, and she could never influence him. Parting ways would be best for both of them.

As Yuan Zhong turned to leave, Pei Jiu stepped forward to comfort Ji Tan Yin, but before he could do so, her eyes suddenly turned blood-red. With a single palm strike, she sent Pei Jiu flying before leaping toward Yuan Zhong in an attack. Yuan Zhong immediately realized that Ji Tan Yin was under some form of demonic influence.

As the fight broke out, Zi Fei, fearing that Ji Tan Yin might harm Yuan Zhong, joined the battle, but Yuan Zhong stopped him. At that moment, War Demons unexpectedly intervened and seized Ji Tan Yin, escaping with her while fighting off Yuan Zhong and the others. In the sky, Han Nv saw her plan failing and was furious. Qian Lin arrived to inform Ji Tan Yin that A Xue was missing.

Ji Tan Yin and the now-awakened Pei Jiu set off together to search for her. Along the way, Ji Tan Yin found traces of Han Nv and deduced that Han Nv must have taken A Xue’s birth information to use in a scheme with the War Demons to kill Yuan Zhong. As Ji Tan Yin pressed forward, she encountered three elderly human cultivators standing guard. They blocked her path, claiming they were hunting a venomous serpent.

Ji Tan Yin, however, told them that the serpent would not be coming and that she intended to keep it alive. With a flick of her whip, she attacked the elders, defeating them in moments. She mocked them for risking their lives for meaningless fame and reputation. Meanwhile, War Demon Clan Leader Li Zhaoyang received word that Ji Tan Yin and Pei Jiu were approaching. She immediately ordered an array formation to be set up, vowing to kill them both.

Ji Tan Yin and Pei Jiu split up—Ji Tan Yin instructed Pei Jiu to hold on because Yuan Zhong would eventually come, providing a chance for a turnaround. Pei Jiu then asked Ji Tan Yin whether he truly was Lu Chen. Fearing he might misunderstand Yuan Zhong, Ji Tan Yin hastily explained that Lu Chen and Yuan Zhong had been close friends.

Yuan Zhong was only doing this to help his friend return to normal—there was no right or wrong in this matter. If Pei Jiu had been in Yuan Zhong’s place, he would have done the same. Hearing this, Pei Jiu understood. Pei Jiu continued forward while Ji Tan Yin engaged in battle with the snow wolf blocking her path. Yuan Zhong and Zi Fei also arrived in time.

At that moment, Li Zhaoyang led her forces to the scene, determined to kill Yuan Zhong and avenge her father. However, Yuan Zhong regarded her as insignificant, believing she overestimated her own abilities. Yuan Zhong, Zi Fei, and Ji Tan Yin were soon trapped within the formation. Yuan Zhong intended to break through it but suddenly heard an elder’s voice, rendering him immobile.

Ji Tan Yin instructed Zi Fei to protect Yuan Zhong while she searched for a way to break the formation. Ji Tan Yin arrived at a cave containing Yuan Zhong’s divine consciousness. His primordial spirit emerged, blocking her path. His chest was covered in bloodstains. From his primordial spirit, Ji Tan Yin learned that during the great war between the deities and demons, the Demon God had been defeated. However, the demonic dragon’s consciousness had remained here.

When Lu Chen arrived, the demonic dragon’s soul entered his body. After Yuan Zhong battled the demonic dragon, he was injured, and the demonic dragon realized that Yuan Zhong was the ideal vessel. Now, it had entered Yuan Zhong’s divine consciousness.

Ji Tan Yin was utterly shocked; she hadn't expected the Demon Dragon to have entered the Divine Consciousness Cave. The Demon Dragon had already reached the ninth level, and now, with Yuan Zhong’s injured original divine consciousness unable to resist, he could only rely on external assistance. Hearing this, Ji Tan Yin anxiously entered the Divine Consciousness Cave together with the original divine consciousness. However, in the first level, she couldn't distinguish which one was Yuan Zhong.

A child grabbed Ji Tan Yin and flew through the air. Seizing the opportunity, the original divine consciousness secured Yuan Zhong’s awareness, and together with Ji Tan Yin, they swiftly moved on to the second level, where they encountered an image of Ji Tan Yin. It was the Ji Tan Yin that existed in Yuan Zhong’s mind—ferocious and aggressive. Ji Tan Yin successfully dispelled this illusion of herself and entered the room where she saw Yuan Zhong’s dream-form.

Entering the third level, they found themselves inside a painful dream. Though Yuan Zhong was not physically present in this scene, the mere existence of such a dream indicated that he was indeed involved. Eventually, Ji Tan Yin discovered a crying infant, confirming that it was Yuan Zhong. She held him gently in her arms, soothing him, successfully passing the third level. Inside a prison in the fourth level, only Yuan Zhong was there, looking pitiful and covered in filth.

Seeing Ji Tan Yin enter, he appeared terrified and began listing all of Tang Hua’s hypocrisies, believing that Tang Hua had never truly regarded him as a friend. He lamented the greed of humanity, claiming that there was no real difference between gods and demons. Upon learning that Ji Tan Yin believed in the gods, he found her foolish. At that moment, a basket was lowered down from above, carrying food, but Yuan Zhong refused to eat.

Instead, he continued to ramble incessantly. Heart aching for him, Ji Tan Yin grasped Yuan Zhong’s hand, urging him to rest because he was too exhausted. As Yuan Zhong looked at Ji Tan Yin’s tear-streaked face, he was momentarily stunned. Meanwhile, although Pei Jiu had rescued Yun Niang from her prison, they were pursued while escaping. Severely injured, Yun Niang believed she could no longer flee and urged Pei Jiu to leave without her.

Pei Jiu kissed Yun Niang’s forehead, praising how beautiful she looked in her bridal attire. Then, he bravely stepped forward, releasing all his energy, breaking through the Heavenly Court, allowing Lu Chen to return and join Mei Shan Jun in battling their enemies. The original divine consciousness continued guiding Ji Tan Yin to the next level, but she quickly realized that the person before her was not truly the original divine consciousness. Suddenly, an evil dragon emerged from the ocean.

Meanwhile, Zi Fei, struggling to hold his ground, could only hope that Yuan Zhong would awaken soon. Ji Tan Yin was furious that the black dragon had lured her here. She fought against the dragon but was injured in the process.

Yuan Zhong arrived just in time, but he was suddenly confronted by figures from his past, including an illusion of Ji Tan Yin dressed in black, all reminding him that he was born a demon and should return to their side. Yuan Zhong expelled Ji Tan Yin from his Divine Consciousness, instantly growing immensely powerful. With one strike, he shattered the Demon Dragon and fully awakened from his predicament.

Li Zhaoyang led her subordinates in continuing their fierce battle against Yuan Zhong and the others. Upon Yuan Zhong’s return, he found that Lu Chen had already awakened. He asked if Lu Chen was willing to continue moving forward with him. Without hesitation, Lu Chen affirmed that he would, as everything he had was tied to Yuan Zhong.

Meanwhile, Yun Niang came looking for Pei Jiu, but Lu Chen decisively severed all ties with her, declaring that everything between them was nothing more than an illusion. Heartbroken, Yun Niang left. Yuan Zhong then turned toward Ji Tan Yin, still inside the room. Lu Chen questioned whether Yuan Zhong was still the same person he once was, to which Yuan Zhong gave a firm affirmation. Yun Niang lit the fireworks that Pei Jiu had previously given her.

As they filled the sky, it seemed as though they carried her heart away with them. She set off the fireworks as a farewell to Pei Jiu. Watching them, Pei Jiu clenched the reins of his horse tightly. Yuan Zhong continued leading Ji Tan Yin and the others forward, planning their next destination: Yandu. Meanwhile, Zi Fei had been longing to go to Sujiang to bring Ling Yao out. Curious, Ji Tan Yin asked if Ling Yao was a woman. Yuan Zhong informed her that Ling Yao was indeed a beautiful woman.

Kaishan and Zi Fei argued for quite a while but still couldn't decide who would go to Sujiang. Yuan Zhong decided to draw lots—the one who picked the smallest silver piece would follow him to Yandu. In the end, it was Zi Fei who drew the smallest piece and had no choice but to follow Yuan Zhong to Yandu, while Kaishan and Lu Chen headed to Sujiang to find Ling Yao.

On the road to Yandu, Yuan Zhong told Ji Tan Yin that the last artifact spirit they were looking for was named A Xiu, and she would be very difficult to tame. Zhi Dai had been watching over Tang Hua the entire time. When she saw that he had woken up, she called for a maid to attend to him, then ran off to fetch a doctor.

From the maid, Tang Hua learned that the place he was in was actually Zhi Dai’s private chamber. After taking his pulse, the doctor, unfamiliar with treating people from Xian, gave only vague advice and told Tang Hua to take good care of himself. Zhi Dai’s younger brother, Zhi Qiu, also hurried over and treated Tang Hua very politely.

Li Zhaoyang and her team had been on the road for a long time, and everyone was exhausted, so they had to stop and rest. Since Ji Tan Yin had previously entered Yuan Zhong’s sea of consciousness, she couldn’t help but want to uncover more about him. However, Yuan Zhong didn’t answer her directly, instead bringing up the question of why the War Demons were able to use the Descension Technique on Ji Tan Yin.

During the break, one of her subordinates asked Li Zhaoyang why she had hesitated to stab the dagger into Yuan Zhong’s heart when she had the chance. Li Zhaoyang explained that, in that moment, she saw a demonic aura in Yuan Zhong’s eyes, which is why she held back. Qian Lin, in a panic, bumped into Li Zhaoyang.

She told him that his mother had already passed away, but Qian Lin refused to believe it and, in a fit of anger, attacked her. However, he was no match for her. Ming Zhang took a fatal blow while protecting Qian Lin. Furious over losing a key general because of Qian Lin, Li Zhaoyang intended to kill him. With his last breath, Ming Zhang pleaded for Qian Lin's life.

In the end, Li Zhaoyang abolished all of Qian Lin’s powers and cultivation. From that moment on, Qian Lin could only live as an ordinary man, no longer a War Demon. As he was dying, Ming Zhang revealed to Qian Lin that they were actually blood brothers. Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin also arrived in Yandu, while Zi Fei secretly snuck off to find Ling Yao. Yuan Zhong tried to buy a hairpin as a gift for Ji Tan Yin.

He used a spell to turn a stone into silver, but the vendor saw through the trick and called over a group of people to catch them. Yuan Zhong was surprised that the vendor could so quickly see through his illusion. Officials soon issued a warrant for the arrest of both Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin, turning them into wanted fugitives. Worse yet, they had no money to stay at an inn.

Ji Tan Yin had no choice but to take out the exquisite miniature house she had crafted, and the two stayed inside it for now. Fortunately, the miniature house was quite luxuriously decorated, modeled after the Hexagonal Palace. As they were exploring the house, the entire world suddenly spun around and threw them out. It turned out a dog had been flipping the house around and even picked it up in its mouth.

Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin chased after it. Since the house was now covered in dog saliva, Yuan Zhong placed it in the river to wash it, but ended up flooding the entire interior with water. While resting inside the miniature house, Ji Tan Yin had a sudden idea: they should quickly find A Xiu and then meet up with Zi Fei—after that, they’d have money again.

Yuan Zhong personally made a bowl of noodles for Ji Tan Yin and wished her a happy birthday, which moved her deeply. Because A Xiu liked lively places, and Ji Tan Yin had been to Yandu before, she brought Yuan Zhong to a bustling area. However, the place was foggy. Though A Xiu liked lively scenes, she didn’t like noisy ones, so they had to change locations. Yuan Zhong then brought Ji Tan Yin to a dance house.

As soon as they entered, a waiter enthusiastically welcomed them and told them the "Flying Dance Weapon" performance was about to start. It was a performance many refined guests had long been looking forward to. Yuan Zhong tipped the waiter with silver, and in return, the waiter gratefully and energetically gave them an enthusiastic introduction.

The waiter thought Ji Tan Yin looked familiar, but she made up an excuse to brush it off. As Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin listened to the waiter's introduction, they were surprised to learn that the Flying Dance was performed by immortals. After they sat down, Yuan Zhong began using his spiritual sense to search for A Xiu, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t locate her. The performer of the Flying Dance appeared on stage.

Though her face was covered with a veil, both Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin could tell she looked very similar to Ji Tan Yin. The dancer seemed to notice Ji Tan Yin as well and leapt directly to her, pausing right in front of Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin. Just as Yuan Zhong tried to stand and remove her veil, the dancer suddenly vanished.

At that moment, a drunken guest stood up and pointed at Ji Tan Yin, calling her "Goddess. " Yuan Zhong quickly pulled Ji Tan Yin away, and after leaving the dance house, he shielded Ji Tan Yin’s face with his hand. He realized her eyes looked very much like those of Wu Shuang, the goddess he had seen in his childhood. Following the clues, Yuan Zhong found the place where A Xiu was and tried to awaken her.

Not far from them, in a nearby house, a father and son were worshipping the firecracker deity. As Yuan Zhong used his power to awaken A Xiu, the firecrackers were summoned and exploded. Amid the rubble, a baby appeared—A Xiu was actually a baby. Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin had no choice but to bring the baby back to the miniature house.

But since A Xiu was a baby, she cried nonstop, leaving Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin at a loss. The two spent the whole night tending to her. By morning, they were surprised to see the child had grown significantly. Yuan Zhong saw A Xiu eating Ji Tan Yin’s gold hairpin and remembered that A Xiu could grow quickly as long as she consumed gold.

While Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin were distracted, A Xiu sneaked off to the dance house. When they realized she was gone, they rushed there. A Xiu had entered the dressing room and was secretly eating the gold inside. Yuan Zhong heard a noise and tried to catch her, but A Xiu ran everywhere with the gold. Eventually, Ji Tan Yin appeared and managed to stop her.

Ji Tan Yin suggested that once Yuan Zhong had unsealed all the artifact spirits, they could travel the world together, enjoying the beauty of rivers and mountains. She hoped this would help Yuan Zhong let go of his hatred. Moved by Ji Tan Yin’s words, Yuan Zhong’s resentment gradually began to fade. Meanwhile, Qian Lin, looking ragged, wandered through the forest and happened to be captured by a group of soldiers who were short on laborers.

They forcibly added him to the group. Zhi Dai continued to care for Tang Hua attentively, and their relationship deepened quickly. During their leisure time, they passed time doing puzzles together. Zhi Qiu received some news and mistakenly believed that Lu Chen and the others headed to Sujiang were actually with Yuan Zhong. He found it strange—if Yuan Zhong had already broken the seals, why hadn’t he taken revenge yet?

He feared Yuan Zhong’s true goal was to target the War Demons. Since they had no money, Ji Tan Yin had to work to earn some. The items she made greatly satisfied the shop owner, who even paid her extra. Ji Tan Yin also discovered a delicately made fish bowl—when water was poured into it, the fish at the bottom would come back to life and swim. Upon asking, she learned it was crafted by Gong Ziqi.

With silver in hand, Ji Tan Yin returned the money she had previously tricked the hairpin vendor out of. While walking through the street, she ran into A Xue. A Xue asked what kind of demonic spell Ji Tan Yin had cast on her before. With no other choice, Ji Tan Yin confessed everything to A Xue.

As Ji Tan Yin and A Xue sat by the roadside drinking tea and eating pastries, a group of soldiers passed by with Qian Lin among them. From A Xue, Ji Tan Yin learned these captured people were forced laborers for the workshops. She was puzzled why Qian Lin was among them. A Xue explained that these people could be bought with money, so Ji Tan Yin decided to buy his freedom.

Qian Lin, devastated by the loss of his mother and the death of his brother right before his eyes, was completely disoriented. He no longer cared about anything, not even when he was bullied—he didn’t fight back. Just as Qian Lin was being beaten, Ji Tan Yin suddenly appeared and rescued him.

Ji Tan Yin couldn't bear to see Qian Lin doing hard labor, so she brought A Xue along to buy him back. Zhi Qiu went to visit his teacher, Guan Zhi, who was studying a drawing. Zhi Qiu joined him in analyzing it to find an answer. Only after Zhi Qiu joined him did the teacher agree to eat. The teacher deeply regretted that Zhi Qiu would no longer study craftsmanship under him.

Zhi Qiu inquired about Shen Ying’s whereabouts and learned that Shen Ying hadn't visited in a long time, realizing she must be busy with something else. Ji Tan Yin took Qian Lin to the house A Xue had rented. It had many rooms, so everyone could live together. Ji Tan Yin kept Qian Lin by her side, which puzzled him.

He knew, as a War Demon, he was disliked by other clans, but Ji Tan Yin didn't care about his identity. Yuan Zhong was waiting for Ji Tan Yin with A Xiu at a restaurant. The owner assumed Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin were husband and wife, envying Yuan Zhong for finding such a gentle, virtuous, and hardworking woman who could support the family.

Upon learning it was raining outside, Yuan Zhong took an umbrella and went to pick Ji Tan Yin up. Mei Shan Jun also arrived in Yandu. When he saw A Xiu was still a child, he was surprised and gave Yuan Zhong some silver. A Xiu, upon seeing the gold, immediately grabbed the coin pouch and ran off.

Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin chased after her, only to find that most of the gold in the pouch had already been eaten. Yuan Zhong was eating at a street-side stall when he noticed the proprietress rushing around, overwhelmed by household chores. Her drunken husband would come home, collapse beside her, and offer no help. But Ji Tan Yin saw things differently. She believed the couple lived a happy life, full of mutual understanding and respect.

She asked the proprietress, and her answer matched Ji Tan Yin’s guess exactly. Yuan Zhong, however, didn’t share Ji Tan Yin’s cheerful perspective and didn’t like her trying to guess other people’s emotions. After returning to their room, Ji Tan Yin became lost in thought and accidentally pricked her finger. Her blood once again triggered the fish’s resurrection.

The next day, Ji Tan Yin brought a lot of food for A Xue and Qian Lin, only to find Qian Lin lying in his room all day, looking completely dispirited. Ji Tan Yin went to check on him, and as she waited, she unknowingly fell asleep from exhaustion. When Qian Lin woke and saw Ji Tan Yin there, he was happy and even took the initiative to speak to her. Seeing he was alright, Ji Tan Yin left reassured.

Yuan Zhong, Ji Tan Yin, and Mei Shan Jun had a meal together. Mei Shan Jun told them about a huge stone tower at the city gate—it was a metallurgy workshop, and the laborers weren’t humans. He also told them the southern part of the city was the liveliest. While they were eating, they suddenly heard a commotion. It turned out Mei Shan Jun had invited his friend Fu Jiuyun.

Ji Tan Yin spotted the same fish bowl capable of resurrection—it was made by Fu Jiuyun. When they met, Fu Jiuyun took quite an interest in Ji Tan Yin. They chatted about the fish bowl he made and quickly became cheerful and friendly, which made Yuan Zhong extremely jealous. Ji Tan Yin was puzzled—the goddess portrait Fu Jiuyun painted looked like her, making her suspect he had seen her before.

Fu Jiuyun said he had seen her more than once in his dreams. This enraged Yuan Zhong, who even seemed ready to fight. Seeing the situation turning tense, Fu Jiuyun quickly left. Guan Zhi was amazed by Ji Tan Yin’s craftsmanship and wanted to meet her, so he went to the place where she worked to ask about her.

Fu Jiuyun asked to meet Ji Tan Yin, but Yuan Zhong firmly refused to let her go, and Ji Tan Yin didn’t plan on going either. Meanwhile, Zhi Dai was in the courtyard watching the leaves fall from the tree, smiling with contentment. Just then, Tang Hua stepped out and saw Zhi Dai’s joyful expression toward the tree, which stirred many memories for him.

Tang Hua recalled the scene where he first met Zhi Dai under the tree and they fought. He even apologized to her, which puzzled Zhi Dai due to the suddenness of it. A Xue noticed Qian Lin’s hair was a bit messy and wanted to help him comb it. Qian Lin was reluctant at first, but A Xue pulled him over to the bronze mirror. While grooming him, A Xue asked if he liked Ji Tan Yin.

Qian Lin did not hide anything and directly revealed his identity as a War Demon. A Xue was indeed shocked at first, but after hearing Qian Lin speak of his tragic past, she felt some sympathy for him. After finishing her work, Ji Tan Yin was about to return to the inn when a child suddenly appeared and handed her a lantern, guiding her to follow it to meet someone.

Ji Tan Yin thought it was Yuan Zhong and followed, only to find it was Fu Jiuyun. Yuan Zhong waited for Ji Tan Yin at the inn until late at night, but she never came back. Bored, he took A Xiu out for a walk. A Xiu saw a golden lock hanging from a little girl's neck and transformed a sugar figurine, intending to trade it for the lock.

Just as she was about to get it, Yuan Zhong pulled her back. Fu Jiuyun asked Ji Tan Yin if she remembered him and spoke in a flirtatious tone, which made her angry. Fu Jiuyun even knew that Yuan Zhong had the divine left hand. Ji Tan Yin began to suspect Fu Jiuyun’s identity. Just then, Yuan Zhong arrived, and Fu Jiuyun had no choice but to leave.

Seeing Ji Tan Yin with Fu Jiuyun, Yuan Zhong grew angry and misunderstood their relationship, walking off in a fury. Ji Tan Yin, noticing Yuan Zhong’s anger, brought two bowls of noodles that night to try to calm him down. However, Yuan Zhong stayed in bed, ignoring her. Ji Tan Yin had to sit and eat alone, explaining how she ended up meeting Fu Jiuyun that day.

Because he could no longer draw blood from Yuan Zhong to forge Blood Condensates, Ding Xu's health was deteriorating. Fu Jiuyun appeared in the streets, surrounded by admirers. Ji Tan Yin once again brought food to Qian Lin and A Xue. Seeing Ji Tan Yin’s innocence and kindness, Qian Lin feared she might be harmed and told her that Yuan Zhong had already succumbed to demonic influence.

Yuan Zhong returned to his room and found Ji Tan Yin’s book describing the beautiful places in the world. He smiled blissfully while reading each place she had carefully recorded. Worried, Ji Tan Yin returned to the Linglong House and asked Yuan Zhong what the ninth level of the dream really was. Seeing the eagerness in Ji Tan Yin’s eyes, Yuan Zhong didn’t answer and only said he would tell her in the future.

His continued concealment of the ninth level made Ji Tan Yin more certain that he had truly fallen into darkness, and she was deeply concerned. Because Yuan Zhong had fallen into demonic influence, Qian Lin grew worried for Ji Tan Yin’s safety and wanted to find her. Not knowing where she was, he asked A Xue. Since A Xue didn’t know either, Qian Lin suspected she was intentionally hiding it and kept following her.

A Xue thought that since Ji Tan Yin was with Yuan Zhong, there was no need to worry. But Qian Lin told her that whether one was divine or demonic was still uncertain. At that moment, Yuan Zhong was standing outside the door and overheard their conversation. Ji Tan Yin’s sudden obsession with knowing the ninth level of the dream made Yuan Zhong suspicious.

He followed the trail and found A Xue’s residence, finally learning why Ji Tan Yin was so determined to uncover the mystery of the ninth level. Tang Hua’s health gradually improved, and he was strolling in the courtyard when Zhi Qiu deliberately came to drive him away. Hearing how eager Zhi Qiu was for him to leave, Tang Hua realized things weren’t so simple and had someone keep an eye on Zhi Qiu.

Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin went together to attend the Lantern Festival. Yuan Zhong gave Ji Tan Yin a lantern. Upon seeing it, Ji Tan Yin smiled happily—a stark contrast to her previous gloomy expression, and Yuan Zhong was completely captivated. Yuan Zhong asked Ji Tan Yin, back when she played the mute girl from Mount Wu, what she would do if she saw an evildoer.

Ji Tan Yin was worried that Yuan Zhong had fallen too deeply into demonic influence and tried to persuade him. However, Yuan Zhong felt that Ji Tan Yin could not represent true justice and fairness, leading to a disagreement between them. Yuan Zhong took Ji Tan Yin to the Spring and Autumn Well, because during the Lantern Festival, it was said that making a wish at the Spring and Autumn Well would allow one to glimpse the future.

The two of them hung their wishes above the well. Ji Tan Yin asked Yuan Zhong what vision he saw, but Yuan Zhong replied that he saw nothing. Instead, Ji Tan Yin claimed she saw Yuan Zhong’s future on herself—a future filled with children, joy, peace, and happiness. In truth, Ji Tan Yin said this to dispel the demonic thoughts in Yuan Zhong’s heart.

Yet Yuan Zhong became fixated on who that person to spend his life with would be, and Ji Tan Yin had no way to answer his question. The Gu Elder remained unconscious, and Li Zhaoyang, along with members of the War Demon Clan, kept vigil by her side. When the Gu Elder woke, she resumed summoning the gods. Han Nv responded once again and possessed the Gu Elder’s body.

As soon as Han Nv possessed her, she scolded Li Zhaoyang and the others for being useless. Li Zhaoyang pleaded for another chance and vowed not to waste it—if she failed to kill Yuan Zhong this time, she would die instead. Seeing Li Zhaoyang’s resolve, Han Nv used her blood to paint the Diagram of a Hundred Ghosts to awaken the War Demons’ combat power. She even used the Gu Elder’s life to open the gate to the Diagram.

After returning to the Linglong House, Ji Tan Yin, still concerned that Yuan Zhong was clinging to the demonic path, snuck into his room at night. Yuan Zhong suddenly awoke, and both of them were on guard. Ji Tan Yin again asked about the ninth level of the dream, but Yuan Zhong refused to answer. Ji Tan Yin used her own method to enter Yuan Zhong’s dream.

Yuan Zhong firmly tried to stop her from seeing the ninth level, but the more he resisted, the more determined Ji Tan Yin became, believing there was something hidden in that dream he didn’t want others to see. A fight broke out between them. Yuan Zhong asked again what Ji Tan Yin saw at the Spring and Autumn Well and confessed that he liked her.

However, because of a vow she once made, Ji Tan Yin couldn’t be with Yuan Zhong and couldn’t give him any promise. Seeing Ji Tan Yin unwilling to answer, Yuan Zhong was heartbroken. Combined with all the secrets Ji Tan Yin had kept, he was also filled with anger. He began to feel that the world was full of lies and deceit and grew weary of all the righteous-sounding words. His heart was on the verge of collapse.

Ji Tan Yin feared he would descend fully into the demonic path and tried again to persuade him, but Yuan Zhong had already made up his mind to keep his distance. He no longer gave Ji Tan Yin the chance to explain, and they started fighting again. A Xue and Qian Lin were chatting in the courtyard when Ji Tan Yin suddenly arrived. Seeing the tears in her eyes, A Xue immediately realized it must be because of Yuan Zhong.

Wanting to cheer Ji Tan Yin up, A Xue decided to go cook something delicious and asked Qian Lin to stay and take care of her. Qian Lin believed Ji Tan Yin had seen for herself that Yuan Zhong had truly fallen, and she wanted to find a way to pull him back from the abyss.

Qian Lin told Ji Tan Yin about Yuan Zhong’s situation—how he helped the humans and the Youhu Clan win the war but was still treated like a monster by both. Yuan Zhong, who should have been a hero, was instead suspected by many and never received the glory he deserved. That night, A Xiu sneaked out.

The wealthy couple who had taken a liking to A Xiu during the day brought her home, intending to raise her as their own child. Qian Lin told Ji Tan Yin that he had once wanted to rescue his mother, but in order to take her away, he needed to earn merit—that was why he originally intended to assassinate Yuan Zhong. In the end, though, his mother still passed away, and his clan labeled him as mistaken.

He felt deeply conflicted. At the wealthy merchant’s home, A Xiu finally had plenty of gold to eat and grew up quite a bit. Once grown, A Xiu returned to find Yuan Zhong and asked where Ji Tan Yin had gone.

Zi Fei and the others awakened Su Jiang, and Yuan Zhong successfully awakened the five artifact spirits. When Ji Tan Yin heard about it, she planned to hurry back to Yuan Zhong, fearing that he might make an irrational decision after awakening the spirits. At that moment, a child suddenly delivered a message to Ji Tan Yin—someone had arranged to meet her. When she arrived at the appointed place, it turned out to be Fu Jiuyun.

This time, Fu Jiuyun did not conceal anything and directly revealed that Ji Tan Yin was the Wu Shuang Divine Maiden. Ji Tan Yin was shocked and didn't know how Fu Jiuyun had seen through her identity. Fu Jiuyun admitted frankly that he was once a lamp Ji Tan Yin made, and he had cultivated into an artifact spirit.

He also told her that during the war between gods and demons, he had seen with his own eyes that Taihe Divine Lord was actually the Demon God. Fu Jiuyun had run away out of fear and had lived among mortals since then, never telling anyone. Ji Tan Yin cleared the confusion in Fu Jiuyun’s mind, showed him a new path, and let him leave.

Yuan Zhong walked the streets, watching the various people—some busy with life and happiness, while others suffered humiliation. He didn’t notice that Ding Xu had been secretly following him. Yuan Zhong went to see Mei Shan Jun. The two sat together drinking, as Mei Shan Jun was the only person Yuan Zhong could still drink with. Mei Shan Jun told him he was preparing to leave and return to Mount Baitou.

They reminisced about the days when they first met, as if it were their final farewell. Yuan Zhong sensed the hidden meaning in Mei Shan Jun’s words and directly asked what he wanted to say. Mei Shan Jun had learned that Yuan Zhong had fallen into darkness and didn’t know how to persuade him. He simply reminded Yuan Zhong that he still had other choices, and then he left.

The departure of a friend added another layer of loneliness to Yuan Zhong’s heart. Back at his place, Yuan Zhong burned the book Ji Tan Yin had once drawn, filled with beautiful landscapes from all over the world, and resolved to begin his revenge. Ji Tan Yin returned once again to the divine realm, planning to report to the Five Divine Lords and expose Taihe Divine Lord.

Her divine consciousness returned to the divine realm to seek a solution, but her physical body was like that of the dead, terrifying A Xue. Han Nv suddenly appeared to stop Ji Tan Yin, because it was she who had previously ordered the War Demons to perform the descent ritual on Ji Tan Yin. The two sisters turned against each other. Han Nv blocked Ji Tan Yin from meeting the Five Divine Lords, and a fight broke out.

Han Nv accused Ji Tan Yin of being too selfish and not caring about Taihe Divine Lord. While Ji Tan Yin was fighting Han Nv, Yuan Zhong held the jade pendant Ji Tan Yin had once given him and poured out his pain. Ji Tan Yin, while distracted listening to Yuan Zhong’s words, was ultimately injured and restrained by Han Nv. Yuan Zhong launched his revenge upon the mortal realm.

Ji Tan Yin wanted to stop him but was powerless due to being under control. She struggled with all her strength to break free and go stop Yuan Zhong. Yuan Zhong, using divine power, brought disaster to the world—fire rained from the sky, turning the mortal realm into a living hell. However, in the midst of this destruction, memories of Ji Tan Yin’s words surfaced in his mind.

He remembered the five artifact spirits, Tang Hua, Mei Shan Jun, and the many people he had met along the way. In the end, he thought of Ji Tan Yin. One beautiful memory after another touched Yuan Zhong’s heart, and he finally ended the calamity. He couldn’t bear to destroy this beautiful world and suffered a severe backlash as a result. At that moment, Ji Tan Yin also arrived and found Yuan Zhong.

The two met again and finally let go of their inner barriers, embracing each other. Seeing Yuan Zhong give up his revenge against the mortal world, Ji Tan Yin was overjoyed. But due to the serious injuries from her battle with Han Nv, she fainted. Because Yuan Zhong stopped in time, light returned to the mortal world, and the artifact spirits were also released.

Mei Shan Jun had thought Yuan Zhong would destroy the world out of revenge, so he bought wine and meat and drank all night. When he awoke the next morning to find everything bright again, he realized Yuan Zhong had not taken revenge and that he himself had survived.

Ji Tan Yin saw the blood on her hands and anxiously searched everywhere for Yuan Zhong. At that moment, Yuan Zhong was sitting under a tree, his entire body exuding dark demonic energy, and his clothes had turned red. Yuan Zhong slowly opened his eyes—now blood-red—indicating he had succumbed to demonic influence. Ji Tan Yin suddenly sat up from bed; it turned out to be just a dream. Seeing her clean, white hands, she finally felt at ease.

Ji Tan Yin slowly walked to the door, and when she opened it, Yuan Zhong, A Xue, and Qian Lin came into view. The three of them were full of joy. A Xue complained that when Ji Tan Yin was ill before, she had called a doctor, and the doctor had pronounced Ji Tan Yin dead and even advised preparations for her funeral. A Xue didn’t believe it and had a huge argument with the doctor.

Ji Tan Yin had a lot to say to Yuan Zhong, but A Xue kept hanging around like a third wheel. Ji Tan Yin used her love for tangtang cake as an excuse to send A Xue away. A Xue understood Ji Tan Yin’s intention and gave them space to be alone. Only Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin remained in the room.

Ji Tan Yin calmly admitted that her past tests and confrontations with Yuan Zhong were wrong and hoped he wouldn't be angry or let it create distance between them. Yuan Zhong didn’t take it to heart. Instead, he discussed the beauty of the mountains and rivers with her and expressed his desire to travel together with Ji Tan Yin to see different sceneries. Ji Tan Yin was deeply moved and embraced him.

Han Nv was keeping watch over Taihe Divine Lord when she noticed something unusual—his physical form began to disintegrate. No matter how she tried to control it with spells, nothing worked. In desperation, she used a scroll to preserve his body. When she asked what was happening, it turned out that the Taihe Divine Lord in the divine realm was actually a demon. During the past battle with him, the demon tried to possess his body.

To resist, he and the Divine Lord severed their own left hand and left it in the mortal world, splitting the demon’s primordial spirit in two and cutting off the celestial ladder. Since Yuan Zhong is the current bearer of the god’s left hand, and his malicious thoughts have been decreasing, if this continues, Taihe Divine Lord’s body will vanish—which means the demon within him will also dissipate. The only solution is to retrieve the left hand immediately.

Zhi Dai had been taking care of Tang Hua. To thank her, Jiu Guang brought her many precious medicinal herbs from Mount Fangwai, but Zhi Dai firmly refused to accept them. In truth, Jiu Guang had used the gift as a pretense to get Zhi Dai to leave, because he had discovered some clues.

Qian Lin asked Ji Tan Yin whether Yuan Zhong had hurt her, but Ji Tan Yin had no intention of blaming Yuan Zhong and didn’t want to talk about it. She even advised Qian Lin not to bring it up again. The four of them happily sat in the courtyard eating together, though Qian Lin remained gloomy. Meanwhile, Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin were sweet and affectionate, serving each other food.

A Xue’s innocent joy deeply influenced the other three, especially Qian Lin. Tang Hua’s injuries had improved. Though he was originally planning to leave, he decided to stay at the city lord’s manor for a day or two to continue his investigation. Zhi Dai hadn’t wanted him to leave in the first place, so when she heard he was staying longer, she was overjoyed and even believed Tang Hua was staying because of her.

That night, Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin whispered together in their room. Yuan Zhong cherished these happy moments and was afraid of losing Ji Tan Yin. Meanwhile, Li Zhaoyang had successfully led her clan through training and achieved the perfect War Demon form, now preparing to seek revenge against Yuan Zhong. Tang Hua took advantage of the night to investigate and was spotted by Zhi Dai from inside the room. Mistaking him for an assassin, she followed him.

Tang Hua entered Zhi Yue’s study, which confused Zhi Dai about his intentions. Inside the room, Tang Hua discovered a hidden compartment and found the Wu Shuang Order—Zhi Yue was the mastermind behind the Wu Shuang Society. Yuan Zhong repaired Qian Lin’s divine technique source, and Han Nv sealed the Ascension Platform, cutting off Ji Tan Yin’s connection with the divine realm.

Zhi Dai confronted Zhi Yue and tried to persuade him to confess to their father, but Zhi Yue, full of ambition, refused to admit he had done anything wrong.

A Xue and Qian Lin sat together watching the clouds, but since Qian Lin already had feelings for Ji Tan Yin, he was eager to draw a clear line with A Xue. A Xue understood that Qian Lin liked Ji Tan Yin and didn’t take it to heart, but she did complain about why everyone liked Ji Tan Yin and no one liked her. Ji Tan Yin lived each day happily, surrounded by good friends and the one she loved.

She was very satisfied with her current life. After his divine technique source was restored, Qian Lin eagerly practiced his staff techniques to return to his former condition. Yuan Zhong saw Qian Lin’s staff movements and praised him at first, but then pointed out that he hadn’t grasped the essence. He gave Qian Lin some guidance, which helped him improve his technique further, bringing him closer to attaining the perfect War Demon form.

After his actions were exposed, Zhi Yue showed no intention of changing his ways. Instead, he accelerated his plans and took action ahead of time—he poisoned his father with toxic wine and directed all evidence toward Zhi Dai. Zhi Dai was also poisoned and lost the ability to use her techniques, leaving her no choice but to surrender. That night, Ji Tan Yin played games with Yuan Zhong.

She won every round and was initially very happy, but soon noticed that Yuan Zhong was losing on purpose, which made her a little upset—she had prepared so much, yet he treated it so casually. Yuan Zhong had deliberately let her win just to make her happy. Ji Tan Yin and A Xue went shopping in the streets. Yuan Zhong searched all over for Ji Tan Yin but couldn’t find her.

After stepping out, he saw Qian Lin in the middle of an epiphany and also noticed someone secretly observing. Ding Xu had been spying and was startled to find Yuan Zhong suddenly appear behind him. Yuan Zhong knew everything Ding Xu had done in the past. At first, he wanted revenge, but now he thought Ding Xu’s time was running out and there was no point.

Yuan Zhong was a little angry that Ji Tan Yin had gone out without telling him, but he still helped A Xue carry the things she bought. As soon as they returned home, Ji Tan Yin couldn’t wait to use the cloth and sewing tools she’d bought to make a garment for Yuan Zhong. In just the time it took to cook a meal, she finished making the clothes. Yuan Zhong was both delighted and surprised when he saw it.

Watching Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin being so sweet together, A Xue felt happy for them but also a bit sad for herself, wondering when she would find a perfect partner like they had found in each other. After Zhi Dai was captured, she was secretly taken outside the city. Not long after leaving the city, Tang Hua led a group to intercept them.

Just as Zhi Dai finished off the soldiers, a group of black-clad elite fighters suddenly appeared. Tang Hua and his men fought them fiercely and suffered severe injuries, but they still managed to rescue Zhi Dai and took her to find Yuan Zhong. Tang Hua told Yuan Zhong everything that had happened, including that Zhi Yue was set to take over as city lord in three days. Once Zhi Yue assumed power, the situation would be irreversible.

Originally, Yuan Zhong didn’t want to get involved in worldly affairs and only wanted to live happily with Ji Tan Yin. But since Tang Hua personally came to ask for help, and considering the threat Zhi Yue posed to the entire world, Yuan Zhong decided to help eliminate him. Ding Xu’s body grew increasingly frail, and he asked his disciple to retrieve the last blood pill.

Just then, Li Zhaoyang appeared, and Baili Xiang personally led a group to arrive as well. Upon hearing they were going to meet Yuan Zhong, Baili Xiang lied, saying he had to go to Yandu to meet an informant first. Li Zhaoyang also made her way to Yandu. When Zhi Yue saw Li Zhaoyang, he was very excited and even followed her instructions to make arrangements.

That night, when Zhi Yue came to see Li Zhaoyang, he was shocked to find Ding Xu standing right beside her. The final decisive battle was about to begin, and Ji Tan Yin couldn’t shake her unease, worrying about Yuan Zhong. Yuan Zhong told her that once things settled down, they would leave Yandu. Before leaving, he saw Qian Lin still deep in his epiphany and gave him more guidance.

The city of Yandu was unusually quiet, with an eerie stillness—like the calm before a storm. It felt as if everyone sensed that something big was about to happen and didn’t dare come out.

Tang Hua came to pick up Zhi Dai, but after knocking on the door several times with no response, he suddenly pushed it open and found the room empty. He immediately rushed out to chase after her. Zhi Dai had returned alone to the City Lord’s Mansion to mourn her late father. The others in the mansion were shocked to see her.

Zhi Dai walked straight to her father’s memorial tablet and blamed herself for having been selfish and not staying by his side. After bowing deeply before the tablet, she publicly revealed that Zhi Yue had colluded with the War Demons through the founding of the Wu Shuang Society, and also exposed that Zhi Yue had poisoned their father—declaring that justice must prevail, even against family. Zhi Yue, however, falsely accused the Youhu Clan of being the true culprits.

He claimed his actions were all to strengthen the human race and free them from external control. The siblings drew their weapons against each other. Just as Zhi Yue ordered his men to act, Yuan Zhong arrived with reinforcements. Seeing Yuan Zhong, Zhi Yue immediately pinned the blame for their father’s death on him, claiming Yuan Zhong was plotting to seize control of Yandu.

A Xue was being controlled by Guan Zhi, and while Ji Tan Yin was unguarded, A Xue also took control of her, preventing her from reaching the City Lord’s Mansion to help Yuan Zhong. Zhi Yue falsely declared he would avenge his father and fight Yuan Zhong to the death.

He claimed that over the years, the human race had suffered continuous defeats at Yuan Zhong’s hands, and during times of natural disasters and crises, Yuan Zhong stood by doing nothing. He insisted it was through the humans’ own efforts that they survived. Tang Hua wanted to refute him, but he had no way to speak the truth. Baili Xiang and the others were furious upon hearing Zhi Yue twist the facts and demanded justice.

Just as they were about to act, Ding Xu suddenly appeared, shocking everyone. Ding Xu immediately questioned Yuan Zhong, asking whether he had given up on the idea of using the power of the Left Hand of God to destroy the human world, putting everyone in a difficult position. Some members of the Youhu Clan were swayed by Ding Xu’s words and began to believe Yuan Zhong had fallen into darkness, switching sides and attacking him.

Baili Xiang stood with Yuan Zhong and fought against his fellow clan members, but was defeated and seriously injured. When Yuan Zhong rushed to save him, Baili Xiang suddenly ambushed him. It turned out that Baili Xiang and Ding Xu had already conspired in advance, and Ding Xu had given Baili Xiang a divine-slaying dagger. After being wounded, Yuan Zhong erupted in fury and killed Baili Xiang.

Tang Hua, who had always stood by Yuan Zhong’s side, stayed behind to cover for him and was also severely injured. Ji Tan Yin was imprisoned by Guan Zhi. Upon learning that Guan Zhi’s artifact could imprison gods, she realized it had been given to him by someone from the divine realm. Believing Ji Tan Yin was trapped, Guan Zhi revealed his entire plan. Originally, he had wanted to use his craftsmanship to revitalize the human race.

Upon learning that Zhi Yue had acted early and was doing well, he expressed his satisfaction. Guan Zhi had struck a deal with the divine realm—after Yuan Zhong was eliminated, the War Demons would be reinstated among the gods. With Yuan Zhong gone, the Youhu Clan would pose no threat, and the humans would be able to rule the land completely through their craftsmanship.

Yuan Zhong escaped to the city gates, where he was intercepted by Li Zhaoyang and War Demon clan members who had achieved the perfect War Demon form. As Yuan Zhong fought Li Zhaoyang and the others, Han Nv appeared, revealing her identity as a member of the divine realm. She announced to the humans that Yuan Zhong had fallen into darkness and tried to incite everyone to kill him.

Just as Yuan Zhong was on the verge of defeat, Qian Lin suddenly appeared and saved him. Qian Lin had now achieved the perfect War Demon form. Seeing this, Li Zhaoyang refused to believe it. Yuan Zhong asked Qian Lin for news of Ji Tan Yin. Qian Lin had already suspected a trap and hadn’t seen Yuan Zhong since the incident with the child.

He stayed behind to hold off Li Zhaoyang and the others while Yuan Zhong hurried off to find Ji Tan Yin. At that moment, Ji Tan Yin was still trapped and had no way to escape. Yuan Zhong was surrounded by commoners of the human race, who had been enticed by Han Nv’s promises and tried to kill him. As the people cursed him, Yuan Zhong found the situation absurd and collapsed amid their shouting.

Because Guan Zhi’s artifact could only imprison deities and had no effect on ordinary people, Ji Tan Yin willingly gave up her divine identity in order to break free. As an ordinary person, she easily walked out, which greatly surprised Guan Zhi. He hadn’t expected Ji Tan Yin to give up her status as a member of the divine realm for Yuan Zhong.

However, Ji Tan Yin told Guan Zhi that a true god doesn’t care about status, but instead possesses a selfless heart and great love for the world. Yuan Zhong was condemned by all sides—humans, the Youhu Clan, and the War Demons surrounded him, all determined to kill him. Zhi Yue ordered archers to fire, but at that moment, Ji Tan Yin arrived on a mechanical bird and shielded Yuan Zhong from the arrows.

At the sight of Ji Tan Yin, Yuan Zhong, who had nearly succumbed to darkness, was moved once more. Zhi Yue’s people were about to continue their attack, but it turned out the entire city of Yandu had been crafted by Ji Tan Yin. She used techniques from the Linglong House to shrink the whole city into a toy the size of a palm and pushed it away, easily resolving the crisis.

Ji Tan Yin drove a carriage and escaped with Yuan Zhong, evading numerous pursuers along the way. Tang Hua and Qian Lin had already been captured. Zhi Yue, still uneasy, ordered all the captured individuals to be executed without delay, fearing a change if they waited any longer. He also began to doubt Ji Tan Yin’s identity.

Because Ji Tan Yin had relinquished her divine status, the entire Wu Shuang Shrine crumbled into dust, and the title of Wu Shuang Goddess suddenly vanished. The five Sacred Lords sent people to investigate, but Han Nv brushed them off. Long Bo sensed something was wrong and went to check on Taihe Lord, only to be discovered by Han Nv. This time, Han Nv didn’t hide anything from Long Bo.

Realizing the truth, Long Bo tried to take action against Han Nv but was sealed away by her using a painted portrait. Because Ji Tan Yin gave up her divine identity, the statue of the Wu Shuang Goddess that Guan Zhi worshipped also shattered. Yet, Guan Zhi reassembled the statue and continued his worship. Zhi Dai rescued Tang Hua and Qian Lin from the prison, but they were blocked by the Black Armored Guards.

Just as Zhi Yue was about to capture Zhi Dai and the others, Shen Ying suddenly arrived with soldiers, holding an official token from the Yanshi Office given by Guan Zhi. Inspired by Ji Tan Yin, Guan Zhi no longer sided with Zhi Yue. Upon seeing the token, the Black Armored Guards also ceased aiding Zhi Yue. Guan Zhi believed the human race could completely replace other races in ruling the world and no longer had to bow to others.

But Zhi Dai believed that everything in this world existed for a reason—no side should dominate. If humans wanted to stand undefeated forever, they needed to grow stronger themselves, not eliminate others. After hearing Zhi Dai’s words, Guan Zhi found them reasonable and formally acknowledged her as the City Lord. Zhi Dai went to see Zhi Yue, who was imprisoned, but he still showed no remorse.

He insisted the world was ruled by the law of the jungle and that given more time, he would have made the human race powerful. Ji Tan Yin continued to care for the unconscious Yuan Zhong. Suddenly, the human sorcerer they had met on Fangwai Mountain—who had seen Yuan Zhong fishing—arrived. The sorcerer read their fortunes. When asked about their romantic fate, each of them had good omens individually, but together, the reading was not favorable.

Ji Tan Yin then asked when Yuan Zhong would wake, but the sorcerer suffered backlash during the divination, bleeding from his nose and mouth, unable to see Yuan Zhong’s fate. The outcome remained unknowable, though the sorcerer had once predicted a smooth path for Yuan Zhong. The next morning, when Ji Tan Yin awoke, Yuan Zhong was already sitting up. However, due to a hidden weapon from the human race, he had lost his sight.

Ji Tan Yin was very worried upon learning Yuan Zhong was blind, but after hearing that his eyes would recover in a few days, she was relieved. Yuan Zhong had briefly regained consciousness twice while unconscious, guiding Ji Tan Yin to this place. It turned out he had a friend here who was skilled in barrier techniques, allowing them to hide and recuperate safely.

Juan Juan appeared—it was just as Yuan Zhong had said, she was his friend. It turned out Juan Juan was born with curly hair, and back when she was on Fangwai Mountain, she tried to straighten it by secretly using Ding Xu’s Heaven-Flipping Seal, which caused a serious disaster and earned her a death sentence. It was Yuan Zhong who helped her survive and brought her to this place.

However, Juan Juan was not very welcoming toward Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin’s arrival. Having long been used to solitude, she disliked living with others and didn’t want them to stay. Yuan Zhong, however, threatened her by saying that Juan Juan’s older sister and her children were on the way, leaving Juan Juan no choice but to allow them to stay. Ji Tan Yin took meticulous care of Yuan Zhong every day and even defended him.

Yuan Zhong had helped the humans and the Youhu Clan defeat the War Demons—while it was understandable that the War Demons would want revenge, the humans and the Youhu Clan owed him a debt of gratitude. They shouldn’t want him dead as well. However, now everyone wanted Yuan Zhong dead. Yuan Zhong, however, didn’t mind. He confided in Ji Tan Yin about his long-held feelings.

During the forty years of imprisonment, he was filled with resentment, thinking that if he ever escaped, he would punish the world with heavenly fire. But after meeting Ji Tan Yin and experiencing her selfless care and devotion, he was gradually moved and eventually gave up thoughts of revenge. Yuan Zhong admitted that he liked Ji Tan Yin. Ji Tan Yin was deeply touched and was about to admit that she liked him too.

But just as she was about to speak, the curse on her body activated, preventing her from expressing her love for Yuan Zhong. Yuan Zhong noticed something was wrong and asked with concern, but Ji Tan Yin brushed it off by saying she had internal injuries. Still, she felt very guilty, because Yuan Zhong had opened his heart, and even though she clearly loved him, she couldn’t say it out loud.

Zhi Dai was searching for Yuan Zhong along with Tang Hua and Qian Lin. At that moment, even Tang Hua began to worry, believing that Yuan Zhong now had the power to destroy the world. Tang Hua felt that since Zhi Dai was now the City Lord, her primary concern should be the human people, and they shouldn't all join in the search for Yuan Zhong, as it might put them in an awkward position.

While Zhi Dai and Tang Hua were discussing, Qian Lin appeared with two fish and insisted that Tang Hua clean them. That night, Ji Tan Yin intended to return to the divine realm to find out the truth—why Fu Jiuyun had said that Taihe Lord was the true demon. But since the Ascension Platform had already been sealed and Ji Tan Yin had lost her divine valley, she could no longer return freely.

Just as Ji Tan Yin was trying to figure out what to do, she heard a noise from Yuan Zhong’s side and hurried over in concern. It turned out Yuan Zhong couldn’t sleep and had gotten out of bed, accidentally bumping into something. Yuan Zhong suggested they take a walk outside. Ji Tan Yin accompanied him to sit beneath a large tree, where they talked about their pasts. During their conversation, Yuan Zhong asked how she had rescued him.

Ji Tan Yin didn’t want to reveal her identity and lied, saying she used the mechanical bird to take him out. But Yuan Zhong remembered that the mechanical bird had already been destroyed before he lost consciousness. Seeing she couldn’t keep the lie going, Ji Tan Yin used the excuse that it was too late and brought Yuan Zhong back.

After returning, Yuan Zhong recalled the events of that day—how Ji Tan Yin had rescued him and seemed to have shrunk the entire city of Yandu into a tiny Linglong House—realizing that she was still hiding something. Ji Tan Yin applied medicine to Yuan Zhong’s eyes while they talked about Juan Juan. Ji Tan Yin learned how Juan Juan trained and believed that one day Juan Juan could ascend to the divine realm.

She also learned about Juan Juan’s past and thought she should treat her better. Because Juan Juan’s time-keeping device was broken, Ji Tan Yin helped her repair it and discovered that Juan Juan was reading a book about the ascension of goddesses. Ji Tan Yin told her everything in the book was false and explained that the gap between humans and deities wasn’t simply between heaven and earth, but rather two separate worlds.

She also described the path that leads to the divine realm. All of this was overheard by Yuan Zhong, who was standing outside the room, and once again began to suspect Ji Tan Yin’s true identity.

At night, Ji Tan Yin sat in the courtyard with Yuan Zhong, chatting and thoughtfully introducing the surroundings to him. At that moment, she didn’t notice that Yuan Zhong was staring at her. In fact, Yuan Zhong’s eyes had long since recovered, but he hadn’t said anything and had been secretly observing Ji Tan Yin. Right now, his face was full of happiness as he gazed at Ji Tan Yin’s beautiful face.

Yuan Zhong even thought that if time could freeze at this very moment, it would be perfect. Zhi Dai and the others, in search of Yuan Zhong, stopped to rest at an old and dilapidated shrine of the divine maiden. Inside was a statue of the goddess. When Zhi Dai saw the statue, she was momentarily dazed, and it was Tang Hua who called her back to her senses.

After Tang Hua and Qian Lin went out, Zhi Dai was left alone. Then the statue of the goddess began to speak. It turned out the goddess was Han Nv. The reason Zhi Dai had been able to retain her youthful appearance was due to a blessing from Han Nv, who now ordered her to carry out a task. Juan Juan was in the courtyard playing with a little dragonfly Ji Tan Yin had given her.

Suddenly, the dragonfly lost control and flew over to Yuan Zhong. Instinctively, Yuan Zhong reached out and caught it, thus revealing that his eyesight had recovered. Seeing there was no longer any point in hiding it, Yuan Zhong admitted the truth. Juan Juan was delighted—now that Yuan Zhong had recovered, she believed he and Ji Tan Yin would be leaving soon. However, Ji Tan Yin said Yuan Zhong still had knife wounds and needed more time to recover.

Though unwilling, Juan Juan agreed. Ji Tan Yin still wanted to use this opportunity to return to the divine realm. But with the celestial ladder destroyed and her divine bone lost, the only way to return was by crossing the Sea of Rising and Sinking—a mysterious and extremely dangerous place. Ji Tan Yin dared not attempt it lightly and could only rely on spatial techniques to pass through safely.

She prepared a large table of delicious food to win over Juan Juan. At first, Juan Juan didn’t want to let Ji Tan Yin into the house, but once she heard there was good food, she welcomed her with a smile. Ji Tan Yin wanted to teach Ye Hao how to cook, but Ye Hao thought it was too troublesome and refused to learn. Ji Tan Yin then offered to teach Juan Juan craftsmanship, hoping to please her.

Ji Tan Yin’s real motive for winning Juan Juan over was to learn her barrier techniques. She combined her own craftsmanship with Juan Juan’s barrier methods to develop a technique that allowed for instant body teleportation. Yuan Zhong used his magic to worsen his nearly healed wounds again. Meanwhile, Li Zhaoyang, in order to rapidly increase her power, diluted the vital essence of her three subordinates. Only one of them realized in time and managed to hide, escaping the disaster.

After several days, Ji Tan Yin believed Yuan Zhong’s wounds were nearly healed and thought it was time to leave and return to the divine realm to find answers. But she discovered not only had his injuries not improved, they had actually worsened. Ji Tan Yin told Yuan Zhong she had to leave, but Yuan Zhong seemed to sense that if she left this time, they might never see each other again.

He tried every means to make her stay—even bringing up the promise Ji Tan Yin once made when she sat down—but Ji Tan Yin still insisted on leaving. She couldn’t tell Yuan Zhong where she was going, because the curse on her would retaliate if she revealed her identity. At that moment, Yuan Zhong proposed marriage to Ji Tan Yin. Zhi Dai continued to search for Yuan Zhong with Tang Hua and Qian Lin.

At first, Zhi Dai didn’t want to obey Han Nv’s command. But the thought of growing old one day and losing her rare beauty stirred hesitation in her heart. Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin began preparing for their wedding together. Juan Juan also seemed to have changed—she even helped them get ready. The reason Juan Juan helped was because she believed they would leave after getting married.

The couple seemed to have forgotten the looming separation and were completely immersed in the joy of the present, even feeling happy about the upcoming wedding. That night, when Ji Tan Yin saw the ceremonial robes, she suddenly remembered a dream she once had—in the dream, Yuan Zhong wore red wedding robes and turned into a demon. Ji Tan Yin told Yuan Zhong about the dream, but he didn’t take it seriously.

Zhi Dai and the others found where Yuan Zhong was staying. Tang Hua also discovered the barrier, and as he activated his power to open it, Juan Juan sensed someone was trying to break in. However, Yuan Zhong told Juan Juan to open the barrier and let the outsiders in. Though puzzled, Juan Juan followed Yuan Zhong’s instructions.

Tang Hua formally met Yuan Zhong and mentioned that Ji Tan Yin had, in the blink of an eye, thrown the entire city of Yandu into the mountains eight hundred li away. Ji Tan Yin felt a bit awkward and didn’t know how to explain, so she chose not to answer. Tang Hua also questioned why the divine maiden above the clouds insisted on killing Yuan Zhong.

Both Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin were at a loss for an answer. Meanwhile, Ji Tan Yin suddenly noticed a change in Zhi Dai’s attitude toward her. Originally, Tang Hua and the others were planning to leave after confirming Yuan Zhong was safe. However, Yuan Zhong used the excuse of staying for the wedding wine to keep them there. When they heard that Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin were going to be married, everyone was shocked.

Qian Lin felt a bit unwilling when he heard the news and went to question Ji Tan Yin. Ji Tan Yin took the chance to ask if anything strange had happened during their search. Qian Lin thought Zhi Dai’s change was understandable, especially since Ji Tan Yin had, in an instant, cast an entire city eight hundred li away—she was already comparable to a deity. Zhi Dai sat alone in her room, looking into a bronze mirror.

Suddenly, her hair turned white, and her skin began to age. Han Nv wanted Zhi Dai to witness her own aging to pressure her into agreement. But Zhi Dai’s will remained strong—she wasn’t threatened and even tried to resist by threatening to take her own life. Yuan Zhong and Tang Hua drank together in the courtyard, sharing their thoughts. Tang Hua told Yuan Zhong about what happened the day he escaped—Ji Tan Yin’s actions shocked everyone.

She could move mountains and seas, and her power rivaled the gods. Tang Hua asked if Yuan Zhong really understood Ji Tan Yin before rushing into marriage. But Yuan Zhong didn’t mind Ji Tan Yin’s secrecy—he knew she truly cared about him. Tang Hua was happy that Yuan Zhong had found happiness and fully supported his decision. Yuan Zhong helped the drunken Tang Hua onto the bed.

As he looked at the wedding robes in the room, his face was full of joy. Zhi Dai came to see Yuan Zhong and revealed that Ji Tan Yin was the divine maiden Wu Shuang, and the creator of the God’s Left Hand. The reason Ji Tan Yin stayed by Yuan Zhong’s side was to retrieve the God’s Left Hand.

Her agreement to marry him wasn’t out of love but only a means to get close to him and wait for his death to reclaim it. Yuan Zhong didn’t care too much about Ji Tan Yin’s identity, but when he heard she never truly loved him and was only after the God’s Left Hand, he was deeply hurt. On the wedding day, Ji Tan Yin dressed early and waited, but Yuan Zhong suddenly disappeared.

Ji Tan Yin realized Zhi Dai was behind this and forced her to explain. Yuan Zhong sent a message requesting to meet. When they met, Yuan Zhong directly asked Ji Tan Yin about her identity. Ji Tan Yin realized Yuan Zhong knew everything and could only admit the truth. Yuan Zhong threw the jade pendant Ji Tan Yin had once given him to the ground and asked if she loved him.

Ji Tan Yin couldn’t bring herself to say the word—each time she tried, she suffered a backlash from the curse. Overcome with emotion, Ji Tan Yin rushed to Yuan Zhong, only to discover he was bleeding. Yuan Zhong had taken the opportunity to cut off his own left arm and collapsed. Suddenly, dark clouds covered the sky, and strong winds blew.

Tang Hua and the others sensed something was wrong and rushed under the tree, where they found Yuan Zhong severely wounded. Enraged, Tang Hua demanded Ji Tan Yin explain who she really was. Ji Tan Yin handed Yuan Zhong over to Qian Lin and returned to the divine realm with the God’s Left Hand. There, she met with the Five Divine Lords and informed them that Taihe Divine Lord was actually a demon.

But the Five Divine Lords didn’t believe her. Ji Tan Yin also revealed Han Nv’s actions, but no matter what she said, the Five Divine Lords wouldn’t believe her. Ji Tan Yin then deduced that the Five Divine Lords were actually Han Nv in disguise—the real Five Divine Lords had long been trapped by Han Nv in the Hall of Decrees.

Ji Tan Yin wanted to see the Taihe Divine Lord and asked Han Nv whether Taihe was truly a demon. Based on her understanding of Han Nv’s personality, Ji Tan Yin guessed that Taihe was still alive. Han Nv’s eagerness to obtain the God’s Hand was to help Taihe regain his divine power. Han Nv told Ji Tan Yin about the entanglement between her and her younger sister.

Han Nv had always been good to her sister, Ah Chu, thinking only of her well-being. However, because she opposed Ah Chu marrying the man she loved, she was ultimately framed by her sister and burned to death in a fire. Being betrayed by the one she cared about most dealt a huge blow to Han Nv. Han Nv was unwilling to accept this and wanted revenge, but she was stopped by Taihe, who even persuaded her to cultivate together.

Decades later, Han Nv went to see her now aged and dying sister, Ah Chu. But when Ah Chu saw Han Nv lying in bed, she was overcome with fear. This caused Han Nv to harbor resentment toward Taihe as well, though she kept it hidden in her heart, waiting for a chance to take revenge. Han Nv discovered that there was still resentment and evil within Taihe’s body, so she released that evil, turning Taihe into a demon.

Taihe had no choice but to sever his own left arm to separate the demonic energy and prevent it from growing stronger. Ji Tan Yin finally understood that the Taihe Divine Lord was truly dead, and Han Nv’s purpose in obtaining the God’s Left Hand was to resurrect the Demon Lord. Ji Tan Yin tried to destroy the God’s Left Hand, but Han Nv stopped her.

During their battle, Ji Tan Yin was trapped by Han Nv in the Heaven and Earth Furnace, while Han Nv took the God’s Left Hand to revive the Demon Lord. Juan Juan and Tang Hua were heartbroken as they watched Yuan Zhong lying unconscious on the bed, believing he was beyond saving. Li Zhaoyang, along with her remaining subordinates, also located Yuan Zhong and tried to break through the barrier.

Juan Juan and Tang Hua noticed someone outside and rushed out to check. Just then, Zhi Dai entered the room. Seeing Zhi Dai, Tang Hua was furious and, overcome with rage, coughed up blood and fainted. Juan Juan, seeing the damaged barrier, quickly used her power to repair it, but ultimately couldn't stop Li Zhaoyang. Li Zhaoyang broke in, declaring she would kill Yuan Zhong. Qian Lin told her Yuan Zhong was already dead, but she didn’t believe it.

Qian Lin then opened the door, showing Li Zhaoyang the dying Yuan Zhong on the bed. Even after seeing his condition, Li Zhaoyang’s anger wasn’t appeased and she intended to tear Yuan Zhong to pieces. Qian Lin, abiding by his promise to Ji Tan Yin to protect Yuan Zhong’s body, fought Li Zhaoyang. Just as Qian Lin was about to be defeated, Han Nv suddenly appeared and stopped the fight. Upon seeing Han Nv, Li Zhaoyang immediately knelt.

Han Nv approached the bed to examine Yuan Zhong and attempted to harm his body. Zhi Dai tried to stop her but was injured by Han Nv. Han Nv used Yuan Zhong’s body to resurrect the Demon Lord. Seeing the situation was dire, Juan Juan used teleportation to take Zhi Dai and Qian Lin away. Li Zhaoyang was overjoyed at the Demon Lord’s return and even bowed before Yuan Zhong.

Mei Shan Jun completed his divine cultivation and entered the celestial realm. Yuan Zhong, now leading the War Demons, went in search of the Youhu Clan. Ji Tan Yin and Long Bo remained trapped inside the furnace, trying everything they could to escape. By chance, Mei Shan Jun passed by and helped Ji Tan Yin shatter the furnace from the outside. Yuan Zhong and Han Nv easily broke through the mountain gate of the Youhu Clan, forcing them into submission.

Anyone who resisted was killed without mercy by Yuan Zhong. Ding Xu was the first to surrender to the Demon Lord. With Ding Xu taking the lead and Yuan Zhong’s ruthless methods, many others knelt and pledged allegiance to him. Ji Tan Yin brought Mei Shan Jun to Juan Juan’s home, only to find Yuan Zhong gone. From Qian Lin, she learned that Yuan Zhong had already succumbed to demonic influence. Despite the world's submission, Yuan Zhong was not satisfied.

First, he ordered Han Nv to lead a group to attack Yandu, which had refused to submit. Then he planned to lead another group to attack previous enemies, and finally, take the Youhu Clan from Mount Fangwai to slaughter everyone. Zhi Dai brought her people before Ji Tan Yin, willing to obey her commands.

Ji Tan Yin led a group to attack the demonized Yuan Zhong. With clear division of tasks, she sent Zhi Dai, Qian Lin, and others to rescue the imprisoned members of the Youhu Clan who had refused to surrender, while she and Mei Shan Jun went directly to find Yuan Zhong.

Han Nv tried to stop the meeting between Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin, so Mei Shan Jun stayed behind to block Han Nv, allowing Ji Tan Yin to enter the grand hall alone. Yuan Zhong, who was possessed by the Demon Lord, often dreamed of Ji Tan Yin while he slept. The Demon Lord knew that these dreams were caused by the lingering attachment of the body he had possessed — an obsession with the physical form.

Curious about Ji Tan Yin’s allure, he wondered what it was about her that left such a lasting impression on the host body. Upon meeting her, the Demon Lord praised Ji Tan Yin as perfect and revealed his desired world — a world plunged into a bottomless hell. Ji Tan Yin engaged in battle with the Demon Lord but was easily overpowered and controlled. The Demon Lord became careless, believing Ji Tan Yin was completely subdued.

Seizing the opportunity, Ji Tan Yin entered Yuan Zhong’s sea of consciousness. Qian Lin killed Li Zhaoyang and Shi Ren. On the way to the grand hall, Zhi Dai and Tang Hua encountered Ding Xu. During the battle, Zhi Dai was wounded by Ding Xu, and Tang Hua killed him. Surprisingly, Zhi Dai felt a sense of relief, as she had been slowly aging and now would no longer have to face Tang Hua while growing old.

She also revealed the reason she had once regained her youth. Seeing Zhi Dai near death, Tang Hua was overcome with sorrow. Distracted by grief, he failed to notice Ding Xu’s demonic resurrection. Ding Xu tried to kill Tang Hua, but Qian Lin arrived just in time to kill the now-demonized Ding Xu and save the heartbroken Tang Hua. After entering Yuan Zhong’s consciousness, Ji Tan Yin found five artifact spirits who were protecting what remained of Yuan Zhong’s mind.

However, since the Demon Lord was too powerful, they couldn't hold out much longer. Ji Tan Yin hurried to awaken Yuan Zhong’s sleeping consciousness. In the end, the five artifact spirits sacrificed themselves to buy her time. Yet Yuan Zhong remained unconscious. In order to awaken him, Ji Tan Yin began to recount her own origin, which violated a curse she had once sworn and caused her to suffer backlash injuries.

Still, she paid no mind and continued to speak of the past. Each time she broke the vow, she suffered another wave of backlash, coughing up blood. In front of Yuan Zhong, she confessed her deep love for him. Ji Tan Yin recalled a human sorcerer who had once divined Yuan Zhong’s fate, saying he would live peacefully into old age. However, what Ji Tan Yin witnessed was not Yuan Zhong waking up, but rather his consciousness gradually fading away.

She was powerless to stop it and deeply sorrowful as she watched him disappear. While she grieved, the Demon Lord suddenly appeared and mocked her cruelly by taunting her with Yuan Zhong’s death. Mei Shan Jun was no match for Han Nv and was severely wounded by her, yet he never backed down. Ji Tan Yin, filled with rage, once again fought the Demon Lord. Even though she was overpowered and gravely injured, she never gave in.

Just when Ji Tan Yin could no longer hold on, Yuan Zhong suddenly appeared and shielded her. Seeing Yuan Zhong again brought Ji Tan Yin great joy. The Demon Lord, surprised to see Yuan Zhong had not vanished, was confused. Yuan Zhong had awakened the power of redemption, making him a formidable opponent. The Demon Lord tried to flee but was stopped by Ji Tan Yin. Together, she and Yuan Zhong killed the Demon Lord.

At last, they could meet each other with honesty. This time, neither could hold back their feelings. They slowly approached and embraced, free from secrets, finally able to love one another openly. Meanwhile, Mei Shan Jun, unable to defeat Han Nv, was ultimately subdued by her. Han Nv was ready to deliver the final blow. Controlled and helpless, Mei Shan Jun could do nothing but face his imminent death.

Mei Shan Jun was restrained by Han Nv, and just as she was about to kill him, Qian Lin and Tang Hua arrived in time to save him. The three joined forces to stop Han Nv, but even together, they were no match for her and were severely wounded. Mei Shan Jun, with no other choice, used his life to buy time and was ultimately killed by Han Nv.

Qian Lin and Tang Hua also prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, intending to stall Han Nv with their lives to help Ji Tan Yin rescue Yuan Zhong’s consciousness. Han Nv looked down on them, believing that with their weak powers, she could easily kill them both. However, just as she was about to strike, Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin suddenly appeared. Seeing that Yuan Zhong had regained his consciousness, Han Nv realized her cause was lost.

She had no intention of turning back. No matter how Ji Tan Yin tried to persuade her, Han Nv's pride would not allow her to admit defeat. She attempted to take her own life and planned to weave all of Mount Fangwai into a tapestry. Yuan Zhong, Ji Tan Yin, and the others tried to stop her, but could do nothing—especially since there were others still on the mountain, their priority had to be saving lives.

Ji Tan Yin once again tried to persuade Han Nv to give up and leave with them to preserve her life, but Han Nv had already made up her mind. She pushed Ji Tan Yin away and ultimately used her own life to weave the entire Mount Fangwai into a tapestry. Watching Han Nv complete the tapestry with her life, Ji Tan Yin felt a trace of sorrow.

After all, when Ji Tan Yin had just ascended to the divine realm, Han Nv had taken great care of her. The two had once been as close as sisters. Everything returned to normal. The War Demons, the Youhu Clan, and the human race made peace and ended the wars. The people once again lived in peace and prosperity.

The stories of Yuan Zhong, Ji Tan Yin, and the others rescuing the world were compiled into books and recounted by storytellers for all to hear. Some of the people became curious, wondering if the divine maiden Wu Shuang was actually the mute girl from Mount Wu. At first, the storyteller refused to say, claiming he was only recounting tales.

But the tips were too generous, and in the end, he continued with the story of the mute girl from Mount Wu. Tang Hua arrived at the city lord’s residence to look for Zhi Dai, only to find that she had already passed the title of city lord to Shen Ying and left alone. Tang Hua was unable to find her. After Tang Hua left, Shen Ying entered Zhi Dai’s room.

There, Zhi Dai, now with white hair, sat in a wooden wheelchair. The reason she didn’t want to see Tang Hua was that she didn’t want him to see her aged appearance. In a hurry to find Zhi Dai, Tang Hua was stopped by Qian Lin, who invited him to attend the War Demons’ celebration. But Tang Hua, still intent on finding Zhi Dai, asked Elder Xin Yao to attend in his place.

Unable to see Zhi Dai, Tang Hua began writing her letters, sharing tales of his journeys and the emotions he experienced along the way. Zhi Dai, upon reading them, felt comforted, yet still couldn’t bring herself to face Tang Hua with her aged appearance. Yuan Zhong and Ji Tan Yin visited a teahouse and saw that business was thriving. War Demons and humans sat together in harmony, which comforted them both. However, Ji Tan Yin looked pale and weak.

She expressed a desire to visit Juan Juan, and Yuan Zhong readily agreed. Yuan Zhong took Ji Tan Yin to see Juan Juan. They arrived beneath a tree, where Ji Tan Yin wished to rest. The two leaned against each other, chatting quietly. Gradually, Ji Tan Yin grew weary, leaned on Yuan Zhong’s shoulder, and fell asleep—her body slowly fading away. Yuan Zhong watched helplessly as the woman he loved vanished before his eyes, his heart breaking.

Yuan Zhong had earned the right to ascend to godhood, but he had no interest in divine power. Even the promise of supreme might couldn’t move him—until he learned that he could see Ji Tan Yin again. That moved him. He recalled the moment they first met and the journey they had shared. Although Ji Tan Yin’s physical form had disappeared, as the mute girl from Mount Wu, she had walked the world and left behind traces of her spirit.

That lingering spirit could take form in flowers, plants, or trees. Yuan Zhong now waited, hoping that one day, he and Ji Tan Yin could meet again.

• A Moment But Forever - Tiffany Tang, Liu Xueyi
• Chinese Dramas Like A Moment But Forever
• Tiffany Tang and Liu Xueyi Deliver Unexpected Chemistry and High Drama in A Moment But Forever
• What's Liu Xueyi And Zhang Yuxi's Relationship?
• Liu Xueyi, Zhang Yuxi Were Exposed To Be In A Relationship, Studio Denied It.
• Yang Zi Is Dating Liu Xueyi? Netizens: Boring
• Liu Xueyi Dramas, Movies, and TV Shows List
• Tiffany Tang Dramas, Movies, and TV Shows List