Love of the Divine Tree – Deng Wei, Xiang Hanzhi

In the ancient times, the Mortal Demon Lord’s spiritual power could not be extinguished, so it had to be sealed away. Later, the Spiritual Spring gathered the evil thoughts of heaven and earth, possessing the power to destroy the world. Mu Qingge from the Wester Sect stole the Spiritual Spring, bringing chaos to the mortal realm. The four major sects joined forces to eliminate it, but they were no match for her.

Mu Qingge resisted fiercely, but in the end, she was killed by her disciple, Su Yishui. Before her death, she carved an ugly mark on Su Yishui’s face, cursing him to live a life where he could never face the world. Eighteen years later, Mu Qingge was reincarnated as Xue Ranran, living in Xue Family Village near Jue Mountain. She had a bracelet named "Ling Xiao" since childhood.

Xue Ranran ran a restaurant, and every time the storyteller spoke of Su Yishui’s tale, she couldn’t help but retort. Day after day, Xue Ranran noticed that Ling Xiao’s power was weakening, and she always sought a way to restore its spiritual power. Wei Jiu, the leader of the Scarlet Sect, had a compass made from the bones of the Heavenly Dragon, which could break through all barriers.

Elder Da Wu suggested that they should extract Mu Qingge's remaining spiritual energy from the mortal realm as soon as possible. Wei Jiu found the large tree where Mu Qingge had turned, and discovered that a fruit had fallen, turning into a person. It was unclear whether it was Mu Qingge or her sister. At the Western Sect, in his secluded cave, Su Yishui had been cultivating for eighteen years.

One day, he suddenly sensed something was happening at Jue Mountain, feeling something unusual. He decided to seal off his five senses and give up on his cultivation. In order to find the reincarnated Mu Qingge, Wei Jiu ordered his subordinate Tu Jiuyuan to capture everyone born in the year of Qing Geng in Xue Family Village. Xue Ranran's friend, Xiao Cui, was also taken.

Hearing villagers shout about demons causing harm, Xue Ranran took out a talisman given by Prince Su Yu and followed the path where Xiao Cui was taken. When they arrived at Jue Mountain and the Scarlet Sect, Wei Jiu discovered that Mu Qingge was not among the captured villagers. He threatened them with turning them into ashes if they didn’t speak the truth.

The village head, scared, revealed that a mysterious woman had arrived in the village in the year of Qing Geng. Xue Ranran, hiding nearby, heard the village head mention her name and decided to leave to seek help from Su Yu’s immortal master to save the villagers. However, her clothes brushed against the grass, making a noise that caught Wei Jiu’s attention. Xue Ranran quickly used the talisman and left Jue Mountain.

Wei Jiu ordered Elder Da Wu to track her, but Su Yishui arrived in time to save Xue Ranran. Elder Da Wu saw Su Yishui’s face, and Su Yishui immediately silenced him. As Xue Ranran was about to leave, Su Yishui realized that her body was already filled with demonic energy and helped her expel it. He also discovered that Xue Ranran's spiritual core had been completely shattered. After Xue Ranran fell unconscious, Su Yishui took her to his dwelling.

He guessed that she hadn’t received enough nourishment from the Immortal Tree, which caused her premature aging. To help her restore her spiritual energy, he decided to have Xue Ranran formally become his disciple, using their master-disciple bond to perform a spell. When Xue Ranran woke up, she overheard a conversation between Su Yishui and his subordinates, scaring her into attempting to escape.

However, Su Yishui caught her and forcibly made her drip blood onto a jade plate as a sign of taking him as her master. Xue Ranran resisted strongly, using the jade plate to push him away. Su Yishui immediately moved to the courtyard, and he guessed that the jade plate was a sacred artifact of the Western Sect, most likely retaining Mu Qingge’s spiritual energy.

To save the villagers, Xue Ranran reluctantly agreed to take Su Yishui as her master and pressed her soul seal onto the jade plate. Just as Wei Jiu and his men arrived nearby, they were suddenly blocked by a burst of talismans. It turned out they had accidentally entered Su Yu’s domain. The immortal master Lao Feng immediately informed the four major sects, and Wei Jiu had no choice but to flee in defeat.

While searching for Ling Xiao, Xue Ranran found that Su Yishui had saved her once more and infused Ling Xiao with immortal energy. She decided to temporarily take him as her master. The two went to the Western Sect, where Xue Ranran met three others: Bai Baishan, Gao Cang, and Qiu Xier, all of whom were also planning to take Su Yishui as their master. During the ceremony to become disciples, dark clouds suddenly gathered, and thunder roared.

Su Yishui realized that this strange phenomenon was due to their unconventional actions, but he used his powers to reverse the situation, turning darkness into light.

Su Yishui took Xue Ranran to West Wind Valley to purge the worldly aura from her. He pushed her into the valley’s depths to undergo tempering, but Xue Ranran mistakenly thought Su Yishui was using her body to refine pills. She was so frightened that her legs gave way. Ling Xiao, the bracelet, used its vines to ease her suffering. Su Yishui stood on the shore, speaking to himself.

He had thought that when he met Mu Qingge again, they would resolve their grudges, but to his surprise, she had already forgotten everything. Meanwhile, two men were discussing the reunion between Su Yishui and Xue Ranran, saying that the plan from eighteen years ago was finally coming to fruition. Wei Jiu continued to search for Xue Ranran’s whereabouts. After Yu Chen reported back to Su Yishui, Su Yishui ordered him to use a diversion spell to hide Xue Ranran.

The Earthquake Instrument of the Eternal Sect suddenly started moving, and Immortal Kaiyuan of the sect was puzzled about what force had caused it. Sovereign Lu Yun of the Scud Sect stated that such a phenomenon had never occurred in the past eighteen years. Both Sovereign Cang Heng of the Sun Sect and Sovereign Wen Yi'an of the Hollow Sect agreed that they should go to West Mountain to investigate.

Two elders, Yan Liangyu and Wen Hongshan, visited West Mountain to check if anything unusual had been found. Su Yishui used a water mirror to show them that the barrier was still intact, but the two elders were not entirely convinced, as Su Yishui was the one controlling the water mirror. Yan Liangyu's subordinates tried to force their way into West Mountain, but Bai Baishan confronted them.

After losing in a martial contest, Xue Ranran immediately stepped in to protect Bai Baishan, but she was no match for the attackers. Su Yishui arrived in time to save them, severely striking down the intruders. Yan Liangyu mocked Su Yishui for bullying the younger generation, which made Su Yishui scold Xue Ranran for overestimating her own abilities. Su Yishui took Xue Ranran to the Ice Lotus Pool and reprimanded her for showing off and stepping in to help others.

His gaze was full of concern, but Xue Ranran stubbornly claimed she would do the same if faced with a similar situation again. Su Yishui then moved Xue Ranran to a remote island, ordering her to recite the Cold Heart Sutra. Unable to locate the hidden fruit, Wei Jiu sent Tu Jiuyuan back to Jue Mountain to retrieve an item. Xue Ranran was filled with resentment toward Su Yishui.

While passing by the Worry-Free Pavilion, she remembered that Yu Tong had mentioned Su Yishui’s Blood Jade Marrow absorbed moonlight there every night. She secretly approached the room and, near the Blood Jade Marrow, Ling Xiao’s energy was replenished. She also discovered a bridal gown and a silk pouch in a wardrobe, which contained two talismans. Another room contained a water mirror. In the water mirror, Su Yishui was seen battling a giant dragon.

Just as Xue Ranran was mesmerized by the scene, she heard Su Yishui approaching the room. In a hurry, she used an invisibility talisman. Su Yishui changed into new clothes and began to bathe. He suddenly drew the invisible Xue Ranran to his side. Embarrassed, she quickly took out the silk pouch. Su Yishui asked about Xue Ranran’s relationship with Su Yu. She lied, claiming that she was secretly in love with Su Yu.

Su Yishui seemed displeased but quickly fainted. Taking advantage of his unconscious state, Xue Ranran took the jade plate. She fled to the outskirts, where a white cat suddenly appeared and led her to Mu Qingge’s Lingxi Palace. Inside, the room was filled with many wine recipes and cookbooks. As expected, Mu Qingge was indeed a person who lived for indulgence.

A red robe from a painting on the wall suddenly draped itself over Xue Ranran, and Su Yishui entered the palace shortly afterward. Seeing Xue Ranran, he couldn’t help but call out Mu Qingge’s name. Xue Ranran thought Su Yishui was going to harm her and resisted strongly. As Su Yishui approached, a circle of sharp swords suddenly surrounded him. Once again, Xue Ranran managed to escape from Su Yishui’s grasp.

Tu Jiuyuan found Xue Ranran’s hair in Jue Mountain, which made it much easier for Wei Jiu to enter her consciousness. After leaving West Mountain, Xue Ranran exchanged the jade plate for silver, using it to buy a meal. But then she suddenly lost her sense of taste. The more she ate, the faster she aged, and soon she collapsed at an inn. Wei Jiu traced Xue Ranran’s spiritual consciousness and used a spell to enter it.

When Su Yishui took the jade plate back, he discovered that Xue Ranran’s mind had been invaded. He shifted her consciousness to his own, forcing Wei Jiu to realize that the fruit that had yet to fall wasn’t Mu Qingge after all. After leaving the consciousness realm, Su Yishui fed Xue Ranran the blood of a black flood dragon to mask her aura and evade Wei Jiu. He then took her back to West Mountain.

Mu Qingge’s other disciple, Zeng Yi, had already received the message and arrived early. Su Yishui asked Zeng Yi to examine Xue Ranran’s spiritual consciousness.

Twenty-two years ago, Su Yishui was ridiculed by several princes due to his status as a concubine’s son. After obtaining the Heart-Guiding Gu, he staged a life-saving act in front of the emperor, yet he was still treated as a joke. Just as he was about to teach them a harsh lesson, Su Yu arrived with his close friend Mu Qingge.

Mu Qingge used her magic to stop Su Yishui’s attack and sighed that, despite Su Yishui’s handsome appearance, he carried too much hostility. At that time, Prince Zong and Ping Qinwang were secretly vying for the position of crown prince. Su Yishui was the candidate that Ping Qinwang had carefully cultivated. From a young age, Su Yishui was taken in by Ping Qinwang, and a sorcerer implanted the Extreme Yin Spirit Spring into his body.

This was meant to enhance his magical power while also making him easier to control. The young Su Yishui was then locked inside a barrier where he had to battle demonic beasts daily. A year later, Su Yishui finally defeated the beasts and emerged from the barrier. However, due to his special status, he continued to face ridicule from other princes. His younger sister, Su Xiaoxiao, suffered the same treatment.

From an early age, Su Yishui understood that if he wanted respect, he had to become strong. Thus, he diligently practiced martial arts day after day. Upon reaching adulthood, Su Yishui was finally able to sense the Spirit Spring within him. The sorcerer then told him that he had to master the Demonic Core Essence-Draining Technique, which would allow him to absorb the powers of others.

This technique was sealed within Eternal Sect, so Su Yishui planned to join Eternal Sect, earn their trust, and eventually obtain the Demonic Core Essence-Draining Technique. He also knew that this technique could easily backfire, consuming him instead. Only by mastering martial arts and developing resistance could he fully control it. Some time later, Ping Qinwang inquired whether Su Yishui had succeeded.

Su Yishui replied that the technique was stored in the Scripture Pavilion and required the sovereign’s personal spiritual transmission to obtain. Growing impatient, Ping Qinwang urged him to hasten the process. Meanwhile, Su Yu’s younger brother, the Second Prince, was suddenly abducted. Su Yu asked Mu Qingge for help in finding him. At the scene of the incident, Mu Qingge discovered that Su Yishui was the one who had taken the prince.

She tracked him to a river and demanded his return. Though Su Yishui had disguised himself, Mu Qingge still recognized him. During their fight, Mu Qingge realized that Su Yishui, like her, was born with a Five-Spirit Root. Su Yishui attempted to escape but was entangled by Mu Qingge, who forced him to reveal the Second Prince’s whereabouts. In his panic, Su Yishui accidentally revealed his demonic root.

Finding this odd, Mu Qingge entrusted Jiu Lao Xian to investigate Su Yishui’s origins. Although Su Yishui was working for Ping Qinwang, he had not yet committed any grave misdeeds. Thus, Mu Qingge decided to take him as a disciple to suppress his demonic nature. When Su Yishui heard that Mu Qingge wanted to take him as a disciple, he found it absurd. At that moment, Wen Hongshan passed by with a few female disciples and intervened on Su Yishui’s behalf.

Su Yishui managed to shake off Mu Qingge and returned to Eternal Sect, only to be reprimanded by Yan Liangyu for staying away too long. Just then, Wen Hongshan arrived and explained that she had driven Mu Qingge away. Seeing Wen Hongshan’s concern for Su Yishui, Yan Liangyu looked displeased. Su Yishui realized Yan Liangyu’s jealousy and deliberately provoked him, forcing Yan Liangyu to use the direct spiritual power inherited from Immortal Kaiyuan.

Despite his severe injuries from the day’s events, Su Yishui extracted the spiritual power from his body that night and secretly entered the Scripture Pavilion. However, he found that Mu Qingge had already been waiting for him. Still intent on making him her disciple, Mu Qingge pressed him once more. To make her leave, Su Yishui revealed the whereabouts of the Second Prince in exchange for her departure.

Mu Qingge rescued the Second Prince, and Prince Zong was deeply grateful. Su Yu, even more so, developed strong feelings for her. A young prince casually remarked that he hoped Su Yu would marry Mu Qingge soon. Embarrassed, Su Yu remained silent, while Mu Ranwu, standing nearby, showed signs of jealousy. Su Yu invited Mu Qingge to stay in the capital, but she expressed her preference for a quieter environment and mentioned that she had urgent matters to attend to.

However, Mu Ranwu was unwilling to return to Mount Wester, so Mu Qingge agreed to let her sister remain in the capital. Before leaving, she gave Mu Ranwu a whistle, saying that she could call for her in times of danger. Su Yishui was caught stealing the Demonic Core Essence-Draining Technique. Yan Liangyu subjected him to severe torture but failed to extract any information about the mastermind behind him.

That night, Mu Qingge disguised herself as Immortal Kaiyuan and approached Su Yishui, claiming that she had long been aware of his true intentions but refrained from bringing it up since he had never admitted it himself. She stated that Immortal Kaiyuan was seeking a disciple to inherit all his skills. Su Yishui immediately agreed, pricking his finger to leave a blood mark on a jade disc and swearing a soul oath.

Once everything was completed, the figure of Immortal Kaiyuan transformed into Mu Qingge, and Su Yishui realized he had been deceived. After returning to Mount Wester, several men came out to welcome them. Su Yishui recalled hearing rumors that Mu Qingge traveled everywhere in search of handsome men, and he felt utterly disgusted. Mu Qingge instructed Zeng Yi to arrange accommodations for Su Yishui.

However, Su Yishui prepared to strike again but was swiftly restrained by Mu Qingge, who sealed his true energy. Zeng Yi advised him to take medicine and soak in a medicinal bath, but Su Yishui, assuming the disciples of Mount Wester harbored ill intentions, refused to comply. That night, Mu Qingge visited his room and forcibly pushed him into the bathtub. To her surprise, she discovered that Su Yishui’s chest was burning with Corrosive Bone Fire.

It turned out that after abducting the Second Prince, Su Yishui had shown mercy and spared his life. As punishment, Ping Qinwang had ordered a sorcerer to implant the Corrosive Bone Fire into Su Yishui’s body, causing him unbearable pain. Mu Qingge extracted the Corrosive Bone Fire from him, and Su Yishui, now subdued, obediently changed into Mount Wester’s robes. He then asked Mu Qingge whether the rumors about her searching for male companions were true.

Mu Qingge explained that each of her disciples had unique talents, though their martial skills were not particularly outstanding. Moreover, she added, having an appreciation for beauty was not inherently a bad thing. Still unconvinced, Su Yishui challenged her authority. In response, Mu Qingge unsealed his power, allowing him to use any means to kill her. However, for every failed attempt, he would have to endure consequences.

As expected, Su Yishui was unable to defeat her, so he was assigned tasks such as playing the qin, feeding chickens and ducks—light chores designed to gradually temper his violent nature. From time to time, Mu Qingge took Mu Ranwu to visit their benefactor, Ye Xin. Upon hearing about Mu Qingge taking in a disciple, Ye Xin performed a divination and foresaw misfortune in her future.

He urged her to ascend to immortality as soon as possible, but Mu Qingge expressed her fondness for the mortal world. Seeing her determination, Ye Xin did not insist and instead left the courtyard to travel the world. Under Mu Qingge’s guidance, Su Yishui improved rapidly. He gradually realized that her punishments were, in fact, a method of refining his internal energy. One day, Ping Qinwang secretly summoned Su Yishui to meet him at the foot of Mount Wester.

Su Yishui informed him about how Mu Qingge had tricked him into becoming her disciple and making a soul oath. However, Ping Qinwang was unconcerned, focusing only on Su Yishui’s failure to follow the plan and reminding him that he could control his spiritual energy at any time. Just as Su Yishui was about to extract his inner core, Mu Qingge took him to a nearby town to do good deeds.

One day, they came across a little girl tied to a tree and kindly rescued her. However, they soon realized that a terrestrial immortal had set a Shadow Silk Trap on them, causing their movements to become eerily synchronized. They then discovered the terrestrial immortal’s domain. The immortal was only willing to release two people, so Mu Qingge allowed Su Yishui and the girl to leave while she stayed behind to confront the immortal.

Su Yishui felt a hint of concern, but soon after, Mu Qingge also emerged from the domain, having managed to steal a piece of Blood Jade Marrow from the immortal. However, the Shadow Silk Trap could not be undone immediately, leaving the two still moving in perfect unison.

To save Su Yishui, Mu Qingge was injured by an ice pillar while fighting against the terrestrial immortal. After returning to the inn, Mu Qingge treated her wound alone. Su Yishui saw this and took the initiative to help, but he was too shy to directly look at Mu Qingge’s fair skin. Instead, he turned his face slightly and applied the medicine, which made Mu Qingge smile.

That night, as the cold poison in her body flared up, Mu Qingge trembled uncontrollably. Su Yishui hurriedly gathered several blankets and placed them over her, feeling a pang of sympathy. However, he couldn’t bring himself to speak, so he sat by her side the entire night. The next morning, Mu Qingge woke up first and was touched to see that Su Yishui had stayed by her side all night.

As Su Yishui was about to leave for Mount Wester, Mu Qingge told him that it was his birthday and allowed him to take the day off to do as he pleased. Mu Qingge returned to Mount Wester first, while Su Yu brought Mu Ranwu to visit. He mentioned Su Yishui’s time in Ping Qinwang’s manor and expressed concern that Mu Qingge might not be able to change him completely, even potentially putting herself in danger.

However, Mu Qingge remained confident. Su Yishui wandered the streets alone, and eventually found himself standing in front of his old home. His mother, Jiang Shi, was selling small trinkets. Upon seeing Su Yishui, she shut the door in his face. This brought back painful memories of his childhood, where his mother had mistreated him. After Jiang Shi left Ping Qinwang’s household, she took Su Yishui with her but treated him cruelly, even taking a lover.

One day, when Ping Qinwang passed by, he offered to take Su Yishui back to the manor, but Su Yishui didn’t want to go to an unfamiliar place. His mother had long considered him a burden and cruelly threw him out. After wandering the streets for a time, Su Yishui decided to seek refuge with Ping Qinwang. Thinking back on these tragic memories, Su Yishui felt like crying but had no tears left.

In frustration, he set Jiang Shi’s house on fire. By the time Su Yishui returned to Mount Wester, it was already late at night. He assumed everyone had gone to bed, but as he approached the door, he heard Mu Qingge instructing her servant to leave the door open for him. When the door opened, Mu Qingge hurried out with an umbrella to greet him.

Seeing her caring gesture reminded Su Yishui of the humiliation he had faced when his mother had thrown him out earlier in the day, and for the first time in his life, he felt warmth. Once inside the courtyard, Mu Qingge prepared a birthday meal for him and planted a seed in the soil. It quickly grew into a large tree. Mu Qingge explained that a courtyard with a large tree is truly a home.

Su Yishui wasn’t used to being cared for and tried to convince Mu Qingge not to waste her energy. His ultimate goal, he said, was to make those who had once mistreated him pay the price. Mu Qingge recalled her own childhood, when she had lived in poverty. She had once prepared to starve to death but had somehow survived, feeling fortunate that she hadn’t gone down the wrong path. She encouraged Su Yishui to let go of his hatred.

Now that he had left Ping Qinwang, she would lead him into a different kind of life. Su Yishui, feeling an unprecedented sense of relief, followed her lead and drank a cup of wine, eventually falling unconscious. The next day, several of Mu Qingge’s fellow disciples noticed that Su Yishui’s qin playing was much more relaxed than before. Only Mu Qingge could tell that something was wrong and quickly moved closer to Su Yishui.

She realized that one of the strings on his qin had snapped. Seeing his unstable breath, she asked if something impure had been planted in his body earlier. Su Yishui thought back to Ping Qinwang’s actions but didn’t tell Mu Qingge. Mu Qingge took Su Yishui to the Westwind Valley to rest and recover. She also gave him a pill and used her own power to help him refine a Golden Pill.

After Su Yishui successfully completed the process, he noticed many wounds on Mu Qingge’s hands. She explained that the injuries were from gathering herbs to make the pills for him. Su Yishui secretly began to make his own medicine formulas. When he gave one to Mu Qingge, it was discovered by Mu Ranwu. She immediately went to tell Su Yu, speculating that Mu Qingge and Su Yishui had mutual feelings for each other.

Su Yu, aware of Mu Ranwu’s feelings for him, reassured her that his heart had always belonged to Mu Qingge. He immediately ordered someone to bring a craftsman to Mount Wester to build a Lingxi Palace for Mu Qingge, hoping to put an end to Mu Ranwu’s one-sided affection. Once the craftsman arrived, Mu Qingge instructed Zeng Yi to look after the house and took Su Yishui down the mountain, claiming she had important business.

However, once they descended, Mu Qingge took Su Yishui around to enjoy delicious food and visit the markets. Eventually, she even set up a competition for disciples, with looks being one of the criteria. Wei Jiu volunteered to join Mount Wester, but Mu Qingge teased him about his average appearance and talent. After being ridiculed, Wei Jiu harbored resentment and swore that he would make Mu Qingge regret it in the future. After wandering for a while, Mu Qingge gifted Su Yishui a Blood Jade Marrow sword as a congratulatory gift for completing the Golden Pill.

Su Yishui was gradually changed by Mu Qingge. When he was preparing to leave the capital, he went to a tailor shop to urge the completion of a dress that was custom-made for Mu Qingge. However, as he was about to leave, Su Xiaoxiao called out to him and brought him back to Ping Qinwang’s manor. Ping Qinwang interrogated Su Yishui, asking why he had stopped contacting him.

When Ping Qinwang took out a magical bottle to cast a spell, he was surprised to find that Su Yishui was unharmed. The sorcerer nearby realized that Su Yishui had already refined the Golden Pill, not the demonic pill that Ping Qinwang had planned. Su Yishui bluntly revealed Ping Qinwang’s plot against him, stating that he had found a new direction in life and would no longer be controlled by anyone.

Seeing that he couldn’t sway Su Yishui, Ping Qinwang began to sow discord by mentioning Su Yishui’s relationship with Mu Qingge. He claimed that Mu Qingge had long known Su Yu and would use Su Yishui to undermine Ping Qinwang, helping Su Yu ascend to the position of Crown Prince. Su Yishui didn’t believe this at all. He and Ping Qinwang were at an impasse when the sorcerer stepped in and offered a cup of tea to ease the tension.

Meanwhile, the four great sects had gathered around the Yingtian仪 (Yingmo Instrument), sensing that someone was summoning the spirit spring. Su Yu informed Mu Qingge about the Yingtian仪’s reaction and speculated that Ping Qinwang had ordered the sorcerer to summon the spirit spring. The Emperor had suddenly fallen ill the previous month, and Ping Qinwang, unable to control himself, had resorted to dangerous measures.

Mu Qingge vowed to investigate who was behind the summoning, not only to help Su Yu but also for the peace of the world. Ping Qinwang was filled with hatred for Mu Qingge but was relieved that Su Yishui still respected him. The sorcerer, however, believed that Su Yishui’s heart could hold Mu Qingge, as well as the royal family, and even more people. Thankfully, the sorcerer had just added a drop of contaminated water into Su Yishui’s tea.

As long as there was any resentment or suspicion in his heart, it would only grow stronger. The sorcerer, working with Ping Qinwang, incited Wei Jiu to harm Mu Qingge. Wei Jiu had no moral boundaries and used the demonic sect’s poisonous snakes to attack Mu Qingge. Facing poisonous snakes that even immortals had trouble with, Mu Qingge fought back with all her might but was still bitten by the filthy demonic snake.

Taking advantage of Wei Jiu’s momentary distraction, she used an invisibility talisman to escape. Su Yishui found the injured Mu Qingge in a cave, and Wei Jiu soon arrived. Seeing Mu Qingge gravely wounded, Su Yishui’s anger exploded. He sacrificed his own life force and blood to empower his sword, driving Wei Jiu away. He then forced the cold poison out of Mu Qingge’s body and carried her to the edge of a lake.

Mu Qingge, weak, leaned against Su Yishui’s shoulder. Su Yishui vowed to always protect her and kissed her forehead with deep affection. The next day, when they returned to Mount Wester, the Lingxi Palace had already been completed. Mu Qingge assumed that it was the craftsman Su Yu had sent, but Zeng Yi informed her that it was Su Yishui who had sent away the original craftsmen and designed the palace himself.

Su Yishui quickly added that it would be more fitting if he designed the courtyard for the Xuanyuan Sect. As they were speaking, Su Yu arrived at Mount Wester to meet with Mu Qingge. Since her birthday was approaching, Su Yu had prepared a special gift for her. After Su Yu left, Su Yishui went to Mu Qingge’s room to deliver a sword manual.

He secretly opened Su Yu’s gift, finding a jade hairpin that was identical to the one Ping Qinwang had given to his mother, Feng Shi. Furious, he took the hairpin and ran down the mountain to confront Su Yu, warning him not to send gifts to Mu Qingge again. Su Yu also advised Su Yishui not to be overly possessive. The two began to fight, but Mu Qingge arrived just in time to stop them.

Holding the broken jade hairpin, Su Yishui grew even more disgusted with Su Yu and could no longer hold back. He drew his sword, but Mu Qingge, seeing Su Yishui’s volatile emotions, used her magic to calm him down and sent Su Yu away. As Su Yishui’s emotions continued to flare, the cursed vial in Ping Qinwang’s hands began to stir, signaling the effect of the water that had been added to Su Yishui’s tea.

Mu Qingge couldn’t understand why Su Yishui was so agitated, especially since he had already refined the Golden Pill. While Su Yishui was unconscious, Mu Qingge entered his consciousness and discovered that it was filled with painful memories of his childhood abuse. Not wanting Su Yishui to fall into the demonic trap, Mu Qingge went to Puxin Village to seek help from Ye Xin.

Ye Xin had already been traveling around, but his room was filled with many books and ancient images. Mu Qingge guessed that one of the books might contain a method to separate the spirit spring and began browsing through them. When she came across an ancient painting, she entered it and glimpsed the future. As for Su Yishui, not long after, he was consumed by the spirit spring, falling into madness and destruction.

Thinking of how Su Yishui had become gentler over time, Mu Qingge felt a deep sadness. After leaving the ancient painting, Mu Ranwu arrived, and Mu Qingge suddenly decided to help Su Yishui remove his demonic mark. She instructed Mu Ranwu to tell Su Yu that she would help him seize the world. Back at Mount Wester, Zeng Yi reported that the four great sects had sent the Yingmo Luopan and requested to investigate the whereabouts of the demonic child.

After Su Yishui woke up and learned of his actions, he prepared to apologize to Mu Qingge by arranging the Lingxi Palace. However, Ping Qinwang once again used his magic, causing Su Yishui to feel unwell. Mu Qingge forcibly suppressed his condition. The Yingmo Luopan gave a faint response, and the four great sects requested to inspect Mount Wester.

Mu Qingge instructed Zeng Yi to close the gates and use a sealing formation to imprison Su Yishui in the Lingxi Palace. She then began searching for a way to sever the connection with the spirit spring.

Su Yishui decided to separate from the spirit spring on his own to prove himself to Mu Qingge. He forcefully broke free from the chains and left Mount Wester. Mu Qingge found Su Yu and expressed her willingness to help the royal family seize the world. Su Yishui happened to pass by and overheard their conversation. He remembered that Ping Qinwang had previously mentioned Mu Qingge's relationship with Su Yu, which ignited his anger once more.

Without thinking, he attacked Mu Qingge. Mu Qingge ordered Mu Ranwu to take Su Yu away first, while she suppressed Su Yishui's powers. She then used a drop of her blood to imprison Su Yishui once again on Mount Wester. Mu Qingge stole the Ice Lotus from Mount Tianshan and brought back the White Tiger guarding it.

Su Yishui saw that Mu Qingge was willing to steal immortal objects just to suppress him, further confirming his belief that Mu Qingge was paving the way for Su Yu. His hatred intensified. In a fit of rage, he decided to willingly merge with the spirit spring, breaking the chains and thrusting a magical sword toward Mu Qingge. However, just as the sword was about to strike her, Su Yishui hesitated, his heart softening.

Mu Qingge once again trapped him and went to the Eternal Sect to seek the method of extracting the demonic heart. After Mu Qingge left, Ping Qinwang’s sorcerer soon appeared before Su Yishui. He tempted Su Yishui to embrace the demonic path and led him to the Tianshan Mountain’s Body Cleansing Pool to fully absorb the spirit spring’s power.

The sorcerer informed Su Yishui that the emperor had passed away, and Ping Qinwang was now in a fierce battle with the royal family. He tried to convince Su Yishui to conquer the world. Mu Qingge went to Mount Jiuhua to borrow a secret manual, but the Immortal Kaichen refused, citing previous grievances. As they prepared to clash, a bright light appeared in the distance. Mu Qingge realized that Su Yishui had already become the demonic child.

As Immortal Kaichen prepared to lead a team to destroy him, Mu Qingge loudly declared that she was the demonic child, which startled Wei Jiu. He appeared at Mount Jiuhua, urging Mu Qingge to hand over the spirit spring. Seeing someone fall for the trap, Mu Qingge decided to leave Wei Jiu to deal with Mount Jiuhua while she left the area.

Su Yishui had completely fallen into darkness, and with his demonic power, he had taken control of most of the world. Mu Qingge had obtained the method of extracting the demonic heart and was ready to take on the identity of the demonic child herself. Zeng Yi believed that Mu Qingge was making too great a sacrifice, and Su Yishui did not understand the worth of such a sacrifice.

But Mu Qingge had already made up her mind and silenced Zeng Yi’s objections. As Su Yishui was performing his demonic rituals, Mu Qingge arrived to put an end to everything. Su Yishui still thought that Mu Qingge was helping Su Yu. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to explain, Mu Qingge directly used the method of extracting the demonic heart to absorb the spirit spring from Su Yishui’s body. In doing so, she became the demonic child.

Rumors began to spread in the military that Mu Qingge was using demonic powers in battle. Upon hearing this, Su Yu declared that he would marry Mu Qingge once the war ended. Mu Ranwu, feeling incredibly jealous, secretly placed a drug in Su Yu’s tea. Su Yu immediately noticed the strange taste, and as a result, he expelled Mu Ranwu from the camp. This only deepened Mu Ranwu's hatred for Mu Qingge.

Mu Ranwu found Su Yishui and presented the method of extracting the demonic heart, pleading with him to save Mu Qingge. Su Yishui had already understood Mu Qingge's intentions and agreed without hesitation. When Mu Ranwu summoned Mu Qingge, Su Yishui noticed that she had set up an immortal binding array in advance, and the leaders of the four great sects had appeared. It turned out that Mu Ranwu’s claim to help Mu Qingge was just an excuse.

Her infatuation with Su Yu had turned her hatred for Mu Qingge into a burning desire for revenge. By the time Su Yishui realized he had been tricked, Mu Qingge was already surrounded by the Ninefold Bone Ritual Array of the four great sects. Mu Ranwu, in her delusion, attempted to absorb Mu Qingge’s spirit spring but was instead consumed by it. Mu Qingge grew weaker and weaker, and Su Yishui began using various methods to try and save her.

Just as he was about to admit to being the demonic child, Mu Qingge suddenly cast a silencing curse on him and set up a Heart Burning Curse, making the world believe that Su Yishui had merely betrayed his sect and that she, in fact, was the true demonic child. Not long after, Mu Qingge completely vanished.

After Mu Qingge disappeared, Su Yishui finally understood everything and was heartbroken. He blamed Mu Qingge for making the decision on her own and sacrificing her life for him. But more than that, he felt a deep sense of pity and reluctance. He vowed to do whatever it took to bring Mu Qingge back to the mortal world.

While Ping Qinwang was fleeing in a desperate situation, he encountered Su Yishui and hurriedly asked him if Mu Qingge had left any instructions about the location of the spirit spring before her death. He believed that if they could obtain the spirit spring, they could reclaim the world. Su Yishui no longer wished to engage with Ping Qinwang and simply turned away, leaving without saying a word.

Su Yishui went to the Immortal Realm to seek an Immortal’s help in obtaining a Rebirth Tree. He endured the excruciating pain of the thousand lights and shifting shadows. After obtaining the Rebirth Tree, he planted it on the Immortal Terrace and used all his magical powers to nurture the tree until it bore fruit.

Zeng Yi reproached Su Yishui for owing Mu Qingge too much but still advised him to retreat and focus on cultivation, or his life would be short-lived. Su Yishui extracted his own soul to protect Mu Qingge’s rebirth fruit. Suddenly, the four great sects appeared together and demanded an explanation from Su Yishui.

They asked why he had used barriers to trap Mu Qingge’s remaining soul, why he was giving up the chance to attain the Transformation Stage, and why he was using half a Golden Pill to exchange for Mu Qingge’s rebirth. Su Yishui was unwilling to explain further and stated that if they did not approve of his decision, they could fight him to the death. Immortal Kaichen did not want to escalate the situation and led his group away.

Su Yishui remembered that Mu Qingge had instructed him to go to Wangxiang Pass to return the spirit spring to the Ghost Realm before she died. He brought Zeng Yi to Wangxiang Pass, but the spirit spring was well-hidden, and they couldn’t find it, which meant it was temporarily safe. Following the Immortal’s guidance, Su Yishui implanted the Ice Lotus into his body.

From then on, he could no longer experience the six emotions and seven desires, or else the Ice Lotus would turn against him. As Su Yishui reflected on his memories with Mu Qingge, Zeng Yi explained that the Heart Burning Curse Mu Qingge had set on him all those years ago was merely to cover up the Silencing Curse. While they were talking, they noticed something unusual happening around Xue Ranran.

They guessed that Mu Ranwu was about to be reborn. The Soul Devouring Lock had linked their souls together, causing Xue Ranran’s spiritual platform to become unstable. In order to sever the connection caused by the Soul Devouring Lock, Su Yishui rushed to Wangxiang Pass to use the Ice Lotus to perform a spell.

Zeng Yi mocked Su Yishui’s mood swings, but Yu Tong told him that Su Yishui had been using his powers to suppress his emotions for the past eighteen years. After Xue Ranran regained consciousness, she asked why she had aged so quickly after leaving Mount Wester. Su Yishui explained that the Rebirth Tree had been providing nourishment to Xue Ranran.

As for Zeng Yi, he introduced himself as Su Yishui's senior brother, which made things awkward, as he was also Xue Ranran’s fourteenth master uncle. He couldn’t bring himself to look Xue Ranran in the eye. Xue Ranran decided to stay on Mount Wester because Su Yishui had saved her multiple times, and she was certain he would not harm her. She also expressed her desire to save Ling Xiao.

Hearing that Liang Wumeng’s Blood Jade Essence could save Ling Xiao, Su Yishui agreed to take Xue Ranran to him. Upon arriving at Liang Wumeng’s residence, a young immortal servant informed them that Liang Wumeng was in seclusion, which would last for at least a year or even longer. Xue Ranran expressed her urgency to save Ling Xiao’s soul, and the servant told her there was another way — to nourish with the Formless Spiritual Root.

Xue Ranran was overjoyed to learn that she had the Formless Spiritual Root within her. Su Yishui and Zeng Yi advised that even so, she needed to continue practicing her cultivation. Xue Ranran, however, expressed her desire to cook a meal first, just like Mu Qingge, who also enjoyed the joys of mortal life.

Wei Jiu began a large-scale search for Xue Ranran, and Ping Qinwang believed that the more chaos there was between the two sides, the more it would benefit him. Xue Ranran cooked a meal on Mount Wester, but several of her senior brothers were afraid that indulging in food would affect their cultivation, so they didn’t dare to try it. Zeng Yi, however, walked to the table and told them that as long as they didn’t break any sect rules, they were free to enjoy the meal.

As Xue Ranran was preparing to add more food for her senior brothers, she noticed Su Yishui walking alone in front of the door. He seemed lonely and desolate. She was about to go to his room to check on him when Yu Chen stopped her at the door, reprimanding her for causing Su Yishui to be injured each time he left the mountain because of her.

Xue Ranran felt guilty, so she brought a bowl of Red Flame Centipede Blood to thank Su Yishui. Su Yishui originally didn’t want to drink it, but Xue Ranran insisted, believing that not drinking it would be seen as rejecting her goodwill. Su Yishui had no choice but to drink it. After returning to his cave and meditating, he suddenly felt a rush of heat inside his body, his mouth dry and thirsty.

Upon investigation, he discovered that the centipede blood was a potent tonic, enhancing vitality. If he had known, he wouldn't have been so soft-hearted. The next day, Su Yishui discovered an extra blanket in his room. Xue Ranran had noticed that his blanket was too thin and had made him a new one, unaware that cultivators were not bothered by the cold. Then, Su Yishui noticed that the books in his room had mysteriously disappeared.

Xue Ranran explained that she had taken them outside to dry in the sun. When they went outside, they found that the words were floating in the air. It turned out that the immortal scriptures were written with Xuan Yun Ink, which would detach from the paper when exposed to sunlight. Xue Ranran’s well-meaning actions left Su Yishui both amused and helpless, so he punished her by making her place each word back into the books.

When they were learning how to refine elixirs, Xue Ranran’s Qingxin Pills had a very unique flavor, which led Qiu Xier and Bai Baishan to try one. To their surprise, it triggered an insatiable hunger. They rushed into the kitchen, eating nonstop. Someone told Su Yishui, and when he tasted it, he realized that the Qingxin Pills were causing the craving. He asked Xue Ranran why she had thought of roasted duck while refining the pills.

He then mixed an antidote, which helped alleviate their overwhelming hunger. Although Su Yishui had scolded Xue Ranran, he couldn’t help but be enchanted by the taste of the Qingxin Pills. That night, he secretly went to the kitchen and indulged in the food. When Xue Ranran delivered food to Zeng Yi, she saw Su Yishui enjoying himself and scolded herself for causing such a food frenzy in all of Mount Wester.

Su Yishui no longer scolded her but instead invited Xue Ranran to join him for a meal. Xue Ranran shared a secret with him, explaining that whenever she drank alcohol, the plants she touched would grow rapidly. She had once scared her childhood friends in the village, which was why she was cautious about drinking too much now.

Su Yishui encouraged her to enjoy herself, assuring her that as long as he was by her side, nothing would be beyond control. Xue Ranran casually asked Su Yishui why he worked so hard on his cultivation. He explained that it was to make up for a person. As he spoke, Xue Ranran saw a sad emotion in his eyes. Feeling sympathy, she made him some sweet and sour yam to try.

While they were talking, a sudden thunderstorm occurred, and Xue Ranran noticed the scar on Su Yishui’s face slowly disappearing. Su Yishui quickly looked at his reflection in the water and realized that Xue Ranran had lifted the Heart Burning Curse he had placed on him. Bai Baishan and the others, worried that Xue Ranran would cause more trouble and implicate them, began searching for her.

Xue Ranran casually picked a flower branch, and immediately, they were surrounded by a circle of flowers. After a while, Xue Ranran, drunk from the alcohol, collapsed into Su Yishui’s arms. Drunk, Xue Ranran entered Su Yishui’s sea of consciousness. There, she saw a man trapped in ice, as if imprisoned by an invisible barrier. She didn’t realize that it was Su Yishui’s sea of consciousness, so she shouted her gratitude to the man for protecting her soul.

Then, she muttered to herself, saying that her master was the most handsome man in the world. The next day, Xue Ranran remembered that she had drunk too much in front of Su Yishui and felt deeply ashamed. Zeng Yi advised Su Yishui not to fall into demonic ways, but Su Yishui calmly stated that he had already entered the path of the heartless and would not succumb to the dangers that Zeng Yi feared.

Mu Ranwu was about to be reborn, and Su Yishui worried that Xue Ranran might be affected by the Soul Devouring Lock. He arranged for her to meditate in the Ice Lotus Pool. Zeng Yi attempted to lift the Soul Devouring Lock but found it was futile. Su Yishui decided to visit Jue Mountain, where he had long seen through Mu Ranwu’s plot to strip Mu Qingge of her spiritual power.

Since that was her intention, he thought he might as well let Mu Ranwu take on the trivial matters that Mu Qingge had to face. Su Yu received a secret letter from the capital. The emperor had suddenly fallen gravely ill, and several officials were making a fuss about Su Yu not being by his side to attend to him.

The Third Prince was also beginning to stir, and the strategist Wu Mi suggested that Su Yu return to the capital to avoid the Third Prince taking advantage of the situation. Su Yishui descended the mountain on an errand, instructing his disciples to continue cultivating on their own. They began discussing the news that Mu Qingge was about to be reincarnated. Xue Ranran went to the study to research how to communicate with Ling Xiao’s soul master and found a way to make contact.

Xue Ranran accidentally triggered a mechanism in the study and discovered Mu Qingge's playbook. She found that Mu Qingge was not as cruel as the legends suggested, but instead was an interesting person who had recorded the best food and places in the capital. In the "Fierce Beasts" chapter, she even found a mention of Su Yishui, where Mu Qingge described him as a fierce beast. Xue Ranran found this extremely amusing.

Suddenly, the spiritual beast Xiao Bai ran up to Xue Ranran, who followed it. Xiao Bai led her to Su Yishui's room. Standing at the door, Xue Ranran called out to Xiao Bai, but Bai Baishan thought she was about to cause trouble again and approached to stop her. As Xue Ranran was about to explain, her sleeve accidentally brushed against the water mirror at the door, causing it to immediately show an image of Su Yishui at Jue Mountain.

The reincarnation fruit had already fallen, and Mu Ranwu, within the fruit, rejoiced at having gained Mu Qingge's spiritual power, but chose a new appearance. When Mu Ranwu stepped out of the reincarnation fruit, everyone except Su Yishui mistook her for Mu Qingge. The elders of the Four Major Sects immediately formed a formation to trap Mu Ranwu and demanded to know where the Spiritual Spring was hidden. Mu Ranwu hadn’t expected such an encounter right after her reincarnation.

She hurriedly explained that she had severed ties with her past. The four elders probed her sea of consciousness and found no memory of the Spiritual Spring. Immortal Kaiyuan, seeing that Mu Qingge's spiritual power was still abundant, silently vowed to make use of it for himself. Su Yishui asked Mu Ranwu to lift the Heart Burning Curse on his face.

Mu Ranwu, thinking that since she had Mu Qingge's spiritual power, she should be able to do so, used her magic to remove the mark from Su Yishui’s face. The crowd was astonished, but only Su Yishui knew the reason behind it.

The four disciples of Mount Wester were mesmerized by the sight in the water mirror, but Xue Ranran knew that she had already lifted the Heart Burning Curse for Su Yishui, though she didn’t understand why he had kept it hidden from everyone. Immortal Kaiyuan intended to recruit Mu Qingge, offering her the chance to join any sect.

Mu Ranwu expressed her desire to join the Wester Sect, but Su Yishui immediately stated that they had been master and disciple in a past life, and he was unwilling to shorten his lifespan. As they were about to leave, Wei Jiu suddenly appeared, using Mu Qingge’s blood left behind before her death to attack everyone. Mu Ranwu panicked, worried that her identity might be exposed.

The blood formation only couldn’t suppress Su Yishui, so the four sect masters requested Mu Qingge to lift the blood formation. Mu Ranwu hurriedly tried to use her magic, but it was futile. Su Yishui began to worry that he had just solidified Mu Ranwu’s identity, and if it were exposed, it would have all been for nothing. Xue Ranran, standing before the water mirror, asked her three senior brothers to help her with a spell.

Unexpectedly, they were all drawn into Jue Mountain through the water mirror. Su Yishui quickly used the energy from Xue Ranran’s hand to extend it into Mu Ranwu’s formation, and the blood formation was soon dispelled. Su Yishui then took out the key to the Ghost Realm, and Wei Jiu’s eyes lit up.

Immortal Kaiyuan scolded him from the side, but Su Yishui ignored him and told Wei Jiu that if he wanted the Ghost Realm key, he must swear an oath never to harm Mu Qingge’s soul, as half of the Golden Pill inside her belonged to Su Yishui. Wei Jiu, seeing the temptation of the Ghost Realm energy compared to Mu Qingge’s spiritual power, readily agreed.

After Wei Jiu left, Su Yishui informed the four sect masters that Wei Jiu would never find the Spiritual Spring. He also mentioned that the disciples had been frightened and, after speaking, immediately left. Mu Ranwu, abandoned and unsure of what to do, had no choice but to join the Eternal Sect for now. When Wei Jiu tried to open the Ghost Realm, he discovered that the key contained a soul, making it impossible to open.

He was furious at being tricked by Su Yishui. Returning to Mount Wester, Zeng Yi remarked that the Soul Devouring Lock was harder to break than expected and that it would fluctuate. Xue Ranran’s spiritual power was unstable, and Mu Ranwu would likely grow stronger. Su Yishui explained that Immortal Kaiyuan had already set up a suppression formation in advance, ensuring that Mu Ranwu couldn’t cause trouble.

He suggested handing the matter over to Su Yu, as the crown prince’s abilities were much stronger than Mount Wester’s. Zeng Yi couldn’t help but admire Su Yishui’s foresight. Xue Ranran recalled that she had just connected with the spiritual energy of the Reincarnation Tree, but she couldn’t make sense of it. When she, along with her master and the others, went out, Xue Ranran felt unusually heavy-hearted.

Qiu Xier sensed that they were being followed, and Su Yishui guessed that it was Wei Jiu. He instructed each disciple to find a vine to hide behind. After a while, Wei Jiu appeared, noticing Xiao Bai, who hadn’t managed to hide in time. As Wei Jiu was about to act, Xue Ranran, worried about Xiao Bai’s safety, left her hiding place.

Xiao Bai immediately transformed into its true form, a golden white tiger, and carried Xue Ranran back to the tree. Su Yishui quickly cast a spell, and the vines ensnared Wei Jiu, with purple vines absorbing his demonic power. Wei Jiu finally realized he had been tricked and used all his strength to escape. Su Yishui absorbed half of his demonic power, which allowed him to control the resentment water within Mu Ranwu.

Seeing his four disciples, Su Yishui couldn’t help but scold Xue Ranran for her recklessness, and he took her back to Mount Wester for a period of reflection.