Today, The Villain Couple is Settling Scores Again

As Jian Huan entered, the Bodhi Pagoda, which had been trembling violently from its struggle against the demonic array's power, suddenly fell silent.

The pagoda stood quietly amidst the treetops, half of its structure embedded within the demonic tree. Thick, ink-like demonic energy enveloped the entire Bodhi Pagoda, giving it the appearance of a sinister, cold, and foreboding demonic tower.

The demonic branches that had been wildly thrashing inside the hall had also retracted at some point, obediently returning to the roots of the demonic tree.

This was the sign of the Demon Heart Array's completion.

The Demon Heart Tree and the Bodhi Tree had fully merged, a union of yin and yang, where spiritual and demonic energies coexisted.

At the center of the array, within the Bodhi Pagoda, lay a sea of yin and yang.

This was the ultimate desire of the Demon Heart Insect King over countless millennia.

From the moment it became a demonic insect with sentience, it had dreamed of this day, night and day.

It had pondered and researched for an eternity before finding this path that belonged to it.

It was supposed to step into that sea of yin and yang, carrying its body and its demonic core.

At that moment, the barrier between the Nine Provinces Continent and the Dark Abyss would no longer hinder its advance.

It could cross into the Nine Provinces Continent in human form, devouring everyone who stood in the way of the demonic race's conquest.

It would lead its people to every corner of the world, allowing them to thrive and multiply.

Its millennia-long dream was within reach.

But—

That dream shattered.

Shattered.

Its demonic core had betrayed it.

The Bodhi Tree, which should have been utterly destroyed, had left a final trick, dragging a mere human rat into the sea of yin and yang it had longed for.

The Demon Heart Insect King's cold, vertical pupils stared at the tightly sealed Bodhi Pagoda. Demonic energy, like ink poured into water, spread and diffused within its eyes.

The demonic energy gathered and condensed, forming a black tear that slid down the insect king's cheek.

Its demonic core.

Its sea of yin and yang.

Its millennia-long dream.

Now all of it had turned to dust.

The Demon Heart Insect King was on the verge of madness. With a furious lash of its tail, it sent Shen Jizhi flying. Lifting its head, it let out a long, mournful howl into the night sky: "Ah—Die! All of you—die!"

Every word it uttered was filled with anguish, and with each syllable, a massive wave of power radiated outward. "Servants of the gods—come!"

The seven demon envoys who had been rushing toward the Bodhi Pagoda suddenly froze in mid-air, like kites pulled by an invisible string, flying toward the Demon Heart Insect King.

Before they could utter a single word, their demonic cores burst out of their bodies with a *pfft*.

The insect king extended a claw, merging the seven demonic cores into one, and then swallowed it whole.

The bodies of the seven demon envoys, like broken kites, plummeted into the Dark Abyss below.

After consuming the demonic cores, the insect king thrashed its tail wildly in the air, roaring in fury.

It grew larger and larger, its body expanding uncontrollably...

At the stone steps before the Bodhi Pagoda, Shen Jizhi, who had been struck by the insect king's tail, slid his right leg back and thrust his snow-white sword into the hard demonic branch, steadying himself.

The young man was half-bent, covered in wounds, his pale face marred with scars.

The demonic origin stone within him had just shattered, and the unfamiliar, surging power caused his meridians to break and regenerate repeatedly.

Yet, he acted as if nothing was wrong, casually wiping away the half-red, half-black blood from the corner of his mouth. He straightened up slowly, standing tall and upright before the Bodhi Pagoda like a snow-white sword embedded in a cliff.

Shen Jizhi raised his eyes, glancing at the frenzied insect king.

Then, almost imperceptibly, his gaze flickered toward Jiang Wei, who stood in the corner, and the location of the spatial bowl.

He looked away as if he had seen nothing, lowering his eyes.

The young man's slender fingers glowed with spiritual energy, and a small sandalwood box appeared in his palm.

Inside the box lay a pure white pill, emitting a faint, fluorescent glow.

This was the pill Mei Yi had given him back in Ningzhang City.

She had said that after breaking the demonic origin stone, taking this pill would help suppress the demonic energy, delaying his transformation into a demon.

Without hesitation, Shen Jizhi swallowed the pill.

A faint, silvery light flickered in his half-demonized glass-like eyes.

He gripped his sword again and, before leaving, glanced at the tightly closed pagoda door. Then, he flew straight toward the Demon Heart Insect King, slashing at its weakest point—the twelve joints of its limbs.

The insect king roared in fury, smashing Shen Jizhi's sword strike with a single claw. Its massive head loomed over the young man, who had rolled back to avoid the attack. It lowered its body, teeth gnashing as it hissed, "I will kill you! Drink your blood, eat your flesh!"

With every word, it spat out a ball of demonic fire.

Shen Jizhi dodged the insect king's fireballs, ignoring its threats entirely. His eyes remained cold, his mind focused solely on his sword and the insect king's fatal weakness.

The young man moved with precision, dodging and attacking, locked in a fierce battle with the Demon Heart Insect King.

The hall echoed with the sounds of their clash, the massive waves of power shaking the walls and doors.

...

Below, Jiang Wei stood in the corner, his eagle-like eyes fixed on the battle above, his expression unreadable.

Shen Jizhi, now empowered by the demonic core, was fighting the insect king with such speed that his movements were a blur. If Jiang Wei were to join the fray recklessly, he would likely lose his life.

To trap Shen Jizhi and Jian Huan, ensuring they could not escape the demonic hall alive, the doors and walls of the hall had been reinforced with the strongest defensive arrays. Only the Demon Heart Insect King could open them.

But now, Jiang Wei felt that this had backfired.

In a battle between masters, the slightest misstep could lead to disaster.

The insect king was unable—and unwilling—to open the hall doors to let Jing Chi and the others in.

Jiang Wei glanced at the insect king, which had lost its demonic core and was gradually weakening under Shen Jizhi's relentless assault. He took a deep breath.

The situation was not looking good.

The demonic race's thousand-year plans could not be allowed to fail here.

Having spent decades lurking in the Nine Provinces Continent, Jiang Wei understood better than anyone that the most lethal weapon was the cunning of the human heart.

Clenching his fist, Jiang Wei made a swift decision. He turned and dashed toward the spot where the human woman had stood earlier.

Gu Shan and Yu Qing were still in the hall!

Jiang Wei reached the location of the spatial bowl in two strides.

The spatial bowl was of a high grade, and Jiang Wei could not see it, but he could sense its presence.

He raised his right hand, summoning a demonic attack.

At that moment—

A flash of sword light!

A black sword, still faintly smelling of alcohol, suddenly thrust toward Jiang Wei!

Jiang Wei reacted quickly, his body enveloped in black energy as he dodged backward.

He avoided the strike just in time, escaping unscathed.

This sword strike, launched by Gu Shan, did not even leave a scratch on him.

Jiang Wei looked at Gu Shan.

The old man's face was pale, his aura weak—he was clearly at the end of his strength.

Jiang Wei sneered, "What good is a sneak attack? You lost to me before, and you'll lose again."

Gu Shan leaned on his sword, his arm resting on the hilt, standing in a drunken, slouched posture. He beckoned Jiang Wei with a finger, slurring, "Then come and try me?"

But before the word "try" had even left his lips, Gu Shan's body slid forward, and he lunged at Jiang Wei with his sword.

However, in his wounded state, his movements were slow and clumsy in Jiang Wei's eyes, utterly ineffective.

Jiang Wei formed a claw with his hand, demonic energy coalescing into a mountain-like force in his palm. He hurled it at Gu Shan.

With a grunt, Gu Shan barely dodged, a mouthful of blood rising in his throat, which he forced himself to swallow.

Jiang Wei pressed his advantage, closing in on Gu Shan and striking him down with the arrogance of one who had long held power. He sneered, "Gu Shan, your sect leader and I often shared drinks and spoke of you. We both thought it a pity. You should have reached the Great Ascension Realm, but you failed your tribulation and remained at the Nascent Soul Realm. A Nascent Soul cultivator, weakened by injuries, how do you expect to fight me now?"

With that, Jiang Wei slammed his palm into Gu Shan's chest.

*Boom!*

Gu Shan's body was sent flying, crashing into the hall door and sliding down, leaving a trail of blood.

"Overestimating yourself!" Jiang Wei snorted coldly. As he approached Gu Shan again, his gaze flickered toward the ongoing battle between the insect king and Shen Jizhi.

He wanted to see what Shen Jizhi would do when he tied up Gu Shan and, in front of the young man, began cutting off pieces of his master's flesh.

Would Shen Jizhi remain indifferent and continue guarding the pagoda? Or would he surrender to save his master?

Jiang Wei was eager to find out—who mattered more to Shen Jizhi? The woman inside the Bodhi Pagoda, or his master, who had risked his life to seal the demonic origin stone?

What would Shen Jizhi choose?

Jiang Wei was waiting to see.

A cruel smile curled at the corner of his lips. Just as he was about to reach Gu Shan, a gush of black blood erupted from his mouth, and his body lurched forward uncontrollably, his head slamming against the palace door with a loud thud.

The man's lips still bore that lingering smirk.

Everything happened so suddenly. Jiang Wei, with a trace of shock in his eyes, glanced down.

There, at his dantian—the vital energy center in his lower abdomen—a dagger had pierced straight through.

The dagger was engraved with intricate patterns, crackling with terrifying lightning energy.

Jiang Wei had seen this dagger before.

It belonged to Daoxuan of the Jade Clarity Sect, passed down to him by his master.

The Demon-Slaying Dagger, designed to vanquish demons of this world!

Realizing something, Jiang Wei's gaze shattered as he slowly turned his head.

Behind him, a half-gray-haired old man was pressing down on him with all his might.

And between the two of them, Gu Shan held the Demon-Slaying Dagger, its electric light swirling as he thrust it precisely into Jiang Wei's dantian, piercing his demon core.

The purple lightning crackled and sizzled, reducing Jiang Wei's dantian to a pulpy mess.

The terror of impending death drove Jiang Wei, who had been so confident moments ago, to struggle desperately. But the unyielding body of a Nascent Soul-stage swordsword pinned him down, rendering him immobile.

He looked toward the old man he had injured earlier, blood gurgling in his throat, making his words slurred and indistinct: "You... you all..."@@novelbin@@

Gu Shan, who appeared to be holding Jiang Wei down with brotherly affection, turned to the severely injured Yin Yusheng and said, "Nephew, your uncle won't say 'come and try it yourself.' Instead, I'll say—"

The old man leaned down, spittle flying as he hissed into Jiang Wei's ear, "Enough with the nonsense! And by the way, Patriarch Jiang, you made it sound like you and my senior brother were close, but this Demon-Slaying Dagger? It was handed to me by my sect leader before I infiltrated your demon clan."

"I must say, my senior brother was uncharacteristically generous this time," the old man chuckled, his comical mustache twitching. "This Demon-Slaying Dagger is quite the treasure."

If he managed to escape the Dark Abyss, he had no intention of returning it.

He could sell it to buy wine for the Jade Clarity Sect. The spirit stones from it would probably keep him in wine for a hundred years. Not bad, not bad at all.

Jiang Wei's breath grew weaker, his struggles fading.

The severely injured Yin Yusheng smiled at Gu Shan and bowed slightly. "Thank you for your guidance, Uncle."

As he spoke, he gripped the black sword Gu Shan had lent him and walked step by step toward Jiang Wei.

Earlier, while healing Gu Shan in the spatial bowl, he had absorbed some of the Nascent Soul aura from the old man.

Jiang Wei was incredibly strong, and Gu Shan, who had been severely injured for days, was no longer at his peak. To kill Jiang Wei, they had only one chance.

Thus, Yin Yusheng had disguised himself as Gu Shan in the open, while the real Gu Shan remained hidden.

Yin Yusheng stood before Jiang Wei, looking down at him from above.

Jiang Wei raised his head unwillingly, his mouth opening as if to say something.

Yin Yusheng stared at the face of his enemy, his gaze piercing through Jiang Wei as if he could see his parents, who had smiled at him with such warmth over a decade ago, and his younger sister, who had died at birth.

The delicate-looking man's eyes brimmed with hatred and tears. He tilted his head back, letting the tears roll down his chin and onto his neck.

Yin Yusheng took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the black sword, and without giving Jiang Wei a chance to speak, cleanly severed his head.

The head tumbled away, and black blood gushed from the neck, drenching Yin Yusheng.

Yin Yusheng lowered his head, watching the head fall into the depths of the Dark Abyss. His lips moved silently as he murmured, "Father, Mother, little sister, Mu'er... I've avenged the Mu family..."

High above the tower, Shen Jizhi suddenly distanced himself from the Demon Heart Insect King.

The young man stood on a cloud of demonic energy, his face marred by claw marks.

Half-red, half-black blood oozed from the gruesome wounds, staining half his face and giving his cold, refined features a sinister, blood-soaked appearance. He looked more like the ruler of the Dark Abyss, the Demon God of the demon realm, than the Demon Heart Insect King before him.

He raised his eyes, his gaze slowly settling on the black insect. A faint, blood-stained smile curled his lips as he murmured, "Jiang Wei is dead."

The Demon Heart Insect King did not pursue him.

Its vertical pupils shifted slightly, remaining on guard as it seized the opportunity to rest.

The insect king's body was covered in black armor-like scales, gleaming with a cold, dark light, as hard as iron.

Yet, despite this, the scales were now pockmarked and uneven, riddled with sword wounds of varying severity.

After all, it wasn't its own demon core. It was difficult to wield.

A fake was still a fake.

If its demon core were returned to its body, how could this human pest possibly be its match?

How hateful! A thousand years ago, it should never have lent its demon core to that waste, Hua Dihai!

Hua Dihai, Jiang Wei—both were useless!

It had brought them to the demon palace as children, raised them with care, taught them demonic arts, and bestowed upon them the Demon Heart Insects.

Yet one failed to retrieve the Bodhi Tree, causing its demon core to be lost for a millennium, lured away by cunning humans.

And Jiang Wei? He had been searching for the demon core for so many years, only to let it slip through his fingers, allowing it to enter the Dark Abyss and giving the humans the upper hand!

"Dead is dead," the Demon Heart Insect King said indifferently, its vertical pupils fixed on the young man in the distance.

A soft sound, like a dry leaf falling from a branch, echoed as Shen Jizhi's crimson hair ribbon snapped.

His high ponytail unraveled, and his long black hair fluttered wildly in the high-altitude wind, a strand partially obscuring his eyes.

Shen Jizhi reached out and caught the ribbon as it danced in the air.

The crimson ribbon clung tenderly to his slender fingers. It was the one Jian Huan had tied for him before they set out.

Now was the moment!

The Demon Heart Insect King's vertical pupils glowed with a cold light. Its body coiled like a tightly drawn bowstring, and in an instant, it sprang forward!

No being in the world understood the power of a demon core better than the Demon Heart Insect King.

It had been holding back its strength, enduring the humiliation of being beaten by a human pest, all for this moment—this fatal strike!

"Join them in death!" the Demon Heart Insect King roared, closing the distance in an instant. Its front claws shot toward Shen Jizhi's head, carrying the unstoppable force of a Demon God. The attack caused the demonic energy in the depths of the Dark Abyss to churn, shaking both the Demon Heart Tree and the Bodhi Tower!

Shen Jizhi's eyes sharpened like swords. The crimson ribbon was wrapped around his wrist as he tilted his head, calmly offering his abdomen to the insect's claws.

A centipede dies but never stiffens.

Wounds elsewhere meant little to it.

But the insect king had always protected its core, preventing Shen Jizhi from reaching it.

He had long wanted to end this quickly.

Beasts needed a taste of sweetness before they would reveal their weak spot.

A sickening squelch echoed as claws pierced flesh.

Before the insect king could revel in its triumph, Shen Jizhi's legs wrapped around its body, and he leaped, clinging to it.

The insect king's claws churned within Shen Jizhi's abdomen, but as the distance between them increased, the claws withdrew.

Two gaping holes now marred the young man's abdomen, his organs and blood clearly visible, a horrifying sight.

Yet Shen Jizhi seemed impervious to the pain. Like a nimble spirit monkey, he swiftly climbed down the insect's body.

"You dare, you pest?!" The Demon Heart Insect King, disgusted by the human crawling on it, twisted and thrashed violently in midair, its long tail whipping furiously, determined to shake Shen Jizhi off.

Shen Jizhi remained unfazed. His hands and legs clung tightly to the insect's body, pressing against the cold black scales as he raced toward the twelfth segment of its abdomen. His right fist, wrapped in the crimson ribbon, surged with power, five-colored sword light intertwining with black demonic energy.

The young man pursed his lips, his fist like a sharp sword, punching through the insect's abdomen and striking directly at the Demon Heart Insect King's demon core!

The pain rendered the insect king speechless. It writhed in near-madness, its vertical pupils pooling with furious tears as its tail thrashed even more violently.

Inside the insect's abdomen, the demon core glowed brightly, unleashing a surge of demonic energy toward Shen Jizhi's fist, attempting to force him back.

Shen Jizhi quickly opened his fist, revealing a small pouch with an open mouth.

In the next moment, a flurry of thunder talismans spilled into the demon core.

Before the demonic energy could reach him, Shen Jizhi withdrew his fist, pushed off the black scales with his feet, and shot backward like an arrow, swiftly retreating.

In midair, the young man's lips moved rapidly as he silently recited an incantation.

Inside the insect's abdomen, the yellow talismans fluttered like funeral paper money, and in an instant, they exploded one by one.

Pop.

Bang.

B​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍ang.

Streaks of demonic insect fireworks burst into the sky, blooming like a grand feast of fireworks during the New Year, dazzling and magnificent.

After the fireworks faded, the demonic palace fell into silence.

Shen Jizhi, holding a snow-white sword, staggered down from the demonic clouds, his steps uneven as he approached the tower gate.

The young man looked up quietly at the Bodhi Tower, standing still for a long time.

Blood dripped from his body, his long hair cascading softly down his back.

After a while, Shen Jizhi lowered his gaze, removed the crimson hair tie from his wrist, cleaned it with a purification spell, and meticulously tied his hair into a high ponytail.

Gu Shan and Yin Yusheng arrived, stopping three steps behind him.

Gu Shan’s sunken eyes held a complex emotion as he gazed deeply at Shen Jizhi.

Time flew by.

The little boy who once only reached his knees had grown so tall in the blink of an eye.

His back was broad and imposing, a young man who now stood tall and unyielding.

Sensing their presence, Shen Jizhi turned around. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only uttered a cool and calm, “Master.”

Gu Shan sighed, as if carrying a thousand unspoken words.

Though neither master nor disciple said much, everything was understood between them.

At this point, questioning the matter of the Demon Origin Stone was meaningless.

Gu Shan stepped closer, raising his hand to pat the young man’s shoulder, his gaze falling on the tower with concern, “You troublemaker, is my disciple’s wife alright?”

Shen Jizhi lowered his eyes and, after a moment of thought, replied, “She’s still alive.”

He didn’t know how she was faring inside.

But at least, she was still alive.

Shen Jizhi lightly touched the area around his dantian, a faint smile crossing his lips.

As long as she was alive, there were endless possibilities.

Unfortunately.

Shen Jizhi’s gaze swept over the wound on his abdomen, torn open by a demonic insect’s claw.

The power of the Demon Origin Stone was extraordinary. The bleeding had stopped on its own, and the surface of the wound was now covered with a thin layer of black scale-like armor.

Unfortunately.

Shen Jizhi averted his gaze, his eyelashes fluttering like crow feathers.

He might not live long enough to see her come out.

Yin Yusheng, who had approached to treat Shen Jizhi’s wound, paused at the sight of the black scales, his face filled with worry, “Brother Shen…”

The young man silently turned his body, hiding the wound and avoiding Yin Yusheng’s gaze. He looked toward Gu Shan, who was still peering into the tower, and was about to say something when his expression suddenly changed.

His eyes sharpened, and with a swift movement, he appeared at the edge of the tree canopy, looking down into the Dark Abyss.

Below was an endless chasm, the demonic energy so dense it seemed to ooze like ink.

The demonic tree supporting the Bodhi Tower, now fused with it, was deeply rooted in the Dark Abyss.

At that moment, like a sudden tsunami, the demonic tide surged, waves of demonic energy rising one after another.

The rustling sound grew louder and louder, merging into a cacophony that sent shivers down one’s spine.

Countless small demonic heart insects crawled along the demonic branches, riding the surging waves, swarming up from the depths of the Dark Abyss like an army of demons, resembling a plague of locusts.

The demonic heart insects split into two groups.

One group charged toward the Bodhi Tower.

Shen Jizhi raised his sword, its light forming a shield as he slashed through the first wave of insects.

The insects fell, but the next wave surged forward, fearless and relentless, undying and unyielding.

The other group flew toward the palace gates, and within moments, the gates were covered in layers of demonic heart insects, gnawing at the enchanted doors with a cacophony of crunching sounds.

In an instant, the gates were breached, revealing the scene outside.

Jing Chi knelt at the forefront, surrounded by a group of demonic shadow guards, devoutly praying to the Demon God.

Hearing the commotion, Jing Chi looked up, his eyes widening in shock.

He instinctively stepped back, but it was too late.

Thousands of demonic insects flew toward the demonic army, engulfing Jing Chi. They burrowed through his black armor, invading his flesh and taking control of his mind.

The handsome man’s black eyes froze, his gaze turning vacant before being replaced by a sinister light.

‘He’ gripped his sword, kicked aside a fragment of the shattered gate, and flew toward the Bodhi Tower inside the palace.

In front of the Bodhi Tower, Gu Shan, who had been clinging to the tower gate, unwillingly peering inside for his disciple’s wife, twitched his mustache and quickly moved to stand beside his troublesome disciple.

The old man glanced around, his face filled with shock as he attacked, “Did we just stumble into a nest of insects?”

Shen Jizhi swung his sword, his gaze fixed on Jing Chi at the forefront, and said word by word, “The demonic race is a nest of insects.”

“Ha, ha, ha, ha…” The demonic shadow guards, their minds now controlled by the demonic heart insects, followed Jing Chi, swarming forward. Their laughter was stiff, their mouths opening to the same unnatural angle, their voices eerily uniform, “What does it matter if you destroy my insect king’s body? My soul will return to the Dark Abyss! The Demon Heart Insect King’s consciousness is immortal, coexisting with the Dark Abyss! In a hundred years, I will reshape my body! Ha, ha, ha, ha… I will reign for eternity! The demonic race will last forever! Kill them, destroy the Bodhi Tower, kill!!!”

Countless demonic shadow guards and demonic heart insects surged toward the three in waves, like an unending tide.

Individually, they were weak.

Shen Jizhi could cut down a swarm with a single sword strike.

But there were simply too many demonic heart insects.

No one knew how many of these insects had bred in the unfathomable depths of the Dark Abyss over thousands of years.

Yet, the three had no retreat.

Behind them was the Bodhi Tower, and inside the tower was Jian Huan.

They could not retreat, would not retreat, and did not want to retreat!

Gu Shan slashed through swarms of insects, swinging his sword countless times. His throat began to taste of blood as his recently healed injuries flared up.

He swallowed the blood and couldn’t help but cough.

Yin Yusheng, who had been continuously concocting pills behind him, handed a handful of elixirs to Gu Shan, “Elder Gu, take these quickly.”

Gu Shan didn’t hesitate, swallowing them in one gulp. With a hoarse voice, he asked, “Troublemaker, do you have any wine?”

Shen Jizhi replied without hesitation, “No.”

Yin Yusheng, still focused on his alchemy, glanced at Shen Jizhi.

As far as he knew, Shen Jizhi’s storage pouch contained quite a bit of wine.

But… Yin Yusheng said nothing and continued to focus on refining pills to provide Gu Shan with a steady supply of spirit-restoring elixirs.

Gu Shan smacked his lips, craving the taste of wine more and more, “What about those wine pills…”

Shen Jizhi cut him off mercilessly, “There’s only one left.”

Gu Shan was shocked, his voice filled with disdain, “How could you and your wife come to the Dark Abyss to rescue me without bringing any wine?”

Shen Jizhi kicked aside a flying demonic shadow guard, “You’re mistaken. We came for the Bodhi Tower.”

“…” Gu Shan looked at the endless swarm of demonic insects ahead, his left hand instinctively touching his dantian. His mustache twitched in pain as he swung his sword, muttering, “If I die without even a sip of wine, I’ll never rest in peace.”

“Then don’t die,” Shen Jizhi said calmly, painting a grand picture for his master, “If we succeed, we’ll have done a great service for the Nine Provinces Continent. The rewards from the Jade Clarity Sect and the Nine Provinces Garrison will be endless, enough to buy you ten thousand years’ worth of fine wine. Can you bear to miss out on that?”

Gu Shan: “…”

Suddenly, the old man’s eyes were no longer blurry, his back no longer ached, and his injuries no longer pained him. He raised his sword and charged forward with renewed vigor!

A faint smile flashed in Shen Jizhi’s eyes as his snow-white sword gleamed brightly, sweeping out in a powerful arc.

In an instant, a large swath of demonic heart insects and shadow guards fell, creating a brief clearing.

Shen Jizhi stepped forward, standing protectively in front of Gu Shan, Yin Yusheng, and the Bodhi Tower.

He raised his sword and swung it, cutting down the enemies one by one.

Just like the young boy who had begun his training at the Jade Clarity Sect at the age of six.

In the early mornings before dawn, he would stand on the cliff, practicing his sword strikes over and over.

Through the changing seasons, he would climb up and down the mountain, earning coin by coin, saving spirit stone by spirit stone.

He had never thought about what the future would hold.

He simply moved forward, day by day, saving his money and paying off his debts.

And then, the heavens granted him a twist of fate.

He met Jian Huan, who had come looking for him.

It was a summer afternoon, filled with the sound of cicadas.

The ancient tree at the mountain gate was lush and green, its dense leaves blocking the afternoon sun.

He sat at a table, quickly recording the spiritual roots of each new disciple, thinking about how many fasting pills he had left and which debt he needed to pay next.

Then he heard a clear, bright voice.

“I’m looking for Shen Jizhi. I’m his fiancée…”

Shen Jizhi looked up and slowly stood.

A beam of light slipped through the crack, casting a delicate, fragmented glow on him, making his eyes squint slightly.

Among the crowd, a young girl carried a tattered bundle almost half her size, her appearance screaming poverty.

Yet, her dark, ink-like eyes sparkled like a galaxy, brimming with vitality, as bright as a newborn sun.

To say he liked her at first sight would be an exaggeration, but at the very least, he knew from the first glance that he wouldn’t dislike her.

Shen Jizhi’s sword moved as fast as a shadow, his eyes still reflecting the sunlight of a summer afternoon from his memories.

The Bodhi Pagoda had brought her inside for a reason.

He had always sensed that she carried secrets.

But he never probed deeper.

The incense that was useless to Qi Wan, her strange gestures, and the peculiar language she used.

And then, her unexpectedly effective thunder talismans…

She probably didn’t know that the thunder talismans of an ordinary Golden Core cultivator wouldn’t have such lethal power against demons.

No matter what, he only wished to buy her enough time.

No matter what, Jian Huan, you must stay safe.