People’s hearts are made of flesh. Over more than ten years, Chixiao slowly raised the child; even though he had always known Shu Tiantian’s mission, he gradually came to place in his heart that child who kept calling him Shizun, Shizun.

When he realized that his feelings had already crossed the boundary, Chixiao began to gradually distance himself from his little disciple, restraining all of his emotions.

So one day, the absent-minded Chixiao, upon discovering Ling Ruoshui who resembled Shu Tiantian being bullied, could not restrain himself and decided to bring her back.

Because he felt guilty toward his little disciple yet could not show guilt; wanted to protect yet could not protect.

So he tried to transfer that guilt and affection onto another person.

But who would have known that after all the twists and turns, it was Ling Ruoshui who revealed news of the little disciple, letting the little disciple enter the Void Abyss. Speaking of it… it was all karma he himself had created.

He could not help but give a bitter smile, though his complexion was somewhat pale.

Dao Xuzi said calmly, “Chixiao, I know you have never been able to let go of that child, but… have you forgotten the Ancestor’s teachings?”

“Some days ago, the sinful dragon awakened, and that sword strike reached the mountain gate. If it truly recovers, the first thing it will do is wipe out our Tianji Sect. The thousand-year calamity is drawing ever closer. This is our only chance—how many years have we planned for this?”

“When the time comes, all living beings under heaven will be plunged into suffering and devastation. Is that what you want? You should do what you ought to do.”

“Today, people from the Upper Realm have arrived to assist our Tianji Sect in activating the Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation. We must exhaust that sinful dragon and prepare to kill it for the thousand-year calamity. During this period, you must remain in the sect to preside over the grand formation—you cannot leave even a single step. There is no need to worry about the Void Abyss.”

Only when his palm was clenched so tightly it was almost bleeding did Immortal Lord Chixiao finally speak with difficulty, “Yes.”

He turned and returned to the Hall of Punishment. Dao Xuzi fell into silence, and only after a long while did he sigh. If he had known, he should not have softened his heart back then—only for Chixiao to fall into such a predicament now.

Once the Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation was activated, once they truly began to exhaust that sinful dragon and set in motion the scheme they had planned for a thousand years, there would be no turning back.

Dao Xuzi knew this. Chixiao also knew this. So he did not turn back to his peak—instead, he returned to the Hall of Punishment and personally received thirty lashes.

Even for a cultivator at the Nascent Soul Transformation stage, thirty lashes were enough to leave him drenched in blood, in unbearable agony.

Because he could not bring back that child who called him Shizun, Shizun—because he regretted it.

From the moment he brought her up the mountain more than ten years ago, he had regretted it every moment.

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When Shu Tiantian emerged from the Medicine God Bell, it was already broad daylight outside—an entire day and night had passed.

Having used Withered Wood Meets Spring to repair most of her meridians, Shu Tiantian had already gained a trace of understanding of Withered Wood Meets Spring and could barely be considered to have entered the beginner’s stage. Of course, Withered Wood Meets Spring had nine levels in total, and Shu Tiantian had probably only just stepped into the threshold of the first level. But that did not stop Shu Tiantian from feeling eager to try.

She plucked a Scarlet Flame Flower that was about to extinguish, full of expectation as she circulated Withered Wood Meets Spring. Yet the Scarlet Flame Flower, inch by inch turning into ashes, died very decisively, leaving Shu Tiantian not the slightest hope.

Shu Tiantian did not give up. She tried one plant, then another, until she had plucked bald half a patch of land. Only on the very last one did she finally see a tiny bit of hope.

That Scarlet Flame Flower, nourished by Withered Wood Meets Spring, suddenly stiffened upright at the brink of death—but after holding on for three seconds, it turned into ashes once more.

Yet Shu Tiantian was overjoyed, feeling that her little life was saved.

At least it proved that Withered Wood Meets Spring was useful! It was like confirming that the direction of a thesis was correct—would she still worry about not writing the rest? She knew she still had a long and difficult road ahead. She would probably have to train Withered Wood Meets Spring to at least the second level before it could have any real effect on this flower. But at least she was no longer grasping blindly!

That night, Shu Tiantian squatted inside the Medicine God Bell, repeatedly tinkering with the Scarlet Flame Flower, trying to find some further progress. Yet no matter how she experimented, the flower could only stiffen upright for three seconds. Shu Tiantian had no choice—and also knew she had been too impatient.

When Shu Tiantian came out again, it was raining in the Void Abyss—a rare occurrence.

She looked at the black rain falling from the sky, her expression somewhat blank.

The evil cultivators bustling about in the Void Abyss all raised their heads as well, murmuring, “It’s raining black rain.”

The black rain and mist brewed surging yin-sha energy, like a terrifying vortex, carrying a dense aura of ominous foreboding.

Within the void, one could vaguely see a black grand formation slowly revolving. If someone knowledgeable were to look up, they would probably recognize it—it was the Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation—an ancient formation that gathered the extremely yin and baleful energy of heaven and earth, activated using nine cultivators at the Divine Transformation stage as mediums.

Every household had its doors tightly shut. The entire Void Abyss had fallen into dead silence because of the black rain.

Dragons summon clouds and bring rain. The rain of the Void Abyss naturally fell according to the will of the Void Abyss Ancestor. Then what of the black rain? Naturally, it was because the dragon bore excessive yin-sha energy—when it lost control, it would bestow ominous black rain upon the human world.

Shu Tiantian had spent too much time in the Tianji Sect and knew very little about the Void Abyss. Even her understanding of the Void Abyss Ancestor came only from scattered fragments in novels. Thus, she had no idea what the black rain signified. She simply thought it was a local feature of the Void Abyss—probably because the raindrops had passed through layers of black mist, so they had turned black.

The Scarlet Flame Flower field was bare and bald, without even a place to shelter from the rain. During the day, Shu Tiantian could hide inside the Medicine God Bell, but at night, only by leaning against the dragon could she avoid being directly frozen to death by the onset of her Heavenly Yin Body.

So seeing that the rain seemed set to linger for two or three days like a persistent spring drizzle, Shu Tiantian hesitated for a moment, then moved her pitifully few belongings to the only place that could shelter her from the rain—

The massive dragon’s body could block the rain; beneath the half-raised dragon head it was warm and dry—perfectly enough to curl up for an entire night.

While she was moving things, Shu Tiantian did not notice that the originally tranquil Scarlet Flame Flower field had grown utterly still—even the sound of the wind had quieted, not daring to make the slightest noise.

She gradually developed a faint sense of foreboding. Her instincts told her she should leave this place, but the extreme cold of her Heavenly Yin Body forced her to remain huddled beside the dragon, not daring to move.

She clutched the Medicine God Bell and secretly told herself not to sleep tonight—if she sensed anything wrong, she would hide immediately. But the surrounding yin-sha energy grew denser and denser. Shu Tiantian was so cold that her mind became a little muddled, and she could only unconsciously edge closer to the dragon.

In places she could not see, the black rain and mist brewed surging yin-sha energy, rushing endlessly toward the giant dragon. The silently shrieking baleful energy lashed the dragon, seeping into its wounds, entering its body, then crashing wildly within. Blood dripped faster than countless times faster than usual.

At the central peak of the Void Abyss, the Cloud Mist Pool—like immortal vapors—had now turned into a pool of blood.

The Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation, which had begun operating in the heavens, enveloped the entire Void Abyss.

A thousand years ago, the Tianji Sect’s Ancestor had failed to subdue the dragon, dying with unclosed eyes—yet even in death, he had grievously wounded the already dying giant dragon further. A thousand years of recuperation had brought no improvement; the sinful dragon had even been forced to sever its own divine soul.

Now that the thousand-year calamity was drawing ever closer, both the Upper Realm and the Lower Realm intended to seize the opportunity to kill the sinful dragon.

The Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation existed to continuously torment and exhaust Ji Wushu—an array of yin-sha condensed from the countless dead spirits of the Void Abyss, ceaselessly tormenting him every moment.

The Dragon Bone Sword was the sinful dragon’s rib. At this moment, from the intense pain, it emitted a sorrowful hum. The Dragon Bone Sword, which usually loved to curse, only managed to spit out “those dog bastards from the Upper Realm” before it could no longer produce any complete syllables. Not to mention—what Ji Wushu was enduring at this moment was countless times the pain suffered by the Dragon Bone Sword.

The yin-sha energy grew denser and more violent. The long-haired youth spat out a mouthful of blood. His red-gold pupils were filled with crimson. His body swayed—he could no longer even maintain human form.

The Dragon Bone Sword hummed, trying to raise a barrier—but Ji Wushu had already vanished from where he stood.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Shu Tiantian was in a daze, forcing herself to stay awake. Normally, just by being near the giant dragon she would feel warm—but today was different. She was still freezing terribly.

As if pulled by a powerful instinct, Shu Tiantian finally opened her eyes.

She saw countless streams of black qi surging—normally yin-sha energy was invisible, but now the Scarlet Flame Flowers churned with waves of black mist, almost materializing the raging yin-sha energy. One could see just how dense the baleful energy truly was.

And they shrieked as they lunged toward the giant dragon.

Shu Tiantian nearly sprang upright—but in the next moment, she froze stiff.

Because she sensed something was wrong.

At some unknown moment, the giant dragon’s golden eyes had opened—like an ancient primordial god opening its gaze, solemn, sacred, and radiant with golden brilliance. Any human stared at by those eyes would feel a sense of majesty and fear from the depths of their heart, and would feel themselves grow ever smaller.

But in only an instant, amid the shrieking baleful energy, those red-gold pupils suddenly turned blood-red. The malicious gaze made Shu Tiantian’s entire body tremble—

An immense sense of crisis struck. Yet Shu Tiantian’s whole body stiffened, as if she had been immobilized by a spell. This was human survival instinct—when faced with certain overwhelming terrors, feigning death was a reaction carved into biological instinct.

The next moment, the shrieking baleful energy split into thousands of streams, violently surging toward the giant dragon!

Shu Tiantian was suddenly flung away. She could see nothing at all—she only crashed heavily onto the ground not far away.

She only saw a black tornado, golden pupils stained blood-red, and the frenzied dance of countless streams of yin-sha energy.

Shu Tiantian thought she would die. Dazed from the fall, her survival instinct made her immediately try to open the Medicine God Bell to hide inside—but she had been thrown so hard that she coughed up blood, unable to mobilize any spiritual energy. She could only run forward. The baleful winds of the hurricane swept past, and she fell again—this time without even the strength to stand up.

Behind her, the giant dragon roared soundlessly. Its enormous body churned. The terrifying baleful energy surged—crashing, shattering, tearing, stirring heaven and earth until wind and clouds changed color.

She turned her head and, as the black qi began to disperse, saw the massive dragon lower its head. It no longer resembled the divine dragon of legend—it truly looked like a gigantic sinful dragon coiled in hell itself: powerful, evil—one glance alone could make despair arise in a person’s heart.

Shu Tiantian wanted to wipe the blood from her face, but when she raised her hand, she realized her arm was broken. She tried to retreat, but she knew she was like a futile little ant.

It slowly lowered its massive, scarred dragon head. In its ferocious dragon horns and blood-red eyes, Shu Tiantian saw herself.

But in that moment, she was fixed in place by the dragon’s gaze.

A dragon with half a horn broken off. A dragon covered in wounds. A dragon bleeding everywhere.

What kind of gaze was that?

Hatred. Vigilance. Coldness. Like bone-deep hatred forged through countless tortures; like malicious vigilance born from endless betrayals.

Shu Tiantian should have been afraid—because she found she could no longer mobilize spiritual energy. The cold of her Heavenly Yin Body was worsening, and after falling while trying to run forward, she no longer had the strength to get up.

But perhaps because she was about to be killed, she suddenly felt that gaze was strangely familiar.

In her previous life, she had a black cat named Xiao Hei. Because of a defect in its tail, Xiao Hei had been abandoned many times, passed from one owner to another, covered in illness, and finally thrown into a corner of a stairwell, barely clinging to life.

When Shu Tiantian crouched in front of it, Xiao Hei had that same look—vigilant, guarded, hateful, yet with an indescribable fierceness. It hissed hoarsely at her. Its broken paw was covered in wounds, yet it was like a little warrior who had barely survived.

Later, she tamed Xiao Hei with food. Every night it would wait for her after school to escort her home, like a little knight. If anyone followed her, Xiao Hei would hiss at them—once it had almost scratched someone until they bled. Fierce as it was, Shu Tiantian loved it dearly.

Although the giant dragon before her could not be compared to a small cat in any way—its ferocity utterly surpassed Xiao Hei—yet that gaze made Shu Tiantian instantly recall Xiao Hei lying wounded in the corridor back then, still fierce despite barely having half a breath left.

It was not that Shu Tiantian had grown tired of living. But since arriving in the Void Abyss, she had drifted alone and helpless. When humans are about to die, they always think about the things they cared about in life.

She thought she missed Xiao Hei a little. She also missed her grandfather a little.

She knew she would surely die and had already prepared herself mentally. When the immense shadow drew near, she instinctively closed her eyes.

The giant dragon raged. Its frenzied killing intent had completely clouded its mind. Pain, magnified endlessly by the baleful energy, churned within it, making it want only one thing—kill, kill, kill.

The blood-red dragon pupils proclaimed complete loss of control. Once such a being lost control, it was like a catastrophe that could shake the world.

But suddenly, an enticing scent drifted over—like food, yet not food. In the Void Abyss filled with yin-sha energy, it was like the only point of light.

As if approaching that point of light would make the churning pain cease, the boundless fury fall silent.

The blood-red dragon pupils locked tightly onto that tiny point of light.

A terrifying aura enveloped her. The ancient black dragon lowered its head, crimson eyes bearing immense pressure. Yet Shu Tiantian only felt warm breath surround her—something drew near, a moist warmth touched her—

It was her broken arm.

Shu Tiantian did not dare move. She did not dare open her eyes.

Its movements were extremely slow. Shu Tiantian thought—was it slowly licking her a few times before eating?

After waiting a long time without being devoured, Shu Tiantian finally could not help it. The moment she opened her eyes, she met those blood-red pupils. She froze. The dragon’s head loomed larger and larger, the ferocious broken horn drawing closer and closer.

He had already lost his reason. The boundless pain and shrieking of yin-sha energy made him unable to hear, unable to see. He instinctively approached the only point of light. He tasted the sweet scent of blood—it soothed his ferocious rage.

He could not hear, could not see—he only knew he wanted to approach, so he did.

So while Shu Tiantian had her eyes closed, fully believing she would be swallowed alive, the giant dragon’s ferocious, broken horn—

Rubbed against her.