After centuries of preparation, Gong Xue finally amassed her forces, leading an army into the Far West Land.

At the gates of the Qingjue Sect, various demons and fiends stormed in with ferocity. The news of the sacked mountain gate soon reached Liao Sixin and Immortal Meng Yi, who were seated in the main hall.

They immediately assembled all disciples and activated the Mountain Guardian Array.

On the Qingjue Sect square, Liao Sixin saw Gong Xue again. Gong Xue swayed the wine gourd in her hand, took a sip with her head tilted back, then hung it on her waist. As she looked up, she noticed Immortal Meng Yi and Liao Sixin. The three began to fight.

Dealing with Liao Sixin was easy, but Immortal Meng Yi’s desperate resistance continually thwarted Gong Xue. Although Gong Xue had become a deity, she was merely at the First Heaven level, and couldn’t match up to the Third Heaven deity.

In a moment of crisis, Gong Xue had no choice but to call upon all her power to forcibly raise her magic, achieving a stalemate with Immortal Meng Yi.

Both suffered severe injuries. Liao Sixin was astounded by Gong Xue’s current strength and regretted not eliminating her before.

With sheer determination, Gong Xue was the last one standing. The entire Qingjue Sect had fallen to her forces, leaving only Liao Sixin and Immortal Meng Yi.

With Immortal Meng Yi severely injured and Liao Sixin’s strength almost depleted, Gong Xue thought victory was within her grasp. However, Liao Sixin began chanting a summoning incantation. Suddenly, the sky darkened, and from the black clouds, a beam of white light appeared, and a Divine being descended.

“Greetings, Lord Zhuo Mu!”

Meng Yi and Liao Sixin knelt respectfully.

Zhuo Mu remained as proud and indolent as ever. He opened his eyes, and an overwhelming pressure caused everyone on the ground to bow. Gong Xue knelt on one knee, barely managing to lift her head, stubbornly glaring at Zhuo Mu’s radiant divine halo above her.

Immortal Meng Yi removed the jade pendant from her waist and presented it to Zhuo Mu with both hands, speaking reverently, “My Lord, everything you instructed has been completed. Please help us kill this woman.”

A flicker of delight crossed Zhuo Mu’s haughty gaze. “Very well, as you wish!”

Zhuo Mu waved his hand, and the people behind Gong Xue dissipated into soul fragments. Gong Xue shouted, trying to stop him. In a desperate move, she used her father’s deity soul-infused teleportation spell to send one last small group away, exhausting all her strength in the process.

Seeing Gong Xue’s unwavering determination, a hint of admiration flickered in Zhuo Mu’s eyes. He considered recruiting Gong Xue, but her unyielding nature proved too rigid. With a mere flick of his fingers, Gong Xue’s deity soul scattered. Liao Sixin suggested casting Gong Xue into Gaoshang Land, letting the demons feast on her remains.

Zhuo Mu opened the portal to Gaoshang Land. In her final struggle, Gong Xue lunged at Meng Yi but was ultimately struck into Gaoshang Land by Zhuo Mu.

It was only afterwards that Meng Yi realized the jade pendant was missing.

…

Inside Gaoshang Land.

Gong Xue’s shattered deity soul spread like scattered sparks, consumed by demons.

The last fragment was about to drift away when suddenly, someone pressed it back into Gong Xue’s body.

In a deep and secluded valley, a gentle breeze rustled, breaking the eerie stillness.

The clear sound of dripping water echoed. Gong Xue’s brows furrowed as she slowly regained consciousness. The interwoven branches and leaves of trees came into view first, followed by a sharp dizziness. The intense light fragments stung her eyes.

The echoing drops of water became the abrupt serenade of the place.

Gong Xue moved slowly, a severe pain radiating to her chest, making her breathing heavy.

With great effort, Gong Xue managed to stand up.

“Don’t bother. You’re down to your last fragment of soul. Staying alive is already a miracle.”

“Who’s there?” Gong Xue warily looked towards the voice.

Under a towering, crooked tree, a man who looked like a wild hermit sat, greedily drinking from Gong Xue’s wine gourd.

“That’s my wine!”

Gong Xue quickly checked herself. Her clothes were the same, but they were stained with blood and mud, with several tears from the battle.

“Don’t worry, I only took your wine, hadn’t touched you!” The man spoke lazily.

Gong Xue felt something in her hand. Opening it, she found the jade pendant she had stolen from Meng Yi.

Gong Xue remembered that this item was meant for the Divine; it must be very important.

The man saw the jade pendant in her hand and became excited. “How do you have this? What’s Meng Yi to you?”

Gong Xue swiftly hid the pendant behind her, sizing up the man, trying to gather useful information: “Tell me, where is this place, and who are you?”

The man seemed to realize his slip, coldly sneered, and reverted to his dismissive demeanor. But he still answered Gong Xue’s questions.

“This is within Gaoshang Land. As for me? Just a cripple!”

Gong Xue gritted her teeth, deeply unwilling to accept her defeat.

She asked again, “What about my body now?”

“Your deity soul has scattered, your Immortal Power is completely lost, and you have only one fragment of your soul left. No matter how powerful you were before, now you can’t even defeat an ordinary mortal.”

The man tilted his head back and took a swig of wine.

Gong Xue glimpsed his face partially obscured by his hair and felt a pang of familiarity. After a moment of contemplation, she remembered him—a fallen Deity Lord, Mu Xian, who had been struck into Gaoshang Land by three bolts of Heavenly Punishment descended by his own wife.

Gong Xue sneered at herself, finding it all quite laughable.

Back then, she had witnessed his pathetic state firsthand, and now, how much better off was she?

Thinking of the hundred lives of the Gong Family, the hundred years of effort, and Liao Sixin’s revolting face, Gong Xue refused to simply collapse and admit defeat.

Clenching the jade pendant in her hand, she resolved to rise again, to overcome adversity. She still had two hundred years left, and if needed, she would start from scratch.

Mu Xian observed Gong Xue’s expression transform from hatred, to unwillingness, to firm resolve, and scoffed, continuing to drink indifferently.

Gong Xue fixed her gaze on him, a cunning thought forming in her mind. Hanging the jade pendant at her waist, she steadied herself and walked over, offering a wry smile.

Mu Xian was unsure of her intentions. Gong Xue snatched the wine gourd from his hand.

“You…” Mu Xian reached to grab it back, but Gong Xue hid it in her clothes, raising an eyebrow with a sly smile.

“Lord Mu Xian! Want some wine?”

Mu Xian was mildly surprised that she recognized him. He stared at her without speaking.

Gong Xue continued, “You’ve been stuck here for so many years, haven’t you forgotten the taste of wine? Let’s make a deal. You help me get out, and I’ll give you wine. How about that?”

Mu Xian offered her a grudging smile and stood up, walking away.

Gong Xue was not one to give up easily.

In the following days, she either pestered Mu Xian or tried to repair her fragmented deity soul, making several futile attempts.

Gong Xue drank in front of Mu Xian to tempt him, constantly asking him about ways to restore her deity soul, how to leave Gaoshang Land, and whether he wanted to leave together.

Mu Xian grew increasingly annoyed with her pestering.

Half a month later.

The two had become more familiar with each other and their conversations grew more blunt.

During this time, Gong Xue finally learned the truth about what had happened all those years ago.

Mu Xian and Meng Yi had come to the Mortal Realm and met Liao Sixin. Unexpectedly, Liao Sixin conspired with Meng Yi to betray Mu Xian. Liao Sixin’s goal was to obtain the Gong Family’s Cloudstrike Cannon. He approached Gong Xue to get it, and after obtaining the Cloudstrike Cannon, he used it against Mu Xian. Afraid the Gong Family would expose his deeds and seeking to eliminate all threats, he slaughtered the entire Gong Family and framed Mu Xian for it—killing two birds with one stone.

Betrayed by his own wife, Mu Xian had been a complete failure as a Deity.

In comparison, Gong Xue also felt like a failure—a failed daughter, a failed lady, a failed member of the Gong Family!

Though Gong Xue knew Mu Xian’s identity, Mu Xian did not know who Gong Xue was or her involvement in the events.

Gong Xue lay on a small dilapidated boat, gazing up at the clear, pitch-black sky. The stream they floated on was called Nansheng Dream.

The boat gently swayed as Mu Xian, sitting at the bow, began to speak about the origins of this stream.