Shi Zhao and Shuiyang followed closely behind Feng Ang.

As Feng Ang engaged in combat with Gu Tong, Lord Mu Yi decided to battle Shi Zhao and Shuiyang.

For a moment, storms raged across Gaoshang Land, rocks crumbled and the earth sank; Gaoshang Land was rendered a scene of devastation.

In Voidland Heavens.

Chengqi and his companions were being utterly overwhelmed; the disparity in strength between First Heaven and Third Heaven was too vast.

First Heaven was trapped, and the crisis in Gaoshang Land made it impossible to contact Second Heaven for reinforcements.

Today, Chengqi had an ominous feeling. He worriedly looked in the direction of Gaoshang Land, praying in his heart, “Shuiyang, you mustn’t do anything foolish!”

Shi Zhao and Shuiyang, utterly exhausted, narrowly managed to draw even with Lord Mu Yi.

Seeing that the barrier was about to shatter, Shuiyang closed her eyes briefly and then made her decision.

“Bai Qian, use the Xingxiu Token!”

Only then did Bai Qian remember the precious Xingxiu Token.

Bai Qian summoned the Xingxiu Token and recited the incantation.

“Stop her!” Gu Tong tried to rush over to interrupt Bai Qian but was obstructed by Feng Ang.

Ning Sang reacted a moment too late and was blasted away by the divine force emanating from the Xingxiu Token.

The Twenty-Eight Constellations knelt neatly before Bai Qian.

“Greetings, Master!”

Gu Tong sensed disaster and stopped entangling with Feng Ang, immediately joining the effort to break the barrier.

“The Twenty-Eight Constellations, heed my order: slay them!” Bai Qian pointed at Gu Tong and his men.

“At your command!” The mighty voices echoed, shaking the mountains and rivers.

Lord Mu Yi set up a formation to intercept the Xingxiu Army’s advance, only to be slain in a single move.

The Twenty-Eight Constellations quickly reached Gu Tong and his group’s location. Before his death, Gu Tong exerted his last strength to break the barrier.

Demonic Aura surged skyward, turning Gaoshang Land into a hellish landscape.

A black hole appeared in the sky, like a gaping abyss, threatening to swallow everything.

From within the black hole, countless evil spirits howled as they scrambled out, soon surrounding Bai Qian and the others.

“Slay the demons!” Bai Qian commanded, and the Xingxiu Army commenced their fierce battle.

Shuiyang lowered her head, divine light surrounding her, a divine mark appearing on her forehead. She summoned a sword as thin as a cicada’s wing and led the charge.

Shi Zhao’s black robes billowed as his curved blade whirled through the air, clearing a path above Shuiyang.

Bai Qian and Feng Ang coordinated flawlessly, although their skills were remarkable, the demons seemed endless.

Shuiyang knew very well that the black hole had to be closed and sealed again.

Reluctantly, Shuiyang glanced back at Shi Zhao, but he didn’t notice.

“Bai Qian, give me the Xingxiu Token!”

Bai Qian never doubted Shuiyang’s words; although she didn’t know what Shuiyang intended to do, if she asked for it, Bai Qian would surely provide.

Taking the Xingxiu Token, Shuiyang moved beneath the black hole and shouted back, “Bai Qian, use the Xingxiu Token to seal the barrier in a moment. You know the incantation, right?”

Bai Qian had learned the sealing technique as a child and naturally remembered the incantation.

“Yes, I do.” Only then did Bai Qian find it a bit strange. Why was Shuiyang asking her that?

Receiving Bai Qian’s affirmative answer, Shuiyang’s eyes turned resolute as she began to invoke the power of the Xingxiu Token.

“Wheel of Time, summon the Divine to a feast to quell the celestial calamity. Sacrifice the body, supplement the soul. Pray, let the deity’s might descend!”

Shuiyang and the Xingxiu Token rose into the air simultaneously, with the Xingxiu Token absorbing Shuiyang’s deity soul.

Bai Qian was stunned. Why was Shuiyang using the Xingxiu Token?

Previously, Bai Zhi had told Bai Qian that only those with the Bai Family’s bloodline could activate the Xingxiu Token. So why could Shuiyang…

Shi Zhao also sensed something was off at that moment. “Shuiyang! What are you doing?”

As Shuiyang’s body gradually became translucent, she didn’t mind and smiled brightly at the three of them.

“I’m leaving! Bai Qian, sacrificing myself for this cause is totally worth it!” Shuiyang continued to joke.

Hum—

That single sentence made Shi Zhao feel like his mind was about to explode, his heart suddenly stopped.

“Wha-what do you mean?” Shi Zhao stumbled towards Shuiyang, his face draining of color.

“Shi Zhao, thank you for keeping me company for so long. Actually, I was quite lonely by myself. Since you appeared, my life has been much more enjoyable. Now, you can reclaim your freedom today. You should be happy.”

A tear slid down from the corner of Shuiyang’s eye, yet she maintained that dazzling smile.

“No, don’t! Shuiyang, where are you going? Are you leaving me?” Shi Zhao’s voice trembled, his steps felt as heavy as lead as he struggled forward. It took all his effort to reach her, only to be repelled by an invisible force.

Shi Zhao desperately tried to break through, each attempt bouncing him back. Even covered in wounds, he refused to give up.

“Shuiyang, don’t, please don’t…” Shi Zhao gritted his teeth, tears streaming down like a fountain.

Shuiyang’s final words to Bai Qian were: “Bai Qian, remember to use the Xingxiu Token to reseal the Devil Clan. Don’t let my sacrifice be in vain. The Mortal Realm depends on you!”

Shuiyang transformed into countless stars, all merging into the Xingxiu Token. The token emitted a pillar of light that shot up to the sky. At that moment, Chengqi, who had just been saved by the Sun and Moon Chess, saw the light and trembled: “Shuiyang!” He immediately flew toward Gaoshang Land.

Both Second Heaven and Third Heaven witnessed this dazzling light pillar.

Sovereign Xiangti sighed deeply, filled with pity. “Who is it this time?”

When Chengqi and his group arrived, they saw Shi Zhao sitting lifelessly on the ground, and Feng Ang and Bai Qian embracing each other, their expressions sorrowful.

A sliver of dawn broke through the sky, the rain had stopped, and a rainbow arched across the heavens. Everything returned to stillness, save for the pockmarked ground and the ruins that told the tale of the fierce battle.

“Where’s Shuiyang? Where’s Shuiyang?”

Though he had guessed, Chengqi still didn’t want to believe it.

Hearing Chengqi’s voice, Shi Zhao slowly raised his head. The moment he saw Chengqi, rage filled his eyes. He grabbed Chengqi and started beating him furiously: “Why did you come so late? Why did you come so late?! She’s dead! She’s dead!!!”

Li Yan and Zhen Yin quickly stepped in to pull the distraught Shi Zhao off Chengqi, who then collapsed to the ground, covering his eyes with his hands.

“Why did it have to end this way?” Chengqi’s voice, neither too loud nor too soft, was heard by everyone.

Shi Zhao grabbed Chengqi again: “What do you mean? Are you hiding something from me?”

Chengqi was roughly pulled up by Shi Zhao. Taking a deep breath, Chengqi looked at Bai Qian.

Bai Qian was perplexed.

Li Yan and Zhen Yin were completely lost. They only understood one thing: Shuiyang was dead.

“Shi Zhao, what exactly happened?” Li Yan asked.

Feng Ang responded, “The barrier shattered. Shuiyang turned into a ball of light and merged into the Xingxiu Token, asking Qian’er to use it to seal the barrier.”

Zhen Yin was baffled, “Why did she need to enter the Xingxiu Token? Isn’t the token only operable by the Bai Family?”

Now, everyone’s gaze shifted to Bai Qian.

Bai Qian shook her head: “I don’t know. My parents only taught me the incantation for using the Xingxiu Token. They never mentioned anything about using it this way.”

“That’s because your parents didn’t tell you the whole truth,” Chengqi pushed Shi Zhao aside and walked toward Bai Qian.

“What do you mean?” Bai Qian felt a tight knot in her chest.

Chengqi explained, “The Xingxiu Token isn’t exclusive to the Bai Family. Any deity who knows the incantation can use it. However, to unleash its true power, it requires the deity soul of a deity as a catalyst, which means a sacrifice.”

In that moment, a dreadful realization began to form in Bai Qian’s mind, but she found it too cruel to accept.

“You’re lying! That’s impossible!” Bai Qian fiercely denied.

Chengqi did not argue further. He joined his fingers together and chanted an incantation, summoning the Xingxiu Token from where it lay on the ground.

The world seemed to spin around Bai Qian, making everything feel surreal. She then fainted.

“Who are you?” Bai Qian coldly asked the unfamiliar girl standing before her.

The girl smiled warmly, as gentle as the wind, “I’m Shuiyang, your daddy’s disciple.”

Bai Qian looked at her skeptically, clearly not believing her.

“How come I didn’t know that Daddy had a disciple?”

Shuiyang put a finger to her lips, “Shh! It’s supposed to be a secret!”

The scene changed, and Shuiyang pushed the Xingxiu Token toward Bai Qian, saying, “Returning it to its rightful owner.”

Bai Qian was puzzled, “Why do you have the Xingxiu Token?”

“Master set up an incantation. If he died, the Xingxiu Token would automatically return to me.”

“Why?”

Shuiyang shrugged, “Who knows?”

“By the way, I heard the deities were hunting you down. What’s going on?”

Shuiyang laughed, “They found out I had the Xingxiu Token and wanted it. I didn’t give it to them, so they tried to seize it. I had to run.”

“Why do they want the Xingxiu Token?”

“Because they’re nuts! Don’t pay any attention to them,” Shuiyang’s rant made Bai Qian laugh heartily.

Suddenly, the surroundings changed again.

It was Zipei Hall, but it looked like it did in the past.

“Master, who is she?” A young Shuiyang, held by Bai Zhi, stood at the entrance of Zipei Hall, peeking inside.

Following Shuiyang’s gaze, there sat a little girl, adorable and engrossed in a game of chess.

Bai Zhi looked down at Shuiyang and smiled, “She’s Bai Qian, my daughter. I wish to protect her forever, but I may not be able to.”

Young Shuiyang looked up, her wide, watery eyes blinking earnestly. “Master, don’t worry. I will protect her in the future.”

Bai Zhi didn’t say anything; he just patted Shuiyang’s head.

In the courtyard of Zipei Hall, the naive Shuiyang asked Bai Zhi, “Master, I’ve learned the incantation for the Xingxiu Token. Is there anything else I need to learn?”

Bai Zhi looked at her for a moment, then recited another spell: “The wheel of time turns, the Divine summons balance to counter the catastrophe. With the body as the sacrifice and the soul as the supplement, we pray for the deity’s might.”

Shuiyang asked, “Master, what does this mean?”

Bai Zhi stood up and clasped his hands behind his back. His tone became serious as he spoke to Shuiyang, “Shuiyang, remember every word that I am about to tell you. The incantation you learned earlier is for summoning the Xingxiu Token, but the spell I just recited is for truly unleashing its power. However, it requires one more condition.”

“What condition?” Shuiyang tilted her head.

“A sacrifice. The soul of a Deity must be offered to the Xingxiu Token to activate its power.”

——————————

Bai Qian woke up from her dream, drenched in sweat and pale-faced. She knew that everything in the dream was true.

Turning her head, she saw the Xingxiu Token lying on the bedside table.

She grabbed the Xingxiu Token, quickly dressed, and headed straight for the Voidland Heavens.

Chengqi and Feng Ang were discussing matters when Bai Qian barged in, anger radiating from her. No one could stop her.

“Chengqi, I have something to ask you!”

Ignoring Feng Ang, she looked piercingly at Chengqi.

Chengqi had anticipated Bai Qian’s arrival. He waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave. Feng Ang was reluctant but Chengqi did not insist.

“Go ahead, ask your question.”

Bai Qian threw the Xingxiu Token onto Chengqi’s desk. “Did you know about the Xingxiu Token all along?”

“Yes,” Chengqi responded straightforwardly.

Chengqi had overheard it. He had eavesdropped when Bai Zhi was teaching Shuiyang.

One day, Chengqi accidentally discovered that Shuiyang possessed the Xingxiu Token. He wanted to ask her for it, but she refused, leading to the chase in the Mortal Realm involving Human Deities.

“So my father…” Bai Qian’s voice choked up. The truth was like a knife to her heart. “My father took Shuiyang as a disciple intending for her to die in my place, didn’t he?”

Feng Ang was stunned by her words.

Outside the hall, Shi Zhao felt a pang in his heart.

Chengqi’s silence was the best answer.

Bai Qian took a few steps back and nearly lost her footing. Feng Ang rushed to support her.

Her throat was dry and sore, tears streaming down her face like pearls on a broken string. Her heart felt as if it was being cut by a knife, suffocating and overwhelmed.

From the moment Bai Zhi accepted Shuiyang as a disciple, he had been paving the way for Bai Qian. He could spend all his effort cultivating someone, teaching her everything about the Xingxiu Token, and what it meant to prioritize the greater good. He showed her how to be a noble Deity, instilling in her a heart full of compassion and gratitude towards her master. All so that she would be willing to die in place of her master’s daughter…

Bai Qian sat dazed in the courtyard of Zipei Hall, staring at the unfinished chess game. It felt as if Shuiyang was still there, making her usual lighthearted remarks, playing her unconventional game, and proudly boasting, “I won again! Where’s my wine?”

And then Bai Qian would cheat, feign ignorance, and pretend not to hear until Shuiyang, always lenient, would share her wine, and they’d drink together.

“Shuiyang, I want to steal your wine. Aren’t you going to stop me?” A tear fell onto the chessboard. The girl with the smile that bloomed like a flower was gradually fading away, disappearing with a breeze, leaving nothing behind.

Third Heaven.

Bai Qian tossed the Xingxiu Token to Xiangti.

Xiangti opened his white eyes lazily, watching the token fall to the table. “Why such a fiery temper?”

Bai Qian abandoned all formalities and addressed Xiangti by name. “Xiangti, I don’t want the Xingxiu Token anymore. Give it to whoever you like. Also, take care of the Second and Third Heavens. Most of those fooled by the Devil Clan in this war were deities from your Second and Third Heavens. You know why they collaborated with the devils. The disorder in the Heavenly Realm is on your head, Deity Sovereign!”

“How dare you speak disrespectfully to the Deity Sovereign!” Other deities in the Great Hall couldn’t stand it and compelled her to stop.

Xiangti raised his hand. “Stand down. Let her speak.”

Bai Qian continued, “I refuse the titles of Lord Xijing and Lord Xingxiu. From now on, I, Bai Qian, will temporarily hold the position of Human Deity of the First Heaven. I will only oversee the Mortal Realm. Whatever chaos you create in the Heavenly Realm is none of my concern, as long as it doesn’t affect the Mortal Realm. But if any of you cross the boundary, I will kill without hesitation!”

Bai Qian threw her harsh words, turned gracefully, and her robe flew dramatically in the air. Suddenly, Xiangti called out to her.

“Is the Mortal Realm really that much better?”

Bai Qian stopped, lifted her head, and her dark, bright eyes reflected the distant blue sky and white clouds—colors of peace and tranquility. At that moment, Bai Qian began to understand why Shuiyang loved staying in the Mortal Realm.

“The Mortal Realm is vibrant and full of life. Everyone has feelings, extraordinary stories, and the courage to love and hate boldly. Their souls are pure!”

With those words, Bai Qian flew out of the Third Heaven and headed straight for the Mortal Realm.

Xiangti smirked, glanced down at the Xingxiu Token that everyone despised, and sighed, “I guess this Deity Sovereign has indeed been idle for too long. It’s time to clean up the Heavenly Realm.”

A thousand years later, in the Mortal Realm.

Feng Ang and Bai Qian were chasing down a wolf demon. The demon had devoured many people and even wiped out an entire village. Today, Bai Qian was determined to capture him.

Shi Zhao suddenly appeared, blocking the demon’s path.

“Wolf demon, how dare you cause havoc in the Mortal Realm? Do you think an Earth Deity like me is just for show?”

Bai Qian and Feng Ang caught up, trapping the demon.

Bai Qian stepped forward, her expression fierce. “Wolf demon, I’ve warned you before—the Mortal Realm is my territory. Anyone from the other two realms must answer to me if they want to cross over. You’ve killed so many; it’s time you paid with your life!”

With ease, Bai Qian struck down the wolf demon. But it seemed someone had witnessed this scene and accidentally fell off the cliff.

“Be careful!” Shi Zhao quickly saved the person, grabbing their hand and pulling them up.

“Are you alr—” He turned his head, but the last two words got stuck in his throat.

The girl wore a red dress, her eyes filled with fear, her thin red lips trembling as she stood there.

Feng Ang and Bai Qian approached, equally stunned upon seeing the girl.

The wind howled, the grass grew lush, and the birds sang—the familiar landscapes and familiar face made Shi Zhao’s turquoise eyes well with tears. He curved his lips and softly said, “You’re back.”

The girl raised her eyes, and in her watery gaze, she saw him…

[The End]