Chapter 379: Fog Fills the Courtyard Old Matters and New Accounts

Severance City.

An unsettling light glowed in the sky.

The light spread out like a water stain, making the thin sky look like a piece of white paper stained with dirty water, ready to tear with a light scratch of a fingernail.

This was no mere metaphor, for Severance City was itself contained within the Secret Scripture of Mountains, Seas, and Shifting Currents—the book-world of the former Headless God. The world was merely connected pages.

On a desolate mountain far from Severance City, 'Shao Xiaoli' floated lightly, holding a jade branch that emitted a soft white glow.

Bai Zang's body also drifted between heaven and earth nearby.

"Was this modified by the 'World' authority? Suzaku has indeed betrayed us," Bai Zang said, looking up at the high sky.

Shao Xiaoli's eyes shimmered like moonlight. At this moment, she was temporarily possessed by Ye Changong, and the words spoken from her lips were the clear, ethereal voice of her master.

Speaking through Shao Xiaoli's body, Ye Changong said, "One cannot betray what one has never sworn allegiance to."

Bai Zang asked indifferently, "I still don't understand why Suzaku was willing to entrust Xi He's divine soul to you. What exactly did you promise her?"

Ye Changong countered, "What do you think I could promise her?"

"I don't know Suzaku," Bai Zang said, "but I know she has coveted Xi He's true abilities for many years."

As for Xi He's true abilities, that was a great secret among the State Lords, one they kept hidden from each other, so Bai Zang had no way of knowing.

Ye Changong, of course, would not tell her, merely stating calmly, "Suzaku is not like you."

"Of course not," Bai Zang said icily. "Suzaku first betrayed the Six Gods, and now she betrays the Heavenly Dao. Although I don't know the specifics of your agreement, one day, you too will be betrayed."

Ye Changong's voice was thin as mist: "I don't care. You know my goal has never been you, nor any of the State Lords."

Bai Zang knew her intention: she wanted to overthrow the Heavenly Dao and prevent the advent of the Black Sun.

This was something Ju Fu had attempted before and failed.

Bai Zang did not feel insulted, merely stating coldly, "If you had spoken these words five hundred years ago, I might have feared you. But now, they only invite ridicule."

Ye Changong said, "Your arrogance stems from your self-proclaimed omniscience, which has been the downfall of many deities."

Bai Zang remained silent.

They appeared to be merely conversing, yet between them, beautiful sparks occasionally erupted—blooming on their shoulders one moment, dissipating around their skirts the next. These were rare wonders, truly fitting their beauty.

This was the unseen clash of their authorities.

More remarkably, with each step they took, the high mountains and snowy rivers they passed over imperceptibly shrank. The sprawling mountain ranges, once undulating with gentle peaks, slowly flattened from their perspective.

It was as if the world was being pressed into a book, transforming into scrolls of mountains and seas.

Bai Zang gazed down and said, "Your third disciple's sword must have originated from this, then?"

Ye Changong hummed in acknowledgment, her voice serene. "Do you also covet this item?"

Bai Zang rarely smiled, and this particular smile held an ineffable arrogance: "Over the past thousand years, all gods have fallen, and powerful enemies are dead. You, too, are merely alone. Under heaven, everything is mine. Why would I covet anything?"

Ye Changong gazed silently at the gradually flattening mountains and rivers below.

She gently held the moon branch, her figure suspended in mid-air like a brilliant beam of moonlight.

"Two years ago, the Sinful Sovereign came here and was defeated by my disciple. Today will be no different," Ye Changong said.

Bai Zang looked up at the chaotic and hollow sky, saying, "Disciple? Heh, can you truly call him 'disciple' with a clear conscience?"

Ye Changong replied, "I don't care."

Bai Zang said, "You don't care? He did so much for you, only to be driven to a dead end by the gods and ultimately killed by Yuan Fu. Do you truly not care?"

Bai Zang turned her head, her delicate and indifferent face seemingly sculpted from frost and snow. Her silvery hair billowed around her, and though her lips remained still, her voice was like the biting wind and sharp blades descending from the sky. She asked again:

"Or are you deceiving yourself, Immortal Monarch Heng'e!"

Immortal Monarch Heng'e.

As Ye Changong heard this ancient title, a fleeting nostalgia flickered in her moonlight-filled eyes.

This was her divine title from the era when the Dark Lord first arrived, shrouding the heavens, and gods, demons, and ancient immortals clashed in the mortal realm.

Yet many ancient gods from the primordial era did not know that before she was Immortal Monarch Heng'e, she had been Chang Xi, the Mistress of the Lunar Palace.

In the age when the Dark Lord first descended, true light and the starry sky were obscured. Through a loophole in the Sea of Reincarnation, they formed bonds, reincarnated as humans, and gradually awakened their divinity within mortal bodies, throwing themselves into that earth-shattering divine war, attempting to change everything.

Though in the end, they met a catastrophic defeat.

For her, that defeat was an event from over three thousand five hundred years ago.

"It's been a long time since anyone called me that," Ye Changong said.

She was Chang Xi, she was Ye Changong, she was the Abstruse Lord, and she was once Immortal Monarch Heng'e.

"No one has forgotten you," Bai Zang said. "We haven't, and your stories have continuously circulated among mortals."

Ye Changong chuckled softly, "Chang'e fleeing to the moon?"

In some places, due to naming taboos, the character 'Heng' was avoided, and she was called Chang'e.

This was the most famous story Ye Changong left behind in the world.

"Indeed," Bai Zang said, looking at the withered branch in her hand. "Back then, there were many rumors. Some said you and he were killed by Yuan Fu, others said you hid in the Earth's core, but the most widely told story was that you fled to the moon..."

Ye Changong said, "They are all just stories."

"Yes, you truly are clever," Bai Zang said, her calm words seeming to contain boiling silver. "The story of Chang'e fleeing to the moon was so famous that many gods, including myself, actually believed it. You deceived us for thousands of years..."

Ye Changong lowered her head, silent, lost in thought.

Bai Zang continued, "Three thousand five hundred years ago, after Yi died and Yuan Fu became the first to achieve godhood, a chaotic era of several centuries followed, with countless spirits vying for divinity. Back then, we all thought you were long dead and had no time to care, until five hundred years ago, during the Divine War, you suddenly reappeared..."

"These three thousand years represent a blank discontinuity in your existence, which is why I am incredibly curious: where exactly did you go during those three millennia?"

Bai Zang stared at her, asking indifferently.

Ye Changong did not answer, instead counter-questioning, "Why don't you believe the legend of me fleeing to the moon?"

Bai Zang's silvery hair floated like mist. Space itself was sealed by her, shattering into countless ice crystals that gathered within her sleeves. "The sky has long been sealed. If you had the ability to leave, how could you have died at Yuan Fu's hands back then? In truth, you never left the mortal realm, did you?"

The sky had already been sealed. The Kunlun Divine Pillars were something Ye Changong had taken the opportunity to establish five hundred years ago, when the Sage initiated the Divine War, throwing heaven and earth into chaos.

Ye Changong coughed softly, her face growing paler.

A wind blew from ahead—the wind of time. It brushed against their cheeks, invariably evoking a multitude of melancholic emotions.

They appeared to be casually conversing, but as they spoke, they moved further and further from the ground, drawing closer and closer to the sky.

Bai Zang was attempting to ascend to the sky, break through the void realm, and reach the Headless God's divine kingdom.

And Ye Changong was continuously obstructing her.

They did not draw swords against each other, but rather clashed with the pure force of their authorities.

Her authorities were being 'sealed' one by one.

After obtaining Tian Zang's divine heart, Bai Zang's divine power had reached new heights. Meanwhile, Ye Changong had expended too much energy reversing heaven and earth for twelve years. With one gaining and the other diminishing, she seemed unable to stop Bai Zang's advance.

"Even if the story of fleeing to the moon and ascending is false, what does it matter?" Despite clearly retreating, Ye Changong's voice remained calm and unwavering.

"It matters little," Bai Zang said, ascending step by step. The ground grew flatter and flatter, and the sky drew nearer. "All you did was suddenly appear and create this Headless God, which instilled fear in the divine hearts. It is indeed impressive, but that's all it is."

Bai Zang paused, then sighed deeply: "What can this change? Even if there were still eleven divine kingdoms, even if Yi and Xi He were still young, even if the Sage was about to die, and you were weak—the defiant ones of that era have all grown old. The sun has set, the Dark Sun is coming, and futile struggles are meaningless. All of you should die."

Her words, a mix of pride and nostalgia, grew louder and louder, echoing in the thin air of the sky.

Along with them echoed Ye Changong's coughs.

She was indeed extremely weak.

Had she not secretly wounded Bai Zang with a sword earlier, Bai Zang might have already reached the void realm.

The wind of time continued to blow incessantly.

In their current location, time flowed dozens of times faster than in the outside world.

Bai Zang's 'year' had yet another month to pass.

For her, that was already sufficient.

Ye Changong continuously wielded her authority, attempting to block Bai Zang's path, but Bai Zang's 'Sealing' ability, which had even merged with much of Tian Zang's 'Collapse' power, extinguished Ye Changong's authority again and again.

Ye Changong's ethereal face was as white as snow, and the slender moon outlined behind her grew even more indistinct. Yet, she remained perfectly calm: "Everything is still within my trajectory. You still have time to leave now."

"An ancient stratagem like the 'Empty Fort' trick won't work on me," Bai Zang said, extinguishing her authority once more. "The Lunar Palace's authority is too gentle. I find it hard to imagine how you killed the Headless God back then."

The Lunar Palace's authority was 'Dreams'.

When night fell, the pervasive moonlight became the dream realm of the entire mortal world.

Ye Changong said, "The Seventh God's authority is Life, the Lunar Palace's authority is Dreams, and the Solar Ancient Kingdom's authority is Ever-Brightness... Before you caused chaos, the world was inherently gentle."

Unfortunately, protecting a kingdom cannot rely on gentleness, but on strength.

Ye Changong's 'Dreams' grew increasingly tenuous, like the moon becoming increasingly unnoticeable in the sky as dawn approached.

Bai Zang recalled, "Back then, you gained the recognition of the Ancient Lunar Palace, and the Dark Lord regarded you as someone who must be eliminated. I once thought you would truly change something."

Ye Changong smiled faintly.

The recognition of the Ancient Lunar Palace... Of course, she recognized herself.

The sky drew closer and closer, and the flow of time became increasingly apparent.

Behind the chaotic firmament, a corner of the void realm's shadow had already emerged—an infinitely spreading darkness.

As they reminisced about the past, they walked toward the sky, just like the legendary story of Chang'e fleeing to the moon.

Yet, this story abruptly halted.

Ye Changong held the moon branch, covering her lips. Her ethereal figure shimmered in and out of view on Shao Xiaoli's body. Xiaoli's lips moved in the air, and shrouded in moonlight, she, who was once the Luo River Goddess, now radiated unparalleled beauty.

Bai Zang's eyes grew brighter.

She believed she understood and smiled: "So you've finally decided to make a move... Time flows faster here, so you intend to prolong my 'year,' don't you? This must be the same tactic Yi used against the Sinful Sovereign back then, wasn't it?"

Bai Zang would not allow the same tactic to succeed again.

Ye Changong's silhouette, with her dark hair and white robes, resembled the slender crescent moon, looking frail and ailing.

She held the moon branch and gently swept it. Silver light, like flowing water, spread out, enveloping the sky.

"I merely don't want to harm the people below," Ye Changong said.

Bai Zang watched her silently and said, "They are all Yi's descendants, aren't they? So, you awakened over a thousand years ago..."

"Yes, I have been awake for a long time."

As Ye Changong spoke, her demeanor subtly changed, and her already ethereal figure became even more insubstantial.

Bai Zang looked at her, nodding. "You have indeed assimilated the Headless God's authority."

This was no secret; she had already figured it out.

Unfortunately, the authority was incomplete.

Bai Zang's slender body tensed.

Around her, space and time were sealed, and the collapsing void enveloped her. She was like a snow-white fish, floating there, with every swirling fragment around her a blade she could wield.

Ye Changong no longer answered her.

She stared at the moon branch with immense focus.

This was her sword.

It had been many, many years since she had truly held a sword, yet she had never forgotten these sword techniques.

She gently swung her sword, and moonlight, like silver, sliced across the sky.

In the sky above Severance City, which had been silent for two years, this unknown divine battle quietly began.

In the human realm, the sun and moon rotated, and day and night alternated.

Ning Changjiu and Si Ming flew through the sky. As the sun rose and set, their figures beneath the vast firmament did not appear lonely.

The world was astonishingly quiet, with no further sounds emanating.

The outcome of the battle between Ji Xuan, Nine Spirit Holy King, Bai Ze, and the Sword Saint was unknown.

Si Ming attempted to sense the world, only confirming that they had fled northeast.

That was in the direction of the Soaring Sea Tower.

Of the four divine towers between heaven and earth, apart from Third Senior Brother's Divine Painting Tower, the other three—Luoshu, Ethereal, and Soaring Sea—all received orders from the Heavenly Dao.

If the Sword Saint managed to escape to the Soaring Sea Tower, this pursuit would likely end fruitlessly.

But this was no longer Ning Changjiu's concern.

At this moment, he only wished to quickly hand the Yu Lei Sword to Xiaoling, help her retrieve her body, then resolve his regrets with Si Ming, before heading to Nanzhou, returning to Severance City, and fulfilling his promise to his master.

Since entering the Central Plains, he had never stopped his arduous journey.

Si Ming was equally worried about these matters.

Apart from that, she was quite bothered by being completely suppressed by Zhao Xiang'er two days prior. Although Si Ming was grateful for her timely appearance, for the past two years, she had always considered Zhao Xiang'er an enemy of the Great Dao. Now, repeatedly calling her "enemy sister" felt incredibly uncomfortable.

"Ning Changjiu!" Si Ming said coldly.

"What's wrong?" Ning Changjiu was slightly startled.

Si Ming said, "Tell me the story of you and her in your previous lives."

She wanted to find some of Zhao Xiang'er's weaknesses.

Ning Changjiu paused, then asked tentatively, "Which version do you want to hear?"

"..." Si Ming took a deep breath, annoyed. "Are you still trying to trick me with fake stories?"

Ning Changjiu said with a hint of apology, "They are all very distant events. I can't recall them clearly, and there are many conflicting accounts, so I don't know which version is true and which is false."

Si Ming looked at him with a hint of distrust and asked, "Though you're not much now, your past self must have been a hero. Given Zhao Xiang'er's terrible personality, what exactly did you like about her?"

Ning Changjiu pondered for a moment, then counter-questioned, "Then what do you like about me?"

"I..." Si Ming was speechless. Frowning with indignation, she said, "You only know how to bully me! If you're so brave, go challenge Zhao Xiang'er!"

Ning Changjiu said, "Then you go question Xiang'er."

The two exchanged a glance, sharing a sense of mutual plight.

Si Ming secretly thought that if she ever had the chance, she would definitely write a new version of the legends to tarnish their past!

For these three days, they had barely rested, traveling through wind and dew, hurrying on their way.

Si Ming pursed her lips, pondering many things.

Each time they faced life-or-death separation, she could clearly see her true feelings and secretly vowed that if they survived the ordeal, she would surely express them.

But once the crisis passed, Si Ming's emotions would become complicated again.

She didn't consider this girlish shyness; she called this psychological state the 'intangibility of a deity'.

Hand in hand, they swept across the vast sky.

On the morning of the third day, the outline of the Ancient Spirit Sect finally appeared before their eyes.

Si Ming and Ning Changjiu exchanged a smile, both feeling immensely relieved.

To them, the Ancient Spirit Sect was merely a temporary home in a foreign land, but after dwelling there in winter and months of arduous travel, they had come to regard it as their true home.

After long journeys and wanderings, they were finally returning home. Their chaotic emotions were swept away by the morning breeze, gradually settling into tranquility.

They arrived at the entrance of the Ancient Spirit Sect.

The Ancient Spirit Sect was enveloped in morning mist. Its walls were still intact, and its buildings were still orderly, suggesting that nothing untoward had happened, which further put their minds at ease.

They quietly landed outside the iron chain bridge.

They gazed at each other for a moment. Their clasped hands, which had been held loosely, separated temporarily after a moment of hesitation, and they walked side-by-side onto the large bridge spanning the Serene Moon Lake.

When the knock on the door of the Nine Nether Hall sounded, Lu Jiajia was sweeping flowers in the courtyard.

Petals, laden with dew, dampened her skirt.

Lu Jiajia's figure was indescribably graceful and beautiful.

She had also been waiting for them.

The knock suddenly sounded, and Lu Jiajia's movements stilled.

The morning mist in the courtyard slowly dispersed.

The door slowly opened.

Lu Jiajia looked up, her clear eyes gazing blankly ahead.

"What took you so long to come back?" Lu Jiajia asked softly, her eyes curving into a smile as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking at the young man and woman standing outside the door.

Ning Changjiu looked at Lu Jiajia's familiar figure, recalling their many previous separations and reunions, and his eyes welled up slightly.

Lu Jiajia stood in the misty courtyard, her dark hair contrasting with her white robes, her figure graceful and slender. For the past few months, she had been cultivating in seclusion here. The mature charm of a newlywed wife, which she had acquired during her time with Ning Changjiu, had been washed away by her quiet contemplation. Now, she was even more exquisitely beautiful, dignified, and elegant, her gentle smile imbued with an ineffable serenity and tenderness, just as she had been upon their first meeting in the autumn rain.

"I've kept you waiting, Jiajia," Ning Changjiu said with a smile. "We encountered many things on our journey; I can tell you all about them later."

Lu Jiajia looked at them, then at their hands, which subtly touched, and asked with a faint smile, "Is it perhaps good news?"

Ning Changjiu and Si Ming, feeling guilty, both lowered their heads.

Si Ming pursed her lips, hesitating. "What are you talking about, Little Sister Jiajia?"

Lu Jiajia smiled faintly, a mix of joy and sorrow in her eyes. She turned gently and said, "Didn't Sister Xueci pretty much say everything that was on her mind in that dream? Are you still trying to trick me?"

Si Ming's lips parted slightly. "You... you knew too?"

Lu Jiajia, her back to them, said, "I'm not a fool. How could a dream like that just be a dream?"

Si Ming glanced at Ning Changjiu in a slight panic, as if complaining that Jiajia had also become clever.

Ning Changjiu looked at Si Ming and sighed helplessly.

Lu Jiajia stood at the doorway, her hand resting on the wooden door. She turned her head, her clear eyes narrowed slightly, and looked at Ning Changjiu. "I guessed about you and Sister Xueci when you left the Ancient Spirit Sect, so there's nothing to explain there. But you'd better properly explain the matter with Liu Xiwang. If you can't make it clear, your master here will have to use the discipline ruler."

"Liu Xiwang..." Ning Changjiu was slightly startled.

Si Ming's delicate brows furrowed, and she also questioned, "Liu Xiwang? That girl from the Sword Pavilion? What about her? Didn't you say you had nothing to do with her?"

Ning Changjiu quickly walked to Lu Jiajia's side, protesting his innocence repeatedly. "There's really nothing between me and Liu Xiwang. You don't know her identity, do you? She is the spirit of the Heavenly Edict Sword Scripture. When I was in Severance City earlier, she was very supportive of me marrying you, Jiajia."

"A spirit..." Lu Jiajia was also somewhat shocked. "How can you get involved with just anyone?"

Ning Changjiu explained, "No, it's just because she's an old acquaintance, so we're more familiar. Besides... Liu Xiwang also really likes you, Jiajia."

"Likes me?" Lu Jiajia looked at Ning Changjiu, her voice cool. "Xiang'er likes me, Xueci likes me, and even the spirit of the sword scripture likes me... Hmm, their ways of liking me are remarkably consistent, aren't they?"

Ning Changjiu looked into Lu Jiajia's eyes, feeling deeply guilty. He wanted to say something, but then he heard the sound of the door being pushed open.

Lu Jiajia said softly, "Alright, it's good that you've returned safely. Now I can worry less... Come inside. Xiaoling and I have missed you both very much."

The light from the doorway embraced them.

"Have you retrieved the authority?" Lu Jiajia asked.

Ning Changjiu smiled. "Yes, we got it back. Xueci and I went through quite a bit of trouble, but it was ultimately without mishap."

Lu Jiajia's last lingering worry dissipated. She stood by the table, her eyes smiling, and gently opened her arms to hug Ning Changjiu, saying, "Our sect is poor, so I can only reward my husband with a hug."

"This is the best reward," Ning Changjiu said, hugging her tightly. He felt that all the hardships and grievances endured on their journey were worth it.

Si Ming watched the two embracing, feeling a little uncomfortable. She cleared her throat twice and sat down at the table.

Lu Jiajia looked at Si Ming and smiled. "Didn't Sister Xueci promise not to steal my husband from me? Why are you trying to trick me now?"

Si Ming clenched her slender fingers and said, "I... I was helping you share your burdens. I often heard you begging for mercy at night, and this elder sister couldn't bear it."

"Ah..." Lu Jiajia was slightly startled, her composure faltering. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she said indignantly, "Xueci, how dare you..."

Si Ming watched her frantic expression, regaining some ground, and finally burst into laughter.

Ning Changjiu, wanting to mediate, looked at the sword hanging on the wall and changed the subject: "Luckily, we won Liu Junzhuo's sword back then. Otherwise, the previous battle would have been much more difficult."

Lu Jiajia was slightly surprised. "You encountered Liu Junzhuo?"

Ning Changjiu nodded and asked, "What's wrong?"

Lu Jiajia said, "Liu Junzhuo... she came to retrieve her sword before, and it was she who told me about Liu Xiwang."

Ning Changjiu and Si Ming were both astonished.

Si Ming asked, "Why didn't she take the sword?"

Lu Jiajia said, "She challenged me to three sword duels. She couldn't defeat me, and, honoring her wager, she left."

Si Ming's expression trembled. She thought, *Could Jiajia have also entered the Fifth Path...? No way...*

Lu Jiajia smiled. "Fortunately, Liu Junzhuo limited herself to the peak of the Violet Court Realm; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to withstand her."

"I see," Si Ming said, relieved.

Ning Changjiu was about to ask about the details of that battle when their voices startled Xiaoling, who was still asleep.

Xiaoling's tail twitched slightly, and she blinked her drowsy eyes open, her curled body slowly uncoiling.

She looked at the shifting shadows in the room, thinking she was dreaming.

Xiaoling stretched out a small paw and rubbed her eyes.

"Senior Brother... Sister Si Ming..."

She spoke disbelievingly, then excitedly leaped from the couch: "Senior Brother, Sister, you're back!"

Ning Changjiu nodded gently, his mood brightening as he looked at the adorable Xiaoling. He felt that facing life and death for his beloved junior sister was entirely worth it. He opened his arms to Xiaoling.

Ning Xiaoling leaped from the couch and pounced, burrowing into Si Ming's embrace and nuzzling her.

It was like this again...

Ning Changjiu sighed and shook his head, left with no choice but to tend to Jiajia.

"By the way, what about the second sword duel? How did Jiajia win the second one?" Ning Changjiu asked.

"Ah, the second sword duel..." Lu Jiajia recalled, "I was actually about to lose the second duel, but by coincidence, a red fish appeared on the lake. It broke Liu Junzhuo's perfect sword intent, giving me room to defend."

"A red fish..." Ning Changjiu's expression subtly changed.

Lu Jiajia nodded gently and asked, "Do you know the origin of that red fish?"

Ning Changjiu smiled. "That's a fish our master left for us. It transformed from the kite we bought earlier."

"Ah! So that's it!" Ning Xiaoling exclaimed, raising a paw in sudden realization.

Lu Jiajia also said, "So Master has been protecting us all along."

Ning Changjiu chuckled, "Yes, it's a lucky fish."

Lu Jiajia frowned. "Lucky Fish is too common."

Ning Xiaoling, nestled in Si Ming's arms, said, "Yes, we should give it a nicer name."

Ning Changjiu mused, "It's a red fish from Serene Moon Lake, and Master's surname is Ye, so why don't we call it..."

"Hmm, let's call it Ye Huli! That way, we'll have four foxes!" Ning Xiaoling exclaimed excitedly, wagging her tail.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Four foxes...

Lu Jiajia and Si Ming exchanged a glance, then shamefully looked away.

Si Ming composed herself, then suddenly cleared her throat twice. "Oh, that's right, Jiajia, there's still a score to settle!"

Lu Jiajia asked, "What score?"

Si Ming held Ning Xiaoling, her chin slightly raised, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She paced lightly around the room, her voice haughty: "In that dream, not only did I call you 'Senior Sister' for three years, but I also received quite a few beatings! Heh, Little Sister Jiajia, you're truly bold, daring to bully your elder sister like this?"

Lu Jiajia, however, was resolute. "How can things from a dream count? Wasn't Xiang'er the one who bullied you the most? If I hadn't protected you so many times, you'd be getting beaten by Xiang'er every day."

"You..." Si Ming's mood worsened at the thought of the humiliation she suffered three days ago. She snorted, her expression cold as ice, and said, "Hmph, Little Sister Jiajia, you aren't still relying on the slave mark, are you? Let me tell you a secret: Ning Changjiu's slave mark has already been canceled by Master. Now your little husband can't protect you."

Lu Jiajia was somewhat surprised. She bit her lip, thinking, *Doesn't that make things uneven...?*

Si Ming looked at her expression, feeling more assured. She said, "Jiajia, with your current cultivation, you can't use that last slave mark against me. I'll give you a chance to atone. Now, obediently lie down by the bed, put on your tail, and apologize to your elder sister. If I'm in a good mood, I might just forgive you."

Lu Jiajia looked at the proud and arrogant face, lightly bit her lip, her eyes gradually curving, and asked, "Junior Sister Xueci, are you... sure?"