Chapter 392: Inheritance

In the wooden thatched hall, the light drifted intangibly. Silken threads of solidified spiritual energy wrapped around Shao Xiaoli's body. Her eyes were closed, her face serene, her red dress clinging to her form, as if she were sealed within a crystal coffin.

Above the thatched hall, thunderclouds gathered, obscuring the moonlight, and the last hint of light within the room vanished.

The rumbling thunder echoed in his ears, like an urging summons.

Ning Changjiu found this scene somewhat familiar. Many years ago, in the imperial city of the Zhao Kingdom, he had used a purple-gold divine talisman to enter Ning Xiaoling's dream.

Now, he no longer needed any such aid.

Ning Changjiu gently lifted the girl, enveloped in the silken cocoon, and placed her on the bed. He then sat cross-legged beside her, dividing his consciousness in two: his yang spirit remained with his body, while his yin spirit connected with Shao Xiaoli's sea of consciousness.

With a subtle shift of thought, his consciousness plunged into the vast sea of consciousness, like a person standing by a lake and leaping in.

He fell from high above within the sea of consciousness, finally coming to rest in a palace where the cries of a baby girl convulsed the night.

Ning Changjiu turned his head, seeing bustling figures, hearing cries and sounds of congratulation. Lanterns swayed beneath the eaves, and people moved in and out, including even a person wearing an emperor's crown.

All of this was contained within the confines of this rather modest house.

Ning Changjiu quietly observed everything unfolding.

The baby was born smoothly, and everyone rejoiced. Regardless of gender, the birth of any child with royal blood was a cause for celebration.

Only the mother's eyes held an unyielding sorrow.

Ning Changjiu knew that Shao Xiaoli was not the emperor's biological daughter, but rather her mother's illegitimate child with another man. This was a nightmare for both mother and daughter. Though Shao Xiaoli was born into privilege, from the moment she gained awareness, she faced the deadly risk of her true identity being exposed.

As night progressed, the figures in the house gradually thinned, and the baby's cries echoed intermittently within.

The Sundered City had no distinct seasons; the perception of time relied solely on changes in temperature. Time in the dream flowed rapidly; cold and warmth cycled once on the skin, and a year passed in the blink of an eye.

The baby girl had grown into a beautiful little girl. A fortune teller said she lacked fire in her Five Elements, so she wore red clothes every day.

She spent her childhood within this house and its courtyard.

Shao Xiaoli learned she was not the emperor's daughter, but an illegitimate child without royal blood, soon after she gained awareness. At that time, she didn't grasp the seriousness of the situation and was even happy to have two fathers.

Later, she gradually noticed her differences from other members of the royal family, feeling out of place. She grew increasingly anxious, understanding the meaning of 'death'. Finally, at the age of six, the uneasy girl found an opportunity to secretly consume a precious fire pill at a grand celestial sacrifice feast.

She gained the ability to control small flames, which filled her with immense joy. She began to rigorously practice this ability, making others mistakenly believe it was a result of her royal bloodline.

She told no one about this, not even her mother. To secretly practice controlling flames, she voluntarily offered to cook at just six years old. She would go in pale-faced and come out with a blackened face every day; her culinary skills were honed during that time.

Ning Changjiu watched the constantly nervous little girl, finding her both amusing and pitiful.

Ye Chu had recounted her destiny earlier: at seven, she had grasped the basics of cultivation and entered the Entry to Mystery Realm.

The path was arduous. Ning Changjiu watched her attend many events for young royals, developing a dignified temperament at a young age. When others actively displayed their royal bloodline abilities, she would sit elegantly, all her own powers emerging seemingly by chance. Though she faced challenges, she still managed to avoid a great deal of trouble.

Ning Changjiu witnessed all of this in fleeting glimpses.

The scene gradually slowed.

He saw the little girl's eyes grow clearer and brighter, and gradually felt at ease.

Now, Shao Xiaoli was capable of completing this mind demon trial on her own, without needing his further concern. He needed to go find 'Shi'.

In the kitchen, Shao Xiaoli stood on tiptoes, stirring an iron pot with a spoon, blending rich aromas. Rabbit fur still clung to her clothes.

Ning Changjiu cast a final glance at her. Just as he was about to turn away, the little girl's voice suddenly rang out, clear and crisp.

"Brother," Shao Xiaoli called, waving at him.

Ning Changjiu was slightly surprised. "You can see me?"

Shao Xiaoli smiled gently, "Brother, will you stay for a meal?"

"No," Ning Changjiu replied, "Brother has important things to do."

Shao Xiaoli seemed a little disappointed. She clasped her hands behind her back, her small body swaying like a willow. The hot steam from cooking wafted onto her face, turning into beads of sweat that trickled down, giving her an even more delicate, fatigued appearance.

"Wait a little longer," Shao Xiaoli said.

"Hm?" Ning Changjiu paused.

Shao Xiaoli took small steps towards him, releasing her tightly clasped hands from behind her back. She opened her arms and sweetly smiled at Ning Changjiu, "I want a hug."

She was now a seven-year-old girl, at the perfect age for playful demands.

Ning Changjiu looked into her clear eyes and understood. "So you've already woken up."

"Woken up? I don't understand..." Shao Xiaoli flatly denied, "Brother, a hug."

Ning Changjiu smiled, opened his arms, picked her up, and held her close. Shao Xiaoli leaned against his ear, her lips lightly brushing his cheek before pulling away.

"A little girl's kiss is simple and pure, with no ulterior motives," Shao Xiaoli commented on the kiss.

Ning Changjiu smiled faintly, "Yes, I know."

He put Shao Xiaoli down, and they bade each other farewell. After Ning Changjiu left, Shao Xiaoli leaned against the door for a moment, then her nostrils twitched, and she froze.

It's burnt!

She immediately turned and rushed back into the kitchen, unleashing dozens of different fire-control techniques in rapid succession.

Meanwhile, Ning Changjiu arrived at the highest point of the Sundered City in the blink of an eye.

He looked at the sky and calmly said, "Behold tonight's lantern feast at the small pavilion."

This was the secret signal he had agreed upon with Shi.

The last time he uttered the signal, Shi's blade had pierced his back.

This time was no different.

The sky was silent for a moment, then a dazzling light flared, and keen energy, like a rope, bound killing intent into an arrow. The arched sky became a mighty bow, forcefully shooting out this instantaneous killing intent, which descended in a straight line, flashing into existence and vanishing just as quickly.

Ning Changjiu's Lunar Eye clearly caught it.

He could even clearly see the girl's figure enveloped within the sharp light.

He turned, extended his fingers, and precisely clamped down on the blade's edge just before it struck.

The white blade's forward thrust met resistance, vibrating at high speed. Ning Changjiu tightened his grip, instantly quelling the tremor, which turned into a mournful hum at his fingertips.

Ning Changjiu slowly raised his head, his gaze following the blade upwards.

Everything gradually became clear in his pupils.

The little girl from the mind demon trial revealed her true face.

Ning Changjiu gazed at her. The first time he saw her was in Ning Xiaoling's mind demon trial illusion. Many years had passed in a flash, yet her face showed no signs of aging, still as tender as a young girl's.

Ning Changjiu had already learned her identity from his master.

She was a part of the Seventh God, forming the complete Seventh God along with Evil.

He had initially guessed that the 'shopkeeper' she spoke of was the God Lord of that year. However, after traversing the Heavenly Scroll, he found that Evil was unable to explicitly convey important information to him, resorting only to allegories in the form of stories. He was almost certain that Evil and Shi were directly supervised by the Dark Lord.

For the Dark Lord, the Seventh God was perhaps the most troublesome entity.

It shared the same name and origin as this star, deeply intertwined, and could not be directly killed. Yet, it possessed infinite power, making its continued existence a hidden danger.

Ultimately, they were split into a boy and a girl. The more powerful boy was imprisoned in the Heavenly Scroll, while the weaker girl had her mind altered and was confined within the mind demon trial, where she was continuously deluded and eroded by the lifetimes of countless people.

Shi stared at the blade in her hand, her gaze struggling. She tried her best to push the blade forward, but it wouldn't budge an inch.

Ning Changjiu looked at the little girl's ethereal face and said, "I've seen your brother. He's very worried about you."

Shi's eyes were completely black, and she paid no attention to his words.

Ning Changjiu thought for a moment, recalling the Three Thousand Great Daos he had seen in 'Dust Sealing'. He then extended a finger, merging them at its tip, and slowly brought it to Shi's brow.

The two made contact.

Countless black and white light currents instantly surged forth, spilling from his fingertips, dispersed by a fierce wind, and flowing into her hair.

Shi's eyes widened, and a gurgling sound escaped her throat. Her body trembled stiffly. On her exquisite face, it was as if someone had wiped away dust from a mirror with silk paper, restoring its shimmering radiance.

After a long time, Ning Changjiu withdrew his finger.

He gritted his teeth, looking at his fingertips, which were tinged black, and felt a pain like iron nails piercing bone.

Is this the Dark Lord's power...?

Ning Changjiu had a misconception that if he were to be even slightly careless, this darkness would instantly spread throughout his body and consume him.

At precisely the right moment, the Golden Crow flew out, solidifying at his fingertips. Light and darkness clashed, like two rough mirrors constantly grinding against each other.

Ning Changjiu finally eliminated this influence, and his fingers once again became smooth as jade.

"Who are you? I, I think I've seen you before," Shi asked, staring at Ning Changjiu.

Ning Changjiu nodded, unable to hide his weariness.

Shi floated in the air, her dress like a rainbow, ribbons fluttering. She tried to recall for a moment, then looked at the blade in her hand and murmured, "Behold tonight's lantern feast at the small pavilion, full of beautiful couples... I, I want to kill you!"

"Indeed." Ning Changjiu didn't dwell on pleasantries. He said directly, "It's your 'shopkeeper' who wants to kill me. It's not a good entity. You were killed by it. The current you is incomplete. I've seen your brother, and he told me that if I found you, I should tell you the truth."

"What are you talking about? Truth? What truth?"

"The truth about your origins."

Shi hesitated. "Who exactly are you? Although I have some impression of you, you are the one the 'shopkeeper' has decreed should be killed without mercy. Why should I believe you?"

Ning Changjiu looked into her eyes and said earnestly, "I can save you."

Shao Xiaoli lived within the rapidly passing time. At the age of twelve, she encountered a great calamity: her biological father attempted to assassinate the emperor.

Her biological father failed. Before he died, he went mad, pointing at Shao Xiaoli and claiming she was his true daughter, asserting she had no royal bloodline at all.

He had harbored resentment and anger over this matter for a long time, wishing for the mother and daughter to be buried with him.

The original Shao Xiaoli was at a loss. She endured countless insults and suspicions, and only after much maneuvering and overcoming many difficulties did she regain the emperor's trust.

But this was the mind demon trial, and Shao Xiaoli was already aware.

She looked at her biological father's face and sighed, "Your daughter has always been filial; I can send Father on his way."

The man's eyes were bloodshot with rage.

The emperor, watching from afar, was even more dumbfounded.

Shao Xiaoli raised her hand, her palm like a blade. She hovered for a long while, but the blood and fire in her eyes gradually faded.

The hand that should have struck cleanly down turned into a waving sleeve, ultimately not falling.

The emperor recovered from his astonishment, flew into a rage, and ordered an execution.

Guards rushed forward, her mother cried as she tried to stop them, but Shao Xiaoli did not flee. In the chaotic crowd, she calmly turned and walked towards the throne.

She became a silhouette walking towards the throne.

Until she reached seventeen.

Seventeen was the greatest tribulation of her life.

That was the year she met Ning Changjiu, when Ye Chu and Si Ming revealed their true intentions, and the battle in Snow Gorge was fraught with peril. She and Ning Changjiu fled across the snowy plains, staying for a while in another tribe, and then the Sin Monarch arrived, leaving Sundered City teetering between life and death.

The mind demon trial could not manifest beings on the level of God Lords or Celestial Monarchs, so it set the final point of her mind demon experience at the day of her Spirit Summoning at seventeen.

Now, within the mind demon trial, she had inadvertently become the empress, so this should no longer be considered a tribulation.

However, the manager of the mind demon trial was likely having a talk with the "boss" and had no time to modify things. Not wanting to cause them trouble, she wrote an imperial decree stating that if she couldn't summon a spirit and prove her royal blood, she would commit suicide by slitting her throat in front of everyone.

The logic of the mind demon trial became consistent again.

She looked at the familiar scenery outside Sundered City, imagining the lake now submerged in water. Though only a few years had passed, it always felt like a lifetime ago.

Her seventeenth year finally arrived.

Dressed in an opulent gown and the empress's crown, she arrived at the Spirit Summoning Hall. She daintily lifted her skirt, preparing to kneel.

A nearby maid stopped her, informing her that Her Majesty the Empress did not need to kneel to spirits.

She smiled faintly, gave no answer, and still gracefully knelt, hands clasped, quietly waiting.

The flow of time slowed.

The sky above Sundered City gradually changed from dim light to blazing white. After reaching its peak, the blazing white slowly dimmed, transitioning through hues of dim yellow and deep red.

"Are these... all true?"

Shi opened her eyes, gritting her teeth, her words still childlike.

Ning Changjiu directly manifested Evil's appearance for her and roughly recounted her past. This process took a considerable amount of time. Fortunately, Shi gradually regained her senses from her bewilderment, like a girl who had been deceived for years finally realizing the truth.

"Yes, if you have any questions, just tell me. There isn't much time, but I will try my best to convince you," Ning Changjiu said.

Shi shook her head and said, "I believe you. You don't look like someone who would lie."

Ning Changjiu looked up and found that the mind demon trial showed no unusual reaction to this.

His guess was correct; the Dark Lord had focused most of its energy on guarding Evil, and hadn't taken many precautions concerning this little girl.

"I already believe you. What should we do next? Are we going to save the world together and rescue my brother?" Shi asked with a hint of anticipation.

Ning Changjiu smiled helplessly. He said, "I'm afraid I'll disappoint you; I still don't know how to save the world. That's also why I came to find you. You were once the Mother Goddess of this world, and perhaps we can find some clues and hope within you."

"Mother Goddess?" Shi pursed her lips and shook her head, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the title. She asked, "Then how can I help you?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Anything will do. You can tell me anything, for example, about the 'shopkeeper,' or even older things. I will judge the content myself."

Shi floated lightly in the air, biting her finger. After pondering for a while, she said with a hint of apology, "Whenever I think of the 'shopkeeper,' my head starts to ache a bit. I, I can't describe it."

Ning Changjiu nodded; this was to be expected.

"It's alright, don't rush. Just tell me anything you can think of," Ning Changjiu said.

Shi said, "I can't think of anything useful... Maybe you can come find me next time, after I've had a year to think."

Ning Changjiu said, "After the Yuanchu Year, coming to find you again might harm you. Also, these words I've spoken, forget them with a spell after I leave. This is a secret; it must not be discovered."

"Mmm... alright."

"It doesn't necessarily have to be useful information. I'm just looking for clues, not conclusions."

"Okay, I'll try my best to think."

Ning Changjiu did not press her.

Shi pondered for a while, then said, "This is all I can think of. If it's useful, take it; if not, please don't blame me."

"Yes, thank you," Ning Changjiu said.

Shi held up her palm. Ning Changjiu pressed his hand onto hers, and she directly transmitted the images from her memories.

They were ordinary scenes: wild grass swaying in the wind, waves rising and falling, towering mountains, and hidden beneath their surfaces, details that couldn't be discerned by mere sight. To Shi, the world was a cross-section, and Ning Changjiu could see layers of the earth's crust, the direction of underground veins, and the churning magma below.

The world gently breathed within his sea of consciousness.

Shi released her hand, having transmitted everything she remembered to him.

Ning Changjiu didn't yet know the use of these memories; he simply buried them deep within his sea of consciousness.

"That's everything; there's nothing hidden," Shi said.

Ning Changjiu nodded, "Yes, I will do my best to help you and your brother, and your world."

Shi looked at Ning Changjiu and asked, "So am I currently trapped here?"

"Yes."

"Then you must remember to come save me!"

"I will."

"Okay, it's a promise! Oh, the mind demon trial is almost over. That sister seems to be waiting for you. You should go back quickly."

Ning Changjiu looked down at the Sundered City below.

Night was approaching, and Shao Xiaoli still knelt before the light barrier, waiting quietly without a trace of impatience.

Finally, as the mind demon trial was about to end, the light barrier began to waver.

Shao Xiaoli opened her eyes, looking at the wavering light barrier. The white robe seemed to emerge from beneath the surface of the water.

She saw Ning Changjiu's calm and handsome face.

Ning Changjiu extended his hand to her. "You've waited a long time."

"What took you so long? My legs are numb from kneeling," Shao Xiaoli complained with a smile.

Ning Changjiu smiled back and said, "Get up, it's time to go home."

Shao Xiaoli, however, insisted on not getting up. She extended her hand like she did at seven, blinking, and said, "I want a hug."

Inside the thatched hall, the silken threads on Shao Xiaoli's body gradually receded. Her jade-like bones and fragrant ravines, having endured the fresh rain in the empty mountains, had become exceptionally ethereal. When she opened her eyes, Ning Changjiu was already watching her. Outside, the dense sound of thunder echoed, and these sounds gradually helped her regain her sense of self.

"Boss, it's thundering outside. Xiaoli is scared," Shao Xiaoli sat up, hugged her knees, and said with an air of conviction.

Ning Changjiu asked indifferently, "Want a hug?"

Shao Xiaoli's eyes lit up. "Can I?"

As she spoke, she opened her arms, but Ning Changjiu grabbed them, pulled her forward, and then pressed her hands onto his knees. Shao Xiaoli was taken aback and quickly begged for mercy, "Alright, Xiaoli will be obedient. Xiaoli will go face the tribulation now."

Ning Changjiu let her off the hook.

Shao Xiaoli tidied her dress and walked out towards the sky full of tribulation lightning.

The tribulation lightning seemed terrifying, but Shao Xiaoli's breakthrough was a result of deep accumulation. As soon as she entered the Purple Court, she had already reached the peak of the third floor, poised for immediate breakthrough, and the subsequent floors were predictably smooth sailing.

This tribulation lightning posed no threat to her at all.

Shao Xiaoli stepped out of the house, her expression gradually turning cold and striking, transforming into the detached girl who had once wielded a sword to slay a dragon on the snowy plains.

She leapt, and before the lightning could strike, she plunged her body into the tumultuous blue thunder.

The celestial thunder roared in furious indignation, its violent rumbles accompanied by flashes of light exploding across the long sky. The swirling thunder-shards were like a storm sweeping through the clouds, mingling light and darkness within.

Ning Changjiu watched the flickering window frames, and the aggressive roar of thunder in his ears grew steadily fainter.

Finally, the thunder retreated like a wounded beast, quickly subsiding into calm.

When Shao Xiaoli returned, her red dress was spotless.

"How did Xiaoli do?" Shao Xiaoli asked, feeling her new realm and in good spirits.

Ning Changjiu was stingy with praise. "Adequate."

Shao Xiaoli wasn't annoyed. She sat before the mirror, gathering and combing her hair, saying, "Don't worry, I'll diligently cultivate. When future disasters come, I won't hold you back."

Ning Changjiu said, "I will also do my best to protect all of you."

Shao Xiaoli remembered something and suddenly asked, "Oh right, Boss, after you left back then, did you see Lu Jiajia or Zhao Xianger first?"

"..." Ning Changjiu sighed, "Why does every one of you have to ask that question?"

Shao Xiaoli's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Just confirming who the elder sister is."

Ning Changjiu did not want to answer the question.

Shao Xiaoli had her answer in mind and did not press further.

She tied her hair with her hand, tilted her head slightly, and looked out the window in the direction of the lake. She suddenly sighed, "The entire Sundered City is submerged now. We can never go back..."

Ning Changjiu said, "We can still go back if we cast a water-repelling spell."

"Don't twist my words! I'm being sentimental," Shao Xiaoli said, slightly annoyed. "What I mean is, my home is gone, so Boss should give me a home."

Ning Changjiu, still holding a slight grudge from her earlier trickery, did not respond to Shao Xiaoli at this moment.

Shao Xiaoli had an idea. "Boss, if you marry me, you can inherit my family assets. Aren't you tempted at all?"

Ning Changjiu wasn't tempted, but he was a little curious. "Your home is submerged, so what family assets do you have left?"

Shao Xiaoli bit her fingertip lightly. After thinking for a moment, she stood up, went to a corner of the thatched hall, and rummaged through some boxes before pulling out one. She said, "Here, this is all that's left. Don't look down on it, Boss."

Ning Changjiu glanced at it casually, feeling it looked somewhat familiar.

He glanced again, thought for a moment, and then suddenly recalled what was inside the box. An expression of disbelief instantly appeared in his eyes. He exclaimed in shock:

"You still kept this?!"