"ROAR——!"
Zhao Wuji's furious roar shattered the frost sealing him.
His Martial Soul Avatar, towering over five meters tall, rampaged through the forest.
A surging tide of Spirit Power swept out like a flood, scouring every inch of land in its path.
"In such a short time, where could you possibly run?!"
He scoured the shattered trees, torn earth, and muddy craters—
Nothing!
Still nothing!
Not a single trace of life remained.
Just then—
The rain began to ease.
A dull, ashen light broke through the eastern sky.
It only made Zhao Wuji even more anxious.
No matter how he pushed his spiritual perception—
Li Zhexian's presence had completely vanished,
as if he'd evaporated from the world.
"That brat took a blow from my Martial Soul Avatar. There's an eighty percent chance he's dead!"
"But I can't take that risk…"
"He's too monstrous."
"If he lives—he'll become a disaster."
His killing intent set.
Zhao Wuji gave up on tracking by sense.
And chose instead—
Pure, brute destruction.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—!
His colossal fists smashed down like meteors.
Trees toppled in rows.
The ground tore open under the onslaught, craters connecting into a field of devastation.
He would turn the entire forest inside out,
dig three feet into the earth if he had to, to find Li Zhexian's corpse.
The thunderous rumble tore through the morning silence.
Without the veil of night rain—
Each blow now echoed sharply under the brightening sky.
In the distance, the faint sound of footsteps and murmured voices began to rise.
Zhao Wuji's massive form froze.
His expression turned dark.
"Damn it!"
He remembered Qin Ming's warning—
Li Zhexian had many powerful friends.
This place was no longer safe.
Zhao Wuji dispelled his Martial Soul Avatar, his burly form vanishing into the ruins of the forest.
He had to act fast—
retrieve Ma Hongjun, and flee Heaven Dou City at once.
...
Heaven Dou Imperial Palace
Xue Qinghe hadn't slept a wink the night before.
She had just finished her morning duties as crown prince.
Walking beneath the towering red palace walls, she was mentally and physically drained.
But the thought of heading to Lotus Lake to eat with that bastard lifted her spirits a little.
"I have to return to my chambers quickly."
The storm had raged all night—
Now the air was heavy and humid, like a steaming cage.
She needed to bathe, change, and grab the Three-Immortal Chicken she had prepared.
That guy was picky.
Too long or too short in the steamer, and he'd know from one bite.
She thought of that—
And the corner of her lips lifted into a subtle smile.
Inside the Prince's residence, Xue Qinghe was drying her long hair.
Though still in male disguise, her stunning feminine beauty peeked through.
Just then—
She Long (Snake Lance), her trusted guard, stormed in with a grim expression.
He glanced at her and gritted his teeth.
"Young Master… there's news. Please, you must remain calm."
"Hm?"
Xue Qinghe froze, the towel in her hand halting.
A terrible premonition surged in her chest.
"Speak."
"Last night, a battle broke out in the eastern outskirts. Judging by the residual energy, at least Spirit Sage level…"
"Eastern outskirts…"
Xue Qinghe's body turned rigid.
She instantly understood what Shemao meant.
The eastern outskirts—
That was where Li Zhexian lived.
"Li… Li Zhexian…?"
"The site reeks of blood.
Li Zhexian… is missing."
All the color drained from Xue Qinghe's face.
She staggered backward, nearly collapsing.
She gripped the corner of the table behind her to barely stay upright.
Whoosh—!
In the next instant, she vanished.
Still barefoot, hair loose, wearing only silk inner robes,
she charged out of the palace.
From afar—
Her icy voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Lock down the entire city!"
"No one leaves!"
...
Dugu Estate
In the rear kitchen—
Dugu Yan stood over a simmering soup pot.
From time to time, she'd pinch in a bit of seasoning.
The kitchen staff beside her looked on nervously.
Miss Dugu had never cooked before. Don't confuse cooking with poison crafting…
Just then—
Several maids returned from the market.
Not noticing Dugu Yan, they chatted excitedly:
"You won't believe it! A big Spirit Master fight broke out last night in the eastern suburbs!"
"I heard blood was everywhere—arms and legs scattered all over!"
"Tsk tsk… and the one who died was a young man too. So tragic!"
Clatter—
The soup ladle fell to the floor.
Dugu Yan slowly turned around.
In her pupils—
the emerald hue that had once faded now glowed faintly again, chilling and sharp.
"What… did you just say?"
Only then did the maids realize her presence.
They dropped to their knees in panic.
"Miss Dugu!"
"Where… exactly… did the battle happen?"
"E-east of the city, miss. It was terrible—"
Before the maid could finish—
Dugu Yan shot from the kitchen like a gale.
In the courtyard, Dugu Bo was cultivating when he saw his granddaughter's frantic state.
"Yan Yan, what happened?"
Dugu Yan bit her lip hard, voice trembling:
"Li Zhexian… something happened to him!"
"What?!"
...
Ye Estate
"Mother! Come with me, quickly!"
Ye Lingling, usually quiet and refined,
now yanked her mother's hand and dragged her toward the gate.
Madam Ye, ever elegant and composed, looked startled.
She had never seen her daughter so unhinged.
"Lingling, what kind of behavior is this? A lady should carry herself with—"
"Unless that Li Zhexian prefers uncultured women?"
"Mother!"
Ye Lingling's sapphire eyes were brimming with tears.
Her voice trembled:
"Li Zhexian… something's happened to him!"
"What?!"
Madam Ye's face paled.
She immediately grabbed her daughter's hand and surged ahead—
walking even faster than Ye Lingling.
"Explain on the way!"
...
Eastern Suburbs
The elegant little courtyard by the woods—
Could no longer be called a courtyard.
Brick and timber lay strewn about,
nothing but ruins, blackened earth, and craters.
Even after the downpour—
a faint metallic tang of blood still lingered in the air.
A testament to the carnage.
The ruins were surrounded by crowds of onlookers.
A squad of royal guards rushed in, shouting to clear the scene.
Xue Qinghe walked in, face taut with tension.
Step by step, she entered the place that had once been familiar.
The devastation before her eyes—
drained the last trace of color from her already pale face.
Her steps grew heavier. Slower.
Her gaze swept across every fragment of shattered wall, upturned soil, scorched crater—
with a fragile, anxious caution.
She feared not finding any trace of him.
But even more—
She feared finding something she could never bear.
Just then—
Another commotion erupted at the edge of the ruins.
Dugu Bo arrived with Dugu Yan, her entire aura radiating icy rage.
Madam Ye followed, pulling a tearful Ye Lingling beside her.
The four arrived at almost the same time—
And the moment their eyes met the scene—
The air froze.
The pressure was suffocating.
"Who… who the hell did this…"
Dugu Yan's body trembled,
blue-green scales blooming along her neck.
Ye Lingling's eyes had lost their focus.
"Right now, the priority is finding Zhexian."
Dugu Bo's gaze turned cold and sharp.
Li Zhexian had done great favors for the Dugu family.
And Dugu Bo was not someone who forgot debts.
If Li Zhexian really had been harmed—
Poison Douluo would make sure the one responsible begged for death.
Madam Ye clenched her fists.
A layer of cold frost spread across her noble face.
"Search! Mobilize every resource the Ye Clan has in Heaven Dou City!"
"Turn the earth over if you must—find Li Zhexian!"
To her—
Li Zhexian represented the future of the Nine-Hearted Begonia,
a power capable of surpassing even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
She could not allow him to fall.
Xue Qinghe stood silently in the heart of the ruins.
Her expression—
was terrifyingly calm.
Until—
Her gaze suddenly trembled.
Her eyes locked onto a spot beneath the rubble.
There, half-buried in mud—
lay a familiar umbrella.
The canopy was torn. The ribs snapped.
Soaked in grime and rain.
It was—
The very umbrella she had gifted Li Zhexian just yesterday.