Luo Qingqiu descended gracefully from the sky, her white robes fluttering as her feet touched the ground. Her cold eyes swept over the faint traces of demonic energy still lingering in the air.
"Chaos energy?"
Her delicate brows arched in surprise. She looked up at Jiang Wang again, a flicker of disbelief flashing across her serene face.
Originally, she had thought that this young man—whose body resonated faintly with her own Supreme Mysterious Yin Body—was nothing more than a rare but lesser talent.
But now, seeing the chaotic energy interwoven within the demonic aura, she dismissed that thought entirely.
This young man's talent… was on par with hers.
"You have extraordinary potential," Luo Qingqiu said softly, her tone no longer aloof but serious. "I wish to know your name."
Jiang Wang gazed at her, momentarily dazed.
In that instant, he seemed to see not the Luo Qingqiu before him, but the proud and untouchable goddess of his previous life—the one who had stood high above the heavens.
He remembered clearly: his mother had once brought him to meet her. Luo Qingqiu had spared him a single glance, then turned and unleashed a sword strike that shattered heaven and earth, nearly killing Ye Fan with one blow.
But the woman before him now was different. Her eyes no longer carried the cold indifference of that past life. Instead, there was curiosity—and something gentler—within them.
She seemed… human.
Jiang Wang shook off the thoughts clouding his mind. His tone was calm but edged with defiance.
"You hide your face behind a veil," he said, "and you haven't even told me your name. Why should I tell you mine?"
Luo Qingqiu was momentarily stunned. Then, without hesitation, she raised a slender hand and removed her veil.
A flawless, coldly beautiful face was revealed. Under the sunlight, her features seemed sculpted from ice and jade—pure, untouchable, breathtaking.
Her red lips parted, and she spoke three words softly but firmly:
"Luo Qingqiu."
Jiang Wang's gaze met hers. "Jiang Wang."
"Jiang Wang…" she repeated, her eyes flickering with momentary confusion. Then, as if recalling something, she extended her hand toward him.
A simple ring rested in her palm.
"This is from Aunt Chu," she said quietly. "She asked me to deliver it to you."
Jiang Wang took the ring carefully, his expression softening. "My mother… is she well?"
Luo Qingqiu nodded lightly. "Aunt Chu is fine. You need not worry."
Jiang Wang let out a breath of relief, then asked in a deeper tone, "Besides this ring—did my mother tell you anything else?"
By now, Luo Qingqiu had replaced her veil, her demeanor returning to its usual detached calm. She thought for a moment, then replied, "You have immense potential. Focus on your cultivation. When you're strong enough to set foot in the Divine Realm… I will personally come to take you in."
Her words fell like frost, neither tender nor cruel.
Then she turned and walked away.
Jiang Wang stared at her retreating figure. On impulse, he called out, "If I defeat every enemy under heaven… will you be my Taoist partner?"
Luo Qingqiu froze mid-step.
She didn't turn back, but the faintest ripple of emotion crossed her eyes. Confusion. Hesitation. Perhaps something more.
Without answering, she vanished into the distance, leaving only the echo of her presence in the wind.
Jiang Wang exhaled softly.
This Luo Qingqiu was not the same as the one he had known. The Luo Qingqiu of his past life had been cold and unapproachable, a being who lived only for the Dao.
But this one—beneath her veil of serenity—was still unshaped by the world's cruelty.
Why had his mother, Chu Yunwan, and the Divine Realm's great family forged her into such an emotionless being in that other life?
He did not know.
But one thing was certain—he would not allow it to happen again.
If he wished to change that fate, he had only one choice: to become stronger.
To rise to the Divine Realm himself.
Just as he was about to leave, the space around him rippled. A slender, graceful figure emerged from the distortion—her presence sharp yet steady.
It was Qiyue, his protector.
She was one of the supreme experts who had joined the Changsheng Jiang Clan under a different surname.
In his previous life, Li Qingxuan had despised her, exploiting her loyalty—sending her on suicidal missions: to the Devil Miasma Lands for forbidden herbs, to the lairs of ancient beasts for their eggs. Each time she returned bloodied, yet never complained.
With her strength, she could have founded her own sect, become a ruler in her own right. Yet she remained by Jiang Wang's side—because she had been adopted by his mother, and her devotion was born of gratitude.
In that past life, she had died protecting him.
This time, Jiang Wang would not forget.
Seeing him safe, Qiyue breathed out in relief. "Young Master," she said quickly, "we must leave. I was delayed by a Supreme being just now—more will be arriving soon!"
Jiang Wang's expression softened slightly. "You've done well," he said quietly. "Let's go."
Qiyue blinked, stunned.
For years, Jiang Wang had been cold and distant toward her. Even when Li Qingxuan humiliated her, he had remained silent.
But now—he praised her.
It was just a few words, but it filled her heart with warmth.
She followed him wordlessly, soaring beside him as they rushed toward the Jiang Clan's territory.
---
Meanwhile—
"Damn it!" Ye Fan's furious roar echoed through the mountains. "That bastard Jiang Wang got there before me!"
The Supreme soul sealed within the Soul-Binding Necklace, Xuanming Supreme, sighed inwardly.
He had once believed this boy was a prodigy worthy of investing in—a vessel through whom he might one day regain his body. Yet after all his guidance, Ye Fan's heart remained twisted with envy and resentment.
"I told you about the Xuanyan Dao Fruit," the old soul murmured, weary. "And you still blame me for your own failure."
Ye Fan clenched his fists, his eyes blazing. "Master Ming," he said after a pause, softening his tone, "I was too impulsive just now. Please… is there no other way to repair my Dao injury?"
Xuanming Supreme hesitated, then sighed. "There is one way. I can use my soul power to temporarily mend your wounds. You'll be able to cultivate again. But it's only temporary. You'll need rare treasures to stabilize it later."
Ye Fan's eyes lit up. "Will it harm you?"
"My soul will fall into a deep sleep for about a year," the old Supreme replied. "During that time, you'll be on your own."
Ye Fan feigned guilt but nodded eagerly. "Then I must thank you, Master Ming."
A soft light enveloped him. Warm, divine power poured into his broken meridians, mending what was lost. His strength—once crippled—began to flow again like a revitalized river.
When the glow faded, Xuanming Supreme's voice grew faint. "Remember… nourish your body with heaven's treasures. If you don't, my power will only last a month…"
His voice trailed off into silence.
Ye Fan clenched his fists, exhilarated by his renewed strength. But as he recalled those last words, his joy twisted into frustration.
"Nourish my body with natural treasures? Where am I supposed to find so many?" His eyes darkened. "The Xuanyan Dao Fruit was taken by Jiang Wang…"
A familiar figure flashed across his mind.
"Looks like," he murmured coldly, "I'll have to rely on Li Qingxuan again."
With that, Ye Fan turned into a streak of light, vanishing toward the direction of the Jiang Clan.