Feng Jiuli stood at the cave entrance, looking at the Profound Heaven Sect in the distance.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled over the elegant pavilions and terraces, dyeing the entire sect in a sea of brilliant gold. On the Profound Heaven Peak, immortal clouds swirled and spiritual cranes danced in the sky, making it look exactly like an immortal wonderland.
But she knew that was merely a facade.
Every place in the world had its dark side, and the Profound Heaven Sect was no exception.
"What are you thinking about?"
Gu Changyuan's voice drifted from behind her.
"I'm thinking about what I should do after the Soul Pact is formed," Feng Jiuli said without turning around. "I can't hide in this cave forever."
"What are your plans?"
"I need an identity." Feng Jiuli turned around and looked at Gu Changyuan. "An identity that will allow me to establish a foothold in this world."
Gu Changyuan fell silent for a moment.
"You want to join the Profound Heaven Sect?"
"Yes." Feng Jiuli nodded. "The Profound Heaven Sect is the number one sect in the Eastern Region. It is rich in resources and well-informed. Joining the sect will greatly benefit the recovery of my strength."
"Furthermore..." She paused for a moment. "I need a cover."
"A cover?"
"The people hunting me down will eventually find their way here," a chilling glint flashed through Feng Jiuli's eyes. "If I have a legitimate identity, I can borrow the sect's power to protect myself."
Gu Changyuan understood.
Although Feng Jiuli hadn't elaborated much, he could easily guess that her pursuers must be terrifyingly powerful. Otherwise, with her unfathomable background, she wouldn't have been reduced to such a miserable state.
"The Profound Heaven Sect recruits Outer Sect disciples every year," he said. "As long as you pass the assessment, you can join."
"But in your current state..."
"I know," Feng Jiuli said. "That's why I need to wait until the Soul Pact is formed. Once the forbidden curse is suppressed, I will be able to recover a portion of my strength."
"When that time comes, I will participate in the assessment as a rogue cultivator."
"A rogue cultivator?"
"Yes." Feng Jiuli nodded. "I will conceal my true identity and join the Profound Heaven Sect as an ordinary, independent rogue cultivator."
"This way, even if someone investigates, they won't be able to trace it back to me."
Gu Changyuan thought for a moment and nodded.
"This plan is viable," he said. "But you will need a fake identity."
"A fake identity?"
"Yes," Gu Changyuan explained. "When the Profound Heaven Sect recruits disciples, they strictly verify their identities. You need a complete, flawless background story to pass the screening."
Feng Jiuli frowned.
Her understanding of this lower realm was still extremely limited; she had no idea how to forge a convincing identity here.
"I can help you," Gu Changyuan said.
Feng Jiuli looked at him, a trace of confusion in her eyes.
"You?"
"Although I am a servant disciple now, three years ago, I was the number one genius of the Profound Heaven Sect," Gu Changyuan said lightly. "I know the sect's rules and loopholes better than anyone."
"Moreover, I know a few people. I can help you acquire forged identity documents."
Feng Jiuli fell silent.
She looked at Gu Changyuan, her feelings somewhat complex.
This man had helped her time and time again. From saving her life, to agreeing to the Soul Pact, and now helping her forge an identity.
What was he really after?
"Why are you going so far to help me?" she asked. "Our transaction is only the Soul Pact; you have no obligation to do all of this."
Gu Changyuan looked at her and remained silent for a moment.
"Because we are the same kind of people," he said. "Both framed, both violently cast down from the peak."
"By helping you, I am also helping myself."
"Helping yourself?"
"Yes." A profound look flashed through Gu Changyuan's eyes. "Once you join the Profound Heaven Sect, we can look out for each other."
"Although my cultivation has been restored, I am still bound by the identity of a servant disciple. There are many things I simply cannot do."
"But with you there, things will be completely different."
Feng Jiuli understood.
Gu Changyuan was helping her not purely out of kindness, but also out of strategic calculation.
He needed an ally—an ally he could rely on to navigate the treacherous waters of the sect.
And she fit the criteria perfectly.
"You are quite frank," she noted.
"Once the Soul Pact is formed, we will be incapable of lying to one another," Gu Changyuan said lightly. "Rather than letting you find out later, it is better to be perfectly clear right now."
Feng Jiuli looked at him, the corners of her lips turning up slightly.
"You are much smarter than I imagined."
"Three years of torment will force anyone to learn a few things," Gu Changyuan replied.
The two looked at each other for a moment, and then they both let out a soft laugh.
Although it was merely a faint chuckle, the atmosphere between them became significantly lighter than before.
Next, the two began to discuss the concrete details of the plan.
"Your fake alias will be Feng Ling," Gu Changyuan decided. "This name is somewhat similar to your real name, but different enough that it won't easily arouse suspicion."
"Feng Ling..." Feng Jiuli murmured the name and nodded. "That works."
"As for your background story, we will say you are a rogue cultivator from the remote borders of the Eastern Region," Gu Changyuan continued. "Your parents died when you were young, and you cultivated independently since childhood. By a stroke of luck, you obtained a legacy technique and cultivated all the way to the Early Foundation Establishment Realm."
"Early Foundation Establishment?" Feng Jiuli frowned. "I am only at the First Level of Qi Condensation right now."
"After the Soul Pact is formed, a portion of your true strength will be unsealed," Gu Changyuan explained. "By then, you should easily recover to the Ninth Level of Qi Condensation, or perhaps even Early Foundation Establishment."
Feng Jiuli thought about it and nodded.
The Soul Pact could suppress the forbidden curse. Once the curse's suffocating grip was loosened, her strength would indeed recover significantly.
"But you must remember, once you join the sect, you absolutely must conceal your true strength," Gu Changyuan warned strictly. "Your actual power is far too terrifying. If exposed, it will draw unimaginable trouble."
"I know," Feng Jiuli nodded. "I will be careful."
"Also, while inside the sect, we cannot expose our relationship," Gu Changyuan added. "I am currently a lowly servant disciple, and you will be an Outer Sect disciple; the gap in status is too vast. If people discover we are interacting, it will arouse heavy suspicion."
"We can meet here in the back mountain, just like we are doing now."
Feng Jiuli looked at him, a strange glint in her eyes.
"You have thought this through very thoroughly."
"Three years of suffering have taught me how to be cautious," Gu Changyuan said lightly. "In this sect, a single wrong step could doom you to an eternity of damnation."
Feng Jiuli fell silent.
She could vividly feel the heavy weight behind Gu Changyuan's words.
Three years ago, he was the peerless genius of the sect, his future utterly boundless. But overnight, he plummeted from the clouds, becoming a piece of trash spat on by everyone.
That kind of catastrophic fall was something very few could endure without going mad.
But he had endured it.
Not only had he endured it, but he had also managed to carve out a sliver of hope from the absolute depths of despair.
"Gu Changyuan."
"Mm?"
"You are a very strong person," Feng Jiuli said with utmost seriousness. "Not strong in terms of your cultivation base, but strong in your mental fortitude."
Gu Changyuan froze for a second, then slowly shook his head.
"I just simply refuse to accept defeat."
"That, in itself, is a kind of supreme strength," Feng Jiuli said. "Many people would completely collapse after suffering such a massive setback. But you didn't."
"You have been waiting for an opportunity all along, quietly accumulating your power."
"That kind of resilience is far more precious than any high-level cultivation."
Gu Changyuan looked at her and remained silent for a long moment.
"You are exactly the same," he finally said. "You fell from such an unimaginable height, suffered catastrophic injuries, and are being actively devoured by a forbidden curse, yet you still haven't given up."
"We are the exact same kind of people."
Feng Jiuli looked into his eyes, something shifting imperceptibly in her heart.
She had lived for thousands of years and met countless people. But no one had ever made her feel so... close.
Perhaps it was because they shared such tragically similar experiences.
Perhaps it was because they were both individuals abandoned by destiny.
Or perhaps... it was simply because he was Gu Changyuan.
"Alright, the plan is set," Gu Changyuan stood up. "Tomorrow is the night of the full moon. We will form the Soul Pact then."
"After the Pact is formed, focus on recovering your strength first. Once your condition is fully stabilized, you can go participate in the Outer Sect assessment."
"Until then, you will continue to recuperate in this cave."
Feng Jiuli nodded.
"Alright."
She stood up, walked to the cave entrance, and looked out at the vast night sky.
Tomorrow was the day of the Soul Pact.
From that moment onward, her destiny and Gu Changyuan's destiny would be inextricably intertwined.
Bound by life and death, entirely inseparable.
"Gu Changyuan."
"Mm?"
"After tomorrow, we will be..." She paused, seemingly searching for the right word. "...Allies."
Gu Changyuan walked up beside her, looking up at the exact same starry sky.
"Yes."
"Allies."
The two stood shoulder to shoulder at the cave entrance, gazing at the distant sea of stars.
The night breeze brushed past, bringing with it the crisp, fresh scent of grass and trees.
Tomorrow, absolutely everything would change.