"Sister Zishuang, you really are overthinking this. In truth, Lee Ran may not actually be all that powerful; a greater part of everything he has done is to make our husband rise, and another part, the aura he deliberately displays, feels more like a warning, a deterrence—a deterrence aimed at that unknown Evil Spirit—telling the other side that we also have an extremely formidable, invincible existence here, so they had better not act rashly.

Don’t you think that the fact we can remain relatively safe for now has a great deal to do with Lee Ran? Otherwise, although the Ancient Life Clan is indeed hard to invade, they would certainly have been invaded by now."

Mu Qingyan explained.

Feng Zishuang pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly with a hint of agreement, and said, "Perhaps so."

"In my view, eight or nine parts out of ten it is like this. But it is also possible that Lee Ran deliberately acts this way to lure that unknown Evil Spirit into making a move, and once it acts, Lee Ran will truly unleash his mighty Strength and annihilate this unknown existence. However, as to the exact truth, I truly cannot comprehend it, nor can I see it clearly."

"Perhaps, when our husband achieves the King Realm, the time will almost have come."

Mu Qingyan murmured.

Feng Zishuang took a deep breath, then sighed and said, "Let us hope so. Therefore, Qingyan, you should still return to the Elf Domain with me. As for shame and awkwardness, they are unnecessary, because outwardly I will only say that I helped you cast off the troubles of the Evil Spirits, and that way everyone will forgive you. After all, the state of having one’s emotions dominated by an Evil Spirit Dominator is indeed extremely cruel."

Feng Zishuang tried to persuade her once again.

This time, Mu Qingyan did not refuse again, but said, "In that case... very well. Then I will bring them all along. It is time we started to take the initiative."

...

Mu Qingyan exerted her unique Power of Seal and summoned back all the Lives from the unknown Abyss, the Land of Singularity, and even the depths of the Heavenly Road.

Those familiar figures such as Zhou Gucheng, Yanyan, Zhou Qianqian, Ji Wu, Bi Ji, Ye Xu, Jia Yongsheng, Li Wentian, Hua Wuqing, and even Hong Yuqiao, Yun Shiyin, Zhao Xiaoxiao, Qin Ruyu, Hua Qiudao, Zhao Yang, Yin Tianshu and the rest of the group all appeared.

The Realm of every single Life had already reached the Great Perfection of the Eternal Nine Rules and Nine Layers, or even Half-step Monarch, their Realm incomparably powerful, their Combat Power utterly astonishing.

At this moment, Mu Qingyan activated a unique Evil Spirit Dominator’s Sovereign Power, and directly extracted from the bodies of this group a portion of extremely uncanny Evil Spirit black qi. After this portion of Evil Spirit black qi Derivated into exceedingly complex Eternal Runes, it all sank into the space between Mu Qingyan’s brows.

After that, whether it was Ji Wu, Hua Qiudao, or the others, they all recovered their emotions.

In that instant, everyone was filled with sighs and emotions. They had ten thousand words in their hearts, yet no longer knew where to begin.

Most of them did not know the truth; only a small number knew.

But those who knew the truth would not speak it, and those who did not know it had no need to know.

"Though the Evil Spirits are powerful, in this world only with emotion can there be Eternal Life. To be without emotion, even if one possesses Eternal Life, is nothing but a sorrow, and will in the end lead to the Destruction of the Great Domain and the misery of all Lives."

At this time, Mu Qingyan finally faced the many familiar Souls at her side with a calm voice and sighed.

"Palace Master."

All the Souls, including Yanyan, bowed and saluted, still respectfully calling out in unison.

Because most of the Souls believed it was Mu Qingyan who had restored them.

Only Yanyan, Ji Wu, and Hua Qiudao knew that the Evil Spirit’s blessing on them had in itself actually been a form of protection.

"Everyone, you are Seeds of Kings who have undergone countless trials and truly grown up within the Soul Burying Starfield. You are true peerless geniuses. Each of you, in the future, can stand on your own, and become an Immortal King."

"So, protecting you was also extremely necessary. As for what happened before, in truth..."

Mu Qingyan hesitated slightly, then explained some matters.

Afterwards, the scene fell utterly silent; all Lives were shocked by such a truth.

So the Zhou Yan whom they had treated as an enemy for so long had in fact been one of their own.

Whereas the real enemy, from beginning to end, had never been known.

"Everyone, in fact I had known the truth long ago. That is why, regarding Bi Shui Fairy... I had opportunities, yet insisted on waiting until Zhou Yan appeared before making a move. This was part of the reason; the same applied to Suxin. Of course, when actually trapped in the situation, troubled by Evil Spirits, there were times when I too was confused and lost my true heart without realizing it—but some deep instinct would still let me know the general direction behind everything I did. As long as the general direction did not go wrong, all other developments would naturally follow."

"From the perspective of the greater situation, this was in fact enough. Because if we did not display hostility, we would not be able to show that we were under the control of a powerful Evil Spirit Master."

"An existence capable of controlling the King Mu Qingyan naturally carries tremendous deterrent power, because at that time, we stood opposed to Zhou Yan."

"Behind Zhou Yan stands the forces of the Ten Thousand Immortals, the Ten Thousand Buddhas, Lee Ran, and another unknown faction of Evil Spirits."

"Of course, besides the one behind the King Mu Qingyan, the Evil Spirit Master certainly also includes the Azure Dragon. But which side he belongs to remains unknown."

"Therefore, as long as we opposed Zhou Yan, we could preserve ourselves with clear conscience, for ’the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ is an eternal truth."

"Naturally, so long as we were enemies with Zhou Yan, and the Evil Spirits behind us were incomparably powerful, our own safety could be completely guaranteed."

"This was also why we did not directly crush Zhou Yan back then. Of course, the other side did not crush Zhou Yan either for similar reasons."

"Because we and Zhou Yan were enemies, once Zhou Yan grew strong, he could in fact weaken our Strength. That unknown Evil Spirit might very well have preferred a mutually destructive outcome. Yet what it could never have expected was that the Evil Spirit behind the King Mu Qingyan is likewise capable of Sovereign self-control, and is absolutely no Puppet controlled by an Evil Spirit."

At this moment, Hua Qiudao silently stepped forward and explained.

His hair was still completely snow-white. It was obvious that he had truly fallen in love with Bi Shui Fairy.

It was just a pity that even though he knew the ending was destined to be tragic, he still sank into it regardless.

Should he blame Zhou Yan?

Perhaps he should; perhaps... he shouldn’t.

And Hua Qiudao’s explanation, without a doubt, also very tangibly laid bare all the causes and effects.

Nothing that had happened was ever as simple as they had imagined at the start.

And back then, Mu Qingyan, in that kind of situation, delivering to Yanyan an almost crushing, sure-kill strike—was that not also a powerful provocation to Zhou Yan?

A comfortable environment can never give birth to a true powerhouse.

This too is an unchanging principle since ancient times.

Hua Qiudao’s explanation was neither complicated nor lengthy, yet all Life understood the truth.

For a time, the scene was filled only with sighs.

Especially the women such as Hong Yuqiao; their hearts were a tangled mess, a piece of empty stillness.

An indescribable emotion flooded their hearts.

It was the scene they had most hoped to see, but now that it had suddenly arrived, they instead no longer knew how to face it.

"So, from now on, when we return to the Elf Domain, I hope everyone will stand united and continue to cultivate bitterly. But from this moment, our safety will no longer be guaranteed."

Hua Qiudao spoke again.

Then his gaze grew rather dim as he said, "Hereafter, in the Elf Domain, all of you must firmly obey the orders of the Elf Domain Master—Zhou Yan."

"And the energy of Ten Thousand Immortals and Ten Thousand Buddhas that I bear as a vessel—it is time I hand it over as well."

When Hua Qiudao said this, his tone became a shade lower.

At this moment, Yanyan suddenly stepped forward, her eyes fixed on Hua Qiudao as she said, "Do you really like Bi Shui Fairy?"

The question came so abruptly it was jarring.

So much so that Hua Qiudao was quite taken aback.

His eyes flickered for a moment, then he said, "Yes."

"Mm, then just pretend I never asked."

Yanyan replied, cold as ice.

Hua Qiudao’s breath caught once more; his lips trembled slightly, yet in the end he said nothing at all.

Mu Qingyan, seeing this scene, did not intervene either, only let out a soft sigh.

"Sister."

At this time, Zhou Sisi came to Yanyan’s side and took the initiative to clasp Yanyan’s icy hand.

Yanyan likewise held Zhou Sisi’s hand; the two sisters, for the first time, quietly leaned against each other.

Strands of faint warmth naturally twined around the sisters, around their hearts. It seemed that, for the first time in millions upon millions of years, the two sisters’ Spirits were this close.

At this moment, Feng Zishuang had already unfolded the ability of Endless Singularity, weaving a Singularity nebula; amid the densely packed nebulae, all Life was shrouded, and then, in an instant, they crossed an Endless distance and descended upon the Elf Domain.

And at this time, Zhou Yan had already returned from the outer-domain Void, coming back into the Elf Domain.

...

Zhou Yan stood beside the Life Soul Spring of the Life Ancient Tree, watching as the Life Ancient Tree had grown incomparably vast and luxuriant, his heart utterly tranquil.

He had not been away for long, yet an intense feeling that things remained but people had changed filled his chest.

The beloved figure was still as beautiful and soul-stirring as before, just as pure and otherworldly, but Zhou Yan felt that he himself had once again grown much older.

Time does not age the face; it only ages the Spirit.

Perhaps he was already like an old man at dusk, his Spirit long since riddled with a thousand wounds.

The Life Ancient Tree represented the myriad courses of life, yet in Zhou Yan’s eyes, the leaves on the Life Ancient Tree were starting to reveal outlines like blood-colored maple leaves.

Though those leaves were not golden, but incomparably beautiful green, it seemed that, in the end, there would come a day when they would transform into resplendent gold.

"The Life Ancient Tree must be connected to the Ancient Life Clan, right? Then the origins of Feng Zishuang and Zhou Lingyi, and the origin of the Life Ancient Tree, should be the same."

"According to Father’s words, Zishuang should have recovered by now."

"But I don’t know where she is now, and there isn’t the slightest news of Ning’er and the others either."

"At this moment, many situations have already been set in motion, and the true battle may erupt at any time. Right now, I don’t know where Xi’er is either."

A trace of longing arose in Zhou Yan’s heart—longing for Feng Zishuang, longing for Mu Qingyan, and longing for Gu Xi.

For those at his side, he had always cherished them; but precisely because he cherished them, he needed to perceive the knots in his heart and truly step into the ultimate Realm of the Immortal King.

And at present, he was only a single, subtle step away from the Immortal King Realm.