The Soul-Seeking Zhuge Qingchen, and Yu Xi Opens Her Heart

Mingshan Prefecture, outside the city of Mingwu, in the Blazing Wasteland.

Killing Intent flashed like lightning; hellfire blazed through the day.

Vast seas of blood-red flame surged across the sky. Wave after wave of fire roared on, like blood-red vengeful ghosts baring their claws and fangs, as if they meant to devour everything between heaven and earth.

Half an hour later.

Zhuge Wuwei emerged in a rather disheveled state, his expression shifting between dark and grim. That little brat is vicious. He deliberately lured me here to investigate the Soul Suppressing Stele. I nearly lost my life!

Beyond the sea of fire, Zhuge Qingchen waited quietly, like an unparalleled beauty who had stepped out of a divine painting.

Faint strands of hazy divine radiance still flowed over him, making him look utterly ethereal.

"Qingchen, I've set everything up, but I'm not sure it'll work.

"This region is incredibly strange.

"And that enormous stele... the one Su Li called the 'Soul Suppressing Stele'—I saw it too. It truly is a peerless treasure, one of a kind. I fear it's reached the level of a legendary Creation Sacred Artifact!

"No, it might be even more than that. The Soul Suppressing Stele could well be stronger than a Creation Sacred Artifact!

"But...

"I'd barely gone near enough to take a look when it almost sucked my infant soul away!

"At the time, I thought I heard a woman's voice calling out to me, 'Save me...'"

As Zhuge Wuwei spoke, a chill ran down his spine.

Su Li had repeatedly told the true disciples of Wanli Holy Land to venture to the Blazing Wasteland in search of a tremendous opportunity.

It was clearly Su Li's open ploy!

Zhuge Wuwei had itched to see for himself and couldn't resist coming. In the end, he had nearly died here!

"Oh?"

Zhuge Qingchen pondered briefly, then said, "I'll go take a look. If even I can't deal with it, we can make good use of Su Li. He thinks there's an opportunity here, so I'll explore it with him. When danger strikes, I'll save his life a few times."

Zhuge Wuwei said, "There's something strange and unsettling about him. His ability to read people's thoughts and deduce the 'future' is terrifying. It's as if he can see the future with his own eyes. This isn't merely the deduction of heavenly secrets—it's more like the power to control the future.

"I have to get my hands on the source of this ability and find out how to cultivate it!

"So be extremely careful when you deal with him!"

Zhuge Qingchen replied, "The part of me that contains heavenly secrets is my true self, my true heart. It doesn't deceive. Everything I do comes from the heart, so there's no need to be careful."

Zhuge Wuwei thought for a moment. "What if he really does have a powerful force behind him...?"

"Then I'll kneel and beg for forgiveness. Given his nature, he'll very likely forgive me. After that, Master can show some sincerity, and all will be well. There's no need for you to worry about that. All right, I'm going."

As Zhuge Qingchen spoke, the hazy light around him gradually shifted from pearly white to dark gray.

His scholarly, refined aura transformed as well, turning gloomy, manic, and frenzied.

Flecks of dark-brown light flickered in his eyes, lending him an eerie air.

"Qingchen, in this state, you may fear no danger, but that Soul Suppressing Stele is strange, uncanny, and terrifying. Be sure to take extra care."

Zhuge Wuwei's face was full of apprehension as he earnestly warned him.

"Ke ke ke! Just what I'm hoping for! I hope this place can kill me—kill me!"

Zhuge Qingchen cackled, hunched over slightly, his hands hanging limply at his sides as streams of murky, blue-black heavenly energy poured from his mouth.

Watching him like this, Zhuge Wuwei let a flicker of pity cross his eyes. "Qingchen, don't worry. Your master will find a way to cultivate the Heavenly Secrets Ultimate Path and restore you! For that, the resurrection of demonic souls and any calamity—none of it matters."

Yunxiu Peak, Yunxiu Courtyard.

"Master Su, I'm sorry for causing you trouble."

Hua Ziyan's face was haggard, her expression dim, her voice filled with deep remorse.

Even if she hadn't understood what had happened at first, she could piece it together now.

"It has nothing to do with you. You should go. Your father must have something to discuss with you. Besides, I really am tired and just want to rest for a while. Having Fairy Yu Xi stay to look after me is more than enough."

Su Li spoke politely.

Hua Ziyan's delicate body trembled, and her face turned even paler.

Her voice quavered. "Master Su, are you trying to cut ties with Ziyan?"

Su Li gazed at Hua Ziyan's haggard face, heavy with sorrow, but felt no urge to indulge her.

He couldn't even tell whether Hua Ziyan was acting.

It was just like when Zhuge Qingchen had slapped himself: in an instant, the information in his Life Archive had turned into question marks, then immediately reverted to "pure qi fills the world."

Should he believe her?

Or not?

So Su Li didn't open the Life Archive System to look at Hua Ziyan's thoughts.

By now, he had discovered the first flaw in the Life Archive's function: the records could be falsified!

When someone could even deceive himself, the information in his archive was no longer reliable.

So, after he had revealed several times that he could vaguely deduce parts of other people's thoughts, that ability had been calculated against every time he used it.

"You've already overcome your fated tribulation, and this time you came through danger unscathed. I've also received plenty of compensation, so the karma between us is settled. At midnight, I'll be going to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion with Mystic Master Zhuge Wuwei.

"These past few days together have been pleasant.

"Fairy Ziyan, there's no need to grieve or feel attached. I believe that if fate wills it, we'll meet again."

Su Li spoke softly.

Then he turned away, no longer looking at Hua Ziyan.

Hua Ziyan really was beautiful.

Or rather, Hua Ziyan, Mu Yuxi, Yun Qingxuan, Leng Yunshang, and even Feng Qianqian were each beautiful in their own way.

Even Feng Qianqian, the least beautiful of them, was countless times more beautiful than the most beautiful woman in his previous life!

Such beauty was truly difficult for any man to resist.

Su Li was a man too, and in both his lives he was at an age when his blood ran hot and he would have loved to spend every waking moment in bed with women.

But now Su Li knew his place. Before I have the strength, I shouldn't entertain even the faintest thought of things like that!

Hua Ziyan stood alone for a long time before silently turning to leave, her figure solitary.

Mu Yuxi brewed a cup of spiritual tea and brought it to Su Li. "Master Su, have some restorative tea. Don't dwell on what happened today. Once you embark on the path of cultivation, things like this will only become more and more common."

Su Li nodded. "Thank you for looking after me earlier."

Mu Yuxi hesitated, then smiled faintly. "It was nothing. At the critical moment, it was Mystic Master Zhuge Qingchen who helped us. By the way, Master Su, what do you think of Mystic Master Zhuge Qingchen?"

Su Li thought it over, then sighed. "He has such pure qi within him and contains the secrets of heaven. He's sure to go far in the way of heavenly secrets. And this time, I owe him a debt of gratitude."

Mu Yuxi was silent for a while, then said pointedly, "Actually, Mystic Master Zhuge and Master Zhuge have an exceptionally close relationship. Since a conflict suddenly broke out this time, it shows how much he 'values' you, Master Su."

Su Li nodded earnestly, sighing. "Yes, I know he truly cares about me. Otherwise, he wouldn't have beaten himself up like that. I'm just an ordinary person, yet I offended Master Zhuge and put him in a difficult position."

Mu Yuxi lowered her head slightly, then glanced toward the courtyard entrance. A trace of anxiety rose in her lovely face.

A moment later, she regained her composure and asked gently, "Master Su, what kind of person do you think Yu Xi is?"

Su Li replied, "Graceful and refined, innocent, a little silly, sincere, kind, and somewhat introverted..."

He had combined the details of Mu Yuxi's past personality in the Life Archive and recited them without holding back.

Mu Yuxi said, "You're absolutely right, Master Su. Then try to deduce what Yu Xi is thinking right now. Master Su, give it a try."

Su Li looked deeply at Mu Yuxi, then opened the Life Archive System, locked onto her, and glanced at her file.

His pupils abruptly contracted, and he couldn't stop his expression from changing.