The imperial carriage rolled along the stone-paved road. The steady clip-clop of the horses' hooves should have been soothing, but instead it left everyone feeling uneasy.
The atmosphere inside the carriage had grown stiflingly oppressive.
Mi Ruoxi sat by the window. Usually, her eyes were as calm as water, but now they were clouded with worry.
Every so often, she stole a glance at the man seated opposite her, Qian Ling'er's father, who remained composed and unruffled.
What should I do? The diary says Qian Ling'er is Bi Biyao. So she'd been lying low by Father's side all these years...
We're about to see Father. Should I tell him...?
Mi Ruoxi clenched her hands in her sleeves, digging her nails into her palms until her fingertips turned white.
Father always treated her as his favorite daughter. He trusted her completely, never guarding against her. If she learns that I know her secret and turns on me, the years I spent keeping it hidden will have been for nothing.
But Father's no ordinary person. Could Bi Biyao really put him in danger?
Besides, this had nothing to do with the diary's secret.
So Mi Ruoxi could absolutely tell him—
Wouldn't that set off a chain reaction involving Qian Ling'er, alert the Spirit Hall, and perhaps even embroil the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?
Wouldn't that put their whole family in danger?!
Meanwhile, Qian Ling'er was just as anxious.
Through the corner of her eye, she noticed Mi Ruoxi's barely concealed unease and apprehension.
As expected, Mi Ruoxi has seen the diary too.
A chill crept through Qian Ling'er's heart.
My identity is already an open secret to her. Her presence is a threat. If she secretly exposes me, I might strike back and kill her, but then my years of hiding would all have been wasted.
She was about to tell Qian Ling'er's father everything, but quickly stopped herself.
"I can't act. The moment Bi Biyao learns about the diary, she'll be on her guard. There's no chance I could assassinate her, and confronting her outright would be even more dangerous."
"Damn it, too many things have gone wrong... Lin Chen, Ling Tian... If the Diary's secret gets exposed ahead of time, everything I've done will have been for nothing."
The two women exchanged wary glances, then silently turned away.
Only Lin Chen, with the Diary in his arms, sat in the carriage, caught up in his own thoughts.
His diary system had just updated its entries.
The people who currently have the diary... I guess that means Qian Ling'er, Bi Biyao, You Ruo, Lin Chen, and Mi Ruoxi.
Oh, there are two more people I don't know about...
Lin Chen sighed to himself.
Who's the last person? Are they hiding somewhere in the shadows?
Bi Biyao has her own schemes, but for now, it looks like the only one she can influence is Qian Ling'er.
That just leaves the two original diary holders...
He wasn't worried about putting himself in danger. Aside from Bi Biyao and Qian Ling'er, he didn't see anyone else as much of a threat.
Besides, he'd already written in the Diary that Tang Hao had turned himself in.
He figured no one would bother making trouble for him.
Still, only one person has made their presence known in the open. That feels a little too convenient.
*...*
Meanwhile, high above the Star Dou Forest.
The once lush, vibrant forest was now wrapped in a layer of cold, threatening fog.
Crystal-clear ice formed across the trees, while the moisture in the air condensed in an instant into dense ice crystals.
Crack!
A terrifying burst of icy energy exploded, sweeping across the area.
The natural world had frozen over!
Roar!
At the heart of the forest, the Titan Giant Ape let out an uneasy, low growl. Its mountain-sized body actually trembled.
Beside it, the Sky Azure Bull Python wore a grave expression. Its massive head stared fixedly at the sky to the north.
As a prominent ruler of the Star Dou Forest, it could sense a bone-chilling presence descending amid the vast, frozen expanse above.
"What a terrifying being. How could there be a Soul Eater so frightening..."
The Sky Azure Bull Python was terrified.
That kind of aura belonged to a level it had never even dared dream of reaching in its hundred thousand years of existence!
Under the watchful gaze of the forest's two rulers, ice and snow gathered in the sky, forming an enormous icicle. A stunningly beautiful woman with icy-blue hair descended from above.
With every step she took, an ice flower bloomed beneath her feet.
The master of the Land of the North, Bi Biyao!
"The environment's certainly better than in the Land of the North. At least the air isn't so dry."
Bi Biyao praised it sincerely.
"I can already sense the aura of that Emperor Heaven..."
She guessed that the Dragon King or one of the other ancient beings might possess the same diary, and that was why they had formed a connection with the diary holders.
She wasn't in a hurry.
After arriving in the Star Dou Forest, she finally had the chance to meet them.
"Bi Biyao, you've crossed the line."
A low, majestic voice rose from the heart of the forest. Space rippled, and the black-and-gold Emperor Heaven emerged.
The Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape watched the scene unfold.
They were nearly scared to death.
Ling Tian looked at Bi Biyao, his expression filled with doubt.
The Land of the North and the Star Dou Forest had never interfered with each other, but Bi Biyao's unfathomable power meant her presence could hardly be dismissed as insignificant.
"Emperor Heaven."
Bi Biyao remained calm, neither humble nor arrogant.
"I've sensed the awakening of an ancient dragon god. That aura has disturbed the peace of the Land of the North. As its ruler, I need to know... Has that lord already fallen?"
She spoke without the slightest hesitation.
Soul Eater Master—was it really real? From what she'd seen in the diary, she could make a few guesses.
After all...
The aura that had awakened that terrifying being had reached her too.
Ling Tian's heart skipped a beat. His expression turned solemn.
"You're perceptive."
"My lord is currently resting."
Bi Biyao's heart leaped with joy. She knew it—this must be a chance to meet the lord.
"Take me to see your lord."
Bi Biyao spoke with an unquestionable air. She was no match for Emperor Heaven, but her arrogance stemmed from her confidence that Ling Tian would protect her.
Therefore, she wasn't afraid of Emperor Heaven at all.
At that moment, You Ruo, who was cultivating deep in the Lake of Life, opened her eyes and looked into the distance. She sensed that something was happening.
"Emperor Heaven, bring her to see me."
You Ruo's ethereal voice rang out in Emperor Heaven's mind.
Ling Tian's expression darkened. His lord had spoken; he could only obey.
He waved Bi Biyao over, then put away his imposing manner. "Since my lord wishes to see you, follow me."
Bi Biyao gave a slight nod and followed Emperor Heaven into the true heart of the Star Dou Forest.
"My lord... could the diary really belong to that Soul Eater Master? And what kind of connection does he share with the diary holders?"
"..."
"Big brother... who exactly are those two people just now? Are they Soul Eaters?" the Titan Giant Ape asked, its voice filled with confusion.
Suddenly, it remembered the terrifying presence that had appeared that night.
Wasn't that the same aura Ling Tian had sensed?
"No need to worry. They're only Soul Beasts who have grown stronger..."
The Sky Azure Bull Python finally relaxed. Its tenth trial, the soul trial, had been too terrifying.
And there were beings even more frightening than those who had trained for a hundred thousand years...
"Big brother... then what am I supposed to do?"
"I suppose... we'll just have to take things as they come..."
"......"
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