Breaking the Deadlock at Sixty

Yunqing picked up the luminous pearl from the floor, and in that instant, the silhouette of the man she had glimpsed upon waking flashed through her mind. She did not dwell on it, however, and tossed the pearl carelessly into a wooden box before sinking back into sleep.

Elsewhere, Qin Shi, who had left the imperial palace of the Yun Kingdom, did not return directly to the Saro Realm. Instead, he made his way to Ningzhou in the Luo Kingdom and once more took up residence in the Hall of Longing. The day after his arrival, Yi Zihan tracked him down.

“So, are you planning to linger here and mourn the departed?” Yi Zihan teased.

Qin Shi ignored him, so Yi Zihan sat down beside him, poured himself a cup of tea, and, with a tone that betrayed a hint of schadenfreude, continued, “Who told you to play at being master and disciple all those years ago? Now you've ended up hoisting that stone and dropping it on your own foot, haven’t you?”

With a flick of his fingers, Qin Shi sent a streak of azure light shooting toward Yi Zihan. Yi Zihan nimbly dodged, but the hiss of something small caught his attention.

“Well, well, that little golden snake is still nestled in your ear? It’s survived your baleful aura—must have a knack for being a treasure,” Yi Zihan said, reaching out as if to touch it, only to have his fingers trapped with a twist by Qin Shi.

“And you?” Qin Shi retorted coldly. “Is your own history so glorious? Who was it, years ago, standing at the crossroads of the three realms, shouting grandly about heaven and earth as witnesses, about pledging the long night as dowry? But in the end, what did the second give you? She said you weren’t worthy!”

Yi Zihan only chuckled, withdrawing his hand and spreading his palm before Qin Shi. “What if White Night has returned?”

Qin Shi was momentarily stunned, but eventually produced the blood-red jade from his sleeve. He too had once thought it odd: a crimson jade, yet called White Night—a name that seemed wholly mismatched. But since White Night was the supreme treasure of the Three Realms, with the power to alter fate and soul, perhaps its name was not so casually chosen.

“When do you plan to go back?” Yi Zihan put away White Night, his smile fading. “Yunqing has awakened. There shouldn’t be any major issues from here on. And this is already her tenth cycle of reincarnation; her original form should be almost fully restored. There’s nothing more you can do here.”

Qin Shi shook his head. “There’s nothing for me there, either.”

“Nothing?” Yi Zihan scoffed. “You’ve been away from the Saro Realm too long. The Celestial Realm and the Saro Realm are both in turmoil. Only the mortal world seems calm for now. Wushang has returned to his post, and the four great Celestial Lords are gathered. If they decide to take this opportunity to strike at the Saro Realm, things could get troublesome.”

Qin Shi cast him a cold glance. “If that’s the case, why didn’t you kill Yi Yanzhi when you had the chance? Don’t tell me you were concerned about that so-called Gu Qianrun. He’s just a minor star lord—could he really have stopped you?”

“Ninth Brother, I’m not you,” Yi Zihan replied, rising to his feet. After a brief pause, he left the Hall of Longing.

Qin Shi realized he had spoken out of turn. Among their brothers, Yi Zihan, fifth in the line, was the most dependable—which was why Qin Shi had entrusted him with watching over things in secret. Yi Zihan hailed from the Celestial Realm; had certain events not transpired, he would likely possess the strength of a Celestial Lord himself. Among the four great Lords, Wushang had once been his mentor and friend. Of course, Yi Zihan’s true name was not the one he used now; Qin Shi rolled it silently on his tongue, but in the end, it faded into a sigh.

Let him remain Yi Zihan…

Given his position, Qin Shi could not allow himself to act willfully for long. After lingering a few more days in the Hall of Longing, he prepared to set out. Yet just as he was about to depart, he found himself drawn back toward the imperial palace of the Yun Kingdom.

It was the dead of night. Within the dimly lit palace halls, only one or two lanterns burned. Qin Shi found his way, unerringly, to Yunqing’s bedside. She lay in deep slumber, her breathing light, her once-pale skin now showing a touch more color. Qin Shi bent down, brushed aside the locks of hair veiling her eyes, and softly pressed a kiss to her brow.

When you return in peace, will you grant me another chance?

He laughed at himself, then turned to leave. Upon returning to the Saro Realm, he learned that Yi Zihan had gone back alone to the Celestial Realm.

“You didn’t try to stop him?” Qin Shi asked the woman approaching him, his puzzlement evident.

Qingning waved her feathered fan with a smile. “You know what he’s like. This time, the Celestial Realm isn’t after the Saro Realm, but after his former little apprentice. For four Celestial Lords to join forces against a mere girl—imagine the shame.”

Qin Shi frowned. “Since when did he have a junior apprentice?”

“That was long ago,” Qingning replied, gazing out the window, her eyes growing distant. “She wasn’t truly his apprentice, but she called him ‘senior brother’ for years. Back then, I couldn’t compare to her. That girl even visited the Saro Realm once, but you were off wandering who-knows-where, so of course you missed her. Don’t worry—he knows what he’s doing, and he won’t act recklessly.”

“You’re not jealous?”

Qingning looked back at Qin Shi and laughed lightly. “Jealous? That girl is no simple character; he’s not up to the challenge. Back then, I nearly lost my skin to her. But it’s all in the past. Speaking of which, what will you do when Yunqing completes this final lifetime? How will you face her?”

“If she chooses to forgive me, then all will be well. If not, I cannot force her,” Qin Shi replied.

Qingning burst out laughing, and Qin Shi frowned at her, only to hear her say, “That’s easy to say now, but I doubt you’ll manage it when the time comes. Enough. I’ll be off. When he returns, he’ll likely be away for a while. If you need anything, ask someone else.”

With a gentle shake of her fan, Qingning drifted away, leaving Qin Shi alone once more.

About four days later, as evening fell, a mighty thunderstorm broke over the Saro Realm. Lesser demons with weak cultivation were instantly struck down, their souls scattered to oblivion. As the first bolt faded, a second flashed across the sky. Chaos erupted; demons and devils alike scrambled for shelter, and even those with some power had to avoid the lightning or risk losing half their lives.

Such an anomaly demanded the attention of the realm’s rulers. The elders of the Hall of Transience, including Qin Shi, immediately suspected the Celestial Realm. Although Qingning had assured them that the Celestial Lords did not intend to attack, who could say for certain? But when the elders reached the border between the Saro and Celestial Realms, they saw the same violent thunder raging above the Celestial sky.

Yi Zihan arrived, crossing the barrier between the realms to stand before them, his expression bleak.

Qin Shi asked, “What happened?”

“Don’t ask—just go back and raise the wards so the lesser demons can take shelter. Worse is yet to come,” Yi Zihan replied, leaning on Qingning, his strength failing.

Qin Shi’s brows knitted together. Among them, Yi Zihan’s power was formidable; only the Celestial Lords could have injured him so badly. Before Qin Shi could speak, Qingning interjected, “Did she make a mistake?”

Yi Zihan closed his eyes and nodded weakly.

Qingning’s face turned ashen. “Do as he says—hurry back and set the wards.”

As her words faded, a surge of fierce, unyielding energy erupted from a distant corner of the Celestial Realm, a pure blue light rippling outward like water. Wherever the light swept, all living things were reduced to dust, without exception. Meanwhile, thunderbolts denser than before crashed down, rending fissures between the two realms.

Qingning, supporting Yi Zihan, sped toward the Hall of Transience. Qin Shi was about to follow, but suddenly sensed something, his expression changing before he vanished from sight.

He landed lightly atop the highest tower of the Yun Kingdom’s palace, glancing up at the sky where clouds, black as ink, were rolling in, devouring the blue with greedy tendrils. Opposite him stood Yunqing; the fierce wind whipped her hair and dress into a wild dance, their fabric snapping in the air.

“So, you’ve come after all,” Yunqing said, lifting her eyes with a bitter smile. “But who am I, truly? Jueyi? Yunqing? Or Mingyue?”

Qin Shi pressed his lips together in silence.

As thunder rolled across the distant horizon, Yunqing spoke again, “And what should I call you? Qin Shi, Ninth Prince of the Hall of Transience? Or Master Fengqing?”