The next day, Ling Qi and Xiao Chan slept until noon before they finally woke up. The moment Ling Qi opened his eyes, he spotted the upper half of the medical tome sitting on the table. He immediately picked it up and flipped through it, murmuring, “Her handwriting really matches her personality—quite nice.”
He hadn’t expected Ye Youluo to actually finish copying the entire upper half overnight. Staying up with a lamp and brush all night… she really went through a lot of effort.
With the tome in hand, Ling Qi took Xiao Chan and stepped out of the room.
At the edge of the bath, Ye Youluo sat cross-legged, her eyes closed in rest.
“Not sleeping in the bed? You’ve really been wronged,” Ling Qi chuckled.
This was clearly her room, yet he had occupied her bed without a care. And she hadn’t made a fuss, instead choosing to sit outside alone. She was being unusually polite. If it were someone else, she probably would have killed them already. Who would dare sleep in the demoness’s room?
Ye Youluo slowly opened her blood-red eyes and just shot Ling Qi a glance, saying nothing.
She had only tolerated Ling Qi because he avenged her. Otherwise, how could he have peacefully slept in her room? Even if she couldn’t kill him, she could’ve easily made his night miserable.
“Get ready, we’re heading to the Tianshan Snow Sect,” Ye Youluo said as she stood up. “You’re seriously injured and won’t last much longer. You’re not fit to fight. From now on… you’ll be of no use to me.”
Depending on Ling Qi wasn’t realistic. She would still need to rely on herself to deal with Jiang Ling and Chu Xinyue.
“You could’ve just healed me earlier and been done with it,” Ling Qi said with a smile. “I still have a chance to survive, right?”
“Your body is strange. It’s like there’s a living entity spreading inside you, suppressing your meridians and spiritual Qi,” Ye Youluo said. “You won’t even tell me everything about yourself. So how am I supposed to cure you?”
“Didn’t I say it yesterday? The Forbidden Demon Region crafted a sword to deal with the human race,” Ling Qi replied, pulling open his chest robe to reveal his wound. “I got this injury from that sword when I entered the Forbidden Demon Region.”
Ye Youluo’s eyes widened as she stared at the injury. No wonder his meridians and spiritual Qi were so chaotic—his life was hanging by a thread.
She stepped forward, lifted her delicate hand, and gently traced the strange spatial patterns radiating from the sword wound. “The fact that you’re still alive… is already a miracle.”
“Whether I continue living now depends on you,” Ling Qi grinned. “How about giving me the lower half of the medical tome too?”
Ye Youluo retracted her hand and gave a faint smile. “If I give it to you, then wouldn’t I lose all value to you?”
“Is that really what you think?” Ling Qi shook his head helplessly.
“What else am I supposed to think?” Ye Youluo said plainly.
“You really believe I got close to you just for the medical tome? Couldn’t it be for something else?” Ling Qi said. “Like… maybe I’m lusting after your beauty or something.”
Ye Youluo glared at him. Who knew what was going on in his mind? And even if he was lusting after her beauty, she’d still keep her guard up. Just like how he guarded against her.
“You can still be saved,” Ye Youluo said with a smile, “but whether I want to save you depends on my mood. So from now on… you’d better not go against me.”
Besides, even if she did decide to save him, healing a wound like his wouldn’t be something that could be done in a short time.
“Even from behind counts as not going against you, right?” Ling Qi teased.
Ye Youluo gave him a fierce glare. Shameless!
“Happy cooperation ahead,” Ling Qi said cheerfully as he waved his hand and put the medical tome away. “But I still have to make a quick trip back to the Great Yan Empire’s palace to confirm this medical tome is authentic.”
What if it was a fake, or worse, laced with something harmful meant to control him?
Naturally, he needed to be cautious. And the imperial physicians of the Great Yan Empire were the best experts for verifying it.
“You suspect me?” Ye Youluo’s brows furrowed slightly.
She had stayed up all night writing it for him, and now he didn’t even trust her?
“Better safe than sorry,” Ling Qi said with a light smile.
This was about his life. He couldn’t afford to be careless.
Ye Youluo didn’t say anything more. If he wanted to verify it, then so be it.
Ling Qi smiled and said, “Since you didn’t sleep all night, I’ll give you something in return.”
“What is it?” Ye Youluo asked curiously.
“You’ll see in a bit. I’ll be right back.”
Ling Qi leapt away, leaving Ye Youluo and Xiao Chan behind.
Ye Youluo turned to look at Xiao Chan. “You’re his maid now?”
“No… not exactly,” Xiao Chan shook her head.
A maid? Not quite. She was one of his women now. And the only one who always stayed by his side without leaving.
She was his exclusive little pet.
“What benefits do you get from staying by his side?” Ye Youluo asked. “Whatever he gives you, I can double it. Why not stay with me instead?”
Who wouldn’t want such a cute catgirl as their personal maid? Like Jiang Ling, Ye Youluo also genuinely liked this little one.
“Thank you for the offer, Sect Master, but he and I… we’re companions for life. We can’t be separated,” Xiao Chan said softly.
She didn’t know how else to explain it. Both of them were transmigrators—he was her greatest support, her best partner. They wouldn’t be parting ways.
Ye Youluo didn’t try to persuade her further. Since the girl’s heart was already set on Ling Qi, there was no point in saying more.
Soon after, Ye Youluo took Xiao Chan and walked out of the courtyard. She ordered her subordinates to prepare a few large ships to head toward the Tianshan Snow Sect.
The sea on one side had frozen over during the night and hadn’t thawed yet, so they had to set off from the other port.
By the time everyone had boarded the ships, Ling Qi shot out from beneath the sea.
In his hand was a red bead, about the size of a fist, with blood-red flames burning on its surface—like a fiery glass orb. This was the fire-element essence that the demon dragon had always desired but never managed to obtain.
The demon dragon couldn’t shatter the island, but Ling Qi had simply tunneled straight into its core and retrieved what he wanted.
He appeared beside Ye Youluo, holding the bead. “Tsk… so beautiful, just like your eyes.”
Ye Youluo didn’t react much. She was used to it now.
Even if others complimented her, it usually felt like an offense. Ling Qi’s words were no exception. But she was already used to his way of speaking. The entire Demon Sect was used to it.
He didn’t just boldly praise the Sect Master—he even flirted with her occasionally, and everyone saw it as natural.
After all, affection often bloomed through teasing and banter. People were even starting to hope they’d become a couple soon.
“This bead contains very dense fire-element essence. I’m giving it to you,” Ling Qi said, handing the fire bead to Ye Youluo. “Refining and absorbing it will greatly enhance your strength.”
The bead suited her, and he had no use for it. He was already in the Supreme Limit Realm—whether he had these elemental essences or not didn’t matter.
Ye Youluo was briefly stunned. She hadn’t expected him to give it to her.
“You just reminded me. That demon dragon should’ve had two other beads,” Ye Youluo said as she accepted the fire bead. “Do you have them too?”
“I already gave you one. Can’t you let me keep the other two?” Ling Qi laughed.
He planned to give the thunder bead to Jiang Ling and the ice bead to Chu Xinyue.
Ye Youluo didn’t ask for the others. The demon dragon was only slain because of Ling Qi. Even if he kept all three beads for himself, it would be fair. Giving her one already showed his sincerity.
“Let’s go,” Ling Qi said as he waved his hand.
Ye Youluo nodded and gave the order to set sail. The large ships moved in unison, cutting across the sea.
As they set off, Ye Youluo suddenly took out a small jade bottle and handed it to Ling Qi. “This… is for you.”
Since Ling Qi had gifted her something, she naturally wanted to return the favor.
“What is it?” Ling Qi took the bottle.
“My usual recovery pill,” Ye Youluo replied. “Each time you circulate your spiritual power, you shorten your lifespan. One pill per use will negate the loss.”
So now, if Ling Qi needed to fight, he could take one of these pills to prevent further life drain.
Ling Qi smiled and asked, “It’s not one of those mind-controlling poisons, is it?”
“Believe it or not, return it if you don’t want it!” Ye Youluo snapped.
She had originally planned to use the pills to control him—give him one each time he helped her with something. But in a good mood today, she gave him all of them. And yet he still doubted her?
“I believe you. Your reaction makes it obvious,” Ling Qi said as he tucked the bottle away. “Looks like I’ll have to stay close to you from now on. That way, I won’t have to worry about dying.”
If he stayed by her side, she could save him if anything went wrong.
Ye Youluo just gave him a glance and said nothing more. If he truly wanted to stay by her side, that wouldn’t be a bad thing.
First, she needed him. Second, his injury would require a long period of recovery.
Of course, she didn’t mean she wanted him clinging to her every second. That would just be boring…
Out on the vast sea, the ships sailed across the horizon. The ocean and sky blended into one, creating a grand and majestic scene.
Ling Qi and Ye Youluo stood at the bow, leaning on the railing. To the Demon Sect members, they looked perfectly matched—like a couple in love.
But in truth, most of their conversations were just playful banter. They were more like a pair of bickering frenemies.
Though honestly, that was often how romance began—bickering back and forth.
People were starting to believe they’d truly end up together someday.
…
After a long journey across the sea, the ships finally reached land.
“You all go on ahead. I’ll meet you at the Tianshan Snow Sect. I might even arrive before you,” Ling Qi said after disembarking.
Now it was time to split into two groups. Ling Qi took Xiao Chan and planned to head to the imperial palace first.
“You’ve got a special relationship with Jiang Ling and Chu Xinyue, don’t you?” Ye Youluo suddenly asked.
After all, not just anyone could waltz into the Great Yan Empire’s palace. Ling Qi clearly had a unique status there.
“For now, I guess we’re friends,” Ling Qi replied with a smile.
“For now?” Ye Youluo’s brow furrowed slightly. What did that mean? That the relationship might change later?
If a man and woman were already friends, then it wasn’t hard to imagine how that relationship might deepen…
“What about you and me?” Ye Youluo asked again. “What does it make me, a friend of your enemies?”
Ling Qi laughed, “I said I’m your husband, but you didn’t accept it. So for now, I guess we’re just friends.”
Ye Youluo’s frown deepened. Who would accept such a thing so easily? Besides, he hadn’t even made a proper declaration. How could she just agree?
If he truly wanted to be her husband, shouldn’t he at least show some sincerity?
“If enemies of your friends can be friends, then former enemies can become friends too,” Ling Qi said with a faint smile. “You and them… don’t necessarily have to fight to the death.”
Ye Youluo stared at him. “So… you’re trying to play peacemaker?”
“Uh…” Ling Qi was momentarily speechless. That was basically it, but it didn’t sound right when she said it like that.
“I just want… less war and less suffering in the world. That makes sense, doesn’t it?” Ling Qi said.
“You sound righteous and noble,” Ye Youluo said, withdrawing her gaze. “But don’t forget—it was they who wanted to destroy my Demon Sect. I didn’t start this war.”
Ling Qi shook his head again. Still, the Demon Sect had done plenty of bad things too. Could she really say they were innocent?
But if he was honest with himself… the Demon Sect’s cruelty probably didn’t even compare to what he had done.
“I won’t strike first, but if they do… I won’t hold back,” Ye Youluo said coldly.
Even if Jiang Ling and Chu Xinyue joined forces, she’d still be willing to go down fighting.
“It’s enough that you think that way. They won’t make a move without reason,” Ling Qi said with a smile.
Though tensions existed now, the real threat in the future would be the billions of demon soldiers from the Forbidden Demon Region. He believed they would all eventually unite against that common enemy.
Ye Youluo said nothing more. Whether or not they’d attack wasn’t something he could control.
Just in case, she would be fully prepared.
“See you soon!” Ling Qi said as he turned and walked away with Xiao Chan.
Ye Youluo also waved her hand and led the Demon Sect toward the Tianshan Snow Sect…
…
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace.
Ever since the Empress Jiang Ling had decided to move against the Demon Sect, the Great Yan Empire had been quietly preparing its forces. Warships were already being constructed.
Chu Xinyue was also residing in the capital temporarily, conserving strength and waiting for the right moment to strike.
At sunset, in the imperial palace’s rear garden, a small, adorable girl swung a dagger repeatedly.
Each slash released visible waves of energy.
Xu Qiyue was only at the 7th stage Spirit Martial Realm, but she was already showing signs of breaking through to the 8th stage.
“I’ll have the imperial kitchen adjust your meals, and the imperial physicians will prepare supplements to aid your cultivation,” Jiang Ling said as she sat nearby, watching the energetic little girl with a soft smile. “I want you to reach the Heaven-Revering Realm before you turn ten!”
This world had never seen anything like it before.
Even a monstrous talent like Jiang Ling had only barely reached the Heaven-Revering Realm at the age of sixteen or seventeen. Yet Ling Qi’s little disciple, with her extraordinary talent, might very well step into that same realm at just ten years old. If that happened, then in the future… she would undoubtedly become a Supreme Limit Realm cultivator, just like Ling Qi.
The thought of having raised a disciple who could one day stand at the very peak filled Jiang Ling with a sense of achievement—greater than expanding territories or building an empire. After all, a Supreme Limit Realm existence had the power to change… the entire world. Far beyond what territorial conquests could achieve.
“Thank you, Master.” Xu Qiyue twirled the dagger in her little hand, then said coldly, “Once I find my father, I’ll stab him to death with this dagger!”
Hearing that, Jiang Ling chuckled. She raised her jade-like hand and propped up her chin, then asked, “You really hate your father that much?”
“Of course! If he hadn’t abandoned my mother, she wouldn’t have suffered so much, and she wouldn’t have been captured either!” Xu Qiyue’s little face was cold. “Master, you have no idea how hard life has been for me and my mother these past few years.”
“There was a time I was so hungry I couldn’t bear it. Mother had to sneak into someone’s field to steal sweet potatoes. She was caught and almost beaten to death. Luckily, those people had kind hearts and gave her a few in the end.”
“Even though she was covered in wounds, she still smiled and told me she was fine…”
“It’s all that irresponsible man’s fault. If he had been around, how could my mother have suffered so much?”
“There shouldn’t be such husbands in this world, and definitely not such fathers.”
Every time she recalled those bitter years, she couldn’t help but wish she could find that heartless man sooner.
Though she was still young, she had already endured trials far beyond what most adults could handle. That was why she was much more mature than other children.
Jiang Ling gave a bitter smile. Though she hadn’t seen it herself, hearing the little girl speak, she could easily imagine how much hardship the mother and daughter had gone through. The fact that they were still alive… was already Heaven’s blessing.
“Do you know the divisions of cultivation realms?” Jiang Ling asked.
“Of course!” Xu Qiyue nodded quickly. “Normal people progress from 1st to 9th stage Spirit Martial Realm. Above that are the realms of the strong—Profound Earth Realm, Heaven-Revering Realm, and then the Supreme Limit Realm…”
“Then do you know what realm your father is in?” Jiang Ling asked again.
“I don’t care what realm he’s in. I’ll definitely kill him. One day, I’ll be stronger than him!” the little girl huffed coldly, full of resolve.
Jiang Ling shook her head with a smile, then revealed the truth, “Your father… is in the Supreme Limit Realm. The one and only in the entire world.”
Xu Qiyue froze.
That… highest realm?
That meant the gap between her and him wasn’t just big—it was massive. No, not just her—the gap between him and everyone in the world was insurmountable. He was on a completely different level.
Damn it. If he’s that strong, how could she ever kill him?
“Master… if I can’t kill him, will you help me?” she asked hopefully, eyes full of longing as she looked at Jiang Ling.
She knew she wasn’t strong enough. And in this entire world, the only person who might rival her father… was the Empress.
After all, the Empress was the ruler of the world. Even if one person couldn’t win, she could summon an army.
Jiang Ling smiled and shook her head. Then she encouraged her gently, “If it’s your hatred, then you should be the one to avenge it. Don’t lose heart. You may not be as strong as your father now, but in the future… you’ll surpass him!”
“Mm!” Xu Qiyue nodded firmly and resumed swinging her dagger, continuing her training.
She swore to become the strongest, to surpass her father.
Jiang Ling silently watched her adorable little disciple. At that moment, a butterfly flew by.
Though the little girl was practicing seriously, when she saw the butterfly, her attacks slowed. She was afraid of hurting it.
Seeing this, Jiang Ling sighed.
This little one might talk tough, but when she really faced her father… she probably wouldn’t be able to strike. At the end of the day, she was still just a kind-hearted child.
Just then, two palace maids approached.
They lowered their heads slightly beside Jiang Ling and whispered, “Your Majesty, Ling Qi has returned.”
“Oh?” Jiang Ling smiled. So soon?
Well, it made sense. With a Supreme Limit Realm cultivation, a few thousand kilometers was nothing to him.
She stood up gracefully and said, “Qiyue, let’s go.”
“Where to?” the little one stopped and asked.
Xu Qiyue froze, her little face stunned, then quickly turned panicked.
Her father… he had finally returned?
She was finally going to see him?
Though she always said she wanted to kill him, now that the moment had arrived, she felt more panicked than anything else.
After all… he was her biological father. Deep down, she didn’t even know what to do.
Her mother never told her to kill him. That was something she decided herself—purely emotional. Now that they were going to meet face to face, she wasn’t sure if she could actually do what she had imagined.
She had never killed anyone before. Not even a small animal…
“Whether you kill him or not… you’ll know once you see him.” Jiang Ling could see the little girl’s anxiety and smiled gently. “Don’t be nervous. I’ll be with you.”
“Mm!” Xu Qiyue nodded hard, gripping her dagger tightly as she followed Jiang Ling out of the garden.
…
Elsewhere, in the Imperial Medicine Hall.
Ling Qi had indeed returned with Xiao Chan. The first thing he did was visit the imperial physician to confirm whether the medical tome was genuine.
Inside the medicine hall, a woman in plain robes sat at a desk, carefully reading the tome Ling Qi had brought.
She was none other than the Great Yan Empire’s renowned Imperial Physician Bai.
As she read the tome, her brows furrowed slightly in thought.
“Is there a problem?” Ling
Qi asked.
“There’s no issue with the contents. The medical techniques recorded here are consistent with what my master taught, and they follow the principles of medicine,” Imperial Physician Bai said as she read. “But… it’s incomplete. And this handwriting doesn’t belong to my master. It looks like it was written just yesterday.”
The content made sense. But the tome itself? Suspicious.
Her master had long passed away—how could the tome have been written yesterday?
“It was indeed written yesterday,” Ling Qi smiled. “Ye Youluo wrote it herself. Everything in the tome was memorized by her.”
That made the Imperial Physician Bai frown even more. “That demoness? Wasn’t she known for her expertise in poison like her master? Why would she suddenly turn to medicine?”
“You seem to know quite a bit about her,” Ling Qi raised an eyebrow.
“Not exactly. Her master and mine were from the same sect,” she explained. “But her master’s preference for poison arts made her an outcast.”
“I see,” Ling Qi smiled. Now he understood why Ye Youluo had killed the Imperial Physician Bai’s master. It was likely a continuation of old grudges between their masters.
“Then… can this medical tome save me?” Ling Qi asked.
“It’s incomplete. That woman is cunning. She left out the second half. Without it, this is basically useless,” Imperial Physician Bai sighed.
The content was accurate, but incomplete.
Ling Qi could only shake his head helplessly. Still, at least Ye Youluo hadn’t tampered with it.
“Imperial Physician Bai… your medical skills shouldn’t be inferior to Ye Youluo’s, right?” Ling Qi suddenly asked.
Imperial Physician Bai stood up immediately. “I come from a prestigious lineage of healers. My medical skills are definitely not inferior to a poison-obsessed demoness!”
“Then can you try to reconstruct the missing second half based on the first?” Ling Qi asked with a smile.
If she could, he wouldn’t have to keep bargaining with Ye Youluo.
“That…” Imperial Physician Bai didn’t give a definitive answer.
She wasn’t about to admit she was inferior to anyone, and Ling Qi’s challenge had indeed pushed her pride. But she also couldn’t blindly make promises.
“I can give it a try,” she said after some thought. “It might be possible.”
“I believe in you, Imperial Physician Bai,” Ling Qi smiled. “My life is in your hands now.”
Hearing that, the calm expression on Imperial Physician Bai’s face cracked a little. The pressure was immense.
His Majesty wanted this man to live. And now this man had entrusted his life to her. How could she bear that responsibility?
She might be confident in her skills, but… this wasn’t something she could guarantee.
“I’ll do my best,” she said after a moment of silence. “Even if I can’t save your life, I’ll at least try to extend it.”
That way, she neither boasted nor sold herself short.
“Then thank you,” Ling Qi said with a smile. “If I get the second half of the tome from Ye Youluo someday, I’ll hand it over. You’ll have fully inherited your master’s legacy.”
“Thank you,” Imperial Physician Bai bowed slightly.
Just then, someone appeared at the door.
“Princess?” she greeted respectfully.
Ling Qi and Xiao Chan turned around. Standing at the entrance, arms crossed and face full of anger—was Jiang Yao.
Ling Qi chuckled. “Who made our little Princess so angry?”
“Hmph!” Jiang Yao snorted, turning her head away.
As if he didn’t know.
Who else could anger her like this, if not him?
“What’s wrong?” Ling Qi approached, reaching out to pat her head.
“Don’t touch me!” Jiang Yao smacked his hand away.
Ling Qi frowned slightly. What’s going on?
Why are you mad at me for no reason?
“Don’t be unreasonable,” Ling Qi said.
Even if she was a princess, she was still a person, not some NPC. That didn’t mean he had to pamper her endlessly.
“Unreasonable?” Jiang Yao’s anger flared. She glared at him and gritted her teeth, “You know what you did. Don’t act innocent! You bastard. You heartless bastard!”
Ling Qi felt even more confused.
They parted on good terms. Why was she acting like this now?
All he did was go to the Demon Island.
And even if something had happened—was it any of her business?
“Let me ask you—do you know the Saintess of the Tianshan Snow Sect, Xu Qingxue?” Jiang Yao pouted and asked.
“That?” Ling Qi chuckled. “We had some connection long ago, but we haven’t spoken in years.”
Only he and Xu Qingxue knew about this. How did Jiang Yao find out?
Hearing his answer, Jiang Yao was completely convinced now. “Heh, so it’s really you.”
There was no mistake. Xu Qiyue’s father… was Ling Qi.
He had a child.
And he had indeed done something so despicable—abandoning his wife and child.
No wonder he called himself a bastard.
“You’re angry over this?” Ling Qi smiled. “I did know her back then. And yes… I left. I owe her.”
“Owe her a little? You really have the face to say that? You bastard!” Jiang Yao clenched her teeth.
Ling Qi’s brows furrowed even deeper. “Aren’t you being a bit over the top?”
Calling him a bastard over and over.
Was he being too lenient with her?
“What? Going to hit me? Do it!” Jiang Yao leaned in. “There’s no future between us anyway. Go ahead—cut things off completely!”
Ling Qi was speechless. What the hell was going on with her?
Sure, he’d done some heartless things before. But was it fair to judge his entire future by his past?
Wasn’t this unreasonable?
“Your Majesty!” the guard at the door suddenly bowed slightly.
Then Jiang Ling entered, holding Xu Qiyue’s hand.
Ling Qi looked over, and his gaze naturally fell to the little girl.
Where did this kid come from?
Why did he feel a strange sense of familiarity?
And what was with those cold eyes and the dagger in her hand?
So young, yet so murderous?
Xu Qiyue was also staring at Ling Qi.
It was him!
The man her mother had drawn—the man who abandoned them. Her father.
She had finally… found him!
“Heh, I’ll let you deal with this,” Jiang Yao sneered and sat to the side, arms crossed.
Ling Qi was confused. Deal with what?
What was going on?
Then Xu Qiyue spoke, her cold, wide eyes fixed on him.
Her young voice echoed, “Dad, I finally found you.”
“Now die!”
She sprang forward, legs kicking off the ground.
Both hands gripped the dagger as she lunged straight at Ling Qi’s chest.
Ling Qi didn’t dodge.
He truly didn’t.
It wasn’t that he chose not to—it was that he completely forgot to react.
Because when he heard the word “Dad”… his mind went blank.
What?
This little girl… called him Dad?
She was… his daughter?
He had a daughter?
Since when?
Who gave birth to her?
His mind was a mess. Shock and disbelief swirled together in his chest.
No one else moved.
Everyone just stood there, watching as Xu Qiyue leapt up and stabbed at Ling Qi…
And at the moment the dagger was about to pierce his chest, seeing that Ling Qi wasn’t dodging at all…
The little girl gritted her teeth again, twisted the dagger aside, brushed past Ling Qi, and landed behind him.
She couldn’t do it.
Even though she hated this man so much, he hadn’t moved at all, hadn’t even tried to dodge—how could she really kill him under such circumstances?
As she landed, her large eyes turned red and welled up with tears.
She hated Ling Qi, but at this moment, she hated herself even more for not being able to harden her heart.
A mess of emotions tangled inside her young heart, and all of it finally turned into tears.
“You bastard! Why didn’t you dodge? Why didn’t you move?!”
She turned around and burst into tears, shouting.
If Ling Qi had tried to dodge or retaliate, she would have chased him down and fought to the end.
But he just stood there motionless. She simply couldn’t bring herself to hurt him.
Everyone around remained silent, watching the scene unfold quietly.
After a momentary daze, Ling Qi slowly turned around, crouched down, and looked at the little girl in front of him.
“You just called me… Dad?”
A mixture of surprise and joy surfaced on his face. “What’s your name? Who is your mother?”
“Heh!” Jiang Yao, sitting on the side, sneered.
Still asking? So that means there were many women he’d been involved with, right?
So many that he couldn’t even remember who they were?
Disgusting!
“What’s it to you? Why do you care what my name is or who my mother is?!”
Xu Qiyue suddenly cried out, and as she sobbed, she raised her dagger again and stabbed toward Ling Qi.
Ling Qi gently caught her small hand. “Tell me.”
“It’s none of your business! You have no right to ask! You bastard… bastard!”
Xu Qiyue completely lost control of her emotions. Crying uncontrollably, she stabbed at Ling Qi again and again in a chaotic flurry.
Ling Qi blocked her a few times, but when he saw how devastated she looked, he finally let down his guard.
Maybe only by doing this would the little one be willing to stop.
With Ling Qi no longer defending, the dagger plunged into his chest.
Xu Qiyue’s already red eyes widened in horror.
She quickly let go of the dagger and stepped back.
No… no no no no!
Wasn’t he still blocking just now? Why did he stop?
She didn’t mean to kill him! She just… just wanted to vent. She never intended to really stab him.
“Now can you tell me?” Ling Qi asked calmly, seemingly unfazed by the wound. He pulled out the dagger, then gently raised his hand and caressed the little girl’s tear-streaked face. “Tell Daddy, okay?”
Xu Qiyue’s lips trembled. Tears kept pouring out of her eyes.
Seeing this man still smiling at her, even after being stabbed, feeling this fatherly warmth she’d never known before…
She finally couldn’t hold it in anymore.
In the next instant, she threw herself into Ling Qi’s arms, wrapped her little arms around his neck, and broke down crying.
Her childish sobs filled the entire Imperial Medicine Hall.
No one said a word. Everyone silently watched the first reunion of this father and daughter.
Everyone there—except for Xiao Chan—already knew Ling Qi had a child. Now, seeing Xu Qiyue finally reunited with her father, their hearts were full of emotion.
No matter what, this lonely little girl had finally found her father.
And she couldn’t bring herself to kill him.
Because deep down, what she truly wanted was to be reunited with him.
Xu Qiyue hugged Ling Qi tightly and cried for a long time. When she finally began to calm down, she sobbed, “Mom was taken by bad people… they took her away…”
Ling Qi picked her up and slowly stood, his face showing a rare tenderness that none of them had ever seen before. Find the original chapter at g.com.
“It’s all your fault. If you’d been around, they wouldn’t have taken Mom!” Xu Qiyue sobbed. “She told me to find you. Dad, let’s go save her right now, okay?!”
“Okay. We’ll go right now,” Ling Qi nodded. “Now can you tell Daddy your name?”
“Xu Qiyue. Mom gave me that name,” she said through tears.
Hearing that, Ling Qi immediately understood who her mother was.
Xu—there was only one it could be. The Saintess of the Tianshan Snow Sect, Xu Qingxue.
He turned slightly to glance at Jiang Yao. Now he understood why she’d been so angry about Xu Qingxue.
Who would’ve thought?
He actually had a daughter.
Back then, he treated everyone as NPCs. It never even crossed his mind that NPCs could get pregnant.
And now… if Xu Qingxue had gotten pregnant, what about the others he’d been with? Was it possible that he already had more than one child?
“Hmph!” Jiang Yao snorted when she noticed Ling Qi looking at her and turned her head away.
Let’s see how you explain this now.
You already have a child. What future could we possibly have?
I’m not going to steal someone else’s man!
Ling Qi looked away, then reached up to gently wipe the tears from Xu Qiyue’s cheeks. “Don’t cry. Mom is safe. I’ll take you to her right now.”
Xu Qingxue had been taken back to the Tianshan Snow Sect and was about to be sacrificed.
Back then, he had wronged her. She’d carried the child alone, gave birth alone, and raised her while running from danger.
He couldn’t imagine how much she had suffered.
He couldn’t imagine how she cried and worried when she was separated from her daughter.
After all, a child who had always been at her side was suddenly taken away. What parent wouldn’t be frantic?
What parent wouldn’t worry whether their child was scared… or even still alive?
“But I don’t know where Mom is,” Xu Qiyue said tearfully.
“It’s okay. Daddy knows.”
Ling Qi smiled gently. “Let’s go find her and bring her back. From now on… I’ll never leave you again.”
Hearing that, Xu Qiyue’s fragile little heart completely melted.
She hugged Ling Qi’s neck tightly and cried even harder.
These past years, she never had a father. She and her mother had no support—just the two of them, struggling to survive.
But from now on… she finally had someone.
As long as they could bring Mom back safely, everything would be perfect.
“Yao Yao found her by chance on the streets,” Jiang Ling said at that moment. “She was selling paintings alone to survive.”
Ling Qi gave a bitter smile. His heart was full of guilt toward this mother and daughter.
A five-year-old child, all alone, wandering to the capital…
Who knew what she’d experienced?
Who knew how she had survived?
And all of it… was his fault.
He couldn’t deny it—he really had been a bastard. Irresponsible and heartless.
“Qiyue said Xu Qingxue was taken away a few months ago,” Jiang Ling added. “Which means she’s been all alone for several months.”
Hearing that, Ling Qi held his daughter tightly, heart aching.
Such a young girl, wandering alone for so long.
What kind of pain had her little heart endured?
“So… what exactly happened between you and Xu Qingxue?” Jiang Ling asked.
He couldn’t really be that kind of man—one who abandoned his wife and daughter, right?
“It’s a long story. At the time… I didn’t know she was pregnant,” Ling Qi said softly, holding Xu Qiyue in his arms. “Anyway… it’s all my fault.”
He had truly never thought of NPCs as real people.
And never imagined they could get pregnant.
Off to the side, Xiao Chan lowered her head slightly.
She knew better than anyone how Ling Qi had viewed the world before.
He had treated Xu Qingxue as just another NPC. So naturally, once he was done, he left—never taking it seriously.
“I’m sorry…” Xiao Chan whispered.
“It’s not your fault,” Ling Qi said with a bitter smile.
What mattered now wasn’t the past, but making up for it. Making up for what he owed them.
“What do you plan to do now?” Jiang Yao asked at last.
Now that you know you have a daughter… what next?
Go find her mother? And then what? What about me?
Are we just going to… say goodbye?
Is that it?
“I’m going to the Tianshan Snow Sect first,” Ling Qi said as he carried Xu Qiyue toward the door. “Xiao Chan, come.”
There was no time to waste. The most important thing now was to make his daughter feel safe.
Xiao Chan nodded and quickly followed.
“Do you need help?” Jiang Ling asked.
“No need. Ye Youluo is already there,” Ling Qi replied calmly. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you two to meet so soon.”
Both of them were queens in their own right—one righteous, one demonic. If they met, a fight was almost guaranteed.
With that, Ling Qi’s aura surged and swept both Xiao Chan and Xu Qiyue into the air with him.
Then, in a flash, he shot toward the distant skies—straight toward the Tianshan Snow Sect.
This time, he wouldn’t take his time.
No matter how much it cost him…
Nothing was more important than reuniting his daughter with her mother.
“Ah…”
Watching Ling Qi leave just like that, Jiang Yao immediately stood up. Couldn’t he have at least said something before going? What about us? What happens to us now? You and me—what are you planning? Can’t you give me a clear answer?
As she stared in the direction where Ling Qi disappeared, all she could do was stomp her foot in frustration. So now you’re off to atone for your past mistakes… but in doing so, you’ve committed a new one. Abandoning me—how is that not another heartless act?
“If it really doesn’t work out, just give up,” Jiang Ling said calmly. “She has a child. You don’t.”
Xu Qingxue had gotten pregnant alone, given birth alone, and raised her child until now. She had suffered endlessly for Ling Qi’s child. Jiang Yao, who had only known Ling Qi for a few days, could never compare to that.
“I…” Jiang Yao bit her lip, but in the end, she could only let out a helpless snort. She couldn’t really expect Ling Qi to choose her over Xu Qingxue, could she?
“What if… I end up pregnant too?” she suddenly said, the thought hitting her out of nowhere.
Jiang Ling’s brows furrowed slightly.
If her own sister really were pregnant… things would indeed become more complicated.
If it were any other man, she’d definitely step in and take him for her sister.
But the problem was—this man was Ling Qi. A Supreme Limit Realm cultivator that no one could control.
…
Above the clouds, Ling Qi flew at full speed, holding Xu Qiyue in his arms, with Xiao Chan by his side.
“Dad, you… you can fly?” the little one asked, wiping her tears, full of amazement.
“Of course. Your dad is very powerful,” Ling Qi chuckled, then gently said, “Qiyue, when I left your mother back then… it was because I had no choice.”
Of course, he’d had no such reason. But to maintain his image as a father, he had to tell a well-intentioned lie. In the future, he would take full responsibility as a father.
The little one pouted and blinked red eyes. “Then why didn’t you explain it to Mom? She said you were a heartless bastard, and every time she mentioned you, she would secretly cry by herself.”
Ling Qi let out a bitter smile. Back then, Xu Qingxue had been a pure and innocent girl. Abandoning her while she was pregnant had left a deep and unforgivable wound.
“That won’t happen again. I’ll stay by your and your mother’s side forever. I’ll never leave you two again,” Ling Qi said softly. “Don’t be angry with Daddy anymore, alright?”
Xu Qiyue let out a huff but didn’t respond. Instead, she quickly looked down at the wound on Ling Qi’s chest. “Dad, does it hurt? I… I didn’t mean to earlier.”
Feeling his little sweetheart’s concern, Ling Qi smiled. “It’s alright. Daddy’s very strong. A small wound like this doesn’t matter.”
“Are you really a Supreme Limit Realm cultivator?” Xu Qiyue asked.
“How did you know that? Who told you?” Ling Qi asked.
“My Master told me,” she replied.
“Master?” Ling Qi was puzzled.
“The Empress!” Xu Qiyue explained.
Ling Qi chuckled. So Jiang Ling had secretly taken his daughter as a disciple without his permission?
This way, she’d gain another connection with him. No matter what happened, he’d always have to take his daughter’s side… which meant taking her side.
“You were born in July, right? That’s why your mother named you Qiyue?” Ling Qi asked.
“Mm-hmm!” The little one nodded sweetly. “Mom didn’t even know your name, so I took her surname.”
“Tell Daddy everything you two went through all these years, alright?” Ling Qi said gently.
Xu Qiyue nodded, then began recounting the long years of hardship.
Every time she reached a painful part, she would burst into tears.
A mother without a husband. A daughter without a father. It was truly pitiful.
Ling Qi’s heart ached more and more with every word she said.
He owed them far too much.
From now on, he would do everything in his power to make up for it.
…
Elsewhere.
Endless glacial plains stretched for thousands of kilometers, covered in boundless snow and ice.
This… was Tianshan. A true world of frost and snow.
And within it was a powerful race, almost like a small independent nation—Tianshan Snow Sect.
At this moment, deep within the snow sect, inside the heavenly prison…
The dark prison was lit only by a narrow beam of white light shining through a tiny window. It fell on the slim, lonely figure of a woman.
She wore a pure white gown, clean and pristine. Her entire appearance was elegant, like a blooming flower—beautiful and radiant.
But she was imprisoned, no different from a criminal.
At most, she could be called a well-dressed prisoner.
Chains bound her wrists and ankles, completely stripping her of any chance of escape.
Her long, neatly brushed hair was adorned with a delicate ice crystal crown.
Beneath the crown was a stunningly delicate face.
Yet her complexion was pale, and her expression… utterly lifeless.
She… was the Saintess of the Tianshan Snow Sect—Xu Qingxue.
She used to be a lively, spirited girl, curious about everything in the world, always smiling brightly.
Later, she was coaxed into leaving the Snow Sect by Ling Qi, and they lived together briefly.
Then… Ling Qi vanished without a word, like he’d evaporated from the world.
The once-innocent girl was shattered by love.
Back then, she had even considered ending her life.
But then she discovered… she was pregnant.
So she had no choice but to carry the child on her own.
She went from a naive and joyful young girl… to a broken, abandoned woman… and then, a strong and enduring mother.
And now, she had become someone with no will to live, silent and waiting for death.
She had endured pain and despair beyond what most women could imagine.
But now, none of that mattered to her anymore.
Not the past.
Not the suffering.
Not even being abandoned.
The only thing she still cared about… was her daughter.
“Qiyue…” she whispered.
She didn’t know where her daughter was now—or even if she was still alive.
She was still so small… How could such a little girl survive all alone in this vast world?
It had already been months since they were separated.
Where was she now?
Was she scared in the dark?
Where was she sleeping?
Was she hungry? Bullied?
What if she met bad people? Would she get hurt?
At this very moment, Xu Qingxue’s heart was consumed by thoughts of her daughter.
Worry, longing… and helplessness.
She had never told her clan that she had a daughter.
Because she knew that if the Snow Sect discovered she had a child, they would take her away and groom her as the next Saintess.
Now… she had no idea what to do.
All she could do was pray that her daughter was safe.
Hopefully… hopefully, she had found the man who abandoned them.
She didn’t know why he left.
But at the very least, if he knew he had a daughter, surely… he’d take responsibility as a father.
That way, their daughter could grow up safe and sound.
“Quick, quick! Get ready—the Demon Sect’s Sect Master… has arrived!”
Suddenly, the guards’ voices rang out.
“I heard that demoness is strong and has a bad temper. We must treat her well—don’t upset her in the slightest!”
Hearing the guards’ chatter, Xu Qingxue’s pale and fragile face turned completely hopeless.
Because she knew… her time had come.