Though Tang Li wished to seek out Zhe He, she was now confined to a mortal body—unable to soar through clouds or ride mists, and even her wounds healed sluggishly.
The bruising and swelling on her wrist lingered stubbornly, while scars remained on her knees.
The Jade Spring Palace, once magnificent and towering, now stood desolate and dilapidated. Tang Li urged her senior brothers and sisters to seek lives in the mortal realm.
“Anywhere would be better than staying here,” she insisted.
Luo Chen smiled faintly, patting the young girl’s head. “Don’t worry, we’ve grown accustomed to this.”
“The Jade Spring Palace isn’t just Yu Qinghe’s domain—it’s the legacy of our sect, passed down through generations. I will guard this place until the very end.”
Tang Li still held deep affection for the Jade Spring Palace.
When she first crossed into this world, she was but a swaddled infant—the orphaned child of Immortal Lord Zhe He’s departed friend.
That friend had fallen while attempting to reach the Unity Stage, leaving Tang Li alone and helpless, crying for nourishment.
Zhe He brought her back to the Jade Spring Palace to care for her.
The moment the chubby-cheeked infant arrived, she became the darling of the entire palace, doted on by all. Though Zhe He was naturally aloof and rarely involved himself in mundane affairs, he showed exceptional concern for Tang Li.
She and her nursemaids resided in chambers adjacent to his bedchamber, allowing him to check on her between cultivation sessions.
Back then, the sect master of Lingxin Sect had remarked with relief that the icy Immortal Lord Zhe He had finally gained a touch of warmth.
As the milk-fed child blossomed into a radiant young maiden, she grew fearless of everyone except Zhe He herself—mischievous and unruly, her cultivation talent mediocre at best. She practiced cultivation sporadically, like fishing for three days and drying nets for two, only achieving Foundation Establishment and eternal youth in her late teens.
Stuck at Foundation Establishment for over a decade, she barely touched the Golden Core Stage.
For another twenty-odd years in the Golden Core Stage, she remained stagnant, yet no one in the entire sect dared mock her.
Who didn’t know she was Immortal Lord Zhe He’s most cherished disciple? With him as her shield, who would dare harm her?
Tang Li’s reasoning was simple: since she was destined to be cannon fodder, doomed to die sooner or later, what use was high cultivation?
“I will restore the Jade Spring Palace to its former glory,” the girl declared, clenching her fists.
“At the very least, we can’t let it fall to ruin because of our master’s downfall.”
Yuan Lan looked worried. “You still intend to seek out our master?”
“My mind is made up, Senior Sister. Don’t fret—I’m not as reckless as I was in childhood. I’m aware of the dangers, but I’m confident.” Tang Li embraced her.
Luo Chen remained silent, while other senior brothers voiced strong disapproval. “Our master no longer believes you’re alive. He will surely harm you.”
“Back when you first… departed, before our master lost his mind, some heard of his grief and deliberately spread rumors of treasured artifacts capable of summoning spirits.”
“Our master would rush to investigate every claim, but they were either swindlers or traps set to ambush him.”
“Some even claimed to know where you reincarnated, or crafted puppets to lure him. During the worst incident, our master nearly perished—his Nascent Soul was shattered.”
The speaker, Fang Cheng, was interrupted by others before he could finish. “Enough, why bring up these painful memories?”
Dodging their scolding, Fang Cheng sighed softly. “Our master’s descent into darkness wasn’t solely because of you. Too many in the World of Cultivation wish to see him fall—even demonic factions have fueled the flames behind the scenes.”
Tang Li’s expression darkened, her heart heavy with sorrow.
She imagined: if her own parents were on the brink of death, she too would grasp at any straw, believing every promise, no matter how dubious.
Yet to have hope kindled again and again, only for it to be extinguished—not even through failed attempts, but through blatant deception.
How could our master not hate, not go mad, how could he not succumb to demonic cultivation!
These damned, despicable villains—why must they harm our master!