After Rebirth, the Heroine is Consumed by Overwhelming Regret Chapter 51

Ling Aorui almost thought she had misheard. “What?”
“I need to dig up Yu Yan’s grave. You help me draw away the lightning,” Qi Qing said urgently. She knew that under certain circumstances, lightning could cause a corpse to reanimate, so before opening the coffin, she had to prevent this potential problem.
Ling Aorui, however, didn’t move.
She suspected Qi Qing had gone mad.
Seeing her motionless, Qi Qing stomped her foot and started back the way they came. Ling Aorui heard her departing footsteps, knew she couldn’t stop her, and quickly followed, trying to persuade her, “Qi Qing, she… she’s already dead. She was just buried today. Why must you disturb her peace?”
When Qi Qing didn’t answer, Ling Aorui continued to plead earnestly, “This is very disrespectful to her remains. If you don’t listen and insist on desecrating her body, then I must stop you.”
“Even if her body hasn’t decomposed, you can’t do that to her…” Ling Aorui couldn’t continue. She hadn’t expected Qi Qing to be such a twisted person; it was utterly shocking.
“Stop fussing. I’m doing something important,” Qi Qing interrupted her train of thought. “She has a magic artifact on her. That thing… might be able to bring the dead back to life.”
She was, of course, talking about the Holy Grail.
To be honest, Qi Qing wasn’t entirely sure.
Because Hua Yayun hadn’t clearly explained how to use the Holy Grail back then, only vaguely letting her guess some of its principles.
For example, only she, its master, could use the Holy Grail.
For example, it needed to be filled with water when used.
For example, after use, the master needed to stay with the person it was used on. It was best if they were in love, but if not, just staying together was enough.
…
Connecting these clues, it wasn’t actually hard to guess the Holy Grail’s specific method of use. Magic artifacts didn’t come with instruction manuals; their use had to be relatively simple, or at least have some room for error. Qi Qing hadn’t thought so much about it at the time, but after so long, a guess had vaguely formed in her subconscious.
Since the Holy Grail could heal Hua Jiaolian’s dying body, there was no reason it couldn’t save Yu Yan, for whom the first seven days since death had not yet passed. At this stage, a person’s soul and spirit had not yet completely left the body; theoretically, she was in a state between life and death.
No matter the outcome, she had to try.
Otherwise, she would never be able to rest in peace, even in death.
Seeing that Qi Qing spoke coherently and didn’t seem truly mad, Ling Aorui went along with her wishes. The two cooperated seamlessly, and in no time, they had dug out the coffin.
Qi Qing opened the coffin, took out the storage ring placed among the fresh flowers, and opened it. Sure enough, she found the Holy Grail in a corner. It still looked the same, glistening gold.
She turned it over and examined it; there was no writing anywhere. So, the rules must be very simple. She casually drew a stream of rainwater and filled it.
The cup, now filled with water, shone with a golden light. Qi Qing looked down; her face was reflected on the water’s surface, but a gentle breeze rippled it, blurring her image.
She focused her mind and calmed her breath, thinking of Yu Yan’s appearance.
She hadn’t seen Yu Yan take her own life; she had lost her sight the moment she saw the body in the coffin. So, in her mind, Yu Yan was always alive—very beautiful, deeply affectionate, with a touch of childlike innocence and cuteness.
One could say, Yu Yan had always lived in her heart.
The water’s surface gradually calmed. Reflected by the daylight, she saw Yu Yan’s face. She looked just as she had when they first met, perhaps even more beautiful than in her memories.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say.
Then, the reflection slowly faded, replaced by her own face again. The Holy Grail in her hand also gradually turned transparent, until it vanished.
She was a little puzzled, unsure if she had succeeded.
The rain slowly stopped, and sunlight sprinkled down.
Qi Qing felt her body gradually warm up. She didn’t know if it was from the sun or some other reason. She squinted at the distant sunset, finding it very beautiful.
Suddenly, a sound came from inside the coffin.
Ling Aorui reacted first, calling out, “Qi Qing.”
Qi Qing looked down and saw a familiar figure suddenly sit up from amidst the profusion of fresh flowers. The person yawned, stretched lazily, looked around for a moment, and then, upon seeing Qi Qing, her eyes lit up.
“Qi Qing…”
She called out her name, then paused, somewhat confused. “Did I get it wrong… What’s going on…”
Qi Qing leaned down and extended her hand to her. “You didn’t get it wrong. It’s me.”
“But I… But weren’t we dead?” Yu Yan was still confused, disbelieving. She tentatively placed her hand in Qi Qing’s, only feeling a little more certain when she felt its warmth.
Qi Qing pulled her out of the coffin. “It’s all in the past, A-Yan. Just think of it as a nightmare.”
Yu Yan stared at her for a long moment, a smile slowly appearing on her face. Then, she couldn’t help but shed tears, her voice trembling, “I thought… I thought you were dead, so…”
“There, there…” Qi Qing pulled her into an embrace, gently stroking her back. “Didn’t I come back? Why were you so foolish, not even believing my words?”
“But you told me to give up on you, to find a young female cultivator… I don’t want to be with anyone else. I only want to be with you, only you…” Yu Yan said, her voice nasal and her words halting, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Qi Qing, of course, knew what she was thinking. By now, their hearts and minds were so connected that no misunderstanding could come between them.
The two held each other for a long time, until the sunlight warmed Yu Yan’s body as well. Their two strong hearts beat close together. Only then did Qi Qing understand that she didn’t want to die at all. No matter how painful the first half of her life had been, as long as Yu Yan was there, she had the courage to live on.
She also had to live on. Only if she was alive could Yu Yan remain eternally youthful.
Now, neither could live without the other.
Just as they were lost in the moment, Ling Aorui suddenly said, “Someone’s coming.”
Qi Qing opened her eyes and saw Jiu Chan rushing towards them angrily. Perhaps she was too agitated, or perhaps it was too dark, but Jiu Chan didn’t see Yu Yan at all and immediately started scolding, “Qi Qing, do you have to be so hopeless? Yu Yan was just buried, but you don’t need to stay at the graveyard all night, do you? It’s so cold, with such heavy rain. Are you really disregarding your own body, trying to drive yourself to death?”
“I was a bit annoyed with you and haven’t spoken to you these past few days, but I don’t want to see you like this. Isn’t it just love? Who doesn’t experience it? If you’re really in unbearable pain, I could even make do and have a relationship with you. I just beg you, please don’t ruin yourself!”
As she spoke, she ran over, pushing aside Ling Aorui who was in her way. But before she could even touch the hem of Qi Qing’s clothes, she suddenly saw a familiar person… no, rather, a familiar ghost…
Jiu Chan stared at the face peeking out from behind Qi Qing. She froze for a few seconds, then took a few steps back, and asked tremblingly, “Ling Aorui, you, quickly help me look! A-Am I seeing things… Is that… behind Qi Qing… ah?”
Ling Aorui was already blind and simply said, “I can’t see.”
“Can’t see?!” Jiu Chan’s scalp tingled even more. Although she was a divine official, she had been unusually afraid of ghosts since childhood. It was embarrassing, so she had never told anyone.
“Jiu Chan, did you say you want to be with Qi Qing?” Yu Yan’s “ghost” suddenly spoke, her voice full of resentment, eerie and terrifying. “Have you forgotten? She’s my cultivation partner. How dare you try to steal my woman?”
“Awooo!” Jiu Chan suddenly let out a miserable howl and scrambled away, leaving only an afterimage. She probably didn’t realize that she looked very much like a dog whose tail had just been stepped on.
Qi Qing and Yu Yan looked at each other for a moment, then both burst out laughing. Qi Qing said, laughing, “You’re too mischievous. Scaring people like that can really frighten them to death. Jiu Chan will definitely not forgive you when she finds out later.”
Yu Yan didn’t care about that. “Anyway, it’s not like we’ve gotten along for just a day or two. When we get back, I’ll even go to her bedside and scare her again. Who told her to dare covet you? If I hadn’t revived, you wouldn’t really have gotten together with her, would you?”
After saying this, she gave Qi Qing a deep, meaningful look.
Qi Qing felt a little unnerved by her gaze and coughed. “How could I? Um, it’s getting late. Let’s go back.”
Yu Yan nodded. Just as she took a step, she noticed something was off about Ling Aorui’s condition; it seemed she couldn’t see. She turned to look at Qi Qing. Qi Qing pointed to her own eyes, then shook her head, meaning: She returned my eyes to me, but I don’t dare go help her, I’m afraid you’ll get jealous.
Yu Yan nodded approvingly, acknowledging Qi Qing’s tact.
Then, Yu Yan herself walked over and supported Ling Aorui’s arm. Ling Aorui stiffened and said, “Actually…”
“Less nonsense. I want to help,” Yu Yan quickly cut off her polite refusal. Then, she secretly whispered in her ear, “Thank you for giving Qi Qing to me.”
Ling Aorui was stunned for a moment, then smiled wryly and shook her head.
Actually, she never had any standing to compete with Yu Yan, neither in her past life nor in this one. All she wanted to do was to compensate as much as possible; beyond that, she dared not have any other illusions.
The two walked in front, with Qi Qing behind.
Seeing Yu Yan finally no longer wary of Ling Aorui, Qi Qing also breathed a sigh of relief. This meant Yu Yan truly believed her, and this unresolved knot in her heart had completely untied.
Don’t dwell on the past; the future is bright.
Regardless, they, as lovers, had finally found their happy ending.
…
Three hundred years later.
“Are you sure?” Qi Qing asked. “You’re not tricking me?”
“It’s true! If you don’t believe me, listen.” Yu Yan puffed out her stomach, letting Qi Qing listen for any movement inside. Qi Qing listened for a long while but heard nothing. After all, they were both women; how could they possibly have a child?
Just as she was about to get up, she suddenly heard a long gurgle.
Looking up, she saw Yu Yan with an innocent expression. “It seems I was mistaken. It’s not a baby, it’s just my stomach being greedy.”
“Then what about the ‘only child’?”
“You misheard. It’s an ‘only mouth’.”
“…”
Qi Qing’s expression turned cool. She slowly rose and moved closer. Seeing her like this, Yu Yan thought she was genuinely angry and quickly recoiled, about to explain, but before any words could come out, a kiss silenced her.
Yu Yan’s eyes widened, then slowly closed.
After a long, deep kiss, Qi Qing finally let her go. Yu Yan was panting, her face flushed. Looking at Qi Qing, however, she showed no reaction at all, only asking softly, “Still hungry?”
Yu Yan didn’t react immediately.
“Not speaking means you’re still hungry.” As Qi Qing spoke, she took off her outer robe. Yu Yan started to panic and turned to flee, but Qi Qing pinned her to the bed. With nowhere to escape, she could only say, blushing, “That’s not what I meant… It’s daytime…”
“Doesn’t matter.” Qi Qing kissed her again.
Yu Yan felt Qi Qing’s kisses move lower bit by bit. Her entire face was beet red. She knew what was about to happen, and her body tensed involuntarily.
The other always knew how to please her best.
…
The stars turned, and several more years passed.
One day, while Qi Qing was cultivating, she suddenly heard faint thunder overhead. Yu Yan abruptly pushed the door open. They looked at each other, knowing that the inevitable was finally coming.
“Don’t be afraid. I’ll always be with you,” Yu Yan said.
Qi Qing nodded. In fact, this wasn’t her first time experiencing heavenly lightning. However, this would be the last—a full eighty-one strikes. If she endured it, she would become a member of the Heavenly Realm. If she couldn’t, she would never be able to ascend; at best, she would live out her natural lifespan, and at worst, she would die directly.
Both their hearts felt heavy, but at this point, worrying was useless. Yu Yan secretly resolved: whether Qi Qing succeeded in ascending or not, she would stay by her side until death did them part.
The heavenly lightning began to fall.
Qi Qing fully deployed her spiritual barrier, persisting with a solemn expression. It was manageable at first, not too difficult, like being hit by a sledgehammer through a thick quilt. Then, the force of the sledgehammer grew heavier and heavier. She found it increasingly hard to breathe, and her spiritual barrier was compressed smaller and smaller.
In a daze, she heard many voices outside—the young disciples from the temple, the herb farmers, and many common people they had treated. They all knew Qi Qing was undergoing her tribulation, so they silently stayed outside, quietly cheering her on.
Breathing became almost impossible to sustain.
Qi Qing’s vision blurred. She knew that once her spiritual barrier completely shattered, her life might come to an end. But she wasn’t afraid. In these three hundred years, she had lived the happiest time of her life. Even death, she had faced its prospect countless times.
Besides, with her loved one by her side, what was there to complain about? If she could die in Yu Yan’s arms, she would consider herself a fortunate person.
…
She no longer had any lingering attachments, nor any unresolved inner conflicts.
The moment this thought arose, the spiritual barrier, which should have been compressed to its limit, suddenly expanded, like an explosion, enveloping the entire house.
She extended her hand to Yu Yan.
Her long hair flowed in the wind, her expression serene.
Yu Yan walked over.
The two snuggled together. Then, the thunder receded.
The people outside waited for a long time, but there was no sound. Finally, Xue’er mustered her courage and pushed open the door, only to see Qi Qing and Yu Yan leaning against each other, their expressions more peaceful than ever before.
They had ascended together to the Heavenly Realm.
Xue’er turned and announced the news to the devotees.
Everyone rejoiced, some even shedding tears of old age, saying they had actually lived to see immortals ascend and could die without regrets.
Xue’er also had tears in her eyes. She gazed at the distant horizon and whispered, “Master, take care.”
Amidst the colorful clouds on the horizon, it seemed two figures waved back at her.
“Goodbye, take care.”
————————
The End. Next are the extras, which will cover their past lives, Qi Qing’s future, and what happens with Ling Aorui.
Extra Chapter: Previous Life
When Qi Qing’s name burst forth in the night sky, Ling Aorui’s worst fear came true.
Ignoring those around her trying to stop her, she flew madly towards the Immortal Execution Platform. The night wind pierced through her body, icy and bone-chilling, like countless needles.
At least, she managed to see Qi Qing one last time.
The other person’s eyes were already losing focus. Seeing her arrive, they suddenly smiled. That smile was tragic and sad. Ling Aorui felt her heart clench with pain at that smile. She held the other’s body, asking over and over, “Why? Why?”
Why couldn’t you wait for me a little longer?
“I…” Qi Qing’s voice was as faint as a whisper. Ling Aorui pressed her ear close, only then clearly hearing the rest: “I… hate you…”
Then, Qi Qing’s head drooped.
Ling Aorui’s heart also grew completely cold.
Time rewound to a year ago, when she and Qi Qing descended the mountain together. At that time, she thought this would be the beginning of a new life for her and Qi Qing. She really wanted to “bring Qi Qing out.” This “bring out” didn’t mean taking her out of the sect gates, but rather helping Qi Qing become stronger, strong enough to stand on her own.
After the incident of her blindness, she understood that in this world, only Qi Qing loved and protected her. The two of them were each other’s support.
Qi Qing was wonderful, just too weak.
It wasn’t that she disliked Qi Qing for being weak. She was just afraid that if one day she went blind again, Qi Qing wouldn’t be able to protect herself, and they would both fall into danger. So the best way was to make the other person stronger.
A single pillar cannot support a large house; they had to become each other’s safeguard.
To “bring Qi Qing out,” she had to be strengthened through real combat. With Ling Aorui by her side to protect her, Qi Qing wouldn’t get hurt.
That’s what she thought.
But Qi Qing clearly didn’t think the same way.
The other person seemed to only want to sightsee and travel, full of interest in everything new. Every time the other pointed at something for her to look at, she wanted to say, This isn’t important. What’s important is cultivation.
But she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
If she said it, it would be like forcing the other person to do things.
She didn’t want to force her ideas on others, not even on her inseparable cultivation partner. Yet her own values stubbornly pushed her towards that goal. Driven by this conflict, she started to stay silent about those so-called “fun things.”
This was a helpless, reluctant way of expressing herself.
Qi Qing also noticed her impatience and was no longer so lively.
Her way of being around Ling Aorui changed from relaxed to uneasy, as if she didn’t know what to do. She once again became eager to help with chores. Ling Aorui didn’t want this; she didn’t need everything to be so neat and tidy.
She just wanted Qi Qing to focus on cultivation.
But for some reason, the other person always failed to understand her meaning. Just when she was preparing to risk an argument and make things clear, something strange happened.
Actually, it wasn’t sudden.
Since they descended the mountain this time, an unusual number of demons had sought them out—at least more than when she used to travel alone. It was as if they had smelled some aura and were specifically drawn to them.
That night, she wasn’t at the inn; only Qi Qing was guarding the door. When she returned, Qi Qing was already surrounded by demons, more than double the number compared to when she was usually present.
If she hadn’t returned in time, Qi Qing would have already lost her life.
Only then did she confirm that the source was Qi Qing.
She didn’t understand what was going on, but this discovery made her even more anxious.
Qi Qing’s strange constitution easily attracted demons. If she didn’t cultivate seriously, without Ling Aorui’s protection, she would instantly be in great danger.
Although she had no intention of leaving Qi Qing, what if she had to leave for some reason? How would Qi Qing survive then?
So, she found a time and talked to Qi Qing about this.
Qi Qing’s reaction was completely unexpected—it seemed the other person had known about this all along but had never mentioned it to her. When she wanted to ask for details, the other was unwilling to say more.
Ling Aorui really didn’t understand why Qi Qing would hide such an important matter. Could there be other things she’s hiding from me?
Indeed, there were.
After watching carefully, Ling Aorui found that the other person often talked to herself. The one she talked to had no physical form, yet it was something Qi Qing trusted deeply—not a demon, not a ghost, not anything she could touch.
After thinking long and hard, Ling Aorui concluded that this thing must have brought disaster upon Qi Qing, yet Qi Qing protected it, even going so far as to hide it from her.
Not being open would naturally lead to misunderstandings.
Just as Qi Qing began to doubt if her efforts were being noticed, Ling Aorui was already trying to figure out how to remove the curse called the “system” from Qi Qing.
With both of them harboring their own thoughts, Hua Jiaolian took notice.
Hua Jiaolian had been following them for a long time. Initially, it was because she had a grudge against Ling Aorui and wanted to follow them to find an opportunity for revenge. Later, she gradually discovered the problems between the two.
By then, she had been driven out of her home by the live-in son-in-law her mother had found. Without her mother’s protection, and without the “holy grail” from the son-in-law, her illness grew worse and worse. It looked like she only had a few days left.
But fate hadn’t given up on her. She overheard that Ling Aorui had a pair of Life-Sharing Gu—she’d heard this from Qi Qing. Since Qi Qing was so sure, she must have seen them; it had to be true.
Thus, a plan took shape in her mind.
Hua Jiaolian was very good at playing with people’s feelings, even better than her mother. She first pestered Ling Aorui, insisting on fighting her no matter what. After succeeding, she pretended to be dead and kissed the corner of Ling Aorui’s lips.
Actually, kissing the corner of the lips was a pretense; delivering a message was the real purpose.
She whispered in Ling Aorui’s ear, saying she could help her get rid of “that thing”—what thing? Naturally, it was the curse on Qi Qing. She deliberately didn’t say it too clearly. Firstly, she didn’t know Ling Aorui’s judgment, and speaking too plainly might expose her. Secondly, she wanted to arouse Ling Aorui’s curiosity, making her think Hua Jiaolian knew something.
Ling Aorui wasn’t stupid, but Hua Jiaolian had hit her weak spot. It could be said that concern muddled her judgment, so she didn’t have time to think too much and rescued her.
After being rescued, Hua Jiaolian, holding this leverage, pushed her luck even further. She knew this trick wouldn’t last long. She had to tie Ling Aorui, who still hadn’t figured out the truth, to her side as quickly as possible.
Only by using the other’s Life-Sharing Gu could she survive.
When Ling Aorui first rescued her, it could still be called a kind deed. Later, when Hua Jiaolian wanted to use the Life-Sharing Gu, Ling Aorui naturally disagreed. This Gu was reserved for future emergencies. But Hua Jiaolian threatened her, saying if Ling Aorui didn’t save her, she wouldn’t tell her the way to save Qi Qing.
Ling Aorui had no choice but to use it.
At that time, she thought, As long as I can save Qi Qing, this temporary grievance is nothing. The Life-Sharing Gu isn’t without a cure; this is just for now.
It was this one act of giving in that showed Hua Jiaolian how determined Ling Aorui was, and Hua Jiaolian pressured her again and again. Because her weakness was being used against her, Ling Aorui couldn’t fight back and could only agree as much as she could.
The things that followed, she did them reluctantly.
Taking Hua Jiaolian back to the Heavenly Sword Sect, stealing magic artifacts from within the sect, healing her regardless of the cost—all of it was for that final outcome. Even if it all came out, she felt she had nothing to be ashamed of regarding her intentions.
But she never, ever should have let herself be charmed by her.
Hua Jiaolian was a fox demon; she had known this all along.
But she didn’t expect the other to use fox bewitchment techniques on her.
Although the other later cried, saying she didn’t do it on purpose—that Ling Aorui was just too good to her, causing her to have improper thoughts and unknowingly use a fawning charm on her—how could Ling Aorui believe it? She had a big fight with her over this and didn’t go into that room for days.
Qi Qing came to find her and asked what had happened.
Ling Aorui looked at Qi Qing’s innocent appearance, feeling somewhat guilty and sad. But at this point, she had also become an accomplice; there was no way she could confess.
It’s okay. Once the curse is dealt with, everything will be over, and I can go back to Qi Qing’s side. If Qi Qing doesn’t want to cultivate, then she doesn’t have to. I’ll take care of everything. If worst comes to worst, I just won’t let Qi Qing leave the sect.
Sooner or later, she would be the Sect Master. At that time, she would naturally have ways to protect Qi Qing and ensure her lifelong safety.
But what happened later once again exceeded her expectations.
Three days later, when she returned to the room, Hua Jiaolian was already so weak she was almost dying. Seeing her enter, she immediately burst into tears, saying that incident was her fault, she would never do it again, and begged for her forgiveness, and so on.
Ling Aorui couldn’t bring herself to say any more harsh words. She just went forward to heal her. While channeling her spiritual energy, she finally said, “Forget it. You don’t need to be like this. Let’s just pretend… nothing happened.”
But how could something that had happened be treated as if it never occurred?
The way they got along suddenly felt different after that. Ling Aorui couldn’t describe it. In short, Hua Jiaolian acted as shy as a little wife in front of her. If their hands accidentally brushed, they would pull apart as if they’d gotten an electric shock. A strange mood hung between them, and eventually, even Ling Aorui started to feel very uncomfortable.
She didn’t know what was wrong with her. She told herself in her heart, The one I like is Qi Qing. Saving Hua Jiaolian is also for Qi Qing. Even sharing a room with Hua Jiaolian now is based on saving Qi Qing.
Qi Qing, Qi Qing.
She treated this name like a magic word, constantly reminding herself not to cross the line. This continued until Hua Jiaolian said, sounding somewhat relieved, that she had given up but still wanted to be friends with her. Whatever troubles Ling Aorui had in the future, she could tell her.
Ling Aorui didn’t realize this was a trick—pretending to retreat in order to advance. She truly believed Hua Jiaolian no longer desired her. She first carefully asked a few questions. After finding Hua Jiaolian’s answers very sincere and reasonable, she slowly began to trust her and told her about her real worries.
From then on, Hua Jiaolian’s great net was completely woven.
Ling Aorui had completely become her puppet. No matter what Hua Jiaolian asked for, she could make it sound reasonable. Even later—descending the mountain, becoming cultivation partners, and temporarily separating from Qi Qing—all these were her suggestions. It was simple: just make Ling Aorui believe, “She is truly doing this for my own good, and for Qi Qing’s good.”
Descending the mountain was to avoid getting Qi Qing into trouble.
Becoming partners was to dissolve the Life-Sharing Gu sooner.
Separating was also because Qi Qing’s cultivation was low, and going down would be dangerous for her.
Everything fit together; everything made sense. Although Ling Aorui had her doubts, she was already on a path she couldn’t turn back from. Other than telling herself she hadn’t done anything wrong, there was nothing else she could do.
Until Qi Qing died.
Only then did she realize that Hua Jiaolian never had a way to break the curse. She had been tricked, and in a completely absurd way. Worst of all, to become partners with Hua Jiaolian, she had already fallen out with everyone. If she backed out now, it would be like humiliating herself.
And she couldn’t kill the other person either, because of the Life-Sharing Gu.
If they killed each other, both would die violently.
————————

Extra Chapter: Divination

Ling Aorui, consumed by pain and hatred, sat numbly with Qi Qing’s body for an entire night. The wedding guests waited late into the night, but no one came. They exchanged confused glances, wondering what was happening.

In the end, it was Hua Jiaolian, the bride, who lifted her veil. Smiling, she smoothly handled the situation and, after much effort, saw all the guests off. She then changed into white clothes and flew to the foot of the Demon Execution Terrace to find Ling Aorui.

Ling Aorui heard her approach but said nothing.
She continued to hold Qi Qing’s body, her eyes bloodshot.

“I know what you want to say, Aorui.” Hua Jiaolian walked behind her and said softly, “But you have to believe me, I truly didn’t lie to you. The curse on her was almost completely gone, just a tiny bit was left. I never expected her to be so distraught as to commit suicide. You can’t blame anyone for that, can you?”

“Do you think I’m so stupid I can’t even see through this?” Ling Aorui said coldly. “She didn’t commit suicide; you forced her to her death. If you hadn’t lied to me and torn me away from her, she wouldn’t have died!”

Hua Jiaolian was silent for a moment, then her voice suddenly rose. “Ridiculous! If you were truly loyal to her, how could I have taken you away? If I could take you, it means you two were never truly destined to be together.”

As if she no longer cared to pretend, she sneered, “Stop acting like such a righteous person. I barely seduced you, and you couldn’t stop yourself from throwing yourself at me. And you dare say it’s my fault? Are you some kind of innocent white lotus yourself?

Ling Aorui, stop this act of deep affection. You never loved her at all. All these years, you two were together like children playing house. You didn’t even feel any physical attraction. What kind of love is that? Even friends aren’t that distant, are they?

To say I have no selfish motives would be a lie. I do have desires, but I pursue them openly. I told you I liked you, and you didn’t cut ties with me. I asked you to marry me, and you reluctantly accepted. If you didn’t like me at all, why would you obey my every command?

Don’t say it was for Qi Qing. There are many ways in this world to break a curse. You were just taking the easy way out, using me as a convenient excuse. Haven’t you considered your own faults?

We are bound together now, our interests intertwined. I advise you to think clearly. I didn’t kill her, and life must go on. You’ve fallen out with so many people for my sake. Do you really think you have any way out of this?

Hmph, I don’t care about you. I’m going back to sleep.”

With these words, she flew straight up into the sky.

But she had only flown a few feet when Ling Aorui struck her down. Still recovering from a serious illness, Hua Jiaolian had little strength to resist. Pinned by Ling Aorui’s demon-slaying sword, panic flickered across her face.

“What… what are you doing?” she cried.

“When it comes to arguing, I can’t beat you.” Ling Aorui, already surging with demonic energy, said slowly, “But this sword of mine is far more effective than reasoning.”

Hua Jiaolian hadn’t expected her to actually dare use her sword. She said urgently, “Are you crazy? Ling Aorui, we have a life-linking Gu between us! If you kill me, you’ll die too. Have you forgotten?”

“I haven’t forgotten, but I don’t want to live such a painful life,” Ling Aorui said. “You’re very good at manipulating people. Anyone else standing here might be persuaded by you to suppress their resentment, pretend nothing happened, and muddle through, allowing the murderer of their beloved to share their bed every night—but I can’t.

Not only will I not do that, but I’ll also rip you open to see exactly how you bewitched me, making me think that fleeting flutter of emotion was love. Qi Qing and I treated each other with utmost respect because we are decent people; we wouldn’t be promiscuous before becoming cultivation partners.

What right do you have to criticize me? You’re nothing but a dog I rescued. I can toy with you however I please. Love? Was there ever love between us? Wasn’t it all just exploitation from start to finish?

You should never, ever have caused Qi Qing’s death. From the moment she died, we became mortal enemies. In every future time and space, whenever I see you, I will ensure your demise!”

With that, her sword pierced Hua Jiaolian’s chest. Ling Aorui died and became a demon.

Because her death and demonization occurred simultaneously, she became a ghost demon.

Her body fell beside Qi Qing’s, but her soul flew far away. She had to find Qi Qing, to tell her that it was all her own fault, that her weakness had allowed Hua Jiaolian to take advantage.

She would use everything she had to bring Qi Qing justice.

Later, she did. She learned the whole truth, returned the eyes to Qi Qing, and finally followed a divine official to the heavens to accept the judgment of the Heavenly Dao.

After serving a sentence of nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine years, she emerged into the outside world. It had completely changed, transformed into the world Qi Qing had once described.

Skyscrapers were everywhere, and the streets bustled with traffic.

It was a vibrant, new world. The Heavenly Emperor offered her a boon: to descend to the mortal realm and undergo a love trial. If she passed, she would be granted the position of a divine official.

But Ling Aorui refused.

She didn’t want to experience love again; she only wanted to see this world properly. She had moved beyond her past ways of thinking and could now somewhat understand Qi Qing’s indifference towards cultivation. After all, Qi Qing came from such a safe, wondrous world where one didn’t need to strive for power to live a good, happy life.

With so many possibilities before her, why would she cling to old rules and become some bothersome divine official?

She bid farewell to the Heavenly Emperor, walked into the crowd, and gradually vanished.

The Heavenly Emperor sighed, not expecting to lose even this last talent. Ever since time had advanced to the modern era, his divine officials had grown restless. Before, it was only Yu Yan who enjoyed venturing to the mortal realm. Now, it seemed like every few days, someone would long for the mortal world and descend. When he tried to impose punishments, they would risk resigning their posts just to stay below.

The Heavenly Realm was becoming deserted; he was almost a general without an army.

Fortunately, natural disasters and man-made calamities were few these days. Major and minor illnesses, thanks to modern medicine, were no longer significant concerns for people.

Perhaps I should stay here for a few days too?

The Heavenly Emperor felt a stir of eagerness but was unsure what to do. After some thought, he decided to find Qi Qing. She knew the modern world well and could surely recommend something suitable for him.

With a single thought, he appeared at Qi Qing’s door.

When Qi Qing opened it, a toothbrush was still in her mouth. After hearing his request, she nearly drooled toothpaste everywhere. “Wait, you came down? Is there anyone left in the Heavenly Realm?”

“Well, I can’t just stay up there all alone, can I?” The Heavenly Emperor fumed. “It’s so desolate. What’s the point of me being there by myself?”

“And whose fault is that?” Yu Yan said, tying up her hair as she walked into the living room. “If you hadn’t been so strict, people wouldn’t have scattered. Old man, you’ve finally seen the light. How about you come work as an HR manager with me?”

“HR… what?” The Heavenly Emperor didn’t quite understand English.

“It’s…” Yu Yan struggled to explain. After a moment, she said, “Just tell us what skills you have. With so many professions in this world, surely you can find a way to make a living?”

“Sword techniques, formation arts, magical arts, divination arts…”

“The first three are pretty useless here, but knowing divination might count for something.”

Three days later, a strange new streamer appeared on a live streaming platform. His title was grand: “The Jade Emperor Himself Tells Fortunes.” Ten yuan per reading, fair to all.

“Damn, I’ve never seen such a fake scam! I’d sooner believe I’m Qin Shi Huang!”

“This guy looks so ordinary. Which entertainment company is behind him? Couldn’t they at least get him some decent props?”

“Hey streamer, can you divine how much you’ll earn tonight? If you’re right, I’ll get you a premium subscription!”

Many people were watching, but no one wanted to be the first to waste money.

In the end, Qi Qing acted as a shill to give him a good start.
Of course, the question was simple, and he easily got it right. Qi Qing spammed “Streamer is awesome!” in the comments, and that was that.

After an awkward fifteen-minute wait, a second person finally appeared.
This was a genuine viewer, asking about his financial luck for the year. The Heavenly Emperor performed a divination and said, “You will win a big prize tonight, from something called a sports… sports lottery.”

The man chuckled and said, “I’ll take your auspicious words!”

After that, there was a long silence. By ten-thirty, there were still very few viewers. Suddenly, a viewer entered, sent several “cruise ship” gifts, left a comment saying, “Streamer is awesome, I won five hundred thousand!” and then vanished.

A bored viewer glanced and said, “Damn, wasn’t that the guy who was told he’d win big? Did he really win?”

“I scrolled back and checked, it really is him! Is this streamer some kind of lucky charm? Maybe I should get a reading too? It’s only ten yuan, right?”

But this time, the streamer’s result was “not much financial luck.”
This wasn’t surprising, as most people don’t have great financial luck, but few are so blunt about it. That viewer left, grumbling. A few others were in line, holding scratch-off tickets, waiting for his verdict.

As it turned out, every single prediction was accurate.
Word truly spread this time, and viewers flocked in. Before long, Qi Qing said helplessly, “My WeChat account has hit its receiving limit. Switch to yours.”

Yu Yan changed the payment QR code to her own. In one night, the three of them worked tirelessly. From just ten-yuan readings, they had astonishingly earned 129,680 yuan.

Qi Qing’s jaw dropped in amazement. “This is incredible! Why don’t we both quit our jobs and just do this?”

Yu Yan agreed, but the Heavenly Emperor found it dull.
Such trivial matters didn’t require his personal intervention, and staring at a screen all night was exhausting. He wandered around the room and took a strange-looking cup from the refrigerator.

He took a sip. It was cool and refreshing.
“What is this? It’s quite tasty,” he asked.

Qi Qing said, “That’s a taro ball grape drink. If you like it, I can order a few more for you. It’s time for a late-night snack. Would you like anything else?”

The Heavenly Emperor shook his head. After a moment, he suddenly asked, “How much does this cost? I’ll pay you.”

Just as Qi Qing was about to speak, Yu Yan covered her mouth, coughed twice, and said, “This is quite expensive. The money you earned tonight is just enough for one cup. If you want more, you’ll have to keep doing divinations. Who knows, if you earn more, you might even be able to buy other flavors.”

The Heavenly Emperor savored the taste for a moment and said, “Alright.”

It would be several years before the Heavenly Emperor learned that the money he earned from his daily divinations was enough to buy the entire city.

At that time, he was hunched over his computer, working day and night. Those two, however, were thousands of miles away, watching the sea from an RV. Many bioluminescent jellyfish rose from the water. Yu Yan, holding a wine glass, snuggled into Qi Qing’s embrace and said, “Can you turn off the payment notification sound? It’s quite noisy.”

Qi Qing said helplessly, “Okay.”

“How much did we earn tonight?”

“Over three million, I think.”