That eerie, feminine voice seemed to come from the depths of the Nine Netherworlds, carrying a chilling omniscience as it echoed by Jiang Huai’s ear:
“If a mortal body touches it, at best, their Destiny will wither, the Curse of Misfortune will entangle them, and they’ll become just like her.”
“At worst, they’ll become part of this River of Misfortune, never to transcend for all eternity.”
“You, a mere Qi Refining, dare to dream?”
The voice held a trace of mockery, as if ridiculing how insignificant and overconfident Jiang Huai was.
Jiang Huai’s movement froze, his fingertips still tingling with the soul-freezing numbness and corrosion brought by the river water.
He looked to the other side. Qin Qingyue was curled up on the ground, her Dragon Tail sprawled out weakly, the Black Xuan Armor on her body having lost all luster—a sign of her complete inner collapse.
Only broken mutterings escaped her lips: “I deserve to die… I should have died long ago…”
“It’s all my fault…”
“So many people died.”
No longer did she bear the majesty of a Great Ascension Dragon Lord, nor the obsessive possessiveness. At this moment, she was as fragile as a shattered shell after a storm, left with nothing but a century of loneliness and self-loathing.
“Heh…”
Jiang Huai suddenly let out a low laugh, a sound filled with the resolve to risk it all.
“I guess crossing this river has nothing to do with cultivation. Otherwise, my finger would have disappeared just now, right?”
The woman’s voice fell silent for a moment, then said: “Even if it has nothing to do with cultivation, are you willing to be tainted by Misfortune?”
“She is a Great Ascension cultivator, and even Supreme Sage Great Ascension, more than enough to satisfy my appetite.”
“I’ll give you a chance—leave this Secret Realm.”
For countless millennia, she had seen far too many people enter this Secret Realm. Some came alone to die, others came as couples.
But without exception, those who managed to escape—whether couples or not—would betray each other and flee on their own.
She loved this most. Seeing such scenes made even her soul feel delighted.
“That’s a shame then.” Jiang Huai sighed.
“Do you know what my greatest strength is?”
“Hmm?” The woman’s tone held confusion.
“My greatest strength is that my Destiny is tough!” Jiang Huai suddenly leapt and plunged into the river.
Unimaginable pain swept through his body in an instant—not physical pain, but as if a vast Misfortune was stabbing through his pores into his very bones, ravenously gnawing at his vitality, his Destiny, even his soul.
The river water wound around him like a living thing, thick and cold. His skin instantly lost its color, black web-like patterns appearing all over it.
Inside him, the Jade Liquid Qi Refining churned madly to resist, but it was like a cup of water trying to put out a burning cart.
“You… you’re just a Qi Refining, how tough can your Destiny be?!” The woman asked in surprise.
“Hmph, just wait to die, ignorant fool.”
All these years, it was her first time seeing someone who wouldn’t abandon their other half.
This was not good. She thought if Jiang Huai really abandoned Qin Qingyue and left, it would be interesting—Qin Qingyue would learn the truth and die even more miserably, her soul all the more delicious.
Unfortunately, this one insisted on seeking death.
“I think I’m plenty tough, and I don’t believe a word you say.” Jiang Huai’s face twisted with pain, but he managed to speak through gritted teeth.
“No matter what, if there’s a chance, I have to save her.”
The Misfortune attacked Jiang Huai fiercely, seeping into every crevice, filled with resentment.
“Look at you, just seeking death.”
“Even if you want to bear this Misfortune, I’m afraid your body can’t handle it.” The woman’s voice was mercilessly mocking.
“If you turn back now, I’ll let you go.”
To her, Jiang Huai was just seasoning for Qin Qingyue’s suffering—the more he suffered, the tastier it would be.
If Qin Qingyue truly resigned herself to die, her death would be nourishing, but her soul would no longer be delicious—in fact, it would be a hard-to-swallow tonic.
One step, two steps, three steps—Jiang Huai trudged forward with growing difficulty, pain twisting his face, but his feet never stopped.
“You…”
With the woman’s astonishment, Jiang Huai took a fourth step, a fifth, a sixth.
The Misfortune battered Jiang Huai wildly, bringing pain but unable to bring death.
Once it entered Jiang Huai’s body, it simply vanished.
This bit of Misfortune, when it met his Destiny, was like ice meeting blazing fire, gradually melting away.
“Your Destiny… what kind of Destiny is this?” The woman asked in shock.
She had lived so long, yet had never seen such a tough Destiny.
Jiang Huai ignored her, standing in the middle of the river and shouting:
“Qin Qingyue! Qin Qingyue!”
Qin Qingyue lay on the ground, eyes hollow, her chest rising and falling slightly as she listened to the wailing around her, feeling pain deep in her soul.
She wanted to die. She no longer wished to live.
Nothing seemed to matter anymore. She just wanted to die.
Qin Qingyue’s tail curled slightly. She thought of Jiang Huai, of the look of blame on his face.
“What a shame… I thought I’d finally met someone who could stay with me.”
“If I’d known I was going to die, if I’d known earlier, I would’ve…”
A Dragon’s nature is hard to change. If she had known, she should have gone wild just once more before dying, made him so spent he wouldn’t dare talk back to her again.
Her consciousness drifted, her thoughts scattering.
Vaguely, Qin Qingyue seemed to hear someone calling her—perhaps Jiang Huai.
“Stop calling me, stop calling me,” she murmured to herself.
“I know I’ve let you down.”
Jiang Huai’s teeth ground together with a creak; every step felt as heavy as a mountain.
Heiyun had already reached his chest, and every breath brought soul-tearing pain.
He felt like a piece of iron thrown into strong acid, rapidly dissolving.
His vision began to blur, his mind started to drift.
The woman’s voice rang out again, tinged with urgency:
“Why bother, why do this for her?”
“If you keep going, you’ll die. No matter how tough your Destiny, you’ll die.”
A pity—a soul like Jiang Huai’s, she felt that if she tried to bite it, her teeth would break.
Jiang Huai’s consciousness was already fading, but he stared fixedly at the curled-up figure on the opposite bank, as if she was the only anchor in the darkness.
“Qin Qingyue! Qin Qingyue!”
He could clearly see that Qin Qingyue was still alive, obviously refusing to face anything.
If that’s the case, he needed to give her heart a hard jolt.
“Qin Qingyue, I’m going back to Wu Zhaohua’s side!”
“You’re not even half as good as her. I’m going back to live with her!”
“She’s come to fetch me, and she said you’re not even worth a single hair of hers! She has the beauty of a celestial maiden!” Jiang Huai shouted.
Upon hearing this, Qin Qingyue actually responded—her chest began to heave.
Wu Zhaohua? That Wu Zhaohua who always competed with her! That rival who always opposed her.
You’re not allowed to go back to her! What is she to you!
Celestial maiden’s beauty? That’s just luck on her part!
“Wu Zhaohua said…”
Jiang Huai hesitated a moment, then shouted:
“She said you’re not even a real woman, she’s better than you, and she’s more satisfying!”
“You’re all loose and slack over there…”
Qin Qingyue suddenly turned her head, glaring at Jiang Huai in fury.
She saw, in the churning darkness—the river of all her sins and ill fortune—a figure standing there, swaying on the verge of collapse.
His body was wrapped in Black Mist of Misfortune, sinister black patterns crawling across his skin, black blood constantly oozing from the corners of his mouth, yet his eyes shone with astonishing brightness, locking onto her with unwavering determination.
“Jiang… Jiang Huai?” she asked hesitantly.
When did this river appear? Why is he in it?
“Come pull me up!” Jiang Huai shouted, on the verge of collapse.
Qin Qingyue began to struggle fiercely, a spark of hope for life igniting in her heart.
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