Qin Qingyue felt her heart suddenly constrict.
She subconsciously looked at Wu Zhaohua, whose expression had also drastically changed, and her voice trembled with panic.
“What happened to Jiang Huai?!”
Throughout this time, she had trusted that with White Dew by Jiang Huai’s side, nothing too disastrous would occur.
This was why she had suppressed her anxiety and patiently dealt with these Heavenly Immortals to pave a way for their long-term future.
But despite all her calculations, she never expected a change to come so quickly and so violently!
Wu Zhaohua also possessed a Spirit Sword Pattern connection.
Though it was not as clear as Qin Qingyue’s Life Dragon Tattoo, it was enough to sense a life force that was rapidly fading.
The coldness on her usually aloof face deepened.
One hand unconsciously pressed against the hilt of the Immortal Sword at her waist as she said in a heavy voice, “His life force is extremely weak. He is hanging by a thread.”
The phrase ‘hanging by a thread’ was not an exaggeration.
She could feel that the connection was so faint it was nearly severed, like the last flicker of a candle in a gale—one more gentle breath would extinguish it entirely, consigning him to death.
Qin Qingyue knew better than anyone what this meant.
The connection between her and Jiang Huai felt like a strand of spider silk fluttering in a blizzard—cold, fragile, and seemingly about to snap silently at any moment, vanishing into the vast white snow without a trace.
“In that case, we take our leave.”
She did not want to waste another second here with these indecisive Immortals!
Wu Zhaohua said nothing more.
She simply gave a slight cupped-fist salute toward Wu Jinlan and prepared to leave with Qin Qingyue.
“Wait, you two.” Seeing this, Wu Jinlan quickly stood up. The gentle smile remained on her face as if she had expected this.
She flipped her hand, and a Storage Ring appeared in her palm.
“Regardless, your journey is a fight to protect both realms, and your intentions are clear.”
“I have prepared some pills, charms, and protective Immortal artifacts that might be of use. Although it is but a drop in the ocean, it is a token of my regard. Please, accept them.” Her attitude was sincere, clearly not a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Since the other Heavenly Immortals had contributed more or less, she naturally could not be left behind; it concerned her dignity as a Heavenly Immortal and the friendship of their shared Dao.
Wu Zhaohua paused, but she did not turn back. She only looked sideways, her voice like the clashing of ice and jade, carrying suppressed agitation.
“There is no need. We have gained enough along the way. We appreciate your kindness.”
Her heart was filled with the urgency of Jiang Huai’s life-or-death situation.
She only wanted to rush into the Forbidden Zone, find answers, and return to the Lower Realm at all costs.
The smile on Wu Jinlan’s face stiffened slightly.
She shook her head and remained silent, her eyes filled with a complex emotion.
How could she not know how difficult it was? The Immortal Realm seemed free and easy, but it was fraught with internal strife and helplessness.
They were not omnipotent gods; they were merely practitioners who had reached a higher Realm.
From the moment the first Heavenly Immortal refused, the outcome of this persuasion was already decided.
“Thank you.” Unlike Wu Zhaohua’s flat refusal, Qin Qingyue decisively waved her hand.
The Storage Ring turned into a stream of light and landed in her palm, which she unceremoniously stowed away.
She even managed a cold smile for Wu Jinlan and cupped her hands.
“In that case, wait for our news.”
Wu Jinlan was slightly startled, then nodded without further word.
Two streaks of light, one black and one white, tore through the clouds and vanished into the horizon without any lingering attachment.
During their rapid flight, Qin Qingyue spoke to the grim-faced Wu Zhaohua beside her.
“Why didn’t you take it? I actually think they didn’t give enough.”
“Don’t be angry with them. Since we are destined to go alone and the road ahead is dangerous, having one more bit of help means one more bit of certainty.”
Her thinking was clear, and her goal was definite.
Wu Zhaohua glanced at her coldly but did not respond.
This style of conduct was, as always, consistent with her perception of Qin Qingyue: bold yet meticulous, decisive in action, and possessing a very thick skin when necessary.
The two returned to the White Dragon Immortal Domain at their maximum speed.
The White Dragon Clan Leader and Rongxin had already sensed their presence and were waiting outside.
Upon seeing their solemn expressions and the faint murderous aura surrounding them, their hearts sank.
“Has there been a change in the Lower Realm?” the White Dragon Clan Leader asked in a heavy voice, her Dragon Eyes filled with worry.
Qin Qingyue was brief, explaining that she had sensed Jiang Huai’s life force was nearly severed.
The White Dragon Clan Leader’s expression turned bitter as she slowly shook her head.
“Heaven’s will is unpredictable, and calamities are manifold. You two, what do you plan to do now?”
“Plan?” Qin Qingyue’s Dragon Tail lashed out, creating bursts of sharp wind. Her gaze was as sharp as a blade, pointing directly toward the distant Forbidden Zone.
“To the Forbidden Zone, of course.”
She looked at Rongxin and spoke in a tone that brooked no argument.
“Rongxin, you stay here. The dangers ahead are unknown, and your Cultivation is still shallow. There is no need for you to take this risk.”
With an Earth Immortal Cultivation, she might not even be able to protect herself in the Forbidden Zone.
Rongxin’s delicate body trembled, her hands clenched tight.
She knew her strength was low and that following them would likely be a burden.
But looking at the determined expressions of Qin Qingyue and Wu Zhaohua, and thinking of the missing Jiang Huai, her heart felt as if it were being seared in oil.
Ultimately, she could only grit her teeth and nod heavily.
“You must be careful. I will wait here for your news.”
Qin Qingyue gave her a deep look, said no more, and exchanged a glance with Wu Zhaohua.
The two figures did not linger, turning into streaks of light as they headed straight for the Forbidden Zone that even Heavenly Immortals feared.
Passing through layers of distorted spatial barriers and chaotic currents of law, the scene before them changed abruptly.
There were no immortal mountains or pavilions, and no Spiritual Springs or waterfalls.
There was only a vast, endless expanse of deathly gray-brown earth. Jagged rocks stood like sentinels, and the sky was a permanent leaden gray, creating a pressure that made it hard to breathe.
This was the outskirts of the Forbidden Zone, a land of absolute death.
Qin Qingyue hovered at the edge of this desolate wasteland, the desolation reflected in her Dragon Eyes.
She murmured softly, as if speaking to Wu Zhaohua or herself.
“I never thought there would come a day when the two of us would stand side-by-side in a place like this.”
Wu Zhaohua, dressed in white, stood half a step beside her. Hearing this, her cold eyes flickered slightly, but she did not respond.
At this moment, even more complex thoughts were churning in Qin Qingyue’s mind.
‘If this were in the past, I would definitely have found an opportunity to kill you secretly.’
‘But that was the past.’
Naturally, this thought could not be voiced aloud.
Qin Qingyue suddenly realized a fact that made her heart ache slightly:
If she entered the Forbidden Zone with Wu Zhaohua now and shared life and death with her, what standing would she have in the future to act like the primary wife and say things like “What does my husband have to do with you”?
Wu Zhaohua was willing to charge into such a death trap for Jiang Huai; this level of affection and sacrifice was already as heavy as a mountain.
No matter how thick Qin Qingyue’s skin was or how much she cared about her status, she could no longer ignore this, nor could she deny it.
But could she tell Wu Zhaohua at a time like this: “No, you aren’t allowed to go in. Jiang Huai is mine alone; I’ll go by myself”?
Setting aside how selfish and ridiculous that sounded, the risk of entering the Forbidden Zone alone was practically suicidal.
Qin Qingyue was a decisive and pragmatic person. She still wanted to survive to see Jiang Huai; she could not say something that would cut off her own path to survival.
This meant that by allowing Wu Zhaohua to accompany her, she was, to some extent, tacitly acknowledging her status by Jiang Huai’s side in the future—essentially accepting her.
Accepting a lifelong rival to stay by her husband’s side—two women sharing one husband.
This thought made Qin Qingyue want to go crazy! Anyone else would be fine, but not Wu Zhaohua!
‘The two of us have been plotting against each other from the Qi Refining stage all the way to Heavenly Immortal. Are we really going to fight all the way to the bed?’
‘That’s not funny at all.’
This left Qin Qingyue with an unspeakable bitterness and helplessness.
As her mind whirled, a trace of conflict and complexity inevitably showed on her face.
How sharp was Wu Zhaohua?
Although she did not turn her head, she seemed to sense it. From the corner of her eye, she caught the subtle change in Qin Qingyue’s expression, and the corners of her lips curled into a meaningful arc.
Just as Qin Qingyue took a deep breath, prepared to stiffen her resolve and temporarily cast aside these chaotic thoughts to step forward…
Wu Zhaohua suddenly spoke, her voice calm and level.
“Maybe I shouldn’t go after all!”
Qin Qingyue’s heart jolted. She whipped her head around to look at her, her Dragon Eyes full of shock and confusion.
“Why? What do you mean? Why so suddenly…?”
Without this powerful ally, the success rate of the Forbidden Zone trip would plummet.
Wu Zhaohua raised her hand, her fingertips lightly stroking her smooth chin in a contemplative manner. A look of realization and calculation appeared on her exquisitely beautiful face.
“First, the Dragon Race’s records regarding the Forbidden Zone are, after all, ancient and vague.”
“Whether there truly is a way to solve the issue of the Extraterrestrial Demons or other dangers inside, no one can say for sure.”
“Entering so rashly might just be a futile death.”
She paused, then continued in a flat tone, “Second, I’ve given it some careful thought.”
“I, Wu Zhaohua, have practiced for hundreds of years and am still a maiden.”
Qin Qingyue frowned, wondering why she was suddenly bringing this up.
“I like Jiang Huai; that feeling is true.” Wu Zhaohua turned back, her clear eyes meeting Qin Qingyue’s.
“However, you have repeatedly interfered with this affection and cut off our connection.” She tilted her head slightly, as if she were seriously weighing the pros and cons.
“Thinking back, he is not my husband, and I am not his wife.”
“Is it worth throwing my life away to enter this Forbidden Zone of unknown life and death for him? It seems to make no sense.”
Qin Qingyue felt anger rising in her heart, mixed with an inexplicable panic. Just as she was about to retort…
She heard Wu Zhaohua speak as if she had already made a decision, letting out a soft sigh.
“How about this? I will give you some pills and treasures that might be useful to help you.”
“Palace Master Qin, you should probably brave this Forbidden Zone alone.”
After speaking, she actually turned around as if to leave, adopting a posture of ‘deserting’ and standing idly by.
“You!” Qin Qingyue was both anxious and furious, nearly jumping up as she reflexively blurted out, “Didn’t Jiang Huai save your life?!”
She wanted to use the debt of gratitude to bind her.
Wu Zhaohua paused and slowly turned her head halfway. Her cold gaze swept over as she spoke with a hint of faint mockery.
“Qin Qingyue, you can’t be unaware that I was the one who saved him first, can you?”
“Besides.” She turned fully to face Qin Qingyue.
“Doesn’t he often say that all debts are settled? Since they are settled, it seems there is nothing wrong with me choosing to leave now.”
“I shall help you achieve your wish of a husband-wife reunion.”
Having finished, she turned again, walking away even more resolutely this time.
Qin Qingyue panicked completely!
How could she really let Wu Zhaohua just walk away? Without her, venturing alone into the Forbidden Zone was almost certainly a death sentence!
If she died, what talk would there be of seeing Jiang Huai or the future?
In a flash, a spark of insight struck her mind, and she suddenly understood.
What ‘deserting’? This was clearly taking advantage of a crisis! Otherwise, why would she be walking? Why not just fly away?
She was waiting for her to beg.
Once she realized this, Qin Qingyue was both angry and annoyed, wishing she could lash out with her Dragon Tail.
But the situation was stronger than the person.
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed that sense of grievance, and instantly plastered a slightly stiff but “affectionate” smile on her face. With a quick step, she reached out and grabbed Wu Zhaohua’s arm.
“Oh, look at you! What kind of talk is that?” Qin Qingyue’s voice was intentionally softened, carrying a fawning tone she even disgusted herself with.
Her arm naturally hooked around Wu Zhaohua’s as if the two were intimate sisters.
Heaven knew how much she wanted to throw that arm away.
Since when did she, Qin Qingyue, need to act this way toward Wu Zhaohua?
Being held so suddenly, Wu Zhaohua slightly lifted her chin and looked elsewhere.
She let out a soft “Hmm?” through her nose, the rising intonation carrying a sense of inquiry—and a sense of ‘let’s see you perform.’
“Between us sisters, why speak such distant words?” Qin Qingyue’s smile was so forced her face was nearly freezing, but she endured the cringe and discomfort to continue.
“I know that in your heart, you still can’t let go of Jiang Huai.”
“In that case, let’s work together as sisters to save Jiang Huai first, okay?”
She leaned in closer and lowered her voice.
“Once we’ve saved him, what could I possibly have to say? Don’t you think that’s right?”
She narrowed her Dragon Eyes, trying to make her gaze look sincere.
Only then did Wu Zhaohua slightly raise an eyebrow, finally landing her gaze on Qin Qingyue’s incredibly “sincere” face. After a moment of silence, she suddenly asked:
“Then tell me, if we are sisters, who is the older sister and who is the younger sister?”
Qin Qingyue: “…”