Chapter 324: The Will to Live

“Boom —”

With a thunderous blast that shook the Jade Heavens, the first black box was blown wide open.

Li Yuan and Jiang Ke’er were hiding deep within the city, watching the explosion site through a Broadcast Crystal.

The blast kicked up a thick cloud of black smoke. Once the smoke cleared, Jiang Ke’er saw a soot-covered face emerge.

Li Lao’er stared at the Recording Crystal with a wide-eyed, broken expression.

He spat out a puff of black smoke, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot. It was a complex look that screamed, “Surprise! Are you shocked? Well, screw you!”

“I… heard… every… word,” Li Lao’er muttered.

He held the Recording Crystal as his lip trembled. Inky black tears rolled down his cheeks and dripped onto the ground, leaving two gray trails of mud across his face.

A half-dead son emerging from the box…

This was something Li Yuan hadn’t anticipated. He hurried over, stammering an apology, “This… Listen, let me explain…”

“I won’t listen! You almost blew me up!” Li Lao’er had an emotional breakdown.

“Who would have thought that psychopath would stuff people in boxes…” Li Yuan scratched his head so hard he was nearly balding from embarrassment.

He looked toward Jiang Ke’er for help, since she was his accomplice in the box-bombing.

“I heard some little brat wanted to blow up their Senior Sister?!”

Simultaneously, the other black box was opened. In a berserk state, Mushuang’s eyes scanned the area like a searchlight, hunting for Jiang Ke’er.

However, Jiang Ke’er had already slipped away without a trace.

“Argh! You little brat, don’t let me catch you! Once I do, say goodbye to your hair!”

Jiang Ke’er fled even faster.

Of course, considering people might be inside, they hadn’t used too much power when detonating the boxes.

Although it was a terrible experience for those inside, it wasn’t actually life-threatening.

Still, their anger was understandable…

‘It’s best to lay low for a while.’

Considering Yu Wenhua Ji’s ruthlessness, it was unlikely he would have spared Li Lao’er and Mushuang.

He should have issued an execution order the moment he fled Jiangdu.

Yet, they were alive. It seemed someone had hidden them away, allowing them to escape certain death.

‘Is it another underground worker hiding among the Human Clan?’

‘Their professional skills are incredible!’

Jiang Ke’er felt a wave of admiration.

She felt she should learn from these Seniors.

She had always admired those who walked the line between light and shadow.

The Siege of Jiangdu had especially made her realize how vital a spy planted deep within enemy lines could be.

If given the chance, she was willing to try it herself.

In the blink of an eye, the Epidemic Poison felt like something from years ago.

Cultivators had incredible recovery abilities.

As the Antidote became widely available, the poison vanished from Shenzhou.

Everything settled down, transitioning from chaos to calm.

Life returned.

People didn’t take long to move past the pain.

After all, in the world of Cultivators, everyone lived on the edge. They were used to death.

Just as Yu Wenhua Ji had predicted, as the Human Cultivators recovered and reinforcements arrived from various small nations, he regained his footing.

He firmly controlled the vast lands surrounding the northern capital of the Kingdom of Dasi.

After all, the Human Clan had a foundation spanning thousands of years.

Even though they had lost many Cultivators during the Siege of Jiangdu and many were poisoned by Yu Wenhua Ji, they remained an immovable behemoth.

This allowed Yu Wenhua Ji to breathe a sigh of relief for the time being.

Meanwhile, Prince Hao of Qin’s position as Emperor became increasingly stable.

Although he wasn’t in charge of military affairs, he was the nominal Emperor, and his authority was second only to Yu Wenhua Ji’s.

“I heard that you have been lingering outside my manor lately, Brother Hao. Is something the matter?” Yu Wenhua Ji sat at a tea table and personally poured a cup for the Prince of Qin, asking softly.

“I’m quite ashamed,” Prince Hao of Qin said, his face flushing.

“Life has been so tense lately. I wanted to find a few concubines to relax with, but I was afraid of causing trouble for you during this period of reconstruction, so…”

“Hahaha! I thought it was something serious!” Yu Wenhua Ji burst into laughter, the weight on his heart finally lifting.

He feared nothing more than Prince Hao of Qin wanting to discuss state affairs or serious business.

He wanted this puppet Emperor to spend his days in indulgence, thinking of nothing and leaving his power unused.

That was the only way he could feel at ease.

Finding a few concubines? Yu Wenhua Ji would gladly stuff every beauty in the world into the palace just to keep him distracted and obedient!

“Brother Hao — no, Your Majesty. You are the Emperor now,” Yu Wenhua Ji said with a smile.

“You must remember to refer to yourself as ‘We’ or ‘Us.’ Besides… you don’t need to consult me for a trivial matter like selecting concubines.”

“I just didn’t want to trouble you, Big Brother!”

“No trouble at all. Being the Emperor is stressful; I understand. Besides, the Kingdom of Dasi has just emerged from the shadows. We really do need a joyous occasion to lift our spirits… Why don’t you announce it to the world? We shall hold a grand Consort Selection Ceremony!” Yu Wenhua Ji urged enthusiastically.

A faint, imperceptible smile touched the corner of Prince Hao of Qin’s mouth.

However, he immediately put on a simple, overjoyed expression and agreed, “Big Brother, you truly know my heart!”

“Then issue the decree!”

A few days ago, while the human soldiers were still recovering their strength, the Demon Race seized the opportunity.

They took control of the southern part of the Kingdom of Dasi, occupying one-fifth of its territory.

Limited by their numbers and time, the Demons only managed to take that much in those few days.

Another one-fifth of the land was held by local Sects and rebels, while the remaining three-fifths stayed under Yu Wenhua Ji’s control.

As the Epidemic Poison vanished and the situation stabilized, the Demon Race stopped their offensive and began to solidify their hold on their current territory.

The situation across Shenzhou suddenly calmed. Everything seemed no different from how it was before the outbreak.

Jiang Ke’er’s strained nerves finally relaxed.

On the very day the fighting ceased, she collapsed in the middle of the street and fainted.

Mushuang happened to see this and carried her back to Lingyin Valley.

After a frantic diagnosis by the entire valley, it was confirmed that Jiang Ke’er was simply exhausted.

That night, Mushuang stood over Jiang Ke’er with a pair of shears.

She gestured with them a few times but ultimately sighed and put them away.

“Sleep well, you silly Junior Sister… I hope there is no war or poison in your dreams.”

But there was Qiao Xiaoxian in her dreams.

Jiang Ke’er woke up with a scream, still trembling as her heart pounded.

Qiao Xiaoxian hadn’t come to find her for a long time, which actually made Jiang Ke’er uneasy.

It wasn’t that she was worried; the vibrant vitality flowing through the Summoning Contract told her that the other girl was perfectly fine and uninjured.

However, she knew that the brat would eventually come for her. It was as unavoidable as the Death God.

If it wasn’t yesterday, then it might be today.

And with every passing day, the probability of Qiao Xiaoxian suddenly appearing in her bed when she woke up only increased.

‘This is terrifying!’

No. Jiang Ke’er’s gaze suddenly became determined.

‘I can’t just sit here and wait for death!’