He still loves cleanliness so much.

A corner of the Immortal Realm.

After being brought back by the golden light, Han Qianxue had the nine Chaos-Colored Beads on her wrist forcibly snatched away by the little golden dragon.

"Qianxue-jie, long time no see! I’ve missed you so much!"

A group of long-separated members had already been waiting here. Among them, Ye Chen, the former 30th-ranked "Tribulation Transcendent," was the first to greet her warmly.

"Hmm." Han Qianxue merely nodded coldly, unwilling to say another word.

After all, these once-close friends had all changed. Though they appeared normal, they were nothing more than puppets with their true selves suppressed. There was an unmistakable sense of alienation between them, as if an insurmountable barrier had risen, leaving them no longer as intimate as before.

"Oh? Why so cold, Qianxue? Still holding a grudge over us leaving you behind back then?"

A male-bodied, female-faced Mystic Immortal teased. This was Murong Dugu, who had fallen from the former 6th rank to the 7th.

"Sixth Brother’s progress is astonishing! It hasn’t been long, yet you’ve already broken through to Mystic Immortal?" Han Qianxue forced a smile.

"Just the basics. The Immortal Realm is rich in spiritual energy—cultivating faster is only natural. But I should remind you, I’m no longer Sixth Brother. That bastard Yao Suansheng played dirty and overtook me. Now he’s Sixth Brother, and I’m stuck as Seventh!" Murong Dugu explained with utmost seriousness.

Yet Han Qianxue only felt a pang of sorrow.

Was this still the Sixth Brother she knew?

The one who never admitted defeat, who would slander anyone who surpassed him, then secretly train like mad to overtake them again?

The real Sixth Brother would never acknowledge being inferior, much less call someone else "Sixth Brother"!

"Who’s calling my name?" Yao Suansheng, the former 7th-ranked "Primordial Heaven’s Brush," who had climbed to 6th, came over to join the commotion.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I was busy earlier and didn’t notice—Qianxue, you’ve gotten so thin! Quick, absorb some of this rich Immortal Qi to recover!" Yao Suansheng’s face was full of concern.

"Thanks for the concern, but I’m not hungry yet. I’m still adjusting to the environment—let me take it slow." Han Qianxue declined politely. She feared the Immortal Qi here might be tainted.

If she recklessly absorbed it, there was a high chance she’d end up just like these old friends who had lost themselves.

Ah, looking back now, she should’ve just accepted Chen Yi’s invitation back then. Like Old Xu, she could’ve holed up in his hideout. Whether life would’ve been comfortable or not was uncertain, but the safety would’ve been guaranteed!

"Qianxue-mei, you’re so thin—why won’t you absorb it?"

"What are you afraid of? Absorbing Immortal Qi is such a delightful thing!"

"Just do it! Why won’t you?"

Her refusal immediately drew discontent from the crowd. Their gazes turned eerie as they glared at her.

Han Qianxue suddenly felt like a little lamb surrounded by wolves. She had only two choices: willingly don the wolf’s skin and become one of them, or be torn apart and devoured alive.

What could she do?

Chen Yi, are you still there?

Help me!

"Don’t worry. I’ve always been here. Go ahead and absorb it—I’ve got you covered."

A reassuring voice echoed from the depths of her consciousness, filling her with an overwhelming sense of security.

As the crowd pressed closer, she licked her red lips and smiled sweetly:

"Oh my, everyone’s so concerned about me? Fine, I’ll absorb it!"

The abundant Immortal Qi in this corner of the Immortal Realm wasn’t actually poisonous—what was truly toxic was the elusive will infused within it!

This will was omnipresent yet formless. If Han Qianxue had continued sealing herself off, refusing to interact with the world, this will would’ve had no choice but to command the other puppets to force-feed her.

Because this was merely a projection of the Infinite Will, not its true descent!

Admittedly, he was still as fastidious as ever, always operating through layers of safety measures.

After all, if the Infinite Will truly descended, even Chen Yi would have to retreat for the time being. He had once tasted the traces of the Infinite’s Dao—that stuff was disgusting, impossible to shake off once it stuck.

But since it was only a projection, while it could influence thoughts, it couldn’t receive real-time feedback. There was a delay!

And this was precisely why Chen Yi dared to mess around right under its nose!

As everyone knew, Chen Yi was a master at exploiting loopholes. Having discovered the Infinite’s weakness, how could he not take advantage?

Immediately, he helped Han Qianxue construct a filtration barrier in her consciousness to isolate the influence of the Infinite Will’s projection. At the same time, he extracted a wisp of her soul essence to craft a fake soul, designed to receive and respond to the Infinite’s commands.

Feedback through thought was instantaneous, yet the Infinite insisted on relaying orders through a safety buffer. This delay was the opening Chen Yi needed to maneuver freely!

Soon enough,

Another Han Qianxue appeared in the Mirror of Heaven’s Observation.

The Infinite merely glanced at it, unconcerned, casually issuing a command for free movement before refocusing on directing the little golden dragon to analyze Chen Yi’s Chaos-Colored Beads.

Meanwhile,

In a dimly lit space, the little golden dragon was twitching wildly, his face filled with fanaticism as he stared at the nine Chaos-Colored Beads placed upon a Taiji disc.

"Gahahaha! I laugh at Lingxiao’s lack of wit, at Chen Yi’s absence of strategy!"

"A mere brute dares to challenge me?"

"A simple trick, and they fall right into my hands!"

"Once I decipher the essence of your power, you’ll be nothing but fish on a chopping block, at my mercy!"

"GAHAHAHA!!!"

The little golden dragon cackled madly, his dark golden pupils devoid of reason.

In truth, he had no idea what he was doing. A mysterious voice in his mind kept guiding him—no need to think, just obey, and an endless rush of euphoria would follow, lifting his soul to the heavens, leaving him utterly intoxicated...

Chen Yi: "..."

What the hell is wrong with this kid?

Thought he was under the Infinite’s control, but turns out...

He’s just a complete dumbass!