The Ultimate Escape Art

The Imperial Skyship navigated through the dense thunderclouds, its hull trembling slightly.

In the shadows of the deck stood a silent figure.

Wu Lingxiao.

The former Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty was now reduced to hiding in the shadows like a venomous snake waiting to strike.

She bore a face that had yet to fully heal from its swelling; the red puffiness at the corners of her eyes made her originally majestic phoenix eyes look somewhat comical. Yet at this moment, there was not a hint of humiliation or shame in her eyes, only a sinister gloom rising from the abyss.

Her gaze was dead set on the tightly shut door in the distance.

That was the room of Ye Xuan and Ying'er.

Whenever she thought of that lowly servant girl lying in Ye Xuan's arms, enjoying the tenderness that should have belonged to her, Wu Lingxiao felt as if a dull knife were sawing back and forth across her heart. It wasn't the swift relief of a fatal strike, but a slow, gradual carving of flesh, forcing her to taste every shred of agony in complete wakefulness.

Her nails dug deeply into her palms. Blood dripped through her fingers, blooming into dark red flowers on the deck.

"Better to just kill her."

Wu Lingxiao's voice was very soft, so soft it was almost masked by the wind. But her tone seeped with a chill straight from the Nine Nether Underworld.

She was the Empress. She could endure humiliation, she could endure beatings, and she could endure being trampled underfoot.

But she could not endure this hopeless, slow carving of her flesh. She could not bear to watch helplessly as a mere ant occupied the place that rightfully belonged to her.

This Ying'er was like a thorn pierced right into the meat of her heart. If it wasn't plucked out, she bled with every breath, and every heartbeat was torture.

Zi Yao stepped out from the shadows on the other side. Her figure remained alluring, but those originally charming peach-blossom eyes were now like two pools of dead water, leaving behind nothing but cold murderous intent.

She toyed with a pitch-black venomous Gu bug in her hand—a black beetle the size of a thumb, covered in eerie patterns, crawling slowly across her fingertips.

This Gu bug was a supreme treasure she had brought from the Heavenly Demon Sect. Just a single drop of its venom could turn a Soul Formation stage cultivator into a puddle of festering blood within three breaths.

"Yes."

Zi Yao nodded, her voice carrying a madness suppressed to the extreme:

"I've reached my limit, too."

The corners of her mouth twitched as she tried to maintain a facade of calm. But her eyes had completely betrayed her inner breakdown.

"Every look, every breath this little bitch takes is mocking us."

Zi Yao's voice grew increasingly shrill. Her nails dug into her palms, and her blood mixed with the black bodily fluids of the venomous Gu, emitting a nauseating, foul stench:

"Since Ye Xuan cares about her so much, let's make her death look like an accident."

"She's just a lowly Foundation Establishment cultivator. It's perfectly reasonable for her to get lost, be eaten by a demonic beast, or trigger a restriction and be reduced to ashes, isn't it?"

The two looked at each other.

In this moment, the two women reached an absolute tacit understanding.

The killing intent in their eyes almost materialized into substance, weaving into an invisible web of death in the air.

Their minds were made up.

Even at the risk of being blamed by Ye Xuan, even if it meant potentially exposing their identities, they had to pull out this thorn. Because if this continued, they would be the ones to go mad first.

However.

Just as they were about to make their move.

Creak!

The door suddenly opened.

Ye Xuan walked out.

He had just finished a cultivation session. The aura around him was somewhat unstable, his robes fluttering slightly, and his black hair messy in the wind.

But his eyes were exceptionally bright, like two burning stars, revealing a heart-palpitating sharpness.

Ye Xuan walked straight to the railing. Resting his hands on the cold metal, he looked out at the rolling sea of clouds in the distance. The lightning cast alternating light and shadow across his face, making his expression look particularly profound.

Suddenly, he let out a long sigh.

This sigh seemed to be squeezed from the depths of his soul, carrying an indescribable sense of vicissitude and exhaustion.

"Ying'er."

Ye Xuan called out softly. His voice was light, yet it carried an unquestionable tenderness.

"Coming, coming!"

Ying'er ran out of the room like a cheerful little bird. She wore a radiant smile on her face, her eyes curving into crescents.

She wore a simple cyan dress, her long hair casually tied into a ponytail. Her entire being exuded a pure, unadulterated happiness.

She ran to Ye Xuan's side, tilted her small face up, and asked, "Master, what's wrong?"

Ye Xuan reached out and gently stroked the top of her head. His movements were very gentle, as if he were caressing the most precious treasure in the world. But the words he spoke made the two women eavesdropping nearby feel as if they had plunged into an ice cave, their blood freezing solid.

"Ying'er, you must live well."

Ye Xuan's voice was calm, but beneath that calm surged a bone-chilling paranoia and madness:

"In this life, I no longer have anyone I care about."

"If you die... if you die for any reason at all..."

Ye Xuan suddenly turned around.

His gaze was like lightning. He appeared to be looking into the void, seemingly talking to himself, but his peripheral vision was dead-locked onto the shadows where Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao were hiding.

"Then I will truly have no attachments left."

"When that time comes, I will cultivate with my life on the line. I will pay any price to succumb to the demonic path."

"I will slaughter my way back to the Great Xia Dynasty and peel off that Empress's skin to make a lantern; I will massacre my way up the Heavenly Demon Sect and chop the woman who betrayed me into minced meat!"

"I will kill every heartless and ungrateful woman in this world! I will make rivers of blood flow across the earth to accompany you in death!"

An extremely tragic and fierce killing intent erupted from Ye Xuan.

This was not a threat, not an intimidation, and certainly not an emotional outburst.

It was an oath.

It was the final ultimatum of a completely despairing madman who had experienced countless betrayals, countless deceptions, and countless injuries.

The killing intent spread out like a physical substance. The temperature on the deck plummeted, and the scent of blood permeated the air. Even the thunderclouds in the sky were intimidated by this killing intent; the thunder grew deeper and more oppressive.

In the dark.

The spiritual energy Wu Lingxiao had just gathered instantly collapsed.

She felt as if her heart had been viciously gripped by an invisible giant hand, making it difficult to breathe. Cold sweat instantly soaked her back, her robes clinging tightly to her body, chilling her to the bone.

Her face was as pale as paper, her lips trembling slightly. The killing intent in her eyes was replaced by terror.

Zi Yao's reaction was even more extreme.

With a snap, the venomous Gu in her hand was crushed to death. Its black bodily fluids mixed with the blood from her palm and dripped through her fingers. But she felt absolutely no pain.

They froze.

Like two stone statues, they stood stiffly in the shadows, not even daring to breathe too loudly.

Ye Xuan... he was serious.

If Ying'er died now, he would truly go mad. He would pin the blame squarely on the Empress and the Demon Sovereign.

Even though he didn't know they were right beside him right now, he would direct his hatred toward their true selves! He would stop at nothing to slaughter his way back and tear them into ten thousand pieces!

"Damn it..."

Wu Lingxiao gritted her teeth, her nails piercing the palms of her hands. Blood dripped onto the deck, making a faint pattering sound.

Her voice trembled, a flash of humiliation and anger in her eyes. "He is using Ying'er's life to threaten me!"

Zi Yao was also deathly pale, her lips completely drained of color. She understood Ye Xuan too well.

In their previous life, he was the number one under the heavens, truly peerless. If he really went mad and recklessly succumbed to his inner demons... the consequences would be unimaginable.

"We cannot make a move..."

Zi Yao transmitted her voice tremblingly, carrying a desperate sense of powerlessness. "At least for now... until his hatred dissipates, Ying'er absolutely cannot die."

The killing intent in their eyes was forcefully suppressed.

Replacing it was a suffocating frustration that felt like it would cause them internal injuries.

Wanting to kill but unable to do so.

Having to watch her act spoiled in his embrace.

Having to watch her enjoy the tenderness that should have belonged to them.

This was hell.

A hell crueler than any torture.

In the days that followed, Ye Xuan seemed to have realized something and completely changed into a different person.

He no longer doted on Ying'er, but instead began cultivating like a madman.

Everyday, aside from necessary rest, he spent nearly all his time in secluded cultivation. Sitting cross-legged in the center of the room, the spiritual energy around him swirled like a tornado, emitting low, rumbling sounds.

Countless crystal-clear treasures containing boundless spiritual energy were devoured and refined by him one after another. Every spirit stone turned to dust in his hands, its spiritual energy surging into his meridians like a flood.

Thousand-year blood ginsengs, ten-thousand-year lingzhi mushrooms, dragon blood fruits, phoenix grass...

These priceless treasures in the outside world were swallowed by him one by one, as if he were eating jelly beans.

His cultivation base soared at an astonishing speed.

Early Nascent Soul stage.

Mid Nascent Soul stage.

In just half a month, he broke through two minor realms in a row!

Such talent made even Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao, who were Half-Step True Immortals, watch with pounding hearts.

Standing outside his door, feeling the terrifying spiritual pressure radiating from within, their expressions were incredibly complex.

Too strong.

If left unchecked, it probably wouldn't even take a few hundred years for him to return to his peak, perhaps even surpassing his previous life.

When that time came...

Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao exchanged a glance, both seeing deep worry in each other's eyes.

"Let's set off."

Having broken through to the Mid Nascent Soul stage, Ye Xuan's aura became even more ethereal.

He stood at the bow of the ship, his black hair dancing in the wind, his eyes deeper, as if they could see through all illusions in the world.

He pointed to a spot circled in red on the map. It was an area marked as a forbidden zone, densely surrounded by words like danger and death.

"To the Fallen Immortal Valley."

"There is something that belongs to me there."

The Fallen Immortal Valley.

Shrouded in mist all year round, with piercing astral winds. Legend had it that a True Immortal had once fallen here, resulting in chaotic laws and shattered space. Even Soul Formation stage cultivators dared not venture deeply into it. Countless cultivators had been buried here, leaving not even a corpse behind.

But Ye Xuan walked as if he were returning to his own backyard.

Leading the three women, he weaved left and right through the fog, his footsteps brisk and confident.

Whenever a spatial rift or a killing array restriction appeared ahead, he could always predict it in advance, skillfully guiding everyone to avoid it.

Following behind, Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao felt their shock deepening.

These restrictions could not be seen through even by Half-Step True Immortals like them. How was Ye Xuan doing it?

Could it be... he had truly awakened the memories of his past life?

Finally, they arrived before a hidden precipice.

The cliff towered into the clouds, its surface covered with moss, vines, and overgrown weeds, looking completely unremarkable. But Ye Xuan stopped in his tracks, his gaze falling upon a bluestone at the base of the cliff.

This bluestone was half-buried in the dirt, its surface covered in thick dust, looking like an ordinary rock that could be found anywhere.

"Dig."

Ye Xuan pointed at the bluestone, his tone flat.

Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao exchanged a glance.

Although doing this kind of manual labor was humiliating for Half-Step True Immortals, they obediently stepped forward to curry favor with Ye Xuan.

They circulated their spiritual energy and thrust both palms out, blasting the dirt.

Rumble!

Dirt exploded, and gravel flew everywhere.

An ancient, dilapidated, and heavily cracked stone stele slowly revealed itself.

The stele was about the height of a person, entirely blue-gray, with a pitted surface as if it had endured the erosion of countless years. There were no words or patterns on it, only a few seemingly random carved marks.

However.

The moment they saw these carved marks...

"This... what is this?"

Wu Lingxiao's pupils contracted sharply, her whole body reacting as if struck by lightning. Trembling violently, she stared intently at the stone stele. Her lips quivered as she cried out involuntarily:

"Natural Dao rhythm, boundless freedom..."

"Is this the legendary... number one movement technique in the world?"

Zi Yao's reaction was even more intense.

She trembled all over, her eyes instantly turning red as tears welled up within them.

She stared fixedly at the stone stele, her eyes filled with nostalgia, regret, and greed—an extremely complex emotion, like seeing a long-lost lover.

How could she not recognize it?

In her previous life, she had practiced it countless times and expended endless effort, yet she had never been able to grasp the basics of this number one movement technique in the world.

Kunpeng's Free Roaming.

Wei Wuji's signature ultimate skill.

It was also Ye Xuan's trump card that allowed him to roam the world unhindered and escape alive even when pursued by Mahayana stage experts!

"That's right."

Ye Xuan stepped forward, his fingers gently tracing the cold stone stele. The surface of the stele was rough, but the few carved marks were exceptionally smooth, as if they had been touched by countless people. A perfectly measured trace of vicissitudes and confusion was revealed in his eyes.

"I have awakened some memory fragments of my past life."

"In the unseen world, a voice told me that this was left behind by my past self."

"Kunpeng's Free Roaming."

"Soaring upwards for ninety thousand miles, unbound by heaven and earth, immune to all laws."

Ye Xuan turned around, looking at the three women behind him with their varying expressions.

Greedy light flickered in Wu Lingxiao's eyes, Zi Yao's breathing was so rapid she seemed about to suffocate, and only Ying'er looked bewildered, completely failing to understand what was so special about this broken rock.

A faint smile curled the corners of Ye Xuan's lips.

"Since we are all in the same boat."

"I am not a stingy person either."

"This divine ability is the supreme Great Dao. Next, I will enter secluded cultivation here."

"You all..."

Ye Xuan paused, his gaze sweeping over Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao's instantly brightening eyes, as if admiring two moths drawn to a flame.

"You can also cultivate it together."

"Really?"

Zi Yao was so excited she almost jumped up, her voice changing pitch.

Her eyes were startlingly bright, as if she had seen the most precious treasure in the world.

She hadn't learned it in her previous life, but in this life, she already had the foundation of a Half-Step True Immortal. Starting over again, she didn't believe she still wouldn't be able to learn it!

"Young Master... are you truly willing to pass such a divine art on to us?"

Wu Lingxiao was also breathing rapidly, her chest heaving intensely. She tried hard to maintain a facade of reserve, but the yearning in her eyes had already been completely exposed.

"Naturally."

Ye Xuan nodded, then looked at the ignorant-faced Ying'er.

"Ying'er, you come too."

"Ah? Master, I'm so clumsy... can I really learn it too?"

Ying'er was a bit unconfident. She lowered her head, her small hands tugging at the corner of her clothes like a child who had done something wrong.

"You can."

Ye Xuan rubbed her head, his movements so gentle that it made Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao go mad with jealousy.

"It doesn't cost anything to try."

And so.

Inside the Fallen Immortal Valley, the four of them sat cross-legged facing the stone stele and began to comprehend the profound mysteries.

The valley was terrifyingly quiet, with only the occasional astral winds blowing past, making whimpering sounds like the crying of departed souls.

Days went by.

Anomalies first appeared on Ye Xuan's body.

On the third day, the faint phantom of a massive Kunpeng emerged behind him. The phantom sometimes turned into a giant Kun, churning in the deep seas of the Northern Darkness and whipping up monstrous waves; sometimes it turned into a great Peng, soaring through the astral winds of the Nine Heavens, its wings obscuring the sky and the sun.

His aura became ethereal and erratic, as if he would turn into the wind and drift away at any moment, yet also as if he had become one with heaven and earth.

This was a matter of course.

This was originally his divine ability. He was merely reviewing it, not learning it.

In just seven days.

Ye Xuan opened his eyes, a golden light flashing in his pupils, as dazzling as the stars.

"It is done."

His voice was calm, but that kind of confidence made it impossible to question.

The next second, his body vanished from where he stood. Without any warning, without any spatial fluctuations, he just disappeared out of thin air.

Immediately after, he appeared at the peak of a mountain a hundred zhang away, his robes fluttering, looking like a banished immortal.

True teleportation!

Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao stared blankly, the shock in their hearts beyond measure.

However.

An unexpected scene occurred.

Sitting in the corner, Ying'er suddenly yawned.

"Huaa!"

She stretched, her small face written all over with sleepiness. Although the spiritual energy fluctuations around her body were weak, they were exceptionally smooth, like a spring stream flowing naturally.

She stood up groggily, rubbed her eyes, and prepared to stretch her limbs.

She took a step forward.

"Whoosh!"

Her entire body, like a completely weightless feather, instantly floated over a dozen zhang away!

"Huh?"

Ying'er was surprised to find herself floating. A wisp of clear breeze spawned under her feet, supporting her body to glide gracefully in the air.

She tried taking another step.

"Whoosh!"

Another dozen zhang!

Moreover, her movements were as smooth as flowing water and moving clouds, without any sense of stagnation. It was like a fish swimming in water or a bird flying in the sky, as natural as could be.

Although it was not as domineering as Ye Xuan's, the intent of unfettered freedom had actually allowed her to glimpse the doorway!

"Master! Master! I can fly!!"

Ying'er was as happy as a child, spinning around in the air, her laughter as crisp as silver bells. Her long hair danced in the wind, her skirt fluttered, and her whole person looked like a joyful elf.

She flew to Ye Xuan's side and excitedly pulled his hand: "Master, look, look! I really can fly!"

Ye Xuan smiled and nodded, his eyes full of doting affection.

Seeing this scene.

Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao, who were sitting in front of the stone stele, suffered a complete mental breakdown.

The two of them were Half-step True Immortals.

At this very moment, they were sweating profusely, their faces as pale as corpses. The spiritual energy in their bodies seemed to be tied in knots; no matter how they guided it, they could not simulate the Kunpeng's circulation route in their meridians.

Every attempt felt like they were banging their heads against a wall.

Every time they tried to break through the barrier, they would suffer the rejection and backlash of the divine ability itself.

"Pfft!"

Zi Yao spat out a mouthful of reversed blood, the fresh blood splattering on the stone stele, a shocking sight. The meridian reversal caused by forcing her cultivation made her suffer terribly, her entire body feeling as if it were being sliced by a thousand knives.

"Why..."

Zi Yao stared fixedly at the stone stele, her eyes densely covered in bloodshot veins, making her look like she was going mad.

"It was like this in my previous life... and it's still like this in this life..."

"I'm already this strong... My comprehension is already top-tier... Why is it still not working?"

"Why can't I even enter the door of the first layer?"

Her voice trembled, carrying a desperate sobbing tone.

On the other side, Wu Lingxiao wasn't faring any better.

She felt like she was pushing a massive mountain that absolutely could not be moved.

This mountain stood towering and majestic, perfectly still. No matter how much force she exerted, she could not shake it in the slightest.

Whenever she wanted to forcefully break through the barrier, a sharp, intense pain would come from the depths of her divine soul, as if this cultivation method was rejecting her, mocking her, telling her: You are not worthy.

"Damn it!"

Wu Lingxiao smashed a fist into the ground, and the earth instantly cracked, web-like fissures spreading in all directions. She gritted her teeth, a trace of madness flashing through her eyes.

"I rule over myriad dharmas, what divine ability can I not learn?"

"Why is it that for this evasion art alone... I don't have a single clue?"

They raised their heads and saw Ying'er playing and laughing with Ye Xuan in the air.

That stupid, clumsy servant girl of lowly origins, who was only at the Foundation Establishment realm.

Yet at this moment, she was like an elf, riding the divine ability they dreamed of, flying freely in the air.

She smiled so radiantly, so purely, so entirely devoid of scheming.

At this moment.

Frustration, jealousy, anger, and humiliation—all these negative emotions intertwined, tearing frantically at Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao's hearts like venomous snakes.

They felt their self-esteem being trampled on the ground, crushed, and scattered as ashes.

"Why?"

Zi Yao screamed as she stood up, her voice tearing at the lungs, like a wail from the depths of hell. She pointed at Ying'er, her whole body trembling.

"On what basis can she learn it? She's only at the Foundation Establishment realm!"

"This isn't fair! There's something wrong with this stone stele!"

Her eyes were bloodshot, and tears mixed with blood rolled down from her eye sockets.

She could not accept this reality. A lowly, backgroundless little servant girl she had once looked down upon had actually, in the field she desired most, easily surpassed her.

Wu Lingxiao also looked at Ye Xuan with a gloomy expression.

She tried hard to maintain her final shred of dignity, but the unwillingness and questioning in her phoenix eyes were fully exposed.

Her voice was kept very low, but every word felt like it was squeezed through her teeth.

"Young Master... is there some special threshold for this cultivation method?"

"Why is it that we cultivated bitterly for seven days and couldn't advance an inch, while little sister Ying'er... could achieve an epiphany overnight?"

She didn't believe it.

She was the dignified Empress of Great Xia, her cultivation talent unmatched in the world. What method could she not learn?

There must be some special restriction to this divine ability, there must be!

Ye Xuan floated down from the sky.

His movements were as light as a feather, his toes gently touching the ground without making a single sound. He looked at the two bedraggled, utterly unwilling women, a trace of amusement flashing in his eyes.

He had anticipated this outcome long ago.

"You want to know the reason?"

Ye Xuan asked indifferently, his voice as calm as if discussing the weather.

"We do!"

The two spoke in unison, their voices carrying an almost desperate yearning.

Ye Xuan walked to the stone stele and gently tapped his fingers against the stone surface, making a crisp ding-ding sound. Every tap felt like it was striking upon Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao's hearts.

"The Kunpeng, transforms into a bird, and its name is Peng."

"When it rouses and flies, its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky."

Ye Xuan's voice was distant and profound, as if reciting an ancient poem. He turned around, his gaze like a torch, staring straight into the depths of their souls as if to see right through them:

"This divine ability is called 'Carefree'."

"To master it, you do not need peerless talent, nor do you need profound cultivation."

"It only requires one thing—"

Ye Xuan paused, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of his mouth:

"Absolute sincerity and a true nature."

"Only a heart free of burdens can be truly carefree."

"Only a heart like a newborn child's can transform into a Kunpeng."

He pointed at Ying'er, who was currently chasing butterflies. The silly girl was floating in the air, reaching out to catch a colorful butterfly, laughing like a child:

"Look at her."

"Her world is very simple."

"When she loves me, she loves me with all her heart, without any impurities. There is no ulterior motive, no calculation, no weighing of pros and cons. She simply loves, like a flower loves the sun, like a fish loves the water."

"When she wants to fly, she simply wants to fly. Not to kill, not to snatch treasures, not to flee for her life. She just thinks flying is fun and makes her happy, nothing more."

"Her heart is empty, agile, and pure. That is why she can accommodate the intent of the Kunpeng."

Having said this, Ye Xuan's gaze suddenly turned cold, like two ice-quenched swords piercing toward Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao. There was no warmth in his eyes, only the ruthlessness of a judge:

"And you two?"

"When you cultivate, what is on your minds?"

"You are thinking..."

Ye Xuan pointed at Zi Yao, his voice growing sharp:

"That if you learn it, you can murder and loot, snatch more resources, and trample others underfoot. You are thinking that with this evasion art, you can escape in moments of danger and hold the advantage when hunting down your enemies."

"Your heart is filled with greed, jealousy, resentment, and calculation."

"With every breath, you scheme about how to use this divine ability to achieve your goals."

"Your heart is too heavy; the Kunpeng cannot carry you."

Zi Yao's face instantly turned deathly pale. She opened her mouth to retort, only to find herself speechless.

Because everything Ye Xuan said was the truth.

Her intentions had never been pure.

"And you..."

Ye Xuan pointed at Wu Lingxiao, his eyes even colder:

"You are thinking that if you learn it, you can control everything, avoid being suppressed, and maintain your dignity. You are thinking that with this evasion art, you can keep the initiative in any situation and remain invincible in power struggles."

"Your heart is filled with political maneuvering, control, arrogance, and the weighing of gains and losses."

"Every time you cultivate, you are reinforcing your desire for control and consolidating your sense of authority."

"Your heart is too chaotic. The word 'Carefree' has no destiny with you."

Wu Lingxiao's body trembled violently. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails dug deep into her palms, blood dripping through her fingers.

She wanted to retort, but she found herself unable to.

Because what Ye Xuan said was also the truth.

She was an Empress; she was used to controlling everything. Even when cultivating a divine ability, she would think about how to use it to consolidate her position and counter potential threats.

Her heart had never truly relaxed.

"Impure thoughts, a belly full of schemes."

Ye Xuan shook his head, a deep contempt and disappointment revealing itself in his eyes. His voice was not loud, but every word was like a knife, stabbing viciously into their hearts:

"People like you..."

He paused, delivering his final verdict:

"You will never successfully cultivate the Carefree Wander of the Kunpeng."

"Because you... are unworthy of being carefree."

Boom!

These words were like a bolt from the blue, viciously striking the heads of Wu Lingxiao and Zi Yao.

Unworthy of being carefree.

These words were crueler than any insult.

Wu Lingxiao's body swayed, nearly losing her footing. Her face was as pale as paper, her lips trembling, a trace of despair flashing in her eyes.

She was an Empress. She ruled over the masses, she controlled the world.

But she was unworthy of being carefree.

Zi Yao collapsed directly to her knees, tears surging out like a burst dam. She covered her face, her shoulders shaking violently as she let out suppressed sobs.

She was a Demon Venerable. She roamed unhindered across the world, she killed without batting an eye.

But she was unworthy of being carefree.

At this moment, they finally understood.

It was not that they were not strong enough, not that they lacked talent, not that they did not work hard enough.

It was that their hearts had long been polluted by power, desire, and calculation.

They had already lost the most precious thing of all—that pure, childlike heart.

Yet Ying'er, the little maidservant they had once looked down upon, possessed exactly what they could never have.