The Son of Heaven Star was stunned—Xiao Lian... was never a real person to begin with

The cultivators of the Nine Heavens Holy Domain were dumbfounded.

They thought it was an easy victory, but now they were being told this was actually a slaughter—and they were the ones being slaughtered?

Splash! Splash! Splash!

Like dumplings dropping into boiling water, the cultivators of the Nine Heavens Holy Domain fell from the sky one after another.

Then—

Gulp! Gulp!

Silently, they were swallowed by the encroaching shadows.

Reserves of the Shadow Garden—acquired!

Lei Zhentian had never felt so humiliated, so furious, so utterly disgraced in his life.

Frozen stiff mid-air, his entire body had turned into an ice statue—only his mouth could still move.

"Su Muwan!! You venomous witch!!!"

His eyes burned with rage, his voice hoarse, as if his glare alone could flay Su Muwan alive.

"I am the Lord of the Nine Heavens Holy Domain! A supreme Eternal Realm expert! How dare you humiliate me like this?!"

"Once I break free, I will slaughter every last one of you from the Netherfrost Divine Domain!!"

"Annoying."

Qin Luo casually backhanded him.

Slap!

The crisp sound of the strike echoed sharply across the battlefield.

Lei Zhentian’s head snapped to the side, his cheek instantly swelling, two teeth flying out.

"You… you actually struck me?!"

His eyes widened in disbelief.

A supreme Eternal Realm expert, suppressing his cultivation to enter this realm, only to be slapped repeatedly in public?!

If word got out, how could Lei Zhentian ever show his face again?!

Slap!

Before he could finish, Su Muwan stepped forward and delivered another stinging slap, sending stars flashing before his eyes.

"What’s wrong with hitting you?"

Su Muwan sneered. "Right now, you’re just a frozen popsicle. We can slap you as much as we want."

Lei Zhentian trembled with fury, but his frozen body refused to obey—all he could do was roar helplessly.

"Qin Luo!! Su Muwan!!!"

"If not for the suppression of cultivation in this realm, I could crush you with a single finger—"

Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!

Lei Zhentian finally shut up.

Su Muwan dusted off her hands, eyeing the swollen, pig-headed mess that was Lei Zhentian with disdain.

Seriously.

These old farts from the higher realms really had the most irritating mouths.

If not for his Eternal Realm physique making him resistant to freezing, she would’ve shattered him into ice shards long ago.

But at least he’d finally stopped yapping.

"Luo Luo."

Turning to Qin Luo, who seemed deep in thought, she asked, "What’s our next move?"

"Hmm…"

Qin Luo snapped out of his contemplation, glancing at the whimpering, speechless Lei Zhentian before surveying the mutated state of this world.

A faint smirk curled his lips.

"Miss Su."

"Since this Great Realm War has drawn so many players, and the rules keep changing…"

"Then why don’t we stir the waters even more?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… it’s time for the Shadow Garden to make its grand entrance."

---

Temporary Camp, Holy Domain Alliance

With the intervention of the Holy Domain Lords and elders from the higher realms, the tide of abominations had been completely suppressed, giving the cultivators a much-needed respite.

The alliance quickly regrouped—taking stock of casualties, reorganizing supplies, and revising their battle plans.

"What are our losses?" Xuan Xingzi, elder of the Starry Sky Divine Palace, asked coldly.

"Reporting to the elder, the abominations have been eradicated. Our casualties are minimal—only a few hundred low-level cultivators perished."

Xuan Xingzi nodded, his gaze drifting toward the distance.

"And the Netherfrost Divine Domain… any movement?"

"None so far."

Hearing those words, Xuan Xingzi’s expression darkened further.

Damn it.

He touched his cheek, where a dull ache still lingered.

Earlier, for the sake of his pawn, he had descended to the lower world—only to…

Not only lose the Samsara Compass capable of refining that world,

But also allow the most troublesome group to ascend to the upper realms.

And worst of all—

He!

Had been slapped repeatedly by that damned witch’s pretty boy!!

An absolute disgrace! An unforgivable humiliation!!

Of course, the fact that Qin Luo and his group had entered due to their unauthorized descent—this matter…

Xuan Xingzi exhaled slowly, his face blank.

Could never be revealed to anyone.

Another elder scoffed nearby. "They’re good at hiding, aren’t they? Knowing our alliance has gathered, they don’t even dare show their faces!"

"Hiding?" The Phoenix Empress’s eyes glinted with icy fury.

"Let’s see how long they can keep it up!"

Her gaze locked onto the rankings on the Heavenly Dao Golden Scroll—

Netherfrost Divine Domain: Faith Value—2,147,100

Black Raven Squad: 20,000

Frostsky Holy Domain: 1,900

Nine Heavens Holy Domain: 1,200

…

"Two million faith value…"

The Phoenix Empress’s voice dripped with venomous hatred.

"Su Muwan… I will make you pay."

Yet, what she didn’t notice—

Amid the crowd, a figure slowly lifted his head, his eyes burning into her.

Xu Tun.

In his past life, she had betrayed him, leaving him to die in ruin.

Now, reborn and having joined the Shadow Garden, he had bided his time in silence.

Every fiber of his being screamed to rush forward and tear her apart.

But…

He took a deep breath, forcing the killing intent down.

"Stay calm… don’t disrupt the Shadow Garden’s plans…"

Melting back into the shadows, he resumed his role—

As the "Guardian of the Profound Abyss Holy Domain."

Phoenix Empress…

I will get my answers.

Why did you kill me?!

---

Nightfall, Alliance Camp

Under the dim glow of campfires, the night deepened.

Tian Zixing sat cross-legged beneath an ancient tree, starlight swirling around him as he mended his injuries.

Today’s battle had left him wounded, though he had slain several powerful abominations.

"Tch… those ants from the Netherfrost Divine Domain are more troublesome than expected," he muttered, frowning.

Just then—

"L-Lord Tian Zixing…"

A timid voice called from behind.

Turning, he saw Su Bailian standing a short distance away, clutching a roll of bandages and a jar of ointment.

Under the moonlight, her white robes were dust-stained, her hair slightly disheveled, exhaustion faintly visible on her delicate face.

"You’re hurt… I… brought medicine…"

Her voice was barely a whisper, her eyes darting away as if fearing rejection.

Tian Zixing frowned. "Who told you to come?"

Su Bailian flinched, fingers nervously twisting the hem of her robe.

"I… I noticed you hadn’t returned to camp… I was worried…"

Her voice trailed off into silence.

After a pause, Tian Zixing finally sighed.

"...Fine. Come here."

Her eyes brightened instantly as she hurried over, kneeling beside him and carefully tending to his wounds.

Her touch was feather-light, her fingers cool yet strangely soothing.

"Does it hurt?" she asked softly, concern lacing her voice.

Tian Zixing averted his gaze. "No."

"Oh…"

She lowered her head, focusing on the bandaging, occasionally brushing his skin by accident—only to jerk back as if burned.

"S-Sorry…"

Blushing, she apologized like a scolded child.

Tian Zixing didn’t respond.

But something unfamiliar stirred in his chest.

He had been exceptionally gifted since childhood, and even in the smaller world, the Master of the Starry Sky Divine Palace had placed high hopes on him. Flatterers and sycophants were never in short supply around him.

But someone like Su Bailian… who cared for him purely, was almost unheard of.

"Why did you…"

He suddenly spoke up but then paused, as if realizing how abrupt his question sounded.

"Hmm?"

Su Bailian looked up, her clear eyes reflecting the glow of the campfire, pure and untainted by even a hint of impurity.

"…Never mind."

Tian Zixing averted his gaze, though his heart refused to settle.

How had he become like this?

How could someone with no cultivation, a fragile young woman… shake his state of mind?

Su Bailian stole a glance at him, the corners of her lips curling ever so slightly.

"Lord Tian Zixing…"

"Hmm?"

"You… are truly a kind person."

"…"

Tian Zixing froze.

Kind?

Him?

What a joke!

And yet… why did he feel inexplicably pleased?

He abruptly stood up, his voice cold. "Once your wounds are dressed, leave. Don’t linger here."

Su Bailian flinched, her eyes instantly reddening. "I-I’m sorry… I’ll go right away…"

She hurriedly gathered the medicine bottles, stumbling slightly as she stood, nearly falling.

Tian Zixing instinctively reached out to steady her, then immediately withdrew his hand, his tone stiff. "…Be careful."

Su Bailian kept her head low, her voice barely audible. "Th-thank you…"

With that, she turned and ran off, her slender figure soon vanishing into the night.

Tian Zixing remained where he was, staring in the direction she had gone, unmoving for a long time.

He pressed a hand to his chest, where… something seemed to have quietly shifted.

Xiao Lian…

Just what…

Before he could finish the thought—

"Who was that girl?"

A figure suddenly appeared beside Tian Zixing.

The latter stiffened, quickly suppressing the turmoil in his heart before turning toward the source of the voice.

It was a middle-aged man clad in starry Daoist robes.

Tian Zixing’s expression turned respectful at once. "Master, her name is Xiao Lian. She was attacked by a beast, and I happened upon her, so I saved her."

"Her background is unclear. She doesn’t seem to belong to any of the sacred domains."

The Master of the Starry Sky Divine Palace silently performed a divination. After a moment, he reached out and patted Tian Zixing’s shoulder.

What he said next left Tian Zixing stunned.

"I cannot divine this girl’s fate."

"Zixing, think carefully."

Before Tian Zixing could respond, the Master of the Starry Sky Divine Palace vanished from the spot.

Tian Zixing’s expression froze.

If even the Master of the Starry Sky Divine Palace couldn’t divine her fate…

Then there were only two possibilities.

One—Xiao Lian’s destiny had been concealed by someone whose divination skills surpassed the Master’s.

But the first possibility was immediately dismissed.

The other was…

"Xiao Lian… is nothing more than an illusion of this fragmented time… someone who no longer exists."

Tian Zixing murmured to himself.

Strangely, instead of easing the emotions in his heart, they only… grew stronger.