As the last traces of dust settled across the street, Shaurya made his way toward Chen Fang. The young man still looked somewhat dazed, his gaze lingering on the aftermath of the battle as though his mind had yet to catch up with everything that had happened.
Noticing Shaurya approaching, he quickly composed himself and offered a respectful nod.
"Thank you for helping me, Senior. I won't forget this kindness."
A faint smile appeared on Shaurya's face.
"Oh, you'll repay me."
Chen Fang visibly relaxed at the response, only for the smile to freeze when Shaurya calmly added, "By joining my sect."
The young man stared at him.
"...What?"
Before he could say anything else, a familiar voice rang through his mind.
Refuse him immediately.
The warning came so suddenly that Chen Fang nearly flinched.
Joining a sect is far too dangerous. The moment powerful cultivators begin investigating your background, your secrets may not remain hidden. And if they discover my existence... the consequences will be impossible to predict.
Chen Fang remained outwardly calm, but his hesitation showed in the slight movement of his eyes. Unfortunately for him, nothing escaped Shaurya's notice.
"You don't need to worry."
Chen Fang's attention snapped back to him.
"Worry about what?"
Instead of answering immediately, Shaurya's gaze drifted toward the necklace hanging from his neck. The corner of his lips lifted slightly.
"The spirit living inside that necklace."
The words struck like lightning.
Chen Fang's pupils contracted.
For a brief moment, he genuinely wondered whether he had misheard.
"What?!"
Beside them, Luo Chen's eyes widened as he looked between the two.
"Spirit?" He pointed at Chen Fang with open disbelief. "Hold on. This guy has a spirit too?"
"Of course." Shaurya nodded. "Just like the spirit that once lived inside your ring, there's another one residing inside his necklace."
Luo Chen immediately turned toward Chen Fang, examining him from head to toe as though discovering a long-lost relative.
Turning his attention back to Chen Fang, Shaurya's gaze settled on the necklace hanging against the young man's chest. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, carrying a confidence that made Chen Fang's heart tighten.
"There is no need to remain hidden," he said calmly. "Tell your spirit she can come out."
Chen Fang's expression changed.
So did the atmosphere.
The warning voice in his mind fell silent for a brief moment, as though even she had been caught off guard by Shaurya's certainty.
Shaurya continued, unhurried. "If she's as powerful as I believe, there shouldn't be any reason to fear showing herself."
Luo Chen had been watching the exchange with growing confusion. His gaze moved from Shaurya to Chen Fang, then to the necklace around the latter's neck. Suddenly, something clicked.
His eyes widened.
"Hold on."
He pointed at Chen Fang as though he had just uncovered some earth-shattering secret.
"The spirit inside his necklace..."
Realization spread across his face.
"Is a woman?"
The question barely left his mouth before jealousy flooded his features.
"That's not fair."
Luo Chen looked genuinely aggrieved.
"When I found my spirit, I got an old man who spent half his time lecturing me and the other half insulting me. This guy gets a fairy?"
The more he thought about it, the more unreasonable the world seemed.
"What kind of luck is that?"
Several thousand kilometers away, deep within the Sanatan Flame Sect, Elder Wu was in the middle of training disciples when an inexplicable itch suddenly rose in his nose.
"Achoo!"
The old man glaring suspiciously at the surrounding mountains.
"Someone is definitely talking nonsense about me again."
He grumbled for a while before returning his attention to training the disciples, completely unaware that his reputation was currently being questioned by his own disciple.
Back in Jade Kingdom Capital City, a brilliant golden light spilled from the necklace hanging against Chen Fang's chest.
At first it appeared as scattered strands, drifting through the air like threads of sunlight. Then the radiance gathered above the ground, weaving itself into a slender silhouette. The surrounding spiritual energy stirred in response, ripples spreading outward as though even the heavens had noticed her arrival.
When the light finally faded, a woman stood suspended in midair.
Her robes were black and gold, layered with intricate embroidery that caught the sunlight in shifting patterns, as though countless golden streams flowed beneath the fabric. Long pink hair cascaded past her waist in soft waves, carrying a faint lustre reminiscent of blooming peach blossoms beneath the spring sun. The same shade lingered within her eyes—clear, luminous, and strangely ethereal—giving her gaze a beauty that bordered on the unreal.
Yet what drew attention was not her appearance.
It was her bearing.
She seemed entirely detached from the world around her, as though the bustling city beneath her feet, the cultivators watching from afar, and even the vast heavens above were all things she had long grown accustomed to overlooking. There was no deliberate display of power, no overwhelming aura pressing against the surroundings. Nevertheless, the moment she appeared, conversations in the distance gradually quieted.
Disciples simply found themselves lowering their voices.
Luo Chen stared upward blankly.
For once, not even a complaint emerged from his mouth.
Chen Fang stood frozen where he was, equal parts relief and apprehension crossing his face.
The radiance condensed.
As for Shaurya, a trace of appreciation appeared in his eyes as he studied the woman before him. Even after seeing dozens of beauties throughout his journey, he had to admit that the title suited her well. The flowing robes, the dignified bearing, the effortless grace with which she hovered above the ground—everything about her carried an ethereal quality that set her apart from ordinary cultivators.
"No wonder they call you a fairy."
At his words, the woman turned her attention toward him. Her gaze was calm, neither hostile nor friendly, yet the moment those Pink eyes settled upon him, an invisible pressure seemed to spread through the surroundings. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but enough to remind everyone present that the spirit before them was no ordinary existence.
"So, you know who I am."
Shaurya merely smiled.
"Fairy Empress Mo Liya."
A flicker of surprise crossed her face before disappearing beneath her usual composure. It was brief, but not brief enough to escape notice. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she reassessed the young man standing before her, the curiosity within them growing more apparent with each passing second.
"Interesting."
Her gaze swept across him from head to toe, as though attempting to uncover whatever secret allowed him to recognize her at a glance.
"Then perhaps you can explain something to me."
The atmosphere grew noticeably heavier.
"How do you know my name?"
Rather than answering immediately, Shaurya casually raised a hand and pointed toward Luo Chen.
Mo Liya followed the gesture.
So did Chen Fang.
Luo Chen looked behind himself out of reflex before realizing there was nobody else standing there. He pointed at his own chest, thoroughly bewildered.
"...Why are you looking at me?"
"Because," Shaurya replied with complete seriousness, "that guy also used to carry a spirit around."
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The corner of Luo Chen's mouth twitched.
"I feel like that's becoming my entire identity."
Mo Liya's eyes narrowed.
"Had?"
The single word carried an icy sharpness.
The pressure surrounding her immediately changed. Moments ago she had merely been cautious. Now genuine hostility surfaced beneath her calm exterior.
"What do you mean by that?" Her gaze shifted toward Luo Chen. "What happened to that spirit?"
Before anyone could answer, her eyes locked onto Shaurya.
"Did you devour him?"
The air seemed to grow colder as Mo Liya's killing intent spread outward. Chen Fang's body moved before his mind could catch up. He stepped forward and placed himself between her and Shaurya, his expression tense yet determined. Although his voice trembled slightly, his gaze never wavered.
"If someone must be sacrificed, then take me instead. Leave my master out of this."
For a brief moment, silence hung over the street. Shaurya stared at him, then slowly raised a hand to his own face as though genuinely wounded by the accusation.
"Do I really look like that sort of person?" he asked with obvious dissatisfaction. "Take a proper look. A handsome and upright man such as myself—how exactly do I resemble some demonic cultivator who absorbs souls for power?"
The tension eased ever so slightly. Even Chen Fang found himself hesitating, suddenly unsure whether his judgment had been too harsh. Before the awkward atmosphere could continue, however, another presence emerged. A familiar aura drifted outward as Wang Tian stepped forward from behind Shaurya.
The moment Mo Liya sensed it, her attention shifted completely.
The hostility in her eyes faded, replaced by confusion. She studied him carefully, her pink eyes narrowing as though searching through distant memories.
"That aura..." she murmured.
Something about it felt familiar.
Wang Tian folded his arms without speaking, allowing her to continue staring. As the silence stretched on, realization gradually surfaced on Mo Liya's face. Her brows drew together and her expression became increasingly strange.
"No... that's impossible."
Her gaze sharpened.
"It resembles that idiot Ghost Emperor."
The veins on Wang Tian's forehead immediately twitched.
Unfortunately, Mo Liya seemed completely unaware of the danger signs appearing across his face.
"That can't be right," she continued thoughtfully. "That fool never cared about women, power, wealth, specially joining sect or anything remotely normal. All he ever did was challenge stronger opponents and cause trouble everywhere he went."
The last thread of Wang Tian's patience finally snapped.
"Old Witch!"
His furious roar echoed throughout the street, startling nearby cultivators and drawing countless gazes.
"This Emperor tolerated many things in life, but slander is not one of them!"
The moment those two words left his mouth, Mo Liya froze.
The mocking smile disappeared from her face.
Her eyes widened slightly as memories buried for countless years resurfaced one after another. Across an entire era, only one person had ever possessed both the courage and the stupidity to address her in that manner.
"Old Witch..."
The words escaped her lips almost unconsciously.
She stared at Wang Tian again, this time no longer looking at his aura but at the man himself.
Disbelief slowly spread across her features.
"You?"
Her voice became unsteady.
"You're still alive?"
Wang Tian immediately straightened his back, looking so proud that one would think he had just conquered the heavens.
"Naturally."
He casually adjusted his sleeves before speaking with a smug expression.
"Unlike certain people trapped inside necklaces, I happen to possess a perfectly functional body."
For a split second, Mo Liya remained stunned.
Then her expression darkened.
The surrounding spiritual energy immediately became restless, causing the air itself to ripple faintly.
"Oh?"
A dangerous smile appeared on her face.
"It seems a few thousand years have made you forget how many times I beat you."
Wang Tian simply smirked.
"I merely stated facts."
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Invisible pressure spread from both sides as two ancient experts locked eyes across the street. Spiritual energy stirred around them, causing loose dust and pebbles to rise from the ground. Even Chen Fang felt his breathing become slightly heavier beneath the collision of their auras.
Watching the two ancient experts glare at each other with undisguised hostility, Shaurya felt a headache coming on. For people who had lived for thousands of years, Wang Tian and Mo Liya possessed a truly remarkable talent for behaving like children. The spiritual pressure between them continued to rise, distorting the air and forcing nearby cultivators to retreat, yet neither seemed willing to back down. Before the situation could escalate any further, Shaurya stepped forward and inserted himself between them.
"Enough."
The word wasn't loud, but it immediately drew both of their attention.
Ignoring the hostility lingering in their eyes, Shaurya looked directly at Mo Liya. "You don't have to trust me. In fact, I'd be more surprised if you did. But if you're willing to join my sect, I can give you something you've lacked for thousands of years."
Mo Liya frowned.
"A new body."
The effect was immediate.
The violent fluctuations of spiritual energy abruptly settled, while Wang Tian's smug expression disappeared for the first time since their reunion. Mo Liya simply stared at Shaurya, searching his face for any trace of deception. After several moments, a short laugh escaped her lips.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Whether you believe it or not changes nothing." Shaurya shrugged. "The opportunity exists regardless."
He gestured toward Chen Fang.
"He joins my sect as a disciple."
Then his gaze shifted back to her.
"You join as an elder."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Both of you gain what you want. It seems like a good deal to me."
Mo Liya fell silent.
Her gaze drifted toward Wang Tian.
Then back toward Shaurya.
Then toward Wang Tian once more.
Something about the situation felt wrong.
The Ghost Emperor she remembered was among the proudest beings of his generation. He respected strength and little else. Kings meant nothing to him. Emperors meant nothing to him. Even the greatest heavenly geniuses of their era had failed to earn his acknowledgment. Yet now he stood quietly behind a young man whose cultivation and age should have made him insignificant in Wang Tian's eyes.
Not as an ally.
Not as an equal.
As a subordinate.
That realization unsettled her far more than the promise of a new body.
Wang Tian eventually noticed her strange stare and frowned.
"What are you looking at?"
Mo Liya ignored him.
If someone like Wang Tian was willing to follow this young man, then either the Ghost Emperor had gone insane... or Shaurya possessed something far more terrifying than she currently understood.
After a long silence, she finally reached a decision.
"I accept."
The answer came so suddenly that Chen Fang almost choked.
"What?"
Mo Liya remained silent for several moments after reaching her decision. When she finally spoke, her voice carried none of the hesitation from before.
"Accept his offer."
Chen Fang blinked.
The sudden change in attitude caught him completely off guard.
"But... Master, weren't you the one who told me to reject him?"
"I was."
"Then why—"
"Because I've changed my mind."
Mo Liya's gaze shifted toward Shaurya.
More specifically, toward Wang Tian standing behind him.
"No matter how much I dislike admitting it, there is clearly something unusual about this sect."
She paused briefly before adding,
"And if even that idiot is willing to follow him, then there are only two possibilities. Either he has finally gone insane after all these years, or this young sect master possesses something I have yet to understand."
Wang Tian immediately frowned.
"Why is the first possibility always me going insane?"
Nobody paid him any attention.
Mo Liya continued calmly.
"I've known that fool for thousands of years. Arrogance is practically carved into his soul. If he's willing to lower his head, then there must be a reason."
Turning back toward Chen Fang, she spoke in a tone that left no room for discussion.
"So stop asking questions and accept."
Chen Fang hesitated.
Then he looked toward Shaurya.
Then toward his master.
Finally, he sighed.
"I understand."
Stepping forward, he cupped his fists respectfully.
"Disciple Chen Fang is willing to join the sect."
Mo Liya followed shortly afterward.
Unlike Chen Fang, she did not immediately bow. Her pride as a former Emperor Realm expert made such actions difficult. Nevertheless, after a brief pause, she lowered her head slightly.
"Mo Liya is willing to serve as an elder."
The moment Chen Fang accepted and Mo Liya formally joined the sect, a familiar stream of notifications exploded before Shaurya's eyes.
[Mission Completed!]
[Reward Obtained:
• 3 Lottery Draws
• Emperor-Level Technique — Nine Spiritual Formation Attack]
[Additional Rewards:
• Spiritual Body for Fairy Empress Mo Liya
• Emperor-Grade Weapon — Fairy Sword
• Minor Level Increase]
[Special Disciple Recruited: Sword-Type Special Physique]
[Additional Rewards:
• Immortal Sword Art
• Immortal-Level Sword Technique — Lightning Sword Slash]
[Hidden Mission Completed:
Ancient Powerhouse Recruited as Sect Elder]
[Reward:
• 200 Dharma Points]
For several seconds, Shaurya simply stared at the wall of notifications hanging before him.
The first reward alone would have made most cultivators lose their minds. An Emperor-Level Technique capable of controlling formations on a massive scale was already a priceless inheritance. Yet before he could properly appreciate it, his eyes moved downward and discovered an Emperor-Grade Fairy Sword, a complete spiritual body for Mo Liya, an immortal sword inheritance perfectly suited for Chen Fang's physique, a Minor Level Up, three lottery draws, and two hundred Dharma Points on top of everything else.
The more he read, the more absurd the rewards became.
An Emperor-Level Technique.
An Immortal-Level Sword Technique.
An Emperor-Grade Weapon.
A complete resurrection reward.
A special physique inheritance.
Even the lottery draws felt unusually generous.
For a brief moment, Shaurya genuinely wondered whether the system had malfunctioned.
This wasn't a normal mission reward.
This wasn't even a jackpot.
It felt as though the system had emptied an entire treasury and dumped it directly into his lap.
The corners of his mouth began to twitch.
Then they slowly rose.
By the time he finished reading the notifications for the third time, his expression had already become increasingly difficult to control.
Across from him, Chen Fang exchanged a confused look with Mo Liya.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Their newly acknowledged sect master was standing completely still, yet the smile spreading across his face somehow made him look more suspicious with every passing second.
"Master?" Chen Fang called cautiously.
Shaurya didn't answer.
His attention remained completely occupied by the rewards.
A vein gradually appeared on Wang Tian's forehead as he watched the increasingly bizarre expression.
"Why does he look like that?"
"No idea," Luo Chen replied honestly.
The smile widened further.
Then wider still.
At a certain point, the pressure became too much to contain.
A burst of laughter suddenly erupted from Shaurya's mouth.
"Hahahahahaha!"
The unexpected outburst echoed throughout the street, startling nearby cultivators and drawing countless strange gazes. Before anyone could react, Shaurya shot several meters into the air in a celebration so instinctive that even he didn't realize what he was doing.
"YES!"
The victorious shout rang across the city.
Below him, silence descended.
Mo Liya blinked.
Chen Fang stared.
Luo Chen looked impressed.
Wang Tian covered his face.
For the first time since joining the sect, Chen Fang found himself wondering whether accepting the offer had truly been the correct decision.
Realizing countless strange looks were directed toward him, Shaurya finally descended back to the ground. He coughed lightly, straightened his robes, and immediately restored the dignified expression of a sect master.
"Ahem."
It was as though nothing embarrassing had happened.
"Now then."
His expression became solemn.
"Chen Fang, hand me the necklace."
Although puzzled, Chen Fang obeyed and handed it over.
Shaurya accepted it and silently activated the reward.
A brilliant pillar of light erupted from the necklace and shot toward the heavens. Spiritual energy surged from every direction, gathering around the beam like rivers converging toward the sea. The phenomenon lasted only a few breaths, yet the pressure released by it caused countless cultivators throughout the city to look upward in shock.
Within the radiant pillar, a figure gradually emerged.
Long pink hair fluttered in the wind.
Pink eyes shone with a vitality that had been absent moments earlier.
The translucent appearance of a soul vanished completely, replaced by warm flesh, flowing blood, and the unmistakable aura of genuine life.
Mo Liya stood frozen where she was.
The bustling street, the surrounding cultivators, even Wang Tian's presence seemed to fade from her awareness as she slowly examined her own body. Thousands of years had passed since she had last possessed flesh and blood. For so long she had existed as nothing more than a remnant soul, forced to watch the world through the eyes of others, unable to truly feel it herself.
Now everything had changed.
Her fingers brushed lightly against her cheek. Warmth greeted her touch. She could feel the movement of air against her skin, the faint circulation of blood beneath the surface, even the steady rhythm of her own heartbeat echoing within her chest. Such ordinary sensations would have been meaningless to most people, yet at this moment they felt more precious than any heavenly treasure.
For a rare moment, Fairy Empress Mo Liya found herself unable to speak.
Even Wang Tian remained unusually quiet. The former Ghost Emperor merely watched from the side, allowing her to enjoy the reality she had once believed impossible.
The silence lasted several breaths before Shaurya casually broke it.
"And that's not all."
The words immediately drew everyone's attention.
A sword appeared in his hand.
The instant it emerged, the surrounding spiritual energy became noticeably restless. Faint ripples spread through the air as though the weapon itself possessed a will capable of influencing the world around it. Its blade was slender and elegant, forged with flawless craftsmanship, while countless intricate patterns shimmered across its surface beneath the sunlight.
Mo Liya's gaze locked onto it.
As someone who had once stood at the peak of the cultivation world, she recognized its value immediately.
Her pupils contracted.
"An Emperor-grade weapon..."
The words escaped almost instinctively.
A moment later, her expression changed again.
"No."
Her voice became even softer.
"This isn't an ordinary Emperor-grade weapon."
Years of experience allowed her to sense details that others could not. The aura contained within the blade was incomparably pure, while the quality of its forging far exceeded the standards of most weapons from her era.
Yet Shaurya showed no sign of attachment.
Without the slightest hesitation, he tossed the sword toward her as casually as someone passing a common household item.
"If you like it, it's yours."
Mo Liya instinctively caught the weapon.
The moment her hand wrapped around the hilt, an indescribable feeling surged through her body. The sword resonated with her cultivation almost perfectly, as though it had been forged specifically for her.
A complicated emotion surfaced within her heart.
Even during her peak years, obtaining such a weapon would not have been easy.
What truly shocked Mo Liya wasn't the weapon itself, but Shaurya's attitude toward it. From beginning to end, he had never attempted to bargain, request a favor, or even emphasize its value. He simply handed it over as though such treasures meant nothing to him.
For the second time that day, she found herself speechless.
Meanwhile, Shaurya turned toward Chen Fang and produced two jade scrolls.
"This one will awaken your physique."
Before the young man could recover from his shock, a second scroll appeared.
"And this one contains a sword inheritance suitable for that physique."
Chen Fang accepted both treasures with trembling hands.
His thoughts were in complete disarray.
Only a short while ago, he had been a hunted cultivator struggling to survive. Now he possessed a powerful master, an ancient expert as a protector, and inheritances that countless geniuses would kill for.
The contrast felt unreal.
"Thank you, Master."
His voice carried genuine gratitude.
Beside him, Mo Liya lowered her head as well.
This time there was no suspicion hidden within her eyes, nor any reluctance behind her actions.
Only respect.
Unfortunately, the solemn atmosphere survived for less than three breaths.
Wang Tian crossed his arms and laughed loudly.
"See? What did I tell you? Joining the sect was the smartest decision you've made in your entire life."
The corner of Mo Liya's eye twitched.
The gratitude she had just begun to feel immediately weakened.
"You truly remain as irritating as ever."
Before the final word had fully left her mouth, the Fairy Sword flashed from its sheath.
A brilliant streak of light cut through the air.
Wang Tian reacted instantly.
His own weapon appeared in his hand, meeting the attack head-on.
The collision unleashed a deafening metallic explosion.
A violent shockwave erupted outward, tearing through the surrounding street and sending dust, stone fragments, and spiritual energy spiraling into the sky. Nearby cultivators hurriedly retreated as the pressure generated by two ancient experts swept across the area.
Neither intended to stop.
Neither intended to yield.
Years of rivalry and countless unresolved grievances surfaced the moment their weapons crossed.
Yet just as a second clash was about to erupt, a hand suddenly entered the battlefield.
Two fingers.
Nothing more.
The Fairy Sword stopped.
Wang Tian's blade stopped.
The violent shockwave vanished as though it had never existed.
The raging spiritual pressure collapsed instantly.
Even the wind seemed to freeze.
Mo Liya's eyes widened.
Wang Tian's expression stiffened.
No matter how much force they exerted, their weapons refused to move another inch.
Only then did they notice the figure standing calmly between them.
Shaurya.
His expression remained completely unchanged.
Standing calmly between them was Shaurya, his expression completely unchanged, holding back two Ancient experts with nothing more than his fingers.
Shaurya withdrew his fingers and clasped his hands behind his back, maintaining the calm and dignified appearance expected of a sect master. Internally, however, he was practically bursting with excitement.
I've always wanted to do that.
The legendary finger block.
Stopping two powerful experts with nothing but two fingers.
That was the kind of scene every protagonist dreamed about.
Suppressing the urge to grin, he adopted a stern expression and glanced between Wang Tian and Mo Liya.
"That's enough. If you two want to continue fighting, at least wait until you've stopped acting like children."
Although the battle had ended, peace seemed to have little interest in arriving.
Mo Liya casually examined the newly acquired sword, her fingers gliding across the blade as though inspecting a familiar treasure. After a few moments, she glanced toward Wang Tian and shook her head.
"You've become weaker."
The statement landed like a slap.
Wang Tian's eyes widened.
"Weaker?" He looked genuinely offended. "This Emperor has only recently regained a body. Give me a few years and I'll surpass my previous peak."
Mo Liya wasn't impressed.
"Excuses."
"They are facts."
"They sound like excuses."
"They remain facts."
Watching the exchange, Shaurya slowly folded his arms. The hostility from earlier had completely disappeared. The two weren't behaving like ancient enemies reunited after thousands of years. If anything, they looked more like siblings resuming an argument that had been temporarily interrupted by death.
Unfortunately, neither appeared aware of how obvious they were.
Mo Liya continued mercilessly. "Your temper hasn't improved at all."
"And you're still as annoying as I remember."
A satisfied smile immediately appeared on her face.
"So you do remember."
Wang Tian froze.
Realizing his mistake, he immediately looked away.
Mo Liya's smile widened.
"Interesting."
"It means nothing."
"Of course."
Her tone suggested she believed the exact opposite.
Nearby, Chen Fang found himself glancing between them repeatedly. Even Muo Qian seemed distracted, her eyes lingering on the pair longer than necessary. The atmosphere felt strangely difficult to describe. Their words were sharp, yet there was no genuine malice behind them. Every insult was answered instantly. Every jab was returned without hesitation. More importantly, both already knew exactly where to strike.
That wasn't something enemies possessed.
That required familiarity.
Years of it.
Perhaps centuries.
"You know," Mo Liya continued thoughtfully, "for someone claiming to be an invincible emperor, you certainly lost to me quite often."
Wang Tian's face darkened.
"Six times."
"Seven."
"Six."
"Seven."
"It was six."
Mo Liya tilted her head.
"Then why do I remember seven?"
"Because your memory is terrible."
"My memory is perfect."
"Then you're deliberately lying."
The argument continued with such natural ease that Shaurya eventually found himself more interested in their relationship than the conversation itself.
His gaze moved from Wang Tian to Mo Liya and then back again.
The more he watched, the stranger the situation became.
These weren't discussions about cultivation realms or ancient inheritances.
They were arguing about personal stories.
Old stories.
The kind that only survived because someone had carried them for a very long time.
Mo Liya remembered his defeats.
Wang Tian remembered her habits.
Neither needed time to think before responding.
It was almost as though they had spent half their lives doing this.
A similar realization seemed to occur to Muo Qian. Her eyes lowered slightly as she listened to them bicker, and for reasons she couldn't quite explain, a faint discomfort settled in her chest.
Eventually, Shaurya could no longer contain his curiosity.
"Hold on."
The argument stopped immediately.
Both turned toward him.
Shaurya pointed between them.
"You two know each other awfully well."
For the first time since the conversation began, genuine awkwardness appeared.
Wang Tian and Mo Liya exchanged a glance.
Then both looked away almost simultaneously.
The synchronized reaction answered more questions than any explanation could have.
A look of understanding slowly appeared on Shaurya's face.
After a brief silence, Wang Tian finally spoke through gritted teeth.
"She's my cousin."
"Unfortunately," Mo Liya added without hesitation, "this idiot happens to be my cousin."
The final piece immediately clicked into place.
Shaurya nodded slowly.
Then his gaze drifted toward Muo Qian.
Back to Wang Tian.
Then toward Muo Qian again.
The movement was subtle.
The effect was devastating.
Wang Tian suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Mo Liya noticed.
Muo Qian noticed.
Most importantly, Shaurya had clearly noticed something as well.
A smile gradually spread across his face.
"Oh..."
That single word was enough to make Wang Tian regret being resurrected.
"Then Muo Qian still has a chance."
The moment those words left Shaurya's mouth, the atmosphere became strangely quiet.
Muo Qian's face instantly reddened, the blush spreading all the way to her ears. Beside her, Wang Tian's reaction was even more dramatic. The former Ghost Emperor looked as though someone had struck him with a heavenly lightning tribulation. For a brief moment, he simply stood there staring at Shaurya in disbelief.
Shaurya, meanwhile, looked entirely satisfied with the chaos he had created.
Unfortunately for the two victims involved, Mo Liya missed nothing.
Her gaze shifted toward Muo Qian.
Then toward Wang Tian.
Then back again.
The movement was subtle, but her eyes gradually narrowed as she studied their expressions.
Something wasn't right.
Very rarely had she seen Wang Tian lose his composure. Throughout their entire lives, the man had charged into battles against stronger opponents, challenged emperors, provoked sects, and offended countless powerful figures without blinking an eye.
Yet now he looked nervous.
Actually nervous.
The realization alone was alarming.
"Wait..."
Her voice suddenly carried a hint of curiosity.
"Who exactly is Muo Qian?"
Wang Tian reacted so quickly that even Chen Fang jumped.
In a single motion, he appeared beside Shaurya and slapped a hand over his mouth.
"No one."
The answer came immediately.
Far too immediately.
"Absolutely no one."
Silence.
Mo Liya stared at him.
Wang Tian stared back.
The more he tried to appear calm, the more suspicious he became.
A smile slowly began forming on Mo Liya's face.
After living alongside him for centuries, she understood him better than most people ever could. She knew how he reacted when angry. She knew how he reacted when excited. She even knew how he reacted before a life-and-death battle.
This wasn't any of those.
This was panic.
Genuine panic.
The discovery hit her harder than learning he had returned from the dead.
Slowly folding her arms, she leaned back and continued observing him with growing amusement.
"Oh..."
Understanding dawned.
Then amusement followed.
Then something far more dangerous.
Delight.
"So that's how it is."
Wang Tian immediately looked away.
Suddenly, the clouds overhead became extremely fascinating.
Mo Liya's smile widened.
The expression alone made Wang Tian feel a sense of impending doom.
"The mighty Ghost Emperor..." she began slowly, her voice dripping with mockery. "The man who spent his entire life challenging stronger opponents, declaring romance a waste of time, and claiming women would only interfere with cultivation..."
Each sentence caused Wang Tian's expression to become increasingly uncomfortable.
"...actually fell in love."
The finishing blow landed perfectly.
Wang Tian froze.
A faint redness appeared on his ears.
Then spread toward his face.
By the time he realized what was happening, even his neck had turned red.
The sight was so surreal that Chen Fang nearly burst a blood vessel trying not to laugh.
Unfortunately, his self-control lasted less than three seconds.
A snort escaped him.
Then another.
Soon he was laughing openly.
Muo Qian lasted slightly longer before covering her mouth and turning away, though the trembling of her shoulders made her failure equally obvious.
Seeing their reactions only made Mo Liya laugh harder.
Even Shaurya couldn't hold back anymore.
For perhaps the first time in his life, Wang Tian discovered there were enemies far more terrifying than heavenly tribulations.
One of them happened to be his cousin.
Within moments, the entire group was laughing at the former Ghost Emperor's expense while Wang Tian stood there in silent humiliation, seriously considering whether destroying everyone present would solve the problem.
Unfortunately for him, nobody looked remotely afraid.
To Be Continued.....