Ever since the beginning of Surong's contract with him, Qin Yu's familiar had long been calling him Master.

The members of the Qin sect couldn't help but suck in cold breaths at Surong's statement. The end of the sect master's service to the goddess hadn't registered to them until now.

The contract separation with his summoned familiar was a way for Surong not to be affected by the heavens' verdict.

Qin Yu gave a weak smile. "It is time for you to be freed."

"This is unacceptable! Where should I go? This freedom is not freedom at all when I will only think back to you who will suffer on your own!"

"That's not true. You can go anywhere under the heavens, no need to worry about me." Qin Yu was still adamant.

He couldn't let Surong stay with him because they didn't deserve to be stuck with a selfish master. She never knew his plan was to die and leave her forever. But because of a certain soul, he was saved from the Perpetual Void.

If Surong and the sect members knew, they would probably be disgusted with him who would choose eternal death rather than serving the goddess forever.

"Qinzhu1, I want to follow you!" Surong pleaded.

Some of the sect members hesitated but started to express their desires.

The courtyard was soon filled with, "Qinzhu, let us follow you!"

"Don't speak nonsense!" Qin Yu's anger was so sudden that the noise stopped.

He sighed. "Do you know what staying with me actually means?"

Surong was the one to answer. "We will be banished from Wu Yun peak with you."

"Yes, that's why don't speak of this anymore. Your master can't allow that to happen."

Qin Yu honestly begged them. There was no point in sharing his burden. He did this to himself, why did they have to go with him? He pleaded with Cai Xie to spare them just to make sure his actions wouldn't affect them.

And now, some of them wanted their cultivation to drop too just because he was the same? He didn't know whether to admire them or call them foolish.

"Go back to your posts now." He persuaded.

But Surong went ahead and did the usual ritual when they communicated with Cai Xie, kowtowing to the sky.

"This one prays to the goddess. Let us stay with Qinzhu!"

This wouldn't be effective if she was alone. Only Qin Yu was able to communicate with Cai Xie on his own. Surong needed her martial brothers and sisters' help.

"Stop!" Qin Yu wanted to shout but he was assailed with dizziness from losing too much spiritual energy.

For the first time, he was powerless against the tens of Qin sect members who were praying to be with him in his punishment.

Only now did he understand what Cai Xie meant when she said sparing Wu Yun peak was pointless. Qin Yu's heart seemed to be filled with a bittersweet taste.

"Alright, those who want to follow me...I will let you. But Surong, your contract with me will still end."

Surong wanted to complain but was stopped by the orb of light rising from Qin Yu's palm. It flew to her and entered her dantian2.

To her surprise, there was no pain at all.

She only saw her master coughing more blood on the wooden floor. Surong's tears started flowing now. Contract separation was very painful for a spirit beast but Qin Yu shouldered it all on his own.

Why was he too kind?!

Another heavenly lightning struck and this time, the courtyard wasn't pardoned. From the lightning itself, two identical figures emerged.

Only Qin Yu and the one who would replace him as the sect master could see them. These figures were the gatekeepers of the Divine Realm.

In the disciples' eyes, the yard was only filled with blinding light. They also didn't hear the mysterious voice of what seemed to be various combinations of humans, birds, and animals' calls.

"The one named Qin Yu by the goddess Cai Xie, the heavens have always favored you. But if we follow nature's flow, you should have gone to the Yellow Springs when you tried fixing a shattered soul with your own. To balance karma, you will lose everything that you've worked hard for as the herald of Cai Xie. Go back to your mortal form!"

After saying this, the humanoid shapes of light blitzed to the clouds just as they came and Qin Yu felt the most searing pain he ever felt in his near-immortal life.

---

Meanwhile in the Imperial City of Huo Ai...

Different factions were alarmed to witness the majestic flashes of lightning from the distance.

"Is that place what We think of?" The white-haired man dressed in golden robes voiced out from his dragon throne.

"Answering your Majesty, indeed it's the Wu Yun Peak. After centuries, we, from the mainland might hear from them soon."

Somewhere not too far away from the palace, another old man was awed at the might of heavenly retribution.

"Saint, the people are fearing this event. What shall we announce?" From behind the frail person, a young bishop asked.

The Saint coughed a bit before answering, "We cannot act rashly. Let us wait for that clan in charge of Wu Yun. Such a big scene, they can't act mute anymore."

That day, dark clouds hovered above Huo Ai and the lands of both humans and spirits were filled with unrest.

---

Heading over to Great Han once again, Huang Qiaoli opened her eyes after two days of unconsciousness. It might have to do with her savior's spiritual energy but she only felt slight hunger upon waking up.

Inside the cave, there was another person aside from her.

Huang Qiaoli didn't have drowsiness on her face as she rose from where she was lying down. Her features were too sharp in Si Hai's point of view but he wouldn't admit that he was astounded.

He believed that even though 'Hong Chun' wasn't pampered to death, she was still a girl who grew up in a slightly well-off family. There was no reason for her to act like a predator the moment she woke up.

It was a good thing that he already changed back to human form, else the girl would see how his fur would stand on its ends as she was scrutinizing him.

He didn't know that she was merely checking how long she slept. A quick search told her she was out for 26 hours and 42 minutes. This would be the second breaking of dawn since she left the Hong fu... and since Old Shang left this world.

"Si Hai..."

"Wh-what?" The fox spirit was spooked by her rough voice.

"That guy gave you something."

Si Hai snapped his neck toward her direction. He was surprised that she knew, not knowing that she could detect his strength with her eyes.

"The senior also asked me to accompany you." He stressed the word senior because Huang Qiaoli seemed to have no respect.

"Well, how many times stronger are you than before?" She asked, not interested in his idol.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Okay, fine."

Si Hai wanted to aggravate her but was the one who ended up frustrated at her attitude.

"My strength raised to three-fold!" He erupted, raising three fingers.

The maiden only hummed. Si Hai narrowed his eyes at her, not knowing whether she believed or not.

Huang Qiaoli still didn't have her AI back when she met Si Hai so she could only map his data according to estimates. The fox's cultivation seemed to be enhanced up to 150% only as opposed to his exaggeration.

"Don't get so cocky. You should master that strength first."

Si Hai's newfound confidence deflated upon hearing this remark.

"You're good at saying terrible things, you know."

"What's terrible with that?"

The fox spirit turned his back on the vile woman, ignoring her question. If he didn't know about the misfortunes she experienced, he would just leave her here.

But the things the senior made him see were tragic. She was supposed to be one of the most honorable women in this world. But she was reduced to being targeted by assassins since her childhood. And she lost loved ones repeatedly.

Fox spirits should have been apathetic to humans' struggle but here he was sticking with this vile woman. He asked himself why a few times already. But he only found life to be much more colorful with her even if she had a horrible personality.

"Lady Huang, where do you plan to go next?"

Huang Qiaoli was stunned by this sudden change of behavior. Weren't they annoying each other just now? What was with this respectable professional atmosphere?