On the deck of the Spirit Boat, Li Youci’s cool, detached voice drifted through the air.

“Zhou Kai, you seem to have learned some manners. You finally know to call yourself ‘Subordinate’?”

Zhou Kai chuckled inwardly, but his tone remained respectful. “This subordinate has always belonged to the Grand Miss. When have I ever not known the rules?”

“Hmph. Glib tongue.” Li Youci snorted lightly, clearly unimpressed by his smooth answer.

She turned her gaze toward the distance, where the five great rivers converged and abruptly vanished into the earth. After a moment, she steered the conversation back to business.

“Speak. What did you discover?”

Zhou Kai recounted the situation regarding Fang Lizhe’s great-grandfather, laying out the inconsistencies surrounding how the man had obtained the secret manual.

Li Youci listened in silence. After a pause, she said, “Zhou Kai, I am not a stingy person. If you perform well, your rewards will be substantial. Can’t you just explain all the clues clearly at once?”

Zhou Kai thought to himself, I’ve told you everything that matters. I only omitted the part where I plan to recruit the Fang family myself.

On the surface, however, he remained impassive. “Why does the Grand Miss say that? Could it be… you’ve discovered something?”

Li Youci gave him an approving glance, as if to say, You’re not completely stupid.

She dropped a bombshell. “I suspect that the Fang family ancestor entered this Forgetfulness River Secret Realm much later than we thought, and through a different method entirely!”

A bolt of lightning struck Zhou Kai’s mind.

A Qi Condensation cultivator’s lifespan is, at most, one hundred and twenty years!

Based on mortal generations, Fang Lizhe and his great-grandfather were separated by four generations. If the old man were still alive, he would be barely scraping the limit of his lifespan.

Zhou Kai immediately pressed, “Grand Miss means to say that in the last one or two hundred years, the Gazing River City on the surface suffered no city-destroying calamities? The Lin family ancestor and the Fang family patriarch entered the Secret Realm at completely different times?”

“Clever.” The corners of Li Youci’s lips quirked up. “After I learned the Cicada Raiment Art was linked to the city, I consulted the Sect’s archives. For the past five hundred years, Gazing River City has been peaceful. No disasters, no massacres.”

She paused, then shifted the topic.

“That Fang Lizhe you mentioned cultivates at a bizarrely fast speed. He entered the Outer Sect only recently, yet his Body and Magic cultivation have both reached the Second Layer.

“His great-grandfather could enter the Secret Realm through a special backdoor… I suspect the entire Fang family might be descendants of the Great Demon residing here.

“Fang Lizhe likely experienced a bloodline reversion, awakening a trace of that Senior’s diluted bloodline. That would explain his talent.”

After speaking, Li Youci raised her chin slightly. Her beautiful eyes shone with blatant expectation, waiting for a specific phrase: The Grand Miss is brilliant.

Zhou Kai acted as if he were blind. He turned his head to the side, studying the scenery.

Praise her? She’d probably slap him. If you starve her of attention, she gets itchy.

“Even if the Grand Miss is correct,” Zhou Kai mused, “how could a Qi Condensation cultivator—even a descendant of the Great Demon—pass the second major barrier of Foundation Establishment? Or the likely third barrier at the Golden Core stage?”

Seeing him completely ignore her silent demand for praise, Li Youci gritted her teeth. Her inner self was currently pummeling a miniature Zhou Kai into dust.

This unromantic bastard! I’ve been so kind to you lately, I haven’t even hit you! Would it kill you to flatter me a little?!

I don’t like being sucked up to by trash, but for a talented subordinate, it’s acceptable!

She huffed angrily. “Perhaps… the descendants of the Great Demon have special privileges here?”

The speculation had merit, but it was too vague to bank on.

Zhou Kai gazed deeply into the abyss where the river water vanished underground.

“Since entering the Five Elements Trial Grounds, the river water has been strange. We can’t dive into the surface water here, yet beasts emerge from it. I want to return to Forgetfulness River City. I’ll dive into the river section within the city limits and see what lies at the bottom!”

“Very well.” Li Youci thought for a moment, then nodded. “The subsequent trials are divided by cultivation level. The treasures inside likely won’t be fully looted yet. I will wait here for my elder brother and the others to regroup.”

Zhou Kai nodded inwardly. He was going to gamble on an unknown variable, while she would wait for two Golden Core experts to secure a guaranteed win. It was a sound strategy.

“If the Grand Miss encounters Fu Weilun…”

“I’ll leave him for you to kill.” Li Youci’s answer was crisp, without a shred of hesitation.

“Thank you, Grand Miss.” Zhou Kai cupped his fists and turned to leave.

“Wait.”

Li Youci called out.

With a flip of her hand, she shot a streak of spiritual light toward him, returning the three Jade Arm Mantises she had held hostage.

Then, she produced an ancient talisman. It was azure blue, shaped like a stone slab, and radiated power.

“This is a Void-Rending Talisman. Crush it to instantly tear space and escape. It’s for saving your life.” Her tone remained cool and detached. “Be careful. Don’t be reckless.”

Zhou Kai took the talisman, feeling the heavy spatial fluctuations within. He looked up, a half-smile playing on his lips.

“Oh? Is the Grand Miss worried about her subordinate?”

“Who… who’s worried about you?!” Li Youci’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately stiffened. “You are a rare Heaven-Grade Spirit Root I painstakingly cultivated! It would be a waste if you died! Don’t flatter yourself!”

“Is that so?”

Zhou Kai held the talisman.

He saw it—the slight flush, the chaotic flicker in her eyes caused by his teasing.

He took a sudden step forward.

Li Youci felt a wave of intense, masculine aggression wash over her. Her mind went blank. Before she could react, a scorching arm clamped around her waist, and a warm, domineering pressure crushed against her lips.

It took a full second for Li Youci to snap back to reality.

Shame and fury exploded in her chest!

“Get lost!”

Her beautiful eyes widened in outrage. She slammed her palm into his chest!

However… just as the Nether Fire palm was about to strike, she forcibly suppressed the lethal power. The strike turned into a shove, using a burst of soft force to launch Zhou Kai backward.

Bang!

Zhou Kai staggered back a few steps. He rubbed his numb chest but grinned broadly, laughing with unrestrained delight.

“Grand Miss, why are you so dishonest? If you didn’t want it, why didn’t you push me away before the kiss?”

“You… Shameless!”

Li Youci trembled with rage. Nether Fire flared half a foot high from her fingertips… but she didn’t throw it.

She watched helplessly as Zhou Kai boarded the Spirit Boat and sped away, arrogant as ever.

She stomped her foot hard against the stone platform.

Her fingers, however, betrayed her. They drifted up to touch her lips, which still tingled with his warmth.

“Bastard! Why didn’t you beg me? I never said I wouldn’t go with you! What do you mean by leaving me here alone?!”

With a frustrated huff, she activated the Cicada Raiment Art, transforming back into the appearance of Xia Min.

Meanwhile, in another section of the Five Elements Trial Grounds.

Li Qiwen was going insane.

Ever since he touched the formation on the wall, he had been randomly teleported into Forgetfulness River City.

His cultivation was suppressed to the peak of Qi Condensation. All he could think about was his sister’s vulnerable True Body ghost physique.

He spent over ten days frantically searching the massive city. He didn’t find his sister, but he did stumble upon Gao Feiyang, who was wandering aimlessly.

The two joined forces and entered a random Five Elements trial cave.

After clearing the trial, they arrived at the same circular stone platform. They saw the five tributaries converging and felt the suppression lift slightly—up to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Li Qiwen let out a breath of relief.

“Good. As long as Youci can reach this point, her cultivation will return to Foundation Establishment. She should be safe. She must still be inside one of the trial grounds!”

He rallied his spirits, grabbed Gao Feiyang, and began searching the tunnel exits one by one.

Outside Forgetfulness River City, in a secluded valley.

Two figures appeared out of thin air: Fish Baibai and Shen Hanyi.

Like Zhou Kai, they had been teleported outside the city walls. Their cultivation was completely unsuppressed.

“Wow! The Spirit Qi here is so thick!” Fish Baibai took a deep breath, her eyes sparkling with wonder.

Shen Hanyi was more vigilant. Her gaze was sharp as a sword, scanning the surroundings while her Divine Sense swept out like a net.

Suddenly, her focus locked onto a massive cave nearby.

“Sister Hanyi, what is it?”

“Inside… there are many Spirit Insects.” Shen Hanyi’s voice carried a rare note of joy. “Husband is cultivating insects. Let’s catch some high-quality ones as a gift for him.”

“Okay, okay!” Fish Baibai lit up instantly, raising her hammer as she charged after Shen Hanyi.

Inside Forgetfulness River City, by the banks of the great river.

A lazy, voluptuous figure materialized.

Li Yunmian yawned and stretched, her mature curves on full, dangerous display.

“Tsk. Qi Condensation Realm? What a drag…” She pouted, looking bored. “Well, a place for playing house is fine, I suppose. Saves me the trouble of fighting.”

Rustle.

Over a dozen talisman papers flew from her sleeve. They ignited with smokeless fire, transforming into palm-sized paper birds and paper fish.

The paper birds soared into the sky. The paper fish flopped into the river with a plop, drifting downstream with the current.

She waved her hand casually. A luxurious, soft cloud couch appeared on the riverbank.

She kicked off her shoes and socks, revealing exquisite, jade-white feet, and collapsed onto the couch.

Job done. Time for a nap.

However, just as her eyes fluttered shut, a message transmitted from one of the little paper fish.

The riverbed holds another world. No cultivation suppression.