Chapter 146

When Luo Han first disappeared, Ling Qingxiao had consoled himself: maybe it was just an accident. She’d be back soon. One year passed, perhaps she had traveled farther than expected.
One hundred years, maybe she lost track of time. By the time four hundred years had gone by, he no longer dared to hope. There is no greater agony than hope forever unmet.
Ling Qingxiao stood frozen. For a moment, he didn’t even dare speak or move, afraid this was all a dream that would vanish the moment he reached out.
Luo Han misunderstood his stillness as disbelief. She summoned a snowflake, let it melt into a droplet, and from that droplet, a sprout grew which then bloomed into flame. Water birthed wood; wood birthed fire. Such fluid mastery of elemental transformation, no illusion could ever replicate this.
Finally, Ling Qingxiao allowed himself to believe it was real. His vision collapsed inward, and he lunged forward, clutching Luo Han in a desperate embrace. His arms tightened so fiercely, veins bulged beneath his skin. Luo Han’s eyes welled with tears. She held him tightly in return.
Zou Jibai, watching from the side, felt his nose sting. He turned away and secretly wiped his eyes. He didn’t know why, why a grown man like him suddenly felt like crying. For once, he read the room and quietly led the guards away, leaving Luo Han and Ling Qingxiao their space.
Ling Qingxiao trembled in her arms, whether from emotion or restraint, even Luo Han could feel it. She didn’t try to calm him. She let him hold her, let him tremble.
After a long while, he finally asked, voice tight with suppressed emotion, “Where did you go...all these years?”
“I accidentally triggered a temporal catalyst,” Luo Han explained gently. “It pulled me into a rift. I didn’t mean to leave. I had no warning at all. I’ve always wanted to come back but I was caught up with things on the other side. I couldn’t return right away. I’m sorry, I said I’d stay with you.”
She couldn’t bear to imagine what he must have felt, waking up to find her gone.
Ling Qingxiao only held her tighter. “You’re back. That’s enough.”
“I told you, no matter where I go, be it disaster or war, as long as I live, I’ll find my way back to you.” Her voice broke. She struggled slightly. Ling Qingxiao finally let go. She wiped her tears and asked, “Your injuries...have they healed?”
Luo Han still remembered the brutal battle at the Nine Provinces Conference, when Ling Qingxiao fought dozens of enemies alone and was gravely wounded. But for him, that had been four centuries ago.
Ling Qingxiao didn’t correct her. Calmly, he said, “I’m much better now. Don’t worry.”
Luo Han nodded, somewhat reassured. She was about to ask more when she noticed a heavenly soldier standing nearby, hesitant to interrupt but clearly bearing news.
She understood immediately. “I’ll go speak with Zou Jibai. I’ll come back soon.”
Ling Qingxiao also noticed the guard. His personal guards never came without reason, something urgent must have happened.
Still, despite knowing this, he didn’t want to let go of Luo Han’s hand. She squeezed his hand and smiled. “It’s alright. I won’t go far.”
She slipped her hand from his grasp and walked away. Ling Qingxiao stood there, suddenly gripped by panic. A voice in his mind screamed at him to grab her, trap her here, lock her in the Celestial Palace, keep her where he could always see her. But in reality, he stood still, watching her back as she walked further and further away.
Zou Jibai straightened unconsciously when Luo Han approached. The guards behind him immediately snapped to alertness.
Luo Han glanced at them curiously. “These are…?”
Zou Jibai glanced back. “Oh, they’re my men. I brought my best unit for the Emperor’s protection this time.”
He waved his hand to dismiss the guards. Once they’d withdrawn, he sighed, “I never imagined we’d meet here of all places.”
“Neither did I,” Luo Han murmured. Then she asked, “Where is this place? Why are you here?”
“We’re searching for the source of all trees — the Bodhi Tree,” Zou Jibai explained. He paused, sneaking a quick glance at Luo Han’s face before continuing, “Ever since you disappeared, he’s been looking for you. He went to the East Sea, even sought out the Lord of Reincarnation, but no one knew where you were. In the end, the Black Tortoise said that maybe the Bodhi Tree would know something.”
“His Majesty searched everywhere for the Bodhi Tree’s true form. But the Bodhi Tree is elusive, no one in the Six Realms knows where it actually resides. After searching in vain for a long time, someone recently spread word of a massive Bodhi Tree deep in the southern jungles. As soon as he heard, His Majesty brought his men here. Unexpectedly, he stumbled into an illusion…” And unexpectedly found Luo Han.
Luo Han’s eyes lit up with understanding. So that’s why she landed here. She nodded slightly, then asked, “Why are you the only one here? Where are Ye Zinan and Feng Yujia?”
“Those two?” Zou Jibai responded casually, “Ye Zinan stayed back in Yunzhou to prepare for his wedding. He didn’t come this time.”
Luo Han’s eyes widened. “Wedding?”
“Yeah. He’s marrying Feng Yujia,” Zou Jibai said, then remembered Luo Han didn’t know anything that had happened while she was gone. “He proposed fifty years ago. The Vermilion Bird and Phoenix clans agreed, and now the two realms are joyfully preparing the ceremony.”
“Fifty years ago?” Luo Han was even more stunned.
Zou Jibai nodded, wearing a look that said, Why are you so surprised?
Luo Han was silent for a long time. Then she asked, “What year is it now? I thought...I was only gone for a short while?”
A short while? Zou Jibai let out a long sigh and shook his head slowly. “You’ve been gone a long time. It’s already been four hundred years.”
Four hundred years…Luo Han stood there, speechless. No wonder Ling Qingxiao’s expression had struck her as strange. She hadn’t just vanished for a year or two, it had been four entire centuries.
She didn’t even know what to say. Hadn’t she specifically asked the Bodhi Tree to send her back to around the year 5700 of the Tianqi era? And the tree missed by four hundred years?
But then again, she couldn’t blame the Bodhi Tree. To a being with such an ancient lifespan, a margin of four hundred years was negligible.
Zou Jibai noticed her expression and was surprised. “You didn’t know? He didn’t tell you?”
Luo Han shook her head. Zou Jibai was at a loss for words. After a while, he sighed deeply, “He really never tells you anything. The moment something involves you, all his reason vanishes.”
They both fell into silence.
After a long moment, Luo Han asked quietly, “How has he been, all these years?”
Zou Jibai hesitated. No matter the past friendship, Ling Qingxiao was still the Celestial Emperor. Zou Jibai didn’t dare speak lightly of him. Luo Han, she was Ling Qingxiao’s bottom line. His reverse scale.
Zou Jibai fell silent, and Luo Han didn’t need to ask further. Her heart clenched painfully. She looked back at Ling Qingxiao, and Zou Jibai followed her gaze. Sensing their eyes, Ling Qingxiao quickly dismissed the guards and began walking toward them. Zou Jibai knew to step aside.
Before leaving, he leaned in and whispered, “All these years, he never stopped looking for you.”
Zou Jibai wanted to say more, about how difficult things had been, about how even he, a bystander, had found it unbearable. Now that she was back, she should truly treasure this man. But he swallowed the words. Even trusted friends like Zou Jibai and Ye Zinan knew, no one was allowed to lecture Luo Han.
Ling Qingxiao walked up to her and silently watched Zou Jibai walk away. He then asked, “What did he say to you?”
Clearly Zou Jibai now served under him in the Celestial Palace. Luo Han wouldn’t rat him out. She simply said, “Nothing much. We were just talking about Ye Zinan and Feng Yujia’s wedding.”
At that, Luo Han perked up. “When is the wedding? Did he send you an invitation?”
Ling Qingxiao already knew about it. The union between the prince of Yunzhou and the princess of Wuzhou had long been formally submitted to the Celestial Court. The king of Yunzhou had personally submitted a memorial requesting a title for his son and notifying the court of the marriage. As for inviting the Celestial Emperor… That, he didn’t dare. But was there anywhere the Celestial Emperor couldn’t go?
Looking at Luo Han, Ling Qingxiao smiled faintly. “In three months. If you want to attend, I’ll have them prepare.”
“Of course I’m going!” Luo Han’s eyes sparkled. She was genuinely happy for them. She never imagined the first thing she’d hear upon returning would be this joyous news.
Nothing could lift her spirits more. Ling Qingxiao watched her bright eyes, her radiant smile, she was still as warm and effervescent as when they first met. While he...had long grown numb.
He could no longer relate to others’ happiness. His days were monotonous, lifeless, nothing but unending duties. His only light was her. What if someday Luo Han could no longer stand his silence?
Luo Han was already happily wondering what gifts to bring to the wedding. After chattering away for a while, she noticed he hadn’t responded. She looked up. “What’s wrong?”
Ling Qingxiao snapped out of it. “Nothing.”
“So between those two gifts I mentioned, which do you think I should bring?”
Without hesitation, Ling Qingxiao said, “Why choose? Bring both.”
That made sense. Luo Han was convinced.
Since they had now found Luo Han, there was no need to continue searching for the Bodhi Tree. Ling Qingxiao led the party home. As they boarded the flying vessel, Luo Han nudged his sleeve and asked: “Do you have time now?”
The guard, who had been about to report court matters, choked on his words and instantly dared not speak. Ling Qingxiao didn’t even glance at the people around him. He said softly, “There’s no major affair in the palace at the moment. I have all the time in the world. Come with me.”
Luo Han had seen the sheer volume of work the Celestial Emperor handled back in the Chuyuan era, so she couldn’t help doubting what Ling Qingxiao meant by “having time.” Still, she let him lead her away. As they walked off, she glanced back and saw the military officials standing silently, clearly wanting to speak but too afraid to interrupt.
Luo Han understood, Ling Qingxiao surely had many pressing matters to handle. Once they entered his residence, Luo Han casually found a seat. Ling Qingxiao was struck by a strange feeling. She was too familiar with all this, with him. Or rather, not him as a person, but his role as Celestial Emperor.
Back when she disappeared, his ascension ceremony hadn’t even been held. Many imperial rituals and formalities hadn’t been established yet. Yet now, Luo Han seemed intimately familiar with his ceremonial guards, his tools, even his administrative procedures, as if she had long since lived through it.
Ling Qingxiao said nothing. He sat across from her and poured two cups of tea, placing one in front of her. It was the tea she used to drink in the Jade Purity Palace, she didn’t even realize anything had changed. She stirred it slowly and asked, “These years...have you been well?”
Ling Qingxiao looked down and saw her gesture. The Iceland Jade Leaf Tea was bitter, rich in spiritual energy, rare and precious, usually offered only as tribute. Very few people knew it needed time to “awaken” before the flavor matured. Yet Luo Han stirred the tea with practiced ease, as if she’d done it a hundred times.
“Well enough,” Ling Qingxiao said slowly. “The previous Emperor left a strong foundation. After I took the throne, the Heavenly Realm has remained peaceful, and all is well throughout the lands.”
“And you? How have you been?”
Me? Ling Qingxiao seemed to smile slightly, a shallow smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I am the Celestial Emperor. If I were unwell, what would that mean for the rest of the world? If I must speak of regrets perhaps it’s that no family attended my coronation.”
Luo Han remembered the Celestial Emperor in the Chuyuan timeline saying he had no relatives present at his ascension, the scene had been grand, kingdoms all paying homage, yet not a single member of his family attended. Now, she realized that in this timeline, not only were his relatives absent, even she had not been there.
A sudden pain seized her heart. She quietly reached out and held Ling Qingxiao’s hand. “I’m sorry. I missed the most important ceremony of your life.”
Ling Qingxiao paused at her words and said, “If you truly feel sorry, then make it up next time.”
“Hm?”
“The most important ceremony in my life...should be my wedding.” Ling Qingxiao looked at her calmly. His dark eyes were deep and still. Behind him stood a screen painted with rivers and mountains. In front of him, steam rose from the tea, veiling his features in soft mist, as if he were an illusion. “If you’re willing it would be the greatest blessing of my life.”
Luo Han hadn’t expected to hear the word “wedding” now. He’d hinted at it several times before, but she had always brushed it off with vague excuses. She never expected he would speak so plainly this time. She had never seriously considered marriage, but if it was with Ling Qingxiao, now that she thought about it, she didn’t feel any resistance.
She had once believed there was plenty of time ahead, no need to rush. But after everything that happened, she realized she might have been wrong. Back when she left Tianqi, Ye Zinan was still pursuing Feng Yujia. It was like a courting ritual, where the male displays his feathers and offers gifts to win over the female. Once the female accepted, marriage would follow.
In the eyes of immortals, accepting a confession was equal to a betrothal. To Ling Qingxiao, it was even more so. Showing affection without any mention of marriage was irresponsible, it would be seen as toying with someone’s feelings, and the woman’s family would condemn him.
Luo Han had always felt it was too early to talk about betrothal. To her, it should be love first, then marriage. But to Ling Qingxiao, her avoidance may have felt like rejection. Perhaps that was one reason for his unease.
Luo Han no longer resisted the idea. But she recalled something the other Ling Qingxiao had said once, and she teased, “I mean, I’m open to the idea, but someone once told me I’m still young, that I should be reading books instead of marrying, lest I get fooled by a scammer.”
Scammer? Ling Qingxiao’s brow furrowed, clearly displeased. “Who said that?”
Luo Han burst out laughing, then quickly tried to stifle it. “Someone very wise, probably six thousand years older than you.”
Ling Qingxiao’s mood worsened instantly. He gave her a frosty glance. “Is he married?”
“Nope.”
“Then what right does he have to advise others?” Ling Qingxiao said coldly. “Meddlesome. Ignore him.”
Luo Han bit back another laugh and nodded. “Okay.”
Clearly displeased that she brought up another man, Ling Qingxiao’s mood took a downturn. Luo Han noticed his expression and quickly changed the subject. “By the way, why is Feng Yujia still just a Princess? What about Feng Yuchen?”
“The Phoenix Clan requires the ruler to marry before they can take the throne. So they’ll hold the wedding first, then have the queen abdicate.” Ling Qingxiao explained. In truth, he barely remembered who Feng Yuchen was. Only after Luo Han mentioned the name did he recall, “Feng Yuchen was once the heir, right? But he was deposed long ago. Now he’s confined to the palace and rarely allowed out.”
“What about Ye Zhongyu and Yun Menghan?”
“Ye Zhongyu is in the Demon Realm, fighting the Lord of Darknight for the position of Demon King. As for Yun Menghan…” Ling Qingxiao paused, trying to recall, then said, “I don’t know. Probably still alive.”
In the Chuyuan timeline, Yun Menghan had already died. To hear that she was alive in this world gave Luo Han an eerie feeling. She remembered that during the fiercest seven days of the Celestial-Demonic War, casualties had been devastating, especially for the Demon Realm. Half of their elites were lost. The Demon King’s wife and favored consorts had all died in the chaos.
Officially, Yun Menghan was killed by a stray arrow. But Luo Han had sensed resentment in her death. The truth of it, perhaps only Ye Zhongyu knew.
Luo Han then asked, “What about Ye Zhongyu, does he have a real chance at becoming the Demon King?”
“From the looks of it, quite high,” Ling Qingxiao said calmly. “He somehow acquired an ancient demonic technique that allows him to absorb others’ cultivation and make it his own. He used this trick to assassinate Lei Lie King and seize the city. Now, he waves the banner of the Immortal Realm and stirs public sentiment. The Lord of Darknight has a deep foundation in the Demon Realm, but he’s been isolated from the lower ranks for too long. I fear...he won’t be able to beat Ye Zhongyu.”
It seemed Ye Zhongyu would ultimately become the Demon King. But Luo Han didn’t care much. She knew that during the Chuyuan era, Ling Qingxiao had shown no mercy, he had openly demanded the Demon Realm hand over Ye Zhongyu in exchange for peace. The Demon Realm had barely resisted before yielding. By the time Luo Han left, Ye Zhongyu was already being escorted to the Heavenly Realm.
A Demon King who built the Execution Platform, betrayed the Immortal Way, and killed countless immortals during the war, once he became a prisoner in the Heavenly Realm, his fate was clear. At that point, death would almost be a release.
Knowing the future, Luo Han felt no particular concern for Ye Zhongyu. She turned her gaze to Ling Qingxiao and suddenly smiled. “You really don’t like him, do you?”
Ling Qingxiao usually appeared indifferent, as if nothing in the world could stir him. But when he spoke of Ye Zhongyu, though his tone remained neutral, there was a distinct coldness in his eyes, a rejection so deep it felt like spite. Like a child holding a grudge.
Ling Qingxiao denied it icily. “No.”
“It’s okay. I’m not your parent. Of course, I’m on your side.” Luo Han clasped his hand and shook it playfully. “If I had someone like that around me growing up, always trying to compete with me, never letting up even as adults, I’d be sick of him. No matter how hard he tries, he can only live in your shadow. Even now, to compete for the Demon King title, he has to invoke your name just to get attention. Compared to that, he’s the pitiful one.”
Ling Qingxiao’s mood visibly improved. Court officials had said similar things before, but hearing it from Luo Han had a unique, soothing power.
Luo Han asked a few more questions about key figures, gradually piecing together how far history had progressed. In the future, Ling Qingxiao and Ye Zhongyu would launch one final battle, each already a legendary ruler. But for now, Ling Qingxiao had only just ascended, gathering strength and prestige, while Ye Zhongyu was still preparing to seize power.
She was witnessing the rise of an emperor and living through the most turbulent chapter in the history books.
Luo Han casually brought up future plans. “After we attend Ye Zinan and Feng Yujia’s wedding, we should stop by Yunzhou. Ye Zinan has long promised to take me, but he never followed through. There are still so many fascinating places in the Six Realms. We can slowly explore them. Like Wuyou City — that place was really interesting.”
Ling Qingxiao looked down and didn’t respond. Luo Han, sensing something was wrong, asked, “What is it?”
Ling Qingxiao slowly lifted his gaze. His eyes flickered with light, unreadable. “I’ve never been to Wuyou City.”
Luo Han froze. Oh no. She had mixed it up.
The room fell deathly silent. The steam from the tea rose in gentle curls. Luo Han’s face stiffened for a long moment before she forced herself to say, “Let me explain...I meant, we can go to Wuyou City. Together.”
Even she knew how lame that sounded. She had spoken casually, recalling a memory, forgetting that it wasn’t this Ling Qingxiao she had shared it with, but another.
The explanation was full of holes. Even she didn’t believe it. But Ling Qingxiao said nothing. He simply nodded slightly. “All right. I’ve heard Wuyou City is lawless, as long as you have money, you can kill anyone in the world. If I get the chance, I’d like to see it for myself.”
Luo Han quickly agreed, mentally thinking, Please don’t. In a few years, his name would be at the very top of Wuyou City’s bounty board, impossible to surpass — the most expensive target in the world.
She had intended to bond with Ling Qingxiao, to ease his heart a little. Instead of comforting him, she had stepped on a major landmine. Feeling awkward beyond belief, Luo Han didn’t even touch her tea, she quickly excused herself.
After she left, Ling Qingxiao stared at the now-cold cup of tea, his expression growing ever colder. Luo Han had said she was pulled into a temporal rift and got caught up in something that delayed her return. Now, Ling Qingxiao knew who that “something” was.
So it was him. The relief he’d just begun to feel instantly vanished. He had been so overwhelmed by Luo Han’s return that he thought it was all over. But Luo Han hadn’t been drawn into some void. She had entered another timeline.
If that other man didn’t want her to return...what would happen here?
The spiritual energy around Ling Qingxiao instantly became turbulent. The water element responded to his mood, crystallizing into sharp icicles. The tea set on the table was affected most, the precious teapot cracked from the sudden cold, fractures spreading like spiderwebs.
Ling Qingxiao stared at the cup, now frozen solid, and slowly withdrew his spiritual energy. The surroundings returned to calm but the tea set was ruined.
—
The journey back was uneventful. They soon arrived at the Three Pure Heavens. Knowing his place, Zou Jibai immediately excused himself on the pretext of urgent official duties. He vanished within moments.
Luo Han didn’t know many people in the Heavenly Palace. With Zou Jibai gone, she could only follow Ling Qingxiao. She watched him lead her all the way to the Jade Purity Palace. When he opened the tall hall doors, he said, “This is a side hall. Few people come here, it’s quiet and secure. You can stay here in peace.”
Luo Han looked at the familiar sleeping quarters of the Jade Purity Palace and fell into silence. Not long ago, she had been confined in this very palace. And now, for the same reason, with the same person, she was back here again. Some things never changed, clearly, this was the same man. His way of thinking hadn’t changed at all. Even the place he chose was identical.
Seeing her quiet, Ling Qingxiao asked, “What’s wrong? You don’t like it?”
“No.” Luo Han forced a smile. “It’s a good palace. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Ling Qingxiao said. “Rest here for a while. I’ll be back soon. In a bit, a few maids will come to report. If you don’t like any of them, just send them away.”
Luo Han nodded. “Okay.”
Ling Qingxiao seemed to have business in the front hall. He gave her a few brief instructions and left. Before going, under the pretext of ensuring her safety, he activated a protective barrier around the sleeping quarters.
If Luo Han hadn’t already experienced all of this, it would be easy to be fooled by his current demeanor. After he left, Luo Han glanced around the familiar palace and found a place to lie down with practiced ease. If returning only brought her back to the same place, to the same circumstances, then what had all her struggles been for?
She lay there for a while, then took out the Jade Purity Vase and the Calamity Purging Vessel, slowly running her fingers over them. Of course she remembered her purpose: she had to find a way to dispel Ling Qingxiao’s heart demon, to destroy the final shard of the Demon God.