With the shattering of the teacup in Zhao Chenlu’s hand, the woman’s face blossomed into a smile of happiness and contentment.

"Haha, I painstakingly orchestrated everything, thinking it was a certain win, yet you perfectly avoided it. As expected of my beloved, there’s always an unexpected angle."

As she spoke, Zhao Chenlu’s face was flushed, slightly sweaty, her eyes lost and distant, lips shining like gemstones, her expression one of utter satisfaction.

"This feeling is truly... so nostalgic." A satisfied sigh reverberated in the tea room.

Witnessing this, Wang Jiu was even more surprised. He hadn’t realized Mr. Zhao’s illness had become so severe!

In his impression, those who showed such expressions and made such sounds were usually terminally ill and ready for humane destruction, including the Demon Sect demoness, Zen Sect infatuated girl, and Beast Taming Sect’s animal protection lady.

Who would have thought that a lifetime hero like Mr. Zhao would ultimately fall to such a state.

However, just as Wang Jiu was wondering whether to execute euthanasia, Zhao Chenlu slowly withdrew the satisfied expression from her face and said, "Previously, Shang Lanfei warned me that with my temperament, dating you was bound to be torment. I... though I wouldn’t admit it verbally, in my heart I knew she was right. Compared to me, it’s actually she who suits you better. Every time I saw you and her deducing Immortal Techniques, discussing war strategy in a way outsiders could hardly intervene, I truly envied."

Wang Jiu said, "Shang Lanfei indeed is a very good partner, but I equally find it difficult to develop romantic feelings towards her based on reproductive needs."

"I know, and she knows too." Zhao Chenlu sighed, "In this regard, Shang Lanfei is much more perceptive and free-spirited than I am. She says she actually doesn’t particularly care about reproduction needs. She merely cares that there’s someone in the world who can intellectually rival her, speaking of which, she’s much lonelier than I am."

Wang Jiu recalled his past interactions with Shang Lanfei, indeed, compared to Zhao Chenlu, Shang Lanfei behaved much more normally, especially if Zhao Chenlu wasn’t present, showing no signs of mating season. However, conversely, once Zhao Chenlu appeared, Shang Lanfei’s behavioral pattern would swiftly assimilate into Zhao Chenlu’s.

"So... after waking this time and finding my comrades from those days no longer exist, a part of me shamefully harbored a sense of relief. Because if she were still here, I feel I wouldn’t stand a chance against her." Zhao Chenlu said bitterly, "During the Immortal Demon War, endless battles occupied over 90% of our time, and brief moments of love didn’t open a gap between us. But if it’s here on this peaceful Xiangzhou continent, as time goes on, I think I would eventually lose to her. So, even though I know I shouldn’t, I can’t help but feel relieved that, at least, I still have the chance to continue pursuing."

When this topic was mentioned, Wang Jiu also grew serious: "Are you sure they are all dead?"

Zhao Chenlu said, "I’m not sure. The battlefield was chaotic then, I only saw Kaishan’s Physical Divine Techniques being broken, Zhu Junsen’s Ten Thousand Technique Record shattered, then the battlefield was divided, and everyone fought separately. When I died in battle, I couldn’t see the external situation, but... if they were still alive, over these years, they shouldn’t remain so silent. Plus, you witnessed the end, their condition, you should know better than I."

"From my perspective, there were no survivors among the Jiu Immortal Venerables, including you." Wang Jiu said, once again confirming his memory, "Shen Kaishan, Zhu Junsen, Lu Jintong, Feng You, Jing Hong, Rakugo, Shang Lanfei, you, Li Jiulong. The order of demise was such. The Demon Emperor’s actions were ruthless, many techniques I haven’t completely deciphered yet, back then even more unable to rescue, theoretically you all were certainly doomed, but... you’re still alive."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chenlu was initially stunned, then she realized what Wang Jiu was truly saying.

The one who should certainly have died still lived, though there were various coincidences involved, at least this one counterexample was enough to prove one thing.

Those deemed certainly dead might not truly die, if Zhao Chenlu could resurrect by chance, others might have the same possibility.

Even if it’s one in a billion, that possibility still exists.

"... Speaking of which, I did see some suspicious clues in the Saint Sect before, but after investigating for a while with no further progress, I gave up the investigation, maybe..."

Zhao Chenlu said, her expression growing increasingly serious.

"Beloved, come with me."

Upon finishing, Zhao Chenlu grasped the air with her right hand, opening a golden door in the tea room, leading the way in, Wang Jiu following closely, arriving in an exceptionally spacious library. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

The library was typical of Zhao Chenlu’s style, millions of books neatly stacked on ninety-nine shelves, each shelf like a towering cliff, the densely packed books dizzying.

Zhao Chenlu advanced, appearing as though walking on clouds, arriving before a shelf, reaching out to extract a thick book, opening and reading aloud, "On January 3, 1841, the Saint Sect dispatched an exploration team deep into Primordial Ruins #47, encountering an exotic beast code-named Taotie, half the members died, forced to retreat, detailed situation as follows... Beloved, doesn’t the Taotie exotic beast in this document resemble the uncontrolled physical form of Shen Kaishan?"

At this moment, Wang Jiu also maneuvered his body to Zhao Chenlu’s side, seeing the book printed with a rough hand-drawn illustration, depicting a gigantic beast silhouette, wide-mouthed and small-footed, resembling a funnel shape.

Back then, when Shen Kaishan was refining the Immovable Tyrant Body, he often faced the dilemma of losing control over his physical form, collapsing, the most exaggerated scenario being his body expanding rapidly, from a single point in one direction erupting out like a jet, forming a mountain of flesh in an instant.

In terms of shape, indeed the hand-drawn illustration had seventy to eighty percent resemblance to Shen Kaishan from that day, but only a resemblance.

"Resemblance is enough!" Zhao Chenlu said, "Because there’s no explaining the origin of this exotic beast! After the Immortal Demon War, such exotic beasts shouldn’t exist at all! According to Xiangzhou’s history, the Immortal Demon War was mutually destructive, withering not only us humans but also the Demon Race. After the death of the Great Demon God Emperor, the Demon Race was leaderless, completely fractured, no longer retaining any magical intelligence, only some insignificant demon essences remained. And demon essences infecting living beings to become demons, even they have their limits, in no way could they form such exaggerated exotic beasts!"

After pausing, Zhao Chenlu closed the book, revealing its cover embossed with "Holy Sect’s Secret Records," saying, "This is the highest secret history of the Saint Sect, every word refined through thousands of trials, won’t be wrong. Though the hand-drawn sketch is rough, it has undergone multiple Celestial Derivation revisions by the Sect Leader of the Saint Sect, and is infinitely close to the real. Thus, we can directly accept the records above, and based on the records, the team dispatched to Primordial Ruins #47 was very powerful, for an exotic beast to almost annihilate them, it must be at least Earth Split Realm strength, and such force, at least in the current Xiangzhou, cannot be nurtured."

With these words, even Wang Jiu became solemn: "Was there further exploration later?"

"Powerless." Zhao Chenlu continued flipping through the Holy Sect’s Secret Records, saying, "After the fierce battle, the entrance to Primordial Ruins #47 was destroyed by the Taotie, with Xiangzhou’s current capabilities, it’s difficult to reopen the entrance, the Saint Sect has never managed to enter Primordial Ruins #47 again. So what the true essence of that Taotie is, it’s hard to say... When I first saw this record, I only marveled at the vastness and strangeness of the world, but now it seems, perhaps Shen Kaishan was shattered by the Demon Emperor, but a few basic particles carrying his genetic information survived, and in the vast void combined with nutrient-rich matter, eventually survived."

As Wang Jiu listened, he had already started flipping through the Holy Sect’s Secret Records, which documented the Saint Sect’s centuries-long exploration of Primordial Ruins, each data point soaked in blood, with each page marked as confidential. But the recording stopped abruptly at the year 1900.

"What about the later parts?"

Zhao Chenlu replied with some hesitation, "Haven’t stolen them yet, and because I’ve stolen too many times, the vigilance there is very high now, I haven’t found an opportunity to make a move in the past year or two."

Upon finishing, Zhao Chenlu optimistically proposed, "But with you, my beloved, helping, even if we break in through the main door and rob the Saint Sect entirely, it’s achievable! The Saint Sect’s two-thousand-year accumulation is much deeper than Golden Jade City’s, not sure how many rare treasures are stored, if we could plunder it once, it would definitely surpass 50 years of my efforts!"

Yet as Zhao Chenlu was already fervently preparing a robbery plan, she suddenly received a letter of urgency from her subordinate, the woman pondered for a moment, her expression grew increasingly serious.

"Sorry, beloved, I have a slight situation here that needs my attention... It won’t take long, could you wait here for a while?"

Wang Jiu had no objections, with this room full of books, he needed some time to read.

"Alright, I’m leaving first, see you in a while."

Yet, none foresaw that Zhao Chenlu’s "see you in a while" might almost become a farewell forever.