Liu Su grew up with Xia Qinglian, and understood her thoroughly.

The two grew up in neighboring small villages as orphans, spotted for their talent by the Cyan Lotus Sect, and went together to Cyan Lotus Mountain.

Nothing particularly remarkable happened during this process.

Moreover, Xia Qinglian is only twenty-six years old this year, and the child of Zhenyang and Sheng Tanglian was born five hundred years ago; unless that child reached the Golden Core Realm, they’d have died long ago.

Looking at the scenes left behind by the Colorful Bone, Zhenyang killed Sheng Tanglian and then left. After Sheng Tanglian’s death, the child was born; without anyone to look after it, it might have died not long after being born.

Liu Su shook her head: "I can’t figure it out, can’t figure it out!"

Qin Gengyun said: "Sheng Tanglian’s bone identified Xiaolan as its master. I once suspected Xiaolan might be linked to Sheng Tanglian, but at that time Xiaolan was in the Immortal’s Relic, and Zhenyang’s soul did not appear. Why did Zhenyang’s residual soul emerge when you, my wife, were alone in the Relic?"

Qiu Zhihe looked at Liu Su and shook her head: "I don’t know either."

Liu Su also shook her head.

Liu Su understood that once the Demon Sect Saintess sealed the Immortal’s Relic, Xia Qinglian’s True Body was surely restored, and then Zhenyang’s residual soul appeared.

Could it be that Zhenyang’s residual soul emerged because it saw the Saintess?

But this concerns Qiu Zhihe’s true identity, and naturally, she couldn’t disclose that.

Qin Gengyun didn’t inquire further, frowned, and said: "Let’s not mention these for now. The biggest mystery at present is Zhenyang himself. Since he has already ascended, there shouldn’t be his residual soul in the world!"

Liu Su replied: "Is it possible that some part of the soul remains after ascension?"

Qiu Zhihe shook her head: "To cross the Divinity Transformation Tribulation, the spirit must be complete and filled with energy to ascend. If the soul isn’t whole, it won’t withstand the heavenly lightning."

Liu Su spread her hands: "So what’s really going on with Zhenyang?"

Qin Gengyun waved his hand: "Forget it, let’s discuss this later. Wife, what are your plans next? Are you staying in Zhenyang Sect?"

Qiu Zhihe nodded: "Now that the few of us have initially settled in Zhenyang Sect, it’s a perfect chance to uncover the truth between Cyan Lotus Sect and Zhenyang Sect from back then, and also whether Ling is somehow connected to Zhenyang Sect."

Qin Gengyun asked: "Wife, do you suspect that the duplicate Spirit Key for the Cloud Bamboo Mountain’s defense array is Ling’s?"

Qiu Zhihe replied: "After Mo Sha died that day, I searched his body and didn’t find the Spirit Key; it must be on Ling."

Qin Gengyun immediately shared Yun Wu’s suspicions about Wei Wan, and Qiu Zhihe sneered: 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Today, Wei Wan concealed her cultivation; she actually wasn’t injured."

Qin Gengyun and Liu Su exchanged glances, and Liu Su exclaimed: "Well, they’ve all become quite the actors!"

Qiu Zhihe glared at her, and Liu Su chuckled, changing the subject:

"Right, Miss, Master, now you both are Senior Brother He and Junior Sister Ruo, how should you behave in front of outsiders?"

Qin Gengyun promptly replied: "Naturally, He Zhiqiu and Ruo Mei are mutually affectionate and become Dao companions, so even if my wife and I are close, people won’t doubt us."

Qiu Zhihe shook her head: "No."

Qin Gengyun hurriedly asked: "Wife, why not?"

Qiu Zhihe scoffed lightly: "When we got married, I was naïve and easily fell into your hands; other affectionate Dao companions developed feelings over time naturally, unlike me... Hmph!"

Qin Gengyun looked puzzled: "So what now?"

Qiu Zhihe glanced at him and said nothing.

Qin Gengyun grew more confused: "Wife, what do you really mean?"

Liu Su laughed heartily: "Master, don’t you get it? Miss means she wants you to pursue her a bit."

Qin Gengyun was enlightened; his wife wanted to experience what it felt like to be pursued.

Indeed, initially their marriage was sudden, with no emotional foundation — it was purely "feelings developed over time," akin to boarding first and buying the ticket later.

Reflecting on it, his wife never experienced the romance a young girl should; she went straight to the finale.

For her, indeed, it was somewhat unfair.

Previously, due to his wife’s cold aloofness and strong abilities, Qin Gengyun subconsciously didn’t treat her as an ordinary girl.

In hindsight, he had overlooked this.

Qin Gengyun laughed: "I understand, wife. Starting tomorrow, He Zhiqiu will ardently pursue Junior Sister Ruo, okay?"

"Hmph, who wants you to pursue?"

Qiu Zhihe remained coldly aloof, but the corners of her mouth unwittingly lifted slightly, her pretty face lightly flushed, clearly very expectant.

Liu Su watched next to her, marveling.

Wow, if others knew the Demon Sect Saintess with a history of innumerable killings also had a girlish heart, what expressions would they have?

Qiu Zhihe stood up: "We should be going back."

Currently, all three were Zhenyang Sect disciples, staying out alone for so long was inappropriate.

"By the way, wife..."

Qin Gengyun suddenly spoke:

"What exactly is your status in the Cyan Lotus Sect?"

Instantly, Qiu Zhihe’s footsteps halted, and Liu Su froze.

Qiu Zhihe looked back: "Husband, haven’t I told you? I’m the youngest elder in Cyan Lotus Sect, always suppressed by Xia Qinglian, so I’ve never been able to venture outside."

Qin Gengyun looked at her as well: "Wife, there’s really no Immortal’s Relic, is there? From the start, you planned to take me to the Immortal’s Relic in Northern Wilderness to fetch the Ice Heart Rejuvenation Pill, right?"

Qiu Zhihe paused, then nodded: "Husband, you are becoming sharper. You’re right, I’ve always intended to take you to the Immortal’s Relic."

Qin Gengyun smiled: "Wife, the Immortal’s Relic is so important, yet you can freely access it, even knowing about the Five-Beast Celestial Prison sealed in the second layer. Can a neglected elder know so much?"

Qiu Zhihe immediately fell silent, and Liu Su grew tense.

Could it be that Master realized something long ago, only bringing it up now?

"Wife."

Qin Gengyun stepped forward, causing Qiu Zhihe to instinctively retreat, but he cornered her against the door, raising her gaze to meet his bright eyes.

Qiu Zhihe experienced for the first time the assertive gaze of her husband, and for the first time felt guilty, lowering her head, avoiding his gaze.

Qin Gengyun lifted her chin with his fingers, making her look at him.

"Wife, no matter your identity, you remain my wife. Tell me now whatever you wish to say."

His gentle voice resonated in her ears, thawing the frost in her eyes as she locked eyes with him.

"Husband, I..."

Knock, knock, knock.

A gentle voice followed after the knocks:

"Junior Brother He, Junior Sister Ruo, are you inside?"