The Spirit Grass in the courtyard swayed in the wind, each stalk tinged with a hint of frost.

The Spirit Medicine began to wilt, on the verge of withering away.

But no one paid them any mind.

The Old Yellow Ox watched the gateway with cold eyes. A woman stood there with poise.

Her gaze seemed to pierce right through the Old Yellow Ox.

"No matter how I look at you, you don’t seem like a normal Evil God," Meng Qiewei said slowly, her eyes on the Old Yellow Ox.

"You didn’t come here just to investigate my identity, did you?" the Old Yellow Ox asked in a low voice.

"You offended me. You will have to pay the price," Meng Qiewei stated.

In an instant, a murderous aura seemed to envelop everything.

It was a power that could coalesce at any moment and crush the Old Yellow Ox.

The Old Yellow Ox narrowed its eyes, its tone devoid of fear. "Does your true self dare come here? I doubt you can handle the Immortal Sect."

"It was already difficult enough for this avatar of your power to make it here."

"The Immortal Sect is likely still trying to find a way to send you back."

"If you dare to use the power of your true self..."

"Do you think the Great Order of the Immortal Sect is a joke?"

The success of the Great Order of the Immortal Sect was never built on begging for pity, but on absolute power.

Others could be strong.

But the strongest would always belong to the Immortal Sect.

Not even Meng Qiewei could cross that line.

Meng Qiewei’s expression was calm. "And you think that means I don’t dare to kill you?"

"You can’t kill me," the Old Yellow Ox said slowly.

Meng Qiewei smiled faintly, and in that instant, a terrifying aura swirled within her eyes.

It was as if an endless void descended upon the ox.

In a flash, Old Huang grunted in pain as cracks spread all over its body.

It looked as if it would crumble to dust at any moment.

But just as quickly, Meng Qiewei retracted her gaze. "Crushing you isn’t difficult."

"Are you testing my limits?" the Old Yellow Ox asked, enduring the pain wracking its body.

It didn’t dare to retaliate.

It was different from Meng Qiewei.

Meng Qiewei could conceal part of her power to unleash that powerful strike, but it could not do the same.

The moment it made a move, it would surely be discovered.

Then, it and Jiang Man would have no choice but to become fugitives, forced to wander from place to place.

"What would happen if I were to crush you?" Meng Qiewei asked.

"You would be exposed, because right now, you only have the strength of your Primordial Spirit. Besides, what’s the use in crushing me?" the Old Yellow Ox said, staring at Meng Qiewei. "You cannot kill me, and you would lose this once-in-a-millennium opportunity."

"Another chance to venture out like this would likely be impossible."

Meng Qiewei asked curiously, "How are you so sure that I can’t kill you, even if I use my full power?"

The Old Yellow Ox said coldly, "There are some who can defeat me, but those who can kill me are exceedingly rare. You are not one of them."

"Then have you ever considered this," Meng Qiewei’s voice turned frigid, "After I crush you, you will fall into a century of silence. And during that time, I will continue to advance."

"If we repeat this cycle, how many years do you think it would take for me to close the distance that keeps me from being able to kill you?"

The Old Yellow Ox chuckled. "Will you manage to wear me down to death first, or will the Immortal Sect suppress you first?"

Meng Qiewei looked at the Old Yellow Ox before her, paying no mind to its words.

’It’s not impossible to kill the Old Yellow Ox first.’

’As long as I’m willing to pay a certain price, this Old Yellow Ox will die.’

’And that price is related to the Immortal Sect.’

’But right now, it isn’t worth it.’

’There’s nothing to be gained from it. The punishment for its offense can be delivered slowly.’

’There’s no rush.’

’Killing it doesn’t offer enough of a reward.’

’On the contrary, it would only subject me to even greater restrictions.’

’The Great Order of the Immortal Sect... those words carry too much weight.’

’Neither of us can bear it.’

"What is your relationship with my husband?" Meng Qiewei asked, breaking the silence.

"What do you think?" the Old Yellow Ox retorted.

’It knew, of course, that if she were to draw upon the power of her true self, it would almost certainly die.’

’After all, she was the kind of being who was not supposed to be out. For her to be here and still dare to use the power of her true self meant she was challenging the Immortal Sect. And someone who dared to do so was surely someone who could kill it.’

’Such was the measure of Meng Qiewei’s power.’

’And it would be the one to die as a result.’

’But there was still a chance it could convince her to show mercy.’

’In short, neither of them, not it nor Meng Qiewei, wanted to provoke the Immortal Sect.’

"This concerns my husband. I hope you’ll be a little more cooperative." Meng Qiewei’s eyes were frigid, and she looked ready to strike again at any moment.

"Do you even see him as your husband?" the Old Yellow Ox asked.

Meng Qiewei fell silent for a moment before speaking. "When one’s Cultivation reaches a certain Realm, the years stretch on, seemingly without end. In such a long existence, a chance emotional entanglement is a rare thing indeed."

"I will neither obstruct this chance entanglement, nor will I run from something so rare."

The Old Yellow Ox looked at the woman before it, somewhat surprised.

’Her meaning is clear,’ the ox thought. ’She won’t harm Jiang Man.’

’After all, they are a real married couple.’

’But whether they can truly be together will depend on their shared destiny.’

’And it’s obvious she came here to test me.’

The Old Yellow Ox was silent for a long while before it finally said, "As you can see, I am the Evil God he keeps."

Meng Qiewei said no more, turning to leave. "If, one day, my husband dies because of his Fate Chart, I will send you to join him."

The Old Yellow Ox sneered. "How pedantic. So conventional."

Meng Qiewei paused, glancing back slightly over her shoulder.

The Old Yellow Ox continued, "Before Jiang Man was born, the Unparalleled Celestial Pride Fate Chart was just that—a Fate Chart. After he was born, the Unparalleled Celestial Pride Fate Chart must now prove that it *is* an Unparalleled Celestial Pride Fate Chart."

After a moment of silence, Meng Qiewei strode away.

For a brief moment, the Old Yellow Ox understood how Jiang Man must feel when he says things like that.

Recalling Jiang Man’s smug face, it lowered its head and went back to chewing grass.

But its body was still on the verge of shattering, leaving it feeling both pained and helpless.

’Meng Qiewei is truly dangerous.’

’If she had really decided to press the attack, it and Jiang Man would have been forced to flee.’

’Fortunately, she acknowledged her status as Jiang Man’s wife.’

After a long while, the Old Yellow Ox let out a heavy sigh of relief.

The strain on its body finally began to ease, but a full recovery would take a considerable amount of time.