The Emperor's Domineering Favor, the Evil Consort's Unparalleled Reign

"Ah!!!" Chu Lianyi screamed in agony as her body plummeted down the mountain. Terrified, her mind reeling, she was enveloped in a chilling aura and powerless to resist!

Just when she thought she was going to die, her right hand was gripped tightly, and her body suddenly lunged forward! Xuan Ye grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms!

A powerful spiritual force enveloped Xuan Ye. Chu Lianyi nestled in Xuan Ye's arms, looking into his extremely cold eyes, and slowly lowered her head.

Once she was firmly on the mountaintop again, Chu Lianyi gasped for breath. Xuan Ye released Chu Lianyi, took a step back, and stood in front of her.

“Death is useless.” Xuan Ye said, his cold eyes gleaming like stars in the cold night.

Chu Lianyi nodded. "I know, I didn't do it on purpose. I'm not someone who's afraid of death, nor am I someone who shirks responsibility. Xuan Ye, I only ask that you let my friend go."

Xuan Ye looked at her, and there was a stubborn forbearance in Chu Lianyi's eyes, a kind of forbearance that Xuan Ye had never seen before, and his expression changed slightly.

"I won't kill her," Xuan Ye said. Chu Lianyi suddenly looked up at Xuan Ye, overjoyed, and exclaimed, "Really?! You really won't kill her?!"

"Why do you people always think others want to harm you?! We would never even consider killing someone. I thought you were different from those outsiders, but now it seems you're no different from them. The only difference is me; I misjudged you." Xuan Ye said, then turned around. "Since you trust no one so much, then you can wait here and see who you're waiting for!!"

A flash of light, and Chu Lianyi was left alone on the vast mountaintop. Darkness, cold, and bewilderment enveloped her. Chu Lianyi stood there, staring blankly in the direction Xuan Ye had gone, her eyes slightly red, her hands clenching involuntarily. "How would I know?!"

Chu Lianyi murmured softly, then shouted towards the void, "How would I know?! Did you even ask me?! How would I know?!"

Who told her about the Ghost Spirit Fruit beforehand?! Who told her beforehand that they wouldn't harm Ying Li?! Alone, she wandered the Ghost Realm, with Ying Li as her only friend. Having encountered numerous dangers, Chu Lianyi, deep within the Ghost Realm's Demon Ridge, saw her own tragic and lonely past, those magnified memories. She saw herself then, saw the Chu family then, suffering unjustly—no one ever asked her about it, no one ever cared about her feelings.

How did she know that the Ghost Spirit Fruit was the fruit that the Great Sage Jue Ling relied on for survival?! How did she know that the fruit she ate was the Ghost Spirit Fruit?! How did she know that she almost caused the death of the Great Sage Jue Ling, whom she so deeply loved?!

Squatting on the ground, Chu Lianyi hugged her knees, a cold wind blowing past her back, the chill penetrating to the bone.

“Lianyi, don’t cry, you can’t cry. Wait, wait for Ali to come up, wait for her to come. Talk to Ali clearly, let her go down the mountain safely. Even if ignorance is no excuse, it’s still a crime, and she has to pay for it. It’s okay, it’s okay. This life has been a bit unlucky, but things will be better in the next life, things will be better in the next life…”

Chu Lianyi mechanically repeated those words, but tears involuntarily streamed down her face. Her back trembled uncontrollably. "Why?!" Chu Lianyi's hoarse and aggrieved voice echoed from the mountaintop. "Boom!!!" Clouds gathered, and it was about to rain.

Ying Li and Bing Yin climbed toward the third gate. Although the distance between them was the same as that between the first and second gates, the path seemed much longer. After walking for an hour, they looked up and saw a sea of ​​clouds gathering and dark clouds pressing down overhead, indicating that it was about to rain.

“Ying Li, we need to quicken our pace. If it rains, it will be even more difficult to travel here,” Bingyin said.

"That's true, but I feel like we haven't gone very far even after walking for an hour!" Ying Li said in confusion, turning to look behind him. He saw the second door not far from the steps below, and he could still clearly feel the scorching heat.

Bingyin and Yingli exchanged a glance, both exclaiming "Oh no!" before turning and descending the steps. Sure enough, after only a few steps, they arrived at the second door.

"Hahahaha!!! You still want to go up and see Master?! Dream on! I've told you all, my three senior brothers are not to be trifled with, and I told you to stay, but you wouldn't listen!!! Now you're tasting the bitter fruit, aren't you?! If you know what's good for you, leave now, or young master, stay and keep me company. If you choose neither, then you'd better watch yourself!!! Hahahahahahaha..."

Xuan Huo's voice rang out, carrying a wild yet seductive tone.

"Ice Concealment, I remember your Crimson Jade Palace has a secret technique that allows you to fly. Why don't you use it?!"

"There are hidden traps everywhere here, and the Great Sage Jue Ling has rules. Ordinary people must pass five trials according to these rules before they can even ascend to see him, hence there are none. Moreover, Ying Li, look, there's clearly an illusion layer laid out on these steps." Bing Yin's face was extremely grim. He was a disciple of the Red Jade Palace, the strongest secret arts sect in the Spirit Realm Continent, yet he couldn't see through this hidden illusion?!

It seems the disciple in the third gate is a very troublesome character!

"Hahahaha, Senior Brother, you have to avenge me and Junior Brother Xuanbing!!! We told them to go back, but they wouldn't listen and even provoked us time and time again. If Senior Brother doesn't teach them a lesson, they'll really think we, Yunshan, have no one left!!!" Xuanhuo said, his laughter growing louder and louder!

"What do we do?!" Bingyin exclaimed.

"Crackling!!! Boom!!!" Dark clouds gathered, and large raindrops fell from the sky, instantly soaking Ying Li and Bing Yin's clothes.

Ying Li looked up at the rain that showed no signs of stopping anytime soon and pondered, "If we go in, in this terrible weather, we'll be doomed if we can't break the illusion. Since he wants us to return to the second gate, let's go back. We'll find a way!"

After saying that, Ying Li kicked the second door open with a loud "bang!" The door was kicked open, and Ying Li and the other person entered. Under the scorching heat of the lava, their soaked clothes dried, and their bodies gradually warmed up. The rain outside was getting heavier and heavier. Ying Li looked at the rain and pondered the mystery of the secret technique.

Xuan Huo, bound to a tree and trapped within the spiritual array set up by Ying Li, smiled as she watched the two return and said, "Little girl, you've walked such a long way, aren't you tired?! I have some food hidden over there. Don't cry, don't cry, eat something and keep going. Maybe next time, you'll reach the first gate! Junior Brother Xuan Bing doesn't have anything edible!!! Hehehehehehe..."

Seeing Xuan Huo smiling happily, Ying Li wasn't angry. Following Xuan Huo's instructions, she went to the cave behind him. Sure enough, there were quite a few fruit trees in the cave. Ying Li thought the fruit trees looked familiar. When she got closer, she realized they were spirit fruits that could be grown on the Spirit Realm Continent. The red fruits were quite beautiful.

Ying Li picked a few fruits and tossed them to Bing Yin. She took a bite of one, found it sweet, and said, "Sister Huo Huo, these fruits are delicious. We're tired, so we'll rest here for a bit. Anyway, it's raining heavily outside, so we can't go up anytime soon."

Xuan Huo was astonished to see Ying Li eat the fruit without hesitation, but his anger quickly flared up. He roared at Ying Li, "You little brat, I told you to eat it, and you actually did! Put me down right now, or you'll never see your master again!!! In someone else's place, eating someone else's food, and then expecting to see someone else's master? Is this how your family teaches you to be reasonable?!" Xuan Huo said viciously, his bloodshot eyes filled with murderous intent.

Ying Li stopped, took the fruit in her hand, pointed at Xuan Huo, and said, "My friend was captured by your master, and I still don't know why he captured him. It's good that you let me go, and you were quite polite, which is why I didn't harm a single hair on your head. But, if you want me to leave, you have to tell me why you should touch Lianyi!!!"

Xuan Huo's expression changed drastically as he looked into Ying Li's blood-red eyes. "You... the power of the Deep Pupil... no wonder..."

"Hmph, your friend and all of you are hypocrites. She ate my master's Ghost Spirit Fruit, which is why he only has a few years left to live. Isn't it only natural for my master to arrest her?!"