The plumes of white smoke rose up into the air, merging with the heavy clouds. The world was dim.

  Within the gloomy jungle, her body as gentle as white jade undulated with colour in the darkness, making it seem particularly smooth and fine. It lacked a hint of humanity, but it was chillingly beautiful.

  Her lips were like red jade, like a single red plum flower in a land of snow. Her eyes were like dark jade, like two blots of ink on white paper, glimmering brightly and with colour.

  This delicate “beauty of white jade” was currently being held in a man’s arms. His robust, slender body seemed to be cast from bronze. If the beauty was like jade, delicate, exquisite, gentle, and elegant, then he was rough, crude, and unpolished.

  In that moment, they seemed to become one, with no distinction between them.

  The rain poured down, landing on their bodies. The droplets ran down their bodies, but no one paid any attention to that.

  Li Qingshan kissed her deeply as if he devoted all of his attention to the kiss, forgetting about everything happening around him. However, what burned in his heart was not the flames of lust, nor excitement and complacency from finally succeeding after so many years. Instead, it was a much deeper feeling of tenderness, wanting to console the indescribable pain in her heart, wanting to obtain her complete trust and reliance.

  Ru Xin’s eyebrows were firmly furrowed while her eyelashes trembled as if she was under great pain, yet also enjoying great pleasure. A single tear rolled down from the corner of her eye. In the beginning, it was no different from the rain, but in the air, it condensed into a glossy mermaid pearl.

  Their lips parted, and Ru Xin opened her eyes, only to see Li Qingshan smiling at her while holding the mermaid pearl in his hand.

  In her memories, there had once been someone who gazed at her like that, constantly mouthing away to console her, don’t be afraid, don’t cry… before being swallowed by the flames and turning into ash!

  That sight was one she could never forget. It was the gentlest blessing, as well as the deepest nightmare.

  As a result, she survived and never cried again, until now.

  “Give it back to me!” A red glow appeared on her face as if that made her even more embarrassed than being naked.

  “Nope!” He dodged her hand, having stowed the mermaid pearl away already. “That’s a gift you’ve given me.”


  “If you don’t give it back, there’s going to be no fucking!” She straightened herself out and stared straight at him.

  He had realised a long time ago that she was not as womanly as she seemed. She had quite a passionate, fiery, and bold personality, but when he heard that, he still felt quite amazed. He shrugged. “Then no fucking it is!”


  “Let go of me!” She began struggling, but he had no intentions of abiding. Instead, he smiled and pulled her into his arms again. “Let me hold you for a little longer!”


  It was obviously impossible for her to contend against his strength. All she could do was bring her jade-white arms around his neck softly, lying in his arms quietly.

  The rain grew heavier. A while later, he whispered into her ear, “Do you feel a little better?”


  “Yeah,” she murmured.

  “Let’s go back!”


  “Who are you!? What did you do to that lustful Li Qingshan who’s even worse than a beast!?” Ru Xin widened her eyes as if she did not know him.

  Li Qingshan rolled his eyes. He could not be bothered with responding. Although he had joked that he wanted to do it out in the open, that was just a joke. He was lustful, but he could still keep his crotch under control. She was currently in an emotional state. What she needed was peace and consolation, not more stimulation.

  Ru Xin smiled and stood up proudly, showing off her slender, pure-white body right before him without any concern. She chose a dress from her sumeru ring and put it on before patting him on the cheek.

  “So much for acting like a gentleman. You regret it now, don’t you?”


  “I do a little. Heh, it’s not like you can escape from the palm of my hand!” Li Qingshan straightened himself out. “Let’s celebrate properly after we take down Fire Melt mountain!”


  Ru Xin smiled. She did not rebuke that.

  Li Qingshan condensed a set of demonic armour again with his demon qi and rushed into the air with her in his arms, travelling straight to Savage mountain.

  ……


  After returning to Savage mountain, Ru Xin returned to her dwelling to cultivate. Her experiences at the Cloud Sail sect had brought her great benefit. Her distant memories gradually stopped troubling her, which earned her some mental relief. If she could settle down mentally and completely eliminate the inner demons, it would bring great benefit to her cultivation, allowing her to truly unleash the wonders of the Heavenly Tome of Cloud Furnace.

  On top of that, she had to help him refine the medicine that balanced fire and water!

  “You’re so useless.”


  Li Qingshan watched Ru Xin return to her dwelling as Xiao An said on the side.

  “What did you say?” Li Qingshan doubted his ears.

  “So much for me taking the initiative and requesting to come back first, yet you actually did nothing at all.” Xiao An turned her head away like she treated him with disdain.

  “What are you even thinking about? We’re purely friends!” Li Qingshan shot a glance at her.

  Xiao An immediately began laughing.

  Li Qingshan chuckled as well, rubbing her hair and turning it into a mess. “I’ll go talk to the tree king!”


  Sitting before the great banyan tree, Li Qingshan told the Great Banyan Tree King about everything he had been through, seeking his wisdom.

  The Great Banyan Tree King said, “You’ve done very well. I never thought the meaning behind the Flower of Water and Fire would actually be that. It’s not a natural spiritual herb, but a hybrid nurtured from the combined powers of Merfolk and Fire Devouring Folk. There really is a very deep tie of destiny between the two of you. You still have a very long road ahead, so you were right to take it slowly. Emotions take time to build up…”


  Li Qingshan immediately became speechless. I’ve come for your advice on strategic planning, not getting in with girls!

  “The fire devourers have become guests of the King of Southern Yue. When we attack Fire Melt mountain, will the King of Southern Yue really just stand by? Or will he wait until we’ve both suffered heavy losses before taking us out in one fell swoop?”


  “No one can guarantee that, but the chances of that happening aren’t high.”


  “Why?”


  “Because logically speaking, it’s impossible for you to take down Fire Melt mountain.”


  “What! The Merfolk have three cultivators at the third heavenly tribulation at the very least. If you include my combination with Gong Yuan, as well as the Wind Gale King, the master of the sword pavilion, and the Myriad Poison Ancestor, we still can’t take down a measly Fire Melt mountain?”


  “That should have been enough, but the true power of the Divine Fire tablets is beyond your imaginations. The fire god you witnessed is just a small display of its powers. It was even restrained because it was over the ocean. If the battlefield had been Fire Melt mountain, the outcome would have been completely different.”


  “Then what should we do?” Li Qingshan sank into his thoughts. If the giant god of fire became even stronger, if its powers no longer ran out, if it was under Zhu Yan’s control… With the three ifs together, just how terrifying of an existence would it be?

  “Right now, all you can do is see the effects of the Stoneheart virus. If it really is as ‘great’ as miss Ru Xin said, then the fire devourers will fly into a complete rage. Only then do you have a chance at taking down Fire Melt mountain. I’ll ask the King of Southern Yue for a favour. You need a few more years of peaceful cultivation one way or another.”


  “Thank you for your care, fellow,” Li Qingshan said sincerely.

  With the Great Banyan Tree King’s guarantee, that had basically resolved his greatest worry. As long as he had a few more years, he had a very good chance at reaching the fourth layer of the Phoenix’s Scripture of Nirvā?a. As long as he balanced water and fire again, he would be able to reach Daemon King.

  By then, there was nothing that could make him worry anymore! The world would be his oyster!

  Li Qingshan then assembled the cave masters in the hall at the top of the mountain. “Many things happened at the Cloud Sail sect this time, but the end result was pretty good. I’ve already agreed on a time with the Merfolk Queen. We plan on establishing an alliance in the Crystal palace in ten days’ time to attack Fire Melt mountain. Prepare yourselves for that!”


  “You must be curious about where Yu Wufeng has gone. He’s already returned to the South Sea Sword pavilion with his master. The master of the sword pavilion has agreed to lend me a hand when the time comes, and I will release Yu Wufeng from the blood oath after the battle. That applies to you too. I’ll release the blood oath for anyone that charges into battle and does good. After the battle, I don’t plan on having any names left on the Blood Oath Scroll.”


  The cave masters shivered in fright. They understood what Li Qingshan was saying very well. He wanted them to fight for their lives in this battle in exchange for their freedom. However, if they remained passive and just tried to stay alive, death would be awaiting them even if they managed to survive.

  After breaking through to the fifth layer of the tiger demon, the vicious, bloody aura he gave off proved that those were not just empty words.

  “You have nothing to worry about, my king. We will definitely risk our lives and go through fire and water to assist the king in taking Fire Melt mountain.” The Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber was the first one to step forward and express his opinion. No matter what the other cave masters were thinking, they all chimed in too.

  “Very good!” Li Qingshan nodded, completely unconcerned about how sincere they actually were. He stood up and left, leaving the nine cave masters there. They were all solemn, exchanging glances with one another.

  The Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber turned around. “Don’t be like that, everyone. The King of Savages has his sights set high. Not only can he establish an alliance with the Merfolk, he’s even received the Great Banyan Tree King’s guidance. Since he’s determined to take down Fire Melt mountain, he definitely has a chance. He won’t just send us to our deaths. However, I can tell that we’ve never gotten along. There are plenty of people who find me to be an eyesore too, but this time, if we don’t work together and continue to scheme against each other, who can confidently say they can return from Fire Melt mountain alive?”


  Li Qingshan had already returned to the Eight Point hall in the centre of the mountain. After calling Xiao An, they entered the Asura Field together. He wanted to ask Yin Qing what the huge, stone disc that had fallen here from the Asura realm was, but all he saw was Yin Qing circling around the stone disc, studying and examining it as if she was very excited. She even failed to notice Li Qingshan and Xiao An’s arrival. That was a very rare occurrence for a cautious assassin like her.

  Li Qingshan asked, “Yin Qing, do you know what this is?”


  “Of course I do! This is something great! This is called an Asura Altar of Armaments. Aren’t you missing a handy weapon, my king? With this, you’ll never be lacking in weapons again…” Yin Qing’s eyes shone brightly.

  Only after hearing Yin Qing’s explanation did Li Qingshan learn about the function of the Asura Altar of Armaments.

  As it turned out, battles were waged constantly in the Asura realm, such that all weapons, regardless of their quality and condition, would easily break. When asura fell in battle, they could be reborn as long as their battle spirit remained, but weapons would not be reborn with them.

  The Asura Altar of Armaments was connected to the legendary Armoury of War and Chaos. All they had to do was place a damaged weapon on there as an offering, and they could obtain a brand-new weapon. If they used a large number of ordinary weapons as an offering, then they could obtain extremely powerful weapons or even potentially obtain a divine weapon.

  Li Qingshan’s eyes lit up too. The last thing he was lacking right now were various spiritual and arcane artifacts.