"Eh?" Wei Ming looked left and right, completely confused. "Did I hear things?"

Chi Lian said, "No."

Wei Ming, half-believing and half-doubting, sought confirmation from him, "Did he just call your name?"

Chi Lian sighed. "I suppose so."

"Gave me a scare." Wei Ming breathed a sigh of relief, as if his entire body had relaxed. He began to familiarly try to smooth things over, "Isn't this a classic case of family fighting family without realizing it? A misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding. If you ask me, why don't we sit down and talk things out? Let's put away the leaves and branches first. Must we resort to blades and spears? It's so hurtful."

Chi Lian: "..."

He gave a cold sneer. "What old times do I have to reminisce about with a tree? Do I have to exchange pleasantries with every single person who knows my name?"

"Alright, alright, you're aloof, you're impressive." Wei Ming was helpless against him, playing the peacemaker like a good old man. "My apologies, we don't mean to look down on you, it's just that our Chi Lian is too famous. There are too many people who want to befriend him, so his attitude is unavoidably a bit stiff. Please forgive him, please forgive him..."

Chi Lian really couldn't listen anymore and said impatiently, "If you want to fight, then fight. Cut the nonsense."

The Tree Spirit, finally unable to bear their back-and-forth, took the initiative to speak, "In the White Jade Capital, I often heard people speak of the Immortal Lord. I only lamented that my status was too lowly, and I never had the chance to exchange even a single word with you."

As he spoke, thousands of vines, carrying billowing black qi, retracted into the tree's body. They landed on the ground and transformed into the appearance of Chi Anshou, the master of Chunling Temple. He bowed to Chi Lian, "I never expected to meet you in the mortal realm. This is truly a blessing."

This time, Chi Lian was genuinely startled. His heart sank slightly as he asked, "You came from the Heavenly Court? Why have you appeared here?"

'Chi Anshou' sighed faintly, "To be honest with the Immortal Lord, this lowly immortal is named Bai Hua. I was originally an Immortal Attendant at Xuanjian Pavilion. Because I had some talent for refining medicine, I was fortunate enough to be noticed by Immortal Lord Xuhe and was taken into Bitai Palace to work."

"I am a spiritual being born of grass and trees, with a low status and weak cultivation. To have such an opportunity was a great blessing that I should have cherished. But after entering Bitai Palace, I finally learned of the hardships and filth within, which was not at all what I had imagined. Daily rebukes and insults were commonplace, and there was no opportunity to cultivate at all. Instead, my cultivation was extracted daily for them to refine immortal medicines. The slightest resistance or defiance would get me dragged out, my powers drained, and my divine soul scattered, never to have the chance to speak again.

"Of the dozen or so Immortal Attendants who entered the palace with me, I am the only one left alive. I was also forced into a corner with no way out. I had no choice but to harden my heart and flee the White Jade Capital. I don't know how I ended up in the mortal realm, but I happened to land in this temple, temporarily taking shelter in this hundred-year-old tree."

Wei Ming sighed sorrowfully, "The mortal world is divided into high and low classes, the noble and the humble as different as clouds and mud. I never thought that immortals would also curry favor with the powerful and trample on the weak. Since it's like this in both heaven and on earth, what's the point of bitterly pursuing longevity and ascension?"

Bai Hua, as if Wei Ming had hit upon his own thoughts, nodded in deep agreement.

Wei Ming asked sympathetically, "Is there no one in the Celestial Realm who can manage this?"

Bai Hua said miserably, "In the past, when Emperor Cangze presided over the Heavenly Court, the laws were strict and impartial. All the races of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths obeyed. No matter who it was, they had to tuck their tails between their legs and behave themselves in his presence. But ever since the Emperor fell, the White Jade Capital has been in chaos, and the atmosphere in the Heavenly Court has gradually changed. The Divine Lords only care about profiting for themselves. We Immortal Attendants have low cultivation, and our lives aren't worth anything. Even if tens of thousands of us die, as long as the higher-ups don't investigate, we die in vain."

The name 'Emperor Cangze' touched Wei Ming's most sensitive nerve. He almost subconsciously glanced at Chi Lian, but Chi Lian did not return his gaze. Perhaps because it was too dark, only a blurry outline could be faintly sketched in the dim light and shadow, but in Wei Ming's eyes, the man's expression, as calm to the point of indifference as accumulated ice and snow, was clearly imprinted.

"Before you cry injustice, answer two questions for me first."

Chi Lian held his sword horizontally before him and said condescendingly, "First, you said you accidentally entered the mortal realm and took shelter in the mahogany tree. Why are you now wearing Chi Anshou's face? The real temple master, and the eleven other people in the temple, where did they go?"

"Second, if my eyes weren't deceiving me, none of the techniques you used just now were immortal arts. I'm afraid they were all Demon Clan cultivation methods. Who taught them to you?"

Bai Hua, half his body steeped in the night, did not answer him immediately.

Chi Lian suddenly twisted his wrist, his longsword swinging out diagonally. The golden glint of sword qi cut through the air like it was mud, severing the vines that had stealthily crept up behind him. "What, did I hit the mark? Or do you feel that since you've already defected from the Heavenly Court, it doesn't matter if you break a few more heavenly rules?"

The sorrowful look on Bai Hua's face could finally no longer be maintained. It cracked open into a ferocious fissure. He glared at Chi Lian with blood-red eyes, yet still gritted his teeth and continued the act, "Immortal Lord, what are you talking about?"

"I said, I can see the Demonic Qi on you from two li away." Chi Lian questioned coldly, "Did the person who taught you ever tell you what happens when an immortal falls to the demonic path? They either lose their sanity and degenerate into a demonic creature worse than a wild beast, or they are executed by the Celestial Realm, their soul annihilated and scattered. Which one do you think you are?"

Bai Hua did not answer. Wei Ming suddenly let out a low laugh behind him, with a hint of watching a good show. "How rare, you actually weren't fooled by him."

Chi Lian: "?"

Wei Ming said lightly, "He was deliberately playing pitiful to arouse your sympathy, hoping you'd show him mercy."

Chi Lian: "Aren't you quite clear about it? How come you can't figure it out when it comes to yourself?"

Wei Ming: "?"

They had already torn through the paper window. Bai Hua realized the matter was exposed, and acting pitiful was useless. He simply gave up on the roundabout probing, no longer even feigning his voice. "Immortal Lord Chi Lian, you and I have no past grievances or recent enmity. Tonight was just an unfortunate coincidence. You can pretend we've never met and feel free to leave with your friend. I have no intention of harming either of you, and I ask that you don't stick your nose in other people's business."

Chi Lian asked expressionlessly, "Did you just treat what I said as wind passing by your ear?"

Bai Hua said, "What do you mean?"

"When an immortal falls to the demonic path, they are executed by the Celestial Realm, their soul annihilated and scattered." Chi Lian raised his longsword, its tip pointing straight at Bai Hua's throat. "Since you know me, you should know that under the Emperor of Jiangxiao Palace, this is what I originally did."

As if he had heard the most absurd joke in the world, Bai Hua sneered, raised his voice, and said sharply, "Immortal Lord Chi Lian, I call you Immortal Lord only to give you some face. You don't really think you're still a god above the Nine Heavens, do you? Open your eyes and take a good look! This is the mortal realm, not Jiangxiao Palace. What right do you have to purge me? You're nothing but a homeless dog whose master is dead, chased out of the White Jade Capital!"

This was the second time Wei Ming had heard the term 'homeless dog' from someone else's mouth.

The last time was at the Sweet Dew Terrace, when Chou Xinwei publicly exposed Chi Lian's identity. He had never mentioned it to anyone, but the words had always remained firmly in his mind. Besides the noble-sounding reason of not wanting to open old wounds, he had to admit that part of it was due to his own selfish motives.

But Chi Lian treated him like a frog in a summer pond, unmoved no matter how it croaked. "As long as its fangs are still there, even a homeless dog can bite someone to death. If you don't believe me, you can try and see."

This man was purely an unyielding stumbling block. Bai Hua suddenly understood a little of the reputation Chi Lian had both inside and outside the Heavenly Court. He glared resentfully at Chi Lian, then his eyes suddenly shifted, and he adopted an ambiguous tone, "Speaking seriously, you and I are actually the same kind, both born from grass and trees, originally just as humble. It's just that you were lucky, taken in by Jiangxiao Palace early on, and then won the favor of Emperor Cangze. That's how you ascended to heaven in a single step and gained the status of an Immortal Lord. I've heard that the Emperor's favoritism and indulgence towards you were famous in the Heavenly Court, so much so that even Immortal Venerable Qingyang had to yield to you. How exactly did you manage that? Why don't you teach me?"

He covered his mouth with his sleeve and laughed, not without malice, "Ah, I remember now. They all say that Flower Spirits often transform into beautiful female immortals. Could it be because of your looks that the Emperor treated you with special favor..."

Boom—!!

The last word vanished in a tremendous gust of wind. A furious sword intent swept out brazenly, exploding like a surging tide of fire, tearing apart the inescapable net woven from vines with its arrogant sharpness.

Under the massive wave, Bai Hua had no time to dodge at all. He was struck in the chest by the sword qi and slammed into the tree, abruptly spitting out a large mouthful of blood.

The next moment, Chi Lian's figure flashed into existence, carrying a glint of cold light as he descended from the sky as silently as a venomous snake, locking onto his right eye with absolute precision. In his panic, Bai Hua could only roll wretchedly on the ground, narrowly avoiding the vital spot. However, in an instant, with a light 'pat' sound, blood gushed from his right shoulder. His entire arm had been severed at the root, and it tumbled to the ground where he had just been standing.

"Chi Lian!"

With a loud 'bang,' the severed right arm exploded, scattering black qi that filled the sky and enveloped Chi Lian completely. Bai Hua took advantage of this opening to scramble up. While desperately urging the vines in his body to grow and replace his right hand, he flung out the remaining vines, which swept towards the other person in the courtyard like a blanket covering the sky.

Even if an immortal's spiritual power was limited by the laws of the Heavenly Dao, this was still Chi Lian, after all. And although Wei Ming was agilely slashing left and right and was still unharmed for the moment, he was, after all, just a fragile mortal. As long as he seized Chi Lian's soft spot, he wouldn't have to worry about him not taking the bait, and the upper hand would return to Bai Hua.

Wei Ming brandished his dagger, cutting down wave after wave of vines, feeling like he was about to be pickled in tree sap. It was a life-and-death moment, with killing intent everywhere. He knew he shouldn't be distracted right now, but his mind was out of his control, constantly replaying what Bai Hua had just said.

Chi Lian had been Emperor Cangze's trusted confidant and was fiercely loyal to the Emperor. He had known this for a long time from Chou Xinwei. He had also vaguely suspected that the special treatment he received from Chi Lian was most likely inextricably linked to this Emperor, but he had never thought about the connection between the two of them in that way.

The person who didn't care at all about being called a homeless dog to his face would, however, become enraged because the other party maliciously speculated about his relationship with the Emperor.

"What exactly are Chi Lian's feelings for Emperor Cangze, and for me?"

"Watch out!"

The warning came too late. Wei Ming's ankle was seized, and his body instantly lost its balance. He was pulled down by a vine that had suddenly shot out from behind. Immediately after, a constricting pain wrapped around his waist and limbs. His vision flipped upside down, and the whistling of the wind and the buzzing of blood rushing in his ears filled his head as he was dangled upside down and brought before Bai Hua.

Countless vines opened up, eyeing him covetously. Bai Hua stood in the middle of the courtyard, his face deathly pale, half his body covered in blood, his white hair flying. His right arm had been completely replaced by a huge green vine, and he was surrounded by gesticulating tentacles, like an evil god that had crawled out of hell.

His eyes were so red they looked like they would bleed, yet his face wore a victorious smile. He said to Chi Lian with a grin, "Chi Lian, didn't you just ask me where the temple master and the Daoists here went?

"Watch. I'll demonstrate their fate for you one more time."

The green vines writhed and tangled together like living things, forming a giant vine taller than two men. It opened its cavernous mouth towards Wei Ming, and the unique fishy smell of plants mixed with the scent of dust and smoke rushed at him.

The last thing he saw was the sight of Chi Lian recklessly cleaving through the black mist blocking the way, rushing towards him without a second thought.

"Your Highness—!"

The author has something to say:

Wei Ming: Chi Lian, in the thirty seconds you were fighting the Tree Spirit, were you thinking about Emperor Cangze's reputation being tarnished, or were you thinking about protecting me for a lifetime.