Three odd-looking people appeared in the Great Qian Ruins.

The leader was a middle-aged monk with prayer beads in his hands. He had a calm expression and without any cultivation, was no different from a mortal.

Behind him was a man and woman, both who were severely injured.

There was a high chance that these three would meet with an attack in the Great Qian Ruins!

It was way too common for people to kill others and steal their treasures in this place.

However, along the way, many cultivators who caught sight of them stayed far away and did not dare to provoke them.

That was because everyone could clearly see that there were initially countless otherworldly soldiers in the palace. However, all of the otherworldly soldiers gave way to these three people wherever they passed!

The three of them walked through the palace without any otherworldly soldiers obstructing their way!

Perfected Lord Ming Ze was secretly impressed.

He was definitely not the reason for the otherworldly soldiers’ wariness.

When he arrived, even though he was a Nascent Soul, those otherworldly soldiers charged at them fearlessly.

To think that all of them would choose to stay away from the middle-aged monk!

There seemed to be a fog shrouding the middle-aged monk such that nobody could make out his secrets.

The strangest thing was this man’s identity.

He could not be considered as a cultivator since there was no spirit energy fluctuation from within his body.

He could not be considered as a mortal as well since he could kill Nascent Souls.

This man was well-versed in a sound secret skill.

Anyone that inherited a sound secret skill would be from a super sect or top faction.

However, none of the six Buddhist monasteries were located in the North Region.

So, where did this man come from?

Along the way, Perfected Lord Ming Ze was filled with questions that he could not understand.

Ji Yaoxue tagged along at the back, watching the back view of the middle-aged monk with a conflicted expression. There were countless times when she wanted to speak but chose not to eventually.

Just like that, the three of them passed through the palace and the ruins in silence.

After sending Ji Yaoxue and Perfected Lord Ming Ze outside the ruins, Su Zimo stopped in his tracks and turned around, saying softly with a lowered head, “Patrons, do take your leave as soon as possible. I’ll be bidding farewell here.”

Ji Yaoxue bit her red lip gently in silence.

“Thank you for your lifesaving grace, great monk. I’ll definitely remember today’s gratitude to you,” Perfected Lord Ming Ze greeted with cupped fists.

Su Zimo nodded and returned with a single-handed bow before turning to leave.

Up till the end, he did not dare to meet with Ji Yaoxue’s eyes.

He did not dare to look at her directly.

After hesitating for a long time, Ji Yaoxue chose to speak eventually, “Reverend, d-do you have anything you wish to say?”

“This is a dangerous place. Please don’t come here again from now on, patron.”

Su Zimo’s back was facing Ji Yaoxue and he did not turn back as he continued forward while saying calmly.

“When will I be able to meet you again, reverend?”

Ji Yaoxue asked once more.

Su Zimo paused in his tracks and only replied after pondering for a long time, “We will naturally meet again if there’s affinity.”

Perfected Lord Ming Ze frowned tightly and looked back and forth at the middle-aged monk and Ji Yaoxue in confusion.

Ji Yaoxue only let out a deep breath of air after the middle-aged monk’s figure disappeared fully at the edge of the ruins. “Uncle Ming, let’s go.”

Perfected Lord Ming Ze could not help but ask, “Do you know him, empress?”

“Ming Xin?”

Ji Yaoxue smiled and shook her head. “I don’t.”

Perfected Lord Ming Ze was even more puzzled.

Because this was not part of the Great Zhou Dynasty’s territory and the both of them were injured, they did not dare to linger and left in the air riding on their flying swords.

…

Su Zimo felt conflicted on his return.

Eventually, he did not choose to acknowledge his relationship with Ji Yaoxue.

He did not know what he should say.

He did not know how to face Ji Yaoxue.

He could not deny that she was extremely important to him. However, he was going to leave the North Region and even Tianhuang Mainland at the end of the day.

As for Ji Yaoxue, she was the Empress of Great Zhou and carried the hopes of the dynasty’s flourish.

The both of them were on different paths.

Right then, Su Zimo paused in his tracks and frowned.

He was distracted in deep thoughts the entire time and had not noticed that someone was following him!

Of course, it seemed like that the person did not harbor any evil intentions towards him.

Otherwise, he would have been able to sense it with his spirit perception even if he was distracted!

“Who are you? Come on out.”

Su Zimo glanced sideways and commented indifferently.

“Great monk, do you recognize me?”

A tender voice sounded, somewhat coquettish and spiteful.

Su Zimo’s heart skipped a beat.

Instantly, he recited the Sanskrit of the Daming Mantra mentally to calm himself down.

It was Demoness Ji!

Her bewitchment powers had turned even more frightening after five years.

If not for the fact that Su Zimo had chanted sutras and comprehended Buddhism for the past five years, he would have definitely exposed himself with just that single remark!

It seemed like Demoness Ji had also benefited immensely from the Human Emperor’s Palace and had advanced her powers significantly.

Su Zimo turned around and looked at Demoness Ji who was not far away.

After five years, Demoness Ji seemed to have gotten skinnier. However, there was no way to hide that peerless face that could bewitch the masses and that body that could charm the entire world.

Her beautiful brows curved slightly in a pitiable manner.

Her eyes shimmered like the surface of water.

The young woman bit her alluring cherry lips in a grumbling manner.

Su Zimo glanced at her expressionlessly before turning back and shaking his head. “I don’t.”

“Great monk, you may not recognize me, but I recognize you.”

A fragrance wafted over as Ji Yaoxue shifted towards Su Zimo with light steps – it seemed like she was about to cast herself into his embrace by the looks of it.

Su Zimo was secretly troubled.

The person he was most frightened of in this lifetime was this demoness before him.

In a flash, Su Zimo dodged to the side.

“Female patron, please respect yourself,” Su Zimo clasped his palms together and said deeply.

“Sure,”

Demoness Ji harrumphed and grumbled coyly, “Great monk, now you’re asking me to respect myself. Back in that stone coffin, you took quite a bit of advantage of me!”

Su Zimo’s mouth twitched.

In the past, the two of them were squeezed into a stone coffin and had to escape for their lives from the bottom of the river.

The stone coffin was extremely cramped and it was unavoidable for them to have physical contact.

By mentioning this, it was clear that Demoness Ji had recognized him.

Demoness Ji pursued the topic relentlessly. “Great, now you’re going to avoid taking responsibility for it after shaving your head and holding a set of prayer beads?”

Initially, Su Zimo was still contemplating whether or not he should admit to it.

After all, there was nothing she could do even if he refused to admit it.

However, Demoness Ji’s words turned increasingly nasty, as though there was truly something between them. Su Zimo could not take it anymore and coughed gently to interrupt. “Demoness Ji, what do you want?”

“Humph!”

She raised her head and pouted her lips, asking, “Great monk, didn’t you say that you don’t know me?”

After a moment of silence, Su Zimo said, “Thank you for the help rescuing the citizens of the Yan Country along with Pure Maiden Sect five years ago.”

When she heard that, Demoness Ji’s eyes welled up with a layer of mist as she said, “Su Zimo, you’re truly cruel. Why don’t you show yourself when you’re clearly alive!”

“My Golden Core has already been crippled and I’ve offended the entire North Region with everyone taking me as a demon. Nothing good will come out of anyone that associates themselves with me”

Su Zimo shook his head and replied, “Furthermore, I’m being hunted. Although the North Region is huge, there’s nowhere that can accommodate me.”