Luo Xiu had always thought he could face death with equanimity. But when death truly arrived, he realized there were many things he couldn't let go of.

Family he had yet to find, a lover he had yet to truly love, friends with whom he had yet to share drinks and conversation, sights he had yet to see, adventures he had yet to experience…

With a heart full of regrets, he fell powerlessly into a dark abyss, drifting further and further away from this world.

It seems… this is really goodbye.

In truth, what really killed him wasn't Hua Muyan's Demon Art, but himself. He had burned away all of his own Essence Blood. However, being able to protect that mother and son in the final moments of his life made it all feel worth it.

He fell through the darkness for a long, long time. Just as his consciousness was about to completely dissipate, a green light suddenly appeared in the depths of the abyss. The light drew closer and closer.

It was a Green Lotus!

Why is there a Green Lotus here?

...

In the Ancient Mountain Residence, withered flowers and vines littered the ground. Xia Chan knelt, tightly embracing Luo Xiu's body, sobbing inconsolably.

After using her Demon Art, Hua Muyan also seemed to be severely depleted. She sat powerlessly to one side, watching the heartbroken Xia Chan, and a flicker of guilt arose in her heart. She remembered that long, long ago, she too had a beloved little boy. When that boy was killed by Chu Yiguan, she had been just as heartbroken as Xia Chan was now. But back then, she was merely a flower vine, unable to cry or scream. She could do nothing but endure the bone-deep agony.

"I won't let you die… I want you to live!"

Suddenly, Xia Chan's voice pulled Hua Muyan from her thoughts. She saw a mist of blood enveloping Xia Chan, who was using her own Fire Dragon Essence Blood to try and save Luo Xiu. Gradually, a faint flicker of life returned to Luo Xiu's body.

Clenching her jaw, Hua Muyan forced herself to stand, intending to stop her. But just then, the Little Pouch, having broken free from her restraints, flew over and smashed into her head, causing it to bleed profusely.

"You stinking Flower Demon, get in there! I'll deal with you later!" Little Pouch cursed through his sobs as he immediately pulled Hua Muyan into the pagoda's inner space, binding her tightly with dozens of chains made of light.

Then, Little Pouch flew to Xia Chan's side and released his treasured Dao Yuan. "Sister-in-law, this is Dao Yuan refined from the Vermilion Bird's corpse. It should be useful."

"Thank you."

"Big Brother, you have to live!"

SHINK!

Unexpectedly, a sword qi descended from the sky without warning, instantly piercing Luo Xiu's skull. His body trembled, and the flicker of life that had just been restored was instantly extinguished, his body turning colder by the second.

Xia Chan's beautiful eyes quivered. She whipped her head around to see a blood-soaked Chu Yiguan in tattered clothes, staggering toward them.

"Father, what are you doing?!" Xia Chan roared hoarsely, her eyes as red as blood.

Little Pouch cursed, "You damn backstabber! You didn't do anything before, but now you launch a sneak attack! You dare kill my Big Brother? I'll take you down with me today!"

Chu Yiguan, however, simply slapped the charging Little Pouch away with a casual backhand. He looked at Xia Chan, a look of utter confusion on his face. His precious daughter had always been docile and obedient; this was the first time she had ever screamed at him. And it was all for an outsider.

"Chan'er, he cannot live," Chu Yiguan said weakly.

Xia Chan's body trembled as she glared at him, tears streaming endlessly down her cheeks.

Chu Yiguan glanced at the barely breathing Di Xuanji on the ground and said in a weak voice, "This Empress… I truly underestimated her. I almost died at her hands this time. Thankfully, that boy shattered the Fire Dragon Bell, which allowed me to break free."

"Chan'er, your father saw everything that happened between you and Luo Xiu on your journey here through the great array of the Ancient Mountain Residence…"

"The boy is very impressive. He hides a terrifying power within him, and I am grateful… he helped eliminate the traitors Zhang Qiming, Zhu Meique, and Hua Muyan."

"But he would never have truly joined our sect. He was only using you to save the Empress."

"And the reason he protected you all this way wasn't for you, but for the child in your womb."

"This child… it's his, isn't it?"

Xia Chan still stared at him, saying nothing.

Chu Yiguan's gaze darkened as he spoke in a tone that brooked no argument, "You'll have the child aborted. You cannot give birth to his evil spawn. This was a mistake from the beginning."

Xia Chan gritted her teeth. "That's impossible!"

Chu Yiguan was silent for a moment before continuing, "Since you can't bear to part with the child, you can give birth to it. But afterward, it can only stay in the laboratory."

Xia Chan's face was devoid of expression. "I came from a test tube in a laboratory. I don't want my child to stay in one too."

"Father, I'm sorry… Chan'er cannot obey you this time."

Chu Yiguan trembled with rage, nearly spitting blood. "Are you betraying me for this man?" he demanded sharply.

Xia Chan cradled Luo Xiu and slowly rose to her feet. "He did too much for me. I owe him." She suddenly looked at Little Pouch. "Little Pouch, now!"

The next moment, a brilliant golden light erupted from Little Pouch, instantly absorbing Xia Chan, Luo Xiu's body, and Di Xuanji into the tower's inner space. But just as Little Pouch was about to flee, an invisible force locked him in place.

Chu Yiguan's gaze was frigid. "No one is leaving today! Wicked Tenderness Lock!"

At the very top of the tower's inner space, after laying Luo Xiu down, Xia Chan immediately retrieved the Green Lotus she had seized from the Green Lotus Palace from her Storage Magical Treasure. She had lied to Luo Xiu… she had never handed the Green Lotus over; it had been on her person all along.

Suddenly, Little Pouch's strained, pained voice echoed from the Void. "Sister-in-law, can the Green Lotus save Big Brother?"

Xia Chan gently shook her head, indicating that she didn't know. With no other options, she had to take the gamble. She remembered how, when Luo Xiu entered that mysterious state, his every move would conjure visions of a Green Lotus. Furthermore, the statue she had seen in the Green Lotus Palace looked exactly like him. It seemed Luo Xiu was connected to the "Green Lotus" in countless ways. So, she had to try.

To her surprise, the moment she took out the Green Lotus, it was absorbed into Luo Xiu's body. A green light began to radiate from him, expelling the poison within. His wounds started healing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

"This Green Lotus… it's really working." Seeing this, Xia Chan's eyes lit up as hope ignited in her heart.

Just then, Little Pouch's voice rang out again, "I say, Sister-in-law, is my Big Brother's father-in-law insane? He keeps hammering away out there; I really can't hold on much longer!"

"Just hang on a little longer!" Xia Chan urged.

"I really… can't hold..."

Before he could finish, Xia Chan heard a sharp cracking sound. A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she was forcibly ejected from the tower's inner space.

Back in the Ancient Mountain Residence, Chu Yiguan was panting heavily as he glared at Xia Chan, his teeth clenched. "The Creation Green Lotus… you actually used it… you actually… Chu Qingchan, you wretched girl!"

Little Pouch was already shattered. He fell to the ground, dim and lusterless, no different from a dead object. Faced with Chu Yiguan's furious bombardment, not even the River Demon Pagoda could hold out for long.

Xia Chan scrambled in front of Chu Yiguan, shielding Luo Xiu behind her. "Father," she gritted out, "if you want to kill him, you'll have to kill me first!"

SMACK!

Fuming, Chu Yiguan slapped Xia Chan from a distance, sending her flying. He then staggered toward the prone Luo Xiu.

"You little bastard, even if it means wasting a Creation Green Lotus, you must die!"

He slowly lifted his foot, aiming to mercilessly stomp on Luo Xiu's head. The kick was filled with terrifying power!

However, his foot suddenly stopped in midair, held fast by a seemingly gentle green light. No matter how much force he exerted, he couldn't press it down.

Luo Xiu's eyes snapped open. A green light pulsed from his body, blasting Chu Yiguan away. He coughed up blood as he crashed heavily to the ground.

"Old man," Luo Xiu said, "I heard everything you said earlier."

"..."

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