Thats right, Im despicable. But, if any of you were in my shoes, youd probably have done the same thing too, replied Zi Shang. He admitted that he was indeed a shameless demon as Yue Linger said.

Back then when Yun Jiuge was reincarnated, the Celestial Palace prepared a total of 10 Reincarnation Stones that they could use.

Zi Shang was the first to rush into the palace and grab a Reincarnation Stone for himself. Thereafter, he destroyed all the nine remaining stones and made it impossible for anyone else to reincarnate. He wanted to have Yun Jiuge all to himself after she reincarnated.

And, he was glad that he accomplished his goal.

My loyalty to Her Highness knows no boundaries! Youll never be able to win me in this aspect! Yue Linger roared furiously.

Are you saying that waging a war against the Goddess is your way of showing your loyalty towards her? What an ingenious way indeed! Ive never heard of that before, Zi Shang sniggered and continued in a proud voice, No matter how despicable I am, Ive always listened to her every word. What about you? You were actually thinking of attacking the Goddess! If we were still in the Celestial Palace, youd probably have been skinned alive, and your brains ripped out too.

I was not going to attack Her Highness! Yue Linger shrieked. The Resentment Qi within her body erupted once again and caused the grayish white threads near her to turn black.

Stop provoking her! shouted Yun Jiuge. She could not just stand by idly any longer as she grabbed Zi Shangs arm.

She finally understood why Zi Shang was this reluctant to show himself before Yue Linger all this time.

It was because he knew he was a scourge. He would cause Yue Linger to fly into a rage the moment he appeared before her.

Dont worry, I know where to draw the line, replied Zi Shang, who patted Yun Jiuge on the hand before he went on to say, You keep going on and on about how loyal you are to Her Highness, but youre not even able to give her what shes yearned for this whole time. What right do you have to stay by her side?

The thing of greatest importance to Her Highness is the Child of Life. Are you telling me youre able to give that to her? Yue Linger scoffed. Things would not be like this if you were able to give that to her!

Youre wrong. Ive already given the Child of Life to Her Highness, Zi Shang said. His words not only evoked surprise from Yue Linger, but they also stunned Yun Jiuge.

The Child of Life? What the hell is that? Dont tell me its that egg in my stomach? Yun Jiuge wondered.

Thats impossible, answered Yue Linger, who refused to believe those words. Yun Jiuge had gone through hell just to conceive the Child of Life back then.

She had a harem that was filled with men who were the elites from a myriad of clans. However, due to her noble and honorable status, Yun Jiuge could not possibly sleep with every single man. Thus, some of the mens Life Essences had to be extracted and nurtured manually, and the person who leading those tasks was Yue Linger. Sadly, every single attempt to conceive the Child of Life ended in failure.

Shes right! When was I ever pregnant? Why do I not know anything about it? Yun Jiuge hastily transmitted a message to Zi Shang through her mind.

No one knows what the Child of Life looks like. They only know that itll crawl out of your body. If you say that the egg in your stomach is the Child of Life, no one will doubt you either, Zi Shang replied firmly.

You want me to deceive her? Yun Jiuge asked. She was quick to understand what Zi Shang was getting at.

Do you have any better way? Zi Shang asked back.

Alright then! Yun Jiuge made up her mind instantly.

She did not want to fight against Yue Linger. It would be best if they could resolve this peacefully.

Yun Jiuge decided to work with Zi Shang and tell the biggest lie of her life.

She caressed her flat stomach and told Yue Linger, Hes right. Ive already conceived the Child of Life.

I dont believe you! Yue Linger widened her eyes.

You can take a look for yourself if you dont believe me, Yun Jiuge said.

Yue Linger gawked at Yun Jiuges stomach. She saw a small, white egg inside of her. The egg was resting on top of a soft, red blanket that was formed by the Tear of Blood.

That is the Child of Life? asked Yue Linger who stared at the little white egg inside Yun Jiuges stomach with an inscrutable look on her face. No one could tell if she was smiling or crying.

She was never able to help Yun Jiuge conceive the Child of Life no matter how hard she tried, yet Zi Shang was able to accomplish it effortlessly.

Everything that she did up until now felt just like a joke to her. Conviction? Protect Her Highness? They all seemed like a laughingstock now.

Yue Linger, Im sure you know about the divination that Goddess has done. Shed be able to save the world if she bore the Child of Life. Shes finally achieved what shes always wanted all this time, and yet youre still trying to get in her way. Youre not helping her but hurting her instead, Zi Shang said. Every single word of his pierced Yue Linger in the heart.

So, all this time Ive been in the wrong? Yue Lingers body started flickering. It would glow bright one second and turn dark in another. It was clear that she was alternating between light and darkness.

Yun Jiuge could not help but turn nervous when she saw that sight. The success of their plan hinged on the next few seconds.

If Yue Linger continued to be overwhelmed by the darkness in her heart, then their only solution would be to fight her to her death. That was something that Yun Jiuge did not want to see happen at all costs.

At this moment, Zi Shang spoke up again, Yue Linger, I know you want to stay by Her Highness side and protect her. Actually, theres still one way for you to make up for your mistakes.

What is it? Yue Linger looked at Zi Shang.

I heard that the Ling Clan has a secret technique that allows its members to turn their spiritual bodies into a Thread of Protection Zi Shang said coolly.

Zi Shang! Yun Jiuge interrupted.

Was he trying to cause Yue Lingers body to go up in flames and her soul to become scattered?

Alright, Yue Linger replied. To Yun Jiuges surprise, Yue Linger nodded her head and agreed to Zi Shangs proposition. She then turned her head and smiled pitifully at Yun Jiuge saying, Your Highness, Linger was wrong. Please dont be angry at me.

Linger, you can still reincarnate and then find me again in your next life, answered Yun Jiuge. She did not want to see Yue Linger disappear forever.

I will not be Yue Linger any longer in the next life. Your Highness, let me stay by your side for the remainder of your life! Yue Linger smiled and closed her eyes.

Her body slowly began to disintegrate into tiny stars. The stars then merged with the grayish white threads and turned into a single thread that was the color of the moonlight before it floated towards Yun Jiuges hand.

The Resentment Cloud above their heads vanished in an instant, and golden sunlight lit up the entire Shiwan Grand Mountain.

The stone statues at the Five Poison Sects all fell to the ground, and people who had confusion written all over their faces sat up and looked about.

Chun Sanniang realized that her ball of yarn had fallen onto the ground mysteriously. She did not understand what was going on at the moment.

Wu Lan realized that the stone on her sisters body was starting to chip off, and she hurriedly helped her out from the bonfire.

The Spiritual Energy that Yue Linger had seized was now returned to the mountains and the rivers for them to regain life.

The Miao people cheered in joy at this sight. Fishes, insects, birds and beasts all joined in as well.

Yun Jiuge looked at the golden thread that had wrapped itself affectionately around her palm with a perplexed face.

This is a Heavenly Spiritual Thread formed from Yue Lingers soul powers. Youll be able to improve your cultivation much more quickly once you absorb it into your Elixir Field, Zi Shang told Yun Jiuge softly.

Have you been plotting this all this time? asked Yun Jiuge as she raised her head and looked at Zi Shang.

This is the best outcome for her, replied Zi Shang. He did not deny that he had always wanted Yue Linger to turn into a Heavenly Spiritual Thread ever since he learned that she had taken on a spiritual form.

Youre despicable, Yun Jiuge lashed out at Zi Shang. Yet she found it difficult to bear hatred towards him because she knew that Zi Shang had done this for her.

Thanks for the compliment, replied Zi Shang, who did not try to hide his despicable, filthy side. He did not mind being despicable as long as he could make Yun Jiuge stronger.

Yun Jiuge did not bother rebutting him. She absorbed the golden thread into her Elixir Field before she turned to look at the Divine Temple that had collapsed in front of her. It was then that she saw Ye Yunzhi helping Ye Yu out of the rubble.

Eldest Miss, what on earth happened here? Ye Yu climbed out from the ashes and looked at his surroundings with a face of bewilderment. He then realized that he was already in the intermediate levels of the Foundation Establishment stage.

He only remembered leaving the valley with his Yin Corpse and being carried away by a gray web shortly after. As for what happened next, his mind was a blank.