Waiting always feels unbearably long.
Xiao Lingyu stood at a distance, watching Zhu Yurong amusing himself, the words “different paths, same end” repeating over and over in his mind.
Different paths, same end… Was this truly the only fate of the Spirit Insight Pig?
He shut his eyes tightly, unable to bear looking at Zhu Yurong any longer. No matter how Zhu Yurong had first come into his life, ten years of companionship had made him someone Xiao Lingyu held dear—second only to his master, his senior brother, and the old ghost.
Zhu Yurong feared death, loved to eat, bullied the weak and feared the strong… yet he trusted Xiao Lingyu completely. He would smile ingratiatingly at him, act spoiled in a soft voice, play dead stiffly after angering him, and even spit out the precious Ascension Fruit when Xiao Lingyu was injured.
How could he bear to let someone like that walk toward a predetermined fate?
But what could he do?
Xiao Lingyu wasn’t foolish. The reason his senior brother had hidden the truth… was because he already knew there was nothing Xiao Lingyu could do.
Nothing.
Covering his face, Xiao Lingyu thought back—there had been so many signs he had ignored. When had this all begun? When had he been kept in the dark?
Thinking carefully, it all traced back to the time Qingming had gone alone to see the sect master. If Qingming had intervened personally, it could only mean the situation in the lower realm had worsened beyond control. Even the Chu Tian secret realm could no longer guarantee safety—so another path had to be found.
And under such circumstances, Xiao Lingyu didn’t even need to guess. Qingming, the sect master, and his senior brother… all would choose to sacrifice Zhu Yurong without hesitation.
And he—would be the one who benefited.
What right did he have to blame them?
Could he watch his master and senior brother give up their only chance at survival? He couldn’t. And the decision wasn’t even his senior brother’s to make. The only thing he had done wrong was hiding it.
But why had he hidden it?
Xiao Lingyu already knew the answer.
For him.
A bitter smile touched his lips. Even his master likely knew and had chosen to conceal it. Their decision wasn’t wrong—not when weighed against the lives of those closest to them.
If it were him… he might have made the same choice.
But when he thought of Zhu Yurong, he fell silent.
“Little monster! My stomach hurts!”
Zhu Yurong’s voice came from afar as he clutched his belly.
Xiao Lingyu appeared instantly at his side. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s hot inside…”
A flicker of pity crossed Xiao Lingyu’s eyes. He lifted Zhu Yurong as he always did, placing a hand on his stomach—
—and then froze.
An idea flashed through his mind.
He stood there, stunned, forgetting even the Zhu Yurong in his arms.
“Little monster… little monster…”
Zhu Yurong called out pitifully, clinging to his neck.
Xiao Lingyu snapped back to himself. Looking at him, determination filled his eyes.
Without waiting for Chu Mingwei, he tore open the fabric of space.
As the rift closed behind him, he sent out a message talisman and headed straight for the old ghost.
Pressing his hand against the restriction once more, Xiao Lingyu wondered how much the old ghost knew. But if his senior brother had hidden it from him, Qingming had likely done the same to the old ghost.
The barrier opened, revealing the old ghost’s delighted face.
“Little Yu! You came to see me again—you’re the best!”
Xiao Lingyu fell silent, pushing past him. “Where’s Senior Qingming?”
“Hmph, who knows? He runs around all day and locks me in here!” the old ghost grumbled before leaning in eagerly. “What do you want with him?”
Seeing him reach for Zhu Yurong with the same lecherous grin as before, Xiao Lingyu sighed inwardly. Qingming really had hidden it from him.
With a tap, Zhu Yurong fell into a deep sleep in his arms.
Xiao Lingyu then recounted everything—the Demon Emperor’s visit, word for word.
The old ghost’s expression turned serious. “He really said that?”
Xiao Lingyu nodded.
The old ghost’s face darkened. “That rumor…”
“What rumor?”
Frowning, the old ghost said, “There’s an ancient legend—within a Spirit Insight Pig lies a space that forms its own world. If it continues evolving, it can become a complete world.”
His expression grew uglier. “No wonder something felt off last time. Even if the Heavenly Mechanism Disk is restored, without a vessel, it’s useless. So this is their plan.”
Xiao Lingyu looked down at the sleeping Zhu Yurong.
Now he understood.
All the fragments given to Zhu Yurong were meant to accelerate the evolution of the space within him.
“Old ghost,” Xiao Lingyu said quietly, “what do you plan to do?”
“I—” The old ghost stopped.
The anger faded, replaced by reason.
There was nothing they could do.
After a long silence, Xiao Lingyu spoke again, “I have an idea. I don’t know if it’ll work.”
“What idea?”
“The bracelet you used before—the Nether Bracelet. Do you still have it?”
The old ghost froze, then realized. “You want to give him a new body?”
Xiao Lingyu nodded. “What matters is the space inside him. Once it evolves completely, we extract his soul and move it elsewhere.”
The old ghost frowned. “That might work… but would he still be a Spirit Insight Pig?”
Xiao Lingyu let out a cold laugh. “What’s so good about being one? Always hunted, always coveted. Better to be an ordinary pig.”
“An ordinary pig?!” the old ghost exclaimed. “You still want him to be a pig?”
Xiao Lingyu blinked. “He is a pig. Are you suggesting turning him into a human?”
The old ghost choked, then waved it off. “Whatever he becomes doesn’t matter—as long as he’s still Zhu Yurong.”
At last, Xiao Lingyu felt a weight lift from his chest.
He turned to leave.
“You’re leaving already?” the old ghost stared at him.
“I came for Zhu Yurong. It’s settled, so I’m going back.”
The old ghost glared at him. “Chu Mingwei hid something this big from you, and you’re just going back like nothing happened?”
Xiao Lingyu raised a brow. “He did it for me. What else should I do?”
“Run away from home, obviously!”
“I already left him a message. He knows I’m here.”
“Who said you’re staying here?” the old ghost said eagerly. “Let’s both run away—teach them a lesson!”
Xiao Lingyu looked at him thoughtfully. “How long have you been locked up?”
The old ghost’s face fell.
After a moment, Xiao Lingyu sighed, tore open space again, and asked, “Coming or not?”
The old ghost brightened instantly and jumped in without hesitation.
Xiao Lingyu followed, carrying Zhu Yurong.
Moments after they left, Qingming arrived with Chu Mingwei.
Seeing the empty courtyard, Qingming’s expression darkened.
Chu Mingwei searched frantically, his spiritual sense sweeping everywhere—but found nothing. His face grew dim.
He had expected anger.
But not silence.
Not disappearance.
His heart clenched.
Was Lingyu truly angry?
Where had he gone?
Qingming, however, realized the truth at once—the old ghost had left with Xiao Lingyu through the void.
Thinking of the old ghost’s fragile body, his expression turned stormy. He shot Chu Mingwei an irritated look—but seeing his sorrow, felt a trace of sympathy.
The two exchanged a glance and tore open space to follow.
Near the Yun Tian Sect market, the old ghost clung weakly to a tree.
“Little Yu… I’m never traveling through the void with you again…”
Xiao Lingyu looked apologetic. “I didn’t know you’d react like this. My senior brother never has issues.”
The old ghost snapped, “That’s because you’re bad at it!”
“…Fine. I’m bad. Want me to send you back?”
“No!” He straightened instantly. “I just got out—I’m not going back until I’ve had my fun!”
Xiao Lingyu rolled his eyes—
Then suddenly, a crushing pressure descended.
“Who’s there?” Xiao Lingyu’s expression changed as he stepped in front of the old ghost.
A soft, eerie voice rang out.
“I didn’t expect to find two such beauties here…”
The pressure faded.
Xiao Lingyu’s heart sank.
A man in his thirties approached—handsome, yet unsettling.
Quan Wanjie.
The same Nascent Soul cultivator who had tortured Wen Shaohua to death in his previous life.
Xiao Lingyu’s eyes hardened with disgust.
“You recognize me?” Quan Wanjie smiled.
“This is Yun Tian Sect territory. Why are you here?”
“Trying to use Yun Tian Sect to pressure me?” he chuckled.
He ignored Xiao Lingyu and looked past him.
“I prefer younger ones,” he said casually, “but you’re quite to my taste. Even if you’re older, I’ll make do.”
The old ghost’s face turned black.
Xiao Lingyu nearly laughed despite the danger.
Taking a breath, he said firmly, “I am Xiao Lingyu of Yun Tian Sect.”
“I know,” Quan Wanjie interrupted. “And your Dao partner is Chu Mingwei, at the peak of Nascent Soul… right, Xiao Xuan?”
A figure stepped out.
Xu Xuan.
Xiao Lingyu froze.
Why was he here?
Xu Xuan’s face twisted with hatred.
Quan Wanjie pulled him close, slipping a hand into his robes.
“Thanks to him, I didn’t miss you two beauties.”
Xu Xuan smiled maliciously.
Why are you always better? Why does everyone love you? Why does Chu Mingwei cherish you, while I was used and discarded?
His eyes burned with resentment.
Xiao Lingyu’s heart sank.
Without hesitation, he struck.
The Water Moon Wheel expanded, slashing forward—
“Seal!”
At the same time, he tore open a spatial rift and grabbed the old ghost.
Just as they were about to escape—
Quan Wanjie laughed.
Black energy surged forward.
Xiao Lingyu’s pupils shrank. “Void—!”
A figure suddenly appeared in front of him, blocking the attack.
Xiao Lingyu’s eyes widened.
How could it be him?!