Dead Leaf

Perhaps it was due to their long separation, or perhaps Ji Qingxue was simply too different, but the two of them stayed together for a few more days.

Both the good and evil thoughts were subdued by Ji Qingxue; she felt herself getting closer to the Dao of a Saint.

"How could you be a Saint?"

Ji Qingxue lay half-reclined in his embrace, her eyes shyly gazing at the scoundrel who made her unable to resist.

Although she didn't care for carnal indulgence, if she could spend time with her beloved in her leisure, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

Xiao Fan pinched her cheek, which was delicate, fair, soft, and flawless, more gentle and captivating than fine jade.

"Why can't I be a Saint?"

"You don't have some twisted sense of humor, deliberately pretending to be a weakling to bully me, do you?" Ji Qingxue teased slightly.

"Ah, you guessed it right."

"Alas, when I'm bored, I always need to find some fun."

Ji Qingxue was startled by his words, her originally smiling face suddenly stiffening.

Her jade hand beneath her sleeve clenched into a fist, and she said in a weak voice, "Were you just playing around?"

Seeing her nervous expression, Xiao Fan found it a bit amusing.

Heh, who was it that said at the beginning that the physical body was merely a Soul shell, and even acted as if she was forced?

"You said it, the physical body is just a Soul shell; how can a cultivator be bound by shackles?"

Ji Qingxue's beautiful eyes were misty, and she timidly said, "But, I didn't expect you to be so captivating,"

Xiao Fan used one hand to lift her warm, fair chin, saying with a half-smile, "So, are you confessing your feelings to me?"

Ji Qingxue lightly bit her red lip and affirmed, "So what if I am?"

Xiao Fan looked at her serious expression and only felt that this fellow was quite stubborn.

He leaned down, and Ji Qingxue seemed to realize something.

She slowly closed her beautiful eyes, her slightly pouted red lips inviting him to pluck them, and her soft, tender jade hands hooked tightly around his neck like willow branches.

Mmm-hmm~

After a long while, Ji Qingxue looked at Xiao Fan, her face flushed, her beautiful eyes filled with tenderness.

Xiao Fan embraced her, gently stroking her smooth, dark hair.

"One Saint per era; it's probably not your turn this era."

"But I promise, there will definitely be a place for you among the Saintly Positions."

Ji Qingxue thought he was going to say something else, but it turned out to be this.

"A Saint is inherently the highest Dominator in the world; it's normal even if one doesn't achieve it. You speak as if I can become a Saint."

"Haha, if I say you can become a Saint, then you can become a Saint."

Xiao Fan said confidently.

He planned to arrange for Yu Yue to become a Saint in this era.

Xin Xi and Yu Yue had waited and accompanied him the longest, so they deserved Xiao Fan's favoritism.

Of course, besides Xin Xi and Yu Yue, he would not fail those women with whom he had a romantic connection.

It was merely a matter of sequence.

Of course, Xiao Fan would not directly tell Qingxue about this issue.

Ji Qingxue also just took it as him joking.

Because Xiao Fan's tone of voice made it sound as if the Saintly Position was something his family owned.

Ji Qingxue didn't expose him; what if he really could do it?

Time within the Chronospace Codex passed in millennia within an instant compared to the outside.

When the two emerged from the Chronospace Codex, only a moment had passed in the outside world.

Xiao Fang saw Xiao Fan come out and joyfully threw herself into his embrace.

At the same time, Xiao Fang also greeted Ji Qingxue warmly.

Perhaps it was because she had seen many women around Xiao Fan that Xiao Fang didn't find it strange at all.

Ji Qingxue, however, looked at the little one with some surprise, her eyes fixed on Xiao Fan as if asking: Whose child is this that you had with another woman?!

Xiao Fan pretended not to see, and the three departed.

Finding a populated place to stay for a few days would also allow Xiao Fang and Ji Qingxue to get to know each other better.

...

...

While Xiao Fan was traveling around.

The world began to change color.

The green leaves on the Source Divine Tree, except for a few still tender green ones on the main trunk, all withered, decayed, and fell.

These scattered withered leaves, when green, possessed the divinity of the Divine Tree.

But after their decay, their divinity gradually weakened, giving birth to traces of evil Death Qi specters.

This was an era of the Divine Tree; during its prosperity, it nourished all living beings.

After its decline, it would bring disaster to all living beings.

The saying "fortune lurks within misfortune" was fully evident.

The specters born from the withered leaves were pure beings of the world, closer to the essence of the Divine Tree than all other living beings.

If they did not want to be absorbed by the Divine Tree as nutrients in the next era, they had to kill all living beings in the world.

Making them serve as nutrients for the Divine Tree.

This was a war concerning survival; only the surviving races were worthy of entering the next era.

The already depleted blessings of the Divine Tree caused the universe to contract, and now the race of withered leaf specters had joined in.

The era of all living beings withering away had arrived.

...

...

In the Big Dipper Star Domain, Li Realm Immortal Heaven.

This was an Immortal Realm, nurturing many living beings.

The fertile land was rich and abundant, and Immortal Qi permeated the air, once a paradise for countless people.

Not long ago, the Celestial Spring Immortal Eye, located at the center of the Immortal Realm, stopped exhaling Immortal Qi, and its exit closed.

This was the source of Immortal Qi supplying Li Realm Immortal Heaven, and its closure would lead the entire world to decay.

And so, the world's turmoil began.

Countless forces started fighting fiercely to seize the only remaining Immortal Veins and Immortal Stones in the world.

The price of Immortal Plants in the medicinal fields skyrocketed; even the most common Human Immortal Plant became more than a hundred times more expensive than before and was still in short supply.

Many people felt that this world had gone mad.

Just as the world was confused and perplexed, the largest force in Li Realm Immortal Heaven—the Li Tian Divine Hall—closed its gates overnight, no longer open to outsiders.

Nor did it accept new Disciples.

While everyone was bewildered, countless specters of Death Qi and decay descended from outside the heavens.

Like passing locusts, they devoured all living beings without question; death was the only thing they brought to this world.

People finally realized why the Li Tian Divine Hall had closed; it turned out they had known about the impending disaster long ago.

The specters devoured all living beings, consuming them completely.

Then they quickly rushed to the next battlefield, continuing to devour.

Devouring all living beings to grow stronger, strong enough to escape the killing intent of this era.

The Disciples and Elders in the Li Tian Divine Hall watched everything happening outside, remaining silent.

A Disciple with a compassionate heart said, "Revered Master, why don't we save them?"

"Even if we don't intervene, couldn't we at least warn them to hide?"

The person who answered said indifferently, "If those specters from beyond the heavens don't eat their fill, they will turn their scythes on us, do you understand?"

"Someone always has to die; better a Fellow Daoist die than me."

"You only need to do your part and not interfere with others' Karma, otherwise, their Karma will be transferred to you."

He nodded, half-understanding.

There was no right or wrong, only life and death.