"You're helping me?" Ye Jiuyou laughed dismissively, "Since you know what I'm doing is an evil deed I must conceal from you, and yet you say you'll help me?"

"Since you're targeting Bodhisattva and Snow Eagle, there's no real issue with the target; at most, the means might not be good... If I get involved, maybe you won't need to choose unpleasant methods, and you can still achieve your desired outcome."

"Why should I bother to change all of my plans to fit your ridiculous sense of justice?"

"Because you still need us to deal with Ye Wuming together... wouldn't it be better to improve our cooperative relationship?" Zhao Changhe sighed, "Besides, I think you might have overlooked something..."

"What?"

"If I want to stop you, maybe you didn't care much before, but now with Piaomiao helping me... Piaomiao's strength can interfere with you to the point of giving you a headache; are you sure you don't want to cooperate with us?"

Ye Jiuyou jumped up, "Did I arrange for you to make trouble for me? Zhao Changhe, you and Piaomiao, this shameless pair! Do you have any dignity left?"

Piaomiao stood quietly beside Zhao Changhe without answering, leaving all the decision-making to Zhao Changhe.

Zhao Changhe said, "What are you talking about? We're really grateful to you; isn't this to actively help you?"

"You're not helping me; you're trying to stop me from doing what you see as evil."

"You can understand it that way..." Zhao Changhe paused, his voice softening slightly, "Or you can think that I don't want you to do things that I don't want to see, which would damage our relationship."

Ye Jiuyou's expression shifted slightly, then he sneered, "Let's not even mention that the things I've done in this epoch were just stopped by you... In the last epoch, the bloodshed in my hands exceeded the limits of your imagination."

Zhao Changhe answered calmly, "But that's something I haven't witnessed.'

Ye Jiuyou fell silent, rubbing his chin as he pondered for a while, whatever he thought seemed to bring a smile back to his face. Nonetheless, he asked, "You seek the Jiuyou Abyss to create a body for Piaomiao; this so-called helping me is merely to prevent me from committing evil. Don't you think this so-called deal is quite shameless?"

Zhao Changhe said, "There will be a time when you'll find it worthwhile. If not, consider that I owe you a favor, and you'll find use for it."

"I appreciate your confidence." Ye Jiuyou smiled, "But you know, you can't just enter my stronghold at will."

"Is it because it hides many of your secrets? You can isolate all my perception; I'll only go to the place with the densest sense of life and death, and won't overstep."

"Not entirely." Ye Jiuyou stretched lazily, "The environment there is different from the outside. Most who enter can't handle it and go mad or get lost in the chaotic nether regions. If you choose to cut off your perception and die in there, I'm not responsible, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Just take me directly to where I can operate... I don't want to wander aimlessly and accidentally stumble somewhere I shouldn't."

"Very well, remember to fulfill your promise when you return." Ye Jiuyou stood up, "Shall we go now?"

"Let me take Yangyang back to the Capital first, my father-in-law is waiting anxiously... This matter isn't suitable for her to be involved further, it's too dangerous." Zhao Changhe turned, cupping Cui Yuanyang's face, "As previously discussed, go find Wanzhuang when you get back and let her arrange a position at the Demon Suppression Department for you to gain experience."

Cui Yuanyang didn't look pleased and whispered, "Listening to your conversation, it feels odd... Are you going to do something dangerous again?"

"Involving these Demon Gods, there's nothing safe... Strive to do it, and someday peace will come, wait for me in the Capital."

Cui Yuanyang glared at Ye Jiuyou. Deep down, everyone knew that whether it was Zhao Changhe's dangerous tasks or the troubles caused by Piaomiao's unexpected revival, the instigator was Ye Jiuyou. She wasn't a benevolent ally; she had many schemes, inherently she was a villain, and Zhao Changhe was constantly trying to navigate a treacherous path to some greater goal.

But there was no choice but to proceed this way because she was strong and utterly without scruples, and at any whim, she might cause chaos and death across the Divine Continent. Such a person can't be directly confronted; you can only proceed cautiously.

"I won't leave." Cui Yuanyang said earnestly, "Piaomiao is merged with me, creating her body might require my presence; I'll leave after this is done. I've reached the Imperial Realm; I won't just hold everyone back now."

Zhao Changhe ruffled her hair, "Alright, then we'll go together."

Ye Jiuyou looked at them a little displeased, shading her eyes with a curled lip, dark lightning subtly forming in her hand, "Go ahead, let's see if your confidence can always achieve success."

Darkness enveloped the space, and with a twist, the stars shifted.

Zhao Changhe staggered a step, holding Piaomiao's and Cui Yuanyang's hands, realizing they had completely shifted to another world.

All around was utter darkness, not a speck of light, so much so that you couldn't see Piaomiao's and Cui Yuanyang's faces even though they were holding hands. Perception didn't need to be isolated because it couldn't extend outwards in the first place, as if the surrounding darkness couldn't transmit mental perception at all.

Unsure of where they were, uncertain of the expanse, unsure if a step forward would lead to a deadly fall, this complete blindness would drive any cultivator, who was usually incredibly sensitive, to madness.

Not only was there no light, but also no wind, no signs of life, everything was still.

And it was intensely cold, a deathly chill.