Li Qingxue raised her hand. The simple gesture silenced everyone at once.


    "Enough," she said calmly. "This is nothing but mortal gossip. Those who seek immortality should not be affected by such petty stories."


    "But it will damage your reputation," one of her friends insisted, her brows tightly knit.


    Li Qingxue shook her head. "As long as my heart is pure, I don''t care what others say."


    She turned her gaze toward a junior disciple standing nearby.


    “Junior,” she said evenly, "go and warn the Outer Disciples. Tell them to stop spreading rumors immediately. I will never tolerate fabricated stories. They are to stop disturbing mortals and focus on their cultivation."


    "Yes, Senior," the junior replied without hesitation. He bowed deeply, then turned and left at once.


    Those who truly knew Li Qingxue understood her well.


    She wanted nothing except cultivation. Cold. Detached. Untouchable.


    She had never shown interest in mortal affairs, nor in anyone beneath the heavens.


    Yet when the warning reached Murong Yue and the others, it had the opposite effect.


    Instead of calming down, they became convinced the rumors were true—that Li Qingxue was personally protecting Bai Xiaochun.


    In their minds, it could only mean one thing: the two of them were hiding something they didn''t want anyone to see.


    The gossip didn''t fade.


    It exploded.


    Back in Qingshui City, Alex was enjoying himself for the first time in a very long while.


    He was still confined to bed, recovering, but the best part was the silence.


    No one was harassing him. No one was scheming around his bedside.


    Zhuge Liang was smart. More importantly, he had the people''s support. His only weakness against Bai Xi had always been money.


    Bai Xi was ambitious, but hecked intelligence. What he did have was wealth—and wealthy allies.


    Now that Alex had handed Zhuge Liang the funds, the bnce had shifted.


    Zhuge Liang finally had ammunition.


    Enough to fight Bai Xi head-on, on equal ground.


    For at least a year, nothing would happen to Alex.


    And for now, that was enough.


    Alexy on the bed, therge wooden window thrown wide open. Cool air drifted in as he stared up at the sky.


    It had been far too long since he had lived like this.


    Free.


    With nothing he needed to do.


    He realized he wanted this kind of life.


    Slow. Empty. Quiet.


    Nothing to do.


    From a young age, he had already lost his parents. Not long after, he was taken in by his master-and that marked the beginning of the worst years of his life.


    Training without pause. Day into night. Night into day. No rest. No mercy.


    His master had a single goal: to forge a disciple capable of healing any disease or sickness and powerful enough to fight the old King of Estoria.


    By the time Alex turned eighteen, he had already done it.


    He fought the old king—and won.


    The following two years were even worse in a different way.


    He was surrounded by teachers, one after another, drilling him in how to be a "proper" king.


    Politics. Economics. Strategy. Public behavior. Even how to perform in front of others-how to speak, how to stand, how to smile.


    He learned to wear masks.


    Different personas for different rooms.


    In front of ministers, he wasmanding and sharp. In the pce, he was calm, charismatic, untouchable. Every expression was calcted. Every word measured.


    The only time he was ever himself was when he escaped all of it-when he ran away to find Sophia and marry her.


    But even then, he already carried a terrifying reputation. The God''s Hand. A symbol of overwhelming power.


    So the mask never truly came off.


    He kept pretending. Kept acting. Kept bing someone he was expected to be.


    It was exhausting.


    Now, he had lost everything.


    His power. His identity. Even his face-wearing Bai Xiaochun''s appearance like a borrowed skin.


    And for the first time, he didn''t want to be anyone else.


    He just wanted to be himself.


    He wanted to rot on the bed and do absolutely nothing.


    A slow life.


    Wake up. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.


    Every day felt like heaven.


    No one recognized him. No one asked him to cure the sick. No one held him responsible for anyone''s life. No one ced a burden on his shoulders. No one wanted to kill him.


    For the first time in his life, he waspletely free.


    "Ah... this life really is heaven," Alex murmured.


    A knock sounded at the door.


    "Sir,” a servant called carefully. "Sir Zhuge Liang wishes to see you."


    "Let him in," Alex repliedzily.


    Zhuge Liang entered the room-and froze for half a second.


    Alex was sprawled across the bed in a disgraceful posture. One leg hung out the open window, his head dangled off the edge of the mattress, and one hand waszily scratching his stomach.


    Not a single trace of the former God''s Hand-or the King of Estoria-remained.


    "Why are you here?" Alex asked, his voicezy but sharp. "Wasn''t the money supposed to buy you at least a year to deal with Bai Xi?"


    Zhuge Liang bowed deeply. "I''ve already finished dealing with him. Bai Xi will never be a problem again."


    Alex''s eyes narrowed. "How?"


    "Bai Xi is dead," Zhuge Liang said with a faint smile. "And a dead man can''t fight me. Can he?"


    Alex stared at him. He hadn''t expected Zhuge Liang to move this fast. "How did you


    do it?"


    "Money changes everything," Zhuge Liang replied calmly. "Bai Xi had five wives and twenty concubines. The second wife had been neglected for years No affection. No money ch was aging, desperate to secure something for herter years, but the first wife blocked her at every turn. Bai Xi only rewarded the new women."


    Alex understood immediately. "So you paid her to kill him."


    Zhuge Liang shook his head slightly. "I never named anyone. I only let a rumor spread. Anyone who killed Bai Xi would receive one hundred kilograms of gold."


    Alex exhaled slowly.


    That amount of gold-whether in Estoria or Prussia-was worth around twenty million dors. Enough to buy heaven on earth. Enough to buy betrayal.


    Anyone close to Bai Xi would kill for that price.


    "So," Zhuge Liang continued evenly, "his wives and concubines beganpeting with each other. In the end, the second wife won." His smile deepened. She took the antidote coated her lips with poison, an


    kissed him for thest time."


    “One hundred kilograms of gold," Alex muttered. "That''s an expensive kiss."


    Zhuge Liang smiled faintly. "On the contrary. It was quite affordable."


    "Affordable?"


    "Yes. I did not pay it."


    Alex paused.


    "... You''re telling me you offered twenty million dors and haven''t handed over a


    single coin?"


    Zhuge Liang''s expression remained


    serene. "The second wife is currently


    under investigation for murder. She


    seeded in killing him, but she


    failed to escape. so she never received the money."


    Alex stared at him.


    "You''re horrifying."


    "I prefer ''budget-conscious.""


    Alex looked at Zhuge Liang in silence.


    This man was a monster-not because he was cruel, but because he was terrifyingly intelligent.


    Give him a weapon, and there was almost nothing he couldn''t destroy. "Don''t worry about your position," Alex said atst. "If you want it, you can remain Acting City Lord for the rest of your life. I have no ambition to rule this city."


    He shifted slightly on the bed, his tone firm but indifferent. "As long as my family has enough food and enough money to livefortably, you can keep your seat." "Can I get that agreement in writing?" Zhuge Liang said with a faint smile. “I don''t trust words."


    "Fine,” Alex replied without hesitation. “Draft it yourself. I''ll stamp it with my blood


    seal."


    Only a few minutester, Zhuge Liang walked out of the room, satisfaction written inly across his face.


    Alex understood perfectly. If he had refused to give Zhuge Liang the position, Zhuge Liang might have turned him into the next target.


    In any case, the real Bai Xiaochun was already dead. Zhuge Liang had handled the


    city well, efficiently and ruthlessly. Letting him lead was the correct choice.


    For the next few days, Alex did nothing.


    V?XEN Lucifer was undergoing repairs. It would take at least a month before it was


    fully functional again. Only then could Alex use it to leave Xia Province and head toward Estoria.


    Until that day came, Alex had nothing to do except recover.


    So he stayed in bed.


    For an entire week, hey there, staring at the blue sky through the open window,


    letting his body slowly heal.


    Then-


    A crushing pressure mmed down without warning.


    The air itself seemed to copse.


    Alex felt it instantly. All around the house, servants dropped to the floor. Some


    fainted on the spot. Others lost their grip, tes shattering as they hit the ground.


    A thunderous roar followed, shaking the walls.


    "Bai Xiaochun!" a voice thundered from above the City Lord''s residence. A figure floated in midair—clearly a high-level cultivator.


    "If you''re a man,e out! I am Wu Bu, the Tiger of Wuhan! I heard you are the


    Pure Snow Sword Maiden Li Qingxue''s lover. I''m here to exchange lessons with


    you!"


    The pressure intensified.


    Alex''s chest felt like it was being crushed by a mountain. Compared to Normal


    human of Xia, he was still the weakest someone who had not cultivated since


    birth.


    Blood surged up his throat.


    He vomited violently.


    Then his vision went ck.


    Alex copsed.


    The Tiger of Wuhan hadn''t even lifted a finger, yet Alex had already fainted in


    "If you don''te out," the Tiger''s voice roared again, cold and merciless, "I will destroy this entire ce."