The Emperor, just as he was about to depart, froze upon hearing a sound so heart-mending and refreshing.

Seeing the Emperor’s movement, Zhou Huan finally let the stone in his heart settle, but what he hadn't expected was that the moment the Emperor stopped, the official standing nearby turned, hands clasped behind his back, and slowly started walking toward Zhou Huan.

Instantly, a bead of sweat seemed to break out on Zhou Huan’s forehead; this time, things were truly cold. He figured both his and Shi Bingyuan’s heads wouldn't be spared.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty!”

From the stage, the Emperor waved his hand grandly, and the herald officer strode up to shout: “Master Zhou Huan and his disciple, please wait a moment! His Majesty will return shortly. Do not disperse, and everyone in charge of the various segments, please ensure safety!”

Hearing this, Zhou Huan felt a surge of successful joy mixing with his lingering anger, and Shi Bingyuan, too, felt the stone in his heart finally drop.

Before long, the Emperor seemed to have changed his attire and returned to the viewing stand on the city tower. With a wave of his hand, he signaled for Zhou Huan to continue the performance.

Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan made no physical movements; instead, they sat cross-legged, formed hand seals, circulated their vital Zhenqi throughout their bodies, and projected their abdominal sounds with powerful internal energy. The sound, evocative of the celestial realm, truly captivated everyone present; almost every person was lost in the beauty of this poignant sound. Meanwhile, Zhou Huan articulated his views on life and death, the inevitability of aging, sickness, and decay, and the process of spiritual circulation.

From the day a person is born, the soul within the body directs their daily life and actions. From youth to old age, no one can escape the coming of death. But where do people go after they die? They drift in another unconscious world as that last breath of soul. If one sees their spirit off using the correct methods, that soul has a chance to be reincarnated as a human, or perhaps achieve the long-sought ideal of becoming an immortal, or merely a fantasy.

After delivering these words, Zhou Huan observed that the Emperor showed no sign of displeasure. He then proceeded to demonstrate the unique techniques of his own creation, the Shou Shi Sect, transforming the entire performance stage into a kaleidoscopic environment filled with strange flares of light. Next, Zhou Huan summoned a host of so-called lonely spirits from the underworld. Under the control of Zhou Huan’s Dede (Great Virtue) energy, each of these solitary souls performed their own unique dance.

Of course, Zhou Huan knew ordinary people could not see them. He used a talisman to open the Guiyan (Ghost Eyes) of everyone present. As the audience watched, they were astonished by the depth of Zhou Huan’s memory, finding it incredible.

“Master, how shall we conclude?” Shi Bingyuan asked, gauging that the time was nearly up.

Zhou Huan smiled and said, “Push the performance to its climax, and stop immediately!”

“What? Stopping at that point will surely bring us trouble!”

“Just watch. Trust me!” As Zhou Huan spoke, Shi Bingyuan channeled the entire rain of fire into a fierce downpour, cladding the gathered solitary spirits in ghostly, magnificent robes. With a sudden gesture, the talisman in his hand brought the entire illusion to an abrupt end.

The Emperor on the stage had not yet had his fill, still lost in enjoyment, when Zhou Huan’s action cut it short. Naturally, questions arose.

Before the Emperor could speak, Zhou Huan continued in his resonant abdominal voice: “Life is precisely like this. When one reaches the end of life, it is like an illusion. What you know, what you possess, vanishes in an instant, outside the scope of your control.”

After Zhou Huan finished speaking, the Emperor, who had not spoken formally all night, finally uttered words: “Master Zhou, well said. Servants! Bring brush and ink!”

Indeed, the Emperor personally inscribed a few large characters for Zhou Huan: “Founder of the Shou Shi Sect, Immense Virtue and Profound Merit!” As the Emperor’s brushstroke concluded, the applause led by Heshen erupted throughout the crowd, resounding for a full quarter of an hour.

This time, Zhou Huan finally got his wish. From then on, Heshen never sought out Zhou Huan or his disciple again, but his fame was established. Throughout the world, no one was unaware that he was the founding ancestor of the Shou Shi Sect, and everyone knew of his Immense Virtue and Profound Merit.

“Master, should we start thinking about going back? We’ve toured this Great Qing Dynasty and done all these things; it ought to be over now!” Shi Bingyuan grew anxious.

Zhou Huan, packing their things in the inn, let out a long sigh upon hearing Shi Bingyuan. “We don’t know where Tianxiong is right now. If we are to return, we must first find him. It seems we have resolved Tianlang’s matter. I estimate that the old female ghost who brought us here was the elderly form of Xiaoyun. Now that we have reunited them, this matter should be settled when we return.”

“Master, what about Dongzi and Xiaofang?” Shi Bingyuan’s worry was valid. After all, Dongzi and Xiaofang appeared only after they arrived in this time period; they didn't come with them. This meant they could only ensure the two of them settled down contentedly so that Shi Bingyuan and Zhou Huan could depart with peace of mind.

Zhou Huan merely offered Shi Bingyuan a faint smile, then turned to Dongzi and asked, “How are your feelings for Xiaofang?”

Upon hearing Zhou Huan’s words, Xiaofang’s face instantly flushed crimson, unsure if Zhou Huan was teasing. Hearing this, Dongzi also broke into a sweat: “Master, what do you mean?”

“Shi Bingyuan and I are going far away to attend to a matter, and we don’t know how long it will take to return. Therefore, I want you to take good care of Xiaofang. I hope you have the perseverance to care for her for a lifetime!” After Zhou Huan said this, Dongzi nodded readily, grinning widely.

“Rest assured, Master. I will take excellent care of her. You two go ahead without worry!”

Zhou Huan took out the gold bar Heshen had given him from his satchel and casually handed it to Dongzi. “Take this. This money is enough for you both to live comfortably for a lifetime. Remember to do many good deeds, and refrain from any unreasonable actions that might stir up trouble that’s hard to manage.”

Dongzi and Xiaofang nodded, and the two headed back in the direction they came from, toward where Xiaofang first lived.

Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan, however, returned to the mountain where they had practiced qi earlier, sitting down on the ground to begin meditating.

In Zhou Huan’s mind were scenes from their arrival, while Shi Bingyuan thought of Zhou Huan. Gradually, their auras merged into one. The borrowed bodies from the Great Qing era seemed to solidify. The spiritual energy within the two began to ascend, flying higher and higher, piercing through nine layers of clouds, crossing ten thousand mountains, passing countless palaces and pavilions. Finally, far off, they saw that sea among the mountains, and the mountain within the sea.

During this process, the physical bodies of Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan on the mountain dried up. When they were discovered, out of deep reverence, a temple was built, and their immortal forms were enshrined within it.

In truth, once Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan left this time, they no longer intended to return to the Qing Dynasty. After all, their souls were not native to the Qing period; they were destined to return to the modern era, and the Zangjing Ge (Scripture Depository) of the Baoguang Temple was their inevitable destination.

“Who from the lower realm ascends to heaven?” In the Illusory Void Heaven, an elder with a long, white beard and white hair, holding a long whisk, sat cross-legged beside a pill furnace, asking this question aloud.

Two young Daoist acolytes immediately replied, “The Dharma Assembly in the lower realm has concluded. It seems the victors have arrived in heaven. We do not know their purpose.”

“Oh, I suspect they wish to return!” The speaker was Lao Jun. He slowly rose, his slender body swaying, his whisk gently brushing away the surrounding Daoist energy. “Come, let us welcome their ascent. Those who can reach the Ninth Heaven are fated to have connections with our immortal realm!”

The two young acolytes followed Lao Jun’s steps, treading on azure clouds, heading toward the direction from which Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan had come. Upon seeing Zhou Huan, Lao Jun parted the heavenly clouds with his whisk, his eyes filled with joy as he looked upon the two who had ascended from the lower realm.

“Zhou Huan, you have achieved the results you desired. I truly didn't expect you two had such skill to achieve immediate ascension! I, Lao Jun, am genuinely surprised. I open the green light for you here. Please cherish this opportunity.” Lao Jun’s manner of speaking was indeed that of an enlightened being, his face full of benevolence and peace.

Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan slowly opened their eyes. “Thank you, Lao Jun, for guiding us. Are we entering the immortal realm now? Zhou Huan has one request: I wish to view everything from my past life in the Qing Dynasty, as well as my current life’s karmic ties—why this path, and where is Zhou Huan’s ultimate destination?”

“Heh heh heh! Very well, if you, Zhou Huan, are truly curious, then follow me!” Lao Jun led Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan across the floating clouds at the edge of the celestial expanse, drifting down to the very center of the Doushuai Palace.

“Master, Lao Jun is indeed Lao Jun. He enters and leaves without needing to open or close any doors. Truly formidable!” Shi Bingyuan, for some reason, sounded like someone seeing a grand spectacle for the first time upon reaching heaven, expressing continuous awe.

Zhou Huan smiled. “This is because we are moving through the illusory realm; if our physical bodies were present, we couldn’t enter.”

“Zhou Huan, watch closely!” Lao Jun flicked his whisk, and a large mirror appeared before Zhou Huan. In the mirror, Zhou Huan’s own image suddenly materialized.

“Watch here. After you are done watching, you will return. But one thing: do not cause trouble here!”

“May I ask, Lao Jun, where has my other disciple gone? Could I…?” Zhou Huan still worried about his disciple.

“You need not worry about that. Your disciple is far better off than you; he is currently feasting and enjoying life!” After speaking, Lao Jun turned to leave. “Zhou Huan, listen well: I am going on a journey now. Do not call for me again. Your karmic ties will resolve themselves.”

Zhou Huan watched Lao Jun slowly depart, then turned back to the large mirror before him, his heart filled with an indescribable feeling—neither joy nor anticipation could quite capture it.

The large mirror began to operate, emitting a dazzling radiance that forced Zhou Huan to squeeze his eyes shut. Suddenly, within the mirror, Zhou Huan seemed to hear his own voice discussing the death of Heshen. As he watched further, Zhou Huan became completely bewildered, questioning whether his own fate was destined to be this tragic.