“Husband, it’s all my fault for being so useless, unable to help you.” Wan Ling appeared aggrieved and terrified. “If something happens to you, what will I do?”

“Senior Sister, let’s not talk about that for now.” Lei Dong chuckled, taking out the Half Chaos Heart that shone brilliantly, exuding a powerful and mysterious aura. “Look what I have here.”

“The Chaos Heart.” Wan Ling’s eyes brightened slightly. “Husband, you are truly amazing.”

“Half a Chaos Heart probably won’t be enough for you to step into the Sovereign Realm,” Lei Dong said with a faint smile. “In a moment, I will refine the other half from within my own body and combine it into one for you. I believe that once you reach the Sovereign Realm, whatever root cause your old injury has can be completely resolved.”

“No, this half is enough to extend my life,” Wan Ling said, seeming to genuinely believe she was Ding Wanyan, speaking with true sincerity. “I don’t ask to step into the Sovereign Realm or anything; I only wish for everyone to be safe. Moreover, that half has already merged with your life essence; refining it out will bring you endless pain. And your strength will be severely weakened.”

Lei Dong was startled, wondering if that bastard, the Azure Dragon Emperor, had tried some scheme of sowing discord before dying. That was indeed the case; the Azure Dragon Emperor’s dying rant had affected him to some degree. It was impossible for it to have had no effect at all. Thus, Lei Dong decided to be cautious again, lest he actually fall for Wan Ling’s trick and end up in a place of no return.

Unexpectedly, his suspicion seemed to be misplaced. If she were truly Wan Ling and not Wanyan, she would never refuse the remaining half of the Chaos Heart out of concern for him.

Immediately, Lei Dong sincerely held her close and whispered, “Senior Sister, what is a little pain? As long as your injuries heal and you achieve the Sovereign Realm without any hidden dangers, that’s all that matters. As for weakened strength, that matters even less; the great enemies have all been eliminated now, and no one can harm me. Besides, Senior Sister, have you forgotten? When we were both very young, you were always the one protecting me. Once you become a Sovereign, you can continue to protect me.”

“Lei Dong.” A hint of tears shimmered at the corners of Wan Ling’s eyes. But she still shook her head and refused. “No, I cannot let you suffer that much pain. If possible, I would rather you swallow the complete Chaos Heart and become a Sovereign before saving me. The Chaos Heart was hard-won by you; it is your most precious possession.”

“Silly girl, between you and me, what is there to distinguish between what is yours and what is mine?” Lei Dong became even more convinced that she was the real Wanyan; only his foolish Senior Sister would always consider him first in everything.

“Silly fool, silly fool.” Tantai Bingyun, sealed in the small space, couldn't help but curse in exasperation as she watched this scene. “Lei Dong, you silly fool! You’ve had so many women, yet you can still be tricked by Wan Ling’s sweet talk. Wanyan, doesn't that infuriate you?”

Beside her sat Ding Wanyan, her expression sorrowful yet already numb. The two were confined in the same small space, able to hear and see what was happening outside, but absolutely unable to communicate with the outside world.

Tears were also streaming down Ding Wanyan’s face as she held a delicate, exquisitely carved little girl’s hand, her devoted eyes fixed tightly on Lei Dong outside. She didn't blame Lei Dong; on the contrary, she was deeply moved. She believed that it was precisely because her junior brother loved her so deeply that he was willing to do anything, even be so thoroughly deceived by Wan Ling. In any other matter, given her junior brother’s astuteness and caution, he would never have fallen for such a trick.

“Mama, is that Daddy?” The little girl stared at the man outside with wide, curious eyes. “Daddy is so bad, hugging that bad woman outside.”

“Nuan’er, you don’t understand. Daddy was deceived because he loved Mama too much,” Ding Wanyan crouched down, gently stroking her daughter’s cheek. Her daughter had been born a long time ago, but due to the different time laws here, coupled with the immense power of her own life essence, she grew very slowly. Several thousand years outside equated to only a few hundred years here, and she had only grown this small.

It would probably take at least a thousand years for her to reach adulthood, much like the offspring of some divine beasts. It was only thanks to her daughter’s company that Ding Wanyan had a spiritual anchor to endure this time. Her daughter’s journey to birth had been quite arduous, too.

Speaking of which, she had become pregnant with her in the Chaotic Strange Space. She hadn’t expected that after being sealed by time for ten thousand years, the moment she woke up, she would be imprisoned in this small space. Several thousand years had passed outside, but only a few hundred here. However, observing the outside world from within this space, the rate seemed the same, with no acceleration, clearly indicating that it was a formation deliberately set up by the Mother of Wan Ling to let them watch clearly, satisfying her twisted psychology.

“Hmph, what a shameful fellow.” Tantai Bingyun, seeing Lei Dong shamelessly preparing to kiss Wan Ling, stamped her foot with a flushed face and covered little Lei Nuan’er’s eyes. “Nuan’er is still young; she can’t see this.”

“Bingyun, if you have the spare energy to criticize, you’d better quickly think of a way to get out and remind Husband. He is both my husband and yours,” Ding Wanyan sighed softly. “Didn't you inherit the legacy of the Azure Wave Fairy? Think about it—is there any special secret technique or the like?”

“She is a Supreme Being; what way could I possibly have…” Tantai Bingyun replied helplessly, but then her eyes lit up. “Wait! When my master sealed herself in the Azure Wave Illusory Realm, she held great resentment toward Wan Ling, so she spent her days figuring out how to deal with her. That’s why she inscribed the Zhou Tian Lian Xi Jue onto a Legacy Jade Talisman, designed some ingenious arrangements, placed them in the Blessed Origin Land, and waited for a destined person. Back then, I found the Legacy Talisman for the Zhou Tian Lian Xi Jue there—I used one for myself and gave one to Lei Dong. Later, I also happened to enter the Azure Wave Illusory Realm to cultivate, only then realizing the relationship between the Zhou Tian Lian Xi Jue and the realm. By relying on this, I evaded countless illusionary beasts and ultimately obtained my master’s true inheritance.”

“Stop wasting time with nonsense. If you don’t remember something soon, Husband might be taken advantage of by this woman,” Ding Wanyan said with a bitter smile.

“Wanyan, I don’t want to either,” Tantai Bingyun said helplessly. “My master’s legacy is vast, and there are many things that are merely her speculative countermeasures against Wan Ling’s various methods, which haven’t been organized or practiced; it’s very messy. If I can’t organize it clearly in my mind, I might not recall it.”

“It’s over, it’s over. Lei Dong is being taken advantage of,” Tantai Bingyun watched as Lei Dong actually pressed his lips to Wan Ling’s, and immediately, her heart ached as if cut by a knife. Unlike Wanyan’s broad-mindedness, she was fiercely possessive.

“Hurry up and think! Wait until he’s actually violated, and then see how you’ll feel the heartache,” Ding Wanyan said. She knew that although Bingyun appeared detached and indifferent, she was actually a complete vinegar jar. If it weren’t completely impossible, she would have wished to monopolize Lei Dong herself. This was also why she had always disliked being with the others all these years.

She couldn’t help but prod her.

As expected, after being spurred by the jab, Tantai Bingyun suddenly had an inspiration. “I remember! My master seemed to have a way to counter Wan Ling’s spatial magic. It requires using the Zhou Tian Lian Xi Jue in conjunction with the Azure Wave Illusory Art. However, Master only theorized about it; she never tested it. Never mind that, I’ll try it!”

...

After kissing Wan Ling, Lei Dong suddenly raised his head, sensing something was amiss. He placed a hand on Wan Ling’s abdomen, feeling the movement of the child within. There was virtually no change compared to thousands of years ago.

Immediately, a jolt went through his entire body. Impossible! When he had made Wanyan pregnant, their cultivation levels were still low. She hadn't conceived when they were Supreme Beings. Even if the child’s life essence was heaven-defying, it couldn't be so monstrously slow. Thousands of years, and not the slightest bit of growth?

In that case…

Just as Lei Dong was filled with shock and about to speak, he failed to notice that the expression of his beloved wife’s “Wanyan” had already changed—becoming somber and cold, laced with a hint of madness. Her slender jade-like hand slapped directly onto Lei Dong’s chest.

This blow shook even a Supreme Being as powerful as Lei Dong; his internal organs felt as if the heavens and earth were collapsing and churning. Even his soul suffered a violent tremor.

As he was overwhelmed with horror and prepared to condense his Chaos True Essence to counterattack, a wondrous divine soul restraint wrapped around his own soul, locking it tightly and rendering his spirit immobile.

Once the soul was locked, his entire body stiffened. The techniques of the Mother of Wan Ling were indeed not to be underestimated; after all, she was not a simple entity, but a super-expert who had passed through two cycles of great calamity. While not a Sovereign, she possessed numerous methods.

“You tricked me!” Lei Dong stared at her, watching as her face transformed from Wanyan’s into one that was both familiar and strange.

“Heh heh, I am very sorry, Lei Dong.” Wan Ling restored her true form and her own personality. Her gaze fixed deeply on his face, filled with resentment, anger, hatred, and obsession, yet inescapably laced with a thread of tender affection.

A person’s experiences and memories influence an entity’s way of thinking and emotions. If the Mother of Wan Ling had not experienced the unspeakable grief when her children suffered the world’s great tribulation, she would not have developed a twisted and unscrupulous personality. This was how experience and memory had twisted her character.

However, to perfectly deceive Lei Dong, she had thoroughly integrated Ding Wanyan’s entire life into her own being. That feeling was as if she had truly lived Ding Wanyan’s life—from meeting and coming to know Lei Dong, to loving each other deeply, to sharing their lives. Moreover, she was irresistibly influenced by the experiences and personality of Ding Wanyan’s lifetime.

Even though she had tried her best to separate the two personalities, how could they not overlap and influence each other, given that they shared the exact same memories and experiences?

...(To be continued)