White Robe Returns

High above the sky, Ye Qishuang stood poised and unshaken, her right hand casually toying with a small object. Qin Gou, despite his cultivation, couldn’t discern what it was, though he could easily guess—it was Ye Qishuang’s life-bound spiritual tool, the Dice of Fate Manipulation.

This unique spiritual tool governed fortune itself. As long as she didn’t roll a total of nine or higher, Ye Qishuang’s strength would remain unparalleled.

With calm confidence, Ye Qishuang tossed the two dice into the air. Catching them effortlessly, she opened her palm to reveal a roll of six—two threes.

“Not bad,” Ye Qishuang murmured, her brows slightly furrowed. In an instant, her aura surged like a raging tide. With a single punch, the sky roared, and the massive black cloud of skeletons was obliterated. Thousands of bone fragments were reduced to dust, swept away like trash by an invisible hand.

The once-darkened sky was now clear and bright, the sun shining down on the Mystic Maiden Palace.

The old man wearing a half-skull mask was left exposed, nowhere to hide.

“As expected of the Palace Master,” the Nine Hells Old Ghost muttered, a mix of anger and fear flashing in his eyes. “To shatter my Bone Cloud in an instant… What terrifying power.”

“So, what’s next?” Ye Qishuang asked, her bright eyes sparkling with amusement. “Do you want to die, or do you not want to live?”

“What’s the meaning of this, Palace Master? Are you planning to take this seriously? Didn’t we agree to keep it light?” the Nine Hells Old Ghost said coldly.

“Ah, I was just saying things. Don’t take everything I say so seriously. Just treat it as cosmic truth if you like,” Ye Qishuang replied with a playful smile, tossing the dice again. This time, they rolled a seven.

The Nine Hells Old Ghost’s eyes flickered, and he shot higher into the sky.

Ye Qishuang’s sleeve unfurled, releasing the Rebirth Tower, which rose into the air as she pursued him relentlessly.

—

From the ground, the onlookers could no longer see the two combatants. Only occasional flashes of light and faint thunderous sounds hinted at the battle above.

—

Half an hour later.

Ye Qishuang descended gracefully, as pristine as before. Her clothes were spotless, her hair unruffled, and her demeanor calm.

“The Nine Hells Lord and I had a friendly discussion. The matter is resolved. Little Box, Little Chair, deactivate the Mountain Guarding Formation,” Ye Qishuang said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear with casual elegance.

“Yes, Palace Master,” Gu Caihe and Yi Chengying replied in unison, dispelling the invisible barrier.

—

Ye Qishuang’s voice carried across the entire Mystic Maiden Palace. “The ownership of the Falling Immortal Forest has long been a point of contention between our Mystic Maiden Palace and the Nine Hells Manor. This dispute has led to numerous conflicts and bloodshed between our disciples. The Nine Hells Lord’s aggressive visit was about this matter. After a thorough discussion, we’ve devised an efficient solution.”

Her tone turned serious as she continued, “As both of us are Avatar Realm cultivators, a full-scale conflict would result in widespread devastation and give those so-called righteous sects an opportunity to benefit. Therefore, we’ve decided to keep the matter small. Each side will send ten disciples—eight main participants and two substitutes—with strict age limits of no more than fifty years. The outcome of their battle will determine the rightful owner of the Falling Immortal Forest.”

“I will personally select the ten disciples for our side. Little Chair and Little Box will verify their physical ages. The battle will take place in three days. Those who participate and win will be rewarded with twelve hours of Rebirth Tower time and a personal cleansing and refinement session by me.”

Her gaze swept across the crowd, her icy eyes commanding silence. “The first participant: Fu Yan.”

“Me? Palace Master, are you sure I’m up to it?” Fu Yan, still kneeling with tear-streaked cheeks, looked up in disbelief.

Ye Qishuang’s calm gaze met hers. “You were born with great fortune and extraordinary luck. You may surprise us.”

Yi Chengying, exasperated by Fu Yan’s lack of confidence, lightly smacked her on the head. “Thank the Palace Master already!”

“Ah, thank you, Palace Master, for believing in me!” Fu Yan quickly bowed, clutching her head.

Ye Qishuang continued listing names before her gaze fell on Qin Gou, standing quietly in the crowd.

Qin Gou’s heart skipped a beat as Ye Qishuang’s melodious voice rang out. “And you, Qin Gou. You reached the twenty-third level of the Rebirth Tower. I’ll make an exception and let you join as a substitute.”

Qin Gou’s expression remained unreadable, his calm eyes betraying no emotion.

Ye Qishuang chuckled, pressing her fingers to her forehead. “Ah, I must still be rattled from dealing with that Nine Hells fool. Your name is Qin Yue, isn’t it? Who’s Qin Gou? Do we even have someone by that name in the palace?”

The crowd laughed politely, assuming the Palace Master was lightening the mood. Qin Gou nodded slightly, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

—

Yi Chengying was tasked with verifying Qin Gou’s physical age. Nervously, she placed her hand on his shoulder, channeling her spiritual energy with extreme caution, terrified of offending the “old ancestor” before her.

“What?!” Yi Chengying gasped, her voice trembling. She locked eyes with Qin Gou, whose gaze carried a silent warning. Swallowing her panic, she quickly lowered her head, her face filled with grievance.

“What’s wrong, Little Chair?” Ye Qishuang asked, her tone curious.

“Nothing,” Yi Chengying replied with a forced smile. “I was just surprised. This male disciple is so young yet already at the Hidden Artifact Realm. His future is limitless.”

She wasn’t lying. The spiritual test confirmed that Qin Gou met the age requirement of under fifty. However, the actual result was shocking—zero.

He hadn’t even been alive for a full year, like a newborn baby.

—

Meanwhile, the Nine Hells Old Ghost approached a veiled woman in white. “Ye Qishuang fell for my trick. The rest is up to you.”

“Tch,” the white-robed woman scoffed, her tone arrogant. “Don’t make it sound grand. I’m just dealing with a bunch of weaklings barely my age but far beneath me in cultivation. Let’s be clear—once this is done, your Nine Hells Manor’s second daughter will serve me for at least a year. No backing out.”

“Of course,” the Nine Hells Old Ghost replied. “But the Mystic Maiden Palace is Ye Qishuang’s domain. Are you sure you—”

“Enough,” the white-robed woman interrupted, cutting off an Avatar Realm cultivator without hesitation. Her laugh was as clear as a song, her voice dripping with disdain. “I’ve never liked her. She’s just good at massages and flattery. Always sucking up to him. It’s sickening.”