Su Jen's gaze swept slowly across the battlefield—now a ruin of fractured stone, melted ice, and scorched earth.
Her eyes eventually settled on Jiang Chen.
A sigh stirred silently in her heart.
This barren, forgotten region had not been chosen by chance. Hidden deep within the outer fringes of the Sea and Mountain Realm, it was remote, undisturbed by the wars and ambitions of sects and clans.
A perfect place to disappear and heal her injuries.
Once, her cultivation had been enough to shake entire realms. Her name had echoed through both righteous and demonic lands alike.
The injuries she'd sustained in that final battle… were not mere flesh wounds. They had torn into her essence, shattered her spiritual foundation, and left her on the verge of soul collapse.
She had come here to heal her injuries. To vanish from the eyes of enemies and the prying senses of those who once knew her. She had meditated in silence, immersed herself in earth qi, and sealed herself within layers of formations so dense even Nascent Soul cultivators would overlook her presence.
And now, after years of isolation and careful cultivation… her wounds were almost completely mended. Her strength had begun to return—not in full, but enough that even a half step Heavenly Tribulation Realm opponent like Wu Shu was no longer a threat.
Still, she hadn't expected him to appear again.
Nor to be dragged into a petty trap meant to lure Jiang Chen out.
Fate, it seemed, had a twisted sense of humor.
A few days earlier, two cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage had appeared outside her residence. Though she had not recognized their origins, their strength and attire made it clear they were not wandering loose cultivators. Their message was simple:
"If you want to see Jiang Chen alive… cooperate."
At the time, she had assumed he was still at the Core Formation Realm. Yet, when she laid eyes on him again, she discovered—to her faint surprise—that he had already broken through to the Nascent Soul stage.
Even for her, this advancement was rapid. Unnaturally so.
Still, it was for the best. At the very least, before she left this world, she could this karmic tie before leaving.
Back then, she had been cultivating in seclusion within a mountain cave when a severely injured young man had collapsed just outside her array ward. His condition was precarious—his organs were ruptured, his meridians were torn and his soul on the verge of collapse.
She had acted on instinct and saved him.
He was unconscious for five days.
Later, after recovering, he had asked her for some basic guidance. She gave it to him without much thought. Afterward, he joined the Azure Dragon Sect, and though their paths diverged, they remained in contact from time to time.
Her gaze lingered on him now, silent for several breaths.
Finally, she spoke in a flat tone.
"Knowing my identity will bring you more trouble than benefit."
Jiang Chen frowned, but before he could respond, Su Jen's expression shifted.
Her gaze turned toward the north, her brows faintly furrowing. Just now, she had felt a strange sensation—like the prickling of hair standing on end. It was brief, subtle, and elusive, but cultivators trusted such instincts.
Someone had been watching.
And yet… when she spread her divine sense across the region again, she found nothing.
No qi fluctuations or any presence.
She narrowed her eyes slightly. Was it merely an illusion brought about by residual battlefield fluctuations?
Perhaps.
Still, she made a mental note to herself.
Just as she was about to speak again, she turned her attention to the patch of earth where Mei Lin had fallen unconscious earlier.
Her pupils contracted slightly.
The girl was gone.
Whoever had taken her had done so with impeccable control.
Of course, she had no intention of letting that woman—or the accomplices behind her—go unpunished.
They had dared to humiliate her, disrupt her meditation, and even threaten her life with thinly veiled coercion. Though she had endured it without resistance, letting their scheme play out in order to uncover Jiang Chen's whereabouts, that was merely patience—not forgiveness.
She had been recovering in seclusion for decades, her injuries nearly healed after walking the edge of life and death. To be dragged into the affairs of juniors, used as bait, and treated like a powerless pawn—how could such a disgrace be tolerated?
Even if she allowed herself to be led like a captive, it was for one reason alone: to confirm Jiang Chen was truly alive.
Now that her purpose was fulfilled, the balance had shifted.
The debt these people owed her—be it humiliation, insult, or threat—would not be forgotten.
No matter who backed them, no matter what secret arts they possessed… they would all pay the price, sooner or later.
Su Jen's expression remained calm, but her heart grew colder.
While Jiang Chen was still lost in thought—his eyes unfocused and his breath still uneven—Su Jen's voice echoed beside him.
"You needn't concern yourself with Wu Shu. He won't return."
Jiang Chen blinked and turned toward her. "Why?"
Her tone was indifferent. "He knows my cultivation."
She paused for a moment, then added, "The only way he can confront me again is if he brings one or two Divine Transformation Realm experts."
Jiang Chen's heart trembled violently.
Divine Transformation Realm?
That realm stood at the peak of the cultivation world. Within the entire Violet Sea World, there were no confirmed experts of such caliber. At most, they existed in rumors.
To Jiang Chen, that realm was a distant star—visible but unreachable.
Before Jiang Chen could speak again, Su Jen cast him one final glance.
Her gaze was calm—serene, yet unreadable. As if countless thoughts flickered behind those eyes, none of which she intended to share.
Then, without warning, her figure shimmered. A gentle ripple of golden light flowed across her robes like sunlight rippling over still water.
In the very next breath, her presence dissolved into the air. Not a trace remained—not even the faintest ripple of spiritual qi.
It was as if she had never stood there at all.
Only two soft words lingered in the air.
"Take care."