Water dripped around Su Su, each vat housing many small river clams.
She carefully nurtured them, diligently changing their water. On fine days, she would wipe each clam's shell and take them out to bask in the sunshine.
The river clams opened and closed their mouths, still lacking awakened intelligence. For three years she had been collecting remnant souls, providing sanctuary for all the scattered spirits that hadn't completely vanished from that time.
Without the Water Stabilizing Seal and the protection of gods, it was difficult for the Clam Tribe to recover to their former state.
Over these years, she had traveled across mountains and rivers with Shao Ju, yet still found no way to revive her Father King. The King of the Clams' soul had dispersed, untraceable. The young master of the Clam Tribe, Sang You, had disappeared without any news. The newly cultivated river clams remained ignorant, still unenlightened sprites.
Looking at them, Su Su couldn't help but smile.
As long as there was still hope, that was always good.
In her spare time, she would seek out places with clear waters and beautiful mountains, gradually purifying the water quality. Having lost her Spirit Marrow, her Spiritual Power had remained stagnant for a hundred years, unable to advance even half a step.
Few in the world knew that the Conch Princess had been born a genius. Since birth, she possessed the ability to purify rivers. After three years of effort, she had finally temporarily cleansed one river.
Gazing at the sunset clouds, she knew it was time to leave.
Yesterday, the demons had been urging Shao Ju to take a wife and continue their lineage.
She had rushed back from the Qianxi River just in time to witness that scene. Most of the powerful demons had been captured and taken to the Desolate Abyss. If they didn't reproduce soon, their race might face extinction.
Demons feared loneliness more than humans did. Having existed in the world for hundreds or even thousands of years, they most dreaded leaving no evidence of their having been here.
Shao Ju smiled gently, neither agreeing nor refusing.
Everyone knew what Shao Ju was waiting for, and Su Su knew too. That's why she needed to leave. She had spent over a hundred years wholeheartedly loving one person, and now she had nothing left.
Su Su packed the young clams into her Universe Bag and went to bid farewell to Shao Ju.
Shao Ju was training soldiers when he heard her news and paused: "You're leaving?"
Su Su smiled and said: "Yes, I'm sorry for troubling you all these years."
She took out several pink pearls and handed them to Shao Ju: "I cultivated these in my spare time. Grinding them can relieve pain."
After the War of Gods and Demons ended, Shao Ju's situation wasn't good. Being a demon, he needed to live in hiding, and his subordinates were often injured.
The Conch Princess used to fear pain and rarely cultivated pearls. During her time with Ming Ye, it took a hundred years to produce just one pearl.
After leaving Ming Ye, she cultivated pearls day and night, no longer fearing pain. In three years, she had used her blood to cultivate several blood pearls.
Shao Ju said: "If you want to seek revenge against Tian Huan, there's no need to rush now. They have the Upper Clarity Immortal Realm as their backing - we're no match for them currently."
Su Su shook her head with a smile: "You misunderstand, Shao Ju. I figured it out long ago - I won't go looking for Tian Huan. The Clam Tribe needs to rebuild from scratch. I just want to lead my people to start anew. When we traveled to Qianxi together, I saw a river there with water clearer than the Mohe River. Although the Spiritual Energy isn't abundant, with gradual cultivation, the Clam Tribe can eventually regain human form. If Father King were still here, he would want me to lead our people to begin again."
Shao Ju moved his lips, realizing he had no reason to stop her from leaving.
In silence, he accompanied her all the way to the foot of the Unmelting Peak. The curved jade secretly glanced at Shao Ju who resembled Xiao Lin, thinking: if we truly return to the present world, this situation would be incredibly awkward.Ye Bingshang became Tian Huan, yet Tian Huan fell for Ming Ye, the master of Shangqing and currently the most powerful being.
Xiao Lin, having no memories, became a wolf demon and took care of Su Su for three years.
Though gentle by nature, his deep affection for Su Su was evident even to the minor demons atop the Unmelting Peak.
Curved Jade remarked that one shouldn't recklessly enter the Prajna Floating Life—now look, several people went in, and these memories might become everyone's embarrassing past.
Shao Ju watched as the Conch Princess turned back, flashing a bright smile. She waved vigorously at him and said, "Shao Ju, you should go back! I won't dwell on the past anymore; I'll live well from now on."
Shao Ju smiled and agreed.
"Perhaps one day, when you see a little river clam in some stream, they might be my clansmen."
Shao Ju lowered his eyes and still said, "Alright."
Su Su sighed. "Shao Ju, I'm going to start a new life. You must take care of yourself too."
Thus, Shao Ju watched as the Conch Princess walked away with light steps, leaving the Unmelting Peak under the evening glow.
Her eyes brimmed with joy and hope, so the Qianxi River she spoke of must be a wonderful place.
Three years ago, the Conch Princess had curled up on his back, whispering, "I don't want to die; I want to live. They're all still alive—why should I die? I want the Clam Tribe to thrive for millennia, I want them to pay the price, and I want to live well."
Shao Ju watched her go.
He didn't chase after her or say many farewell words. Even he couldn't predict when he might be captured and thrown into the Desolate Abyss, with no future to speak of.
It was good that Sang Jiu could let go of the past and lead her clansmen away.
As he had said, perhaps years later, they would reunite, and there would be a lively group of little river clams basking in the sun and blowing bubbles in the water.
The princess had grown up, leaving behind the pain of the past to become a queen.
Su Su arrived at the Qianxi River and released the little river clams into the water.
The current was gentle and clear, and after adjusting, the clams slowly swam away, moving their muscular feet.
Su Su watched them contentedly. Once they had swum far enough, she too jumped in, transforming into a clam with a pinkish-white shell.
She basked in the shallow river, closing her eyes to cultivate.
She was no longer the little Fairy of the river; her Dao Heart was shattered, and she had half-transformed into a demon. Yet, her heart had never felt so peaceful in years.
If possible, she would rather be a river clam without intelligence, living just like this. She wished she had never loved anyone, emerging at sunrise to cultivate and gaze at the sky as she once did.
Just never to see the Immortal Lord who fought for them again.
These days were unusually tranquil.
Each day, she counted the little river clams that had swum too far, gently bringing them back, tirelessly patrolling the Qianxi River. This was how it had been for generations, passed down through the ages.
Until half a month later, Su Su received something unexpected, and the smile on her lips faded.
It was the first time she had received anything related to Sang You.
But it was half a clam shell.
Her fingers turned cold as she stared blankly at the half-shell, a slow, unbearable ache rising in her heart.
Sang You's clam shell had been brutally severed in half.
Su Su knew this pain all too well—when she had jumped into Ruoshui, she had tasted the agony of a damaged shell, a pain no less than shattered bones.
Now that Sang You's shell had appeared here, she dared not imagine what had happened.
The shell flickered, revealing a location name.Su Su sat at the riverbed, gentle waves rippling around her as small fish lightly brushed against her cheeks.
The next day, after settling the young river clams and entrusting them to the local earth deity's care—gifting him one of her pink pearls in return—she set out for the Fanqian Secret Realm.
The Fanqian Secret Realm had long been desolate, engulfed in an impenetrable darkness where one couldn't see their own hand. It was a place of despair and loneliness, abandoned by the world.
This realm held no immortal legacies; instead, it slowly corroded the mind.
No one knew what price one would pay to rescue someone from within.
And now, Sang You was trapped there.
Su Su didn't know why her brother was in the Fanqian Secret Realm, but she was determined to save him.
Having lost the Divine Artifact, the Water Stabilizing Seal, and possessing only a few pink pearls for protection, Su Su knew it was far from sufficient. Yet, with the Clam Tribe's dwindling numbers and the dangers of the Fanqian Secret Realm, she had no choice but to rescue Sang You herself.
The moment she stepped into the Fanqian Secret Realm, two figures gradually materialized.
Tian Hao chuckled, "Daughter, you were right. Just by telling the clam demon her brother was inside, she would surely enter."
Tian Huan closed her eyes briefly. "Father, watch your words."
Tian Hao nodded. "At times, I am indeed not as thoughtful as you. With this clam demon dead, Ming Ye might soon ascend to Godhood. Then, if he agrees to help you, not only could you obtain the Spirit Marrow, but your impure water spiritual root could also be refined."
This matter was a sore point for Tian Huan. Suppressing her tone, she said displeased, "Father, don't bring this up again!"
Tian Hao was unconcerned. Tian Huan was born with dual spiritual roots of water and fire—a decent aptitude, but the conflicting roots destined her to never achieve great enlightenment.
Only two things in the world could help Tian Huan refine her spiritual roots: the Huoyang Cauldron and the Water Stabilizing Seal.
The Huoyang Cauldron was with the God Clan, while the Water Stabilizing Seal had, by chance, fallen into the hands of the mortal Clam Tribe, becoming the treasure that stabilized the Mohe River.
Clever and cunning, Tian Huan had severely injured herself and finally located the Water Stabilizing Seal among the Clam Tribe. Unexpectedly, the ungrateful Divine Artifact allowed its Divine Core to merge into Ming Ye's body instead.
Tian Hao had been trapped in the Fanqian Secret Realm, unable to escape.
For a thousand years, he searched for a way out and finally discovered that the only means to leave the Fanqian Secret Realm was for someone with substantial cultivation to take his place.
"The Clam Tribe is truly foolish. That clam demon Sang You actually believed we would spare his sister and willingly entered the Fanqian Secret Realm to replace me," Tian Hao shook his head. "It's a pity that, being a mere demon, his cultivation wasn't enough. Thankfully, you were clever enough to seek Ming Ye's help, allowing me to escape."
Tian Huan's expression turned cold. "I've said it before—never speak of this again. Ming Ye must not know!"
She felt a growing anger toward Tian Hao. If not for him, she wouldn't have been forced to do these things. The Clam Tribe's possession of the treasure was their crime. That day, she had nearly knelt to beg Ming Ye, claiming her father had only one chance to leave the Secret Realm, before he agreed to depart from the bamboo forest.
Tian Huan had sent a female immortal back to secretly erase the message he left for the clam demon.
A sense of helplessness washed over Tian Huan. She never wanted to do any of this. But born with an impure spiritual root, she was destined never to ascend or remain by Ming Ye's side for long.
She never intended to harm anyone. It was the little clam demon who stole her place, insisting on marrying Ming Ye.
And Ming Ye, who understood nothing of romantic love... had actually grown fond of the clam demon.
These were her things. She had only been in slumber for a century, and they were nearly snatched away. How could Tian Huan accept this?One wrong step leads to countless more. Now, whenever she heard Tian Hao mention these matters, her heart raced with fear, wishing her father would just shut his mouth.
But Tian Huan also understood that the Clam Tribe had declined. As long as Sang Jiu died, no one would ever know about these things.
Tian Huan couldn't quite explain it, but she felt deeply uneasy. Seeing her father still waiting here, scheming to take the little clam demon's Spirit Marrow, she whispered, "Enough! Whether she comes out or not is her fate. Let's go."
Her unease felt like a heavy stone pressing on her heart.
Su Su pressed closely against the Secret Realm's barrier, coldly watching them leave.
She hadn't fully entered the Secret Realm yet. It wasn't that no one would ever know—at least now, she had heard everything.
So all of this, from the very beginning, was a conspiracy born from the mud.
Thinking of Sang You entering the Fanqian Secret Realm for her sake, she nearly bit her lips until they bled, her eyes filled with hatred.
Tian Huan! Tian Hao!
Was Ming Ye also an accomplice?
She abruptly opened her eyes, which had already transformed into Demon Eyes.
Countless Chimei Wangliang swarmed around her.
Yet what Su Su saw was a scene from a century ago.
Back then, she lay at the riverbed, gazing up with admiration as the white-robed Immortal Lord fought for them. Suddenly, the scene shifted to a hundred years later.
The old King of the Clams was beaten until his Soul Scattered, leaving behind only an empty clam shell.
Countless clam demons wailed mournfully, the river churned, and Living Beings were devastated.
Her brother was severely injured, captured, and forced step by step into the Secret Realm.
She couldn't save any of them. Tears streamed from the Conch Princess's eyes as she trembled, watching the scene before her. Stumbling forward, she hugged her Father King's clam shell.
Her Demon Eyes glowed brightly, and for a moment, she couldn't distinguish past from present. Sobbing loudly, she cried, "Father King, I was wrong! It was my fault! I shouldn't have loved him!"
"I will never love Ming Ye again!"
"It's my fault! I should be the one to die! I was blind! I brought ruin to the entire Clam Tribe!"
Ming Ye, having just entered the Secret Realm, heard these words—the Conch Princess with her Demon Eyes saying she regretted ever loving him.
His body stiffened as he watched her. A dagger came thrusting fiercely toward him.
Tears streamed down her face as if she were pouring out a century's worth of weeping.
Ming Ye's raised hand slowly lowered.
The dagger pierced his shoulder. Silently, he grasped the blade. Only after a long while did he belatedly feel the lingering, intricate pain from the wound.
Yet he couldn't tell which part of him hurt more.
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