Ten‑Thousand‑Ghost Valley.
Here, the spiritual qi of heaven and earth is cut off, and the cold is bone‑deep. Even a cultivator trapped in this place would feel as if every day drags on like a year.
After months in this place, Diana Toba’s cultivation dropped day by day, all while she endured the torment of the bitter cold. Yet she showed not a trace of fear—her expression remained calm, as if she’d already seen through life and death.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the valley. Diana Toba slowly raised her head, a hint of surprise flashing across her pale, beautiful face. "Big Brother, why are you here?"
Seeing how thin Diana Toba had become, with frost clinging to her hair, Fletcher Toba’s heart twisted with pain. His voice was hoarse: "Diana, it’s all my fault. I let you suffer so much here. But Master Vulcan Pi has pardoned you. Come on, let’s get out of this hellhole!"
Hearing this, Diana Toba was stunned. She still remembered Vulcan Pi’s murderous gaze—could she have been wrong? Did Master truly not want to kill her?
But she was certain: at that moment, Vulcan Pi really did want her dead.
"Stop spacing out! Let’s go!"
Fletcher Toba reached out to grab Diana Toba’s arm, trying to pull her away. But Diana stood her ground. "Big Brother, why did Master let me go?"
Fletcher Toba gave a bitter smile. He’d known Diana would ask. "Silly girl, Master was really angry back then, but he didn’t truly want to kill you. It’s been so long—he’s cooled off. Look, he personally ordered me to bring you out."
Hearing this, Diana Toba grew even more suspicious and stared straight at Fletcher Toba. "Big Brother, are you lying to me?"
"You’re overthinking it. How could your big brother ever lie to you?" Fletcher Toba said, pretending to be calm.
"You are lying to me!" Diana Toba suddenly shook off Fletcher Toba’s hand and said coolly, "If you won’t tell me the reason, I’d rather die here than leave!"
"Diana, this place is no good. Let’s just leave early, okay? I’m begging you!"
For some reason, Fletcher Toba didn’t want to reveal that Ian Song was the one who saved Diana. In his mind, Ian was largely responsible for her suffering. He also worried that if Diana couldn’t let go of her grudge against Master Vulcan Pi, it would be dangerous for her.
Diana Toba stubbornly shook her head. "If you won’t tell me the truth, I’m not leaving."
Seeing this, Fletcher Toba sighed in frustration, his eyes full of helplessness. "Fine. Since you want to know, I’ll tell you the truth. The reason Master let you out is because of Ian Song!"
"He came to the Fire God Church?" Diana Toba asked urgently, worry flashing in her eyes. She knew her master well—if Ian Song really came here, he’d be risking his life.
"Hmph!" Fletcher Toba snorted. "That guy’s way too timid—he’d never dare set foot in the Fire God Church!"
For some reason, seeing his little sister care so much about Ian Song made Fletcher Toba feel jealous. He couldn’t help wanting to badmouth Ian.
"If he didn’t come to the Fire God Church, then how did he save me?" Hearing that Ian Song hadn’t come, Diana Toba felt relieved, but her curiosity only grew—what exactly did Ian do to make Vulcan Pi let her go?
"It’s a long story. Let’s talk outside," Fletcher Toba suggested.
"Alright then!"
This time, Diana Toba didn’t insist. After months in Ten‑Thousand‑Ghost Valley, her cultivation had dropped from mid Soul‑Split to early Soul‑Split.
Once out of Ten‑Thousand‑Ghost Valley, at Fletcher Toba’s urging, the siblings went to visit Vulcan Pi and formally thanked him.
Back at their own palace, Diana Toba couldn’t wait any longer and pressed Fletcher Toba to tell her how Ian Song had saved her.
After a moment’s thought, Fletcher Toba said, "Ever since you were sent to Ten‑Thousand‑Ghost Valley, I had people secretly searching for news about that guy. Months went by with nothing. Just when I was about to give up, he suddenly caused a huge stir in the Royal Capital, so I personally went there myself…"
Hearing this, Diana Toba was deeply moved. Her big brother had risked going to the Royal Capital to save her—even though that was the Prime One Church’s main altar, and discovery could mean death.
"After that guy made Duke Jiang Kui of Qi suffer a huge loss, he caught the eye of Victor Li and entered the Fourth Prince Residence. But he’s pretty clever—after joining, he immediately issued a recruitment order…"
Listening to Ian Song’s adventures in the Royal Capital, Diana Toba’s eyes shone. She was especially excited when she heard how Ian helped Victor Li completely suppress Nathan Li and Lucas Li.
Later, when she heard that Ian Song had offended Heaven‑Sword Elder at the auction, Diana Toba felt inexplicably worried. But when she heard how Ian fought dozens of Soul‑Split experts with just his sword, cutting them all down, her eyes sparkled with admiration.
Then, when Fletcher Toba explained that Ian’s real reason for leaving the Royal Capital was to lure out the early Fusion sword expert from the Sixth Prince Residence—and that he actually forced that sword expert to retreat—she suddenly felt a kind of worship for Ian.
However, when she heard that Ian Song went to the Prime One Church to propose marriage, her expression turned icy, as if covered in frost. She cursed him silently: that bastard, here I am suffering in Ten‑Thousand‑Ghost Valley, and he still has the nerve to go propose to another woman.
Seeing his sister so happy or upset because of that guy, Fletcher Toba couldn’t help but feel jealous. He couldn’t resist mocking, "Too bad, that guy really overestimated himself. Even though he met Master Mingtan, he got totally humiliated and almost lost his life!"
"What? That old Master Mingtan actually dared to hurt him!" Diana Toba’s heart leapt into her throat.
Fletcher Toba sneered, "Relax, that kid’s luck is insane—he managed to escape. But he was so pissed off, he wiped out the Prime One Church’s Dragon‑God Province branch and Taiyin Prefecture branch!"
"Serves them right! The Prime One Church needed a lesson!" Diana Toba clapped her hands.
"Lesson? Please, he only bullies the weak and fears the strong!" Fletcher Toba jeered.
Hearing this, Diana Toba gave Fletcher Toba a sly, half‑smile. "Big Brother, are you jealous?"
"Jealous?" Fletcher Toba jumped up. "Why would I be jealous of that guy?"
"If you’re not jealous, then why do you keep putting him down?" Diana Toba pressed.
"I’m just telling it like it is. I’m not putting him down!"
Seeing Fletcher Toba’s face turn red with embarrassment, Diana Toba’s laughter grew even brighter.