In the scene, due to the heavy rain, Qin Ruqing’s expression was obscured, but her voice came through with a notable firmness.

The Wolf King nodded, seemingly appreciative of the decisiveness of this human commander, but said, “Words alone are not enough. I require you to swear an oath of Heaven’s Dao.”

Before Qin Ruqing could respond, the Wolf King added, “Not an ordinary oath of Heaven’s Dao, but one bound by the laws of both realms, a unified oath of Heaven’s Dao.”

Since learning that the incomplete Great Dao meant that true origin lay in the unification of the laws of both realms, the Wolf King had been wary.

He knew Qin Ruqing was the chaos heir the beast emperor had sought with great effort, the closest human to the Great Dao’s origin.

If she swore by the laws of only one realm, the incomplete Great Dao and her extraordinary abilities might find a way to bypass it.

But a contract bound by both realms’ laws was different.

By doing so, Qin Ruqing would effectively be making a pact with the true “Heaven’s Dao.”

If she found a way to break it, it would mean that even Heaven’s Dao was on the side of humanity.

If that were the case, the Wolf King would accept it!

Qin Ruqing clearly understood the stakes and fell silent.

In the rain, this silence seemed extraordinarily long.

Yet she eventually replied, “I agree.”

The human high command watching this scene clenched their fists in anxiety.

Commander, you’re making a mistake! Such an oath of Heaven’s Dao cannot be made lightly!

But Qin Ruqing’s voice soon changed. “However, I’m not foolish. Just for your help in infiltrating Tianxing Mountain, you think to deceive me into making such an oath—that’s far from enough.”

“The barriers of Tianxing Mountain will inevitably be disturbed, it’s just a matter of sooner or later.”

The Wolf King looked somewhat angry, feeling that he had been played. “Then why come to me?”

“To discuss genuine cooperation,” Qin Ruqing said with a slight smile, revealing her true sharpness.

“If I succeed in killing the ancient beast emperor and the beast forces are left leaderless, we, the humans, would prefer you to become the new emperor!”

“At that time, the new emperor must make a public promise in front of both armies and the people of both realms, vowing that the beast realm will never invade the human realm again and also swear the unified oath of Heaven’s Dao!”

“What do you think, Great King?”

This time, it was the Wolf King who was silent.

After a long while, his deep voice finally spoke: “I agree.”

The recording stone’s image ended there.

On the Tianxing Mountain battlefield, Qin Ruqing looked at the Wolf King. “Now that the ancient beast emperor is dead, does your promise still stand?”

“That should be my question for you,” the Wolf King replied.

Their gazes met, both showing a strong resolve to end everything.

Qin Ruqing suddenly shouted, “Fifth Sheng, record the Heavenly Book! Song Minzheng, record the Origin Recording Stone!”

The two summoned individuals, after a moment of surprise, promptly carried out their tasks.

“In the year 3175 of the Qianyuan Era, the supreme commanders of the two armies swear their oaths at Tianxing Mountain!”

Qin Ruqing used her finger as a blade, cutting her wrist for the blood oath.

The blood did not disperse but formed a line connecting the laws of both realms.

The vast heavenly light descended, enveloping Qin Ruqing as she solemnly declared:

“Heaven’s Dao is clear. Qin Ruqing of the human army stands here and swears!”

At the same time, the largest eye of the Wolf King wept blood, also initiating the rule blood contract.

Heavenly light descended, and his deep voice resonated:

“Heaven’s Dao is clear. Tulu, leader of the Luoshan Tribe of the beast realm, stands here and swears!”

Qin Ruqing calmly observed the sky, enunciating each word: “In my lifetime, I will resolve the integration of the laws of both realms. As long as the laws are unresolved, the Dao cannot advance. Should there be evasion, may lightning strike, and may I not enter reincarnation!”

The Wolf King took a deep breath, and the binding light enveloped them, unbreakable and irrevocable.

He paused for a moment and finally spoke:

“The beast realm will retreat. I will become the new emperor, and during my reign, I will never invade the human realm. If the laws of both realms are successfully integrated, the human and beast races will be friends forever. Should I violate this, I will be devoured by ten thousand beasts, my spirit and soul obliterated, never to be reborn!”

With their declarations, each word transformed into golden runes, forming a contract that spiraled upwards with the enveloping light before disappearing.

When the heavenly light vanished, an unprecedented silence fell over Tianxing Mountain.

The Wolf King gazed at Qin Ruqing with some astonishment, realizing that from this moment on, an era had ended, and a new one had begun.

Qin Ruqing tossed the beast core to the Wolf King, which would allow him to gain bloodline recognition and truly ascend to the throne.

With a gentle smile, she said, “Congratulations on becoming the new beast emperor. May the humans and beasts be forever at peace as promised in the contract.”

As the last word was spoken, the rain ceased, and the wind calmed—

The war had come to an end.

---

The day after the battle, the armies withdrew.

On the return journey, there was relaxation but little joy.

It was more like the sudden release of taut nerves revealing an overwhelming sense of confusion.

Feng Mingyue and her companions, who had fought alongside Qin Ruqing at Tianxing Mountain, were found and, after medical treatment, were no longer in danger.

This “no longer in danger” meant that their lives were no longer at risk.

Although their power was restored by Qin Ruqing, they had sacrificed greatly and needed at least a few months of recovery.

Now, perhaps sensing that the crisis had passed, they all fell into a deep sleep.

The intense battle had left both their bodies and minds in need of extended rest.

As the army returned to the human realm, the weather in the beast realm had cleared.

The heavy rain had been conjured by the beast emperor to collect the blood of war, and with the beast emperor’s death, the rain ceased, revealing a rare brightness.

But was it truly so?

Among the human high command, aside from a sense of relief, there was more confusion and guilt.

The oath of Heaven’s Dao made on the battlefield had settled in everyone’s hearts like a carefully prepared gift now covered in dust, the surprise significantly diminished.

Qin Ruqing was not unaware of the high command’s hesitant looks toward her.

She occasionally sighed, and if one did not know better, they might think that it was her, not the beast emperor, who had died in the battle.

“Say what you need to say,” Qin Ruqing said, lightly brushing the gap in the barrier as she looked at the departing soldiers.

She sensed that if she did not let Fifth Sheng speak soon, he might burst.

“Commander, what exactly were you thinking?” Fifth Sheng asked, unable to wait, as though he had rehearsed this question countless times and couldn’t hold back any longer.

“What I was thinking, wasn’t it mentioned on the battlefield?” She smiled lightly, “What I said, I will do.”

“Do you have confidence in integrating the Origin Laws?” Fifth Sheng asked more softly, as if afraid to reveal or disturb something.

“No,” Qin Ruqing replied straightforwardly, her smile calm, “I have no confidence at all.”

Fifth Sheng was nearly shocked into speechlessness.

His eyes widened, almost unable to refrain from saying, “Then why did you make such an oath!”

His respect for Qin Ruqing made him hold back, and he quickly began offering suggestions, “Actually, there are ways to avoid such oaths… While others might not be able to, you, as the heir of the Dao Ancestor, surely have a method if you wish!”

“Even if we admit it in front of thousands of soldiers, it doesn’t matter. After all, the beast emperor of the beast race is dead. After the great battle, they will need to recuperate and won’t be able to stir up much trouble in the short term. No matter what, it will certainly be better than before. So, we can just drag it out!” As he spoke, Fifth Sheng’s face flushed red with righteous indignation.

Qin Ruqing glanced at him and suddenly found the old, conservative man endearing.

She deliberately lightened her tone, “You’re right~”

Fifth Sheng couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy, “Commander, you’ve finally come to your senses!”

Promises are one thing, but with the beast emperor dead, there was no need to sacrifice oneself!

Qin Ruqing nodded solemnly, “I’m not foolish. When I made the oath, I did leave room for maneuver. I said that as long as the issue of the laws wasn’t resolved, the laws would cease to exist… But I’m nearly at my limit. Isn’t chaos difficult to mend? If the laws don’t cease to exist, then they don’t. I also said that if there was avoidance, then the heavens would strike me with thunder… Hey, I didn’t specify a time frame. Is avoiding it for a year considered avoidance? How about a few years?”

“You see, there’s plenty of room for maneuvering here!”

Fifth Sheng nodded repeatedly, “Commander, that’s exactly right!”

Those eavesdropping on the conversation also nodded in agreement.

Eventually, they couldn’t help but gather around and start giving their opinions.

In essence: such promises were fine for the past, and the commander needn’t be so serious about them.

Being serious would only lead to defeat.

Qin Ruqing kept nodding and mentioned that once they returned to the human realm, they would hold a grand celebration. At least the war was currently coming to an end, and the costs to the human race were still acceptable.

This was a great victory that deserved celebrating.

The shadows in everyone’s hearts dissipated with a few words from Qin Ruqing, and joy finally appeared on their faces.

Only the experienced and shrewd Ancestor Feng noticed the underlying meaning and sighed deeply to himself.

When the team had completely retreated, boarded the airship, and everyone was resting and feasting, Ancestor Feng found Qin Ruqing, who was enjoying the breeze on the deck.

“Is it worth it?” Standing behind Qin Ruqing, Ancestor Feng asked abruptly, without any context.

He stood with her back to her, wearing a simple Daoist robe with a slanted collar.

He no longer appeared efficient and strong; without the aura of his identity and past glory, Ancestor Feng saw hi. as an old, frail woman.

Qin Ruqing turned around, saw the Ancestor Feng, and wasn’t surprised.

She smiled and asked in return, “You’re left with only two years to live because of this great battle. Is it worth it?”

“I’m old. I should have died long ago. Whether I die early or late makes no difference.” Ancestor Feng looked at Qin Ruqing deeply, his eyes, sharp throughout his life, still clear. “But you’re different; you’re young. You’re just rising like the morning sun, in the prime of your life. There’s no need for you to go to such lengths for the human race.”

“I’m not sure yet.” As if sensing the seriousness of the atmosphere, Qin Ruqing lightened her tone, “What I said to Fifth Sheng wasn’t a lie. I’m not foolish; I deliberately left loopholes in the oath. Whether or not to act on it, I still need to think about it.”

“You should really think about it.” Ancestor Feng spoke authoritatively.

Having experienced a long life, he had reached an age where he could view matters with leniency.

He said to Qin Ruqing, “Not all problems need to be solved. Some problems might just be unsolvable.”

“The conflict between the human race and the beast race erupted in this generation, indicating that it had been building up for a long time, but this generation reached a point where it couldn’t endure any longer. Now that you’ve killed the beast emperor, even if a new beast emperor rises, it will take a hundred years to gain power. Moreover, he has made a vow, so at least during the Wolf King’s reign, the two races will remain at peace.”

“Given this, why not let it be? Perhaps in a few hundred years, things will take a turn for the better, or perhaps the burden on you will shift to someone else.”

Ancestor Feng’s words were heartfelt and sincere.

Qin Ruqing listened carefully and nodded, “Rest assured, Lord. I will consider your words carefully.”

Qin Ruqing maintained an outward demeanor of “lightness” and “confidence,” gradually convincing everyone.

They believed that under the celestial vow between the two realms, she would find a way to avoid the constraints and protect herself.

This was very much in line with Qin Ruqing’s style—she never faced setbacks due to meticulous planning.

The clan leaders, who now behaved like well-behaved kittens under her command, had previously suffered losses at her hands.

Was it surprising that miracles occurred under her command?

Hadn’t the ancient beast emperor died at her hands?

As the Successor of Chaos, the origin of the Dao, what could be beyond her ability to avoid the celestial vow’s constraints?

Almost everyone believed in the miracles that Qin Ruqing had always created.

Except for one person—

Qin Ruqing returned to the Qin family and spent her days happily by the seaside, listening to the sound of the waves.

Sometimes she would lie on the rocks for an entire day.

She felt an unprecedented tranquility, rare moments of having her mind completely empty, not thinking about the past or the future.

The sea was pure, so when the sound of footsteps mixed with the sound of the waves, Qin Ruqing immediately noticed.

She remained still and soon sensed that someone had settled on the rock she was lying on.

Turning her head, she saw Tang Zifeng.

He was one of the severely injured people from that day.

After some time of recovery, he could now walk.

He looked pale and visibly sick.

Qin Ruqing pushed herself up on her knees, “Are you feeling better? Does the wound still hurt?”

Tang Zifeng, however, remained where he was, his eyes dark and penetrating as he looked at her, “Why?”

“Why what?” Qin Ruqing feigned ignorance and smiled.

“Why make that vow? Why do this?”

During this period, everyone who saw her would ask the same question.

Their expressions were also uniform: first joy, then a sigh, hesitant to speak, as if they wanted to say something but didn’t dare.

The communication stones were even shattered from overuse.

Qin Ruqing simply ignored everyone and found the most remote and secluded island reef, spending her days lying there.

Now, Tang Zifeng had come to ask… but Little Tang was different.

Qin Ruqing took him seriously, not giving him the perfunctory treatment she gave others.

She casually propped up her legs, thought for a moment, and still spoke in a relaxed tone.

“Hey, you know, at that time the situation was critical. I had to come down hard to shock the Wolf King.”

“The Wolf King is not important. Your relationship with him was always one of mutual need from the start. You had countless opportunities to turn back, so why did you push yourself step by step into this situation?” Tang Zifeng asked pointedly, his sharp gaze seemingly penetrating her heart.

He was always like this—calm and reserved on the surface, but beneath the deep waters, there were surging waves and hidden mysteries.

“Hey, you were also part of the battle. You know both sides had reached an impasse. In such a situation, killing one beast emperor wouldn’t necessarily stop things. It might even backfire and drive the beast race mad. Both sides needed to cool their overheated heads, so I proposed solving the issue of the laws of the two realms.”

Qin Ruqing looked at Tang Zifeng gently and said lightly, “You know, this matter had to be done by someone…”

“Then why you!” Tang Zifeng suddenly raised his voice.

“Why should it be you!”

“Anyone could do this! It has been delayed for so long, through so many eras. Many predecessors couldn’t solve it. What’s the harm in delaying it a bit longer?”

Tang Zifeng spoke urgently and sharply, losing his usual calmness.

His eyes were reddened, and his face was incredibly pale.

For the first time, he spoke to Qin Ruqing with such intensity, his gaze full of plea.

Qin Ruqing looked at Tang Zifeng with some surprise, and naturally shifted the topic. “Little Tang, you look good with red eyes too.”

Tang Zifeng was momentarily stunned, and his anger subsided somewhat.

Qin Ruqing continued on the new topic. “Although I returned the power to you later, it still hurt your foundation. How is your primary bell artifact now? Can it still gather its power? Show it to me~”

Qin Ruqing’s thoughts seemed to drift from east to west, and Tang Zifeng could even sense that she wasn’t intentionally changing the subject; she just thought of it suddenly and asked.

With a slightly helpless and somewhat sulky expression, he still complied and summoned the bell artifact.

It was small and delicate, jade-colored, quietly hovering above Tang Zifeng’s palm.

“Hey, I remember the bell artifact was bronze-colored, with lotus patterns on it! Little Tang carved the lotus patterns all over it. I was very satisfied with it. Why is it gone now?”

“It was injured, so it has returned to its original state. The coating and carvings will need time to restore once I recover,” Tang Zifeng said dejectedly.

“Oh!” Qin Ruqing understood and smiled. So, the bell artifact was in its “bare” state now. It was a bit cute.

She couldn’t help but reach out to touch the delicate jade-colored bell.

Tang Zifeng’s expression turned awkward, and his lips moved unconsciously, wanting to remind her that the bell artifact was connected to his life force, so touching it was akin to…

Suddenly, Qin Ruqing lowered her gaze and said, “I’m doing this not for anyone but for myself.”

Tang Zifeng’s thoughts were immediately pulled back, and he frowned.

The sea sparkled like scattered gold.

Qin Ruqing’s voice blended with the sea breeze, light and distant.

“Sometimes I think I’m very powerful, but most of the time, I feel very small. The more powerful I become, the more I feel my smallness.”

“The sky is too high for me to touch. Many times, I just want to be an ordinary genius, to enjoy flowers and applause, to gain some status and power through my own abilities, and live freely and happily.”

“I thought I was like that, but later I realized I wasn’t. Or rather, not only that.”

“When standing at the peak, I felt many constraints, but it wasn’t all pain. At the same time, I felt free and invigorated, with everything under control.” Qin Ruqing closed her eyes slightly, as if reminiscing, or simply narrating.

She lifted a hand, the light reflecting off the sea glittering through her fingers. “I can touch the sky with my hand and gaze at the sea when I lower my head. I roam the world, and that’s another kind of freedom.”

“I also feel pressure. But this pressure comes with the height. I can’t just enjoy the perspective that height brings and evade the responsibilities that come with it.”

“And,” Qin Ruqing turned her head, smiling at Tang Zifeng, her gaze carrying a hint of relaxation, as if in her monologue she had become more awake and determined.

“…And I’ve endured so much suffering and have walked between life and death countless times. I owe it to my family, to the human realm, and to everyone.”

“I have always been doing what a hero should do. Now, even if I’ve killed the beast emperor, if I evade one thing, all past efforts might be in vain…” She paused, her expression becoming indignant.

“—How can I be at a loss? Can Qingqing, who creates miracles, do something so losing?”

This outburst of frustration broke the somewhat serious atmosphere and revealed Qin Ruqing’s unique playful spirit.

Even Tang Zifeng couldn’t help but laugh, though beneath the smile was deep contemplation.

He knew that Qingqing’s words were not a joke.

Not for anyone, only for herself—to not let her long efforts be in vain.

Qin Ruqing gazed at the endless sea, her expression filled with recollection. “In the Sixth Domain, I asked the Dao Ancestor about the choice of the human race and my own choice. The Dao Ancestor asked me whether I chose to be a genius or a hero.”

“At that time, I avoided the question. Because subconsciously, I felt that the theme of heroism was too grand and too elevated. I didn’t think I could bear it.”

“But later, through countless battles and life-and-death situations, I suddenly realized that there was never a choice between genius and hero.”

Qin Ruqing turned her head, giving Tang Zifeng a slight smile, her eyes shining brilliantly.

She softly said, “I am a genius. And I am a hero too.”

In the moments of death, the past life of “Qin Ruqing” embraced her.

Why did she always feel small?

Because the Qin Ruqing of her past life only wanted to be a small person, living freely.

And why did she paradoxically feel powerful?

Because in this life, she was indeed a powerful being.

They were ahead, and she was behind.

They were all walking the same path.

“So, you ask why?” Qin Ruqing stood up, backlit as she looked at Tang Zifeng.

She smiled, her tone filled with grandeur, pride, and determination.

“Because this generation of humanity needs a hero to rise up and save humanity from the fire and water.”

“That person was already destined. Her surname is Qin, and her name is Ruqing!”