The immediate priority is to uncover Liu Jinghong's secrets. Ji Buwang's primary concern is the alteration of the event lines across three worlds, and the extent of Liu Jinghong's involvement.
"Let's continue observing," another Ji Buwang replied.
The two temporarily suppressed their doubts and anger, quietly watching the interactions between Xu Yi and Liu Jinghong in this life. However, the patience they once prided themselves on was quickly exhausted by Liu Jinghong's series of actions. A chilling killing intent filled their eyes.
Liu Jinghong was indeed not simple. As if possessing foresight, whenever Xu Yi went out, she would find ways to accompany her, preemptively buying what Xu Yi desired, or using her junior sister status to demand the treasures Xu Yi had just acquired. Initially, Xu Yi, mindful of their fellow disciple bond, conceded. But she soon noticed the pattern.
So, when Liu Jinghong once again sought to claim a recently purchased magic artifact from Xu Yi, Xu Yi refused. She directly stated her dislike for Liu Jinghong's behavior and hoped she wouldn't repeat it. Liu Jinghong apologized with a smile, but both Ji Buwangs could see the rage and hostility in her eyes. They knew Liu Jinghong now harbored resentment towards Xu Yi. A flicker of unease crossed their minds. Liu Jinghong was deeply strange, and her malice towards Xu Yi, coupled with her calculated moves against an unsuspecting opponent, made them worry if Xu Yi would suffer at her hands.
As they feared, not long after, Xu Yi, during a sparring session, was tricked by Liu Jinghong and accidentally injured her. This was the first time Xu Yi faced the sect leader's reprimand and the resentment of her fellow disciples. That night, Xu Yi sat in silent contemplation on a desolate peak within the Xuanji Sect. The two Ji Buwangs' animosity towards Liu Jinghong reached its peak.
"So your master is such a despicable and shameless person."
Ji Buwang's expression shifted slightly, and he replied coldly, "She is your master too."
"Hmph!"
A disdainful snort was his only answer. Ji Buwang ceased speaking, refocusing his attention on Xu Yi. This was merely the beginning. He worried Liu Jinghong would escalate her actions. But they soon realized they had misjudged Xu Yi. Xu Yi was never a pushover. In subsequent attempts by Liu Jinghong to undermine Xu Yi, she was repelled by Xu Yi using the principle of yielding to overcome the strong. Xu Yi's status as the senior disciple remained unshakeable.
Before they could rejoice for Xu Yi for too long, the situation reversed again. The night before Xu Yi decided to leave the sect for training, Liu Jinghong departed first. When Xu Yi followed the route recalled from the other Ji Buwang's memory, all the opportunities along the way had already been seized by Liu Jinghong.
"Shameless!" The other Ji Buwang gritted out, his eyes red with fury. Although their master hadn't reached the Mahayana stage solely through these resources, the fact that what rightfully belonged to her had been taken by someone else ignited his indignation as her disciple. Ji Buwang's frown deepened. The deeds of Fairy Jinghong were widely known throughout the Nine Provinces Continent, and her encounters were recounted with familiar detail, which Ji Buwang could recite by heart. Witnessing these events now felt as unpleasant as if his own opportunities had been plundered. Fortunately, Xu Yi in this world was unaware that her possessions had been stolen. She proceeded with her own plans, improving herself step by step. While her cultivation speed was considerably slower than before, her progress was steady, and she felt no dissatisfaction.
When she encountered Liu Jinghong in a remote secret realm, she sensed something was amiss. This was followed by a fierce battle between them over a Marrow Cleansing Grass. Xu Yi had discovered the Marrow Cleansing Grass first, but could not withstand someone shamelessly snatching it. Xu Yi had stated she would no longer yield to Liu Jinghong, and she truly held nothing back. Xu Yi narrowly won this fight.
"You won't win next time," Liu Jinghong threatened before leaving. Xu Yi stood in place, her eyes showing deep contemplation.
"Utterly shameless!" Hearing the impoverished vocabulary of curses from the person beside him, Ji Buwang felt a sense of worry. Relying on her foresight, Liu Jinghong was rapidly closing the gap between herself and Xu Yi. In a few more years, Xu Yi might truly be no match for Liu Jinghong. What would Xu Yi do then? Ji Buwang looked at his other self. "We need to split up. One of us must follow Xu Yi, and the other Liu Jinghong. Otherwise, we'll never learn the complete story."
"I want to follow Master," the other Ji Buwang stated without hesitation. He had come for his master, and had no intention of following anyone else. Ji Buwang grudgingly agreed. He had no choice, as his mission was heavier this time. In his world, Xu Yi was still alive, and he needed to know the truth. Ji Buwang cast another glance at Xu Yi and then pursued Liu Jinghong. He saw Liu Jinghong acquiring various opportunities and befriending elite disciples from different sects, just as he remembered. Then, he discovered the first anomaly. Although Liu Jinghong appeared incredibly dominant in front of Xu Yi and others, she dared not kill, not even demons. Whenever she encountered cultivators who posed a threat, she chose to trap them with her artifacts but never considered any other solution. This was entirely different from the Liu Jinghong he remembered, who was known for her ruthless killings. Ji Buwang noted this first anomaly and soon discovered a second. Although Liu Jinghong knew where Xu Yi's opportunities would appear, she didn't know the precise locations, requiring several days of effort to search. Sometimes, she wouldn't find them even before Xu Yi arrived, and could only give up in frustration. This meant that Liu Jinghong was not as omniscient as she seemed. Liu Jinghong was like himself in later years, hearing stories of her—knowing she would gain an opportunity at a certain location but not the exact spot. Ji Buwang mused that this might be a crucial breakthrough. Before Ji Buwang could discover more anomalies, Liu Jinghong killed someone. The person she killed was a notorious demonic cultivator on the Nine Provinces Continent, infamous for his wickedness. As Liu Jinghong’s sword pierced the demonic cultivator’s body, she vomited uncontrollably, becoming weak and almost collapsing. Her reaction also puzzled Ji Buwang. While he felt discomfort the first time he killed someone, he quickly came to terms with it, considering the wickedness of the opponent. Since embarking on the path of cultivation, such situations were unavoidable; killing demons and eradicating evil were essential practices. But after that day, Liu Jinghong quickly adapted to killing, her sword strokes swift and decisive, gradually aligning with the Liu Jinghong in Ji Buwang’s memory. For decades thereafter, through Liu Jinghong’s deliberate avoidance, she never met Xu Yi again, focusing solely on plundering Xu Yi’s resources and eventually becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator before Xu Yi. From the moment she became a Nascent Soul cultivator, her hostility towards Xu Yi was no longer concealed. At a banquet hosted by the Xuanqing Sect, Liu Jinghong publicly challenged Xu Yi in front of all the renowned cultivators attending. In that battle, Xu Yi was miserably defeated.