Yun Lintian spent the next few hours combing through the Ancient Battlefield, his divine senses peeling back layers of earth to uncover hidden relics.
Broken divine artifacts, shattered armor, and even a few crumbling legacies of fallen gods emerged from the dirt. Though their power had faded with time, they still held value—if not as weapons, then as records of the past.
He gathered them all into a spatial ring and handed it to Yun Xiaohong before departing. "Bring these back to the sect. Have the artifact hall study them."
Yun Xiaohong bowed. "Understood, Headmaster."
With that, Yun Lintian returned to Nine Firmament City.
The moment he stepped through the city gates, a figure in white robes intercepted him.
Long Xi, the Dragon God Queen of Light, stood before him, her usual regal composure frayed at the edges. Her dark eyes burned with barely restrained worry.
Yun Lintian bowed slightly. "Auntie."
"Where is Qingxuan?" Her voice was taut.
A pang of guilt lanced through Yun Lintian's chest. He exhaled slowly. "...I couldn't bring her back yet."
Long Xi's hands clenched, her knuckles whitening. But after a moment, she forced herself to relax. "It's not your fault."
Yun Lintian shook his head. "It is. I failed to protect her."
The words tasted bitter.
Long Xi studied him, then sighed. "Can you tell me everything?"
Yun Lintian nodded and led her to a private room.
In the private chamber, Yun Lintian laid out the situation.
"Nian Shi wants an alliance," he said. "He's using Qingxuan as leverage to ensure I cooperate."
Long Xi's eyes flashed. "He sent her to another timeline?"
Yun Lintian nodded. "One I can't easily reach. Not without time—time we don't have."
He traced a finger across the table, drawing three points in the condensation.
"Right now, there are three major forces. Us. Nian Shi. And Yin." He connected the points into a triangle. "Nian Shi fears Yin more than he fears me. And Yin would rather eliminate Nian Shi first—because Nian Shi is the only one who can manipulate time against him."
Long Xi frowned. "So Nian Shi wants you to help him kill Yin first."
Her gaze sharpened. "You agreed?"
Yun Lintian met her eyes unflinchingly. "For now. Because if I don't, Nian Shi might turn to Yin instead—and together, they would crush us."
He leaned forward. "But this alliance is temporary. The moment Yin falls, Nian Shi will turn on me. And I'll be ready."
Long Xi was silent for a long moment. Then, quietly, she asked, "And Qingxuan?"
Yun Lintian's voice softened. "I have a plan."
"What is it?" Long Xi asked.
Yun Lintian reached into his spatial ring and withdrew the hourglass—the temporal anchor given to him by the God of Death. Golden sands shimmered within, each grain containing the weight of countless timelines.
"I can find her," he said, placing it on the table between them.
Long Xi's eyes widened. "You plan to search through timelines?"
Yun Lintian nodded. "With the Primordial Azure Dragon God's bloodline in me and Qingxuan's connection to it, I can use it as an anchor. There are no other dragon gods on her level across the timelines—her bloodline is unique. If I follow its resonance, I can locate her."
Long Xi frowned. "That's too dangerous! You haven't fully mastered time. What if you get lost?"
Yun Lintian shook his head. "The Gate of Beyond Heaven is my safeguard. No matter where I go, I can always return."
The real danger wasn't getting lost—it was what came after.
"The risk isn't in retrieving her," he said quietly. "It's in what happens after. If I bring Qingxuan back now, Nian Shi will see it as betrayal. He'll abandon our temporary alliance and turn to Yin instead. And if those two join forces..."
He didn't need to finish. The consequences would be catastrophic.
Long Xi fell silent, her fingers tightening around the edge of the table. For a long moment, she didn't speak. Then, slowly, she exhaled.
"...Then don't bring her back."
Yun Lintian stiffened. "Auntie—"
"Listen." Long Xi's voice was firm, though her eyes glistened. "Nian Shi won't harm her. He knows if he does, you'll abandon all caution and destroy him, even at the cost of your own life. This isn't just a hostage situation—it's a calculated move."
She met his gaze. "Think about it. Why did he take Qingxuan and not Lin Xinyao?"
Yun Lintian went silent upon hearing this. He naturally knew the reason behind it.
Lin Xinyao—the woman who had walked two lifetimes with him, whose soul was bound to his in ways even fate couldn't unravel. If Nian Shi had taken her, Yun Lintian would have torn through time itself without hesitation, consequences be damned.
His relationship with her was different. Not lesser, but measured. She was his wife, yes, but not the one tied to his soul. Nian Shi had chosen precisely the leverage that would force cooperation without provoking utter destruction.
A perfect open scheme. One they couldn't break without playing into his hands.
Long Xi's voice softened. "He studied you well, Lintian. This move was deliberate. If you act rashly now, you'll lose more than just Qingxuan—you'll lose the war."
Yun Lintian's fists clenched. Every instinct screamed to reject her words, to vow he would save Qingxuan no matter the cost. But he couldn't.
Because she was right.
Nian Shi had always been a master of manipulation.
He hadn't chosen Qingxuan randomly. Among Yun Lintian's wives, she occupied a delicate position—precious enough to compel obedience, but not irreplaceable enough to trigger desperation.
Nian Shi wasn't just threatening Yun Lintian—he was controlling him.
Yun Lintian had no choice but to play along.
Yun Lintian exhaled, the weight of the truth pressing down on him. "Then what do you suggest?"
Long Xi's expression was resolute. "Wait. Play Nian Shi's game for now. Let him think he holds all the cards."
"She's strong," Long Xi said quietly. "Stronger than you think. She'll endure."
Yun Lintian closed his eyes. The thought of leaving Qingxuan in Nian Shi's grasp was unbearable. But the alternative—risking everything in a reckless rescue—was worse.
He picked up the hourglass, the sands within glowing faintly. "But I'll still search for her. If I can locate her timeline, I can at least ensure she's safe. And when the time comes..."
"I'll bring her home."
Long Xi nodded, a flicker of relief crossing her face. "That's all I ask."