"Hmm." Qi Huaijin's eyes focused again. He patted Qiuqiu's head. "Grow up quickly. Your master is getting old and might die one day."

"Nonsense! Master looks so young!" Qiuqiu retorted, hands on her hips, skeptical.

Qi Huaijin shook his head, his expression forlorn.

After that day, Qi Huaijin seemed no different from usual, yet he also seemed like a completely different person.

Qiuqiu didn't quite understand, so she could only study even harder, afraid of displeasing her master.

And so another five, ten, fifteen years passed...

Qiuqiu has gradually transformed into a master sorcerer capable of handling things independently, and is now able to take over from Qi Huaijin in controlling the ghosts in the incense shop. Qi Huaijin, on the other hand, still looks young, but appears increasingly pale and haggard.

That day, Qi Huaijin spoke seriously with Qiuqiu, giving her many warnings.

Qiuqiu asked somewhat uneasily, "Master, are you going on a long trip?"

"Yes." A slight smile appeared on Qi Huaijin's lips.

This was the first time Qiuqiu had seen Qi Huaijin smile in all these years, and she was somewhat stunned. "Master? What's wrong with you...?"

Qi Huaijin patted Qiuqiu on the shoulder, "You've grown up, and I can go find your master's wife with peace of mind now."

"...Master's wife?" Although he had never seen his master's wife, Qiuqiu had vaguely heard some rumors about her in the underworld. He asked anxiously, "Master, are you going to the underworld to find your master's wife?"

Qi Huaijin shook his head. "No, she is no longer in the underworld."

"Huh?" Could it be that Master has found Master's wife's reincarnation? Qiuqiu rolled her eyes, deciding it was best not to disturb Master and Master's private time. "Master, go in peace! I will definitely revitalize our sect! I will never bring shame to you!"

When Qi Huaijin left, he changed into a bright red wedding dress, which was tailor-made nearly thirty years ago. However, it no longer fit him, as Qi Huaijin had lost a lot of weight over the years, and the wedding dress hung loosely on his body.

Qi Huaijin started the car and drove to Chujiang Cemetery. He carried a large bag to Gu Qingqiu's grave.

He carefully took the items out of the bag one by one: a red wedding outfit, a bottle of fruit wine, and two porcelain cups.

Qi Huaijin sat down beside the tombstone, her expression gentle. "I'm sorry I haven't visited you all these years. You must be angry with me."

He kissed the pendant reverently and chuckled, "You little liar, you actually fooled me for so long with the remaining ghostly power."

If anyone were to pass by, they would be startled by Qi Huaijin's appearance. He talked to himself from dawn till dusk, until his mouth was dry.

Qi Huaijin opened the fruit wine and poured it into a glass. "This is your favorite brand, so you're not allowed to refuse it."

He poured the wine, glass after glass, in front of the grave. After finishing the last glass, he choked up involuntarily, "I regret it... I really regret it... If I had agreed to your request sooner, perhaps we wouldn't have any regrets..."

He recalled the little ghost girl's half-joking, half-serious words, and tears streamed down his face without him realizing it. "Are you doing well? I... I'm not doing well at all. I think about you every day. I... I love you..."

I love you……

Qi Huaijin was stunned, only then realizing that he had never said those three words to Gu Qingqiu in person.

"You saved me, you protected me, but I've always been indebted to you..." Qi Huaijin leaned against the tombstone, lost in thought, and murmured, "Take me with you...please take me with you..."

Naturally, no one responded to Qi Huaijin. He sat quietly for a while, then silently burned the wedding clothes he had brought, and smiled bitterly, "Unfortunately, you won't receive them now."

"If I leave now, will I still be able to find you? After all, you've been reincarnated for almost thirty years." Qi Huaijin laughed as he stuck talismans on himself. "It doesn't matter. Even if you are thirty years older than me in the next life, I will still love you."

The fire burned out, and everything vanished without a trace.

...

Ever since Gu Qingqiu activated the ghost power sealing formation, she felt as if all her strength had been drained, as if she were in a vacuum, unable to hear, see, or touch anything.

After an unknown amount of time, Gu Qingqiu felt her stiff body finally regain some sensation, and then she heard the system's call.

Male protagonist system: [Host, can you hear me?]

Gu Qingqiu: [...System? Where am I? Have I... gotten out?]

Male Protagonist System: [Yes, host, you can open your eyes now.]

Gu Qingqiu's eyelids trembled a few times before she opened her eyes with lingering fear. Seeing the familiar standby space station before her, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Qingqiu: [Did I fail my mission?]

Male protagonist system: [This... it's a failure in one way, and a success in another.]

Gu Qingqiu: [What do you mean?]

Male Protagonist System: [This means the progress bar will only reach 100% after the host's soul leaves the world.]

Gu Qingqiu: [Huh? Then... how does the Main God System determine this?]

Male Protagonist System: [In this situation, the mission is naturally considered a failure. Furthermore, the timeline shifted after the host left.]

Gu Qingqiu: [What do you mean? What happened to Qi Huaijin?]

Male protagonist system: [He did not live his life according to the Book of Life and Death, violating the cycle of cause and effect.]

Gu Qingqiu opened her mouth, feeling a bitter taste in her mouth, but she had no right to say anything.

Male Protagonist System: [Let bygones be bygones. I will now report the settlement results of the previous world to the host. World Difficulty: B-rank, Settlement Gold: 0, Settlement Life Points: 0 days. Please confirm.]

Gu Qingqiu: [Sigh, I've already deducted all the money, what else do I need to confirm? Could I have another Forget-Me-Not herb?]

Male Protagonist System: [No, Host, your current remaining gold coins are 1502. The gold coins needed to purchase the Forget-Me-Not Grass are 4399. Clearly, Host's gold coins are insufficient.]

Gu Qingqiu: [...So I've worked for nothing in one world, and then I have to carry these memories and emotions with me to the next world.]

Male Protagonist System: [Yes, host. By the way, because of the mission failure, the next world is a punishment world.]

Gu Qingqiu: [What task do I need to complete to punish the world?]

Male Protagonist System: [Like in other worlds, find the male protagonist and fill his experience bar. However, due to the special nature of punishment worlds, the host will be unable to contact the system, nor will they be able to know the progress of the experience bar or the countdown. However, since punishment worlds are mostly abandoned worlds or worlds with high survival difficulty, the host is not required to complete tasks in punishment worlds; the host only needs to live out their life in the punishment world and wait to return to the standby space station.]

Gu Qingqiu: [Thank you, goodbye, system.]

Male Protagonist System: [Wishing you all the best, host.]

Gu Qingqiu slowly closed her eyes, allowing the male protagonist system to begin transporting her to the punishment world.