When Xia Xiang woke up, she found herself in a dark space. The endless darkness and the biting cold made her shiver. She had no energy left in her body, so she was unable to keep warm.

It was quiet around her. She tried to speak, but couldn't hear her own voice. She walked slowly, and after what seemed like an eternity, feeling very tired, she sat down on the ground to rest.

Soon, she heard familiar voices all around her. She tried to call out to them, but couldn't make a sound. Just then, she heard clear footsteps behind her. She turned around and a look of surprise crossed her eyes.

"Jiuwu! What are you doing here?!" Xia Xiang exclaimed happily, realizing that she could make a sound again. She got up and ran quickly towards him.

Despite being several dozen meters away, she still couldn't get close to him. Gradually, she stopped moving and waited for him to come over.

As he drew closer to her, Xia Xiang noticed something was different.

"If you're not Jiu Wu, then who are you?" Xia Xiang looked at him warily, her tone tinged with a hint of grievance.

The newcomer chuckled, "Why do you look so aggrieved? I never said I was Jiu Wu."

"Then who are you?" Xia Xiang asked. "Where is this place?"

“My name is Sun Yi, and I’m an unimportant person,” Sun Yi said with a smile. “As for this place, don’t you remember what happened to you in your past life?”

"Before you died?" Xia Xiang thought this person was really being sarcastic. "Is this the underworld?"

“You’re not stupid, you know that disappearing without a trace means going to the underworld,” Sun Yi said with a smile. “Sorry, because I don’t talk to people often, I haven’t changed my ways yet. Disappearing without a trace means dying.”

“I know,” Xia Xiang said, “So you’re dead too?”

Sun Yi shook his head, still smiling, and said, "I didn't disappear without a trace; I'm living a life worse than death."

"You don't need to force a smile. Your smile seems so sad," Xia Xiang said with a hint of pity.

“What does it matter? I can’t feel any emotions,” Sun Yi said. “I laugh not because I really want to laugh, but because someone said when I was a child that it would make me seem more approachable.”

"Alright, we don't have much time left, come with me," Sun Yi said.

"Where to?" Xia Xiang asked. "Can I go back to the Iron Dimension? I want to go back."

"Go to the Demon Realm," Sun Yi said calmly. "You can't go back. I've come to pick you up."

"I'm not going," Xia Xiang said after thinking for a moment.

"That's not up to you," Sun Yi said calmly.

"Can I ask why you're taking me to the Demon Realm?" Xia Xiang asked.

Sun Yi asked in confusion, "May I ask why you want to go back?"

"You answer first," they both said simultaneously.

“My family is still in the Iron Dimension. They would be very sad if I died,” Xia Xiang said.

"You actually thought of your family?" Sun Yi's usually calm voice suddenly betrayed a hint of doubt. "When you put yourself in danger, why didn't you think of them?"

“My plan went awry. It wasn’t supposed to be so bloody. I had other ways to gain the trust of my devilish grandfather,” Xia Xiang said helplessly. “So the result is that I was too arrogant and made them all worry.”

"But I don't regret it. I also wanted to end all of this sooner and take control of the situation. It's better for me to suffer than for them to suffer."

After Xia Xiang finished speaking, she raised an eyebrow, signaling to Sun Yi that he could begin speaking.

“This battle was being watched by all twelve timelines and the Demon Realm. Iron Timeline was originally going to win, but you were about to die, so it was considered a draw,” Sun Yi said. “Taking you to the Demon Realm was on the orders of Demon Lord Diablo.”

“I can choose not to go,” Xia Xiang said. “I’m not quite dead yet, and I’m from Demon-Slaying Island. What would Demon Lord Diablo want with me? To send him on his way?”

Sun Yi replied, "I don't know. I'm just following orders. Don't expect anything from Demon-Slaying Island. If they dare to go to the Demon Realm, it will be considered a declaration of war, and the Demon Realm will attack all twelve timelines simultaneously."

“Of course, they can’t come to the underworld either,” Sun Yi added after finishing his sentence.

"Then let me die completely. I can still hear their voices, so I shouldn't be completely dead yet." Xia Xiang sat down again.

"In order to complete the mission, I will inevitably have to use some impolite methods. I hope you can understand." Sun Yi conjured a black energy ball in his hand.

"Tsk~" Xia Xiang laughed, "You're actually quite polite."

"Thank you for the compliment, but I won't hold back; I need to carry out my mission," Sun Yi said.

"Your task is just to take me to the Demon Realm, not immediately. It's the same if you wait until I'm completely dead," Xia Xiang said, then lay down and patted the spot next to her with practiced ease.

"Take a break. You just said you felt like you were dying. Resting should make you feel much better."

"You're such a good person, you even care about me." Sun Yi put away the energy ball in his hand. "Then I'll wait until you're completely dead before I take you away."

After saying that, he obediently lay down not far from Xia Xiang.

"Do you want to know what's happening around your body right now?" Sun Yi suddenly asked.

"Is it okay?" Xia Xiang turned to look at him.

“Of course, because you’re a kind person who helped me, I can let you see,” Sun Yi said earnestly. “My nanny told me that if others are good to me, I should be good to them too.”

"Thank you," Xia Xiang said gratefully, looking at him.