The next morning, the sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains and dappled onto Cheng Ji's face. He slowly opened his eyes, and the pattern of the red spider lily on his chest looked particularly soft in the morning light, as if carrying a hint of warm power.

He stood up, put on a neat suit, and drove to Cheng Group.

The towering office building sparkled in the sun. He stepped into it, revealing calmness and confidence with every step.

Shangguan Qing returned to the antique shop full of ancient atmosphere.

Inside the store, antiques and jade wares are arranged in an orderly manner, and each piece bears the traces of time.

She was gently wiping a blue and white porcelain vase, her eyes drifting out the window from time to time, as if she was expecting something.

The sunlight shines through the gaps in the leaves and falls on her face, adding a touch of tenderness and mystery to her.

Shangguan Qing was deep in thought when he suddenly heard a light breeze blowing through the store, bringing with it a subtle chill.

She looked up and saw a man in a black robe with a face as pale as paper standing quietly at the door. It was the messenger of the Underworld - Youxuan.

With a look of anxiety and confusion in his eyes, he slowly spoke: "Sir Shangguan, there have been some very strange things happening in the Netherworld recently. Many people's life and death books have become blank, as if their fates have been erased by some force. Even we cannot peek into their future."

As he spoke, he handed over an ancient and thick book of life and death, the cover of which was glowing with a faint blue light.

When I opened it, I found a large blank space inside, just like the blank space left abruptly in a painting with heavy ink and colors, which was both imaginative and disturbing.

Shangguan Qing took the Book of Life and Death, gently stroked the blank pages with his fingertips, and frowned.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, a faint blue light surrounded her body, as if blending with the cold aura of the Underworld.

When she opened her eyes again, her gaze was as sharp as a torch, penetrating the blank spaces in the Book of Life and Death, as if she saw the secret hidden behind it.

The scene changed, and she found herself in an illusory space, surrounded by distorted fragments of time and space. She shuttled through it and captured bits and pieces of memory related to Yu Simin.

Those faces may be familiar or unfamiliar, but they are all inextricably linked to Yu Simin, like an intricate web that slowly draws her in.

Shangguan Qing's eyes suddenly became sharp. She stared at Youxuan and said in a low and powerful voice, "Does the King of Hell know about this?"

Youxuan's body trembled slightly, and his hands under the black robe clenched into fists.

He shook his head slowly, his face pale as frost, his eyes full of helplessness and fear.

"Lord Hades has been in seclusion for cultivation recently and knows nothing about the outside world. Even the messengers of the Netherworld have never seen such a strange phenomenon. It is really worrying."

After saying this, he gently raised his hand and pointed to the blank pages in the Book of Life and Death. His fingers trembled slightly, as if even he could not bear the sudden unknown and fear.

Inside the store, a chilly atmosphere grew increasingly strong, forming a sharp contrast with the sunlight outside the window. It was as if two completely different worlds were quietly colliding at this moment.

Shangguan Qing decided to find out the truth herself. She flashed outside the store.

The sunlight seemed to have no effect on her. She stepped into a deep alley. There were gusts of cold wind in the alley. On both sides were mottled stone walls with vines entwined on the walls, like chains of time.

She walked with determination, and every step seemed to leave a faint trace in time and space.

Ahead, a faint light flickered, like some kind of guidance.

Shangguan Qing's eyes were sharp and he chased after her relentlessly. The light gradually gathered into a blurry figure, which was exactly what she was thinking of - Yu Simin.

He stood with his back to her in the midst of chaos, surrounded by rolling fog, as if he was at the entrance to another world.

Shangguan Qing's heart tightened, and just as he was about to step forward, he saw him slowly turn around, his eyes deep, as if he could see through everything.

Shangguan Qing walked quickly forward and saw Yu Simin standing next to an ancient furnace, holding a long pair of tongs in his hands, and concentrating on putting pieces of black iron into the furnace.

The blazing fire illuminated his determined face, and the bubbling molten iron emitted a strange blue light, seeming to contain some unspeakable power.

Shangguan Qing's heart sank, she knew very well that the smelting of black iron was no trivial matter, and the slightest mistake would cause great changes in heaven and earth.

She suddenly stretched out her hand, grabbed Yu Simin's arm, and said anxiously: "Yu Simin, what are you doing? This black iron is extraordinary, do you know the consequences?"

Yu Simin paused and turned his gaze towards her, a complex light flashing in his eyes, but the flames in the furnace seemed to be even more vigorous, as if to devour everything.

Yu Simin's lips curled up into a determined smile, and his voice sounded unusually firm amid the roaring fire: "Shangguan Qing, you can't control this matter. I've come this far, and I'm almost there."

As he spoke, he swung his long tongs with all his might, and another piece of black iron fell into the furnace like a meteor, sparking a dazzling blue light. There seemed to be ancient runes flowing in the light, making the entire furnace look like a portal to another world.

Sweat slid down his forehead and dripped onto the boiling iron, instantly turning into nothingness. However, there was no retreat in his eyes, only endless desire and persistence for the unknown power.

Shangguan Qing looked at him with mixed feelings, but saw him reach his hand into the furnace again, and the scorching temperature seemed to burn his soul as well.

Shangguan Qing was extremely anxious when she saw that Yu Simin was determined to do this dangerous thing. She rushed forward, gathering spiritual power in her hands, which shone with a light blue light, and aimed directly at the furnace that was rolling with the strange blue light.

However, Yu Simin's reaction was faster than hers. He turned his body to the side, quickly stretched out his left hand, and accurately grasped Shangguan Qing's wrist with such force that she could not break free for a while.

The two people's eyes met in the air, sparks flew, as if it was a direct collision of two forces.

The spiritual light of Shangguan Qing and the heat from Yu Simin's hands intertwined, and a tense and fiery atmosphere filled the air.

The flames in the furnace seemed to jump more violently because of this sudden confrontation, reflecting the determined and complex expressions of the two people.

Yu Simin's eyes became unusually deep at this moment, and his voice was low and powerful, as if carrying an irresistible magic.

"Shangguan Qing, this is a force forged from the souls of a hundred innocent people. It is the ultimate secret that I have been pursuing with all my efforts. Do you want to destroy this sacrifice and effort with your own hands?"

As he spoke, he waved his hand gently, pointing at the rolling blue light in the furnace. There seemed to be countless illusory figures dancing in the light, each with a different expression and story, as if those souls were silently telling their past. Shangguan Qing's pupils shrank suddenly, and she felt the heaviness and tragedy behind that power. For a moment, the light of her spiritual power was somewhat dim, and an indescribable complex emotion surged in her heart.