"Don't misunderstand," the Second Elder said with a gentle smile. "We're not scolding you; your body is genuinely ill."
"But don't worry," Master Xie Yan patted Da Fei's chest softly. "We're professionals! After we help you recover, you won't feel any pain anymore."
As the two elders spoke, they guided Da Fei towards the nearest room.
Da Fei was on the verge of a breakdown…
What the heck!
What were you two perverted old men trying to do?!
Let me go!
He couldn't afford to be concerned about anything else now and planned to call for help from his subordinates around him.
However, when he tried to open his mouth, he found he couldn't!
It was as if an invisible hand had gripped it shut!
He couldn't even let out half a hum…
And so.
Da Fei was helplessly dragged into the room by the two elders.
His subordinates witnessed the entire process.
But since their boss didn't say anything, they naturally didn't dare to interject.
Perhaps they knew each other?
As for the two elders' strange demeanor and words…
Perhaps where their boss came from… this kind of interaction was common?
After all, in their eyes, the two elders were no match for their boss.
If their boss wanted to, he could kill them at any time.
Since that was the case, it was best not to meddle.
…
Not long after, Da Fei's voice could be heard from inside the room.
However, his voice sounded rather strange, evoking all sorts of imaginings.
The subordinates' hearts trembled!
What the heck!
No wonder their boss never seemed interested in women.
They never expected he was into this kind of thing!
Gradually.
The sounds from the room grew fainter and fainter.
Until they disappeared.
…
Somewhere in the cultivation world.
This was a dimly lit room, filled with an oppressive and somber atmosphere.
Several cloaked figures sat around a table, seemingly discussing something.
"Is there any news from Kong?" the leader asked in a low voice.
"The Sacred Stone appeared at the auction house of the Ad Empire before. Ling bid against a mysterious person but ultimately failed," one cloaked figure replied. "It seems Ling has likely perished in the Ad Empire."
"Do we have any information on that mysterious person?" the leader asked again.
"No," the cloaked figure shook his head slightly. "That person was sitting in the supreme private room on the third floor. No one besides the auction house knows their identity."
Upon hearing this, a brief silence fell upon the room.
The problem now wasn't whether they could afford to offend the auction house, but that it was unnecessary.
The one who gave the orders had explicitly stated that the urgent task was to find a large number of cultivators.
"Tell Ling to continue gathering information," the leader commanded. "But be cautious, and do not reveal yourself."
The cloaked figure nodded and said no more.
Just as the leader was about to say something else, his movements suddenly froze.
All the cloaked figures looked at him with confusion in their eyes.
"Something has gone wrong with Da Fei," the leader said in a deep voice. "The mark I left on him has disappeared."
"Hiss—!"
All the cloaked figures gasped in unison.
If someone could erase the mark left by the leader, their strength was likely comparable to or even surpassed the leader's!
Had they encountered a formidable opponent?
"Jue," the leader instructed one of the cloaked figures. "Go there personally and find out what's going on."
"Yes!" The cloaked figure who was named quickly responded.
"Remember, do not reveal yourself," the leader cautioned again.
The cloaked figure called Jue gave a gesture indicating "no problem" and vanished from the room in a flash.
"The time the Master requested is approaching," the leader stood up and murmured. "It seems I'll have to take action myself."
Then, his figure flickered, and he too disappeared.
In a blink of an eye.
Another half a month passed.
Ad Empire.
Qingxin Sect's stronghold.
Liang Rujing meticulously cleaned Ye Fan's room.
Just as she had done every day for the past month.
Kulota sat at the table, engrossed in reading.
A month ago, when Liang Rujing returned, she brought it an unacceptable piece of news!
Ye Fan was dead!
It had inexplicably arrived in this strange world and was trapped in a dark ruin for a hundred years.
From initial restlessness to gradual acceptance, then to despair…
Numbness…
Breakdown…
And then, Ye Fan's appearance was like a ray of light, igniting the flame of hope in its eyes!
Especially…
Ye Fan was the only one who could understand its words!
Although their time together was short, it had already developed a dependence on Ye Fan.
Moreover, Ye Fan had taught it cultivation and imparted new knowledge.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Ye Fan was its reborn parent.
But reality was so sudden and cruel!
Ye Fan's one accidental outing had become an eternal farewell!
Initially, Kulota had also cried and collapsed, just like Liang Rujing.
Because its light had vanished.
Its existence had once again plunged into darkness.
Fortunately, a few days later, Kulota managed to suppress its sadness and grief.
Because it realized that only by being sad was useless.
It had to cultivate diligently and study the knowledge Ye Fan had taught it!
Once it had mastered these skills, it would personally avenge Ye Fan!
From that moment on, Kulota transformed into a learning fanatic!
"Kulota," Liang Rujing asked after finishing her cleaning. "I'm planning to visit Ye Fan today. Do you want to come?"
This was not the first time Liang Rujing had asked this.
But Kulota had never responded.
Kulota remained silent, still studying with all its might.
Just like before.
Perhaps Liang Rujing had already expected this.
After asking, she left on her own.
Leaving Qingxin Sect, she flew towards the place where Ye Fan had met his demise.
She had traveled this road many times this month.
She was intimately familiar with the surrounding scenery.
Yet, every time she saw it, Liang Rujing's heart was still filled with grief.
Even now, she still couldn't accept the fact that Ye Fan was dead.
She always felt that it was all fake, unreal.
Perhaps in the next moment, Ye Fan would suddenly appear and tell her that it was all a joke…
At noon.
The outskirts of the Demonic Beast Forest.
Many cultivators came here daily for training.
However, after the previous incident, these cultivators had been deliberately avoiding the vicinity.
When Liang Rujing arrived, there was no one around.
"Ye Fan, I've come to see you…"
Liang Rujing stopped by the pit and took out several offerings from her ring, placing them on the ground.
Flames ignited in the brazier.
"Ye Fan, did you really die just like this?" Liang Rujing placed a stack of paper money into the flames and muttered dazedly. "Were you really so heartless as to abandon me?"
"Do you remember…"
"The first time we met, you ate my little darling."
"To be honest, I truly hated you then…"
"Later, I always wanted to trick you into becoming a cook in the palace, but you just wouldn't fall for it…"
"And then, you helped me end a nightmare that had lasted sixteen years…"
"From that moment on, I truly felt like a complete person…"
…
Paper money was thrown in, stack after stack.
"Whoosh—!"
A gust of wind blew.
The flames flickered more intensely.
"Drip, drip…"
Tears fell into the brazier, and in a short while, they were evaporated.
Liang Rujing's vision became increasingly blurry…
…