Meanwhile, in the hall of the Zhong family.
Upon his return, Zhong Wuhen immediately informed his mother of Du Guidiao's recovery.
"This... How is this possible?"
Li Zhirou was also greatly surprised to hear this.
No!
It wasn't just surprise, but disbelief.
The severity of Du Guidiao's injuries might not be known to outsiders, but she understood it very well.
This was because Zhong Wuhen's grandfather, Zhong Potian, had suffered injuries of a similar degree in the past. If not for the intervention of Li Zhirou's maternal relatives, Zhong Potian would have been beyond saving at that time.
Yet, even so, Zhong Potian's injuries had not fully healed and had only recovered to about ninety percent.
This was why Li Zhirou had lost her composure upon hearing the news of Du Guidiao's complete recovery.
After a few moments of calmness, Li Zhirou slowly adjusted her emotions, regaining her usual impassive demeanor.
"It seems that young man is even more mysterious than I imagined!" Li Zhirou said in a deep voice.
"Mom! While talking with Ye Ming, I discovered something interesting!"
Zhong Wuhen suddenly spoke.
"Oh! Tell me about it!"
"As you requested, I informed him about the reappearance of the Enlightenment Bodhi Tree in the Tian Shou Land. Under my observation, he seemed very interested in the Tian Shou Land!" Zhong Wuhen revealed his speculation.
He was referring to Ye Ming's interest in the Tian Shou Land, not the Enlightenment Bodhi Tree.
The information conveyed indirectly by these two matters was vastly different.
After all, when ordinary ancient martial artists heard this news, they would be curious about the Enlightenment Bodhi Tree.
It was a divine artifact!
Yet Ye Ming was indifferent and more concerned about the Tian Shou Land.
This situation could only arise from two possibilities.
One was that Ye Ming had no interest in the Enlightenment Bodhi Tree at all.
The other possibility was that there was something in the Tian Shou Land that attracted him more than the Enlightenment Bodhi Tree.
"Wuhen! Which possibility do you think is more likely?" Li Zhirou looked at her son, her gaze gentle, and asked.
Zhong Wuhen pondered for a moment before giving his answer: "There is something in the Tian Shou Land that he cares about more!"
Even though Zhong Wuhen had indirectly sensed Ye Ming's strength, he did not believe that Ye Ming had no interest in the Enlightenment Bodhi Tree whatsoever.
After all, even a Martial God could not resist its allure.
"Mom! Don't you think so?"
Seeing that his mother remained silent, Zhong Wuhen could not help but ask.
"No! This time, I agree with your view!"
Li Zhirou's eyes were clear, as if she could see through everything:
"However! It's not quite as you imagine!"
...
The Du family was currently a scene of familial harmony.
All the disciples had gathered together.
They raised their cups and drank, enjoying themselves immensely.
At the main table, Ye Ming had already downed several cups of strong liquor, his face flushed, and his vision beginning to blur slightly.
It seemed he was starting to falter.
This was, of course, the result of not deliberately counteracting the effects of the alcohol.
However, in such a setting, to use such means would be to spoil the atmosphere.
"Hahaha! Hic! Brother Ye, it seems your drinking capacity still... needs practice!" Du Guidiao patted Ye Ming's shoulder, biting his tongue as he spoke.
He was clearly drunk as well.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be addressing Ye Ming as a sworn brother.
"No... *hic*... It's... still too early! I..."
*Bang!*
Before he could finish speaking, Ye Ming's head slumped onto the wine table.
"Young... Master!"
Du Yuemian, who was sitting beside him, quickly helped Ye Ming up.
"Hahaha! I said he wouldn't... be able to..."
*Bang!*
Just as Du Guidiao was heartily mocking, his head also drooped, and he collapsed onto the table.
"Hahaha!"
The embarrassed state of the two men immediately elicited bursts of laughter.
"Yuemian, take Mr. Ye back to his room to rest first!" Du Tianen said to Du Yuemian, supporting his father.
"Oh! Alright!"
...
On the path, Du Yuemian, supporting Ye Ming, walked towards her detached villa.
Looking at the young man leaning on her, Du Yuemian slowly stopped. She then led Ye Ming to a stone bench nearby and let him lie down on it.
She herself sat beside him, gently placing Ye Ming's head on her lap, her hands lightly stroking his face.
The surroundings were quiet, with only the rustling of a few gentle breezes.
"Young Master! Thank you!"
Du Yuemian looked at the young man breathing evenly, her eyes like water. At this moment, she displayed a gentleness she had never shown before.
"Do you know, before I met you, I thought I would not lose to any man, nor did I ever imagine I would depend on any man in the future!"
At this moment, Du Yuemian spoke the words from the depths of her heart: "But the first time I met you, your mystery and power threw my heart into disarray. At the same time, it made my resolve waver!"
"Back then, I wondered if, by letting go of my pride and becoming a woman by your side, everything would improve, and the difficulties faced by the Du family could be resolved?"
"When I was ready to let go of everything, thinking I could become who I imagined, a single look from you shattered my dream!"
As she spoke, two lines of tears rolled down her cheeks.
Silence accompanies emotion,
Emotion is like silence.
Everything Du Yuemian silently narrated flowed from disappointment to confusion, and then from confusion to helplessness.
Until the final self-salvation.
Reborn!
"Young Master! Meeting you is the greatest fortune of my life!"
Du Yuemian looked at Ye Ming, her gaze lowered, yet with a hint of melancholy in her eyes: "Please rest assured, from now on, Yuemian will never be weak again, nor will I disappoint you. Similarly, I will not harbor any misplaced feelings." She then raised her head and looked straight ahead:
"I will become the sharpest blade in your hand!"
This!
This was how Du Yuemian defined herself.
Having confessed everything, Du Yuemian felt an unprecedented sense of clarity and refreshment. At this moment, she had finally broken free from all shackles.
From now on, no one could shake her!
*Bang!*
A special aura surged from Du Yuemian's body and began to spread outwards. As the surrounding plants touched this aura, they miraculously began to grow at an accelerated rate.
It was like a miracle.
"What... what is happening?"
Feeling the changes in the energy within her body, Du Yuemian was somewhat puzzled.
But one thing was certain: the energy flowing through her body now was the same as what she had felt when she first entered the Perception Realm.
More precisely, it felt more potent and purer than before.
Du Yuemian had previously intended to ask Ye Ming what the energy within her was.
But she had never found a suitable opportunity.
Fortunately, the energy within her body had not caused her any ill effects.
Just then, a voice suddenly reached Du Yuemian's ears.
"This is the power of all things!"