The curiosity surrounding Murong Lianxue was palpable among everyone present, but perhaps none were more intrigued than Xuanyuan Bing. She felt a deep interest in this 'maiden God of Slaughter,' captivated by her seemingly innocent appearance paired with terrifying strength. Moreover, the fact that she addressed Yang Yi as "Yi Gege" (Brother Yi) clearly indicated a profound connection between the two.

"Lianxue, after your battle in Japan, why did you disappear? Where exactly did you go?" Fatty Lin mumbled between bites of food.

Xuanyuan Bing, who had been observing intently, grew even more perplexed. She glanced at Murong Lianxue, then back at the mysterious middle-aged man. Before Murong Lianxue could reply, Murong Liantian took the initiative to introduce himself. "Heh heh, there's no need for confusion. I am indeed part of the Dragon List's Heaven Generation, ranked second—what you all call Tian Er. My full name is 'Murong Liantian'!"

"Murong Liantian?" Both Yang Yi and Xuanyuan Bing were startled by the name.

"Murong Liantian? You aren't perhaps from some secret, ancient family, are you?" Fatty Lin inquired.

"No. Among the families passed down in Huaxia to this day, there are only a few. Aside from the Four Great Sects and that mysterious Mai Clan I know nothing about, no other families can possibly exist."

"That's right. Just as this young lady suggested. My Murong Clan is not a conventional family, but rather, we are connected to the Heavenly Dragon lineage…!"

"Old man, shut your mouth!" Suddenly, before Murong Liantian could finish, Murong Lianxue shot him a fierce glare, stunning everyone present into silence.

"Lianxue, what exactly is going on?" Yang Yi asked, frowning deeply.

Although Murong Liantian had only spoken halfway, hearing the mention of the Heavenly Dragon lineage told Yang Yi that things were far from simple, prompting him to press Murong Lianxue for answers. She merely offered a sweet smile, her expression suddenly turning extremely serious. "Yi Gege, what that old fellow just mentioned is not something you should know right now. Wait a while longer, and you will naturally understand. Lianxue hopes Yi Gege won't force me to speak."

Yang Yi remained silent, gazing at Murong Lianxue for a long moment before finally letting out a soft sigh. "Alright. If you don't wish to discuss that, then tell me what happened after the fight in Japan. I searched all over Da Jiangnan but couldn't find you."

"Me?" Murong Lianxue burrowed into Yang Yi's embrace for a moment, then looked up and said, "My fight with this old man…!"

It turned out that after Murong Lianxue encountered Murong Liantian in Japan, they fled directly, running ceaselessly for what felt like days and nights, eventually leaving Japan and unintentionally arriving at a forest near the border of England. Recalling that time there…

It was deep in the night, the sky dotted with stars, within a forest on the English border. Two figures were locked in pursuit. The nine-year-old Murong Lianxue's innocent face was etched with burden. The familiar scent, the familiar presence—she was certain this was the man she had hated for years: Murong Liantian, who had abandoned his wife and child to pursue ruthless cultivation.

"Roar! Roar!" Murong Liantian, having ingested a control drug, roared like a wild beast. However, because a sliver of resistance remained in his heart, his actions were extremely erratic.

Murong Lianxue looked at the middle-aged man standing before her, his face contorted, his eyes bloodshot. She sneered, "Murong Liantian, look at you now. You, who abandoned your wife and daughter, have fallen so low as to have drugs injected into you. Tragic, truly tragic."

"Ah!" Murong Liantian clutched his ears, sinking to his knees. He gnashed his teeth, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Murong Lianxue, extending one hand as if pleading for her to save him.

Alas, seeing Murong Lianxue’s expression upfront as utterly cold, a single thought flashed repeatedly in his mind: "Kill her, kill her, kill her!"

"Shut up, shut up… Ah!"

Murong Lianxue frowned deeply as Murong Liantian suddenly went berserk, watching him warily. "Bang!" Murong Lianxue’s small figure flew backward in utter shock. Murong Liantian's strike nearly shattered her extraordinary meridians.

"Huff, huff, huff!" Murong Liantian panted, his face a mask of ferocity, staring coldly at his own hands. "Ah!!!" The roar was deafening.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Murong Lianxue struggled up, coughing several times, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "This is bad. The drug is about to completely erode his humanity. I need to find a solution."

"Whoosh!" Just as Murong Lianxue muttered, Murong Liantian’s figure materialized before her, grasping her neck with one hand, the bloodshot intensity in his eyes deepening. "Quick, kill me now, or you will be in danger."

"Mmmph, mmmph, mmmph!" Murong Lianxue’s cheeks puffed up, her eyes fixed on Murong Liantian’s face, twisted with agony. This indicated he was seconds away from completely losing control.

"Kill her, kill her, kill her!" Another voice echoed in Murong Liantian's mind. The pressure on her throat tightened. "Bang!" His left hand struck out violently, a punch that nearly cost Murong Lianxue her life. She couldn't use Profound Arts against Murong Liantian; she had already tried moments ago, which is why she suffered this second blow.

"Cough, cough!" Murong Lianxue lay on the ground, despair creeping in. She had hoped to use Profound Arts to restore his humanity, but it proved futile. Now, she was bruised and battered.

"Get away!" Murong Liantian clutched his head, blood-tinged tears streaming from his eyes. His savage expression grew more distorted; he was clearly losing control entirely now. That drug was incredibly potent, especially with the unknown amount the old fool Miyamoto Tarō had forced on him. "Ah!"

Murong Liantian let out a sky-splitting cry, then suddenly froze. His eyes were blood red, his distorted features barely resembling a human face. "Swish!" His figure blurred, instantly appearing beside Murong Lianxue, swinging a heavy fist. Just as his blow was about to connect with her…

A figure intervened. He used his own body to block Murong Liantian’s strike, forcing back the urge to vomit blood. With a sharp turn, he delivered a punch to Murong Liantian’s abdomen, then promptly threw something into his mouth, which caused Murong Liantian to become even more frenzied.

"Ah! Huff! Ah! Huff!" Murong Liantian's internal energy surged wildly throughout his body, wisps of blue smoke rising from his skin. This was not some fantasy technique or cinematic trickery; it was stark reality.

After listening to Murong Lianxue’s narration, Yang Yi asked doubtfully, "Who was that person who suddenly appeared?"

"His name is Dell. He is my family retainer," Murong Lianxue said with a bitter smile. "Speaking of which, I need to tell Yi Gege about my Murong Clan too!"

"Mm," Yang Yi nodded.

"My Murong Clan can be considered an ancient lineage, but we were wiped out many years ago until his generation!" Murong Lianxue noted everyone's eyes fixed on Murong Liantian as she continued, "He is the 132nd Clan Head of the Murong Clan. Our clan was once quite famous, but for some reason, our entire lineage migrated to England."

"Chinatown?" Yang Yi’s eyes flashed sharply, as if something clicked into place.

"Yes, Yi Gege, you are so perceptive, you figured it out already. Actually, those people in Chinatown are the dependents of my Murong Clan!"

"So, they were willing to help me entirely because of you people?"

"Yes, it was this old man’s special favor; it had nothing to do with me," Murong Lianxue said dismissively toward Murong Liantian.

Murong Liantian chuckled. "Then perhaps I should continue the story. At the most critical juncture, Dell, who was my closest steward back then, injected me with a rare, precious medicine. I don't know what it was, but I only managed to regain my humanity by relying on it. However, the moment I became lucid, I realized… Dell had protected Lianxue by sacrificing his own life…!"

"Watch your tone! Is Lianxue a name you're entitled to use? You, who abandoned your wife and daughter!"

"Alright, alright, Lianxue, don't be so hard on him. After all, he is your father, isn't he?" Yang Yi gently stroked Murong Lianxue's head. He understood her pain and keenly felt the emptiness of having no parents.

"Mmm!" Murong Lianxue affectionately nestled into Yang Yi's arms, falling silent.

"Heh heh, it's alright, it's alright." Although Murong Liantian said this, the sorrow in his eyes remained deep. He continued, "Although Dell withstood my punch, due to his age and the fact that my strike had almost destroyed his internal organs, Dell also passed away. Afterward, I took Dell and Lian… Lianxue back to Chinatown. It took us a full year to fully recover our bodies."

"Then why didn't you come to see me back then?" After hearing his tale, Yang Yi understood that Dell had essentially traded his life for Murong Lianxue’s chance to reunite with him. But if their bodies were healed after a year, why did they wait so long to see him? This detail deeply puzzled Yang Yi, as he felt there was something more complicated at play.