The sky was so heavy it seemed ready to collapse, yet even dozens of li away, Charlotte and the others could clearly feel the apocalyptic power coiled within the dark clouds!
Was this the Young Master's true strength?
If such immense pressure could be summoned right at the beginning, what terrifying magnitude would the descending heavenly lightning possess later on?
The most worried among them was undoubtedly Robin. She had personally experienced the destructive force of the heavenly tribulation; the memory of nearly having her soul shattered that day still left her with lingering dread. She feared not death itself, but the possibility of never seeing Zhong Shenxiu again!
Although Zhong Shenxiu had told Robin he was ninety percent certain there would be no danger this time, even that ten percent margin of instability kept the usually composed and calm Robin deeply unsettled!
“Sister, it’s alright. Brother Xiu is so capable; he’ll definitely be fine!” Tia tried to comfort Robin. In truth, she was also deeply uneasy, having witnessed Robin’s trial during the previous tribulation, which had left its own shadow on her heart.
“Mm!” Robin nodded slightly, wishing it were so.
Time crept by, and the dark clouds above grew ever denser, appearing as if they might fall at any moment. Suddenly, a blinding, piercing light flashed forth, seemingly tearing a rent in the entire sky.
Except for Robin, Charlotte and the others instinctively staggered back several steps. This wasn't merely shock from the sudden lightning, but an inability to withstand the overwhelming pressure that erupted without warning!
“This… what exactly is this?” Sweat beaded on Rhys’s forehead. He knew the heavenly tribulation was terrifying, but he hadn't anticipated it being this horrific. This was just the beginning of the lightning brewing, yet it already pressed down, suffocating him, making even the Zhenqi within his body restless.
In the span of that short while, the lightning within the dark clouds grew brighter and more brilliant, and the pressure it exerted became increasingly suffocating!
Faced with such terrifying heavenly lightning, could Zhong Shenxiu truly remain unscathed?
Just as everyone was filled with apprehension, Zhong Shenxiu’s voice drifted over: “Retreat another fifty li!”
There was no room for negotiation in his tone!
Everyone understood immediately why he said that; clearly, this location was no longer safe.
“Robin, Robin, let’s get out of here quickly!” Charlotte urged anxiously when she saw Robin making no move to leave.
Robin remained still, her eyes fixed dreamily on the direction where Zhong Shenxiu stood!
“Sister—” Tia started to rush toward Robin, but the Zhenqi flowing within her suddenly became erratic, forcing the rest of her words back down her throat.
“Daughter, let’s hurry and leave this place!” Paige was nearly frantic with worry, truly afraid Robin might do something reckless!
Robin was indeed wavering. A wild thought had truly entered her mind: she would stay by her Master’s side, even if it meant death!
If Robin truly acted on that impulse, not even all the others present combined could stop her.
At this critical moment, Kenny played the decisive role!
“Robin, do you want to cause harm to Xiu?” Kenny’s single sentence made Robin’s body visibly tremble.
Robin finally turned around. Her eyes, which should have been bright, were now filled with tears. She was genuinely terrified that something might happen to Zhong Shenxiu! Her heart had never been so chaotic!
“Robin, staying here will only distract Xiu. You don’t want anything to happen to him, do you? Be good, leave quickly!” Kenny’s eyes were also red; how could she not worry for Zhong Shenxiu’s safety? Without him, there would be no her as she was now!
Robin finally gave a slow nod. As she moved toward them, Kenny immediately took her hand, intending never to let go!
Just as everyone retreated beyond the hundred-li mark, the first strike of heavenly lightning finally materialized. It was no longer a single bolt, but a dragon!
Yes, a dragon composed entirely of lightning!
Its massive form made it seem as if it were right before Charlotte and the others!
Was this truly heavenly lightning?
As they stared in shock at the sight, the electric dragon swooped down…
※※※※※※
Meanwhile, Zhong Shenxiu found himself immersed in an extremely subtle state. Strange symbols flashed continuously through his mind, bearing a striking resemblance to what he had witnessed in those two peculiar spatial realms.
Although he couldn't discern why, Zhong Shenxiu had no leisure to ponder the matter, for he realized his comprehension of “Space” and “Time” was growing ever more profound, with mysterious gates continuously swinging open before him!
What shocked Zhong Shenxiu even more was yet to come: strange memories began surging forth, those very fragments he had once deleted!
In truth, when Zhong Shenxiu underwent the process of Returning to Simplicity (Fan Pu Gui Zhen), he had intentionally left this contingency; those seemingly deleted memories could indeed be restored if stimulated by a certain trigger!
The moment these memories began to resurface signaled one thing: Zhong Shenxiu had made contact with the “Way of Heaven” (Tian Dao)!
Though it was only an infinitesimal trace, for him, the benefit was immeasurable!
Unexpectedly, refining the “Alien Space” yielded such great rewards for Zhong Shenxiu; one had to admit he was blessed by destiny!
Zhong Shenxiu was now completely in a state of “No Thought, No Self” (Wu Nian Wu Wo). Although the process of refining the “Alien Space” continued without pause, he was utterly oblivious to it all, unaware of how many bolts of heavenly lightning had struck.
.......................
The heavenly lightning finally dissipated, the tense atmosphere concluded, and the world returned to clear skies once more.
However, Charlotte and the others did not relax. The moment they could no longer feel that powerful pressure, they immediately charged toward the epicenter of the event, all pushing their speed to the maximum!
When they reached the site, they were stunned by the scene before them!
There stood Zhong Shenxiu, still maintaining his cross-legged meditation posture, eyes slightly closed, face serene, but his body was slowly ascending, bathed in a multicolored light—the unmistakable precursor to Ascension!
“Master!” With a cry torn from Robin’s very soul, she lunged toward Zhong Shenxiu.
However...
With a dull thud, Robin’s body was repelled by the multicolored light, slamming heavily onto the ground.
Charlotte and the others were completely dumbfounded. They knew exactly what level Robin’s power was, yet she had been repelled by that light!
Though the chances were slim, everyone began to emulate Robin, pouring all their Zhenqi into striking the light barrier. They didn't expect to break through; they only hoped to wake Zhong Shenxiu inside!
One by one, they tried, but no matter how hard they pushed, they could not breach the barrier of colored light, nor could they rouse Zhong Shenxiu within the glow!
Finally, everyone ran out of strength, forced to watch helplessly as Zhong Shenxiu drifted farther and farther away, until he finally vanished into the horizon.
At that moment, Zhong Shenxiu was entirely unaware of the events outside; his entire being was steeped in the comprehension of the Way of Heaven. In this realm, which was both fleeting and irreplaceable, Zhong Shenxiu’s strength was increasing at a terrifying rate every second!
But would he truly abandon everyone?
Impossible. He was the prodigious “Ghost Talent” Zhong Shenxiu; how could he lack a way to return? The only prerequisite was for him to awaken—and nobody knew how long that might take!
※※※※※※
Meanwhile, across the entire world, something exhilarating occurred: those countless “Access Points” mysteriously vanished simultaneously, never to reappear again.
This was tremendous news for all of humanity. Without the threat of these “Access Points,” the restoration of normal human life seemed imminent!
※※※※※※
Time flew, and two years passed in the blink of an eye.
During these two years, Robin had not smiled once. Her existence consisted only of cultivating day and night or gazing blankly at the sky, impervious to any attempts at persuasion!
The only thing sustaining Robin now was a single conviction: she too must ascend, for only then could she be reunited with her Master!
Though Charlotte and the others were not as utterly lost as Robin, Zhong Shenxiu’s departure had a profound effect on them. They hadn’t realized it when they were constantly together, but now they understood the depth of Zhong Shenxiu’s position in their hearts.
The “Misty Mercenary Group” without Zhong Shenxiu was like a soulless shell. They yearned ceaselessly for his return, and yet two years had already passed in waiting!
Two years might not seem long, but for those who felt every day stretch into a year, each day was torture, especially when the waiting was so uncertain!
To alleviate the crushing sadness, everyone now actively sought tasks, the most frequent being the cleanup following the Demon Bug crisis. Although the crisis itself had been resolved a year prior, some regions still suffered harassment from the bugs!
One evening, as the sun began to set, everyone gathered to watch the sunset!
They all appeared listless, and the beauty of the sunset only intensified their longing for Zhong Shenxiu!
Just then, a voice, both familiar and strangely distant, reached their ears!
“I’m back!”
A simple declaration, yet it instantly electrified everyone. Robin reacted most intensely, shooting upright with a sharp whoosh. The stagnant waters that had resided in her beautiful eyes for years suddenly came alive!
“Master, is that you?” Robin asked, her voice choked with emotion. Her vision blurred with tears, yet she strained to catch sight of the person who had broken her heart in that first glance!
The others had also heard the voice and were now anxiously scanning their surroundings.
And then, approaching from the distance, a small figure was slowly walking toward them, a signature, wicked smile playing on his lips—a smile they knew better than any other!
“Young Master, it’s the Young Master! The Young Master is back!!”
Indeed, the person returning was the Zhong Shenxiu they had waited two long years for!
Yet, the first words Zhong Shenxiu spoke upon their reunion caused them all to pause:
“Who is willing to accompany me to the ‘Cultivation Realm’ (Xiu Zhen Jie)?”
Then followed a trademark, wicked smile…V