Watching his senior brother depart just like that, Jiu Feng parted her lips, wanting to say something, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she turned to Ye Jingyu: "A’Yu, you’ve just woken up. Stay here and soak up some sun. I brewed some Snow Lotus Porridge for you; I’ll go bring it right over, okay?"

"Mmm…" Seeing the loving concern in Jiu Feng's eyes, Ye Jingyu nodded faintly. For some reason, whenever Jiu Feng was near, he felt an overwhelming warmth, as if nothing else truly mattered.

In a short while, Jiu Feng returned, carrying a small bowl crafted from nanmu wood. Steam billowed from the bowl, carrying a rich fragrance that immediately tickled his nose.

Ye Jingyu instantly felt a pang of hunger. Jiu Feng sat down beside him and, with great care, used a spoon to scoop a portion, gently blowing on it near her own lips. Once certain it wasn't too hot, she cautiously brought it to Ye Jingyu’s mouth.

Ye Jingyu made no ceremony of it, opening his mouth and swallowing the spoonful in one gulp. He found it incredibly sweet and delicious.

"Slow down, it’s a bit hot!" Jiu Feng cautioned him softly, seeing how hastily he drank it, yet the spoon in her hand was already moving back toward his lips…

He devoured the entire bowl of Snow Lotus Porridge almost greedily before finally looking up and saying, "Thank you, Jiu Feng!"

Jiu Feng paused, staring into Ye Jingyu’s dark eyes. Seeing the utter sincerity reflected there, a slight smile suddenly curved her lips.

"I am your woman; taking care of you is only right and proper. Would you like another bowl? I’ll go get you a refill!" Jiu Feng stated aloud.

Hearing this, Ye Jingyu faltered. He wanted to tell Jiu Feng that he already had Luo Linger, but the words refused to leave his tongue, and he could only shake his head.

"That’s right, you’ve only just woken up; you shouldn’t eat too much. Let me check your con—" Jiu Feng began, reaching out to place her hand on Ye Jingyu’s wrist to gauge his physical condition. But in an instant, her expression shifted dramatically.

"What is it?" Ye Jingyu asked mildly, noticing the sharp change in her face.

"A’Yu, your… your meridians inside your body…" Jiu Feng’s voice was filled with disbelief.

"What happened to my meridians?"

"Your meridians are completely shattered. You… you… you will never cultivate the Martial Path again…" By this point, Jiu Feng could no longer continue speaking, and tears began to well up in her eyes once more.

On the Dou Hun Continent, power was everything. She knew Ye Jingyu was the disciple of Dugu Ba Chen, she knew how much he had changed over the years, and she knew his Martial Dao cultivation was on the verge of breaking through to Martial Saint. But now, his meridians were utterly destroyed—didn't that signal to everyone that his martial arts were crippled?

She had only prepared for the possibility that he couldn't use Soul Arts, but now even his martial skills were gone. How could he ever stand firm in this world? How could he bear such a blow? Jiu Feng worried deeply that Ye Jingyu might choose to end his own life.

"Heh heh, so what if the meridians are shattered? So what if the martial arts are (crippled)? I’m not dead yet, am I? As long as I’m alive, there’s always hope, isn't there?" To her surprise, Ye Jingyu merely chuckled lightly, his demeanor suggesting he had long been aware of his condition.

"But…" Ye Jingyu’s composure left Jiu Feng in disbelief. Anyone, no matter how steadfast their will, would likely despair when facing the same situation, not remain so calm and collected. The calmer Ye Jingyu was, the more uneasy Jiu Feng became.

"I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry. Since I survived, I won't let myself go. Besides, even though the meridians are broken, my inherent strength hasn't diminished. I can still become a master, can’t I? Or have you lost faith in me?" Ye Jingyu interrupted Jiu Feng’s rising anxiety with a faint smile.

In truth, only he understood that his meridians weren’t just shattered—they were gone entirely. His entire physique had undergone a massive transformation, becoming sturdier, far more supple, and possessing exponentially greater self-healing capabilities than before.

The True Essence Power within his meridians had been completely consumed by the Overlord Prime Power (Ba Yuan Li). This Ba Yuan Li wasn't gathered in the meridians; instead, it was dispersed into every single cell of his body. On the surface, it appeared as though his Soul Arts had vanished and his martial skills were wasted, rendering him an invalid. However, in reality, his strength had vastly increased because his Body Fortification Chapter was complete. He could now command the Ba Yuan Li; at this very moment, he could clearly sense the utterly wild and dominant power surging within him and wield it smoothly.

But Ye Jingyu could not tell Jiu Feng any of this, not yet. Gui Jian Chou hadn't truly left; he could clearly sense that presence.

And while he could now utilize the Ba Yuan Li, it didn't mean he was invincible. His mastery was far from complete; it was only just formed, like a newborn infant with incredible potential that still needed time to grow.

An extremely profound mental cultivation technique had also materialized in his mind—it was the Combat Technique Chapter, the second volume of the Overlord Formula.

A set of exquisite combat techniques surfaced in his thoughts. These techniques were in no way inferior to the Astonishing Thunder Blade Art (Jing Lei Dao Jue). Yet, the most profound aspect of the Astonishing Thunder Blade Art was only three moves, whereas these battle techniques numbered in the hundreds, if not thousands. Ye Jingyu felt a pang of helplessness realizing that in his current state, he could only employ a very small fraction of them.

What brought him even greater despair was the third volume: the Divine Ability Chapter. With his body in its current state, he couldn't utilize even a single Divine Ability. He needed further refinement.

However, having achieved the Chaos Body, Ye Jingyu’s speed in absorbing the energies of heaven and earth had increased dramatically. He no longer needed that ring for conversion, as the Chaos Body was inherently capable of containing all things.

These were all benefits bestowed by the Chaos Body, but Ye Jingyu couldn't reveal them to Jiu Feng right now—not unless he wanted Gui Jian Chou to silence him permanently.

Nonetheless, after seeing the genuine look in Ye Jingyu’s eyes, Jiu Feng finally relaxed. A’Yu was right; as long as they were alive, there was hope for everything. If he could be so optimistic, how could she afford to be so sorrowful?

"A’Yu, perhaps you should go inside and rest for a while?" Jiu Feng asked again.

"I’ll just lie here for a bit. You, on the other hand, must be exhausted after these past few days. You should go rest," Ye Jingyu said gently, looking at Jiu Feng’s drawn face.

"No, I’ll rest right here. I want to stay with you!" Jiu Feng insisted, moving inside briefly to bring out a soft couch, which she placed right beside Ye Jingyu. She lay down on her side, gave Ye Jingyu a sweet smile, and then slowly closed her eyes.

Ye Jingyu paid her no mind, slowly closing his own eyes as he immersed himself in contemplating the contents of the Combat Technique Chapter.

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