"Bewitching girl, are you alright?" Seeing that Yao Rao hadn't responded, Liang Xiaoke pressed on shamelessly, his eyes involuntarily drawn to her chest. But now, with the garment he had offered draped over her, not a trace of springtime scenery was visible.

Damn it, why was I so gentlemanly just now? It wasn't cold here, why did I put a cloak on her? Even if I had to cover her, I should have at least looked my fill first...

"Ah... I'm fine..." It was then that Yao Rao snapped out of her trance.

"Yao Rao, what are you doing here? How did you encounter the Flame Demon?" By this time, Ye Jingyu had also finished his work, crossing the distance to stand before Yao Rao in a single stride.

"I entered the Panbulasi Grasslands with Huangfu Buyue and Bai Jingfei. We originally intended to join forces to kill a Demon Wolf King, but unexpectedly, we ran into this Flame Demon..." Facing Ye Jingyu's question, Yao Rao, usually so guarded and deep in thought, revealed everything that had happened without reservation, even admitting that she possessed the Absolute Yin Marrow Vein.

Upon hearing that Huangfu Buyue and Bai Jingfei had been killed by the Flame Demon, a wave of regret washed over Ye Jingyu. Bai Jingfei was one thing, but he and Huangfu Buyue shared a fairly good friendship. Yet, the dead could not return, and what could he possibly do now?

As for Liang Xiaoke, the moment he heard Yao Rao possessed the Absolute Yin Marrow Vein, one of his eyes could no longer stray from her body. The Absolute Yin Marrow Vein—the most utterly yin body in all of heaven and earth.

He was a Zombie, inherently a creature of cold yin. He held a special affinity for all things cold and yin. No wonder he felt so inexplicably drawn to her; this must be the reason. She truly seemed to be the woman fate had arranged for him.

With this realization, Liang Xiaoke's solicitousness towards Yao Rao grew even stronger. As for whether Yao Rao harbored feelings for Ye Jingyu, he couldn't be bothered to care. Besides, Ye Jingyu didn't seem to like her anyway. Even if Ye Jingyu did, the two brothers could always compete fairly.

However, no matter how attentive Liang Xiaoke became, Yao Rao's mind, already subconsciously captured by Ye Jingyu, found it increasingly difficult to take interest in him.

It wasn't until Liang Xiaoke brought up the matter of the Dou Hun War that Yao Rao's attention refocused on him.

"What did you say? My Masters are all dead?" Yao Rao stared at Liang Xiaoke, utterly stunned. The elders of the Hundred Flowers Sect had sent them to the Demon Realm merely to protect them? Another continent existing outside the Dou Hun Continent? How was that possible?

"Do you remember the Yuan Ling Sect? Their backers were the Gu Hua Continent. Master, Xuanyuan Jue, Bai Xiaodi, Huangfu Yun, including all the elders from your Hundred Flowers Sect—they all went there. To secure freedom for the Dou Hun Continent, they gave up their grudges, put aside their feuds, and ultimately surrendered their lives!" Seeing Yao Rao's dumbstruck expression, Ye Jingyu also spoke up.

Having received the detailed account from Liang Xiaoke and confirmation from Ye Jingyu, Yao Rao felt as though her heart was about to burst. How could this be? Why had so much happened in just a few months? Why was it like this?

"You don't need to be overly distressed. I will certainly avenge their deaths, Yao Rao. What do you plan to do next? Will you continue forward with us, or return to the human realm first?" Seeing Yao Rao's profound grief, Ye Jingyu felt his own heart tearing apart.

Such a beautiful woman, one whose allure could topple nations—she should be an enchantress revered by all, a treasure held tenderly in men's hands. Yet, like them, she was here, constantly fighting, constantly pushing past her limits, evolving, and now forced to bear the blow of her sect's destruction. How tragic!

Never mind that he was already familiar with Yao Rao and had worked alongside her before; even if this were the first time he laid eyes on her, he would find it impossible to refuse any request she made.

"My Masters are gone; what meaning is there in returning to the human world? If possible, I wish to travel onward with you, Young Master!" After a long pause, Yao Rao finally recovered from the devastating blow. A tear, having slipped down unnoticed, was wiped from her eye, and the brilliance of her former spirit had returned to her face.

Observing her determined gaze, Ye Jingyu nodded softly. As for Liang Xiaoke, he was already jumping for joy. He understood perfectly the principle of proximity bringing opportunity—as long as Yao Rao stayed near them, was he worried about missing his chance?

At this moment, Lin Xiaoyi, Tageli, Hu Yanqi, Hu Yanmeng, and the others had also arrived. Looking at the pitch-black sky, Ye Jingyu decided they would stay the night. Yao Rao had sustained serious injuries and required proper recuperation.

After resting in place for one night, Ye Jingyu’s inner Flame Golden Core had also solidified. Just as they were preparing to set off, they suddenly discovered that Yao Rao was gone...

Missing along with Yao Rao was the tall figure of Tageli, who had been assigned the night watch duty...

Seeing this, Ye Jingyu was filled with confusion. Whether Yao Rao had been kidnapped or had left on her own accord, it should have been impossible for him to remain completely oblivious! So why did this situation occur?

Liang Xiaoke's face twisted into an expression of anxiety. After finally managing to get close to Yao Rao, she had vanished—how could he be happy?

"A-Yu, what should we do? I finally found a woman I really like, and now she’s gone?" Liang Xiaoke rubbed his hands together, speaking frankly without caring that Monic and Bernice were standing nearby.

Ye Jingyu ignored his rambling. The moon wheel between his brows lit up once more, and streams of silver light shot out from the Eye of Reincarnation, tracing back into the past...

After scanning the area, Ye Jingyu’s gaze settled on the spot where Yao Rao had lain the previous night. Amidst the bewildered looks of Liang Xiaoke and the others, he suddenly threw a punch, slamming it fiercely into the ground...

"Rumble..." A deafening roar, as if something massive had shattered, followed immediately by a pillar of fire shooting straight up, enveloping his body and swallowing it whole...

(No matter the reason, updating this late is my fault, but please try to be understanding. I will adjust my mindset properly and things will slowly return to normal. I likely won't be able to write much today, so tomorrow's update will be written tomorrow morning. Please check back after noon then!)