"Damn it, you weren't this worried even when I was missing? They'll be fine unless those eight moved..." Grabbed by the arm, Liang Xiaoke rolled his eyes dramatically, shook off Ye Jingyu's grip, and spoke.

"Why?" Ye Jingyu was puzzled. Had Jiu Feng's power grown to such a degree?

"Heh heh, of course, it's your Master. Both of your martial sisters are by his side!" Liang Xiaoke said with a smile.

"Then where is my Master right now?" Ye Jingyu finally felt a wave of relief. Dugu Ba Chen had already reached that realm back then; surely he should have broken through to the Yu level by now? The injuries he sustained back then weren't fatal, after all.

"I don't know either. The old man is like a mystical being—you rarely see him," Liang Xiaoke shook his head, then proceeded to brief Ye Jingyu on the current structure of the Tian Meng.

The Tian Meng was a vast entity, beneath which several nations existed. The two largest among them were the former Tian Yuan Empire and the Southern Cloud Empire.

The Emperor of the Tian Yuan Empire was Xuanyuan Jing. Having been taken as a disciple by the Five Great Immortal Sages, coupled with his innate talent, he had managed, through sheer effort over the years, to reach the Zhou level. Surrounding him were four other disciples of the Five Great Immortal Sages who had also achieved the Zhou level. Among the Ten Heavenly Monarchs, they commanded five of them. The Emperor of the Southern Cloud Empire was naturally still Luo Ruofeng, though his personal strength remained stalled at the Hong level. However, with the addition of Liang Xiaoke, Yan Senxu, and Ying Kongshi—three masters at the Zhou level—plus the Shanhe Shejitu map under his command and the massive cohort of disciples he had gathered, the Southern Cloud Empire securely held the second position. The remaining two smaller nations were governed by two former Immortals from the Immortal Realm who had reached the Jue Xian (Zhou level) realm; although their populations were fewer than those of the Southern Cloud Empire and the Tian Yuan Empire, their subjects were almost entirely composed of immortals.

In other words, the weakest practitioners within their borders were at least at the Celestial Immortal level...

On the Southern Cloud Empire's side, Ye Jingyu's old acquaintances, Nangong Shang, Fang Zhuguo, and Xue Wuqing, had all reached the Hong level. Yet, apart from Liang Xiaoke, no one else had managed to ascend to the Zhou level. After all, reaching such a profound state was not merely a matter of time; without achieving that critical Gnosis level, even ten thousand or a million years might not guarantee a breakthrough.

Although Yan Senxu and Ying Kongshi were part of the alliance, they never truly submitted to Luo Ruofeng's command, serving more like esteemed consultants.

Meanwhile, Gongsun Xiangyi had dedicated herself entirely to the profound study of crafting arts over the years, spending nearly all her time within the Shanhe Shejitu. It was under her guidance that Huangfu Buyue, whose memories had been tampered with by Xuanyuan Ruoxing, finally recovered them. However, he seemed to have seen through the mortal world, choosing to depart alone, never to reappear...

Hu Yanmeng focused intensely on perfecting her arrow techniques. As for Yao Rao, at the mention of her name, Liang Xiaoke’s face fell into a mournful expression. He had truly believed that with his own capabilities, he could eventually win Yao Rao's affection over the years, but unexpectedly, Yao Rao hadn't given him a second glance.

Having listened to Liang Xiaoke's detailed report, Ye Jingyu’s heart finally settled. Regardless of the changes, his old friends were still around. At this point, the two men had arrived at the City Lord’s manor in Xueyuan City, where Fang Wu and Liang Xing had already prepared a feast, awaiting the arrival of these two great figures...

Seemingly eager to catch up, Liang Xiaoke summarily dismissed Fang Wu and the others, grabbed a jar of fine wine, smashed the clay seal with a single palm strike, and tossed it to Ye Jingyu: "Come on, come on! This is the Xian Kou Chun, brewed personally by that little lass Xiangyi. It tastes absolutely superb, far better than the vintages crafted by those aloof immortals!"

Ye Jingyu took the jar, his gaze sweeping over the lavish spread on the table, and asked once more, "Big Brother, over all these years, have you heard anything about Ling'er?"

Liang Xiaoke, who had just broken the seal on his second jar, suddenly paused mid-action upon hearing the question. His normally lustrous eyes became piercingly clear, staring directly at Ye Jingyu...

Seeing that look, Ye Jingyu felt a prickle of foreboding, and his heart involuntarily began to race.

"Big Brother, just tell me. Whatever it is, I'm prepared for anything!" Ye Jingyu stated with grave seriousness.

"Ling'er… she is still alive..." After a long pause, those few words finally left Liang Xiaoke's lips. It should have been joyous news, yet he delivered it with immense weight.

Ye Jingyu was about to express his relief, but Liang Xiaoke's next sentence shattered his rising joy...

"But she is no longer herself?"

"Hmm?" Ye Jingyu's brow furrowed tightly. What did he mean by 'she is no longer herself'?

"Every hundred years, the high-ranking members of the Tian Meng and Di Meng convene for the Heavenly and Earthly Sacred Assembly. Its actual purpose is for the leadership of both factions to engage in contests to vie for resources. At the last Sacred Assembly, a woman appeared beside Yuan, the current controller of the Di Meng. The moment I saw that woman, I knew it was Ling'er. Although her appearance had changed drastically, those eyes—they never changed. I knew it had to be her, yet she acted as if she didn't recognize me. Not just me, she recognized no one. No matter what method I tried, it was useless. I even attempted to seize her when they were departing, but I was repelled by the joint force of the Di Meng's Seven Fiends. Even the Destruction Lord himself made an appearance, issuing a stern warning: no one could take her away unless Ling'er consented herself!" Liang Xiaoke recounted with profound regret, clearly lamenting his failure to rescue Luo Ling'er back then.

"Big Brother, you mustn't blame yourself for this. I believe there must be some hidden story!" Ye Jingyu clapped Liang Xiaoke on the shoulder, then snatched up the wine jar and began gulping down the contents shamelessly.

Ling'er, no matter what has happened, I will bring you back... I swear it...

Ye Jingyu made a solemn vow in his heart. Liang Xiaoke said no more, raising his own jar to drink heavily alongside his brother...

That night, the two brothers poured out their hearts in a torrent of drinking, until they were utterly intoxicated and passed out cold. By dawn, Ye Jingyu was gone, having left as quietly as he arrived, without alerting anyone. Apart from Liang Xiaoke and a few others, no one knew he had even awakened...