A simple long dress, a cascade of raven hair falling casually over both shoulders, a face both lovely and delicate, and those deeply captivating black eyes—it was all so intensely familiar. How many times had this vision appeared in his dreams?

At this moment, Ye Jingyu’s heart ignited, like an old man on the verge of death suddenly beholding an elixir that promised eternal life, or a desert traveler, parched and near collapse, spotting an oasis. The fighting spirit that had utterly deserted him surged back with vibrant energy.

Yes, that was Luo Ling'er, the one he had painstakingly sought for a thousand years.

Her appearance was entirely different from before, yet Ye Jingyu recognized her instantly. This was the Luo Ling'er he had been searching for: the kind-hearted, innocent girl who wouldn't crush an ant but would commit murder for his sake; the girl devoid of artifice who nonetheless engaged in machinations for him; the one who always claimed she was useless, yet ultimately saved him at the cost of her own life.

Crystalline tears suddenly welled in Ye Jingyu’s eyes, blurring his vision until the entire world dissolved into indistinct shapes. Yet, those pure eyes shone like a lighthouse, illuminating the path ahead.

Luo Ling'er stood right there at the edge of the arena, held back by the transparent barrier. No matter how hard she struggled, she could not penetrate the clear boundary. Tears streamed down her face, eyes wide with worry for the unfamiliar man lying on the ground.

I cannot fall. I absolutely cannot fall. I must not collapse. I came here to save her, to build a force strong enough for that purpose. I cannot waste this chance.

Ye Jingyu understood clearly that Luo Ling'er was the Destruction Lord’s most prized possession. Unless his power utterly surpassed the Destruction Lord’s, there was no hope of taking her out of the Earth Alliance.

Therefore, he had to remain by her side under a new guise, slowly accumulating strength while keeping watch over her.

In that instant, he was like a bull injected with adrenaline. Despite the excruciating pain coursing through his body and the utter exhaustion of his internal reserves, he struggled back to his feet. A fierce fighting intent flared anew in his weary eyes.

For whom does a man fight? For whom does a man grow strong? Is it not for the one he loves most? Now that she stood before him, could he possibly concede defeat so easily?

The Donghuang Bell in his Sea of Consciousness spewed vast amounts of cyan light, mending his frame. The Ba Yuan Jue within him began circulating automatically, and the few Golden Cores within his body continuously poured forth immense energy, ceaselessly repairing his injuries and restoring his strength.

But his wounds were too grievous; his power reserves too depleted. The influx of energy was merely a drop in the ocean, wholly incapable of recharging him instantly like a battery.

Yet, he still rose, standing tall as a giant.

“It seems you truly haven't exerted your full strength yet!” Seeing Ye Jingyu stand again, Jue’s expression remained utterly vacant. His voice was as flat and indifferent as before. As the words left his mouth, his body shot forward once more.

Crack-crack-crack-crack! Countless fists rained down upon Ye Jingyu without reservation. His body, only slightly mended, shattered anew, sending him flying backward again.

But the stubborn fighting spirit in his heart compelled him to rise once more. A man must never fall before the woman he loves—never, even if it means death.

His body was scarcely recognizable as human. Many areas were deeply caved in, his very clothing was embedded in his flesh, and the bright red blood had taken on a sticky consistency. His chest was the worst: entirely sunken, sporting a fist-sized cavity, and his heart had suffered a devastating blow.

Witnessing Ye Jingyu’s state, Jue frowned deeply. His previous blows possessed enough force to atomize a Zhou-level master. Even the physical body of a Yu-level expert might not withstand such impact entirely. Yet, this fellow’s body had endured it? Though grievously wounded, his frame hadn't been pulverized by Jue’s power?

Refusing to believe it, Jue stepped forward again, delivering a direct kick to Ye Jingyu’s lower abdomen. Instantly, Ye Jingyu felt as if a nuclear bomb had detonated in his gut, unleashing a wave of destructive power that erupted everywhere.

His body was blasted away, chunks of muscle ripped from his abdomen as if detonated, the destructive force recklessly ravaging his already ruined form.

At the edge of the arena, Ling’er’s eyes were swollen red from weeping. She didn't even understand why she was crying now; she only knew that watching the unfamiliar man tormented this wild-haired monster inflicted such profound pain, such aching sorrow upon her heart.

The feeling was bizarre, yet undeniably real.

Finally, Ye Jingyu’s body crashed back to the ground. His abdomen was utterly mangled; one could clearly see the spinal column supporting his frame, and even that bone showed faint signs of cracking.

Pain? Ye Jingyu could no longer register pain. He had never sustained injuries this severe. He genuinely wished only to close his eyes and sleep deeply.

“You idiot, if you keep this up, you’ll die!” Han Ba’s anxious voice echoed from within his Sea of Consciousness.

The others had intended to burst out of Ye Jingyu’s Sea of Consciousness regardless of the cost to help him, but Ye Jingyu had completely sealed his inner domain, preventing their usual free movement. This made Han Ba frantic; if anything happened to Ye Jingyu, they would all be forced back into slumber.

But Ye Jingyu paid them no mind. He pressed one hand to the ground, bracing his body, and staggered upright once more. The speed of his body’s repair was far outpaced by the rate of destruction. Now, he resembled little more than a skeleton draped in tattered flesh.

“Kid, I know you haven't shown your true strength. Even now, are you still unwilling to use your full power?” Seeing Ye Jingyu’s condition, Jue’s voice rang out again…