In the city of Disha, as Ye Jingyu and his party arrived at the gates, they were greeted by a magnificent, perfectly uniformed honor guard composed entirely of humans standing respectfully on either side. In the center of this human formation, protected by the human contingent, was another guard unit made entirely of Destruction Demons, diligently keeping the surrounding demonic onlookers at bay.

This honor guard had been hastily assembled to welcome a hero. Ye Jingyu had rendered indispensable service during the recent conflict between the two great Alliances, and to underscore the Earth Alliance's appreciation, the three Lords had temporarily conscripted humans within their territory to form this splendid retinue.

Countless demons were already aware of the heroic deeds of Ye Jingyu’s group. Those demons who had once held strong prejudices against humans were now noticeably more amiable toward them, thanks to Ye Jingyu’s exploits. Upon seeing the party arrive, the crowd erupted in cheers.

Naturally, to demonstrate the high regard in which Ye Jingyu was held, Yuan—the Lord of the Earth Alliance, the very one who had nearly been slain by Xuanyuan Jing—had made a full recovery and, with his strength visibly enhanced, personally stepped forward to greet him.

A faint smile touched Ye Jingyu’s lips. It was not due to the roaring adoration of the myriad demons, nor the personal welcome from Yuan. To him, dispatching a few Heavenly Monarchs was no great feat, and he cared little for this so-called honor of a hero. The genuine smile that graced his face was reserved solely for the woman standing beside Yuan: a woman with an adorably innocent face and a pair of pure, guileless eyes.

Ling!

Today, Luo Ling’er was clad in a gown of sheer white gauze, cinched at the waist with a pale blue sash. Her raven-black hair was swept up behind her head, and a sweet smile played on her lips—perhaps from seeing Ye Jingyu, or perhaps from delight at the elevated status of humanity.

However, when Ye Jingyu appeared, her gaze involuntarily drifted toward him. She always found him remarkably handsome, even more so than her own brother. The mere sight of him brought her joy, a feeling whose origin she could not fathom.

Jiu Feng and Xi Yang, who trailed close behind Ye Jingyu, noticed his expression. Jiu Feng, especially, recognized the woman the instant she saw Luo Ling’er—the woman who haunted Ye Jingyu’s dreams.

So many years had passed, yet she remained just as innocent, as purely beautiful and kind as she had been then. It was no wonder she occupied such a significant place in Ye Jingyu’s heart.

Yet, strangely, upon seeing Luo Ling’er again, Jiu Feng felt no pang of jealousy. Observing the way Luo Ling’er and Ye Jingyu looked at each other, a sense of profound relief washed over her. They were finally reunited; he would no longer have to suffer silently because of her.

Xi Yang’s feelings were more complex. From the first moment she saw Luo Ling’er, she knew this was the woman Ye Jingyu loved, the one he had always sought to rescue. Her initial reaction was not jealousy—a petty emotion that seemed nonexistent in the straightforward Xi Yang. Nevertheless, as a woman, a sliver of competitive spirit surfaced...

She compared Luo Ling’er’s figure to her own, clearly recognizing her own absolute advantage in physique. Then she compared their faces; Xi Yang’s beauty rivaled that of Yao Rao, making her far more striking than Luo Ling’er. But when Xi Yang met Luo Ling’er’s pure eyes, she suddenly understood the weight of Luo Ling’er’s importance to Ye Jingyu.

No matter how fine a figure or how exquisite a face, there would always be other women in the world who possessed them. But Luo Ling’er possessed something utterly unique that others could never claim: a vibrancy, a spirit that emanated from the depths of her soul.

This single thread of innate spirit prevented even Xi Yang, a romantic rival, from fostering any dissatisfaction toward her. On the contrary, she felt a sudden urge to draw closer to her.

She was, indeed, such a kind, spirited, and beautiful woman.

As for Bing Ming, he merely offered a slight smile upon seeing Luo Ling’er. In contrast, the Monkey, standing beside him, frowned deeply upon sighting her, as if troubled by some impending concern...

Though he could not immediately discern the source of his unease, he simply remained close to Ye Jingyu, silent.

Yuan’s expression shifted to mild surprise upon noting the sudden assembly of so many Cosmos-level experts surrounding Ye Jingyu. However, he quickly reconciled the sight. This young man was always full of surprises; whatever encounters he had outside was hardly unexpected. Moreover, without such formidable allies, how could he have fought his way through the Heavenly Alliance and slain two Heavenly Monarchs?

“Hahahaha, General Jing, you have finally returned! You had us terribly worried!” Yuan stepped forward personally, greeting Ye Jingyu with a warm smile.

“This subordinate is incompetent, failing to slay Heavenly Monarch Liang and nearly losing my own life to him. I beg my Lord’s punishment for causing worry,” Ye Jingyu replied with practiced deference.

“What nonsense is General Jing speaking? You have slain two Heavenly Monarchs; you have rendered immense service to the Earth Alliance! How can you be guilty? Father Lord has already prepared a feast in the Demon Palace, awaiting only General Jing’s return!” Yuan knew that Liang Xiaoke possessed a lethal weapon like the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, and Ye Jingyu himself lacked any major artifacts; escaping Liang Xiaoke alive was fortunate enough.

“I thank my Lord,” Ye Jingyu said, unsurprised, having already known the Lord had emerged from seclusion.

“Heh heh, General Jing, and these esteemed individuals are...?” Yuan nodded, signaling Ye Jingyu to relax, before turning his attention to the Monkey and Bing Ming standing nearby.

“This one is called Kong, and this one is Ming. I owe my escape from Heavenly Monarch Liang entirely to their timely rescue. These two,” Ye Jingyu gestured toward Jiu Feng and Xi Yang, “are my consorts, Feng and Xi. They remained with me in the Savage Forest during my early cultivation but had not yet reached the Cosmos rank, so they did not accompany me initially. Now that they have both broken through, I have brought them along,” Ye Jingyu delivered the pre-rehearsed explanation smoothly.

Yuan’s divine sense swept naturally over the cultivation bases of the group. He registered that they radiated either frigid Nether Qi, fierce Demonic Energy, or Demonic Power—none possessed the pure, untainted Celestial Qi of an immortal. This set his mind at ease. It appeared they held great enmity toward the Heavenly Alliance. As everyone knew, the current Heavenly Alliance was highly exclusionary toward other races.

Unless one practiced pure Celestial Arts, they were dismissed by those immortals as practitioners of heretical paths. This was precisely why those Heavenly Monarchs had always been unable to truly accept Liang Tianjun...

Meanwhile, Ling, upon hearing Ye Jingyu introduce Jiu Feng and Xi Yang, glanced at both women and felt a strange flicker of familiarity, yet she could not recall ever having met them before.