Ye Changfeng, Lin Yaqi, Shi Yan, and Xia Xinyan had once again narrowly escaped the destructive assault of the Crimson Yama Emperor, thanks to a spatial transfer treasure Ye Changfeng possessed.

This island was utterly deserted; the few neighboring isles were equally barren, supporting no vegetation—only ash-white rock met the eye.

Both Ye Changfeng and Lin Yaqi had expended massive reserves of vital essence to activate the teleportation treasure. Upon manifesting on the island, their faces were pale, and their eyes remained wide with lingering terror.

The Crimson Yama Emperor unleashed a single palm strike across the void, an attack that blotted out the heavens, instantly leveling the small island where the four had just been standing. Such terrifying and ferocious power deeply shook the quartet, giving them their first truly visceral understanding of the might wielded by this expert from the Demon Realm, who stood at the Third Heaven of the Divine Connection realm.

Third Heaven of the Divine Connection realm—a single palm strike spanning ten thousand miles, yet its world-shattering destructive force showed no reduction. An island the size of Tianmo City was effortlessly ground to dust. It was truly unfathomably terrifying.

Chi Yan’s sheer power exceeded Shi Yan’s comprehension; it was his first time realizing how horrifying a true Divine Realm expert could be.

“Xiao Bai, what should we do?” Lin Yaqi asked, her face drawn. She rubbed her shapely backside, biting back a yelp of pain. Helplessly, she sighed, “This sea area won’t be peaceful. We need to leave this place as soon as possible. I truly didn’t expect that even after fleeing ten thousand miles, that Demon Emperor still managed to track us down. I wonder if he’ll find this place.”

“Let’s head east and get out of this sea area quickly,” Ye Changfeng managed, grimacing as he stood up. He looked warily toward the sky. “We can’t use the spatial transfer again. Another attempt like that, and we won't be able to bear it; we might suffer a backlash. We’ll have to rely on the flight treasure and move slowly.” Lin Yaqi nodded in agreement.

Shi Yan and Xia Xinyan sat on the stone ground, their expressions vacant, gazing upward at the gray sky, their eyes devoid of spirit or energy.

Xia Xinyan had lost her grandfather; Shi Yan had lost Linda. Under the immense pressure of continuing their lineage and the fate of their clans, Yi Tianmo and others had been forced to submit. Even Snow Dragon Mountain had become a paradise for the Demon People. The clan leaders of the Winged Race, Di Shan and Yurou, had even allied themselves with the Demon People.

Such drastic changes were too much for even the usually optimistic and tenacious Shi Yan to bear; his mood sank heavily.

“We should leave now.”

Ye Changfeng looked at the two, sighing softly and shaking his head. “The dead cannot be brought back to life. The arrival of the Demon People was sudden; no one predicted they had plotted for so long, daring to descend upon Sun Island to slaughter indiscriminately. Even for the sake of those who died, you must pull yourselves together.” Shi Yan slowly nodded, his gaze sharpening like a blade. “I understand.”

“Let’s go,” Xia Xinyan said, standing up with determination, though tear streaks still stained her delicate face. She looked toward Lin Yaqi and Ye Changfeng. “Where are we going?”

“Do you know the location of your great-grandfather, Xia Qinghou?” Ye Changfeng mused for a moment, suddenly speaking. “Though your great-grandfather is currently mentally unsound, he can be easily restored with a single Lingxu Pill. With his cultivation realm, coupled with his previous fortunate encounter within the Dark Magnetic Miasma, once his mind is clear, he should easily advance further. If he reaches the Second Heaven of Divine Connection, our safety will be greatly assured.”

Xia Xinyan used a pristine white handkerchief to wipe away the last of the tears on her face. She nodded sorrowfully. “I know his location, but the Lingxu Pill is gone... Even if we rush there, it will be futile.”

“Who says it’s gone?” Ye Changfeng curled his lips upward and opened his left palm. The Lingxu Pill, which he had previously given away, rested quietly in his palm. Under the astonished gazes of the other three, Ye Changfeng murmured, “I tampered with this Lingxu Pill. I originally intended to use it to track down your great-grandfather. After your grandfather, Xia Shenchuan, died, I retrieved it using my spatial treasure just before teleporting.”

Xia Xinyan’s beautiful face flushed with anger.

Ye Changfeng scratched his head, looking embarrassed, and chuckled sheepishly. “That Lingxu Pill was too precious. After I gave it away, I worried you wouldn't uphold the agreement, so I secretly set a mechanism. If it hadn't been for my caution, the Lingxu Pill might truly have been lost.”

“Enough,” Lin Yaqi interrupted, her brow furrowed with impatience. “We are still twenty thousand miles from Sun Island, and it’s not safe here. I think we should leave this place first, or we’re truly doomed if Chi Yan’s divine sense sweeps over us again.”

Shi Yan nodded, stating gravely, “Let’s go.”

The Phantom Void Ring on Ye Changfeng’s hand flashed slightly, and a diamond-shaped silver carpet suddenly materialized and suspended in the air before him. He smiled, his figure blurring as he stepped onto the carpet. He called out to Shi Yan and Xia Xinyan, “This flying carpet was refined by my old master. While it’s far slower than the spatial transfer treasure, when flying at full speed, it rivals the maximum velocity of an expert at the Third Heaven of the Celestial Rank. You two hop on.”

As he spoke, Lin Yaqi had already unceremoniously sat down beside him, urging Shi Yan and Xia Xinyan to hurry.

Xia Xinyan’s expression remained grim, but knowing the gravity of their situation, she didn't hesitate. She leaped onto the flying carpet and then shifted toward Lin Yaqi, making room for Shi Yan.

Shi Yan’s eyes darkened. He looked up at the sky, preparing to board the carpet, when his expression suddenly froze. A wave of malevolent consciousness, seemingly from an extreme distance, pierced through the void. Despite being separated by ten thousand miles, Shi Yan clearly sensed this evil intent was directed solely at him.

“It’s the Demon Lord, Mo Qita.”

The soul transmission from the Profound Ice Cold Flame suddenly echoed from within the Blood Pattern Ring. “This fellow possesses your soul signature; he has locked onto you. He is an expert at the First Heaven of Divine Connection. Ten thousand miles is only half an hour’s journey for him. He is guaranteed to appear here in half an hour.”

Shi Yan’s eyes turned icy, and he immediately transmitted back: “Can we evade him?”

“His attainment in soul arts is deeper than yours. Since he has locked onto you, evasion will be difficult unless you can instantly teleport a hundred thousand miles. Otherwise, he will maintain his lock,” the Profound Ice Cold Flame’s message held a profound sense of helplessness. “It seems this time you are truly facing inescapable doom. A Divine Realm expert moving at full power to kill you—within such a short distance, you have zero hope of survival.”

A chill spread through Shi Yan’s body, and he sat down weakly, his posture one of utter defeat.

He had always been supremely confident, believing his talent and perseverance were unmatched. In just five years, he had vaulted from a Post-Heaven Martial Artist directly to the peak of the Celestial Rank, possessed various rare Martial Souls, and harbored strange life forms like the Profound Ice Cold Flame and Earth Core Fire—he was certain he would one day tower above all others.

But the shock of this single day had shattered all his self-assurance, making him realize just how powerless his current Celestial Peak cultivation was in this world; how fragile he was when facing true powerhouses, lacking even a shred of strength to resist.

Chi Yan’s demonstration had yanked him violently down from the clouds, forcing him to truly confront his current standing.

It was today that he gained a concrete understanding: only overwhelming personal strength allows one to act as they please in this cruel world. Those he relied upon—Yi Tianmo, Di Shan, and the others—were ultimately unreliable when crisis struck.

In this world, everything depended on oneself; one must never pin the hope of survival on others.

He was prepared to discard all impractical fantasies from this day forward and elevate his power at any cost—yet, just as he finally grasped this truth, the hope for the future seemed poised to be violently extinguished by Mo Qita.

“The three of you go. I still have things to do here,” Shi Yan suddenly muttered, sinking into a resigned, cross-legged position. He gazed blankly at Xia Xinyan’s breathtakingly beautiful face, saying softly, “Xinyan, be careful. I hope we meet again someday.”

Xia Xinyan’s delicate body trembled, her beautiful eyes widening in surprise. She cried out sharply, “What are you planning to do?”

From the tone of Shi Yan’s voice, she sensed something was gravely wrong. Shi Yan appeared more despairing than she had ever seen him in their time together, as if he had relinquished all hope. She knew he must have made some terrible decision.

“What the hell are you doing, kid?” Ye Changfeng yelled. “The Yuanluo Sea is incredibly complex right now. The Divine Realm experts from the foreign races you relied on have all submitted to the Demon People. What can you possibly do by staying here? Are you trying to commit suicide?”

“Mo Qita has locked onto me; he will descend here in half an hour. If you don’t leave now, you’ll never get away,” Shi Yan took a deep breath and urged Ye Changfeng, “Restrain her and take her away from here. Even for the purpose of your mission, she needs to live well.”

Ye Changfeng stiffened.

“Boom!”

Lin Yaqi moved a step ahead, turning and reaching toward Xia Xinyan’s slender neck. A soft yet resilient force instantly permeated Xia Xinyan’s body, rendering her limbs useless until she gradually slumped over, losing consciousness. As she struggled weakly to get off the carpet before passing out, Lin Yaqi held her tightly, preventing her escape.

“Thank you,” Shi Yan suddenly relaxed, smiling faintly. He urged them on. “Take her and go. It was a pleasure knowing the two of you. When she wakes up, tell her that in this world, she is the only woman who ever moved my heart.”

“Take care. I hope we meet again,” Ye Changfeng replied, his expression heavy. He stared at Shi Yan and nodded slowly. “I will tell her exactly what you said, but I hope that one day in the future, you will be able to tell her these words yourself.”

Then, without waiting for Lin Yaqi to say more, Ye Changfeng activated the silver flying carpet. It transformed into a streak of light, shooting directly toward the extreme east.

The three figures slowly vanished, finally disappearing completely from the horizon. Shi Yan sat woodenly on the ground, staring blankly at the eastern sky, watching the beloved woman depart.

He subconsciously felt that in this lifetime, it was unlikely they would ever see each other again...