"Then let’s agree on one month. How does that sound?"

Zou Feng was a major client, after all. For the *Xiangrui*, waiting a month was entirely worthwhile and acceptable.

So, Huo Qishan said decisively, "Alright. We’ll wait for you here, near the coast, for one month, Fellow Daoist Zou."

"If you’re delayed and can’t make it back within a month, Fellow Daoist Zou, then I’m afraid we won’t be able to wait any longer..."

Zou Feng nodded. "Of course."

Having said that, Zou Feng paid a sum of spirit stones as a deposit, then cupped his hands in farewell and departed.

’Delayed? What could possibly delay me?’

Returning to the lands of the former Great Yan, Zou Feng couldn’t imagine anything that could possibly delay him.

’After all, with my current strength, in a place like Great Yan, there was only one word to describe me—invincible!’

’So, if I really *am* delayed, it most likely means... something has happened to Bian Yixia or Tian Yun.’

After all, according to the flow of time outside the Glazed Immortal Palace, more than ten years had already passed.

’In these ten-plus years, who could guarantee the two of them hadn’t changed?’

’Actually, why the current ruler was Bian Yixia and not Tian Yun... that in itself was a question that didn’t bear thinking about.’

’After all, before I was dragged into the Glazed Immortal Palace, Tian Yun’s strength had been a cut above Bian Yixia’s.’

’Besides, even if nothing terrible had happened to them, would they be willing to abandon everything here and leave with me for the Pinnacle Celestial Immortal Sect right away?’

Filled with such trepidation, Zou Feng traveled north, heading for the former Forbidden City.

Not long after Zou Feng set foot in the territory of the Hongxing Dynasty, within a certain Underground Palace...

In a pitch-black environment saturated with an aura of death, a pair of ancient, weary eyes suddenly snapped open.

"He... has returned..."

The voice, however, held little joy, but was instead thick with sorrow.

「Eastern Earth Immortal Realm, Crimson Wilds.」

Jiang Wanzhao and Lu Guanghua were still sitting cross-legged on opposite sides, facing each other from a distance.

But recently, Jiang Wanzhao found herself observing Lu Guanghua intently from time to time.

It was clear she could see that Lu Guanghua’s forbidden technique of burning his Golden Core was nearing its end. He was almost spent.

Her only hesitation was whether the force from the madman detonating his Golden Core would still be powerful enough to affect the Blood Jade Essence if she acted now.

After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Wanzhao spoke with a solemn air. "Old Lu, you don’t have much time left..."

"If you leave now, you can still arrange your affairs, or go and enjoy yourself one last time!"

"On account of us being from the same sect, I promise I won’t make things difficult for you..."

This probing remark, however, made Lu Guanghua laugh so hard he bent back and forth. "Won’t make things difficult for me? Jiang Wanzhao, do you even believe that yourself?"

Before this, no matter how Jiang Wanzhao had tried to bait him, Lu Guanghua had remained silent. To think he would offer such an uncharacteristic response now.

But by speaking, the single breath he had been holding in reserve scattered.

And with Jiang Wanzhao’s strength, she could clearly sense that Lu Guanghua had become as weak as a candle in the wind, liable to be extinguished at any moment.

In such a state, even if he self-detonated his Golden Core, it wouldn’t pose much of a threat.

In any case, Jiang Wanzhao was confident she could easily handle the blast and contain its power, preventing it from harming the Blood Jade Essence.

’Finally! I don’t have to put up with this humiliation any longer!’

The next moment, Jiang Wanzhao’s expression changed abruptly, as if she had instantly donned an Evil Ghost Mask.

"Lu, you dog! It’s over!"

Saying this, Jiang Wanzhao slowly rose, her eyes filled with the urge to vent her previous frustration and crush Lu Guanghua to death with her bare hands.

But Lu Guanghua was completely unconcerned by this.

With a look of relief, he looked up at the sky and said, "Being able to hold you off for this long is enough!"

"I can finally depart without any regrets..."

Before his voice had even faded, a strange flame rose up from Lu Guanghua’s body.

Jiang Wanzhao had thought this guy wouldn’t forget to self-destruct his Golden Core even at the moment of death, but she didn’t expect that this faint, strange flame showed no signs of growing stronger. Instead, as soon as it appeared, it was quickly extinguished.

At the same time, Lu Guanghua’s body slumped over, the light in his eyes rapidly fading.

Only the corners of his mouth were still curved in a smile.

It was as if his wish had been fulfilled, and he could now pass on in peace.

The next moment, Jiang Wanzhao flickered and appeared before Lu Guanghua’s remains.

’She was furious.’

’Letting Lu Guanghua just die like that... It was far too easy an end for him.’

’But what was with that look of peaceful acceptance?’

’Was this beast so certain his schemes against Zou Feng had succeeded?’

A wave of irritation washed over Jiang Wanzhao at the thought.

It was just a pity that many days ago, she had already received a report from her subordinate that Zou Feng had not listened to her warning and had left the Pinnacle Celestial Immortal Sect.

And now, Zou Feng was likely no longer in the Eastern Earth Immortal Realm and could no longer be contacted with the Token.

And Jiang Wanzhao only needed to think for a moment to guess that Zou Feng had most likely returned to Great Yan.

If that was truly the case, it was too late for her to go and rescue him now.

Moreover, ever since coming to the Pinnacle Celestial Immortal Sect, Jiang Wanzhao had never returned to Great Yan, so she had no idea how to even pinpoint its location now.

’Forget it. As an investment, I’ve already done all I can.’

’If he can’t escape this tribulation, it just means his fate wasn’t strong enough to begin with...’

A moment later, with a thought from Jiang Wanzhao, Lu Guanghua’s body slowly rose into the air.

After rising to a certain height, as Jiang Wanzhao turned and left, Lu Guanghua’s body exploded with a BOOM, turning into fine dust.

「Former Great Yan, Jiangdong, within Su Jin City.」

In Zou Feng’s previous time in Great Yan, he had never been to this city.

But he had once heard Gongsun Jinghong mention that this city was her homeland.

Zou Feng’s visit this time was not to see his father-in-law, who loved to wrestle with bears.

It was merely on the way, so he simply came here to find out what exactly had happened in the ten-plus years that had passed him by.

Zou Feng casually went to a tavern. By treating people to drinks under the guise of a traveling merchant, he was able to get the gist of everything that had happened.

’In truth, the events of the past decade or so weren’t as complicated as I had imagined.’

It was nothing more than that after the top experts of Great Yan, along with the reigning Emperor, suddenly and inexplicably disappeared en masse, the world inevitably descended into chaos.

After two years of chaos, a power named "Hongxing" suddenly rose to prominence.

The first thing this power did was unify the Southern Border.

In particular, they absorbed the remnants of Biyou Palace into their ranks.

After absorbing Biyou Palace, Hongxing created a "Five Poison Army" that was invincible and ever-victorious on the battlefield.

Furthermore, the two main commanders of Hongxing were both outstanding figures in the True Qi Realm, fearing no other power.

After another three years of war, the overall situation was decided, and the Hongxing dynasty was established.

The founding Empress was one of the two former commanders of the Hongxing Gang, Bian Yixia.

As for the other commander, Tian Yun, she had no interest in ruling the world and went into seclusion in the deep palace after the nation was founded.

Learning this, Zou Feng once again heaved a long sigh of relief.

’Good. At least the two of them didn’t have a falling out over who would take the throne.’

As for what exactly Tian Yun was doing in her seclusion in the deep palace, Zou Feng could roughly guess.

When a Martial Artist’s Cultivation reaches Second Grade or First Grade, they can clearly sense that there is still a path ahead.

And the existence of the Eastern Earth Immortal Realm was not much of a secret in this part of the world.

’So, Tian Yun and Bian Yixia must have considered going to the Eastern Earth Immortal Realm.’

’But thoughts were one thing; how to actually cross the Fallen Immortal Sea was a massive headache.’

’He knew that while many High Grade Martial Artists had successfully reached the Eastern Earth Immortal Realm, a considerable number had also ended up as fish food along the way.’

’So, Tian Yun was likely deep in research, using the entire nation’s resources to build a ship that could cross the Fallen Immortal Sea relatively safely.’

’Of course, there was another possibility. The ship might already be built, but Tian Yun was hesitant, unwilling to leave.’

’Perhaps she had a faint feeling that I hadn’t actually died when I disappeared.’

’And so she was clinging to that sliver of hope, waiting for my safe return.’

’If that day ever came, and she missed it because she had already left for the Eastern Earth Immortal Realm, Tian Yun would surely regret it for the rest of her life.’