Unexpectedly, it allowed Yin Shen Palace to leisurely tour the scenery along the way.

After traveling five thousand more miles, the journey was nearly half completed.

Alone, traversing thousands of mountains and waters.

Yin Shen Palace also loosened up, occasionally encountering particularly beautiful scenery, simply sat down, took out wine and food from the Space Ring, and indulged in a drunken revelry.

At night, he stopped traveling, casually finding the highest peak nearby, gazing up at the starlight while perched atop the mountain.

Dots of starlight, seemingly within reach on the mountaintop.

Coldly blinking down.

Each night, Yin Shen Palace hugged his knees, gazing up at the starlight, gazing at the stars.

Silent, unmoving.

Only at such moments did he reveal some genuine human emotions from the mortal world.

Clothes fluttering, he gazed afar, alone.

In his heart, only one name echoed.

"...Ruochen, Ruochen..."

That extreme, despairing pang of bitterness rose in his heart.

Faced with the abyss, with his back to everything, he alone in the world, no one could discover the tears tracing his old demon face.

Yin Shen Palace enjoyed this feeling, it had been many years since he shed tears; how could a Sect Master shed tears?

As a Demon, how could he shed tears?

Amidst the sea of humans, how could he shed tears?

In front of others, how could he shed tears?

Even he did not expect to feel this on a lonely, interception-prone journey, enjoying the sensation of tears streaming, savoring the bitter pain in his heart.

Silently reciting that name he never dared to speak aloud.

"Ruochen, I miss you so much."

As tears flowed, he felt that a certain emotion, pent up for who knows how long, began to be gradually released, dissipating between heaven and earth...

Aunt Hong, following in secret, discovered that each night, Yin Shen Palace gave her a different feeling.

It seemed his temperament was changing.

"Strange, could it be that this guy goes to the mountaintop every night to stargaze, and is enlightenment the result?"

Aunt Hong’s speculation was confirmed.

Two days later, as Yin Shen Palace walked, black energy suddenly surged all over him, and azure light burst forth.

His cultivation silently advanced from Ninth Realm Elder level directly to Elder level Peak.

It was an enlightenment breakthrough, breaking a shackle, lifting a Realm that could already touch the threshold of a Saint.

Half a step away from a Saint!

"Strange!"

Aunt Hong clicked her tongue in amazement.

She racked her brains but couldn’t understand why. Could stargazing aid in Mental Realm advancement?

Aunt Hong decided to try it herself when she returned.

After walking another two days, Yin Shen Palace treaded the path alone; Aunt Hong, with superior movement technique and secret arts, remained unnoticed.

Perhaps certain that no one protected Yin Shen Palace, suddenly, that night, two black-clad, masked shadows wafted onto the peak.

"Yin Shen Palace! Your time of death has come!"

Yin Shen Palace turned slowly, saying lightly, "If my time of death has come, so be it, it’s no big deal. I just hope to die knowing why!"

"Killing you, Yemo will never thrive!"

"Stop dawdling with him, attack!"

The two moved simultaneously.

Just then... a red shadow burst from behind Yin Shen Palace, just as the two were about to turn him into pulp, Aunt Hong’s figure emerged from Yin Shen Palace’s shadow.

In a flash, red light enveloped the sky.

The entire mountaintop, like a morning sun appearing, vibrant clouds filled the sky, an invincible fierce force exploded in all directions, encompassing the two black-clad figures.

"I’d like to see whose guts are so big to play tricks!"

Bam, bam... Aunt Hong delivered two consecutive strikes, one person countered, and another was sent flying by her palm.

Both spewed blood wildly, eyes wide with shock.

"Come here!"

Aunt Hong coldly shouted, followed by a sudden rainbow light contraction, directly drawing the two bodies to her, a jade hand raised, with a swish, snatching off their masks simultaneously.

Exposing two disfigured faces beneath.

Their eyes revealed strange expressions, and soon, faces turned black.

Sank down limply.

Soon, their bodies slowly turned to pus.

Not even giving Aunt Hong a chance to interrogate, upon realizing their failure and capture, they bit into their poison bags in their mouths.

Without saying a word to Aunt Hong.

All succumbed to the poison and died.

"Freeze for me!"

Aunt Hong, angered, spat out a gush of white air, instantly stopping the two corpses from melting, turning them into ice sculptures.

"Disfigured, Death Soldier!"

A terrifying suspicion arose in Aunt Hong’s mind, and after searching them, she found nothing indicating their identities, confirming her fears, her expression grew grave.

"Yin Sect Leader, do you know who these people are? You should know where they come from."

Yin Shen Palace sighed, "I’ve guessed, the world’s most mysterious assassin organization, Faceless Tower. These are their Faceless Soul Hookers. They really value me, sending two at once."

"Someone’s price drove them to it."

Aunt Hong’s face darkened, "Your journey here hasn’t been peaceful at all."

Yin Shen Palace said, "Yet, curiously, if dispatching these two Faceless Envoys, even if I return to Yixin Sect, I wouldn’t escape death. Why act only upon my return journey?"

Aunt Hong paused in surprise, "Yes, why?"

Yin Shen Palace thought and said, "Perhaps it was... for..."

Aunt Hong nodded, "True, they are probing, testing how much importance Vice Sect Master Yan places on you, and assessing if there’s anyone protecting you. But why test this?"