"Chu Feng, you actually broke Lord Dugu Lingtian's record."
"You're way too incredible. Other places, sure, but how did you manage to break a record on the Wolong Fate Tower of all places?"
At that moment, Li Fengxian — Li Muzhi's grandfather — appeared suddenly. Seeing Chu Feng's name suspended above Dugu Lingtian's on the Wolong Fate Tower, he couldn't stop marveling.
An undisguised smile spread across his aged face.
"Maybe the heavens are looking out for me. Guess I've just got a stubborn fate," Chu Feng said with a laugh.
"Regardless, being able to stay here is a good thing."
"Oh right, Chu Feng, I have two things to tell you. The first is good news — the Sect Master has agreed to let you enter the Abandoned Land to get engaged to Ziling."
Li Fengxian said.
"Really?"
Chu Feng was wild with joy. Even though he knew this was something he deserved, having it confirmed still sent a thrill through him. After all, the Sect Master had been so hostile toward him — he had genuinely feared she would make things difficult again.
And most importantly, Chu Feng had never forgotten why he had come to the Wolong Martial Sect in the first place.
Hadn't he come here precisely for Ziling?
The thought that he would be seeing Ziling soon made his heart race with excitement beyond measure.
"Then... what's the other thing?" Chu Feng asked.
Judging by Li Fengxian's tone, the second matter didn't sound like good news.
"The second thing might not actually be bad either."
"You Ting has been cultivating at my place — you should know that."
"She's been in seclusion for quite some time now."
"But just now, the Sect Master forcibly took her away," Li Fengxian said.
"Took her away? Could it be... that she's going to punish her?" Li Muzhi asked with concern.
"The Sect Master has known about You Ting being at my place for a while now. If she wanted to punish her, she would have done so long ago. My guess is... it probably has something to do with the engagement to Ziling."
"The Sect Master wants you to enter the Abandoned Land in two hours."
"And since this is an engagement, Ziling naturally needs to be prepared as well. The best person to help with that preparation would be You Ting."
Li Fengxian said.
Chu Feng fully agreed with his analysis.
"Oh right, where's my Brother Duan?"
Chu Feng suddenly asked.
He had been too excited to notice earlier, but now he realized Duan Liufeng was nowhere to be seen.
Worth noting was that not only was Duan Liufeng gone, but Zuoqiu Youyu had vanished as well.
However, compared to Duan Liufeng, Zuoqiu Youyu had most likely left in a rage after seeing that Chu Feng had broken Lord Dugu Lingtian's record.
"Elder Duan had to leave on business," Li Muzhi said.
Though he didn't know what had drawn Duan Liufeng away, Chu Feng figured it must have been something truly important — otherwise, given how much the man cared about him, he would have stayed behind.
But right now, Chu Feng's mind was entirely consumed with thoughts of Ziling.
The thought that he would see her in just two hours actually made him somewhat nervous.
This unbelievable emotion made Chu Feng feel more human — less like a mere cultivation-obsessed monster.
Perhaps this was the greatest blessing of being born human.
Emotions might be beyond one's control, but they were also the truest reflection of the human heart.
"Ziling, oh Ziling. Since we parted in the Lower Realm, so many years have passed without us seeing each other."
As Chu Feng sighed inwardly, scenes from the past surged through his mind once more.
He recalled the first time he had met Ziling — back then, he had still been a youth, and Ziling had been even younger than him.
In the blink of an eye, years had flown by, filled with countless trials and tribulations.
"My lord, please take me there ahead of time."
Because Chu Feng was so eager, Li Fengxian agreed to bring him to the Abandoned Land early.
They still had to follow the Sect Master's requirements — he could only enter once the time had arrived.
But simply standing outside the Abandoned Land, gazing at its entrance, Chu Feng felt a complicated ache in his heart.
The entrance to the Abandoned Land was located at the base of a mountain peak, and even this peak exuded an overwhelming sense of desolation.
One could only imagine what the actual Abandoned Land must be like.
Thinking of Ziling — of how she had been sent into the Abandoned Land because of him — Chu Feng's heart ached with guilt.
"Chu Feng, congratulations."
"Take this. With this token, you can come and go freely."
Li Fengxian handed Chu Feng a special waist token.
The time had arrived.
Chu Feng could now enter the Abandoned Land to see Ziling.
"My lord, can I bring Ziling out with me?" Chu Feng asked.
"That, I don't know. But the Sect Master didn't say you couldn't, either."
"You can try for yourself. If you're able to bring her out, wouldn't that be even better?"
Li Fengxian said.
"Thank you, my lord."
Chu Feng fastened the token around his waist and walked inside.
Wanting to preserve some mystery and give Ziling a surprise, Chu Feng even used a technique to conceal his figure from sight.