Wu Hua Palace, once one of the three great powers of the Southern Domain, was now a scene of utter devastation. Broken walls and crumbled ruins stood everywhere, the aftermath of the great battle clearly visible.
On the surviving mountain peaks, the remaining warriors had each set up camp, every face still marked by lingering fear. Whenever they recalled the events of the past few days, they couldn't help but shudder.
The group from the Northern Domain, on the other hand, busied themselves visiting various Emperor Realm masters of the Southern Domain, inquiring after their well-being with tireless enthusiasm. The thirty-two Demon Kings of the Ancient Lands had claimed an entire spirit mountain for themselves, having somehow procured copious amounts of fine wine and delicacies. They drank and caroused, their festive atmosphere forming a stark contrast with the gloomy despair on the Southern Domain's side. To them, the fate of humans meant nothing — had they not come here following Yang Kai, they would never have intervened in the Southern Domain's affairs.
The Southern Domain side was more than happy to let them be. After all, none of those Demon Kings were to be trifled with. The demon race was capricious and violent by nature, and if they mingled too closely with humans, it could easily spark some conflict. There was no one here who could rein them in, so if they wanted to drink and revel, let them drink and revel.
Several days passed in this manner. Murong Xiaoxiao, who had been quietly hovering in the air and monitoring the surroundings, suddenly straightened up, focusing intently in a particular direction. After a moment, she called down joyfully: "They're back!"
Whoosh—
Wen Zishan's figure materialized beside her in an instant, and he gazed tensely toward the same direction. There, several figures were approaching rapidly. At the front was Yang Kai, followed by the seven-or-eight-year-old girl and the three Divine Spirits from the Eastern Domain. And then… there was no one else.
Wen Zishan's face turned deathly pale, his fists clenching tight.
Murong Xiaoxiao clearly realized something as well. Her lovely face shifted, and the rims of her eyes reddened.
"Palace Master!" Yang Kai flew up to Wen Zishan and cupped his fists in greeting. Noticing that both of them looked rather off, a jolt of alarm ran through him. "What's wrong?"
Wen Zishan took a deep breath and asked in a low voice: "Where's Lei Gu?"
Yang Kai replied: "Mission accomplished. Lei Gu is dead!"
Wen Zishan nodded. "Good. Well done." He opened his mouth as though he wanted to ask something else but didn't dare, afraid of hearing an answer he didn't want to hear.
Murong Xiaoxiao asked for him, her voice choking slightly: "Senior Sister Gao?"
Only then did Yang Kai understand why their expressions were so grave — they had been worried about Gao Xueting's safety. His expression sobered, and he said in a low voice: "Senior Sister Gao, she—"
Murong Xiaoxiao suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth, large tears rolling down her cheeks, crying like a lost soul.
Yang Kai was utterly exasperated, thinking, *I haven't even finished speaking yet — what are you crying for?* He glanced sideways at Wen Zishan and found the man wearing a look of such profound grief that he seemed on the verge of death from a broken heart, his body swaying slightly as though he might collapse at any moment.
"Senior Sister Gao was injured, but nothing serious." Yang Kai continued the sentence while extending a hand and waving, releasing Gao Xueting from the Small Sealed World.
The moment she appeared, Gao Xueting clearly hadn't fully adjusted yet. She hastily channeled her Emperor Yuan to stabilize herself, then looked up in surprise. "Junior Sister, what's wrong with you?"
Murong Xiaoxiao's tears were still streaming down, but she stared wide-eyed at Gao Xueting in disbelief. Then she broke through her tears into a laugh, crying out sweetly: "Senior Sister Gao!"
Gao Xueting gave a slight nod, then looked at Wen Zishan, her delicate brows furrowing. "And what's wrong with you?"
Wen Zishan swallowed with great difficulty, walking toward Gao Xueting one step at a time, as though he couldn't believe his own eyes. Only when he stood directly before her did he stop, reaching out a hand to touch her face.
A faint blush spread across Gao Xueting's normally icy features. She leaned back slightly, biting her crimson lip. "What are you doing?"
"Don't move!" Wen Zishan barked in a low voice. Gao Xueting stiffened for a moment, then obediently held still, allowing his large hand to come to rest on one side of her face. The slight trembling in his fingers sent a flutter through her heart — she realized Wen Zishan had been genuinely worried about her safety, and a look of shy tenderness immediately surfaced in her eyes, warmth blossoming in her chest.
When was the last time she had seen him this shaken? It seemed to have been when she was still a child and had snuck out to play, nearly getting bitten to death by a demon beast. In a daze, time seemed to flow backward, and the countless small moments from centuries of being together imprinted themselves upon her heart.
The next instant, Wen Zishan's hand suddenly tightened, pinching Gao Xueting's cheek and pulling it slightly upward. He stared at her with wide, anxious eyes and asked: "Does it hurt?"
Yang Kai, who had been watching the scene with great relish, slapped a hand over his face, unable to bear looking.
The blush drained from Gao Xueting's face, replaced by a frigid light blazing in her eyes. A leg shot out from beneath her skirt, kicking Wen Zishan square in the abdomen. With a muffled thud, he went flying.
Gao Xueting's face was cold as frost. She gave a disdainful snort: "Does that hurt?"
Wen Zishan was doubled over, clutching his stomach, yet he laughed with unrestrained joy. "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts like hell."