Thanks to Jiang Chen's forceful appearance, the Eternal Sacred Land had salvaged its reputation, retained the championship of the sword competition, and upheld the pride and glory of the Sacred Land.
When Jiang Chen returned to the Eternal Sacred Land, the entire younger generation had practically erupted into jubilation.
But Jiang Chen's head had not grown hot with victory. Quite the opposite—he was remarkably calm. After the group had settled down, Yan Qingsang noticed a trace of worry lingering between Jiang Chen's brows and couldn't help but ask, "Brother, you look awfully troubled. Did beating Xiahou Zong not make you happy? Winning Huang'er's hand—not enough to put a smile on your face?"
Huang'er had also noticed something off about Jiang Chen, and she gazed at him with gentle eyes.
"Huang'er, matters here are settled. I was wondering—would any of you be interested in returning to the human domain?" Jiang Chen asked suddenly.
"Returning to the human domain?" Yan Qingsang started. "Now that Xiahou Zong's threat is gone and Huang'er's identity is free, her talent is in no way inferior to Yan Zhenhuai's. The time has truly come for Huang'er to shine! Going back to the human domain now—wouldn't that be a waste?"
Yan Qingsang was naturally referring to the Genius Grand Tournament two or three years from now.
Ling Bi'er, however, brightened at the mention of returning to the human domain, a gleam of joy surfacing in her eyes. As far as the royal house of the Blue Smoke Island Domain went, she would never go back. She couldn't care less now about how the Yan family might explain things to the Blue Smoke royal house. After all, Huang'er and Yan Qingsang had already fallen out with the Yan family. Let them take the blame—Ling Bi'er felt no burden over it whatsoever. Besides, the Blue Smoke Island Domain likely wouldn't dare trouble the Yan family either.
Huang'er was as perceptive as ever. She asked softly, "Brother Chen, is there still some hidden danger? If you think returning to the human domain is for the best, I'll follow your lead. It's just that..."
"I know the thing weighing on your mind most right now is your parents. If you trust me, leave that matter to me. What do you say?" Jiang Chen looked at Huang'er with a serious expression.
Huang'er was mildly surprised. "You're not going back to the human domain with us?"
Jiang Chen let out a soft sigh. "Until I've found the clues to the Myriad Spirits Soul-Locking Grand Formation, I can't yet return to the human domain. Of course, I do possess a secret technique that would let me go back whenever I wish. But I can't take you along with it."
Jiang Chen had the Space-Time Seal. Should anything go wrong, he could activate it and return directly to the Six Palaces of Inheritance. With his current level of cultivation, he had more than enough strength to attempt the Fourth Palace—and perhaps even the Fifth.
The requirement for the Fourth Palace was, at its highest, early-stage Celestial realm. The Fifth Palace would demand mid-stage Celestial realm. As for the final palace of the Six Palaces, it would likely require at least a high-stage Celestial realm to attempt.
All of this had been factored into Jiang Chen's plans.
At present, though, his various affairs in Myriad Abyss Island were far from settled, so there was no rush to return to the human domain. After all, only a few years had passed since he had come from the human domain to Myriad Abyss Island. By his estimation, the demon race's large-scale eruption would take at least several more decades. Time was still on his side.
Even if the demon calamity struck ahead of schedule, it would still require twenty to thirty years at minimum.
What Jiang Chen needed to do was find the clues to the Myriad Spirits Soul-Locking Grand Formation as quickly as possible. Once he discovered how to reactivate the formation, he could bar the demon army from the human domain entirely. When the demon calamity did erupt, it would ravage the territories of other races on the Divine Abyss Continent instead. The human race's lands would at least avoid becoming the primary battlefield.
Jiang Chen had an unshakable duty to stand against the demon race. But at the very least, he could ensure that the human race's rear was secure, that their homeland would not become the main theater of a second Demon War.
Such thinking might seem a touch selfish, but there was simply no alternative.
Yan Qingsang grew anxious. "Brother, what hidden danger are you talking about? I refuse to believe anything could frighten us now. Xiahou Zong is dead—what is there left to worry about?"
Yan Qingsang, naturally, could not think that far ahead.
Jiang Chen sighed softly. "There are many reasons—it's hard to explain in a few words. All I can say is that even within the Eternal Sacred Land, we may not be completely safe. A great upheaval may soon engulf Myriad Abyss Island. Leaving this nest of trouble as early as possible would be for the best."
"A great upheaval?" Yan Qingsang looked thoroughly skeptical. "What upheaval could Myriad Abyss Island possibly face? In all these years, nothing of the sort has ever happened. Brother, aren't you being a bit dramatic?"
Jiang Chen smiled but didn't bother to explain. It was impossible to get through to a joker like Yan Qingsang. Instead, he fixed Huang'er with a serious gaze. "Huang'er, Senior Sister Ling has been away from the human domain for years now. She must miss her homeland deeply. Consider it accompanying her on a trip back—what do you think?"
Huang'er placed unconditional trust in Jiang Chen. Besides, she had never had much interest in tournaments and competitions of talent. Ever since she was young, she had been plagued by the Hundred Lives Heartbinding Curse, which had stripped much of her temperament of competitiveness, replacing it with a steady composure—a calm that could weather any storm and adapt to any circumstance.
Now that her beloved had spoken, he must have his reasons. Huang'er considered for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Brother Chen, I'll do as you say. Honestly, compared to Myriad Abyss Island, I've always preferred the human domain—those simple, beautiful days."
Yan Qingsang's words had been sincere. Had it not been for her parents, she truly would never have wanted to return to Myriad Abyss Island. To her, the place where she had been born and raised was utterly foreign.