Jiang Chen's words reminded Huang'er of something.
A hint of worry flickered across her face. Given how well she knew Elder Shun, if he couldn't find the Soul-Calming Wood in the human territories, he would either search in the territories of other races, or sneak back to Myriad Abyss Island to look. Anything was possible.
"I hope he hasn't returned to Myriad Abyss Island." Huang'er's tone was laced with worry.
"What would happen if he went back?"
"When he took me away from Myriad Abyss Island back then, he would have been branded a traitor to the family. If the family ever caught him, his fate would be even worse than my father and mother's. My parents were merely thrown into the Eternal Prison. But Elder Shun… he would certainly be executed in the most brutal manner." At this point, Huang'er's voice trembled slightly, and her fair complexion turned a shade paler.
Having relied on Elder Shun her entire life, she clearly couldn't bear the thought of him being captured by the family.
Jiang Chen gently took Huang'er's hand and comforted her softly. "Don't worry. A man of Elder Shun's great wisdom knows exactly what he can and cannot do."
Huang'er, afraid of making Jiang Chen worry about her, tried to compose herself and nodded gently.
"Brother Chen, I always believed the curse on my body could never be cured—until you told me about the Hundred-Lives Heartbound Curse and that the Soul-Calming Wood could heal it. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Once the Hundred-Lives Heartbound Curse is broken, I'm going to the Eternal Prison to free my parents from their suffering."
Huang'er spoke with utmost sincerity, her eyes filled with unwavering resolve.
Jiang Chen nodded. "Exactly. How can a child sit idle while their parents suffer? Rest assured, Huang'er. Someday, I will accompany you to rescue your parents."
Hearing this, Jiang Chen felt a sharp pain in his heart.
Across his past and present lives, both his fathers had gone missing. This had always been a weight on his mind. His father from his previous life, the Celestial Emperor, was someone whose level he couldn't reach yet—thinking about it was pointless for now.
But his father in this life, Jiang Feng—Jiang Chen shared the same blood-bond with him. This body carried Jiang Feng's bloodline. How could the bond between father and son ever be severed?
Moreover, back in the Eastern Kingdom, all the care and affection his father Jiang Feng had shown him had allowed the fatherly love from both his past and present lives to continue.
This had been a crucial factor in his ability to hold on in the beginning.
Without Jiang Feng as his father, whether he could have survived the first tribulation after his rebirth would have been questionable.
He recalled how his father had left a letter behind and departed, saying he was going to the Upper Eight Territories to search for his mother.
Now, several years had passed without a single word. And he himself had been hunted across the land until he finally reached the Upper Eight Territories. During this time, he'd been busy establishing himself in Liuli Royal City and had no chance to make inquiries.
Now that Ta'yuan Pavilion was on the right track, the search for his father should be sped up.
After all these years, every time Jiang Chen thought about this matter, he was filled with worry. He himself had paid an enormous price just to travel from the Myriad Image Domain to Liuli Royal City.
Imagine his father venturing into the Upper Eight Territories with merely Spirit Realm strength—it would be like a three-year-old child charging into a dragon's lair, fraught with danger at every turn.
Forget about the Spirit Realm—even Origin Realm and Saint Realm cultivators in the Upper Eight Territories, who knew how many fell in a single day?
Seeing the strange look on Jiang Chen's face, Huang'er hurriedly asked what was wrong.
Jiang Chen sighed softly. "Huang'er, you must know about my father, Marquis Jianghan, from when we were in the Eastern Kingdom. He accompanied me to the Tiangui Kingdom, but then left a letter and departed. He said only that he was going to the Upper Eight Territories to search for my mother. The worst part is, he left behind no token or clue. Now that I've made it to the Upper Eight Territories, finding him would be like searching for a needle in a vast ocean."
Jiang Chen then recounted the contents of the letter his father had left behind.
Huang'er naturally knew about Jiang Chen's background. She had always assumed his father was still in the Tiangui Kingdom, never expecting that he had already left.
"Brother Chen, you and your father are cut from the same cloth—both men of deep feeling. Your father's longing for your mother must move the heavens. I believe that good people are watched over by fate. Since we know your mother is from the Upper Eight Territories, given enough time, you'll find her."
Huang'er comforted Jiang Chen in turn.
In that moment, the two of them realized just how many similarities existed between their fates.
Both sets of their parents' marriages had been deliberately torn apart.
Their similar destinies and shared tribulations forged an even deeper resonance between Jiang Chen and Huang'er.
"Pill King Zhen, Third Young Master Ji has sent word to Ta'yuan Pavilion. He wants to escort you to the Coiling Dragon Grand Clan's residence. It seems to be something urgent." Just then, an attendant walked over.
Last time, Jiang Chen had selected ten people from a batch of slaves, binding them by contract to serve Ta'yuan Pavilion for twenty years. Now, these ten Saint Realm attendants had all become his trusted confidants.
Hearing that Third Young Master Ji had an urgent matter, Jiang Chen didn't dare to delay.
After all, the two of them were now sworn brothers. Whatever concerned Third Young Master Ji, he could no longer stand idly by.
"Brother Chen, the situation in Liuli Royal City is complicated. Be careful." Huang'er admonished.
Jiang Chen agreed, walked to the main hall of Ta'yuan Pavilion, and headed toward the Coiling Dragon Grand Clan's residence with several of Third Young Master Ji's trusted attendants.