"Everything's in chaos… Everything's a mess…" Leng Yaozhu stood on the balcony, sighing repeatedly as she watched the figures of Long Yeyue and Chen Xinjie disappearing into the distance, one after the other.
The Spirit Pagoda's Qiangu Dongfeng had colluded with the Holy Spirit Cult. Meanwhile, Shrek Academy's Long Yeyue and the upper echelons of the Tang Sect had gone so far as to spread a plague among civilians just to scheme against Xia Yi.
The higher-ups of the Sun-Moon Federation were also in utter disarray.
In that moment, Leng Yaozhu felt deep concern for the future of the Douluo Continent.
"Sis, why are you worrying yourself over this? As women, we just need to enjoy the present and do what's within our responsibilities. The men will handle the big matters." Compared to Leng Yaozhu's anxious demeanor, Leng Yulai was much more composed. She sat leisurely on a hanging swing chair on the balcony, her body swaying gently with the rhythm of the chair.
She looked completely carefree, innocent, and indifferent.
"You…" Leng Yaozhu gave Leng Yulai a helpless glance, at a loss for words. She could only shake her head and say, "I really don't understand what Xia Yi has that makes you so devoted to him."
Although Leng Yulai had changed beyond her expectations over the years, no matter how much she changed, Leng Yaozhu still understood her little sister.
Just one look was enough to tell what she was thinking.
Of course, Leng Yulai wasn't truly indifferent—she simply didn't care about anything except for Leng Yaozhu and Xia Yi.
Whether it was Shrek Academy, the Spirit Pagoda, or even the Holy Spirit Cult—none of it mattered to the current Leng Yulai anymore.
To this day, Leng Yaozhu still didn't understand what exactly Leng Yulai saw in Xia Yi.
Even after obtaining the inheritance of the God of Sin, she still remained unwaveringly devoted to Xia Yi.
"Our Lord conquered my sister, so naturally, he could conquer the younger one too." Leng Yulai giggled as she spoke.
Hearing Leng Yulai still address Xia Yi as "Lord," Leng Yaozhu's delicate brows furrowed slightly.
But this was something that needed to be handled step by step.
If she pushed Xia Yi too hard, it would only backfire.
After mentally cursing Xia Yi eighteen times, Leng Yaozhu finally walked over to Leng Yulai, sat beside her on the swing chair, and gently embraced her with a trace of heartache in her eyes. "How's your inheritance of the God of Sin progressing?"
"I've made some progress, but due to my physical condition, it's been difficult to continue. For now, it's on hold." Leng Yulai spoke nonchalantly.
"Should I take you to find Zhen Hua and have him craft a suit of four-word battle armor for you?" Leng Yaozhu said in a serious tone.
Zhen Hua had promised two sets of four-word battle armor. One had already been given to Qiangu Zhangting, leaving one remaining.
With the continent in turmoil, Leng Yaozhu couldn't be at ease unless Leng Yulai's strength was improved.
"Sis, no way." Leng Yulai quickly shook her head and said, "Back when I was in the Holy Spirit Cult, I attacked Zhen Hua once. There was even a time when I almost captured him and brought him to the Holy Spirit Cult, but Mu Ye ruined my plan. If I go to him for battle armor, he'll definitely realize who I am. By then, not only will I be in danger, but you and our Lord will be implicated as well."
Leng Yulai shook her head. She didn't care about herself.
What she cared about was that Zhen Hua might start suspecting Xia Yi's identity because of her.
"This is my failure as a sister… I couldn't protect you." Leng Yaozhu spoke with some guilt.
"Sis, you don't have to blame yourself. I'm doing just fine, really. There are some things I can't explain to you yet, but trust me—this life I'm living now is something I never even dared to dream of before. As for our Lord, he treats me very well. You don't need to feel indignant just because of a mere title. You know me, sis—you know what I want. So please, don't worry about me." Leng Yulai smiled softly as she gazed at the vast, endless ocean beyond the balcony.
Her perspective had changed drastically compared to before.
A mere suit of four-word battle armor? She didn't care about it in the slightest.
Even the inheritance of the God of Sin—she didn't care about it.
If necessary, she could abandon it at any moment.
"You always put me in a difficult spot." Seeing that Leng Yulai was so insistent, Leng Yaozhu could only sigh helplessly.
"That's because you overthink things. You make everything more complicated than it needs to be." Leng Yulai giggled.
"Fine, I'll stop arguing with you. I can't win against you anyway." Leng Yaozhu rolled her eyes at Leng Yulai before leaning against her, and the two sisters sat together on the swing chair, quietly gazing at the sea. The scene was peaceful and filled with warmth.
Meanwhile, outside the door, Xia Yi was left helpless. He had been knocking on the door for a long time, but the two women inside couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge him.
We're having sisterly bonding time.
What are you doing here?
Hmph!
"Fine, a true man doesn't argue with women. I'll just leave, alright?" Xia Yi sighed in resignation and turned to knock on Gu Yue's door instead.
He knew that Gu Yue wasn't actually in seclusion.
Sure enough, the moment he knocked lightly, Gu Yue's door swung open immediately.
"What brings you here?" Gu Yue teased with a playful smile on her lips.
"Of course, I came because I missed you." Xia Yi grinned.
"Haha, I'll pretend to believe that." Gu Yue didn't expose Xia Yi's obvious lie, allowing him to squeeze into her training chamber.
Not long after, a fiery-red beam of light shot into the sky outside the window.
"Damn that Leng Yaozhu! Not letting me in is one thing, but she actually left without even saying goodbye!" Xia Yi muttered through clenched teeth.
"I just stayed behind to accompany my sister. If I let you in, who knows when I'd be able to leave?" Leng Yaozhu understood Xia Yi too well. If he had gone inside and seen her with Leng Yulai, there was no telling how long he would have kept them occupied.
Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have mattered.
But this time, the situation with Shrek Academy was too significant—it was bound to cause a massive storm.
Furthermore, Long Yeyue had already fled back to the Douluo Continent.
As the vice-tower master of the Spirit Pagoda, she had to return and take charge of the situation.
After all, this entire ordeal had revolved around the man she cared about. She had to step forward.
Watching the fiery glow outside the window, Gu Yue suddenly turned to Xia Yi and said, "I have something to discuss with you. You're not allowed to get angry."
"What is it? Why so serious?" Xia Yi asked with curiosity.
"I want to take a look inside that space within your spiritual world," Gu Yue said.
"Uh… I don't know how to bring you in." Xia Yi scratched his head. He knew how to enter and exit himself and how to allow Leng Yulai access, but bringing someone else in was another matter.
"I can do it the same way Leng Yulai did," Gu Yue whispered.
"The same way Leng Yulai did?!" Xia Yi froze for a moment, and then his expression turned serious as he immediately refused. "No way. I won't allow it."
Leng Yulai had only been able to enter because her martial soul's essence resided within Xia Yi.
Did Gu Yue mean to do the same? Give her martial soul essence to him entirely?
"What? Are you afraid that if I give you my martial soul essence, I'll become your maid like Leng Yulai?" Gu Yue plopped onto the bed, looking at Xia Yi unhappily. "Do you think giving you my martial soul essence would make me inferior?"
"Of course not." Xia Yi shook his head without hesitation.
"In that case, what difference does it make whether my martial soul essence is with me or you?" Gu Yue pouted.
"No means no. Give up on the idea." Xia Yi stated firmly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
"Since that's the case, what difference does it make whether my Martial Soul essence is with you or not?" Gu Yue pouted.
"It's just not happening. Give up on this idea," Xia Yi stated directly and firmly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
"I've reached a bottleneck in my comprehension of the Hetu and Luoshu. I want to see the original version inside that space. Leng Yulai said that everything in that space contains immense spiritual willpower. I want to try and understand it—perhaps then, I can forge the Qi Luck Cauldron to suppress the flow of destiny," Gu Yue said in a low voice. "This matter cannot be delayed any further. The sooner the Qi Luck Cauldron is created, the sooner we can suppress the soul beasts' fate. This is crucial for our future plan of creating a Divine Realm for soul beasts."
"I'll consult my past life's memories. Maybe he knows another way to get you inside," Xia Yi said seriously.
He truly didn't want to get too entangled with his past self.
But for the sake of the soul beasts—for Gu Yue—he had no choice but to seek him out.
Otherwise, there was no way he could allow Gu Yue to give him her Martial Soul essence like Leng Yulai had.
(End of Chapter)