"Senior Brother, are you saying you can take all of them to another continent?"
Yang Xiao was stunned to hear the reason for Yang Tian and the others' visit. As it turned out, they had come to bid him farewell.
This caught Yang Xiao completely by surprise.
After all, the Celestial Cloud Region was barricaded by the Four Great Forbidden Lands, making it incredibly difficult to enter or leave. Yet now, Yang Tian was claiming he could take Bing Xin and the others out. And from the sound of it, he wasn't talking about going to the Profound Sun Continent just outside, the one named after Yang Xiao's junior brother, Profound Sun.
Instead, they were headed to a continent ruled by Martial Cultivators, where he had even promised them entry into a Divine Courtyard to study under a Great Emperor's Dojo.
Yang Xiao couldn't help but be astonished.
'A feat like that would probably require a powerhouse of at least the True God Level.'
'Someone like Nangong Tianling.'
'If Yang Tian can pull this off, he must have the backing of at least a Peak True God. Otherwise, it would be simply impossible.'
"That's right. I've already asked them, and they all want to go out and see the world. With their current aptitudeâall of them possessing a Treasure Body or higherâthey should be qualified to enter the Divine Courtyard. Oh, right, Brother Lu doesn't seem too keen. It seems his family has some rules. I also came this time to ask you, Junior Brother: has anyone come looking for you? To take you away from here? If not, would you like to leave with us?"
Seeing how serious Yang Tian was, Yang Xiao knew at once that he truly had a way to do it.
He glanced at his friends, a reluctant look in his eyes.
They were all friends he had made in this life.
Naturally, Yang Xiao was reluctant to see them go.
But he also knew this was a good thing for them, and he couldn't stand in their way.
"I won't be going with you. However, in a while, I might be heading to the Star God Continent. If we have the chance, we can meet up there."
At these words, both Bing Xin and Yang Ziling looked disappointed. However, when they glanced at each other, they both saw the determination in the other's eyes.
'Clearly, both women were thinking the same thing. Yang Xiao was simply too outstanding, and they felt they weren't worthy of him. Therefore, they had to do everything they could to improve themselves.'
'And at the same time, they resolved to go to the Star God Continent to find Yang Xiao once they had achieved something in their studies.'
'Then, they would see which of them was truly worthy of him!'
At this thought.
The two women glanced at each other again, each seeing the competitive fire in the other's eyes.
And with it, a newfound determination to win Yang Xiao's affection.
Although Yang Xiao sensed this, he could only pretend he hadn't noticed.
Chang Xi's possible betrayal had affected him deeply.
'Besides, to be honest, my feelings for these two aren't that deep. They don't even compare to my bond with Xue Yi, whose aura has intertwined with mine, and they're a far cry from my connection with Yun'Er, who I grew up with.'
Yang Tian, however, lit up at Yang Xiao's words. He smiled faintly. "It seems they've already contacted you. Good. In that case, we'll meet on the Star God Continent."
"'It seems you know something, Senior Brother?'"
Yang Xiao looked at him inquiringly.
But Yang Tian just shook his head and smiled, saying nothing.
When it came to this guy,
Yang Xiao felt a bit helpless.
He knew he wouldn't be able to get any information out of him.
So he dropped it.
After Yang Xiao said another round of goodbyes to his friends, Yang Tian told them to go and prepare for their departure.
In truth, they were all already prepared to leave.
Zhang Mengfei and Bing Xin, for example, were essentially on their own. Zhang Mengfei's family had been wiped out by the Profound Celestial Sect, and now that Yang Xiao had destroyed the Profound Celestial Sect, he had no one left to take revenge on.
The other had been abandoned by her Sect, and the only person she was still attached to was Yang Xiao.
But Yang Xiao hadn't clearly expressed any intention of asking her to stay.
So, Bing Xin had no loose ends to tie up either.
Yang Ziling, on the other hand,
stayed behind.
"Yang Xiao, can you take me out of the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion? I want to go back and see my Grandmaster."
Her words made Yang Xiao suddenly recall that Yang Ziling was a disciple of the Pure Yang Sword Sect and had always worked hard for its sake.
'But now that Xue Yi has destroyed the Pure Yang Sword Sect, how will she react?'
"Yang Xiao, what's wrong? Did something happen outside?"
Yang Ziling was sharp; she immediately saw that something was wrong with Yang Xiao's expression.
He gave a bitter smile.
Yang Xiao knew he couldn't hide it from her.
'Besides, she would find out as soon as she went outside anyway.'
And when she learned that Xue Yi had destroyed the Pure Yang Sword Sect, Yang Ziling's eyes instantly reddened.
"Where is she! I'm going to kill her!"
Yang Ziling was overwrought with emotion.
'She could forgive the deaths of others, but the Pure Yang Ancestorâher grandmaster... wasn't he the most righteous of elders?'
'And now he was dead at the hands of Xue Yi, one of the Profound Celestial Sect's cronies.'
'How could Yang Ziling possibly let her get away with it?'
"She didn't mean to. And Elder Pure Yang took his own life. It wasn't Xue Yi's fault. I hope you can try to understand her."
Yang Xiao did his best to explain the situation.
When Yang Ziling heard that Xue Yi was actually a descendant of Grandmaster Pure Yangâhis only living blood relative, in factâ
the hatred in her heart lessened considerably.
But it didn't disappear entirely.
"I know I'm no match for her right now. But it won't be long before I stand before her, face to face, and defeat her. I'll make her understand what an outrageous mistake it was to drive our Grandmaster to his death."
Seeing Yang Ziling's resolve,
Yang Xiao could only feel helpless.
'Still, a proper duel is much better than her wanting to fight to the death.'
In truth, Yang Xiao didn't realize that Yang Ziling's desire for this duel with Xue Yi wasn't just about the Pure Yang Ancestor's death. It was also because of him.
As a woman,
how could she fail to see that the man she liked seemed to have some secret relationship with her sworn enemy?
Otherwise, why would he defend her and speak up for her like that?
Naturally, this filled Yang Ziling with a sense of resentful rivalry.
However, Yang Xiao remained oblivious to this.
He thought it was all just because of the Pure Yang Ancestor.
After learning what had happened to the Pure Yang Sword Sect, Yang Ziling didn't ask to go out again. Soon, Yang Tian gathered everyone, and they came to bid Yang Xiao farewell.
Yang Xiao escorted them out of the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion.
Once they were out in the Northern Wilderness Forest,
Yang Tian took out a small, golden boat. With a light tap, it transformed into a Sky-Breaking Shuttle. Moreover, Yang Xiao could sense a terrifying will contained within the shuttle.
'It must have been left behind by a Divine King Level powerhouse, at the very least.'
He instantly understood that Yang Tian's method of departureâand the background supporting himâwere far from simple. This put him much more at ease about his friends' future.
After a brief farewell to Yang Xiao, Yang Tian waved his hand, leading the group onto the Sky-Breaking Shuttle. It transformed into a streak of light, tore open the void,
and departed from the Celestial Cloud Region,
disappearing to some unknown destination.
'After this farewell, who knows when we'll meet againâŠ'
After seeing them off, Yang Xiao felt a little empty inside.
But then he thought of his former cultivation partner, who might have been the one to betray him.
He thought of the unresolved crisis in the Celestial Cloud Region.
And in one year's time, he would have to face the threat of an Immortal Cultivator equivalent to a True God Level powerhouse.
Yang Xiao pushed aside his sentimental feelings, his gaze growing resolute.
Returning to the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion, he gave some instructions to Lu Fangliang and Yang Lin, then summoned the Golden-winged Roc and climbed aboard.
He flew toward the Nine Nether Earth Rift.
There.
Yue Lingxi was waiting for him...