The sky-boat shuttled through the air for half an incense stick's worth of time. Midway, Ling Xi received a spiritual message.
With a wave of his grand palm, spiritual energy transformed into a long rainbow, soaring straight into the heavens. It swept up the spiritual message, bringing it to the jade slip in his hand.
Within the jade slip was a secret letter.
The spiritual message radiated brilliance; it was a secret letter sent by the Heavenly Emperor.
"What is it?" Ye Ziling noticed Ling Xi's somewhat grim expression and couldn't help but ask.
Ling Xi glanced at her, handed her the jade slip, and said with a grave tone, "The demon beasts have besieged Nanyang Mountain and are already launching a fierce attack on the Heavenly Realm."
Ye Ziling took the jade slip and examined it carefully, then frowned, "They besieged Nanyang Mountain?"
Since the divine spring was unsealed, weren't the demon beasts roaming the mortal realm? Why would they besiege Nanyang Mountain?
She thought for a moment and immediately understood.
These demon beasts were creating a diversion, intentionally letting some beasts cause chaos in the mortal realm to attract their attention and lure them to the mortal world.
She and Ling Xi were in the mortal realm. The Heavenly Realm was only defended by Bai Yu and the celestial beings with weak immortal power, leaving a fragile defense. If they attacked at this opportunity, their chances of conquering the Heavenly Realm would surely be high.
Bai Yu had intended to descend to the mortal realm these past few days, but now he likely couldn't. The Heavenly Realm was in peril, and it seemed he would have to bear the burden.
Ling Xi hadn't expected the demon beasts to be so cunning.
He stood in place silently, contemplating for a moment, then suddenly spoke, "The Heavenly Emperor has ordered me to guard Nanyang Mountain."
His gaze darkened, and looking at her bewildered expression, he curved his lips into a smile, "I'll be back."
Ye Ziling's heart leaped. She grabbed Ling Xi's arm, her eyes filled with anxiety, "I'll go with you."
She was the one who defended the Heavenly Court back then. Even though she felt indifferent towards the Heavenly Realm now, it was a place Ling Xi had guarded for so long. She absolutely could not stand by and watch.
Furthermore, Ling Xi was currently only in mortal form. How could he be compared to Jun Lan at that time?
The journey ahead was fraught with unknown dangers, and she worried about his safety.
Ling Xi reached out and gently brushed away a stray strand of hair blown by the wind, his gaze ardent and firm. "This time, I will definitely guard Nanyang Mountain, then decline the marriage with Luo Yao to the Heavenly Emperor, and come back to marry you."
"But you now..." Before she could finish, he interrupted her.
"Do you have so little faith in me? I repaired the entire Heavenly Realm. Can't I even guard a mere Nanyang Mountain?" Ling Xi's lips slowly curled into a smile, his smile deepening.
[System: Lord Ling, you have already stabilized your immortal position, and General Jun Lan's cultivation has been transferred into your body. Guarding Nanyang Mountain should not be difficult?]
[System: With the current chaos in the mortal realm, it is best for one of you to remain in the mortal realm and the other to go to the Heavenly Realm.]
"When do you leave?" Ye Ziling's heart pounded, her eyes nervously fixed on him, afraid of missing any expression on his face.
"Shortly," Ling Xi said with a wry smile. He reached out and took a flower hairpin from his palm, pushing it inch by inch into her coiffure.
"When the Heavenly Realm is peaceful and the mortal realm is tranquil, I will return to marry you." His fingertips traced her smooth skin, his eyes sparkling with tenderness and indulgence.
"I will guard the mortal realm," Ye Ziling said, grasping his hand, her gaze resolute.
Even though in the past, she had wanted to destroy the Heavenly Realm and annihilate the mortal world.
At that time, she hated the injustice of the world and hated that the common people she had once protected had let her down.
She had intended to let everything be consumed by flames, to let everything in the world be extinguished in her hatred.
Only after walking half the path to hell did she realize it wasn't too late. Heaven had shown her another path.
Her clan and her brother were still alive, and there were people willing to atone for her sins, making her life not in vain.
At this moment, Luo Yao, who was sitting at the front of the boat, suddenly stood up and walked towards the stern, her expression somewhat embarrassed.
"Miss Ye, I may not be able to return to the valley with you..." Luo Yao said with an apologetic look. "I just received instructions from the Queen Mother of the West. I need to go to the Heavenly Realm tomorrow to guard the Heavenly Court. The mortal realm here will be left to you."
Ye Ziling blinked, then nodded, smiling sweetly, "I will. Please take care."
Soon, several immortal cranes pulled two celestial palanquins from the edge of the sky, their trailing edges glowing, and stopped beside the sky-boat.
"Ling Xi, let's go." Luo Yao glanced at Ling Xi and then got into the celestial palanquin first.
Just before entering the palanquin, Ling Xi looked back at Ye Ziling, a gentle curve on his lips, and smiled back at her, "I will return."
With that, he also got into the celestial palanquin.
...
The night was as cool as water, and beneath the night sky, a crescent moon hung high in the heavens.
The sky-boat had just reached the capital when a dark mist rolled in, enveloping it.
Ye Ziling looked down at the ground, her eyes deep, with a faint hint of coldness.
The streets of the capital were deserted. The crisscrossing alleys were shrouded in demonic energy. All the shops had their doors tightly shut. A cold wind blew, scattering the paper money in front of the shops, creating a scene of desolation and bleakness.
She still remembered the bustling and prosperous scene of the capital a few months ago. Compared to now, the difference was like night and day.
This was not the mortal realm; it was clearly the underworld.
"Mu Heng, stop the boat," Ye Ziling commanded in a deep voice.
"We haven't reached Peach Blossom Valley yet, why are you getting off here?" Mu Heng asked, puzzled, but he complied.
"Something is wrong here." The sky-boat landed, and Ye Ziling walked slowly off the boat, cautiously looking around.
At this moment, the air in the entire capital seemed to have become thin.
She felt a powerful force raging, as if something was about to break through the earth.
The rotting corpses of those who had died of illness nearby were unbearable, their flesh and blood exposed, emitting a strong stench of decay.
Ye Ziling took out a veil to cover her nose and mouth, then bent down to examine one of the corpses.
The corpse was leaning against the wall, its eyes black, its lips purple after death, and its tongue tip greenish. It had clearly been dead for a long time.
"Indeed, it's a plague," Ye Ziling narrowed her eyes, a cold glint flashing in them.
"Palace Master, it seems that many people have died in the capital. With the heavy casualties from the plague, perhaps we should dispatch some disciples to help?"
Ye Ziling was momentarily stunned.
Many disciples of Jiuling Palace had contracted the plague. Although she had the antidote, it was not much.
As for the people in the capital, some were dead, and some were injured. She didn't know who to give the antidote to first.
Mu Heng saw the worry in Ye Ziling's heart and patted his chest, saying, "Don't you have other people in your Saint Doctor clan? Since you already know how to develop the antidote, why not give the prescription to them? Everyone can make medicine together, and there will be enough for everyone."
Ye Ziling's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly, a smile appearing on her face, "Yes, how could I have forgotten them?"
"Second Brother should still be in the capital. Let's go and see."
With that, she pulled Mu Heng and hurried towards Ye Jingxian's medical clinic.