When Ye Ziling returned to the Heavenly Palace, Ling Xi was already gone.
A few fairy maids walked past her, bowing respectfully, "Your servant greets the Goddess."
"Where is Zhuangyuan?" she asked, frowning, a bad premonition rising in her heart.
The fairy maids froze upon hearing this. After exchanging glances, they replied in unison, "Reporting to the Goddess, Zhuangyuan left two hours ago."
Two hours ago?
She had returned from the mortal realm three hours ago. If that were the case, Ling Xi had followed her an hour after she left?
Seeing Ye Ziling standing there in a daze, a fairy maid spoke again, "When Zhuangyuan woke up, he asked for your whereabouts and then also went to the mortal realm."
Ye Ziling came back to her senses, nodded, and then flew from the Heavenly Realm to the mortal realm.
However, she searched almost the entire human world but couldn't find Ling Xi.
"Has Young Master Ling returned to the inn?" Ye Ziling went to the inn and walked directly to the counter, asking the innkeeper.
The innkeeper looked up at her, his brow slightly furrowed. After a moment of thought, he said, "I'm sorry, miss, I don't remember..."
Not at the inn? Where else could he be?
Only then did Ye Ziling realize that it was somewhat abnormal that the Hongxiu Inn had hardly any immortal examinees.
She patted her forehead and remembered that Mu Heng hadn't returned either.
She had been too preoccupied with finding Ling Xi and forgot to ask about Mu Heng's whereabouts. Usually, no matter the situation, he would send her a message, but now there was no news, which was quite strange.
As Ye Ziling was about to step out to look for Mu Heng's trace, she received a note from a waiter.
"Are you... Miss Ye Ziling? A handsome young gentleman entrusted me to give you this letter."
The waiter said with a smile, handing the letter to Ye Ziling.
Ye Ziling took it and opened it, couldn't help but chuckle.
It was just a few words, written in a graceful and vigorous hand.
Looking at these characters, Ye Ziling could already imagine Ling Xi's mischievous eyes as he penned the letter, as if she could see him lazily sitting at the desk, holding his brush.
After searching for so long without finding him, it turned out he was waiting for her at the Wanxian Cliff in the mortal realm.
Where better to have a rendezvous, but to go to the distant Wanxian Cliff.
Ye Ziling shook her head, folded the letter, put it in her pocket, prepared a White Jade Dragon Boat, and headed for Wanxian Cliff.
It was said to be a celestial realm shrouded in spiritual mist, with ethereal clouds and lingering mist, a true wonder of the mortal world.
As Ye Ziling traveled, immortal cranes danced gracefully, their calls long and melodious, like heavenly music.
But after traveling a short distance, she saw a staggering figure on the ground. With that familiar build, Ye Ziling recognized it as Mu Heng at a glance.
She quickly stopped the Dragon Boat on the ground and leaped off.
Mu Heng clutched his chest, gasping for breath, and ran forward. Seeing Ye Ziling, his heart leaped, "Quick, go!"
Seeing his pale face and disordered breathing, Ye Ziling said coldly, "Who injured you like this?"
Even a dog must be judged by its owner; she wanted to see who was so fearless!
Mu Heng, still catching his breath, looked at the woman before him, his eyes flickering, "Go quickly! Don't say anything more... The Three Great Sects have taken the Sun Moon Divine Lamp... I failed to protect it."
Mu Heng's words carried a hint of remorse and frustration.
It was his fault for being incompetent and unable to protect the Sun Moon Divine Lamp.
Ye Ziling's expression turned grim upon hearing this. Looking at the sword wound on Mu Heng's chest, her heart sank.
Damn it, those people are tired of living!
"It's alright, I'll get it back. You go back first." Ye Ziling said, then she prepared to pursue. As soon as she took a step, Mu Heng grabbed her hand, "Go quickly... don't worry about the Divine Lamp."
Mu Heng knew that she had long thrown her life behind her for revenge.
He initially thought this wild girl was just a bloodthirsty demoness, but after following her for so long, he realized that wasn't the case.
She knew medicine and could save people.
She was ruthless in battle, yet she spared innocent children.
Her hatred was not for the three great sects, but for the injustice of the world.
She was simply someone with a tough exterior and a soft heart!
Concealing herself in the shadow of hatred, and ultimately sacrificing her life, he felt it was not worth it for her.
Seeing Mu Heng standing there in a daze, Ye Ziling waved her hand in front of him, thinking he had been dazed by the Three Great Sects, and promised him, "I will return alive."
She turned and rushed forward rapidly, then suddenly remembered something and instructed him, "You are injured. Take the White Jade Dragon Boat back. Don't mind me."
After speaking, she swiftly darted away, disappearing into the vast mist.
Mu Heng stood there, staring blankly at her disappearing back, a pang in his heart: "Ye Ziling... come back!"
Alas, her back had completely vanished, and she didn't look back.
Ye Ziling flew to Wanxian Cliff but found no one.
This made her feel a vague unease, a premonition of something ominous.
She searched all around, holding a silver sword in her hand, vigilantly observing the movements of her surroundings.
The clouds and mist swirled around, covered by white clouds. Only the occasional gust of wind made it feel a little cold.
"Demoness! Where do you think you're running!" A hurried reprimand came from ahead. Ye Ziling looked in the direction of the sound and saw Shen Qingfeng and the elders of the Seven Immortal Pavilion, along with their disciples, surrounding her. Each of them held various magical artifacts, staring at her menacingly.
To Ye Ziling's surprise, Ling Xi was among them.
He stood in his dark robes, facing the wind, his handsome face veiled by smoke and clouds, his expression unreadable. However, his deep, captivating eyes, like black obsidian, were fixed on her with anger, like a flame that could burn through her.
Ye Ziling's heart suddenly tightened, her heart gave a violent twitch, as if a blunt knife was forcefully carving into her.
He wrote that letter, which meant Ling Xi deliberately lured her here?
Looking at that tall, slender figure in black, Ye Ziling felt a blockage in her chest, an intense discomfort.
Beside him stood Shen Yueru, her sinister eyes fixed on Ye Ziling as if watching a play, a smug smile on her lips.
"Ye Ziling, you colluded with the demon king Jing Mo and, in order to obtain the Sun Moon Divine Lamp, did not hesitate to design and slaughter the disciples of my sect. Do you know your crime?" Shen Qingfeng looked at Ye Ziling, his expression growing increasingly ferocious.
Ye Ziling sneered, her eyes filled with frost, "It seems you all know most of it."