"Father, I received intelligence that Zhao Changsheng killed three of them, and the others escaped."
Ao Haichao rushed to see Ao Xingyun immediately after receiving the intelligence.
Ao Xingyun was stunned for a moment, then sighed deeply.
He then frowned and asked with some surprise, "That shouldn't be the case. With Zhao Changsheng's strength, he shouldn't have let them get away."
Without waiting for Ao Haichao's reply, Ao Xingyun seemed to realize something.
"They arranged for someone to hold him up on the road?"
"Yes, they had already made a fallback plan. That direction was arranged by them long ago. We didn't make a move while pursuing them. After Zhao Changsheng appeared, these people made their move, and also..."
"And these people should also be clones, with average strength, but superior in numbers. Although they couldn't stop Zhao Changsheng, they could slow down his pace. In the end, Zhao Changsheng had no choice but to slaughter them, annihilating all of them. However, several of those who took the steles managed to escape."
"Alas~" Ao Xingyun sighed again upon hearing this.
"Zhao Changsheng's heart has softened. If it were in the past, he wouldn't have had such reservations and would have eliminated them with a single sword," Ao Xingyun said with emotion.
It seemed that not only he had seen through it, but the people from the Tide Society had also seen through it, which was why they used lives to block him, ultimately slowing down Zhao Changsheng's pursuit and giving them a chance to escape.
"Father, what do we do now?"
"What can we do? According to the original plan, hand over all current matters and we return to the East Sea," Ao Xingyun said decisively.
Ao Haichao did not hesitate and immediately turned to prepare to leave.
"Wait."
At this moment, Ao Xingyun suddenly called him back.
Ao Haichao turned around in confusion.
"Go and call Haiping here," Ao Xingyun said after some thought.
Ao Haichao nodded and then turned to leave. Soon, Ao Haiping was brought to him.
"Father, you were looking for me?" Ao Haiping asked with a puzzled expression as he entered.
This was because Ao Xingyun usually entrusted matters to Ao Haichao, and rarely summoned him.
"Yes, go to Jiangcheng and inform Master Liu that the Heavenly Palace Stele has been found, and the Heavenly Gate will open. Tell him to be prepared," Ao Xingyun said.
"Eh, Feng Zhirun should already know. Why do we need to tell him?"
Ao Haiping was very confused, as he was the one who hid the stele leading to the Heavenly Palace back then.
Ao Xingyun smiled meaningfully.
Then he asked a very interesting question.
"Do you think Master Liu has truly recovered his memories from his past life?"
"Eh?" Ao Haiping was startled by this.
He then frowned and asked doubtfully, "If he hasn't recovered his memories from his past life, how would he know the location of the Dragon Gate?"
"If that's the case, how did the Tide Society discover the location of the Heavenly Gate Stele?" Ao Xingyun retorted.
Ao Haiping wanted to say more, but Ao Xingyun waved his hand to stop him.
"Go and inform him first, then find Xiao Yue and we will return to the East Sea," Ao Xingyun said.
Ao Haiping's expression also became serious. He opened his mouth as if to ask something, but seeing that Ao Xingyun had fallen into thought, he ultimately did not speak and quietly retreated.
When Ao Haiping delivered this news to Liu Nanfeng, he was not surprised.
"Aren't you surprised? Or did you already know?" Ao Haiping asked, puzzled.
"I don't know. I'm not surprised because this world is not that big. As long as one makes an effort, they will eventually find it," Liu Nanfeng said with a smile.
Ao Haiping felt that he was being somewhat cryptic.
However, he didn't prepare further. Instead, he looked Liu Nanfeng up and down and suddenly said, "You are not Feng Zhirun, are you?"
Liu Nanfeng was stunned for a moment, then said with a smile, "Of course I'm not. I am Liu Nanfeng."
"You know that's not what I mean."
"I am who I am. I have never been anyone else."
Ao Haiping felt that continuing this conversation was meaningless. He sighed and said, "I finally understand why Father said that."
"Oh, what did the old Dragon King say?"
"My father didn't say anything, but you are indeed not Feng Zhirun," Ao Haiping said.
At this moment, he realized that if Liu Nanfeng had awakened Feng Zhirun's memories, he would not be in this state.
He had met Feng Zhirun and had known him for many years. Feng Zhirun's life was divided into three stages. In his youth, he was a prodigy, but he was neither arrogant nor impatient, gentle as jade, a handsome young man, the dream lover of many women.
After a family catastrophe, he withdrew from the world, entering seclusion. Although middle-aged, his Buddhist cultivation deepened daily, making him appear like a Buddha on earth, full of compassion and mercy.
However, he suddenly abandoned Buddhism for Daoism. When he reappeared, he was in his twilight years, but his sharpness was evident, his spirit overflowing with heroism, as if he could conquer the world with a single sword. Naturally, he did possess the ability to do so.
Unlike ordinary people, his life seemed to have gone in reverse.
However, in any stage, Feng Zhirun was an outstanding figure, so Liu Nanfeng must have truly recovered his past life memories.
Regardless, he would have been influenced to some extent by the other person's memories and experiences, rather than being as he was now, not much different from when they first met.
Liu Nanfeng not having awakened Feng Zhirun's memories made Ao Haiping very disappointed.
However, he did not say much and left directly.
Liu Nanfeng watched him leave, making no attempt to retain him.
A few more days passed in peaceful routine. Su Jinxiu's belly grew larger, and the time for childbirth drew nearer.
Even a great demon who had roamed for a hundred years now displayed the radiance of motherhood on her face, like an ordinary woman.
As a result, Gugu often stared at her blankly, perhaps remembering her own mother.
Su Jinxiu also consciously tried to guide Gugu's impressions of her mother, hoping she could emerge from her past shadows. This was not easy; some people never emerge from it, let alone Gugu, who was still a child, not in terms of age, but physiologically and psychologically, she was still a child.
Liu Zonghe had also moved into Guanshanhai. As for the chickens and ducks at home, they no longer needed looking after, as they had all been killed...
However, to be honest, Su Jinxiu had not eaten many of these chickens and ducks. Instead, most of them had ended up in Xiao Liyu and Gugu's bellies.
Especially Xiao Liyu, her appetite was frighteningly large, but Liu Zonghe and his wife considered her a dragon, so they did not find it strange.
If Zhu Yin'e had not just gifted him a manor, he would have considered asking her for living expenses. This little carp ate too much.
However, he had not seen her since encountering her by the river that day.
Instead, Yang Ruoyun had returned to her routine, visiting the coffee shop every day, sometimes alone, sometimes with Hu Mengyao.
And on this day, a world-shattering event occurred.
The sky had been pierced.