Although Zhu Yin'e said so, Liu Nanfeng was very moved but still refused her request.
But as soon as Liu Nanfeng spoke, he was glared at by her.
In the coy scolding, there was a hint of majesty, possessing an indescribable charm.
"I'm telling you this not because I want you to go with me, but because I might not be able to see Xiao Li Yu for a long time," Liu Nanfeng quickly explained.
"No..."
Just then, a small blue "whale" emerged from nowhere, chubby and round, its two short fins flapping, and then transformed into Xiao Li Yu in front of them.
"I want to go with you too."
"You stay home with your mother, I'll be back soon."
"No..." Xiao Li Yu shook her head and refused.
Her small mouth pouted, looking like she was about to cry.
Zhu Yin'e said nothing, just stared intently at Liu Nanfeng.
Then she said softly, "Your father, Xiao Yu's father, left like this and never returned."
Her eyes were full of unspoken resentment.
Liu Nanfeng felt uneasy under her gaze, so he thought for a moment and said, "I have a spatial artifact, which you probably know about. You and Xiao Li Yu can stay inside, thus going with me."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin'e's face lit up with joy.
Seeing Liu Nanfeng agree, Xiao Li Yu, who had been about to cry, immediately burst into tears of joy.
"Then I'll go back first."
The atmosphere felt a bit off, so Liu Nanfeng decided to make a quick exit.
"Then you must be careful," Zhu Yin'e said to him, word by word.
Liu Nanfeng was stunned for a moment, then realized that she wasn't telling him to be careful, but that if he dared to run off alone, he would have to be careful later.
Liu Nanfeng nodded sheepishly; in fact, he had entertained that very thought.
Then Liu Nanfeng left the underwater dwelling and went to the shop to make arrangements for the business there.
After everything was settled, Liu Nanfeng let out a long sigh of relief.
-----------------
"How is it? Are your injuries better?" Bai Xinghe asked.
At this moment, he and Xu Zhenwu were sitting face to face.
Xu Zhenwu nodded, but his complexion still looked very pale.
"I owe you a great debt for this," Xu Zhenwu said, his voice a little hoarse.
He had roamed the world for hundreds of years, only to nearly fall in Jiang City.
Bai Xinghe chuckled, not minding Xu Zhenwu's attitude, and picked up the teapot on the table, pouring him a cup of tea.
Then he said, "After all, he is Feng Zhirun's reincarnated body. You shouldn't take it to heart."
These words of comfort sounded awkward, but upon closer thought, they seemed reasonable.
After all, Feng Zhirun's might was too overwhelming; otherwise, he wouldn't have avoided his sharp edge and refused to meet him back then.
To put it bluntly, he simply lacked the courage to fight Feng Zhirun back then and had fled.
"But I never expected that he would be so powerful even after reincarnation. The information says he's only so old..." Xu Zhenwu grumbled, still somewhat unwilling.
"He's not that formidable, otherwise I wouldn't have had the chance to save you today, and you wouldn't have been able to fight him for so long," Bai Xinghe said with a smile.
Xu Zhenwu came to his senses and realized that it was indeed the case.
He then said with some emotion, "Reincarnation is truly a great terror. Although his strength is great after reincarnation, it is no longer pure."
Bai Xinghe looked at him with some confusion.
"His learning is too scattered. If he had continued to specialize in the way of the sword, I believe he would have been even stronger," Xu Zhenwu said, expressing his views.
In fact, Liu Nanfeng understood this principle, but although Feng Zhirun was him, he was not Feng Zhirun. He had his own thoughts and ideas, so even though he could use Feng Zhirun's unmatched sword techniques, they were not as pure as Feng Zhirun's.
Moreover, after acquiring Ren Yang's memories, he and Feng Zhirun had already embarked on two different paths. Although they might eventually converge and achieve the same goal, they were still two distinct paths.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Bai Xinghe laughed.
Xu Zhenwu nodded and said with some emotion, "However, he is also very strong. If we allow him to continue to grow, perhaps he will become another great threat to our Tide Society."
Bai Xinghe agreed with this point, but at the moment, they had no good way to deal with Liu Nanfeng.
"You should not take any action for a while. Rest and recuperate. I have received news that the authorities are preparing to assault the Heavenly Palace. We need to preserve some strength. Do not cause any more trouble during this period."
"Oh, who are they? Will Zhao Changsheng also make a move?" Xu Zhenwu's spirits lifted, and he immediately asked eagerly.
The reason for asking this was that Zhao Changsheng could be considered the stabilizing force of Great Xia. With him around, no demons or monsters could stir up any trouble; even those passing through Great Xia would be more restrained to avoid displeasing him.
The Tide Society had not dared to return on a large scale from overseas for so many years precisely because Zhao Changsheng was suppressing them.
If Zhao Changsheng were to leave, it would signify the formal return of the Tide Society to Great Xia.
Bai Xinghe shook his head and replied, "There is no clear news yet."
"Can't you calculate it?" Xu Zhenwu asked with anticipation.
Bai Xinghe revealed a bitter smile, "I am a human, not a god. At Zhao Changsheng's level, he has severed all karma from himself. There is no way I can calculate it."
Xu Zhenwu also seemed to understand. If Bai Xinghe could foresee everything, he would have been invincible long ago.
-----------------
Meanwhile, Liu Nanfeng had arranged to meet Zhan Dundun at Zhang Xinwu's barbecue stall.
"How are your father's preparations going?" Liu Nanfeng picked up a beer from the table and took a sip.
With the time agreed upon with Zhan Guoliang fast approaching, Liu Nanfeng felt a sense of trepidation.
"Almost there."
"How many people are there in total?" Liu Nanfeng continued to ask.
"A total of eight."
"Eight, are they all your clansmen?" Liu Nanfeng asked with some curiosity.
Zhan Dundun rolled his eyes at this, "How is that possible? Including you and me, there are eight people in total, and three of them are considered hired help."
"What about their strength? Don't drag us down when the time comes," Liu Nanfeng said.
The Heavenly Palace was not an easy place to enter. Those with insufficient strength might ultimately perish.
"Don't worry, they are all old folks, from my great-grandfather's generation. Their strength is sufficient, but their lifespans are nearing their end, so they're going all out."
This was actually the best scenario; it meant they would fight with all their might.
"What about yourself? Are you sure you can do it?"
"Can a man say no?"
"Who knows about that."
As the two were bantering, Zhang Xinwu, having finished his work, walked over.
"Kid, I received news that your father is preparing manpower to assault the Heavenly Palace?"
"You already know about this?" Zhan Dundun was somewhat surprised.
While this wasn't exactly top-secret, not everyone knew about it.
Zhang Xinwu looked up at the sky, as if seeing through the thick fog to the entrance of the Heavenly Palace.
"Because I am also preparing to make a trip to the Heavenly Palace."
Zhang Xinwu's expression was resolute, possessing an air of unstoppable courage.