What is sadness?

"Little Junior Brother~ Mistress!" Yao'er struggled desperately in Lin Xiao's arms. Her small head poked out from his shoulder, staring blankly at a ball of colorful rosy clouds being swallowed by a mass of black smoke in the distant sky. With a crisp sound, the rosy clouds exploded into countless tiny light droplets, scattering downwards. Yao'er's small face turned deathly pale, and large tears welled up in her eyes, falling onto Lin Xiao's shoulder and soaking a large patch of his clothes.

Lin Xiao silently controlled the Crimson Dragon Sword, speeding forward. In this moment of life and death, his mind was crystal clear, free of any lingering distractions. The Crimson Dragon Sword transformed into a stream of red light several yards long, enveloping him and Yao'er, and streaking like a shooting star across mountain ranges. Lin Xiao deliberately kept the sword light extremely low, weaving rapidly between the peaks. Given his skill in sword riding, it was almost miraculous that he hadn't crashed into a cliff face by now. Lin Xiao continuously urged his Golden Core, channeling a large amount of true essence into the Crimson Dragon Sword. The sword let out a clear, resonant cry, its light intensifying by a third and its speed increasing by a fifth.

Hundreds of demonic cultivators were pursuing them on their swords. Blood God Ancestor's orders were absolute, and these demonic cultivators would not dare to disobey. If he said to kill everyone in Spring Return Valley, then everyone must die. Hundreds of black smoke-like evil energies, along with dim, yellowish sword lights, followed closely behind Lin Xiao. Half the sky was obscured by the black demonic energy emanating from these cultivators.

Lin Xiao let out a low gasp. Even though he had formed a Golden Core, his cultivation was still shallow, far inferior to the leading demonic cultivators. The foremost twenty-odd demonic cultivators had already closed in to within ten feet of Lin Xiao. A demonic cultivator with a crimson face let out a cackling laugh. He slapped the back of his head, and a dark light erupted, transforming into a giant black palm reeking of foulness, reaching out to grab Lin Xiao. Even though the palm was still several feet away, the powerful gale it generated was already causing Lin Xiao's lips to bleed.

A burst of light erupted from Lin Xiao's body. He decisively activated the Scattering Light Scarf to protect himself. The black palm fiercely grasped the burst of light and squeezed tightly. With a crack, the light scattered. Lin Xiao, using the Scattering Light Scarf to block the attack, embraced Yao'er and rushed forward another hundred yards.

"Hmm? This brat actually has a protective treasure on him! Too bad its quality is too poor, it can't withstand this old man's Black Demon Claw!" The demonic cultivator chuckled triumphantly. He repeatedly slapped the back of his head, and eight consecutive black giant palms flew out, joining the previous one to form nine palms that surged towards Lin Xiao from all directions. These palms were almost intangible, like phantoms, and their speed was more than twice that of sword light! In just three to five breaths, Lin Xiao was forced to stop his sword light, as the palms had completely surrounded him.

"No need for pleasantries! Kill him!" A demonic cultivator with a dark face sneered. Without a word, he pointed with his right hand, and three dark, gleaming streaks of light, each about a foot long, shot out, aiming directly for Lin Xiao's center.

Lin Xiao let out a sharp cry. He channeled his true essence to perform the Levitation Technique, hovering in mid-air. He pointed, and the Crimson Dragon Sword transformed into a red light, meeting the three black streaks.

Unfortunately, the sword-riding techniques of the Great Luo Pill Dao were truly lacking. Lin Xiao's straightforward sword light completely missed the three black streaks. The black streaks drew several wide arcs in the air, circumventing the Crimson Dragon Sword and heading straight for Lin Xiao. The three streaks targeted Lin Xiao's back, his forehead, and the crown of his head – all vital points. Even from a distance, a chilling coldness emanating from the black light made Lin Xiao shiver, as if his internal organs were freezing. The demonic cultivators applauded in unison, but none of them made another move to attack Lin Xiao. Clearly, the demonic cultivator who had attacked held great prestige among them, and no one believed Lin Xiao could escape the assault of these three black streaks.

In this moment of life and death, Lin Xiao became incredibly calm. He drew the Black Tortoise Ring from his storage bracelet, preparing to unleash it. He channeled a breath of true essence and forcefully pulled the Crimson Dragon Sword towards him. Then, he tightly embraced Yao'er, intending to use the Black Tortoise Ring to protect himself and force his way out of the encirclement with his sword light. His Golden Core sank slightly, and the Crimson Dragon Sword circled in the air, rapidly rushing back to Lin Xiao. However, his hand, which had reached for Yao'er's waist, found only empty air. Yao'er, who had been clinging to his neck and front, had somehow detached herself.

With a hand seal, Yao'er curled up and flew towards the three imminent black streaks. Her eyes were filled with confusion, but her face held an unusually resolute determination. "Mistress is dead, Little Junior Brother cannot die!"

Lin Xiao had no time to react, let alone tell Yao'er that he possessed the powerful protective treasure, the Black Tortoise Ring. The three black streaks pierced Yao'er's body almost simultaneously. The black streaks were clearly coated with potent poison, and a faint black aura instantly spread across Yao'er's fair face. The black light passed through her body, and Yao'er's body became stiff and cold, devoid of any life.

Lin Xiao's body stiffened abruptly. He stared blankly at Yao'er, and his eyes suddenly burst, spitting out two streams of blood.

Yao'er's body now bore three holes. Large amounts of blood, shimmering with five colors, sprayed out, drenching Lin Xiao. The wound piercing Yao'er's heart spurted a large amount of heart's blood, which coincidentally splashed onto the Black Tortoise Ring in Lin Xiao's hand. Unnoticed, a faint spiritual light began to surge from the Black Tortoise Ring, as if it had suddenly come to life.

Lin Xiao let out a near-maddened roar and clutched Yao'er's cold body. Yao'er's eyes were still wide open, but the confusion was gone, replaced by a lifelessness that filled Lin Xiao with despair. Lin Xiao stared blankly at Yao'er's face, his body trembling violently. Two streams of bloody tears fell from his face, drop by drop, all landing on Yao'er's lips. Yao'er's lips turned a vibrant red, and blood slowly trickled down from the corners of her mouth, an eerie sight that brought a heart-wrenching pain.

The dark-faced Daoist who had unleashed the three black streaks also froze his sword light, staring blankly. The black streaks did not continue to pierce Lin Xiao's body. He stared foolishly at the blood gushing from Yao'er's body, imbued with rich five-colored luminescence, and suddenly roared hoarsely, "Five Elements Spiritual Body! This girl is actually a Five Elements Spiritual Body! Gods! I killed a Five Elements Spiritual Body!"

All the demonic cultivators' expressions changed drastically. Even Blood God Ancestor and Jiang Zizai, who were slowly flying over on blood clouds from afar, widened their mouths and simultaneously shrieked, "Five Elements Spiritual Body? Damn it!"

A Five Elements Spiritual Body! For righteous cultivators, a person possessing a Five Elements Spiritual Body would make them scramble to take them as disciples. With a Five Elements Spiritual Body, one was almost guaranteed to ascend! Even in this era of sparse spiritual energy, as long as a sect was willing to expend great resources to gather spirit stones and spiritual herbs, they could cultivate someone with a Five Elements Spiritual Body into an unparalleled expert! In the current cultivation world, where experts were few and Nascent Soul stage cultivators were scarce, what did an expert nearing the Mahayana stage signify? It meant an elevation in the sect's status, and the sect's power would expand immensely because of that one person – at the very least, when competing for spiritual veins, spiritual mines, and spiritual herbs, no one would be able to defeat them!

For demonic cultivators, a Five Elements Spiritual Body was not only a candidate for inheriting their mantle but also the best material for cultivation cauldrons and various vicious yet powerful magical arts. There were even demonic cultivators skilled in soul-snatching, who could forcibly seize all the essence, spirit, and soul of a Five Elements Spiritual Body, transforming themselves into a Five Elements Spiritual Body! Or, for those vicious demonic cultivators who refined demonic blood pills, they could refine a Five Elements Spiritual Body into a blood pill with extremely potent medicinal effects, greatly augmenting their primordial spirit and physical cultivation!

Yet, a Five Elements Spiritual Body, rarely seen in ten thousand years, was killed by them just like that!

Seeing the five-colored flames erupting from Yao'er's blood, all the demonic cultivators felt an urge to cry without tears.

Blood God Ancestor also cursed at the sky in anger, "You call yourself a friend of the Great Luo Pill Dao for so many years, how could you not even detect that there was a Five Elements Spiritual Body within their sect?"

Jiang Zizai's expression was also extremely grim. Without a word, he formed a thunder seal with his hands, chanted a mantra, and prayed to the heavens. Then, he released the thunder seal, and a purple heavenly lightning bolt, as thick as a water vat, descended from the sky, instantly pulverizing the dark-faced Daoist. The three black streaks, having lost their master's control, flickered and were about to shoot west when the crimson-faced demonic cultivator beside the dark-faced Daoist swiftly snatched them into his possession. The crimson-faced Daoist showed no sign of sorrow for the fallen, but instead, his face was filled with the joy of having acquired three excellent flying swords out of nowhere. The heartlessness and indifference of demonic cultivators were evident here.

"The Ancestor's Five Elements Spiritual Body!" Blood God Ancestor grumbled a few times in extreme frustration, then rode his blood cloud towards Lin Xiao. He said menacingly, "That girl died saving this brat. Hmph, a Five Elements Spiritual Body wasted on this little bastard! I will tear this brat into a million pieces! Damn it, the Ancestor could have plundered all the essence and spirit from that girl's body, and the Ancestor would have had hope of ascending, but! Heaven is blind, does Blood God Ancestor truly have no fate of ascension?"

Jiang Zizai narrowed his eyes and pondered for a moment. He shook his head and quietly rode his blood cloud away. With his hands behind his back, he smiled faintly, "Lin Xiao's complexion is still ruddy, his luck is still long-lasting. How could he die today? But, since the Ancestor's main body went there personally? How could he survive? I don't understand, I don't understand! I should go watch the fun from the side."

Lin Xiao stared blankly, holding Yao'er. Yao'er's blood had splattered all over him, turning him into a bloody mess, yet he was numb and felt nothing. The hundreds of demonic cultivators nearby looked at him and Yao'er in his arms with regret. Miles away, Blood God Ancestor was still charging over in a fury. Yet, his heart was empty, as if his soul were non-existent.

Guihua City was massacred, Spring Return Hall was destroyed, his father Lin Shan and his relatives were killed. Although Lin Xiao was heartbroken, he had never felt such utter despair as he did now. Lin Shan and the others were dead, but Lin Xiao still harbored thoughts of revenge. That Pill Token at least gave him something to hold onto. As it turned out, this hope was not in vain.

He was sent to Spring Return Valley, and accepted as a formal disciple by the Great Luo Pill Dao. The Great Luo Pill Dao even rallied righteous cultivators, severely damaged the Jimo Sect, and annihilated his sect's enemies!

The elders and fellow disciples of the Great Luo Pill Dao were all so full of humanity. Daoist Danling, generous and kind, with a hint of a merchant's cunning; Dan Fusheng, submissive to his wife, extremely lenient with his disciples, slightly timid, but with the air of a loving father; Danxia, stingy and shrewd, still not properly married despite her age, seeming more like his elder sister than his mistress; and Hua Feng'er, who took on more of the roles of master and mistress, teaching him many cultivation basics, the elder sister Hua Feng'er!

These people made Lin Xiao feel like he had a home again. The Great Luo Pill Dao was a home!

But now, with these demonic cultivators rampaging through Spring Return Valley, not a single elder from the Great Luo Pill Dao had appeared to stop them! Lin Xiao knew clearly that the Great Luo Pill Dao must have been destroyed by the combined forces of these demonic cultivators! And this time, Lin Xiao had no hope whatsoever! The cultivators with profound cultivation, who appeared like gods to Lin Xiao, his uncles and senior uncles, had all been killed. What could he, Lin Xiao, do? Seek revenge against these demonic cultivators? It was simply a joke!

He, Lin Xiao, had only luckily formed a Golden Core! But what about Daoist Danling and the others? How many of them had formed Nascent Souls? And how many were on the verge of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, nearing the realm of immortality and incorruptibility! Yet, they had all been killed by these demonic cultivators!

Especially those legendary senior figures of the sect, those elders of the Qi, Ling, and Xiao generations! They were all powerful experts who had reached the Nascent Soul stage! The demonic cultivators had turned Spring Return Valley into such a mess, with black smoke filling half the sky, yet they had not appeared. It was likely they had all been killed by the demonic cultivators!

Enemies that even Nascent Soul stage experts could not stop, what could he, a mere cultivator who had just formed a Golden Core, who had only been cultivating for a little over two years, a novice who knew nothing about the cultivation world, do?

Revenge for the Great Luo Pill Dao? Revenge against these incredibly powerful enemies? Lin Xiao himself found the thought absurd.

Revenge was hopeless! But this only caused Lin Xiao's heart to turn as cold as ice.

What truly made him despair and spontaneously wish for death was Yao'er in his arms!

The first person he saw after being sent to Spring Return Valley by Mistress Mieqing when he woke up from his severe injuries!

The person who was drowsily sleeping on the table, drooling a large puddle!

The person so muddled that she forgot what she was doing, mistaking Lin Xiao for an intruder in her room and nearly killing him with a Palm Lightning strike!

The person who foolishly used a potent laxative to treat his injuries!

The person who generously shared the incredibly rare lotus flowers, lotus seeds, and herself with him!

The person who, when he was about to burst from eating too many lotus seeds, fed him lotus root by mouth, saving his life!

The person who, while he was in seclusion converting his true essence, carefully sprinkled a thick layer of insect-repelling powder on and around him!

The person who, despite appearing muddled and only asking for food all day, making him hunt pheasants across the mountains to roast!

The person who, upon entering the Pill Room, became incredibly focused, spending two years refining pills in the room for a Spirit Gathering Pill recipe!

The person who, while diligently researching pill formula improvements, would abandon her nearly formed pills to explain any doubts he had, thus wasting dozens of batches of pills and countless mental energies!

The person for whom Lin Xiao, after breaking through the fifth level of the True Fire Art, continued to serve in the 'Arid' numbered pill room, just to quietly watch her focused back!

The person who made Lin Xiao feel both exasperated, heartbroken, sweet, and troubled!

The person who, unknowingly, had used her three thousand strands of black hair to tightly bind his heart into a knot, impossible to untangle or straighten, placing his entire soul upon her!

The one whose smile made Lin Xiao smile, whose tears made Lin Xiao grieve, whose every action could influence Lin Xiao's joy and sorrow!

Yao'er lay coldly in Lin Xiao's arms, her body drained of blood. The dark energy on her face intensified, and her wide-open eyes no longer held their usual daze or confusion.

Those gray, lifeless eyes.

The gray deathly aura seemed to seep directly into Lin Xiao's heart, crushing his already frozen and despairing heart, which had turned ice-cold after the destruction of the Great Luo Pill Dao, into fragments.

A sharp pain struck his chest, and blood spurted from his mouth in large quantities. The Golden Core within Lin Xiao's dantian dimmed, and hairline cracks appeared on it, showing signs of imminent collapse.

No one had attacked Lin Xiao. It was solely due to Yao'er's death that Lin Xiao's mind had undergone such a drastic change, causing him severe internal injuries. His heart meridian felt as if it had been struck with immense force, breaking in half, and his heart's blood continued to gush from his mouth. His divine sense was in chaos, and the true essence within his body ran wild uncontrollably. His Golden Core was being heavily damaged by his own true essence.

The Blood God Ancestor rushed over on a blood-red cloud. He glared fiercely at Lin Xiao, about to utter some vicious words, when he was startled by Lin Xiao's completely vacant expression and gaze, and the crimson heart blood constantly spewing from his mouth. The Blood God Ancestor's cultivation had long surpassed the Nascent Soul Stage, reaching the unfathomable realm of Spirit Refining and Void Transformation. Naturally, he could see at a glance that the Golden Core in Lin Xiao's dantian was about to collapse on its own. If the Golden Core collapsed, Lin Xiao would naturally be a dead man, and there would be no need for him to act.

"So, this little brat is also a fool!" The Blood God Ancestor's fierce face showed a hint of sadness. He stared blankly at Lin Xiao and Yao'er in Lin Xiao's arms, his eyes darting around. Suddenly, he shouted, "Hey, you brat. I'll give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to end it yourself! Old Ancestor will be merciful today. If you sever your own heart meridian, you'll avoid suffering another blow before death! It's better to leave a complete corpse, isn't it?"

Hearing the Blood God Ancestor's shout, Lin Xiao slowly raised his head. He opened his eyes wide and looked at the Blood God Ancestor, asking coldly, "Who are you?"

The Blood God Ancestor pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Old Ancestor's self-proclaimed title is Blood God. I am the revered Demon Ancestor of the current nine sects, twelve paths, and thirty-six factions of the demonic path. Today, I have specifically brought people to exterminate your entire Great Luo Pill Dao lineage and seize the Great Luo Pill Scripture. In the future, when our demonic path unifies the cultivation world, your Great Luo Pill Dao's Great Luo Pill Scripture will be the primary contribution!"

Lin Xiao held Yao'er tighter in his arms. He opened his mouth, and a stream of energy shot out, carrying a few drops of blood. His internal true essence was in turmoil, and a stream of true essence went astray, rushing out of his throat and tearing a fissure in his vocal cords. Blood from his vocal cords sprayed from his mouth. Lin Xiao's voice became extremely hoarse and unpleasant, like an iron saw grinding against sand and stones. He spoke with a completely expressionless face and that extremely unpleasant voice, "If I do not die today, I will use all my strength to kill you in the future."

A strange smile appeared on Lin Xiao's face. He turned his body, glanced at the increasingly numerous demonic cultivators in all directions, and said indifferently, "Nine sects, twelve paths, and thirty-six factions of the demonic path? In the future, Lin Xiao and you will be irreconcilable enemies. If I do not die, your disciples will be subject to my attacks at any time. When my cultivation improves, you will be Lin Xiao's targets!"

"Lin Xiao and you shall not coexist under the same heaven and earth!" Lin Xiao extended his left hand, then slowly extended his right index finger, drawing it deeply across his left wrist. Blood gushed out, drawing a vibrant red line in the void. He was holding the Black Tortoise Ring in his left hand, and his blood also sprayed onto the Black Tortoise Ring. The extremely fine spiritual light within the Black Tortoise Ring flashed rapidly, quickly absorbing Lin Xiao's blood and Yao'er's blood that was stuck to his hand.

This was a blood oath! The highest oath in the cultivation world.

As Lin Xiao made his oath, a faint clear thunderclap echoed through the heavens and earth.

The Blood God Ancestor's expression changed. The slight compassion that had arisen from Lin Xiao's devotion vanished completely. He coldly pointed at Lin Xiao and sneered, "Kill him! Annihilate his soul! Once the blood oath is made, if even a wisp of his soul escapes, he will be entangled with us for a hundred lifetimes, unable to find peace! Annihilate his soul!"

Hundreds of demonic cultivators with profound cultivation abilities from all directions attacked simultaneously, launching various turbid colorful lights towards Lin Xiao. If this wave of attacks hit, even if Lin Xiao's body were made of diamond, it would only turn into dust.

Lin Xiao roared at the sky, blood streaming from his eyes. He tightly embraced Yao'er, and the Golden Core in his dantian suddenly disintegrated, transforming into terrifying streams of purple flames that surged everywhere.

A stream of purple true essence surged into his left hand's meridians, directly charging into the Black Tortoise Ring he was holding.

The Black Tortoise Ring erupted with a dazzling spiritual light. The light was black, yet it gave the illusion of being extremely bright, so bright it caused pain to the eyes.

With a 'buzz,' the Black Tortoise Ring rapidly enlarged, transforming into a dark, several-zhang-wide black light that tightly protected Lin Xiao. The phantom image of the Black Tortoise within the ring flowed and shifted in the black light, transforming into a phantom of the Black Tortoise, ten feet tall, appearing at Lin Xiao's feet. It carried Lin Xiao and sped rapidly towards the north.

The Black Tortoise Ring's flight speed was astonishing. The attacks launched by hundreds of demonic cultivators all missed. The Blood God Ancestor cursed frantically. He rubbed and released his hands, sending dozens of blood-red lights the size of woven bamboo baskets, accompanied by wisps of bloody lightning, towards Lin Xiao. However, even the Blood God Ancestor's Yin Sha Blood Lightning could not catch up to the Black Tortoise Ring's escape speed. Lin Xiao was soon rushing out for over ten miles.

Suddenly, black smoke billowed in front of Lin Xiao. Demonic cultivators who were using magic to search within Spring Return Valley all flew into the sky, blocking Lin Xiao's path.

The Black Tortoise Ring fluctuated, and the black light suddenly released tens of thousands of Kui Water Divine Lightning. The black lightning surged forward, covering the sky and earth, striking the over a thousand demonic cultivators, causing them to cry out in pain. Hundreds of them were instantly annihilated, body and soul. The Black Tortoise Ring let out a soft hum, its speed increasing several times. It carried Lin Xiao through the Spring Return Valley's protective mountain formation and headed straight north.

The Blood God Ancestor watched, dumbfounded. He exclaimed in shock, "What is that? Can anyone tell me what that is?"

Jiang Zizai stood on a blood-red cloud far away, his face contorted. He looked at the spot where Lin Xiao had disappeared and said with a bitter smile, "The Black Tortoise Ring, what a Black Tortoise Ring! So it requires the sacrifice of Five Elements Spiritual Blood to unleash its full divine power! Damn it! Where can I find Five Elements Spiritual Blood? This damned Black Tortoise Ring! That brat truly has a life that refuses to end!"

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Zizai suddenly smiled and said, "Very well, leaving this shred of connection might be useful in the future. Very good, very good! Regardless, I am Demon Subduing True Person Jiang Zizai, not Blood God Ancestor Jiang Zizai!"

Having escaped death by relying on the suddenly transformed Black Tortoise Ring, Lin Xiao's already cold and shattered heart felt no joy. He just tightly hugged Yao'er, sitting blankly on the back of the Black Tortoise phantom, allowing the phantom to carry him forward.

Two streams of bloody tears slowly slid down Lin Xiao's face. The Heavenly Fire true essence rampaging within his body was constantly damaging him. The seven-colored spiritual energy transformed from the lotus seeds was continuously helping him mend his broken body.

However, Lin Xiao could not even feel the intense pain of his internal organs being refined by the Heavenly Fire. He could only weep silently all the way, his bloody tears being blown away from his face by the strong gale, dripping onto the ground.

Suddenly, a beam of seven-colored divine light shot up from the depths of a large mountain ahead. Countless solemn and grand sword lights and treasure lights shot out from the seven-colored divine light, surging towards Lin Xiao's direction. From a distance, someone exclaimed, "The two people in front are wearing the Daoist robes of Great Luo Pill Dao disciples! Why are they covered in blood? Fellow Daoists, quickly go and meet them!"

Someone else exclaimed, "Heavens, how fast is this magical treasure flying! Crimson Staff Immortal, Cloud-Soaring True Person, let us join forces to stop it!"

Seven Daoists, dressed in various colored Daoist robes and wearing tall crowns, exuding an immortal aura, rushed forward on golden sword lights. They all unleashed powerful restrictions, forcibly blocking the black light formed by the Black Tortoise Ring. The Black Tortoise phantom beneath Lin Xiao seemed to be struck by lightning, letting out a mournful cry and suddenly dissipating. The Black Tortoise Ring let out a faint 'ying ying' sound, transforming into a black light and merging into Lin Xiao's body, directly heading to his dantian to settle down.

The Black Tortoise Ring released an extremely tough and viscous suction force, actively beginning to absorb the true essence surging chaotically within Lin Xiao. A portion of the true essence was unceremoniously devoured by the Black Tortoise Ring, while another portion was compressed by the Black Tortoise Ring, re-condensing into a Golden Core no larger than a mung bean. The Black Tortoise Ring had actually devoured more than ninety percent of Lin Xiao's true essence!

With the Black Tortoise phantom dissipating, Lin Xiao fell headfirst from the sky.

A white-robed old Daoist flew over and caught Lin Xiao in his arms.

The old Daoist said loudly, "Young friend, you and this..." The old Daoist suddenly shouted, "Senior Brother, quickly save him! It's fine if this little girl is dead, she's already stiff anyway. This brat's heart meridian is almost broken, hurry and save him!"

The old Daoist exuded a gentle and reassuring aura. Lin Xiao stared blankly at the old Daoist. With his mind and body severely injured, he finally tilted his head and fainted.

However, even in his unconscious state, Lin Xiao's hands still tightly embraced Yao'er's cold body.

Even in his unconscious state, two streams of bloody tears continued to roll from Lin Xiao's eyes.

Seeing Lin Xiao in this state, countless Daoists in the sky simultaneously changed their expressions. (To be continued)