"Foolishness!"
Great Peng rebuked, "Though your strength has greatly improved, you still cannot protect yourself against the Heavenly Court's large forces. Stay here obediently. I'll be back soon!" Without waiting for Yang Jian to argue, he flickered and transformed into an almost invisible streak of gold, silently escaping the pocket realm.
Yang Jian remained inside the pocket realm, unable to sit or stand at ease. The oppressive feeling of an approaching storm, along with his deep concern for his parents and younger sister, left him unable to calm himself. He kept rubbing the Xuanhuang Seal in his hand, feeling its cold touch that nevertheless brought him a trace of reassurance.
The wait felt exceptionally long. After an unknown amount of time, space at the entrance to the pocket realm rippled faintly, and Great Peng reappeared. His face was terribly grim, and in the way he looked at Yang Jian, there was an undisguised hint of... pity and heaviness.
Yang Jian's heart sank sharply, seized by a terrible premonition. "Master... what happened outside?"
Great Peng fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing his words. But in the end, he chose to speak plainly. Some matters could not be hidden, nor should they be.
"Jian'er," his voice was unusually low, "your mother, Yao Ji... has been captured by the Heavenly Court."
Boom! It was as though thunder from the Ninth Heaven had exploded in his mind. Yang Jian's vision went dark, and he staggered, nearly unable to remain standing. He stared fixedly at Great Peng, his voice trembling beyond recognition. "W-What? My mother... how could that be? What about my father and sister?"
"Your father and sister should be safe for now," Great Peng said quickly. "From what I learned, the reason the Heavenly Court found your family's former secluded residence so