"Junior Brother Lu, take care. I hope fate lets us meet again someday!" On the White Jade Platform, Yu Yaorao gave a graceful bow.
Lu Ye returned the salute with cupped fists, then turned and followed Yang Qing out.
The Divine Sea Conflict had ended. The powerhouses from the various realms naturally had no reason to linger, each taking their juniors home. The next time the Cycle Tree saw such a lively gathering, it would likely be another hundred years away.
After leaving the White Jade Platform and entering a passageway, Yang Qing continued onward.
Only after quite a while did they arrive before a door. Yang Qing turned and instructed Lu Ye, "Remember this place. If you bring your own juniors to participate in the Divine Sea Conflict someday, you'll have to return through here."
Lu Ye nodded silently. He vaguely caught a hint of something behind Yang Qing's words, but did not rush to ask.
Yang Qing pushed open the door and entered. Lu Ye followed close behind. Beyond the doorway was not the room he had imagined, but an empty starry sky that seemed to have been shrunk countless times. Myriad stars glittered all around him, vast and magnificent, making him keenly feel his own insignificance within it.
Yang Qing raised a hand and lightly tapped the Void ahead. Ripples immediately spread outward from the point beneath his fingertip.
When the ripples faded, Yang Qing frowned and looked up. "Old Tree, what is the meaning of this?"
Under normal circumstances, that single tap would have opened a passage leading to the Nine Provinces, allowing him to bring Lu Ye back. Yet no passage had appeared this time, which was rather strange.
Since no passage had appeared, it was obvious that the Cycle Tree was interfering—or rather, that