Retrieving Ah Yin

Half of Yue Guan's Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was shattered, Gui Mei's figure was nearly dispersed, and Qian Xunji's face went pale as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Only Qiangu Xiaoye, bolstered by the Dark Coiling Dragon Staff and a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring, barely managed to steady himself, though he was still blasted back dozens of meters.

The Blood Light flew away, vanishing beyond the horizon in the blink of an eye.

The four landed on the ground, their auras somewhat disordered.

"What was that power?"

Yue Guan clutched his chest, his expression grim.

Qian Xunji shook his head, his eyes filled with wariness. "I don't know. But it definitely wasn't Tang Hao's own power."

Qiangu Xiaoye put away the Dark Coiling Dragon Staff and looked in the direction Ah Yin had been taken.

"Keep chasing!"

After Tang Hao carried Ah Yin a thousand miles away, that scarlet power suddenly dissipated.

Tang Hao fell from the sky and crashed heavily onto the ground, unconscious.

Ah Yin struggled to her feet. Looking at the unconscious Tang Hao and then toward distant Spirit City, tears slid silently down her face.

Di Tian wanted her to return.

She could not escape.

Yet she still held Tang Hao tightly, burying her face against his chest as she cried without a sound.

She knew this was their final moment of tenderness.

The place where Tang Hao had fallen was a dense mountain forest.

Ah Yin held him tightly, feeling his faint heartbeat as tears silently streamed down her face.

She knew she should run, but she could no longer move. It was not merely the exhaustion of her body, but the despair in her heart.

Di Tian's Dragon Scale, that pitch-black scale, still emitted a faint, almost imperceptible pressure.

That pressure seemed branded into the depths of her soul, constantly reminding her: You cannot escape!

After an unknown amount of time, the sound of something cutting through the air came from the horizon.

Four figures descended from the sky and landed before Ah Yin.

Qian Xunji, Qiangu Xiaoye, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei.

Ah Yin raised her head and looked at them. There was no fear in her eyes, only lifeless silence.

"Will he..." she asked hoarsely, "will he die?"

Qian Xunji glanced at the unconscious Tang Hao and replied indifferently, "He won't die. Though that power has dissipated, it protected his heart and vital channels."

Ah Yin lowered her head, looking at Tang Hao's pale face as she gently stroked it.

"Brother Hao..." she murmured. "I'm sorry."

Qiangu Xiaoye stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Come with us. Senior Di Tian is waiting for you."

Ah Yin closed her eyes. After a long while, she slowly nodded.

She gently laid Tang Hao down and pressed a kiss to his lips.

Then she stood and walked before Qiangu Xiaoye.

"Let's go."

Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance, both seeing the complicated emotions in each other's eyes.

But neither said anything.

Qian Xunji raised a hand, and a beam of golden light bound Ah Yin.

This was not to prevent her from running. She would not run at all; it was merely procedure.

"Return to Spirit Hall."

The four figures soared into the air, taking Ah Yin with them as they vanished into the distant sky.

Only Tang Hao remained in the mountain forest, lying there quietly.

After an unknown amount of time, one of his fingers twitched.

Much later, he opened his eyes.

"Ah Yin!" He abruptly sat up and looked around in confusion.

The forest was silent, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind.

There was no one there.

Ah Yin was gone.

Tang Hao sat there blankly, staring at his empty arms and the Blue Silver Grass Ring Ah Yin had woven herself on his finger.

Suddenly, he threw back his head and howled.

His voice was filled with pain, rage, and despair.

There was even a trace of resentment that his scheme had failed.

"Just a little more, just a little more! I could have obtained a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring and Soul Bone!"

"Damn Spirit Hall!"

Countless birds in the forest took flight in alarm.

Spirit Hall, council chamber.

Ling Feng stood by the window, looking at the distant sky.

When the four figures appeared on the horizon, he let out a soft sigh.

What was meant to come had come after all. Fortunately, nothing had gone wrong this time.

Qiangu Xiaoye landed in the courtyard, holding Ah Yin, who was bound by golden light.

Her blue hair was disheveled, and her face was expressionless, bearing only deathly silence.

"Father." Ling Feng walked up to him. "Did it go smoothly?"

Qiangu Xiaoye nodded, then shook his head. "Tang Hao escaped. There was a strange power within him that blasted us back."

Ling Feng looked at Ah Yin.

Ah Yin hung her head, saying nothing.

"When will Senior Di Tian arrive?" he asked.

"Someone has already been sent to notify him," Qiangu Xiaoye said. "He should arrive within the next day or two."

Ling Feng nodded and walked over to Ah Yin.

Ah Yin raised her head and looked at him.

This boy looked only eleven years old, yet possessed a composure that did not match his age.

"Do you think you will die?" Ling Feng suddenly asked.

Ah Yin froze, then gave a bitter smile. "Perhaps. Lord Di Tian wishes to deal with me. I have nothing to say."

Ling Feng fell silent for a moment before softly saying, "Live well. As long as you live, there is hope."

Ah Yin looked at him, and a trace of confusion flashed through her eyes.

Hope?

What hope did she still have?

The guards took Ah Yin away and locked her in Spirit Hall's dungeon.

Ling Feng remained where he was, watching her back disappear around the corner.

"Xiao Feng." Qiangu Xiaoye walked to his side. "Do you pity her?"

Ling Feng shook his head. "It isn't pity. I just think she's a pitiful person too."

She had been deceived by Tang Hao without even realizing it—both pitiable and stupid beyond measure.

Qiangu Xiaoye was silent for a moment, then patted his son's shoulder.

"There are many pitiful people in this world."

Ling Feng nodded without speaking.

He raised his head and looked into the distance.

Tang Hao, Tang San...

How would your paths unfold in this life?

He did not know.

But he knew Spirit Hall's path would be steady.

Because with him here, Tang San would obtain none of his opportunities.

Deep within the dungeon, Ah Yin curled up in a corner, her blue hair scattered across the floor like her shattered heart.

She had already been here for a day and a night.

She did not eat, drink, or move.

She merely stared blankly at the iron door, the door separating her from the outside world.

She did not know how she would be dealt with.

Would Lord Di Tian kill her?

Or would he imprison her for the rest of her life?

She did not care.

She only cared about Tang Hao.

Had he escaped?

Was he still alive?

Would he... come looking for her?

At that final thought, Ah Yin gave a bitter smile.

Come looking for her? How could that be possible?

Spirit Hall could casually deploy four Titled Douluo, and Lord Di Tian was here as well. How could he come? Would he come only to die?

Yet she could not stop herself from thinking about it, from hoping.

Was this love? Knowing it was impossible, yet still unable to stop hoping.

Just then, the dungeon door was pushed open.

A tall figure walked inside.

Ah Yin raised her head, and her pupils suddenly contracted.

He was a middle-aged man in a black robe, with black hair cascading to his waist. His face was handsome, yet carried a hint of sinister charm.

Most striking were his eyes—golden vertical pupils, like the dragon eyes of legend.

Di Tian.

The absolute ruler of the soul beast world, the King of all soul beasts.

Ah Yin's body began to tremble. She struggled to crawl up, then knelt on the ground with her forehead pressed to the icy floor.

"Lord... Lord Di Tian..."

Di Tian looked down at her, with no emotion in his golden dragon eyes.

"Raise your head."

Ah Yin raised her head, but did not dare meet his gaze.

Di Tian looked at her and suddenly asked, "Do you know where you went wrong?"

Ah Yin bit her lip and said nothing.