The Bizarre Statue!

Night fell, and Mother Jiang remained in a deep sleep, though Mu Guiyun could keenly sense that her constitution and injuries were slowly recovering.

"Nannan, once your mother has finished absorbing the medicinal pill, you should move to Shrek City."

If Mu Guiyun remembered correctly, in the original story, even after Mother Jiang took the Black Tortoise Divine Pill, she passed away from illness not long after.

To be safe, Mu Guiyun decided to ask Elder Zhuang to step in and give Mother Jiang a thorough examination when the time came.

Jiang Nannan nodded with a smile, her delicate hand resting upon Mu Guiyun's palm.

Watching the two of them exchanging glances, Tang Ya felt so anxious she nearly turned green. She simply sat down between them, hands on her hips, and huffed, "Hmph! That's enough from you two! The Sect Master is still right here!"

With that, she glared at Mu Guiyun with a look of deep resentment.

"Alright, alright. Let's figure out how we're going to sleep tonight."

After giving Tang Ya's cheek a firm pinch, Mu Guiyun couldn't help but scan the room.

Jiang Nannan's home was a one-bedroom apartment. The only bedroom was occupied by Mother Jiang, so the three of them would have to make do in the living room for the night.

Thinking of this, countless metal elements flew out from Mu Guiyun's Soul Tool, eventually forming a massive metal bed in the living room.

"There. The living room is only so big; there's no way to fit three beds, so this will have to do. Besides, we all need to cultivate anyway, so let's just make it work."

Mu Guiyun waved his hand, swearing to the lamp that he absolutely had no ulterior motives.

The thought of lying on the same bed as Mu Guiyun made Jiang Nannan's pretty face flush, but in the end, she chose not to refuse.

"I don't mind..."

After glancing at the two of them, Tang Ya hurriedly raised both hands and chirped, "I want to sleep in the middle!"

Without giving them a chance to refuse, Tang Ya took her bedding out of her Soul Tool and began to busy herself.

The night grew deeper. Watching Mu Guiyun beside her, lost in deep cultivation, Tang Ya couldn't help but feel envious. Guiyun's talent is terrifying. With this level of Soul Power fluctuation, it looks like he's about to break through to level forty, right?

A Soul Ancestor under twelve years old... hiss, I wouldn't even dare to imagine such a thing.

Jiang Nannan, listening from the side, nodded in agreement, her gaze lingering on Mu Guiyun's otherworldly features for a long time.

Tang Ya caught this, and her tone turned sour immediately. "Nannan, don't tell me you've taken a liking to Guiyun?"

Hearing this, Jiang Nannan's eyes darted away. "H-how could that be! I'm just grateful for everything Guiyun has done for me..."

Still denying it? If I weren't here, you two would be all over each other already!

Tang Ya curled her lip in disdain, her resentful gaze making Jiang Nannan's skin crawl.

"Really? I don't believe you. Unless you swear on your conscience!"

Jiang Nannan fell silent. One couldn't swear oaths lightly on the Douluo Continent, because gods truly existed here!

"You won't touch it? Then let the Sect Master do it! Hehehe~"

Tang Ya let out a few mischievous chuckles and reached out with her evil hands.

"Oh, Ya, stop it! Guiyun is still right here!"

"It's fine! He's cultivating! Come, let the Sect Master have a feel... Whoa! Nannan, what do you usually eat? Why is your conscience so big? This isn't fair!"

Mu Guiyun: ...

Seven days passed in a flash. With the Black Tortoise Divine Pill and the various supplements Mu Guiyun had specifically prepared, Mother Jiang was now able to move around normally, and even her complexion had regained a hint of rosiness.

Not far outside Lingdou City, Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan sat in a carriage. Looking at the figure before them, Jiang Nannan couldn't help but speak up. "Guiyun, aren't you coming back with us?"

Tang Ya nodded repeatedly from the side. "Yeah, yeah! It's so dangerous for you to be out here alone. There are plenty of nobles who love boys as fair and clean as you!"

"Ouch! Why did you flick me!"

Tang Ya clutched her forehead, glaring at Mu Guiyun with resentment. The Sect Master is looking out for you, you know! If you aren't going to be grateful, at least don't flick my forehead!

Ignoring the pouting Tang Ya, Mu Guiyun shook his head and smiled. "I have some very important matters to attend to, so I won't be returning with you."

"Take these two things. With them, the journey should be smooth sailing. If you encounter any danger you can't handle, crush this jade slip."

With that, Mu Guiyun took a token bearing the Shrek emblem and a jade slip from his Soul Tool and handed them to Jiang Nannan.

"But..."

Seeing Jiang Nannan about to say more, Mu Guiyun interrupted her. "It's decided then. We'll see each other at the academy. Hurry off now, and take good care of your mother."

"Alright, then you must be careful."

"Don't worry, I value my life more than anyone!"

Once the carriage had completely vanished from sight, Mu Guiyun finally withdrew his gaze. Metal flew from his Soul Tool, eventually forming three pairs of cold, gleaming wings behind his back.

Mu Guiyun's Metal Six Wings had been modified; each wing was embedded with two Soul Tool Thrusters. At full power, they could allow his speed to approach that of a six-ringed Sharp-Tailed Swift Soul Master for a short time!

Looking up at the azure sky, the corners of Mu Guiyun's mouth curled upward.

Ice Empress, Mu Guiyun is coming for you!

Inside the carriage on the other side, Mother Jiang observed Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya, who kept glancing out the window, her expression growing somewhat unnatural.

After spending these days together, she felt as though she had discovered something extraordinary.

Because the Condensed Water Flying Luan had been returned to the academy, Tang Ya and her companions were forced to travel by carriage, which caused the return journey to take quite a bit of time.

Inside Shrek City, Tang Ya turned her head and said to Jiang Nannan, "Nannan, you and your mother go find a place to stay first. I'm going out for a while!"

"Huh? You're going out too?"

Jiang Nannan blinked, her eyes filled with confusion.

"I'll be back in a bit; I'm just going out for a stroll."

"Then take this with you."

Seeing this, Jiang Nannan immediately placed a jade slip into Tang Ya's hand.

"I'm off! See you tonight!"

Taking the jade slip, Tang Ya clasped her hands behind her back and, under Jiang Nannan's watchful gaze, skipped toward the city gates.

In a quiet, dense forest not far from Shrek City, Tang Ya stood alone, kneeling silently on the ground.

Looking at the overgrown, crude little mound of earth before her, a touch of loneliness and bitterness rose between Tang Ya's brows.

"Mom, Dad, Xiaoya has come to visit you."

This lonely grave was one she had built with her own hands when she first arrived at Shrek Academy. It was empty inside, lacking even a single relic; it couldn't even be considered a cenotaph.

The only thing it could hold was the lingering attachment in Tang Ya's heart that refused to fade.

"Mom, Dad, don't worry about Xiaoya. Xiaoya eats well and dresses warmly at Shrek Academy, and I even have two good friends!"

"And I've already reached level 22! It won't be long before I can avenge you with my own hands!"

As she finished speaking, two lines of scalding hot tears slowly slid down Tang Ya's cheeks.