Homecoming

The image of death disintegrated further.

The person photographed again was Gao Huan.

He was riding a tall, powerful horse, quietly watching the Gao Lineage soldiers hunt down the Ming Beast.

Under his command, the ever-growing number of Ming Beast were gradually forced back.

Not far away, Qifu Zhen, wielding a Long Spear, pierced through a Ming Beast at the Aperture Opening level, its body splattered with sticky, pungent blood. He laughed loudly, "Beast, good riddance!"

Most others would kill the Ming Beast and then continue pushing forward, but he was different. Every time he killed one, he would first gouge out its dark blue eyes, which looked just like human eyes, and throw them on the ground to crush them.

After doing all this, he called out to Gao Huan from afar, "General, look!"

Gao Huan looked up and his pupils suddenly contracted.

As Soundless Qifu Zhen appeared, a Lion-Shaped Ming Beast Soundless leaped up and pounced on his back.

Gao Huan shouted sternly, "Get back!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already swiftly grabbed the Longbow from the horse's back, drawn the bow, and fired an arrow that pierced the air.

Qifu Zhen heard Gao Huan's roar, and a bloody smell rushed from behind him. He didn't have time to turn around and rolled to the left in a sorry state. The Lion-Shaped Ming Beast did not continue to pounce forward as he expected, but instead twisted its body in mid-air and slammed its palm down on his head.

Qifu Zhen terrified that his eyes widened in anger.

Just then, three Feather Arrows arrived one after another, instantly piercing the head of the Ming Beast and pinning it to the ground.

Qifu Zhen, panting heavily, scrambled to his feet and swung his sword to cut off the head of the Lion-Shaped Ming Beast.

Gao Huan rode up and said coldly, "This is a battlefield, how could you be so careless?"

Qifu Zhen straightened up after being scolded, bowed his head, and said, "I won't do it again."

Gao Huan didn't look at him again, instead gazing towards the outer perimeter of the Hunting Grounds.

There, disciples from various Immortal Sect were pressing in from both flanks, gradually driving the remaining Ming Beast into a cycle.

At this rate, within three to five days, all of these Ming Beasts will be forced into the Hunting Grounds. At that time, the Immortal Sect disciples will reinforce the Restriction and seal the breaches.

Just then, Qifu Zhen suddenly asked a question.

"I have a feeling that you've made another breakthrough?"

Gao Huan turned to look at him and asked, "What do you think?" Qifu Zhen curled his lip and said indifferently, "This damn world has all sorts of demons and monsters, and these beasts with human eyes. One more person like you who cultivates quickly won't make a difference."

Gao Huan at him, knowing it was jealousy, and comforted him, "Demons and monsters can be slain by humans, and beasts can be killed by humans. It's a pity you'll never have my talent in this lifetime."

Qifu Zhen glared at him and cursed, "You shameless scoundrel, I'm leaving!"

Gao Huan said calmly, "You should call him General."

Qifu Zhen said indifferently, "Then I'll be going, General."

Watching Qifu Zhen leave, Gao Huan's gaze subtly revealed an indescribable meaning. "It was the same back in the Demon Cave; they never gave anyone a chance to speak."

Turning his head to look at the Gao Household Clan Troops, Gao Huan recalled what that person had told him.

The Five Thieves are demons, Four Aspects of Slaying Bandits.

It wasn't until then that he realized that cultivation wasn't as wonderful as he had imagined.

Although he learned so many secrets, they only added to the pressure he carried, and nothing more.

He had nowhere to run and had no choice but to obey.

Five days later, Gao Huan disappeared from the Hunting Grounds. Upon learning the news, Qifu Zhen immediately broke away from the Gao and searched for him along the way. The scene changed again and again.

When Li Fuchan looked again, Gao Huan was already lying at the foot of Black Mountain, and in front of him, a Demon Embryo had been brutally shattered.

Because Quan Yong was dead, and the Restriction placed on Xu Xuan by the Peaceful Way Abbey were no longer in effect, Xu Xuan, who should have only been at the Aperture Opening stage, had already broken through to the Outer Scenery by the time Gao Huan arrived.

Fortunately, Gao Huan possessed Ancient Great Medicine left behind by Li Fuchan.

After swallowing it, Six Apertures shattered, and he instantly entered the False Outer Scenery.

Coupled with the natural advantage of Four Aspects of Slaying Bandits Five Thieves, he ultimately managed to kill Xu Xuan.

The moment Changze was rewarded for Slay the Thief.

A figure emerged from the Unseen, looked at Gao Huan, and said calmly, "Changshu was injured by lightning and won't reappear for several decades. I've gotten a lucky break. With your Changze, I might be able to refine that Great Elixir. Let's go."

Gao Huan could only hear the person's voice, but he didn't know who it was. He was brought here by Destiny, only to Slay the Thief. There were no thousands of troops, no long river and setting sun, just a mountain where the sun never shines and shadows sway. The last thing he thought of was that woman.

"It's my fault for not naming the child before I left. I only hoped that with the child here, you wouldn't be sad for me in the days to come. With Qifu Zhen here, he will protect you."

Having escaped from the Demon Cave for over a decade, Gao Huan went from a mortal soldier to a man surnamed Gao, cultivating, leading troops, slaying demons and monsters... only to become a Pill Material once again, taken away by a certain Purple Mansion Lord.

After Gao Huan disappeared, Qifu Zhen broke away from the Gao Household. Alone, he tried several times to venture deep into the Hunting Grounds to search for Gao Huan's whereabouts, but was always stopped by the disciples of the Immortal Sect guarding the perimeter.

This time, the disciple didn't even want to say another word to him, and coldly shouted, "Foreign Barbarian, how dare you trespass into the Hunting Grounds? Get out!"

Qifu Zhen stubbornly refused to back down, and said in a firm voice, "May I ask, senior, have you seen a blue-eyed youth like myself come here? His name is Gao Huan, and he is..."

Keng.

The longsword was drawn, its cold light reflecting on his face.

Qifu Zhen gritted his teeth and ultimately withdrew.

He turned to look at the Hunting Grounds tightly bound by Formation Banners, his eyes filled with anxiety. "That bastard, he vanished without a trace, leaving me with nothing but wealth. He must have disappeared within the Hunting Grounds, otherwise he wouldn't have failed to come to see me. I must go to the Gao Household; Gao Household must have a way to get me in."

He rushed back to the Gao Household and waited for a long time before finally meeting the person in charge.

Hearing that Gao Gonglu had gone into seclusion, the person who came out to see him was Gao Changchen, the current Household Head of the Gao family.

Qifu Zhen bowed respectfully and said, "Please grant me a warrant from the Household Head, allowing me to enter the Hunting Grounds to find Gao Huan."

Gao Changchen naturally recognized him. This man was a rare talent for leading troops, second only to Gao Huan. He had left the Gao in haste and hadn't even met him once. Now that he had suddenly returned and made such a request, Gao Changchen couldn't help but feel troubled. "My family has little influence. Even my own family members can't enter that Hunting Grounds, let alone you."

Qifu Zhen, still not satisfied, added, "Then please, Household Head, send someone to find my elder brother and Gao Huan. If Household Head agrees, Qifu Zhen is willing to repay you with his Life Force."

Gao Changchen naturally wanted to keep this man, but the Gao Household was currently facing external threats and couldn't spare any more manpower to search for someone whose fate was unknown. Just as he was in a dilemma, a voice rang out from outside the door. "No need to search anymore, Gao Huan is dead."

Qifu Zhen suddenly stood up and turned to look at the door. His emerald eyes flashed with a fierce light, filled with malice, and he squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth. "Say that again."

Upon seeing the newcomer, Gao Changchen breathed a sigh of relief and called out, "Changling."

Gao Changling first bowed to Gao Changchen, then turned to Qifu Zhen, his expression calm, and nodded. "Gao Huan is dead."

Qifu Zhen's facial muscles twitched suddenly, his eyes grew even more ferocious, and his aura surged, like a vicious wolf cornered against a wall.

Gao Changchen looked at Gao Changling with worry in his eyes. Qifu Zhen had already opened the fourth aperture, while Gao Changling had only opened the second. Moreover, Qifu Zhen had been fighting on the battlefield for a long time. If they really started fighting, at such close range, Gao Changling would have no way to avoid it.

However, the next moment, Gao Changling's words caused Qifu Zhen's momentum to instantly dissipate, leaving him speechless.

"Have you forgotten? My family has his Life Tablet!"

As Gao Changling spoke, he handed a broken jade tablet to Qifu Zhen.

Qifu Zhen was no longer the ignorant fool he once was; having cultivated himself for so long, he naturally recognized that this was indeed Gao Huan's Life Tablet.

After staring blankly for a moment, he suddenly raised his head and said, "Don't tell my sister-in-law about this." Upon hearing this, Gao Changling's face showed a bitter expression. He pursed his lips and said in a hoarse voice, "My elder sister committed suicide in her room yesterday. I was powerless; I discovered it too late and couldn't save her. Before she died, she was clutching this broken Life Tablet..."

Qifu Zhen of pain welled up in Qifuzhen's Jade-Green eyes, and he hurriedly asked, "Where's the child? Where's the child?"

"The fetus died in the womb; there was no way to save it."

Upon hearing Qifu Zhen's body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud. His Jade-Green eyes opened and closed repeatedly, until finally tears streamed down his face.

Just as Gao Changling thought this man would burst into tears, Qifu Zhen suddenly stood up, wiped away his tears, and his eyes turned fierce again. He grabbed his wrist, and the force made him wince in pain.

Qifu Zhen stared intently at him, his eyes clearly fierce, yet he pleaded in a mournful voice, "Please allow me to take my sister-in-law home to find him; they should be together."

Gao Changling naturally didn't want him to leave, but couldn't find a good excuse. After a moment of silence, she couldn't help but say, "This is Gao Huan's home, and also my elder sister's home, and also..."

No, it's not...

Qifu Zhen gave a low shout, looked at Gao Changling, and said, word by word, "He is not Gao Huan, his name is He Liuhun. This is not our home. Our home is on the Grasslands."

Gao Changling stared into his eyes, lost in thought for a long time.

Not long after, Qifu Zhen carried a Jade Coffin on his back and left the Gao Household.

Before leaving, he promised Gao Changling, "He Liuhun's home is on the Grasslands. I will bury his clothes and his sister-in-law, as well as their children, together. After that, I will come back. I will not take away the cultivation that the Gao Household gave me for nothing." People on the Grasslands love to sing, and those who die in a foreign land will return to their hometown by following the songs.

Qifu Zhen was chanting something, and then he drifted away into the distance.