As soon as Cao Yugao left, Gongsun Yin, who had seemed perfectly fine, turned pale. He could barely even remain standing.
"Junior Brother?"
Xu Zichang frowned and reached out to support Gongsun Yin. His complexion was even worse than that of the old man they had only discovered during the tribulation.
"Senior Brother, I'm fine."
Gongsun Yin straightened up, and color returned to his face. But Xu Zichang had already seen the sudden shift in his fate clearly enough. Of course he did not believe that nothing was wrong.
Standing beside them, Zheng Ying gently shook her head.
"Even after experiencing such a strange tribulation in the Cave Painting Realm, you're still as stubborn as ever. If something's wrong, don't force yourself to endure it. Better to speak up now."
As Zheng Ying spoke, she unconsciously glanced at Yi Shuyuan.
Her implication was obvious: if something really was wrong with Gongsun Yin, he should say so while Master Yi was here. What he could not resolve himself, an expert might be able to help him with.
Yi Shuyuan had actually been puzzled by Gongsun Yin's failure to return to his original appearance after leaving the tribulation. But there could have been any number of explanations. Perhaps Gongsun Yin did not want to change back, intending to keep this appearance as a warning to himself.
Now, however, that did not seem to be the case.
"I can't quite explain it myself. It's as though... a piece of my mind and spirit is missing."
Something suddenly stirred in Yi Shuyuan's heart, and he stopped Gongsun Yin.
"There's no rush. We'll discuss your situation inside in a moment!"
With that, Yi Shuyuan gently opened the Folding Fan in his hand, then flicked its landscape-painted side outward.
Whoosh~
A streak of fire emerged from