Afterward, Xue Qingluan followed the many forces from the imperial capital to the Desert Sea.
She still held Yang Lingrui in awe, but during her time in the imperial capital, she had also come to clearly understand the awkward position she occupied as an "outsider."
No matter what she did, she would never truly earn the Dynasty's trust unless she offered up her life.
Tiger Chasing only believed in the loyalty of the dead.
Thus, becoming Yang Lingrui's cultivation companion was undoubtedly the best of all possible choices—the finest path forward.
Whether for her own cultivation of the Dao or for preserving her life within Tiger Chasing, it brought a hundred benefits and not a single harm.
From that perspective, she naturally did not want Yang Lingrui to suffer any mishap.
From the moment Consort Xi had personally chosen her, her fate had already become dependent upon this Tiger Chasing prodigy.
Should anything happen to Yang Lingrui, she would immediately be seized back into Tiger Chasing's grasp, stripped of her support.
Then, she would never again have any freedom. She would only be treated as a handy tool, enduring Tiger Chasing's endless exploitation and squeezing.
"Young Master, you absolutely must not come to harm. Qingluan truly does not wish to fall into such a miserable fate..."
At that thought, Xue Qingluan let out a soft sigh through her nose.
Throughout these days of waiting, such sighs had become the main melody ringing by everyone's ears.
The situation was simply too dire. No one could bring themselves to be optimistic.
Whoosh—
At that moment, a spatial ripple descended from high above.
All the cultivators present immediately understood and raised their eyes to look.
As ripples rolled across the sky, a mirror-like rift in space opened up.
Sensing the familiar auras emanating