Mòzhōu, the western forbidden zone.
This is a vast desert, devoid of any spiritual energy or living beings.
For millions of years, no living person has set foot here.
However, recently, in an unknown location deep within this desert, a barrier has appeared, isolating everything within it.
After leaving Beast Continent, Mie Shì Líng Huǒ and the others traveled north to Mòzhōu, settling down to rest in the western forbidden zone.
This place was not far from Wūzhōu, and with no human habitation around, it was ideal for hiding, ensuring Ye Ling could find them upon his return.
Within the barrier, the entire desert had been transformed into an oasis by Tiān Xīng and Jì Níng working together. Mie Shì Líng Huǒ had also reabsorbed the origin inheritance, once again becoming a supreme powerhouse.
As for Qīng Zhú, the original owner of Mie Shì Líng Huǒ's origin inheritance, Mie Shì Líng Huǒ had placed her in the Myriad Beast Sect, where she was taken in as a sworn daughter by the Dragon Emperor. Her future life would not be too bad.
One day, Little Mao Mao, after playing with the Myriad Poison Beast, found Mie Shì Líng Huǒ, who was maintaining the barrier at its center, and asked, "Mie Shì Líng Huǒ! Mie Shì Líng Huǒ! When is Ye Ling coming back?"
"He'll be back soon," Mie Shì Líng Huǒ said with a smile to Little Mao Mao, though he himself was unsure.
Ye Ling and Zhōu Wén had been gone for several months, but he had received no news from Ye Ling. The remnant soul and life origin of Ye Ling he held showed no reaction.
After such a long period of silence, Mie Shì Líng Huǒ was inclined to believe that Ye Ling had been devoured by Destiny. However, he didn't want to dampen Little Mao Mao's spirits, so he lied against his better judgment.
"But you say that every day. How long is 'soon'?" Little Mao Mao seemed harder to placate today, tilting his head and pressing Mie Shì Líng Huǒ for an answer.
"This..." Mie Shì Líng Huǒ was suddenly at a loss for words, unsure how to respond to Little Mao Mao's persistent questioning.
"Little Mao Mao, don't disturb Mie Shì Líng Huǒ. He needs to maintain the barrier. Go play with Sister Tiān Xīng," the Myriad Poison Beast intervened, coming to Mie Shì Líng Huǒ's rescue and speaking to Little Mao Mao.
"Oh..." Little Mao Mao drooped his head, replied dejectedly, and flapped his wings, leaving the center of the barrier.
After Little Mao Mao left, the Myriad Poison Beast asked Mie Shì Líng Huǒ, "Mie Shì Líng Huǒ, give me a straight answer. What are Ye Ling's chances of returning?"
It had also witnessed the power of Destiny. If Ye Ling had truly dealt with Destiny, he would have returned by now, not been silent for months.
Mie Shì Líng Huǒ sighed, "Honestly, I don't think Ye Ling can handle Destiny. However, the time flow in the place he went to might be different from ours. Let's wait a bit longer... If Ye Ling still hasn't returned, we'll help him reshape his soul."
At this moment, Jì Níng also arrived at the center of the barrier, her expression grave as she said to Mie Shì Líng Huǒ, "Mie Shì Líng Huǒ, I'm afraid we don't have much time to wait..."
"What happened?" Mie Shì Líng Huǒ was startled by Jì Níng's solemn expression and quickly asked.
Jì Níng said solemnly, "I just received news from the Dao Sect. Jiàn Sān Xiào has returned from the origin realm and successfully obtained a Seed of Origin... He'll likely find us soon."
"Jiàn Sān Xiào is back?"
Mie Shì Líng Huǒ was shocked and quickly asked Jì Níng, "With our current three supreme powerhouses, aren't we his match?"
Jì Níng shook her head and said gravely, "If Jiàn Sān Xiào hadn't obtained a new Seed of Origin, and if the power I gained from Heavenly Cloud Island hadn't waned, we wouldn't fear him."
"But it's different now... For some reason, my power has been declining rapidly. Even with the three of us working together, we might not be a match for Jiàn Sān Xiào, who possesses two Seeds of Origin."
Jì Níng herself didn't know what was happening. After Ye Ling left with Zhōu Wén, the power she had gained from Heavenly Cloud Island had slowly dissipated...
Both the Heavenly Cloud Sacred Spring she bathed in and the Three Abyss Divine Wine she drank were irreversibly disappearing.
Currently, her strength had essentially regressed to the level before she went to Heavenly Cloud Island, and she wasn't even a match for Tiān Xīng!
As for Mie Shì Líng Huǒ, having absorbed the same origin inheritance twice, the power of that inheritance had been largely depleted. He was now, at best, an early-stage supreme powerhouse.
Under these circumstances, even with three supreme powerhouses and a Myriad Poison Beast on their side, they might not be able to defeat Jiàn Sān Xiào.
Moreover, Jiàn Sān Xiào had friends who were also supreme powerhouses. If he brought two or three of them, their chances of winning would be even slimmer!
Hearing Jì Níng's words, Mie Shì Líng Huǒ frowned and said gravely, "What should we do now?"
Jì Níng continued, "With Jiàn Sān Xiào's methods, our current barrier won't be able to hide from him. However, his targets are only me and Ye Ling... So, I suggest I go alone to attract Jiàn Sān Xiào, and you quickly revive Ye Ling, letting Ye Ling save me."
"Ye Ling's cultivation is even lower than mine. Even if we revive him, what good will it do?" Mie Shì Líng Huǒ said.
He currently only had Ye Ling's remnant soul and part of his life origin. Even if they revived Ye Ling now, it was uncertain if Ye Ling could maintain his state of selflessness.
With Ye Ling's cultivation, expecting him to defeat Jiàn Sān Xiào would be a fantasy.
"Doesn't Ye Ling have two terrifying existences behind him? Have Ye Ling find a way to get those two mighty beings to come and save the day."
Jì Níng couldn't forget the two terrifying names she had glimpsed from the depths of Ye Ling's soul, and she said to Mie Shì Líng Huǒ.
"It's not as simple as you think..." Mie Shì Líng Huǒ shook his head and said gravely.
He knew Jì Níng was referring to Good and Evil, but Good and Evil had always remained in the origin realm and couldn't possibly come to save them.
If Ye Ling were to go back and invite Good and Evil, it would be too late.
Jì Níng said gravely, "Mie Shì Líng Huǒ, this is the only plan I can think of. Otherwise, we'll all be wiped out. Jiàn Sān Xiào is Jiàn Sān Xiào's beloved disciple, and with Jiàn Sān Xiào's disciple dead... Jiàn Sān Xiào will definitely not let this go. If we hide here, the outcome will only be death!"
"Everyone, be on guard! I sense a powerful aura approaching!" At this moment, Tiān Xīng also sensed it at the center of the barrier and quickly said to everyone.
"It must be Jiàn Sān Xiào! I'll lure him away first. You must find a way to save me! My life is in your hands now!"
Jì Níng's expression changed slightly, and without further hesitation, she transformed into a beam of light and left the barrier, heading east towards Mòzhōu!
"Jì Níng!" Tiān Xīng called out as Jì Níng suddenly left, but Jì Níng had already departed the western forbidden zone.
Tiān Xīng couldn't sense Jì Níng's aura and asked Mie Shì Líng Huǒ and the Myriad Poison Beast, "Why did she leave so suddenly?"
Mie Shì Líng Huǒ sighed slightly and then told Tiān Xīng about Jì Níng's plan.
"Have Ye Ling find Good and Evil to save her?" Tiān Xīng's expression changed slightly. "Why would Good and Evil agree to such a trivial matter for Ye Ling?"
Mie Shì Líng Huǒ said, "I think so too, but Jì Níng doesn't know... So what should we do now? Watch Jì Níng go to her death?"
"Let me think..." Tiān Xīng said gravely, closing his eyes to sense the powerful aura rapidly approaching. He found that the aura was indeed chasing after Jì Níng.
"It should be Jiàn Sān Xiào, and he's chasing Jì Níng."
Seeing that Jì Níng had truly made herself a bait, Tiān Xīng's eyes narrowed, and he said gravely, "No... Jì Níng has helped us a lot recently. We can't just abandon her like this."
"Myriad Poison Beast, inject me with potent poison, just like you did for Ye Ling. I'm going to help Jì Níng."
"Are you crazy?" The Myriad Poison Beast looked at Tiān Xīng in disbelief. "You're not learning anything good, why are you acting crazy like that kid Ye Ling?"
"Ye Ling survived last time because he was lucky. You might not be as lucky as Ye Ling!"
"At least I have to help Jì Níng," Tiān Xīng said firmly.
"No, I absolutely refuse this time!" The Myriad Poison Beast repeatedly shook its head, rejecting Tiān Xīng's proposal. "We can find another way to save Jì Níng. You can't put yourself in danger!"
Mie Shì Líng Huǒ also advised, "Tiān Xīng, I agree with the Myriad Poison Beast this time. You can't gamble with your life. Moreover, even with the Myriad Poison Beast's potent poison, you might not be a match for Jiàn Sān Xiào."
"But..." Tiān Xīng wanted to say something more, but the Myriad Poison Beast wasn't going to give Tiān Xīng another chance and directly transformed into a beam of light, leaving its spot.
"There's no room for discussion on this matter. I'm going to find Little Mao Mao. You should still revive Ye Ling and let Ye Ling figure out a solution, after all, this mess was caused by that kid Ye Ling."
Seeing that the Myriad Poison Beast had left directly, Tiān Xīng opened his mouth slightly, then looked at Mie Shì Líng Huǒ.
"Alas... Jì Níng is involved with Ye Ling, so it's only right to have Ye Ling figure it out," Mie Shì Líng Huǒ sighed slightly and then took out Ye Ling's soul and life origin.
"Let's revive Ye Ling... That kid is full of tricks, maybe he has a solution."
"Hey? Why are you hiding in a place like this? You really made me search hard..."
Just as Mie Shì Líng Huǒ was about to reshape Ye Ling's soul and life origin, a familiar voice came from outside the barrier, startling Mie Shì Líng Huǒ and Tiān Xīng.
"Ye Ling?"
The two of them looked in the direction of the voice and saw Ye Ling, with a smile on his face, passing through the barrier and walking out from outside.
"Everyone, did you miss me?" Ye Ling asked Mie Shì Líng Huǒ and Tiān Xīng, opening his arms and smiling.
Seeing Ye Ling's relaxed demeanor, Mie Shì Líng Huǒ's anger flared up. He roared, "Miss you my foot! Kid... Something big has happened!"
"Huh?"
Hearing Mie Shì Líng Huǒ's words, Ye Ling was stunned, and his smile froze.
He had just returned, and what had happened now?