"Sister is embarrassed! She’s jealous and wants a hug from Master!" The little girl, fearing the world would remain at peace, made a face at her sister.
"!! Who... who wants a hug from Master! Master’s so full of himself!"
Zhiwei’s face turned instantly red. How could she possibly be sighing out of self-pity just for a hug?
But at this moment, she couldn’t explain herself!
The blond girl propped herself up with her long sword, barely stabilizing herself, having already exhausted much of her Primordial Qi from forcibly suppressing the scene earlier.
She slightly tilted her head and saw that outside the light curtain, everyone had already scattered. Only then did she say, "Everyone’s almost gone. We should leave too. This place won’t hold much longer."
Chen Ye immediately responded, "Okay!"
He recalibrated the space passage to pinpoint Lisong Valley’s Inner Valley.
But this adjustment hastened the destruction of the Ninth Layer Heaven.
Huge cracks, like a spider web, instantly spread across the ground, extending to the floating stones.
The spatial foundation supporting the Divine Path completely collapsed!
"Go!" Chen Ye shouted in a low voice, using one hand to block the two small disciples, while grabbing the arm of the exhausted Bai Susu, who was about to collapse, with the other.
The three, along with the little white fox in Zhiwei’s arms, transformed into an Escape Light. Before the Divine Path shattered into countless fragments and fell into endless void, they charged into the light gate!
...
Before their eyes, light and shadow swirled. A violent sensation of weightlessness and spatial distortion came over them, but it was only momentary.
The next moment, their feet touched the ground, landing on thick Spiritual Soil.
The warm spring sun spilled over the courtyard, with a babbling stream fed from the back mountain, winding past the meticulously managed herb garden, finally merging into the clear pond within the courtyard.
A few colorful koi leisurely chased each other in the water, occasionally flicking their tails, creating ripples.
The air no longer held the nauseating scent of blood from the Grotto Heaven, only the refreshing fragrance of grass and trees.
Everything was just as it had been when they left.
"Wow! It’s home!"
Qing Jun cheered, leaping from Chen Ye’s arms, kicking off her boots, and running with her bare white feet across the soft grass in excitement.
Only when she was tired did she collapse onto a stone table, her fingers tracing the carvings on it.
These carried so many memories for her...
In a flash, it seemed like it had been half a year since they left Lisong Valley?
"It’s already spring..."
Chen Ye felt as if it were another lifetime as he had been taken in autumn, and now with a blink, he had spent an entire winter inside the Grotto Heaven.
That means it had been more than a year since he had come through.
"Master, we finally made it home."
Zhiwei felt a sense of relief, silently watching Qing Jun.
Chen Ye understood her unspoken meaning—in her heart, only a home with all three masters and apprentices could truly be called home.
And Qing Jun had been away from them for nearly half a year; the day of reunion had come too late.
"The air outside is so much better!"
Bai Susu wandered leisurely around Chen Ye’s courtyard, very content.
"The scenery in Lisong Valley is nice. Save me a room."
"No way!"
"It’s not convenient!"
The two disciples spoke in unison, and somehow, they were already flanking Chen Ye, like little beasts guarding their food, each holding onto one of Master’s arms.
The little girl’s hug was warm and soft, but Chen Ye was startled. He worried that Bai Susu might get angry, as she had a bad temper.
More importantly, she had helped him a lot just now, yet the two apprentices were turning their backs.
Thinking of this, he glanced at his eldest disciple.
By all rights, the eldest disciple was sensible...
Yet unexpectedly, the blond girl’s eyes curved, her smile gentle, without a trace of anger:
"Hmm? Are you treating Sister Susu as an outsider... well, I suppose a four-word title does seem distant."
"!!" The two little girls were startled.