Yan Ling felt her entire mind buzzing after receiving the offer, it felt like fireworks were exploding in front of her eyes. She realized what situation she was in, but she simply wasn't able to believe it straight away. The Nine Star Demon God wasn't just anybody, he was one of the most powerful people in the multiverse, above thousands and below no one. And he had just asked her... to be his disciple?
She definitely only received this offer due to the Star God bloodline in her body, but it didn't matter why she got the offer. The only thing that mattered was that accepting this offer was the same as ascending to the heavens with a single leap, she would basically be guaranteed to become more powerful than she could ever imagine if she followed him. But even though she knew just what sort of grand opportunity this was, she was unable to accept it straight away.
"I'm incredibly grateful for your offer, Senior Demon God, but I can't leave with a clear mind if I don't first find my brother and my future husband."
Her father had died and she had no idea about the state of Yan Ying or Liang Chen, she refused to believe before she managed to find them. There was also the fact that she had to tell Liang Chen about this, leaving without telling him would be far too cruel, especially after he had just lost his sister. The Nine star Demon God didn't seem to be bothered by Yan Ling trying to push off joining him, shrugging his shoulders.
"I can't stand being called Senior, it makes my wife laugh every time, you can just call me Yao Jun or Teacher Jun. And I can understand your feelings, so let me help you with that."
Yan Ling suddenly felt a strange sensation in her head, it felt like a breeze was blowing through her mind. The sensation only lasted for a short second before the Nine Star Demon God, Yao Jun, turned his head and peered out over the ocean stretching out beyond the city a short distance away from them.
"First one's over there, let's go."
The scenery around Yan Ling changed drastically right after Yao Jun finished his words, the three of them suddenly standing in a small room that only contained a bed, a two-meter tall dresser, and a few common flowers placed in pots. Yan Ling knew that they had moved through space just now, but she hadn't felt any spatial ripples or the like, it was as if they had always been standing within this room.
Any questions popping up in Yan Ling's mind were quickly discarded when she saw the person sitting on the floor next to the bed. A blonde-haired and green-eyed youth sat next to the bed, his eyes gawking as he looked at the people that had just appeared in front of him. Even though his appearance was changed due to the Heaven Altering Mask, there was no way Yan Ling would mistake him for anyone else, the person sitting there could only be her Little Freak. But strangely enough, it was actually Yao Jun who spoke up first, opening his mouth before Yan Ling even got the chance to.
"Hoh, you're actually talking to him personally, Brother Hao? Is he that speci... I see, you've been touched by the Void, haven't you? Hehe, what an interesting thing, a non-Void Born that can use the void. Alright, you can talk with him for a bit."
Yao Jun stopped his words mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing for a short second before the corners of his lips curled up, as if he had seen something inside Liang Chen. Looking at him and seeing realization slowly appear in his eyes, Yan Ling also felt the same that Yao Jun had felt. Liang Chen's bloodline had changed again, it had gotten even stronger than it was when she last saw him. She could also feel that his energy and aura had changed slightly, a new fluctuation appearing in it, one that instinctively caused her heart to palpitate.
Her smile couldn't help but turn a bit bitter when she realized this. She had looked away for only a short while, yet he had already gone ahead and gotten even stronger and more terrifying than before. It was always like this, if she took her eyes off him for just one second he would charge forth and almost leave her in the dust. She had to exert all her energy just to keep up with him, but even that was often not enough.
Yan Ling's eyes hardened as she looked at Liang Chen, she would not allow him to run too far ahead and leave her in the dust. She would stand shoulder to shoulder with him, even if it meant having to leave him for a while, otherwise, she feared that she would not be worthy of him. She walked forward and stopped in front of Liang Chen, who had already stood up upon being told by the Bloodwind Emperor who was standing in front of him. The two both stretched out their arms and embraced each other, burying their faces in each other's necks while speaking up at the same time.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't be there when you lost your sister, I promise that I'll help you eradicate the Sealing God Empyrean who caused it."
"My condolences about your father, I swear to you that I will drag down every last one who had a hand in his death."
The two didn't say anything else after their first words, continuing to bury their faces in each other's necks. Only now did Liang Chen allow his tears to spill, the same was true for Yan Ling, only when they were with each other would their tears allow themselves to fall. Yao Jun simply stood a few feet away, conversing with Sirius as he waited for the two to finish their meeting.
The two ended their embrace a few minutes later when their tears dried up, looking at each other without saying anything. They didn't need words to understand each other, the conviction and care in their eyes were enough to get everything across. Yan Ling held onto Liang Chen's hand, smiling softly while pointing at Yao Jun.
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"I've decided to accept his offer and become his disciple, I fear I'll never be able to catch up to you otherwise. Just you wait, next time you see me I'll have become a Big Freak worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with you. So you'd best not drag your feet or laze around, otherwise I'll have to whip you into shape when we meet up again, otherwise, you'll never be worthy of being the next sect master of the Storm Wolf sect!"
Yan Ling swung her fist around after pointing at Yao Jun, emphasizing her point while puffing out her cheek. Liang Chen returned her smile, suppressing the sour feeling in his heart while he swiped his interspatial ring and took out a few items.
"I got this from someone I killed earlier, it might be useful to you. This vial is the last gift your father prepared for you."
Liang Chen handed Yan Ling the emerald green vial he dug out of Tian Chun's stomach, as well as the Bloodwind Code he received after killing Yu Jiang. Yan Ling seriously accepted the two items and put them away, Liang Chen suddenly raising her left hand and holding out her ring finger.
"And this, this one is from me. Next time we meet, I'll add the last crystal that I have yet to add, at that time it'll be complete."
Liang Chen slid the silver ring embedded with six crystals that he had made onto her finger, it easily slid on and fit perfectly once it reached the base of her finger. Yan Ling raised her hand to look at the ring, her smile growing even softer and sweeter. A quiet promise about what was to come, a symbol of his determination and heart. After admiring the ring for a bit, Yan Ling couldn't help but smile somewhat sheepishly before swiping her interspatial ring, a robe made from dark golden fabric embroidered with a few violet and emerald threads forming wind-like patterns appearing in her grasp.
"Now you're just making me feel bad about the quality of my gift. It might not be as good as the ring, but you'd better accept it with all your heart, it was a bitch to make."
Liang Chen accepted the robe, a content smile on his lips, he could tell what she wanted to convey with the robe and its delicate craftsmanship. Gold, emerald, and violet, the colors of his first two laws, lightning and poison. The colors were him and the pattern was her, it was only perfect as long as the two of them were together. Liang Chen put away the robe for now, changing into it in front of Yao Jun would be too strange.
The two softly held the hands of each other and locked eyes, remaining in silence for another minuter before letting go of each other. Yan Ling's eyes grew steely and determined before she turned around and walked back to Yao Jun, nodding her head at him. Yao Jun returned the nod, giving a light wave of his hand.
"A bit of absence makes the heart grow fonder, trust me, I know. On you go."
Yan Ling vanished after Yao Jun waved his hand, Liang Chen having no clue where she ended up. But Yao Jun didn't vanish alongside her, he remained behind, his gaze landing on Liang Chen.
"I know how much it takes to do something like that, trust me, I really do. But aren't you the least bit worried? The place I'm taking her is completely different from here, it's filled with nothing but monsters and heaven-blessed talents, people you can't even begin to imagine or fathom. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but it can also chill even the fiercest passion."
Yao Jun wore a faint smile as he looked at Liang Chen, it was a type of smile that Liang Chen had seen before a few times while he was still in the Storm Wolf sect, it was a testing smile. Liang Chen sat down on the ground again now that Yan Ling had vanished, his gaze returning to its usual calm, ferocity lurking deep within his eyes.
"Didn't expect that even someone like you would enjoy testing and playing with people. There's no need for you to say so much, our feelings aren't so shallow that a bit of time apart can chill them. And let me warn you, should you harm even the slightest hair on her head while we're apart, then I will come for you, and not a damn soul in this multiverse will be able to save you."
If news got out that someone like Liang Chen threatened someone as grand as the Nine Star Demon God, there was no telling how many people would keel over laughing. But Liang Chen fully meant his threat, he didn't care how strong Yao Jun was or what connections he might have. If he harmed Yan Ling, then his life was forfeit. Yao Jun didn't seem to mind Liang Chen's threat, his faint smile growing a sliver wider.
"Heh, gutsy, I like it. But I don't think you understand just how grand the talents I'm bringing her to are, they can truly be classified as monsters, they're not something that the people in this minor universe can compare to. Strength and talent can sway even the strongest heart, I've seen it countless of times already."
Liang Chen's gaze remained the same after hearing Yao Jun's words, but the ferocity within his pupils swelled dramatically, to the point that it resembled a dragon swimming within his eyes. The air around him seemed to grow slightly stagnant as a thin and somewhat grim smile formed on his lips.
"Like I said, our feelings aren't that shallow. But fine, let me tell it to you clearly then, since that's what you're looking for. Should there even be the slightest chance of something like that happening, then I will trample all those talents and monsters. I will tear them down one by one and keep moving forward until the only monster that remains is me."
Liang Chen didn't like being tested and prodded like this, even if the person doing it was someone as grand as the Nine Star Demon God. Yao Jun's faint smile grew into a full-blown grin as he looked at Liang Chen, his eyes gleaming brightly.
"There you go, I knew you had it in you. I Like you kid, you remind me of me when I was younger. Use those burning emotions, that unyielding conviction, that's the only way you'll be able to climb up the mountain that is cultivation."
Yao Jun suddenly stretched out his right arm, a massive amount of energy and compressed space gathering above his palm. The energy and compressed space quickly formed a grape-sized silver crystal that strangely enough didn't radiate even an ounce of energy. Yao Jun tossed the crystal to Liang Chen, explaining how to use it.
"Once you've finished what you have left to do here, crush that crystal, it'll open a passageway to the major universe where I'm taking her. Show me what the law of the void can do in the hands of a man, I'm expecting fun things from you."
Yao Jun and Sirius vanished into thin air after he explained how to use the crystal, only a faint laughter remaining of him. Liang Chen observed the crystal for a bit before putting it away, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. Yan Ling was fine and had even managed to become the disciple of a supreme existence, easing one of his worries. But as they hadn't said anything about her brother, Liang Chen still had to enter the Nightshield sect's dungeon so that he could check up on Yan Ying's state. But before he could do that, he still had to finish receiving an answer to his earlier questions from Ning Hao.