Under the radiance, Ye Lingyuan's body became transparent.
Three drops of Supreme Love Tears seeped into Ye Lingyuan's sea of consciousness, suddenly transforming into a spiritual spring that nourished his soul power.
Half a heart returned, and a powerful, resonant heartbeat echoed through the cave, "Thump! Thump..."
The Supreme Love Flower and the Shore Flower Tears intertwined, circulating through the internal organs and meridians according to a specific pattern.
Ye Lingyuan's physical body, under this transformation, gradually grew stronger. This strength was an inherent, intrinsic power.
Soon, a "pop" sounded from within Ye Lingyuan's body. The barrier between the late Divine King realm and the peak Divine King realm shattered with a roar.
A powerful aura surged forth, breaking through the barrier arrayed by Zi Linling. The entire Sunset Peak trembled violently.
Witnessing this, Zi Linling acted swiftly, her Five Elements Law shield forming in an instant.
The law shield rapidly expanded, encompassing the entire cave. The earth-shattering tremors immediately ceased.
But at that moment, another "pop" emanated from Ye Lingyuan's body, and an even more potent aura radiated outwards.
This was... the aura of the Divine Master realm!
The tremors that had just subsided intensified with renewed fury.
The cave ceiling began to crack rapidly, with debris raining down everywhere.
"This is bad!"
Zi Linling muttered inwardly, taking out several formation plates and embedding them into the cave walls in the pattern of the Big Dipper.
"Seven Stars Suppress Mountains and Rivers, the Big Dipper Determines Heaven and Earth!"
"Great Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation!"
Zi Linling chanted silently, her hands rapidly forming seals and channeling them onto the formation plates.
In the blink of an eye, the Great Big Dipper Seven Stars Formation was fully activated, and the earth-shattering tremors vanished once more.
However, the entire Sunset Peak had now split down the middle.
Sunlight streamed in, falling upon Ye Lingyuan.
The radiance enveloping him suddenly shattered and retracted into his body. The Supreme Love Flower and the Shore Flower Tears emerged from his chest and returned to Zi Linling's body.
Ye Lingyuan's eyes snapped open, a sharp glint flashing through them.
He sat up abruptly from the stone bed and his gaze immediately fell upon Zi Linling, who looked at him with deep affection.
"Lin'er!"
A hoarse voice, filled with tenderness and devotion, escaped his throat.
Without a moment's hesitation, Zi Linling executed her Phantom Dragon Step and plunged into Ye Lingyuan's embrace.
"Ye Lingyuan, you finally won!"
Though the words should have been filled with joy, they carried an inexplicable sorrow when spoken by Zi Linling.
Ye Lingyuan held her tightly, as if wanting to fuse her into his very being. "Lin'er, you were worried. It was my fault."
Zi Linling choked out, "Silly boy, why did you take it upon yourself to exchange souls? Do you know how my heart ached when I saw your soul fall into slumber? I was so scared, scared you wouldn't wake up again, scared... sob!"
Before she could finish, her lips were sealed.
The familiar scent filled her nostrils, and the passionate embrace left her almost breathless.
A thousand unspoken words were conveyed in this single kiss.
Jing Yulan's cheeks flushed, and she drifted out of the cave.
Despite having been married twice, she couldn't help but flee in embarrassment from the intensely intimate scene.
Her hasty departure led her to collide with Ye Zhan and Feng Ning, who were rushing in.
The tremendous commotion earlier had caused them great concern, prompting them to investigate, only to run into Jing Yulan.
Seeing that Jing Yulan was still a soul body, Ye Zhan asked anxiously, "Yulan, you... you said... why are you..."
Feng Ning also asked with concern, "Lanlan, did Miss Zi's attempt to refine a physical body for you... fail?"
Jing Yulan smiled gently, shook her head, and said, "It didn't fail, I just didn't want it to."
"Why?" Ye Zhan and Feng Ning exclaimed simultaneously.
A hint of bitterness flickered in Jing Yulan's eyes. "I know you both love me, but I cannot forgive myself. A woman, married twice, for whatever reason, is a desecration of love."
"But losing your memory wasn't your fault!" Ye Zhan said with heartache.
Jing Yulan shook her head. "No! Even a speck of dust in the eye is unbearable, and true love cannot tolerate even a trace of betrayal. Even if it was unintentional, it was still a mistake. Therefore, I intend to enter reincarnation and start anew!"
"No! Lanlan, you can't! I won't allow it!" Feng Ning said, her eyes reddening.
Due to her intense emotional fluctuations, demonic energy began to stir within her once more.
"I don't allow it either!" Ye Zhan also said, his eyes turning red.
Jing Yulan smiled gently. "A great mistake has already been made. How can I face the world and linger on? Reincarnation is my only way out when I have no other path."
"I, Jing Yulan, am fortunate in this life to have received the affection of both of you. This is already heaven's greatest blessing upon me. But one cannot be too greedy. I cannot be the wife of both of you simultaneously. The only solution is for me to leave."
Just as Ye Zhan and Feng Ning were about to intervene again, a voice echoed from the cave.
"I agree with her decision!"
As the words fell, Zi Linling and Ye Lingyuan emerged side-by-side.
Zi Linling continued, "Patriarch Ye, Brother Feng, if you truly love her, then respect her choice!"
Ye Lingyuan added, "Lin'er is right! Rather than all three of you suffering and being entangled, it's better to respect Mother's choice!"
Mother?
Jing Yulan trembled all over.
She had originally thought it would be difficult for Ye Lingyuan to acknowledge her.
Separated at birth, and then reunited after twenty years, this paternal bond felt both familiar and strange.
Jing Yulan had not expected the word "Mother" to reach her ears so soon.
Tears of the soul began to stream down her face.
Ye Zhan also stood frozen in place.
Looking at Ye Lingyuan's face, which bore a striking resemblance to his own, and feeling the connection of blood between them, a father's love instantly blossomed in his heart.
"Child!"
These two words encompassed so much guilt and paternal affection.
"You... you are the child Lanlan gave birth to back then?" Feng Ning asked in disbelief.
Ye Lingyuan nodded. "Lin'er has told me everything."
Zi Linling smiled. "Some feelings cannot be severed, and some feelings cannot be chosen. Since Mother is unwilling to stay, let her resolutely sever this absurd experience! If you truly love her, then respect her choice."
Ye Zhan and Feng Ning exchanged a look, and finally sighed in resignation.
Ye Lingyuan looked at Jing Yulan, a misty film forming in his dark, deep eyes.
He did not let the mist condense into tears, and thus, no tears fell.
Zi Linling squeezed Ye Lingyuan's hand and gave him an encouraging look.
Ye Lingyuan smiled gently, and a single word was pulled from his throat, "Mother!"
If the previous "Mother" had been a mere statement of fact, then this "Mother" was a true call of kinship.