Zi Linling initially thought these two words would be difficult to utter, feeling stiff and awkward.
However, she hadn't expected that after a slight choke, the words would spill out.
"Lin'er!"
Zi Guochang rushed forward, pulling Zi Linling into his embrace, holding her tightly.
He feared that if he loosened his grip, everything before him would vanish like a dream.
In this embrace, he wished he could embed Zi Linling into his very blood, engrave her into his bones.
"Child, you have suffered!"
Tears welled up in Zi Guochang's eyes, and his spirit seemed to have improved considerably.
"Father, seeing you makes all the suffering worthwhile!"
Zi Linling's voice was choked with emotion, and tears began to flow uncontrollably.
"Good child, Xiao Yuan has told me about your experiences over the years. It's my fault! It's my fault for abandoning you and letting you endure all that bullying!"
Zi Guochang's voice was also choked, but as a man, he forcibly held back his tears.
"Father, we should be happy now that we've met. Let's not talk about unhappy things, okay?"
Zi Linling wiped her tears on Zi Guochang's clothes, smiling as she spoke.
"Alright, alright, alright!"
Zi Guochang gazed at the exceptionally beautiful Zi Linling before him, his heart overflowing with undisguised joy and pride.
Meanwhile, Ye Lingyuan stood to the side, his gaze fixed on Zi Linling, who was held tightly by Zi Guochang. A peculiar expression flickered in his eyes.
That expression held happiness, relief, helplessness, and a hint of jealousy.
The happiness and relief were because his Lin'er had finally reunited with her father.
The helplessness stemmed from the fact that he hadn't expected Zi Linling to descend so quickly.
As for the jealousy, it was because the person holding Zi Linling at that moment was not him, but his future father-in-law.
"Hey, are you two done? Are you still fighting? If not, the door is over there. Have a good journey!"
The Demon Dragon's voice, untimely and impatiently, cut through the air, with no attempt to conceal its annoyance.
"Noisy!"
Ye Lingyuan coldly rebuked, casually flinging a Law of Metal.
"Prattling!"
As Ye Lingyuan made his move, Zi Guochang also snarled and slashed at the Demon Dragon.
Their actions flowed like water, without the slightest pause, as if they had cooperated so casually countless times before.
Zi Linling let out a silent chuckle.
It seemed that during her absence, the relationship between these two men had been quite good.
The Demon Dragon roared in frustration, "You're so despicable! You fight dirty!"
However, its reaction was swift. In its haste, there was no hint of panic.
"Darkness Domain!"
The darkness intensified, becoming like an unshakeable curtain.
Huh!
Zi Linling was secretly surprised.
She knew that a Domain was something a Small God Realm expert could only use after comprehending the power of Laws.
And this Demon Dragon before her, capable of using its domain, meant it had broken through to the Small God Realm?
Just as Zi Linling was pondering this, Ye Lingyuan's voice entered her mind.
"The bottom of the Dark Abyss is an independent space, unaffected by the rules of the Tianyuan Continent.
This means that breaking through here doesn't involve any worries about Chaotic Purple Qi.
Therefore, immersed in this boundless darkness for a thousand years, it was easy for the Demon Dragon to break through to the Small God Realm.
Moreover, the Demon Dragon was originally a dragon that was demonized, so it could naturally control several Laws. Thus, its breakthrough to the Small God Realm is not surprising at all."
"So that's how it is!"
Through Ye Lingyuan's explanation, Zi Linling felt a sense of sudden enlightenment.
"Furthermore, the Demon Dragon is not only at the Small God Realm now, but also at the peak of the Small God Realm.
Although it is at the same level as me, the bodies of beast races are inherently stronger than humans. So, without the assistance of my father-in-law, it would take me considerable effort to defeat it."
Ye Lingyuan continued to send telepathic explanations to Zi Linling while coordinating his attacks with Zi Guochang against the Demon Dragon.
"You mean, you are already at the peak of the Small God Realm?" Zi Linling exclaimed in shock.
It wasn't that she was overly shocked, but Ye Lingyuan's cultivation speed was simply too extraordinary.
In less than a year since his breakthrough in the Misty Forest, Ye Lingyuan had advanced four minor realms.
In the words of her previous world, it was like riding a rocket, soaring upwards at an astonishing pace.
"Mmm!" Ye Lingyuan responded noncommittally.
He wasn't showing off, but rather enjoying the look of surprise on his Lin'er's face.
Zi Linling glanced at Ye Lingyuan, then at the fierce battle between the Black Dragon and Zi Guochang, and said with disbelief, "Could it be that my father is also at the Small God Realm?"
"Mmm!" Ye Lingyuan replied faintly.
His composure suggested it was a matter of utmost ordinariness.
Zi Linling's heart churned like a tempestuous sea.
Speechless, she walked to the side and began drawing circles on the ground.
What was all this about?
After all this fuss, she had worried about them for nothing.
Just as Ye Lingyuan was about to send a telepathic message to comfort Zi Linling, he heard Zi Guochang say impatiently, "Xiao Yuan, you and Lin'er will have plenty of intimate time together later! Can we settle this black loach first before getting lovey-dovey?"
Zi Linling, who had been drawing circles, suddenly blushed, her face flushing all the way to her neck.
She looked like Eve caught red-handed by God after taking the forbidden fruit.
Ye Lingyuan also felt a bit awkward.
Even with his thick skin, being teased by his future father-in-law on the spot made him uncomfortable.
And as he grew embarrassed, the Demon Dragon suffered the consequences, as its attacks suddenly became even more fierce.
"Loach? Your whole family is a loach!"
The Demon Dragon, while dodging Ye Lingyuan's Law of Force and Zi Guochang's blade energy, yelled furiously.
Zi Guochang said coldly, "Hmph! You've grown a few scales and think you're so important! I call you a loach, and you are a loach. Even if you weren't, I'll beat you into one!"
As he spoke, the great saber in his hand became even more ferocious, and within the blade, a faint roar of a demonic beast could be heard.
Zi Guochang's original weapon had met its end twelve years ago during his fierce battle with the Zi family of the empire.
Later, when he leaped into the Dark Abyss, that saber also met its demise.
The great saber he held now was the sharp tooth of an unknown demonic beast, which he had crudely processed and used as a weapon.
"Hmph! Old man, you dare to bully me... bully this dragon!"
The Black Dragon dodged Ye Lingyuan's Law of Force and Zi Guochang's blade energy, saying in exasperation.
It had intended to say "bully me," but remembering Ye Lingyuan's earlier question, "Are you even human?" it could only change "bully me" to "bully this dragon" with frustration.
"Hmph! I'm bullying you, so why care about whether I should or not?"
Zi Linling's circle-drawing was interrupted by Zi Guochang's words, and she was feeling quite miffed. Now, the Demon Dragon had run right into her path!