After a long period of psychological struggle, Wang Liren and Zhang Hao still couldn't believe what Ye Ling had said.
They knew better than anyone how strong Hongchen Pavilion was.
Even if the East China branch was just one branch, it was the branch that managed the entire Huaguo region, and it was definitely filled with countless strong individuals, even an eighth-grade异士 (yi shi) wouldn't be surprising!
Hongchen Pavilion's website's ability to attract money was far more terrifying than people could imagine. The transaction volume on the Hongchen Pavilion platform every day could rival Double Eleven!
With such a massive flow of funds, not even a ripple had been stirred in the market. From this point alone, Hongchen Pavilion's strength was immeasurable.
To deal with the East China branch, perhaps both the Dragon Department and the Cangyan Army would have to be deployed in full force!
Could such a colossal entity be destroyed by one person?
The two couldn't believe it.
However, after giving them the coordinates, Ye Ling stopped providing any further information, ushering them out and letting them verify the matter in East China themselves.
With no other choice, Wang Liren and Zhang Hao had to leave, informing their superiors about the East China branch and asking the Dragon Department and the military to send people to the coordinates provided by Ye Ling to verify the truth of the matter.
If what Ye Ling said was true, if Ye Ling alone could destroy the Hongchen Pavilion branch... Zhang Hao and Wang Liren dared not imagine how strong Ye Ling truly was!
Huaguo would have a monster!
After Zhang Hao and Wang Liren left, Jian Shishi and Lin Yu, who had been in the bedroom all along, came out.
"So, next you're going to that Zhengyi Sect?" Jian Shishi asked Ye Ling.
Although she and Lin Yu were deliberately avoiding it, the soundproofing in the rented apartment wasn't very good, and they had heard Ye Ling's conversation with Wang Liren in the living room clearly.
Jian Shishi felt quite helpless about being dragged into this state secret.
Ever since meeting Ye Ling, Jian Shishi found her life taking a more and more unusual turn.
"The Celestial Master Ordination Assembly is still some time away. I have other matters to attend to during this period, so there's no rush to go to Zhengyi Sect."
Ye Ling wasn't in a hurry to go to Zhengyi Sect either. He had acquaintances there anyway, and arriving when the Celestial Master Ordination Assembly was about to begin would still allow him to grasp the actual situation.
"By the way, Xiao Yu, since the Dragon Department already knows your identity, you should go back to school after you've rested enough. You still need to study, lest you make your aunt angry."
"Mm, I'll stay with Sister Shishi tonight, and I'll go back to school tomorrow," Lin Yu nodded.
After the Tianhui Pharmaceutical incident, Lin Yu had also gained new insights into the path of cultivation.
At Tianhui Pharmaceutical, Lin Yu had witnessed too much death, deeply realizing the fragility of life, which greatly stimulated her desire to become stronger.
It was likely that after returning to school, Lin Yu would devote a larger portion of her energy to cultivation.
Ye Ling did not intend to interfere with Lin Yu's thoughts.
After all, cultivation also strengthened the soul and improved memory. The knowledge from her undergraduate studies could be easily mastered by Lin Yu with a little cramming, so Ye Ling wasn't worried that Lin Yu would neglect her studies by focusing on cultivation.
As Ye Ling and the two women enjoyed a pleasant dinner, the Dragon Department dispatched several warships to the coordinates provided by Ye Ling. They successfully detected a pyramid, split in two, submerged at the bottom of the sea.
In that pyramid, the military discovered a large number of achievements far exceeding China's current technological level!
For a time, China's high-level officials were shaken!
Zhang Hao and Wang Liren were quickly listed as first-level protected individuals, and the name Ye Ling also began to appear in the sight of China's high-level officials.
Ye Ling didn't pay much attention to these changes in China. After spending some peaceful time with the two women, he immediately rushed to the Su family.
The fact that Su Ruoxue was used as a pawn for the Su family to form an alliance with the Jiang family already indicated that Su Ruoxue's life at home was not easy.
Furthermore, Ye Ling had dealt with the Jiang family, and after sending Su Ruoxue back from the Jiang family's ancient castle, she was inevitably questioned by her elders.
Out of concern for Su Ruoxue, Ye Ling couldn't help but go and see her.
...
Jiang City, Su Family Villa.
It was already night.
There were no clouds that night. The lights in the Su family villa had been turned off early. Su Ruoxue, wearing a white nightgown, sat by the window, gazing at the bright moon in the sky, lost in thought.
Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, the ends still bearing glistening water droplets.
A hint of melancholy flickered in her beautiful eyes.
Ever since Ye Ling rescued her, Su Ruoxue had been repeatedly questioned by her family elders.
With the incident at the Jiang family, the Su family's financial deficit had become extremely severe. The vast family was no longer able to make ends meet.
Although the Su family still appeared to be a prestigious family on the surface, in reality, the entire Su family was riddled with holes and could collapse at any moment.
It was likely that before long, this villa would also be sold off.
Or perhaps, her elders would once again use her as a tool for an arranged marriage, "selling" her to the eldest son of some wealthy family in exchange for capital.
However, at this moment, Su Ruoxue couldn't be bothered with those troublesome matters.
She desperately wanted to know how Ye Ling was doing.
Ever since she saw Ye Ling at the Jiang family's ancient castle that day, she had confirmed...
He, he was the Ye Ling she had been longing for!
When Su Ruoxue returned home and realized Ye Ling was still alive, she cried alone in her room, both happy and heartbroken.
She was happy that Ye Ling was alive.
She felt sorry that Ye Ling had lived alone for so long.
She didn't know what Ye Ling had experienced in the past six years, but she knew...
Ye Ling must have had a very difficult time.
The once innocent youth had now become decisive, calm, and indifferent... such a great transformation required him to go through too many experiences!
Su Ruoxue still resented Ye Ling for abandoning her, and resented him for not revealing himself even though he had returned...
But...
Thinking of the scene where she met Ye Ling at the West Lake Mausoleum, Su Ruoxue involuntarily curled up, hugging her knees with her hands, resting her chin on her knees.
"Brother Ye Ling, you must have... suffered a lot..."
"Although I've been tired these past few years, compared to you, what are these trivial matters of mine?"
"I know you came back for revenge. The Li family, the Jiang family... you were the one who dealt with them, weren't you?"
"Perhaps you did it for my own good, to prevent me from bearing these sins, that's why you didn't reveal yourself..."
"But do you know... I don't care about these things... I just want you to come back... and acknowledge me."
Su Ruoxue muttered to herself, burying her head in her knees, sobbing softly.
"Brother Ye Ling... I miss you so much."
"It's truly wonderful that you're alive."
Outside the window, under the moonlight.
Ye Ling stood in mid-air, watching Su Ruoxue sobbing by the window, his heart aching inexplicably.
Ye Ling sighed softly and flew towards Su Ruoxue.
"Ruoxue..."
A soft call sounded behind Su Ruoxue, making her tremble violently.
She quickly looked up, her face filled with surprise as she looked at Ye Ling, the tears in her eyes no longer able to be held back, streaming down her face.
"Brother Ye Ling..."
Su Ruoxue bit her lip tightly, her fingers clasped, staring intently at Ye Ling as if she had suffered immense injustice.
"Ruoxue, I'm sorry..."
Ye Ling stepped forward and pulled Su Ruoxue into his embrace.
"I'm back."