"Ji Buwang! We're back, we're finally back!"
Familiar spiritual energy flowed within their bodies, and the spiritual qi coursing through the air made their blood surge with excitement.
Xu Yi spread her arms, feeling everything she had missed so dearly, a look of intoxication on her face.
This journey to the Beast King Continent had made her understand the meaning of cherishing even more.
Even the flowers and grass by the roadside possessed their own value.
Ji Buwang wore a faint smile, watching Xu Yi quietly.
Yes, they were finally back.
After a few breaths, Xu Yi lowered her arms, her expression becoming much more serious.
"Guan Li couldn't return with us."
Ji Buwang recalled the scene before the black hole and understood, saying, "He is a person of the Beast King Continent. The Beast King would not permit his followers to leave with us, even if that follower had abandoned his faith."
Xu Yi nodded helplessly.
She shared the same thoughts as Ji Buwang.
The Beast King had allowed them to leave because they had fallen here accidentally, had been well-behaved, and had not acted against his will.
If they had been like that Senior Si Xiang, they would likely still be trapped in the Green Sea with nowhere to go.
"We've already been delayed for a long time. We need to hurry to the West Water Domain now. I don't know if we'll make it in time."
Xu Yi, concerned about the Soul Seeking Bell, set aside Guan Li's matter and immediately brought up the West Water Domain.
Ji Buwang summoned their flying artifact, "We'll know when we go."
"Mm."
Xu Yi leaped onto Ji Buwang's flying artifact, and the two vanished from their spot in an instant.
...
Deep within the Green Sea, on the Beast King Continent.
"Immortal Elder!"
"Immortal Elder!!!"
"Two Immortal Elders, where are you!"
Guan Li knelt on the ground, his eyes vacant as he roared, his mind a complete blank.
How could this have happened?
He had only dozed off for a moment. When he woke up, both Immortal Elders were gone.
Even more bizarrely...
Guan Li looked up at the Beast King Tree standing before him, which had returned to its original state. An ominous premonition stirred within him.
He had clearly witnessed the two Immortal Elders breaking this tree with his own eyes, yet here it stood, intact and unharmed. Recalling the story of Immortal Elder Si Xiang,
He couldn't help but suspect that the other two Immortal Elders had also been devoured by this tree.
It was over!
His dream of cultivating immortality!
His wish for eternal youth!
All gone!
Guan Li slumped to the ground, crying and laughing.
In the end, it was all for nothing.
Guan Li thought this was the darkest moment of his life.
But he never imagined that even more terrifying things awaited him.
Guan Li sat before the Beast King Tree for five days. On the sixth day, he had no choice but to embark on the journey back to the Royal City.
Along the way, he felt fortunate that he hadn't delegated the power of the Guan family to his other brothers back then.
Otherwise, when he returned, it would have taken him much more effort to reclaim that power.
As Guan Li contemplated how to continue managing the family business upon his return, his body suddenly swayed, and he fell to the ground.
He looked up, his face half-bloody and bruised from the gravel, his eyes filled with bewilderment.
From the moment he had consciousness, he had never experienced anything like falling.
After all, they had cultivated since childhood, and maintaining balance was already an innate bodily instinct.
Yet, he had indeed stumbled and fallen just now.
Guan Li extended his hand, supporting himself on the ground to rise quickly. He then lowered his head to examine his feet, repeatedly checking if there were any protruding rocks or potholes around.
There were none. The ground was bare except for scattered stones.
Guan Li was confused.
So, what was that just now...?
Suddenly recalling something, Guan Li trembled violently. He clenched his palm, attempting to mobilize his witch power as he had before.
However, the strange power within him seemed to have fallen into a deep slumber, showing no reaction whatsoever.
"No, impossible."
Guan Li shook his head, frantically trying to mobilize his witch power again.
There was still no reaction.
It was as if this power had never existed within him.
His witch power had vanished.
Guan Li once again stumbled and fell heavily onto the ground.
He couldn't get up for a long time.
"Waaah!"
Pained whimpers spilled from Guan Li's throat one after another.
Guan Li had always been an intelligent person.
He understood too well the fate that awaited him after losing his witch power.
First, his status within the tribe would plummet, relegating him to the lowest stratum.
Second, he had bullied many people with his former status. If those people knew he had lost his witch power, they would undoubtedly seek revenge.
Even if his enemies didn't find out, those around him would eventually discover this secret, and then they would resort to any means to gain an advantage.
No, he couldn't go back.
Returning would be a dead end.
But if he didn't return, where else could he go?
Besides the Royal City, the Beast King Continent was the domain of the tribes.
Wanderers without a tribe would be adrift their entire lives, with no fixed abode.
Guan Li seemed to foresee his tragic remaining years.
It was as if he had been abandoned by the Beast King Continent.
In a flash, Guan Li suddenly understood why his witch power had disappeared.
He had wanted to abandon everything and follow the two Immortal Elders, thus offending the Beast King. The Beast King no longer acknowledged his identity and had taken away his witch power, leaving him with nothing.
The Beast King... was real.
Having understood everything, Guan Li prostrated himself on the ground, weeping profusely, continuously speaking words of repentance, his heart drowned in regret.
If he had known that those two Immortal Elders couldn't even contend with the Beast King, why would he have gone through with this series of absurd actions? Not only did he gain nothing, but he also angered the Beast King.
"I was wrong! Great Beast King, I was wrong! Please forgive me! I am willing to be your most devout follower! Please forgive my sins!"
Guan Li knelt on the ground, his voice hoarse from shouting, but he received no response.
Finally, he staggered to his feet and walked into the depths of the forest, never to be heard from again.
Just like Immortal Elder Si Xiang, he disappeared from people's memories.
In the Green Sea, the Strength Tribe.
Bang bang bang!
Fierce knocking on the door woke up Dado, who was asleep.
He hurriedly rushed to the door, quickly opened it, and looked at the visitor with astonishment.
"Wu, why are you here..."
In the darkness, the Wu's eyes shone like the blazing sun.
The Wu had been quite dejected these past few days. Seeing the Wu acting so out of character, Dado couldn't help but worry, and a look of concern appeared on his face.
The Wu reached out and grabbed Dado's arm, "The Beast King! The Beast King has not abandoned us! The Beast King is alive!"
The rambling words left Dado confused, and he could only nod in agreement.
It wasn't until the Wu said, "Go to the Beast King Tree immediately," that Dado belatedly realized the deep meaning behind the Wu's words.
"The Beast King Tree... the Beast King Tree is still here?"
The Wu nodded heavily.
"Whoohoo!"
Dado couldn't help but let out a joyous howl. He immediately bent his knees, carried the Wu on his back, and the two, under the moonlight, headed straight for the location of the Beast King Tree.
When they saw the intact Beast King Tree, both of them knelt down piously, tears streaming down their aged faces.