"This relationship is really too messy..."
Hearing Yang Shan's words, Ye Ling rubbed his temples in annoyance.
He had initially just wanted to rescue Li Xiaoxiao from her dire situation, but he hadn't expected Li Xiaomei to be inexplicably drawn into his affairs. Furthermore, the people involved in this matter were becoming increasingly entangled, and the relationships were growing more complex.
However, upon careful consideration, it was normal for various people and events to intersect and intertwine.
After all, this scheme involved the safety of the entire Earth and another world, the Eastern Profound Continent. The timeline of the setup was also very long, so it would be abnormal if not many people were involved.
Ye Ling had a premonition that everything he was seeing now was merely the tip of the iceberg of the complete picture.
Clearing his thoughts, Ye Ling asked Yang Shan again, "Since you were Li Xiaomei's mother's assistant, you should have some understanding of the grievances between Li Shan and the Cloud Palace back then, as well as Li Xiaomei's mother's research project, right?"
Yang Shan gave a wry smile and said, "Li Shan's defection from the Cloud Palace was a top secret within the Cloud Palace. Let alone me... even my father, who was Li Shan's friend, didn't know the specific reasons for Li Shan's defection."
"The core secrets of the Cloud Palace are stored at the headquarters in Western Europe, and only a few people have access to them. I am merely the deputy head of the Xichuan branch, not qualified... nor do I have the courage to delve into such matters."
"However, I do know a thing or two about Li Xiaomei's mother, Su Tian's, research."
Ye Ling said, "Tell me what you know."
"Yes."
Yang Shan quickly replied, and then continued, "Su Tian was nominally an honorary professor at Xichuan University, researching brain science. She was even nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine and was a famous scientist in China."
"However, many people didn't know at the time that brain science was just the tip of the iceberg of Su Tian's research project. In reality, Su Tian had already developed the usage of the brain to seventy percent and had noticed a certain darkness."
"'A certain darkness?'" Ye Ling frowned. "What do you mean?"
Yang Shan shook his head and said, "Actually, I don't understand either. That's what Su Tian said. I was just a junior assistant and didn't have Su Tian's complete trust, so I didn't know the specific progress of her research."
"However, not long after she noticed the 'darkness,' she passed away from illness. All her research materials were destroyed in advance, and no one knows what she noticed before her death..."
"'Darkness...'" Ye Ling murmured the word softly, feeling a sense of concern about what Li Xiaomei's mother had noticed.
However, that was decades ago. Su Tian had long since passed away, and all her research materials had been destroyed. Ye Ling had no way to investigate the past.
Seeing Ye Ling lost in thought, Yang Shan also mustered his courage and, under immense pressure, asked Ye Ling, "Sir, I've told you everything I know. Can you... let me go?"
Ye Ling snapped back to attention, gave Yang Shan a deep look, and then asked, "Let me ask you one last question. All of Li Xiaomei's relatives and friends have died mysteriously in the past decade. This was done by your Cloud Palace, wasn't it?"
Upon hearing Ye Ling's question, Yang Shan's pupils contracted sharply. He instantly understood that Ye Ling was going to settle the score. Without hesitation, he knelt before Ye Ling and begged for mercy, "Sir, spare my life! This really has nothing to do with me! This was all done by people sent from the Cloud Palace headquarters. I didn't get involved!"
Ye Ling said coldly, "So, you admit that your Cloud Palace did this?"
Yang Shan was sweating profusely and kowtowed repeatedly, "It really has nothing to do with me! Although we are a branch of the Cloud Palace, we are separated from the headquarters in Western Europe! The entire Xichuan branch is controlled by Wang Die. If you don't believe me, you can investigate Wang Die!"
"I swear! After Su Tian passed away from illness, I never got involved with Li Xiaomei's family again!"
Although Yang Shan wanted to make a fortune from Li Xiaomei's bracelet, he wasn't lying. He had absolutely no involvement in Li Xiaomei's affairs.
His father had gone to pursue Li Shan back then and never returned. After Su Tian also passed away, he had a vague feeling that there was a huge quagmire hidden behind this entire affair!
Yang Shan was not a person with much ambition. After realizing something was wrong, he wisely retreated, no longer dabbling in matters between the Cloud Palace and Li Xiaomei. He stayed safely in the rear, being a deputy head and comfortably coasting along.
Ye Ling's appearance made him even more grateful for his past actions.
Seeing Yang Shan repeatedly kowtowing and begging for mercy, Ye Ling lost the desire to act against him. He simply waved a strand of spiritual energy, knocked him unconscious, and erased his memory.
After doing all this, Ye Ling said to Xu Changsheng, "Changsheng, let's go meet that Wang Die."
Xu Changsheng respectfully bowed to Ye Ling, "Yes."
In the Yun Chuan mountain range, at the Yun Chuan One-Line Sky.
A woman in white sat by the cliff, with a Bagua disk and a fan lying to her left, and a wine gourd hanging from her right hand, emanating a strong aroma of alcohol.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, appearing a bit tipsy, but her beautiful eyes held a hint of melancholy and loneliness.
If any disciple of the Cloud Palace's Xichuan branch came here, they would undoubtedly recognize this beautiful woman, who looked like a reclusive master, as their sect leader, the eighth-rank异士 (Yi Shi), Wang Die!
"They've arrived..."
Wang Die drained the clear wine from her gourd and tossed it down the cliff. A gentle breeze stirred her tied-up long hair.
Ye Ling, accompanied by Xu Changsheng, slowly walked up the One-Line Sky.
Wang Die looked at the distant scenery, without turning around, and said to Ye Ling and Xu Changsheng, "Two friends, I have been waiting here for a long time."
Ye Ling looked at Wang Die's back and chuckled, "It seems you knew we were coming long ago?"
Wang Die said, "Not only did I know you would come, but I also know that you are not a senior from Shu Mountain, but an Emperor returning from another world."
"'An Emperor returning from another world?'"
Hearing Wang Die's words, a flicker of confusion crossed Xu Changsheng's eyes. He looked at Ye Ling in surprise, not understanding what Wang Die meant for a moment.
However, just by Wang Die seeing through Ye Ling's disguise, Xu Changsheng understood that Wang Die was definitely more than just an eighth-rank Yi Shi!
"'Interesting...'" Ye Ling's lips curled slightly. He no longer maintained his disguise and reverted to his true appearance, "It seems I still underestimated you."
Wang Die stretched lazily, expelled the alcohol from her body with spiritual energy, and then stood up, looking at Ye Ling. She narrowed her eyes and smiled, "When I was young, after I personally buried my mother here, I was accidentally struck by lightning."
"Since then, it's as if I've opened my heavenly eyes. I suddenly know many things, both past and future."
"Like you, Emperor. In fact, I sensed you on the very day you returned, and I knew... that one day, you would come looking for the Cloud Palace and find me."
"'Can foresee the future?'" Looking at Wang Die's smile, Ye Ling's smile became increasingly radiant, "This Earth... is truly full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers..."