In the carriage pulled by eight golden-maned Celestial Mane horses, Zi Linling leaned into Ye Lingyuan's embrace.
Her eyes held a mist, but she stubbornly contained it within their depths.
Yet, her beautiful eyelids could not conceal the sorrow of parting, nor the yearning and anticipation for another realm.
"Ye Lingyuan, can you tell me now what you saw in the memories of that money-grabbing dog?"
Ye Lingyuan pinched her cheeks and said dotingly, "Lin'er, nothing can be hidden from you."
Zi Linling shook her head. "A man like you, who wouldn't flinch even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, suddenly becoming furious and making such an urgent decision. It must be something serious!"
Ye Lingyuan said helplessly, "Lin'er, it is indeed serious. I had planned to tell you after we reached the Azure Dragon Empire."
Zi Linling looked at him seriously. "Tell me. Since it concerns me, what difference does it make whether I know it sooner or later?"
Ye Lingyuan frowned, his expression full of pity. "Lin'er, you are so intelligent it pains me! But..."
"But what?" Zi Linling asked, confused. "You don't know how to say it?"
Ye Lingyuan shook his head and said earnestly, "But I'm afraid this carriage cannot contain your anger!"
"Pfft!"
Zi Linling laughed, and the mist in her eyes finally disappeared.
"At a time like this, you're still in the mood for jokes!"
Ye Lingyuan's lips curved upwards. He looked into her eyes and said, "See, how beautiful these clear eyes are!"
Zi Linling suddenly realized that she had been too fixated.
In the path of cultivation, life and death, parting and reunion, were commonplace. How could she have been so immersed in the sorrow of parting that she couldn't pull herself out?
She guessed that Ye Lingyuan must have been worried about her, which was why he told such a clumsy, bad joke.
Zi Linling smiled charmingly. "I knew you'd be glib-tongued! Hurry and tell me, what is it that requires our Hades to go on an urgent expedition?"
Her smile instantly eased the oppressive atmosphere in the carriage.
Ye Lingyuan affectionately stroked her head and said, "Lin'er, I have news of your father!"
"What did you say?"
Zi Linling suddenly sat up straight.
Ye Lingyuan, caught off guard, had his chin sharply bumped.
He inhaled dramatically and said, "Lin'er, please don't be so agitated! I haven't met your father, and my knowledge of him is limited to a portrait. But, in that person's mind, your father's name appeared."
Zi Linling's mind exploded with a 'boom,' followed by a complete blank.
She could no longer distinguish whether these were her own true emotions or the lingering influence of the original host's soul.
"Is... is he alright?"
Recalling the image of the burly man who had appeared twice in her mind, Zi Linling's voice trembled slightly.
As soon as the words left her lips, she realized how superfluous the question was.
If her cheap father were alright, how could Ye Lingyuan have been so enraged that he shattered every bone of the money-grabbing dog?
Besides, Zi Donglai had once said that her father was suffering in the Dark Abyss.
The Dark Abyss, also known as the Abyss of Darkness, was located to the west of the Four Great Empires, bordering the Boundless Sea.
It was rumored to be a paradise for demonic beasts.
Demonic beasts were corrupted members of the beast race, including fierce beasts, demon beasts, spirit beasts, and even divine beasts. There was even a legend of a corrupted Azure Dragon residing there.
As a paradise for demonic beasts, it was naturally a forbidden zone for humans. If one accidentally entered, death was certain.
Therefore, if Zi Guochang were truly there, how could he be well?
Indeed, Ye Lingyuan shook his head and said, "He... is not well! I heard he was being pursued by people from the Zi family of the empire and fell into the Dark Abyss. But fortunately, his soul tablet has not shattered."
"That means he's still alive?"
Zi Linling's voice trembled slightly. She finally understood what Zi Donglai meant by 'suffering.'
Not dead, but constantly facing life-threatening danger, always struggling on the brink of death. Was this not suffering?
No wonder Ye Lingyuan was so angry, and no wonder he was so urgent.
Ye Lingyuan tightly gripped her delicate hand. "Lin'er, as long as he is alive, there is hope, isn't there? At worst, this King will accompany you into that Dark Abyss, known as a forbidden zone for humans!"
A warmth flowed through Zi Linling's heart. She nodded and said, "Ye Lingyuan, thank you!"
Ye Lingyuan raised an eyebrow. "Lin'er, between us, these two words are never needed."
Zi Linling smiled faintly and leaned her head back onto Ye Lingyuan's chest.
Listening to the powerful beat of Ye Lingyuan's heart, her own gradually calmed.
Half a month later, the two finally arrived at the capital of the Azure Dragon Empire – East City.
Seeing the long queue of people entering the city at the gate, Zi Linling couldn't help but frown.
If they had to queue to enter, who knew how much time it would take.
If it were for sightseeing and leisurely travel, it would be fine, a good experience.
But they were pressed for time. The longer the delay, the more dangerous Zi Guochang would be.
Ye Lingyuan shook his head dotingly and took her hand. "Lin'er, if you keep frowning, you'll turn into an old lady."
Zi Linling smiled lightly. "Oh? Has His Highness Hades become superficial and a 'face-con' as well?"
"Face-con?"
Ye Lingyuan paused for a moment before realizing what 'face-con' meant.
He smiled gently. "Lin'er, no matter what you become, whether a little girl or an old lady, you will always be the Lin'er this King loves!"
Zi Linling smiled sweetly. "Such a glib tongue! But, who knows when we'll get to the front of this queue!"
Saying that, her brow furrowed again.
This pained Ye Lingyuan greatly. He gently lifted Zi Linling's delicate, pretty face so she was looking at him, and said earnestly, "From now on, you only need to be smiling like a flower. As for frowning, leave it to me, understand?"
Zi Linling's heart was instantly filled with sweetness. A phrase from her past life surfaced in her mind: "You be beautiful, I'll make money to support the family!"
She laughed, smiling so happily.
Ye Lingyuan, infected by her smile, had the corners of his mouth and eyes curved upwards. "Let's go! We're entering the city!"
With that, he pulled Zi Linling towards the city gate.
"You two, get to the back..."
The little soldier guarding the city gate was about to impatiently shoo them away when he saw their peerless beauty.
Human nature was such that it could not refuse beautiful things.
The impatience on the soldier's face instantly vanished, and he grinned. "Two esteemed guests, you need to pay two low-grade spirit stones each to enter the city!"
Ye Lingyuan casually took out a mid-grade spirit stone and tossed it onto the table in front of the soldier, saying coldly, "Can we enter the city now?"
Zi Linling