The finals were anticlimactic. Although the audienew what to expect, they still couldn't help but feel disappointed when Shui Wushuang ceded without even waiting for the day of the finals.

  came the award ceremony, where the first, sed, and third pces were all taken by the Frozen Cloud Immortal Pace.

  That day, Ling Yuefeng finally showed his face. He visited his son to che his injuries ahe guests away. After the end of the tour, only the top ten partits remaio explore the Heaven Basi Realm.

  At night, he walked around with his hands csped behind his back, deep in thought. The image of Chu Yue kept fshing in his mind, and with it came the sinister face of Yun Wuji, his smile sending a chill down his spine. He sighed, 'I should give up. I already have a wife and children. I 't provoke someone so terrifying, someone who could briru to my sect.'

  He aimlessly walked down the long road and turo his left, his mind still drifting back to that beautiful memory from years ago. He had fallen for her blindly at first sight, pursuing her relentlessly for ten years but never managing to catch even a glimpse of her shadow. After all these years, his greatest wish was to see her face more, it had bee his obsession.

  Unfortunately, he was destio never fulfill his wish. Ling Yuefeng sighed deeply as he raised his head, only to be surprised by his surroundings. Unsciously, he had walked all the way to the residence of the Frozen Cloud Immortal Pace.

  ...

  At the same time, Yun Wuji brought Xiao Che and Xiao Lingxi to the Xiao .

  "Master, why did y us here? Did y us to see Father?" Xiao Lingxi asked curiously, holding onto the hem of Yun Wuji's shirt.

  Xiao Che was also curious, and he looked at him, waiting for an answer.

  "You will know very soon," Yun Wuji didn't expin further as he took them to Xiao Lie's courtyard.

  Xiao Lie was the stro expert in Floating Cloud City, sed only to Yun Wuji. After helping Yun Wuji build his pace, he rewarded Xiao Lie with some pills, which helped him break through to the Earth Profound Realm.

  Xiao Lie was inally ostracized in the , despite being the stro among them. He ofte angry and disappointed by the behavior of his fellow members. However, because he still loved his , he never sidered leaving or retaliating. After Yun Wuji arrived, Xiao Lie's status within the rose sharply.

  Because Xiao Lie had spent most of his wealth trying to heal Xiao Che, his courtyard was quite small and ordinary. However, now that his status had ged, the did their best to renovate his courtyard.

  "Father/Grandpa! We're here!" Xiao Che and Xiao Lingxi shouted as they rushed into the courtyard.

  Upoering, they spotted Xiao Lie drinking tea and pying chess with another old man.

  "Haha, you're here!" Xiao Lie turned around and ughed amiably upon seeing them both.

  When the duo entered, Yun ghai's movements halted, his eyes fixated on Xiao Che. He opened his trembling mouth, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn't e. Turbuleions surged within him, his eyes being slightly red. This was his grandson! His flesh and blood!

  At the same time, Xiao Che sehe strange old man's intense gaze on him, feeling fused. Why was this guy looking at him so ily and breathing so heavily? It couldn't be that he had some strange hobby, could it?

  Suddenly, he felt a chill run down his back, and he subsciously tracted his butt. He slightly hid behind his master, seeking a sense of security, and asked, "Grandpa, who is this?"

  "e, e! This man came specifically for you," Xiao Lie said, unaware of his grandson's strange behavior as he waved for him to e closer.

  Xiao Che hesitated, feeling that his dignity was at stake. He g Yun Wuji for help, and the tter smiled at him, saying, "Go on, yrandfather has something important to tell you."

  "...!!!" Xiao Che looked at his master in shock he felt that he was abandoned.

  "I'll e back ter to take you to see the secret realm," Yun Wuji said before telep away. As an outsider, it wasn't appropriate for him to stay.

  "Little Che, I'm going to tell you about a secret I've kept for more than ten years. Lingxi, you should listen closely too," Xiao Lie said solemnly before he began reting the events of the past.

  ...

  Ling Yuefeng stood a few meters away from the residence, lingering in pce for a moment. He smiled bitterly and mumbled in a low voice, "Ever sihe first time we met in the Ranking Tour, I've goo Frozen Cloud Asgard twenty times over the past ten years, but I've never been able to see you even once, until this year's Ranking Tour."

  He took a deep breath and raised his head, feeling a tightening in his chest. In his life, he had glory and strength; he had everything anyone could dream of. But the only thiruly wanted, his love, remained unattainable.

  Ling Yuefeng sighed and tio whisper, "Everyone knew how I felt about you. I endured being the ughingstod my parents' anger just to visit Frozen Cloud Asgard, hoping to see you again. After all these years, my memories of you remain the same. My greatest wish now is simply to see you once more, to glimpse how you've ged."

  "Unfortunately, even that is impossible for me right now..." Ling Yuefeng shook his head, ughing self-depregly before walking away.

  Ling Yuefeng assionate, but it wasn't easy for him to bee infatuated. Before meeting Chu Yue, he devoted himself to swordsmanship. However, whe her, buried emotioed. Thirty years have passed sihat moment, yet Chu Yue's image has never faded in his heart.

  In short, he was a natural-born simp.

  Not far away, hiding in a dark er, Xuanyuan Yufeng trembled, her face twisted in an ugly expression.

  Ling Yuefeng was so distracted that he didn't notieone was tailing him.

  inally, Xuanyuan Yufe sorry for her husband. When she learned he had finally stopped hiding, she wao fort and support him. However, as she approached to speak with him, he was already he Frozen Cloud residence. After hearing everything Ling Yuefeng had said, her anger exploded.

  "Ling Yuefeng! You really are a passionate man. It has already been thirty years! thirty damn years! a you're still uet that woman!" Xuanyuan Yufeng uttered each word with deep hate and rage, her rge, plump chest boung up and down in response.

  "I, Xuanyuan Yufeng, have shortged myself, brought shame to my family, and married into this tiny Heavenly Sword Vil for over twenty years! A, I still don't pare to a woman who embarrassed you before the world and refuses to eve you. Ling Yuefeng as a simp, you've truly outdone yourself!"

  "I sacrificed my future and life for you, yet you didn't even care about me! Damn it... damn it!" She ched her fists, veins bulging on her arms, her fingers crag as she felt humiliated.

  She was the only daughter of an elder from the Mighty Heavenly Swion, an expert at the 7th level of the Profound Realm. She ahe respeost people in this ti and enjoyed all the treasures and the best ditions for cultivatio, she gave up all of this for the man she loved, only to find that he didn't think much of her.

  If it weren't for her status as the daughter of an elder, he probably wouldn't have even g her, no matter what she did for him.

  Anger, hate, and envy, all sorts of ive emotions began to gather in her mind, transf her love for him into hatred.

  After a while, she took a deep breath and cast a lingering gaze at his reg figure before turning to leave.

  ...

  Yun Wuji returo the Heavenly Sword Vil and strolled around. There was still some time before the secret realm opened, with four days remaining.

  He walked to a small pond surrounded by trees and a few beautiful white es. He stopped to take a look around and pondered whi he should sneak into tonight. g Yue or the Chu sisters? He had enjoyed researg cats with g Yue over the past few days, so should he instead visit the Chu sisters for a three-way fight?

  Or better yet, should he have a royal battle between them all?

  Hmm, it was so hard to decide...

  "Hmm?" At that moment, he sensed someone approag and turned around to look back.

  A beautiful woman was heading his way. Upon seeing Yun Wuji, surprise flickered across her fad she hurriedly walked closer and bowed. "Greetings, Lord Yun Wuji."

  "Hmm," Yun Wuji nodded in respoo Xuanyuan Yufeng's greeting and was about to leave wheiced her following him. He turo ask, "Do you need anything?"

  ---

  The chapter will mark the end of this arc, after which the story will move to the Illusory Demon Realm arc.