After ten years apart, the myriad emotions that surged upon their reunion ultimately condensed into that one brief greeting.
Because there were far too many thoughts in their hearts, they didn't know how to express them.
This was only the second time in fifteen years, aside from when he was exiled overseas, that Xu Zihuang had experienced such intense emotional turmoil.
On the surface, Xu Zihuang still maintained his composure, but Ye Guyi's heart and mind were shaken to the core. Her delicate body trembled as she stared fixedly at him. Layers of mist began to form in her golden eyes.
From childhood until now, only one person had ever known her other name and addressed her that way.
As soon as they entered the room, Xu Zihuang removed the disguise from his face and released his tangible-yet-intangible realm spiritual power to isolate all sound.
When spiritual power reached a certain level of strength, blocking sound was an easy feat. At the tangible-and-materialized realm, one could even achieve the miraculous materialization of spiritual power. Higher realms of spiritual power naturally possessed their own extraordinary wonders.
But at this moment, Ye Guyi couldn't spare any attention for such things. Overcome with emotion, she suddenly grabbed Xu Zihuang's right hand.
"You… you're Zihuang?!"
Having already sensed the pure aura of the Bright Electric Tyrant Dragon martial soul from him earlier, and now hearing him call her by that name, everything was clear. The subconscious belief that Xu Zihuang had perished was shattered. Upon closer inspection, his facial features indeed bore a striking resemblance to Aunt Qing.
Xu Zihuang smiled faintly and nodded. He stood up and gently pressed his forehead against Ye Guyi's smooth, fair one. Their eyes met, deep purple and gold reflecting each other's image.
Ye Guyi's gaze became even gentler. This familiar, intimate gesture was something they often did when they were children.
Then, a brilliant purple-gold light suddenly flashed in Xu Zihuang's eyes. A faint purple intent spread out and merged into the center of Ye Guyi's brow.
This was a strand of spiritual power containing a portion of Xu Zihuang's memories. As long as Ye Guyi integrated it into her spiritual sea, she would be able to see the scenes within those memories.
This was another application of his tangible yet intangible spiritual power. If he wished, at his current stage, he could even condense a spiritual clone possessing his own independent consciousness, capable of moving freely within the area covered by his released spiritual power. Moving beyond that area was also possible, though it would consume far more spiritual power.
He hadn't tested the exact limits yet.
The spiritual sea was the most vital part of a soul master. Once damaged, in severe cases it led directly to death; in lighter cases, it turned one into an idiot. Out of instinct, Ye Guyi initially wanted to resist, but she quickly realized what it was and actively accepted this portion of memories, showing complete trust in Xu Zihuang.
The memories began with his three years of imprisonment, followed by his rescue by Wang Xiao and Yao Yang, and his subsequent enrollment in Shrek Academy. He did not conceal even the Gold of Living Creatures from Ye Guyi.
However, the existence of the Million-Year Dream Ice Silkworm was deliberately erased by him.
Since he had decided to accept the Dream Ice Silkworm, he would treat it as an existence equal to himself, not merely a subordinate. Unless the Dream Ice Silkworm itself spoke up, he would not reveal it. This was the minimum respect.
The Holy Angel's martial soul also greatly amplified spiritual power. At only nineteen years old and already a Soul Emperor, Ye Guyi's spiritual power had touched the threshold of the tangible-yet-intangible realm; she was just one step away from breaking through.
Integrating this portion of Xu Zihuang's spiritual power placed no burden on her at all.
In less than fifteen minutes, she had finished reading all the memories. Moreover, because Xu Zihuang's spiritual level was higher, she even gained some additional insights.
Just as Xu Zihuang pulled his forehead away from hers and prepared to sit back down, Ye Guyi suddenly hugged him tightly. Under the force of inertia, both of them fell onto the soft, large bed.
Ye Guyi's arms wrapped firmly around Xu Zihuang's neck, pressing his face against her chest.
The silky golden dress brushed against his cheeks, the warm sensation of skin touching skin, the wing-shaped golden patterns right before his eyes, and the familiar, pleasant fragrance that belonged to Ye Guyi from his memories. All these strange sensations swirled in Xu Zihuang's heart.
To outsiders, such intimate behavior between the two would undoubtedly appear extremely ambiguous, yet Xu Zihuang harbored no other thoughts.
He only felt an exceptional sense of peace.
"I'm sorry, Zihuang. It's my fault you suffered so much all these years. It must have been because of me that Uncle Xu and Aunt Qing were targeted by those evil soul masters. I'm the one who brought disaster upon your entire family. Back when the family I was born into was destroyed by those evil soul masters, I should have realized it…"
Ye Guyi's voice was filled with guilt and trembled slightly. Several warm, crystalline tears slid from the corners of her eyes and fell onto Xu Zihuang's cheek.
The jade-like arms circling his neck tightened even more, as if she wanted to fuse the two of them into one.
The Holy Angel was a top-tier martial soul renowned for its balance. As a Soul Emperor, Ye Guyi's strength surpassed the average of soul masters at the same level. Although it wouldn't truly harm Xu Zihuang, under that pressure, his face inevitably sank deeper into that fair ravine.
After all, they were no longer children. Feeling somewhat awkward, Xu Zihuang broke free from her embrace, curled his body, and leaned against the edge of the bed. In a low voice, he said,
"Sister Lingyi, none of this is your fault. They had long been colluding with those evil soul masters. In the future, I will make them pay it all back, doubled."
Ye Guyi gently caressed Xu Zihuang's cheek with tender affection. After ten years apart, the little boy who once needed her to coax him to sleep had grown into such a handsome and upright young man.
Although both of them had gone through many hardships in these ten years, at least they were still alive.
At the same time, she silently resolved in her heart to become the strongest shield behind Xu Zihuang.
Having seen his memories, she naturally understood his plans.
"Zihuang, come up here." Ye Guyi suddenly changed the subject. As she spoke, she lifted one side of the quilt.
Xu Zihuang was stunned for a moment, but he still obeyed, took off his shoes, and slipped into the quilt.
It was currently winter. With their cultivation levels, they could remain unaffected by cold or heat, but being inside a warm quilt was still far more comfortable.
The two sat leaning against the headboard, gazing at the night sky outside the window, as if they had returned to more than ten years ago.
Without any reservation, Ye Guyi raised one long leg inside the quilt, draped it sideways over Xu Zihuang's body, and rested her head on his shoulder. Her soft golden hair cascaded down, carrying a faint, pleasant, faint fragrance.
Feeling Xu Zihuang's body suddenly stiffen, she huffed in mock annoyance.
"In the past, you were always the one leaning on me like this. Now that it's my turn once, you're unwilling?"
Xu Zihuang was about to say something, but he discovered that Ye Guyi had once again hugged him tightly, closed her eyes, and was lightly sniffing, as if carefully savoring the scent of his body.
After a long silence, Xu Zihuang finally voiced the doubt in his heart.
"Sister Lingyi, is Ye Guyi your real name?"
"Mm." Ye Guyi answered softly with a slightly nasal tone. Toward Xu Zihuang, she was filled with tenderness, where was even a trace of the sacred majesty she displayed when slaughtering everyone at the Holy Spirit Cult branch altar earlier?
"By now, Zihuang, you should already know. The family I was born into is the lineage that inherited the angel legacy from the former Spirit Hall. Ten thousand years ago, when Spirit Hall was destroyed, the angel lineage was purged by the two great empires of the original Douluo Continent, Tian Dou and Star Luo, and gradually declined. Over ten thousand years of inheritance, even our surname has changed. In recent years, the bloodline had become extremely thin. Yet even so, the evil soul masters who feared our angel lineage still came knocking. At that time, Aunt Qing and Uncle Xu happened to be traveling the continent, repelled those evil soul masters, and saved me as the sole survivor. To hide my identity, they gave me the name Yu Lingyi."
As she spoke these words, she opened her eyes again and looked at Xu Zihuang. Her gaze was filled with guilt and a hint of self-mockery.
"Later, when those evil soul masters raided the Purple Brilliance Prince Mansion, I escaped calamity once more because I was out with several guards."
Then she began recounting the details and everything she had experienced over the past ten years.
Those several guards had all followed Xu Zihuang's father through life-and-death battles on the battlefield and were extremely loyal. Even after such a catastrophe, they did not abandon her to save themselves. Instead, they took Ye Guyi into hiding, changed their names, evaded the pursuit of the evil soul masters, and secretly tried to gather news about Xu Zihuang's family in Mingdu.
Unfortunately, with their level, they simply could not access that information.
Under the protection of those Soul King-level guards, Ye Guyi successfully cultivated to her current realm. Her earlier soul rings had also been obtained with their accompaniment. It was only in recent years, after breaking through to the Soul Emperor realm, that she began venturing out on her own, intending to take revenge on those evil soul masters.
Later, in Mingdu, she found traces of the evil soul masters. And that was how everything unfolded.
What slightly comforted Ye Guyi now was that, from Xu Zihuang's memories, she learned that Wang Xiao and some others had escaped the pursuit of those evil soul masters.
"Thank goodness Uncle Wang and the others escaped and managed to rescue you, Zihuang." Ye Guyi sighed softly, but then her expression turned solemn.
"However, coming to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy as an exchange student like this is really too risky. Zihuang, your talent is so outstanding, and you have twin martial souls; there were clearly many safer choices."
Xu Zihuang took a deep breath and said seriously, "Sister Lingyi, I don't want to live the rest of my life just barely surviving. I will take back everything I've lost. These risks are something I must bear."
Ye Guyi's expression softened considerably, but a trace of anger mixed with an amused, half-smiling look appeared in her clear, noble golden eyes.
"These risks also include those few little girls?"
Seeing Xu Zihuang fall silent and speechless, Ye Guyi continued gently yet firmly, "Zihuang, remember, you are no longer alone. Even if Uncle Wang and the others cannot help you much at this stage, you still have me."
In this, she possessed absolute confidence. That confidence came not only from her own outstanding cultivation talent and powerful Holy Angel martial soul, but even more from the great aid that was Elder Yi.
The abilities Elder Yi had taught her were things that would shock the world.
They would definitely be able to help Zihuang.
That night, the two talked until dawn. The awkwardness from ten years of separation quickly melted away, but the trust between them had never been eroded by time. It had been nurtured bit by bit through the daily companionship of their childhood.
They were family without blood ties, even closer than that.
From the moment he was born, Ye Guyi had been by his side.
The next morning, a server pushed a cart and delivered a sumptuous breakfast.
As long as the money was paid, receiving excellent treatment was only natural.
Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi came to the living room to eat.
Seeing the two of them so intimate, Nana became even more certain of her guess.
Naturally, Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi did not bother to explain anything.
Earlier, from Nana, they had also learned some information about the Holy Spirit Cult, including details that even Xu Zihuang's memories from his previous life did not contain.
Nana kept her head lowered, respectfully taking the dishes from the cart and placing two steaming bowls of meat porridge in front of Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi.
"Master, Mistress."
Xu Zihuang didn't react much to Nana's form of address. Ye Guyi, however, had initially felt a little uncomfortable and corrected Nana several times.
Nana did change how she addressed her, only now it was "Mistress" instead of "Master."
Since persuasion proved fruitless, Ye Guyi could only let Nana call her that.
But the reason she ultimately compromised was not unrelated to the new title Nana had chosen.
Xu Zihuang released his spiritual power to soundproof the area around them and continued the previous topic with Ye Guyi.
"Sister Lingyi, the information you received should be correct. The Sunset Water Alliance is indeed backed by the Holy Spirit Cult. I heard from Elder Mu at Shrek Academy that the Holy Spirit Cult has an especially powerful evil soul master named Ye Xishui. However, I don't want you to use the power of the Ordinary Alliance against the evil soul masters of the Sunset Water Alliance. Although the Ordinary Alliance is supported by the great noble class of the Sun Moon Empire, if the Holy Spirit Cult truly decides to act, the Ordinary Alliance definitely won't be able to protect you."
"Then what do you want me to do, Zihuang?" Ye Guyi asked with a somewhat deflated sigh.
Xu Zihuang said helplessly, "Sister Lingyi, your martial soul is too special. Mingdu is essentially the main base of those evil soul masters. If your identity is exposed, staying here is far too dangerous. Go to Moon Pivot Island and join Elder Wang and the others. Take Nana and Elder Bai's group with you as well."
Elder Bai was the leader of the guards who had taken Ye Guyi away that year; he had retired from the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Legion due to old age.
Together with him were three others, all at the Soul King level.
They were currently living in seclusion in the south of the Sun Moon Empire.
Ye Guyi knew Xu Zihuang's plans. After pondering for a moment, she agreed to his suggestion.
However, she had no intention of leaving Mingdu immediately; instead, she planned to stay for about half a year.
One reason was that she didn't want to part so quickly with Xu Zihuang, whom she had finally reunited with after so long.
The other was that she still had a gift to give him, one that would take some time to perfect.
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