1239 Returning to the Nameless Emperor's Tomb
"Where do you think you are going, Yanyu?!" A cold voice resounded as Tian Yanyu tried to sneak outside her home.
When she realized that she had been spotted, Tian Yanyu turned around to face Tian Suyin, her mother.
"I have waited long enough! I am going back to the Nameless Emperor's Tomb to look for Xiao Yang!" Tian Yanyu declared in a stern voice.
It has been several days since the Nameless Emperor's Tomb sealed itself shut. After departing from the tomb, Tian Yanyu and Tian Suyin immediately returned home, just as they planned with Yuan before they went their separate ways.
Tian Yanyu had hoped Yuan would return swiftly, but as days went by without a sign of him, worry began to gnaw at her, so much so that she hadn't been able to sleep or eat since her own return, consumed by anxiety over his whereabouts and wellbeing.
"What do you hope to accomplish by returning to that place? When the Nameless Emperor's Tomb closed, everyone inside was forced to leave. If he hasn't returned by now, there could only be two possibilities. He's either dead, or he's alive and decided to leave without saying a word." Tian Suyin shook her head.
"He's not dead! He cannot be dead!" Tian Yanyu refused to believe such a thing.
"If he's not dead, then he's purposefully avoiding us. In the first place, we don't know his true intentions— why he approached us. I wouldn't be surprised if he used us."
"And why would he do something like that?! It doesn't make any sense!" Tian Yanyu exclaimed.
"How would I know? Just forget about him, Yanyu. You cannot wait for him forever."
"You're wrong! Xiao Yang wouldn't just abandon us like that! There must be a valid reason for his absence, maybe even something keeping him trapped inside the Nameless Emperor's Tomb!" Tian Yanyu vehemently argued, clinging to her refusal to accept that Yuan had simply deserted them.
"What kind of nonsense is that? No one can stay inside the tomb once it seals shut. Even if he were trapped in there, what could we possibly do except wait for it to reopen in seven years?" Tian Suyin retorted, her skepticism undeterred by Tian Yanyu's hopeful perspective.
"That's…" Tian Yanyu fell into a speechless silence, unable to counter Tian Suyin's straightforward logic.
"Hmph!" And without saying anything else, Tian Yanyu ran back to her room.
Tian Suyin, though deeply concerned for her daughter, recognized the limitations of choices she had in this kind of situation. Drawing upon her own experiences, she understood that even the most gifted Cultivators were not immune to death, and attempting to bite off more than one could chew often led to perilous consequences.
"I'm sure she'll calm down and come to accept the situation when enough time passes." Tian Xianzu materialized seemingly from nowhere, offering his perspective.
Tian Suying couldn't help but express her concerns, sighing deeply. "But how long will that take? I'm not sure I can endure several years of perpetual headaches."
"We must be patient, just like our ancestors, who waited decades for Tian Chenyu to sort his emotions." Tian Xianzu said with a profound smile.
Meanwhile, outside the Nameless Emperor's Tomb.
"Hey, why the hell are we still standing around here like some dumbasses?" Zhaohui glared at Xiong Lu in a pissed-off manner.
"I didn't see Yuan come out of the Nameless Emperor's Tomb." Xiong Lu said.
"Then you either missed him or he's dead! There's no way for anyone to remain inside the tomb once it seals its doors shut!"
"Him? Dead? No way." Xiong Lu immediately disregarded such a possibility.
And he continued, "Just wait a few more days. If he doesn't show up after that, we'll give up for now."
"What a waste of time." Zhaohui sneered as he sat on the ground and began cultivating in silence.
The day after the banquet, Yuan and the Xi Family gathered at the portal outside Ancient Dragon City— the same one that he came from.
"Once again, I want to extend my sincere thanks for everything you've done for our family and our city, Yuan. Your presence during this time has been an immeasurable blessing." Xi Mingze expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Yuan, her words filled with deep appreciation.
She turned to look at Xi Meili, who was nervously standing beside him, and continued, "Don't cause too much trouble for him, you hear?"
"Why would you assume that I am going to cause trouble?" Xi Meili said with a cute angry face.
"Because you're my daughter." Xi Mingze smiled confidently.
"Please, take care of our daughter, Yuan." Xi Shengmo then said.
Yuan nodded solemnly, assuring Xi Mingze, "Rest assured, I'll do everything in my power to ensure her safety."
"Good luck, boss. And see you next time." Xi Murong also said his goodbyes.
"Best of luck to you and your training, as well."
They would continue to exchange farewells for several more minutes before Xi Shengmo started activating the portal.
The next moment, Xiao Hua and the others seamlessly entered Yuan's body, prompting a puzzled expression from Xi Meili. She couldn't help but inquire, "How did you manage to do that?"
"Hm? How did you guys do that?" Xi Meili had a puzzled look on her face.
Feng Yuxiang explained, "We have the privilege of residing within his body as his servants. Unless you also choose to become his servant, you'll have to stay outside."
"Really? Is it even comfortable in there?"
"Very!"
Xi Meili seriously began pondering about becoming Yuan's servant just so she could experience going inside his body like the others. However, before she could come to a conclusion, the portal activated, teleporting them away.
"Stay safe, you all." Xi Mingze mumbled in a low voice afterward.
Meanwhile, Yuan and Xi Meili found themselves transported into an empty room.
"Looks like we're still inside the Nameless Emperor's Tomb," Yuan said as he recognized the room to be the same one he used to teleport to Ancient Dragon City.