Yin Mei wore a light pink dress, her black hair cascading like a waterfall down to her waist. Her jade-like face was filled with joy and excitement. The fluffy fox tail she held in her arms accentuated her flawless, delicate skin, which shimmered with a captivating luster, akin to the finest immortal jade.
She ran lightly into the palace, her bright eyes fixed on Gu Changge. Her crystal-clear eyes overflowed with affection and longing, like a lake about to spill over.
Gu Changge smiled softly and pulled her into his embrace. Yin Mei naturally closed her eyes and leaned gently against him, savoring this rare moment of warmth.
He didn't speak, simply feeling the soft, jade-like warmth in his arms, a complex emotion stirring within him.
"Young Master, you've finally decided to return?"
After a moment, Yin Mei opened her starry eyes and reached out to touch Gu Changge's cheek. Her petal-like red lips parted slightly, carrying a hint of playful complaint.
"I returned once before, but you were all in seclusion at the time, so I didn't disturb you. I just took a look and left," Gu Changge explained with a smile, gently stroking her hair.
Yin Mei let out a soft hum, knowing that Gu Changge had always held her in his heart. For her, that was enough.
Then, content, she nestled in Gu Changge's arms, wrapping her hands around his neck, and began to softly recount the developments of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and the Dao Prosperity True World over the years, just as she had done in the past.
Before Gu Changge left the Dao Prosperity True World, he had entrusted all of this to her, and she naturally wouldn't let him down.
"Let's save these matters for later. Right now, I just want to know how you've been these years," Gu Changge interrupted her with a chuckle, shaking his head.
Yin Mei was slightly surprised, her beautiful eyes widening.
"What's wrong? So surprised? Have you not been well these years?"
Gu Changge wasn't surprised by her reaction and smiled knowingly.
Yin Mei shook her head, then nodded, her voice tinged with a hint of complaint. "The days without you by my side were not good at all. Every day was hard, and every day I missed you."
Although she and Gu Changge had long been married, she still preferred to call him "Young Master." To her, this title felt more personal, as if it made Gu Changge belong solely to her.
"Young Master, you never used to ask about us like this. It's only natural that I'm surprised," Yin Mei murmured, leaning against his chest.
Gu Changge chuckled, knowing her grievances. He was aware that he had indeed rarely paid attention to such matters, even when it came to those closest to him. He seldom inquired about their lives, let alone actively showed concern.
"Young Master, don't be angry. I was just speaking casually. I'm not blaming you. I know you have important matters to attend to, and often you're too busy to spare time for us…"
Seeing Gu Changge fall silent, Yin Mei quickly explained, fearing that he might be upset with her for being inconsiderate or failing to understand his burdens.
Watching Yin Mei flustered and anxious, Gu Changge couldn't help but smile. He took her delicate hand in his and said softly, "You don't need to be so nervous around me. Aren't we already married? Why act so formal?"
Hearing this, Yin Mei's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Gu Changge, her expression gradually turning sorrowful. "But… I'm really afraid that one day, you'll abandon me, discard me like a worn-out rag when I'm no longer useful."
"I've always wanted to be of help to you, Young Master, both in the past and now. But I feel more and more powerless and weak, unable to keep up with your pace. No matter how hard I try, I can't catch up to you…"
"Recently, I've been having a recurring nightmare. I dreamt of the time back in the Ancient Immortal Continent when Ye Ling discovered my identity and tried to kill me. You just stood by, cold and indifferent, no matter how much I called out to you. You didn't come to save me."
"That was just a dream. Ye Ling is long dead, and I've always been by your side," Gu Changge said gently, unsure why Yin Mei would have such a nightmare.
That incident had happened so long ago, yet she still remembered it so vividly.
Back then, he hadn't immediately stepped in to save Yin Mei. Only when she was in grave danger, on the verge of self-destruction, did he reveal himself and act.
At the time, he hadn't fully trusted her and wanted to see how she would react in a crisis—whether she would expose his identity as the mastermind behind the scenes.
However, reflecting on it now, this incident gave Gu Changge a glimpse into Yin Mei's inner struggles.
Her nightmares likely stemmed from her own fears and insecurities.
And her fears arose from her lack of strength.
Her talent didn't lie in cultivation, and she had never been particularly interested in it.
"Ye Ling is dead, but I don't know if there will be a second Ye Ling, a third Ye Ling… In truth, I'm just too useless. I no longer have enough value to help you, Young Master. Instead, I've become a burden, causing you trouble."
Yin Mei's gem-like eyes gradually dimmed. She didn't know what to do.
Over the years, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance had developed steadily, requiring little oversight from her. As a result, she had devoted more time to cultivation, something she had never been particularly interested in before.
She knew her talent couldn't compare to others. No matter how hard she worked, she would inevitably fall behind.
So she had been more diligent and hardworking than ever before.
Beyond the Immortal Path, there was the even more distant Dao Realm. Only by reaching the Dao Realm could one hope to gaze upon Gu Changge.
Yet now, she was only barely comparable to a Immortal King, her actual cultivation still falling short of that realm.
The realms beyond—Quasi-Immortal Emperor, Immortal Emperor, and the even more elusive Dao Realm—filled her with an indescribable weight. Every time she thought about them, she felt suffocated.
In truth, she should have accepted her fate long ago. Talent and aptitude were determined from the very beginning.
Even with the countless resources of the divine kingdom at her disposal and the vast fortune she could freely use, it wouldn't change her future achievements.
"In truth, you don't need to worry about these things. I no longer need you to bring me any benefits or value," Gu Changge said gently, shaking his head. "Having you by my side is enough for me. In the future, when I look back, I won't be alone on this path. As for anything else, it's not important to me."
As he spoke, he extended a finger and touched Yin Mei's forehead.
Yin Mei, moved by his words, was suddenly startled to see a faint, ancient light appear deep within her consciousness. It exuded a vast, timeless aura, like a seed containing the profound truths of all worlds.
"What is this?"
Her eyes widened in shock. She could feel the terrifying, surging power within the seed, as if it could take root at the edge of chaos at any moment, evolving into an ancient divine tree that could absorb the Innate Five Elements and the energy of the Great Dao.
Her cultivation also began to change and grow as the seed appeared.
She even clearly heard the sound of her long-stagnant bottleneck shattering.
Boom!
In the depths of the divine kingdom, where the sky had been clear, dark clouds suddenly gathered. Lightning flashed within, and tribulation clouds began to form, surging toward her.
"My Immortal King Tribulation…"
Yin Mei was even more shocked and was about to rise to face the tribulation.
But with a single word from Gu Changge—"Disperse"—the tribulation clouds instantly scattered, and the sky cleared. Wisps of pure energy and fragments of the Heavenly Dao quickly flowed into Yin Mei's body.
Her skin became even more translucent, exuding a faint, lotus-like fragrance.
At this moment, she could even feel the entire process of the seed taking root, sprouting, and growing.
"This is a True World Seed, or what you could call a Dao Realm Seed. Originally, I planned for it to take root and sprout only when you reached the end of the Immortal Path and were about to touch the threshold of the Dao Realm. By then, you would have the ability to nurture it…"
"However, now that I've refined the World Orb, it continuously condenses the resources and nutrients needed for the Dao Realm Seed to grow."
"Within the divine kingdom, the Dao Realm Seed grows stronger every moment, and your cultivation will also improve as it nourishes you."
Gu Changge explained the mysteries of the Dao Realm Seed simply.
As for the origins of the World Orb, he didn't elaborate, as it involved too much and wasn't necessary to explain.
Yin Mei listened in a daze. Though she didn't fully understand, she knew that the Dao Realm Seed was a shortcut Gu Changge had prepared for them.
He had foreseen this day long ago and had made preparations for it.
This was a path to the heavens that countless cultivators and beings dreamed of, and now it was suddenly placed before them.
Anyone would feel stunned and overwhelmed by such a revelation.
Moreover, although Gu Changge made it sound simple, she knew that refining the Dao Realm Seed and the World Orb couldn't have been easy.
There were no such shortcuts in this world without a price to pay.
Yin Mei was still processing everything when several figures arrived outside the palace.
"Oh, it seems we're a step too late."
A playful voice rang out as Wang Zijin walked in with light steps. She wore a thin, silver-patterned robe with a white base, a fluffy white fur collar around her neck, and held a folding fan in her hand, looking every bit the noble young master.
Behind her, many cultivators and beings arrived, including the Gu Family ancestor, Wine Sword Immortal, Ming, and others, all following closely.
These were the high-ranking figures from the early days of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance in the Dao Prosperity True World, and even now, they held significant positions within the alliance.
"Greetings, Alliance Leader."
Wine Sword Immortal, Ming, Ao Di, and others bowed respectfully, their eyes filled with reverence as they looked at Gu Changge.
Gu Changge nodded slightly, and Yin Mei took the opportunity to step away from his embrace, standing respectfully to the side.
"It seems your cultivation has improved significantly over the years."
Gu Changge's gaze swept over the crowd, lingering on the faces of the Gu Family ancestor, Ming, and others.
Then he looked at the rest. Among them were those who had once harbored hatred toward him, such as Cen Shuang from Wugui City, as well as ancient clans from the Immortal Palace Era, like the sea clan behind Ao Di, the Immortal King, and other beings who had drifted in from other realms.
There were also several Immortal Kings from the former immortal domain, including the Moon King, Luo King, and the female Quasi-Immortal Emperor who had appeared at the edge of the Realm Sea Battlefield and had accompanied Gu Changge for a time.
However, after establishing the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and uniting against external threats, the various factions gradually set aside their past grievances and hatred, beginning to coexist peacefully and thrive.
The existence of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance also served to restrain and balance the various forces, ensuring that no one in the Dao Prosperity True World dared to act recklessly or disrupt the current stability.
Even those who had once been enemies had no choice but to set aside their grudges and abide by the alliance's rules.
Naturally, this situation was beneficial for the development of the Dao Prosperity True World. Every year, many powerful figures emerged, and the fortunes of the various clans and factions grew stronger, often producing exceptionally talented younger generations.
Soon, more clan leaders, sect masters, and other high-ranking figures who had heard the news arrived in the hall. Among them were many who had once been Gu Changge's peers.
Facing Gu Changge, who had returned to the Dao Prosperity True World, everyone's emotions were complex—reverence, fear, awe, admiration, fanaticism, dread… almost every emotion was present.
After all, Gu Changge's fearsome reputation had always lingered in the Dao Prosperity True World. Even though he had established the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and led everyone in resisting external threats, protecting the Dao Prosperity True World, it was still difficult to erase his title as the Demon Lord, his past acts of destruction, his overthrow of the Immortal Palace, and his schemes that had once deceived and slaughtered the entire upper realm.
Toward Gu Changge, they held both respect and fear.
"After so many years, you're still as afraid of me as ever."
Gu Changge looked at everyone in the hall and let out a light laugh before waving his hand, dismissing them.
He had no interest in these people, and their presence was merely an eyesore.
Only the Gu Family ancestor, Ming, and a few other Dao Realm experts were kept behind by Gu Changge.
He could inform them about matters related to the Immortal Spirit Civilization and the Prime-Origin Civilization, as they were Dao Realm experts and had the right to know.
That day, the Gu Family ancestor and the others stayed behind, discussing many matters with Gu Changge. The Gu Family ancestor had some knowledge of the outside world, unlike Ming and Wine Sword Immortal, who were native to the Dao Prosperity True World. His perspective was naturally broader than theirs.
Ming and Wine Sword Immortal were filled with longing and admiration for the vast world beyond the Dao Prosperity True World.
However, they were also acutely aware of their own limitations. While they could claim to be invincible within the Dao Prosperity True World, venturing into the vast expanse would likely leave them unable to even protect themselves.
Thus, after some hesitation, they decided to remain in the Dao Prosperity True World.
The current Dao Prosperity True World might not be inferior to other True Worlds in the vast expanse.
As for the Gu Family ancestor, he had no interest in the vast expanse. He only wished to guard the Dao Prosperity True World and would not leave unless a world-ending calamity struck.
Gu Changge naturally didn't try to persuade them. Mentioning it at all was already a courtesy due to their past acquaintance.
The Gu Family ancestor was quite interested in Gu Changge's exploits in the vast expanse, but Gu Changge had no intention of elaborating. After a few brief remarks, he sent them on their way.
He had long known that the Gu Family ancestor's strength was far from simple, and his decision to remain in the Dao Prosperity True World was no surprise.
That night, at Yin Mei's curiosity and Wang Zijin's persistent urging, a somewhat exasperated Gu Changge shared some interesting experiences from the vast expanse as if telling a story.
The two women, who had never ventured beyond the Dao Prosperity True World, were filled with curiosity. Wang Zijin was especially eager, repeatedly saying that she knew Gu Changge had gone to explore the "big map."
Yin Mei was utterly confused by Wang Zijin's choice of words. She felt as if there was a gap of several dimensions between her and Wang Zijin, often needing a moment to understand what Wang Zijin meant.
Gu Changge, however, was used to it.
Wang Zijin was an anomaly. In front of others, she might pretend to be dignified, gentle, and elegant, but in front of him, she was like a lively deer frolicking in the forest, her thought processes sometimes hard to follow.
Although Wang Zijin had also devoted some time to cultivation over the years, she still preferred to wander around. Yet, her cultivation had not fallen behind, and she was now at the Quasi-Immortal Emperor level.
She estimated that if she were lucky enough to encounter a few extraordinary opportunities, she might save herself millions of years and break through to the Immortal Emperor realm early.
Such talent and luck would have made Yin Mei envious in the past.
But now, no matter how extraordinary the opportunity, it paled in comparison to the Dao Realm Seed that Gu Changge had created for them.