After being jilted by the saintess at the beginning, why is she crying?

Since obtaining the alchemy inheritance in the secret realm, and with the willow tree in the jade pendant space enhancing his comprehension, his alchemy skills have improved extremely rapidly.

Now, refining these second-tier pills is a piece of cake for him.

Of course, Lin Fengmian wouldn't favor one over the other. He hadn't forgotten his own powerful patron—his Empress wife, Su Miaoyun.

He carefully selected a number of top-grade pills that could nourish the meridians, strengthen the foundation, and aid cultivation, as well as several rare spiritual fruits he had gathered in the secret realm. He meticulously categorized and packed them away, waiting for Su Miaoyun to emerge from seclusion.

He was willing to temporarily become a sycophant and offer himself up with both hands. After all, he had to cling to this powerful figure; whether he could leave the Land of Desolation depended on the divine might of his empress wife.

Xiao Ling'er stayed quietly by his side, helping him with alchemy and doing other odd jobs.

Hand him a magic medicine, adjust the heat, or wipe the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

She didn't talk much, but occasionally she would glance at him, and the corners of her lips would unconsciously curve into a smile.

Lin Fengmian also thoroughly enjoyed the peaceful days with someone quietly accompanying him and adding fragrance to his sleeves, feeling that his alchemy efficiency had increased considerably.

The alchemy furnace was still warm, and the air was filled with a faint medicinal fragrance, mixed with Xiao Ling'er's delicate virgin scent, which calmed the mind.

On this day, he was focused on finishing the last batch of pills when Qin Lan suddenly came looking for him in a hurry.

A rare hint of urgency crossed her face, and even her usually meticulously styled hair was slightly disheveled, a few stray strands clinging to her sweaty cheeks. As soon as she entered, she spoke hastily:

"Young Master Lin, has that little girl Yu Chan'er been with you these past few days?"

Lin Fengmian was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, stopped his alchemy, and asked with some confusion:

"No, I've been refining pills these past few days. I thought she was cultivating with you, or perhaps in seclusion. What happened?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Lan turned pale.

She took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly with anxiety:

"I also thought she was cultivating with you, so I didn't disturb her."

I went to see her today because of some business at the palace, but I found that she had already left. However, her belongings were still there, so she obviously hadn't gone on a long trip.

I asked the palace maids and guards, and they all said that Yu Chan'er had already left the palace.

"Have you left the palace?"

Lin Fengmian frowned, and his movements came to a complete halt. His expression also darkened, and the smile in his eyes vanished instantly.

Not right.

Yu Chan'er usually only goes out of the palace to buy things, and her trips don't last more than two days.

She was well-behaved and never ran away. Every time she left the palace, she would tell him or Qin Lan. She never left without saying goodbye.

Thinking about how many people he had offended recently, none of whom were kind and all hated him to the core.

These people couldn't do anything to him hiding in the palace, so could it be that they turned their attention to Yu Chan'er, who was close to him?

Yu Chan'er is truly the apple of his eye these days!

Not only is it very smooth and pure, but it also shows deep affection.

The effects of dual cultivation are indescribable. After each dual cultivation session with her, the spiritual power within my body experiences an inexplicable improvement.

That girl's pure Yin body was naturally compatible with his pure Yang holy body, making them a perfect match for dual cultivation.

More importantly, that girl was truly devoted to him. In her large, watery eyes, there was only his image.

"hateful!"

Lin Fengmian slammed his fist on the alchemy furnace beside him, producing a muffled "bang." The furnace vibrated, and the echo lingered.

Anger flared in his eyes as he spoke, word by word:

"You can't mess with me, but you dare touch my woman? You're asking for trouble!"

Whoever it is, whether it's Zhou Hanshan or Zhao Yuanlong,

If any other demons or monsters lurking in the shadows dare to touch a single hair on his woman's head, Lin Fengmian will make them regret ever being born!

After all, this would ruin his own reputation as a sea king!

If he can't even protect his own woman, how can he have the nerve to call himself a playboy!

After a moment's thought, Lin Fengmian understood the other party's intention. Wasn't it just using Yu Chan'er's safety as leverage to force him to leave the palace? Although this tactic was despicable, it did indeed exploit his weakness.

The enemy knew he was hiding in the palace, under the Empress's protection and with numerous restrictions, making a direct attack impossible.

But if he goes out on his own, that's a different story.

Lin Fengmian suppressed his surging anger, his eyes sharp. He turned to look at Qin Lan, then glanced at Xiao Ling'er beside him, whose expression was filled with worry, and said in a deep voice:

"Lan'er, you and Ling'er stay in the palace to guard the inner palace and take good care of the place where the Empress is in seclusion."

During my absence, please be careful to prevent anyone from luring us away and causing trouble within the palace.

"Young Master, are you going alone? It's too dangerous!" Qin Lan said worriedly. She subconsciously took a step forward, wanting to grab his sleeve, but then stopped herself.

Those once bright and spirited eyes were now filled with worry.

Xiao Ling'er also stepped forward, her cool eyes looking at him.

Although she didn't say anything, it was clear that she wanted to go too.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Lin Fengmian waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "What they want is to lure me out."

Until we achieve our goal, Chan'er should remain safe. This matter shouldn't be undertaken with great fanfare; it's more convenient for me to act alone.

He said no more and walked behind the screen.

A moment later, a dark-skinned, ordinary-looking, and burly man with a dark face walked out.

The man had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a face full of fierce features; he was dressed in a coarse cloth outfit.

His aura was as restrained as a stubborn rock by the roadside; it was Lin Fengmian who had used the Thousand Faces Illusion Technique.

"Wait for my news!"

After leaving those words behind, Lin Fengmian's figure flickered, and in a few leaps, he completely disappeared outside the layers of palaces.

That imposing figure moved swiftly through the palace walls, like a lithe tiger, and in the blink of an eye, he blended into the bustling marketplace outside the palace.

Qin Hongyu and Xiao Ling'er exchanged a glance, both seeing worry in each other's eyes. But they also knew that chasing after him now would only cause trouble, so they could only stay in the palace and wait for his return.

……

Hundreds of miles outside Qingyang City, deep in a desolate valley.

The valley is flanked by steep cliffs, the rocks are dark red, as if they were cleaved in two by something.

The valley floor is perpetually shrouded in darkness, with gusts of cold wind and sparse vegetation, so much so that even birds and beasts are reluctant to nest there.

"Commander, are we really going to listen to Madam Ru Shuang completely and just wait around in this godforsaken place?"

A minor leader of the Xuanming Guard couldn't help but complain under his breath, rubbing the goosebumps that had risen on his arms.

A chilly wind blew through the valley, making people feel very uncomfortable.

The sinister man referred to as the leader was the same one who had met Wen Rushuang earlier.

He glanced coldly at his subordinates and sneered: