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

In the blink of an eye—

The young man in black who had left a deep impression on Lin Peishan and who had single-handedly intimidated the entire audience stood smiling in front of her.

"Prefect Lin, what a coincidence," Lin Fengmian said with a slight smile.

Lin Peishan's beautiful eyes widened, and her red lips parted slightly.

Even though she already had a guess in her mind, witnessing this magical transformation with her own eyes was still quite a shock.

She took a deep breath, bowed again solemnly, and spoke with even greater sincerity than before:

"Peishan... Thank you so much, Young Master Lin, for saving me. I will remember this kindness and will do my best if needed in the future."

"It was nothing, Prefect Lin, please don't worry about it."

Lin Fengmian waved his hand, about to say something more, but suddenly his brows furrowed.

wrong!

In the deathly silence deep within this valley, there was still a faint, almost imperceptible fluctuation of divine soul energy mixed in with the dense death aura.

If his divine sense hadn't far surpassed that of others of the same level, he wouldn't have been able to perceive it at all.

"Ha, there were still some who slipped through the net?"

His gaze turned cold, and his powerful divine sense poured out instantly.

Soon, Lin Fengmian's gaze locked onto a hidden cave entrance at the bottom of the valley, half-hidden by boulders. His divine sense penetrated the cave, revealing a weak figure huddled inside, its aura...

"How could it be Master Qingming?!"

Lin Fengmian's pupils contracted slightly, and he instantly understood!

This old bastard, shouldn't he be at the Jueling Sect? How come he's hiding in the Xuan Yin Sect's lair?

In an instant, he connected all the events of the past:

Back at the Spirit Extinction Sect's reception point, I reluctantly gave him two spirit stones...

Now, Li Tianjue of the Xuan Yin Sect is inexplicably targeting me and coveting the spirit stones I possess...

"So it was you, you old devil, who was behind all this!"

A cold glint flashed in Lin Fengmian's eyes as he instantly understood everything.

A pang of annoyance flashed through his mind; he hadn't expected that those two spirit stones would become the source of his trouble.

"It seems there are indeed risks involved in revealing spirit stones!"

There was no need for interrogation at all; he pointed and a blade of light shot out.

A faint, mournful scream of despair echoed from inside the cave, followed by complete silence.

Qingming Zhenren, die!

Having resolved this hidden threat, Lin Fengmian felt no relief; instead, his heart sank.

Even Master Qingming has defected, so wouldn't Gu Qingge and Cang Yuwei, who are in the Jueling Sect, be in danger without even realizing it?

He was so focused on finding a way to leave the Land of Desolation that he neglected Gu Qingge and Cang Yuwei...

A wave of worry instantly washed over me.

"Young Master Lin?"

Lin Peishan keenly sensed the change in Lin Fengmian's aura and the worry in his eyes.

Lin Fengmian snapped out of his daze, glanced at her, and decided not to delay any longer:

"Prefect Lin, this place is not suitable for us to stay any longer. I have other important matters to attend to, so let's take our leave now."

After he finished speaking, his figure floated slightly into the air.

"Young master, please wait!"

Upon seeing this, Lin Peishan almost instinctively flew over and followed him, walking alongside him.

She bit her lower lip, as if making a decision, and took the initiative to speak:

"Is the young master worried about an old friend? Although Pei Shan is of low status, she has some understanding of the current situation in Fengming Kingdom and even Jue Ling Land. Perhaps she can tell the young master something."

Upon hearing this, Lin Fengmian slowed down slightly and turned to look at her.

Seeing that he did not refuse, Lin Peishan felt a surge of excitement for no reason, and her speech quickened:

"To be honest, young master, the situation in Fengming Kingdom is... very bad. Her Majesty the Empress is in seclusion. Although her power remains, she is unable to handle specific matters in a timely manner."

Within the imperial court, several prefectural governors and border generals have been secretly courted and turned against the government by various factions, suggesting a potential collapse.

Lin Fengmian frowned slightly.

The situation was indeed worse than he had anticipated.

Lin Peishan continued, revealing an even more crucial piece of information:

"Now, due to the revival of spiritual energy and the sealing of the Demon Abyss, the forces in the Land of Desolation are complex and intertwined on the surface, but five major forces have initially formed, maintaining a fragile balance together, and have reached a consensus on the sealing of the Demon Abyss."

"Oh? Which five major powers?"

Lin Fengmian immediately became interested; this information was crucial to him.

"Firstly, there is the Phoenix Kingdom under Her Majesty the Empress. It has the deepest foundation, but it is unstable internally. In the past thousand years, it has lost too many geniuses and outstanding talents in order to guard the Demon Abyss."

"Secondly, there is the Six Paths Immortal Alliance, led by the Heavenly Thunder Sect, the Wonderful Flower Valley, and other immortal sects. It has gathered many righteous sects and is very powerful, but they have always been selfish and self-serving, each with their own ulterior motives."

"Thirdly, there is the Black Demon Palace, which operates in secrecy and whose influence extends into the shadows. It is the leader of the evil sects. The Xuan Yin Sect can be considered an affiliate of the Black Demon Palace."

"Fourthly, there is the newly rising Great Yan Dynasty in the northwest, with a sharp military and ambitious ambitions, which has long coveted the territory of Fengming Kingdom."

Fifthly…

Lin Peishan paused, lowered her voice, and a hint of apprehension flashed in her eyes:

"It is the Ten Thousand Demon Cave, located deep within the Endless Swamp, said to be supported by the bloodline of ancient demons. They have never interacted with the outside world's humans, but their strength is unfathomable and should not be underestimated."

After listening quietly, Lin Fengmian gained a clearer understanding of the situation in the Land of Absolute Spirits.

The five major forces check and balance each other, yet undercurrents are swirling within them.

Upon hearing this, Lin Fengmian frowned slightly.

After the spiritual energy was restored, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth flowed back, and ancient blessed lands, battlefields, and secret palaces that had been sealed for thousands of years reappeared in the world.

Wherever the spiritual tide passes, spiritual veins are revived, mineral deposits are unearthed, and countless opportunities spring up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

But behind every opportunity lies a bloody struggle. Those long-established families, lying dormant for countless years...

Those ancient forces that had vanished from the annals of history are now rising up again, raising their banners once more, recruiting soldiers and horses, and carving out their own territories.

Emerging forces are springing up like fish crossing a river. The primordial realms may appear calm on the surface, but in reality, they are already turbulent and fraught with danger.

Territory, resources, mineral veins, spiritual fields, inheritance... each of these is enough to make people tear off their masks and draw their swords.

As for which side he's on?

There's no need to think about this at all.

Lin Fengmian naturally stood firmly on his wife Su Miaoyun's side. He had always been, he was, and he would always be.

If anyone dares to touch Su Miaoyun, even if the Heavenly King himself comes, he will still tear a piece of flesh from that person's body.

"Young Master Lin, I've also heard..."

Lin Peishan lowered her voice, her pretty face serious, her eyes filled with worry, and even her usually slightly upturned lips were now pressed into a thin line.

"In order to redefine spheres of influence and allocate resources, and also to demonstrate the skills and strength of each faction, the original realms have jointly agreed to hold a summit competition in the Broken Sword Mountains three months from now."

At that time, all parties will send their most outstanding young disciples to participate in the competition.

She paused, took a deep breath, as if what she was about to say carried immense weight:

"This battle may seem like a friendly competition, but it is actually of paramount importance. Victory will determine the allocation of resources and the division of territory for the next hundred years."

The ownership of spiritual veins, the mining of mineral deposits, market taxes, the quota for secret realms… all are based on this. In fact, it can be said to determine the fate of our Phoenix Cry Kingdom.