69: Chapter 69 Even if we meet again, we might not recognize each other.

[In the fifteenth year, the Tianfeng Kingdom finally freed up its hands.]

[Over these years, there have been constant internal and external troubles; the beast tide was merely a minor interlude.]

[Now that the internal situation has stabilized slightly and external power struggles have temporarily eased,]

[the ruler of the Tianfeng Kingdom has turned their gaze toward that tiny, insignificant place on the border.]

[The Yan Kingdom.]

[A tiny, insignificant place, yet it produced a new ruler who dared to establish their own independent regime.]

[To deal with the Yan Kingdom, there is naturally no need to mobilize the entire nation's strength. The troops of a single prefecture will suffice.]

[The Tianfeng Kingdom is divided into seven prefectures, and the one closest to the Yan Kingdom is the Fengxian Prefecture.]

[This prefecture was named after an ancient powerful expert named "Fengxian" who fell here.]

[Its territory is vast, and its strength is more than a grade higher than the Yan Kingdom.]

[The Governor's Mansion is located in Fengxian City, and the current Commandery Governor is a woman.]

[Commandery Governor Xia Nihuang, of the Spirit Sea Realm.]

[It is said that she was also a prominent figure in her youth. Later, she took the position of Commandery Governor and has held it for thirty years.]

[She is ruthless in her methods and governs strictly; the Fengxian Prefecture has been managed by her to be as secure as an iron barrel.]

[The task of conquering the Yan Kingdom has fallen upon her shoulders.]

[When the news reached the capital of the Yan Kingdom, Chu Sheng was in his estate teasing his young son.]

[He looked at the intelligence on the jade slip, his brows knitting tighter and tighter.]

[Jin Xiao City has become the front line.]

[The Qinglan Sect has been forcibly conscripted into the army.]

[And his wife and daughter are in Jin Xiao City.]

["Do you have any news about my daughter?" he asked the messenger.]

[The messenger shook his head.]

["I do not know. It is said that Commandery Governor Xia Nihuang once went to Jin Xiao City, and after that... there was no more news."]

[Chu Sheng's heart sank.]

[He immediately had someone go to ask, and after several twists and turns,]

[ten years ago, Commandery Governor Xia Nihuang passed through Jin Xiao City and took away Chu Qinglian.]

[As for where she was taken, no one knows.]

["Fifteen years..." Chu Sheng murmured, "Fifteen whole years."]

[He thought of the daughter he had never seen, and thought of the cultivation feedback from her over those years.]

[She is still alive.]

[She must still be alive.]

[But Li Zhiyi is still in Jin Xiao City.]

[As long as he finds her, he can ask clearly.]

[Triggering choice: Tianfeng presses on the border, where to go?]

[1. Retreat. Stay in the Yan Kingdom and wait and see. It is safe, but he might lose the whereabouts of his wife forever.]

[2. Engage in battle. Follow the Yan army to go on an expedition and face the enemy head-on. The risk is extremely high; in front of the Spirit Sea Realm, those at the Gathering Truth Realm are like ants.]

[3. Postpone. Wait for an opportunity and make plans later. But the situation changes in an instant, and he might miss the opportunity.]

Chu Sheng looked at these three options and fell into deep thought.

Retreat?

That is being a coward; Chu Sheng is not that kind of person.

Sooner or later, he will have to fight.

Engage in battle?

A Spirit Sea Realm expert could slap him to death with one palm; is he going to his death?

Postpone?

Wait for the situation to become clear?

But Li Zhiyi is on the front line; what if something happens to her...

He took a deep breath and made a decision.

"Choose 3."

"Cannot confront head-on, nor can I just sit and wait for death."

"The best way is to sneak back into the Tianfeng Kingdom, find Li Zhiyi first, and ask about the whereabouts of my daughter. Then I will make further plans."

As for the Yan Kingdom... the Ji Yuanzhao will not stop him.

After all, his family is in the Yan Kingdom; the monk might run away, but the temple cannot.

[Chu Sheng packed his luggage, brought his magic treasures, and quietly left the capital.]

[Half a month later, Jin Xiao City.]

[This small border town is now crowded with heavy troops.]

[The city walls are filled with soldiers from the Tianfeng Kingdom, and outside the city gates, countless refugees are queuing to enter the city.]

[Chu Sheng disguised himself and mingled among the refugees.]

[Following the route in his memory, he found the old site of the Li family in Qingshi Town.]

[There was nothing left but ruins.]

[He also found the old site of the Lin family, which was also a pile of rubble.]

[Finally, he found Li Zhiyi in a remote small courtyard in the city.]

[Chu Sheng thought.]

[It should be "Even if we meet, we might not recognize each other," right?]

[She was wearing simple clothes, her appearance had not changed much, and she was drying medicinal herbs in the courtyard.]

["Miss, I'd like a bundle of spirit herbs."]

[Li Zhiyi looked up and recognized him at first glance.]

["Chu... Chu Sheng?"]

[Her voice trembled, and her eyes instantly turned red.]

[Chu Sheng walked over and pulled her into his arms.]

["Zhiyi," he said softly, "I'm back."]

[Li Zhiyi lay on his shoulder, tears streaming down uncontrollably.]

[After a long while, she looked up at him, her eyes full of longing and grievances.]

["You... why did you only come back now?"]

[Chu Sheng was speechless and could only hold her tighter.]

[The two sat down in the room, Li Zhiyi poured him a cup of tea, and began to recount her experiences over the years.]

["Qinglian..."]

[She paused, her eyes turning red again, "Qinglian was taken away by Commandery Governor Xia Nihuang."]

[Chu Sheng's heart tightened.]

["Ten years ago? That was the year she was five?"]

[Li Zhiyi nodded.]

["That day, Commandery Governor Xia Nihuang suddenly arrived at Jin Xiao City, saying she sensed an exotic treasure had appeared. When she passed by our house, she saw Qinglian... and then she said, this little girl has a natural immortal body, it's a pity to leave her here, so she wanted to take her to Fengxian City to cultivate."]

[She bit her lip, and tears flowed down again.]

["I... I couldn't stop her. She was too powerful; I couldn't even speak a complete sentence."]

[Chu Sheng held her hand and said in a deep voice, "What happened later? Is there any news about Qinglian?"]

[Li Zhiyi shook her head.]

["No. After she left, there was no news. I went to Fengxian City to inquire, but the Governor's Mansion was heavily guarded, and I couldn't get in at all."]

[She looked up at Chu Sheng, her eyes filled with hope.]

["She is still alive, right?"]

[Chu Sheng nodded.]

["Alive. She must still be alive."]

[He could feel that the bloodline feedback from his daughter was still there.]

[Although it was sometimes strong and sometimes weak, it had never been severed.]

["By the way, where is your father?" Chu Sheng asked.]

[Li Zhiyi lowered her head, her voice even lower.]

["Father... he died."]

[Chu Sheng was stunned.]

["That year during the beast tide, he covered our retreat, mine and Qinglian's, and was surrounded by demon beasts..."]

[As she spoke, tears welled up again, "There was nothing left of his remains."]

[Chu Sheng was silent.]

[That smiling father-in-law, that old man, was just gone like that.]

["This father-in-law was a good man," he murmured.]

[Li Zhiyi was stunned: "What?"]

[Chu Sheng shook his head, took out a Profound-grade low-tier wrist guard from his bosom, and handed it to her.]

["Wear this for self-defense."]

[Li Zhiyi took it, feeling the faint spiritual power fluctuations on it, and her eyes turned red again.]

["Such a valuable item..."]

["What's valuable about it?"]

[Chu Sheng interrupted her, "You are my wife, more valuable than anything."]

[Li Zhiyi gripped the wrist guard tightly and finally broke into a smile through her tears.]

[The two spent a simple, intimate night together.]

[At dawn, Chu Sheng got up and put on his clothes.]

[Li Zhiyi hugged him from behind, her voice muffled.]

["Leaving again?"]

[Chu Sheng nodded.]

["The Yan Kingdom is still waiting for me. And I have to investigate Qinglian's whereabouts."]

[He turned around, held her face, and said seriously:]

["Wait for me. When I finish handling things, I will come to pick you up."]

[Li Zhiyi nodded, holding back her tears.]

["By the way," Chu Sheng suddenly remembered something, "What about the Liu family and the Chen family in Jin Xiao City?"]

[Li Zhiyi sighed.]

["They have all been destroyed. That year during the beast tide, both families suffered heavy casualties, and later they were liquidated by the Qinglan Sect; there is no one left."]

[Chu Sheng was silent for a moment, then asked, "Did the Liu family have an eldest daughter that year?"]

[Li Zhiyi looked at him, her eyes somewhat complicated.]

["She... I haven't heard any news about her. It seems that after that battle, she went missing."]

[Chu Sheng nodded and did not ask any more.]

[In this life, there is ultimately no fate.]

[Chu Sheng left the small courtyard and looked back.]

[Li Zhiyi stood at the doorway, looking in his direction, the wind blowing her clothes.]

[He clenched his fists, turned around, and strode away.]

[Behind him was the hustle and bustle of Jin Xiao City.]

[Ahead was an unknown journey.]

Chu Sheng looked at this scene and let out a long sigh.

"The thread of Liu Qingmei has been broken in this simulation. But that's fine; I owe too many emotional debts, and they must be repaid."

He looked at the receding figure in the screen and murmured:

"Qinglian's whereabouts must be investigated clearly. Commandery Governor Xia Nihuang... Spirit Sea Realm, not easy to deal with."

"But now I am not alone; I have the entire Yan Kingdom as my backing, I have the Crown Prince... no, he is the Ji Yuanzhao now, I have the Emperor supporting me. It's not impossible that I have a chance."

[Outside the window, the moonlight was like water.]

[Chu Sheng had disappeared into the night.]