NOVPUB"The Qin Family’s pass token?"
Wang Ba looked stunned.
"Yes, one can ride the Qin Family’s Teleportation Array for free," Xi Wushang nodded in confirmation.
Both Wang Ba and Bu Chan were equally shaken inside.
With a trembling voice, Bu Chan couldn’t help but ask:
"Does the Qin Family have a teleportation station in West Sea Country?"
Xi Wushang’s expression was grave as he slowly nodded his head.
Bu Chan felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
Wang Ba’s expression also turned serious.
Xi Wushang said, guiltily:
"It’s all my fault..."
Wang Ba was the first to regain his composure, gently shaking his head, comforting as much as explaining to Bu Chan:
"Brother, you are blameless. None of us expected Yi An to actually go to the West Sea Country."
He immediately looked up at Li Yingfu:
"Old Li, what’s the current situation like in West Sea Country?"
Li Yingfu frowned and said:
"The coastal areas of the West Sea Country to the north and west have already fallen."
"Only the South Coast, because of the Eightfold Sea, has withstood many attempts by cultivators from the Three Continents to establish a foothold. Currently, Jin’s forces are mostly concentrated on the South Coast and near the old capital of West Sea Country in the central region, standing off against each other in a stalemate."
After a moment of contemplation, Wang Ba ultimately made up his mind and declared:
"It looks like I will have to make the trip to West Sea Country myself."
"Brother!"
"Chief Division Master!"
"Elder, please don’t act rashly. This matter requires careful planning!"
The others were taken aback by his words and tried to dissuade him.
However, Xi Wushang spoke solemnly:
"Junior brother, no need for you to go. This mistake is mine. I’ll go to West Sea Country right now to bring back nephew Yi An!"
Wang Ba, however, simply smiled:
"Everyone, rest assured. Since Yi An thought of using the Qin Family’s way, he likely wouldn’t be foolish enough to head straight into the danger zone. He must be seeking out Senior Brother Zhao. My trip will not be too hazardous."
The others continued to advise against it, but Bu Chan no longer spoke, clearly understanding that Wang Ba, having made up his mind, wouldn’t be easily swayed.
Though worried, he held back from saying more.
Seeing their persuasion was ineffective, the others had no choice but to leave reluctantly.
"Brother, it’s my lack of strictness..." Bu Chan’s eyes held an apologetic look.
But Wang Ba, stroking Bu Chan’s long hair softly, said:
"This is not your fault."
"What child has never acted against their parents’ wishes?"
"Besides, he is grown now. It’s natural for him to have his own thoughts. Perhaps there may be some oversight, but who doesn’t make mistakes?"
"I was not as bright as Yi An in my youth."
"Of course, once he returns, he indeed needs to be properly disciplined, running away from home without so much as leaving a message."
Bu Chan nodded gently:
"Just be very careful, and don’t try to be too strong."
Wang Ba gave a light chuckle:
"Don’t worry. In these years, have you ever seen me do anything I wasn’t confident in?"
Only then did Bu Chan feel slightly relieved.
After talking with Bu Chan for a while longer, Wang Ba then made his way to the Pearl Dungeon.
"Master, let me come with you to bring back junior brother," Wang Qingyang volunteered.
Earlier, she had been the only one who didn’t try to persuade Wang Ba.
Wang Ba was curious:
"Why didn’t you try to stop me just now?"
Wang Qingyang calmly shook her head:
"I could feel that Master’s mind was made up; persuasion would have been useless."
"That’s why I didn’t try."
Wang Ba was slightly surprised, but then suddenly he remembered the "Great Supreme Heart Refining Technique" of Lianqing Peak.
"With such talent as Qingyang’s, perhaps she is better suited to that cultivation method... but perhaps it’s not such a good thing."
After thinking it over, he rejected Wang Qingyang’s request:
"No need. The most important thing for you is to focus on your own cultivation," he said.
Wang Qingyang seemed to understand Wang Ba’s emotions, so she said no more.
Wang Ba promptly entered the Pearl Dungeon.
Just as he entered,
countless thoughts from all directions within the dungeon swarmed towards his Spiritual Government!
After a full ten years, even though many people in the dungeon had forgotten about Wang Ba’s existence,
there were still some mortals who remembered him and continued their offerings.
These pious thoughts from the mortals soon poured into the Yin Shen Statue.
Drops of the Power of the Yin God quickly converged.
In the blink of an eye,
the Power of the Yin God in the Yin Temple rose by a foot.
Looking at the Yin Shen Statue, now covered up to its feet and calves in the Power of the Yin God,
Wang Ba felt a sense of anticipation.
He knew that once the Power of the Yin God completely submerged the statue, filling the entire temple, his "Book of Yin God’s Grand Dream" would undergo a transformation and advance to the mysterious Third layer.
"It seems I still need to think of ways to net more offerings from the mortals," Wang Ba thought to himself, without getting too caught up, and headed straight for the imperial willow.
Now, the imperial willow looked little different compared to ten years ago, but its branches had begun to sprout some tender new growth.
The feeling it gave him was increasingly akin to Class IV.
But he didn’t linger on the imperial willow, instead looking towards another large tree not far away.
Upon it, a small figure sat cross-legged, eyes closed, breath flowing in and out.
Feeling Wang Ba’s aura, the small figure slowly opened his eyes.
"Let’s go, old pal," Wang Ba said with a smile, gesturing to him.
The Wu Monkey King immediately stood up, leapt down, and landed on Wang Ba’s shoulder.
"Hee, hee..."
"I know, I know, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other," Wang Ba replied with a smile.
Then he asked:
"What about Fu? Isn’t he with you?"
"Hee, hee!" The Wu Monkey King gestured with his hands.
He could actually speak human language, but he seemed to prefer this way of communicating with Wang Ba.
Suddenly, Wang Ba’s expression shifted to one of surprise:
"Are you saying Yi An took Fu away?"
