As Ling Xiao Academy continued handling the aftermath, the many aristocratic families in the Flood-Desert Northern Region finally realized something was wrong.

The crowd surrounded the gigantic tomb quietly.

Finally, someone couldn’t help but stand up. “Forget it! Whoever wants to continue waiting here, go ahead! I won’t play with you any longer!”

This sentence instantly broke the dangerous balance present. Everyone looked over and started to become nervous unwittingly.

Jin Di glanced at him coldly and snorted. “What, you can’t take it anymore? Didn’t we already agree previously to open this barrier together? If you want to back out now… sure! Up to you!”

One less person meant that there would be one less competitor!

The other party wasn’t weak at all.

“Hah! Jin Di, don’t be too optimistic! We have so many people, and how long have we been here? We haven’t made any progress, right? I think average people can’t even enter this hellish place! Staying here is just wasting our efforts!”

Jin Di’s expression became ugly. This was because he knew that the other party was telling the truth.

Quite a few people glanced at each other awkwardly.

Actually, such a long time had passed, and they had all already wanted to leave. However, they were too embarrassed to speak up first, afraid that they would lose out. Now that someone finally spoke first, they instantly let their guards down, and their minds became active.

“That makes sense! Even if there are really treasures inside, it’ll still be for naught if we can’t go in! Besides, Chu Yue had already searched the area once when he went in. Who knows what leftovers there are?”

“That’s right! We won’t wait anymore! We wasted so much time and effort for nothing!”

“Instead of waiting for an extremely unlikely miracle here, I should just go back and focus on my cultivation!”

More and more people were influenced.

Jin Di then panicked. If they all leave… With the Golden Wings Sect alone, we won’t be able to open the barrier! Of course, there doesn’t seem to be much of a result even if we all work together.

He glanced at that barrier in hatred.

“Oh right! Such a long time has passed, but why hasn’t there been any news from the people in Ling Xiao Academy?”

This sudden sentence caused the crowd to fall silent for a moment. They had indeed been waiting here for so many days, but the people from Ling Xiao Academy hadn’t come at all. They did not even know how their situation was now.

And Chu Yue, who was brought away by the men in black…

“They’ve already gone back.” A sharp voice suddenly sounded from the crowd.

The crowd looked over in unison.

The person speaking was the leader of Lingyun Mountain’s group.

“How do you know? There are so many unsettled matters in the Flood-Desert Northern Region. They would leave just like that?” asked Jin Di doubtfully. “Did you randomly say it to bluff us?”

That man put away the items in his hand and stood up. The Liang family has already started to investigate Liang Shaokang’s death, so Ling Xiao Academy’s people have clearly gone back long ago! But luckily, they seemed to have kept their word and didn’t expose Lingyun Mountain. However, there are no permanent secrets in the world. We have to go back as soon as possible and prepare adequately! 

The crowd behind started to gather.

“It’s up to you if you want to believe it or not. This mess… Our Lingyun Mountain will not join in anymore! You can go ahead!” After saying this, that man immediately turned around and left with his people.

“This…” The crowd that was left behind was dazed. They left too suddenly, right?! 

Lingyun Mountain’s people quickly disappeared from their sight.

With someone taking the lead, it was much easier for the remaining people to leave.

“Ling Xiao Academy’s people have left, then… Doesn’t it mean that there’s a problem here?”

“Why don’t we leave too… There’s not much meaning in staying in this place!”

…

Then, the various powers really started to leave gradually.

Jin Di wanted to fight for a while longer, but seeing that everyone had left, he felt uneasy as well. Hence, after half a day and several tries, he realized that he really couldn’t do anything to that barrier and could only give up.

In the end, he left with his people.

Then, the surroundings of the tomb finally regained their peace.

The winds howled crazily, and snow started to fall again. The nine dragon skeletons didn’t move in the gully as if they had been completely destroyed.

Only the silver barrier outside the tomb flickered. It was as if something was about to awaken from its sleep!

…

Jiuheng Peak.

Time slowly trickled past.

Chu Liuyue had already been lying on the bed for three days. She completely didn’t know anything that was happening outside.

A barrier blocked all the noisy sounds outside.

During these three days, Rong Xiu was the one who accompanied her.

Every morning, Elder Wan Zheng would come to check on Chu Liuyue’s condition once. Seeing that she hadn’t woken up after such a long time, Elder Wan Zheng increasingly felt anxious.

But in comparison, Rong Xiu didn’t seem to be in such a hurry.

Elder Wan Zheng could only temporarily suppress his emotions and wait patiently.

Luckily, Chu Liuyue’s physical condition was recovering at an observable speed. Her aura also seemed to be vaguely strengthening.

Elder Wan Zheng just thought that it was due to the miracle she received after breaking through in the Flood-Desert Northern Region the previous time, so he didn’t take it to heart. This kid could already break through to become a stage-nine warrior from a stage-eight warrior in a couple of days. Anything else doesn’t seem as shocking anymore. It’s a pity that as long as Chu Yue doesn’t wake up, the academy can’t make progress in the investigation of the incident in the Flood-Desert Northern Region. 

But with Rong Xiu around, they couldn’t come to disturb. Thus, they could only wait outside day by day.

…

Chu Liuyue felt that she had a long dream. In the dream, she had another name and another identity.

She kept hearing someone calling her. Even though she couldn’t make out what it was, she knew that they were calling her.

There also seemed to be a person beside her who kept her company.

She wanted to see the other party’s face clearly, but she couldn’t. She faintly felt that this person was similar to Rong Xiu, but they didn’t feel completely the same.

She was confused and knitted her brows.

Later on, she even dreamed of a very special scene—it was a snowy day.

There was heavy snowfall, and the ground was totally covered in white snow. Only one area had unexpected scenery—there were many peach blossoms quietly blooming in the icy place.

The light-pink petals flowed gently with the cold wind as they exuded a light fragrance. With one sniff, it rejuvenated one’s heart.

Under the pure silver and white background, these patches of pink looked extremely pleasing.

Some snowflakes landed on the petals in an iridescent manner.

She turned around and smiled at that person. “See! I told you peach blossoms can flower in winter!”

That man seemed to chuckle softly as he walked toward her.

He was closer and closer.

Kuang!

This sound suddenly shattered her dream!

Chu Liuyue instantly widened her eyes!