Ling Xiyue nestled in his arms, listening to his familiar tone and arrogant words, and all the fear and unease in her heart vanished.
The crying gradually subsided, but she still clung to him tightly, craving the peace and warmth she had regained.
David gently patted her back, comforting her for a long time. Only after the girl’s emotions gradually calmed down did he look up at Jiang Xuelan, who stood quietly in front of him with gentle eyes and brows.
Jiang Xuelan looked at him, her gaze clear and earnest. Without any unnecessary pleasantries, she went straight to the point, her voice soft yet carrying a heavy expectation:
“David, you traveled to the Dao Ruins and crossed realms, spending several months on this journey. Have you found a way to counter the damaged Heavenly Dao of the Twenty-Sixth Heaven?”
This is the question that everyone cares about most, and it is the only thought that has sustained them through countless days and nights of despair.
The Heavenly Dao of the Twenty-Sixth Heaven is corrupt and tyrannical. The Tian Shu Sect, relying on the protection of the Heavenly Dao, runs rampant, slaughters cultivators, and wreaks havoc in all directions.
All the remaining righteous cultivators lived in endless oppression and despair. They persevered day after day, hoping that David would bring back a glimmer of hope to turn the tide.
Faced with Jiang Xuelan’s earnest question, David did not boast or make any grand pronouncements; he simply nodded slightly and gave a soft “hmm.”
A single, simple word, yet it carried immense weight, striking the hearts of the four like a thunderclap, instantly dispelling the long-standing gloom.
I have a solution.
They endured so long, hoped so long, and feared so long, and finally, they saw a glimmer of hope for a turnaround.
Jiang Xuelan’s cool and aloof expression completely relaxed, and a relieved and gentle smile quietly blossomed. Instantly, she shed the heaviness and fatigue of the past few days and became radiant.
Seeing the joyful and moved expressions on their faces, David felt a warmth in his heart. He then raised his hand and gently lifted Ling Xiyue from his arms. The girl instinctively hugged his neck tightly, pressed her face against his shoulder, and looked at him with eyes full of dependence and reassurance.
He looked up at Jiang Xuelan, his tone relaxed and casual: “You must be tired after traveling all this way. Take a rest first. No matter how big the matter is, a little bit more won’t make a difference.”
Jiang Xuelan understood immediately and nodded gently: “Okay.”
David, holding Ling Xiyue, gestured towards the house and said lazily, “Let’s go inside and rest for a day and a night. We can talk about the rest after we wake up.”
Jiang Xuelan followed closely behind, her steps light and graceful, walking beside him into the wooden house deep in the valley.
Outside the wooden house, Canfeng and Canfei watched the three figures enter the house, exchanged a glance, and then turned around in tacit understanding, walking to the entrance of the valley and standing side by side.
Both men wore honest and resolute smiles, their auras instantly tensing as they took the initiative to shoulder the responsibility of guarding and protecting the area.
“The Lord is back, everything is alright.” Canfeng said softly, his tone full of reassurance.
The disabled man nodded emphatically, his eyes resolute: “We will guard the gate and not let anyone or anything disturb the Lord’s rest.”
From this day forward, the heavens of the Twenty-Sixth Heaven will change.
The two stood quietly at the entrance of the valley, like two silent and steadfast guardians, protecting the people inside from all the storms and dangers of the outside world and safeguarding a peaceful haven for them.
Inside the wooden house, there was tranquility and warmth, isolating it from all the desolation and bleakness of the outside world.
After months of wandering abroad, enduring hardship and biding his time, navigating perilous challenges, and carrying a heavy burden alone, David appeared calm and composed, but in reality, he had accumulated countless feelings of exhaustion and repression.
In the twenty-seventh heaven, he feigned cowardice, endured and lay low, proceeding cautiously at every step.
Daring not to reveal even a hint of brilliance, she planned everything alone and bore all the pressure alone, with no one to confide in or comfort her.
Only by returning here, to the few people who truly care about him and are concerned for him, can he completely shed all pretense, all burdens, all scheming and calculation, and truly relax to be his most authentic self.
There is no heavy burden of the struggle between the heavens, no shackles of destiny, no feigned humility, only pure warmth and peace.
In that day and night, David completely forgot about the turmoil in the Heavenly Dao, the arrogance of the Tian Shu Sect, the grudges and entanglements among the heavens, and the many plans for the future.
He could only find peace in the tender companionship of Jiang Xuelan and Ling Xiyue, shedding his weariness and releasing all the pressure and repression that had been building up for so long.
Jiang Xuelan and Ling Xiyue tried their best to please David. They knew that their strength could not help David, so they could only do their best to make him comfortable at this moment.
Warm and tender moments flowed by gently, healing all the hardships and wanderings.