Chapter 100: Awakening

Zhang Ning, who was walking out of the formation, was stunned for a moment. He had not yet figured out what the source power crystal was when two figures approached together. One he had never seen before, but the other was the black-faced Fourth Senior Brother Han Zhifei. Zhang Ning shivered and greeted with forced composure, "Fourth Senior Brother, good morning."

Because Han Zhifei rushed quickly to Zhang Ning's side, the figure lagging half a step behind him did not stand out much. No one noticed that the moment that person saw Zhang Ning, their walking pace almost halted.

Zhang Ning had not expected the reticent Fourth Senior Brother to be in a relatively good mood at this moment. Although Zhang Ning knew from before departing for that world that he would not receive praise and had even prepared to take a beating, Han Zhifei seemed angry about Zhang Ning's rash decision this time, but ultimately did not utter a harsh word to him.

Instead, the Second Senior Brother he met for the first time seriously lectured Zhang Ning. What's more, it was him who thoughtfully instructed Zhang Ning to go check his body thoroughly and have all the lost supplies, magical treasures, elixirs, and so on from the attack in the Shiwan Dashan Mountain Range replenished multiple times.

He also told Zhang Ning to take this opportunity to tour the Da Zizai Demon Sect thoroughly before proceeding with his duties. Despite his fresh and handsome face that seemed harmless to humans and animals, he handled matters with decisive speed, leaving Zhang Ning stunned. Only then did Zhang Ning realize that Zhuge Yi, who did not stand out as much as he did outside, had been overseeing all matters within the Da Zizai Demon Sect and was already the actual leader of the Da Zizai Demon Sect as the Second Senior Brother, who was truly busy like a spinning top.

What made Zhang Ning a bit timid was that the Second Senior Brother also told him to find him later to discuss something! But this matter was indefinitely shelved by Zhang Ning, after all, the Second Senior Brother was very busy! Zhang Ning was also afraid in his heart, because although there had been a brief period of time with his parents, in the subsequent years Zhang Ning had always been in a state without senior restraint, so the idea of talking heart to heart was really something he was a bit afraid of.

Although Zhang Ning was sometimes a bit silly and sweet, he was not actually heartless. When the situation with the Third Senior Brother Zhuge Yi was unclear, Zhang Ning really had no time to understand the Da Zizai Demon Sect. Even knowing that the Third Senior Brother would definitely be fine, Zhang Ning had come from the Water Blue Star and could not immediately adapt to the situation here. In Zhang Ning's view, such a severe injury would require lying in bed for at least a year and a half. So after waiting outside the Third Senior Brother Zhuge Yi's bedroom for a while, receiving the news that he was "almost recovered," Zhang Ning really thought he was dreaming.

Zhang Ning pushed open the door and saw Zhuge Yi lying on the bed with his eyes closed, as if still asleep. He no longer had that emaciated appearance, with his body full of blood and flesh, and even a slight blush on his cheeks. But the gap between this appearance and before was too great, right? So, was this a nightmare? Actually, the Third Senior Brother had already...

Zhang Ning held his breath and, with trembling fingers, placed them under the Third Senior Brother's nose. After a moment, Zhang Ning let out a breath of relief, only to meet Zhuge Yi's smiling eyes.

"Third Senior Brother, you're awake. Haha, that's great... Uh, Senior Brother, are you thirsty?" Zhang Ning said dryly.

"Don't worry, I'm fine, Ning. I'm not thirsty either. It's you, what were you doing just now?" Hearing the obvious smile in Zhuge Yi's voice, Zhang Ning scratched his head and said, "Sorry, I have a delusion, Senior Brother."

Zhuge Yi smiled without exposing Zhang Ning. He slowly propped himself up to sit up, but was suddenly pressed by Zhang Ning on the shoulder: "Senior Brother, what are you doing?!"

Seeing Zhang Ning's expression, Zhuge Yi thought he had committed some heinous crime and asked doubtfully, "I'm fine. It's good that you're here to see me. I've been lying down for a while and am tired of it."

Zhang Ning was anxious: "No! You've just recovered!"

Zhuge Yi was at a loss between crying and laughing, saying, "I'm really fine. After using various talismans and the elixirs refined by the Sect Master, I can now even fight normally against opponents, and my internal energy won't have any blockage." Seeing Zhang Ning's disbelief, Zhuge Yi added, "The elixir I took was refined by the Sect Master. You can't possibly not believe in the Sect Master's abilities, right?"

Zhuge Yi really had to submit to Zhang Ning. Currently, in Zhang Ning's heart, Chu Hanyu's status was unquestionable. However, the person who was almost at death's door was now about to jump around lively. Zhang Ning couldn't accept this even more, so he firmly pressed down on Zhuge Yi's shoulder: "Senior Brother, I want to borrow your bed to lie down for a while... I've been guarding you all these days without sleeping well!"

Zhuge Yi knew Zhang Ning would not let him get up no matter what, somewhat helplessly, but in his heart, he felt that the concern from his dear junior brother was very gratifying, so he said, "Alright, alright! Junior Brother, let go of me first. I won't resist... Go to bed."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ning's face lit up with joy. He slowly climbed onto the bed and wanted to sleep on the inner side of Zhuge Yi, while Zhuge Yi was originally smiling as he watched Zhang Ning's arms and legs wriggling on the bed, but he did not expect to suddenly receive a love bomb!

It turned out that when Zhang Ning climbed over Zhuge Yi, his elbow "thud" hit Zhuge Yi's abdomen, then his knee "slap" landed right on the same spot. Zhuge Yi almost jumped up. The abdomen is the softest part of the human body, and in such an unprepared situation, not to mention that Zhang Ning had been diligently cultivating martial arts, his build was not tall but sturdy, so it really was not a light pain!

Yet Zhang Ning had not noticed this situation and climbed to the inner side of the bed, lying beside Zhuge Yi, holding his arm to ensure he would not get up. What could Zhuge Yi do? This was sincere concern from his dear junior brother, so Zhuge Yi silently accepted it, though he did not expect to end up being the one hurt the most by Zhang Ning, so he could only forgive him.

The senior and junior brothers chatted casually, and under a very relaxed atmosphere, they fell asleep naturally.

In the Thousand Worlds of the Divine Path

In the stellar passage returning from that thousand-worlds realm to the Azure Realm, several Immortal Venerables and Demon Venerables from the worlds of the foreign realm strong ones who had invaded were silent, silently returning from the astral space to the Azure Realm. Even for them, this process was not easy. Most importantly, in the stellar passage where up, down, left, and right were indistinguishable, it was really easy to lose the correct direction. The worst case would be like Zhao Nan, a full session Immortal Venerable, who was "luckily" blown into the stellar passage during the confrontation with the great tribulation and wandered lost in it for hundreds of years. Everyone thought he was dead...

Between the martial venerables, no one spoke, and the atmosphere was somewhat heavy. Although not finding a way to obtain the source power crystal was within expectations, everyone had harbored a last hope when they went to that thousand-worlds realm. Now that the hope had fallen through, although the martial venerables' city forts and experiences far surpassed ordinary people, they inevitably felt waves of disappointment. This was also human nature.