Chapter 26: Awakening the Willow Deity: You are the second person to cross over!

The Azure-Scaled Eagle was the overlord of the skies on the outskirts of the Vast Wilderness Mountains, possessing the bloodline of an ancient demonic bird flowing through its veins.

As for the Azure-Scaled Eagle that accompanied Shi Hao, named Zi Yun, it had been enlightened by the Willow Deity during its incubation, causing its bloodline to undergo an ancestral reversion. Its strength had long since surpassed that of its mother, the Old Azure-Scaled Eagle.

Particularly in terms of flight speed, it was as swift as a lightning bolt, even faster than the Heavenly Horse mount stolen by Zhu Chen.

Riding this Azure-Scaled Eagle, Zhu Chen and the others sped through the sky, crossing a distance of a hundred thousand miles in just over a day to arrive at the new Stone Village where the Willow Deity resided.

"Grandpa Clan Leader, I'm back..."

As soon as they touched the ground, Shi Hao impatiently ran into the village and began telling an elderly man with a cane and white hair about the events that had occurred at the Stone Village ancestral grounds.

This elderly man was the village chief of Stone Village, Shi Yunfeng.

If one did not count the Willow Deity and that Five-Colored Sparrow, he was likely the only cultivator in this village besides Shi Hao.

Zhu Chen and Huo Ling'er followed them into the village.

The moment they stepped into the village, Zhu Chen suddenly felt a faint, ethereal sense of divine sense land upon him.

It was the Willow Deity.

She was scrutinizing him.

Zhu Chen remained composed and continued walking forward.

The villagers of Stone Village assumed they were friends brought back by Shi Hao and behaved very warmly, bringing out plenty of fruit and beast meat to entertain them.

"Hey~ Zhu Chen, what are we doing following this brat here?"

It was Huo Ling'er's first time in such a rural settlement, and she felt somewhat out of place.

She secretly tugged at the corner of Zhu Chen's sleeve, signaling him to find an opportunity to slip away.

After all, they were not only carrying the rejuvenated Zhu Yan, but also that inherited treasure.

What if the people here were driven by greed and decided to kill them for their treasures?

However, Zhu Chen was not worried about Huo Ling'er's concerns at all.

While people in this world could be deceitful and treacherous—some even willing to "sacrifice their ribs" for their own interests—such problems did not exist in Stone Village.

The villagers here were naturally simple and honest, treating others with sincerity without much hidden agenda.

Moreover, the Willow Deity wouldn't even look twice at the things they held.

The two sat on stone stools eating some fruit.

After a while, Shi Hao led Shi Yunfeng toward them.

"Young friends, judging by your attire, you are likely not from the Great Wilderness, are you?"

Shi Yunfeng sized up Zhu Chen and Huo Ling'er before speaking slowly.

"No, we come from the Fire Nation."

Zhu Chen nodded, then stood up and looked at Shi Yunfeng. "Shi Hao should have told you the reason for our visit, right?"

Shi Yunfeng nodded slightly. "Indeed, Little Junior did tell me. If you truly can heal the Willow Deity's old injuries, I can authorize the lending of the *Original True Interpretation* for you to study."

With that, he produced a translucent bone fragment from his person.

This bone fragment was the *Original True Interpretation* brought by the Willow Deity.

Seeing that Shi Yunfeng had shown his sincerity, Zhu Chen was not stingy either. He decisively took out the bottle of spiritual liquid that Han Li had previously gifted him.

"This substance is called the Sky-Reaching Creation Dew, a thing that plunders the essence of heaven and earth. If given to the Willow Deity, it will surely aid in her recovery."

He opened the bottle.

Instantly, a surge of pure spiritual energy overflowed from within, causing everyone nearby to feel a sudden burst of vitality.

"It truly is top-grade spiritual milk..."

Shi Yunfeng's eyes lit up.

As a low-level cultivator from a Great Wilderness tribe, where had he ever seen such a treasure?

For these two youngsters to carry such spiritual milk on their person, they were certainly no ordinary people from the Fire Nation; their status must be incredibly noble.

He hadn't expected that Little Junior's outing would bring back such figures.

Withdrawing his gaze from the Sky-Reaching Creation Dew, Shi Yunfeng looked back at Zhu Chen and Huo Ling'er. "Young friends, please follow me. I will take you to see the Willow Deity immediately."

Having said that, he turned and led Shi Hao and the villagers toward the center of the village.

The wooden stump that was the Willow Deity's true form sat there.

Without hesitation, Zhu Chen quickly followed with Huo Ling'er.

"Zhu Chen, who exactly is this Willow Deity? Why would you give such precious spiritual milk to her?"

"And... how do you know so much about this village and that brat Shi Hao? Have you been here before?"

"Wait, that's not right. You've always been with me in the capital of the Fire Nation. Logically, you shouldn't have been here."

Huo Ling'er's heart was filled with doubt.

She thought she understood Zhu Chen well.

But after this journey through the Great Wilderness, she suddenly realized that Zhu Chen seemed to harbor many secrets.

And these secrets were not only unknown to her, but perhaps even her father, the Emperor, was completely unaware of them.

"Now is not the time to discuss this. I'll tell you when we return," Zhu Chen said truthfully.

Since he was with Huo Ling'er every day, some things were bound to be discovered.

Therefore, he had decided that once matters here were settled, he would tell her about the chat group.

As for the original plot of the *Perfect World*, he felt it was better to leave that alone.

After all, he couldn't exactly tell her: "You were originally Shi Hao's wife, but I've snatched you away."

Following behind Shi Yunfeng and the others, the two soon arrived at the Willow Deity's location.

At that moment, a pleasant voice suddenly rang in Zhu Chen's ear: "The second person to cross worlds... you have finally arrived..."

Zhu Chen glanced at Shi Hao and the others, finding them acting normally.

Clearly, this voice could only be heard by him.

"Willow Deity, have you already deduced matters regarding me?"

Zhu Chen did not shy away from communicating with her via divine sense.

Soon, the Willow Deity's voice rang out again: "Yes, and no."

Zhu Chen frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

The Willow Deity continued, "I have only deduced a fragment of your past, learning that you are not of this realm. Your soul does not belong to this world, nor does it belong to this universe. As for your future... I... cannot see it."

*As expected of a supreme Immortal King, she can actually calculate that I don't belong to this world.*

Zhu Chen's eyes flickered. He continued to look toward the Willow Deity and asked, "Willow Deity, you just said I am the second person to cross worlds. Who was the first?"

The Willow Deity's voice suddenly fell silent, only to ring out again after a moment: "That was a person who came bearing a tripod. He is different from you; he does not belong to the past, nor to the present. He arrived by traversing the long river of time and space. But you... you are a variable. You do not belong to this world at all. Your existence involves too much karma; you may even affect the future of everyone in this era, including me..."

*It really is him.*

*Ye Fan!*

Zhu Chen's gaze tightened slightly.

A person who crossed the river of time bearing a tripod—who else could it be but the "Parkour King," Old Black Ye?

Perhaps because she had revealed too much and endured too much karma, the Willow Deity's aura suddenly grew much dimmer.

Others could not sense it, but Zhu Chen possessed an extreme divine sense, allowing him to feel it clearly.

Thus, without hesitation, he decisively opened the small green bottle, held it out before the Willow Deity, and said, "Willow Deity, could this object be of help to your recovery?"

...

(End of Chapter)