The sudden appearance of the three elders completely caught Ye Xin off guard. She hadn't expected that the ones they were searching for would show up so easily.
"I never thought we would meet again like this," Fang Shuiwen said, his tone also filled with surprise as he looked at Ye Xin.
Zhou Yian quickly approached the bedside, his face filled with concern as he saw the unconscious and gravely injured Lin Qian. "How did he get so badly hurt? Could it be related to that Purple Demon Fish?"
Ye Xin gently nodded and explained to Zhou Yian, "Xiao Qian took some sort of secret medicine that unleashed incredible power, allowing him to slay the Purple Demon Fish."
As she looked at Lin Qian lying on the bed, her eyes filled with tenderness and concern. "But Xiao Qian was already severely wounded. Forcing himself to such extremes only led to this state."
After hearing Ye Xin's explanation, Yang Guixiang turned to the village elder and asked, "What about his injuries? Is there a way to heal him?"
"In truth, his life is no longer in danger. While his injuries are serious, his body is healing on its own," the elder of the Green Spirit Clan, who led the village, said as he looked at Lin Qian. "At this moment, his body is not suited to strong medicines. The best course of action is to let his natural vitality heal him."
Ye Xin agreed with the elder's assessment. She knew well how strong Lin Qian's body was. Even though his aura was weak, his life force remained vibrant, which indicated that the elder's words were likely true.
Gently stroking Lin Qian's forehead, Ye Xin could only hope he would wake up soon.
After regaining her composure, Ye Xin turned to the three elders. She respectfully bowed to them as a junior and then spoke, "Honored elders, much has happened over these past few years, including significant developments with the Twin Polarity Hall, Xiaoyao Sect, and the Blood Spirit Valley."
"Let's discuss this in more detail at our temporary quarters within the village," Fang Shuiwen suggested, nodding thoughtfully.
Ye Xin was slightly surprised by this revelation. She hadn't expected that the three elders would have their own place to stay within the Green Spirit Clan's village. This suggested that the elders had a close relationship with the Green Spirit Clan.
After thanking the village elder and Cui Yu for their help, Ye Xin followed the three elders to their temporary residence.
Their quarters were modest but more than sufficient for the three of them. Once inside, the elders activated barriers to seal the room, ensuring their privacy. Ye Xin then began recounting everything that had transpired over the years.
As they listened, the three elders displayed different reactions, but all shared a common thread of astonishment. They were shocked by the events that had unfolded during their absence.
Lin Qian had unified the entire Southern Domain, becoming its ruler. Their own sects—Twin Polarity Hall, Xiaoyao Sect, and Blood Spirit Valley—had been integrated into the empire.
While they had no objections to this, as they had always planned for their factions to join Lin Qian's empire, they were utterly surprised by Lin Qian's accomplishments.
What shocked them even more was Lin Qian's actions in the Central Domain. Not only had he destroyed the Yun family, but he had also uncovered a horrifying secret within their ranks.
"Cursed infection... such a vile thing. If it had spread, the consequences would have been catastrophic," Fang Shuiwen said, his face still pale from the realization. He shuddered at the thought of what might have happened had Lin Qian not intervened in time.
Seated upright, Ye Xin looked at the three elders, her curiosity piqued. "I'm also curious about what you three experienced during this time. What exactly happened with the Purple Demon Fish and the ruin?"
She wanted to understand the situation fully so that she could explain it to Lin Qian when he woke up.
The elders exchanged glances, their expressions heavy with shock. Though Ye Xin had spoken calmly, the powerful aura radiating from her hinted at her incredible strength, leaving the elders in awe.
Yang Guixiang grunted softly to himself, impressed. "This little girl has grown stronger than I ever imagined."
Zhou Yian cleared his throat and began to explain, "After entering the underground passage, we arrived in this subterranean world. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. We wandered this unfamiliar land, seeking to hone our skills through exploration."
"The inhabitants of this world, despite being from other races, were kind-hearted. Even though we were human, they treated us warmly, without prejudice. It was rather remarkable."
"But once the Fengxun Clan discovered us, they began hunting us relentlessly. Nearly every tribe in this world provided us shelter at some point. This very village was one of those places. Unfortunately, the Wood Spirit Clan suffered because of us…"
"You need not worry about that. The Wood Spirit Clan is now living well in the Hua Xia Empire. In fact, the three of you ended up saving them," Ye Xin reassured Zhou Yian, seeing the guilt on his face.
"That's a relief to hear," Zhou Yian sighed. "Later, we discovered a ruin hidden deep in this world and ventured inside. We hadn't even had time to explore before the entrance sealed itself, protecting us from danger."
"The ruin was mostly empty, aside from numerous seals scattered across its walls. We also found a passage leading deeper underground, but the entrance was blocked by a powerful formation."
"We couldn't tell what lay beneath, but we could feel an overwhelming sense of dread. Yet Yang Guixiang here, being fearless as always, tried to break through the formation to see what was hidden below," Zhou Yian glared at Yang Guixiang as he recounted the incident, while Yang Guixiang, for once, looked remorseful.
Yang Guixiang, his face filled with guilt, added, "If it weren't for me, so many lives wouldn't have been lost in this world."
"It wasn't your fault," Zhou Yian reassured him. "Despite touching the formation, it held strong. However, the seals in the ruin were weakened, and from one of the cracks emerged a small, purple-black fish."
"At first, it was no bigger than a palm, but it soon broke through the sealed entrance of the ruin and escaped into the outside world. It took us five months to find a way out of the ruin. By the time we did, that little fish had grown into the massive creature you encountered."
"We returned to the ruin, hoping to find a solution, and discovered a broken seal with an inscription on a stone tablet. The inscription read: 'Purple Demon Fish—Ornamental Species.'"
Ye Xin's eyes widened in disbelief. "That terrifying fish... was just an ornamental species?"