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They went to a city of the Yao Realm, then used its transfer array to return to Heavenly God City. It didn't take long at all; they arrived within an hour of setting out.

"I have to go visit my aunt now," said Ye Zichen. "Do you guys want to come with me?"

It was a waste of time to even ask. Pu Jingwan and Yang Jian's mission was to stick to his side and protect him.

As for the Great Sage, if this were Skyspan City, he might have rejoined Wei Jie and the others. But this was Heavenly God City, and he didn't know anyone here. He had nowhere else to go, and could only choose to follow them.

The group all nodded, then followed Ye Zichen to where he was meeting Xuan Ji.

Perhaps because they were in a hurry, but although they didn't realize it, there was a street vendor positioned near the transfer array. When he saw Ye Zichen and the others emerge from the formation, he covered his face with his hat, obscuring it completely. Then, face still hidden, he watched their every move.

It was only after they left that he took out his jade slip and sent someone, who knows who, a message.

Meanwhile, in the tavern en route to the Divine Martial Academy they'd rented, the students of Skyspan Academies took turns staking out the joint. They did this for the sake of delaying Ye Zichen finding out about Xue Mo's situation as possible. Or perhaps, they just didn't want him to ever find out.

At that moment, Jiang Yong and Murong Xue were seated in the tavern. Jiang Yong was by the entrance, and his divine awareness was spread out, covering the entire venue.

So long as Ye Zichen appeared, he'd sense him right away, allowing them to react immediately.

They'd do whatever they had to to keep him from entering the Divine Martial Academy, even if it meant resorting to lies. They didn't want him to find out about Xue Mo.

They'd all agreed on this after discussing it. Even the Xue Family supported their decision.

Murong Xue, meanwhile, sat in the center of the tavern holding a transmission slip, which lit up continuously. Ever since Xue Mo's accident, Murong Xue had used this slip to communicate with Xue Beibei and keep tabs of Xue Mo's situation.

Suddenly, its light faded. Xue Mo put it away.

Jiang Yong asked, "How is Xue Mo doing? Has she woken up yet?"

Murong Xue silently shook her head, her eyes filled with hard-to-disguise sadness and self-blame. Even now, she felt that what had happened to Xue Mo was all her fault.

When he saw Murong Xue's pallid, gaunt face and lifeless eyes, Jiang Yong's heart ached.

After getting injured, Xue Mo had been rushed back to the Sea of Innocence. He hadn't seen Murong Xue smile since. She'd lost her usual cold haughtiness and intimidating demeanor, and now spent her days immersed in self-recrimination, utterly focused on her jade transmission slip. The second she received news, she read it.

She didn't drink, didn't eat, didn't sleep. She grew thinner by the day.

Jiang Yong loved her, so naturally, it hurt to see her like this. He wanted to comfort her, but no matter what he said, it didn't seem to make a difference.

Finally, he understood: all he could do was sit there with her silence, keeping her company. Only that and nothing more.

Jiang Yong sighed and stole a few more worried glances and Murong Xue before refocusing on the city streets. The conversation they'd had just now was identical to the ones they'd had every day since Xue Mo first got hurt.

"Beibei said…" Unusually, Murong Xue broke the silence.

Jiang Yong instantly whipped his head around. "What did she say?"

He wasn't actually that concerned with whatever it was Xue Beibei had said; he just wanted to know if Xue Mo was alright or not. After all, they were friends. But more than that, he was concerned about Murong Xue.

She'd spoken up, starting a conversation. Jiang Yong wanted to try and get a few more sentences out of her.

Who cared what Xue Beibei said? If it could get Murong Xue to talk, he'd be happy.

"She said she took a look at Xue Mo's transmission jade and saw quite a few messages from Zichen. Based on their order, it seems he's already suspicious that something happened to Xue Mo, or the Anti-Upheaval. Beibei also said that we absolutely can't let Ye Zichen find out, and that she'll help us keep this under wraps. This is Great Emperor Xue Yang's will as well."

Jiang Yong was certain that this was the most Murong Xue had spoken in a long time.

However, what troubled him was the contents of this message; this wasn't good news for them.

But then, Jiang Yong wasn't surprised. The way he saw it, Ye Zichen was sharp, with keen senses and perception. Ye Zichen was far better at reading people than he was, at least.

The previous night, they'd put on a show at the tavern. Initially, Jiang Yong thought they'd done a convincing job, but when he replayed it in his mind, there was far too much that could provoke suspicion. It would be weirder if Ye Zichen didn't suspect anything.

"What should we do now?" asked Murong Xue, practically sobbing.

She was certain that, even comatose, Xue Mo wouldn't want Ye Zichen to know what had happened. In order to make up for her failures, she had to ensure that Ye Zichen never found out about it, or at least…. That he didn't find out until Xue Mo woke up.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here." Jiang Yong walked up to Murong Xue's side and gently patted her shoulder.

At that moment, his jade slip lit up as well.

He inserted his divine sense, then tightly knit his brows; he'd just learned of Ye Zichen's return to Heavenly God City. "How could they be this fast?"

He'd gotten this news from one of his teammates. That "street vendor" handing out by the transfer array was actually a member of the Aspirations Society,

They'd gone to the Yao Realm just last night. It was now barely noon the next day. Why were they back so soon? Suddenly, he recalled the spatial bridge between the Yao Realm and Heavenly God City.

He couldn't afford to panic right now; he had to be Murong Xue's emotional support. He had to think, think of a way past this.

Since Ye Zichen was already suspicious of them, keeping up the ruse would only get harder and harder. They had to find some way to get Ye Zichen to trust them absolutely, or to divert his suspicions from them so he wouldn't think in the wrong direction.

Forget him, Murong Xue, Pang Zheng and the others. Based on the messages Ye Zichen sent Xue Mo, he already suspected them.

"Jiang Wei!" Jiang Yong suddenly slapped his thigh. Jiang Wei, who wasn't much of a talker or, alternatively, who disdained to spend time with them, hadn't been at the tavern last night. Perhaps he refused to lower himself by tricking Ye Zichen.

But at a time like this, so long as they explained how important this was clearly, he would most likely help them.

No matter what, they couldn't just watch as Ye Zichen threw his life away.