The voice was ethereal, like in a deep, vast cave, echoing for a long time before gradually fading away.

Er’er tried hard to hear his subsequent words, but her body had already reached its limit. With a buzzing in her head, she knew nothing more.

When she woke up, countless days and nights had passed. The lamp that had been burning brightly was now reduced to just the remnants of candle wax. The embroidered curtains were half-drawn, and the entire Upper Bing Palace was silent.

“Master?” she called out tentatively, grabbing the curtain and poking her head out to look around.

There was no one.

Her heart inexplicably relaxed. She moved her shoulders and discovered that the previous heart-wrenching pain had disappeared, with only some slight discomfort remaining in her heart and lungs.

She reached out to form a hand sign, and a small flame could now be summoned at will.

How amazing!

The boss wouldn’t praise her for this level of achievement, but Er’er didn’t hesitate to praise herself. Then she got out of bed, changed into a set of clothes, and tiptoed toward the exit.

…

…

“Immortal Er’er.” Someone called her with a smile.

Shuddering on the spot, Er’er turned around warily, only to find it was Zhu Yan.

Unlike the lofty Li Ye, although Zhu Yan had reached the True Lord realm, he frequently traveled between the Nine Heavens and the mortal world. Er’er had seen him twice before at Taihe Xianshi’s sect, so she didn’t feel unfamiliar with him.

“Greetings, True Lord.” She turned and curtsied.

Zhu Yan looked at her with a smile and handed her a cloak: “The Supreme God went out on business.”

“Ah, I see.” Er’er was quite self-aware and didn’t dare to inquire about Li Ye’s whereabouts. She only looked at the sky outside and asked, “How long have I been asleep?”

Zhu Yan nodded: “More than nine days.”

Nine days?! Er’er counted on her fingers in shock, and her expression became troubled: “The autumn banquet at the Banquet Immortal Platform has started.”

“Yes.” Zhu Yan seemed not to notice her unusual reaction and only looked at the immortal light that streaked across the distance like a rainbow. “This year is more lively than previous years. Several immortals who have been in seclusion for a long time have coincidentally achieved great success.”

Her eyes darting about, Er’er held the cloak in her hands and asked softly: “Is the True Lord planning to join the festivities?”

Zhu Yan thought for a moment: “I could go, or I could not.”

“Then let’s go?” Er’er eagerly invited him, her eyes curving into crescents as she said, “The Banquet Immortal Platform has the richest spiritual energy and jade nectar. Going there brings only benefits and no harm. If the True Lord needs company, this humble immortal is willing to guide the way.”

With that, she swept away the clouds beneath the steps with her foot and looked expectantly at him.

Zhu Yan: “…”

He helplessly held his forehead, both laughing and crying: “The Supreme God’s whereabouts are unpredictable. I cannot report this matter to him.”

“For such a small matter, there’s no need to trouble him,” Er’er waved dismissively and said calmly. “We’ll go and return early.”

Her obsequious manner made it awkward for Zhu Yan to refuse. After hesitating for a while, he summoned a cloud: “Just for one hour.”

“Thank you, True Lord.” Er’er jumped onto it with him, pressing her palms together and bowing repeatedly.

Zhu Yan could understand a small immortal wanting to broaden her horizons, but thinking of some troublesome immortals who would appear this year, he warned her first: “Stay with me and don’t wander off.”

Er’er blinked: “Do I need to stay by the True Lord’s side even while absorbing spiritual energy?”

“That’s not necessary,” Zhu Yan waved his hand. “Just don’t get into any conflicts with other immortals.”

After a pause, he added with a solemn expression: “Especially with Supreme God Xin Wu.”

With so many Supreme Gods in the Nine Heavens, she couldn’t afford to offend any of them. Besides the person she was looking for, why would she get into conflicts with others? Er’er patted her chest with firm promises: “Rest assured, True Lord. I guarantee I won’t cause you any trouble.”

The Longevity Forest was just ahead. For a small immortal like Er’er, it might be a burial ground, but for those at Zhu Yan’s level of cultivation, he didn’t even bother to take a second look, flying straight through on his cloud to reach the Banquet Immortal Platform.

“Zhu Yan!”

As soon as they landed, Er’er heard someone shouting angrily from all directions, which frightened her into quickly hiding behind him.

Several Supreme Gods wearing deep blue immortal robes walked towards them with menacing auras. Before they even came to a stop, harsh words fell like hailstones: “Where is Li Ye? He dares to invade our Kan Clan’s immortal sect but doesn’t dare to come out and give us an explanation?”

“Dozens of people in our sect were injured, and some had their spirit cores burned and cracked by that divine fire, unable to form their soul nuclei. What do you have to say about this?”

These people spoke with thunderous voices, clearly of extremely high cultivation, but Zhu Yan stood in front, still smiling, not the least bit afraid.

“I have already discussed the situation with Supreme God Li Ye. Please remain calm and wait for the Supreme God’s response.”

“You speak so lightly of it. How many days has it been, and has he shown his face even once?”

“If even you Supreme Gods cannot find him, what can a humble immortal like me do?” Zhu Yan spread his hands. “Perhaps the Supreme Gods should search near the Incomplete Mountain. You might find something there.”

“You’re trying to evade responsibility!”

“This is outrageous!”

Several angry shouts rose with a murderous aura. Zhu Yan knew conflict was inevitable and sighed, putting his right hand behind his back and flicking it lightly.

Er’er was secretly admiring Zhu Yan’s skill in deflecting the situation when the scene before her suddenly changed.

Under her feet was wet moss, and before her were the unique silver flowers and fire trees of the immortal realm. Zhu Yan and the menacing Kan Clan Supreme Gods were gone; only Zhu Yan’s distant words reached her: “You go first.”

After standing in shock for quite a while, Er’er finally realized that Zhu Yan found her presence inconvenient and had transported her to another corner of the Banquet Immortal Platform.

And not far from this corner was the main banquet platform.

Her eyes brightened, and Er’er swallowed.

She couldn’t be blamed for not keeping her promise. It was True Lord Zhu Yan who actively sent her away, so taking a few more steps forward shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Looking left and right, Er’er excitedly stepped forward.

She trampled a sweet immortal fruit beneath her foot, crushing it and making a crisp sound.

Hearing the noise, she looked down and gasped with distress: “Immortal Person Fruit!”

As expected of the legendary Banquet Immortal Platform, these Immortal Person Fruits, each capable of opening a meridian, were just scattered on the ground. With one step, she had destroyed the equivalent of twenty years of cultivation.

However, there was more ahead.

Following the grass, she saw plump, juicy fruits one after another. Er’er was immediately delighted and made a pouch with her dress, stooping to pick them up one by one.

“Five, six, seven.” Counting while calculating the cultivation she would gain, she was so happy her eyes nearly disappeared in her smile. Seeing that the eighth one was larger than the previous ones, she quickly reached out: “Eight…”

A pale hand extended from beside her, picking up the eighth fruit before she could.

Er’er’s eyebrows drooped, and she raised her head, about to say she had seen it first, but as her gaze moved upward, she saw an extremely bizarre face.

Slender eyes and eyebrows, thin lips, with several strands of hair as black as thick ink falling beside his temples. His entire body seemed to have only black and white colors, and the fire-red Immortal Person Fruit at his fingertips looked like a drop of blood fallen into ink.

“Ah, the eighth one.” He licked his lips and reached out to grasp her neck, “picking” her up just as she had picked up the Immortal Person Fruits.

“Seems even more delicious than those few upper immortals from the Li Clan earlier.”