Watching Jian Ruyan's bloodline power teeter on the edge of losing control.
Xiang Mantang finally made up his mind and decided to take the risk to rush over and save her!
Otherwise, just standing a hundred miles away, she would inevitably be frozen to death!
Both options were dangerous, so why not take a chance that the ghastly presence wouldn't harm Jian Ruyan!
With a struggle and a sense of helplessness in his eyes, Xiang Mantang moved his legs and in a blink, he crossed the hundred miles and arrived at Jian Ruyan's side.
Then, disregarding the terrifying cold of her body, Xiang Mantang picked up Jian Ruyan from the ground, held her in his arms, and placed his hands on her back, circulating his cultivation techniques to help her regulate her breath and the uncontrollable flood-like bloodline power within her body.
To Xiang Mantang's surprise.
He had thought that Jian Ruyan's current state would be difficult to handle, but after his True Yuan carried a trace of the Vermilion Phoenix Bloodline, the uncontrollable surge of bloodline power inside Jian Ruyan's body suddenly became like a properly channelled stream, babbling sweetly.
"This is..."
Xiang Mantang then discovered with both shock and delight that not only was Jian Ruyan's condition improving, but the ghastly presence, previously the size of a hundred miles, was also retracting rapidly as Jian Ruyan lay in his arms, no longer able to be controlled.
In just a moment.
The ghastly presence that had spanned a hundred miles was forcibly suppressed back into the ghost shadow behind Xiang Mantang.
"Hahaha!"
After being stunned for a moment, Xiang Mantang burst into a joyful laugh.
He felt that his current state was better than it had ever been.
The endless pressure on his heart was swept away as Xiang Yinxui was found, and the possessing ghost shadow was suppressed!
"Ying..."
Jian Ruyan, who had been on edge the entire time, reflexively began to struggle upon feeling her condition improve, seeking out Xiang Mantang.
Then she realized that she was lying in Xiang Mantang's arms, and hearing his hearty laughter, Jian Ruyan was momentarily stunned and couldn't help but cry out, "Brother?!"
"Ha..."
Xiang Mantang's laughter came to an abrupt halt.
He looked down at the somewhat dazed and adorable Jian Ruyan, his expression turning to excitement, and said, "Ah-Xiu, how do you feel now? Are you alright?"
"Brother... you knew..." Jian Ruyan, hearing Xiang Mantang's address to her, immediately realized that Xiang Mantang already knew her identity. She averted her gaze, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "How did you know?"
She felt that Xiang Mantang shouldn't have been able to guess her identity just from her one word 'brother'.
Xiang Mantang said, "We are connected by blood, after all. You were able to find me through the bloodline's connection. I didn't think in that direction at first, so I didn't pay much attention. Later, when I speculated some, I naturally understood that you are my sister, Ah-Xiu!"
Jian Ruyan was silent for a while and then spoke softly, "Brother, I'm sorry..."
"It's fine, as long as you're safe and sound..." Xiang Mantang smiled carelessly.
Indeed, compared to the despair and pain he had felt previously when he mistakenly believed that he had personally killed his own younger sister, Jian Ruyan was now merely concealing her identity.
She was still alive and had even desperately sought him out. What more could he ask for?
Everything was good and was moving in the right direction.
Suddenly, Xiang Mantang thought of another matter that concerned him and asked, "Right, Ah-Xiu, what's the situation in the Capital City? How is everything over there, are my godmother and sister-in-law all right?"
"They should be... all right, I guess?" Jian Ruyan said somewhat guiltily, "Brother, I let you down. After learning you were in trouble, I couldn't fulfill the responsibilities of the Hall Master of the Dragon King Hall, and instead, I ran off to find you. I'm sorry..."
"Sigh..." Upon hearing Jian Ruyan's words, Xiang Mantang became anxious about the safety of Su Zijin and Gu Xiyan, but he couldn't blame Jian Ruyan for anything.
If it weren't for her running to find him, when would he have been able to completely suppress the Ghost shadow Guiyu behind him and regain his freedom?
Jian Ruyan continued with a trace of unease, "By the way, brother, your senior brother has awakened and rushed back to the Capital City in time. He should be... there shouldn't be any trouble, right?"
"Hmm?" Xiang Mantang was startled by her words and exclaimed in surprise, "My senior brother has awakened? Is he alright?"
"Yes, he really has woken up," Jian Ruyan said, equally confused, "I don't know why he woke up. At that time, I was in a meeting with the other Eight Great Organizations, discussing how to deal with the dark upheaval. People from Withered Tree Quest for Spring, corrupted by demons, attacked me, and it was the Dragon King who arrived in time to save me."
"Could it be that Omniscient did not deceive me? Is the real culprit only Paradise Lost?" Hearing this, Xiang Mantang narrowed his eyes and murmured to himself, filled with shock and uncertainty.
"What?" Jian Ruyan's eyes suddenly sharpened with murderous intent upon hearing Xiang Mantang's words, "Brother, the reason you encountered trouble, was it because they plotted against you? I felt something was off—the moment the demons appeared, Li Yaotong of Omniscient had a lot of information on them, and those from Paradise Lost... they always gave me an uncomfortable feeling!"
Xiang Mantang spoke in a calm voice, "These are just guesses for now, but Paradise Lost is definitely involved. Once this is over, I'll turn over every stone and utterly destroy them!"
Having said this, he hugged Jian Ruyan and stood up, "Let's not talk about these disheartening things. Let's go, we need to find your senior brother in the Capital City. Things must be very urgent; we need to go back and help him!"
"Mhm." Jian Ruyan wrapped her arms around Xiang Mantang's neck and leaned against his chest, letting him carry her as they rushed towards the Capital City.
She narrowed her eyes in contentment, her expression one of satisfaction, like a cat basking in the sun.
Back when she was reunited with Xiang Mantang for the first time, Jian Ruyan had wanted to hug him in this way, but for certain reasons, she didn't even dare to reveal her own identity.
Now, she could finally recognize her brother, and since Xiang Mantang didn't blame her much, this made her very happy.
Being carried by Xiang Mantang flying towards the Capital City, Jian Ruyan lazily enjoyed the moment before suddenly reminding him, "Oh right, brother, in the future you need to be careful around that organization from Kunlun Ruins!"
"The organization from Kunlun Ruins?" Xiang Mantang paused his steps for a moment, then continued to speed towards the Capital City with the velocity of lightning, "Heavenly Palace, is it? Was it they who forced you to come back to my side yet not acknowledge me?"
Jian Ruyan pressed her lips together without answering and finally shook her head, saying, "Brother, I've been cursed with Restrictions, there are things I can't say."
"I understand, I won't ask anymore," Xiang Mantang sighed deeply, restraining his anger, "It's my fault for being useless and making you suffer for so many years."
Xiang Mantang naturally guessed some of the reasons why Jian Ruyan dared not reveal the truth; that's why he had not pressed for answers after she had woken up.
But he never imagined that Jian Ruyan was cursed with some vile Restriction, which would likely endanger her life if she spoke of Heavenly Palace's plans!
This made him exceedingly angry!