CHAPTER 893: LI BING’S GRATEFULNESS, WORK SMART

She took a deep breath, attempting to soothe her rapidly beating heart. Her eyes were slightly red and brimming with fatigue. The pain of losing loved ones? What did they know about such pain?

Their questions echoed in her mind. She forced a smile, but it twisted into something self-deprecating. The truth was, she missed her parents terribly.

At that moment, she felt strong arms encircle her from behind.

"Master, we’re all here with you." Zhiyi’s gentle voice whispered in her ear as his tall frame embraced her carefully, as if she were the most precious treasure in the world. His tone was measured, cautious not to disturb her thoughts.

The others appeared around her almost simultaneously.

They saw her pain clearly. They felt her helplessness, the anguish radiating from her heart and soul. Strangely, they found themselves sharing that same pain. The woman they loved, the master they respected and adored - her sorrow had become their sorrow. How could they not feel her despair?

"Yue’er, I’m right here." Shenlian Yinzhu pulled her into his arms, his powerful frame embracing her gently while his fingers caressed her hair. "Everything is alright now. There won’t be any more tragic accidents like before." His voice softened like a feather drifting down from the clouds.

Zhiyi showed no objection to Shenlian Yinzhu’s actions. Surprisingly, none of the other men displayed jealousy at seeing their beloved woman in another’s embrace. Instead, they formed a protective circle around her, offering silent support and unconditional love.

"It’s good to have all of you here." She gave a small shake of her head to indicate they shouldn’t worry, managing a soft smile despite everything.

Xiong Zi Ying felt a pang of guilt. He had blamed her in the past, but seeing her current state made him realize his disciple never deserved to endure such suffering.

After some time, her visible mood stabilized. Whether her heart had truly healed or not, they all understood the truth but chose not to voice it. Since she clearly didn’t want them to share her sorrow, they pretended not to notice anything amiss.

"Master, what should we do next?" Xiao Nian asked cautiously, putting on a coquettish act that was immediately interrupted when Xiao Li pushed her aside to claim his spot in Shenlian Yingyue’s arms.

Xiao Nian’s face darkened like the soot-covered bottom of a cooking pot, but she didn’t dare retaliate. Having witnessed Xiao Li’s cruel methods against enemies and his terrifying jealousy firsthand, she knew better than to challenge him. The depressing truth was, she was the weakest among them - what could she possibly do?

Xiao Mei gave her a sympathetic pat on the back, which only made Xiao Nian pout more dramatically.

"We’ll wait here one more day," Shenlian Yingyue replied, absently stroking Xiao Li’s fur while tilting her head to rest against Xiao Lan’s body. "I want to ensure nothing happens to the Glass Lizard clan."

As she settled into a seated position, Jun Mu Yang pulled her onto his lap. She offered no resistance, he was her husband after all - instead leaning back against his broad shoulders and muscular chest.

Jun Mu Yang let out a satisfied groan, tightening his arms around her slender waist while pointedly ignoring the jealous glares coming from all directions.

Exactly one day later, news arrived via the Spirit Bees. She and her companions promptly departed the Glass Lizard clan’s territory. The outcome surprised her - she had believed her words would have little effect, yet everything had been resolved perfectly.

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When Li Bing and the others came out to see her, they found she had already left.

Li Bing’s eyes brimmed with heartfelt gratitude. Her intervention had bridged the chasm between him and his elder brothers, allowing them to finally understand each other’s pain and begin the difficult journey toward forgiveness.

Shortly after her departure, his brothers had left as well. Yet their absence proved brief, they returned sooner than expected, offering awkward but sincere apologies for the years of misplaced blame and suffering they’d inflicted upon him.

Though residual resentment still lingered in his brothers’ hearts, their shared reflection on the past had revealed a painful truth: having already lost their parents, could they truly bear to lose their only remaining brother too? This realization tempered their anger with reluctant acceptance.

United by this fragile reconciliation, they began strategizing together, plotting vengeance against the formidable enemies responsible for their parents’ deaths. Against such powerful foes, only through combined strength could they hope to succeed.

"They’re gone," Li Bing’s eldest brother observed quietly when his spiritual senses failed to detect her presence.

The announcement sent waves of disappointment through the group. Though they possessed means to contact her, none dared disturb her journey. How could they possibly call her back from her own important adventures?

"Don’t tell me you’ve lost interest in the desert treasures," Li Bing’s second brother interjected lightly, breaking the somber mood. "Come now, let’s join the hunt."

His casual suggestion immediately sharpened everyone’s focus, their eyes flashing with renewed purpose.

"What exactly are you proposing?" Li Bing inquired carefully.

The truth was, they already had plans forming. As native inhabitants of the Ember Dune Desert, allowing precious treasures to slip through their fingers was simply unacceptable.

"The situation has become complicated," the eldest brother frowned. "Powerful immortals from distant domains have descended upon our desert, all competing for those treasures. Their strength far exceeds ours - we cannot confront them directly."

"Then we’ll use our home advantage," the second brother countered smoothly. "We’ll monitor the situation from the shadows and appropriate the treasures at the opportune moment."

Li Bing’s thoughts immediately turned to her. "Do you think she’ll pursue these treasures as well?"

"Most likely."

"Then we should participate too," Li Bing decided firmly. "If she requires assistance, we’ll be there to provide it." With this resolution, he began issuing preparation orders to the clan.

What had begun as a pragmatic alliance, her resources in exchange for his clan’s support, had transformed into something deeper. Now, genuine gratitude compelled him to repay her kindness in full.

Unbeknownst to Shenlian Yingyue, this brief encounter had unexpectedly gained her a fiercely loyal ally. Even now, she moved through the Ember Dune Desert with her companions, blissfully unaware of the impact she’d made.

While other cultivators stampeded toward the desert’s core in their treasure hunt, her group adopted a far more measured approach, systematically plundering hidden caches that others overlooked entirely.

Their success stemmed from their unique combined abilities: Xiao Yun and Xiao Li’s uncanny treasure detection, Feng Huang and Lu Long’s heightened perceptions, Xie Xie’s dominion over millions of golden scorpions, and Xiao Mei’s Spirit Bees scouting safe paths ahead. This formidable combination allowed them to avoid countless dangers and rival groups while amassing staggering quantities of treasures with remarkable efficiency.

Their inaugural journey into the Immortal Realm was proving extraordinarily fruitful, a veritable masterclass in strategic acquisition.

As others bloodied themselves in brutal conflicts over the most obvious prizes, her team quietly accumulated wealth beyond imagining from overlooked locations throughout the desert.

One could only imagine the apoplectic rage that would consume those immortal beings from foreign domains, not to mention the desert’s native powers - were they to discover how their single-minded focus on glittering prizes had caused them to miss entire troves of even greater treasures being systematically claimed right under their noses.