"Young Master Ning!"
At this moment, Li Jing'er ran over, disregarding everything, and hugged Ning Beichen tightly, saying to him.
"Young Master Ning, I will remember you for all eternity, waiting for you until the end."
Ning Beichen froze for a moment, and finally extended his arms to embrace her.
"Miss Li..."
Ning Beichen was about to speak when he found that Li Jing'er in front of him had transformed into Jin Yuehe. Before he could utter a word, the two of them vanished from this time and space.
He didn't know how much time had passed when Ning Beichen regained consciousness and found himself back on the Path of Ascent, accompanied by Jin Yuehe and the spectral spirit Chang Qing.
"Senior..."
Ning Beichen called out to the spectral spirit.
Just as he was unsure how to explain things to Chang Qing, he saw the spectral spirit interrupt him.
"You don't need to say anything, I know everything. Treat her well, she's waiting for you for all eternity, don't fail her."
"Senior, I..."
Ning Beichen wanted to explain, but found himself at a loss for words.
He didn't understand how things had turned out this way.
If he hadn't gone, he wouldn't have met Li Jing'er, and Li Jing'er wouldn't have fallen in love with him. Would things have changed then?
Was this his fault, or the spectral spirit's fault?
Originally, they had only wanted to know why Li Jing'er, or the present-day Jin Yuehe, had lost Chang Qing's memory.
The result was that Li Jing'er fell in love with him and ended up waiting for him for all eternity.
Was this a tangled mess?
Or was it fate's arrangement?
Even Ning Beichen was unsure now.
But could he really abandon the woman who had waited for him for all eternity? Ning Beichen couldn't do it, and in that time and space, Li Jing'er's love for him was still vivid.
"Senior, I will."
Ning Beichen didn't hesitate much. As a man, he had to take responsibility. Whether it was heaven's arrangement or fate's arrangement, Ning Beichen couldn't refuse.
"Also, the Path of Ascent leads to the unknown. If you truly intend to go, you must be prepared for the possibility of never returning."
The spectral spirit said to Ning Beichen.
"Senior, I understand."
Ning Beichen nodded. He had no intention of going immediately.
"Alright, you can go back. Come find me when you are ready."
The spectral spirit waved at Ning Beichen, likely having no inclination to talk further.
Ning Beichen understood his mood, so he took Jin Yuehe and left, returning to his flying vessel.
"Miss Li..."
Back in the flying vessel, Ning Beichen had just begun to speak to Jin Yuehe when he realized he had made a mistake. Jin Yuehe was Jin Yuehe, and Li Jing'er was Li Jing'er.
"I apologize, Miss Jin Yuehe, I was mistaken."
Ning Beichen said with some embarrassment.
"Young Master Ning is not mistaken. I am Li Jing'er, and Li Jing'er is me."
Jin Yuehe said to Ning Beichen.
"You..."
Ning Beichen was immediately stunned.
"Actually, I am Li Jing'er. To be precise, the Li Jing'er you saw is me. In reality, we are the same person."
Jin Yuehe said to Ning Beichen.
"If you are here, then the Li Jing'er from that time and space must have disappeared?"
Ning Beichen asked in surprise.
"No, the me in the other time and space still exists. Her memory of you remains, and she will not forget you."
Jin Yuehe said.
"Then, should I call you Li Jing'er or Jin Yuehe?"
Ning Beichen asked.
"Still call me Jin Yuehe, please. I've grown accustomed to this name, and this name signifies that the me of this present time has finally waited for you."
Jin Yuehe said to Ning Beichen with deep affection.
"Miss Jin Yuehe, I'm actually very curious about something. If I hadn't returned to that era, would you still have fallen in love with me?"
Ning Beichen asked her.
"Yes, because it was destined by fate."
Jin Yuehe replied with unwavering certainty.
"Are you truly not regretting falling in love with me? I have other women."
Ning Beichen told her.
"I don't regret it. I've waited for you for thirty-three lifetimes. No one misses you more than I do. Will you hold me?"
Jin Yuehe said to Ning Beichen.
Ning Beichen extended his arms and embraced her. Jin Yuehe nestled in Ning Beichen's arms as if her wish had come true, a happy smile on her face.
Ning Beichen wasn't overly sentimental. A woman had yearned for him for thirty-three lifetimes; would he still feign needing more time?
One night passed.
Ning Beichen did not return immediately. Instead, he piloted his flying vessel in the void, living a blissful life with Jin Yuehe.
What surprised Ning Beichen even more was that Jin Yuehe had regained her cultivation, and her cultivation had directly risen to the Venerable realm.
However, upon remembering that this was the culmination of her thirty-three lifetimes of experience, Ning Beichen was instantly at ease.
Ning Beichen did not hide his actions. He brought Jin Yuehe home and summoned Liu Yilin and Luo Yingying, explaining everything to them.
When they learned that Jin Yuehe had waited for Ning Beichen for thirty-three lifetimes, even they were moved, feeling that Jin Yuehe was incredibly pitiful. They did not resent her but instead cherished her deeply.
Facing a woman who had waited for Ning Beichen for thirty-three lifetimes, even they felt they had no right to be jealous.
When Ning Beichen brought Jin Yuehe back, he was somewhat apprehensive, unsure if Liu Yilin and Luo Yingying would accept her. Seeing that they were fine, Ning Beichen breathed a sigh of relief.
However, when Ning Beichen revealed his Heavenly Sovereign strength, Liu Yilin and Luo Yingying were so shocked they were speechless.
This guy had gone out for a trip and returned as a Heavenly Sovereign, making them both eager to venture out themselves.
But such opportunities were rare and serendipitous. For Ning Beichen, it required the spectral spirit's help to return to the past, then by chance obtaining a miraculous fruit, followed by cultivating the same techniques as him, and so on.
These stringent conditions were impossible to replicate. Fortunately, he was their man, so they were also happy for Ning Beichen.
Upon returning home this time, Ning Beichen spent every day at home accompanying them, not running around.
Mainly, Jin Yuehe's experience made Ning Beichen and the others cherish each other even more.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye, and with only a few days left until the New Year. Just as Ning Beichen and the three women were enjoying a harmonious time at home, Ning Beichen received some news.
It was that one of the two people who had escaped the Path of Ascent with Ya Dayer had been located. However, he was not in the Eastern Ancient Kingdom but overseas.
Therefore, Ning Beichen planned to go and deal with him before the New Year.
It wasn't that Ning Beichen couldn't tolerate him, but rather that Ning Beichen intended to resolve these hidden dangers before leaving. Regardless, this place was his homeland.
He did not want to return one day to find the Eastern Ancient Kingdom, or even the world, reduced to a living hell.