"Mr. Yu also got caught in the illusion?"

"Yes... To find his granddaughter, he broke through the illusion of the Hidden Land with a mortal body. He truly deserves admiration."

You Su nodded in agreement, not withholding his admiration for Mr. Yu in his heart:

"Mortals can indeed stand shoulder to shoulder with immortals."

"Mr. You speaks most accurately. Without him, relying only on you and Miss Ji, I’m afraid we wouldn’t have awakened so quickly." Venerable Chengtao sincerely praised.

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and bowed deeply towards You Su, who was too late to stop him and could only use words to dissuade:

"Venerable, please don’t do this."

"Mr. You has saved Jade Ring Pool from disaster, making him a great benefactor of Jade Ring Pool, deserving of a bow from Yo Tao."

Venerable Chengtao even called himself by his first name in front of a junior, which showed his sincerity. He lifted his head, filled with self-reproach:

"Fifty years ago, Mr. Cuihe, Venerable Shenxi, and I entered the pool to investigate the mystery of Jade Ring Pool’s Spiritual Qi fading. By mistake, we encountered the Water God hidden deep at the lake’s bottom. Looking back now, it seems He invited us. We intended to kill Him, but we didn’t expect that Shenxi was already His follower. Though He couldn’t defeat us, He cooperated with the Hidden Land to drown us in the illusion. Since then, this Jade Ring Pool has been under His control, gradually becoming a place of turbulent currents. Luckily, with the arrival of you and Miss Ji, Jade Ring Pool was not completely turned into a breeding ground for malevolent forces. Thus, you not only saved Jade Ring Pool but also this land of the Five Continents."

"It’s not worthy of such praise; it was only by luck." You Su modestly responded.

"Mr. You, don’t be modest. You and Miss Ji are truly outstanding among people. Both Mr. Cuihe and I are in the Void Realm and members of the Exorcism Bureau, yet even we couldn’t escape this malevolent illusion, but you did. Though Jade Ring Pool may lose the nourishment of the Water God, and its Spiritual Qi might not be as potent, I assure you, Mr. You, you will always be honored guests at Jade Ring Lake, and Jade Ring Pool will repay your kindness without reservation."

Venerable Chengtao spoke earnestly, entirely devoid of the arrogance typical of a venerable.

Moved by the sincerity, You Su no longer declined, since he still hadn’t obtained his long-coveted Lotus Heart:

"Venerable Chengtao, what are your plans next?"

Venerable Chengtao, being a wise man, immediately understood what You Su was asking and sighed deeply:

"As one of the blessed lands of Spiritual Life, it’s truly horrific for such an event to occur at Jade Ring Pool. However, Jade Ring Pool will not evade! I will inform the world of this, personally renounce its title as a blessed land, and seek help from the Exorcism Bureau headquarters on Divine Mountain to completely cleanse Jade Ring Pool! We are not subjects to malevolent forces; we will protect our home, even if it won’t be as miraculous as it once was. Once everything is settled, Mr. Cuihe and I will take turns going to the borders of Zhongyuan Continent to eradicate evil for fifty years as atonement. Mr. You, do you have any suggestions regarding my approach?"

Venerable Chengtao demonstrated utmost humility, utterly devoid of pride before You Su despite his status as the head of a lineage.

"Venerable, your words are too kind. Your courage to make this matter public is commendable, and I admire it greatly. I believe under your leadership, Jade Ring Pool will one day reclaim its place as a blessed land of Spiritual Life." You Su spoke genuinely from his heart.

Venerable Chengtao smiled contentedly, "Yo Tao will do his utmost. I won’t disturb you any further, Mr. You. I’ve prepared the Lotus Heart you wanted; you and Miss Ji can rest and recuperate at Jade Ring Lake."

You Su nodded slightly. If before the goodwill of Jade Ring Pool felt unreal, now this kindness felt like a breath of fresh spring air.

Venerable Chengtao exited, leaving You Su alone to contemplate in Cyan Wave Hall.

The sweet lake breeze blew in, and You Su, unsure if it was the lingering anxiety, could never completely relax.

Could a malevolent force that had bided its time for a thousand years, a Divine Beast filled with hate, see its plot end just like that?

Through all the trials and tribulations, revisiting them, You Su still felt a sense of unreality.

Did he really achieve all this with the body of the Middle Spirit Platform Realm?

By the way... where did Little White Fish go?