Chapter 1018: Old Friend Returns

"You said... who?"

Seeing the man emerge from the room, the old man eyed him with a hint of surprise and asked, "How long has it been... and you've already succeeded?"

"Yes," Han Meng replied calmly.

"To think a genius like you emerged from District Three back then... What a pity. If only you had been born a few years earlier, perhaps the fate of the Aurora Realm could have been changed," the old man sighed.

"I have no interest in reminiscing with you. Tell me, what happened to Chen Ling?"

"Didn't I tell you? He's going to die."

The old man lifted the slip of paper in his hand and handed it to Han Meng. After reading it, Han Meng's expression turned grim.

"Destroying the Aurora Realm, assassinating the Aurora Sovereign... Would anyone truly believe these charges?"

"Does it matter if anyone believes it?" the old man said slowly. "Ultimately, they just want to pin a crime on him, find an excuse to kill him... Who cares if the accusation is true or false?"

Han Meng snorted coldly. He casually tossed the paper to the ground and walked into the darkness without looking back.

"Where are you going?" the old man asked.

"To save him."

The old man didn't seem surprised by Han Meng's answer. He continued slowly:

"It's not a short journey from here to the Wuji Realm. Do you, in your current state, have the ability to cross that Grey Realm?"

"Perhaps," Han Meng replied calmly, looking down at his hands. "I also want to see... how far I can push the Judgment now."

The old man didn't try to dissuade him. After spending time together, he had already come to understand Han Meng's character: once this taciturn man made up his mind about something, not even ten oxen could pull him back.

The old man finished his last bite of breakfast, sitting alone at the dim table. He watched Han Meng's retreating figure in the Enforcer's trench coat and suddenly spoke:

"Han Meng."

Han Meng stopped.

In the darkness, the old man's lips curved into an aged smile, as if entrusting something. "Don't bring shame upon Aurora City."

Han Meng turned his head, gave him a deep look, and after a moment, nodded.

The last Enforcer's trench coat in the world swayed silently.His figure vanished into the cold distance...Beneath the aurora.

The Grey Realm.

In a world of black, white, and grey, a massive, withered giant tree stood silently beneath leaden, heavy clouds.

While called a giant tree, its size far exceeded the scope of trees on Earth. It resembled a World Tree, like those mentioned in ancient religions as a roost for dragons, its base spanning an area nearly the size of half a county town...

Its dry branches resembled black spikes, pointing haphazardly towards the sky. The trunk was riddled with dense, cavernous holes, like insect nests, each the size of four or five stories. Faintly, figures could be seen moving within them.

Deep within the giant tree, a young man, dressed in a plain linen robe with his hands wrapped in black bandages, walked slowly forward.

He was dressed like a wanderer from the desert, a wide hood concealing his face, with black hair silently swaying beneath it. Through occasional glimpses of sunlight, one could see hidden, dense black runes on his neck, appearing incredibly strange.

Finally, he stopped before a wide tree hollow.

"Holy Son, he has been waiting for you inside for a long time," said a figure dressed similarly to a wanderer at the entrance.

"Did he say what he wanted me for?"

"No, you'll know the details once you go in."

"Understood."

He walked directly into the tree hollow.

Passing through a patch of dimness, the scene before him suddenly opened up. This appeared to be the interior of the World Tree, with mysterious vines hanging down from above, emitting faint glows that dispelled the shadows...

A figure stood before the vines. Hearing footsteps, it slowly turned its head.

"You're too slow, Zhao Yi," the person said with some displeasure.

Zhao Yi shrugged. "You can't blame me. This place is so convoluted. I've been here for so long, and sometimes I still can't figure out the direction..."

"Is that why you broke into the women's changing room last time?"

"You've got it all wrong, Boss! I truly took a wrong turn last time, and I didn't see anything. At most, I saw a few tails, some wings, and... well... ears..."

"...Alright, I called you here for something important."

Zhao Yi blinked, waiting for him to continue.

The person by the vines casually flicked a piece of paper, which spun through the air. Zhao Yi raised an eyebrow and effortlessly caught it between his fingers...

"This is a communication signal we just intercepted. Take a look yourself," the person said slowly.

Zhao Yi looked down and scanned the text on the paper, suddenly jolting!

"Execute... Chen Ling? Is it *that* Chen Ling??"

"There's only one World-Ending Fusionist in this world. What do you think?"

"He... he, he, he... How was he captured by the Wuji Realm??"

"It's complicated. In short, it seems the Wuji Realm is planning to use him as bait..." The person paused for a moment. "I called you here this time because I want you to lead a team."

"Lead a team?"

"To the Wuji Realm, to rescue him."

Zhao Yi's eyes immediately lit up!

"Chen Ling is a Fusionist of World-Ending Calamity, yet he perfectly maintains his sanity. He is too important to us Fusionists... Regardless of whether the Wuji Realm truly intends to kill him, we must ensure his safety.Zhao Yi, you are very familiar with Chen Ling. I will send people with you to the Wuji Realm. You must rescue him, and then... invite him to join the Fusionists."

"That's great! I've wanted to get him to join for a long time!" Zhao Yi was excited, then seemed to remember something. "By the way, Boss, aren't you coming...? How will we deal with the Silver King then?"

"I can't leave this place for a while," the Boss shook his head."As for the Silver King... you don't need to worry too much. That kid Chen Ling isn't so simple. He has someone far more terrifying than the Silver King backing him."

"So when do I leave??"

"Now."

Zhao Yi turned his head and realized that, at some point, seven hooded figures, dressed like wanderers, were already waiting at the entrance of the tree hollow. Their attire varied, but they all fundamentally concealed their faces and skin, emanating an aura of terrifying calamity.

Seeing these seven, Zhao Yi's heart jolted. Having been a Fusionist for so long, he naturally knew who these seven were...It seemed the Boss's regard for Chen Ling truly exceeded his wildest expectations.

Zhao Yi grinned. He strode out of the tree hollow, with the seven Fusionists following closely behind. They reached the edge of the giant tree's trunk, took a deep breath, and simultaneously leaped downwards without hesitation!

A fierce wind surged, making their garments flap wildly. A corner of Zhao Yi's hood was lifted, revealing eyes etched with calamity runes... His mind flashed with memories of the Aurora Realm, and the figure draped in a large red opera robe.

He gazed into the distance, towards the Wuji Realm, and let out a soft chuckle:

"Chen Ling...""I'm coming for you, damn it!"