Chapter 1096: Hitting Stones and Mounts

The Clown was bored—extremely, incredibly bored.

For the past two days, he had returned to Xidao Guzang to eat, only to find it completely deserted. His Eldest Brother had mentioned he’d be away, and his Third Brother had assured him that meals were already prepared and left on the kitchen stove, ready to be heated. And indeed, delicious food was always available…

Yet, he felt those two days stretched on for what seemed like two years, and his usual portion of a full bucket of food dwindled to half a bucket per meal.

Tap—tap…

On the barren peak, the Clown sat alone by the entrance, propping his head with one hand, idly flicking pebbles with the other. A streak of white ash across his nose highlighted a profound, unspoken loneliness amidst his comical demeanor.

After an indeterminate amount of time,

A figure draped in a performance robe slowly ascended the stone steps of the peak.

The Clown abruptly sprang to his feet, his gaze locked on that spot… As the familiar figure in the performance robe came into view, his eyes immediately lit up with joyous surprise!

"Eeyah!!!!"

He launched himself forward, surging into the Red King's embrace.

He moved so swiftly that he even created a sonic boom, yet when he collided with the Red King, he didn't budge him an inch. Instead, the impact was feather-light, like a child playfully nuzzling an elder.

"There, there…" The Red King gently stroked the Clown's head, a hint of helpless amusement in his smile.

"I was only gone from the mountain for two days; why the grand welcome?"

"Eeyah!!"

"Alright, alright, I understand, it's my fault as your master."

As the Red King spoke, he seemed to sense something, turning his head to gaze at the sky behind him…

In that direction, countless kilometers away, a cluster of starlight ascended from the South Sea Realm, soaring like a meteor from the ground, vanishing in an instant into the boundless darkness beyond the sky.

Witnessing this, the smile on the Red King's face slowly faded, replaced by an expression of indescribable complexity and profoundness.

He stroked the Clown's head, murmuring:

"Oh, my Fifth Disciple… This era is on the brink of great turmoil once more…"

The Clown, seemingly not understanding the Red King's words, looked up blankly, his small eyes blinking. He then tugged the Red King towards the pile of pebbles, wanting him to play the stone-flicking game with him.

The Red King averted his gaze, waving a hand dismissively:

"Your master won't be playing; I still have matters to attend to… How about I ask your Fourth Brother to play with you later? Or… if you're truly bored, would you like to try learning to cook with your Third Brother?"

"Eeyah, eeyah, eeyah…" The Clown expressed a hint of disappointment, yet continued to gesticulate animatedly.

"Alright, alright, your master will take his leave now."

The Red King took a single step, entering Xidao Guzang directly and vanishing from sight.

A gentle breeze swept across the barren stone peak. The Clown was once again alone, yet this time he seemed quite content. He settled by the pile of pebbles, humming a little tune to himself, as if patiently awaiting something.

Minutes ticked by. By the time the Clown had flicked a dozen pebbles, a figure emerged from Xidao Guzang.

"Eeyah!!" Spotting the familiar, unassuming figure, the Clown immediately waved.

"I'm coming, I'm coming…"

Mojiao patted the hem of his robe and sat down in front of the Clown. "Still playing the stone-flicking game? Your turn or mine first?"

"Eeyah!"

"Alright, your turn then."

The Clown reached out to pick up a pebble, then suddenly paused, tilting his head in confusion as if recalling something. "Eeyah, eeyah?"

"You're asking about your youngest disciple-brother… He'll likely be busy outside for a while longer…"

"…Eeyah?"

"He will." Mojiao paused, glancing into the distance. "He'll definitely return… When he does, would you like to ask him to play the stone-flicking game with you?"

"Eeyah?!?"

"I never said I didn't want to play with you; I'm just worried he might get bored… You should spend more time with him too."

"Eeyah, eeyah~"

Lead-grey clouds drifted silently overhead.

On the desolate land below, several figures moved slowly forward.

"Chen Ling, don't walk so fast. You've only just recovered a little; let's not have you spitting blood again soon," Zhao Yi's worried voice rang out.

The vibrant scarlet performance robe beside him, unfading even within the Grey Realm, drew the attention of Old Wolf and the other accompanying Fusers. It was impossible not to notice…

They had spent so long in the Grey Realm and had never witnessed anyone capable of retaining their color there. Their gazes at Chen Ling were filled with the same curiosity one might have for a panda in a zoo. However, seeing his pale face and faltering steps, they felt it improper to approach him, so they merely followed silently behind.

"…I'm fine," Chen Ling replied slowly, his eyelids lowered.

More than half a day had passed since leaving the Boundless Realm. Chen Ling had gradually recovered from his initial agony, and now his body felt no fatigue, though his head still throbbed faintly.

Chen Ling mused that humans were truly remarkable creatures; no matter the pain endured, they stubbornly healed little by little, emerging renewed. Perhaps, this was what it meant to move forward.

"Are you certain I can't carry you?" Old Wolf, now in human form, couldn't help but ask. "If I shift into my Calamity form, carrying you would be effortless."

"…No, I can walk on my own."

Chen Ling wasn't accustomed to "riding people." While he knew that the transformed state was a Calamity, riding on someone's head always felt odd… especially since he wasn't particularly close with the Faction of Fusers, it was better to maintain some distance.

Seeing this, Old Wolf ceased his persuasion, exchanged glances with the others, shrugged in silent resignation, and continued onward.

"Oh, come on, you really don't need to be so formal. I told you, coming to the Faction of Fusers is like coming home. I've ridden Old Wolf many times myself; it's a bit bumpy, but it saves a lot of energy…"

Before Zhao Yi could finish his sentence, Chen Ling suddenly seemed to sense something and abruptly halted.

When he stopped, Zhao Yi also stopped, and the other members of the Faction of Fusers behind him likewise paused, their gazes toward him filled with confusion.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Zhao Yi asked, a frown creasing his brow.

Chen Ling shook his head. He squatted slightly, slowly placing his palm against the grey earth of the Grey Realm, his eyes, tinged with red, narrowing just a fraction.

Bang—!

He struck the ground with his fist in a particular spot.

The next moment, a shadow centipede, approximately six or seven meters long, shrieked as it burst from the ground dozens of meters away. It reacted as if it had seen a ghost upon spotting Chen Ling, twisting and writhing frantically on the ground, too terrified to move even an inch.

Under the stunned gaze of everyone present, the figure in the large red performance robe slowly approached the shadow centipede and gently stroked its hideous, terrifying head… All could clearly see the centipede trembling uncontrollably.

"I'll just ride this one," Chen Ling said calmly.