Fairy Chang'e slightly furrowed her brows and hastened to Shuilian Cave.

Normally, Shuilian Cave would not be considered lively, but there was always a sense of well-ordered tranquility.

However, the atmosphere within Shuilian Cave was now steeped with a heavy mood, starkly different from the past.

Just as Fairy Chang'e entered, Ao Luan immediately noticed her.

"Fairy Chang'e!"

Ao Luan asked, "Is there any news of my elder brother?"

"No."

Fairy Chang'e shook her head, saying that she had inquired in Heavenly Palace, but nobody had seen Sun Wukong.

"How can there be no news..."

Ao Luan took a step back: "My brother clearly said he would return."

It was very abnormal for Sun Wukong to have not come back for a year.

Ao Luan had also asked other Immortals; in heaven, it had been nearly a day since anyone had seen Sun Wukong.

Those Immortals even thought that Sun Wukong had descended to the Lower Realm.

"My brother has never disappeared suddenly."

Struggling to contain her restlessness, Ao Luan paced back and forth within Shuilian Cave: "He said he would return; he would not have disappeared without cause, something must have happened!"

She could not sit by, she had to go find Sun Wukong!

As Ao Luan resolved to act, she stepped out of Shuilian Cave.

"No need to go."

Immortal Zhenyuan and Barefoot Immortal arrived from outside together. "We have news of our junior brother."

Ao Luan halted, hope surging within her heart: "Where is my brother?"

Immortal Zhenyuan's face was stern: "He has been incarcerated in Heavenly Prison."

Upon hearing this, Ao Luan felt as if struck by lightning, her strength drained. Retreating two steps, she steadied herself against the wall to stay upright.

"How could this happen?" She demanded, "What crime has my brother committed to be locked in Heavenly Prison?"

"I don't know."

Immortal Zhenyuan shook his head.

He was in a foul mood and turned to leave right after speaking.

Barefoot Immortal heaved a quiet sigh; Immortal Zhenyuan cared for Sun Wukong no less than Ao Luan. He had used a Ginsengfruit to coax the whereabouts of Sun Wukong out of a guard from the Heavenly Prison.

"Barefoot Immortal."

Ao Luan grabbed Barefoot Immortal: "Quickly tell me, what exactly happened!"

Hesitating for a moment, Barefoot Immortal wondered where to begin.

He sighed and said, "We visited Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad at the Doushuai Temple, using both kindness and forceful words, and finally Lord revealed that the Monkey King was at Tongming Hall yesterday..."

He described how they pried open Lord's mouth and, by following clues, from a Heavenly Prison guard, found out that Heavenly King Li had entered with a bottle last night.

"That must be the Flask of Yin and Yang Essence..."

Barefoot Immortal stated.

"The Flask of Yin and Yang Essence!"

Ao Luan's complexion turned deathly pale as her head buzzed, and she fainted to the ground.

"Great King."

Barefoot Immortal hastily called out: "Quick, help her up!"

The Palace Maids of the Jade Shrimp Palace scrambled to lift Ao Luan.

During the night, Immortal Zhenyuan stood on a cliff, gazing at the sky.

The night was desolate, the stars were full, each star shining its own light, yet this vast heaven and earth seemed unable to accommodate a single Sun Wukong.

Immortal Zhenyuan never imagined that the situation he feared would still occur— and in a way he could never have anticipated.

Immortal Zhenyuan's expression changed several times.

"Forget it, I truly owe him!"

Suddenly he sighed, rising and taking flight.

"Amitabha."

Under the moonlight, Elder Jin Chan emerged.

"Immortal, if you are going to Heavenly Palace, why not take me along?"

"You?" Immortal Zhenyuan turned back to look: "Do you know what I intend to do? Aren't you afraid of incurring the Buddha's blame?"

"Not afraid."

Elder Jin Chan spoke: "What crime is there in Immortal and I merely passing by the Heavenly Prison?"

"You are quite clever."

Immortal Zhenyuan laughed.

"But speaking of which..."

Immortal Zhenyuan stared at Elder Jin Chan: "Having you with us seems to be more convincing."

Elder Jin Chan brought his palms together with a smile on his lips: "This poor monk often loses his way, ending up in places where he should not be."

Immortal Zhenyuan thought for a while, then waved his horsetail whisk, which grew several meters in length: "Let's lose our way this time."

Elder Jin Chan smiled and grabbed the Buddha Dust.

Immortal Zhenyuan took him and together they flew into the sky.

The two arrived at the South Heavenly Gate but stopped.

They saw a woman engaged in battle with Lord Zengzhang there.

Her silhouette, pure and bright in the moonlight, was very familiar.

"Ao Luan."

Immortal Zhenyuan flew over, waved his long sleeve, and separated the two who were entangled in the fight.

"What are you doing here?"

Immortal Zhenyuan asked Ao Luan with a stern face.

"I want to go to the Heavenly Palace!"

Ao Luan's face was slightly pale, but her eyes were unwaveringly determined, and she clenched her teeth tight: "I must get an explanation from the Jade Emperor."

"Nonsense!"

Immortal Zhenyuan's expression turned cold, as with Ao Luan's current status and power, even if she saw the Jade Emperor, she wouldn't be able to change anything.

"Go back!"

Immortal Zhenyuan said: "If even you are gone, what will happen to the Huaguo Mountain?"

Ao Luan's figure paused; she understood very well that Huaguo Mountain was all of Sun Wukong's hard work and now was the time she was needed since he wasn't there.

She pressed her lips tightly, sheathed her sword, and bowed her head to Immortal Zhenyuan.

"Please..."

She suddenly said: "Please rescue my brother."

Immortal Zhenyuan was somewhat surprised: "You dislike me, yet you still ask for my help?"

"I don't want to ask."

Ao Luan said: "But now, only you can save my brother..."

Immortal Zhenyuan looked at Ao Luan.

Tears shone like pearls falling off a string, rolling down her face.

"You..."

Immortal Zhenyuan was at a loss for words.

Ao Luan wiped away the tears, her heart unwilling, extremely unwilling—yet unable to change anything.

"I'll give this to you."

Ao Luan handed a brocade bag she carried to Immortal Zhenyuan: "It can break the Flask of Yin and Yang Essence."

Immortal Zhenyuan took the brocade bag.

"This is..."

Immortal Zhenyuan felt a tremor in his heart as he discovered what was inside and looked at Ao Luan: "Is this okay?"

Ao Luan nodded, then descended to the Lower Realm.

Immortal Zhenyuan watched her receding figure, thinking for the first time that this Dragon Girl was a worthy match for Sun Wukong.

Ao Luan returned to Yunxiao City, where an owl landed next to her.

"Immortal Master Erlang?"

Ao Luan turned to look.

"I have duties of an Immortal Position." Immortal Master Erlang changed back to his true form and said, "I won't go up there."

He turned and walked away, not far, then stopped and said: "But rest assured, Huaguo Mountain is also the home to me and over a thousand of Erlang's infantry."

Ao Luan nodded.

"I understand." She smiled and bowed deeply: "Thank you."

Immortal Master Erlang gave a slight smile.

"Remember to wipe your tears clean."

He rose on a cloud and left Yunxiao City, saying: "Don't give Monkey King a reason to laugh when he returns."

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