RYEY -Chapter 546 The Enlightened Qilin Soul-Reviving Tree

“Wife, I finally found you…”

“Li Huan, I finally waited for you…”

Separated by branches, the two clung to each other tightly. If not for the Qilin Soul-Reviving Tree trembling slightly, they would have almost forgotten their predicament.

“Let’s go. We’re going up.”

Li Huan loosened a rope from his waist, tied one end around Cheng Qiao’s waist and the other around his own. From that moment on, life and death were shared.

When golden sunlight shone upon the sand, the drowsy Hu Lata jolted awake. He saw two figures bathed in sunlight, faint halos glowing around them.

Then the two, wrapped in that glow, climbed onto a sand vehicle. The engine roared, waking everyone around. Only then did they realize that Li Huan had already left with Cheng Qiao.

“Damn it, this guy finds his wife and doesn’t say a word—what about us?”

“What else? Pack up and move out.”

Hu Lata was the fastest. In just a few breaths, he packed his gear, jumped onto his sand vehicle, and chased after them. The others watched the vehicles disappear and suddenly felt a deep unease.

At some point, the golden sunlight had been swallowed by dark clouds. A heavy rain was clearly coming—and getting caught in rain here was truly not a good thing.

“Forget the stuff—let’s go!”

Cursing Hu Lata and Li Huan for their lack of loyalty, the four men quickly shouldered their emergency packs, mounted their sand vehicles, and sped off along the way they came.

Though called “speeding,” their pace was still slow—the resistance of the sand was immense. Meanwhile, moisture thickened in the air, dark clouds closed in, and violent winds raged, nearly lifting both vehicles and riders into the sky.

Just as they were about to give up, Li Huan and Cheng Qiao appeared before them. Li Huan extended both hands, raising a wall of ice in front of them.

Hu Lata looked at his four colleagues, who were already stunned, and roared, “Move! Now!”

The engines roared again. Six sand vehicles fled for their lives. Li Huan stayed at the rear with Cheng Qiao, but Cheng Qiao watched the streaks of lightning appearing in the sky with deep worry—she knew the old tree was about to undergo its tribulation.

“Rumble—rumble—”

When they had put enough distance between themselves and the Qilin Soul-Reviving Tree, six bolts of lightning struck down in succession. Cheng Qiao’s heart was pounding wildly, like a startled deer crashing about in her chest.

Strangely, thunder also rolled in from the north, as if someone were drawing the Thunder God’s attention away, protecting the old tree.

Cheng Qiao closed her eyes and sensed with her soul. This time she saw clearly: Little Redhead was coiled in midair, diverting part of the Qilin Soul-Reviving Tree’s lightning tribulation onto itself.

Seeing Little Redhead scorched black by the lightning yet still holding its head high with stubborn resolve, Cheng Qiao felt as though her heart were being carved by a knife. Tears streamed down uncontrollably.

Little Redhead seemed to sense Cheng Qiao’s presence and looked toward where she stood. That single glance—full of shock and joy—gave it renewed courage to stand against the thunder.

“Rumble—”

Three more bolts of lightning struck in succession. Little Redhead was blasted straight out of the air and sent plunging into the distance. A piercing eagle cry rang out as the Haidongqing spread its massive wings and chased after it.

Cheng Qiao saw clearly that the Haidongqing glanced back at her once—there was affection in that look, and resolve, and a heroic fearlessness, willing to risk life itself for a friend.

The dark clouds dispersed, the sky cleared, and a rainbow appeared. The Qilin Soul-Reviving Tree stood at the center of the rainbow, its upper body human in form, its lower body still a tree trunk.

Little Redhead was wrapped entirely around the trunk, unconscious. The Haidongqing, meanwhile, had become a tiny fledgling, standing on the Qilin Soul-Reviving Tree’s shoulder.

The tight knot in Cheng Qiao’s heart suddenly loosened. Little Redhead had taken part of the lightning tribulation for the Qilin Soul-Reviving Tree; the Haidongqing had rescued Little Redhead. Having attained the Dao and ascended, the Qilin Soul-Reviving Tree would rather remain half-immortal and half-demon than ascend without its two friends.

Cheng Qiao knelt down, thanking the Heavenly Dao for watching over the spirits who had shared life and death with her, and thanking it for allowing her to reunite with her family.

Cheng Liguo finally saw Cheng Qiao return. He wanted to rush forward and embrace her, but when he saw her kneeling on the ground facing north, tears streaming down her face, he didn’t know what to do.

“Dad, let her say goodbye to her friends,” someone said softly.

Cheng Liguo suddenly thought of Little Redhead, and of the giant eagle that had appeared and vanished so suddenly. Understanding dawned on him. He knelt down beside Cheng Qiao and thanked Little Redhead for saving his life.

The rainbow slowly faded, and the desert returned to its calm. Hu Lata noticed that the patch of green in the distance was gone, replaced by a sand dune.

“Cheng Qiao, thank Heaven’s grace that we can meet again.”

Hu Lata extended his hand, welcoming Cheng Qiao home.

“Uncle Lata, thank you for helping Li Huan. If it weren’t for you and Li Huan, I wouldn’t be seeing the sun above my head again.”

“Think nothing of it. You should rest for a while. I have to head back.”

“Did something happen?”

Hu Lata nodded. Mai Sui was on the brink—her abilities were nearly exhausted, and death awaited her. Meanwhile, the forces outside were growing more restless; they had received orders and were preparing to take action.

Cheng Qiao nodded, took out a Wood-Blade Pill, and handed it over. She already knew that a single Wood-Blade Pill could restore an ability user’s powers, and she hoped it could save Mai Sui’s life.

“This is for Mai Sui.”

“Mm. We’ll try and see if it works.”

Hu Lata half-knelt and bowed to Cheng Qiao. This was the highest form of respect among ability users. If this pill could save Mai Sui, then Cheng Qiao would become their strongest pillar of support.

Qin Guoqing came by Cheng Liguo’s place every week—he was never at ease leaving Cheng Liguo alone. But this time, when he arrived, he saw a completely different scene.

He immediately reported it to Qin Daqiang. After a moment’s contemplation, Qin Daqiang decided to bring Mother Li and Cheng Li and the others along to welcome Cheng Qiao’s return.

After receiving the call, Li Ming and Xiao Gui hurried back at once. Even Li Xiaonuan said she would catch the earliest flight home.

So when Cheng Qiao turned around, she saw Cheng Li and the others standing in a row, staring at her with excitement. Cheng Li couldn’t hold back and rushed forward first, hugging Cheng Qiao tightly.

Li Ming fought back tears. He hadn’t been a good son—his mother had been missing for five years, and he hadn’t known a thing. He felt deeply unfilial, having focused only on earning military merit, hoping to give his mother a surprise.

“Go on! Why are you so dumb?” Xiao Gui snapped.

She couldn’t stand it anymore and kicked him hard. He snapped out of it and rushed forward too. Cheng Qiao hugged her two sons, feeling an overwhelming sense of fulfillment.

When she saw Ye Jing standing quietly beside Ye Jun, she ran over and pulled Ye Jing into a tight embrace. By the time she and Li Huan had reunited, Li Huan had already told her most of what had happened at home.

“Good child—you’re Mom’s pride.”