Chapter 402: Fallen Pinnacle

For some reason, after leaving Ji Ye, Xu Yang always felt a faint worry in his heart. Whenever he thought about Xiao Hua being the crucial medium Ji Ye mentioned for their group's departure from the fantasy world, a pang of reluctance would rise in Xu Yang's heart. On second thought, his arrival in this fantasy world hadn't truly given Xiao Hua a new life in a meaningful sense.

All along the way, Xiao Hua had silently dedicated herself, following him and the team. Yet during this time, Xu Yang seemed to have few opportunities to be alone with Xiao Hua, and he had, to some extent, neglected her.

Although Xu Yang did all this for the entire continent, he had to face the fact that Xiao Hua hadn't been able to play a more significant role in his world as he had hoped.

However, he himself had long become an irreplaceable part of her life.

The Empress and Wushuang both clearly understood Xu Yang's unique emotional state at that moment. All they could offer him was silent comfort and companionship.

"We understand what you're thinking," the Empress said. "If you feel you owe Xiao Hua, then make it up to her in your own way."

The Empress's words profoundly impacted Xu Yang. Perhaps the time before their departure was precisely the best moment to make amends to Xiao Hua.

Thinking this, Xu Yang instinctively quickened his pace. Taking the Empress and Wushuang with him, he quickly left the Peak of Extremity and returned to his team's encampment.

However, to Xu Yang's surprise, as soon as he stepped through the base's gate, he heard anxious words from Long Kun and the others.

"Boss," they said, "Xiao Hua is gone."

"What did you say?" Xu Yang exclaimed.

It turned out that shortly after the war ended, Xiao Hua had used an excuse to return to the Divine Capital first.

Everyone had advised her then to wait for Xu Yang's return before making a decision. Xiao Hua had agreed at the time, but after just one night, she had disappeared without a trace.

Long Kun and the others had just sent out the teleportation aircraft when it inexplicably flew back on its own.

"That's right," someone explained. "That's because the Peak of Extremity is too unique. Our transportation vehicles cannot reach it precisely; it's essentially the very edge of the continent."

Xu Yang instinctively frowned. He regretted his actions, but this was clearly not the time for regret. What he needed to do was immediately find the girl's whereabouts.

"No matter what happens, I won't let anything happen to you, Xiao Hua," he vowed. "Wait for me!"

As Xu Yang spoke, he transformed into a streak of light and vanished completely from the spot.

At the same time, the Empress and Wushuang simultaneously unleashed their respective Source Energy abilities. Following the path from Qianqiu Ridge back to the Divine King's Capital, they joined the search from two other directions.

"Let's not just stand here," Long Kun urged. "Everyone, let's search everywhere."

Long Kun's words received unanimous support from everyone. Dozens of team members set off one after another, expanding the search area for Xiao Hua in various directions.

Two days and two nights passed in a flash. Xu Yang raced all the way, thoroughly searching almost every place near Qianqiu Ridge leading to the Divine King's Capital. He even activated his Heavenly Eye, unleashing immensely powerful soul energy waves to search for Xiao Hua's soul presence. Unfortunately, he ultimately found no satisfactory result.

"Why is this happening!" Xu Yang cried out. "It's impossible for Xiao Hua to have encountered any danger midway! She has the protection of the Sacrificial Beast within her, and she's been cultivating these past few days. Ordinary cultivators simply couldn't inflict fatal harm on her. So why has her aura just vanished without a trace?"

As the saying goes, concern leads to chaos. At this moment, Xu Yang had completely lost the calmness and confidence he possessed when facing the continent's strongest enemies. He had even instinctively begun imagining how much pain he would feel if Xiao Hua truly left this world.

"This blind search isn't working," the Empress said. "How about this? I'll immediately return to the Flame Kingdom. A Yang, you and Wushuang go back to the Divine Kingdom and mobilize the royal family's power to search for Xiao Hua's whereabouts. That way, it will be more efficient."

The Empress notified Xu Yang and Wushuang through soul resonance. She then departed from their original search path first, flying towards the Flame King's Capital.

Xu Yang and Wushuang also paired up once again, continuously moving closer to the Divine King's Capital together.

The entire process was quite long. Five days later, all members of Xu Yang's team arrived and gathered in the Divine King's Capital.

There had still been no news regarding Xiao Hua's whereabouts, and no trace of her returning to the residence Xu Yang had originally purchased in the Divine King's Capital.

"All indications suggest that Xiao Hua didn't return to the Divine King's Capital at all," a team member explained. "However, there are no signs of a struggle or injury, so Boss, you don't need to be too pessimistic. I think she must be keeping something from us."

Wushuang also nodded in agreement. "That's right," she added. "If she had suddenly encountered danger, she wouldn't have told everyone she was leaving the day before her disappearance. Therefore, the current situation proves that her departure was her own conscious decision."

Everyone was using various excuses to comfort Xu Yang.

"No, I can't wait any longer," Xu Yang declared. "Perhaps only Ji Ye can give me answers!"

"Then I'll go with you," Wushuang offered.

Xu Yang didn't refuse Wushuang, because the powerful power of faith within her was a unique ability he didn't possess. Therefore, having her by his side would make things more convenient.

And so, Xu Yang and Wushuang set off once again, heading directly for the Peak of Extremity, the very top of the continent.

What the two didn't expect, however, was that during this return visit, they didn't see Ji Ye's true form. Instead, there was only a pool of blood on the ground and the completely vanished outline of Ji Ye!

"How can this be?" Xu Yang exclaimed.

"Could someone have been here?" Wushuang wondered aloud.

"How is that possible?" Xu Yang countered. "The Black Dragon King has been completely defeated, and few in the world know the location of the Peak of Extremity. Furthermore, they would have no reason to attack Ji Ye. Yet the bloodstains on the ground clearly emanate Ji Ye's aura!"

Wushuang's expression gradually turned grave. "It seems things aren't quite as we imagined," she said. "There might be something here beyond our comprehension!"

Xu Yang's mood was extremely complex at this moment. He felt anger, anxiety, and doubt about the unknown.

All these complex emotions intertwined. Coupled with the restless agitation that had built up within him over days of searching for Xiao Hua, Xu Yang finally reached his breaking point.

Suddenly, a hysterical roar erupted from the Peak of Extremity!

A thunderous rumble ensued!

At that very moment, the mountain walls of the Peak of Extremity beneath their feet suddenly began to collapse drastically. Following this, the highest peak, once at the world's apex, inexplicably began to sink rapidly, until the towering summit completely plunged into a massive void at the center of the mountain range.

"How can this be?" Xu Yang murmured. "Could it be that the central body of the Peak of Extremity, which has always stood at the continent's highest point, has been hiding such a terrifying secret all this time?"