Rise of the Demon God

After he finished getting dressed, Long Chen sat down on the bed, tired. His legs had again started aching. 

"Since we want to go back, we would need to travel to the Empire of that Du?" Zhiqing asked Long Chen. "How do you plan to get through?"

"What do you mean?" Long Chen asked. 

"I mean the allegations of forcing a woman. Didn't you say that they were made before everyone? Before the people of Twenty Worlds? You proved your innocence in Esteria, but it hasn't been long," Zhiqing replied. 

" I don't think the news traveled even to the next Empire, let alone to the Empire of Du. For the rest of the world, you're still a criminal of Esteria. Will they welcome you?" she asked. 

"Also, you fought with them and kidnapped their guests and even killed them, spoiling their tournament. I believe they might even kill you at sight, let alone letting you use their Teleportation portal," she added. 

"Well, your concerns are invalid. Because I'm not going to them as a guest. Of course, I will enter like I always do. They won't even know when I entered and when I left," Long Chen replied, smiling. 

"Is that so?" Zhiqing asked Long Chen as she stared at him from top to bottom. "You will do that?"

"Who else?" Long Chen inquired. "Of course me."

Zhiqing rolled her eyes as she stared at Long Chen. "You, who can't even walk properly, will infiltrate the Palace?" 

"I am sure you could easily do it in your normal condition, but the way you are right now, you can't even think about it. If that's your plan, then we're not leaving tomorrow. We'll wait until you properly heal," she said. 

"Come on! Have faith in me. I'll be healed by then. Anyway, I can use my Laws now. I'll be fine. And about leaving tomorrow, that's final," Long Chen insisted, refusing to budge.

"I'm not letting you get close to the Royal Palace before you fully heal. You want to leave, fine. We'll leave tomorrow. But we will only enter the Empire if you're fine by then. Do you agree?" Zhiqing asked Long Chen as she placed one condition on him.

"Alright. I'll only enter the Empire if I am safe," Long Chen agreed. 

"Huh? You're all dressed. Are you going somewhere? Moving in this condition?"

Just as Long Chen had agreed, he heard an old sounding voice. Looking towards the entrance of the tent, he saw an old woman entering. 

"Ah, grandma, you're back," Long Chen said as he realized that it was the old woman that had saved him. 

Mingyu also entered behind the old lady, making Long Chen relieved that she was safe. 

"I am. Now answer me, are you leaving?" The old lady asked Long Chen again. 

"Yeah. Tomorrow I'll be leaving. I believe I'm fine to travel now. Moreover, I have some place I need to be. I'm already running late, so this will be all there is to it," Long Chen said. 

"Ah, right." The old lady seemed a bit taken aback as she nodded her head. 

"Are you sad, grandma?" Zhiqing asked the old lady as she saw her disappointment. 

"Why wouldn't I be?" The old lady answered as she stepped forward. She stepped right beside Long Chen and sat near him. 

"I used to live here with my son. Two years ago, he left and never returned. With your arrival, I felt like I got my son back and a few daughters too. How stupid of me; I forgot that you're just guests who won't be with me forever," she said as a single droplet of tear trickled down her cheek.

"Don't worry about me. I'm just talking nonsense," she added as she wiped her tear and stood up. 

She started leaving the tent.

"Ah, Grandma, how about you come with me?" Zhiqing suddenly said, unable to see the sadness on the face of the lady. 

This woman had saved the lives of the person most precious to them. They didn't even know how they could thank the lady enough. If they could keep her happy by taking her with them and helping her find a good company, it was great. 

"What do you think?" She asked Long Chen. 

"But Zhiqing, taking her with us? You know we're going to the Empire. It would be risky for us as it is. Keeping grandma with us will make it risky for her too," Long Chen said, shaking his head. "We can't take her."

"It's fine. Don't worry about me. I think I'll prefer to stay here as well," the old lady said as she noticed Long Chen's reluctance. She didn't want to become a burden on them just because she saved Long Chen's life. 

"You duffer! Did you hit your brain as well when you fell? You're missing something so basic. Of course, I don't mean having her travel with you. I meant taking her with us!" Zhiqing said as she raised her voice. 

"Ah, I get it. You meant the Fake World," Long Chen said as he realized what she was trying to say. 

"The Fake World is a place where I can only send people closest to me. Even though grandma saved my life, it's still risky. If I fail, she will die in the process. It's better not to do it," he explained before he once again refused to do it. 

"Sigh, you..." Zhiqing didn't know how to react. Long Chen's explanation was right as well. If he killed her in the process, he would always regret killing the person who saved him.

It was better to leave the person behind than killing her. 

Zhiqing looked at the old lady as she apologized. "I'm sorry Grandma, but he is right. We can't take you."

"Don't worry about it. As I said, I prefer to stay here. Maybe one day my son will return. I want to be here for him," the old lady said as she smiled before she left the tent. 

Watching the lonely back of the old lady getting distant, Zhiqing let out a deep sigh. 

"I know it's hard, but it's better this way," Long Chen said as he rubbed Zhiqing's shoulder. 

Mingyu also stepped forward and sat beside Long Chen. 

"How was the trip outside? Did you find any Cultivators?" Long Chen asked Mingyu. 

"None. The village nearby only has mortals is surprising. Though even amongst them, there are quite a few scums," she said. 

"Why? What did they do?" Long Chen asked. 

"They said something which I didn't like. So I pulled their tongue out and broke their teeth," Mingyu replied casually.