Chapter 1116: Ning Qingxue’s Tears

As soon as Ye Mo descended, he was halted by the stage's restriction—a detail he'd overlooked in his eagerness to reach Ning Qingxue. Seeing him, and the way he looked at her, Ning Qingxue instantly knew he'd spotted her. Without a moment's hesitation, she surged from the audience, flying towards him. Huang Qian, witnessing this, could only watch, stunned and powerless to intervene.

Observing Ye Mo's status as a level seven pill king, Zhen Heyin and the Ethereal Immortal Pond elders felt disheartened. While Ning Qingxue was beautiful, she was merely a Golden Core cultivator; Ye Mo might not even be interested. Furthermore, several of the South Peace State's ten beauties were considered more attractive. If the Ethereal Immortal Pond recognized this, surely other sects did as well.

As Zhen Heyin hesitated, Ning Qingxue charged onto the pill king tournament stage. Worriedly, Zhen Heyin rose and shouted, "Qingxue, are you mad? Come back!" But Ning Qingxue heard nothing; Ye Mo was the only one in her sight. Her patience had reached its breaking point.

While Zhen Heyin considered punishing Ning Qingxue with decades of solitary confinement, her immediate priority was avoiding offense to Pill City. Everyone noticed Ning Qingxue's audacious move; some female cultivators gasped, others contemplating a similar action, only to be restrained by their sect leaders.

"What is she doing?" Jing Yingli asked, rising to her feet.

Jing Yingmeng, equally puzzled, replied, "That's Ning Qingxue, a disciple of the Ethereal Immortal Pond."

"South Peace State's third beauty?" Jing Yingli asked instinctively.

Jing Yingmeng nodded. "It is her. I heard she's very reserved and aloof, rarely speaking. Why is she so proactive today? Ye Mo's performance was truly magnificent; even I'm impressed..."

"But if even I don't deserve him, and Ning Qingxue isn't even prettier than me, only a Golden Core cultivator too... how dare she?" Jing Yingmeng exclaimed.

"I understand," Jing Yingli replied, sinking back into her seat with disappointment.

Jing Yingmeng, aware of her sister's sharp intellect, quickly asked, "What do you understand?"

"That Ning Qingxue is Ye Mo's wife," Jing Yingli said calmly. "He said he came to reclaim his wife; it's clearly her."

"Why?" Jing Yingmeng asked, suddenly uneasy.

Jing Yingli didn't answer; it was obvious. Given Ning Qingxue's reputed personality, she wouldn't act this way solely because Ye Mo was a pill king. She must already know him; before his rise to fame, he wouldn't have been able to approach her, let alone enter the Ethereal Immortal Pond. Ye Mo's earlier attempt to leave the stage, thwarted by the restriction, coupled with Ning Qingxue's simultaneous charge, made their relationship unmistakable.

Unlike Jing Yingli, Wen Caiyi, having identified Luo Xiaomo as Ye Mo, already suspected Ning Qingxue's husband was the pill king. Ning Qingxue's immediate and decisive action further confirmed her suspicion.

"What does he intend to do?" Shen Guanqing asked, frowning as Ye Mo collided with the restriction.

Lu Wuhu chuckled, sipping his wine. "Isn't it obvious? He saw his girl and wants to reach her, but the restriction stopped him."

Shen Guanqing, lifelong devotee of pill dao, lacked understanding of romantic relationships. He subtly glanced at Yue Qichao.

Yue Qichao nodded. "From their actions and expressions, that's certainly the case. I'll open the restriction to let them meet. The results will be announced later."

The judges, witnessing this, were envious. The city lords were remarkably accommodating to Ye Mo.

Ye Mo, initially intending to force the restriction, found it opening by itself. Ning Qingxue arrived on stage. He didn't consider the reason for the restriction's release, only charging towards her and embracing her tightly.

Feeling her familiar warmth in his arms, Ye Mo felt utterly content. Despite previous setbacks, he’d finally succeeded. Though it showcased his power, he felt it was worth it. He was now a publicly recognized Heaven Grade level seven pill master, forcing even nine-star sects to carefully consider attacking him. He would rescue Luo Ying from the Black Ice Sect, retrieve Yangzhu and the others from Pei Hai, and bring them all to Mo Yue City. Reflecting on this, he felt profoundly grateful to Jing Yingli for suggesting he participate.

Held in Ye Mo's strong embrace, Ning Qingxue felt his presence and forgot whatever she'd planned to say, bursting into tears. The crushing loneliness and helplessness finally lifted. She had found her husband. Nothing mattered but being with him again.

She longed to shout, "I finally found you!", but the words wouldn’t come. The tears she'd shed in recent days surpassed her entire life. She understood, at last: she was a woman, and her emotions manifested in tears, not words. Ye Mo would understand.

"Don't cry," Ye Mo said, his heart aching. "After this, I'll take you to rescue Luo Ying; we'll never be separated again."

Ning Qingxue, speechless, felt all past suffering dissolve. Her deepest wish, to be with Ye Mo forever, was fulfilled.

The audience recognized the girl who had dashed onto the stage as the pill king's acquaintance. However, they hadn't expected this public embrace. Were Ye Mo not the number one pill king, outrage would surely have erupted. But even then, Ye Mo and Ning Qingxue wouldn't have cared; their reunion far surpassed the tournament victory.

Qiu Xue of the Green Pill Sect finally grasped why Ye Mo had inquired about the South Peace State's ten beauties. He and Ning Qingxue were clearly very close.

Xin Zhida, surprised to see her master embrace a woman who had rushed onto the stage, was immediately impressed by his choice. Ning Qingxue surpassed even Pill City's most beautiful women in her master's eyes. Though she dared not voice it, she secretly feared Jing Yingli would become his wife. Jing Yingli was admirable, but Xin Zhida felt her master deserved someone beautiful.

"He has such an emotional side," Jing Yingmeng mused. "I think I'm starting to like him a bit."

Jing Yingli remained silent.

Zhen Heyin, initially distraught, rejoiced at her disciple's closeness to Luo Xiaomo. But then she recalled Ning Qingxue mentioning a husband – was it Luo Xiaomo? This realization sent shivers down her spine. She'd forbidden Ning Qingxue from mentioning her husband and attempted to force her marriage into the Lightning Cloud Sect. If Luo Xiaomo held her accountable, not even the Ethereal Immortal Pond could protect her.

Suddenly, elders and even the vice sect leader approached. Elder Chi exclaimed, "Congratulations, Heyin! Your disciple is exceptionally close to that Luo Xiaomo!"

Before Zhen Heyin could respond, another disciple announced, "Master, two elders from Golden Sword Sect and Heaven Star Sect have arrived."