Send Them Away Immediately

She thought, since it was so hard to come to Drake Abyss, she should learn as much as she could from Grandpa Gene the High Saint. Plus, when she left, she ought to gather plenty of those rare herbs unique to Drake Abyss...

Grandpa Gene was incredibly kind to his two apprentices.

He told the Dragon Steward Chief about their troubles, and the steward gave them some clean clothes to change into.

He even let them pick a celestial fruit from the orchard behind the thatched hut every day.

When they got back, Grace asked Grandpa Gene, "Uncle Gene, do you know Louis Lin and Quentin Chin, who used to serve Crown Prince Evan Xiao?"

"Of course I do!" Uncle Gene replied. "Naturally, I know them well!"

"Back when the Crown Prince took them to the mortal world, I actually got to know them," Grace said. "So today, when I was at Radiant Dawn Palace, I wanted to catch up with them. But the palace maids said they’re no longer serving the Crown Prince?"

"Ah! Those two really hit a streak of bad luck!" Grandpa Gene sighed.

"Huh? What happened to them?" Grace asked, worried.

"When the Crown Prince went to the mortal world, he was seriously injured and almost lost his life! The Celestial Empress got furious and blamed them for failing to protect him, so she sent them off to Elderworld for twenty years of hardship!"

"Seriously injured?" Grace's eyes flashed. "Was it that time when His Highness was covered in wounds and his meridians burst?"

"That's right!" Grandpa Gene nodded. "His Highness was battered from head to toe, not a single patch of good skin left! The Celestial Empress was furious, but thankfully he pulled through... Otherwise, those two wouldn't have survived either."

Grace frowned. "What kind of place is Elderworld?"

"It's a shattered ancient realm, enormous..." Grandpa Gene pointed toward the Celestial Palace. "See that magnificent Celestial Palace? It's built from Celestial Stones gathered from Elderworld."

"Uncle Gene, about Elderworld... Could you take me there sometime?"

"What would you go there for? Your cultivation is way too shallow..." Uncle Gene shook his head vigorously.

"I just want to see those two."

"Oh, I see... But Elderworld isn't somewhere you can just visit. Maybe if the chance comes up!"

...

Just as the three were chatting, Grandpa Gene's expression suddenly turned serious and he stood up.

Grace and Rona Yin had no idea what was happening, when suddenly, a figure emerged from the void—it was Sophie Shang.

Grace had asked Rosalind to deliver a message to Evan Xiao, but unexpectedly, it wasn’t Evan who came—it was her...

Grandpa Gene the High Saint bowed respectfully. "Goddess Sophie Shang! What brings you here?"

Sophie Shang’s cold gaze swept over Grace and Rona Yin. She asked, "Grandpa Gene, was it you who brought these two up here?"

"Are you referring to my two apprentices, Goddess?" Grandpa Gene asked calmly.

"Grace Zhu, Rona Yin," Sophie Shang replied. "Why did you bring them here?"

"You know my two apprentices, Goddess?" Grandpa Gene looked genuinely surprised.

"Cut the act!" Sophie Shang snapped, her presence commanding. "Send them away immediately."

"Heh!" Grandpa Gene chuckled. "Goddess, you’ve been in confinement lately, so you didn’t know. Because I grew a batch of Celestial Hibiscus Orchid for the Celestial Empress, and she loved it, she granted me the privilege of taking two apprentices to help this old man out!"

Sophie Shang glared at him, then suddenly reached out and grabbed Grandpa Gene, lifting him into the air. "You’re just a little Wood Spirit, and you dare to challenge the Crown Princess herself! Do you believe I could destroy your soul completely?"