Chapter 1101: Little Peach

A glimmer of hope flashed in Chen Ling’s eyes.

"What should I do?" Chen Ling asked immediately, his voice tinged with urgency.

"No rush."

Teacher Ye saw the anxiety in his eyes and smiled. "Although I have some understanding of the Calamity of Mockery, your situation is the first I’ve ever seen... I need to go back and review the materials from those years. Give me some time, alright?"

Chen Ling wanted to say something more, but Teacher Ye spoke again:

"Besides, what you need most right now isn't to control the Calamity of Mockery, but to rest... How long has it been since you last slept?"

Chen Ling fell silent... After a long moment, he gave a helpless, bitter smile.

From the moment he incited the riot in the Wuji Domain, to being captured, to the great battle in the Wuji Domain, and then the Calamity of Mockery spiraling out of control, followed by his journey to the Fusion Faction... it seemed like it had been several days since he last slept.

Having just suffered a double blow to his physical and mental state, his body was in an extremely poor condition, and he had been holding on purely by a single breath.

As Teacher Ye pointed this out, Chen Ling immediately felt exhaustion wash over him like a tidal wave, nearly drowning him. He couldn't even sit upright anymore... Any thought of starting his training to control the Calamity of Mockery today was impossible.

"Mr. Chen, there is no need for anxiety or impatience."

Teacher Ye’s voice was gentle and distant, like a hermit living deep in the mountains, guiding a junior. "The future is long. Controlling the Calamity of Mockery... we have plenty of time."

"...You are right."

Chen Ling slowly stood up from his seat. "I will come to bother you again once I have rested."

He finished the tea Teacher Ye had brewed, turned, and walked out of the office. Just then, as if remembering something, he looked back at the simple figure by the window.

"Teacher Ye, just call me Chen Ling from now on... I came to the Fusion Faction to learn, not to be some 'Mister'."

Teacher Ye was slightly taken aback, and the smile on his face became even more relaxed and gentle.

"Alright, I understand."

Chen Ling calmed his mind and walked out of Teacher Ye’s office.

He was exhausted by now; not only were his steps unsteady, but his vision was also blurring. After pushing the door open, he dazedly saw a dark shadow standing outside and nearly collided with it.

"Whoa!"

His body, long kept in a state of high tension, erupted with astonishing reaction speed the moment he bumped into the shadow. Chen Ling’s eyes narrowed, one hand grabbed the person’s arm, a boning knife slid smoothly into his other palm, and the sharp tip pressed against the figure’s neck!

A panicked, high-pitched shriek rang out.

Only then did Chen Ling see the appearance of the "dark shadow." It was a young girl wrapped in a hemp-yellow cloak. The material of her clothes was almost identical to the wandering black robe Zhao Yi wore, the only difference being that this one was much smaller and brighter...

Even more eye-catching than the hemp-yellow cloak were the pair of light-yellow animal ears on top of her head, covered in fine, dense fuzz, like those of some feline. The moment Chen Ling’s blade touched her neck, those ears immediately flattened backward like airplane wings, terrified to the extreme!

"Don't kill me, don't kill me, don't kill me, don't kill me, don't kill me..."

A strong vibration traveled from his palm. The girl before him had her eyes squeezed shut, her whole body trembling violently, her face deathly pale... It made one wonder if she was about to be scared to death on the spot.

Chen Ling suppressed his combat instincts. Seeing that the girl was one of the many Fusionists who had greeted him outside the door earlier, he immediately realized he had been too abrupt. He sheathed his boning knife while apologizing:

"I'm sorry... My mind wasn't clear just now. I didn't mean to."

The girl finally stopped shaking. She carefully opened one eye, confirmed that the knife at her neck was gone, and then swallowed hard, muttering to herself:

"Holy crap, I was almost scared to death... Everything written in books is a lie. If I ever believe in some 'chance encounter' plot again, I'm a dog..."

Chen Ling: ?

Chen Ling was slightly stunned, looking at the delicate and cute animal-eared girl, wondering if he was hallucinating... Who was talking just now?

"What did you say?"

"Ah? No, I..." The girl snapped back to reality, stammering, "I, I'm called Little Peach... The thing is... the Saint Son told me to take... take... take... take you to your room. He’s arranged everything... That’s why I was waiting here... I definitely wasn't eavesdropping!!"

“……”

Chen Ling only heard that Zhao Yi had arranged a room for him and didn't catch the rest. He was so tired that he desperately needed to find a place to sleep, so he nodded slightly. "Thank you."

Seeming to notice Chen Ling’s poor mental state, Little Peach blinked and asked suspiciously:

"Chen Ling... sir, are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm just a bit tired."

"Oh, oh, oh, then let's go quickly so you can get some rest."

Wrapped in her hemp-yellow cloak, Little Peach led Chen Ling through the tree hollows. Along the way, they occasionally ran into other Fusionists passing by or chatting in groups. When they saw Chen Ling, their eyes lit up, and they immediately wanted to step forward to ask something.

Every time this happened, Little Peach would zip in front of Chen Ling like a superstar’s manager, hands on her hips, looking serious:

"Master Chen Ling is tired! You are not allowed to bother him!!"

"Whatever you have to say, wait until he wakes up!"

"Move aside!!"

Little Peach led Chen Ling through the tree hollows all the way until they reached a wooden door.

"We're here." Little Peach took a key from her pocket and handed it to Chen Ling. "The Saint Son arranged this specially. From now on, this is your exclusive room~"

After handing the key to Chen Ling, Little Peach said goodbye and left. Chen Ling stood before the wooden door, slowly inserted the key into the lock, and a moment later, a soft click echoed from behind the door...

A cool breeze brushed against Chen Ling’s face.

Chen Ling walked into the room, his gaze sweeping over everything inside: the living room, dining table, chairs, sofa, and a large bed... Although most of it was made of wood, it didn't feel monotonous; instead, it had a sense of natural vitality.

As Chen Ling walked to the back of the room, a balcony that wrapped around most of the space appeared before him, covering almost every angle. Standing here, one could feel the hazy daylight of the Gray World all day long and enjoy an incredibly expansive view of the Gray World.

The unique special treatment, the lively atmosphere of the Fusion Faction, the 270-degree panoramic balcony, and the joy of the young boys and girls upon hearing of his arrival—only at this moment did Chen Ling truly know that every word Zhao Yi said was true... For someone who had been at his wit's end, he hadn't boasted at all.

The hustle and bustle at the door had receded like the tide, like a dream bubble. Chen Ling stood quietly under the sky of the Gray World, and everything around him returned to solitude.

"The Fusion Faction, huh... Not bad." He muttered to himself.

His bright red opera robe danced lonely in the wind. He stood under the sky of the Gray World, but what was reflected in his eyes was a landscape from somewhere unknown.