章 158: A Father's Worst Fear

Time melded into the background, and roughly a quarter of an hour later, a brilliant streak of light cut across the horizon, revealing Ji Mingxiu in its wake. He landed near Jiang Chen, his demeanor filled not with blame, but concern. "Jiang Chen, are you alright? How severe are your injuries?" He quickly assessed the situation, noting the destroyed artifact and Jiang Chen's weary appearance. His heart softened, and without a moment's hesitation, he drew near. Emitting a powerful yet gentle force, he enveloped both Jiang Chen and the two unconscious girls. With all three securely in his grasp, Ji Mingxiu took to the heavens, their speed escalating as they shot upwards.

...

As they journeyed across the cloud-swept skies, Jiang Chen was somber, his voice laden with guilt. "Master, I have failed. I couldn't protect Miss Ruxue and Miss Xiaojing. They started showing strange symptoms, so I had to render them unconscious to control the situation."