### Chapter 1781 — A Lingering Gaze
The ancient wooden immortal ship silently crossed the endless sea of stars.
Broken planets drifted past.
Dim starlight flowed across the polished deck.
Yang Lin stood quietly at the bow.
His hands rested behind his back.
His gaze remained fixed on the endless darkness ahead.
Then—
He suddenly turned around.
His eyes met Xue Yao's.
Xue Yao froze.
Her clear eyes widened slightly before she quickly looked away.
A faint trace of embarrassment appeared on her usually calm face.
Liao Yu blinked several times.
"...Xue Yao?"
Xiao Rui tilted her head curiously.
"Then said you've been looking at him for a while..."
FeiFei crossed her arms.
A mischievous smile slowly appeared.
The two senior brothers exchanged amused looks.
Su Qinglan smiled faintly.
Han Qing quietly observed.
Han Chen remained expressionless, but her eyes became thoughtful.
Ning Mei simply sighed.
Bai Yao stood silently.
Yue Bingxin calmly watched the two.
Only Daji suddenly laughed.
"Oh?"
She looked directly at Xue Yao.
"You have feelings for Yang Lin."
Silence.
Yang Lin immediately shook his head.
"Don't say nonsense like that."
Everyone's attention immediately shifted toward Xue Yao.
Yue Bingxin calmly spoke.
"Xue Yao."
"Just tell everyone."
Xue Yao hurriedly waved both hands.
"N-No."
"No."
"Why would I have feelings for Yang Lin?"
She lowered her head.
Her voice became quieter.
"I'm only..."
"...afraid."
Everyone became serious.
Xue Yao slowly continued.
"The people who like me..."
"...are all in the World of Cultivation."
"They are all at least seven major realms above Immortal venerable, just like i was back in the day."
"I don't like any of them."
"But..."
"If I truly liked Yang Lin..."
"...he would inevitably become their target."
"I don't want him placed in danger because of me."
"So..."
"...liking him is something I shouldn't even think about."
Silence filled the immortal ship.
FeiFei's playful smile disappeared.
The two senior brothers slowly frowned.
Ning Mei looked sympathetically toward Xue Yao.
Han Chen quietly lowered her eyes.
Han Qing let out a soft sigh.
Su Qinglan gently gripped her spear.
Bai Yao's emerald eyes softened.
Daji looked slightly guilty.
Yue Bingxin also became silent.
---
### Chapter 1782 — Unnecessary Apologies
Daji rubbed the back of her head.
"...Sorry, Yang Lin."
Yue Bingxin nodded.
"Our fault."
"You didn't need to hear that."
Yang Lin simply looked at them.
His expression remained calm.
The two senior brothers Zhao Feng and Gu Tian suddenly walked over.
One of them produced a jade wine jar.
The other took out another bottle filled with fragrant spiritual wine.
"Eternal Spring Immortal Wine."
One smiled.
"Come."
"Let's drink."
Yang Lin calmly replied,
"No need."
"I'm neither angry..."
"...nor sad..."
"...nor anything else."
Everyone quietly looked at him.
His face remained as calm as a still lake.
FeiFei blinked.
"...He's really not bothered?"
Ning Mei looked thoughtful.
Han Qing smiled helplessly.
Su Qinglan quietly relaxed.
Xue Yao looked at Yang Lin for several seconds.
Her beautiful eyes became even more complicated.
---
### Chapter 1783 — A Passing Journey
Yang Lin slowly turned around again.
His hands remained behind his back.
He quietly watched countless dim stars pass beside the immortal ship.
Broken planets drifted endlessly through the silent darkness.
After a long silence—
He softly recited—
> "Like this immortal ship crossing endless stars,
>
> Broken worlds drift while dim lights endure.
>
> Some remain where eternity leaves them.
>
> Some arrive only to depart again.
>
> Such is every meeting beneath heaven."
Silence.
No one spoke.
Xue Yao slowly lifted her head.
Her beautiful eyes quietly trembled.
FeiFei became unusually quiet.
Liao Yu stared blankly.
Xiao Rui looked thoughtful.
The two senior brothers slowly lowered their wine jars.
Su Qinglan smiled faintly.
Han Qing gently closed her eyes.
Han Chen silently watched Yang Lin's back.
Ning Mei softly sighed.
Bai Yao looked toward the endless stars.
Even Daji became unusually quiet.
---
### Chapter 1784 — The Clone Hears
More than seven light-years away—
The trapped clone quietly heard every word.
For the first time—
A trace of surprise appeared on her flawless face.
Her long silver-white hair flowed gently despite the stillness of space.
Her skin resembled flawless white jade.
Elegant silver ornaments rested within her intricate hairstyle.
A delicate silver-and-blue celestial dress wrapped around her graceful figure.
Ancient metallic decorations adorned her waist and shoulders.
Long translucent ribbons floated weightlessly around her.
Her icy blue eyes contained the same consciousness as her true body.
Although merely a clone—
She possessed the complete memories and will of the original.
She had simply been trapped together with the Starry Sky Secret Realm countless for milions years ago.
Her crimson crystal embedded at her chest glowed faintly beneath the dim starlight.
She quietly whispered,
"...Interesting."
---
### Chapter 1785 — Noticed
Yang Lin's divine sense quietly swept across the distant clone.
The clone's pupils suddenly contracted.
"...Did..."
"...he see me?"
Her calm expression finally changed.
"...Impossible."
Yang Lin simply smiled faintly.
"What awaits..."
"...will await."
The clone stared into the endless darkness.
For the first time in countless years—
She felt uncertainty.
---
### Chapter 1786 — Mo Yue's Question
Inside Mo Yue—
The sword spirit quietly looked upward.
Her crimson eyes carried a rare trace of concern.
"Yang Lin."
"...Are you alright?"
Yang Lin replied through voice transmission,
"What do you mean?"
Mo Yue remained silent.
Then softly answered,
"You've been quieter than usual."
Yang Lin smiled.
"I'm fine."
Mo Yue looked at him for another moment.
Then silently nodded.
---
### Chapter 1787 — One Week Later
Time quietly passed.
One full week later—
The immortal ship continued sailing through endless stars.
Yang Lin slowly opened his eyes.
"We're almost there."
Su Qinglan blinked.
"...Already?"
"I didn't even feel like we'd traveled that far."
FeiFei immediately asked,
"How fast were we moving?"
Liao Yu also became curious.
"Yeah."
"It didn't even feel fast."
Yang Lin calmly answered,
"Not fast."
"Compared to what comes next..."
"...this was nothing."
"One light-year each day."
"Seven light-years..."
"...in seven days."
Silence.
Everyone stared at him.
The two senior brothers nearly shouted together.
"...Not fast?!"
"You've got to be kidding!"
Xiao Rui nodded repeatedly.
"Exactly!"
Yang Lin simply looked ahead.
"What comes next..."
"...is so fast..."
"...that this journey is insignificant."
Everyone became even more speechless.
---
### Chapter 1788 — Arrival
Far ahead—
The imprisoned group watched the approaching immortal ship.
One of the young men widened his eyes.
"...That ship..."
"...is unbelievably fast."
The woman in the center quietly narrowed her eyes.
The two young women looked increasingly serious.
Another young man slowly spoke,
"...That guy..."
"...is here."
One of the women frowned.
"There are no treasures here."
"What are they coming for?"
The central woman calmly answered,
"He isn't here for treasures."
"He's here..."
"...for something completely different."
The other four exchanged uncertain looks.
---
### Chapter 1789 — The Surprise
The ancient wooden immortal ship slowly descended.
It stopped several hundred thousand li away from the chained prisoners.
Yang Lin calmly stepped onto the deck.
"We're here."
"The surprise."
"Everyone."
"Come down."
One after another—
Everyone descended from the ship.
Xue Yao looked ahead curiously.
FeiFei became excited.
Daji narrowed her fox eyes.
Su Qinglan tightened her grip on her spear.
The two senior brothers became alert.
Ning Mei drew the Autumn River Long Blade.
Bai Yao allowed the emerald Half Moon Blade to float behind her.
Liao Yu unsheathed the Night Shadow Sword.
Xiao Rui raised the Heaven Mirror Shield.
Han Qing unfolded part of her Divine Scroll.
Han Chen circulated immortal qi.
Yue Bingxin's Heavenly Sword Box released faint sword hums.
Everyone prepared for battle.
Ning Mei finally asked,
"...Where's the surprise?"
Yang Lin calmly pointed ahead.
"Use your divine sense."
"One hundred li ahead."
"There is a woman chained in the center."
"Two men."
"Two women."
"They are imprisoned by dark Dao chains covered with countless Dao patterns."
"The woman in the center is bound much more tightly."
"Even the void itself is locking her in place."
Everyone immediately extended their divine senses.
Their expressions changed drastically.
---
### Chapter 1790 — Old Friends
Xue Yao's pupils suddenly shrank.
"...I know them."
Everyone immediately looked toward her.
Her voice became filled with shock.
"The two men..."
"...Immortal Sovereign Second Stage Peak."
"The two women..."
"...also Immortal Sovereign Second Stage Peak."
"And..."
"...the woman in the middle..."
"...Immortal Sovereign Third Stage Peak."
She slowly clenched her fists.
"Even after such cruel imprisonment..."
"...they're still alive."
A relieved smile appeared on her face.
"I'm glad..."
"...they're safe."
Everyone became stunned.
FeiFei could hardly believe what she had heard.
The two senior brothers exchanged shocked glances.
Su Qinglan's expression turned solemn.
Han Qing slowly folded part of her scroll.
Han Chen quietly frowned.
Ning Mei tightened her grip on her blade.
Bai Yao silently watched the distant figures.
Daji's playful expression completely disappeared.
Yue Bingxin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Yang Lin calmly looked toward Xue Yao.
"They're your friends?"
Xue Yao nodded gently.
"...Old friends."
Silence settled over the group as they continued looking toward the five chained figures waiting in the endless darkness.