Ethereal World: Vicious Cannon Fodder's Immortality Road

"My dear, come here." A voice seemed to drift from far away, echoing in her heart. She listened to the call, relaxing as she let the gentle voice guide her. It sounded so soft, so familiar.

Her footsteps moved uncontrollably toward the platform, leading her to one of the pillars. It looked identical to the others, yet it gave her a different feeling.

As she stopped in front of it, the voice in her heart grew louder, urging her to step closer.

She obeyed. Then, her hands stretched out, touching the pillar. She placed her forehead against it, and suddenly, she felt herself being pulled into another dimension.

She was alone. Her companions remained outside. She could see their anxious expressions shift into relief as Xiao Yun spoke to them.

She also saw her brother approach, searching for her. Under Xiao Yun’s words, he suddenly walked toward the same pillar she had entered.

She thought she could greet him, but the moment he placed his forehead against the pillar, he disappeared.

A strange feeling settled within her, but she trusted that there was no danger in this place. Turning her head, she took in her surroundings, and was utterly stunned.

Countless scrolls floated around her, each glowing beautifully in different shades. Curiously, she flew toward a green scroll.

The title read: "There Is No Disease in the World That Cannot Be Cured." It contained records of long-lost cures for unique diseases.

Her eyes lit up immediately as she opened the first page. Excitement bubbled within her.

This scroll documented diseases and cures from ancient times to the present across all Nine Realms. There were nine scrolls in total, each connected to the others.

It was like a modern computer that stored countless data. Each scroll was not long; their size was similar to a modern textbook. There was only one page per scroll, and each scroll had a table of contents listing the names of diseases and their cures.

When she touched a content entry, the scroll lit up like a modern iPad, and golden letters appeared, describing the disease and its corresponding cure.

She eagerly searched for the second scroll. Its color was a darker shade of green than the first.

Then, she spotted another scroll, one that recorded methods for drawing talismans using the divine power of heaven and the universe.

The last time she learned to draw talismans, she had only infused them with her spiritual power, borrowing the energy of heaven and earth. But now, if she could harness the power of the universe, wouldn’t the strength of her talismans be hundreds of times greater?

She also noticed numerous maps floating nearby. Their numbers were uncountable. Picking one up, she discovered it was a treasure map, detailing the paths to secret realms and lands.

Another scroll recorded a legendary spell, one she was not yet strong enough to practice. But reading it would cause no harm.

It was a spell to summon fire from the Underworld Realm.

"So many priceless things," she whispered in shock. As she marveled at the treasures, a light floated toward her.

The light soon took the form of a tall man, vague and blurry. His figure was transparent, yet even in this remnant state, his powerful aura was unmistakable.

Her eyes widened. All thoughts of the priceless treasures vanished as she stared at the figure in a daze, her voice trembling as she muttered, "Father, is that you?"

"Yue’er, you’re finally here." His gentle voice echoed, warm like the summer sun, like a flower blooming in spring, like a soft breeze caressing her heart.

"Father!" She felt it. She knew it. Even if she couldn’t recall his voice or face, her blood boiled with recognition. She didn’t need to see his features to know, this was him. The one who had always protected her.

She rushed forward to embrace him, but her figure passed through his transparent form. Tears fell from her eyes. She choked on her words as she gazed at him, unwilling to blink, afraid that he would disappear the moment she did.

"Father, I’m here! I’m here!" Subconsciously, she touched the jade bunny that always hung from her waist, the gift her father had given her for protection.

"You have this jade bunny, which means Zhu’er has already found you. Yue’er, how have you been?" His gentle voice was full of love and relief. He smiled as he stretched out a hand, wanting to stroke her head and comfort her, but he stopped, realizing with helpless sorrow that he was only a remnant.

"Brother has found me. I’m with him. Father, I’m doing fine. I have made many friends, and I have a lot of companions. They are my family now." Like a child longing for warmth and conversation with their parents, she spoke eagerly, telling him everything that had happened over the years. She had never shown such enthusiasm before.

The man nodded gently. Sometimes, he smiled. Sometimes, he frowned. Sometimes, his expression darkened. And other times, he laughed as he listened to her stories.

"Yue’er, these treasures belong to you. I knew you would come here, so I found a way to leave these resources for you." He floated closer, placing his palm on her head, even though he couldn’t truly touch her. Still, the warmth between them spread through the space. His tone was full of affection.

"Father, where are you now? This is only your remnant, where is your real body? And where is my mother? Is she with you? What happened to you?" She asked urgently, her voice full of concern and longing. She had asked this question many times, but he always changed the subject. This time, she refused to let it go.

"Yue’er, you’re still as persistent as ever," he sighed helplessly, though his eyes held deep affection.

"It’s not that I don’t want to tell you where I am or what happened to me. But your strength is still too low. If I told you, you would rush here without considering the consequences. I don’t want to disturb your peace of mind." The man shook his head. He knew his daughter’s temperament well.

He had raised her with his own hands, comforted her with his own embrace. How could he not know?

Shenlian Yingyue clenched her fists tightly. Strength. She needed more strength.

"As for your mother, when you return to the Shenlian Clan, you will understand." His expression turned solemn. "But, Yue’er, can you promise me one thing?"

She nodded firmly.

"When you return to the Shenlian Clan, trust no one except your uncle, Shenlian Sheshan. He is your mother’s brother. As for the rest of your relatives, I will leave it to you to judge whether they are worthy of your acknowledgment." He had the habit of caressing her hair while he was speaking, but now he couldn’t.

Sadness filled his gaze as he looked at her long locks. With a melancholy expression, he thought back to the past. Back then, her hair had only reached her half of her back. Now, it was so much longer.