When Chen Tiequan finished speaking, Huang Dingtian was utterly speechless. Did this guy take him for a fool? How could he still be saying such things now?

"I mean, haven't you figured out the situation by now? Let me tell you, even for me, things are already extremely dangerous. And yet you're asking me to go up against Ye Tian? Don't you know I'm no match for him?"

Chen Tiequan looked at him and said, "What? You're saying you're no match for him? No way."

In Chen Tiequan's eyes, Huang Dingtian was supposed to be a top-tier expert. He hadn't expected to hear him admit he couldn't take on Ye Tian.

Ye Tian gave a small smile and said, "He's right. He's no longer a match for me. So Chen Tiequan, no matter who you try to bring against me now, it's useless. There's no one left who can help you."

"You?"

"There's no need to act so surprised. I'm telling you, if you apologize to me now, maybe—just maybe—I'll let you off."

"No way. You think I'm going to apologize to you? Get lost right now, or I won't be so polite."

"Hmph, do you really think I'm here to reason with you?"

Ye Tian grabbed him in one swift motion and slammed him to the ground. "You're in no position to reason with me."

"What are you trying to do?!"

Ye Tian then picked up Huang Dingtian and threw him out the window. That was a lesson—one he believed would make sure Huang Dingtian never dared act against him again.

After dealing with him, Ye Tian looked at Huang Dingtian and said, "So, do you want to work for me from now on?"

"Of course I do."

"Good. Then help me figure out a way to return to the Journey to the West world. If you can find a way, I'll reward you handsomely."

"But I have no idea how to get you back to that world!"

Ye Tian patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry. We don't need to rush. We'll find a way eventually."

That was the situation now. If he really wanted to return, it wouldn't be so easy. To go back to his original world, he had to find a method. But the biggest problem was—they didn't have one yet.

Ye Tian alone likely wouldn't be able to figure it out. Huang Dingtian was one of the strongest figures in this world, so if he was willing to help, that was certainly a good thing.

Although they hadn't yet come up with a solution, with time, they were bound to figure something out.

After parting ways, Ye Tian returned to Han Zhengyun's home. Some time later, Shadow came to see him.

"Ye Tian, I think I've found a way for you to go back."

"Oh? Tell me what it is. If it works, I'll reward you well—and I'll even remove the poison parasite in your body."

"I know someone who might be able to help you. Come with me. I believe you'll finally be able to return to your world."

"Alright, take me there!"

Shadow led him to a place filled with stilted bamboo houses. The structures clearly had a long history.

Once they arrived, Shadow smiled and said, "Do you know why I brought you here?"

"No idea. Why did you?"

"Because there's a legend—someone would one day come here, someone who wanted to return to the Journey to the West world. And the person who brought him here was me."

"What? You knew about that?"

"Yes. I know everything."

Ye Tian felt that something was off. How could he possibly know that?

Just then, Shadow brought him to the door of a room and knocked. "Granny, I'm here."

"Come in."

The two of them entered. Once inside, Shadow said, "This is the granny I mentioned."

"You're Ye Tian?" the old woman asked, looking at him.

"Yes."

"Looks like the one I've been waiting for has finally arrived. Generations have passed, but I've finally lived to see you."

"You were waiting for me?"

"Yes. I've always been waiting for you—not just me, but even my great-grandparents were waiting. They never got the chance to see you, but I did."

"What's going on here?"

"A long time ago, my great-grandparents said that someone helped them in the past. That person would one day arrive here, wanting to return to the Journey to the West world. The only way to do so would be through the Book of Time and Space."

"The Book of Time and Space?"

"Yes. I'll get it for you now."

The old woman walked back into the room and returned holding a book.

"This book has been passed down for generations. Now, it's finally reached me. Also, I have a letter for you."

Ye Tian found all of this extremely strange. How could this be happening? He had never met this old woman before, and yet everything she said seemed to involve him.

According to her story, he had known her great-grandparents. But if that were true, why did he have no memory of them at all?

Still, he figured he should read the letter first.

He took the letter and opened it. As he read through its contents, he was utterly shocked.

Back when he had first crossed through the timeline, a spatial-temporal anomaly had occurred. Another version of himself, from an alternate timeline, had used the Book of Time and Space to travel to her great-grandparents' era. There, he had gotten to know them.

That's why she had kept the book all this time—so that it could be passed on to him when the time came.

"So that's how it is."

At last, Ye Tian understood. Her great-grandparents really had known him—it just wasn't the version of himself that stood here now.

It seemed that fate had already arranged everything. Now, Ye Tian could finally return.