The pitter-patter of rain fell above the bamboo forest, then disappeared quietly on a faint spirit shield!
Like the silent rain on a lake’s surface, nourishing everything quietly.
Ye Jingcheng leaned against the window, having just completed a Grand Circulation, the spiritual energy within him warm and agile. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novèlfire.net
Though the progress was not significant, each bit of advancement left him very satisfied.
He was endowed with four spirit roots and could only dedicate himself to hard cultivation.
Ye Jingcheng took a deep breath, preparing to continue his cultivation.
However, at this moment, he suddenly heard a telepathic message in his mind.
"Set off!" Ye Jingcheng was startled!
It was now the morning of the eighth day!
The shop would be closed for ten days, Ye Xinghe was exploiting a time gap.
Ye Jingcheng left the inner courtyard, seeing there were now three people inside, all shrouded in black robes, making it impossible to identify anyone!
But Ye Jingcheng knew clearly, one was Ye Xinghe, the other Ye Xingyu, while the third was neither Ye Jingli nor Ye Jingyun!
Ye Jingcheng was taken aback, the loose-fitting daoist robe concealed expressions, and only a pair of eyes were visible. It was hard for Ye Jingcheng to judge or dare to look directly!
"Put it on now!" The leading figure in the black robe, obviously Ye Xinghe, handed a black robe to Ye Jingcheng!
Ye Jingcheng didn’t hesitate, taking the black robe and putting it on. Once done, he found this attire made his breathing slow down, and his mind became much clearer, evidently made from cold silkworm silk.
Seeing Ye Jingcheng put on the black robe, the other three followed Ye Xinghe into a hidden spot within the shop.
That spot revealed another secret passage for mortals, and the dark corridor was quite humid, with several spirit beast cages seemingly intended for confining spirit beasts.
Just some steps to the left, there was another hidden door, which Ye Xinghe opened first, entering, and Ye Jingcheng followed closely!
The passage was already equipped with several moonlight stones.
Under the soft glow, the simple spirit patterns engraved on the walls were extremely apparent.
No one spoke ahead, and Ye Jingcheng naturally remained silent too.
The journey took half an hour until they finally saw the end.
The dark path was connected to a loose cultivator’s shop.
Ye Jingcheng didn’t see the owner clearly, also dressed in a black robe. Ye Xinghe walked at the forefront as the four appeared on a street, deserted except for the surprisingly lush bamboo forest.
The four strolled unhurriedly and soon exited through another way unfamiliar to Ye Jingcheng, slicing through the spiritual bamboo, flying outward!
Ye Xinghe also took out a cyan spiritual ship which Ye Jingcheng had never seen.
"Get on!" Ye Xinghe called, and all three boarded.
"In the first half-hour, you can rest a bit, but stay alert afterward!" Ye Xinghe reminded, as Taihang Market prohibited magical combat, even for notorious clans like the Mo and Xu Clans of Purple Mansion Race!
The rules set by the Taiyi Sect were merciless, strict enforcement meant clan annihilation!
However, beyond the boundary, the market had no jurisdiction.
Ye Xinghe initially took a slightly deviating direction, the cyan spiritual ship seemingly slow under the fine rain, even slower than Ye Xingyu’s!
This speed persisted for fifteen minutes.
After crossing a low peak, they suddenly changed direction, and the speed of the cyan spiritual ship increased several folds, like a cyan Roc Bird expanding its wings.
The trailing cyan light was so long that they vanished instantly!
Ye Xinghe’s caution left Ye Jingcheng in awe.
The journey was extraordinarily smooth.
This time, they also chose another route.
The first night, they rested in a cave, continuing their flight on the second day. At this moment, the speed had stirred up substantial gang winds.
Unexpectedly, after flying for an hour, a gigantic Red-crowned Snow Eagle approached from behind, resting on Ye Xinghe’s hand.
"Nothing to worry about, now just focus on Cyan Mountain Ridge!" Ye Xinghe sighed in relief.
Speaking of Cyan Mountain Ridge, Ye Jingcheng also felt concerned.
It was a necessary path back to Lingyun Peak.
If someone was lying in wait...
"About the family..." Ye Jingcheng reminded hesitantly.
"There will be support!" Ye Xinghe calmly replied, then retracted the Red-crowned Snow Eagle, continuing to navigate the cyan spiritual ship.
The spiritual ship continued at terrifying speed, with Ye Jingcheng leaning against the ship’s rail, overlooking the rapidly retreating Cyan Mountain, unexpectedly recalling the phrase, "Light boat has passed through ten thousand mountains."
He chuckled, shaking his head lightly.
Now was not the time for sentiments.
Soon, they saw from a distance, three to four Cyan Mountains clustered like Five Finger Mountain, towering into the clouds, rugged and steep!
The speed of the spiritual ship also abruptly slowed, landing atop a slightly shorter peak.
The black-clad figure to Ye Xinghe’s left directly took out an array disc, beginning to set up an array, the proficient actions impressing Ye Jingcheng.
The remaining person raised their hand, releasing countless cyan spirit bees that flew towards Cyan Mountain Ridge!
Ye Jingcheng was familiar with these Cyan Singing Bees, known for their entirely cyan bodies, their wing flapping akin to birdsong, much larger than ordinary mountain bees.
Most crucially, these Cyan Singing Bees were incredibly sensitive to spirit arrays!
Many Ye Family cultivators kept Cyan Singing Bees, ideal for path-finding!
As the bees neared Cyan Mountain Ridge, several flying swords were unleashed, slaying all the cyan spirit bees.
"I told you, setting an array to trap the Ye Family is useless!" A loud voice shouted.
Suddenly, six black-robed cultivators surged from various spots in Cyan Mountain Ridge, forming a formation.
If Ye Xinghe hadn’t stopped in time, the Ye Family members would have been besieged by those six.
"Who sent you?" Ye Xinghe remained calm, seemingly having anticipated this outcome.
Ye Jingcheng felt tense, as out of the six, four emitted late-stage Qi cultivation auras.
The remaining two, their aura indiscernible, possibly Foundation Establishment cultivators!
A daunting gathering of two Foundation Establishment cultivators, four late-stage Qi cultivators, while on their side they had at most one Foundation Establishment, two late-stage Qi cultivators, and himself at the middle stage of Qi cultivation.
This was his first time facing such a scenario!
The array disc that was being set up now slowly took effect, the spiritual light forming a massive spirit bowl, covering them and forming a protective, shining shield!
In the next moment, everyone began summoning their spirit beasts.
Ye Xinghe summoned the Red-crowned Snow Eagle again, its sudden spiritual light emitting an icy aura, the eagle spreading its wings once more!
From its pointed crystal beak, countless half-foot-long ice crystals spewed toward the six.
Besides the snow eagle, a blood-red Blood Patterned Leopard was released.
The Blood Patterned Leopard couldn’t fly, but still revealed late-stage first-tier cultivation, fiercely intimidating.
Ye Xingyu, who previously released the Cyan Singing Bees, also unveiled two spirit beasts, one Ye Jingcheng was very familiar with, the Cyan-Scaled Python, and a giant Golden Needle Rat.
Both creatures, colossal in size, exuded a menacing aura.
"Since no one’s telling us who’s behind this, we’ll have to find out ourselves!" Finally, one of the Ye Family members spoke.
Ye Jingcheng finally realized that all along, they were accompanied by the Ye Family Patriarch!