The Xiao Family elders secretly instructed the Hou Family to find a way to capture Zhang Yan and interrogate him about the whereabouts of Xiao Mousui and his uncle. If he refused to cooperate, they could even kill him, but it had to be done discreetly.
This Hou Family consisted of merely over a hundred members. Should they act, it would hardly draw much attention, and even if things went awry and evidence leaked out, the Xiao Family could erase them entirely with ease, leaving no trace behind.
Currently, those standing outside the cavern were Hou Family disciples, and the elder among them was Hou Family Chief, Hou Boxu.
Despite his efforts to track Zhang Yan’s whereabouts, he had found nothing, as the latter had remained overseas for ten years without setting foot in East Splendor.
After pondering for half a day, Hou Boxu finally said, "It seems to me that we should search elsewhere for now. We can return here three years later, when the great array activates again. There might still be a chance to locate him then."
At this moment, Hou Sanlang suddenly dropped to his knees and solemnly declared, "Uncle, I wish to venture into Qingcun Mountain. I humbly request your permission."
Hou Boxu was startled and said, "Sanlang, you..." Then his expression changed slightly, as if realizing something, and he said with a gentle voice, "Stand up and speak."
Hou Sanlang did not hesitate. He quickly dusted off his knees, stood up, approached his uncle, and lowered his voice, "Uncle, since the Xiao Family lent us that Dharma Treasure, even if we cannot find Zhang Yan, it would be better to use this treasure to retrieve a medicine mushroom from Qingcun Mountain than to return it to the Xiao Family empty-handed."
Upon hearing this, Hou Boxu nodded and softly replied, "You’re right. You are indeed the most outstanding disciple of our family. Now that the treasure is in our possession, why not put it to use? Take it with you today."
He then pulled out a Dharma Treasure from his sleeve and placed it in Hou Sanlang’s hand. His expression grew stern as he cautioned, "However, you must be careful. Zhang Yan once fought off a hundred cultivators alone in the outer sea, including True Disciples from both Nanhua and Tai Hao sects, yet none could stand against him. Do not act recklessly just because you have this treasure. If you truly encounter him, remember not to make a move unless you’re absolutely certain."
Hou Sanlang solemnly accepted the two Dharma Treasures, took a deep breath, and replied earnestly, "Understood, Uncle. I will heed your words."
He bowed deeply, took two steps back, then turned and leapt into the air, transforming into a streak of light as he flew away.
Rising into the sky, his heart surged with excitement. Although he had yet to locate Zhang Yan, he had noticed several suspicious individuals and had been silently keeping an eye on them.
If he could truly find and kill Zhang Yan this time, the Xiao Family had promised not only to grant him this Dharma Treasure but also to marry one of their direct daughters to him and pass on their Upper Grade Mysterious Skill. Should that come to pass, his status within his family would become unparalleled.
Meanwhile, a distant chime echoed across Qingcun Mountain. Under the gaze of thousands of cultivators, the green curtain ahead, shimmering like gentle waves, rippled and began to dissipate, slowly revealing an expansive mountainous realm that stretched endlessly into the distance. Streams meandered between valleys, peaks layered one upon another. Gazing afar, green mists intertwined with hanging vines, sunlight pierced the clouds, and rain seemed to veil the verdant ridges, creating an ethereal and tranquil landscape.
The array had been activated, and the crowd stirred. At the forefront, Shi Yifan’s eyes lit up with sharp determination. He let out a cry and steered his Feng Jiao Jinyun Deer. Immediately, a cloud of multicolored smoke rose beneath its hooves as he flew into the air, relying on his auspicious beast to be the first to charge into the yet-dissipating green haze. Googlᴇ search No(ᴠ)ᴇlFire.nᴇt
From where the Wu Clan disciples stood, a flash of white light streaked through the air, accompanied by a voice, "Sister Yan, I shall go ahead. Brother Shi, take your time; I’ll be right behind."
Yan Yuqin, who had been lazily leaning against her couch, raised her elegant brows upon hearing this, snorted coldly, and slapped her cloud couch with her jade palm. Instantly, a vivid red glow, like flames, erupted beneath her, leaving her servants behind as she soared forward with determination, almost neck-to-neck with the person who had spoken, entering the green haze in rapid succession.
With these three leading the way, beams of dazzling light resembling silver starfire snakes rose into the sky from the mountain base in an instant, as cultivators brimming with impatience activated their tunneling lights and raced into Qingcun Mountain.
Zhang Yan smiled faintly at Ke Xiu Jun, who stood beside him, and said, "Ke Daoist, the moment is ripe. Let us ascend and enter the mountain as well."
Ke Xiu Jun quickly nodded in agreement.
Zhang Yan bid farewell to Gongsun Mian with a cupped-fist salute. Then, he invoked the "True Fixing Leisurely Chapter" Flying Escape Technique. Without any discernible movement, he transformed into a breeze and vanished without a trace.
Seeing Zhang Yan’s mastery in escape techniques, Ke Xiu Jun secretly admired him. With a light shout, she too leapt into the air, summoning her light to pursue the breeze trailing ahead.
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Yan had passed through the dissipating green curtain and landed in a valley. Nearby was a stream flowing with crystal-clear water, surrounded by smooth pebbles. Towering ancient trees cast shadows, and the absence of human presence was palpable, with only the occasional calls of monkeys echoing from the cliffs above.
Qingcun Mountain was once a spirit land. Over the millennia, the earth veins had been connected and operated through the array, causing spiritual energy not only to remain concentrated but to take on the form of a faintly visible Spirit Vein. Cultivating in this place would rival the advantages provided by ordinary cave mansions.
After surveying his surroundings, Zhang Yan chose a stone slab on a mountainside and sat there cross-legged, waiting for Ke Xiu Jun to arrive.
Yet, after waiting for half a day, not only did the woman fail to join him, but no other cultivator appeared either, prompting a sense of puzzlement in his heart.
While pondering the cause, Zhang Yan suddenly noticed a distant flash of red light. A tunneling light descended on the opposite cliff.
His spirits lifted as he raised his gaze, only to see a slender and graceful figure standing there, eyes as still and deep as a cold pond, gazing directly at him—it was none other than Yan Yuqin!