Qin Xue Humiliated

It had to be said that Ling Yao's words had not frightened Qin Yu, but they had startled the Azure Wolf King. He was merely a fourth-rank Wolf King. He could lord it over others in the Land of Beast Burial, but outside, he amounted to nothing. Only after hearing Ling Yao recount the Jade Pool Sect's past did he realize that this woman had such an immense background.

Asking him to kill Ling Yao was impossible. Yet if Ling Yao refused to leave, Qin Yu would not release his cub. This left the Wolf King in a bind. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Fellow Daoist, you should leave first."

Ling Yao glanced at the Wolf King, a faint smile curling over her lips. She said calmly, "Wolf King, why should I leave first? This is your territory, isn't it?"

Qin Yu looked coldly at Ling Yao, utterly composed as he said indifferently, "I heard that a Dao Realm ancestral ape once died here. I had originally wanted to see it for myself. Since you will be accompanying me, that could not be better." As he spoke, Qin Yu carried the wolf cub and headed deeper inside, his hand resting at all times upon the cub's neck.

Since Ling Yao wanted to follow, then he would let her follow. Qin Yu wanted to see just how long she could endure.

The Azure Wolf King was somewhat unwilling, but the wolf cub was in Qin Yu's hands, so he had no choice!

"Fine, let's go. I'd like to see how long you can waste away here!" Ling Yao shot Qin Yu a sidelong glance.

At the same time.

At the place Li Tianji had pointed out.

The black-robed elder, Li Jujin, was silently observing the lay of the surrounding mountain peaks at the spot Li Tianji had indicated. It had to be said that, through Li Jujin's sharp and vicious eye, this truly was highly likely to be the location of the Dao Mansion.

It was not because he blindly trusted Li Tianji's words. Over the course of his life, he did not know how many Dao Mansions and graves he had excavated. He had his own understanding of such matters.

Generally speaking!

Cultivators would build Dao Mansions or tombs in places rich in spiritual energy and amid mountain ranges. This was called gathering spiritual energy. Many powerful experts, when their end approached, were unwilling to simply perish in meditation. Thus, they sought places dense with spiritual energy, hoping that its nourishment might bring them back from death. Though everyone knew this was absurd, a dying person's yearning for life meant that even if they knew it was impossible, they would still cling to a sliver of hope and try.

As for Dao Mansions, there was even less need to mention it. Who would not want the heaven-and-earth spiritual energy in their Dao Mansion to be more abundant?

Li Jujin believed he had long since explored every other part of the Land of Beast Burial. Aside from the northeastern region, which was somewhat strange, this place was the most likely location for a Dao Mansion.

Li Jujin could not make heads or tails of the northeastern region of the Land of Beast Burial either. He had wandered around it several times, yet he truly did not know how to describe it. It exuded an eerie strangeness that he had sensed the instant he set foot there, but that strangeness also reminded him of the dead ancestral ape.

Since it had been a Dao Realm ancestral ape, it very likely possessed its own Dao Domain. Thus, Li Jujin attributed the northeastern region's strangeness to the ancestral ape's Dao Domain. Furthermore, he had detected traces of a fierce battle here, setting his imagination racing.

Could it be that the Dao Mansion was here, that ancestral ape had suffered grave injuries here, then fled to the northeast and perished there?

Of course, Li Jujin had another reason for thinking this way: Li Tianji. After all, he had not taken the initiative to ask Li Tianji, and Li Tianji had not known about the Dao Mansion here beforehand. Therefore, Li Jujin truly believed Li Tianji this time. It was also because Li Jujin had indeed encountered people capable of foreseeing the past and future, and he held those skilled in divination in especially high regard.

"Disturbances have already spread from this place. I fear they may draw the attention of the major forces across the Azure Lotus Heavenly Domain. When that time comes, powerful experts will surely gather here. Hehe, just imagining me, Li Jujin, suddenly bursting out from underground gets me excited... Hehe, I, Li Jujin, like excitement more than anything. Kid, I'll believe you for now. In any case, I've set up teleportation arrays over there." Li Jujin chuckled darkly, took out a jade disc rimmed in gold, studied it for a moment, then plunged directly into the ground and vanished.

Myriad Phenomena Pill Shop

"Xun'er, why did you come all the way to this remote region for no reason? If you want to experience mortal life, my Tong Family's shops are spread throughout every Heavenly Domain. Any random place would be far more prosperous than this." On the balcony of the pill shop's pavilion, a distinguished young man sat in a rattan chair. His gaze was bright and unwavering, and he made no effort to conceal the affection in his eyes.

Zi Xun'er smiled sweetly and slowly sat up. She picked up the teapot beside her, poured the young man a cup, and gently set it down. As she watched the wisps of white vapor rising from the cup, Zi Xun'er glanced at him and said lightly, "Tong Yunfei, taste this tea and see how it is. This is the famed Spirit Spring Mountain tea."

The young man had thick brows, handsome features, and black eyes as deep as the endless void, filled with an unusual charm. A golden diamond-shaped mark rested between his brows, lending him an air of mystery.

He wore white robes. Though seated, his body remained ramrod straight like a peerless divine weapon. A youthful sharpness emanated from him, yet he did not lose his easygoing manner.

This person was none other than Tong Yunfei!

Hearing Zi Xun'er's words, Tong Yunfei was briefly stunned. Smiling, he lifted the cup and took a light sip. He closed his eyes slightly, as if savoring the tea's exquisite flavor. After a moment, he opened them and said, "Not bad. It truly deserves to be called Spirit Spring Mountain tea. It carries the fragrance of earth upon entering the mouth, neither too strong nor too faint. It has endured kneading and scorching sunlight, yet its spiritual energy was not damaged. This tea is top-grade."

Zi Xun'er cast a glance at Tong Yunfei with her beautiful eyes. It had to be said that whether in background, appearance, or talent, Tong Yunfei was among the finest of men. He was also the Dao companion of countless young women's dreams.

"Spirit Spring Mountain tea has a rich flavor and fragrant aroma, but if it is cultivated deliberately, it loses that unique, rustic purity. Only after weathering wind and rain can it be considered tea of the highest grade," Zi Xun'er said lightly.

Tong Yunfei's gaze flickered, and the affection in his eyes deepened. He said, "As long as you wish it, Xun'er, I can set everything aside and accompany you through the various Heavenly Domains."

Zi Xun'er gave a seductive smile, her eyes gazing down at the bustling crowd below. She said calmly, "Look at the flow of people below. Most are travel-worn, and their expressions differ—some are anxious, some smiling, while others are downcast. The myriad faces of life are all displayed here."

Tong Yunfei was about to reply when a voice sounded from behind them. "Alchemist Zi, Qin Xue of the Qin Family requests an audience."

Zi Xun'er said calmly, "Bring her up."

A moment later.

"Big Sister Zi." A timid voice sounded. The thin and haggard Qin Xue walked to the entrance of the balcony.

Zi Xun'er slowly rose and gracefully walked before Qin Xue, a gentle smile on her face. "Xue'er, what is it?"

"I... I... Big Sister Zi, can you tell me where my brother went? He still hasn't returned after so long. Xue'er is very worried." Qin Xue tightly gripped the corners of her clothes with both hands, not daring to meet Zi Xun'er's eyes. Before Zi Xun'er, she could not help but feel inferior.

Nearly four months had passed without any news from Qin Yu, and Qin Xue could no longer suppress her worry. The first month had been manageable, but as time passed, she became increasingly unable to sleep or eat in peace. She worried whether Qin Yu had encountered danger, and even more so whether the Cui Family might secretly make a move against him.

How could Qin Xue, with her thoughts running wild, settle her heart to cultivate? After struggling in anguish for a long time, she had finally come to the Myriad Phenomena Pill Shop to find Zi Xun'er, hoping to hear news of Qin Yu.

"Xue'er, do you trust your sister? Your brother is fine. He will definitely return in another month," Zi Xun'er comforted her.

"But... Big Sister Zi, I'm still worried... Can you tell me where my brother is? Xue'er wants to find him." Qin Xue persisted. It was not that she did not trust Zi Xun'er, but when she had seen her father, Qin Zhan, kneeling before Cui Residence, Cui Hong's gaze had been etched into her mind. The more she recalled it, the more worried she became, and the more she felt that Cui Hong would not spare Qin Yu.

At her age, Qin Xue was especially prone to letting her imagination run wild. Over the past month, she had barely rested. She wanted desperately to improve her cultivation quickly, but with her heart in a tangled mess, she could not even calm her mind. How could she cultivate?

Zi Xun'er's willow brows furrowed slightly. It was not impatience; rather, she had spent these past months planning matters concerning the Dao Mansion and had not had the mind to consider Qin Yu's whereabouts. Thus, she did not know where Qin Yu had gone either.

"What ignorant little servant girl is this? If you don't believe Xun'er, why did you come to ask? Get out!" Tong Yunfei, who sat to one side, noticed Zi Xun'er frown and shouted coldly.

Having been interrupted, Tong Yunfei had already been displeased. Furthermore, Qin Xue had been so worried about Qin Yu that she had rushed here without even taking the time to tidy her clothes. Her plain attire made Tong Yunfei think she was some household servant in this mortal world. A servant girl had come looking for her brother? This made Tong Yunfei extremely displeased. Was Zi Xun'er so close to her brother? When he saw Zi Xun'er frown, Tong Yunfei flew into a rage.

Qin Xue trembled in fright and looked at Tong Yunfei fearfully. She had already been unable to rest properly these days, leaving her muddleheaded. Hearing Tong Yunfei's stern shout, her heart shuddered. Zi Xun'er's status was noble; otherwise, Qin Xue would not have hesitated for so long before coming.

Tong Yunfei had long lived in luxury, cultivating an imposing authority. Being with Zi Xun'er also made Qin Xue understand that his status was extraordinary. Her eyes reddened in terror, and tears nearly fell. She desperately held them back, lowered her head, and bowed. "I... I'm sorry, Big Sister Zi. I... I, Qin Xue, never meant to say I didn't believe you." With that, Qin Xue turned and hurried away at a small run.

Zi Xun'er glanced at the sparkling tears Qin Xue shed as she turned away and sighed inwardly. She did not chase after her. Instead, she said calmly, "She is only a little girl. Did she really make you so furious?"

"Xun'er, don't tell me you came to this little backwater place because your kindness suddenly overflowed?" Tong Yunfei asked in return.

"Not exactly. I encountered someone here whom I cannot see through," Zi Xun'er said as she slowly sat down, lifted her teacup, and took a light sip.

"Oh?" Tong Yunfei's thick brows furrowed. After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Is it this little girl's brother?"

The corners of Zi Xun'er's lips rose slightly. She said calmly, "You will know when the time comes."