Returning to the Mountain in the Rain (Please Follow)

Fine threads of rain fell over the bamboo grove, vanishing without a trace against a faint spiritual barrier!

Like a drizzle falling upon a lake, it nourished all things soundlessly.

Leaning against the window, Ye Jingcheng had just completed a major circulation. The spiritual energy within him was warm and lively.

Though his progress was not great, every bit of advancement left him deeply satisfied.

He had four spiritual roots to begin with; all he could do was work hard at cultivation.

Ye Jingcheng drew a deep breath, preparing to continue cultivating.

Yet at that moment, a divine-sense voice transmission echoed in his mind.

"Set out!" Ye Jingcheng was startled!

It was now the morning of the eighth day!

The shop was to remain closed for ten days. Ye Xinghe was exploiting the time difference.

Ye Jingcheng left the inner courtyard and saw three people standing there, all shrouded in black robes, impossible to distinguish from one another!

But Ye Jingcheng knew that one was Ye Xinghe, one was Ye Xingyu, while the third was neither Ye Jingli nor Ye Jingyun!

Ye Jingcheng was taken aback. The loose daoist robes revealed no expressions, only a pair of eyes, and it was hard for him to judge—nor was it appropriate to stare directly at them!

"Put this on now!" The black-robed man at the front was clearly Ye Xinghe. He took out a black robe and handed it to Ye Jingcheng!

Without hesitation, Ye Jingcheng took the robe and pulled it on. Once he had put it on, he found that even his breathing had slowed, while his mind had become much clearer. The fabric around the head was clearly refined from cold silkworm silk.

Once Ye Jingcheng had donned the black robe, the other three followed Ye Xinghe toward a hidden spot inside the shop.

When that spot was uncovered, it revealed an ordinary mortal's secret passage. The passage was pitch-black and somewhat damp within. Several spirit beast cages had been placed below, as though they were used to confine spirit beasts.

But slightly to the left stood another hidden door. Ye Xinghe was the first to push it open and enter, with Ye Jingcheng following close behind!

Several moonlight stones had been installed within the passage.

Under their pale light, several simple spirit patterns carved into the walls stood out with exceptional clarity.

No one ahead spoke, so naturally Ye Jingcheng did not open his mouth either.

After walking for half a quarter-hour, they finally reached the end.

The secret passage connected to a Rogue Cultivator's shop.

Ye Jingcheng did not get a clear look at the shop's owner, who was likewise wearing a black robe. With Ye Xinghe leading the way, the four emerged onto the street. This street was sparsely populated, while the bamboo groves were unusually lush.

The four walked at an unhurried pace. Before long, they reached another exit unfamiliar to Ye Jingcheng, parted the spirit bamboo, and flew outside!

Ye Xinghe also took out a green spirit boat that Ye Jingcheng had never seen before.

"Get on!" At Ye Xinghe's command, the other three all boarded.

"For the first half hour, you can rest a little. After that, stay alert!" Ye Xinghe continued to remind them. Fighting and causing trouble were forbidden near Taihang Marketplace, even for Purple Mansion great clans such as the Mo Clan and Xu Clan!

These were rules set by the Taiyi Sect. Breaking them meant extermination of one's clan—there was no room for mercy!

But once they left the area, the marketplace could no longer control matters.

Ye Xinghe's initial direction was also slightly off course. Beneath the fine rain, the green spirit boat did not seem particularly fast; it was even somewhat slower than Ye Xingyu's spirit boat!

This speed continued for a quarter-hour.

After passing a low mountain peak, it suddenly changed direction. The green spirit boat surged forward like a green roc spreading its wings, several times faster than before.

The swaying tail of green light stretched far behind it, and in an instant it sped away, leaving all dust behind!

Ye Jingcheng could only marvel at Ye Xinghe's caution.

The journey went exceptionally smoothly.

This time, they had chosen another route as well.

On the first night, they rested in a mountain cave again, only resuming their flight on the second day. By then, their speed had already stirred up fierce winds.

What Ye Jingcheng had not expected was that after flying for an hour, a huge Red-Crowned Snow Eagle spread its wings and flew over from behind, landing on Ye Xinghe's hand.

"Nothing happened. From here on, we only need to worry about Green Mountain Ridge!" Ye Xinghe let out a sigh of relief.

At the mention of Green Mountain Ridge, Ye Jingcheng also felt somewhat concerned.

It was the only route back to Soaring Cloud Peak.

What if someone was waiting there in advance...

"The family's side..." Ye Jingcheng still spoke up to remind him.

"They'll meet us," Ye Xinghe replied patiently. He then put away the Red-Crowned Snow Eagle and continued steering the green spirit boat.

The spirit boat continued onward at a terrifying speed. Leaning against the rail, Ye Jingcheng looked down at the green mountains flashing past below, and the line a light boat has already passed through ten thousand layers of mountains abruptly came to mind.

He smiled, then calmly shook his head.

This was not the time for sentiment.

Soon, they could see several green mountains in the distance, three or four connected together like Five Finger Mountain, towering into the clouds—steep and perilous!

At that moment, the spirit boat suddenly slowed and descended onto a slightly shorter peak.

The black-clad man to Ye Xinghe's left immediately took out an array plate and began setting up an array. His practiced movements made Ye Jingcheng's expression grow even more solemn.

The remaining man flicked his hand, releasing countless azure spirit bees that flew toward Green Mountain Ridge!

Ye Jingcheng was no stranger to these azure spirit bees. They were called Azure Chirping Bees, named for their entirely azure bodies and wings that buzzed like birdsong. Each was also far larger than an ordinary mountain bee.

Most importantly, these Azure Chirping Bees were exceedingly sensitive to spirit arrays!

Many cultivators of the Ye Family kept Azure Chirping Bees; they were exceptionally suitable for scouting the way!

Yet just as those Azure Chirping Bees were about to reach Green Mountain Ridge, several flying swords shot out and slaughtered every last azure spirit bee.

"I told you, surrounding the Ye Family and setting up an array is useless!" A loud shout rang out.

Six black-robed cultivators emerged from various parts of Green Mountain Ridge, positioned according to a formation.

Had Ye Xinghe not stopped in time, the Ye Family party would have been encircled and exterminated by those six.

"Who sent you?" Ye Xinghe remained calm, as though he had anticipated this all along.

Ye Jingcheng was somewhat nervous now. Of the six before them, four gave off the aura of late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators.

As for the remaining two, he could not sense their auras at all. There was only one explanation: Foundation Establishment cultivators!

This time, there were two Foundation Establishment cultivators and four late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators. On their side, at most, they had one Foundation Establishment cultivator, two late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, and himself, a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator.

It was also his first time facing such a lineup!

The array plate set down earlier gradually took effect as well. Spirit light formed into an enormous spirit bowl, inverted over them and becoming a shimmering protective barrier!

The next moment, everyone began summoning their spirit beasts.

Ye Xinghe once again summoned the Red-Crowned Snow Eagle from before. As spirit light flashed, an icy soul aura spread out, and the snow eagle beat its wings and soared forth again!

From its long, sharp crystal beak, it spat countless half-foot-long ice crystals toward the six men.

Besides the snow eagle, he also released a blood-red Blood-Patterned Leopard.

The Blood-Patterned Leopard could not fly, but it displayed late first-rank cultivation as well, fierce and savage beyond compare.

Ye Xingyu, who had earlier released the Azure Chirping Bees, likewise brought out two spirit beasts. One was the Azure-Scaled Python Ye Jingcheng knew so well, while the other was an enormous Golden Needle Rat.

Both beasts were massive hulks, looking incomparably ferocious.

"Since you refuse to say who sent you, then we'll ask directly!" At last, the final Ye Family clansman at his side spoke.

Only then did Ye Jingcheng realize that the one accompanying them all this way was none other than the Ye Family patriarch!