The following morning, a chilly mist had not yet completely dissipated over the Capital City.
Hundreds of miles outside the Shangqing Palace, near an ancient stone pavilion called Tingsong Pavilion.
The pavilion is built against the mountain, offering a wide view that allows one to take in the outline of the majestic Immortal Palace floating in the clouds in the distance.
Alas--
The morning breeze swept through the pine forest, creating a rustling sound that added to the tranquility.
Ye Li entered the pavilion, where a figure had been waiting for a long time.
It was Chen Chuan, dressed in dark clothes, his expression a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
"Lord Ye!"
He saw Ye Li approaching through the morning mist from afar, and quickly stepped out of the pavilion to greet him, bowing deeply and saying respectfully:
"Your humble servant Chen Chuan, I truly did not expect you to take the time to come!"
Ye Li nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Chen Chuan.
The former captain's aura was much more solid than when he was at Dragon Pool, and his cultivation had improved, but the anxiety between his brows caused by worry for someone was hard to hide.
"No need for formalities," Ye Li said calmly, casually tossing over the upgraded jade storage bag.
"Take it, it's a gift from your sister."
Chen Chuan hurriedly caught it, and his Divine Consciousness subconsciously probed into it. He was instantly shocked by the immense energy inside and gasped in astonishment!
Those shimmering Jade Bottle and fragrant Treasure Medicine were not only all at the Great Void Realm level, but their quality was so high that he had only ever seen them in the catalog of the Dasheng Treasure Vault!
This was far beyond anything he had ever done with such a meager gesture.
"My lord! This... this is far too precious! This humble servant would never dare..."
Chen Chuan's face was pale, and he seemed somewhat incoherent for a moment; even the hand holding the storage bag was trembling slightly.
His original intention was to encourage Ye Li, so he dared not expect such a generous gift, fearing that it would be a sign that the two sides were drawing a line between themselves.
"Alright, keep it."
Ye Li felt a headache coming on and interrupted him, saying, "Since it's a gift to mark our meeting, there's no reason for it to be too stingy."
"Go ahead, don't keep your sister waiting."
Chen Chuan's Adam's apple bobbed as he forcefully suppressed his shock and gratitude, bowing again. "Thank you, Your Excellency!"
"My younger sister, Qingyi, mentioned in her letter that she is now a disciple of Green Luan Peak in the inner courtyard of the Shangqing Palace. We only need to go to the Mountain Gate and present our visiting cards..."
As they spoke, the two figures leaped up and sped towards the floating Immortal Palace.
The Spiritual Energy along the way became increasingly rich and pure, with celestial birds and mythical beasts appearing and disappearing among the Sea of Clouds and mountains, creating an atmosphere of otherworldly beauty.
The closer one gets to the Mountain Gate of the Shangqing Palace, the clearer the immense pressure emanating from the immortal giant becomes, inspiring awe in everyone.
At the Mountain Gate, disciples dressed in blue Daoist Robe stood guard, their demeanor equally composed.
"..."
Chen Chuan handed over the jade Jade Talisman that Chen Qingyi had sent in advance and explained his purpose.
After the disciple on duty verified that everything was correct, his gaze lingered briefly on Ye Li. Even just a wisp of his aura was enough to make him feel an unfathomable, abyss-like, and immense pressure!
His expression immediately hardened, and he dared not be negligent. "Please follow me, both of you."
After saying this, he summoned a crane to guide the way and handed it to Ye Li and the other person to ride.
Riding a crane, it passed through layers of Sea of Clouds and barriers, finally landing in front of a quiet and elegant courtyard halfway up Green Luan Peak.
The courtyard is full of Spiritual Energy, with exotic flowers and rare plants everywhere, and a small building is nestled among them.
Beside the lotus pond in front of the building, a graceful figure was already waiting.
That was Chen Qingyi.
She wore the blue Daoist Robe of an inner courtyard disciple. She was slender and had a beautiful face. Her eyebrows and eyes bore a resemblance to Chen Chuan's, but her complexion was slightly pale and lacked the rosy glow that should be there.
Even with someone's terrifying eyesight, one could still see a deep, lingering weariness between her brows.
Upon seeing Chen Chuan, her eyes instantly lit up with joy, and she quickly stepped forward, her voice tinged with a hint of emotion at their long-awaited reunion:
"Elder brother!"
"Qingyi!" Chen Chuan was also extremely excited. He strode forward and carefully examined his sister, whom he hadn't seen for many years. "You... you've lost weight! Why do you look so pale? Is cultivation in the Immortal Sect so arduous?"
He stroked the other person's head, his eyes filled with heartache.
Chen Qingyi suppressed her surging emotions and said with a light laugh, "Brother, what are you saying? Cultivation in the inner courtyard is naturally more arduous than that in the outer sect."
"But if I can learn the True Disciple, this little sacrifice is worth it!"
"Besides, look, I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?" She turned her body from side to side with a light and agile movement.
However, this deliberately displayed innocence appeared particularly glaring to Ye Li's terrifying perception, which was capable of encompassing an entire galaxy.
He stood aside, not in a hurry to step forward. His gaze calmly swept over Chen Qingyi, pausing almost imperceptibly at the location of her dantian (Qi Sea).
The rich Spiritual Energy of the Shangqing Palace should nourish all things.
However, the flow of energy within Chen Qingyi's body was constantly tinged with a strange stagnation and weakness.
It's like a beautiful Liuli cup covered with tiny cracks, its shape maintained solely by a tenacious will.
Would ordinary disciples really go to such lengths to ostracize each other?
Ye Li rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.
"Qingyi, come quickly and greet General Ye!"
Seeing that she was indeed unharmed, Chen Chuan quickly pulled his sister over and solemnly introduced her, "This is General Ye Li, whom I often mentioned to you in my letters!"
"If it weren't for your care and support, I wouldn't be where I am today, let alone be able to take leave to come see you!"
"And these amazing-quality pills and Treasure Medicine were also specially prepared for you by Lord Ye!"
As he spoke, he excitedly stuffed the valuable storage bag into his sister's hands.
Upon hearing this, Chen Qingyi immediately composed herself, turned to Ye Li, and bowed deeply, her posture extremely respectful.
"Qingyi greets General Ye."
"I have long admired your illustrious name, it is as powerful as thunder in my ears. I am deeply grateful to my brother for your care in Longtan!"
Her voice was clear and melodious, and her manners were impeccable; it would be difficult for anyone to find fault with her in these aspects.
"No need for such formalities."
Ye Li snapped out of his daze and nodded slightly, which was the most basic courtesy.
"It's windy outside, please come inside and have a seat, brother. I'll serve you some tea." Chen Qingyi seemed to realize her behavior was inappropriate and quickly stepped aside to make way for them.
The interior of the small building is simply and elegantly furnished, filled with a faint fragrance of herbs.
Chen Qingyi personally pushed the teacup, brimming with Spiritual Energy, in front of Ye Li, and then sat down opposite Chen Chuan.
After Ye Li gestured that he didn't need to worry about her, the brother and sister began to chat warmly.
Chen Chuan inquired about his sister's life in the Immortal Sect with concern, Chen Qingyi answered all his questions in a light and cheerful tone.
From time to time, he could also recount interesting stories about his cultivation in the inner courtyard, as well as the guidance from his master and the care from his fellow disciples... It was truly a beautiful and harmonious picture of life.
Ye Li held his teacup, sipping it as he listened quietly. "..."
A slight ripple stirred within me.
Throughout the entire process, Chen Qingyi's lies accounted for a staggering 90%.
This was truly unbelievable; it was even more absurd than he had anticipated.
Chen Chuan was so immersed in the joy of reunion and the relief that his sister was safe and sound that he did not notice these subtle abnormalities.
He felt that his younger sister had really grown up. Although she looked a little pale and her behavior was somewhat unnatural, she was in good spirits.
Even if they are both saints now, he will definitely be more successful than him in the future.
He talked on and on about the interesting stories of Longtan and Ye Li's many great deeds, his words filled with pride. He also hoped to reassure his sister and let her know that her brother had now also met remarkable people.
"Qingyi, you don't know, Lord Ye was at the Xuanming Sword Sect a few days ago..." Chen Chuan was getting into the conversation.
"Brother, stop talking." Chen Qingyi quickly interrupted with a smile, her tone carrying just the right amount of reproach, "You haven't finished the tea I poured for you yet."
She turned to Ye Li, smiling as she served him tea:
"General, please have some tea."
Snap--
Ye Li put down the teacup he had just finished drinking from.
The bottom of the cup made a crisp, soft sound as it touched the table.
The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed to possess a strange magic, causing even the air in the attic to freeze for a moment.
Ye Li looked up at Chen Qingyi, who was trying to appear calm, and his calm, even voice echoed from inside the room:
"Someone has come to your door."
"Although I'd love for you two siblings to comfort each other a bit more, based on my observation, they most likely have ill intentions."
What are you planning to do?