Chapter 85: Crisis Approaches
Within the Misty Grotto Heaven, a patch of gray mist surged upward, instantly knocking the Purple-Gold Gourd away and trapping it in place, preventing it from continuing to absorb cultivators.
A gray figure rushed over quickly. This was an old man of indeterminate age, with white hair and beard but a very ruddy complexion—truly a hale and hearty elder with a childlike face. He brought the Purple-Gold Gourd along with him and said, "Everyone, please calm your anger." He directly pushed the gourd forward. Jiang Yichen snorted coldly and put away his treasure.
"Who are you?" Jiang Yifei asked.
"I am the sect master of Misty Grotto Heaven."
"No wonder you have such strength to suppress the Purple-Gold Gourd." Jiang Yifei nodded. "But I'm afraid you still can't stop us."
"Yes, I understand." The sect master of Misty Grotto Heaven admitted frankly, then continued, "May I ask what offense my Misty Grotto Heaven has committed to warrant such a grand mobilization? If there is truly a great crime, I am willing to disband Misty Grotto Heaven and accept whatever judgment you see fit."
This gray-robed old man was very straightforward. In fact, he was forced into this position. If he truly came into conflict with an ancient aristocratic clan, Misty Grotto Heaven would quickly be reduced to ashes. The two were not on the same level at all; once hostilities began, there would be no suspense.
"Seeing how open and upright you are, I find it hard to make a big scene here."
Jiang Yifei was only about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, yet he spoke to the sect master of Misty Grotto Heaven in such a tone. The old man did not find it rude, all because strength determined one's standing.
"Young master is wise. Please enlighten me as to the reason for this punitive expedition."
"Two years ago, did a disciple surnamed Jiang die in your Misty Grotto Heaven?"
The sect master of Misty Grotto Heaven nodded upon hearing this. "If it were someone else, I might have trouble remembering, but that talented young man left a deep impression on me."
"That was a member of our Jiang family, but he was killed by someone from your Misty Grotto Heaven." Jiang Yifei said calmly.
"What? He was murdered?" The sect master of Misty Grotto Heaven was stunned. "Who would be so bold!"
"Now you understand why I've come."
The sect master of Misty Grotto Heaven immediately had a headache. How did a Jiang family disciple end up in Misty Grotto Heaven and get killed? This was indeed a very troublesome matter for him.
"Don't worry too much. I haven't come to make unreasonable trouble."
"Please rest assured, Young Master Jiang. I will severely punish the culprit and show no leniency!"
"The main culprit has already been executed, but I believe their teachers were complicit. Additionally, those who provided them with medicine must also be rooted out..."
"Young Master Jiang, please come inside Misty Grotto Heaven. I will give you a satisfactory explanation and will surely execute the chief villains."
Jiang Yifei nodded. "The most important thing is to satisfy this elder and this child."
At this moment, Old Man Jiang and Little Tingting were already blurry-eyed with tears.
"I understand..."
Jiang Yifei ordered Jiang Yichen to take out the Purple-Gold Gourd and release everyone who had been absorbed. Then, he led Old Man Jiang and Little Tingting into Misty Grotto Heaven with the old sect master. The others did not follow; they landed and waited outside.
Just then, Ye Fan felt the sensation of being watched again. He found it was still the arrogant young man Jiang Yichen. What was going on? He didn't think he had offended this disciple of an ancient aristocratic clan and couldn't understand why the other had targeted him.
Jiang Caixuan walked over gracefully, her steps light and her figure elegant. She smiled and said, "Little Brother Ye, once this matter is settled, Tingting will return with us to the Jiang family. If you're willing, you can come along too."
"This..." Initially, Ye Fan had indeed considered this. The Jiang family was so transcendent, an ancient clan passed down from the Primordial Era. Perhaps he could find secrets about the Sacred Body there. But after careful thought, he hesitated. What if someone discovered his secrets? The green copper block on him had once thrown the Eastern Wasteland into chaos. If some unfathomably powerful expert from the Jiang family detected it, the consequences would be unimaginable. Moreover, that Dao Scripture was enough to cause considerable trouble. If it leaked out, his situation would be dire.
"What's wrong? Not willing?" Jiang Caixuan was somewhat surprised. Many cultivators would kill to enter the Jiang family, yet this young man was still hesitating and pondering when invited.
Ye Fan politely declined. "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Jiang. I'm truly grateful. But I'm used to being lazy and carefree. I'd probably make mistakes if I entered the Jiang family. I'd rather continue traveling outside. If one day I'm in hardship and come to seek refuge with the Jiang family, I hope Miss Jiang will take me in."
At this, Jiang Yichen on the other side sneered, "What do you think the Jiang family is, an inn? The Jiang family is not a place you can come and go as you please. If you want to join, stop talking nonsense now."
"Jiang Yichen, shut up!" Jiang Caixuan scolded him, then turned around and smiled. "Little Brother Ye, don't mind him. He's just like that, spoiled rotten. Rest assured, the Jiang family's doors are always open to you. If you ever have any trouble in the future, come to the Jiang family and find me."
"Thank you, Miss Jiang." Ye Fan expressed his gratitude, but he was very puzzled. He hadn't provoked this young master of the Jiang family, so why was the other acting like this? The more this happened, the more determined Ye Fan became not to enter the Jiang family now. The Sacred Body, the Dao Scripture, and the mysterious green copper were all taboo. He didn't want to take risks.
"Kid, you should know that countless people want to join our Jiang family. If you give up this opportunity, you'll regret it for life." Jiang Yichen sneered at him.
Ye Fan's heart tightened, and he became even more alarmed. This young master of the Jiang family seemed to want him to join the Jiang family immediately. What was going on?
Jiang Caixuan scolded Jiang Yichen a few more times before he stopped talking, but he still stood not far away, occasionally sizing up Ye Fan.
"This bastard isn't some kind of pervert, is he? Damn it!" Ye Fan muttered to himself.
After a while, Jiang Yichen finally stopped looking at him and began to wander around Misty Grotto Heaven, which allowed Ye Fan to breathe a little easier. Soon, he thought of his classmates. Two of them should be inside Misty Grotto Heaven, but he wasn't sure who.
A full hour later, Jiang Yifei came out with Old Man Jiang and Little Tingting. The sect master of Misty Grotto Heaven and several important figures personally saw them off. The old man and the little girl both had red and swollen eyes, clearly having cried heavily.
"Old sect master, please go back. No need to see us off. The Jiang family is not unreasonable. This matter is settled; you need not worry anymore."
The old sect master of Misty Grotto Heaven finally breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, facing a behemoth like the Jiang family would make anyone tremble with fear. In the Eastern Wasteland, few major powers dared to oppose them.
The people of Misty Grotto Heaven watched them until they disappeared into the distance before returning to their sect.
Jiang Yifei's group went straight back to Clear Wind Town, just to fulfill the old man's wish to see the town again. For Little Tingting's future, Old Man Jiang decided to enter the Jiang family, not wanting his granddaughter to suffer any more grievances.
"Big Brother, come with us." Little Tingting looked up and pleaded.
Ye Fan tapped her little nose. "Big Brother can't help much anymore. The Jiang family has countless experts. I'd be less than a soldier there. Tingting will live well there."
"Big Brother, I really don't want to be apart from you. Come with us, or Tingting will miss you every day." Little Tingting looked on the verge of tears.
"I still have other things to do. I really can't go now. I promise I'll come visit you later." Ye Fan gently comforted her.
"No! If Big Brother doesn't come, I won't go either." Little Tingting was about to make such a decision.
"You're still young. There are things you don't understand yet. You'll know when you grow up. Go to the Jiang family happily. Don't be lazy there. Study their cultivation methods well. Maybe one day I'll need Tingting's help."
Old Man Jiang also couldn't understand. He really hoped Ye Fan would go with them, but in the end, he couldn't force it.
At the farewell outside Clear Wind Town, Little Tingting burst into loud sobs. She hugged Ye Fan's leg and refused to let go, tears streaming down her face.
Ye Fan wiped away her tears. "Don't cry. Tingting, remember what I said. We'll meet again in the future."
In the end, Little Tingting reluctantly let go, crying, "I will definitely learn to cultivate and come find Big Brother in the future. If anyone bullies Big Brother, Tingting will chase them all away."
Ye Fan smiled. "Go on. They're all waiting for you."
Just then, Ye Fan noticed that when Jiang Yichen, the young master of the Jiang family, looked at him, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes. Ye Fan's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
"Jiang Yichen, your gaze seems off..." Jiang Caixuan suddenly said this.
"Sister Xuan, why would you say that?" Jiang Yichen was startled.
"Don't do anything immoral or have bad intentions. It seems Grandfather really spoiled you." Jiang Caixuan said coldly. "I noticed you earlier. You seem to want to make a move against Little Brother Ye. Did he provoke you?"
Jiang Yifei turned back and looked at the two of them. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." Jiang Yichen was a bit guilty.
"Speak!" Although Jiang Yifei appeared refined, he seemed to have considerable authority. His clansman Jiang Yichen was afraid of him.
"I..."
"Speak quickly!"
Jiang Yichen had no choice but to tell the truth. "That kid has a heavy treasure on him, and not an ordinary one. You know, the most peculiar thing about my mount isn't its combat power, but the spirit-jade horn on its head. It can sense divine objects. Today, it kept flashing with five-colored light, exceptionally bright and dazzling."
His mount was a cyan-colored strange beast, resembling a lion-tiger, with long, clean cyan fur. On its head grew a jade horn, crystal clear, radiating five-colored divine light, capable of sensing the presence of extraordinary treasures.
"I might be in trouble..." Ye Fan saw the three people in the distance looking his way.
"What's wrong, child?" Old Man Jiang asked.
Little Tingting also wiped her tears. "Big Brother, what trouble are you in? I'll ask Sister Caixuan to help you."
Ye Fan smiled bitterly.
At this moment, Jiang Yichen was walking over with a sneer. Jiang Yifei and Jiang Caixuan followed.
"I'm really curious. What heavy treasure do you have on you?"
Ye Fan's heart shook violently. He never expected Jiang Yichen to say such a thing. Had the other really discovered something?
Jiang Yifei smiled. "Little Brother Ye, don't worry. We have no ill intentions. The Jiang family has countless treasures; we won't covet yours."
Jiang Caixuan warned, "If you have a heavy treasure on you, you must be more careful in the future..."
After hearing her explanation, Ye Fan understood the wonder of that five-colored strange beast. It could sense spiritual treasures. This sent chills down his spine. If the green copper block and the Dao Scripture were exposed, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Good thing I didn't agree to enter the Jiang family..." he muttered to himself.
"Alright, let's part ways here. Don't worry, I've warned Jiang Yichen. He won't have any crooked ideas anymore." Jiang Caixuan smiled.
In the end, the group mounted their strange beasts and soared into the sky. Little Tingting cried very sadly, continuously waving her little hand until they disappeared over the horizon.
Ye Fan felt a strong sense of crisis. Instead of returning to the town, he headed straight into the deep mountains. He felt he needed to get far away from this place as quickly as possible.