After hearing Su Miu's words, Feng Jiayun lowered her eyes to the floor and replied in a low voice, "I know."
The brevity of her response left Su Miu feeling as if his heavy punch had landed on a soft bale of cotton. Annoyed by the lack of reaction, he flicked his sleeve with a sharp snap and stormed out of his elder brother's courtyard.
Only after he had departed did Feng Jiayun lift her head again. She stared at Su Miu's retreating back for a long while, watching him vanish into the distance, then let out a long, weary sigh.
She didn't fully believe what Su Miu had told her. Leaving aside the powerful blood bond she shared with Yunxi that couldn't be severed by distance or time, just based on her personal understanding of Su Miu's character, his attitude after meeting Yunxi definitely wouldn't have been good.
She knew very well that because she had become Su Jing's Dao partner, Su Miu had never liked her presence in the family. If not for the fact that she had just entered the Spirit Region back then and had accidentally learned Sheng Xia's true identity, she would never have joined the Su family, or at the very least, she would not have stayed by Su Jing's side as his partner.
Zisheng's failed attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul stage this time also had Su Miu's shadow lurking behind it. She hadn't agreed with her son attempting such a major breakthrough at that time. She knew clearly that his spiritual accumulation wasn't enough and his state of mind hadn't reached the right level of stability. But Zisheng insisted on entering seclusion to charge at the Nascent Soul level anyway, and she knew then that she couldn't leave the Su family lands while he was in such a state.
Even so, she still held onto a sliver of hope in her heart. She hoped her daughter would eventually come to the Su family and meet her just once. She missed her daughter terribly, the memory of her small face still vivid. She couldn't even imagine how her daughter had grown up in the years since they were parted.
Her daughter had ascended to the Spirit Region for sixty years and yet never came to look for her. She knew then that something had to be wrong with the situation, especially since the Su family had deliberately cut off her sources of information from the outside. If Zisheng hadn't let it slip during a conversation, she wouldn't even have known that the entire Wei Yu Realm had ascended.
Since it was an entire realm ascension, Yunxi had to be somewhere in the Spirit Region. That was why she was desperate to see her daughter again. In the end, although the Su family Ancestor finally agreed to let her leave the family lands, Zisheng's failed breakthrough and the heavy backlash that followed completely tied her down to the estate. That was how Su Miu ended up taking on the task of finding her.
Now, it's just that Su Miu had done it all deliberately. She believed her daughter wouldn't attack Su Miu for no reason. He definitely hadn't told the absolute truth about their encounter. But for now, she couldn't leave the Su family lands, couldn't find accurate news about her daughter's whereabouts, and didn't even know the current situation of the Feng family.
Thinking of this, she turned her gaze toward the cold stone cave residence where Zisheng was in seclusion. A flash of disappointment crossed her eyes. Yunxi and Zisheng were both her children, but now it seems Zisheng strongly rejected the idea of his sister. Saying she wasn't hurt by this reality would be a lie.
As for Su Zisheng in seclusion, he wasn't completely unaware of the world outside his door. His failed breakthrough had been a fake to begin with, a ruse to draw his mother's attention. He had heard everything his uncle and mother had just said through the heavy stone. What made him uncomfortable was how calm his mother's attitude remained, especially the look she had cast toward his secluded cave. The disappointment and sorrow she couldn't hide made his chest feel tight with guilt.
-
At Yixian Gate's Guest Peak, after Yunxi returned from the Wolong Mountain Range, Chen Yebai met her in private. After learning about Lu Zhihui's situation and confirming that the Beast King was now fine, he finally relaxed his posture.
Yixian Gate was the closest sect to the Wolong Mountain Range. If the other party had truly become a puppet of evil cultivators, he wouldn't have been able to eat or sleep in peace, fearing a sudden attack. Now that the crisis was resolved, the pressure on his shoulders vanished.
After that, he took time to personally guide Yunxi's medical cultivation, providing insights that benefited her greatly.
Two months later, the beast tide completely subsided, the forests falling silent once more. All follow-up matters were settled by the disciples, and the support cultivators from various sects gradually left Xiao Dragon City to return home.
Yunxi took time to meet Song Ke, Zonghao, Zongyu, Yunting, and the others before they departed. She stuffed their storage bags with life-saving pills and healing potions, as well as several talismans she had drawn herself and formation plates she had engraved while practicing her crafts. Then she sent them off to gain more experience in the world.
After that, because Yixian Gate publicly announced Dengyun Tower's affairs, the news caused another massive stir across all regions of the Spirit Realm. No one expected even a place like Dengyun Tower to have become an evil cultivator's claw. Cultivators grew much more cautious when choosing dual cultivation partners, and the one hit hardest by the rumors was the Hehuan Sect.
The Hehuan Sect's Ancestor was so furious that he directly destroyed the entire Dengyun Tower with a surge of power, then rushed to Yixian Gate to ask Chen Yebai to personally examine his sect's disciples. He had to prove that the Hehuan Sect's disciples were all innocent of the rot. Otherwise, who would ever dare to dual cultivate with them in the future.
Chen Yebai didn't put on airs or refuse the request. This involved the entire Spirit Realm's safety. If evil cultivators really planted nails within the Hehuan Sect, then even without Dengyun Tower they could still achieve their dark goal. As long as cultivators chose dual cultivation, there would be a chance to plant evil seeds inside them. It truly was impossible to guard against without constant vigilance.
So Ancestor Chen left the sect for three days and went to the Hehuan Sect. He really did uncover a batch of problematic cultivators there during his stay. The remaining matters of discipline and purging no longer required his personal involvement.
While Ancestor Chen was away from the mountains, many cultivators who had had contact with Dengyun Tower's disciples arrived at Yixian Gate one after another, quietly lining up for inspections. Besides Yixian Gate's own disciples, Li Li and Dian Dian were also involved in the secret checks.
The two of them worked in secret, observing the line of people. No evil soul could escape Li Li's keen eyes. If any slipped through the net of the formal checks, Li Li would immediately send a voice transmission to Yunxi.
Yunxi would appear at the right moment to expose the evil soul's disguise, which only made Yixian Gate's disciples admire her skills even more.
During this period, she also used Zi Yan to remove quite a few evil seeds from the affected. Those who required her personal action were mostly high-level cultivators, which greatly expanded her connections within the Spirit Realm.
On this day, Xia Yiwan came to Guest Peak to visit Yunxi. She had just come out of seclusion not long ago and was mainly here to thank Yunxi for her rescue. If she hadn't met the two of them, she would probably already be dead by now.
They chatted casually for a couple of sentences when Xia Yiwan received a message talisman from her master. After reading the contents, she said to Yunxi, "Ran Xi Zūnshàng, the reclusive Su family has sent people to see you. Do you want to meet them now?"
Yunxi curled her lips slightly at the news. "I don't know why they want to see this Lord so suddenly. Then I will borrow your sect's territory for a bit to host them."
Xia Yiwan immediately stood up from her seat. "This junior will go bring them to Guest Peak right away."
"Much appreciated."
Yunxi sat steadily on her cushion, with no intention of standing up to greet anyone who arrived.
After Xia Yiwan left, Bing Li came into Yunxi's small courtyard. She leaned in toward the table with an expression that clearly said she was here to watch the fun unfold. "Ran Xi Zūnshàng, people from the Su family are finally here."
"Mm. Yiwan went to bring them to this courtyard."
"If they ask you to go to the Su family lands with them, will you go?"
"That depends on the situation, and on their attitude. This Lord isn't that easy to invite."
"If Su Miu knew he would one day have to beg in front of you like this, he probably wouldn't have dared act so arrogantly before. I wonder if he is among the Su family members who came this time. If he is, there's going to be a good show."
Yunxi raised a brow at her companion. "Have I have ever told you about clashing with Su Miu?"
Bing Li waved her hand dismissively. "You really didn't. I found out through my own secret connections. And after Su Miu returned to the Su family, he didn't exactly say nice things about you to the others."
"Tsk. Wipe that gloating look off your face. Be careful the Su family doesn't come after you for your eavesdropping."
"It's fine. They would have to have the spare energy to target me first before I would worry."
As Bing Li finished speaking, Li Li leapt into Yunxi's arms with Dian Dian perched comfortably on her head. She didn't forget to complain via voice transmission. "Master, someone has their eye on Dian Dian and even wants to snatch her from me. You have got to protect Dian Dian."
After hearing that, Yunxi pinched Dian Dian in her hand and gave her a gentle rub, then casually stuffed her into the spirit beast pouch for safety. Only then did she look toward the courtyard gate.
Su Miu led a middle-aged female cultivator into the small courtyard. Beside him walked Su Zisheng, who was currently looking at the surrounding scenery with a cold, aloof expression.
When the middle-aged female cultivator saw Yunxi, her eyes brightened with a sudden light. She had already guessed that she would be this beautiful, but she hadn't expected her to be this calm and refined in person.
She stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"I am Su Hua of the Su family. This must be Ran Xi Zūnshàng. This Lord has long heard of your name. Meeting you today is truly an honor."
Yunxi smiled faintly at the polite greeting. "Su Hua Daoyou is too kind. Please, sit."
Only then did Su Hua lead Su Miu and Su Zisheng to the stone table. As they sat down, she casually swept a glance over Bing Li, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Bing Li smiled warmly at the attention and said, "This one is Bing Li. Su Hua Daoyou, we met once at the Loose Cultivator Alliance's auction back then. Do you still remember?"
Su Hua thought for a moment, then she nodded with a smile. "It's because your well-informed reputation is widespread. Meeting you here today is also fate."
After the pleasantries, Su Hua looked toward Yunxi and spoke.
"Ran Xi Zūnshàng, this Lord has come this time to represent the Su family and invite you to visit the Su family lands. I wonder if you would be willing to give this Lord some face and accept the invitation?"
Yunxi didn't answer immediately. She rubbed Li Li's soft head and asked, "This Lord doesn't know why the Su family is inviting me so suddenly. I have always been a loose cultivator and have no connection to your reclusive family."
Su Hua laughed softly at her wariness. "Zūnshàng is being modest. You are the inheritor of Yixian Gate and have saved many cultivators from the evil seeds. Your reputation is already known across the Spirit Region. The Su family has always respected talent, and we hope to invite you to discuss alchemy and medical paths together."
Yunxi snorted softly at the excuse. "Discussing alchemy? This Lord thinks the Su family has already found what they were looking for, so why come to find me now?"
After she heard her blunt words, Su Hua's expression stiffened for a moment. She looked toward Su Miu, then back to Yunxi.
"Zūnshàng is really sharp. To be honest, this Lord has come this time because Sheng Xia had even been badly injured during her earlier mission. She mentioned that you might have some special methods to remove the evil seeds. The Su family has also encountered some difficulties recently, and we hope you can assist us."
Yunxi laughed out loud after hearing this confession. "Sheng Xia was badly injured? This Lord thinks her injuries are merely a ruse to escape blame. As for the evil seeds, I have already removed many of them. If the Su family has people affected, they can come to Yixian Gate just like everyone else. There is no need to specially invite this Lord to your family lands."
Su Miu's expression turned ugly as he listened. He glared at Yunxi and said, "Wei Yunxi, don't be ungrateful. My Su family Ancestor personally sent Su Hua to invite you. If you refuse like this, you aren't just refusing us, but the entire Su family."
Yunxi didn't even look at him. She directly looked toward Su Zisheng, who hadn't spoken until now.
"And who is this?"
Su Zisheng looked up, his cold gaze meeting hers. "I am Su Zisheng. Su Jing and Feng Jiayun are my parents."
Only then did Yunxi smile faintly, her eyes turning cold. "So it's the young master of the Su family. I have already heard of your name. It's just that I didn't expect you to be this similar to your mother."
Su Zisheng's brows knitted at the mention of his mother. He said coldly, "My mother has always missed you and wanted to see you. Now that you are at Yixian Gate, why don't you go see her? Instead, you stay here and play tricks with the Su family."
Yunxi laughed softly at his arrogance. "I am playing tricks? It's just that I would remember her face wrong if I didn't see her for a few more years. As for going to the Su family, I have already said it before. I am a loose cultivator and have no connection to the Su family. If your mother wants to see me, she can come to Yixian Gate on her own. I am always here."
After she heard these words, Su Zisheng's expression turned even colder. He stood up from his seat and said, "If that is the case, then there is nothing more to discuss. Let's go."
Su Hua hurriedly stood up and pulled him back. "Zisheng, don't be impulsive."
Then she looked back at Yunxi with a complicated expression. "Ran Xi Zūnshàng, Zisheng is still young and doesn't know how to speak properly. Please don't take it to heart. This Lord will stay at Yixian Gate for two more days. I hope you can consider our invitation again."
With that, she led Su Miu and Su Zisheng out of the small courtyard, their figures vanishing quickly into the distance.
Bing Li clicked her tongue after they left. "That Su Zisheng is really something. He actually dared to speak to you like that. No wonder your mother is disappointed in him."
Yunxi sighed softly and didn't add anything else. She leaned back against the stone seat, her gaze fixed on the quiet sky. She knew that the real show was just beginning.