At the Big Mountain.
Ye Xuan had already returned. He didn’t try to improve his cultivation base. Instead, he carved out a cave on the mountainside. He placed all the Cold Spring Water deep inside the cave. Here, the Cold Spring Water could remain freezing cold for much longer.
Ye Xuan personally guarded this place for three days and three nights before Ye Ling’Er finally opened her eyes.
"Ling’Er, you’re finally awake."
A great weight was finally lifted from Ye Xuan’s shoulders. These past three days had been sheer torment for him. He had been truly worried that Ling’Er would never wake up. Thankfully, she did.
"Ye Xuan... did my heat affliction flare up again?"
"Yes. Ling’Er, what happened this time? Why did your heat affliction suddenly flare up?"
"I don’t know. I was just cultivating when I suddenly felt my body turn burning hot. It was as if there was a raging fire inside me, trying to burn me to death. Then, I passed out."
Ye Xuan remained silent. Ling’Er’s heat affliction was a hidden danger. Even though he had obtained the Medicine Scripture, he still didn’t know how to cure it. In this world, Cultivators suffered from quite a few incurable diseases and bizarre ailments.
"Was I in a lot of danger this time, Ye Xuan? Am I going to die?" Ye Ling’Er’s fearful voice drifted over.
Ye Xuan finally spoke, "Silly girl, you won’t die. Aren’t you fine now?"
"But what about next time?"
"There won’t be a next time. Ling’Er, starting today, you don’t need to push yourself anymore. I will protect you for the rest of your life."
"Ye Xuan, I know you treat me well, but everyone else is working hard. How can I not? I still need to help you in the future."
"Silly girl, there’s no need."
"Yes, there is! You don’t know how much my heart aches seeing you work so hard. The burden of the entire Ye Family rests on your shoulders. I truly want to share that burden with you. Otherwise, you’ll be too exhausted."
Ye Xuan patted Ye Ling’Er’s head and smiled. "Silly girl, how can anyone live without getting tired? Being tired just means I’m still alive."
"Ye Xuan..."
"Say no more. It’s decided. Starting today, you don’t need to cultivate. You are my only sister, and I don’t want anything to happen to you. Even if you are just an ordinary person living an ordinary life, as long as you are happy and joyful, that is enough."
"Ye Xuan... my heat affliction acting up might not necessarily be because of my cultivation."
"I know. Regardless, don’t cultivate for now."
"But what if it flares up even if I don’t cultivate?"
"You little brat, don’t jinx it. Knock on wood."
"Ye Xuan, how can you be so childish? Knock on wood?"
"I’m only childish because you’re my sister."
"Hehe, Ye Xuan, don’t worry. I won’t die. I want to watch you create miracles time and time again and rise up step by step. You are my idol, after all!"
"Such a glib tongue. It seems you really are better. Let’s go back then. Mother and Father are very worried about you."
About ten minutes later, Ye Xuan and Ye Ling’Er returned to the mountain peak.
"Patriarch, Mr. Man Tian is here. He is waiting for you in your room," Hua’s voice suddenly rang out.
"Oh? I’ll head over right away. Ling’Er, go find Mother and Father on your own. Remember, do not cultivate for now."
After giving these instructions, Ye Xuan returned to his bamboo cabin.
Inside the bamboo cabin, Man Tian was reading a book while sipping tea, looking every bit the image of an otherworldly expert.
Ye Xuan sat opposite Man Tian and topped up his tea before speaking. "Mr. Man Tian, thank you for what happened at the Ice Mountain."
Man Tian asked with a placid expression, "You don’t even know what would have happened if you had left a little later. Why are you so certain I was right and feel the need to thank me?"
Ye Xuan poured a cup of tea for himself as well before replying. "Although I don’t know, I imagine you wouldn’t have warned me without reason. I’m just confused as to why you helped me this time. You found this hiding place for me because I let Sun Juguang go. But regarding the Ice Mountain, you had no reason to help me."
Man Tian put down the book in his hands and stared into Ye Xuan’s eyes. "What if I said I wanted to form a good karmic tie with you?" he said seriously.
"Form a good karmic tie with me?"
"That’s right. To put it simply, I want to make friends with you."
"Make friends with me?"
"Yes."
"But why? It’s entirely my good fortune that you would want to befriend me."
"As for why, you will find out in the future."
As Man Tian spoke, he picked up his book again, reading as he sipped his tea. After a good while, as if remembering something, he spoke again. "I almost forgot to mention the actual business. There is something I must warn you about."
"What is it, Mr. Man Tian?"
"When you conduct yourself in this world, if you value relationships, you must not leave any loose ends."
"What do you mean by that, Mr. Man Tian?"
Man Tian didn’t answer. Instead, he looked toward the west.
The west? Ye Xuan frowned, not understanding what kind of riddle Man Tian was playing at. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly came to a realization.
"Are you talking about the Gongsun Family?"
"You truly are a smart person. You catch on with just a hint."
Ye Xuan kept frowning. Didn’t Man Tian’s words imply that the Gongsun Family might be in trouble? It made sense. A while ago, Ye Xuan’s Record had spread through every street and alley. The Gongsun Family had also been thrust into the public eye. Everyone knew that the Gongsun Family’s clan emblem and totem was the Golden-Winged Roc. Ye Xuan could hide, but the Gongsun Family was still out in the open.
If a city truly couldn’t find the whereabouts of Ye Xuan and the Ye Family, it was highly likely they would use the lives of the entire Gongsun Family as a threat. Whether Ye Xuan ultimately showed up or not, it was a method worth trying for them.
"Mr. Man Tian, do you also know some Inference Techniques?"
"A little."
"So you divined this?"
"No. Even if I could divine the future, I wouldn’t dare! In this world, the majority of Inference Techniques only predict good or ill fortune. Divining the future would damage one’s lifespan. Fortune-telling goes against the natural order. The heavens will punish those who do it."
"Then how do you know the Gongsun Family might be in trouble?"
"I simply know a city’s methods all too well."
Meanwhile, in Hero City’s council hall.
The City Lord of the Three-Star City was personally chairing this meeting.
"You are all a bunch of useless trash! You’ve completely thrown away the dignity of a City Lord!"
"My Lord, you can’t blame us for this. None of us expected Ye Xuan to be so powerful. Judging from our clash with him, his combat power is equivalent to the 8th Layer of the Earth Spirit Realm—no, the 9th Layer of the Earth Spirit Realm!"
"That’s right, My Lord. It isn’t that we are too weak, but rather that he is too strong. We underestimated him from the very beginning."
"My Lord, forgive my foolish opinion, but if we want to kill Ye Xuan, a Two-Star City Lord must take action personally. If a Two-Star City Lord unleashes the Chaotic Heaven Domain, it should be enough to kill him! However, just to be safe, I still suggest that you personally oversee the battle as well. That way, nothing can go wrong."
"You want me to personally oversee the battle just to kill a brat? Have you no shame?"
"My Lord, if the Two-Star City Lords fail again, that would be the true disgrace."
"Enough. I can send someone to oversee the battle. But it won’t be me; it will be Taishu Shen."
"Is that the Taishu Shen from the Taishu Family? The Dragon among Men, Taishu Shen!"
"Who else could it be?"
"But would he be willing to make a move?"
"Of course. He proposed it himself."
"Good, good. With Young Master Taishu Shen overseeing the battle, we can put our minds at ease."
The Two-Star City Lords nodded one after another. Surprisingly, they all agreed to let Taishu Shen take action. Some of the Two-Star City Lords even breathed a secret sigh of relief, as if Taishu Shen’s intervention guaranteed Ye Xuan’s death. This just went to show how resounding Taishu Shen’s reputation was in the branch cities.