Luo Ze and Lin Fengyuan weren’t of the same era. He had no personal familiarity with this legendary demon from thirty thousand years ago, which only added to his confusion about why Lin Fengyuan insisted on taking Ye Yu with her when she left. Nonetheless, given their positions—one a demon and the other a disciple of a righteous sect—Ye Yu’s chances were grim.
Luo Ze had witnessed Lin Fengyuan’s power firsthand. Even the combined strength of the leaders of the five sacred lands was no match for her. Given the circumstances, his only hope was for Hong Luan to intervene. He had assumed she’d be anxious to hear that Ye Yu had been captured or, at the very least, show a bit of shock. But what he received was a look from Hong Luan that could only be described as one reserved for someone lacking basic common sense.
“So, you’re telling me Ye Yu was taken? When exactly was this?” she asked, her gaze unblinking.
Under her scrutinizing gaze, Luo Ze found himself second-guessing. Quickly, he recounted the events from earlier that day.
Hong Luan listened, then waved dismissively. “You don’t need to worry about this. Ye Yu just returned not long ago, safe and sound. He’s probably already managed to escape from Lin Fengyuan and has gone out with Tuoba Qiyue.”
Relief washed over Luo Ze upon hearing this. As long as Ye Yu was fine, all was well. Still, a seed of doubt lingered. Given Lin Fengyuan’s strength, how could Ye Yu have possibly escaped? Luo Ze was left puzzled, but if Ye Yu had returned, there was no point in questioning it further.
Bowing, he took his leave. Back at the main hall, he glanced at the communication stone left by Empress Li Ruowang on the table, squinting thoughtfully. Should he inform her about Ye Yu’s safe return?
Meanwhile, back at Five-Finger Peak, Hong Luan resumed drinking from her gourd, her gaze shifting to Lin Miaoxue lying atop a boulder. Her expression turned serious. Taken by Lin Fengyuan during the day and back at Five-Finger Peak by night—this woman...
A thought struck Hong Luan. She swiftly approached Lin Miaoxue, placing one hand above her heart in the air. In an instant, countless sword auras erupted, swirling around Lin Miaoxue’s body. Witnessing this, Hong Luan burst into hearty laughter, her voice echoing across Five-Finger Peak.
...
In the northern part of the Central Continent lay the stronghold of the Tuoba family, a venerable cultivation family with roots tracing back tens of thousands of years. Their strength and influence ran deep, comparable to that of the sacred lands.
When Tuoba Qiyue led Ye Yu to her family’s estate, he was astounded. He had never seen a cultivation family built on such a grand scale, rivaling even the Qingyun Sect. However, two things puzzled him.
First, they’d been holding hands for several hours now. Regardless of their high cultivation levels and resistance to sweat, wouldn’t Senior Sister’s hand start feeling sore by now? And now that they were at her family’s home, couldn’t she show a bit more restraint?
Second, was this really her family home? Could it not just be something she’d made up? If it truly were her family estate, why not use the main entrance? Why were they sneaking around like thieves, constantly dodging others' gazes? It felt like they were playing some kind of stealth game—a bit thrilling, admittedly.
“Whoosh!” Several figures flew overhead. Tuoba Qiyue immediately pulled Ye Yu behind a pillar, her face tense.
“Senior Sister,” Ye Yu exhaled softly. “Do we really need to keep sneaking around like this? If it’s that troublesome, why don’t we just buy the Heavenly Soul Fruit?”
“It’s from my own home—why would I buy it?” Tuoba Qiyue whispered, pulling him along. “Just wait. I’ll pick a few extra for you later.”
Ye Yu forced a polite, if slightly awkward, smile. Home-grown, indeed. But she didn’t really look like she belonged here.
Tuoba Qiyue led Ye Yu through several twists and turns until they finally reached a courtyard. The gate was tightly shut, and with one glance, Ye Yu could tell that at least fifty different formations had been set up. Clearly, the contents of this place were immensely valuable.
“The Heavenly Soul Fruit is inside. Once I open the gate, we’ll have it,” she whispered.
“Do you need my help?” Ye Yu offered, eager to lend a hand. He prided himself on his mastery of formations, after all.
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“No need!” Tuoba Qiyue declined his offer and prepared to move forward.
Just then, a deep voice interrupted, “If you don’t want his help, how about I assist you instead?”
Ye Yu turned and saw a stern-looking middle-aged man standing not far off, his gaze icy.
“Father!” Tuoba Qiyue called softly.
Hearing this, Ye Yu relaxed. It seemed she hadn’t been lying—this truly was her family estate. Even if their arrival had been somewhat dubious, the familial bond was undeniable. The Heavenly Soul Fruit was as good as theirs now.
Indeed, the man before them was none other than Tuoba Qiyue’s father, the head of the Tuoba family, Tuoba Encheng.
“So, you remember to call me father?” Tuoba Encheng’s gaze was cold. “The first rule of our family law: Only the head of the household and the heir may enter the Suxin Court. Do you intend to disregard family law just to get inside?”
Tuoba Qiyue lowered her head, momentarily speechless. Ye Yu, sensing the tension, began to worry. It seemed that the relationship between the two was strained.
Just as he was about to intervene, a beautiful woman approached them.
“Husband, who are you talking to?” she asked, her tone gentle. This was Tuoba Qiyue’s mother, Ge Qingzhi. She joined her husband, and upon seeing Ye Yu and Tuoba Qiyue holding hands, a look of delight crossed her face.
Ye Yu quickly released his right hand, feeling that holding hands in front of her parents was a bit too forward, like he was meeting her family. It seemed inappropriate. However, when he let go, Ge Qingzhi’s expression instantly soured.
“You!” she snapped at Tuoba Encheng. “Always with that sour face—who do you think you’re scaring? Our daughter finally comes home, and you’re still like this? Are you itching for a beating? What if you scare him off? Smile!”
Her voice, sharp as a lion’s roar, compelled Tuoba Encheng to force a rather awkward smile.
Ge Qingzhi warmly approached Tuoba Qiyue, taking her hand. “Oh, my dear, it’s been three hundred years since we last saw you. Do you know how much your father and I have missed you?”
Though her words were directed at her daughter, her gaze remained fixed on Ye Yu, making him somewhat nervous.
Tuoba Qiyue gently turned her mother’s face towards her. “Mother, I’m right here.”
Ge Qingzhi pushed her daughter’s hand aside, pretending to be annoyed. “I know where you are; no need to remind me. What you should do now is introduce this young man to me.”