Chapter Thirty-Four: Junyang Escorts the Guest All the Way Home

"Isn't this just a drop of blood?" Yan Qingye leaned in as well, lowering his head for a closer look.

Feng Yanhua's face turned an odd shade of green, unable to come up with a retort. In desperation, he looked to Junyang for help. "Elder Junyang, what do you think..."

Junyang curled his index finger, and the small golden basin floated over to his side.

"Little Ancestor, I'll go set up the mountain-guarding formation for them," Junyang said.

"Mm."

The protective formation had already been trampled by You Xiyue several days ago. For the safety of the Feng clan, it really couldn't be delayed any longer.

Feng Yanhua immediately broke into a wide smile. "That's truly a great help, Elder Junyang. If there's anything else the Feng clan can do for you, please let us know."

Junyang glanced at Feng Yanhua, who was only at the Profound Immortal stage. "No need."

He turned and vanished from the guest courtyard.

No sooner had Junyang left than someone came to report.

"Patriarch, the head of the Mu family has arrived."

"The Mu family? The Mu family among the Five Great Clans?"

"Yes, it's the head of the Mu family, and he's brought Third Miss Mu, Mu Wanrou."

"Quick, quickly invite them to the main hall."

Feng Yanhua hurriedly made his way to the main hall.

Yan Qingye turned and looked at Yuan Yibai, who had been silent all this time. "Mu Wanrou, huh? Chasing all the way to the Feng clan?"

"Boring," Yuan Yibai replied flatly, heading back to his room.

Yan Qingye then looked at Ye Linyi and Ming Chenyu. "Shouldn't we go pay our respects?"

"We should," Ming Chenyu replied.

Ye Linyi nodded in agreement.

Among the Five Great Clans, only the Mu family patriarch was of the oldest generation—grandfather level to them. Out of courtesy, it was appropriate to pay their respects.

The three of them went to the Feng clan's main hall together.

When they reached the entrance, they overheard Patriarch Mu, Mu Wanchong, inquiring about You Xiyue from Feng Yanhua.

Although You Xiyue had always resided in the Feng household, Feng Yanhua probably knew less about her than even the gatekeepers did.

After all, the gatekeepers at least knew what time she left the residence and which hill she visited.

He only knew she was an ancestor to be revered and could not be provoked.

"Is the Mu family patriarch so interested in our little master?" Yan Qingye couldn't help but cut in.

Naturally, Yan Qingye disliked others gossiping about his master behind her back. He was the only son in his family—what did he have to fear? If anyone had to worry, it was Yan Yaofeng, considering he was the sole heir for three generations.

"Little master?" Mu Wanchong narrowed his eyes, looking at the three young ones who had just entered.

"Grandpa Mu, how are you?" Ming Chenyu greeted politely, then pulled Yan Qingye and Ye Linyi to sit down, his smile distant as he looked at Mu Wanchong. "The three of us are now disciples of the young lady you mentioned."

The news genuinely startled Mu Wanchong. Three successors from the Five Great Clans taken in as disciples? Such a thing had never happened in the Upper Realm.

After all, the Five Great Clans cooperated often, but they competed even more. Now that they were fellow disciples, wouldn't that bind three families together as one? The Mu family's hope for an alliance with the Yuan family had not yet been realized, so Mu Wanchong couldn't help feeling a bit frustrated.

"It seems the young lady has some true ability," Mu Wanchong stroked his beard, feigning inscrutability. "I'd like to meet her. Patriarch Feng, would it be convenient?"

Feng Yanhua stood before Mu Wanchong, forcing a couple of awkward laughs. Was this really his decision to make?

"I'll need to consult with our young elder first."

"Then I must trouble you," Mu Wanchong said.

"Wait!" Yan Qingye's eyes sparkled as he stopped Feng You, who was about to fetch You Xiyue from the guest quarters.

"Young Master Yan, is there something else?" Feng You asked, turning around.

Yan Qingye walked over with a mischievous grin. "I'll go."

Ye Linyi, puzzled, glanced at Yan Qingye, then at Ming Chenyu.

Ming Chenyu, who had grown up playing with Yan Qingye, knew his thoughts the moment his eyes shifted. Yan Qingye was an only child, so Ming Chenyu had been his most frequent playmate.

Ming Chenyu lowered his head and took a sip of tea, smiling to himself.

Without waiting for Feng You's approval, Yan Qingye left the main hall. Instead of going to the guest quarters to find You Xiyue, he went to the foot of Mount Fengqi, where Junyang was arranging the formation's core.

From afar, Junyang noticed Yan Qingye approaching, dusty and breathless.

"What brings you here?"

"Elder Junyang, that old man from the Mu family wants to make trouble for our little master."

"What?" Trouble for our little ancestor? Junyang tossed aside what he was holding, waved his sleeve, and brought Yan Qingye back to the Feng clan's main hall in a flash.

"Who's looking for our little ancestor?"

Mu Wanchong looked up at the young man who had just entered. He tried several times to gauge his cultivation but failed, unable to discern even his bone age.

He was already at the Celestial King stage—stronger than Ming Chengwu—the most powerful in the Upper Realm.

"And who might you be, fellow Taoist?" Mu Wanchong asked, a bit more courteous.

Junyang cast a proud, dismissive glance at Mu Wanchong, then went to stand behind Feng Yanhua, making himself comfortable in the main seat without the slightest courtesy.

"Just say what you want with my little ancestor. I'm busy."

Mu Wanchong was somewhat displeased by Junyang's domineering air, though he didn't show it.

"So you must be the one who dragged our vice-patriarch from the Mu family down to the lower realm?"

"Are you here for revenge?"

"I wouldn't dare. I've come to offer apologies with my granddaughter."

Mu Wanrou stepped forward, her previous arrogance gone, her face drawn and weary.

"Please, elder, grant me an audience so I can apologize to the young master personally."

"I'll accept your apology on my ancestor's behalf. She doesn't like dealing with outsiders. A personal apology won't be necessary." Junyang picked up the cup on the table, poured the tea away disdainfully, then pulled out his own silver gourd from his storage bag, poured a cup of spiritual spring water, and took a couple of sips.

"If there's nothing else, have Feng You see them out," Junyang said to Feng Yanhua.

"Wait!" Mu Wanchong couldn't hold back any longer. "Aren't you overstepping your bounds? This is still the Feng clan, and the patriarch hasn't spoken yet."

Feng Yanhua's mouth twitched. He suddenly wished he could disappear.

"Elder Junyang, about the mountain-guarding formation..." Feng Yanhua tried to change the subject.

Unexpectedly, Junyang picked it right back up. "Don't worry. The formation I've set up can't be broken even by ten Celestial Kings."

"???" Feng Yanhua was bewildered—not what he meant at all.

While Feng Yanhua was still dazed, Junyang had already stood up, flicked his sleeve, and with a gust of palm wind, Mu Wanchong vanished without a trace.

Mu Wanrou stared in fright at the now-empty chair where her grandfather had been.

"Grandfather!"

"Where did my grandfather go? You..." Though trembling, Mu Wanrou pointed at Junyang and demanded, "What did you do to him?"

Junyang looked thoroughly pleased, raising an eyebrow. "Naturally, I saw the guests out—I'm considerate, after all. I made sure to send them all the way home."

Divine...consideration!

This kind of "consideration" immediately made Yan Qingye and Ye Linyi think of their own fathers.

Ming Chenyu cleared his throat. "You'd better head home and check."

"Indeed!" Yan Qingye added gleefully, "See whether your family gate is still standing while you're at it."

"You—!" Mu Wanrou was so furious she couldn't speak, flinging her sleeves as she rushed back toward her clan's estate.

Ming Chenyu glanced at the excited Yan Qingye and, with a straight face, remarked, "I suppose formation masters in the Upper Realm must be making a fortune lately."

Yan Qingye froze for a moment, looked at Ming Chenyu, and got the distinct feeling he was being mocked.