Chapter Thirty-Five: The Outbreak of the Demon Clan Incident

After dealing with Mu Wanchong, Junyang descended the mountain again. Yan Qingye and the others obediently returned to their own rooms to cultivate—after all, with the nourishing meals they were eating every day, it would be a shame to let all that go to waste.

The mountain-guarding formation Junyang had set up was exceedingly sturdy. So much so that the Spirit Cat King, who had long resided on Phoenix Perch Mountain, found herself unable to return home after a single excursion. She sat at the foot of the mountain for five days before she finally encountered some members of the Phoenix Clan descending the mountain, who then led her back up.

Unable to hold back, the Spirit Cat King brought along several small spirit beasts to pay a visit to Feng Yanhua.

“I’ve lived on this mountain for a thousand years and have grown quite attached to it. Isn’t this protective array a bit too exclusive? In the past, I could at least find a gap to slip through, but now... even digging a tunnel gets me nowhere.”

Feng Yanhua smiled kindly at the pile of immortal herbs the Spirit Cat King brought as a gift. “That’s my oversight. I’ll go and consult the senior who set up the mountain-guarding array right away. Please wait a moment.”

“Thank you for your trouble.” The Spirit Cat King was exceedingly humble.

Feng Yanhua rose and made his way toward the guest courtyard, where he happened upon Junyang and the others gathered in the pavilion.

“Senior Junyang.” Feng Yanhua approached with a broad smile. “There’s something I’d like to ask you.”

“What is it?” Junyang continued eating without looking up.

Feng Yanhua recounted the Spirit Cat King's predicament in detail. “Is there a way to allow them to come and go more easily? They are, after all, spirit beasts of Phoenix Perch Mountain.”

“Just give them some blood.” Junyang replied coolly.

“...Again with the blood,” Feng Yanhua thought, feeling faint at the idea, but managed to reply, “I understand.”

He left the guest courtyard feeling drained.

Meanwhile, Ye Linyi pulled Yan Qingye and the others aside to discuss something else. “Have you heard? It seems the Demon Clan has appeared on the second and third continents.”

“The Demon Clan?” Yan Qingye was shocked. “How did they make it to the upper realm?”

Yuan Yibai, hearing this, frowned slightly.

Ming Chenyu added, “I heard it too. The day before yesterday, my second sister sent me a message through a jade slip, saying she was going to the lower continents to investigate.”

“Yes.” Ye Linyi nodded. “My elder brother went as well. I heard the young master of the third continent had his soul drained, leaving nothing but a dried skeleton. It’s quite terrifying.”

“That sinister?” Yan Qingye rested his chin on his hand, intrigued. “I’ve never seen the Demon Clan.”

“What’s so interesting about that?” Ye Linyi was puzzled. “Everyone says the Demon Clan is utterly repulsive.”

At this, Yuan Yibai abruptly stood up, left the group behind, and returned to his room without a word.

“What’s with him?” Yan Qingye frowned at Yuan Yibai’s departing back.

Ye Linyi shrugged. “He’s always been the solitary type; you know that.”

They didn’t dwell on Yuan Yibai, and the discussion continued.

“Aren’t you curious to see for yourselves?” Yan Qingye pressed.

Ye Linyi and Ming Chenyu both shook their heads.

But then Feng Qinghe spoke up, “My fourth uncle has already asked me to go to the third continent tomorrow to investigate.”

Yan Qingye’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Yes,” Feng Qinghe confirmed.

“Then... Senior brother, take me with you! I’ll protect you!”

“You truly want to go?”

“Of course.” Yan Qingye raised his brows and turned to Ming Chenyu and Ye Linyi. “What about you two?”

The two exchanged a glance. At first, they had no intention of going, but then remembered the instructions Yu Xiyue had given them when she took them in: “Protect your senior brother and treat him as your leader.”

“We’ll go,” they answered in unison.

Unexpectedly, another voice joined in.

“I’ll go as well.” Yu Xiyue pushed open her door, cradling the snow-white Jade in her arms as she stepped out.

“You’re going too, little ancestor?” Junyang looked over in surprise.

“Yes.”

Yu Xiyue gave no explanation, and Junyang didn’t ask for one. There was always a reason, and he would follow wherever she went.

Thus, the next day, the group—including Yuan Yibai—set out together for the third continent.

The third continent was governed by the Fei family, whose patriarch, Fei Mian, had only just reached the Integration stage. The deceased young master, Fei Chao, had only recently entered the Nascent Soul stage.

The entire Fei household was draped in mourning white, the atmosphere heavy with death.

Upon arrival, Ming Chenyu immediately contacted his second sister, Ming Yuyao, via jade slip. “Second sister, any progress with the Demon Clan matter?”

Ming Yuyao was surprised; her always composed and steady younger brother rarely took an interest in such things. “No trace yet. Why are you concerned?”

“I’m accompanying senior brother to the third continent.”

“The third son of the Phoenix Clan?”

“Yes.”

“Where are you now?” Ming Yuyao’s voice actually held a hint of delight.

Ming Chenyu glanced at the inn Junyang had just entered. “Phoenix Inn.”

“All right, I’ll come by in a bit.” Ming Yuyao ended the communication.

Ming Chenyu looked helplessly at Yan Qingye and the others. “My second sister is coming.”

“To see senior brother?” Yan Qingye asked.

“...” Ming Chenyu wasn’t sure how to respond and simply looked at Feng Qinghe.

Feng Qinghe was equally embarrassed. “Yan Qingye, don’t say such nonsense!”

“Oh...” Yan Qingye shut his mouth and chased after his master into Phoenix Inn.

The innkeeper, a cultivator himself, immediately sensed the unusual air about them as they entered and hurried over with a warm welcome. “Are you here for lodging?”

“Yes.” Yu Xiyue nodded, reached into her storage pouch, and casually pulled out a celestial-grade spirit stone. “Seven people.”

“Se-se-seven... seven people???” The innkeeper clutched the tiny stone in both hands, thinking they must mean seven hundred rooms—such extravagance!

Junyang, accustomed to his little ancestor’s generosity, was unfazed.

Yan Qingye, the young master of one of the five great families and well-versed in the ways of the world, was still astonished by his master’s lavishness. He muttered quietly behind Yu Xiyue, “Master, that’s too much.”

“Is it?” Yu Xiyue tilted her head in confusion and looked at Junyang. “Isn’t it one earth-grade spirit stone per room?”

Junyang scratched his head and whispered, “That’s in the Divine Realm.”

“Oh...”

Yan Qingye overheard this too, and began counting on his fingers, calculating his family’s fortune. If he truly had the chance to visit the Divine Realm in the future, would he be able to afford food and lodging?

Ye Linyi, entering just then, saw Yan Qingye counting on his fingers. “What are you calculating?”

“My family’s wealth,” Yan Qingye replied.

Ye Linyi was shocked. “Is your father finally passing the position of family head to you?”

Yan Qingye gave him a sidelong glance. “What are you saying? My father is in perfect health; it’s hardly my turn yet.”

“Then why are you counting your wealth?”

Ming Chenyu watched the two of them, shaking his head at their antics and moving a bit farther away.

Yan Qingye whispered, “Master said that in the Divine Realm, a single room costs an earth-grade spirit stone per day.”

“That expensive?!” Ye Linyi’s voice shot up several octaves.

The innkeeper clearly heard Ye Linyi’s exclamation and, startled, nearly dropped the celestial-grade spirit stone. Glancing at Yu Xiyue and thinking her companions were dissatisfied, he hesitantly approached her. “Perhaps... I could give you some change...?”

Yu Xiyue waved him off. “No need.”

“Thank you, honored guest!” the innkeeper exclaimed, quickly calling for a servant to lead the group upstairs to their private rooms, afraid Yu Xiyue might change her mind.