Several days later, in the Eastern Wilds of the Ancient Immortal Domain.
Several figures slowly walked across this barren land, their attire, luxurious and exquisite, seemed out of place with their surroundings.
It was, naturally, Young Master Jiang Ye and his group.
“Young Master, that valley ahead is the end point of our investigation,” Hong Yan said softly, looking forward.
Jiang Ye nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the depths of the crimson valley in the distance.
Days ago, the Jiang Clan’s intelligence network found an extremely inconspicuous old item from the ruins of the Ancient Ye Family.
It was a broken bronze hairpin, with the character “Yun” engraved on it.
This was an item Ye Qingyun frequently came into contact with during his childhood.
As an overlord among the Myriad Domains of the Heavens, the Jiang Clan naturally had spies planted among the Various Great Dao Lineages.
Ye Qingyun had been missing from the Ancient Ye Family for over fifty years, so it was easy to obtain this item from his childhood residence.
Based on the residual Qi on it, a Jiang Clan Elder, proficient in tracking secret arts, used deduction methods to connect with the heavenly secrets and deduce the path Ye Qingyun had once taken.
This ultimately led the clues to this location.
However, just as they arrived at this crimson rock mountain range, the already faint aura completely vanished.
It was as if it had been forcibly cut off by some power.
“Young Master, this valley should be where Ye Qingyun disappeared,” Qing Xuan said softly, a hint of worry flickering in her brows: “This valley is also very strange, like an inaccessible forbidden zone.”
“An inaccessible forbidden zone?” Jiang Ye’s eyes narrowed.
He had a hunch; it was too normal for a Protagonist of Destiny to fall into some unknown special area and obtain an Opportunity.
It fit the novel's plot perfectly.
“Young Master, the Eastern Wilds are so vast; trying to find Ye Qingyun here would be like searching for a needle in a haystack,” Qing Xuan said, her willow-like brows slightly furrowed as she looked at the desolate scenery around them.
Jiang Ye pondered for a moment, then asked: “Which Family is the strongest immortal Dao Lineage in the Eastern Wilds of this Ancient Immortal Domain?”
Qing Xuan took out a Jade Slip, checked it, and replied: “The Fan Family, a top power in the Eastern Wilds. There are Saint Realm experts guarding the Family, and it has millions of years of heritage. Even within the Ancient Immortal Domain, it can be considered a minor overlord.”
“This valley is also not far from the Fan Family.”
“We will go visit the Fan Family,” Jiang Ye decided after a brief thought.
They were new to the area and unfamiliar with the situation in the Eastern Wilds. Perhaps they could use the Fan Family’s influence to inquire about the origin of this valley.
Moreover, as a top power in the Eastern Wilds, the Fan Family might even know some secrets about the Ancient Immortal Court… The Fan Family was located on a Spiritual Qi-rich spiritual mountain, surrounded by powerful defensive Formations.
When Young Master Jiang Ye and his group approached the Fan Family’s territory, they were immediately discovered by patrolling Fan Family Cultivators.
“Who goes there? Stop at once!”
Several Fan Family Cultivators in white robes quickly came forward, vigilantly watching Jiang Ye and the three others.
The fourth person was Heaven Guard Jiang Er, a Peak Supreme Realm Cultivator.
He accompanied them as a guard to prevent others from coveting them or causing trouble.
Seeing this, Jiang Ye smiled slightly, without the slightest hint of panic. He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said: “We are traveling Cultivators from the Myriad Domains of the Heavens, passing through this place, and have come specifically to visit your Family Chief.”
Upon hearing Jiang Ye claim to be from the Myriad Domains of the Heavens, the expressions of those Fan Family Cultivators immediately became much more respectful.
The Ancient Immortal Domain of today no longer had its past glory, while the Myriad Domains of the Heavens were thriving.
Anyone who could come here from the Myriad Domains of the Heavens must possess an extraordinary identity and background, and were certainly not people they could afford to offend.
“Please wait a moment, the junior will go report immediately,” a Fan Family Cultivator who seemed to be the leader quickly bowed and said, then swiftly turned and flew towards the depths of the valley.
Not long after, that Fan Family Cultivator returned, followed by a middle-aged man who looked quite imposing.
The middle-aged man wore a purple robe, his aura steady and powerful. He was clearly a Saint Realm expert, already considered a top figure in the current Ancient Immortal Domain.
“Three distinguished guests have come from afar; I apologize for not greeting you sooner.”
The middle-aged man came before Jiang Ye and the two women, his face full of smiles, and said courteously: “I am Fan Wuji, the Fan Family Patriarch. May I ask the names of the three distinguished guests?”
Jiang Ye smiled slightly, cupped his hands in return, and said: “Patriarch Fan is too kind. I am Jiang Yun.”
He did not reveal his true identity, merely fabricating a name.
Fan Wuji had no doubts.
Indeed, recently, many people from top Dao Lineages of the Heavens had come to the Ancient Immortal Domain to search for the innate immortal liquid rumored to exist.
But none had found anything.
He could sense an indescribably noble aura emanating from the young man before him, who should be a successor of a top Dao Lineage.
The guard behind him, moreover, possessed a terrifying aura.
A Supreme Realm guard?
With this assessment, Fan Wuji naturally dared not show any neglect. He quickly invited Jiang Ye and the two women into the Fan Family, treating them as honored guests and arranging them in the most distinguished guest hall.
Inside the guest hall, the decor was opulent, and various precious spiritual fruits and immortal wines were served in abundance.
Fan Wuji even personally accompanied them, conversing cautiously with Young Master Jiang.
“Young Master Jiang has come from afar; may I ask the purpose of your visit to my Eastern Wilds?” Fan Wuji asked, raising his cup to toast.
Jiang Ye picked up his wine cup, took a light sip, and said: “Patriarch Fan need not worry too much. We have come to the Eastern Wilds merely to travel around and, incidentally, seek some Opportunities.”
“We heard that the Fan Family is the top power in the Eastern Wilds, so we specifically came to visit.”
Fan Wuji understood upon hearing this, knowing that Jiang Ye did not wish to reveal his true intentions.
“Young Master Jiang is traveling the Eastern Wilds; is there anything my Fan Family can assist you with?” Fan Wuji raised his cup again, his words containing a hint of probing.
Jiang Ye nodded slightly, his gaze seemingly calm but actually like circulating cold stars: “There is one thing I wish to ask. Recently, we passed through a strange valley. We circled it but could not find an entrance, nor could ordinary means penetrate it. It is quite peculiar.”
“Does Patriarch Fan know of this place?”
Fan Wuji smiled upon hearing this and said: “That is the Red Rock Valley area… I have seen records of it in ancient Family texts.”
“It appeared hundreds of thousands of years ago. On that day, many strange phenomena emerged, and we even thought it was some Secret Realm appearing…”
“Countless Cultivators went to seek Opportunities back then, but not a single person could enter the valley. Even Supreme Realm experts investigated but found no abnormalities.”
“After that, it was left unresolved, and no one bothered with it anymore.”
Jiang Ye’s eyes narrowed slightly, his thoughts turning.
He could almost certainly conclude that Ye Qingyun was inside the valley, and likely obtained some incredible good fortune.
He was all too familiar with this kind of plot.
“Thank you, Elder Fan, for informing me.”
Jiang Ye changed the subject, asking tentatively: “Besides that, I heard during my journey that a young man seemed to have entered that valley a few decades ago. He was not old. Does the Fan Family know about this?”