Li Guangrui's words were warm, and his eyes were full of sincerity.
Ye Qingyun smiled and shook his head, saying gently, "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Li, but I have another matter to attend to on this trip. I need to visit the Fan Family first."
"The Fan Family?" Li Guangrui raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a half-smile.
"The Fan Family of the Eastern Desolation... I heard that their Young Miss is talented and beautiful, greatly favored by her elders, and is Fan Wuji's key successor."
"Tsk, I heard she's extremely arrogant and has never fallen for anyone."
His smile deepened, and he teased, "But, Brother Ye, with your distinguished demeanor and your cultivation and talent being that of a Dragon among men, perhaps you really can make that ice-cold beauty fall in love."
Ye Qingyun merely smiled indifferently at these words, neither confirming nor denying.
He knew that Li Guangrui had a free-spirited nature and spoke with a bit of humor.
But he also highly regarded Li Guangrui as a friend, knowing he was not a frivolous person, and so said no more.
"If I find leisure another day, I will surely come to Bixia Heavenly Palace to find you."
"Haha, then it's a deal!"
Li Guangrui did not try to persuade him to stay further, but a desire to win him over had already sprouted in his heart.
Having traveled with Ye Qingyun these past days, what he had seen and heard had already caused a stir in his heart.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he simply wouldn't have believed that such a person truly existed in the world!
When they first exchanged blows, he had originally intended to use the opportunity to test this mysterious young man, but he almost capsized.
In that battle, Ye Qingyun had clearly just made a casual move, yet it made him feel as if the might of the Heavenly Dao was pressing down on him, almost making him unable to breathe.
At that time, he had already vaguely sensed that Ye Qingyun had not used his full strength.
What truly astonished him, however, was their interactions in the days that followed.
Li Guangrui discovered that his sworn brother was actually proficient in almost all cultivation-related skills, such as Formations, Divine Abilities, Medicinal Pills, and Talismans, and each one had reached an incredibly astonishing level, as if he were an old monster who had been immersed in the Dao for many years!
He had personally witnessed Ye Qingyun casually setting up a Spirit Gathering Formation, where Spiritual Qi surged like a tide and the heavens and earth trembled, almost comparable to a Sect's grand Formation.
A few casual remarks on cultivation often enlightened him, as if divinely inspired, making him seem even more profound than a Sect's Old Ancestor.
He had also curiously asked Ye Qingyun about his master's lineage.
But the other party merely smiled faintly and said he was just an ordinary Disciple of Taiwei Star Palace.
Li Guangrui had, of course, heard of Taiwei Star Palace.
That was a famous super Daotong in Central Continent, whose Sect Old Ancestor was rumored to have achieved the Dao of the Supreme, controlling the Dao of the stars and looking down upon the Heavens.
The only strange thing was, how could a peerless talent like Ye Qingyun be merely an ordinary Disciple?
There must be another hidden story.
He did not press for details, attributing it to the prevalent Immortal Vein system in the Ancient Immortal Domain.
Even those with high talent but without noble Bloodlines found it difficult to be truly valued, and there were countless talented individuals who were unappreciated and frustrated.
However, in Li Guangrui's opinion, a raw jade like Ye Qingyun should not be buried.
"Brother Ye, we part ways here. If I have free time in the future, I will certainly go to the Fan Family to find you for drinks and discussions on the Dao."
He clasped his hands and smiled, his expression quite carefree.
Ye Qingyun also nodded with a smile.
The two bid farewell, and Ye Qingyun embarked on his journey to the Fan Family, his figure gradually fading with the wind, his green robes fluttering, free and unburdened, as if there were no more worries in the world.
Li Guangrui stood in place, gazing at that retreating figure, for a long time without moving.
"This person is extraordinary, but those old folks of the Fan Family may not necessarily recognize talent..."
He made up his mind to visit the Fan Family in a few days.
After all, Ye Qingyun only said he was an ordinary Disciple of Taiwei Star Palace, but whether the Fan Family would acknowledge that was hard to say.
If Ye Qingyun was truly as he expected, then this trip to the Fan Family would likely not be without incident.
As Bixia Heavenly Palace and the Fan Family had always been on good terms, as a Saint, if he were to visit, the Fan Family would naturally not treat him lightly.
Li Guangrui had a premonition that Ye Qingyun's trip would not be too smooth.
As a good brother, Li Guangrui would, of course, go to the Fan Clan to show support for Ye Qingyun... The Fan Family Ancestral Land.
Within a radius of a hundred thousand li, palaces and buildings were stacked one upon another, stretching endlessly, countless in number.
Tens of millions of clansmen resided on ten thousand layers of Spiritual Mountains, with palaces like a forest.
Powerful Cultivators roamed the Void Realm, and a dazzling Sect-protecting Formation floated in the Void Realm.
Above the high heavens, a vast, star-like clan-protecting Formation slowly rotated, spewing out rays of light that illuminated thousands of halls as they flowed.
At this moment.
Inside the Xingheng Hall, at the center of the ancestral land, an ancient and majestic bell chime resonated.
Gathered in the hall were several Old Ancestors of the Fan Family, all core figures who had been in seclusion for many years and held significant influence.
Candlelight flickered, casting shadows of solemn faces.
A white-haired old man slowly spoke, his voice deep: "Recently, the Heavens have been in turmoil, and the Ancient Immortal Domain is rife with undercurrents. The sudden visit of Young Master Jiang is probably not simple."
Recently, Cultivators from the Heavens have frequently appeared in the Ancient Immortal Domain, and the Ancient Immortal Court, as the overlord of the Ancient Immortal Domain, has also been restless in secret.
An Old Ancestor said faintly, "The Ancient Immortal Court, what are they plotting again recently? The key is the movements in the Myriad Domains of the Heavens..."
"At first, it was just rumors, and many Daotong came to the Ancient Immortal Domain to search..."
"And now, this momentum has not only not diminished but has intensified. Have the Various Great Dao Lineages of the Heavens already discovered something?"
"I don't know, but no storm arises from flat ground."
"The people of the Myriad Domains of the Heavens are extremely astute and would never target the Ancient Immortal Domain without reason."
"What exactly is the Ancient Immortal Court plotting?"
The high-ranking officials of the Various Great Dao Lineages of the Ancient Immortal Domain all knew some secrets about the Ancient Immortal Court's recent actions, which required them to cooperate on certain matters and offered considerable rewards.
Now, the exposure of the Hidden Killers Pavilion incident has attracted the attention of the Various Great Dao Lineages of the Heavens to the Ancient Immortal Domain.
Over time, they would inevitably discover some things.
Many Cultivators from various Daotong remained in the Ancient Immortal Domain and even sent more people.
Even a fool could sense that something was amiss.
The numerous Old Ancestors of the Fan Family held different opinions, but their meaning was very similar.
"What the Ancient Immortal Court is specifically plotting is not important. The Ancient Immortal Domain has long been in decline and cannot make much of a splash. The best course of action now is to watch from the sidelines and draw a clear line with the Ancient Immortal Court to avoid getting burned."
"Ideally, find a Myriad Heavenly Daotong as a backer..."
"Although we are descended from the Ancient Immortal Dao Legacy, sacrificing the Bloodline Immortal Arts of the Family Foundation is certainly painful, but there is no other way."
Although a few Old Ancestors still held opposing views, after all, Bloodline Immortal Arts were the Family's Legacy, how could they be easily abandoned?
"Although Bloodline Immortal Arts have been passed down for countless years, their shortcomings are too obvious. Cultivators of the Myriad Domains of the Heavens do not revere ancient Immortal Lineages; they advocate self-transcendence as their Dao. Over countless eons, they have created countless novel and powerful secret methods. We have long been stuck in our ways."
"Bloodline Immortal Arts... hehe, rigid and inflexible, tasteless to eat, yet a pity to discard."
"But if the Fan Family wants to continue to stand for thousands of generations, it must cut off an arm to survive."
"There is no construction without destruction..."
"It's better to let that little girl Fan Ying interact more with Young Master Jiang. If they can form a good marriage, that would be for the best..."
After a period of silence, several Old Ancestors frowned, yet no one refuted.
Finally, the oldest elder, seated at the head, slowly opened his eyes, his voice deep: "This matter is not urgent. Let's first see Young Master Jiang's intentions. His background is extraordinary. If we can form a good relationship, it is better than all methods and Medicinal Pills."
Another Old Ancestor's expression shifted slightly, and he chuckled softly: "Isn't that girl Fan Ying quite interested in him?"
"We might as well go with the flow and let her interact with him a few more times. If they can get married, it might not be a great fortune."
Although his tone was light, it had already subtly set the tone.
