Xu Yan Kuang suddenly furrowed his brows and said, "But we don’t even know where Li Daoist resides. How are we supposed to find him?"
Xu Yanfu replied, "I was just thinking about this. Why don’t the two of us start by searching the place where we last met Li Daoist? If we truly can’t find him, then we can make further plans."
Xu Yan Kuang nodded heavily and said, "Alright, let’s start there."
The two men felt this matter couldn’t be delayed, yet they were also very cautious. After circling around to ensure no one was following them, they finally made their way to Nine-Headed Peak.
The Cave Mansion that Zhang Yan had opened was located at the mountain’s summit, making it rather easy to find. It didn’t take long before they arrived. Xu Yan Kuang saw the Sealing Stone blocking the entrance to the Cave Mansion, but noticed there wasn’t much dust or grime on the stone. Someone must have moved it not long ago. Feeling a glimmer of hope, he shouted, "Li Daoist, are you in there? It’s Xu Yan Kuang, here with my brother Yanfu to pay our respects. We have urgent news to share."
Zhang Yan was in the midst of refining his True Light within the Cave Mansion. Hearing their names, he pondered for a moment before waving aside the Sealing Stone and saying, "Please, come in, you two."
The Xu brothers entered the cave and, after exchanging formalities with Zhang Yan, wasted no time in explaining their purpose for coming.
Zhang Yan hadn’t expected that the Yan Clan disciples would set their sights on him. Although he wasn’t overly concerned, he appreciated the goodwill of the Xu brothers and smiled, saying, "I must thank the two of you for going out of your way to inform me."
Xu Yan Kuang quickly responded that it was nothing.
Zhang Yan gave a faint nod, then pulled two stalks of Medicine Mushroom from his Sleeve Bag. Pointing with his finger, the two stalks floated into the Xu brothers’ hands. He said, "These were obtained on my recent journey. Take them, my good sirs."
Xu Yanfu’s eyes lit up with joy. These Medicine Mushrooms were undoubtedly top-tier treasures. Even if not used for solidifying one’s own pill, they could be exchanged for excellent Dharma Treasures. His gaze turned toward his elder brother.
However, Xu Yan Kuang shook his head and declined, saying, "My brother and I came here only to repay a favor. How could we accept such a gift from you, Daoist Zhang?"
Zhang Yan could tell his words were sincere and chuckled lightly, "It was a minor matter, not worth mentioning. Since you two braved danger to bring this news to me, how could I begrudge such trifles?"
Xu Yanfu furiously gestured with his eyes, saying, "Brother, Li Daoist’s goodwill is genuine. Why not accept it?"
Xu Yan Kuang hesitated briefly before finally gritting his teeth and saying, "Alright, then my brother and I will humbly accept. If Daoist Zhang ever has free time in the future, please come to Xu Family Ridge at Fire Wave Mountain for a visit. We will be sure to host you properly."
Seeing the brothers accept the Medicine Mushrooms, Zhang Yan asked them a few more questions, mostly about the movements of various cultivators at Qingcun Mountain. The Xu brothers answered everything in detail.
Not long after, sensing Zhang Yan’s intent to see them off, the two brothers rose to take their leave.
After the two departed, Zhang Yan sat in silence for a moment before letting out a cold laugh. Stepping out of the Cave Mansion, he leapt into the clouds and flew northward.
His eyes shone with a glimmer of killing intent. Though the Yan Clan disciples might only be small fry, since they had plans to move against him, how could he sit idly and wait for them to come to his door? Of course, he would strike first!
The Yan Clan disciples were currently gathered at Pear Blossom Peak. After Lady Yan decided to target Zhang Yan, she had sent servants to persuade and recruit allies while secretly waiting for the right opportunity.
She reasoned that since the green-clothed man and Zhang Yan had not determined a victor in their previous fight, there would inevitably be another battle between them. When that time came, it would be the perfect moment to ambush Zhang Yan. If they could truly seize the Ganoderma Ancestor from him, she would have an answer to bring back to the clan.
At this moment, a golden light descended from the sky toward the Cave Mansion. A maid caught it carefully and presented it to Lady Yan. Original content can be found at ⓝovelFire.net
Lady Yan opened it and, upon seeing the contents, couldn’t suppress a look of joy. She thought to herself, "I gave two stalks of Medicine Mushroom, and the Xiang Family has finally agreed. Adding that to the families that had already pledged, I now have nearly a hundred allies. When the time comes, there’ll be no need to fear Li Yuanba. If everyone works together, we can definitely take him down in one strike."
Just as she was feeling pleased, a thunderous shout erupted from the skies: "Yan Clan disciples—come out and face your deaths!"
Lady Yan was shocked and shot out of the Cave Mansion hastily. Looking up, her entire body trembled as she exclaimed in dismay, "Li Yuanba!"
The Yan Clan disciples also recognized him, though they never expected him to appear so suddenly. Chaos immediately erupted as they scrambled to summon their Magic Artifacts and Flying Swords. Lights flashed and rainbows flew erratically in disarray.
Having witnessed Zhang Yan’s battle with the green-clothed man before, Lady Yan knew that the people here were no match for him. Her eyes darted around, and without saying a word, she turned to flee.
Looking down, Zhang Yan swept his gaze over the group. None of them had a Cultivation level that matched his. Without moving his body, he let out a cold snarl. Suddenly, a curtain of water surged behind him. A water-colored radiance swept across the valley in an instant, and as it flashed, everyone present along with their Magic Artifacts vanished from sight.
Lady Yan had just begun her escape when an enormous pulling force enveloped her. Before she could struggle, she felt as though the heavens and earth were spinning. When her surroundings stabilized, she raised her head with terror etched across her face. Before her stretched endless white-capped waves and roaring rivers. Countless streams of water coiled like Jade Dragons and silver ribbons, with misty ripples surrounding her in all directions. It was as if she had fallen into an infinite Heavenly River.
Zhang Yan did not withdraw his Mysterious Skill. Instead, he unleashed the Xuanhuang Great Hand above him. Then, with a flick of his True Light, a figure fell out from the water curtain. Zhang Yan executed a swift spell, and the Xuanhuang Great Hand crashed down ruthlessly, killing the figure instantly.
One after another, he repeated this process, pulling individuals out of the water curtain and crushing them to death without mercy.
Lady Yan, having the highest Cultivation level, was the last to emerge. Though she was significantly stronger than the others, her Cultivation was still insufficient. By the time she was released, her consciousness was intact enough to recognize the impending danger. Seeing the Xuanhuang Great Hand descending, she desperately unleashed her Mysterious Skill to resist. However, under the oppressive might of the Xuanhuang Great Hand, her efforts were as futile as an ant trying to stop a chariot. Her Mysterious Skill shattered, and blood sprayed wildly before the palm strike obliterated her into a bloody pulp with a resounding crash that raised a cloud of dust.
In mere moments, Zhang Yan had annihilated every Yan Clan disciple in the valley. Calmly retracting his aura, he dismissed the Xuanhuang Great Hand and the Water Element True Light. Ascending into the clouds, he circled around Pear Blossom Peak to ensure no survivors remained. Satisfied, he rode a clear wind and departed along his earlier path.
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)