Eternal Tale

Ling Yunshen’s gaze deepened as he calmly spoke, ”Fellow Daoist Heling, over the past eleven years, many cultivators of unknown origin have come to the outskirts of the Immortal Island. My brother-in-law suggests you stay within the academy for now.”

”I know, they want to capture me.”

Nangong Heling’s eyes became serene, yet there was a hint of indifference. ”The journey to the academy was already tumultuous. If it weren’t for Senior Cui escorting me, I might not have made it here.”

Ling Yunshen raised his eyes slightly, nodding gently as he looked at the resolute Nangong Heling. He smiled and said, ”The issues within the academy are minor; the real challenges lie outside.”

”Heling understands.”

”Don’t mind the idle gossip circulating in the academy. My brother-in-law has already sent someone to handle it. However, there are a few elders in the academy who are quite disrespectful, behaving like a pack of rogues.”

”Hehe.” Nangong Heling covered her face with a light laugh, surprised to hear such words from him, as he had always been gentle and refined.

Ling Yunshen shook his head with a sigh, ”They can’t stir up much trouble. I’m just worried that if Venerable Yuxuan gets entangled on her journey, and my brother-in-law is caught up with matters at the Youlong Dao Academy, you might be left without support in the academy.”

He said this casually, yet it seemed as if he saw through everything, his words carrying a peculiar quality.

”I still have my eldest brother and the others,” Nangong Heling spoke calmly, her heart unperturbed.”Those old fellows won’t care about seniority when they act. Your relationship with my brother-in-law gives the Mo family no reason to intervene. For now, we can only rely on Venerable Yuxuan.”

Ling Yunshen shook his head with a smile, knowing that even though Heling’s eldest brother was strong, he was only at the late stage of Void Refinement and hadn’t fully matured. ”With her personality, if she could cause a ruckus, all problems could be easily solved.”

But after saying this, he fell silent. Venerable Yuxuan didn’t have much to do with her.

As a dignified Venerable of the Yao Terrace Immortal Palace, she had a grand presence. If it were Mo Ye Han, it might be different.

This grand world is indeed realistic, where a small move can affect the whole.

He had inquired and found that this family had no background or connections. They almost perished after killing a few dragons from the Immortal Palace.

If he intervened, the matter would only end inconclusively. Those who disagreed could have the Xuanwei Celestial Palace come to Cloud Immortal Splendor to reason with his Ling family about whether the dragons should have been killed or not!

However, he understood that not every cultivator in this grand world could be like his Ling family, operating outside the rules. He could only think of ways to help them.

”Fellow Daoist Yunshen, is it possible that for the past thousand years, their focus has always been behind me, not on me now?”

”Oh?”

”The two seniors from the Li Chen Immortal Palace, Venerable Yuxuan, and the Dongxuan Dao Academy, they are all prepared to respond.”

”Hmm...”

Ling Yunshen’s eyes became more profound. This was indeed possible. The real battlefield for these old fellows might be behind the scenes. But could this garbage recycling plant really hold such great benefits?

He fell into thought. The information he had was limited, and he couldn’t fully see through the situation, but he had his ways.

”Fellow Daoist Heling.”

”Please speak.”

”If you find yourself unable to resist, you can...” Ling Yunshen suddenly furrowed his brow and didn’t finish his sentence. He changed his tone, ”No matter what happens, I can ensure your safe retreat.”

His chest rose and fell slightly as he looked at the surprised Nangong Heling and quickly added, ”Fellow Daoist Heling, please don’t misunderstand. I just don’t want to see the few friends I have get hurt, that’s all.”

”Alright~” Nangong Heling tilted her head slightly, her eyes curving into crescents.

”Then I won’t disturb you any longer.” Ling Yunshen stood up and cupped his hands, ”I’ll come another day to discuss the history of immortals.”

Nangong Heling nodded and stood up to see him off.

On a distant path.

Jiang Liu smiled, ”Young Master, it’s rare to see you like this.”

”Hehe, don’t overthink it. It’s just rare to meet someone who shares a love for the history of immortals.”

Ling Yunshen walked with a hand behind his back, his steps light and leisurely, ”If she falls into the schemes of these old fellows, it would be a pity. All they want is the decomposition technique of that garbage recycling plant, not Fellow Daoist Heling herself.”

”Yes.” Jiang Liu nodded, ”Young Master, there’s nothing wrong with Feng Jinyu, but someone is guiding him from the side.”

”Who?”

”His close friend in the academy, Zhang Qingyun, has some issues.”

Jiang Liu paused here, his gaze suddenly becoming extremely sharp as he looked at a peculiar rock, ”It’s you again. Do the guards of this academy not understand the rules?!”

Ling Yunshen remained calm. Five years ago, a group of guards arrived, but they seemed to carry a heavy murderous aura, constantly protecting Nangong Heling. Now even they were being watched.

”A late-stage Transformation disciple can see through the concealment of a Void Refinement cultivator?”

A slightly surprised voice came, and a female figure slowly appeared on the rock, ”I’ve always been here. Hehe, there must be some misunderstanding between us.”

”If you dare to spy on my young master again, no one in the Dongxuan Dao Academy can protect you.” Jiang Liu’s face was cold, his gaze as sharp as a blade, ”This is the last warning.”

”Oh? Such bold words.” The woman sneered, her eyes fearless. She had come from the Immortal Prison; was she supposed to be scared?!

”Jiang Liu!”

”Young Master.” Jiang Liu stepped back, bowing his head to the side.

”Since it’s to protect Fellow Daoist Heling, don’t make things difficult for others.” Ling Yunshen gently reprimanded, then cupped his hands toward the woman, ”Guard, we mean no harm, and we hope you won’t make things too difficult for us.”

”Of course, once you leave this area, everything will be peaceful.”

”Good.”

Ling Yunshen nodded and walked toward the distance, Jiang Liu quietly following behind, though his mind was somewhat unsettled. There seemed to be too many hidden Void Refinement experts.

”These cultivators carry a heavy murderous aura, having killed many of their peers.” Ling Yunshen’s gaze sharpened, looking straight ahead, ”What kind of person is Heling’s eldest brother?”

...

The next day.

Mu Qingyao came running joyfully to find Nangong Heling, waving from afar:

”Heling!”

”Qingyao.”

”Did you hear? Yesterday, I had a duel on the fighting platform with that wicked girl Chi Ye, and it ended in a draw. Her face turned ashen with anger, haha!”

Mu Qingyao laughed heartily, instantly appearing before Nangong Heling and hugging her arms, acting coquettishly, ”My little beauty, why have you been staying here all these years?”

”Yesterday, that fool was cheering the loudest under the platform, but later he got injured by Xu Chen and is still recovering.”

”What? Jinyu got hurt?”

Nangong Heling furrowed her brow, a flash of concern in her eyes, ”I didn’t know about this. He didn’t tell me.”

”That Xu Chen spoke rudely to you, and that fool couldn’t stand it. He said he wanted to settle old and new scores together, but now, look, he’s still recuperating in the cave abode and hasn’t even attended lectures.”

Mu Qingyao pouted, unable to stop that fool. It was clear the others were prepared, ”But that wicked girl is quite dissatisfied with you and wants to compete with you in the academy’s secret realm.”

”Qingyao, let’s go see Jinyu.”

”Wait for me!”

The two figures floated away, with Mu Qingyao quickly catching up, laughing all the while. That fool’s purpose was just this, she thought to herself: I wonder how you’ll thank your aunt.

Feng Jinyu’s cave abode, by a stream, surrounded by formation flags, shrouded in mist, appeared quite mysterious.

He sat cross-legged on a stone platform, his face pale. As he consumed Qi-Enhancing Pills one by one, his complexion finally became more rosy. Yesterday, that magical artifact almost knocked his soul out of his body, catching him off guard.