Yunxian Sect, Inner Peak

More than a month had passed since Zhang Yiyi's disappearance, and the conflicts between Yunxian Sect and Lishan Sect had intensified as a result.

Even Jiang Heng's personal efforts yielded no trace of her, as if she had vanished without a trace in this world.

Wuji and Wuzhong had not yet returned, and Qiao Chu remained in seclusion. Jiang Heng, left alone within his sect's branch, suddenly thought he might as well enter seclusion himself.

After all, his disciples' soul flames were still burning steadily, suggesting there would be no sudden mishaps in the near term.

"True Saint Jiang, are you truly planning to go into seclusion now?"

Upon hearing this, Sect Leader Dongfang rushed to Inner Peak, worry evident on his face. "Currently, the strife between Lishan Sect and our Yunxian Sect has become common knowledge, and the situation is only worsening. Are we really going to let those hidden instigators continue stirring up trouble?"

Unlike the two sect leaders, who were overwhelmed by the situation, Jiang Heng, who had lost his treasured young disciple, appeared exceptionally calm.

"Let them cause as much trouble as they wish; it may even help you uncover the forces behind the scenes and allow you to reorganize your respective sects."

Jiang Heng, entirely indifferent to Sect Leader Dongfang's concerns, replied, "You all know the truth. As long as this doesn't affect the covert collaboration between the two sects on that important matter, it can serve as cover. It's rather ideal."

"But my concern is that, if this continues for too long, most of the disciples who are unaware of the truth will end up genuinely hostile toward each other," Sect Leader Dongfang said anxiously.

"That's what you sect leaders must carefully handle. Outward appearances can remain tense while you internally maintain harmony. Otherwise, how will you lure out the true culprits? Before Yiyi went to Lishan, she warned you of certain anomalies in the sect, and it's clear that Lishan is equally compromised. The more chaotic it appears on the surface, the easier it will be for you to investigate secretly."

Jiang Heng had no intention of expending effort on such scheming, displaying a complete "I trust in you" attitude. "You all do your best; I still need to find a way to locate Yiyi sooner."

With just a few words, he sent the sect leader on his way. Although Jiang Heng wasn't overly worried about Zhang Yiyi's safety, he still needed to establish contact with her soon.

In truth, Jiang Heng had already deduced the cause of Zhang Yiyi's disappearance when he personally went to Lishan. Based on Yuan Xiaoqi's detailed account, it seemed that Yiyi had likely encountered a rare spatial disturbance, resulting in her being transported somewhere unknown.

Subsequent intelligence gathered from various sources confirmed Jiang Heng's suspicions. On the ninth day of the sixth month, a similar incident had also occurred. Surviving a spatial disturbance is almost a one-in-ten-thousand chance, but Zhang Yiyi's soul flame continued to burn, indicating that she was alive—just somewhere unknown.

Nonetheless, Jiang Heng used the incident as an opportunity to demand hefty compensation from Lishan Sect, asserting his protective nature over his beloved disciple.

From his perspective, if Lishan Sect hadn't insisted on blaming Yunxian Sect for the attack, his young disciple wouldn't have had to go there in person to clear up the misunderstanding between the sects. If she hadn't gone, she wouldn't have encountered that spatial disturbance, leading to her uncertain fate.

The burden Zhang Yiyi carried was tied to the future of this world. Ignoring her disappearance was out of the question.

Faced with Jiang Heng's aggressive demands, Lishan Sect didn't dare to object. While they did have a True saint-level elder, he was no match for Jiang Heng. Besides, they had already offended Yunxian Sect's True Saint Tianjiu, so adding Jiang Heng to the mix was overwhelming.

Fortunately, Jiang Heng focused solely on personal grievances and didn't directly interfere in the conflict between the two sects. After paying a significant amount in compensation, Lishan Sect closed the matter of Zhang Yiyi's disappearance.

However, the discord between Yunxian and Lishan continued to escalate, sparking speculation that the alliance between these two great sects was bound to split.

Meanwhile, in Lishan, Senior Sister Yuan Ying had entered seclusion after fully recovering from her injuries. The fact that her friend went missing on her own territory without even getting a chance to meet her filled Yuan Ying with guilt.

In hindsight, she should have informed Granduncle about Du Sanniang's odd behavior instead of holding back due to lack of evidence. She also regretted not convincing her elders earlier that the attack was far more complicated than it seemed. The Mo family wouldn't have been so blatant and hasty in their actions.

In retrospect, it was clearly a ploy aimed at sowing discord between the sects.

Had she done more, perhaps the situation wouldn't have escalated, and Yiyi wouldn't have felt compelled to come to Lishan for investigation.

If Yiyi hadn't come, she wouldn't have encountered that strange wind, disappearing to who-knows-where or facing who-knows-what dangers.

Now, it was too late for regrets, and with Yiyi completely vanished, Yuan Ying's only relief came from Jiang Heng's assurance that her soul flame continued to burn—alive and with hope.

The sect seemed to have its own plans and did not reconcile with Yunxian despite her suggestion. In fact, tensions had worsened openly, though Yuan Ying sensed there might be another purpose behind it. She then heeded her ancestor's advice to focus on her cultivation to improve her strength.

No matter where that strange wind had taken Yiyi, Yuan Ying was hopeful they would meet again when Zhanying Platform's secret realm opened. Instead of dwelling on her guilt, she would use the time to strengthen herself and be ready to protect Yiyi within the secret realm.

Meanwhile, Zhang Tongtong and Chen Fan, two of the five who had obtained keys, each had their thoughts upon learning of Zhang Yiyi's disappearance.

Zhang Tongtong wasn't too worried about her cousin. Knowing Zhang Yiyi's resilient character, she believed she could survive anywhere, even considering it fortunate if Yiyi refrained from bullying others.

Chen Fan's first reaction, however, was relief that he had not entrusted Zhang Yiyi with an item meant for Zhang Tongtong. Who knew when she might pass it on, given her uncertain whereabouts?

Beyond that, Chen Fan didn't give it much thought. After all, Zhang Yiyi, who had thrived even in places where spiritual power was unusable, hardly needed others to worry about her.

.......

Zhang Yiyi was naturally unaware of the various thoughts of her old friends and family back in the Huaren World. Last night, Luo Qiheng had already reached a mutual understanding with her, and now they were on their way to present themselves as guest cultivators at the Wang family.

"Wait a moment!"

Suddenly, Zhang Yiyi grabbed Luo Qiheng, her spiritual sense seemingly picking up something interesting.

"Let's head that way instead. Our luck's good—we've just run into members of the Wang family, which will make things much easier for us in securing a guest position."

She smiled, changing directions and motioning for Luo Qiheng to follow her.

Seeing this, Luo Qiheng, though somewhat puzzled, didn't object and silently followed her lead.

They moved swiftly, and it wasn't long before Luo Qiheng understood what Zhang Yiyi had sensed—a rather chaotic scene lay ahead.

He was genuinely surprised. Zhang Yiyi was still at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, yet her spiritual awareness far exceeded his own, despite him being at the Golden Core stage.

While amazed, Luo Qiheng refrained from commenting, recalling her impressive strength during the battle at Luoxian River, which had already far surpassed her realm.

"Brother Luo, this is your moment!"

Upon arrival, Zhang Yiyi surveyed the chaotic scene of combat before her. She had no intention of joining the fray herself and instead asked Luo Qiheng, "That woman in purple is the fifth miss of the Wang family they're talking about. If we save her, it'll make our visit to the Wang family much smoother."

As for why she didn't act herself and asked Luo Qiheng instead, Zhang Yiyi did have her reasons. In this world, reaching the Nascent Soul stage was already top-tier, with very few advancing beyond that in thousands of years, so Golden Core cultivators were highly esteemed.

Luo Qiheng, although reserved and quiet, had an impressive appearance and cultivation level. Letting him play the role of hero saving the damsel in distress would naturally be more effective.

Unaware of Zhang Yiyi's subtle manipulation, Luo Qiheng found her request reasonable and nodded, promptly flying over to assist.

With Luo Qiheng's intervention, the fight quickly turned in favor of one side. Within moments, the attackers, realizing they were outmatched, made a swift retreat.

Knowing Zhang Yiyi's true purpose, Luo Qiheng did not pursue the fleeing opponents, and the Wang family members were wise enough not to chase either.

When Wang Xiaodan finally got a good look at the handsome, almost celestial man who had saved them, her heart skipped a beat, her long-dormant maiden's heart suddenly coming alive.

Under her father's orders, she had traveled a great distance to personally deliver a magical artifact. Despite her utmost caution, her journey had been compromised, almost costing her her life.

She never expected to be rescued by such a strikingly noble man.

"Thank you, senior, for your righteous aid. I am eternally grateful for your life-saving grace," Wang Xiaodan stammered, too entranced to check on her entourage's injuries or losses. Instead, she blushed and gazed at Luo Qiheng with admiration and gratitude.

Luo Qiheng, though quiet, wasn't oblivious. Noticing the fifth miss of the Wang family gazing at him with a shy, enraptured look, he instinctively took a few steps back to increase the distance between them.

Unfazed, Wang Xiaodan actually found his reaction appealing, considering it only natural. After all, she was just in the Foundation Establishment stage, while he, still young, had already reached the Golden Core stage. It was understandable if he was a bit aloof.

"There's no need to thank him. My brother here may be reserved, but he has a very good heart," Zhang Yiyi interjected, stepping forward with a smile and addressing Wang Xiaodan. "My brother only chased off a few bandits; there's no need to think much of it."

The situation had been clear: one side claimed to be legitimate members of the Wang family, while the other side was masked and dressed in black. Zhang Yiyi's remarks subtly clarified the good and bad sides without touching on the ambush's details, a perfectly balanced response.

Initially, Wang Xiaodan felt a strange discomfort when she saw a young, fairy-like woman approaching Luo Qiheng with a bright smile. But hearing the woman address him as "my brother" immediately put her mind at ease.

"For him, it might have been an easy task, but for me, it was a life-saving act. Our Wang family repays kindness, and a debt like this will never be forgotten," Wang Xiaodan replied, quickly finding a way to build rapport. "May I ask the names of you two benefactors?"

"So, you're from the Wang family—my apologies for not realizing sooner. My name is Han Lin, and this is my brother, Han Qi," Zhang Yiyi replied, pointing to Luo Qiheng beside her. "There's no need to address him so formally. Meeting while traveling is a rare fate in itself, and we wanderers don't stand on ceremony."

Luo Qiheng couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth slightly when he heard Zhang Yiyi not only use a false name for herself but also make one up for him. "Han Qi" and "Han Lin"—they sounded like real siblings.

In his opinion, there was no need to use aliases in this small world, as it was unlikely they would encounter anyone they knew. But he didn't care what Zhang Yiyi wanted to do.

"So, it's Fairy Han and Immortal Han! A pleasure to meet you both!" Wang Xiaodan's smile grew even more animated when she heard they were siblings and wandering cultivators. "I am Wang Xiaodan, fifth daughter of the Wang family in Chuncheng. If you aren't headed anywhere urgent, I would love to invite you to our home for a rest. It would allow me to properly express my gratitude for saving my life."

She had been wondering how to keep them nearby to get to know them better, and discovering that they were independent cultivators rather than from a rival family made it all the more appealing.

Her family had been seeking talented guest cultivators like Immortal Han, and with some personal motives at play, Wang Xiaodan didn't doubt Zhang Yiyi's story at all.

She completely overlooked the fact that ordinary independent cultivators wouldn't have the bearing of these two, nor would they reach such heights at such a young age solely on their own efforts.