When Zhang Yiyi unexpectedly emerged from her seclusion, Wang Xiaodan felt a bit embarrassed and gave her a slightly awkward smile, immediately dropping the conversation she'd been having with Luo Qiheng. Truthfully, even if Zhang Yiyi hadn't appeared at that moment, Wang Xiaodan's words would have trailed off anyway; Zhang Yiyi's sudden appearance served as a welcome interruption, offering her a way out. Luo Qiheng's personality was truly unapproachable—no matter how much she talked, he never gave a genuine response, only nodding twice to acknowledge her. Beyond that, he couldn't even be bothered to feign interest in topics unrelated to business. If the conversation continued, Wang Xiaodan felt she might just end up in tears, unsure how to salvage her dignity.

In reality, Luo Qiheng had only left seclusion yesterday, and Wang Xiaodan received the news immediately. Determined to see the one she admired, she thickened her skin and took on a task that Uncle Shan had assigned to a servant, using it as an excuse to meet him. After careful planning, she arrived early that morning, but to her dismay, Luo Qiheng treated her with the same indifference he would show any stranger, as if they existed in separate worlds. Internally, Wang Xiaodan felt defeated. She'd assumed that since he'd helped her out once, their relationship would naturally be somewhat different from the average acquaintance. However, she was clearly overthinking things. Luo Qiheng looked at her as if she were a stranger, and when she brought up trivial matters beyond business, he quickly grew impatient.

Wang Xiaodan had always been cherished by the Wang family and was highly regarded for her talent and beauty, making her popular among the young men of smaller families. She'd never encountered someone like Luo Qiheng who treated her with such indifference. "Miss Han, we'll need your assistance along with your brother's in the upcoming qualification tournament for mid-sized families in Fengdu City in two days," she quickly composed herself and, smiling at the approaching Zhang Yiyi, said, "I'm lucky to have caught you just as you left seclusion; otherwise, I might have disturbed your cultivation."

Wang Xiaodan, despite her affection for Luo Qiheng, didn't want her awkward attempts at friendliness to be seen by other women, even if that woman was her crush's sister.

"Thank you, Miss Wang, for delivering the message in person. My brother and I will certainly follow instructions and do our best," Zhang Yiyi replied with a friendly smile. She had a favorable impression of Wang Xiaodan, so she treated her with respect, unlike Luo Qiheng's cold demeanor. Moreover, Zhang Yiyi and Luo Qiheng had already known that the Wang family had recruited them primarily for the once-in-a-century ranking battle among mid-sized families. Thus, they were well aware of their obligations, and Wang Xiaodan's personal reminder was merely a courteous gesture, emphasizing the Wang family's respect for them.

The upcoming battle in two days was only a preliminary qualification round, and the Wang family still had a long way to go to solidify its place among mid-sized families. But those matters had nothing to do with them; the Wang family would handle all the headaches. Zhang Yiyi and Luo Qiheng only needed to contribute their strength by ensuring victory in the matches that required them.

"Now that I've conveyed the message, I'll take my leave," Wang Xiaodan quickly departed, feeling just as disheartened as she'd felt hopeful upon arriving. Once Wang Xiaodan's figure disappeared from sight, Zhang Yiyi turned back to Luo Qiheng and said, "Even if you're not interested in her, you could at least show a polite response. After all, girls have their pride, and it's part of being courteous."

Zhang Yiyi wasn't exactly speaking up for Wang Xiaodan; she just felt that Luo Qiheng's personality was excessively cold. She couldn't fathom how he'd lived like this for decades without freezing himself over. Luo Qiheng, with an expressionless face, gave Zhang Yiyi a brief look, unconvinced that there was any issue with his behavior. Nonetheless, he appreciated that Zhang Yiyi was speaking for his benefit, so he courteously nodded, though he had no intention of changing his ways.

To him, people were divided into three categories: family, companions, and strangers. Clearly, Wang Xiaodan fell into the stranger category, so he had no inclination to speak to her unnecessarily. Zhang Yiyi, however, was considered a companion, the one person he trusted and was familiar with in this small world. Thus, he tolerated her occasional nagging, responding when necessary and listening to the rest with casual indifference. As Zhang Yiyi had mentioned, "Girls have their pride," and he feared that if he didn't give her some face, this seemingly kind-hearted woman might find ways to get back at him privately.

Unaware of the rebellious and lazy nature of Luo Qiheng's internal thoughts, Zhang Yiyi only saw a calm, reserved man with a distinguished, stoic face that concealed his true indifference.

"Alright, I'll stop nagging," she conceded.

Although Zhang Yiyi hadn't fully grasped Luo Qiheng's true feelings, she quickly realized her words had overstepped a bit. After all, he wasn't her actual brother, and it wasn't her place to meddle in his personal matters.

"Let's focus on the important stuff instead—see if we can find a way to earn more spirit stones. The spiritual energy here is so poor, we're burning through spirit stones too fast," Zhang Yiyi said, shifting the topic to what she was most concerned about at the moment. Becoming guest cultivators of the Wang family was merely the first step to establishing themselves in this small world of Lanyu. It was like getting an ID for someone without official status, making it easier to conduct other activities in the future. However, the Wang family's offerings alone weren't nearly enough to support her and Luo Qiheng's cultivation, so careful planning was necessary.

"Canglang Sea, hunting demonic beasts!" For once, Luo Qiheng finally spoke up, giving Zhang Yiyi the answer she wanted immediately. As guest cultivators, while some were required to stay at the Wang family residence to guard the family's safety, most had considerable freedom to go about their own business. If a task arose, they'd be notified through message talismans, so generally, there were no major disruptions. This meant that Zhang Yiyi could indeed pursue spirit stone earnings without much difficulty. Recently, the three-legged crow had already scouted the area and discovered that only ten thousand miles away lay the vast Canglang Sea, where every part of a demonic beast—from its core to its skin, flesh, and bones—was valuable for alchemy and crafting. They could easily make a round trip without much time lost, so even if Zhang Yiyi hadn't mentioned it, Luo Qiheng had already planned to hunt demonic beasts in Canglang Sea when he had time to exchange for spirit stones.

Zhang Yiyi's eyes lit up at this suggestion. She remembered how, as an outer disciple of the Yunxian Sect, she had trained her combat skills while hunting low-level demonic beasts outside Mount Wanze, earning spirit stones for cultivation at the same time. It was truly the best of both worlds. Now, with the chance to hunt sea beasts, it felt like a familiar recipe with a familiar taste—a great choice indeed.

"How about we form a team and go together?" Zhang Yiyi's spirits lifted. If she could work alongside Luo Qiheng, it would not only be safer but would also allow them to hunt higher-level beasts, meaning more spirit stones.

"Mhm." Luo Qiheng naturally didn't object. Zhang Yiyi was no burden, and teaming up with her would give him an opportunity to study her swordsmanship and refine his own techniques. The two quickly agreed to head to Canglang Sea for beast hunting right after the qualification tournament in Fengdu City. Of course, it was Zhang Yiyi doing all the talking, as Luo Qiheng, ever reserved, only spoke when absolutely necessary.

Two days later, Zhang Yiyi and Luo Qiheng arrived in Fengdu City with the Wang family. Although it was only a preliminary qualification round, it marked the Wang family's first step toward competing for mid-sized family status. As a result, the head of the Wang family personally led the team, with nearly half of the family's mid- to high-level cultivators and guest cultivators in tow. Zhang Yiyi and Luo Qiheng, as outsiders, were unfamiliar with the tournament rules, but fortunately, Cheng Yang, a local, kept them informed along the way.

As Cheng Yang explained, there weren't many families competing in the qualification round—only ten, including the Wang family. After the preliminaries and final rounds, eight families would be eliminated, leaving only two of the strongest small families to challenge one of the existing twenty mid-sized families. Winning would allow them to replace the defeated family, but a loss meant they'd have to wait another hundred years to try again.

"In other words, the qualification round will be extremely brutal, since each family not only has to fight for one of the two challenge slots but also has to aim for the top spot. Without it, they won't get the first choice of mid-sized families to challenge, significantly lowering their chances of success," Cheng Yang explained enthusiastically to Zhang Yiyi, noticing her genuine interest. He shared these insights as casual knowledge, both to pass the time and to build rapport with the siblings. Although he wondered why they seemed unfamiliar with such basic knowledge, he wisely refrained from asking. Whether they were vagabond cultivators or reclusive disciples testing their skills, these details didn't really matter. In the cultivation world, everyone had secrets they couldn't disclose, and he figured building a good relationship with them couldn't hurt.

"So, only two of the twenty mid-sized families here will face a potential challenge and risk being replaced?" Zhang Yiyi quickly grasped the key point, asking, "Which family does the Wang family aim to challenge?"

The chosen target was likely the weakest among the mid-sized families, given that the Wang family had been preparing for centuries and had likely thoroughly researched their intended opponent.

"The Tang family of Qinghe," Cheng Yang replied without hesitation. "The Tang family of Qinghe was once a prominent mid-sized family and even held the position of a large family thousands of years ago, with resources that were highly coveted. Members of even the five great families once married into the Tang family."

"Unfortunately, during the height of their power, the Tang family faced a major catastrophe, plummeting from a large family to the weakest of the mid-sized families. For the past three thousand years, they've struggled to regain their former glory, but now they're on the brink of losing even mid-sized family status," he continued. Now, the Tang family had become a tempting target, with small families eager to take a bite. The Wang family was no exception; the Tang family's current weakness made them the ideal target for the Wang family's attempt to rise to mid-sized status.

"What happened to the Tang family that caused such a downfall?" Zhang Yiyi's curiosity was piqued. What kind of catastrophe could bring a once-powerful family to the edge of ruin, struggling for thousands of years without ever returning to their former strength?

"Demons!" Cheng Yang answered, lowering his voice instinctively, though he had already cast a small spell to ward off eavesdropping. "The most talented direct heir of the Tang family fell to demonic influence, and in a single night, he slaughtered nearly half of the Tang family and wiped out every mortal city within a thousand miles. It was an unimaginable bloodbath."

Although Cheng Yang hadn't witnessed the massacre firsthand, he shivered recalling what he'd heard. To that Tang heir who had become a demon, so many lives were no more significant than ants, mere food to fuel his cultivation. Even his own family members were no exception, with his closest blood relatives nearly wiped out in one night, leaving the Tang family isolated from all other families.

In retrospect, Cheng Yang thought it a miracle that the Tang family even managed to survive and retain its name.