"What happened to that Tang family's young master afterward?" Zhang Yiyi couldn't help but ask, surprised by the twists in the story.

"He died!" Cheng Yang mentioned the man's fate as if it was a relief, even though it happened thousands of years ago. "After slaughtering so many mortal cities, the Tang family's young master fled, but what he did was unforgivable by the heavens. Naturally, he became a target for all righteous cultivators." Cheng Yang paused, full of emotion. "During the half-year hunt for him, who knows how many more lives were lost. In the end, it took people from the five great families, who specifically sent forces to hunt him down, to eliminate him before his dark powers fully matured. Nearly half of those sent from the five families died in the process, but they succeeded in eradicating this threat and upholding righteousness."

Zhang Yiyi nodded repeatedly. She had some impression of the five great families from what she had learned through the three-legged crow of Luo Qiheng. They were the top five families of this world, passing down most of the world's resources and lifelines through generations. If they couldn't handle the Tang family's young master, then he would have truly been defying the heavens.

The mention of demons inevitably reminded Zhang Yiyi of the Bai family patriarch, who orchestrated the Five Yin Soul Formation in Jiagu Guan City, though this thought quickly passed without further contemplation. Evil cultivators, demonic cultivators – they're unavoidable in any cultivation world. It's unlikely there'd be any connection.

But why did the Tang family's young master suddenly fall into the path of demons overnight? Did the entire Tang family really have no clue, nor detect any abnormal signs beforehand? A regular human cultivator wouldn't just suddenly fall into demonic cultivation. What role did the Tang family play in all of this? Like the Bai family, who knew of their patriarch's horrific deeds yet still supported him with the entire family in secret.

Zhang Yiyi felt there was something strange about it all but couldn't pinpoint exactly what. After all, it was thousands of years ago, passed down and twisted over countless retellings; any trace of the truth was likely long buried.

"For such a massive incident, the Tang family's ability to retain their position as a mid-tier family over thousands of years is truly remarkable," Zhang Yiyi muttered to herself a moment later. From her perspective, with the Tang family's situation back then, just keeping their small family status from being revoked would have been an achievement. She hadn't expected that they would simply drop from a large family to a mid-sized one over the centuries.

"Of course, at their peak, the Tang family had marriage alliances with both the Zhong and Song families from the five great families. Even in troubled times, they still had more foundations than others." Cheng Yang nodded, though matters like these felt distant to him as a mere rogue cultivator. Family rise and fall didn't affect him deeply.

"Oh..." Zhang Yiyi nodded thoughtfully but didn't inquire further. However, Luo Qiheng, who had been silent this entire journey, suddenly asked, "Are those people from the Tang family?"

Following Luo Qiheng's gaze, they saw the banner bearing the Tang character in the distance, with a group of about ten or so people seated in front. Only two were seated in the main position.

Cheng Yang hadn't realized that Luo Qiheng was talking to him at first. After all, up until this point, Luo Qiheng hadn't responded to a single word Cheng Yang said, making him nearly forget Luo Qiheng was there.

"Oh, yes, those are indeed people from the Qinghe Tang family," Cheng Yang quickly confirmed. "Although today's preliminaries are just among ten small families, the twenty mid-tier families being challenged typically send people to observe, for a better understanding of their potential opponents."

Cultivators had excellent vision, and there were indeed representatives from other mid-sized families watching around the Tang family. In terms of display and aura, however, the Qinghe Tang family was clearly the weakest.

As if sensing something, one of the men in a blue robe sitting at the head of the Tang family's seats raised his eyes and looked directly in their direction. Although Luo Qiheng, Zhang Yiyi, and Cheng Yang were seated inconspicuously in the crowd, his gaze pierced through to lock onto them without fail.

With just one glance, he directly ignored Cheng Yang, paused momentarily on Zhang Yiyi's face, and finally fixed his gaze on Luo Qiheng with a slight smile.

The smile was unexpected and fleeting, and after a moment, the man withdrew his gaze. Yet even Zhang Yiyi, who was not the primary target, felt a sudden chill down her spine.

Luo Qiheng remained composed, seemingly unaffected by the eerie smile.

"Is there something wrong with that man?" Zhang Yiyi discreetly transmitted her thoughts to Luo Qiheng.

Luo Qiheng must have noticed the man earlier; otherwise, he wouldn't have broken his silence to ask Cheng Yang about what seemed like an unnecessary question.

That blue-robed man was no simple character; one glance locked onto Luo Qiheng, followed by that sinister smile, enough to unsettle Zhang Yiyi.

"I don't know," Luo Qiheng replied via transmission. He didn't say whether there was or wasn't a problem.

Hearing this, Zhang Yiyi realized Luo Qiheng had indeed sensed something unusual.

"Evil cultivator? Demonic cultivator?" She instinctively asked.

Given the Tang family's history, it was hard not to think in this direction.

"No."

Luo Qiheng wasn't so stingy with words when he transmitted his thoughts directly. "I just feel that his aura is a bit strange, something's off, though I can't quite say what."

The man's senses were incredibly sharp; even though Luo Qiheng only glanced at him for a moment, without even using his divine sense, the man instantly noticed. It wasn't that Luo Qiheng underestimated him—it was just that his cultivation technique, which he'd trained in since childhood, was quite unique. If he didn't want to draw attention, his presence would naturally fade to the point where even if he were standing in front of someone, they might overlook him.

"Huh, you're right," Zhang Yiyi quietly released a bit of her divine sense to observe the man in the blue robe, then quickly withdrew it without a trace. Initially, she hadn't paid much attention, but Luo Qiheng's comment made her notice the oddity in the man's aura. It was as if something was missing or added, carrying a faint yet inexplicable sense of danger. It didn't seem related to demonic or evil cultivation, but it definitely wasn't normal.

"Did you just use your divine sense on him?" Luo Qiheng turned to Zhang Yiyi, a rare crack in his typically calm expression. In a place teeming with cultivators, no one would casually release their divine sense to spy on others, as it could easily provoke a strong cultivator to retaliate. Yet Zhang Yiyi had not only probed the blue-robed man's aura undetected but had even avoided his notice.

"Yes, but only a little bit. Don't worry; I was careful and didn't get caught," Zhang Yiyi assured him earnestly. "You're right; his aura is strange and carries a dangerous vibe. If we run into him in the future, it's best to steer clear."

Luo Qiheng didn't reply, merely glancing at her with a complex look before turning away. He had long known Zhang Yiyi's divine sense strength far surpassed ordinary cultivators, even beyond those in the Golden Core stage. But now he realized it wasn't just "beyond"—it was extraordinary. Normally, having a stronger companion would have been reassuring, but with Zhang Yiyi, whose abilities constantly shattered his expectations, Luo Qiheng felt a hint of jealousy creeping in.

It was a fleeting thought, but this sudden spark led to a moment of clarity. Luo Qiheng reminded himself that no matter how talented others might be, he needed to walk his own path, steadfast and unshaken.

Zhang Yiyi immediately sensed the shift in Luo Qiheng's energy. She hesitated before pulling out a high-grade isolation talisman from her storage ring and placing it over him, wrapping him and his aura entirely within it. This talisman wasn't one of the many Senior Sister Pan had given her but a rare one from her eldest senior brother's collection. She only had this one, yet here she was, using it on someone else.

With the talisman in effect, Luo Qiheng appeared no different on the outside, but inside, spiritual energy surged wildly as he entered a deep state of enlightenment. Zhang Yiyi could clearly observe his internal state, and she wasn't sure what had triggered him, but he had found enlightenment in this chaotic place. She knew how valuable such a breakthrough could be for a cultivator. Yet, the timing couldn't have been worse. If interrupted, he could lose the chance entirely or even injure himself.

"Please, don't make this too big!" she muttered under her breath, her heart racing as she threw a few mid-grade spirit stones into the isolation field. The world's spiritual energy here was so poor that it left her speechless. Without adding more spirit stones, his enlightenment might fizzle out entirely. She wasn't about to be stingy with resources after using a high-grade isolation talisman. She just hoped he'd make it through smoothly—and quickly—since she couldn't protect him here indefinitely.

"Miss Han, the man who just looked our way is Tang Jin, one of the Tang family's most renowned young talents." Cheng Yang, oblivious to the significant changes happening beside him, continued speaking. At first, he had been thrilled when Luo Qiheng showed interest in the Tang family's affairs, thinking he could share more secrets about the family. But suddenly, both "siblings" had gone silent, and he noticed them exchanging private transmissions.

"Oh," Zhang Yiyi replied absentmindedly. "Don't worry about my brother; he just asked casually. He doesn't talk much, but sometimes he'll randomly ask questions. Just ignore him."

Cheng Yang didn't doubt her explanation. Luo Qiheng had always given off an impression of being somewhat detached, and the type of person who rarely left a strong impression. It was clear that Zhang Yiyi was the more approachable one between them.

Zhang Yiyi continued to engage with Cheng Yang while keeping an eye on Luo Qiheng's situation. The qualifying matches were due to begin soon. She could only hope he'd complete his breakthrough quickly, as her resources wouldn't hold out much longer.