At first, Yan Luo was somewhat interested, following Yan Dangmo, who served as a judge, as they wandered around the square.
However, Yan Luo herself knew she wasn’t truly interested in things like alchemy.
The only reason she came here was to look for someone.
To see if she could find him.
Speaking of it, Yan Luo herself felt it strange how she could not get him out of her mind.
Clearly, she hadn’t interacted with him that much, and honestly, she didn’t know him well at all.
But…
It was as if there was something about him that continuously drew her in.
Yan Luo couldn’t explain the feeling.
Yan Dangmo, at this moment, had come to the square outside the main hall, the one with the most participants.
Not long after, his eyes lit up, fixing on a tall, slightly pale-skinned youth: “That young man from the Dan Sect looks promising. High level and still young, though he seems a bit lacking in vitality.”
“If I’m not mistaken, that’s Mu Qianxi, a disciple of Dan Sect’s Qi branch… someone from the Mu family, quite a good match.”
Muttering to himself, Yan Dangmo pointed at the youth and asked the thoughtful Yan Luo beside him.
“Luo’er, what do you think of that young man? Is he your type?”
“If not, what about that Kun Yuan from the Qiankun Sect over there?”
Hearing Yan Dangmo’s questions, Yan Luo felt a wave of irritation.
Grandfather really is… meddling with this kind of thing?
Does he need me to write my displeasure even more clearly on my face?
“Grandfather, your granddaughter now only wishes to focus on cultivation, not matters of romance.”
“How can that be? You’re already sixteen—old enough to marry in the mortal world. Besides, haven’t I said before, it’s not that I want you to—…”
“Enough! I don’t want to hear it!”
In recent days, Yan Luo had heard this kind of talk from Yan Dangmo countless times.
Now, hearing it again, Yan Luo finally lost her patience and yelled at Yan Dangmo.
…
But after shouting, Yan Luo realized her behavior was truly disrespectful and unfilial…
The girl’s head involuntarily drooped lower.
Biting her lip, Yan Luo felt her emotions growing ever more chaotic.
Simply unable to take it, the girl turned away and soared off at full speed, leaving the square behind.
Yan Dangmo stood frozen for a moment, watching his granddaughter’s departing figure, feeling helpless.
He wasn’t angry about being yelled at by his granddaughter; instead, he simply felt helpless.
In his eyes, having his granddaughter marry early and bear a child would help solidify her standing in the family.
“How now, the mighty Yan Dangmo can’t even manage his own granddaughter?”
At this moment, a lighthearted voice sounded from behind Yan Dangmo.
Without turning his head or extending his spiritual sense, Yan Dangmo already knew who it was.
Not only because he recognized the voice, but because in the entire Northern Domain’s cultivation world, there were only a handful of people who could speak to him in such a casual tone.
Qiankun Sect’s Grand Elder, Long Zhizheng.
“Old Zheng, raising a granddaughter is nothing like refining puppets. You can’t just say what you want and have it done. The child is growing up, has her own ideas, isn’t that normal? Remember when you and I were her age—were we really the type to obediently follow the family’s arrangements?”
“Since you know that, why do you still push your granddaughter—…”
“It’s not that I want to push her, but… time is short… I have a faint premonition.”
Yan Dangmo smiled bitterly.
For this old friend of many years, he had nothing to hide.
“I might be about to break through in the coming years.”
“A breakthrough!”
Long Zhizheng’s eyes widened slightly.
“To the Tribulation Crossing Realm?”
“That’s right, the Tribulation Crossing Realm… After reaching it, each minor realm brings a heavenly tribulation, nine temperings and nine refinings. If one survives, they are half a step into immortality; if not, it means death and the Dao’s end.”
As he spoke, Yan Dangmo’s eyes lowered.
“I had already suppressed my realm before because I wasn’t confident about passing the tribulation…”
“But now, I can’t hold it down much longer… The tribulation is coming, and I must consider what happens if I fall.”
“Truthfully, with the Yan family’s foundation, we wouldn’t fall from the ranks of the four great clans, but… I worry about that child Yan Luo.”
“In the past, through my efforts, our branch rose from a side branch to power. Unfortunately, my foolish son had no fate as patriarch and died early.”
“But if I die, our branch will surely be suppressed by the main line. With Yan Luo’s exceptional talent, it might only bring her disaster.”
“The sooner she bears a child, the better. While I still have authority, I can secure her position as the future family head and force those old guys to make an oath. At least, I can protect her for the next hundred years.”
“In a hundred years, with Yan Luo’s talent, she should reach above the Combined Body Realm. By then, no one in the clan could touch her.”
After speaking, Yan Dangmo looked in the direction where Yan Luo had left.
There was no trace of the girl now, but he still couldn’t help but stare into the empty space.
“If you say so, it’s reasonable… but, why not let her choose for herself? At least, pick someone she likes.”
Long Zhizheng couldn’t help but ask again.
“That way, she wouldn’t be so resistant.”
“At her age, what does she know of men? Just be a little kind to her, a bit special, and she’ll easily be moved.”
“You and I are both men. Don’t we know what kind of scoundrels there are in this world?”
“Besides, if I want to appoint her child as the future family head, how could the father be mediocre? Even if not exceptionally gifted, he mustn’t drag Yan Luo down.”
“Someone with no family background is best. Once he joins the Yan family, there’s no way out. He’ll have no choice but to stand together with Yan Luo.”
Yan Dangmo spoke matter-of-factly, while Long Zhizheng only smiled wryly in resignation.
“Enough, it’s your family’s business, handle it as you wish. I won’t meddle. If you truly die, I’ll look after your granddaughter a bit.”
Yan Dangmo nodded slightly and said nothing more.
“Speaking of which, do you know who caused such a stir with their breakthrough two days ago?”
Suddenly, Long Zhizheng spoke up again.
Yan Dangmo shook his head.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by my granddaughter’s affairs, how would I have time to care about that? If you know, why keep me in suspense?”
“Sigh, you really are no fun. Fine, I’ll tell you… The one who broke through that day was the Sect Master of Hehuan Sect, Tai Lingxuan.”
“And now, her aura has reached the seventh level of the Combined Body Realm.”
As Long Zhizheng spoke, his expression grew increasingly grave.
…
“What!”
Yan Dangmo was startled.
“At the last sect gathering, I heard she had just broken through to Combined Body Realm. How is she already at the seventh level?”
Long Zhizheng shook his head.
“I don’t know the exact details, either.”
Yan Dangmo thought for a moment, then added: “The Combined Body Realm is all about unity of man and heaven, and focuses on one’s understanding of the laws of heaven and earth. Maybe she had some great opportunity and kept gaining insights.”
“The laws of heaven and earth are not so easily comprehended.”
Long Zhizheng snorted dismissively, coldly saying: “For her realm to improve so rapidly, I have reason to suspect she’s used some demonic cultivation method… Wasn’t that how the Hehuan Sect rose in the first place?”
Yan Dangmo’s expression remained unchanged as he continued: “That’s unlikely. I’ve heard before that she obtained a True Dragon Scale. You know, that’s a token recognized by heaven and earth. If she was a demonic cultivator, she could never have obtained such a token.”
“Maybe she only started using a demonic method after entering the Combined Body Realm.”
Long Zhizheng narrowed his eyes and went on.
…
Yan Dangmo didn’t deny the possibility, only gazed distantly in the direction of Tai Lingxuan.
“In any case, without evidence, I won’t comment.”
“I’ll send someone to investigate. If things are as you say, I won’t sit idly by.”
Long Zhizheng nodded and fell silent.
Just as Yan Dangmo was about to withdraw his gaze, he suddenly noticed that there was a black-haired, black-eyed, handsome youth, about fourteen or fifteen, at Tai Lingxuan’s side.
“Who is that boy?”
Yan Dangmo asked.
A playful smile curled on Long Zhizheng’s lips.
“It’s said she really does have a male disciple.”
Yan Dangmo nodded, and Long Zhizheng went on: “But think about it—when has the Hehuan Sect ever accepted a male disciple? I suspect that kid is just a target for yin-harvesting cultivation.”
Yan Dangmo frowned, looking at his old friend.
Then he looked again, from afar, at that youth.
“If he’s willing, there’s nothing we can do.”
Long Zhizheng said nothing, thinking for a moment before locking his gaze on Tai Lingxuan.
After a long time, his eyes flashed, and he said to Yan Dangmo, “Why not, I’ll just go and ask her directly?”
Yan Dangmo raised his brows slightly.
“We’re still in the middle of the Pill Dao Conference… questioning her afterward won’t be too late, right?”
“It’s precisely because of the Pill Dao Conference that we need to be careful of demonic cultivators causing trouble.”
As Long Zhizheng spoke, he flew through the air toward Tai Lingxuan.
Yan Dangmo stood in place, thought for a moment, then, curiosity piqued, followed after him.
On the way, Yan Dangmo couldn’t help but look at his friend’s back, his gaze deepening.
This guy was always one to never act without benefit—why was he so concerned about this matter now?
Moreover…
Why did the current him feel so unfamiliar, even somewhat… unpleasant?
Yan Dangmo didn’t think deeply about it.
After so many years of friendship, minor issues were never truly issues.
Soon, the two of them arrived before Tai Lingxuan.
Tai Lingxuan had already sensed someone’s spiritual awareness locking onto her, and became alert, eyes narrowing as she looked at the two approaching figures.
When she clearly saw their faces, Tai Lingxuan’s expression instantly soured.
She recognized the Grand Elder of Qiankun Sect, Long Zhizheng.
It was he who, back then, had taken away her sect’s master and elders.
Since then, she had never seen her master or those elders again, and the besieged Hehuan Sect was only then spared from annihilation.
Most of the other sect members were dispersed.
Though she’d been allowed to rebuild the sect, she was not permitted to take in any of the former members.
Thinking of this, Tai Lingxuan bit her red lips hard, her body trembling slightly.
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