Patriarch of Murong approached Ye Yunfei with two of his family elders.
"I am Murong Zhe, the head of the Murong Family. May I ask for your distinguished name, Young Master?"
The Patriarch spoke with utmost courtesy. He could tell Ye Yunfei was no ordinary individual. Although this young man's cultivation only registered at the Destiny Realm, there was an air of serene and untraceable mystery about him.
"You are too kind. My surname is Su," Ye Yunfei replied.
"So it is Young Master Su. A moment ago, you said you wished to help our Murong Family overcome our current predicament. Were you serious?" the Patriarch asked cautiously.
The two Murong elders standing behind the Patriarch eyed Ye Yunfei with skepticism.
"Yes. I have some karmic ties with your Murong Family. Since I've encountered this matter, I might as well lend a hand," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Karmic ties with our Murong Family? What do you mean by that?" The Patriarch was taken aback and couldn't help but ask.
"Heaven's secrets cannot be divulged," Ye Yunfei smiled faintly without elaborating, maintaining a certain enigmatic air. Explaining the true reason wouldn't convince the Patriarch anyway.
"This..." the Patriarch hesitated.
"Don't waste your time inquiring about my origins. You'll find out sooner or later. Instead, consider your Murong Family's current situation. For you, the real trouble isn't the Meng Family—it's the Cangyan Sacred Sect. The Meng Family has latched onto the sect's backing. Your Murong Family lacks the strength to oppose them. Your only choice is to obediently hand over the Teleportation Formation. Otherwise, your fate will be extinction. Moreover, the Murong and Meng families share a long-standing enmity, having fought bloody battles even in ancient times. It's a generational feud. The Meng Family certainly won't let your family off easily. So, even if you relinquish the Teleportation Formation in Guzhou City, peaceful days won't follow," Ye Yunfei said with a light laugh.
Hearing this analysis, the Patriarch and both elders paled significantly.
"Hmph! As if our Murong Family fears the Meng Family! At worst, we'll just fight them to the bitter end!" one of the elders snorted coldly.
Ye Yunfei gave a faint smile but said nothing.
"In the past, we truly had no reason to fear the Meng Family. But it's different now. They have the Cangyan Sacred Sect's support. With what shall we fight them?" the Patriarch suddenly sighed softly.
The elder who had spoken fell silent, realizing his words were born of frustration, not reason.
"Young Master Su said you would help us overcome this crisis. Might I ask... do you have any method to deal with the Cangyan Sacred Sect and the Meng Family?" the Patriarch suddenly inquired.
Both elders also looked at Ye Yunfei.
"Wait. Wait for them to come tomorrow," Ye Yunfei answered.
Wait for them to come? The Patriarch and the two elders were stunned.
"By the way, I would like to visit your Murong Family's ancestral grounds," Ye Yunfei said after a moment's thought.
The Murong Family's ancestral grounds contained an esoteric scripture related to the sword path left behind by an ancestor. Ye Yunfei had studied it once before. In his previous life, when wandering the Eastern Barrens, his cultivation hadn't been strong enough; he had only grasped a small portion of the scripture's meaning. Later, after becoming the Heavenly Emperor and witnessing the world's various sophisticated sword arts, he hadn't felt the need to return specifically to study that scripture. Now that he was here, he intended to delve into it properly. With his current knowledge and perspective, he was confident he could fully comprehend the scripture within the Murong Family's ancestral grounds.
"What? Young Master Su, what do you mean? Why would you want to see our family's ancestral grounds?" The Patriarch was shocked by Ye Yunfei's words.
"Youngster, you go too far! Our Murong Family's ancestral grounds are the resting place of our forefathers. How could we allow an outsider to disturb the peace of our ancestors!" one elder berated him.
"Patriarch, this boy might not have good intentions. He could have ulterior motives!" the other elder chimed in.
"What are you two old fogies saying?! My boss clearly came here to help you, and you dare suspect him?! Are you looking for a beating?!" The Ice Demon, standing beside Ye Yunfei, flew into a rage at this sight. He took a step forward, releasing a rolling surge of icy energy that pressed down on them.
"So cold!"
The Patriarch and the two elders instantly felt the temperature around them plummet. A wave of freezing energy blasted their faces, chilling them to the bone and forcing them back several steps. The Patriarch and these elders were only at the late stage of the Heavenly Position Realm, whereas the Ice Demon, after his recent bloodline upgrade, was already capable of battling experts at the Heavenly Position Realm's pinnacle!
"Such terrifying strength!"
The Patriarch and the elders began to regard the Ice Demon with wary eyes.
"Young Master Su, this is...?" the Patriarch asked cautiously.
"I am the boss's little brother! You three old folks better show some respect before my boss, or I'll have you skinned and boned!" the Ice Demon snarled viciously.
Rumble…
As he spoke, the Ice Demon released another wave of dreadful chill. The Patriarch and the two elders felt an immediate, bone-deep cold permeate their bodies, as if they had fallen into a freezing, hellish pit.
"Let's discuss this reasonably!" the Patriarch hurriedly exclaimed.
"Elders, please mind your words. These three young people before us are definitely not simple. Especially this Young Master Su. How could someone his age command a subordinate with such terrifying strength? They are not someone our Murong Family can afford to provoke! Moreover, perhaps this young man genuinely can help us navigate through our current crisis! From now on, we must do our utmost to befriend Young Master Su. He may well be our Murong Family's only hope!" Having witnessed the Ice Demon's power, the Patriarch began to feel a sliver of hope. He secretly sent a voice transmission to the two elders.
"Since Young Master Su wishes to see our ancestral grounds... very well. I consent. Young Master Su, let us go now," the Patriarch gritted his teeth and agreed.
"The Patriarch of Murong is quite straightforward. Rest assured, with me here, the Murong Family will be fine," Ye Yunfei smiled.
This Murong Family was, in fact, an old subordinate of Ye Yunfei's. Naturally, he would intervene to protect them.
"Good! I believe in you, Young Master Su!"
The Patriarch's spirit lifted slightly as he answered.
Thus, the Patriarch promptly took out a flying ship. He personally led Ye Yunfei, the Ice Demon, and Hu Miao inside, and the vessel set off toward the Murong Family headquarters.
A good part of the day later, they arrived at another major city within the Heavenly Moon Holy Kingdom. This city was named Murong City, the very location of the Murong Family's headquarters!
It wasn't far from Guzhou City, merely half a day's journey.
The Patriarch led Ye Yunfei into the city, heading directly to the eastern sector.
There stood a tall, solitary mountain.
Atop the mountain was an ancient ancestral hall.
This was the Murong Family's ancestral shrine.
Within the old hall stood a stone statue—the image of an elder seated in a meditative posture. Across his knees lay a stone sword. The figure held himself as straight as a sword. Even though it was merely a statue, it still exuded a sharp, piercing aura that seemed to reach the clouds.
"To be back here again…"
Ye Yunfei gazed at this familiar statue and couldn't help but voice his emotion.
In his previous life, he had also come here to meditate, but that time, Murong Pei had secretly brought him.
This time, it was the Patriarch who had personally escorted him.
"Young Master Su, this is an ancestor of our Murong Family," the Patriarch said after stepping forward to pay his respects to the stone statue.
"Father, who is he?"
Just then, a crisp, feminine voice rang out. A beautiful young woman approached from a distance, alighting before the ancestral hall.
"Murong Pei has arrived!"
Ye Yunfei smiled, turning to look at the young woman.