"I don't care how you found out.
Let this matter remain known only to you.
You absolutely must not tell anyone else.
Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"
The red-clad girl glared at Ye Yunfei, turned, and walked away.
"Senior Brother Yunfei, that is Long Yingying!
She's the number one ranked disciple of our Tianyuan Sect!
Moreover, she's the granddaughter of one of our sect's legendary reclusive elders!"
Only after the red-clad girl had gone far away did A Niu finally speak up in a trembling voice, revealing her identity.
"Oh?
Then, which peak does she belong to?"
Ye Yunfei was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected this girl to have such a significant background within the Tianyuan Sect and asked out loud.
"Senior Brother Yunfei, you don't know this.
Long Yingying doesn't belong to any peak. It's said the Sect Master personally oversees her cultivation normally.
Long Yingying loves to fight. The slightest disagreement, and she'll strike.
Even Water Peak's Li Chaofan has been chased and beaten by her until his face was swollen and bruised.
Throughout the entire Tianyuan Sect, from top to bottom, every disciple is terrified of her, as if by a tiger, avoiding her whenever possible."
A Niu explained.
"Hmm, I see."
Ye Yunfei smiled slightly.
If someone from the Battle Clan wasn't warlike, that would be strange.
Ye Yunfei estimated this Long Yingying's strength was equivalent to the late Heaven Realm.
Furthermore, once she activated the Battle Clan bloodline within her body, her combat power would soar.
"Alright, A Niu, you can head back first.
Take this bottle of spirit pills.
With these pills, you should be able to break through quite soon."
Ye Yunfei retrieved three pill bottles and handed them to A Niu.
"Grade Two True Spirit Pills!
Senior Brother Yunfei, these are too precious, I can't accept them!"
A Niu took the bottles and discovered there were thirty True Spirit Pills in total within the three containers. He was startled.
"It's fine, take them."
Ye Yunfei waved a hand dismissively, turned, and walked into the small pavilion.
Grade Two spirit pills were as common as dirt to Ye Yunfei, not worth mentioning at all.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Yunfei, for your pill-bestowing kindness!"
A Niu bowed deeply towards Ye Yunfei's departing back, then left with the pills.
He knew Ye Yunfei was right. With these thirty True Spirit Pills, even if his aptitude was poor, he could still achieve a breakthrough.
Ye Yunfei returned inside his small pavilion.
For the next few days, Ye Yunfei remained in quiet seclusion within the pavilion, waiting for the Ladder Climbing Competition to arrive.
***
On Water Peak.
"Senior Brother Li, we've searched every place, and still found no trace of Senior Brother Li Yichen's whereabouts."
"Besides the Fiend-trapping Cliff, we've searched every other area in the Back Mountain."
...
A large group of disciples stood before Li Chaofan, reporting their findings.
The more Li Chaofan listened, the uglier his expression became.
During these past few days, he had mobilized many Water Peak disciples to search everywhere for Li Yichen.
Yet, up to this point, there was still no news whatsoever.
"Report, Senior Brother Li! We found over a dozen weapons in the Back Mountain. They look like they belonged to Wu Jianxin and the others!"
Suddenly, two Water Peak disciples rushed back hurriedly and threw over a dozen weapons at Li Chaofan's feet.
Wu Jianxin was one of Li Yichen's loyal followers.
Back when Li Yichen led a dozen Water Peak disciples to the Back Mountain to chase and kill Ye Yunfei, Wu Jianxin was among them.
"Senior Brother Li, it seems Wu Jianxin and the others likely met with misfortune."
A Water Peak disciple said cautiously.
He dared not say Li Yichen had met with misfortune, afraid of provoking Li Chaofan.
"Senior Brother Li, I heard from Jin Peak disciples that guy Ye Yunfei indeed has returned to Jin Peak.
What's more, he defeated Jin Peak's third-ranked Zhou Tong in front of everyone!"
Another disciple rushed back to report this to Li Chaofan.
"It seems... Yichen might have truly encountered danger."
Li Chaofan took a deep breath.
"Senior Brother Li, I asked Deacon Liu from the Mission Hall. He said the task he assigned to that Ye Yunfei was to go to the Fiend-trapping Cliff in the Back Mountain to gather Heaven Demon Fruit.
And so, Ye Yunfei went.
Later, Senior Brother Li Yichen took over a dozen disciples and secretly followed him to the Back Mountain.
Also, I heard a Jin Peak disciple named A Niu went to the Back Mountain with Ye Yunfei at that time too."
At this moment, yet another disciple returned to report to Li Chaofan.
"Now, go immediately and arrest that Jin Peak disciple named A Niu for severe interrogation.
We must make absolutely sure about Yichen's whereabouts!"
Li Chaofan ordered.
"However, remember, keep this matter discreet. Understood?"
Li Chaofan emphasized.
"Rest assured, Senior Brother Li, we understand."
All the Water Peak disciples surrounding Li Chaofan nodded.
"Ye Yunfei... if anything has really happened to Yichen, I will make you pay with blood.
We of the Imperial City Li Family are not so easily killed.
Not just you, but your nine clans will also be implicated and eradicated!"
Li Chaofan said through clenched teeth.
Both Li Chaofan and Li Yichen were from the Imperial City Li Family.
The Li Family was a powerful clan with formidable strength.
Li Yichen was the grandson of a high-ranking, influential Li Family elder, a relatively esteemed identity.
That elder had once entrusted Li Chaofan to look after Li Yichen within the Tianyuan Sect.
Now, with Li Yichen missing, Li Chaofan had a headache, not knowing how to explain things to that elder upon returning to the family.
"Ye Yunfei, I will definitely not let you off!"
Li Chaofan's gaze held boundless fury.
***
At that moment.
Deep within the Tianyuan Sect headquarters.
On a small, picturesque mountain peak.
Inside a small courtyard, an old man with snow-white hair and beard sat cross-legged in meditation.
"Yingying, who have you run off to beat up this time?"
Suddenly, the old man opened his eyes, looking towards the gate in the courtyard fence.
A red-clad girl walked in.
It was the very girl who had clashed with Ye Yunfei not long ago.
Long Yingying!
Number one disciple of the Tianyuan Sect!
"Grandfather, listen to you talk.
It's not like I'm beating people up all day."
Long Yingying pouted.
"Hmm, not all day, but basically every other day.
Among the higher-ranked disciples of our Tianyuan Sect, which one hasn't been struck by you?"
The old man shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Don't even start. The disciples of this Tianyuan Sect are all trash. Not a single one can satisfy me.
Grandfather, if you ask me, this Tianyuan Sect might as well close its doors.
All it cultivates is a bunch of useless waste."
Long Yingying said.
"Yingying, how can you speak like that?
Our Tianyuan Sect is one of the Four Great Sects within the Great Qin Empire.
Countless young people dream and yearn to join."
The old man glared at her.
"Yingying, stop running around all crazy. Always behaving like this, how will you ever get married off in the future?"
The old man sighed.
He realized he had completely lost control over this granddaughter of his.
"Who says I want to get married?
Besides, whoever wants to marry me will have to beat me in a fight first."
Long Yingying retorted.
"Right, Grandfather, there's something odd about that new Tianyuan Sect disciple, Ye Yunfei.
He exchanged a blow with me and didn't even sustain a minor injury.
Furthermore, I attacked over a hundred times and didn't even touch the corner of his clothes.
Can he really be just a newly admitted disciple?
What's more, he recognized that I'm from the Battle Clan.
I feel this Ye Yunfei is not simple. It would be best to investigate him thoroughly."
Long Yingying said with an air of indignation.
"What?!
You're saying he recognized you're from the Battle Clan?!"
Hearing this, a sharp, intense light suddenly flashed in the old man's eyes.