The boundless starry sky sprinkled bright starlight, and the entire Buqing Mountain echoed with the sound of insects.

In a small courtyard with blue bricks and black tiles, a series of engravings fell on the delicate wooden threshold.

The entire script was extremely elegant and composed, with powerful strokes.

The woman in the green dress was still there, holding a carving knife in her hand.

However, with each stroke, she paused, observing for a while before continuing.

It was as if she was crafting a treasure of unparalleled value, appearing meticulous and cautious.

After carving two words, she compared them to the entire script and glanced at it.

"It'll probably be completed in five years!" Chu Yanqing smiled with relief, tossed the knife aside, which landed in the courtyard.

At the courtyard entrance, there was also an apricot tree, but spiritual apricots were abundant, and no one came to pick them.

"Perhaps this tree is not charming enough." Chu Yanqing remarked casually, letting the spiritual apricots fall and turn to mud.

After all, this had been the case every year for the past fifteen years.

"Could it be the wastefulness of Miss Chu?" At this moment, suddenly a voice sounded.

A figure in a white robe skillfully descended beside her, sitting on the high threshold, watching the apricot tree under the starry sky, each spiritual apricot glowed with spiritual light.

The sound of insects seemed to form a continuous chorus.

"How old are you, always sneaking around and teasing people, truly uninteresting!" Chu Yanqing was startled at first but soon complained.

Yet, she couldn't help but feel a warmth in her heart.

The figure before her was always involuntarily present, but it was this very figure that saved her at the Cyan Spirit Trading Association, giving her endless imagination!

Furthermore, it allowed her to stay at Spirit Mountain for three years, twelve years, and who knows how many more years next time.

Seeing Ye Jingcheng remained silent, she seemed worried he might leave again, so she spoke again:

"From now on, there won't be a Miss Chu, just Chu Qing, the 'Yan' is gone too!"

"If you like, call me Xiaoqing, if not, then just call me Chu Qing!"

After speaking, she looked at Ye Jingcheng.

It was still the same sharp-featured face, seemingly unchanged over thirteen years.

Except his eyes, which didn't seem as clear anymore.

Chu Yanqing recalled herself, thinking that she once felt the same about the Chu Family.

"What's this? Breakthrough to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, and your vigor has diminished significantly, can a mere Jin Family make you give up?" Ye Jingcheng spoke.

He also remembered the scene of the alliance marriage years ago, where the most wooden second brother of the Ye Family was involved, seemingly declaring the absurdity of the alliance.

And during that marriage meeting, Ye Jingcheng saw Chu Yanqing, the female cultivator from the Chu Family who dared to challenge him even at Qi Cultivation.

Soon after, they met at Taichang Market, and she was already at Early Stage of Foundation Establishment.

They began competing at the marketplace thereafter.

Chu Yanqing didn't respond immediately; after a moment of silence, she spoke:

"It's not about giving up, just seeing things clearly, some family's magical artifact refining tasks are endless, there's no mental space to worry about that!"

After Chu Yanqing finished speaking, the scene fell silent.

Ye Jingcheng didn't know how to reply, nor did Chu Yanqing.

As geniuses nurtured by the family patriarch, in matters of family, they could engage in conversation tirelessly for days.

But avoiding family topics made conversation seem out of place.

It felt as though neither insect chirping nor starry nights should be disturbed.

They each looked at the apricot tree, as starlight continued to fall.

Before long, a spiritual apricot ripened and fell to the ground, splashing quite a bit of juice.

Clearly, it was fully ripe, and the spiritual energy seemed to burst and dissipate into the air.

Leaving only apricot flesh on the ground.

"I said it's wasteful!" Ye Jingcheng walked to the tree, flicked his finger, and picked the spiritual apricot.

Once the apricots were picked, he spoke:

"Such a spiritual apricot should be worth a spirit stone, at Ye Family, mid-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators receive five spirit stones annually!"

Soon, Ye Jingcheng had picked a basketful, a total of twenty-two pieces.

Five pieces remained untouched.

"Those five can still grow longer; once picked, the spiritual energy in those five can become even more enriched, sometimes too many spiritual apricots aren't necessarily good!"

Chu Yanqing took the basket, smiling, her green skirt shining brilliantly under the starlight, capturing Ye Jingcheng's dazed gaze for a moment.

Regardless of whether he avoided it, he couldn't help but acknowledge.

Chu Yanqing's beauty was among the top three he had seen.

"Pick those five too!" Chu Yanqing still insisted.

Ye Jingcheng paused for a moment, then nodded, picking the spiritual apricots was rather easy.

Moreover, Ye Jingcheng found the scenery beautiful.

The dazzling starry sky, spiritual apricot tree, blue bricks and black tiles, along with the sound of insects, even listening to it felt pleasing.

If only there was some well-dried spirit tea, it would be even better.

All twenty-seven spiritual apricots placed in Chu Yanqing's hands, she also received them.

Hand touching hand, made Ye Jingcheng and Chu Yanqing both feel a subtle awkwardness.

Chu Yanqing was reminded of that year in Cyan Spirit Market, where Ye Jingcheng once held quite firmly.

"Why, shouldn't the annual salary at Late Stage of Foundation Establishment include twenty-seven spiritual apricots?" Chu Yanqing saw Ye Jingcheng hadn't let go and smiled asking.

"It should, but in seclusion during Late Stage of Foundation Establishment for years, twenty seems a bit short!" Ye Jingcheng released his hold, then took out a jade box.

Entering the house, he took out spirit water, and started brewing tea on his own.

The aroma of Cloud Conceal Tea was even more fragrant than the Luofu Tea Chu Yanqing invited Ye Jingcheng to drink.

The green tea leaves, like jade, always more favored by female cultivators.

"In your opinion, how many more years refining artifacts?" Chu Yanqing didn't reply.

Following into the room, she settled by the table, sitting down generously.

Ye Jingcheng didn't speak, instead pouring spiritual tea for Chu Yanqing.

However, Ye Jingcheng saw the elegant writing on the threshold, unconsciously, spilling some of the spiritual tea over the cup.

Onto the table.

The words on the threshold formed poetry.

The verses were long, matching those he collected from Taichang Market.

And the two unfinished lines left him lost in thought.

"The mountain has trees, and the trees have branches..."

"What a waste of talent, this Spirit Tea costs hundreds of Spirit Stones per ounce!" Chu Yanqing expressed her dissatisfaction.

"A thousand!" Ye Jingcheng replied.

"That much." Chu Yanqing was taken aback, but soon realized that Ye Jingcheng hadn't mentioned Spirit Stones.

Her face blushed in response.

"Let's go to Lingyun Peak. The Spiritual Almonds on Buqing Mountain have been picked. It's time to pick those on Lingyun Peak!" Ye Jingcheng suggested.

At this moment, Chu Yanqing became surprisingly quiet, her face flushed with red. She drank the Spirit Tea hurriedly, only managing to say a single "um" after a long time!

After she finished speaking, she unconsciously added:

"The Spiritual Energy on Lingyun Peak is even stronger. One Spiritual Almond should be worth at least two Spirit Stones!"

"Two and a half!" Upon hearing this, Ye Jingcheng beamed with joy.

Though they didn't explicitly say it, it seemed like they already understood.

The night sky stretched infinitely.

...

Taihang Mountain Range, Jade Dragon Valley!

The beast tide had come wave after wave, beyond the initial Cyan Wind Wolf Original Demon Race and Three-eyed Demon Race.

Now, the Lion Race from Lion King Ridge had joined.

In addition to the reinforcements from various clans, a large number of Taiyi Sect disciples also arrived in Jade Dragon Valley.

Two True Masters, Master Xuan Dao and Master Cheng Xuan, had arrived.

Four True Masters confronted each other in the sky above Jade Dragon Valley, facing the Cyan Wind Demon King, Three-eyed Demon King, and Yun Shi Demon King.

While the True Masters faced off, the Spirit Beasts below continuously charged towards Jade Dragon Valley.

The formation of Jade Dragon Valley had been broken multiple times.

Fortunately, there were many Taiyi Sect disciples, allowing them to reclaim their ground eventually.

However, the losses were devastating.

Among them was the Ye Family, with Ye Jingyun and Ye Jingli showing signs of distress.

Many Ye Family members had been torn apart by the Cyan Wind Wolves right before their eyes.

Even though the Ye Family had many Spirit Beasts defending, it was futile.

This battle was beyond what the Ye Family could influence, especially since only a portion of their cultivators had arrived.

"Watch out!" Ye Jingli shouted, launching thirty-six Silver Needles to kill a Tier-two Wind Wolf about to pounce on Ye Jingting.

"Jingting, even if you have Spirit Talismans, don't be reckless. Don't chase a cornered animal, nor a cornered beast!"

Ye Jingting heard this and nodded repeatedly.

"Thank you, Brother Liu!"

Ye Jingting quickly retreated, but in truth, she wasn't being reckless.

The Ye Family had suffered too many losses, and Ye Jingting was trying to save others, nearly putting herself in danger.

Ye Jingyun approached from the side.

He had already thrown many Purple Sky Talismans.

The rumbling Purple Sky Talismans finally repelled a significant number of Cyan Wolves, giving the Ye Family a moment to breathe!

"Brother Liu, I feel uneasy!" Ye Jingyun conveyed through transmission.

This time, there were not many disciples from Illusion Peak participating, mostly from Martial Peak and Purple Peak.

In the past, Illusion Peak disciples would show some care to the Ye Family.

Now, it seemed they were favoring the Jin Family and Cyan Cloud Nunnery.

"It must be because the Patriarch didn't come!" Ye Jingli's eyes showed resentment.

The Taiyi Sect steward had already mentioned twice that they wanted Ye Jingcheng in Jade Dragon Valley.

But Ye Jingcheng had given instructions, which Ye Jingyun and Ye Jingli would not forget.

"I'll use the Thunder Rhinoceros Insects later!" Ye Jingyun was ready to risk everything.

Of course, the Thunder Rhinoceros Insects he used were ordinary ones, not the four Hidden-wing Thunder Rhinoceros Insects given by Ye Jingcheng.

"Additionally, this situation isn't about the Ye Family, everyone must be careful!" Ye Jingyun transmitted to all Ye Family members.

This time even Ye Qingwen and Ye Qingfeng were involved.

"Here they come!" Ye Jingyun shouted, then unleashed a red Flying Sword coupled with Purple Fire Celestial Ox's pupil skill.

He struck down another Cyan Wind Wolf.

But more Tier-two Cyan Wind Wolves came with menacing voices, and Ye Jingyun didn't throw another Purple Sky Talisman; instead, he tossed out his Spirit Beast Bag, releasing ten Thunder Rhinoceros Insects that fiercely shot out a massive Thunder Net!

The Cyan Wind Wolves were instantly repelled.

...

Taihang Mountain Range, Lingyun Peak, Ye Family, Ye Jingcheng landed in the clan's hall.

He, along with Chu Yanqing, landed on Lingyun Peak, and before even a cup of tea's time had passed, he was summoned to the Assembly Hall.

"Patriarch, the Taiyi Sect steward is in the front hall, being stalled by Uncle Xingming!"

At this time, Ye Qingyan also approached, visibly excited upon seeing Ye Jingcheng.

But at this moment, for the Ye Family, it was an urgent matter.

Ye Jingcheng was also anxious, already aware that Master Tianfu was in Jade Dragon Valley.

At this moment, he certainly wouldn't go.

He hadn't cultivated the Taiqing Spirit Guarding Skill in his mind.

If he knew, he might be forcibly summoned, even if some clan members died, he had no solution now.

He dared not take risks; risking it meant endless disaster.

If Master Tianfu had a possession trick, the entire Ye Family would be problematic.

The Earth Dragon Demon King couldn't save him in front of four True Masters!

"Qingyan, transmit to Uncle Xingming that my cultivation hasn't stabilized yet, breaking through too fast, some foundations are unstable, ask them to wait longer!" Ye Jingcheng spoke.

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingyan nodded repeatedly.

"Also, have the remaining cultivators ready and ensure the mortal families are prepared, the Void Spirit Mountain Range will also have a beast tide!" Ye Jingcheng coldly stated!

Rather than being led, let the beast tide come again!

Ye Jingcheng needed only to transmit to Ye Haicheng, with the Earth Dragon Demon King's command, the beast tide from Earth Dragon Valley wouldn't head to Jade Dragon Valley naturally!

As for Master Tianfu, let him come to Lingyun Peak!

A fierce determination flashed in Ye Jingcheng's eyes!

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