Chương 154: Farewells and Departures

Yun Zhaoxi drew a long breath, forcing the tremor from his hands. He folded Yun Chaoge's farewell letter with care and tucked it into his robe before turning to Huaijin with a solemn nod.

"Fellow Daoist Huaijin. I am in your debt." Huaijin inclined his head.

"It was the least I could do." Behind them, Yun Pinyu and Ning Nanzhi exchanged a glance, cold fire kindling in their eyes. Their suspicions had been correct all along. The Zheng Clan was responsible. If not for their machinations, Yun Chaoge would have already broken through to Purple Mansion by now. The thought burned like bitter medicine on the tongue. And yet, the Zheng Clan's relentless suppression of their own subordinate powers had sown deep resentment.

The Tier 3 factions under their influence were growing distant, their loyalty fraying with every unjust decree. The seeds of rebellion had been planted long ago. Yun Zhaoxi paused, then withdrew the reward he'd originally prepared, a gesture of thanks now insufficient for what Huaijin had truly given him. He replaced it with something far more precious. A jade slip scroll materialized in his palm.

"Take a look at this, Fellow Daoist Huaijin. These are treasures from my personal collection, every one of them at least Tier 2 upper grade. Spirit herbs, ores, mystical materials, there's a little of everything. Choose whichever you wish." With a flick of his wrist, Yun Zhaoxi unfurled the scroll. Over twenty luminous projections bloomed into the air before Huaijin's eyes.

Most shimmered with the steady glow of Tier 2 upper grade resources, but five among them burned brighter, Tier 3 low grade, unmistakable in their potency. Ores veined with spiritual light, herbs that pulsed with living energy, and other rare finds that would make any cultivator's heart race. The depth of a Tier 3 patriarch's hoard was truly something to behold.

"Senior, this is far too generous." Huaijin's protest was genuine. He had expected a modest reward, perhaps a Tier 2 upper grade resource at most. But Yun Zhaoxi had changed his calculus entirely after Huaijin returned the farewell letter and uncovered the true nature of Yun Chaoge's death. The Tier 3 low grade treasures were not merely thanks. They were an investment. Part of it was gratitude, yes. But the rest was a clear message: Yun Zhaoxi saw Huaijin's potential and wanted to secure his goodwill.

"You deserve it," Yun Zhaoxi said simply, making no effort to hide the admiration in his voice.

'What a pity the young man couldn't become his son-in-law.' Judging by the cool distance between Huaijin and Yun Pinyu, that door was firmly closed. Huaijin had broken through to the foundation establishment with no pill, no shortcuts, no borrowed power. On top of that, he possessed a rare spirit body, a natural gift that set him apart from ordinary cultivators. And now, before reaching the age of sixty, he had already breached the late stage. Purple Mansion was all but guaranteed for him.

And if he maintained this blistering pace, Golden Core wasn't beyond reach either. Rumors also whispered that Huaijin cultivated both qi and body cultivation in tandem, a grueling path that demanded twice the effort for twice the reward. No wonder his combat strength was so formidable. Stolen novel; please report. Seeing Yun Zhaoxi's insistence, Huaijin stopped refusing. His gaze had already settled on one treasure among the many.

"Heh. You have a sharp eye." A smile spread across Yun Zhaoxi's weathered face.

"That happens to be the most valuable piece in my entire collection." Light flashed from his storage pouch, and a meter-long branch materialized in his grasp, dark as obsidian, yet alive with crackling purple lightning that danced along its surface like serpents of pure energy. Threads of soul-force coiled around it, dense and rich, humming with a resonance that made the very air tremble. A Tier 3 low grade Thunderclap Nether Branch.

Incredibly rare, it carried both lightning and soul-force attributes, a dual affinity that made it coveted by cultivators of either path. It had been taken from the Thunderclap Nether Tree, a rare and legendary tree that most cultivators would never even see in their lifetime. Yun Zhaoxi had acquired it by sheer fortune years ago. But it had never suited his own cultivation, so it had sat in his vault, waiting for the right owner. Huaijin reached out and accepted the branch.

The moment his fingers closed around it, the soul-force within sang against his own, and a flicker of satisfaction crossed his features. Deep within his dantian, his two lightning seeds stirred, trembling, hungry, drawn to the branch's power like moths to flame.

"Thank you, Senior." Huaijin stored the treasure away with a respectful bow. A trace of envy flickered across Yun Pinyu's face as she watched. She'd had her eye on that branch for years, begging her father to let her have it. But she was only at the fifth level, Tier 2 upper grade resources were already beyond her reach. Tier 3 might as well have been a fantasy.

"You're welcome." Yun Zhaoxi's tone turned lighter, almost teasing.

"Next time you visit the Yun Clan, be sure to stay for tea. I won't see you out myself, but again, my deepest thanks." He clasped Huaijin's shoulder firmly, a gesture of warmth and respect, then turned and walked away.

"Nanzhi, Pinyu, see Fellow Daoist Huaijin out for me." The patriarch's voice drifted back as his figure receded, and Huaijin could feel the weight of grief and weariness in those departing footsteps. The man carried a burden that no amount of treasure could ease. If not for the Zheng Clan, Yun Chaoge would still be alive. And over the decades, Yun Clan members had continued to perish under mysterious circumstances, accidents, cultivation mishaps, sudden disappearances that no one could explain. War was inevitable.

The Yun Clan couldn't stomach this humiliation forever. They were simply waiting. Biding their time. Sharpening their blades for the day when vengeance would finally be within reach. Having fulfilled Yun Chaoge's final wish, Huaijin was ready to take his leave. But to his surprise, Ning Nanzhi announced that she, too, needed to return to Guiyun Prefecture, and that she would travel with him. Yun Pinyu's eyes narrowed as she watched the two of them, suspicion blooming like poisonous flowers.

'Nanzhi. You're not actually into him, are you?' Her transmission was sharp with disbelief.

'Don't be ridiculous. Just tell Uncle I'm leaving, alright?' Ning Nanzhi dismissed her with a wave and fell into step beside Huaijin, leaving Yun Pinyu standing alone in the courtyard, the wind tugging at her sleeves.

"Seriously?!" she muttered under her breath.

"Two hours and you're already that cozy… hopeless!" Despite her personal dislike of Huaijin's reserved personality, Yun Pinyu had to admit, he was the ideal cultivation partner by any measure. Strong. Talented. Bound for greatness. Daughters of Tier 3 clans rarely married outside the family. But rules bent when the groom was someone like Huaijin, a prodigy with limitless potential and a future that gleamed like polished jade. Such connections meant networks, alliances, resources.

No Tier 3 power in their right mind would stand in the way. Huaijin hadn't expected Ning Nanzhi to propose traveling together. But the invitation had come, and he found himself pleased. He summoned Haihu (Purple Tiger) and asked a question, "Do you have a contracted beast of your own? Or would you like to ride with me?"

"Dream on." Ning Nanzhi rolled her eyes, but there was no real venom in it. She reached into her spirit beast pouch and called her own companion. A Silver Snow Leopard materialized beside her, tall and powerfully built, its coat pure white without a single blemish. A faint aura of frost clung to its fur, and its amber eyes gleamed with the pride of a creature that knew its own worth. At the second level of Tier 2, it was no slouch.

Her father had gifted her the leopard when she was young, and she had raised it with care, nurturing it all the way to its current realm. Haihu's amethyst eyes swept over the leopard with undisguised disdain. The Silver Snow Leopard returned the look in kind, though wisdom, born of the gap in cultivation, kept it at a respectful distance from the tiger. Ning Nanzhi swung gracefully onto the leopard's back. Side by side, they set off.

Huaijin found that traveling with a beautiful companion, and a capable one at that, did wonders for his mood. Haihu, too, seemed to take pleasure in occasionally darting close to the Silver Snow Leopard, teasing it with feigned charges before veering away with a low, rumbling chuckle. The road stretched before them, and as they rode, conversation flowed naturally. They spoke of cultivation, of family, of their hopes and regrets. With each mile, the distance between them shrank.

With each exchange, their understanding deepened. By the time the sun began its descent, Huaijin had come to a quiet realization: Ning Nanzhi matched his ideals in nearly every way. Not that he would ever admit aloud that he was drawn to her beauty and her mastery of formations.