Eternal Tale

On the small boat, Ji Yan’s gaze was deep as a large sea map hovered in the air, with islands densely packed like stars in the sky, following the boat’s course.

Tian Li stood quietly to the side; it was rare to see Ji Yan idle. His path of immortality was also incredibly strange and incomprehensible...

Ji Yan slowly took out the Void Transmission Disk, engaging Nangong Heling’s divine sense.

”Ah, Senior Ji Yan.”

”Miss Nangong, I mean no disturbance, but Crossing the World once mentioned that you’ve been quite reclusive at the Dao Academy for the past millennium. Have you encountered any friendships or conflicts?”

”Yes, I have two friends, whom even my eldest brother has met.”

”Could you tell me their names?”

”Feng Jinyu, Mu Qingyao.”

”Miss Nangong, can you recall the exact time?”

”Senior Ji Yan, what do you mean by this?”Nangong Heling’s expression turned slightly cold, as if she had changed her demeanor, ”Do you mean there’s a problem with them, or is someone targeting me?”

”Just some speculations, Miss Nangong. I hope you can tell me truthfully, I mean no offense.”

”Alright, I met Feng Jinyu a hundred years after entering the Dao Academy, and Mu Qingyao six hundred years after.”

”Good. After returning from Crossing the World, did you ever leave the Dao Academy to relax, especially when Crossing the World wasn’t around?”

”No, but I did attend a lecture by an elder a few days ago.”

”Did anything else happen?”

”Yes!”

Nangong Heling frowned slightly and began to recount the events leading up to it.

Ji Yan stood with one hand behind his back, his eyes gleaming, gazing at the vast sea in the distance, as if his eyes could encompass the universe. After a stick of incense, Nangong Heling had finished her story.

”Miss Nangong, this matter is too coincidental. Feng Jinyu was just expelled from the mountain, followed by Xu Chen, who mocked him and was about to fight, when Chi Ye conveniently arrived.”

”Could it be that Xu Chen was always observing Feng Jinyu from behind? That’s problem one.”

”If Chi Ye’s status is so high, there’s no need for him to personally seek Xu Chen. A transmission disk would suffice. That’s problem two.”

”Those people just happened to block Feng Jinyu for three days, possibly waiting for you to come down the mountain. Even Mu Qingyao’s character had been figured out, leading to an inevitable conflict. That’s problem three.”

”You mentioned you reported your name on the mountain. When you appeared at the foot of the mountain, someone should have inquired about you.”

”They are Void Refinement and Divine Transformation cultivators; they couldn’t be so clumsy. Yet they openly investigated, attracting the Dao Child’s attention. That’s problem four.”

”Since you all could see Chi Ye’s defiance and ruthlessness after being suppressed by the Dao Child, everyone must have noticed the public conflict between you and her, which is reasonable. That’s problem five.”

...

Ji Yan’s eyes grew even deeper, while Nangong Heling’s brows trembled slightly, remaining silent, standing on the sidelines. Indeed, there were significant issues and loopholes in this matter.

”So, from the information Miss Nangong provided, everyone around you, except the Dao Child, seems to have some issues.”

Ji Yan’s words were startling, his expression turning somewhat grim, ”Miss Nangong, has anyone invited you out, or challenged you due to a conflict?”

Nangong Heling’s expression shook, even feeling a slight tingling on her scalp... Impossible.

A voice from Qing Ling seemed to suddenly appear by her ear, yet it was like a thunderclap in her mind.

”Shall we go play on the outskirts of Immortal Island this year? I heard there are many wonders there.”

...

Nangong Heling’s pupils trembled, her small hands involuntarily clenching, ”Senior Ji Yan... Yes, but she just mentioned it casually. Feng Jinyu also invited me, just words among friends, no other intentions...”

Her voice became somewhat unstable, even slightly chaotic, not knowing why she felt the need to explain.

”Miss Nangong, after this matter, there are many possible actions, whether friendship or conflict. If Feng Jinyu and Xu Chen encounter danger in a battle, will you save them or not?”

”If in the secret realm of the Dao Academy, Chi Ye and Mu Qingyao fall out, will you get involved or not? Or if she targets you directly, due to that conflict, she might deliberately not take a stand.”

”But those followers will certainly cause some trouble to show off, even leading the people behind them to drag you into a vortex for no reason...”

”This matter might not even be one party scheming against you, but two or three, each with their own motives. You have too many things they want.”

Ji Yan sneered, his eyes flashing with brilliance, ”Miss Nangong, because you’ve been too reclusive for a millennium, this sudden opportunity forced them to hastily set up a plan, but it left too many flaws.”

”Senior Ji Yan, those two would never have a problem.”

”If it were that easy to see through, it would be too much of a failure. Miss Nangong is intelligent, I hope you can view this from the outside, always be cautious.”

Ji Yan’s voice was calm, his demeanor as if stating a trivial matter, ”I’ve heard there’s a race in the grand world called the Ghost Face Clan, often when they act, the deceased only realize it was their most trusted people.”

”Heling has learned... Thank you... Senior Ji Yan.”

”These deductions are just guesses based on what Miss Nangong told me. Everything should be based on your will. However, when we were on Trash Island, we already had some clues; their real target is you.”

”This matter... I hope you won’t tell my eldest brother, as it would lead to many deaths. Let me decide for myself, at least let me find out the truth first.”

Nangong Heling took a deep breath, her pupils beginning to show the Yin-Yang Immortal Eyes! Her aura turned extremely cold, ”I have the ability to seek the help of a Venerable.”

”Hmm, then I won’t disturb you further.”

”Alright.”

Both sides fell completely silent, a chill spreading through the world, perhaps just because the season was a bit cold.

...

Ji Yan continued to quietly study the sea map on the small boat, one hand behind his back, listening to the sound of the waves.

However... Tian Li’s eyes were almost shrinking into two small dots, his mouth agape, but no sound came from his throat, shocked to the point of numbness.

He had been listening by the side, and upon hearing someone speak rudely to Miss Nangong, Tian Li thought of blocking that woman when she left the Dao Academy and giving her a shock from the garbage recycling plant.

But he didn’t expect Ji Yan to analyze so thoroughly and logically.

He couldn’t fathom that there were so many hidden dangers behind it...!

”Ji Yan, impressive.” Tian Li’s eyes were filled with admiration, truly convinced from the bottom of his heart. The exaggerated expression gradually faded, and the long-suppressed four words finally escaped his throat.

”Hehe, this is just to keep Miss Nangong vigilant, but Crossing the World once said she is inexperienced, and going through some things is beneficial. We’ll handle the rest.”

Ji Yan spoke indifferently, in his heart such schemes were mere child’s play, not worth mentioning, with flaws almost written on their faces, ”Buy those immortal slaves, and then purchase a few blessed lands to gift to the Dao Academy.”

”Alright!” Tian Li nodded blankly, doing whatever Ji Yan said without thinking or questioning further, his mind completely overwhelmed.

The small boat drifted further with the waves, like a beam of light disappearing into the vast, tumultuous sea.

...

At the same time, by the great lake of Immaculate Immortal Ridge, five figures sat, each looking more serious than the last, their breathing heavy.

”I hereby announce, the first Immaculate Immortal Ridge fishing competition, damn it, officially begins!”

”Moo moo moo!!”

”Brother Xun, I don’t have any bait, I don’t have any bait!!”

”Hahaha... I have my preparations, Brother Dog, perhaps you should just watch from the side.”

”Hehe, factory owner, a million years ago, I was known as the angler of the heavens. I never thought I’d meet a worthy opponent today, I must show my prowess, I won’t hold back!”

...

Five chairs, five figures leaning forward, eyes with a hint of sharpness, casting long lines to catch big fish, even exchanging a sly glance, none willing to concede.

Mo Fuyang stood smiling behind them, thinking to himself: The Dao Ancestor rarely has such an interest, it’s an honor to accompany him, he thought: The Dao Ancestor must be the best!

Qing Li and Qing Wan stood guarding from afar, exchanging a smile, their eyes showing an inexplicable emotion.

Their clan had guarded Immaculate Immortal Ridge for a thousand years, finally welcoming the factory owner back!

At this moment, Immortal Absolute was still cultivating his physical body at the center of the lake. He casually caught a fish not even the size of his palm, and his eyes gradually fell into contemplation. Did this fish really need to be caught...?