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Milin Commandery. Milin Commandery was the stronghold of the Yu family and the most fertile mortal land in all of Lake Wangyue. At its height, it had sustained five hundred and sixty thousand people, but over the passing decades, that number had dwindled to just two hundred and twenty thousand. The terrain here was flat and the soil rich—a vast, fertile plain. Unfortunately, after the Yu clan lost Yu Mugao's restraint, not only did the mortals plunge into utter misery, but most of the land and mineral veins fell into the hands of the clan elders and outsiders. An Zheyan rode the wind through the sky. Though he was an old man, he could not help looking radiant with joy. No one could blame him. His life had been a tempestuous cycle of highs and lows. First, he made a breakthrough and wiped out the Ji family, sired a son of exceptional talent, and rose to the pinnacle of his fortunes. Then Yu Mugao and Yu Xiaogui slaughtered his clan and killed his son, forcing him to flee into a mortal household just to scrape by. In the end, he threw his lot in with the Li family, breaking through again and again, turning over a new leaf, and taking another wife to bear more children. Now, he was leading a great host of cultivators back onto the Yu family's soil. Sixty-seven years felt like a fleeting dream, bringing tears to his eyes. "Jingming... Even though I'm borrowing the Li family's might, this humiliation has truly been paid back... In a few more years, every bit of this blood debt will be settled in full!" He murmured under his breath, "You were the one with true foresight..." Back then, his gifted son had ushered him into the secret passage, repeatedly urging him to seek refuge with the Li family. An Zheyan had long thought he was walking straight into a trap, but in time he had come around to the idea, and eventually felt deeply grateful for it. Milin Peak gradually came into view. Several Yu family cultivators flew up, only to be stopped at the perimeter. An Zheyan swaggered closer, head held high with his hands clasped behind his back, deliberately keeping silent as he halted before the grand formation. He swept a glance across it and chuckled. "Well, well. Who would have thought?" A voice, old and exceedingly humble, came from within the silvery-white formation: "Greetings, Lord An... May I ask why you have come? The covenant of the three houses is still fresh before our eyes... Surely this is inappropriate!" Just as An Zheyan was about to speak, a stifled grunt suddenly echoed from inside the formation, followed immediately by an incredulous shriek. He watched in astonishment as the Yu family's main formation opened with startling ease. A man flew up from below, holding a complex, mysterious formation disc in both hands. He said respectfully: "Chi of Zaishan greets the exalted immortal clan! The Yu clan's grand formation is here. Senior Clan Elder Yu Muli has already been slain by this humble one!" The Jade Court Guards exchanged bewildered glances, all rendered somewhat speechless. An Zheyan was stunned for a moment, but said nothing and descended on the wind. The man from the Chi clan followed behind him with the disc raised in both hands. As the party landed, there were a full twenty-two Qi Refinement cultivators among the Jade Court Guards—more than the Yu family members standing on the peak. Right before the eyes of the gathered Yu family, An Zheyan took out the Six-Stone Cloud Plate and sneered: "Years ago, the Yu clan plotted against my Patriarch. Today, retribution has found Yu Muxian. Still, considering he was an exceptional figure, I deliver this spiritual device to bury in place of his body, so that he will not end up without a grave." At these words, Li Wushao, who followed behind draped in black robes, quietly rolled his eyes. He and An Zheyan had surveyed the lake's mineral veins together in the past and shared some familiarity. He thought to himself: *He must have learned those words somewhere. That clodhopper could never come up with that on his own...* Even so, Li Wushao played his part dutifully. His expression was grim, several dark shadows darting back and forth beneath his black robes, and his surging Foundation Establishment aura erupted, forcing the opposing Yu family cultivators to step back in unison. Terror gripped the crowd. No one even dared step forward to take the battered Six-Stone Cloud Plate from his hands. Their dread was not grief for Yu Muxian, but panic at the collapse of their greatest backer and awe at the Li family's terrifying assertiveness. An Zheyan struck a full, imposing posture, gave the man of the Chi clan an approving look, and then took to the air with his retinue. Drifting away into the sky, they simply washed their hands of the place and left. Once they were gone, the crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief, turning their eyes in unison toward the Chi clan cultivator holding the formation disc, each with a different look on their face. The Chi clan cultivator paused. His expression unchanged, he walked boldly back into the courtyard. With a beaming smile, he cupped his hands to the man standing at the center and said amiably: "So Yu Muxian is dead... Patriarch, why did you conceal such vital news without reporting it?" His words made the central figure, Yu Chengyi, look utterly grim. Yu Chengyi was now middle-aged, yet his cultivation remained mediocre. Suppressing his fury and dread, he replied in a low voice: "What are you saying, Guest Elder Chi... I had no knowledge of this matter. How could I have concealed it?" He had barely finished speaking when someone rushed up from below, terror-stricken, shouting in haste: "Patriarch! Patriarch! Guest Elder Lu has rallied behind the Third Young Master and seized the immortal peak outside!" Both Guest Elder Chi and Yu Chengyi blanched, exchanging uneasy glances. Before they could speak, another man dashed up and cried: "Patriarch... the external vassal clans... they've all started fighting!" Yu Chengyi's face was ashen. Looking toward Guest Elder Chi, he whispered: "Lord Chi, given the situation... only by joining hands can you and I preserve our lives..." *** Meanwhile, An Zheyan flew through the air, his mind swirling with emotion. Looking back, he wanted to say something, but a lump caught in his throat, and no words came out. After a glare from Li Wushao, he gave a dry chuckle and sheepishly rode the wind onward. As they flew over a stretch of forest, he seemed to recall something suddenly and said awkwardly: "My lord, allow me to step down for a moment." Li Wushao could not be bothered to care and gave a slight nod. An Zheyan descended on the wind, landing in a courtyard filled with orange trees. Years ago, he had passed through here and taken shelter. He vaguely remembered receiving a bowl of duck soup from the mortal couple who lived here. He still remembered the taste, and could not resist stopping to see how they fared. To his surprise, the house was in ruins, covered in dust and cobwebs. An Zheyan thought to himself: *Having received a piece of gold from me, they must have moved into town to enjoy their wealth.* Not wanting to keep that gloomy hook snake waiting too long, he was about to depart when a sweep of his spiritual sense brought him to a dead stop. He kicked the front door open. *Crash!* As the door flew open, the interior was instantly laid bare. Dust was everywhere, weeds choked the floor, and a few hares darted across the yard. An Zheyan strode inside, startling a flock of birds into flight. Several hoes lay scattered in the courtyard, beside a small yet deep pit, as though something had once been buried there. He pushed open the door to the kitchen. A skeleton lay across the stove—a smaller, delicate frame. Both hands were wedged in the stone crevice, the flesh long rotted away, while an iron lock still hung from the window. An Zheyan said nothing. Turning around, he entered the inner room. Another skeleton lay upon the bed. The entire frame of the bed had rotted through. This skeleton was larger, scattered across the floor. The spine was broken into several segments, scarred with the marks of blade chops. An Zheyan walked out of the courtyard in silence. With a wave of his sleeve, the entire homestead collapsed in an instant. He rose on the wind, his expression turning terrifyingly grim. Without a single word, he led his companions onward. Li Wushao watched clearly from midair, but said nothing. Though An Zheyan had partially avenged his deep-seated blood feud today, not a trace of joy lingered within him. The flesh on his cheeks sagged like that of an old dog, his eyes dim. He flew all the way into the mountains, and only after passing through the formation did he utter a single sentence: "Damned world!"