Xiao Rong nodded like a pecking chick.
"I want it, I want it! Boss, do you still have another one in your hand?"
"You little tree spirit, immortal artifacts are not something you can get just because you want them. Ran Ran my child, that blossom you just unleashed, was it released by this immortal artifact?"
Yu Weifeng cautiously cast his gaze toward the Nine Lotus Ring.
Yao Ranran frowned slightly. "Who are you calling a child?"
Zheng!
A sharp sound echoed as Qin Lüsha flicked out a sword blade with one hand, piercing through the blue bricks in front of Yu Weifeng. The sudden gust of force made Yu Weifeng stumble backward several steps, his eyes filled with sharp hostility as he glared at her.
"Qin Louzhu, do you not know my relationship with Ran Ran? She is my child, one of the Yu family!"
Catching the frown lingering on Yao Ranran's face, Qin Lüsha raised her soft sword and coldly said,
"With just you? You are not worthy of being our Xiānzhǔ's father. If you dare to speak one more word, I will immediately take your head!"
"What bold words!" Yu Weifeng's handsome face darkened with anger.
Tang Qianqing added, "Why not let me take his head right now and present it as a congratulatory gift to our Xiānzhǔ for unifying the Eastern Wilderness?"
Yu Weifeng: "…"
"Tang Qianqing, are you Miao Yun Sect planning to betray the Central Domain?"
Patriarch Xing, supported by Xing family disciples, swept his gaze over Yao Ranran with deep resentment before pointing at Tang Qianqing.
Tang Qianqing's lively almond-shaped eyes swept over him a few times before she laughed softly.
"Since when has the Central Domain counted our Miao Yun Sect as part of it? Xiānzhǔ, shall I take this Patriarch Xing's head as well?"
Her sincere gaze turned toward Yao Ranran, awaiting her answer.
Yao Ranran blinked in surprise. How did the topic suddenly get redirected back to her?
Taking advantage of her daze, Patriarch Xing's expression changed drastically. He turned to Yuan Kong and his disciple at the side of the inn and shouted,
"Miao Yun Sect betrays the Central Domain, and this Eastern Wilderness witch dares provoke us here. Will you monks of Guan Fan Temple just stand and watch?"
Yuan Kong's expression froze, as if just realizing something. His palms came together as he intoned sadly,
"Patriarch Xing speaks the truth. We cannot simply watch this happen."
The Xing clan members' faces lit up with joy. As long as the abbot of Guan Fan Temple and the Fózǐ were willing to act, they would not lose to this witch!
"Disciple, quickly turn your back. If we do not look, then nothing is happening."
Yuan Kong turned around first, his voice calm as still water, instructing the novices of Guan Fan Temple and Mu Jialing to turn their backs as well.
The Xing family: "…"
Yu Weifeng: "…"
Yao Ranran: "... Then should we just kill them all?"
Such a favorable situation—doing nothing almost felt like disrespecting the monks of Guan Fan Temple!
Tang Qianqing's eyes flashed brightly. "As Xiānzhǔ commands!"
"You will not succeed!"
Patriarch Xing roared furiously.
Yu Weifeng cried out in shock, "Ran Ran, I am your father! You cannot treat me like this!"
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
Several figures shot out like lightning, brushing past Yu Weifeng and fleeing toward the distant horizon.
Tang Qianqing froze for a moment, then shouted angrily, "Where do you think you're going? After them!"
Miao Yun Sect disciples immediately gave chase after the escaping Xing family.
Yu Weifeng stared in shock as the Xing clan fled, his words suddenly feeling hollow and powerless.
Xiao Rong said with realization, "Boss, only he is left now!"
Yu Weifeng glanced at the monks of Guan Fan Temple who had their backs turned, then at the ruins of Guangxuan Inn. The disciples of Wuxiang Sect shrank together, huddled around Yue Qingsu's body, not daring to raise their heads.
The people of Qingshui County had all pulled far away, trembling with fear.
"Patriarch, it is really only our Yu family left!" one of Yu Weifeng's clan members whispered in terror.
Yu Weifeng forced a strained smile. "Ran Ran, I searched for you for so long. Back when you were at Wuxiang Sect, I even sent people to bring you back. Do you truly not understand your father's intentions?"
"I don't understand. Just deal with him, then we'll leave—"
Before Yao Ranran finished speaking, Yu Weifeng suddenly abandoned his bewildered clansmen and fled into the ground.
Qin Lüsha reacted swiftly, flinging her soft sword after his escaping figure.
"There's no need to bother with him. Let's go back."
Yao Ranran stopped Qin Lüsha from pursuing further.
Though puzzled, Qin Lüsha obediently recalled her sword.
The blade's tip was stained with fresh blood.
"Come aboard, we are leaving at once."
Yao Ranran pulled Xiao Rong onto the flying boat and called out to Qin Lüsha.
Hearing this, Mu Jialing turned back. "Fairy Ranran, where are you going?"
Qin Lüsha landed steadily within the boat. Yao Ranran stood at the bow, resting her chin on her hand as she smiled down at him.
"To the Eastern Wilderness. Fózǐ, would you like to visit as a guest?"
Mu Jialing gazed blankly at her bright, radiant smile and slowly lowered his hands.
"Fairy, may your journey be safe…"
Yao Ranran raised the teleportation staff and replied, "Very well. Fózǐ, take care of yourself."
The phoenix carried Meng Xiangxiang and the others onto the flying boat. A brilliant white light flashed, and under the blue sky, the fiery-red divine beast vanished.
And with it, Yao Ranran's graceful figure disappeared as well.
Mu Jialing's clear, fathomless eyes dimmed with heavy sorrow.
"Amitabha. Disciple, why did you send her away?"
Yuan Kong turned at the right moment, gazing at the layered white clouds in the sky, his expression solemn.
"They call her the Xiānzhǔ of the Eastern Wilderness. Since she wishes to return, your disciple should not stop her."
Mu Jialing lowered his long lashes, his pure and lofty face tinged faintly with melancholy.
Yuan Kong pressed one palm to his chest. "Amitabha. What you said is reasonable, but there is still one matter we did not have the chance to ask her."
Mu Jialing slowly raised his head. "Master, what did you wish to ask?"
Yuan Kong spread his hands, gesturing toward heaven and earth.
"The antidote for the miasma spread by the man in black. If it truly lies in her hands, how will our Guan Fan Temple disciples be freed from the poison?"
Mu Jialing: "…"
Perhaps… he had sent her away a bit too early!
Several streaks of light shot across the horizon. The envoys of the three great families of the Central Domain and ministers of the Southern Domain dynasty finally arrived.
Yuan Kong's serene compassion did not falter as he fingered his prayer beads.
"Amitabha. That Fairy's strength is far beyond what we imagined. No doubt she sensed these forces arriving long ago and so departed ahead of time."
Mu Jialing murmured in disbelief, "Has she truly grown that powerful?"
"Huh? Where is the Eastern Wilderness Xiānzhǔ? Where did they go?"
Tang Qianqing, having failed to catch the Xing clan, returned and stared at the clear, cloud-washed sky with confusion.
"Fózǐ, Master, you have been here all along. Did you see where Xiānzhǔ went?"
Yuan Kong raised a hand and pointed far away. "Most likely eastward."
"Good. Thank you for showing the way, Master!"
Ignoring the belated arrivals of the great powers, Tang Qianqing gathered Miao Yun Sect's disciples and hurried east.
"Master, that eastward path likely leads hundreds of thousands of li away to the Eastern Wilderness. Sect Master Tang intends to fly them across. I fear that will be quite difficult…"