"However, since the Yu Clan has been planning for tens of thousands of years, they must be thoroughly prepared," Ji Yuan said in a deep voice. "To seize opportunities from their hands and find the chance for your breakthrough will absolutely not be an easy task."
Unless a Golden Core grand cultivator personally intervened, it might be possible to find a sliver of hope amidst the chaos. Before that, they could do nothing but quietly await the arrival of the final moment. It was likely that even the various factions gathered here were silently waiting, unwilling to rashly attack the Yu Clan before the objects of their schemes surfaced. Since what the other party had planned for tens of thousands of years could create supreme heavenly gods, it could just as easily lead to instant ascension. Cultivators struggled forward, climbing towards the mountaintop, all for the sake of one day achieving immortal status and living in harmony with heaven and earth forever. If not for the fact that only unverified rumors existed thus far, even great cultivators would have personally descended here.
"Judging by the appearance of the Yu Clan and the Xi Mu Clan, there isn't much time left," Jiang Yun Zhou mused for a moment, then looked at the two before him. "You two had best leave this place as soon as possible to avoid being caught in the aftermath." Once the final moment arrived, even cultivators of the third realm would struggle to guarantee their safety. By then, with Golden Core grand cultivators making their move, even he would not be entirely confident in protecting Ji Yuan. Not to mention, after guessing his master's intentions, he also needed to do his utmost to try and find a chance to break through his current realm.
"I'm afraid we can't leave," Tang Mu Huan said, his expression darkening, his eyes flickering repeatedly. Currently, Jue Xian Valley allowed entry but not exit, at least for ordinary cultivators. To break these rules, even with the influence of Ming Xin Xuan, it was still insufficient.
"This is a bit troublesome. We can't just force our way out, can we..." Ji Yuan frowned, also just remembering this issue. To leave this place without hindrance would require at least a powerful backing. While Ming Xin Xuan was quite respectable in Luoxia County, it held little renown in Feiyun County. Even by revealing their status as honored guests of Ming Xin Xuan, Jue Xian Valley would not permit them to leave.
"If you wish to leave, I can take you out," Lu Yin said from the table, tilting its head and smiling with narrowed eyes. Upon hearing this, several people were surprised, not only by its ability to lead them out but also by its motives. After all, such an act seemed to go against the wishes of the Yu Clan, who in the current situation, would prefer as many outsiders in the valley as possible. If the Xi Mu Clan's words were true, the more outsiders in the valley, the more vital energy the Yu Clan could harvest, thereby escalating the chaos.
"I am a spirit born from the mountain range, not born from the Yu Clan," it said, blinking its eyes before letting out a 'pfft' of laughter. These humans were so amusing, always coming up with strange thoughts. Just as humans could not comprehend their relationships, they could not understand human thoughts either.
"If that is the case, you should leave as soon as possible," Jiang Yun Zhou said in a deep voice. As he learned more and more, a sense of unease grew within him, becoming increasingly palpable. The same feeling was present in Ji Yuan and Tang Mu Huan; as time passed, they gradually felt a growing apprehension, as if something could happen at any moment.
"Little fellow, how do we leave here?" Ji Yuan looked down and gently tapped the spirit's head. Hearing this, Lu Yin chuckled and pointed behind the Yu Clan's village, a forbidden area within Jue Xian Valley.
"We can leave from behind the canyon!" it said, shaking its head and swaying its body, acting as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. However, the others couldn't help but freeze, greatly doubting if they had heard correctly. That was the Yu Clan's forbidden ground, protected by numerous formations and guarded by many powerful individuals. Rumor had it that a being comparable to a Golden Core cultivator was in secluded cultivation within the forbidden area, and not a single ripple could escape its perception. Compared to this, forcefully breaking out from the city walls might actually have a higher chance of success.
"It's not as terrifying as you imagine. There are a few paths that even the Yu Clan doesn't know about, which can lead out from the direction of the forbidden area," Lu Yin tilted its head, seemingly unconcerned about the difficulty of the task. Normally, it frequently used these secret passages to come and go from Jue Xian Valley without being discovered by anyone.
This piqued Ji Yuan's curiosity, as there were apparently places within Jue Xian Valley that even the Yu Clan was unaware of. Considering the Yu Clan had thrived here for nearly ten thousand years, they should have managed Jue Xian Valley without any flaws.
"What do you think?" Tang Mu Huan looked over, asking for Ji Yuan's opinion. He had heard a great deal about the young man's experiences, including the scheme that had helped the Qian family turn things around, proving his capability. This was precisely what Tang Mu Huan lacked, so he instinctively sought Ji Yuan's view.
"The risk is too great. If such secret passages truly exist, it would be best to use them when the situation becomes chaotic," Ji Yuan pondered for a moment before finally making his decision. Leaving now via the secret passages carried too high a risk of being discovered. What was a clear path for Lu Yin might be different for them. Therefore, it would be better to wait until the situation in the valley became chaotic, even when Golden Core grand cultivators made their move, and all parties were in disarray. By then, even if someone were to intercept them, their strength would not be as great. Those with higher cultivation realms would have been forced to join the fray and would not have the time to attend to other matters.
Lu Yin remained indifferent to this, stating that when they wished to leave, they could simply inform it. With at least a potential escape route secured, Ji Yuan and the others settled down with peace of mind. Although the various factions in the valley harbored their own intentions, they did not openly reveal them, and the situation remained relatively calm. However, over the next few days, many factions came to visit, clearly indicating that Jiang Yun Zhou's identity had spread among them. Seeing this, Ji Yuan simply moved into Tang Mu Huan's courtyard and, through Lu Yin, learned about the discussions of these visiting factions. Clearly, no one paid attention to a small spirit, and coupled with Lu Yin's own abilities, it allowed Ji Yuan to learn a great deal and uncover some interesting matters. However, the more he understood, the more he felt that things were not as simple as they seemed, and the Yu Clan did not appear to be harboring any hidden ambitions as the Xi Mu Clan had claimed.