A New Journey

Yan Yun’s coffers were already more than ample, and before her departure, a communication token would also fall into her hands. Moreover, her leaving did not signify the cessation of her collaboration with the Yunhua Sect.

She intended to entrust the poison recipes to the Yunhua Sect and her loyal confidants remaining in the Purple Abyss Pavilion, allowing them to continue their preparation.

Each year, she would also dispatch emissaries to deliver new poison recipes back to the Yunhua Sect, for there was no end to the wealth that could be amassed.

After bidding farewell to everyone, Yan Yun stepped out of the pavilion.

She first sought out Xie Yuyan and Bai Zhihua. Bai Zhihua still possessed Yan Yun’s token, so they merely exchanged their divine sense imprints. Xie Yuyan did not have one, so Yan Yun gave her another.

There was no need for prolonged melancholy, for this was not a permanent separation.

After bidding farewell to the two of them, Yan Yun immediately summoned Wen Meng and the other three.

They had long been aware of Yan Yun’s plans, so upon receiving her notification, they promptly began their preparations.

Only after informing these four did Yan Yun proceed to Su Muyu’s abode.

At that moment, Su Muyu sat in her room, her face etched with sorrow, quietly awaiting Yan Yun’s arrival.

As a knock sounded at the door, Su Muyu instantly waved her hand, opening it, and Yan Yun, grinning mischievously, stepped inside.

“Mother.”

Su Muyu ignored her.

Yan Yun gave an awkward laugh, then softly closed the door and moved to sit beside Su Muyu.

Su Muyu was feeling quite dejected at this moment.

“Can’t you avoid taking such risks?” Su Muyu asked.

Yan Yun sighed softly.

“Mother, you know me. If I were content with a tranquil life, I wouldn’t yearn for cultivation.”

Su Muyu had spoken out of maternal affection, knowing Yan Yun’s personality all too well.

“You’re right. Then go forth and do what you must. You are a bird flown from its cage, a fish returned to the sea. You’ve grown up, with your own will and ideas, and Mother can no longer demand you adhere strictly to my wishes.” Su Muyu sighed.

Yan Yun was about to speak further, but Su Muyu immediately embraced her.

“Mother?” Yan Yun was taken aback.

“Never mind. I am simply very worried, you know? Worried that one day, you won’t be able to bear it.” Su Muyu’s voice was choked with emotion.

No matter how grand Yan Yun’s words, as a mother, Su Muyu could not truly set her heart at ease.

Yan Yun said nothing more, instead quietly embracing Su Muyu.

After their embrace, Su Muyu promptly released her.

“Go now, quickly finish what you need to do, then spend a good night with Yao’er. Once this Immortal Dao Assembly concludes, she’s certainly heading to the Righteous Dao Alliance for cultivation. Meeting again after that won’t be so simple.”

Su Muyu reminded her.

Yan Yun grinned, then handed Su Muyu a token identical to Jiang Yao’s before finally departing from Su Muyu’s residence.

Farewells are often melancholic, yet in this life and the next, who does not experience partings and reunions? Separation is the normal state of life.

Finally, Yan Yun returned to her dwelling, where Jiang Yao was waiting by the door, her emotions visibly stirring.

“What’s wrong? Why the long face?” Yan Yun gently pinched Jiang Yao’s beautiful cheek.

Jiang Yao pressed her lips together, then, on a sudden impulse, blurted out, “I—let’s go together.”

This declaration was clearly born of emotion, not reason.

“What foolishness are you speaking? If you were to follow me now, it would only tie my hands. Do you think I look down on you? If you accompany me now, I would be hindered at every turn.

Do you understand? Once I establish myself within the Dao Alliance’s territory, if you still wish to seek me out, I will not refuse you.” Yan Yun offered a wry smile.

Jiang Yao immediately hung her head, tears welling up.

From a rational perspective, her best choice after the assembly would be to head to the Righteous Dao Alliance for cultivation.

“Then, you absolutely must find time to visit me every year! Otherwise, if I get lonely, beware, I might just cuckold you!” Jiang Yao threatened fiercely.

Yan Yun chuckled.

“Here, this is the finest communication artifact I could procure. As long as we remain in the lower realm and our connection isn’t blocked by external forces, we can communicate. However, if the distance is too great, there might be a delay, though it shouldn’t exceed three days.” Yan Yun handed Jiang Yao an exquisitely crafted token.

This item was undoubtedly the best communication artifact currently available on the Tianchen Continent, valued at over a million spirit stones.

For a functional treasure of this kind to command such a price was truly astonishing.

After all, most cultivators remained within a single region, finding the communication artifacts provided by their sects more than sufficient, all without spending a single coin.

“Good, then. Remember, when I send you a message, you must reply immediately upon receiving it. If something comes up and I might be unreachable for an extended period, you must notify me in advance.” Jiang Yao stated with utmost seriousness.

Yan Yun nodded.

“Don’t worry, my dear wife. Return to your room, wash up, and await my return. Tonight, your husband intends to dote on you thoroughly.”

Inside the pavilion, a gentle mist swirled. Jiang Yao had even taken a bath, awaiting Yan Yun’s return.

She lay on the bed, a thin quilt covering her body, her face clouded with worry.

“Oh, you really did take a bath, waiting for your husband’s affections, eh?”

Jiang Yao snorted coldly.

“I’m taking pity on you because you’re leaving, so I’ll indulge you.”

“Yes, yes, of course. But your competition hasn’t even started yet. What if you can’t get out of bed tomorrow?” Yan Yun lifted a corner of the quilt, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she teased.

“Get lost! I think it’s you who won’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow, and then you won’t be able to leave!” Jiang Yao retorted, unwilling to be outdone.

Yan Yun stroked her chin, then leaned close to Jiang Yao’s ear and whispered.

“Wife, want to try something exciting tonight?”

Jiang Yao froze.

“Exciting? What’s exciting?”

Yan Yun chuckled, then produced a peculiar item from her person.

Upon seeing it, Jiang Yao’s face immediately flushed crimson.

“This… where did you get this thing? This is far too embarrassing!”

Yan Yun spread her hands.

“Do you truly believe the women of this world are entirely demure? People have needs, especially those who are married. When their husbands are away, don’t they have to resolve things themselves? These items have existed since ancient times, making them not difficult to acquire.” Yan Yun said with a wicked grin.

She had obtained it long ago but had always been too embarrassed to bring it out.

But today, she had summoned the courage.

“It won’t harm my body, will it?” Jiang Yao asked with some apprehension, for both of them were still virgins.

“Don’t worry, its length won’t cause any damage. Do I look like that kind of person to you?” Yan Yun stated, feigning seriousness.

Jiang Yao let out a soft laugh.

“Heh heh, I don’t care, I’m just afraid you won’t be able to handle it.”

That remark, ironically, made Yan Yun blush.

“Enough chatter, we’ll find out once we try.”

Yan Yun quickly shed her clothes and, brimming with excitement, burrowed into the quilt.

However, very soon, a sudden shriek erupted from the room.

“Ah! Oh, my! I’m done for, I truly won’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow!”

“Ah! I told you it wouldn’t work!” Jiang Yao responded.

After that, only the melodious sounds of two women echoed through the room.

That night, the two truly went wild.

Around four in the morning the next day, with the sky not yet fully bright, Yan Yun lightly kissed Jiang Yao’s cheek, then, her legs feeling somewhat weak, climbed out of the quilt.

Seeing Yan Yun rise, Jiang Yao immediately rolled over, turning her back to her, daring not to look at Yan Yun.

Yan Yun began to dress, and once fully attired, she turned to face Jiang Yao.

“Wife, I… I’m leaving now.”

Jiang Yao remained silent.

“Alas!” Yan Yun sighed softly, then opened the door and stepped out.

Upon emerging, she saw Wen Meng and the other three.

They had all been waiting outside for half an hour.

“Sister Yan Yun, we are all ready.”

Yan Yun nodded.

“Let’s go.”

With that, the five of them followed behind Yan Yun, and while the sky was not yet fully bright, they flew out from Mount Liuyang.

After Yan Yun and her companions departed, Jiang Yao rushed out from within the room, her footsteps quick and urgent.

She was about to call out to Yan Yun, but the words caught in her throat.

“Alas! She’s no longer a man, so why must she bear all of this alone?” Jiang Yao murmured, her voice heavy with sadness, as she watched Yan Yun fly into the distance.

Just then, Su Muyu’s door next door also opened.

She too watched the departing Yan Yun with a sorrowful expression, and only after Yan Yun’s figure completely vanished did she turn to look at Jiang Yao beside her.

“Yao’er, we must cultivate even harder. Yan Yun is doing all of this for our safety,” Su Muyu said.

How could Jiang Yao not know this?

Yan Yun and her group’s departure was very sudden; apart from those they had informed, no one else realized Yan Yun was making a getaway.

The five of them did not leave Mount Liuyang openly. To prevent anyone from lying in wait outside, they all changed into casual clothes and dispersed.

Yan Yun herself even disguised her appearance and concealed her aura.

As soon as they flew out, a divine sense swept past them from outside.

‘Indeed, Divine Venerable cultivators are secretly lying in wait outside,’ Yan Lingyun remarked.

‘That’s normal; it would be abnormal if they weren’t. Alright, the moment we leave Jiang Country, we must first make a trip to the King of Jiang Country. We cannot let their schemes succeed,’ Yan Yun said coldly.

After evading the scrutiny of the powerful individuals outside,

Yan Yun and her four companions regrouped.

“Pavilion Master, where shall we go first?” Mu Wenjie inquired.

Yan Yun immediately stated a destination.

“The Royal Capital. I still have some matters to attend to there. Once that’s done, we will depart directly from Jiang Country and head to Xiang Country, which falls under the Dao Alliance’s jurisdiction. As for what we’ll do there, we’ll discuss it when we arrive; I can’t be certain yet.”

Thus, the five quickly vanished into the horizon.

As the day’s activities resumed, the various sectarian forces that had been monitoring Yan Yun finally realized that she had fled.

With her escape, finding Yan Yun again would prove exceedingly difficult, for they were exposed while she remained hidden.