"Yuan’Er, have you encountered any difficulties in your cultivation lately? If there’s anything troubling you, be sure to tell your master."

Li Jizhou slightly shook his head, "Reporting to Master, everything is going well."

"Good, good, then I’m relieved." Lin Caiwei nodded with satisfaction and gently patted his shoulder.

Looking at the disciple in front of her who resembled an old acquaintance, Lin Caiwei showed a look of gratification.

After some thought, she said, "Yuan’Er, you’re not far from Foundation Establishment, have you considered the master’s previous suggestion?"

Li Jizhou nodded, "I have already made up my mind."

Since coming here three years ago, Li Jizhou received fragments of Li Yuan’s memories and knew Lin Caiwei treated him differently.

Beyond the care typical of an elder from the sect, there was also an indescribable expectation.

Though Li Jizhou was reluctant to think much of it, he couldn’t help but notice the resemblance in appearance between Li Yuan and Li Jizhou.

Even their temperaments were similar.

Li Jizhou guessed there might be a connection.

Aside from this, Lin Caiwei often persuaded Li Yuan three years ago,

encouraging him not to waste time here, suggesting he should leave Chu Kingdom after Foundation Establishment and make a venture to Yan Kingdom or even further to the Central Domain!

"Well? Have you accepted the master’s advice?" Lin Caiwei looked at Li Yuan somewhat expectantly.

Li Jizhou nodded.

Now, three years have passed, Shangguan Liuyun likely won’t search for him outside anymore.

The Spirit Vein here is too thin to sufficiently support his cultivation; it’s time to head north and find a suitable cultivation ground.

"Good, good, excellent, Yuan’Er, always remember the words I’ve given you: early success leads to downfall, great achievements are the path to Dao, rising from humble beginnings has no rule, life’s success depends entirely on your efforts!"

Lin Caiwei remarked wistfully.

Those words are lessons from her own experiences.

In her youth, when she was first admitted into the Golden Sun Sect, she was full of vigor and pride but later faced endless adversities.

And young Li Jizhou, initially rejected, advanced steadily, and within thirty years overtook her, eventually leaving her far behind.

She regretted not having the courage to explore Yan Kingdom back then, resulting in wasted years amidst increasingly impoverished resources here, culminating in an unachieved Core Formation.

Those are two big regrets of her life.

The reason she treats Li Yuan like this is because Li Yuan and Li Jizhou are very alike, not only in appearance but also in disposition.

After offering encouragement, Lin Caiwei solemnly brought out a stone box and handed it to Li Jizhou.

"Yuan’Er, this is a token of my sentiment for you, keep it well. Inside is also the Jade Talisman I carried as a disciple of the Golden Sun Sect; if you reach Yan Kingdom, you can use it to seek refuge with the Golden Sun Sect."

Li Jizhou appeared calm, accepted the stone box, and bowed slightly.

Three days later, Li Jizhou bid farewell to the sect and set off northward.

Yet, having flown beyond three thousand miles, he altered course towards the Sea Domain.

Only after stopping at the coast, he released Gua Gua.

Not long after, Gua Gua returned with a Communication Talisman.

"The talisman is undamaged; it seems Qi Yuan is unharmed!"

With this realization, Li Jizhou immediately infiltrated his Divine Sense into the Communication Talisman.

Fifteen messages over three years.

The first message three years ago informed Li Jizhou that Qi Yuan was intercepted and killed by Situ Yan, the vice-chairman of the Alliance, on her return to Yan Kingdom, luckily rescued by Ye Jingyu, avoiding disaster.

Subsequent messages detailed the situation of forming a team and attacking Shangguan Liuyun.

The last message, sent three months ago, indicated the team attacking Shangguan Liuyun had grown to over a hundred people.

All were at the Middle Stage of Core Formation or higher, and held grudges against Shangguan Liuyun.

However, the leader was not Qi Yuan, but Ye Jingyu!

Among the messages was one informing that there had long been secret disputes among the ten gentlemen in the Central Domain, among them three had been at odds with Shangguan Liuyun for a long time, currently leading to more chaos within Yan Kingdom.

Various factions emerged, yet the Righteous Army and Demon Sect both fell silent.

This left Li Jizhou puzzled as to what the major powers in the Central Domain were actually scheming over.

However, it was in fact beneficial to him.

At least Shangguan Liuyun couldn’t possibly focus all his efforts on him.

Having read the Communication Talisman, Li Jizhou crushed it to powder; the talisman could send at most fifteen messages over long distances.

Now, it was useless.

Three months later, Li Jizhou ventured back into the depths of Purple Vine Mountain.

The outside world was too chaotic, but inside the mountain range was relatively quiet, with ample Spiritual Qi, only needing a Spirit Gathering Array to fulfill cultivation needs.

After a few days, a small valley with a Tier Three level Spirit Vein became Li Jizhou’s target.

This valley showcased clear mountains and water, surrounded by mountains on three sides, rich in Spiritual Qi.

An acquaintance, the Tier Three Mid Stage Red Spirit Rhinoceros, showed its good sense, departing upon seeing Gua Gua, leaving the valley to Li Jizhou.

Li Jizhou deployed Gua Gua, four puppets, and now his new card, the Blood Mosquito army, to scout the area for half a month, eventually establishing this place as a future cultivation site.

Similar to the Sea Eye location, three sets of Quasi-Fourth Tier Arrays were set up, effectively shielding from ninety-nine percent of the practitioners within Yan Kingdom.

The remaining one percent would be like Shangguan Liuyun.

However, this place is deep in the wilderness, far from civilization; people such as Shangguan Liuyun usually wouldn’t enter without special circumstances.

Three years ago, having obtained a large reserve of Spirit Stones from Shangguan Liuyun’s maid, Li Jizhou now lacked no resources, allowing the Spirit Gathering Array to operate for even a hundred years without concern.

Subsequently, Li Jizhou began retreat cultivation, safeguarded by Gua Gua, puppets, and the Blood Mosquito army, with the Triple Quasi-Fourth Tier Grand Arrays in protection.

-------

Yan Kingdom’s Righteous Army headquarters, inside Qingshan City.

"Master Fuyu, Shangguan Liuyun’s identity is highly noteworthy, if anything happens to him, it may provoke the intervention of the Shangguan Immortal Race!" Yu Ziyu frowned, hesitantly looking at Ye Jingyu.

Ye Jingyu, clad in a black cloak, unlike his previous arrogance, now exuded profoundness, pondered for a moment before speaking, "Master Yu’s words are reasonable, but he has already harmed many of us, targeting our Righteous Army for extinction."

"Moreover, at this point, it is probably not our concern whether those great figures get involved or not."

Yu Ziyu nodded secretly, then sighed, "Master Fuyu perceives things astutely. However, in name, I still represent the Righteous Army and cannot agree to your proposal, but... I’ll personally join!"

Ye Jingyu nodded slowly, then turned to leave.

The same scene unfolded in many places.

Each was a conversation persuading others to join the forces attacking Shangguan Liuyun.

In three years, Ye Jingyu’s leading faction had confronted Shangguan Liuyun three times.

Despite Shangguan Liuyun’s Golden Core Peak cultivation, possessing a Third Grade Spiritual Treasure and many hidden cards, facing over a dozen Late Stage Core Formation practitioners was challenging.

The first time, he was besieged hastily by the faction and fled in embarrassment.

The second time he led his Alliance forces and defeated the faction.

The third time he unleashed slaughter, causing severe losses to Ye Jingyu’s side; Ye Jingyu himself suffered significant injuries.

Therefore, they needed to replenish manpower for their next offensive.

"Ye Jingyu?" Having just flown into the sky after leaving the Righteous Army headquarters, a sharp energy locked onto him.

Simultaneously, Ye Jingyu sensed surrounding space stagnation, a manifestation of spatial imprisonment Divine Abilities.

This caused him to suddenly change color.

Yet, before he could resist, an eccentric young lady appeared in his view.

"No need to panic, I’m here to help you!"

"May I ask, who is the fine lady?" Having been tempered through decades of warfare, Ye Jingyu was no longer brash and reckless, now more prudent.

Her initial display of spatial imprisonment Divine Abilities, and her magical power aura nearing Shangguan Liuyun, coupled with extraordinary demeanor, immediately indicated her unusual nature.

"You’re courting trouble! What kind of inquiry is that to ask a lady’s name? I’m telling you, that Shangguan Liuyun is highly disliked, I’ve long wanted to deal with him, isn’t that enough?" The young lady said unabashedly.

Her hands clenched into fists, showing indignation.

Ye Jingyu looked pausefully.

The cultivation she showcased indicated she was at least a hundred years old.

Yet her behavior and demeanor were entirely incongruous.

Not showing a hint of pretense.

Nevertheless, he opted for silence, refraining from provoking. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Enough! How would you assist me, Miss?"

The young lady, upon hearing, immediately beamed brightly, approached Ye Jingyu’s side, and whispered, "I have a plan..."