Ye Fan held Li Zhaojun as he and Wu Ding hadn't yet exited the ice cellar when they felt the ground shaking.

At this moment, in the main hall, the battle between Ling and the unfamiliar old Taoist had reached a white-hot intensity. Though the two combatants were unharmed, casualties were plenty among those in the hall. Waves of spiritual energy also injured some experts from the Golden Core Stage to the Nascent Soul Stage.

Outside the cave, Wu Ding glanced back at the main hall of the Huangji Sect and said, "Junior Brother, take her down the mountain first. I'm going to the hall to provide support."

"Senior Sister going there won't be able to help much," Ye Fan said.

Wu Ding's expression was hesitant. On one side was Ye Fan, on the other was her sect; she didn't want to abandon either. But she couldn't let Ye Fan take Li Zhaojun into danger at the hall. Moreover, seeing Ye Fan reunited with Li Zhaojun gave her mixed feelings.

"This is a sect duty. Do you think I'm just a nominal disciple like you at the Tianxuan Sect? Hurry down the mountain, there's a secret path behind the Huangji Sect to leave. Here's a map..."

Wu Ding took out a map from her chest. Being in charge of intelligence in the Tianxuan Sect, she had some understanding of the situation on the Huangji Sect's mountain.

"Remember not to come back. Once things are settled on the mountain, I'll come to find you. If there's a way, you can return to Earth early... The Pan Gu secret realm matters don't concern you."

Wu Ding's tone was filled with a sense of farewell. She even felt that this might be the last time she'd see Ye Fan.

Ye Fan gritted his teeth and said, "Then take care, Senior Sister. I'll leave sect marks along the way, and you can find them through spiritual energy."

Wu Ding felt a bit gratified and said, "Junior Brother thinking of Senior Sister makes it worth even if I die. In the future, live well with her... Zhao Jun. Even if you don't practice cultivation, you can be a perfect couple as ordinary people. Junior Brother once said you're only envious of mandarin ducks, not immortals. Even Senior Sister envies you two."

After saying this, Wu Ding gave Ye Fan a push, and she headed towards the main hall.

Ye Fan followed the path down the mountain, making his way down the slope.

…

In the main hall, Ling and the old Taoist exchanged a palm strike; it was the first time they'd physically collided since their duel began.

Both Ling and the old Taoist retreated several dozens of feet. The old Taoist stood firm, his face blue and purple, clearly having injured his vitality, but Ling spat out a mouthful of blood, his injuries seemingly more severe.

"Forty years ago, you lost to me during the trial. Even though your cultivation has improved today, you're still not my match!" The old Taoist had a smug smile on his face.

Huang Ze quickly went over and inquired, "Elder, are you alright?"

The whole Huangji Sect might need this old Taoist's protection now, so Huang Ze had to show goodwill to prevent the Taoist from turning against the Huangji Sect after driving Ling away.

"No need for pleasantries, Sect Master. I've always stood against the Diyuan Sect. The past generation's Ling wiped out my Green Pine Sect, and I've been seeking revenge." The old Taoist finally revealed his origin.

"Green Pine Sect?" Huang Ze thought for a moment before recalling such a sect, seemingly annihilated over a hundred years ago.

The Green Pine Sect was barely considered a sect, probably without even a Golden Core Stage expert. How did a top expert close to ascending from the Transcendance Tribulation Stage suddenly appear?

"Return!"

Ling suddenly called out, and his two followers covered him as he retreated from the main hall. Once they left, no one dared to pursue.

The Sect Master of the Diyuan Sect was too terrifying, and even his two followers were Mahayana Realm experts. With the old Taoist injured, and without Huang Ze and Hua Wu, both Mahayana experts, making a move, others dared not act rashly.

After they left, Huang Ze and Hua Wu accompanied the old Taoist to the rear hall. Only then did the old Taoist spit out a mouthful of blood, revealing he'd been forcing himself.

"Ling's progress over the past forty years exceeded mine. In terms of pure strength, I might no longer be his match. But fortunately, like his mentor, he's unfamiliar with worldly affairs, and didn't realize I was more severely wounded!"

After speaking, the old Taoist sat immediately to meditate and regulate his breath. Hua Wu said, "The Diyuan Sect's attack won't end without further action. Shouldn't all sects return quickly to prevent the Diyuan Sect from taking advantage?"

Huang Ze laughed, "Why worry about Shuangfeng Mountain's issues, Sect Master Hua? Let's settle our matters with Ye Fan first..."

Hua Wu sneered coldly, turning to leave the front hall without bothering with the unscrupulous Huang Ze.

…

After descending the mountain, Ye Fan rode his magic sword, flying with Li Zhaojun for hundreds of miles until they found a small human city, where they walked to an inn.

"Sir, would you like a meal or a room?" The inn attendant greeted courteously, but seeing Ye Fan holding a woman made him feel it's unusual.

Ye Fan said, "My wife was bitten by a venomous snake along the way. We need a place to rest."

The attendant quickly stepped back two steps, gesturing for him to go upstairs, "Sir, this way please."

Ye Fan took Li Zhaojun into a room, laid his beloved wife on the bed, closed the door behind him, and suddenly sensed that someone had quickly followed. He immediately became vigilant, ready to fight.

But when the person appeared, he relaxed a bit. It was the Xinghe Sect disciple Min Shang, who'd lent him a sword yesterday and was defeated by Li Zhaojun.

"Miss Min, is there something you need from me?" Ye Fan looked at Min Shang, who, instead of showing hostility, appeared hesitant and troubled.

Following hundreds of miles to say it wasn't him being the target, no one would believe it.

As Min Shang come upstairs, the inn attendant approached, "This guest..."

Min Shang tossed a piece of gold, and the attendant wisely stepped aside. Once she entered the room, she glanced at Li Zhaojun on the bed and said, "I can help heal Yun Zhao."

"You? No need, I can do it myself." Ye Fan said.

Min Shang shook her head, "You have a Pure Yang constitution. Your internal yang energy benefits her cultivation, but the most crucial part of healing is matching her spiritual energy attribute. I possess a Yinyang Unpredictable constitution. When my body is in an extremely yin state, my spiritual energy can completely merge with hers."

Ye Fan nodded, acknowledging the rationale in Min Shang's words.

"Why do you want to help us?" Ye Fan asked coldly, "Don't you want to avenge yesterday's defeat?"

Min Shang replied, "Winning or losing is irrelevant. I only wish for you to help me with something."

"What would that be?" Ye Fan was puzzled, wondering what he, seeing Min Shang as an emotionally detached ice beauty, could possibly help with.

"In my cultivation path, my greatest advantage is my Yinyang Unpredictable constitution, but it's also my greatest weakness. A person's constitution is innate, never changing due to external factors, but mine is different because innately, my constitution is just void." Min Shang looked at Ye Fan with a complex expression, "In this world, the only person who can stabilize my constitution is a man with a Pure Yang constitution, whose cultivation is higher than mine. You... are that person."

Ye Fan thought for a moment and said, "I'm not quite sure what Miss Min means."

"It means I can be your cauldron, and when you cultivate, you infuse your spiritual energy into me, completely altering my constitution," Min Shang said, her eyes gleaming with determination.

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