Storing a USB device away carefully, Yu Ji and Li head off to make some preparations.
As the two's heads vanish down the stairs, the rain outside gradually lightens.
"There's still two more people who wants to see you."
"Hm?"
Just as Long Hua is wondering about who they could be, two individuals walk towards the table from the back.
"…"
Dressed in a white jacket over a black shirt and a pair of blue jeans is Qing Ming Yang.
"…"
Different from Qing Ming Yang, Lin Yu Heng is dressed in a blue hoodie with a pair of white trousers.
The articles of clothing that the two have in common are a pair of short boots, along with a pair of round-framed sunglasses, which are pinned to their collars.
"Greetings, senior."
"Greetings, senior."
Simultaneously, the two clasped their hands and bowed to Long Hua.
Ignoring the two's streetside rapper-esque attire, Long Hua asks—
"So, what wind blew you two back into the Leng Bing Realm?"
Being asked this, an expression of misery appears on Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng's faces, as they begin to explain the circumstances that led to their return.
...…
Upon the conclusion of the two's explanation, Long Hua remarks—
"Oh? So, in the end, it all ties back to me then?"
"…"
"…"
Although this is true, neither Qing Ming Yang nor Lin Yu Heng had the guts to admit to it—for neither of them dared to provoke Long Hua's wrath.
Even if all this started with Long Hua, it no longer matters.
At this point, Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng felt like they'd better off taking their frustrations out on the Hou family's bloodline branch.
Moving on, Long Hua mutters—
"Hou Xu Heng, was it? Hmm."
Looking down at his nails, Long Hua contemplates the matter, and asks—
"Were there any other ideas that they could have had—before settling on just sending in two observers?"
"Hmm."
Thinking back, Lin Yu Heng asks—
"Senior, the fact that you're able to use your cultivation base in this world… All your cultivation methods and divine arts, they come from some other star region, right?"
"Smart deduction, surnamed Lin."
Nodding his head, Lin Yu Heng goes on to explain—
"A foreign star region practitioner like senior—under normal circumstances, if a person were to discover you, they are to immediately report you to the Immortal Emperor. I think that Hou Xu Heng suggested this as well, but the other elders objected to it—fearful that the Immortal Emperor would use this as an excuse to take control of the Leng Bing Realm from the Ling Yuan family."
"Oh? This old fogey is quite a stickler to rules, I see."
Placing his hand down, Long Hua taps his index finger against the table. Eventually, he says—
"The chaos that I've sowed in this world will die down at some point. When it does, I'll remove the curse on you two. One of you—are to report my early sightings in the Leng Bing Realm to that old tortoise."
"Old…-?!"
"Tortoise…-?!"
In response to Long Hua calling the Immortal Emperor an old tortoise, Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng sucks in a cold breath of air.
"Hmph, compared to the Qilin Immortal Emperor, this current emperor might as well be an old tortoise."
Different from the two—who are utterly shocked by Long Hua's courage, Wu Xiao raises a smile of amusement.
Ignoring the others' reactions, Long Hua continues to say—
"Since this old tortoise is so wary of foreign star region practitioners, so long as you go up to their doorsteps, and say—that you've spotted one, they should treat the situation as an emergency, and meet with you. Once you meet them, tell that old tortoise—surnamed Hou suggested to report about me early on, but because of the other elders, he wasn't able to; hence, he can only choose to have you two do it in secret. That should get him, and his entire bloodline branch kicked out of the Ling Yuan family—when the old tortoise states the name of their supposed informant aloud."
Sucking in another breath of cold air, Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng shivers.
Being kicked out of the Ling Yuan family—for any of the bloodline branches, this is a punishment worse than death, for it means they would never have access to the resources inside of the Leng Bing Realm ever again.
"Also, I don't care how you do it, but make sure to get this message—that there may be more practitioners like me, who are invading the Everlasting Spirit Realm through the Leng Bing Realm, across to that old tortoise."
"Ah?"
"Uh?"
Unable to understand Long Hua's intent behind this, Qing Ming Yang and Lin Yu Heng can't help but raise an eye.
"You just want to get that old tortoise to breath down on the Ling Yuan family to buy yourself more time, don't you?"
Neither admitting nor denying Wu Xiao's claim, Long Hua merely raises a subtle smile.
"B-But if we did this…"
Knowing the consequences that would come of all this, Qing Ming Yang frowns.
"…"
Different from Qing Ming Yang, an odd light emanates from Lin Yu Heng's eyes.
Momentarily, Lin Yu Heng says—
"Senior, I'm willing to volunteer myself for the task."
"Ah, Lin-xiong, this…?"
Turning to Qing Ming Yang, Lin Yu Heng says—
"Qing-xiong, my father has been cussing every time he finishes a meeting with those old fogeys. Grandfather, he…- The reason he entered closed-doors cultivation, it's mainly to breakthrough into the Heaven Manifestation realm; however, his second reasoning, it's because he's annoyed with the way things are in the Ling Yuan family. Every bloodline branch is constantly at the others' throats. Come harvest season, this will only get worse—because every branch wants to be in the vanguard group."
The vanguards of the harvest group, this is a post that all the bloodline branches covet, as it would mean that they are in the position to pick out the highest quality magic treasures first.
"…"
As Qing Ming Yang responded with silence, Lin Yu Heng goes on to add—
"Qing-xiong, at least with the Immortal Emperor breathing down on the necks of the elders—it would buy us some time before the harvest season. If the branches are able to unite themselves against the Immortal Emperor—as a common threat, the Ling Yuan family might be able to experience a period of unity. …That's something that is incredibly difficult for us to have right now. …If the Ling Yuan family's branches continue their current behaviors, there will be no future for this organization."
"…"
Towards Lin Yu Heng's statement, Wu Xiao raises an eye, impressed by the former's foresight, as she remarks—
"As expected of a surnamed Lin—loyal not to the Ling Yuan family, but to the Ling Yuan Ancestor alone."
Turning to Wu Xiao, Lin Yu Heng clasped his hands and bowed, while replying—
"Junior is undeserving of senior Mo's praise."
"…"
Contemplating Lin Yu Heng's words deeply, Qing Ming Yang scratches his hair, and eventually says—
"…Ai. Screw it. Might as well."