Translator: CinderTL
Upon hearing Song Wen's words, Ye Bing extended her divine sense toward the left front, quickly detecting the 'disturbance' he had mentioned.
The commotion originated from a mountain valley over a thousand miles away.
The valley lay in a low-lying area, thick with miasma, resembling a hazy gray sea of mist.
Within this misty sea, a swarm of poisonous moths, each as large as a calf, was besieging three cultivators.
The moths were pitch-black, their wings beating with a ferocious wind that carried a putrid yellow stench, clearly indicating extreme toxicity.
The three cultivators consisted of two men and one woman.
Both male cultivators were at the Nascent Soul Stage, while the female cultivator had reached the mid-stage Divine Transformation realm.
The trio fought valiantly, but they were unable to repel the moth swarm, their situation growing increasingly precarious.
However, the female cultivator clearly had the opportunity to escape alone, but she remained, unwilling to abandon the two Nascent Soul Stage male cultivators.
Ye Bing's expression shifted slightly as she observed this scene, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes.
"Immortal Maiden, do you recognize these three?" Song Wen asked, noticing the change in her demeanor.
Ye Bing nodded. "They are members of the Ye Family. The female cultivator is Ye Guqiu, with whom I once shared a close personal connection."
"Does the Immortal Maiden wish to save them?" Song Wen inquired.
Since the three were members of the Ye Family, they were Ye Bing's kin.
Of course, Ye Bing had once been hunted down by the Ye Family. Whether she would acknowledge these three as her kin remained uncertain.
Ye Bing said, "Let's forget it. The Ye Family has already disowned me. Why bother with sentimentality? Besides, with Ye Guqiu's strength, escaping shouldn't be difficult."
Song Wen replied, "Since they're kin and old friends, rescuing them wouldn't hurt."
A flicker of surprise crossed Ye Bing's eyes as she turned to look at Song Wen, seemingly astonished by his sudden kindness.
"Rescuing them would inevitably expose our whereabouts," she countered. "The Jiang Family would learn of our return, alerting Jiang Lanruo and Jiang Yushan. Wouldn't that complicate matters further?"
Song Wen said, "Immortal Maiden, you worry too much. First, you alone need to act to rescue them; I won't need to reveal myself. Second, we've been away from the Qianchang Wilderness for years and know nothing of the current situation. We could gather valuable intelligence from Ye Guqiu."
"Furthermore, you can disguise yourself during the rescue, revealing your identity only to Ye Guqiu. If you persuade her to keep your return a secret, no one else will know. This old friend of yours risked her life to save her kin; she's unlikely to be treacherous and betray you easily."
According to Song Wen's deduction, Hong Zhe had come to Qicang Island primarily to target the shadow void within Jiang Yushan's Sea of Consciousness.
Given Jiang Yushan's importance, Hong Zhe would undoubtedly be well-prepared.
Therefore, capturing Jiang Yushan would likely be no easy task.
Gathering intelligence about Jiang Yushan beforehand was crucial.
As one of the three great families of the Qianchang Wilderness, the Ye Family shared a city with the Jiang Family, their power structures intertwined and interests deeply entangled. It was impossible for them to remain completely oblivious to the Jiang Family's movements.
Obtaining information from the Ye Family would undoubtedly be far more reliable than relying on external intelligence shops.
Ye Bing frowned deeply, remaining silent for a long moment.
Song Wen pressed, "Immortal Maiden, if you don't act now, your two Nascent Soul Stage clansmen will perish."
Hearing this, Ye Bing hesitated no longer.
Her figure blurred as she shot toward the mountain valley.
Ahead of her, a three-foot-long azure blade flew like lightning, slicing through the air before her, cleaving into the valley.
Before Ye Bing, a Void Refinement Stage cultivator, the poisonous moths were as fragile as clay chickens and pottery dogs, falling in droves beneath the flying sword's relentless strikes.
The three Ye Family members watched the sword's devastating rampage, their faces shifting from relief at their escape to wariness.
Ye Guqiu bowed deeply, clasping her hands in a respectful salute toward the direction from which the flying sword had come.
"I am Ye Guqiu of the Ye Family. May I ask which Senior came to our rescue?"
Her words seemed to express gratitude, but they subtly revealed her family's background, carrying an implicit warning. If the rescuer harbored ulterior motives, they would likely hesitate to provoke the Ye Family's power.
As soon as she finished speaking, a woman appeared, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a white veil that concealed her face.
Ye Guqiu sensed a familiar aura emanating from the newcomer, yet she couldn't place the person. Her brow furrowed slightly.
"Thank you for your assistance, Senior. May I ask for your esteemed name? If the opportunity arises, we will certainly repay this kindness handsomely."
By now, the poisonous moths in the mountain valley had been completely eradicated. Ye Bing waved her hand, recalling her flying sword.
She turned to Ye Guqiu and deliberately altered her voice, saying, "It was a mere trifle. There's no need for such formality. I have some acquaintance with your Ye Family Ancestor. Saving you today was simply a matter of fate."
Ye Guqiu replied, "So Senior is a friend of our Ancestor. If you have the time, this junior would be honored to invite you to visit the Ye Family as our guest."
Ye Bing declined, "A visit won't be necessary. I have a few questions I need you to answer truthfully."
"Please ask, Senior," Ye Guqiu said. "This junior will answer to the best of my knowledge."
Instead of responding directly, Ye Bing turned to the two other Nascent Soul Stage cultivators standing nearby.
"My apologies, young friends, but I need to speak with Ye Guqiu alone for a moment. Please wait here."
The two Nascent Soul Stage cultivators dared not refuse. "Senior, please proceed as you wish."
Ye Bing nodded and turned to Ye Guqiu. "Little friend, please come with me."
With that, she turned and departed, Ye Guqiu hurrying to follow.
After traveling over two hundred li, they stopped at the foot of a towering mountain.
Just as Ye Guqiu was wondering why she had been led to such a secluded place, Ye Bing raised her hand and removed her wide-brimmed hat and veil, revealing her true face.
Ye Guqiu's eyes widened in disbelief. "Ye Bing... you're still alive?" Her voice trembled with undisguised joy. "Decades ago, the clan issued a kill order against you. After that, you vanished without a trace. I thought you had..."
Ye Guqiu paused, her gaze sweeping over Ye Bing before she hesitantly asked, "You... you've already advanced to the Void Refinement Stage?"
Ye Bing remained silent, offering only a slight nod.
As if struck by a sudden realization, the joy on Ye Guqiu's face gradually froze. "Then your reappearance... could it be you're planning revenge against the clan?"
Ye Bing's gaze suddenly turned distant, her voice tinged with melancholy as she replied, "I have no desire for revenge against the clan. I have other urgent matters to attend to. I hope you won't reveal that you've seen me."
Hearing this, Ye Guqiu visibly relaxed. "Ye Bing, rest assured, I won't mention this to anyone. But... what urgent matters have brought you here? Is there anything I can assist you with?"
Ye Guqiu's mind was as clear as a mirror. The other woman must need something. Otherwise, even if Ye Bing had saved her out of past friendship, there would have been no need to reveal her identity.
(End of the Chapter)
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