After Jian Dan finished listening to Yu Zongfan's detailed account of the events, she already had a clear grasp of the situation as a whole and agreed with their judgment. Seeking help from the sect immediately had been the right move in such a dangerous circumstance.
"That female cultivator's target was you," she said, her eyes narrowing as she considered the implications. "Your judgment wasn't wrong. A month ago, your Senior Brother was attacked by a cultivator at late Unity stage. Yue Liang contacted me the moment it happened. I intervened in time and barely managed to save your Senior Brother."
Hearing this, Yu Zongfan looked up at once, his expression shifting to one of realization.
"So they are deliberately targeting us. Senior Brother and I have both returned safely. What about Junior Sister Wei Xueru?"
"Don't worry. She will be able to return to the sect in a couple of days. Send her a message later to remind her to stay alert as well."
"Yes, Master."
Yu Zongfan didn't delay. He immediately took out a communication jade slip from his robes, sent a concise message to Wei Xueru, and urged her to return to the sect as soon as possible.
Only then did he ask, his voice tight with the lingering worry for his companion.
"Master, Yushu won't be in danger, right?"
"That's hard to say. We will see what Jia Zhēnzūn decides. This time, Jia Yushu suffered in your place. As his master, I don't intend to let this pass and I will do everything I can to protect him. After all, he is half my disciple too."
Jian Dan's words were meant to reassure him. Yu Zongfan felt much more at ease as he listened. In his heart, his master was the strongest person he knew. If she said she would do it, then she would.
"I already know what happened. Since you are worried about Jia Yushu, go to Tianhua Peak and take a look at his condition. Bring your Senior Brother along."
"Yes, Master!"
Yu Zongfan had been worried to begin with. Now that his master had spoken, he didn't waste any time. After bowing low, he left the cave abode, his footsteps echoing on the stone.
He was just about to look for his Senior Brother when he unexpectedly ran into him right at the entrance of the mountain dwelling.
"Zongfan, you are back too. You are even earlier than expected," Jian Feng said with a smile, greeting him warmly.
He looked Yu Zongfan up and down, feeling that his junior brother looked even more refined than before. There was also a faint aura of slaughter about him, a sharpness honed by battle. Clearly, these past few years of training had brought real gains to his cultivation.
"Zongfan greets Senior Brother."
"Have you already seen Master?"
"I just came out of Master's cave abode. I will have to trouble Senior Brother to accompany me to Tianhua Peak."
Yu Zongfan cupped his hands as he made the request.
"Did something happen?" Jian Feng asked, his smile fading slightly.
"Sigh, it's hard to explain in a few words. Senior Brother, let's talk while we walk."
Yu Zongfan shook his head and sighed. The two of them didn't use escape light to fly but walked the path to Tianhua Peak instead. Along the way, he explained everything that had happened and also asked about the attack on Jian Feng. The two of them could really be called brothers in misfortune.
After hearing the story, Jian Feng immediately realized something.
"Zongfan, I finally understand why Master insisted that we reach Nascent Soul before leaving the sect to train. Even with Master's contracted spirit beasts following us, we still almost got into serious trouble."
"What Senior Brother means is that they are targeting Master, and since we are Master's disciples, destroying us would naturally hurt Master."
Yu Zongfan wasn't slow to catch on. He grasped the point at once.
"Exactly. The three of us are Master's disciples. If one of us prospers, we all prosper. If one falls, we all suffer. And since our cultivation levels are lower, we are the easiest targets. As for Master herself, they probably wouldn't even dare extend a claw toward her."
Jian Feng voiced his speculation, and his brother agreed.
"And our previous training went fairly smoothly. It was probably because the three of us left the sect quietly. Their information was delayed, and then they had to spend time searching all over the place to track us down. That is why it dragged on until now, instead of them locking onto us the moment we left the sect."
The two of them both let out a breath, feeling the weight of the situation.
"Master was right. We have to keep a low profile in everything. Otherwise, the moment we leave the sect, we will be watched by those insect race lackeys."
"Exactly. Let's go check on Jia Yushu first. Master said that as long as he can be saved, she will definitely take action."
As they spoke, they had already reached the foot of Tianhua Peak. They handed over their sword pendants and asked the guarding disciples to report their arrival. Not long after, they entered the bounds of Tianhua Peak.
At the same time, Mo Ran transformed into human form and stood before Jian Dan, recounting in detail how he and his sister had stayed with the beast race, entered the Myriad Beast Hall to receive their inheritance, and advanced in cultivation.
After that, when Jian Dan entered the spatial rift, they had sensed it as well. They then reunited with Yue Liang, left the beast race, and returned to the sect. While guarding the cave abode, they also participated in the daily training of Mao Dou and the others, until this latest training expedition, where each of the three followed one disciple.
"Everything Zongfan said is true. I just didn't sense any aura of insect race parasitism on those people," Mo Ran said.
Dressed in black robes, his sharply defined face held a trace of confusion as he shared these observations.
"They are probably human cultivators who have sold their souls to the insect race," Jian Dan said with disdain, her eyes cold.
"Since Zongfan could handle it, I didn't reveal myself to help. It wasn't until Jia Yushu's condition worsened that we returned to the sect together."
"Zongfan and Jian Feng went to Tianhua Peak to investigate. We will wait for news. Yue Liang came back and accompanied me to Sword Pool Peak and gained some opportunities there. She is advancing right now. Do you need to go to Sword Pool Peak as well?"
Jian Dan had always been fair to them and never played favorites among her spirit beasts.
"Master, Yue Liang is advancing right now. I will stay here for the time being and wait for Jade as well."
"All right, do as you wish."
Jian Dan knew he was missing his younger sister, so she didn't press him further.
At this moment, Jade, who was with Wei Xueru, had transformed into a small emerald green snake. It coiled around Xueru's snow white wrist like a vivid jade bracelet, making her wrist look even more slender and fair.
Wei Xueru received a message from her Second Senior Brother. After sweeping it with her divine sense, her heart jolted, but her expression didn't change at all. She smiled at the female cultivator in crimson robes beside her.
"Master has come out of seclusion and wants me to return as soon as possible. It looks like I will have to part ways with everyone."
"Don't do this, Xiao Xue. We have only trained in two places so far. There are still several planned locations we haven't gone to yet," a female cultivator in white spoke up to stop her.
"Sigh, I want to train with everyone too, but Master's orders can't be disobeyed. If I go back late, I will be punished."
"If that is the case, can I go back with you? It would be a good chance to meet your strict master," said the female cultivator in crimson robes.
She tilted her head and smiled, her eyes curving pleasantly.