Yunxi stayed on Dan Feng for a day. Besides catching up with Wei Zonghao, she spoke about Wei Yunqing and about the realm-wide ascension plan. After that, the two also exchanged notes on alchemy.
She pressed a vial of gene enhancement agent into Wei Zonghao's hand and told him, "Take it as soon as you can and push for Divine Transformation. If the whole-realm ascension works, you will at least have the strength to protect yourself. If it fails, even if you have to rely on pills, hurry and ascend to the Spirit Realm."
Wei Zonghao nodded solemnly and produced a wooden box for Yunxi. "I exchanged this substitute puppet from Senior Brother Song Ke. I know you used your last one. Keep this on you. It can at least take a blow for you and buy time."
He knew well that once someone reached Divine Transformation, a casual flick of the sleeve could churn seas, and Yunxi's enemies were usually stronger than she was. All things considered, a substitute puppet was the most practical help. He had traded healing agents to Song Ke for it. Yunxi had been asleep before, so he had not had a chance to deliver it until now.
Yunxi smiled at the familiar faceless puppet. "Is this a new refinement of Song Ke's?"
"It is. He inherited a puppet master's legacy and found another path. He has advanced to late Nascent Soul and even joined the Law Enforcement Hall for solo missions. He was badly injured during the interception of the evil cultivators who tried to reinforce Yunxiao Sea. When he returned and sought healing agents from me, I swapped him for this puppet."
Yunxi did not stand on ceremony. She accepted the gift and said, "When you have time, get one for yourself too. Consider it an extra safeguard."
"I know. I already reserved one with Senior Brother Song Ke. It is not easy to refine, so it will take a while."
"Good."
Yunxi asked after Wei Zonghan, Wei Zongyu, Wei Zongjin, Wei Yunying, and Wei Yunyin. Learning that the Wei clan's disciples were keeping a low profile in the sect and cultivating steadily without leveraging her name for advantage, she let the matter rest.
At dawn the next day, Yunxi returned to Haoran City's Wei clan with Wei Zonghao.
Wei Chenyin and Wei Lingtao were visibly delighted to see her. Though Yu Ling Zūnzhě had said she was in no mortal danger, worry had persisted. Only now, seeing Yunxi whole, did the stone finally fall from their hearts.
After catching up with the Wei clan, Yunxi left them some resources and repeated the same reminder, "Raise the clan's overall strength as fast as you can. Do not clutch your resources. Cultivate as many high-level cultivators as possible. In at most twenty years, a great change will strike the Weiyu Realm."
Wei Chenyin and Wei Lingtao's expressions tightened. They knew Ran Xi did not speak without certainty. They also knew more of the inside story at Yunxiao Sea. The evil god's sealed ground was a blade hanging over their heads that could fall at any time. They had to prepare early.
Then Yunxi went alone to visit the Feng clan. Feng Jiaqing had reached Nascent Soul. Seeing Yunxi again left him with the feeling of lifetimes gone by.
From Feng Jiaqing, Yunxi learned that Feng Feng Ancestor had forcibly broken through to Nascent Soul not long ago. At over six hundred years of age when he advanced, he was now in seclusion to consolidate. In recent years, members of the Feng clan had successively reached Golden Core and Nascent Soul. Their overall strength had increased, and development was steady.
"Ran Xi, Yong and the others left the Feng clan a year ago and settled in Yuxing City. They said the environment there suits their cultivation better. They promised that if the clan needs them, they can return to Haoran City at any time."
Yunxi nodded. That made sense. Once the Wu Tribe descendants adapted to the cultivation world, they would choose a place that fit them best. Yuxing City's City Lord was Mo Yuwan, a body cultivator at Divine Transformation. Knowing they came from Yunxi's maternal family, she would look after them for Yunxi's sake. Yong and Qin had chosen well.
Thus Yunxi had fulfilled all promises to the last elder of the Wu Tribe. She would not interfere in the descendants' development from here on.
After a day in Haoran City, she left the Western Region and headed to the Southern Region's Kunmo Sect to see Xun Kun.
Xun Kun still wore his black robe patterned with dark lines. A black filigree mask hid half his face. A glint of joy flashed in his eyes when he saw Yunxi. "Ran Xi, congratulations on leaving seclusion."
Yunxi returned the salute with a smile. "Likewise. Your cultivation has already recovered to mid Divine Transformation. It should not be long before you return to your peak."
"A little more to go, but it will not take long." He invited her straight to his cave residence.
They had barely exchanged a few words when a Golden Core female cultivator walked into the reception room uninvited with a tray of spirit tea.
Xun Kun said nothing. He simply swept his sleeve and sent her out, then dropped a ward. The female cultivator had no chance to react and left in disarray.
Yunxi hid a smile. "Jin Can is still fixated on you?"
Xun Kun's tone was cool. "She thinks that with my realm fallen to early Divine Transformation, Wu Tong can back her. Unfortunately this Lord is not buying it. I had been in seclusion and only came out because of your message. I did not expect her to poke her nose in the moment she saw an opening. Does she think this Lord will do nothing to her?"
Yunxi chuckled and let the topic pass, then brought up the matter of the soul fragment.
Xun Kun took out the Soul-Confining Mirror from his storage ring."I sent him inside to keep company with evil ghosts. When he first entered, he could actually devour other malevolent souls, so I sealed him off alone."
Hearing that, Yunxi took out her Hong energy shield. Once it opened, she nodded for Xun Kun to release the soul fragment from the mirror.
Sensing the change of place, the soul fragment paused, then looked coolly at Yunxi and Xun Kun. "You had best let this Lord go. When the main body comes, it will be your deaths."
Yunxi narrowed her eyes. The man's face offended her, especially those ghostly blue eyes. She felt an urge to gouge them out. And she had never lost a war of words. She smoothed her sleeve and said calmly, "You think this Lord will let you go. You thought hiding in Wei Yunqing's soul would escape notice. Too bad even the heavens would not tolerate your arrogance. Now you are in this Lord's hands."
"Hmph. Xi, you are as hateful as ever."
"Tsk tsk. As if I ever liked you. You are nothing but this Lord's defeated foe."
Hearing only the word Xi, Yunxi assumed he meant her. After the retort, she summoned the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame that had lain quiet in her dantian and flicked it onto him.
"How dare you."