Chương 226: Chapter 115: Entrusting the Reyn Clan, Approaching Peril

Shuyun Residence. This was the quiet, scenic quarters specially arranged by the Mu Family to accommodate the visiting cultivators representing the major sects from across the eight provinces of the Zhao Kingdom. As today's meditation and training sessions concluded, cultivators from various sects walked back together in small groups along the cobblestone paths, laughing and conversing amiably. Implicitly leading the crowd at the very front were Xing Tianxie and Ling You'er of the Pomie Sect.

Over the past few weeks, the close friendship between these two and Reyn had become common knowledge throughout the estate. Consequently, the surrounding cultivators took great pains to curry favor with them, hoping that through their friendship, they too might forge a valuable connection with Reyn. After all, in the eyes of outsiders, Reyn's future was blindingly bright.

Under the meticulous guidance and personal tutelage of the Mu Family Ancestor himself, forming a Golden Core was already an absolute certainty for him. It was even widely whispered that he stood a genuine chance at walking the grand, exalted path toward becoming a Nascent Soul expert!

"Fellow Daoist Xing Tianxie," Jun Wuqing remarked with a refined, subtle smile. His tone was neither servile nor overbearing, displaying a polished poise that was far superior to the surrounding, fawning crowd.

"Before setting out on this journey, I specifically brought along several jars of vintage wine. Why don't you join me at my residence today so the two of us can drink to our hearts' content? What do you say?" Xing Tianxie offered a polite smile upon hearing this and was just about to respond when a calm, measured voice echoed from the path up ahead.

"I am afraid Fellow Daoist Xing Tianxie won't be free today. Perhaps it would be better if you invited him another day, Fellow Daoist." Hearing those words, everyone lifted their heads in unison. Upon recognizing the figure standing before them, their expressions instantly shifted from casual indifference to obsequious, flattering smiles.

"Brother Reyn!" A look of pure, delighted surprise burst across Ling You'er's face. She bounded forward like a cheerful songbird, wrapping her arms around his sleeve and looking up at him with bright, expectant eyes.

"Did you come here specifically to see me today?"

"Of course. Brother Reyn came today specifically to visit You'er," Reyn replied with a warm, gentle smile. Through their interactions over this recent period, he had grown increasingly fond of this naive, pure-hearted young girl. Upon hearing his confirmation, Ling You'er cheered with joyful excitement, virtually floating on air. Meanwhile, Xing Tianxie reached out to take the wine jars Reyn held in his hands, his face lighting up with unhidden delight.

"Ever since I tasted that Snow Wine of yours, drinking the spirits I brought along feels like sipping dishwater—it's downright unpalatable! These two jars will finally satisfy my cravings today. Heheh!" As he spoke, he cupped his hands toward Jun Wuqing with an apologetic grin.

"It seems I won't be able to enjoy a hearty drink with you today, Fellow Daoist. Shall we reschedule for another day?" Jun Wuqing's expression remained completely placid, showing not a trace of annoyance. He chuckled smoothly and bowed.

"Since Fellow Daoist Reyn has been waiting here, how could I dare compete with him for your time? In that case, let us settle on another day."

"I still have matters back at my quarters to attend to, so I shall take my leave now." Having said that, Jun Wuqing turned and departed, with his two junior brothers following close behind. The remaining cultivators from the various other sects also hastened forward to offer their respectful greetings to Reyn before tactfully taking their leave and dispersing into the courtyard. However, there was one person whose eyes held a deeply complicated expression.

He glanced at Reyn, let out a soft sigh, and turned away to walk out with the others. Reyn gazed at the retreating back of that cultivator, his eyes flickering slightly with a contemplative glint as a thoughtful expression spread across his face.

"Let's go, let's go! Today, this young lady is going to show off her culinary skills to you both!" As soon as the other cultivators had dispersed, Ling You'er impatiently tugged at their sleeves to pull them toward her quarters, chattering with overflowing confidence.

"I've put in a tremendous amount of effort over the past two days learning how to cook! Just you wait—you'll be drooling before you know it!" A look of mild astonishment appeared on Reyn's face upon hearing this. The last time he had shared wine with Xing Tianxie, the girl had been teased mercilessly for being completely useless in the kitchen. How had she suddenly transformed overnight into someone brimming with such absolute self-assurance?

Noticing Reyn's bewildered stare, Xing Tianxie let out a bitter laugh and shot him a subtle glance, signaling him not to say a word. He then turned to Ling You'er and asked tentatively, "Junior Sister, how about we only drink wine today and skip the food altogether? Would that be alright?" Ling You'er's large, beautiful eyes narrowed slightly into two delicate, curved crescents.

A faint hint of dangerous intent leaked from her gaze, though her voice remained exceedingly sweet as she purred, "Senior Brother, and why would we do that?" Xing Tianxie's lips twitched twice, his face scrunched up in deep misery.

"The day before yesterday, after eating the dish you cooked, your senior brother spent half the night tormented in the latrine. Yesterday, I drank the soup you made, and its lethal power was even more terrifying! It forced me to swallow a Fire-Clearing Detox Pill just to barely recover!"

"Neither of us has any grudge against you, Junior Sister. So please, spare us from demonstrating your 'exceptional talents' today, alright?" Reyn stood frozen in shock for a second upon hearing this before breaking out into a hearty, unrestrained roar of laughter. The young girl's delicate face flushed bright crimson with embarrassment. She shot Xing Tianxie a fierce, lethal glare, covered her face with her hands, stomped her foot in frustration, and dashed forward.

"Wicked Senior Brother! Stinky Senior Brother! All you know how to do is humiliate me in front of others! You're absolute worst!" Even from a distance, her gritted-teeth mutterings drifted back to them. Xing Tianxie and Reyn exchanged a quick look, and both fell into another fit of booming laughter.... How could one enjoy fine wine without proper dishes to accompany it? A spread of several simple, refreshing dishes rested upon the table.

Though the raw ingredients had been provided by the Mu Family, it was Reyn himself who had personally rolled up his simple Daoist robes and handled the cooking in the kitchen. Before ever stepping onto the grand path of immortal cultivation, Reyn's family of three had resided deep within a remote, secluded mountain range. In those quiet years of his youth, he had picked up a knack for cooking from his mother.

While his skills were by no means extraordinary, the light, delicate flavors possessed a tranquil and homey charm all their own. Ling You'er could not help but widen her beautiful, luminous eyes. Flashing her long lashes as her gaze locked onto Reyn, she gasped in delight, "Brother Reyn, I had no idea you could actually cook!" This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Xing Tianxie shook his head with a helpless, bitter laugh.

The deeper his friendship with Reyn grew, the more he realized how little he truly understood about this young man. To think he even possessed such fine culinary skills! This was an exceedingly rare trait among cultivators. After all, once a person embarked upon the path of immortal Dao, refining the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth eliminated the need for mortal grains to sustain physical energy.

Apart from those few who possessed an exceptionally insatiable appetite for gourmet delicacies, the vast majority of cultivators paid little to no mind to mundane cooking.

"Before I ever entered the path of cultivation, I picked up a few tricks at home from my mother," Reyn replied with a faint, modest smile.

"It's just humble, everyday cooking—nothing nearly as impressive as you two are imagining." Reaching out, he popped open the seal on a jar of hundred-year Snow Wine, allowing its icy fragrance to fill the air.

"Come! Tonight, the two of us shall drink until we drop!" Xing Tianxie burst into hearty laughter, reaching out to snag the second jar of wine. The two men clinked their jars together with a crisp sound and threw back their heads to take deep, thirsty gulps, letting the spilled liquor drench the collars of their robes. Ling You'er rested her delicate chin softly in her hands, her beautiful eyes overflowing with pure, unadulterated joy as she watched the two men drink with such wild, uninhibited freedom.

The three of them conversed and laughed without restraint, their words drifting effortlessly across a hundred grand topics. As the conversation reached a peak of warmth and excitement, Ling You'er lightly lifted a small cup of wine to her lips and swallowed a sip. A flushed, rosy glow immediately bloomed across her fair cheeks. Swept up by the spirit of the moment, she floated to her feet and fluttered her long sleeves, breaking into an ethereal dance.

A gentle night breeze rustled past, softly tugging at her three thousand strands of fine black hair. In that moment, her drifting form seemed like a heavenly fairy exiled to the mortal realm. Fine wine, savory dishes, and a peerless beauty dancing under the moon—what greater joy could life possibly offer? Truly, an occasion worthy of draining every last drop! When the moon reached the zenith of the midnight sky, the two whole jars of Snow Wine had been emptied to the absolute dregs.

Slight traces of drunkenness flickered across both Reyn's and Xing Tianxie's faces. Ling You'er, however, possessed no tolerance for alcohol whatsoever; after merely three small cups, her fair countenance was thoroughly crimson, and she had already slumped across the table, lulled into a deep, peaceful slumber. The two men raised their final cups, downing the last fragrant drops of wine together. Reyn swayed slightly as he stood up, letting out a satisfied laugh.

"To drink so freely and heartily with Brother Xing Tianxie tonight—what sheer delight!" A hazy, contemplative glint flashed across Xing Tianxie's eyes. He laughed softly before his tone shifted slightly, asking in a low voice, "Brother Reyn, surely you didn't come all the way here tonight merely to drink wine with me? If there is something on your mind, speak it swiftly. What need is there for hesitant concealment between us?" Hearing this, the corners of Reyn's mouth twirled upward in a faint, lighthearted smile.

"I knew I wouldn't be able to pull the wool over your eyes." As he spoke, his body swayed rhythmically as he began walking outward toward the courtyard gate.

"Brother Xing Tianxie, no matter what kind of rumors may spread in the outside world in the days to come, I hope that during my absence, you can lend a protective hand to help look after the Reyn Clan of Leiyuan City."

"They may endure humiliation, they may fall into dire poverty and destitute hardship, and they may be ignored or shunned by everyone like rats crossing the street... But under no circumstances must there be any casualties among them."

"If Brother Xing Tianxie can fulfill this request for me, then I, Reyn, shall truly acknowledge you as a lifelong brother. In the future, I will surely repay this heavy favor tenfold!" His voice was calm and even, devoid of any dramatic cadence or emotional tremors. Before the echoes of his final words had fully faded into the cool night, his silhouette had already dissolved into the surrounding shadows, venturing further and further away into the gloom.

Xing Tianxie's expression altered subtly, his pupils contracting into tight pinpricks before regaining their composure a few moments later. Behind him, Ling You'er slowly lifted her head from the table. Deep concern swam within her clear, luminous eyes as she called out in a soft, anxious voice, "Senior Brother...?" Xing Tianxie turned around, showing no surprise whatsoever at her sudden movement—it was clear he had long realized she was merely feigning sleep.

Furrowing his brows deeply, he murmured, "There is something profoundly amiss about this entire situation. Reyn coming here tonight... it carries the heavy, unmistakable tone of a man entrusting his final affairs before death. What in the world could have happened to cause someone as capable as him to feel such profound unease?" Upon hearing those words, the color instantly drained from Ling You'er's delicate face, leaving her pale as snow. She whispered softly, "I knew it...

I knew Brother Reyn must be facing immense peril! Otherwise, with his disciplined character, how could he possibly have acted with such wild, uninhibited abandon tonight?"

"Senior Brother, you must find a way to help him!" A bitter smile touched the corners of Xing Tianxie's lips as he slowly shook his head.

"Silly girl, if this were something that you and I could actually help him resolve, why would he have bothered to come here tonight solely to entrust the safety of the Reyn Clan into my hands?"

"Since we are powerless to assist him directly, the only thing we can do is honor his charge. If... if worst comes to worst... no matter what happens, your senior brother will ensure the Reyn Clan is protected from the persecution of others!" The Little Divine Hall was desperately expending every ounce of its spiritual power to accelerate its fusion with the primary structure of the Azure Jade Palace. Shen Zui was deep in seclusion, tirelessly refining the Space-Shattering Spirit Feather.

Reyn had solemnly entrusted the future survival of the Reyn Clan into Xing Tianxie's capable hands. Every arrangement that could possibly be made had been meticulously set into motion. Now, all that remained was to wait! If he could execute a smooth and seamless escape, that would naturally be ideal. But if the plan met with utter failure, then Reyn would truly have to stake his life in an all-out, desperate struggle!

"Huizhou's Mu Family... if I, Reyn, do not perish in this ordeal, there will come a day when I cast your entire clan down into the dirt!" His right hand squeezed into a white-knuckled fist. Reyn abruptly raised his head, a chilling glint flashing across his eyes as a suffocating, lethal aura erupted from his body! Six days flashed past in the blink of an eye.

When the very first beam of dawn light pierced through the heavy, dark clouds and spilled onto the earth, Reyn opened his eyes abruptly within his secluded cultivation chamber. A cold, ruthless glint flashed through his gaze. With a casual wave of his sleeve, he gathered two freshly refined Extreme Evil Yin-Spirits into his storage container, stood up to his full height, and strode resolutely toward the chamber's exit....

"Damn it! Faster, faster! Just a tiny fraction left! You cursed old bastard, just give this divine spirit a little more time! And you, wretched Reyn, you had better hold your ground and keep your cool! This divine spirit really doesn't want to die here!" Deep within the Hall of Ten Thousand Longevities, at the residence where the "madman" was kept. Viscous red blood pooled across the stone floor.

The Mu Family cultivator who had been tasked with guarding the prisoner lay dead, his head forcefully wrung from his neck, his bulging eyes still frozen in an expression of sheer disbelief.

"Heh heh... Did you really think that over these past four years, I was completely oblivious to the Mind-Losing Powder you kept sneaking into my daily meals? To express my gratitude for your 'meticulous' care, sending you on a swift journey to the underworld—isn't that the definition of absolute fairness?" A cold, mocking sneer curled upon Shen Zui's lips. Reaching down, he slapped his storage bag, retrieving a solid silver bell that emitted a fine mist of shimmering silver light as it vibrated.

"Activate!" Forming a single-hand seal, he pointed toward the artifact. The silver bell instantly erupted with a brilliant silver light, completely cocooning his body within its radiant barrier. Shen Zui nodded in satisfaction, then leaped directly into the roaring underground waterway. Suppressing his aura to absolute zero, he let his body drift along the rushing current like a lifeless piece of driftwood.... Inside the private cultivation chamber of the Mu Family Ancestor.

"Reporting to Ancestor, all sacrificial offerings have been secretly delivered to their positions. The Spirit-Devouring Array can be activated at a moment's notice!" Mu Yunshen bowed with deep reverence, his voice solemn and heavy. Hearing this, Mu Daguang slowly opened his eyes. A terrifying, blinding light instantly erupted from his pupils, piercing through the dim chamber.

"Since everything is in order, then today shall be the day we complete the Spirit-Devouring process, guaranteeing two hundred years of absolute prosperity and freedom from worry for our Mu Family bloodline!"

"Tianxing, have you prepared yourself thoroughly?" Standing beside the two elders, the young prodigy Mu Nianxing wore a look of intense, uncontrolled excitement on his face as he responded in a booming voice, "Rest assured, Ancestor! Grandson has been preparing for over a month for this moment. This Spirit-Devouring process will surely be an absolute success!"

"Good! In that case, this Monarch shall immediately summon that Reyn over to activate the Spirit-Devouring Array!" The Mu Family Ancestor let out a low bark of command. An invisible, terrifying wave of murderous Qi suddenly burst forth from his body, soaring straight toward the heavens! Across the entire Mu Family estate, dark currents surged violently under the surface as intent to kill rose into the sky.

High above in the heavens, thick, gloomy clouds coalesced out of nowhere, gradually blanketing the sky in abyssal darkness.