Behind an ancient tree at the valley's edge stood Mo Yunyi, a slight smile gracing her lips as she nodded. Even in the deepening night, her eyes shone with unusual brightness. "Changkong, out so late? Is something the matter?"

"Nothing much, just taking a stroll. Had a little tussle with someone quite interesting, hehe," Ji Changkong replied with pointed ambiguity, unsure of the true meaning behind Mo Yunyi's words.

"You rascal, trying to fool me!" Mo Yunyi chided, tilting her head toward the direction where Yu Luan stood. She gasped softly, "You dare provoke someone who has reached the Sixth Heaven Realm! Are you unharmed?"

Ji Changkong remained silent, thinking to himself that this so-called Sixth Heaven Realm master, Yu Luan, was nothing. Even if there was an injury, it certainly wasn't his!

"I am injured," he managed, suppressing a laugh, adopting a look of utter misery.

Mo Yunyi’s expression shifted instantly. She rushed to his side, her heavily wrinkled left hand reaching out as if to examine him. "Where? Let me see. You impetuous boy, how could you be so rash? You are the hope of our Ji family! If anything happened to you, how would I face our ancestors...?"

Smiling, he took a step back, avoiding Mo Yunyi's extended hand, and chuckled freely. "Yu Luan is injured..."

"Ah?" Mo Yunyi let out a small, surprised cry. "What nonsense are you spouting? I know Yu Luan; he is the Sect Master of the Purple Mang Rain of the Green Bamboo Forest. He is a sect master!"

"So what if he is a sect master? His sect is just at the bottom rung of the Blood Rain Mountain factions," Ji Changkong shook his head with a faint smile. Then, his face turned serious. "Granny Mo, you clearly noticed Yu Luan sneaking around the Scripture Pavilion earlier, why didn't you teach him a lesson?"

"You were near the Scripture Pavilion?" Mo Yunyi’s face flickered.

"I was by Third Brother’s bamboo dwelling. The moment Yu Luan arrived at the Pavilion, I knew. I intended to act then, but when I realized you were aware too, I held back. I waited for a long time, expecting you to deal with him, but you did nothing."

"Are you trying to see your old granny embarrassed?" Mo Yunyi feigned anger.

"How could I? Granny is in the Seven Star Heaven Realm. Dealing with one mere Yu Luan should be effortless for you, right?" Ji Changkong chuckled, his laughter carrying a touch of wicked amusement.

"You boy, how are your eyes and ears so sharp? It seems nothing can escape you." Mo Yunyi gave a wry smile and hesitated before asking again, "Did you truly injure Yu Luan?"

He nodded, shrugging with practiced nonchalance. "He's just a Sixth Heaven Realm cultivator daring to cause trouble at the Ji family. If Granny couldn't be bothered with such a character, I certainly couldn't tolerate him walking in and out of our home as he pleased!"

"This, how is this possible?" Astonishment filled Mo Yunyi's eyes. "Yu Luan is at the peak of the Sixth Heaven Realm, and his Divine Weapon is complete. You truly managed to wound him?"

"I am of the new generation, the Xuanyuan lineage, so naturally, I’m different from ordinary people," Ji Changkong said with a sly grin.

"Even for a Xuanyuan, it shouldn't make one this powerful," Mo Yunyi voiced her confusion, examining him strangely. "You wicked boy, are you still hiding many things from me? Even between Xuanyuan bloodlines, there are discrepancies in power. To defeat Yu Luan, you should have paid a price!"

"Granny, you know the Ji family and the Xuanyuan lineage inside and out. Can you tell me the details? Why does every generation of Xuanyuan have to leave the family when they reach the Nine Palace Heaven Realm? Why is our Ji family immediately besieged by the world after the Xuanyuan departs? Why did our family decline so rapidly?" Ji Changkong countered instead of answering.

"Didn't I explain this to you when you were in the Scripture Pavilion?" Mo Yunyi's expression changed, and she spoke evasively.

He shook his head, adopting a contemplative look. "Granny’s explanations make sense, but I still feel something is amiss. Given how powerful our Ji family once was, gathering so many spirit stones and treasures, even with the Xuanyuan gone, we shouldn't have ended up so destitute. Does our Ji family absolutely require a Xuanyuan to rise? And why did the Xuanyuan lineage appear in our Ji family?"

Mo Yunyi frowned deeply. Under his persistent questioning, she only shook her head and sighed. After a long moment, she slowly spoke, "You persistent child. Changkong, after this Sect Gathering is over, I will take you somewhere..."

"Where?" His spirit stirred, and he asked urgently, "Will there be answers in that place?"

"I don't know. Perhaps only you can discover if there are answers there." Mo Yunyi seemed deeply worried, unwilling to delve further into the matter. "Let's go, you wicked boy. Back to the valley to cultivate properly. Stop overthinking things all day long."

He nodded, saying no more, and followed her into the mountain valley.

The next day.

Xuan Yuan Valley welcomed a guest. Ji Yuxing and Ji Yusheng attended to him with visible surprise and extreme caution.

Upon arriving at the valley, the guest proposed a tour. Ji Yuxing and the other agreed, leading him around the various bamboo dwellings. The Ji family members who were cultivating, upon hearing the news, all came out, quite puzzled, to observe the visitor.

"Who is this, demanding such attention that even the family head has to escort him personally?"

"Can't you see the pattern on his robes? Star Stone emblem! He must be from the Star Stone Sect! Judging by his arrogant demeanor, he must hold a high position in the Star Stone Sect, otherwise, the two elders wouldn't be so cautious."

"You two little rascals, keep your voices down! This is Baili Ke, the acting Sect Master of the Star Stone Sect, the former top disciple, and he's in the Seven Star Heaven Realm! The former Sect Master of the Star Stone Sect is still in seclusion, so Baili Ke handles all major and minor affairs." Two young Ji family disciples who were whispering quickly lowered their heads after hearing Ji Haoguang, who was passing by, tell them this.

On Blood Rain Mountain, the Star Stone Sect was renowned. Like the He family, they were an ultimate power possessing a Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm master. They had heard of the Star Stone Sect's reputation while in Green Rock Mountain, and after relocating to Xuan Yun Valley, they heard even more about their strength. Deep down, the Ji family harbored a degree of reverence for such powerful sects.

Baili Ke toured the Xuan Yuan Valley, a faint smile consistently playing on his lips. Suddenly, near the Scripture Pavilion, Baili Ke stopped, pointed toward the building, and asked with apparent surprise,

"Is this the Ji family's Scripture Pavilion?"

Ji Yuxing nodded, smiling. "The Ji family Scripture Pavilion doesn't hold many precious texts from Heaven Realm masters, hehe. Sect Master Baili, please, come to the reception hall for a cup of tea."

"Who dares to look down upon the Ji family Scripture Pavilion?" Baili Ke chuckled, his gaze lingering on the Pavilion for a moment with a thoughtful expression. "Six hundred years ago, perhaps no one dared to belittle the Ji family's Scripture Pavilion, hehe. But after so many years, there aren't many attractive books left. None of the Ji family’s famous ancient texts remain. Sect Master Baili overestimates the Ji family." Ji Yuxing frowned slightly, still unable to gauge Baili Ke’s intentions.

"The elder is too modest," Baili Ke smiled slightly, making no pretense of his status as a major sect master; instead, he seemed intent on building rapport with the Ji family. "Since you relocated here, I should have paid a visit long ago. However, I have been preoccupied with preparations for the Sect Gathering and couldn't find the time. I feel quite guilty. As soon as things were settled, I rushed over immediately. I hope the two elders will not take offense."

"We wouldn't dare, we wouldn't dare," Ji Yuxing and Ji Yusheng both waved their hands.

"This small token of appreciation is not much, please accept it, esteemed elders." In front of many Ji family members, Baili Ke drew out shimmering, brilliant Yuan Stones and several spirit treasures of exceptional quality from his sleeve, insisting on pressing them into Ji Yuxing's hand.

Ji Yuxing looked utterly stunned and deeply alarmed. He stammered with apprehension, "Sect Master Baili, what is the meaning of this? The Ji family is just a declining minor family; we cannot possibly accept such a generous gift!"

The older and younger Ji family members secretly observing also opened their mouths wide in disbelief.

Who was Baili Ke? The Sect Master of the Star Stone Sect!

He had come to the Ji family personally to offer favors—what kind of scheme was this?

"If the two elders refuse to accept these humble gifts, I will remain here with you today. I will wash my hands of Star Stone Sect matters and watch until you accept these things!" Baili Ke’s expression hardened; he looked completely unyielding.

Ji Yuxing and Ji Yusheng exchanged glances, unsure what to do.

"Elders, he is offering gifts directly to you. His sincerity is evident; it would be improper not to accept," a voice interjected at an inopportune moment. Ji Changkong walked out from the depths of the valley with a relaxed smile.

"You wretched boy! How can we accept Sect Master Baili's gifts?" Ji Yusheng shouted angrily.

"This must be the esteemed Nephew Changkong, correct?" Baili Ke suddenly smiled faintly, his eyes instantly focusing on Changkong, and he praised loudly, "Truly a dragon among men! The rumors outside are not false!"

"Sect Master Baili, your nephew apologizes first. Several months ago, when your nephew was on Blood Rain Mountain, I unintentionally trespassed into your sect’s Hundred Herb Garden, sparred a bit with some of your disciples, and angered your daughter. I was in a hurry to go to the He family then and couldn't come to apologize in person. Your nephew has been restless about it ever since. Now that you are here at the Ji family, it makes me even more awkward. Regarding that last incident..." Ji Changkong bowed slightly, his expression sincerely apologetic.

Ji Yuxing and Ji Yusheng froze. The surrounding Ji family elders and juniors were even more dumbfounded; they had no idea Ji Changkong had caused trouble at the Star Stone Sect's Hundred Herb Garden while he was on Blood Rain Mountain.

"Was there such an event?" Baili Ke looked confused for a moment before shaking his head and chuckling. "Nephew Changkong need not apologize. Children playing around is nothing significant, hehe. My girl is willful; if she was ill-mannered, Nephew Changkong should not hold it against her."

Ji Changkong’s doubts deepened, but he maintained his jovial appearance. He quickly said, "Not at all, not at all." Baili Ke’s inexplicable visit to the Ji family, offering gifts with unclear motives, and his inability to clearly account for the Hundred Herb Garden incident made Ji Changkong even more vigilant and uncertain of his intent. He decided to play along with Baili Ke’s words to gauge the situation.

"The Sect Gathering is about to begin. I hope the Ji family can achieve your aspirations and gain a true territory of your own at the gathering!" Baili Ke stated solemnly, forcefully trying to push the gifts into Ji Yuxing's hands. "I know the Ji family has been in decline for many years, and the spiritual energy in Xuan Yuan Valley isn't ideal lately. Please accept these things; I hope they will be of some help to you."

"At the Sect Gathering, only sufficient strength will yield rewards. Please do not postpone accepting them any longer!"

Ji Yuxing and Ji Yusheng looked bewildered, their expressions strange.

If this had happened before Ji Changkong returned, and Baili Ke brought these gifts, even if Ji Yuxing knew he had ulterior motives, he might not have been able to resist the temptation of these treasures and might have accepted them without clarifying the reasons first.

However, the current Ji family, though not as wealthy as great powers like the Star Stone Sect, now had enough resources brought back by Ji Changkong to sustain them for some time. Ji Yuxing and Ji Yusheng were not people who hadn't seen spirit treasures before, so they possessed a strong resistance to their allure.

Baili Ke also felt a strange sense of unease. He observed carefully and noticed that not only did Ji Yuxing and Ji Yusheng look unmoved by the temptation, but even the younger generation of Ji family members nearby looked upon the spirit treasures in his hands with very ordinary expressions, completely lacking the fervent desire he had anticipated.

Is the Ji family truly destitute? Why are their expressions so indifferent despite being presented with so many treasures? Have the Ji family members all reached a state of unshakeable resolve? Impossible! What exactly is going on?

Baili Ke could not figure it out, but his conviction that the Ji family was worth investing in grew stronger, and he insisted that Ji Yuxing and the others accept the gifts.

But Ji Yuxing and Ji Yusheng, unable to grasp the situation, stubbornly refused, resulting in a stalemate with Baili Ke.

"I am leaving the items here. I will try to mediate on your behalf during the Sect Gathering. As long as you prove your strength, what is yours will definitely not be missed!" Seeing that they absolutely would not take the items, Baili Ke firmly placed the things on the ground and then, ignoring whether they accepted them or not, strode out of Xuan Yuan Valley.

"What... what just happened?" Looking at the items at his feet, Ji Yuxing looked utterly confused and turned to Ji Changkong, demanding, "What exactly did you do in the Hundred Herb Garden? Why would he personally come to our Ji family to deliver gifts?"

"Uh, I hit a few of his disciples and cursed his daughter. That's all," Ji Changkong replied with a wry smile, genuinely not knowing what was going on.

At this statement, not only Ji Yuxing and Ji Yusheng but also the surrounding Ji family elders and juniors looked utterly bizarre.

According to Ji Changkong, Baili Ke should have come seeking revenge, not delivering gifts. Was he masochistic? Did the more they bullied the Star Stone Sect, the more excited he became?

"Don't look at me; I truly don't know the situation," Ji Changkong waved his hands repeatedly and, under the ferocious gazes of the Ji family members, turned and left.