After all, everyone harbors personal motives, and this ancient family clan is no exception. The Li and Huyan families have, on multiple occasions, considered pulling the Long family down from their perch as the nation's foremost clan.

However, given the Long family's deep foundation, those ambitions remained mere thoughts, never truly actionable.

This was the first time Long Feng had explained these intricacies to Zhang Yang. Normally, Zhang Yang knew nothing of this; even in his previous life, these matters were obscure. The lineage of the Medical Saints had too little interaction with them, virtually none at all.

"If possible, I'd like to start preparations and depart early!"

Long Feng added, his gaze fixed on Zhang Yang as he spoke.

This time, his statement carried a hint of a request. In truth, Long Feng harbored a deep yearning: his secluded training had hit a bottleneck, and to accelerate his progress, he needed to follow the requirements of his cultivation method—to cultivate while engaging with the secular world.

By entering the world, perhaps he could achieve a breakthrough on this journey. He was currently at the late stage of the second level; breaking through again would propel him to the third level of Neijin (Inner Strength).

The younger generation of the Long family had no masters at the third level of Neijin. Long Feng longed to return to the clan as a third-level Neijin expert, bringing a sensation of shock and excitement to his family members.

"Then we'll start preparing today!"

Zhang Yang slowly nodded. He had no intention of refusing Long Feng’s request; if they were to proceed as Long Feng suggested, preparation was indeed necessary.

Only a month remained. If they traveled straight to Kunlun Mountain, the time would be ample, but a slow journey there would make the schedule tight.

Kunlun Mountain is situated in the Western Regions, and the mountain range itself is vast. The Long family's location is slightly deeper within; without an early start, Long Feng wouldn't achieve the desired effect.

Having secured Zhang Yang's agreement, a smile returned to Long Feng's face.

On the way down the mountain, he actually proposed a race.

It was no longer the dark of dawn. As the two swiftly descended in broad daylight, anyone witnessing them would likely be terrified. Their non-human speed dwarfed even that of the current world record holder for the hundred-meter dash.

Long Feng was currently invigorated, so Zhang Yang indulged him, and the pair chose a sparsely populated area to run down the slopes.

Starting simultaneously, Zhang Yang’s speed was naturally a notch faster than Long Feng’s, but Long Feng was not slow either and quickly kept pace. If he genuinely intended to flee, Zhang Yang might not be able to catch him.

Fleeing is never a straight line; there are too many variables.

This further compelled Zhang Yang to marvel at the absurdity of the Supreme Grade Cultivation Art, which could increase speed so dramatically.

The technique Zhang Yang cultivated was merely an ordinary advanced technique. Fortunately, he possessed the Saint Hand System; by taking on more missions later, he could still boost his speed while simultaneously strengthening his body and enhancing his abilities.

Viewed this way, the auxiliary functions of the hidden system within his body were even more formidable than the Supreme Grade Cultivation Art.

A trip to the Long family had long been part of Zhang Yang's plan; this was merely an acceleration of that timeline. Zhang Yang had already given Long Feng his word, and visiting the Long family was also necessary for Zhang Yang himself.

Due to the affair concerning Hua Tuo residing with the Zhang family, he maintained an ongoing conflict with a certain elder of the Long family. This trip offered an opportunity to resolve that issue entirely.

As the foremost hidden family in the nation, residing deep in the mountains, it was naturally unsuitable to bring Mi Xue along; they would have to separate again this time.

Fortunately, he had been home recently, rarely going out, and his relationship with her had advanced further. Zhang Yang had already proposed marriage.

Once he returned from this journey, the engagement could be placed on the agenda. He would find a time when Zhang Keqin was free to finalize the matter. After all, Zhang Keqin was his father, and the engagement could not proceed without him.

The preparations for this departure were minimal, mainly involving items for the road. Since they might have to camp outdoors, necessary wilderness gear also needed packing.

These items were quickly gathered. Two days later, after breakfast, Zhang Yang and the others prepared to set off.

Standing at the villa entrance, Qu Meilan seemed even more reluctant to see them go than Mi Xue. She was currently at a critical juncture, transitioning from the early to the middle stage of the first level, and Zhang Yang’s sudden departure left her feeling less secure.

Fortunately, Zhang Yang had left her a cache of pills before leaving; with the aid of these, her breakthrough was virtually assured.

Mi Xue watched Zhang Yang, ceaselessly urging him to be careful on the road. Even though she knew he was powerful, she couldn't shake off a degree of worry.

People are like that; those they care about always warrant some concern, no matter what they do. Thankfully, she understood Zhang Yang well; he had explained the necessity of this trip before leaving.

"Zhang Yang, shall we go?"

Once Zhang Yang finished speaking with Mi Xue, Long Feng quietly prompted him.

Behind them sat a large, blue Jeep SUV. Zhang Yang nodded, and the two men settled into the back seats together.

The plan was to take twenty-three days to reach Kunlun Mountain, with an additional day for entering the mountain—totaling approximately twenty-four days.

Upon reaching the Long family grounds, after a few days of rest, the Long Family Grand Examination would commence. Zhang Yang was considered an invited participant, and after taking part, he would return.

As for Long Feng, he would accompany Zhang Yang back. Practicing his Supreme True Canon was better suited to the city environment than remaining at home.

The vehicle started. Long Cheng, driving in the front, gripped the steering wheel, a faint, irrepressible smile on his face as they departed.

Long Cheng was brought along by Long Feng to accompany him to the Long family headquarters, thereby earning the qualification to return with him.

Ordinarily, outer disciples like them had no chance of returning to the main headquarters. The hierarchy between the inner and outer gates of the Long family was rigidly enforced; among the outer disciples, the number who truly reached the inner gate and returned to the headquarters could be counted on one hand.

When Long Feng first mentioned taking him back to the Long family headquarters, Long Cheng had been doubtful, then nearly jumped with excitement; the honor of an outer disciple returning even once was a massive source of pride.

Only the three of them made up this traveling party.

"Zhang Yang, should we say something to Huang Hai and the others?"

Driving, Long Cheng glanced back and asked quietly. The decision, preparation, and departure for this trip were so rushed that neither of them had informed anyone else.

"Let’s tell them once we’ve left Changjing; that way, nobody will insist on tagging along!"

After a moment's thought, Zhang Yang quietly replied. Long Cheng nodded in complete agreement.

Huang Hai was older and the CEO of a corporation; he wouldn't impulsively follow. But Wang Chen and Li Ya were different stories.

Wang Chen, especially, loved to fool around. After nearly half a year of recuperation, he had finally ditched his crutches and fully recovered. If he learned Zhang Yang and Long Cheng were heading out of town, he would certainly try to join.

Li Ya's company had just launched and he was currently swamped, but given his nature, abandoning his company to run off wasn't out of the question.

Besides those two, Su Zhantao was another restless spirit.

Once they were far enough ahead that they couldn't be caught, and without sharing the route, the others would simply have to accept it.

Long Cheng drove, avoiding the expressways, sticking instead to provincial and national roads.

For this trip, they also intended to undergo some practical training. However, training didn't necessarily mean traveling on foot. If they walked to Kunlun Mountain, even as Neijin cultivators, the remaining time wouldn't suffice, and it would be excessively tiring.

Driving slowly, stopping intermittently, they could visit interesting mountains and streams they encountered, broadening their horizons, which significantly aided the refinement of their mental state.

For this reason, they naturally avoided the highways, finding the national and provincial roads more suitable.

Leaving Changjing, Zhang Yang first called Su Zhantao.

As expected, the moment Su Zhantao heard that Zhang Yang, Long Feng, and Long Cheng had left together, he started shouting.

He cursed them on the phone for being disloyal, not inviting him along for a fun outing, and told them to wait, as he would catch up immediately.

Catching up was, of course, impossible. Zhang Yang offered a brief explanation before hanging up.

Unable to get through, Su Zhantao threw a small fit by himself. He desperately wanted to join, but finding them was impossible, so he finally gave up.

Compared to Su Zhantao, Huang Hai's reaction was much calmer.

Long Cheng called Huang Hai, who sounded very surprised to hear the three of them were leaving together but didn't say much else.

Huang Hai simply offered his blessings, advising them to be careful on the road, and suggested they all gather properly upon their return.

Of course, Huang Hai also grumbled a bit, complaining that they should have given advanced notice for such a long trip so they could have seen them off and gathered one last time.

After those two calls, within half an hour, Li Ya, Wang Chen, and Chang Feng also learned the news.

Wang Chen reacted the most strongly. The fellow stormed directly to Zhang Yang's villa, asking Mi Xue for their travel route.

Unfortunately, even Mi Xue didn't know the itinerary. Wang Chen could only return defeated.

He then considered contacting his connections in the security forces to see if he could track which roads they had taken.

However, this thought only lasted a moment before he dismissed it himself.

Because this trip involved stopping frequently, Zhang Yang and the others did not use their own vehicles. All their cars were too flashy and didn't align with the spirit of the journey.

In the end, they purchased a modified, second-hand Jeep SUV; modifying a vehicle themselves would have taken too long.

This vehicle offered ample space; it was more than sufficient for the three of them. The rear compartment held the tents and climbing gear they brought, and Long Feng had also packed several multi-shot single-barrel shotguns.

Their planned route passed through a large grassland area; if they felt inclined, they could go hunting, which also served as self-defense.

In the presence of ordinary people, the deterrence of a gun was always stronger, helping them avoid revealing their true strength—they wouldn't use Neijin unless necessary.

While Wang Chen was busy chasing shadows, Zhang Yang and the others had already left Changjing City. The initial part of their route was similar to their last hunting trip to Rengren Mountain, but this time they bypassed Lieshan County, heading instead toward Gaocheng County, which bordered Lieshan.

They traveled on the national road, maintaining a moderate speed. They only reached Gaocheng County by evening, making it their first stop and lodging for the night.

The car pulled into the county seat and stopped at a guesthouse. After getting out, Long Cheng went in to secure rooms, while Zhang Yang and Long Feng walked behind.

After only a few steps, Zhang Yang abruptly turned his head back, frowning as he looked behind them.

After staring for a while, he shook his head to himself and then turned back, ready to enter the guesthouse with Long Feng.