Though the trip out had been brief, only a few days, it had been the most perilous journey Zhang Yang had ever undertaken. Racing across thousands of li over a single day and night, Zhang Yang had genuinely feared he might never return.

When facing utter desperation, the thoughts that flooded Zhang Yang's mind were overwhelmingly of his family.

Zhang Keqin, Mi Xue, and even Zhang Yungan and Zhang Daofeng—their faces flashed constantly before his eyes.

Only then did he realize how deeply these people were imprinted upon his heart. In that moment, believing he was on the verge of parting forever, they were the ones he missed and longed for the most.

His friends and classmates, Su Zhantao and Hu Xin, were also causes for deep concern.

The RV glided into the complex. It was a rather large recreational vehicle that Zhang Yang had rented in the nearest city in Southern Jiang, specifically chosen to bring them—and, crucially, Zhuifeng—back to Changjing.

No other vehicle would easily accommodate Zhuifeng; Zhang Yang certainly couldn't haul his mount back in a freight truck.

Renting an RV was expensive, but thankfully, Zhang Yang was not short on funds these days.

“Yangyang is back!”

Zhang Daofeng, who had been sitting in the living room sipping tea, suddenly displayed a faint smile. Soon after, Zhang Yungan’s face mirrored the same expression.

Fourth-layer Neijin practitioners were highly attuned to energy. While they could not yet command the external energies of heaven and earth, they could sense them—a feat impossible for those below the fourth layer.

Don't underestimate this slight advantage. Even though it was mere sensing rather than utilization, it still marked a significant step forward.

The truly devastating power still lay in the energy of heaven and earth; that was real strength. Unlike the Neijin cultivated internally by martial artists, which, no matter how strong, was inherently limited to the self.

Only by commanding external forces could one achieve true might. External energy dwarfed internal Neijin by a thousand, even ten thousand times.

If a fourth-layer practitioner was a river, the fifth layer was the ocean. All the rivers combined could not compare to the sea; the sheer magnitude of the ocean surpassed everything else.

“Zhang Yang is back?”

Mi Xue was also in the living room. Hearing Zhang Daofeng, she immediately stood up, her face alight with intense delight.

They had only recently become engaged; this was the sweetest time in their relationship. Every day, Mi Xue’s heart was filled with yearning, and hearing that the object of her longing had returned, she could not stay seated.

Zhang Daofeng nodded with a smile. Mi Xue dashed out, accompanied by Qu Meilan.

Little Qu Meilan felt exceedingly content these days. Though Zhang Yang was absent, the two other elders of the Zhang family were present. Recognizing they were all on the same side, Zhang Daofeng and Zhang Yungan had offered her pointers.

These were two fourth-layer powerhouses. Every word they uttered held immense significance for Qu Meilan, who was merely at the early stage of the first layer. Her progress had been rapid; her Neijin level hadn't increased, but her comprehension of the cultivation methods had undergone a profound shift.

Practicing the arts wasn't just about relentless effort; it required specific methodology.

She was now slowly grasping the correct approach. Continuing at this pace, her likelihood of advancing to the late stage was extremely high, and she would avoid wasting much unnecessary time.

A large white RV pulled up. It slowly passed by her and finally stopped. Mi Xue paused slightly, then looked forward. The vehicle Zhang Yang had driven when he left was a Hummer.

“Mi Xue, I’m back!”

That deeply familiar, much-missed voice rang out. Mi Xue whirled around. Zhang Yang stepped down from the just-stopped white RV, Zhuifeng, shaking his head, following close behind him.

Looking at the beloved woman before him, Zhang Yang gently spread his arms and swept Mi Xue into an embrace.

This trip had only lasted five or six days, but to Zhang Yang, it felt like a century. Even as he held the person he loved, he couldn't suppress his emotion, wishing he could hold her like this forever.

“It’s good you’re back. Did you find what you were looking for?”

Mi Xue’s face flushed slightly, but her heart was filled with an extraordinary sweetness. She whispered the question.

“I found it. Rest assured, Dad’s illness can be cured!”

Zhang Yang smiled faintly, reluctantly releasing her, and patted his canvas bag. He had brought back the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus Root, along with many other treasures.

The journey out had nearly cost him his life, but the rewards were immense. Not to mention the divine weapons and sharp implements, the medicinal herbs alone were incredibly rare and precious, let alone a heaven-and-earth treasure like the Thousand-Year Polygonum Multiflorum.

After dropping Zhang Yang off, the white RV departed swiftly on its own.

The driver left humming a cheerful tune. The distance wasn't too far, but the ride was extremely comfortable. Zhang Yang had booked the vehicle for a full month, and since RVs are designed for tourism, it was unusual for one to be specifically hired for ferrying people.

Essentially, he had earned in a few days what a normal rental would cost for a month, so he was naturally quite satisfied.

“You’re back. Was it smooth?”

Entering the living room, Zhang Yungan was the first to ask. Seeing Zhang Yang returned, both he and Zhang Daofeng breathed a sigh of relief.

“It was alright. Uncle, Grand-paternal Ancestor, there are a few things I need to discuss with you both.”

Zhang Yang nodded slightly, then invited them into the study.

Zhang Yungan and Zhang Daofeng exchanged glances. They both sensed something amiss. Zhang Yang had just returned; even if there were matters to discuss, they could wait until evening. Rushing it now suggested an urgent, major issue, serious enough that he couldn't even spare a moment for Mi Xue before seeking them out privately.

Going to the study meant only the three of them would be present; Mi Xue would certainly not follow.

The three proceeded to the study. Mi Xue's brow twitched slightly, but no displeasure registered in her heart.

She understood that if Zhang Yang sought out his uncle and grand-paternal ancestor, it must be for serious business, or he wouldn't be this hasty. She could understand Zhang Yang’s priorities, which was one of Mi Xue’s virtues—she always tried to see things from his perspective and consider his needs first.

“Uncle, Grand-paternal Ancestor, is it possible to contact Elder?”

This was the first question Zhang Yang asked upon entering the study, which brought forth astonishment from both Zhang Yungan and Zhang Daofeng.

“If it’s urgent, and we truly need to contact him, yes, we can!”

Zhang Yungan responded after a moment of hesitation. Zhang Daofeng watched Zhang Yang quietly.

Zhang Daofeng had been away for ten years and had seen Zhang Yang only a few times, but he had developed a deep understanding of him. He knew Zhang Yang would never inquire about Zhang Pinglu without reason; there had to be a compelling cause.

Zhang Yang seemed to let out a small sigh of relief, then continued, “That’s good. Uncle, could you please find a way to contact the Elder immediately?”

“Contacting him isn't an issue. However, Yangyang, can you tell us what happened that requires reaching the Elder?”

Zhang Yungan asked again, confusion clouding his face.

The Elder’s whereabouts were uncertain; sometimes he was in seclusion, other times cultivating among mortals, continuing to grasp the Dao of Nature. He had become a Guardian through inheritance, but he constantly strove to break the five-layer barrier that bound inheritors, aiming to reach the fifth layer through his own power.

Therefore, contacting him proactively was usually troublesome. Fortunately, the Zhang family possessed an emergency communication method, though it was only to be used in the direst of circumstances, lest the Elder become furious.

Zhang Yang explained, “It’s this: on my trip to Overlord Peak, I encountered Hu Yanfeng!”

“Who is Hu Yanfeng?”

Zhang Yungan looked slightly blank, but Zhang Daofeng’s eyelids jumped violently. Zhang Yungan might not grasp the significance of that name, but Zhang Daofeng understood perfectly.

After achieving the Middle Stage, Zhang Pinglu had specifically briefed him on the Great Perfection experts currently alive. The Great Perfection Guardian of the Hu Yan family bore that very name: Hu Yanfeng.

“You encountered him. Did he cause you trouble?”

Zhang Daofeng asked directly, his tone edged with tension. Although Zhang Yang was alive and sitting before him, the mere thought of a Great Perfection expert sent a shiver of worry through him.

Zhang Yungan looked at his father in surprise, then turned back to Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang offered a wry smile and slowly shook his head. “He didn't trouble me, but he tried to kill me. He chased me from the Heavenly Mountains to Kunlun, and from Kunlun all the way to Southern Jiang. If Zhuifeng hadn't been with me on this chase, I probably wouldn't have made it back!”

Being hunted across a thousand li was an awful feeling. Recounting it brought back the suffocating pressure of that pursuit.

“What did you say? He chased you?”

Zhang Daofeng blurted out, rising to his feet.

Zhang Yungan’s expression shifted to ashen alarm.

He didn't know who Hu Yanfeng was, but he knew that among the entire Hu Yan clan, only one person posed a genuine threat to Zhang Yang. Even their own Middle Stage Fourth Layer Elder, Hu Yanming, could never have chased them down. Not to mention that Hu Yanming couldn't outpace a spirit beast like the Heavenly Horse; how could he chase them so far?

Given that context, Hu Yanfeng’s identity became obvious. Zhang Yungan had never imagined Zhang Yang would cross paths with this man, let alone be hunted by him. Now, he understood precisely why Zhang Yang needed to contact the Elder immediately upon his return.

Zhang Yang nodded again. “He pursued us for a full day and night. Zhuifeng pushed his body to the limit, getting injured in his desperate flight. We only managed to evade him by reaching Yinlong Mountain!”

“Yinlong Mountain? You went to Yinlong Mountain?”

This time, the exclamation came from Zhang Yungan, who also couldn't remain seated and stood up.

Zhang Yang being chased by a Great Perfection expert was shocking, but Zhang Yang having gone to Yinlong Mountain stunned him even more. For years, the blood of many Fourth-Layer experts had proven one immutable fact: Yinlong Mountain was strictly forbidden. It was a place of no return. Even late-stage Fourth-Layer experts who entered never came back down. For Neijin practitioners, it was a veritable death trap.

He couldn't believe Zhang Yang had actually ventured into Yinlong Mountain.

Not just him, but Zhang Daofeng now felt a cold numbness creep over him, a slight sweat breaking out.

Both the Great Perfection pursuit and the journey into Yinlong Mountain represented near-certain death scenarios. He struggled to imagine how Zhang Yang had survived them all and returned home.

Only now did they grasp the true horror of what Zhang Yang had endured these past few days.

“Father, release the Scented Bees immediately. We absolutely need the Elder for this matter!”

Zhang Yungan turned to Zhang Daofeng and said firmly. He didn't know how Zhang Yang had emerged alive from Yinlong Mountain, but this situation was clearly beyond their ability to handle alone. They needed—and must—summon Zhang Pinglu.

Zhang Daofeng slowly nodded. His thoughts aligned perfectly with Zhang Yungan’s: the Elder had to be called.