A month later, in the Earth Spirit Sect's Earth Spirit City, in a dense forest thousands of miles away, a short-lived battle broke out.

When the people from the Earth Spirit Sect arrived, they discovered six headless bodies. After verifying their identities, it was confirmed that they were Song Hao and others. Their bodies were all severed by a sword, and the cause of death was extremely bizarre. From the remnants of the battle, it appeared that these people were killed by one person.

And it was done very cleanly.

"This location is already very close to our Earth Spirit Sect. Whoever dares to commit murder here, we must investigate which force is responsible. This person is quite powerful. Among the Foundation Building cultivators, only a few within the Six Sects can kill so skillfully. Don't let us find out who you are."

This incident caused a great loss of prestige for the Earth Spirit Sect. A Foundation Building cultivator was killed outside Earth Spirit City, and the others in the city were also filled with fear. They were all considering whether it was truly safe to join the Earth Spirit Sect in this chaotic world.

Meanwhile, in a tavern in Earth Spirit City.

When Zhang Qinglin and the others heard the news of Song Hao's death, they immediately guessed who was responsible - the woman who had been suppressing them among the younger generation of the Zhang family.

"It must be her. I didn't expect her to be so fast. It seems that her strength has improved again."

"Yes, the gap is getting bigger and bigger. It won't be long before she becomes the first Core Formation successor of the Zhang family."

"Hmph, relying on her Innate physique, what kind of hero is she?"

"Um, Brother Chi, she's not a hero either, she's a woman."

...

In the Zhang family's mission hall, after Zhang Yin exchanged several heads for rewards, he immediately went to the alchemy pavilion of the Zhang family. He took out the Spirit Immortal Grass and other medicinal materials, paid some spirit stones, and quietly waited for the Foundation Building Pills to be refined.

The task of refining second-tier pills was already taken care of by Zhang Ran's wife.

Moreover, the alchemy fees in the Zhang family's alchemy pavilion were slightly cheaper than those in the Evergreen Sect, so Zhang Yin chose to refine them in the Zhang family.

Half a month later, Zhang Yin happily took away three Foundation Building Pills.

Following that, the Earth Spirit Sect also issued a mission, offering a reward for Zhang Yin's head.

After a thorough investigation by the Earth Spirit Sect, Zhang Yin was identified.

...

Zhang Ran also witnessed the events involving these juniors, but he didn't intervene. He allowed them to happen because the rise of a family couldn't rely solely on him.

In the future, he would become the existence of an ancestor, and the family head might be selected from the countless descendants of the younger generation.

On this day, Zhang Ran received a message from the head of the Evergreen Sect, wanting to discuss an important matter.

"At this time, calling for me, I hope they don't have their sights set on my Zhang family."

Zhang Ran went to the Evergreen Sect and first visited Little Rain Peak. It had been a long time since he had seen Yu Yan.

"Zhang Ran?" Yu Yan was very surprised. Zhang Ran had actually come to visit on his own initiative. He had rarely visited the Evergreen Sect in recent years, so his visit today was quite unexpected.

"Why, seeing me, don't you want me to come?" Zhang Ran noticed that Yu Yan's appearance hadn't changed, still so fair and beautiful, standing tall on the peak. Moonlight brushed her cheeks, making her look like a fairy who had walked out of the Moon Palace, flawlessly beautiful.

If the senior sisters on Little Rain Peak were all incredibly beautiful, Zhang Ran could always find a flaw in each of them.

But Yu Yan had no flaws, her beauty was flawless from every angle.

"Why wouldn't I want you to come? You are now a highly sought-after advanced formation master and alchemist in the Six Sects. There are rumors circulating that you have refined several fourth-grade elixirs. Is it true?" Yu Yan chuckled.

Zhang Ran leaned closer, getting close to Yu Yan, almost touching noses. "Yu Yan Fairy, do you also pay attention to me in your daily life? How do you know such private matters about me?"

For over a decade, Yu Yan had often studied formation techniques with Zhang Ran, especially in Ten Thousand Beast Mountain. They had unavoidable interactions. Zhang Ran suddenly approached so closely, and Yu Yan didn't show any intention of avoiding it. Instead, she raised the corner of her mouth, her beautiful eyes flashing with an indescribable color.

"Zhang Gongzi truly possesses exceptional talent. You can even refine fourth-grade elixirs. Perhaps in a few years, I will have to come to you for elixirs," Yu Yan said.

Zhang Ran was slightly surprised. Yu Yan's words indicated that she was about to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Zhang Ran observed that Yu Yan was still at the Core Formation ninth level, but her spiritual power was abundant, and it seemed she was about to break through to the tenth level. Indeed, it was time to prepare for the Jieying stage.

"Yu Yan Fairy's cultivation progress is indeed fast," Zhang Ran commented.

"How can Zhang Gongzi be considered fast?" In this situation and with these words, Zhang Ran felt a certain emotion stirring within him. He couldn't help but wrap his arm around Yu Yan's waist.

Yu Yan lowered her head and smiled, not rejecting his gesture. It seemed she accepted Zhang Ran's action. When Zhang Ran slightly withdrew his hand and gently embraced her, a difficult-to-express emotion surged within him. It was something he had never experienced in any previous marriage or taking of concubines, and it was a feeling that no other woman had given him.

Was it a sense of conquest? Or was it love? Or was it the feeling of finally fulfilling the desire in his heart?

He recalled over forty years ago, when he first entered Little Rain Peak and saw the Peak Master speaking on the high platform. It was so sacred, awe-inspiring, and he remembered that flawless face from the first time. Although he didn't think much of it at the time, that seed had been buried deep in his heart.

Now, this person who was sacred and longed for in his heart was quietly held in his embrace. Zhang Ran didn't dare to speak, afraid of breaking the tranquility of this moment and waking up the fairy in his arms.

After a long time, ten minutes later, Yu Yan's voice came from his embrace. "How long do you plan to hold me like this? You must have other matters to attend to at Evergreen Sect."

Zhang Ran suddenly remembered that he had come to find the Sect Master. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed and said, "The Sect Master has something to discuss with me, but this time, you should come to my residence and sit for a while."

Yu Yan softly said, "Are you in such a hurry?"

Zhang Ran hurriedly explained, "No, no, no, it's not what you think. I just mean sitting, not doing anything else."

"Hehe," Yu Yan chuckled lightly. "You should go to the Sect Master's place quickly."

"Okay," Zhang Ran reluctantly left Little Rain Peak.

...

Sect Master's Hall

As a Nascent Soul old monster, the Sect Master couldn't miss anything. She had seen Yu Yan and Zhang Ran embracing each other just now.

When she saw Zhang Ran appear, she immediately became furious and scolded, "Elder Zhang, you have some tricks up your sleeve. You're trying to take over the entire Little Rain Peak."

Zhang Ran looked a bit embarrassed. He didn't expect the Sect Master to have such a keen eye for peeping. Fortunately, he hadn't done anything significant within the sect.

"Sect Master, I am in a free relationship. There doesn't seem to be anything inappropriate about it, and we are compatible," Zhang Ran said.

Hua Weimian snorted coldly. "Yu Yan is the most likely among all the Peak Masters to achieve the Nascent Soul stage. She is also the one I have high hopes for as the next Sect Master. If you take her away, won't you sever the roots of my Evergreen Sect?"

Zhang Ran calmly replied, "Sect Master, that's going too far. There are numerous talented individuals within the sect. How could there not be rising stars to inherit the vast family business of Evergreen Sect?"

"Oh? So, are you saying that you also have no intention of inheriting the family business of Evergreen Sect? You don't even consider yourself a member of Evergreen Sect?" Hua Weimian's words made Zhang Ran's heart skip a beat. This woman is trying to trap me with her words.

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