Chapter 475 The Glass Jade Pendant? Liu Ruyan Was Sold?!

As Liu Qingyun's voice fell, the dozen or so Grand Elders remaining on the square were all stunned.

Liu Qingshan's brows furrowed sharply.

He subconsciously looked at Liu Qingyun, then at Jiang Yun, who had already stopped in his tracks; his mouth opened slightly and then closed, his Face filled with disbelief.

He already knew what items Grand Tutor Dongxuan had taken from the treasury: beast taming armor condensation knee guards, Meteor Peak grade; thunder soul crystal, eclipsing moon Peak grade; dark-attribute origin law crystal, Radiant Sun Low Grade; ancestral dragon essence blood, Legendary Medium Grade; and a void seed, Radiant Sun Peak grade.

Combined, these five treasures were worth nearly one-third of the Liu Family's entire treasury reserves.

The Family Head had just been looking so pained that his mouth corners were twitching, so how did he change into a different person in the blink of an eye?

Not only was he not holding onto the remaining family assets tightly, but he was actually taking the initiative to give them away?

It wasn't just Liu Qingshan; the other Grand Elders present were also looking at each other, the shock and confusion in their eyes nearly overflowing.

Someone secretly tugged at the sleeve of the companion beside them, whispering in a low voice, "Has the Family Head... suffered too great a blow? Is his brain... ahem, I mean, is the Family Head acting on impulse?"

The companion who was pulled also wore a look of confusion, slightly shaking their head to indicate that they also did not understand.

These Grand Elders had all lived for over a hundred years; what kind of scenes had they not seen?

But never had they seen the head of a dignified hidden clan, after having two of their clan's supreme treasures taken from the treasury by someone, not only fail to send the person away with a dark Face but instead chase after them saying, "I forgot to give you one more item."

They had truly never seen such a scene.

Liu Qingyun's gaze swept over the old Faces of the Grand Elders, which were written full of shock and confusion. He coughed dryly, his Face still maintaining that obsequious smile.

However, a glimmer of craftiness, known only to himself, flashed in his eyes inadvertently.

What do these Old Fellows know?

This is called an investment!

Once Grand Tutor Dongxuan becomes my Liu Family's son-in-Law, you will all realize how brilliant this move of mine was today.

Of course, he would not say these words out loud.

"Family Head!" Liu Qingshan finally couldn't hold it in anymore.

He stepped forward and said to Liu Qingyun in a low voice, "Grand Tutor Dongxuan has already taken five treasures from the treasury: the beast taming armor condensation is Meteor Peak grade, the thunder soul crystal is eclipsing moon Peak grade, the dark-attribute origin law crystal is Radiant Sun Low Grade, and there is also the Legendary Grade ancestral dragon essence blood and the Radiant Sun Peak grade void seed. Which of these five treasures is not a Rare treasure? You know Grand Tutor Dongxuan's discernment; if you give him some substandard items, I fear..."

His words were very tactful, but the meaning was expressed very clearly.

Family Head, have you lost your mind?

The other party just took two of our Liu Family's supreme treasures, and you are giving more things now? If you give something bad, it's embarrassing; if you give something good, what are you going to give?

The seventh floor of the treasury has already been half-plundered; do you want to open the treasury again?

However, just as his voice fell, Liu Qingyun waved his hand.

"Give it!" His voice was resolute and sonorous, without a hint of hesitation.

"This gift, I must give! And little friend Dong Xuan must accept it! This is the courtesy of my Liu Family towards a benefactor. Little friend Dong Xuan restored the soul of the nether phoenix, and these two favors combined, how can they be repaid by a mere few treasures? If I let little friend leave empty-handed today! Ahem, I mean, if I let little friend leave with only those five treasures, wouldn't my Liu Family become ungrateful wretches? If word gets out, how will the Liu Family stand in the Eastern Region?"

He spoke these words with righteous indignation and stern justice, as if he had chased after him to give a gift not because of some ulterior father-in-Law scheme, but purely to maintain the reputation and dignity of the Liu Family as a hidden clan of several hundred years.

The expressions of the Grand Elders became even more bewildered.

Some had twitching mouth corners, some had veins throbbing on their foreheads, and others subconsciously reached out to cover their own Storage Rings, as if fearing the Family Head's next sentence would be, "Elders, take out your private collections and pool them together."

Their gazes fell uniformly on Liu Qingyun's Face, attempting to find some clues from that righteous expression.

Had the Family Head been stimulated too harshly by Elder Ruhua at the treasury entrance just now and become mentally deranged?

Or was the blow of having the ancestral dragon essence blood taken away too great, causing him to develop some kind of stress reaction?

Elder Liu Lan stood in the crowd, also slightly stunned.

Her brows furrowed lightly, her lively eyes sweeping back and forth across Liu Qingyun's Face several times.

She had spent decades with Liu Qingyun and understood this Family Head's temperament better than anyone.

Liu Qingyun was indeed a person who kept his promises, but he was definitely not the kind of pushover who would chase after someone who had taken their clan's supreme treasures to say, "I forgot to give you one more item."

There was only one reason he could make such an abnormal move.

He was plotting something.

But she thought about it for a long time and still couldn't figure out what the Family Head was plotting.

Besides continuing to bleed the Liu Family dry, what benefit could there be in giving away one more treasure?

In another corner of the crowd, Master Fu Shan and Elder Mo stood side by side.

Although these two Grand Tutor Level masters hadn't said much throughout the whole process, their eyes had been silently observing every detail in the square.

"Brother Fu Shan." Elder Mo transmitted his voice, his tone carrying a touch of profound meaning. "What do you think?"

Master Fu Shan's gaze slowly swept over Liu Qingyun's Face, and then he shook his head slightly.

"The Liu Family Head has no problems. His eyes are clear, his aura is steady, and he does not look like someone who has become mentally deranged after suffering a blow. He must have a deeper meaning for giving this gift."

"Oh?" Elder Mo raised his eyebrows nonchalantly. "Then what do you guess he will be giving?"

"Wait until we see what he takes out, and we will know his intention." Master Fu Shan said slowly, a glimmer of shrewdness flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

"However, I do have some vague guesses. Anything the Liu Family Head would personally offer must not be an ordinary item. And a treasure that could have some connection with Grand Tutor Dongxuan..."

He paused, not continuing to speak.

At this moment, Jiang Yun stood in place, his Face under the mask filled with bewilderment.

Still giving him more?

He had just taken five full treasures from their treasury: beast taming armor condensation, thunder soul crystal, Origin Law Crystal, ancestral dragon essence blood, and void seed.

Any one of these five treasures would be enough for any force in the Eastern Region to fight tooth and nail for, and the ancestral dragon essence blood and void seed were even the supreme treasures of the seventh floor of the Liu Family's treasury.

He had already plucked them half-bald, and he had seen clearly the expressions of the Liu Family's Grand Elders who looked like they were about to cry from heartache just now.

But now, this Liu Family Head, instead of sending him away with a dark Face, had chased after him with a smile and said he forgot to give one more thing?

Was this reasonable?

This was not reasonable!

Jiang Yun's fingers once again subconsciously rested on the entrance of his Beast Taming Space.

Could the Liu Family be using the excuse of giving a treasure to gift him something with a positioning and tracking function?

After he left the Liu Family, would they follow the location to find him, then kill him and seize the goods, taking back all five treasures?

Or perhaps there was a problem with the treasure itself.

For instance, it looked like a treasure on the surface, but it was actually embedded with some sinister Restriction or curse that would put him in danger once triggered?

His gaze swept over Liu Qingyun's bright, smiling Face, his heart rapidly calculating various possibilities.

But he felt something was not quite right.

If the Liu Family really wanted to do such a thing, why be so blatant?

Wouldn't it be fine to just track him secretly after he left the Liu Family?

Why make such a scene in front of so many Grand Elders?

Moreover, although Liu Qingyun's expression was obsequious to an excessive degree, it really didn't look faked.

That look, which contained a touch of anticipation within the eagerness, and a touch of calculation within the anticipation, looked more like... more like a merchant trying to sell something.

Just as Jiang Yun was secretly speculating, Liu Qingyun finally revealed his trump card.

He reached out and wiped his Storage Ring, and a warm, gentle light flew out from the ring, landing steadily in his palm.

It was a jade pendant.

The jade pendant was only half the size of a palm, and its entire body presented a highly transparent and clear glazed texture.

Under the afterglow of the setting sun, faint, colorful halos flowed across the jade surface. Those halos were not paint applied to the surface, but naturally radiated from within the jade pendant.

It was as if an extremely thin rainbow had been sealed within the glaze, slowly drifting as the light changed.

Both the front and back of the jade pendant were engraved with extremely precise Formation patterns. Those patterns were so fine that they were almost indistinguishable to the naked eye, and only at specific angles could one see the faint, elusive lines they formed on the jade surface.

The top of the jade pendant was tied with a silver-gray silk cord, and a small silver ring was attached to the end of the cord, which was also engraved with dense, miniature runes.

Holding the entire jade pendant in one's hand, one could feel a faint, elusive spatial fluctuation radiating from the jade surface just by looking at it from afar.

That fluctuation was extremely weak, but the Law aura contained within it was exceptionally pure. It was the aura of the space Law. And it was the purest kind.

When this jade pendant appeared in Liu Qingyun's palm, the expressions of all the Grand Elders present changed subtly in the same instant.

"This is... the Glazed Jade Pendant?!"

Liu Qingshan's pupils contracted slightly, his voice carrying a trace of undisguised astonishment.

He certainly recognized this jade pendant. It was one of the few heirloom treasures of the Liu Family. Although its grade was not as high as the Legendary Grade ancestral dragon essence blood, in terms of rarity and special use, this jade pendant's status in the Liu Family was in no way inferior to any supreme treasure.

The moment Elder Liu Lan saw the jade pendant, she was stunned for a moment, and then a flash of realization crossed her lively eyes.

Her gaze moved away from the jade pendant and landed on Liu Qingyun's obsequious, smiling Face, her mouth corners twitching slightly.

So that was it.

She finally knew what the Family Head was plotting.

There were two Glazed Jade Pendants in total: a sub-pendant and a main pendant.

Whoever held the sub-pendant, the main pendant could sense their position at any time.

The Family Head giving the sub-pendant to Grand Tutor Dongxuan was clearly wanting the holder of the main pendant, which was Liu Ruyan, to be able to know Grand Tutor Dongxuan's movements at any time.

This wasn't giving a treasure; this was clearly paving the way for his daughter!

When Master Fu Shan and Elder Mo saw the jade pendant, they smiled at each other and nodded slightly at the same time.

"So it is this item." Elder Mo transmitted his voice, his tone carrying a sense of realization as if it were expected.

"The Glazed Jade Pendant, the Liu Family's ancestral supreme treasure for directional communication. If I remember correctly, there are one main and one sub-pendant in total, and the position of the sub-pendant holder can be sensed by the main pendant at any time.

The Liu Family Head gifting this item to Grand Tutor Dongxuan is actually reasonable; after all, Grand Tutor Dongxuan is now holding the Liu Family's Guest Elder Token. If he encounters danger and crushes the sub-pendant, the Liu Family can teleport strong experts to rescue him immediately.

This is both protection for a Guest Elder and a reward for a benefactor; it makes sense in terms of both sentiment and reason."

"It makes sense, it makes sense." Master Fu Shan smiled slightly.

A glimmer of profound meaning flashed in his cloudy old eyes.

"However, the Liu Family Head's intentions are likely not as simple as just repaying a favor. Who is holding the main pendant of this Glazed Jade Pendant?"

Elder Mo was slightly stunned, then as if he had thought of something, a faint, elusive smile also appeared on his mouth corners.

And after Liu Qingyun saw the reactions of the surrounding Grand Elders, he knew that the effect of this jade pendant had been achieved.

The smile on his Face became even brighter, and he cleared his throat, preparing to introduce the Origin and use of this jade pendant to Jiang Yun.

However, before he could speak, Liu Qingshan spoke first.

"Family Head!" Liu Qingshan's voice carried a trace of incredulous astonishment.

"You are going to give the Glazed Jade Pendant to Grand Tutor Dongxuan?! This Glazed Jade Pendant is my Liu Family's..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Liu Qingyun coughed dryly twice.

Those two coughs were loud and urgent, forcefully cutting off the rest of Liu Qingshan's words.

While coughing, he glared at Liu Qingshan nonchalantly, the information contained in that gaze extremely rich.

"Old Shan, shut up! Don't ruin my good deed!"

Liu Qingshan was stunned by that glare, and the rest of his words were stuck in his throat.

Although he didn't understand the Family Head's intention, years of tacit understanding made him instinctively choose to shut up.

It was just that the old eyes looking at Liu Qingyun were still filled with confusion and incomprehension.

Liu Qingyun reined in the momentary loss of composure on his Face, replaced it with a generous and appropriate smile, and turned to Jiang Yun while holding the jade pendant.

"Little friend Dong Xuan." His voice restored the steadiness and composure of a Family Head, but a careful person could hear the hint of irrepressible eagerness hidden in his tone.

"This item is the Glazed Jade Pendant. This Glazed Jade Pendant is divided into two pieces: a main pendant and a sub-pendant. The one in my hand is the sub-pendant. And in my Liu Family's ancestral hall, a main pendant is enshrined."

He paused, handed the jade pendant forward, and let Jiang Yun see it more clearly.

"This item was meticulously crafted by my Liu Family's predecessors at a huge cost, using the purest space Law raw stones as raw material.

Little friend Dong Xuan only needs to carry this sub-pendant with you. In the future, if you encounter danger, you only need to crush the jade pendant, and my Liu Family can instantly lock onto your location by the sensing of the main pendant.

At that time, the Liu Family will directly teleport a strong expert to your side through the miniature teleportation channel constructed between the two jade pendants to help you out of the siege."

He raised his head, looking at Jiang Yun with a sincere gaze.

"Using this to protect the safety of Grand Tutor Dongxuan, it can also be considered a token of gratitude from the Liu Family for Grand Tutor Dongxuan's restoration of the Nether Phoenix soul crystal and the awakening of the soul of the nether phoenix. Of course, this old man also knows that the two words 'repaying a debt' might not be enough to make you put aside your concerns. However, I still hope you can accept this item; it is a gesture of sincerity from my Liu Family, and also a token of our feelings toward Grand Tutor Dongxuan."

Hearing these words, the brows beneath Jiang Yun's mask furrowed slightly.

It could track his location at any time. If he encountered danger and crushed the jade pendant, the Liu Family could send an expert to teleport over and rescue him directly.

On the surface, this was an extremely precious life-saving trump card. The timely rescue of a Liu Family expert would be enough to turn the tide between life and death at a critical moment.

But thinking from another angle, this jade pendant could be tracked at any time by the Liu Family's parent pendant. This meant that as long as he carried this jade pendant, his whereabouts would always be in the hands of the Liu Family.

This made Jiang Yun feel that something was off. He recalled the two clan-protecting treasures he had taken from the Treasure Trove: the ancestral dragon essence blood and the void seed. These two items were absolutely priceless to the Liu Family.

Although the Liu Family claimed on the surface that winning them through strength was honorable, could they really swallow this bitterness in their hearts?

What if they gave him the child pendant, and after he left the Liu Family, they used the location tracking to find him, then sent experts to snatch back all the treasures in his possession...

However, on second thought, he felt this theory had many loopholes. If the Liu Family really wanted to snatch back the treasures, there was no need to go through so much trouble.

He was still on the Liu Family's territory, surrounded by a dozen Eclipsing Moon Rank Grand Elders, and Liu Qingyun himself was an Eclipsing Moon Rank high-stage expert. If they really wanted to make a move, now was the best time. Why let him leave first, then chase him using the location tracking?

Moreover, Liu Qingyun had spoken those words openly, in front of all the Grand Elders. If the Liu Family really intended to use such methods to rob him, wouldn't these Grand Elders all become accomplices?

As a hidden clan with hundreds of years of history, the Liu Family valued reputation and Face above all else; it was impossible for them to do something that would destroy their own foundation.

More importantly, he noticed the subtle expressions of the surrounding Grand Elders when they saw the Glazed Jade Pendant. Their shock and confusion were genuine; it didn't look like acting.

And those two dry coughs from Liu Qingyun just now, along with his meaningful glance at Liu Qingshan, were also keenly captured by Jiang Yun. This Glazed Jade Pendant was definitely not just a simple life-saving trump card. But what was its true purpose? Jiang Yun couldn't figure it out for a moment.

He no longer hesitated and locked his gaze directly onto the jade pendant in Liu Qingyun's palm. Deep within his pupils, a faint glow that only he could see emerged silently. Entry Manifestation talent, activate.

A translucent entry panel slowly unfolded before his eyes.

[Glazed Jade Pendant · Child Pendant]

[Grade]: Sun-Level Low Grade

[Attribute]: Space

[Description]: The child pendant of the parent-child jade pendant set, meticulously crafted by the Liu Family ancestors using the purest space Law Origin stone as raw material, supplemented with miniature Teleportation Formation patterns. This jade pendant and the parent pendant enshrined in the Liu Family ancestral hall are twin-born, constructing an extremely stable miniature teleportation channel between them. Space Law Origin stones are Rare in the world and can only be mined with an extremely small chance in the depths of void cracks; therefore, the rarity of this jade pendant is no less than that of ordinary Sun-Level treasures.

[Core Ability · Space Positioning]: The real-time location of the child pendant holder will be sensed by the parent pendant at any time. This function cannot be shielded or blocked; as long as the child pendant exists within the sensing range of the parent pendant, the positioning remains effective.

[Core Ability · Directional Teleportation]: When the child pendant holder encounters danger and crushes the jade pendant, the parent pendant will instantly receive the distress signal and lock onto the spatial coordinates of the child pendant. Subsequently, the parent pendant holder can activate the miniature teleportation channel between the two jade pendants, teleporting an expert with strength not exceeding the Sun-Level directly to the location of the child pendant. The teleportation is one-way. After the teleportation is completed, the miniature channel will temporarily close and requires recharging with space Law Origin stones before it can be used again.

[Special Note]: The miniature teleportation channel of this jade pendant is extremely stable and is not affected by the vast majority of Restrictions, Formations, or barriers, but the teleportation limit is Sun-Level; experts exceeding this Realm cannot pass through this channel.

[Limitation Note]: The child pendant shatters after one use and cannot be reused. The sensing range of the parent pendant is one million li in radius; if it exceeds this range, the positioning becomes invalid.

Jiang Yun's gaze scanned line by line across the entry panel. The entry information was basically consistent with Liu Qingyun's description. Positioning function, teleportation function, crafted from space Law Origin stone.

The entry did not show any hidden traps or underhanded methods in this jade pendant, and the positioning and teleportation functions were clearly written, without any insidious additional effects. But precisely because of this, he was even more confused.

Although the entry information could show the effects and purpose of the treasure, it could not show Liu Qingyun's true intention in giving this item to him. Liu Qingyun knew that this jade pendant could track his location at any time, yet he still gave it to him generously, and even explained its functions clearly in front of so many people.

This actually made Jiang Yun feel that Liu Qingyun's scheme was likely not as simple as robbing him of treasures.

Seeing Jiang Yun staring at the jade pendant for a long time without speaking, Liu Qingyun felt a little anxious. He knew what Jiang Yun was worried about. If it were anyone else who had just taken two clan-protecting treasures from someone else's Treasure Trove, and then the other party chased them down to give them something that could track their location at any time, it would be abnormal not to be vigilant.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan..." Liu Qingyun spoke again, his tone a bit more sincere than before. "This old man knows what you are worried about. This Glazed Jade Pendant can track your location, and you are worried that the Liu Family will act against you in the future; I fully understand this point."

He took a step forward, looking at Jiang Yun with a frank gaze, his voice steady and powerful. "But this old man can guarantee to Grand Tutor Dongxuan that the Liu Family will never do anything detrimental to you. Grand Tutor, just think about it: you are currently in the Liu Family's ancestral land, surrounded by over a dozen Eclipsing Moon Rank Grand Elders, and this old man himself is also at the Eclipsing Moon Rank. If the Liu Family really wanted to snatch back the treasures, we could just do it directly; why wait until you have left to go through so much trouble?"

He paused, his tone becoming somewhat solemn. "Although my Liu Family has been hidden from the world for hundreds of years, we are still a great clan with an orderly Legacy. Keeping promises and standing by our words is the foundation of our clan. Although these treasures are precious, my Liu Family can still afford to give them away. Besides, Grand Tutor Dongxuan is a Grand Elder of the Appraisers Guild; for the sake of the Appraisers Guild, and for the sake of Chairman Yun Xi, the Liu Family must give some Face."

When mentioning the four words 'Chairman Yun Xi', Liu Qingyun's tone was significantly more solemn.

"Giving this item to Grand Tutor Dongxuan, of course, just saying it is to repay a debt might not be enough to make you completely let down your guard. It is normal to have a sense of vigilance. If you insist on asking why I want to give you such a precious life-saving item in addition to the five treasures, and even send Liu Family experts to rescue you when you are in danger..."

He took a deep breath, his gaze sincere and open. "That is because my Liu Family wants to invest in Grand Tutor Dongxuan. Although this old man does not know what your true identity is, where you come from, or what kind of forces stand behind you, there is one thing I can be sure of: with your talent and intelligence, Grand Tutor, you will sooner or later rise to fame in the Eastern Region, and it will not be difficult to even enter the Central Plains. My Liu Family is just establishing a bond of kindness with you in advance, building a foundation of trust. Even if it is not used in the future, I hope that when you rise to the top, you will not forget the meager help the Liu Family has provided."

After he finished speaking, the surrounding Grand Elders nodded one after another. Although they all knew the true intention of the Patriarch in giving this jade pendant—the parent pendant was in the hands of Young Miss Ruyan, and giving the child pendant to Grand Tutor Dongxuan was equivalent to keeping his whereabouts under the control of Young Miss Ruyan at any time.

However, the Patriarch's words just now were indeed watertight; no flaws could be found in terms of reason or emotion, so they, as subordinates, naturally had to cooperate.

Liu Qingshan was the first to step forward, a kind smile squeezed onto his aged Face. "Grand Tutor Dongxuan, every word the Patriarch said comes from the heart. This Glazed Jade Pendant is a gesture of sincerity from our Liu Family to the Grand Tutor; I hope the Grand Tutor will not decline it. If the Grand Tutor encounters danger outside in the future, this old man is willing to come personally through the teleportation channel to help you out of trouble, which can be considered as forging this great bond of kindness for our Liu Family!"

Elder Liu Lan also nodded. Her gaze swept lightly across Liu Qingyun's Face with a faint smile at the corner of her mouth, but her tone was extremely serious. "Please accept it, Grand Tutor Dongxuan. This matter... is actually my Liu Family climbing high to reach you."

Hearing Elder Liu Lan's words, the corners of several Grand Elders' mouths nearby couldn't help but twitch. They thought to themselves, this girl Liu Lan is speaking with a hidden meaning. The term 'climbing high' is really meaningful.

However, since Liu Qingyun had already laid out the scene so beautifully, they could only follow suit. For a time, the Liu Family Elders spoke one after another, urging Jiang Yun to accept the jade pendant. Some said it was the Liu Family's etiquette to a benefactor, some said it was the demeanor a hidden great clan should have, and some said that if Grand Tutor Dongxuan did not accept it, he would be looking down on the Liu Family.

Everyone's tone was more sincere than the last, and their expressions were more earnest than the last.

Jiang Yun stood on the spot, the brows beneath his mask furrowing even tighter. He knew in his heart that every word Liu Qingyun said was logically impeccable.

If the Liu Family really wanted to harm him, they could just do it now; there was no need to wait until he left to pursue him. If the Liu Family really cared about those treasures, it would be impossible for them to put on this act in front of so many people.

Moreover, the Face of the Appraisers Guild was indeed big enough. Although he did not know much about the identity of Chairman Yun Xi, judging from the genuine dread and respect Liu Qingyun showed when speaking just now, this Chairman's power was likely far beyond his previous imagination.

These people indeed gave him a feeling of some hidden scheme. It wasn't a sense of 'I want to harm you', but another indescribable feeling, as if he was being pushed in a certain direction by an invisible pair of hands.

What exactly are they scheming? He had taken so many treasures from the Liu Family, and not only did they not mind, but they even chased him down to give him another life-saving treasure. This did not look like the reaction of a victim who had been fleeced.

But he thought for a long time and still couldn't figure out what information was hidden behind this that he didn't know. Because it wasn't written in the entry. Because Liu Qingyun wouldn't say it. Because he didn't know at all that the parent pendant of this Glazed Jade Pendant was in whose hands, and even less did he know what Liu Qingyun was calculating in his heart right now—the father-in-Law plan...

After some internal struggle, Jiang Yun finally reached out his hand. "Since that is the case..." His voice remained calm and restrained. "Then I will respectfully comply. Thank you, Patriarch Liu, and thank you, Elders."

He took the Glazed Jade Pendant from Liu Qingyun's palm. The moment it touched his hand, a coolness came through his fingertips from the warm, glazed texture. The sealed seven-colored halo on the jade surface seemed to brighten slightly the moment it touched his skin, and then immediately returned to its normal speed of circulation.

He could clearly feel the extremely pure space Law power contained within the jade pendant. That was the aura of a space Law Origin stone, somewhat similar to the void seed, but more stable and introverted.

He put the Glazed Jade Pendant into his Storage Ring with a crisp and clean movement.

Liu Qingyun watched Jiang Yun put the jade pendant into his Storage Ring, and a flash of ecstasy that he could barely suppress crossed his eyes. But after all, he was a Liu Family Patriarch who had seen great storms and waves; the expression on his Face was instantly suppressed by his deep cultivation, leaving only a gentle and appropriate smile.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan is too polite. Although this jade pendant is not some earth-shattering treasure, if it can save you from a disaster at a critical moment, then it can be considered our Liu Family's sincerity."

He said with a smile, then changed the subject, his tone carrying a bit of solemnity. "By the way, Grand Tutor Dongxuan, you are currently holding our Liu Family's Guest Elder Token. That token is the most honorable Guest Elder Token of our Liu Family, representing that you are our honored guest. The monthly spirit crystals promised by Elder Liu Lan before will be sent by our Liu Family on time by a special person. If we cannot find you, the spirit crystals will be sent directly to the Appraisers Guild, and not a single bit will be missing."

Jiang Yun nodded upon hearing this, and bowed again to express his thanks.

Liu Qingyun nodded with satisfaction and glanced at Elder Liu Lan beside him. "Elder Liu Lan, you go and see off Grand Tutor Dongxuan again, and be sure to send him safely out of the Liu Family's space barrier."

Elder Liu Lan responded, stepped to Jiang Yun's side, and raised her hand to make a gesture of invitation.

Jiang Yun bowed to Liu Qingyun and all the Grand Elders one last time, then turned and walked towards the Liu Family mountain gate with Elder Liu Lan.

The silver-white mask reflected a cold luster in the sunset glow, and the black robe rolled slightly in the wind, quickly disappearing around the corner of the square.

Liu Qingyun stood on the spot, watching Jiang Yun's back disappear completely from sight. Then, the smile on his Face could finally no longer be suppressed.

"It's done!! It's done!!" Liu Qingyun turned around abruptly, clenching his hands tightly in front of him, his entire Face filled with undisguised ecstasy and triumph.

At this moment, he had none of the steady, composed, and extraordinary demeanor of the Liu Family Patriarch he had just shown. He was exactly like an old miser who had just dug up a peerless Treasure Trove.

"My father-in-Law plan for this monstrous Prodigy, the first step is done!!!" He almost shouted this sentence, his voice full of excitement that had been suppressed for too long and was finally released.

"My good daughter!! My good Ruyan!! You must thank your father well in the future!! I have paved a path to the heavens for you!! The future of the Liu Family depends on you!!!"

Seeing the Patriarch like this, the surrounding Grand Elders were dumbfounded; some laughed helplessly, some shook their heads with a smile, and others secretly rejoiced that they hadn't truly mistaken the Patriarch for being mentally deranged.

So that was the plan the Patriarch was hatching.

Several Grand Elders stepped forward with smiles, chiming in one after another.

"Brilliant! The Patriarch's move is truly brilliant!!"

A Grand Elder gave a thumbs up, the wrinkles on his Face crinkling into a chrysanthemum with his smile.

"Young Friend Dong Xuan probably never imagined that this Glazed Jade Pendant is not as simple as it looks; it is also Young Miss Liu Ruyan's token of affection!!"

"Indeed, indeed!" Another Grand Elder nodded repeatedly.

"The Patriarch has silently bound the marriage fate of Young Miss Liu Ruyan and Grand Tutor Dongxuan. This method, this strategy, I admire it to the point of prostration! Wherever Grand Tutor Dongxuan goes in the future, Young Miss Liu Ruyan will be able to find him using the Main Jade Pendant. Won't the opportunities for contact increase? With contact, are you afraid that feelings won't develop?"

However, amidst the chorus of compliments, Elder Liu Qingshan thought of a problem.

He stroked his gray beard, pondered for a moment, and then spoke.

"Patriarch, I have a question. Although this Glazed Jade Pendant allows Young Miss Liu Ruyan to know the whereabouts of Grand Tutor Dongxuan at any time, feelings, after all, require mutual consent. If Young Friend Dong Xuan has no intentions toward Liu Ruyan, or if Young Miss Liu Ruyan does not fancy Grand Tutor Dongxuan, then even if the token of affection is in hand, I fear it will be of little use to the Liu Family. Moreover, Young Friend Dong Xuan does not know the true meaning of this item at all; he thinks it is just a life-saving jade pendant."

Upon hearing this, the smile on Liu Qingyun's Face did not fade; instead, it became even more confident.

He waved his hand and spoke in the tone of someone who had been there before.

"Elder Qingshan does not know, but I know my own daughter best. That girl Ruyan has had a nature of admiring the strong since she was young. Her standards are extremely high; ordinary geniuses are no different from stones on the roadside in her eyes. But Young Friend Dong Xuan is different. At sixteen years old, he is already at Purple Crystal Tier 5 Peak, possesses three ancient Divine Beast Bloodline beast taming, is a Grand Tutor Level Appraiser, possesses Grand Tutor Level rune attainments, Grand Tutor Level Formation comprehension, and has a Heaven-Defying Beast Taming Space that allows beasts to recover quickly. Such a monstrous figure, in terms of talent, combat power, and intellect, completely crushes Ruyan. This is exactly the type that Ruyan admires most and is most likely to fall for."

He paused, stroked his beard, and smiled with increasing confidence.

"As for his appearance... Heh, although Grand Tutor Dongxuan wears a mask all day, judging by his figure and temperament, it shouldn't be bad. Even if he is truly plain-looking, it is not a big problem for Ruyan. That girl values strength and talent; looks are merely external things. Besides..."

He looked around at the surrounding Elders, his smile becoming increasingly meaningful.

"My daughter Ruyan is not bad either. Twenty years old, Purple Crystal Ninth Rank Peak, ancient Nether Phoenix Bloodline, recognized by the Ancestral Land Legacy, and her appearance is top-notch. Among the younger generation in the entire Eastern Region, the number of women who can compare to her can be counted on one hand. If she takes the initiative, I don't believe she can't win over a sixteen-year-old boy."

"As for Young Friend Dong Xuan not knowing the true meaning of this item..." Liu Qingyun chuckled.

"It's better that he doesn't know. If he knew this jade pendant was a token of affection, with his cautious nature, he would probably have returned it to me on the spot. Now that he doesn't know, by the time he finds out, it will be when Ruyan goes to find him with the Main Jade Pendant. By then, contact will have been made, and feelings will have sprouted. Even if he reacts, it will be too late."

"Of course, I am not that kind of old stubborn who arranges marriages. In the end, matters of the heart depend on the fortune of the two young people themselves." He said with a straight Face, but quickly changed the subject.

"However, with this jade pendant, Ruyan will be able to know Young Friend Dong Xuan's whereabouts at any time. After Ruyan comes out of seclusion, I will have her carry the Main Jade Pendant to move around more in the outside world, go out for more training, and incidentally, go find this Young Friend Dong Xuan more often. With more contact, won't feelings slowly develop? As the saying goes, familiarity breeds affection. The two are of similar age and are both prodigies; are you afraid they will lack common topics?"

The more he spoke, the more pleased he became, rubbing his hands together in front of him, the light in his eyes shining like two miniature stars.

"Besides..." He lowered his voice, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

"Isn't the Molten Fire Grotto Secret Realm about to open? My Liu Family has a dozen or so spots; it is time to let Ruyan and our Liu Family's Prodigy disciples go out and move around. Let those arrogant fellows in the provincial capital see the foundation of my Liu Family, and incidentally, let Ruyan go find this Young Friend Dong Xuan. Given Young Friend Dong Xuan's status and strength, he will definitely enter the Molten Cavern as a Prodigy of the Appraisers Guild. When the time comes, Ruyan will take the Main Jade Pendant, encounter Grand Tutor Dongxuan in the Secret Realm, fight side by side, and share life and death; won't their feelings soar rapidly?"

Hearing these words from Liu Qingyun, the look of sincere admiration finally appeared on Liu Qingshan's Face. He nodded slowly, his tone filled with a touch of emotion.

"The Patriarch is far-sighted; I am ashamed of my inferiority. From giving away the Glazed Jade Pendant to arranging the spots for the Molten Cavern, every step is arranged tightly and leak-proof. Although Young Friend Dong Xuan is cautious and agile, he is still young after all, and I fear he would never imagine that the Patriarch has already paved a path for him and Young Miss Liu Ruyan. If the Liu Family has such a golden son-in-Law in the future, once he grows up, becomes famous in the Eastern Region, and steps into the Central Province, the Liu Family will simply take off on the spot!!"

The other Grand Elders also became excited one after another. They were all Old Fellows who had lived for one or two hundred years; to be able to sit in the position of Grand Elder, which one of them wasn't an expert among experts?

Although Liu Qingyun's plan was hidden, once it was pointed out, they immediately saw the huge benefits within it.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan's talent is the only one I have seen in my life! No, I have never even heard of it. If there is no huge power supporting this child, it can only mean that he himself is more terrifying than any power. Regardless of the situation, his future achievements will be limitless. If Young Miss Liu Ruyan can truly be united with Grand Tutor Dongxuan, then my Liu Family will be equal to hugging a thigh thicker than the sky! In the future, not to mention the forces in the Eastern Region not daring to touch us, even those ten-thousand-year-old clans in the Central Province will have to weigh their options!!"

"Yes, yes, if this matter succeeds, the future of my Liu Family will be bright! The Patriarch's planning is a feat that will benefit future generations!!"

"But Patriarch..." A more cautious Grand Elder asked in a low voice.

"You know Young Miss Liu Ruyan's temper... Although she admires the strong, her temper is not small. If she finds out about this after coming out of seclusion, will she blame the Patriarch for making decisions for her without authorization?"

Liu Qingyun waved his hand with a smile.

"I am just creating opportunities for her; I am not forcing her to like anyone. You have all seen Young Friend Dong Xuan's talent and intellect with your own eyes. Three beast taming consecutively killed the Azure Ancient Dragon and the Void Guardian, and he could come up with a completely restraining new tactic in a ten-minute review. Such a figure cannot be found a second time in the entire Eastern Region. When Ruyan sees him, she will naturally understand my well-intentioned efforts."

Everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

Liu Qingyun stood on the high platform, hands on his hips, looking in the direction Jiang Yun left, his heart bubbling with joy.

He had already begun to imagine the future scene in his mind.

Grand Tutor Dongxuan became the son-in-Law of the Liu Family, the Liu Family's status in the Eastern Region rose with the tide, and those forces that were once not very polite to the Liu Family all obediently came to hug their thighs.

In a few years, Ruyan and Grand Tutor Dongxuan would have a few little cubs with Heaven-Defying talent, and the next generation of the Liu Family would have the strongest Bloodline support.

In another hundred years, the Liu Family would be the strongest existence in the entire Eastern Region, and could even have a place in the Central Province.

The more he thought about it, the happier and more pleased he became; the smile on his Face was so bright it was as if he had already become a grandfather.

Meanwhile, deep in the Liu Family Ancestral Land.

In a quiet, secluded cultivation chamber.

Liu Ruyan was sitting cross-legged on the cultivation platform in the center of the chamber, her eyes closed, surrounded by a thick, dark-colored aura of spiritual power.

Behind her, a faint phantom of the Nether Phoenix was slowly spreading its wings; that was her ancient Nether Phoenix, which was currently at a critical moment of breaking through a Bottleneck.

Every feather of the Nether Phoenix was trembling slightly, and the dark-colored spiritual power was continuously flowing from Liu Ruyan's body into the Nether Phoenix, assisting it in completing this final step of the Breakthrough.

The chamber was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard, with only the faint humming sound of spiritual power circulating.

Just then.

"Achoo!!!" Liu Ruyan suddenly sneezed.

This sneeze came without warning, fierce and violent, startling Liu Ruyan herself.

Her hands suddenly came apart, her body tilted forward violently, and she almost fell off the cultivation platform.

The Nether Phoenix phantom behind her also fluctuated violently, the dark-colored spiritual power went astray in her body, and a needle-like stinging pain came from her heart.

"Cough! Cough, cough, cough!!" She choked several times, scrambling to stabilize the operation of spiritual power in her body, and finally managed to get the misaligned spiritual power back on track.

After several violent vibrations, the Nether Phoenix phantom finally managed to stabilize, but the disorder of the last few breaths had already set back its progress in breaking through the Bottleneck by at least a quarter of an hour.

"What's going on?!" Liu Ruyan opened her eyes.

She looked around, bewildered.

Except for her and the Nether Phoenix phantom, there was no one else in the chamber, and there were no abnormal fluctuations of aura.

She raised her hand and touched her forehead.

Not hot; body temperature was normal.

She used her Divine Sense to carefully inspect her body.

Internal organs, Meridians, Dantian, and spiritual power circulation—everything was as normal as could be, without even a sign of illness.

She was even more bewildered.

She was a Purple Crystal Ninth Rank Peak Beast Tamer; although this cultivation level couldn't be called transcendent or holy, her physical fitness was far beyond that of ordinary people.

A minor illness like a cold was impossible for her.

Let alone a cold, even if someone stabbed her in the stomach, with her Physical Body strength, it might not be a big deal.

But what was that sneeze just now?

And it wasn't just one...

"Achoo!! Achoo!! Achoo!!!" Three more sneezes in a row, each one fiercer than the last, shaking her entire body three times on the cultivation platform.

The Nether Phoenix phantom behind her also shook violently three times, and the rhythm of breaking through was completely disrupted.

She felt her Nether Phoenix transmit a clearly dissatisfied thought through the Soul link.

The meaning was probably, Master, can you stop sneezing? I'm at a critical moment here.

Liu Ruyan covered her nose, her Face full of confusion and bewilderment.

She carefully recalled her experiences of the whole day; from entering the chamber this morning until now, she hadn't even stepped out the door, and the air in the chamber was dry and fresh, without any dust or pollen.

Moreover, she hadn't smelled any irritating odors, nor had she come into contact with anything that might cause allergies.

Could it be because of the Nether Phoenix aura?

She looked up and felt the faint Nether Phoenix aura coming from the depths of the Ancestral Land.

Ever since the soul of the nether phoenix in the Ancestral Land was awakened, the entire Liu Family Ancestral Land had been shrouded in this aura.

But the Nether Phoenix aura and the Nether Phoenix were of the same Origin; logically, it shouldn't cause this kind of reaction.

Besides, she had been in contact with the Nether Phoenix aura several times before without any discomfort, so why did she start sneezing today of all days?

She thought about it carefully again, ruled out all possibilities, and the final conclusion was: She couldn't figure it out.

If she couldn't figure it out, she wouldn't think about it.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes again, and returned her hands to the seal position.

After a slight tremor, the Nether Phoenix phantom behind her returned to stability.

She guided the misaligned spiritual power back on track and continued to assist the Nether Phoenix in breaking through the Bottleneck.

Although the sneezes just now had wasted a quarter of an hour of her previous work, it didn't cause too much overall impact, and it could be made up for by spending a little more time.

Her breathing gradually stabilized, and the dark-colored spiritual power aura around her became thick and stable again.

The wings of the Nether Phoenix phantom spread slowly again, and the process of breaking through continued to advance.

The chamber returned to silence.

Liu Ruyan did not know that at the same time she was sneezing, her father Liu Qingyun was on the square announcing his long-planned father-in-Law scheme to a dozen Grand Elders.

She also didn't know that her father had already stuffed her token of affection, the Main Jade Pendant of the Glazed Jade Pendant, into the hands of a boy she had never met.

She didn't know even more that after she came out of seclusion, what awaited her would be an encounter and training carefully planned by her own father.

She had already been sold by her own father...