278: Chapter 278 The Two Sons Go into Seclusion

At the Ye Family residence.

Ye Xuan's expression was solemn. The Spirit Sparrow on his shoulder was incessantly chirping, relaying the news of the Ganglei Sect's destruction, along with a message from Ye Tianhao.

Panic immediately welled up in his heart. The Xuanyou Sect was so audacious, and with the Lingxiao Sect showing no response at the moment, anyone could see that disaster was imminent.

The Qingyun Sect issued an urgent order, requiring all families to report in daily and strengthen communications to prevent the Xuanyou Sect from picking them off one by one.

Furthermore, the destruction of the Ganglei Sect had to be kept secret; not a word could be leaked to the outside world.

Ye Xuan ordered his people to start preparations. Given the gravity of the situation, he had no choice but to consider disturbing his father, who was in seclusion, to have him step forward.

At that thought, Ye Xuan hurried out of the hall and headed toward the Immortal Cave where Ye Jing was in seclusion.

Beneath Lingyun Valley lay a first-grade Spiritual Vein, with the dense spiritual energy of the vein gathering within a cave in the valley.

Inside the Immortal Cave, the azure glow grew increasingly dense, enveloping Ye Jing's body.

The condensed Azure Feather Qi swirled within his Dantian Qi Sea, continuously absorbing the surrounding wind-attribute Spiritual Qi and gradually growing thicker.

The outline of the wings also became clearer; no longer thin and weak, they now exuded a sharp power capable of piercing the air.

Ye Jing remained sitting cross-legged, his face as calm as still water. As the Azure Feather Wind-Riding Art circulated, he could clearly sense that the originally domineering and fierce Flame Energy in his body was gradually merging with the gentle and agile Azure Feather Qi.

Hard and soft, wind and fire—instead of clashing, they complemented each other.

The wind fanned the flames, making the Flame Energy even more intense; the fire borrowed the wind's power, making the airflow even swifter.

As the two strands of spiritual energy traveled through his Meridians, there was no sense of stagnation; instead, they flowed unimpeded. His Meridians were repeatedly washed by these two energies, becoming tougher and wider.

He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, which transformed into a streak of azure and white mist that shot straight at the cave wall. It actually left a hole an inch deep in the hard bluestone, with lingering gusts of wind and sparks still swirling around the edges of the hole.

Ye Jing slowly opened his eyes. A flash of azure and white light flickered in his gaze, deep and restrained. Gone was the violent sharpness of the past, replaced by a more steady and elegant aura.

He raised his hand and waved it lightly, and a faint azure wind surrounded him. His body involuntarily floated several inches off the ground, landing as light as a feather without a sound.

"As expected of a high-grade Cultivation Technique gifted by a Fairy. With this Azure Feather Qi protecting me, not only has my cultivation progressed, but my movement speed is also far superior to before."

Ye Jing whispered to himself, condensing a strand of Azure Feather Qi in his palm. The airflow was agile; with a light flick of his finger, it transformed into several wind blades that silently sliced into nearby rocks, which shattered instantly with smooth, even cuts.

Previously, when he cultivated the Thunderbolt Flame Art, he followed a path of matchless ferocity. His Moves were grand and powerful but lacked agility and unpredictability.

Now, with the Azure Feather Wind-Riding Art to complement it, his cultivation had entered a new Realm, and his combat strength had multiplied several times over.

The pile of Spirit Medicine beside him had already been drained of most of its efficacy, transformed into pure spiritual energy that he had fully absorbed. Within his Dantian Qi Sea, the azure and white spiritual energies swirled and intertwined, forming a singular vortex. His Foundation was far deeper than that of other Cultivators of the same level.

Just as he intended to settle his mind and continue stabilizing his Realm, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the Immortal Cave, accompanied by Ye Xuan's slightly anxious shouts through the thick cave door.

"Father! Your son has urgent matters to report! The situation is critical, please come out of seclusion, Father!"

Ye Jing's brow furrowed slightly. He was at a critical stage of his seclusion. Unless it was a matter of life and death, Ye Xuan would never dare to disturb him so abruptly.

He waved his hand, and a fresh breeze blew past, slowly opening the cave door. He looked at Ye Xuan, whose face was solemn and expression panicked.

Ye Jing asked in a deep voice, "What is so alarming? I have only been in seclusion for a few years; has some disaster befallen the Family?"

Ye Xuan quickly entered the Immortal Cave. Sensing the completely different aura around his father, he was first startled, clearly realizing that his father's cultivation had progressed yet again.

He didn't have time to offer congratulations and hurried forward to bow, his tone urgent: "Father, disaster has struck! The Ganglei Sect has been destroyed, uprooted overnight by the Xuanyou Sect with no survivors! Now the Qingyun Sect is also in a state of emergency, and our Ye Family..."

"Xuaner, do not panic."

Ye Jing's voice came calmly. Before Ye Xuan could react, he felt a powerful hand suddenly rest on his shoulder.

"The Qingyun Sect has already allied with the Shuangyue Sect, and through this, the Ye Family has gained a marriage connection with the Shuangyue Sect. We are not yet in a precarious position."

Ye Xuan looked up in surprise: "Father, you know all this?"

He had thought Ye Jing had been in seclusion all these years, deaf to the affairs of the world.

Ye Jing gave a faint smile and simply stroked the little sparrow chirping on his shoulder: "Don't forget that your spirit beasts were all tamed by me. I can learn about the outside world through them."

At this point, Ye Jing looked at his eldest son, who had been stuck at the Qi Refining Perfection stage, and his voice softened: "Xuaner, you've worked hard these years."

Ye Xuan hurriedly replied, "It is all for the Family, I cannot call it hard work!"

Ye Jing smiled faintly, then flicked several jade bottles from his sleeve and said, "Go and call Yier over. Since I have come out of seclusion, it is time for you both to achieve Foundation Establishment!"

"Father! You want me and Yi-zi to enter seclusion? But the affairs of the Family..."

"Sigh, the Family is already on the right track. You two have delayed your Foundation Establishment for too long; ultimately, your cultivation Foundation is unstable and your combat power is limited."

"Now that I have come out, I will use this opportunity to help you two brothers step into the Foundation Establishment Stage."

"In these chaotic times, only by having strong cultivation yourself can you gain a firm foothold and protect the safety of the Ye Family."

"If you cannot even raise your own cultivation, then even if you manage the Family's trivial matters, you will be nothing more than a paper tiger, unable to uphold the Ye Family's reputation."

Ye Xuan looked ashamed upon hearing this and bowed. "Father's lecture is correct. I was short-sighted, focusing only on managing Family chores and neglecting my cultivation."

"You have guarded the home for several years and stabilized the Family's assets. I have seen this contribution; it was not a waste."

Ye Jing raised his hand and patted his shoulder. A gentle stream of azure and white spiritual energy flowed from his palm into Ye Xuan's body, smoothing the anxiety in his heart and nourishing his Meridians.

"It's just that the times are different now. Chaotic times are coming, and cultivation is the Foundation of survival. Once you successfully reach Foundation Establishment, even if I go out to deal with external affairs, the two of you will be able to stand on your own, guard Lingyun Valley, and protect the Ye Family members."

"Your son will keep Father's teachings in mind!"

Ye Xuan's mind suddenly cleared, and the panic around him faded, replaced by determination and anticipation.

He gripped the jade bottles in his hand, said no more, and turned to leave quickly to find Ye Yi.

Before long, Ye Xuan returned with Ye Yi.

Ye Yi was now wearing a set of ginger-red Martial Robes. His physique was sturdy, naturally exuding an air of authority that could not be ignored. Upon seeing his father out of seclusion, he immediately bowed, his eyes full of respect.

He stood in stark contrast to Ye Xuan, who was dressed in plain clothes and had the steady, refined air of a middle-aged scholar.

Both men had grown beards, but they still looked spirited as they gazed at Ye Jing.

Ye Jing looked at his two sons, the pillars of the Ye Family. With them around, the younger generation could Cultivate in peace without having to toil over Family matters.

He immediately took out the Thunderbolt Flame Art and the Azure Feather Wind-Riding Art, saying to them, "Now that you are about to break through to Foundation Establishment, I want to prepare the corresponding cultivation methods for you to lay a Foundation for your future!"