170: Chapter 170 Unexpected Visitor

The Outer Sect Grand Competition, after seven days of fierce battles, finally came to a close.

The crowds gradually dispersed, yet many Disciples still had expressions of lingering excitement on their faces, discussing in small groups the brilliant moments of the competition, especially Ye Tian's earth-shattering comeback battle, which was destined to be the topic of conversation in the outer Sect for a long time to come.

The setting sun gradually descended.

Liu Ruyan, Leng Feng, Ren Qianyang, Chen Jianfeng, and other close friends surrounded the still-recovering Ye Tian, escorting him all the way back to Courtyard No. 71 of the Yi Class.

Everyone's faces beamed with heartfelt joy, feeling a sense of shared glory.

"Junior Brother Ye, you have truly become famous in the outer Sect this time! No, I think it won't be long before everyone in the entire Liuli Xuan Sect knows the name Ye Tian!"

Ren Qianyang's voice was loud as he slapped Ye Tian's shoulder hard, laughing heartily. Although the movement tugged at Ye Tian's wounds, causing him to grimace, the atmosphere was exceptionally warm.

Over the past few days, those who were close to Ye Tian had also endured many questioning looks; now that Ye Tian had reached the top, they all felt a sense of vindication.

Liu Ruyan gave Ren Qianyang a reproachful glare and immediately stepped forward, asking with soft concern, "Junior Brother Ye, are your injuries serious? I still have some high-quality Jade Marrow Flesh-Growing Ointment brought from my Family, which has miraculous effects on both internal and external injuries. I'll go get it for you right now..."

Her beautiful eyes were full of worry; the hideous wounds on Ye Tian's body pained her just to look at.

A warm current surged through Ye Tian's heart, and he waved his hand with a smile. Although his face was still somewhat pale, he was in high spirits: "Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister Liu, but there's really no need to trouble yourself. These are just flesh wounds, and the Cultivation Technique I practice has its own miraculous healing effects. I'll be fine after a few days of meditation.

Being able to win this time was also thanks to the care and encouragement you all gave me, cheering for me from below the stage."

He spoke these words sincerely, not as a mere formality.

If not for these friends, his path of martial arts might have been a bit more lonely.

Leng Feng stood a bit further away with his arms crossed, as usual, but his gaze held concern: "Focus on healing. In three days, the Liuxin Pool is key."

He knew well that Ye Tian's goal was far beyond being the head of the outer Sect; the opportunity at the Liuxin Pool had to be firmly grasped and could not be lost.

Chen Jianfeng also nodded in agreement, his tone full of expectation: "Senior Brother Leng is right. Junior Brother Ye, the Liuxin Pool is a Sect Cultivate Holy Land, a rare opportunity. You must seize it well and strive for the maximum gain.

We all look forward to you taking another step forward after coming out of the Liuxin Pool!"

After chatting for a few more moments, seeing that Ye Tian indeed needed quiet rest, the group stopped disturbing him. After reminding him once more to rest well, they departed one after another.

The noisy courtyard returned to tranquility as the last of his friends left.

The night was as dark as ink. Ye Tian sat alone on a stone bench in the courtyard, but he did not immediately throw himself into Cultivate to review the details of the battle as he usually did.

Instead, he rarely allowed himself to completely relax, taking out a still-warm, exquisite food box from his storage ring; it was a Medicinal Meal that Liu Ruyan had thoughtfully prepared for him.

He began to enjoy this dinner, savoring every bite and feeling the satisfaction brought by the food, wanting to digest the exhaustion of the past seven days.

After the meal, he did not immediately sit cross-legged in meditation as usual, but instead performed a simple washing up, walked into the house, and lay down on the wooden bed with his clothes on.

Since embarking on the path of martial arts, sleep had become a luxury for him; he mostly replaced rest with deep meditation to recover his spirit.

But tonight, he decided to give himself a complete break, allowing his spirit, which had been tense for seven days, to relax and get a good night's sleep.

Ye Tian closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift, no longer having any thoughts related to martial arts in his mind.

Soon, he fell into a deep sleep.

This sleep was exceptionally sweet.

The next morning, the sky was faintly light and the birdsong was crisp.

Ye Tian woke up naturally, feeling refreshed and his whole body comfortable, every pore breathing in the cool morning air.

Upon internal inspection, he found that the wounds on his body had actually healed by seventy or eighty percent, leaving only some faint red marks; the powerful recovery ability of the Five Elements Sword Body was evident.

His mental state was more full than ever before.

Just as he was about to get up to perform his routine morning exercise and stretch his muscles, his ears twitched slightly as his keen Divine Sense captured a slight, unusual sound coming from outside the courtyard!

Someone was there!

Moreover, this person's aura was extremely well-concealed; if not for his sharp Divine Soul, it would have been almost impossible to detect this minuscule movement!

Ye Tian's heart tightened, and he instantly became alert.

The competition had just ended; who would come to his courtyard so silently?

A fellow Disciple coming to offer congratulations?

Unlikely; who would be so early and so stealthy?

Someone with ill intentions?

He was currently in the spotlight, and it was inevitable that he would attract jealousy.

He remained calm as his internal five-colored Stellar True Essence quietly circulated, ready to be unleashed. The Mind-Cultivation Technique for the Taixu Star-Shift Steps was already being silently operated. His figure flashed, not making the slightest sound of wind, as he quietly arrived behind the courtyard gate, holding his breath and looking out through a tiny crack in the door panels.

Outside the courtyard, in the thin morning mist, there indeed stood a back.

The person's figure was not tall and even appeared somewhat hunched, wearing a set of faded grey cloth clothes with slightly worn edges. The fabric was ordinary, looking no different from an ordinary old farmer from the mountain below.

But this back gave Ye Tian a sense of familiarity, and his heart couldn't help but beat faster.

Who was it?

This back... he must have seen it somewhere before!

But for a moment, he actually couldn't remember.

Just as Ye Tian was deep in thought, the person in grey slowly turned around.

When he saw that aged face clearly, Ye Tian's whole body shook violently, his pupils constricted, and he almost blurted out: "Uncle... Uncle Zhong?"

The newcomer was actually the long-missing Ye Zhong!

The old servant who had guarded the Ancestral Hall for many years in the Luo City Ye Family!

In an instant, a flood of memories rushed to his heart.

This old man had given him help when he suffered through cold looks; when he needed hope the most, he had let him obtain the first four layers of the Dragon-Elephant Art, and finally, on that night, had given him the Mystic Tortoise True Explanation!

But then the other party had suddenly vanished without a trace. Although he had inquired later, there had never been any news of Ye Zhong.

Ye Zhong looked at Ye Tian's shocked and speechless appearance and smiled: "Kid, not bad, not bad. One must truly look at a person with new eyes after even a brief absence. I didn't expect that in less than a year's time, you could actually make such a name for yourself in this Liuli Xuan Sect outer Sect. Reaching this step today is much faster than this old man imagined. Good, very good."

Ye Tian's mind was like a mess of tangled hemp at this moment, with countless questions flooding his heart!

How could Uncle Zhong appear here?

This was the heart of the Liuli Xuan Sect, the residential area for Outer Sect Disciples. How did he bypass the Sect's Restriction and patrolling Disciples to accurately find his residence?

Why did he choose to leave so suddenly that night?

That worn-out booklet recording the first four layers of the Dragon-Elephant Art, which seemed like he had found it in a corner of the Ancestral Hall by good luck—thinking back calmly now, its location and timing of appearance both held a sense of deliberate coincidence. Was it really Uncle Zhong's careful arrangement?

And that priceless Mystic Tortoise True Explanation, why did he give it to him?

Who exactly was he?

What made Ye Tian feel even more chilled was that with his current Divine Sense, which was comparable to a Sea Transformation Realm powerhouse, he actually couldn't see through the depth of Uncle Zhong's cultivation at all!

The Uncle Zhong before him had an aura like a deep well, giving him a feeling as vast as the sea.

This feeling was even deeper than when he faced his Revered Master, Elder Tianshu!

This... this was absolutely not an aura that an old servant in an ordinary Family could possess!

Uncle Zhong, who on earth was he?

He had hidden in the Ye Family for so many years and now appeared before him; what was his purpose?

Was he a friend?

Was he a foe?

Ye Tian's heart was instantly alert to the extreme, his muscles tensing.

But at the same time, looking at that familiar face from his memory, he forced down the impulse to immediately draw his sword.

Reason told him that if Uncle Zhong truly had malice toward him, back in the Ye Family when he was weak, there would have been too many opportunities to easily take his life. Why go to such trouble to gift him cultivation manuals?

Ye Zhong seemed to see through the fluctuating expression on Ye Tian's face at a glance.

He didn't mind, the smile on his face unchanging, his tone carrying a hint of teasing: "What? Kid, this old man traveled thousands of miles just to come here and see you, and you're not even willing to invite me in for a cup of hot tea?

Are you going to let these old bones of mine stand outside your courtyard gate and drink this cold morning wind? This is no way to treat a guest."

Hearing this, Ye Tian snapped out of his chaotic thoughts, a flash of embarrassment appearing on his face.

No matter how mysterious Uncle Zhong's identity was or how difficult his purpose was to fathom, at least up until now, what Uncle Zhong had given him was real help, without ever having the slightest intention of harming him.

In terms of both emotion and reason, his wariness and hesitation just now appeared somewhat impolite.

He quickly collected his thoughts, suppressed the questions in his mind, stepped aside from the courtyard gate, and respectfully made a "please" gesture: "Uncle Zhong, please forgive me. I was momentarily lost in thought and neglected you. Please, come in quickly! Sit inside!"

Ye Zhong chuckled, said no more, and walked into the courtyard at an unhurried pace.

Ye Tian followed closely behind and gently closed the courtyard gate.