63: Your presence

Upon hearing this, Lin Muwan and the other two were all stunned.

Han Peiquan and Zhang Changwei exchanged glances, having to admit that this was indeed the most effective method, even more direct than asking Patriarch Zhou to intervene.

Thoughts raced through Lin Muwan's mind as she weighed whether it was appropriate to disturb Mo Xuan over this matter.

The spiritual tea was no longer warm, but none of the four noticed. The three Patriarchs stared eagerly at Lin Muwan, awaiting her reply.

"Ahem~"

Lin Muwan snapped back to attention, seeing the three Patriarchs waiting for her decision.

"I was rude just now. Please forgive me, three Patriarchs."

Lin Muwan said to the three with slight apology.

"No trouble, no trouble..."

The three waved their hands repeatedly, indicating that it was unnecessary.

"I will go speak to Senior Mo about it. As for whether it succeeds or not, that depends on whether Senior Mo is willing to show up."

After thinking for a moment, Lin Muwan continued.

"That is exactly right."

Seeing that Lin Muwan had agreed, the three felt slightly relieved, secretly thinking that the matter was halfway accomplished.

"Three Patriarchs, please wait here while I go report this."

"Cheng'er, please stay here and accompany the three Patriarchs."

After instructing Zhou Licheng, who was standing quietly nearby, Lin Muwan rose, curtsied to the three, left the reception hall, and headed toward the Feiyue Peak Summit.

The Summit.

Mo Xuan was currently sleeping in the tree, his body rising and falling rhythmically with his breathing. Strands of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, invisible to the naked eye, circled around Mo Xuan.

It had been over two years since Mo Xuan advanced to the Foundation Establishment Stage. Through breathing, absorbing, sleeping, and Cultivating over these two years, Mo Xuan had long since stabilized his Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation and was steadily advancing toward Mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

His strength had improved compared to before.

"Senior Mo, Muwan requests an audience."

Lin Muwan arrived beside the secret chamber where Zhou Kaiding usually Cultivated and called softly toward the unknown giant tree not far away.

"Hmm~"

Mo Xuan had already awakened the moment Lin Muwan approached the Summit. He slowly slithered out, nodded toward Lin Muwan, and said:

"What is the matter?"

Seeing Mo Xuan emerge, Lin Muwan quickly bowed to him and recounted everything that had just happened.

Mo Xuan listened quietly until Lin Muwan finished speaking. He pondered, thinking that taking a trip was fine, but he still needed to be cautious, just in case.

Seeing Mo Xuan fall into contemplation, Lin Muwan did not interrupt and waited quietly by his side.

"Alright, then I shall make a trip."

After deciding, Mo Xuan nodded toward Lin Muwan.

With a slight thought, a burst of magical power wrapped around Lin Muwan. A flash of profound light later, they arrived outside the Zhou Family reception hall.

Lin Muwan only felt a momentary dizzy spell before she was transported from the Summit to this location, her heart filled with awe.

Sensing the appearance of the Foundation Establishment Stage might, Han Peiquan and the other two instantly brightened, quickly stood up, and hurried outside the reception hall.

"Junior greets Old Ancestor Mo. We wish the Old Ancestor boundless magical power and longevity equal to the heavens."

The three looked respectful, their faces filled with admiration, and they all bowed to Mo Xuan and spoke reverently.

"Greetings, Uncle Xuan."

Zhou Licheng also quickly followed them out. Hearing the words of the three Patriarchs, he was dumbfounded, but fortunately, he remembered the occasion, reacted, and paid his respects to Mo Xuan.

Mo Xuan felt a wave of nausea internally—such blatant flattery... "Hmm..."

Yet, it felt rather good... "The three of you lead the way. I shall follow you on this trip."

Mo Xuan nodded, and his low voice rang out.

The three nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Mo Xuan nodded toward Lin Muwan, separated three strands of magical power, lifted Han Peiquan and the other two, and flew out of Jade Moon Peak... arriving at the Bintie Ore Vein.

The two sides were in confrontation.

Zhang Xingzhi looked at the Cultivators from the three Qingyuan Town Families inside the formation, growing increasingly impatient.

He originally thought that, as an Elder of the Zhang Family of Hanyan Town and a dignified Eighth Level of Qi Refining Cultivator, this mission against three Families whose strongest members were merely at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining would surely be easily accomplished.

Who knew that these three Families would be so shortsighted? Not only did they fail to obediently offer up the ore vein when they saw him, but they were actually resisting stubbornly.

These three Families had allied and preemptively set up a first-tier Medium Grade defensive formation, which managed to temporarily block him.

Inside the formation, the Cultivators from the Han, Jiang, and other Families looked anxious. It had been some time since the three Patriarchs left together, and if they did not return soon, they feared they would no longer be able to withstand the Zhang Family's offensive.

A Han Family Mid-stage Qi Refining Cultivator saw the situation, felt increasingly uneasy, pondered, and a plan came to mind.

This Han Family Cultivator shouted loudly toward the outside of the formation:

"Senior Zhang, this ore vein does not belong to our three Families. We are merely stationed here by order to guard it."

"If Senior Zhang insists on going his own way, he might invite disaster."

"Oh?"

"Is that so?"

Zhang Xingzhi heard this, his tone contemptuous, a half-smile on his face, and he said to the people of the three Families:

"Then whose Family does this ore vein belong to?"

Seeing that Zhang Xingzhi was skeptical and did not believe him, the Han Family Cultivator's expression became serious, and he spoke in a deep voice.

"This ore vein is the territory of the Zhou Family of Jade Moon Peak. We urge Senior Zhang to retreat quickly and avoid causing trouble for yourself."

"The Zhou Family..."

Zhang Xingzhi's heart sank upon hearing this. The person's tone was so certain; could this Bintie Ore Vein truly belong to the Zhou Family?

If that were the case, then this ore vein would be out of his Family's reach.

"Wait..."

Zhang Xingzhi suddenly realized. If it truly were the Zhou Family's territory, why would these people only reveal this fact now?

"Heh..."

"Trying to borrow influence..."

"How could such a petty trick fool me?"

Zhang Xingzhi shook his head, his gaze insightful, his face carrying the look of someone who saw through everything.

"What if it is the Zhou Family?"

"Even if Old Ancestor Mo were here, I would not retreat like this."

Zhang Xingzhi spoke contemptuously, full of confidence and arrogance.

The other Zhang Family members watched their Elder look so composed and certain of victory, sighing in admiration, thinking he was truly worthy of being an Elder, one who didn't even care about the Zhou Family.

Hearing this, however, the people of the three Families inside the formation all changed color drastically, bowed low, and shouted reverently in unison:

"Respectfully welcoming the arrival of Old Ancestor Mo!"

"Huh?"

Zhang Xingzhi looked surprised. Seeing the people of the three Families performing such a grand salute, he couldn't help but feel smug, thinking, 'Wouldn't it have been better to do this earlier?'

But the words coming from their mouths seemed wrong... As Zhang Xingzhi was secretly wondering, he heard a deep voice explode right beside his ear.

"Oh?"

"Is that so?"

Zhang Xingzhi was shaken by the voice, terrified out of his wits, feeling as if his Three Ethereal Souls and Seven Corporeal Spirits had scattered everywhere.

"Old... Old Ancestor Mo?"

Zhang Xingzhi turned around, looked at the twenty-foot-long Black Giant Serpent floating high in the air behind him, and stammered.

As for the several Zhang Family Cultivators behind him, they had already bowed low.

"Say that again."

Mo Xuan stared deeply at Zhang Xingzhi, speaking in a peculiar tone.

Just now, he hadn't followed the exact direction pointed out by the three Patriarchs; instead, he had deliberately circled this area.

That was how he ended up behind this person.

Mo Xuan's Divine Sense had already perceived everything that had just happened, so he had deliberately restrained his aura.

"Haha..."

Zhang Xingzhi's mouth was stiff. He forced a smile, quickly bowed down, and spoke repeatedly:

"Junior did not know Old Ancestor was here and spoke wildly. I beg the Old Ancestor for forgiveness and to spare this Junior just once."

Despair surfaced in Zhang Xingzhi's heart.

"That's what you get for running your mouth, running your mouth..."

In his mind, Zhang Xingzhi had already slapped his past self hundreds of times, wishing only that time could flow backward.