345: Chapter 346 is very likely an imposter!

Ye Changge sighed softly.

Given Xiao Caiyue's current physical condition, let alone presiding over the setup of the Grand Array, she would likely struggle even to draw slightly complex Formation diagrams.

He certainly could not risk torturing his newly rescued Dao Companion to the brink of death just for the sake of planting a tree.

"Forget it, this matter requires further deliberation."

Ye Changge shook his head, casting aside these distracting thoughts.

He pondered for a moment, and a plan formed in his mind—

Wait for Xiao Caiyue's body to recover a bit more, then discuss it with her in detail. After all, she was a Great Master of Formations, and her understanding of concealment and defensive Formations was far superior to his own. With her help, the success rate of planting the Cave Heaven Willow would be much higher.

Before that, he could only use other means to strengthen the defenses of Longmai Mountain.

If that didn't work, he would just have to invite a Formation Great Master from outside to help.

"That is settled."

Ye Changge made up his mind and stopped struggling with the decision.

He turned around, transformed into a streak of light, and sped towards the damaged section of the Grand Array.

—

The damaged area of the Grand Array was in a state of utter ruin.

The originally flat ground had been blasted into a large pit several zhang in diameter, with rubble scattered everywhere, and charred marks spreading from the edge of the pit like hideous scars. The air was filled with a dense, chaotic Spiritual Qi, which was the lingering aftermath of the Grand Array being forcibly torn apart.

Several Ye family disciples were busy by the pit; some were clearing rubble, some were measuring the extent of the damage to the Formation base, and others were recording data. Their expressions were somewhat grave, evidently aware of what it meant for the Grand Array to be breached.

Lu Shiyin stood by the pit, dressed in a water-blue palace gown with her hair tied up in an elegant bun; her temperament was gentle and dignified. Her gaze was fixed tightly on the damage, her brows slightly furrowed as if she were contemplating a method of repair.

Hearing the sound of air being pierced, she looked up and, seeing Ye Changge flying over, hurriedly went to meet him.

"Husband, you are here."

Lu Shiyin walked quickly to him, her beautiful eyes full of concern, "Is Sister Xiao alright?"

Ye Changge landed in front of her, and looking at that gentle, slightly worried lovely face, his heart warmed slightly. He reached out and gently pulled Lu Shiyin into his arms.

"Yes, she has been stabilized for now."

He lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "However, her injuries are too severe, and her body is even weaker than before. Moving forward, I will need your help, Lu Shiyin, to assist in her recovery."

Lu Shiyin's body stiffened slightly as she was pulled into Ye Changge's embrace.

Although she had been married to Ye Changge for a long time and had done everything a married couple should do, her nature was always dignified, and being this intimate in front of others still made her somewhat shy.

Especially since—

There were still many Ye family disciples busy nearby.

Although those disciples kept their heads down, pretending not to see anything, they couldn't help but glance over from the corners of their eyes.

Lu Shiyin's lovely face turned bright red all of a sudden.

She gently pushed against Ye Changge's chest, wanting to break free, but found that he was holding her quite tightly, and she couldn't push him away at all.

"Husband..."

She lowered her voice, with a hint of coquettish reproach, "There are so many people watching..."

Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's, with an imperceptible tremor in its tail.

Ye Changge looked at his little beloved wife in his arms, who, despite being an old married couple, was still as shy as a young girl, and a smile couldn't help but rise in his heart.

He lowered his head, planted a light kiss on her forehead, and then released her.

Lu Shiyin, as if granted amnesty, hurriedly stepped back half a pace and reached out to tidy her ruffled collar. She kept her head down, not daring to meet the gazes of those around her, her earlobes red enough to almost drip blood.

"Ahem."

Ye Changge coughed lightly to change the subject, "Lu Shiyin, have you secured the Storage Pouches of those two?"

Mentioning serious business, the blush on Lu Shiyin's face finally began to fade. She nodded, took two slightly charred Storage Pouches from her own Storage Pouch, and handed them to Ye Changge.

"Here they are."

She paused and added, "Those two were blown to smithereens by Sister Xiao's Talisman, leaving only these two Storage Pouches and one Tier 2 Corpse Puppet. The Corpse Puppet does not have a Storage Pouch, and I have already had someone put it away."

Ye Changge took the Storage Pouches and nodded.

He probed with his Divine Sense and began to inspect the items inside.

The first Storage Pouch did not contain much. A few bottles of Medicinal Pill, a Low Grade Spiritual Artifact of decent quality, and some scattered Spirit Stone and Materials.

He took these items out one by one and examined them carefully.

The Medicinal Pill were standard healing pills and Qi-recovery pills, of average quality, nothing special. The Spiritual Artifact was a green-edged sword, decent in appearance, but of no great use to him.

"Better than nothing."

Ye Changge put the items away and picked up the second Storage Pouch.

The moment his Divine Sense probed inside, his brows raised slightly.

This Storage Pouch was even more pathetic than the first.

Inside, apart from some Medicinal Pill and a Spiritual Artifact, there was almost nothing. There were even only a few hundred Spirit Stone, far below the net worth of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Ye Changge took the items out and examined them carefully.

The Medicinal Pill, Spiritual Artifact... were all much the same as the first Storage Pouch.

His gaze fell on that Spiritual Artifact, and he examined it closely.

It was a long blade, pitch-black all over, with fine runes carved onto the blade that faintly exuded a cold, sinister aura. The quality was actually quite good; it could be considered a Medium Grade Spiritual Artifact.

It was just...

Ye Changge always felt that something was wrong.

He pondered for a moment, then looked up at Lu Shiyin: "Lu Shiyin, who do these two Storage Pouches belong to respectively?"

Lu Shiyin recalled for a moment and said: "The one that is relatively empty belongs to that Early-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator. The other one belongs to that Late Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator."

Ye Changge's heart stirred upon hearing this.

Early-Stage Foundation Establishment...

Same cultivation level as Li Xuanfeng.

Then this Storage Pouch being so pathetic, it actually looked like he was settling his affairs.

Ye Changge frowned tightly and muttered to himself: "Could it really be Li Xuanfeng?"

But he had just sent people to check on Li Xuanfeng's movements; logically, there should be news soon.

Just as he was thinking, a streak of escape light sped over from the horizon.

A Ye family disciple landed nearby, stepped forward quickly, and bowed: "Old Ancestor, news has come from the Li family."

Ye Changge's gaze narrowed: "Speak."

The disciple's expression was a bit strange, and he said: "Li Xuanfeng is still in the Li family's Spiritual Land and has not left. According to the people there, he has been staying in his Immortal Cave for the past few days in closed-door cultivation and has never gone out."

Ye Changge's brows furrowed even tighter upon hearing this.

Still there?

Could it really not be him?

But that Pseudo-Core Cultivator's dying words, "Li Xuanfeng, you backstabbed me," were clearly the resentful words of someone who had been betrayed.

If it wasn't Li Xuanfeng, who else could it be?

Ye Changge was silent for a moment, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

"No, that's not right."

He shook his head slowly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, "It is highly likely that it was an impersonation."

If that Li Xuanfeng had long been bought off by the remnants of the Jin family, or was simply a secret agent planted by the Jin family in the Zhao State, then he could easily have found a body double to stay in the Li family's Spiritual Land while he secretly went out to cooperate with the Jin family remnants in attacking Longmai Mountain.