159: Chapter 159 Preparing to Go Home

With the successful experience of the first time, Ye Yisong could completely entrust his body to the 798 Navigation System without worry. It was truly a reliable Big Brother, as dependable as ever.

Four hours later, under the stable performance of the 798 Navigation System, five Low Grade Thunder-Fire Talismans were neatly laid out in front of Ye Yisong's prayer mat. A joyous occasion indeed!

However, the disappointing thing was that Ye Yisong's Talisman Making skills had not broken through to the Fourth-Rank, but were stuck at 95%.

"It seems I still haven't refined enough; I must continue," Ye Yisong said with a thoughtful look. When refining these five Talismans, apart from the 20% progress gain from the first one, the progress bar's increase for each subsequent one had been smaller than the last.

When Ye Yisong completed the sixth Talisman, the Fourth-Rank Low Grade Talisman Master progress bar only increased by 2%, and it wasn't until the tenth Talisman was successfully refined that the progress bar reached 100%.

This meant that Ye Yisong no longer needed to rely on the 798 Navigation System to refine Low Grade Fourth-Rank Talismans; he had become a true Fourth-Rank Talisman Master.

"Finally done."

Ye Yisong wiped the sweat from his forehead, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

...

"Is Ye Yisong still in the Ye Family Villa?" Wang Jingcheng asked, opening his eyes with a cold tone.

"Elder, according to our informants, Ye Yisong has not come out since entering the second level," the Wang Family steward replied respectfully.

"Mm, tighten the surveillance. He must not be allowed to return to Luomu Mountain alive," Wang Jingcheng said coldly.

"Yes, I will go arrange it immediately." The Wang Family steward slowly backed away, only straightening his back to walk out once he was out of Wang Jingcheng's sight.

"The Prefecture Examination ended ten days ago, and that kid still hasn't left the Prefecture city? Could he have avoided our investigation and snuck back to Luomu Mountain?" The same question was being asked at almost the same time in the Wei Family Villa.

"Reporting to Elder, yesterday we made contact with our secret agent at Luomu Mountain. Ye Yisong is indeed still in the Prefecture city and has not returned to Luomu Mountain," the Wang Family steward answered cautiously.

"Mm, has Chengxing returned?" Wei Chengyue asked.

"Elder Chengxing arrived three days ago. However, to avoid detection by the Ye Family's informants, Elder Chengxing did not enter the city and is instead staying at a manor outside the city," the Wang Family steward reported.

"Understood. I trust his methods. The moment Ye Yisong leaves the Prefecture city, send a message to Chengxing immediately; he will know what to do," Wei Chengyue said, taking a sip of Spiritual Tea and giving instructions indifferently.

"Yes, Elder," the Wang Family steward bowed.

...

"Are you leaving tomorrow?" Grand Elder Ye Ronghui asked with concern.

"Yes, everything has been arranged on the Family's side. If they dare to come, I will ensure they never return," Grandfather Ye Tuantu said with murderous intent. No one could harm his grandson in front of him.

"Good, be careful on the road." Grand Elder Ye Ronghui pondered for a moment, his brows slightly furrowed, still feeling uneasy. "I will go with you tomorrow. It is time for these old bones of mine to get some exercise, lest they think I'm dead."

"But, if you leave, this Cangjiang Prefecture city..."

"It doesn't matter. Tomorrow, I will have Tuansheng request a few days of leave from the Prefecture Office. With him guarding the Villa, there will be nothing to worry about," Grand Elder Ye Ronghui said.

When the three large villas in Cangjiang Prefecture city were first established, the Prefecture Office spent a huge sum to channel a Fifth-Rank Spiritual Vein eye, gifting it to the Martial King experts of each Family for free. However, each Family needed to spend a large number of Spirit Stones to maintain this Spiritual Vein eye to ensure its rank did not drop.

At the same time, it required Martial Artists to guard it at all times to prevent petty villains from damaging the Spiritual Vein.

Once the Spiritual Vein was damaged and its rank dropped, the Prefecture Office would hold them accountable, and they would have to pay at least several million Spirit Stones in compensation.

A Fifth-Rank Spiritual Vein eye was rare, and no Family was willing to give up such a precious treasure ground; on one hand, they used it to great effect, and on the other, they felt pained by its enormous maintenance costs.

"Thank you, Uncle," Grandfather Ye Tuantu bowed. He knew very well that Grand Elder Ye Ronghui had been stationed in Cangjiang Prefecture city for thirty years without making a move; this time, he was taking action to secretly protect Ye Yisong, and he had to acknowledge this favor.

"Go back and rest early. We depart tomorrow morning." Grand Elder Ye Ronghui waved his hand and went into the inner room alone. This time, returning to Luomu Mountain, he did not intend to come out again. There were some things that needed to be packed up properly, to be taken away tomorrow.

...

"Let's go."

Grandfather Ye Tuantu's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he looked around and spoke to Ye Jiechuan, who was standing beside him.

"Yes, Uncle." Ye Jiechuan took a deep breath and glanced at the boy sitting in the corner, focused on refining Talismans. He understood that the next few hours would require extreme caution; a tough battle awaited them ahead.

The Formation on the treasure ship slowly activated, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and stir up dust. For this operation, Ye Jiechuan did not let the Ye Family Disciples on board control the ship; instead, he controlled it himself, flying toward the Family at double speed.

"Whew, Uncle, we've reached Fire Cloud Stronghold. In another hour, we will enter the territory of Luomu Mountain," Ye Jiechuan said softly to Grandfather Ye Tuantu, looking at the stronghold below. Throughout the flight, a sense of unease had lingered in his heart, a vague feeling that something was about to happen.

"Mm, speed up. Be careful..." Before Grandfather Ye Tuantu could finish, a violent explosion came from outside.

"Break."

A screwdriver pierced through the Void Realm, striking the treasure ship's defensive Formation sharply. The Formation only held for a few moments before cracking like a broken eggshell, revealing the hidden treasure ship inside.

"What kind of rats dare to attack my Ye Family's treasure ship?" Grandfather Ye Tuantu stood in the air and shouted loudly.

"Hahaha, old ghost of the Ye Family, long time no see?" Wang Jingyu, dressed in black and masked, holding a large machete, stood in the sky five hundred meters away from the treasure ship and laughed loudly.

"It's him." Ye Yisong's expression turned cold as he watched Wang Jingyu rub the ashes of the Formation-breaking Talisman in his hand, throwing them into the air without concealment, forming a haze.

"You dog bastards of the Wang Family, you are too arrogant! Daring to attack my Ye Family in broad daylight!" Ye Jiechuan cursed angrily.

"No need to falsely accuse good people; I am not a member of the Wang Family." Wang Jingyu lied through his teeth, then turned his head to look at a tree branch to the southeast. "Friend, if we don't act now, when will we?"

"Five Martial Ancestors: two Late Stage, three Middle Stage," Ye Jiechuan said with a solemn expression as he looked at the five figures appearing in the sky.

"Formation, rise."

Ye Jiechuan turned a switch in the control room, and a new defensive Formation re-enveloped the treasure ship, protecting the dozens of Ye Family Disciples on board.

"Jiechuan, quick, charge out!" Grandfather Ye Tuantu said.

"Small tricks, I already anticipated this move of yours." Before the treasure ship could restart, Wei Chengxing, positioned to the southeast, crushed the Restriction of the Talisman in his hand, and a streak of light struck the defensive shield of the Formation. "Break."

"Uncle, take Yisong and go first. Don't worry about me; I will cover the retreat."

Ye Jiechuan spat out blood, his aura withering; clearly, the destruction of the treasure ship's own Formation had a significant impact on him.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Retreat into the stronghold below. This place is only two hundred miles from Luomu Mountain; Family reinforcements will arrive soon." Grandfather Ye Tuantu supported the swaying Ye Jiechuan and commanded the crowd, "All Disciples, heed my command: retreat into the stronghold below and hold your ground while awaiting reinforcements!"

"Yes, Elder," dozens of Disciples on the ship replied in unison.

"Grandfather, you go first. I will hold them off for a moment and then come to rendezvous with you." Ye Yisong stepped forward, blocking in front of the crowd.

"Mm, do not get entangled in the fight. Be extremely careful of them surrounding you." Grandfather Ye Tuantu saw the confident look in Ye Yisong's eyes and finally stopped himself from telling him to leave first. If Ye Yisong left first, the dozen or so Disciples on this ship would likely not survive.