13: If the old ones aren't working, then let's start with the younger ones!

Inside the valley, the night wind howled.

The Grand Elder hovered in the air, his expression uncertain. In his heart, he felt not only the irritation of failing to capture the exotic beast but also a deep apprehension and confusion regarding its terrifying combat power.

Just then, a gentle yet supremely dignified figure appeared silently beside him.

"Grand Elder, why are you here in the middle of the night, and who were you fighting to cause such a commotion?"

The newcomer was a middle-aged man with a refined appearance, dressed in a cyan robe. His aura was restrained, yet he possessed the bearing of a Grandmaster as steady as an abyss and as firm as a mountain. He was none other than the Ye Family Patriarch, a genuine Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Expert!

Seeing the Clan Chief arrive in person, the Grand Elder reined in the greed and anger on his face, bowed slightly, and said in a deep voice: "Reporting to the Clan Chief, a Yao Beast just had a Breakthrough here with an extraordinary aura."

"I originally intended to subdue it to add to our Ye Family's heritage. However, I did not expect it to be a Black Water Profound Python with an extremely strange Bloodline. Even though it had just reached the Early Second-Rank, its combat power was shockingly strong, managing to fight me to a standstill before escaping."

"Oh?" The Ye Family Patriarch heard this, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

Able to fight a Foundation Establishment Mid Stage expert to a standstill? This is not something an ordinary Second Order Demon Beast could achieve.

He closed his eyes and sensed the Demonic Qi that had not yet fully dissipated in the air, his brows furrowing slightly: "This aura... why does it feel somewhat familiar?"

Reminded by him, the Grand Elder also reacted suddenly: "Now that the Clan Chief mentions it, I also feel that the figure of that giant black python is indeed somewhat familiar..."

The two pondered for a moment, then the Ye Family Patriarch suddenly opened his eyes and realized: "I remember now! This aura is almost identical in Origin to that Second-Rank Profound Water Snake contracted by the Third Elder when he was young! It must be a descendant of that Profound Water Snake that was lost outside, and now, having successfully Cultivate, it has returned to the ancestral lands!"

This explanation was reasonable and logical.

"So that's it!" The Grand Elder immediately "understood" and no longer had any doubts.

After all, only the descendant of an ancient exotic species could explain why a newly Breakthrough-ed Second Order Demon Beast would possess such Heaven-Defying combat power.

A crisis that could have exposed Mysterious Ink's identity was quietly resolved amidst this accidental misunderstanding.

...

When Mysterious Ink sneaked back into the Small Courtyard silently, the lights in Ye Feiyan's room were still on.

She had clearly been alarmed by the earth-shattering battle just now and had not entered meditation. At this moment, she was standing in front of the window, looking towards the direction of the back mountain with a solemn expression.

Seeing Mysterious Ink slither in from outside the courtyard wall, she immediately flashed out of the room, her cold eyes carrying a hint of concern and reproach: "Where did you just go?"

Mysterious Ink was well-prepared. He opened his mouth and spat out a dead spirit rabbit he had casually caught from somewhere, signaling that he was just hungry and went out to hunt for some wild food.

Seeing this, Ye Feiyan breathed a sigh of relief, but still sternly admonished: "In the future, you are not allowed to run around alone! If you need anything, just tell me directly."

She paused, her tone becoming even more solemn: "Did you... feel that aura just now? There was a massive battle between experts in the Foundation Establishment Realm in the back mountain; it was too dangerous."

Mysterious Ink nodded "obediently," indicating that he understood.

In reality, he was laughing inwardly: Dangerous? No, I am the danger itself.

The battle just now was caused by your man, me.

Seeing him being obedient, Ye Feiyan did not say anything more and turned back to her room.

After a night of settling, her Seventh Level of Qi Refining cultivation had been completely consolidated, and her Foundation was incomparably stable.

A new day had begun, and she could not wait to continue her path of hunting and Cultivate!

The next day, as soon as it was dawn, Ye Feiyan pushed the door open and waved to Mysterious Ink, who had been waiting in the courtyard: "Let's go, I'll take you with me today."

One person and one python headed towards the Luoyun Mountain Range again.

However, as soon as their figures disappeared around the street corner, an informant quickly reported the matter to the Grand Elder's ears.

"Good! A good, ignorant, and reckless bitch!"

Upon receiving the news, the Grand Elder did not get angry but laughed instead, the murderous intent in his eyes fully exposed.

"You didn't take the path to Heaven, but you broke into Hell where there is no door! This is you seeking your own death!"

He looked at his son, Ye Tian, who was already eager to try, and commanded in a cold voice: "The opportunity has arrived! I will immediately go to the main residence to find the Clan Chief to discuss matters and hold him firmly! You, take the Crimson Flame Tiger and go to the Luoyun Mountain Range immediately to get me that bitch's head!"

"Yes, Father!" Ye Tian's face revealed a ferocious and confident smile, "Just wait for my good news!"

As his voice fell, he did not hesitate and let out a whistle. A fierce tiger over two meters tall, its body burning with raging flames and emitting the terrifying aura of an Early Second-Rank, appeared silently beside him.

One man and one tiger, their figures quickly merged into the shadows, turning into two streaks of light, and chased towards the direction of the Luoyun Mountain Range!

...

The outskirts of the Luoyun Mountain Range.

Ye Feiyan was lucky and soon found a suitable target.

It was a Late First Tier "Steel-bristled Wild Boar," thick-skinned, fleshy, and infinitely strong; it was an excellent "whetstone."

"Mysterious Ink, you stay on the side and cover me."

Ye Feiyan gave the instruction and then lunged forward with her sword, erupting into a fierce battle with the maddened Steel-bristled Wild Boar.

Sword light flickered, the boar charged violently; for a time, dust flew, and the roaring continued.

However, Mysterious Ink, who had been entrusted with the important task of "covering" by Ye Feiyan, did not focus his attention on this small scuffle at all.

Just a moment ago, his immensely powerful Divine Sense, which had already advanced to the Second Order, clearly perceived two auras full of murderous intent approaching this place at a very high speed!

One of them was the aura of an Early Second-Rank Yao Beast, filled with the violent nature of flames.

And the other one...

Mysterious Ink's snake pupils suddenly narrowed, and a cold glint flashed within them.

That human Cultivator's aura, although much weaker than that Old fellow from last night, had an Origin that was exactly the same as that Old fellow's!

"The Grand Elder's son?"

Mysterious Ink immediately confirmed the other party's identity.

He glanced again at Ye Feiyan, who was entangled with the wild boar and had not noticed the imminent danger at all, and sneered inwardly.

Just in time!

Last night, that Old fellow interrupted my Breakthrough and chased me away in such a sorry state; I was just worrying about where to settle this debt!

Since I can't beat the old one, I'll start by collecting some interest from you, the young one!

Mysterious Ink let out a low hiss in the direction of Ye Feiyan, signaling that he was going to scout the surroundings.

Without waiting for Ye Feiyan to respond, his massive python body, like ink melting into water, silently slid into the nearby dense forest, actively moving to meet those two murderous auras!