Chapter 2499: Father-in-law and son-in-law interactions

Wang Moshuan remembered something and said, "Oh, Ancestor, Ancestor Qingfeng has gone out. He said he went inland to take care of some business."

"Inland business? What kind of business?"

Wang Ruyan paused slightly, her brow furrowed in confusion. Wang Qingfeng wasn't good at dealing with people; he was frank, stubborn, and had few friends. If he were looking for Dharma Idol materials, there was no immediate rush. Why would Wang Qingfeng go inland for no reason? Could he be looking for Duan Tongtian?

"I don't know," Wang Moshuan replied truthfully. "Ancestor Qingfeng said that if you came out of seclusion, I should inform you. He said you'd know where he went."

Hearing this, Wang Ruyan understood. Wang Qingfeng had gone to see Duan Tongtian. She also understood, as he was Dong Xueli's father, after all.

"I see. You can go and attend to your duties now!" Wang Ruyan waved her hand, dismissing Wang Moshuan.

***

In Yuyang Valley, the market town established by the Jiang family, the streets were wide, bustling with people, and traffic flowed like water, making it very lively.

In a secluded small courtyard with green tiles, Wang Qingfeng and Duan Tongtian sat in a stone pavilion, sipping tea and chatting.

"Qingfeng, you're very thoughtful. Last time, your father protected me, allowing me to safely overcome the Grand Heavenly Tribulation. How are they doing? Have they encountered any troubles that are inconvenient for them to handle directly? I can help you resolve them." Duan Tongtian's tone was warm; the more the father-in-law looked at his son-in-law, the more he liked him.

"No trouble, Father. Xueli is in seclusion, preparing to break through to the Void Refinement stage. This is a Tribulation Pearl she asked me to give you." Wang Qingfeng took out an exquisite green jade box and handed it to Duan Tongtian. This Tribulation Pearl had been given to Wang Qingfeng by Wang Changsheng. Wang Qingfeng brought it to Duan Tongtian, hoping to ease the tension between Dong Xueli and Duan Tongtian.

"A Tribulation Pearl!" Duan Tongtian gasped, opening the jade box to reveal a shimmering crimson pearl. A look of relief appeared on his face. No one knew a daughter better than her father; based on his understanding of Dong Xueli, she wouldn't even want to see him, let alone ask Wang Qingfeng to give him a Tribulation Pearl on her behalf. This was undoubtedly Wang Qingfeng's idea, an attempt to mend the relationship between father and daughter.

Duan Tongtian, seeing through it but not speaking of it, nodded. He took out a green storage ring and handed it to Wang Qingfeng, saying, "Inside, there's a piece of Tidal Divine Jade, a Fireflame Stone, and some sixth-tier demonic beast materials." Besides hunting demonic beasts, Duan Tongtian also helped other factions resolve issues in exchange for cultivation resources. These were some of the resources he had accumulated. Although both practiced saber techniques, their cultivation methods differed, as did the materials needed to condense their Dharma Idols. Duan Tongtian had no use for the Fireflame Stone; he had specifically acquired it for Wang Qingfeng to use in condensing his Dharma Idol. As for the Tidal Divine Jade, Wang Changsheng had mentioned it during a casual chat with Duan Tongtian, and Duan Tongtian had kept it in mind.

"Father, it hasn't been easy for you..." Wang Qingfeng tried to decline, but Duan Tongtian interrupted him: "I'm a solitary person with no real attachments. It's not too difficult for me to acquire cultivation resources." In the cultivation world, strength was supreme. Coercion, inducement, and even blatant robbery were acceptable. If one lacked sufficient power or strong backing, they would be at the mercy of others. This had been the case since ancient times, but Duan Tongtian simply didn't need to resort to such means. Several minor factions wanted to hire Duan Tongtian as an esteemed guest. He would typically have little to do except deter rival forces, and the annual tributes were substantial.

Wang Qingfeng hesitated for a moment, then thanked him and accepted the storage ring.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, you should head back! I hope Xueli can advance to the Void Refinement stage." Duan Tongtian waved his hand, signaling Wang Qingfeng to leave.

"That girl, she certainly married the right man," Duan Tongtian remarked, picking up the Tribulation Pearl between two fingers and sighing with emotion. A Tribulation Pearl was no ordinary treasure; it could save one's life during a fight or treasure hunt. Wang Qingfeng's willingness to give him a Tribulation Pearl showed how much he valued Dong Xueli.

***

Leaving the courtyard, Wang Qingfeng swiftly walked towards the market's exit. As he passed a corner, Deng Tianqi and a graceful young woman in a golden dress walked toward him. Wang Qingfeng paused, slightly stunned, his expression turning cold. Deng Tianqi was currently at the late Soul Transformation stage, a major realm below Wang Qingfeng. Upon seeing Wang Qingfeng, Deng Tianqi's face soured, and his expression became tense. Neither said anything; they merely passed each other like strangers. That Deng Tianqi was in Yuyang Valley was unexpected for Wang Qingfeng. Wang Qingfeng didn't dwell on it. He was unaware of the grievances between Wang Mengbin and the Deng family and had no interest in dealing with Deng Tianqi; they belonged to different worlds.

Deng Tianqi followed the young woman in the golden dress into a five-story red pavilion. He frowned and said, "How did I run into him here? Is he here on business, or specifically to kill me?" After the deaths of Deng Tianyang and most of the high-level cultivators, the Deng family was severely weakened, reduced to a small clan. Although there were still several Soul Transformation cultivators, they were scattered across various locations, leading to a drastic decline in their influence. Large amounts of their territory were encroached upon by hostile forces. Had it not been for some Deng family disciples joining the Cold Flame Sect, the Deng family would likely have been annihilated. Deng Tianqi firmly believed that the Wang family was behind it. He had no evidence, but putting himself in Wang Qingfeng's shoes, he would have done the same, even more ruthlessly, leaving no one alive. For this reason, he had never dared to return to his family, choosing instead to cultivate in seclusion in Yuyang Valley.

"What's wrong, my husband?" the young woman in the golden dress asked, puzzled. She was Deng Tianqi's second wife, though only at the late Nascent Soul stage.

"Nothing much, I just ran into an old enemy. Let's be careful when we go out. No, actually, let's not leave our dwelling for a while and just cultivate in seclusion," Deng Tianqi cautioned, feeling that Wang Qingfeng might be lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to eliminate them and prevent future trouble. Putting himself in Wang Qingfeng's shoes, he would do the same. Ever since Deng Tianyang's death, Deng Tianqi had been extremely uneasy, always feeling that experts from the Wang family would come for them. The young woman in the golden dress didn't understand but didn't ask further.

***

In a vast, endless emerald mountain range, deep within, Thousand Spirit Rogue Cultivator and Chen Tiangang stood atop a high peak. They had tracked Lin Yu all the way here but could no longer find him. A giant golden butterfly circled endlessly around Thousand Spirit Rogue Cultivator, whose face was grim.

"What's wrong? Didn't you say that your Golden Phoenix Butterfly has acute senses and can track his location even from hundreds of thousands of miles away?" Chen Tiangang frowned.

Thousand Spirit Rogue Cultivator frowned. "He knows most of my spirit insects' abilities and was prepared. However, I can confirm he hasn't gone far; he must be in hiding."

"In that case, let me force him out!" Chen Tiangang snorted coldly, formed a hand seal, and a pungent green poisonous mist surged from his body, spreading in all directions. When the green poisonous mist touched flowers and plants, they immediately withered. Trees showed corrosive marks upon contact, and even the mountain peaks were not spared. Demonic beasts below the sixth-tier turned into a puddle of blood shortly after encountering the green poisonous mist.

A blue light shot up into the sky, transforming into the illusion of a giant python. The python spewed forth a blue light, which became a blue cloud mass covering a thousand miles. The blue cloud rolled violently, and dense blue raindrops poured down, landing on the ground and immediately corroding large holes.

A silver light flashed in the void, and Lin Yu appeared. He had hidden himself using a Nine-Element Spirit Concealment Talisman, but he couldn't ignore the attacks of a Void Refinement stage poison cultivator. As soon as Lin Yu appeared, he slapped a shimmering golden talisman onto himself, transforming into a golden long rainbow that flew rapidly towards the distant horizon, covering a hundred miles in an instant.

"Chase him! Don't let him get away." Thousand Spirit Rogue Cultivator and Chen Tiangang pursued him, and the three vanished into the sky.