Chapter 288: Yao Yao, Listen

"Master, I mean to have you buy fewer magical tools and treasures; if I really take a liking to something, I won't stand on ceremony with you." Yuan Yao tugged at Qian Jueshan's sleeve, speaking playfully: "It's all because you're my master."

Qian Jueshan chuckled.

He looked at her with indulgent eyes and agreed: "Okay."

He straightened his expression and said: "On this trip to the Cloud Water Realm, you must be extra careful. The Cloud Water Realm lies in the border region between the Ninth Province and the Eighth Province, and it belongs to the Ninth Province."

"Before you leave the sect, go say farewell to your Uncle Jade."

Upon hearing that, Yuan Yao instantly pictured Uncle Jade Qingxue in her mind, she nodded and agreed, then curiously asked: "Master, do you and Uncle Jade have some estrangement and misunderstanding?"

Qian Jueshan pressed his lips, shook his head: "No."

Yuan Yao wondered: "Why has Uncle Jade become like this?"

Qian Jueshan: "You should ask Uncle Jade about that."

"Then, Master, do you have any other senior brothers or sisters?"

"Yes." Qian Jueshan said lightly: "You'll find out later."

Seeing she still wanted to keep asking, he gently reminded: "It's already late; you ought to go bid farewell to Uncle Jade, then join the other disciples in setting out for the Cloud Water Realm."

"I'll go say goodbye to Eldest Senior Brother and the others first." Yuan Yao said upon hearing that.

"No need."

"Why..." Yuan Yao was about to ask the reason, when something suddenly came to mind, her eyes brightening: "Eldest Senior Brother is also going."

Qian Jueshan smiled lightly and nodded.

"I see." Yuan Yao suddenly understood, she gave Qian Jueshan an annoyed glare, then swiftly rose, lightly patted her skirt, and said to Qian Jueshan: "Then I'll go find Uncle Jade."

"Okay."

…

Carefree Sect, Mission Hall.

Yuan Yao entered the Mission Hall, met a few senior brothers and sisters who had just taken on missions, and she raised her hand in greeting.

Immediately, she hurried to the front desk.

"Uncle Jade!"

The young man at the front desk slowly lifted his gaze; when his eyes met the girl's figure, a softness like spring water rippled in their depths.

Only seeing the girl place both hands on the desk, her expression now free of any fear, she smiled and said to herself: "Uncle Jade, I'm about to make a trip to the Cloud Water Realm."

"Are you taking the task to investigate the person who slaughtered the Water Mirror Immortal Academy?" The young man, a strand of white hair falling at his temples, his brows and eyes hinting at a hint of chill, his voice like cold pond still water, revealed no emotion.

Yuan Yao withdrew all her smiles, shook her head, and said: "No, it's because Elder Brother Ao Su has suddenly lost contact these past two days, and his life token shows signs of cracking; he's likely in danger right now. So we must go to the Cloud Water Realm to rescue Elder Brother Ao Su."

"And I came this time to say farewell to you, Uncle Jade."

Upon hearing that, Uncle Jade Qingxue fell silent for a moment.

He slightly raised his head and asked: "How is your sword training coming along?"

Yuan Yao's expression instantly tightened.

She knew the sword art Uncle Jade spoke of was his own creation—the Nothing Sword Art.

She had learned only one move.

That is: the First Layer of Drunken Life and Death Dream.

Seeing her guilty expression, Uncle Jade Qingxue knew she had had no time to practice his sword art lately.

Yuan Yao gave a dry laugh, raised two fingers, and promised: "Uncle Jade, I will definitely find time to practice the Nothing Sword Art!"

Seeing her raised two fingers, Uncle Jade Qingxue's expression was unusually speechless for a moment.

He said: "I know you went to the Flowing Light Secret Realm for training."

Yuan Yao: "So, Uncle Jade, you understand me, right?"

Uncle Jade Qingxue: "Mm."

Yuan Yao casually asked: "Uncle Jade, aside from my master, how many uncles or senior uncles do I have?"

As soon as she spoke, Uncle Jade Qingxue's face turned deathly pale; his hand gripping the mission slip clenched tight, almost crumpling it into a ball.

Yuan Yao's heart jolted.

"Uncle Jade, you……"

Uncle Jade Qingxue lowered his head, flustered, avoided her gaze, and hoarsely said: "You may go."

"Uncle Jade, I'm sorry."

"It's not you who owes me an apology." It's me who owes them……

"Yao Yao, listen."

Yuan Yao wanted to speak but held back; in the end she said nothing. She could see Uncle Jade was struggling to restrain some emotion, likely her words had touched on his painful matter.

Uncle Jade seemed quite guilty.

What exactly happened to Uncle Jade when he was young?

If there were other uncles or senior uncles, why have they never come to the Carefree Sect to seek the master or Uncle Jade all these years?

"Uncle Jade, I'm leaving first." Yuan Yao spoke slowly.

Uncle Jade Qingxue lowered his eyes and gave no response.

Yuan Yao let out a deep sigh, then turned and headed toward the outside of the Mission Hall.

But after taking a few steps, suddenly Uncle Jade Qingxue's voice came from behind.

"If possible, could you bring a jar of osmanthus wine from the Cloud Water Realm for Uncle Jade?"

Yuan Yao's steps faltered slightly; she turned back and saw the young man, now with graying hair, his eyes full of longing.

She smiled charmingly.

"Okay, Uncle Jade, I've noted it."

…

Carefree Sect's sect grounds.

As Yuan Yao rushed over, she already saw Eldest Senior Brother and the others waiting.

Eldest Senior Brother Song Yan, Second Senior Sister Xiao Lingwei, Third Senior Brother Cang Li, Fourth Senior Brother Xue Jin, Youngest Senior Brother Ying Wuji.

Also:

Yao Linglong of Heaven Inquiry Peak.

Zong Yu'er of Heaven Learning Peak.

Lin Xuechen of Heaven Astronomy Peak.

"Junior Sister, you've finally come." The handsome young man Lin Xuechen said, "We're just missing you."

On Yao Linglong's lovely pretty face, a solemn expression appeared: "We must hurry to Cloudwater Realm!"

"Then let's go." Yuan Yao said.

After leaving the Carefree Sect, Lin Xuechen immediately summoned his own spirit boat.

The nine of them leapt aboard.

"Set off."

The spirit boat began to rise into the air and then proceeded forward.

Lin Xuechen, while controlling the spirit boat, said to the few on the deck: "Our Carefree Sect is somewhat far from Cloudwater Realm; at normal speed, it would take three days to get there. If we add the intermediate acceleration talisman I refined, it would take only one day."

"Then let's use the acceleration talisman." Xiao Lingwei spoke.

Lin Xuechen nodded in agreement: "Good."

He affixed the acceleration talisman he had refined onto the spirit boat; soon after using it, the boat's speed surged.

Cang Li frowned and asked: "Isn't there anyone accompanying Ao Su to Cloudwater Realm to deal with the annihilation of Water Mirror Immortal Academy?"

"Yes." Yao Linglong replied, "My eldest senior brother accompanied him back, but now my eldest senior brother has also lost contact."

Yao Linglong's eldest senior brother is Wenren Jibai, the sect leader's eldest disciple.

Ying Wuji, upon hearing this, fell into thought.

Song Yan said: "Could it be that they discovered the true culprit and were then captured by the true culprit?"

Xue Jin analyzed: "Impossible; if I were the true culprit, I would certainly not spare their lives. I would exterminate them root and branch, erasing all traces. Thus, they might now be trapped in other perilous situations, or they might have been seriously wounded by the true culprit and escaped, but for some reason cannot promptly contact the sect."

"Have you been to Cloudwater Realm?" Yuan Yao asked.

Aside from Yao Linglong, everyone else shook their heads.

Yao Linglong took a deep breath: "I and my junior fellow disciple once, while on a mission away from the sect, visited Cloudwater Realm, and even specially went to Water Mirror Immortal Academy to visit my junior fellow disciple's grandfather."