Chapter 691: Yunzhong City!

Although they have never met and even once didn't know each other's existence, the blood relationship cannot be erased.

She had to admit that when she learned his body was about to give out, she was very worried about him.

She looked at Lu Yunfeng apologetically, "Yunfeng, I'm afraid I can't go with you to the Soul‑cutting Sea now."

Lu Yunfeng didn't mind, "It's fine; after all my human soul has been missing for years, I don't care about this short time. You go to Yunzhong City; your grandfather needs you, the Yun Tribe needs you, you needn't worry about me."

Qin Feixue glanced at Lu Yunfeng and voiced her concern, "But Yunzhong City is far from the Soul‑cutting Sea; I don't know if the soul‑energy sharing will fail."

This is what she worries about most.

"No," Ye Qingran shook her head, "I have a Talisman that expands the range of soul‑energy sharing; as long as we're on Nan Yin Zhou, the problem won't be big."

"Perhaps Lu Yunfeng could come with you to Yunzhong City?"

Ye Qingran had no objection; she looked at Lu Yunfeng, seeking his answer with her eyes.

Lu Yunfeng shook his head, "No need; I'll go to the Soul‑cutting Sea with them. After you resolve things here, helping me won't be too late."

In his current condition, even if he went, he couldn't help much; he'd only become a burden to Ye Qingran, distracting her.

Ye Qingran didn't press the matter.

After all, this trip to Yunzhong City is fraught with danger.

There's a saying that a mighty dragon can't overcome a local snake. Yunzhong City is now Yun Lan's territory; with so many people going, she can't ensure everyone's safety.

In the end, the party split up.

The five disciples of Renxu 108 Class and Lu Yunfeng headed toward the Soul‑cutting Sea, while Ye Qingran and the others went to Yunzhong City.

Before departing, Qin Feixue pulled Ye Qingran aside, her face solemn, and said, "Instructor Ye, aren't there two people in our Renxu class you haven't met yet?"

"Yes," Ye Qingran nodded.

She had already resigned, and still hadn't met the two disciples. She didn't know if there would be another chance.

"One of them is named Luo Zi'ang, the oldest among us; he's a martial fanatic who looks for fights everywhere, and we don't know where he is."

She continued, Qin Feixue's face showing hesitation, "The other is named Xi Xin; he was originally a scion of a prestigious family on Nan Yin Zhou, but after offending the Yun Tribe, his entire clan was annihilated. He fled all the way to Beimingzhou, escaping disaster. Consequently, he harbors deep hatred for the Yun Tribe, and his lifelong ambition is to destroy the Yun Tribe in revenge."

Ye Qingran raised an eyebrow.

So that's it!

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself."

Qin Feixue was startled for a moment, shook her head and said, "No, Instructor Ye, that's not what I mean. I mean, if you encounter him, could you refrain from exterminating him? He's actually a good person..."

Ye Qingran: "....." So it wasn't concern for her after all.

"Furthermore, I suspect Xi Xin's family's extermination may have been solely Yun Lan's doing, unrelated to other members of the Yun Tribe, perhaps..."

Qin Feixue didn't continue, but Ye Qingran understood, "I get it, don't worry, I won't."

"Thank you," Qin Feixue said sincerely, grateful.

"Instructor Ye, have a smooth journey."

Ten days later.

Outside Yunzhong City.

Yunzhong City is divided into the Inner City and the Outer City.

The Outer City is like any ordinary city, but Yunzhong City's Outer City is extremely prosperous, one of the three major cities of Nan Yin Zhou.

Here live, besides people from Yunfu's TwelveGreatDomains, mainly some branch families of the Yun Tribe and those granted the YunSurname.

As for the Inner City, it is the core of Yunzhong City.

There reside the core figures of the Yun Tribe and some major branch families.

Yuncheng's entrance is heavily guarded.

The crowd flows like woven fabric, surging toward the city interior.

Ye Qingran's party did not follow the crowded flow into the city, but went to a secluded spot.

"Sir, you've been with us all the way; won't you show your face?"

As the words fell, a black figure appeared before them.

The person wore a black cloak, and a face scarred with crisscrossing knife wounds could be faintly seen—terrifying and fierce.

It was clearly ZhuDi's saintly guard.

Ye Qingran was not surprised at all, sneering, "An exiled person still dares to return to Yunzhong City; aren't they afraid they might not come back?"

"I've already half‑buried myself in the earth; what else is there to fear?"

His hoarse, aged voice carried a detached calm of one who sees through life and death, "May I have a moment to speak?"

An open‑air tea house outside the city.

"What's the matter? Speak quickly; it's getting late, we still need to find lodging," Fu San said irritably.

This grim‑looking old fellow is always mysterious, which makes him quite displeased.

The elder ignored Fu San, keeping his gaze on Ye Qingran, "I saw your bloodline test in Donghai Cheng; you possess a full‑level Yun Tribe Bloodline, even surpassing your mother!"

His voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

Back then, when Yun Ling was testing bloodlines, he was fortunate enough to witness it firsthand.

"Do you know my mother?"

The elder nodded, "I am an Instructor at the Yun Tribe Academy, once taught your mother, so I was her teacher; I've always had a good relationship with her—she's a very kind child..."

Later, when Yun Ling disappeared, Yun Lan tried to build her own network by courting those defined as "Yun Ling people," but he refused.

Yun Lan is a ruthless schemer, following the principle that those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me perish.

Those proud, unbending individuals were either exiled or executed by her for various reasons.

He was also one of the victims.

His family fell into a prison disaster, marked with a stigma of shame, then exiled.

His family died during the exile, and he barely managed to survive.

Regarding his fate, Ye Qingran felt little resonance; instead, hearing that anyone not used by Yun Lan met a miserable end only deepened her hatred for Yun Lan.

She could hardly imagine how deranged Yun Lan had become to still care about blood ties.

"How do you also know the name Yun Sui Feng?"

This alias Yun Sui Feng is unknown even to many Yun Tribe members, including Yun Batian.

The old man shook his head. "Back then, she told me that if she ever left Yunzhong City, she would adopt the name Sui Feng."

So that's it!

"So why did you seek me out? To avenge your family?"

"No." The old man shook his head. "I want everyone to see Yun Lan's true face! I want to clear the names of the clanspeople who were falsely accused, wrongfully killed, or exiled by Yun Lan!"

As he spoke these words, his whole body trembled, as if he were suppressing something.

Ye Qingran felt moved inside, but her words were, "How could I believe you're not one of Yun Lan's people?"

"I, Yun Lu, swear to the heavens: if I serve Yun Lan, may I be struck by lightning and die a terrible death!"

Ye Qingran nodded, not knowing whether she believed him or not.

"Take off your cloak."

Yun Lu stared, then immediately shook his head. "No, the brand on my face cannot be seen by others, or else..."

"I can help you remove it."

"Impossible! That brand cannot be removed, even if I cut my flesh!"