Chapter 780: Lingyun Team

They were originally disciples of Jade Autumn Sect; seven years ago they met Ye Qingran, and under her leadership Ye Qingran, she, Bai Pang, Yingsu, and Lu Fei formed a Lingyun Team, swept through Jade Autumn Sect, and within a few months became a great legend of the sect.

When she thought everything would go smoothly, Ye Qingran's Lingyun Team's team spirit vanished.

This disappearance lasted seven years.

Yingsu's eyelashes twitched, she opened her eyes, sat up, looked at the figure hugging knees and gazing at the moon, and a pang of affection flashed in her eyes.

Qing Lan felt a warmth behind her, turned her head, saw Yingsu, and asked, "Did I wake you up?"

Yingsu shook her head, sat beside Qing Lan, mimicking her gesture, and said, "Missing the boss?"

Qing Lan didn't deny, "Hmm."

Yingsu slowly nodded but said nothing further.

By the end of this year will be her ten‑year graduation time. In Jade Autumn Sect, practitioners can stay at most ten years.

After ten years, they must leave.

She still remembered that seven years ago, after their Lingyun Team was founded, their first joint trial took place in this Wild Forest.

At that time their average age was only fifteen or sixteen, the most youthful and reckless years, galloping wildly and singing, expressing Lingyun's lofty ambitions.

Seven years have passed; in the blink of an eye they all grew up, shedding their naive appearances, yet their hearts remain the same as that boy once was.

"If she never returns, this will be our Lingyun Team's final gathering; wherever it starts and ends, at least it has a beginning and an end, right?"

Yingsu turned her head to look at Qing Lan, a faint smile on her lips, while Qing Lan pressed her lips, clearly showing infinite sorrow in her eyes.

After so many years of life‑and‑death, how can a simple phrase of beginning and end capture it?

Even though Ran Jie has been gone for seven years, they still hold her in great reverence.

A gust of night wind blew, mercilessly beating the lingering campfire, yet it could not extinguish it.

At that moment, the sound of a sword being drawn came from afar and grew nearer.

"Yo, who do you think I am? So you're members of the Lingyun Team!"

"Tsk tsk, I recall a few years ago they were quite impressive, why now…"

"Of course it's because Ye Qingran disappeared!"

Hearing these voices, Qing Lan and Yingsu both abruptly stood up, their faces grim.

Bai Pang and Lu Fei, who had been sleeping soundly, also jolted awake and sat up.

The newcomers numbered a dozen or so, wearing uniform attire, and were clearly, like Qing Lan and the others, disciples of Jade Autumn Sect.

"Black Iron Team!"

Qing Lan squinted, her tone low.

Disciples of Jade Autumn Sect have a habit of forming teams.

Each team usually has five to ten members.

Ordinary trials are conducted by team units.

Back then, their Lingyun Team was Jade Autumn Sect's first team, renowned far and wide, known to all.

As for the Black Iron Team, they performed well back then, but because of the Lingyun Team they were constantly suppressed, unable to surpass them, so the Black Iron Team harbored jealousy toward the Lingyun Team.

In recent years, due to Ye Qingran's disappearance, the Black Iron Team has overtaken them, never missing a chance to mock and suppress them.

"Tsk tsk, I remember your first trial after forming the team was in this Wild Forest, right? Why is this a reminiscence or the final gathering before the Lingyun Team disbands?"

The speaker is Black Iron Team's captain Ji Rufeng.

"Ji Rufeng, mind your own business!" Bai Pang stood up, scolding irritably.

Ji Rufeng was not at all annoyed, hands clasped across his chest, "Some teams rise high then fall low, even eventually face dissolution. Past glory means what? Just a fleeting firework? Unlike our Black Iron Team, which will be eternal like starlight and moonbeams."

"Ji Rufeng, that's enough!"

Qing Lan rebuked.

Ji Rufeng's face darkened, "No! Not enough! Back then Ye Qingran's brilliance was fully displayed, so flamboyant that everyone knew her, yet she vanished on the eve of a duel with members of the other two major sects, causing Jade Autumn Sect to lose face. This humiliation you can forget, but I, Ji Rufeng, cannot!"

The members of the Lingyun Team could not refute.

Ji Rufeng spoke the truth.

Ye Qingran's departure not only affected the Lingyun Team, but also severely damaged Jade Autumn Sect's reputation, causing it to decline year after year.

"But she didn't do it on purpose…"

The slender Lu Fei said in a low voice.

"Whether it was intentional is irrelevant now; unless she can return and cleanse the past humiliation!"

Ji Rufeng gave a cold smile, turned to leave, when someone shouted, "Hey, look, what's that?"

Above their heads, in the indigo‑purple sky, a meteor streaked down rapidly, dragging a long tail behind it.

Whoosh~

Falling from the sky.

The members of both teams immediately retreated, and the meteor slammed into the ground before them, creating a deep crater and kicking up clouds of dust.

Everyone was stunned.

"The stars have fallen?"

People on both sides approached the crater cautiously, their steps careful, fearing something dangerous might suddenly emerge.

Cough~

A cough reverberated through everyone's nerves, making them tense as if facing a great enemy.

Someone!

In the crater, Ye Qingran crawled up, ears ringing, dust swirling before her eyes, and the light was still dim.

She sat up from the crater, massaged her sore back, feeling completely unwell.

Where is this place?

It looks like it's late at night, and the place she's in seems to be a forest?

What's going on?

Ye Qingran was completely bewildered.

"Who is it?"

At that moment, a voice came from behind her; Ye Qingran stared wide-eyed, her heart leaping with joy!

Someone's there!

Ye Qingran hurriedly looked toward the speaker and discovered there was more than one person.

When Ji Rufeng got a clear look at Ye Qingran's face, it was as if he had seen a ghost.

"You you you..."

"Boss, what's wrong with you? Did you see a ghost?"

"Ye ye ye..."

Ji Rufeng pointed at Ye Qingran, as if he had developed a stutter.

The Black Iron Team members sized up Ye Qingran, then the burly man let out a scream.

"Ah!!!"

The Lingyun Team members exchanged glances.

Are the Black Iron Team members having a fit?

From their position, all they could see was Ye Qingran's back as she lay on the edge of the deep pit; because it was night, they couldn't see very clearly.

They slowly approached Ye Qingran, and she also heard footsteps coming from behind, turning her head to look.

The moment Qing Lan and the others saw Ye Qingran, their pupils contracted sharply and their gazes froze.