Chapter 78: The Ji Clan

Within Nantian City.

After the matter of the Yuan Tian Secret Treasury concluded, the various powerful figures gathered in the city prepared to depart.

Jun Xiaoyao was returning to the Jun Clan.

Jiang Shengyi was also preparing to set off for the Jiang Clan.

Jun Zhangjian and the others sensed the atmosphere and wisely withdrew to a distance.

Jiang Shengyi wore a snow-white robe of peerless elegance, her figure tall and graceful, like a solitary snow lotus standing apart from the world, untainted by dust.

Her exquisitely beautiful immortal face was pale and luminous, as if glowing with light.

Due to her innate Dao Body constitution, she radiated an otherworldly aura, giving the impression of imminent transcendence.

It felt as if standing beside Jiang Shengyi could grant one enlightenment.

“Sister Shengyi, your constitution is truly enviable—I feel like I’m about to attain enlightenment and ascend the heavens just by being near you,” Jun Xiaoyao said with a casual smile.

Anyone else standing before Jiang Shengyi would surely feel inferior and ashamed.

But Jun Xiaoyao was entirely different.

His transcendent aura was not inferior to Jiang Shengyi’s—indeed, it surpassed hers.

“Then if I stay by your side every day, won’t you attain enlightenment every day?” Jiang Shengyi teased with a faint smile.

Then she suddenly realized the double meaning, and her cheeks flushed red.

She recalled the intimate fusion of their sacred bodies within the secret treasury, and her jade cheeks warmed slightly.

Jun Xiaoyao, however, seemed oblivious, smiling faintly: “Inside the secret treasury, I owe you greatly—without you, I could never have subdued the demonic corpse alone.”

“Where are you going? I merely assisted.” Jiang Shengyi gently shook her head.

Then, as if changing the subject, she said: “That little Luoli is missing you terribly—she’s been shouting every day that she wants to come out and find you.”

“Jiang Luoli… ah, minimum three years, maximum death penalty…” Jun Xiaoyao sighed.

Jiang Shengyi looked puzzled.

Jun Xiaoyao occasionally uttered phrases she couldn’t understand.

After some casual chat, Jun Xiaoyao bid farewell to Jiang Shengyi.

As Jiang Shengyi returned to the Jiang Clan’s group, a Jiang Clan Elder stepped forward and said: “Shengyi, our Jiang Clan must deepen our ties with the Divine Son—could you perhaps arrange for Luoli to…?”

The Jiang Clan Elder gestured, clearly hoping to matchmake them.

The Jiang Clan would surely agree to this.

Jiang Shengyi’s expression froze slightly.

After a long pause, she forced a smile: “Of course—perhaps I can act as a matchmaker if an opportunity arises.”

“Hah, that’s good!” the Jiang Clan Elder laughed.

Meanwhile, Jun Xiaoyao returned to the Jun Clan’s group.

He had absolutely no interest in political marriages or Dao companions.

After all, his goal was to suppress this era and stand atop the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens and Ten Realms.

“Grandfather, let’s return,” Jun Xiaoyao said.

He could hardly wait to see what fortune lay inside the wooden box.

“Very well,” Jun Zhantian nodded slightly.

The entire Jun Clan group set off for Huangzhou.

…

One of the Three Thousand Dao States: Xuan State.

This state is the ancestral seat of the ancient Ji Clan.

The Ji Clan, as an ancient family, may not rank among the Three Imperial Clans, but its depth and strength are not to be underestimated.

How could any ancient family be weak?

Ji Bangyin returned to the Ji Clan, dragging Ji Xuan behind him—a man hollowed out, listless, like a walking corpse.

Instantly, the Ji Clan erupted in turmoil.

The clan elders of Ji Xuan’s lineage were furious, eager to storm the Jun Clan’s mountain gate.

Other lineages, though angered, remained calm.

Yet in the end, the Ji Clan took no action.

Because the Ji Clan could not wage war against the Jun Clan over a single, already-deposed Ji Xuan.

A war between two ancient families would be an immortal conflict—shaking the entire Immortal Realm.

Most importantly, Ji Xuan was truly and fairly defeated by Jun Xiaoyao—not through treachery.

Among the young generation, rivalry and combat, life and death—it’s only natural.

The Ji Clan had no valid reason to retaliate against the Jun Clan.

Thus, they could only swallow their anger and bite their tongues.

But Ji Bangyin could not bear this humiliation.

He made a decision, and went deep into the Ji Clan, to the edge of a valley brimming with immortal aura.

The entire valley seemed shrouded in immortal light, spring-like all year round.

Ji Bangyin spoke: “Is Miss Qingyi present?”

It was hard to imagine a Saint speaking to a junior in such a gentle tone.

One could only guess how exalted this junior’s status must be.

Soon, a voice as melodious as a nightingale emerging from a valley, pearls falling upon jade plates, echoed forth.

“Qingyi is here. What does Elder wish?”

No sight of her—only her voice.

Yet even that voice alone was enough to linger in the heart forever.

“Miss Qingyi, please restore the Ji Clan’s honor and reclaim justice for Ji Xuan,” Ji Bangyin said solemnly.

The one he was pleading with was none other than the Ji Clan’s most outstanding heavenly daughter of this generation: Ji Qingyi.

She was also the Holy Maiden of the Immortal Cult, the Eternal Immortal Teaching.

With these dual identities, Ji Qingyi’s status was utterly transcendent.

Ji Bangyin then recounted the events of the Yuan Tian Secret Treasury to Ji Qingyi.

After a long while, her voice, like a clear spring cascading down a waterfall, finally came.

“Qingyi understands. But afterward, I must return to the Eternal Immortal Teaching to venerate the relics of the Fallen Immortal. I shall keep this matter in mind.”

“Good, good—your affairs come first,” Ji Bangyin nodded, then departed.

“The Jun Clan’s Divine Son… seems like an interesting figure.”

“I wonder… how much surprise can he bring me?”

…

Several days later, Jun Xiaoyao and the others returned to the Huangzhou Jun Clan.

Along the way, a minor incident occurred.

The Nine-Headed Lion Clan’s elder, Jiuling Yuansheng, arrived at the Jun Clan’s mountain gate.

Jun Xiaoyao appeared riding the Nine-Headed Lion.

He wanted to see whether this Nine-Headed Lion Clan elder would be as foolish as the You Dragon Sovereign.

Some onlookers outside, seeing Jun Xiaoyao riding the Nine-Headed Lion, were utterly stunned.

Riding the descendant of Jiuling Yuansheng right before his face? It was blatant provocation!

Just as the outside world expected Jiuling Yuansheng to cause chaos at the Jun Clan…

Jiuling Yuansheng, with a solemn expression, said to the Nine-Headed Lion: “Gou Sheng, being chosen by the Jun Clan’s Divine Son is your fortune. Follow him—you’ll never suffer for it.”

His words turned the entire scene to stone.

“Is this really the mighty Jiuling Yuansheng?” many cultivators stared blankly.

Why did Jiuling Yuansheng turn into a dog the moment he faced the Jun Clan?

“Grandfather, you…” The Nine-Headed Lion was frozen, stiff, fur standing on end, tail rigid.

She had thought Jiuling Yuansheng came to rescue her—only to hear this?

And he’d exposed her shameful birth name.

“So your real name is Gou Sheng?” Jun Xiaoyao said with a playful smirk.

“Hah, Divine Son, you jest. Our Nine-Headed Lion line has low survival rates—we give our young humble names to ensure they thrive,” Jiuling Yuansheng chuckled.

The Nine-Headed Lion wanted to cry, wishing she could dig a hole and bury herself like an ostrich.

Too humiliating—what kind of self-isolation challenge was this?

This incident gave many a vivid understanding of the Jun Clan’s intimidating power.

Even the mighty Jiuling Yuansheng dared not act recklessly before the Jun Clan’s mountain gate—he even willingly urged his descendant to follow the Jun Clan’s Divine Son.

After this matter concluded, Jun Xiaoyao returned peacefully to the Heavenly Emperor Palace.

“It’s time to uncover the mystery of this wooden box,” Jun Xiaoyao said, his eyes filled with anticipation.