Chapter 99: Scheme

Over here, Ye Lian is urging, "Third Aunt, everything is unrelated to Jiang Yu.

Don't you think she could command a demon beast that's thousands of li away?

The sect grants three days for convalescence; you must absolutely obey the order.

"Ye Lian, she's only a named disciple; are you that scared?" Ye Lin's mother harbored resentment; her son's treatment at the mine has worsened day by day over the past two years.

She didn't know whether her hatred toward Jiang Yu was a bit stronger, or her grievance toward the Ye family a bit stronger.

"Third Aunt, you haven't been in the sect, so you probably don't know that when Sui Lv Zhenjun hears news of Jiang Yu, he personally travels hundreds of thousands of li, not only to recruit people but also to strike the Dragon Clan to protect her.

He also took her to the Inner Affairs Hall to purchase supplies and brought her to reside at Year-Start Peak.

Clearly this follows the privileges of a close relative; formally taking a disciple is only a matter of time." Ye Lian, being the Ye family's cultivated caretaker candidate, follows the path of entering the inner sect through the outer gate.

She dreams of having a master, but since the path was paved for her from childhood, only if she fails to be selected could she seek a master—and then what good master could she find?

Jiang Yu didn't know anyone envied her to death; on the way back, many saw her bearing injuries.

Senior sister Wu, Guan Xuner, senior brothers Lin Yuan, Qian, Gu and others met her halfway, her back seeping blood, saying, "That hit was truly ruthless."

"Probably they think only harshness makes one remember," Jiang Yu also knew that the Enforcement Hall's flogging was harsher than others', because her master is a Nascent Soul Elder.

The more she gains, the more she bears, so she didn't use healing pills, letting the Eclipsed Moon Tiger gradually return, allowing people to comment.

But once back at her residence, she winced and hissed with laughter; Senior sister Wu hurried several brothers to the doorway.

"Senior brother Lin, could you do a favor and take Jiang Tu to the market to deliver a sample?" Jiang Yu patted Jiang Tu, sending him to meet Jiang Bai.

Lin Yuan agreed and descended the mountain, only to encounter Jiang Bai, "Senior brother Jiang? What are you up to, not returning to the sect to find Jiang Yu?"

Huh, that's odd—how did your cultivation surge so fast, already at the late stage of Foundation Establishment?

"That's why I stay out of the sect, to avoid being grilled by peers.

Waiting a few years to meet again isn't too late." In fact, Jiang Bai hadn't lit the soul lamp at the Grand Void Sect, and he feared someone might recall and force him to light it.

"Ahem, junior brother Lin, Jiang Tu and I have private matters, so we won't entertain you for now." He sent Jiang Tu, who was rolling his eyes, to swiftly cast several layers of mist barrier.

Lin Yuan: "May I go out."

Jiang Bai took a jade tablet, reading, "No need, have some tea; I selected premium tea snacks."

Lin Yuan thought, "Jiang brother really is a genuine rich guy."

After reading the jade tablet, Jiang Bai took the Tai Chi Fish Token from Jiang Tu and asked, "Uncle Master Xun, is that the only instruction?"

"Hmm, he's rather generous toward you."

"He and my master share the same master."

"Do you want to take the teleportation array back?"

"No, that wastes spiritual stones, and you all promised to keep the teleportation location secret; seeking it again is unsuitable.

As for this piece, what do you think about giving it to Lin Yuan?" Jiang Bai asked for its opinion.

Jiang Tu told him Lin Yuan already has a quota, "You can auction it, or submit it when the sect publicly seeks it.

Then exchange with the Inner Affairs Hall for needed spiritual herbs, or the sect can post a task to find the spiritual herbs you urgently need."

"Quite clever," Jiang Bai praised, tapping its forehead.

But Jiang Tu soon drooped his head, confided some troubles to him, and asked what solution he had.

Jiang Bai pondered briefly, "Wait until I restore my cultivation; then I'll pose as a medical cultivator and have Jiang Yu introduce me to Master Lin."

Jiang Tu tilted his head, "Aren't you afraid of being recognized?"

"I have a Disguise Spirit Treasure," Jiang Bai said, still trusting the bond forged through life and death.

Then Jiang Tu said, "Lend it to Jiang Yu for a while; she needs to return home soon."

Jiang Bai was speechless for a while, "…Jiang Tu, you've turned bad, actually learning to trick me."

"Hehe, will you lend it?" After a short chat, before leaving, Jiang Tu gladly obtained the spirit treasure, since Jiang Yu's survival mattered to him.

Jiang Yu expressed sincere gratitude; she prepared to host a dinner for senior brothers and sisters the next day, when Wan Xiyue arrived promptly.

When the two met, they had much to say; it was Jiang Tu's first formal meeting with her, and Wan Xiyue rattled out a huge bag of spiritual beast pills as a welcome gift.

Upon learning Jiang Yu was returning to the mortal realm to find family, she also said she'd go together.

"Senior sister Wan, I heard senior brother Lin say you've already visited your relatives, and the sect values you, requiring frequent participation in alchemy tasks.

You see I'm fine now; just a trip home, and I have a Disguise Artifact, so I don't need you to accompany me specially." Jiang Yu coaxed her repeatedly, dispelling her intention to go, and let her try the Tai Chi Fish Token soul‑binding.

Wan Xiyue was slightly stunned, "You use it yourself; is this the legendary piece you and Xue Miao contested?"

"She was just causing trouble back then, and it already spread that I have a Tai Chi Fish Token?" Jiang Yu suspected Xue Miao was behind it.

But Wan Xiyue confirmed it wasn't, "Do you know, the Taiyi Sect has an elder with low spiritual‑root value who, during the late stage of Foundation Establishment, obtained it and entered the Great Luo Celestial Realm.

Later he acquired many ten‑thousand‑year spiritual medicines and a spirit treasure, achieving Nascent Soul in just two hundred years; his lifespan now exceeds a thousand, yet he remains alive."

Just now, my master said that a Daoist friend from the Profound Heaven Sect obtained a fish token and bound it, and he mentioned you also captured one.

The four major sects, upon hearing the news, dispatched many Jie Dan cultivators to scour the lands for Tai Chi Fish Tokens.

My senior brothers also searched, but my master forbade me from joining now, saying after a year the hype will fade, granting me a chance to try my luck.

Jiang Yu showed her that she had already bound a fish token, urging her to try quickly.

Wan Xiyue examined her mark, confirming its authenticity, and instantly used her divine sense to bind the Tai Chi Fish Token, her spirit instantly entering it.

"She didn't enter, so the piece I took is indeed different.

Fortunately, Jiang Bai said other fish tokens can carry two people; otherwise I would have thought I got a fake.

By the way, should we inform him? Keep that piece for now, and once it's confirmed it can enter the realm, we can give it to others later," Jiang Tu whispered to Jiang Yu.

"Don't worry, he's an Eastern Continent cultivator; knowing your fish token is different, he'll handle it well," Jiang Yu reassured him, seeing Wan Xiyue open her eyes to the multiple marks on her arm, and then explained the two‑person capacity of a token.

Wan Xiyue was greatly surprised, "It seems previous Celestial Origin cultivators never noticed this; may I go back and tell my master?"

Jiang Yu had a different view: "They might know, but don't want others sharing it; after all, if one falls midway, the fish token could become void."

"Senior sister, wait until more people spread the news, then report it, but don't mention me."

Wan Xiyue thought for a moment and nodded, and the two of them prepared the banquet ingredients together; she only had a meal with Jiang Yu and Lin Yuan and the others the next day before reluctantly leaving.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yu publicly announced that she would enter seclusion at Beginning-of-Year Peak, but in fact, after reporting to her master, she changed her appearance and went to the mortal world to look for her relatives.