I heard you had a white moonlight who died young.

Fan Zhiyi glanced at Bing Nandong and saw that his lips were tightly pressed into a straight line, showing no intention of paying attention to Zhuang Yujing at all. Zhuang Yujing couldn't help but feel anxious: "What's wrong with you? Why..."

“It’s perfectly normal for people to change over ten years, isn’t it?” Bing Nandong finally glanced at Zhuang Yujing. “My answer is the same as it was ten years ago. These things are not for Young Master Zhuang to investigate. It would be better for Young Master Zhuang to stay in Jiuwanli and cultivate. It would be best to go back right now.”

"Am I such an unrighteous person? How could I possibly abandon you and Fan Zhiyi? I don't care. I just didn't have the chance before, but now that I've seen you, I must bring you back to Jiuwanli." Zhuang Yujing lowered his voice and became unusually serious. "I don't know if your disappearance is related to this matter, but there's something wrong with Tianyun Sect. You absolutely cannot stay here any longer."

Bing Nandong stopped: "What do you know?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Yujing's brows furrowed with smugness: "This young master is wise and mighty. If you won't tell me, I'll investigate myself."

This undisguised pride remained undiminished in Zhuang Yujing ten years later. Time had not diminished his passion and temperament; instead, it had made him even more confident, stemming from his self-assurance. This same arrogance had once been present in Bing Nandong, who was no less proud than Zhuang Yujing.

Bing Nandong's voice turned cold, almost threatening: "Zhuang Yujing, I'm warning you, if you don't want something to happen to Jiuwanli, then don't investigate."

"What do you mean?" Upon hearing that it was related to Jiu Wanli and in that tone, Zhuang Yujing couldn't control his temper. Why should his sect be involved in his own affairs? Moreover, if the matter were investigated, he would know what had happened to Bing Nandong and would be able to find out the reason for Fan Zhiyi's disappearance.

His intuition told him that all of this was inextricably linked to the Tianyun Sect, and involved a huge secret, perhaps even related to the Ghost Gate. Ten years had passed, and he had found many clues.

Upon hearing this, Bing Nandong knew that Zhuang Yujing had not yet uncovered the core issue: "What I mean is, your abilities and cultivation are insufficient for you to cover the fallout, nor can you save anyone. Zhuang Yujing, don't be so naive. Even for the sake of your father and the entire Jiuwanli, don't get involved with anyone from the Tianyun Sect, especially me."

"Bing Nan Dong, you... If you hadn't kept quiet, why would I have gone to such lengths to investigate! Do you know how I've spent the last ten years searching for you? You are simply... simply... heartless! I shouldn't have come looking for you. What do I care about you?" Enraged, Zhuang Yu Jing spoke without holding back.

The commotion between the two of them grew louder and louder. Fan Zhiyi had no idea why they were arguing again. He only saw Zhuang Yujing stride forward and say, "He An, let's go! If I pay any more attention to him, I'm a dog!"

Fan Zhiyi and Cen Jun looked at each other. Fan Zhiyi said, "Go and appease Jiu Wanli. I'll go and talk to your senior brother."

Fan Zhiyi walked over, and Bing Nandong's expression didn't seem to be very good either, with a cold face. Fan Zhiyi didn't quite hear what they were saying, since they were so far away, but they were indeed arguing quite loudly.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Bing Nandong asked him first.

Fan Zhiyi honestly replied, "I don't know what to say. I think it would be better if I were to remain quiet at this time."

Bingnan Dong indeed didn't say anything more.

He thought he and Zhuang Yujing would be stuck in a rage the whole way, but to his surprise, in the afternoon, Zhuang Yujing slowed down and walked alongside them: "Let me make this clear first, I only turned back because I felt sorry for you. I will definitely bring you back to Jiuwanli, and I will definitely find Fan Zhiyi as well."

“No need.” Bing Nandong coldly rejected him.

"..." Zhuang Yujing held back for a moment, thinking that he shouldn't argue with a cripple. "Don't worry about your eyes. There's no shortage of spirit stones in Jiuwanli. I will do everything I can to find the best doctors in the entire cultivation world and make sure your eyes are cured."

Fan Zhiyi, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but say, "We've already seen a doctor, and they said he'll regain his sight soon."

Zhuang Yujing shouted angrily, "What kind of doctor did you find? Is he reliable? I don't trust your Tianyun Sect!"

Judging from his tone, which was like a powder keg, Fan Zhiyi asked him, "Young Master, have I offended you before?"

“He treats everyone the same,” Bing Nandong said.

No, no, no, Fan Zhiyi clearly felt that Zhuang Yujing treated Bing Nandong and Cen Jun better, but treated him worse. Even He An, who seemed a little more composed and would bow to him, barely spoke to him. Although there was some conflict between Jiu Wanli and Tianyun Sect, the way these two people reacted was too different.

Zhuang Yujing didn't even look at Fan Zhiyi: "No, no, no, I am still somewhat different."

Seemingly afraid that Zhuang Yujing might say something that would offend Fan Zhiyi, He An said, "Young Master."

Zhuang Yujing frowned and said impatiently, "I know, but surely the Immortal Venerable isn't someone who can't distinguish right from wrong? Back then, Jiuwanli invited the Immortal Venerable to come out of seclusion, but unexpectedly, the Immortal Venerable ultimately chose Tianyun Sect. The Immortal Venerable should understand what I'm saying, right?"

He understood, but this was arranged by the system. Fan Zhiyi could only laugh and silently curse the damn system in his heart.

In the following days, they chose to travel by sword because the young master didn't want to walk anymore, finding it tiring, hot, and slow. However, it was precisely because of Zhuang Yujing that they ate, drank, and played well these past few days, and apart from Bing Nandong's dissatisfaction, everything else went quite well.

Fan Zhiyi was with Bing Nandong because he did not have a sword.

The mission location was reached at dusk, and the dark yellow sky loomed over the small village, giving it an eerie feel.

After landing, they entered the somewhat desolate village and felt an unnerving quiet, as if there was no sign of life. At this time, the villagers should have finished their day's work and started returning home for dinner, but there was no one on the road.

They took a few steps inside when a gust of wind blew, stirring up fallen leaves and dust. Fan Zhiyi had to shield his eyes from the dust with his sleeves, and his robes fluttered in the wind. An uneasy atmosphere spread through the air.

But they hadn't walked far when they saw an old man sitting in the yard. When he saw them, he looked over with curiosity. Cen Jun smiled and went up to him, asking in a friendly tone, "Hello, may I ask where the village chief's house is?"

The old man's withered fingers, like wrinkled tree bark, pointed ahead. Cen Jun asked, "Should we just keep going straight ahead?"

The old man nodded.

The village is actually quite large. At the very front, it splits into two forks, left and right. There is a small ditch next to the fork, and on the other side is a dike and another part of the village, as well as a few thatched houses.

The old man was pointing to the village chief's house, which was on the other side of the ditch.

"Are you going to see the village chief?" a young voice suddenly asked.