Longevity Clan Starts with the Patriarch's Marriage

“Not here.”

The fiery witch felt somewhat irritable. Where the hell had that lucky bastard gone?

The Canghai Sect’s treasured artifact was lost, stolen by an Inner Sect Disciple, and despite their full-force pursuit, the Canghai Sect had yet to reclaim it. This news had long since spread throughout the Daqian Empire.

Bordering the Daqian Empire and not far from Qingzhou, the news also reached Yinyang Sect, stirring interest in many.

As one of the Eight Great Forces of the Mysterious Region, the Yinyang Sect also coveted the Body-Cultivating Furnace. Out of fear of the Daqian Empire, they had refrained from seizing it. But now, an opportunity had arisen.

After analyzing the intelligence, the Yinyang Sect discovered that the lucky fellow’s destination was within their territory, prompting the higher-ups to issue corresponding tasks.

Many Yinyang Sect Disciples took on the mission, flocking to the border to lie in wait for their prey. If fortune favored them and they encountered the fugitive, the Body-Cultivating Furnace would be theirs.

The lucky guy’s entry into the Yinyang Sect’s domain had nothing to do with the sect, nor did he intend to offer the treasured artifact to them. His sole purpose was to use their influence as a shield against pursuit.

The Yinyang Sect, being part of the demon path, acted on whim and without scruple, caring little for means. Even if the lucky fellow genuinely desired to surrender the artifact in exchange for the sect’s protection and cultivation, many disciples would slay him outright to snatch his treasure.

The Yinyang Sect was only interested in the Body-Cultivating Furnace, indifferent to whose hands it was in.

Yinyang Sect Disciples had been squatting for the better part of a year without so much as a glimpse of the guy, not a single hair in sight.

Half a year ago, there was information that someone resembling the lucky fellow had appeared in Fengshui Manor. Logically, it would have taken no more than three months for him to flee to the Yinyang Sect’s domain, especially with the formidable cultivators of the Canghai Sect hot on his heels.

With no sign of his arrival, some speculated that the fugitive was hiding somewhere else in Leizhou and wouldn’t come to Yinyang Sect territory, or that he had already been secretly captured by the Canghai Sect, so they withdrew.

Others remained on guard still, convinced the lucky guy would inevitably show up, as hiding in Leizhou was futile against the thorough search of the Canghai Sect.

The last few, more aggressive ones, took significant risks to infiltrate Leizhou and covertly trace the artifact. The fiery witch was among them.

“Dammit!” the fiery witch cursed under her breath.

After sneaking into Leizhou, she began her search at once, scouring from the border to Fengshui Manor, only to find that the man with the artifact had long since entered Fengyang Manor.

She returned to Fengyang Manor and continued her secret search, unearthing several clues. This spot was where the last clue led before vanishing.

She didn’t know if the guy had already been killed and the artifact taken, or if he changed his identity to hide even deeper from his pursuers.

Along her way, she discovered many others doing exactly what she was, which only added to her irritation. Had someone beaten her to the prize?

She couldn’t afford to search openly, for she was a witch of the Yinyang Sect. Exposure would surely draw the hostility of Leizhou authorities.

With her early God Refining Realm cultivation base, it was almost impossible for her to escape back to the Yinyang Sect, but to give up after expending so much effort was equally unbearable.

Just as the fiery witch was about to leave and continue her clandestine pursuit, a figure flew rapidly towards her, triggering her alertness.

“Jiang Baiye, why has she come here?” The fiery witch’s figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.

Three breaths later, a woman garbed in a white palace dress, with a Divine Sword strapped to her back, descended.

Her fair face was gentle as a melon seed, lips bright and lush, a well-sculpted nose, eyes like autumn waters beneath arched brows, delicate features in a stunning arrangement, complemented by a flowing mane of silver hair. She was as elegant as a celestial swordswoman stepped out from a painting.

She was none other than Jiang Baiye.

After landing, Jiang Baiye scrutinized the battleground attentively, then stood contemplatively where the fiery witch had been.

“A Great Master of the Gang Yuan Realm?” Jiang Baiye murmured, her red lips parting slightly as she gained some insight into the situation on the battlefield.

Being able to kill a late-stage Pihai Realm cultivator with one palm strike and almost simultaneously shoot dead six Pihai Realm cultivators, this strength is definitely of the Gangyuan Realm.

As far as she knew, when Lu Renbin stole the Body-Cultivating Furnace, he was only at the ninth level of the Pihai Realm with a seventh-grade aptitude, so it seemed improbable that he could have advanced so quickly. Could it be the effect of the Body-Cultivating Furnace?

Fleeing to Fengyang Manor but having his tracks discovered, someone sought to kill him and seize the treasure; or perhaps these people just happened to encounter Lu Renbin passing by and attempted an assassination, only to be killed in retaliation?

However, Lu Renbin specialized in saber techniques, whereas these people were killed by palm and archery techniques…

If the Gangyuan Realm cultivator is not Lu Renbin, could it be that Lu Renbin was killed by this Gangyuan Realm individual? There were no traces at the scene—were the corpse and evidence destroyed thoroughly, or did Lu Renbin simply leave after attending the Loose Cultivators’ gathering and never actually come here?

Jiang Baiye felt the latter possibility was more likely. If that Gangyuan Realm cultivator was adept at erasing all traces, they would not have left seven corpses at the site.

Of course, there was also the possibility that the person did it deliberately as a diversion.

Suddenly, the Divine Sword on her back gave a ‘Clank’ as it unsheathed itself, and a wave of sword energy swept across.

“Bang!”

A rock turned to dust and drifted away with the wind.

“Jiang Baiye, you’re still so heartless. Someone greets you, and you respond by stabbing me with your sword.”

As the voice sounded,

a girl dressed in black leather with a hot figure appeared not far from Jiang Baiye, her face full of resentment, as if Jiang Baiye was a heartbreaker.

Before Jiang Baiye could say a word, she continued, “Have you thought it through? Whether you want to come back to the Yinyang Sect with me to cultivate. The Canghai Sect will only bury your talents, not to mention they’ve lost their sect treasure, the Body-Cultivating Furnace.”

Jiang Baiye’s pretty face turned icy as she said coldly, “Yun Miaoyi, give up on that idea. I will find the Body-Cultivating Furnace myself.”

“And one more thing, get out of the Daqian Empire!”

Yun Miaoyi appeared unconcerned and chuckled, “Tsk, tsk, protecting the Daqian Empire now, are we? Your Canghai Sect can’t escape responsibility for losing the Body-Cultivating Furnace.”

Jiang Baiye pressed her red lips together, remaining silent.

If not for the interference from the Daqian Empire, the Body-Cultivating Furnace would never have been lost, nor would it have remained unfound for so long.

The Canghai Sect was trying to track down the Body-Cultivating Furnace, but the Daqian Empire kept obstructing them. Otherwise, how could Lu Renbin have escaped from Qingzhou?

The Daqian Empire was interfering with the Canghai Sect while covertly searching for Lu Renbin, eager to snatch the Body-Cultivating Furnace first.

For the Daqian Empire, it was imperative not to let the Canghai Sect recover the Body-Cultivating Furnace and, even more so, not to allow Lu Renbin to take it to the Yinyang Sect’s realm. If it fell into the hands of the Yinyang Sect, the threat would be greater than it being with the Canghai Sect. The best outcome was for the Body-Cultivating Furnace to end up in the hands of the royal court.

“Considering how the Daqian Empire has treated your Canghai Sect, don’t you want to retaliate?”

“Now there’s an opportunity. If your Canghai Sect cooperates with our Yinyang

Sect, we can throw the Daqian Empire into chaos from the inside out. When the

Daqian Empire falls, your Canghai Sect might even inherit its position.”

Yun Miaoyi tempted her deliberately and even secretly employed a Secret Technique, attempting to influence Jiang Baiye.

If Jiang Baiye was an Immortal Fairy, then Yun Miaoyi was definitely a Witch.

Her beauty was stunning, with a melon-seed face, a red dot between her eyebrows, a pair of enchanting peach blossom eyes, fiery red lips, and a coquettish face. Her every smile and frown brimmed with charm.

Coupled with her lustrous black hair and the hot figure under the black leather, she was captivating and unforgettable..