"How long will you be gone this time?" Chu Mengyao looked at Ye Bufan reluctantly.
"If things go quickly, half a month. If slowly, a month or two," Ye Bufan mused for a moment before replying to Chu Mengyao.
"I hope it's only half a month." Chu Mengyao's face turned red as she spoke, and Ye Bufan's face also flushed.
Standing beside Chu Mengyao, Huangfu Yujia felt incredibly awkward, like a third wheel.
"Ahem—" Huangfu Yujia couldn't help but clear her throat. Ye Bufan and Chu Mengyao quickly regained their seriousness.
"Then... be careful on your journey," Chu Mengyao said.
Ye Bufan nodded and then said to Chu Mengyao, "Wait for me to come back."
After staying in the villa for a while, Ye Bufan received a call from Song Mingqin, who had already left for the airport. They agreed to meet there.
Chu Mengyao stood in the Xiangshan Villa, watching Ye Bufan's departing figure with lingering reluctance.
"Alas, half a month won't pass that quickly," Chu Mengyao murmured.
"Are you going to miss him?" Huangfu Yujia looked at Ye Bufan's retreating figure and then at Chu Mengyao's dejected expression. She couldn't quite understand the appeal of such romantic sentiments.
"Alright, during this time, I need to make some progress too," Chu Mengyao turned to Huangfu Yujia with a mysterious smile.
Upon hearing this, Huangfu Yujia narrowed her eyes and smiled. She extended her hand, and a pill appeared in her palm.
"If Ye Bufan really comes back in a month or two, he'll be shocked when he sees you then," Huangfu Yujia said. "Take it quickly, and I'll guard you."
Chu Mengyao nodded heavily, swallowed the pill, and sat cross-legged in the Xiangshan Villa, entering a state of cultivation.
"I look forward to you becoming a cultivator," Huangfu Yujia said, looking at Chu Mengyao.
...
Meanwhile, Ye Bufan and Song Mingqin met at the airport and flew to the Northwest.
For this trip to the Northwest, Ye Bufan intended to see if he could get another Dragon Emperor Token. According to the information Yuan Zhen had given him, one was in the hands of the "Living Yama of the Northwest," and another belonged to a woodcutter.
With the ancient cultivation ruins appearing, Ye Bufan was bound to encounter the "Living Yama of the Northwest," and they would inevitably come face to face.
After landing, Song Mingqin received several text messages. Upon reading them, his expression turned very grim.
"Senior Song, what's wrong?" Ye Bufan asked.
"We received news from our Scarlet Sword Sect that traces of people from Sakura Island were found at the ancient cultivation ruins."
Song Mingqin let out a cold "humph" and continued, "How dare they from Sakura Island meddle in the ancient ruins of my Kyushu land? It infuriates me."
"How did the people from Sakura Island get the news?" Ye Bufan frowned.
Song Mingqin was struck by Ye Bufan's question. The opening of ancient cultivation ruins was usually known only among cultivation sects and families. It was an unspoken rule that the fewer people knew, the more benefits they could gain later. This was especially true for people from Sakura Island.
"There's a spy!" Song Mingqin slapped his thigh fiercely. "I never imagined those people from Sakura Island could hide so deeply!"
"This suggests that during the operation at the sinkhole, the people from Sakura Island must have had access to information about the various sects and made targeted plans," Ye Bufan speculated.
"After exploring these ancient cultivation ruins, I must unite the various sects for a purge," Song Mingqin declared.
"Senior Song, don't rush. Such a large-scale operation would easily alert others. Then, if they are prepared, it will be even harder to find them," Ye Bufan advised. "We can start by purging our own sect. If successful, we can use it as a case study to persuade them, making our arguments more convincing."
"You're right," Song Mingqin said. "Ye Bufan, my old bones are stuck in the past. It's you young people who are better; your thinking is more comprehensive than ours."
Song Mingqin took Ye Bufan to the hotel where the Scarlet Sword Sect was staying to rendezvous with them.
"This hotel is one of our Scarlet Sword Sect's properties outside," Song Mingqin explained. "Brother Ye, you can recognize this symbol. The symbols of external businesses are like this, and they are generally properties of our Scarlet Sword Sect abroad."
Ye Bufan nodded. He had assumed that hidden sects would operate through a martial arts sect as a front. He hadn't expected them to have actual businesses.
"Supreme Elder."
Upon entering the hotel, they saw several young men holding long swords. Seeing Song Mingqin, they bowed respectfully.
"You are all dismissed. Prepare the best room for Ye Bufan," Song Mingqin instructed.
"Yes!"
The hotel receptionist, upon seeing Song Mingqin, didn't dare to breathe loudly. Following Song Mingqin's orders, she quickly operated the system and handed the room key card to Song Mingqin.
"Brother Ye, take the room card and rest. I need to find the Sect Master. I'll come to find you later," Song Mingqin said. "You'll depart with us from the Scarlet Sword Sect."
Ye Bufan nodded and said nothing more.
Song Mingqin originally intended to escort Ye Bufan to his room, but seeing that Song Mingqin had matters to attend to, Ye Bufan offered to go by himself.
After they parted ways, Ye Bufan first took a stroll around the hotel to familiarize himself with the surroundings before entering the building and taking the elevator to his room.
"Ding—"
The elevator doors closed, and then immediately reopened.
Several disciples from the Scarlet Sword Sect appeared outside the elevator. Some of them glared fiercely at Ye Bufan.
"Kid, what are you looking at? Get out," the young man on the far left shouted at Ye Bufan.
Ye Bufan looked at him in shock and asked, "Are you talking to me?"
"Who else would I be talking to? Do you think I'm talking to myself?" the other party retorted arrogantly. "I see you're a cultivator too, aren't you? Do you know who this is?"
As he spoke, the young man pointed to the young man in the center, surrounded by others.
"This is our Scarlet Sword Sect's genius—Ling Yunluo."
"Then do you know who I am?" Ye Bufan countered.
"I don't care who you are. Even if you were the King of Heaven, it wouldn't matter. Get out," the other party said fiercely, glaring at Ye Bufan. "Don't force me to act, understand?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Bufan couldn't help but laugh in anger.
"I advise you to think carefully before you speak, or you'll regret it."
If it were Ye Bufan's usual nature, he would have already made a move, not indulged in so much chatter. He refrained only out of respect for Song Mingqin, feeling it unnecessary.
"Oh..."
Immediately, the few people outside the elevator burst into laughter...