Either he owes you a huge sum of money or he's secretly loved you for a hundred years.
The Fang family of Liyuan is a reclusive family with an ancient heritage and unfathomable depth.
A hundred years may be just a blink of an eye for cultivators, but for Fang Yan, the young master of the Fang family, it was a long and agonizing search.
Since that shocking event a hundred years ago, when his sister Fang Li's aura completely disappeared from the world, he has used all the power and secret techniques of his family, wielding the "Tracing Mirror" that can trace the fluctuations of the origin, and traversing the myriad worlds, not letting go of any slightest possibility.
His family's secret techniques and his unique bloodline connection to the origin of chaos were his only guides.
However, a century has passed, and hope has been ignited and extinguished time and time again. The Mirror of Tracing Shadows remained silent until just now, when a faint stream of light suddenly flashed on the mirror's surface, pointing to a place he had never thought of: a lowly mortal realm with sparse spiritual energy, almost forgotten, the Great Yan Dynasty, Black Stone City.
"It's Ali...it's her aura!" Fang Yan's fingers trembled slightly with extreme excitement, almost dropping the Shadow Mirror. The fluctuation, though as faint as a candle flickering in the wind, resonated with the century-old, dormant resonance deep within his bloodline—there was no mistake!
A wave of ecstasy washed over his reason, but it was accompanied by immense doubt and worry. "How could she be in the mortal realm? Why is her aura so weak?" Countless speculations and fears surged into his mind, but he had no time to think about them. Only one thought was crystal clear: find her immediately! His chaotic spiritual power erupted, and he forcibly tore apart the solid void barrier in front of him. Following the pull, he transformed into a streak of light that tore through the void, heading straight for Blackstone City without regard for anything else.
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Meanwhile, west of Blackrock City, life in the small courtyard remained simple yet busy.
In order to prepare for the healing pills that may be needed later, Fang Li, Ji Qianqiu and Xie Chen decided to leave the city that day and go to the nearby mountains to collect some basic medicinal materials.
The mountain wind outside the city was biting, but the air was much fresher than inside. Ji Qianqiu brandished his wood-chopping knife, clearing the way while humming an off-key tune. Every now and then, he would dig up a decent-looking herb and happily turn back to show it off.
Xie Chen followed behind, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings, occasionally pointing out directions and avoiding useless weedy areas. Fang Li, on the other hand, carried a small medicine basket, carefully identifying the medicinal herbs Xie Chen pointed out and cautiously picking them.
The three worked together quite well, and the medicine basket gradually became full.
Just as they were about to return along a secluded path, a subtle ripple appeared in the space not far ahead without warning!
The next moment, a figure dressed in black staggered out and fell to the ground.
The newcomer looked travel-worn, with slightly disheveled hair and even some tear marks on the hem of his clothes from the spatial teleportation, clearly indicating that he had traveled a long distance and was in a hurry.
But he was tall and handsome, with an undisguised anxiety and exhaustion between his brows, and sharp eyes that were urgently scanning his surroundings.
Just as his gaze swept over Fang Li!
Fang Yan's heart clenched suddenly, then began to pound wildly! The resonance emanating from the depths of his blood was so intense that even his soul trembled!
It's her! It really is her! He had searched for a hundred years, traversing countless realms, returning disappointed countless times, but finally... he finally found her!
Overwhelmed by ecstasy, he rushed forward, almost unable to control himself, and embraced his sister tightly, confirming that this was not yet another illusionary dream.
However, he froze as soon as he took a step.
He saw Fang Li's eyes clearly.
There was no joy of a long-awaited reunion in her eyes, not a trace of familiarity, only utter strangeness, and wariness and doubt aroused by his sudden appearance. It was as if she were looking at a complete stranger.
Fang Yan's heart sank instantly, as if he had been doused with ice water.
My sister... doesn't remember him?
His gaze quickly swept over the two people beside Fang Li.
The burly man wielding a woodcutter immediately shifted half a step to the side, subtly shielding Fang Li behind him, his eyes filled with undisguised scrutiny. Another man in a blue robe, waving a jade fan, appeared gentle, but his eyes were deep and unfathomable, silently observing him.
A surge of intense worry and anger welled up inside her: Why had her sister ended up here? Why had she lost all her memories? Who were these people around her? Were they trustworthy? Had they... hurt her?
Countless questions exploded in his mind, but Fang Yan gritted his teeth and forcibly suppressed all his emotions.
He took a deep breath, trying to relax the muscles in his face, his voice low and hoarse from the effort to suppress it:
“…Miss, is this Blackrock City? I… am lost.” He used the most lame excuse, but one that was least likely to arouse suspicion.
Fang Li blinked, feeling that the way this person appeared was a bit strange, and his eyes were odd too, but since the other party's attitude was still polite, she didn't think much of it and pointed to the outline of the city wall that could be vaguely seen not far away: "Yes, that's Blackrock City ahead."
Just then, the Chaos Stone that Fang Li kept close to her body seemed to sense the aura of the same origin and vein on Fang Yan's body and suddenly heated up slightly, emitting a strange fluctuation!
Fang Yan's pupils suddenly contracted! His entire attention was instantly drawn to that fluctuation!
That's... the source of the aura sensed by the family's secret technique! It's on my sister!
“Girl,” he couldn’t help but take a half step forward, “do you have a stone on you? It…” he tried to ask, wanting to confirm whether it was the strange object that had guided him here.
"Hey!" Ji Qianqiu immediately objected, taking a big step to completely block Fang Li's path. He slammed his wood-chopping knife on the ground and said gruffly, "If you're asking for directions, just ask for directions. Why are you staring at my junior sister's stone? Trying to steal it?" He glared with his big, round eyes, his face saying, "You're definitely not a good person."
Xie Chen paused slightly in his fanning, stepped forward, and stood beside Ji Qianqiu, his gaze falling on Fang Yan: "This stone... seems to react to you, young master? The fluctuations are slight, but it is no ordinary object. You are not an ordinary person who gets lost, are you?" His tone was gentle, but his words went straight to the point, carrying a hint of probing.
Fang Yan's heart skipped a beat, realizing he had lost his composure. The two people before him were no ordinary mortals. His sister's situation was uncertain, and he absolutely could not rashly reveal his identity, lest he bring unknown risks to her.
In a flash, he quickly suppressed all his outward emotions, took a half step back, and put on that slightly embarrassed expression again. He chuckled dryly, "Heh, I was being presumptuous. I was just curious because that stone seemed a bit unusual. Thank you for showing me the way, young lady."
His gaze lingered on Fang Li once more. Finally, he turned abruptly, took a step, and his figure vanished into the end of the path as if merging into the void, his speed exceeding all reason.
Fang Li stared in the direction the man had disappeared, her brows furrowing slightly. "This person... is so strange. Tongzi, the way he looked at me just now... it was like he was about to cry? Did I see things wrong?" A strange sense of confusion welled up inside her.
The system immediately started jumping excitedly in her mind: [“Host! You didn’t see wrong! He...he...he definitely knows you! I bet 1% of my core data that this guy has a very close relationship with you! He either owes you a huge sum of money or has been secretly in love with you for a hundred years!”]
Xie Chen gazed in the direction where Fang Yan had disappeared, pondered for a moment, and then fanned himself, saying, "This person's cultivation is unfathomable, far beyond what we are currently capable of. Moreover... he doesn't seem to have any ill intentions towards my junior sister. Although his emotions were agitated and complex just now, there was no murderous intent or evil thought. On the contrary... it was as if..." He paused, as if searching for the right words, "...as if he had found a lost treasure and then regained it, but dared not acknowledge it."
Ji Qianqiu scratched his head, looking bewildered: "I just felt he was weird! He suddenly appeared, asking about stones and directions, and he ran away incredibly fast!"
Fang Li was even more confused by what Tongzi and the others said. She subconsciously touched the stone in her arms, and the slight warmth had faded.
However, on the seemingly peaceful outskirts of Blackrock City, another invisible crisis was quietly approaching.
Several miles away in another direction, several obscure divine senses, like invisible tentacles, silently swept across the mountains, forests, and towns…
“Strange… Just now, there seemed to be a faint, unusual chaotic fluctuation in the southeast direction. Although it was weak, its essence was extremely high…” A cold divine thought communicated in the void.
"Search that area thoroughly! Better to kill thousands of innocent people than let any possibility slip by!" another, more authoritative divine thought issued the order.
"Yes, sir!"
The Sky Patrol Division's search team actually followed the clues left by Fang Li's activation of the strange stone and the Chaos Fire, and found their way to the vicinity of Blackstone City!
A crisis is looming.
At this moment, Fang Yan was not truly far away. His figure was hidden in layers of void.
Countless emotions swirled and intertwined in his eyes.
"Sister...why are you in this mortal realm? Why have you lost all your memories? And why does your cultivation seem to have declined...what have you been through? And who are those people around you?!" He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, his heart filled with a mixture of anger and pain. "No matter who it is, if they dare to hurt you even a little, I will make them pay the price!"
His brotherly love was completely ignited. He took a deep breath and suppressed all impulses.
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