When Chen Xi walked out of the carriage, he saw Xue Yun was talking with a gold robed man who possessed a dignified and extraordinary appearance.
This gold robed man was presumably Xue Yun’s second uncle.
“A Second Star Imperial Monarch. The resources and reserves of the Xue Clan isn’t something that ordinary powers can compare to.” Chen Xi discerned the gold robed man’s strength with a single glance.
“You actually really found a Dragonskin Jade Herb?” The gold robed man spoke with surprise, and then he revealed a wisp of excitement. “Quickly! Quickly! Let me see that divine herb!”
Xue Yun nodded joyfully.
However, right at this moment, Li Wentai suddenly refused flatly. “That’s not advisable. Such a divine herb has already been sealed up, and it isn’t the time to unseal it. It wouldn’t be too late to open it once we return to the clan and see Brother Changkong.” His voice was slightly stiff but indisputable.
The gold robed man’s expression instantly froze, and he finally smiled and said after a quite some time pa.s.sed, “Brother Wentai is right. I was too excited and acted rashly.”
Xue Yun seemed to glance at Li Wentai with surprise, and she seemed to be puzzled by why he’d revealed such an uncompromising att.i.tude.
But in next to no time, her attention was diverted. The gold robed man turned to look at Chen Xi and asked. “Who’s that?”
“Second Uncle, this is Chen Xi.” Xue Yun quickly explained, and then she said to Chen Xi, “Chen Xi, this is my second uncle, Xue Yinghai.”
Chen Xi!? Xue Yinghai’s pupils constricted while his expression changed slightly when he heard this name, and he seemed to be slightly stunned.
Li Wentai couldn’t help but laugh in his heart upon witnessing this scene. I probably had a similar expression when I heard his name for the first time, right?
At practically the exact same time, Xue Yun knew that her second uncle had misunderstood and taken this Chen Xi to be the personal disciple of Oracle Mountain.
She hurriedly provided Xue Yinghai with an explanation, and she told him about how she’d rescued Chen Xi by chance.
Xue Yinghai’s expression returned to calm when he found out about all of this.
Especially when he noticed Chen Xi’s extremely weak aura, he was sure that it was definitely impossible for this fellow to be that legendary disciple of Oracle Mountain.
When he thought up to here, Xue Yinghai couldn’t be bothered to pay any attention to Chen Xi. Because Chen Xi was merely a heavily injured young man and had even been rescued by his niece, so he felt that Chen Xi wasn’t worthy of attention at all.
So, he nodded perfunctorily to Chen Xi, and then he placed his attention onto Xue Yun.
On the other hand, Chen Xi couldn’t help but feel a wave of helplessness in his heart when he witnessed all of this. Even if I wasn’t Chen Xi, I would probably feel extremely embarra.s.sed when facing such a scene, right?
If it was in reverse and Xue Yinghai knew that he was the actual Chen Xi from Oracle Mountain, then would he even dare use such a perfunctory att.i.tude when dealing with him?
Of course, Chen Xi didn’t care about these trifles. It was merely because the change in Xue Yinghai’s att.i.tude was too quick and Xue Yinghai had acted in an extremely perfunctory manner, so Chen Xi couldn’t help but shake his head. As always, the world had no lack of fellows like this who looked down upon others.
…
Xue Yinghai had been waiting here to welcome Xue Yun’s group back, so they naturally didn’t stay here after they’d met.
Before long, they continued on their journey and flew towards the location where the Xue Clan resided.
All along the way, Chen Xi sat in the treasured carriage with the curtain open, and he stared blankly at the expanse of stars all along the way. He didn’t join in the affairs of Xue Yun’s clans.
When compared to Xue Yun and the others, Chen Xi was an outsider in the end. Especially in Xue Yinghai’s opinion, he’d been placed in the category of being insignificant and worthless.
Under such circ.u.mstances, Chen Xi would definitely not invite contempt and ridicule.
However, the conversations between Xue Yun and Xue Yinghai that Chen Xi heard occasionally all along the way had still attracted Chen Xi’s attention.
“You were pursued on the way?”
“Yes.”
“Were you able to discern which power they belonged to?”
“No.”
“Then… what happened to them?”
“They’re dead.”
“Dead?”
“Yes, they died incomprehensibly. At that time, Uncle Li had originally intended to fight them to the death. However, such an incident had unexpected happened. It was truly strange.”
“Isn’t that a bit too strange? Were you… really unable to discern anything?”
“Second Uncle, could it be that you think I would lie to you?”
“Err, I was just too shocked. After all, it’s slightly inconceivable.”
…
Nothing seemed to stand out from this conversation. However, it allowed Chen Xi to acutely notice that Xue Yun seemed to be slightly on guard against Xue Yinghai.
After all, Xue Yun had told it to an ‘outsider’ like him a few days ago that it was extremely likely for those forces in pursuit of them to be from the Gongye Clan.
Yet now, Xue Yun hadn’t told that to Xue Yinghai. Just that was already slightly unusual.
Looks like Xue Yun and her second uncle don’t have a very close relations.h.i.+p, and there might even be estrangement between them. Chen Xi seemed to be lost in thought.
It wasn’t long before an enormous star that was covered in piles of ice and emanated a gentle glow had appeared in his field of vision.
The star was extremely large, translucent like an icy crystal, and was brilliant like a sun of ice. As it floated there, the group of stars around it seemed to be dim and l.u.s.terless in comparison.
Snowspirit Star!
The star that the Xue Clan resided on. It was a rather renowned star in the entire Serene Swallow Universe.
Swis.h.!.+
Their group moved along a unique trajectory and descended onto a mountain range on Snowspirit Star.
The mountain range continued endlessly into the distance and was covered in a thick layer of ice. It zigzagged on the ground like a lofty and solemn ancient Snow Dragon that was lying there.
Surprisingly, row upon row of buildings that seemed as if they were made from jade crystals resided in the depths of the mountain range. They were ancient, vast, and had icy mist curling up from them. All of this made this place seem like a kingdom of ice.
This was where the Xue Clan resided, and it had resided here for countless years. It was covered in snow all year round and formed a striking sight.
The myriad of clansmen in the Xue Clan had always been living here and pa.s.sing their days by cultivating.
After they arrived here, Xue Yun had clearly heaved a sigh of relief, and then the wisp of gloominess between her brows had dispersed completely.
She was finally home!
When she recalled the dangers and hards.h.i.+ps that she’d encountered all along the way, Xue Yun couldn’t help but feel like a generation had pa.s.sed.
“Go on quickly! The Elders are probably already waiting.” Li Wentai smiled as he urged her on.
“Mmm.” Xue Yun nodded, and then she led the group towards the Xue Clan.
“Wait, what about him? Could it be that he’s returning to the clan with us?” Xue Yinghai spoke abruptly and pointed at Chen Xi as he spoke. Moreover, his tone carried a wisp of coldness, indifference, and aversion.
Obviously, he didn’t want Chen Xi to continue following them.
Xue Yun said casually, “His injuries are too heavy. I intend to ask some seniors who are skilled physicians to take a look at him.”
As she spoke, she looked at Chen Xi and smiled before she said, “Let’s go. Make yourself at home. You are completely safe once you’re here.”
Chen Xi smiled, and then he acted as if he hadn’t heard Xue Yinghai and followed her.
Xue Yinghai’s eyelids twitched imperceptibly upon witnessing this, and the gaze he shot at Chen Xi from behind carried a wisp of gloominess. He really doesn’t know his limits!
…
The row upon row of ancient ice buildings were completely crystalline and ancient, and they were even suffused with a form of pure and tranquil beauty.
All along the way, Xue Yun strode hastily as she led Chen Xi and the others between numerous buildings, and they finally arrived at the Xue Clan’s Offering Hall after 10 minutes had pa.s.sed.
The Offering Hall was 3km in height, completely made from dark blue ice, and was lofty and ancient. It emanated a gentle icy glow that illuminated this entire expanse of the heavens and the earth, and it covered the world in a divine aura.
Since the Patriarch of the Xue Clan, Xue Changkong, had been unexpectedly injured, had his soul shackled, and fell into an unconscious state, he’d been constantly and carefully protected in the Offering Hall.
At the same time, the Offering Hall was an important and restricted place in the Xue Clan, and only great figures with high status and authority could step foot into it.
Of course, it was impossible for outsiders to enter it.
“Chen Xi, wait here for now. I’ll instruct some attendants to take you to rest…. Right, why does it feel slightly strange today?” Xue Yun originally intended to make arrangements for Chen Xi first. After all, this was the Offering Hall, an important and restricted place in her clan, so it wasn’t suitable for Chen Xi to enter it.
However, she suddenly noticed that she’d actually not noticed a single attendant all along the way, and it was even to the extent that she hadn’t noticed a single clansman!
The entire clan was empty and deserted. It was extremely unusual.
After all, the entire Xue Clan was usually extremely bustling. It had a few tens of thousands of clansmen, and merely its attendants amounted to no less than 100,000!
Yet now, no matter if it was her clansmen or attendants, they actually seemed as if they’d vanished.
At this moment, Li Wentai seemed to have noticed something was wrong as well, and his eyes suddenly narrowed while he became vigilant. Earlier, he’d actually failed to notice all of this because he was too anxious to save Xue Changkong.
Chen Xi couldn’t help but sigh in his heart when he witnessed this scene. As expected, something really is off!
Since he entered the Xue Clan, he’d noticed that the atmosphere here was slightly off. He’d originally intended to warn Xue Yun, but when he thought about how it was the Xue Clan, he felt that perhaps it was normal. Coupled with the fact that both Xue Yun and Li Wentai hadn’t said anything, so he could only hide these thoughts inside his heart.
But never had he imagined that something was really unusual about the Xue Clan right now!
“Second Uncle, what’s going on?” Xue Yun suddenly turned to look at Xue Yinghai, and a wisp of coldness appeared in her eyes. “Could it be that some sort of unexpected event occurred during this period when I wasn’t here?”
Xue Yinghai stared blankly at her for a moment, and then he explained. “The clan has been unstable, rumors have been floating around because Big Brother suffered a heavy injury, and there were even rumors that a great enemy will invade the Xue Clan.”
“So, for safety’s sake, the elders and I had a discussion and decided that we would temporarily move all our clansmen to the Divine Snowspirit Realm. We did this out of consideration for the clan’s safety. Don’t think too much about it.”
Such an explanation did make sense. However, at this moment, Chen Xi kept having the feeling that there was something unusual about the way Xue Yinghai was acting, but he was unable to put his finger on it.
“The Divine Snowspirit Realm!” Xue Ying instantly revealed an agitated expression and said, “That’s the sacred grounds of the clan, and it’s prohibited from opening it without my father’s orders! How could all of you… do that!?”
“Xue Yun!” Xue Yinghai’s face instantly fell from being questioned like this, and he berated. “It’s already at a time like this, yet you’re making a fuss about these trivial matters? Your father would definitely be extremely disappointed if he were to know how you’re acting right now!”
As he spoke, his tone eased up, and he persuaded. “Quickly head in. The elders are waiting for you in the Offering Hall.”
Xue Yun’s chest rose and fell, and she took a few breaths successively before she was able to forcefully suppress the rage in her heart. She stared coldly at Xue Yinghai for a long time, and then she flicked her sleeve, turned around, and walked towards the hall.
“Second Uncle, let’s see how you deal with everything once my father wakes up!” Her voice was cold, indifferent, and emotionless.