169: Chapter 168 There is no way to avoid it

It was called a visit, but in reality, it was an attempt to invite Yun Ming to Wanze True Mansion.

That Late Golden Core Stage Elder stood by the seaside, his robes flapping loudly in the sea breeze. His attitude was so respectful that one couldn't find fault with it, but the underlying message was clear—the Sect Master hoped True Lord Mingyun would grace Wanze True Mansion with his presence to discuss a matter.

Yun Ming did not invite him into the small house to sit, did not pour him tea, and couldn't even be bothered to make small talk.

He stood under the banyan tree at the village entrance, holding half a peeled boiled egg. A piece of the yolk had crumbled and was stuck to his fingertip. He lowered his head, pinched the yolk, popped it into his mouth, chewed twice, swallowed, and then looked up at the Elder.

"Not going."

Crisp and decisive, with no room for negotiation.

The Elder was taken aback.

He had served at Wanze True Mansion for many years and had seen all sorts of refusals—subtle ones, stalling ones, evasive ones, and ones involving excuses—but he had never seen one so blunt.

He opened his mouth to say something, then swallowed it back.

He reorganized his thoughts, took half a step forward, and his tone became slightly more sincere than before.

"True Lord, the Sect Master said that this matter is not just about Wanze True Mansion. If it is not handled well, the countless common people in the nearby sea areas will suffer a great disaster."

Yun Ming flicked away the eggshell fragments stuck to his hand and glanced up at him.

Countless common people. What a heavy label to place on him.

He had seen this kind of rhetoric in the East Xuan Region and at the Qingxuan Sect. Every time, someone would bring up the common people, as if not agreeing meant being a sinner, and not helping meant being cold-blooded.

But how many Cultivators actually cared about those common people? When Daqian was refined, countless common people suffered. Who stood up for them? When the Qingxuan Sect was besieged, the nearby Mortal kingdoms were caught in the crossfire. Who spoke up for them? The trouble stirred up by Cultivators is always paid for by the Mortals in the end. This was not the first time, nor would it be the last.

"I am not going," Yun Ming said again, his voice even flatter than before. "I made it very clear to your Sect Master back then: I only want to live in seclusion here. I do not ask about worldly affairs, and I do not get involved in disputes. Solve your own problems."

The smile on the Elder's face finally faltered.

He stepped back half a step, looking at Yun Ming, his gaze filled with helplessness, difficulty, and something indescribable.

He opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him further, but meeting Yun Ming's calm eyes, the words died in his throat.

He sighed, cupped his hands in a salute, turned, and transformed into a streak of light, disappearing over the sea.

Qin Wan walked out of the courtyard, holding a basin of washed clothes.

She watched the disappearing streak of light, then looked at Yun Ming and asked, "Who was that?"

Yun Ming took the basin from her hands and helped her hang the clothes. "People from Wanze True Mansion. They wanted to invite me to help."

Qin Wan nodded, not asking what kind of help or why he didn't go. She simply picked up a piece of clothing, shook it out, draped it over the clothesline, smoothed out the wrinkles, and picked up the next piece.

"Then why didn't you go?" she asked, her tone very casual, as if she were asking if he had eaten today.

Yun Ming hung up a piece of clothing and said, "If I go, I don't know how long it will take."

Qin Wan's hand paused.

She lowered her head, looking at the patched old garment in her hands for quite a while.

Then she lifted her head, gazing at the distant sea, her eyes somewhat dazed.

"I kind of miss Yun Xi," she said suddenly, her voice very soft, as if talking to herself.

Yun Ming's hand paused as well.

He did not respond.

He stood next to the clothesline, holding a piece of clothing that hadn't been hung up yet. The wind blew, puffing the garment out like a sail.

Yun Xi.

He hadn't mentioned this name for a long time, nor had he thought about it. It wasn't that he had forgotten; it was that he didn't dare to think about it. In the great war of the East Xuan Region, when Soul Transformation Sects went to war, even Nascent Soul Cultivators were nothing more than slightly stronger insects. Yun Xi was only a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Even with Jiu Jiu by her side, what could she do? On such a battlefield, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator wouldn't even count as cannon fodder. He didn't dare to think about where she was now, didn't dare to think about whether she was still alive, and didn't dare to think about whether she was also waiting for him to return.

Searching for a needle in a haystack.

This phrase couldn't be more appropriate here.

Even if he wanted to go find her, he wouldn't know which direction to fly.

The East Xuan Region was so vast, the Ximing Continent was so vast; he didn't even know which sea area he was in. Moreover, he hadn't even established a firm foothold in this archipelago. Wanze True Mansion was eyeing them covetously, the Yao Beasts at the bottom of the sea were stirring, and Qin Wan still needed him to take care of her. He couldn't leave, and he couldn't find her.

Qin Wan didn't say anything more. She hung up the last piece of clothing, picked up the empty basin, and turned to return to the house. Her back was slightly hunched, and her steps were slower than before, but she walked very steadily.

Yun Ming stood in the courtyard, watching her back disappear behind the door, and stood there for a long time.

Life returned to tranquility.

After that Elder left, Wanze True Mansion never sent anyone again.

No transmission talisman, no letters, no news whatsoever.

Yun Ming didn't know what they were busy with, nor did he want to know. He just went out to sea every day, helping the villagers find schools of fish and driving away the low-level Yao Beasts that occasionally swam over.

Days passed just as they had before.

But the Yao Beasts had indeed decreased.

Not just by a little, but by a lot.

Usually, one could see one near the archipelago every two or three days, but now, one might not see one even in a month or two.

Yun Ming didn't know the reason for this. Perhaps Wanze True Mansion was really doing something that drew the Yao Beasts' attention away. Perhaps the Yao Beasts' migration routes had changed and they were no longer passing through this sea area. Perhaps they had found better food elsewhere.

He didn't want to dwell on it. If the Yao Beasts didn't come, he was all the more at leisure.

Months passed like this. The wind on the sea grew colder, the leaves began to turn yellow, coconuts fell all over the ground, and the children picked them up to kick around like balls.

Qin Wan's legs became less agile; she had to lean against the wall to walk, and sometimes her knees would ache after standing in the courtyard for too long. Yun Ming brewed medicine for her, massaged her, and used Spiritual Qi to help clear her Meridians.

That evening, Yun Ming sat in the courtyard, watching the sun sink into the sea bit by bit.

The clouds over the sea were dyed a dark red, like burnt charcoal.

The wind stopped, and the sound of the waves was much quieter than usual; it was unnaturally quiet.

He lifted his head and glanced at the sea. There was nothing there.

The sea was empty; there wasn't even a single seabird. He withdrew his gaze and continued watching his sunset.

Then the sea exploded.

It was not a metaphor; it was a literal explosion. A massive column of water shot up from the sea, ridiculously high, as if it were about to pierce the sky.

Water splashed everywhere, and waves surged up, crashing onto the beach and pushing several fishing boats ashore. Seawater backflowed into the low-lying areas at the village entrance. Several children screamed and ran away, and the adults rushed out of their houses, not knowing what had happened.

Yun Ming stood up and walked to the seaside.

The water column fell, and a massive whirlpool appeared on the sea.

The whirlpool rotated slowly, sucking the surrounding seawater inward and emitting a low rumble.

Something was rising in the center of the whirlpool.