Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1701 - 1038: The Mysterious Elder (Part 2)

She fixed her gaze intently on the figure in front of the counter, and her heart instantly leapt to her throat.

Her unusual behavior quickly caught the attention of the old man in black robes.

The old man turned his head to look at her, and his deep gaze made Yang Qingyu shudder.

"Junior Yang Qingyu greets Senior!" Yang Qingyu bowed instinctively in respect.

Beside her, Li Zhang and the clerk at the counter were slightly taken aback, but they quickly reacted and hurriedly saluted, "Greetings, Senior!"

To be addressed as a senior by Yang Qingyu, he must be a Foundation Establishment True Man. They were only Qi Refining Cultivators and naturally did not dare to be negligent.

The old man’s gaze lingered on Yang Qingyu as he rasped, "From the Yang family?"

"Yes!" Yang Qingyu replied obediently.

She had no choice but to be obedient, as she could sense that this old man posed a mortal threat to her, a threat that could effortlessly end her life.

This feeling, she had only ever felt from Yang Zhenshan.

The Cultivation Technique Yang Qingyu practiced was different from most Immortal Cultivators. She cultivated the "Spirit Rhinoceros Sensing Scripture," a technique compatible with both Divine Soul and Spiritual Method, characterized by its extremely strong perceptive abilities.

Using Divine Soul as the thread and Spiritual Energy as the net, it connects one’s perception with the "spiritual rhino lines" of all things in the world. Everything possesses a spiritual rhino; be it the pulse of mountains and stones, the breath of vegetation, or the subtle fluctuations of a cultivator’s Spiritual Power, all can be captured through this method.

When cultivated to a profound level, one can "converse" with uninformed trees and rocks, ask ancient trees about the past century, or learn the pathways of Earth Veins from stubborn rocks.

In case of danger, it can even provide a premonition in advance.

The average Foundation Establishment Cultivator cannot see through a Golden Core Cultivator, but Yang Qingyu’s sense of danger allows her to perceive those unknown lethal threats.

Yang Qingyu was unsure of the old man’s exact cultivation level and strength, but she felt that he could be comparable to Yang Zhenshan.

There was a significant possibility that he was a Golden Core Cultivator.

Suddenly encountering an unfamiliar Golden Core Cultivator, Yang Qingyu was naturally both shocked and panicked.

"May we find a quiet place to talk?" The old man did not trouble her but instead spoke very politely.

Yang Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly gave Li Zhang a look. Li Zhang immediately understood and said, "Senior, please come to the second floor."

Afterward, they escorted the old man to a private room on the second floor.

Yang Qingyu invited the old man to take a seat, while Li Zhang arranged for tea and refreshments.

"You may leave now," Yang Qingyu instructed calmly.

"Yes!" Li Zhang responded, bowed, and exited the private room.

The door of the private room closed, but the window remained open, allowing them to see scenes from the street outside the Outer Sect. However, the private room was protected by an array that not only isolated aura and sound but also blocked Spiritual Sense from probing.

Yang Qingyu poured a cup of tea for the old man and asked, "Does Senior have any instructions?"

Though she was simple, she was not stupid. On the contrary, as a key member of the younger generation groomed by the Yang family, she possessed extraordinary wisdom.

The origins of this old man were unclear, and his intentions were unknown, but he seemed not to harbor any malice.

Since he wanted to have a detailed conversation with her, it indicated that he might have something to require from her.

After understanding all this, she no longer felt panic.

"I want to make some deals with your Yang family," the old man said.

"Does Senior wish to purchase some ores?"

"Yes and no. I have some items I don’t need, which I want to sell to you, and I would also like to buy some things from you," the old man replied.

Yang Qingyu pondered briefly and said, "This junior is insignificant and may not be able to assist Senior."

The old man, unfazed, took out a Storage Bag and handed it to Yang Qingyu, saying, "I need Purple Flame Crystal Stones."

After receiving the Storage Bag, Yang Qingyu asked, "Forgive this junior’s ignorance, but what exactly are Purple Flame Crystal Stones?"

Don’t blame her for not knowing what Purple Flame Crystal Stones are. She’s not an Artifact Refiner and isn’t familiar with various minerals. It’s not surprising she hasn’t heard of Purple Flame Crystal Stones.

"A third-order ore, Sun Giant Mountain should have this kind of ore," the old man said.

Yang Qingyu fell silent.

Third-stage Spiritual Objects are not something she can come into contact with.

She just recently established her Foundation and has yet to refine her Lifebound Magical Treasure, so naturally she hasn’t encountered third-stage Spiritual Objects.

"This junior cannot decide, the elders in the family must decide," she said.

The old man seemed to have anticipated her response and just nodded slightly, "Fine, hand the items in the Storage Bag to your family elders. I’ll come back in half a month. If we can trade, give me the Purple Flame Crystal Stones; if not, just return the items to me."

Upon hearing this, Yang Qingyu didn’t check the items in the Storage Bag but said, "This junior understands, I will certainly give Senior a reply in half a month."

"Also, a word of advice: do not expose my existence, it benefits neither of us," the old man’s tone became somewhat harsh.

Yang Qingyu replied once more, "This junior understands!"

After speaking, she felt something was amiss, and as she raised her head in confusion, she found that the old man had disappeared.

She carefully sensed again, and upon confirming that she no longer felt that deadly threat, she let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Unbeknownst to her, in the Void, the old man had not left but was silently watching her.

Yang Qingyu sat in the room, pondering for a moment, before getting up and leaving the room.

Outside the room, Xia Yunshu was already waiting by the door.

"What happened?" Xia Yunshu asked with some concern.

Yang Qingyu slightly shook her head, "It’s nothing."

Xia Yunshu frowned. Li Zhang had already reported everything to her earlier, and she felt something was odd, so she came to wait outside the door.

"Sister Yunshu, now is not the time to talk about this; I need to return quickly!" Yang Qingyu said.

Xia Yunshu understood that there was something going on, possibly something inconvenient to discuss with her.

"Alright, we’ll leave shortly!"

Their original plan was to stay at Qingli Immortal City for a while, but since Yang Qingyu said she needed to return quickly, Xia Yunshu naturally accompanied her back.

Without saying much more, they quickly gave a few instructions and hurriedly left Qingli Immortal City.

...

A day later, Yang Jizhen arrived at the Jade Sky Hall of the Sky Cloud Sword Sect.

Inside the Jade Sky Hall, Yang Zhenshan had placed an arhat bed and was reclining on it, holding a Jade Scroll and casually browsing its contents.

"Ancestor!" Yang Jizhen entered the Jade Sky Hall and called softly.

"Hmm, what’s the matter?" Yang Zhenshan replied casually.

Yang Jizhen spoke softly, "Something has happened at home that requires the ancestor’s intervention."

Yang Zhenshan was taken aback for a moment before lifting his head to look at Yang Jizhen.

Yang Jizhen looked at him but did not speak.

Yang Zhenshan immediately understood what he meant.

Clearly, whatever happened at home was not suitable to be discussed here.

Yang Zhenshan found it strange, what could have happened at home?

If it was a major issue, Yang Jizhen did not seem to be in a hurry.

If it was a minor issue, there was no need for Yang Jizhen to disturb him.

This indicated that it was a matter that Yang Jizhen could not handle adequately.

"You stay here first, I’ll be right back!"

Leaving for a while would not be a problem, Jian Changhe was not in seclusion, he was just refining the Green Gold Sword and could come out at any time.

"Yes!" Yang Jizhen responded.

Yang Zhenshan directly entered the Void, observed his surroundings to ensure there was nothing unusual, and then flew toward the depths of the Void, eventually entering the Life Realm Immortal Palace.

To prevent the Life Realm Immortal Palace’s location from being exposed, Yang Zhenshan had become much more cautious with his comings and goings.

He not only retrieved the Cave Heaven Transmission Arrays he previously set up, but also reclaimed the Jade Tokens he had distributed earlier.

Currently, there are only two passages to the Spirit Source Land: one on Divine Wood Island in the Ten Thousand Miles Sea Domain, and the other within the Ancient Relic Array.

Divine Wood Island is in the Spiritual Wilderness area, where not even a decent Immortal Cultivator exists, let alone a Golden Core Cultivator.

And the Ancient Relic Array has been repaired and can block the Void, moreover, Yang Zhenshan placed the Molten Rock Divine General within it. Unless a Golden Core Cultivator forcibly breaks into the Ancient Array, they would not discover the Pocket World Gate there.

As for Yang Zhenshan himself, he just has to trouble himself a bit, either by returning via the depths of the Void or within the array to the Life Realm Immortal Palace.