Chapter 320: Endless Wandering

Old Niu felt he was the most frustrated person present. His eyes were bloodshot and burning with fury as he glared at the Wei family, both masters and servants, making him appear quite terrifying.

If Mr. Ji hadn't just departed by cloud, the old Niu Batian he once was wouldn't have cared about any mitigating circumstances for the Wei family. In such a moment, it would have been perfectly justifiable for him to unleash his rage and slaughter them all!

However, within a few breaths, he forcibly suppressed his anger. His time traveling with Ji Yuan hadn't been wasted, and more importantly, he genuinely feared Ji Yuan. Still, he couldn't resist muttering a low curse.

"Damn this bad luck! My immortal guidance... ugh, it's gone..."

Yan Fei also felt a degree of melancholy and loss, though less intensely than Niu Batian. He believed Mr. Ji had already bestowed upon him invaluable lessons: the *Sword Intent Scroll* and the newfound conviction to revive his martial arts and achieve breakthroughs.

The Wei family members had not yet fully recovered their composure. They were still staring blankly at the sky, but roused by Niu Batian's intimidating aura, many now nervously fixed their gaze on him, his eyes still bloodshot.

In that moment, the seemingly simple man had unleashed an astonishing ferocity that put immense pressure on the Wei family, making them secretly wary and realize he was also a formidable master.

Nevertheless, Mr. Ji's departure by cloud was ultimately the most profound shock to the Wei family.

Wei Xuan's heart raced and his expression was somewhat agitated. He shifted his gaze from Niu Batian to Yan Fei and carefully inquired,

"Hero Yan, your elder, he just... he just left by cloud. Was that an immortal?"

Yan Fei crossed his arms, with his longsword tucked against his chest, and smiled at Wei Xuan and Wei Ming.

"You have eyes, do you still need to ask me? My primary purpose in visiting today was to bring Mr. Ji to examine your family's Wordless Heavenly Book. Since that matter is concluded, I shall take my leave."

After speaking, Yan Fei patted Niu Batian on the shoulder.

"Brother Niu, shall we go?"

Yan Fei wished to leave immediately, and Old Niu readily agreed; staying there would only make him brood in silence.

"Heh, fine by me. Mr. Ji has left, so there's no reason for us to remain."

Wei Xuan quickly gestured to his son. Wei Ming nodded and swiftly stepped forward.

"Hero Yan, Hero Niu, please wait. Our Wei family was simply unaware and inadvertently offended the immortal. Will that immortal return, I wonder? Please, both of you must stay and allow our Wei family to extend our hospitality. That gentleman is Hero Yan's elder, so surely..."

"No need!"

Yan Fei raised a hand, interrupting Wei Ming's polite but irritating pleas.

He glanced back into the main hall, where a Wei family disciple was carefully placing the Wordless Heavenly Book back into its wooden box and closing the lid.

"Although I have always regarded Mr. Ji as a mentor, there's a clear distinction between immortals and mortals. After our last parting, it took over a decade for me to see him again today, and it's uncertain if I'll ever have the chance to meet him again in this lifetime. I won't trouble you further. Besides, Brother Niu has a short temper, and his martial arts are easily ten times greater than mine. If we were to stay, would the Wei family truly feel at ease?"

Yan Fei's words momentarily stunned Wei Xuan and Wei Ming. Before Wei Ming could respond, Yan Fei smiled at Niu Batian, and the two departed the estate together.

"Hero Yan! Hero Yan, what are you implying!"

Wei Ming quickly pursued them, while his father, Wei Xuan, lifted a foot but ultimately decided not to follow.

As soon as the two outsiders left, a Wei family disciple nearby angrily struck his fist against his palm.

"Oh, if only we had lent the book just now, would we have received personal guidance from the immortal?"

"Indeed!" "I can't believe our Wei family's Heavenly Book truly is a divine text..."

Wei Xuan let out a cold huff, and the murmuring nearby immediately died down. He, too, was filled with regret, but as the head of the Wei family, he wasn't about to become a scapegoat.

"What's the point of dwelling on this now that it's done? If the immortal were to return and ask for the book again, I would naturally present the Heavenly Book with both hands. But for now, at least we possess the immortal's handwritten translation of the Heavenly Book!"

Wei Xuan's words successfully diverted everyone's attention, quickly pulling them out of their dejection and regret. A sense of excitement began to spread, and many even rushed back into the main hall.

On the table in the main hall, a stack of over a dozen sheets of Xuan paper lay, each densely covered in small characters.

In the eyes of the Wei family members, this had certainly transcended the realm of ordinary martial arts manuals. It was a miraculous and divine method left by an immortal, and if they could master it, perhaps even achieving immortality wouldn't be an impossible dream.

At this moment, Wei Ming was still following Yan Fei and Niu Batian, attempting to politely persuade them to stay, convinced that the day's events shouldn't conclude so abruptly. However, both Yan Fei and Niu Batian ignored him, continuing to walk straight ahead.

Nevertheless, after walking a short distance from the Wei family estate, Yan Fei paused. He looked back towards the main hall and addressed Wei Ming, who was still following them to see them off.

"Wei Ming, I'll offer you a few final words. If word of today's events gets out, it will not bode well for the Wei family. The Wordless Heavenly Book was once merely a circulating anecdote in the martial arts world, but with an immortal having perused it and left a translation today, it is no longer just a baseless rumor."

"Hero Yan, you..."

Wei Ming's expression turned slightly anxious.

"Rest assured, while I don't claim to embody chivalry as my sole purpose, I would never stoop to such actions. I have no interest in your family's Heavenly Book and certainly will not spread word of its contents."

Old Niu, standing beside him, was already growing impatient. He simply tugged Yan Fei along and started walking away.

"Come on, Brother Yan, why pay them any mind? Even if you don't see Mr. Ji again, I, Old Niu, live a long life. If you pass away someday, I'll surely invite Mr. Ji to visit your grave, light some incense, and so on."

Yan Fei's mouth twitched at these words, finding them both exasperating and slightly amusing.

"Hehehe, Brother Yan, let's go, let's go to the Soft Jade Tower in Luping City! Yesterday, I, Old Niu, met many intimate confidantes; I'll introduce them to you!"

Old Niu, chuckling rather suggestively, pulled Yan Fei towards the city, and they quickly disappeared from Wei Ming's sight.

Wei Ming watched for a moment, then sighed and turned back with his accompanying servants. However, despite the initial disappointment, the Wei family had, on the whole, experienced great fortune today. After a few steps, smiles began to spread across their faces.

In the main hall of the estate, all the Wei family members, led by Wei Xuan, were gathered around the table. Wei Xuan held the Wordless Heavenly Book once more, flipping through its pages while comparing them to the text Mr. Ji had left on the table. It was as if he could actually see the characters on the divine text.

When Wei Ming returned, those gathered naturally made way for him.

"Ming'er, you're back? Where are Yan Fei and that Niu fellow?"

Wei Xuan briefly glanced at Wei Ming, then redirected his full attention to the table.

"Hero Yan and Hero Niu have left, but before departing, Hero Yan cautioned us that if the matter of the immortal helping us translate the Heavenly Book's text were to become public, it could lead to ruin."

"That is only natural."

Wei Xuan nodded in profound agreement, then looked up at the surrounding Wei family disciples and estate servants.

"Not a single word of what transpired today must be uttered outside this family. Otherwise, if it draws unwanted attention, our family and loved ones will be in grave danger. However, with this immortal's handwritten *Wandering Dream in the Clouds*, how could the Wei family not flourish!"

Wei Xuan stated this with utmost conviction, and the surrounding Wei family members, including Wei Ming, shared his excitement, feeling a sense of shared pride.

Wei Xuan gazed at the Heavenly Book for a while, but ultimately, he couldn't discern any characters on its pages. He could only place the divine text back into its box and then, with the others, began meticulously examining the handwritten manuscript on the table, whose ink was still drying.

"Even just this calligraphy... it is already invaluable..."

What one of the older Wei family members murmured resonated deeply with everyone present. Even those Wei family members who were unlearned and disliked calligraphy found the characters immensely pleasing to the eye.

On the road between the Wei family estate and Luping City, Niu Batian and Yan Fei were making their way towards the city.

"Brother Niu, do you think the copy of *Wandering Dream in the Clouds* that Mr. Ji transcribed for the Wei family can truly change their fortunes?"

As for whether the Wei family could keep today's secret, Yan Fei actually believed they could. After all, the Wei family lived in isolation outside the city, their internal structure was secluded and stable, and their control over their affairs was undoubtedly strong.

"Brother Yan, Mr. Ji didn't intend for this handwritten text to contain profound truths. The Wei family are, after all, mere mortals, and it's unlikely they'll ascend to immortality simply by relying on this manuscript. However, since the text was indeed penned by Mr. Ji, and considering how deeply engrossed he was while reading earlier—even causing strange celestial phenomena to appear—the manuscript must possess some extraordinary qualities. Before we left, I used my cultivation to examine it closely and saw faint, hidden glows, but my own cultivation is too shallow to truly discern their meaning."

Old Niu was indeed correct. Ji Yuan had initially intended to leave a text devoid of true profundity, but as he read, his spirit and consciousness merged spontaneously, causing some of his divine essence to imbue the transcribed words. Ji Yuan himself was unaware of this. After finishing the book, he felt a sudden enlightenment, and when his request to borrow the book was denied, he simply utilized his flying technique to depart.

"So, in that case, although the Wei family annoyed Mr. Ji this time and seemingly forfeited an immortal opportunity, they actually received a blessing?"

Hearing Yan Fei's observation, a smile spread across Old Niu's honest face.

"You could say that's not incorrect. If the Wei family remains sufficiently cautious, studying the text over time might indeed yield some benefits."

Niu Batian actually held back one thought: in the current era, the Wei family needs to guard against far more than just ordinary mortals.

The Wei family might be able to keep their secret from outsiders, but what about internally, when they're studying the immortal's text at home? They might even perform some ritual involving offerings and burning incense.

What if other cultivators, evil spirits, or demons discover this? The former might be manageable, but if the latter learn of it, it would be akin to a child flaunting gold in a crowded market.

As Old Niu and Yan Fei returned to Luping City, Ji Yuan was already speeding through the sky on a cloud.

Ji Yuan had no intention of finding a nearby place for quiet cultivation. Firstly, the Ancestral Yue region was quite chaotic, frequently giving rise to evil spirits, which made it unsuitable for such a purpose. Secondly, his current understanding didn't align with the environment.

Instead of returning to Da Zhen, Ji Yuan continued eastward. The most suitable place for quiet cultivation at this moment was the vast ocean, as it best embodied the true essence of *Wandering Dream in the Clouds*. A portion of Ancestral Yue's territory bordered the East Sea.

Half a day later, Ji Yuan could already smell the sea breeze. His aged eyes gazed into the distance, where he could vaguely discern the surging blue ocean.

The imagery in his mind was that of *Wandering Dream in the Clouds*, while he softly murmured a passage from *Free and Easy Wandering*, which he believed to be his own articulation of the wonder of immortals.

"To ride upon the rectitude of Heaven and Earth, and to control the transformations of the six qi, thereby journeying into the boundless..."