I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

Above a low hill, six figures were engaged in fierce combat.

A burst of light flashed, followed by a series of booming sounds.

Five of them, each wielding a magical weapon—a flying sword, a seal, or a long rope—relentlessly attacked the yellow-robed elder in the center.

These five individuals were all at the Core Formation stage, which would normally make them a formidable force.

But at this moment, their joint attack on the old man in yellow robes was proving extremely difficult.

It could even be described as a sorry state.

The old man in the yellow robe was thin and gaunt, with a sinister face. He wore a yellow robe embroidered with sandstorm patterns and was none other than Master Mulan, who was at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm!

Faced with the siege of five Core Formation cultivators, he seemed to be handling it with ease, even displaying a hint of mockery.

He didn't use any magical weapons; he simply waved his hands in front of him, and a thick, dense, earthy-yellow mist rose from his body.

This yellow mist, though seemingly ordinary, contained a powerful binding and corrosive force. When the magic weapons of the five Core Formation cultivators attacked it, they were as if they were sinking into a quagmire. Their spiritual light quickly dimmed, their power greatly diminished, and they were even tossed about by the strange force contained in the yellow mist, causing their formation to fall into chaos.

The old man was clearly not using his full strength; it was more like a cat playing with a mouse.

They showed particular mercy to the woman among the five, who was beautiful, dressed in a pale yellow dress, and whose face was now pale.

The pair of water-splitting spike-like magical artifacts that the woman summoned were repeatedly caught in the yellow mist. The old man could have easily crushed or taken them away with just a little magic power, but he simply swayed them away. His gaze swept over the woman's beautiful face and exquisite figure, filled with undisguised lewdness and greed.

Another middle-aged fat man with a chubby face and a big belly was the most skilled among the five. He wielded a blue flying sword that crackled with lightning, and his swordsmanship was quite fierce.

He always tries to cut through the yellow fog at crucial moments to protect his companions, making him the most tenacious of the five.

But the absolute difference in their levels of understanding rendered all his efforts futile.

"Hmph, I've had my fill! Little lady, obediently come and be my furnace, and you'll suffer less! As for you few..."

A hint of impatience and coldness flashed in the old man's eyes; he finally lost his patience for playing around.

He raised his right hand, and a feather fan made entirely of some unknown yellow feathers, shimmering with spiritual light, appeared in his palm.

He gently fanned the five men who were attacking him.

"call--!!"

A sudden gust of wind arose!

It was no ordinary gale, but a dim, yellowish hurricane imbued with pure earth elemental power!

The hurricane instantly expanded to a radius of tens of feet, sweeping in the five Core Formation cultivators along with their magical treasures!

Inside the hurricane, sand and stones flew, gravity was chaotic, and countless fine, earthy-yellow wind blades cut through the air. The five people were instantly like small boats in a storm. Their protective spiritual light flickered violently, their bodies were difficult to control, and their magical treasures were blown to pieces, emitting mournful cries.

"Hahaha!"

The old man in the yellow robe laughed triumphantly, ignoring the five people struggling in the hurricane. With a swift movement, he grabbed the woman in the pale yellow dress who was being swept around by the wind and was about to be injured by the wind blades!

A giant hand formed from yellow mist, its five fingers spread wide, was about to capture the woman.

However, just as the giant yellow hand was about to touch the woman—

"Buzz..."

A faint, strange sound, as if space itself were sighing, arose without warning.

The menacing, dozens-of-foot-long, dim yellow hurricane that had trapped the five people, along with the giant yellow mist hand that had reached for the woman, vanished without a trace, as if wiped away by an invisible hand!

There was no explosion, no impact; it simply vanished abruptly and completely, as if it had never existed.

Only a few traces of earth elemental energy fluctuations remained in the air, proving that what had just happened was not an illusion.

"Who goes there?! You're playing tricks! Get out here right now!"

The lewd smile on the old man's face froze instantly, replaced by horror and rage.

His divine sense surged out like a tidal wave, sweeping across the surrounding sky, ground, and even the crevices of the rocks, trying to find the mysterious person who had secretly intervened and so easily shattered his "Yellow Sand Hurricane Fan" attack.

However, no matter how he investigated, apart from the five Core Formation cultivators who were still in shock and looking around blankly, there was no other unfamiliar presence, as if the strange scene just now was the work of nature.

The five Core Formation cultivators—the fat man, the woman in the pale yellow dress, and three others dressed as members of the Giant Sword Sect, the Hidden Moon Sect, and the Heavenly Palace Fortress—stopped and gathered together, their faces full of surprise and suspicion as they searched the surroundings.

Just then—

"Crack!"

A soft yet crystal-clear rumble of thunder suddenly exploded in the air just a few feet in front of the old man in the yellow robe without warning!

With a flash of lightning, a young figure with bluish-purple wings on his back and wearing a black robe appeared out of thin air like a ghost, standing very close to the old man in the yellow robe!

It was Zhou Yuan!

Wind and Thunder Wings, Thunder Escape, arriving in an instant!

"you……"

The old man in the yellow robe's pupils shrank drastically, his soul almost leaving his body! He hadn't sensed any fluctuations in spiritual energy or space at all; the other party had simply appeared before him so abruptly!

It was Zhou Yuan!

Wind and Thunder Wings, Thunder Escape, arriving in an instant!

"you……"

The old man in the yellow robe's pupils shrank drastically, his soul almost leaving his body! He hadn't sensed any fluctuations in spiritual energy or space at all; the other party had simply appeared before him so abruptly!

Such a technique of escape is simply unheard of!

What terrified him even more was the unfathomable spiritual pressure emanating from the other party, as deep as an abyss, and those calm, unwavering eyes that seemed to contain the chill of millennia.

He didn't even have time to make any defensive or dodge moves, let alone unleash his magic weapon.

Zhou Yuan seemed to casually raise his right hand, his index and middle fingers joined together, and gently touched the forehead of the horrified old man who was standing close by.

A faint, cold, azure flame, seemingly capable of freezing the soul, quietly emerged from the fingertip and shot out.

Dry Blue Ice Flame!

The same old trick was used, but still no solution was found.

The old man in the yellow robe felt a chill between his brows, and his consciousness instantly blurred. All his thoughts, fear, and magical power froze at that moment.

The protective aura had barely begun to ignite before it solidified into a pale yellow ice shell.

Inside the dantian, the nascent soul that had just awakened and was trying to escape was instantly frozen by a terrifying chill, becoming stiff and motionless.

Starting from the center of his forehead, blue ice crystals rapidly spread throughout his body.

A new blue ice sculpture, still bearing a horrified expression, appeared in mid-air, even freezing the nascent soul within it, effectively "captured" alive.

All of this, from Zhou Yuan's appearance with lightning speed to the unleashing of the Azure Ice Flame, freezing a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, Master Mulan, into an ice sculpture, happened in the blink of an eye, so fast that it was impossible for anyone to keep up.

"Wh...what?!"

"In an instant... he subdued a Nascent Soul Master?!"

"This person...could he be a master at the mid-Nascent Soul stage?!"

"What a terrifying method!"

The five Core Formation cultivators who had escaped death witnessed this scene and were all horrified. Their eyes were filled with disbelief, shock, and deep awe as they looked at Zhou Yuan.

To be able to subdue a Nascent Soul cultivator so easily, their strength must far exceed their imagination; they must be at least at the mid-Nascent Soul stage.

It might even be a Grand Master of the Primordial Era!

The five reacted quickly, suppressing their shock, and bowed respectfully towards Zhou Yuan, their tone utterly deferential.

"Junior Lei Wanhe of Huangfeng Valley, thank you for saving my life, senior!" The fat man with a full face spoke first, his voice loud and clear, filled with the relief of surviving a disaster and the respect for the strong.

"Junior Nie Ying from Huangfeng Valley thanks you for your help, senior!"

The woman in the pale yellow dress, Nie Ying, also bowed gracefully. Her voice was clear and crisp, with a slight tremor. She was both afraid and curious, stealing glances at this mysterious senior who had suddenly appeared and possessed great supernatural powers.

"Junior Shi Qiyun of the Greatsword Sect thanks Senior for saving me!"

"This junior, Tang Minghua of the Hidden Moon Sect, thanks you, senior!"

"Junior Qian Huan of Tianque Fortress thanks Senior for saving my life!"

The other three also quickly introduced themselves, bowed deeply in thanks, and were extremely respectful.

"senior……"

Hearing these respectful titles and looking at the five people in front of him, especially the fat man who called himself "Lei Wanhe," Zhou Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense of indescribable emotion.

The world changes, and things are ever-changing.

The fat man in front of him, with a beaming smile and utmost respect, was his "Uncle-Master Lei" back in Huangfeng Valley!

Lei Wanhe was already a respected senior figure in his eyes back then.

Time has passed, and now he is in the mid-Nascent Soul stage, while this "Uncle Lei" is still stuck in the Core Formation stage.

Their social status was completely reversed.

Zhou Yuan's gaze lingered for a moment on Lei Wanhe's somewhat familiar, yet much changed by the years and weight gain.

Lei Wanhe seemed to notice that the "senior's" gaze was a bit strange. He secretly raised his eyes to carefully examine Zhou Yuan's excessively young face. The more he looked, the more he felt that he seemed to have seen him somewhere before.

A strange sense of familiarity welled up in his heart, but he dared not be sure, after all, the person in front of him was a high and mighty Nascent Soul Ancestor, who was worlds apart from him, a Core Formation cultivator.

"Uncle Lei, how have you been?"

Zhou Yuan suddenly spoke, his voice calm yet clearly reaching the ears of everyone present.

"Uncle-Master Lei?"

"What?! Senior is calling Fellow Daoist Lei... Uncle-Master?"

"What... what's going on?"

Shi Qiyun, Tang Minghua, and Qian Huan were stunned. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with astonishment and confusion.

How could a senior expert in the mid-Nascent Soul stage address a Core Formation stage cultivator as "Senior Uncle"?

Wouldn't this completely mess up the generational hierarchy? Could it be that this senior has some deep connection with Yellow Maple Valley? Or... has he mistaken someone for someone else?

Nie Ying also covered her mouth in surprise, her beautiful eyes darting back and forth between Zhou Yuan and Lei Wanhe, filled with curiosity.

Lei Wanhe himself was struck dumb, his fat face trembled, his eyes widened as he stared intently at Zhou Yuan's face, and the long-forgotten memories in his mind surged wildly like a flood.

Those familiar eyebrows and eyes, that calm demeanor, gradually overlapped with the unassuming Foundation Establishment stage junior disciple from two hundred years ago in my memory!

"You...you are...Zhou Yuan, the junior disciple from back then?!"

This cultivation speed.

This is absolutely outrageous!

"Yes, it's me."

Zhou Yuan smiled slightly and nodded, acknowledging his identity.

"It really is Senior Brother Zhou!"

Nie Ying finally remembered, her beautiful eyes sparkling with excitement.

Although she had little contact with Zhou Yuan, she had heard about his amazing achievements as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, repeatedly killing demonic cultivators of the same level, when they were at the border of Jingu Plain.

I was deeply impressed by it.

I never imagined that my amazing senior from back then would have reached such heights!

"Senior Zhou... Senior Zhou!"

Lei Wanhe realized what was happening and quickly bowed again, his face displaying a complex mix of emotions—excitement,感慨, and above all, a sense of restraint and respect in the face of a high-level cultivator.

"I dare not accept the title of 'Senior Uncle'! According to the rules of the cultivation world, those who are accomplished come first. It should be I who address you as 'Senior'!"

He spoke sincerely.

In the world of cultivation, strength is paramount, and seniority is often adjusted according to changes in cultivation level.

Zhou Yuan is now a Nascent Soul Ancestor, but he is still a Core Formation cultivator, so the title of "senior" is only right.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan did not insist, but simply waved his hand:

"It's just a form of address, don't worry about it. Master Lei... Fellow Daoist Lei, come with me, I have some questions for you."

His gaze swept over the small hill.

"Yes, senior!"

Lei Wanhe quickly agreed.

Zhou Yuan took the lead and used his escape light to land on a relatively flat rock at the top of a small mountain.

Without any attempt to conceal himself from the others present, he directly took out the blue ice crystal that sealed the old man in the yellow robe's nascent soul.

Under the astonished gazes of Lei Wanhe and the others, he held the ice crystal in one hand and ruthlessly invaded it with his divine sense, once again using the Soul Searching Technique on the frozen nascent soul!

The nascent soul within the ice crystal trembled slightly, but quickly returned to calm.

Zhou Yuan closed his eyes and focused his mind, quickly browsing and peeling away the fragments of memory within.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, a hint of satisfaction flashing in them.

This Master Mulan is skilled in earth-based spiritual arts, and indeed, he has several good methods for cultivating earth-attribute spiritual arts in his memory. Although their power may not be top-notch, their unique ideas are very helpful for him to improve his own spell system.

After the soul search was completed, Zhou Yuan casually pinched the ice crystal, and the nascent soul within it turned into dust, which then scattered in the wind.

A Nascent Soul cultivator in the early stage was completely annihilated, both in body and soul.

This scene sent a chill down the spines of Lei Wanhe and the others.

This "Senior Zhou" was truly decisive and ruthless in his actions, showing no mercy to his enemies, searching for and destroying souls in one fell swoop.

"Fellow Daoist Lei, come closer, I have something to ask you." Zhou Yuan beckoned to Lei Wanhe.

Lei Wanhe dared not be negligent and quickly stepped forward, standing respectfully three feet in front of Zhou Yuan.

Shi Qiyun, Nie Ying, and the others wisely retreated to a distance of more than ten feet, not daring to disturb the conversation between the two.

"S-senpai, may I ask?"

Lei Wanhe was still somewhat nervous.

"My master... Li Huayuan, how is he doing these days?"

Zhou Yuan paused for a moment before asking the question he still wanted to confirm.

Upon hearing this, Lei Wanhe's face darkened, and he sighed, saying in a low voice, "Reporting to Senior, Junior Brother Li... more than a hundred years ago, during a border conflict with the sorcerers, he fought bravely and died to cover the retreat of his fellow disciples."

Although it was expected.

But hearing the confirmation with his own ears still stirred a slight ripple in Zhou Yuan's heart.

Master Li Huayuan ultimately perished in the conflicts of the cultivation world.

The path to immortality is ruthless, nothing could be more so.

"Does Master have any descendants or disciples to carry on his legacy?" Zhou Yuan asked again.

"Junior Brother Li's disciples included several people, including Liu Jing, besides you, Senior. However... the lifespan of Foundation Establishment cultivators is limited. In the past hundred years, apart from Liu Jing, who had good talent and opportunities and was able to form his core, and is now one of the Core Formation elders of my Yellow Maple Valley, the other junior disciples... have all passed away one after another."

Lei Wanhe's tone was heavy.

"Is only Senior Brother Liu left...?"

Zhou Yuan repeated the sentence in a low voice, a trace of reminiscence and emotion flashing in his eyes.

It's good news that Liu Jing, that somewhat eccentric but very loyal senior brother, has successfully formed his core.

As for the other senior brothers and sisters I didn't have much contact with, they failed to form their cores and passed away after their two hundred years of lifespan were exhausted. This is a perfectly normal thing in the world of cultivation.

I felt a little disappointed at first, but I quickly came to terms with it.

Walking the path alone, it is already a blessing to be able to accompany each other for a while.

"Senior Zhou, the entire Fengyuan Kingdom has now fallen and is occupied by the Mulan monks. It is not advisable to stay here for long. If more Mulan masters, or even grand masters, arrive, I'm afraid..." Lei Wanhe saw Zhou Yuan's silence and, remembering their current situation, quickly reminded him, his face filled with worry.

"Yes, it's time to leave."

Zhou Yuan nodded, but his expression remained calm, showing no signs of urgency.

With his current strength, unless the Mulan people mobilize more than ten Nascent Soul cultivators at once to set up an inescapable trap, it would be almost impossible to capture him.

However, with Lei Wanhe and the other "burdens" with them, it is indeed necessary to get away from the front-line area as soon as possible.

With a thought, he took out the Wind Chariot that had been seized from the previous Master Mulan from his storage bag.

The vehicle's white body and dark red, strange wooden wings shimmered with iridescent colors in the sunlight.

"Get in the car."

Zhou Yuan gestured to Lei Wanhe and the other four.

"This is... a flying artifact of the Mulan people?" Shi Qiyun asked in surprise.

"Senior, you are incredibly powerful! You even managed to seize Master Mulan's vehicle!" Tang Minghua exclaimed in admiration.

The five dared not ask any further questions and quickly boarded the Wind Chariot one by one.

The interior space is more spacious than it looks, and there is more than enough room for six people to sit.

Zhou Yuan channeled his magic power into the wind-riding chariot, causing it to tremble slightly. The runes on the wooden wings on both sides suddenly lit up, swirling with five-colored light. With a gentle shake, it transformed into a white rainbow and sped towards the heart of the southern region.

The wind-driven chariot pierced through the clouds and mist, quickly leaving the desolate scenery of Fengyuan Kingdom's border behind.

The car fell silent for a moment.

Having experienced a life-or-death crisis, and then suddenly encountering the impact of their "old friend" Cheng Laozu, Lei Wanhe and the others were all somewhat unsettled and each adjusted their breathing.

Nie Ying occasionally glanced up at Zhou Yuan, who stood with his hands behind his back, controlling the wind-driving chariot, his back as straight as a pine tree. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with a strange light, and she hesitated to speak.

Finally, she seemed to have mustered her courage and spoke softly, breaking the silence:

"Senior Zhou, I have something to ask you, but I'm not sure if I should."

"explain."

Zhou Yuan didn't turn his head, his voice flat.

"Senior... now that your cultivation has reached the heavens, do you still... have any plans to return to Yellow Maple Valley?"

Nie Ying asked the question she most wanted to ask, her voice tinged with a cautious anticipation.

Upon hearing this, even Lei Wanhe, who was meditating, couldn't help but open his eyes and look at Zhou Yuan's back, his eyes filled with hope.

A Nascent Soul stage elder!

If they could return to Yellow Maple Valley, even just nominally, it would be enough to greatly enhance the prestige of the currently turbulent Yellow Maple Valley and make it as stable as Mount Tai!

More importantly, the sect's only Nascent Soul ancestor, Ancestor Linghu, is rumored to be nearing the end of his lifespan.

He passed away within these few decades.

If a powerful ally like Zhou Yuan could join the fray at this moment, it would be like a long-awaited rain after a drought, a miraculous escape from a desperate situation for Huangfeng Valley!

All eyes in the car were focused on Zhou Yuan's unmoving back.

"Get in the car."

Zhou Yuan gestured to Lei Wanhe and the other four.

"This is... a flying artifact of the Mulan people?" Shi Qiyun asked in surprise.

"Senior, you are incredibly powerful! You even managed to seize Master Mulan's vehicle!" Tang Minghua exclaimed in admiration.

The five dared not ask any further questions and quickly boarded the Wind Chariot one by one.

The interior space is more spacious than it looks, and there is more than enough room for six people to sit.

Zhou Yuan channeled his magic power into the wind-riding chariot, causing it to tremble slightly. The runes on the wooden wings on both sides suddenly lit up, swirling with five-colored light. With a gentle shake, it transformed into a white rainbow and sped towards the heart of the southern region.

The wind-driven chariot pierced through the clouds and mist, quickly leaving the desolate scenery of Fengyuan Kingdom's border behind.

The car fell silent for a moment.

Having experienced a life-or-death crisis, and then suddenly encountering the impact of their "old friend" Cheng Laozu, Lei Wanhe and the others were all somewhat unsettled and each adjusted their breathing.

Nie Ying occasionally glanced up at Zhou Yuan, who stood with his hands behind his back, controlling the wind-driving chariot, his back as straight as a pine tree. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with a strange light, and she hesitated to speak.

Finally, she seemed to have mustered her courage and spoke softly, breaking the silence:

"Senior Zhou, I have something to ask you, but I'm not sure if I should."

"explain."

Zhou Yuan didn't turn his head, his voice flat.

"Senior... now that your cultivation has reached the heavens, do you still... have any plans to return to Yellow Maple Valley?"

Nie Ying asked the question she most wanted to ask, her voice tinged with a cautious anticipation.

Upon hearing this, even Lei Wanhe, who was meditating, couldn't help but open his eyes and look at Zhou Yuan's back, his eyes filled with hope.

A Nascent Soul stage elder!

If they could return to Yellow Maple Valley, even just nominally, it would be enough to greatly enhance the prestige of the currently turbulent Yellow Maple Valley and make it as stable as Mount Tai!

More importantly, the sect's only Nascent Soul ancestor, Ancestor Linghu, is rumored to be nearing the end of his lifespan.

He passed away within these few decades.

If a powerful ally like Zhou Yuan could join the fray at this moment, it would be like a long-awaited rain after a drought, a miraculous escape from a desperate situation for Huangfeng Valley!

All eyes in the car were focused on Zhou Yuan's unmoving back.