Am I the only good person in this cultivation world?

Zhou Yunli frowned and sent a telepathic message back:

"Brother Yao, what makes you say that?"

"Just now I observed that those wolves had smooth fur and clean, even teeth, which did not seem wild, but rather like they were domesticated. In addition, Brother Yunli said that this beast rarely appears in this place, but their movements and steps are very uniform, as if someone is directing them in the dark, hence this question."

Yao Han did not hide anything and explained his speculations one by one.

A look of realization dawned on Zhou Yunli's face:

"No wonder! I sensed something was off when I was fighting them. These fanged wolves, though lacking intelligence, coordinated perfectly. I couldn't break free from their encirclement no matter how hard I tried. Could this person still be nearby?"

The crystal-blue magic sword that was suspended in the air instantly rose horizontally.

"I don't know. I just used my divine sense to search and didn't find anyone suspicious. But I just left a divine sense mark on a wolf. After circling around, this group of demonic beasts headed north. Following the mark, we might be able to catch up with the person behind it."

"North... Oh no, Zhiyu is in danger!"

Zhou Yunli's expression turned anxious. Without bothering to explain to Yao Han and the other person, he used a lightness technique and ran wildly northward without looking back.

"Hey! Why did that person suddenly leave?"

Zhou Yunli ran so fast that he startled Ai Lan.

"It seems that Brother Yunli has really offended someone. Lan'er, board the boat."

The two jumped onto the Impermanent Boat, transformed into a wisp of black wind, chased after Zhou Yunli, and pulled him aboard as well.

"Brother Yao also has a flying artifact! That's wonderful! This will be much faster. Just cross that little river ahead and fly due north!"

"Alright. Brother Yunli, I know you are anxious, but could you tell me the details? Who did you offend, and why is Miss Zhiyu in danger? That way I can make some preparations."

"Ugh!"

Zhou Yunli sighed deeply: "It's not that I want to offend anyone, it's just that this world is simply too unsettling for anyone!"

Yao Han listened quietly with his mouth shut, while Ai Lan pricked up her ears, looking like she was listening to gossip.

"Brother Yao, are you familiar with the Cao family of Lishan?"

Yao Han wanted to say that he hadn't heard of it, but still gestured for him to continue.

"Most of the area in Lishan, Fengzhou, belongs to the Cao family. This family, affiliated with the Shangyun Sect, has ruled this place for countless years. The members of the family are extremely arrogant and domineering, bullying men and women and committing all sorts of evil deeds. Cultivators and common people alike have suffered for a long time!"

"But because this family is backed by the Shangyun Sect, ordinary rogue cultivators have no way to deal with them. About last month, when Zhiyu went out to collect herbs, he accidentally bumped into a member of the Cao family."

When this person was mentioned, a hint of displeasure flashed in Zhou Yunli's eyes:

"This man's name is Cao Ye, the youngest son of the current head of the Cao family, also known as the Fourth Young Master by his clan. Seeing that Zhiyu was beautiful, he harassed and followed her relentlessly, even coming to her home!"

"This guy knew we were already married, but he still kept pestering me and even spoke rudely to me. I got angry and beat him up and kicked him out."

Yao Han's expression was strange:

"Since Brother Yunli could beat him so badly that he couldn't fight back, it seems this person's cultivation level isn't high. Could he not be a cultivator at all?"

"He is a cultivator, but only at the first level of Qi Refining."

"I see. This person acted so arrogantly that beating him up was too lenient. But although Brother Yunli vented his anger for a moment, his future days will probably be difficult."

"Who says otherwise! Sigh, it's all my fault for having such a bad temper."

Zhou Yunli shook his head:

"Ever since then, people have been harassing and provoking us from time to time, making our lives miserable. Even the vendors in the market have stopped doing business with us. I was afraid Zhiyu would be in danger again, so I kept her from going out. I never expected this... these damn spoiled brats! If anything happens to Zhiyu, I'll make them pay!"

Yao Han pondered for a moment:

"Since you knew the Cao family was tyrannical here, why did you choose to stay? Why didn't you choose another place to settle down?"

Upon hearing this, Yunli gave three bitter laughs:

"I was too young back then."

"From the day we left Ziqiu City, we made up our minds to avoid the hustle and bustle of the world, find a beautiful place to settle down, not depend on anyone, and live a carefree and leisurely life in seclusion."

"Unfortunately, we were caught in the great war between the Jing and Liang kingdoms right after leaving Ziqiu City, and all our original plans were ruined. To escape the war, we had no choice but to head west and arrive at Qiansheng. When we passed through this place, we found the scenery pleasing to the eye, so we decided to settle here."

Have the states of Jing and Liang gone to war?

Yao Han was startled, but she didn't show it.

What surprised him was not the struggle between the secular dynasties, but the meaning behind it—the two countries had been at peace for many years, and now that war had suddenly broken out, it was hard not to suspect that it had the tacit approval of the powerful clan behind the scenes.

It's only been a short time since I went into seclusion, and the situation in Dongling has already deteriorated to this extent. My information network is still quite poor; I'll need to gather more intelligence in the future.

"Looking back now, I realize that my decision was too hasty. I should have learned more about the area before making any plans. Sigh, I was too young and inexperienced. The house was already built before I even found out about the 'Cao Family' near Lishan."

"We two have always treated others with sincerity, and our daily actions have been without shame. We have never done anything evil. We only wanted to find a peaceful place to live in seclusion, yet we are still bullied at our doorstep. What kind of justice is this! Brother Yao, is it really true that in this world, we can only obey the orders of these sects and families?"

Yao Ailan rested her chin on her hands, leaning over and listening quietly, lost in thought.

"Forgive my bluntness, but Brother Yunli's words are a bit extreme."

"What do you mean by that, Brother Yao?"

Yao Han paused for a moment, then asked, "Brother Yunli, do you still remember what I said when we parted ways in Ziqiu City?"

Zhou Yunli nodded:

"I remember. Brother Yao warned us to be careful and not to show the spirit stone to anyone."

"Caution is for survival, but caution alone is not enough. The path of cultivation is difficult and fraught with danger, and it is even more difficult for independent cultivators. One careless move can lead to death and the annihilation of one's cultivation. Whether it is to compromise or to rely on others, in the final analysis, it is all because of weakness and the need to survive."

"Brother Yunli, think about it. If you were at the Foundation Establishment stage now, would the four young masters of the Cao family dare to offend you? If you were at the Core Formation stage, the head of the Cao family would treat you as an honored guest. If you were to advance to the Nascent Soul stage one day, wouldn't you be able to live wherever you want in this vast Dongling region, and who would dare to object?"

Zhou Yunli paused, a thoughtful expression on his face, and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yao Han:

"Brother Yao's words are truly insightful, and I have learned a great deal. Ultimately, it's because I lack the strength to do so, which is why I'm constantly being controlled by others, and I've even dragged Zhiyu into this mess. If all else fails, we'll just have to grit our teeth and find another place. I wonder if Brother Yao has any suggestions?"

"I understand your desire for a carefree life; it's a life I also yearn for. But without sufficient strength, it's ultimately just a dream. By the way, what kind of spiritual roots do you two possess? Why not choose—"

"Brother, there are a lot of people ahead of us. Have we arrived yet?"