Xia Feng had already placed a mark on them.
Now that he knew about the reclusive Dongfang family, he had to make a visit.
He still had many things to clarify, primarily wanting to understand why he couldn't ascend yet.
Only after the two had completely disappeared did Xia Feng return to the villa.
He planned to wait until they were close to their destination before heading over.
The next day passed as usual.
It wasn't until around eight o'clock on the third evening that Xia Feng left the villa and leaped towards the North Sea.
Dongfang Lang and Dongfang Kai breathed a sigh of relief upon finally returning.
The continuous journey had made them jumpy, constantly fearing Xia Feng might follow and try some trick.
Once they entered the territory of the mountain sect, their anxious hearts finally settled.
"Senior Brother, Xia Feng didn't follow us, did he?"
Dongfang Kai looked out at the vast sea, thinking that even if he had followed, there would be nowhere to hide.
The two sat on a small boat, which automatically drifted towards the depths of the ocean.
"Now we can be sure he didn't follow us," Dongfang Lang said, scanning the surroundings and extending his divine sense. There was no trace of any aura in any direction.
"But we told him the location of the mountain sect," Dongfang Kai asked urgently.
"So what if he knows? Even if he finds this place, he can't enter the mountain sect. And what if he does?" Dongfang Lang replied, looking up.
He then added, "We must keep the fact that we told him the mountain sect's location a secret. As for other matters, we will report truthfully."
"Senior Brother, I understand." Dongfang Kai nodded.
As the small boat entered a thick fog, it vanished into the sea.
The two used a secret method to enter the mountain sect and hurried directly towards the main hall.
"Senior Brother, you're back?"
"Senior Brother, how was your trip out?"
"Senior Brother, how has the outside world changed?"
As the two walked through the mountain sect, people surrounded them, greeting them and eager to hear about the outside world.
The unknown held the greatest fascination and longing.
Much like a woman's private garden, it was a place filled with the unknown, making it desirable and intriguing.
He hoped to explore the jungle and find the direction he pursued in his dreams.
"Junior Brothers, I'll tell you later. We have urgent matters to report to the clan leader first," Dongfang Lang called out to the eager juniors.
"Okay, Senior Brother, we'll wait for you."
Everyone responded.
The two passed through various mountain peaks and arrived at the highest peak, the Tianxiong Grand Hall.
"Greetings, Clan Leader."
Dongfang Lang and Dongfang Kai bowed respectfully.
"You're back. Did you bring the person?" asked Dongfang Xiu, the current clan leader of the reclusive Dongfang family.
"No, Clan Leader," Dongfang Lang reported with his head bowed.
"No? You were sent out to bring back thirty people and couldn't even do that?" Dongfang Xiu frowned.
"Isn't this absurd?"
With the strength of these two, going out to bring back thirty people from the cultivation world, and from the Dongfang family's branches at that, shouldn't be that difficult.
"Clan Leader, there were some complications. When we went out this time, we encountered a Qilin..."
Before Dongfang Lang could finish, Dongfang Xiu interrupted, "A Qilin? Is that true?"
"Clan Leader, your disciple would not dare to deceive you." Dongfang Lang nodded.
"Haha... Excellent! I never thought the Qilin, which disappeared for over ten thousand years, would appear in the world again. Heaven aids my Dongfang family! Where is the Qilin?" Dongfang Xiu laughed heartily, as if he had discovered a treasure.
"A Qilin is a treasure from head to tail. For cultivators, it's simply a heaven-sent opportunity."
"Clan Leader, this Qilin belongs to a young man. His cultivation is likely at the Nascent Soul stage or Integration stage."
Dongfang Lang stated truthfully.
Dongfang Xiu was stunned upon hearing this. Were there cultivators at the Nascent Soul or Integration stage in the outside world?
This was undoubtedly a tall tale, somewhat unreliable.
"Impossible," Dongfang Xiu denied it without hesitation.
"The world isn't like it used to be. The spiritual energy is long gone, how could it change?"
"Clan Leader, your disciple wouldn't utter a single false word." Dongfang Lang said anxiously as the clan leader directly dismissed his statement.
"If what you say is true, then there's only one possibility: it's someone from another reclusive family. The Qilin might have been claimed by someone else already."
Dongfang Xiu maintained his stance, refusing to believe it.
Prompted by Dongfang Xiu, Dongfang Lang and Dongfang Kai also had a realization.
"Yes, there is indeed such a possibility."
"The other party said his name was Xia Feng, so it really is Xia Feng?"
"Perhaps it was a cultivator from another family deliberately concealing their identity?"
"Otherwise, why would they have let them leave after learning about the cultivation of their Dongfang family ancestor?"
"It was to avoid causing trouble."
Seeing their silence, Dongfang Xiu said sternly, "I think it's from another reclusive family."
"Clan Leader, perhaps it's true. I am incompetent; I failed to bring back the Qilin."
"Whether it's from another reclusive family or the mortal world, Xia Feng's strength far surpasses ours, that is a fact."
It was useless to explain further at this point. They should just admit their own inadequacy.
"Alright, it's not your fault. If someone has already reached that level of cultivation, your attempt would have been futile and a sure death. I will report this matter to the ancestor. This Qilin might be able to help the ancestor overcome his tribulation and ascend."
Dongfang Xiu began to set his sights on the Qilin.
When such a divine beast appeared, everyone desired it.
Even Dongfang Xiu, who was solely focused on cultivation, showed a glint of greed in his eyes.
"Thank you, Clan Leader, for not punishing us. Your disciple has one more thing to report." Dongfang Lang expressed his gratitude.
"Speak," Dongfang Xiu said, his mind entirely occupied with the Qilin.
"This person's cultivation is higher than ours. I fear he might have tracked us here, thus exposing our mountain sect?"
Dongfang Lang began to cover up the matter of revealing the mountain sect's location earlier.
Being forced to reveal the mountain sect's location and having it exposed through tracking were two different things.
If Xia Feng truly followed them and they didn't notice, it would be easier to say he followed them on his own accord, and it had nothing to do with them.
Dongfang Xiu laughed upon hearing this, "If he really came, it would be a good thing."
For him to come and offer himself up for death, wasn't that fortunate?
He was already planning to report to the ancestor and personally go out to snatch the Qilin back.
"Yes, then your disciples will take our leave." Dongfang Lang and Dongfang Kai said, preparing to depart.
"You may go," Dongfang Xiu waved them away.
The two bowed, turned, and walked towards the entrance of the hall. As soon as they turned, they saw Xia Feng standing at the doorway.
(⊙o⊙)
The two widened their eyes in astonishment, finding it unbelievable.
"He's already here?"
"When did he arrive?"
"Why didn't the Clan Leader notice?"
"You... you... you really followed us?" Dongfang Kai pointed at Xia Feng as if he had seen a ghost.
At this moment, Dongfang Xiu also sensed something unusual. He leaped forward and stood in front of the two, demanding, "What is it?"
Dongfang Kai pointed at Xia Feng and shouted,
"Clan Leader, it's him! The person we were talking about is him."