Cao Yun's travel was uneventful. He cultivated once or twice and could really feel the effects of 'Snake Strangles Kid, Turtle Shields Kid' on his progress. When he wasn't cultivating, he pondered over Chief Elder Baishen's words and tried to refine his understanding of the spear. But he didn't limit himself to that. Indeed, he also worked on a new cultivation method. Everything he had experienced and read until now, he was trying to use in order to craft a cultivation method any human could follow. In a way, he was trying to write another 'Universal Law of Immortality' by incorporating both soul and mind cultivation as well as blood cultivation in it. However, Qi cultivation and body cultivation were still the main pillars of his method.

Cao Yun didn't just limit himself to what he had cultivated as most people wouldn't be able to do as he did. Moreover, there were some secrets he couldn't divulge. In the end, he literally began to write two different methods. The first one could be told to anyone while the second one had many secrets only a select few could know about. That being said, if a cultivator was attentive and diligent enough, they might be able to figure out many great secrets in the first one nonetheless.

Even Dian Mo's interest was piqued, so they started thinking about it together. Dian Mo's expertise was on array formations, but considering humans' meridians as a form of array formation, he had very good insights for Cao Yun.

Of course, this wasn't Cao Yun's sole focus. In a sense, it was more of a hobby he had picked up on the way. But it was still very good. Trying to imagine a comprehensive and coherent cultivation method forced him to reminisce about his entire journey, from mere mortal to Spirit Warrior and Accomplished Demon. To be honest, he even discovered a few intricacies he had not figured out when he had first cultivated. Most of them weren't too important, but knowing them would have made his cultivation journey even smoother. At his current level however, it didn't matter at all.

Amongst Cao Yun's other projects were obviously his plans to take down Emperor Weide and Empyrean Asura. For the time being, everything seemed to go according to his plans. To be fair, he was also making them up as he was going along. Indeed, he had not been sure of his ideas before going beneath the Devil's Jail. But now he had one more card in his deck. The same was true about Ren Chao, but also Sun Liao and Mei Hua. All of them had deep knowledge about Emperor Weide and the Hongchen Kingdom he could exploit. However, he was currently focused on the Huang family. If he could get their help, his chances of success would dramatically increase.

Despite all his strength, Cao Yun still wasn't absolutely sure he could kill Emperor Weide, even if he were to fully reveal his asura cultivation. Indeed, Emperor Weide had unlocked a form of pseudo-Domain. However, with all his plans, he was certain he could win the fight. Winning a fight and killing a 9th-grade Spirit Warrior were unfortunately two very different things. Moreover, Emperor Weide probably had plans of his own, to deal with Empyrean Asura, surely, not Cao Yun, but still...

Finally, Cao Yun and Hongyu reached Baziyun City. Before even going into the city, Cao Yun stopped at the graves of his family once again. For almost an entire day, he stayed there. He burned incense, he cleaned the tombstones, he recited some poetry, and he talked about everything he had lived until now. When he realized that the sun was hiding in the distance, Cao Yun kowtowed three times and begged for forgiveness for not saving his sister already. Then, he begged for leniency as it would still take him some time. Eventually, he renewed his oath.

"Father, Mother, you've asked me to protect my sister. I will, no matter what! But you've also asked me to live, not to throw away my life. Although I would gladly give it to ensure that Huiying survives, I sure won't squander it. Your murderers will all pay and they won't have the satisfaction of ending our lineage. I swear that I will find and kill every single one of them, not just the traitor, but all his depraved lackeys as well. Your death will be avenged through their blood. Neither Huiying nor I will join you anytime soon, I'm sorry."

Standing up, Cao Yun did absolutely everything according to the rites, showing the highest level of respect to his family before leaving. He wasn't sure whether their souls were watching from the Heavenly Court. In fact, he wasn't even entirely sure whether souls truly reincarnated or not, or what the exact process of that reincarnation was. But he needed this connection with his ancestors in that moment. Besides, he didn't plan on only talking to his dead relatives. In Baziyun City was his last living relative apart from his sister, his uncle. And he did intend to talk to him. In fact, he planned on meeting him in secret before going to the acting Matriarch Huang Cixi. Not only was it to meet his uncle, but it was also to plan things ahead, just in case. He couldn't afford to die until his sister was saved and his family was avenged.

-

For a few days, Cao Yun studied the array formations around Baziyun City. Unfortunately, they were much more complex and sophisticated than in his memories. In fact, he saw the handiwork of his brother Sun Liao in them, especially around the Huang residence. In other words, it would take him months to be able to enter the city without revealing his Qi cultivation, which would obviously draw a lot of attention. However, he wanted to go meet his uncle in secret. Even Dian Mo was stumped before those array formations.

Several ways were possible. He could have sealed his Qi cultivation just as he was sealing his asura cultivation. But that would prevent him from using his stealth art and thus from masking his face. Obviously, someone was bound to recognize him right away. After some time pondering over the matter, Cao Yun decided to ask someone's help.

He sent a letter to Huang Liyue. Although he didn't reveal anything anyone could understand, the woman who had spent some time with him in the Yellow Death World understood everything. Cao Yun didn't ask her to betray her Huang family, he simply petitioned her to give him some time before warning acting Matriarch Huang Cixi about him. In the meantime, he wanted her to help him get to his uncle's residence without being noticed. While he was waiting for her reply, Cao Yun was staying in a small cave he had dug nearby, hidden by many array formations. Obviously, he gave detailed explanations on how to get to him.

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Only a few days later, a young servant came to Cao Yun. Like all members of the Huang family, he had white hair. Moreover, despite his young age, he was already a late Mortal, almost an early Mortal Warrior. He did everything as was told in his letter. Thus, Cao Yun trusted him and took down the defenses around his cave and came out. Immediately, the young man bowed down in respect and handed him a letter.

Cao Yun read its contents. Once again, it didn't reveal much but gave just enough for Cao Yun to know that it was genuine. In the letter, he could decipher a way for him to enter the city without triggering any array formation all the way to his uncle's residence, and nothing more. Obviously, everything was cryptic but Cao Yun's understanding of array formations made it extremely easy for him to figure things out. After he was done, he completely burned the letter and scattered the ashes to the wind.

"Young servant, tell your mistress that I thank her and that I shall meet her in a matter of days."

"Yes, Young Master."

Before the young servant's very eyes, Cao Yun simply vanished as though he had never been there in the first place. For an instant, the young servant panicked. He thought that Cao Yun was some kind of evil spirit. Then, he remembered his mistress Huang Liyue. This was exactly her technique. Ironically, the thought made him even more afraid. Imagining that someone was as stealthy as his mistress was sending cold shivers down his spine. No matter what, he couldn't talk about this matter to anyone else except his mistress and the Matriarch. Even torture could not extract it from his lips.

-

Acting according to Huang Liyue's instructions, Cao Yun entered the city under the veil of her 'Ashen Feather Seal' and got to his uncle's residence. Her instructions were extremely smart as only someone who had mastered her 'Ashen Feather Seal' could properly execute them. In other words, if she had been tricked and Cao Yun wasn't the one behind the letter, the writer could simply not take advantage of her words. Besides, even with her instructions, there was no way for Cao Yun to get to the Huang residence without being found out. Thankfully, he didn't care about it. When the time came for him to meet with acting Matriarch Huang Cixi, he would do so openly and following all protocols. Besides, it would reduce the risks of him actually being killed. Despite her anger toward the murderer of her brothers, she couldn't simply assassinate the Young Sect Master of the Wubei Sect, especially considering he was viewed as a war hero.

At last, Cao Yun reached Fang Shaolong's residence. There were a few guards but nothing too impressive. For the former Hall Master of Baziyun City's Major Hall, this was surprising. But thinking about the defenses around the city itself, it didn't strike Cao Yun as particularly odd. No one could easily enter anyway. Besides, the powerful Huang family was protecting the city, so there was no need to waste money on too many guards.

Despite Fang Shaolong's status, his residence was very modest. It was quite vast of course, but it wasn't fancy at all. In fact, it looked like the residence of a commoner, but larger.

According to Cao Yun's intel, Fang Shaolong had abandoned his position as Hall Master. But it was in fact unofficial. Indeed, he had simply left because his wife was sick. Although someone else had taken his position, he would return in a few years. For the time being, the Major Hall was managed by Ye Zhiyun. What Cao Yun didn't know was that Ye Zhiyun was a very loyal servant of Huang Cixi. Since he had taken his position, Ye Zhiyun had been noticed by the Myriad Cherry Blossom Hall. Most likely, he would rise in rank soon after Fang Shaolong's return. So, very soon, Huang Cixi would fully control the Myriad Cherry Blossom Hall. Indeed, with her mines being so successful, and so valuable to the Hongchen Kingdom, she already controlled a vast part of the Myriad Cherry Blossom Hall. But this wasn't enough for her. She needed to control everything and she trusted Ye Zhiyun with her life.

Cao Yun entered with his stealth and walked through the residence. Everything was well maintained, but he could tell that very few servants were actually working in the residence. In the courtyards, Cao Yun saw nothing very impressive except for one small garden full of splendid flowers. It was clear that someone was taking great care of those flowers. In fact, Cao Yun saw a middle-aged man tending to this garden. At first, he almost didn't recognize him because of the dirt on his face.

This man was Fang Shaolong. He was much thinner, almost sickly to be honest. But his cultivation was still strong. Currently, he was a 5th-grade Mortal Warrior. For someone who was probably close to sixty, this wasn't impressive at all. But overall, it was still a good cultivation that was keeping him healthy. Such a cultivator could live for half a millennium.

Unfortunately, Cao Yun knew about his circumstances. His wife was around his age, but she had never been able to cultivate. Indeed, she had been born very poor and her Dantian had been damaged in her youth. Despite many efforts and many medicinal pills, she had never been able to enter the 3rd-grade Mortal stage. Thus, she would not live older than a century, under the best circumstances. However, those best circumstances didn't come to pass. At the moment, Cao Yun could feel her frail body in a nearby room. She was sick and clearly dying. Her legs didn't work anymore. Most of her problems were caused by her damaged Dantian. In fact, without her efforts for cultivation, and her husband buying some great medicinal pills, she would have been paralyzed completely and would have died a few years ago already. That being said, it was also clear that she would die within a decade or two. Even Cao Yun's knowledge couldn't help her, just as with Ren Chao's parents.

Cao Yun didn't want to disturb his uncle right away, just by the look on his face. Yes, his uncle was crying as he was tending to the garden. Finally, he took a flower and brought it to his wife. The young man didn't spy on them of course. He simply waited for his uncle to leave his wife's side to do something else. And he did, he went to prepare dinner for her. The wing where his wife lay was completely forbidden to the servants.

Softly, Cao Yun sent a few thoughts directly into his uncle's mind. He didn't want to upset him or cause him any great surprise. However, it was bound to happen.

At first, Fang Shaolong heard the voice of his nephew. Obviously, he thought it was just his imagination, but the voice kept on talking. Fang Shaolong let go of his current activity and stood up straight.

"Ca... I mean Chen Guo, is that you?"

"Yes, uncle. I'm sorry for startling you."

Cao Yun appeared before Fang Shaolong and bowed. Before he could even bow, his uncle jumped toward him and hugged him with all his strength, which wasn't much for Cao Yun.

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