To comprehend all laws and attain immortality

Before Meng Wei even got close, a hearty laugh rang out.

Gu Fan was already waiting outside the hall. He saw Meng Wei walking with a sharp and swift gait. His face was still dark, but his blue robe and accessories were very exquisite, suggesting that he was living a very comfortable life after marriage.

In terms of cultivation, although Meng Wei has broken through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, he is still far from the late stage and will miss the opportunity to go to the Soul Abyss.

"Greetings, true disciple!" Meng Wei said casually.

Gu Fan said with displeasure, "Why are you teasing me, Senior Brother!"

After saying this, he pulled Meng Wei into the hall and sat down at the table to reminisce.

When the topic of married life came up, Meng Wei's smile suddenly froze, and he slapped his thigh, saying, "Junior brother, you don't know this, but a married woman is completely different from someone before!"

"They want to control everything, especially when someone is pregnant!"

Meng Wei shook his head and sighed, but the joy in his eyes was hard to suppress.

Gu Fan exclaimed in surprise, "Senior Brother actually has an heir? How come I didn't hear any news?"

"It's only recently been released," Meng Wei chuckled.

Gu Fan joked, "So, Senior Brother has come to ask me for a congratulatory gift."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Meng Wei's expression changed drastically. His joy vanished, replaced by a layer of sorrow. He said slowly, "That's not the case. I came here for Senior Brother Chen."

"Senior Brother Chen?"

Meng Wei sighed first, nodded, and said, "I had known Senior Brother Chen for many years before you entered the sect, but I have never told you how we met."

Gu Fan poured Meng Wei a cup of fragrant tea and listened quietly.

Meng Wei's eyes showed a look of reminiscence as he began to recount the story.

"Actually, my hometown and Senior Brother Chen's hometown are both in the North, called Yong'an City, which is not far from the Yan Kingdom. If it weren't for that calamity, we might be in the Hundred Refinements Sect."

Gu Fan suddenly frowned.

There is currently no city named Yong'an within the territory of the Wei Kingdom.

Meng Wei ignored Gu Fan's expression and continued speaking.

"Yong'an City was meant to be a place of lasting peace, but things didn't turn out as we hoped."

"The wealthy in the city colluded with officials to exploit the people at will, and the people suffered terribly, with nowhere to even cry out for justice."

"Just then, a scholar appeared, wandering through the fields and alleys. In just a few months, he raised a banner, led the charge into the city, and slaughtered the officials and wealthy households. He then opened the treasury, allowing the people to scramble for it."

"Everyone seemed to have gone mad, their eyes bloodshot as they killed anyone they saw. They were no longer fighting for wealth, but simply unleashing their bloodlust. In the end, a great fire swept through the entire city, and Yong'an City vanished."

After Meng Wei finished speaking, the two fell silent.

The fate of Yong'an City was even more tragic than that of Gu Fan's hometown.

After a long silence, Gu Fan asked, "So, the two senior brothers are the survivors? Then who is this scholar?"

Meng Wei nodded slightly.

"I was originally the son of a hunter outside the city. In fact, the court was not completely unaware of the situation in Yong'an City, but Yong'an City was located in a remote area and the laws and regulations had collapsed. Therefore, they could only send a city lord to rectify the situation. However, this calamity broke out less than a month after that city lord took office."

"Senior Brother Chen is the city lord's son."

"As for that scholar..." Meng Wei paused, then continued, "Until the fire blazed, I saw a figure floating in mid-air, laughing wildly amidst the towering flames—that was the scholar!"

"Cultivator," was Gu Fan's first thought.

"Cultivators are invading, and the Hundred Refinements Sect isn't doing anything about it?" Gu Fan asked, frowning.

Upon hearing this, Meng Wei smiled wryly and said, "But that scholar is from the Hundred Refinements Sect!"

Gu Fan was immediately startled and asked in surprise, "The Hundred Refinements Sect has always focused on forging the Dharma Body, why would they act in this way?"

Meng Wei shook his head: "I don't know the specific reason either, but at that time, some cultivators from the Hundred Refinements Sect did come and fought with that cultivator, but they were defeated and said that the scholar was a traitor."

"That's why my senior brother Chen and I were found to have spiritual roots, but we were unwilling to join the Hundred Refinements Sect. Fortunately, the cultivators of the Hundred Refinements Sect didn't make things difficult for us, and even gave us directions to the Purple Cloud Temple."

"We didn't know the scholar's identity until Senior Brother Chen became a true disciple, and only then did he use the sect's connections to find out the scholar's whereabouts."

Gu Fan sat upright, listening intently.

"That scholar was originally a disciple of the Hundred Refinements Sect, but he was not very talented in the path of Dharma Body. Somehow he came into contact with the demonic cultivators of Yan Kingdom and has been involved with Yan Kingdom ever since."

"Although Senior Brother Chen is already in the late Foundation Establishment stage, he hasn't broken through for long. His purpose in going to collect the Xuanpin Ancestral Qi is true, but his more important purpose is to seek revenge on that demonic cultivator."

Meng Wei, with a serious expression, cupped his hands to Gu Fan and said, "I have come here to ask you to look after Senior Brother Chen. That demonic cultivator has already established his foundation many years ago. Given Senior Brother Chen's personality, he would rather die together with him than let him leave."

"Would the demonic cultivator go to the Abyss of Fallen Souls?" Gu Fan asked.

Meng Wei nodded: "It has been a hundred years since the last outbreak of the Fallen Soul Abyss. Unless the Yan Kingdom's sects have a reserve of Xuanpin Ancestral Qi, they will inevitably have to go to the Fallen Soul Abyss if they want to form their core."

Gu Fan understood and replied in a deep voice, "Don't worry, Senior Brother, leave this matter to me."

Upon hearing this, Meng Wei quickly added, "I only ask that you save Senior Brother Chen's life. If things don't go well, it's alright to let that demonic cultivator go. We can take revenge later. Junior Brother, you should prioritize your own safety."

Gu Fan then asked, "Senior brother, do you know what that demonic cultivator looks like?"

Meng Wei nodded, then slowly shook his head and said, "Many years have passed, and I don't know if that demonic cultivator's appearance has changed, but Senior Brother Chen found out that he has joined the Silent Demonic Sect and changed his name to Ye Qingcheng."

"Qingcheng?" Gu Fan murmured, recalling Yong'an City, and then he knew the origin of the name Qingcheng.

Afterwards, the two put the matter aside and started talking about Meng Wei's married life, and bright smiles reappeared on their faces.

......

Three days later, at Jade Void Peak.

The Cloud Dream Boat lay suspended in mid-air. At Qi Zongyuan's command, the disciples boarded the flying boat and headed towards the Hundred Refinements Sect.

According to the plan, they will arrive at Taihe Mountain and meet up with the disciples of Bailian Sect and Hualing Sect before entering the Fallen Soul Abyss.

Having learned of what Meng Wei had said, Gu Fan began to study the sects of the Yan Kingdom on his journey.

Unlike the Wei and Wu kingdoms, the Yan kingdom only has two major sects: the Silent Annihilation Sect and the Dark Night Palace. Because they belong to the demonic path, Wei kingdom cultivators would add the word "demon" when addressing them.

The Yan Kingdom is located in the north, with a cold climate and a sparse population, resulting in a fierce and warlike culture among its people, including cultivators.

The techniques of the Silent Extinction Demon Sect are fire-based, claiming that all living beings in heaven and earth will perish in the flames of calamity and come under the rule of the [Celestial Venerable of Calamity Extinction].

The Palace of the Underworld, however, leans towards the ice element. Located in the far north, it takes the principle that all things must return to the darkness of night as its motto, and its extremely cold magic is quite powerful.

In addition, Gu Fan also browsed through the information on the four sects of Wu Kingdom, striving to know himself and his enemy. After thoroughly studying the information, the Yunmeng Boat came to a stop.

Gu Fan arrived at the deck of the Yunmeng Ship and was greeted by a towering mountain. At its foot, earth fire occasionally roamed, while the summit was covered in snow. Such a sight was truly astonishing.

On the mountainside, a stone palace can be seen, and thousands of disciples of the Bailian Sect are watching the Yunmeng Boat.

As the Lingxiao Sect disciples disembarked from the Yunmeng Boat, they were quickly greeted by several Golden Core cultivators, the one leading them being Elder Chen, whom they had met once before at the Hualing Sect.

Elder Chen was accompanied by several Golden Core elders, and behind him were many Foundation Establishment disciples. The one in the lead was Wu Chengdao, who had recovered from his injuries and whose Dharma Body had been further enhanced.

Feeling Gu Fan's gaze fall on him, Wu Chengdao grinned.

"Fellow Daoist Gu, we meet again."