Chapter 2839

"Did you hear? The Chen family is recruiting. You should try. Maybe you’ll get a spot on Penglai Island," Guest B said.

"Don't even think about it. Even if the Chen family is hiring, they won’t give out Penglai Island spots now. Do you think they’re throwing away charity for beggars? They can’t even use their own quota," Guest A scoffed.

"That’s true, but it’s still worth going to see the热闹 (bustle)," Guest B seemed unwilling to give up.

"Actually, the three major sects have plenty of spots too. But no one dares to compete for them."

"Are you stupid? You can’t snatch a sect’s spot. It’s better to try for a noble family’s spot."

"I heard the Shen family on Luojia Mountain has many spots. Should we try?"

"Don’t drag me into your death wish. Didn’t you hear? People from the Azure Dragon side went to trouble the Luojia Mountain recently. They lost five spots themselves. You still dare to look for the Shen family? I heard the Shen family has a mysterious backer."

"Really? Who is it?"

"Never seen them. But I heard their cultivation is stronger than the sect masters and elders."

"The Shen family is that powerful?" someone exclaimed in awe.

Where there are people, there is gossip. And this gossip was spreading with great detail.

Yun Xi ate while listening to the gossip, nodding occasionally as if agreeing with a point.

Wang Lanxuan put his food aside and sipped his wine.

Lie Xuan picked up a piece of sweet and sour fish and put it in Yun Xi’s bowl. "You like this."

Yun Xi smiled at Lie Xuan and put a piece of braised pork into her bowl. Lie Xuan loved meat.

Lie Xuan didn’t hesitate to eat it.

Wang Lanxuan said, "You two are deliberately showing off your love in front of me. Are you trying to make me jealous?"

Yun Xi glanced at Wang Lanxuan. "You’ve had a wife. I don’t even have a wife yet. It’s hard to find a fiancée. I must protect and cherish her."

Hearing this, Wang Lanxuan remembered her late wife. "My sister-in-law was a very good woman when she was alive. Unfortunately, she had no scholarly aura. Otherwise, I could have practiced with her."

Yun Xi nodded slightly. When Wang Lanxuan married, he hadn’t considered this issue. Later, after meeting Yun Xi, he understood. His bond with his wife was deep, and their grandchildren were about to be born, so they lived their lives as they were.

"Actually, it’s fine. My sister-in-law lives in my heart," Wang Lanxuan said. He wasn’t one to talk about love constantly. He knew his situation. He had tasted love, so he had no regrets.

Lie Xuan tilted her head and looked at Wang Lanxuan. "Do you plan to remarry in the future?"

"No such plan," Wang Lanxuan said calmly. "Right now, I want to focus on cultivation. As for the future, who knows?"

Yun Xi hummed. "If there’s a chance in the future, maybe you’ll meet your sister-in-law’s reincarnation."

For people like them, who had embarked on the path of cultivation, time was endless.

Wang Lanxuan smiled at this.

"Waiter, is there a quieter seat?" A clear voice came.

"Welcome, honored guest. Business is good today, but you’re lucky. A private room just opened up." The waiter quickly approached to serve the guest.

The guest nodded and followed the waiter to the private room.

"Senior Brother, do we really have to go find Shen Zhang?" Another voice came, crisp and clearly a girl’s.

Hearing the name Shen Zhang, Yun Xi and his friends, who had planned to leave, stayed to listen.

"Xiao Xue, stop making a fuss. Your marriage to Shen Zhang was arranged by Master and the Shen family’s old patriarch," the person called Senior Brother said.

"But I like you," the girl called Xiao Xue said, her tone sour. "Besides, even if she’s from a noble family, can she compare to our sect disciples? I’m the direct disciple of the Shangjin Sect’s leader. Shen Zhang is just a noble family kid, even with Luojia Mountain."

"Xiao Xue, you’d better not say that again," the Senior Brother sounded unhappy. "Master arranged your marriage to Shen Zhang. You must fulfill this engagement."

"I don’t want to," Xiao Xue said directly. "I don’t like him. If you force me to marry, I’ll ruin this marriage."

"Xiao Xue, do you want to be expelled by Master?" The Senior Brother’s tone became stern.

"Senior Brother, is it wrong to like you? Just because I like you, you want me to marry for a few Penglai Island spots? I heard you and Xiao Yun are close. Is it true?" Xiao Xue’s tone was full of resentment.

The Senior Brother chuckled. "Xiao Xue, you should understand. Whether there are Penglai Island spots or not, you must marry Shen Zhang. Now there are just more conditions. As for Xiao Yun, to be honest, I do like Xiao Yun. The only person I will marry in the future is Xiao Yun."

Xiao Xue seemed shocked that her Senior Brother was so direct. "Senior Brother, you… you said you liked me the most."

"I don’t like you anymore," the Senior Brother said bluntly.

"Scumbag," Lie Xuan whispered.

Yun Xi patted Lie Xuan’s hand. They continued listening.

"Senior Brother, are you in such a hurry to get rid of me? Do you know I’m already carrying your child?" Xiao Xue hadn’t wanted to say this, but now it seemed she had to.

The Senior Brother paused. "Abort it."

"No. I will go to the Shangjin Sect and tell Master about our relationship," Xiao Xue insisted stubbornly.

"Yang Xue'er, remember this. If you dare tell Master, yes, I will marry you. But don’t expect me to treat you well." The Senior Brother was clearly angry at being threatened.

"You’re angry now?" Xiao Xue sneered. "So what if you’re angry? Do you think I’ll let Shen Zhang take the blame? I know I’m not a good person. I got involved with you before marriage and got pregnant. But I also know what responsibility is. This child is my responsibility and yours. No matter how much you hate me, it’s useless. I will marry you."

"Is this person a bit cheap?" Lie Xuan whispered to Yun Xi.

Yun Xi smiled lightly. "Probably. But this scumbag and cheap woman make a perfect match. That’s good. At least we have some connection with Shen Zhang. We don’t need this kind of humiliation."

Knowing what they needed to know, there was no reason to stay. Yun Xi and the three left without disturbing the Shangjin Sect siblings. They didn’t care about what happened next.

Yun Xi and his group returned to the place arranged by the Shen family. Yun Xi went to find Shen Zhang first and told him what had happened. As for what Shen Zhang would do, Yun Xi didn’t care. He had done his part.

After learning the truth from Yun Xi, Shen Zhang paused for a moment, then sent people to investigate. Some things needed verification.

A few days later, when the Shangjin Sect appeared nearby, Shen Zhang met with their leader. The team was led by a fair elder of the Shangjin Sect. Shen Zhang told the elder everything and canceled the engagement. she didn’t care about the rest. Whether Xiao Xue eventually married her Senior Brother was no longer their concern.

For Yun Xi, this was just a small matter. He had warned Shen Zhang, so he didn’t interfere. Instead, he took advantage of the remaining days to explore the seaside with Lie Xuan and Wang Lanxuan.

"I’ve noticed you’ve been walking by the sea these days. It doesn’t seem like you’re here for fun," Wang Lanxuan observed after following for a few days.

Yun Xi hummed. "What do you think Penglai Island is?"

"A secret realm," Wang Lanxuan said.

Yun Xi raised an eyebrow. "I asked around. Every time Penglai Island appears, one-third of those who enter die. Is that normal for a secret realm?"

"You mean it’s a trap?" Lie Xuan asked directly.

Yun Xi shook his head slightly. "I’m not sure if it’s a trap. But one thing is certain: there are opportunities inside Penglai Island."

"Didn’t you say you were going to Penglai Island to see immortals?" Lie Xuan was straightforward, likely due to her background as a general.

Yun Xi smiled gently at Lie Xuan. "Yes, I’m going to see immortals. But I can also investigate the truth. Whether there are immortals or not, I think the truth needs to be known."

"How does this relate to you wandering around here these days?" Wang Lanxuan pointed out the connection.

"Brother Wang, haven’t you noticed? The scenery around here is all the same," Yun Xi reminded him.

"The scenery here is naturally similar," Lie Xuan said casually.

Wang Lanxuan shook his head. "No. Even if places are similar, the scenery can’t be identical. Nothing in the world is exactly the same. Even twins have different personalities."

"Exactly," Yun Xi said, knowing Wang Lanxuan had figured it out.

"You mean everything we see now is fake?" Lie Xuan realized.

Yun Xi said, "I suspect there’s an array here. The so-called Penglai Island secret realm is actually an island. Because of the array, others haven’t noticed. Every hundred years, the array loosens slightly, sending people inside. After achieving their goals, they release the survivors."

"What is their purpose?" Wang Lanxuan’s face grew serious.

"That’s what we need to explore," Yun Xi said with a smile. "Actually, I hope my guess is wrong. I hope Penglai Island is a real secret realm. Otherwise, I’m worried the cruel truth inside will shock people."