During early spring, flowers competed in beauty, and mists arose.

The waters of Lingyun Lake on Lingyun Peak had risen significantly, and all the Spirit Fish were eagerly swimming out of the water.

The massive Black Mushroom Fish, with just a slight movement, caused the lake’s surface to ripple.

In the next moment, a path was drawn across the lake surface, and Ye Jingli excitedly walked out.

"I can use the Water Refining Device now, my Five-Colored Bone Fire Bead is absolutely as powerful as a strike from a Foundation Establishment Peak Cultivator!" Ye Jingli announced loudly.

He then looked around, a hint of loneliness in his eyes, as he took out a Sound Transmission Jade Talisman, realizing that there were only two or three people he could send a transmission to.

Ye Jingyun was in the Assembly Hall, and Ye Xingqun was in the Bamboo Forest.

But the Bamboo Forest was no longer ordinary, for it had transformed into Spiritual Bamboo.

After contemplating for a moment, he walked toward the Bamboo Forest.

The bamboo rats inside the bamboo were constantly bouncing, growing ever larger, causing the bamboo to sway with every jump; meanwhile, a large group of Five Poison Bees had claimed a flight path, busy as it was their flower season.

Ye Jingli sat at the stone table, took out the Sound Transmission Jade Talisman but put it away again, and began sipping Spirit Wine.

The stone table was the same as before, and so was the pavilion.

There were four stools, but he drank alone.

He once thought growing up meant concealing emotions, but now it seemed that growing up meant accepting solitude.

The oldest of the Jing Generation was Ye Jingteng, now one hundred and one; those of the Jing Generation who hadn’t broken through Foundation Establishment would walk the same path as the Sea Generation before them.

And of the Xing Generation, only Ye Xingqun remained on the entire Lingyun Peak.

Ye Jingli took out the Jade Wave Wine previously purchased by the Ye Family, gulping down two swigs.

The wine was still fiery, but he no longer thought of it as a Sea Domain wine.

"Why aren’t you in seclusion, coming here to drink Cyan Bamboo Wine soaked with Cyan Snake?" Ye Xingqun’s voice suddenly rang out.

Following that, a long-dusty jar of Spirit Wine was placed on the table, raising a cloud of dust.

"Uncle Xingqun, my craving!" Ye Jingli replied with a cheerful smile, quickly wiping the stool next to Ye Xingqun.

As if worried about dust on the stool.

Then he took out a Black Mushroom Fish.

"Uncle Xingqun, the Black Mushroom Fish in Lingyun Lake are huge now, it’d be a shame to just sell them!" Ye Jingli cheerfully began cooking the Spirit Fish.

His actions were so skilled that Ye Xingqun was somewhat taken aback, as Ye Jingli cooking Spirit Fish looked just like Ye Jingcheng.

Soon, as the Spirit Fragrance spread, the Black Mushroom Fish was perfectly prepared.

"It’s a bit much for just two people to eat such a large fish!" Ye Jingli said, finding fault in the perfection.

Ye Xingqun said nothing, merely poured Spirit Wine for Ye Jingli.

He glanced at Ye Jingli’s face, still cheerful, and gave a knowing smile.

The two clinked their glasses vigorously, drinking three cups in a row. It wasn’t until a pot of Spirit Wine had been consumed that Ye Jingli said with a smile:

"Uncle Xingqun, nearly seventy years have passed, and still the same taste!"

"Well, what good news do you have to share?" Ye Xingqun finished his drink, also smiling slightly at Ye Jingli.

Previously, he most admired Ye Jingcheng, but now it seemed Ye Jingli was also growing more to his liking.

Hearing this, Ye Jingli took out two Five-Colored Fire Beads, each bead the size of a baby’s fist.

They emitted a five-colored fire pattern, and their aura was noticeably strong.

Clearly, they were Tier Two Top-Grade in strength.

"Uncle Xingqun, these are the latest one-time Five-Colored Bone Fire Beads, refined with five types of Beast Fire, and like a Magical Artifact, they can be refined and absorbed into one’s body. At a crucial moment, they can truly catch the enemy unprepared, and even a Purple Mansion Cultivator might suffer greatly if careless, while those from the Early to Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment could turn to ash in an instant!" Ye Jingli’s eyes shone as he spoke.

When it came to his Magical Artifacts, he was full of expression and confidence.

He didn’t consider himself the greatest Artifact Refiner, but at least competent and imaginative.

Ye Xingqun, upon hearing about the Five-Colored Bone Fire Beads, was full of praise but soon fell into silence, seemingly reminded of something.

For a moment, he did not speak, but Ye Jingli smiled and clinked glasses with him.

Drinking copiously, his view blurred.

Outside the pavilion, rain began to fall lightly.

Ye Xingqun managed, but Ye Jingli was truly getting drunk, unsteady on his feet; neither used Spiritual Energy to disperse the drunkenness.

Ye Xingqun knew, within Ye Jingli’s heart lay some unresolved emotions.

"Jing Li, do you remember Uncle Haitian?"

"He always used to say, ’Unfairness is actually the greatest fairness!’" Ye Xingqun began slowly.

He wasn’t sure if Ye Jingli was too drunk to understand.

But he still cleared his throat and continued.

"When I was young, I couldn’t understand what family was, only knowing to cultivate diligently and pursue immortality. But only those who have gone through this journey know what a lie Cultivation and longevity is: Qi Cultivation lasts a hundred and twenty years, Foundation Establishment two hundred and fifty, and even Nascent Souls, the strongest among us, have only two thousand years of Lifespan. Life is fleeting, like a dream. What is Cultivation to me?"

"So I found solace in the Dao of Insect Control, and though a Spirit Insect may die, as long as it continuously lays eggs, the swarm grows ever larger."

"The old perish, the new come forth, the new grow old, and new ones arrive again, endlessly hopeful!"

"And what is this but a family? The family elders push forward and backward, and one day we will become the elders."

"Thus, when I regained hope in Foundation Establishment amidst hopelessness, my motivation reignited, not for the thirst for Cultivation, but for persistence in legacy. Hope is what we small figures in the Cultivation Realm cultivate: as long as the family exists, hope exists, and so does legacy!"

Ye Xingqun paused, taking up his cup once more, as rain drops curved in the wind, falling into the drink.

Ye Xingqun didn’t mind, and continued drinking heartily.

"Unfairness has always existed, but it has always shifted from the younger in the family to the elder. In the past, a Qi Cultivation Cultivator with weak talent might have to catch a Spirit Beast themselves, or never find one at all, yet now with enough Spirit Stones, they are obtainable. Compared to then, how might we claim fairness?" Ye Xingqun spoke word by word.

On the other side, Ye Jingli was already teary-eyed.

Indeed, it’s not just us moving forward, but the family too.

"Uncle Xingqun, I understand..." Ye Jingli nodded, finally laying his head on the table.

The Ye Family was indeed liberated, but to those on Lingyun Peak, they were forever caged.

They could not move, nor leave, their Spirit Insects outside always sensed a faint Divine Sense.

Those belonged to Black Mushroom Fish merchants who could at any time annihilate Ye Family Cultivators.

And they knew, even though most of the East Sea and Celestial Horse Sea Domain had perished, they defended it; though two Nascent Souls had fallen, more than four Great Cultivators had appeared in the Cyan Cloud Sea Domain. The end of the Beast Tide was only a matter of time.

When the Beast Tide truly ends, whether Qinghe Sect and Medicine King Valley will bear the responsibility, or whether the Ye Family and Taiyi Sect do, no one knows.

This is a bigger game that they are not qualified to join; they can only wait.

Yet even if they hope for the best, they remain hopeful. The worst remains that they may become discarded...

"Jingli, in a month, there’s the family clan gathering; you represent Lingyun Peak and participate!" Ye Xingqun added.

However, Ye Jingli still shook his head.

"Uncle Xingqun, I am going into seclusion to break through. I will not exit without breaking through to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment!"

"Jing Hu is about to break through to the Purple Mansion; I cannot be left too far behind!"

Seeing this, Ye Xingqun sighed silently, taking two of the Three Five-Colored Bone Fire Beads, and gently replying.

"This one, I will give to Jing Yun!" With that, Ye Xingqun drained another cup, leaving the wine jar completely empty.

At some point, the rain at the horizon became heavier, the pattering sounds causing the bamboo rats in the forest to scurry about chaotically.

Raindrops drummed on the bamboo leaves, on the pavilion roof, rippling layer upon layer...