Ye Feng listened to Ye Fan's words and naturally assumed that Ye Fan intended to take action himself. He couldn't hide his joy at the thought of humiliating Li Qinghai thoroughly. However, before he could revel in this thought for long, Ye Fan suddenly changed his tone.

"If it were a few years ago, killing Li Qinghai would have been no big deal. But now, I can't make a move."

"Why is that, cousin?" Ye Feng asked.

"The selection of the Holy Son!" Ye Fan didn't elaborate, merely uttering these six words.

As an inner disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect, Ye Feng wasn't qualified to participate in the selection of the Holy Son. However, he knew what it entailed. Every hundred years, the ten great sects collectively decide to select a Holy Son from each sect. Once chosen, the Holy Son receives the sect's full support and cultivation. No prodigy would willingly give up such an opportunity, and they would fight fiercely for it.

To qualify as the Azure Cloud Sect's Holy Son, one must first be a true disciple, a qualification Ye Fan possessed. With only three years left until the selection, as long as nothing unexpected happened, Ye Fan could participate. The main assessment of the Holy Son selection is combat. The strongest becomes the Holy Son, which is only natural. However, some elders in the Azure Cloud Sect value the character of their disciples. If a disciple's conduct is improper, even if they win the combat, they might still lose the Holy Son title.

Most elders prioritize strength, but the biggest issue lies with one of the sect's ancestors, Haoran Ancestor, who wields a sword of righteous energy and despises the corrupt. It's said that the last Holy Son was cut down by him, a terrifying prospect.

So, upon hearing Ye Fan mention the "Holy Son selection," Ye Feng understood. Ye Fan wanted to build his reputation. If he killed Li Qinghai himself, he would be accused of bullying the weak and harming his fellow disciples, which would be detrimental to his chances in the selection three years later.

Ye Feng understood but was still unwilling. After a long silence, he gritted his teeth and said, "Cousin, are we just going to let Li Qinghai have his way for three more years?"

Ye Fan smiled slightly, "I can't make a move myself, but that doesn't mean you can't."

Ye Feng was taken aback, "But what about Elder Jian Jiu?"

Ye Fan looked at Ye Feng with some disappointment. He had hinted so much, yet Ye Feng still hadn't grasped it. Ye Fan had to spell out his plan.

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"Later, find some Qi Refining disciples and have them kill Li Qinghai. This way, Li Qinghai will die at the hands of his peers, and it can be said he was simply outmatched."

"Do you think Elder Jian Jiu would have the face to investigate for such a weak disciple?"

"Even if Elder Jian Jiu is fond of Li Qinghai and disregards his reputation to investigate, and it leads back to you, he can't kill you for revenge since you didn't do it yourself. He would have to ask for an explanation from my master."

"With my connection, my master will protect you. With my master's temperament, he might even mock Jian Jiu for teaching such a weak disciple and still having the nerve to demand an explanation."

"In the end, even if the Sect Master steps in to resolve the conflict, he wouldn't embarrass me for a mere Qi Refining disciple like Li Qinghai."

"The final outcome would be that a big issue becomes a small one, and a small issue becomes nothing."

"Now, do you understand?"

Ye Feng looked at Ye Fan with admiration, "Cousin, how did you come up with such a meticulous plan? It's flawless, with no loopholes."

Ye Fan shook his head, "If you just put in a little thought, you could come up with it too."

Ye Feng laughed, "With you around, cousin, why do I need to think? I just need to follow your instructions."

Ye Fan felt a bit frustrated but didn't bother to say more, waving his hand dismissively. "Go back. I need to stabilize my cultivation."

"Cousin, I'm leaving then."

As Ye Feng was about to leave, he suddenly thought of something and paused to ask, "Cousin, what about Lu Beixue?"

"She's just a woman who doesn't know her place. Deal with her along with Li Qinghai."

"Cousin, don't you want her as your Dao companion anymore?"

"When I become the Holy Son, my Dao companion will be the saintess of another sect. Lu Beixue is just a pretty maid. Since she doesn't cherish her life, let her die."

"Understood."

With that, Ye Feng left the cave and summoned his flying sword, soaring into the sky with a smile on his face. "Li Qinghai, you've lived long enough. You should be grateful!"

...

At this moment, under the starry sky, Li Qinghai finally returned to the Green Bamboo Residence. It was already late at night. According to his usual lazy schedule, he should be going to bed. But tonight might be a dark and windy night for murder, so he had no time to sleep.

Ignoring his fatigue, Li Qinghai grabbed a hoe from the wall and began tilling the soil without a word. As he tilled, he planted spiritual herb seeds. His plan was simple: quickly replant the spiritual herbs and reactivate the protective formation.

Last time, the spiritual herbs had just sprouted before withering away. The spiritual field in the courtyard had been empty, so the formation hadn't been activated. This time, to save his life, the protective formation was a must.

Though this formation couldn't stop Ye Fan, Li Qinghai hoped Ye Fan would disdain to act personally and send Ye Feng instead. In that case, the formation would be enough to stop Ye Feng. Even if Ye Fan shamelessly attacked, breaking the formation would cause a significant disturbance. Perhaps someone sensing the battle fluctuations would come to his aid.

In any case, he had to plant the field. Unlike last time, Li Qinghai was now at the fifth level of Qi Refining. With spiritual energy enhancing his hoe, he could cultivate the spiritual field quickly and accurately. In no time, the field was replanted, and spiritual energy began to gather around the Green Bamboo Residence. A transparent barrier gradually formed, enveloping the entire residence.

Although the formation had broken last time when Li Qinghai was condensing Qi, that was because the spiritual energy had been siphoned away, leaving the formation without energy to operate. The foundation of the formation itself wasn't damaged, so it could be reactivated this time.

Seeing the formation activate, Li Qinghai felt a sense of security. Supporting his aching back, he slowly walked back to his small wooden house, muttering to himself, "Looks like I can't go out for a while. It's a good time to study the Azure Cloud Sword Technique!"

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