"Personal disciple of the Southern Exalt, Liu Xianting?" Yan Zhaoge repeated.
Mu Jun nodded, "I have only met her once before. It was thirty years ago, and we did not talk then."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "I have not heard any news of her in recent years, not knowing if she has been adventuring outside or residing at Wutong Slope. My understanding of her is also limited."
"Beneath the boundless heavens, how many billions of lifeforms are there? It is not rare at all to see people with similar appearances yet are unrelated by blood. Therefore, I cannot dare to be certain that she is indeed related to the person whom you and junior apprentice-brother Tang speak of."
"Still, connecting this with the matter of Zhuang Chaohui taking her away for no apparent reason at all, I think that there may really be a connection here."
After saying so, Mu Jun glanced at Yan Zhaoge.
Tang Yonghao definitely hoped for Golden Court Mountain to think of a way to help save Meng Wan.
It was just that because of how sensitive an issue his phoenix bone was, he was unable to really speak up regarding this matter as he could only just abide by the arrangements that they made.
If Mu Jun were to make the decision, he definitely would not want to find unnecessary trouble.
With the phoenix bone, Golden Court Mountain's interactions with Phoenix Ritual Mountain's Wutong Slope would be enabled greatly.
Yan Zhaoge pondered, "Since that is so, Meng Wan should be in no danger of dying after being brought away by Zhuang Chaohui at the very least."
"Zhuang Chaohui should have done so for personal reasons, this being not much related to the phoenix bone."
Mu Jun said, "If this old friend of you as well as junior apprentice-brother Tang is related to Liu Xianting in actuality, that is."
Yan Zhaoge slowly nodded.
There was also the possibility of this being a case of mistaken identity on Zhuang Chaohui's part.
If it were really one of those similar looking but wholly unrelated people like Mu Jun had said, it might just be a coincidence that Meng Wan looked similar to Liu Xianting.
After taking his leave of Mu Jun, Yan Zhaoge saw Feng Yunsheng and the rest whereupon he related this to them.
"This is just one clue," Yan Zhaoge said at the end, "The situation regarding Meng Wan is actually still not all that clear."
He spread his hands apart, "For example, if Meng Wan's mother really is Liu Xianting, who might her father be?"
Feng Yunsheng pinched her forehead, "I only hope she will be treated well where they took her."
Yan Zhaoge said, "If Mu Jun did not imaginarily construct this Wutong Slope disciple Liu Xianting based on Meng Wan's looks, this should not be much of a problem at all."
"Even if Meng Wan is unrelated to Liu Xianting and it is a case of mistaken identity, Meng Wan will likely not be in any danger. At most, she will just be questioned regarding our clan, the Extreme Yin Crown and the Eight Extremities World."
Feng Yunsheng nodded.
Yan Zhaoge looked at Yan Di, "Based on Xiao Ai's words, mother seems to be avoiding her enemies. Since we do not know who these people looking for trouble with her are, in order to keep the news from leaking, I did not try to ask about her from those of Golden Court Mountain."
Yan Di said, "Yes, that was the right decision."
He surveyed the local environment of Golden Court Mountain, saying, "We have already gained the answer we wanted from our trip to Golden Court Mountain this time."
"After this, I will be returning to the Royal Reed Sea. As for you, act freely and decide on your route for yourself."
Hearing this, Yan Zhaoge said, "Relax, I basically know when the black hole at the bottom of the sea in the Clear Scenic Region will vanish with Kang Ping and the rest hence freeing themselves from it."
After Yan Di's departure, Yan Zhaoge spent two more days on Golden Court Mountain, getting more familiar with the people there.
In his free time, he would casually check on where Heavenly Flame Trees grew in the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory.
Yan Di aside, Golden Court Mountain indeed dispatched many additional experts westward to the Royal Reed Sea.
The frontlines between the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory and the southern Blazing Heaven Territory were located there. Both sides were currently still in a conflict over the phoenix bone as Zhuang Chaozhou's group would definitely not give up on it so easily.
A few days later, Yan Zhaoge's party took their leave of the Southeastern Exalt, leaving Golden Court Mountain.
Yan Zhaoge smiled, "Xiao Ai, next up is for you to navigate just as 'An old horse knows its way'."
Xiao Ai said very earnestly, "Young Master, it is a young horse."
According to Xiao Ai's words, Xue Chuqing had travelled to many different places before.
Not just the places that she had visited alone, even the places that she had travelled to with Xiao Ai by her side were many indeed.
Rather than just the World beyond Worlds and some foreign dimensions, Xiao Ai had even accompanied her in descending to lower worlds before then coming back up.
The Dim Radiant Mausoleum was one such place, and there were a few others in the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory as well.
One of them was even not so far away from the Royal Reed Sea, being located right to its south.
Yan Zhaoge's party headed off from Golden Court Mountain, searching from the nearer to the further locations.
Sadly, there weren't many clues left behind in these places.
Yan Zhaoge was actually most interested in Kunlun Mountain of the Jun Heaven Territory.
His intuition told him that his mother most likely hailed from there, that the most valuable clues were to be found there.
Still, firstly, it was too far away, and secondly, things seemed complex there. Xue Chuqing could be being pursued right now. Sending himself up to their doorstep might be playing right into the hands of her enemies.
After thinking about it, Yan Zhaoge still decided against this very enticing notion in the end.
"Young Master, a while later and we should be arriving in the vicinity of the Setting Sun Archipelago?" Ah Hu shielded his eyes with his hand, gazing into the distance.
Yan Zhaoge ate a meat skewer on Pan-Pan's back while saying nonchalantly, "Strictly speaking, we are already in the domain of the Setting Sun Archipelago."
They had already been travelling like this for more than half a year.
They had not wasted their time as they had also been cultivating amidst this.
Pan-Pan had already awoken from his slumber, having successfully refined the Taotie's demonic heart and demonic blood.
The Setting Sun Archipelago was located at the southwestern corner of the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory. To the north and a bit to the west was the Royal Reed Sea which it neighboured.
This was also a part of the mainland of the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory in its western region of sea. While it was called an archipelago, it actually encompassed a huge area as it could literally be viewed as several mini-continents all squeezed together in one place.
The Setting Sun Archipelago's domain was composed of more continent than ocean.
According to Xiao Ai, Xue Chuqing had once secretly resided on one of the isles here for some time.
Heading southeast from here, one would arrive at the official mainland where there was the Jade Sun Mountain Range in which Heavenly Flame Trees grew.
Yan Zhaoge intended to find his mother's old residence before heading to the Jade Sun Mountain Range, checking up on the matter of the Heavenly Flame Trees and the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill.
"Young Mistress, how skilled!" At this moment, Xiao Ai was seated beside Yan Zhaoge, her hands each holding a wooden skewer as she happily ate her fill.
Holding a skewer herself, Feng Yunsheng smiled as she ate, "Good that you like it."
A large pot hovered in the air in front of her, blazing flames ignited in the air below as an enticing fragrance emanated from the soup boiling within.
Over ten long skewers that held food were by the side of the pot. Feng Yunsheng casually picked up one of them, throwing it forward.
The skewer fell in an arc. Down below, Pan-Pan directly spun his head and swallowed it in a single gup, his eyes instantly blinking happily in delight.
Holding a skewer as well, Ah Hu was chuckling as he ate, "In this domain that neighbours the Royal Reed Sea, news from there has already spread here. Young Master, you can already be considered famous now."
Yan Zhaoge asked with mounting interest, "Oh? What do they say?"