Chen Aji's words left Ye Yu momentarily stunned in place.
So, because of the barrier, no one could see what was happening here?
No wonder when he stood on the spirit boat and looked outside earlier, everything seemed blurry.
After Zuo Yingchun left, the surroundings suddenly rippled, and the spirit boat appeared out of nowhere.
So, everything was because of the barrier.
There was no doubt. This was definitely Zuo Yingchun's doing.
When she left, the barrier broke, causing this current misunderstanding.
But why would Zuo Yingchun, without any warning, set up a barrier?
Was it to guard against someone?
Wait.
Was it to guard against Zhu Diezhen and Wei Aoshu?
No wonder Wei Aoshu hadn't returned all night.
She must have been misled by the barrier, thinking that Ye Yu had taken the spirit boat and left.
At this thought, Ye Yu's expression turned very strange.
It all made sense now. Wei Aoshu's disappearance was also due to this barrier.
Hmm, in a way, it wasn't so bad.
If it weren't for this barrier, Ye Yu might have been interrupted during his calligraphy practice last night. That would have been truly frustrating.
Seeing that Ye Yu remained silent, Chen Aji immediately became serious.
He shielded Xiaoyun behind him with one hand and shouted at Ye Yu, "How much spirit stones did the Wang Family give you? We'll double it!"
"Clear a path and let us pass, how about it?"
These words snapped Ye Yu out of his reverie.
He replied immediately, "What Wang Family? I have no idea what you're talking about. You're free to leave anytime, but let's be clear: The collision of the spirit boats was an accident."
"So, don't expect me to compensate!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Aji's expression changed.
If he wasn't from the Wang Family, that made things easier!
"Regardless of the situation, our spirit boat is damaged. You can't just say it has nothing to do with you. How about this: take us to a certain place, and we'll call it even. How does that sound?"
Ye Yu squinted slightly.
He shook his head slowly.
He wasn't the kind of warm-hearted person who would help others for no reason.
At that moment, Xiaoyun clasped her hands and softly said, "Fellow Daoist, please, could you help us? Without our spirit boat, we'll be captured by bad people very soon."
"As long as you're willing to take us away, I'll give you spirit stones, whatever amount you ask for, without haggling!"
Ye Yu furrowed his brows slightly.
The young lady looked about eighteen or nineteen, appearing quite pitiful.
After a moment of silence, he replied softly, "I don't need spirit stones. Do you have Dark Abyss Flowers? I want two hundred of them!"
Xiaoyun immediately nodded and said, "Yes, I do have Dark Abyss Flowers. I can give you one hundred right now!"
Ye Yu's eyes lit up immediately.
Originally, he had just asked on a whim, but he didn't expect that they actually had such a thing.
So, Ye Yu didn't mind piloting the spirit boat to take them around a little.
Afterward, Xiaoyun and Chen Aji boarded Ye Yu's spirit boat and brought out one hundred Dark Abyss Flowers.
This was also the first time Ye Yu had seen this kind of flower.
They looked a bit grayish in petals, but shimmered with occasional flashes of light.
Ye Yu didn't hesitate and accepted the down payment.
During this time, Chen Aji looked pained throughout.
He kept saying it was expensive, but he was rebuked by Xiaoyun.
Later on, through conversation, Ye Yu learned that Xiaoyun came from a cultivation family.
Because they had offended someone before, almost the entire cultivation family was slaughtered.
Only a few members survived by chance, living in hiding and relying on their ancestral foundation to barely get by.
But nowadays, a person rumored to have died in Xiaoyun's family suddenly returned.
Not only had she become a great cultivator in the Tribulation Crossing Realm, but she also killed the enemies with a force of thunder.
For a while, this made their family's reputation resound.
The great cultivator in the Tribulation Crossing Realm immediately declared, to call back the family's members, ready to rebuild the family.
Upon receiving this news, Xiaoyun immediately began to pack all her belongings, planning to join them in a few days. However, an unexpected incident occurred along the way.
As the saying goes, "People fear fame like pigs fear fattening."
At the time when Xiaoyun's family was in decline, no one cared.
But now, with the sudden appearance of a Tribulation Crossing cultivator, various factions were eager to show goodwill.
Among them, the Wang family, a prominent cultivation family in Fuan Province, was the most shameless, directly bringing up a marriage contract from several hundred years ago.
When she saw the marriage contract, Xiaoyun was so furious that she trembled all over.
Back when her family faced disaster, Xiaoyun had originally thought of seeking the Wang family's protection.
But the Wang family, fearing to get caught up in the trouble, immediately declared the engagement void and drove Xiaoyun away.
At that time, Xiaoyun felt utterly helpless. If it hadn't been for the old servant Chen Aji staying by her side, she might have considered ending her life.
But now, with a powerful cultivator suddenly emerging from her family, the Wang family brings out the marriage contract again?
What is this? Do they take me, Xiaoyun, as a mere tool for political marriage? Useful when they want me, discarded when they don't? Dream on!
Xiaoyun decisively rejected the Wang family's proposal and left with her people, parting on bad terms.
Who would have thought that the Wang family would send cultivators to forcibly take Xiaoyun back, intending to coerce her into marriage?
This terrified Xiaoyun immensely. Without even finishing packing, she hurriedly took her people and fled on the spirit boat.
Then came the scene where they encountered Ye Yu.
After hearing her story, Ye Yu couldn't help but sigh. It truly was the case of "poor in the bustling city, rich in the remote mountains."
Xiaoyun said with a sorrowful expression, "Daoist friend, when I met you, I was truly at my wit's end. The hired cultivators traveling with us have all died in battle. Only Uncle Chen is left."
"If you hadn't appeared, we really wouldn't have known what to do. Please let me express my gratitude once again."
"Once we successfully return to our family, I'm willing to offer another hundred high-grade spirit stones as a token of thanks. Please accept them."
Upon hearing these words, Chen Aji immediately waved his hand and said, "Mistress, two hundred Dark Abyss Flowers alone are already priceless. Adding another hundred high-grade spirit stones would be too much!"
"Uncle Chen, please don't say that. A mere hundred spirit stones may not even catch Daoist Ye's eye."
"From this spirit boat, can't you tell that Daoist Ye is certainly not lacking in spirit stones? This is just our way of showing our gratitude. Please do accept them!"
Xiaoyun said as she bowed to Ye Yu once again.
It must be said, people from large clans are indeed different. Even in decline, they can still produce a hundred high-grade spirit stones.
This could represent a thousand medium-grade spirit stones or ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.
Such a generous gift. There was no reason for Ye Yu to refuse.
He nodded in agreement.
But before he could speak, suddenly, a voice came from behind the spirit boat.
"Stop right there, Daoist friend in front. We are from the Wang Family of Fuan Province."
"The lady on your spirit boat is our Wang Family's young mistress. Please hand her over to us!"
"The Wang Family will surely reward you generously!"