Watching her family's reactions, Lan Lan did not interrupt. She waited until everyone calmed down, then recounted everything she had seen and heard at the Special Department.
When Wei Lanlan finished, the living room fell into a deathly silence. Wei Lanlan gave a bitter smile. It seemed the Master had been right. The Wei Lan family was not blameless for Weilan Star reaching this point.
The stern man was Wei Lanlan's grandfather, the current head of the Wei Lan family, Wei Lansong. He asked in a low voice, "Lan Lan, some things begin by chance. But as events unfold, they snowball. We are swept along, unable to stop."
Wei Lanlan stroked Li Li's head. "Grandfather, if you say that, then you know things are spiraling out of control. Why not cut your losses in time?"
"Lan Lan, how can you speak to your grandfather like that? He has his difficulties. We are balancing more than one faction. If the public learned the truth, do you know how much panic it would cause?"
Wei Lanlan lowered her head and said nothing.
"A Liang, do not scold Lan Lan. She is still young and has only heard one side from outsiders."
The gentle woman stopped her son at once. She turned to her granddaughter. "Lan Lan, your grandfather has already arranged a dedicated research effort. I believe a solution will be found."
Wei Lanlan raised her head. "But our time is short. Only a hundred years. I will not live to see the end of it. What about you? Will you keep the family's glory alive in this way?"
Her words plunged everyone back into silence.
Wei Lansong looked at his granddaughter's disappointed face and seemed to see, once more, his younger son who had been disappointed in him the same way. That son had said similar words. Though he had reincarnated by another method, what was etched into his soul had not changed.
Wei Lansong sighed. "Lan Lan, I want to meet the Master you mentioned, Master Ran Xi."
Wei Lanlan looked at her increasingly aged grandfather and nodded with difficulty. She took out her phone and dialed Ran Xi's video call.
When the call connected, the Wei Lan family saw the "Master" Lan Lan had spoken of: a young woman so beautiful it brooked no dispute, dressed in a white gown, sipping tea with effortless grace, unsurprised by the call.
Seizing the chance, Li Li hopped onto Wei Lanlan's knee and "woo-wooed" at Yunxi on the screen, as if reporting to his master.
Hearing Li Li out, Yunxi put down her teacup and addressed Wei Lansong, whose temples were frosted yet whose authority had not dimmed. "Mr. Wei Lan, you wish to see me about the Reincarnation System?"
Wei Lansong nodded steadily. "The Reincarnation Department under the Special Department only oversees operations. They do not understand matters outside the System itself. I would like to speak with you in person. Some things are not convenient to discuss over the phone."
"That is fine. Will you come to my temporary residence, or shall I visit your manor?"
Yunxi asked with a smile.
Wei Lansong considered, then said, "I must trouble Master Ran Xi to come to the manor. My movements are constantly watched. I do not wish to draw attention before the matter is resolved."
"Very well. See you tomorrow."
With that, Yunxi ended the call.
Beside her, Han Lian said, "We will accompany you tomorrow."
"No need. I will go alone. I mainly want to gauge the ruling family's attitude. It matters for our next steps.
You three should calculate the original location of the Ghost Gate as soon as possible. Once you determine the corresponding Five Elements positions, we will begin setting up the formation. When the secret realm opens, I will release Baifeng."
Han Lian nodded. "Understood. Good thing we have Yun Chen, or we would spend much more time on this."
"Amitabha. This is my specialty. Leave it to me. But to activate the Five Elements Reincarnation Formation and knock on the Ghost Gate with just the four of us, our cultivation may be insufficient."
Yun Chen was being honest. The Five Elements Reincarnation Formation was a Buddhist array, five major formations nested with four minor ones. Having one person activate one formation was already a stretch.
Unfortunately, on Azure Star there were only four cultivators, and even adding Han Lian's fifth-rank spirit beast Baifeng, they could barely fill the five formation eyes. With too few people, they would have to make up the difference with cultivation. Hence his worry.
Han Lian sighed. "Looks like this trip will cost us all the compensation we got from Huaxian Gate."
Xun Kun had already changed back into his black dark-patterned robe. He rubbed the storage ring on his finger and said gravely, "My demon stones can barely support me to late Divine Transformation. I am still short of what I need to break through to Out-of-Body."
"Amitabha. The same for me. But if we can resolve Azure Star's crisis, we will gain merit. Perhaps there will be a chance to impact Out-of-Body."
Yunxi thought for a moment. "I can refine breakthrough elixirs tailored to each of you. They should help you reach Out-of-Body. This time, we must break through.
Do not forget, we intend to borrow the path through the underworld to return to Weiyu Realm. We are living cultivators. Entering the underworld in the flesh is unwise. Only after reaching Out-of-Body can our souls leave the body for a long time."
Han Lian set down her teacup and patted her forehead. "Tsk, I would have forgotten if you had not said it."
Xun Kun said in a low voice, "Ran Xi, I trust your alchemy. But a forced-breakthrough elixir is something a cultivator should only use once. Using it here, is that not wasteful?"
He was not overly worried about stalling at Out-of-Body. Getting back to Weiyu Realm alive was the priority. Everything else could wait.
Yunxi chuckled. "The breakthrough elixirs I refine are not ordinary. They are tailored to you, designed to stimulate potential as much as possible without hindering future advancement."
Han Lian asked, "In the sealed land of the Shanhe Scroll, when you provided breakthrough elixirs for other Nascent Soul cultivators, you said there would be a side effect of stalled cultivation. Why not for us?"
Yunxi sighed. "I prefer not to make sweeping promises. As the sole heir of Yixian Gate, I have long been targeted by evil cultivators. If Daoists also chase me for elixirs, I would not even be able to leave the sect to temper myself. Besides, I still believe cultivation is most solid when earned by diligent practice. Elixirs or pills are only auxiliary."
In truth, Yunxi mostly wanted to avoid trouble. The drawbacks of forced-breakthrough elixirs would deter many cultivators. And when it truly came time to refine them, the required materials would deter another wave. Only then could she have some peace.
Han Lian's bold brows lifted. "The spiritual herbs needed for such elixirs are not few. Do you have enough materials on hand? I have some ice-attribute herbs. I will pitch in."
She began rifling through her storage bangle. Xun Kun and Yun Chen did the same.
Yunxi did not stop them. These herbs would be just right to trade with Star Trek. This time, however, she asked each of the three for a lock of hair, to make it convenient for Star Trek to refine exclusive gene enhancers for them.