The Whereabouts of the Father

Gazing at the tiny paper crane flapping its wings before him, Yang Fan exhaled softly. With a flick of his hand, a streak of spiritual light shot toward the paper crane. 

The paper crane erupted in a bright azure glow, and amidst the rippling light, a somewhat aged voice echoed:

"Fan'er, come see your master."

The voice reverberated twice in the room before the azure light surrounding the crane began to rapidly dim.

"Yes, Master. I'll be there right away," Yang Fan responded respectfully, his face filled with reverence as he spoke to the crane. 

In the next moment, the light completely faded, and the small crane suddenly ignited, turning to ash in the blink of an eye.

Yang Fan was unsurprised. In the world of cultivation, paper cranes were a basic one-time-use communication tool. Once the message was delivered, they would self-immolate and dissolve into ashes.

"Master must be summoning me for tomorrow's 'Heaven Inquiry Assembly'," Yang Fan sighed softly, glancing at the mysterious ring on his finger before rising and leaving the room. 

He stepped onto his low-grade spiritual artifact, the *Azure Wind Sword*, and flew leisurely over *Yang Fortress*, heading toward his master's residence. 

Yang Fan's master was Elder Liu, the Chief Elder of the Southern Ridge Yang Clan. Despite being an outsider to the family, his cultivation had reached the late *Consolidation Realm*, and his power was profound and mysterious. His close relationship with the family head earned him the position of chief elder. 

As Yang Fan soared through the night sky, he quietly surveyed the vast Yang Fortress, cloaked in darkness and twinkling with scattered lights below. At this moment, he was the only one within the fortress capable of sword flight.

Yang Fortress was home to many mortals and a few cultivators, with the Yang Clan reigning as its rulers. The clan's history stretched back four to five centuries. 

Just as Yang Fan passed a certain spot, a melodic voice rang out from below: 

"Brother Yang Fan! Wait!" 

Yang Fan instinctively halted, immediately recognizing the voice. 

"Sister Yang Man, it's you. And Brother Yang Guang too," he said with a warm smile as he descended from the sky, gazing at the man and woman before him. 

The young man looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, clad in a purple robe, with thick brows and a square face that exuded steadiness. This was Yang Guang, the family head's direct disciple, who had reached the peak of the *Qi Refinement Realm* two years ago. 

Yang Guang was second only to Yang Fan in talent within the family's younger generation and was regarded as the one most likely to reach the *Consolidation Realm* after Yang Fan. 

The young woman, around twenty years of age, wore a moon-white dress, her beauty radiant like a flower in bloom. Her eyes sparkled like water, and her snowy skin glowed softly. Upon seeing Yang Fan, her cheeks flushed, her eyes filled with admiration as she eagerly called out to him.

This was Yang Man, the daughter of the family head. With her natural beauty and remarkable aptitude, she was admired by many of the family's younger disciples.

One could easily imagine the appeal: as the family head's daughter, both beautiful and talented, any man who could win her hand in marriage would gain not only a stunning partner but also the wealth and power of the vast Yang estate. 

However, Yang Man had high standards, and common men were simply not worthy in her eyes.

"Brother Yang Fan, where are you headed? It's rare to see you flying through Yang Fortress like this," Yang Man said sweetly, walking over with a soft tone.

"It's been some time, Sister. How have you been?" Yang Fan replied nonchalantly. Though he felt little for this renowned beauty, his impression of her wasn't negative either.

As Yang Man and Yang Fan engaged in a warm conversation, Yang Guang, feeling left out, couldn't hide a flicker of resentment in his eyes. 

Most of the family's younger disciples knew that Yang Guang was pursuing Yang Man. Yet, it was clear to those with sharp eyes that Yang Man seemed far more interested in Yang Fan.

It should be noted that although many members of the Southern Ridge Yang Clan shared the Yang surname, most were not related by blood. Many, like Yang Guang, were orphans with exceptional potential who were taken in by the family and had their surnames changed to Yang. Yang Fan himself had taken his father's surname, though his ancestral family name wasn't Yang either.

"Heh, Brother Yang Fan, everyone in the Southern Ridge Yang Clan knows you're a prodigy. But with such a beautiful night over the fortress, is it really necessary to flaunt yourself by flying through the air?" Yang Guang's words carried a hint of sarcasm, betraying the jealousy he felt.

In the world of cultivators, the ability to fly by sword only came to those who had reached the *Consolidation Realm*. Within the vast Yang Fortress, no one else in their generation could do this but Yang Fan.

Yang Guang's mocking words, attempting to belittle Yang Fan, revealed the envy simmering within him.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Master has summoned me. I must take my leave. Sister, I'll be going," Yang Fan said, bidding farewell to Yang Man without so much as a glance at Yang Guang before flying off on his sword.

"Farewell, Brother Yang Fan!" Yang Man called cheerfully, her eyes gleaming with admiration as she watched his graceful departure. A soft sigh escaped her lips, "If only I could reach the *Consolidation Realm* and experience the freedom of soaring through the skies."

"Hmph, sword flight? Sister, if you train diligently, you'll be able to reach the *Consolidation Realm* within ten years," Yang Guang said with conviction, though his eyes gleamed with malice as he watched Yang Fan disappear into the distance, his heart swelling with jealousy and spite.

"Ten years?" Yang Man absentmindedly twirled a lock of her hair, her beauty striking even in the dim light. With a cold tone, she added, "Do you expect me to wait that long?"

"Flying through the heavens has been my dream since childhood. It seems that only Brother Yang Fan can help me realize it," she sighed softly, thinking of her unrestrained and proud senior, Yang Fan.

"I *will* reach the *Consolidation Realm*!" Yang Guang clenched his fists, a determined light in his eyes. "Don't worry, Sister. I'll help you achieve that dream too!"

"You?" Yang Man laughed. "Even ten of you wouldn't compare to a single glance from Brother Yang Fan."

"Fine! Let's make a wager," Yang Guang declared with confidence. "Give me one year. Just one year, and I'll reach the *Consolidation Realm*. Then, Sister, you'll have to consider marrying me!"

"One year? Impossible. But if you truly manage it, I might consider it," Yang Man replied, her smile as radiant as a flower in bloom.

…

Without further incident, Yang Fan arrived at Elder Liu's courtyard.

"Come in," came the voice of the elder before Yang Fan could even knock. The door opened by itself, revealing the power of the old man inside, far surpassing Yang Fan's own.

"Greetings, Master," Yang Fan said respectfully as he entered the room, bowing deeply to the elderly man seated cross-legged.

Dressed in simple clothing, Elder Liu had snow-white hair and a youthful face, exuding a vitality far beyond his years. Despite his age, he possessed an energy that could rival that of a young man.

"Sit," Elder Liu said gravely, waving his hand. The door shut behind them, and a powerful barrier quietly enveloped the room.

"Master, what's going on?" Yang Fan asked, sensing the unusual atmosphere. It seemed that his master had summoned him for something far more significant than the Heaven Inquiry Assembly.

"This matter is of great importance," Elder Liu said wearily, his face betraying his fatigue. "First, let me tell you that tomorrow's Heaven Inquiry Assembly will include representatives from the *Capital Yang Clan*, who are coming to select promising disciples from our Southern Ridge branch."

"The Capital Yang Clan?" Yang Fan was taken aback.

In the vast kingdom of Yuyang, spanning eighty thousand miles, the Capital Yang Clan was one of the most illustrious of the four great cultivation families. Its history stretched back over a thousand years. It was said that the Southern Ridge Yang Clan was merely a branch of this mighty family.

The news that the Capital Yang Clan would be selecting disciples seemed like a great opportunity.

Yang Fan thought to himself that with his own talent, he would have a good chance of being chosen if he performed well at the assembly.

Elder Liu, reading Yang Fan's thoughts, suddenly said, "For you, this is not good news."

"Why not?" Yang Fan asked, puzzled. Joining such a prestigious family would grant him access to powerful masters and vast cultivation resources.

"Tonight, I will leave Yang Fortress," Elder Liu said, his face complicated. Instead of answering Yang Fan's question directly, he revealed his decision to depart.

"Master, you're leaving?" Yang Fan was stunned. He immediately knelt down, his eyes red with emotion. "Master, you've treated me with such kindness. Why would you leave so suddenly?"

With a wave of his hand, Elder Liu lifted Yang Fan up with an invisible force. Staring at his disciple, the elder took a deep breath, suppressing the sorrow in his heart as he spoke gently.

"I must leave Yang Fortress, and it has to do with the Capital Yang Clan's arrival