Mo Xuanli slowly lifted his eyes, absentmindedly answering the waiter’s question, yet his gaze could not help but fix on the man ahead.
The man was wearing a cloak, concealing his figure, but… Mo Xuanli’s heart inexplicably tightened.
Ji Chuling looked at the person she had encountered again. In fact, the reason she recognized him was entirely because Gu Baiqing habitually wore a mask whenever he went out.
So Ji Chuling recognized him immediately and was just about to speak when the man in front of her suddenly moved like a startled bird. He abruptly reached out, covered Ji Chuling’s mouth in one motion, and dragged her into the room at nearly afterimage speed.
Mo Xuanli only saw a flash of a retreating figure, seemingly dragging someone into a nearby room. He frowned slightly.
Ji Chuling, however, was shocked. She thought the other party was truly a bad person trying to kidnap her. She immediately clenched a spell in her hand and struck Gu Baiqing’s chest.
Gu Baiqing naturally had no guard against Ji Chuling and was struck hard, letting out a muffled groan. He quickly released Ji Chuling. “Wait, I was helping you just now. The two people you’re tracking are at the other end of the corridor. Someone from their side just came out. I was afraid you’d be discovered, so I…”
Ji Chuling was still shaken, watching Gu Baiqing warily, but she also realized that the person in front of her seemed to have little spiritual power and was no match for her at all.
“R-really?” Ji Chuling asked in surprise.
“If you don’t believe me, quietly open the door and take a look, but don’t go out. You’ll be discovered.” Gu Baiqing rubbed his aching chest. His entire body was filled with the exhaustion of a narrow escape. He sat down directly and ignored Ji Chuling, knowing she would not dare expose herself either.
Ji Chuling was still somewhat suspicious. She carefully moved close to the door and opened a small crack. The next second, she sucked in a sharp breath, immediately closed the door, and, to be safe, even bolted it. She had probably seen Mo Xuanli.
After calming down for a bit, Ji Chuling awkwardly stepped forward and said, “Um… sorry about that. Are you okay? I have spiritual medicine here, I can give you some…”
Gu Baiqing waved his hand. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll be okay after resting a bit.”
Ji Chuling felt very guilty and at the same time developed a favorable impression of Gu Baiqing. “Big brother, you’re really a good person. If you hadn’t suddenly acted, I would have been discovered just now. Thank you so much. I’ll give you something as a thank-you gift.”
As she spoke, Ji Chuling was about to rummage through her storage pouch.
Gu Baiqing waved his hand again. “No need. It was just an accident.”
Ji Chuling was a little at a loss, standing there uneasily like a child who had made a mistake. Gu Baiqing could only tell her to sit down first.
Ji Chuling had not expected this big brother to be so easygoing, and she immediately became more enthusiastic. “Big brother, we’re kind of fated to meet too. My surname is Ji. As you can see, I’m following those two people. That one in blue… is my future dao companion.”
Gu Baiqing had originally been calmly listening to Ji Chuling’s self-introduction while rubbing his injury, but he did not expect the girl to be so fierce. He immediately started coughing.
Alright then, future dao companion, fair enough.
Ji Chuling looked at Gu Baiqing with concern. Gu Baiqing could only casually respond along with her words. When it came to introducing himself, he originally wanted to say Mo Bai, but then suddenly remembered that Ji Chuling had heard this alias before, so he could only say, “My surname is Bai.”
“Young Master Bai, why do you wear a mask even in private?” Ji Chuling asked curiously.
Gu Baiqing awkwardly touched his mask. In fact, the face underneath was also one they did not recognize, but it always felt as if having an extra layer of protection made him feel at ease.
“It’s… a family rule. I must cover my face.”
Ji Chuling asked curiously, “That’s so strange. Then what if you take it off?”
Gu Baiqing was really afraid that this girl’s curiosity would make her do something mischievous, so he directly scared her. “Then I’d have to marry her.”
Ji Chuling was instantly shocked. “There’s such a rule? Whoever sees your face, you have to marry her?”
Seeing the girl’s horrified expression, she probably no longer dared to be curious.
The two chatted casually for a while more, and Ji Chuling then noticed that from this room’s window, one could see the distant terrace from another angle. She simply sat by the window, craning her neck to watch.
With one look, she could confirm that Mo Xuanli had already gone back. The three were still sitting there talking.
This angle was truly good, safe and concealed. Ji Chuling looked reluctant to leave. Gu Baiqing did not chase her away and instead found an excuse to go out. He had been planning to leave anyway. Once he stepped out, he would immediately change to the farthest inn. What rotten luck, after all that careful choosing, he had ended up walking straight into a dead end.
Gu Baiqing gave a brief greeting, opened the door, and was about to slip away. But as soon as he opened the door, before he could even step out, he heard a meow from the staircase area. Gu Baiqing was so startled that he immediately shut the door again.
Ji Chuling looked at him. Gu Baiqing said awkwardly, “There’s… a cat at the door. I’m afraid of cats.”
Ji Chuling was quite surprised, but when she thought of the cat being Three Bean, she explained, “That’s a spirit beast. It’s not dangerous.”
Gu Baiqing awkwardly twitched the corner of his mouth, sat down in exhaustion, and gave up. He would leave when it was late and quiet.
Not long after, the waiter’s voice came from outside the door, it was the hot water he had ordered earlier being delivered.
When Ji Chuling heard that it was for bathing, she finally felt too embarrassed to continue imposing. She raised her hand and took her leave.
Gu Baiqing collapsed onto the bed in a powerless pose. He had no mood to bathe anymore and could only sit in meditation to calm himself.
At the same time, on the other side, Mo Xuanli and Li Xiuran had already explained their purpose, they wanted to participate in the Divine Tree’s Blessing event.
The Immortal Medicine Valley has a Divine Tree, said to be the only one left from ancient times. It possesses spiritual awareness. Not only does it continuously produce spiritual energy that takes root underground, nourishing the Immortal Medicine Valley’s medicinal fields, but the flowers it produces also have miraculous effects.
The so-called Divine Tree’s Blessing is that every few years, the Divine Tree sheds flowers once. When petals fall onto people, they bestow different things: perhaps a large amount of spiritual energy, perhaps an opportunity to break through a mental bottleneck, perhaps assistance in dealing with heart demons, perhaps a chance to repair bodily damage, or perhaps no effect at all, just ordinary flowers. Thus, the blessing varies according to each person’s fortune. However, over thousands of years, opportunities to gain truly exceptional benefits have been extremely rare, and in recent years even more so. Most people only gain a bit of spiritual energy or something like physical strengthening.
So it was not something particularly worth coveting by the outside world, but each time the event was held, many people still wanted to participate.
At such times, the Immortal Medicine Valley would randomly invite some people from Xiayang City to enter as witnesses. In truth, the main purpose was to witness the Immortal Medicine Valley’s medical cultivator assessments. It was similar to tonight’s situation, the witnesses essentially acted as volunteer judges and test subjects for the assessments. Therefore, anyone who entered could not only be considered to have received a free opportunity for diagnosis and treatment from future Medical Venerables, but could also obtain pills unavailable outside, and in the end even receive the Divine Tree’s Blessing. All of these were good things. Naturally, everyone was willing to be a test subject.
And this became the legitimate opportunity for Mo Xuanli and Li Xiuran to enter and search the Immortal Medicine Valley.
However, they had also asked Ao Hang about the Divine Tree.
Ao Hang looked utterly baffled. Even a true dragon like him, left behind from the ancient war between gods and demons, was subject to all kinds of restrictions from the Heavenly Dao. How could a tree have such abilities? Moreover, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth was far thinner now than in ancient times. If it were truly a Divine Tree from ancient times, it would have long since withered from being unable to adapt. How could it possibly still be alive? Thus, Ao Hang directly concluded that it was fake.
Mo Xuanli and Li Xiuran could not make sense of it either and could only take things one step at a time.
Lou Zixiao immediately assured them, “Don’t worry, this is very simple. The invitations start tomorrow. I’ll take you in directly. But you two are… experiencing some physical discomfort, or…”
“We’re just curious. We’ve never seen it before,” Li Xiuran said with a smile.
Lou Zixiao immediately smiled. “When the Divine Tree’s flowers fall, it’s truly beautiful, and the Immortal Medicine Valley is also very beautiful. When you go, it will definitely be worth the trip. It’s absolutely the most beautiful sight in the world.”
Li Xiuran said, “Didn’t you say you’ve never left Xiayang City? If you’ve never left, how do you know your Immortal Medicine Valley is the most beautiful place?”
Lou Zixiao protested, “No matter how beautiful the world’s scenery is, it can never compare to our Immortal Medicine Valley.”
Hearing this, Mo Xuanli was just about to carefully probe into Lou Zixiao’s background when suddenly a cold wind surged. Mo Xuanli and Li Xiuran’s expressions changed almost simultaneously. Mo Xuanli instantly pulled Lou Zixiao and flung her backward, while he and Li Xiuran revealed their weapons, standing left and right.
In an instant, countless flying birds shot straight out of the darkness like sharp arrows, and dozens of dark figures were hidden among the flock of black birds, carrying strange spiritual energy as they attacked.
At first, they thought the attackers were enemies targeting them, but they quickly realized something was wrong.
They heard Lou Zixiao shout from behind, “That’s a poisonous bird swarm. It’s being controlled and can form a poison formation. Be careful!”
But the very next second, a small poison formation made up of the bird swarm charged straight toward Lou Zixiao, and the black shadows also moved toward her.
Mo Xuanli and Li Xiuran instantly understood that the attackers were after the young girl. Using such lethal force against a medical cultivator who had just established her foundation meant they were going for a certain kill.
Seeing this, Lou Zixiao was so frightened that she retreated again and again. Her combat ability was average, and she was no match for the danger before her. She could only immediately leap onto the rooftop, trying to escape.
Just as Lou Zixiao was about to be in serious trouble, God Nine Transformations transformed into eighteen nails that shot out and rapidly spun through the air, as if forming eighteen whirlpools that swept all approaching threats into them.
Li Xiuran stayed where he was, exterminating all the flying birds.
Mo Xuanli flew closer to protect Lou Zixiao. At that moment, a black shadow directly circled around to launch a sneak attack from behind. Mo Xuanli countered with a spell, and the spiritual force from the collision directly knocked Lou Zixiao off the rooftop.
Mo Xuanli hurriedly flew down to save her.
At the same time, the disturbance of spiritual energy outside alarmed Gu Baiqing.
As soon as Gu Baiqing opened his eyes, he heard the sounds of fighting and slaughter. He immediately went to the window and opened it to look. Just then, an impact came from above, and in an instant, a white figure holding a jade-green figure dropped past him into the courtyard below.
Gu Baiqing naturally recognized who it was at once. He immediately slipped behind the window and secretly looked down. Sure enough, he saw Mo Xuanli holding that young girl.
It was rare for Mo Xuanli to be this close to a woman. Although he was protecting her, it was still uncommon, making Gu Baiqing pause slightly. The girl seemed dizzy and unsteady on her feet, so Mo Xuanli could only temporarily hold her while using one hand to fend off the enemy’s attacks.
Looking more closely, Gu Baiqing saw that the attackers did not seem to be cultivators, but rather a strange kind of people. Their movements were soundless, and their spiritual energy seemed to be gradually fading. Still, they should not pose much of a threat to Mo Xuanli.
Gu Baiqing glanced around and, as expected, saw a familiar figure standing on a rooftop, holding a cat and watching leisurely, with no intention of intervening.
This Ao Hang really was something, coming along but not bothering to help properly. He probably felt that Mo Xuanli alone was more than enough.
As he was thinking this, Gu Baiqing’s gaze suddenly sharpened. His perception of spiritual energy was naturally as profound as his cultivation, and he immediately noticed that the shadow in the corner of the courtyard wall seemed off.
Although the lighting was insufficient, Gu Baiqing still saw something moving within the shadow.
At just that moment, Mo Xuanli retreated backward with the young girl.
Gu Baiqing then saw what looked like a sharp corner emerging from that neatly shaped shadow.
In the critical instant, Gu Baiqing instinctively shouted, “Watch out behind you!”
And at the same time Gu Baiqing shouted, Mo Xuanli had already sensed something wrong behind him.
One of the nails from God Nine Transformations transformed shot straight into the shadow, and a corpse fell directly out of it.
By this time, Mo Xuanli had already eliminated all the enemies. He looked up toward the place from which the warning had come.
However, there were quite a few cultivators watching nearby. Only one window was half open, but there was no figure in sight. Mo Xuanli looked uncertainly at that window.
Just then, a powerful force swept in. Mo Xuanli’s expression changed instantly, and Li Xiuran also sensed something wrong. After finishing off the birds, he immediately rushed over.
The two of them stood ready, and Lou Zixiao finally regained consciousness.
She then saw several dark-green figures flying over and landing in front of everyone in an instant.
The leader was a man with very high cultivation. His exact age was unknown, but his appearance was fixed at around his thirties. He was dressed in an elegant, scholarly manner, yet his face was expressionless. He did not seem to be with the earlier attackers, but his gaze, along with those behind him, was fixed on Lou Zixiao.
Mo Xuanli and Li Xiuran were ready to strike at any moment when Lou Zixiao, suddenly released from Mo Xuanli’s hold, cried out in shock, “Master!”
Lou Zixiao hurried forward and knelt down in front of the leading man.
The man said nothing, merely scrutinizing Mo Xuanli and Li Xiuran with his eyes.
“Lou Zixiao, what exactly are you up to!” a young disciple behind him shouted. “You actually snuck out and even went to a place like the Hehuan Pavilion. You’ve got some nerve.”
Lou Zixiao’s face changed drastically. She immediately looked nervously at the man before her and said, “Master, I didn’t go to… I… I wasn’t trying to…”
Lou Zixiao was on the verge of tears, yet felt too embarrassed to explain herself face to face.
The man ignored Lou Zixiao and instead looked at the surrounding devastation, asking, “What happened?”
Lou Zixiao came back to her senses and said, “This disciple doesn’t know either. It seems someone wanted to kill me. Oh right, these two are new friends I’ve made. They were the ones who just saved me.”
The man had those behind him examine the surrounding corpses, then cupped his hands toward Li Xiuran and Mo Xuanli and said, “Many thanks to you two for saving a disciple of our sect. I am Lou Xuan of the Immortal Medicine Valley.”
When Li Xiuran and Mo Xuanli heard this name, they were both somewhat surprised. Since they were investigating the Immortal Medicine Valley, they had naturally heard of Lou Xuan’s reputation. Although he did not involve himself in worldly affairs, he was a renowned medical cultivator. When Mo Xuanli was at the Flying Crane Pavilion, he often heard his Third Martial Aunt mention this man’s talent.
The two briefly introduced themselves. Lou Xuan clearly did not believe them, but he did not question them further, appearing indifferent. Lou Zixiao was just about to smile apologetically and say something when Lou Xuan suddenly grabbed her wrist. Lou Zixiao grimaced in pain but did not dare struggle.
Lou Xuan gave her a cold glance, probed carefully, and then said, “Minor shock, no major issues. If you get injured again during this period, I think you don’t need to stay in the Immortal Medicine Valley anymore.”
His words were cold, but Lou Zixiao grinned at him and said, “I know I was wrong, Master, I—”
Lou Xuan coldly flung her hand aside.
Lou Zixiao wore a miserable expression, but she immediately remembered her friends and explained the matter of letting Mo Xuanli and Li Xiuran participate in the event.
Since they had protected someone from the Immortal Medicine Valley, such a small matter was nothing. He immediately decided to take them along directly to the Immortal Medicine Valley.
At this moment, other disciples stepped forward and said a few things about “medicine men” and “living dead.” Lou Xuan slightly furrowed his brows, while Lou Zixiao’s expression turned grave.
Medicine men, living dead, and even the poisonous birds just now were actually all things belonging to the Immortal Medicine Valley. The Immortal Medicine Valley was very large, and although there were different factions competing with one another, this was the first time anyone had tried to kill her.
Unease involuntarily surfaced on Lou Zixiao’s face. Lou Xuan directly said, “We’ll talk about it after we get back.”
Li Xiuran and Mo Xuanli naturally set off together with them. Mo Xuanli looked toward the rooftop, where Ao Hang had transformed into a small dragon coiled around Three Bean’s neck like a black collar. Three Bean then flew onto Mo Xuanli’s body and departed together with its master.
Li Xiuran swept a glance over the inn. He had clearly felt someone helping him just now, but now he had no idea where that person had gone.
Mo Xuanli looked at Three Bean, which showed no reaction at all. His gaze once again swept over that half-closed window, and in the end he still left together with everyone, flying away on their swords.
Only at this moment did Gu Baiqing look out from the window, watching the group recede into the distance. He thought that tomorrow he would have to find his own way up to the Immortal Medicine Valley. After all, the task was over there.
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