Chapter 19 The Masters Arrive
Rubbing his swollen face, the short Taoist complained, "Come on, lighten up the mood a bit, Little Jiu. I practically raised you from diapers! But enough of that, let's talk business."
The short Taoist, also known as Jiu Wu, had been taking care of Jiu Jiu since she was a kid, as their master was often in seclusion during her childhood. Despite being senior and junior siblings, their bond was more like that of a father and daughter, often playful.
Seeing Jiu Jiu about to lose her temper again, Jiu Wu quickly changed the subject and pointed to the several people behind him, bombarding with questions, "Their masters are all here. Who's missing? Where did they disappear? How long have you been trapped here?"
Jiu Jiu's expression darkened immediately, and she bowed to the masters behind her, at a loss for words.
Liu Yan'er and Wang Qi showed excitement, flying over from behind and greeting their masters with reverence.
Jiu Wu introduced the masters behind him: Jiang Jingshan from Broken Sky Peak, a true immortal, the mentor of Qin Xuanya, the current head of the Duexian Sect; Lin Qi from Broken Sky Peak, also a true immortal, Yuan Qing's mentor; and the two peers of Jiu Jiu from Duolin Peak and Xiaoling Peak. They had found their disciples and didn't linger for long.
Jiu Jiu's gaze fell on the white-haired old Taoist standing at the back, Qi Yuan from Xiaoqiong Peak, the mentor of Li Changshou. The old Taoist looked frail, making Jiu Jiu hesitant to meet his eyes.
She sighed inwardly, knowing how important Li Changshou was to Qi Yuan and how much hope and hesitation he had placed in him. Jiu Jiu whispered, "Brother Qi Yuan, the last time I saw Changshou, he went north. Yuan Qing and Xuanya went northwest with General Yuwen Ling. If things go as planned, it's an attempt against Xuanya."
Qi Yuan forced a smile, clasping his hands together and bowing deeply, "Life and death are predestined. I have limited power in the Northern Continent, so I ask for your help in finding my disciple. The Xiaoqiong Peak will be deeply grateful."
Jiu Wu intervened, "Enough with the formalities. Brother Qi Yuan, don't worry. We'll split up now. I'll go with Jiu Jiu to the north with you to search. Sister, don't just stand there. Buck up! We'll talk about punishment later, after finding them! These two immortals outside the array, when I found them, were constantly repairing the formation. Obviously, they are part of the plot against you. Let's capture one each and interrogate them. Let's go!"
Jiang Jingshan and Lin Qi agreed eagerly, showing their urgency.
Jiu Wu waved his sleeve, and the two unconscious immortals were brought over. He threw one to Lin Qi and said nothing more. It was time to search for and rescue their disciples.
After setting up the communication frequency and defining search areas, they split into three groups:
Wang Qi's master took Wang Qi and Liu Yan'er to the nearby town to gather information. Liu Yan'er's master, along with Jiang Jingshan and Lin Qi, headed northwest to search. Jiu Wu led Qi Yuan and Jiu Jiu to the north to search.
In a flurry of activity, these immortals from the Duexian Sect continued their journey to find their disciples.
Meanwhile, a handsome man, unwilling to reveal his name, was hiding in a recently opened cave thousands of miles north. He lit a fire, took out a scroll, and waited quietly for the reinforcements.
He wasn't the least bit anxious, even seemed a bit... content.
Qin Xuanya sat cross-legged at the innermost part of the cave, meditating. Every now and then, she opened her eyes to check the figure at the entrance.
Whenever she tried to strike up a conversation, she felt that Li Changshou didn't want to talk. After killing Yuan Qing, she had slept for three days, and just woke up half a day ago, her injuries almost healed, except for a slight headache.
"Brother Changshou, are we waiting here?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," Li Changshou replied casually, "I've left hidden marks within a radius of three hundred miles. The formation outside the cave is also set up to hide our traces. It's safe here for now. If, as you said, Yuan Qing's group has other accomplices, going further south would be risky."
"Okay," Qin Xuanya sighed, "We're just waiting here?"
Li Changshou nodded, "Yes, within thirty thousand miles or so. However, there's a risk of running into them."
"I... trust you," Qin Xuanya said, her eyes meeting Li Changshou's for a moment.
She didn't know why, but despite always considering herself upright and guilt-free, she now subconsciously looked away, feeling a slight emptiness inside, like a kitten scratching lightly.
A little uneasy, a little uncertain.
Perhaps it was because she had been saved twice by this senior brother of hers.
'Brother Changshou is a true gentleman, such broad-mindedness, I can hardly compare. Especially compared to Yuan Qing, he's nothing but a bunch of hot air. I've always thought my peers were the most pretentious cultivators around, not realizing such a character was among us. If I could be close friends with Brother Changshou, it would truly be a boon to our sect...'
"Brother, is there anything I can do?" she asked softly.
Li Changshou said casually, "Hmm, don't release your spiritual awareness too easily."
"Got it," Qin Xuanya replied seriously, feeling a little disappointed inside.
She felt like she had become a drag.
Snap!
The fire crackled softly, diminishing a bit. Li Changshou took out a piece of grayish dry wood from his sleeve and added it to the fire, making it flare up.
Qin Xuanya suddenly noticed the unique flame, emitting no smoke but a faint fragrance.
"Brother, what's the story behind this fire?" she asked.
Li Changshou glanced at the fire and said calmly, "It's made from the wood of the Northern Frost Pine, which grows south of the North Sea. This pine is not a spiritual root and used to be common in ancient times, known for its cold resistance. After the Northern Continent was covered in miasma, this pine nearly went extinct, but it gradually grew abundant again. Since then, it gained some miraculous properties, emitting a scent that repels poisonous creatures subconsciously within a three-hundred-yard radius. It's said that in areas where the Wu Clan gathers, you can often find large patches of Northern Frost Pines. Despite its usefulness, this wood isn't worth more than a few spiritual stones, and few people bother with it."
Qin Xuanya listened intently, her eyes reflecting Li Changshou's profile, and whispered, "Brother, you're so knowledgeable..."
"It's all in the sect's records," Li Changshou replied calmly, continuing to read his scroll without intending to prolong the conversation.
Qin Xuanya pursed her lips, pondering silently.
After a while...
"Brother, did you find the herbs you were looking for?"
"Luckily, yes," Li Changshou smiled, feeling quite pleased with the matter.
Qin Xuanya didn't want the conversation to end there and asked, "Brother, it seems you've prepared a lot for this trip."
"Oh," Li Changshou answered casually, "I've been preparing for this journey to the Northern Continent for fifteen years. I've collected various antidotes and antidote materials bit by bit over the years."
"Fifteen years?"
Qin Xuanya blinked softly, asking, "So... what happened to Yuwen Ling and those thugs?"
"They perished along with the nearly ascended Triple-Eyed Azure Wave Snake. We were lucky," Li Changshou said.
"Yeah," Qin Xuanya sighed, "Those scoundrels were bound to meet a bad end. I just didn't expect karma to catch up with them so quickly."
"Indeed," Li Changshou added, "Oh, by the way, Qin, there's something I'd like to ask you to do."
"Please, Brother," Qin Xuanya immediately perked up, her eyes bright, fixed on Li Changshou, "If I can repay Brother's life-saving grace, even at the cost of my life, I'm willing!"
"No need for that," Li Changshou chuckled, "Our journey has been full of twists and turns. When we return, our elders will surely inquire about it in detail. I've always disliked trouble and don't want too much attention. I don't want to cause any trouble or attract any attention. So when you report back to our elders, there's no need to mention anything related to me. I'm not very advanced in my cultivation, and I have some skill in earth escape. It'd be embarrassing if that got out."
"Brother..."
Qin Xuanya's expression changed, and she felt a slight loss inside.
'Brother Changshou is truly a gentleman. Such magnanimity is beyond me, especially compared to Yuan Qing. I've always thought my peers were the most superficial cultivators around, only to realize such a character exists among us. If I could become close friends with Brother Changshou, it would truly benefit our sect...'
"Brother, don't worry," Qin Xuanya said firmly, "I understand, and I'll keep it all in mind."
Li Changshou blinked, wondering if she really understood.
Well, when he returned, he would just stay secluded in Xiaoqiong Peak. This matter would probably cause a stir for a while, but it should calm down in a few months if nothing went wrong. As long as he remained low-key, his trip to the Northern Continent would be perfectly concluded.
Suddenly, Li Changshou's expression changed, and the spider silk he had set up outside captured a scene...
Several figures rushed by from a hundred miles away, the outermost person wearing coarse clothes and a graceful figure.
Although her face couldn't be seen clearly due to her speed, judging from the tightness of her clothes and the amazing curves revealed when she faced the wind, it was...
Jiu Jiu!
"Get ready, they're here," Li Changshou smiled, feeling a sense of relief.