Xie Xuanyi looked at the palm of his hand again and slowly clasped it together.
He calmed down.
There were two pieces of news now.
The good news was that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and his great fortune had arrived—although he was not yet clear about the reason, his body could accommodate golden Primordial Energy even in the Qi Refinement Realm. If he really could continue cultivating like this, he would only be stronger than before!
Primordial Energy was the source of power for all techniques.
When two Cultivators dueled, if they were of the same realm and not much difference in strength, but one had higher quality Primordial Energy... it meant that even if they used the exact same technique, the latter's execution would be more powerful!
This actually was not enough to excite Xie Xuanyi.
What really piqued his curiosity was,
If one started condensing "golden Primordial Energy" during the Qi Refinement Realm, then how should one cultivate in the "Cave Heaven Realm" that required the condensation of golden Primordial Energy?
All this counted as good news.
But the bad news was very fatal!
Depending on the natural Primordial Energy wandering between heaven and earth, there was almost no chance of advancement!
"There are two ways to break this situation,"
Xie Xuanyi fell into deep thought.
"Either find enough Primordial Energy elixirs and consume them in large amounts or find a Grotto Heaven with extremely high purity of Primordial Energy to cultivate."
Both of these solutions were not simple.
The latter was even more difficult; such Grotto Heavens were exceedingly rare, let alone those that could help cultivate golden Primordial Energy!
At least elixirs could be traded... But now he was completely broke.
At the moment, neither possibility could be realized.
With this thought, Xie Xuanyi smiled bitterly. It really was a blessing dependent on misfortune and misfortune lurking within a blessing—was this opportunity or adversity?
"The urgent task... is to first head to Lichao City in Qing State and find the clues to my Lifebound Flying Sword."
Once he made up his mind, Xie Xuanyi resumed his meditation.
Although condensing golden Primordial Energy was extraordinarily difficult,
Bit by bit and gathering sand to make a tower, as long as he put in the effort, he could still manage to activate one or two acupuncture points.
Before finding the elixirs or a Grotto Heaven, Xie Xuanyi had only this clumsy method.
...
...
"Huh!!"
Accompanied by a sharp shout, the horse carriage suddenly stopped.
Just having entered meditation and drawn less than three talismans, Deng Baiyi was forced to wake up from her seated meditation.
She couldn't help but scold, "What's all the fuss about?"
"Miss..."
The carriage driver began somewhat awkwardly, "There seems to be someone up ahead."
"Someone?"
Deng Baiyi lifted the curtain to look outside, only to see at that moment that Deng's family caravan had already entered a rest phase, many people had alighted from the carriages, and Deng Chicheng was personally assisting a tear-streaked young lady, continuously uttering words of comfort.
Deng Baiyi was momentarily stunned.
At first, she felt that the girl's face was very familiar, and seeing the pitiful spotted kitten in the latter's arms, she immediately understood why she felt this familiarity.
This was exactly the young lady from a wealthy family who had previously sought help in the forest!
The girl was indeed beautiful and now cried so pitifully with tears streaking her face... Earlier, when bandits were troubling them, the Deng family didn't dare to help, but now it was different—several people were comforting her, especially the men.
The most enthusiastic among them was her own good-for-nothing father.
"Miss Shen, stop crying, we are not bad people,"
"It's just a broken axle, not a big deal,"
"Miss Shen just said she needs to go to Qing State, coincidentally, we are also headed to Qing State... If Miss Shen doesn't mind, perhaps you could join us?"
"Don't worry, I am the Family Head. When I say one, who dares say two?"
The words Deng Chicheng said floated into her ears.
Deng Baiyi's pretty face turned white with anger.
Just as she was furiously preparing to step off the carriage and throw a tantrum, a hand gently landed on her shoulder.
This hand was very warm.
Although it exerted no force, in an instant, it calmed Deng Baiyi down.
Xie Xuanyi, who had been feigning sleep by the window, now interestedly opened his eyes.
"Ha, what I said earlier wasn't wrong... this matter isn't over yet."
If the earlier incident was just a small coincidence,
Then the design of this second encounter now seemed all too obvious.
"Tu Fei was right, my father really does become more muddled as he ages!"
Deng Baiyi felt utterly embarrassed as she gritted her teeth and said, "He dares bring anyone onto the carriage, just wait, I'll kick her out immediately!"
Xie Xuanyi chuckled.
"No rush,"
He shook his head and glanced outside at the situation, "What is meant to come will come. Some things, rather than avoiding deliberately, it's better to go with the flow... Just stay inside and wait patiently, don't come out."
Xie Xuanyi stepped out of the carriage.
The previously bustling atmosphere suddenly quieted down, as if someone had splashed a bucket of cold water in their faces.
Deng Chicheng, who had just announced he would take people with him, also instantly lost his steam.
"It was lively just a moment ago, why the silence now?"
Xie Xuanyi, with his arms crossed, smiled and spoke, "Family Head, are you planning to take this young lady with us?"
"Ah, this..."
Deng Chicheng coughed dryly, then looked at Xie Xuanyi with considerable embarrassment...
He knew very well that in front of Xie Xuanyi, he, the head of the Deng household, was nothing at all.
Whether he could bring someone along was not his decision to make.
"Miss, what is your name?"
Xie Xuanyi walked directly over to the tearful Miss Shen, his hands clasped behind his back, and glanced at her.
The girl exuded an indescribable aura of pity.
Her body drenched, her hair hanging down, her face pale.
At a glance, she was clearly a person in distress, evoking sympathy in others.
"My surname is Shen, with the single given name Yan. From the Shen family of Lingluo Mountain in Northern County."
Shen Yan raised her head, her teeth clenched. Her clothes were wet and, due to the low temperature, had already formed a thin layer of ice. As the wind blew, the young lady shivered all over.
"Lingluo Mountain in Northern County does have a somewhat famous 'Shen family', quite renowned and wealthy."
Deng Chicheng moved closer, lowering his voice and cautiously reminded, "Immortal Master, we have seen Miss Shen before. She is very lucky and survived a disaster, but unfortunately, the axle of her carriage broke, and she struggled through the water to get here."
"..."
Xie Xuanyi coldly glanced at Deng Chicheng, who very wisely shut his mouth.
"Are you alone?"
Xie Xuanyi crouched down and asked the first question.
"Yes..."
Shen Yan was startled for a moment, then a sorrowful expression appeared in her eyes.
"Now... it's just me left."
Xie Xuanyi said gently, "What happened, feel free to talk about it."
"The Shen family had a shipment that was to be sent to Taining City in Qing State, and we had already obtained the necessary travel documents. Everything was ready but this; unfortunately, we were robbed on the way." Shen Yan's voice choked up, and her cheeks grew moist again: "The goods are gone, my father, my uncle, Ajiu, they all died..."
The situation was very straightforward.
But paired with the woman's tears, it seemed especially poignant.
It touched everyone who heard it.
Except for Xie Xuanyi.
He kept staring at Shen Yan's face, observing carefully.
He had to admit, considering just her appearance, this girl was indeed top-notch, and her skin was white as mutton fat, as though a light pinch might squeeze water out.
Most rare of all was the pitiable quality that flowed through her eyes and brows.
However, Xie Xuanyi wasn't looking at these features.
He didn't care whether the skin of this Miss Shen Yan could be pinched to yield water.
He only cared whether this seemingly harmless Miss Shen might transform in the dead of night, growing a second, horrifyingly monstrous face.
After looking for a while.
Xie Xuanyi was somewhat disappointed... this Shen Yan was not a demon cultivator.
Although his Primordial Power was gone, his keen eyesight remained.
Identifying demons, Xie Xuanyi was always accurate; many years on the road had never led him astray.
Since she was not a demon.
Then what exactly was Shen Yan's purpose?
After a few moments of silent contemplation, Xie Xuanyi decided to trust his instincts.
Thus, he threw out a second question: "Would you like to come with us?"
Boom!
Shen Yan bowed deeply, her forehead knocking against the ground.
She had been waiting for these words.
Through tears, she expressed her thanks, "Please save my life, sir. If I can safely make it to Qing State, I will repay you manifold!"
Xie Xuanyi smiled, "Alright, get on the wagon."
The responses from both were swift, with scarcely a trace of hesitation.
"???"
The turn of events took Deng Chicheng by surprise.
He had assumed the Immortal Master was going to order the dismissal!
Deng Baiyi, who had been ordered to wait inside the wagon, was now even more flabbergasted.
What what what?
That Miss Shen just got on the wagon like that!
Shen Yan bowed again, deeply grateful, "Immense grace and great virtue, I, Shen Yan, have no way to repay!"
"Get up, no need for more courtesies," Xie Xuanyi said as he stood up, his tone meaningful: "Thinking back, I was once renowned far and wide as a great benefactor, always loving to help others... If you truly wish to thank me, you can do so once we safely arrive in Qing State."