After half a day, Liu Ming and his companion finally arrived at the agreed-upon meeting place.
On an open space in front of Fang Yao's cave abode, Fang Yao and two other men, plus a woman, had already been waiting there.
"Taoist Friend Liu, you've finally come. If you had been delayed even a few more hours, I would have thought you had changed your mind. This must be Xin Yuan, Taoist Friend Xin, whom you've mentioned before?" Fang Yao said cheerfully upon seeing Liu Ming and Xin Yuan.
"I'm sorry for making everyone wait. Brother Xin and I were held up by some matters on the way, so we arrived a bit late," Liu Ming apologized and glanced at the others.
Below, on the open space, Fang Yao stood in the center, with a man and a woman on either side of him and an old man.
The old man had the appearance of a youthful elder, clothed in a blue Taoist robe, holding a grey and white whisk in his hand, and wore a smile while looking at Liu Ming and his companion.
