Holding his swollen cheek, the short Daoist complained:

“I was just trying to lighten the mood with a joke. Little Jiu, why are you so rough? Your senior brother here raised you with such hardship, feeding and changing you…

Ahem, let’s talk about the important matters.”

The short Daoist’s religious name was Jiu Wu. When Jiu Yu entered the sect as a child, Master Wanqing had already begun extended periods of seclusion, and it was indeed Jiu Wu who had raised her.

Though they were senior and junior disciples, their relationship was like father and daughter, and they were used to playful bickering.

Seeing Jiu Yu about to explode again, Jiu Wu’s eyes rolled and he quickly changed the subject to important matters, pointing at the people behind him and asking a series of questions:

“Their masters have all come. Who’s missing? Where did they disappear? How long have you been trapped here?”

Jiu Yu’s expression darkened as she bowed to the people behind him, but for a moment she didn’t know what to say, biting her lip as she lowered her head.

Liu Yanr and Wang Qi showed delighted expressions as they flew over from behind, hurriedly bowing and calling out “Master,” “Senior Uncle,” and “Master Uncle.”

Among those behind Daoist Jiu Wu were:

Jiang Jingshan of Breaking Heaven Peak—a True Immortal and Yu Qin Xianya’s master, who studied under the current sect leader;

Lin Qi of Breaking Heaven Peak—a True Immortal and Elder Yuan’s master;

As well as two immortals from Du Lin Peak and Small Spirit Peak of the same generation as Jiu Yu, who had already found their beloved disciples and didn’t say much.

Jiu Yu’s gaze fell on the white-haired old Daoist standing at the back.

Qi Yuan of Small Jade Peak, Li Changshou’s master.

The old Daoist now looked haggard, and Jiu Yu couldn’t bring herself to look directly at him…

She lowered her head and sighed, knowing in her heart how important this disciple Li Changshou was to the old Daoist, how many expectations and hopes he had placed on him.

Jiu Yu said softly: “Senior Brother Qi Yuan, when I last saw Changshou, he went north.

Elder Yuan and Xianya went northwest, accompanied by a general from Xianya’s family named Yu Wen Ling.

If I’m not mistaken, this was a scheme targeting Xianya.”

“Ah,” Old Daoist Qi Yuan gave a bitter smile, clasped his hands to Jiu Yu, and bowed deeply, saying: “Life and death are fated, and going out to gain experience is just like this.

Everyone, I have not yet achieved immortality and can do little in the North Continent. Please… please help me search for my disciple’s whereabouts.

The Small Jade Peak lineage will be eternally grateful!”

Jiu Wu quickly said from the side:

“We’re all family here, don’t stand on ceremony. Rest assured, Brother Qi Yuan, we’ll split into two groups now. I’ll go north with Jiu Yu to search with you.

Ninth Junior Sister, stop being dazed! Get your spirits up! We can talk about punishment after we find them!

These two Yuan Immortals were guarding outside the formation. When I found them, they were constantly repairing the formation, clearly one of the masterminds behind this scheme against you. Let’s each take one to interrogate, we should be able to get some information out of them!

Come on, let’s get moving!”

Jiang Jingshan and Lin Qi repeatedly agreed, clearly very anxious.

The short Daoist Jiu Wu waved his sleeve, and those two unconscious Yuan Immortals were instantly drawn over through the air, as he casually tossed one to Lin Qi.

They didn’t say much more, as finding and rescuing their disciples was the priority now.

After setting the frequency for communicating with each other and their respective search areas, they finally split into three groups—

Wang Qi’s master took Wang Qi and Liu Yanr to gather information in the outside town;

Liu Yanr’s master went with Jiang Jingshan and Lin Qi in one group, heading northwest;

Jiu Wu took Qi Yuan and Jiu Yu, searching due north.

In a hurry and rush, these immortals from Degree Immortal Sect continued their journey to find their disciples.

Meanwhile, a certain handsome individual who wished to remain anonymous was hiding a thousand li to the north, in a recently excavated cave.

Starting a campfire, holding a scroll, quietly waiting for these powerful reinforcements to arrive.

Not only was he not worried at all, he was even feeling a bit… comfortable.

Yu Qin Xianya sat cross-legged in the innermost part of the cave, eyes closed in meditation, opening them periodically to look at the figure by the cave entrance.

Each time she wanted to start a conversation, she could sense that Li Changshou didn’t want to talk right now.

After Elder Yuan was killed, she slept for three days, waking up just half a day ago. Her injuries were no longer serious, just… her scalp hurt a bit.

“Senior Brother Changshou, are we waiting here?”

“Mm,” Li Changshou casually replied, “Within three hundred li, I’ve already left several of our Degree Immortal Sect’s secret markers, and set up concealment formations outside this cave. It’s temporarily safe here.

According to what you said, Elder Yuan’s group had other conspirators. If we go south, we’re likely to run into their hands.

Counting the days, whether Master Uncle Jiu Yu has broken free or not, the immortals coming from our sect to help us should have already entered the North Continent.”

Li Changshou paused and looked up at Yu Qin Xianya, “If you’re still worried, we can detour about thirty thousand li, though there’s still a risk of running into them that way.”

“I… trust you…”

Yu Qin Xianya said softly, looking up at Li Changshou, their eyes meeting briefly.

Somehow, though she had always considered herself upright and without guilt, she unconsciously lowered her head and avoided his gaze.

Her heart felt somewhat empty as if a tiny cat’s paw was gently scratching at it;

A slight unease, a touch of uncertainty.

It must be because this senior brother had saved her twice;

Yu Qin Xianya thought to herself that she should find a way to repay him, though she was still enjoying his protection right now…

“Senior Brother, is there anything I can do?” she asked quietly.

Li Changshou casually replied: “Mm, don’t carelessly extend your spiritual sense.”

“Yes,” Yu Qin Xianya responded quite seriously, feeling somewhat dejected in her heart.

She had become something of a burden.

Pop!

The campfire made a soft sound as it dimmed slightly;

Li Changshou took out a piece of grey dried wood from his sleeve and put it in the fire, letting the flames rise again.

Only then did Yu Qin Xianya notice that this fire was quite special, not only producing no smoke but also emitting a faint fragrance.

“Senior Brother, what’s special about this fire?”

Li Changshou glanced at the campfire and said calmly:

“This is a not-particularly-precious wood from the North Yuan Cold Pine, growing south of the North Sea.

This pine isn’t any spirit root, and in ancient times it was just an ordinary pine, with cold resistance as its only special characteristic.

After the North Continent was covered in miasma, this pine nearly went extinct, but eventually flourished again.

Since then, the North Yuan Cold Pine gained some miraculous effects—it’s immune to miasma and emits something that instinctively repels poisonous insects and beasts.

This small campfire can keep poisonous creatures away within three hundred zhang.

They say large groves of North Yuan Cold Pine can often be seen in today’s Demon Tribe territories, and this wood isn’t worth much spirit stones, just that few people use it.”

Yu Qin Xianya listened intently, her eyes reflecting Li Changshou’s profile as she said softly: “Senior Brother is truly knowledgeable…”

“It’s all recorded in the sect’s texts,” Li Changshou responded calmly, continuing to read his scroll, showing no intention of continuing the conversation.

Yu Qin Xianya pursed her lips, pondering something in her heart.

After another while…

“Did Senior Brother find the medicinal herbs he was looking for?”

“Was quite fortunate, found them,” Li Changshou smiled, his mood quite good thinking about it.

Yu Qin Xianya didn’t want the conversation to end there, and asked again: “Senior Brother seems to have prepared a lot for this trip.”

“Ah,” Li Changshou replied without looking up, “Started preparing for this North Continent trip fifteen years ago, gradually accumulated many items for avoiding poison.”

Fifteen years?

Yu Qin Xianya blinked gently, then asked: “Then… what happened to Yu Wen Ling and those villains?”

Li Changshou said: “They perished together with that Three-Eyed Azure Wave Snake that was about to achieve immortality. We were quite lucky in this matter, that snake’s venom was extremely potent.”

“Mm,” Yu Qin Xianya sighed, “Such villains won’t come to a good end, just didn’t expect karma to come so quickly.”

Li Changshou followed up: “That, Poison… ahem, Junior Sister Yu Qin, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

“Please speak, Senior Brother!”

Yu Qin Xianya immediately perked up, her eyes bright and burning as she stared at Li Changshou, “If I can repay Senior Brother’s life-saving grace, even giving up my life would be nothing!”

“No need to be so serious,” Li Changshou smiled, “Our experiences on this trip have been strange and eventful, and the masters will surely ask for details when we return.

I’ve always disliked trouble and don’t want too much attention, nor do I want to stir up any waves. I’d request that when Junior Sister reports to the masters, there’s no need to mention much about matters related to me.

My cultivation isn’t high, I just know some earth travel techniques, saying more would invite ridicule.”

“Senior Brother…”

Yu Qin Xianya’s expression shifted, a small lightning bolt flashing through her heart.

Bestowing kindness without seeking repayment, avoiding empty fame.

Single-mindedly pursuing the immortal way, with the demeanor of a true gentleman.

Her heart was filled with mixed emotions, her eyes moving, feeling deeply moved.

‘Senior Brother Changshou is a true gentleman, such breadth of mind and bearing is truly beyond my reach, and even more beyond comparison with Elder Yuan.

Yu Qin Xianya, you’ve been surrounded by so many shallow and impetuous people daily that you thought all cultivators of our generation were like that, not knowing such a person was hidden among our fellow disciples.

If I could become close friends with Senior Brother Changshou, that would truly make this sect journey worthwhile…’

“Rest assured, Senior Brother,” Yu Qin Xianya said firmly, “I understand, and will keep all this in my heart.”

Li Changshou blinked, did she understand?

Why did it feel like she still hadn’t recovered from the poison…

Never mind, he’d just shut himself in at Small Jade Peak after returning, and even if this matter stirred up waves, they should settle down in a few months.

Keeping a low profile was the way to avoid karma.

As long as nothing went wrong afterward, this North Continent journey would be perfectly concluded.

Suddenly, Li Changshou’s expression changed as the spider silk he had placed outside from three Heavy-Eyed Spiders suddenly captured an image…

Several figures flew past urgently from a hundred li away, and at the outermost edge was someone wearing hemp clothes with a graceful figure.

Though he couldn’t see her face clearly because they were flying too fast, from the tightness of the hemp short jacket and those amazing curves that only appeared in the wind, he could make a judgment…

Jiu Yu!

“Let’s prepare, they’re here.”

Li Changshou smiled, and a stone in his heart finally settled peacefully.