Fortunately, his master hadn’t grown suspicious and instead asked with concern about when Li Changshou developed such symptoms, holding Li Changshou’s wrist to carefully examine him. Thanks to Elder Qiyuan being only at the ninth stage of Return to Dao, one step away from immortality, during his examination Li Changshou easily deceived him, managing to resolve this ‘minor crisis’…

“Six senses unstable, heart qi muddled,” Qiyuan advised seriously. “Changshou, after returning you should focus on closed cultivation for some time, don’t go wandering about. The master will also instruct Ling’e not to disturb you. Your mental state has some issues, but fortunately, it’s not serious. Some quiet cultivation should resolve it.”

Li Changshou nodded solemnly: “Yes, Master.”

At the front, the somewhat tense Youqin Xuanya also sighed in relief upon hearing this; this subtle expression happened to catch the eye of the short Daoist Jiuwu.

‘Interesting.’

Jiuwu’s thick short eyebrows raised, his expression becoming quite meaningful…

Hearing Elder Qiyuan say this, Jiujiu also felt relieved, jumping to Youqin Xuanya’s side to quietly ask what had happened before.

Li Changshou glanced at the Soul Capturing Zhenzhu in his storage artifact, which still contained several incompletely dissolved remnant souls from which many memory fragments could be found. So he silently extended a strand of spiritual consciousness, placing the Soul Capturing Zhenzhu in a more obscure position and sealing it with talismans.

Best to stay uninvolved.

Jiuwu’s strength far exceeded Jiujiu’s, but he still didn’t dare fly at full speed within the Northern Continent. This short Daoist was quite cautious, not speaking while traveling, his gaze always alertly scanning everywhere.

—This point rather appealed to Li Changshou.

Finally, they safely left the Northern Luobu Continent without incident.

After leaving the miasma-covered region, Jiuwu took them flying south for a hundred Li, finding a desolate mountain to notify fellow sect members to gather here.

After waiting about half an hour, Wang Qi’s master arrived first with Wang Qi and Liu Yan’er. Youqin Xuanya’s master Jiang Jingshan, Yuan Qing’s master Lin Qi, and Liu Yan’er’s master took another two hours to arrive.

Jiang Jingshan was a ‘standard template’ immortal maiden, with a beautiful face surrounded by pure qi, hair bound in clouds, wearing immortal robes – her whole being radiated immortal aura while not losing mortal charm.

“Xiao Ya!”

Seeing her beloved disciple kneeling on the ground, body covered in bandaged wounds, long dress stained with blood, and appearance haggard as if a different person, Jiang Jingshan’s face showed grief as she rushed two steps to Youqin Xuanya’s side, embracing her.

“Master…”

“Master is here, master is here! It was master’s momentary confusion, agreeing to that scoundrel Yuan Qing’s earnest request to let you come here seeking some Yan Huo Ming Xin grass as training. It was all master’s fault!”

Youqin Xuanya’s eyes reddened slightly, but she took a gentle breath to steady her state of mind, saying softly: “Disciple was useless, making master worry.”

Lin Qi Daoist who arrived together had received news of Yuan Qing’s death. He did not rage, but looking at the master and disciple pair, asked in a deep voice:

“What exactly happened?”

When searching separately, they had also taken away a Yuan Immortal who was Yuan Qing and Yuwenling’s accomplice. By now Yuan Immortal had also been casually dealt with, and they had learned the general events.

Jiuwu said: “Junior Brother Lin Qi, please be patient, let’s have Xuanya tell the whole story first. Xuanya, try to be as detailed as possible, don’t hide anything!”

Jiang Jingshan hurriedly said: “Xiao Ya just speak freely, master will handle everything for you!”

“Disciple obeys,” Youqin Xuanya’s gaze turned to Li Changshou at the periphery, and her emotions that were about to fluctuate mysteriously stabilized.

She first sighed, then slowly began narrating from when the five disciples first split up to act separately, telling everything big and small.

From afternoon until dusk, from dusk until the stars filled the sky;

‘This poisonous sister, why not start from the beginning of heaven and earth?’

Li Changshou internally complained, quietly going to a slightly distant spot to meditate and regulate his breath, while also hearing Youqin Xuanya’s general experiences…

After Jiujiu was trapped, Yuan Qing didn’t directly ambush Youqin Xuanya, but first summoned a group of villains to attack the two of them, wanting to play the hero saving the beauty.

However, Youqin Xuanya the ‘beauty’ was considerably stronger than Yuan Qing the ‘hero’, making Yuan Qing’s position extremely awkward.

Then Yuan Qing changed tactics, having his accomplices continuously pressure the two of them, creating an atmosphere of desperate circumstances, and then taking the opportunity to express his feelings to Youqin Xuanya.

However, even when facing desperate circumstances, Youqin Xuanya still decisively rejected Yuan Qing’s confession of ‘sharing the same grave, going together to the next life’…

After repeatedly failing with gentle methods, Yuan Qing finally flew into a rage from shame, tearing off his mask to use love insects to control Youqin Xuanya. But Youqin Xuanya found an opportunity to escape using a teleportation talisman, coincidentally meeting Li Changshou, who saved her the first time…

After recovering from her injuries, Youqin Xuanya wanted to take a detour back to the Chaotic Miasma Treasure Forest. After walking for several days, she discovered she had accidentally gotten lost, and unfortunately was discovered by Yuan Qing’s group, having no choice but to fight a great battle.

This time, it was again Li Changshou who passed by at the right time.

Under Li Changshou’s guidance, Youqin Xuanya led those people to a nest of fierce poisonous creatures, finally letting that group be killed by the poison, while Youqin Xuanya personally killed Yuan Qing.

Hearing Youqin Xuanya tell these things, Li Changshou couldn’t help but sigh internally:

‘This Yuan Qing, with so many opportunities, was just incompetent.’

He felt somewhat sorry for Yuwenling and Yuan Qing’s other subordinates.

After Youqin Xuanya finished telling her experiences from this journey, all gazes fell on Li Changshou.

Jiang Jingshan personally brought Youqin Xuanya over, and the master and disciple pair solemnly thanked Li Changshou, saying they would present a substantial reward after returning to the sect. Li Changshou somewhat ‘nervously’ repeatedly said it wasn’t necessary.

Afraid Li Changshou would say something wrong, Elder Qiyuan came over promptly, happily accepting this wave of gratitude…

Among those present, only Yuan Qing’s master Lin Qi was most awkward at this time.

“Alas,” Lin Qi sighed, “This poor Daoist failed in judging character when accepting disciples. After returning to the mountain I will accept punishment.”

Jiuwu consoled: “Yuan Qing plotted deeply, entering the sect with improper intentions from the start. Junior Brother, you directly accepted him as a disciple during the last mountain opening ceremony, this can’t be blamed on you.”

Lin Qi shook his head with a gloomy expression, not saying more.

Regarding Youqin Xuanya killing Yuan Qing, although Youqin Xuanya had reason and justice on her side, she still killed a fellow sect’s senior brother and still had to accept sect rule punishment.

—The punishment was very light, probably just confined meditation in the mountain for a few years.

Jiuwu also encouraged Li Changshou with a few words, saying after returning to the mountain the sect would definitely have rewards for Li Changshou, and wouldn’t be stingy with what he deserved.

Their group did not return to the Dudao Sect together.

Qiyuan took Li Changshou, traveling slowly behind with Liu Yan’er, Wang Qi, and their masters.

The others rushed back to the Dudao Sect at full speed, those to be punished to be punished, those to apologize to apologize.

The reason for their hurry was Jiang Jingshan’s urging.

Youqin Xuanya’s master was no simple character – she herself was the sect leader’s disciple, with high status in the sect, refined cultivation, numerous magical treasures, and moreover had a respectful Dao companion who was also a Celestial Immortal realm expert.

Although the Northern Continent matter had concluded, how could Jiang Jingshan let her disciple suffer these grievances for nothing?

Before setting out, Jiang Jingshan had directly sent word to her Dao companion, telling him to find several idle fellow sect members, so that after she returned to the mountain, they would immediately head to the Southern Continent, determined to uproot Yuan Qing’s mortal forces completely, leaving no future trouble!

The return journey to the mountain was peaceful and uneventful.

Just that, along the way, whenever Li Changshou heard Liu Yan’er’s tender calls of “Qi Qi junior brother”, he couldn’t help but shudder…

Ahem, cultural differences, cultural differences.

The night at Little Qiong Peak was peaceful and quiet. A white cloud stopped in mid-air as Li Changshou floated down from it, while Elder Qiyuan with a spring breeze expression rode the cloud toward other peaks.

—Master had just received Liu Yan’er’s master’s invitation to go drink some wine and have a small feast.

Passing through the isolation formation he had personally arranged, stepping onto the familiar grass, Li Changshou let out a comfortable breath.

Safe at last.

“Senior Brother!”

A happy shout came from the side. Li Changshou turned to look and saw green light flickering around his junior sister’s grass house.

That small formation isolating external probing had opened a crack from inside, and the voice came through this crack…

Then there were continuous flowing water sounds as Ling’e happily called out: “Senior Brother, you’re back! Are you injured? What happened before? Why were you so late!”

Before the words finished, a graceful figure rushed out from the grass house. Her whole body was only wrapped in a thin blanket, her shapely figure especially enchanting, her long hair dripping wet, her delicate skin also covered in clear water.

But she didn’t care about these things. Upon seeing Li Changshou she jumped with joy.

She had just gotten into the wooden tub not long ago, having just started bathing. Perhaps because she had gotten soap in her eyes while washing, those almond eyes suddenly became misty as she opened her arms and pounced over.

Li Changshou instinctively wanted to dodge, but seeing Ling’e’s eyes full of grievance, he sighed internally and stood in place with hands behind his back, letting his junior sister crash into his embrace.

“Stinky Senior Brother, you scared me to death! Not coming back for so long, I thought something had happened to you!”

Ling’e’s shouts couldn’t help carrying a slight crying tone, becoming somewhat choked up; but just as she was about to cry, a large hand gently rubbed her head.

“Senior Brother…”

Ling’e looked up, light flickering in her eyes, her small mouth couldn’t help but a purse.

Li Changshou suddenly said: “Oh right, Master he…”

“Ah!”

Ling’e instantly reacted, thinking Master had also returned with Senior Brother. She let out a light cry, hurriedly turning around and rushing back into the grass house with lightning speed, wrapped in the blanket as she plunged into the large wooden tub, hiding in the water not daring to surface.

—Being seen in that state by Senior Brother was naturally fine, but how could she let any other man see?

Even Master was not allowed!

Extending her spiritual sense to probe outside, Ling’e lifted her head above the water with confusion…

Li Changshou’s voice drifted over from outside: “Master went to other mountain peaks for a feast. I’ll rest for a while, then come find you at the hour of Yin to ask about this training matter.”

After speaking, he casually reactivated the formation around her glasshouse before floating back to his dwelling.

In the wooden tub, Ling’e looked down at the thin blanket on her body, her cheeks turning slightly red.

“Stinky Senior Brother…”

She muttered, her head slowly sinking, leaving a trail of bubbles on the water’s surface.