Whether Li Yan lived or died was of no concern to the soap-robed cultivator. However, his master of profound cultivation should not be too far from here.
With such a cultivator, one would normally jump at the chance to associate with them. If that person found out that he knew about the chaos in the outside world but didn't inform his disciple, he might have inadvertently offended him. That person was clearly someone who was both righteous and evil. If he got into a bad mood and came looking for trouble, it would be a problem.
Of course, if he used this disciple's hand, it was highly likely he could befriend that powerful expert.
He just needed to first dispel this young cultivator's idea of going to Daning City. When he returned to report the situation to his master, with his master's means, he would naturally be able to quickly confirm that what he said was true. At that time, this favor would have to be acknowledged.
In the cultivation world, to make someone, especially a powerful expert, owe you a favor, was no easy matter.
If he could further converse with the other party, with their realm, a conversation would surely benefit him greatly. This was the soap-robed cultivator's main purpose.
Thus, the soap-robed cultivator continued to send a voice transmission to Li Yan.
"The Demon Clan broke through the passage between the two realms from the South Sea region of the Supreme Mystery Teachings a year and a half ago, and they have heavily damaged the Supreme Mystery Teachings. The entire South Sea region is now under demon control.
"Currently, the cultivation world of the Desolate Moon Continent, under the call of the Four Great Sects, requires all cultivators at the Foundation Establishment level and above to be conscripted. They will then be organized into different teams and sent to various designated locations to fight the Demon Clan.
"Your trip to Daning City this time will not be as peaceful as before.
"Moreover, at the other end of this teleportation formation, when those cultivators see you, it's possible they will immediately order you to join a certain team.
"I say it's possible. Perhaps if you take out that token from the Jingtu Sect, you might be able to pass. However, although you hold a token from a Jingtu Sect Buddha, nothing in this world is absolute. Unless this Buddha holds immense power in the Jingtu Sect.
"On the road ahead, this kind of trouble will only become more and more frequent. As long as the master of this token is not a person of great power in the Jingtu Sect, there will always be times when it is useless.
"Therefore, I suggest you don't go to Daning City. Return as soon as possible to report the situation to your master so that you can make other plans."
The soap-robed cultivator did not answer Li Yan's questions in detail, but only briefly explained the situation, mainly to persuade Li Yan to turn back immediately.
Perhaps the soap-robed cultivator himself didn't know much, or perhaps he was simply unwilling to say too much to a minor Foundation Establishment cultivator, so his explanation was very brief.
Although the other party's description was not very detailed, Li Yan still gleaned a lot of extra information.
First, the demon invasion did not come from the Devil's Cliff Crevice. This meant that the seal at the Devil's Cliff Crevice might still be intact, and thus, the crevice should still be in the hands of human cultivators.
Second, the Supreme Mystery Teachings was the first to be hit and was heavily damaged. The entire South Sea region had now fallen.
Although Li Yan's realm was very low, the cultivation sect he had entered was the top one on this continent. Although he had never seen a Spirit Transformation cultivator in the Supreme Mystery Teachings, he could imagine that they should have one.
Even with the existence of a supreme power like a Spirit Transformation cultivator, a top-tier sect that had been painstakingly managed for tens of thousands of years was still heavily damaged and lost. This showed the terrifying power of the Demon Clan, which was chilling to the heart.
If they could heavily damage the Supreme Mystery Teachings, they had the ability to do the same to the Jingtu Sect, the Ten-Pace Courtyard, and the Malevolent Spirit Sect. But the other party's power was also limited, so they should not be able to defeat the alliance of the three sects for the time being. Therefore, the three sects should have already joined forces.
No, it should be four sects. The soap-robed cultivator had just mentioned a summons from four sects. From this sentence, Li Yan could guess that high-end cultivators from the Supreme Mystery Teachings must have escaped and had now joined forces with the other three sects. This was the third point.
In just a few short sentences, Li Yan's mind raced, and he quickly obtained some of the information he wanted. At least for now, the Malevolent Spirit Sect was safe.
The rest of the soap-robed cultivator's words were just persuasion for Li Yan to return. It was no wonder he used a voice transmission. His actions were actually contrary to the decisions of the Four Great Sects, so naturally, they could not be heard by a third party.
A cultivator, for their own benefit, would abandon so-called principles. In the end, he still valued the powerful martial force of the master behind Li Yan.
He was terrified every day while waiting here to ambush the demons. If he could befriend a powerful external aid nearby, he would naturally feel much more at ease, which was why he was willing to take the risk and say some things he shouldn't have.
If these words were said to a real cultivator from around here, they would definitely obey immediately. But Li Yan was determined to return to his sect. Staying in the far north of the Jingtu Sect could ensure temporary peace, but Li Yan was not a person without ties.
But Li Yan couldn't immediately show his intention to act willfully. His expression changed uncertainly for a moment.
Seeing his hesitation, the soap-robed cultivator was immediately displeased. He had shown such kindness, yet this kid seemed not to know what was good for him. It looked like he still wanted to go to Daning City. In that case, his plan might have been in vain.
Sure enough, after hesitating for a while, Li Yan showed a difficult expression and also sent a voice transmission, "This... this matter, my master ordered a very important artifact refining material from a shop in Daning City. My master has been looking for this material for a long time.
"That shop also has to obtain it through other channels, so a one-year agreement was made long ago. Now, the agreed date is fast approaching. If I can't go and get it, not only will the half-deposit paid before be lost, but even that artifact refining material will probably be resold by the merchant.
"This material is very important to my master. He has been searching for nearly thirty years without success.
"Last year, he finally got a clue and went to Daning City to place a deposit. Now, if I go back to report the situation, even if my master goes personally, I'm afraid the time will have passed..."
Li Yan, of course, would not return to the so-called "sect." He had to find a way to go back no matter what, so he immediately found a reason that made it impossible to turn back.
"Oh!" Hearing Li Yan's voice transmission, the soap-robed cultivator said "oh" in his heart. There was nothing he could do. Cultivation resources were of utmost importance to any cultivator, and some materials, pills, and techniques, once missed, might never be encountered again in a lifetime.
He couldn't very well say, "You're afraid you won't have enough time? I'll fly you back to pay respects to your master."
First, he certainly couldn't leave Griefspirit Manor.
Second, the other party might not be willing to bring a strange cultivator back. These were all major taboos in the cultivation world.
"I've said all I can. Do as you please!" The soap-robed cultivator was, after all, a Golden Core cultivator. He had already wasted a lot of his time here today and had gotten nothing in return. He was extremely annoyed.
This time, he truly turned and left quickly, leaving the other two cultivators staring blankly at his departing back, wondering what he had just said to the young cultivator.
Soon, Li Yan, led by the two, flew to the side of the teleportation formation. At this time, the cultivators who had been hiding in ambush also revealed themselves.
They looked at Li Yan with some curiosity. After all, those who were on duty here knew more or less about the incident involving Ding Yushan and the others. They held the "master" Li Yan spoke of in high esteem. Strength was supreme, and the weak were prey to the strong; this had been the unshakeable law of survival in the cultivation world since ancient times.
Therefore, not only were the two young cultivators who were helping Li Yan with the teleportation very polite in their words, but the other cultivators also greeted Li Yan with pleasant expressions.
Finally, they even gave Li Yan a Jade Slip. With this Jade Slip, the cultivators at the other end of the teleportation formation could quickly confirm his identity.
After paying the Spirit Stones, Li Yan stepped onto the teleportation formation back to the south.
After a wave of dizziness, Li Yan was standing in a pile of rubble.
The moment he appeared, several figures surrounded him. Looking at the six cultivators before him, who were wearing several different styles of clothing, Li Yan guessed that these cultivators, like Ding Yushan and the others, were all sect cultivators who had been summoned on orders.
At the same time, Li Yan felt a powerful aura lock onto his figure at the first moment.
'A Golden Core, another Golden Core.'
Li Yan quickly sensed the source of the aura. It was coming from a cave not far from here.
Li Yan's face showed a hint of nervousness. Then, seeing the few people who had surrounded him, he quickly took out the Jade Slip. After stepping down from the teleportation formation, he immediately handed it over.
"Senior Brothers, I am a cultivator borrowing this teleportation formation. The Spirit Stones have been paid. This is the Jade Slip recorded by the Senior Brother over there as proof."
The moment Li Yan stepped off the teleportation formation, the area behind him blurred, and the scenery immediately returned to a messy pile of rocks. Li Yan's heart stirred, 'Concealed by an Illusion Formation!'
"Borrowing the teleportation formation, Spirit Stones paid? How could Dong Qijie be so reckless? It's only been a year, and he's already started a teleportation business?"
Before the leader among the six could take the Jade Slip, a grey shadow appeared behind them, his tone filled with great displeasure.
Hearing this voice, the six cultivators all shuddered. They quickly opened a gap and respectfully bowed, "We greet Martial Uncle Li!"
Li Yan had long since sensed a figure rushing over. This person was from the nearby cave, but his face appropriately showed a look of shock, a dazed expression written all over it.
Only then did the grey shadow slowly become clear, revealing a grey-robed elder. His face was the color of a dark red jujube, and his eyes held a hint of grey light, as if they could never focus.
But when he looked at people, that hint of grey light made a sense of death rise from the bottom of their hearts.
The grey-robed elder ignored the others. He casually waved his hand and drew the Jade Slip from Li Yan's hand into his own. He was responsible for guarding this end of the teleportation formation, and his main duty was naturally to investigate and ambush any strange cultivators who came here.
Originally, with his cultivation, he wouldn't have come over personally when he saw Li Yan's realm. It was just that besides a sect called "Dazzling Yellow Valley" nearby, he had been so bored for so long that he could have grown mushrooms.
Today, he had just finished meditating, and Li Yan happened to teleport over, which piqued his interest. The next moment, he heard that "Dong Qijie" on the other end had actually started a teleportation business. This made this "Martial Uncle Li" very unhappy.
This teleportation formation had been kept specifically to ambush the Demon Clan. For that "Dong Qijie" to expose the location of the teleportation formation so carelessly was unacceptable.
He naturally wanted to see for himself what kind of cultivator could make a Golden Core cultivator open the "door of convenience."
Not long after immersing his Divine Sense into the Jade Slip, "Martial Uncle Li" looked at Li Yan with some surprise. His gaze left the other six cultivators completely bewildered.
Because this "Martial Uncle Li," whose gaze was always cold and gloomy, actually had the grey light in his eyes soften. Even his constantly stern and serious face felt like the skin was twitching.