At this moment, Li Yan opposite him was no different from an ordinary mortal, the fluctuations of his Spirit Power completely gone.
The way Li Yan released and retracted his aura made Sun Guoshu feel that his current cultivation was extremely strange. Logically speaking, he was also at Mid-stage Foundation Establishment , so from any perspective, Li Yan should not be able to crush him.
But now, Sun Guoshu couldn't even capture Li Yan's Spirit Power fluctuations. This made an unknown fear rise in his heart.
'How on earth does this person cultivate? Is this the foundation of the Malevolent Spirit Sect ? It's not just him; even Miss Bai's cultivation feels like it's advancing by a thousand li a day. Are the Malevolent Spirit Sect's medicinal pills and cultivation methods really that powerful?'
But at the same time, Sun Guoshu was constantly comforting himself. Li Yan probably had some extremely powerful aura-concealing magical treasure on him, which was why he had this illusion.
Just as Sun Guoshu's mind was racing, Li Yan had already spoken again.
"Fellow Daoist Sun, I observed today that within the Ninth Squad, Senior Sister Bai's cultivation is not the strongest. Among the others, there are some at Late-stage Foundation Establishment , and even three senior brothers at the Pseudo-Core Realm .
From what I can see, even with your combat experience, in a true life-and-death struggle, Senior Sister Bai might not be your match.
How did she become the captain of this Ninth Squad? Could it be an arrangement from above?"
This question had been puzzling Li Yan. A cultivator with limited combat power, unless she was exceptionally intelligent, couldn't possibly be a captain. But Bai Rou, while intelligent, was not skilled in strategic thinking for battle.
However, Li Yan had observed carefully today. The Ninth Squad, including Bai Rou, had twenty members. The other nineteen all seemed to be very respectful towards her. This was an attitude that could not be earned through a so-called arrangement from above.
In fact, Li Yan already had a tentative answer, but he felt it was unlikely.
"Oh, so that's what the young master is asking about. Actually, this isn't much of a secret. Not just in the 'Heavy Peak Battalion,' but also in the other battalions, quite a few people know of Miss Bai."
Hearing this, Sun Guoshu immediately stopped his train of thought and a smile appeared on his face.
"Oh? I'd like to hear the details!" Li Yan said with a smile.
"To put it bluntly, it's nothing much. Miss Bai has a set of puppets, a Parent-Child Puppet set of two large and one small, with astonishing power.
It must be said that Miss Bai's talent in the art of mechanisms is truly outstanding. This set of Parent-Child Puppets is said to have been refined by her only in the last year, and it's full of mysteries.
Once deployed, with the three puppets working together, almost no one below the Golden Core stage can match them.
I've also heard that if the three puppets unleash their full power, they can even fight an Initial-stage Golden Core cultivator for a few breaths. Of course, I've never seen this myself.
It is speculated that in a sneak attack, even an Initial-stage Golden Core cultivator might not escape unscathed. But the previous captain of this Ninth Squad was not Miss Bai. The former captain also earned his position through his own strength. Miss Bai probably had no intention of competing.
It was just that once, on a mission, they encountered a strong enemy. I heard that there was a particularly powerful human cultivator among them. In the end, it was Miss Bai who made a move and resolved the crisis.
Although our side also suffered casualties, we ultimately wiped out the entire enemy squad.
From that time on, they finally knew how powerful Miss Bai was. Then the original captain of the Ninth Squad, after six of his squad members died, was no longer willing to serve as captain. In the end, everyone unanimously elected Miss Bai as the captain.
However, since I've only recently been transferred to the Ninth Squad, this is all hearsay, so I don't know how much of it is true.
It's just that the missions recently haven't been too difficult. Although I've seen Miss Bai make a move, I can only tell that she wasn't using her full strength. Her specific strength is still impossible to guess."
Sun Guoshu recounted everything he knew in one breath. Anyway, these were not secrets. Li Yan would naturally find out everything after being in the squad for a while.
There was a hint of doubt in Sun Guoshu's tone as he spoke. It reminded him of his surprise when he first heard the reason why Bai Rou had become the captain of the Ninth Squad.
For a moment, his heart was in turmoil. How had the timid little girl from the Peiyang Market become so powerful that he might not even be her match?
He had never seen Bai Rou truly make a move, but with his intelligence, Sun Guoshu knew just by looking at the attitude of the three Pseudo-Core Realm cultivators towards her.
After listening, Li Yan's face didn't show much change. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes a few times, then he said with a smile.
"Senior Sister Bai's talent has always been outstanding. Actually, all of this is within reason. It is a matter worthy of congratulations."
Next, Li Yan asked Sun Guoshu about the situation at Windy Cool Mountain. Sun Guoshu was truly a seasoned veteran of the martial world. His cultivation wasn't much, but he really knew a lot about the matters at Windy Cool Mountain. He even spoke eloquently about the Demon Clan's side. It was clear that people like Sun Guoshu had their own way of survival wherever they went.
Although most of it was hearsay, Sun Guoshu's answers were of some reference value to Li Yan. Whether true or false, Li Yan committed it all to memory, to be sorted out later when he had time.
Just like that, the two talked for about another half an incense stick's time before Li Yan said with a smile, "Thank you for today, Fellow Daoist Sun. You've cleared up many of my doubts. If I have more questions in the future, I hope you won't hesitate to enlighten me.
As for the matter of the artifact refining materials, I hope you will pay more attention to it in the future."
Hearing Li Yan say this, Sun Guoshu knew it was time for him to leave. He had come this time to get his reward, and had no other business. So he immediately stood up respectfully and took his leave. Looking at Sun Guoshu's departing back, Li Yan didn't immediately close the Cave Residence door. Instead, after a short while, he smiled at the empty, dark entrance.
"I've kept Senior Sister Bai waiting for a long time. My apologies. If you don't mind the humble state of this place, please come in and talk?"
"Junior... Junior... Brother Li, what is your cultivation level now? How... how did you discover me so easily?"
A timid voice sounded at the entrance, and then a slender and graceful figure appeared in the dark night. With light lotus steps, Bai Rou appeared inside Li Yan's Cave Residence.
Li Yan had long since sensed Bai Rou's arrival, but there were some things he wanted to hear from Sun Guoshu, so he had deliberately delayed for some time before sending him away.
Hearing Bai Rou ask about his cultivation, Li Yan had no intention of elaborating on it. He already regretted not suppressing his cultivation to the Initial-stage Foundation Establishment before coming.
For others, advancing in realm was incredibly difficult. It was often impossible to break through a minor realm even in ten years. His True Scripture of Gui Water , complemented by his five-element physique, was monstrously terrifying.
So he laughed it off. "Hehe, if I remember correctly, Senior Sister Bai also succeeded in Foundation Establishment just over three years ago, and now you're already at Mid-stage Foundation Establishment. That is what's truly admirable.
I just had some fortunate encounters outside, it was all luck. It doesn't count. Senior Sister Bai, please sit!"
Li Yan's eyes held a smile. As he spoke, he had already flicked his sleeve, and the stone door of the Cave Residence had closed silently.
Bai Rou looked around the cave. Seeing that it was indeed just her and Li Yan, her face couldn't help but blush, and she found a stone bench very close to the stone door to sit down.
The fact that she could do this already surprised Li Yan greatly. The Bai Rou of the past would probably just be standing there timidly at this point.
It seemed that after experiencing life-and-death struggles, even the most timid person's heart would become stronger, and their personality would change imperceptibly.
Bai Rou did not follow Li Yan's change of subject. Instead, she pursed her jade lips, her voice like a spirit bird chirping timidly in the cave.
"Junior... Junior Brother Li, why are you making... fun of me? The reason my cultivation could advance again in just a few years is all thanks to you. I... think, without me saying, Junior Brother has already guessed a thing or two."
Hearing this, Li Yan first wiped the smile from his face. Then he picked up a new cup, filled it with tea, and with a gentle push, the teacup, as if held by an invisible hand, was slowly sent to Bai Rou.
Only then did he nod and say, "It seems Senior Shuang has returned to the Wood Flow Sect and found you!"
With Li Yan's intelligence, as soon as Sun Guoshu mentioned that Bai Rou suddenly had three powerful puppets, Li Yan had basically guessed that Shuang Qingqing had returned and found Bai Rou.
Thinking of that peerless enchantress, Li Yan seemed to still have a faint fragrance at the tip of his nose. He couldn't help but touch his nose and quickly calmed his mind.
Moreover, from another perspective, although Bai Rou's talent in the art of puppetry was astonishing, the Wood Flow Sect's previous heritage was incomplete. It was absolutely impossible for her to have such a near heaven-defying breakthrough in puppetry so quickly. The only remaining possibility was that Bai Rou had had a great fortuitous encounter.
"The one Ancestor met in the Flying Sand Grotto-Caves was really Junior Brother!"
Although she already had the answer, hearing Li Yan say the words "Senior Shuang" himself, Bai Rou's heart felt as if a very, very important matter had finally been put to rest.
Li Yan scratched his head. "Speaking of which, I really have to thank you, Senior Sister. If not for the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape , Senior Shuang would not have intervened to save me. I'm afraid I would have perished two years ago. You saved my life."
For some reason, hearing Li Yan's words, a trace of joy appeared in Bai Rou's heart. She didn't know where this joy came from. She just felt that the fact that the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape, which she regarded as her life, could save Li Yan was a happy thing.
"Junior Brother is too serious. Ancestor said that it is all thanks to you this time. If you hadn't appeared in the Flying Sand Grotto-Caves, she might have been powerless to break out of the grotto-caves until her remnant soul was exhausted.
When it comes down to it, Junior Brother has done the Wood Flow Sect a great service. Even my master asked me to express his gratitude to you when I saw you again."
As she spoke, Bai Rou seemed to recall her master, who had really been nearing the end of his life. After the ancestor's return, his cultivation, which had been stagnant, had broken through, and his lifespan had finally increased. How could she not be happy?
So, her words about her master wanting her to thank Li Yan on his behalf were also true.
Thinking of the moment her master from the Wood Flow Sect appeared before her again, full of vigor, a smile quietly blossomed on Bai Rou's face.
But this smile, like a blooming lily, made Li Yan a little dazed for a moment. This made Bai Rou, who had just started to smile, see Li Yan's slightly dazed look, and she immediately lowered her head quickly.
A waterfall of black hair concealed Bai Rou's beautiful face. Li Yan could still see her fair, round earlobes, which were already like a pink jade pendant, and her snow-white neck was a flush of pink.
"Oh... oh, your... your master is too serious. Is Senior Shuang well now?" Li Yan also immediately came back to his senses and quickly asked.
"An... Ancestor is still in seclusion. I was summoned back by her more than a year ago..."
Bai Rou's voice became low again, but as she narrated, her voice slowly returned to calm. It was just that she turned her face to the side, not daring to look at Li Yan again. Her gaze only wandered over the stone walls of the Cave Residence.