Seeing Ai Ni run, a rare gentleness appeared in Zhao Min's usually indifferent eyes. She had been shocked that a woman could be so unfamiliar with the most basic aspects of dressing. Such a thing would rarely happen even among mortals. Li Yan turned his head and looked at the scene with a smile. He suddenly spoke to A Guxi and Ai Sang. "Although I have clothes for you, you can't change into them. This is not a triumphant return home; the aggrieved must look the part!"
"Thank you, Senior. We don't need them, we don't!" This time, before A Guxi could answer, Ai Sang had already said repeatedly. But as he spoke, his eyes, shining with a strange light, kept looking at Ai Ni, who was now standing with her head shyly bowed.
Li Yan and the others continued their journey southwest. Along the way, because he and Zhao Min both released their Golden Core cultivation auras, and they were no longer in the Yunlan Mountain Range, the number of vicious and evil people had also decreased significantly. The demonic beasts they encountered, apart from roaring a couple of times to protest someone flying so brazenly over their territory, would not take the initiative to seek trouble.
Occasionally, when they met some cultivators, the other party would sense Li Yan and his companions' auras and would avoid them early on. Two days later, at the tail of the "Cloud-Piercing Willow," A Guxi, Ai Ni, and Ai Sang were listening to Qian Ji's wild boasts, with Zi Kun chiming in from time to time. Amidst a spray of spittle, the three "country bumpkins" listened with stars in their eyes, sometimes completely dumbfounded.
After that day, with A Guxi's experience, he would naturally not let the "Senior's" disciples be dissatisfied with the three of them. After taking the initiative to show goodwill, he successively praised the two demons for their extraordinary talent, profound cultivation, and so on, which was quite well-received by the two demons. In addition, in A Guxi's eyes, the cultivation of these two demons was about the same as his own, so he was not as fearful as he was toward Li Yan and Zhao Min. He was much more open in his conversation. As a result, it seemed that the three of them were very sincere.
Thus, seeing their sincere attitude and deep remorse, the two demons, after "some consideration," also "lowered" themselves to associate with these "country bumpkins" who had never seen the world.
Next, under the adoring gazes of the "country bumpkins," the two demons, apart from not daring to say some real place names, told them one by one about their past battles on Windy Cool Mountain, the great sect war in "Falling Star Valley," and so on, talking up a storm.
Although these three were long accustomed to slaughter, and in terms of life and death, these two demons could not be compared to them at all, A Guxi and the others had truly never seen the many races the two demons spoke of, nor the splendid outside world. For a time, they were truly like crude country bumpkins entering the city for the first time, and they had even met two boastful local tycoons.
When they heard something exciting, apart from the mature and steady A Guxi, both Ai Sang and Ai Ni had the urge to fly down and have a big fight with those demonic beasts they had never seen before, to experience the excitement of the outside world. The way they wanted to experience the excitement of the outside world was also quite unique: a big fight. The instinct to fight was already engraved in their bones. Perhaps they could not find any other way to better vent their emotions. But without Li Yan's permission, they could only think about it. How could they dare to leave the flying magical treasure? They could only look down with some regret at the unknown demonic beasts below…
In an elegant courtyard, Su Hong, dressed in a light green dress, was leisurely holding an ancient scroll, sitting by a fish pond shaded by lush trees. Occasionally, she would extend her snow-white jade hand, pinch some fish food from the stone table, and gently toss it into the fish pond, attracting countless fish to fight over it. But her gaze remained fixed on the ancient scroll, reading with great interest.
"Miss, Miss…" Suddenly, a series of light footsteps came from afar, and Mi'er, lifting her skirt with one hand, ran all the way here.
Su Hong still did not look toward the courtyard gate. She gently turned a page of the ancient scroll, paying no heed to Mi'er's calls. "Miss, there's news from Yunguan City. It's from Deacon Zheng for you!" After Mi'er arrived, she placed both hands on the edge of the table, her ample, snow-white chest heaving. Her beautiful eyes looked at her young lady.
"Oh? From Yunguan City? We're not planning on going there; it's too remote! Is that Deacon Zheng trying to get transferred to another branch? Some deacons are really troublesome. It's not up to me. In the end, where they serve as deacons is for the family to decide. During this period, at least three deacons have sent messages through others…" A hint of displeasure appeared on Su Hong's beautiful face, but her eyes were still fixed on the ancient scroll. These days, many branch deacons had sent messages, asking her to come and "inspect" the shops. She knew without going that these people just wanted to get close to her, give her gifts, and then ask for favors.
"Gui Qu Lai Xi" had branches on many continents. Due to their different locations and the different groups of cultivators they dealt with, the profits of the shops were naturally different. Even on the same continent, there were good and bad shops. Who wouldn't want to be transferred to a good place and skim some more oil?
"No, no, Miss. Deacon Zheng is not asking you for a favor!" Mi'er hastily interrupted Su Hong.
"Oh!" Su Hong replied faintly. In her heart, she already knew the outcome. Mi'er was still inexperienced. Sometimes, asking for a favor was not on the surface; the winding paths in the dark were countless.
Mi'er did not hear the teasing tone in Su Hong's faint reply. She continued, "Deacon Zheng from Yunguan City said that a few days ago, a young man and woman, both cultivators, came to the shop. They wanted to buy a route from the Verdant Continent to the Desolate Moon Continent. In the end, after spending eight thousand spirit stones, they only got a method that required tearing the void. That male cultivator seemed unwilling…" Mi'er felt that person was really stupid. How could there be a cross-realm teleportation formation in a remote and barren place like the Desolate Moon Continent? As she spoke, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.
She had not realized that it was only because she was close to her young lady every day, and her young lady had returned from the Desolate Moon Continent, that she had paid special attention to the Desolate Moon Continent and thus knew about this matter. At the same time, she did not notice that when she said "Desolate Moon Continent," Su Hong's gaze, which had been on the ancient scroll, had paused for a moment. A trace of surprise appeared on her beautiful jade face, and she immediately shifted her attention, but Su Hong did not interrupt her.
"That young male cultivator probably felt that he had wasted his spirit stones, so he wanted to use your name, Miss, to get more information. He even asked where you are now, Miss. How could Deacon Zheng be fooled? He asked the other party to produce a token of proof. Of course, that person couldn't produce any token. Don't you think it's funny, Miss?"
"Oh, and then what?" Seeing that her young lady had finally lifted her face that could topple nations, Mi'er thought that Su Hong was also amused by this matter. In her eyes, after her young lady had returned to the clan last time, there had been many core disciples, young masters, and scions from large sects and major families who had flocked to visit. She could, of course, guess their intentions. The male cultivator that Deacon Zheng in Yunguan City had met must have heard her young lady's name somewhere and had just used it.
"Without a token, Deacon Zheng certainly couldn't just tell him your whereabouts based on his words alone. That male cultivator probably saw that he couldn't fool Deacon Zheng, so he found a way to save face and left in a hurry, hahaha…"
"How did he find a way?"
"Hahaha, that person asked Deacon Zheng to pass a message to you, Miss, asking if you still remember some 'old acquaintance from the wind and snow'? He even said with great seriousness that the next time he goes to another market, he will find our shop again to see if there is a reply from you, Miss. Don't you think the excuse this person found really seems like the real deal! Because that person mentioned the Desolate Moon Continent, and remembering that you, Miss, had also been there, Deacon Zheng was a little hesitant for a moment. However, because the cultivation of those two was only at the Golden Core stage, especially the man who was only at the Initial-stage Golden Core, how could he have crossed realms to get here? If someone had escorted him over, then there would be no need to inquire about the way back now. None of this makes sense! After careful consideration, Deacon Zheng still decided to bring this person's words over and also recorded the appearance of that man and woman. Everything is for you to decide, Miss."
Su Hong's face had already begun to change. When she heard the four words "old acquaintance from the wind and snow," her delicate body trembled inadvertently. In her mind, distant images immediately appeared: the black mountain, the heavy snow, the beautiful woman in the green gauze… and that little cultivator who made her grind her teeth every time she thought of him. He was clearly hiding in that cave. If not for the Crystal Bone Water on her, the other party would have definitely watched her be captured by the beautiful woman in the green gauze, and then under the beautiful woman's "Seven Mysteries Yin Sha Art," she would have had to do that shameful and desperate thing.
And later, just after she had said she could sense he was a Malevolent Spirit Sect cultivator, the little brat from the Malevolent Spirit Sect had actually had the intention to kill her. At that time, she had been truly flustered. That kind of panic was something she had never experienced before.
Thinking of this, Su Hong suddenly stood up, gritting her teeth and muttering, "An old acquaintance from the wind and snow… from the wind and snow… an old acquaintance. Is it really you?"
Mi'er was taken aback by Su Hong's behavior. She quickly took a few steps back and looked at her young lady, who had lost her usual elegance, in shock. "Mis… Miss, you… you real… really know that person?"
Su Hong's high, full bosom heaved slightly. Then she realized she had lost her composure. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. "Where is that jade slip?"
"Oh, oh, oh, here, here…" Seeing this, Mi'er quickly handed over a jade slip from her sleeve. Su Hong gently reached out her jade-like hand and took it, then immediately immersed her Divine Sense into it. This time, she did not delay for a moment. After her Divine Sense entered, two figures appeared in the jade slip. Su Hong's eyes were fixed on the young man's face at a glance. "It really is you. Little Bamboo Peak, Li Yan!"
Then, she swept her Divine Sense over the woman's image. "Who is this? I shouldn't have seen this person before!"
A moment later, Su Hong withdrew her Divine Sense from the jade slip. She slowly sat down again and was lost in thought for a moment. 'How did he appear on the Verdant Continent? And he's asking for the route back to the Desolate Moon Continent? This is really not right. As Deacon Zheng said, if he had come from the Desolate Moon Continent normally, he must have been escorted by at least a Nascent Soul stage cultivator. In that case, he probably didn't come here normally, but due to some accident… That's even more wrong. An accident could only mean entering the chaotic flow space…!'
She raised her head again, her autumn-water-like pupils looking at Mi'er. "You said just now that the man and woman were both at the Golden Core stage, right?"
At this time, Mi'er had already seen that her young lady really knew that person who called himself "an old acquaintance from the wind and snow." Seeing her young lady ask a question, she quickly nodded. "Yes, Deacon Zheng said that the male cultivator was at the Initial-stage Golden Core, and the female cultivator was at the Mid-stage Golden Core. With Deacon Zheng's realm, he certainly wouldn't be mistaken!"
"Initial-stage Golden Core cultivation. Even now, he couldn't possibly survive in the chaotic flow space. How did he get here? And who is that female cultivator…"