"No wonder you were so generous. It turns out you also broke through to the late stage..."
Zhao Min kicked Li Yan's calf with the tip of her foot in dissatisfaction. Although she still had an ordinary appearance, that girlish pique was unmistakable.
Zhao Min would never show this side of herself in front of a third person.
Li Yan, however, let out a series of chuckles. At this moment, within his Dantian's Purple Mansion, a golden-yellow Golden Core was spinning endlessly.
His Dantian sea had already grown by about thirty percent compared to half a month ago. He had also, impressively, stepped into the Late-stage Golden Core realm.
"Our risk this time was worth it. Although we almost perished at the hands of a Nascent Soul old monster's clone, the result is ultimately satisfying!"
"Besides, I am not as good as Senior Sister. If there was enough wood spirit rhythm, you could have even attempted to break through to the Pseudo-Core realm!"
Li Yan turned his head and glanced in the direction of the Giant Wood Clan. It seemed easy for him and Zhao Min to advance this time, but from the beginning on the Tianlan Prairie, every step had been like walking on a knife's edge.
Moreover, the refining process was exceptionally painful. If not for both him and Zhao Min cultivating the Qiongqi Purgatory Art, it would have been good if the two of them together could absorb even forty percent of the wood spirit rhythm.
The matter of A Guxi had too great an impact on a clan, even shaking its very foundation, which was why the Giant Wood Clan had reluctantly fulfilled their promise.
In addition, the other party couldn't figure out their background. For two Golden Core cultivators to dare to do something so audacious, perhaps only a very few disciples of super-sects would dare to do so.
Otherwise, wanting the Giant Wood Clan to take out the "Wood Essence Pool" for outside cultivators was much like a fool's dream.
This time, both Li Yan and Zhao Min had broken through a minor realm. It was just that Li Yan had just reached the Late-stage Golden Core and still needed some time to stabilize his realm.
Zhao Min, on the other hand, due to more than forty years of continuous flight and bloody battles, was already close to reaching the Late-stage Golden Core.
This time, she broke through quickly in the Wood Essence Pool and then continued to advance triumphantly until she was on the verge of the peak of the Late-stage Golden Core before stopping.
At the same time, the strength of their physical bodies had also improved once again!
Especially for Li Yan, who had no follow-up techniques for the Qiongqi Purgatory Art, it was originally extremely difficult to make even an inch of progress. Unexpectedly, this time, his improvement had reached a level that even Li Yan himself couldn't believe.
Now, if he were to fight with just his physical strength, although he couldn't say he was invincible below the Nascent Soul realm, it would be very difficult for anyone who wasn't also a Pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivator who had cultivated a top-tier body refining art to break his defense.
"Should we go find your 'old acquaintance from the wind and snow' next?"
Zhao Min looked around, checked the direction of their flight, and suddenly asked.
A few days ago, in order to gather information about the Giant Wood Clan, they had entered some markets. However, they had not gone to "Gui Qu Lai Xi," but were purely gathering information and collecting maps.
Now, Zhao Min could tell that the direction the "Cloud-Piercing Willow" was flying should be towards the nearest market to the Giant Wood Clan, about thirty thousand li away.
"Oh... Senior Sister, we still have to inquire about news from the Desolate Moon Continent. Of course, it's more appropriate to find an acquaintance. Besides, whether Su Hong is on the Verdant Continent is still unknown. It's all just my speculation..."
Before Li Yan could finish, Zhao Min gently raised a hand to signal.
"There's no need to say so much. I'm just confirming what the next step is. Now I know!"
"Oh..."
Li Yan glanced at Zhao Min, but he couldn't see anything unusual in her disguised appearance. Zhao Min's eyes were also calm and undisturbed. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond...
"Dongfei Market" was a very old market in the Sparrow Plume Pagoda Domain. It was said that this market already existed when the Peacock Clan was still around.
People came and went here every day, with cultivators of various races coming in an endless stream. It was very lively.
There were over a thousand large and small shops here. The market was not supported by any one or several forces, yet very few people dared to fight or rob here!
The order in "Dongfei Market" was maintained by the guards formed by the various merchants themselves. These merchants ranged from top-tier sects to individual rogue cultivators who lived here.
If someone were to really cause trouble here, it was possible that one, or even several, Nascent Soul cultivators would be drawn out. This made even the tycoons of the underworld not dare to touch this place.
In this market, there was a shop with a wide storefront called "Gui Qu Lai Xi." Very few people knew when this shop was established here. In their impression, it seemed as if this shop had always existed.
On this day, a man and a woman came to the "Gui Qu Lai Xi" shop. A chubby attendant in his forties immediately greeted them with a smile.
"Patrons, please tell me what you need. Our 'Gui Qu Lai Xi' has branches all over the Verdant Continent. Even if it's heavenly materials and earthly treasures from outside the Sparrow Plume Pagoda Domain, there's a high chance you can obtain them at our shop..."
The young man, however, waved his hand, which stunned the chubby attendant. He thought to himself.
'Not here to buy things? Then are you here to amuse yourself at my expense?'
But he only dared to think this in his heart. His face remained wreathed in smiles.
"I once left a message at your esteemed shop's branch in Yunguan City, asking them to pass it on to your shop's Su Hong, saying that an 'old acquaintance from the wind and snow' was looking for her. I wonder if there has been any reply?"
The attendant was stunned for a moment, then his eyes widened...
Four days later, when Li Yan and Zhao Min came to the "Gui Qu Lai Xi" shop again, they saw the attendant in his forties, who had spoken to them a few days ago, standing at the entrance from a distance.
The chubby attendant was not greeting the passing customers but was standing at the door, looking around as if waiting for someone.
When he saw Li Yan and Zhao Min at a glance, his eyes lit up, and he hurried over.
"Young Master Li, my young mistress arrived last night. You two patrons, please follow me!"
Li Yan couldn't help but rub his nose upon hearing this. Zhao Min's pleasant voice timely sounded in his mind.
"Young Master, Young Mistress? It's very much like what they sing in the mortal world's operas!"
Li Yan, however, pretended not to hear, his eyes calmly looking forward.
He and Zhao Min followed the attendant through the main hall on the first floor and went directly up to the second floor.
The chubby attendant soon stopped in front of a door in a remote corner of the second floor. He knocked gently on the door.
"Young Mistress, Young Master Li and the others have arrived!"
The moment his voice fell, the door opened silently. A pretty face flashed out first. It was a young girl who looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old.
Her gaze quickly slid from the attendant to Li Yan and Zhao Min behind him. After seeing them clearly, she couldn't help but pout her small mouth.
'So this is the young mistress's so-called 'old acquaintance from the wind and snow.' His looks are too ordinary. He's just a dark-skinned boy.'
'Compared to the handsome young masters who often visit the clan, there's no comparison at all. The difference between a crow and a flood dragon.'
'Similarly, the woman at his side is also plain-looking. They're quite a match for this dark-skinned boy...'
While she was still thinking, a lazy voice came from within the room.
"Mi'er, what are you still blocking the door for? Hurry up and let Fellow Daoist Li and the others in!"
Upon being urged, the young girl in the light yellow dress, called "Mi'er," immediately tensed her small face and, feigning maturity, moved her body to the side.
"You two fellow daoists, please come in!"
A soul-stirring "pfft" of laughter came from behind Mi'er. When this laughter reached Mi'er's ears, she couldn't help but stomp her jade foot in annoyance.
Li Yan had already seen a stunning woman in a light green dress. With her bright eyes and pearly teeth, it was the familiar face of Su Hong. She stood up from the side of the table with a smile.
"Fellow Daoist Li, we parted several decades ago. Have you been well?"
Inside the room, the fragrance of tea filled the air. Mi'er stood behind her young mistress, constantly sizing up Li Yan and Zhao Min, who were sitting opposite them.
The chubby attendant had already closed the door and left. Only the four of them remained in the room.
"Fellow Daoist Li, this is...?"
After the guests were seated, Su Hong had already swept her Divine Sense over Li Yan and the other. Because of Deacon Zheng's report, she was not surprised that Li Yan had already advanced to the Golden Core stage.
After carefully examining Li Yan's cultivation, Su Hong couldn't help but feel a little smug.
After so many years of hard cultivation, she was already close to breaking through to the Mid-stage Golden Core, while this brat Li Yan looked like he had just entered the Golden Core stage not long ago.
'I must find a time to have a match with him. Hmph, if I don't beat you until you're looking for your teeth all over the floor, it will be hard to quell the grudge of nearly being scared to tears by your threats back then!'
Su Hong thought quickly, but the smile on her face grew even wider.
It was only when her Divine Sense swept over Zhao Min that she was shocked. This woman, whose figure and appearance were a bit of a mismatch, was actually a Late-stage Golden Core expert.
'Didn't they say that the one traveling with Li Yan was a Mid-stage Golden Core female cultivator? Logically, Deacon Zheng's judgment shouldn't be wrong!'
The "Heavenly Demon White Jade Plate" was a demonic clan cultivation method, known for its unparalleled dominance and ferocity.
Most demonic clan cultivators were arrogant by nature and disliked hiding. Therefore, the cultivation methods they created were considered good if they were not ostentatious. How could they consider methods for concealing one's aura?
Because Zhao Min's realm had just broken through, her aura was a bit sharp. She simply did not bother to cast an extra technique to cover it up; otherwise, it might seem deliberate.
After a period of time, when she became familiar with this realm, her control over her aura would become smooth and easy. After concealing her aura then, even a Pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivator might not be able to see her true cultivation.
"Shopkeeper Su, it has been years since we parted. It is truly fate!"
Before Li Yan could answer, everyone felt a flash of white light, and a stunningly beautiful woman appeared opposite Su Hong.
The woman had red lips and white teeth, her bright eyes sparkling. A ponytail of quality black hair hung down to her waist. Her fair and smooth face had a distinct, three-dimensional structure, her beauty carrying a hint of heroic spirit.
Li Yan, sitting next to Zhao Min, had a look of astonishment in his eyes.
'Senior Sister didn't say before that she was going to reveal her identity. How did she reveal her true appearance as soon as we met!'
Zhao Min's action greatly surprised Li Yan, but his face also remained impassive.
Mi'er was first startled, thinking the two opposite them had suddenly attacked. She was about to move to block in front of her young mistress.
When she saw everything clearly, her small mouth couldn't help but hang open, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.
"This... another fairy! To think there is truly a peerless woman in the world who is on par with the young mistress..."
Zhao Min's beauty had a heroic and dashing quality, which was completely different from Su Hong's alluring charm. The beauty of the two was unique, but they were both first-rate peerless beauties in this world.
Su Hong was also stunned at first, then she couldn't help but exclaim.
"Miss Zhao!"
She had not only been to the Malevolent Spirit Sect many times back then, but also, due to gathering intelligence on the Desolate Moon Continent, she knew a lot about the disciples of various sects.
Especially a core disciple like Zhao Min from the Four Great Sects had, of course, long been on her radar. Moreover, Zhao Min had met her several times in Peiyang Market back then.
However, Su Hong had been tempered in the business world for many years. After her exclamation, she returned to normal, her face immediately showing the enthusiasm of a reunion with an old friend.
"Miss Zhao, we haven't seen each other for a long time!"
Those who didn't know would really think the two were close friends.
"Receiving the news of Fellow Daoist Li's appearance here was already a pleasant surprise for me. I never thought I would meet Miss Zhao again. It is truly a great surprise."
"This makes me even more curious. How did you two fellow daoists manage to appear on the Verdant Continent?"
Su Hong's slender body slowly leaned back against the side of the table. She crossed her long legs, picked up the teacup from which wisps of mist were rising, and gestured to Li Yan and the other two.
However, even after she had taken a light sip of tea, she still hadn't heard from Li Yan and Zhao Min.
She raised her beautiful eyes slightly and saw that Li Yan was just smiling without speaking. Zhao Min had fallen silent ever since she had spoken that sentence.