Listening to Xu Shi's account, Li Yan's aura had already receded. In fact, he had his suspicions the moment he saw the two men's attire. He immediately recalled his early days in the Malevolent Spirit Sect on Spirit Insect Peak. He had been worried that with both Marshal Hong and Strategist Ji dead, the State of Meng would take the opportunity to attack, and his parents would be caught in the chaos of war, making him unwilling to join the sect. His Senior Brother had then said that he had already arranged for local cultivation sects to notify the two kingdoms and secretly protect them. He never thought that to this day, there would still be one sect and two families guarding here.
What Li Yan didn't know was that back then, after receiving the arrangements from Wu Shixi and the other two, the Bloodleaf Sect and the other two cultivation families had taken this matter very seriously. They had immediately notified the disciples stationed in the dynasty and the State of Meng. But still not feeling at ease, after some discussion, they had decided to take turns sending disciples to guard Li Yan's family here. However, they also abided by the rule that immortals and mortals should not interact, only guarding in secret and not interfering in their lives in any way.
The Bloodleaf Sect and the two cultivation families were very enthusiastic about this matter. This was a major opportunity to curry favor with the Malevolent Spirit Sect. They wished the other two families wouldn't come, so that one family could guard alone.
But since they had started guarding, no one from the Malevolent Spirit Sect had come again. They had guarded for four years, but the three families still did not dare to slack off in the slightest, for fear that a single oversight would ruin the opportunity, or cause an accident to happen to Li Yan's family. In fact, when the three of them were at the Bloodleaf Sect last night, the Bloodleaf Elder had had his suspicions. But seeing that Li Yan and his companions were three Malevolent Spirit Sect cultivators who had come together, and their cultivation was similar to his own, and that the cultivator from the small mountain village had only been cultivating for four years, he imagined that he would at most be at the Qi Condensation stage. After thinking it over and over, how could he dare to ask? He just thought the three were passing by. In his hesitation, and with the life-and-death matter of his sect at hand, he had to suppress this matter in his heart.
"Then does the Li family here know where their son who was in the army has gone?" a thought stirred in Li Yan's heart, and he continued to ask.
"Oh, this matter involves the affairs of immortals and mortals. We were instructed by those three superior immortals from the Malevolent Spirit Sect to notify the garrison here and have them spread the news that he, along with the strategist and marshal in the army at that time, had all been transferred elsewhere to take up new posts. All other news was sealed," Xu Shi replied carefully upon hearing this. He also didn't know why this senior was asking so clearly.
"Oh, so that's how it is. Also, in recent years, has anything happened to the Li family here?" After hearing this, Li Yan's heart relaxed. His disappearance could be considered to have been explained. But he couldn't help but ask about his family. Although the mountain village was not far ahead, he felt a kind of apprehension and wanted to know some things from others in advance.
Xu Shi and Wang Wuyi, with their heads bowed, exchanged a glance. They couldn't help but feel strange. This senior seemed to be very interested in this. But this matter was not a secret, and it couldn't be hidden anyway. Xu Shi continued to bow his head and answered respectfully.
"Reporting to Senior, the Li family is all well and their life is quite peaceful. Apart from marrying off a daughter three years ago and then welcoming a daughter-in-law, there haven't been any major events."
These words entered Li Yan's ears, and he couldn't help but be stunned. A trace of loneliness arose in his heart. 'I never thought fourth sister would have already married far away.' But at the same time, there was also joy in his heart. 'Third brother has also started a family and a career. That is truly a good thing.' For a moment, Li Yan felt a sense of the vicissitudes of time. Although it had only been a short four years, it was completely different from when he had left home.
After a while, amidst the unease of Xu Shi and Wang Wuyi, Li Yan nodded. "Alright then, you two can continue to guard here."
Gong Chenying and Zhao Min also understood. Although their families had never had such a situation, they had heard that in the sect, there was a saying that the direct relatives of a generation of a family of mortal origin would be guarded. It was just that this was the first time they had encountered it.
After speaking, Li Yan was about to turn and leave. After taking a step, he paused and turned his head back. When Xu Shi and the other two heard Li Yan say "continue to guard," their hearts were truly at ease. They continued to maintain a respectful look. As they secretly looked up and saw the three were about to leave, they didn't expect the male cultivator to turn his head back again. Xu Shi and the other two were immediately apprehensive, and their hearts became nervous for a moment, thinking that the person before them had changed his mind.
Li Yan turned his head back, thought for a moment, and slapped his waist. After a flash of white light, two small porcelain bottles appeared in his hand. He said to the two, "To meet is fate. In consideration of you two also guarding the Li family here, I will give these two bottles of medicinal pills to you. And when you two go back next time, you can tell the Bloodleaf Elder that the matter he is thinking of is fine. Within a hundred years, the Bloodleaf Sect will be taken care of. Just say this to him, and he will understand."
After speaking, he waved his hand, and the porcelain bottles in his hand turned into two streaks of green light and shot toward the two of them respectively.
Xu Shi and Wang Wuyi were stunned. Before their minds could process it, they saw two streaks of green light shooting toward them. They couldn't help but reach out and catch them. When they looked up again, there was no sign of the three people around.
"This... this..." Xu Shi and Wang Wuyi held the porcelain bottles blankly, not knowing what had happened for a moment.
A moment later, Wang Wuyi was the first to come to his senses. His mind was still a little fuzzy. He looked at the green porcelain bottle in his hand and opened the stopper with some doubt. Instantly, a medicinal fragrance that seeped into the heart drifted out from the bottle. It immediately caused the originally scarce and scattered spiritual energy in this part of the world to gather toward his palm. He tilted the bottle curiously, and immediately a rice-grain-sized, crystal-clear medicinal pill rolled out from the mouth of the bottle. The moment the pill came out of the porcelain bottle, even more spiritual energy rushed toward it, like a hungry tiger. This made the originally spiritual-energy-deficient world feel moist.
"This... this is a 'Spirit-Raising Pill'!" Following Wang Wuyi's action, Xu Shi's gaze also moved over. The moment he saw the pill clearly, his breathing became rapid, and he cried out in surprise.
"A Spirit-Raising Pill? This is a Spirit-Raising Pill?" Wang Wuyi was also shocked upon hearing this. He knew that this senior brother was knowledgeable and had read widely. But he had heard the name of this medicinal pill before, but he couldn't remember its effects very clearly.
"That's right, this is a Spirit-Raising Pill. I have seen it described in the classics. Both its appearance and smell are exactly the same as described in the classics. This is a first-grade, high-quality medicinal pill! It only appears in second-rate sects and above, and it is rarely equipped for disciples. I hear it is only more common in first-rate sects. This pill is of great help to our Qi Condensation stage cultivation and promotion." The more Xu Shi spoke, the heavier his breathing became, and he had already grasped the green porcelain bottle firmly in one hand, as if afraid it would fly away.
On the other side, Wang Wuyi, upon hearing this, quickly put the pill in his hand back into the porcelain bottle, looked around again, and quickly put the porcelain bottle into his storage pouch. This kind of medicinal pill was something they couldn't even dream of getting in the Bloodleaf Sect. If other people in the sect knew about it, it was possible that they would have the idea of snatching it. This bottle of medicinal pills was extremely important for the cultivation of the two of them.
After a while, Xu Shi also put away the medicinal pill with great care. Then he looked at Wang Wuyi and quickly released his Divine Sense. A moment later, after confirming that there was no one here, he sent a voice transmission.
"Junior Brother Wang, you and I know about this matter. It must not fall into a third ear. Otherwise, with our cultivation, we are not top-notch in the sect. Being robbed is a small matter; being killed to silence us is also a natural thing. You must remember this, remember it well!"
"I understand this matter, Senior Brother Xu, don't worry. How could I dare to speak nonsense?" Wang Wuyi also carefully sent a voice transmission. The two looked at each other, and after a moment, they smiled knowingly.
"Senior Brother Xu, who are these three seniors? Why would they suddenly give us such a precious medicinal pill?" A moment later, after his state of mind had calmed down, Wang Wuyi thought of Li Yan and the other two. He couldn't help but look around again and asked via voice transmission.
Xu Shi, on the other hand, had been pondering since he finished speaking with Wang Wuyi. Hearing Wang Wuyi's question, he replied very respectfully, "The three seniors came and went without a trace. I can't see their origin either. I imagine they were just passing by... right? Hmm? No..." Xu Shi initially still had respect for the three of them and slowly sent a voice transmission. But at the end, he suddenly cried out in surprise.
"What's wrong? Senior Brother Xu?" Wang Wuyi heard Xu Shi's voice suddenly change to a cry of surprise in his voice transmission.
"You... you... have you remembered? Have you heard of the style of the robes worn by the senior who gave us the medicine?" Xu Shi's breathing became heavy again, and he asked anxiously. The two of them had been intimidated by the pressure from the three of them before and had not dared to look up. It was only when Li Yan was leaving that they had bowed to see him off and had only briefly glanced at him. Now that he thought about it, the robes seemed to have been seen in the sect's jade slip.
"Robes? What about them? Should be black? No, it's dark green... is it dark green?" Wang Wuyi was a little confused by Xu Shi's words. He recalled and said with some doubt. But when he remembered clearly, a bolt of lightning flashed in his mind, and he also cried out in surprise.
"You remembered too. That robe is similar to the one introduced in the sect's description of the tokens and attire of the major sects' cultivators, the Malevolent Spirit Sect. And I also remember now, I faintly seemed to see a golden logo on the senior's sleeve flash by. That's right, they, oh, at least that senior who gave us the medicine is a Malevolent Spirit Sect cultivator." The usual stability was gone from Xu Shi's face, replaced by a look of excitement.
"So, the three seniors are all Malevolent Spirit Sect cultivators? But what did they mean by giving us medicinal pills? Could it be because we were guarding here?" Wang Wuyi's mind raced. He also thought of a possibility, and the light in his eyes grew brighter.
"But this Malevolent Spirit Sect cultivator we are guarding has only been in the sect for four years. It's impossible for him to have such a cultivation. Could it be because they are all from the same sect?" Wang Wuyi continued to mutter to himself.
"Hehe, perhaps. The three seniors might just be showing consideration because we are guarding their fellow sect member's family. But perhaps it's really not. The cultivation resources and methods of a giant sect like the Malevolent Spirit Sect are beyond our imagination. Do you remember that the direction the three seniors were heading in before was clearly toward this small mountain village? And that senior who gave us the medicine was very young, not at all like someone who has maintained their youthful appearance. And, now, look over there..." As Xu Shi spoke, he pointed in a direction. The direction he pointed in was where the small mountain village was. The two of them were already standing on the top of the mountain. Wang Wuyi followed Xu Shi's finger and looked, and he saw three figures walking slowly toward the small mountain village on the small path in the distance.
"Could it be that we were guarding here and really met the real person?" Wang Wuyi asked uncertainly.
"Alright, Junior Brother Wang, don't think too much. Whether it's the matter that the senior instructed us on just now, or the possible identity of the senior, it's not something we can discuss. Otherwise..." As he said this, a trace of fear appeared in his eyes. The hierarchy of cultivators was strict. Even if they were just talking behind their backs, a single careless mistake could bring about a fatal disaster.
"Yes, yes, yes." After hearing this, Wang Wuyi also quickly shut his mouth and hurriedly withdrew his gaze from the three people.
After a short while, Xu Shi spoke with a serious expression. "Now, we must report what happened here to the sect before those two families do. One person will stay here to guard, and the other will go to the teleportation array now and rush back to the sect at the fastest speed to report to the sect master and the ancestor in person."
After the three of them disappeared, when they saw that there was no one on the small mountain path, they landed again. He looked at Gong Chenying and Zhao Min and suddenly said, "From what happened just now, it seems that no one at home knows about my cultivation. That will save me from being too shocking." Li Yan thought of his bizarre experiences. If he were to tell them like this, his family would think he had gone mad. Back then, even with Dong Fuyi's advance notice, he still felt that the immortals before him were unbelievable when he arrived at the Malevolent Spirit Sect.
The two women also nodded upon hearing this. But in their bones, they still felt it was unnecessary. They had grown up in a cultivation environment since they were young and felt that cultivation was a matter of course.
"Then later, when I introduce you to my family, I'll say that one is from a family of imperial physicians in the imperial palace, and the other is the daughter of a frontier marshal. When we leave, we can just tell the people guarding here, and even if my parents ask around later, this will be the news." After speaking, Li Yan winked slyly.
The two women nodded upon hearing this. But how could they have such petty, worldly thoughts as Li Yan? There were some things that Li Yan didn't say. When he brought women back like this, whether it was his parents or the other villagers, they would all have all sorts of guesses. Someone would naturally ask. He would just pretend to be confused then. Some words would inevitably reach the ears of the two women. Gong Chenying would naturally acquiesce. As for Zhao Min? By then, he, Li Yan, would be able to see a thing or two.
Zhao Min was still looking around with curiosity. How could she know about the long-winded gossip between the village women?