Several days passed. Xi Mengfan, whose body had yet to fully recover, grew visibly more haggard.
The purple-robed middle-aged man had been worked until his eyes were bloodshot and sores had broken out around his mouth. He had to report more than a dozen times a day, yet every report concerned nothing but trivial matters. Each time, he grew anxious, racking his brains to choose his words. He was nearly driven to the brink of collapse.
At last, this agonizing ordeal ended on the evening of the third day.
The purple-robed middle-aged man received word from below that Xu Yi had come to pay his respects to Elder Xi.
The moment he heard this, all the pent-up frustration in the purple-robed middle-aged man burst forth. He couldn't help letting out a howl halfway up the mountain.
Before the howl had even ended, Xi Mengfan, who was on the mountaintop and had nearly turned into a statue of the Thinker, flew into a rage. He reached out and seized the purple-robed middle-aged man, hoisting him into the air and dragging him up to the cliff. "If you still can't tell me anything useful, I'll send you to your grave."
Xi Mengfan's magical power had formed a hand that clamped tightly around the purple-robed middle-aged man's neck. In unbearable discomfort, he managed to gasp, "Xu... Xu... Xu Yi is here!"
Xi Mengfan sprang to his feet, withdrew his magical power, and darted into the hall. His voice trailed behind him: "Invite him in! Quickly!"
This was Xu Yi's first time visiting Duoluo Mountain. The famous mountains and scenic waters were lush with spiritual energy, utterly unlike anything in the mortal world. As he made his way along, he lingered over the sights as if he were out sightseeing.
But when he reached