The Terrifying Small Courtyard

"Master, what do we do? We've mistaken someone..."

Wei Yushan sent a divine thought.

"But if he's not the Old Ancestor, why would the Divine Water Stone recognize him as its master? And why would he give it to us?!"

The Former Sect Master couldn't understand.

"...Master, in my view, could this senior have some old ties with our Lihuo Sect's ancestors, and thus lent us a hand?"

Wei Yushan said uncertainly.

"Very possible!"

The Former Sect Master was also starting to suspect as much.

At that moment, Li Fan had already walked over to them.

"Why are you back? And who are these two?"

Li Fan asked Mu Qianning.

Could it be that because he gave this girl a gemstone, her family wanted more?

That seemed likely—after all, even though they looked decently dressed, based on Aunt Zhang's description, they were so poor they ate weeds, which was pretty tragic...

If they found a gemstone, maybe life would be a bit easier?

Cultivators had it rough too...

Li Fan roughly formed a judgment.

"Senior, these... these two are elders of my sect. They wanted to visit you, so I came abruptly..."

Mu Qianning stammered, now even more awed by the senior before her.

"Alright,"

Li Fan said. "Let's talk at my place."

He then bid Aunt Zhang farewell and led the group toward his dwelling.

"Master, what do we do?"

On the way, Wei Yushan asked nervously.

The Former Sect Master said, "A figure like this senior—every seemingly casual move must carry deep meaning. Since he's taking us to his Cave Dwelling, there's bound to be a reason. We just follow..."

Soon, they arrived before Li Fan's dwelling.

Simple, tidy, built from stone and wood.

"Master, this... what kind of Immortal Cave Dwelling is this? I feel that just approaching, spiritual energy is surging wildly, incredibly active, as if it's growing..."

Wei Yushan was shocked!

"This can't be called a Cave Dwelling anymore..."

Yu Qishui was completely dazed, murmuring, "This is clearly... clearly a world unto itself..."

The stronger one's cultivation, the more they sensed its vastness and unfathomable depth.

Mu Qianning, on the other hand, lacked the cultivation to perceive such deep layers.

She only felt very comfortable, very natural.

Standing before this Small Courtyard, her whole being calmed down, as if all worries were forgotten, and her Dao heart became utterly serene.

"This kind of place must be where true Immortals dwell—natural, casual, yet transcendent..."

She couldn't help but glance at Li Fan, thinking that such a mighty figure, with cultivation reaching the heavens, would choose to live in seclusion here, mingling with mortals, withering with the grass and trees...

Perhaps this was the true path of cultivation?

"Come in."

At that moment, Li Fan pushed open the door and turned back.

Yu Qishui and Wei Yushan both took a deep breath. At this moment, they felt like paupers facing a magnificent palace, utterly at a loss!

They followed Li Fan inside.

"In this courtyard, the Dao Rhyme is so thick. I feel like I'm about to enter a meditative trance."

Wei Yushan said in shock, sensing that a bottleneck that hadn't budged for years now showed a hint of breakthrough.

This was terrifying.

"A senior like this still Raise Chickens and farms..."

Mu Qianning's beautiful eyes were filled with envy. What she sensed was only nature and leisure.

Cultivators across the world were as numerous as fish in a river—who could match this senior's state of mind?

After entering, Yu Qishui's eyes flickered with doubt.

Every blade of grass, every tree in this courtyard gave him an indescribable, inexplicable feeling!

He spotted a few Earth Chickens roaming the yard, furrowed his brow, as if trying to discern something.

Just then, one of the chickens in the flock suddenly glanced at him.

Boom!

In that instant, Yu Qishui felt as if he were facing an ancient primordial beast, a cosmic God or Devil. His mind buzzed, his Dao heart nearly shattered, cold sweat poured down his back, and he stumbled, about to collapse!

Luckily, Li Fan turned back in time and grabbed him, shaking his head. "At your age, you can't even walk steadily, yet you still have to travel. It must be hard."

The moment Li Fan's hand touched Yu Qishui, the terrifying pressure he faced vanished, and his mind recovered in an instant!

Still shaken, he saw the Earth Chickens already lowering their heads to peck at the corn on the ground, ignoring him.

Yu Qishui dared not look again. He quickly lowered his head, trembling!

Damn it, what Senior Li raised here—these weren't Earth Chickens at all?!

The aura of these Earth Chickens was even more terrifying than that famous Fire Beast in the Fire Kingdom's imperial palace!

If anything, these Earth Chickens were likely all above the Void Integration Stage...

Just who was this Senior Li, really?

At that moment, true fear gripped him. He didn't dare let his eyes wander, terrified of provoking some terrifying existence.

Fortunately, Li Fan soon led them into the hall.

"I already know why you've come."

Li Fan spoke calmly.

Hearing this, Yu Qishui and Wei Yushan were both stunned.

"Of course. A Senior of this level, with such profound cultivation—how could our purpose escape his notice?"

But after a moment's thought, they relaxed. In their eyes, Li Fan's realm was simply too high.

"That stone, as it happens, has some connection to me. I've encountered it many times."

Li Fan continued.

Yu Qishui's heart leaped with joy. The Senior's words clearly meant he did have some ties to the Lihuo Sect!

Perhaps some Old Ancestor of the Lihuo Sect had once been acquainted with this existence?

That must be why he casually returned the Divine Water Stone to the Lihuo Sect!

"But that's all—just that one stone."

Li Fan glanced at the three of them. "So, don't overthink it."

Overthink it? He couldn't find them another one anyway, so Li Fan felt helpless.

But to them, his words made their faces change abruptly!

How could they miss the warning in the Senior's tone?

Just that one stone, don't overthink it... It meant the Senior's connection to the Lihuo Sect was limited to this!

They couldn't ask for anything more...

Yu Qishui's heart was bitter and helpless. He understood that someone at Senior Li's level valued fate and karma above all. Since he'd said this, they absolutely couldn't harbor any further hopes...

He'd even been thinking of asking Senior Li to look after the Lihuo Sect...

Mu Qianning also felt a trace of disappointment.

"But since you've come all this way, it's not easy."

Seeing the disappointment and distress on their faces, Li Fan couldn't bear it. "Have some tea, eat a simple meal before you go."

With that, he went to brew tea for them.

The old man was so thin and weak he could barely walk—Li Fan was genuinely worried something might happen if they left without eating.

"Master..."

Wei Yushan looked at Yu Qishui.

Yu Qishui shook his head. "Forget it. This Senior helped us recover the Divine Water Stone and helped Mu girl reach Golden Core perfection. That's already a great kindness. We truly shouldn't ask for more."

But Mu Qianning said, "Grandmaster, Master, I feel that Senior Li bringing us here can't be just to dash our hopes..."

Yu Qishui paused, then a light flickered in his aged eyes. "I understand!"

"Understand what, Master?" Wei Yushan quickly asked.

"Just now, what did Senior Li say? He said we came all this way, and we should eat and drink before leaving... Isn't that an offer of opportunity?!"

"Have you forgotten? Mu girl drank the Senior's water and reached Golden Core perfection!"

His old eyes blazed with excitement!

For a terrifying existence like Senior Li, even a crumb that slipped through his fingers would be enough to sustain them for a lifetime!

Instantly, Wei Yushan and Mu Qianning were filled with anticipation!