Seeking Refuge!

After the transaction was complete, Li Qingshan went to some disciples who were setting up stalls and bought some low-quality spirit pills. He didn't spend many spirit stones in total, yet he obtained over a hundred spirit pills.

He didn't continue buying, after all, his cultivation was only at the first level of Qi Condensation. Spending too many spirit stones would be too conspicuous.

Li Qingshan bought some ordinary dry rations and clean water, then no longer lingered and quickly left the market.

Even so, Li Qingshan still sensed several figures following him.

He moved forward rapidly, circulating the Flying Feather Technique and Turtle Breath Technique. With a few flashes, he hid himself in a towering ancient tree, disappearing without a trace.

"Where did they go?"

"Bad luck, he got away!"

Three cultivators in black robes chased after him but found they had lost him. They cursed a few times and turned to leave.

"I didn't expect to be targeted! No, I won't come out of seclusion until I break through to the late stage of Qi Condensation. I didn't expect it to be so dangerous even within the sect!"

Li Qingshan's gaze shifted, and he thought to himself.

After waiting for several hours, as the sky gradually darkened, he confirmed no one was tailing him and quietly returned to the Hall of Discarded Treasures.

As soon as he returned to the stone house, he immediately threw the newly purchased pills and all the discarded pills into the Wish-Fulfilling Gourd.

There were over a hundred pills in total. If they could all be upgraded to top-grade spirit pills, it would be enough for him to cultivate for a year.

The next day, all over a hundred spirit pills had become top-grade, making Li Qingshan's heart surge with excitement, wishing he could immediately enter seclusion to cultivate.

But he still held back. After making proper preparations, Li Qingshan took a deep breath and walked towards the general direction of Ye Lingshuang's cave dwelling from his memory.

The inner disciple area was heavily guarded, and as an outer disciple, he naturally couldn't enter.

He could only wait patiently at the intersection leading to that area, and he waited for more than half a day.

Finally, a familiar streak of green sword light descended from the sky and landed nearby.

It was Ye Lingshuang, returning to her cave dwelling.

"Senior Sister Ye!"

Li Qingshan quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

Seeing Li Qingshan, Ye Lingshuang's clear eyes flashed with a hint of surprise: "Li Qingshan? You're not in the Hall of Discarded Treasures, what are you doing here?"

She noticed that Li Qingshan's aura seemed a bit stronger than last time, but it was still weak, and she didn't think much of it.

Li Qingshan's face showed a look of fear and earnestness, and he said in a low voice: "Senior Sister Ye, this disciple has something important to report. It is of great importance. Could Senior Sister please move aside so that this disciple can report it privately..."

Ye Lingshuang frowned slightly, sized him up, and seeing that his expression didn't seem fake, she pondered for a moment and said, "Follow me."

She led Li Qingshan to a secluded pavilion nearby and waved her hand to set up a simple soundproof barrier.

"Speak, what is it?"

Li Qingshan no longer hesitated. He carefully took out the rough cloth bundle, unwrapped it layer by layer, revealing the Vermilion Sparrow Talisman Treasure.

"This item was accidentally discovered by this disciple while clearing out waste! It looks quite extraordinary, so I wanted to present it to Senior Sister!"

He deliberately spoke vaguely and handed the talisman treasure over, while carefully observing Ye Lingshuang's reaction.

Ye Lingshuang didn't pay much attention at first, but when her gaze fell on the jade pendant and she felt the extraordinary spiritual energy fluctuations, even though it was restrained, and then saw the vermilion sparrow shape and the faint runes, her expression suddenly changed!

She snatched the jade pendant, examined it carefully, and after a moment, her eyes were filled with shock and disbelief: "Vermilion Sparrow Talisman Treasure?! This... How is this possible?! How could this item appear in the Hall of Discarded Treasures?!"

She suddenly looked up, her sharp gaze fixed on Li Qingshan: "Where did you get it? Tell the truth!"

Li Qingshan's heart settled. She recognized it after all!

His face showed a suitable amount of fear and confusion: "It's like this. Two days ago, Senior Sister Zhang Hongxiu came to the Hall of Discarded Treasures and asked me to help find a jade pendant... I later found it deep within the pile of newly delivered waste. It was covered in mud, and I only cleaned it after... This disciple is dull-witted and only felt that this item was extraordinary and not something this disciple could possess. Remembering Senior Sister's previous help, I dared not hide it and specially came to present it to Senior Sister..."

He spoke half-truthfully.

Ye Lingshuang tightly gripped the talisman treasure, her eyes shifting uncertainly.

She looked at the talisman treasure, then at the old man in front of her, who looked humble and frail, only at the peak of the first level of Qi Condensation, and her heart was stirred by immense waves.

She naturally knew the value of this talisman treasure, and even more so, she knew this was likely the one Zhang Hongxiu had lost!

How could it have ended up in the Hall of Discarded Treasures? And picked up by this old man? Was it a coincidence? Or was there another hidden reason?

But no matter what, this old man's choice to present such a great treasure to her, instead of keeping it himself or giving it to someone else, showed a loyalty or perhaps wisdom that made her re-examine him.

"Do you know what this item is?"

Ye Lingshuang asked in a deep voice.

"This disciple... does not know, only felt it was extraordinary." Li Qingshan lowered his head.

"This is a talisman treasure made by a Golden Core elder, its power is enough to threaten a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

Ye Lingshuang said slowly, her gaze sharp, "The item Senior Sister Zhang Hongxiu asked you to find, you didn't give it to her directly, but brought it to me? Why?"

She didn't believe anyone would give away such a great treasure for no reason.

Li Qingshan looked up, his face full of sincerity and a hint of lingering fear: "It's like this! Senior Sister Zhang Hongxiu whipped me and said that if I couldn't find it, she would kill me to silence me. This disciple feared that even if I found it and gave it to her, I would still be silenced by her!

This disciple doesn't dare to ask for anything! It's just... it's just that this disciple is insignificant and has nothing. Carrying such a treasure, I fear it will bring about a deadly disaster! I only beg Senior Sister to remember this disciple's sincerity, and that Senior Sister can... can offer me a little protection and give this disciple a way to live!"

His voice was incredibly sincere as he recounted the entire sequence of events from beginning to end.

He even revealed the deep, bone-baring wounds on his back.

Ye Lingshuang stared at him for a long time.

A centenarian struggling to survive, who had accidentally obtained a precious treasure but lacked the fortune to enjoy it, choosing to offer it up in exchange for safety... this explanation seemed reasonable and logical.

Zhang Hongxiu was arrogant and domineering, and many disciples within the sect had been bullied by her; after being whipped by Zhang Hongxiu, Li Qingshan's fear of her silencing him was also understandable.

Ye Lingshuang gazed at the perfectly measured fear and earnestness on Li Qingshan's aged face, then glanced once more at the still-ghastly whip mark on his back, and the suspicion in her heart dissipated slightly.

A centenarian struggling to survive, who had accidentally obtained a precious treasure but lacked the fortune to enjoy it, fearing Zhang Hongxiu's retaliation and choosing to offer the treasure in exchange for protection.

This explanation was reasonable and logical.

She put away the Vermilion Sparrow Talisman Treasure, the frost on her face melting slightly as her tone softened: "You are a sensible person, understanding the principle that possessing a treasure can be a crime. Zhang Hongxiu is arrogant and ruthless in her actions; your worry that she might kill you to seize the treasure is understandable."

After a brief moment of contemplation, she took a small cloth bag and a jade bottle from her storage bag and handed them to Li Qingshan: "I have accepted this item. I have also agreed to your request. As long as you remain law-abiding within the sect and do not go looking for trouble, I, Ye Lingshuang, can ensure your safety. Take these one hundred low-grade spirit stones and three bottles of Qi-Gathering Pill to cultivate diligently. Furthermore..."

She then took out two glowing talismans, one gold and one white: "This Diamond Talisman, once activated, can withstand a full-force strike from a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. This Golden Needle Talisman is an offensive talisman capable of killing a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator; keep them for self-defense. Remember, stay in the Hall of Discarded Treasures and do not easily provoke trouble again."

Li Qingshan felt a sense of relief, hurriedly taking them with both hands, his face showing an expression of tearful gratitude as he bowed repeatedly: "Many thanks to Senior Sister for your generous gift! Many thanks to Senior Sister for your protection! This disciple will certainly follow Senior Sister's teachings, cultivate with peace of mind, and will never go out to cause trouble!"

Ye Lingshuang nodded slightly: "Go."

She removed the sound-insulation barrier, said nothing more, and transformed into a streak of sword light, departing.