Seeking Protection!

After completing the trade, Li Qingshan visited several other disciples' stalls and bought some very poor-quality spiritual pills. For just a few spirit stones in total, he acquired over a hundred pills.

He did not buy any more. After all, his cultivation was only at the first level of Qi Refining. Spending too many spirit stones would draw far too much attention.

Li Qingshan also bought some ordinary dry provisions and fresh water, then swiftly left the market without lingering.

Even so, Li Qingshan noticed several figures following him.

He hurried onward, activating the Flying Feather Technique and the Turtle Breath Technique. After darting about a few times, he hid high in a towering tree, vanishing without a trace.

"Where did he go?"

"Damn it, he got away!"

Three black-robed cultivators caught up, only to discover that they had lost their quarry. They cursed a few times, then turned and left.

I never thought I'd still end up being watched! No, this time, once I enter seclusion, I'm not coming out until I reach late-stage Qi Refining. Who would have thought even the sect would be this dangerous!

Li Qingshan's gaze shifted as these thoughts ran through his mind.

He waited several hours, until the sky began to darken. Only after confirming that no one was following him did he quietly return to the Hall of Discarded Treasures.

As soon as he returned to his stone hut, he put the newly purchased pills and all the waste pills into the Wish-Fulfilling Gourd.

There were well over a hundred of them. If they could all be upgraded into supreme-grade spiritual pills, they would be enough for a year of cultivation.

The following day, every one of the hundred-plus spiritual pills had become supreme-grade. Excitement surged through Li Qingshan, and he could hardly wait to enter seclusion and cultivate.

But he held himself back. Once his preparations were complete, Li Qingshan took a deep breath and headed in the general direction where he remembered Ye Lingshuang's cave abode was located.

The inner disciples' quarters were heavily guarded. As an outer disciple, he naturally could not enter.

He could only wait patiently at the junction leading into that area. More than half a day passed.

At last, a familiar Azure Sword Light descended from the sky and landed nearby.

It was Ye Lingshuang, returning to her cave abode.

"Senior Sister Ye!"

Li Qingshan hurried forward and bowed respectfully.

At the sight of Li Qingshan, a hint of surprise flashed through Ye Lingshuang's cool eyes. "Li Qingshan? Why are you here instead of at the Hall of Discarded Treasures?"

She noticed that his aura seemed a little stronger than before, but it was still feeble, so she gave it no further thought.

With a frightened yet earnest expression, Li Qingshan said quietly, "Senior Sister Ye, I have something important to report. It is a matter of great significance. Could I ask you to step aside and let me report it in private...?"

Ye Lingshuang's delicate brows drew together slightly. She looked him over, and seeing that his expression did not seem feigned, considered briefly before saying, "Come with me."

She led Li Qingshan to a secluded pavilion nearby and waved a hand to set up a simple soundproofing restriction.

"Speak. What is it?"

Without further hesitation, Li Qingshan carefully took out the coarse cloth bundle and unwrapped it layer by layer, revealing the Vermilion Sparrow Talisman Treasure.

"I happened to find this while clearing out discarded items! It looked quite extraordinary, so I wished to offer it to you, Senior Sister!"

He deliberately kept his explanation vague as he handed over the talisman treasure, carefully watching Ye Lingshuang's reaction.

At first, Ye Lingshuang paid it little attention. But when her gaze fell upon the jade pendant, she sensed its extraordinary spiritual energy fluctuations despite their restraint. Then she saw the vermilion sparrow's form and the faint runes, and her expression abruptly changed!

She snatched up the jade pendant and examined it carefully. A moment later, her eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. "The Vermilion Sparrow Talisman Treasure?! This... how is this possible?! How could this have appeared in the Hall of Discarded Treasures?!"

She suddenly raised her head, fixing Li Qingshan with a piercing gaze. "Where did you get this? Tell me the truth!"

Li Qingshan's heart settled. She really does recognize it!

He put on just the right degree of fear and bewilderment. "This is what happened. Two days ago, Senior Sister Zhang Hongxiu came to the Hall of Discarded Treasures and asked me to help find a jade pendant... Later, I found it deep inside that newly delivered pile of discarded items. It was covered in sludge at the time. Only after I washed it did I... I am slow-witted, but I could tell it was extraordinary, certainly not something I deserved to possess. Remembering how you helped me last time, I dared not conceal it and came specifically to offer it to you..."

His account was half truth and half falsehood.

Ye Lingshuang gripped the talisman treasure tightly, her gaze flickering.

She looked at the talisman treasure, then at the aged, humble old man before her, whose cultivation was merely at the peak of the first level of Qi Refining. Towering waves surged through her heart.

Of course she knew the value of this talisman treasure. She knew even better that it was very likely the one Zhang Hongxiu had lost!

How did it end up in the Hall of Discarded Treasures? And how did this old man find it? Was it coincidence, or was there more to it?

But regardless, this old man had chosen to offer such a precious treasure to her rather than hide it himself or give it to someone else. That loyalty—or perhaps good judgment—forced her to reassess him.

"Do you know what this is?"

Ye Lingshuang asked in a low voice.

"I... do not. I only thought it extraordinary," Li Qingshan said, lowering his head.

"This is a talisman treasure created by a Golden Core elder. Its power is enough to threaten a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

Ye Lingshuang spoke slowly, her eyes blazing like torches. "Zhang Hongxiu asked you to find this. Why did you bring it to me instead of giving it straight to her?"

She did not believe anyone would offer up such a precious treasure for nothing.

Li Qingshan raised his head, his face full of sincerity and lingering fear. "This is what happened! Senior Sister Zhang Hongxiu whipped me, and she said she would kill me to silence me if I failed to find it. I feared that even if I found it and gave it to her, she would still kill me to keep me quiet!

"I dare not ask for much! It is just... I am an insignificant man whose words carry little weight, with nothing to my name. Carrying such a treasure could bring death upon me! I only ask that, in light of my sincerity, you might... might offer me a little protection and leave me a path to survival!"

His voice was utterly earnest as he recounted the entire affair.

He even revealed the wound on his back, so deep that bone could be seen.

Ye Lingshuang gazed at him for a long time.

A hundred-year-old man struggling to survive had stumbled upon a precious treasure, yet lacked the fortune to enjoy it. He had chosen to offer it up in exchange for safety... This explanation seemed perfectly reasonable.

Zhang Hongxiu was arrogant and overbearing, and many disciples in the sect had suffered her bullying. After being whipped, it was understandable that Li Qingshan feared she would kill him to silence him.

Ye Lingshuang studied the carefully measured fear and earnestness on Li Qingshan's aged face, then glanced at the still-gruesome whip wound on his back. Her doubts eased somewhat.

A hundred-year-old man struggling to survive had stumbled upon a precious treasure, yet lacked the fortune to enjoy it. Afraid of Zhang Hongxiu's retaliation, he had chosen to offer it up in exchange for protection.

The explanation was perfectly reasonable.

She put away the Vermilion Sparrow Talisman Treasure. Some of the frost on her face thawed, and her tone softened. "You are a sensible man. You understand that possessing a jade treasure can itself become a crime. Zhang Hongxiu is spoiled and ruthless. It is understandable that you feared she would kill you for the treasure."

After a moment's consideration, she took a small cloth pouch and a jade bottle from her storage bag and handed them to Li Qingshan. "I will accept this, and I will grant your request as well. As long as you behave yourself within the sect and do not deliberately stir up trouble, I, Ye Lingshuang, can keep you safe. Take these hundred low-grade spirit stones and three bottles of Qi-Gathering Pills, and devote yourself to cultivation. Also..."

She took out two talismans gleaming with spiritual light, one gold and one white. "Once activated, this Diamond Talisman can withstand an all-out attack 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 to defend yourself. Remember, stay in the Hall of Discarded Treasures, and do not recklessly get involved in trouble again."

Li Qingshan's heart settled. He hurriedly accepted them with both hands, his face brimming with tearful gratitude as he bowed repeatedly. "Thank you for your generous gifts, Senior Sister! Thank you for granting me your protection! I will follow your instructions faithfully, cultivate in peace, and never go out to stir up trouble!"

Ye Lingshuang gave a slight nod. "Go."

She removed the soundproofing restriction and, without another word, transformed into a streak of sword light and departed.