The Masters Come to the Rescue

Chapter 19: The Masters Come to the Rescue

Holding his swollen half-face, the short Daoist complained,

"I was just making a joke to lighten the mood. Why are you so rough, Little Jiu? This senior brother of yours painstakingly raised you, feeding you spoonful by spoonful of filth and urine...

Ahem. To business."

The short Daoist's Daoist title was Jiu Wu. When Jiu Jiu had entered the sect as a child, Venerable Wangqing had already begun spending years in secluded cultivation, so Jiu Wu had indeed raised and cared for her.

Though they were senior brother and junior sister, they were as close as father and daughter, and were accustomed to bickering and roughhousing.

Seeing Jiu Jiu about to flare up again, Jiu Wu's eyes darted as he hurriedly changed the subject. Pointing at the people behind him, he fired off a string of questions: "All their masters are here. Who's missing? Where did they vanish? How long have you been trapped here?"

Jiu Jiu's face darkened. She lowered her head and made a Daoist salute to the people behind her, but for a moment, she did not know what to say. As she bowed, she lightly bit her lip.

Liu Yan'er and Wang Qi were overjoyed. They flew over from behind and hurried forward to bow, calling out, "Master! Martial Uncle! Martial Uncle!"

Among those behind Daoist Jiu Wu were Jiang Jingshan of Sky-Breaking Peak—a True Immortal and Youqin Xuanya's master, herself a disciple of Du Xian Sect's current sect master;

Lin Qi of Sky-Breaking Peak—a True Immortal and Yuan Qing's master;

And two immortals of Jiu Jiu's generation from Du Lin Peak and Lesser Spirit Peak. They had already found their beloved disciples, so there was no need to say more.

Jiu Jiu's gaze fell upon the white-haired old Daoist standing at the very back.

Qi Yuan of Lesser Qiong Peak, Li Changshou's master.

The old Daoist looked haggard and withered. For a moment, Jiu Jiu scarcely dared meet his eyes...

She lowered her head with a sigh, knowing full well how important Li Changshou was to this old Daoist, how many hopes and hesitations he carried for that disciple.

Jiu Jiu said softly, "Senior Brother Qi Yuan, when I last saw Changshou, he was heading north.

Yuan Qing and Xuanya went northwest. A general from Xuanya's family, named Yuwen Ling, went with them.

If my guess is correct, this was a plot aimed at Xuanya."

"Ah." Old Daoist Qi Yuan gave a bitter laugh. He cupped his hands toward Jiu Jiu, then bowed deeply. "Life and death are decreed by fate. This is simply how it is when one ventures out to train.

Everyone, I have yet to become an immortal, so there is little I can do in the Northern Continent. Please... please help me search for my disciple.

The Lesser Qiong Peak lineage will be eternally grateful!"

Jiu Wu hurriedly said from the side,

"We're family—no need for such formalities. Junior Brother Qi Yuan, rest assured. We'll split into two groups at once. Jiu Jiu and I will accompany you north.

Ninth Junior Sister, don't stand there dazed! Pull yourself together! If you want punishment, wait until we find them first!

These two Primordial Immortals were guarding outside the grand formation. When I found them, they were constantly repairing it. They are clearly among the masterminds who plotted against you. Each side will take one and interrogate them—we'll surely get something out of them!

Come, let's get moving!"

Jiang Jingshan and Lin Qi repeatedly agreed. It was clear that both were extremely anxious.

With a sweep of his sleeve, the short Daoist Jiu Wu drew the two unconscious Primordial Immortals from afar through thin air, then casually tossed one to Lin Qi.

They said nothing further. Finding and rescuing their disciples was what mattered now.

After settling on how often to communicate and the areas each would search, they ultimately split into three groups—

Wang Qi's master took Wang Qi and Liu Yan'er to gather information in the towns outside;

Liu Yan'er's master set out with Jiang Jingshan and Lin Qi, searching toward the northwest;

Jiu Wu led Qi Yuan and Jiu Jiu due north.

In a flurry of urgency, these immortals from Du Xian Sect continued their journey to find their disciples.

Meanwhile, a certain handsome fellow unwilling to reveal his name was hiding in a recently carved-out cave a thousand miles north.

He had lit a small campfire, held a bamboo scroll in his hands, and quietly waited for these powerful reinforcements to arrive.

Not only was he not panicking in the slightest, he even felt a little... comfortable.

Youqin Xuanya sat cross-legged at the deepest part of the cave, eyes closed as she regulated her breathing. Every so often, she opened her eyes to glance at the figure by the cave entrance.

Whenever she wanted to start a conversation, she could always sense that Li Changshou did not wish to speak with anyone at the moment.

After Yuan Qing had killed himself, she had slept unconscious for three days. She had only awakened half a day ago. Her injuries were no longer a concern, except... her scalp hurt a little.

"Senior Brother Changshou, are we waiting here?"

"Mm." Li Changshou answered casually. "Within three hundred miles, I have left many of Du Xian Sect's unique secret markers. I have also set up a formation outside this cave to conceal our tracks. For now, this place is fairly safe.

If, as you said, Yuan Qing's group has other accomplices, heading farther south could easily send us straight into their hands.

Judging by the time, whether Martial Uncle Jiu Jiu had escaped or not, the immortals the sect sent to aid us should have already entered the Northern Continent of Julu."

Li Changshou paused and looked up at Youqin Xuanya. "If you are still worried, we can also take a detour of around thirty thousand miles. But that carries the risk of running into them as well."

"I... trust you..."

Youqin Xuanya spoke softly and looked up at Li Changshou. Their eyes met for a brief instant.

For some reason, though she had always considered herself open and aboveboard, with never half a shameful thing on her conscience, she instinctively lowered her head and turned away.

Her heart felt slightly hollow, as though a tiny kitten's paw were softly scratching at it;

A faint unease, a trace of uncertainty.

It must be because this senior brother had saved her twice;

So Youqin Xuanya thought. She should find a way to repay him, though she was still enjoying Senior Brother Changshou's protection...

"Senior Brother, is there anything I can do?" she asked quietly.

Li Changshou answered offhandedly, "Mm. Do not casually release your spiritual sense."

"Yes." Youqin Xuanya answered quite seriously, though a slight sense of loss rose in her heart.

She had become deadweight.

Crack!

The campfire gave a soft pop, and the flames weakened.

Li Changshou took a piece of dry gray wood from his sleeve and placed it into the fire, causing the flames to rise again.

Only then did Youqin Xuanya notice how strange the fire was. Not only did it produce no smoke whatsoever, it also emitted a faint fragrance.

"Senior Brother, is there something special about this fire?"

Li Changshou glanced at the campfire and said calmly,

"It is a kind of unremarkable wood, taken from Northern Origin Cold Pine, which grows south of the North Sea.

This pine is no spiritual root. In ancient times, it was merely an ordinary pine tree, its only trait being resistance to cold.

After the Northern Continent of Julu was blanketed in miasma, this pine nearly went extinct. Yet later, it flourished once more.

Since then, Northern Origin Cold Pine has gained a certain wondrous effect. It fears no miasma itself, and the scent it releases makes poisonous insects and beasts instinctively avoid it.

This small campfire can keep all poisonous creatures away within three hundred zhang of us.

It is said that vast stretches of Northern Origin Cold Pine can often be seen where the Wu Tribe gathers today. This pine is worth scarcely a few spirit stones—few people simply have any use for it."

Youqin Xuanya listened, utterly absorbed. Her eyes reflected Li Changshou's profile as she murmured, "Senior Brother truly knows so much..."

"It is all recorded in the sect's Classics," Li Changshou replied evenly. He continued reading his scroll, with no intention of continuing the conversation.

Youqin Xuanya pursed her lips, pondering something inwardly.

After another while...

"Senior Brother, did you find the Herbs you came for?"

"I was rather fortunate. I found them." Li Changshou smiled. Thinking of the matter put him in a very good mood.

Not wanting the conversation to end there, Youqin Xuanya asked again, "Senior Brother seems to have prepared much for this journey."

"Ah." Without even looking up, Li Changshou answered casually, "I began preparing for this trip to the Northern Continent fifteen years ago. Over the years, I accumulated quite a few items to ward off poison."

Fifteen years?

Youqin Xuanya blinked gently, then asked, "Then... what happened to Yuwen Ling and those villains?"

Li Changshou said, "They perished together with that Three-eyed Green Wave Snake that was about to become an immortal. We were quite fortunate in this matter as well. That snake's venom was extremely potent."

"Mm." Youqin Xuanya sighed. "Villains like them could never come to a good end. I simply did not expect retribution to arrive so swiftly."

Li Changshou took the opening and said, "Um, You... cough, Junior Sister Youqin, there is something I would like to ask of you."

"Please speak, Senior Brother!"

Youqin Xuanya immediately perked up. Her eyes shone brightly as she gazed intently at Li Changshou. "If I can repay Senior Brother for saving my life, even giving up this life of mine would be no hardship!"

"It need not be so grave." Li Changshou smiled. "Our experiences on this journey have been full of twists and strange turns. Once we return to the mountain, our elders will surely question us in detail.

I have always feared trouble, and I do not wish to draw too much attention, much less invite trouble upon myself. When you report to our elders, I ask that you need not mention matters related to me too much.

My cultivation is not high. I merely have some skill in Earth Evasion. Saying it aloud would likely only make people laugh."

"Senior Brother..."

Youqin Xuanya's expression shifted, and a tiny bolt of lightning flashed through her heart.

He bestowed kindness without seeking repayment, never courting hollow worldly fame.

His heart sought only the immortal Dao, carrying the bearing of a modest gentleman.

Countless emotions surged within her. Her eyes glimmered, and a flood of feelings rose in her heart.

Senior Brother Changshou is truly a gentleman. Such breadth of heart and bearing are far beyond my reach, and even more beyond comparison to Yuan Qing.

Youqin Xuanya, surrounded as you are each day by so many frivolous and arrogant people, you believed no Qi Refiner of our generation could be any different. Yet you never knew that such a person was hidden among your fellow disciples of the same generation.

If I can become true friends with Senior Brother Changshou, then my journey in this immortal sect will truly not have been in vain...

"Rest assured, Senior Brother," Youqin Xuanya said firmly. "Xuanya understands. I will keep all of this in my heart."

Li Changshou blinked. Did this girl really understand?

Why did it feel like her poison had not fully cleared yet...

Forget it. Once he returned, he would shut himself away on Lesser Qiong Peak. Even if this matter stirred up some waves, they should settle within a few months.

Only by keeping a low profile could one avoid karma.

So long as nothing else went wrong, his journey to the Northern Continent of Julu would come to a perfect close.

Suddenly, Li Changshou's expression changed. The silk threads of the Three-Eyed Heavy-Pupil Spider he had set outside suddenly caught an image...

Several figures hurried past from a hundred miles away. The one on the very edge wore rough hemp clothes, her figure graceful and curvaceous.

Though she was flying too quickly for him to see her face clearly, judging from how tightly her short hemp shirt stretched, as well as the astonishing curves that appeared only when she flew into the wind...

Jiu Jiu!

"Make preparations. They're here."

Li Changshou smiled, and at last, the stone weighing on his heart settled securely into place.