Departure

The setting sun was intoxicating.

Still in the private room on the second floor of the Quiet Mind Tea House on Qingshi Street, Ji Wenyue leaned against the window, gazing lost in thought at the evening glow in the sky. Thinking of something, a blush would occasionally appear on her pretty face, making her exceptionally charming under the sunset's glow.

"Sigh!"

After an unknown amount of time, Ji Wenyue seemed to recall something else, let out a soft sigh, and turned to sit by the tea table.

"Creak!"

The wooden door of the private room was gently pushed open from the outside.

"Brother Xia!" Seeing Xia Daoming enter, Ji Wenyue's bright eyes lit up, and she quickly stood up.

Seeing Ji Wenyue stand up, Xia Daoming's eyes couldn't help but brighten slightly.

After seeing each other for only a few months, Ji Wenyue had grown a bit taller and leaner, but her allure was even more striking.

"You seem to have grown taller again and become a bit leaner. You must have had a tough time these days!" Xia Daoming's gaze flickered over Ji Wenyue's proud assets as he asked with concern.

"Ah, I've grown taller again? Will that look bad?" Ji Wenyue actually looked worried upon hearing this.

Her height was already close to 1.7 meters, making her stand out among the women in this world, which made her somewhat insecure.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Being tall and slender is beautiful! Especially those long legs, I could... cough cough!"

"Really? That's good then!" Ji Wenyue's worry turned to joy.

"Of course, it's true! Let me tell you, I've seen countless beauties, and my taste is the most discerning. If I say it's beautiful, then it's beautiful!" Xia Daoming said, secretly letting out a sigh of relief.

"Good thing I didn't say 'legs for a lifetime'!"

"Countless beauties? Didn't you say you came from a remote small town in the north?" Ji Wenyue asked with a smile, pursing her lips.

"Can't my small town produce beautiful women?" Xia Daoming immediately retorted.

"Hehe, sure, of course it can!" Ji Wenyue giggled and made a funny face at Xia Daoming, then casually took out a small sandalwood box and handed it to him.

"Brother Xia, this is for you."

Xia Daoming took it and casually opened it.

As soon as he opened it, Xia Daoming smelled a faint medicinal fragrance that stirred his blood and qi.

"What kind of pill is this?" Xia Daoming's expression changed slightly, his eyes showing a hint of seriousness.

"Phoenix Cry Pill, I just refined it recently. Impressive, right!" Ji Wenyue proudly puffed out her chest.

"Impressive!" Xia Daoming gave Ji Wenyue a deep look and gave her a thumbs-up.

"Brother Xia, you're doing it again!" Ji Wenyue suddenly blushed, giving Xia Daoming a fierce glare with her beautiful eyes.

Seeing Ji Wenyue's shy and reproachful expression, Xia Daoming was speechless.

Heaven knows, his eyes definitely weren't wandering just now!

And he was absolutely speaking seriously.

It seems I need to be more careful in the future, otherwise, if this continues, it will damage my tall and upright image!

"This pill must be very precious!" Xia Daoming quickly turned serious.

"I refined it myself, so it's not about being precious or not!" Ji Wenyue replied casually.

Xia Daoming gave Ji Wenyue another deep look, then quietly put away the Phoenix Cry Pill.

After that, the two drank tea and chatted.

It wasn't until the sun had completely set behind the western mountains that they left the tea house one after another.

"Damn, I was so engrossed in chatting and admiring the beauty that I forgot to ask what that green liquid in the bottle was!" On the way home, Xia Daoming touched the small bottle in his embrace and couldn't help but slap his forehead.

"Never mind, it's not urgent. It's not too late to ask after returning from Vast Mountain Range." Thinking this, Xia Daoming quickened his pace.

As soon as he got home, Xia Daoming went into the backyard to take the Phoenix Cry Pill.

Tomorrow morning, he would depart for Vast Mountain Range with Liang Jingtang. Before that, any increase in strength would be good.

As soon as the Phoenix Cry Pill entered his stomach, Xia Daoming felt a surge of medicinal power spreading out, flowing into his meridians.

An hour later.

Xia Daoming slowly opened his eyes, his gaze complex.

The medicinal effect of the Phoenix Cry Pill exceeded his expectations.

Originally, his meridian strengthening progress was stuck at ninety percent of the sixth level.

Now, his meridian strengthening progress had reached fifty percent of the seventh level.

Such a medicinal effect was almost comparable to that three-hundred-year-old Blazing Qilin Ginseng.

The most crucial point was that the medicinal power of the Phoenix Cry Pill was much gentler than that of the Blazing Qilin Ginseng.

This also meant that the value of this pill would definitely far exceed that of the three-hundred-year-old Blazing Qilin Ginseng.

That Blazing Qilin Ginseng had cost him nearly seven thousand taels of silver.

Calculating it this way, this one Phoenix Cry Pill would be worth at least over ten thousand taels, and it was a scarce commodity. Those with genuine need and deep pockets would likely be willing to pay twenty thousand taels for such a pill.

Forget it. She gave me too much, so I'll be a bit fierce. I'll still try to cover for her if I can in the future!

Xia Daoming teased himself, finished his practice, and stood up.

"Master, you're done practicing! Are you tired? This servant will give you a massage." Seeing Xia Daoming stand up, Liu Qiaolian, who was looking at the yellowed so-called immortal book of formations nearby, quickly got up, swayed her willow waist, and stepped forward to curtsy.

"That would be good." Xia Daoming nodded, lay down on the rattan chair, and enjoyed his decadent master's life.

"I'll be heading to the Vast Mountain Range tomorrow. Don't stop taking your medicine! As for observing the secret map, you don't need to worry about it. If you can't do it once, just observe it a few more times," Xia Daoming said, narrowing his eyes while enjoying Liu Qiaolian's gentle massage.

"It's all because this servant is incompetent, causing Master to still have to..." Liu Qiaolian lowered her head, blaming herself.

"Don't say foolish things. You are Master's Lian'er. What is this little effort?" Xia Daoming interrupted.

As he spoke, Xia Daoming pulled Liu Qiaolian onto his lap, his hands starting to wander.

"Master, no! You have to travel to the Vast Mountain Range with Pavilion Master Liang tomorrow, you need to maintain your strength!" Liu Qiaolian struggled to get up, which was unprecedented.

"Alright, I'll deal with you when Master gets back!" Although Xia Daoming believed he could still be energetic the next day even if he played cards all night, he ultimately couldn't bear to refuse Liu Qiaolian's good intentions and didn't want her to worry. He smiled, let go, and gently patted her.

"When Master returns, this servant will definitely serve you well!" Liu Qiaolian curtsied.

The next day.

Early morning.

Drizzling rain.

Bringing a hint of chill.

A group of Martial Masters, riding horses and wearing bamboo hats, waited outside the East City Gate.

Powerful qi and blood energy emanated from these Martial Masters, creating an aura of solemn deadliness, startling passersby who kept their distance.

Xia Daoming, dressed in black martial attire and wearing a bamboo hat, with two short spears tucked behind his back, rode his horse quietly behind Liang Jingtang. His eyes, under the brim of his hat, observed the surrounding Martial Masters.

Ten Sixth-Rank Great Martial Masters, twenty-three Fifth-Rank Great Martial Masters, and twelve Fourth-Rank Martial Masters.

Xia Daoming silently counted in his mind.

This time, the Xu Family had summoned ten forces from Li City, including the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School.

Of these ten forces, only Liang Jingtang, the person in charge, brought one disciple. The others brought at least two disciples.

The Martial Masters occasionally looked up at the city gate. Seeing that the Xu Family members were late, although they didn't say anything, their faces already showed signs of dissatisfaction and anger.

Just as the Martial Masters were getting impatient, the sound of hooves could be heard.

From the end of East Gate Street, a cavalry team galloped over, passed through the city gate in an instant, and arrived outside the city.

A majestic and overbearing qi and blood aura pressed down with them.

The Martial Masters immediately became solemn.

The leaders of each faction stepped forward to greet an old man and a young man riding side-by-side at the front of the horse team.

"Greetings, Elder Zhiji, greetings, Young Master Shixiong!"

Xia Daoming slightly pulled down his bamboo hat, covering half of his face, feeling a sense of awe in his heart.

After not seeing him for more than half a year, Xia Daoming felt that Xu Shixiong seemed even more unfathomable than when they were in Crimson Flame Valley.

Fortunately, Xu Shixiong's qi and blood energy was still at the Seventh-Rank realm. Xia Daoming was confident that he could fight him if he went all out.

However, with the addition of the Eighth-Rank Elder, Xia Daoming dared not speak of fighting.

Although the elder looked frail and was already in his eighties, his qi and blood energy must have declined significantly. But he was still at the Eighth-Rank realm, two realms higher than Xia Daoming.

Besides these two, who were the most powerful, the Xu Family also brought twelve Great Martial Masters, with the lowest cultivation being the Fifth-Rank realm.

Among them, one was a Seventh-Rank Great Martial Master, but he was already over seventy years old and could not be compared to Xu Shixiong.

Xia Daoming was confident that in a one-on-one fight, he could definitely defeat him!

"The Xu Family truly lives up to its reputation as the only Grandmaster family in Li City. With such a powerful formation supporting them, none of the other forces would dare to slack off and could only give their all!" Xia Daoming thought to himself.

While he was thinking, Xia Daoming suddenly sensed a hostile intent.

Xia Daoming's heart stirred slightly, and he looked down from under the brim of his hat, his gaze falling on a young man.

This young man was none other than Xu Shisen, who had crippled Gu Ren and attempted to insult Liu Xiaoqiang at the Jade Flower Pavilion.

After several months, Xu Shisen was exuding the aura of a Sixth-Rank Great Martial Master.

At this moment, he was smirking, looking at Xia Daoming from afar with contemptuous eyes, as if looking at a dead man.

Clearly, he had recognized Xia Daoming.

"What an ignorant fool!" Xia Daoming sneered inwardly, a hint of killing intent flashing in the depths of his eyes, hidden by his bamboo hat.

Just then, Xia Daoming suddenly felt a chill. It was Xu Shixiong, who had appeared before him at some unknown time, with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"No way, it's been almost a year, does this guy still remember me, a nobody?" Xia Daoming was slightly startled.

Fortunately, Xu Shixiong soon withdrew his gaze with a calm expression.

Clearly, regardless of whether he remembered where he had seen Xia Daoming, to someone like Xu Shixiong, Xia Daoming was just an insignificant nobody.

"Let's go!" Xu Zhiji merely nodded slightly to Liang Jingtang and the others before decisively waving his hand.

"Yes!" everyone responded as they got up.

In the rain, they whipped their horses, quickly galloping like a whirlwind towards the Vast Mountain Range.

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