Xiao Jixue saw his rescue through to the end, brewing a bowl of nourishing spirit medicine for Tang Yan to drink every day.
He also refined pills suited to Tang Yan's injuries.
After recuperating, Tang Yan's injuries had improved considerably, but from now on, he was a cripple who could not even defeat someone at the Qi Refining Stage.
That day, Tang Yan changed into a striking red outfit that made him look even more stunning and handsome.
As soon as Zhu Hua saw him emerge from his eldest senior brother's room, he greeted him warmly.
"Fellow cultivator, come sit over here. My name is Zhu Hua. What's yours?"
Zhu Hua?
Tang Yan raised an eyebrow and walked over to him.
[A direct disciple of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect's Talisman Peak. His talent is exceptional too. What a shame, though...]
Zhu Hua: "???" Where did that voice come from?
Qin Shuang, the female cultivator sitting opposite him, reacted a beat later and looked around in bewilderment.
Tang Yan sat down and smiled, nodding to Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang.
"Greetings, fellow cultivators. My name is Tang Yan."
Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang both widened their eyes.
That voice had actually belonged to Tang Yan, right in front of them!! Were those his thoughts?
They glanced at each other in unison and found the other's expression perfectly composed.
Both could not help wondering, Am I the only one who can hear Tang Yan's thoughts?
Qin Shuang looked at Tang Yan with a calm expression. "Greetings. My name is Qin Shuang."
[Qin Shuang—whoa! Another prodigy from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect! Too bad she ends up just as badly as Zhu Hua.]
Zhu Hua, Qin Shuang: "???" Huh?
[What got these two killed?]
Without betraying anything, Zhu Hua poured Tang Yan a cup of Spirit Tea and pricked up his ears.
Qin Shuang did the same.
Tang Yan accepted it with a word of thanks, and his thoughts rang out at the same time.
[So it was because they had a Wraith friend around them. Seriously, isn't Tang Chu way too vicious?]
[Just because he was jealous of Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang's talent and their admission to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, he wanted to trick them into a Lesser Secret Realm and kill them?]
[Wouldn't a normal person seize the opportunity to cozy up to such powerful friends?]
[Tsk, tsk. Their souls were annihilated, scattered into nothing. They couldn't even reincarnate. How tragic.]
Zhu Hua's hand shook violently around his teacup.
Instinctively, he tried to ask about it.
His mouth opened, but he could not get a single syllable out, as though he had gone mute. "***"
"???"
Zhu Hua was inwardly horrified. When he tried to speak just now, some mysterious force seemed to have suppressed him.
Just then, he suddenly caught a fleeting flash of terror in Qin Shuang's eyes.
An unbelievable thought flashed through Zhu Hua's mind.
Could Shuang'er hear Tang Yan's thoughts too, just like me?
Their eyes met, and their mutual understanding allowed each to grasp what the other meant.
Tang Chu was their childhood best friend. No one besides the two of them knew that, so how had Tang Yan found out?
Could everything he said in his mind be true?
Just as Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang were about to look away, a Message Kite suddenly flew over from afar.
A closer look revealed that it was the very one they used to keep in contact with Tang Chu.
"Brother Zhu Hua, Sister Qin Shuang, a Lesser Secret Realm perfect for gaining experience has appeared in the Eastern Region. Come quickly."
Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang sucked in a sharp breath.
The secret realm had only just been mentioned, and now the invitation had actually arrived!
Tang Yan's gaze was deep.
[This is the secret realm they never come back from. Tsk, tsk. Such poor judgment, befriending a Wraith like that.]
Qin Shuang glanced at Zhu Hua and suddenly spoke.
"We still need to report on this mission to the sect master and our masters. Why don't we tell Tang Chu we won't be joining him this time?"
Zhu Hua nodded and told a little lie.
"Good idea. My master sent a message yesterday insisting that we return to the sect."
With that, he sent Tang Chu a message declining the invitation.
Tang Yan was utterly puzzled by this.
[Could you be mistaken, you useless lump? Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang didn't accept Tang Chu's invitation.]
"Your name is exactly the same as that of the former young master of the Tang Family, who ranked tenth in the Heavenly Prodigy Rankings," Zhu Hua said amiably.
Tang Yan replied, "I hope you won't laugh, but I am the Tang Yan you're talking about."
Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang widened their eyes. "Huh? Did something happen to you, then?"
Tang Yan smiled as though it were nothing. "There was a little accident. I lost all my cultivation."
Zhu Hua hurried to reassure him. "Even if you've fallen on hard times, I'm certain that with your Talents and aptitude, you'll soar to greatness again someday."
"Absolutely," Qin Shuang agreed.
The man before them knew the legendary, wondrous Prophecy Art.
The Prophecy Art was a supreme divine technique that only an Ancient Power could wield.
Unfortunately, after countless eons, its lineage had died out, and even its name survived only in ancient texts.
Ordinary people had never even heard of it.
To think that the former young master of the Tang Family knew it. He truly lived up to his former reputation as an unparalleled prodigy renowned throughout the Northern Domain.
After what had just happened, Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang had formed a rather flattering misconception about Tang Yan.
Tang Yan smiled at their words. "Then I hope your kind words come true."
Just then, two streaks of light shot past the Spirit Boat, one after the other.
Tang Yan's thoughts rang in Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang's ears again.
[That man and woman are siblings, rushing off to catch someone cheating? Holy *****!]
Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang's gazes flickered in shock. What?!
Both craned their necks to look at the two streaks of light.
But the lights had already vanished.
[I really want to follow them and take a look. What a shame.]
Zhu Hua and Qin Shuang were still craning their necks, sighing inwardly. What a shame indeed. They wanted to follow and watch too!!!
After chatting with them for a while, Tang Yan felt a wave of fatigue and excused himself to return to his room.
A few days later.
The moment Tang Yan emerged from his room, Zhu Hua's eyes lit up, and he hurried over to greet him.
"Fellow cultivator Tang."
Several sudden clattering sounds rang out as the doors to the other rooms were flung open.
A rapid succession of footsteps followed.
Then Tang Yan saw them.
One person was carrying a meditation cushion.
Another was holding a towel, their hair still dripping wet.
Someone else held a tray laden with wine, sunflower seeds, sweet cakes, and other snacks...
The female cultivator carrying the snacks asked with a broad smile.
"The scenery is lovely today. Are you out for some fresh air too, fellow cultivator Tang?"
Tang Yan was puzzled.
[What's up with these people? Why do they eagerly crowd around me every time I come out for some air? Are all disciples of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect this friendly?]
Zhu Hua chuckled. We're here for the juicy gossip, of course~~
The others' eyes gleamed with even greater curiosity. Juicy gossip, juicy gossip! Hurry, hurry, hurry! Tell us what juicy gossip you have today!
We want gossip! Throw it all our way!
Indeed, for every day Tang Yan had come out for fresh air, they had enjoyed another day of gossip.
Each scandal was juicier than the last, leaving them hopelessly hooked.
Of course, Tang Yan had already aired all their own dirty laundry. Now it was time to enjoy everyone else's.
Hehe~~ ୧⍤⃝୧⍤⃝୧⍤⃝୧⍤⃝
Originally, they had all planned to cultivate, refine pills, or forge artifacts in their rooms.
But the gossip was simply too juicy.
Anyone who wasn't eager for gossip had to have something wrong with their head.
Cultivation could wait. Gossip could not be missed!
Before you continue