Lin He put away the fat old man's and the thin old man's Storage Bags, then stored the Golden Rain Sword and the three High-Tier Talismans. After casually destroying the bodies and erasing all traces, he took out the Array Disk and tapped it. Clouds and mist churned, revealing Xin Ruoyin and Xiao Mei.
Seeing no sign of the overwhelmingly intimidating Pigeon-Faced Elder, Xin Ruoyin looked at Lin He in disbelief and asked tentatively, "Young master, is it over?"
Lin He nodded with a smile. Beside them, Xiao Mei seemed to be sleepwalking, unable to think of anything to say.
"Young master, should we dismantle the array now?"
Xin Ruoyin was the first to recover and ask, but Lin He shook his head. "I sensed an expert rushing toward us. We don't yet know whether they're friend or foe, so keeping the Grand Array in place would be safer."
The three fell silent, quietly awaiting the expert's arrival.
Before long, a red-robed woman who looked to be in her thirties hovered in midair, holding a Five-Thunder Whip. She was quite attractive and still possessed a mature charm, but her expression was cold, with a faint air of menace.
Beside her stood another woman, also dressed in red. She looked no older than seventeen or eighteen and had lovely features, with a subtle allure in her eyes and brows. At that moment, she was looking around curiously.
"Xuan'er, there's no need to look. Someone has set up an array here. With your Qi Condensation cultivation, you can't see through it."
"Of course I can't see through it, but you're here, Master. Whatever array it is, it certainly can't escape your eyes."
At those words, a trace of a smile finally appeared on the red-robed woman's icy face. She gave the red-robed girl an indulgent glance and was about to speak when the clouds and mist below suddenly churned. A blue figure shot out, stopping a little over twenty zhang from her, and bowed.
"Disciple Lin He of Yellow Maple Valley pays his respects to Senior Aunt Hongfu!"
Naturally, Yellow Maple Valley disciples had a means of proving their identities. Lin He handed Hongfu a Token, and only after taking it did she nod.
But as Hongfu looked at Lin He's handsome face, something seemed to occur to her. The smile that had just appeared vanished again, and she asked coldly,
"Good, you actually recognize me. Then let me ask you this: a powerful surge of spiritual energy suddenly appeared here earlier, as though someone was fighting. I also sensed a trace of a Magic Treasure's aura. Do you know anything about that?"
Lin He's heart lurched, but his expression remained unchanged. "I'm ashamed to say that while out on an errand, I purchased a few unusual items. Unexpectedly, someone set their sights on me because of them and followed me all the way here. Left with no choice, I had to rely on an array to fight them."
"So that's what happened." Hongfu did not seem convinced, however, and continued, "It seems you already killed your opponents with the help of the array. But I sensed a trace of a Magic Treasure's aura just now. How do you explain that?"
"You must be joking, Senior Aunt." Lin He's heart tightened, but he stubbornly denied it. "Only Core Formation Stage cultivators can use Magic Treasures. If I'd encountered one, how could I still be alive to speak with you here?"
Hongfu was puzzled as well. If a Magic Treasure really had appeared, how could a mere early Foundation Establishment cultivator like Lin He be standing here unharmed?
Could I have sensed it incorrectly?
There was clearly no point in pursuing the subject, so Hongfu asked no further questions. She looked at the array below and nodded approvingly. "Not bad. This array of yours is rather interesting. Even I would probably need to expend some effort to break it."
Hearing Hongfu say this, Dong Xuan'er looked astonished. Despite her master's cold, unapproachable manner, she was a genuine late Core Formation cultivator. If breaking an array set up by an early Foundation Establishment cultivator would take even her some effort, that alone proved how extraordinary it was.
Dong Xuan'er began studying Lin He curiously. The more she looked at this handsome blue-robed young man, whose cultivation had already reached early Foundation Establishment, the more pleasing she found him.
"You flatter me, Senior Aunt!"
Lin He hastily offered a modest reply. His Grand Array might have some chance of trapping an early Core Formation cultivator, but against a late Core Formation cultivator like Hongfu, there was no hope at all.
"Now that I've finished asking my questions, Xuan'er, we should leave."
Seeing Hongfu about to leave, Dong Xuan'er seemed reluctant. An idea flashed through Lin He's mind, and he hurriedly said, "If I may be so bold, Senior Aunt, I recently acquired two treasures. Please spare a moment to appraise them!"
The matter of cultivation techniques had been troubling Lin He for some time. After reaching Foundation Establishment, he had visited the place where Yellow Maple Valley kept its techniques, but had failed to find a suitable one. Recently, he had even searched the entire Yellow Maple Valley Market without success. Now that he had encountered Senior Aunt Hongfu, he was determined not to let this opportunity slip away.
Because of heartbreak in her younger years, Hongfu had long disliked handsome men, so naturally she showed Lin He no warmth. She was about to refuse, and in any case, she did not believe an early Foundation Establishment cultivator could produce a treasure capable of tempting a late Core Formation cultivator like herself.
But Dong Xuan'er suddenly spoke up beside her. "Master, didn't you say you wanted to buy some materials at the Yellow Maple Valley Market?"
Lin He immediately looked at Dong Xuan'er, only for her to cast him a flirtatious glance. He was inwardly speechless, but reacted quickly and said,
"That's easily arranged. To tell you the truth, I'm currently serving as the Garrison Commissioner of the Yellow Maple Valley Market. Once we return, you need only give me a list, Senior Aunt, and I'll have people start gathering the materials immediately. Not only will they be collected quickly, the prices will be more favorable too."
Hongfu could not help glaring at Dong Xuan'er. Naturally, she understood her beloved disciple's little schemes. Shaking her head, she said, "Stop stirring up trouble as though the world isn't chaotic enough. That boy from the Feng family, and that boy with the wind spirit root-how much more trouble do you intend to cause before you're satisfied?"
Hearing what sounded like anger in Hongfu's voice, Dong Xuan'er lowered her head, feeling wronged. Her special constitution made her naturally suited to cultivating charm arts, and she always influenced those around her without meaning to. Ever since childhood, plenty of men had flocked around her, and she had long since grown accustomed to the feeling.
Yet now, she was somewhat curious. Her charm arts seemed to have no effect whatsoever on the blue-robed young man before her.
Seeing that Hongfu was determined to leave, Lin He could no longer afford to hesitate. He hurriedly took out an exquisite jade box and handed it over.
Hongfu paid little attention at first and casually opened the jade box. But after a single glance, she gave a soft exclamation of surprise. She examined it carefully for quite some time before closing the box and returning it to Lin He. Letting out a long breath, she said,
"This is a little short of the age I need, but it'll barely suffice for my purposes. How about this: let's go to the Market first, then discuss the appraisal."
With that, Hongfu actually agreed to travel with Lin He. Dong Xuan-
'er looked astonished at her words. She knew her master's temperament very well: her word was law, and she rarely changed her mind. She had no idea what fine thing Lin He had produced to make her reconsider. At that thought, Dong Xuan'er could not help studying Lin He curiously.
Meanwhile, Lin He had already sent a voice transmission to Xin Ruoyin and Xiao Mei, telling them to dismantle the array. They soon finished, and everyone set off together for the Yellow Maple Valley Market.