"Master, are-are you all right?"
Yan Kingdom.
Shen Fu looked anxiously at the old man in scholar's robes sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his eyes full of concern.
Sensing his disciple's heartfelt concern, the old man in scholar's robes slowly opened his eyes. His pupils, once brimming with brilliance, had dimmed somewhat.
He shook his head slightly, and a cold glint flashed through his eyes:
"I'm fine... Those Evil Gods may have struck without warning, but their strength was lacking in the end. How could they possibly be a match for your master? I drove them back long ago!"
He paused briefly, and his gaze softened with affection as he looked at Shen Fu:
"Qin Ya just told me that when you saw me fighting those Evil Gods, you wanted to rush over immediately?"
At these words, relief appeared on Shen Fu's face. Then he said sheepishly:
"I was just worried about you, Master... I underestimated you. Please forgive me."
Liang Qiu Yu shook his head.
"This isn't a matter of underestimating me. With such filial devotion from you, I couldn't be happier. How could I blame you?"
As he spoke, he could not help looking wistful:
"All cultivators in our Holy Sect are equal, but everyone pursues their own interests. Those who betray their masters and defile their patriarchs are hardly rare. I've seen quite a few over these three thousand years..."
Then he looked at Shen Fu, his face full of gratified smiles:
"Someone as devoted as my disciple is a rare find indeed. Haha."
Hearing Liang Qiu Yu's words, Shen Fu's heart gave a jolt. His thoughts raced, but he scratched his head with an increasingly sheepish expression:
"Not at all, Master. I'm still too weak. Otherwise, I could have fought alongside you today and slaughtered