Inside the carriage, out of everyone's sight, Song Yan's eyes flickered. He had thought that with his cultivation fallen, controlling a flying sword would be exceptionally difficult.
He had not expected it to be almost no different from before, aside from the somewhat taxing drain on his spiritual power.
He wondered whether that was because he was controlling a mortal weapon.
Shhk.
The flying sword pulled free, circled through the air, and landed squarely in Xie Xing's scabbard.
"That is all I have to say."
"Do as you please."
The wounded man in black struggled to his feet and returned to the crowd, clutching his injured palm.
"..."
The black-clad leader's eyes flickered.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and cupped his fists toward the carriage.
"Thank you for sparing our lives, exalted immortal."
Song Yan did not respond. The more he said, the more mistakes he might make; better to keep his mouth shut.
Naturally, he had no need to fear these mortal martial artists, but he still had to guard against pursuit and retaliation from the Qin Lineage.
What he regretted most now was having assumed he could travel through the mortal world without much trouble and given his real name in front of the Xie Household earlier.
"We were blind not to recognize that an exalted immortal was here. We have offended you greatly and beg your forgiveness."
"Let's go!"
Assassins merely took money to do a job. Against mortal martial artists, they could naturally put up a fight, but their opponent was clearly an immortal cultivator. That put this outside the scope of their assignment.
The black-clad men swiftly departed, and peace returned to the dense woods.
"Cough, cough..."
Xie Xing had suffered some internal injuries from forcibly driving his internal power earlier, and now spat out a mouthful of stagnant blood.
"Grandpa Xie Xing!"
Xie Chuan and the other children climbed down from the carriage and gathered around Xie Xing.
Xie Chan fetched a small medicine chest from the carriage behind them, dragged it over to Xie Xing, and opened it.
"Cough, cough..."
Xie Xing did not treat his injuries. Instead, with several children in tow, he staggered over to Song Yan's carriage and dropped to his knees with a thud.
"Th-thank you for saving us, exalted immortal."
Song Yan channeled his spiritual power, slowly lifting Xie Xing to his feet as specks of water Qi swirled around his wounds.
Feeling his injuries gradually ease, Xie Xing's lips moved, but he could not utter a word.
These were the methods of an immortal!
"I am merely repaying you for sharing your carriage. If you wish to thank anyone, thank these children."
"Most of your injuries have healed. If there is nothing else, just continue the journey."
After all, Song Yan's cultivation had fallen, and he was only at Qi Refining, first layer now. A little spiritual power could not completely heal some of the more serious internal injuries.
"Yes. Thank you, immortal master."
At Song Yan's direction, the children continued to ride with him, but now every one of them was silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to make a sound for fear of disturbing the "immortal."
"Xie Chuan, what kind of spiritual root do you have?"
Instead, it was Song Yan who spoke first, breaking the silence in the carriage.
Xie Xing answered from the front, "Immortal master, we do not know yet. An attendant from elsewhere, an old acquaintance of an elder of the Xie Household, stayed with us for a few days. During that time, he mentioned that little Chuan had a spiritual root. This old man knows nothing beyond that."
That made sense. If the attendant had not explained, how would mortals know that spiritual roots came in different kinds?
"What about the other children? Have they all been checked?"
"No, they have not."
Xie Xing smiled bitterly. "The Xie Household is no great clan. Having little Chuan, a single child with the talent to cultivate, already brings glory to our name. How could we possibly produce a second..."
Song Yan said nothing. These were the family's internal affairs, none of his business.
They had not been far from Fufeng City to begin with. After roughly another hour on the road, the carriages arrived there.
With Xie Xing handling everything along the way, they passed through the checkpoint and entered the city without obstruction.
Ning'an Inn.
Song Yan stepped leisurely down from the carriage.
Seeing the restrained members of the Xie Household standing in a row around him, he could not help finding it a little strange.
"You gave me a ride, and I held off your enemies for you. Our connection ends here."
"Until we meet again."
Song Yan waved and prepared to leave.
Now that he had entered the city, there were many ways to reach the vicinity of the sect quickly.
"Immortal master!"
Xie Chan seemed to muster her courage and called softly.
"Hmm?"
The little girl approached Song Yan with somewhat timid steps. "You saved me, sir. This is for you."
She brought the Mud Figurine out from behind her back and offered it to him.
Song Yan did not take it, merely glancing sideways at Xie Xing.
"Your grandfather gave you this Mud Figurine. Don't you want it anymore?"
"It's all right. You saved our lives, sir. Grandpa said that when someone does you a kindness, you have to repay it..."
"But you're an immortal... Who knows when we'll meet again..."
"This is... my most precious possession. I want you to have it."
Xie Xing's lips trembled slightly, as though he wanted to speak but hesitated. Yet after hearing his granddaughter's words, he finally stammered, "P-please do not take offense, exalted immortal..."
"What this old man said earlier, about an unrivaled sword art being hidden inside the Mud Figurine... was..."
"Was... was something I made up."
"This Mud Figurine does have a mechanism that allows it to be opened, but there is only a piece of calligraphy inside, nothing else."
"Chan'er offers it sincerely. If you take no offense, exalted immortal, please accept it."
Seeing the sincerity on the faces of the Xie Household members, Song Yan nodded and accepted the finely crafted Mud Figurine.
"Very well. I will accept it, then."
Xie Chan ducked back into the crowd.
"Xie Chuan, when you reach an immortal mountain and enter a cultivation sect, cultivate diligently. Perhaps we will meet again someday."
Overwhelmed by the favor, Xie Chuan bowed his head repeatedly. "Thank you for your guidance, immortal master."
In truth, Song Yan regretted saying it as soon as the words left his mouth. If the boy proved exceptionally talented and surpassed him in three to five years, it would be rather awkward if they really met again.
"Uncle Xie Xing, if you have the chance, have these children tested for spiritual roots as well."
Those who survived a great calamity were bound to find blessings afterward.
"Yes, yes."
Song Yan waved and disappeared into the crowd.
Xie Chan watched his departing figure, her young face filled with resolve.
Dongyuan Sect.
"The path of immortal cultivation goes against Heaven to begin with. It is perfectly normal for disciples to meet with accidents..."
In the Elders' Court, two elders sat at a board, leisurely playing a game.
Qin Xijun lay in a hammock in the courtyard, toying with the Jade Seal she had been handling for so long.
"Whether deliberately or otherwise, the Xuanyuan Sect now seems intent on pushing this matter onto our sect and the Spirit Talisman Sect. Refusing to let go of a matter involving a mere Outer Sect Disciple is truly strange..."
Besides them, External Affairs Elder Zhang Guangyuan and Artifact Court Elder Yang Wenxuan sat on either side of the board, watching the game.
"Hah! I think the Xuanyuan Sect has simply grown used to throwing its weight around over the past thousand years."
One of the elders playing seemed somewhat angry. Though he used not a trace of spiritual power, he slapped the board with repeated cracks.
"Just looking at that Shen Yu fellow makes me angry. What an inexplicable creature."
"Easy there. This board of mine is made of mortal jade. If you smash it, none of us will get to play..."
The other elder was deeply pained. "Whatever happened to all your efforts at cultivating your temperament?"
"Mortal jade? Where did you get it?"
"A mortal lad gave it to me. It was many years ago."
They took turns placing their pieces, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
"But..."
Yang Wenxuan abruptly changed tack. "I heard that the Outer Sect Disciple named Song Yesheng was only at Qi Refining, fifth layer."
One of the elders playing seemed to understand his meaning and paused without placing his piece.
"If that boy really could kill Wang Xi single-handedly..."
"Why would he still be muddling along in the outer sect?"
In truth, in these elders' eyes, whether it was Wang Xi at Qi Refining Eighth Layer or Song Yan at Qi Refining, fifth layer, both were merely insects of this world—one a little larger, the other a little smaller.
"A gifted youngster, or..."
"Possession by a devil cultivator."
The elder opposite the board's owner set down his piece and conceded defeat.
"Those are the only two possibilities."
"Elder Qin!"
"Elder Qin!"
"What are you making such a fuss for?!"
Qin Xijun raised her brows. "Speak."
"Uh..."
As all five elders in the courtyard turned their gazes toward him, the disciple suddenly found it difficult to breathe.
"Junior Brother Song... Song Yesheng..."
"He's back."
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