If I Can Save Them, Why Shouldn't I?

A small tent was pitched not far away, with a bonfire burning outside. The person who had warned him earlier was meditating inside the tent, completely unaware of Lin Xiao's sudden appearance.

Lin Xiao thought for a moment and decided not to make a sound to disturb the person.

After picking up the array plate from the ground, he quietly left.

Using his Cloud Soaring Technique, he swiftly circled the massive snow-capped mountain for a distance.

He also took a look at the remaining Spirit Stone in the array plate; there were 1,052 left, meaning that 226 had been used to teleport out.

Seeing that the scenery along the way was familiar, and confirming once again that this was indeed the place he had been before entering the ice cave, Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment before turning around and leaving the area.

Seeing him turn and leave, Liao Pantu was quite surprised. He said:

I thought you would go back.

After checking the remaining Spirit Stone in the array plate, Lin Xiao smiled and said:

"Over the years, so many people have searched for a way out inside, but in the end, they all perish. I don't think that staying inside will make any difference."

I think even if there's a way to get the people inside out, it's most likely not in that ice cave. So I plan to search outside; maybe I'll find something."

Upon hearing this, Liao Pantu agreed:

"Good idea. But what if you still can't find a way to get the people out of the ice cave from the outside?"

Lin Xiao remained silent for a moment before speaking, each word firm and clear:

"Then I'll have each of them contribute Spirit Stone, and I'll use the Heaven and Earth Transposition Formation to deliver them one by one."

Liao Pantu seemed completely unsurprised by his words, and continued:

"But if that's the case, the news that you possess Earth Rank teleportation array won't be able to be kept secret. A Foundation Establishment cultivator in his early teens holding a precious Earth Rank teleportation array... Do you think you can still live peacefully in this Southern Spirit Domain? It's no exaggeration to say that if this news spreads, not only Golden Core cultivators, but even many Nascent Soul Cultivator will come looking for you. Do you believe it?"

Lin Xiao nodded decisively and said:

"I believe you! So please pray that I find a way to get the people out of the ice cave so this doesn't happen!"

"... I'm a human, not a ghost! What blessings are you talking about!" Knowing he meant he absolutely had to save those trapped, Liao Pantu sighed.

"Go ahead and look for it. If you really can't find it, I'll give you some advice!"

Looking at Lin Xiao, who had such a heart to save people, he subconsciously disagreed, but in fact he was quite envious.

Having cultivated immortality for so many years, he had killed quite a few people, but when it came to saving lives, he tried hard to recall and found that he only seemed to have helped a few people slightly when he first started cultivating.

For these monks, saving lives actually requires more courage than killing them.

They kill in rebellion, for revenge, or to eliminate future troubles; in the end, it's all for their own benefit.

There's nothing inherently wrong with that.

But during the time he spent with Lin Xiao, he realized that he was far inferior to him in terms of courage.

Over this period of time, Mingming has gradually come to realize the various cruelties of this world.

But he still chose to save people.

It was clearly something that would yield no reward.

Thinking of this, Liao Pantu hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking:

Why... do you insist on saving these people? They have nothing to do with you.

Unexpectedly, he asked that. Lin Xiao paused for a moment, then answered matter-of-factly:

"Because I can save them, why wouldn't I?"

As for the troubles that might arise after saving people—if there were only one or two heinous criminals inside, I would definitely pretend to be blind and not see them. But in fact, there are many pure-hearted people like Fellow Daoist Hu who have come out to gain experience, as well as the owner of the suicide note that Fellow Daoist Hu cherishes for his son, and many others I have never met before, yet who lead very different lives...

If I can't do it, that's fine. But if I can, of course I'll help! As long as I protect myself from being discovered while carrying it out, that's fine. If I'm accidentally discovered, then I'll deal with it as it comes. I can't let some unpredictable future cause me to give up on everything and ignore my conscience, watching so many people die.

As he spoke, Lin Xiao chuckled, then confidently said:

"Besides, I believe in myself! I'm so powerful, I built my own sect and reached the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage just two months, what's there to be afraid of! Whoever comes looking for trouble, I'll just fight them off! If their cultivation level is higher than mine, then I'll immediately raise my own! It's just cultivation, right? Hahaha."

Liao Pantu:...

Liao Pantu was initially quite moved by what he said earlier, but after hearing the last sentence, all the emotion vanished instantly.

So he said coldly:

"I wonder who was almost killed by the Silver Frost Python Demon's poisonous breath back then."

Lin Xiao grinned:

"Now that I have you, my senior, protecting me, I believe that with your careful guidance, I definitely won't make any more mistakes!"

Hearing him say that, Liao Pantu gave a light snort.

After all, he didn't have a high level of trust in the Lingxian Sect and himself back then, so he naturally wouldn't put in much effort. Giving them a little pointers was already what a normal guest elder should do.

Over the course of their time together, Lin Xiao had sensed Senior Liao's favoritism towards them, which was why he spoke to him in that manner.

As they talked, they moved further and further away from the snow-capped mountain.

There are only three gray areas shown on the map.

Based on the map, Lin Xiao found two more gray, unexplored areas.

He went inside and walked around each of them.

Firstly, to confirm whether anyone had entered and if there were any clues to an exit; secondly, to see if there was any Cold-Concentrating Jade inside that could be dug up...

To everyone's disappointment, people were teleported into both of these gray areas, but just like the ice cave before, there was nothing inside except for the Cold-Concentrating Jade.

Unable to find any clues, Lin Xiao could only seize the time to quietly dig up all the high-grade Cold-Concentrating Jade, leaving the ordinary ones nearby untouched.

Saving lives is the priority.

It's not too late for him to come back and dig after he finds a way to get everyone out.

So for the next two days, Lin Xiao began searching for clues throughout the secret realm.

After Liao Pantu asked Lin Xiao for the map and examined it, he gave him some advice on the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, pointing out several suspicious points.

It was around this time that the resources in the Icefield Mystic Realm were almost completely plundered. Everything that had been cut down and dug up was left in a state of utter devastation. Lin Xiao would occasionally encounter cultivators fighting and scrambling for something.

At this very moment, the Demon Beast in the Icefield Mystic Realm gradually emerged.