Chapter 19: Masters Come to the Rescue

Covering the swollen side of his face, the short Daoist grumbled, "It was just a joke to lighten the mood, Jiu, why are you so rough? I painstakingly raised you from infancy… Ahem, let's get serious."

The short Daoist's name was Jiuwu. When Jiu first joined the sect as a child, Venerable Wangqing had already entered a long-term seclusion, so it was indeed Jiuwu who had cared for and raised her.

Though officially senior and junior siblings, their bond was akin to that of a father and daughter, and they were accustomed to playful banter.

Seeing Jiu about to lose her temper again, Jiuwu's eyes darted, and he quickly steered the conversation to serious matters, gesturing towards the people behind him as he fired off questions: "Their masters are all here. Who is missing? Where did they disappear? How long have you been trapped?"

Jiu's expression grew somber. She bowed her head in a Daoist salute to the people behind her, momentarily unsure how to speak, lightly biting her lip as she did so.

Liu Yan'er and Wang Qi, with joyous expressions, flew forward from behind, immediately saluting and calling out "Master," "Martial Uncle," and "Martial Aunt."

Among those accompanying Daoist Jiuwu were Jiang Jingshan of Potian Peak, a True Immortal and the master of Qin Xuanya, who trained under the current Sect Leader of the Immortal Ascension Sect; Lin Qi of Potian Peak, also a True Immortal and the master of Yuan Qing; and two immortals from Dulin Peak and Xiaoling Peak, who were Jiu's peers. As they had already found their beloved disciples, no further details were given about them.

Jiu's gaze settled on the gray-haired old Daoist standing at the very back: Qi Yuan of Xiaoqiong Peak, Li Changshou's master.

The old Daoist looked emaciated, and for a moment, Jiu didn't dare meet his gaze. She sighed, knowing deeply how much Li Changshou, his disciple, meant to him, and how many hopes and anxieties he had invested in him.

Jiu spoke in a low voice, "Senior Brother Qi Yuan, the last time I saw Changshou, he headed north. Yuan Qing and Xuanya went northwest, accompanied by a general from Xuanya's family named Yuwen Ling. If I'm not mistaken, this was a calculated plot against Xuanya."

"Alas," old Daoist Qi Yuan said with a wry smile, cupping his hands to Jiu before bowing deeply. "Life and death are fated; such is the nature of venturing out for experience. Everyone, I have not yet attained immortality, and my abilities are limited in the Northern Continent. I humbly request... please help me search for my disciple's whereabouts. The Xiaoqiong Peak lineage will be eternally grateful!"

Jiuwu quickly interjected, "We're family, Junior Brother Qi Yuan, so rest assured. We'll split into two groups now. Jiu and I will accompany you as we search north. Junior Sister Jiu, snap out of it and cheer up! If you want a scolding, you can wait until we've found them! These two Primal Immortals were guarding outside the grand formation. When I found them, they were constantly repairing the array, clearly one of the masterminds behind your predicament. We'll each seize one for interrogation, and we're bound to discover something! Come on, let's go!"

Jiang Jingshan and Lin Qi repeatedly agreed, as it was evident they were all extremely anxious.

With a wave of his sleeve, the short Daoist Jiuwu instantly brought the two unconscious Primal Immortals from a distance through the air, casually tossing one to Lin Qi.

They said little more, as their immediate priority was to find and rescue their disciples.

After agreeing on communication frequency and individual search areas, they ultimately split into three groups: Wang Qi's master took Wang Qi and Liu Yan'er to gather information in the nearby town; Liu Yan'er's master, accompanied by Jiang Jingshan and Lin Qi, headed northwest; and Jiuwu led Qi Yuan and Jiu, searching directly north.

With great haste and urgency, these immortals from the Immortal Ascension Sect continued their search for their disciples.

Meanwhile, a certain individual, who preferred to remain anonymous, was hiding a thousand li to the north, in a recently excavated rock cave.

He had built a bonfire, was holding a scroll, and quietly waited for these powerful reinforcements to arrive. Far from panicking, he seemed rather… content.

Qin Xuanya sat cross-legged in the deepest part of the rock cave. She closed her eyes to regulate her breathing, periodically opening them to glance at the figure by the cave entrance.

Each time she thought of striking up a conversation, she sensed that Li Changshou wasn't in the mood to talk.

After killing Yuan Qing, she had been unconscious for three days and had only woken up half a day ago. Her injuries were no longer severe, though her scalp felt a little sore.

"Senior Brother Changshou, are we waiting here?"

"Yes," Li Changshou replied casually. "Within a radius of three hundred li, I've left several covert markings unique to our Immortal Ascension Sect, and a concealment array has been set up outside this cave. It's relatively safe here for now. If, as you said, Yuan Qing's group has other accomplices, heading further south would make it easy to run into them. Based on the time, whether Martial Aunt Jiu has escaped her predicament or not, the immortals from our sect coming to aid us should have already entered the Northern Continent."

Li Changshou paused, then looked up at Qin Xuanya. "If you're still uneasy, we could also take a detour of about thirty thousand li, but that also carries the risk of encountering them."

"I... I'm at ease," Qin Xuanya whispered, glancing up at Li Changshou. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment.

She didn't know why, but despite usually considering herself upright and having nothing to feel ashamed of, she instinctively lowered her head and averted her gaze.

Her heart felt slightly hollow, as if a tiny cat's paw was gently scratching it; a subtle unease, a touch of uncertainty.

*Perhaps it was because this Senior Brother had saved her twice,* Qin Xuanya mused. *She should find a way to repay him, even though she was still benefiting from Senior Brother Changshou's protection.*

"Senior Brother, is there anything I can do?" she quietly asked.

"Hmm, don't carelessly release your spiritual sense," Li Changshou replied casually.

"Understood," Qin Xuanya replied quite seriously, though she felt a little disappointed. She felt as though she had become a burden.

*Snap!* The bonfire crackled softly, and the flames dwindled slightly. Li Changshou pulled a piece of gray, dry wood from his sleeve and placed it into the fire, making the flames surge.

Only then did Qin Xuanya notice that the flames were quite peculiar; they produced no smoke and emitted a faint, clear fragrance.

"Senior Brother, is there anything special about this fire?"

Li Changshou glanced at the bonfire and calmly replied, "This is a type of wood not considered precious, harvested from the Northern Frigid Pine, which grows south of the North Sea. This pine isn't a spiritual root; in ancient times, it was just an ordinary pine, valued only for its cold resistance. After the Northern Continent became covered in miasma, this pine almost went extinct, but it eventually thrived again. Since then, the Northern Frigid Pine gained a peculiar effect: it's immune to miasma and emits a certain scent that causes venomous insects and beasts to instinctively avoid it. This small bonfire alone can keep our area within three hundred zhang free of poisonous creatures. It's said that vast stretches of Northern Frigid Pine can often be found in areas where the Wu Tribe congregate today, and this pine isn't worth many spirit stones, yet very few people choose to use it."

Qin Xuanya listened intently, her eyes reflecting Li Changshou's profile as she whispered, "Senior Brother is truly knowledgeable..."

"It's all recorded in the sect's archives," Li Changshou calmly replied, resuming his reading and showing no desire to continue the conversation.

Qin Xuanya pursed her lips, pondering something.

After a while...

"Senior Brother, did you find the herbs you were looking for?"

"Quite fortunate, yes, I found them," Li Changshou said with a smile. The thought of it clearly brightened his mood.

Qin Xuanya, not wanting the conversation to end, asked again, "Senior Brother, you seem to have prepared extensively for this trip."

"Ah," Li Changshou replied without looking up. "I've been preparing for this journey to the Northern Continent for fifteen years, gradually accumulating various anti-toxin items."

Fifteen years? Qin Xuanya blinked slowly, then asked, "And... Yuwen Ling and those villains, what became of them?"

Li Changshou replied, "They perished alongside the Three-Eyed Green Wave Serpent, which was on the verge of attaining immortality. We were quite fortunate in that regard; the serpent's venom was incredibly potent."

"Indeed," Qin Xuanya sighed. "Such villains are bound to meet a bad end, but I didn't expect retribution to arrive so swiftly."

Li Changshou then said, "Well, *clears throat*, Junior Sister Qin, there's something I'd like to ask of you."

"Please tell me, Senior Brother!" Qin Xuanya immediately brightened, her eyes shining as she gazed intently at Li Changshou. "If I can repay your life-saving kindness, I would gladly give my life!"

"It's not that serious," Li Changshou said with a chuckle. "Our experiences on this trip were full of strange twists and turns, and the elders will certainly question us in detail upon our return to the sect. I've always disliked trouble, don't want to attract too much attention, and certainly don't wish to draw any unnecessary attention to myself. So, Junior Sister, when you report to the elders, please don't mention too much about my involvement. My cultivation isn't high, and I only possess a mastery of earth escape techniques, which would likely make others laugh."

"Senior Brother..." Qin Xuanya's expression shifted, and a realization struck her. *He gives without expecting repayment, avoids superficial fame. He dedicates himself to the path of immortality, a truly humble gentleman.*

Her heart was flooded with mixed emotions, her eyes reflecting deep admiration. *Senior Brother Changshou is truly a gentleman. His magnanimity and character are genuinely beyond my reach, and Yuan Qing cannot even be compared. Qin Xuanya, you've always been surrounded by so many superficial and arrogant people, leading you to believe that fellow cultivators of your generation were all the same, yet you never realized such a remarkable individual was hidden among your own peers. If I could truly become a close friend with Senior Brother Changshou, then my journey in the Immortal Sect would truly not have been in vain...*

"Senior Brother, rest assured," Qin Xuanya said firmly. "I understand and will keep all of this in mind."

Li Changshou blinked. *Did she truly understand? He still felt as though she was under some lingering influence, why...?*

*Never mind,* he thought. *After returning, I'll simply stay secluded on Xiaoqiong Peak. Even if this matter causes a stir, it should subside within a few months. Only by maintaining a low profile can one avoid karmic entanglements.*

Provided no further complications arose, his journey to the Northern Continent would be perfectly concluded.

Suddenly, Li Changshou's expression changed. The silk threads of the three-headed Double-Pupil Spiders he had deployed outside suddenly captured an image...

Several figures swiftly flew past, a hundred li away. The outermost person was clad in plain linen, with a graceful figure. Although her face was indiscernible due to their speed, the tautness of her linen tunic and the striking contours evident as she moved against the wind allowed for a clear identification... It was Jiu!

"Get ready," he said, "they're here." Li Changshou chuckled, a weight finally lifted from his heart.