With the distance borrowed from the Netherworld, Chen Xu's reach has extended further.

He can still perform it five times a day, but the range has increased from approximately three miles to about five miles.

He stepped out of the other courtyard and quietly appeared in a secluded alley somewhere in the city.

Then Chen Xu walked out of the alley, traversing streets and squares.

He wore a blue robe, composed and graceful, yet interestingly, he wasn't noticeable among the crowd.

This was actually Chen Xu subconsciously learning from the Swallow Plume Ghost King.

He hadn't reached the other's mysterious realm, as if existing in this world yet transcending yin and yang.

But possessing Innate Qi, when he wanted to lower his presence, he seemed to naturally understand how to integrate his breathing into the world and conceal himself in the mortal world.

This state was precisely the "Unity of Heaven and Man" that Gongsun Jiuniang had once vaguely experienced.

Of course, Chen Xu's "Unity of Heaven and Man" was still very basic and unstable. Calling it "Pseudo" Unity of Heaven and Man would be more appropriate.

He walked through bustling streets, listening to the voices of people coming and going, experiencing the hustle and bustle and vibrancy of the world again, then left the city without hesitation, exiting the North City Gate alone.

Outside the city, the world was different.

Due to being the Prefecture City, Yunjiang's surroundings were dotted with prosperous farms, every three to five miles one could see fields and the smoke from cooking, white walls, and dark tiles.

This road was one Chen Xu had traveled before.

Thirty miles north of the city lies Pufeng Mountain.

Chen Xu actually wasn't sure where Wei Yuan was in seclusion, but recalling he had once seen Wei Yuan at the foot of Shishan opposite Pufeng Mountain, he subconsciously headed that way.

He had resolved, if he couldn't find Wei Yuan at Stone Peak, he would use the Spiritual Cicada Jade Robe to divine Wei Yuan's location.

Fifteen days had passed since the last divination, and the Spiritual Cicada Jade Robe was long ready for use again.

Continuing for another ten miles, a turn westward into a side path, then another twenty miles would be Pufeng Mountain.

The road gradually grew quieter, the surroundings sparsely populated.

With the Spirit Garden Pouch hanging at his waist, Chen Xu's emotions unknowingly grew especially serene.

Looking back at the distant, hazy city silhouette, compared to the ambitious departure from Jichuan County before, this time, leaving Yunjiang City, Chen Xu felt an expansive stillness like a calm heart.

Not a stagnant, unruffled kind of stillness, but one as deep and clear as still water running deep.

[You encounter the journey once more, gaining insight and acquiring three maces of Heart Fire Divine Lotus as spiritual material.]

[Fireworks Value +100]

Ah, an unexpected prompt from the Food Cauldron Celestial Book.

Chen Xu didn't expect to gain another Heart Fire Divine Lotus at this moment.

Recalling the opportunities from previous acquisitions of the Heart Fire Divine Lotus—

Most of the time, it was because of defeating enemies.

By defeating enemies and eradicating evil, his thoughts became clear, thus gaining the Heart Fire Divine Lotus.

Yet now, having done nothing but gaining a little insight on the road out of Yunjiang City, he also acquired the Heart Fire Divine Lotus.

Chen Xu then realized.

It seemed the true opportunity to gain the Heart Fire Divine Lotus wasn't defeating enemies, but personal "enlightenment."

Each realization might result in gaining a Heart Fire Divine Lotus.

This item is quite miraculous, and even with Chen Xu's increased understanding now, such spiritual material that can promote sudden realizations is still beneficial and welcomed.

His mood lightened up, the Spirit Garden Pouch hanging at his waist, as he walked along the mountain path, his robe's hem and sleeves seemed to catch in the breeze.

Little Hedgehog, where are you exactly at this moment?

Indeed, Wei Yuan was not far from Stone Peak, having unconsciously sensed a breakthrough opportunity in cultivation after drinking Demon Flowing Juice last time, he hurried to Stone Peak and dug a hole for seclusion to cultivate.

The breakthrough was exceptionally smooth, and just last night, Wei Yuan had once more undergone a purification by moonlight.

This morning, as it lazily stretched and burrowed out from the hole, inhaling the mountain air under the sunlight, it suddenly realized it had grown from one foot tall to one and a half feet!

It had grown taller and larger.

Even without counting the standing hair, it was now a full foot tall.

Wei Yuan was overjoyed, instinctively jumping three feet in the air, thinking: I must find Mr. Chen and show him my current appearance.

Unexpectedly, just as it leaped, a large net came down over its head.

Caught off guard, Wei Yuan was trapped in the net.

Shocked and annoyed, as it was about to use mana to escape, a rough male voice above laughed and said: "Hey, such a big hedgehog, if we bring this one back, won't the Immortal Witch reward us with more than ten taels of silver?"

Soon after, Wei Yuan felt itself being lifted by the net, its body floating in the air.

As the net tightened from all directions, a strange dark force invaded through the mesh, causing Wei Yuan's mana flow to become sluggish and its mind to go blank for a moment.

A moment later, it recited the Calm Heart Spell to regain clarity.

Looking around again, it was horrified.

It realized it had unknowingly been caged within a basket, and inside the basket, a child was also curled up, drowsy!

The child's clothes were in disarray, face bruised, and appeared in a poor state.

Most troubling was the child was missing a right arm, the stump on the shoulder still seeping blood faintly, wrapped haphazardly, looking like he was barely alive.

Enraged, Wei Yuan suddenly heard the rough voice above say, "A big hedgehog and a child with a severed arm, let's just go back and report. We'll get the reward first before lingering outside."

"I don't know why, but suddenly I'm feeling spooked."

A younger voice responded: "This child has a severed arm. His body is incomplete. Can the Immortal Witch still want him? If we present him to the River God and get blamed, won't we be in trouble?"

The rough voice replied irritably, "Why do you care so much? Whether the Immortal Witch wants to offer someone to the River God is her business, we just catch the people.

Nowadays, do you think it's easy to catch people?

If not for this child being harmed by a stepmother and running away, could we have taken him quietly?

Enough talk, let's move, quickly, the Pufeng Mountain opposite once had hauntings, we shouldn't linger.

Thus, the basket began to jostle.

It turned out the basket was tied to the rough man's back, moving along with his steps naturally swaying it.

Wei Yuan hurriedly circulated its mana, a clear energy flowing from the Dantian to the Sea of Consciousness.

Steadying itself within the basket, it climbed up to grip the basket rim, stealthily peering around.

Having overheard their conversation, Wei Yuan now suspected it had been caught up in something extremely sinister.

With its current mana, it wouldn't be difficult to escape from the two men.

But from their conversation, capturing people seemed to be a regular occurrence for them.

Wei Yuan's heart swelled with a sense of chivalry.

It thought, Mr. Chen had written "Knight's Journey," being his close friend, how could it witness such evil and not intervene?

It was necessary to quietly investigate, at least make sure these two men would never dare to catch people or creatures again!

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