Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Not Going Back

Xu Guikai’s expression was strange.

What appeared in his Divine Sense was a small Tuluo People tribe.

Such small tribes usually only had one or two Cultivators and a population of no more than a thousand. They had no fixed camps, living a nomadic life in pursuit of water and grass.

So weak was their strength that a single blizzard, a flood, or a hurricane... could wipe them completely from the Grassland, leaving not a single trace behind.

He knew there were many such small tribes on the Grassland.

Although small in scale, most of them existed as vassals to larger tribes.

Therefore, in the current invasion of the Western Wilderness... they had also participated.

Of course, they might not have fought directly, perhaps providing logistics or transporting plundered resources.

These resources included supplies, as well as Human Race slaves.

On the Flying Ship, Xu Guikai watched the blood-soaked figure below with his Divine Sense. ’This must be Fellow Daoist Li’s junior, the one named Ji Shu Xuan.’

Considering his plan to flee the Yan Kingdom, Xu Guikai had investigated the backgrounds of the Immortal City Cultivators who had traveled to the Yan Kingdom with him.

And he had paid special attention to Ji Shu Xuan.

After all, he and Li Ping had hit it off right away, and before he departed, Li Ping had given him many precious Spirit Talismans.

When Ji Shu Xuan first went missing, he had even used his time on missions to search for him several times.

Unfortunately, he never found him and had assumed Ji Shu Xuan was dead.

He never expected that he had become a slave to a Tuluo People tribe tens of thousands of miles away.

’Should I save him?’ A struggle appeared in Xu Guikai’s eyes.

A Cultivator who had exhausted their Magical Power and was unable to use Dharma Artifacts or cast Magic was, in fact, not much stronger than a Tuluo People Martial Artist.

Therefore, if he didn’t intervene, it would be very difficult for Ji Shu Xuan to regain his freedom on his own.

But if he did act to save Ji Shu Xuan, he might expose his own position, adding risk to his subsequent journey to the Land of the Far North.

After a moment of hesitation, Xu Guikai made his decision.

’Save Ji Shu Xuan!’

He planned to directly destroy the small Tuluo People tribe below to eliminate all traces, and regardless of whether Ji Shu Xuan was willing or not, he would take him along to the Land of the Far North.

He couldn’t trust letting Ji Shu Xuan return to the Western Wilderness!

WHOOSH!

A Flying Sword shot out from his sleeve, transforming into a streak of silver silk that swept down toward the Tuluo People tribe below...

...

「A little less than half a month after Li Ping arrived at Sword Casting Manor.」

The ceremony for Yan Hengchuan and Yu Peiling to become Daoist partners was officially held on the small island at Bifeng Lake Heart.

The Yu family was well-connected, and on this joyous day, Cultivation Clans of all sizes from the Jiang Kingdom sent Cultivators to offer their congratulations.

On Yan Hengchuan’s side, however, only Li Ping and Cultivators from the Ji family and the Yan family were in attendance.

However, Li Ping was a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, so the Cultivators from the Jiang Kingdom’s Cultivation Clans were all very polite to him.

After all, among all the Cultivators present, aside from the Patriarch of the Jiang family who was a Late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, his Cultivation was the highest.

Toward the Cultivators who came to greet him and build connections, Li Ping simply smiled and nodded, having no intention of engaging in deep conversation.

The other Cultivators could see he was not the sociable type, and gradually, no one came to disturb him.

Soon, under the witness of the Jiang family’s Patriarch,

Yan Hengchuan and Yu Peiling formally announced to the heavens and earth that they were becoming Daoist partners, to cultivate the Immortal Dao together from this day forward.

The two received congratulations from all the Cultivators present. After the ceremony ended, the wedding banquet reached its climax—it was time for the feast.

During the feast,

Yan Hengchuan led a gentle-looking woman to Li Ping and introduced her with a smile, "Grand Master, this is Peiling!"

Then, he gestured to Yu Peiling, "Hurry and pay your respects to Grand Master."

As he spoke, his eyes were filled with excitement, clearly still immersed in the bliss of having won a beautiful bride.

Yu Peiling secretly glanced at Li Ping a few times before speaking in a low voice, "Grand Master."

This was not the first time she had seen Li Ping. In fact, she was very familiar with him.

Thirty years ago, Li Ping visited Bifeng Lake.

At that time, the ancestor had sent someone to invite her mother to accompany him, but after a long hesitation, her mother ultimately did not go.

She could tell something was wrong with her mother’s expression, so she used the pretense of serving tea to secretly appear before Li Ping and see him for herself.

When she told her mother about it, her mother just sighed and said nothing.

Later, she learned from the clan elders.

It turned out that when her mother was young, she had a very good relationship with Elder Li, and they were expected to get together. But later, her mother married her father into the family, and Elder Li went to the Immortal City, so the two of them lost contact.

At the time, Yu Peiling didn’t understand why her mother was unwilling to see an old friend.

But now, seeing Elder Li again after thirty years and seeing that he still looked as he did in his youth, his face showing almost no signs of aging, she finally understood the gloom in her mother’s heart back then.

She understood the worldly sorrow encapsulated in the saying, ’The courtyard tree knows not that all have gone; when spring arrives, it still blooms with flowers of old.’

...

"Peiling," Li Ping said with a smiling nod.

Then, he took out a bottle of Peiyuan Pills from his Storage Bag and used his Magical Power to float it in front of Yu Peiling. "I suppose I count as an elder to you and Hengchuan. Consider this bottle of Peiyuan Pills a meeting gift."

"Peiyuan Pills," Yu Peiling said, somewhat surprised.

As a Pill that could enhance the Cultivation of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the value of Peiyuan Pills went without saying—they were worth at least a hundred Spirit Stones. She never thought this Grand Master Li would take them out so casually. An ordinary Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator would not be so generous.

Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but hesitate. She definitely wanted the Pills.

But to just accept them like this... she was a bit thin-skinned and felt embarrassed.

But while she hesitated, Yan Hengchuan had already said nonchalantly, "Peiling, it’s a gift from Grand Master. Hurry up and take it."

It was just a bottle of Pills. Yan Hengchuan didn’t overthink it like Yu Peiling; he didn’t care at all.

After all, over the years, he had lost count of how many Pills and Spirit Stones he had freely taken from his Grand Master. He was long used to it.

’This is Grand Master, not some stranger.’

Biting her lip, Yu Peiling accepted the Pills and thanked him softly, "Thank you for your gift, Grand Master."

"Mm," Li Ping nodded with a smile.

After paying their respects to Li Ping, Yan Hengchuan led Yu Peiling away to greet the other guests.

...

Just as the banquet was about to end, a figure in a red Magic Robe approached Li Ping’s side.

This was a woman who looked to be around sixty years old. She had many wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, but one could still see the grace of her youth. Her long, salt-and-pepper hair was combed neatly, without a single strand out of place.

Before Li Ping could speak, she said with a smile, "It’s been a long time, Fellow Daoist Li."

Her tone was intentionally calm, but her voice betrayed obvious nervousness and panic.

Li Ping looked up, a smile also appearing in his eyes. "Indeed, it has been a very long time, Fellow Daoist Xuewei."

The person who had appeared before him was none other than Yu Peiling’s mother, Yu Xuewei.

When they were young, the two of them were kindred spirits with a close relationship. They would often drink and chat happily, sharing their ideals with each other.

But ever since Li Ping went to the Immortal City, they probably hadn’t seen each other in over fifty years.

In these fifty-plus years, Yu Xuewei had married, had a daughter, and lost her husband... She had experienced the vicissitudes of life and no longer possessed the pride of her youth.

As for Li Ping, aside from cultivating, cultivating, and more cultivating... both his mentality and his appearance were still that of the young man he once was.

Over thirty years ago, when Li Ping returned to the Jiang Kingdom to visit the Yu family,

Perhaps because her own life had become a mess and she didn’t want Li Ping to see her in such a sorry state, or perhaps for other reasons... Yu Xuewei did not meet with him.

But this time,

At her daughter’s Daoist partnership ceremony, she took the initiative to find Li Ping and reminisce about old times.

Li Ping knew she had probably resolved the knot in her heart.

...

The two chatted like ordinary old friends, talking about stories from their youth and occasionally letting out hearty laughs.

It was as if it were still over fifty years ago, when the two of them would stroll by the lake.

Back then, Li Ping toiled every day in the market square, earning a meager amount of cultivation resources, often worrying that he wouldn’t be able to pay the next month’s rent on his grotto-abode and would be kicked out.

He wished he could split a single Spirit Crystal in two to spend.

To him at that time, Yu Xuewei was a bright spot in his bitter life as a Loose Cultivator.

Later, he finally managed to cultivate to the Qi Refining Fourth Level and, by pinching every penny, scraped together enough for a half-fare ticket to Fenglan Immortal City.

A half-fare ticket meant he had to work for the caravan for free during the journey, including but not limited to dangerous tasks like scouting and fighting rogue cultivators.

Just as he was about to leave, Yu Xuewei came looking for him.

Li Ping still remembered their conversation from back then.

"Marry into the Yu family."

"I plan to go to the Immortal City to seek my fortune in Foundation Establishment."

"Have you decided?"

"I have."

"Will you come back?"

"Not until I reach Foundation Establishment."

Silence.

"The family is arranging a marriage for me."

Silence.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Xuewei."

...

On the Flying Ship, there were now four people.

The extra person was Ji Shu Xuan.

Not long ago, Xu Guikai had annihilated the Tuluo People tribe he encountered with his Flying Sword and saved him.

To prevent the Tuluo People from discovering their tracks and causing trouble, Xu Guikai had then used the Fireball Technique to destroy the bodies and erase all traces before leaving with Ji Shu Xuan.

Now, the bloodstains on Ji Shu Xuan’s body had been cleaned off, and he had changed into a clean robe.

He sat cross-legged, holding two Spirit Stones in his hands, meditating to restore his Magical Power.

After a long while, he opened his eyes and exhaled.

Seeing Xu Guikai looking at him, he quickly stood up and said, "Thank you for saving my life, Elder Xu."

Xu Guikai waved his hand. "You are Fellow Daoist Li’s junior. I have received many favors from Fellow Daoist Li, so naturally, I could not stand by and watch you become a slave to the Tuluo People."

Hearing this, a look of relief also appeared in Ji Shu Xuan’s eyes.

The past year and more had been the most torturous time of his life. Thankfully, he had met Elder Xu and was able to escape the sea of suffering.

He looked down from the Flying Ship and saw that as they advanced, the grasslands grew scarcer, replaced by vast stretches of Gobi desert.

He couldn’t help but ask curiously, "Elder Xu, where are we going?"

Xu Guikai did not hide his intentions and said softly, "We are heading to the Land of the Far North!"

"The Land of the Far North," Ji Shu Xuan said in surprise. "Aren’t we returning to the Western Wilderness?"

Xu Guikai shook his head. "We’re not going back."

As he spoke, his gaze sharpened. "I will only return to the Western Wilderness on the day I successfully achieve Core Formation!"

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