51: Chapter 51: Returning to the Sect, Guarding the Herb Garden

The fork in the road in front of the External Affairs Hall of the Jade Maiden Palace.

Xiao Yuan and Su Li stood facing each other, neither speaking.

Nearly two years of life in the ore veins, spending day and night together, sharing life and death. Now, suddenly having to part, their hearts felt empty.

Su Li lowered her head, her toes unconsciously grinding the pebbles on the ground.

She still wore a veil over her face, but her exposed eyes were filled with reluctance to part.

“Um...” she spoke, her voice a bit muffled, “Now that you are going to the herb garden, remember to eat on time.”

Xiao Yuan chuckled, “As Cultivators, why would we eat meals?”

“Then Cultivate on time and don't push yourself too hard.” Su Li added, “You got used to thunder Body Tempering at the Thunder Pool. Now that there is no Thunder Pool, don't neglect your Physical Body.”

“I know.”

“And...” Su Li bit her lip, “Every few days... come and see me.”

After saying these words, her own face turned red.

With five years in the ore veins, she had long forgotten what it meant to rely on someone.

Fighting alone, struggling alone, carrying her hatred alone to survive.

She thought her life would be like this forever, lonely and desperate, living like a walking corpse and dying in solitude.

Until she met Xiao Yuan.

That guy had unreasonably barged into her world and pulled her out of the darkness. He gave her Medicinal Pills, helped her Cultivate, took her mining, and accompanied her in killing.

More importantly, he taught her how to... trust again.

“Alright.” Xiao Yuan smiled and ruffled her hair. “I'll visit you every few days. Just in time—”

He lowered his voice and leaned close to her ear, “I still need to find you for... well... some 'hmphing'.”

Su Li's face turned even redder, and she glared at him fiercely.

But after glaring, she couldn't help but smile.

She stood on her tiptoes, lifted a corner of her veil, and lightly pressed her lips against his.

“Wait for me.”

Xiao Yuan wrapped his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss.

After a long time, the two finally parted.

Su Li turned and walked toward the Artifact Refining Peak. After a few steps, she looked back at him again.

Xiao Yuan stood where he was and waved at her.

Su Li pursed her lips and finally stopped looking back, her figure disappearing at the end of the mountain path.

Xiao Yuan looked at the empty mountain path, touched his lips, and smiled.

“This girl...”

He turned and walked down another path.

The herb garden was in the North District.

Xiao Yuan calculated as he walked.

He had taken the initiative to accept the task of guarding the herb garden.

The Medicinal Pills and Materials needed for the Foundation Establishment Stage all required aged Spirit Medicine.

Although he couldn't secretly misappropriate those hundred-year and two-hundred-year Spirit Medicines in the herb garden, there were plenty of Spirit Medicine seedlings.

With the creation cauldron in hand, purifying herbs of sufficient age would absolutely not be a problem.

As for Alchemy?

He could learn it slowly. Anyway, with the creation cauldron around, there was no fear of failure. Even if he failed, he could just purify them again.

As he walked, Xiao Yuan thought of Luo Ziyan.

When he left three years ago, she was on duty at the Spirit Herb Garden.

At that time, he had left her fifty perfect marrow cleansing pills and one hundred Spirit Stones. With her Aptitude, she should be at least at the Qi Condensation 9th Layer by now? Maybe even at Half-step Foundation Establishment.

Logically speaking, having reached this level of cultivation, she should have left the herb garden long ago to take on better tasks.

But Xiao Yuan still wanted to go and take a look.

Even if he didn't run into her, he could still ask about her whereabouts. After all, she was his partner for charging the creation cauldron.

Besides, that girl... was quite decent. At least, she wasn't an ungrateful wolf!

...

Meanwhile, at a certain Immortal Cave in the Outer Sect.

“What?!” Chen Yin suddenly stood up, his face ashen. “Xiao Yuan is back?!”

The Qi Refining Stage 8 Disciple standing in front of him was startled by his reaction and hurriedly nodded, “Y-Yes, Senior Brother. According to the news from the External Affairs Hall, he just finished the procedures and took the task of guarding the herb garden.”

Chen Yin stared wide-eyed, unable to speak for a long time.

He's back?

That kid actually came back alive?!

Li Sha, whom he had sent to kill Xiao Yuan, was at the Qi Condensation 9th Layer! Yet three years had passed, and he had never returned!

He had thought that even if his sent assassin failed, Xiao Yuan would definitely face a dead end in a place like that.

Yet that trash Xiao Yuan came back completely unscathed?

“How is that possible...” Chen Yin gnashed his teeth. “How could a Qi Condensation 4th Layer trash like him come out of the ore veins alive?!”

The Disciple asked cautiously, “Senior Brother, could it be that he hid his cultivation?”

“Bullshit!” Chen Yin smashed the stone table beside him with a slap. “I personally searched him back then, and his Storage Pouch was full of trash! His cultivation was also a solid Qi Condensation 4th Layer! How could such a piece of trash—”

As he spoke, he suddenly paused.

Trash?

Being able to survive in the ore veins for three years, and making the assassin he sent disappear... was he really trash?

It seemed he had sent more than one batch of people to kill Xiao Yuan, but in the end, they had all mysteriously disappeared.

Before, he thought Zhao Mingfang might be playing tricks, and his subordinates might have died at Zhao Mingfang's hands.

But now, he sensed something was wrong. There was certainly no Zhao Mingfang this time, as that guy was already dead.

Moreover, Zhao Mingfang's death was fishy, and someone had framed him for it. Because of this, Zhao Tianlei had beaten him half to death.

Previously, he thought Xiao Yuan was trash, so he had never suspected Xiao Yuan.

But now that Xiao Yuan had returned alive from such a dangerous place as the ore veins, he couldn't help but think more deeply.

A sudden chill ran down Chen Yin's spine.

If... there was a logical reason for all of this, there was only one: this kid Xiao Yuan was hiding his true strength, and his power was definitely not simple!

But soon, this chill was replaced by an even greater rage.

“Xiao Yuan!” He gnashed his teeth, killing intent surging in his eyes. “If not for you, why would Ye Qingcen refuse to ever see me again?!”

Yes, this was what he hated the most.

Three years ago, after Ye Qingcen found out that Chen Yin was the one behind Xiao Yuan's assessment, she had completely ignored him.

She wouldn't reply to transmissions, avoided him when they met, and even spread the word that she had absolutely no connection with Chen Yin.

She had even returned all the things Chen Yin had given her back when he was her simp!

Chen Yin blamed this entire debt on Xiao Yuan.

“Senior Brother, should we...” The Disciple made a throat-slitting gesture. “Find an opportunity to...”

Chen Yin's eyes flickered.

He wanted to kill him.

He wanted to so badly.

But the people he sent had died, while Xiao Yuan had returned alive. This made his heart feel slightly uneasy.

What if that kid really had some issues?

What if...

He took a deep breath, suppressed his impulse, and smiled coldly, “No rush. Now that he's back, he can run, but he can't hide.”

He sat back in his chair, a sinister look flashing in his eyes. “My grandfather is currently attempting to break through to the Golden Core. Once he succeeds and is promoted to an Inner Sect Elder, I can have him help me get a foundation establishment pill to Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. When that time comes—”

He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

“Killing him will be as easy as turning over my hand!”

...

At a certain Immortal Cave in the Inner Sect.

Zhao Tianlei stood with his hands behind his back. After hearing the report, his face showed no expression.

“I see, you may leave.”

The messenger withdrew.

The Immortal Cave fell silent.

Zhao Tianlei slowly turned around, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

“Xiao Yuan...” he murmured, “Returned alive?”

Tie Tu, whom he had sent to kill Xiao Yuan, was at the Qi Condensation 9th Layer, and there had been no news of him for three years.

Now Xiao Yuan had returned alive.

What did this mean?

It meant Tie Tu was dead. It meant Xiao Yuan had the ability to kill a Cultivator of the Qi Condensation 9th Layer. It meant—

“That kid indeed has a secret on him.”

Greed welled up in Zhao Tianlei's eyes.

The jade talisman treasure.

It must be the jade talisman treasure!

Back then, his younger brother Zhao Mingfang had died mysteriously, and the jade talisman treasure's whereabouts became unknown. He knew Chen Yin had searched Xiao Yuan's Storage Pouch and found nothing, so he thought they had made a mistake.

But looking at it now, that kid hid it too deeply!

If not for the assistance of a valuable treasure like the jade talisman treasure, how could a kid at the Qi Condensation 4th Layer kill a powerhouse of the Qi Condensation 9th Layer, and how could he survive in a dangerous place like the ore veins?

“The jade talisman treasure...” Zhao Tianlei licked his lips, “That is a treasure that even Golden Core powerhouses would covet!”

If he could obtain the jade talisman treasure, he would be strong enough to dominate the Foundation Establishment Stage. With greater strength, would he still need to worry about not going far on the path of cultivation?!

The killing intent in his eyes grew stronger.

“However, I must confirm it first.”

He walked to the entrance of the Immortal Cave and summoned a trusted subordinate.

“Go to the herb garden and keep an eye on that newcomer, Xiao Yuan. Report his every move.”

The subordinate took his orders and left.

Zhao Tianlei stood with his hands behind his back, looking in the direction of the herb garden, a cold smile playing on the corner of his lips.

“Xiao Yuan, oh Xiao Yuan, did you think you were safe after escaping the ore veins?”

“Returning is just the beginning of your nightmare.”

...

In the North District of the herb garden, Xiao Yuan sneezed.

“Who's talking about me?” He rubbed his nose, looking at the lush green fields of Spirit Medicine in front of him, his eyes shining.

Not far ahead was the Spirit Herb Garden where Luo Ziyan used to be.

He took a deep breath and strode forward.

“It's been three years... Is that girl still there?”