167: Chapter 167 An Old Friend Visits

A long while passed.

Su Qianxue stood up, took a Jade Slip from her bosom, and handed it to Li Changsheng.

"This is Qingxin Pavilion's Message Talisman."

"If you ever need anything in the future, you can find me."

Li Changsheng took the Jade Slip and put it away.

Su Qianxue looked at him, as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately did not.

She turned and walked towards the garden exit.

After a few steps, she suddenly stopped and said without turning her head:

"Something happened to Jinyang Sect."

Li Changsheng's heart tightened.

Su Qianxue said.

"After the post-war council, Jinyang Sect fell into internal strife over resource allocation."

"Several Golden Core Elders took their Disciples and split off, establishing their own Sects."

"Today's Yunzhou, Jinyang Sect exists in name only."

Li Changsheng's heart sank.

"Jinyang Sect, split apart?"

"That Sect, established for three thousand years, is just gone like that?"

Su Qianxue continued.

"Medicine King Valley has closed its mountain gate, saying it needs to recuperate and will no longer participate in external disputes."

"Qingxin Pavilion... as you can see, suffered heavy losses and is severely weakened."

"Although the Demonic Cult has retreated, it's only temporarily dormant and could return at any time."

She turned around, looking at Li Changsheng with a hint of complex emotion in her eyes.

"Li Changsheng, we won this battle."

"But the real crisis has not yet been resolved."

Li Changsheng nodded silently.

Su Qianxue said nothing more and turned to leave.

Her white robes fluttered, and she quickly disappeared among the Spirit Tea Trees.

Li Changsheng stood rooted to the spot, gazing at her retreating figure for a long time.

The wind blew, and the Spirit Tea Trees rustled.

He lowered his head, looking at his hands.

These hands had killed evil cultivators, saved the innocent, held swords, and held Medicinal Pills.

What else could these hands do?

He didn't know.

But he knew he had to keep going.

Early morning.

Li Changsheng was watering the tea trees by the Spirit Tea Tree when a Message Talisman descended from the sky, landing in front of him.

He picked up the Message Talisman, infused it with spiritual power, and Lin Jingyun's voice entered his ears.

"Brother Li, I'm outside Qinglan City. Could we meet?"

Li Changsheng's heart first rejoiced, then sank.

Lin Jingyun had come.

But why outside the city?

Why not directly enter the Sect?

He put down his kettle, changed into clean robes, and flew out of Qinglan City on his sword.

Outside Qinglan City, at the Shili Pavilion.

When Li Changsheng landed, he immediately saw the familiar figure.

Lin Jingyun stood in the pavilion, still looking the same, in green robes, with a smile on his face.

But his smile was much fainter than usual, and a trace of imperceptible fatigue was hidden between his brows.

His aura was somewhat unstable, clearly indicating that his injuries had only recently healed.

Beside him stood two other people.

One was a tall and burly young man with a rugged face and sharp eyes, Chen Yuanba.

The other was a woman as cold as ice, dressed in white, with an otherworldly demeanor, Liu Ruyan.

All familiar faces.

Li Changsheng quickly stepped forward and cupped his fists, saying.

"Brother Lin! Brother Chen! Miss Liu!"

Lin Jingyun returned the greeting with a smile.

"Brother Li, long time no see."

Chen Yuanba nodded, acknowledging the greeting.

Liu Ruyan also simply nodded slightly, as cold as ever.

But Li Changsheng noticed that all three of them looked unwell.

Especially Lin Jingyun; although he was smiling, that smile contained an unspeakable bitterness.

"Let's go inside to talk."

Li Changsheng said.

The four entered the Shili Pavilion and sat down on the stone benches.

Li Changsheng looked at Lin Jingyun and asked.

"Brother Lin, your injuries..."

Lin Jingyun waved his hand and smiled.

"It's nothing, I'm almost fully recovered."

"It's just that my seclusion was interrupted, and my Foundation Establishment failed, so I have to start over."

He said it lightly, as if he had merely missed a meal.

But Li Changsheng knew what Foundation Establishment failure meant.

It wasn't just wasting an opportunity; it was a huge blow to one's Dao Heart.

Many people, stuck at Qi Refining Level 9 Peak for years, never dared to try again after one failure.

"Brother Lin..."

Li Changsheng wanted to say something but was stopped by Lin Jingyun raising his hand.

"Brother Li, don't say anything more."

Lin Jingyun smiled.

"I know what you want to say. But it's really nothing."

"If I fail, I fail; I'll just try again."

"Anyway, I'm still young; I have plenty of time."

Li Changsheng looked at him, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.

This perpetually smiling fellow, how much bitterness did he hide in his heart?

Lin Jingyun seemed unwilling to dwell on the topic, changing the subject and saying.

"Brother Li, I heard about your performance in the battle to exterminate the Blood Fiend Sect."

"You alone guarded a section of the formation base, saved so many Jinyang Sect Disciples, and even killed a Golden Core Stage Elder."

"Amazing!"

Li Changsheng shook his head.

"It was just good luck."

Lin Jingyun smiled.

"Luck is also part of strength. Don't be so modest."

Chen Yuanba suddenly spoke, his voice deep.

"Thank you for that battle."

Li Changsheng was startled and looked at him.

Chen Yuanba said.

"You saved many of my Jinyang Sect Disciples. I will remember this kindness."

Liu Ruyan also nodded; although she didn't speak, her meaning was clear.

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment, then said.

"On the battlefield, mutual help is only right."

Chen Yuanba said nothing more.

The atmosphere was somewhat silent.

Li Changsheng looked at the three of them, finally asking the doubt in his heart.

"You... why did you all come together?"

Lin Jingyun's smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal.

He said softly.

"Brother Li, we've come to say goodbye."

Goodbye?

Li Changsheng was stunned.

Lin Jingyun continued.

"You must have heard about Jinyang Sect, right?"

Li Changsheng nodded.

Lin Jingyun gave a bitter smile and said.

"After the post-war council, internal strife broke out within the Sect."

"Several Golden Core Elders fought fiercely over resources."

"Later... they started fighting."

He paused, his voice dropping.

"This time, the Blood Fiend Sect and the Demonic Cult came prepared, colluding with internal traitors to damage the grand formation and besiege the Nascent Soul Elders."

"The Sect Master was actually also seriously injured and is now in seclusion."

"Two Golden Core Elders each took a group of Disciples and split off, establishing new Sects."

"The remaining Disciples, some followed this one, some followed that one, and some simply dispersed."

Li Changsheng was silent.

Lin Jingyun continued.

"Yuanba, Ruyan, and I, we don't want to get involved in those messy affairs."

"But neither side would let us go."

"This one called us traitors, that one called us fence-sitters."

"In the end, both sides isolated us."

He gave a bitter smile and spread his hands.

"So, we are now homeless."

A pang of sadness welled up in Li Changsheng's heart.

Jinyang Sect, that once glorious Sect, was just gone.

And his friends were abandoned just like that.

"What do you plan to do?"

Li Changsheng asked Lin Jingyun.

Lin Jingyun looked into the distance, a hint of longing flashing in his eyes.

"I heard there's a place in the northwest of Yunzhou called Qingzhou."

"They say there aren't many Sects in Qingzhou, mainly Loose Cultivators, and people live in harmony and peace."

Lin Jingyun glanced at Li Changsheng, his voice slightly lower, then continued.

"The only problem is that occasionally there are Yao Beast tides."

"But everyone resists them together, which actually brings them closer and reduces many disputes."

He retracted his gaze, looked at Li Changsheng, and smiled.

"We want to go there and see."

Li Changsheng fell silent.

Qingzhou.

That was a place he had never heard of.

Distant, unfamiliar, full of unknowns.

But his friends were going there.

"When are you leaving?"

Li Changsheng knew he couldn't keep them, so he looked up and asked.

Lin Jingyun said.

"Tomorrow."

Tomorrow.

So soon.

Li Changsheng looked at the three of them, a myriad of words welling up in his heart, but he didn't know where to begin.

Lin Jingyun seemed to read his mind and smiled.

"Brother Li, don't be like this. It's not a parting unto death."

"We'll have a chance to meet again in the future."

Li Changsheng nodded, took out three small jade bottles from his bosom, and handed them to the three.

"These are the peiyuan pills I've saved up; take them with you. They'll be useful on your journey."

Lin Jingyun was stunned for a moment, then quickly waved his hand.

"How can this be..."

"Take them."

Li Changsheng pressed the jade bottles into his hand.

"You're traveling far; you need them more than I do."

Lin Jingyun looked at him, his eyes slightly red. He took a deep breath and nodded heavily.

"Alright. I'll accept them."

Chen Yuanba and Liu Ruyan also took the jade bottles, both solemnly expressing their thanks.

Li Changsheng then took out another Jade Slip from his bosom and handed it to Lin Jingyun.