"Yes," Xu Lanyan countered, "how did you know I was with them?"
"You carry the scent of a rat demon." Yan pointed to Xu Lanyan's clothes.
Hearing this, Xu Lanyan laughed, "Your nose is quite sensitive, could it be that you are also a rat..." He trailed off, then leaned in to get a good look at Yan's face, chuckling, "Indeed, a rat demon."
"I have rabbit fur on me, how did you smell it?" Yan asked curiously.
"I didn't smell it, I felt it," Xu Lanyan stated calmly.
"Felt?" Yan repeated, smiling, "You were looking at my face just now, I thought you were smelling."
"My nose isn't as sensitive as yours," Xu Lanyan said. After a moment, he asked, "Is there anything you want me to pass on?"
"Can you?" Yan asked cautiously.
Xu Lanyan smiled, "Why not? Tell me, and I'll pass it on."
"Tell them I'm safe and not to worry. Of course," Yan paused, recalling his status among the rat tribe, then added, "Don't be surprised if they don't react, because I wasn't exactly welcomed there."
"I understand," Xu Lanyan agreed without further questions.
"Thank you," Yan smiled.
"You're welcome. Rest assured, they are working hard now, and soon you will all be saved," Xu Lanyan said before turning to leave.
Yan watched Xu Lanyan's receding figure from the gravel path, a smile gracing his lips.
Outside the dense forest, the old man looked worriedly at the demon barrier within, saying, "There are indeed traces of demonic energy, no wonder it's difficult to resolve."
"Can I go in?" Shi Yi asked excitedly, glancing down at the immortal rope tied to his right wrist.
"No," the old man shook his head slightly.
"No," Shi Yi repeated, pouting, "Then why did you tie me up?"
"I need to wait for the demon barrier to recede before I can go in and rescue my disciple," the old man stated calmly.
"Then what's the point of me coming with you?" Shi Yi asked the old man with a helpless look.
"Go in and see the situation, but do not go to the immortal cultivation sect," the old man said, pushing Shi Yi inside.
After steadying himself, Shi Yi asked, "Who am I looking for?"
"Your kin. Use your nose to sense them," the old man replied.
Upon hearing this, Shi Yi turned back in a hurry, "No, I..." He looked down at the immortal rope still tied to his right wrist and said, "If I get into trouble, I'll shake the immortal rope hard. You must save me then."
"No problem, communicate well with your companion," the old man said, then pulled Shi Yi out of the demon barrier again.
Shi Yi looked at the old man, who had pulled him out of the barrier again, with a bewildered expression and asked, "What is it now?"
"Here, this is to dispel demonic energy. Of course, don't use it if they don't need it," the old man said, giving Shi Yi a small bottle.
Shi Yi took the bottle and asked, "Why shouldn't I use it if they don't need it? I'll just give it to them when I get there." Shi Yi was completely confused.
The old man said, "Once this is sprinkled, it will attract demons from the demonic realm."
"Why?" Shi Yi asked, full of curiosity.
"This is war-announcing mist powder," the old man explained.
Hearing this, Shi Yi's mouth twitched, "Then, that means I really can't do that." He nodded slightly.
"You've heard me clearly. Go. If you can help, then help. This thing must not be used unless absolutely necessary," the old man instructed.
"I know," Shi Yi agreed, putting the bottle into his怀.
"Remember the method of communicating with me," the old man added.
Shi Yi, tidying his clothes, said, "Can't I just shout?"
"No. When you are at a distance, press the immortal rope with your index finger, like this," the old man demonstrated by pressing the rope, "and then you can communicate with me."
Shi Yi looked at the old man's hand lightly touching the immortal rope and said, "Why didn't you say so before you pushed me in?"
"Forgot," the old man replied casually.
Shi Yi smiled helplessly.
As the old man's hand touched his shoulder, he quickly said, "Don't touch me."
The old man paused and said, "This way you can run further."
"Really?" Shi Yi asked.
The old man smiled kindly at Shi Yi.
Shi Yi nodded slightly, "Let's do it."
The old man also nodded, then his expression suddenly turned cold. Just as Shi Yi was about to say the word "lightly press," the old man pushed him into the demon barrier with even more force than before. This time, he fell face-first.
"Oh my heavens," he muttered, lying on the ground.
Outside the demon barrier, the old man looked at the clearly shaking immortal rope in his hand, furrowed his brow, and pressed the rope, asking, "Are you alright?"
Due to the thick mist inside the demon barrier, Shi Yi, still not having adapted, remained on the ground. Then, with trembling fingers, he pressed the rope and said, "I'm fine, just fell."
"Okay," the old man responded casually, removed his hand, and walked over to a tree to sit down.
Hearing the old man's indifferent response, Shi Yi removed his finger and gasped for a few breaths, saying, "Perhaps without this cumbersome immortal rope, I wouldn't have this feeling." He then struggled to stand up.
At the same moment, he collided with Xu Lanyan.
"Why are you here?" Xu Lanyan stopped behind a tree and asked.
Shi Yi, looking confusedly at Xu Lanyan, who had stopped behind the tree and wouldn't come closer, asked, "Why aren't you coming over?"
"The mist there is too thick," Xu Lanyan pointed at Shi Yi.
As Shi Yi heard the words "mist too thick," he remembered what his soul had told him: "Don't stay in thick mist within a demon barrier for too long, or you will die." Remembering his soul's words, he quickly stood up and ran to Xu Lanyan's side.
Xu Lanyan smiled at Shi Yi, who was so afraid for his life, "Are you alright?"
Shi Yi panted, "I'm fine. Why are you here?"
"I came here to dispel the demon barrier," Xu Lanyan said. "However, because I am too powerful, I cannot casually use my immortal fire, so this task has now been handed over to your kin." He pointed at Shi Yi.
Shi Yi was speechless.
"Why aren't you speaking?" Xu Lanyan asked.
"Have we met?" Shi Yi suddenly asked.
Xu Lanyan looked at Shi Yi's expression, blinked, and said, "They say fish have poor memory, is the memory of a rat demon like yours also like that? We... seem to have met."
"Then we have met. I have some impression of you," Shi Yi pointed at Xu Lanyan.
Xu Lanyan nodded slightly and asked, "Do you have an impression of Mu Anxiao?"
"Of course," Shi Yi responded excitedly.
"Then we know each other," Xu Lanyan said, extending his hand.
"What are you doing?" Shi Yi looked at Xu Lanyan's outstretched hand, which had suddenly reached towards him, with a bewildered expression.