The strong wind subsided, and the two recovered their senses, only to suddenly find that the person before them had vanished.
Shui Fang cried out in alarm.
"Brother Liu! Brother Liu! Brother Liu!"
However, his calls were met with no response.
Ying Lu gazed ahead, a thought suddenly striking him.
"That gust of wind was strange. Could Brother Liu have been captured and taken away again?"
Shui Fang, however, was full of disbelief.
"How is that possible? We are both rare masters. If someone snatched him from under our noses, there would have been a sound."
Ying Lu countered,
"There are many far more powerful than us. Since we're both uncertain, let's go back and check if the prison cart is still there."
"Alright."
With that, the two hurried back to where the prison cart had been parked. Even in the dead of night, the quiet spot was now completely empty.
"Where did they all go?"
Shui Fang couldn't believe his eyes. The guards who had been lying there sleeping were now gone, along with the two prison carts.
Ying Lu sighed deeply.
"Alas! It seems they had a master escorting them. Brother Liu has likely been recaptured and put back into the prison cart."
"Are we still going to pursue them?"
"No. If someone could abduct him from under our noses without making a sound, we don't need to guess that their strength is far beyond ours. If we rush in rashly, we might endanger Brother Liu."
"Then what should we do?"
"If it were a death sentence, they wouldn't need to send Brother Liu to Beishendu. It seems Brother Liu must have some secret they don't want others to know. In that case, he's not in immediate danger. If we want to save him, I think we need to make a long-term plan."
Hearing Ying Lu's words, Shui Fang's anxious heart gradually calmed. Since Liu Shinian was not in immediate danger, saving him would indeed require careful planning.
A faint red light slowly illuminated, falling upon Ying Lu's head. Shui Fang slowly raised his eyes to look at the beam of light and saw the dark sky gradually showing signs of dawn. Soon, the sky would be bright.
Shui Fang slowly turned his head and asked Ying Lu,
"Where should we go now?"
Ying Lu smiled slightly, his mind already made up. He looked at Shui Fang and said,
"To Beishendu."
"Beishendu?"
"Yes. Aren't we going to save Brother Liu? How can we save him if we don't go to Beishendu?"
"That's true. Then let's go."
"Let's go."
With that, the two set off together, heading towards Beishendu.
Behind them, on a green leaf, two figures had observed their every move.
Liu Xiang, who rarely praised others, smiled slightly as he watched the two who had attempted the rescue, and began to commend them.
"They've only met Liu Shinian a few times and shared a drink once. Now, seeing him in trouble, they are so devoted to saving him. I am quite impressed by this."
It was rare for Jin Yulan to hear Liu Xiang praise someone. Even Jin Yulan himself only received a faint smile, not this much evident liking. Despite this, Jin Yulan felt no jealousy, but rather happiness. It was rare for someone so aloof to appreciate others so much.
He said,
"Yes, I've seen them many times and am more familiar with them. These two are indeed righteous. When they travel, they often champion the cause of the wronged, so I often invite them to gather at Qianji Hall for any good news."
Liu Xiang nodded slightly, acknowledging his words, and then a bold idea surfaced.
"What do you think, if I were to take these two under my wing?"
Jin Yulan was slightly surprised. It was true that these two were not lacking in martial arts, but their wild nature might make them difficult to manage. However, since he had spoken, Jin Yulan found it inappropriate to voice any objections. He simply said,
"If you like them, then take them."
Liu Xiang suddenly smiled and shook his head.
"You, when did you learn to be so cautious? You have reservations in your heart, why don't you tell me?"
Unexpectedly, Liu Xiang had guessed Jin Yulan's subtle thoughts. He had no choice but to speak truthfully.
"The two of them are passionate individuals who enjoy traveling and sightseeing. I worry that after you take them in, they might not be obedient."
Liu Xiang listened and nodded slightly.
"Your concern is valid. Then let's forget it, lest I have to expend extra effort."
"Mm."
"Since Liu Shinian has gone to Beishendu, even if they follow, they won't cause much trouble. For now, you should rest well these few days. I will come to find you in a few days."
"Yes."
With that, Liu Xiang transformed into a gentle breeze and departed. After Liu Xiang left, Jin Yulan also headed in the direction of Beishendu.
Meanwhile, Liu Shinian was escorted to Beishendu and placed under the custody of Ziye, the Left General of Beishendu.
For the past few days, the alien realm had been peaceful, as if returning to its former quiet days, undisturbed by anyone. However, since the emergence of the Ghost King, the true undercurrents had only just begun.
In Luoshui Village, not far from the Ten Thousand Ghost Forest, someone was plotting something. The elder locked himself in his room and pondered for several days, finally devising a plan. Just before dawn, he slowly opened his door. The villagers who had been waiting outside were all filled with anticipation.
Seeing the crowd, the elder's face gradually broke into a smile. Amidst their expectant gaze, he slowly said,
"I have thought of everything. No matter what happened before or what will happen in the future, we must move forward well. You have all waited long enough, go back and rest."
The villagers were excited to hear the elder's words, but they could not show it too overtly. Although the Four Cities had defeated the Gui Mei tribe and driven them to desolate lands, they had also dispatched many people to secretly monitor them. Therefore, for safety reasons, everyone quietly returned home.
After the crowd dispersed, the elder turned back into his room and, with great excitement, began to rummage through boxes and cabinets. Finally, at the bottom of a cabinet, he found a box. He carefully blew away the dust from the box and then meticulously wiped it clean. Only then did he realize it was a red wooden box. He gazed at the red wooden box, a smile of great joy appearing on his face, and murmured,
"The time has come to restore the former glory of the Gui Mei tribe."
He then called out towards the door,
"Call Lin'er over."
A person who had not yet left the door heard the call and responded with an "Ah!" before going to find the person. Shortly after, a gentle breeze stirred outside, carrying the scent of plum blossoms. Then, a young man's voice was heard loudly proclaiming,
"Heaven and earth shift their colors, the universe transforms, with a single word, my enemy falls before me."
Following this, a young man, dressed in simple attire yet exuding elegance, walked in from outside. The dawn sunlight fell precisely on his shoulder, and a sweet smile bloomed with the wind. Upon seeing the elder, he first bowed respectfully before asking,
"Uncle, what is it?"
The village chief looked at the young man before him with satisfaction and said,
"No need for so many formalities. This time, I need you to accompany me to a place."
"Where?"
"Wanxue Mountain."
"Wanxue Mountain?"
"Yes, you haven't been there yet, but you must go eventually."
"Nephew understands. When do we depart?"
"Tonight."
"Tonight."
For the future of the Gui Mei tribe, for the Ten Thousand Ghost King, the elder was impatient. The longer he waited, the more anxious he became.
"Alright, go and fetch two horses. We need to set off."
"Yes."
After Lin'er went to fetch the horses, the elder busied himself with packing. As night fell, two swift horses, like phantoms, traversed the darkness. However, the main road was not entirely peaceful. There were many more soldiers patrolling the official road. As they approached, the bright torchlight almost blinded Lin'er. He hurriedly stopped his horse and looked curiously. On the side of the official road, two groups of people, holding torches, were patrolling back and forth.
"Uncle, look, why are there soldiers patrolling?"
The elder remained quite calm and explained,
"The Ghost King has emerged. They fear a resurgence, so they've resorted to this measure."
"Then what should we do?"
"Don't worry, just ride past boldly."
"Alright."
With that, the elder first urged his horse forward, with Lin'er following close behind. As they neared the group, they were, as expected, stopped.
"Hey! You two, wait!"
The elder stopped his horse, turned back, and asked with cupped hands,
"Brother, is there something you need?"
The person who had spoken raised his hand in a gesture, leading his troop to approach them. He clasped his hands and said,
"Elder, it's so late. Where are you going?"
The elder smiled, composed and unhurried, and replied,
"A relative of mine has had a new child, and invited me over for some good wine."
The officer then looked at Lin'er and asked,
"Who is this?"
"My nephew, Qilin."
"I haven't seen either of you before. Are you from Nanhai City?"
"Naturally."
"Where is your home?"
The elder casually pointed ahead and replied,
"A small village at the foot of the mountain ahead."
The officer, though somewhat skeptical, found nothing amiss. He then waved his hand and said,
"Alright, the road ahead is quite dark, with falling rocks. It's not convenient for an elder to travel at night without a torch. Please use this one, so you can reach your destination sooner."
With that, he handed over the torch in his hand, and someone behind him handed a torch to Lin'er. The elder accepted the torch, feeling a slight warmth in his heart, and thanked him.
"Thank you, brother. We won't linger any longer, uncle and nephew. Farewell."
"Farewell."
With that, they mounted their horses and departed. After taking a turn, they could still see the faint glow of the torches. The patrolling soldier gazed at the departing pair, a sense of inexplicable suspicion rising within him. He turned back to his officer and said,
"Sir, I think those two are quite suspicious."
The officer, however, waved his hand and said,
"We've already clarified. They are not suspicious individuals."
Since the officer had said so, he didn't say anything further. Before dawn, they arrived at the border between Nanhai City and Dongyue Town. Not far away, at the foot of a mountain, there was a small village with fewer than ten households. The elder suddenly stopped his horse and looked into the village. Lin'er also looked curiously, seeing nothing particularly special. He asked with full of confusion,
"Uncle, what is it?"
The elder turned back, smiled faintly, and pointed to the village ahead.
"There, I have an old friend."
"Old friend?"
Lin'er had never heard his uncle mention having an old friend on the border. However, he could imagine that anyone who could befriend his uncle must be a capable person. Thus, he felt a sense of anticipation and asked curiously,
"Uncle, should we go and see him?"
"We must. He should know about our good news too."
Lin'er immediately guessed it was about the Gui Mei tribe. He wondered why that person would be interested in the Gui Mei tribe. While he was guessing, his uncle had already ridden ahead, and he quickly followed. Upon entering the village, the elder, as if very familiar with the place, rode towards the earth house situated halfway up the mountain on the north side of the village. Arriving at the door, he saw a young child running out to greet them in a flurry.
He clasped his hands and said,
"Is it, is it Grandpa Li? My grandfather has invited you."
The elder looked confused. He remembered that his old friend had never been married, so how could he have a grandson? He figured that in the hundred years he had been away, his friend must have decided to marry. Thinking this, and seeing that he now had a family, the elder felt it was best to part ways and let him live his life peacefully. The young child was still waiting. The elder suddenly turned his horse around, about to leave. Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded from behind him.
"Brother Li, since you've come, please come in."
The elder turned back in surprise and saw an old man of similar age standing at the door, with a benevolent smile on his face. Upon seeing the man, the elder also smiled and asked him,
"Old friend, I didn't expect you to get married and even have a grandson. You didn't even inform me."
The old man laughed heartily and explained,
"This is the child from next door. I live alone, so he often comes to find me, and thus I am often called grandfather by him."
"So that's how it is."
Seeing that they had finished their conversation, Lin'er clasped his hands towards the old man and said,
"Greetings, senior. I am Li Lin'er."
The old man looked up and smiled faintly.
"I've seen this child before."
The elder also said,
"You have indeed seen him, but he was very young then and didn't remember. Now that he's grown, it's time for him to visit you."
"I knew you would come to see me eventually. Come, let's go inside and talk."
With that, the two dismounted and entered the house as the old man led the way. The young child had already been sent home by the old man. Once they were seated inside, the old man brought out tea sets, poured the brewed tea, and handed it to them one by one. As they sipped their tea, he spoke directly,
"You must have made a big decision to come find me this time. I presume it's about the Gui Mei tribe."
The elder smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming, and nodded.
"You guessed correctly. This important matter is indeed about the Gui Mei tribe. I've come to ask you to divine the fortune, to see if it's auspicious or not."
The old man did not hesitate. He got up and went into the inner room, retrieved a pipa bone, and tossed it into the fire. As the bone entered the flames, it instantly shot up several meters high. The flames illuminated the old man's eyes, and he could already discern...
Qilin:
"Heaven and earth shift their colors, the universe transforms, with a single word, my enemy falls before me."
Qilin, whose true identity was the grandson of an elder designated by the Ten Thousand Ghost King of the Gui Mei tribe. His true form was that of the ancient divine beast, the Black Phoenix. The Black Phoenix was originally a phoenix, but in ancient times, one branch was tempted by Chaos, one of the Four Fierce Beasts, and gave birth to a pair of children. One was the Black Phoenix, and the other was Chaos.