Ling Xu and the other two waited patiently for Mo Qi to return. They had witnessed Mo Qi's divine might and his prowess in battle moments ago. On one hand, they were shocked by Mo Qi's drastic transformation over the past few years. On the other hand, they felt hope for their return to the Southern Continent. As long as they stayed close to Mo Qi, they believed there was a chance they could go back.
Mo Qi's method of taking them back was random teleportation. In a dense forest, Mo Qi set up a teleportation array, and the four of them entered it. Mo Qi chanted incantations, activating the array, and teleported the array flags and core along with them.
When they landed, they found themselves on the ground of the Savage Demon Realm and were almost attacked by several demonic beasts. Fortunately, Mo Qi quickly set up another teleportation array and teleported them elsewhere, otherwise, they might have been delayed for an unknown period.
After several more teleports and stops in different locations, they finally reached the Nine Divine Realms of the Southern Continent as they had wished.
By this time, half a year had passed since Mo Qi left Peng Qu Island.
Leng Qingshan and the other two were overjoyed and expressed their profound gratitude to Mo Qi. Mo Qi responded briefly and then parted ways with the trio.
Ling Xu returned to the Divine Sword Sect. Leng Qingshan and Xiao Bai went to the Divine Escape Sect. Upon Leng Qingshan's recommendation, Xiao Bai became a peak master, filling the vacancy left by the death of Qi Zhi Mei.
Meanwhile, Mo Qi rushed to the Northern Territory without delay.
On the way, he eagerly used a sound transmission spirit stone to tell Fang Buyi about his arduous journey to Hong Meng South Sea and how Wan Beifeng had colluded with the enemy to set a trap. He asked Fang Buyi for advice on how to deal with the situation.
A moment later, Fang Buyi replied, saying a great deal. He expressed his joy at Mo Qi being alive, mentioning he had been saddened for days upon hearing of Mo Qi's participation in the mission and presumed death.
He then cautioned Mo Qi to remain calm and not act rashly. He explained that if Mo Qi exposed Wan Beifeng, Wan Beifeng would surely retaliate, and with conflicting accounts, it would be impossible to bring him down, potentially harming Mo Qi instead.
Fang Buyi also mentioned that he was merely a low-ranking member of the Affairs Hall of the Qionglu Realm sect and had been assigned to Duoshe Cliff. He was unfamiliar with the various tiers of the Southern Heaven Gate.
He knew a few people within the organization, but they were all minor figures, and he couldn't be sure if they were aligned with Wan Beifeng.
He also warned that such matters should not be spoken of openly, as the more people who knew, the greater the danger to Mo Qi.
The best course of action, he suggested, was to find a way to capture Wan Beifeng and deliver him to a higher-ranking hall master of the Southern Heaven Gate, force him to confess with a truth-telling pill, and have him reveal any accomplices.
However, the guards at the various halls of the Southern Heaven Gate were heavily fortified, making it difficult to infiltrate, let alone abduct someone.
Therefore, his final suggestion was that if possible, it would be best to kill Wan Beifeng and be done with it.
Mo Qi was stunned. He had never expected Fang Buyi to offer such a suggestion. At this moment, he regretted telling Fang Buyi about the matter. What if Fang Buyi was also one of Wan Beifeng's people?
But upon further reflection, he realized that the very reason he shared this with Fang Buyi in the first place was because he trusted him.
Thinking again, perhaps assassinating Wan Beifeng was a good idea. If Wan Beifeng knew he had returned alive, he would undoubtedly try to kill Mo Qi to eliminate any future threats.
It would be better for Mo Qi to strike first, giving Wan Beifeng no chance to retaliate.
Therefore, Mo Qi headed directly for the Qionglu Realm. He reasoned that this trip was necessary anyway, as he needed to go to the Qionglu Realm to invite a leader from the third tier or higher to act as an envoy.
His plan was to find a way to approach a leader from the third tier or above, get to know them well, ascertain that they were not part of Wan Beifeng's faction, and then discuss the matter of being an envoy.
When he reached the checkpoint of the Qionglu Realm, he was dumbfounded. The checkpoint was protected by a barrier, manned by guards, and equipped with an array that revealed all hidden figures. Without a transit pass, passage was denied.
He considered forcing his way through. But even if he could get in, he would likely be hunted relentlessly. How would he then go about killing someone?
After much thought, Mo Qi decided to go to the Zhenghe Sect first, hoping they could help him obtain a transit pass. He turned back and went to the Zhenghe Sect, only to find that everything had changed.
After three years, Wu Siqi returned to his sect, the Divine Pill Sect. Not only him, but almost everyone who had come from the Nine Divine Realms for training had returned. Only Shi Siyao, Lu Xiaoyue, and Wang Lu were recommended and passed the assessment for the Heavenly Tier Academy in the Qionglu Realm, successfully entering to study. This became a widely celebrated event in both the Northern Territory and the Nine Divine Realms.
Mo Qi's pharmacy in the Northern Territory had been forced to close a month after his departure due to the loss of its supply source.
Meanwhile, Jin Yan and Shui Ling were recommended to the Shen Du Sect, a cultivation sect in the Qionglu Realm, for training. Xue Ying returned to the Zhenghe Sect.
The Heavenly Tier Academy, as its name suggested, was a path to the heavenly tiers. It regularly and irregularly supplied talent to various tiers. These tiers served as outposts guarding the Southern Heaven Gate of the Heavenly Court, and those who performed well there had the greatest chance of entering the Heavenly Realm and achieving deification.
Therefore, the news of Shi Siyao, Wang Lu, and Lu Xiaoyue entering the Heavenly Tier Academy to study spread widely.
It was only natural for Shi Siyao and Lu Xiaoyue to be recommended to the Qionglu Realm, as they had made significant contributions to the Taihe Sect during the ranking matches.
As for Wang Lu, he might have had other opportunities, but overall, the child possessed extraordinary talent, and his rise was inevitable.
At this moment, Mo Qi had a sudden idea: could he ask Xue Renkui to recommend him to the Heavenly Tier Academy? After all, he had also made significant contributions to the Zhenghe Sect by earning recommendation slots in the ranking matches back then.
If this path could be paved, all his problems might be solved.
When Xue Renkui saw Mo Qi, his face showed obvious shock. "Aren't you dead?"
Before the shock could dissipate, his face was filled with surprise, even ecstasy.
He immediately grabbed Mo Qi's hand and pulled him towards his home, babbling incoherently, "It's great that you're alive, truly great."
Mo Qi could see how agitated he was, to the point of abandoning his usual dignity and image. He was pulling and dragging Mo Qi in public, completely disregarding the pointing fingers of the disciples.
Mo Qi's heart sank. He wondered if it had something to do with Xue Ying.
Thinking this, although he shook off Xue Renkui's hand, he did not slow his pace, but rather quickened it towards Xue Renkui's home.
Indeed, as they entered the house, Xue Renkui said, "A month after you left, we received news of your death. Xue Ying fell ill. She improved somewhat afterward but remained plagued by illness, as if her old sickness had returned. Recently, her condition has worsened, and her health has deteriorated. She has gradually lost hope, seeming to revert to her former state..."
Xue Renkui's voice became choked with emotion towards the end.
Mo Qi felt a pang of sadness. Could it be that she was once again emaciated like a zombie, just like last time?
As he pushed open the door, he heard a cough and Xue Ying's weak voice, "Father, I've already told you, don't find me..."
When she saw Mo Qi, the word "doctor" that was about to leave her lips got stuck in her throat, and she swallowed it back.
Mo Qi took a look and felt a little relieved. Fortunately, her complexion was only poor, and she was only slightly thinner than before.
Then, she pulled the quilt over herself, covering her head.
The quilt trembled slightly, and muffled sobs could be heard from within.
Mo Qi stood there, at a loss. He couldn't possibly pull the blanket off a young lady, could he?
He glanced at Xue Renkui, who wore a complex expression. He then gestured forward, which Mo Qi found strange. Even stranger, Xue Renkui himself retreated.
What did this mean?
Mo Qi felt somewhat lost and stood there stunned for a long time. What should he do?
He couldn't treat her if he was asked to. If her symptoms were truly like before, it would be simple. He could refine pills for her again, as he had done before, but her current symptoms clearly exceeded his understanding.
He suddenly remembered the Beast Soul Pill he had refined in Hong Meng South Sea. Besides enhancing cultivation, it also had the effects of replenishing qi and blood, prolonging life, and strengthening the body. He could try giving her one. If it didn't work, he could give her a Hundred Diseases Pill.
So, he slowly walked to the bedside and took out a pill from his storage bag. "Miss Xue, I don't know if this pill will work, but please try taking it."
The silk quilt stopped trembling. A fair hand emerged from within and extended towards Mo Qi. Mo Qi placed the pill in her hand. The hand then clenched into a fist and retracted.
Mo Qi turned and walked towards the door. As he was about to leave, Xue Ying's low voice came from behind him, "Thank you, Shopkeeper Mo!"
Mo Qi turned back, but only saw the quilt. He smiled, "You're welcome, Miss Xue." Then he strode out.
Xue Renkui waited anxiously outside the door. Upon seeing Mo Qi emerge, he looked incredulous. "You're done so quickly?"
Mo Qi's face showed a hint of difficulty. "The symptoms this time are different from last time. We may need to observe further."
Xue Renkui pondered for a moment and said, "Ying'er should be saved this time. I think you survived a near-death experience, which means it wasn't her fate to die."
His words made Mo Qi feel somewhat embarrassed. "Sect Leader Xue is too kind. There are many talented individuals in the world, and I am not the only one who can cure Miss Xue."
Xue Renkui rolled his eyes. "Who knows?"
Mo Qi pondered for a moment and said, "There is something I would like to ask Sect Master Xue for help with."
Xue Renkui, seeing that Mo Qi seemed to have a lot on his mind, turned and sat on a chair, then gestured to the chair opposite him, indicating for Mo Qi to sit and speak.
After sitting down, Mo Qi stated directly, "Sect Master Xue, I would like to ask you to recommend me to the Heavenly Tier Academy."
Upon hearing this, Xue Renkui's expression remained calm, and he sat up straight.
People naturally strive for advancement, just as water flows downhill. This was normal human thinking.
Moreover, this was a request he had made years ago.
"Why do you wish to go to the Heavenly Tier Academy?" Xue Renkui asked lazily, as if conducting an interview. He was already prepared with his next question: "What are your aspirations?"
Mo Qi replied, "To continue completing missions and saving people." At this point, he had to choose to trust Xue Renkui to gain his help, so he decided to reveal everything.
Xue Renkui was taken aback. The expected answer would have been: "I want to learn more divine abilities and techniques, improve my cultivation comprehensively, and then return to serve my homeland, uphold justice, and protect the weak." Mo Qi was completely deviating from the expected script.
At this moment, a rustling sound came from the inner room, and a presence approached the door. It was Xue Ying, who had gotten out of bed and was hiding behind the door, eavesdropping.
It seemed her condition had improved. A smile appeared on Xue Renkui's face.
Mo Qi also smiled with relief. He trusted Xue Renkui, so he didn't mind Xue Ying overhearing his words.
"Complete what mission? Could it be the mission you undertook in Hong Meng South Sea?" Xue Renkui asked.
Mo Qi nodded. "There was a traitor among our people. As soon as we arrived at Peng Qu Island, we were ambushed..."
"Wait a moment," Xue Renkui suddenly raised his hand to stop him and then transmitted his voice, "Let's communicate via voice transmission. I'm afraid others might overhear."