Suddenly, Ze Fang stopped, and Xiao Man had vanished. Ze Fang looked to the other side, "Come out."
"Young Master." Ze Fang's attendant emerged from his hiding place. "You should return."
Ze Fang frowned. "Wait a little longer."
"Have you found the person you were looking for?"
Ze Fang shook his head. Finding a woman in Wuji City was not easy. Moreover, he knew nothing about her: her appearance, cultivation level, or age. Trying to find her was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
"Didn't you say this person would be the end of you? If you don't find and eliminate her soon, your life might be in danger," the attendant said nervously.
"Who told you I intended to kill her?" Ze Fang asked indifferently. He merely wanted to see what kind of woman she was, this woman who would be the end of him.
"Young Master, if you don't kill her..."
"Enough. Stall Wu Yan and the others. When the time comes, I will naturally know when to return," Ze Fang said, then followed the direction Xiao Man had left.
When Xiao Man pursued, she encountered not others, but An Yue and her group. Shan Yun was with them.
"Who's there?" Liu Hong sensed someone approaching and immediately drew his sword defensively.
Xiao Man stepped out, her expression stern, making it impossible to guess her inner thoughts.
"Xiao Qin, I didn't expect to see you again." An Yue's face lit up with surprise upon seeing Xiao Man. "You... you've successfully reached Foundation Establishment!"
Shan Yun's face was pale, tears falling as she rushed into Xiao Man's arms and sobbed, "Boss, you're finally back."
"Boss?" Liu Hong's eyes widened in surprise. The woman they had found on the road was Xiao Man's subordinate?
Xiao Man placed her hand on Shan Yun's wrist. Shan Yun had been injured, and her blood circulation was blocked. "What happened?"
"Someone attacked us and took the Vice-Captain and Shi Lan," Shan Yun said, glancing at An Yue. "Xi Wen told us to scatter and flee. It was Miss An Yue and her group who saved me."
Xiao Man immediately expressed her gratitude. "Thank you both for saving my companions."
"No need to thank us. It was just a small effort. However, we searched all the way and haven't encountered anyone else." Liu Hong's words trailed off, but the implication was clear: they were likely in dire straits.
"Xiao Qin, why don't you travel with us? The people who attacked your companions must have had high cultivation. If you encounter them alone, it would be very dangerous. We have more people..."
"No, thank you. You saved Shan Yun, and I am already very grateful. I cannot trouble you further." Xiao Man refused immediately. If the other party had experts, Liu Hong was also at the Foundation Establishment stage. If they encountered them, they might suffer heavy losses. Since they were few, it would be easier to escape. "Farewell."
"Xiao Qin." An Yue caught up. "The enrollment for the Seven Great Sects is about to begin. Consider our Lieyang Sect."
Xiao Man was a little surprised. "I thought you were disciples of Baiyao Hall, but it seems not."
"Why would you think that?"
"I met Miss Jun in Wuji City. Miss Jun said you were her niece."
"You met my Aunt Jun." An Yue's face showed delight. "I mentioned it to Aunt Jun last time, and I didn't expect her to take it to heart."
"I will remember the kindness of both of you. One day, I will repay it."
"It was just a small effort. Besides, you saved my life in the ruins." An Yue's smile was gentle. "The Roland Mountains are now a mixed bag. Be careful. I'll see you at the enrollment assembly."
Xiao Man approached An Yue and whispered something in her ear. An Yue's expression changed slightly but quickly returned to normal as she watched Xiao Man and her group depart.
Liu Hong stepped forward. "What did she say?"
"She said the Roland Mountains are very dangerous and advised us to return to Wuji City soon." An Yue only told Liu Hong the first part, not the latter half of what Xiao Man said, which was: beware of the people in your team, someone here wants your life.
An Yue's gaze swept over each person in the team. These were her fellow disciples, and she had never treated them poorly. Because of Jun Fei'er's strong backing, she had provided them with many elixirs. Yet, among them, someone actually wanted her life. This struck her as unbelievable!
When Ze Fang caught up, Xiao Man was leading Shan Yun back.
"Young Master Ze Fang."
"Did you only find one person?"
Xiao Man nodded. She still didn't know the fate of the others. Zhu Qing had already gone to search, and she would notify Xiao Man when she found them. For now, Shan Yun needed to recuperate.
"Do you know who attacked you?"
Shan Yun shook her head. "The attackers were not wearing sect uniforms, so we couldn't tell who they were. However, one of them was skilled in poison. By the time we realized we were poisoned, it was too late. We could only scatter and flee. If I hadn't had the antidote you gave me, I would have been captured by now."
"Someone skilled in poison?" Xiao Man frowned in thought. The old city lord was also injured by someone skilled in poison. Both the Five Poisons Sect and Baiyao Hall claimed they could not treat it, nor even detoxify it. Could the attack on Xiang Jian and the others be related to them?
Ze Fang glanced at Xiao Man. "Among the Seven Great Sects, the Five Poisons Sect is most skilled in making and using poisons. Both the Five Poisons Sect and Baiyao Hall are branches of the Tianling Sect. Elixirs can be good or bad. Good elixirs can heal and improve cultivation, while bad elixirs can cause death. Thus, the Five Poisons Sect and Baiyao Hall originated."
"So, Baiyao Hall could also produce poison," Xiao Man said slowly. After all, medicine and poison were interconnected. A medicinal ingredient, used correctly, could be a life-saving remedy; used incorrectly, it could be a deadly poison. Therefore, the ingredients themselves were not the problem; it was the user.
"That can be said."
"Someone is coming." Xiao Man looked into the distance. "Ze Fang, please guard Shan Yun."
"Alright." Ze Fang walked over to Shan Yun, who was meditating to heal.
A moment later, a group of people appeared before Xiao Man. Leading them was Fang He. Fang He's eyes were filled with surprise when he saw Xiao Man. After all, in the ruins, Xiao Man was only at the ninth stage of Qi Refining. In less than half a year, this person had reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. The speed of cultivation advancement was monstrous!
"Fellow Daoist Xiao Qin." Fang He immediately changed his form of address. If Xiao Man had just entered Foundation Establishment, he might have still addressed her as a junior. But now that Xiao Qin's cultivation was comparable to his, the term "junior" was no longer suitable.
"Greetings, Immortal Master." Xiao Man's gaze swept over the people behind Fang He. She did not see her people. Furthermore, she had a good impression of Fang He, so her attitude was naturally respectful.
"Fellow Daoist, you are too polite. Your cultivation is now comparable to mine, so we can address each other as equals."
"Even if my cultivation is comparable to yours, Immortal Master, I am still a junior. I cannot neglect courtesy." Xiao Man bowed with full etiquette, which immediately delighted Fang He. He was even more satisfied with Xiao Man and began to consider how to recruit her into the Lieyang Sect.