Xiao Man harbored doubts. If the City Lord's mansion held the key to opening the barrier of the Land of No Return, why would the Zhang family dare to harm the Old City Lord?
"Old Ancestor, do you know how to open the barrier of the Land of No Return?" Xiao Man inquired.
Qin Lao's languid voice responded, "The barrier of the Land of No Return isn't that formidable. Nascent Soul cultivators can open it with their spiritual power."
"Besides Nascent Soul cultivators, are there other methods?"
"Yes, magical artifacts." Qin Lao popped out, his eyes gleaming. "Girl, the City Lord's mansion might have a magical artifact that can open the barrier. The City Lord's mansion has conducted three assessments without allowing anyone to enter. Could it be because they lost the artifact and cannot open the barrier to let people out of the Land of No Return?"
Xiao Man's thoughts stirred. "If they lost it, then how did we get in? How did the City Lord's mansion open the barrier?"
Qin Lao frowned. He didn't know how it was opened, nor did he need to worry about it. After all, opening the barrier of the Land of No Return was as easy as breathing for him.
"Just ask the City Lord directly, and you'll know."
"Yan Yu looks honest and kind, but he's full of schemes. Hoping he'll tell the truth is less likely than the Zhang family telling me." Xiao Man's expression was grim. Yan Yu was a man who acted with impeccable thoroughness. He had used her daughter to heal the Old City Lord, yet acted as if she owed him for the Foundation Establishment Pill she supposedly took, considering it a fair exchange. He was truly cunning.
"You want to go to the Land of No Return?" After so much talk, Qin Lao finally understood. Xiao Man wanted to go to the Land of No Return, but with her current abilities, she couldn't open its barrier.
"But I can't open the barrier." Xiao Man walked to the city wall and reached out. Indeed, she touched an invisible barrier. This barrier isolated the Land of No Return into a despairing world. Those who entered could not cultivate or grow. While leaving them no hope, it also offered a sliver of it. As long as there was hope, people wouldn't despair.
"Opening the barrier is not difficult."
Xiao Man's eyes lit up. "Old Ancestor, can you open the barrier?"
Qin Lao smiled without answering. Xiao Man's heart filled with joy. "We'll come again tonight."
"Girl, after others come out, they can't wait to never return. You, on the other hand, want to go back after coming out. What is so worth returning to in the Land of No Return?"
"There's a good place in the Land of No Return, filled with spiritual herbs..."
"Go, go now." Qin Lao interrupted Xiao Man.
"Old Ancestor, you want me to be hunted by everyone tomorrow, don't you." Xiao Man suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. In broad daylight, if she dared to open the barrier and enter the Land of No Return openly, not only would the City Lord's mansion people not let her go, but the Seven Great Sects would also subject her to the Ten Great Tortures to extract the method of opening the barrier.
"Alright, we'll come tonight." Qin Lao had a greedy smile on his face, but he was somewhat skeptical. The Land of No Return was such a harsh place, where even spiritual grass couldn't grow, how could there be spiritual herbs? Was this girl trying to trick him?
At night, just as Xiao Man was planning to sneak out while everyone was asleep, a figure entered the City Lord's mansion. Xiao Man's body stiffened, and she hid. Her dagger was in her hand. The moment someone broke into her room, she attacked. However, Xiao Man's thrust missed completely and was repelled, knocking over a table, and she fell to the ground in a mess.
The lights in the room turned on. Xiao Man finally saw the intruder clearly. She got up from the floor, clutching her bruised chest. Was the gap between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core so vast?
"Immortal Master, you're sneaking into my room in the middle of the night. Is there something you need?"
"You can save him?" Sikong Mo asked directly. "He's badly injured."
"Where is he?"
"Follow me." Sikong Mo stepped forward, grabbed Xiao Man by the collar, and leaped out of the City Lord's mansion. Her speed was astonishing, yet it still alerted Ze Fang.
Ze Fang hid in the shadows, watching Xiao Man being taken away. His brows furrowed. Why would people from the Ling Snake Sect seek her out? Were they causing trouble, or was it something else?
"Follow them. If there's any danger, tell me immediately." Xiao Bai nodded and quickly pursued the direction the two had disappeared.
The Ling Snake Sect's outpost looked ordinary from the outside. But the first time Xiao Man entered the Ling Snake Sect, she felt something strange about it. The second time she entered, the feeling remained the same.
"Immortal Master." Xiao Man's steps didn't falter. "Immortal Master, how much further?"
"We're almost there." Sikong Mo's tone was cold. "I heard you came from the Eight Desolations."
"Yes." Xiao Man replied. As for where she truly came from, she wouldn't tell anyone, let alone a stranger she'd met once.
"How did you meet Xiang Jian?"
"We fought, and then we met."
Sikong Mo chuckled upon hearing this. "That sounds like something he would do."
"Immortal Master, you're old acquaintances with him, aren't you?" Xiao Man asked subtly.
"Yes, we've been friends for many years." Sikong Mo continued. "I heard ten people came out of the Land of No Return this time, so I couldn't wait to come. I didn't expect him to actually come out of the Land of No Return."
"So, you know who his enemy is?"
Sikong Mo fell silent, not speaking again until they reached their destination.
"It seems his enemy is very powerful," Xiao Man said softly at the door, then stepped past Sikong Mo and entered the room.
Inside the room, Xiang Jian lay on the bed as if asleep, quiet. This was the first time Xiao Man had seen Xiang Jian so still. After all, in her eyes, Xiang Jian had always been full of vitality and vigor.
Xiao Man reached out to feel Xiang Jian's pulse. It was beating, but very weakly. He was indeed badly injured. Xiang Jian's original body had suffered a severe blow, his Golden Core shattered. After she had managed to heal him somewhat, this injury had sent him back to square one.
A flicker of annoyance crossed Xiao Man's eyes, but she restrained herself. She took out a pill and fed it to Xiang Jian. Then, she took out silver needles and began acupuncture. Sikong Mo stood by quietly, watching, quite puzzled by Xiao Man's actions. In her opinion, excellent apothecaries treated with medicine. This was the first time she had seen someone treat with needles.
"How is he injured?"
"He's injured so well," Xiao Man said through gritted teeth. "All my previous efforts have been in vain."
Sikong Mo's heart filled with confusion. "Your efforts?"
Xiao Man tucked Xiang Jian in. "Immortal Master, please continue to take care of him. I need to go find a certain herb."
"What herb? I'll look for it. It might be faster."
"The spirit marrow of the Dragon Spiritual Bamboo." Xiao Man looked at Sikong Mo. "Can you obtain it?"
Sikong Mo frowned. The spirit marrow of the Dragon Spiritual Bamboo was not easy to obtain, and it only existed in one place. There were probably no people in the world who could obtain the Dragon Spiritual Bamboo, given its extremely harsh growing environment and the protection of bamboo viper snakes and flower mantises. Even though she was a Golden Core cultivator, it would be difficult for her to obtain the Dragon Spiritual Bamboo.