The Journey of Immortal Cultivation

Chapter 993 - 543: Mutation?

Quan Shifang saw her contemplative look and finally exhaled and said, "I still remember the last time we parted was at Guangcheng Palace. At that time, Yuhu Peak collapsed, and neither Mr. Miluo nor I found you afterwards, only to learn that you had already left before the mountain was sealed."

"...Sorry, I left in such a hurry that I didn’t get to say goodbye to anyone." Bringing up this matter, she couldn’t help but blush a little. Since then, she had kept in touch with Miluo, but never sent a message to Quan Shifang. Was this behavior of hers extremely opportunistic?

"The fact that you could leave early shows you’re smarter than us, so why apologize?" Quan Shifang chuckled, shaking his head, "Weren’t you heading west? How did you end up at the Mirror Sea King’s Mansion?"

Before Ning Xiaoxian could answer, Huangfuming already said with a smug smile, "Sister is now an elder of the Hidden Stream and also the Garden Director of the Immortal Plant Garden. This trip is to represent Hidden Stream in congratulating the Grand Dowager on her birthday."

This statement had quite a bit of information. Quan Shifang couldn’t help but raise his sword-like eyebrows: "Sister? Elder? Hidden Stream?" At least he caught onto the key points.

Ning Xiaoxian gave Huangfuming a look and briefly explained her joining the Hidden Stream. She had a rich experience in the past two years, and although she left out various secrets and details, it still took more than a brief moment to finish her story. Quan Shifang laughed and said, "So the person before me is already Elder Ning, how disrespectful of me!"

Of all the people she encountered, few could convey congratulations with such sincerity and credibility as Quan Shifang.

After all, he was a cultivator with profound cultivation, and the initial agitation from seeing her had settled down, making him much more at ease now.

"Talking has made my mouth dry!" Ning Xiaoxian frowned in dissatisfaction, "I heard from Sister Huo’er that Sect Leader Bai locked you in the Heavenly Thunder Prison to cultivate on your own? That’s so... heartless, isn’t it? It’s one of the Six Forbidden Lands, and a little carelessness could lead to death! Isn’t Bai Qing afraid that the Heavenly Thunder, with no eyes, might accidentally strike his beloved disciple dead?"

Quan Shifang detected the concern in her words, and a warmth filled his heart: "The Heavenly Thunder Prison has seven layers. I’m only down to the Third Layer, still far from the center of the Thunder Prison. The lightning in the Third Layer won’t kill me; instead, it greatly benefits my cultivation." Only in front of her would he allow such words criticizing his master as "heartless," yet why, as his disobedient disciple, did he secretly feel pleased hearing it?

Upon hearing this, Ning Xiaoxian turned her head to look at him.

After more than two years of not seeing each other, Quan Shifang’s cultivation had advanced significantly. His face appeared more refined, and his frame broader, his sword-like brows and starry eyes slightly tinged with the elements, and the light in his eyes was warm and profound. The cultivation in the Thunder Prison had added a touch of sharpness to his always gentle exterior, especially when he tightened his lips, looking even more heroic and spirited.

She wondered if Brother Quan’s troubles with romantic entanglements had increased in the past two years? She recalled the flowers and plants, the songbirds and ladies often surrounding Quan Shifang, and couldn’t help but let her lips curve slightly.

She didn’t bring up Shi Jishan’s current situation. That seemed like someone from another world now, and the grudge she once bit her teeth over, vowing to avenge, had already faded in her heart.

She stared at Quan Shifang for quite a while, though Brother Quan managed to keep his expression normal, the roots of his ears gradually turned red.

The atmosphere returned to being strange. Huangfuming, unable to bear it, coughed heavily a couple of times and said in a muffled voice, "Brother Quan, what gift did you prepare for the Grand Dowager?"

Ning Xiaoxian shifted her gaze away, and Quan Shifang’s Adam’s apple moved before he rarely kept a secret, saying, "You’ll know in due time. Since it’s a gift, it should be kept as a surprise." He glanced at Ning Xiaoxian a few times, but unfortunately, with someone beside, some words went unsaid.

During their idle chat, they smoothly passed through Duling City’s North Gate, heading straight for the Mirror Sea King’s Mansion. According to Quan Shifang, originally the Chaoyun Sect crowd had arrived in Duling City under the thick of night, wishing to find an inn first, then visit the mansion the next day. Little did they know they’d encounter this event, thus they had to enter the mansion during the night to discuss matters.

Chaoyun Sect elder Liu Yunfeng had visited Hidden Stream and was an old acquaintance of Ning Xiaoxian, so there was naturally small talk upon meeting. It was somewhat amusing though, as she was friends with Quan Shifang, acknowledged Huangfuming as a brother, and yet had to interact as equals with their Master Liu Yunfeng, cough.

Liu Yunfeng, an old friend living in this city, had rushed here earlier to meet an acquaintance, and upon receiving the urgent message from Quan Shifang, quickly made his way to the mansion’s entrance, just in time to join the group in.

The sudden night visit from Chaoyun Sect couldn’t allow Mirror Sea King Huangfusong Yun to neglect them, so the many servants had to rise again, leading to chaos within the mansion.

Taking advantage of their stroll through the mansion, Huangfuming tugged at her sleeve and said, "Sister, are you not very happy?" On the way into the city, her face had returned to a cold calm, just as he had seen in Hidden Stream.

She sighed softly, "Have you ever thought about what would happen to you if I couldn’t beat those people?" Killing at a disagreement, with such weighty evil qi surrounding him, wouldn’t it bring him harm?

Huangfuming pouted, "But they weren’t your opponents." He had seen her skills in Hidden Stream. How could the four people under the Bitter Old Woman match her for even a few rounds?

She quietly said, "You..." but didn’t finish her sentence.

Huangfuming seemed to understand: "Sister, do you not like me killing people arbitrarily? Then I’ll change."

Ning Xiaoxian shook her head slowly, "I’ve said before, you don’t have to act according to my preferences. Be who you are, and when making decisions, be responsible for yourself first, not me." She had long realized that her values were different from most people here, so why impose them on this child? (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)