Not long after, several spirit boats descended again.
Groups of disciples dressed in Daoist robes disembarked under the lead of a middle-aged man.
This middle-aged man wore a Yinyang Taiji Daoist Robe and a Silver Daoist Crown atop his head.
His deep eyes seemed to contain a thousand stars, and his bearing was extraordinary.
“Daoyan has come as well,” Sect Master Qinghong said with a smile, stroking his beard.
This was getting interesting.
Daoyan Immortal, the current Sect Master of Zhenwu Sect, wielded swordsmanship with his left hand and the Liyuan Sword Formation with his right.
Among peers of the same rank, no one dared approach within ten meters.
If Shushan’s Sword Master Jian Chenzi represented the pinnacle of swordsmanship, then Daoyan Immortal was the ultimate in sword formations.
Of course, excluding some ancient recluses who never appeared in the world.
Rumor had it that the young Daoyan Immortal once had a relationship with the current Sect Master of Tianxiang Sect, Yue Qifang. Whether true or not, no one knew for certain.
Her expression stirred, and her eyes contained complicated emotions.
“Why did he come too? Doesn’t Zhenwu Sect have any elders?”
Yue Qifang was visibly irritated, her brows nearly furrowed into a river-shaped crease.
“Senior Sister, Daoyan Brother probably came to see you,” Shen Qingqing said with a gleeful glint in her eyes.
Hearing this, Yue Qifang squinted slightly and glanced at her with a smile.
“Junior Sister, should I call Xiaochenzi to come out of seclusion?”
Shen Qingqing’s face darkened immediately, and she quickly shut her mouth.
Not someone to mess with, but someone I can avoid.
Seeing this, Yue Qifang’s lips curled slightly with a hint of pride.
You little brat, don’t think I can’t put you in your place.
Back in the day, the famous Tianxiang Three Beauties attracted countless suitors, stirring endless rumors and hearsay.
But as for Daoist partners personally confirmed by themselves, none had appeared yet.
“Daoyan kid, how could you leave Wudang Mountain today?”
Sect Master Qinghong teased, stroking his beard.
Daoyan Immortal cupped his hands and bowed to Sect Master Qinghong.
Though both were sect leaders of the same school, Qinghong Daoist was one generation senior.
Moreover, Qinghong Daoist had originally come from Zhenwu Sect before transferring to Shushan, making him a generation senior uncle by discipleship.
The bow was completely proper.
“Greetings, Sect Master Qinghong.”
Sect Master Qinghong waved his hand dismissively.
“Enough, no need for these formalities. I get annoyed just seeing them.”
Daoyan smiled helplessly and then turned to look at Yue Qifang.
At the same time, Yue Qifang was staring at him.
Their gazes locked tightly like two poles of a magnet.
After a long while, Daoyan finally looked away.
“Sect Master Yue, how have you been?”
“There’s no need for you to trouble yourself, Daoyan Immortal,” Yue Qifang replied with an unusually cold tone.
Shen Qingqing sighed, utterly helpless witnessing the scene.
Clearly, they both still loved each other, but for the sake of their sects, they sacrificed their own happiness.
The position of Sect Master seemed lofty, holding the highest authority of the sect.
But this position was also a kind of unique prison.
Daoyan felt no better inside, but at this point, regret was useless.
“Good.”
Countless words could only be distilled into one.
At that moment, the surrounding air suddenly felt oppressive.
Shen Qingqing took the chance to slip away. Rather than being an awkward third wheel caught in the wave of their emotions, she preferred to go check on that brat Xiaoyan.
Sect Master Qinghong shook his head as well. He did not understand these romantic entanglements and thought it best to leave.
Still, he envied the previous Sect Master of Zhenwu Sect, Wudao Immortal.
He didn’t know how he coaxed Daoyan to take over the sect leadership and then retired to the rear mountains to relieve his burdens.
Looking at that Jian Chenzi, who clearly had cultivation and swordsmanship surpassing himself, but stubbornly refused to take the position—
The reason was clear, but judging by Miss Shen’s attitude, there was probably no hope.
Wasn’t this just completely over?
Sect Master Qinghong gazed helplessly at the sky.
“Old Daoist here wonders when he will be free of attachments and able to pursue Dao and longevity without worries. What a torment…”
***
Within the Tianxiang Sect’s ranks, Chen Xiaoyan, along with Chongchong and other Tianxiang players, disembarked and waited in place.
Seeing Shen Qingqing approaching, she hurried over and asked, “Sister Shen, what should we do next?”
“First, head to the temporary clinic in the county town.”
“Where is this temporary clinic?”
“Follow me.”
Shen Qingqing’s spiritual sense covered half the county, spotting the clinic’s location at a glance.
Upon arriving in front of the temporary clinic, she turned around and seriously reminded them again.
“Xiaoyan, besides saving lives, this trip to Jinyang County is also a test for you. Neither I nor the Sect Master will intervene, so you have to rely entirely on yourselves. Don’t disappoint me.”
Chen Xiaoyan immediately tensed up hearing that.
But thinking of her miraculous recovery skill, she felt a little more confident.
“I, Chen Xiaoyan, might disappoint anyone else, but I will never disappoint Sister Shen.”
Shen Qingqing smiled softly, her gaze full of affection.
“Good, I’ll be watching closely.”
She patted Chen Xiaoyan on the back and continued, “Go now. From here on, the decisions are all yours.”
“Understood.”
Chen Xiaoyan looked at the temporary clinic’s entrance draped with a few strips of white cloth, took a deep breath, and was about to step inside.
Suddenly, a loud shout came from behind.
“Move aside! Move aside quickly! Don’t block the way, or you’ll be killed without mercy!!!”
(Hong Anwu, Level 23 Warrior)
The newcomer was a military officer.
This officer gripped a broken sword in one hand and pulled an open-air horse carriage with the other.
His armor was mostly gone except for a single iron plate protecting his heart; he looked like a bloodied man.
Several soldiers lay motionless on the carriage bed.
If it weren’t for the faint rise and fall of their chests, Chen Xiaoyan would have thought the carriage carried corpses.
“Move out of the way!!!”
Seeing Chen Xiaoyan still standing at the entrance, the officer raised his broken sword and pointed it at her.
Those blood-red eyes locked onto her fiercely, the terrifying killing intent like stepping into an ice cave.
She couldn’t help but shiver.
Those blood-red eyes weren’t frenzied like a monster’s but genuinely bloodshot from rage.
Chen Xiaoyan stepped aside, heart pounding.
Though prepared, she still couldn’t help but exclaim silently.
“This game is way too damn realistic.”
She had really been startled just now.
If she had moved even a fraction slower, that NPC would have definitely slashed her with his sword.
Shen Qingqing had already left—there was no one to save her now.
Seeing Chen Xiaoyan move aside, Hong Anwu lowered his broken sword and pulled the carriage inside.
He didn’t glance at her once, not even considering her peerless beauty.
Right now, nothing mattered more to him than the lives of his brothers.
“Stop! This is a clinic. Vehicles cannot enter. Get out immediately!” the temporary clinic’s physicians shouted as they rushed over angrily to drive him off.
“Move aside, I have to get to the clinic.”
“This is the clinic.”
“Uh…” Hong Anwu suddenly exhaled sharply. His blood-red eyes gradually cleared.
Looking at the physicians in front of him, his broken sword clattered to the ground.
He then knelt furiously, kowtowing toward them.
“Doctors, please save my brothers. I beg you.”
“No need to be like this, sir. Please stand up.”
The physicians, seeing Hong Anwu and the severely injured patients on the carriage, understood the situation and showed much more respect.
They helped him up and shouted inside.
“Come on, someone help here!”