Seeing the other party staring at her intently, Su Yueli nodded calmly. “Yes, I am a martial artist. Why, is there a problem?”
“No... It is nothing. I was just a bit surprised, that is all.”
Lie Yangfeng snapped out of his daze and quickly waved his hands, though the shock and suspicion in his eyes could not be hidden.
Looking at Su Yueli's exceptionally beautiful, almost unreal young face, he could not help but mutter to himself.
This was Black Wind Valley, where Second Realm, Third Realm, and even Fourth Realm demon beasts frequently roamed.
For a martial artist from the mortal realm, coming to this place was no different from seeking death.
Even a Tenth Realm Martial God, who had reached the peak of the mortal realm, would struggle significantly when facing a slightly strange mid stage Second Realm demon beast.
Yet, this girl was actually able to stay deep within Black Wind Valley all by herself and completely unharmed?
Could she be a Tenth Realm Martial God who possessed some technique to retain her youthful appearance?
But she looked far too young. When had such a freak emerged in the mortal realm?
Besides, even a Tenth Realm Martial God was still in great danger inside this valley in the eyes of cultivators.
Seeing the tall man's face turn from pale to green, shifting unpredictably like a revolving lantern, Su Yueli's lips twitched slightly.
What was this guy imagining? Was he a chameleon?
Feeling a bit unnerved by Su Yueli's strange gaze, Lie Yangfeng also realized he had lost his composure. He immediately cupped his hands. “Since you have not seen that demon beast, fellow Daoist, we shall trouble you no longer. Farewell.”
With that, he gave a look to the two behind him. The three of them turned and left in a hurry, moving incredibly fast and disappearing at the end of the valley path in the blink of an eye.
Only when their auras had completely faded did Su Yueli secretly breathe a sigh of relief, sliding Xiaohei back into her sleeve.
It seemed they weren't here to cause trouble.
Just now, she had thought she was about to experience some classic, cliché trope of either robbery or lust.
But on second thought, she was just a mortal martial artist who didn't even have half a spirit stone on her. Cultivators were high and mighty; they indeed wouldn't spare a glance for a martial artist's worthless belongings.
With that in mind, Su Yueli walked out of the now-exposed cave.
She found another hiding spot in an even more concealed crevice among the jagged rocks deeper in Black Wind Valley. She planned to stay there quietly for another five days to fulfill their seven-day agreement.
...
Meanwhile, at the Blue Moon Sect.
Qi Feng had already recovered from his injuries in the two days since returning to the sect.
After handing over the carcass of the late stage Fourth Realm Earth-Splitting Bear, it had caused quite a stir within the sect, earning him an extremely generous reward.
Having received his reward, Qi Feng took the Earth-Splitting Bear's essence blood along with some supplementary herbs he had purchased out of his own pocket, rushing to Alchemy Peak without a moment's delay, intending to fulfill his promise to refine the pills for Su Yueli.
The moment he stepped into the vicinity of Alchemy Peak, a rich aroma of medicinal herbs wafted from all directions.
However, the place was also very lively. Many disciples were operating furnaces to refine pills inside their stone rooms. If they were even slightly careless, a dull, booming explosion would echo out.
Black smoke was currently billowing from quite a few stone rooms. Several young disciples, their faces covered in soot from the explosions, were squatting at the entrances and coughing violently.
Choked by a wave of thick smoke, Qi Feng coughed twice and quickly covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve. He walked briskly to the office of Fang Mu, the eldest disciple of Alchemy Peak, with whom he was quite familiar.
“Senior Brother Fang Mu, could you do me a favor and refine a few pills for me?” Qi Feng called out as he knocked gently on the door, then pushed it open and walked inside.
But when he clearly saw the other man sitting inside the stone room, the hairs on his entire body instantly stood on end, and his expression changed dramatically.
Quickly putting away his previous casual attitude, he bowed deeply with cupped hands. “Greetings, Young Sect Master!”
In the center of the room stood a young man dressed in a white robe with gold trim.
His long hair was simply tied up with a dark green jade hairpin, and his features were exceptionally handsome yet cold.
Standing there, he exuded an ethereal, immortal aura that seemed to look down upon all living beings.
The Young Sect Master of the Blue Moon Sect, Shen Huai'an.
Hearing the noise, Shen Huai'an turned his head slightly, giving Qi Feng a brief nod in response.
Beside him, Fang Mu, the eldest disciple of Alchemy Peak, shrugged helplessly and said to Qi Feng, “Junior Brother Qi, you have truly come at an inopportune time. The furnace of Universe-Clearing Heart Pills that the Young Sect Master needs to break through his cultivation is about to be started. Master instructed us to go all out. I am afraid your bounty pills will have to wait a few days.”
How could Qi Feng dare to complain in the slightest? He quickly nodded repeatedly. “Of course, of course! Everything must prioritize the Young Sect Master's grand matter of cultivation. It is perfectly fine for me to wait a few days.”
Shen Huai'an's expression remained calm, and his voice was somewhat aloof. “No matter. Several of the main herbs required for this batch of pills are still in transit, so there is no rush.”
“Junior Brother Qi has made a contribution by slaying a Fourth Realm great demon on his trip to Black Wind Valley. There is no need to make a meritorious disciple wait. You can have Fang Mu refine yours first.”
Hearing Shen Huai'an say this, Qi Feng was instantly overwhelmed by the unexpected favor and hurriedly cupped his hands again in gratitude. “Thank you for your magnanimity, Young Sect Master!”
Shen Huai'an looked away, took a sip from his teacup, and casually asked, “I wonder what kind of miraculous elixir Junior Brother Qi is in such a hurry to refine this time?”
Qi Feng did not dare to hide anything and answered truthfully, “Replying to the Young Sect Master, it is one True Martial Blood Soul Pill and two Blood Marrow Pills refined using the blood of a Fourth Realm bear.”
As his words fell, the stone room instantly fell silent. Shen Huai'an, who was sipping his tea, paused slightly.
Frowning, he turned to stare at Qi Feng in confusion. “These two kinds of pills... Aren't they just lowly playthings that only mortal martial artists would use?”
Facing Shen Huai'an's pressuring inquiry, a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Qi Feng's forehead, and his heart pounded.
Swallowing hard, he did not dare to conceal a single thing and hurriedly explained the truth. “Please appease your anger, Young Sect Master. These pills are indeed for a martial artist's use. However, they are needed by a fellow Daoist whom I met in Black Wind Valley. Had she not risked her life to aid me earlier, I am afraid I would not have made it back.”
“I owe her a massive debt of gratitude, which is why I wanted to ask Senior Brother Fang Mu to refine a few pills to repay this favor.”
After listening, Shen Huai'an's brow relaxed slightly, and the confusion in his eyes gradually dissipated.
He nodded gently, finding it quite normal.
When cultivators traveled the mortal realm, occasionally encountering some unexpected events and using connections to ask a martial artist for help or owing some secular favors was a common occurrence.
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