When saving someone, one must save them thoroughly. By now, Li Yanchu could be considered quite wealthy, so he no longer had to scrimp or save. He was worlds apart from that Third Master Feng, and he could crush him with a flick of the hand. However, if one truly wanted to save someone, relying solely on coercion wouldn’t work. Otherwise, Li Yanchu feared it might backfire and lead to an even worse outcome. After nightfall, Li Yanchu remained in his room cultivating the Yellow Court Classics, delving into its divine technique. That young woman he met during the day had left a deep impression on him. That middle-aged swordsman by the riverside exuded a chilling killing intent, and he was definitely not some run-of-the-mill wanderer of the jianghu. The spirit qi within his body flowed unceasingly, causing Li Yanchu’s cultivation to steadily improve day by day. His mastery of the Sun Veil had also reached a gratifying level, with new insights gained each day. Three days passed just like that. Then one day, Bai Hongtu suddenly received a letter from home and came to bid Li Yanchu farewell. “My father’s put his foot down. He says if I don’t hurry back home, he’ll kick me out of the family.” Bai Hongtu gave a bitter smile. Li Yanchu felt a bit regretful. “The Blissful Land is about to open. Leaving at a time ... Don’t you think it’s too much of a pity?” After all, this Blissful Land in Wei City had attracted countless prying eyes and greedy hearts. People were killing each other left and right for that shard of jade. Bai Hongtu smiled. “Opportunities can’t be forced.” He was quite open-minded about it. Then he added, “Last time when we went down into that ancient tomb, who knows how many evil cultivators and demonic sects we stirred up. This time, with a Blissful Land appearing in Wei City, the competition is bound to be even fiercer. My Flying Sword technique still hasn’t reached full mastery. If I go in, I’ll just end up dragging you down. “Anyway, from what Master Huizhen said, these so-called Blissful Lands aren’t exactly rare. I’ll just wait for the next one.” Li Yanchu fell silent for a moment, then he looked up and smiled. “You sure are good at letting things go.” Most people wouldn’t think that way; when faced with such a huge opportunity, there was no reason not to try their luck. “Cultivation, in the end, is about cultivating fate. If you lose your life chasing after a chance, it’s just not worth it,” Bai Hongtu said. “Sounds a bit like something the Quanzhen Daoism would say,” Li Yanchu remarked with a chuckle. Daoism was divided into two major schools: Zhengyi and Quanzhen. Disciples of Quanzhen Daoism were known for their seclusion and dedication to cultivation. They avoided worldly affairs, sat in meditation, refined elixirs, and pursued immortality. Zhengyi Daoism, on the other hand, was more commonly seen and had many branches. Its disciples slayed demons, exorcized evil spirits, and walked among the common people; these were all duties of the Zhengyi path. Both Li Yanchu and Bai Hongtu belonged to the Zhengyi Daoism. Yet just now, Bai Hongtu’s words carried a flavor of Quanzhen-style solitary cultivation. That was why Li Yanchu made the remark. Bai Hongtu laughed. “Those Quanzhen Daoists can bury themselves in the mountains and not come out for decades. I could never do that.” He was a handsome, carefree scion of a noble family, born into wealth and comfort. His entry into the Daoist path was a result of chance and circumstance. The Flying Sword technique he learned, however, was a highly advanced Daoist art. He was walking the path of the sword immortal. It was just a pity that he came from such a good background and was so naturally gifted, which made him a little less persistent in pursuing things. But that was also one of his strengths. Bai Hongtu was one of the few truly upstanding young men Li Yanchu had ever known. Then, the two of them drank together at the Taiping Inn. For once, the innkeeper actually gave Bai Hongtu a rare smile. After the farewell, Bai Hongtu returned to Jinchuan, accompanied by an old servant from his household. Though the servant was elderly, his aura was restrained, and his temples bulged prominently, plus his joints were thick and sturdy. It was clear he was a martial arts master who had cultivated both body and qi, and his blood and qi surged like a blazing furnace. Ordinary malevolent spirits or even cultivators’ soul forms would not dare approach such a person, as they would be directly harmed just by getting close. Li Yanchu guessed that the riverside swordsman who had ambushed Master Huizhen, or the saber-wielding follower of the black-robed elder wouldn’t even last a single move against this old man. For a martial expert of such caliber to be merely a servant of the Bai family, it immediately made Li Yanchu feel that the Bai family’s standing was far loftier than he’d realized. Before Bai Hongtu left, he returned the jade fragment in his hand to Li Yanchu. After all, he wouldn’t be going to the soon-to-open Blissful Land. There was no point in keeping it. That night, Li Yanchu didn’t cultivate. Instead, he closed his door and left Qingyun Temple. He intended to visit Wangjiang Pavilion after dark to see if he could uncover any clues related to the Baxia stone statue. With a light tap of his toes, he leapt into the air and soared away. This time, he didn’t use astral projection, as leaving his physical body in the temple wasn’t entirely safe. Though Blackie had a bit of spiritual awareness, it was still just a beast. Hongtu wasn’t at the temple either, so there was no one to stand guard. Given Li Yanchu’s current martial cultivation, it was easy for him to avoid the patrolling local militia or yamen officers. While he technically had the waist token gifted by the county magistrate, which allowed him to travel in and out of Wei City even at night, he chose not to use it, instead quietly slipping out of the city and heading toward the riverbank. However, while he was on the road, rain suddenly began to fall from the sky, which caught him off guard. Li Yanchu paused in surprise, but he didn’t circulate his qi to shield himself from the rain. I should go back and train a water-repelling technique, he thought, or craft a water-dividing talisman. Perhaps it was the cold rain that sobered him up, as he suddenly remembered an important point: when cultivators fought within water, they were often at a great disadvantage. Even with his current cultivation, and his Daoist true qi constantly circulating, fighting underwater would still put him at a disadvantage. Not to mention that last time in the tomb, he was nearly buried alive in the mountain. I need to start crafting talismans for use in extreme conditions. Some Daoist talismans flashed through Li Yanchu’s mind. Before long, he arrived at the edge of Wangjiang Pavilion and finally laid eyes on the scarred, massive, and ancient-looking stone statue of Baxia. On this stormy, rain-drenched night, the statue of Baxia stood silently by the riverbank, facing the pounding waves, gazing wordlessly into the distance. The heavy sense of time it carried was only further emphasized in the downpour of this rainy night. Then, Li Yanchu activated his Qi Sight. The surface of the river was empty, and there wasn’t a soul along the riverbank. The Baxia statue also showed no signs of life. It truly seemed like nothing more than a lifeless object. And yet, within the statue, there was clearly a unique kind of energy, which was faint but detectable with Qi Sight. For no apparent reason, Li Yanchu suddenly felt a sense of sorrow and desolation emanating from the statue. He felt a loneliness, as though it stood alone in an unfamiliar world. Li Yanchu quickly snapped back to his senses, a thoughtful look in his eyes. This update is available on novel⚑fire.net What just happened to me? Was I affected by the Baxia statue somehow? he wondered. The talismanic armor could neutralize spiritual attacks, and things like curses or dream-binding spells could all be blocked. Even the Spirit Officer Summoning Talisman had similar effects. Under those protections, it should’ve been nearly impossible for anything to disturb his mind. Li Yanchu fixed his gaze on the statue of Baxia, motionless. Hmm? His eyes suddenly flickered, and a sound came from the distance. Just then, a young woman in her prime appeared by the riverbank. She was graceful and composed, with the bearing of a refined lady from a distinguished family.