The shopkeeper felt the jade pendant in his hand grow hot, so hot he could barely hold it. He hurried over to Nan Shiying and presented the jade pendant with both hands.
"This humble one has poor eyesight and failed to recognize two Medicine Immortals. I beg for your forgiveness."
Poison Elder waved a dismissive hand. Nan Shiying took the jade pendant and tucked it into her robes, smiling at him, "It's nothing."
The shopkeeper's eyelids twitched. Although the person before him was refined and elegant, with a smile as warm as a spring breeze, he still felt a chill crawling from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
How strange!
The shopkeeper suppressed the odd feeling in his heart, bowed his thanks, and turned to look at Zhuge Qingfeng behind him.
The inn's guards had subtly formed a circle.
Zhuge Qingfeng's mouth felt bitter. What the heck, was this bullying? Couldn't they see who had the upper hand in this situation? Although he was carrying a long saber, he clearly couldn't defeat the three people opposite him. Why were they surrounding him? Did they really think he would attack them even after knowing they were Medicine Immortals from Medicine King Valley?
Yu Chenghuan's eyes, brimming with tears, widened. She already had round, apricot-shaped eyes, and now they looked even more like plump, juicy grapes.
How could this be? How could they be Medicine Immortals from Medicine King Valley?
If they were Medicine Immortals from Medicine King Valley, how could people like you, who had lived at the foot of Medicine King Valley for generations, not know!
Yu Chenghuan felt both wronged and angry. If you bastards hadn't shown that suspicious and vigilant look, why would I have attacked the Medicine Immortals? If she hadn't attacked, she wouldn't have been stepped on. If she hadn't been stepped on, she wouldn't have been humiliated. If she hadn't been humiliated, she wouldn't have been…
Wah!
This was simply too much bullying.
Unable to hold back, Yu Chenghuan burst into tears.
Nan Shiying: "..."
Seeing her cry so miserably, she felt too embarrassed to step on her anymore.
Hearing the crying, everyone turned their heads. Zhuge Qingfeng saw Yu Chenghuan's tear-streaked, snotty face and couldn't help but raise a hand to his forehead.
He really wished he could pretend not to know her!
How embarrassing!
Her crying was truly ear-piercing. Nan Shiying bent down and grabbed her from the ground, "If you cry again, I'll poison your tongue."
"...Hic!"
Nan Shiying's eyes were deep and dark, like a bottomless pool, emitting a chilling cold light. Yu Chenghuan's eyes, unprepared, collided with those eyes. She trembled all over, her tears immediately retreating, and she was so scared she started hiccuping.
"Hic... hic..."
Her hands were bound, and Yu Chenghuan had no way to cover her mouth. She could only desperately close her lips tightly, trying to stifle the hiccups within her mouth.
Everyone: "..."
Zhuge Qingfeng untied the bindings and wrapped them around his long saber, the blade now sheathed.
Seeing this, the guards' vigilant expressions slightly softened.
Zhuge Qingfeng shouldered the saber again and walked towards Nan Shiying and the others. The guards did not stop him, and Zhuge Qingfeng stopped about three meters away from Nan Shiying.
The long saber was five feet long, with a one-foot hilt. Including his arm, if he wanted to strike someone, he would have to get within three meters. He stopped three meters away, maintaining a safe distance.
"My junior sister is mischievous and has offended the Medicine Immortals. As her senior brother, I failed to manage her properly. I first offer my apologies to both of you. I am truly sorry."
As he spoke, he knelt on one knee, the long saber resting at his side, the copper rings clinking together.
For a martial artist, a single knee kneel was a great courtesy. Even if threatened with blades and axes, facing certain death, they would never kneel and beg for mercy.
After speaking, he took out a token from his robes, engraved with a copper bell, representing the Huanlang Sect, and presented it with both hands: "This is a token only held by the chief disciples of my sect. Seeing this token is like seeing the sect leader. Within the Great Li Kingdom, holding this token means even officials like the Commander will show respect. Even in Linyuan, one can be treated as an honored guest by the major sects. Of course, these things hold no meaning for you."
His voice paused, and he continued, "Besides the above, the holder of this token can also enter our sect's treasury, select one treasure every three years, and also participate in this year's Taotie Feast."
"Taotie Feast?"
Nan Shiying was not interested in the treasures of his sect. However, she had never heard of this Taotie Feast.
Zhuge Qingfeng explained, "The Taotie Feast, also known as the Treasure Gathering, is held once every ten years. This year happens to be the tenth year, and it is organized by my Huanlang Sect."
"There is a place in the Great Li Kingdom, near the Land of Heavenly Punishment. That area is subject to constant hurricanes. Every ten years, there is a period of respite lasting about ten days. Only those holding a token can enter during this respite."
"Perhaps due to the different climate, that place is filled with spiritual herbs. Of course, where there are many spiritual herbs, there are also many dangers. Because the wind gap resembles a giant mouth, and one could lose their life within it at any moment, it is called the Taotie Feast."
Nan Shiying tilted her head slightly, glancing in the direction of Medicine King Valley.
Wasn't Medicine King Valley also a place that gathered spiritual energy!
Perhaps sensing Nan Shiying's thoughts, Zhuge Qingfeng said, "Due to the climate, that place is unmanned for years, so the abundance of spiritual herbs there is quite exaggerated."
Ah, so he meant that Medicine King Valley had harvested too much!
Nan Shiying reached out and took the token, throwing the hiccupping Yu Chenghuan to Zhuge Qingfeng. Zhuge Qingfeng quickly reached out and embraced her.
"Thank you for your magnanimity, Medicine Immortal."
Zhuge Qingfeng, holding Yu Chenghuan, did not forget to thank her.
Nan Shiying hummed and rubbed the token, deep in thought.
Great Li, Land of Heavenly Punishment!
It seemed she needed to find a map of the Great Li Kingdom. That place sounded somewhat familiar!
Zhuge Qingfeng pulled Yu Chenghuan up and untied her bindings. Seeing her look so scared, fearful, and wronged, his heart softened, and he couldn't bear to blame her.
Her mind was a bit slow; who would bother too much with a fool.
Zhuge Qingfeng sighed, grabbed her wrist, and started walking upstairs. Her hand pulled at her back, and the pain from her back made her gasp.
"It hurts~"
Zhuge Qingfeng sighed, bent down, and picked her up to carry her.
Nan Shiying glanced at the two of them, swept her gaze over them, and then shifted her direction.
Poison Elder, seeing her constantly rubbing the token, asked, "What, do you want to take a trip to Great Li?"
Nan Shiying neither nodded nor shook her head. She was just wondering if that place was truly uninhabited as Zhuge Qingfeng said.
She did want to go and see.
To see if it was the place she imagined, and if so, what had become of it now.