Xu Yi's back was to Long Haotian, and she didn't notice his unusual expression.
Her attention was entirely focused on Wang Yi'an and Chen Tao.
Long Haotian had woken up a dozen breaths after taking the pill, but these two were still struggling, their eyelids twitching, unable to open.
Xu Yi pondered for a moment, a mischievous smile playing on her lips, and decided to give them a helping hand.
She waved her hand lightly, using her spiritual energy to grab two branches, and then aimed them at the waists of the two, stabbing them forcefully.
"Aow!"
Chen Tao yelped and sat up abruptly from the ground, his eyes wide open.
Although Wang Yi'an didn't react as strongly as Chen Tao, he too managed to open his eyes.
"Xu... Senior Sister Xu?" Chen Tao looked at Xu Yi in front of him, rubbing his eyes, "Am I dreaming?"
Xu Yi didn't answer. Her fingers moved, channeling spiritual energy to poke Chen Tao's waist with the branches again.
This time, the force was light, and Chen Tao could only feel a tingly itch at his waist.
"It really is Senior Sister Xu!"
Chen Tao clutched his waist and let out a foolish laugh.
Wang Yi'an also slowly got up from the ground, looking at Xu Yi, and softly called out, "Senior Sister Xu."
Wang Yi'an appeared calm, but in his heart, his surprise was no less than Chen Tao's. After all, he had just mentioned Xu Yi, and he hadn't expected to meet her so soon.
The three of them and Xu Yi truly had a connection.
"Long time no see," Xu Yi greeted them with a smile. "You still have residual poison in your bodies, so do not mobilize your spiritual energy at all right now."
The two were startled. Memories from before they fainted resurfaced, and they quickly looked around. Seeing that Qu Xiaoxiao and Long Haotian were safe, they finally felt relieved.
"Senior Sister Xu, it's such a coincidence. I really didn't expect to meet you here."
Chen Tao, unconcerned about the residual poison in his body, chatted enthusiastically with Xu Yi, revealing his true intentions within a few sentences.
"Hehe, Senior Sister Xu, is it just you and Senior Brother Ji coming this time? Junior Sister Yang didn't come?"
Chen Tao rubbed his hands together, a hint of embarrassment and expectation flashing in his eyes.
Junior Sister Yang?
Xu Yi looked at Chen Tao for a moment and then realized.
"You mean Yang Mei," Xu Yi said with a smile. "She went out with True Person Jiugong to visit friends."
True Person Jiugong was very pleased with Yang Mei. After Yang Mei had made some progress, he couldn't wait to visit other formation masters, calling it an opportunity to bring Yang Mei to learn from them.
But according to Xu Yi, True Person Jiugong was clearly taking Yang Mei to show off to old friends.
"Oh, I see," Chen Tao's disappointment was visible on his face.
"Why are you so eager to see Yang Mei?" Xu Yi asked with interest.
"Of course, I..." Chen Tao answered instinctively, then noticed Xu Yi's teasing expression and quickly changed his tune. "I, Senior Sister Xu, you've misunderstood. I didn't mean it like that."
Xu Yi didn't argue, smiling as she watched Chen Tao explain.
"Senior Sister Xu, have you seen Senior Brother Jin and Senior Sister Hong who came with us?"
Seeing Chen Tao's face getting redder, Wang Yi'an interjected to break the tension.
Chen Tao was simple-minded and was immediately distracted. He scratched the back of his head and asked in confusion, "That's right, why don't I see Senior Brother Jin and Senior Sister Hong? Haven't they returned yet?"
Xu Yi sighed softly and briefly recounted what had happened after they fainted.
Chen Tao and Wang Yi'an's brows furrowed tighter, their fingers clenching unconsciously, their worry evident.
Xu Yi couldn't offer words of comfort with an indifferent attitude.
She could only shake her head, leaving the four from the Xuanqing Sect some time and space, and walked to another side with Ji Buwang to discuss their next plan.
Now, three of the four Xuanqing Sect disciples couldn't use their spiritual energy, and the other was only at the Nascent Soul stage. If they were left here alone, they would likely be preyed upon by other cultivators as easy targets before long.
The most sensible approach would be for the four of them to leave immediately and return to the Xuanqing Sect, or to have elders from the Xuanqing Sect come to their aid.
Xu Yi leaned towards the latter option.
However, based on her understanding of Long Haotian and the other two, they would probably not leave easily, as Jin Biao and Hong Shengyi were still missing, and they would never give up searching for them.
It would depend on their own decision.
If it weren't for the competition for the Soul Unraveling Bell, Xu Yi wouldn't have minded taking the four of them along.
The Soul Unraveling Bell was a legendary and extremely malevolent magical artifact.
Xu Yi was not confident in her ability to subdue it, nor was she confident in her ability to ensure the safety of the other four.
"When the Soul Unraveling Bell appears, if those four haven't left this place yet, we will forcibly send them out."
"Alright."
Ji Buwang had been somewhat worried that Xu Yi might hesitate and be constrained due to her feelings for Long Haotian and the other two.
Now he had to admit that he had worried unnecessarily.
Xu Yi's magnanimity and ambition were far greater than he had imagined.
In the face of the safety of the entire Jiuzhou Continent, personal affections seemed insignificant.
Ji Buwang then thought of the Xu Yi he had spoken of in another world.
The decisive Demon-Slaying Ancestor, the revered leader of the righteous path, was a being that his other self could only aspire to.
Ji Buwang began to feel fortunate.
Fortunate that the him of this world could fight alongside Xu Yi, rather than looking at her retreating figure from afar.
"Now it all depends on the outcome of their discussion."
Xu Yi was unaware of Ji Buwang's thoughts, and she cast a subtle glance in Long Haotian's direction.
"...Do you have any objections?"
Long Haotian pondered for a long time before voicing his thoughts, and then he did not forget to solicit the opinions of the other three.
"I have no objections."
"I have no objections either."
Wang Yi'an and Chen Tao expressed their agreement one after another, then turned their gaze to the silent Qu Xiaoxiao.
Qu Xiaoxiao hadn't spoken much since they woke up, and they were also worried about her state.
"I..." Qu Xiaoxiao opened her mouth, then shook her head, "I'll listen to Senior Brother."
Long Haotian glanced at Qu Xiaoxiao, then said to Wang Yi'an, "Junior Brother Wang, send a message to the sect immediately, explaining the situation of Senior Brother Jin and Senior Sister Hong, and ask the sect to send elders to rescue us."
"Okay."
"Don't forget to inform the sect about our poisoning, and see if Elder Bai can come along."
"Yes."
Qu Xiaoxiao silently watched Junior Brother Wang send the message to the sect, her heart in turmoil.
Just now, Senior Brother Long had decided to seek help from the sect and then search for Senior Brother Jin and Senior Sister Hong in the secret realm with the sect elders.
But Senior Sister Xu had said that the residual poison in the three of them had not been cleared, and the longer it dragged on, the harder it would be to treat.
She felt that after the sect elders arrived, Senior Brother Long and the other two should return to the sect to recuperate first.
As for the task of finding people, it should be left to her and other elders of the sect.
But seeing Senior Brother Long's demeanor, Qu Xiaoxiao felt that he wouldn't listen even if she said it.
She thought to herself that she would wait for the elders to arrive here, and then explain the situation to them. At that time, if the elders gave an order, Senior Brother Long would have no choice but to leave.
Qu Xiaoxiao was hatching a little plan in her heart.
A thousand miles away, the Xuanqing Sect was stirred by the news transmitted by Wang Yi'an.
"Sect Master! Sect Master!"
The Sect Master of Qinglian was still discussing matters with the major elders of the sect when urgent shouts came from outside.
"It's Elder Qu."
"It seems Elder Qu has also received the news."
"His beloved daughter is also in the secret realm of the Xishui Domain, so he must be here to volunteer."
Upon hearing the voice, the elders discerned who it was and sighed.
As expected, Elder Qu strode into the main hall under everyone's watchful eyes.
He cupped his hands towards everyone and said urgently, "You all must already know the cause of the matter, so I will not elaborate further. This time, I ask the Sect Master to let me go to the Xishui Domain secret realm."
Although the Sect Master of Qinglian was inclined to agree, he did not immediately do so. Instead, he turned to look at another elder seated below.
"Elder Zuoyue, what are your thoughts?"
Elder Zuoyue, leaning back in her armchair, opened her hazy eyes and chuckled, "Sect Master, I, Zuoyue, have only taken two disciples in my many years of cultivation, and both have fallen into the secret realm. If I don't go, wouldn't it disheartened my disciples and make the sect a laughingstock?"
She cast a sideways glance at Elder Qu standing in the middle, "As for Elder Qu, if he wishes to go, I will not stop him. However, Elder Qu must follow my arrangements and not act arbitrarily."
Elder Zuoyue's tone was light and airy, yet no one present dared to ignore her words.