"By the way, where is Xiao Qi?" Xiao Man asked abruptly.
At these words, everyone fell silent. They had searched all over Wuji City and the Land of Nowhere, but found no trace of Xiao Qi.
Jun Fei'er's expression flickered, "Xiao Qi was taken away by his family."
"Family?" Xiao Man looked confused. How could it be such a coincidence that he was taken away by his family at this very moment? Was it really his family who took him?
"Yes, the one who took Xiao Qi was a Supreme expert of unknown identity. However, judging by his demeanor, he was very fond of Xiao Qi. It is said that he also arrived in the nick of time to kill Zang Xu and save you," Jun Fei'er comforted Xiao Man. They had not found Xiao Qi, but Xiao Man was safe, which meant Xiao Qi was also safe, merely missing.
"Did they say where his home is?"
"That venerable one said that if fate allows, you will meet again," Jun Fei'er adjusted the quilt for Xiao Man. "The most important thing now is for you to recuperate. Once your body has recovered, I will teach you alchemy. As for Xiao Qi, you will meet again one day."
Xiao Man closed her eyes, but a face suddenly flashed in her mind: "Have you seen a man in his early twenties, exceptionally handsome, gentle and refined?"
Everyone shook their heads in unison. When they arrived, Xiao Man was the only one lying at the city gate.
After Xiao Man woke up, she remained in bed recuperating for several more days before she could get out.
Seeing that Xiao Man was awake and out of danger, Shan Yun left the Hundred Herbs Hall to report to the Spirit Snake Sect.
Jun Fei'er came out with medicine, only to see Xiao Man, wrapped in a thick fox fur cloak, gazing blankly at the distant mountains.
"Xiao Qin, it's time to take your medicine." Jun Fei'er handed the medicine to Xiao Man. "To avoid losing its efficacy, I haven't made it into pills. Drink it while it's hot."
Xiao Man took it and drank it down in one gulp, then handed the bowl back to Jun Fei'er, her eyes still fixed on the distance, as if lost in thought.
Jun Fei'er sat down beside her and followed Xiao Man's gaze. "Xiao Qin, what are you looking at?"
"I'm not looking at anything. I just feel... something is wrong." There was confusion in Xiao Man's eyes. She distinctly remembered seeing... No, it was impossible. She had personally collected his body and watched him buried with her own eyes. It was absolutely impossible.
Jun Fei'er thought Xiao Man was still recovering from the trauma of being pursued by Zang Xu. "The Hundred Herbs Hall has a library with over 100,000 volumes. If you are bored, you can go to the library to read before your injuries are completely healed."
"The Hundred Herbs Hall primarily focuses on alchemy, so most of the books in the library are related to alchemy. Before you start learning alchemy, you can familiarize yourself with the prescriptions, properties, and principles of medicine. That way, once your body has recovered, you can officially begin practicing alchemy."
"Alright, thank you, Master."
"If you truly want to thank me, then hurry up and get well," Jun Fei'er sighed. "I feel that something is not quite right with you since you woke up."
Xiao Man's eyes flickered. "I've worried you, Master. Please rest assured, I will recuperate as quickly as possible and learn alchemy from you."
"No rush, just focus on getting better first," Jun Fei'er said happily. "What do you want to eat tonight? I'll cook for you."
"I'll eat whatever Master cooks," Xiao Man replied obediently. "Master's cooking is very delicious."
Jun Fei'er's smile instantly bloomed. "Okay, then tonight I'll make my signature sweet and sour fish for you."
Jun Fei'er happily went to prepare the ingredients. Rebirth appeared silently behind Xiao Man. "Mistress."
"How is it? Have you found him?" Xiao Man's voice was very calm, as if she had already guessed the outcome.
Rebirth shook his head. "No, I even asked the old city lord and Qi Hong, and they both said they haven't seen the person you mentioned. Moreover, the one who saved your life was an elderly gentleman with a distinguished bearing."
Xiao Man's mind flashed to the old man she had seen at the city gate that day. Xiao Qi was in his arms then and looked very nervous, indicating he knew the old man. But why did he refuse to acknowledge him, and why didn't the old man take him away?
"Have you found out his identity?"
"No, this person does not belong to the Seven Great Sects. To be able to easily annihilate Zang Xu, his abilities must be formidable. He is likely from a noble family or a sect," Rebirth's eyes flashed with a complex light. "Mistress, if only I hadn't failed to protect Xiao Qi..."
"Rebirth, this is not your fault," Xiao Man interrupted him. "This whole matter, in the end, is my fault. If I hadn't been so arrogant, thinking I was invincible, how could Xiao Qi have been taken away?"
"You asked me to find someone. Are you looking for Xiao Qi, or someone else?" Rebirth felt that Xiao Man was not quite herself, as if she had something on her mind.
"Rebirth, can the dead come back to life?"
"Once we cultivate a Nascent Soul, we are equivalent to having an extra life. If we encounter an enemy, as long as the Nascent Soul escapes, we can cultivate a new physical body. Therefore, death is not a major issue for experts above the Nascent Soul stage." Rebirth looked at Xiao Man with some confusion. "Mistress, have you seen an old acquaintance?"
Xiao Man fell silent for a long time, then slowly nodded, and then shook her head again. She didn't know if it was a hallucination. Moreover, this was the Cang Xuan Continent, so she must have seen wrongly.
"Forget it, it must have been a hallucination," Xiao Man waved her hand. "With your current cultivation, it's not appropriate to stay here."
"You want to send me away?" Rebirth was somewhat surprised and took a step forward. "I must stay by your side to protect you."
"Now that the Five Poisons Sect is annihilated, and the remaining six sects are conducting their own investigations to find the remnants of the demon race hidden within each sect, I am very safe at the Hundred Herbs Hall and do not need your protection." Xiao Man's voice was gentle but unyielding. "What you need to do is far more important than protecting me."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Rebirth, ask yourself, what do you want?"
"To reclaim everything that belongs to me," Rebirth said without hesitation. He had abandoned his name and his appearance, taken the alias Rebirth, all for the day when he could openly reclaim what was his.
"Since that is the case, then go and attend to your business," Xiao Man looked at him. "At the same time, pave the way for me. Not long from now, I will definitely come to find you."
Rebirth hesitated. "But your body..."
"Although I am still heavily injured, don't forget that I have a very protective master. Moreover, how many people do you think can bully me?" A smile appeared on Xiao Man's face. "Don't worry about me. Once I successfully condense my core, I will come to find you."
"Mistress, will you really come to find me?" Rebirth asked with some worry. He felt that Xiao Man was just placating him, and even a sense of unease arose in his heart, as if if he left now, he might never see her again.