Tailed

Yunyouzi accepted the toast with composure and took a sip of his wine. Holding his cup, his thoughts seemed to wander, and he remained lost in a daze for a long while before asking with a hint of hesitation, "Brother Qin, when you met Jixin... how was he doing?" "Daoist Priest Jixin possessed a benevolent heart. He was content with a life of poverty, offering medicine and treating the sick among the poor. When this junior took shelter at Qingyang Temple, it happened to be a year of famine. Northern refugees fled south, and the fields were strewn with the bodies of the starved. Daoist Priest Jixin dispensed medicine freely, saving countless lives..." Seeing that Yunyouzi was interested, Qin Sang recounted everything he had seen and heard after arriving at Qingyang Temple in thorough detail. He held immense admiration for Daoist Priest Jixin. The priest was a truly compassionate soul who lived out the creed of "sheltering all the destitute beneath the heavens with boundless halls, bringing joy to every face." Qin Sang could not bring himself to do the same, but that did not stop him from admiring such a person. "He did well." Yunyouzi nodded, looking as though a weight had been lifted from his chest. "Daoist Priest Jixin passed on Senior's mortal lineage to a disciple named Mingyue, who is likewise intelligent, kind, and righteous. However, before this junior departed Great Sui, I visited Qingyang Temple once more. Daoist Priest Jixin and Mingyue had already left the temple to flee the turmoil of war. Moreover, more than forty years have passed since then, so I fear..." Qin Sang's expression dimmed slightly. Time was merciless. Mingyue was only two years younger than him. Unless Daoist Priest Jixin had encountered a miracle, he had surely passed away by now. Yunyouzi thought of this as well and let out a soft sigh. Stepping onto the immortal path meant parting with the mortal world forever. "Did Senior join the Taiyi Dan Sect?" Qin Sang recalled the scene when he had first spotted Yunyouzi: the manager of Taiyi Elixir Pavilion had addressed Yunyouzi as 'Martial Uncle' while seeing him off, clearly indicating an extraordinarily close bond. Yunyouzi gave an affirmative grunt. "This old Daoist's revered teacher, Master Piaoya, hailed from the Taiyi Dan Sect. Back then, seeing that this old Daoist was well-versed in the healing arts and possessed some talent in alchemy, my master made an exception and brought me into the immortal sect to serve as a medicine boy. It was also fortunate that this old Daoist possessed some medical skill and excelled in the ways of nourishing health. Though I was already advanced in years, my body remained relatively robust. Later, after taking several spirit pills, I was fortunate enough to take that step." Though Yunyouzi spoke of it in such understated terms, Qin Sang knew full well the immense hardship veiled behind those few words. ... Outside Changyang Cultivation Market, Qin Sang saw Yunyouzi off. "Brother Qin, please head back! You are a disciple of Shaohua Mountain, and our sects jointly garrison Xuanlu Pass. There will surely come a day when we meet again. Until then!" From a distance, Yunyouzi cupped his hands to Qin Sang, then turned and set off westward alone. Qin Sang watched as Yunyouzi's somewhat gaunt figure faded into the surrounding mountains. According to Yunyouzi, although he had broken through to Foundation Establishment, his extreme age at the time had left hidden injuries during the breakthrough, hindering his future cultivation. He had wandered the Ancient Immortal Battlefield for many years, searching everywhere for a way to resolve those ailments. Only recently had he finally obtained a lead, prompting this journey, never expecting to cross paths with Qin Sang in Changyang Cultivation Market. This reminded Qin Sang of his own plight; the two of them were fellow sufferers of similar misfortune. Yet Qin Sang had brought it upon himself, whereas Yunyouzi had only encountered his immortal destiny at the age of seventy-eight—truly the cruel jest of fate, beyond mortal control. As for the exact nature of Yunyouzi's hidden injury, Qin Sang did not pry. His acquaintance with Yunyouzi was merely a faint strand of fate born through Daoist Priest Jixin. Having met only this once, they shared no deep friendship, and speaking too deeply with a casual acquaintance was something to be avoided. Yunyouzi had merely offered a casual explanation without intending to elaborate, nor had he invited Qin Sang to lend a hand. Qin Sang was tactful enough not to press the matter. Qin Sang lingered where he stood, turning toward the southeast and remaining motionless for a long time. This unexpected encounter with Yunyouzi had stirred his thoughts. If he had chosen to stay in Great Sui back then and had never pursued the path of immortality, what would his life look like now? Perhaps he would hold sway over the realm, amass wealth rivaling nations, or be surrounded by children and grandchildren... Such a life would undoubtedly have been magnificent in its own right. Yet deep down in his heart, would there have lingered an indelible regret, welling up from the depths of his soul every time he looked up alone at the night sky? After all, true immortals really walked this world! Qin Sang looked up at the vast heavens, then turned and walked back into the market. Finding an unoccupied corner, he concealed his cultivation to the thirteenth layer of the Qi Refinement stage, donned a ghost mask, and returned to the main street. He walked with hurried strides, looking as though he were pressed by urgent business. ... Changyang Cultivation Market was surrounded by rolling, uneven rocky hills, forming complex terrain. At that moment, a masked figure emerged from the market. The instant he cleared the perimeter, he immediately activated a flying magic tool and sped westward at full tilt, constantly glancing behind him with utmost vigilance. He seemed not to notice that behind him, nestled among the crags and ridges, two figures were using the terrain to conceal themselves in the shadows. Like venomous vipers, they crept up silently, dogging his heels without ever falling behind! Of the two, one was a burly man dressed in tight-fitting martial attire, while the other resembled a frail scholar. "Second Brother, he's just a fellow at the thirteenth layer of Qi Refinement, with cultivation roughly equal to our own. Even without using the yin poison miasma, the two of us ganging up on him could easily take him down. Why bother disturbing Eldest Brother?" The burly man hated sneaking and tailing above all else. To avoid alerting the target, he hardly dared draw a breath, which left him feeling utterly stifled and uncomfortable, his tone laced with dissatisfaction. Yet the scholar had insisted on waiting for their eldest brother before making a move. Their eldest brother was, after all, a Foundation Establishment expert. To interrupt his cultivation over a mere Qi Refinement fat sheep seemed a preposterous overreaction. The scholar kept his eyes fixed on the figure ahead, his voice grim. "This person is exceedingly cautious. He only sold a small amount in each shop, but we've tracked him into seven or eight shops in a row, and he sold the exact same things in every one. That proves the fire elemental stones and spirit-infused fiendish items in his hands are by no means a small sum. Anyone capable of procuring so many spiritual items should never be underestimated, no matter how low his cultivation seems. Caution is always best. Keep your eyes peeled and cut the chatter, or he might slip away with an illusion technique." Chastised, the burly man had no choice but to suppress his discontent and obey orders. The three brothers had run their illicit trade across major towns and cultivation markets for years without running into trouble, entirely thanks to Second Brother's careful plotting. Even their eldest brother deferred to Second Brother's judgment; he certainly dared not voice real dissent, only venting a bit of grumbling. After following for a while longer, whether because the man ahead had exhausted too much spiritual power to sustain his magic tool or because he had let down his guard seeing that nothing was amiss, his speed gradually slowed. Right then, the scholar suddenly whispered, "Eldest Brother has arrived. Move!" "Right on it!" The burly man gave a sinister grin and stomped fiercely against the ground, his body rocketing into the air like an arrow loosed from a bow. The scholar was not a step behind. In the blink of an eye, the two closed the distance, surrounding their quarry from left and right. To their eyes, the gaze beneath the mask was filled with helplessness and panic. From both their hands, a plume of foul-smelling yin poison miasma surged forth simultaneously. As soon as they closed in, they struck out with the miasma, instantly enveloping their target entirely. "Drop, drop, drop..." The burly man was still baring his teeth in a wild laugh. The scholar's face, however, twisted in sheer horror. "Not good, the poison miasma didn't work! Eldest Brother, strike quickly!"