Chapter 204: Reunion with an Old Friend

204. Chapter 204 Reunion with an Old Friend

Seeing the expressions of a few members of the Giant Wood Sect, Xiao Zhangqing understood that the newcomer must be a master of the Giant Wood Sect.

And from the looks of it, it was certainly a Golden Core True Person.

The cloaking light faded, and a shuttle flying boat hovered above the crowd, with several figures streaming out one after another.

"Not only Elder Wan has arrived, but Elder Zhuge and the Supreme Elder as well? Wonderful!"

Seeing the arriving reinforcements, the excitement on the faces of the Giant Wood Sect members deepened.

But when they were pursuing the Yang siblings, they only managed to send a request for aid to Elder Wan of the sect.

At the time they thought, even if the chase failed and the Yang siblings fled back to Yang Fortress, as long as Wan True Person arrived, the fortress now only has a Fake Core True Person stationed there, who would absolutely not dare to oppose Wan True Person, so it would be sufficient.

Wan True Person is named Wan Yuesheng, who is the former lover of Ruan Qingzhu.

Wan Yuesheng has successfully formed his Golden Core for nearly twenty years; initially his Golden Core quality was not high, but not low either, not the lowest translucent hue.

Therefore his current cultivation is close to the mid Golden Core stage, making him a standout among early Golden Core practitioners.

A Fake Core True Person is certainly no match for him.

Even without mentioning the Giant Wood Sect behind it, Yang Fortress would not dare to fight Wan Yuesheng.

But now the Giant Wood Sect must face not Yang Fortress, but a mysterious cultivator who appeared midway.

The power Xiao Zhangqing displayed just now while crushing the Giant Wood Sect members was truly terrifying; even though Wan True Person is a seasoned early Golden Core cultivator, he is likely still inferior.

Fortunately…

Elder Wan did not come alone; three of the Giant Wood Sect's five current Golden Core True Persons arrived at once!

Moreover, among them the sect's strongest, the Supreme Elder at the mid Golden Core realm, also came!

The Supreme Elder is a renowned figure throughout the entire Da Yu Cultivation World; although only at the mid Golden Core level, his deep accumulation and powerful Magic Treasure and divine abilities allow him to contend with late Golden Core cultivators.

With three Golden Core True Persons arriving personally, it's settled! "Honored to meet the Supreme Elder…"

The Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivator who just used the Thunder Pearl Magic Treasure quickly rose to greet them, then quietly recounted what had just happened.

After hearing, the three Golden Core True Persons each turned their gaze toward Xiao Zhangqing, assessing and probing.

Xiao Zhangqing remained unflustered, smiling and nodding at the three as a greeting.

For a top-tier sect like the Giant Wood Sect, Xiao Zhangqing had already done his homework back when he was in Character: Liyang Immortal City.

Not to mention that he has now forged a Second Avatar, greatly boosting his strength. Even before forging the avatar, ten years ago, the Giant Wood Sect was no fear to him.

As long as he stays outside Giant Wood Immortal City, being surrounded by that divine tree is sufficient.

In his view, none of these three Golden Core True Persons pose any threat.

Their arrival gives him a perfect chance to inquire about the Black Sand Secret Realm, a "friendly" exchange.

As for the treasure "Four-stage Spirit Wood Heart", sorry, Xiao Zhangqing certainly will not hand it over.

Such a supreme treasure is rare throughout the Da Yu Cultivation World, and even a Nascent Soul True Lord finds it highly useful; how could he give it to the Giant Wood Sect?

However, Xiao Zhangqing can understand why the Giant Wood Sect values the Four-stage Spirit Wood Heart so much, willing to expend massive effort, even tarnish the sect's reputation, to search and forcibly buy or sell every cultivator emerging from the Black Sand Secret Realm, because this treasure is crucial to the Giant Wood Sect.

If the Four-stage Spirit Wood Heart were given to the Giant Wood Sect's divine tree for refinement, that already top-tier three-stage tree would likely break its shackles and evolve into a four-stage one, almost guaranteed.

But this has nothing to do with Xiao Zhangqing.

Meeting it today means the Four-stage Spirit Wood Heart is fated to be linked with Xiao—someone, and destined not to be with the Giant Wood Sect.

"Xiao... Xiao Symbol Master?"

Just as Xiao Zhangqing and the three Golden Core True Persons of the Giant Wood Sect were pondering how to speak, behind the three Golden Core True Persons, a young Foundation Establishment cultivator, upon seeing Xiao Zhangqing, shouted in disbelief. The Giant Wood Sect reinforcements that arrived by flying boat included not only the three Golden Core True Persons but also several Foundation Establishment cultivators.

But Xiao Zhangqing's attention was naturally focused on the Golden Core cultivators, and he did not notice the Foundation Establishment cultivators behind.

Now hearing someone seemingly calling his name, and using the strange yet familiar title "Xiao Symbol Master", Xiao Zhangqing suddenly realized there was a rather familiar face.

Since leaving Nanshan Fang, nearly twenty years had passed without anyone calling him "Xiao Symbol Master".

In Character: Liyang Immortal City, the title of Symbol Master was no longer Xiao Zhangqing's most representative identity.

"Ruan Bufen?"

Xiao Zhangqing was not very familiar with Ruan Bufen; they had only met a few times and had not had deep interaction.

It was Ruan Bufen's mother, Ruan Qingzhu, whom he had more dealings with, and when she was forced to leave Nanshan Fang, they even lived together for several months.

Xiao Zhangqing knows little about Ruan Bufen.

He only roughly knows that because he once saved his life, Ruan Bufen is quite grateful, and he heard Ruan Qingzhu say that her son seemed to admire him, claiming he rose from a mere scattered cultivator to become the top figure of Nanshan Fang, full of legend.

Later, when an Evil Cultivator attempted an incursion, Ruan Qingzhu, being foresighted, sent her son Ruan Bufen away a step ahead.

But for unknown reasons, he was sent to the Giant Wood Immortal City in the far western realm.

When the Lin sisters were traveling, they asked Ruan Qingzhu about the reason, but she was reluctant to elaborate.

"It's really you, Xiao Symbol Master! I never expected after all these years to meet you here!" Ruan Bufen was overjoyed.

Compared to his half-childish self back at Nanshan Fang, he has matured greatly, his cultivation has advanced significantly, and he has already entered the Foundation Establishment realm.

It seems his guess was correct; Ruan Qingzhu indeed has deep ties with the Giant Wood Sect, otherwise she wouldn't have sent her son to Giant Wood Immortal City, and she wouldn't have achieved Foundation Establishment so quickly.

Don't think the Lin sisters have all succeeded in Foundation Establishment these years, but that was thanks to their own assistance, consuming resources unimaginable to ordinary Qi Refining Realm cultivators.

For ordinary scattered cultivators, Foundation Establishment is extremely arduous.

"Back then my mother told me, Xiao Symbol Master, you went to Character: Liyang Immortal City, and later I even asked my senior brother to inquire about you, but in the end we couldn't find any news..."

Ruan Bufen was so elated that he didn't notice the uneasy atmosphere; the others from the Giant Wood Sect were frowning at him.

He went straight to Xiao Zhangqing's side and recounted the past.

Xiao Zhangqing naturally noticed the others' expressions, and laughed inwardly; it seemed that although Ruan Bufen had grown in age and cultivation, his temperament had changed little from before.

"How is your mother?" Xiao Zhangqing asked with a smile.

The previously excited Ruan Bufen's expression immediately dimmed at the words, and he bowed his head sorrowfully, saying, "My mother failed in her Foundation Establishment, suffered severe loss of vital energy, and has been dead for many years..."

Upon hearing this news, Xiao Zhangqing was slightly stunned and let out a soft sigh.

The shopkeeper Ruan, who was the dream lover of countless cultivators in Nanshan Fang back then and was alluring without being demonic, has already died.

"Your mother never managed to purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill in the end?" Xiao Zhangqing fell silent for a moment and asked.

Xiao Zhangqing remembered that Ruan Qingzhu's spiritual root was quite good.

Although it wasn't a top‑grade spiritual root, it was among the best of the mid‑grade ones.

After all, before being abandoned by Baihua Valley, Ruan Qingzhu's standing in Baihua Valley was quite good; he was considered a key trainee, and his cultivation had reached Foundation Establishment completion early on.

He merely fell into bad company, was exiled by Baihua Valley to a remote region, and thus was delayed.

Given Ruan Qingzhu's spiritual root and comprehension, if he had a Foundation Establishment Pill to take, the difficulty of foundation establishment should not be great.

At the very least, even if he failed, it shouldn't result in a mortal wound… (End of chapter)