Chapter 1392: Chance Encounter

"Mingyan?"

Just as Mingyan was filled with worry in her heart, Wang Jianqiang, after his initial stupor, suddenly wore a look of surprise on his face.

His figure flashed, appearing beside Mingyan, and he looked at her with a face full of astonishment, "Why are you here? Didn't you say before that you weren't coming?"

"And..."

"When we encountered the Octopus Clan earlier, why didn't I see you?"

Hearing Wang Jianqiang's inquiry.

Mingyan secretly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.

It seemed that this Wang Jianqiang had not discovered her identity and sought her out on purpose, but had arrived here by coincidence.

Her gaze flickered, and she stood up and bowed to Wang Jianqiang, "Greetings, Master. Mingyan did not intentionally conceal this; I ask for Master's forgiveness."

Wang Jianqiang looked at Mingyan without responding.

Seeing this, Mingyan's mind raced rapidly, and then she spoke cautiously, "Master, when you sent me the message, I had indeed prepared to go into seclusion."

"But after I spoke with you, my Master sent me a message saying that this Jade Clam Clan grand gathering was very important to me and that I must come."

"So I followed along."

"My Master took me as a disciple in secret; very few within the Mermaid Clan know, and my Master seems not to want others to know either, so..."

"I have been following the team in secret under my Master's instructions."

Wang Jianqiang was suddenly enlightened, and then he glared at Mingyan, a look of reproach appearing on his face, "Why didn't you inform me of this?"

Upon hearing this, Mingyan revealed a look of shame, "My Master told me to keep it secret. I was worried that if Master knew I was following, you would show some unusual expression, attracting my Master's attention and subsequently causing my Master to be dissatisfied with you, so I did not inform you."

"I am sorry, Master. It was my own decision; I know I was wrong."

"So that's how it is."

Hearing this, the reproach on Wang Jianqiang's face instantly turned into being moved, "Yan'er is truly so good to me. I am so moved; I must give you a big reward."

Mingyan's expression stiffened, "Master, I am injured..."

Wang Jianqiang was taken aback, carefully looked Mingyan over, and immediately showed a look of concern, "Your injuries seem quite serious."

Mingyan nodded, "Earlier, the team was ambushed by Octopus Clan cultivators. My state of mind fluctuated, which was detected by an Octopus Clan cultivator, and I was hunted down."

"So..."

"Although Mingyan very much wishes to receive Master's reward, I am afraid... I cannot fulfill that wish..."

"No matter."

Wang Jianqiang waved his hand with a chuckle, "It's just a small injury; I have a way."

As he spoke.

He waved his palm, and a Jade Bottle appeared in front of Mingyan, saying with great generosity, "There are ten Level 4 High-Grade Healing Pills here; their medicinal effect is extraordinary."

"After you take them, you will recover very soon."

"Take them."

Mingyan subconsciously took the Pill gifted by Wang Jianqiang.

Sensing the pure medicinal power of the pills in the Jade Bottle, her heart was filled with surprise.

Such strong medicinal effect, such pure medicinal power!

If she were truly a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, with these Fourth-tier High-grade Pills, her injuries would recover in at most half a day.

But...

She was not a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator!

If she took the pills and could not recover quickly.

Wouldn't her cover be blown immediately?

Thinking of this, she felt a sense of secret distress in her heart.

She was afraid she was going to be too clever by half!

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Mingyan's expression flickering constantly without accepting the pills, Wang Jianqiang showed a look of confusion.

Hearing this, Mingyan reacted immediately.

"Master, I am just too moved."

"Mingyan accepts Master's kind intentions. Being able to follow by Master's side to serve you is already enough to satisfy me; how could I become a burden to Master?"

"I cannot accept these pills."

Wang Jianqiang laughed upon hearing this, "I am very happy that you have this heart."

"However, I am a man of my word; you should still accept these pills."

"Master, this must not be. You will make Mingyan feel guilty." Mingyan waved her hands repeatedly.

"Are you not even going to listen to Master's words?"

Wang Jianqiang's expression turned stern, feigning anger.

Mingyan's expression stiffened.

"Since it is Master's kind intention, then Mingyan will accept them."

Seeing that she truly could not decline, she sighed inwardly and could only put the pills away.

Wang Jianqiang smiled when he saw this, "You recover first; Master will stand guard for you."

Mingyan's expression flickered as she made a final struggle, "Master, how can I let you stand guard for me? This is too disrespectful; it must not be. You should return to the team and reunite with the clansmen first."

"It is very safe here; I can recover on my own."

"Yan'er, what are you saying?"

Wang Jianqiang's expression turned stern.

Hearing Tianyu's form of address, Mingyan felt completely numb.

Yan'er?

Was this Tianyu even a fraction of her age?

The other party's form of address made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

Just then, Wang Jianqiang's voice continued, "Since I am your master, we are family; and family does not speak of two different households."

"As a master, isn't it only natural to care for one's subordinates?"

Mingyan opened her mouth, but in the end, she did not say anything.

She braced herself and returned to the space between the two reefs.

She deliberately found an angle that was difficult for Wang Jianqiang to observe, took a Pill from the Jade Bottle gifted by Wang Jianqiang, and brought it to her mouth.

The moment the Pill entered her mouth.

A faint, imperceptible glimmer of Spirit Light lit up in her palm.

Ten drops of Life Water and one Eighth-rank Low-level Pill appeared in her palm simultaneously.

They were swallowed along with the Pill gifted by Wang Jianqiang.

In the current Mermaid Clan, the Life Spring had already dried up.

Life Water could not be regenerated, and the existing Life Water was already extremely scarce; its preciousness went without saying.

As for the Eighth-rank Low-level Pill, it was even rarer in the Sea Region.

In the Sea Region, Alchemists were extremely rare, and high-rank Alchemists even more so.

Even as the Mermaid Empress, she only had this one Eighth-tier Healing Pill on her person.

Previously, she had always treated this pill as a life-saving item and could not bear to use it, only taking Seventh-tier High-grade Pills to barely recover.

But at this moment.

In order to prevent her identity from being exposed, she had no choice but to endure the heartache and use this pill.

With the help of the Life Water and the Eighth-tier Pill.

Her injuries would definitely be able to recover within ten days.

In this way, although it might still arouse Tianyu's suspicion, there was nothing else she could do.

She hoped she could muddle through when the time came.