Chapter 449: Baohua Xianzi

Until they had completely left the former range of Shi Qiao.

Zhang Ye swallowed all the pills in his mouth; supported by the warm medicinal power, he struggled to regulate his breathing.

As a cultivator who traveled far to escort goods, he knew exactly what kind of trouble he had gotten himself into.

The soldiers and generals patrolling Hongze Dragon Palace every day are limited in number; at most, within two double-hours, news of the two water-dwelling creatures going missing will leak out.

This body of water, at least for the next ten-plus years, he would absolutely not pass through again.

"Thank you, senior; truly, this Zhang was blind..."

Zhang Ye formed a hand seal and glanced at Shen Yi, whose expression remained calm, feeling nothing but immense admiration in his heart.

Having offended the Hongze water-dwelling creatures, yet still remaining so composed and calm.

Either the other party possesses an equally impressive background, or they are simply accustomed to such conduct: killing and leaving without a trace, leaving no aftermath.

From Shen Yi's decisive and clean movements just now, destroying the evidence and covering up the tracks with effortless flow, Zhang Ye leaned more toward the latter.

Of course, judging by that domineering and formidable cultivation, the background certainly could not be lacking either.

But at a time like this, Old Zhang would absolutely not ask a single extra question.

Although they were all grasshoppers on the same rope, with such a ruthless figure, enduring until now without wiping out all of them was already rare kindness.

"No need; it was merely self-preservation."

Shen Yi shook his head and looked forward.

As long as he still needed the lifespans of demons and monsters, offending the water-dwelling creatures was inevitable sooner or later.

Getting used to it early was a good thing.

However, when traveling abroad, it was best not to carry the name of Nanyang Sect; the group within the Blessed Land currently could not withstand any more turmoil.

"Shen Qianbei, do you have some urgent matter regarding Baohua Xianzi?" Liu Jun had finally recovered his senses; when he looked at Shen Yi again, his eyes were completely different.

Facing a renowned water-dwelling demon lord, he simply killed him on the spot.

This was entirely different from those sect disciples who had previously come to Bao Hua Sect out of admiration, wanting a glimpse of the Baohua Xianzi's beauty, pretending to be dashing and free-spirited.

To say that such a senior traveled over mountains and seas merely for the sake of beauty, he did not believe it.

"I seek a favor; I came after receiving the senior's guidance."

Shen Yi nodded slightly; he was no longer a greenhorn fresh out of the mountains.

Even if Senior Li Xuanqing had indeed left a favor at Bao Hua Sect in the past, the world changes; he has become a wooden man, and now the other party might not be willing to acknowledge that bond.

It was always good to have an extra connection.

"Rest assured, I will take this matter upon myself." Liu Jun patted his chest forcefully and said decisively, "I dare not say anything else, but as long as we are within the sect, creating an opportunity for you to accidentally meet Baohua Xianzi is no problem; previously, when those people asked me, I simply ignored them."

"Mm."

Shen Yi glanced at him: "Thank you."

It sounded a bit strange.

"..."

Listening to the two converse, all the cultivators on the boat were silent; amidst the lingering terror of having narrowly escaped death, there was also a touch of bitterness.

Having barely recovered their lives, it was naturally worth gratitude and excitement.

If not for this senior in the black robe, who appeared unusually young, intervening to save them, they would now be feeding fish in the water.

But they were not like young master Liu and the others, who could climb the connections of Bao Hua Sect and seek refuge within the He Dao Blessed Land.

Once they reached the shore, they could only rely on their own abilities to escape.

"Shen Qianbei, who is stronger between you and Baohua Xianzi?"

Liu Jun recovered from his terror and turned back into the chatterbox he was before, looking on with curiosity.

"I do not know her." Shen Yi leaned against the boat pillar, responding intermittently; this young man's information required no coaxing; the other party could talk it all out himself.

"Before I left, the sect was celebrating the Xianzi's breakthrough to the sixth floor of the Return to Emptiness realm: two floors of the Immortal Palace, three floors of the Spirit Palace."

Liu Jun spoke endlessly: "The Xianzi is truly beautiful, gentle and generous, and also the heir to the Shen Zongzhu; you will know once you see her."

"..."

Shen Yi listened quietly, gaining a general understanding of Bao Hua Sect.

Clearly, this was also a major sect with a He Dao cultivator stationed there, but its foundation, not to mention comparing it to the Seven Sages of Nanhong, even if compared to just one of them individually, was inferior by more than a single notch.

For instance, both were heirs to the Shen Zongzhu.

This Baohua Xianzi's Dao Palace, however, did not even have a single floor of the Heavenly Palace; she was not on the same level as Senior Li Xuanqing at all.

He now had only one question.

This Baohua Xianzi, if her cultivation is merely this, does not sound like a figure from one hundred thousand years ago?

Could she be someone Senior Li Xuanqing met afterwards?

Bao Hua Sect.

Unlike the inner courts of other Xian Sects, the cultivators here seemed to dislike living in cave dwellings; instead, there were rows of elegant small buildings, arranged with pleasing irregularity, combined with the faint floral scent permeating the air, green mountains and beautiful waters, creating quite the feeling of a fairyland on earth.

Inside the most ancient-looking of these small buildings.

An old woman with silver-white hair sat before a mirror, staring blankly at her face covered in wrinkles; only those bright eyes could still vaguely reveal her former beauty and grace.

Behind her.

A tall woman in a white dress with pink-tinged hems, wearing a Bao Hua crown woven like vines, barefoot, holding an ivory comb in her hand, was carefully smoothing that streak of flower-white hair reaching her waist for the old lady.

With this attire, her identity was self-evident.

"Master."

Baohua Xianzi said softly, "It is combed."

Even throughout Hongze, it was likely impossible to find a second He Dao giant who still cared about their appearance.

Baohua Xianzi could not understand it either, but since her master liked it, she stayed by her side.

"Very well."

The old woman did not rise; longing filled her eyes. "Go. This master wishes to sit alone for a while."

As her words fell, she seemed to turn into a piece of wood, her entire being sinking into deep thought.

"This disciple obeys."

Bao Hua Xianzi bowed deeply, then quietly withdrew.

By the time she slowly descended Qingshan, she made no effort to adjust the expression on her face, yet merely the shift in her gaze transformed her from her master's good disciple into a graceful and gentle senior sister.

Disciples around her all stopped walking and bowed.

Even though they shared the Inner Sect and often saw her, pausing to catch a glimpse of her immortal bearing still helped soothe their Dao hearts.

Bao Hua Xianzi finally returned to her small tower.

Before she could enter, she saw several maids waiting outside the door; they hurried forward a few steps and said, "Baohua Xianzi has returned. A cultivator from outside the sect wishes to see you."

"Who is it?" Bao Hua Xianzi struggled to maintain her dignity.

"It is a young cultivator, quite handsome, though unfamiliar. His cultivation is roughly at the second layer of Return to Emptiness," the maid replied quickly.

"Hmm?" Bao Hua Xianzi glanced sideways. Under normal circumstances, such news would never reach her, after all, countless cultivators came daily to the Bao Hua Sect to request an audience, and nearly ninety-nine percent were young men.

"Here is the matter: he said he came on the advice of the senior Li Xuanqing," the maid said, her face changing slightly as she hurried to explain. "I feared this senior Li Xuanqing might be an old acquaintance of yours, so I rushed to report it."

"Li Xuanqing?"

Bao Hua Xianzi frowned slightly; after a few breaths, she shook her head. "I do not know him. I will not see him."

(End of this chapter.)