Chapter 61: Meeting an Old Friend Again

After completing the mission, Song Qingming finally returned to his tent. After setting down his exhaustion, he leaned against the small couch inside the tent, slowly recalling the events of the day.

He still felt lingering fear from the great battle against the demonic cultivators earlier today. After witnessing the terrifying strength of Yang Wuqi, a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator, Song Qingming had once felt a moment of despair. Although he eventually waited for reinforcements, he still found it hard to believe that he had actually survived.

After witnessing the battle between Foundation Establishment experts, Song Qingming yearned more and more for the divine abilities of Foundation Establishment cultivators to fly through the sky and escape into the earth. Unfortunately, Feng Laogui, who had just agreed with Song Qingming to return to Guiyunfang and take him to Mount Bai Long, had also died carelessly at the hands of demonic cultivators today.

After hearing from Wei Tong after the battle that Feng Laogui had died at the hands of Yang Wuqi while pursuing the demonic cultivators, Song Qingming felt somewhat depressed. Not only had he given Feng Laogui a spirit talisman for nothing yesterday, but he had also risked danger to help Feng Laogui hunt down a high-tier Flame Rat.

Now that Feng Laogui had suddenly died, he did not know who to go to to fulfill the promises made for the large deposit he had paid. Thinking of this, Song Qingming could only sigh helplessly.

Perhaps his luck really was too bad. In the few months since joining the Flying Cloud Guard, the few people he was most familiar with had all met with misfortune today. Feng Laogui had already died, and both Lu Yunfei and Shi Mofeng had been seriously injured. Thinking of this, Song Qingming could not help but reveal a bitter smile.

Seeing that it was getting late, Song Qingming was about to prepare to meditate and cultivate for a while when a sound-transmission talisman suddenly flew into the tent. Song Qingming took the spirit talisman, opened it, and saw elegant handwriting written on it.

"Fellow Daoist Song, Gao Yuyao of the Xiaoyao Sect has come to pay a visit."

Song Qingming opened the restriction outside the tent, and just as he lifted the door curtain, a beautiful yellow figure quickly slipped sideways into the tent.

Compared to three years ago, Gao Yuyao's appearance had not changed much, only that she seemed to have a bit more heroic spirit. Seeing her cautious appearance, Song Qingming guessed that she probably did not want anyone to see her arriving here, so he quickly lowered the door curtain and rearranged a layer of restrictions at the entrance.

Looking up at the somewhat furtive Gao Yuyao before him, Song Qingming rolled his eyes, revealed a curious smile, cupped his hands, and said:

"Fairy Gao, we haven't met for several years. I thought you had already forgotten about me."

"The reason I didn't acknowledge you today was because there were many fellow sect members present, which was inconvenient. I hope Fellow Daoist Song understands." Gao Yuyao explained with an apologetic look on her face.

"Please rest assured about this, Fairy. You and I were just taking what we needed from each other back then, and I am not a person who speaks without restraint. It's just that when Fairy Gao suddenly left without saying goodbye, I was confused until now. I don't know if I did something inappropriate and neglected you."

After hearing Song Qingming's words, Gao Yuyao smiled sweetly and said, "I also suddenly received a message from my Master back then, saying I had to return to the sect immediately. I just forgot to inform you. Please don't misunderstand, Fellow Daoist Song."

"Oh, I see. Then I can rest easy. Let me first congratulate you, Fairy, on breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refining."

"Thank you. Thank you. We haven't met for three years, and not only has Fellow Daoist Song's cultivation progressed rapidly, but you have even joined the Flying Cloud Guard. This really makes me look at you with new eyes."

Seeing that Song Qingming had broken through from the fourth layer of Qi Refining to the sixth layer in just three short years, Gao Yuyao thought he was a three-spirit-root cultivator like herself, and could not help but think more highly of him.

Song Qingming quickly shook his head and said with a smile, "Hehe, it is all thanks to your help back then, Fairy, that I was able to exchange for more cultivation elixirs, saving a lot of cultivation time. It was just opportunistic. Compared to you, Fairy, who broke through to the late stage of Qi Refining at such a young age, I am still far behind."

"I also only left my family to come to Guiyunfang for training not long ago. By chance, I was favored by Captain Lu, which is how I joined the Flying Cloud Guard. I didn't expect to encounter a Foundation Establishment demon the first time I went out on a mission. Several teammates I spent every day with died before my eyes. It really is bad luck."

Seeing that Song Qingming was somewhat discouraged by today's events, Gao Yuyao quickly comforted him.

"Eliminating demons and defending the Dao is a mission assigned by the sect. Today, you killed many demonic cultivators. After my Master reports to the sect, they will certainly record your merits and reward you with spirit items. They will not treat everyone unfairly."

Song Qingming gave a bitter smile and asked, "Fairy, is there anything you need from me by coming here today?"

Gao Yuyao paused before replying, "The reason I came to find you, besides reminiscing, is also because I was afraid today's events would cause you to misunderstand, so I came to explain a little. In the future, when I return to Qinghe County, I hope to continue being friends with Fellow Daoist Song."

Seeing Gao Yuyao's sincere expression, Song Qingming was somewhat surprised. When he was in Qinghe County, Song Qingming had guessed Gao Yuyao's identity, always thinking she was a disciple of some alchemy expert in Qinghefang.

After Gao Yuyao had not come to Mount Caolu for three years, Song Qingming had specifically asked his Fourth Uncle about her in Qinghefang. Unexpectedly, his Fourth Uncle, who was very familiar with Qinghefang, had never heard of this person. Only then did Song Qingming realize that Gao Yuyao's identity might be somewhat unusual.

But he never expected that Gao Yuyao was actually an inner disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect, whose status was far higher than Song Qingming had imagined.

Relying on Gao Yuyao's status as a disciple of a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Xiaoyao Sect, the fact that she could look up to Song Qingming, a cultivator from a small family, really surprised him.

Seeing Song Qingming's puzzled expression, Gao Yuyao hesitated for a moment before explaining, "Fellow Daoist Song, the reason I came to Mount Caolu is because I am also from Qinghe County. I am a cultivator of the Gao family of Mount Lianhua in Qinghe County. Now you understand, right?"

Hearing Gao Yuyao's explanation, Song Qingming suddenly realized. No wonder she didn't let Song Qingming tell the Patriarch that she was the one who sold him the elixirs back then.

Like the Huang family that the Song family relied on, the Gao family of Mount Lianhua was also a Foundation Establishment family in Qinghe County. If the Huang family found out about the transactions between Gao Yuyao, as a Gao family cultivator, and the Song family, it would very likely cause some unnecessary trouble for both sides.

Only now did Song Qingming know about Gao Yuyao's various abnormalities before, so he nodded with relief and said, "It is a great honor to be acquainted with Fairy Gao."

After the two chatted for a few more sentences, Gao Yuyao got up and took her leave.

For the next few days, Liu Xingfeng and the other two remained in the camp, and Song Qingming and the others did not go out to investigate information about demonic beasts again.

After their eleven guards fought a great battle against the demonic cultivators, more than half were dead or injured. Even Captain Lu Yunfei would have to return to Guiyunfang early in a few days to heal and recuperate.

Song Qingming had already learned from several Xiaoyao Sect cultivators these past few days that Liu Xingfeng was mobilizing nearby Flying Cloud Guards to come to the camp to replace their eleven guards.

It seemed he would also have to return to Guiyunfang early.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 62 =====