Chapter 430: Xiaohe

"One, two, three, four…"

"Six in total!"

"Master, is this enough?"

Dressed in red, Xiaohe looked at He Pingsheng and arranged the array materials into six storage bags.

He Pingsheng asked: "All for teleportation arrays? Are you certain there's enough?"

"Yes, Master. I've confirmed it four times," Xiaohe said. "Six sets of teleportation array materials—each set can let you set up one pair of teleportation arrays!"

He Pingsheng nodded: "Six is enough."

"Let's go!"

"Pack up all the array materials and come with me!"

Xiaohe asked: "Where to?"

He Pingsheng said: "To the Qi Kingdom… hmm… first, to Hongshi County!"

"To visit your mistress!"

"Yes!" Xiaohe jumped up happily. "Master, I've been stuck in the shop these years—either cultivating or guarding the store. It's so boring! It's wonderful to go out with you!"

"It's good, but…" He Pingsheng flicked Xiaohe's forehead with his right hand. "Remember: we're going to rescue someone, and it might be extremely dangerous!"

"You must obey every order from your master. No mischief. No fooling around!"

"Yes!" Xiaohe nodded solemnly. "Master… I'll listen to you!"

He Pingsheng prepared himself, and days later, after quietly instructing Ling Zhi, he hurriedly left the capital with Xiaohe.

Xiaohe had to come along because she could help set up the teleportation arrays.

Teleportation arrays have two sides and must be set up simultaneously, so at least two people are needed.

Fortunately, He Pingsheng had already finished crafting the array plates.

After leaving the capital, He Pingsheng boarded the Eight Treasures Boat and headed toward Hongshi County.

He had Xiaohe pilot the flying vessel while he sat inside the pavilion, carving the array plates.

The teleportation array plates weren't finished yet!

But He Pingsheng was now very familiar with carving array plates—he worked quickly, and the two plates from earlier tests could still be reused.

After more than ten days, He Pingsheng stepped out of the pavilion.

He found Xiaohe kneeling on the deck, bowing toward the empty air ahead.

"What are you doing?" He Pingsheng asked as he approached.

Xiaohe screamed in fright, then complained: "Master… don't you make any noise when you walk?"

He Pingsheng said: "It's not that I'm silent—it's that you're too absorbed."

"What are you doing?"

Xiaohe said seriously: "Worshiping the gods…"

"What?" He Pingsheng stared in shock. "You're a cultivator yourself—why are you worshiping gods here?"

"Did something troubling happen?"

"No!" Xiaohe's cheeks flushed. "I just offered a simple prayer!"

"What exactly?" He Pingsheng's face turned stern. "Tell me. Don't lie."

Seeing He Pingsheng so serious, Xiaohe flinched and immediately knelt on the deck. "Master… can't I just not say it?"

"No!" He Pingsheng's tone was unyielding.

He truly feared something had happened to his disciple.

Xiaohe took a deep breath. "Alright… I was just praying to the gods, hoping that on our way back, a powerful bandit gang will appear and kidnap both you and me!"

"Not just kidnap—kill us and eat our flesh!"

"Sssss…" He Pingsheng sucked in a sharp breath. "Those bandits are truly cruel!"

"Exactly!" Xiaohe said. "The crueler, the better. Then, just as we're about to die, a celestial immortal descends from the sky, standing on a flying sword—wearing green robes, impossibly handsome. One slash, and all the bandits are dead. He looks at me—and from that one glance, eternity begins. He can never leave me again!"

"Then I'll have the most handsome, peerless Dao companion in the world!"

He Pingsheng's expression shifted from stern to horrified, then to amused, and finally he waved his hand. "Fine… keep praying."

"I was wrong…"

"I disturbed you…"

"Your master is sorry…"

As he spoke, He Pingsheng bowed to Xiaohe with mock solemnity.

Then he went himself to pilot the Eight Treasures Boat.

"Hmph…" Xiaohe stomped her foot angrily. "Stupid master—you were so scary just now, you nearly scared me to death! I curse you to have a son…"

"Hmm?" He Pingsheng, piloting ahead, turned his head, his gaze sharp and stern.

Xiaohe stuck out her tongue, then returned to her cabin.

Outside, He Pingsheng wanted to laugh but dared not—he held it in, struggling to contain himself.

Two more days passed, and the Eight Treasures Boat finally arrived at the Xiao Yao Immortal Sect in Hongshi County.

After presenting Xiao Yaozi's token, He Pingsheng landed the boat directly on Biyun Peak.

"Brother-in-law?"

Seeing He Pingsheng, Xiao Qiao ran over. "Why are you here?"

He Pingsheng said: "I need to see your sister… is she here?"

"Yes!" Xiao Qiao said. "She was just saying she'd go to the capital to visit you these days—didn't expect you to come! That's perfect!"

"Brother-in-law, look at my cultivation!"

He Pingsheng's spiritual sense swept over Xiao Qiao—Foundation Establishment eighth level.

Not bad.

He pulled out a 【Greedy-Anger Fruit】. "Here, take this."

"No thanks!" Xiao Qiao said. "My sister already gave me one—I already have it."

He Pingsheng nodded. "I remember."

That ninth prince had given him ten.

"My master has also reached Nascent Soul!" Xiao Qiao said. "Why don't you pay a visit to my master first?"

"Wait," He Pingsheng glanced toward Qiao Huizhu's palace. "This is Xiaohe—my disciple. Watch her for two days. I need to see your sister—urgent matter."

Saying this, He Pingsheng leapt onto his sword and flew straight toward Qingyu Palace.

Xiao Qiao watched He Pingsheng fly away, pouted, and mimicked his tone sarcastically: "I'm going to see your sister—urgent matter…"

"Hehe… how eager you are!"

Beside her, Xiaohe asked: "Auntie, what are you saying?"

Xiao Qiao said: "Nothing… Xiaohe, right? Come, come—follow me, I'll show you around the Xiao Yao Immortal Sect…"

"By the way, what spirit fruits do you like? Come, let Auntie check your cultivation level!"

Xiaohe was known to Xiao Qiao—her sister had told her Xiaohe was once just a village girl who became He Pingsheng's disciple by chance.

In Xiao Qiao's eyes, Xiaohe was lucky to even reach Foundation Establishment.

But her spiritual sense swept over Xiaohe.

And found nothing.

"This…" she stared in shock. "Xiaohe, what's your cultivation level?"

Xiaohe said: "Same as my master—Jin Dan tenth level."

"What?" Xiao Qiao lost her composure.

She recited a poem:

I love my readers,

Liver at dawn each day.

If you love me too?

Please power my love.