Chapter 545: 208. Sword Prison Mystery, The Bait Strategy (8.2K words - Major Chapter, Subscription Requested)_2
The two concealed their aura, communicating through thoughts, each speaking in turn.
Song Yan silently gazed into the distance.
The Formless Ancestor used An Li and Yu Xuanwei as bait to fish, likely with the contribution of Ancestor Ningxin as well.
At this moment, the two deliberately left, essentially just letting out a long line.
If he set up the scheme, there was no reason not to use the "Demon Mother Lock" to imprison the bait, making their life and death depend on his whim.
Putting oneself in others’ shoes, the Formless Ancestor would do the same.
If he dared to appear, there were only two outcomes:
First, he ignored Tang Ningxin’s threat, and then, after An Li and Yu Xuanwei tragically died, he barely defeated the Formless Ancestor and slew him to avenge the two women;
Second, he lost, and to get revenge on him, An Li and Yu Xuanwei would be tortured to death in front of him, after which his body would become part of the Formless Ancestor.
However, at this moment, his mindset had changed.
Having been a piece on the chessboard for so long, he started to enjoy sitting at the table.
Since everyone had met, and all stood on the same land, while I was in the dark and you were in the light, there was plenty of time.
You do it first, I’ll follow suit on the fifteenth, no rush.
...
...
A few days later...
Several figures landed in Cyan Phoenix Valley.
The leading person looked at the already dried heads hanging on the branches, and the scattered corpses on the ground. After a slight perception, he coldly stated, "Thinking they’ve got outside help, they’re going to challenge my Sword Alliance. Since you’ve come, it’s just perfect to hone the sword hearts of my Sword Alliance disciples!"
...
...
The already perilous level 2 Cultivation Profound Land became increasingly chaotic.
Although a full-scale war had not yet erupted, this incident with the "Cyan Phoenix Valley" served as a wake-up call to the Sword Alliance, prompting them to secretly lay an ambush at the next "Earth Energy Burst Point." For a while, the surrounding Earth Energy Burst Points and even the areas around the Soul Threshold became chaotic scenes.
...
...
In the blink of an eye, three years passed.
By a lakeside, the lake reflection shimmering.
The morning fog had not yet dissipated.
A petite female cultivator was busying herself with rolled-up sleeves in front of the Spirit Field.
A faint golden halo fluctuated on the surface of the Spiritual Soil, An Li checked the small Gathering Profound Array again, ensuring that the Profound Flower and Profound Grass here could receive adequate nutrients, then her fingertips formed a seal, using the Rain Spreading Technique, causing a fine rainfall to descend from the clouds, drenching the Profound Flowers in the medicine garden until they were gleaming and vibrant, while the Profound Grass appeared as transparent emeralds.
A few Loose Cultivators at only the Refining Profound Level, serving as Medicine Boys, moved about further in the Spiritual Soil, wielding Profound Artifacts, hoeing to eradicate stubborn roots of weeds.
Now at the late stage of Purple Mansion, An Li was naturally a powerful protector for these Refining Profound Medicine Boys, and in addition, since An Li was a Pill Master and Pharmacist, these Medicine Boys came with the intent to become her disciples.
Of course, kindred spirits.
An Li wanted to heal and help others, and these Medicine Boys who came to her presence were the same.
At this moment, after completing the rain spell, An Li rushed hurriedly to the nearby medicine shelves.
At the shelf area, there were also Medicine Boys guarding it to prevent the demon insects here from stealing the medicine. Upon seeing An Li, the Medicine Boy’s pretty face showed joy and he saluted, "Master An."
An Li observed briefly and kindly instructed, "Once the Fine Leaf Snow Orchid is dried, quickly pound it into juice to make the ’Round Gold Ointment’; if the Four Lights Warming Soul Grass is ready, then quickly boil it to make ’Feng Hun Soup’, as we’ve had many patients recently, most with sword injuries and soul injuries. We need to prepare in advance."
The Medicine Boy laughed, "It’s a blessing for everyone that there are still people like Master An in this world."
An Li was busy, waving her hand with a smile, "Xiaoli, don’t say that, hurry along."
The Medicine Boy gave a bow and left in haste.
An Li raised her sleeve to wipe the sweat from her forehead, squinting her eyes like a cat, feeling the warm sunlight. The fragrant breeze blowing from the distance golden mountains and great lake made her momentarily forget where she was, forgetting the twists and turns she had experienced in this life.
She opened her eyes and smiled once more.
Yet, that smile couldn’t carry all her joy.
Because, she had a deficit in her heart.
Unnoticed, a female cultivator in a dark red robe landed beside her, watching the distance along with her, softly saying, "Are you still thinking of him?"
An Li neither nodded nor shook her head, saying, "I just suddenly remembered a saying."
Yu Xuanwei asked, "What saying?"
An Li replied, "Tang Ningxin once told me, ’How much he must trust you to let you see his terrifying side.’ At that time, I didn’t think much of it..."
Yu Xuanwei said, "He and you were never in the same world."
An Li said, "But I have understood, the world is like this, although I am reluctant, it really is... He wanted to change me, but I couldn’t change. Not only did I fail to change, I also let down his expectations and hurt his heart."
Yu Xuanwei smiled and said, "If he were so easily hurt, he would have died countless times by now."
An Li said, "If he is still alive, I hope he never appears in front of me, because... I am now just a bait, if he comes, he will surely be in danger. I’m just an ordinary female cultivator, not worth his expectations. Though, I very much want to say sorry to him in person."
While the two were conversing, there was an urgent crane’s call from afar.
Two Loose Cultivators were seen carrying a pallid-faced injured person approaching from afar, shouting from a distance, "Master An, help! Help!!"
An Li took a deep breath, looked up and smiled, "Now, even knowing I am bait, as long as I can still practice alchemy to save people, every day is meaningful, every day will be happy."
After saying this, she responded, "Coming~~"
The copper bell at the eaves of the medicine lodge gently swayed, emitting a reassuring clear sound. She ushered the patient into the room, retrieved a seven-inch long profound frost-colored needle from the Profound Treasure Needle Box, and began healing with the Golden Needle, supplemented with decoction.
After a busy while, the patient gratefully said, "Thank you, Master An."