Mortal: My name is Ma Liang, and I also possess a magic brush.

Han Li stared at the soft armor floating in front of him. "Could it be that all those disciples from before stole spiritual herbs?"

With a change of heart, he stopped investigating further; such was the way the cultivation world operated, driven by the pursuit of resources.

He then began to study the soft armor.

Han Li used his spiritual power to suspend the soft armor in mid-air. With a thought, he took out the Golden Cicada Mother-Child Blade from his storage bag.

He flicked his finger, and several blades pierced straight into the soft armor.

It swiftly cut through the soft armor, yet produced not a single sound of metal clashing against metal.

Han Li manipulated the blade repeatedly, making several cuts before retracting it and allowing the soft armor to float back in front of him.

Upon closer inspection, there wasn't a single mark on the soft armor.

"What a wonderful ritual implement!"

He then took out a porcelain bottle from his storage bag, which contained some powder.

The powder was sprinkled on the soft nail, and it did not change color.

"It's not poisonous."

Only after completing these experiments did he put on the soft armor.

This ritual implement is quite wondrous. It was slightly too big when first put on, but it automatically adjusted its size in an instant until it fit the body perfectly.

Thus, Han Li, clad in soft armor, leaped and twirled across the open space of the herb garden, and tried out a few spells. He felt his body was agile and free, and his spiritual energy flowed without any hindrance, which made him even more delighted.

The more Han Li liked this magical artifact, the more undecided he became. Could it be as Senior Brother Ma said?

Then he thought of the extreme danger of the Bloodstained Forbidden Land, and realized that his own safety was the most important thing.

With this in mind, he no longer hesitated and headed towards his hidden medicinal herb field.

……

On his way back to his residence, Ma Liang happened to pass by Baijitang.

He glanced around casually, but his gaze sharpened slightly as he spotted another "plot character".

Chen Qiaoqian walked out of the hall with a worried expression.

Ma Liang quickly recalled the current plot and realized: she should be investigating who saved her at this moment.

Ma Liang ignored him and flew away.

Just then, Chen Qiaoqian looked up and saw his departing figure, but she didn't pay any attention to it. She took to the air and headed towards the disciple travel registration office.

The next morning, Ma Liang woke up with a headache. As soon as he opened his eyes, he fumbled for the Soul Nourishing Pill, tilted his head back, and swallowed it.

The pill melted instantly upon entering the mouth, and a cool sensation spread along the meridians to the sea of ​​consciousness, relieving the headache.

He rubbed his throbbing temples and muttered to himself, "This cultivation is more tiring than going to work."

With a soft sigh, he pushed open the door and flew towards the Hundred Medicines Hall.

As Ma Liang flew near the herb garden, he saw Han Li standing at the garden entrance, talking to a female cultivator.

His gaze swept over the female cultivator, and a strange sense of familiarity suddenly welled up in his heart. He quickly realized that this was clearly a mark left by the divine brush!

"So it was her."

Ma Liang muttered to himself, "First he disguised himself as a man to blend into Huangfeng Valley, and now he's disguised himself as a woman, even suppressing his cultivation level. Isn't he afraid that switching identities back and forth like this will arouse the sect's suspicion?"

He suppressed his thoughts, his face remaining impassive, and landed in front of the herb garden.

Han Li and the female cultivator saw the landing of Ma Liang together.

The female cultivator's expression shifted almost imperceptibly when she saw him. "How come I've run into this kid again?"

Han Li then cupped his hands to the female cultivator and said, "Senior sister, if there are no other important matters, please allow me to attend to this senior brother first. I still have some things to discuss with him."

"In that case, you two can continue your conversation," the female cultivator nodded in agreement and prepared to leave.

Ma Liang had already approached, and as the two passed each other, the female cultivator glanced at him.

Ma Liang simply nodded in response.

As they passed each other, the female cultivator turned her back to the two, a subtle smile playing on her lips.

The thrill of using pretense to manipulate others gave her considerable satisfaction.

She immediately summoned a flying artifact and rode away.

Ma Liang watched her retreating figure before turning his gaze to Han Li. "Junior Brother Han, what did that person say to you just now?"

Han Li didn't think much of it, after all, it was just a routine inquiry. "That senior sister asked if there were any spiritual herbs she needed in the garden, but didn't mention anything else."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Ma Liang's eyes flickered slightly. He paced back and forth at the entrance of the herb garden, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over the surroundings, but in reality, he was secretly searching for something.

Sure enough, he stopped in an inconspicuous crevice in the rocks at the edge of the herb garden.

There was a small iron nail, about an inch long, embedded in a crack in the rock. Its color was similar to that of the rock, and it was easy to miss if you didn't look closely. Even if you did see it, you would probably just think it was a piece of scrap iron that you had accidentally dropped.

However, Ma Liang knew the female cultivator's true identity and understood upon seeing this that it was no ordinary iron nail.

Han Li followed Ma Liang's gaze and also noticed the inconspicuous iron nail in the crack in the rock.

"Senior Brother Ma, is there something wrong with these iron nails?"

Ma Liang shook his head. "Junior Brother Han, what's your thought about what I told you before?"

"Brother Ma, I agree to this. Please come with me."

Having said that, he rode his weapon and flew towards a desolate mountain.

Ma Liang quickly followed.

The two landed on the top of a desolate mountain, surrounded by sparse vegetation and no one else.

Han Li took out two spiritual herbs that were placed in a jade box from his storage bag.

"Senior Brother Ma, I've brought the two 500-year-old spiritual herbs you requested. Use them to exchange for your magic artifact."

Ma Liang immediately opened the jade box. Two spiritual herbs lay inside, radiating a spiritual glow and exuding an aura of spiritual energy.

He reached out and picked one of the plants, casually stroking it with his hand, his fingertips tracing the veins of the leaf, completely disregarding the fragile spiritual essence on the surface of the herb.

He then put it back in the box, picked up another plant and did the same thing, his movements as casual as if he were handling ordinary plants in the mortal world.

Han Li's eyelids twitched at the sight. This was a five-hundred-year-old spiritual herb! An ordinary cultivator would be eager to worship it if they got their hands on it, but Senior Brother Ma was just casually rubbing it, not even worried about ruining its medicinal properties!

Ma Liang carefully put away the medicine, then looked at Han Li, "Now that the deal is done, we should celebrate. Junior brother, it's my treat, I'll treat you to some drinks!"

Without waiting for Han Li's reply, he soared into the air, his robes fluttering as he turned back to call out, "Hurry up and follow!"

Han Li stood there stunned, completely bewildered by this fait accompli approach.

This Brother Ma is acting too capriciously, without even asking for his consent!

Ma Liang, suspended in mid-air, saw Han Li still standing there in a daze and immediately burst into laughter.

"Junior Brother Han, what are you standing there for? It's not far, just a cup of wine at Qingfeng Zuige in the market!"

"I know your herb garden is quiet, so you must have nothing else to do right now."

But in his heart he thought: Han Li is introverted and likes to think things through. If I ask him if he's going or not, he'll most likely find an excuse to decline. To deal with this kind of person, I have to act first and ask later, then he'll have no room to refuse.

As he spoke, Ma Liang waved downwards again: "The Green Maple Wine from the Drunken Pavilion is a rare delicacy; it would be a shame to miss it!"

Just as Ma Liang had predicted, Han Li's worries vanished as soon as he heard that it was just a bustling market town.

Without saying much, he made a hand seal, summoned a flying artifact, and took to the air.

Ma Liang laughed loudly, "That's more like it, Junior Brother Han!"

He led the way, not forgetting to turn back and call out, "Keep up close, it's Qingfeng Zui from Qingfeng Zui Pavilion, don't let someone snatch the last pot!"

The two quickly arrived at the entrance of Qingfeng Zuige using their magical artifacts.

Upon seeing them, the servant in blue robes at the door hurriedly stepped forward to greet them: "Esteemed esteemed immortals, have you come to the pavilion for a drink? I'll lead the way right away!"