Starting from Tianlong, Wudu Tianxia

Gao Yuan didn't get up from the bamboo forest and go back until dawn the next day.

When they returned to the desolate courtyard, they found it shrouded in gloom and despair.

even......

From afar, the cries of the little girl Chang Ying and Fu Minyi could be heard.

"Big brother, wow!~"

"Big brother, waaaaah!~"

Two little girls, one clutching the wooden rabbit Gao Yuan had bought for her in Kainan Prefecture, tears rolling down her tender cheeks, glistening and wetting the stray hairs at her temples.

The other one nestled in Qin Ziqing's arms, her body also trembling like pearls falling onto a jade plate.

Grandma Yu stood to one side: "Good child, don't cry, Gao will be alright."

Even so, there was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes.

Hey!

It was also because I was getting senile; in my panic, I didn't speak up in time to keep the young man from leaving.

The women of Lingjiu Palace are here. If the stalemate continues for even a moment, given the Venerable Lord's protective nature, he will certainly not stand idly by and watch everyone get into trouble. He will definitely show himself then.

But the boy ran out of the abandoned courtyard...

Without any scruples, and with the Venerable One acting entirely on a whim, it's uncertain whether she will save him.

Grandma Yu dared not reveal the whereabouts of the Venerable One to the two children without permission, and could only do so in a subtle and discreet manner.

Qin Ziqing comforted him, "Grandma is right. Young Master Gao is a lucky man, so don't cry."

The women from Lingjiu Palace also gathered around. Some women offered them clean handkerchiefs, while others knelt down to wipe away the tears from their eyes.

Sang Tugong and a short, bamboo-like figure stood at the courtyard gate, while all his disciples spread out to search along the main road.

The women of Lingjiu Palace have always treated their cave masters and island lords like pigs and dogs, never giving them a kind look except for beatings, scoldings, and orders.

I'm currently worried about a brat I've only known for a few days.

His lips started twitching again.

"Brother Sang, I've noticed that since you left Kainan Prefecture, your face has been twitching frequently. Could it be that you've contracted 'tetany'?"

Sikong Xuan took the initiative to show concern.

"Shennong is skilled in pharmacology. I have some knowledge of medical texts. Your condition is caused by internal liver wind, indicating liver and kidney deficiency, with extreme heat generating wind, leading to facial twitching. I have a prescription for strengthening the liver and kidneys. Would you like to try it, Brother Sang?"

Try it, I guarantee you...

You son of a bitch, daring to doubt our ancestor...

Sang Tugong looked at him with disdain: "Chief Sikong is in high spirits, truly... still vigorous for his age!"

"I am in perfect health, no need for Chief Sikong to worry. But you, you refused to submit to the Lord last time, causing the Holy Envoy to come in person. Now that you are back in the palace, you must take good care of yourself..."

Sikong Xuan was jolted awake by his words and immediately became somewhat deflated.

He glanced at Sang Tugong and muttered, "Like a dog biting Lü Dongbin, refusing to admit one's illness and seeking medical help... serves him right for being impotent!"

Sang Tugong: "..."

Seeing that Sikong Xuan was about to speak again, he immediately said:

"Chief Sikong, your junior deputy chief has been missing all night, how come you don't seem to care at all?"

Being hunted down by a master, Sang Tugong didn't think Gao Yuan could survive; he was just talking nonsense to avoid Sikong Xuan continuing to harp on the topic of "kidney deficiency."

"He's alright!"

How do you know?

Sikong Xuan stared at Sangtugong with an expression that said, "You look like a fool."

He looked up at the slightly pale sky: "I don't know, it's just a gut feeling, after all... evil deeds last a hundred years!"

Gao Yuan sold him not just a little bit, but in his heart, he was a scourge.

Suddenly, Sang Tugong heard a faint sound of footsteps.

Turning his head to look in the direction the footsteps came from, he saw a figure walking from a corner of the broken wall outside the courtyard. Sang Tugong was full of disbelief, but after calming himself down, he was filled with surprise and doubt.

"Gao... Chief Gao."

The people in the desolate courtyard looked outside in response to his voice, and their reactions were similar to those of Sang Tugong.

Sikong Xuan, who was gazing at the sky and sighing, now looked down.

As dawn broke and a gentle west wind whistled, dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves of the lush camphor tree, casting dappled patterns on the boy's feet.

"what!"

"It's my eldest brother!"

"Master Gao!"

Tears streamed down Chang Ying's face. Fu Minyi broke free from Qin Ziqing's embrace, and the two ran toward the courtyard gate.

"Big brother, are you alright?"

The women of Lingjiu Palace abandoned their usual cold expressions, and some of the more gentle ones unconsciously curled their lips into a smile.

Gao Yuan looked at the two little girls who rushed to him, bent down and rubbed their heads.

Sang Tugong stared at Gao Yuan, unable to understand how the boy had survived.

Sikong Xuan, on the other hand, was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled, rubbed his nose, and muttered, "Indeed a menace, with a very tough life."

"Why are you crying? Big brother is back safe and sound."

Grandma Yu smiled with relief: "Young Gao, it's good that you're back. I couldn't keep up with your comings all this time."

"You've actually run into him..."

Gao Yuan nodded slightly, his words tinged with regret:

"The young man was chased all the way by him, and then he met his accomplices on the road. He was already in dire straits, but he was lucky and was saved by a master."

"Where is our father-in-law who attacked us last night?"

"They lost one of their men and were repelled by a master. They escaped under the cover of night, and I have no idea where they are."

Granny Yu's face darkened. The fact that the newcomer was able to escape from the Lord's clutches showed that he was no ordinary person.

"Where is the person who saved you?"

Gao Yuan glanced at Granny Yu, knowing that she was worried about the Lord.

"After rescuing the boy, he said he had important business to attend to and left first."

As he spoke, he pondered whether or not to tell Granny Yu that he had become her fourth junior brother.

"Alright, now that things are over, let's pack up and return to the palace as soon as possible, so as not to keep the Lord waiting."

"Okay, I'll do whatever Mother-in-law says."

After much deliberation, he decided not to speak yet, otherwise Granny Yu might think he was disrespectful to her and turn on him on the spot.

After all, if the senior sister hadn't announced it herself, probably no one would have believed it.

Leaving the abandoned courtyard, they headed north, traveling day and night, and arrived in Hong County in two days.

The group from Bilin Cave separated from the main group here and headed towards Jianzhou.

The group was suddenly reduced by half, leaving Gao Yuan, Sikong Xuan, and a dozen or so members of the Haotian tribe, making it much quieter than before.

After traveling for several more days, the group left the Song territory, mounted their horses on camels, and the camel bells jingled softly in the wind as they headed west again.

Camels are no less capable than horses, especially in the desert and snowfields, where they are resistant to thirst and cold, and are even more at ease than horses.

As dusk settled, the group found a mountain hollow to rest. Qin Ziqing pointed to the misty mountain peaks in the northwest corner and whispered to Gao Yuan:

"Young Master Gao, look, this peak is Misty Peak. It is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, and when viewed from afar, it seems to appear and disappear. The name 'Misty Peak' comes from this."

"I see!"

Looking up, Gao Yuan saw that the mountain peaks were hidden in the mist, and they did indeed have a somewhat ethereal feel to them.

The scenery of Tianshan is different from that of the Central Plains; it is tranquil and secluded, with unique flowers and plants.

Compared to the sullen Sikong Xuan, the two little girls were full of novelty and smiled frequently.

The next day, just as dawn broke, the group mounted their camels and continued their journey.

When we arrived at the foot of Misty Peak, it was exactly noon.

The golden sunlight shone on the snow-capped peaks below, reflecting a dazzling light.

As you approach the top of the road, several clumps of green grass sprout from the snow-covered stone steps.

At this time, the nine heavens and nine departments of Lingjiu Palace, including Chitian, Yangtian, Xuantian, and Youtian, all sent people down to meet them.

Clothes in various colors—blue, purple, indigo, and emerald—fluttered in the wind, creating a dazzling and lively scene.

Granny Yu and the women of the Haotian tribe stopped in their tracks in surprise.

In the past, the maids of the nine departments would go down the mountain to do their work, and when they returned to the mountain, they would usually go up the mountain on their own. Occasionally, there would be someone to meet them, but it would only be a maid from their own department who came to meet them.

The fact that all nine heavens and nine departments have come at once suggests that the Venerable One has just returned to the palace.

With a sense of doubt, Granny Yu dismounted from the camel, about to go forward and ask.

Unexpectedly, the next second, a scene that left her speechless suddenly appeared.

A woman from the Zhu Tian tribe dressed in purple stepped forward:

"The maids of the Crimson Heaven Division, the Sun Heaven Division, the Mysterious Heaven Division, the Nether Heaven Division... all under the command of the Lingjiu Palace are here to respectfully welcome the young master!"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the women knelt down before Gao Yuan, their clear voices ringing out, "This servant greets Young Master!"

Granny Yu and the women of the Haotian tribe stood frozen in place, gazing into the distance, their expressions incredibly varied.

It's simply impossible to process this news in a short period of time.

As for Sikong Xuan... he was somewhat bewildered!

A mixture of shock, surprise, and confusion clung to the old man's face.

Damn it!

He looked at Gao Yuan with a strange expression.

He had an expression that said, "So you're just a rich kid who's been out of the palace to experience life."

But Sikong Xuan was not surprised for long before his eyes were blindfolded and he was taken to Lingjiu Palace.

......