The Northern Song Dynasty returned south, seeking the truth of the Dao.

"Haha, as the saying goes, carefree and unrestrained, walking leisurely with a spiritual staff, sleeves hanging loosely. I am but a cultivator, what is my status worth?" Xuan Yangzi stroked his beard and laughed.

Wang Zhenhuan listened to Xuan Yangzi's words and gripped his hand tightly. Although his words were unrestrained and carefree, the resentment and indignation within them could not be concealed.

"Sir, is there anything that can help you heal and recover?"

"Silly boy, the balance of Yin and Yang is crucial. The more domineering a spell is, the more severe the consequences of using it incorrectly or abusing it. The spell I use is the Nine Heavens Thunder, the most powerful of all thunder spells."

All the countless creatures on the mountain perished in vain because of this. Fortunately, they were protected by the Patriarch; shortening their lifespans was already the best possible outcome. Do not grieve for this humble Taoist; this *Primordial Dao Qi True Scripture* was left behind by the Patriarch.

It contains the most important Tai Xuan True Scripture of my Taiqing lineage. From now on, my Taiqing lineage will never again reach the Tai Xuan realm. It is the hope for the revival of my Taiqing lineage, and must not fall into the hands of others.

Xuan Yangzi smiled and stroked Wang Huanzhen's hair as he explained. Upon hearing this, Wang Huanzhen realized how important the scripture was and wanted to give it to Xuan Yangzi for safekeeping, but was unexpectedly refused.

He held Wang Huanzhen's hand and earnestly instructed him: "If you learn magic in the future, you must remember this: never abuse magic and harm the innocent. If you must do so, avoid innocent civilians."

If you merely harm plants and animals, you will only shorten your lifespan. Legend has it that in the North Sea Desert, there exists a rare and precious herb called the Desert Fish, which can replenish the lifespan of those who have shortened their lives through rituals. You should remember this well.

"Desert fish? How can there be fish in the desert?" Wang Zhen asked in surprise.

"These are no ordinary fish, but the fruit of a kind called Xuanming Bamboo, named for its resemblance to a fish. Legend has it that this bamboo only grows in the sand, and its fruit is exposed on the outside, resembling a fish swimming in the sand," Xuan Yangzi explained.

"I see, sir. Why don't we turn north and go in search of the desert fish?" Wang Zhenhuan said excitedly.

"No, the most urgent task is to return this 'Primordial Dao Qi True Scripture' to our sect. Besides, Yin Xinghai has already set his sights on us, and getting away will be as difficult as ascending to heaven." Xuan Yangzi shook his head and refused.

"So what should we do now, sir?" Wang Huanzhen stood up, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Xuan Yangzi, asking.

"Please allow me to consider this carefully." Xuan Yangzi took a sip and put down his teacup. Seeing this, Wang Zhenhuan did not disturb him further. Instead, he took out the gold ingot that Yin Xinghai had given him earlier and examined it closely.

Don't let its small size fool you; this gold ingot must weigh at least thirty taels. Thirty taels of gold was an astronomical sum at that time. An ordinary person might not be able to save that much money even in their entire life.

At that time, one tael of gold could be exchanged for about eleven taels of silver, and one tael of silver could be exchanged for three strings of cash, which is a full three thousand copper coins. Wang Zhenhuan had previously bought ten steamed buns, which only cost him five copper coins.

Such a large sum of money, especially since it was given to them by someone with ulterior motives. Although it glittered and looked quite nice in their hands, Wang Zhenhuan felt no interest in it whatsoever.

"Sir, what should we do with this money?" he asked hesitantly.

"Take it. If Yin Xinghai finds that the true scripture is not in Fa Ming's hands after he returns, he will definitely come back again. Keep this money for when you go south," Xuan Yangzi said.

Upon hearing Xuan Yangzi's words, Wang Zhenhuan put the gold ingot into his pocket. He disliked the person who gave him the money, but he didn't have any problem with the money itself. Since Xuan Yangzi told him to accept it, he would keep it.

They sat there quietly for a quarter of an hour. Xuan Yangzi sighed and said to Wang Huanzhen, "Let's rest. Tomorrow we'll go to town, buy a carriage, and continue south."

Wang Huanzhen nodded in agreement, helped him sit down on the carpet beside him, and then cleaned up the leftover food on the table. Judging from Xuan Yangzi's expression and tone, he hadn't come up with any good solutions. Yin Xinghai had many spies under his command.

Their influence was widespread; one had a full head of white hair and an eye ailment, while the other had no spiritual cultivation and was still a child. Such a combination was too conspicuous to hide.

Nothing happened that night. When he woke up the next morning, the tent was empty. The fire, however, was burning brightly, with a few freshly added pieces of firewood. He got up and lifted the curtain. Xuan Yangzi was standing outside the tent, lost in thought.

"Sir? Shall we go?" Wang Zhenhuan whispered from behind him.

Master Xuan Yangzi nodded, and Wang Zhenhuan then began to pack his things. The tent had been brought by Yin Xinghai the previous night, and a dozen or so people had set it up in no time. But now, Wang Zhenhuan wanted to pack it up, yet he didn't know where to begin.

"What isn't ours, we'll just leave it here. There are probably people watching us nearby. They'll come and take care of it when we leave. Let's go."

Hearing Xuan Yangzi's words, Wang Zhenhuan nodded. He shouldered their bundles and helped Xuan Yangzi walk towards the town. It was just past dawn, the sun had just risen.

When the two arrived at the carriage shop, whether it was originally like this or intentionally, the shop's gate was tightly closed, so they had no choice but to continue south on foot along the main road.

As he walked, Wang Zhenhuan frequently looked around. He didn't see a single person, a discovery that reassured him considerably. However, Xuan Yangzi's solemn expression kept him from relaxing for a moment.

And so the two walked all day without stopping even at noon. Although Wang Zhenhuan's legs ached, he didn't utter a sound. By sunset, they had just arrived at the next town.

This time was different from the last. Before they even entered the town, a middle-aged man wearing a fur hat was standing by the roadside, rubbing his hands and stamping his feet. Upon seeing them, his expression brightened.

He stepped forward directly and asked, "Are you Master Liu and his disciples? I am the manager of Fengxian Restaurant in this town. The owner specifically instructed me to wait for you two here. Come, come, the banquet has been prepared. Please follow me."

"Please lead the way, kind sir," Xuan Yangzi said, bowing.

Wang Zhenhuan was puzzled. Yin Xinghai clearly didn't want them to leave, so why did he go along with it? He followed behind Xuan Yangzi, about to ask a question, when he heard Xuan Yangzi whisper.

"Don't rush. Yin Xinghai should not have returned from Jizhou yet. We should first be polite before resorting to force; that's always the way it is."

Upon hearing Xuan Yangzi's words, Wang Zhenhuan immediately understood. If Yin Xinghai knew they had lied to him, he would have turned against them long ago, and certainly wouldn't be serving them such good wine and food like this.

If that's the case, then it means he hasn't returned from Jeju yet. And the reason for this hospitality is simply to keep an eye on the two of them. Having figured this out, Wang Zhenhuan stopped worrying about it.

He followed the innkeeper into the tavern, and seeing the large table of dishes, he ate without any hesitation. Even Daoist Xuan Yangzi ate quite a bit and even had a few drinks.

After the two had finished their meal and returned to their room, Master Xuan Yangzi waved his hand, and the entire room instantly fell silent. Wang Zhenhuan, puzzled, helped Master Xuan Yangzi sit down on the edge of the bed.

After he sat down, he patted the bed and said to Wang Huanzhen:

"Lie down, and I will unblock your meridians!"