On the path to immortality, I can see destiny.

Upon hearing this, the young master's gaze fell on Zhao Fan's face. He looked him up and down for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly, as if he was trying to recall something.

Seeing this, Zhao Fan quickly added.

"Fellow Daoist Song, have you forgotten? That day, I was with a young lady from the Su family, and we got into an argument with the stall owner. It was you who stepped in to mediate."

The young master's eyes flickered, and he suddenly realized.

"Oh, I remember now, you're the one who brought the spirit pet that day. You're Miss Zixuan's brother?"

"Exactly."

Zhao Fan nodded.

"I am currently staying at the Su family's residence and have a prior relationship with Fellow Daoist Su San."

The young master nodded slightly, his wariness fading somewhat, and turned to look at the middle-aged man at the head of the group.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, I do know this person. What he said is true. We did meet once in the market that day."

"The Su family is a cultivation family from Mount Fuling. Although they are not a large family, they are a legitimate first-level family recorded by the Suyang Sect and should have nothing to do with demonic cultivators."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man surnamed Zhou glanced at Zhao Fan again, his expression softening slightly, but still retaining a hint of scrutiny.

"Since he is someone Fellow Daoist Song knows, then things are much easier."

He paused, then suddenly changed the subject.

"But what are you doing alone in these deep mountains in the middle of the night, at the sixth level of Qi Refining?"

Zhao Fan's heart tightened, but he remained calm on the surface and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Reporting to Senior, I am here on the orders of Fellow Daoist Su San to handle some matters."

At this moment, with the young master here, there were some things Zhao Fan couldn't say. After all, he might be the murderer who kidnapped Su Zixuan, and if he spoke, it might alert the culprit.

"What is it? Why the need for such secrecy? Could it be that the Su family has some connection with that demon?"

The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow and said in a cold voice.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Fan frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, but still spoke the truth.

"Su Zixuan, a member of the Su family, went missing a few days ago after visiting Yulin Mountain Market. I followed the trail and discovered traces of a battle and a camp where the abducted cultivators had stayed. I then followed the trail all the way here."

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible glint of surprise flashed in the young master's eyes, before he quickly returned to normal.

The middle-aged man seemed to have no interest in the name Su Zixuan, and simply said...

"Since you're looking for someone, then continue the search. However, we have important matters to attend to right now and cannot disturb you further."

After saying that, he nodded to the young master, indicating that he could leave.

Zhao Fan breathed a sigh of relief and was about to clasp his hands in farewell when he heard the young master of the workshop suddenly speak.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, this person is from the Su family and has a past connection with me. Why not let him join us?"

Zhao Fan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately looked at the young master of the workshop.

The young master remained calm and spoke in a gentle tone.

"We are here to track down that demonic cultivator, and we are short of manpower. This fellow Daoist is at the sixth level of Qi Refining, and his strength is not weak. He is also a local cultivator and familiar with the terrain. Perhaps he can be of help."

The middle-aged man pondered for a moment, then his gaze fell on Zhao Fan again, as if he were weighing his worth.

Zhao Fan quickly refused.

"Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist Song, but I have urgent business to attend to. The Su family members are still missing, and I have no time to attend to anything else. Once I find them, I will certainly..."

"No rush."

The middle-aged man suddenly interrupted him, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable pressure.

"The Su family has many cultivators, so naturally, they won't be missing one like you."

"Moreover, the Su family has not yet sent anyone to help search for the demonic cultivator. If this demonic cultivator is brought to justice, it will be of great benefit to the Su family. Logically, the Su family should send someone to join the demon-searching team."

Zhao Fan's heart sank. He wanted to say something more, but the Zhou-surnamed cultivator spoke with such righteous indignation that Zhao Fan couldn't refute him.

He looked at the young master, who simply smiled slightly, his eyes gentle, showing no sign of anything amiss.

But Zhao Fan always felt that there was something hidden behind that smile.

"It's settled then."

The middle-aged man made the final decision.

"Come with us. If we find any clues about your Su family members along the way, we can help keep an eye out. It's better than you searching aimlessly on your own."

Having said that, Zhao Fan had no room to refuse.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his doubts and unease, and clasped his hands in greeting.

"In that case, I'll have to trouble you all."

The middle-aged man nodded, said no more, and turned to signal the group to continue on their way.

The young master walked to Zhao Fan's side, gently patted his shoulder, and whispered.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao need not worry. Although Fellow Daoist Zhou is strict, he is not an unreasonable person. Your safety will be guaranteed if you come with us."

Zhao Fan glanced at him, but couldn't discern anything wrong with his face, so he could only nod.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Song."

The young master smiled slightly, said nothing more, and turned to follow the group.

Zhao Fan stood there, watching the figures gradually disappear into the night, his mind churning with thoughts.

Is this young master's intention good or bad?

If he really is the person behind it all, why would he actively recruit me into his team? Is he afraid I'll uncover something if I act alone, or does he have other motives?

If he isn't, then what does Su Zixuan's disappearance have to do with him?

Unable to find an answer, Zhao Fan could only suppress his doubts for the time being and quickly followed after them.

The night was deep, and the mountains and forests were deathly silent. The seven-person team moved silently forward in the darkness.

Zhao Fan walked at the back of the group, his gaze always fixed on the back of the young master in front of him. Under the moonlight, everyone's shadows were long and somewhat blurry.

Suddenly, the little insect flew out of the darkness again and landed on the young master's shoulder.

The young master did not stop walking; he simply raised his hand and put it into his sleeve.

Zhao Fan saw this and his heart sank again.

What exactly is that worm?

He remembered that when he was hiding, the young master had found him using this very insect.

If this insect can track scents, then wouldn't it remember all the places I've been and the traces I've left behind?

If that's the case, could we also use this insect to search for Su Zixuan's whereabouts?

However, due to his doubts, Zhao Fan did not want to seek help from this young master.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. The most important thing right now was to figure out the true purpose of this group of people and what the young master of the workshop wanted to do.

As for Su Zixuan's matter, we can only take it one step at a time.

The night wind howled through the mountains and forests, swirling up a few withered leaves that danced in the darkness.

As the group ahead moved further and further away, Zhao Fan quickened his pace and caught up.

On the way, no one spoke much, and everyone had a somewhat solemn expression on their face.

Finding a demonic cultivator is no easy task. They've heard that demonic cultivators are exceptionally fierce and powerful. If they encounter one, they might all die at the hands of this demonic cultivator.

However, unlike the others, this young master looked relaxed, showing no sign of nervousness whatsoever.