I thought I was being careful enough this time. Who would have thought that Old Man Fisher, a powerhouse at the Dao Unity realm at least, would come to such a remote place?
This was an unavoidable accident. Who could have guessed that this somewhat deranged old man would have a connection with a broken sword from the Congyun Sea, tens of thousands of li away?
Li Fan carefully recalled every moment of his recent exchange with Old Man Fisher. He realized that, although the old man's sudden appearance had startled him, the danger he faced throughout their entire interaction was as different as clouds and mud compared to his previous encounter with the Heavenly Physician.
Even the pressure he'd felt from the black-robed Dao Unity powerhouse back in Yuandao Province far exceeded what he felt from Old Man Fisher.
Was Old Man Fisher's strength inferior to that black-robed powerhouse? Li Fan didn't think so.
The master of the Heaven-Scorning Sword was undoubtedly far more powerful than an ordinary Dao Unity cultivator.
Even if he had lost his mind and memory for some unknown reason, he was still not to be underestimated.
Yet, the feeling he gave Li Fan was so peculiar.
During their interaction, Li Fan didn't feel at all like he was conversing with a powerful Dao Unity Immortal Venerable. It was more like talking to an ordinary, kindly elder.
Apart from his own psychological tension, he hadn't sensed a shred of oppressive aura.
The reason for this...
Li Fan narrowed his eyes slightly.
Has Old Man Fisher also forgotten the fact that he himself is a supreme powerhouse? Li Fan had a nagging suspicion that this might indeed be the case.
Perhaps there were other secrets behind it, but this was probably close to the truth.
It is extremely dangerous to have a mentally unstable powerhouse of Old Man Fisher's caliber wandering around in the heartlands of the Myriad Immortals Alliance.
If he were to suddenly go mad and rampage, the destruction he could cause might not be inferior to another Tianling Province war.
Even so, the Myriad Immortals Alliance allows him to roam freely, without expelling him.
There must be some deeper reason behind this.
The waters run too deep. Before I've grown strong enough, my true self should avoid contact with him as much as possible.
As his thoughts gradually settled, Li Fan turned his gaze to the still-unconscious female cultivator from the Myriad Immortals Alliance.
She had delicate features. While not a stunning, kingdom-toppling beauty, she was undoubtedly a good-looking woman.
She looked quite young, but a cultivator's appearance had little to do with their actual age. She might even be older than Li Fan himself.
Li Fan couldn't sense her specific cultivation realm at all. This meant she either possessed an esoteric treasure that protected her and concealed her aura, or her strength far surpassed his. At the very least, she was at the Nascent Soul or Spirit Transformation realm.
This woman is of great use to me? What could that mean?
He didn't know what Old Man Fisher had seen, but he likely hadn't spoken for no reason.
Li Fan quietly left the hollowed-out mountain, the female cultivator in tow.
After flying for some time, he reached a clearing in a forest and set her down.
He then attempted to rouse her. But none of the methods he tried succeeded.
It seems Old Man Fisher's slap was truly heavy.
Having yet to understand the woman's identity, Li Fan refrained from acting rashly. He simply stood guard quietly nearby, cultivating as he waited for her to awaken.
A full two days later, the female cultivator finally let out a soft groan.
She pushed herself upright, sitting on the ground, her expression dazed. Glancing around, her gaze landed on Li Fan, who sat quietly nearby.
"You are..."
"I am Li—" Before Li Fan could finish his reply, the female cultivator seemed to suddenly remember something, and her face twisted in terror.
She let out a sharp cry and scrambled backward on her hands and legs, trying to get away from him.
"Don't come any closer!" she kept repeating.
Li Fan’s face darkened, and he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. His expression turned stern, and he infused a thread of spiritual power into his voice, making it boom like thunder as he said coldly, "Fellow Daoist, please calm yourself!"
Strangely enough, as if cowed by his sharp tone, the female cultivator indeed stopped moving, freezing in place. Yet, for some reason, the fear on her face only intensified.
She likely isn’t someone with a high cultivation level. Li Fan judged internally.
Doing his best to arrange his features into a gentle expression, Li Fan asked softly, "May I know your name, Fellow Daoist? And why were you captured by Old Man Fisher?"
The female cultivator’s expression was one of extreme reluctance. Yet her mouth opened, and the words spilled out: "My name is Lu Xuejing. I had heard rumors about Old Man Fisher before and was very interested.
"Not long ago, I happened to hear that he had appeared near Tianyu Province. My mother has been very busy with official duties lately and has been unusually lax in watching over me.
"So I slipped out quietly and found Old Man Fisher.
"I happened to see a cultivator trade a rusty piece of iron for a technique.
"It piqued my interest, and I wanted to try as well.
"Who knew that old foggy would ignore me? It made me so angry that I started cursing at him.
"And then everything went black, and it felt like I was locked in a small, dark place."
Lu Xuejing’s face was the picture of misery, two trails of tears streaming down her cheeks. Her body trembled slightly as if she were sobbing, yet her speech remained perfectly steady.
"When I woke up, I was here."
Li Fan observed Lu Xuejing’s bizarre and contradictory behavior.
I only asked a simple question. That’s an unnecessarily detailed answer. He thought with internal skepticism.
Suddenly, Li Fan was struck by a thought, and his expression turned peculiar.
.....
“I won't take your things for nothing.”
“Mm, it seems I happen to have something here that will be of great use to you.”
.....
Old Man Fisher’s words echoed in his mind.
To test his suspicion, Li Fan spoke up: "Fellow Daoist, please stand up."
Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejing indeed stood up.
Li Fan pondered for a moment, then asked, "Fellow Daoist, how old are you now? What is your cultivation realm? And what technique do you cultivate?"
It was obviously extremely rude to ask a stranger such questions. If they responded by turning and leaving in a huff, that would be considered a show of great restraint; drawing a blade on the spot was a real possibility.
Yet, Lu Xuejing still seemed unaware of the concept of refusal, answering Li Fan’s questions unhurriedly.
"I am twenty-three years old, at the late-stage Foundation Establishment realm. I cultivate the Dual Qi Illuminates Divinity, All Heavens Extinction Art that my mother prepared for me."
The questions were answered truthfully, but the look of terror on Lu Xuejing’s face grew even more pronounced.
As she spoke, a flicker of resentment passed through her pupils as she looked at Li Fan.
The moment he heard the name of the technique, Li Fan’s heart gave a small jolt.
Then, understanding dawned. So, she’s a privileged young mistress from a cultivation family, one who’s seen little of the world’s harshness. She went out to play, disrespected the fisherman, and got herself caught.
After that, she was traded to me like an object.
Which means... this privileged young mistress is now my property?