"Here, eat up and then we're back on the road."
Two dry buns were tossed before her. Mo Tiange looked up, then grabbed them in her hand.
They were in a desolate wilderness. It had been a day since they left Liancheng. On the road, they had encountered two cultivators engaged in Dharma Combat. Li Yushan had been so frightened he immediately urged the coachman to hurry on. Half a day had passed with no one pursuing them, and he finally relaxed.
The buns were dry and tasteless. Mo Tiange took a couple of bites but couldn't swallow them. She looked up and saw that although Li Yushan was also eating dry buns, he had additional prepared foods like roasted chicken slices and beef. Noticing her gaze, Li Yushan picked up a piece of chicken and asked her, "Want some?"
Mo Tiange shook her head and said, "I want water."
This was the first time she had spoken in days. Li Yushan was both surprised and somewhat annoyed. He didn't believe a child this age wouldn't want tasty food; she must simply not want to beg him. And this meant that despite her young age, this little girl had a stubborn backbone. Making her obediently comply would be difficult.
When he snapped out of his thoughts, he saw Mo Tiange, thinking he didn't want to give her water, sitting there alone slowly gnawing on her dry bun.
Although annoyed, he didn't actually want to let her die of thirst. He pulled a waterskin from his pack and tossed it to her, saying, "This is yours. If you finish it, remember to bring your own water from now on."
Mo Tiange caught it and murmured an acknowledgment.
A moment later, the coachman who had been feeding the horses nearby walked over and respectfully inquired of Li Yushan, "Immortal Master, where shall we stay tonight?"
Li Yushan barely lifted an eyelid. "We travel through the night and rest at dawn."
"But..." The coachman was clearly unwilling but dared not offend him. Bowing and scraping, he said, "Immortal Master, in the dead of night, this humble one can't see well. It's difficult to travel."
This time, Li Yushan didn't even lift his eyelid. He simply tossed over a white stone. "Keep it safe. This can emit light."
The coachman nodded repeatedly.
Mo Tiange looked up, curious, but said nothing. The world of cultivation was still unfamiliar to her; she was curious about everything.
"Alright, let's go." Having finished eating, Li Yushan clapped his hands and was about to grab Mo Tiange back into the carriage, muttering to himself, "What a pity I haven't learned the Lightness Art yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't need a carriage."
Mo Tiange had a rough idea of what the Lightness Art was. It was a spell that allowed one to fly and hover in mid-air. The two cultivators they had encountered fighting on the road had used the Lightness Art. However, one could only practice it after reaching the fifth level of Qi Refining, so Li Yushan had to rely on mortal tools to get to Kunwu.
Just as they were about to set off, a streak of azure light suddenly swept across the sky, carrying with it a dense aura of Spiritual Qi and imposing pressure. Li Yushan abruptly scrambled out of the carriage again, staring at the fleeting azure light, momentarily speechless. Only after the light vanished at the horizon did he let out a breath. "A Foundation Establishment Cultivator... Why would they come to the mortal world..." After pondering for a long while, he ultimately didn't dare seek any opportunity for gain. After all, for low-level minor cultivators like them, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was truly a figure akin to a celestial being.
The mortal carriage carrying two minor Qi Refining cultivators rattled and swayed back onto the road. As for the Foundation Establishment expert who had swept past, he paid no heed to these low-level cultivators. Shortly after, he arrived in Liancheng, asked for directions, and headed straight for the small village in the direction of Feiyun Town.
Mo Tiange had no idea that two days after her disappearance, a cultivator had arrived at Mo Village, the place she had lived for ten years.
At the Mo ancestral residence, the Mo young masters were rarely gathered together in the main hall. Old Master Mo, seated in the host's position, frowned as he puffed on his long-stemmed pipe.
After a long while, the old master finally set down his pipe and asked the eldest young master, "Oldest, what do you say?"
The eldest young master also frowned, asking somewhat uncertainly, "Father, should we still look for her?"
As soon as the words fell, someone nearby snorted coldly. "How? She's been gone for two days. Even if we know she was kidnapped, where do we look? Besides, who's going to go?"
At that, even the eldest young master fell silent.
On the day Mo Tiange was taken, Tian Qiao, seeing she hadn't returned by nightfall, anxiously revealed that she had gone to town. It was too late to search that night. When there was still no news the next day, Elder Mo had to ask his eldest son to go to town and inquire. The inquiry only revealed that a girl had been taken away by a man at the tea stall by the town entrance the previous day. Based on the description, it sounded very much like Tian Ge. As for where she went, no one knew.
Once it was confirmed the child had been kidnapped, Elder Mo called his sons together to discuss what to do. Although none of them were close to the child, she was still family. They couldn't just ignore it. However, the young masters were all thinking: if they searched, first, they had no idea where the child had been taken, and second, it was the height of the spring planting season. Whoever went searching would mean less labor, which would reduce the harvest. So, while they didn't oppose searching, none of them wanted to be the one to go.
The earlier statement had some merit. Kidnappers, once they took someone, would immediately go elsewhere. It wouldn't be easy to find them.
The old master understood this too. It wasn't the first time a child had been kidnapped from the village. Every time they searched and searched, the child was never found. But not searching felt wrong in principle. After all, she was his granddaughter. Moreover, the son-in-law they had taken in back then was no simple character. If he ever returned, how would they explain? But if they searched, who should go?
His brows furrowed into deep lines. The old master's gaze swept over his sons. Whenever a young master felt the gaze land on him, he would lower his head, afraid of being chosen.
Before the old master could announce a decision, Uncle He ran in from outside. "Master, we... we have a guest."
Before anyone in the room could ask, they saw someone stride into the hall.
The newcomer was a young man in his early twenties, dressed in a blue robe and white jacket, with a longsword strapped to his back. Even without a close look, his sharp aura was palpable.
Seeing the man's sword-bearing appearance, the old master quickly stood up. "May I ask, young master..."
Before he could finish, the other spoke. "Are you the village head?"
Elder Mo hurriedly nodded. Seeing the man's fine attire and the sword on his back, he knew this must be a master swordsman, a person of high status. He asked respectfully, "May I ask who you are?"
The sword-bearing youth didn't answer, continuing his questions. "I ask you, do you have a daughter who took in a son-in-law surnamed Ye?"
This question caused not only the old master but everyone in the hall to look shocked and suspicious. Of course they knew who he was referring to. But their brother-in-law had been gone for ten years without a word. What connection did he have with this man?
The old master quickly regained his composure and replied, "Yes, but that son-in-law of mine left on business ten years ago and never returned." After speaking, he felt uneasy. He knew that son-in-law had some background and feared this young man might be here for revenge.
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the young man before him broke into a smile and cupped his hands towards the old master. Since entering, he had faced everyone in the hall without offering a single greeting or bow, yet they hadn't felt it was impolite, only sensing this person was surely no ordinary mortal. Now, with this gesture, the old master felt somewhat relieved. It seemed he wasn't here for revenge.
The young man then said, "Village Head Mo, I am also surnamed Ye. I have come at your son-in-law's behest to fetch his wife and daughter. May I ask where they are?"
Hearing this, the old master felt a pang of fear. He had just been thinking about how to explain his missing granddaughter if her father returned, and now someone was here to claim them? Mulling it over, the old master cautiously asked, "So it's Young Master Ye. May I ask where my son-in-law is now? Why hasn't he returned with you?"
At this question, the young man's smile faded. He sighed. "Village Head Mo, I'll be frank with you. Senior Ye has already passed away. My master-uncle and Senior Ye were comrades through hardship. Before his death, Senior Ye entrusted my master-uncle with fetching his wife and daughter to deliver them to his brother. I have come precisely on my master-uncle's orders."
This news shocked everyone in the hall. The man had been gone for ten years without returning; they had long considered the possibility of an accident. Now, hearing of his death, they were somewhat prepared. But this person said he was here to fetch them and even take them away, which they found strange.
The old master felt the same and asked, "Young Master Ye, my son-in-law was taken into the family. My daughter and granddaughter are naturally members of the Mo family. Why mention taking them away?"
The young man smiled again, this time with a hint of pride. "Stay here? Village Head Mo, don't tell me you don't know your son-in-law was not an ordinary mortal?"
This news shocked everyone even more.
The Mo young masters looked astonished. Someone couldn't help but interject, "Not an ordinary mortal? Then what was he?"
"An Immortal, of course," the young man glanced at him. "Senior Ye possessed Immortal Methods. Don't tell me you didn't know?"
Everyone shook their heads in unison. Then they saw the young man raise a hand. A ball of flame suddenly appeared in his palm. With a flick, the longsword on his back flew out on its own, pierced the ball of flame, extinguishing it, and then flew back into its scabbard.
The young man said, "Do you believe now?"
In the mortal world, many legends of Immortals circulated. Having witnessed such Immortal Methods with their own eyes, how could they not believe? Awe appeared on every face.
The old master had long felt his son-in-law was extraordinary; of course he believed. Suddenly, he thought: his granddaughter had been kidnapped. If this young master was truly an Immortal, wouldn't it be easy for him to find her? Thinking this, Elder Mo hurriedly said, "Young Master Ye, we believe. However, my daughter's life was short. She passed away from illness three years ago. And my granddaughter... she was kidnapped by traffickers just two days ago. You possess Immortal Methods. I beg you, please rescue her!"
The young man was greatly surprised, then sighed. "When Senior Ye made the entrustment, he also considered the possibility that Madam Ye might have already passed. Very well. Tell me, what happened to your granddaughter?"
Elder Mo immediately recounted what his son had learned from the inquiry, concluding with another plea. "Young Master, you see..."
The young man merely waved a hand. "I'll be off first." Without another word, he turned and left, leaving the entire room full of people shocked and uncertain.