Although she hadn't seen Tang Shen for forty years, Mo Tiange wouldn't mistake this way of speaking. After all, they had been confined together in the Bixuan Pavilion's Tower of Attainment for twenty years, and she was already familiar with Tang Shen's tone and habitual phrases.
They paused outside. The Core Formation cultivator who had captured Tang Shen said carelessly, "Let you go? Kid, I almost got killed by someone else to save you. Is this how you treat your savior?"
Tang Shen was momentarily speechless. "I... I..."
Inside the room, Mo Tiange, who had concealed her aura, frowned slightly. Did this mean Tang Shen had been snatched by this person from someone else?
Thinking of this, she felt both amused and exasperated. This Tang Shen! Didn't he know that with his Pure Yang Constitution, if he didn't keep a low profile, he would be discovered by high-level cultivators? Although the Pure Yang Constitution wasn't as eye-catching as the Pure Yin Constitution, if one or two high-level female cultivators took a fancy to him, it would be a disaster! Even if he didn't think of it, wouldn't Wei Haolan have considered it? How could she just let him come to Kunwu! She wondered if he had originally come with others, and if so, where were they now?
So many questions needed Tang Shen to answer. Mo Tiange tightened her grip on the Heaven-Earth Fan. Regardless, she would rescue Tang Shen first.
"Kid, you're lucky to have run into this senior. Be grateful, understand?" After saying this, the person suddenly sent a sword light shooting through the window.
Mo Tiange unfurled the Heaven-Earth Fan. Mountains and rivers flickered into view, blocking the sword light. Then, with a flick of her sleeve, the formation disk activated, the formation flags rose, and the Four Symbols Hundred Flower Formation was ready to strike!
"Hmph!" The attacker, failing to succeed with one strike, immediately retreated and said coldly, "A mere early Core Formation cultivator dares to ambush me! Your concealment technique is clever, but unfortunately, this Dao Lord's divine sense detected you a step earlier!"
Mo Tiange's heart tightened. So that was it! She thought her divine sense was strong enough, but this person's divine sense was also formidable. He had discovered her before she concealed her aura! She would have to be more careful about this in the future and must not be negligent again.
However, even though this person was a late-stage Core Formation cultivator and a sword cultivator, she wasn't afraid! She had already grasped the basics of how to use the Heaven-Earth Fan, and with the Four Symbols Hundred Flower Formation here, her chances of winning were high. Even if she didn't win, she could still escape.
The Four Symbols Hundred Flower Formation activated, light instantly appearing. The Four Divine Beasts faintly flickered at the four corners, and countless flower petals drifted across the light shield. Both the Four Symbols and the Hundred Flowers were manifestations of Spiritual Qi, not real, but the hidden killing intent within them was real!
Sword light flashed again, shooting in from the window, but the moment it touched the Four Symbols Hundred Flower Formation, it was blocked by the light shield. Simultaneously, countless flower petals surged outward, almost engulfing the person.
Through the window, Mo Tiange saw this person holding Tang Shen, sword light swirling around him, blocking all the petals outside. Finally, the sword energy surged, repelling all the petals!
The petals scattered, revealing a male cultivator in blue robes inside.
"It's you!" Mo Tiange exclaimed involuntarily.
Hearing her voice, both men were startled. Tang Shen then beamed with joy. "Elder Ye!"
This late-stage Core Formation sword cultivator in blue robes was Jing Xingzhi!
Jing Xingzhi slowed his movements, a look of confusion on his face. After a moment, he seemed to recognize her voice. "You are... Mo Qingwei?!"
Mo Tiange, holding the formation flag, gave it a light wave, and the Four Symbols Hundred Flower Formation ceased.
She said, "Indeed. Fellow Daoist Jing, it's been a long time."
Although she spoke these words calmly, Mo Tiange's heart was in turmoil. The last time she saw Jing Xingzhi was precisely when they encountered Venerable Songfeng and were nearly ensnared in his scheme. Later, when she regained consciousness, Jing Xingzhi was already gone; Qin Xi had let him leave first.
This action had made Mo Tiange feel relieved at the time. Even though nothing had actually happened, seeing Jing Xingzhi was always an unpleasant matter.
Now, so much time had passed. She and Qin Xi were living well together, and she had long since put Jing Xingzhi out of her mind. She hadn't expected him to have also escaped from Tianmo Mountain and to encounter him here.
Jing Xingzhi was silent for a moment before saying, "It has been a long time."
The lights in the room brightened. Mo Tiange stepped back from the window, and Jing Xingzhi descended with Tang Shen.
After more than ten years apart, Jing Xingzhi still looked the same. However, he seemed to be injured at the moment; the Spiritual Qi around him was somewhat unstable.
Tang Shen, however, was delighted. As soon as he saw Mo Tiange's appearance, he exclaimed with surprise, "Elder Ye, it really is you! You've advanced to Core Formation!"
Mo Tiange smiled at him. Tang Shen's cultivation was still at mid Foundation Establishment, but he had reached the peak. Perhaps this trip to Kunwu was for training?
Then she addressed Jing Xingzhi. "Fellow Daoist Jing, I don't know how my friend has offended you. If he has, I apologize on his behalf first."
Jing Xingzhi glanced at her, then at Tang Shen, and frowned. "You know each other?"
"Indeed," Mo Tiange replied, still smiling. "I ask Fellow Daoist Jing to be magnanimous."
After a moment, seeing Jing Xingzhi didn't respond, she added, "If my friend has done anything offensive, Fellow Daoist Jing, please say so. I will compensate on his behalf."
"Compensate?" Jing Xingzhi gave her a half-smile. "How will Fellow Daoist Qingwei compensate? This little friend possesses a Pure Yang Constitution, a prime target for female cultivators seeking to practice dual cultivation. Such a person is probably beyond compensation, isn't he?"
Mo Tiange's expression turned serious. Jing Xingzhi actually knew about Tang Shen's constitution? What had this Tang Shen done to attract such attention? After all, while constitution and spiritual roots couldn't be hidden from high-level cultivators, which high-level cultivator would be so bored as to casually check a low-level cultivator's aptitude?
"However," Jing Xingzhi's tone shifted, "since Fellow Daoist Qingwei has spoken, I can hardly refuse to let him go. You may take this kid with you." His eyes flickered, and he added, "I just wonder if Fellow Daoist Shoujing will be jealous when he finds out?"
Mo Tiange paused, her face turning cold. "That is none of Fellow Daoist Jing's concern!"
Jing Xingzhi smiled, not angered, and said to Tang Shen, "Kid, you can go."
Gaining freedom so easily, Tang Shen couldn't quite believe it. "Senior, you're really willing to let me go?"
Jing Xingzhi lowered his eyes. "If anyone else had come, it would be different. But since Mo Qingwei has spoken, how could I refuse?"
Jing Xingzhi giving her such face should have pleased Mo Tiange, but the implication in his words, as if they had some special relationship, made her feel stifled. Just as she was feeling annoyed, she heard Jing Xingzhi continue, "Regardless, I wronged you and Qin Shoujing before. Today, returning this kid to you settles the debt."
Mo Tiange was taken aback, and the displeasure in her heart vanished. That incident wasn't Jing Xingzhi's fault; he had also fallen into the scheme. But he still felt he had wronged her and Qin Xi, which showed he had some sense of honor.
After a moment of silence, Mo Tiange spoke softly, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Jing."
Jing Xingzhi waved his hand, found a chair, and sat down. Just as he was about to pour a cup of tea, he suddenly coughed twice.
Mo Tiange could hear the churning Spiritual Qi in his cough; he was clearly injured and couldn't suppress it.
She thought for a moment, took a jade bottle from her robe, and set it down. "These pills are my thanks on his behalf." From Tang Shen's earlier conversation with him, Jing Xingzhi had snatched Tang Shen from someone else. In that sense, he had saved Tang Shen.
Jing Xingzhi's gaze fell on the jade bottle. He didn't refuse. "Then I won't stand on ceremony."
Mo Tiange smiled slightly, gave Tang Shen a meaningful look, and said, "In that case, we'll take our leave now. Until we meet again."
Jing Xingzhi nodded but turned away, not looking at them.
Mo Tiange waved her hand, summoned the White Silk Kerchief, and flew away with Tang Shen.
The sky had darkened. The gates of Kunzhong City were closed, and the gates were set with restrictions; breaking them would be troublesome. Mo Tiange thought for a moment and took Tang Shen to the Xuanqing Sect's branch established in Kunzhong City to stay temporarily.
The arrival of a Core Formation Elder made the person in charge of this branch very nervous. Upon learning that Mo Tiange only needed lodging, he vacated an excellent courtyard.
Once the two were settled in the courtyard, Mo Tiange dismissed the others and finally had a chance to ask Tang Shen, "What happened? Why did you come to Kunwu, and how did you fall into someone else's hands?"
Tang Shen, having just seen a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators treating Mo Tiange with great respect, was still marveling at it. Hearing her question, he hurriedly answered, "Elder Ye, I came to find you."
"Oh?" Mo Tiange was even more puzzled. "I left my identity and name that day. If you came to find me, you could have requested an audience at the Xuanqing Sect. Why were you captured midway? What exactly happened? And why did you come to find me? What's the urgent matter?" It couldn't be that something had happened at the Bixuan Pavilion, could it?
Hearing her questions, Tang Shen immediately told her everything bit by bit, not daring to omit anything.
It turned out Tang Shen had arrived in Kunwu over ten years ago. All these years, the Bixuan Pavilion still hadn't produced a Core Formation cultivator, so Tang Shen had continued to serve as an Elder. However, since discovering the spirit stone vein in the East Sea, the Bixuan Pavilion's situation had improved greatly; they could afford any pills or spiritual materials they needed.
Tang Shen came to Kunwu because two late-stage cultivators at the Bixuan Pavilion were progressing smoothly in their cultivation and were preparing for Core Formation. However, Core Formation pills, even in Kunwu, were something you couldn't buy with spirit stones. Wei Haolan, having no other choice, thought that since Mo Tiange was, after all, a disciple of a major sect, she might have connections, and wanted to seek her out to see if she could help.
Tang Shen heard about this and insisted on making the trip to Kunwu. Wei Haolan originally disagreed, but Tang Shen was very determined. Unable to wear him down, she let him come.
As luck would have it, Tang Shen was no longer the ignorant Young Master Tang of the past. Upon arriving in Kunwu, he kept a low profile. However, his appearance as a young master from a prominent family still attracted villains. His own strength wasn't weak; after counter-killing them, he happened to encounter a Nascent Soul cultivator who took an interest in him. Upon probing, the cultivator discovered his constitution and immediately captured him!
This was during the time when Tianmo Mountain was opening. This Nascent Soul cultivator took him along into Tianmo Mountain, originally planning to deal with him after leaving Tianmo Mountain—it seemed he intended to give him to a junior as a cultivation cauldron.
Who would have thought such a unforeseen event would occur in Tianmo Mountain? This Nascent Soul cultivator perished in Tianmo Mountain, and Tang Shen fell into the hands of this cultivator's disciple.
This disciple of the Nascent Soul cultivator was already at mid Core Formation. Because Yushen Palace was dangerous, the Nascent Soul cultivator had his disciple take Tang Shen out of Tianmo Mountain first, which was also why the two of them escaped disaster.