He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 842 A bit interesting

When Xiao Shuai was asked this by his master, his cheeks flushed red, as if they had been dyed with two streaks of sunset. He scratched his head a little embarrassedly, hurriedly turned to look at the moss on the cave wall, and whispered as softly as a mosquito: "Master, this formation... I didn't set it up."

"I set it up," Little Fox's mother said with a smile, gently brushing her fingertips across the vines hanging from the cave entrance. She explained softly, "This cave is sheltered from the wind and has plenty of spiritual energy, making it a good place to recuperate. However, there are bound to be some ignorant little demons and monsters in the mountains, or cultivators who accidentally wander in. Fearing that they might disturb your rest, I quickly set up a simple protective array. The array isn't very powerful, but it can block ordinary prying eyes, allowing you to rest in peace."

Long Si finally understood, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. He cupped his hands to Xiao Li's mother and said, "Thank you for your help. I will remember this kindness. If needed in the future, the Dragon Clan will certainly not let you down." After saying this, he lowered his head and sat cross-legged again, closing his eyes slightly and silently circulating the spiritual energy within his body. Strands of azure light swirled around him, flowing slowly like water, and the previously stagnant energy gradually became smooth. After a moment, he opened his eyes, the weariness in them fading slightly: "My magic power has recovered to more than 30%. I can handle ordinary cultivators, so I'm fine for now."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious: "But we shouldn't stay here any longer. The Ye family has suffered a loss, and they certainly won't let it go. They're probably still searching all over the mountains right now, and they might have even asked the elders of their clan for help. We need to go to the demon territory to hide first—there we'll have our own kind to look after us, and the spiritual energy there is much richer, which will make it easier for me to recuperate in peace."

Long Si paused, tapping his fingertips lightly on his knee as if he were considering something: "This matter is far too complicated. The Ye family and the other major families have probably caught wind of it and may have already joined forces in secret. We are currently outnumbered and outmatched, so we must not rush things and must plan carefully."

Xiao Shuai nodded repeatedly, finally relieved of the weight that had been hanging over him for half a month, his brows and eyes relaxing. He carefully reached out and supported Long Si's arm, his eyes sparkling, his tone full of trust: "I'll listen to Master! As long as Master is alright, there's still hope. Let's go to the demon territory and establish a foothold first, and then settle accounts with them once you've recovered!"

The sunlight outside the cave was perfect, filtering through the gaps in the vines and casting dappled patterns of light on the ground, like scattered gold dust or a carpet of stars. The shifting light and shadow warmed their faces, and even the air seemed to hold a sense of relaxation.

Afterwards, Xiao Li's mother, with pale pink spiritual energy swirling around her fingertips, slowly withdrew the remaining spiritual light from the concealment array into her palm. She then turned to Xiao Shuai and Long Si and said, "Let's go back to the demon territory through the secret passage behind the mountain. That area is full of tangled old forests and is shrouded in miasma, so ordinary human cultivators can't find it. Right now, this is the safest route."

Xiao Shuai, supporting the still somewhat weak Long Si, was about to catch up when Long Si suddenly raised his hand and pressed down on his arm, the cool touch of his fingertips carrying an undeniable force. His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, swept towards a dense thicket on the left, where the branches swayed more frequently than elsewhere, and he said calmly, "Alright, come out now that you've hidden enough, stop hiding."

Little Fox's mother finally snapped out of her daze. She had been so focused on dismantling the formation that she hadn't noticed anyone else around. Her nose twitched slightly; the fox's keen sense of smell immediately detected a faint human scent in the air—a scent tinged with soap and sweat, almost imperceptible, as if enveloped by some kind of magic. Normally, she would never have missed it; it seemed the other person had used some advanced method of concealing their presence.

The fourth brother, hiding in the bushes, felt a jolt of fear and cursed his bad luck. He had relied on the sect's secret technique of concealing his presence, making his aura lighter than a cat's, thinking he could follow them undetected to the demon border and find their hideout. He hadn't expected Long Si to see through him. He instinctively wanted to turn and run, but an overwhelming pressure instantly locked onto him, like being coiled by a giant python, rendering him unable to move his limbs and even breathing difficult—it was the dragon's unique might, carrying the oppressive feeling of a prehistoric beast, making his knees tremble. The fourth brother knew that this time, he couldn't escape.

Left with no other choice, he had to steel himself and push aside the bushes to come out. He forced a calm expression on his face, but his hand secretly pressed against the communication talisman at his waist, his fingertips sweating. He hoped that if all else failed, he could crush the talisman and call for help.

Long Si sized him up, his gaze lingering on the communication talisman at his waist. A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Interesting. A human cultivator actually dares to follow us and even chase us here. It seems you really have a death wish."

He turned to look at Xiao Shuai, his eyes clearly signaling, "Xiao Shuai, this kind of reckless guy is perfect for you to practice on. I'll leave him to you to handle."

Xiao Shuai had been itching to fight, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white, and sweat beaded between his fingers—their previous exchange had ended in a draw, and he was eager for another round. Upon hearing this, he immediately took half a step forward, his spiritual energy surging. But before he could move, Little Fox's mother suddenly smiled and waved her hand, "Alright, Xiao Shuai. No need to get angry with him. Let's leave it at that." She turned to look at the fourth brother, her eyes calm and unwavering, like a bottomless lake: "You've been following us all this way, not just for fun, have you? What's your purpose?"

Only then did the fourth brother notice Little Fox's mother. When he saw the faint foxfire mark between her eyebrows, his heart tightened even more—this was the mark of a fox clan elder! He quickly forced a smile, his facial muscles stiffening slightly: "I... I was ordered by the sect leader to come and check on everyone's safety. After all, the sect leader has always been concerned about your situation, fearing that you might encounter trouble from the Ye family on the road. He specifically sent me to come and check on you, so that I could lend a hand if you encounter any difficulties."

This was only partly true. He was indeed following He Yuzhu's orders to track them, but not out of concern for their safety. His real purpose was to ascertain the movements of the Dragon Clan and the Demon Clan, especially the extent of Long Si's injuries. But at this point, this was the only way he could say it, as it was the only way to temporarily save his life and report back to the sect leader later.

Xiao Li's mother was incredibly astute; the smile in her eyes faded slightly, clearly sensing the ulterior motive in his words. She naturally understood He Yuzhu's intentions—he simply wanted to confirm their whereabouts but couldn't do it openly, so he sent this spy. She smiled, her tone indifferent: "So it was He Yuzhu's idea. We're fine now, thank you for your concern. We're not far from the demon realm, there's no danger. You can go back and report."