As Wu Tao's expression grew complicated, his gaze lingering on Feng Junyi and the others, their own unease deepened. They desperately hoped they hadn't escaped the wolf's den only to fall into a tiger's maw; such a situation would be truly troublesome. They knew better than to assume this exceedingly young cultivator at the Purple Mansion stage, who had just saved them, was a benevolent soul. After all, few genuinely good people existed in the cultivation world, especially among high-level cultivators.
What's more, for reasons unknown, Feng Junyi felt a sense of familiarity with the seemingly ordinary face before him, as if he had seen it somewhere before. Yet, perhaps too much time had passed, and he couldn't recall it immediately. While his mind raced, trying to pinpoint when he might have met this "senior," a sense of trepidation also began to set in, fearing he might have offended him in the past. Meanwhile, the others, seeing Wu Tao's silence, dared not speak first.
Wu Tao, on his end, had no intention of prolonging this standoff. While these dawdling individuals weren't in a rush, he was. After a slight cough, Wu Tao finally broke the silence.
"Senior Uncle Feng, it seems you truly have a forgetful nature. Have you forgotten that you once vouched for a young cultivator?"
"The reason I was able to evade the punishment of the Law Enforcement Hall back then was thanks to your righteous intervention!"
"Senior Uncle? Punishment from the Law Enforcement Hall? You... you are... Wu Tao?"
When Feng Junyi heard Wu Tao address him as Senior Uncle, he was utterly stunned. However, upon hearing about the Law Enforcement Hall incident, he finally realized. He murmured Wu Tao's name, his voice filled with disbelief. The others, hearing this, were equally flabbergasted. The fact that this powerful cultivator at the Purple Mansion stage had unexpectedly addressed Feng Junyi as "Senior Uncle" left them speechless.
"I didn't expect Senior Uncle Feng to still recognize me. I thought you would have forgotten long ago."
Wu Tao appeared genuinely surprised that Feng Junyi had called out his name.
Unbeknownst to Wu Tao, though he was a minor figure in the Taiyi Immortal Sect, his exceptional performance, particularly his displayed potential during the sect competition back then, had indeed made him memorable to many. Furthermore, Feng Junyi shared a complicated relationship with his master, Shangguan Yujie, which deepened his impression of Wu Tao. Of course, no factor was as potent as the passage of time. After several hundred years, Feng Junyi's memory of Wu Tao's appearance was indeed only a general outline. Otherwise, he would have recognized Wu Tao's identity much sooner.
"Fellow Daoists, this is the dividing line between Jiuzhou and the great grasslands. Why do you find yourselves here, surrounded by the wolf people?"
"It's important to remember that this is not human territory. Even I tread carefully when I wander here, avoiding unnecessary trouble."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Wu Tao began to inquire about their presence in this desolate region. The seven or eight individuals exchanged glances, scratched their heads awkwardly, and collectively looked towards Feng Junyi. Feng Junyi, a peak mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, was clearly their leader.
Feng Junyi cleared his throat slightly before speaking, "Senior Wu, you may not know, but the Changsheng Heaven grasslands yield a spiritual herb called Wolf Blood Overlord Dragon Grass, which is the primary ingredient for the Heaven-Piercing Elixir."
"Several of us have been stuck in a bottleneck for years and must break through with the Heaven-Piercing Elixir. Thus, we ventured into the Changsheng Heaven cultivation world," he explained. "We thought we had enough manpower, but we unexpectedly encountered a large tribe of wolf people and were thus besieged. Had it not been for your timely assistance, we would have perished here!"
As Feng Junyi explained, expressing his gratitude, his mind was also carefully considering whether this "senior" would return to the Taiyi Immortal Sect. If he did, how would the sect change? Would the entire Jiuzhou cultivation world be thrown into turmoil?
To be frank, for Wu Tao, who had reached the Purple Mansion stage, even the once unimaginably vast Taiyi Immortal Sect was merely that – just a sect. Status dictated perspective; those not on the same level would inevitably have different thoughts and goals. The things Feng Junyi valued, Wu Tao simply didn't care about. Therefore, Feng Junyi's attempts to understand Wu Tao's intentions based on his own framework were fundamentally mistaken.
Having learned their objective, Wu Tao lost interest in listening further. He interrupted Feng Junyi, interjecting, "Is my master, Shangguan Yujie, well?"
"Senior, your master, Shangguan Yujie, has advanced to the Nascent Soul stage over the years and is now the renowned Wine Sword Immortal," Feng Junyi replied truthfully, as there was no reason to conceal such information.
"Is my master still the same? Has she changed at all? And what about my senior sisters? Are they all doing well?" Hearing news of his master and recalling her graceful appearance and demeanor, Wu Tao’s face broke into a rare, genuine smile, clearly reminiscing about past anecdotes. However, before Wu Tao could fully savor the moment, Feng Junyi's next words wiped the smile from his face.
"Senior, most of your senior sisters have unfortunately perished due to various reasons."
Wu Tao's body trembled slightly, and a flicker of sadness crossed his face. Although he hadn't spent a great deal of time with his senior sisters, the atmosphere within Shangguan Yujie's lineage had been so pleasant that Wu Tao had developed a strong fondness for them. Thus, hearing of their demise brought him a pang of grief. Had time, that accursed thief, truly stolen away yet another group of people he knew?
Subsequently, Wu Tao inquired about Hua Chen, Changping Qian, and Long Ao Potian. Learning from Feng Junyi that only Long Ao Potian was still alive among his former friends, Wu Tao fell into a profound silence. The images of "Changping Qian" and "Hua Chen" flashed through his mind. The shared experiences of the past, memories buried deep within his mind, began to resurface like scattered embers.
Hundreds of years had indeed transformed everything, like the upheaval of seas and lands. After a long while, Wu Tao finally regained his senses and let out a sigh. Reflecting on the many events that had transpired in Qingzhou back then, it all seemed like a fleeting dream.
During the subsequent conversation, Feng Junyi cautiously probed whether Wu Tao intended to return to the Taiyi Immortal Sect. Upon receiving a negative answer, while feeling a sense of disappointment, he also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The current state of the Jiuzhou cultivation world had been peaceful for centuries, and few wished for renewed conflict, Feng Junyi included. Wu Tao's potential return to the Taiyi Immortal Sect would undoubtedly shake the entire Jiuzhou cultivation world. Such was the formidable and esteemed nature of the Purple Mansion stage; regardless of where one went, they had the power to influence the cultivation world. In short, even though Wu Tao's return would significantly bolster their strength, many within the Taiyi Immortal Sect did not wish for him to come back. Of course, if Wu Tao had explicitly stated his desire to return, everyone would have outwardly expressed extreme welcome. Such was the complexity of human nature.
Feng Junyi, who was well aware of some of Wu Tao's past affairs, felt a growing sense of confusion and bewilderment when a certain name was conspicuously absent. He knew that woman was the senior's beloved. The events that transpired between them back then were unforgettable for many.
"Senior, do you remember the female cultivator named Xu Sheng from the Taiyi Immortal Sect?" Sensing something amiss, Feng Junyi cautiously probed.
"Ah! Xu Sheng? Who is she? I don't recall that name," Wu Tao replied, first pausing, then shaking his head slightly. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, as he recalled the name again, his heart suddenly felt a pang of anxiety, a tightness, as if some crucial memory had been forgotten... No... it wasn't forgotten... it was sealed... it was devoured... it was deliberately erased... Who had tampered with his memories? Who dared to erase his memories? Who was responsible for all of this?
"Scoundrel, I will kill him!" At this moment, Wu Tao's emotions churned like a tempestuous sea, and the terrifying killing intent he had been suppressing began to surge uncontrollably, radiating outwards. Feeling this aura, Feng Junyi and the others trembled like chicks, fearing that Wu Tao might turn his rage upon them.
Feng Junyi cursed inwardly, "I'm such an idiot. Why did I have to bring it up? Knowing there was a problem, why did I have to pry?" If this led to losing his life, he would never find peace even in the underworld. This was utterly unjust.
"Feng Junyi, tell me. Since you mentioned Xu Sheng's name, you must know about my relationship with her, right? So, what was my relationship with her?" Wu Tao's voice grew urgent as he sensed something was profoundly wrong.
Hearing this, Feng Junyi, with his astute mind, immediately realized that this "senior" before him likely had memory issues, otherwise, he wouldn't have forgotten his own beloved. "Senior, your relationship with Xu Sheng was that of Dao companions. Many people within the Taiyi Sect knew this, and even outside, many were aware. I truly am not lying to you," Feng Junyi said, trembling under Wu Tao's intense gaze, a wry smile on his face, almost as if he were willing to swear to the heavens.
"Hahahaha, good, very good, it's truly excellent!" Wu Tao burst into laughter, his anger fueled by the revelation. His aura surged, shaking the surrounding rocks and trees, shattering them into countless dust motes that diffused into the air. Even the sky began to show signs of spatial cracks. This spectacle filled Feng Junyi and the others with dread and trembling. Many silently cursed Feng Junyi in their hearts, thinking, "It was going so well, why did you have to blurt it out, causing us to suffer with you?"
Having vented a portion of his rage, Wu Tao seemed to lose all interest in further conversation. He stood in place, his expression somber, as if lost in thought. The others, recognizing that the "senior" was in a foul mood, dared not speak or act unnecessarily, remaining rooted like wooden stakes, doing their utmost to minimize their presence, lest Wu Tao notice them.
After a while, when Wu Tao had managed to suppress the turmoil within him, he directly ordered them to leave. Feng Junyi and the others, naturally, dared not protest. After reiterating their thanks for saving their lives, they fled in a panicked haste! What the hell? If they didn't run now, they would be the perfect targets when this senior decided to vent his anger.
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