Accompany

However, the Bibo Hot Spring couldn't fully repair the dantian. Even soaking in it for a long time would only mend the outermost layer at best.

But the dantian wasn't just a single surface layer.

A dantian with only its surface layer intact would at most make a person no different from an ordinary mortal.

As for the path of cultivation, it would truly be impossible to continue.

Even so, when Liu Chun heard that the Yuan family was willing to lend out the Bibo Hot Spring, he was already overjoyed and deeply grateful.

He didn't dare hope for too much now. He only wished for his younger sister to wake up again, to still be alive.

So they packed up, wrapping Liu Qin in layer after layer of thick clothing to ensure she wouldn't suffer the slightest wind or bump, before immediately boarding Liao Pantu's spirit boat and flying toward the Yuan family's rear mountain.

At this moment, at the entrance to the rear mountain, the guards had all been temporarily reassigned by Yuan Bi.

After Lin Xiao confirmed no one was around, he descended.

Yuan Bi came out to greet them, then said:

"Do you need anyone to stay and accompany you? If so, I can arrange for someone."

Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu both turned to look at Liu Chun, who was holding Liu Qin.

Liu Chun thought for a moment, then asked Yuan Bi hesitantly:

"Clan Head Yuan, if I stay here to accompany my sister, would I be able to draw talismans here?"

Yuan Bi didn't actually know Liu Chun. Hearing this, he was somewhat surprised — he hadn't expected this fellow cultivator before him to actually be a talisman master.

He quickly nodded and said:

"Why wouldn't that be fine? There's a small hut beside the hot spring. It's a bit crude, but it's quiet and private. If you choose to stay, just let me know whatever you need, and I'll have my daughter come by regularly to check on you."

By saying his daughter would come rather than servants, he was making it clear that this matter would never be leaked.

Hearing this, Liu Chun looked at Lin Xiao and said:

"Sect... finally, there's a way. Fellow cultivator, then I..."

Seeing that Liu Chun was struggling to speak without revealing to Yuan Bi that they were Sect Master and Elder, Lin Xiao immediately cut in:

"Just stay here peacefully with your sister. Don't worry about anything else."

Liu Chun nodded gratefully, then followed Yuan Bi as he carried Liu Qin into the rear mountain.

They only stopped when they were almost at the top of the mountain.

This place faced away from the Yuan family's main residence. Below it stretched the family's fields.

From here, one couldn't overlook the main residence — only the vast patches of spirit fields.

Yuan Bi led them around a stone grove, pushed open a nearby door, and turned to Liu Chun:

"Fellow Cultivist Liu, please don't mind. This place can only be opened by my daughter and me. Once you go in, coming and going might not be too convenient. Please take this jade token. If you need anything, just use it to contact me."

With that, he handed Liu Chun an ordinary-looking jade token.

This kind of jade token was fairly common in the cultivation world. While not exactly cheap, most cultivators with some resources would use them to keep in touch with those they regularly contacted.

Liu Chun naturally recognized the token. He nodded and accepted it without saying much.

After all, he was only here to let his sister recuperate at the Yuan family's place. The family was a major clan — it made sense that they wouldn't want an outsider freely coming and going.

This arrangement was actually perfect. Keeping the connection clean meant that if anything unexpected happened, suspicion wouldn't fall on him, and it would prevent any friction between them.

Seeing that Liu Chun had no objections at all, Yuan Bi thought to himself: No wonder he's a friend of Fellow Cultivator Lin. He's clear-headed about things.

After bringing him into the Bibo Hot Spring area, Yuan Bi gave Liu Chun a careful introduction to the place.

Actually, there wasn't much to introduce. The space was small — just a pool, and beside it a finely built bamboo hut. Nothing else.

"Fellow Cultivist Liu, you can place your sister directly into the hot spring."

"A talisman-drawing table will be delivered by my daughter shortly. Please settle in for now."

Liu Chun acknowledged each point quietly, thanking him.

Looking around, sensing there was nothing else to do, Yuan Bi took his leave and departed.

He sent a message to Yuan Zhiyun, who had just returned from visiting the Talisman Master Assembly a few days ago, asking her to deliver a talisman-drawing table and some daily necessities for cultivators to the Bibo Hot Spring.

Unexpectedly, the moment Yuan Zhiyun received his message, she sounded rather surprised:

"Liu Chun? He's a talisman master?"

Yuan Bi didn't understand why she spoke in that tone, so he asked:

"What about this person?"

The voice on the other end replied:

"Father, didn't I tell you earlier? At this Talisman Master Assembly, a dark horse appeared. He had apparently been a guest attendant (a gongfeng) of the Wu family before, and later caused that whole calcined stone powder incident at the assembly. He ended up ranking thirty-ninth — his name is Liu Chun."

Hearing this, Yuan Bi was quite taken aback.

He hadn't expected that this person was Fellow Cultivator Lin's friend.

And the two of them were clearly very close.

Originally, he'd thought that since Yuanling City now had such a formidable talisman master, he'd have to find some way to make his acquaintance. He never imagined the man was already right here in his own home.

"Take good care of Fellow Cultivist Liu over there. Fulfill his needs as much as possible. I have matters to attend to, so I'll leave it here for now."

With that, he ended the conversation and returned to his study.

By then, Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu had already been brought ahead by Yuan Qing and were waiting there.

Seeing Yuan Bi return, both Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu stood to thank him.

Yuan Bi hastily gestured:

"Please, both of you, sit. No need for formalities. To be honest, this Bibo Hot Spring can only do so much — at best, it will keep Miss Liu's life safe. As for cultivation in the future, that's beyond its power..."

Lin Xiao sat down in the guest seat and smiled:

"Clan Head Yuan, what are you saying? Keeping her alive is already more than enough. We'll find a way to deal with the dantian ourselves. The Liu siblings will be staying here, and we hope you'll keep an eye on them. To be frank, our sect is a small one in a remote location, not very close to Yuanling City. We won't be able to come by often, but we'll try to send someone every two or three months to check on them."

Hearing this, Yuan Bi was somewhat surprised.

He hadn't expected they were all from the same sect.

He'd originally assumed Lin Xiao and the others were young talents from some hidden aristocratic family out on their travels.

But Liu Chun had been known as a rogue cultivator before — he hadn't imagined the man had already joined a sect.

Lin Xiao had told him this after weighing various considerations.

After all, since they'd decided to be friends, it wouldn't do to hide too many things. Saying they came from a small sect wasn't a big deal.

Moreover, Lin Xiao had other plans in mind.

Revealing this layer of identity would also make it easier for him to conduct his affairs and maintain relations with the Yuan family in the future.

Hearing Lin Xiao mention that their sect would periodically send people to Yuanling City, Yuan Bi mulled it over and then asked:

"Would your sect be interested in doing business in Yuanling City?"