Xue Ri, the young woman who had been injured earlier, stepped forward, her eyes shining with gratitude. She bowed deeply, her voice trembling with emotion. "This young master! We are eternally grateful for your help. We couldn't have imagined what would have happened to us if it weren't for your intervention!"
Beside her, Luo Yexuan, the young man who had been equally battered, nodded fervently. He too bowed, his voice earnest. "Senior Sister Xue is right! We are deeply indebted to you. Although we may not be skilled in combat, our Pharmacist Valley is renowned for its medicinal potions and elixirs. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. We will always be ready to assist you!"
Mo Yichen felt a wave of awkwardness wash over him as he watched the two bowing before him, their starry eyes filled with admiration. He scratched the back of his neck, his smile a little sheepish. "Ahem… it wasn't too much trouble, really. You don't need to be so serious about it."
Jing Yu, standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh at the scene. "Haha, Brother Mo is far beyond any of our elders when it comes to making potions. He probably wouldn't need our help!"
Xue Ri and Luo Yexuan exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of awe and embarrassment. "Even so," Xue Ri said, her voice soft but determined, "we owe you our lives. Please, allow us to repay you in some way."
Mo Yichen waved a hand dismissively, his tone light. "There's no need for any repayment. Here take these first,"
The next moment, Mo Yichen handed over all the weapons, artifacts, and a bag of spirit stones to Jing Yu and his group. Out of curiosity, he took out one particularly glamorous spirit stone, holding it up to the sunlight to admire its shimmering surface before clutching it and handing the rest to them.
Watching Mo Yichen give away everything without hesitation, Jing Yu and his friends immediately interjected, their voices filled with protest. "Brother Mo! We can't take all of this! This is too much—"
"Take it," a deep, calm voice interrupted. Jing Yu looked up to see Yan Yeqing standing nearby, his serene and emotionless face exuding an aura of immense authority. "Yichen doesn't need it."
Jing Yu felt a shiver run down his spine under Yan Yeqing's gaze. The man's presence was overwhelming, and Jing Yu couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence—and a little fear. He turned to Mo Yichen, his eyes pleading for reassurance.
Mo Yichen nodded slightly, his expression calm and unbothered. "Take it."
Jing Yu hesitated for a moment, his heart churning with conflicting emotions. He had only known Mo Yichen for a short time, and if it weren't for his master's instructions, he might not have even tried to get close to him. Yet, watching Mo Yichen now—his pale, charming skin glistening in the sunlight, his serene expression as he spoke quietly with Yan Yeqing—Jing Yu couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect and admiration.
How can someone be so selfless? Jing Yu thought, his guilt mingling with gratitude. He made a silent vow in his heart to follow Mo Yichen to the end, no matter what challenges lay ahead.
As the group accepted the gifts, the atmosphere around them grew livelier. More and more cultivators began to gather, their chatter filling the air as they prepared for the opening of the Thousand Illusions Labyrinth. The excitement was palpable, but so was the underlying tension.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the gathering, a man in purple robes sat on a cushioned chair, his face dark with anger. Duan Ming's wounds had been healed thanks to the antidote, but no medicine could cure the bitterness festering in his chest. His fists clenched as he glared at the ground, his mind replaying the humiliation he had suffered.
"Cousin," Duan Ming spat, his voice laced with venom, "why did you let them go so easily? Now we don't even have enough protective gear to survive in the secret realm! We didn't have to—"
"Young Master," Duan Xi interrupted, his tone calm but firm. "Do you really think you could have defeated them? Did you not sense the man in blue? His presence alone was enough to make everyone tremble. And that youth in black—Mo something—is not someone to be trifled with. His tactics might be far beyond what we anticipate."
Duan Ming's face twisted in frustration. "So what? Are we just going to let them walk all over us? I am the only heir of the Duan family! How can I let this insult go unpunished?"
Duan Xi's lips curled into a menacing smile, his eyes glinting with a dangerous light. "Who said we're letting them go? We will bide our time. The secret realm is vast, and once inside, they will inevitably be separated. That's when we strike."
Duan Ming's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. A smirk slowly spread across his face, replacing his earlier scowl. "You mean… we take them out one by one?"
Duan Xi nodded, his expression cold and calculating. "Exactly. Let them think they've won for now. But once they're inside the labyrinth, they'll be at our mercy. No one insults the Duan family and walks away unscathed."
Duan Ming leaned back in his chair, his earlier anger replaced by a dark sense of anticipation. "Good. Let them enjoy their victory while it lasts. When the time comes, they'll regret ever crossing me."
Back at the gathering, Mo Yichen and Yan Yeqing stood side by side, their eyes scanning the growing crowd. Jing Yu and his friends were busy organizing the weapons and spirit stones they had received, their gratitude evident in every gesture.
Yan Yeqing glanced at Mo Yichen, his voice low. "You realize they'll come after us, don't you?"
Mo Yichen shrugged, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. "Let them try. I'm not worried."
Yan Yeqing's lips curved into a faint smile. "Confident, aren't you?"
Mo Yichen shot him a sideways glance, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I have you, don't I? What's there to worry about? Won't you protect your 'personal' alchemist?"
Yan Yeqing chuckled, the sound deep and resonant. "Correct. But don't get too comfortable. The labyrinth is unpredictable, and so are the dangers within it,"
Mo Yichen let out a thoughtful "Eh.." as he turned his attention back to Jing Yu and his group. The artifacts and weapons they had received were decent, but they required a significant amount of spiritual energy to function properly. While Jing Yu and his friends didn't lack spiritual energy, they were still beginners in the world of cultivation. With more and more formidable opponents emerging, Mo Yichen couldn't help but worry about their safety.
For him, it wasn't much of a problem. His extraordinary evasive skills and dimension made him a difficult target, and Yan Yeqing's swordsmanship was on a level far beyond the norm. But for these young apprentice pharmacists, who were more accustomed to brewing potions than fighting, the situation was different. They needed something more reliable—something that didn't rely heavily on their spiritual energy.
As Mo Yichen pondered this, a smooth voice broke through his thoughts. "Here, these might help."
He looked down to see a stack of talismans being held out to him. Confused, he glanced up to find Yan Yeqing standing beside him, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever. Somehow, Yan Yeqing had already guessed what Mo Yichen was thinking and had taken out the talismans he had tucked away in his spiritual bag.
Mo Yichen's lips twitched, a mix of surprise and a smile flickering across his face. He took the talismans, his fingers brushing against Yan Yeqing's for a brief moment. Turning away, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. How does he always know what I'm thinking? Mo Yichen wondered, both impressed and slightly unnerved. It was as if Yan Yeqing could read him like an open book, which was both terrifying and oddly comforting. In a world where Mo Yichen had to constantly hide, having someone who understood him—even just a little—felt like a rare gift.
Straightening his expression, Mo Yichen strolled over to Jing Yu and his friends. Jing Yu's eyes lit up like stars as Mo Yichen approached, his excitement palpable.
"Brother Mo!" Jing Yu exclaimed, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.
Xue Ri and Luo Yexuan echoed the sentiment, their voices filled with respect. "Young Master Mo!"
Mo Yichen held out the stack of talismans, his tone casual but his eyes warm. "Take these," he said, handing four talismans to each of them.
As they accepted the charms, their eyes widened in astonishment. The rich color and intricate patterns on the talismans were unlike anything they had ever seen.
"S-spirit lines…!!" Luo Yexuan stammered, his voice trembling with awe.
"That too, three spirit lines!!!" Xue Ri added, her hands shaking as she held the talismans up to the light.
Jing Yu's jaw dropped. "Oh my god!! These are actually the three gold spirit lines!!"
Mo Yichen couldn't help but chuckle at their reactions, though he tried to hide it behind a mask of indifference. "They're just talismans," he said, his tone light. "Use them wisely."
"Just talismans!?" Luo Yexuan exclaimed, his voice rising an octave. "Young Master Mo, do you have any idea how rare these are? Even the elders in our peak barely have charms with golden spirit lines!"
Xue Ri nodded fervently, her eyes shining with gratitude. "These are life-saving treasures! With these, we'll have a much better chance of surviving the labyrinth. Thank you, Young Master Mo!"
Jing Yu, still staring at the talismans in his hands, looked up at Mo Yichen with a mix of admiration and disbelief. "Brother Mo, you're… incredibly rich. I don't even know what to say."
One must know that the talismans with gold spirit lines are as rare as unicorns and phoenixes, they are famous not just because of the difficulty in creation but also because they are used with very little or negligible spiritual energy. One just have to waft a bit of their spiritual energy and they are good to go!
Mo Yichen waved a hand dismissively, though a faint blush tinged his cheeks. "It's nothing. Just make sure you stay safe,"
Just as Mo Yichen finished speaking, he noticed Yan Yeqing approaching from the corner of his eye. The air around them grew tense as murmurs and exclamations erupted from the crowd.
Yan Yeqing's deep voice cut through the noise, calm but commanding. "It's about to open," he said, his gaze fixed on the space above their heads.
Mo Yichen followed his line of sight and saw a small black hole forming in the sky. It expanded rapidly, transforming into a massive, swirling black void in the shape of an oval. The sudden change in the atmosphere was palpable—sharp winds whipped through the area, and the ground beneath their feet trembled violently.
A wave of oppressive energy washed over the crowd, sending shivers down the spines of everyone present. Most cultivators, especially those with lower cultivation levels, felt an immense pressure bearing down on their souls, forcing them to their knees. Only a few remained standing, their expressions calm but alert.
Mo Yichen's eyes narrowed as he stared at the black void. A powerful suction force began pulling at him, threatening to drag him toward the center. He gritted his teeth, his feet digging into the ground as he resisted the pull. "This is…"
The black hole began sucking people into it one by one. Cultivators were lifted off their feet and pulled into the void, their figures disappearing in the blink of an eye. The scene was chaotic, with shouts and cries echoing through the air as people struggled against the force.
Just as Mo Yichen felt himself being pulled forward, a strong hand grabbed his palm. He glanced to his side and saw Yan Yeqing standing beside him, his gaze fixed ahead but his grip firm and reassuring.
"We'll have to move to the front to get into it," Yan Yeqing said, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. Without waiting for a response, he began striding toward the center of the vortex, still holding Mo Yichen's hand.
Mo Yichen blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the gesture. "Uh… do we really need to hold hands?" he asked, his cheeks tinge with faint pink.
Yan Yeqing didn't look back, but his grip tightened slightly, his lips twitching, "Do you want to get separated?"
Mo Yichen opened his mouth to retort but quickly shut it. He couldn't argue with that logic. The secret realms were notorious for scattering their entrants across its vast and treacherous landscape. Being separated from Yan Yeqing—someone who could actually keep up with him—was the last thing he wanted.
As they moved closer to the center, the suction force grew stronger. Mo Yichen could feel the ground slipping away beneath his feet, the wind whipping around him like a storm. He glanced back briefly and saw Jing Yu and his friends struggling to stay together, their faces filled with determination despite the overwhelming pressure.
"Jing Yu!" Mo Yichen called out, his voice cutting through the noise. "Stay close! Don't let go of each other!"
Jing Yu nodded, his expression resolute as he grabbed Xue Ri and Luo Yexuan's hands. "We'll be fine, Brother Mo! Don't worry about us!"