"Senior Xu, I really didn't expect to meet you here. I'm truly overjoyed."
After Wen Yi had settled her injured companions, she trotted over to Xu Yi and said softly, a faint sense of adoration deep within her eyes.
Xu Yi had always held a special place in her heart. She could never forget what happened at the Jian family banquet, nor the sister who had kindly protected her.
However, her master had attacked Senior Xu without discerning right from wrong, which must have made Senior Xu have no good feelings towards her.
Furthermore, the Kyushu Continent was vast, and perhaps they would never meet again in their lifetimes.
Wen Yi regarded Xu Yi as a unique treasure, keeping her in her heart and cherishing her carefully.
Today, this treasure had abruptly appeared before her, filling her with both surprise and a touch of apprehension.
"I also didn't expect to meet you here. Tell me about your recent experiences."
Although Wen Yi had grown into a young woman, in Xu Yi's eyes, she was still the little girl she remembered.
Therefore, Xu Yi looked at Wen Yi as she would a junior family member.
Feeling Xu Yi's approachable attitude, Wen Yi became even more delighted and, blushing, recounted her experiences in detail.
In truth, Wen Yi's experiences over the years had been very simple, even dull to describe.
After leaving the Fire Talisman Sect with her master, True Master Jing Qiu, she had returned to the Bright Moon Pavilion to focus on her cultivation, rarely venturing out.
It wasn't until recently that her master passed away, she was pursued, and Xu Yi saved her.
These few simple words summarized nearly fifty years of her life.
"What are your plans now?" Xu Yi asked after listening.
Wen Yi's small face paled, and she gently shook her head, biting her lower lip.
This time, she had offended Senior Sister Lan and several elders of the Bright Moon Pavilion, so she definitely couldn't return.
But she had lived in the Bright Moon Pavilion since childhood, and after leaving, she had nowhere to go.
What's more, she was not alone now; several junior sisters accompanied her, and she had a responsibility to care for them.
Xu Yi had anticipated Wen Yi's dilemma.
In fact, as Wen Yi attended to her companions earlier, Xu Yi had already been considering Wen Yi's future path and had a general plan in mind, though it required the cooperation of others.
Xu Yi pondered for a moment and then slowly said, "Do you remember the Fire Talisman Sect?"
"Of course, I remember. Master was recovering at the Fire Talisman Sect back then, and Sect Master Zhan and Brother Wang Yang of the Fire Talisman Sect took particularly good care of me."
Wen Yi didn't know many people outside her sect. As soon as Xu Yi mentioned it, she immediately thought of the people from the Fire Talisman Sect, their images already surfacing in her mind.
After Wen Yi finished speaking, she suddenly thought of something and exclaimed, "Senior Xu means..."
"That's right," Xu Yi nodded and asked earnestly, "Are you willing to join the Fire Talisman Sect?"
Xu Yi's suggestion was not random.
Years ago, when she was a guest at the Fire Talisman Sect, Sect Master Zhan had praised Little Yi's intelligence and excellent aptitude to her more than once.
She had even joked that Sect Master Zhan was trying to poach from True Master Jing Qiu.
Now that Wen Yi was without a home, Xu Yi suddenly remembered that the Fire Talisman Sect was not far from Ye City. Otherwise, the Fire Talisman Sect wouldn't have participated in the Jian family ancestor's birthday banquet alongside the Bright Moon Pavilion.
It was a good opportunity for Wen Yi to try her luck at the Fire Talisman Sect.
As for Wen Yi's junior sisters, knowing they were outmatched by their opponents and willing to risk their lives to protect her indicated good character. Even if they couldn't be disciples under Sect Master Zhan, they were more than qualified to be ordinary outer disciples.
"Senior Xu, could you allow me to discuss this with my junior sisters?"
Wen Yi hesitated.
She liked the Fire Talisman Sect, but joining it, in her view, was a betrayal of the Bright Moon Pavilion.
She couldn't make up her mind at that moment.
"You may. However, I must tell you in advance that even if you decide to join the Fire Talisman Sect, they might not necessarily accept you. I will only help mediate; I won't force them to keep you. Do you understand?"
Wen Yi was stunned by Xu Yi's words, then nodded emphatically, "I understand."
Xu Yi waved her hand, allowing her to go discuss with her companions. She then casually found a large rock, sat cross-legged, and closed her eyes to rest.
Half an hour later, Wen Yi, with a resolute expression, walked up to Xu Yi and bowed, saying, "Senior Xu, we are willing to join the Fire Talisman Sect. We ask for your intercession."
Xu Yi opened her eyes, pulled a small boat from her storage ring, and said calmly, "We depart in three days."
"Yes, thank you, Senior."
...
Fire Talisman Sect.
"Junior Sister, Little Junior Sister."
Chi Xiaoxi pretended not to hear the calls from behind and focused on watering a sapling less than waist-high in front of her, humming a tuneless melody.
"Little Junior Sister, why aren't you acknowledging me?"
Wang Yang arrived beside Chi Xiaoxi, panting, and complained.
Chi Xiaoxi, holding a watering can in one hand and placing the other on her hip, said, "You always come to me asking for spirit herbs. I don't want to pay attention to you."
"Hehe, Little Junior Sister, Senior Brother knows you are the kindest. Please help Senior Brother again." Wang Yang smiled fawningly.
There was no helping it; after all, her little junior sister was a genius at cultivating spirit herbs. She could make any spirit herb grow, and now even Uncle-Master Bei and Uncle-Master Nan had to consider her feelings.
Chi Xiaoxi snorted lightly, "Speak, what do you want this time?"
Wang Yang cupped his hands repeatedly, "Hehe, thank you, Junior Sister. Senior Brother wants a Qilin Grass and a Man Li Flower."
Chi Xiaoxi memorized the names of the two spiritual plants. Without speaking, she poured all the water from the watering can around the sapling before taking Wang Yang to the medicinal garden.
Even before entering the medicinal garden, a peculiar fragrance filled the air.
This fragrance was indescribable yet made one's complexion glow.
Wang Yang inhaled the scent deeply several times and, without Chi Xiaoxi needing to say anything, voluntarily stopped, "Little Junior Sister, you go in. I'll wait for you outside."
"Alright."
Chi Xiaoxi didn't hesitate and walked directly into the medicinal garden.
Wang Yang looked enviously at Chi Xiaoxi moving within the medicinal garden, marveling inwardly.
He wondered what extraordinary quality Little Junior Sister possessed that made those delicate medicinal plants adore her so much.
Apart from Chi Xiaoxi, others couldn't even look at them for too long.
Wang Yang, not believing it, had secretly infiltrated the medicinal garden twice before.
The first time he sneaked into the medicinal garden, before his hand could even touch the desired medicinal plant, the plant had already detected his presence and expressed its disgust through action.
It broke itself in half, choosing death to make a statement.
Who knew why a medicinal plant would commit suicide.
He had merely looked at that medicinal plant a few extra times.
Wang Yang went a second time. However, this time, as soon as he stepped inside, he was thrown out by some medicinal plant. He was discovered by Chi Xiaoxi in the humiliating posture of hitting his face on the ground with his backside and later received punishment from his master.
From then on, everyone in the Fire Talisman Sect knew that the medicinal garden was a place only Chi Xiaoxi could enter. Anyone else who didn't want to end up with a lifeless, spiritless herb could only wait obediently at the entrance. Chi Xiaoxi's status thus rose steadily.