Min Ziqiong and Min Ziqing’s hearts skipped a beat simultaneously. They quickly stepped forward to try and persuade, "Master Gui, please don't misunderstand. Actually, Ying Chen isn't what you think he is..."
But Master Gui brushed aside the siblings.
He then walked up to Ying Chen and questioned him again, "Are you the renowned master Guo old man spoke of?"
Ying Chen's expression was calm as he quietly looked at Master Gui and replied, "Yes."
Just as everyone expected Master Gui to cause trouble, they saw him suddenly change his demeanor, his face beaming with joy. "That's great! Seeing as you call me 'Little Gui Zi,' could you also teach me that Turtle Hand technique Guo old man learned?"
"If you feel it's inappropriate to teach without reason, I can kowtow and formally become your disciple on the spot!"
With that, Master Gui bent his knees, about to truly kowtow and apprentice!
This left Min Ziqiong and Min Ziqing stunned.
Why wasn't this Master Gui playing by the usual rules?
"I'm sorry, I cannot. Little Gui Zi."
Ying Chen said with a serious expression.
"..." This inevitably disappointed Master Gui.
He looked pleadingly at Elder Guo.
Elder Guo turned his head away, not looking at him, "You old rascal, first you blackmailed me with information about the Soul Locking Gu, forcing me to bring you on this mission. Now you want to blackmail Immortal Master Ying into teaching you? No way!"
"You'll never learn Turtle Hand in this lifetime. You can only watch me perform it with drool dripping down your chin! The thought of that makes me happy, hahahaha!"
Hearing Elder Guo's words, everyone instantly understood the reason for Elder Guo's delay.
So, he had been bargaining with Master Gui!
"Heh heh, don't misunderstand, I didn't mean to blackmail. I just feel this opportunity is rare. If I don't participate, I won't rest even in my coffin." Master Gui, like an old mischievous child, scratched his head embarrassedly and explained.
He enjoyed researching rare and peculiar items, and seizing this golden opportunity, he naturally didn't want to miss it.
This was understandable.
"Are you sure you know information about the Soul Locking Gu and the Chi You Banner?" Ying Chen's eyes flashed as he looked at Master Gui and asked.
Master Gui patted his chest, "Certain! I've studied these things for decades and have practical field experience. No one in the entire Dragon Kingdom understands this better than I do! If the Chi You Banner indeed has hidden successors, it must be in one of the places I know of!"
"Very good." Ying Chen nodded. "If we can truly find a successor to the Chi You Banner, then I don't mind teaching you another miraculous healing technique, no less inferior to Turtle Hand."
"Really?" Master Gui's eyes lit up.
A miraculous healing technique not inferior to Turtle Hand!
Then he could compete with Guo old man!
And no longer have to endure Guo old man's smugness and ridicule!
"My word has never been broken before," Ying Chen replied coldly.
"Oh, I'm not questioning your promise, I'm just too excited to believe it. Please don't misunderstand, please have some tea and calm down..."
Master Gui, who was high and mighty in the eyes of outsiders, had transformed into a sycophant.
This truly astonished the Min Ziqiong siblings.
"Forget about tea, time is precious. Let's depart immediately! The sooner we resolve this matter, the sooner I can attend to other things."
Ying Chen waved his hand, refusing the tea Master Gui offered.
"Alright! I like Immortal Master Ying's straightforwardness! It suits me! If it doesn't work out, shall we become sworn brothers?"
Master Gui, unable to become a disciple, now wanted to become sworn brothers.
"Shut up! You're a national treasure physician, aren't you ashamed?"
Fortunately, Elder Guo stopped him.
Otherwise, Master Gui would have truly gone through with a ritual, making Ying Chen his sworn brother.
Ying Chen also felt quite helpless with Master Gui's mischievous, childlike personality.
He could only take the lead and step out the door.
Master Gui followed closely behind, "Wait for me, Immortal Master Ying. Do you know where we're going?"
"Yunnan, the peak of Yunlu!"
"Yunnan Province!"
The place Master Gui believed to be the hiding spot of the Chi You Banner's successor was in Yunnan Province!
It made sense; Yunnan Province was where Miao witchcraft was most preserved.
Coupled with the saying "Hundred Thousand Great Mountains," which stretched as far as the eye could see, it was the most suitable place for concealment.
Why was it that throughout history, dynasties had little control over the Miao tribes?
It was precisely because the mountainous terrain was complex and unsuitable for combat. Prolonged sieges would not only waste military resources but also deplete morale.
In the end, they could only resort to recruitment, symbolically incorporating them into their territory.
Those who accepted recruitment gradually emerged from the mountains, began trading with the outside world, and became known as "civilized Miao."
Meanwhile, a portion refused recruitment, stubbornly clinging to the mountains, hostile to all outsiders.
They preserved their highly traditional culture and way of life, including witchcraft.
These people were called "wild Miao."
And among the wild Miao, there were two types of sorcerers: White Witch and Black Witch.
White Witches, as the name suggests, tended to be on the side of lawful good. They more often used witchcraft to heal and save people.
Black Witches, however, tended towards chaotic evil. They more often used witchcraft to achieve their personal goals, resorting to any means necessary, even to kill and seize lives.
The place Master Gui intended to take Ying Chen was a well-known gathering place for wild Miao Black Witches in Yunnan Province!
It was fraught with peril; one wrong step could lead to death in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
Therefore, even though Min Ziqing desperately wanted to go, he was left behind.
Only Elder Guo, Master Gui, and Ying Chen took a plane to Yunnan Province.
After several hours of flying, followed by several hours of bumpy car rides, the three finally entered the area of wild Miao Black Witches that Master Gui had mentioned.
Since they departed at dawn, they arrived just as the sky was breaking. The east was faintly white, revealing a hint of light, but it could not penetrate the darkness of the distant, continuous Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
It was like entering a solemn temple filled with statues, where one felt an innumerable gaze upon them. Despite temples being solemn and sacred places, one couldn't help but feel fear.
"Um, Elder Gui, should we wait a bit before going in? It would be clearer and safer to see in daylight," Elder Guo was a little scared and shrunk his neck, saying.
What he received in return was Master Gui's merciless mockery, "You call yourself a master of the Xuanmen and you're as timid as a mouse, utterly disgraceful! You think it'll be safer in daylight? Let me tell you, in the territory of the wild Miao Black Witches, there's no difference between day and night! It's merely the difference between seeing the person who cursed you before you die, and not seeing them!"
"..."
Master Gui's words instantly made Elder Guo's already anxious heart even more uneasy.
"Alright, alright, don't be so scared. Coincidentally, I remember there's a breakfast stall up ahead, so I'll take you to experience a special Miao village delicacy – chicken congee!"
With that, Master Gui led the way.
Indeed, not far ahead, they saw a simple stall resembling an ancient tea house.
An elderly woman, frail with age, was tidying up bowls and chopsticks.
On the stove, a large pot of fragrant rice porridge was simmering.
This was the chicken congee Master Gui had mentioned!