The next day, after receiving the complete orders and deposits from the three major sects and the royal family, Liu Yunan and Qin Jianghe wasted no time and left the capital city, heading back to Hufang Province.
Once they entered Hufang Province, the two went their separate ways. Qin Jianghe traveled to Songyang County, while Liu Yunan returned to Shushui Village.
Since the Gu Family's South-North Trading House in the capital needed personnel quickly, Qin Jianghe had to return to Lingxiao Escort Agency to bring Gu Yuxiao and his cousin Fang Mancang over. His other cousin, Fang Manliang, would remain at the escort agency to manage affairs. In the future, the goods sold by the South-North Trading House would be transported by Lingxiao Escort Agency.
By the time Liu Yunan returned to the sect, it was already dusk, more than ten days later. Instead of heading to the Affairs Hall, where he usually spent most of his time, he went straight to the small garden at the entrance of the sect's secret realm.
There, he saw Sun Yigao sitting by the cold pool, leisurely reading a book. Liu Yunan hurried over and asked softly, "Yigao, how are they doing?"
Sun Yigao looked up and gave him a gentle smile. "Everyone is still exploring the secret realm. Nothing unusual has happened so far."
Currently, aside from Dapeach, who had just reached the second level of spiritual awakening, and a few family members whose cultivation progress was slow, most of the sect members with cultivation above the third level of Qi Refinement had entered the recently opened Green Wilderness Secret Realm.
Since Lin Xiao had complete control over the Green Wilderness Secret Realm and cultivators from the cultivation world could no longer enter, the only threats inside were the small demon beasts and the treacherous environment. Therefore, for the members of Lingxian Sect, this secret realm posed minimal risk while offering opportunities to expand their horizons and gather resources.
The sect naturally couldn't let such an opportunity slip by, so everyone with cultivation above the third level of Qi Refinement was sent in. Of course, those below the third level who wished to enter were also allowed, as everyone was given a red cord that served as a key to exit the realm in case of danger. The cord also had a defensive function, automatically teleporting the wearer out if it was shattered by a force beyond its capacity.
Thus, the safety of the sect members inside the Green Wilderness Secret Realm was well-assured. However, a few farming elders, concerned about the village and the sect's fields, chose to stay behind. As for Dapeach, it simply refused to go, shaking its head like a rattle when asked.
Little Luan, displeased with its disciple's cowardice, gave Dapeach a hefty whack before heading into the secret realm herself. Unbeknownst to her, Dapeach, now free from its "devilish master," was overjoyed, secretly hoping its master would stay in the secret realm forever.
After everyone else had entered the secret realm, Dapeach lived a very content life, its young heart hoping that its master would remain in the secret realm indefinitely.
Liu Yunan walked over to a large stone at the entrance of the Green Wilderness Secret Realm and lightly touched a moss-covered indentation. Immediately, a complete map of the secret realm appeared before him. The map could be resized to his preference, and on it, tiny red dots moved about continuously. These red dots clearly represented the people inside the realm.
Liu Yunan enlarged the map and carefully observed the brightness of each red dot. The brightness of these dots corresponded to the defensive energy of the red cords everyone carried. As the cords' defensive energy was depleted, the corresponding dot on the map would dim. This allowed those outside to monitor the general condition of those inside the secret realm.
Seeing that all the red dots were still brightly flashing and moving around, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. During his time in the capital, this matter had been weighing heavily on his mind, and he had been worried that something might go wrong inside the secret realm. Now, with his concerns alleviated, he walked over to sit beside Sun Yigao, feeling much lighter.
In the garden by the cold pool, the sect members had arranged for stone tables and benches to be placed around, making this one of the most popular spots for the members to relax.
Sun Yigao poured tea for Liu Yunan and asked, "How did things go in the capital? Did everything go smoothly?"
Liu Yunan took a gulp of tea, finding that nothing compared to the taste of their own sect's brew. He nodded enthusiastically, "It went very smoothly. Jianghe and I put on quite a performance. Yigao, let me tell you..."
The two of them, whose cultivation had progressed so rapidly that they might never enter the Green Wilderness Secret Realm in this lifetime, began to chat leisurely at the entrance.
After talking for a while, they noticed that it was already past dinner time. Sun Yigao closed his book and looked at the sky before saying, "It's about time. I should head down the mountain to check on Tong Jialiang."
Since Tong Jialiang had classes during the day, Sun Yigao usually treated him in the evenings.
Liu Yunan, reminded of Tong Jialiang and Han Weishu, who were staying at Lin Xiao's house, stood up as well. "I'll go with you to check on them."
Shushui Village had changed significantly from its former self. In the past, the village would be completely dark at night, with only a candle or two burning in the homes of those working late into the night. The village roads were illuminated solely by the moonlight.
Now, nearly every household had lights at night, and the village roads were lined with stone lamps, with candles regularly replaced. These were a collaborative effort by the wealthy families who had moved into the village. The villagers took great care of these lamps, taking turns to clean and maintain them.
These lamps had transformed Shushui Village from a place shrouded in darkness into one filled with light, as if declaring something to the night.
The two walked along the well-lit path towards Lin Xiao's house. Along the way, Liu Yunan asked, "How is Tong Jialiang's condition now?"
Sun Yigao thought for a moment before replying, "I've been following the conservative treatment methods recorded in the ancient texts. There has been some improvement, but it's not very significant. The effects of the treatment are also diminishing. If his condition remains as it is, he might be crippled for life."