After a pause, he continued, "Lately, I've been researching the formula for the Soul-Waking Pill as recorded in the ancient texts. However, the process and techniques for refining this pill are incredibly complex, and many of the necessary ingredients are not available in our sect. I plan to consult with the Sect Leader and our master once they return to decide on the next steps. Until then, we can only continue with the current treatment methods."
"I didn't expect Tong Jialiang's condition to be so severe..." Liu Yunan was somewhat surprised. He had initially thought that Tong Jialiang's situation was merely a temporary mental breakdown, and with Yigao's treatment, along with the support of his friend Han Weishu and his cousin Baojian, recovery would be just a matter of time. However, the reality was far less optimistic. Though Liu Yunan didn't have much personal connection with Tong Jialiang, seeing someone who had once been fine reduced to such a state due to persecution made him feel a deep sense of sympathy and regret.
The two arrived at Lin Xiao's home, where Sun Yigao gently knocked on the courtyard gate.
"Is that Mr. Sun?" Baojian's voice came from inside the courtyard. Before Sun Yigao could respond, the gate was already opened from within. Seeing that it was indeed Sun Yigao, Baojian beamed with joy and quickly stepped aside, inviting him in. "Mr. Sun, please come in."
Since Sun Yigao held the title of a scholar and taught in the village, the villagers all respectfully referred to him as Mr. Sun, and Baojian followed suit.
After Sun Yigao nodded in acknowledgment and entered, Baojian noticed that someone else was standing beside Sun Yigao—a person who was usually alone when visiting. Realizing who it was, Baojian smiled and said, "So it's Young Master Liu who has returned. Please, both of you, come inside."
While they were in the capital, thanks to Mo Yuanjiao, Baojian had crossed paths with Liu Yunan and Qin Jianghe several times, so he was quite familiar with them. Seeing Liu Yunan here now, late in the evening and after so many days, he felt a bit surprised.
Once inside and the gate was closed, the three of them entered the house. Sun Yigao immediately began treating Tong Jialiang, while Baojian, Han Weishu, and Liu Yunan waited in the main hall, not wanting to disturb the treatment.
Han Weishu, having previously worked with Liu Yunan during the mission to rescue the captives in Huanyou Kingdom and now aware of the existence of Lingxian Sect, knew that Liu Yunan was a member of the sect. After a moment of hesitation, she finally spoke up, "Liu... Senior, I have something I'd like to ask."
Seeing her slight discomfort, Liu Yunan, who was being called "Senior" for the first time, also felt a bit uneasy. He quickly replied, "Please, don't call me 'Senior.' We're around the same age, so you can just call me 'Daoist Liu.' What would you like to ask?"
Noticing his genuine reluctance to be addressed as "Senior," Han Weishu swiftly adjusted her tone, saying, "In that case, I'll take the liberty of calling you Daoist Liu." Without further delay, she posed her question, "I heard that you've been in the capital. Could you confirm something for me? Is it true that our Pusi Kingdom is preparing for war?"
Liu Yunan was taken aback by her question. The decision by the court to launch a campaign against Huanyou Kingdom and the subsequent discussions with the three major sects had only been finalized recently. How did she know about this?
Instead of directly answering whether the rumor was true, Liu Yunan calmly asked, "May I ask how you came by this information?"
Han Weishu hesitated, biting her lip slightly. After a while, she finally revealed, "My father is Han Shangyi, the Sect Leader of Qinghe Sect."
This revelation surprised Liu Yunan. While he had known that Han Weishu was affiliated with Qinghe Sect, given her cultivation level of only the first stage of Qi Refinement, he had assumed she was just a new disciple. He hadn't expected her to be the Sect Leader's daughter. It now made sense why she would be privy to such critical information.
However, considering the gravity of the matter, Liu Yunan thought it best to remain noncommittal. He simply responded, "This isn't something we should discuss. If you've heard such rumors, it's best to keep them to yourself. Whether it's true or not, time will tell."
From his response, Han Weishu inferred that the rumors were likely true. In reality, her knowledge of the situation didn't come from her father, as she had subtly led Liu Yunan to believe. Instead, she had sent her earth spirit, Qiuqiu, back to Qinghe Sect to eavesdrop.
Despite her deep resentment towards her father for his disregard and harsh treatment of her, a part of her still yearned for his attention. During her journey after running away from home, she had often fantasized that if her father had noticed her absence and come searching for her, the bandits who had captured her friends might have been brought to justice on the spot. Perhaps Tong Jialiang wouldn't have ended up in his current state. Or, if her father had appeared while she was tailing those who had been captured, he might have been able to prevent the tragedy that ensued.
But in reality, her father had not come looking for her at all. As the Sect Leader of Qinghe Sect and a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, finding his daughter in the mortal world should have been an easy task, especially since she hadn't gone out of her way to hide her whereabouts.
Han Weishu was torn between sadness and anger. She wanted to know what could be keeping her father so occupied that he hadn't even noticed his daughter's disappearance for days. That's why she sent Qiuqiu back to Qinghe Sect to spy on him.
To her surprise, she overheard the court's correspondence with the sects, detailing the plan to invade Huanyou Kingdom and the reasons behind it. The Qinghe Sect's Sect Leader and elders had been discussing the matter in their council hall, and Han Weishu learned that they intended to uproot not just the royal family of Huanyou Kingdom but also the sects that had allied with them.
After learning this, her initial anger towards her father faded, replaced by concern for his safety. Although he was a Nascent Soul cultivator and unlikely to be easily harmed, the fact that their enemies also included Nascent Soul cultivators worried her.
Yet, even with this knowledge, she felt helpless. There was nothing she could do to change the situation. If only her cultivation were higher, she could join Qinghe Sect in the battle as a fellow cultivator. But with her current level, just at the first stage of Qi Refinement, she was only slightly stronger than a regular person. In a real fight, she would be nothing more than cannon fodder.
After the ordeal of the calamity in the soul stone mine and now facing the current crisis, she realized that, aside from relying on her earth spirit to gather information, she was powerless in the face of these events. She could only watch from the sidelines, hiding in the background, unable to contribute in any meaningful way.
At this moment, Han Weishu began to understand, if only slightly, why her father had always insisted that she focus on her cultivation and why he was so furious with her lack of effort.