Chapter 6: Forest

As soon as she finished speaking, a girl dressed in red, appearing to be no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, gracefully emerged from the woods. Without looking back, she replied, "I understand. After all, I am a master at the sixth level of Qi Refinement. My true energy circulates throughout my body, and I am not as fragile as you, Zhou Yan, might think. Moreover, did you not invite your senior brother? With your senior brother Zhao Yifeng, a legendary swordsman and a master at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, here, could it be that he cannot even ensure my safety?"

Miss Qingyun glanced at Zhao Yifeng, who had spoken these words, seemingly displeased with his attempt to dissuade her from taking action: "I am well aware that this place is extremely dangerous; otherwise, why would I have brought both of you along?"

Zhou Yan, feeling helpless, could only mutter in dissatisfaction: "The master is, after all, a renowned swordsmanship master from the Qi Yun Kingdom, with a status so esteemed. You, from the Tianqi Mansion, have only become arrogant because you have a young lady who entered the Jian Mountain Manor and became a disciple of Master Xuanhong, the sword-wielding master of Jian Mountain Manor. In the past..."

Miss Ye, we do not know the identity of this person, but being able to reside in the rarely visited Honghe Forest certainly indicates a top-tier expert. It would be best for us not to intrude, lest we provoke the displeasure of that recluse

Isn't it? If not, then what are you making a fuss about, such a big deal!

Refining the Qi... that is truly a symbol of strength, and it is not so easily attained. Every year, countless young talents emerge from our Qi and Tushu Cloud Nation, some of whom may possess greater innate abilities than I do. However, only a few can truly advance to the innate realm, let alone refine their Qi and enter the realm of Qi Refinement

Zhou Yan wanted to say something more, but Zhao Yifeng beside her shook his head, signaling her not to say anything further

Since the other party has chosen to live in seclusion here, they naturally do not wish to be disturbed, so we should leave quickly

Miss, the Honghe Forest is home to a large number of ferocious beasts and wild animals, and within it, there are also demon beasts that occupy the area. It has always been a forbidden zone for practitioners of Qi Dao. Even with my strength at the ninth level of Qi Dao, I cannot guarantee that I can move freely within it. Therefore, I hope you will exercise caution and cooperate with us.

Ye Qingyun was momentarily taken aback, and then immediately became intensely interested: "Someone, are you saying there is someone? This is the Honghe Forest, which is extremely dangerous. It is said that there are ferocious monsters and spirit beasts within. Is it possible that someone actually lives nearby? Could it be the legendary reclusive master?"

Among these three women and one man, two of them are dressed as maidservants. However, as they each hold a sharp sword and display a striking demeanor, it is evident that they possess considerable martial skills.

In the depths of the forest, so dense that sunlight is almost obscured, a somewhat serious voice can be heard

As she traversed a patch of grass and foliage that was not particularly dense, a temporary wooden shed, supported by trees and built in mid-air, suddenly appeared before her

In the midst of conversation, the girl named Ye Qingyun had already swiftly made her way into the depths of the forest, following the traces perceived by Zhao Yifeng

As Ye Qingyun moved forward, her steps slightly faltered, and her forehead, as white as jade, furrowed slightly, her tone already tinged with evident displeasure: "Zhou Yan, your responsibility is to protect me and find a way to locate the Purple Wind Mongoose. If you can refrain from saying unnecessary words, no one will consider you mute!"

Ye Qingyun curled her lip in disdain, swiftly weaving through the forest, and soon she had plunged deep into its interior

Zhou Yan, feeling somewhat unwilling, was about to say something more, but was gently pressed down by Zhao Yifeng, who shook his head at her once again.

A coward, yet a legendary swordsman; how can such a person defeat a strong practitioner of the innate realm? Sending someone like this to protect me, it seems that the San Luo Sword Sect truly has no one left!

The two of them are the legendary swordsman Zhao Yifeng and his junior sister Zhou Yan, who were invited by Miss Qingyun to protect her as she enters the Honghe Forest to capture the Purple Wind Marten

Miss Ye, it is not permissible

Zhao Yifeng was persuading, but the girl in red completely ignored him

Alright, junior sister, stop complaining. What Miss Qingyun said is the truth. The strength of a Refining Gang expert is indeed beyond our comparison. Even if I can contend with innate masters and earn the title of a legendary swordsman, when facing beings at the Refining Gang level, I have no chance of victory.

Zhao Yifeng shook his head with a serious expression

However, I believe that you, Senior Brother, will definitely be able to achieve it

From the clarity of this voice, it is not difficult to discern that the speaker is a woman, and her age certainly does not exceed twenty.

Hmph, with such experts, our Tianqi Mansion naturally cannot let them go. Those who can survive here must be innate realm practitioners, or even top-tier experts in the Refining Gang realm. I must recruit such an expert and have them serve our Tianqi Mansion. If I can gain the assistance of such a master, I wonder what qualifications my few brothers and sisters will have to flaunt their power in front of me.

Upon witnessing this scene, Ye Qingyun, who was walking ahead and flanked by two maidservants, immediately exclaimed in delight: "Zhao Yifeng, have you discovered something? Is there a trace of the Purple Wind Minks?"

Zhou Yan looked at her senior brother's feigned carefree laughter, fully aware that he must be suffering deeply inside. However, she truly could not think of any way to comfort her immensely respected senior brother

Alright, without further ado, the purple wind marten we need to capture this time is intended as a birthday gift for my mother’s 50th birthday this year. If anything goes wrong, not only will you be held responsible, but even your master will not be able to bear this responsibility.

Clearly, along with the *illustrated* book, the woman responding is indeed the Miss Ye Qingyun mentioned by the earlier woman

Among another man and woman, the man displayed a face full of vigilance, carrying a 1.25-meter long sword on his back. His entire being subtly exuded true energy, clearly having cultivated to the point of completing the circulatory cycle, reaching the threshold for breaking into the innate realm. Although the woman was weaker in aura compared to the man, she nonetheless possessed a clean and refreshing sense of briskness throughout her entire being

Zhao Yifeng shook his head somewhat speechlessly, chuckled softly, and said: "If it were not for the damage to my heart and lungs, knowing that I have no hope of overcoming my innate limitations, how could I calm myself to follow my master and comprehend the true meaning of our Sanluo Sword Sect's 'Great Xuanguang Sword Qi'? The loss of the old man’s horse may indeed be a blessing in disguise!"

Senior brother... with your talent, if it weren't for that guy injuring your heart and lungs, causing a blockage in your vital energy and blood, leading to a deficiency of internal golden energy, which has not healed for a long time, you would have likely already entered the Innate Realm, or even the Refining Gang Realm, becoming a top-tier powerhouse renowned in the region. How could you now be in such a position, acting like a subordinate and depending on the expressions of others to navigate your actions...

Hmph, Miss Qingyun, your statement is incorrect. Our master is the only swordsmanship master in the Great Qi, possessing skills that reach the innate realm. Naturally, upon deciding to establish a school, followers will gather from all directions. How could there be any notion of support from your princely residence?

Is anyone there

As she finished speaking, three women and one man had already followed closely behind her, appearing in this open space

This is correct. Our Tianqi Mansion fully supports you and the Tu-Shu sect in establishing a presence in our Qiyun Kingdom, allowing you to grow from a small sect of just a few members into a powerful one. Now, it is time for you to fulfill your responsibilities. You should naturally focus on your own duties, and when it comes to what should and should not be said, you must exercise some discretion to avoid becoming a laughingstock outside of our Qiyun Kingdom

You ... ...

"Swordsmanship Master?" Miss Qingyun scoffed disdainfully, "What of the Swordsmanship Master? Innate talent is ultimately just innate talent. No matter how great one's achievements may be within the realm of innate talent, they will always be seen as merely capable in the eyes of ordinary experts. Even if you delve into swordsmanship to the point of perfection within the innate realm, if you cannot cultivate true energy in a day, you will still be an ordinary person. How can you compare with those top experts who have refined their true energy to the point of disregarding blades and swords?"

This place shows signs of human activity, and there are people active nearby

Miss Ye Qingyun, this is the perilous Honghe Forest. We kindly ask you not to wander about, as it would increase the difficulty of our protection efforts. Your esteemed status and delicate constitution mean that if anything were to happen, it would be beyond the capacity of us ordinary disciples to bear.

At that moment, as Zhou Yan was lost in thought, Zhao Yifeng, who was walking ahead of him, suddenly exclaimed "Oh," and then squatted down in one spot.

Zhou Yan's expression slightly darkened: "Miss Qingyun, our actions are also for your safety. The Red River Forest is said to be a perilous place where even innate realm experts can fall if they are not careful. I..."