After everything ended, Bai Fanxian's seaside house became a temporary gathering place for many people. Part of it was because it was closest to the incident site. But more importantly, her Border meant they could be sure no outsiders would come disturb them.
A group of about ten people were sitting gathered in the dining room. The house was originally spacious and grand anyway. The facilities Tang Tianjie prepared were complete. Before this, he even thought there were too few people in this house.
Because many guests arrived suddenly, Huang Zihuan had to rush preparing tea and drinks frantically. Some food that was old or spoiled had to be thrown away since no one had lived in this house for over a month. The elderly butler called out to have people from the Tang household prepare ingredients to send over quickly. Three little children were helping nearby as assistants.
Sword Master Zheng Renyi watched his granddaughter cheer up with a happy smile.
"Little Red... Want a cookie?"
Tang Yeye held a big cookie piece waving it in front of the small dragon doing a long-suffering expression on the sofa. As a Dragon Queen, she still had the dignity of her race. She didn't want to eat food from this little child.
"Tiny human! Don't think I'll...urk?!"
Before the Dragon Queen could assert her authority, she suddenly sensed a certain pressure coming with a cold stare watching her. It was Bai Fanxian glancing with the corner of her eye but not saying anything.
"...Fine."
The Dragon Queen surrendered. She opened her small mouth and bit into the cookie once. But the moment her tongue received a taste she'd never had before, her big round eyes sparkled brightly.
"It's good, right! I really love cookies from this shop."
Tang Yeye smiled happily. The Dragon Queen didn't care about anything anymore. She bent her head down biting the cookie in the little child's hand until the whole piece was gone. Up until now she'd only eaten raw meat and fruits and vegetables that the anti-human group brought as offerings. But even if she didn't eat or drink anything, she could survive. Because her body was constantly absorbing the power of the Eternal Myriad Heavens pill.
When the cookie was gone, her eyes suddenly caught on another piece held up to her mouth.
It was Hui'er with sparkling eyes too. The Dragon Queen stared strangely. This child could clash with her when she was at Transcendent level power easily. But now she couldn't sense that mighty power anymore.
What she sensed was only Martial Artist level power circulating.
And at that time, this child's manner and eyes were strangely different. She didn't know the reason and chose not to say anything. Making even Bai Fanxian unsure about Hui'er's situation.
"That child got better before I could even treat her." Even Divine Doctor Wu Jia sighed.
Right now he didn't know the situation in that other world at all. And he'd learned from Liu Yianfei that the gate connecting the two worlds at Village Beneath the Clouds still couldn't be opened to work again until now.
Don't know how much longer they'd have to wait. But at least Wu Jia thought that dissolving the anti-human group would make the situation between both races calm down for a while.
He could only hope Ethan would be able to use Bai Fanxian's status usefully. Because before this, many people saw her power and authority that could beat down the Dragon Queen right in front of everyone.
At least if he used that reputation to protect that village in the forbidden forest first, it would be good.
"So what's actually wrong with her?"
It was Liu Yianfei sipping tea and watching the two little children who turned to ask calmly. He was only a few years older than Wu Jia. And they'd been close before, so he could ask without feeling awkward.
"I'm not sure... I think it might be from her origin point being blocked like mine. But this child's case is like her body was evolving to protect itself."
Wu Jia explained.
"This child's qi has extremely intense yang element... You can sense it too, right?" Wu Jia asked Bai Fanxian who was sipping tea at the head of the table. She nodded lightly in response.
"I felt at first it was more intense than Martial Artist level qi should be. If her body released that intense yang qi to circulate around her, that small body would definitely explode in seconds."
"But now it's like this child's body is adjusting and reducing the intensity until it's safe."
Wu Jia stared at Hui'er. At the same time, he glanced at the small red dragon being tricked by cookies until the children could pet her head without resistance.
He thought the important variables were probably the Dragon Queen and the "Fire Pearl" Hui'er wore around her neck.
"My lady, can we take Little Red outside to play?"
Before the situation continued, Tang Yeye dragged the Dragon Queen who was small and unbelievably light to Bai Fanxian. All three little children's eyes were full of hope. The Dragon Queen was irritated that a being like her was being dragged around by three little children like a doll.
"I'm not named Little Red!" The Dragon Queen tried to protest stubbornly.
"Mm... Keep an eye on them too... Little Red."
"I...!"
The Dragon Queen didn't expect her master would also call her by that cute hateful name. She was left speechless and looked at Bai Fanxian with pitiful eyes. Because of the oath bond and Dragon Oath she'd sworn, she had to follow everything Bai Fanxian ordered.
"No matter what they invite you to play, you can't refuse. Understand... Little Red?"
Bai Fanxian closed her eyes and sipped tea calmly. She ignored the Dragon Queen's noisy protests about that embarrassing name and being dragged by the three children to play at the beach without being able to resist.
The woman thought it would be better if her tiny followers had one strong guardian with them. Xie Suyao herself couldn't watch them all day. So the Dragon Queen who gave the feeling of a "house pet" was the best choice to be with the children.
And at that moment, Marshal Zhang Xianyuan rushed into the room. When passing the group of little children who greeted him cheerfully, he still couldn't believe his own eyes that the mighty "Dragon Queen" had become a doll the children could hug without resistance.
Though he saw she was grinding her teeth a bit.
When he arrived, he sat on the sofa and lifted the sweet iced drink Huang Zihuan served until he drained the whole glass. He started thinking this house had truly become his relaxation spot.
Because outside was full of chaos right now. After ordinary citizens knew about the existence of "cultivators," it created an unprecedented massive social wave.
You could call it a "cultivator fever" wave or something. Because whether small children or even elderly people seventy or eighty years old, they were all in this crazy cultivator craze that was ignited. Even though three days had passed since they returned, this wave still hadn't faded. It even seemed to be getting more intense.
"Where did Grandmaster Xie go?" Marshal Zhang felt someone was missing. Normally during this period when he often snuck to this house because he'd received permission to pass the Border from Bai Fanxian already. And he'd see Xie Suyao clinging close to Bai Fanxian. Plus she had Xie clan people come expand this house even more.
"She returned north to handle her clan's affairs."
It was Huang Zihuan who'd just refilled the sweet drink who answered with a smile.
"...I heard something about that." Marshal Zhang raised his hand to stroke his chin while pondering. Before this when they disappeared, several chaotic matters arose. Because two of the four major clans lost their Grandmaster-level beings simultaneously. The east could still be controlled. But in the north, when rumors about Grandmaster Xie disappearing spread, groups or clans waiting for this timing started trying to shake the Xie clan's power.
That was also another reason Xie Zizhou had to sneak over to talk with the Tang clan in this city often before.
Xie Suyao who couldn't stand her younger brother's nagging had to go show herself to people. And also declare their power that the Xie clan had returned.
Of course she'd return to the east as soon as possible...
"Sigh... You're hiding here so comfortably, huh?"
Zhang Xianyuan glanced at Liu Yianfei who held the rank of General of the military but came to sit drinking and enjoying the ocean view while he had to run around dizzy like this and grumbled.
"What are you saying, Marshal? Right now I'm on vacation, you know?"
Liu Yianfei smiled. He'd finally been able to get his "vacation request" through. And the one who had to reluctantly sign it was the Marshal grumbling in front of him!
Because the young man cited the matter of having to sort out work while Zhang Xianyuan was gone until the Marshal couldn't speak. Plus he used his worsening health from overworking until finally the Marshal could only grit his teeth and sign this vacation request.
Making right now he could unload all work and burdens for a whole month. Until he could sit relaxing by the seaside like this every day.
"Speaking of which, how's Grandmaster Lu Qing's situation?" Zhang Xianyuan actually was just grumbling casually. Liu Yianfei's health and medicine running out—he was one who knew best.
Another reason he agreed to sign the leave was this.
Maybe this would be Liu Yianfei's last vacation...
"...Still haven't found any trace of him."
The young man sighed.
"What about your medicine?"
"Not much left..." The young General took out a white medicine bottle from his shirt. Inside there were only two pills left at the bottom.
"If this medicine runs out and we still haven't found Grandmaster Lu, I'll probably have to retire... huh?!"
Before Liu Yianfei could finish speaking, the medicine bottle in his hand floated away into Bai Fanxian's hands.
The woman poured out the pills and used Heaven Sense plus sniffing to examine them.
"...Tier 4 pill... Though I don't know it, I should be able to refine one like this." Bai Fanxian rolled the pill in her hand. It was a modern pill she didn't know. It was probably refined specifically to suppress Liu Yianfei's symptoms.
But for her, refining a pill imitating this was easier than easy.
And if she knew the exact symptoms, she could even refine one better than this!
"I can probably help you now."
Besides Bai Fanxian, it was Wu Jia who spoke up. He'd known Liu Yianfei since before even starting cultivation. Before this, his weak cultivation power meant he couldn't help with anything. But after closing door training until breaking through to Grandmaster level, he was quite a bit more confident.
"...Then have him examine your condition."
Bai Fanxian nodded. She felt she owed this General quite a few favors. Recently she'd learned from Tang Tianjie that it was Liu Yianfei who'd been secretly helping the Tang clan in the east so other cultivators didn't dare cause trouble while they disappeared.
"And I'll refine medicine to cure you completely myself..."
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