To be able to easily see through the Snow Feather Zen Wind Skill and directly adapt it for personal use, such a realm of Divine Soul, in Xu Muhai's view, suggests that Li Changqing's soul force must have already reached the Painting Saint level.
Painting Saint!
They are among the top figures of the Cangyuan Realm.
It is said that any Painting Saint in the Cangyuan Realm is a renowned figure, whose mere sneeze can cause tremors across an entire state.
Their cultivation skills are unfathomably deep, gathering strengths from many schools, their moves ever-changing like the wind and clouds.
To ordinary people, such a person is akin to a god.
The paintings of a Painting Saint are hard to come by.
They are priceless treasures.
So, in Xu Muhai's eyes, Li Changqing must be someone with an indescribable past. Otherwise, why would a master at the Painting Saint level humble himself to serve such a small family like the Yan family?
More importantly, he completely hides his cultivation technique to prevent others from uncovering his origins.
Xu Muhai sighed softly.
Even someone as cultivated as a Painting Saint, is still forced to succumb to destiny?
Li Changqing had no idea that Xu Muhai was watching his back, already mentally crafting a dramatic soap opera with over 120 episodes.
Had he known, Li Changqing would certainly have spat blood.
He didn't use body techniques simply because he was clueless about them.
If he hadn't learned Xu Muhai's Snow Feather Zen Wind Skill, he would still be struggling to exit the Yan family's front gate.
By evening.
The two of them finally reached the South Mountain region.
"We've arrived, Senior Changqing." Xu Muhai and Li Changqing stood atop an ancient tree, observing the view ahead.
The vast, towering mountain range stretched endlessly; with the sun setting, the scenery held its own distinct charm.
The clouds still lingered around the mountain peaks, and the breeze carried the scent of lush forests.
"The Yan family's two mines are here," Xu Muhai introduced, "In this mountain range, there are nine gullies and eighteen villages, with hundreds of larger and smaller settlements."
Along the way, Li Changqing had heard of the strange happenings from Xu Muhai.
Many people claimed to have seen meteors falling from the sky, and then fainted. Upon awakening, they discovered their life force had diminished.
The miners all fled, and no amount of money could lure anyone back.
The situation was bizarre beyond measure.
Even an elder from the Yan family had his cultivation absorbed and was now only at the Transcendent Realm.
What kind of malevolent presence is this?
Hearing this, Li Changqing regretted coming.
This dreadful thing could potentially age him into an old man before he returned.
"Do you have an answer?" Li Changqing asked Xu Muhai.
"More or less." Xu Muhai nodded. He had some guesses but wasn't certain.
"I assume you've already figured it out, Senior." Xu Muhai earnestly looked at Li Changqing, thinking such a trivial matter must be clear to Li Changqing.
"Hmm." Li Changqing responded with a poker face.
"Please enlighten me, Senior." Xu Muhai's eyes sparkled as he quickly spoke.
"It's similar to what you thought." Li Changqing said seriously.
"Also, stop calling me senior all the time; it ages me. Just call me by my name."
"But…" Xu Muhai hesitated, thinking it inappropriate to address a person of such stature by name.
"If it feels awkward, call me Brother Changqing," Li Changqing nodded.
Before Xu Muhai could respond, Li Changqing feigned profundity: "Haven't you noticed? This thing is hiding in the Nanshan Mountain Range. It's still here."
Xu Muhai looked towards the forest: "Brother Changqing, did you see something?"
"The wind comes from the mountains, yet there are no animal sounds."
"That says it all," Li Changqing stated calmly.
"Indeed." Xu Muhai hadn't noticed before; normally, one would hear at least a bird call, but now there was nothing.
"Let's go take a look."
Having come this far, Li Changqing could only brace himself and proceed.
He could only rely on Xu Muhai to handle any critical situation. If Xu Muhai couldn't, then Li Changqing wasn't worried either; he planned to flee.
Fortunately, Xu Muhai was slower than he was.
If there were indeed any monsters, Xu Muhai's size might at least serve as an appetizer, enough time for him to escape.
Though he felt bad for Xu Muhai, he vowed to use all his skills to find a good wood carving for Xu Muhai's tombstone.
Xu Muhai had no idea that before they even entered South Mountain, the "sage" by his side, Li Changqing, had already thought about the inscriptions on his tombstone.
Upon entering the mountains, they found the forest equally devoid of traces of birds or beasts.
It was as if they were all in hiding.
Before long, as dusk descended, they saw a firelight in the distance, and headed towards it.
What they found was a village.
The village was quite large, likely housing two or three hundred families.
As they entered the mountain village, the villagers showed little hostility towards outsiders Li Changqing and Xu Muhai, while many children curiously watched them.
"The atmosphere here is quite good. Didn't they say there was something evil causing trouble, making people afraid to come out?" Li Changqing remarked in confusion.
"Brother Changqing, why don't we ask someone?" Xu Muhai suggested and prepared to find someone to inquire.
"Who are you?" A sharp voice suddenly sounded.
Xu Muhai and Li Changqing followed the sound to see a young man with a sword standing on a rooftop, gazing sternly at them.
The youth appeared spirited, dressed in white, with a valuable sword at his waist.
"I've never seen you before. You're not from the village, what business do you have here?" With that, the youth leaped down from the rooftop.
He warily watched Xu Muhai and Li Changqing.
Examining the young man, Xu Muhai smiled gently, "From your attire and the scent of medicine on you, if I'm not mistaken, you're a disciple of the Medical King Valley, aren't you?"
The young man remained vigilant despite the words, his sword already half-drawn: "Who exactly are you?"
This is the world of martial arts.
Swords drawn at the slightest disagreement, killings imminent.
Li Changqing looked at the young man but said nothing, silently preparing to stay away once a fight broke out.
To avoid being splattered with blood.
"Do not be rude." Just when the tension was rising, a silvery voice interrupted.
This was the most beautiful voice Li Changqing had heard since coming to the Cangyuan Realm.
The voice seemed to wash over the soul, reaching the deepest parts of one's heart.
A figure floated over, a woman.
Also dressed in flowing white, her eyes twinkling like stars, like an Immortal descended to the Mortal Realm.
"Master." The young man quickly sheathed his sword and spoke respectfully.
"If I'm not mistaken, sir, you must be Xu Muhai, the Peak Master of Muhai Peak in the Mountain Ancient Land of Dao Mountain?" The woman approached gracefully, each step mysterious, as if treading on lotus blossoms.