Chapter 441: Chapter 156: Breaking Through Fifth Grade, Unprecedented in History

As for Gu Xuejian, she’s already my son’s teacher, so there’s no need for a marriage alliance; as for beauty, Gu Xuejian isn’t as pretty as Cui Huayin...

Various thoughts flashed by, and Li Yuan placed his hands on his knees, truly like a gentleman, sat still with closed eyes in the mountain rock, listening to the night wind, Nuannuan Xue, beasts roaring, and footsteps from outside the stone...

A night passed...

During the day, the two maintained their original state.

And the sparrow Li Yuan had hidden outside confirmed the retreat of the beasts.

However, he had no intention of emerging.

The second day passed in the blink of an eye...

The third day, fourth day also quickly passed.

On the fifth day, Li Yuan suddenly sensed a change in the woman beside him.

It was a change in her temperament, as if she had shifted from being innocent to being aloof and seasoned.

Gu Xuejian seemed hesitant for a moment, then said, "Thank you for saving my life, but it seems you are not from our hall, why do you have Grain Avoidance Pill, Hundred Herbs Pill?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan immediately knew "the real Gu Xuejian had returned," though he still didn’t understand what had happened, he sighed and said, "I was an old acquaintance of the Blood Saber Ancestor, couldn’t bear to see the owner of the weapons he forged in his dying moments fall so easily."

Gu Xuejian fell silent.

She knew all that had happened in these days, the person before her had saved her, and hadn’t taken advantage of her, causing her to feel an involuntary fondness and a sense of a mysterious connection between them.

Li Yuan then asked, "Why did Lady Hall Master, invincible as you are, suffer such defeat in Shanbao County? What did you encounter?"

Gu Xuejian glanced at him and said, "It was a trap, a garden full of dreamy flowers, and while looking at those flowers, I felt my memory and everything within me quickly slipping away..."

"Forget-me-not."

Li Yuan said heavily, uttering three words he had learned from Lady Yan.

Then he explained, "It’s a flower from a place called a flower shop in the Ghost Realm, this flower can absorb others’ memories but requires the entire flower to be removed, otherwise once interrupted it will retreat."

Gu Xuejian said, "They intended to kill me with this... Truly a good trap."

Li Yuan wryly smiled, "I’m afraid it’s not that simple."

"How so?"

"The most terrifying ghost realm of Fujiang Path is called Miracle Beast Garden, and one of its killing curses is ’Exotic Beast’.

It can turn a person’s desire into real beasts, these beasts materialize in a person’s shadow, yet that person themselves won’t see them.

And when the beast is strong and mature enough, it would devour its master, causing them to die together.

But if someone’s memory is extracted separately and then infused into an object with this curse’s power, it might similarly create Exotic Beasts.

And the power of these Exotic Beasts would far surpass that of the original owner...

Lady Hall Master, you already possess considerable strength, if one surpasses you, then how terrifying these Exotic Beasts could be, one can just imagine."

"Such wicked sorcery actually exists..."

Gu Xuejian’s voice grew incredibly heavy, "Is this information reliable?"

Li Yuan said, "This is all just my speculation, however, the Forget-me-not and the power of such Exotic Beasts do indeed exist."

"Even if it’s just speculation, it’s greatly aided us, upon returning, I will immediately inform the major sects of this information, so they can be on guard." Gu Xuejian said earnestly.

Li Yuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then said, "Since they laid such a trap, it seems they’ve already targeted Lady Hall Master. You should have a family as well, better not to undertake such dangerous tasks again."

Gu Xuejian gave him a peculiar look and suddenly said, "Have we met before?"

Li Yuan’s face remained calm, "Never met."

Gu Xuejian said, "Then why are you wearing Yin Makeup, not daring to show your true face?"

As a Fourth Grade, she could naturally sense the Yin Qi from the Yin Makeup at such a close distance.

After a moment of silence...

Li Yuan said, "Please forgive me for this."

Gu Xuejian said, "Enough, you have saved me and told me such significant secrets, I shouldn’t ask more."

Li Yuan suddenly said, "The previous Hall Master I saw didn’t seem to have this personality."

Gu Xuejian frankly said, "It’s just a downside of advancing to Fourth Grade..."

"Did it occur only after breaking through to Fourth Grade?"

"Yes..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan squinted in the dark, didn’t say more, and after a moment of thought, he took out a Brocade Pouch containing an elixir bottle from his pocket, tore a piece of cloth, letting his fingertips bleed, he inscribed "Beware Hall Master" on it, sealed it into the brocade pouch, and handed it to Gu Xuejian.

Gu Xuejian, curiously smiling, said, "Brocade Pouch?"

Li Yuan said seriously, "If Lady Hall Master wishes to leave the Divine Wood Hall next time, be sure to open my Brocade Pouch before leaving, otherwise... disaster will ensue."

"Oh?"

"Before that, never open it, or it will lose its effect."

"Alright, I promise you."

After a brief conversation, Gu Xuejian once again began to swiftly recover.

And Li Yuan stayed silently accompanying her.

...

A few days later.

Gu Xuejian said, "I have recovered."

Li Yuan said, "Then please, Lady Hall Master, depart immediately, I have other places to go."

Gu Xuejian said "thank you" again, then stated, "I, Gu, distinct in gratitude and resentment, owe you, sir, a favor, and will repay it.

If you are unwilling to show your true appearance to me, nor leave your name, then in the future simply use the secret code ’Person in the Rock, Blood Brocade Pouch’, these six words, to have anyone seek me out at the Divine Wood Hall.

When the time comes, as long as it’s within my capacity, I will definitely oblige."

Li Yuan cupped his fists, smiling, "The green mountains remain, the river flows on, I won’t see you off."

Gu Xuejian nodded, her figure like a flash of lightning, breaking through the air and leaving.

Li Yuan also flexed his fingers and returned to the Cloud Mountain Path.