“This… what is it?” Jiang Wang stared at the black-veiled woman, a sense of unease gripping his heart.

This lotus of white bone, it certainly did not resemble anything orthodox.

“Heh, something that sprouted from your own body, and you ask me?” The black-veiled woman’s eyes shimmered with amusement.

“I didn’t have this before, and I’ve never seen this kind of lotus… Is it related to your secret art?”

“I can only say that the secret art I used to save you seemed to have only played a guiding role.” She leaned close to Jiang Wang’s ear, her breath like a ghost orchid, causing his hair to tremble slightly before she breathed against his neck. “Think carefully, what secrets lie hidden within you?”

“I… what secrets are hidden?” Jiang Wang desperately searched his memory, but nothing related to the white bone lotus surfaced.

The black-veiled woman put away the mirror and slowly rose, stepping back.

“This elder sister saved your life and asks for no remembrance, only that you help elder sister with three matters. As for what those matters are…” she spoke with a soft, alluring voice, “In the nights to come, sleep a little more soundly and wait for elder sister to find you.”

Jiang Wang consciously ignored her alluring charm and spoke seriously, “As long as it does not violate the principles Jiang Wang adheres to, let alone three matters, thirty would be appropriate.”

“Three is enough,” the woman said with a light chuckle as she retreated, “You should return.”

“Do you recognize this lotus? What is it?” Jiang Wang pressed.

“It…” the black-veiled woman drew out the sound, as if pondering, and then said, “It seems to be the White Bone Dao Lotus? The symbol of the White Bone Dao…”

She turned and walked out of the cave.

Jiang Wang remained seated, his hand resting on his sword, his upper body bare.

He felt her aura vanish.

…

Jiang Wang examined his body, finding no other abnormalities. He performed two rounds of pulse-shocking cultivation, making up for the time lost while he was in a coma, then emerged from the cave.

At the entrance lay a set of Daoist robes, likely prepared by the black-veiled woman.

Troubled by his bare upper body, Jiang Wang immediately put them on, finding the size a perfect, close fit.

This woman was charming and capricious, her words a mix of truth and falsehood, her entire being difficult to discern as good or evil. Yet, saving his life was an undeniable fact.

Jiang Wang shook his head, not dwelling on it for now. The woman had said she would find him again, and since he could deduce nothing, he would wait and see.

After a brief assessment of the terrain and gaining a general understanding of his location, Jiang Wang turned and walked towards Sanshan City.

If Zhao Rucheng and the others were safe, they should be waiting for his news in Sanshan City at this time. In any case, Zhao Rucheng would not abandon him, whose life and death were uncertain, and return to Fenglin City first.

“Jiang Wang!”

“Jiang Wang!”

“Jiang Wang!”

From a distance, Jiang Wang heard these shouts.

The voices echoed through the mountains, one after another.

Jiang Wang knew it must be Zhao Rucheng and the others searching for him.

After the previous battle, the fierce beasts on Yuhang Peak seemed to have converged significantly, otherwise, they would have already rushed down.

Jiang Wang raised himself and rushed in the direction of the sound.

“I’m here!” he shouted.

The shouting stopped, then rose again: “Third Brother! Third Brother!”

From a great distance, a figure shot forth, shouting loudly. Who else could it be but Zhao Rucheng?

Jiang Wang went to meet him.

The two brothers reunited in the mountains near Yuhang Peak.

Escaping death, it felt like a lifetime ago.

Yet, the two showed no overwhelming excitement.

Zhao Rucheng looked up at the sky for a moment: “Ah, the weather’s not bad.”

“Yeah,” Jiang Wang said.

Zhao Rucheng waited a moment before bringing his gaze back and focusing it on Jiang Wang.

He exaggerated, “Wow, you don’t look miserable at all. You even changed into new clothes!”

Jiang Wang smiled: “You have to know who the elder brother is.”

At this time, Li Jianqiu and Huang Azhan approached, as did Zhao Tiehe, Yang Xingyong, and others, and some unfamiliar faces, all outer disciples of the Sanshan City Dao Academy.

“Jiang Wang!”

“Junior Brother Jiang!”

“Brother Jiang!”

Jiang Wang returned their greetings with a bow: “Brother Zhao, Brother Yang, all the brothers! And Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother Huang. Jiang Wang’s skills are lacking, I am truly ashamed, and it is hard work for you all to come looking for me.”

“What are you saying, Brother Jiang! Aren’t you working hard for our Sanshan City?”

“It’s great that Brother Jiang is okay.”

“It’s good that you’re okay, it’s good that you’re okay.”

It turned out that after Zhao Rucheng woke up, accompanied by Li Jianqiu and Huang Azhan, he returned to Yuhang Peak at the first opportunity and searched the place where Jiang Wang had fallen from the cliff in his memory.

His original intention was merely to find Jiang Wang’s body and bring it back. But after searching for a long time below the cliff, not only did he not find Jiang Wang’s body, but even remnants of clothing and other relics were absent.

Only then did Zhao Rucheng realize that Jiang Wang might still be alive!

But he did not search aimlessly. He returned to Sanshan City immediately to gather people. He divided the mountainous area near Yuhang Peak into several sections and launched a phased search.

Sun Xiaoman was unable to come in person as she had to accompany Dou Yuemei, but it was she who organized so many people.

Jiang Wang thought, the black-veiled woman’s sudden departure was perhaps because Zhao Rucheng and the others had come looking for him.

“Third Brother, what are you thinking?” Zhao Rucheng beckoned to him, “This is Fairy Ye of the Yun Kingdom, she helped a lot in finding you this time.”

Jiang Wang turned his gaze and saw the ethereal cultivator, veiled in white gauze, bowing slightly to him: “I haven’t thanked Daoist Jiang for his assistance.”

He didn’t know what was wrong with female cultivators these days; they all seemed to like covering their faces when they went out.

“You don’t have to be so polite, it was just a minor matter,” Jiang Wang said.

“Daoist Jiang possesses the profound righteousness of offering help without seeking reward, but Qingyu cannot be a villain who knows gratitude but fails to repay it.” The Yun Kingdom female cultivator took out a small token of exquisite craftsmanship and handed it to Jiang Wang. “If Daoist Jiang has any need in the future, bring this Cloud Order to Lingxiao Pavilion, and there is nothing that will not be repaid.”

And there is nothing that will not be repaid? Is Lingxiao Pavilion truly such an all-encompassing place?

Jiang Wang was slightly surprised in his heart, but he didn’t show it on his face. He simply said seriously, “Truly not. We are on the same battlefield, comrades. Helping each other between comrades is a matter of course, this… Fairy Ye, you truly do not need to be so polite.”

Because of the veil, only the eyes of this Yun Kingdom cultivator were visible, and those eyes were bright and clear.

She used these eyes, looking at Jiang Wang with great sincerity, and held the small token in both hands: “Please accept it, Daoist, so that Qingyu can feel at ease.”

Zhao Rucheng suddenly bumped Jiang Wang from behind, “Third Brother, since Fairy Ye said so, you should accept it.”

Jiang Wang had no choice but to accept it.

This small token was shaped like a cloud, without any inscription. But upon closer inspection, one would find a subtle mist lingering within the token; it was truly beautiful.

Leaving aside its other meanings, this Cloud Order in itself was an unusual item.

The savior was unharmed, and the Cloud Order had been given. Ye Qingyu felt she was now at ease. She then said to Jiang Wang, “In that case, Qingyu shall take her leave first. The Great Dao is like the azure sky; may Daoist ascend to the heavens. Farewell.”

Having said that, she condensed a crane-shaped cloud beast, stepped onto its back, and soared away with the wind.

At that moment, the sky was clear, the clouds drifted leisurely, the cloud crane was ethereal; she had come with intent and left with peace of mind.

Without mentioning anything else, this pure state of mind was worthy of commendation.

When he had faced life and death, Jiang Wang had had no time for greetings. At the moment, he also saluted Zhao Tiehe and the others: “Brothers of Sanshan City, I am about to set off back to Fenglin City. I have a young sister at home, and I truly cannot remain outside for long.”

Zhao Tiehe and Yang Xingyong expressed their understanding, and the other outer disciples of Sanshan City had been brought by them to help, so naturally they had no objections.

The two sides agreed to meet again and then parted ways here. One group returned to Sanshan City, and the other headed directly for Fenglin City.

On the road, Zhao Rucheng finally had a moment to ask Jiang Wang: “I didn’t have time to ask just now, Third Brother, what happened after you fell off the cliff?”

“Yeah,” Huang Azhan also said, “We found you were gone, and we couldn’t find you after searching. We thought… Later, we had to take the comatose Rucheng back to Sanshan City first. Senior Brother Li has been blaming himself, saying that he shouldn’t have taken you to Yuhang Peak.”

“This matter has nothing to do with you, it was all my own carelessness,” Jiang Wang comforted, “I was also lucky. I was saved by a mysterious master after falling off the cliff, and it took some time to recover from my injuries, so I only came out today.”

Zhao Rucheng stroked his chin and analyzed: “And that person prepared new clothes for you so thoughtfully. I guess that master is also a beauty!”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Huang Azhan was inexplicably excited: “I think that Fairy Ye is a very beautiful woman!”

He was talking about someone completely different from Zhao Rucheng, and he didn’t know what he was talking about.

“What is it,” the black-veiled woman was related to the white bone lotus, Jiang Wang did not want to say more, so he said, “Fairy Ye covers her face, how do you know if she is beautiful?”

“You don’t understand,” Huang Azhan shook his head and sighed, his face intoxicated, “A true beauty doesn’t need to show her face. She only needs a look, or even a wisp of fragrance, and her beauty can be perceived. A mere piece of thin gauze, how can it cover a beauty?”

Zhao Rucheng nodded slightly, expressing his agreement with restraint.

“I finally know why Ye Qingyu has to cover her face when she goes out.”

“Why?”

“Because there are too many perverted guys like you two!”