Lian glanced around and spoke through frequency whisper.
"Can we talk in private?"
"Mmm, I understand," Old Fu replied.
He turned toward everyone still lingering in the room.
"All of you, leave. There is something I must discuss with this nephew."
Though they hesitated—clearly wanting to question Lian about his alchemic techniques—they bit their tongues and slowly filed out.
Once the room was empty, Old Fu raised his hand.
An invisible aura spreads outward, sealing the space and isolating all sound.
"Well then, nephew," Fu said calmly,
"no one will hear anything now. Go on."
Lian took a breath.
"Well… I came to Yùzhàn with people from South Sword and Heaven's Gate, but we were attacked.... Then... and...till…..."
He explained everything to Old Fu, deliberately omitting certain key details.
"Mmmm… I see," Old Fu murmured, stroking his beard.
"So, it has reached this point," he sighed.
"I tried informing the Murim Alliance, but I can't seem to get in contact with them."
He paused, eyes darkening.
"If they were captured, they are most likely being held in one of the Blood Cult's bases in the north."
With a wave of his hand, a cabinet opened on its own.
A map floated out and unfurled in midair.
"Here," Fu said, marking a few locations with an ink brush.
"And here, here and there, these are the likely ones; they are big enough to keep prisoners"
The ink glowed faintly before fading into the parchment.
"But be careful," Fu continued.
"I would have preferred to accompany you, but as you can see, I cannot."
His gaze turned resolute.
"My duty is to the Alchemic Association."
He folded the map into a letter and handed it to Lian.
"Still, I wish you luck."
Lian received the letter, and his eyes swept over it briefly before he tossed it to Wang Gu.
"Do you recognise any of these places?"
Wang Gu caught it, his gaze darting across the markings. After a moment, he looked up and nodded.
"That's good," Lian said quietly.
"Master Fu marked three locations. If we hurry, we should be able to reach at least one of them before dark."
He clenched his fist slightly, and determination settled in.
"Master Fu, thank you very much," Lian said, extending his hands and offering the pill.
Old Fu lifted his palm, gently blocking him.
"There's no need, young one," he said with a warm smile.
"How gracious…" Lian thought.
"I've never seen anyone like him. Does wisdom truly come with age?"
Lian returned the pill to his spirit book.
"Master Fu, we'll be taking our leave now," he said, bowing respectfully.
The group exited the refinement room one by one.
Old Fu remained standing where he was, watching as their figures disappeared down the corridor, his eyes deep and unreadable.
"I can feel the winds of fate changing… tsk. Murim is about to be plunged into another bloodbath."
Old Fu paced slowly across the room.
"The way everything is moving… It's just like last time—when He tried to break the heavens so he could ascend."
He exhaled softly, his expression heavy.
"I truly feel sorry for the common people. They'll be swept away by the coming tidal wave, without even knowing why."
Old Fu came to a halt, his gaze distant.
"Now that I think about it, that boy's Qi… it reminds me of that old fat Chen."
"The last I heard, he was searching for his daughter in the lower realm. I wonder… did he ever find her?"
Reaching the end of the room, Old Fu opened a cabinet, retrieved a brush, and began writing a letter, each stroke deliberate.
Moments later, the three of them were back on the road.
"You Li, are you alright?"
Lian turned sharply. Her skin was pale, and she was clutching her stomach, standing frozen in place.
I knew it… she rushed her healing earlier, Lian thought grimly.
"Brother," Wang Gu said, glancing back at Lou Yi, who was already sinking toward the ground.
"Let's stop at that cave for a while."
"Alright."
Lian hurried back and lifted her into his arms.
"No—I—I can still walk…" she tried to protest, but her voice faded as her body went limp.
"She's freezing," Lian muttered.
"Her Yin energy must've lost balance after taking those Yin pills."
Without wasting another second, he leapt forward. Moments later, they reached the mouth of a cave.
"I'll stand guard," Wang Gu said.
Lian nodded and carried her inside.
"I'll have to use Flame Qi to suppress it," Lian murmured.
He placed a hand against her back and began circulating his Flame Qi in careful increments.
"Mmm…"
She whimpered softly as colour slowly returned to her face.
"It's working," Lian thought, increasing the flow slightly.
"Are you alri—"
Before he could finish, she suddenly tugged him forward and pressed her lips to his.
"Mmph—!"
Lian stiffened and tried to pull back, but her arms tightened around him, her legs locking firmly against his waist.
"When did she get this strong?"
He struggled, caught completely off guard.