"Senior Li, Senior Ling, it's been a long time." Yuan Ming greeted with a smile, his gaze falling on the child in Li Zhui's arms, his eyes showing a gentle expression.

At that moment, the little girl also woke up from her mumbling dream and, rubbing her eyes, looked towards Yuan Ming:

"Daddy, who is he?"

"He is..." Li Zhui was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure of how to address him.

"I am a friend of your parents, just call me Brother Yuan." Yuan Ming offered.

"Brother Yuan?" the little girl murmured softly.

"Little girl doesn't see strangers often, Fellow Daoist Yuan, don't take offense, please, come in and let's talk." Li Zhui said with a laugh, quickly welcoming Yuan Ming inside.

Ling Songhua closed the courtyard door behind them, but a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes.

Yuan Ming casually took out a Fire Attribute Spirit Stone and fed it to Huo Chan'er, placing it on the ground.

As they had just sat down at the table in the courtyard, Li Zhui stood up and said, "You seldom visit, and I happen to have a few Silver Scale Colorful Fish, perfect for stewing."

"Senior Li, I've longed for this fish soup for a while." Yuan Ming's eyes brightened as he spoke.

Seeing him get busy, Ling Songhua sat across from Yuan Ming and scrutinized him carefully.

After a long look, she couldn't ascertain Yuan Ming's depth, feeling that his aura seemed only at the peak of Foundation Establishment, yet something seemed off.

Yuan Ming had suppressed his cultivation level when he joined the group of Loose Cultivators, and he had forgotten to release it during the journey.

"What is the child's name?" Yuan Ming asked, looking at the little girl who was curiously staring at him with her big eyes.

"Li Yu, her nickname is Little Carp, all named by her dad," Ling Songhua said.

"Haha, that's very much in Senior Li's style," Yuan Ming laughed.

While they were talking, Li Zhui came over with a small red clay stove to the table.

While waiting for the fish soup to stew, Li Zhui asked about Yuan Ming's recent whereabouts, and Yuan Ming only mentioned that he had been in the East Sea area recently and had returned to the Southern Border to attend to some matters, taking the opportunity to visit them.

The couple didn't ask much, but the worry in their brows was somewhat hard to conceal.

After Yuan Ming finished his fish soup, Li Zhui and Ling Songhua exchanged a look and seemed to struggle before saying, "Fellow Daoist Yuan, I have a favor to ask, I wonder if you could agree?"

"What is it?" Yuan Ming asked.

"Could you possibly take Little Carp and Huo Chan'er to the East Sea for a while?" Li Zhui paused before saying.

Yuan Ming was taken aback, not immediately agreeing, but instead silently looked towards the couple.

"I won't hide it from you, because of some matters, we've made some enemies. The opposing side has many people, and they have a Core Formation Stage cultivator in charge. My wife and I are no match for them. So we're hoping you could help take care of them for a bit. If we can get away, we will definitely come to find you in the East Sea," Ling Songhua sighed and said.

"You finally spoke up, I was starting to get impatient," Yuan Ming said with a smile upon hearing those words.

"Fellow Daoist Yuan, this matter is truly no joke. Those people are tough adversaries, and they have the Shichuan Alliance backing them. We really had no choice but to trouble you," Li Zhui said, his expression turning serious as he saw Yuan Ming laugh.

"The Core Formation Stage fellow you mentioned must be that bald man, right?" Yuan Ming asked.

"How did you know?" Ling Songhua asked, surprised.

"Don't worry, those guys ran into me as soon as they entered the valley. They won't be bothering you anymore," Yuan Ming said, while placing the bald man's Storage Ring on the table. The reference version of this chapter is on *.

This news, like a bolt of thunder, shocked the couple so much that they struggled to regain their composure for a long time.

"They all... died?" Li Zhui asked, somewhat hesitantly.

"Rest assured, I left no survivors, it was handled very cleanly," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

Seeing him speak so confidently, Ling Songhua still seemed somewhat skeptical, but Li Zhui already started laughing loudly.

"Haha... Fellow Daoist Yuan, you've saved us once again. How can we ever repay this kindness?" After the laughter, he couldn't help but let out a wry smile.

"Let's not speak such formalities. I'm just curious, how did you two end up living in seclusion here?" Yuan Ming waved his hand and asked.

"You mean to ask, how did we fall into such a state?" Li Zhui said with a laugh.

"With both of your cultivation levels, plus Senior Ling's artifact refining skills, how could you possibly be bullied to such an extent?" Yuan Ming didn't deny it but continued to ask.

"Initially, we planned to completely retire and live like celestial beings. Then suddenly, three years ago, we had Little Carp. This child turned out to be quite promising, possessing Dual Spirit Roots of Fire and Thunder Attributes, with excellent aptitude. In consideration of her future, we decided to come out of retirement to build a foundation for her cultivation," Ling Songhua explained, pausing for a moment.

"Alas, the outside world changed too fast. By the time we emerged, the whole Southern Border and Northern Territory were already in disarray. When Song Hua and I went out to collect spiritual materials, people started eyeing Huo Chan'er, and a fierce clash ensued when they failed to make a purchase. Later, the opponents brought even stronger allies and began attacking us frequently, leaving us no choice but to flee here," Li Zhui explained.

"What happened in the Southern Border and Northern Territory, causing such chaos?" Yuan Ming asked.

"Actually, the Southern Border and Northern Territory have never been completely stable. They've only grown more chaotic since the fall of the Biluo Sect, as the struggles among the Four Great Sects intensified," Ling Songhua explained.

"The Green Rock Association, you know about them, right? They've always kept a low profile, but these past few years, they've been secretly gaining support from many in the Scatter Alliance, rapidly increasing their strength. They've now even suppressed the Hundred Poison Cave, Beast King Sect, and even the Black Fire Sect, and are on the verge of unifying the Southern Border and Northern Territory," Li Zhui added.

"The Green Rock Association possesses such capabilities?" Yuan Ming asked, somewhat surprised.

"The Loose Cultivators they've aligned with have also been growing stronger under the Green Rock Association's support, seizing territories rich in Spirit Veins on their instructions. The Shichuan Alliance is the strongest among all Loose Cultivators, and they now occupy the former site of the Biluo Sect," Ling Songhua continued.

"I hadn't imagined that Biluo Cave would become like this. Since that is the case, Senior Li, if you wish to take back Biluo Cave, I can offer my help," Yuan Ming said, pausing in surprise before continuing.

As he spoke, his tone was casual, as though discussing common family matters, like buying a couple of chickens in the afternoon.

As Li Zhui observed Yuan Ming, he noticed a barely perceptible intimidating aura emanating from him, which left him feeling both delighted and emotional.

"When I first met you, Fellow Daoist Yuan, I simply liked what I saw. After getting to know you, I found our temperaments matched, and now seeing how quickly you've grown, I feel both gratified and somewhat envious," Li Zhui said with a gentle smile, not answering directly but instead making this comment.