This is the true immortal of the Taoist sect.

"Thump...thump thump..."

A slow, deliberate knocking sounded on the door.

Wang Jingshu, who was practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard, flipped her wrist, sheathed her long sword, and gracefully stepped forward to open the gate.

A young man dressed in a dark outfit and wearing a green cloak stood at the entrance.

Upon seeing Wang Jingshu, the man clasped his hands in a respectful bow and said:

"Greetings, young lady. My name is Chen Jing, and I have come to pay a special visit to Mr. Li."

Looking at the young man before her, whose face showed signs of hardship, Wang Jingshu suddenly realized.

"Oh, it's Young Master Chen. Please come in."

Wang Jingshu stepped aside and invited Chen Jing in.

At the same time, he couldn't help but have some doubts.

She had met Chen Jing before, but in her memory he was clearly a handsome young man with a gentle temperament.

Why is it that Chen Jing in front of me not only has dark skin and a weathered face, but also looks several years older?

If Wang Jingshu hadn't vaguely remembered Chen Jing's facial features, she would have even thought the other party was an imposter.

As I entered the courtyard, Li Daoxuan came out to greet me.

He laughed from afar:

"I was delighted when I woke up this morning, and sure enough, a friend had come from afar."

Chen Jing strode forward, his eyes also filled with the joy of a long-awaited reunion.

"It's been a long time since we last met. How are you, sir?"

Li Daoxuan grasped Chen Jing's hand and shook it, then laughed:

"Very well, how are things going in the North?"

Unaware that Li Daoxuan was overjoyed and subconsciously acted according to the etiquette of his previous life, Chen Jing grasped Li Daoxuan's strong and powerful hand, feeling a surge of warmth and affection in his heart.

"The battlefield is naturally fraught with danger, but thanks to you, sir, I survived..."

Li Daoxuan's eyes flashed as he scanned Chen Jing from head to toe.

He then remarked with emotion:

"It seems you have indeed experienced a lot in the North over the past year. Your body is full of energy and is extremely robust, which is obviously honed through frequent life-and-death battles."

More than a year has passed, and Chen Jing has already reached the third realm. Moreover, judging from his progress, he seems to be not far from becoming a fourth-realm Grand Martial Master.

Although in the eyes of cultivators like Li Daoxuan and Qingfeng, entering three realms in a year is nothing special.

But in the martial arts world, such speed would definitely be considered a rare genius.

Chen Jing wasn't surprised that Li Daoxuan could see through his martial arts cultivation; he simply smiled with a hint of helplessness:

"Fighting on the battlefield was a last resort."

"Fortunately, the war in the North has temporarily subsided, and I can finally come back and catch my breath..."

After the two sat down, they sat around the stove, brewing tea and chatting about Chen Jing's past experiences at the border.

When the dangerous parts were described, Wang Jingshu and the others listened with great concern.

Finally, Chen Jing drank a cup of tea, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Li Daoxuan, and smiled:

"I have come here for two reasons: first, to visit you, sir, and second, to express my gratitude for saving my life."

Chen Jing said this because he had once been in a near-death situation on the battlefield, but he survived because he had a protective talisman given to him by Li Daoxuan.

It was this talisman that saved his life.

So the first thing Chen Jing did after returning was to thank Li Daoxuan.

Li Daoxuan smiled and waved his hand, saying:

"Brother Chen, you're too kind. There's no need for thanks between us."

Li Daoxuan felt genuinely close to Chen Jing.

When he first arrived in this world, Chen Jing showed him kindness without reservation, giving him a piece of bread that could fill his stomach and save his life, and taking him, who had a disability in both legs, to Anyi County and finding him a place to stay.

In truth, Chen Jing's kindness to him was no less than that to Chen Jing.

No matter how many people Li Daoxuan met afterward, Chen Jing's significance in his heart would always remain different.

Hearing these words, Chen Jing couldn't help but smile knowingly.

He often remarked that the down-on-his-luck beggar he had met by chance was actually a rare benefactor in his life.

Although the two did not see each other often, they rarely met.

But there was a tacit mutual appreciation between them.

Li Daoxuan truly regarded Chen Jing as his only friend in this world.

Therefore, they were especially happy about Chen Jing's arrival.

Of course, it would be even better if it were just Chen Jing alone.

As he spoke, Li Daoxuan seemingly casually waved his hand, and a powerful surge of magical energy flashed past.

Qingfeng and Mingyue understood; they had also long ago discovered the person eavesdropping outside the courtyard.

Li Daoxuan instructed Qingfeng:

"Go and invite the guests in."

Qingfeng understood and got up to open the door.

Chen Jing was confused and thought that someone else had come to visit Li Daoxuan.

So they had to get up and retreat.

Li Daoxuan reached out and pressed down on his arm, laughing:

"Sit still. She might be a little... scared without you here."

Chen Jing was taken aback, not understanding why.

At that moment, outside the courtyard gate, Qingfeng opened the door and immediately saw a woman standing in the corner of the wall.

Qingfeng chuckled lightly, but there was little goodwill in his eyes.

The woman stood motionless, her posture stiff, as if she had been frozen in place.

Only those eyes were filled with terror.

Qingfeng stepped forward, glanced at her indifferently, and casually cast a spell, which restored the woman's mobility.

She instinctively took a few steps back, her back pressed firmly against the wall, her eyes filled with terror as she stared at Qingfeng, her throat feeling as if it were stuffed with cotton, unable to utter a single word.

The breeze said softly:

"My master invites you inside. Don't eavesdrop by the wall."

After saying that, he turned around and left.

The woman's first reaction upon seeing this was to run away.

But recalling the bizarre method that had instantly frozen her in place, she couldn't even muster the courage to move and run away.

Swallowing hard, the woman finally steeled herself and went inside.

When Chen Jing saw who had entered, his eyes widened in surprise, and he stood up, looking puzzled.

"Senior sister? What are you doing here? When did you arrive?"

The person who came was Chen Jing's senior sister, the woman who had met Li Daoxuan once in the dilapidated temple, named He Ying.

He Ying lowered her head and did not reply when Chen Jing asked her question.

Chen Jing immediately understood why she had come here, and his eyes instantly turned cold.

"You...were following me..."

Li Daoxuan glanced at He Ying, then smiled and patted Chen Jing on the shoulder, saying:

"Alright, she's a guest, and besides, she's your senior sister. Please sit down and have some tea..."

Chen Jing remained silent with a sullen face.

Qingfeng brought over a stool and placed it at the end of the tea table, inviting He Ying to sit down.

He Ying gripped the sword, her eyes darting around nervously, her heart pounding with anxiety.

Faced with the gazes of Li Daoxuan and the others, she had no choice but to sit down tremblingly.

At the same time, I couldn't help but shout in my heart:

"Who exactly is this little beggar? And why does he possess such terrifying abilities?"