"Ehhh…" Yuan looked at the two beauties with an awkward look on his face after realizing what he'd just said.
"A-Anyway, I am getting very sleepy, so I am going to retire for the day. I'll see you all tomorrow," Yuan said to them before rushing upstairs, almost like he was running away before they could further question him.
"What was that about?"
Xuan Wuhan and Min Li exchanged looks with each other. Yuan was definitely keeping something from them, but who doesn't have a few secrets they'd rather keep to themselves?
"It's getting late so I'll be leaving too. I'll see you tomorrow, Senior apprentice-sister Xuan…" Min Li said as she left the building.
"Guess I'll go cultivate," Xuan Wuhan shrugged before going into her room.
"Hmm? Where did everyone go?" Fei Yuyan came out of the bathroom a few minutes later to see an empty living room.
"Oh well…"
Fei Yuyan shook her head before going into her room and falling asleep shortly later.
The following day, Xuan Wuhan asked everyone there, "What are you going to do today if you're not going to be practicing the zither?"
"Well…"
However, before Fei Yuyan could respond, someone knocked on the door before a voice resounded, "Are you guys inside? It's me!"
"Master?" Fei Yuyan went to open the door after hearing Elder Shan's voice.
"What's the matter, Master?" Fei Yuyan asked after greeting her.
"What do you mean? The tournament's tomorrow, you know, and I'm here to see if you're ready to leave yet."
"We're leaving the sect already? I thought we wouldn't have to depart until tomorrow morning." Fei Yuyan said with raised eyebrows since this did not happen last time.
"Due to the presence of Heaven and Earth Palace and Senior Song, the place will be much more crowded than last time. If we don't leave now, we'll have trouble getting into the city." Elder Shan explained.
"Oh, that makes sense…" Fei Yuyan then turned to look at Yuan and asked him, "Are you ready to leave now?"
Yuan immediately nodded and said, "I am ready to leave whenever you are."
"W-Wait a second! Elder Shan! I would also like to come with you!" Xuan Wuhan suddenly said.
"You?" Elder Shan raised her eyebrows, and then she said, "I can only carry two other individuals on my flying treasure so you'll have to ask your grandfather to take you."
"Eh? My grandpa is also going?" Xuan Wuhan mumbled in a surprised tone.
Elder Shan nodded and said, "Yes, that's why you should talk to him instead."
"Anyway, we need to speak with the Sect Master before we leave the sect. Come with me, Disciple Fei, Disciple Yuan."
"I'll see you two later," Yuan said to Min Li and Xuan Wuhan.
Once Fei Yuyan and Yuan left with Elder Shan, Xuan Wuhan and Min Li looked at each other.
"D-Do you think Grand Elder Xuan would be willing to take me along?" Min Li asked Xuan Wuhan.
"I can ask for you…" Xuan Wuhan nodded.
"Thank you, senior apprentice-sister."
Meanwhile, at the Sect Master's headquarters sometime later, Elder Shan knocked on the door and said, "Sect Master, I've brought Disciple Fei and Disciple Yuan here, and we'll be leaving the sect soon."
"Come inside."
A moment later, they entered the room.
"I didn't think I'd see you again so soon, Disciple Yuan." Long Yijun said with a somewhat stiff smile on his face.
"Anyway, about this zither competition… There'll be a lot of people there, you know?"
"I know," Yuan nodded.
"If there's a lot of people, it means there'll be a lot of people watching you…" Long Yijun narrowed his eyes at Yuan, who appeared oblivious at this moment.
Yuan suddenly smiled and said, "Don't worry, Sect Master, I'll be wearing a mask during the competition so that people won't be able to recognize me."
"Oh?" Long Yijun and Elder Shan looked at Yuan with surprised looks on their faces. They didn't think he would be aware, which definitely was a shocker.
Sometime later, Long Yijun retrieved a medium-sized wooden box and placed it on the table.
"Take these, Disciple Yuan. In case anything happens, these treasures will keep your life safe."
After opening the wooden box, Yuan could see two items sitting inside.
One of these two items was a deep green jade slip with the other being a silver talisman.
"The jade slip is called 'Jade Barrier', and the token is named 'Ten Thousand Miles Talisman'." Long Yijun said, and he proceeded to explain their usages, "If you pour some of your spiritual energy into the Jade Barrier, it will create a very powerful defensive formation around you that can block even a Spirit Grandmaster's strike, but it will only be able to block a single hit no matter who attacks you so you must use it wisely."
"As for the Ten Thousand Miles Talisman, as long as you activate it with your spiritual energy, it will immediately teleport you ten thousand miles from your location. However, it does so randomly so there are some risks involved, such as being teleported in the middle of an ocean or in the middle of a beast's nest."
"Remember, Disciple Yuan, that you can only use these treasures once before they lose their powers." Long Yijun warned him.
"I understand," Yuan nodded before accepting these two life-saving treasures.
"Thank you," he said afterward.
'The Sect Master personally handed Disciple Yuan two powerful life-saving treasures?! For what?! Leaving the sect?! Just what is his background?!' Fei Yuyan cried inwardly after seeing this.
"Good luck, Disciple Fei and Disciple Yuan. Go and make the sect and our ancestors proud." Long Yijun said to them before looking at Elder Shan and continuing, "I'll leave them in Elder Xuan's and your care, Elder Shan."
"Rest assured, Sect Master. I won't let either of them come to any harm, and I'll prioritize their lives over mine," Elder Shan nodded with a serious look on her face.
'What the heck? We're only going to participate in a zither competition, and it's not as if we're hunting powerful magical beasts…' Fei Yuyan was left speechless by their serious conversation, as it sounded like they were going somewhere dangerous.