Chapter 1318: Changes on the way home

Zhou Yiqiao nodded slightly, without showing too much surprise.

Although he was completely immersed in the forging technique of the Toad Light Treasure Refining Technique and actively blocked all senses outside the refining room, he could still feel the breath fluctuations of the man who had guarded him for a hundred years.

"Good work."

Zhou Yiqiao smiled faintly, followed the middle-aged monk's steps, and left the Qi-refining island.

The two of them walked in silence through the familiar courtyard of the Lin family and finally arrived in front of Lin Xiaotian's study.

The furnishings in the room are exactly the same as they were a hundred years ago, and still exude a faint bookish atmosphere.

The middle-aged monk knocked on the door gently, and after hearing Lin Xiaotian's voice from inside, he slowly pushed the door open and let Zhou Yiqiao in.

In the study, Lin Xiaotian was sitting at the desk with an ancient book in his hand, but his eyes kept looking towards the door. It was obvious that he had received the message sent back by the middle-aged monk first, and his heart was full of anticipation.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, you finally came out of seclusion."

When Lin Xiaotian saw Zhou Yiqiao coming, a smile appeared on his face and he put down the book in his hand.

"Patriarch Lin, I haven't seen you for a hundred years. I hope you are well."

Zhou Yiqiao bowed, with a hint of politeness in his tone.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, but Lin Xiaotian couldn't suppress his anxiety after all. He asked in a trembling voice without any dignity as the head of the family.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, that Hunyuan Pearl..."

Zhou Yiqiao smiled mysteriously. He naturally knew what Lin Xiaotian was most concerned about.

He just stretched out his hand and an ice-blue gem as dark as ink appeared in his palm.

Although this gem was exactly the Hunyuan Pearl that Lin Xiaotian gave him a hundred years ago, its appearance had completely changed after a hundred years of refining and promotion.

The bead, which was originally as deep and blue as the night sky, now has an even deeper and more unfathomable mystery, like the heart of the deep sea, containing the vast and boundless spiritual power of water.

On the surface of the beads, water-like textures dance lightly. They are no longer static depictions, but seem to have life, extremely agile, ready to break free from their restraints at any time and turn into drizzling rain or raging seas.

The water elemental force contained within is even more surging, like rivers converging into the sea. Its power is so strong that it is incomparable to the past.

This power is pure and powerful, enough to shake mountains and rivers, benefit all things, and fully demonstrate the mystery and majesty of the great way of water.

"Please look, Patriarch Lin. This is the Hunyuan Pearl after it was upgraded."

Zhou Yiqiao gently picked up Baozhu and introduced her.

"After the promotion, the capacity of the Hunyuan Pearl has reached an incredible level. The amount of water it can absorb far exceeds that before, enough to form a small ocean."

"In addition, it can also compress and condense the absorbed water elemental force to the extreme, while retaining the original attack means, it also adds new defensive capabilities."

"In critical moments, the Hunyuan Pearl can be transformed into a solid water shield to resist external attacks. Its defensive power is so strong that even a master who is two realms higher than the user cannot easily shake it."

As Lin Xiaotian listened to Zhou Yiqiao's introduction, the light in his eyes became brighter and brighter. He took the Hunyuan Pearl, carefully felt the power contained in it, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"Good, good, good! Fellow Daoist Zhou is indeed a master of refining. The improvement of this Hunyuan Pearl has completely exceeded my expectations."

"The Lin family owes Brother Zhou another favor."

Lin Xiaotian said excitedly.

Zhou Yiqiao waved his hand modestly.

"It's just my job. I just hope you don't mind that I delayed for a hundred years and owed the Lin family a favor for the advancement of two magic tools."

Lin Xiaotian laughed loudly towards the sky, patted Zhou Yiqiao's shoulder hard, and said nonchalantly.

"With the extraordinary ability that Brother Zhou has now mastered to turn decay into magic, my Lin family will definitely treat you as a distinguished guest. How can we care about those insignificant details?"

"How about this, Lin will make the decision on his own. All the magic weapon promotions that Brother Zhou owes will be written off. When Brother Zhou feels like it in the future, he can help the Lin family with promotions."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yiqiao admired Lin Xiaotian's foresight in his heart, but he rejected Lin Xiaotian's kindness without hesitation.

"Patriarch Lin, I appreciate your kindness, but the rules cannot be abolished. Since it was stipulated that promotions should be granted every fifty years, there is no reason to change it easily."

"I, Zhou Yiqiao, always put faith and integrity in everything I do, and I will honor all the promises I've made."

The debt of favor is the most difficult to repay. If he agrees to Lin Xiaotian's request to erase two magical weapons for advancement today, he will have no possibility of refusing if the two families ask him to refine a more difficult magical weapon in the future.

Rather than being controlled by others in the future, it is better to work harder today and make up for the owed magical instruments.

Of course, Zhou Yiqiao is not a pedantic person, and he also knows how to take this opportunity to fight for some reasonable conditions for himself.

"Zhou intends to set off immediately and return to the sect."

"If Patriarch Lin trusts me, please allow me to take these two magic weapons away. After I successfully advance, I will send someone to return them to the Lin family."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaotian agreed to Zhou Yiqiao's request without any hesitation.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, what you said is wrong. How can I, Lin Xiaotian, be someone who doesn't know the big picture? Since you have this intention, I will naturally support you with all my strength."

In Lin Xiaotian's opinion, with the abilities Zhou Yiqiao possesses, let alone taking away two magic weapons, even if he took away ten and did not return them, the Lin family would be willing to do so as long as they could gain Zhou Yiqiao's favor.

After he finished speaking, he clapped his hands, and the two Lin family members guarding outside the door left quickly and brought back two jade boxes soon.

As usual, Lin Xiaotian introduced the abilities of the two magical weapons and the requirements for their advancement to Zhou Yiqiao, and then he kept repeating that the Lin family would not care whether it succeeded or not. In the end, he even personally sent Zhou Yiqiao to the gate of Wangxian City before reluctantly saying goodbye.

"It's a pity that Daoist Zhou is so talented that he has stayed in my Lin family for two hundred years and has been in seclusion for two hundred years. Otherwise, if he revealed a little bit of knowledge to my clan members, it would benefit these useless younger generations a lot."

Lin Xiaotian stood at the gate of Wangxian City, looking at Zhou Yiqiao's receding back, and muttered to himself with emotion.

After Zhou Yiqiao's figure completely disappeared on the horizon, Lin Xiaotian slowly turned around and returned to the posture of the head of the Lin family.

......

On the other hand, after Zhou Yiqiao went to Baochan Secret Realm and reunited with Li Mubai who had never left, he embarked on the journey of sending Li Mubai back to Tijian Sect.

The two men flew on their swords, Zhou Yiqiao and Li Mubai flew side by side in the clouds. Along the way, Li Mubai praised Zhou Yiqiao's Toad Light Treasure Refining Technique.

"Brother Zhou, I haven't seen you for a hundred years. It seems that your Toad Light Refining Treasure Technique has reached great perfection. Congratulations."

Li Mubai said with a smile.

"No, no, Brother Li, you are too kind."

"Although the Toad Light Treasure Refining Technique was barely successful, it is still far from being perfect."

Zhou Yiqiao waved his hand modestly.

"However, if Brother Li Daoist needs it, I can help Brother Li upgrade his magic weapon."

Zhou Yiqiao continued.

"Then I would like to thank you, Brother Zhou. If my magic weapons can be upgraded through your Toad Light Refining Treasure Technique, their power will surely increase greatly."

Li Mubai smiled and cupped his hands.

The two talked and laughed along the way, exchanging their cultivation experiences, and time passed by unknowingly.

However, not long after the two left the territory of Wangxianyuan and walked to a desolate mountain, their spiritual senses suddenly trembled at the same time.

"careful!"

Zhou Yiqiao and Li Mubai spoke almost at the same time, and they quickly took out defensive magic weapons to protect themselves.

Almost at the moment they completed their defense, several fierce attacks landed on the place where they were just now.

"Boom!"

Explosions rang out one after another, smoke and dust rose up, and huge deep pits were blown out in the desolate mountains and wilderness.

When the smoke and dust cleared, Zhou Yiqiao looked carefully and saw a group of monks standing not far away. Leading them was a middle-aged monk with a sinister face, and next to him was Lin Huo from the Lin family.

"Lin Huo, it's you!"

Zhou Yiqiao frowned. He didn't expect Lin Huo to attack him.

"Zhou Yiqiao, when you occupied my weapon refining room, you didn't expect that this day would come, right?"

Lin Huo said with a sneer.

"Today, I will let you know the price of occupying someone else's nest!"

"Oh? Just you?"

Zhou Yiqiao curled his lips in disdain.

"Of course not by me, but by this young master of a nearby immortal cultivation family."

Lin Huo pointed at the middle-aged monk beside him.

"Young Sect Master Sun, Zhou Yiqiao has been in the weapon refining room for a hundred years. He must have a powerful weapon or even a peerless treasure refining technique."

Lin Huo said to the middle-aged monk in a flattering manner.

"As long as we can catch him, Young Master Sun will surely become more powerful!"

When the middle-aged monk heard this, a hint of greed flashed in his eyes.

"Well, Lin Huo, you did a great job."

"When I catch this guy and get the secret from him, I will recommend you to my master after returning to the sect and let you become the chief weapon refiner of my Yixiang Sect."

The middle-aged monk said with a grim smile.

"Do it!"

After he finished speaking, he waved his hand, and the monks behind him immediately took out their magic weapons and attacked Zhou Yiqiao and Li Mubai.

"Brother Zhou, it looks like we're going to have to commit more murders today."

A magic sword appeared in Li Mubai's hand, and his expression did not change at all.

He was about to take action but was stopped by Zhou Yiqiao.

"Brother Li, you don't have to do anything. I am just testing the power of my newly refined magic weapon."

Zhou Yiqiao smiled slightly, with a hint of excitement in his eyes.

He stretched out his hand and the Heaven-Swallowing Cauldron, the Soul-Binding Armor, the Purple-Gold Gourd, the Fiery Sun Cauldron and the Blood-Drinking Millstone appeared around him one by one.

"Alright, let me see how powerful Brother Zhou's magic weapons are after they are upgraded."

The two did not avoid mentioning Lin Huo and the many monks of Yixiang Sect in their conversation.

Because both of them understood that once they provoked them, these people would have no chance of leaving alive!

Before he finished speaking, several magical instruments suddenly soared into the air, and countless streams of light illuminated the sky and earth, sucking the entire barren mountain into a vortex of spiritual energy!