"Who are you?" Ling Feng asked Xingqiu and Chongyun after recovering some of his injuries. Though he recognized them, he stuck to his principle of not acknowledging anyone he hadn't been introduced to.
Xingqiu adjusted his clothes and clasped his hands in greeting. "I am Xingqiu, the second young master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild. Thank you for saving my guild's escorts just now."
"My name is Chongyun, a wandering exorcist," Chongyun introduced himself simply, lacking Xingqiu's flair.
"I am Ling Feng. I happened to be passing by, saw someone being attacked by monsters, and decided to lend a hand. Unfortunately, my strength was still insufficient. Thank you for your assistance earlier," Ling Feng replied, mirroring Xingqiu's gesture.
He was quite familiar with these two. Xingqiu, the second young master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, dreamed of being a chivalrous hero and was currently the foremost disciple and sole Vision holder of the Liyue's Guhua Clan.
Chongyun, a Vision holder, was the heir to a renowned exorcist family. He possessed the extremely rare Pure Yang body, which made his exorcist talents exceptional and his strength considerable, though he was still unable to fully control his Pure Yang constitution.
"It is our duty to help those in need, especially when you intervened to save my subordinates and fell into trouble because of it," Xingqiu said. "However, you needn't be so humble. It's truly impressive that you could hold your own against a Ruin Guard without a Vision."
Ling Feng waved his hand. "You flatter me." He felt unworthy of Xingqiu's praise. Although he lacked a Vision, as a cultivator, being at a disadvantage against a Ruin Guard made him realize his current weakness. His spear techniques still needed much practice.
At this moment, the escorts from the Feiyun Commerce Guild, having finished clearing out the Hilichurls from their camp, slowly approached.
"Immortal! Thank you for saving our lives!" Seeing Ling Feng, the leading escort knelt down, intending to kowtow in gratitude. However, Ling Feng reacted quickly, preventing him from doing so. But he couldn't reach the rest of the escorts behind him. One by one, they knelt and kowtowed, collectively shouting, "Thank you, Immortal, for saving our lives."
This was Ling Feng's first time encountering such a scene, and he felt quite flustered.
Meanwhile, Xingqiu and Chongyun caught a key phrase from their words and looked at Ling Feng in surprise, exclaiming in unison, "You are an Immortal?"
Truthfully, neither Xingqiu nor Chongyun believed Ling Feng was an Immortal. In their eyes, how could an Immortal be so weak? Moreover, Ling Feng lacked the transcendent aura of an Immortal. However, these were members of the Feiyun Commerce Guild and wouldn't easily deceive them, nor did they have any reason to. Especially with a title like "Immortal," who would dare to joke about it so lightly? As people of Liyue, they all knew that Immortals commanded respect, which led Xingqiu and Chongyun to doubt Ling Feng's identity.
"How could I be an Immortal? Xingqiu, quickly tell them to get up," Ling Feng shook his head vigorously, stepping aside to avoid their bow. He couldn't bear such reverence.
"Ah Fu, you all get up first," Xingqiu said to the escorts after a moment's hesitation.
"Yes, Second Young Master." Xingqiu's words clearly carried weight, and the group quickly rose from the ground.
"Tell me what happened before we arrived," Ling Feng said. Ling Feng's identity was still uncertain, and the escorts were the only ones who knew what had transpired.
"Young Master, it was like this..." The captain of the escorts, named Ah Fu, quickly recounted the events.
Xingqiu and Chongyun listened quietly. When they heard that Ling Feng had leaped onto a rooftop with a single bound and attacked with talismans, Chongyun immediately looked up at Ling Feng. Typically, only exorcists could use talismans, as they were a form of Taoist magic. If translated to Earth terms, Taoist magic was akin to divine arts, so Chongyun and Xingqiu began to suspect Ling Feng might be an exorcist.
However, when they heard that Ling Feng could produce objects from thin air, that thought was immediately dismissed. Without a Vision, being able to conjure things out of nowhere could only be achieved through immortal arts. This led Xingqiu and Chongyun to implicitly accept Ah Fu's earlier statement: Ling Feng was likely an Immortal.
In the end, Ling Feng had to expend considerable effort to convince them that he was not an Immortal. He explained that his ability to retrieve items from thin air was an innate talent. Xingqiu and the others eventually believed him, concluding that Ling Feng was merely a person with special abilities. After all, Ling Feng's demeanor did not align with their perception of an Immortal.
As it was late, the group didn't dwell on the topic. Xingqiu and Chongyun led the Feiyun Commerce Guild escorts down the mountain, while Ling Feng headed up to find True Lord of the Cloud Retainer.
Shenhe, seeing that Ling Feng was unharmed, breathed a sigh of relief and no longer followed him, returning to Mount Aocang.
True Lord of the Cloud Retainer, having naturally sensed the events at the foot of the mountain, was already waiting for Ling Feng at the entrance. Upon seeing him, Ling Feng immediately clasped his hands in a respectful greeting. "Master Cloud Retainer."
"Hmm, you've arrived. I observed your battle with my divine sense, and the outcome is most unsatisfactory! As a disciple of the Immortals, to find yourself in peril against a mere Ruin Guard," True Lord of the Cloud Retainer admonished him.
"Apologies, Master. My strength is still too weak." Ling Feng nodded. True Lord of the Cloud Retainer's words were accurate. Although he hadn't used his true qi, divine techniques, or the God of War Blade, Ruin Guards were considered third-rate on the Teyvat continent. To be unable to defeat one with physical combat alone showed his lack of strength. If he had encountered a Ruin Guard Commander today, he would likely have been instantly killed! The combat power of a Ruin Guard Commander was immeasurably greater than that of a regular Ruin Guard.
"Good." Seeing Ling Feng's attitude, True Lord of the Cloud Retainer nodded in satisfaction. He had a very good first impression of Ling Feng. Frankly, Ling Feng, who had only been cultivating for a month, had progressed from being completely helpless to being able to fight a Ruin Guard to a near standstill with physical prowess alone. His talent was already exceptional. However, praise could lead to arrogance and complacency. This was why he had immediately reprimanded Ling Feng, aiming to maintain his current attitude.
"Come in. I will teach you the simplest Bagua arts. Bagua arts can divine fortune and misfortune, predict longevity, assess Feng Shui, and have boundless magical uses."
"Yes."
"Do not waste your talent. I will be very strict for the next three days. If your performance does not meet my requirements, then..." True Lord of the Cloud Retainer said sternly.
"Yes! Master!"
The man and the deer entered the cave dwelling, beginning their three-day study period.