After Li Yi and Yuan Shi left Kunlun Mountain, Yuan Shi asked Li Yi:
"Elder Brother, when you went to find the medicinal ingredients, who all helped you!"
Yuan Shi listened intently, wanting to know who had shown kindness to him.
Li Yi nodded and said:
"Quite a few. I'll tell you one by one!
First is fellow Daoist Hongyun, the one who inadvertently stumbled into Kunlun Mountain. I even refined a furnace of Nine Revolutions Golden Pills for him. Do you all still remember him!"
Upon hearing Li Yi's words, Yuan Shi and Tong Tian recalled the kind-hearted man.
Tong Tian happily said:
"Remember! Remember! We even discussed the Dao with him when he stayed at Kunlun Mountain!"
Yuan Shi also spoke:
"Fellow Daoist Hongyun is kind-hearted. It's understandable that he would help Elder Brother! But how did fellow Daoist Hongyun know that I was seriously injured!"
Li Yi replied:
"Fellow Daoist Hongyun didn't know. I personally went to his dojo, Huoyun Cave, to ask for his help!"
Tong Tian asked in confusion:
"Elder Brother, didn't you say that Second Brother's injury requires nine top-tier heaven and earth spiritual roots to refine the Nine Revolutions Marrow-Sculpting Pill? I didn't hear fellow Daoist Hongyun say he had any spiritual roots!"
Yuan Shi realized how much effort Li Yi had expended to heal him upon hearing Tong Tian's words.
Top-tier heaven and earth spiritual roots are probably more precious than life itself to cultivators. How could they be easily lent out!
Li Yi laughed heartily:
"Third Brother is right. Although fellow Daoist Hongyun doesn't have top-tier heaven and earth spiritual roots, he has many friends. One of them possesses a top-tier heaven and earth spiritual root – the Ginseng Fruit Tree! Without fellow Daoist Hongyun, I probably wouldn't have even gotten a branch of that Ginseng Fruit Tree!"
Upon hearing this, Yuan Shi quickly asked:
"Elder Brother, do you know which fellow Daoist you are referring to?"
Li Yi looked at Yuan Shi and Tong Tian's gazes and decided not to keep them in suspense any longer. He stated directly:
"That fellow Daoist is fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, also known as the Sovereign Who Is One With the World."
Yuan Shi murmured to himself:
"Zhen Yuanzi? The Sovereign Who Is One With the World?"
Tong Tian and Yuan Shi exchanged glances, both realizing they truly did not know.
Li Yi, seeing the confusion in their eyes, smiled and said:
"Brother Zhen Yuanzi is indeed a close friend of Brother Hongyun. He not only gave me a branch of the Ginseng Fruit Tree but also gave me six Ginseng Fruits. I just forgot about them and didn't give them to you."
After speaking, Li Yi took out six Ginseng Fruits and gave three to Yuan Shi and three to Tong Tian.
Seeing the Ginseng Fruits, Tong Tian exclaimed:
"Last time, when fellow Daoist Hongyun accidentally intruded into our Kunlun Mountain, he also gave each of us brothers one. They tasted quite good!"
Yuan Shi nodded:
"Indeed, they were quite good!"
Li Yi laughed heartily:
"These Ginseng Fruits mature once every nine thousand years. Just smelling one can extend one's life by three hundred and sixty years; eating one can grant a lifespan of forty-seven thousand years. They are bound to be delicious!"
Yuan Shi said sheepishly:
"Elder Brother, we didn't even prepare any gifts when we visited them!"
Li Yi smiled slightly:
"Don't worry, I've prepared everything. I'm sure fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi will be satisfied. But first, we'll go to Huoyun Cave to thank fellow Daoist Hongyun, and then we'll head to Longevity Mountain to thank fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi!"
Yuan Shi asked again:
"Elder Brother, besides fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi and fellow Daoist Hongyun, which other fellow Daoists have shown me kindness?"
Li Yi spoke again:
"There are also two fellow Daoists on the Taiyin Star, named Xi He and Chang Xi!"
Tong Tian interjected:
"Is it the Taiyin Star we went to learn about formations from last time?"
Li Yi replied with mild annoyance:
"Of course, it's that Taiyin Star. How many Taiyin Stars do you think there are!"
Tong Tian scratched his head:
"But we didn't see them when we went last time!"
Li Yi nodded:
"They were cultivating deep within the Taiyin Star, so naturally, we didn't see them!"
Tong Tian added:
"Elder Brother, is there anyone else? Anyone else?"
Li Yi waved his hand:
"No more!"
Yuan Shi touched his head and said:
"How could there be no more? Didn't Third Brother just say that nine heaven and earth spiritual roots were needed? If I recall correctly, Elder Brother only had one heaven and earth spiritual root!"
Li Yi nodded:
"Indeed, there were no more. Apart from fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi's Ginseng Fruit Tree branch and Xi He and Chang Xi's Osmanthus branches, I exchanged spirit treasures for the Peach Tree branches! I robbed the branches of the Fusang Tree, the Bitter Bamboo, and the Bodhi Tree. The remaining two heaven and earth spiritual roots were found by myself!"
Tong Tian and Yuan Shi were incredulous upon hearing that some heaven and earth spiritual roots were actually stolen by Li Yi. Tong Tian exclaimed dramatically:
"Elder Brother, you steal things too!"
Li Yi said sheepishly:
"It was because Second Brother's injuries were too severe. I had no choice but to take them!"
Yuan Shi's heart warmed upon hearing Li Yi's words, and he said to Li Yi:
"Thank you, Elder Brother!"
Li Yi replied dismissively:
"What's there to thank? We are brothers!"
Tong Tian then asked:
"Elder Brother, if I get injured in the future, will you do the same?"
Li Yi affirmed:
"Absolutely. I can lose anything, but I cannot lose you two and the Xuanhuang Pagoda!"
Yuan Shi and Tong Tian were also moved by Li Yi's words:
"We too. We cannot lose Elder Brother. Nothing else matters."
The three of them talked and laughed as they journeyed, and unknowingly, they arrived at Huoyun Cave.
Li Yi said to Yuan Shi and Tong Tian:
"We're here. This is fellow Daoist Hongyun's dojo, Huoyun Cave!"
With that, Li Yi led Tong Tian and Yuan Shi towards Huoyun Cave.
Upon reaching the cave entrance, Li Yi said to the boy at the entrance:
"Kindly inform fellow Daoist Hongyun that the Three Pure Ones of Kunlun have come to pay a visit!"
The boy recognized Li Yi and knew his master was very courteous to him. He immediately replied:
"Reporting to the honored guest, Master has gone to Longevity Mountain to entertain a guest!"
Li Yi smiled slightly:
"What an unfortunate coincidence!"
With that, he led Yuan Shi and Tong Tian towards Longevity Mountain.
On the way to Longevity Mountain, Yuan Shi and Tong Tian noticed Li Yi's mount, the Azure Ox.
Tong Tian asked:
"Elder Brother, this Azure Ox has such profound cultivation!"
Yuan Shi also added:
"I hadn't noticed it before. I thought Elder Brother was carrying it while traveling. I didn't expect its speed to be not much slower than mine or Third Brother's."
Li Yi chuckled:
"You two shouldn't underestimate my ox. It's a rare species of heaven and earth. I went to great lengths to subdue it."
Upon hearing Li Yi say this, Yuan Shi and Tong Tian knew the Azure Ox was powerful. There were few in the world that Li Yi would have to use significant means to subdue.
The three of them chatted and laughed along the way. Li Yi looked up and realized they were not far from Longevity Mountain.
Li Yi pointed to the mountain peak ahead and said to Yuan Shi and Tong Tian:
"Second Brother, Third Brother, that is Longevity Mountain!"
Tong Tian and Yuan Shi glanced at Longevity Mountain and said to Li Yi:
"It's a sacred place for cultivation. It's no less than our Kunlun Mountain!"
Li Yi smiled and said nothing. Upon arriving at Longevity Mountain, he headed directly for Wuzhuang Guan.
Qing Feng and Ming Yue were guarding the entrance to the temple. Upon seeing Li Yi arrive, they said:
"Honored guest, please come in. The Master instructed that you need not announce your arrival."
Li Yi thanked them and then said to the Azure Ox:
"You wait for me outside, my ox!"
Afterward, he said to Yuan Shi and Tong Tian:
"Second Brother, Third Brother, let's go inside!"
Li Yi, Yuan Shi, and Tong Tian entered the main hall and saw Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi drinking tea. They stepped forward and bowed:
"Greetings to both fellow Daoists!"
Yuan Shi and Tong Tian followed Li Yi's lead and bowed:
"Greetings to both fellow Daoists!"
Hong Yun quickly stood up and returned the bow:
"Greetings to the Three Pure Ones, fellow Daoists!"
Zhen Yuanzi did not recognize Yuan Shi and Tong Tian, but upon hearing Hong Yun address them as the Three Pure Ones, he also said:
"Greetings to the Three Pure Ones, fellow Daoists!"
Li Yi introduced them to Zhen Yuanzi:
"Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, this is my Second Brother, Yuan Shi. He came previously to be treated for my brother's injuries."
After Li Yi finished speaking, Yuan Shi stepped forward and bowed:
"Yuan Shi thanks fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi for the gift of medicine!"
Zhen Yuanzi quickly returned the bow:
"Fellow Daoist Yuan Shi is too kind. I dare not accept such thanks!"
Li Yi continued:
"This is my Third Brother, Tong Tian!"
Tong Tian also stepped forward and said:
"Greetings, fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi. Thank you for the gift of medicine!"
Zhen Yuanzi also returned the bow:
"Fellow Daoist Tong Tian is too polite!"
Seeing that everyone had met, Li Yi spoke:
"To express my gratitude for your previous gift of medicine and fruit, I have found a special fruit and specifically brought two to thank you both for your help to my brothers!"
With that, Li Yi took out four Yellow Middle Plums and offered them to Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi, saying to them:
"This is called the Yellow Middle Plum. This fruit flowers once every Yuan Hui, bears fruit once every Yuan Hui, ripens once every Yuan Hui, and can be eaten only once every Yuan Hui. Consuming one can immediately elevate one to the realm of Grand Unity Golden Immortal."
Upon hearing this, Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi quickly waved their hands:
"Absolutely not! Absolutely not! It's too precious!"
Li Yi said:
"You both have been of great help to my brothers, and this item is fitting. Please do not refuse!"
After Li Yi spoke, Hong Yun and Zhen Yuanzi accepted the Yellow Middle Plums.
Li Yi and his brothers stayed at Longevity Mountain for a few days before bidding farewell and leaving.