Half an hour later, Xiao Bai walked in.
"Big Brother, the meal is ready, come out and eat," Xiao Bai said.
Li Xuan nodded slightly upon hearing this, then got up and followed Xiao Bai out.
In the small courtyard, the old man sat at the stone table and glanced at Li Xuan before saying, "It's just a simple meal, please don't mind it, young man."
Li Xuan smiled and shook his head, "I am the one intruding, how could I mind?"
The old man nodded, "Eat then."
The food was indeed simple, but Li Xuan ate with relish. This was the first time in many years that Li Xuan had tasted a flavor reminiscent of his childhood. As a child, Li Xuan had eaten all sorts of leftovers to fill his stomach.
Although Li Xuan no longer went hungry as he grew up and his spirit awakened, he never forgot those past experiences. After many years, Li Xuan sighed as he recalled those times.
"Young man, what are your plans now?" the old man asked.
Li Xuan pondered for a moment and replied, "I intend to press on, preferably to find a city."
"The nearest city is thousands of miles away. And within these deep mountains, dangers abound. It will be difficult for you to get out alone," the old man said, shaking his head slightly.
Li Xuan's brows furrowed. Although the old man appeared to be an ordinary person, Li Xuan dared not disregard his words. After all, he still vividly remembered the experience of the heavenly prohibition. If he encountered a similar situation, there would not be someone like Xiao Bai to help him.
"Please, senior, enlighten me," Li Xuan said after some thought.
The old man smiled slightly, "At my age, I can no longer escort you out."
Li Xuan sighed helplessly, then put down his chopsticks and stood up, "Thank you for your hospitality, senior. If I survive, I will repay you handsomely in the future!"
Li Xuan decided to leave. After all, he would not find the three divine swords in the mountains. And he had less than two months left. Even if he reached that point, he could not let them escape and harm the old man and the young girl before him.
"Big Brother, do you have something to do in the city?" Xiao Bai asked, taking a sip of soup from her bowl and looking at Li Xuan.
Li Xuan glanced at Xiao Bai and the old man, then nodded, "I need to buy three swords."
"Buy swords?" Xiao Bai put down her bowl and chopsticks, then hopped towards the thatched hut. Soon, Xiao Bai ran out of the house. In her arms, she was carrying several wooden swords.
"Big Brother, look, I have the swords you want," Xiao Bai said, holding out the wooden swords in her hand to Li Xuan.
Li Xuan gave a wry smile. How could ordinary wooden swords suppress the stone coffins in the third level?
However, seeing Xiao Bai's earnest expression, Li Xuan still took one. The next moment, Li Xuan's expression changed drastically. As the wooden sword entered his hand, Li Xuan felt a terrifying sword intent within it.
"Little Master, this... this wooden sword is actually a divine sword!"
The Heavenly Dao Brush was also shocked at this moment, instantly transmitting a message to Li Xuan's mind.
Li Xuan naturally sensed that the wooden sword was a divine sword. His gaze shifted, and he looked at Xiao Bai, "Xiao Bai, where did these wooden swords come from?"
Xiao Bai smiled and looked at the old man, "These are all wooden swords that Grandpa carved for me to play with in his spare time. If you like them, Big Brother, I'll give them to you."
Li Xuan couldn't help but swallow. At this moment, Li Xuan finally realized that the old man before him was a powerful figure.
Before Li Xuan could speak, Xiao Bai directly selected three wooden swords and placed them on the table. Then, she picked up the remaining wooden swords and turned to walk back into the house.
"Since Xiao Bai is giving them to you, you should accept them," the old man said after looking at Li Xuan for a moment.
Li Xuan was silent for a moment, then bowed, "It is I who was blind and did not recognize your greatness. Please do not be offended, senior."
"I am merely a recluse in the mountains, and they are just three wooden swords. You need not be so formal," the old man said, looking at Li Xuan.
Li Xuan looked at the three wooden swords on the table and finally decided to accept them. Although Li Xuan now knew that the old man was no ordinary person, who knew who was stronger between the old man and the three individuals in the third level of the Prison Suppression?
If they were to break free from their seals, Xiao Bai would likely be implicated.
"I can see that Xiao Bai likes you very much. Since you have a connection, stay here for a few more days," the old man said, then stood up and left, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Li Xuan gave a wry smile, then picked up the three wooden swords and walked into the house.
"Prison Spirit, can these three wooden swords suppress them?" Li Xuan immediately asked the Prison Spirit.
"Although the three divine swords are made of wood, they are still divine swords. Moreover, I can feel the artifact spirit of these three wooden swords, which seems to be even more powerful than ordinary divine swords. They are more than sufficient to suppress them," the Prison Spirit replied.
Li Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. He had not expected that when one path seemed closed, another would open. Xiao Bai was truly his lucky star.
Although Li Xuan was now certain that the old man was no ordinary person, and Xiao Bai was likely even more so, since neither the old man nor Xiao Bai harbored any ill intentions towards him, Li Xuan saw no need to be on guard.
*Buzz!*
With a humming sound, Li Xuan instantly felt the seal on the third level of the Prison Suppression being reinforced. Feeling this, the heavy stone in Li Xuan's heart finally fell.
"Little Master, what is the origin of that old man and Xiao Bai?" the Heavenly Dao Brush's voice echoed in Li Xuan's mind again as the seal on the third level of the Prison Suppression was strengthened.
Li Xuan shook his head slightly. He was also very curious about the identities of the old man and Xiao Bai. However, since the old man was unwilling to speak more, Li Xuan naturally did not want to ask.
Moreover, ultimately, Li Xuan owed much to the old man and Xiao Bai. Otherwise, he would not have been able to reinforce the seal on the third level so easily.
"Big Brother, do you want to go out for a walk?" Just then, Xiao Bai also walked in from outside and asked Li Xuan.
Li Xuan pondered for a moment and then nodded, "Okay."
Xiao Bai's face lit up with joy, and she stepped forward to take Li Xuan's hand, then walked out of the house.
"Big Brother, I'll take you to the mountaintop," Xiao Bai said, then whistled. The next moment, a green ox slowly walked out from behind the house.
As Li Xuan and Xiao Bai rode the green ox up the mountain, the old man's figure slowly appeared in front of the house.
"Alas, the destined one... I didn't expect to be discovered even hiding here. But this girl..."
"Forget it, forget it, a grown daughter cannot be kept."