Chapter 00170: Elder Liu’s Apology
# Elder Liu’s Apology
Chapter 170
Novel: After the Myth
Chapter 170: Elder Liu’s Apology
Ding Huan had come to a clear realization that his previous understanding of the levels of beastly monsters was wrong.
The seventh-level Han De was an extremely powerful creature, while the monster dragon from Earth was merely a newly promoted second-level beast.
Elder Gu spoke with wisdom, “Actually, the Han is originally cultivated from zombies. The conditions required to transform into a Han beast are exceedingly strict. Furthermore, there are many types of Han; what we encountered this time is most likely the Han De, which has the ability to release hallucinogenic poison, tricking us into thinking the jungle was simply a wide road.”
“Thank you, Elder Gu, for your guidance,” Ding Huan sincerely expressed his gratitude.
Without Elder Gu’s reminder, he wouldn’t have understood what the Han De truly was.
Elder Gu chuckled, saying, “You possess a rare spirit. Even if your spiritual roots are a little lacking, you still have the opportunity to join a sect.”
Ding Huan was thrilled upon hearing this.
Did Elder Gu intend to recommend him to the Yan Yue Sect? That would be fantastic news.
However, Ding Huan was disappointed when Elder Gu did not offer any further comment about his joining the Yan Yue Sect, instead shifting the conversation to other matters.
Unknown to Ding Huan, Elder Gu genuinely wished to make a promise for him to join the Yan Yue Sect.
He greatly admired Ding Huan’s abilities.
Yet, as a mere protective elder, he didn’t have the authority to make such decisions.
Allowing someone with subpar qualifications to join the Yan Yue Sect was no simple matter.
If things went poorly, he could even be accused of misusing his power.
Thus, he planned to report this matter to the sect leader upon their return, recommending Ding Huan for admission while letting the leader or the elder responsible for recruiting disciples make the final decision.
Seeing that Elder Gu had no plans to discuss joining the sect, Ding Huan decided to speak up, “Elder Gu, I greatly admire your skill in arranging formations. Is learning formation skills simple?”
Since joining the sect may not be an option, learning formations would be valuable.
After saving Elder Gu’s life, asking a bit about formation techniques should not be excessive, right? If Elder Gu wasn’t willing to oblige, he shouldn’t even think about Ding Huan saving him next time.
Elder Gu laughed heartily, pulling out a jade slip and handing it to Ding Huan. “This is a formation jade slip I acquired years ago. I learned much from it. Now, it is yours. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime.”
He was a straightforward person; having received a favor from Ding Huan, he felt compelled to repay it.
He appreciated Ding Huan’s open nature and straightforwardness.
Ding Huan was overjoyed; he had not expected such a reward.
He quickly accepted it, expressing his thanks, “Thank you, Elder Gu. This is something I have longed for.”
“Alright, I won’t disturb your study of the formation jade slip. Remember, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I’ll be patrolling outside in the evening.” Elder Gu left with those words.
Ding Huan felt immense gratitude.
This was someone truly open and sincere.
They repay their debts, unlike that Steward Qiong, who always hesitated.
He could take but never reciprocated.
If Steward Qiong managed to return alive, he would definitely seek retribution for that Xuanxing bamboo.
Even giving him that bamboo wouldn’t have granted him a favorable return.
The formation jade slip was something Ding Huan had long desired.
Once he possessed it, he became deeply immersed in the study.
Elder Gu anticipated that Ding Huan would soon come out to inquire, for formation knowledge was quite intricate.
Without guidance, it would be hard to make progress.
Yet, he didn’t realize Ding Huan was rich in basic knowledge.
With the right stepping stone, he dived into the vast ocean of formation knowledge.
Every question that arose seemed to automatically conjure detailed answers in his mind.
At that moment, Ding Huan was immensely grateful for the jade slip, truly a treasure of knowledge.
Time passed quickly through the night.
Ding Huan gained a preliminary understanding of the structure of formations, the connections between formation flags, directions, techniques, space, and formations.
However, he also knew he couldn’t continue his studies; dawn was approaching, which meant they needed to get moving again.
Although they were currently safe on a wide road, they had to get out of the Deep Ravine as quickly as possible.
Just as Ding Huan stepped out of the campsite, he saw a dozen people rushing towards him, their hair disheveled.
He recognized this scene well; two days ago, Han Weicheng had charged over in the same manner.
“Elder Liu?” Elder Gu immediately recognized the person leading the charge to be Liu Yinzhu of Zixia Valley.
Liu Yinzhu appeared disoriented, but upon seeing Elder Gu, her demeanor instantly changed as if she had been splashed with cold water, awakening her senses.
“Elder Gu…” Liu Yinzhu was nearly moved to tears, her voice trembling with emotion.
She felt a sense of liveliness returning.
Noticing the disheveled state of the others, Elder Gu shouted sternly, “Stop right there!”
At his command, everyone froze, gradually regaining their wits.
Steward Qiong, realizing the seriousness of the situation, rushed to Elder Gu, his eyes reddened, “Elder Gu, I have let the sect down. Half of these disciples suffered casualties because of me.”
Without needing Steward Qiong to point it out, Elder Gu had already noticed; from the group behind Steward Qiong, only two disciples remained.
One was sent by the Yan Yue Sect to assist Steward Qiong in gathering disciples, and the other was a newly recruited disciple.
Looking at these exhausted and perilous disciples, those who had chosen to follow Elder Gu earlier felt a wave of relief.
If they had not accompanied Elder Gu, they might have perished.
“Ding Dao friend, I regret not heeding your advice,” a familiar voice came from behind Steward Qiong.
Ding Huan saw Han Weicheng staggering forward, accompanied by another disciple.
He thought to himself that this guy truly had a long fate.
Twice escaping the Han De’s claws was a miracle; he must be favored by luck.
However, looking at his current condition, perhaps he was more of a jinx than a lucky star.
Ding Huan noticed that besides Elder Liu, there were six others emerging from Zixia Valley.
Five were new disciples, and one was a woman, likely an old disciple from Zixia Valley.
Indeed, those protected by an elder survived more often.
Among the last group was a disciple who didn’t seem to be from Zixia Valley, possibly from the Shuanghun Sect.
Elder Qu from Shuanghun Sect was nowhere to be seen, and Ding Huan could only wish him luck in entering the mouth of the Han De sooner rather than later.
From the initial group of over sixty, only around a dozen had made it out alive.
Ding Huan felt they were actually lucky; given his understanding of the seventh-level Han De, they shouldn’t have escaped at all.
The fact that six of them made it out suggested that this Han De might have some issues of its own.
“Elder Gu, I regret not following you over,” Elder Liu said, unable to suppress her guilt.
The losses from Zixia Valley weren’t just among the newly recruited disciples; the surviving old disciples were only Ma Huaping, with the rest gone, including an elder.
Elder Gu could only sigh, “This matter cannot be blamed on you. After all, we were lost in the hallucinations caused by the Han De’s poison and had no idea we were wandering in the jungle.”
“Han De?” Elder Liu from Zixia Valley exclaimed in astonishment.
Elder Gu nodded, “Indeed. After careful consideration, the trouble we faced on this journey was due to the Han De. Its level is likely quite high.”
“Now I understand.” Elder Liu seemed to grasp the situation, showing she had knowledge of the Han De.
Then, Elder Liu approached Ding Huan, saying, “Dao friend Ding, I apologize for not heeding your words before.”
Ding Huan was taken aback.
This was quite unexpected.
How could an elder from a sect apologize to him, a mere cook? He could somewhat understand gratitude but felt it strange for her to apologize.
It made sense for her to thank him, considering that if they hadn’t camped here, even if she took the correct path, she would have charged through and ended up deep in another canyon jungle.
So, she was indeed right to be grateful.
Elder Gu laughed heartily, adding, “Dao friend Ding has strong instincts. At that time, he, too, was muddled. It was here that I finally realized the situation.”
Ding Huan immediately understood that Elder Gu was trying to explain things, suggesting that they both were misled by the poison, and it was only by following their instincts that they arrived here.
Moreover, it was Elder Gu who first regained clarity upon arriving, rather than Ding Huan.
This was intended to prevent others from being suspicious of him, as Elder Gu clearly saw Ding Huan had something special about him, which could not simply be attributed to strong instincts.
Elder Liu remarked with reflection, “We were too self-assured, thinking that our cultivation was superior to Dao friend Ding’s, leading us to believe we were stronger. I apologize for my arrogance; I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
Ding Huan now understood well; this woman was lowering her stance, indicating that she would still be following their group henceforth, hoping to rely on his instincts for guidance.
Therefore, he clasped his fists and replied, “Elder Liu, you’re too gracious. Our being able to come this far does involve my instincts to some degree. However, it was mainly Elder Gu who led us here; without him, we wouldn’t fare much better than you, Elder Liu.”
Elder Gu laughed and said, “Everyone, let’s drop the formalities. Elder Liu, do you need a moment to rest? If not, we should continue on our way.”
Elder Liu promptly replied, “This place is fraught with danger; we should move at once. The longer we linger, the greater the peril.”
After stating this, she glanced at Ding Huan.
Before, she hadn’t regarded him much; a mere cook could hardly draw attention.
Now, whatever Ding Huan said, she treated with utmost caution.
Ding Huan noticed both Elder Liu and Elder Gu looking at him.
He replied, “I also feel it is better to leave now.”
Earlier, Ding Huan had made some calculations; though vague, he could barely see a safe route for the next half hour.
Beyond that, however, what he perceived became nothing but a blank.
This led Ding Huan to be suspicious that the path half an hour ahead was strange.
Thus, he planned to divert into the woods after half an hour, take a detour, and assess the situation from there.
(End of Chapter)