Xiao Feng stared at the bushes and said in a deep voice, "Who's there? Come out. Hiding isn't a good habit."
As soon as he finished speaking, a rustling sound came from the bushes.
A moment later, a middle-aged man and his family cautiously emerged from the bushes.
The man was Liu Heguang. His family looked exhausted and dressed in rags, clearly having gone through a difficult escape.
As Liu Heguang walked out of the bushes, he tightly protected his wife and daughter behind him.
Their faces still showed fear and vigilance, their eyes constantly darting around, as if they were ready to flee again at any moment.
When Liu Heguang saw Xiao Feng, he mustered up his courage and walked towards him.
"Thanks to our benefactor's help, our family was able to escape with our lives!"
Liu Heguang's voice choked with emotion, and his eyes were slightly red. He recalled the dangerous situation he had been in earlier, and his heart was filled with boundless gratitude.
"If it weren't for our benefactor's help, we probably would have..."
Liu Heguang couldn't continue speaking. He turned around and looked at his wife and daughter behind him, his eyes filled with relief and lingering fear.
Liu Fangyi was also in tears, holding her daughter tightly.
Xiao Feng smiled calmly and waved his hand: "It was nothing, don't worry about it."
Liu Heguang quickly took out a cloth bag from his bosom and handed it to Xiao Feng with both hands: "Benefactor, this is all our possessions. Although it is not much, please accept it."
Xiao Feng glanced at the not-so-bulging cloth bag, and a thought struck him.
He knew what this meant for the family.
"No need." Xiao Feng gently pushed Liu Heguang's hand away: "You still need to live, keep this money for later."
Liu Heguang was stunned; he hadn't expected Xiao Feng to refuse.
"But my benefactor..."
Xiao Feng shook his head, a gentle glint in his eyes: "I've already said, this is just a small favor. Your survival is the best way to repay me."
Upon hearing this, tears welled up in Liu Heguang's eyes.
He turned to look at his wife and daughter, and the three of them smiled at each other, their eyes filled with hope.
As Xiao Feng watched this heartwarming scene, a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.
Next, both sides took their own actions.
Xiao Feng frowned slightly as he looked at the heavy ice coffin in his hand.
This thing is so bulky and heavy, it's a real hassle to move around, and it's easy to bump into things.
On a whim, he decided to store the ice coffin in his own space.
Xiao Feng flipped his hand, and a jade spatial ring appeared in his palm.
He probed the ring with his divine sense and immediately felt the vast space inside.
Xiao Feng waved his hand gently, and an invisible force enveloped the ice coffin, slowly shrinking it.
In the blink of an eye, the ice coffin transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the spatial ring.
"That's much easier now." Xiao Feng breathed a sigh of relief and clapped his hands.
Just then, a rumbling sound came from his stomach, and Xiao Feng realized that he hadn't eaten for a long time.
He looked around and soon spotted a noodle shop not far away with a sign that read "Old Wang's Noodles" hanging at the entrance.
Xiao Feng led Liu Qisheng into the noodle shop. The shop was dimly lit, with yellowed menus on the walls and a few wooden tables and chairs scattered around.
An elderly boss was busy behind the counter, which was covered with various seasonings and side dishes.
The aroma of noodle soup filled the air, whetting Xiao Feng's appetite.
The two found a spot against the wall and sat down.
As Xiao Feng browsed the menu, he cautiously surveyed his surroundings.
His gaze lingered on each corner for a moment, carefully observing for anything suspicious.
"Brother Liu," Xiao Feng said in a low voice to Liu Qisheng, who was eating noodles, "I have a feeling that someone is watching us in the dark. Be careful."
Liu Qisheng was taken aback upon hearing this. He put down his chopsticks and replied softly, "Brother Xiao, don't worry, I will be extra careful."
Xiao Feng nodded and continued, "After we finish eating the noodles, you walk in front of me, and I'll bring up the rear. If you notice anything unusual, just cough to let me know."
"Understood," Liu Qisheng replied, then lowered his head and focused on eating his noodles.
However, not long after, Liu Qisheng suddenly felt a strange unease.
He looked up and scanned his surroundings, only to see several diners eating noodles with their heads down, seemingly ordinary.
But for some reason, he always felt that there was a faint gaze watching him from the shadows.
Liu Qisheng's heart tightened, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
He forced himself to remain calm, pretending to continue eating his noodles as if nothing was wrong, while secretly observing his surroundings.
The feeling of being watched made him extremely uncomfortable, and he just wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.
Just then, a strange sound caught Xiao Feng's attention.
He looked in the direction of the sound and saw an ancient wooden staff moving toward them in a peculiar way.
The wooden staff didn't roll; instead, it twisted like a snake, approaching little by little.
"Holy crap! What the hell is this thing?" Xiao Feng thought to himself, instinctively adopting a defensive stance.
Just then, a mysterious voice rang in Xiao Feng's ears: "Be careful, that's a rotten wooden staff."
Xiao Feng turned around abruptly, but only saw a blurry black shadow.
The voice continued, "I am the Poison King. You are in danger and must leave immediately."
Xiao Feng's heart skipped a beat. He turned to Liu Qisheng and whispered, "Brother Liu, the situation has changed. You should take Liu Heguang and his family and leave first. I'll be there soon."
Liu Qisheng nodded and replied, "Take care, Brother Xiao. We'll meet outside the city." With that, he quickly got up and left.
The Poison King's voice rang out again: "Come with me, I'll take you to the Qingxin Sect. It's safe there for now."
Without giving it much thought, Xiao Feng immediately followed the dark figure. They passed through several alleys, turned several corners, and finally arrived at a secluded bamboo grove.
Just then, the rotten wooden staff suddenly spoke in a human voice: "Master, I've finally found you! It's been so long, I've missed you so much!"
The voice sounded both joyful and aggrieved, which startled Xiao Feng. He turned to look at the wooden staff, which was trembling incessantly.
"Uh...you've mistaken me for someone else, haven't you?" Xiao Feng said somewhat awkwardly.
"No! I sensed your presence; you are my master!" the decaying wooden staff insisted.
The Poison King's voice rang out again: "Ignore it, hurry into the bamboo forest!"
Without further hesitation, Xiao Feng strode into the bamboo forest. Passing through layers of bamboo leaves, he arrived at an ancient courtyard.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, a strong stench of decay hit him. Xiao Feng looked closely and immediately gasped.
Several shriveled corpses lay scattered in the courtyard, their flesh rotten, leaving only skeletons that retained a human shape.
"Holy crap! What... what's going on?" Xiao Feng took a few steps back in alarm.
Just then, rotten wooden staffs suddenly appeared from all directions, surrounding Xiao Feng.
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