Usually, the four guardians weren’t meant to leave their platform but the Zhen Yan Sect had always been more relaxed about this. Anyway, in their case, they weren’t afraid of Yan Jian Hong’s ability. Rather, they were afraid someone might covet it and bring harm to him. Due to that, his platform was situated in the middle of the sect, strengthened with several protective arrays they had gotten from the Li Ren Sect, and the buildings housing the limited number of sword cultivators in their sect were also closest to it. In short, compared to Blue Butterfly, he wasn’t being imprisoned but protected.

Still, Yan Jian Hong had always kept to his own palace. It only seemed fair when the other three were forced to stay in one spot and, frankly, without them around, he didn’t have much to do. Thus, he just quietly stayed in this building or directly on the platform, silently cultivating or practicing his medical skills and refinement. One day, when they all ascended, things would be different but as long as the others were bound, he consciously followed this same path, waiting for the day they could reunite.

Today though, he made an exception. Sending a paper crane took time and he didn’t want to waste any when the situation was this dire. Thus, as soon as Zhi Guan agreed to speak to the Sect Master with him, he led him over there.

After leaving his valley, they were naturally spotted. The disciples who had been training close by tensed up and gripped the hilts of their swords harder when they saw a stranger in a robe not from their sect. Even though it was one from the Teng Yong Sect that they could recognize, this person had no business seeing their guardian! Something had to be afoul!

Yan Jian Hong naturally noticed their behavior and waved one of them over. “Is Sect Master Mou in her palace?”

The disciple looked at him with worry. “I am not sure.”

“Then please send someone to find out. I need to speak to her as fast as possible. Also, the rest can go to get their Elders. We might need them as well.”

The disciple nodded but still glanced at Zhi Guan once before leaving to tell the others about Yan Jian Hong’s instructions. The others also eyed him suspiciously before heading out to do as the Red Priest had told them. In the end, two people even stayed behind, keeping a close eye on the two people.

The behavior of these disciples wasn’t surprising when you thought about it. The sword cultivators in the Zhen Yan Sect had a special position: They were in the minority, their role being to protect the disciples who were mostly focused on refinement and medicine. As a result, while the pressure on them was high, the resources they received were top-notch as well to the point of making the practitioners from other sects green with envy. It was a delicate balance and one that had made both sides very close to one another.

Every one of the sword cultivators in the sect would give their life to save the medical practitioners of their sect and that went even more so for the Red Priest. The healing ability of his blood was extraordinary to the point where he could pull back those on the brink of death. While things seldom got as bad in this sect which focused on refinement and healing, many of the sword cultivators had still profited off this special ability or had their friends saved by it.

They felt indebted to this person and also felt that if there was one person to be protected at all costs in their sect, then it was him. Nobody could replace him. He was — almost in the literal sense of the word — the lifeblood of their Zhen Yan Sect so he ought to be kept in the palm of their hand, receiving only the best, and having his life made as comfortable as possible. Naturally, suspicious people shouldn’t be allowed around him and if they had to be allowed, they needed to be watched carefully so they wouldn’t dare to harm a single hair on his head.

People in the Zhen Yan Sect and those close to them naturally understood this and the Red Priest wasn’t a stranger to such behavior either. While he seldom saw people thanks to always staying in, he was the one guardian of the four great righteous sects who was well-known in their sect and whose abilities couldn’t be considered much of a secret. He also understood that for people outside of the sect, things might not be as clear though.

He turned to look at Zhi Guan and smiled apologetically. “Don’t take their behavior to heart. They are just a bit … overly protective. They mean no harm.”

Zhi Guan also looked at him, his gaze puzzled. He didn’t see anything wrong with their behavior in the first place. “They are very alert. That’s good. Considering that the Zhen Yan Sect focuses on refinement, their level is astounding.”

Among the four righteous sects, the Li Ren Sect excelled at formations, the Teng Yong Sect mostly focused on spiritual cultivation, and the Zhen Yan Sect pursued medicine and refinement. Only the Jian Chu Sect was a mixed bag of all kinds of practices put together with no discernible overall direction. As a result, those who had aspirations in a certain field would usually choose that field.

Sword cultivators often chose either the Li Ren Sect or the Teng Yong Sect and the Zhen Yan Sect had a pitifully small number of them. Despite that, their average level was high. As someone who pursued the art of the sword himself, Zhi Guan only felt admiration toward these disciples.

Yan Jian Hong heaved a sigh of relief. “It’s good if you don’t mind.” In any case, conflicts arising now would be the worst thing that could happen.