Ling Li watched Shi Min thoughtfully, her eyes filled with both pride and nostalgia. "You were very young when you came to train. How old were you then?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with maternal warmth.

Shi Min's gaze became distant as he delved into his memories. "I was seventeen or eighteen years old; just a few months after I came out of the battleground, you directly threw me here at Mystic Mountain," he said, shaking his head as if he could hardly believe the passage of time. His tone carried a mix of disbelief and admiration.

"And you did well," Ling Li said with pride, her voice firm and unwavering. She looked at her son with a sense of accomplishment.

Shi Min's face lit up with a coy smile. "How can I not? My Master is so great and taught me well," he teased, causing Ling Li to nearly choke on her porridge. "Not everyone can have a strict, loving mother as their Master," he added cheekily, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Ling Li laughed heartily, the sound echoing through the room like a melody. "Ha ha ha, now you are saying I was too tough with you! Ha ha ha," she said between bursts of laughter, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Yeah, but I'm grateful for all my achievements; it's all thanks to you, Mom," Shi Min said earnestly as he sat down beside Ling Li and poured some water for her, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.

Ling Li tapped Shi Min's head affectionately. "Why are you so dramatic today?" she asked with a smile, her eyes filled with love and amusement.

"Mom, who are you calling dramatic? Anyway, when my three little brothers come out, let them train harder than me and let them beat all the old geezers at Hidden Valley," Shi Min declared with a determined glint in his eyes, his voice filled with resolve.

Ling Li chuckled, shaking her head. "Ha ha ha ha, you hate those people so much," she said, her laughter infectious. Before Shi Min could retort, the sound of footsteps drew their attention to the Mystic Mountain barrier.

The twelve soldiers from Mystic Mountain emerged, their faces etched with exhaustion and determination. They greeted, "Supreme Commander, Grand Master, Chief," as they saw Ling Li, Shi Min, Mushu, and Pharsa standing to welcome them. Their voices were filled with respect and reverence.

Ling Li and her companions, with their high cultivation levels, quickly assessed the soldiers' current cultivation levels. Shun and his two friends, Nicu and Ailun, followed the camp soldiers. Fatty and Chatty came out together, and finally, Four Eyes and Jack walked side by side. The Enfield wrapped around Four Eyes' shoulder immediately caught Ling Li's gaze.

Four Eyes felt the Enfield on his shoulder tremble and wondered as he moved forward to Ling Li. They were still waiting for more people but realized no one else had come out. "Only twelve survived?" Ling Li asked, her voice tinged with concern, her eyes scanning the weary faces before her.

Four Eyes nodded solemnly, his eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and resolve. He wanted to embrace Ling Li, but she pointed to the cowering Enfield on his shoulder. "What's with this beast?" Ling Li asked, her tone curious yet cautious, her gaze fixed on the trembling creature.

"I saved him," Four Eyes replied, his voice quiet but firm. The simplicity of his words carried the weight of his actions, and Ling Li's gaze was stern as she looked at the trembling beast.

However, Ling Li's heart ached for the lost soldiers, but she knew they had fought bravely. She placed a hand on Four Eyes' shoulder, her grip steady and reassuring. "You did well, all of you," she said, her voice carrying the authority of a leader and the warmth of a mother. The soldiers' eyes shone with gratitude as they stood before their Supreme Commander, ready to face whatever came next. The bonds they had forged, and the trials they had overcome would serve as their strength in the days to come.

Chatty's eyes sparkled with joy as he exclaimed to Pharsa, "Honey, I can talk to the beast!" and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

Pharsa, her joy mixed with embarrassment, noticed everyone's eyes on them. She quickly pushed Chatty away, her cheeks flushing. "Who is your Honey?" she retorted with a snort, trying to maintain her composure.

"You are my only Honey," Chatty responded earnestly, his eyes filled with affection. Anticipating Pharsa's wrath, he added quickly, "This beast stuck with Chu Yan from the moment he saved it, but it was also this beast that made us offend the guardians!" he explained, his voice a mix of excitement and concern.

The Enfield could sense Ling Li's immense cultivation, which was so advanced that it was beyond its comprehension. Its trembling was palpable, and it feared offending someone with such formidable power.

Ling Li's gaze pierced the Enfield. "You made them offend the guardians?" she asked, her voice icy and commanding.

The Enfield's voice trembled as it replied, "Deity, I didn't mean to; I truly wanted to give my savior the scarlet fruit and the snow ginseng so he can cultivate faster." Its fear was evident in every word.

Ling Li's tone turned stern. "These are guarded mystic treasures of the mountain, and you dared to let him take them? Can you protect him and his companions from the guardians' wrath?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"The scarlet fruit should be guarded by a bear and the snow ginseng by a three-headed dragon; how did you manage to escape?" Ling Li inquired, her voice filled with disbelief.

"Otako came," Four Eyes answered simply, his voice steady.

"Otako came? No wonder he informed me you were coming back. If Otako hadn't arrived in time to save you, we wouldn't have even been able to recover your corpse when you died under the guardians' hands," Ling Li explained gravely, her eyes reflecting the weight of her words.

Ling Li's voice rose as she addressed the Enfield. "You! Go back!" she commanded.

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