Chapter 91
Two hundred miles from Baishi Sect, startled birds burst from the forest canopy.
Two figures streaked low over the ground, their rapid flight producing sharp rushing sounds that sent small beasts fleeing in terror.
"Have they caught up yet?"
"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?!"
The exchange ended as abruptly as it began.
One of the figures suddenly dropped from the air and leaned heavily against an ancient tree, breathing hard. If Lou Yuqing had been present, she would have recognized her immediately.
It was Si Nidie.
As soon as she stopped, the other figure shot dozens of feet ahead before hastily braking and retreating to her side.
His skin carried a metallic sheen, resembling a human-shaped puppet.
Shen Lijun.
Si Nidie lifted her head and glanced at him. "Not running anymore?"
"We should be far enough away by now."
Even as he spoke, Shen Lijun kept glancing nervously behind them, as though prepared to bolt at the slightest sign of pursuit.
Si Nidie wanted to laugh. Unfortunately, she was too exhausted.
Forcing a weak smile, she said, "Let's find somewhere to rest first."
This frantic escape had drained both of them badly.
The pair split up and quickly found a secluded cave.
After sealing the entrance with a massive boulder, they cleared the ground and sat cross-legged to recover their spiritual energy.
Time passed.
When Si Nidie finally opened her eyes again, the exhaustion from earlier had completely vanished. Her gaze was sharp and alert as she looked toward Shen Lijun.
"Senior Brother Shen, did you get the Snow Lotus?"
Back when she escaped the mine, she had accidentally stumbled upon disciples from various sects fighting.
She had originally planned to avoid the conflict entirely.
However, when she saw Shen Lijun being pinned down by two disciples from Star Pavilion and on the verge of elimination, she remembered his strange puppet-transformation ability and decided to help.
Shen Lijun's expression immediately darkened.
"I wanted to."
His voice carried obvious frustration.
"You have no idea. The Snow Lotus wasn't in the Baishi Sect Master's herb garden at all, it was inside his personal cave dwelling."
After Si Nidie rescued him, the two had formed a temporary alliance.
When they learned the Snow Lotus was hidden within Baishi Sect, Shen Lijun had volunteered for the task himself.
Relying on his puppet-like body, which could bypass many restrictions, he had infiltrated the herb garden without difficulty.
Only to discover that the Snow Lotus was no longer there.
"I risked my life getting into the cave," he said bitterly. "But the moment I pulled the Snow Lotus out of the soil, it turned into powder."
His face grew increasingly ugly.
"And then the killing formation left behind by the Baishi Sect Master activated."
A chill ran through him even now.
"If I didn't have my innate ability, I'd already be dead."
Si Nidie frowned. "It turned into powder?"
This was the first time she had heard any of this.
Ever since meeting Shen Lijun outside Baishi Sect, escaping together, and fleeing two hundred miles in a single breath, neither of them had been in any state to exchange information.
She muttered thoughtfully, "Maybe the problem isn't that we can't pick it. Maybe it requires some special method. The Baishi Sect Master definitely knows."
Shen Lijun rubbed his forehead.
The thought alone gave him a headache.
Returning to Baishi Sect had already been difficult enough.
Now the entire sect was on high alert because of them. Breaking in again would be far harder than before.
Si Nidie clearly arrived at the same conclusion.
After a long sigh, she suddenly slammed her fist into the cave wall.
"Damned Snow Lotus!"
The cave trembled.
"If you're going to grow there, then grow there properly! Why make things so troublesome?!"
Shen Lijun's thoughts raced.
After a moment, an idea suddenly surfaced.
"Do you think we could force—or bribe—someone from Baishi Sect to help us?"
Si Nidie looked over. "What do you mean?"
"They'll guard against outsiders." Shen Lijun's eyes brightened. "But they won't be nearly as suspicious of their own people."
Si Nidie shot him a look. "Senior Brother Shen, you only got that close because you were posing as one of their own. Do you really think they'll fall for the same trick twice?"
Shen Lijun looked crushed for all of two seconds before inspiration struck.
A familiar, suspicious grin appeared on his face.
"Ordinary disciples won't work. But the Sect Master can't possibly ignore his own son, can he?"
For the first time, Si Nidie's expression changed.
"What are you planning?"
Shen Lijun chuckled. "I heard the Young Sect Master, Xie Wenheng, has been staying in Baishi City because of the engagement."
His smile widened. "We just need an opportunity to capture him. Poison him, curse him—it doesn't matter. As long as the Baishi Sect Master doesn't want his son dead, we'll use him to exchange for the Snow Lotus."
Si Nidie's eyes instantly lit up.
"Great idea!"
She stood up immediately.
"Let's go find Xie Wenheng!"
Inwardly, she couldn't help feeling impressed.
Senior Brother Shen might be hopeless when it came to emotions, but when it mattered, he was surprisingly reliable.
Thus, just as Xie Wenheng was returning to Baishi Sect, the two of them set off for Baishi City.
They missed each other perfectly.
Meanwhile, Lou Yuqing and her two companions were making their way toward Baishi Sect.
After interrogating the innkeeper and the slaughterhouse owner separately and confirming that their testimonies matched, they finally verified the Snow Lotus's location.
At dawn the next day, they departed from the city.
The atmosphere along the journey gradually became strange.
Or more accurately, the relationship between Lou Yuqing, Chu Qingyang, and Luo Buqi had quietly changed.
Before discovering clues about the Snow Lotus, they could still cooperate as temporary allies.
Now, however, the prize was within reach.
And when it came to treasures, fewer competitors were always better.
As they passed through a valley, all three abruptly stopped.
Murderous intent rose simultaneously.
The meaning was obvious.
No one spoke.
The next instant, all three moved.
Purple lightning, cyan wind blades, and a tiny golden sword tore through the air before colliding violently.
Screeeeech!
The clash produced an ear-piercing shriek.
From afar, it looked like three streaks of different-colored light darting across the sky, weaving and colliding so rapidly that onlookers could barely follow their movements.
Even the guards stationed outside Baishi City couldn't help turning their heads to watch.
Outside the small world, Wu Fengshu's expression tightened.
Though she constantly called Luo Buqi useless, he was still her fellow disciple.
Naturally, she hoped he would win.
Tan Sheng easily saw through her thoughts.
In his estimation, Luo Buqi had roughly a fifty-percent chance of victory. His combat experience far surpassed that of his opponents.
However, Fellow Daoist Yuqing and Chu Qingyang were two entirely different kinds of trouble.
The former's spellcasting still lacked polish, but every attack carried frightening power. More importantly, she possessed a protective treasure.
Defeating her meant breaking through that defense first.
As for Chu Qingyang...
His speed was absurd.
He could attack or retreat whenever he wished. If things turned unfavorable, escaping would be effortless.
Although he could not defeat Luo Buqi in a direct duel, with Lou Yuqing providing support, even his harassment was incredibly troublesome.
Just as Tan Sheng expected, the battle quickly fell into a stalemate.
Lightning crackled between Lou Yuqing's palms.
Several lightning spheres shot forward, racing toward Luo Buqi's face before intertwining into a massive lightning net.
"Luo Buqi!" She shouted while attacking. "If you're so capable, stop using your eye technique!"
She and Chu Qingyang had already formulated a strategy.
Using their movement techniques, they attacked from opposite directions, intending to trap him between them.
Yet every time they came close, Luo Buqi activated his Illusionary Eye, causing their reactions to lag for a crucial instant and allowing him to escape.
Holding a golden sword flag in one hand and a miasma bead in the other, Luo Buqi glared at them through eyes glowing with black light.
"Two against one?" He snorted coldly. "How shameless. If you've got guts, fight me one at a time!"
The frustration in his voice was genuine.
If these two weren't constantly guarding against his Illusionary Eye, he could have dragged them into an illusion long ago instead of being trapped in this exhausting battle.
He had to watch out for Lou Yuqing's absurdly powerful lightning spells while remaining wary of wind blades appearing from unpredictable angles.
The entire fight was infuriating.
If only a disciple from the Bailing Sect arrived right now, the situation would immediately reverse.
As though heaven had heard his wish, two streaks of light suddenly appeared in the distance.
They rapidly approached the battlefield.
Luo Buqi's breathing hitched.
A rare trace of tension appeared on his face.
Could it really be his people?
Without hesitation, he broke away from Lou Yuqing and Chu Qingyang's attacks and rushed toward the newcomers.
His expression brightened. "You're finished!"
"Quick!" Lou Yuqing immediately shouted. "Don't let him get away!"
Luo Buqi scoffed.
"You can't stop—"
His voice abruptly cut off.
The moment he recognized the figures within the streaks of light, his face twisted.
Those weren't Bailing Sect disciples. They were clearly two disciples from Wendao Sect.
Two against one wasn't enough?
Now it was four against one?!
Just as Luo Buqi attempted to retreat, Lou Yuqing also recognized the newcomers.
"Senior Sister!" She waved excitedly. "Stop him!"
Si Nidie and Shen Lijun had originally intended to sit back and reap the benefits.
The moment they spotted Lou Yuqing, however, they changed their minds completely.
"Junior Sister!" Si Nidie shouted. "We're coming!"
Both attacked immediately.
Shen Lijun's techniques followed close behind.
Seeing his retreat completely cut off, Luo Buqi knew there was no escaping now.
Faced with four opponents closing in from every direction, he threw his head back and roared toward the sky.
"Damn it! Are you kidding me?!"
Wendao Sect disciples were everywhere.
How was he supposed to fight this?!
Outside the small world, Wu Fengshu fell silent.
The surrounding disciples were equally speechless.
His luck was truly terrible.
He really was an unfortunate soul.
Gu Buqi, however, remained perfectly calm. He had never worried about his little disciple.
The protective treasure she carried could withstand attacks from a Nascent Soul cultivator. Anyone below that realm was little more than a nuisance.
Now that two more of her fellow disciples had arrived, he felt even more at ease.
Luo Buqi's defeat was inevitable.
As expected, the outcome arrived shortly afterward.
"You're still going to die by my hand!"
Lou Yuqing declared excitedly.
Back during the avalanche incident, she had already come close to eliminating Luo Buqi. Unfortunately, circumstances had interfered.
Now she finally had another chance.
Luo Buqi had exhausted every method at his disposal.
Closing his eyes, he slumped where he stood, defeat hanging over him like a shadow.
Sensing that the bracelet was about to activate its teleportation function, he suddenly opened them again.
His voice was filled with unwillingness.
"I'll see how many Snow Lotuses you manage to get!"
Remembering how he had once tried to cling to Lou Yuqing's side for advantages, only to end up like this, he felt a deep bitterness.
Lou Yuqing chuckled.
"That's not something a loser like you would understand."
She lifted a hand. "Goodbye."
Lightning flashed across the bracelet, and before Luo Buqi could react, white light swallowed him whole.
The next instant, he was standing in the plaza outside the small world.
"Damn it!"
He slammed a fist into the ground.
At this point, he genuinely suspected the small world was targeting him.
How else could one person be this unlucky?
"Don't you think you're incredibly unlucky?"
Luo Buqi abruptly turned his head.
Tan Sheng pointed toward another small world displayed on the screen.
"Take a look. There's someone even more unlucky than you."
Inside the projection, a Cloud Soaring Sect disciple was trapped inside a formation assembled by five Suyin Sect disciples.
Despite his extraordinary swordsmanship and profound comprehension of sword intent, he remained firmly suppressed.
His spiritual energy was being drained away at an alarming rate.
Luo Buqi immediately recognized him.
This was one of Cloud Soaring Sect's famous prodigies.
They had exchanged blows several times before and were evenly matched.
Now he looked even more miserable than Luo Buqi himself.
Luo Buqi's expression softened.
At least the heavens weren't targeting only him.
Boom!
The Cloud Soaring Sect disciple finally collapsed.
A flash of white light whisked him out of the small world and deposited him onto the plaza.
Judging by his expression, he looked far more devastated than Luo Buqi had.
He had entered the Seven Sects Competition hoping to make a name for himself.
In a sense, he had succeeded.
Unfortunately, it wasn't for anything he would want remembered.
Tan Sheng glanced at Luo Buqi.
"You had four opponents. He had five."
Luo Buqi: "..."
Was that really something worth comparing?
Luo Buqi fell silent and turned back toward the projection, fixing his gaze on Lou Yuqing and the others as he fervently hoped they would one day suffer the same fate at someone else's hands.
On the other side—
"Senior Sister, do you know anything about the Snow Lotus?"
Lou Yuqing had noticed something earlier. When she mentioned that the Snow Lotus was hidden within Baishi Sect, neither Si Nidie nor Shen Lijun had seemed surprised.
"We know more than that." Si Nidie sighed. "Senior Brother Shen even infiltrated the Baishi Sect Master's cave."
She rubbed her forehead in frustration.
"But the Snow Lotus turns to powder the moment it's picked. Senior Brother Shen and I were planning to kidnap Xie Wenheng and use him as leverage to exchange for a few Snow Lotuses."
Chu Qingyang froze. "Wait. Isn't the Snow Lotus supposed to be in Baishi Sect's mine?"
"What?" Si Nidie's eyes widened. "Who told you that?"
She looked genuinely baffled.
"Senior Brother Shen and I escaped from that mine ourselves. We didn't see a single Snow Lotus. How could it possibly be there?"
Lou Yuqing stared. "We pried that information out of the assassin's mouth."
A bad feeling immediately surfaced.
"Did we get played?"
She turned toward Shen Lijun.
"Senior Brother Shen, with your knowledge, was the Snow Lotus you saw in Baishi Sect real?"
Without a word, Shen Lijun raised a hand. Spiritual energy gathered at his fingertips, forming the image of a flower in midair. Crystal-white petals unfurled one by one until a Snow Lotus bloomed before them.
"That's exactly what I saw," he said solemnly. "It was definitely a Snow Lotus."
"Damn it!" Chu Qingyang slapped his thigh, his expression instantly darkening. "The innkeeper and the slaughterhouse owner lied to us!"
He turned to Lou Yuqing. "Junior Sister, let's head back now. We might still be able to catch them."
"Let's move."
The four immediately changed direction.
Outside the small world, Luo Buqi froze.
"Fake news?"
His expression twisted, and a moment later he threw his head back and laughed.
"Hahaha!"
The laughter sounded more hysterical than amused.
Several eliminated Bailing Sect disciples had originally intended to go over and comfort him.
However, the moment they saw his expression and heard that manic laughter, they silently stopped in their tracks.
Senior Brother Luo appeared to have suffered a devastating blow.
For everyone's safety, it was probably best not to provoke him any further.
Meanwhile, Lou Yuqing and the others hurried back to Wanfu Inn and made straight for the woodshed behind it.
The moment they pushed the door open, their hearts sank.
The room was empty. The innkeeper and the slaughterhouse owner had vanished without a trace.
"They escaped."
Lou Yuqing's expression darkened, and Chu Qingyang's face wasn't any better.
"It's fine." Seeing their disappointment, Si Nidie waved a hand dismissively. "If they ran, they ran. We already know where the Snow Lotus is."
A grin spread across her face.
"As long as we catch Xie Wenheng, we'll still get our Snow Lotus."
Lou Yuqing thought it over and found herself agreeing.
The four then made their way back through the bustling inn lobby.
Without the innkeeper present, the establishment was in complete disarray. The waiter and accountant were running around helplessly, struggling to keep things under control.
They didn't look like accomplices.
Lou Yuqing swept her gaze over them before looking away.
Fortunately, Xie Wenheng's whereabouts weren't difficult to discover.
As Baishi City's most famous young master, his residence was hardly a secret.
A few casual inquiries were enough.
Unfortunately, by the time they arrived, they learned that Xie Wenheng had already returned to Baishi Sect.
"He ran away too?"
Si Nidie emerged from the residence looking anxious.
After making the trip for nothing, she couldn't help pounding the gate in frustration.
"Does he know we're planning to kidnap him or something?"
At first, Shen Lijun was puzzled, but realization soon dawned on him.
"I think I know why." His eyes narrowed slightly.
"The commotion we caused while stealing the Snow Lotus was too large.
The Baishi Sect Master probably assumed important figures were involved.
If he was worried about leaving his son alone outside, recalling him to the sect would make perfect sense. "
The explanation fit the Baishi Sect Master's thinking almost perfectly.
When it came to the Snow Lotus, no amount of caution was excessive.
Si Nidie's eyes lit up immediately, and a grin spread across her face.
"That's right! If we can't kidnap Xie Wenheng, then we'll lure him out instead. We'll kidnap his fiancée. I refuse to believe he won't show himself."
Lou Yuqing and Chu Qingyang looked at each other.
Neither spoke.
For reasons they couldn't quite explain, neither felt especially optimistic about the success of that plan.
Si Nidie noticed their strange expressions and was just about to ask what was wrong when snippets of conversation drifted over from nearby pedestrians.
"Xie Wenheng must've been too embarrassed to stay in the city. That's why he rushed back to the sect overnight."
"Exactly." The other man snorted. "He couldn't marry Miss Hu, so he hooked up with Second Miss Hu instead. They even wrecked a private room at the auction house. Disgusting. No wonder the owner personally threw them out."
Si Nidie froze. For a moment, her mind went completely blank, as though someone had dumped an entire bucket of dog-blood drama over her head.
"Xie Wenheng really did something like that?"
Even Shen Lijun looked stunned. The two immediately turned toward Lou Yuqing.
Faced with their burning curiosity, Lou Yuqing nodded honestly.
"That's right. I was at the auction house. I saw the whole thing."
Realization instantly dawned on Si Nidie.
Of course. Anything involving gossip somehow ended up connected to her junior sister.
What she hadn't expected was that those abilities still worked inside the small world.
"It looks like kidnapping won't work." Si Nidie clicked her tongue in disgust. "I doubt a scumbag like him has much of a conscience."
Whether it was Miss Hu or Second Miss Hu, he clearly cared more about himself than either of them.
After some discussion, the group ultimately decided to head for the Hu Family.
As the number one clan in Baishi City, the Hu Family estate was astonishingly grand.
The compound occupied an entire street.
Its gates stood three or four zhang high, connected to towering white walls that stretched into the distance like a fortified city.
"There's a formation barrier."
The group arrived in a secluded alley behind the estate.
Feeling the fluctuations of spiritual energy, Si Nidie frowned.
Without an access token, forcing their way through a barrier of this level was nearly impossible.
Metallic light flowed across Shen Lijun's body, and in the blink of an eye he transformed into his puppet form.
"Then I'll go in alone?" he suggested.
They couldn't enter, but he could.
Lou Yuqing ignored the suggestion for the moment. Taking out her communication jade slip, she tried contacting Ling Yunxiao, but received no response.
After a brief pause, she put the jade slip away and produced the Barrier-Breaking Pearl instead.
"I'll give it a try."
Si Nidie and Chu Qingyang immediately brightened.
Lou Yuqing tossed the pearl into the air and rapidly formed a series of seals.
The Barrier-Breaking Pearl burst with dazzling light before pressing against the Hu Family's protective formation.
A translucent barrier materialized before them, ripples spreading across its surface. Under the pearl's influence, a tiny opening slowly appeared and steadily widened.
After roughly the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the opening had widened enough for a single person to pass through.
Lou Yuqing's breathing was noticeably heavier. Breaking through a barrier of this level was still taxing, even with the Barrier-Breaking Pearl.
She looked at the others and signaled for them to move.
Si Nidie was the first to dart through the opening.
Shen Lijun looked somewhat disappointed that his special abilities had become unnecessary. After dispelling his puppet form, he followed her inside.
Chu Qingyang, who had been standing guard outside, quickly slipped through as well.
Lou Yuqing remained behind to maintain the Barrier-Breaking Pearl until everyone had passed through. Only then did she slip through the opening herself.
The gap in the formation silently sealed shut behind them.
The Hu Family remained completely unaware that outsiders had just entered their estate.
At that very moment, inside the Hu Family reception hall, the corpse of a demon lay sprawled across the floor.
It resembled a wolf, yet possessed two heads. One had already been severed.
Even in death, a powerful demonic aura still lingered around the carcass, hinting at how formidable the creature had been while alive.
Patriarch Hu looked delighted.
"Fellow demon hunters truly live up to your reputation. The moment this demon appeared, you dealt with it and removed a major threat to my family."
Across from him, Qi Qingxiong of the Cloud Soaring Sect inclined his head.
"Patriarch Hu is too kind."
The severed head had fallen beneath his sword, and traces of sword intent still lingered around the wound.
Yet something continued to bother him.
The wolf demon had undoubtedly been powerful. With dual wood-and-water elemental abilities and speed comparable to that of a wind cultivator, it was far from an ordinary opponent.
Even so, Patriarch Hu was still the head of the Hu Family.
Could an entire clan truly be unable to suppress a single demon?
As the thought crossed his mind, his gaze met Ling Yunxiao's.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Of all the remaining competitors, Ling Yunxiao was the one he feared most. The unpredictability of the Shadow Escape Technique made him difficult to guard against.
If he lowered his guard for even a moment, he might not realize how he died.
Ling Yunxiao returned a polite smile before looking back at the wolf demon.
He, too, had his doubts.
The capture had gone far too smoothly.
An hour earlier, Ling Yunxiao had been heading toward the Hu Family Ancestral Hall in search of clues when panicked servants suddenly sounded the alarm.
The wolf demon had appeared.
The five of them eventually managed to subdue it, though not without difficulty.
Part of the challenge came from the demon's own strength, while the rest stemmed from the fact that none of them truly trusted one another.
When Ling Yunxiao used Shadow Escape to slip into the wolf demon's shadow and prepare an ambush, Qi Qingxiong's sword had nearly struck him along with the beast.
Another question continued to trouble him.
The wolf demon normally appeared only at night, so why had it suddenly shown up in broad daylight?
The timing was so strange that it almost felt as though it had deliberately delivered itself into their hands.
The snow rabbit stone carving also remained on his mind. His instincts told him it was important, yet none of the servants could explain its significance.
The most useful answer he received was that it had been sitting in the pavilion for years.
Just then, Patriarch Hu spoke again.
"You've helped me eliminate a major threat. I always keep my promises."
He raised a hand.
"The spirit stones are ready. Bring them out."
At his command, several servants stepped forward carrying trays draped in red cloth. With a synchronized motion, they lifted the coverings to reveal five storage bags beneath, each containing the promised reward.
Ordinarily, that would have marked the end of the transaction. Accept the payment, leave the Hu Family, and part ways.
But Ling Yunxiao made no move to take his.
The second stage of the mission remained incomplete. If they left now, they would lose their most legitimate reason to stay within the Hu Family estate and continue investigating.
"Patriarch Hu."
Ling Yunxiao finally looked up, his gaze settling on the man across from him.
"I don't want spirit stones. I only have one question."
Patriarch Hu's smile never wavered.
"What would you like to know?"
Ling Yunxiao watched him carefully, paying attention to every subtle change in expression.
"Do you know where the Snow Lotus is?"
For the first time, Patriarch Hu's composure faltered.
Only for an instant.
His pupils contracted sharply before returning to normal so quickly it was almost impossible to notice.
Had Ling Yunxiao not been watching so closely, he might have missed it altogether.
The other four competitors immediately turned their attention toward Patriarch Hu as well.
Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Patriarch Hu answered calmly, "I heard you mention purchasing spirit herbs before. So that's your true objective."
He shook his head regretfully.
"I'd like to help. Unfortunately, the Snow Lotus grows in the snow mountains. It was later taken by the Baishi Sect Master for cultivation. If you're searching for it, you should ask Baishi Sect instead."
Ling Yunxiao immediately realized that Patriarch Hu was concealing something.
The thought flashed through his mind, but not a trace of it reached his face. He merely smiled as though satisfied with the answer.
"I see. Thank you, Patriarch Hu."
Qi Qingxiong and the others silently committed the information to memory.
Whether they believed it was another matter entirely.
Everyone present had their own thoughts.
The moment the five stepped out through the Hu Family gates, the atmosphere changed.
The clue to the Snow Lotus had appeared. Which meant there was only one thing left to do.
Eliminate the competition.