“It appears you know something.” Pang Ying studied Shui Lanxin through narrowed eyes.
Shui Lanxin clicked her tongue silently. The corpse-faced woman’s insight and observation might not equal the Water Spirit Eye, but her natural vision was among the sharpest in the world. Shui Lanxin’s gaze had wandered only once, yet Pang Ying caught it.
What a troublesome woman.
“I do know her, but she is my honored guest and my source of wealth. If I let you take her away, even another person exactly like her would not equal the value I lose.”
Shui Lanxin leaned back and copied Wen Xian’s earlier posture, crossing her right leg over her left.
Sitting this way truly was comfortable. Her foot almost began bouncing on its own. If an owner did not need to maintain an elegant appearance, Shui Lanxin might have shaken her leg even more wildly than Wen Xian.
Purple light flashed through Pang Ying’s eyes, and her stare became dangerous.
“This is the Demon Lord’s command. Do you intend to disobey her?”
“I would never betray her, but I have my own concerns.”
Shui Lanxin exchanged her legs, resting the left over the right. She leaned forward and smiled.
“She is my honored guest. I cannot reveal my true identity in front of her, and you may not expose it either. Promise me that, and I will tell you where she went.”
Pang Ying considered the condition and nodded.
Shui Lanxin poured the tea in her cup onto the table. She swept one hand over it, and the thin layer of water began shining.
An image appeared on its surface.
Wen Xian had removed her veiled hat and was laughing with Bai Yan, who had taken human form. Both held skewers of candied hawthorns.
Every member of the leech race possessed a water spiritual root and great control over water. Shui Lanxin was even more exceptional. She had dual water-and-wood roots: a supreme wood root and a heavenly water root. She was a genius unseen among her people for ten thousand years.
Water Mirror Reflecting the Moon was one of their natural gifts. Ordinarily, it required the target’s blood. Shui Lanxin had perfected it so completely that touching a person once was enough to lock onto them and reveal their location.
Both of Feng Lingruan’s protectors were exceptional trackers.
“The White Jade Rouge Python’s human form is rather adorable.”
Shui Lanxin rubbed her chin while watching Bai Yan with interest. Her mind was already calculating how many spirit stones the girl might bring at auction.
Until today, Shui Lanxin had never used Water Mirror Reflecting the Moon to spy on Wen Xian. The guest was mysterious, and Shui Lanxin was curious, but she still possessed principles. She refused to do anything that might damage her financial fortune.
Secretly watching another person’s private life was the behavior of a scoundrel. It would surely reduce her luck with wealth.
The present circumstances were different. Pang Ying had forced her to act. Shui Lanxin was not watching willingly. If anyone’s fortune suffered, it should be the corpse-faced woman’s. The innocent victim bore no responsibility.
Without such pressure, Shui Lanxin would never commit so shameful an act.
She was completely innocent.
“The Demon Lord requires that White Jade Rouge Python,” Pang Ying said.
Her meaning was clear: Shui Lanxin could not touch the girl and should not even consider it.
Shui Lanxin’s smile collapsed. She truly hated this corpse-faced woman.
Pang Ying stared at Wen Xian’s reflected face with dull, lightless eyes.
“Where is she now?”
“West. She is traveling toward Forgotten River Forest.”
Pang Ying immediately turned to capture her.
“She… won’t die, will she?” Shui Lanxin called.
Pang Ying paused and glanced back. “The Demon Lord demanded her alive and whole.”
She became black mist and flew west.
Shui Lanxin let her crossed foot bounce and released a pleased sigh.
“Honored guest, you cannot blame me. You offended that narrow-minded woman, and foxes never forget a grievance. Even I cannot save you this time.”
Despite those words, she did not want Wen Xian to die. That would be far too wasteful. Until Shui Lanxin discovered the identity of the supposed alchemy master, her honored guest could not perish.
Shui Lanxin’s red lips curved. She elegantly lowered her legs, rose, and smoothed her slightly untidy hair.
“Honored guest, I will go and speak on your behalf.”
She snapped her fingers. A doorway formed from swirling water. Shui Lanxin walked through it with a graceful sway.
Her source of wealth could not die before Shui Lanxin extracted its full value.
…
Wen Xian and Bai Yan continued eating candied hawthorns and talking happily, completely unaware that danger was approaching.
[Warning! Warning! A Nascent Soul expert is approaching with hostile intent. Host, run!]
Wen Xian’s hand jerked at the system’s words. Her candied hawthorns fell to the ground, coating their red sugar shells with dust.
*Is it the demoness?*
[No. This one is a little weaker, but she can still crush you to death. Hurry and run!]
Bai Yan was about to ask what had happened when she suddenly turned southwest. Her young face became grave.
“Master, a powerful enemy is coming. An extremely powerful one.”
Wen Xian regretfully studied the ruined food and nodded calmly. “I know.”
She walked toward a nearby tree.
Bai Yan watched her calm movements in confusion. “Master, what are you doing?”
Wen Xian sat against the trunk with a serious expression.
“I am choosing a graceful pose so that I can die with dignity.”
Bai Yan and the system both fell silent.
“Master… aren’t we going to run?” Bai Yan’s voice trembled with fear.
Wen Xian laughed softly. “How can we flee from a Nascent Soul expert? If she came to kill us, running with all our strength would change nothing. We’ll watch and respond. If death is truly her purpose, we can only accept our fate.”
Admiration filled Bai Yan’s eyes. Her master placed no value on her own life and calmly accepted death. How incredible.
Bai Yan would remain beside her. They would live together or die together.
The foolish girl did not realize that Wen Xian appeared fearless only because the system stood ready to rescue her.
*Your teleportation is prepared, right?* Wen Xian asked silently.
The system was speechless. How had it forgotten? This woman valued her life above everything. She would never truly accept death.
[Yes. I can activate it at any time.]
Wen Xian absolutely could not die.
That important woman had personally issued the command. The system did not understand why, but she must have her reasons. Its only duty was to obey.
*First, we’ll see what the visitor wants. Wait for my signal.*
Wen Xian relaxed completely. She even picked up a leaf, placed it against her lips, and tried to play a tune. No one could identify the melody, but Bai Yan’s worship continued to grow.
Thick black mist soon approached at great speed and stopped nearby. It slowly dispersed, revealing the person hidden within.
Wen Xian looked up.
The woman’s skin was unnaturally pale. She was beautiful but seemed to possess no soul, like an empty shell with a lovely surface and nothing inside.
“May I ask why you have sought me out?”
Wen Xian stopped playing the shapeless tune and addressed her calmly.
Pang Ying stared at her. “You possess admirable courage.”
Wen Xian laughed lightly and released the leaf. It drifted to the ground as she slowly rose. With one hand behind her back, she adopted the manner of a secluded master.
“Your cultivation is so great that any desperate resistance would be useless. Before absolute strength, my struggle has no meaning.”
Pang Ying nodded in agreement. “You are not only brave but intelligent.”
Wen Xian fought to keep the corners of her mouth from rising. This was a matter of life and death. She could not ruin the performance.
“Then why have you come?” she asked evenly.
Pang Ying did not hide her purpose.
“By the Demon Lord’s command, I will take you and that young White Jade Rouge Python before her.”
“Oh, the Demon Lord wants to see me… What? The Demon Lord?”
Wen Xian’s perfect calm collapsed at once.
*Teleport! Hurry!*
If that narrow-minded woman captured her, would Wen Xian have any hope of survival?
The system was about to activate its power when Pang Ying moved.
In a single flash, she appeared before Wen Xian and gripped her shoulder.
“You are a human worthy of respect. I intended to beat you until you could not move and drag you back. I have changed my mind. I do not know what happened between you and the Demon Lord, but I promise to plead for you. Please come with me to the Demon Palace.”
Pang Ying’s expression was completely sincere.
The instant that hand touched her, Wen Xian’s body stiffened. The woman’s skin was colder than ice, yet Wen Xian did not dare tremble. Pang Ying might crush her shoulder in the next moment.
*S-system… can you teleport us now?*
[Teleportation needs time to activate. Escaping in front of the villain last time was pure luck. One second later, she would have interrupted it. Changing the surrounding space is easy for a Nascent Soul cultivator.]
*Then… what do I do?*
Panic filled Wen Xian. Nothing remained of her earlier calm.
[I have no solution. Good luck. As I said before, decide how you’ll kneel and beg the villain to spare you.]
Wen Xian went numb.
She wanted to slap herself. Why had she not run immediately?
Now escape was impossible.
