The bright moon hung high in the sky. Inside the Quiet Herbary’s inner room.
Apothecary Yang Xia held a white chess piece in her hand, gazed at the board covered in black pieces, and sighed heavily.
“I must have been out of my mind, thinking of asking you to play chess. Isn’t this just making things difficult for myself?”
Apothecary Yang Xia wished she could go back to the moment she made that decision and knock herself unconscious with a single palm strike.
The moment Qingqian left today, the herbary seemed to have an empty space. It felt cold and desolate, and Apothecary Yang Xia suddenly experienced an emotion called loneliness.
This was a feeling she had never experienced before.
Before Qingqian arrived, she had lived alone for several hundred years and never felt lonely.
But after Qingqian moved in, even though the child didn’t speak much normally, she would respond if you said something to her. If she saw unprocessed herbs, she would help process them when she had time.
Suddenly having an extra person in the room was like having a different aura. Now that she was gone, the herbary’s temperature felt several degrees lower, making one’s heart feel cold.
It was only then, swayed by emotion, that she asked Elder Zeng if he had time to play chess.
How could Elder Zeng not know why Apothecary Yang Xia, that terrible chess player, would suddenly seek him out for a game? After Apothecary Yang Xia placed her white piece, he placed the black piece he had already warmed in his hand next to it, capturing all the white pieces that had no ‘breathing room’ left.
“Qingqian has been slow to enter Mystic Crane Mountain. I thought your plans had changed.” Elder Zeng put the captured white pieces aside, his gaze indicating for Apothecary Yang Xia to continue playing.
Seeing that the defeat was inevitable, Apothecary Yang Xia relaxed. She no longer thought much, casually dropping a white piece.
“I thought so too,” Apothecary Yang Xia said, recalling how Qingqian had secluded herself in the secret chamber for the past month, refusing to come out. As the inner sect’s closing day drew closer, she truly believed Qingqian had changed her plans and wouldn’t enter Mystic Crane Mountain this time.
Apothecary Yang Xia actually supported this decision. They had no idea what the situation was like inside Mystic Crane Mountain. It would be better to recuperate first and raise her cultivation, thus increasing her self-preservation ability for the future.
Elder Zeng heard the hidden meaning in her words and pressed, “Does Qingqian have some plan?”
Apothecary Yang Xia shook her head; she wasn’t clear about it either. After A’Ling left that day, she entered the secret chamber and saw that Qingqian’s expression was off. She looked more like she had been bullied than A’Ling, who had fled in a panic.
For a moment, she didn’t know whether to question Qingqian on A’Ling’s behalf about what she had done, or to ask Qingqian what A’Ling had done to make her so distraught.
But she knew a little about the past grievances between these two children. Judging by their appearances, the misunderstanding between them was probably still very deep.
She told Qingqian: “Although I don’t know what happened between you, A’Ling is a child who responds to gentleness but resists force. She looks fierce but is actually soft-hearted. If you truly wish to have some future connection with her, remember this.”
After hearing this, Qingqian, for the first time ever, told her what had just happened in the secret chamber and questioned Apothecary Yang Xia like an ignorant child desperately seeking an adult’s guidance on what she should do.
“What should I do to make A’Ling trust me again…?”
When Apothecary Yang Xia thought about Qingqian’s expression at the time, her heart still twinged. She had never seen Qingqian look so wronged and helpless.
But as Apothecary Yang Xia would say, she deserved it.
Usually, she has a mouth but doesn’t know how to use it, yet at crucial moments, she gets upset that the other person doesn’t trust her.
She also doesn’t consider whether she is worthy of trust.
Apothecary Yang Xia told Elder Zeng about this matter. Elder Zeng’s hand, holding a chess piece, stiffened slightly. He thought back to when he had punished A’Ling solely based on Qingqian’s side of the story, without investigating the incident itself.
There was also his mistake in this matter.
Apothecary Yang Xia naturally knew this. She told him this matter, hoping he would also reflect deeply.
If the child was ignorant, could he, an adult several hundred years old, also be ignorant?
Elder Zeng lowered his head in shame. This matter was his fault.
“It’s also Jin Siliu’s fault. If she hadn’t swapped the children back then, Qingqian might not have such a personality now.” Apothecary Yang Xia felt this was the root cause. Being confined in that unlucky place, the Huo family, was worse than fleeing for her life with Jin Siliu.
Like A’Ling, though she appeared a bit unruly, her nature was still good, and she could distinguish between good and evil.
Thinking of this, Apothecary Yang Xia felt it was inappropriate again. If Jin Siliu hadn’t swapped the children, A’Ling would have been tormented in the Huo family. A’Ling didn’t have that pure immortal physique and wouldn’t have received the same treatment as Qingqian later.
Alas, it’s impossible to untangle. Who knows what will become of these two in the future.
Elder Zeng put down his chess piece. “If you’re so worried, why didn’t you go to the inner sect with her?”
Hearing this, Apothecary Yang Xia opened her palm. A black line suddenly appeared on it.
“What’s going on?” Elder Zeng was surprised. Although their demonic energy would gradually become uncontrollable after their master’s death, it shouldn’t have exposed itself so quickly.
Apothecary Yang Xia lightly clenched her fist, and when she opened it again, the black line had vanished.
“These past few times Qingqian’s demonic energy was exposed, I was by her side and was somewhat affected,” Apothecary Yang Xia simply stated. “Qingqian has temporarily sealed it for me.”
Elder Zeng felt a sense of camaraderie with her. “With our master’s death, our exposure is only a matter of time.”
Qingqian, presumably, will not fall to the demonic path, so her abilities cannot be compared to our master’s.
Thinking of such a powerful master, the unparalleled Demon Lord of the Blood Sea Abyss, who died so silently, his heart still ached to think about it.
He truly wanted to flay that utterly shameless culprit with his bare hands, but this tragic end was also due to the master herself losing her heart.
Knowing that for a demon to bear a child unaffected by demonic energy, all demonic power must be sealed during childbirth, making them no different from an ordinary person.
Not just demons, even deities are the same; the moment of childbirth is the only chance mortals have to slay a god.
The master actually put herself in such a dangerous situation!
Apothecary Yang Xia also thought of this, but she considered it more deeply: the master must have deeply loved Qingqian.
If she wanted to live, she only needed to release demonic energy and kill the child in her womb. Since Qingqian survived, it must be that the master at the time chose to trade her life for another.
She had told all this to Qingqian, not to burden her with anything, but simply to let her know that the master loved her.
“Qingqian is going to Mystic Crane Mountain this time. Are the things you did behind the scenes related to Qiongdian Peak?”
Elder Zeng and Apothecary Yang Xia had both heard Qingqian speak of the Spirit Mountain Tiger-headed Spider and learned about the sacrificial demon cave. Previously, they had no clues, but analyzing Qingqian’s ability to enter the demon cave, it seemed her background was likely connected to Qiongdian Peak.
Apothecary Yang Xia hadn’t expected Elder Zeng to think so far. She didn’t have that kind of ability.
She merely inquired about where A’Ling lived in the inner sect and spent some spiritual pills and spiritual stones to arrange Qingqian to live next door.
Apothecary Yang Xia glanced at the silver moon outside the window, wondering if Qingqian had seen A’Ling yet.
Did she like the surprise she arranged?
As for feelings, those who are close by naturally develop them through interaction.
She hoped Qingqian would be more proactive. In a new environment, people always develop new mindsets. This was a good chance for a fresh start; she hoped Qingqian could seize it.
At the foot of Mount Yuheng in Mystic Crane Mountain, at the eastern lodging for unaligned cultivators, A’Ling looked at Shi Qingqian, who was clad in white robes and appeared particularly ethereal under the moonlight. Four large words immediately flashed in her mind: lingering ghost.
Lan Fushang looked at the unfamiliar face emerging from the adjacent room, presumably a newcomer who had just arrived today. She was about to greet her when A’Ling suddenly dragged her into A’Ling’s room.
With a thump, her unfinished question, “A’Ling, what’s wrong?” was heavily locked inside the room.
Silence once again descended all around.
Under the bright moonlight, Gu Jingyang slowly walked beside Shi Qingqian, her shadow trailing behind her, and spoke, breaking the eerie silence.
“Why are you only just arriving today? The Crane Gate will close soon.”
The moment Gu Jingyang approached Shi Qingqian, she sensed something was off. Shi Qingqian’s aura had undergone a subtle change.
She could no longer discern Qingqian’s cultivation level at all, which meant Qingqian’s cultivation was much higher than hers. No wonder Qingqian had been slow to enter the Crane Gate; she must have encountered a breakthrough while in secluded cultivation.
Shi Qingqian’s cool tone matched the night: “Mm, something came up.”
She had only completed the fusion of demonic energy within her body yesterday, and the bead of A’Ling’s demonic energy had been successfully concealed within her Golden Core.
Her cultivation had now officially entered the Golden Core-Nascent Soul stage, and she wouldn’t easily expose demonic energy in the future.
After Shi Qingqian nodded to Gu Jingyang in greeting, her gaze turned to the room A’Ling had just entered. She had initially thought it was a hallucination.
“Is that A’Ling’s lodging?”
Gu Jingyang nodded, and casually pointed to the adjacent room: “This is Lan Fushang’s lodging.”
What a coincidence! Shi Qingqian, Lan Fushang, and A’Ling’s lodgings were right next to each other. How could this not be a kind of fate?
After Gu Jingyang introduced Lan Fushang’s room, she didn’t wait for Shi Qingqian to reply and continued, “Aren’t you going to ask me who Lan Fushang is?”
Shi Qingqian slightly furrowed her brows. She was about to ask if Lan Fushang was the person A’Ling had just dragged inside when she heard Gu Jingyang say, “See? Lan Fushang is the one who just went into the room with A’Ling.”
Then, without waiting for Shi Qingqian to speak, she directly began introducing Lan Fushang to her.
“Lan Fushang was born into an ordinary family in the mortal realm. Both her parents were healers, and they died in a plague when she was five. She was later taken in by a medical cultivator and became an apprentice apothecary. She entered the Crane Gate five years ago and has been cultivating in the Soaring Rainbow Tower ever since. Three years ago, she failed the assessment there, wishing to enter a medical cultivator’s cave dwelling. Her current cultivation is at the Mid Core Formation stage. Her talent isn’t high, but she’s very diligent. As for her character, she’s a good person, I suppose. I haven’t heard of her harming anyone.”
Gu Jingyang added in her heart, ‘Though I heard she was always bullied before, a soft persimmon. Her good nature makes her a bit of a doormat.’
This was all the information she had gathered about Lan Fushang, and she poured it all out to Shi Qingqian.
In the night, Shi Qingqian listened quietly as Gu Jingyang finished speaking, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
What does any of this have to do with me?
Shi Qingqian still didn’t understand what Gu Jingyang was trying to say even after she finished.
Gu Jingyang saw Shi Qingqian’s confusion. She tugged at the corner of her mouth, revealing a knowing smile of someone who could foresee the future. “It saves you the trouble of asking around later.”
Without waiting for Shi Qingqian to say anything, Gu Jingyang patted her shoulder. “No need to thank me.”
Shi Qingqian’s brows furrowed. She didn’t know why she should be thankful.
Gu Jingyang saw that she had been talking for quite a while and A’Ling’s room door was still closed. Displeased, she called out to the room, “A’Ling, have you forgotten about me out here? I haven’t even entered yet!”
As soon as her voice fell, A’Ling’s door thumped open from inside. A’Ling poked out half her head: “You should go back and rest early.”
After saying that, the door closed again.
Gu Jingyang turned to Shi Qingqian: “See? This is what happens when you have a new sweetheart. Old loves are discarded just like that.”
She no longer believed that if she and Lan Fushang fell into the river together, A’Ling would rescue her first.
She really wanted to punch Lan Fushang, but the girl was too good-natured. Gu Jingyang had subtly mocked her quite a bit these past few days, yet the other party didn’t mind at all and even decorated her room with insect-repelling Moon Gown Flower Vines, saying it was to thank her for the flowers.
She hadn’t given her flowers. A’Ling was the one who wanted to give them; she had only tidied them up a bit.
How annoying. Gu Jingyang glanced at Shi Qingqian, who still knew nothing, and decided not to tell her that Lan Fushang was A’Ling’s chosen future Dao companion.
It would be more shocking if A’Ling said it herself.
Enduring Shi Qingqian’s increasingly cold gaze, Gu Jingyang stubbornly didn’t offer another explanation. She summoned her sword and flew off.
After Gu Jingyang spoke of ‘new sweetheart’ and ‘old love,’ Shi Qingqian’s brow twitched violently. She glanced at the tightly closed door, and a question unconsciously slipped from her lips.
“New sweetheart?”
The next morning, as Lan Fushang stepped out of her room, she saw Shi Qingqian emerging from her own.
Remembering her rudeness from the previous night, she felt very apologetic and waved at Shi Qingqian: “Good morning!”
Shi Qingqian glanced at her lightly, then nodded: “Morning.”
Seeing her respond, Lan Fushang’s sudden nervousness eased a bit. She smiled and said, “We met last night. My name is Lan Fushang, and I live next door to you. You just entered the inner sect yesterday, didn’t you? If you ever need help with anything in the future, you can come find me next door.”
Shi Qingqian nodded gently, a hint of scrutiny flashing in her gaze towards Lan Fushang.
Yesterday, Lan Fushang had been inexplicably dragged into the room by A’Ling. When asked why, A’Ling only said it was nothing, but specifically warned her to be careful of the person before her.
“How should I address you?” Lan Fushang still didn’t know her neighbor’s name. She had asked A’Ling last night, and A’Ling said she didn’t recognize the person in front of her.
Shi Qingqian’s eyes darkened; upon closer inspection, a flicker of dejection had just passed through them.
“Shi Qingqian.”
So how did A’Ling speak of herself to this person? Did she not even want to mention her name?
Lan Fushang, unaware, repeated, “Shi Qingqian. Your name is beautiful, just like you.”
She gazed at Shi Qingqian, standing in the faint morning light, clad in white robes.
The pale golden morning glow fell into her serene eyes, blending with a touch of cold aloofness that kept others at a distance. It was like a frost-covered snow mountain gaining a hint of pink in the spring light, shimmering with a watery gleam and radiating brilliance.
She simply stood there quietly, beautiful as the most breathtaking painting in the world.
Lan Fushang felt A’Ling’s warning to ‘be careful’ wasn’t unfounded. Such a beautiful person indeed required caution; looking too much might lead to distractions.
When Gu Jingyang arrived, this was the scene she witnessed.
In the fragrant warmth of the autumn morning, Lan Fushang gazed unblinkingly at the motionless Shi Qingqian.
Both seemed to be frozen in place.
“What are you doing? What’s so captivating?”
Gu Jingyang walked closer to Lan Fushang. From her angle, she looked in the direction Lan Fushang was staring. What’s wrong with Shi Qingqian?
Lan Fushang snapped out of her trance of awe at the sound. Turning her head, she saw Gu Jingyang, radiant like a peach blossom in March, and her heart stirred.
Purely judging by features, Shi Qingqian was naturally the most beautiful. However, Lan Fushang still preferred Gu Jingyang, a girl who always made one feel the world was truly wonderful.
And A’Ling’s beauty, which carried a vibrant aura of life.
She had a secret: she liked to look at beautiful things, especially pretty girls. Facing a pile of tedious medical texts and herbs every day made her tired, but whenever she saw a spirited and beautiful girl like A’Ling, she felt re-energized.
After Lan Fushang greeted Gu Jingyang, she turned to Shi Qingqian: “Oh, by the way, can you fly a sword?”
Shi Qingqian slightly raised an eyebrow, seemingly unaware why Lan Fushang asked this, but Gu Jingyang understood immediately.
But before she could speak, A’Ling’s room door opened.
A’Ling saw the people gathered at the door, just as numerous as last night, and couldn’t help but frown.
She took a few steps forward, reluctantly meeting Shi Qingqian’s gaze.
Last night, after much thought, she decided it was best not to offend Shi Qingqian too much. Mystic Crane Mountain was so large, she could just avoid her. She figured Shi Qingqian couldn’t do much to her anyway.
“Let’s go, it’s getting late,” A’Ling said to Lan Fushang.
Lan Fushang nodded. Just as she was about to summon her sword to fly, she remembered her earlier question and asked Shi Qingqian again: “Can you fly a sword? Soaring Rainbow Tower is a bit far from here, if— ”
Before she could finish, A’Ling pushed her onto the ascending sword: “She can.”
Lan Fushang looked at A’Ling in confusion. Didn’t she say she didn’t know her? Why does it seem like A’Ling knows Shi Qingqian so well?
Still puzzled, she activated her incantation and soared into the air on her sword. Just as she was about to move forward, she heard a shout from behind: “Does anyone remember there’s still me?!”
Lan Fushang was already airborne on her sword. Hearing this, she abruptly paused, almost causing A’Ling to fall off.
Gu Jingyang looked up at A’Ling, gritting her teeth: “You remember Shi Qingqian can fly a sword, but do you remember that I can’t?”
A’Ling felt a rush of awkwardness. The lie she casually spouted, Gu Jingyang now righteously embraced, and Lan Fushang was almost becoming her ‘chauffeur’.
Sure enough, the next second, Lan Fushang apologetically turned to take Gu Jingyang with them.
Gu Jingyang felt a little more comfortable inside. She waved her hand casually: “You two go ahead. Qingqian will take me.”
Lan Fushang wanted to say something more, but A’Ling was already urging her to go.
After they left, Gu Jingyang looked at Shi Qingqian and said, “Show your sword.”
Shi Qingqian’s brows furrowed. “What’s wrong with you?”
She didn’t see any injuries on Gu Jingyang. Why couldn’t she fly a sword anymore?
Gu Jingyang snorted coldly: “Go ask A’Ling.”
The Soaring Rainbow Tower had seven floors in total. Cultivators inside studied the merit cultivation methods left by the ascended ancestors. Besides learning sword arts, magical techniques, and medical principles, they also learned advanced cultivation methods, spiritual energy absorption, Qi Refining breakthroughs, and practical skills such as demon hunting and exorcism.
Generally, cultivators who entered the Crane Gate studied here. There was an assessment every three years, and those who passed could participate in the selection of cave dwelling disciples.
A’Ling felt that entering the inner sect and cultivating in the Soaring Rainbow Tower wasn’t much different from being in the Hongjian Academy outside. Only by going to the Twelve Cave Abodes could one truly be considered to have joined a sect and learn something different.
Fortunately, this year, besides being the five-yearly opening of the Crane Gate, it was also the triennial cave dwelling selection.
Three days later, the Soaring Rainbow Tower would hold its cultivator assessment.
She had thought of this last night: Shi Qingqian would definitely pass. Once she went to a cave dwelling, they wouldn’t even be on the same mountain. Out of sight, out of mind. Their days as neighbors would last at most three or four days; she just had to endure it.
“Fushang, are you confident about this assessment?” A’Ling asked Lan Fushang as they walked inside.
Lan Fushang shook her head, honestly replying, “No.”
The Soaring Rainbow Tower’s assessment had a total of seven subjects. She was only proficient in medical principles; her sword arts and magical techniques were very ordinary.
To pass the assessment, one needed to pass all seven subjects.
Furthermore, passing didn’t guarantee entry into a cave dwelling or apprenticeship; the master had to be willing to accept them.
A’Ling comforted her: “It’s alright. You’ll pass after failing at most two more times.” A’Ling concluded this based on the timeline from her previous life, when she entered the inner sect and Lan Fushang had already gone to a cave dwelling.
Lan Fushang smiled: “Mm, I trust A’Ling. Then A’Ling, can you pass this time?”
A’Ling actually didn’t know that.
“Her? She wouldn’t pass even if you gave her ten more years!”
Suddenly, a sharp male voice came from not far in front of them. A’Ling looked up.
“Who do we have here? It’s you, my defeated opponent.”
Lan Fushang also recognized the person leading a group of people aggressively walking towards them. Their stance clearly indicated ill intentions.
Leading the way was Zhao Qi, who had overturned her herbs on Mount Panyan and had been taught a lesson by A’Ling.
The person beside Zhao Qi looked somewhat familiar, but Lan Fushang couldn’t recall who he was. However, seeing his sword cultivator’s attire and the words ‘Tian An’ on his sash, she knew he was a sword cultivator from Heavenly Peace Cave Abode.
Zhao Qi led his people to A’Ling and Lan Fushang, pointed at A’Ling, and said to the person beside him: “Brother, it’s her! She’s the one who beat me up on Mount Panyan.”
He had lost all face. Zhao Qi knew he couldn’t defeat A’Ling, so he had swallowed his anger for almost a month, finally waiting for his brother, Zhao Shan, from Heavenly Peace Cave Abode, to return.
Zhao Shan scrutinized A’Ling up and down, discovering that her cultivation was only at the Early Core Formation stage. He displeasedly glanced at Zhao Qi, his look as if cursing him for being useless, unable to handle even an Early Core Formation cultivator.
For a Nascent Soul cultivator like himself to fight an Early Core Formation cultivator, he wouldn’t know where to put his face if word got out. He waved his hand, setting up a barrier around them.
Cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage, even if they arrived here, wouldn’t know anyone was present, let alone hear or see the sounds and sights within the barrier.
Zhao Qi felt a surge of grievance from the glare. It wasn’t that he couldn’t defeat an Early Core Formation cultivator; it was that this woman possessed an extraordinary magic artifact.
Since Zhao Shan was here, he still had to vent his brother’s anger. He cleared his throat and said to A’Ling: “You struck my brother on Mount Panyan, which is equivalent to striking my face. Now, if you sever one of your arms and apologize to my brother, I can let you off this once.”
“Slap!”
A crisp slapping sound.
Everyone looked at Zhao Shan in shock, only to see him covering his face, his eyes wide, as if still stunned and unable to react.
All of this happened too quickly. It wasn’t that A’Ling’s cultivation was so powerful that they couldn’t stop her.
It was simply that the incident occurred too abruptly; they hadn’t anticipated it at all.
Everyone looked at A’Ling in astonishment, as if she were a madwoman. She dared to strike without saying a single word.
Lan Fushang’s shock was no less than anyone else’s. That single strike just now felt like it had slapped her heart right out of her chest. Her mind was buzzing, a complete blank.
A’Ling wiped her hand, completely unconcerned by the astonished gazes around her, her expression calm.
“How can striking your brother be considered equivalent to striking you? You didn’t feel your brother’s pain. Since you’re so regretful, I’ll make it up to you. No need to thank me too much.”
“You’re courting death!”
Zhao Shan snapped out of his shock. The stinging pain on his face and A’Ling’s nonchalant attitude made him feel the greatest humiliation of his life.
Today, to intimidate A’Ling, he had even brought his junior brothers. He never expected A’Ling to dare strike him like this in front of so many people.
He stopped wasting words with A’Ling. Clenching both hands in the air, he commanded: “Azure-backed Twin Blades, appear!”
Two short blades flashed with silver light and appeared in Zhao Shan’s hands. He swung both blades, chopping towards A’Ling’s face.
“Wandering Amethyst Gold Whip, appear!”
A’Ling summoned Little Wandering. After pushing Lan Fushang aside, she met Zhao Shan with a composed attitude, as if taking a stroll.
A piercing clang of metal striking metal shook everyone present’s eardrums.
Everyone looked up to see that A’Ling’s Wandering Amethyst Gold Whip had actually disarmed Zhao Shan’s twin blades and was lashing them in mid-air, making them strike each other.
“Ho-how could this be?” Zhao Shan’s eyes trembled as he looked at his empty hands and the Azure-backed Twin Blades clanging and clattering in mid-air.
A corner of A’Ling’s mouth slightly curled. The current situation gave her a faint sense of familiarity.
This feeling was like being back in the Demon Realm, during the time she had just arrived there, when there were always some short-sighted people who came to provoke her.
She coldly watched the ashen-faced Zhao Shan, returning his words to him.
“If you sever one of your arms and kneel to apologize to me, I can let you off— ”
Before the words ‘this once’ could leave her mouth, A’Ling heard a panicked shout.
“A’Ling!”
A’Ling thought, This isn’t good. She frowned and looked towards the sound. Lan Fushang was staring at her in alarm, and a sharp magical arrow buzzed and vibrated near the corner of her eye.
This is bad.
Zhao Qi, seeing his brother couldn’t defeat A’Ling, had a rare moment of brilliance from his dull mind. He seized Lan Fushang while A’Ling wasn’t paying attention.
“Stop, or my magical arrow won’t be polite.”
As he spoke, a mist of blood suddenly appeared at the corner of Lan Fushang’s eye. The buzzing magical arrow had pressed directly against the corner of her eye, carving an eye-catching wound.
“Little Wandering!” A’Ling abruptly retracted her momentum and recalled Little Wandering.
The Azure-backed Twin Blades clattered to the ground. Zhao Qi clenched his hand in the air, and the Azure-backed Twin Blades returned to his grasp.
“Alright, I’ve stopped. You can release her.”
Zhao Qi was about to let go when he suddenly heard Zhao Shan call out to him. He hurriedly aimed the magical arrow at Lan Fushang again.
A’Ling raised an eyebrow, looking at Zhao Shan. “What do you want?”
Zhao Shan’s eyes were bloodshot, subtly revealing a malicious glint.
“Throw your magic artifact over.”
A’Ling’s brows furrowed as she looked at Zhao Shan.
Seeing her make no move, Zhao Shan abruptly waved his hand. One of the Azure-backed Twin Blades in his hand shot towards Lan Fushang like a flying dagger, stopping just before her eyeball.
The sharp blade shaved off a few nearly invisible eyelashes.
Lan Fushang’s face was ashen. After a wave of immense panic, her body went so limp that she couldn’t stand. If Zhao Qi hadn’t held her steady, she would have collapsed to the ground by now.
“Don’t hurt her.” A’Ling’s expression tightened. She recalled Little Wandering, which returned to her wrist, transforming into an ordinary bracelet.
No, Lan Fushang wanted to shout no, don’t hand over the magic artifact, they won’t stop just like that.
But Zhao Qi had just cast a silencing spell on her. She struggled to break free using her spiritual energy, sweat beading on her pale face.
“Hurry!”
Zhao Shan had already taken out the Wind-Winged Nine Cloud Melting Artifact Bag, waiting for A’Ling to throw over the magic artifact so he could collect it into the bag.
He knew that such a high-grade magic artifact would surely be bound to its owner. He didn’t intend to possess it, but he could destroy it.
This Wind-Winged Nine Cloud Melting Artifact Bag was specifically designed to melt magic artifacts.
A’Ling also saw the item in his hand, and anger surged through her. She looked at the person in front of her as if he were a rotten, foul-smelling bug. Someone who possessed such a thing couldn’t be a good person.
If they couldn’t get it, they’d destroy it. Mystic Crane Mountain truly was a vast forest where all sorts of things existed. What was all this ‘karma points’ nonsense? That broken thing must be useless, otherwise how could there be so much trash here to disgust people?
As A’Ling was pondering what to do, a tragic scream tore from Lan Fushang’s throat.
The sound was truly piercing, making A’Ling’s scalp tingle.
A’Ling looked up. The sharpest tip of the magical arrow had already pierced into the corner of Lan Fushang’s eye.
When Lan Fushang realized the silencing spell was lifted, she didn’t even have time to speak before a bone-piercing pain shot from the corner of her eye directly to the crown of her head. No matter how much she wanted to endure, the pain was too much, and she couldn’t help but shriek.
“Stop! I’ll give you the item, release her!”
A’Ling’s eyes were bloodshot, her pupils trembling wildly. With a shaking hand, she quickly pulled the bracelet from her wrist and forcefully threw it forward.
Just then, the void tore open, and a figure appeared out of thin air before everyone.
Shi Qingqian looked at the purple bracelet in her palm, her gaze obscure. She ignored all the magic artifacts that had been summoned in confrontation due to her sudden appearance, her eyes solely fixed on A’Ling.
“You don’t want it anymore?”
It was clearly a question, yet spoken with absolute certainty, her hoarse voice containing a hint of sarcasm and self-mockery that made A’Ling’s heart tremble violently.
Nice work 👏
Fu lanshang x gu jingyang???