Boom—!
Yun Suxin was jolted awake by a deafening noise.
She looked outside. It was already dawn. At this hour, most of Lingxi Valley’s disciples would be cultivating or tending to spirit herbs in the fields. Who dared make such a ruckus so early, disturbing the peaceful atmosphere?
Her residence was built on high ground, perched above a waterfall within Lingxi Valley. From there, she could oversee much of the valley with a sweep of her divine sense.
But the moment she opened the door, the view darkened.
High in the sky above the mountain gate’s illusion array, a massive diamond-shaped object hovered, perfectly blocking the rising sun and casting a large, ominous shadow across the valley. At the base of the array, a group of Lingxi Valley disciples buzzed about like ants on a hot stove, clearly flustered.
“That looks like… a flying boat?!” Yun Suxin squinted her eyes. With her exceptional eyesight, she soon made out the details.
It was indeed a medium-sized flying boat—not unfamiliar, as Lingxi Valley owned a few of their own. But she had never seen anyone land one like this. Who the hell flies straight into someone’s illusion array?
What an act of sheer provocation!
“Young Master! Something’s happened!” A Lingxi Valley disciple came running to her, stumbling over his own feet, his face pale with disbelief. “A flying boat crashed into our illusion array, right into the center! The outermost layer has already been destroyed!”
“I’m not blind,” Yun Suxin said coldly, her brow furrowed. “Did you find out which sect it belongs to?”
“Reporting to Young Master, based on the banners and insignia on the flying boat… it appears to be from Jiange.”
“Jiange? Are you sure?!” Yun Suxin’s first reaction was pure disbelief.
How could Jiange possibly afford a flying boat?
If Jiange really had the money for one, she’d eat her own!
“I-I’m not entirely sure,” the disciple stammered, his confidence faltering under her scrutiny. After all, while Jiange was famous for their swordsmanship, they were also notoriously poor. Their individual combat prowess was top-notch in the Cangyun Realm, but they were stingier than beggars. Any money they earned went straight into maintaining their flying swords.
“Young Master, should we notify the Valley Master? It seems like they’ve come with ill intent.”
Yun Suxin paused, then shook her head. With her mother in her current condition, it was better not to bother her.
“No need. Go call Elder Liang and have him accompany me to investigate the intruders.”
…
At the same time.
On the flying boat, the sudden jolt had also shaken awake Yue Qianchi and Li Qingran.
“It’s already daylight… This high-level spirit gathering array really is amazing. One night of cultivation equals half a month back on Luoxia Peak,” Yue Qianchi stretched lazily, but then noticed something strange outside the window.
Wait a minute… was the sky always this blue, the clouds this close?
She turned her head and froze.
“Junior Sister, you’ve broken through to Foundation Establishment! That’s insane! So this is what it’s like to be soaked in a spiritual honey pot every day, surrounded by high-grade arrays. You really are built different~”
Li Qingran opened her eyes just in time to hear the teasing tone. Her cheeks flushed crimson.
“H-Honey pot? S-Senior Sister, don’t talk nonsense! If you like, you can come up to Luoxia Peak to cultivate with me any time. I’ll ask Master for permission. He may seem aloof, but he’s actually very kind. He’ll definitely agree.”
“Forget it.” Yue Qianchi was actually tempted. But she didn’t want to play third wheel—or be seen naked again, even by a so-called cold-hearted old man.
Li Qingran wanted to continue persuading her, but Yue Qianchi reached out and gave her a quick grope.
“Ah!” Li Qingran yelped, blushing furiously and retreating into the gauze curtain.
Yue Qianchi gave a playful squeeze and chuckled.
“Not bad, Junior Sister. You’re catching up to me~ Now get up. We should get moving.”
Two minutes later, both girls descended the stairs, fully dressed and refreshed.
They were still wondering why the tavern was so quiet, until they stepped outside—
And froze.
Outside the tavern was no longer the bustling city of Qinghe.
Instead, it was vast green mountains and an endless sea of clouds.
“Is this… a flying boat?” Yue Qianchi spotted the spiritual core of the ship not far from the tavern entrance.
Six spiritual crystals gleamed inside the array core. Two of them were nearly depleted.
Clearly, the flying boat had carried both them and the entire tavern through the night.
“The whole tavern was… uprooted?” Li Qingran studied the traces around them and came to a conclusion.
Yep.
This was definitely something her Master would do.
This flying boat must have been sent by Master to ensure they reached Lingxi Valley faster.
Even in confinement, he still thought of her. He’d even used a grand divine technique to move the entire tavern without interrupting her or Senior Sister’s cultivation.
Her Master was as warm-hearted and thoughtful as ever.
Li Qingran pressed her hands to her chest, a warm yet sour emotion welling up inside her.
Master had done so much for her—even gone so far as to move the entire tavern to avoid disturbing her cultivation—and yet she couldn’t do anything for him right now…
“Oh my! Junior Sister Qingran, we’ve arrived at Lingxi Valley!”
Yue Qianchi’s cheerful exclamation pulled her out of her thoughts.
So this was Lingxi Valley? Already? So fast?
She walked over and stood beside Yue Qianchi at the edge of the flying boat. The morning sun painted the scenery in a golden glow. The mountains stretched endlessly, lush with greenery. Bursts of flowers bloomed between patches of jade-green herb fields nestled in the valley. A lone cliff jutted outward, and from it poured a great waterfall—like a silver ribbon cascading from heaven.
This waterfall… it was the famous landmark of Lingxi Valley.
There was no mistaking it. They had truly arrived.
“Little rats from Jiange!”
A cold, scornful voice echoed across the sky.
Li Qingran and Yue Qianchi looked up at once.
A woman in green robes and a burly bald man had landed atop the tavern roof. The woman wore a veil, but her icy, star-like eyes glared down at them, brimming with disdain. The bald man next to her was huge and brutish, with rouge smeared on his cheeks and a thick black broadsword resting across his shoulder. Despite his crude appearance, the spiritual pressure radiating from him was unmistakably terrifying.
“Who are you calling little rats?!” Yue Qianchi snapped, stepping in front of Li Qingran protectively. She pulled out the Xuanwu heavy sword from her storage bag and pointed it toward the two figures on the rooftop. “Say that again and I’ll cut you down where you stand!”
“Oh? It’s you?” Yun Suxin ignored the threat and instead turned her attention to Li Qingran. She narrowed her eyes and sneered, “I didn’t expect you to end up in Jiange. Tsk tsk… such a good seedling, wasted on a poor sect.”
“What’s wrong with my Jiange?!” Yue Qianchi’s face flushed red with anger. She was just about to storm forward, sword in hand—
Boom!
A crushing pressure descended upon her like a mountain.
Yue Qianchi’s body stiffened. She couldn’t move at all.
Her heart dropped.
The pressure was not like the vast, omnipresent aura of her master—but rather a brutal and overwhelming force. A direct suppression of power.
This pressure could only come from one at the Nascent Soul stage.
The bald man next to Yun Suxin…
So it was true. The woman in green really was Yun Suxin, the infamous Young Master of Lingxi Valley.
Her identity matched her physique too—Yue Qianchi had touched it before. It had felt excellent, second only to Li Qingran’s.
But that wasn’t the point!
The point was… things were about to get very troublesome.
Yun Suxin looked down at Yue Qianchi coldly and raised her chin arrogantly.
“Hmph! Did you steal that flying boat? No wonder you crashed right into our illusion array. Your Jiange has already damaged the outer defense formation of Lingxi Valley, and now you dare to draw your sword and argue with me? What an arrogant act!”
“Young Master, why waste words with them?” the bald brute muttered. He shifted the massive sword on his back and grinned with twisted cruelty. “Just leave it to me. I’ll chop off their arms and legs, throw them into the Black Prison, and let their precious Jiange come crawling for ransom.”
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