Chapter 35: Targeted? The Molting Stage Comes Early

The flying boat’s shaking came without warning. Before the first violent tremor even ended, it took another hit, rocking even harder.

Caught completely off guard, the group was tossed around, unable to react in time.

Though they didn’t know why the attacks were only hitting the flying boat, even the shockwaves alone were causing them considerable trouble.

Only Ming Jingqiu, with her higher cultivation base, was less affected by the impact. She quickly realized someone was attacking and hurried over to steady Ye Xingtong. “Junior Sister Ye! Activate the flying boat’s defensive barrier now!”

Earlier, to escape Fengdu City’s territory as fast as possible, the flying boat had been at full speed with no barrier activated. Now there was no time to flee, so they could only raise the barrier to hold off the attacks.

Ye Xingtong, dizzy from the shaking, heard the order and moved faster than her conscious mind, following Ming Jingqiu’s words to activate the barrier.

An invisible barrier quickly covered the flying boat. Fortunately, she activated it just in time. The moment the defensive barrier formed, an attack landed. The barrier shook, but thankfully held.

Seeing that the barrier was still holding, the group finally managed to steady themselves. They quickly gathered together and stared warily at their surroundings.

The flying boat had just passed Light-Bathed Cliff. There was still some distance to Qingzhou City. Even at full speed without being attacked, it would take half an hour.

But judging by the continuous attacks, they wouldn’t be reaching Qingzhou City anytime soon.

Fortunately, Jing Ying and Rong Yuzhuo had already left, or they’d have been dragged into danger too.

Everyone subconsciously assumed the attacker was after the Mirage Serpent Inner Core and felt relieved about that.

But there was one strange thing—the attacks seemed to come from only one spot. The spiritual power fluctuations they sensed also came from one spot. That meant the person attacking them… was just one person?

Bai Xiaoxiao looked sharply toward one side of the flying boat. That was the direction of the spiritual power fluctuation.

Unfortunately, their flying boat was flying too high. Unbeknownst to them, they’d been surrounded by thick clouds. And the person was hiding within those very clouds.

“Senior Sister, the person attacking us is over there!”

Bai Xiaoxiao warned in a low voice. Everyone looked over and indeed sensed a person there.

But strangely, although the person was hiding their form, they weren’t using any artifact to mask their aura. It was as if they were waiting for the group to discover them.

It was eerie and unsettling.

“Your Excellency, who might you be? What is the meaning of attacking our flying boat without cause?”

Though she knew the intruder meant no good, Ming Jingqiu still held a sliver of hope. Even as she said this, her face was full of vigilance.

The figure in the clouds flickered in and out of view. As if on purpose, upon hearing Ming Jingqiu’s words, it let out a strange laugh.

“I never thought the disciple taken in by the peerless Sword Venerable Mingyue would be so fond of asking questions she already knows the answers to. You ask what I mean? How about this—why don’t you all guess? If you guess right…”

The moment she heard those words, Ming Jingqiu’s face turned cold.

Bai Xiaoxiao and the others were also startled. Clearly, they hadn’t expected this person to bring up Shen Zhiyue, and there was no joy in their hearts either.

Though few in the Cultivation World didn’t know the Sword Venerable Mingyue, Shen Zhiyue, there was a hint of familiarity and strange nostalgia in this person’s tone.

Bai Xiaoxiao went on high alert. Without any hesitation, she began calling out to Shen Zhiyue.

They were no match for this person. They could only seek Shen Zhiyue’s help.

But to her surprise, no matter how she called, the little soul-fragment figure in her Sea of Consciousness didn’t respond at all.

A bad feeling spread from the bottom of her heart. Bai Xiaoxiao called out again. All around was silent, with no movement whatsoever.

She didn’t have time to think too much. She quickly sank her consciousness into the Sea of Consciousness, only to see the soul-fragment figure dim. Its eyes were tightly shut, clearly in a dormant state.

Shen Zhiyue’s divine sense wasn’t here. It could only be with her main body. But no matter how she called, the soul fragment didn’t stir in the slightest.

Bai Xiaoxiao’s heart sank.

Could something have happened to Shen Zhiyue’s main body?

Bai Xiaoxiao couldn’t help feeling anxious.

The situation was bad. Shen Zhiyue couldn’t be reached. If they fought head-on, they’d most likely just be offering themselves up. And even now, that cultivator still hadn’t mentioned the purpose of their visit.

Could the other party really have come for the inner core?

Bai Xiaoxiao hesitated for a moment, thinking of Little Stone. If…

[Little Stone, if things get urgent later, I’ll bring everyone into the secret realm to hide.]

[!]

[You stupid spirit beast, how can you be so foolish? If I get exposed, that’s not a good thing. Aren’t you afraid they’ll kill you and take your treasure?]

The Cultivation World was full of backstabbing. You might think someone was trustworthy, but often it just meant the benefits weren’t big enough.

Little Stone was a spirit being born from the Secret Realm Stone. Even setting aside the secret realm, just it alone was a supreme treasure.

Bai Xiaoxiao knew this was risky, but she had no choice. She couldn’t just abandon them. That wasn’t who she was.

[Don’t panic. If it comes to that, we’ll just pretend we stumbled into the secret realm by accident. I’m not stupid enough to tell them.]

Little Stone grumbled a few times before reluctantly agreeing.

In its view, this was stupidity, plain and simple.

Bai Xiaoxiao helplessly withdrew from her Sea of Consciousness. The moment her senses returned, she realized the flying boat was shaking violently, and the barrier above their heads was flickering, as if it was about to give out.

Ye Xingtong was rapidly refilling spirit stones to keep the barrier running, grinding her teeth and muttering, “If I’d known, I’d have brought my mother’s flying boat. I’d have blown that scoundrel to bits!”

Her mother needed to travel around for business and often ran into ill-intentioned people, so she’d commissioned two special flying boats. Defense maxed out, offense maxed out. As long as there were enough spirit stones, they could counterattack endlessly.

Those flying boats were custom-made for their family. Only their family could afford to be so extravagant—after all, they owned mines.

But those flying boats were too large and inconvenient for daily travel. And she’d never had a chance to use one.

Who knew they’d run into some unknown scoundrel blocking their path now? The person had a twisted sense of humor too—attacking continuously but not really going all out, more like toying with them.

Judging by the other party’s demeanor, it felt like they’d been targeted from the start. They’d even guessed the group was heading to Qingzhou City, which was why they were lying in ambush here. It was terrifying!

Bai Xiaoxiao was also baffled. She’d gone over the events several times and couldn’t find anyone they’d offended on this trip.

Could it be a simple robber?

But hadn’t they already shaken everyone off? Where did this person come from?

Bai Xiaoxiao couldn’t figure it out. Looking at the person toying with them like a cat with a mouse, she could sense the overwhelming malice radiating from them.

Too frustrating.

That thought flickered through everyone’s minds more or less.

Until Ming Jingqiu, unable to bear it any longer, swung her sword at the next incoming attack, dispersing it.

“If Your Excellency persists in this course of action, don’t blame us for being rude.”

The other’s attacks had stoked her anger. Ming Jingqiu had originally wanted to think of a countermeasure, but she simply couldn’t calm down.

So after fighting back, she was already prepared for battle. But she could feel that the person was very strong. Even going all out, she might not win. One misstep and she’d die.

But she couldn’t retreat.

On the flying boat, she had the highest cultivation base. If she retreated, the others would all be in danger.

The scenes of her family’s annihilation flashed rapidly through her mind. Ming Jingqiu’s grip on her sword tightened.

She… didn’t want to see scenes like that again.

The sword hilt was slightly drawn from its sheath. A faint resonance could be heard from the long sword—her fighting spirit was affecting it.

“Heh, interesting. Your cultivation base can actually trigger a resonance with a spirit sword. What a pity this sword’s quality is too poor to withstand the resonance with you.

Besides, you’re no match for me. Why humiliate yourself?

Still… letting you go isn’t entirely out of the question. I just need you to—hand them over to me.”

Bai Xiaoxiao and Bai Zhizhi both sensed the threat. Their pupils abruptly contracted, turning into beast pupils.

Both their expressions changed. A bad feeling rose in their hearts.

What did that person mean? Why did they want them? Had they discovered their identities? But that shouldn’t be. In today’s Cultivation World, very few people could recognize Mirage Serpents, and records about them were scarce.

But if they hadn’t recognized them, why would they want them?

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Bai Xiaoxiao could feel her breathing growing very light, while the sound of her heartbeat gradually grew louder, almost deafening.

[Xiaoxiao… is he…]

Bai Zhizhi’s voice came through her mind, tinged with fear and terror.

Bai Xiaoxiao knew she must be wondering if their identities had been exposed. But the more critical the moment, the less they could panic.

She took a deep breath, wanting to say something, but her throat felt blocked, so hoarse she couldn’t speak.

“Your Excellency, choose your words carefully. I’ve already sent word back to the Sword Sect. Since you know where I learned my skills, do you still intend to stay?”

Ming Jingqiu’s gaze suddenly turned sharp, her face like ice.

“Or has Your Excellency already prepared to make an enemy of my Sword Sect?”

At those words, the atmosphere instantly solidified.

Seeing this, Fang Nianci sighed softly. She stepped slowly to Bai Zhizhi’s side and pulled her behind her. Her calm eyes looked toward the clouds. “Though I don’t know why Your Excellency said that, I must refuse. She is a member of my Jade Heart Sect.”

Bai Zhizhi was someone she’d saved, so naturally she was her little snake. When had it become an outsider’s place to demand her?

Fang Nianci was completely calm, even her gaze was peaceful, but she carried an aura that couldn’t be ignored.

Bai Zhizhi, shielded behind her, blinked and gradually steadied herself. But she didn’t understand why Fang Nianci would suddenly do this. Clearly, when they first met, the woman had wanted to turn her into spirit snake wine.

Bai Xiaoxiao wanted to say something but suddenly felt something very wrong. It was as if she’d been locked onto. Her body couldn’t move, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

What was going on?

Why did it suddenly feel so heavy? The gaze cast on her carried immense spiritual pressure. Under that pressure, she could barely keep from collapsing to the ground.

If she weren’t struggling so hard to hold on, she’d probably have fallen long ago.

That person was deliberately targeting her!

Bai Xiaoxiao’s brain raced, but perhaps because the spiritual pressure was too strong, even her thoughts slowed down considerably. She could still hear the sounds around her, but they seemed muffled behind a membrane, unclear.

What… was going on?

Bai Xiaoxiao was drenched in cold sweat. Even lifting her head was incredibly difficult, but she still managed to shift her gaze to the clouds. In a daze, she seemed to see a black figure and a pair of amber eyes.

Those weren’t human eyes. The other party… might not be human at all!

Bai Xiaoxiao’s mind shook violently, but she couldn’t speak to warn the others.

What made it even worse was that amid the discomfort of the spiritual pressure, a strange sensation seemed to have joined in, racing through her body at lightning speed. It was so bizarre it blurred her consciousness, and she nearly failed to maintain her human form.

“Host, your Snake Molting Stage has come early. You must leave immediately!”

The System’s voice came through her mind. Bai Xiaoxiao’s face was wooden, her heart bitter.

Damn it all—was it that she didn’t want to leave?!