Chapter 37: Even Jumping into the Tianzhu River Won’t Clear This Up!

Ren Qingyue shook off Jiang Ying, moving from one cluster of palaces to another.

Within the Immortal Abode’s range, divination spells failed, making it impossible to lock onto Yan Zhao’s location. She had to search every area herself.

Passing through a certain corridor, she encountered another group of protective Jade Beasts blocking her path.

Ren Qingyue produced the Soul Tablet. The Jade Beasts recognized her aura and withdrew their hostility, granting passage.

As the Jade Beasts slowly retreated, a sudden idea struck Ren Qingyue, and she asked, “Have any of you seen Yan Zhao?”

The Jade Beasts in the Immortal Abode were not independent entities; they were closely linked to the Grand Array protecting the abode. If one Jade Beast triggered an alert, all other Jade Beasts would know the location of the incident.

The Jade Beasts on both sides of the corridor tilted their heads in unison. Ren Qingyue continued, “She is Shizun’s child. She should be carrying something Shizun left behind.”

When she had changed Yan Zhao’s clothes, she had seen the dark golden bead around her neck.

Ren Qingyue remembered Shizun giving Yan Zhao a Magic Treasure. Without it, Yan Zhao couldn’t possibly have survived to three hundred years old. Combined with Jiang Ying’s attitude toward her today, she was almost certain that the bead was the Soul-Condensing Bead.

The two Jade Beasts pondered for a moment, then simultaneously pointed in a specific direction.

This method actually worked! Overjoyed, Ren Qingyue clasped her fists toward the Jade Beasts. “Thank you!”

She immediately headed in the direction the Jade Beasts indicated. Just as she exited the corridor, she bumped into a fellow disciple.

“Junior Sister!” Ling Jiancheng was overjoyed and quickly walked toward Ren Qingyue. “The Sect Master was looking for you some time ago but couldn’t find any trace of you. I never expected you’d come down the mountain! This is wonderful!”

Earlier, he had lost track of Lei Shuang shortly after leaving his courtyard. Now, in his low spirits, running into Ren Qingyue was an unexpected delight.

Ren Qingyue remained silent, feeling that her luck this year must be truly terrible.

Ling Jiancheng noticed that Ren Qingyue’s aura had weakened. He asked with concern, “Junior Sister, you seem injured?”

“Yes.” Ren Qingyue replied expressionlessly, shifting the blame to Jiang Ying. “I encountered someone from the Devil Sect earlier and exchanged a few blows.”

Ling Jiancheng was surprised. “Junior Sister met them too?”

Ren Qingyue raised an eyebrow. “Them too?”

“To be frank, I just crossed hands with Lei Shuang myself. That person is truly insidious and cunning. I don’t know what the Devil Clan’s objective is this time, but if Immortal Venerable Yuanqing left any treasures in her Cave Abode, they must not be allowed to take them!”

Both Lei Shuang and Jiang Ying had appeared. With the Devil Venerable’s Left and Right Protectors both present, it was certainly noteworthy.

Ren Qingyue pondered for a moment, but the most important thing right now was to find Yan Zhao.

The emergence of this Immortal Abode was already suspicious. Since Ling Jiancheng had come, those old fossils in the sect would never let this opportunity slip by. If Shadow ran into her separated from Yan Zhao, she feared her fate would be grim.

Ling Jiancheng was still passionately denouncing the malicious intentions of the Devil Sect. As Ren Qingyue walked, she observed her surroundings constantly, not missing any chance to find Yan Zhao’s whereabouts.

Seeing Ren Qingyue’s lack of interest, Ling Jiancheng tactfully changed the subject. “Junior Sister, since this is Immortal Venerable Yuanqing’s Cave Abode, you must be familiar with its layout. Where do you think those Devil Sect people are most likely to go?”

Ren Qingyue pointed in the direction ahead, where Yan Zhao was. “They should be at the very top layer of the Floating Island.”

Ling Jiancheng looked where Ren Qingyue pointed and heard her say, “The very top is Shizun’s living quarters. The most important treasures would certainly be placed within easy reach. If the Devil Sect people are after treasures, they’ll definitely go there.”

“Junior Sister is right.” Ling Jiancheng nodded. “Let’s head that way as well.”

Ren Qingyue: “…”

She suspected Ling Jiancheng couldn’t actually find his way, but she had no proof.

Whoosh—

Ling Jiancheng’s ears caught the sound of something cutting through the air. Just as he was about to warn Ren Qingyue, he was suddenly pushed aside by a palm strike from her.

The distance between them widened. Whoosh, whoosh! Several willow leaves brushed past their bodies and embedded themselves several inches deep into the ground.

A smile curled at the corner of Jiang Ying’s lips. She teased, “You fought so hard for a chance to escape, yet you’re wasting time on romance?”

Seeing who it was, Ling Jiancheng’s face darkened. He instantly drew his sword. “Jiang Ying!”

He glanced hastily at the person beside him. Seeing Ren Qingyue’s sullen and displeased expression, his heart lurched.

Fearing Ren Qingyue might misunderstand and dislike him, Ling Jiancheng angrily rebuked Jiang Ying, “Don’t talk nonsense! Junior Sister and I are completely innocent, with not the slightest hint of impropriety!”

Ren Qingyue pressed her lips together, her expression growing even more sour.

This Senior Brother seemed to only gain cultivation base, not brains. A classic case of making things worse by trying to explain.

Jiang Ying burst out laughing. “If that’s not the case, why are you so anxious?”

Unable to explain himself clearly, Ling Jiancheng was both angry and flustered. He struck out with his sword in fury, sending Sword Qi slicing toward Jiang Ying to stop her from speaking further.

With a casual palm strike, Jiang Ying shattered the Sword Qi and taunted them. “Fuyun Sect certainly has a grand reputation, but I see your disciples’ strength isn’t much to speak of, is it?”

As her words fell, the trees on either side of the Palace Wall swayed in the wind. Leaves fluttered down, suspended in midair, pulled by an invisible force.

With a snap of Jiang Ying’s fingers, it was as if ten thousand arrows were released simultaneously. The leaves transformed into blades and shot toward them, blotting out the sky.

“Junior Sister, be careful!” Ling Jiancheng stepped forward, summoning one hundred and eight streams of Protective Sword Qi. He manipulated them to form an array, clashing against Jiang Ying.

Within the Sword Array, Sword Qi swirled, shredding every leaf that entered it.

Jiang Ying narrowed her eyes slightly. Ling Jiancheng’s cultivation base was naturally inferior to hers, but he cultivated Metal Attribute Spells, while she was Wood Attribute. Fighting him greatly weakened her power, making it difficult to decide a victor in a short time.

Ling Jiancheng, who had been suppressed by Lei Shuang earlier, finally regained some confidence.

Eager to show off in front of Ren Qingyue, he raised his sword and pointed it at Jiang Ying. “You people of the Devil Sect are far too arrogant!”

He turned his head to Ren Qingyue. “Junior Sister, if we join forces, we can surely capture this Devil Sect Demoness!”

Looking back, there was no one behind him.

Ling Jiancheng froze.

“Hahahaha!!!” Jiang Ying laughed wildly with scorn. “Ren Qingyue abandoned you and fled alone. Well, aren’t you disappointed? Doesn’t your heart grow cold?”

Ling Jiancheng snapped out of it, suppressing the bitterness and helplessness in his heart. Forcing himself to save face, he said, “Junior Sister and I never had the kind of relationship you speak of! She has other important matters. As the Eldest Senior Brother of the Sect, it is my duty to cover her escape!”

“Fine, fine, fine!” Jiang Ying said three ‘fines’ in a row, her tone utterly dismissive. She sneered, “You’re protecting her escape, but who will come to save you?”

Ling Jiancheng swung his sword backhandedly.

His sword was the best answer.

·

Nangong Yin stormed off in a rage, flicking her sleeves as she walked, but before she even left the Pavilion, her wrist was grabbed.

Yan Yuanqing chased after her from the pavilion, her hands quick and her eyes sharp, pulling Nangong Yin back. “Ah Yin, listen to my explanation!”

“Let go!” Nangong Yin shook her hand, trying to break free. “You even have a daughter now? What else is there to explain?”

But Yan Yuanqing held on tightly, refusing to let go, seizing the moment to defend herself. “There’s truly been a mistake. How could I possibly have a daughter? If I had a daughter, wouldn’t I know about it myself?”

Nangong Yin laughed in extreme anger. “What, are you questioning my Divination Art?”

A person could lie, but divination could not. What it revealed was the truth. Yan Yuanqing could forget about trying to gloss over this!

“Of course not!” Seeing no way to explain herself clearly, Yan Yuanqing blurted out in desperation, “How can you not believe me? Ah Yin, if I tell you a lie, may I be utterly destroyed by the Nine Heavens Purple Lightning Tribulation!”

Nangong Yin’s heart leaped violently in shock. She spun around and covered Yan Yuanqing’s mouth. “What nonsense are you spouting?!”

How could a cultivator swear an oath by a Lightning Tribulation?

Yan Yuanqing certainly knew the power of a Lightning Tribulation, but she didn’t care at all.

With Nangong Yin’s hand over her mouth to silence her, Yan Yuanqing’s eyes darted around. She stuck out a tiny tip of her tongue and licked Nangong Yin’s palm.

“You!” Nangong Yin jumped back as if electrocuted, snatching her hand back. Flushing red, she snapped, “You’re shameless!”

Unashamed, Yan Yuanqing even raised her eyebrows proudly, as if to say: That’s right, I’m shameless. What about it?

Nangong Yin, helpless against this rogue, turned her face away in frustration. “So what do we do now?”

Yan Yuanqing knew this meant she had calmed down somewhat. The huge weight on her heart finally settled.

Hearing this, she looked back at Yan Zhao, who was sprawled on the table, sound asleep. Yan Yuanqing’s expression showed her dilemma. “Who knows? This child appeared so inexplicably. We can’t just ignore her.”

“Let’s carry her into a room first,” Nangong Yin suggested.

Yan Yuanqing abruptly turned her head back. After a brief moment of surprise, a teasing glint appeared in her eyes. “Don’t you dislike her? Why are you so concerned?”

“Who dislikes her?” Nangong Yin’s cheeks, still carrying a blush, now spread a layer of crimson to her ear tips. She protested too much in her explanation. “She’s a mere Mortal, so thin and frail. It’s windy out here. If she gets broken by the wind, it’ll damage my karmic merit.”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Yan Yuanqing winked at her. “My Ah Yin is as beautiful as she is kind-hearted.”

The teasing was too obvious. Nangong Yin pinched the soft flesh of Yan Yuanqing’s waist. “Still running your mouth?”

Yan Yuanqing yelped in pain, her features twisting vividly. She pleaded softly, “I won’t, I won’t.”

As soon as Nangong Yin let go, Yan Yuanqing instantly forgot the lesson. “It’s just that any old stray cat or dog can divert your attention. It makes me a little unhappy.”

“You really are good at turning the tables!”

Nangong Yin couldn’t be bothered with Yan Yuanqing anymore. She walked over, picked up Yan Zhao, and carried her to the Guest Room.

Yan Zhao slept quietly, lying obediently in her arms. Her head tilted, and her forehead rested heavily on Nangong Yin’s arm.

“Why did you stop?” Yan Yuanqing walked beside Nangong Yin and saw her halt, looking down at Yan Zhao for a long time. She couldn’t resist another cheeky remark. “Is she beautiful, or am I?”

Nangong Yin shot her an exasperated glare, then turned and shoved Yan Zhao into Yan Yuanqing’s arms. “You’re her mother!”

Yan Yuanqing: “…”

Once Yan Zhao was delivered to the Guest Room and the blanket was tucked in, Yan Yuanqing looked at her. She found the child’s face familiar and pleasant, thinking: How strange.

At that moment, Nangong Yin also came to the bedside. She said to Yan Yuanqing, “I’ve been thinking, this child is sallow and thin. Could she have some kind of illness?”

“Seems like it,” Yan Yuanqing nodded.

So she took hold of one of Yan Zhao’s arms and conveniently checked her pulse.

A moment later, Yan Yuanqing’s beautiful eyes widened, an expression of utter disbelief on her face.

Seeing this, Nangong Yin frowned. “What is it? A terminal illness?”

Yan Yuanqing blinked but didn’t speak.

Nangong Yin furrowed her brow, observing Yan Yuanqing’s expression carefully.

Yan Yuanqing’s eyes were darting around wildly. This was a sign of guilt, of not daring to speak the truth.

She leaned closer by a few inches, and Yan Yuanqing retreated a few inches, until there was nowhere left to retreat.

Nangong Yin curled her lips into a cold sneer. “Go on, what other secrets do you have that I don’t know about? How do you plan to talk your way out of it this time?”

The corner of Yan Yuanqing’s mouth trembled. Her mind was in utter chaos, feeling like the sky was about to fall.

Help! Why is there a Seal inside this child’s body?!

And the method used to set this seal—it looked exactly like her own handiwork from every angle. No one else could possibly imitate it.

It’s over! Yan Yuanqing thought. Now, even if she jumped into the Tianzhu River, she’d never wash this clean!