Chapter 12

Zhan Yujie had a heart of stone and ignored Yan Zhichuan’s intense condemning gaze.

“Xiao Tian, let’s go,” Yan Zhichuan said, seeing that Zhan Yujie was ignoring her. She immediately puffed up with anger.

But her feet didn’t move an inch.

In this dangerous place, sticking with Zhan Yujie felt safer.

Zhu Feng gradually calmed down. She stared at Yan Zhichuan and, for a split second, thought she was onto something. Cold sweat drenched her body.

But looking closely at the other’s “profoundly wise” gaze, she figured she was overthinking it.

According to Liu Yanqing’s description of Zhan Yujie, if she knew the truth, she might pretend to be a gentleman in public, but behind closed doors? That was another story.

“May I ask which peak of the Nine Abyss Sect this fellow Daoist sister hails from?” Zhu Feng asked with a smile. She wobbled to her feet and saw that Zhan Yujie had no intention of helping her up. She inwardly cursed her out up one side and down the other.

“It’s the personal disciple under the Sect Master, Yan Zhichuan,” Zhan Yujie said.

Zhu Feng froze.

She had never heard the name.

A personal disciple of the Nine Abyss Sect’s Sect Master? Her getting picked by a Cave Heaven True Person? Must’ve pulled some strings!

Yan Zhichuan’s eyes darted around. Seeing Zhu Feng back on her feet and not collapsed on the ground, she grinned. “Fellow Daoist Zhu’s up already—a medical miracle!”

Zhu Feng choked on that, her fists clenching harder.

She had only injured her legs, not on the verge of death.

Zhan Yujie’s eyelashes trembled slightly, but she didn’t help the teetering Zhu Feng.

She was afraid Yan Zhichuan would spout more nonsense. If she blabbed about it back at the Nine Abyss Sect, her reputation would be ruined.

“Fellow Daoist Zhan, come with me.” Zhu Feng ignored Yan Zhichuan.

Zhan Yujie hummed in acknowledgment. There was an opportunity in this Blessed Land, and she had to claim it.

Yan Zhichuan tilted her head. Seeing Zhu Feng and Zhan Yujie both ignoring her, she felt a bit miffed. She tugged at Little Fat Chirp’s feathers on her shoulder. After a short rest, she started chattering at Zhu Feng, who was leading the way ahead.

“Fellow Daoist Zhu, you’re out adventuring so young without even preparing your own pills—must mean you’re pretty skilled, right? Whose Cave Heaven True Person disciple are you?”

Zhu Feng’s back was to Yan Zhichuan and Zhan Yujie.

She couldn’t hold back anymore; her face darkened abruptly.

She wasn’t a Cave Heaven disciple—not even a registered one.

Her master was merely a Nascent Soul True Person from the Miracle Hand Sect.

Like the Chongxu Sect, without the sect’s full support, achieving Cave Heaven would be incredibly difficult for her. Even stumbling upon a massive opportunity, she might not have the ability to hold onto it alone.

But Yan Zhichuan was a personal disciple of the Nine Abyss Sect’s Sect Master.

Even if she never became Sect Master, she’d still get resources to propel her toward Cave Heaven.

Zhu Feng’s impression of Yan Zhichuan was abysmal. It was hard not to see her words as passive-aggressive jabs.

After a moment of silence, she said flatly, “My master is just a Nascent Soul True Person.”

Yan Zhichuan blinked, caught off guard. She hadn’t known that.

According to the system’s intel, she saw Liu Yanqing as a gold-digger, passing up someone like Zhan Yujie—who could endlessly supply Pill Jades and Dan Sands—for someone better?

Ah, so it’s true love between them?

Fair enough. An arranged fiancée you’ve never met probably isn’t that important.

But isn’t this path veering off course? Why not just break off the engagement first?

Can’t be wanting to have it both ways, right?

Her sympathetic gaze lingered on Zhan Yujie.

Yan Zhichuan was this close to stepping forward and patting her shoulder: Don’t lose heart.

Her gaze burned too hot and bright for Zhan Yujie to ignore.

She subtly glanced at Yan Zhichuan, a wave of helplessness rising deep inside.

Here we go again.

“The student surpasses the master.” Yan Zhichuan’s eyes were caught by Zhan Yujie. She quickly looked away, fixing on Zhu Feng. “Fellow Daoist Zhu’s so skilled—you must be able to refine Dao Pills, right?”

Zhu Feng nearly laughed from sheer anger. She whipped her head around. “Does Fellow Daoist Yan even know what a Dao Pill is?” The Nine Abyss Sect’s Sect Master, Yan Jizhi, was a Sword Cultivator. Her personal disciples probably were too.

A sword practitioner understanding pill refinement?

Yan Zhichuan smiled humbly. “I know a little.” She paused, then added, “It’s too quiet in this cave. Since Fellow Daoist Zhu’s a prized disciple of the Miracle Hand Sect, how about we spar on pill refinement? A Sword Immortal who can’t refine Dao Pills isn’t a good Sword Immortal.”

Zhan Yujie’s face remained expressionless, but inwardly she sneered coldly.

What kind of Sword Cultivator is this junior sister of mine?

“Absurd,” Zhu Feng said.

She didn’t believe a word from Yan Zhichuan.

Ten thousand years ago, during the Immortal-Demon War, the Dao of Pills had nearly been wiped out. The surviving formulas had been pieced together by later generations of pill refiners. Even Cave Heaven True Persons didn’t dare claim they could refine Dao Pills, yet this Sword Cultivator was bragging away.

“You need to get out more. Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist,” Yan Zhichuan said, unhappy at the dismissal. She was the Child of Heavenly Dao—how could she be like ordinary people? She spoke earnestly, “Drowning in romance isn’t good in the end. Fellow Daoist, you should focus your heart on the Great Dao.”

Zhu Feng: “…”

She took a deep breath, afraid she’d lose control.

She silently repeated to herself not to stoop to Yan Zhichuan’s level until her anger subsided.

“We’re here,” Zhu Feng said to Zhan Yujie.

A narrow gap remained between the stone walls.

Barely wide enough for one person to squeeze through.

But if something popped out from the end of the crevice, the person wedged in the rocks might not even have time to react.

“Have you gone in before, Fellow Daoist Zhu?” Zhan Yujie asked.

She spotted footprints on the ground.

Zhu Feng noticed Zhan Yujie’s gaze and nodded. “That’s exactly why I know the Diamond Flawless Fruit is in there. This exotic fruit is nurtured by the spiritual rhymes of heaven and earth—rootless, branchless. I couldn’t reach it.”

Zhan Yujie hummed.

Anywhere else, she might try cleaving the stone wall with a sword.

But here, with mana suppressed, her sword’s power was greatly diminished.

“Junior Sister Yan, can your spirit pet scout it out?” Zhan Yujie turned to Yan Zhichuan, lifting her gaze to meet Little Fat Chirp’s as it hopped onto Yan Zhichuan’s head.

Xiao Tian, go take a look,” Yan Zhichuan said, suddenly enlightened. She urged the Heavenly Dao System, envisioning success. “You’re the only one who can fly. If there’s a Diamond Flawless Fruit, bring it back in your beak.”

Heavenly Dao System: “…I’m an energy body. I can’t carry things in my beak.”

Yan Zhichuan: “Oh, then just scout ahead.”

The Heavenly Dao System was made to be bossed around.

The Heavenly Dao System chirped twice and resignedly slipped through the gap.

It flew back soon after. “Yuan Qi is dense in there—perfect for secluded cultivation. There’s a Diamond Flawless Fruit floating in the cave, out of reach. One section of the wall is false, leading to an exit. Someone’s hiding there.”

“How is it?” Zhan Yujie asked.

Yan Zhichuan’s gaze swept toward Zhu Feng. “No living creatures inside, but—”

Zhu Feng’s heart chilled, an ominous premonition rising. “But what?”

Yan Zhichuan didn’t blink. “But there’s Bewitching Passion Powder in there.” She strode toward Zhu Feng, practically pressing up against her, and sniffed. “Exactly the same as on Fellow Daoist Zhu.”

Zhu Feng’s face changed in an instant, shock and fury mixing.

She did have Bewitching Passion Powder on her, but she hadn’t spread it inside yet—how could it be there?

She shoved Yan Zhichuan hard, but it was like hitting a stone wall. Instead, she stumbled back, her spine slamming into the cold rock.

Zhan Yujie took in Zhu Feng’s shifting expression.

She wasn’t close with Yan Zhichuan, and she didn’t know Zhu Feng at all.

As long as Yan Zhichuan didn’t go off the rails, she trusted her fellow sect sister’s words more.

“Fellow Daoist Zhu?” Zhan Yujie lowered her eyes and spoke leisurely.

Zhu Feng’s gaze darted away, her guilt making her short of breath. She blustered, “Are you slandering me with empty words?!”

Yan Zhichuan, itching for chaos, rubbed her hands excitedly. “Senior Sister, soul search her!”

That’s how it always goes in the stories.

Not just Zhu Feng—even Zhan Yujie’s expression shifted.

The look in her eyes toward Yan Zhichuan gained a layer of scrutiny.

Who taught her that?!

Heavenly Dao System: “…”

This host it’s bound to… is a bit twisted, isn’t she?