Chapter 19
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Chapter 19: You Are the Only One
“The jade pendant you wear can shield you from spiritual senses.
The cave dwelling is fraught with dangers, and the item I seek is guarded by a beast. Though the beast’s power is weakened by a seal, it remains beyond our ability to defeat. Therefore, Duan Wu and I will distract it, while you sneak in and retrieve the item.”
Qin Chu Yi’s voice wavered with emotion. “This is the favor I need from you, and only you can help. That’s why it must be you.”
A jade pendant?
Ming He glanced down at the pendant she wore, a relic from the original owner, worn since birth like a protective talisman.
The original owner, Su Ming He, was the fifth daughter of the Su family in Qing Shi Town, born to a servant who had become a concubine after catching the eye of Su’s father. Her mother had passed away shortly after giving birth.
The pendant had been bought by Su’s mother from a stall as a talisman for her unborn child, a gesture of hope for good fortune.
A lowly concubine with no means could not afford anything to aid cultivation or health, so she settled for something simple yet meaningful.
So, it can shield against spiritual senses?
It was indeed special, though useless against demonic obsession.
“Why doesn’t Sister Qin simply take the pendant?” Ming He couldn’t hide her confusion.
“Take” was a polite term; the lofty Young Master lacked nothing. If she refused to hand it over, he could easily resort to killing for treasures.
Ming He admitted she often assumed the worst of people and situations, but her suspicions weren’t unfounded.
Qin Chu Yi hadn’t demanded it, nor even asked. Did that mean the pendant only worked when worn by her, shielding her from spiritual senses?
So, it truly had to be her!
“The pendant has already recognized you as its master. If removed, it becomes nothing more than a worthless stone,” Qin Chu Yi explained, confirming Ming He’s thoughts.
“I see,” Ming He nodded, deciding not to press further. She made a mental note to research the pendant’s origins in the library upon returning to her sect.
“Then let’s go.” Ming He tightened her grip on the white long sword, her expression calm and resolute.
“Mm.” Qin Chu Yi gave a subtle nod and turned to Elder Lin. “Elder Lin, we’re heading in. The outside is in your hands.”
If all went well, in just an hour, she would be free from the fate she had carried since birth, and she could finally step onto that battlefield.
She needed to grow strong, to exact vengeance, to purge the foreign foes and eradicate the wicked!
Emotions churned in Qin Chu Yi’s eyes. She took a deep breath, suppressing her feelings, and stepped forward with her sword in hand, Duan Wu following closely.
Ming He trailed behind, her gaze lowered, the deep blue sky and drifting clouds still visible behind her.
“Young Master, remember to return within an hour,” Elder Lin cautioned with concern.
No one knew what would happen if they were trapped inside the cave for longer.
Qin Chu Yi didn’t respond, striding boldly into the cave.
“Form the formation,” Elder Lin commanded in a low voice, his hands moving to shield the area from prying eyes.
“It’s so dark,” Ming He murmured, adjusting her robe as she walked beside Qin Chu Yi, scanning the surroundings. Duan Wu positioned himself behind them, standing guard.
The cave was a world apart from the outside. Sunlight and clouds were barred, leaving only darkness and silence, like a lifeless underground tomb.
“This cave dwelling has always been hidden beneath the ground.”
With just a glance at Ming He, Qin Chu Yi knew exactly what she was thinking. “It has surfaced now because Elder Lin used a grand formation to forcibly pull it out. In one hour, the formation will fade, and the cave will sink back into the earth, vanishing once more.”
As she spoke, Qin Chu Yi brushed aside the weeds at her feet. “We’re still only at the outer perimeter, which is why it’s so quiet. Ahead lies the inner area, filled with countless spirit herbs, elixirs, and opportunities for inheritance. But it’s also teeming with powerful beasts we cannot hope to defeat and traps and mechanisms at every turn.”
“Is what Sister Qin is seeking located deep within?” Ming He reevaluated her own position, her seriousness deepening.
She didn’t fully grasp the concept of an ancient cave dwelling, but the idea of someone forcibly pulling a sunken dwelling from the earth and sustaining it for an hour was beyond anything she had ever heard of.
Was it a testament to the boundless wonders of the world, or was Qin Chu Yi’s status simply too lofty?
The original story had only mentioned that she came from one of the world’s most elite families. But what did “elite” truly entail?
“It’s not in the deepest part,” Qin Chu Yi replied, shaking her head. “It’s just ahead.”
After speaking, Qin Chu Yi’s gaze settled on a palace in the distant valley, her eyes gleaming with intensity. “Elder Lin’s formation has lulled most of the beasts in this cave dwelling into a drowsy state, which is why our journey has been so uneventful. However, the guardian beast is too powerful to be affected, so we’ll have to take a risk.”
Her expression was resolute as she reached into her storage ring and retrieved a small, intricately crafted compass. The dark green needle spun before pointing directly toward the palace. “What I seek is inside,” she confirmed.
“Ming He, when Duan Wu and I draw the beast away, you must sneak in, retrieve the item, and leave immediately. Follow the path we took to get here, and don’t worry about us. Do you understand?”
Though Qin Chu Yi’s features were shadowed in the dim light, her eyes shone brighter than Ming He had ever seen them. “Junior Sister Ming He, I’m counting on you.”
“Understood,” Ming He replied, her heart heavy. Whether she had come willingly or not no longer mattered; she would give this her all.
Just how important was this item to Qin Chu Yi?
Despite her icy demeanor, the Woman in White’s voice had trembled with anticipation when she spoke of it.
Could even a Young Master from a noble family desire something so desperately?
Ming He stood still, watching as Qin Chu Yi and Duan Wu darted toward the palace, their figures lingering in her mind long after they disappeared.
“Roar!”
A deafening roar echoed through the cave, shaking the ground and reverberating with an ancient, brutal power.
Ming He concealed herself behind the sprawling branches of a towering tree, her eyes fixed on an enormous beast shaped like a bull. Its dark hide blended seamlessly with the shadows, its head smooth and hornless, and—strangely—it seemed to have only one leg.
The beast’s massive body was as solid as a small mountain, its tail coiled and roughly three feet long. It charged forward with heavy, earth-shaking steps, its presence overwhelming.
What kind of monster is this?
Ming He’s eyes widened in disbelief. This beast was nothing like those she had encountered in the Liu Yun Mountains—it was far larger, fiercer, and more powerful. Just the sweep of its aura left her limbs cold and her fighting spirit extinguished. Was the gap between them truly so vast?
While she felt paralyzed, Qin Chu Yi and Duan Wu moved with ease.
As the beast charged, Duan Wu didn’t draw his sword but instead darted through the forest like the wind, gradually luring it away from the palace. At the right moment, he struck, taunting the beast with precision.
Qin Chu Yi, her white robes still pristine, wielded her long sword with grace, targeting the beast’s weak points with calm precision.
Ming He watched as the two skillfully lured the beast out of the palace and beyond the valley, tricking it into chasing them further away.
The once fearsome, mountain-like beast now seemed clumsy and foolish in Ming He’s eyes, its heavy steps shaking the cave but appearing more like a duped giant spinning in circles.
Tsk, how stupid!
As Ming He silently judged the beast, she caught a glimpse of Qin Chu Yi’s bright, triumphant gaze, and a faint smile tugged at her lips. She quickly shifted direction and slipped into the palace.
Inside, the grand main hall was spacious and ornate, with intricate carvings, blue tiles, white jade walls, and shimmering lights. The palace’s opulence was breathtaking, surrounded by swirling mist and dense spiritual energy that formed a vortex. It was everything one would expect of an ancient cave dwelling.
After a quick scan of her surroundings, Ming He’s gaze locked onto an object floating in mid-air. It shimmered like a star, radiating an aura so profound it was difficult to look at for long.
Even a brief glance made her dizzy, sending waves of unease through her. Was this what Qin Chu Yi sought?
Though she had only glimpsed it briefly in the valley, she remembered the pattern on the ancient flag—a complex design of alternating black and white that matched what she now saw.
Certain this was the item Qin Chu Yi wanted, Ming He reached out and grabbed it, then bolted toward the exit.
As for the other treasures in the hall—jade slips, a sword sheathed in dark green, and other spiritual artifacts surrounded by spiritual energy—Ming He didn’t spare them a second glance.
She remembered her purpose. The ancient cave dwelling was no place for recklessness; no one knew the consequences of taking what wasn’t meant to be taken. She wouldn’t take any risks.
“Hiss!”
Ming He inhaled sharply as a searing pain shot through her palm, far more intense than the sensation of holding the Sword-shaped Herb.
What kind of spiritual artifact is this? It feels like it’s electrified!
She cursed inwardly but clenched her teeth, refusing to let go as she sprinted toward the valley’s exit.
If she could deliver this to Qin Chu Yi, her mission would be complete.
She was on the verge of victory when she suddenly froze.
The mountain-like beast had somehow turned around and was now charging toward her at an alarming speed, its bloodshot eyes locked onto her.
What’s happening? Weren’t Qin Chu Yi and Duan Wu supposed to lure it away? How did it return and block her path?
Ming He’s heart skipped a beat, then began to race uncontrollably.
What should she do?
Panic threatened to overwhelm her, but she forced herself to stay calm. As the beast drew closer, she took a deep breath and clutched the jade pendant around her neck, a flicker of determination in her eyes.
She was betting that Qin Chu Yi hadn’t misjudged the situation, that she, too, could possess the aura of a protagonist.
Ming He quickly scanned her surroundings and, just as the beast turned, darted behind a towering tree. She held her breath, her heart pounding in her throat, as she waited for the beast to pass.
