Chapter 28

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Chapter 28

As rumors began to spread, the first to hear the news was Bao Pu Mansion.

In the mansion, affairs were managed by an elder sister and her two younger brothers, who had held this position for fourteen generations.

The elder sister, calling herself Yung Fangshan, was named Fu Qingyuan, and she immediately determined that this was true.

Her two younger brothers listened with surprise, considering that their rival, Zhi Bai Guan, might resort to dangerous means to stir up trouble before the Yuan Xian Immortal Assembly next year.

"Elder sister, think about it; if they fabricate such evil spirits and then find a time to defeat them themselves, how much praise and fame could they gain?"

"The third brother has a point," the elder sister replied, "but how can there be an immortal in this world?"

Fu Qingyuan swept her sharp brows over them, countering, "What if they do become immortals?"

"Of course, it means eternal life," Fu Qingbo scratched his chin and said, "but for a young girl…"

"How much benefit would Ba Jing Tower gain if Zhi Bai Guan intended to spread rumors? How could more than ten people follow along with such tales?"

She was already convinced.

"This Moonfire Valley should not be underestimated in the future."

The strategy of distant alliances and nearby attacks was grasped by the two younger brothers without their elder sister needing to mention it.

"Now that rumors are spreading throughout the world, I estimate that in a few more days, cultivators will come to exterminate the evil spirits."

"But Moonfire Valley has never admitted to such crimes. That girl risked her life to save others in front of the four sects; how could she possibly be an evil spirit?"

If such misfortune arises, must one sacrifice their life to save another, and then face rebirth as punishment?

With the conversation reaching this point, the three siblings had reached a mutual understanding.

Facing this peculiar situation, it is wiser to win over than to resort to forceful measures.

Moonfire Valley provided medical services and was highly regarded in the southwestern region, though outsiders were unaware of this.

Previously, Zhi Bai Guan had extended a favor out of fear that the older members of their clan might fall ill, knowing that their Daoist and sword cultivator members would not provide adequate care.

Bao Pu Mansion boasts many alchemists, and their medicine was quite effective, but they knew their strength lay in refining celestial spiritual energy; their knowledge of medicine was only superficial.

Now that Zhi Bai Guan had turned against them overnight, this was the perfect time to act!

The siblings mutually agreed that a marriage was the most secure option.

Other relationships were temporarily superficial; only marriage could maintain lasting good relations, and outsiders would have no grounds to comment or speak ill.

"I have never married since entering the Path of Emotionless, and the eldest son of the third brother is still at a stubborn stage, so he is not someone to entrust for life."

Fu Qingyuan looked at her second brother and remembered something, "Your eldest son has been married for many years; perhaps the second son is just at the right time?"

"Chong Er indeed has good character," Fu Qingbo took a sip of tea and pondered, "but I’m afraid of mismatching couples and finding him an unsatisfactory wife, leading to a potential divorce in the future."

"What is rumored about that girl?"

"It seems her appearance has never been described, but based on her risking her life to save Uncle, she is already quite righteous." Fu Qingyuan analyzed decisively, "The fact that Uncle brought her back also shows that all the palaces in Moonfire Valley value her; she must be a promising disciple, or she wouldn’t have survived those three arrows from He Zhao Li."

"With both righteousness and talent, I think she’s very good."

Fu Qingbo repeatedly agreed and rose to take his leave.

"Sister is right; I will go ask the child for his thoughts."

Fu Guangchong, with a cheerful and smiling personality, originally planned to discuss marriage after reaching a hundred years old, seeking a partner with a similar cultivation level.

With an elder arranging the marriage, he would be happy to agree, enjoying a carefree life without settling down.

Indeed, after discussing, the father and son felt quite satisfied with the arrangement.

Once decided, they promptly began arranging the traditional matchmaking process, fearing they might be outpaced by others.

At that moment, in the main hall of Liu Jia Palace, both parties took their seats high up, and three matchmakers also appeared.

According to the rules of large families, the more cherished the marriage proposal, the more reliable the matchmaker should be.

One spoke on behalf of the male side to propose, another negotiated for the female side, and a third matchmaker mediated between the two to properly adjust the atmosphere.

Yan Fangji sat to the side, drinking tea quietly while trying to appear composed.

This main hall was vast and bright; on ordinary days, it seemed grand for four or five Palace Lords discussing matters.

This was the first time that over twenty people sat, needing extra chairs, and the disciples were busy serving tea and pouring water.

Tu Xuixin chuckled quietly, "You’ll need to negotiate and adjust things later."

"Although it is the parents’ command and the matchmaker’s words," Yan Fangji remained cautious, not revealing Gong Wu’s name, "the young lady must see for herself."

"By the way, where is she?" Tu Xuixin recalled an important point, "Shouldn’t the child see through the screen herself, and only come out if she’s willing?"

Yan Fangji hesitated for a moment, then quickly whispered something to Cheng Ji.

Cheng Ji naturally found an excuse to leave the hall, quietly letting Gong Wu out first.

Fu Qingbo praised the floral tea’s rich aroma, smiling to ease the tension.

"Recently, there have been some rumors outside, but I heard from you all that your esteemed daughter is still of an unmarried age, so naturally, she should wait until her wedding day to meet outsiders."

"Today, the main purpose is to bring my son to meet the esteemed family and hope for a good connection."

Fu Guangchong stood up briskly, smiling as he greeted the masters of each palace, including Ji Yang.

"If there is a connection, I will call you brother-in-law, so please take good care of him."

Ji Yang lightly declined, "No need."

After a while, Cheng Ji returned quickly, smiling as he invited the guests to enjoy some tea and snacks, while also asking Senior Brother Yan to step out and check the elixirs in the cauldron.

"Please do, please do, no need to be polite!" Fu Qingbo hurriedly said, "We can casually chat with her master and get to know each other better!"

Tu Xuixin felt a bit confused.

Isn’t Senior Brother a sword cultivator? Since when did he start refining elixirs?

Yan Fangji patted his shoulder and left with Cheng Ji.

"Have a good chat, don’t fall short."

Tu Xuixin turned to look at the group of guests, swallowing hard, his smile feeling a bit stiff.

Oh no, what should I say now?

After leaving the hall, Cheng Ji kept looking back to check for outsiders and anxiously pulled Yan Fangji, "It’s a disaster; Wu Er is missing!"

"Missing?" Yan Fangji was taken aback, "Did she run away?"

"No, it’s like she vanished into thin air!" Cheng Ji brought him to the ground door where Gong Wu had been hidden earlier, speaking in a rush, "I checked carefully; aside from the broken Magical Formation, there aren’t even any signs that the door was opened."

"And I checked the vault, too. There were no signs of digging, and the walls are intact; we just can’t find her!"

Yan Fangji quickly entered the place where Gong Wu had been, sensing the spiritual energy and feeling a chill in his heart.

"It’s been almost half an hour since she left; where could she have gone?!"

"Could it be that the child felt she was a burden and ran off in a hurry?!" Cheng Ji stomped his foot, "We should have kept her close!"

Yan Fangji felt a vague headache coming on.

Today, Bao Pu Mansion was here to propose, but he couldn’t handle both situations, and now the girl was missing!

"Could she have gone through the underground passage to another location?"

"I’ve searched all eighteen paths underground, checked all the secret rooms," Cheng Ji sighed with worry, "She’s not hiding on purpose like a child playing hide-and-seek; if she’s gone, she’s just gone."

"But how could she leave?" Yan Fangji countered, "Are you sure none of the doors were opened?"

"None; if a door opened, the symbols on the formation would change."

The two looked at each other, left speechless.

Where is she?? Where on earth has she gone??

After a while, Tu Xuixin’s forced smile had made his face ache, and only then did his senior brother and senior sister return one after another.

Master Ancestor glanced up casually and asked, "How is the cauldron?"

"There was a minor mishap; let’s not dwell on that," Yan Fangji said as he lifted his robe and took a seat, then turned to Tu Xuixin, "How are you feeling?"

Tu Xuixin had been cautious not to be drawn into conversation and was now suffering from a headache due to the sweet talk of the three matchmakers; he looked to Master Ancestor for help.

Master Ancestor spoke gently, "The matter of the marriage proposal should be considered carefully over time."

"Please take back the betrothal gifts for today; if a true marriage is to occur in the future, it is more important for your boy to treat her well than any number of golden beads or jade pendants."

"That is natural, that is natural!"

Ji Yang furrowed his brows, scrutinizing Fu Guangchong, feeling a tinge of displeasure.

Being frivolous is not the mark of a good man.

He was uneasy about entrusting his junior sister to such a person.

Tu Xuixin observed that the young man looked spirited and seemed pleasant; he thought of letting Little Wu see for herself.

As Master was speaking with them, he nudged Yan Fangji.

Where is she?

Yan Fangji shook his head firmly.

Tu Xuixin was taken aback and whispered, "Is she unwilling to marry?"

That makes sense, a seventeen-year-old is still a little girl.

For cultivators, life is long; there is no rush to marry.

Yan Fangji couldn’t fathom where Gong Wu could have run off to; at the moment, he was more concerned about her safety than the marriage, and he shook his head, saying, "I will explain later."

Master Ancestor sensed something unusual and exchanged a few soft words before intentionally sending the guests off.

"Though the marriage matter remains undecided, we’ve made a connection; you are always welcome to visit in the future."

As soon as these words were spoken, they hit the mark with the Fu family.

"The younger generation has prepared a few boxes of modest gifts to offer as a token of connection," Fu Qingbo smiled and said, "It is an honor for Bao Pu Mansion to build a good relationship with Moonfire Valley!"

"Even if the marriage does not come to fruition, our two families being able to interact more is still a good thing!"

Their attitude was calm and understanding; after delivering the meeting gifts, they bade farewell warmly without lingering.

The palace lords accompanied them outside the valley, and only after they had vanished did they return.

Tu Xuixin felt a sense of emotion, "No wonder Bao Pu Mansion has been able to stay ahead of Zhi Bai Guan all these years; they know how to handle things."

"Stop looking," Yan Fangji pulled his junior brother back, "This is bad; Little Wu is missing!"

Ji Yang, who had been walking calmly, frowned upon hearing this, "Where was she just now?"

Yan Fangji and Cheng Ji had only shown their anxious faces at this moment, recounting the situation one by one.

How could a perfectly fine person just disappear like that?! It doesn’t make sense!!

Tu Xuixin was originally still walking when he heard and immediately started running back, raising his voice and calling out in panic, "Gong Wu!!"

"Little Wu!! Where have you hidden!! Come back!!"

"It’s okay if you never get married!! Just come back—"

Gong Wu didn’t know how long she had been unconscious; suddenly, her consciousness sank into nothingness, and she felt a suffocating sensation.

Wake up, wake up!!

Desperate, she forced her eyes open, driven by her survival instinct. She accidentally swallowed some bitter liquid, which made her cough violently.

"Cough, cough, cough!!"

Gong Wu felt as though she was submerged in some kind of liquid, but she couldn’t swim. After struggling in the darkness several times, she finally managed to stand up, her hair hanging down, soaked and disheveled.

That was close; I almost choked to death!

A sharp voice from above said, "Oh my, she’s quite something; she isn’t afraid of poison!"

Another elderly voice chimed in, "She can’t see. Light a lamp for her."

Soon, she heard the rustling sound of animals moving about. Not long after, an oil lamp suddenly lit up, illuminating the entire cave.

At that moment, Gong Wu stood in water up to her neck. In the flickering light, she clearly saw the two little foxes that had brought her here.

Uneasy, she glanced around and noticed countless glowing eyes in the dark heights of the cave, all eerily reflected by the firelight.

"You… you are…"

Being treated as a monster was one thing, but did these monsters want to kill me too?!

The little fox curled its tail and mimicked a human gesture, bowing.

"Please, save our ancestor."

Gong Wu snapped angrily, "You dragged me here without a word and now expect me to save your ancestor?"

"We really have no choice," the little fox said sharply. "Do you think I would tell you if it would make you agree?"

"If you agree, then we’ll be in your debt."

"And if I don’t agree?!"

The old fox, as if expecting this, twitched its whiskers.

"Then you’ll have to stay here for the rest of your life and never leave."

How could such a tyrannical monster exist?!

Gong Wu thought about how frantic her master and the others would be when they discovered she was missing, and her anxiety surged.

"Let me go back first; I’ll find a way to help you, okay?"

"You took me without a word; my family will be worried sick!"

The old fox flicked its tail, unmoved.

"If you don’t save our ancestor, we will never let you go."

"And if you can’t save them, you won’t be able to leave either."

The girl was left standing in the deep water, her bangs dripping wet.

"Do you have no sense of reason?!"

The little fox shook its head and asked, "Will you save us?"

Gong Wu replied angrily, "You treat me like this; of course, I won’t help!"

The two little foxes exchanged glances, and the old fox flicked its tail. Suddenly, the oil lamp went out, leaving her to fend for herself in the darkness.

At that moment, Gong Wu calmed down and finally noticed the stench of decay around her, her anxiety deepening.

She was not the first person brought here to save this ancestor, but why did they have to capture her?

Combining what the little red-haired fox had said earlier, this pool of poisonous water must be toxic, and they couldn’t cross it.

—It was the rumors of her immortal body that had drawn this trouble!

She felt wronged and found herself trapped in the cold, poisonous water with no way to escape, her nose tingling, wanting to yell for help.

But the sounds in the cave, the people in Moonfire Valley couldn’t possibly hear her.

In the darkness above, there were many rustling sounds, perhaps from the foxes’ kind.

Gong Wu thought hard about how to escape. She tried calling for Luo San to come, but it was too far away, and after waiting a long time, there was still no response.

The poisonous water wouldn’t listen to her commands; she couldn’t climb over the foxes to escape, and all her routes were blocked.

"Come back," she shivered from the cold and said angrily, "First, turn the light back on."

With a flick of its tail, the oil lamp was lit again, and the old and young fox sat back down, watching her from High Up.

"Where is this?"

"At the Mysterious Void Cave."

"Which county is the cave in?"

"In the Monster Realm."

Gong Wu sighed, knowing that being in the Monster Realm made it even harder to escape, and asked, "Is your ancestor a fox as well?"

"Of course!"

"Where is it, and how can I save it?"

The two little foxes exchanged excited glances and wagged their tails.

"Just keep walking straight along the path, and you’ll reach the end."

"Our ancestor is tied up; you need to break the seals and let them out!"

Gong Wu replied angrily, "When you brought me here, I didn’t even bring any magical tools. How could I do this empty-handed?!"

"That’s not a problem," the old fox swished its tail down. "Many of the people we tied up before had weapons, and now they’re all at the bottom of this poisonous pool. Just pick any one and use it."

Gong Wu realized she had no other choice now, held her breath, and got ready to pick up a useful tool, but frowned and said, "What exactly is inside? You’d better explain clearly."

"Delaying me from knowing the details might put your ancestor’s life at risk!"

The two little foxes began to speak all at once, explaining the situation to her.

They said that their ancestor fox had been pierced through the pipa bone by an enemy and had been trapped in this cursed place for over two hundred years.

During that time, their descendants had tried every possible way to rescue the ancestor, killing several powerful cultivators in the process, but they still couldn’t find a way.

No matter how strong a person was, once they were captured and brought into this poison lair, they would easily be corroded by the poison, and before they even woke up, they would be dead.

There were about ten others like Gong Wu who could withstand the poison, but none could endure the subsequent suffering.

Gong Wu sighed and asked, "Does your ancestor know how ungrateful you are?"

Upon hearing this, the little fox burst into tears, "If only he knew! If only he knew!"

"He has been hanging on by a thread, in a daze for two hundred and nineteen years. How could he hear us calling out to him?"

The old fox nuzzled the young one and cleared its throat, saying, "The enemy has set a hidden formation; listen carefully."

"Below lies a poisonous swamp, above is a fierce law, and in the middle rages a sea of fire."

"You must cross the water, endure knife cuts and stabs, and pass through molten iron flames to find our ancestor and bring him back!"

Gong Wu felt a wave of despair.

How much pain would it take to survive this ordeal?

Had she wronged this den of foxes in her past life, forcing her to repay the debt in this one?

"Since you can knock out and tie up these people, why not just kill your enemy and be done with it?!"

The little fox, who had just stopped crying, wailed again, "That guy is already dead!!!"

"We thought that when he died, all the Spell Techniques would be undone, but they haven’t been!!!"

Gong Wu’s head throbbed from their crying. She covered her mouth and nose, rummaging through the floating bodies for several magical tools.

She found a pure gold bodhi string, a gem-studded magic staff, and a sharp sword entwined with nine dragons.

Each item was clearly of great value, crafted from the finest materials.

She chose a bone-handled long knife that she could wield with one hand and struggled forward.

The poisonous water was deep; with every step, filth splashed onto her face.

At first, the two little foxes ran along the vines with her, but as they reached a dead end, they still refused to leave.

Seeing her willingness to cooperate, the old fox blew gently into the air, and the light from the oil lamp rose like fireflies, floating ahead with the little girl.

Gong Wu used the long knife as a staff to support herself as she trudged on, stepping unevenly for a long time, and soon noticed the ground rising.

The poisonous pool first reached her chest, then her waist.

Just as she caught her breath, a mechanism triggered with a loud bang, and knife walls closed in from both sides!

Before she could see the walls clearly, she felt a chill all over her body, and before she could even feel pain, her consciousness faded away.

…She truly could not escape this calamity.

After an unknown amount of time, her consciousness slowly returned.

Her limbs and insides had been pierced by the tightly closing knife walls, and this time, the healing process was agonizingly slow.

Gong Wu sweated from the pain, yet she could not escape it. She forced herself to think about other matters related to Moonfire Valley.

If she was not there, her master and senior brothers would surely be frantic.

…If only she could have left a note before leaving?

When she was taken, did the two little foxes seal the hole? If there were any traces left, her master might be able to find her?

But seeing how experienced they were, it was probably a long shot.

She had thought of everything, even the dishes from the kitchen over the past few days. Yet, she still had six or seven bones shattered, stuck in a slow healing state.

Gong Wu’s pain soaked her clothes with sweat as she cursed that worthless ancestor a thousand times. After exhausting all the bad words she could think of, she silently counted amidst the buzzing sound.

When she reached about twenty-eight thousand seconds, she could finally open her healed eyes and struggled to stand up.

But she couldn’t feel happy at all.

Now that she had finally healed, she didn’t know how many times she would be sliced again or if she could survive it.

Gong Wu sighed in frustration, opened her eyes, and looked around, stepping forward into the poisonous water again.

Sure enough, the knife walls were triggered once more, suddenly closing in from both sides like huge jaws!

Gong Wu closed her eyes tightly, scared enough that tears streamed down her cheeks, yet she found herself wedged in so tightly that she was still alive.

She was not dead!

Used to dying, the little girl suddenly realized she was still alive and thought something must be wrong.

She was squeezed in a very narrow gap, observing the fully closed knife walls on either side.

The blades pressed tightly against her arms and neck, but not a single place broke her skin.

Gong Wu hissed and inhaled deeply to shift her abdomen away from the blade, tearing open the part of her clothing that was caught.

The sharp blade could not penetrate her soft belly, and once it shifted, it shot out fiercely, stabbing into a recess of the other wall.

Stuck in this twisted position, she managed to move her hand.

She deliberately pressed her fingertip against the sharp blade and dragged it across.

Her fingertip felt dull, and her skin remained unharmed.

“…?”

The little girl strained to push her arms and legs while feeling extremely hungry, trying hard to remember how she had died before. The first time, the second time, she had been poisoned in Wan Shi Pool. The third time was when she was stabbed through the chest by a scoundrel from the Demon Realm and died in the tunnel.

The fourth time… was when she was injured during the upheaval of Jin Yan Tuo; the needle was poisoned, and she died from the poison.

The fifth time, was it from being poisoned by a leopard, or was it by her brother’s sword?

She forced one arm out of the wall and desperately strained her thigh, hungry enough to feel like eating the wall itself.

As she recalled her various deaths, she counted on her fingers with both hands, struggling to find a connection.

So, she had actually been poisoned four times and then stopped fearing any poison.

Including today’s death, she had suffered sword scars exactly four times, becoming entirely unafraid of sharp tools. It was truly remarkable.

Gong Wu didn’t know how long it took her to break free from the knife walls, but she finally used the golden knife to chop through the seals embedded deep within, allowing her to pass that obstacle.

Exhausted, she sat on the remains of the floating wall and shouted, “Can you hear me?”

The little fox replied in a tiny voice, “Do you see our ancestor?”

“Not yet, I’m hungry!” Gong Wu, too tired to turn over, lay slumped on the remains of the wall. “You need to find me some food, or I’ll just die here forever, never moving forward again!”

The little fox clearly panicked, saying, “W-we can’t get over there! How can we bring you food?”

“Fool,” she said, wincing from the dull pain of the knife pressing against her, rubbing her arm. “Find a tray and let the food float over!”

“Oh, oh, okay!”

“Get a roasted chicken! Get some food! And tea too!!”

“Alright, alright, alright!!”

After Gong Wu shouted these demands, she could no longer focus on anything else. She closed her eyes and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

So painful… sigh…

In Tianhua Palace, the master and disciple both wore expressions as still as water.

Cheng Ji sat nearby, repeatedly apologizing, insisting that it was his fault that Little Wu had gotten into trouble.

Ji Yang went over the entire sequence of events again and again, but he couldn’t pinpoint where things had gone wrong.

He and his master had even tapped every wall and floor in the secret chamber, confirming there were no hidden holes or gaps through which someone could have taken her.

…Could it be that there was a traitor in Moonfire Valley who had secretly kidnapped her?

But the spot where she had been resting showed no signs of a struggle.

Moreover, all the powerful Uncles present had been outside the valley confronting that immortal, so there was no reason for anyone to harm her.

Ji Yang pondered for a moment, then suddenly stood up and walked straight out.

The others immediately followed him, asking, “Is there anywhere else we haven’t searched? Subei, tell us, and we’ll look together!”

Ji Yang shook his head quickly, taking a few steps until he stood before the Leopard, gripping its neck tightly.

The little Leopard had been curled up asleep and, startled by the sudden grip, arched its back in fear.

“Gong Hua Ji, your master has been taken away, and her fate remains uncertain,” the young man said with an icy gaze, his words deliberate. “Since you haven’t fled, it means she is still alive.”

“Now, take us to find her.”

“If you refuse to cooperate, I’ll kill you right now.”

The little Leopard, accustomed to being pampered by Gong Wu, was now terrified, its fur standing on end.

The killing intent was so palpable that it instinctively wanted to flee, yet it understood every word Ji Yang spoke.

The sharp-toothed Leopard, surprisingly, yielded like a cat under the grip, seemingly agreeing.

Tu Xuixin immediately sensed hope and rushed to Gong Wu’s room to fetch her pillowcase.

“Hey, hey, Hua Ji, do you need to catch her scent?”

As soon as Ji Yang released his grip, the Leopard headed straight for the palace, not needing to sniff around like a tracking dog.

It instinctively followed the bond of spiritual energy to the place where Gong Wu had last been.

When the Leopard stopped before the hidden door, someone quickly opened it, allowing it inside.

Wagging its tail, it followed Gong Wu’s spiritual energy to where she had been, first rubbing against a basket of miscellaneous items, then gazing somewhat blankly at a wall, testing it with a few scratches.

With a stern expression, Ji Yang swung his sword, creating a large hole half the height of a person as dirt scattered everywhere.

Though Tu Xuixin was anxious, he still cautioned his apprentice, “Take it slow; don’t bring the ceiling down. We’d all be buried here.”

The Leopard poked its head into the hole Ji Yang had made, sniffing around, its tail thumping the ground restlessly.

Yan Fangji stayed beside them, though he, too, was anxious, he felt a bit puzzled.

“It looks like solid earth; it doesn’t seem to lead to another passage.”

Ji Yang scooped up a handful of crushed soil, his killing intent intensifying.

“She was taken from here.”

“Look,” he raised his hand and scattered the soil, “this earth is loose and easily crumbled. It was dug up and then filled back in.”

The others quickly dug holes elsewhere and scooped some soil, discovering that the soil on the two sides was indeed different.

During the comparison, Juju the Leopard grew increasingly restless, pacing back and forth in the tunnel, then suddenly nipped at Ji Yang’s robe, as if urging him to follow.

Ji Yang noticed immediately, “Do you want to go out to find her?”

The Leopard nodded.

“In that case, you should go out with your master,” Yan Fangji said, “just in case this is the thief’s scheme; I will stay here to guard the valley.”

The others quickly agreed, and they parted ways.

Once freed, the Leopard dashed off wildly, fixated on one direction and pursuing relentlessly.

The master and apprentice flew on their swords, keeping pace with it closely, observing from high up.

They traveled through mountains for miles, chasing from day into sunset.

Along the way, they encountered swift currents and cliffs, and Tu Xuixin used a technique to summon clouds, lifting the Leopard high into the air, then watching to see where it would run next.

Gong Hua Ji ran non-stop for a full day and night, crossing twelve counties and four states, yet still not reaching the end.

Exhausted, when they finally reached a flat area, the Leopard’s fur suddenly bristled, and it let out a low growl.

The two landed and stopped, alertly scanning their surroundings.

They were in a desolate stretch of land, with a river in the distance, but it showed no intention of crossing.

Ji Yang looked up, noticing mountains hidden in the clouds far away, like a flag planted in the sky, with nothing else visible beyond that.

“Hua Ji,” Tu Xuixin gently stroked its neck, “if you’re tired, I can catch a rabbit for you to eat. Rest, and we’ll continue searching for her, okay?”

Juju the Leopard caught its breath and returned to where it had stopped earlier, circling its tail twice.

It couldn’t speak human language and couldn’t explain what had happened.

Tu Xuixin stared thoughtfully for a moment, then said, “There are two possibilities.”

“The first is that the trail ends here, and it can’t find her anymore.”

The Leopard seemed deaf to this, showing no reaction.

At this moment, Ji Yang felt a flurry of confusion, realizing he could no longer find any traces.

“What’s the second possibility?”

“From here begins another layer of the Monster Realm,” Tu Xuixin looked at him, “similar to the Demon Realm, both realms exist in the human world; you need to know the keys to enter.”

No outsider could tell which leaf or boat marked the entrance, let alone delve into the hidden interior.

Upon hearing this, Gong Hua Ji let out a series of furious cries, its tail striking the ground heavily.

Ji Yang’s breath caught, worry deepening in his chest.

With emotions stirred up, the Path of Emotionless burned and seared incessantly.

Ignoring the pain, he resolutely said, “I will go to seek Rebirth Temple.”

“Are you sure?” Tu Xuixin said lightly. “If they deceive you even once, you might miss the chance to save her.”

“At this moment, there are only two options,” the master said, closing his eyes and gathering his energy for a long time before speaking. “Either we return to the valley and wait for her.”

“Or we go to the nearest black market in Fuzhou to find a way into the Monster Realm.”

“But the black market might not have it, and even if it does, it may not be genuine.”

“Master, you understand my nature,” Ji Yang said softly. “I can’t just sit still and wait for her, and I dread the thought of her facing danger or suffering.”

“If we seek the Master Ancestor’s help to perform the Flower-Burning Soul Inquiry again, could it lead us to some clues?”

Tu Xuixin sighed.

“This method requires depleting all the spiritual energy of the Palace Lord of the Six Palaces, and the ancestor would have to sacrifice a significant portion of his own cultivation.”

“The cost is immense; he rarely uses it more than twice in a century.”

“To ask Old Immortal Chen to perform it twice in one year would be akin to asking for his life.”

Ji Yang, still somewhat clear-headed, felt guilty for his earlier words.

His heart burned with anguish, and even the sorrowful marks flickered several times, as if they might vanish.

The young man stood still for a long time, finally calming down after many conflicting thoughts.

When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse.

“Master, let’s go.”

Above the poisonous water, Gong Wu slowly awakened, feeling a furry paw touching her nose.

“Still alive,” she said wearily. “Did you all come?”

The two foxes sat on a giant lily pad, and beside them were several plates of delicious food, even a plate of plum blossom cake that they had seemingly stolen from somewhere.

Gong Wu fumbled to sit up, not caring where the food came from, and began to devour it ravenously.

She had exhausted too much energy; her entire body ached painfully.

The little fox looked up at her as she tore into a roasted chicken leg, licking its lips. “If it’s not enough, I’ll go find more.”

Gong Wu quickly shook her head, accepting a bowl of soup from the older fox. As she drank, tears streamed down her face.

She hated them for trapping her here to suffer and die, but now there was no one else to talk to.

The older fox gazed at the terrifying knife walls, which had crumbled into a terrible state, astonished.

“Further ahead lies a sea of fire,” it said suddenly.

Gong Wu finished the soup and wiped the tears from her face.

“Aren’t you afraid I might kill that ancestor with one stroke?”

“If you could, it would be better than enduring pain for hundreds of years,” the older fox replied gently. “You cannot kill him; even now, he could easily kill us.”

“We brought you here, and we were already prepared to pay with our lives.”

Gong Wu stared at him blankly, then continued drinking the soup with her head down.

They’re all bastards.

All of them are bastards!!

After she had eaten and drunk her fill, she rose to her feet once more, gripping the handle of her long knife tightly as she pressed forward.

The two little foxes perched on the lily pad, their eyes fixed on what was about to unfold.

Gong Wu wasn’t sure if her guess was correct, but she silently prayed.

If dying four times could grant her immunity to one form of death, she would surely end it swiftly, survive to save that ancestor, and then rush back home.

Home—she longed for it desperately. She didn’t want to stay here a moment longer.

The cave grew narrower and darker, and soon she had to stoop to continue along the path.

Before the firelight could illuminate her way, her spiritual vision revealed the narrow passage etched with countless symbols.

The intricate strokes and cryptic patterns resembled countless centipedes writhing and crawling, sending a shiver down her spine.

Surely, the end of the spell was carved at the far end of the passage.

Without breaking the spell’s end, nothing could be destroyed.

Gong Wu took a deep breath and tested the rock wall with her long knife, but it remained unscathed.

She couldn’t even scratch the surface, let alone destroy the entire wall or erase a single symbol.

With a bitter smile, she steeled herself for death and leaned forward once more.

The little fox on the lily pad whispered timidly, “I’m sorry… thank you.”

The girl didn’t look back, bending low as she moved ahead.

“I thank your ancestor.”