Volume 5 Chapter 124

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Volume 5 Chapter 124: Three Women Together

But let us return to half an hour before, in the blood-red valley, when those "Beast Madness cultivators" had not yet suddenly appeared to ambush the group of cultivators.

It is said that when Xu Qingfan, Jin Qinghan, Bo Guangyan, and Bo Hui entered the hidden mountain to try to lure out the "Beast Madness cultivator," Little Gold, who was already a bit restless in Xu Xiurong’s arms, became even more agitated, as if something it needed to do was about to happen, twisting and wanting to get away from Xu Xiurong.

If Xu Xiurong had grown up in a farming family, she would surely notice that Little Gold’s current behavior was similar to that of farm animals or guard dogs sensing approaching danger.

Unfortunately, Xu Xiurong had been taken in as a disciple by the respected elder Qingxu at birth, was unaware of worldly affairs, and of course, did not know how chickens or dogs acted when they sensed danger. She thought Little Gold was just being playful, so she smiled lovingly but firmly held Little Gold in her arms.

Finally, when the ground in a certain part of the blood-red valley suddenly shifted and collapsed quietly, a dirty hand slowly reached out from the crack. However, everyone in the valley was focused on the hidden mountain entrance and did not notice this. At that moment, Little Gold finally stopped struggling, but just when Xu Xiurong thought Little Gold had become "well-behaved," it suddenly opened its small mouth and bit hard at Xu Xiurong’s hands that were holding it.

"Ah!"

It was clear that Little Gold did not use all its strength to bite; otherwise, given its ability to fight many beasts, Xu Xiurong’s hand would have been severely injured. Nonetheless, Xu Xiurong’s right hand was marked with a row of bite marks, with blood seeping from each one.

Xu Xiurong, unable to bear the pain, loosened her grip and let Little Gold go. As soon as Little Gold was free from Xu Xiurong’s embrace, it jumped onto the ground and immediately ran quickly towards the valley exit.

With such a swift and agile figure, there was no trace left of it being a wobbly newborn.

When the other cultivators heard Xu Xiurong’s cry of pain and turned in surprise, Little Gold’s figure had already become a small dot, quickly leaving the valley.

When Xu Xiurong saw Little Gold about to run away, she was shocked and ignored the injury on her hand, chasing after Little Gold. She knew how much Xu Qingfan valued Little Gold; otherwise, he wouldn’t carry this little creature with him during dangerous tasks. Since she had volunteered to take care of Little Gold, she couldn’t let anything happen to it; otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to explain it to Xu Qingfan.

However, at the moment Xu Xiurong chased after Little Gold, it suddenly sped up. Though it looked like it had just been born, its speed was surprisingly beyond what Xu Xiurong could manage.

"Martial Sister Xu, this place is very strange; we don’t know what dangers are here. Don’t go too far away!"

Seeing Xu Xiurong about to follow Little Gold outside the valley, Lv Ziqing was alarmed and quickly called out to stop her.

But Xu Xiurong ignored him and continued chasing after Little Gold.

Lv Ziqing was about to chase after Xu Xiurong but was stopped by Li Yuhan. "Martial Uncle Lv, while this valley is strange, the area outside is calm and should be safe. Besides, that spirit pet seems very important to Senior Brother Xu, and it must be protected. Let Sister Xu go."

"But…"

Lv Ziqing hesitated. Although Li Yuhan made a good point, he still worried about Xu Xiurong’s safety.

Li Yuhan noticed Lv Ziqing’s concerns and said, "Senior Brother Xu and the others will soon draw the ‘Beast Madness cultivator’ out of the valley. When the chaos starts, you will need to be there, Martial Uncle Lv. So let’s let the others handle it."

The power of Lv Ziqing’s cultivation method in the chaotic battle can reach its highest potential. Additionally, his own skills are among the best, making him one of the main forces alongside the "Beast Madness cultivator" after a while.

"I’ll go."

Dongfang Qingling said, and without waiting for anyone’s agreement or disagreement, she flew ahead towards the direction where Xu Xiurong and Little Gold had gone. However, the others did not say much. Dongfang Qingling’s water-based cultivation method was not suitable for chaotic battles, and Little Gold liked her very much. She had also built a good relationship with Xu Xiurong during this time. Most importantly, with Dongfang Qingling’s strength, she could take care of Xu Xiurong in case of any unexpected situations. After all, compared to Xu Xiurong at the middle stage of the Fake Golden Core Stage, Dongfang Qingling had already reached the peak of the Fake Golden Core Stage, making her one of the top cultivators among the sixty in the two small teams.

Seeing that no one opposed her, Dongfang Qingling increased her speed towards Xu Xiurong. Because her skills were higher, Dongfang Qingling flew faster than Xu Xiurong. Soon, she was by Xu Xiurong’s side, having already reached outside the blood-red valley. After nodding at Xu Xiurong, she accelerated again and chased after Little Gold.

However, Little Gold seemed to know that Dongfang Qingling was approaching, as if having eyes on the back of its head, and also sped up again. Before, its speed was only comparable to Xu Xiurong’s, but after accelerating, it became even faster than Dongfang Qingling’s full-speed flight. Not only did it maintain its distance from Dongfang Qingling, but it also pulled Xu Xiurong farther away.

In this chase, the two and the beast were getting further away from the blood-red valley. Soon, when they looked back, the blood-red valley had become a small red dot.

So, whether it was Dongfang Qingling or Xu Xiurong, they did not know that shortly after they left the blood-red valley, countless "Beast Madness cultivators" surged up from the ground, and in a surprise attack, former comrades fell one after another.

In a way, although Little Gold was only focused on escaping, it actually saved the two of them. After all, staying in the valley, especially for Xu Xiurong with her delicate nature, would have been a slim chance of survival.

But Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong did not know this at the moment; they were anxiously chasing after Little Gold. They worried about what might happen in the blood-red valley after they left and feared losing Little Gold, making it hard to explain to Xu Qingfan. In their impatience, they overlooked how a newborn beast like Little Gold could run so fast.

Finally, after an unknown amount of time, and without knowing how far they had chased from the crimson valley, the little beast’s speed gradually slowed down, allowing Dongfang Qingling to get closer to it. Just when Dongfang Qingling caught up and lowered herself to scoop it up, Little Gold suddenly stopped running and fell to the ground.

Dongfang Qingling was startled and quickly knelt down to pick up Little Gold and check on it. She saw that Little Gold was limp in her arms, breathing weakly, with pure and innocent eyes. The anger that had built up from chasing it for so long disappeared, and instead, she wrapped Little Gold up and gave it a gentle kiss.

After examining it, Dongfang Qingling realized that Little Gold was only exhausted. Clearly, the reason Little Gold had run so fast was that it had used a special technique that drained its energy to speed up.

Because she had chased Little Gold with all her might, Dongfang Qingling had already pulled away from Xu Xiurong, so she wasn’t in a hurry to turn back. Instead, she stayed in place, waiting for Xu Xiurong. If she returned now, she might miss her, and she also wanted Little Gold to rest for a bit and regain some strength.

※※※※

About a cigarette’s worth of time later, Xu Xiurong finally arrived. Seeing Little Gold in Dongfang Qingling’s arms, she looked relieved. Due to her hurried pace, she was slightly out of breath, her cheeks flushed and looking delicate. Her naturally gentle aura made her even more lovable. Even though Dongfang Qingling was also a woman, seeing Xu Xiurong like this made her heart flutter.

Because they were both women, Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong had built a strong friendship during their two missions. However, sometimes, Dongfang Qingling could not help but feel a little jealous. Although they were both women, Dongfang Qingling was even prettier than Xu Xiurong. Yet during this time, the male cultivators in their group, especially those looking for female partners for Double Cultivation, treated Xu Xiurong with more kindness as if every move she made captivated their attention, and each of them wanted to take care of her.

For example, just now, when Xu Xiurong chased after Little Gold, although only Lv Ziqing called out, most cultivators showed worried expressions, as if they wanted to rush after her to protect her. But when Dongfang Qingling chased after Little Gold, the concern disappeared from their faces, replaced instead by expressions of trust.

Although gaining the trust of companions during a disaster is a confirmation of one’s strength, as a cultivator, one should also be somewhat self-reliant. However, as a woman, especially since Dongfang Qingling was usually confident in her looks and charm, being regarded only as a companion by others made her feel a little disheartened.

But Dongfang Qingling did not know that, while she admired Xu Xiurong, Xu Xiurong looked at Dongfang Qingling standing far away, holding Little Gold, relaxed and calm, dressed in white, standing apart from the world, and her feeling of envy was even stronger than that of Dongfang Qingling.

Some people are born with an adorable charm that makes others want to take care of them, like Xu Xiurong. So, from a young age, she was always looked after by her older brothers, younger brothers, Martial Uncle, and even her nephews. Besides training, there was nothing to worry about, and over time, she got used to being cared for. She couldn’t live without that care; without others to rely on, she would feel lost and confused.

Normally, this would not be much of an issue, but when the disaster began, everyone was busy taking care of themselves, and there was less energy to look after her. The cultivation world was also full of dangers, and in these years of action, she increasingly felt like a burden.

This feeling made her very uncomfortable.

That’s why she worked hard to become independent, studying the ways of cultivation far more than before. Through her efforts, she became the strongest in individual defense in both the "Qingxu Team" and the "Xu Qingfan Team." Xu Qingfan originally planned to let her leave the team for self-reflection, but because Xu Xiurong wanted to change herself, she returned to the Xu Qingfan Team after competing with Qinglingzi.

However, the situation had not really changed; she still needed the care of others, and others still needed her care as well.

Because of this, she envied Dongfang Qingling. Unlike her, Dongfang Qingling never needed anyone’s care, being independent and shining brightly, even having the strength to care for others, always excelling in every aspect, even better than most male cultivators, so much so that people forgot she was also an exceptionally beautiful woman.

In the Jiuhua "Qing" generation, there are many famous geniuses, such as Feng Qingtian, Jin Qinghan, Lv Qingshang, Wang Qingfeng, and many more. Plus, there is Xu Qingfan, who, although of average talent, shines even brighter, envying many sect leader seniors who look at their disciples and shake their heads in sigh.

Among all these geniuses and almost geniuses, Dongfang Qingling’s talent is not any less impressive. It is said that Xu Qingfan is known for being very strict; anyone who does not meet his standards would be dismissed, sent to second-line teams, or even sent to "Ronghua Mountain" for decades of self-reflection. However, Dongfang Qingling is the only female disciple who remained and gained Xu Qingfan’s trust over the years.

Along with Dongfang Qingling’s radiant presence, she speaks with grace, and with just a glance or a word, she gains the trust and support of others. This makes Xu Xiurong, who is usually considered delicate and charming, feel a deep envy, yet Xu Xiurong knows she can never become like Dongfang Qingling.

I believe that if it weren’t for Xu Qingfan and Jin Qinghan, Dongfang Qingling would surely be the center of attention, surrounded by many, calm and carefree, laughing and talking.

Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong are like the fierce sun and the gentle moon; the sun is bright but intimidating, while everyone loves the moon but cannot live without the sun. They admire each other, unaware that the traits they each possess are what the other longs for.

With their own thoughts in mind, when Xu Xiurong arrived and landed before Dongfang Qingling, the two familiar friends only stared at each other in silence.

In the end, it was Dongfang Qingling who first noticed the strange atmosphere between them. Although she didn’t understand why Xu Xiurong was looking at her so strangely, her experience taught her to hide her curiosity. In an instant, she regained her usual graceful demeanor, holding Little Gold and approached Xu Xiurong with a smile, saying, "Martial Sister Xu, I have caught this mischievous little one. Let’s go back. We’ve been away for so long; everyone must be worried."

Xu Xiurong nodded but then shook her head, whispering, "With Elder Martial Sister Dongfang here, they won’t worry about us."

Dongfang Qingling’s eyes sparkled, and then she returned to her charming smile, saying lightly, "If Martial Sister Xu is with us, how could those people not worry?"

Perhaps without meaning to, the two unintentionally complimented each other’s admired traits, but to each other’s ears, it felt somewhat like a tease.

After saying that, Dongfang Qingling felt that she had lost her composure a little. She smiled and changed the subject, saying, "Alright, enough of that, let’s go."

Saying this, she soared into the air and flew back in the direction she came from.

Xu Xiurong nodded and followed behind Dongfang Qingling, flying towards the blood-red valley.

"Senior Brother Xu’s newly acquired spirit pet is of an unknown kind. I don’t have the insight of Senior Brother Xu, but I cannot tell. When I asked Senior Brother Xu, he just smiled and said nothing. This little beast looks like it was just born, but it was amazingly fast when running earlier. If it hadn’t exhausted itself and fallen at the last moment, I truly would not have been able to catch it."

Dongfang Qingling gently stroked Little Gold in her arms and spoke to Xu Xiurong. However, her eyes flickered when Xu Qingfan was mentioned.

Little Gold felt very anxious being taken back to that dangerous valley by Dongfang Qingling. It kept squirming in her arms, but it was already exhausted from the earlier run, so its struggles seemed weak. Finally, Little Gold simply lay down in Dongfang Qingling’s arms, quietly regaining its strength and waiting for another chance to escape.

Xu Xiurong looked at Little Gold in Dongfang Qingling’s arms with curiosity and nodded, saying, "This is definitely not any demon beast I know. Little Gold is so highly spirited; it already showed amazing speed and strength right after being born. It can’t be an ordinary creature. I feel it must at least not be weaker than Senior Brother Xu’s Little Black."

Dongfang Qingling smiled lightly and said, "Senior Brother Xu’s Little Black is the king of the Western Desert, known as the ‘Dark Crow.’ It is said that it can evolve to the heavenly level and challenge a Mahayana Stage master. Even now, Little Black is already at the Golden Core Stage. In this operation, there might only be three or four cultivators stronger than Little Black, and one of them is Senior Brother Xu himself. For Little Gold to reach the same level as Little Black, it should be quite famous, yet I have never heard of it."

Although Dongfang Qingling claimed to not know, she still maintained her composure without losing any of her presence. If others said they did not know, people would think they were simply uninformed; however, when Dongfang Qingling says it, others regard it as a sign that Little Gold is just too rare.

Seeing Dongfang Qingling’s dignified demeanor, Xu Xiurong couldn’t help but sigh in his heart and slowly said, "I don’t know where Senior Brother Xu got Little Gold. If it can grow to the level of Little Black, Senior Brother Xu will be like a tiger with wings, perhaps even becoming the top of the younger generation in the righteous path."

Unexpectedly, after hearing Xu Xiurong’s words, Dongfang Qingling suddenly turned cold and said softly, "Even without Little Gold, Senior Brother Xu is already the number one young hero of the Righteous Alliance. No one can compare to him; there is no doubt about that."

While speaking, she showed no concern for Xu Xiurong’s senior brother Hua Xian, who is also one of the strongest young competitors in the righteous path.

Seeing Dongfang Qingling’s sudden change, Xu Xiurong was taken aback and didn’t know what to say. Although she felt unfair for her senior brother, her gentle nature made it hard for her to speak out against it.

※※※※

Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong both had feelings for Xu Qingfan for a time. Xu Xiurong liked him because he had saved her in the Southern Wasteland. Women, especially single women in their young years, tend to develop feelings for the men who have saved them. This is why so many love stories about heroes rescuing maidens exist in the world.

Moreover, Xu Qingfan’s elegant demeanor, politeness, and vast knowledge, along with his clean and neat appearance, made Xu Xiurong like him even more. After the dangerous battle in the Southern Wasteland, where Xu Qingfan showed his quick thinking, responsibility, bravery, and skill, Xu Xiurong’s feelings for him reached their peak.

However, feelings are just feelings; they are a long way from love. Over the nearly hundred years since she developed feelings for Xu Qingfan, Xu Xiurong had only seen him two or three times. During this time, events like the Qingxu disaster and the turmoil in the cultivation world left her overwhelmed and confused. At first, she often missed Xu Qingfan, but without a long time spent together, those feelings were like a fortress on the sand, easily washed away by the waves. Now, when Xu Xiurong saw Xu Qingfan, she felt a bit uneasy because of her past feelings, or perhaps those feelings still existed but had faded considerably.

Also, given the chaos in the cultivation world, everyone was in danger, and no one would act like a lovesick child at this time. Xu Qingfan’s merciless reprimand of her last time added to her fear of him.

Xu Xiurong’s feelings for Xu Qingfan at that moment were a mix of curiosity, fear, confusion, and a hint of lingering affection.

But unlike Xu Xiurong, Dongfang Qingling spent time with Xu Qingfan and often met him, witnessing every little change in him.

At first, Dongfang Qingling liked Xu Qingfan even less than she liked Xu Xiurong. She was just a spoiled little girl, loved by her arrogant master and envied by her fellow sisters. The other male disciples admired her but were too shy to approach her. She was dazzling and thought she was the best in Jiuhua, so she didn’t pay attention to Xu Qingfan at all. Before the big competition within the school, she didn’t even know who Xu Qingfan was.

However, during the big competition, she was defeated by Xu Qingfan, who was dressed in mourning clothes. Although she was very unhappy about it, she still lost.

It was a clichéd moment, a very usual beginning. The spoiled little princess met someone who dared to go against her for the first time. While she felt angry, she was also very curious. She wanted to make him like her and thought of abandoning him later for revenge. However, before he could like her, she unexpectedly started to like him first. This ordinary story, often found in low-quality novels, could very well happen again with Dongfang Qingling’s character at that time.

Anyway, cultivators rarely read stories from the mortal world, and even Xu Qingfan was the same.

But before these clichéd moments happened, Dongfang Qingling was the first to realize the reason why Xu Qingfan joined the competition. Her anger suddenly disappeared, and she admired Xu Qingfan more, even feeling grateful that she could fight against him.

In the end, although Xu Qingfan lost to Feng Qingtian, his unyielding spirit during the competition made Dongfang Qingling admire him even more.

All of this finally turned Dongfang Qingling’s feelings for Xu Qingfan into fondness.

However, if it weren’t for the events of the past seven years, Dongfang Qingling’s fondness for Xu Qingfan might have faded away like Xu Xiurong’s.

For the past seven years, Dongfang Qingling has been following Xu Qingfan through many battles. At this moment, Xu Qingfan shines brightly, completely different from the shy young boy she first met. The feelings that were hidden in her heart suddenly became very clear.

This sudden clarity of feeling was simply a case of beautiful women loving heroes; there was nothing special about it. Given more time, Dongfang Qingling might find that this feeling would fade again.

However, during these seven years, Dongfang Qingling got to know Xu Qingfan more deeply. While secretly observing him, she noticed every moment of exhaustion and helplessness behind Xu Qingfan’s brilliance. Compared to Xu Qingfan’s glorious image, which everyone admired and feared, Dongfang Qingling found that the occasional hint of helplessness in his eyes, while still being decisive, was what attracted her even more.

The urge to understand Xu Qingfan better grew stronger, and the time her gaze lingered on him became longer and longer.

Over the seven years of completing various tasks, Xu Qingfan had saved her a few times, and she had saved him a few times too. This didn’t make Dongfang Qingling feel anything special; everyone had helped each other in times of danger. What truly moved her were the changes in Xu Qingfan she witnessed during their actions—the exhaustion he faced, making her proud of his successes and aching for his fatigue. Before she knew it, the feelings in her heart that had faded were undergoing a mysterious change.

Seven years ago, when Xu Qingfan personally killed his Martial Uncle, who nearly put everyone in danger, everyone else was shocked. Only Dongfang Qingling silently watched, feeling pain for Xu Qingfan’s weary eyes.

In this way, the initial feelings gradually transformed into admiration during their time spent together, during moments of heroes saving beauties or beauties saving heroes, and through feelings of both tenderness and pride.

Xu Qingfan did not know that every time he took action, Dongfang Qingling’s eyes stayed on him. When he turned around, her gaze quickly shifted away, looking elsewhere.

In fact, in Xu Qingfan’s team, not only Xu Qingfan and Li Yuhan were skilled leaders. Dongfang Qingling had been managing all the female disciples of Jiuhua for many years on behalf of her master. With her own talents and character, her ability to lead and manage was just as good as Xu Qingfan’s.

However, Dongfang Qingling did not want to steal Xu Qingfan’s spotlight. Compared to commanding alongside Xu Qingfan, she preferred to quietly stand behind him, watching him and following his lead. She wanted to leave all the glory to Xu Qingfan while she enjoyed the pride and joy that only belonged to her after his successes.

Because she had witnessed Xu Qingfan’s growth, she understood very well how much effort, dedication, and sacrifice he had put in to achieve his current fame. In Dongfang Qingling’s eyes, it was only natural that Xu Qingfan was the best among the young generation of Righteous Alliance; no one could compare to him.

For this reason, Dongfang Qingling particularly disliked hearing others discuss who was better between Xu Qingfan, Hua Xian, and Bo Guangyan. She felt deep hatred towards any doubts about Xu Qingfan and the comments aimed at him.

Therefore, Xu Xiurong’s careless remark sparked such a strong reaction from her.

Although Xu Xiurong thought Dongfang Qingling had a noble demeanor, Dongfang Qingling also had her own softer side. For example, she firmly believed that the person she liked was the best. She felt pain for Xu Qingfan’s sacrifices, firmly believing he was the best among the younger generation of Righteous Alliance, while she remained oblivious to the efforts and sacrifices of Bo Guangyan and Hua Xian.

※※※※

After hearing Dongfang Qingling’s intense rebuttal, Xu Xiurong felt a bit at a loss, and once Dongfang Qingling realized what she had done, it became awkward, making the atmosphere between them strange and silent again.

"You haven’t spent enough time with Senior Brother Xu; you don’t even know what he has done or what he has sacrificed. If you spent more time with him, you would definitely agree with what I just said."

In the end, it was Dongfang Qingling who broke the silence. Although her tone carried some guilt, as if she was sorry for how she had spoken earlier, she still insisted on her viewpoint.

Xu Xiurong nodded slightly, not denying it, but she also did not say much more.

Seeing that Xu Xiurong seemed unconvinced, Dongfang Qingling began to tell Xu Xiurong everything about Xu Qingfan, from how Xu Qingfan’s skill was very low when he first started his cultivation, to how he became the pillar of Jiuhua now, sharing many important and unimportant events. As she spoke, Dongfang Qingling suddenly realized that she had unknowingly come to know Xu Qingfan so well.

While they talked, the speed at which the two moved toward the valley slowly decreased, and after two incense sticks’ worth of time, they had barely walked half the distance.

"Elder martial sister Dongfang, what happened next?"

Seeing Dongfang Qingling suddenly lost in thought, Xu Xiurong curiously asked.

Under Xu Xiurong’s questioning, Dongfang Qingling was suddenly jolted awake, her face turning slightly red, making her look even more beautiful. She secretly glanced at Xu Xiurong, wondering if she had shown too much understanding of Xu Qingfan. But seeing that Xu Xiurong did not seem suspicious, she finally felt relieved.

Just as Dongfang Qingling was about to say something, her eyes suddenly fixed, and she quickly turned to look behind her.

Xu Xiurong was slightly taken aback and turned to look behind as well, only to find that seven black dots had suddenly appeared behind them. These seven dots were getting larger in their eyes, revealing seven unknown cultivators!

"These seven people are more skilled than I am, but I don’t know if they are friends or foes, we must be very careful."

Hearing Dongfang Qingling’s sudden reminder, Xu Xiurong was startled. If the arrival’s power was greater than Dongfang Qingling’s, then it was even greater than hers. If they were friends, that would be fine, but if they were enemies, the two of them would have no strength to resist. Thinking this, her body couldn’t help but tense up.

"Don’t be nervous, I will handle everything. If anything goes wrong, you leave first. I have my own way to escape."

Noticing Xu Xiurong’s anxiety, Dongfang Qingling smiled reassuringly and whispered.

"Even now, I am still the one being taken care of."

Hearing Dongfang Qingling’s words, Xu Xiurong felt a touch of sadness in her heart.

While the two were whispering, the seven black dots had quickly grown into seven figures and rapidly appeared in front of them.

Among them were six men and one woman, and the leader was the masked woman in purple. Among the seven, her power was also the highest, having reached the Golden Core Stage.

Although she was masked, one could vaguely see her face through the translucent veil. Her skin was fair and tender, but her features were too angular, giving off an overly masculine energy. Her nose was quite strong, adding a touch of androgynous beauty.

However, the woman’s eyes were exceptionally beautiful—clear, bright, and wide with distinct angles. A single beauty can hide a hundred flaws, and with just those eyes, she seemed even more stunning than Dongfang Qingling. If her expression weren’t so stern and cold, she would surely enchant millions.

The other six male cultivators were just slightly lower in skill than this one. Their appearances and clothing were different, but their expressions were generally dull, and their eyes lacked any spark, as if they were mere puppets.

However, when Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong saw the faces of these six men, they were both taken aback. Five of these men were once somewhat famous in the cultivation world, no matter if they were right or wrong. They suddenly disappeared over the past few years, and they had thought they were harmed by the "Eight Wilderness Hall" or the "Beast Madness cultivator." They never expected to see them here.

Moreover, one of these six men had even had a friendship with Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong, but now, when he saw them, his gaze was still dull, as if he had no memory of Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong at all.

Just as Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong were observing the seven people who had suddenly appeared, the woman among them was also examining Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong.

After a moment, this woman suddenly focused her gaze on Dongfang Qingling.

"Are you Dongfang Qingling?"

Her tone and demeanor were both cold.

"How did you know?"

Noticing that this woman was asking but her tone showed certainty, Dongfang Qingling decided not to deny it anymore, but asked cautiously.

And this rhetorical question undoubtedly confirmed her own identity.

Hearing Dongfang Qingling’s question, the woman coldly smiled and slowly said, "I have been investigating Xu Qingfan for decades, searching for information about him, so naturally, I know about you."

"What do you want to do?" Dongfang Qingling’s eyes deepened with caution.

"Where is Xu Qingfan? Or, where is that bloody valley? If you two take me there, I can spare your lives."

The woman, however, did not answer and continued to speak coldly.

"What if not?" Dongfang Qingling gathered her Spirit Qi, her tone growing icy as well.

"Nonsense!" the woman scoffed, but showed no signs of movement. She merely pointed lightly at Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong, without any Spirit Qi fluctuations. Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong felt intense pain in their Divine Senses as if being cut by a knife.

In the midst of the severe pain and confusion, the two cultivators by the woman suddenly flickered and appeared behind them. By the time the two finally regained their senses, they had already been captured by the two cultivators.

"Take me to see Xu Qingfan. Don’t worry, I just want to get something back from him."

"Who are you?"

The quiet Xu Xiurong finally asked.

"Zhang Yi."

The woman replied softly.

If Xu Qingfan were here, he would be very surprised. When did Zhang Yi become so powerful? And does she already know that Xu Fan is Xu Qingfan?