Sparring with Ji Xuerou, teaching classes, and training. A week after returning to the Piaomiao Sect, Wu Yan was back to her daily routine. It was worth mentioning that within a week, she had completely refined the White Mass’s spiritual power and officially entered the late Golden Core stage. The Piaomiao Sect seemed to have sensed something amiss recently and had invested more spirit stones in armed defenses during this time.
“When are you planning to exchange your prize?” Ji Xuerou sat across from Wu Yan and took a small sip of tea.
The prize Ji Xuerou referred to was naturally the reward for winning the Five Sects Grand Competition: the freedom to choose any cultivation technique or divine artifact from the five great sects.
But Wu Yan just shook her head. “Let’s wait a bit longer.”
Sensing something was off with Wu Yan, Ji Xuerou looked at her and found her distracted, with a deep frown. “Worried about your junior sister?”
Although she had only met Yu Qingyao once or twice, Ji Xuerou still had a deep impression of her. After all, she was the Foundation Establishment stage champion. At the award ceremony, she and Wu Yan had stolen the show.
“Yeah.” Wu Yan’s voice was somewhat low. “Even from the perspective of training, Qingyao has been gone for too long this time.”
“Maybe she just encountered some minor trouble? With Fellow Daoist Yu’s strength, the area she went to shouldn’t be a problem for her.”
The emerald green tea leaves had been floating in the cup, but just as Ji Xuerou finished speaking, they sank to the bottom. Wu Yan’s heart skipped a beat as well. Just then, urgent knocking came from the door.
Wu Yan practically flew to open it. The person at the door had a look of being easily bullied—it was Su Qianqian.
“Senior Sister! Something terrible has happened!” Su Qianqian’s voice was pitched high, trembling with a sobbing tone. “Junior Sister Yu, Junior Sister Yu is in danger!”
The uneasy feeling in Wu Yan’s heart grew stronger. “What’s wrong, Qianqian?”
“What?!”
Wu Yan forcefully pushed open the door of the main hall on Zhuqu Peak. At once, she saw Xia Lingshuang sitting above, frowning as she stared at a shimmering jade token. “Master! How is Qingyao?”
“Not optimistic.” Xia Lingshuang’s tone was quite serious.
Before Wu Yan could finish speaking, Xia Lingshuang interrupted: “The protective seal I placed on her has been triggered.”
“And now—”
“I need you to go to Qingyao first.” Wu Yan understood that recently, the sect had many affairs, and for some reason, the Sect Master was in seclusion, leaving all matters, big and small, on Xia Lingshuang’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’ll rush over soon. Qingyao will be fine.”
“Yes, Master.”
Leaving the main hall, Wu Yan tightly gripped the jade token that Xia Lingshuang had given her. According to her description, this token could sense Yu Qingyao’s location.
As soon as Ji Xuerou heard that Wu Yan was leaving the Piaomiao Sect to rescue Yu Qingyao, she immediately expressed her thoughts: “I’ll go with you.”
Upon reflection, since Ji Xuerou had arrived at the Piaomiao Sect, she had been accompanying Wu Yan through thick and thin, with little peace. Wu Yan really owed Xuerou a lot.
“Thank you, Xuerou. If there’s anything you want, you can tell me. I’ll do my best to fulfill it.”
“Oh?” Ji Xuerou’s lips curled slightly. “Let’s talk about it when we get back. The situation is urgent now, so let’s set out first.”
“Mm.”
Since only Wu Yan and Ji Xuerou were traveling, they didn’t ask for any transportation tools. With one sword each, they embarked on the journey.
The place where Yu Qingyao was training was Abyss City in Nanzhou. Abyss City was located between Thousand Peaks Mountain and Chaotic Burial Ravine, famous for backing onto the Abyss and being in a perilous location. It was also considered by the general public as one of the most suitable cities for Foundation Establishment cultivators to train.
Abyss City was not large, with walls built from red bricks. On the city walls, several faded flags were always planted, many of which were left by cultivators who came to train before departing. The city’s protective formation was not very strong, only enough to fend off Golden Core stage monster beasts, but it sufficed. After all, cultivators would occasionally come to clear the surrounding threats for the common people, and the people were happy with their stable lives.
Based on its nature as a training city, there were many weapon shops, alchemy workshops, and inns inside. South of the city was the Chaotic Burial Ravine, shrouded in thick fog, where first and second rank monster beasts roamed all year round, occasionally third rank beast appeared. For Foundation Establishment cultivators, it was just at the level where even if they encountered danger, they could retreat safely. North of the city was a treacherous mountain path with many spirit herbs to gather, which was also a source of income for many families in the city.
When Wu Yan and Ji Xuerou arrived at Abyss City, dusk had already fallen over the city. The gray bricks and black tiles were clean and tidy. Walking side by side on the street, the ordinary people they passed were not afraid of them but greeted them warmly.
“I’ve been here before,” Ji Xuerou said softly. “The people here are simple and honest, not afraid of cultivators. We can just ask around normally.”
“Mm.” Wu Yan nodded, and then asked Yan, “Why have you never been here before?”
Yan huffed in defiance. “Hmph, only the weak need training! Someone as strong as I am skips these useless steps directly!”
Wu Yan and Ji Xuerou made no attempt to hide their identities and walked straight into an inn that looked to be the busiest. The shop assistant saw that the visitors had extraordinary bearing and looked like celestial beauties, so his attitude was very respectful.
“This way, please, esteemed guests!”
The waiter led them to a seat by the window. The two ordered two cups of tea. As the waiter was refilling the water, Wu Yan asked, “Young master, the two of us are sect disciples specifically here to train. We were wondering if there are any dangers nearby recently?”
The clerk thought it over seriously, then shook his head. “I haven’t been out recently, and I haven’t heard of any dangerous incidents. If you two truly want to know, you might as well sit for a while and listen to the chatter of customers, or go ask the guards at the city gate. You should be able to get clues.”
Wu Yan thanked him and let the waiter serve others.
“In that case, let’s sit for a while.” Ji Xuerou picked up her tea and took a small sip.
They had already asked the guards at the city gate when they entered the city, but gained no information. Now, they could only rely on the customers to provide some clues. So, while drinking tea, the two extended their divine sense to listen to the chatter around them. But most of it was about the growth of spirit herbs and traces of monster beasts. If it were only these, it shouldn’t have put Qingyao in danger.
Just as Wu Yan thought this effort was futile, a young cultivator in a purple Daoist robe came to the next table and started chatting with his companion about recent events.
“Ha, that’s nothing! I’ve even seen a man-eating valley!” The alcohol was getting to him, making his cheeks flush. “The next step forward, and it disappeared! Back then, a pretty female cultivator I’d never seen before asked me about the surrounding area, and the next second she stepped forward and vanished!”
“Didn’t you go up to help or report the situation?”
“How could I not!” He even raised his tone significantly. “I immediately went up! But when I stepped over, it became normal again. I went to report it, but the people in charge investigated and came back empty-handed! They thought I was having hallucinations from taking too many pills!”
“I think so too.” The man’s companion clearly didn’t believe his experience either.
“You all!” Just as the man was about to express his indignation to his companion, a clear but very pleasant voice reached his ears.
“Excuse me, is the female cultivator you mentioned named Yu Qingyao?”
The man turned his head and saw two extraordinary female cultivators standing by their table. The slightly shorter one with black hair was the one who had asked him.
“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “Anyway, although she seemed a bit aloof, she was quite polite.”
“Does she have any distinctive features?” Ji Xuerou prompted the man.
“Features?” The man patted his head with his hand. “Features… Oh, right! She had a hairpin that looked quite extraordinary pinned on the back of her head! It seemed to be made of ice marrow, and the pin head was carved with a snow lotus!”
Wu Yan’s gaze sharpened. That was exactly the hairpin she had given Qingyao!