As the Liuli Featherfinch’s silhouette vanished from sight, the Sect Master gave a cold snort and swept away.
In the main hall of the Soaring Cloud Sect, the Elders of all twelve peaks were gathered.
The events at the training ground had already spread throughout the entire Soaring Cloud Sect.
Though the order to execute Yan Hanzhou was given under the charge of harming fellow disciples, every Elder present understood the real story.
“How is the Sect Master certain that Yan Hanzhou is Lingxiao reincarnated?”
“Back then, Lingxiao failed his Heavenly Tribulation and perished under the tribulation. How could he possibly still be alive in this world?”
The Sect Master spoke in a grave tone: “After Shi Yunzhao awakened, she reported everything about the Forbidden Land to me. She passed Lingxiao’s Threefold Trial in the Secret Realm’s Forbidden Land, yet the Soul Power of the Secret Realm did not go to her, but was taken entirely by Yan Hanzhou. As for the Cangming Ring, it fell into Ning Yin’s hands. On top of that, during today’s sect competition, Yan Hanzhou destroyed Sang Wan’s spiritual roots with a single palm strike—that, too, bears Lingxiao’s signature style.”
“From this perspective, there are indeed many suspicious points.”
“Better to kill by mistake than to let a threat slip by!” The Sect Master declared with weight: “Many of you have at least heard rumors of how, in a single day, Lingxiao slaughtered the Three Sects and Nine Clans. Whether Yan Hanzhou is Lingxiao reborn or not, the fact that he carries Lingxiao’s entire Legacy yet refuses to serve our Sect and harbors different ambitions—such a calamity must never be allowed to remain!”
Remembering the bloody scene from a thousand years ago, all the Elders present nodded in silent agreement.
“If you ask me, the Sect Master did the right thing. Regardless of whether Yan Hanzhou is Lingxiao reincarnated, just possessing Lingxiao’s Legacy means this boy cannot be spared! To prevent trouble in the future, we should nip the problem in the bud while he’s still weak—otherwise, the Seven Great Sects will once again be destroyed at his hands!”
“Sect Master, with all due respect, Lingxiao once said a thousand years ago that the past was settled and cleared. Now, if we pursue him to death like this, I fear it’s improper.”
“What’s improper about it? Tianxuan Elder, have you forgotten how Lingxiao, all by himself, almost overturned the entire Nine Heavens Continent in a single day? And now, when Yan Hanzhou escaped from the Soaring Cloud Sect today, he swore to repay this day a hundredfold. He already sees our Sect as his enemy. Even if we wished to retreat now, it’s far too late.”
Tianxuan Elder fell silent.
“If Yan Hanzhou truly is Lingxiao reincarnated, we must inform the other six great Sects and make preparations.”
“That is not urgent.” The Sect Master replied calmly, turning to Yu Wei Immortal Lord at the side, “Yu Wei, you blocked me from executing Yan Hanzhou today. I will let it pass, but in the future, I hope you will stand aside.”
An Elder asked, “I heard that girl Ning Yin ran off with Yan Hanzhou?”
Yu Wei Immortal Lord glanced coldly at that Elder and replied in a deep voice, “Ning Yin was only deceived by him—what crime is that? I’ll say it again: whatever happens to Yan Hanzhou, I don’t care, but no one will lay a finger on Ning Yin!”
After leaving the Soaring Cloud Sect, the Liuli Featherfinch continued carrying Yan Hanzhou and Ning Yin southward.
Not until they had flown beyond the Sect’s sphere of influence, with the layered peaks disappearing from view, did the excitement in Ning Yin’s heart begin to wane. Anxiety and fear for the future welled up within her.
She recalled how, in the novel, “Ning Yin” and “Yan Hanzhou” both defected from the Soaring Cloud Sect and fell into the demonic path, forever at odds with the main characters—a life-or-death rivalry with no end.
But that storyline shouldn’t have happened for at least another hundred thousand words! She had only transmigrated for less than a month and had already unlocked a plot arc fatal to herself.
She truly didn’t understand why. Why had the steady and reliable Soaring Cloud Peak Sect Master from the novel become so merciless during the sect competition?
Yet ever since arriving in this world of cultivation, she’d told herself more than once: the best fate for a villainess is to cling tightly to the protagonist, earn their approval, and join the main cast.
Now, by her own choice, she’d given up on joining the main cast. What did that mean?
It was as if Mr. Ma, during the startup days, had invited her to join Alibaba; or when Ma Huateng was about to name his chat software OICQ, he invited her, a computer science major, to join and write core code. And she turned them down—for a Yan Hanzhou who had nothing!
…Well, not exactly nothing.
Yan Hanzhou was strong and robust, able to go head-to-head with a Great Perfection Stage powerhouse. As for herself, she was still badly wounded, half dead, hanging by a thread.
She couldn’t hold back and, weak as a wisp of air, spoke: “Big Boss, if you’re so strong that you can face a Great Perfection Stage cultivator head-on, you could have just said so earlier. I, a mere cannon fodder, went up there foolishly to block a blade for you, and now… cough cough cough… look at me now, what’s the point of being your burden?”
Yan Hanzhou pressed his fingers to her vital point, sending pure spiritual energy pouring into her body like a tide. “If not for you stepping in today, I’d never have found that sliver of hope to escape the Sect Master’s pressure. This great favor—I will never forget it, not for all my life!”
As the spiritual energy entered her body, Ning Yin felt a warm current wash through her limbs and bones.
The pallor on her face finally showed a faint trace of life.
“Really?”
Yan Hanzhou looked utterly sincere, not a hint of falsehood in his manner. “Of course it’s true.”
“So where are we going now?” She swore, if Yan Hanzhou said “I don’t know” even once, she’d jump straight off the Liuli Featherfinch’s back and die on the spot!
“There are two options. First, when you’re healed, I’ll send you back to the Cheng Kingdom.”
Ning Yin was momentarily stunned. Going back to the Cheng Kingdom to be a happy princess, living a life of luxury and ease—that was the life she had always dreamed of, the best option.
In the past, she’d have chosen it without hesitation.
But now, she hesitated.
She couldn’t explain why she hesitated. She only knew that when faced with two choices, if you hesitate on the first, it’s best to go with the second.
“What’s the other choice?”
Yan Hanzhou’s eyes were firm. “Jiuyi Mountain.”
“Jiuyi Mountain?” Ning Yin had heard of Jiuyi Mountain. In the novel, it was one of the new maps where the main character found treasures.
It was said that a thousand years ago, before ascending, Lingxiao Immortal Lord scattered his Magic Treasures across the Nine Heavens for fated ones to find, and Jiuyi Mountain was one of those places.
Ning Yin vaguely remembered the protagonist finding many treasures in Jiuyi Mountain—every one a rare and priceless artifact in the cultivation world.
After all, these were personally forged by Lingxiao Immortal Lord a thousand years ago—their value was self-evident.
Ning Yin’s gaze was determined. “Good, let’s go to Jiuyi Mountain and hunt for treasure now!”
Yan Hanzhou seemed to have expected Ning Yin’s choice and said calmly, “There’s no rush for treasure-hunting. You’re injured and shouldn’t enter the mountain yet. There’s a Xiuxia Town near Jiuyi Mountain. We’ll go there and let you recover first.”
Yan Hanzhou’s decisive, well-planned answer settled the confusion in Ning Yin’s heart.
By dusk, they arrived at the small town closest to Jiuyi Mountain—Xiuxia Town.
Jiuyi Mountain was treacherous and steep, overflowing with spiritual energy, surrounded by dangerous monsters and hidden dangers.
Ever since news spread that someone had found a Magic Treasure in Jiuyi Mountain, word of Lingxiao Immortal Lord’s treasures being hidden there had swept the cultivation world, attracting countless wandering cultivators.
Naturally, disciples of the Seven Great Sects also often used “training” as an excuse to enter the mountain.
There was only one safe path into the mountain, and Xiuxia Town was the only place to rest along that road.
At this moment, in front of the town’s not-so-wide gates, a long line of people waiting to enter had already formed, stretching so far it was impossible to see the end.
Hanging high above the entrance was a notice: “All entrants must pay one Medium Spirit Stone.”
“Medium Spirit Stone? Wasn’t it a Low-grade Spirit Stone before? Why is it a Medium Spirit Stone now? Are you price gouging?”
“So much nonsense! Don’t you know? Just last month, a loose cultivator found an Earth-grade Magic Treasure in Jiuyi Mountain. With an opportunity that great, you’re complaining about one Medium Spirit Stone?”
On one side of the line, a few disciples in purple robes didn’t queue up or pay spirit stones, but entered the town directly.
A first-time treasure hunter at Jiuyi Mountain pointed at their backs. “How come they don’t have to pay?”
“Can you compare yourself to them? They’re disciples of the Heavenly Evolution Sect! If you run into monsters in Jiuyi Mountain, they might even save your life in passing. So, are you coming in or not? If not, move aside and stop blocking the line.”
With a sullen face, the man handed over a Medium Spirit Stone.
Before long, it was Ning Yin and Yan Hanzhou’s turn.
Yan Hanzhou handed over two Medium Spirit Stones without complaint.
The gatekeeper glanced at Ning Yin. “Injured like that and still coming to hunt for treasure? Be careful not to lose your life in Jiuyi Mountain and end up a puppet. All right, go in.”
It was rumored that everyone entering Jiuyi Mountain, whether beast or cultivator, in order to obtain its treasures, would lose their consciousness, become a puppet guarding the treasures, and be trapped in the mountain forever.
As soon as she set foot in this legendary town, Ning Yin felt something was off.
The streets weren’t filled with vendors selling food and clothes, but with stalls hawking all kinds of Magic Treasures and weapons.
Most of the people passing by traveled in groups and wore the garb of cultivators.
While Ning Yin and Yan Hanzhou sized up the passersby, those cultivators also looked them over.
Seeing Ning Yin sickly and frail, and Yan Hanzhou at Foundation Establishment Stage, none paid them any mind.
Perhaps because word of the Earth-grade Magic Treasure in Jiuyi Mountain had spread, the number of cultivators coming to search for treasure had soared.
The inns and guesthouses of Xiuxia Town were almost all full.
Hearing the cause, Yan Hanzhou frowned deeply. “Just an Earth-grade Magic Treasure, and people flock like this.”
“Heaven and earth have their order—Heaven-grade Magic Treasures are mostly owned by the Seven Great Sects and major cultivation families. Earth-grade comes second. For wandering cultivators, that’s already a rare chance.” With Yan Hanzhou’s constant flow of spiritual energy soothing her wounds, Ning Yin managed to suppress her injuries for now, but was utterly exhausted.
As dusk fell, she looked hopefully at the Lifuke Inn—their last hope. “Here’s another inn. Let’s ask. If there are no rooms left, we might have to sleep on the street.”
As they entered the inn, the attendant greeted them warmly. “Are the two of you here to stay or to eat?”
“To stay.”
“Very good, please come this way.” The attendant led them to the counter.
The manager behind it asked, “Our inn offers top rooms, regular rooms, and lower rooms, each matching high, medium, and low grade spirit stones—one stone per night. Which type would you like?”
“One top room.”
“Guest, your luck is good—there’s just one top room left.”
Yan Hanzhou was about to take out a high-grade spirit stone when a pouch of high-grade spirit stones was suddenly tossed onto the counter with a proud voice, “I want the top room.”
Ning Yin turned and saw a man in fine clothes shaking a feather fan, flanked by two impressive bodyguards, acting haughty and arrogant.
The type that, in novels, is a cannon-fodder rich brat with barely three lines before getting written out.
The manager’s face blossomed into smiles. He quickly pocketed the pouch and ordered the attendant, “Attendant, take this distinguished guest to the top room at once.”
Yan Hanzhou said in a low voice, “Manager, we arrived first.”
The manager smoothed things over with a smile. “No need to worry, we still have a regular room left. It’s not much worse than the top room. I’ll take you there myself.”
Then he lowered his voice further: “That’s the Segment Family of Tianji City—you can’t afford to offend them, and neither can I. How about this: during your stay, we’ll only charge you the lowest room rate. Is that acceptable?”
The noble son in fine clothes shook his fan and sneered, “A Foundation Establishment cultivator and a crippled invalid—these days, anyone dares come to Jiuyi Mountain for treasure.”
Just left the Sect and already faced society’s harsh reality.
“Yan Hanzhou,” Ning Yin coughed weakly, completely spent, and just wanted to rest as soon as possible. She tugged at Yan Hanzhou’s sleeve, “You can face a Great Perfection Stage powerhouse head-on…”
Sensing what Ning Yin wanted to say, Yan Hanzhou’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Can you take on that spoiled brat and his two bodyguards?”
The more she tried to endure, the more aggrieved she felt; the more she backed down, the more unfair it seemed.
I’m already a villain—why should I put up with this?
Yan Hanzhou can go head-to-head with a Great Perfection Stage master—why should he hold back?
Yan Hanzhou looked surprised, then raised an eyebrow. He glanced at the rich brat and his guards. “Yes.”
“Good. I want the top room. Go, beat them up!”