Suspicion
Yunxiu helped the last injured low-level disciple to the bamboo couch in the meditation room, with warm blood oozing from the other's wound still lingering on his fingertips.
She turned her head and looked towards the mountain gate - there, the master was leading several elders to use stone-based magical power to temporarily reinforce the barrier. The ochre light flickered in the clouds and mist, like a candle in the wind.
The lower-ranking disciples weren't mountain spirits like Yunxiu. Most of them were abandoned children rescued by fellow disciples at the foot of the mountain. They had little immortal power and a short lifespan. The black-robed man attacked without hesitation, causing heavy casualties among the lower-ranking disciples.
"Senior Sister, the medicine box here is empty." A round-faced little disciple ran to Yingtang holding an empty wooden box, tears still hanging on the tip of his nose.
Yingtang had been treating his disciples from beginning to end, spinning like a top. Yunxiu took the medicine box.
When her fingertips touched the cold copper buckle on the bottom of the box, her heart sank.
When we were treating him just now, we had already used up most of the healing elixirs that our sect had, and even the most precious "spiritual herbs" were exhausted. But Senior Brother Yan Xiu's injuries...
Without saying anything more, she handed the medicine box to Senior Sister Yingtang, turned around, and walked quickly towards Yan Xiu's residence. The bluestone road still bore traces of charred marks left by the fight between the black-robed men. Stepping on it brought a slight, painful sensation, like stepping on still-still ashes.
Yan Xiu's courtyard was eerily quiet; even the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind sounded heavy.
Yunxiu pushed open the half-closed bamboo door and saw Yan Xiu half-leaning on the couch. He had changed into a plain white undershirt, and his right shoulder was wrapped in a thick bandage. The dark red blood that had seeped out continued to spread, staining the bandage a dark brown.
He closed his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a faint shadow under his eyes. His usually cold and hard jawline was now even tighter, and even his breathing was barely noticeable.
"Senior Brother." Yunxiu approached with light footsteps, reaching out to feel his pulse, but Yan Xiu suddenly grabbed his wrist. When he opened his eyes, a lingering anger still lingered in them. Only after he saw that it was Yunxiu did he slowly release his grip, his fingertips trembling with coldness.
"Don't touch me." He said hoarsely, turning sideways to avoid her touch. "The immortal power of the black-clothed man is cold and gloomy. It will erode your immortal power if it touches you."
"That's not immortal power, it's divine power." Yunxiu looked at Yan Xiu.
Hearing her confident tone, Yan Xiu suddenly became alert and raised his eyebrows: "How do you know?"
"Master told me." Yunxiu's eyes did not change as he stared at Yan Xiu.
This time, Yan Xiu avoided her gaze.
Yunxiu looked at the bandage on his shoulder that was constantly oozing blood, and felt as if something was gripping his heart.
She had clearly sensed that the black-robed man's attack had created a subtle resonance between his power and the vibrations within her body. But now, the chilling aura of Yan Xiu's wound numbed her fingertips, and even approaching him made her spiritual energy stagnate.
"I've already taken the Concentration Pill, but..."
"It's useless." Yan Xiu interrupted her, raising his hand to press on her shoulder, his knuckles turning white from the force. "That's definitely not ordinary immortal power, it's the residual power of an ancient god, it will devour spiritual veins."
Yunxiu clenched his fists suddenly.
Ancient Gods… Her master had said so too. She subconsciously reached for the pendant around her neck. The amulet, crafted from her original feathers, was still slightly warm, a delicate burning sensation against her skin.
The moment her fingertips touched the pendant, she clearly felt a surge of power awakening within her, flowing through her bloodstream to her fingertips. It created a subtle repulsion of the cold aura at Yan Xiu's wound—like cold water meeting a flame. It was faint, yet real.
This power...can save him?
Yunxiu's heart skipped a beat, but then it dimmed again.
Her immortal power was still shallow, and she couldn't even control this sudden surge of power, let alone use it to purify the residual power of the ancient gods. She looked at Yan Xiu, who was breathing weakly on the couch, and thought of the injured fellow disciples in the meditation room. A feeling of powerlessness overwhelmed her.
While sorting out the wreckage of the mountain gate, Yunxiu's fingertips once again touched the half of the blood-stained jade pendant in his arms.
Senior Sister Jing Er's handwriting was faintly visible amidst the blood. She squatted beneath the broken memorial archway, gazing at the silvery-white feather fragments scattered among the rubble—the remnants of Yan Xiu's immortal power, now dull and like crushed stars.
Senior Brother Yu Wei's warning echoed in his ears: "Someone in this mountain wants to kill all of us."
Senior Sister Yingtang's panicked back as she turned around, Master's unusual hesitation when facing the black-robed man, Yan Xiu's uncontrolled emotions and the unspoken "I'm sorry," and the sudden acquisition of mind-reading abilities and the unfamiliar power within him...
Countless fragments surged in my mind, piecing together a huge web of doubts.
Why were all the disciples suffused with unwavering sorrow and fear? Why was the black-robed figure staring at him? Why did the remnant of the ancient god's power appear here? What had happened to Senior Sister Jing Er and the disciples of his uncle, and why did they never return?
Yunxiu held the jade pendant tightly in his palm, the cold jade touching his warm skin.
She had to find the answer.
"Have you heard? The sects down the mountain are going to jointly hold a martial arts competition in the second half of the month!"
"Is this true? The barrier has just been broken, and we can still go down the mountain?"
"It wasn't organized by our sect. It was led by the Qinglan Sect. They said they wanted to unite the various sects to exchange Taoist methods. But in reality, it was to compete for the 'Ningling Jade Marrow'!"
The whispers drifted onto the wind and reached Yunxiu's ears. She was squatting under a peach tree, picking up scattered herbs, and paused when she heard the words.
Due to their physical limitations, low-level disciples often travel around the lower realms, so they are naturally well-informed.
Condensed Soul Jadeite? She had seen records of it in her master's ancient books.
This creature, born from the core of a thousand-year-old spiritual vein, can purify evil energy and repair severely damaged spiritual veins. It is the nemesis of the Yin-Frigid Divine Power.
Yunxiu stood up suddenly.
If there really was a Soul-Condensing Jade Marrow, could it dissipate the residual power of the ancient gods in Yan Xiu? She quickly followed the sound and saw two low-level disciples squatting on the stone steps, picking herbs and muttering to themselves.
"Is the Soul-Condensing Jade Marrow really that magical?"
"Of course not! It's said that the last time the Qinglan Sect elder was injured by the evil power of the Demon Cult, it was this chalcedony that saved him! The champion prize of this martial arts competition is this, and all the sects will definitely be scrambling to get it!"
"It's a pity that our sect just suffered a disaster. I'm afraid I don't have the heart to go..."
Yunxiu's heart was beating rapidly. She took a few steps forward and gently patted one of the disciples on the shoulder. "When exactly will this martial arts competition you mentioned take place? Which sects will be participating?"
The disciple was startled, and when he saw it was Yunxiu, he quickly stood up:
"Sister, it's being held at the end of this month on the main peak of Qinglan Sect. I heard that besides our Yaoxi Mountain, other major sects like Liuyun Sect and Baicao Valley will also be participating. Even independent cultivators from the foothills can sign up!"
Baicao Valley? Yunxiu's eyes lit up. Baicao Valley was famous for its medical skills. Perhaps they knew something about Senior Sister Jing Er.
She pressed on, "Besides the Soul-Condensing Jade Marrow, was there anything else at the conference? For example... texts or rumors related to the Ancient Gods?"
The disciple was stunned for a moment and scratched his head. "I don't know about that, but the Qinglan Sect has a large collection of books, so maybe there really is a relevant record. Why are you asking this, Senior Sister? Do you want to go?"
Yunxiu didn't answer, but turned and ran towards the back mountain. She wanted to discuss this with Wu Yi—the only person in the entire sect she had ever met who could discuss the current situation was the Wutong spirit, who had grown up with her.
The sycamore trees on the back mountain were lush and leafy, and sunlight filtered through the layers of leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. As Yunxiu ran into the forest, he saw a green figure climbing a tree, searching for tender leaves for medicinal purposes.
"Wu Yi!" Yunxiu raised his head and shouted.
The young man in the tree turned around, his face still brimming with childishness. He wore a turquoise robe embroidered with leaf veins, his dark hair tied back with a matching headband, a fresh sycamore leaf pinned to the end.
He is about the same age as Yunxiu, with gentle eyes and eyebrows. When he smiles, the corners of his eyes bend into crescents. He is exactly Wuyi, who was transformed from the Wutong tree in the mountains.
"Xiao You? Why are you here?" Wu Yi jumped down from the tree lightly and landed in front of Yunxiu, with the fragrance of grass and trees still on his body.
"I just heard that the mountain gate was attacked, and I was still helping my senior sister pick herbs. Are you okay?" He reached out to touch Yunxiu's forehead, but she grabbed his wrist.
"Have you heard about the martial arts tournament?" Yunxiu asked anxiously, staring at him with sparkling eyes. "Is the Soul-Condensing Jadeite really among the prizes?"
Wu Yi was stunned by her question, then smiled:
"You're quite well-informed. Yes, the Qinglan Sect did release the news that the champion will receive the Soul-Condensing Jade Marrow. So, you want to go?"
"Yes!" Yunxiu pulled him to sit under the sycamore tree:
"Wu Yi, have you been down the mountain? Do you know anything about the Qinglan Sect? Do they really have the ancient gods' tome? Will anyone from Baicao Valley go there? I want to find out about Senior Sister Jing Er."
Wu Yi's smile faded a little, he fiddled with the tender leaves in his hand and said:
"The Qinglan Sect has been established for thousands of years, and their library does contain many ancient books. Perhaps there are records of ancient gods. Baicao Valley participates in the martial arts competition every year. Their disciples are skilled in medicine and well-informed. Perhaps... they can find Senior Sister Jing Er's whereabouts."
He paused and looked at Yunxiu: "But do you really want to go? The barrier has just been broken, and Master may not agree. Besides, the black-robed man hasn't been caught yet, so it's too dangerous to go down the mountain."
"But Senior Brother's injury can't wait." Yunxiu looked down at his fingertips, where the cold touch of Yan Xiu's wound seemed to still remain. "Ningling Jade Marrow is the only thing that can save him. And Wu Yi, don't you find it strange?"
She raised her head, frowned and looked into the distance:
"Master is evasive about the identity of the man in black. Senior Sister Yingtang is afraid of me, and Senior Brother Yanxiu's mood isn't right either... They seem to be hiding something from me. There are so many people from the mountain sect at the martial arts competition. Maybe we can find out the truth, even if it's about the ancient gods or the abnormalities in our sect..."
Wu Yi also looked in the direction where Yunxiu's gaze was directed in silence.
He looked at Yunxiu's anxious eyes and finally said:
"If you really want to go, I can help you find the route. The main peak of Qinglan Sect is a hundred miles southwest of Yaoxi Mountain. Taking the secret passage in the back mountain can bypass the gap in the barrier..."
Finally, the atmosphere was very relaxed, and Yunxiu no longer sensed any strange emotions.
Although she was worried, her heart was now peaceful and quiet, without any fear or anxiety.
Yunxiu finally felt a sense of relief after a day of worry. She recounted her experiences that morning, and Wu Yi listened quietly, occasionally joking with her.
When the topic returned to the martial arts tournament, Wu Yi said:
"only……"
"Just what?"
"It's just that the martial arts tournament is packed with experts, and you haven't fully mastered your immortal power yet. I'm afraid you'll be at a disadvantage if you go." Wu Yi pulled out a folded animal hide map from his arms, on which the mountain paths were marked with cinnabar. "Also, everyone wants the Condensed Spirit Jade Marrow, so the fight for it will be fierce and dangerous."
Yunxiu took the map and ran his fingertips over the fine lines on it: "I'm not afraid."
She folded the map carefully and stuffed it into her arms, "Wu Yi, you have to help me with this."
Wu Yi looked at her tense profile and sighed:
"Okay. But you have to promise me that if you encounter any danger, you will come back immediately. Don't force yourself."
He picked the largest sycamore leaf from the tree, gathered his spiritual power with his fingertips and drew a rune on the leaf.
"Take this. It can conceal your presence. I've also marked the entrance to the secret passage on the map."
Yunxiu took the paulownia leaf. The runes on the leaf glowed with a faint green light, carrying the gentle spiritual energy of Wu Yi.
"Thank you, senior brother!" Xiao Que'er jumped up.
"You can only call me senior brother when you need help!" Wu Yi pouted and pushed her away.
Yunxiu smiled and waved at him, then turned around and ran out of the Wutong forest.
The sunlight shone through the leaves onto her, lengthening her shadow.
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