Encounter
A black mist shrouded the man, who stood silently opposite her, his long hair fluttering in the wind, his voice pleading: "I love you. Please don't abandon me."
"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you..." Tears streamed down the man's face as he murmured the same words, staring at her numbly.
He knelt on the ground, held her hands, and looked up at her with a hint of expectation and pleading in his eyes.
The man lowered his head and restrainedly kissed her hand, but she abruptly shook him off.
"You only disgust me." The woman looked at the man with a complicated expression.
The man panicked instantly, his voice trembling: "That's not how it is..."
She gave him a deep look, then closed her eyes without a second thought.
He drew his sword and committed suicide.
A crimson line of blood ran down his neck, and his mocking eyes held no fear of death, but rather a wanton sense of liberation.
The moment the scabbard slid towards her neck, Qi Yuan suddenly awoke, feeling a chill run down her back and beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
The dream felt so real, as if she had experienced it herself.
In my dream, she was herself yet unlike herself; her features were more mature.
At this moment, her junior brother's psychic voice pulled her back to reality.
Qi Yuan comforted herself, saying it was just a dream and nothing to worry about.
*
Lingguang Pavilion is nestled amidst green hills and clear waters, exuding an ethereal aura and abundant spiritual energy.
"Senior sister, if the demonic cultivators dare to commit further offenses..."
"Then let's fight back! Does the Silver Bamboo Sect think they're afraid of us?" A clear female voice interrupted him, her tone serious and stubborn.
This person was dressed in the robes of a direct disciple of the Silver Bamboo Sect. He was slender and had an exceptionally beautiful appearance. His green eyes were extremely rare in the crowd.
"boom--"
The ground shattered, sending many stones flying and tumbling through the air. White smoke billowed from the ground, and the surrounding area trembled violently—the very spot where Qiyuan had just stood!
She reacted swiftly, leaping with light footwork, drawing her sword. The silver light pierced the air like a dragon soaring into the sky, revealing a clear light on the hilt and blade, radiating an extremely cold aura.
An old man dressed in black mumbled something and suddenly rushed towards her, his skin emanating wisps of black energy, as if it were some kind of evil magic.
Qi Yuan tried to move her feet, but couldn't. Her body was suppressed by an invisible force, and her spiritual connection with her junior brother had been severed at some point, leaving her almost completely drained.
She clicked her tongue and tried to break free of her restraints.
A dark figure flashed in front of her, blocking some of the old man's oppressive aura.
He was a boy. He turned around and looked at her quietly. His dark eyes were like stars in a cold pool, the upturned corners of his eyes were red, and his aura was gloomy and terrifying.
He only glanced at it for a few seconds before turning back to defend himself against the old man's attack.
A flippant boy's voice reached her ears: "It's dangerous if you don't watch your step."
His tall, slender figure gradually came into focus. He was extremely handsome, looking about sixteen or seventeen years old, yet he exuded a chillingly ruthless aura.
The boy had fair skin, distinct features, long black hair tied in a ponytail, and slightly upturned rosy lips.
This shouldn't be the demeanor of a teenager.
Qi Yuan frowned and stared at him suspiciously, but she did not give up struggling to break free. Finally, just before her strength was exhausted, her body was freed.
She and the boy stood on opposite sides, but their target was the same person. Qi Yuan thought they could work together to deal with this dangerous individual first, and then fight if the newcomer turned hostile.
The sword in the boy's hand transformed into a silver light that pierced through the sky and swiftly stabbed towards the old man. Qi Yuan seized the opportunity to step behind the old man and stab him as he dodged.
Her movements of twisting her body and drawing her sword were as smooth as flowing water. After a few moves, she did injure the old man, but it did not have much effect.
The young man charged forward with unstoppable swordplay, delivering another blow, staying just an inch behind the old man and maintaining a close distance. His speed was so great that Qi Yuan could only see a blur.
"Aaaaaaahhhhh!" A hoarse voice screamed wildly as a sharp sword was thrust straight into the old man's chest, his eyes rolled back and bloodshot.
The boy's long hair fluttered in the air. He cast a spell he had never seen before to force the old man to shut up. Blood spilled from the corner of his aged mouth, and his fingers twisted in pain so much that he could only grab his own legs.
The wrinkled leg was soon covered in blood, and the right sleeve hung empty.
His right arm was cut off.
Brown blood spurted out with a hint of black. There were many ordinary people at the scene, and several girls were so frightened that they screamed.
Qi Yuan's heart tightened, and she ran to a spot ten inches away from the old man to cast a spell to create a barrier to prevent harm to innocent civilians.
The old man twisted his neck in a strange posture, the veins on his body almost bursting. His body swayed violently as he struggled to break free from the curse, tearing his lips and causing blood to flow even more profusely.
He coughed incessantly, spitting out a lot of black blood. A drop of blood stained a leaf, which immediately began to rot and decay.
It's quite powerful. Qi Yuan watched him warily, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly, ready to strike and kill at any moment.
His strength began to spiral out of control, his eye sockets were completely covered by the whites of his eyes, his remaining hand was wildly slashing at the air, and he kept groaning.
The young man opposite him launched a fierce attack, leaving the old man with no chance to fight back.
In the end, the old man curled up on the ground in agony, the black energy instead eroding his body.
Qi Yuan, confirming that he had no chance of climbing out, stepped forward and swung her sword mercilessly. With two sharp cracks, the old man was cut in two.
The moment his body was severed, it rotted completely, his bones turned to ash, and not a single piece of his body remained.
The old man vanished into thin air in an instant, leaving behind a magnificent purple brocade pouch and a short scroll where he had just curled up.
These two things did not disappear along with his clothes.
The old man was dressed in the robes of a celestial being, yet he practiced evil arts. Could it be that a spy had infiltrated the cultivation world? Qi Yuan pondered.
She rushed over and quickly put the brocade pouch and scroll into her pocket, then assumed a wary stance as she watched the boy.
The boy was also silently observing her.
Qi Yuan's eyebrows were like frost, her skin like snow, and her green eyes held a cold chill, creating an inexplicable sense of distance.
Is that her? The boy sneered inwardly.
Her right hand was already on the scabbard, ready to draw her sword and start a fight at any moment.
A pair of hands blocked her way, and the boy's sharp eyes, which had just been fixed on her, turned into a hurt expression as he turned around: "Sister, aren't you going to repay this favor?"
But this approach had absolutely no effect. Qi Yuan's expression was indifferent; she wasn't as easy to deal with as he had imagined.
He also waved his hand, throwing his weapon to the ground, and raised his hands: "I am a Taoist priest from the Zhu family. But actually, I can't be considered a real Taoist priest. You can think of me as a rogue cultivator." His ambiguous eyes were hidden beneath his long eyelashes.
A Taoist priest? A rogue cultivator? Neither of them exudes such a strong aura of evil.
Qi Yuan did not let go: "I would like to hear the details."
The young man looked at him without saying a word, then sighed: "Strange things have been happening to the Zhu family lately. The elders have long heard of the Silver Bamboo Sect's strength and sent me to seek their help."
"If I'm not mistaken, you are Qi Yuan, the eldest disciple of Yun Xingjun. Finding you was a good choice, but who would have thought we'd meet in this kind of situation..." he said with a smile.
"You can call me Zhu Fu," the young man said, looking at her with a quiet gaze.
Knowing Qi Yuan's suspicious nature, he threw out the Zhu family token he had prepared in advance, which was a good way to prove his identity.
Upon hearing the words "Zhu Fu," Qi Yuan's eyes lit up.
She lowered her sword and probed, "Judging from your performance just now, your skill should be on par with mine. Why do you seek my help? May I ask, why does Young Master Zhu have such a strong evil aura?"
There was one thing she didn't ask: when did the renowned Zhu family come to the point where they needed to seek outside help?
"The monsters are too powerful; I can't handle them alone. As for evil energy, I cultivate the Xuanfa, a type of immortal magic. The legendary Zhu family is an exaggeration; the Zhu family of today is a completely different story," he said slowly.
In fact, he had never even seen that monster.
Zhu Fu added with a half-smile, "Mysterious arts, as the name suggests. Moreover, cultivating mysterious arts does not require a firm heart or a righteous belief, but it does require high internal strength. Even people with evil intentions can cultivate it. Mysterious arts may look like evil arts, but in reality, they are used to save people, not harm them."
He lied without batting an eye, a sly glint in his eyes as he looked at the woman before him.
"Could you tell me more about the Zhu family? If you help me, I'm willing to take on this commission," Qi Yuan said calmly.
She had seen the Xuanfa in ancient books.
She crouched down and tossed the weapon from the ground to Zhu Fu, saying, "Consider it repaying a favor you did for me."
Qi Yuan's voice was deliberately cold: "The Silver Bamboo Sect does not allow people to enter the sect without permission. I need two days to handle personal matters. Are you in a hurry?"
Zhu Fu tried to keep her voice very soft, appearing obedient: "Just two days, of course."
After a while.
The boy asked, "What is this?"
The girl replied, "This is Tianxin Tower, mostly frequented by ordinary people. I'm just gathering information."
The middle-aged man smiled obsequiously, his hunched back bending even deeper: "Please come this way, Immortal Master. The shopkeeper has been waiting for you for a long time." His face was covered in fat, and his hand was rubbing against the hem of his clothes.
Qi Yuan turned around and instructed, "Wait a moment, I'll be right back." She turned into the hidden chamber on the left with practiced ease.
Zhu Fu narrowed his eyes, wanting to hear what she was asking about.
Qi Yuan sat upright, her expression serious, and said, "Manager Li, I'd like to inquire about the new Demon Lord, Mu Qinghuai." She put down a heavy money bag, which contained three months' worth of her spirit stones.
This Demon Lord has recently gained notoriety, and it is said that he only recently took office.
Zhu Fu, who was eavesdropping, raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, and the corners of his mouth curled up.
Li Xun readily agreed, laughing heartily, "Miss Qi is a very honest person. You can come here in five days to get the information. However, that Demon Lord is quite mysterious; we haven't obtained much information." He gently stroked the spirit ring in his hand.
“No, I’m leaving in a few days and won’t be staying in the sect. You can send someone to take me to my Honglin Peak. Thank you.” She took a sip of tea.
"Okay, take care!"
*
Qi Yuan felt her way out of the pavilion, and a woman's sweet voice entered her ears. A pair of slender hands wrapped around her waist: "Senior Sister Wei Shuang, Master wants me to stay in the sect and focus on cultivation! I also want to go on an adventure. Can you help me talk to Master about it?" The woman's eyes gleamed.
The surprise on her face flashed by, but was quickly replaced by indifference. Qi Yuan had no choice but to indulge her: "Ju Xing should be more sensible by now. I will try my best to talk to Master."
Qi Yuan only ever showed weakness in front of this junior sister. Her fingers gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, filled with awe for her master's power, but even more so with fear and disgust.
Xie Juxing is the fifth disciple of the Silver Bamboo Sect. She is naturally active and always loves to stick to Qi Yuan, and most importantly, Qi Yuan can't do anything about her.
"Senior Sister Wei Shuang is the best!" Xie Juxing hugged her tightly, his face covered in tears and snot.
Seeing the sticky, unidentified liquid on her skirt, Qi Yuan made no attempt to hide her disgust. She gently pushed Xie Juxing away, silently recited a cleaning incantation, and removed the stain from the fabric.
But when she saw Xie Juxing's bright smile, her eyes darkened.
Zhu Fu, who had witnessed everything, walked over with a dark face, coughed a few times, and stared intently at Xie Juxing: "I think it's getting late, shouldn't this young lady go back?"
Indeed, with the sky ablaze with crimson sunset, it was time for them to leave.
Qi Yuan called out, "Zhu Fu?" She escaped Xie Juxing's embrace again and headed towards the connecting corridor outside Tianxin Tower.
"Yes. I've always been here." He lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable, and jogged to catch up with Qi Yuan's pace.
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