Don't overlook me
The moonlight was cool and clear in the woods, and the shadows of the trees swayed gently.
The sect disciple who had been standing there for a long time had a wisp of extremely faint black mist swirling around his forehead, which was strange and unpredictable. But in the blink of an eye, it was wiped away as if by an invisible hand and completely disappeared without a trace, as if it had never existed.
After a few seconds, the emptiness and blankness in the disciple's eyes faded, replaced by a look of utter bewilderment. He frowned in confusion, looked around, seemingly completely baffled as to why he was standing there. Finally, filled with doubt, he turned and quickly left the woods.
Within the small courtyard, the array's radiance was contained, operating silently to isolate all auras that did not belong here, including the faint demonic energy that attempted to probe, which was powerless to penetrate this solid barrier.
The courtyard remained peaceful and serene.
The medicine furnace gurgled and popped as Baichuan attentively watched over the fire.
Qin Wu sat to the side, focused, carefully wiping the cold blade of the Su Tian Sword with a soft cloth, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a rare treasure.
Only Yun Qian sat quietly in the chair, but her gaze was not as calm as it appeared. She turned her head slightly, her gaze seemingly able to penetrate the courtyard wall and the array, precisely targeting the direction where the demonic energy had finally dissipated. Her eyes were deep and thoughtful.
As night deepens, the bright moon hangs high in the sky, its gentle light bathing the earth.
Yun Qian stepped out of the courtyard silently, still wearing the same pale yellow fairy dress she wore during the day. Under the moonlight, she looked even more beautiful, but also a little lonely.
She strolled through the woods, her consciousness spreading cautiously outwards like invisible ripples, alert to any unusual fluctuations.
Tonight, she still tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Since the start of the Immortal Sect Competition, things have been calm on the surface, but Yun Qian has been waiting, waiting for her opponent in the shadows to lose patience and make the first move.
However, the Four Directions Courtyard remained quiet until today, when that faint, almost imperceptible trace of demonic energy was detected by her exceptionally keen spiritual sense, like a pebble thrown into an ancient well.
Over the past century, the demon race has grown increasingly powerful, and its antagonism with the righteous immortal sects has become irreconcilable. The demon race would never allow such a grand gathering of talents from across the land—the Immortal Sect Tournament—to pass up such a golden opportunity.
Moreover, Tianyan Mountain is now a melting pot of all sorts of people, with disciples from various sects frequently coming and going, making it the perfect opportunity for the demon race to infiltrate and secretly lay their plans.
Demons are masters of disguise and concealment, and are incredibly versatile.
Was that wisp of demonic energy that cautiously circled her array today an unintentional leak, or... was it deliberately done to test her?
Yun Qian raised her head, gazing at the bright yet cold moon in the sky, her eyes filled with unyielding worries and sorrows.
A century has passed in the blink of an eye. Bai Ji, where are you now? Are you safe or in danger?
Why, after descending the mountain for so long, have I not been able to hear a single word about you?
She wandered aimlessly through the woods, her steps slow and her mind heavy with thoughts.
"What are you looking for?"
A clear and familiar voice suddenly rang out from behind, breaking the silence of the forest.
Yun Qian frowned slightly, but did not turn around or even stop walking, as if she had not heard anything, and continued to walk forward.
The person behind him refused to give up and followed with light footsteps. It was indeed Lin Huaiyu.
He walked alongside Yun Qian in a few steps, turned his head, and his gentle gaze fell on her slightly furrowed profile. His tone carried a hint of understanding: "Could it be that you also sensed that trace of demonic energy?"
Yun Qian suddenly stopped in her tracks, turned around abruptly to look at him, her eyes sharp as knives.
It's him again!
Why is it that he can always accurately see through what she's thinking?
Why does he seem to know everything and have nowhere to hide?
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Lin Huaiyu unfolded his jade-bone fan with a "whoosh," elegantly obscuring the lower half of his face, revealing only a pair of smiling peach blossom eyes. Yun Qian's gaze was filled with undisguised scrutiny and wariness, but he didn't care at all. Instead, the smile in his eyes deepened, and he said teasingly, "Could it be that you've secretly fallen for me?"
This person is truly adept at making unreasonable demands and arguing.
Yun Qian looked away from him, her tone returning to its usual coldness, and cut straight to the point: "It seems that there are quite a few demonic auras hidden within Tianyan Mountain."
“Of course.” Lin Huaiyu snapped his folding fan shut, his nonchalant expression softening slightly, and his tone unusually serious. “The Demon Clan is ambitious and eyeing us covetously. Yet Tianyan Mountain, as the host, has made no move so far, as if completely unaware. Miss Yun, why do you think that is?”
His words exploded in Yun Qian's ears like a thunderclap!
Yes, if she could detect the demonic energy, how could the spiritual senses of so many highly skilled elders and sect leaders within Tianyan Mountain be less acute than hers? Could the meticulous and shrewd sect leader of Sili really be completely unaware? Were the eight sect representatives seated high on the viewing platform merely for show?
Yun Qian's brows furrowed tightly, her heart churning with emotions.
Today, she was so focused on whether the demonic energy was related to Bai Ji that she overlooked such an obvious and crucial layer!
Now that Lin Huaiyu had pointed it out, she couldn't help but recall the various plot clues in the original book, and a chilling guess gradually surfaced in her mind.
In the original book, Tianyan Mountain... or rather, these seemingly righteous sects, did they secretly have some unknown connection or tacit understanding with the demon race?
In the book, Bai Ji resolutely provokes a war between immortals and demons. Is it to divert attention and draw fire for Cangmin Mountain, or is it a desperate counterattack forced upon him after uncovering some shocking conspiracy?
The current situation is probably far more complex and darker than she imagined.
Yun Qian frowned deeply, her thoughts a jumbled mess. If her master were still alive, what choice would he make in this situation?
She was clearly lost in her own thoughts, her eyes vacant. Lin Huaiyu looked at her profile as she pondered, the moonlight outlining her delicate features. The worry and resilience she unconsciously revealed softened his gaze, carrying a complex emotion that was hard to describe.
"Wake up." Lin Huaiyu raised her hand and snapped her fingers crisply in front of her, interrupting her thoughts. "I'm not invisible, please at least look at me."
Yun Qian snapped back to her senses and looked up to meet those familiar, smiling eyes once again.
It's that feeling again... Where does this inexplicable sense of familiarity, which seems to transcend a long period of time, come from?
She had never met Lin Huaiyu before.
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