"You guys got dragged in here by accident."
"Yes."
"How many of you came in total? What were your cultivation levels before?"
"We had fifty people at the start, ranging from Divine Soul to Mahayana. Since we didn't understand the situation when we first arrived, we were hit by a rain of flame stones and lost some. Then during our explorations, more were killed. Later, Mao Wu forced us to join him, used my people as cannon fodder to scout the way, and we lost even more."
Lady Di spoke through clenched teeth. If not for Mao Wu, at least seventeen or eighteen of her people could've survived.
"This place is a corner of the Immortal Realm, where you can't use spiritual power. You've been relying on your bodies to fight?"
"Body cultivators have a big advantage here. After countless rounds of tempering, our bodies are way stronger than the average spell cultivator. Of the twelve of us left, most are body cultivators, that's the only reason we made it this far."
She didn't try to hide it. Just by looking at her build, it was obvious she trained her body. Compared to her, the man at her side looked thinner, but even so, he was stronger than most male cultivators.
"How long have you been here? Why didn't you return?"
"We've been stuck here for eight years. We tried every method we could think of, but none of us brought spiritual beasts from Mufeng Continent. Without them, we couldn't leave. But…"
She started to say more, then stopped, only to continue after a pause.
"But if you agree, we're willing to trade everything we've gained here for a single chance. We want to follow you back to your continent."
Jian Dan's gaze slid to the man beside her. He looked ordinary, almost like some little pet Lady Di kept around. But just now, he had lightly tapped her toe to signal her, and that's when she changed her words.
Out of habit, Jian Dan pulled out her fan and, during the lull in their talk, asked with a smile, "And Lady Di's deputy, how should I address you?"
Hearing her question, Lady Di turned her gaze right away and smiled. "This is my deputy, Bei Ze."
Bei Ze immediately clasped his fists and bowed politely.
Both Jian Dan and Jian Mao couldn't help remembering the deep impression this woman had left on them. With just a glare at someone's spiritual beast, she had slaughtered Mi Ji's entire squad. Sure, they had intended to gang up on her, and they deserved their fate, but the way she struck was something they still couldn't comprehend. Their divine sense couldn't even catch her moves. And for the unknown, one always kept a sense of fear.
"What's Bei Ze's cultivation?"
"Early Mahayana."
That wasn't something worth hiding. Otherwise, he wouldn't have survived this long. Even if he didn't train his body, a Mahayana cultivator's spiritual power constantly refined the flesh, making him stronger than any lower-level body cultivator.
"You've already found another way back to your homeland." Jian Dan twirled her fan as she made the statement.
Lady Di froze, about to deny it, when the young woman pointed at Bei Ze with her fan. "Didn't he just signal you not to say anything?"
Bei Ze looked up, startled that she exposed him so bluntly.
"Lady Di, you're just the captain in name. The one really making decisions in your squad is Bei Ze."
Jian Mao and Jian Xu, sitting above, weren't surprised in the least. Their Junior Sister's insight was almost unnatural. Every word she spoke was precise, every step deliberate, never baseless.
Bei Ze coughed awkwardly before replying, "I'm not a body cultivator, so Lady Di usually leads. Only when she can't decide does she discuss it with me."
That was a roundabout way of admitting he made half the decisions.
"Bei Ze looks like a man of great wisdom. About that way home, would you mind telling us?"
Bei Ze was confused. These people had spiritual beasts, so they could leave. Why did they even care?
But Jian Mao and Jian Xu both understood. When Jian Jun entered the spatial rift, she hadn't brought a beast along, since Beast Taming Sect didn't join that expedition. Someone as sharp as her wouldn't just waste away here. She'd definitely find another way back. If they learned that method, they could follow the clues to track Jian Jun's group.
Their Junior Sister's question was exactly what they needed most.
"There's another method. Find the immortals in the central region. They hold star maps, which let them locate and transmit. But we'd have to offer them everything we own, and it still might not work."
"Star map?"
The word rolled off Jian Dan's lips before she asked again, "If it might not work, that means sometimes it does. How do you tell the difference?"
"By leaving behind a soul lamp. If the lamp doesn't go out within a day, the transmission succeeded. If it goes out, then it failed."
"So it's unreliable. And you have to gamble everything you own. Doesn't sound worth it."
"Exactly. That's why some people hope to find teams with spiritual beasts, so they can leave that way instead."
"Makes sense. It's another way out. Doesn't matter which continent you reach, you can still cultivate and ascend eventually."
Jian Dan nodded, then added casually, "But you could also go through them straight to the Immortal Realm. Wouldn't that be better?"
"Fairy Lu must be joking. If we go up like that, we wouldn't even have a proper identity. How could we survive? Besides, with our cultivation, it's only a matter of time before we ascend anyway. No need to take such a risk."
This time Lady Di answered.
Jian Dan didn't ask further. Jian Mao also let it go, only saying, "Since you're willing to join us, you're part of the squad now. We'll rest for three days before moving out again. Use that time to settle your people and calm them down."
The meaning was clear: make sure your followers don't cause trouble, obey orders, and don't play any tricks.
"Yes."
The two clasped fists and retreated.
Once they left, Jian Dan played with her fan, mind racing.
Jian Mao and Jian Xu didn't disturb her, each sinking into their own thoughts, trying to pick out useful details from Lady Di's words.
"Senior Brother, do you think Chief Jian Jun caused that uprising and killed those immortals because of the star map?"
"With her ability, it's very possible."
"If the uprising worked, then did she already get the star map?"
"Hard to say."
"Two possibilities. One, she failed to get it and stayed hidden, waiting for another chance. Two, she succeeded, but it's already been three years. Why hasn't she transmitted back to Lingyun Continent?"
"Maybe the teleportation array is controlled by immortals, and they refused?" Jian Xu added.
"No. Chief Jian Jun wouldn't have overlooked that. There must be another reason."
"Either way, she must be in the central region, as close to the immortals as possible. That way she can watch for openings."
Jian Mao knew her best, and his deduction was straightforward.
"I agree. Looks like we'll need to head for the central region soon."