Lie Feng noticed the young woman watching him with guarded eyes, then shifted his gaze to her side.There, leaning against the wall, was a skeleton clad in tattered rags.
He thought to himself: So it's true. This must be the ring Master wanted me to bring out of the secret realm. Just my luck that it ended up in her hands. If she refuses to give it up, and we fight, the outcome would be hard to predict.
Though he held little hope, Lie Feng still asked politely,
"Miss, forgive my boldness, but would you be willing to let me have the ring in your hand?"
The woman frowned. "This ring? You want it?"
"Yes."
"Why? Everyone who entered the secret realm came for spirit herbs, yet you seek this ring. Could it be hiding some secret?"
"I don't know. I was merely entrusted to retrieve it. I ask you kindly—please do not make things difficult for me, so I can give an account when I return."
"And if I refuse? Will you try to seize it by force?"
Her words carried a hint of provocation. Lie Feng could see she had no intention of handing it over so easily. Remembering Chang Qingzi's instructions not to fight unless absolutely necessary, he continued to plead.
"I bear no ill will. I only wish to reclaim the ring. It is a pity I have no spirit herbs with me, or I would gladly trade them in exchange. I hope you can grant me this favor."
"I could give it to you—but only if you tell me what secret this ring holds."
"Miss, I truly do not know."
"Do you not know, or do you simply refuse to tell me?"
Lie Feng's patience began to wear thin. His voice hardened."Miss, are you truly set on making things difficult for me?"
She remained unfazed. "I am merely curious. This ring is a remote communication artifact, valuable in its own right. But why is it here? And why was it found on this corpse?"
"I've already told you—I don't know. If you continue to press me, I'll have no choice but to offend you."
"If you want to fight, then fight. In the cultivation world, might makes right. But tell me—do you have the strength to back it up?"
Lie Feng said nothing further, but his gaze sharpened. The woman tucked the ring away and shifted into a battle stance.
They struck at the same moment, leaving their original places and clashing palm-to-palm in an instant. The impact forced them both a step back.The woman was surprised—this man's cultivation was lower than hers, yet their strength had been evenly matched.
To test him further, she attacked again, unleashing a flurry of relentless strikes toward his face and chest. She thought to force him back, but Lie Feng advanced instead, dissolving her strikes one by one and slipping in counters of his own.
When his flame-wreathed fist came at her, she wrapped her palms in spirit-water and blocked."You fight well," she admitted, "but as long as your spirit root is fire, you cannot defeat me—my water root counters you perfectly."
Lie Feng's expression did not change. He fixed his gaze on hers."Is that so?"
Suddenly she drew back, flicking both hands outward. Two jets of water shot toward him.Lie Feng didn't dodge. He turned his palm, condensed a crimson fireball, and hurled it forward.The fireball and water collided, canceling each other out in a burst of steam that clouded their vision.
She pressed the advantage, reaching into the mist. Her hands shifted to claws, condensing droplets into a cluster of tiny ice balls. With another strike, she launched them at Lie Feng, hidden by the steam.
It was a clever tactic—using the mist as cover and conserving strength by converting only part of the steam. It showed her experience in battle.
But at the same time, vines sprouted from the walls around her, weaving into a net aimed to ensnare her from every direction.She tore them apart with a blast that shattered the roof and darted skyward.
As she struggled free, a figure burst from the steam, closing on her at blinding speed. Their silhouettes crossed and separated, then both dropped back to the ground without pressing further.
Lie Feng now held her mask in his hand."If you want this back," he said, "trade me for the ring."
She landed with her back to him, her hood also pulled away, revealing long black hair.When she turned, Lie Feng almost forgot to breathe. Her face was strikingly beautiful, refined yet commanding, her gaze calm and resolute, her brows carrying an air of heroic spirit.
She smiled faintly. "You have skill, sir. Had you not held back, I might already have lost."
Her words jolted him back to focus. He replied modestly,"You give me too much credit. You, too, were holding back."
"Oh? How so?"
"Most water cultivators wield ice needles or ice spikes. You chose small ice pellets instead. Clearly, you did not wish to kill me, only to drive me back."
She nodded lightly. "Perhaps. But I still lost. I hadn't expected you to have both fire and wood roots. Since the outcome is clear, the ring is yours."
"Good."
They stepped forward, exchanging ring for mask. At close range, her face looked even more exquisite, her aura radiant and commanding.
"I am Li Qiuyun," she said. "May I know your name, sir?"
"I am Lie Feng."
"To meet you today, Lie Feng, is an honor."
Unused to such formality, Lie Feng laughed awkwardly. "I am but a nameless nobody. I hardly deserve such words."
"You are too humble. With dual fire-wood roots, your future achievements will be extraordinary."
Lie Feng almost corrected her, but chose instead to remain silent.
Seeing this, Li Qiuyun continued, "But you must be careful of the one who sent you for this ring."
"Why?"
"Whoever it was has hidden much from you. I fear he seeks only to use you—or harbors darker intentions. You should be wary."
Lie Feng smiled and shook his head. "No. I trust him."
Her eyes widened slightly, then softened. "You are upright indeed. Still, caution costs nothing. I must seek out spirit herbs now, so I shall take my leave. Farewell, and take care."
Lie Feng watched her go, reluctant to part, but reminded himself that his task was complete. The entrance lay far behind—he had to hurry, or risk being trapped when it closed.
Then he realized: he had flown at full speed to reach this place, yet Li Qiuyun, who wandered gathering herbs, had arrived before him. Clearly, she had held back much more than she admitted.
When he reached the entrance, Qin Fen happened to arrive as well. As others streamed past them, Qin Fen asked, "How did you fare?"
Lie Feng shook his head. "Nothing at all."
"What?" Qin Fen was stunned.
He had hoped to compete over who gathered more herbs, but with nothing to compare, there was no contest. He didn't bother asking further, and the two of them exited together.
No sooner had they landed outside than they sensed something amiss. Other contestants were staring upward in shock.Lie Feng and Qin Fen followed their gazes—and both froze.
Above them hovered Yuan Hong, flanked by hundreds of cultivators radiating murderous intent, encircling all who emerged from the secret realm.
But what struck Lie Feng hardest was not the encirclement.
Beside Yuan Hong, nailed to a great cross, hung a blood-soaked corpse.
Lie Feng's lips trembled as he whispered,
"Master…"