When Wei Qingwu returned to her little courtyard, a smug smile still tugged at the corner of her lips.
Today's plan, in her own mind, was flawless.
"Xie Zhaolin, let's see how you're gonna run this time."
She'd already figured it out in the morning. If Xie Zhaolin delayed, in three days it'd count as malicious procrastination. The Law Enforcement Hall's punishment would strip her raw. If she went, the danger of the wolf beast lair would mean serious injury at least, death at best. That way, no one would stand in her way.
And Xie Zhaolin asking Elder Mo for help?
Wei Qingwu snorted, setting down her teacup. Which elder would personally step in to help a newly accepted disciple complete a task? Even her uncle, Elder Wei of Alchemy Peak, had never done that for her.
"She's just a disciple with slightly better talent," Wei Qingwu murmured to herself, "and she actually thinks she's somebody."
The more she thought about it, the prouder she felt, even humming a little tune. After a bath and a change of clothes, she lay on her soft bed and quickly drifted off to sleep. In her dreams, she imagined Xie Zhaolin struggling back from the wolf beast lair, or maybe never returning at all. That night, Wei Qingwu slept exceptionally soundly.
Until—
"Ah!!!"
A sharp scream pierced the quiet morning.
Wei Qingwu went pale, her trembling hand pointing at the door, lips quivering but unable to form words.
Outside her courtyard, seven wolf beasts' corpses were lined up neatly. Each one had its head severed, blood already congealed into a dark red. At the center, the largest wolf head stared straight at her with icy eyes, still carrying the venom of its dying moments.
"This…this can't be…" Wei Qingwu's legs gave out, barely able to stand.
She recognized that wolf head—the leader of the wolf pack, the Silver Moon Wolf King at peak first rank! Even a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator wouldn't dare claim they could easily kill it, let alone a new Qi Refining disciple! The commotion outside soon drew other disciples to watch. They gasped at the seven wolf corpses.
"Isn't this the group of wolf beasts from the task board?"
"My god, did someone actually take this task?"
"Who's strong enough to do this?"
The chatter reached Wei Qingwu's ears, making her face even grimmer. She suddenly remembered something, stumbled back into her room, and dug out a communication jade slip from the drawer.
"Senior Brother Zhao!" she trembled, "come to me right now! Something's happened!"
Soon after, Zhao Ming hurried over. When he saw the scene outside the courtyard, his face turned iron blue.
"This…" He stared in disbelief at the wolf corpses, "Xie Zhaolin did this?"
Wei Qingwu bit her lip until she tasted blood, then let go. "Who else could've done it?" Her voice trembled with restrained anger, "But how could she…"
Zhao Ming crouched, inspecting the corpses carefully. The more he looked, the darker his expression became.
"One strike kills," he said dryly, "all decapitated with a single move, not even a sign of resistance."
Wei Qingwu's pupils constricted sharply. She knew exactly what this meant—anyone capable of killing peak first-rank beasts so easily would be at least mid-Foundation Establishment!
"Impossible…" she whispered, "she's only Qi Refining stage six…"
At that moment, a stir came from the distance.
They looked up to see Xie Zhaolin walking calmly, Elder Mo disguised as Mo Yan following behind.
"Senior Sister Wei," Xie Zhaolin stopped at the courtyard gate, a faint smile on her lips, "thank you for your guidance yesterday, it let me take such a perfect task."
She glanced at Wei Qingwu's pale face with a smile, lightly tapping the wolf king's head with her toe. "So I deliberately placed these trophies in front of your door, hoping you'd know the task's done first thing."
Then she tilted her head in mock concern. "Eh, didn't scare you, did I, Senior Sister?"
Wei Qingwu trembled with rage, pointing at Xie Zhaolin sharply. "You cheated!" She turned to Elder Mo on the side, eyes flashing with malice, "It must be Elder Mo who helped you! How could a mere Qi Refining disciple…"
Xie Zhaolin didn't explain, just smiled at Zhao Ming. "Senior Brother Zhao, the task's officially completed, right?"
"The task…is indeed completed," he rasped, voice dry as if squeezed from his teeth, face showing embarrassment.
Wei Qingwu's eyes flickered with venom. She glared at Xie Zhaolin's calm face, heart swirling with uncontrollable jealousy and anger.
Why? Why could this brand-new disciple receive Elder Mo's attention, when Wei Qingwu had struggled in Alchemy Peak for years, and even her own uncle never helped her like this?
She stared at the jade badge on Xie Zhaolin's waist, marking her as Elder Mo's direct disciple, nails digging into her palms. Something she'd dreamed of but never had, now so easily possessed by that shameless girl—why?
"Senior Sister doesn't look so well," Xie Zhaolin said, feigning concern but her eyes hiding a faint smirk, "didn't rest well last night?"
Wei Qingwu forced down her anger, giving a stiff smile. "Junior Sister worries too much. I just…didn't expect you to finish the task so quickly."
She deliberately stressed "so quickly," implying suspicion.
Xie Zhaolin ignored the hint, leisurely adjusting her sleeves. The rules didn't forbid asking an elder for help, though she hadn't needed Mo Yan to act—the wolf beasts were like gentle pets compared to the savage monsters of the Blackwater Abyss.
Xie Zhaolin clapped lightly. "Since the task's done, these trophies are a gift for Senior Sister." She glanced meaningfully at the wolf king's ferocious head. "Hope you like them."
Wei Qingwu's face turned iron blue—everyone knew she hated bloody things the most. What infuriated her even more was Xie Zhaolin's casual attitude, as if killing the wolves had been no effort at all.
"Junior Sister…so generous," Wei Qingwu ground out between her teeth, nails digging blood into her palms.
"If Senior Sister likes them, that's enough," Xie Zhaolin smiled, eyes sparkling with mischief, then turned and walked away gracefully.
"Xie Zhaolin…" Wei Qingwu ground her teeth, voice dripping with venom, "just you wait!"
"Master, what's the next step?" Mo Yan asked via transmission after a short distance.
"No rush," Xie Zhaolin said, toying with the jade badge. "Let her enjoy this gift first. Soon, she'll come to me on her own."
She knew Wei Qingwu too well—the more forbidden, the more frenzied the desire.
Besides—
She still needed Wei Qingwu to test the attitudes of the other peaks.