A sharp crack rang out.
The jade pendant at Wei Qingwu's waist suddenly exploded with a blinding light, just barely blocking the fatal strike. But the pendant shattered inch by inch, turning to powder that drifted in the air.
No one expected Xie Zhaolin to strike so suddenly. The attack came too fast and too unexpectedly, even Yu Xiaotang couldn't react in time.
Seeing the pendant block the blow before shattering, Xie Zhaolin didn't linger. Her figure retreated instantly, vanishing into the forest like a wisp of smoke. She knew perfectly well that, though the strike hadn't hit, it had publicly humiliated Yu Xiaotang. Knowing her good junior sister, she wouldn't let it slide.
Sure enough, Yu Xiaotang's face turned ashen, her gentle mask shattered. "Stop her!"
Only then did the Hehuan Sect disciples react, unleashing their magic tools in pursuit. But Xie Zhaolin had prepared well. Her escape speed was astonishing, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished deep into the forest.
"Chase her!" Yu Xiaotang shouted, eyes full of killing intent. She never imagined the other would dare strike in front of her again. This was a blatant slap to her face!
Wei Qingwu slumped to the ground, clutching her chest in shock. She trembled as she touched the shattered pendant, her heart filled with fear—if it weren't for the protective jade her uncle had given her, she probably would have…
Thinking of that, her hatred for Xie Zhaolin deepened. If she hadn't gone alone, avoiding the Qingxi Sect disciples, how would she have provoked this cultivator? And she'd lost her only protective treasure.
Yu Xiaotang shot her a cold glance, irritation growing. This fool not only caused trouble but also made her lose face in front of everyone.
"Young sect master, what do we do now?" a Hehuan Sect disciple asked.
Yu Xiaotang took a deep breath, forcing down her anger. "Send people to track her. Everyone else, stay here and rest."
Her gaze swept over Wei Qingwu. "Sister Wei, you'd better explain—who was that just now?"
Wei Qingwu shivered and shook her head repeatedly, claiming ignorance.
Yu Xiaotang's eyes flickered with suspicion, but she didn't press further. The most important thing now was to catch that audacious cultivator, or how would she, Yu Xiaotang, save face?
Meanwhile, Xie Zhaolin was already miles away. Once she confirmed her safety, she contacted Liu Feng through the contract. Those two strikes just now looked deadly, but in reality, Liu Feng had cooperated in a ruse. Using his temporary unconsciousness as cover, he reported all recent intelligence in detail.
At the end of the report, his voice suddenly grew heavy. "One more thing… Chen Xingmo is dead."
Xie Zhaolin raised an eyebrow. No wonder the contract felt off—one of her pawns had died.
"How did it happen?" she asked casually.
"Pushed by a fellow disciple during a demon clan attack… took a blade for us."
Xie Zhaolin clicked her tongue. "What a waste."
Not out of sympathy for Chen Xingmo, but because she lost a useful human bomb.
She quickly regained her composure. "Alright, contact me after you part ways with Hehuan Sect. With this lifesaving favor, Sister Wei should trust you more."
After ending the communication, Xie Zhaolin changed her outfit and assumed a new face. Since she couldn't deal with Wei Qingwu for now, she'd focus on seeking opportunities. She opened her map, eyes landing on a dangerous area.
In her past life, there had been a rare spirit herb there, and by now it should be ripe. A spark of anticipation flickered in her eyes.
It took her another day to reach the secluded valley. She cautiously sent several Shisha spider worker drones to scout the area. Silently, they infiltrated the valley, sending back intel.
The guardian blood-eyed beast wolf was indeed still there, indicating no one had discovered this treasure spot. But according to the drones, the wolf's cultivation had reached the peak of Third Rank—equivalent to a late-stage Golden Core human, just a step from Nascent Soul.
Xie Zhaolin's heart sank.
This exceeded all her expectations.
The Fusang Secret Realm imposed a limit on beasts at Third Rank. This wolf had clearly reached the absolute boundary. Worse, the Purple Cloud Ginseng seemed about to mature. The wolf clearly intended to use its power to attempt a breakthrough, striving for Fourth Rank.
Xie Zhaolin quickly weighed the pros and cons. She had assumed the beast might only reach early-stage Golden Core, in which case her divine perception and puppet self-destruction could handle it. But a late-stage Golden Core at peak? Even with all her tricks, she might not take down the wolf.
After a moment's thought, she contacted Liu Feng again. "I have a task for you."
"Master, please instruct."
"Spread the news naturally that a treasure is guarded by a Golden Core beast in the southeast area. Make it seem accidental, don't let anyone suspect a setup."
Liu Feng felt a jolt of fear. He forced himself to respond respectfully, though a subtle tremor remained in his voice. If noticed, escape might be impossible.
Xie Zhaolin caught his fear. "Afraid? You're not going to deal with it yourself. Spread the word, and others will handle it."
Thanks to Liu Feng's operation, within half a day, word of a treasure guarded by a Golden Core beast had spread throughout the Fusang Secret Realm. Various sects mobilized and rushed toward the location.
The first to arrive was the Hehuan Sect team.
Xie Zhaolin couldn't help but smirk—Qingxi Sect disciples had come too. Wei Qingwu still stood in front, her excitement barely concealed.
"Idiots," Xie Zhaolin muttered.
Weak yet insisting on joining the chaos, they didn't know their place. When the fight broke out, Qingxi Sect would be the first to take the hit.
Soon, the Xuanyang Sword Sect team arrived.
Yuan Yingqi met Yu Xiaotang quietly, exchanging words that made it obvious they had already coordinated. After the teams converged, they didn't act immediately, instead sending scouts skilled in stealth.
The scouts' report made Yu Xiaotang and Yuan Yingqi's faces fall. A peak late-stage Golden Core—far beyond their expectations. The two exchanged a glance, seeing unprecedented seriousness in each other's eyes. They had assumed only an early-stage Golden Core beast. With both sects together, they could handle it. But now? This was beyond their capability.
Even all forces combined might not overcome a peak late-stage Golden Core.
Before long, disciples from Medicine King Valley, Mingguang Sect, and others arrived at the valley's edge. Surprisingly, the demon clan also appeared, over a hundred strong. Clearly, upon learning the news, they immediately mobilized to prevent a human strike.
The moment the two sides faced each other, tension snapped, like drawn swords ready to strike.