Her right hand quietly pressed against the Liuyun Ribbon. Baleful qi swirled slowly in her dantian, ready to explode in a thunderous strike at any moment. This girl's strength was unfathomable, her acting flawless. She'd followed her all this way under layers of disguise and schemes. There was no way it was just for fun or some so-called research.
Facing Xie Zhaolin's undisguised killing intent and sharp questioning, Jiu Jiu's smile didn't falter. Instead, she blinked innocently, her face glowing with a look of pure mischief.
"I'm just Jiu Jiu~ What other goal could I have? I just think you're fascinating, benefactor. I wanna follow you around and see some cool stuff~"
She spread her hands, tone playful. "See? Didn't I just help you cross the bridge without a hitch? And I gave you all sorts of intel about this cave mansion too. I don't have any bad intentions toward you at all!"
Her words only made Xie Zhaolin's gaze grow colder. She didn't believe a word of it. "No bad intentions? You've been hiding your cultivation and testing me over and over. That's what you call harmless?"
"Ah come on, when you're wandering outside, you've gotta keep a card up your sleeve." Jiu Jiu laughed carelessly, as if the killing aura pressing against her meant nothing. "Didn't you hide plenty of secrets yourself, benefactor? We're the same~"
She leaned forward a step, lowering her voice. A trace of excitement, almost bewitching, slipped into her tone.
"Besides, don't you think… the two of us working together is a lot more fun, and a lot safer, than you exploring this place alone? I know the paths ahead. I know where treasures lie, and where deadly traps are hidden."
She pointed into the dark corridor. "And you, benefactor, you seem to have a… special trait. You attract certain things in here. It brings trouble, sure, but maybe it also means greater opportunities~
So what do you say? A truce for now? Keep working together?" Jiu Jiu tilted her head, smile radiant, though her eyes flashed with cunning. "I promise, until we leave this cave mansion, I won't harbor any ill will toward you."
Xie Zhaolin stared at her for a moment, mind working quickly.
Jiu Jiu's true cultivation was unknown. If she turned hostile here, the outcome was uncertain. Fighting in this dangerous place would be foolish. The girl's motives were murky, but she clearly had intel about the cave mansion, and she seemed especially interested in her unique trait. For now, she hadn't shown open killing intent.
Cooperation was the most favorable choice… though it was also one made out of necessity.
Xie Zhaolin narrowed her eyes, said nothing, and simply kept walking forward.
Seeing that reaction, Jiu Jiu's grin blossomed again, as if the tense standoff a moment ago had never happened. She spun on her heel, skipping ahead into the darkness. "Come on, benefactor, follow me~ There's something good up ahead! But be careful, there's a watchdog there that even I find troublesome…"
Expressionless, Xie Zhaolin followed her, every nerve on guard. The more harmless this girl acted, the more dangerous her true purpose surely was.
The two moved deeper along the passage on the far side of the rift.
Ruined stone carvings and collapsed remnants of ancient buildings began to appear on both sides of the tunnel. The style was desolate and archaic, clearly from an age long past.
"We're almost there," Jiu Jiu called lightly without looking back. Her steps slowed subtly, a trace of caution in them. "Up ahead is the entrance to the Silence Hall, one of this cave mansion's core outer areas. Back in the day, Youji Shàngrén loved to sit there for meditation."
She paused, then added, "But the hall's guarded by a nasty fellow—an Eroding Soul Yin Puppet. It's not alive, but something Youji Shàngrén forged with secret arts. Its core is a Soul Jade, able to devour living beings' Primordial Souls to strengthen itself. It doesn't feel pain, doesn't tire, and it's incredibly hard to deal with. Plus…"
Her gaze flicked back toward Xie Zhaolin, eyes faintly strange. "That puppet's extremely sensitive to the aura of life. Normally it sleeps half-dormant, but if anyone gets too close, it can wake fully and go berserk."
Xie Zhaolin's heart stirred slightly. A Soul Jade?
That was a treasure indeed. The yinsha qi inside would be delicious nourishment for her. The five beast souls in her spirit beast pouch also stirred restlessly, clearly tempted. For them, inhabiting the Soul Jade would only bring benefits.
"What's your plan?" she asked directly.
Jiu Jiu smirked slyly. "Fighting it head-on would be stupid. Its physical defenses are crazy tough, and it counters souls directly. But, everything has a weakness. Its Soul Jade core is the ultimate yin, and the thing it fears most is the ultimate yang—thunder imbued with pure yang laws."
As she spoke, she rummaged around before pulling out a talisman. It gleamed with a purple-gold glow, crisscrossed with flowing thunder patterns. The instant it appeared, the suffocating gloom around them wavered.
"Ta-da! A Pure Yang Thunder Talisman, one of my prized treasures!" She twirled it proudly. "If we slap this onto the Soul Jade in its chest, it'll stun the core for a short while. Just long enough for us to rush into the hall."
She handed the talisman to Xie Zhaolin. "Your movement's quick and precise. I'll leave this heavy task to you! I'll be right here cheering you on, benefactor!"
Taking the talisman, Xie Zhaolin immediately felt the scorching pure yang energy inside. It was no ordinary charm. Her eyes lingered on Jiu Jiu for a moment. This girl really had too many good things hidden on her.
She didn't speak further. She tucked the talisman away and turned her gaze toward the distant stone doors looming at the end of the passage, exuding a heavy oppressive force.
The two moved closer quietly.
A hundred zhang away, they saw it.
Before the black stone doors stood a humanoid puppet clad in broken black armor, its face blurred beyond recognition. Its whole body radiated thick deathly yin aura, merging with the shadows around it. Only the faint green glow at its chest revealed the Soul Jade within.
The puppet stood completely still, like a statue. Yet the suffocating sense of danger pouring from it made the air feel heavy.
Jiu Jiu flicked her eyes toward Xie Zhaolin, signaling her to get ready.
But just as Xie Zhaolin steadied her breath and prepared to dash in—
Everything went wrong.
The puppet that had seemed lifeless suddenly trembled violently.
The Soul Jade in its chest burst into dazzling green light.
ROAR—!
A furious howl, brimming with hunger and rage, erupted from its body!
Two ghostly green soul-fires flared to life in its empty sockets, locking directly onto Xie Zhaolin. Without giving them a chance to make a move, the massive puppet lunged. Its speed was terrifying, far faster than expected.
"What the hell?! How's it awake already?! And why's it so violent?!"
Jiu Jiu's face twisted in shock. This was something even her "records" hadn't warned about.