Chapter 249: Too Shameless
The old daoist turned to look, his eyes widening instantly. He saw a woman in white with a calm expression, her eyes filled with endless amusement. Her posture was casual, with her hands resting before her.
He had never seen this woman in person before, but the daoist still recognized her.
Because her reputation was simply too well-known.
Bai Xuanling, the one known as the "Living Yama" in the Central Province.
The old daoist found it hard to believe. He extended his divine sense, but could only perceive a void of nothingness.
Having never faced a master of the Tribulation Transcendence Realm, the daoist didn't know if this void was consistent with the status of such a cultivator.
"You're still using an illusion?!" The daoist narrowed his eyes, his expression showing utter disbelief, but his body had already tensed slightly.
It wasn't complete disbelief. After all, to be able to force a Golden Core Realm cultivator like himself into an illusion, even if it was with a magical treasure, she could not be a disciple cultivated by any ordinary sect.
For a sect to have a treasure of a disciple like this, it would be strange if no one had followed them in to take the risk.
However... it was common knowledge that Bai Xuanling only had one disciple.
The daoist hesitated for a moment but still felt it was absurd. If Bai Xuanling's personality was as rumored, she would most likely have just knocked him out with a blunt object, rather than putting on such a display.
The Eight Trigrams Formation beneath his feet instantly expanded. The daoist's expression turned serious as he summoned a peach wood sword. Lightning began to flash within the Eight Trigrams Formation.
Thunder Arts—Shatter the Clouds!
A Thunder Dragon shot forth from the Eight Trigrams Formation, charging straight at Bai Xuanling in the sky.
"Hmph..." Bai Xuanling gave a disdainful chuckle. She reached out and lightly pointed at the soaring Thunder Dragon. Without any intense clash, the Thunder Dragon dissipated into nothingness upon touching her.
The daoist's face instantly froze—this person was for real?!
"Few people dare to attack me after seeing who I am." Bai Xuanling's figure slowly descended to the ground. "So... do you think my temper has gotten better lately?"
The daoist's expression was suspicious. The Eight Trigrams Formation spun wildly beneath his feet as his spiritual power surged. Although he still thought it was an illusion, he spoke up in reply:
"I just never expected a senior like you to come."
"If you all dared to do this, why wouldn't I be able to come?" Bai Xuanling's eyes narrowed. She paid no mind to the daoist's small movements. "Capture me? Do you Mist Mystic Temple think that with the protection of the Great Dao Sect, you can get away with this?"
The daoist didn't reply. The suspicion on his face vanished completely. He ignored Bai Xuanling before him and his gaze shot directly to Zhou Ping, who was standing at the entrance in a daze.
The Eight Trigrams Formation unleashed another bolt of lightning, striking directly at Zhou Ping.
Yet, Zhou Ping showed no reaction to the lightning strike, not even making a move to dodge.
The lightning struck, and Zhou Ping turned into a scattering of fluorescent light, vanishing.
Then, very quickly, everything around them turned into fluorescent light and vanished, even the defiant Bai Xuanling.
All of it returned to reality.
Under the moonlight.
The mountain peak in the direction where the old daoist had released the Thunder Dragon had been erased by that single strike.
It was clear that the little girl had simply used some kind of illusionary technique to block his senses.
Under the moonlight, Chen Baiqing now stood at the entrance, silently protecting Zhou Ping behind her.
The daoist ignored Chen Baiqing at first, his divine sense meticulously scanning Zhou Ping to confirm that this was the real Zhou Ping and not a substitute swapped by that little Golden Core girl with an absurdly high level of illusionary skill.
"Little girl, your skills are indeed formidable," the daoist said warily. "The technique to hide the Thunder Dragon's aura is truly impressive. To achieve this at the Golden Core Realm is worthy of respect."
"But you must learn to know when to stop. Do not try my patience."
Although it had only taken the daoist a few breaths to see through the illusion, if this little girl had been at the Nascent Soul Realm, he suspected he would be the one played if she had truly wanted to toy with him.
Chen Baiqing said nothing. Maintaining an illusion that could fool a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator was draining, even with the aid of the Blue Sky Treasure Ring.
She didn't know why the old daoist had reacted so quickly; there shouldn't have been any flaws in her illusion.
It would not be easy to deceive him now.
Should she retreat?
Or should she call her Master?
Chen Baiqing lowered her head slightly. The Blue Sky Treasure Ring in her hand transformed into a dagger, lightly pressing against her wrist.
Perhaps she should just have Bai Sister come over—as long as she was injured enough.
A self-inflicted serious injury was still a serious injury.
But this thought was quickly dismissed from her mind—she shouldn't worry her Master.
Without a moment's hesitation, Chen Baiqing turned around and said to Zhou Ping beside her:
"Come with me."
Hearing this, Zhou Ping hurriedly followed Chen Baiqing's lead. He cautiously glanced at the old daoist standing in the ancestral hall.
The old daoist's gaze was locked on Chen Baiqing, but he made no move, allowing Chen Baiqing and Zhou Ping to leave.
In the daoist's divine sense, Chen Baiqing had now retracted her own aura, showing no defenses at all. It was as if she didn't care in the slightest that he had attacked her.
Although he had no intention of harming her, wasn't this a bit overconfident?
Could it be... that she was trying to lure him into making a move?
This little girl was something else.
*
Zhou Ping hurried to keep up with Chen Baiqing, not daring to even breathe.
He had truly witnessed the power of immortals. A single, casual strike had effortlessly erased a mountain peak.
Right now, what use were gold and silver compared to such terrifying abilities?
And he never imagined that the one controlling this terrifying event would be an immortal, not some demon or monster...
It was simply...
Chen Baiqing made no effort to hide her tracks, walking swaggeringly down the main road toward the exit.
Zhou Ping followed her, his heart pounding with fear.
Did immortals keep their word so well? If they said they would let you go, they let you go; if they said they would take you with them, they took you with them?
Without any sign of regret?
Could it be that this immortal before him was actually not very old and had no guard up?
Zhou Ping's mind raced, trying to push down the fear and confusion in his heart.
Chen Baiqing walked in silence, not asking questions and not glancing back at Zhou Ping.
It seemed she had messed things up.
The person following her now, in her Master's words, was just a participant in the reward.
To put it in terms her Master would understand, it was like failing to catch a fish and just scooping up a cup of water instead.
Her mind replayed her mistakes.
Although the intelligence was insufficient, leading to she dared not to use her divine sense or spiritual power, and there was a Nascent Soul cultivator squatting right in the ancestral hall—these were valid reasons—she should have done better.
If the illusion had been a bit more realistic, perhaps she could have deceived the old daoist?
If she had just a little more time, her spiritual power had almost completely enveloped Zhou Ping. Maybe in a few more breaths, she would have succeeded.
When Chen Baiqing led Zhou Ping out of the barrier, she saw that her Master had already been waiting beside it.
Her Master hurried over, reached out and patted her head, and looked her over with a worried gaze. Although not even the corner of her clothes was wrinkled, her Master still asked anxiously:
"Are you hurt?"
Chen Baiqing shook her head slightly, her tone apologetic:
"I'm sorry, Master... I didn't do a good job of the task you gave me."
Chu Xingchen sighed in relief:
"Nonsense. You have already accomplished the most important thing."
A smile appeared on Chen Baiqing's face beneath her mask, and the listlessness from before had mostly vanished.
Although her Maste
r didn't say it directly, the most important thing to him was her safety, wasn't it?
Sometimes, her Master just loved to say things like that.
Although Baiqing loved to hear it, it was just like what her Senior Sister had said on her birthday.
So shameless.
Unlock 30 chapters instantly (for the price of the old 20-chapter tier) and get 50–55 new chapters every month.
If you're enjoying the story, consider supporting me here:
patreon.com/Alex_Cruise