“Where are the people who were here?”
Chen Feng grabbed a servant and questioned him.
“Ah, I—I don’t know! There was a sudden explosion here fifteen minutes ago, and the guests living inside disappeared.”
“Who was living here?”
“A young female cultivator, accompanied by a little boy four or five years old and a slightly older girl.”
Standing before Chen Feng was an old man in plain white robes who possessed a transcendent, immortal air. His sharp gaze swept over the messy room, and he stepped forward, extending a finger. A drop of blood on the floor gathered automatically and floated to his front.
This drop of blood...
With a wave of the Taixuan Sect Ancestor’s hand, the drop of blood dispersed into fine threads. It belonged, no doubt, to Chen Feng’s enemy.
Just as he was about to leave, his footsteps suddenly paused.
Chen Feng followed his gaze and saw a talisman stuck to the wall of the room. He immediately took it down and presented it to the Taixuan Sect Ancestor.
“Ancestor.”
The Taixuan Sect Ancestor took the talisman and channeled spiritual energy into it through his fingertips to inspect it closely. Within a few seconds, a trace of surprise and admiration appeared in his calm eyes.
“Take a look at this.”
He handed the talisman to Chen Feng.
Chen Feng stared at it for a long time, only discerning that it was a Defensive Talisman—drawn exquisitely at best. He truly didn't understand what was so impressive about it, though he didn't dare say so aloud.
Recalling the Ancestor's expression just now, he offered a measured comment.
“This talisman is drawn exceptionally well. It must be the work of a remarkably talented talisman master.”
Seeing that Chen Feng couldn't offer any deeper insight, the Taixuan Sect Ancestor's gaze dimmed slightly. “The subtlety of this talisman is the greatest I have ever seen in my life. Even though its defensive power can only block attacks up to the Golden Core Mid Stage, the technique and layout used to draw it extend its defensive duration. Furthermore, it contains not only defense, but also a subtle, hidden attack.”
This raised suspicion in his heart. Aside from old monsters thousands of years old, hardly anyone would possess the capability to draw such a talisman.
The culprit was only at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection. Aside from a gift from a senior, he couldn't think of any other way they could have obtained it. Yet how could a Defensive Talisman bestowed by a senior master be limited to defending against only the Golden Core Mid Stage?
The Taixuan Sect Ancestor grew increasingly curious about the person behind this.
He was determined to find this person and see for himself.
...
“Halt! Take another step forward and die!”
The moment Wen Li and her party took a step into the back mountain, a woman’s voice suddenly rang out.
Two women in crimson robes stood proudly before them.
Xie Tinglan recognized the two women as the female cultivators who had attended the sedan when it entered Taiwei City.
Wen Li, naturally, recognized them as well.
Her temple twitched, and with a smooth turn, she prepared to leave.
“Sorry to disturb you. Farewell.”
“Huh?”
Xie Tinglan was bewildered. Why were they leaving as soon as they arrived? There were still enemies outside.
Just as he stepped forward...
“Since you are here, you are guests. Why be in such a hurry to leave?”
A charming, melodious voice sounded out, rich with an elegant, noble undertone.
Wen Li’s body stiffened, but she did not turn around.
“Master.”
The two female cultivators immediately retreated behind him.
Xie Tinglan raised his eyes, nervously lifting his hand into a defensive posture. This was Feng Ling of Jiuyin Island.
The newcomer wore a moonlit brocade robe with gold-embroidered peonies decorating the hem. His jet-black hair was bound with an iris-patterned white jade hairpin. His long, bone-white fingers held a red umbrella, and his index finger bore a ring carved like bone.
The man was extraordinarily handsome without being effeminate, tall and elegant in stature.
The gaze he cast upon others resembled that of a devoted lover, capable of making anyone lose themselves in it.
【You damn system! Why didn't you tell me this Soul Formation old monster was Feng Ling?!】
A chill ran down Wen Li’s spine; she didn't even dare turn around.
The system asked, puzzled, 【Host, you know him? Hurry up and cling to his thigh then!】
Wen Li scoffed mentally. Escaping was definitely out of the question. Steeling herself, she spun around and raised a hand in greeting.
She flashed a standard toothy smile. “Lord Feng Ling, long time no see!”
Seeing that Wen Li actually dared to turn around, Feng Ling—whose eyes held murderous intent beneath a gentle veneer—curved his brows. “I was wondering who it was. So it's you.”
Wen Li nodded, her smile intensely sycophantic. “Yes, yes! I just did a quick calculation and realized today is a wonderful day to return property to its rightful owner. I came specifically to return the 'Nine Underworlds Reincarnation Banner' to you, Senior!”
With that, Wen Li hurriedly presented it with both hands.
Xie Tinglan stared at Wen Li’s bootlicking behavior in utter shock. He couldn't help but transmit his voice through spiritual sense: “Didn't you say you picked up this flag while some Nascent Soul old monsters were fighting? How did you provoke Feng Ling, who's at the Soul Formation stage?”
Wen Li replied with a fake smile via spiritual transmission: “Because when Feng Ling was besieged for treasure, he was only at Nascent Soul Great Perfection! Who knew he’d already reached the Soul Formation Early Stage by now?!”
Xie Tinglan moved a step closer to her side so it would be easier to flee together.
“Then isn't returning the banner to him enough? Just pretend you were holding on to it for safekeeping.”
“I wish I could!” Wen Li felt like crying without tears.
“The last time we met, I didn't just loot his banner—I also took advantage of his heavy injuries to rob everything on him! I wanted to kill him, but couldn't because he had a backlash restriction on him. Seeing that his clothes were treasures that protected against heat and cold, I stripped his clothes and sold them too! Afterward, to cover himself, he stole another female cultivator's robes. Because of that, rumors spread throughout the Western Province that he's an exhibitionist who likes stripping female cultivators' clothes to hide in his quilt and sniff them in secret...”
“...”
Xie Tinglan, who had just stepped closer, froze. He slowly turned his head to stare at her, convinced she was out of her mind.
She was truly driven mad by poverty! She actually dared to strip and sell the clothes of a cultivator at the Late Nascent Soul Stage!
No wonder when they entered Taiwei City, knowing it was Feng Ling, she told Yao Dai to stay away and called him an exhibitionist! She knew better than anyone why those rumors existed, yet she had joined in spreading them!
Xie Tinglan glanced at Feng Ling, whose eyes looked at them as if they were already dead. Saying nothing, Xie Tinglan promptly took three steps away from her.
Listening to Wen Li's words...
Holding the umbrella in his right hand, Feng Ling used his left fingers to tug at his clothes, chuckling in sheer rage for the first time in his life.
“Is that so? Aren't you still missing one thing to give back to me?”
“Uh... This junior still has quite a few items here. I shall offer them all to Senior!”
Gritting her teeth, she reluctantly pulled out a few more items she had swiped from others.
Wen Li didn't dare bring up the clothes. Who knew that Jiuyin Island's technique hadn't knocked him unconscious, but had instead caused his soul to project out of his body, letting him watch her strip his clothes right from the side!
Of course, she had no interest in men's bodies, so she had at least left him his underpants.
“No. What you ought to give me... is your life!”
Feng Ling sneered, twisting the handle of the umbrella in his right hand.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Curved blades instantly shot out from the tip of the red umbrella, coated in shimmering blue flames. They radiated a bizarre, ice-cold danger—a single scratch would likely ignite a fire that ended one's life!
Wen Li rapidly threw Yao Dai toward Xie Tinglan.
“Take Yao Dai and leave first!”
In an instant, Xie Tinglan’s form shifted from a four-year-old child into an eighteen-year-old youth. Catching Yao Dai, his crimson eyes remained calm and steady.
Feng Ling glanced at his two female attendants, his eyes dark with hostility.
“Kill those two as well.”
“Yes, Master.”
He intended to wipe them out completely to vent the deep hatred in his heart.
Rate on N.U.
