Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Shen Xiyin had imagined many punishments for failing to complete the trial, but the last thing she expected was to be forced to execute it.

Since there was no retreat anyway, why put on a show of setting a time limit? God only knew the struggle she went through while waiting for it to end.

She was certain this vile, treacherous Corrupt Array was deliberately tormenting her. Or perhaps the ancient inscription on the wall was like a warning, and the so-called time limit was just the array pretending to be generous in granting preparation time. In the end, whether ready or not, it would do what it wanted.

The second the "Enforcement" prompt went off, the entire stone chamber began to shrink. As the space contracted, the people inside were naturally forced closer.

Shen Xiyin felt the ground beneath her feet steadily shifting toward Pei Su.

A mere mortal couldn't do a thing to stop this change. Panicking, she looked over at Pei Su, hoping he could do something to stop this ridiculous situation.

"Elder!"

Pei Su did mean to stop it. But just as he raised his hand to cast a spell, he seemed to remember something, lowered it, frowning silently.

The distance between them grew shorter and shorter. Right before it disappeared completely, he shoved his sword forward.

The blade got wedged horizontally between the two closing walls, prying a gap between them.

That gap let them catch their breath.

But things weren't much better.

His sword kept the front and back apart, but the space all around kept shrinking.

His body was forced to lean in, his tall, straight frame looming over her. He put a hand on the wall to brace himself, trying not to get any closer.

Shen Xiyin saw the arms hovering above her head, and her eyelashes fluttered.

He'd just used a lot of force, his breathing heavy.

Being this close forced them to see each other clearly.

For the first time, Pei Su saw her face up close. Fair, smooth, delicate features, lips so red they looked chapped from all the biting.

He quickly looked away, reminding himself she was someone else's wife.

The space between them got even smaller, and the air grew thinner. Shen Xiyin's breathing quickened, and she couldn't help catching the faint scent on his robes.

She couldn't quite describe what it smelled like—like a proud pine in winter, or a stubborn bamboo in a mountain forest. It was cool and refined, but with a tough, unyielding strength.

It seemed like a deep, warm smell, but it also had an unstoppable aggression, seeping into her lungs and chest as she breathed faster.

As time passed, the space for movement shrank even more. His neck was forced down toward her, making his smell stronger and more intense.

Shen Xiyin shut her trembling eyelids, trying to forget that smell. If she forgot, it wouldn't count as remembering. If she didn't remember, it never happened. If it never happened, it wasn't a mistake.

But the more she tried to forget, the deeper it burned into her memory.

And now, his breath hit her earlobe with every exhale. She couldn't tell if the air she was breathing in was his.

This feeling was terrible, making her already weak body go soft and feverish.

She felt guilty.

At this moment, they were like two people stuck in a tiny cabinet.

Shen Xiyin sensed his resistance. He didn't dare move a muscle. Despite the limited space, his limbs stayed polite, keeping a sliver of space.

Thankfully, the sword wedged between the walls, they still had a shred of decency.

But the Corrupt Array wouldn't let them off easily. Seeing his resistance, it cranked up the force three times.

The paper-thin sword started to bend under the nonstop pressure from the two walls.

The walls closed in another fraction, shrinking the space further. His body was forced against hers, and his bent knee suddenly pressed into the hollow of her skirt.

Shen Xiyin tilted her head back, her eyes wide.

That sudden intrusion into her skirt was like a hammer striking a deep well, unleashing the pent-up water hidden underground. It burst forth, like her long-suppressed emotions, no longer containable.

She couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.

She felt the breath on her earlobe pause for three beats.

The next moment, the Mind-Trapping Array's prompt sounded—

"Congratulations, you two. You have successfully passed the first trial."

—

On the way back to Yucheng Mountain, Pei Jun had been giving Xie Yusheng the cold shoulder the entire journey, all because the latter had slandered his uncle as being lost in carnal desires.

Pei Ling, caught between them, found it hard to mediate and sighed repeatedly. One was a renowned senior of the mystic arts, the other a junior with powerful backing—neither was easy to provoke.

During the head of the household's absence, the clan's affairs were managed by his trusted retainer, Pei Daoqian.

Since the head's disappearance had yet to be confirmed, the three didn't dare spread the news recklessly. They hurried back to Yucheng Mountain and went straight to see Pei Daoqian.

Pei Jun recounted everything—how he and Pei Ling had sneaked off to the southern mountain ruins to find the Blood Yin Stone, later encountered Xie Yusheng at a tea stall, and learned of his uncle's failure to show up and subsequent disappearance. He spared no detail, even including their every word and action during that time, afraid of missing any clue.

Of course, he deliberately omitted Xie Yusheng's irrelevant and scandalous remark about his uncle.

Pei Daoqian listened carefully to Pei Jun's account, pondered for a moment, and said, "Don't rush. Let me investigate first."

With that, he took a palm-sized compass from his sleeve.

Seeing this, Pei Ling said, "Sir, are you planning to conduct a soul search?"

Pei Daoqian was highly skilled in divination and numerology, with extraordinary mastery in this field. He was also well-versed in hundreds of classics and often taught the younger generation, earning him the title of "Master" among the Pei clan's juniors.

The so-called soul search meant probing a living person's soul. Few in the world could use such a technique, and Pei Daoqian was one of them.

As long as a person lived, they left traces of existence. A highly accomplished mystic could follow subtle clues to locate the soul of someone still alive.

Xie Yusheng had never seen such a mysterious technique before. Intrigued, he leaned in to examine the compass.

The doors and windows of the elegant room were shut tight. After a faint glow, the compass showed a result.

Pei Jun asked impatiently, "What's the result?"

Pei Daoqian didn't answer immediately, which nearly drove Pei Jun out of his wits.

After a moment of silence, Pei Daoqian slowly opened his eyes and smiled. "Rest assured, the head of the household is safe."

Hearing this, everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief.

But Pei Ling still didn’t get it: “Since the head of the family’s okay, why would he break his promise for no reason?”

Pei Daoqian’s square face still held a smile, but his tone sharpened: “How can you be so sure it was for no reason? Remember, the most important rule of the Pei family precepts is to stand tall with integrity and treat others with kindness. There’s a time and place for everything. If the head of the family is currently busting his butt to save someone’s life, how would he have time to show up for an appointment?”

He stroked his goatee and eased his tone: “Of course, I’m just giving an example, but it’s conceivable that the head of the family is dealing with some tricky matter and can’t get away for the moment.”

Pei Ling lowered his head and murmured, “That was out of line.”

Pei Jun said, “Anyway, the important thing is that Uncle’s okay.”

Xie Yusheng added, “Looks like it was just a false alarm.”

Pei Daoqian then stepped forward to offer an apology to Xie Yusheng: “This time, it is indeed the Pei family’s fault. When the head gets back, he’ll definitely explain things to Lord Yuhun.”

Xie Yusheng waved his fan generously and said, “No worries. Just have him make it up to me with a few jars of the best wine from your family’s cellar when he gets back. But since the memorial ceremony for my master is imminent, I gotta get going. I’ll take my leave now.”

Pei Daoqian agreed readily. Seeing that it was getting late, he offered Xie Yusheng a place to crash for the night and set out at dawn the next day.

Of course, he didn’t forget to punish Pei Jun and Pei Ling for sneaking out of the mountain gate by making them copy scriptures and kneel as punishment.

After sending off the three, the study got quiet again. The incense burner on the desk sent up wisps of blue smoke. Pei Daoqian looked at the compass needle that wasn’t moving in his hand, his expression grave.

He’d tried to find the head using soul-seeking, but it didn’t work. Either the guy he was looking for was already gone, body and soul, and no longer existed in this world, or he was currently in a place that soul-seeking couldn’t reach.

He sure hoped it wasn’t the first option, but what kind of place could evade soul-seeking? And why would the head of the family go there?

Pei Daoqian got lost in thought.

Pei Jun and Pei Ling knelt all night copying scriptures. When they got up the next morning, they felt like their hands and legs didn’t belong to them. Before they could recover, they were summoned by Pei Daoqian.

They initially thought they’d be confined for a while by that sneaky old man for breaking the sect rules. But unexpectedly, as soon as they arrived, the old man said, “You two will go to Luoyang in place of the head of the family, accompanying Lord Yuhun.”

“The head of the family and my master shared a deep bond. It would be improper for the Pei family to be absent. A-Jun is the closest to the head of the family, and A-Ling is his most trusted disciple. You two are the most suitable to go in his stead.”

“Yes.”

“Disciple accepts the order.”

The two received their orders and hurried back to their rooms to pack.

Before they left, Pei Daoqian gave them communication paper cranes, instructing them to use the cranes to notify him if they encountered any unsolvable problems, and to act cautiously while away.

Pei Jun and Pei Ling accepted the paper cranes and repeatedly agreed.

After instructing the two, Pei Daoqian turned to Xie Yusheng and said, “I’m leaving my juniors in your hands, Lord Yuhun.”

Xie Yusheng smiled and waved his fan, “That’s no problem.”

Pei Jun rolled his eyes slightly in disdain, and Pei Ling quickly stepped in front of him to block his face, sighing inwardly, wondering when this stuck-in-the-middle situation would ever end!

Pei Daoqian watched the three leave the mountain gate.

The weather was clear and bright, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that a storm was brewing.