Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Lu Yuanyin, refusing to give up, searched the cave one more time until she was certain that not a trace of his presence or aura remained.

Her expression shifted slightly, and a knot of panic tightened in her chest. She didn't dare hang around in the cave, and only when she returned to the Chongyao Sect did she breathe a little easier.

Lu Yuanyin had deliberately avoided thinking about it before: if Huo Wuyan were rescued by his subordinates, or if he escaped on his own, how would he retaliate against her once he recovered?

Thinking of the empty cave, her face paled. She had never admitted it before, but she had always been somewhat afraid of Huo Wuyan—even back when she knew nothing of his identity or past.

Even when he was bound by iron chains, his spiritual power sealed, his face all flushed and his clothes a mess as he lay on that stone bed, looking into his crimson eyes still made her scared, no matter what.

Even when he was lost in lust, his eyes remained as dead as a dried-up pond, hollow and indifferent.

At those moments, Lu Yuanyin would instinctively restrain herself, scared to say any more crazy stuff to get a rise out of him.

And now, the outcome she feared most had arrived... Her head was spinning. Subconsciously, she pulled out her fortune-telling sticks from her storage pouch and did a quick reading with her half-baked fortune-telling skills.

As the sticks fell to the ground, Lu Yuanyin’s expression froze.

Disaster.

Expressionless, she tossed the sticks aside. After a moment’s thought, she immediately returned to her room to pack her belongings and even dug up all the spiritual herbs in the courtyard, stowing them in her storage pouch, ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.

Now that she knew the subsequent plot, there was no way she could stay at the Chongyao Sect.

She had previously been tricked by Lu Sisi into agreeing to form a team for the grand competition, a fact that Immortal Lord Changye had long been aware of. If she ran away now, he would surely notice something amiss. After a moment of deliberation, Lu Yuanyin decided she no longer wanted to see Lu Sisi and her group. She simply stayed in her room, training with her door shut, until right before the competition began, when she finally headed to the Cloud Reception Platform.

In the current cultivation world, the Chongyao Sect was considered a top-tier sect, and many cultivators came to try their luck.

Below the Cloud Reception Platform, cultivators from all over had already gathered. As soon as Lu Yuanyin arrived, she sensed a few weird stares thrown her way—some admiring, others contemptuous and disdainful. She was used to that by now.

Pretending not to notice, she looked up and saw several elders forming hand seals, working together to open the secret realm. A vast surge of spiritual power rippled outward like flowing water, and a worn wooden gate faded into view out of nowhere, emitting a heavy, ancient vibe of primal chaos.

Lu Yuanyin’s gaze paused as she caught sight of a slender figure standing silently on the platform.

The night wind stirred his wide sleeves, and the jade belt in his hair fluttered gently. Through the vast darkness, she couldn’t make out his features, but she had an inexplicable intuition.

Immortal Lord Changye was watching her.

In the past, no matter when or where, whenever she appeared, Immortal Lord Changye would always look in her direction first—something that used to make her happy.

Now, it just felt bitterly ironic.

If he'd already made up his mind to kill her, why go through all this fake theater?

Lu Yuanyin lowered her eyes, looking away from all external stares. She made her way through the crowd toward where the Chongyao Sect disciples had gathered. There, she spotted two familiar figures—Lu Yuan and his wife, pulling along Lu Sisi, who was adorned in spiritual treasures, their faces still tight with worry.

Lu’s mother stuffed a storage pouch into Lu Sisi’s hands, repeatedly instructing, “Once you enter that secret realm, there are all kinds of shady people—be careful! Don’t be so dumb anymore!”

Lu Sisi replied sweetly, “Mother, don’t worry! I know!”

Still uneasy, Lu’s mother took Lu Sisi’s hand and said softly, “I also brought the gold-thread armor your brother had. Remember to put it on—it’s a life-saving treasure!”

Hearing about the gold-thread armor, Lu Yuanyin’s eyes flickered. She looked at the dignified, beautiful woman before her, and her hands clenched inside her sleeves. Her parents were famous alchemists when they were alive, had a lot of money. After their deaths, she went back to their old house, only to find that every last spirit stone and treasure they'd saved up had been snatched up by Lu Yuan and his wife, along with those relatives.

She had tried to reclaim those belongings, but Lu Yuan and his wife refused to see her, saying they didn't see anything at the Lu house. Those relatives, who had once been fawning and ingratiating toward her, now changed their attitudes entirely, just looking at her with disgust.

And after she showed her skill at alchemy, they came slithering back again.

Lu Sisi, who had been acting spoiled, seemed to sense something. She looked up and saw Lu Yuanyin bypassing the crowd, heading toward them. Her face changed, and she instinctively tucked the storage pouch behind her back.

Seeing her daughter’s reaction, Lu’s mother turned around. When she saw Lu Yuanyin, her smile went stiff for a second. Awkwardly, she said, “A Yin, you’re here. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Lu Yuanyin gave a faint smile. “I’ve been looking for you too, Auntie.”

Lu’s mother’s eyelid twitched, a bad feeling creeping in. Then Lu Yuanyin continued with a cheerful tone, “Auntie, about the spirit stones for those pills I made for you—when can you pay me back? I’ve come to find you many times before but never managed to meet you. This time, I don’t even have money to buy spiritual herbs…”

As she spoke, she tugged at a strand of hair near her ear, looking all shy.

Instantly, numerous gazes turned toward them. Lu Yuan and his wife’s hearts sank. They hadn’t expected her to demand the spirit stones in front of everyone. They were both the type to care about face more than anything, and now, getting called out by a kid like that...

Feeling all eyes on her, Lu’s mother’s face went red. She quickly said, “Sorry, your auntie has been too busy and hasn’t had the time to give them to you yet.”

But inwardly, she was seething with hatred. That damned little wretch!

Just wait until she got back—she'd make her regret it!!

Lu Yuan also gave her a sharp look.

Lu Yuanyin put on a shy smile and raised her voice just a bit, “Over the years, the elixirs you and Uncle have taken from me are worth about six thousand spirit stones. I really have no other choice—otherwise, I would never have come to you…”

Upon hearing the amount, the crowd sucked in a breath. Most of them knew something of Lu Yuanyin’s background and had heard from others how Lu Yuan and his wife had looked after the orphan, and how ungrateful and mean she was. But now, suddenly learning that they owed her so many spirit stones, their faces got weird.

An old man with white hair let out a deep sigh. “What a pity…”

Lu Sisi, too, widened her eyes in disbelief, staring dumbfounded at Lu Yuanyin, momentarily forgetting to retort.

“Alright, I’ll give it to you now!” Lu’s mother gritted out each word through clenched teeth, her heart aching as if it were bleeding. The stares from all around made her feel as if she were sitting on a bed of nails.

She could no longer be bothered to fuss over Lu Sisi. Handing two storage pouches to Lu Yuanyin, she quickly made an excuse and hurried away.

Only after Lu Yuan and his wife had completely disappeared into the crowd did Lu Sisi snap back to reality. She looked at Lu Yuanyin with a mixture of shock and suspicion. Noticing the glances from those around her, Lu Sisi felt a surge of resentment. She had seen Lu Yuanyin selling many elixirs outside just a few days ago—how could she possibly be out of spirit stones?

She couldn’t understand why, after all their kindness to Lu Yuanyin, she would humiliate her parents in front of so many people!

Lu Sisi bit her red lips, her eyes reddening in helplessness. Just then, the elders finished opening the secret realm together. A dense, primeval aura poured out, and the disciples, no longer paying attention to them, rushed eagerly into the secret realm.

Lu Sisi, as if seeing a lifeline, didn’t hesitate for a moment. She stepped forward quickly and strode straight into the secret realm. Tong Lanyi and the others shot Lu Yuanyin a vicious glare before following her through the ancient gate.

Lu Yuanyin carefully tucked the storage pouches into her sleeve. Lu Yuan and his wife were outwardly kind but inwardly black-hearted, skilled at putting on a show in public while being selfish and greedy at heart. If she hadn’t seized the opportunity to bring up the matter in front of everyone today, they would never have given up those spirit stones so easily.

Lu Yuanyin followed the crowd into the secret realm. The light before her suddenly dimmed, and wisps of gray mist shrouded her vision. The scene around her shifted continuously. Then, in an instant, the gray mist dispersed with the wind.

Lu Yuanyin’s vision brightened. The next moment, she found herself in a dense forest, surrounded by towering trees that scraped the sky. Several low-level spirit beasts were hiding behind the thickets, warily observing the newcomers.

Lu Yuanyin rubbed her dry eyes. She saw Lu Sisi and the others curiously examining their surroundings. As soon as they noticed her, Tong Lanyi let out an impatient snort. “After we were kind enough to let you join our team, and this is how you repay us? What an ingrate! Just seeing her pisses me off!”

In the past, Lu Sisi might have helped smooth things over, but after what happened with her parents, she now held a grudge against Lu Yuanyin and was unwilling to defend her. She only half-heartedly tugged at Tong Lanyi’s sleeve but didn’t stop her.

Lu Yuanyin didn’t even look up. “Do you really want me to spell out the real reason you had me join your team?”

She took a long sword from her storage pouch and strode straight into the dense forest.

Tong Lanyi froze. They had intended to put Lu Yuanyin in her place, to show her who was boss, but they never expected her to just walk away without looking back.

In the past, Lu Yuanyin wouldn’t have made a fuss over such trivial matters.

The group couldn’t help but hesitate. Lu Yuanyin was an alchemist and also knew some healing arts. In a secret realm, the importance of a healing alchemist was crystal clear to all of them. That was precisely why they hadn’t objected when Lu Sisi suggested bringing her along.

Lu Sisi didn't expect things to escalate like this either. She bit her lip in distress. "A Yin, it's dangerous here! You can't go alone!"

The others exchanged silent glances, then silently moved in the direction Lu Yuanyin had left.

Lu Yuanyin darted nimbly through the forest, carefully observing her surroundings. According to the sect's requirements, they needed to find the tokens left by the sect within the secret realm, then snatch tokens from other teams. Ultimately, the most outstanding disciples would be chosen to enter the Cloud-Connecting Platform. Even cultivators from other sects could participate, so the secret realm was a mixed bag of people.

In the past, many disciples had died in this secret realm, yet countless others kept pouring in.

Lu Yuanyin had no interest in that Cloud-Connecting Platform. What she wanted were the spiritual herbs and spiritual treasures within the secret realm.

She avoided crowds along the way, carefully dug up herbs by the roadside. As dusk fell, she didn't linger in the forest. After evading yet another wave of cultivators, she found a secluded spot to rest.

She could sense the people trailing her but couldn't be bothered to acknowledge them.

Lu Yuanyin scattered some insect-repelling powder around, set up a small spirit array, then sat on a tree branch to begin meditating.

Seeing this, Lu Sisi and the others also found a place to rest nearby. Tong Lanyi was already fuming; after spending a whole day in the secret realm without even catching a glimpse of a token, her frustration grew. But knowing they would still need Lu Yuanyin's help later, she choked down her anger.

Lu Sisi sat by the campfire, hugging her knees wearily. She glanced secretly toward Lu Yuanyin, lost in thought. She felt that Lu Yuanyin seemed somehow different...

This realization unsettled her for no reason. Lu Sisi bit her lip, a strange feeling stirring inside her.

The quiet night was deep; faint light shimmered.

The surrounding noise gradually faded, leaving only the gentle breeze rustling. Her long lashes fluttered. Lu Yuanyin sensed a gloomy yet familiar aura silently settling around her, much like before at the Chongyao Sect...

She opened her eyes slightly, but there was nothing unusual around. That fleeting strangeness seemed like her imagination. Lu Yuanyin frowned, then saw a tiny golden-red ember slowly falling, slightly distorting the surrounding void.

The spark grew larger in her eyes. Lu Yuanyin had a bad feeling. She instinctively tried to stand and flee, but her body felt out of control, still sitting motionless on the branch.

Her heart trembled. As if she were an outsider, she watched helplessly as the spark intensified, turning into countless fire snakes coiling around her slender waist. The snakes tightened until she could barely breathe.

Her brows furrowed, a cold sweat forming on her forehead.

The temperature around kept rising. The howling wind and crackling campfire seemed to freeze. Lu Sisi and the others, who had been whispering, also fell silent, their expressions frozen, like soulless puppets.

This forest seemed isolated from time, eerily quiet. Lu Yuanyin grew anxious. Without her realizing it, a familiar aura had silently stopped behind her.

A cool breath brushed against her pale ear. She turned with difficulty, catching a glimpse of a black robe decorated with intricate silver patterns and part of a ferocious dragon horn, glinting like cold jade.

Lu Yuanyin's face instantly drained of color.

Cool fingertips touched her pale neck, slowly tightening. Her breath caught.

She had no doubt that Huo Wuyan would directly strangle her to death!

Frowning, she drew a dagger from her sleeve with difficulty and stabbed backward without hesitation.

A sound of tearing fabric followed, and a few drops of crimson blood fell onto her white skirt. The cool fingers suddenly gripped her slender wrist, tightening with such force that she felt her wrist might snap. The dagger crumbled to dust instantly.

Her lashes fluttered. Just as she thought she would die at his hands, she heard a cold laugh from behind. "Afraid to die?" His voice was deep and raspy, carrying undisguised malice.

Lu Yuanyin was all too familiar with this voice. She had always deliberately forced him to speak.

Just yesterday, he had lain on the stone bed, breathing unevenly, his voice still tinged with lingering lust, yet hoarse as he asked her how she wanted to die.

Her fingers curled slightly. She wanted to beg for mercy—how could anyone not fear death?

But the person behind seemed to have guessed her intention. He loosened his grip slightly. "I won't let you die so quickly."

The warmth on her wrist vanished.

With his words, the fire snakes around her waist dissipated. Lu Yuanyin quickly dodged aside. Behind her, there was nothing. The spirit beasts hiding in the forest suddenly awoke, and the tender green leaves swayed as she moved. Lu Sisi and the others were still chatting softly.

The night wind brushed her face, bringing a chill. Lu Yuanyin realized her back was drenched in cold sweat.

What had just happened seemed like a nightmare.

She lowered her eyes, but saw a few still-wet droplets of blood on her skirt, like red plum blossoms in the snow, strikingly vivid.

Author's note: None