Undercurrent

According to the rules of the training assembly, the sect’s immortals were only responsible for bringing the disciples to their destination and letting them enter to train, without needing to interfere much.

As the saying goes, life and death are destined, wealth and honor are determined by heaven. While danger could allow a disciple to grow quickly, it also came with the risk of losing that disciple.

In Xuan Mo’s spiritual sense, Shangguan Yunzhu and Qingfeng were rapidly heading towards their target area. The mountain peak where the Crimson Phoenix Grass grew was considered a relatively safe area within the Juezhang Treasure Forest.

Although the two dared not fly, their pace was not slow. They barely exchanged a word, running one after the other, easily dispatching any fierce beasts that ambushed them.

“As expected, the disciples from Creation Peak are the most reassuring.”

The perspective then shifted to Zhuang Yang and Bai Yan.

Although they were not as powerful as the first group, their teamwork was excellent, and the fierce beasts along the way were no match for them.

“Even though nothing has happened, I still feel a bit annoyed.”

Xuan Mo pursed her lips and turned her attention to Lu Qiancha…

Huh? Where did she go?

Her spiritual sense shifted…

Vanished!

‘Was she swallowed whole by some fierce beast so quickly?’

Xuan Mo’s brow furrowed tightly as she quickly increased the intensity of her spiritual search.

No, it was some method of blocking spiritual sense.

She could feel the little one’s aura to the north, moving at a high speed.

Her forward momentum… was nearly twice as fast as Shangguan Yunzhu and Qingfeng!

“Aaargh! I give up! A little peak-Nascent Soul brat dares to rush into the depths of the forest without looking back! And so fast! When you get back, I’ll personally spank you on behalf of your master until your butt blossoms!”

Xuan Mo roared silently at the sky.

First, she gestured lightly towards Bai Yan and Zhuang Yang, then flew angrily towards Lu Qiancha’s location.

‘I’ll catch this little one and hand her directly over to Bai Yan and the others to watch!’

But a moment later, Xuan Mo arrived above Lu Qiancha, matching her speed.

After watching for a while, her brow furrowed even deeper.

‘This one…’

‘It seems she’s using an invisibility talisman to conceal her aura, preventing beasts from a distance from discovering her.’

‘Moreover, Lu Qiancha is using that Cloud Sea Dragon Step technique to travel, making her movements erratic. It would probably be difficult for even an Integration realm beast to launch an accurate attack.’

‘And the gourd hanging from her waist…’

Xuan Mo’s spiritual sense probed for a moment.

Inside was a drop of true dragon’s blood…

‘With the pressure from this thing, no wonder the fierce beasts don’t dare to approach. And no wonder Lu Qiancha dares to rush forward so recklessly.’

Xuan Mo raised an eyebrow slightly and muttered, “This little one has made quite a few preparations. What herb is she trying to find?”

Qiong Gong’s gruff voice came from behind, “High Immortal, why not go down and ask?”

“A bird can’t stay in its cage forever. Let her be.” Xuan Mo stretched and glanced at Qiong Gong behind her. “Let’s go. Let’s go check on your princess, so no one can say I’m being biased.”

Qiong Gong immediately nodded in agreement, his eager expression fitting for a loyal guard.

However, as Xuan Mo flew into the distance, a gray beetle flew out from the edge of Qiong Gong’s cloud, closely following Lu Qiancha’s figure.

‘Yo, Little Qiancha, you’re being tailed.’

Can Xin’s voice slowly emerged, accompanied by a hint of schadenfreude.

“Hmm?”

Lu Qiancha looked up at the sky.

While speeding along, she had indeed felt a pair of eyes watching her from above.

But she couldn’t pinpoint the exact location.

‘Is it Martial Aunt?’

‘Probably not. This gaze is accompanied by hostility.’

‘Better to be safe than sorry.’ Lu Qiancha took out the cube-like magical artifact from her storage ring.

“Yin and Yang reverse, the universe transforms.”

Lu Qiancha formed a seal with her fingers.

The cube quickly rotated and reassembled, soon forming a green pearl.

Lu Qiancha infused it with spiritual energy, and after a moment, the pearl burst into a puff of purple smoke and vanished from its spot.

A moment later, Lu Qiancha’s figure appeared out of thin air in a patch of grass fifty li away.

‘Your magical artifact is quite interesting. It can actually transform into the appearance of other magical artifacts.’

A strong sense of curiosity suddenly welled up in Can Xin. She asked, ‘What are this pearl and this cube artifact called?’

“This green pearl is called an Ender Pearl. This artifact is called the Trickery Cube.”

Lu Qiancha answered in her mind, then looked around.

The feeling of being watched had disappeared, which brought her a slight sense of relief.

The cube had also returned to its original form.

The face that had been imprinted with the Ender Pearl was now dim and lusterless.

But at this moment, Lu Qiancha still felt a headache coming on.

‘That Qiong Gong who appeared out of nowhere…’

‘The always-kind-looking Qingfeng…’

‘The outwardly cold, but actually probably not-so-scheming Shangguan Yunzhu…’

‘A princess, secular royal power…’

‘I’ve definitely been dragged into some strange, major affair.’

“What bad luck.”

Lu Qiancha cursed inwardly.

She had just come to gather herbs, yet she had run into so much trouble.

“Three Pure Ones above, may karma not touch me, may all evils disperse!”

With a low shout, Lu Qiancha pulled herself together and continued on her way.

However, less than a moment later, that strange feeling of being watched reappeared in Lu Qiancha’s mind.

“This person is really relentless.”

Can Xin chuckled twice, then said, “When you can’t handle it, you can call for Lord Can Xin.”

Ignoring Can Xin, Lu Qiancha’s spiritual sense was now constantly scanning her surroundings, her eyes never ceasing to watch her environment.

But for the next period of time, Lu Qiancha only felt that she was being monitored, but she did not encounter any ambushes or sneak attacks.

After two tense days and nights of using the Ender Pearl several times, the feeling of being tailed persisted.

Lu Qiancha calculated her position.

She was now deep within the Juezhang Treasure Forest, probably having left the maximum range of Martial Aunt Xuan’s spiritual sense.

She dared not rest for a moment, but thanks to the replenishment from her pills, she did not feel any fatigue.

Suddenly…

‘Killing intent?’

Lu Qiancha’s brow furrowed slightly.

Her spiritual sense had not detected any threat.

The opponent clearly had a way to evade spiritual sense.

Lu Qiancha continued to sprint forward, but the cube in her hand slowly reassembled.

It was just one turn away from forming a complete pattern.

‘Should I flee?’

Lu Qiancha quickly dismissed this idea.

The opponent clearly had some kind of tracking method.

Fleeing was obviously not a way to escape their pursuit.

Just as she made up her mind, the sound of a sword whistle suddenly came from her side.

A cold glint of light, three parts faster than the sword whistle, slashed directly at Lu Qiancha’s neck!

In the nick of time! The cube held tightly in Lu Qiancha’s hand burst with a dazzling light between her fingers! Countless tiny, minute corners seemed to come alive, rotating, locking, and transforming at a dizzying speed! A humming sound drowned out the sword whistle! A strangely shaped long spear, its shaft covered in profound spiral patterns, half-red and half-yellow, suddenly took form.

The red was like a setting sun weeping blood, the yellow like desert sand steeped in gold.

This long spear appeared precisely between Lu Qiancha and the fatal cold light!

Clang—!!!

A piercing metallic explosion tore through the air!

A violent shockwave instantly cleared a circle of rotten wood and sand!

The immense force sent Lu Qiancha’s blood surging.

She staggered back a step, her wrist aching and numb, the web of her thumb faintly split.

But the strange spear transformed from the cube did not move an inch.

The light from its shaft firmly blocked the attacker’s blade, preventing it from advancing at all!

Almost simultaneously, a li away from Lu Qiancha’s back, an inconspicuous wisp of green smoke twisted and churned like a living thing, instantly solidifying!

A figure wearing a wide bamboo hat and old gray clothes suddenly appeared.

The hat was pulled low, shadowing most of his face.

He maintained his striking posture, but his other hand, hidden in his sleeve, was forming some kind of obscure seal.

“A miscalculation?” A hoarse, low voice came from under the bamboo hat.

A corner of the front curtain was lifted slightly by the wind, revealing a pale, gaunt face with a mocking and cold smile.

“So what?” The gray-clothed man’s voice was indifferent, as if victory was already in his grasp. “A mere Nascent Soul stage junior managing to block this old man’s ‘Shadow Serpent Devours Bone’ strike. You must be at the end of your rope, no?”

Before he could finish, the killing intent rose again.