The Price of Interference

“Consider yourself smart.”

Luo Yingkong took out a small bottle, pulling the stopper with a soft pop.

“This is the antidote. If you don’t take it, you’ll die within three hours.”

“But I can’t move…”

“Ah…”

She fed him the antidote, then sprinkled some Rejuvenating Powder on the wound on his thigh, enabling him to stand and walk.

Luo Yingkong led him away with a rope, much like one would lead a bound prisoner or a s*ave.

A concubine, who had been hiding nearby, flinched back as if startled by the sight.

“This rogue cultivator has been subdued. You are all safe now.”

“Thank you, Senior Immortal,” the noble consort said, bowing before she scurried away.

“Heh heh…” The man chuckled softly. Luo Yingkong glanced back at him.

“What are you laughing at?”

“I’m laughing at your Hidden Forest Mountain, for indiscriminately aiding villains.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Didn’t Fellow Daoist notice when you arrived? The common people of the Lu Kingdom are as poor as can be, living hand-to-mouth, yet this palace is so lavish.”

Luo Yingkong nodded. “You mean to say the emperor of this kingdom is a greedy tyrant?”

“Precisely. I was thinking of these common folk, looking for an opportunity to depose this emperor. Your Hidden Forest Mountain is filled with stubborn traditionalists, capable of twisting black into white.”

“Hmph, what Fellow Daoist says may be true, but you are still mistaken,” Luo Yingkong continued.

“The rise and fall of the mortal realm is their own affair. If this emperor proves inept, another will naturally take his place. If the common people are wronged, they will naturally leave.

They will inherently strive for balance, managing resources and population to survive. Fellow Daoist’s interference is wrong; aiding either side is not justice, it only disrupts the balance of the mortal realm.”

“But…”

“Say no more. Let’s go. I won’t release you.” Luo Yingkong tugged on the rope, silencing him.

Upon reaching the front of the imperial palace, the emperor was nowhere to be found. Luo Yingkong, slightly perplexed, swept her divine sense across the surroundings.

“Come out!”

From beneath a cabinet, an official scurried out. Seeing Luo Yingkong leading the man, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Senior Immortal possesses great skill!”

“Where is the emperor?”

“Ah… the emperor has temporarily departed on urgent business. The spirit stones you requested are also here.” The official dragged out a sack of spirit stones. Luo Yingkong’s divine sense swept over them, confirming the quantity, then she waved her hand, collecting them into her storage bag.

“Let’s go…”

Luo Yingkong led the man out of the imperial palace and walked down the street, drawing considerable attention.

“That imperial concubine wasn’t willing to enter the palace. Can Fellow Daoist rescue her?” The man quickened his pace, walking beside Luo Yingkong as he asked.

“A concubine? What does that have to do with me?”

“…”

As they walked out of the imperial residence, all eyes on the street turned to them. They were too conspicuous: a white-haired girl pulling a man with a rope would naturally pique anyone’s curiosity.

“Alas… Fellow Daoist, look at the lives these common folk lead, worse than beasts. And that imperial residence, you saw it yourself, truly…” The man sighed.

“Behind vermilion gates, meat and wine go to waste, while on the road, people freeze to death.”

“Indeed! That’s it! Fellow Daoist can even compose poetry! You must not be a heartless person, so why not lend them a hand?”

Luo Yingkong quickened her pace, feeling uncomfortable under such scrutiny. “I can help them, but only if you give me spirit stones. If the quantity is sufficient, I might even release you.”

“Ah… I’m a rogue cultivator; where would I get so many spirit stones? Even the thousand spirit stones the emperor gave you would take me a year or two to gather…”

“Then there’s nothing to discuss.”

The two walked out of the city and onto a desolate dirt road. The man continuously tried to engage Luo Yingkong in conversation, hoping to escape his predicament.

“Walk faster. At this pace, it’ll take us more than ten days to reach Hidden Forest Mountain.” Luo Yingkong regretted not calling for a carriage when she left.

“Young lady, how can you say that? My spiritual energy is sealed by you, leaving me merely a mortal. How can I walk quickly? Perhaps you could carry me?”

Luo Yingkong scrutinized the man. Carrying him wasn’t impossible, but she feared he might conceal hidden weapons, so it was best not to get too close.

‘What a strange man, so eager to go to Hidden Forest Mountain… He has no idea what punishment awaits him there.’

“It’s fine, it’s fine. At most, I’ll just be lectured. After all, I haven’t killed anyone or done anything truly evil.”

Luo Yingkong turned her head and continued walking. The man’s stomach rumbled.

“Ah… Fellow Daoist, I can’t gather any spiritual energy, and my stomach is completely empty… If you don’t unseal my acupoints, I’ll surely starve to death walking like this.”

“Forget about unsealing your acupoints. You’re so troublesome!” Luo Yingkong tied him to a tree, then released her divine sense to detect any signs of life nearby.

…

Before long, she returned with a wild rabbit. Seeing this, the man grinned.

The rabbit was still alive. Luo Yingkong’s spiritual energy surged forth, and with a Lightning Guiding Art spell, she instantly cooked the rabbit.

“Eat this. It’s getting dark, so we’ll rest here for the night.” With that, she used her flying disc to cut some dry firewood, ignited it with a Fireball spell, and sat cross-legged to cultivate.

“Young lady! You’ve burned it to a crisp…”

“Tsk, if you don’t eat, you’ll starve!”

The night passed in silence. Early the next morning, they continued their journey.

They walked for three consecutive days. The man had no complaints, quite pleased to be cared for by a beautiful woman.

“May I know Fellow Daoist’s name? I am Li Yao.” Despite his hands being bound, the man didn’t seem to mind, walking alongside Luo Yingkong.

“You don’t need to know. Just walk faster.”

“What was that artifact Fellow Daoist used to attack me earlier? Its speed was incredible. It must be a top-grade artifact, almost comparable to a magic artifact!”

“Hmm?” Luo Yingkong looked up. A Foundation Establishment cultivator was flying towards them. She seemed to recognize him; it was the person who had helped her with her initiation procedures.

He also spotted Luo Yingkong and the man, steering his flying boat towards them.

“Greetings, Senior Uncle Zhang.” Luo Yingkong cupped her fists in a respectful bow. The man beside her watched with alert eyes.

“Miss Luo, what a coincidence. What brings you here?” The man, surnamed Zhang, glanced at Li Yao beside her but paid him no mind.

“This disciple came to apprehend a rogue cultivator and is now returning to Hidden Forest Mountain to report.”

The man surnamed Zhang smiled faintly. “It might take you more than two weeks to walk back to the sect gates from here. Why not travel with me?”

“Where is Senior Uncle headed?” Luo Yingkong was feeling the slowness of their journey, so having him escort her back would be ideal.

“I heard there’s a Tier 2 demonic beast nearby, so I came to apprehend it. It won’t take too long. Miss Luo, please come aboard.”

The small boat was just large enough for three people. Luo Yingkong didn’t refuse, seizing the opportunity to observe a Foundation Establishment stage battle. This man surnamed Zhang, at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, seemed on the verge of breaking through to the late stage.

After they boarded, the flying boat slowly lifted off the ground, then sped away into the distance.

Li Yao, devoid of spiritual power, swayed unsteadily, nearly falling. Luo Yingkong steadied him.

“You, boy in the back, what crime have you committed?” the man surnamed Zhang asked.

“I have committed no crime, Senior. Please investigate thoroughly.”

“Oh?” The man surnamed Zhang glanced at Luo Yingkong, who understood his unspoken question.

“This rogue cultivator was lingering in the Lu Kingdom’s imperial palace, disturbing the mortal realm.”

“Is that so? According to the agreements between the various sects, this is a capital offense. Perhaps we should resolve it on the spot.”

The man surnamed Zhang’s words sent a chill down Li Yao’s spine. Luo Yingkong hadn’t expected such a turn.

“Ah… Senior Uncle Zhang, I still need to bring this person back to complete my mission. Killing him here might not be appropriate,” Luo Yingkong replied.

“Is this your trial mission? Capturing him alive is also good. To be able to capture him alive with only a ninth-level Qi Condensation cultivation, Li Yuan truly didn’t misjudge you. You will surely be greatly valued upon your return.”

“Thank you, Senior Uncle…”