At the foot of Muyin Mountain, a stream gurgled and flowed downward. A few small pebbles were casually thrown into the water, stirring up ripples.
Yi Qinglan sat on a large rock by the stream, turning over in her mind what Fang Shuyue had told her about what happened after she fainted.
“At that time, Senior Sister Lin and I took Zhong Ying onto the sword. Seeing that you hadn’t come out yet, Senior Sister Lin planned to go into the fire to save you. But the fire was simply too fierce, she tried several times but couldn’t get in, and she was worried sick.”
“To speak of it, it was strange. That fire burned fiercer and fiercer, and it seemed to target only you,” Fang Shuyue recalled with lingering fear. “It was as if it had come alive, swallowing you whole in one bite, leaving not a single gap. It was truly terrifying. I think that fire was probably no ordinary flame, but must have been another trick played by that female demon.”
“Senior Sister Lin and I were completely panicked. Just then, a bird’s cry suddenly sounded from the sky. Looking up, we saw a massive black bird circling overhead. Then, all of a sudden, a figure appeared right before our eyes, as if out of thin air. When we looked, it turned out to be a woman dressed in black. She was extremely handsome, yet her face bore absolutely no expression.”
Lin Wanying couldn’t help but chime in, “That woman’s movement technique was incredibly swift. When she arrived, neither of us even noticed.”
“Exactly,” Fang Shuyue said. “Neither Senior Sister Lin nor I could tell where she came from. She didn’t look like an ordinary cultivator from any sect, but the situation was critical. Thinking she was just passing through and had stumbled into this place, we quickly urged her to leave.”
“She didn’t even look at us. She only had a grave expression, frowning tightly as she stared at the fire and muttered to herself. ‘Once the Ruins Fire is ignited, it will not easily let go of the one who controls it.’ She seemed deeply mysterious.”
“Senior Sister Lin then asked her if she knew of a way to extinguish the fire and save you.”
“But she seemed not to hear, saying nothing at all. She simply walked into the fire as if no one else was there. You must know, that fire was something the two of us could barely suppress even a fraction of with all our might, but when she entered, the flames automatically parted to create a path, behaving as obediently as a lapdog.”
“Senior Sister Lin and I originally thought this was nothing special, perhaps she also had a fire spiritual root and knew the way of fire control. However, the fire summoned by that monster was exceptionally strange, even you, Senior Sister, were helpless against it.”
“Yet ever since she carried you out, we didn’t see her make any grand spells or gestures, but the fire at the bottom of the entire crater gradually weakened, disappearing as if it had never burned. It was so bizarre! After returning, Senior Sister Lin and I debated for a long time, guessing her origin and what cultivation realm she must be at to be so formidable, capable of casting spells invisibly.”
“That woman looked slender, but she possessed immense strength. On the other hand, you, Senior Sister, were like a little sparrow, carried out so easily and lightly on her back…”
Fang Shuyue was speaking with great enthusiasm and failed to notice Yi Qinglan’s face growing somewhat flushed. It was only after Lin Wanying glared at her that she sheepishly shut her mouth.
Hearing her description, Yi Qinglan had already vaguely guessed who this person was. She coughed twice to mask her embarrassment. “Then where is she now?”
“We don’t know.” Fang Shuyue and Lin Wanying exchanged a glance before the former continued, “She handed you over to us and then leaped onto the cliff top to leave on her own. Although she was expressionless, I somehow felt she was very angry. Looking at the direction she left in, Senior Sister Lin and I suspected she must have gone to pursue the escaped demon.”
Having finished recounting the events, Fang Shuyue opened her mouth, seemingly still mulling over something else she wanted to say.
“First Senior Sister,” she began, choosing her words carefully, “this mysterious woman… what exactly is her relationship with you?”
Yi Qinglan was about to clarify, only to find that her two junior sisters had already pricked up their ears, and their gossiping expressions were nearly impossible to suppress.
She sighed and could only satisfy their curiosity in detail before they would let it go.
Having run out of pebbles, Yi Qinglan casually picked up a few more, only to suddenly feel a sharp pain in her finger. Bringing it to her eyes, she saw that the tip of her right index finger had been cut by a sharp stone, with fresh blood faintly seeping out.
Yi Qinglan paid it no mind and immersed her hand in the clear stream to wash it.
“Your finger is cut, yet you still dip it into poisoned water to wash it. Do you people of the immortal sects all love to torment yourselves like this?”
A woman’s voice abruptly sounded behind her. Startled, Yi Qinglan immediately placed her right hand onto her sword hilt.
Unexpectedly, the person behind her walked forward lightly, naturally took her right hand, and pressed down on her injured index finger.
“Hiss.” Under the pressure, the wound stung sharply, causing Yi Qinglan to gasp. She abruptly looked up, meeting a familiar, smiling face.
“How is it that every time I see you, the chief disciple of the Jingyun Sect, you are either unconscious or poisoned?”
“It’s you?” Yi Qinglan said in pleasant surprise. “Why are you here?”
Feng Hanyu did not answer. She simply turned around, sat down beside her on the rock, and still pinched her finger to inspect it closely. “Fortunately, your wound is tiny. If it were any larger, it would be troublesome.” As she spoke, she pressed hard on her joint with two fingers, and the blood that flowed out was actually greenish-blue.
This stream was indeed poisoned.
Yi Qinglan asked in surprise, “What is going on here?”
Feng Hanyu did not answer directly, only saying, “Do you know that within this Muyin Mountain, there is a divine beast? It is pure white, shaped like a beast, extremely benevolent by nature, runs as fast as the wind, and can ward off toxic miasma. Its name is Wangshen.”
“Wangshen?” Yi Qinglan pondered. “Could it be the white deer in the forest that everyone wants to capture?”
“Indeed,” Feng Hanyu said. “Legend has it that Wangshen is naturally kind and sympathizes most with the weak. It was deeply loved by mortals, but because it did not know how to flatter, it offended the high gods and was imprisoned here for generations. This Muyin Mountain was originally a place where toxic miasma spread and no grass grew. Wangshen used its own body to expel the poison and ward off evil, only then did plants gradually grow, and human life could thrive.”
Yi Qinglan was amazed. “That deer is actually so miraculous? In that case, the fact that the villagers of Muyin Village could prosper is entirely thanks to Wangshen.”
Feng Hanyu smiled. “Precisely so.”
“As expected, the tree demon controlled the hunters to enter the mountain in search of treasure also for its sake,” Yi Qinglan said thoughtfully.
“The dual antlers of Wangshen are the hardest substance in the world, capable of expelling poison and warding off evil, they are a rare magic treasure,” Feng Hanyu said calmly. “Without its protection, the toxic miasma in this mountain would be like a collapsed dam, surging out all at once.”
Looking at the stream, Yi Qinglan said worriedly, “The dual antlers of Wangshen have been broken by the demon. No wonder the stream is tainted with poison! The rate at which this toxic miasma is spreading is incredibly fast.”
Feng Hanyu sighed softly. “The mountains, rivers, and living creatures all have their natural fortunes. Previously, with Wangshen presiding over it, a barren, wild mountain turned into a treasured land overnight. Unfortunately, mortals believed rumors and actually sought to hunt the divine beast, which instead allowed the demon to seize the opportunity. Although they won’t perish immediately, the decline is already set in stone.”
Although Yi Qinglan had personally experienced this matter, hearing Feng Hanyu explain the legend and its origins so thoroughly made her understand it even more clearly, and she couldn’t help but admire her. “Hanyu, I previously only took you for a carefree rogue cultivator. I didn’t expect you to be such a know it all.”
Feng Hanyu smiled slightly. “The universe is vast and full of wonders. If you were like me, with nothing to do but wander around and observe, you would more or less hear a thing or two of these rumors.”
“But why did you suddenly appear in Muyin Mountain and happen to save me?” Yi Qinglan showed a look of doubt. “I remember you were searching for a vital treasure stolen from your home, so… Ah, could it be that the one who stole your family’s important treasure is precisely the demon in this mountain?”
“Correct,” Feng Hanyu said. Thinking of the excuse she had fabricated earlier to gather information on the Shan Xiao, which had actually fooled this cultivator, she went along with it. “That tree demon was merely a puppet. The demon behind her is called a Shan Xiao, and it stole my family’s important treasure.”
“A Shan Xiao?” Yi Qinglan recalled the information on the silk scroll. “After you saved me, you went to pursue the Shan Xiao?”
“Yes,” Feng Hanyu nodded. “For several days, I have been investigating the whereabouts of the treasure. Unfortunately, although the Shan Xiao itself has no real ability, it is extremely adept at hiding and escaping, and its traces have been difficult to find. It wasn’t until that day, when I saw thick smoke billowing in the mountain and knew something was wrong, that I rushed over, only to find you trapped in the fire. Do you know that what trapped you that day was no ordinary fire, but the Ruins Fire?”
“Ruins Fire?”
“The Ruins Fire is a demonic fire that most loves to torment those born with the ability to control fire. If one does not have the ability to master it, it is extremely easy to suffer its backlash. My family’s learning is diverse, which is how I know a thing or two about it.”
No wonder, Yi Qinglan thought. She was born with a fire spiritual root but could not control that fire; it turned out it was not an ordinary flame.
She then had another thought: it turned out Feng Hanyu was also looking for the Shan Xiao. Wasn’t that a coincidence? If she had revealed the truth of her mission earlier and had her assistance, perhaps the Shan Xiao wouldn’t have escaped.
Ultimately, it was her own narrow-mindedness, refusing to trust someone after a single meeting and harboring groundless suspicions.
Thinking of this, Yi Qinglan couldn’t help but feel a bit ashamed.
Feng Hanyu secretly observed her expression and guessed her thoughts with a slight curl of her lips. She pulled an object from her sleeve. “Look, what is this?”
“This is… tree bark?” Yi Qinglan wanted to reach out and touch it, but Feng Hanyu blocked her.
Feng Hanyu suddenly became extremely serious. “Careful, it’s poisonous!”
Yi Qinglan hastily drew back her hand.
To her surprise, Feng Hanyu burst into laughter. “Once bitten, twice shy, are you really that afraid of being poisoned?”
“Well,” Yi Qinglan feigned anger, “you’re teasing me!”
Feng Hanyu turned serious. “Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. After saving you that day, I pursued the Shan Xiao, but unfortunately, I fell short at the last moment and let it escape again. Fortunately, the tree demon is dead. Speaking of which, I still benefited from your help.”
“Me?” Yi Qinglan was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Feng Hanyu placed another item in her hand. The moment Yi Qinglan saw it, she said, “The Vajra Binding Net!”
Feng Hanyu smiled. “When I saved you that day, I borrowed the treasure on your person to slay the demon. Didn’t I benefit from you?”
“First Senior Sister!” Suddenly, Lin Wanying’s shout came from the distance. “Go to the chief’s house, quickly!”
“What’s wrong?” Yi Qinglan jumped down from the stream rock.
Lin Wanying caught her breath. “Jing Quan went to the chief’s house to argue, insisting on taking the deer for himself, and Zhong Ying is refusing to give in even on pain of death!”
The situation was urgent, and Yi Qinglan wished she could fly there immediately. When she turned back, the place was empty without a trace of a person. Feng Hanyu had actually vanished.
Yi Qinglan was puzzled, but she chalked it up to Feng Hanyu’s personality, she simply disliked meeting other people.
“First Senior Sister, what are you looking at?” Lin Wanying asked in confusion.
“Nothing, let’s go quickly.”