Jiang Xuezhi was not at all surprised to see Lin Wanwan here.
This was, after all, supposed to be Lin Wanwan and Ji Lingfeng’s storyline.
What did surprise her was that Lin Wanwan had pulled her out of the ground fissure.
Steadying herself, Jiang Xuezhi turned her head to look at Lin Wanwan and asked calmly, “Guess who saved him?”
Lin Wanwan was taken aback, realizing she was referring to Ji Lingfeng.
She struggled to reply, “Someone saved him?”
As she adjusted her robes, Jiang Xuezhi said, “The restrictions wouldn’t lift on their own, and the underground palace wouldn’t collapse without reason. Someone must be controlling all of this.”
“This person needs Ji Lingfeng alive, but not too well-off. Who do you think it could be?”
Amid the shaking ground and swirling dust, she cast an indifferent glance at Lin Wanwan and strode away without hesitation.
Lin Wanwan, still pondering the question, instinctively followed her.
Without turning back, Jiang Xuezhi said, “Stop following me. You tried to kill me. Considering you didn’t cause trouble just now and even pulled me up, I’ll spare you this time. But that doesn’t mean I will next time.”
“Don’t appear before me again.”
After delivering her warning, she quickened her pace and vanished. Lin Wanwan stood frozen in place, her expression dazed.
Truthfully, even she didn’t know why she had instinctively followed Jiang Xuezhi.
Jiang Xuezhi quickly found her way back to the core area of the secret realm.
She pressed on without rest, tracking relentlessly. Pojun flew behind her, struggling to keep up with her speed.
“What are you looking for? If someone really is manipulating all of this, they wouldn’t leave any traces for you to find.”
Po Jun’s voice echoed in Jiang Xuezhi’s mind once more, but she offered no reply.
It was right, whoever could wield such overwhelming power must be immensely strong and of high status. Finding clues wouldn’t be easy; even Ji Lingfeng himself might not know such a person existed.
But every action leaves a trace. There is no such thing as a flawless plan, Jiang Xuezhi firmly believed this.
Calmly navigating through the secret realm, she continued her search while completing the realm’s tasks along the way. Soon, the realm’s legacy began to gravitate toward her.
It was at this moment that someone appeared before them.
The figure was dressed in white robes with dark hair, a light veil covering a bamboo hat.
He stood alone on the path she had to take, tall and upright, his demeanor as elegant as a jade tree in the wind.
Upon seeing Jiang Xuezhi, he lifted the veil of his hat and greeted her courteously, “I’ve been waiting for you, Fellow Daoist Jiang.”
Jiang Xuezhi came to a gradual halt, her gaze fixed intently on the person before her.
“Shen Qingxian,” she narrowed her eyes and spoke his name.
Shen Qingxian put away his hat and looked at her gently. “It’s me.”
Jiang Xuezhi glanced around. They were in a gloomy, eerie thicket, likely the final checkpoint of the secret realm. To leave, she had to pass through here. By waiting in this spot, Shen Qingxian was bound to intercept her.
Without Jiang Xuezhi needing to ask, Shen Qingxian voluntarily stated his purpose.
“I happened to pass by and heard about everything you’ve done recently, Fellow Daoist Jiang. As the leader of the Immortal Alliance, I am well aware of the conduct of the various sects in the cultivation world. You have provoked widespread anger. You may evade them for a time, but not forever.”
Shen Qingxian stood gracefully amid the howling, sinister winds, like a lotus in clear water, observing Jiang Xuezhi with a measured and unobtrusive gentleness.
“Fellow Daoist Jiang, with your exceptional talent and numerous opportunities, naturally you have no fear of them.” After affirming Jiang Xuezhi, he then shifted his tone, “But everyone gets tired. No one enjoys fighting nonstop or being constantly pursued. I imagine Fellow Daoist Jiang doesn’t care for it either.”
Jiang Xuezhi was a warrior.
What she disliked most was arguing with the logistics staff at headquarters.
She had even less patience for paperwork.
Shen Qingxian had been droning on for what felt like ages, and her ears were starting to itch. Even though his voice was pleasant and his attitude humble, she was growing extremely impatient.
“Stop beating around the bush,” Jiang Xuezhi cut in directly. “Get to the point. You have three breaths to finish. If you don’t, don’t blame me for what happens.”
Shen Qingxian paused at her words.
He wasn’t surprised by her attitude, he was almost accustomed to her temperament, but that didn’t stop him from finding it refreshing.
No one spoke to him like that.
She had only just established her foundation, and even if she truly was exceptionally talented and fearless, her arrogance was a bit excessive.
Regardless of his cultivation level, just considering his status, Jiang Xuezhi shouldn’t be addressing him in such a manner.
But Shen Qingxian didn’t care about such things.
He amiably followed her suggestion.
“Then I’ll speak plainly.”
He took a few steps forward, his gentle, jade-like features appearing unusually captivating in the dim, cold setting.
“I know Fellow Daoist Jiang is not the demoness of the rumors. If you’re willing to trust me, you can come with me.”
Shen Qingxian extended his hand toward Jiang Xuezhi. His wrist was pale and strong, his wide sleeve swaying in the wind, the lines on his open palm clear and unblemished.
“I promise you, I will ensure your safety and clear your name.”
Shen Qingxian stared intently into Jiang Xuezhi’s eyes, not blinking as he said, “At this point, Fellow Daoist Jiang, you likely have no other options. Rather than rushing day and night, hiding and fleeing, why not stop and rest for a while? Choose to trust me.”
“Are you willing to trust me?”
When Shen Qingxian asked this final question, his voice was inexplicably hoarse, carrying a unique ambiguity that went beyond the relationship of an alliance leader and a pursued female cultivator.
As if, in this moment, stripped of titles, they were simply a man and a woman.
A man wanting to protect a woman he found intriguing.
Jiang Xuezhi looked at him expressionlessly.
As an Alpha, although she never involved herself in matters of emotion and had no interest in finding an Omega for a lifelong commitment, she had witnessed plenty of her colleagues engaging in such pursuits.
Through observation, she was well aware of when her kind were speaking normally and when they were deliberately trying to charm someone.
Oh.
Shen Qingxian was trying to seduce her.
Jiang Xuezhi thought it over seriously. If she were truly an Omega, having narrowly escaped death time and again, in such a predicament, she might indeed feel helpless, weary, and angry.
At a time like this, if someone stood before her, telling her, “I believe you, I can help you, will you trust me?”, and that person was outstanding, of noble status, and exceptionally handsome, it would indeed be hard not to be moved.
Unfortunately.
It was like casting amorous glances at a blind man.
Jiang Xuezhi wasn’t buying it at all.
He was trying to woo her, but she wasn’t the one to be wooed.
“You’ve got the wrong idea, Alliance Leader Shen,” Jiang Xuezhi said offhandedly, casually exposing Shen Qingxian’s pretense. “Of course, you know I’m not the demoness they claim, because you’re well aware of what the Xuantian Sect did to me and how they slandered me.”
Shen Qingxian paused.
“Don’t play the good guy in front of me.”
Jiang Xuezhi teleported in front of him. Shen Qingxian was somewhat surprised, yet not entirely so.
He didn’t move or dodge, allowing her to approach and scrutinize him.
Jiang Xuezhi assessed his aura at an extremely close distance, carefully examining his face, every inch of his body, and even the smallest details, like the mole on the side of his neck, the way his waist sash was cinched tighter than most, accentuating his slender waist.
A sect leader who paid great attention to his appearance.
An Omega.
Jiang Xuezhi frowned slightly and stepped back, but her gaze remained fixed on him.
Shen Qingxian remained calm at first.
If she wanted to look, she could look. If she wanted to expose something, she could expose it. He could always handle it calmly, without a trace of panic.
The Shen Clan of Tianxuan Continent had weathered countless storms. As the eldest son of this generation’s Shen Clan and the most promising heir, Shen Qingxian might be young, but his experience and knowledge were by no means lacking.
While Jiang Xuezhi was observing him, he took the opportunity to observe her as well.
It was rare to have such an unobstructed, close-up view of her.
She was always busy, always fighting and killing, unlike any other woman he had ever met.
She wore a crimson cross-collared robe, the color making her skin appear even more flawless and snow-white.
Her long hair, pinned up with a golden hairpin, was automatically styled by a magical artifact, remaining perfectly neat even after a fight.
She was no longer as disheveled as the first time he had seen her, but there was now an indescribable aura about her.
As their eyes met and their breaths intertwined, Shen Qingxian’s initial calmness slowly faded.
His heartbeat quickened uncontrollably. The faint scent of blood on her drifted into his senses, and his hand, which he had kept open and extended toward her, trembled slightly despite his efforts to suppress it.
Jiang Xuezhi glanced at his trembling fingers and casually swatted his hand away.
She didn’t use much force, and Shen Qingxian felt no pain, only the temperature of her palm.
Cold as winter ice.
“I know exactly what kind of person you are,” Jiang Xuezhi said, staring intently at him, enunciating each word clearly. “Don’t pretend to be a good person in front of me, it’s useless. And don’t expect me to go with you. Do you think I don’t know what you’re scheming?”
She mercilessly exposed him: “You act as if you’re different from the others, but you’re exactly the same. In fact, you want even more than they do.”
Clever.
Unswayed by emotions or sweet words, she was truly sharp and perceptive.
Rather than feeling annoyed at being seen through, Shen Qingxian was pleased.
“Since you already know everything, I’ll be straightforward as well.”
Shen Qingxian regained his composure and spoke gently, “I am indeed aware of what the Xuantian Sect has been doing behind the scenes. However, I previously made it clear that they must obtain your consent before proceeding with their plans. They deceived me. Like you, I am a victim dragged into this mess.”
“It’s true that I came to protect you with ulterior motives. I won’t hide it, I am genuinely intrigued by everything about you and wish to understand you. But that’s all. I would never stoop to scheming or plotting to gain something from you.”
Shen Qingxian lowered his gaze slightly, his long eyelashes fluttering. “I may not consider myself a gentleman, but I am not a malicious person either. Fellow Daoist Jiang, at this point, you have no other options left. Why not take a chance and trust me? Although I was also deceived by the Xuantian Sect, I am indirectly responsible for your predicament. I am willing to make amends for it.”
“I’m taking you with me to understand you, to know exactly what you’ve encountered. That is my intention, nothing more.”
Shen Qingxian gazed at her intently. “As the leader of the Immortal Alliance, it is my duty to be fully aware of any anomalies in the cultivation world. It is only natural that I would want to know about matters related to you. Given the lack of alternatives, coming with me isn’t such a bad choice.”
“I hope you will consider this matter carefully and not rush to refuse.”
Shen Qingxian paused, his tone growing anxious and unclear once more. “You’re exhausted, aren’t you?”
Exhausted?
Was she exhausted?
Pojun asked itself this question deep in its heart.
As her current life-bound divine artifact, it shared her body and mind, keenly aware of her condition.
It seemed she was indeed a little tired, but for some reason, it always felt as though she was enjoying this weariness.
And then…
A blinding golden light suddenly pierced through the secret realm, striking Jiang Xuezhi and dispelling the surrounding gloom and chill.
Shen Qingxian stared at the golden light in astonishment, yet without much surprise.
It was as if he had anticipated such an interruption but was resigned to its actual occurrence.
Bathed in the golden light, Jiang Xuezhi felt the familiar aura of the immortal path. Only those who had touched the threshold of ascension could emanate such an aura.
After all, only by truly ascending to immortality and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the heavenly way could one possess the aura of the immortal path.
Among those she knew, only one person had such cultivation and was also “deeply connected” to her.
“Shen Qingxian, you say I’m hiding and evading, but which of your eyes has seen me hiding?”
She had been walking openly all along, her whereabouts known to everyone in the cultivation world, never once skulking in the shadows.
That was the behavior of a coward.
Shen Qingxian thought it over and had to admit it was true, leaving him speechless.
Jiang Xuezhi continued, “You keep insisting I have no other choice, but who says I don’t?”
She stretched her limbs and reached out to catch the object delivered by the golden light.
In front of Shen Qingxian, Jiang Xuezhi unrolled the golden scroll. Written with spiritual energy as a guide, the characters seemed meticulously carved from thousand-year cold jade, each one exuding a clear, penetrating glow that calmed the mind and dispelled all restlessness.
The strokes began as if lifting a sword to strike, decisive and sharp, with a restrained edge, carrying an unyielding resolve that was anything but ordinary.
The opening line of the golden scroll began with the words “Heavenly Yong Immortal Manor,” confirming its extraordinary origin.
This golden scroll was the token for the latest recruitment of disciples by Heavenly Yong.
Holding this scroll granted one the right to participate in the entrance examination for Heavenly Yong’s new disciples.
Shen Qingxian watched silently as Jiang Xuezhi accepted the golden scroll, unable to utter another word.
Jiang Xuezhi had nothing more to say to him either. Carrying Pojun on her back, she turned and left. In the current situation, as long as Shen Qingxian didn’t take the initiative to attack, she had no desire to engage in a direct confrontation.
Though battle was something she enjoyed, and she relished it even in exhaustion, she still had to gauge her physical limits. If she truly damaged her body, whether she could return to her own territory was uncertain, and becoming a wandering ghost wouldn’t be much fun.
Shen Qingxian quietly watched her figure disappear into the depths of the secret realm, then couldn’t help but look up at the spot where the golden scroll had appeared.
The one who had taken her away from the encircling cultivators must have been from Heavenly Yong Immortal Manor.
And now, Heavenly Yong Immortal Manor had even dared to issue her the golden scroll, defying the arrest warrant issued by the Profound Heaven Sect.
These two matters are definitely not unrelated.
Even a place like Lian Tianyong is determined to have Jiang Xue Zhi, how could he afford to fall behind?
He must think of a way.
Shen Qingxian slowly clenched his fist inside his sleeve; the lingering chill in his palm had yet to fade even now.
He only knew fire could burn.
Never had he seen ice that could also…
…scorch like this.