“Surname Pei, name Qian.”

Though Pei Qian found it strange, he repeated it once more.

Qian, taking the meaning of “dragon in hiding,” signifying that one day he would soar to the nine heavens again – quite high expectations placed upon him.

Pei Qian, losing money.

After hearing the other party state his name again, Qian Que wanted nothing more than to beat himself to death with his abacus. What sins had he committed? Why did he have to open his mouth and recruit such a person? What was so great about the Northern Domain’s four great sects’ Yang Sect?

How could someone choose such an unlucky name?

This person, Qian Que, had no grand aspirations in life – just selling things and making money. Money was his lifeline; he couldn’t afford to lose even half a spirit stone. Yet here, during business dealings, came someone named “losing money.”

Oh my, how inauspicious.

Qian Que’s face was about to turn green, a lump of frustration stuck in his throat, unable to speak for a long while.

Listening, Jian Chou gained quite an understanding of Qian Que’s nature. Just hearing Pei Qian’s name gave her an indescribable feeling.

Poor Qian Que.

She had a reserved personality and didn’t burst out laughing immediately, but the male cultivator called Qin Lang beside her couldn’t help but laugh.

Pei Qian looked toward him.

Qin Lang coughed, somewhat embarrassed, cupping his hands: “Fellow Daoist Pei, please don’t take offense. Just find the name quite interesting when repeated.”

Heh heh.

Interesting.

Interesting my ass!

Golden Abacus Qian Que sneered inwardly, his expression becoming blank as he slowly said to Pei Qian: “My surname is Qian, name Que, nicknamed Golden Abacus in the Western Sea.”

After speaking, he said nothing more.

Jian Chou considered this inwardly, feeling the subtext was: Our horoscopes clash – you should scram quickly.

Unexpectedly…

That Yang Sect’s Pei Qian, whether truly not understanding or pretending not to understand, slightly furrowed his brows. After Qian Que announced his name, he cupped his hands toward him: “So it’s Fellow Daoist Qian, long admired, long admired.”

In that instant, Qian Que felt like he was about to spit blood from holding it in.

His face flushed red, then quickly turned pale.

Looking around, the passing cultivators were all Foundation Establishment stage. He was merely late Foundation Establishment, while this person was Golden Core stage – like a rare tall person among a group of short ones, even from a prestigious sect.

Even if the name was unfortunate, this person was still the ideal candidate for exploring Black Wind Cave together.

Forget it, forget it.

Pei Qian losing money – what business was his losing money to?

Qian Que constantly comforted himself, touching his chest and muttering: “Spirits above and below, bless Qian to have a safe and profitable trip…”

Everyone who heard this was speechless.

They all came to explore Black Wind Cave. Having someone make connections for everyone to go together was naturally good.

However, this “Golden Abacus Qian Que” seemed rather unreliable.

After Qian Que finished his rambling prayers, he glanced at Pei Qian and gritted his teeth fiercely: “Forget it! Grandpa Qian’s luck has been good recently. What’s a little horoscope clash? Can’t overcome my great fortune! Enough talk – there’s no day like today. Let’s hurry to Black Wind Cave!”

After speaking, he waved his hand and threw out a row of spirit stones.

“Personal feelings are one thing, business is another. When I, Qian, do business, reputation always comes first. Fellow daoists accompanying me to find Wind-Swallowing Stones – these spirit stones, five per person, are Qian’s deposit and sincerity. Please accept them.”

Five spirit stones, glowing with hazy white light, floated before Jian Chou.

She had no concept of spirit stones herself, but in Shijiu Zhou, spirit stones were universal currency, like copper coins and gold and silver in the mortal world, useful for many things.

This…

Was it her first earnings since entering cultivation?

Seeing these five spirit stones, Jian Chou couldn’t help but narrow her eyes. Without courtesy, she directly scooped up all five spirit stones, gripping them in her hand with a brilliant smile: “Fellow Daoist Qian is too kind.”

“…”

She was the fastest!

Seeing Jian Chou’s brilliant smile, Qian Que wanted to strip off her clothes to see whether that yin-yang spider silk was real or fake!

Was it necessary to treasure those five spirit stones so much?

The others weren’t blind either. After all, Jian Chou’s outfit was very bright and particularly beautiful, practically glowing all over. They felt this “Wu Chou” fellow daoist’s face seemed carved with the four characters “I’m not short of money.”

However…

Reality was often heartbreaking.

Scooping up the five spirit stones in one grab, Pei Qian’s expression was truly unconcerned as he said indifferently: “I’ve heard the wind in Black Wind Cave changes with time. Each month has a period when it becomes particularly fierce, destroying whatever it touches. Many unfortunate cultivators who didn’t know the depths died in the cave for no reason…”

“Indeed.”

This was exactly why Qian Que was so urgent about forming a team.

“Before coming to Flying Heaven Town, Qian had already investigated. In three more days, Black Wind Cave’s most dangerous period. Qian only seeks Wind-Swallowing Stones and will only enter a hundred feet. Based on predecessors’ experience, it should take at most two hours. However, this place is still some distance from Black Wind Cave, so I must trouble everyone to depart early together.”

Indeed, traveling with multiple people had benefits. If Jian Chou went alone, she wouldn’t know this much about Black Wind Cave.

It seemed that during the three hundred years Fudao Shanren was away, Black Wind Cave had become a sacred place. With possible treasures found by people and some unique things born within the cave, cultivators came and went in droves, leading to so much information about Black Wind Cave for reference.

For Jian Chou, this was both good and bad.

She wasn’t going to seek treasure, but for body refinement.

With many people here, there would inevitably be many eyes.

It seemed traveling with everyone was fine, but it would just be scouting the terrain. After separating from everyone later, she’d find a time with fewer people to act alone, avoiding being too shocking.

With this decision made, Jian Chou’s heart settled.

Looking around at these four people teamed with her, she smiled slightly: “Shall we go now?”

Qian Que nodded decisively, then looked at everyone: “What do fellow daoists think?”

Taking people’s money to solve their troubles – everyone naturally nodded with no objections.

Thus decided, they would depart immediately.

When everyone was exchanging pleasantries earlier, Golden Abacus Qian Que had directly mentioned “Yashan’s senior sister Jian Chou,” so Jian Chou didn’t dare reveal her Ghost Axe. Since traveling with the Liwai Mirror was already convenient, when departing, she flipped her hand and took out the Liwai Mirror.

Glazed golden light spread out. Pei Qian, standing not far from Jian Chou, immediately looked over with interest: “Fairy Wu Chou’s magical artifact seems to have quite an origin.”

Origin?

Jian Chou thought about it – this was a welcoming gift for new disciples from Sect Leader Zheng Yao. As for origins…

Smiling slightly, she looked completely natural: “Just prettier than most.”

Hearing this, Qian Que felt an urge to curse.

Didn’t want to talk anymore!

This second-generation disciple’s magical artifact was practically inlaid with spirit stones!

Everyone could see the extraordinary nature of Jian Chou’s Liwai Mirror, secretly guessing her identity. However, just moments later, everyone’s attention was no longer on Jian Chou.

Because…

That particularly unluckily-named Pei Qian waved his hand, and a crimson long blade floated up, brilliant with gorgeous light. Every carved pattern on its body was so exquisite that one couldn’t help but count on fingers how much it cost.

The knowledgeable Qian Que was already screaming in his heart: Screw losing money! How is this losing money? This is a big fat sheep!

Truly a cultivator from one of the Northern Domain’s four great sects – when not acting, it’s nothing, but when acting, it’s shocking!

Look at this golden, red blade body, refined from crimson gold stone essence. The pattern-drawing lines on it all flickered with white cloud ink’s aura! White cloud ink – one piece costs over a hundred spirit stones!

Extravagant!

Truly wealthy extravagance!

This entire blade gave off an overwhelming aura of money!

Money!

Now Qian Que no longer dared despise him, wanting to rush up and lick him a few times!

The little abacus in his heart went click-click-click.

One fat sheep, two fat sheep…

Heh heh heh heh!

Wielding the blade in his heart!

All Grandpa Qian’s fat sheep!

“Truly worthy of being a Northern Domain four great sects cultivator – extraordinary when acting. Qian admires, admires!”

Qian Que’s heart had already drooled an entire Nine-Head River, but his face showed righteous admiration.

“Having a fellow Daoist escort this trip is truly perfect.”

While speaking, Qin Lang and Zhou Qingyun also exchanged glances, summoning their magical artifacts – both ordinary swords.

Shijiu Zhou cultivators mostly used swords, so two swords weren’t unusual.

Jian Chou looked more carefully – both swords were deep yellow, but one large and one small, seemingly specially refined.

Zhou Qingyun noticed Jian Chou’s gaze, raised her eyes, and smiled kindly at her without explaining anything.

Indeed, dao companions.

Jian Chou also nodded in return, but her heart was complicated.

When she first met Fudao Shanren, she took him as her master, a Zhang-wide Wanxiang Battle Disc, indicating exceptional talent. This wasn’t affected by her Heavenly Void constitution, proving her outstanding cultivation aptitude.

Xie Buchen unhesitatingly killed his wife to prove the dao, never considering other possibilities…

What did she count as in the end?

Or perhaps dao companions weren’t the same as worldly bonds, having no entanglements?

The moment Jian Chou withdrew her gaze, she noticed Qin Lang and Zhou Qingyun’s affectionate exchanged looks. Every gesture, though not showing intimacy, already showed considerable understanding.

These two were only late Foundation Establishment cultivation, yet they already had a feeling of perfect harmony.

Fudao Shanren once said that dao companions merely took what they needed from each other – it seemed this wasn’t entirely true.

“Whoosh!”

Qian Que directly threw his golden abacus, following it up as he stepped on the abacus and flew up.

That golden abacus emanated an undisguised aura of money, leading westward first.

Jian Chou looked at Qian Que’s golden abacus, then at Pei Qian’s gleaming golden blade, then lowered her head to look at her somewhat gentler glazed golden Liwai Mirror, immediately having an illusion of crows flying overhead.

Forget it, hurrying was important!

Jian Chou infused spiritual power and shot forth.

Five people successively rushed skyward from under Flying Heaven Town’s big willow tree, heading toward Gathering Medicine Peak’s Black Wind Cave.

Gathering Medicine Peak.

Over a hundred li west of Baiyue Valley stood a tall mountain range.

When Jian Chou’s group arrived, it was already deep night.

Stars were sparse in the sky, with only a bright moon that had been “bitten” showing a small gap hanging high. Thousands of white silk ribbons fell from the night sky, illuminating the entire Gathering Medicine Peak like an old man carrying a basket.

In such a deep night, there were still many figures moving about throughout Gathering Medicine Peak.

“Ahead is Gathering Medicine Peak’s Sacrificial Body Cliff. We can descend from here.”

Qian Que was sharp-eyed, immediately spotting the place with the most people.

A high cliff, like a protruding platform hanging in the air a thousand zhang up, with layers of misty clouds below, a dark mass. Many people were on the cliff, three to five gathered together, and some were jumping off the cliff.

Black Wind Cave was beneath this cliff.

When Jian Chou landed, there happened to be a group of people nearby talking.

“Junior Brother Sun died for nothing, yet you show no reaction at all. Now you still insist on coming to Black Wind Cave. If we can’t emerge within two or three days and encounter Black Wind Cave’s peak black wind period, we’ll die without burial!”

A male cultivator’s voice showed some indignation, apparently quite opposed to everyone going down.

Standing opposite him were two female cultivators – one holding a long sword with a round face, slightly plump; one thin-bodied with a soft whip coiled at her waist.

The whip-using female cultivator quite disagreed with the male cultivator’s words: “Junior Brother Sun’s senseless death – don’t we feel pain too? But Senior Sister Xu ordered that this month, we must bring back East Wind Candles. Time waits for no one – what choice do we have? Your earlier words, if they reached the sect, would bring no good result. Junior Brother Shang, please speak carefully.”

“Senior Sister Xu, Senior Sister Xu – what is she? Without her, would our Jianzhu Sect be reduced to—”

“Junior Brother Shang!”

The male cultivator’s voice was interrupted by the whip-user’s suddenly raised voice.

The surnamed Shang male cultivator looked quite young, probably a later disciple of the sect. His face alternated between red and white, fingers clenched into fists, seemingly restraining something.

Jian Chou’s group landed at this moment.

These three Jianzhu Sect people immediately looked over.

Though just for a brief moment, Jian Chou had already heard some crucial information.

Jianzhu Sect, Senior Sister Xu, died for nothing…

Truly, enemies often meet, foes frequently encounter.

Jian Chou raised an eyebrow, glancing lightly to notice all three wore Jianzhu Sect emblems, so she said nothing.

Qian Que also had sharp ears, having heard that conversation long ago.

He considered, then said to everyone: “Please wait a moment.”

After speaking, he walked toward those three people.

The three Jianzhu Sect members stared at the several people who had just landed on this cliff, seemingly quite wary, especially seeing that there were five people, including a distinguished Golden Core cultivator.

Slightly plump Qian Que walked over, clutching his golden abacus, his face full of smiles: “Greetings to fellow Jianzhu Sect daoists. Might this fairy be the famous Zhao Yunbin of Jianzhu Sect?”

Hearing this, the whip-using female cultivator frowned.

She was indeed a Jianzhu Sect cultivator, also somewhat famous among the Central Domain’s newly advanced cultivators. However, this person could identify her at a glance – someone well-informed.

“May I ask who you are?”

“Oh.” Qian Que quickly waved his golden abacus, smiling: “Humble Qian Que, Golden Abacus Qian Que. I’ve done business with the Jianzhu Sect before. Just now, when landing, I heard fellow daoists might still need to collect East Wind Candles. I wonder…”

“No.”

Before Qian Que could finish, Zhao Yunbin understood his meaning and coldly interrupted.

The kind smile on Qian Que’s face froze.

As the saying goes, one doesn’t strike a smiling face – this applies in the cultivation world too.

This Jianzhu Sect female cultivator was probably angry and probably found Qian Que disagreeable, showing no intention of wasting words.

Heh heh…

I can even strike up conversation with Northern Domain Yang Sect cultivators, yet you fucking want to put on airs!

Qian Que was already cursing inwardly, with one simple thought: in the future, Grandpa will sell you Jianzhu Sect the worst stuff at high prices! Let’s see if Grandpa can’t scam you to death!

Of course, on the surface, Qian Que still smiled with narrowed eyes: “Oh, then forget it.”

Zhao Yunbin lifted her pointed chin, turned directly, and didn’t spare Qian Que another glance.

Seeing the people on Sacrificial Body Cliff gradually decreasing – some left, some went down – she said to the surnamed Shang male cultivator and plump female cultivator beside her: “Let’s go too.”

“Yes, Senior Sister.”

The plump female cultivator glanced at Qian Que, still standing there, contempt flashing in her eyes. When flying toward the cliff bottom, she spoke in a low voice: “Thought someone who could identify Senior Sister at a glance was an important figure, turns out just a minor character with slight connections to our Jianzhu Sect…”

Her voice gradually lowered as the figure disappeared beneath the cliff.

Only Shang Liaofan remained standing alone.

Jian Chou couldn’t help but focus his interested eyes on him.

She saw this male cultivator’s clenched fingers slowly loosen, then slowly clench again, as if struggling immensely.

Finally, he still glanced at the boundless clouds below and stepped forward to go down.

“Hey.”

A light, shallow call carried a strange gentleness.

Like moonlight in the night wind’s caress.

Shang Liaofan immediately stopped, looking back in surprise.

Among the several people who had just landed on this cliff, a woman in deep blue robes stood there, gentle features, graceful bearing, smiling lips, looking at him.

Shang Liaofan was stunned.

Jian Chou stepped forward: “I was calling you. Was your junior brother also killed by that mysterious villain in Flying Heaven Town?”

“…”

Asking this out of nowhere…

Though Shang Liaofan didn’t understand why, the anger and unwillingness over his fellow disciple’s senseless death almost immediately took precedence. His eyes reddened as he gritted his teeth: “It was our sect’s Junior Brother Sun, who had just entered cultivation with only mid-Foundation Establishment. He died this morning while resting in Flying Heaven Town.”

“When I came to Flying Heaven Town, I encountered Baiyue Valley’s Medicine Woman Lu Xiangleng on the road. She said this matter has been reported to Yashan, and Yashan’s cultivators will soon come here to investigate. If you truly care about your junior brother and want to seek justice for him, going back now might allow you to encounter them.”

Jian Chou smiled slightly, calmly stating the facts she knew.

In that instant, the several people standing beside Jian Chou all had strange expressions.

Encountered Baiyue Valley’s Medicine Woman Lu Xiangleng on the road…

This unremarkable tone sounded like casually meeting an ordinary person.

Moreover…

This “Junior Brother Shang” was clearly about to go into Black Wind Cave with his senior sister! What was her intention in calling him at this moment?!

Qian Que, standing ahead, was already looking at Jian Chou with horrified and strange eyes.

Jian Chou acted as if she neither saw nor felt anything.

She continued looking at Shang Liaofan.

After hearing Jian Chou’s words, Shang Liaofan immediately showed excitement in his eyes.

However, he immediately remembered that the Jianzhu Sect recently had friction with Yashan. Not long ago, Yashan’s senior sister even sent a congratulatory gift to Jianzhu Sect’s Senior Sister Xu, angering the entire sect and keeping even Sect Leader Zhuxin furious for days, swearing undying enmity with Yashan.

Now with Junior Brother Sun’s incident, they had to rely on Yashan for handling – who knew if Yashan would hold grudges?

His struggle and hesitation were almost entirely displayed on his face.

Though Jian Chou hadn’t paid attention to subsequent developments after that day, she could guess what Shang Liaofan was concerned about. Glancing at the temporarily quiet cliff bottom, she said indifferently: “Flying Heaven Town’s matter concerns Central Domain cultivators’ safety, not just Jianzhu Sect suffering alone. Yashan is the Central Domain’s backbone, and Fudao Shanren is an enforcement elder with noble character – naturally, he wouldn’t show any bias due to friction between sects. Why worry?”

Yes.

Why worry?

Even if Yashan humiliated someone, they wouldn’t do it secretly – they’d slap Xu Lan’er’s face openly and clearly.

At that time, though Jianzhu Sect seemed universally embarrassed, who knew how many secretly felt satisfaction?

Yashan.

That was Yashan after all.

With Jian Chou’s words, Shang Liaofan almost immediately made his decision, cupping his hands toward Jian Chou with determined eyes: “Thank you, Senior Sister, for your guidance. I’ll go seek justice for Junior Brother Sun!”

After speaking, light flashed beneath his feet as sky-blue radiance shot up, instantly disappearing from everyone’s sight!

The spot stood empty, as if no one had ever been there.

Jian Chou’s gaze slowly moved back from the moon-hung sky.

Then she discovered four people were all looking at her.

Qian Que clutched his abacus, looking at her like she was a beast—

What exactly had this “Wu Chou teammate” done with just a few words!

What exactly had she done?

“If I remember correctly… this person was supposed to explore Black Wind Cave with that Zhao Yunbin…”

Qian Que felt like he was dreaming.

Jian Chou nodded, smiling harmlessly. Hearing Qian Que’s words, she pondered briefly and nodded: “Seems like it.”