With that, the group rushed into the inner chamber and pinned Qin Wanwan down.

Qin Wanwan glanced around.

Ning Buyan had clearly come prepared—all of the Ning family’s experts were in this courtyard.

She didn’t struggle much. Turning her head to look next door, she reminded Ning Buyan: “What about my master?”

Jian Xingzhi had already taken Dream Without Waking and was in deep sleep—this was also helpful for clearing his suspicion.

Ning Buyan knew what she was reminding him of, only saying: “He drank Dream Without Waking himself and is currently unconscious. He’s already been carried to the Punishment Hall.”

With that, he turned and headed out: “Let’s go.”

Qin Wanwan was dragged out wearing Immortal-Binding Shackles that restrained spiritual power. Arriving at the courtyard, she saw Nanfeng and Jian Xingzhi both outside. Jian Xingzhi lay on a stretcher, also wearing Immortal-Binding Shackles on his hands. Nanfeng similarly wore shackles and stood beside Jian Xingzhi. Seeing Qin Wanwan, he called out excitedly: “Master!”

The guards pressed Nanfeng down, shouting loudly: “Don’t cause trouble!”

Qin Wanwan reassured him: “It’s fine.”

With that, she glanced into the distance. Xie Gutang and Cuilu stood in the corridor. Cuilu waved her fan with her usual carefree appearance of not caring about others’ affairs. Xie Gutang clenched his fists, his eyes full of tension as he stared at her.

“You can take them,” Cuilu waved her round fan and looked at Ning Buyan, “but you promised me—these are guests of our Ghost City. If you don’t have sufficient evidence and act recklessly, don’t blame me for making you regret it!”

“That’s right.” Xie Gutang also spoke up, “If you make groundless accusations against others, Heavenly Sword Sect won’t stand by and watch.”

Hearing this, Ning Buyan’s sickly pale face showed a slight smile: “You two can rest assured. We’re investigating the true murderer of our ancestor, not trying to frame anyone. After all, our Ning clan has no grievances with Master Jian and his disciple—we wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Getting Ning Buyan’s assurance, Cuilu and Xie Gutang couldn’t say much more. Ning Buyan waved his hand and had people carry Jian Xingzhi and lead Qin Wanwan toward the Punishment Hall.

Qin Wanwan observed her surroundings all the way. The Ning clan’s ancestor had been poisoned and murdered, and the teapot used for poisoning bore Jian Xingzhi’s fingerprints and aura—this couldn’t be explained away no matter what.

As Qin Wanwan walked out of the courtyard, she used her divine sense to scan the teapots in each room of the courtyard. Everyone’s teapots were on their tables—only Xie Gutang’s was missing.

She pondered in silence. After the group arrived at the Punishment Hall, they saw the hall packed full of Ning clan members.

Jun Shu was already kneeling there. Seeing Qin Wanwan arrive, he said nothing and lowered his head, pretending not to know her.

Family Head Ning Wenxu sat in the main seat, his eyes red-rimmed—he’d clearly been crying. A young man stood beside him, consoling him: “Father, don’t be too sad. We’ll find the murderer and avenge Grandfather.”

Qin Wanwan glanced at the young man and recognized this was Ning Buxiu, the lover from Su Yueli’s illusion at Questioning Heart Sect.

Ning Buyan led people in and stepped forward to salute Ning Wenxu: “Family Head, the suspects have been brought. Jian Xingzhi took Dream Without Waking and is still unconscious.”

“Bring the antidote and wake him up.”

Ning Wenxu steadied his mind. After instructing Ning Buyan, he raised his head to look at Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi.

The moment he saw Jian Xingzhi, Ning Wenxu froze: “This…”

His words didn’t come out. Some of the older people around also looked over, most shocked in place.

But everyone quickly composed themselves. Ning Buyan had someone bring the antidote for Dream Without Waking. After letting Jian Xingzhi smell it, Jian Xingzhi’s eyes flew open. He did a carp jump and flipped in midair, then landed on one knee and stood up, sweeping sharp eye-daggers at his surroundings and shouting sternly: “What’s going on?”

“Master,” Qin Wanwan knelt on the ground and called to him softly, “something happened. The Ning family’s ancestor died, and they say you killed him.”

“How is that possible?!”

Jian Xingzhi looked at Qin Wanwan in shock: “On what basis do they say that?”

“Based on this.” Ning Buxiu took out a teapot and placed it on the table. “Someone switched the teapot our ancestor usually uses in the middle of the night, placing this teapot on the table. I poured water for Grandfather and fed it to him, then he died from the poison. Hidden in the water was Dream Without Waking. Dream Without Waking is harmless to ordinary people, but for our ancestor it was deadly poison. This teapot was deliberately switched—clearly someone wanted to harm our ancestor! And on this teapot are your fingerprints and spiritual aura, as well as this slave’s.”

With that, Ning Buxiu raised his hand and brushed across it. Several fingerprints on the teapot lit up. He looked at Jian Xingzhi: “And last night guards saw you leave the courtyard and run across the rooftops. So it must have been you who poisoned the teapot, infiltrated our ancestor’s room, switched his usual teapot, and murdered him!”

“You’re saying…” Jian Xingzhi frowned, “that I traveled great distances carrying my own teapot to switch it with your ancestor’s teapot to murder him?”

“Exactly.” Ning Buxiu responded, “With both witness and physical evidence present, do you still want to deny it?”

“Why wouldn’t I just poison his teapot directly? Switching teapots is so obvious,” Jian Xingzhi thought carefully. “And he was so sick—if I could infiltrate his room, killing him would be easy as pie. Would I need to poison him?”

This question stumped Ning Buxiu. Ning Buyan frowned and nodded: “That does make some sense.”

“This is clearly framing someone!” Hearing Jian Xingzhi’s words, Qin Wanwan immediately followed up, explaining: “My master saved your ancestor before—he has no motive to kill him.”

“Indeed so.” Ning Buyan continued nodding.

Ning Buxiu became somewhat anxious: “Cousin, whose side are you on?!”

Ning Buyan paused, then only said: “I’m trying to catch the true culprit, not wrongly accuse others.”

“Then you tell me,” Ning Buxiu looked at Jun Shu, “why are your fingerprints on this teapot? What’s your connection to this matter?”

Jun Shu said nothing. Ning Buxiu shouted sternly: “If you don’t speak, then you’re the murderer!”

“I…” Jun Shu stammered. He looked at Qin Wanwan, pondering in his heart.

This was the best opportunity to kill Jian Xingzhi. As long as he identified Jian Xingzhi, the Ning clan would undoubtedly kill him.

But he was now Qin Wanwan’s person—how could he identify Jian Xingzhi in front of Qin Wanwan without making her hate him?

Jun Shu thought left and right and came up with a plan: “I did touch this teapot.”

“You’re just a slave sweeping floors—how would you touch a guest’s inner room teapot?”

Seeing Jun Shu speak, Ning Buxiu quickly pressed him. Jun Shu thought for a moment and spoke: “Actually, the Dream Without Waking in the teapot was something Daojun Jian had me purchase from Giant Sword Manor.”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi looked back coldly: “I had you buy it?”

“That’s right,” Jun Shu nodded. “You said you needed it, so I bought it for you. But after buying it, I asked what you wanted to do with it. You said you wanted to drug Miss Qin, to make raw rice into cooked rice with her, so she couldn’t leave you.”

Jian Xingzhi froze. At this moment, Qin Wanwan couldn’t help but turn her head to look as well, also very shocked.

Jun Shu lowered his head and continued lying: “I’ve admired Miss Qin in my heart. Hearing this made me very uneasy. After thinking it over, last night I wanted to go steal the medicine back. I just happened to see Daojun Jian administering the drug. After he finished, he went to the toilet partway through. I wanted to go into the room to steal the teapot, but then he came back. I could only hide under the table. Afterward I heard him walk out, but he didn’t go toward Miss Qin’s room. Instead, he went outside. Not long after, the Ning residence fell into chaos.”

“Did you hear that?!”

Getting this testimony, Ning Buxiu cried out urgently: “With both witness and physical evidence present, he still wants to deny it. Father,” Ning Buxiu turned to look at Ning Wenxu, “arrest them!”

Ning Wenxu said nothing. He gripped his teacup, looking at Jian Xingzhi thoughtfully.

Jian Xingzhi met his gaze, scrutinizing this old man while secretly gathering spiritual power at one end point of the Immortal-Binding Shackles.

Qin Wanwan looked left and right, then laughed: “Young Master Ning, you’re not the one who killed him. Instead of trying to find the truth, you’re so eager to find a scapegoat—what for?”

“What do you mean?”

Hearing this, Ning Buxiu looked back coldly. Qin Wanwan smiled: “I don’t mean anything.”

“Then you tell me,” Ning Buxiu felt somewhat uneasy from Qin Wanwan’s smile. He looked at Jian Xingzhi, “If you’re not the killer, this slave’s words…”

“I’m not a slave.” Jun Shu couldn’t help but interrupt Ning Buxiu.

Ning Buxiu shouted at him: “Shut up!”

With that, Ning Buxiu turned his head and continued: “The fingerprints on the teapot, and what were you doing on the rooftops in the middle of the night?”

“Enough.”

Hearing Ning Buxiu ramble on, Jian Xingzhi sneered: “If you want to kill, then kill. Why waste so many words?”

“So you’re admitting it?”

“I didn’t kill anyone,” Jian Xingzhi said as he stood up. He swept his eyes across his surroundings, speaking lightly: “But even if I did kill him, what could you do about it?”

“Everyone!”

Hearing this, Qin Wanwan panicked. She also stood up and hurried to explain: “My master is talking nonsense. Don’t take it seriously.”

“What are you afraid of? They want to kill us—can’t you see?”

“No, Master, there are five Divine Transformation stage cultivators here. Don’t speak recklessly.”

“Don’t be afraid.”

Jian Xingzhi pushed Qin Wanwan aside and stepped forward: “In the past when I was alone, so be it. But now we can join forces. You just need to help a little—I’ll handle the rest.”

“Master!”

Qin Wanwan didn’t know where Jian Xingzhi got his courage. She grabbed him: “Calm down!”

“In a moment I’ll hold them off while you activate the formation.”

Jian Xingzhi transmitted to her. Qin Wanwan was bewildered. Seeing her hesitate, Jian Xingzhi frowned: “Ning Wenxu has killing intent—he probably won’t let us go. Don’t hold back at a time like this. I’ll go up first to hold them off and draw their fire. You immediately activate the formation and we’ll leave together.”

“Wait…”

Qin Wanwan finally realized where his confidence came from. Before that “wait” could leave her lips, she saw the Immortal-Binding Shackles on Jian Xingzhi’s hands suddenly explode. Jian Xingzhi raised his hand and seized a long sword from someone nearby, struck open the shackles on Qin Wanwan’s hands with one slash, then turned and thrust straight at Ning Wenxu!

This action shocked everyone. Qin Wanwan cried out that this was bad. There was no room for negotiation now—she could only follow Jian Xingzhi’s words. She grabbed Nanfeng and flung him toward the outside to use him to clear the way, drew her sword and pursued closely, madly fleeing outside.

Jian Xingzhi’s thrust was only a feint. With five Divine Transformation stage cultivators present, before he could reach Ning Wenxu, countless sword lights flew stabbing at him. But his movements were faster—the instant before the sword lights arrived, he directly retreated, chasing after Qin Wanwan and charging out.

In midair, Qin Wanwan split open Nanfeng’s shackles and ordered him: “Turn into an ant and run!”

Nanfeng instantly transformed into a small ant and burrowed into a crack in the ground, fleeing to the sides.

Everyone’s focus was on Jian Xingzhi and Qin Wanwan. With Nanfeng escaping, no one paid attention. Over a hundred light swords chased after Jian Xingzhi. Jian Xingzhi caught up to Qin Wanwan. While blocking the flying light swords with her, he urged: “Activate the formation!”

“What formation?!”

Qin Wanwan was grief-stricken. Jian Xingzhi hated that she was still pretending at this time and shouted urgently: “The Jishan teleportation formation! That formation that activates instantly and teleports you away directly!”

Hearing this, Qin Wanwan froze. In that instant, a light sword flew over. Jian Xingzhi pulled her toward himself, raised his hand and spun—the sword spun rapidly in his hand like a shield, deflecting those light swords with clanging sounds.

Qin Wanwan came to her senses and immediately explained: “I don’t know how!”

“How could you not know!”

Jian Xingzhi panicked: “You’re still pretending now!”

“I really don’t know!”

Qin Wanwan wanted to split open his head: “That’s a top-tier Jishan formation—what ghost can activate it at Nascent Soul stage!”

Jian Xingzhi’s heart jumped. With things said to this point, if Qin Wanwan still didn’t activate it, she clearly really didn’t know how.

How could she not know?

She was ranked 21st in the Immortal Realm’s combat power, the legendary female immortal with limitless potential, the golden signboard at the South Heaven Gate entrance, the person everyone told him was most likely to defeat him—she didn’t know a top-tier Jishan formation?!

This thought only circled in his mind for a moment before he immediately steadied his mind.

Right now the most important thing wasn’t this—the most important thing was, if Qin Wanwan didn’t know, what would they do?

“Master,” Qin Wanwan also panicked a bit. She and Jian Xingzhi stood back-to-back barely blocking the light swords. She was full of hope: “You taking down the Ning family alone—no problem, right?”

Jian Xingzhi was silent. After a moment, he hesitated: “I could come back and take them down in the future.”

It’s over, there is no future.

Hearing this, Qin Wanwan understood immediately. With Jian Xingzhi’s current condition, directly single-handedly challenging the entire Ning clan was indeed too demanding.

The two restrained their anger and fell silent. Qin Wanwan wanted to curse but felt that cursing now would shake morale.

She endured with effort. Jian Xingzhi stood back-to-back with her. After thinking, his voice lowered and he spoke calmly: “They’re mainly targeting me. I can control these swords for a quarter-hour. You run.”

“What about you?”

From his words, Qin Wanwan knew Jian Xingzhi planned to consume the divine sense in his sea of consciousness to control these light swords. His sea of consciousness could collapse at any time—she didn’t know what the consequences of doing this would be.

“Why do you care so much?”

Jian Xingzhi frowned: “I’ll count to three. I’ll control the light swords—don’t look back, just run.”

Qin Wanwan said nothing. This was the best solution right now. If they continued, both would perish here.

But she didn’t know why—thinking of Jian Xingzhi staying here, her heart felt both annoyed and somewhat pained.

She bit her teeth and finally spoke: “I’ll find a way to save you.”

“Appreciated.”

Jian Xingzhi decisively finished speaking and instructed Qin Wanwan: “Block for me for a moment.”

Qin Wanwan raised her hand with one sword stroke to force the light swords back several inches, channeling the Jishan formation from her arm into the sword hilt, manifesting at the sword tip into a light shield blocking in front.

Countless light swords crashed against the light shield. Jian Xingzhi closed his eyes, held his sword in one hand, and pressed two fingers of his other hand together at his lips.

He murmured an incantation and began mobilizing his divine sense.

The surrounding ground hummed and trembled. Qin Wanwan struggled to resist the light sword attacks, feeling the ground crack open as shattered pebbles floated upward.

Everyone sensed something was wrong. Birds took flight in alarm. Vaguely, there seemed to be someone’s calling voice rising up.

“Yan Zhi.”

That voice was very gentle.

Ning Wenxu’s eyes flew open. He rushed urgently out of the great hall.

“One.”

Jian Xingzhi finished the incantation. Light began gathering at his sword tip.

“Yan Zhi.”

That female voice became somewhat clearer.

The ground trembled more and more violently. Neither Qin Wanwan nor Jian Xingzhi noticed that beneath their feet, a light formation faintly lit up.

“Two.”

Cold sweat appeared on Jian Xingzhi’s forehead. Qin Wanwan gradually felt the attacking force of the light swords outside weakening, as if suppressed by something.

“Three!”

Jian Xingzhi’s eyes flew open. That shout of “Run” hadn’t yet left his lips when light rose up from beneath their feet. The two instantly vanished from where they stood.

Only the gentle female voice drifted in the air.

“Come to elder sister.”

—

**Author’s Notes:**

[Mini Theater]

Jian Xingzhi: “What are you afraid of? Let’s attack together.”

Qin Wanwan: “Retreat, retreat.”

Jian Xingzhi: “Don’t be cowardly! Just play support—I’ll show off!”

Qin Wanwan: “Retreat, retreat.”

Jian Xingzhi: “I’m forcing this team fight! Now is your time! Awaken, it’s hunting time, Jishan Female Sovereign, showtime! Roar at them!”

Qin Wanwan: “…”

Jian Xingzhi: “Roar loudly!”

Qin Wanwan: “Meow…”

Jian Xingzhi: “…”

A moment later—

Jian Xingzhi: “Retreat, retreat!”