Hearing these words, Jiang Zhaoxue stared at Pei Zichen in a daze, somewhat bewildered.

Was he talking to her?

Using such a flamboyant posture to talk to a tiger?

Jiang Zhaoxue looked left and right. This action made Pei Zichen’s eyes fill with amusement. The instant Jiang Zhaoxue turned back, Pei Zichen’s finger directly pointed out, landing on Jiang Zhaoxue’s forehead.

Jiang Zhaoxue was stunned, then felt spiritual power flooding into her entire body. When she reacted to what Pei Zichen was doing, Jiang Zhaoxue instantly turned and ran!

Good heavens, what kind of proper person casts a shrinking spell on someone the first time they meet?

But it was already too late. The instant Jiang Zhaoxue turned, her body felt empty. She transformed into a cub and fell through the air. Pei Zichen raised his hand to catch her, embracing her in his arms as he landed on the ground.

“Senior Martial Brother,” the youth she had mistakenly identified earlier rushed over first, saying happily, “You’ve returned?”

As he spoke, the other disciples also gradually rushed over. Among them, three disciples wearing white robes with blue crane outer garments like Pei Zichen’s arrived fastest, excitedly surrounding Pei Zichen: “Senior Martial Brother!”

“Senior Martial Brother!”

“Senior Martial Brother, how are you? Did everything go smoothly?”

“I made you all worry.”

Pei Zichen nodded to the four of them. His hands skillfully adjusted Jiang Zhaoxue’s position, steadily holding her in his embrace.

Jiang Zhaoxue glanced at him helplessly, not forcefully resisting him.

They would be going into the temple together anyway. Since she was already here, there was no need.

She leaned against Pei Zichen, listening to him calmly inquire with the youth who had run over first: “Jinglan, did everything go smoothly?”

Jinglan? Gu Jinglan?

Jiang Zhaoxue glanced at that youth, roughly identifying that this seemed to be a disciple who entered under Shen Yuqing’s tutelage in the same year as Pei Zichen?

“Nearly died.” Hearing Pei Zichen’s words, Gu Jinglan untied the token from his waist, handed it to Pei Zichen, looked back at a middle-aged man not far away, and complained: “That Gaowen—you tell him to go east, he goes west. He’s been causing trouble the whole way. Good thing you arrived in time, or we’d all be finished!”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue finally understood why the mission token was in Gu Jinglan’s hands.

The token had a connection with the leading disciple. Pei Zichen must have separated from the team to do something and, for convenience in finding them, gave the mission token to this disciple called “Jinglan.”

Having confirmed his identity, Jiang Zhaoxue felt this was troublesome.

If this person was Pei Zichen, then he was much stronger than she imagined. If she couldn’t use magic or take human form, how exactly could she get him into the barrier?

Jiang Zhaoxue pondered as Pei Zichen took the token from Gu Jinglan, nodded, and said: “You’ve all worked hard.”

“Knowing I worked hard, treat me to a meal when we get back.” Gu Jinglan was clearly very familiar with Pei Zichen, speaking jokingly. Then his gaze fell on Jiang Zhaoxue, asking curiously: “Senior Martial Brother, why did you bring back a big cat? Are you going to keep it? Will Huangtian Houtu in your courtyard agree? This is a big cat—if you’re not around, it might just eat those two dirt dogs. How about this,” Gu Jinglan reached out enthusiastically, “I’ll help you raise it!”

Jiang Zhaoxue: “…”

The abacus beads were practically hitting her face, kid.

Fortunately, while Gu Jinglan was unreliable, Pei Zichen still had some sense. Watching Gu Jinglan reach out, Pei Zichen raised his hand to block him, saying seriously: “Its aura is pure and righteous. It shouldn’t be a spirit creature that belongs here. I’ll bring it along out of the mountains, then release it. Forest treasured beasts have their own place to return to.”

Hearing this, Gu Jinglan looked somewhat disappointed, but still withdrew his hand, saying somewhat unwillingly: “Fine. I’ll find my own civet to court in the future.”

Jiang Zhaoxue listened to them discussing cat-raising here and sighed inwardly.

Pondering how Lingjian Immortal Pavilion truly was deteriorating with each generation—not doing proper work all day, just wanting to raise cats.

Even this Pei Zichen spoke in grand terms, but looking at his skillful cat-stroking technique…

Heh, seventeen years old—just the right age for attracting cats and teasing dogs. Just a kid.

But this didn’t have much to do with her. Her main goal now was to coax Pei Zichen into the temple. The tree demon had been dealt with so easily, there wasn’t even a villain to slap Pei Zichen into it. How should she get Pei Zichen into the temple?

Jiang Zhaoxue pondered in her heart. Seeing the white tiger in his arms docile and still, Pei Zichen moved his gaze away from Jiang Zhaoxue, hung the waist token, raised his head to survey the surroundings. Seeing the disciples had all gradually sorted themselves out and stood up, he informed everyone in a gentle yet clear tone: “Fellow disciples, the formation is broken. If we continue forward, we won’t be affected by the formation anymore. Let’s continue onward.”

“Heh,” hearing this, a man’s voice rang out, complaining: “Won’t be affected, won’t be affected—easier said than done. Never around when something happens every time. I bet you’re playing us for fools?”

Hearing this voice, Jiang Zhaoxue looked toward the speaker.

It was a youth around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old with ordinary looks and a rather plump build. His cultivation was Golden Core, but his spiritual energy was unstable—clearly a Golden Core achieved through relying on medicinal pills.

As soon as he spoke, Gu Jinglan immediately cursed: “Gaowen, are you ever going to stop? Just now we told you not to go east, but you went west—you’re the one who provoked the tree demon. Now you’re the one chattering nonstop. If you’re unhappy, then get lost! Stay away from Senior Martial Brother so you don’t drag us to our deaths! “

Hearing the name Gaowen, Jiang Zhaoxue had some vague impression. He seemed to be the uncle of Shen Yuqing’s junior martial sister Wen Xiao’an?

In the past, she always wanted to maintain a good relationship with Shen Yuqing. She didn’t know other people, but she recognized a whole bunch of Shen Yuqing’s related relatives.

Fortunately, Shen Yuqing had grown up in Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. His relatives were all people from Lingjian Immortal Pavilion. His fellow disciples had mostly died in the Battle of Cangming Sea, leaving only two junior martial sisters he’d raised with his own hands. One of them had died before Jiang Zhaoxue’s marriage, ultimately leaving only Wen Xiao’an as the sole remaining sprout.

So she didn’t need to know many relatives, and ended up knowing Wen Xiao’an’s relatives too.

But whether it was Gaowen or Gu Jinglan, she had no impression of them in the book. What happened to them later?

Jiang Zhaoxue subconsciously recalled, suddenly hearing A’Nan sigh aloud.

“They died.”

Jiang Zhaoxue was stunned. A’Nan glanced around at this circle of people and sighed: “Tonight when Shen Yuqing arrives, except for Pei Zichen, everyone here will be dead.”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue’s heart sank with a thud. A’Nan flew to a tree closest to Jiang Zhaoxue and advised: “But Master, don’t overthink it. These are all their fates. No need to interfere—you can’t anyway. Think about how to get Pei Zichen into the temple instead.”

Jiang Zhaoxue knew A’Nan was right.

Unless necessary, do not interfere with others’ fates, or you will surely pay a price.

This was the first phrase every Fate Master learned when beginning their cultivation path.

So Fate Masters divined and read fortunes, knowing countless futures in their hearts, but never changed them unless necessary.

Futures that couldn’t be changed didn’t interest Jiang Zhaoxue, so she rarely paid attention to the future. She just felt that living well one day at a time was enough. Others didn’t have much to do with her.

The greatest protection for herself was—stay far away from those about to die.

Without feelings, one wouldn’t develop thoughts of changing things.

Jiang Zhaoxue cut off her thoughts in time, raised her eyes to glance at the dilapidated temple, listened to Gu Jinglan and Gaowen arguing, and began pondering how to naturally and reasonably let them discover this temple.

The two argued fiercely, leading two groups of disciples standing on opposite sides.

This expedition was clearly divided into two factions. Jiang Zhaoxue listened briefly and roughly understood—one side was Luo Xia Feng disciples led by Pei Zichen, while the other faction was Lan Yue Feng disciples led by Gaowen.

The two sides clearly had discord long ago. Once Gu Jinglan and Gaowen started arguing, they quarreled endlessly, standing not far from the barrier, hurling insults at each other, chattering on and on.

“The Pavilion Master told us to follow him, so he should take responsibility for us. He wants to claim credit himself, to be the leader looking for Lingxiao Hua—then he should act like a leader. Just one word and you want to drive me away? You Luo Xia Feng people are really tyrannical enough.”

“We’re tyrannical? You Lan Yue Feng people want to take advantage of everything! Senior Martial Brother broke the formation, Senior Martial Brother killed the demon—you just open your mouths to mock and ridicule, then go back to claim credit. Who doesn’t know you’re just here to leech off mission points?”

“Leech? Who exactly caused this mess? Your Luo Xia Feng’s Master’s wife poisoned the junior martial sister, we’re saving your Luo Xia Feng’s junior martial sister—why should we risk our lives?”

“Then don’t come!”

“Fine, let’s part ways right now!”

Gaowen seemed to have reached the peak of his anger. He turned to leave, raising his sword to call to everyone: “Let’s go!”

The direction he turned toward was exactly the barrier’s direction. Seeing this, Jiang Zhaoxue recognized it as an excellent opportunity. Without a word, she leaped down from Pei Zichen’s body. Before everyone could react, she fiercely crashed into Gaowen!

Although her size had shrunk, her strength hadn’t decreased by half. Gaowen was rammed from behind like a battering ram, his entire body instantly flying out and crashing into the barrier.

Everyone was shocked by her collision. Lan Yue Feng disciples instantly reacted, drawing their swords one after another. Having done the deed, Jiang Zhaoxue quickly scampered back behind Pei Zichen, using Pei Zichen as a shield in front of her.

Her movements were too smooth. By the time Lan Yue Feng people shouted: “Martial Brother Pei, you let your tiger commit violence—that’s too much!”, she had already perfectly dodged behind Pei Zichen.

Pei Zichen said nothing, glancing at her helplessly. Instead, Gu Jinglan laughed, saying happily: “Worthy of the tiger cub Senior Martial Brother took a liking to—promising, destined for immortality!”

“You!”

Lan Yue Feng disciples spoke indignantly, but only stared at Pei Zichen, not daring to step forward.

Seeing this, Pei Zichen thought for a moment, then said calmly: “Everyone need not blame this mortal tiger. It hurt someone at my instruction. Tonight everyone came to search for Lingxiao Hua, so we should work together in unity. Fellow disciples should stop quarreling. Call Senior Martial Brother Gao, and let’s first find a safe place. When daybreak comes and yin wanes while yang waxes, we’ll continue searching for Lingxiao Hua. If everyone is unwilling,” Pei Zichen raised his eyes, “then we can part ways—that’s also acceptable.”

With that, Pei Zichen turned back to scoop up Jiang Zhaoxue, turning to leave.

Everyone looked at each other.

In this search for Lingxiao Hua, Lingjian Immortal Pavilion sent out many people. Each team had at least one disciple at Golden Core stage or above presiding. In their group, the only one with real strength was Pei Zichen. Without Pei Zichen, asking them to be alone in Wuyue Forest—they truly didn’t dare. But asking them to abandon Gaowen—they also didn’t dare.

As these Lan Yue Feng disciples hesitated, a loud laugh suddenly came from the distance: “Excellent!”

Hearing this, everyone turned their gazes in confusion, only to see nothing but emptiness in the distance. Gaowen seemed to have disappeared.

Pei Zichen frowned. Gu Jinglan called out vigilantly: “Gaowen?”

“I’m right here!”

Gaowen spoke loudly. Just as his words fell, the surroundings slowly brightened. A brightly lit dilapidated temple gradually appeared in everyone’s vision along with the light.

The dilapidated temple wasn’t large, its vermillion paint mottled, windows and doors broken. Copper bells hung from the temple eaves’ corners. Accompanied by the “creak” of doors and windows swaying and knocking, their clear tinkling echoed across the moonlit wilderness, appearing especially eerie.

Gaowen held his long sword, standing at the dilapidated temple’s entrance. His expression proud, he said: “If Martial Brother Pei wants to leave, then leave. Tonight we’ll rest right here. Temples are places blessed by deities—nothing could be safer. We’ll wait until daybreak, then set out separately.”

Hearing this, Pei Zichen looked back vigilantly.

Gaowen raised the corner of his mouth: “I found this temple. There are a thousand ways to obtain Lingxiao Hua first—it’s not necessarily required to follow Martial Brother Pei. Martial Brother Pei, people must not think too highly of themselves. Know that in the cultivation world there are countless geniuses. The number of carp that can reach the dragon gate are beyond count, but the carp that can leap over—there is only one. What about the rest?”

Gaowen leaned forward slightly, like a curse: “Just like tall buildings—when they rise, ten thousand people praise them. When they collapse, in an instant, they’re reduced to ashes and smoke.”