Vermilion Birds flew throughout Nan Que, transmitting messages to one another. This Red-Winged Vermilion Bird, controlled by the Wujian Mirror, could broadcast its message across the entire Nan Que, so everyone in Nan Que heard the information it delivered.

Even the traitors themselves were confused.

Dou Lanmin, who had just arrived at Zhen Su, was about to be on guard when he saw Cheng Jingbai and Lin Xiao in the sea of blood. Then he heard the Vermilion Bird’s message announcing the hunt for them.

Dou Lanmin and Cheng Jingbai looked at each other, both lowering their defenses. Scratching his head, Dou Lanmin started chatting: “What’s the situation with Fang Hui, Zhou Xiang, and Qiu Hong?”

Cheng Jingbai was still rubbing his neck in confusion: “I’m wondering the same thing. And why didn’t you mention Zhou Li? Who is she?”

Dou Lanmin said seriously, “You’d better not mess with her lightly. She’s formidable.”

Cheng Jingbai squinted at him, then laughed strangely: “I know she’s formidable without you telling me.”

“I didn’t expect Senior Brother Lin would also…” Just as Dou Lanmin turned to look at Lin Xiao, two Wind-Stealing Birds, flying as swiftly as arrows, arrived with a whooshing sound. Carrying thick star power and killing intent, they pierced through Cheng Jingbai’s heart as he stood on the stone steps.

The impact force sent Cheng Jingbai flying backward. He fell to the ground with a large pool of blood spreading behind him.

Another bird flew toward Lin Xiao, but he calmly raised his hand and crushed it.

Dou Lanmin’s pupils contracted as he quickly turned around on alert. He saw several Zhen Su Hall disciples landing at the divine weapons repository, led by Zhuang Shu, whose eyes were bloodshot with anger as he looked at these three traitors who had infiltrated Nan Que and killed his master and fellow disciples: “Lin Xiao, after all these years of Master’s kindness to you, how could you be so ruthless toward him!”

In contrast to the hatred and anger of the disciples across from them, Lin Xiao smiled slightly: “That’s why I’ve been a good disciple all these years.”

“A good disciple?” Zhuang Shu’s temple throbbed with anger. He was about to curse Lin Xiao for his shamelessness when he saw Cheng Jingbai, who had fallen to the ground, slowly sit up with one hand on his neck.

When Dou Lanmin saw Zhuang Shu suddenly freeze in shock, he turned to look. The sight startled him so much that he immediately jumped to Lin Xiao’s side: “Cheng Jingbai, are you human or a ghost?”

Lin Xiao helpfully answered: “He’s an Earth Ghost.”

Dou Lanmin’s expression changed to match Zhuang Shu and the others.

Cheng Jingbai unhappily wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth as he stood up: “Why am I always the one dying? Lin Xiao killed your master. Try harder and kill him for revenge first!”

Lin Xiao said, “The Wujian Mirror and the Vermilion Bird statue monitor Nan Que’s movements. To escape the Vermilion Birds’ surveillance, you need to go to the Vermilion Bird statue and erase the destiny star. Zhou Xiang’s condition is unstable; you’d better find her first.”

“Then I’ll leave the destiny star erasing to you,” Cheng Jingbai said, looking at Dou Lanmin. “Let’s go to Jing Su together. Your sect’s treasured artifact is in Tai Wei Forest.”

Dou Lanmin’s eyes widened: “You want me to cooperate with an Earth Ghost? No way! My master would kill me!”

Cheng Jingbai chuckled: “Have you been thinking only about making money? Can’t you see who your Bei Dou is cooperating with?”

Dou Lanmin inwardly cursed, looking at Cheng Jingbai in disbelief. The latter turned his back and beckoned: “Your master Yuheng died at Yumei’s hands in Jing Su. It’s up to you whether to go or not.”

Zhuang Shu shouted angrily: “None of you will escape!”

All those surrounding the weapons repository moved to attack. Cheng Jingbai’s smiling eyes took on a murderous intent, and blood scattered wherever his shadow passed.

Dou Lanmin had intended to go, but suddenly realized this was Nan Que’s weapons repository. He turned to look at the repository’s main gate—inside were all divine weapons.

Since he probably couldn’t defeat Yumei in Jing Su anyway, and his senior brothers and hall masters must have gone there, this trip shouldn’t be wasted. He might as well bring some gifts back to Bei Dou for his master.

*

Qian Li simply couldn’t believe it.

Cheng Jingbai and Qiu Hong made sense, and even Zhou Li was plausible—after all, he wasn’t just discovering her extraordinary nature today. But what about Fang Hui?

Why did that brat join in without including him?

He had raised him for over two years!

Qian Li was so angry that he immediately asked the Vermilion Bird for Fang Hui’s location.

Upon learning Fang Hui was in Jing Su, Qian Li was about to leave when a circle of light suddenly appeared beneath his feet, blocking him. Kai Yang Hall Master’s voice drifted over lightly: “None of the Nan Que disciples present should expect to leave alive.”

Light blades shot up from the circle beneath his feet. Qian Li used Shape Shifting to avoid them, but no matter where he landed, the light circle followed closely. He had pushed his Body Techniques Meridian to its limit, moving so fast he was nearly impossible to track, yet he still couldn’t shake off the light circle.

Finally, Qian Li had a clever idea and shouted: “I’m not going out to spread news or call for reinforcements! I just want to ask my two best friends why they both became traitors!”

Kai Yang Hall Master raised an eyebrow at this.

While dodging, Qian Li continued shouting: “Really! Everyone has friends, right? Best friends who go through life and death together! Who could bear it if they suddenly became traitors, right?”

Hearing this, others instinctively thought: Friends? Yes, I have them. Friends who go through life and death together? Well, maybe not…

Kai Yang Hall Master stopped his pursuit and looked at him with an ambiguous smile.

Qian Li finally had a chance to catch his breath.

Kai Yang Hall Master said, “You are Cui Yaocen’s only disciple.”

Qian Li: “And they are my only friends!”

The Nan Que people’s expressions faltered. Gui Su Hall Master shouted: “Zhao Qianli, do you realize what you’re saying?”

Qian Li continued: “Master Hall, don’t panic! I promise after finding them, I’ll seriously criticize and condemn them!”

“Surname Zhao?” The previously silent Tian Ji Hall Master stroked his chin. “From the Zhao clan of Zhu Que State?”

Qian Li’s eyes lit up, and he quickly raised both hands: “Yes, yes, Zhao clan of Zhu Que State. My mother was Zhao Tingyi, who received the first arrow from the Bei Dou Pilgrim’s Divine Wood Bow during the massacre!”

It seemed he had some connection with Bei Dou after all.

Kai Yang Hall Master asked: “What are your friends’ names?”

Qian Li quickly replied: “Fang Hui, Zhou Li.”

Tian Ji and Kai Yang exchanged a glance, then spoke to the Red-Winged Vermilion Bird still hovering in the air: “Let’s hear what these two have done.”

Gui Su Hall Master was unwilling to follow their orders, so Kai Yang grabbed another Nan Que disciple. Gui Su Hall’s Master’s heart seized, and he hurriedly said: “Stop!”

He signaled the Red-Winged Vermilion Bird, and everyone heard its report: “Yi Su Hall Master Li Yansi, killed by Zhou Li.”

“How could it be her?” Gui Su Hall Master couldn’t believe it. “Zhou Li only has one meridian at full cultivation! How could she kill Li Yansi, who had seven meridians at full cultivation?”

Qian Li was also shocked, unable to imagine how Ming Li had accomplished this.

“One meridian at full cultivation killing seven meridians at full cultivation?” Kai Yang made a swift decision. “No need to say more, she must be our Bei Dou undercover disciple.”

The Nan Que people were both angered and amused, but Jiang Ying and Cui Yuanxi sensed something amiss.

Especially Jiang Ying, who stepped back in fear upon learning that Li Yansi had died at Ming Li’s hands. She instinctively looked toward the Elder of Jiang Clan, only to see him whispering with someone beside him.

This brocade-clothed man sitting beside the Jiang Clan Elder was someone she hadn’t seen before. He didn’t seem to be from the Jiang family—if he were, the Elder wouldn’t converse with him so respectfully.

She had helped the Jiang Clan let a group of people into Nan Que because she believed what the Elder said: that today’s wedding banquet would deal a severe blow to Nan Que, causing massive losses that would be difficult to recover from for centuries, after which the south would belong to their Jiang Clan.

But the Elder hadn’t mentioned that Zhou Li was part of the plan… That girl truly wanted to kill her!

Cui Yuanxi, however, thought that if Zhou Li was a Bei Dou disciple, then she had ulterior motives from the beginning when she took Qing Ying’s bracelet.

He suddenly recalled the shadows at the Tidal Grounds that night. If one of them were her, she might have followed him to Boundary Peak long ago!

Qing Ying…

Cui Yuanxi looked toward Boundary Peak, his eyes sinister, while discreetly using the Red-Winged Vermilion Bird to contact the Wujian Mirror.

Qian Li tentatively asked: “So can I go find them now?”

Kai Yang waved his sleeve: “You may go.”

After all, this youngster didn’t look capable of defeating those people anyway.

Just as Qian Li turned to leave, a sudden change occurred. The ordinary people who had been screaming in fear earlier while arranging the wedding suddenly attacked, slitting the throats of disciples inside and outside the formation who were caught off guard.

Some even moved against Dong Yang and Tai Yi, and dared to approach Princess Chang Xi, completely disregarding the Da Qin Emperor and the Pilgrims. However, these three groups were prepared; some had remained vigilant, and they drew their weapons to kill the attackers on the spot.

Blood-soaked heads rolled on the ground, but the fallen bodies suddenly stood up and resumed their original form.

Everyone had only two words in mind: Earth Ghosts!

Fighting Earth Ghosts without being able to use the star meridian power puts them at an absolute disadvantage.

Fortunately, those Earth Ghosts who revived after failing didn’t continue their attack but retreated to the side, surrounding the Elder of Jiang Clan’s position.

Seeing the disciples who had been standing just moments ago now lying with their throats cut, Gui Su Hall Master felt unbearable pain. In his anger, he snapped one attacker’s neck, but the person revived moments later, broke free, and retreated.

“Jiang Clan?” Zhang Su looked coldly toward them. “Are you also cooperating with Bei Dou and the Earth Ghosts?”

Cui Yuanxi looked at Jiang Ying, who was surrounded by Earth Ghosts. She opened her mouth but didn’t know how to explain, so she remained silent.

Kai Yang and Tian Ji frowned—these weren’t the Earth Ghosts they were cooperating with.

From within the thick encirclement of Earth Ghosts, the brocade-clothed man sitting beside the Jiang Clan Elder stood up and looked at Qian Li outside the formation. With a gentle voice, he said, “Qian Li, don’t be in such a hurry to find your friends. Father and son rarely meet—shouldn’t that be more important than your friends?”

Qian Li stopped in his tracks, standing amid blood and dismembered limbs as he turned around.

*

On her way to Jing Su, Ming Li encountered many Nan Que disciples, each with hatred and killing intent in their eyes. Whether patient or agitated, they engaged her in battle, but none could withstand even a casual gesture from her.

She stood motionless, but the star lines beneath her feet revealed the positions of the Nan Que disciples. With a wave of her hand, several character incantations flew out, striking with precision. People hiding in trees or bushes all fell.

The changes at Eight Departure Peak made Ming Li look back in surprise for a moment.

Her surprise didn’t last long before she was drawn to two extremely powerful and domineering star powers erupting from Jing Su, one of which was familiar yet somewhat strange.

Ming Li paused at Jing Su’s mountain gate and saw someone arriving with Instant Shadow. Cheng Jingbai landed and looked at her in surprise.

He scratched his head, looking at the fallen corpses around and then at the unharmed Ming Li. Finally, he gave her a thumbs up: “Impressive.”

“What are you doing here?” Ming Li asked.

“Picking someone up,” Cheng Jingbai chuckled. “We’re not interested in Shi Fei.”

He said, “If I’m not mistaken, you should be from Bei Dou?”

Ming Li: “You’re not mistaken.”

Cheng Jingbai raised an eyebrow: “Then Bei Dou is truly unfair, only letting me know about Dou Lanmin without mentioning you. Concealing information isn’t conducive to our cooperation.”

“Bei Dou’s people don’t know about me either,” Ming Li looked at him thoughtfully. “You’re an Earth Ghost cooperating with Bei Dou?”

Cheng Jingbai became puzzled instead: “You’re from Bei Dou, but Bei Dou doesn’t know about you? It seems Dong Yeshou doesn’t trust us enough to give…”

Ming Li said, “Dong Yeshou is my father.”

Cheng Jingbai’s words stopped at his lips, slowly swallowed back down his throat as he retreated while re-evaluating the person before him.

Ming Li turned to face him, her expression calm: “Since you’re an Earth Ghost cooperating with my father, you must also be the one relaying messages to my junior brother. Why don’t you tell me where my junior brother is?”

Everyone on the entire Tong Gu continent knew who Dong Yeshou’s daughter was.

She was the youngest Pilgrim to break through boundaries in Tong Gu’s history, a Bei Dou disciple, Ming Li.

Cheng Jingbai didn’t doubt her words much because the power Ming Li demonstrated and her composed demeanor were very similar in some ways to the Dong Yeshou he had encountered.

No wonder he felt something peculiar when he first saw her.

Cheng Jingbai raised his head and smiled at her: “If you’re a Pilgrim, we’re not very fond of you.”

After all, more than eighty percent of the Earth’s Ghosts in this world were killed by Pilgrims.