Qian Li hadn’t expected his final wish would be so easily fulfilled, leaving him depressed for quite some time.

Ming Li asked him for directions, and Qian Li finally mustered some spirit to indicate the way. Remembering what he had heard earlier, he turned and asked: “What junior brother were you talking about earlier? Whose junior brother?”

Fang Hui said, “A genius who created his formations.”

Qian Li stretched his neck, looking around: “Where’s this genius? You know, I don’t have many hobbies, but befriending geniuses is one of them.”

Ming Li, riding at the front, suddenly pulled the reins and stopped. The horse’s hooves kicked impatiently.

Qian Li, catching up from behind, saw the carriage blocking their path, and his expression darkened, losing his previous carefree demeanor.

There was a cliff ahead in the forest. At this moment, white mist was rolling, and a gold-patterned carriage had stopped at the stone bridge. Gray-robed servants respectfully stood guard in front, with sword-bearing maids behind. A jade hand lifted the carriage curtain; as the owner bent down to exit, the scorpion braid resting on her shoulder fell.

Jiang Wuyue had been waiting here for Snake Skull and his men to bring Qian Li. Now Qian Li had arrived, but there was no sign of the black hoods. Her expression was already displeased as she stepped down from the carriage.

Ming Li looked at the three people blocking their way, then turned back to glance at Qian Li’s changed expression: “I don’t know if you have a hobby of befriending your enemies?”

Qian Li clutched his chest, coughing, and whispered: “I don’t have such a perverse hobby.”

Fang Hui frowned, his gaze falling on the expressionless gray-robed servant. The greatest threat before them wasn’t the arrogant young lady of the Jiang family, but this servant with unfathomable power.

Jiang Wuyue stared at the severely wounded Qian Li and sneered: “I didn’t expect you’d make it here alive.”

Qian Li coughed and retorted: “Stop pretending. You know very well they wanted to capture me alive. Isn’t it normal that I’m walking here alive?”

Hearing this, anger flashed in Jiang Wuyue’s eyes. Even though Qian Li was covered in blood and a miserable state, appearing near death, he still dared to speak to her so arrogantly. This made Jiang Wuyue extremely displeased.

“Zhao Qianli, I see you’ve only got your hard mouth left.” Jiang Wuyue extended her hand, and a maid respectfully stepped forward to present a sword. “Those fools, Snake Skull and his men, let you escape. I’m sure your two stray dogs deserve some credit for that.”

She raised her head to look at Ming Li, still on horseback, with malice in her upturned eyes.

Ming Li sensed that this girl’s motivation against Qian Li wasn’t as simple as family hatred.

Qian Li rubbed his nose, also feeling confused. He responded to Ming Li and Fang Hui’s silent inquiries with bewilderment: “From the beginning, I never knew what I did to offend this young lady that warranted her chasing and cursing me. Well, when we were children during family practice sessions, I always stood out while she always lost to me… No way, you’re still holding a grudge over such trivial matters until now?”

He looked at Jiang Wuyue with shocked eyes.

Jiang Wuyue angrily drew her sword. As the crisp sound of the sword rang out, she raised her hand and slashed toward Qian Li.

The sword wind was fierce and carried killing intent. The startled horse neighed and reared up, only to be cut in half. The two people on horseback reacted with lightning speed to avoid the strike, but were still affected by the sword wind and tumbled awkwardly to the ground.

As Ming Li turned her horse around, the previously motionless gray-robed servant flashed before her. His arm was covered with flowing black runes, and a runic character fell from his fingertip to the ground. Hundreds of star lines appeared on the ground, flashing with light.

Mirage Sea.

Qian Li and Fang Hui’s hearts jolted when they recognized this formation. The rune at Gray Scorpion’s fingertip anchored the formation, and the Mirage Sea formation domain instantly expanded to trap Ming Li within.

Day flipped to night. Ming Li looked up at the silver river of stars in the night sky. Only she remained in the forest; the horse that had been fine a moment ago now lay lifeless on the ground. In her ears, piercing insect sounds suddenly broke the silence. Her gaze fell on a branch where a red scorpion with a green leaf on its head was staring at her.

She hadn’t expected that, right after using this technique to confine others, she would be confined by the same technique.

This gray-robed servant must have set up the formation earlier, waiting for them to arrive.

This meant all their movements had been under enemy surveillance. This scorpion had been hiding in a place she hadn’t detected. This gray-robed servant indeed had some skills.

Ming Li stood still, not moving. Even if she did nothing while inside the formation, the shifting of the formation would force her deeper into it. Perhaps if she took a step, the entire world would appear different.

*

Qian Li and Fang Hui witnessed Ming Li disappear, trapped in the Mirage Sea. Before they could worry about her for long, Gray Scorpion had already flashed in front of Fang Hui.

Fang Hui’s brows furrowed. Gray Scorpion did nothing but release his star power as a barrier, yet it brought immense pressure, making Fang Hui’s body stiffen and break out in a cold sweat.

When Gray Scorpion raised his hand, Fang Hui felt pain in his throat and was forced to tilt his head back. The veins on his forehead bulged, and he struggled to breathe.

Qian Li was severely wounded, and Fang Hui was weakened from his earlier exertions. Ming Li, their only hope, had been confined right at the start. The remaining two had no strength to resist Gray Scorpion, whose star power exuded overwhelming pressure.

Jiang Wuyue leisurely walked toward Qian Li with her sword, only feeling pleased when she saw how wretched he looked, struggling even to stand.

As she walked, she said: “A useless person’s friends are all useless too.”

Sweat slid down Qian Li’s forehead. He licked his dry lips and stood up: “The senior experts trapped behind by the ‘useless’ people you mentioned wouldn’t be happy to hear that.”

Jiang Wuyue’s eyes flashed with cruelty upon hearing this, and she sneered: “Still defiant.”

Seeing her raise her sword to strike, Qian Li used his third-rate circulation meridian to borrow the wind’s movement. His speed was just enough to dodge the blade, but he was still injured by the sword energy and was knocked back against another tree.

“Why is your Borrowing Wind technique so slow, not at all like your mother? When she came to the Jiang clan demanding we hand over your father, many elders couldn’t catch up to her.” Jiang Wuyue smiled as she looked at Qian Li, cruelly enunciating words to stab at his pain. “Could it be that after your mother lost her star meridians and became useless, she couldn’t even teach you any practical spiritual techniques?”

“She did,” Qian Li wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and looked up with a deep voice. “My mother taught me not to play with losers.”

Jiang Wuyue laughed upon hearing this, tightening her grip on the sword and slashing again. Qian Li barely managed to counter the attack. The sword-wielding girl, however, was relaxed and at ease, her eyes mocking: “Your mother, even with her star meridians intact, was useless—a waste who got the entire clan killed and implicated my Jiang family. Such a waste, who was deceived by a man and brought disaster to the entire clan—quite a rare sight indeed!”

Qian Li gritted his teeth as he parried the attacks. Though he didn’t respond, his breath deepened. He kept an eye on Fang Hui, who was being restrained by Gray Scorpion, while Gray Scorpion watched him.

“Weren’t you quite talkative? Why so silent now!” Jiang Wuyue’s sword sent the moving Qian Li flying. She watched as he fell to the ground, spat blood as he tried to rise, then staggered and fell back against a tree.

Jiang Wuyue glanced at Fang Hui, who was still struggling to breathe, and walked toward Qian Li: “You Zhao clan people, are all disgusting, always bringing misfortune to those around you. Like your mother, like you.”

When her sword came down, Qian Li raised his hand to block it. The sharp blade immediately cut into his flesh. Jiang Wuyue released her star power to suppress him, then reversed her grip to drive the blade through his palm and pin it to the ground, satisfied to hear Qian Li’s muffled groan.

Jiang Wuyue looked down at Qian Li, who was prostrate on the ground. She stepped on his fingers and slowly bent down close to him, her tone malicious: “Defeated dog who fled to Ji Dan, look at your friend. To reward him for helping you leave Ji Dan, I’ll let him slowly experience the pain of death.”

“As for the other one, she seemed more arrogant, so I’ll take her back to Zhu Que State to entertain her properly. You’ll have company then. When you two can’t take it anymore, I’ll chain you in the same kennel and watch you fight each other for a bone.”

Qian Li tasted blood in his throat, his voice becoming somewhat hoarse: “Jiang Wuyue, are you still so bitter about losing to me in childhood competitions?”

Jiang Wuyue pressed down harder with her foot, disdainfully saying, “Look at your current state. Do you think I would still be bitter? I just hate you. Seeing you suffer makes me happy. Things I hate shouldn’t continue to exist well in this world.”

Qian Li heard this and laughed, coughing as he did.

Jiang Wuyue looked down at him with clear eyes, her tone grim: “What are you laughing at?”

“I’m sorry… cough, cough… I didn’t know that letting you lose a few competitions as a child could turn you into this…” Qian Li laughed. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t take care of you, a useless young lady with only one meridian awakened, ostracized by the Jiang clan, and sent to guard kennels.”

Jiang Wuyue’s grip on her sword tightened, and she pushed down again. The blade cut through the bone and flesh of Qian Li’s hand. The young lady looked at Gray Scorpion and shouted angrily: “Twist his head off!”

The fingers of Qian Li, lying on the ground at death’s door, bent around the sword that had pierced his hand. The blood on the blade suddenly connected into lines flying toward Jiang Wuyue’s heart. She didn’t notice due to her anger, but Gray Scorpion leaped over to pull her away. The blood lines expanded into a sickle, fiercely piercing the ground.

Jiang Wuyue, safely taken aside by Gray Scorpion, saw a piece of her sleeve pierced to the ground by the bloodline sickle and broke out in a cold sweat.

The severely wounded Qian Li was already covered in blood, his clothes still wet with it. Now it all transformed into grotesque, twisted bloodline sickles swaying behind him, emanating a murderous aura, full of rage that seemed capable of destroying everything in the world.

Qian Li slowly pulled the blade from his palm, gripping the hilt. When he looked up at Jiang Wuyue protected behind Gray Scorpion, his eyes had been stained crimson.

Fang Hui, lying on the ground clutching his throat and gasping for breath, opened one eye to look at Qian Li. This was the first time he had seen Qian Li like this.

“Heavenly Net Myriad Phenomena.” Gray Scorpion protected Jiang Wuyue behind him with one hand while staring at Qian Li and saying hoarsely, “When this spiritual ability is used by a member of the Zhao clan, it is indeed somewhat different from others.”

“There’s no difference…” Qian Li pointed his sword at Jiang Wuyue, who was retreating with an annoyed expression. “It’s all the same.”

*

Ming Li noticed that the red scorpion staring at her from the branch suddenly swayed, almost falling off.

It seemed the fight had begun outside.

She wasn’t surprised; if Qian Li didn’t want to die, he would certainly use his final desperate move, which would buy them some time.

When she was anchoring the formation earlier, Ming Li had already discovered that Qian Li knew Heavenly Net Myriad Phenomena. If she had appeared just a little later, Qian Li would have already been gathering power when Snake Skull attacked, but he hadn’t expected Ming Li to return, and with such impressive force.

By now, Ming Li had analyzed Gray Scorpion’s formation layout and took a step forward, ready to break the formation.

With just one step, the world shifted.

Ming Li moved from the towering forest to Northern Dipper’s Yaoguang Cherry Blossom Path. The winding stone steps led upward, flanked by cherry trees in full bloom. Pink and white petals floated gently downward.

A young girl walking up the stone steps was proudly extending her hand to the other three people. On her fair wrist was a silver bracelet with two silver bells, each containing a never-withering blue cherry blossom.

“Look, look! My senior sister gave this to me. She had it made specially for me. My senior sister went all the way to East Yang to prove that what I said was true—that there are blue cherry blossoms in this world!”

Qing Ying shook her bracelet, making the bells chime with a pleasant sound.

The black-robed youth with a sword snorted expressionlessly.

Chen Zhou, who had his arm draped casually over Zhou Zixi’s shoulder, rolled his eyes and teased: “Look how proud you are. She only went to East Yang because you annoyed her with your constant talking. She just picked up two flowers, dyed them, and brought them back. Otherwise, why would she seal them in bells?”

Qing Ying didn’t care and kept shaking the bells vigorously in front of Zhou Zixi’s face. The young man narrowed his eyes, maintaining his smile.

The black-robed youth with the sword said: “They’re sealed in bells because star power and incantations are stored in them, transforming an ordinary bracelet into a protective spiritual tool.”

Qing Ying proudly raised her chin and shook the bells even more forcefully at Zhou Zixi.

Zhou Zixi continued to smile.

Chen Zhou said, “The flowers are still fake.”

The bells jingled, and the falling flowers suddenly gathered and plastered Chen Zhou’s face.

Chen Zhou: “…”

The black-robed youth pressed his lips together and looked away. Chen Zhou wiped the dew-covered petals from his face, his temple throbbing. He reached for Qing Ying, who had hidden behind the black-robed youth: “Dog Yun, get out of the way! If you keep protecting this girl, she’ll become lawless!”

The black-robed youth, holding his sword, said: “I’m not protecting her.”

Chen Zhou: “Then move aside!”

The black-robed youth: “She’ll run on her own.”

Qing Ying continued to shake the bells provocatively as the two circled the black-robed youth.

Zhou Zixi seemed to sense something and turned back to look. In the wild mountain scenery, he spotted that splash of red and quickly hid his hands behind his back. The flower branches in his hand had somehow been broken into many small segments.

He smiled at the red figure: “Senior Sister.”

Ming Li looked up at the three people on the stone steps, her gaze finally resting on Zhou Zixi, who was smiling at her.

The Mirage Sea would create what the person trapped inside most wanted to see.

When she awoke, it felt like just a moment, but it had been five years, over a thousand days and nights. Realizing this long period, she did indeed feel some longing.

Ming Li raised her hand to grab one of the star lines, and the illusion rapidly transformed. As the star line burned in her hand, the Mirage Sea instantly collapsed. Sunlight filtered through the towering forest trees and into her eyes.

Gray Scorpion, who had remained calm and cold even when facing Qian Li’s Heavenly Net Myriad Phenomena form, suddenly turned back in disbelief to see Ming Li emerging from the broken formation.

It hadn’t even been a quarter of an hour!

How had she escaped?

Even Qian Li and Fang Hui were stunned for a moment. They had personally experienced the pressure of Gray Scorpion’s star power and knew he was a formidable character. They also understood how complex and advanced the Mirage Sea formation was. Yet Ming Li, who had been confined in the Mirage Sea by this formidable character, had emerged in less than a quarter of an hour.

Was this reasonable?

The same thought floated through both their minds: This can’t be right!

Faced with everyone’s scrutiny, Ming Li didn’t see any problem and blinked, asking: “Aren’t you going to fight?”

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, Ming Li made the first move. Her target was clear—she went straight for Jiang Wuyue, who was protected behind Gray Scorpion.

To catch a thief, first catch the king. She couldn’t afford a battle of attrition; she needed a quick resolution. This Gray Scorpion indeed had skills, but he was also constrained by his duty. If she could control Jiang Wuyue, the rest would be manageable.

Qian Li agreed. Bloodline sickles pressed in from all directions, forcing Gray Scorpion to divide his attention between two fronts.

Jiang Wuyue, with just one meridian at the Perfected Realm, hadn’t felt such intense pressure for years. Both the bloodline sickles of Heavenly Net Myriad Phenomena and the quickly emerging Ming Li pushed her fear to its peak.

As Ming Li’s fist broke through Gray Scorpion’s protective shield and, in coordination with the bloodline sickles, came toward her, Jiang Wuyue instinctively raised her arm to block. Her sleeve slid back, revealing a silver bracelet on her wrist.

The bells chimed, and the burst of star power shattered all the bloodline sickles.

Ming Li’s killing incantation, however, couldn’t be stopped. Her eyelashes trembled, revealing a hint of indescribable surprise.

Seeing her killing incantation collide with and cancel out the killing incantation from the silver bells, the pilgrim’s fire within her body burned fiercely, desperately suppressing her original power. Yet some slight power still circumvented that firewall and leaked out.

*

At that moment, far away in Northern Dipper, the Divine Wood Bow trembled slightly.

The Yaoguang Academy Principal, sitting quietly under the eaves, turned to look.

The Divine Wood Bow showed no abnormality.

His hand holding the teacup contracted slightly. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a tall figure standing at the entrance. The young man bowed respectfully and said, “Teacher, the list of those going to Nan Que for the competition has been finalized. Would you like to see it?”

The Yaoguang Academy Principal asked quietly: “Aren’t you going?”

The young man said, “I will be accompanying them.”

“With you looking after them, I’ll be more at ease,” said the Yaoguang Academy Principal.

The young man stepped forward to place the roster on his table. As he rose, he glanced at the Divine Wood Bow on the rack behind.

“This year’s newly recruited disciples all have quite good aptitudes, especially those in our Yaoguang Academy. They have a good chance of winning the championship in this competition,” the young man said.

“Winning or losing isn’t important; just letting them see the world is enough. Be careful when traveling abroad. You’re my only disciple left now.” The Yaoguang Academy Principal held his teacup, looking at the red lotus in the courtyard, his tone ethereal. “Daytime, you must take good care of yourself and avoid any more accidents.”

The young man bowed his head: “Rest assured, Teacher.”

After the young man left, the Yaoguang Academy Principal took a sip of hot tea and gently closed his eyes. A shadow jumped down from the beam and naturally picked up the roster from the table in front of him.

“Indeed,” the shadow chuckled. “This trip to Nan Que should provide the answers you seek.”

The Yaoguang Academy Principal opened his eyes, his gaze cold and deep: “Be careful yourself.”