Falling Cloud Valley.

Outer Sect Herb Garden.

“Sister Zhen, are you there?”

Outside the bamboo building, Bai Xirou knocked lightly on the door and called out softly.

After several calls, there was still no movement from inside.

She’s not here!

Bai Xirou’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. After a moment of contemplation, she slowly pushed open the tightly shut door and looked inside. Sure enough, there was no sign of Zhen Yuyan.

Confirming the room was empty, Bai Xirou did not leave immediately. Instead, her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she stepped lightly into the bamboo building.

The moment she entered the room, the bells hanging from the eaves of the bamboo building suddenly began to ring urgently. Outside, waves of black mist began to spread, obscuring the daylight.

For some reason, Bai Xirou seemed completely unaware of the anomaly outside. She carefully and meticulously searched through the interior of the bamboo building.

In a short while, she had examined the entire room. Apart from some common decorative items, there was nothing unusual.

Was I being too suspicious? Is Sister Zhen not a spy from another sect after all?

Bai Xirou pondered for a moment and was about to quietly leave when her gaze suddenly shifted, landing on a meditation cushion in the corner.

Compared to an ordinary cushion, this one seemed rather large in size. Moreover, its placement was odd. Would someone who uses a meditation cushion normally sit facing a corner?

Thinking this, Bai Xirou quickly stepped forward and lifted the cushion. Beneath it was a secret passage leading straight underground.

This discovery made her heart skip a beat, her expression instantly turning grave.

There’s a problem!

Bai Xirou took a deep breath and then, without hesitation, leaped down.

The secret passage wound and twisted, descending dozens of zhang underground. As soon as she reached the bottom, the space before her opened up abruptly, and an incredibly rich spiritual energy assailed her senses.

Following the light forward, she soon saw a spiritual herb emitting a purple fluorescent glow all over its body.

This spiritual herb was nearly half a person’s height. At its top grew nine crystal-clear round beads resembling purple crystals. Besides these, another slightly smaller bead was gradually taking shape.

“Phantom Star Herb?”

Seeing the spiritual herb before her, Bai Xirou gasped in shock, her face filled with astonishment.

The Phantom Star Herb is a seventh-grade spiritual herb and not particularly rare. However, the one before her was clearly vastly different from ordinary Phantom Star Herbs.

It is said that the Phantom Star Herb bears fruit only once every thousand years. If this record is true, then this particular herb must be nearly ten thousand years old!

“Senior Sister, what are you doing here?”

Just as she was reeling in shock, a clear and pleasant female voice suddenly sounded from behind her.

Sister Zhen is back!

Bai Xirou’s body trembled slightly. She instinctively turned her head to look and saw “Zhen Yuyan” smiling at her.

In the next moment, wispy strands of dreamlike, hazy smoke spread toward her. Bai Xirou felt a wave of dizziness wash over her before everything went dark and she lost consciousness.

After rendering Bai Xirou unconscious, Ji Chan’er glanced at the trembling Phantom Star Herb and sighed.

“It seems I truly cannot afford to be careless or slack. I was only gone for an hour or so, and this young lady managed to find this place.”

Then, she raised her slender hand and extended a fair finger to press against Bai Xirou’s glabella—the location of her consciousness sea—instantly erasing the memories from this period of time.

“Hanxiang Jade Marrow?”

At that moment, Ji Chan’er’s eyes flickered twice before revealing joy. “To think that Bai Xirou, this hypocritical woman of the righteous path, actually possesses the one-in-ten-thousand supreme furnace cauldron physique, ‘Hanxiang Jade Marrow’.”

“If those old lechers within The Saint Sect were to discover this… in their pursuit to seize such a supreme furnace cauldron… I fear even Falling Cloud Valley would face utter annihilation.”

Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she thought to herself:

“If I gift Bai Xirou to that lad… not only will it grant him a great opportunity… but it will also make him resolute in completely severing ties with Falling Cloud Valley.”

“Bai Xirou is the only daughter of Falling Cloud Valley’s Sect Master. If Big Qi takes her Primordial Yin… he would immediately commit an egregious crime… making him intolerable to his sect.”

“When Big Qi finds himself cornered with nowhere to turn… I will personally step forward and extend an invitation to him… At that time… he definitely won’t refuse… Moreover… he will be profoundly grateful to me… pledging his unwavering loyalty to The Saint Sect…”

Looking at the beautiful woman lying unconscious on the ground… Ji Chan’er’s lips curled up slightly into a smile… very satisfied with her own idea.

At the same time.

Canglan Mountain.

Qi Yuan walked leisurely toward Reed River City… occasionally pretending his true qi was exhausted and stopping to rest for a bit.

A cultivator’s traveling speed far exceeds that of mortals. Even before dusk fell… he had already reached a place about a hundred li away from Falling Cloud Valley.

Feeling it was about time… Qi Yuan quickened his pace… pretending to be in urgent need of relieving himself as he hurriedly turned into a secluded dense forest.

Suddenly… a murderous cold shout came from the sky:

“Big Qi! Let’s see how you die this time!”

Before his words even finished echoing… a streak of escaping light descended from the sky… blocking Qi Yuan’s path ahead.

The newcomer wore black robes and a lotus crown—it was none other than Yin Hong… an executive disciple from the Merit Assessment Hall.

Upon seeing Yin Hong… Qi Yuan seemed startled and said “fearfully”:

“Senior Brother Yin! What are you doing?”

“I’m here to kill you! Of course!”

Yin Hong’s expression was as cold as steel… his killing intent unrestrained.

Without further ado… he directly drew out a long sword gleaming with silver light and slashed heavily toward Qi Yuan!

Swish!

The sharp blade tore through the void… its surging sword energy producing a sharp piercing shriek as it arrived in an instant!

Just as he was about to be cleaved in two… Qi Yuan neither dodged nor evaded. Only when the sword energy was upon him did his figure suddenly vanish from his original spot in an eerie manner!

“What’s going on?”

Yin Hong’s face changed drastically as he instinctively looked around left and right.

Immediately… an overwhelmingly powerful force transmitted from his wrist… causing the long sword in his hand to fly out immediately… clattering to the ground.

Right after… Yin Hong felt excruciating pain in his chest and abdomen… his entire body sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut… smashing heavily against a tree trunk dozens of zhang away… spitting out a spray of bloody mist from his mouth!

“No! You can’t possibly be at the Qi Refining realm! Who are you really?”

Yin Hong lay slumped weakly on the ground… looking at Qi Yuan not far away with terror-filled eyes… his gaze brimming with disbelief.

Just what kind of monster have I provoked this time?!

I’m at the late-stage Foundation Building! Yet I couldn’t even withstand one move?!

Qi Yuan couldn’t be bothered to answer questions from someone about to die. He slowly retracted his fist… step by step walking toward Yin Hong.

Seeing this… Yin Hong’s pupils contracted sharply. Struggling… he tried to move aside… but his injuries were too severe… leaving him completely immobile. He could only plead incessantly:

“Big Qi! I was wrong! Don’t kill me! I’m willing to hand over my storage pouch! Everything inside belongs to you!”

“My father is Yin Qing…”

Before he could finish speaking… a large hand pressed against his forehead… followed by an indescribable agony that penetrated deep into his soul…

Thud!

After performing soul-searching… Qi Yuan casually tossed aside Yin Hong’s corpse—its eyes wide open in death—his expression gradually turning peculiar.

Originally thinking that Yin Hong… being an old-hand Inner Sect Disciple… must know many valuable pieces of information… performing soul-searching would be like making use of waste material… useful for investigating matters related to Demonic Sect spies later on…

Who would have thought… Good heavens! The Demonic Sect spy I just soul-searched was right here!

This gave him a feeling akin to scratching off a lottery ticket and hitting the jackpot…

Now that he already knew that Ji Chan’er and Yin Qingyuan along with his son were Demonic Sect spies… what further investigation was needed?

This meant that as long as he survived this so-called “crisis”… then the main mission would be considered complete… It was way too simple… almost without even a shred of difficulty…

However… what he pondered over was something else entirely…

That seemingly plain-looking Ji Chan’er had actually disguised herself through disguise techniques; her true appearance turned out to be peerlessly beautiful—not inferior even compared to the Linglong Saintess!

Actually… If I had really given in last time… it doesn’t seem like much of a loss…

Qi Yuan silently thought.