Crow Immortal: I Can Duplicate Infinite Resources

Chapter 208: The Female Cultivator Steals a Man

For safety, Hua Qi wasn’t returned to the Spirit Field Department. He was housed in a secure wooden hut on the main peak, near the residence of Elder Mu, guarded by a purple-robed deacon.

When Han Yu and Li Yunxia arrived, the guards bowed respectfully. “Senior Brother Han.”

Li Yunxia smiled. In just two years, “Little Eighteen” had become a figure of immense authority within the sect.

Inside, Hua Qi lay on a cot, his face pale as paper. He struggled to sit up when he saw them.

“Senior Brother Han…” Hua Qi grabbed Han Yu’s wrist, his voice cracking. “I… I failed the sect. I brought a spy right into our heart!”

His eyes were bloodshot, haunted by the memory of his betrayal.

“You were deceived by a high-level demonic cultivator,” Han Yu said firmly, steadying him. “Even the Elders were fooled. Do not blame yourself.”

Hua Qi squeezed his eyes shut. “I also failed Ji Yida. I wanted to help his family, but instead, I brought that… thing… into our home. If there really is a niece out there, I’ve probably doomed her.”

“Maybe she isn’t real,” Li Yunxia said quickly. She almost mentioned her plan to investigate the Western Moon Kingdom after Foundation Establishment, but caught herself. “We will check later. Focus on recovering.”

Hua Qi nodded weakly, a flicker of hope returning to his eyes.

Han Yu returned to his cultivation routine.

Green Grain Qi Cultivation Method, Qi Refining Spirit Boosting Pill, Soul Condensing Sword Art, Wood Spirit Body Refining Technique, and finally, the Blood Refining Technique.

He was close to the limit of the Seventh Layer of Blood Refining. His essence blood was condensing into 115 ruby-like droplets, pure and potent.

Suddenly, a boom echoed from the main peak.

Han Yu snapped his head up.

“STOP!” A voice thundered.

Han Yu kicked open his door just in time to see a streak of blood-red light blast through the sect’s defensive array and vanish into the night sky.

“Activate the Guardian Formation!” Sect Leader Qi’s voice roared across the valley. “All disciples, stay indoors! Hunt for the Golden Core Demonic Cultivator!”

Golden Core?

Han Yu’s heart went cold. The Saint Blood Perfected One was being hunted by Ye Guxing. This had to be a reinforcement from the Central Heaven Domain.

Han Yu didn’t hesitate. He summoned his puppet, Li Ya, placing it on his meditation mat to simulate his presence.

Then, he stripped off his blue Inner Disciple robes and donned the generic gray of a servant. He activated the Thousand Illusions Secret Art, suppressing his aura to that of a mortal laborer, and slipped out the back door to hide in the shadows of the courtyard wall.

If the enemy was here for the “Calamity Star,” Han Yu was target number one. He wasn’t going to wait in his room to be collected.

He waited, tense and ready to run.

But no one came.

Eventually, Elder Lü rushed into the courtyard, looking frantic. When he saw the puppet and then Han Yu emerging from the shadows in disguise, he let out a breath of relief.

“Good! Smart!” Elder Lü praised. “You didn’t try to be a hero. You hid. That is exactly what you should do.”

“Master,” Han Yu asked, “where did the intruder come from?”

“We don’t know,” Lü said grimly. “But they came for the spies. Qi Feiyan and He De have been broken out.”

“Did they escape the mountain?”

“Unclear. Their stealth techniques are superior to ours.” Elder Lü grabbed Han Yu’s arm. “Come. I’m taking you to the Main Hall. It’s the safest place.”

The Main Hall was a fortress. Elder Yan and Elder Wen were manning the core of the Guardian Formation.

They nodded at Han Yu but didn’t speak, their focus entirely on the array. Han Yu bowed and sat in a corner, pulling out a Jade Slip on Artifact Refining to pass the time.

The elders watched him, approving of his calmness.

If not for the Myriad Phenomena Sect’s madness, Elder Wen thought sadly, this boy could have had a peaceful life.

Dawn broke. The search continued, but the tension began to bleed away. The intruder was gone.

Elder Wen walked over to Han Yu. “Still reading? Isn’t it boring?”

Han Yu looked up. “Knowledge is never boring, Elder.”

“Tsk,” Elder Wen smiled. “You have such a good head on your shoulders. If I had known you were this much better than Lu Yun, I would have fought Lü Qing for you.”

“Lu Yun has great potential,” Han Yu said diplomatically. “He might surpass me yet.”

“I doubt that,” Elder Wen scoffed.

Just then, the doors swung open. Sect Leader Qi and the other elders marched in. Their faces were black as thunder.

“You didn’t catch them?” Elder Wen guessed, unconcerned. “Don’t be so gloomy. We knew they were slippery. Losing two spies isn’t the end of the world.”

“It’s not just the spies,” Sect Leader Qi said, his voice heavy.

He looked at Elder Wen, his expression pained.

“Senior Sister Wen… brace yourself.”

“Your disciple, Lu Yun… he was stolen.”

“Stolen?” Elder Wen blinked.

“Kidnapped,” Qi clarified grimly. “By a female cultivator from the Joyous Union Sect.”