The moment that voice pierced the air, an image instantly popped into Wang Ba’s mind.

He snapped his head up.

Sure enough, a familiar figure in purple robes was surfing on a magic sword, carving a crooked, drunken path through the sky. She left a jagged afterimage in her wake before—

Bang!

She plummeted headfirst into the distance.

From the direction of Ding Ten Section, a chaotic chorus of squawks erupted as terrified Spirit Poultry flapped in panic.

“That’s Ding Ten Section!”

Senior Brother Shi’s face changed instantly. His hand blurred as he slapped a Talisman against his leg. The paper ignited in a flash of green fire, birthing a whirlwind beneath his boots.

In the next second, he vanished.

He moved with such terrifying speed that he left nothing but a swirling cloud of dust in his wake. Wang Ba didn’t even see him go; one moment he was there, the next, empty air.

“So fast!” Wang Ba stared at the empty spot, jaw dropped.

“Just a Swift-Wind Talisman. Want to go watch the show?”

Tao Yi didn’t wait for an answer. He produced two yellow paper slips, channeling his Spiritual Power into them. They ignited simultaneously, transforming into streaks of golden light that dove into their bodies.

Wang Ba felt a gentle buoyancy lift his soles.

He instinctively leaned forward to take a step—and the world blurred.

A violent, explosive force erupted beneath him. He didn’t walk; he was launched. His body shot forward uncontrollably, the scenery smearing into lines of color.

The earthen wall of the manor ahead expanded rapidly in his vision.

Wang Ba’s face went sheet white.

I’m going to crash!

In that split second between life and death, his survival instincts—honed by months of paranoia—screamed to life. His five senses sharpened to a needle point.

Time seemed to slow. Driven by pure reflex, he twisted his torso violently mid-flight, swerving past the wall by a hair’s breadth!

But before he could celebrate his survival, his pupils dilated in horror.

A steel pitchfork, used for turning chicken feed, was pointing straight at his chest!

At this velocity, he had no doubt the tines would punch through him like wet paper.

Just as Wang Ba prepared to wrench his waist again in a desperate bid for life, Tao Yi’s voice cut through the wind:

“Calm your mind!”

A gentle force tugged at Wang Ba’s arm, acting as an anchor. His runaway speed instantly bled away, bringing him to a controlled halt.

“Thank you!”

Wang Ba looked back at the pitchfork, cold sweat drenching his back.

Close.

That was too damn close!

Tao Yi scratched his head, looking apologetic. “My bad. I forgot it was your first time using one. Here, I’ll guide you.”

Still shaken, Wang Ba accepted Tao Yi’s offer. He took the soft rope Tao Yi handed him, tying it around his waist like a toddler on a leash.

Together, they sped toward Ding Ten Section.

With Tao Yi’s guidance and his own enhanced senses, Wang Ba quickly mastered the rhythm of the Swift-Wind Talisman. His movements were still a bit stiff, resembling a jerky puppet, but he could walk without careening into walls.

Moments later, they arrived at the entrance of Ding Ten Manor.

There, Wang Ba saw her.

The young woman with ordinary features but startlingly clear eyes. It was the same familiar figure, in the same familiar state of disarray.

Her robes were covered in dust, and her face was smudged with grime.

It was the Inner Sect disciple, Ye Lingyu.

At that moment, she had her hands clasped together in a pleading gesture, explaining herself to several Outer Sect disciples whose faces were dark with stress.

“…It was on purpose—I mean, I really didn’t mean it! It’s this stupid sword, it won’t listen to me!”

As she spoke, she waved the magic sword in her hand toward Senior Brother Shi and the others to emphasize her point.

The reaction was immediate.

Senior Brother Shi and the others scrambled backward in panic. Their eyes were fixed on the blade in her hand, filled with a deep, primal fear.

“Se-Senior Sister, slow down! Please, watch where you point that!”

Senior Brother Shi wanted to step forward and scold her, but the moment the sword waved in his direction, his courage evaporated, and he shrank back into the crowd.

Tao Yi, who had arrived ready to enjoy the drama, froze. His eyes bulged when he saw Ye Lingyu. But when his gaze drifted to the sword, he turned on his heel without a word, ready to bolt.

Wang Ba didn’t understand what was happening, but he was a quick study. If Tao Yi was running, he was running.

He spun around to follow.

“Eh? Uncle? You’re here too?”

Ye Lingyu’s delighted voice rang out behind them.

Wang Ba pretended to be deaf. He didn’t slow down.

“Uncle! It’s me!”

I know it’s you! That’s exactly why I’m running! Wang Ba screamed internally.

But it was too late. The surprised gazes of the crowd had already locked onto him. He had no choice but to stop, wearing a mask of helpless resignation.

dragged down by association, Tao Yi also halted, his face twisted in conflict. He shot a surprised glance at Wang Ba, clearly stunned that a Laborer Disciple had connections with a newly promoted Inner Sect disciple.

Then, demonstrating true brotherhood, Tao Yi quietly shuffled several steps away from Wang Ba.

He looked at Wang Ba with an expression that said: I wish I could help, but I choose life.

“What is going on?!” Wang Ba whispered, bewildered.

A faint thread of sound, carried by magic, drifted into his ear. It was Tao Yi.

“Brother, I’m sorry! But that sword in the girl’s hand is too terrifying. That is a Third-Tier Magic Sword!”

Third-Tier?!

Wang Ba’s heart skipped a beat.

He stared at the seemingly plain sword in the girl’s hand, shock rippling through him.

He was no longer the ignorant novice he had been upon entering the Sect. He knew the hierarchy well: First-Tier for Qi Refining. Second-Tier for Foundation Establishment.

And Third-Tier… that was the domain of Golden Core Masters!

The sword in Ye Lingyu’s hand was a treasure that only a Golden Core True Person could wield.

Wang Ba instantly understood why these cultivators looked at the blade as if it were a venomous viper.

A clumsy novice Qi Refining disciple waving around a weapon of mass destruction meant for a Golden Core powerhouse? Who wouldn’t panic?!

If she slipped and slashed one of them, they would be cut in half before they could even blink. It would be the most unjust death in history.

As if to prove his fears right, the sword in Ye Lingyu’s hand suddenly shuddered. It tore itself free from her grip and floated into the air, the tip leveling at a nearby cultivator.

Buzz!

The blade hummed with a bloodthirsty resonance.

“Come back! Evil-Asking Sword!”

Ye Lingyu shrieked in alarm, her fingers flying through seal gestures.

The surrounding cultivators scattered like roaches. No one dared to approach. Only one cultivator, who seemed to be on good terms with the target, shouted:

“Junior Brother Zheng! Whatever you do, don’t channel your Spiritual Power! Don’t provoke it!”

Junior Brother Zheng, staring down the barrel of a Golden Core weapon, was sweating bullets. He stood frozen, stiff as a board.

Tao Yi grabbed Wang Ba and dragged him further back.

The Third-Tier sword seemed to sense Ye Lingyu’s frantic commands. It vibrated, seemingly reluctant, but eventually began to turn in a wide arc.

However, as it swept past Wang Ba, it paused.

The tip of the blade swiveled, locking directly onto him.

In that instant, Wang Ba felt the sky collapse.

A sensation of Great Terror, unlike anything he had ever felt, crushed his heart. It was the gaze of a predator looking at prey.

“COME BACK!!”

Ye Lingyu was frantic. She popped a pill into her mouth—likely a potent Qi restorative—and slammed her hands together, forcing the seal.

BUZZ!!!

The Third-Tier sword let out an unwilling, metallic whine. Unable to resist the sudden surge of control, it flashed into a beam of light and slapped back into Ye Lingyu’s palm.

She gripped it white-knuckled, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Beneath the grime, her skin was pale with fright.

She immediately began bowing, apologizing profusely to the traumatized crowd. She pulled items from her sleeves, trying to shove them into the cultivators’ hands.

She seemed painfully Proficient at this routine.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! It’s my fault, I didn’t control Evil-Asking Sword properly. It’s been acting out lately. I promise I won’t let it out next time. Please, take these as compensation.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! We were the ones who disturbed it!”

“Exactly! It’s our fault! We couldn’t possibly accept your gifts!”

The cultivators waved their hands frantically. The sword had developed a rudimentary spirit; they were terrified that if they took the girl’s things, the jealous weapon might come back for them.

They were immovable.

Seeing she couldn’t bribe them, Ye Lingyu walked over to Wang Ba. She pulled out a handful of Talismans, her eyes sincere.

“Uncle, I’m really sorry.”

Wang Ba looked at the Talismans, then at the sword. If the cultivators didn’t dare take them, he certainly didn’t have the guts. He regretted accepting her previous gifts.

“No need, really, I’m fine,” he stammered, backing away.

Ye Lingyu sighed and put the Talismans away. She looked around awkwardly. “Um… I actually came to ask… do you have any First-Tier High Grade Spirit Poultry here? I’m willing to pay with Spirit Stones.”

“This…”

The cultivators exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison. “Ding One Section has a few, but they aren’t for sale. Other than that, only the Elders or the elite Inner Sect disciples would have them.”

Ye Lingyu’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Suddenly, Senior Brother Shi spoke up. “Senior Sister, you could try the market district. The ‘Myriad Treasures Pavilion’ most likely has stock.”

“Right! Of course!” Ye Lingyu’s eyes lit up. “The Myriad Treasures Pavilion! Why didn’t I think of that?”

But then her face fell again. “But… I don’t know where the market is.”

She was an Inner Sect disciple, but she had barely stepped foot outside her cultivation cave. She was hopelessly directionless.

“Well…” A cultivator from Ding Ten Section looked at Shi. “Senior Brother Shi, why don’t you guide Senior Sister?”

“Junior Brother Zhu, you—!”

Senior Brother Shi glared at the man, but he didn’t dare refuse directly in front of Ye Lingyu.

Suddenly, his eyes widened. He slapped his forehead with exaggerated panic.

“Oh no! I left in such a hurry, I forgot I have a furnace of pills refining! Senior Sister, I am so sorry, but if I don’t go back now, the furnace will explode!”

Before anyone could respond, he slapped a Swift-Wind Talisman on his leg and fled as if demons were chasing him.

“Refining pills my ass…” Junior Brother Zhu muttered under his breath.

He turned his gaze to Tao Yi.

Tao Yi’s reaction was lightning fast. His expression turned grave. “Senior Brother Shi’s fire control is notoriously unstable. No, I have to go check on him to make sure he doesn’t burn the mountain down. Senior Sister, I’ll guide you next time!”

He stepped forward, intending to drag Wang Ba with him, but his eyes snagged on the sword peeking over Ye Lingyu’s shoulder.

He shuddered. Abandoning all loyalty, he turned and fled alone.

Ye Lingyu was naive, but she wasn’t stupid. She saw the terror in their eyes.

She felt terrible. “Everyone, how about…”

“Senior Sister, don’t worry!” Junior Brother Zhu shouted quickly. “I will find the perfect guide for you!”

He looked at Junior Brother Zheng.

“Junior Brother Zheng…”

“Senior Brother, please, have mercy,” Zheng smiled bitterly, backing away. “My heart can’t take it.”

Zhu looked at the next cultivator. That man instantly began counting on his fingers, his eyes widening in mock revelation.

“By the heavens! My calculations show that today is the auspicious moment for my breakthrough to the fourth layer of Qi Refining! I must not miss destiny!”

With a flick of his sleeve, he scurried into his hut and slammed the door.

Junior Brother Zhu spat on the ground.

He looked at the only person left besides himself.

“Senior Brother,” the last cultivator said, pointing a finger at Wang Ba. “Have the Laborer Disciple take her!”

“Right!”

Junior Brother Zhu’s eyes lit up.

Wang Ba felt a premonition of doom. Seeing two pairs of eyes lock onto him, he hurriedly waved his hands. “Immortal Masters, I don’t know the way—”

Zhu didn’t let him finish. He waved his hand, and a bind of Spiritual Power clamped over Wang Ba’s mouth, silencing him. He then shoved Wang Ba toward Ye Lingyu.

“Senior Sister, why not have this Laborer Disciple guide you? You already know him, so it’s convenient. This Junior Brother needs to… check the chickens for emotional trauma. I’m afraid I can’t leave…”

Zhu wore an expression of deep regret, looking utterly sincere.

Then, without waiting for a reply, he channeled his Spiritual Power and vanished into the villa, hiding behind the walls.

Wang Ba stood there, mute and abandoned.

He looked at Ye Lingyu, who was gazing at him with apologetic eyes. He sighed internally, feeling the weight of the universe’s unfairness crushing his shoulders.

What is a calamity dropping from the sky?

This is it.

But the key point was… he really didn’t know the damn way!