Chapter 18

Watching the silhouette of the Glazed Feather Sparrow vanish from sight, the Sect Leader let out a cold snort and flicked his sleeves, departing in a huff.

Inside the Great Hall of the Lingyun Sect, the elders of the twelve peaks were gathered. The events that had unfolded at the martial arts arena had already spread throughout the entire sect. Although the order to execute Yan Hanzhou was issued under the pretext of fratricide, the elders present knew the true underlying reasons perfectly well.

"How did the Sect Leader confirm that Yan Hanzhou is the reincarnation of Ling Xiao?"

"Ling Xiao failed his tribulation years ago and perished under the heavenly lightning; how could he possibly still be alive in this world?"

The Sect Leader said in a deep voice, "After Shi Yunzhao awoke, she reported everything that happened in the Forbidden Grounds to me. She passed Ling Xiao’s three trials within the restricted secret realm, yet the spiritual essence of the realm was not gained by her; instead, it all flowed into Yan Hanzhou. As for the Cangming Ring, it fell into the hands of Ning Yin. Furthermore, during today’s sect competition, the palm strike Yan Hanzhou used to cripple Sang Wan’s spiritual roots bore the unmistakable signature of Ling Xiao himself."

"In that case, it is indeed highly suspicious."

"Better to kill the innocent than to let a culprit escape!" the Sect Leader declared firmly. "You may have heard rumors of how Ling Xiao slaughtered his way through three sects and nine factions in a single day all those years ago. Regardless of whether he is the reincarnation of Ling Xiao, the mere fact that he carries Ling Xiao’s lifelong legacy—a power that cannot be used by our sect and is held by someone with ulterior motives—makes him a disaster that must not be left alive!"

Recalling the bloody scene from a thousand years ago, the elders present nodded in silent agreement.

"In my opinion, the Sect Leader is doing the right thing. Whether or not Yan Hanzhou is Ling Xiao’s reincarnation, this boy must not be spared while he possesses that legacy! To avoid complications and the danger of nursing a tiger that will eventually turn on us, we should strike now while his wings are not yet fully grown. We must pull up the weeds by the roots to prevent future trouble! Otherwise, the seven great sects will be destroyed by him once again!"

"Sect Leader, if I may speak frankly, Ling Xiao once declared a thousand years ago that the past was settled. To hunt him down so ruthlessly now, I fear, is improper."

"What is improper about it? Elder Tianxuan, perhaps you have forgotten how Ling Xiao single-handedly nearly overturned the entire Nine Heavens Continent in one day. Moreover, when Yan Hanzhou fled the Lingyun Sect today, he swore that he would repay today’s events a hundredfold. He has already marked our sect as his enemy; even if we wished to retreat, there is nowhere left to go."

Elder Tianxuan fell silent.

"If Yan Hanzhou is truly the reincarnation of Ling Xiao, we must notify the other six great sects and make plans early."

"There is no rush," the Sect Leader said calmly, glancing at Immortal Yuwei to the side. "Yuwei, I will not hold it against you for blocking me from executing Yan Hanzhou today, but in the future, I hope you will stand aside."

An elder asked, "I heard that the girl, Ning Yin, ran off with Yan Hanzhou?"

Immortal Yuwei glanced at the elder and said sternly, "Ning Yin was merely bewitched by him; what crime has she committed? I say again: I do not care what becomes of Yan Hanzhou, but no one is to lay a finger on Ning Yin!"

—

After leaving the Lingyun Sect, the Glazed Feather Sparrow carried Yan Hanzhou and Ning Yin toward the south. Once they had flown beyond the reach of the sect’s influence and the mountain ranges faded from view, the excitement that had initially stirred in Ning Yin’s heart gave way to a growing sense of desolation. Confusion and fear for the future flooded her mind.

She recalled that in the novel, "Ning Yin" and "Yan Hanzhou" had defected from the Lingyun Sect and descended into the demonic path, initiating an endless cycle of enmity with the protagonists. However, the plot of their defection was supposed to be at least a hundred thousand words away. How could she have triggered such a lethal plotline less than a month after transmigrating?

She couldn't understand why the steady and reliable Sect Leader of Lingyun Peak, whom she knew from the novel, had become so cold and heartless on the day of the competition.

Since arriving in this world of cultivation, she had told herself more than once that the best ending for a villainess was to cling to the protagonist’s thigh, win their approval, and become part of the main group. Now, she had voluntarily abandoned that chance. What did that mean?

It meant she was like someone who turned down a job offer from Jack Ma in the early days of Alibaba, or refused to write core code for Pony Ma when he was just naming his software OICQ, all for the sake of a penniless Yan Hanzhou!

...Well, perhaps not entirely penniless.

Yan Hanzhou was physically strong enough to go toe-to-toe with a powerhouse at the Mahayana stage. She, on the other hand, was lingering on the brink of death with unhealed, severe injuries.

She couldn't help but gasp weakly, "Big boss, if you were so strong that you could fight a Mahayana master, you should have said so earlier! I was a mere cannon fodder foolishly stepping in to take a hit for you. Now... *cough, cough*... look at me. Why bother keeping a burden like me around?"

Yan Hanzhou gripped her pulse, and a surge of pure spiritual energy flowed into her body like a tidal wave. "If you hadn't stepped in today, I would never have found the sliver of hope needed to escape the Sect Leader’s pressure. I will engrave this great kindness in my heart and never forget it!"

As the energy entered her, Ning Yin felt a warm current washing through her limbs and bones. A faint glimmer of vitality finally returned to her paper-white face.

"Really?"

Yan Hanzhou’s expression was serious and candid, showing no trace of a lie. "Naturally, it is true."

"Then where are we going now?" She swore that if Yan Hanzhou dared to say he didn't know, she would jump off the back of the sparrow and die right there on the spot!

"Two choices. First, once your injuries are healed, I will send you back to the State of Hang."

Ning Yin was slightly stunned. Returning to the State of Hang to be a carefree princess, living a life of luxury and leisure—that was the life she yearned for, the optimal choice. If it had been before, she would have chosen it without hesitation. But at this moment, she hesitated.

She couldn't explain why, but she knew that when two choices are placed before you and you hesitate on the first, it is best to choose the second without any hesitation at all.

"What is the other choice?"

Yan Hanzhou’s gaze was resolute. "Mount Jiuyi."

"Mount Jiuyi?" Ning Yin had heard of it. In the novel, Mount Jiuyi was a new map introduced for the protagonist to find treasures. It was said that before the Immortal Ling Xiao ascended a thousand years ago, he scattered his magical artifacts across the Nine Heavens for future generations to discover. Mount Jiuyi was one such location.

Ning Yin vaguely remembered that the protagonist found many treasures on Mount Jiuyi, each one a rare, world-class artifact. Given that they were forged by Immortal Ling Xiao himself, their value was self-evident.

Ning Yin’s eyes sharpened. "Good, let’s go to Mount Jiuyi to find treasures!"

Yan Hanzhou seemed to have anticipated her choice. He replied calmly, "There is no rush to find treasures. You are injured and should not enter the mountain yet. There is a town called Qixia near Mount Jiuyi. We will go there and spend the next few days recovering."

Yan Hanzhou’s firm and well-planned response settled Ning Yin’s anxious heart.

By dusk, they arrived at Qixia, the town closest to Mount Jiuyi. The mountain was treacherous, rich in spiritual energy, and infested with demons and monsters. However, since someone had discovered a treasure there, rumors of Immortal Ling Xiao’s hidden artifacts had spread throughout the cultivation world, attracting many wandering cultivators. Of course, disciples from the seven great sects often used "training" as an excuse to enter the mountain as well. There was only one safe path into the mountains, and Qixia was the only town on that route where one could rest.

At the town gate, which was not particularly wide, a long queue had formed. A notice hung high at the entrance, clearly stating: "Entry fee: One middle-grade spirit stone per person."

"A middle-grade spirit stone? Wasn't it just one low-grade stone before? Why a middle-grade one now? You're price-gouging!"

"Enough with the nonsense! Do you know that just last month, a wanderer found an Earth-tier artifact on Mount Jiuyi? With such an opportunity, do you really think one middle-grade spirit stone is too expensive?"

Several disciples in purple robes walked past the line, bypassing the fee and heading straight into town. A cultivator who was visiting for the first time pointed at them. "Why did they get in without paying?"

"Can you compare yourself to them? They are disciples of the Tianyan Sect. If you run into trouble on the mountain, they might just save your life. Now, are you going in or not? If not, get out of the way!"

The man grumbled but paid the stone. Soon, it was Ning Yin and Yan Hanzhou’s turn. Yan Hanzhou paid the two middle-grade spirit stones without hesitation.

The gatekeeper glanced at Ning Yin. "Coming to hunt for treasure in that condition? Be careful not to lose your life in Mount Jiuyi and become a puppet. Move along."

Legend had it that anyone who entered Mount Jiuyi seeking treasure—be it a beast or a human cultivator—would lose their consciousness and become a puppet guarding the treasure, trapped forever, never to return.

As soon as she stepped into the legendary town, Ning Yin felt that the atmosphere was extremely strange. The stalls on the street weren't selling food or clothes, but various magical weapons. The pedestrians were mostly in groups, all dressed as cultivators.

As Ning Yin and Yan Hanzhou assessed the passersby, they were being assessed in return. Seeing Ning Yin’s sickly appearance and Yan Hanzhou’s Foundation Establishment cultivation, no one paid them any mind.

Perhaps due to the news of the Earth-tier artifact, the number of treasure hunters had surged, and almost every inn in Qixia was full.

Learning this, Yan Hanzhou frowned. "To think a single Earth-tier artifact would cause such a frenzy."

"Of the Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow tiers, Heaven-tier artifacts are mostly held by the seven sects and the great cultivation families. Earth-tier ranks second; for wandering cultivators, that is already quite good." Under Yan Hanzhou’s constant infusion of spiritual energy, her injuries were suppressed, but she was exhausted. Seeing the "Laifu Inn" ahead, their last hope, she said, "There is one more inn. Let’s ask. If there are no rooms, we might have to sleep on the street."

As they entered, the waiter greeted them eagerly. "Are you looking for a room or a meal?"

"A room."

"Right this way." The waiter led them to the counter. The innkeeper asked, "We have premium rooms, standard rooms, and economy rooms, corresponding to different prices. One spirit stone per night. Which would you like?"

"One premium room."

"Sir, you are lucky. We happen to have exactly one premium room left."

Just as Yan Hanzhou took out a high-grade spirit stone, a small bag of them was tossed onto the counter. A voice spoke arrogantly: "I’ll take that premium room."

Ning Yin looked back to see a man in fine robes, fanning himself with a feathered fan, followed by two imposing guards. His attitude was extremely haughty and overbearing. He looked exactly like the kind of wealthy, arrogant cannon fodder found in novels, whose lines would never exceed three sentences.

The innkeeper smiled broadly, accepted the bag of stones, and instructed the waiter, "Quickly, take this noble guest to the premium room."

Yan Hanzhou said in a deep voice, "Innkeeper, we were here first."

The innkeeper smiled apologetically. "Don't be anxious. We have one standard room left; it’s not much different from the premium one. I’ll take you there myself." He lowered his voice, "That gentleman is from the Duan family of Tianji City. Neither you nor I can afford to offend them. How about this: for as long as you stay, I will charge you the price of an economy room. How does that sound?"

The young man in fine robes chuckled, fanning himself. "One at the Foundation Establishment stage, and one crippled, sickly thing. It seems just about anyone is coming to Mount Jiuyi to hunt for treasure these days."

Having just left the sect, they were already getting a taste of the world’s cruelty.

"Yan Hanzhou," Ning Yin coughed softly, feeling too weak to argue and just wanting to rest. She tugged at his sleeve. "You just went head-to-head with a Mahayana powerhouse..."

Sensing what she was about to say, Yan Hanzhou frowned slightly.

"Can you beat this pampered brat and his two guards?"

*I've already been forced into the villain role, why should I keep enduring?*

*Yan Hanzhou can fight a Mahayana master, why does he have to take this?*

Yan Hanzhou raised an eyebrow in surprise and looked back at the brat and his guards. "I can."

"Good. I want that premium room. Go, take them down!"