Chapter Sixteen: The Middle Encirclement, First Journey

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"Aren’t there renowned women among you? Why am I not permitted, then?" Liu Xiangyi looked at Beiming Ling, her words tinged with petulance.

"She’s under my care," Shen Mufeng replied, gazing at her as he drew her close to his side.

"Oh my, so you’re a pair! There’s an old saying: a life-saving grace must be repaid with lifelong devotion. If that lady is not an option, then I suppose only you remain," Liu Xiangyi joked, her tone laced with mischief, though she still took a moment to straighten her attire and smooth her sleeves.

"This..." Murong Luohua grew nervous, unsure how to refuse, for her life had just been saved.

Li Zexi, a disciple of Elder Yuping, observed the awkward moment and, heedless of danger, piped up, "Miss, don’t just look at those two—some of us disciples aren’t bad, either!"

At his words, Liu Xiangyi turned her gaze on the speaker. He was indeed handsome, though not quite a match for the other two. Glancing at the disciples around him, she found them rather ordinary. After a cursory glance, she turned her attention back to Murong Luohua.

"Just jesting, no need to be nervous, sir. I’m heading to the inner ring for a look. You all take care."

"You can go to the inner ring?" Beiming Ling asked in surprise, curiosity lighting her eyes—she herself had never been there.

"What, you haven’t been?" Liu Xiangyi feigned astonishment, though in truth she hadn’t either.

Everyone nodded in unison, their faces neat and solemn. With their meager cultivation, how could they have ventured to such a place?

"I see. Well, let me see how large a barrier I can create centered on myself—otherwise, if I can’t protect you all, the blame would be on me." With that, Liu Xiangyi pressed two fingers together, drew the ‘Falling Snow Talisman,’ and tossed it above her head. Instantly, a barrier with a radius of ten feet formed, within which frosty blossoms drifted.

"Centered on me, a ten-foot range should suffice, right?"

"Isn’t that too great a drain on your spiritual power?" Murong Luohua fretted, worried both by the barrier’s size and Liu Xiangyi’s unknown strength.

"This little barrier is nothing to me. Rest easy—should any of you be injured, I’ll see to your recovery myself."

"I didn’t mean—"

"I know—you’re just worried for everyone’s safety," Liu Xiangyi replied.

Never before had people of such low cultivation entered the middle ring of the Blazing Melody Forest as a group; should anyone see them, jaws would surely drop.

The temperature here was several times higher than at the forest’s edge. Without Liu Xiangyi’s protection, they would have been finished. The beasts roaming this region were more numerous and of higher rank—many second and third-tier creatures roamed in packs—but no one dared provoke them.

"There are so many beasts here, and they're all so fierce," Beiming Ling whispered, clutching Shen Mufeng’s sleeve and hiding behind him.

"My cultivation may be lacking, but I’ll protect you with all I have," Shen Mufeng reassured her, taking her hand.

"No need—I can take care of myself."

"What are you two muttering about? If you lose your lives, I’ll take the blame, alright?" Liu Xiangyi chided, eyeing the pair holding hands.

"Forgive us for being talkative, elder," Shen Mufeng replied, abashed.

"If only you all could be as calm as that one or those behind us—your words betray your lack of trust in me," Liu Xiangyi said, covering her ears as though she couldn’t bear their chatter. Only when they fell silent did she clasp her hands behind her back and stroll on, occasionally glancing at Murong Luohua’s profile.

She walked at a leisurely pace, admiring the scenery on either side—a few ‘Red Deer’ and ‘Phoenix Birds’ could be seen in the distance. Unbeknownst to them, a beast was already approaching head-on.

Liu Xiangyi extended an arm to bar Murong Luohua’s path, halting his advance. "Sir, another step and you’d be in trouble. That’s a first-tier beast from the inner ring—a Blackflame Ape. Its heat is unimaginable. I’d hate to see your handsome face burned."

"How could a first-tier beast appear in the middle ring?" Li Zexi asked, uneasy—one strike from such a creature would be fatal.

"Beasts above the second tier possess intelligence. With someone like me present, isn’t it natural they’d come out to greet us?" Liu Xiangyi replied, brimming with pride and audacity.

Yet her words were barely out when the Blackflame Ape threw a punch at her, giving her no face at all. Annoyed, she met its blow with her palm and stopped it cold.

But unexpectedly, its other claw swept toward Murong Luohua, nearly wounding him. In an instant, Liu Xiangyi’s playful demeanor vanished. Her hand became a blade, slicing off the ape’s arm, then she sealed its body tight with a spell. Realizing it had met its match, the beast broke free from the ice and fled in panic.

Retracting her hand, Liu Xiangyi turned to Murong Luohua and launched into a tirade against the two from earlier. "Thank you, sir, for your trust—unlike those two."

The two thus admonished looked embarrassed.

"They worry for each other, but I am different. If I were to die here, I’d accept it as fate—there’s no forcing it."

"One resigns to fate, another dotes on love, and me—I’m just a solitary old soul," Liu Xiangyi lamented to the heavens.

"Miss Liu, I can talk with you," Li Zexi hurried over.

"We can too!" All the disciples, except for the aged Elder Yuping, rushed forward.

"Then tell me something amusing. I’ll take it as a story to listen to."

"Gladly!"

...

As they walked, Liu Xiangyi suddenly felt weary and sat right down on the ground. The others followed suit and stopped as well.

"Ahem. You didn’t come here for a picnic, did you? Your masters and sect leaders must have sent you for training. The beasts here may be strong, but there are so many of you."

"So, elder, you mean for us to pick a beast to fight?" Shen Mufeng guessed.

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"Exactly. Without destruction, there can be no creation. If you don’t advance your cultivation, when danger comes, I’ll have to use you as shields," Liu Xiangyi said.

"Your foresight is admirable, but the temperature here is so high—we can hardly last the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn," Murong Luohua said, troubled by how he’d explain this to his master. After all, they were only at the threshold of the Spirit Realm.

"Indeed, our talent isn’t great. We cultivate slowly and may not even keep our lives," Li Zexi added.

"In that case, let’s go—find a weaker beast for you to practice on. If you lose your lives, I can’t afford that—it’s too costly," Liu Xiangyi mused, rising to lead the way back.

"I don’t think so. Cultivation is always pursued amid danger—even the tribulation lightning is such. If one wishes to remain a delicate flower in a greenhouse, then there’s no need to cultivate at all," Shen Mufeng offered his opinion.

"Well said," Liu Xiangyi nodded in agreement, "What do the rest of you think?"

"Listening to you, I seem to understand now," Murong Luohua said, as if finding his direction.

"Your words are truly enlightening, Master Shen," said Elder Yuping, who had cultivated for many years with little progress.

"Since you’re all in agreement, I’ll do you a small favor—find you a weak one to gang up on, so you can practice and get a feel for it."

Liu Xiangyi scanned the surroundings and soon picked out a ‘Rock Bear,’ a third-tier beast of moderate size and low cultivation—a perfect training target.

"Look over there—that Rock Bear. Medium build, lower cultivation, ideal for a group fight. Try to finish within two incense sticks’ time."

"Thank you, miss (elder)!" Everyone bowed in gratitude.

"Think nothing of it," Liu Xiangyi said, waving her hand, though she felt a bit embarrassed by their thanks.

As soon as she lowered her hand, the disciples rushed to encircle the beast, leaving only Elder Yuping behind.

Though senior in age and cultivation, Elder Yuping was nervous—she watched him as if he were a child. Sensing his discomfort, Liu Xiangyi looked away.

"Elder Yuping, though you’re a senior among them, you too need to cultivate. I don’t need company."

"Oh, I’ll go right away," Elder Yuping assumed she was being dismissed and hurried to join the fray, just as happy to be training.

With everyone gone, Liu Xiangyi maintained her barrier to protect them from harm should their spiritual power run dry. She found a nearby tree to lean against and sat down lazily, her eyes half-closed.

---

Both the god and demon lords were absent, so Qinglan returned to the demon realm to check on things. Upon arrival, she ran into Jin Han, who seemed to have just returned from handling some business.

Seeing Qinglan in her ice-blue gown, Jin Han was taken aback—what was she doing here? Wasn’t she in the mortal realm? He stepped forward and saluted. "Divine Lord."

"You seem just back—has something happened in the demon realm?"

"People in a remote demon clan have disappeared without reason. It’s only a small number, but we must stay vigilant."

"Disappeared? Has this happened before in the demon realm?"

"When the former Demon Lord was here, there were man-eating monsters, but the renowned one destroyed them directly. Could it be the monster wasn’t completely eradicated?"

"So it existed so long ago? You probably killed only an avatar—the main body isn’t in the demon realm. Perhaps the other two realms have them as well, only undiscovered. Take me to see."

With a plan forming in her mind, Liu Xiangyi decided that only by destroying the main body could the threat be ended.

Jin Han led Qinglan to a house devoid of life. Thick dust covered everything, suggesting the disappearance was not recent.

Everything was neatly arranged; there were no signs of struggle or killing.

Qinglan had seen enough to draw her conclusion—there was no need to look further.

"Shall I investigate further, Divine Lord?"

"No need—I have a plan. The most important thing now is for them to achieve full cultivation and return to the god realm."

"How is the Honored One?" Jin Han asked, worried that with Qinglan here in the demon realm, the Honored One’s low cultivation in the mortal realm might leave him vulnerable.

"What do you think?" Qinglan rolled her eyes at him. If the Honored One couldn’t take care of himself, she’d have to answer for it.

"With the Divine Lord’s care, all is surely well," Jin Han replied quickly.

"And you—if you’ve nothing better to do, go check on the Murong residence. Don’t let the family line end."

"I’m just a guide. Isn’t the Honored One there?"

"He can’t inherit. Go and see to it, or I’ll come for you," Qinglan said, vanishing and leaving Jin Han to lament his fate—he not only had to handle demon realm affairs but also watch over mortals.

With nothing left to resolve in the demon realm, he departed the Flame Demon Hall.

While they spoke and investigated, two incense sticks’ time had passed. The group’s fight with the Rock Bear ended with both sides battered. The bear’s defenses were too strong—it took ages to wound it.

Usually, such battles benefit both sides; only when life is truly threatened would they kill. But then, a sword streaked through the air, ending the bear’s life—the blade still glowed with fire.

A figure in apricot-yellow appeared, drew the sword out, and looked at the wounded people, lying with eyes wide open, "Are you all alright?"

"You saw us both exhausted, and the Rock Bear couldn’t harm anyone anymore," Li Zexi retorted, angered by his words.

"I was nearby and saw the beast about to attack you, so I intervened."

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Li Zexi had no reply—he’d acted without knowing the full situation.

"Regardless, thank you," Murong Luohua said, rising to his feet.

"I don’t need thanks."

"Even so, please be sure of the situation before you act next time, or you may regret it," Shen Mufeng said, though his gaze never met the man’s.

"Regret? I’ve never regretted anything."

The man left, returning to the vicinity of Liu Xiangyi.

"Beiming Ling, we meet again," he said with a smile. Only she had never tried to use him.

"Beiming Ling?" The others exclaimed in shock. She was of the royal family! Hadn’t they said royals must not mix with the gentry?

"Why did you reveal it? That’s far too conspicuous!"

"How was that conspicuous?" Yan Tingxuan reviewed his words and actions—he thought nothing amiss.

"I feel my spiritual power is nearly spent—I’ll go on ahead," Beiming Ling said, quickly leaving their sight.

Elder Yuping led his disciples away as well. Dealing with a royal wasn’t easy—if they caused offense, their small sects couldn’t bear the consequences.

Yan Tingxuan watched their receding figures, his gaze dim. He, too, left, his slender form departing alone.

Beiming Ling glanced back. Truly, he knew nothing of worldly ways—would these people spread word of this?

"Is Miss Liu asleep?" Beiming Ling was the last to reach her side, surprised to find her still slumbering.

"I’m not sure—maybe she overexerted herself setting the barrier?" Murong Luohua worried.

Beiming Ling hurried to her side, shaking her so hard that Liu Xiangyi nearly vomited.

"Stop shaking me, I’ll be sick," Liu Xiangyi opened her eyes and complained.

"We were worried about you..." Beiming Ling said awkwardly.

Liu Xiangyi stood, looking at all of them, her brows furrowed in mild displeasure.

"You should know that with my cultivation, how could I possibly be injured?" Liu Xiangyi gestured skyward, speaking offhandedly.

"How high is ‘so high’?" Beiming Ling asked, still skeptical.

"High enough to protect you all," Liu Xiangyi replied after a moment’s thought.

"Miss Liu, with such profound cultivation, surely you have other matters to attend to. You needn’t waste your time on us," Murong Luohua said, sensing she couldn’t possibly be here just to amuse herself.

"It just so happens that I’m free now. Training alongside you will only benefit my own cultivation—it’s a win-win."

"We’re to train here for three years, until our master returns. Are you sure you have nothing more important?"

"I’m sure. Why so serious? Wouldn’t I know if I had pressing business?"

"Your spiritual power spent on protecting us shouldn’t disrupt your own affairs."

Only then did Liu Xiangyi realize she truly had a discerning eye—no, her judgment had always been excellent. She smiled slightly.

"For your sake, using a bit of spiritual power means nothing. Come, hurry and cultivate—the better you do, the more your masters will praise you."

"I am Murong Luohua. Should you ever need help, I will risk my life to serve you," he pledged.

"Though we’ll soon return to report to the Hall of Shadows, should you ever require anything, we will give all we have," Elder Yuping added respectfully.

"Shen Mufeng," "Beiming Ling," the others introduced themselves in turn.

"You’re all suddenly so solemn—I can hardly get used to it. Helping one another is natural among those who walk the path," Liu Xiangyi scratched her head, embarrassed.

A few days later, Elder Yuping departed with his disciples. Murong Luohua and Beiming Ling continued their training here as instructed by Xuanqiong Immortal Venerable, while Shen Mufeng kept Beiming Ling company.

He had never liked dealing with family matters and was glad to be young and talented enough to have time for her, to laugh and chat together.

"Shen Mufeng, do you think those people will reveal my identity?" She disliked meeting others and rarely did; only her reputation preceded her. Relying on that, she could ignore her status and speak freely with Shen Mufeng.

"I explained it to them—they don’t seem the type to gossip."

"Good."

They cultivated there. Three years passed swiftly—the environment unchanged, but they themselves transformed, their cultivation much advanced.

When the three years ended, Xuanqiong Immortal Venerable arrived early at the Blazing Melody Forest. The flames’ heat did not trouble her; she strolled leisurely through the woods and soon spotted a crimson figure, chatting happily with Murong Luohua.

"And who might this be?"