Chapter 99

“Don’t worry.” Perhaps feeling that Ming Xuan’s words were too harsh, Xue Yu kicked him away and analyzed, “Since you could hold on in his domain for so long, it shows that the little ghost’s attack power isn’t very strong.”

Ye Qiao nodded. If the attack power were strong, she would have been done for long ago. There wouldn’t have been any chance to run around and deceive people.

“So, the one raising the little ghost is the one responsible for the attacks.” Ming Xuan lazily tilted his head and reasonably guessed, “When you were initially pulled in, it was the ghost baby who actively approached you; his mother didn’t know about it.”

Otherwise, Ye Qiao couldn’t have escaped so easily.

Mu Chongxi didn’t quite understand, “Why did he come after you in the first place? What part of you exudes a motherly aura?” He couldn’t see any such quality in Ye Qiao.

Based on the information she had gathered over the past few days, Ye Qiao concluded, “He just randomly targets a female cultivator, trying to make them his mother. He usually ignores men.”

And those who were pulled into the domain had never experienced such a bizarre situation.

Especially when they clearly understood that the child had issues, a normal person’s first reaction would definitely be to run or give him a sword strike in return.

The consequence of angering this ghost baby was that no one who had been pulled into the domain ever came out alive.

As the sole survivor, Ye Qiao didn’t feel any honor, but rather a bit unnerved.

“I found out, Ye Qiao, you are truly impressive.” Mu Chongxi gave her a thumbs up, extremely impressed, “Messing around in the secret realm is one thing, but even coming here on a mission, you managed to offend the ghost baby to death.”

Sometimes, having the knack for getting into trouble and still coming back unscathed is a talent in itself.

Zhou Xingyun said in a flat tone, “Based on the known clues, the other party is a female cultivator, probably at the Nascent Soul stage or even higher.”

There were no other clues.

“I have some news for you.” Ye Qiao signaled them to look over, “I’ve been put on a bounty, and those people are right in the Song family.”

“And, if nothing goes wrong, something might happen tonight.”

Those who love her the most may not necessarily be family, but more likely enemies.

The five of them were still together in one courtyard. It would be easy to find out the exact location by casually asking around the mansion.

“My suggestion is to split up and run.”

After all, there were indeed a lot of them, all at the Golden Core stage, which implied the bounty must be very high.

Ming Xuan looked around the courtyard and rubbed his chin, “Then before we leave, let’s give them a gift.”

The senior and junior brothers exchanged a glance, simultaneously formed seals with their fingers, overlapping intricate formations. Their hand movements were so fast that the three outsiders were almost dazzled. As the formation was completed, a dark golden light flashed and was hidden in the darkness.

Seeing the curiosity of the other senior brothers, Ye Qiao explained, “It’s an explosive formation, it will randomly blow people up, especially those destined to be blown up.”

It’s just unknown who that destined person would be.

“Let’s go.”

Five people gathering together is a bit too conspicuous. It’s safer to pair up, like Ye Qiao and Ming Xuan, Mu Chongxi and Xue Yu, two sword cultivators with one person each.

Naturally, the strongest one, Zhou Xingyun, ended up alone again.

Ye Qiao deeply felt the loneliness of the expert life, like snow. If her strength was enough, she would also like to experience that feeling.

“Is there anything you want to say?” Xue Yu: “There’s nothing to say, everyone should go their own way and escape for their lives.”

Zhou Xingyun looked at Ming Xuan: “You…”

He paused, then swallowed his words.

Zhou Xingyun didn’t have much advice, but if he had to say something, he sincerely felt that it’s better not to team up with Ye Qiao.

Being with her might not necessarily be the safest option.

But it’s definitely the most thrilling.

Unfortunately, Ming Xuan at that moment didn’t realize the intentions behind Senior Brother Zhou’s hesitation.

Just half an hour after they separated, Ye Qiao and Ming Xuan were successively found by those several cultivators.

Ye Qiao remained calm, looking at the encirclement by so many people, the two of them quickly exchanged a glance.

As soon as the Clear Wind Technique was activated, they were about to flee.

“She’s very fast, don’t let her escape.”

“And Ming Xuan, if we can capture both, catch them.”

They had been lurking outside the Song Family for several days, watching the recording stone of the grand competition back and forth at least ten times, so they were well aware of Ye Qiao’s strengths.

With a mid-level foundation building cultivation, focusing on speed in her techniques, she was difficult to deal with in combat, with many tricky maneuvers.

But this was not a hidden realm where she could unleash her full potential.

Being surrounded by six Golden Core cultivators, the situation was even more intense than during the grand competition, and these six pursuing them were all sword cultivators.

This was bad.

“We’re in trouble, Ye Qiao.” Ming Xuan turned his head, threw a few talismans, “Remember to buy me the best tomb when I die. My father is wealthy.”

Ye Qiao: “Then the most humble tombstone next to yours will definitely be mine.”

As they spoke, talismans flew from their fingertips incessantly, annoying the pursuing cultivators. Ye Qiao took out a cultivation version of a gun and shot a few talismans.

She was somewhat confident in this cultivation gun; if it could hit Qin Huai, it could definitely hit this group of rogue cultivators.

Numerous talismans were shot out, each hit would delay the pursuers for a while.

“Let’s delay a bit more.” Ye Qiao observed the sky and said, “I have a way to evade these people.”

What else could Ming Xuan do at this point?

He could only trust Ye Qiao.

After the six of them fought the two and consumed a considerable amount of spiritual energy without catching anyone, the rogue cultivators also realized the gap between them and the direct disciples; none of them were easy opponents.

At the moment their swords clashed, Ye Qiao’s arm went numb for a moment, followed by another sword aura. The six surrounded them, creating a tight encirclement, making Ming Xuan break out in a cold sweat.

They were in big trouble now.

But seeing Ye Qiao, he noticed the young girl was completely calm, holding the KFC chicken tightly in her arms, a slight smirk appearing on her lips as she suddenly spoke, “Xiao Qi, do you miss mommy?”

Everyone paused for a moment.

Ming Xuan’s pupils shook, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

At this point.

“Don’t understand?” Ye Qiao shattered a defensive artifact, dodging the sword light, and replied, “Call me Mom.”

She deliberately delayed until late at night when the Yin energy was the heaviest. The time for the domain to unfold was regular, and the ghost infant was definitely in the Song Family Mansion. When she called him at this time, he would definitely hear it.

At this moment, all she could do was take a gamble.

To see how much the ghost infant resented her.

After Ye Qiao finished speaking, a few rogue cultivators couldn’t help but sneer, “Your son? That ghost infant?”

“Who do you think you are? His birth mother?”

Since they could infiltrate the Song Family, it proved they had prior knowledge of the situation here. They couldn’t afford to provoke the ghost infant’s existence, and they didn’t dare either. After all, their mission was just to catch Ye Qiao.

However, just as the rogue cultivators finished mocking, dark shadows spread on the ground, silently engulfing them.

Ye Qiao had been observing the surrounding environment with her spiritual awareness, sensing the familiar domain unfolding. Her hanging heart finally dropped when she pulled Ming Xuan over, saying, “Come.” In the blink of an eye, the two of them disappeared without a trace in front of everyone.

“What’s going on?!”

Damn, how did those people just vanish like that?

A more experienced cultivator furrowed his brows, “It seems to be a domain.”

A domain, something that was said to only appear after the Yuanying stage, how could it be here?

The rogue cultivator’s voice trembled, “Are you saying that Ye Qiao, the direct disciple, offended a powerful being with a domain?”

The other person nodded heavily, “It seems so, without a doubt.”

No one expected Ye Qiao’s move. They had seen reckless acts before, but never someone willingly diving into their own death. Even the KFC chicken was startled, unable to understand how Ye Qiao could provoke others and still be so lively and jumping around.

Her survival up to this point was truly a miracle.

When Ye Qiao pulled Ming Xuan into the domain, he hadn’t reacted at all. Looking at the dark environment, he asked in a daze, “Where are we?”

Ye Qiao replied, “It’s the ghost infant’s domain. How about it, exciting, isn’t it?”

Ming Xuan’s face turned pale.

He thought when Ye Qiao mentioned delaying time, it meant there was reinforcement coming.

He never expected her to recklessly charge into the domain.

Ah, Ye Qiao, you’re toxic.

If the situation were different, Ming Xuan would have transformed into a furious beast and grabbed her by the collar, roaring at her.

“Don’t be afraid, the one he hates the most right now is me,” Ye Qiao comforted him, “You’re just a freebie at best.”

She wasn’t even scared.

Ming Xuan: “I appreciate your reassurance.”

In the midst of their banter, a strange aura appeared behind them, causing both of them to instinctively dodge.

“Mother.” The boy stared fixedly at Ye Qiao, asking, “Are you looking for me?”

Ye Qiao calmly said, “No.”

“You heard wrong.”

“Why don’t you want me?” He looked pitiful, chasing after Ye Qiao, “You promised to play with me.”

Ye Qiao ran wildly without looking back, shouting loudly, “Our plastic mother-son relationship is shattered! A forced melon will not be sweet.”

“You’re lying to me, lying to me, lying to me…”

A series of voices chased after her, piercing and sharp, giving Ye Qiao a pounding headache.

In the domain, the Clear Wind Technique slowed down by more than half.

Making people want to curse.

Ming Xuan was also shouting, “Help, there’s a ghost, Ye Qiao, damn, damn, I want to go back to the sect!”

The two took turns screaming at high pitches.

Ye Qiao was almost driven crazy by the noise, her perseverance until now relying solely on her iron will.

In the domain, she tried the first move of the Clear Wind Technique, Clear Wind Opening, and the second move, Clear Wind Bright Moon. However, whether it was a single-target attack or a group attack, it didn’t cause any harm to the ghost infant.

Seeing that they were about to be caught, Ye Qiao, after gauging the opponent’s strength, got a clue and immediately shouted:

“KFC chicken!”

In an instant, bright flames erupted in the domain, the domain that couldn’t be ignited by the Fire Control Talisman, but the phoenix’s innate fire could.

He covered his burnt hand, immediately crying in grievance, “It hurts.”

As soon as he spoke, the boy’s breath turned cold, staring straight at Ye Qiao, rushing towards her. The KFC chicken was set on fire again, but this time, due to both of them dodging each other, the aim was off and it missed.

Ye Qiao took a deep breath.

Damn.

“Xiao Qi.” At the moment he pounced, she suddenly grabbed the boy’s hand, “I’m sorry.”

At the same time, Ye Qiao quietly transmitted to the KFC chicken, “If he shows any intention to eat me, give him a ball of fire, be precise, thank you.”

KFC chicken: “…”

The boy was left somewhat bewildered by her reaction, instinctively trying to open his mouth to bite Ye Qiao and devour her.

After all, she had deceived him.

“Mother didn’t mean to deceive you.” Ye Qiao quickly started her persuasion before he could explode, “I just want to be with Xiao Qi forever.”

Upon hearing Ye Qiao’s words, he was indeed stunned for a moment, “What?”

With a child’s limited capacity to comprehend, he couldn’t process it.

Ye Qiao, with a calm face, patted his head and skillfully brainwashed the innocent little ghost, “What I mean is, if you eat Mother, then Mother will disappear, right?”

“Like all the others you ate before, they all disappeared.”

The ghost infant fed on grudges, and the grievances of the cultivators he devoured automatically gathered and provided him with a continuous source of food.

After successfully persuading the child once, the second time was even less stressful.

Seeing his thoughtful expression, Ye Qiao continued in a soft voice, “Mother just wants to be with Xiao Qi forever, so what’s wrong with me running out? I just love you too much.”

Ming Xuan: “…”

The boy stared at her blankly for a moment, “Really?”

With dark eyes fixed on her, carrying a cold undertone, at that moment, Ye Qiao felt the cold sweat starting to form.

But she was the type to remain calm in such situations, “Yes. Other children have it, and Mother will gradually provide it to you.”

“But if you eat me, we won’t be able to be together forever.”

Ye Qiao spoke with genuine emotion, her tone exceptionally gentle, “Although I can’t give you the best, I will definitely be the one who loves Xiao Qi the most.”

After her words, the six-year-old ghost infant was visibly shaken.

He stared at Ye Qiao intently, seemingly considering his previous experiences of being deceived. The boy, devoid of the initial frenzy, gazed at her for a few seconds, “Mother.”

“Will you always love me?”

She smiled faintly, radiating a maternal tenderness, “Of course, whether you’re good or not, I will always love you.”

At that moment, the ghost infant was clearly wavering.

He stared at Ye Qiao intently, seemingly contemplating her words, “Then you and I make a pact.”

Ye Qiao had been waiting for this moment.

First, she moved him emotionally, then made him recall his past deception, and finally, she deceived the little ghost into making a pact with her. Ye Qiao had been waiting for him to say those words for a long time.

Although Ye Qiao hesitated for a moment on the surface, showing a hesitant expression, she nodded, “Okay.”

As if she had made a huge concession, her reluctant appearance left Ming Xuan staring in astonishment.

Damn.

“…”

Damn it, I’ve seen people deceive others, but I’ve never seen someone deceive even a ghost.

Ye Qiao: Equipment +1

It’s almost the New Year, I went out to buy clothes today, sorry for the delay, will update tomorrow.