Chapter 141.3

Xu Qianyu’s eyelashes fluttered, and she quickly used a transformation technique to change into Lu You’s appearance. Fortunately, she and Lu You had similar builds, and to the casual observer, it was hard to tell the difference.

After hearing that Lu You had been taken by the Elder Taishang, they used the power of the grand formation to repair Lu You’s system. Therefore, it was reasonable for her to occasionally be placed within the formation to replenish her spiritual energy.

Elder Yi showed no interest in this useless pastry, turning impatiently to continue arranging the compass, silver abacus, silver cups, silver chopsticks, and jade dates used for observing the formation.

He set up a few items but then turned back, peering through the flowing immortal mist, tilting his head to look at Xu Qianyu.

“Not like her,” Elder Yi said, his mind clouded by alcohol but his eyes sharp. “Not like Lu You.”

“Master, you’re scaring me,” Yun Lan said. “I’ll go take a look.”

Elder Yi silently allowed him to replace him and step into the heart of the formation.

Yun Lan walked up to Xu Qianyu and waved his hand at her, making a “stay still” gesture.

“Master, if it doesn’t move, it’s an illusion. Perhaps it’s an illusion left by Miss Lu You earlier.”

Elder Yi didn’t respond, as if he had been convinced. After a while, he said, “Yun Lan, go get the yellow talisman paper.”

Yun Lan stopped for a moment before reluctantly opening the hidden door and leaving.

The heart of the formation became eerily silent. Xu Qianyu held her breath, listening to the sound of Elder Yi moving the abacus, like some form of slow torment.

System: “Oh my, do you think he’s figured it out? I’m about to die of fright!”

Xu Qianyu’s pupils dilated suddenly because Elder Yi had thrown down the abacus and was walking toward her, the shadow behind the mist drawing nearer.

System: “What should we do, what should we do? Ahhh, he’s coming!”

Xu Qianyu’s heartbeat raced. There was no one around, and if Elder Yi realized it was her, the consequences would be unimaginable. Fortunately, her sword was pressed beneath her, and she focused on gathering spiritual energy into her palms to fill the spiritual pool, her body tense.

“Didn’t Yun Chu just say that Elder Yi is only at the Golden Core stage? I’ve already reached the Nascent Soul. If he acts, I might have a chance.”

Elder Yi stood in front of the formation’s heart, his eyes glaring at Xu Qianyu’s face. As the mist parted, the girl’s apricot eyes drooped, her jade-like nose and delicate features slender in frame.

Elder Yi certainly recognized Lu You. But the temperament of people was subtly different.

Her back was straight, shoulders stiff; the martial aura, perhaps killing intent, was unmistakably different from Lu You’s. It was something that couldn’t be concealed.

Elder Yi, his drunken haze clouding his mind, stopped in his tracks, no longer advancing. His voice softened. “It’s you.”

He washed his hands through the spiritual mist, his expression strangely thoughtful. “In the vortex of spiritual energy, sometimes the shadows of old friends appear. Didn’t expect you to show up as well.”

Xu Qianyu froze.

Who was he talking to?

Elder Yi shook his hand and set the abacus upright. “So many disciples, yet your father chose Xu Binglai’s gifted bloodline. That person only knows swordsmanship, doesn’t cherish the delicate. Those years must have been tough for you.”

“Too bad in the Elder Taishang’s heart; you’re just a tool for carrying on the family line. You love this sect, but who loves you? You died all those years ago. Who remembers you?”

Xu Qianyu vaguely realized who he was talking about.

Lu You resembled Xu Qianqian, and Xu Qianqian resembled her mother. Given his tone, it seemed he had mistaken her for the late sect master’s wife, the Elder Taishang’s only daughter, Xu Qianqian’s mother.

Elder Yi smiled slightly. “Why haven’t you disappeared?”

“I understand now; you can’t let go of your daughter,” Elder Yi said. “Don’t worry. Even a tiger doesn’t eat its own cubs. The Elder Taishang won’t let anything happen to Xu Qianqian. Giving her the spiritual root is just to test if the transfer method works. Spiritual roots and pills are the best. They won’t backfire. If one day she doesn’t want it, she can simply remove the root. When spring comes, the magic tools will be enough to protect her life. Asking her to take risks is just to see if danger can trigger the divine powers in her bloodline.”

“Master, Master,” Yun Lan opened the door and said, “I couldn’t find the talisman paper.”

Elder Yi was suddenly interrupted, his face darkening as he walked out.

Miraculously, the Elder Taishang did not come down. Xu Qianyu crawled out from the heart of the formation, and Yun Chu also jumped down. Seeing she was unharmed, he said, “I didn’t do it on purpose. Let’s go quickly.”

Shen Suwei had already distracted the Elder Taishang. He stood above, looking at the shadow below. Yun Chu pulled Xu Qianyu, and the two hurriedly climbed up together. Shen Suwei lowered his gaze, suddenly tossing a petal down.

The petals fluttered down, landing on Xu Qianyu’s head, brushing past her nose with a familiar, cool fragrance.

Xu Qianyu immediately soared up to chase, but the palace was empty, no one in sight.

“Stay away from me,” Xu Qianyu pushed Yun Chu aside and walked toward the Jiying Pavilion.

Yun Chu was confused. He could sense Xu Qianyu’s sudden change in mood but didn’t understand why she was upset again.

Shen Suwei’s primordial spirit quickly returned to position. He sensed Xu Binglai had returned to the Snow Cliff Cave.

He lifted his sleeve and used spiritual energy, the red thread quickly retreating, breaking apart in the air, along with the traces left by the Light Red Sword.

His cultivation was actually higher than the Elder Taishang’s, so the Lotus Heart Gu wouldn’t leave a mark on him. The encounter with the Light Red Sword was intentional. He placed the pill given by the Elder Taishang into a bottle, carefully setting it next to the white rabbit.

He had helped Xu Qianyu get the antidote.

In his mind, the image of Xu Qianyu and Yun Chu climbing up hand in hand kept appearing.

He had been waiting for Xu Qianyu to see that letter. Did she see it? Or did she see it and still choose to reject him?

When Xu Binglai rushed into the pavilion, Shen Suwei was flipping through a book.

“What happened? I sensed some disturbance in the demonic aura.”

Shen Suwei replied, “The disciple doesn’t know.”

His eyes were clear, his expression calm, and he respectfully asked Xu Binglai for permission to write a sword manual for the disciples of Penglai from this day onward.

“Since I’m no longer advancing in cultivation, I’d like to write my swordsmanship insights into a manual for my junior brothers and sisters to study.”

Xu Binglai sighed. Shen Suwei’s swordsmanship was so profound; he should have been able to achieve great things, but he was stuck like a prisoner. How could that not be frustrating?

The key is that he remains in the Snow Cliff Cave in seclusion, with his inner demons continuing to develop. What a stubborn inner demon this is! It’s as if they can no longer let him out.

“Don’t blame me,” Xu Binglai said. “You once said that you have enmity with the world and the people. Now, you are not sacrificing for me; you are sacrificing for the world.”

“Master, do you know what I fear the most?” Shen Suwei responded without much reaction, his wrist trembling slightly as he paused his drawing. “I fear the feeling of helplessness, of not being able to do anything.”

“I can go into seclusion, I can sacrifice, I can even die. But there must be something to gain. If I keep retreating and losing, I will not accept it. Will you accept that?”
Xu Binglai was lost for words. “Think carefully.”

---

Inside the Jiying Pavilion, the inner sect disciples were gathered, standing in front of the map of the Kyushu’ spiritual energy distribution.

Xu Qianyu was no stranger to this map. In her past life, disciples would examine such a map before the start of spring.

This map is a type of magical map, drawn using spiritual techniques. The outlines of the Kyushu and the Four Seas are depicted. What’s remarkable is that the spiritual energy that gathers and disperses on the map reflects the real distribution of spiritual energy.

“Where the immortal mist is dense, there may be the presence of the Ice Spoon. Sometimes, fragments of the Sky Ladder are unearthed by demonic creatures and brought to light, which causes disturbances in the spiritual energy,” Lin Jin explained. “Please look here; in the center of the map, there is a white tree-like shape.”

Xu Qianyu and the other inner disciples looked at the map. She knew that this tree symbol represented the Moss-Corroded Divine Tree, where the Ice Spoons collected by the Four Great Sects were stored.

Lin Jin continued, “In the past century, there has been constant conflict and concealment regarding the Ice Spoons. After discussion, the Four Great Sects decided to organize a Spring Expedition to collect them. The Ice Spoons found will be stored in the Moss-Corroded Divine Tree. There are already ninety-three pieces inside, and the great task is nearly complete. But the further we go, the more obstacles we face. You must all remain steadfast and keep your promises to search for the Ice Spoons, no matter what.”

The disciples who won the Hairpin Flower Conference in the Demon Domain had earned the qualification for the Spring Expedition. Elder Lin said that they would be split into different groups, each assigned to locations on the map where spiritual energy was dense, although the specific locations were yet to be determined.

The map is essentially a magical formation, which matches disciples to the most suitable locations based on their cultivation and attributes.

Xu Qianyu closed her eyes and used her spiritual sense to feel the map. Her spiritual energy, like a golden thread, subtly weaved through the map, eventually condensing like ink droplets in a spiral of spiritual mist in the southern region.

Xu Qianyu felt the chill of snow and heard the sound of howling winds. It seemed like a very cold place. When she opened her eyes, the illusion disappeared, and she was back inside the Jiying Pavilion.

Xu Qianyu took the wooden plaque from the Spirit Pool.

The disciples were to write their names on the plaque to claim their tasks. She turned it over and saw that it read “Wufu Cliff.” Her heart sank.

The place where she was assigned for this spring expedition was the very birthplace of Xie Yuzhen and also where she had perished in her past life. Thinking of it, she recalled the torrential rain and the pain in her chest.

“What’s wrong?” Yun Chu, who was beside her, noticed her change in expression and asked. “Do you avoid the legends of places where cultivators have fallen?”

“What’s there to avoid?” Xu Qianyu carved her name on the plaque and glanced over to his side. Yun Chu turned his plaque around, and it also read “Wufu Cliff.” Yu Chu sighed, “Ah, I’m from Daxing Valley.”

Su Mingyu smiled, “I’m also from Daxing Valley.”

Lin Shuyue said, “I’m from Kongwei Futu, a far place, north of Tianshan Mountain.”

So, she was only with Yun Chu?

Xu Qianyu silently cursed her bad luck, feeling somewhat uneasy.

She noticed another plaque already hanging from the strap beside her, so she flipped it over to see who the other team member was.

It was written in delicate characters: “Xu Qianqian.”

She had thought Elder Yi was speaking drunkenly earlier, but it turned out to be true.

“How does Xu Qianqian have the qualifications for the Spring Expedition?”

“Miss?” a senior disciple from the Jiying asked. “Miss Qianqian has a decree from the Elder Taishang. She has already formed her Golden Core but missed the inner sect’s election. The Elder Taishang made an exception for her to train at Wufu Cliff. If she gains something from this, she can then join the inner sect.”

“You don’t need to worry,” Yun Chu said. “Miss Qianqian is the Elder Taishang’s direct granddaughter. Her life-saving artifact will definitely not be lacking. Rather than worry about her, you should worry about yourself.”

Xu Qianyu fell silent and asked the senior disciple, “What is the situation with Wufu Cliff?”

The disciple replied, “It’s not entirely accurate to call it Wufu Cliff. That place moves; it needs to be tracked.”

“Moves?”

“It’s a celestial phenomenon. It doesn’t follow the seasons; snow suddenly falls here one day, and the next, it falls somewhere else. No matter where the snow falls, within half a day, a heavy snowstorm will seal the mountain, and those trapped by the snow will be lost without a trace.

There must be demonic forces at play.”

Xu Qianyu was speechless. She had dealt with many demons before, but this kind of indescribable phenomenon was her first encounter.