Bai Siyao felt utterly disoriented.
Halfway down the path, the heavens seemed to be stirring up trouble. She had plenty of ways to preserve her life, but when it came to sheer raw power, even Lord Jade Demon was out of options!
Before she could fully process what was happening, a gruff voice sounded from beneath her: "Had enough of groping?"
To be honest, she hadn't actually touched anything. In the commotion earlier, she had merely grabbed onto his clothing, not anything improper. But of course, she was already being blamed for something she didn't do—a situation she was all too familiar with. Her first thought was: "Since you're accusing me of it, I might as well go ahead and do it in front of you." Without hesitation, she reached out and firmly made contact, just to clear the slate.
"What?"
"Huh?"
Before the main parties could react, the onlookers were already in shock.
Ji Xingge widened her eyes in disbelief. She had barely touched Ling Bufei's fingers before being nitpicked left and right, but who was this daring woman? To do something like this in front of Ling Bufei! Such courage! And yet, Ling Bufei's expression was priceless. That's what he gets for always irritating others; now someone's turned the tables on him! Ji Xingge burst into laughter, clutching her stomach as she teased, "Finally, karma! You deserve this!"
Bai Siyao looked up innocently, only to meet a strikingly handsome face.
In her previous life, Sect Master Ling had been reclusive, and they had never crossed paths. Who would have thought he'd look like this? No wonder he always complained, "You're after my beauty." Reflecting on it now, only Ning Yanzhi's face could compare to his.
However, Ning Yanzhi was an aloof sword immortal, distant from the mortal realm, like a flower on a high peak, forever out of reach. Meanwhile, this Young Master Ling, despite his cold and detached demeanor, exuded an allure that seemed to draw people into the earthly world, tempting them to fall.
—This was nothing like the rumors! Wasn't Sect Master Ling supposed to be a model of perseverance and humility, a paragon among cultivators? What did he do after seizing power in his past life to concoct such a false reputation for himself?
"Young Master!" Baili Xu looked bewildered.
Ling Bufei's face darkened further as he snapped, "What are you staring at? Help me up!"
"Huh? Oh…"
The world seemed to resume its normal flow, and the two of them clambered out of the pile of rubble, brushing off the dust and stones from their clothes.
Ling Bufei adjusted his robes and stole a glance at this audacious young woman. She seemed a bit younger than expected, her figure as graceful as a willow, her skin as smooth as jade, and her face…
Remembering their earlier close encounter, Ling Bufei sighed in relief. Thankfully, it wasn't some ferocious woman who had taken advantage of him.
"Miss, who are you? And why are you here?" Ji Xingge, still feeling a sense of camaraderie with the woman who had bested Ling Bufei, took the initiative to ask. She didn't seem like a bad person, after all.
Bai Siyao replied, "I… I came with Elder Yiming from Danxia Palace. After the auction, I was strolling with my brothers and sisters and ended up here by chance…"
Ji Xingge raised an eyebrow. "So, you're a disciple of Danxia Palace?"
Bai Siyao quickly waved her hand, "Not yet. Elder Yiming is taking us to Danxia Palace this time to officially join."
Ji Xingge understood and lowered her guard slightly. Since she was someone valued by Danxia Palace, she likely wasn't up to no good.
Suddenly, Baili Xu interjected, "If you're an uninitiated disciple of Danxia Palace, how do you possess such profound cultivation? And your aura… it seems off…"
Bai Siyao glanced at him, slightly surprised. Given her situation, she had concealed her cultivation to avoid drawing attention. She hadn't expected Baili Xu to notice something was wrong so quickly. As expected, he was truly an elite disciple of Wuji Sect.
"It's a long story…" Bai Siyao paused for a moment. "My cultivation wasn't earned through my own efforts; it came to me by accident. The details are quite complicated, and until the elders of Danxia Palace decide my fate, I can't speak of it openly. However, I do have the token of Master Changling to prove my identity."
After inspecting the token she produced, Ji Xingge nodded. "Yes, that's indeed from Danxia Palace."
Only then did Baili Xu fall silent. Above them, another surge of spiritual energy rippled through the air, but fortunately, a protective light wave swiftly descended, forming a shield around the pavilion. Baili Xu hurriedly ushered his young master inside the pavilion, while Chunhe called out, "Miss, hurry inside!"
The five of them took refuge within the pavilion. Ji Xingge, seeing an opportunity, exchanged names with Bai Siyao, still fuming over Ling Bufei's arrogance. In this isolated setting, she was eager to forge an alliance.
"Miss Bai, we seem to be fated to meet. If we survive this ordeal, I'd like to invite you to visit Phoenix Perch Valley."
"Thank you, Miss Ji. However, I must first report to Danxia Palace. After my elders have dealt with matters, only then can I consider traveling."
Ling Bufei overheard the conversation and glanced over, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Ji Xingge, meeting someone for the first time and not knowing their background, aren't you afraid of inviting a wolf into your home?"
That didn't sit well with Ji Xingge. "A wolf? Miss Bai only accidentally touched you, and it wasn't even intentional. Can't you stop being so petty?"
"Accidentally?" Ling Bufei ground his teeth, glaring at her. "Maybe the first time was accidental, but what about after? I told her to stop, and she still touched me. Are you saying that wasn't on purpose?"
Well… that's true. Four pairs of eyes turned to Bai Siyao.
Bai Siyao timidly glanced at him and said, "At the time, I was so dizzy, and when you said 'touch,' I just did. It was only afterward that I realized what you meant."
So, it was his own fault? Ling Bufei finally understood the feeling of being so infuriated that you couldn't even form words. Yet, when he looked into Bai Siyao's face, so pure and innocent, the harsh words caught in his throat.
Ji Xingge couldn't hold back her laughter. "Hahaha! I've never seen anything like this! Ling Shaozongzhu, now that's a case of 'meeting your match!' Watch your dignity, Young Master!"
Ling Bufei scowled. "How can you still laugh? Aren't you afraid we might not make it back?"
Ji Xingge waved her hand dismissively. "I've thought it through. Those Nascent Soul cultivators are battling in the sky, and we can't intervene anyway. What's the point of worrying? Their target is you, after all. If they lose, it's you who suffers. What does it have to do with my Phoenix Perch Valley?"
"..."
Ling Bufei was speechless.
Ji Xingge grinned, feeling she had won the exchange. "What, having regrets now? If you had accepted my proposal earlier, I would have gladly shared your concerns."
Ling Bufei's expression turned wooden. "Please. Even if you did care, you couldn't do anything but worry here anyway. What's the use?"
Ji Xingge was about to get angry, but when she caught sight of Bai Siyao, her frustration melted away.
Why bother getting mad at him? Ling Shaozongzhu might have a sharp tongue, but he could only swallow his frustration now.
As they continued their banter, the battle above briefly paused. Hu Erniang's voice cut through the air, laden with threat: "Kumu Old Man, if we keep fighting, you might just face premature death!"
Then, Immortal Ji's voice followed: "Venerable Kumu, the Wuji Sect holds great power. We do not wish to push things too far."
Venerable Kumu's voice, now sounding even older, replied, "When you attacked the young sect master, you already crossed that line. If you seek justice, come to Wuji Sect and confront us. Why bully a child?"
Poqianjun's cold voice rang out: "Enough. If we delay any longer, Wuji Sect reinforcements will arrive. The son of Ling Yunzhou is here. Let's see what we're capable of!"
As his last word fell, a massive golden hand formed in the sky above the pavilion, reaching down to grasp them!