A Night of Desperation

"This... First, you need to work hard. Second, I also benefited from the magic treasure." Bai Sheng said modestly. "Actually, my true cultivation level is about the same as that young girl just now, at most a little stronger. The difference doesn’t look that big. But in our line of cultivators, to truly exert combat power, it still depends on various weapons, equipment, tools, and magic treasures."

’Alright, this place is not safe to stay for long, better leave quickly. My sword just now might have caused quite a stir among strong individuals, so be sure to hide yourself.’ Bai Sheng advised, and at the last moment, his body slowly faded in space and disappeared.

Yu Hong watched this scene unfold before him, looking downwards, straining his eyesight, only then seeing some broken icy blue fragments in the vast space thousands of kilometers away.

That seemed to be the wreckage of Margaret’s spaceship.

"Time to go." He sighed. "The Patrol Chief might be gone."

"She should have been prepared for this when she intercepted us." Quan He was indifferent. Instead, she was very interested in Senior Brother Bai Sheng’s performance.

"Speaking of which, I’m becoming increasingly interested in the Qinghe Mountain you mentioned." She keeps recalling that one sword of Bai Sheng.

Thinking that even if her strength were doubled, she probably couldn’t withstand that overwhelming sword.

Yu Hong shook his head silently.

As expected, truly cultivated by top forces, they are quintessentially different from ordinary organizational forces.

With this thought, his hands didn’t stop, manipulating the Black Black Spirit to escape into the colorful Wind Disaster again, quickly disappearing without a trace.

Margaret, being the dignified Patrol Chief of Floating City, got hit by such a sword, so either she died or became crippled. If you don’t hurry up and flee, are you waiting for the Great Arcanists that might be attracted by her?

Yu Hong didn’t think a Level Six Patrol Chief wouldn’t have some backing.

Ku Chan Yiyi has her teacher Liu Chixuan to look after her, so there shouldn’t be much problem. Instead, he strikes deeper into the Source Disaster area, easily caught slipping.

Sitting cross-legged in the safe house, Yu Hong brought out the Water Instrument Ball under Quan He’s curious gaze.

"This is the secret tool my master gave me before leaving. With it, we don’t have to worry about the direction and path and can return to Wanxue Palace without mistake."

With that, he injected his internal Qi Cultivation True Qi into it.

Ding.

The Water Instrument Ball received the True Qi, and the entire sphere began to glow white.

Hiss!

In the next instant, the white light completely covered Yu Hong and Quan He’s vision.

The light lasted a few breaths, then gradually dimmed and extinguished.

As the light faded.

The two suddenly found that a round white portal had inexplicably appeared in the wind disaster void ahead of the Black Black Spirit.

The door frame was made of White Stone, carved with snowflake patterns similar to those of Wanxue Palace.

As soon as this door appeared, it quickly expanded, growing just large enough for the Black Black Spirit to enter.

*

*

*

An hour later, Wanxue Palace.

Yu Xuezi stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Yu Hong not far away, along with Quan He following behind him.

"Actually, it’s good that people return safely, no need to bring gifts for everyone." Yu Xuezi said, "The one standing behind you is your fellow you want to introduce to our Wanxue Palace line?"

"Yes." Yu Hong nodded. "Sister Quan He’s aptitude is stronger than mine, her comprehension surpassing by far. If she can cultivate, she will definitely be far stronger than me!"

This was what he truly believed.

"Aptitude is not like yours." Yu Xuezi’s words made him pause slightly.

"Her physical aptitude is far inferior to yours, and she is entangled with the Light Disaster. So next, let’s test her comprehension."

Yu Xuezi didn’t mind, casually pointed out, and immediately a cabinet by the wall in the palace automatically opened.

A light yellow paper flew out from it. At first glance, it was filled with various exam questions.

"Finish this test paper, then we’ll see how her comprehension really is." Yu Xuezi said lightly.

"Then should I…" Yu Hong hesitated. "Do I need to avoid it?"

"Just go out." Yu Xuezi nodded.

Yu Hong looked at Quan He, who gestured reassuringly, blinking at him.

Only then did he feel at ease, exhaled a breath, bid Yu Xuezi farewell, and left Wanxue Palace.

Waiting outside the palace gate, after a while, high-pitched whistling came from the distant sky.

Two white sword lights shot down, transforming into Bai Sheng and Hei Ying.

"Junior Brother, how is it? After I left, was there any trouble?" Bai Sheng asked urgently.

"Nothing, rest assured, Senior Brother." Yu Hong felt a bit warmed, noticing it was genuine concern.

"You’ve only been out for so little time, and you’ve already used up the two opportunities we gave you. Is it really that dangerous outside now?" Bai Sheng asked puzzledly.

"You have been active in the surrounding areas, surely you don’t know anything." Hei Ying quipped from the side, wordless.

"Actually, it’s not that bad. Mostly, I went out because I ran into trouble." Yu Hong explained helplessly.

"And now, what is…" Bai Sheng looked at Yu Hong puzzled, not understanding why he was standing outside the palace gate.

Yu Hong quickly explained a few words.

"Another genius!?" Their expressions momentarily froze.

"Junior Brother’s aptitude is already astonishing enough. Forgive me for being blunt, but I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be more talented than you." Bai Sheng sighed.

Just as the three were talking, a faint door-opening sound unexpectedly came from within Wanxue Palace.

Quan He came out through the main palace door with a calm expression, looked around, and saw Yu Hong there before slowly approaching.

"Quan He, you..." Yu Hong couldn’t help but ask.

"Alas.... no matter how I pleaded, Master wouldn’t agree to letting me become your Senior Sister..... At my age of over a hundred, I still have to coquettishly call you Senior Brother... This..." Quan He looked at Yu Hong with a complex expression, visibly helpless.

"...Then... Sister Quan He?" Yu Hong blinked, showing a smile.

"Just call me Quan He." Quan He was resigned.

"Hahahaha!!" Bai Sheng burst into a hearty laugh on the side.

"Truly, it’s a great joy for our line! In less than a year, we joyfully welcomed two fellow disciples! It seems our Wanxue Palace line is truly turning for the better!"

"What did Master say?" Yu Hong remained a bit curious, curious about what reaction Quan He’s aptitude triggered in Yu Xuezi.

"Nothing much; just checked my answers, corrected my mistakes, and let me out." Quan He shook her head. "To be honest, this place truly lives up to being an Immortal Sect; those questions were so hard…."

At this moment, deep within Wanxue Palace.

Yu Xuezi, holding the test paper completed by Quan He, quietly walked into a hidden side hall.

This side hall was densely arranged with numerous gray-white jade tablets, whose engravings indicated they were all elders from the same lineage of Wanxue Palace.

The Qinghe Mountain is vast, and the line of Wanxue Palace was just a branch, although slightly declining now. But they too once had glorious days.

Yu Xuezi quietly walked up to a set of plaques.

Puff.

He lightly knelt to the ground, on a prayer mat, bowed, lowered his head, kowtowed.

"Master, Grandmaster, Ancestors… did you see!?"

With a swish, he raised the test paper in his hand.

"I picked the wrong test paper!! This is an aptitude test for Nascent Soul to Divinity Transformation stage!!"

"By the time I thought to exchange it back, she had already completed it!!?"

Yu Xuezi lifted his head, tears silently streaming from the corners of his eyes.

"Not only did she complete it, but the accuracy was actually eighty percent!! What’s this level of..."

His face streamed with tears, his hand holding the paper trembling.

"I was only able to solve three questions in Nascent Soul, just a tenth....! And she hasn’t even begun Qi Cultivation!"

"With this level of comprehension, this level of talent, how could it have come to our Wanxue Palace before? Those were always first snatched by other main branches as Immortal Seeds!"

Yu Xuezi prostrated again, body trembling continuously.

"I thought Yu Hu’s aptitude was the limit; unexpectedly, Quan He is far more exaggerated! Where is the justice! Where is the justice!!"

He cried with agitation, both moved by gaining such an Immortal Seed and happy that he and others were about to break free from hardship, returning to the main branch.

*

*

*

Time passed swiftly for three days.

During these three days, Quan He fully demonstrated what it means to be a genius.

The Qingyuan Heavenly River Miao Technique, for her, took only ten minutes to go from introduction to the first layer.

From Qi Refining first layer to Qi Refining Fifth Layer, it took only three days.

The speed left Yu Hong dumbfounded. Though he himself wasn’t far off, he had various traits speeding him through.

While Quan He, was just herself.

Moreover, since Quan He arrived, almost all of Yu Xuezi and the other two’s attention was focused on her.

While Yu Hong himself was a little overlooked.

Taking advantage of this, Yu Hong continued to focus on pursuing his path of traits.

In the Book Collection Pavilion.

He once again took out a new manual from the Mortal Martial bookshelf.

"Senior… Brother." Quan He, who was also looking for books, noticing Yu Hong picking a Mortal Martial manual, blinked and awkwardly called out.

"What… are you doing with that?"

"Nothing, just a personal hobby." Yu Hong did not explain.

Luckily, Quan He was just using this as an excuse to make a conversation and continued.

"Did Senior Brother come here because you noticed something odd around at night?"

"Do you still remember what Agrius said?" Yu Hong asked.

"Of course."

"If you find anything unusual, inform me immediately." Yu Hong nodded.

"There’s one thing." Quan He nodded immediately. "At night, I can’t find a suitable place to sleep… these days I’ve been sleeping within Wanxue Palace, but at night, I always feel like I’m the only one there. The Master… is not in any room."

Quan He frowned, visibly noticing something was off after being here for only a few days.

"And every night when I’ve truly settled down to rest, I always feel someone is watching from some unknown place." Quan He took a light breath.

Looking around, she extended her left hand to Yu Hong, rolling up her Daoist robe sleeve to reveal her fair forearm.

There was a distinct black and red handprint on the forearm.

"I discovered this last night." Quan He sighed.

"... Have you set up an array?" Yu Hong paused before asking.

"I did, but it was useless.

I set it up before settling down, only to find it completely vanished after, when I was settled." Quan He explained.

"So what are you planning to do?" Yu Hong asked.

"Can I stay with you?" Quan He said seriously, "Now I suspect the safest place is your safe house."