On the desolate land, towering vines spread out in all directions. However, the originally verdant leaves were now withered and gray, lying there lifeless, turning to dust at the slightest touch.
At the peak of Chenyue Mountain, only the root of the vine retained a hint of green vitality.
Yan Jinzhou extended her hand, a decaying seed falling into her palm, with only a sparse hint of green in the middle.
She sighed, placing the seed and the jade leaf together, storing them in her storage ring.
The once-vast Ning City now contained only ruins and half-human, half-vine monsters. Yan Jinzhou walked to the former site of the Ning Mansion, encountering the Chongzheng Alliance members who had come to investigate, led by Chu Linyuan.
The Chongzheng Alliance was relatively new, composed of young disciples from various sects and families. The leaders of different factions hardly took these young people’s actions seriously, so they were allowed to investigate.
“Who goes there?” After encountering only dead people and monsters along the way, these young people were now quite nervous.
Chu Linyuan raised his hand to signal everyone to stop, then stepped forward to approach Yan Jinzhou.
“Did you leak the information about the Linglong Bone?” Chu Linyuan dropped a sound-isolating barrier and looked at Yan Jinzhou with displeasure.
Yan Jinzhou crossed her arms and let out a cold laugh. “The Chongzheng Alliance has been constantly talking about the Linglong Bone. I was about to ask you the same thing.”
“Only five of us knew about the Linglong Bone, but recently the entire cultivation world became aware of its existence,” Chu Linyuan’s expression turned ugly.
“I’m not interested in your plan to repair the Eight Trigrams Formation to save the seventeen states, but I wouldn’t resort to such despicable methods,” Yan Jinzhou glanced at him, “Just for asking this question today, I’ll beat you up every time I see you from now on.”
“Why are you here today?” Chu Linyuan gritted his teeth. “Sang Yun told me you were in closed cultivation.”
“Can’t I come out for some fresh air? Are the seventeen states your personal property?” Yan Jinzhou had a way of rendering others speechless, which was equally infuriating.
Previously, Sang Yun and Ning Xingyuan would mediate their conflicts, preventing these two hot-tempered individuals from fighting. But now, seeing the tragic scene around them, they were both on the verge of conflict and ready to fight at the slightest provocation.
Before they could draw their swords, Mingsang arrived and stopped them.
Mingsang stood between the two and said, “We must first find Xingyuan.”
“Xingyuan’s soul lamp has already been extinguished!” Chu Linyuan finally lost control, gripping his sword tightly, his eyes turning red.
At this, both Yan Jinzhou and Mingsang fell silent.
“Xingyuan has been planning this for so long. I don’t believe it will end like this,” Chu Linyuan’s forehead bulged with veins, “Someone must be plotting behind the scenes, and I will definitely find this person.”
As he said this, he stared intently at Yan Jinzhou.
While they were arguing, a large group of cultivators arrived on their swords, including several elders from Wushi Sect, Jiting Sect, and Canghai Tower, as well as elders from the Wang, Xie, and Cui families.
The young disciples of the Chongzheng Alliance respectfully bowed to their elders.
An elder from Canghai Tower said, “We have traced the source and confirmed that the disaster of the Xun Prefecture was caused by the Ning family’s evil formation. Most of the Ning family was involved, and Ning Xingyuan tried to save the situation but couldn’t rescue so many people…”
A member of the Wang family continued, “We suspect this evil formation is closely related to the Linglong Bone. We’ve been searching for the remaining Ning family members and found that whether from the main or branch families, all of them died without exception.”
“The Chongzheng Alliance was established by Ning Xingyuan and is deeply involved in this matter. From now on, we will take over and reorganize the alliance…”
Chu Linyuan immediately flew into a rage, and the young members naturally refused to accept this. Both sides argued loudly, neither willing to back down.
But the arm cannot twist the thigh. Yan Jinzhou let out a cold laugh and took advantage of the chaos to leave.
(TL: Arm cannot twist the thigh=signifies that individuals or entities with less power cannot easily prevail over those with greater authority or strength.)
Mingsang followed her, “Where are you going?”
Yan Jinzhou said casually, “What’s it to you?”
Mingsang frowned, “I’ve been to Wanxuan Academy. Dean Hao Zheng said that Ning Chengfeng returned to Xun Prefecture three months ago, but neither I nor Linyuan could find him among the Ning family members. Even Dulu and the spirit beast have disappeared.”
Yan Jinzhou’s expression finally changed, “Three months ago?”
“I and Linyuan will continue searching,” Mingsang glanced at Chu Linyuan, who was still arguing with the elders. “Linyuan was angry just now. He doesn’t truly suspect you, so don’t take his words to heart.”
Yan Jinzhou let out a cold hum, casting a glance at Mingsang, “He’s not wrong. You four knew each other before, and met me in the mortal realm. I’m not one of you noble and gifted sect disciples. It’s normal that he wouldn’t trust me.”
Mingsang spoke seriously, “I trust you.”
Yan Jinzhou was stunned.
Mingsang continued, “Now that Xingyuan has fallen, he insisted that the Eight Trigrams Formation must be completed. If you could stay…”
He left the rest unsaid, but the meaning was clear.
Mingsang hoped Yan Jinzhou would stay and help them repair the Eight Trigrams Formation. Of course, this would also mean she could “legitimately” stay with Mingsang – an idea extremely appealing to Yan Jinzhou.
“Forget it,” Yan Jinzhou tried to smile but couldn’t, “I’m not interested in getting involved in your affairs.”
Mingsang slightly nodded, raised his hand to give Yan Jinzhou a Buddhist salute, and said with lowered eyes, “May Benefactor Yan take care.”
Yan Jinzhou uncharacteristically didn’t joke, nodded, and turned to leave.
Mingsang watched her back the entire time, and she knew it, but didn’t dare look back.
“Ah,” Yan Jinzhou exhaled, “Entrusted to be loyal, Yan Jinzhou, just be a decent person.”
When Yan Jinzhou saw the wanted poster for Ning Chengfeng posted by the Chongzheng Alliance, she knew she was a step behind again. She knew her luck was never great, but didn’t expect such consecutive misfortunes.
Those sect and family elders who took over the Chongzheng Alliance were entirely focused on the Linglong Bone. Unable to find the Linglong Bone and the Suzaku Knife, Ning Chengfeng was the only surviving Ning family member – even a fool could guess he was involved.
A flash of inspiration crossed Yan Jinzhou’s mind. She stared blankly at the Suzaku Knife in her hand and muttered, “Ning Xingyuan, I considered you a friend, you better not have—”
Complex formations fell on the Suzaku Knife, and a small, translucent piece of Linglong Bone flickered within the blade.
Slowly, two lines of small text emerged on the formation: [If the Chongzheng Alliance is taken over by sect families, wait for Linyuan to regain power and hand it over to him.]
Yan Jinzhou gritted her teeth, “Damn it, good Ning Xingyuan.”
Even with her beauty, kindness, high cultivation, and intelligence, this was too much.
Many days later, at midnight, Yan Jinzhou crouched on a wall, looking at the youth curled up in a hay stack. She clicked her tongue softly.
Ning Chengfeng sat up warily, looking around but seeing no one, his jaw tense like a string about to snap.
Yan Jinzhou looked down at the Ning family’s sole seedling. His handsome face was covered in dirt and blood, looking like he had been miserably chased.
“Hey, up here,” Yan Jinzhou snapped her fingers.
Ning Chengfeng looked up, his eyes confused and dazed, but mostly wary.
“Here,” Yan Jinzhou tossed the Suzaku Knife to him.
Ning Chengfeng instinctively reached out to catch it, making Yan Jinzhou shake her head.
“What kind of alertness is this?”
“Who are you?” Ning Chengfeng asked. “Why is the Suzaku Knife in your hands? Where’s my brother?”
Yan Jinzhou rarely visited the Ning family, and when she did, Ning Chengfeng was often at Wanxuan Academy. Besides seeing him once when he was little, they had never met, so naturally he didn’t recognize her.
“Yan Jinzhou, your brother’s friend. The knife was given to me by your brother,” Yan Jinzhou crouched on the wall. “Your brother has fallen. All Ning family members are dead. You’re the only Ning left.”
The young man suddenly fell silent, standing in the shadows, head lowered, looking at the knife. Yan Jinzhou couldn’t see his facial expression.
She thought this pampered young master would panic, make a fuss, or cry, but he just stood there quietly.
He seemed quite strong.
Yan Jinzhou cleared her throat, finding her gentlest tone, “You should—hey!”
Before she could finish, Ning Chengfeng collapsed with the knife.
Yan Jinzhou: “…………”
So much for being strong.
Initially, she thought he had fainted from the shocking news. But when she jumped down from the wall to support him, her hands were covered in blood.
That night, Yan Jinzhou looked at the unconscious Ning Chengfeng, at the Suzaku Knife clutched in his hand, at the Linglong Bone inside the knife, and sighed worriedly.
Each of these three was a huge trouble individually. Now, they had all fallen into her hands.
Yan Jinzhou pondered all night and decided the Linglong Bone and Suzaku Knife couldn’t be kept together. Ning Xingyuan’s hint about her discovering the Linglong Bone in the knife was likely intentional. If the Linglong Bone was truly in Ning Chengfeng’s possession, he would never have a moment’s peace.
She needed to hide the Linglong Bone well before Chu Linyuan regained control of the Chongzheng Alliance – for however long that might take.
The location couldn’t be too obvious for those with ill intentions, but not too hidden. If something happened to her, Chu Linyuan needed to be able to retrieve it.
Carrying the Linglong Bone, Yan Jinzhou went to Wushi Sect.
As they say, the most dangerous place is the safest place. Leaving this troublesome bone in Wushi Sect, by the time Chu Linyuan became sect leader, the Chongzheng Alliance would likely be sorted out.
Yan Jinzhou circled Wushi Sect seven or eight dozen times before finding the perfect spot.
A remote small mountain in Wushi Sect, covered in scattered rocks, rarely visited, but internally rich with spiritual energy and even featuring a large lake – perfect for setting formations.
At that moment, the number one formation master of the seventeen states waved her hand, throwing over a hundred formations onto the lake, then tossing the small bone everyone had been fighting over into the water.
These formations could change at any time. Even a Mahayana master would never detect the Linglong Bone inside. Yan Jinzhou surveyed her formations satisfactorily and mused, “Absolutely perfect—”
Before she could finish her thought, a soaking wet person suddenly crawled out of the lake. Their body was bloody and mangled, half-decayed, with white bones exposed through torn flesh, looking horrifying and grotesque.
The person gasped, lying on the shore, and with great difficulty reached into their wound, extracting a small, crystal-clear piece of bone, letting out a muffled groan of pain.
Yan Jinzhou stared in shock at the Linglong Bone in his hand, unable to comprehend how her perfect formation could have such a flaw. How could she have precisely thrown the bone into this person’s wound?
She was even more bewildered about how a person could be in the lake without her noticing from start to finish!
The small bone fragment, stained with the person’s blood and flesh, seemed to absorb those tissues silently the moment it was removed.
The person looked somewhat dazed and confused, stared at the bone fragment twice, casually tossed it back into the lake behind them, then painfully rose and staggered into the lakeside bamboo forest, disappearing.
The Linglong Bone swayed as it sank to the lake bottom, finally finding the right formation position and being successfully sealed.
Yan Jinzhou, who had witnessed the entire scene: “…………”
What the hell.
