Seeing Ye Yiyun collapse, Ling Xiaodong hurriedly stepped forward to catch her. He anxiously called out, “Aunt Yun! Aunt Yun, what’s wrong?”
But Ye Yiyun lay in his arms with her eyes closed, unresponsive, her face pale and completely devoid of color.
Ling Xiaodong felt as if she was as fragile and delicate as a sheet of paper in his embrace.
Wuyazi rushed over and, upon seeing Ling Xiaodong unharmed, his eyes revealed deep shock. Yet, being a seasoned strategist with profound insight, a glint of abnormal light flashed in his eyes before he quickly asked, “What happened?”
“I don’t know. Just now, there was a flash of red light, and Aunt Yun suddenly fell.”
Ling Xiaodong said urgently, Ye Yiyun’s condition filled him with dread.
Shao Yinhua also arrived, and seeing Ye Yiyun lying on the ground, a look of delight appeared in her eyes.
Wuyazi put on a show and looked toward Ye Yiyun, saying, “Use your Open Eye Technique to take a look at her.”
Ling Xiaodong hurriedly activated the eye incantation. His pupils melted into a swirling Yin-Yang symbol as he looked at Aunt Yun.
To his shock, Ye Yiyun appeared as a grayish-white color through his enhanced vision, a stark contrast to the vibrant, colorful world brought forth by the Open Eye Technique.
“What’s going on?”
Wuyazi shook his head and sighed, “This is a sign that her Yang energy is completely depleted. It seems Master Ye’s days are numbered.”
“But Aunt Yun was fine just moments ago. How could this happen?”
Ling Xiaodong’s eyes turned bloodshot. Spotting Shao Yinhua’s pleased expression nearby, he suddenly stood up with a swoosh, grabbed her by the throat, and lifted her off the ground.
“Speak! Did you do this?”
Shao Yinhua was terrified. She hadn’t even caught a glimpse of Ling Xiaodong until now, yet her life was so easily held in his hands—it humiliated her deeply.
She wanted to retort, but the hand around her neck was like an iron shackle, squeezing tighter and tighter until she struggled to breathe.
Wuyazi quickly stepped forward to stop him, “Young friend, don’t be rash! This has nothing to do with Shao Yinhua.”
“Then who is responsible? Is it you?”
Ling Xiaodong’s cold eyes turned to Wuyazi as Shao Yinhua’s face began to turn purple from the chokehold.
Wuyazi broke out in a cold sweat, never expecting Ling Xiaodong to emerge unscathed. He hurriedly searched for an excuse in his mind.
“It’s the Luocha! It’s the method of the Luocha Sacred Maiden!”
“The Luocha Sacred Maiden?”
Ling Xiaodong loosened his grip slightly, allowing Shao Yinhua to gasp for air.
“Yes! The Luocha Sacred Maiden. Young friend, put her down first, and I will explain slowly.”
Ling Xiaodong released Shao Yinhua, who collapsed to the ground, coughing violently, struggling for breath.
The hatred in her eyes turned into fear. This was the closest she had ever come to death—like a chick being lifted effortlessly. Ling Xiaodong only needed to exert a little more force to snap her neck.
“I recently received news that the Luocha Sacred Maiden is hiding in Peng City. This technique of draining Yang energy and stealing life is her handiwork.”
“I suspect the explosion from that Luocha earlier was a curse she cast. If you can find her, she should have the way to reverse it!”
Wuyazi decided to shift blame, as he often did, placing all the fault on the Luocha.
Ling Xiaodong said urgently, “Where is she? How can I find her?”
“Don’t rush, young friend. Ordinary people don’t know what the Luocha Witch looks like, but I have a painting of her true likeness kept by the Jian Tian Division. Wait here; I’ll get it for you.”
Wuyazi hurried back to his room and quickly brought out a scroll.
Ling Xiaodong unfurled the painting and froze.
The portrait was unmistakably that of Mu Qinghe—the fleeting glimpse outside the tavern that he could never forget.
It was her!
How could it be?
To prevent his conspiracy from being exposed, Wuyazi feigned a warning, “Remember, this Luocha Witch excels at deception and manipulating hearts. If you find her, don’t engage in too much conversation—nine out of ten things she says are lies!”
Ling Xiaodong was furious and anxious, but he still harbored doubts.
He had spoken with Mu Qinghe at length; her compassion for the displaced refugees was genuine. How could such a kind person harm Aunt Yun?
Besides, Wuyazi didn’t seem trustworthy. There was no reason to believe him blindly.
Why did he emphasize avoiding communication so much?
Ling Xiaodong resolved to find Mu Qinghe and get to the bottom of this.
Why was the notorious Luocha Sacred Maiden’s portrait of her? Was she connected to Aunt Yun’s condition?
Ling Xiaodong gently lifted Ye Yiyun and, though tempted to keep her at the Lord’s Manor, worried about her condition. With a few leaps, he returned to the inn’s room.
He tenderly laid Ye Yiyun on the bed and, calming his earlier agitation, softly stroked her waterfall-like hair, saying, “Aunt Yun, wait for me to come back.”
“Mm.”
Whether it was a real response or just from pain, Ye Yiyun let out a faint hum. She was so pale and weak now that Ling Xiaodong’s heart ached to see her like this.
He took a plain white silk cloth from Ye Yiyun’s embrace and silently recited the Seeking Master incantation. The cloth spontaneously ignited without fire and floated toward a certain direction. Ling Xiaodong followed closely behind.
*****
Beneath Peng City.
“We found it! We found it!”
A miner shouted excitedly, pointing at a patch of golden mist underground while gesturing wildly.
Luo Yufeng hurried over and, seeing the faint golden glow, was equally delighted.
“Good! Heavy rewards! Activate the great formation to contain the Dragon Vein!”
“Yes, Captain!” The crowd responded in unison.
While everyone rejoiced, Mu Qinghe’s jade pendant on her chest suddenly began to tremble violently.
This jade pendant was a gift from the Luocha Sect Leader, capable of foreseeing disasters. It had proven useful before during the mountain ghost attacks.
But this time was different.
The trembling was so intense that Mu Qinghe’s chest tingled; this had never happened before.
It meant an unimaginable calamity was approaching.
She quickly found Luo Yufeng and warned, “Aunt Luo, we can’t stay here any longer!”
Luo Yufeng’s cheerful expression froze. Seeing Mu Qinghe’s solemn face, she composed herself.
“Your Highness, what’s wrong?”
Mu Qinghe explained the pendant’s strange behavior. Knowing the pendant’s great power, Luo Yufeng immediately gathered the sect members to secure the Dragon Vein and activated the teleportation formation, leaving without even packing their belongings.
When Ling Xiaodong arrived, the place was deserted.
He searched the entire base but only found a long skirt with a torn hem.
It was the very skirt Mu Qinghe had worn on the night she was chased by the mountain ghost.
He picked up the tattered skirt and looked at the empty cave, his face as cold and still as water.