Chapter 40:Daily Life atJinghong peak After Leaving
Chapter 33
In White Stone Town, the forest air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth as Cheng Mo led the two rogue cultivators deeper into the hills, her heart pounding beneath her “refining qi late stage” facade. The scar-faced leader’s lackeys grew restless, their eyes narrowing as they trudged through the underbrush. “This ginseng better be real, girl,” one growled, his hand on his sword hilt. Cheng Mo’s mind raced, her Golden Core cultivation suppressed but ready to flare. Keep them distracted, lose them in the ridges. She pointed to a shadowed ravine. “The Moonshade Ginseng grows there—rare, valuable.” Her voice was steady, masking her fear of exposure.
The lackey snorted but followed, his partner trailing. “Boss’ll gut you if this is a trick,” he muttered. Cheng Mo’s pulse quickened—her plan was to lead them in circles until she could slip away, but the mention of a “big sect” looking for a runaway elder gnawed at her. Wan Qing? Canglan? Or just a rumor? She scanned the forest with her restrained divine sense, catching a faint, unfamiliar aura trailing them. Someone’s watching. Her survival instincts screamed, but she kept her pace steady, guiding the lackeys deeper into the maze-like hills.
Back at Canglan Sword Sect, the council hall buzzed with tension. Qing Wan stood before Elder Yun and the gathered elders, her aura cold and sharp, her Silent Annihilation Sword Intent coiled like a storm. Liu Qingxu sat among them, her smile veiled, her tainted jade slip’s accusations fueling the scrutiny. “Qing Wan,” Elder Yun began, her voice stern, “your master’s absence raises questions. Her favoritism toward you destabilized Jinghong Peak. Explain your reckless actions at the tryout platform.”
Qing Wan’s eyes flashed, her voice cutting like her blade. “My actions prove my strength, not my master’s failure. Judge me by my sword, not her choices.” Her aura flared, silencing murmurs. Liu Qingxu leaned forward, her tone honeyed but barbed. “Yet your instability endangers the sect. Perhaps Elder Luyue’s departure was… prudent.” Qing Wan’s grip on her sword tightened, her dao heart wavering but unyielding. She wants to break me. I won’t let her.
Chu Yi watched from the hall’s edge, his heart heavy. Sunny Sister’s stronger, but she’s isolating herself. He clutched Shu Yue’s protective talisman, torn between loyalty to his master and worry for his sister-disciple. A disciple whispered to him, “Liu Qingxu’s people are spreading rumors—Sunny Sister’s next if the council rules against her.” Chu Yi’s jaw clenched. I need to warn her, but she won’t listen.
In her guest courtyard, Wan Qing’s fingers stilled on her zither as a message arrived from her tracker: White Stone Town, faint Golden Core trace, concealed. Her lips curved, a mix of triumph and intrigue. Found you, Elder. She rose, her lotus-pink robes swaying, and prepared to leave for the Qingyun Mountains. You can’t escape your heart—or mine. Her plan was simple: find Shu Yue, unravel her fears, and bind her closer. But Qing Wan’s growing strength was a wildcard she couldn’t ignore. I’ll deal with Sunny Sister later.
In White Stone Town, the standoff at the town head’s courtyard escalated. The scar-faced cultivator slammed his fist on a new table, snarling, “Where’s your guide? If she’s run off, this town pays double!” The town head paled, stammering, “She’s fetching herbs—she’ll deliver!” Townsfolk whispered, fear mounting, unaware of Cheng Mo’s gamble in the hills.
Deep in the forest, Cheng Mo’s plan unraveled. The lackeys halted, their auras flaring. “You’re stalling,” one accused, drawing his sword. “No ginseng here!” Cheng Mo’s heart sank, her hand inching toward her concealed blade. I can take them, but it’ll blow my cover. Before she could act, a sharp aura sliced through the trees—a rogue cultivator, the tracker sent by Wan Qing, his eyes glinting with recognition. “You’re no refining qi scrub,” he said, smirking. “Golden Core, hiding like a rat. Someone’s paying big for you.”
Cheng Mo’s blood ran cold. Wan Qing. She dropped her facade, her Golden Core aura surging, scattering the lackeys. “Who sent you?” she demanded, her sword gleaming. The tracker laughed, his own Foundation Building peak aura flaring. “You’ll find out—after I drag you back.” Their blades clashed, the forest trembling, as White Stone Town’s fate hung in the balance.
At Canglan, Qing Wan’s council session ended with a warning: prove her stability, or face sanctions. She stormed back to her courtyard, her sword intent raging. I’ll show them all—Shu Yue, Liu Qingxu, everyone. But a faint crack in her dao heart pulsed, whispering Shu Yue’s words: You’re everything to me. She shoved it down, her resolve hardening.
Cheng Mo’s clash in the forest drew closer to White Stone Town, her survival plan teetering as the tracker’s blade pressed her. The novel’s plot was closing in, and the quiet life she’d built was about
to shatter.