Chapter 38:Officially Running Away
Chapter 31
The wind howled through the dense forests of the Qingyun Mountains, far from Canglan Sword Sect’s towering peaks. Cheng Mo, disguised in plain disciple robes, leaned against a gnarled tree, her breath ragged, her Golden Core aura tightly suppressed by the obscure concealment technique she’d barely mastered. The vast wilderness stretched before her, alien and uncharted, a stark contrast to the sect’s ordered chaos. I’m out. I actually escaped. But the relief was fleeting, drowned by the gnawing fear that the novel’s plot—and its deadly ending—would hunt her down no matter how far she fled. Qing Wan’s eyes… that hatred… I’ve made it worse.
Back at Jinghong Peak, the air was thick with unease. Qing Wan’s rampage at the tryout platform—defeating seven inner disciples in a blaze of Silent Annihilation Sword Intent—had sent shockwaves through the sect. Whispers of her newfound strength mingled with Liu Qingxu’s rumors, painting Elder Luyue’s absence as abandonment. In the council hall, Elder Yun frowned, her fingers tapping a jade slip. “Elder Luyue seeks a Nascent Soul breakthrough? Convenient timing,” she muttered. Liu Qingxu, seated nearby, hid her smirk. “Her disciple’s outburst proves her negligence. We should summon Qing Wan for questioning.”
Qing Wan, secluded in her small courtyard, sat cross-legged, her sword across her knees. The jade pendant and vial of Ten Thousand Year Stalactite Milk lay discarded in a corner, untouched. Compensation? Guilt? Her lips curled in disdain. She ran. She left me to clean up her mess. Her aura flickered, her dao heart teetering as her sword intent pulsed erratically. I’ll grow stronger—strong enough to erase her from my heart. She closed her eyes, forcing her energy to stabilize, but Shu Yue’s desperate voice—“It wasn’t what you thought”—echoed, stirring unwanted doubt.
Chu Yi stood outside her courtyard, clutching the protective talisman Shu Yue had given him, his face etched with worry. Master left to seek a breakthrough… but why so sudden? Qing Wan’s rejection of the gifts and her cold dismissal weighed on him. He sent a message to Elder Qingxu, Shu Yue’s trusted ally, reporting her departure and Qing Wan’s state. I’ll protect Sunny Sister, Master. But what’s happening to Jinghong Peak?
In a guest courtyard, Wan Qing sat before her zither, her fingers idle, her usual composure frayed. Shu Yue’s abrupt flight had caught her off guard, her carefully woven net unraveling. She fled because of me… or because of Sunny Sister? The memory of her impulsive kiss—meant to test Shu Yue’s heart—sparked both regret and fascination. You’re not as cold as you seem, Elder. I’ll find you again. She sent a discreet message to a Miaoyin Pavilion contact, requesting information on Shu Yue’s possible destinations. This game isn’t over.
Far away, Cheng Mo trekked through the Qingyun Mountains, her mind a storm of panic and strategy. No system, no cheat codes—just me and this cursed plot. Her knowledge of the novel’s world was spotty, drawn from half-remembered game lore and Shu Yue’s fragmented memories. The Qingyun Mountains, a neutral region, were riddled with rogue cultivators and hidden dangers, but they were far from Canglan’s reach. I’ll find a remote cave, cultivate in secret, wait out the plot. But Qing Wan’s face haunted her, her cold laughter a reminder of the bond she’d shattered. I left her… but did I have a choice?
She paused at a rocky outcrop, scanning for threats. Her concealment technique held, but her resources were slim—a few spirit stones, a basic flying sword, and her wits. I need a plan. A town, maybe, to gather supplies. She recalled a vague memory of a trading outpost, Yunxi Market, nestled in the mountains’ foothills. It was a haven for rogue cultivators, far from sect politics. Perfect. Low profile, no attention.
As she set out, a faint tremor in the earth made her freeze. Her divine sense, still tender, caught a flicker of hostile energy—a beast, or worse, a cultivator. Not now. She tightened her grip on her sword, her heart pounding. I just escaped one death trap. I’m not dying in this wilderness.
Back at Canglan, Liu Qingxu’s smile widened as she received word of Shu Yue’s absence. She met a cloaked disciple in a secluded grove, her voice low. “Spread word: Elder Luyue abandoned her peak and her disciple. Push the council to strip her authority.” She handed over a tainted jade slip, its contents twisted to incriminate Shu Yue further. “And keep an eye on Qing Wan. Her instability is our leverage.”
At Qing Wan’s courtyard, a knock broke her meditation. Chu Yi’s voice came through, urgent but gentle. “Sunny Sister, the council’s summoning you. They’re asking about Master’s absence—and your breakthrough.” Qing Wan’s eyes snapped open, her sword intent flaring. They think they can use me against her? She stood, her voice cold. “Let them come. I’ll show them what Jinghong Peak’s disciple can do.”
As Cheng Mo navigated the Qingyun Mountains, unaware of the storm brewing back at the sect, a shadow watched her from a distance—a rogue cultivator, his aura sharp and predatory. The game was far from over, and the plot she feared was tightenin
g its grip.