Chapter Thirty-Nine: Reunion

Luo Xi and Yier emerged from behind the statue upon hearing my voice. Seeing that I had brought in only one man, they asked what was going on.

Before I could explain, the man pried my hand off his ear, freeing himself. He rubbed his ear and, turning, saw Yier. His previously playful demeanor shifted to an icy coldness as he stared at her.

Confused, I tapped his shoulder, "Hey, why are you looking at Yier like that? Is there really a need for such animosity?"

He didn't answer me. His phoenix eyes took on a sinister gleam, and with a sly smile, he stepped forward towards Yier and uttered three words, "Yue, Gu, You?"

Clear and concise.

He must have been referring to the Moon Shadow Sect and the Elder Gu Yin. Yier had killed members of the Moon Shadow Sect and taken their Elder Gu Yin. This person in front of us must be here to avenge them—definitely a troublesome character.

A cloud of dark blue smoke enveloped the man, swirling around him like it had a life of its own. It finally coalesced into a brush. The brush handle seemed to be made of agate, with a white base interspersed with specks of blue and green resembling stars. The bristles were bound by an oval bone ring with three prongs, and the hair was a mix of white and blue, making it look very peculiar and difficult to figure out how to hold.

Unaware of the situation, Luo Xi tried to shield Yier from the man. Yier placed her hand on Luo Xi's arm to reassure him and gently lowered his arm. With calm resolve, she addressed the man, "Yes, I did those things. If you have any grievances, take them out on me."

The man chuckled softly and flicked the brush in his hand. A surge of misty energy shot from the tip, and with a resounding thud, Yier was thrown to the base of the statue.

"What are you doing?!" Luo Xi demanded, his voice sharp with anger as he swung his sword at the man. The man's figure dissipated like smoke, and Luo Xi's sword passed through thin air, causing him to stumble forward and nearly strike me. Fortunately, I dodged just in time.

This trickster was hiding again, but luckily, I had a way to deal with him.

I conjured an ice lotus in my hand and scattered it into the air. Countless ice crystals fell like snowflakes. Through my spell, I quickly located the man's silhouette and used my power to encase him in frost.

"Using the same trick twice in front of me—how foolish." Retrieving my ice lotus, I strode confidently towards the snowman I had created, patting its white head. Suddenly, the snowman shattered with a puff, releasing a wisp of smoke that drifted upwards and dissipated.

I was certain I hadn't used much force, yet he had "vanished into smoke" like that. No, this had to be some kind of illusion.

Sure enough, before I could relax, I felt a cold, sharp sensation against my neck, like a blade pressed against my skin. Whether it was my imagination or not, I even felt the trickle of liquid sliding down where the sharp edge touched.

"Using the same trick twice in front of me—how foolish," the man's voice whispered in my ear.

Now, I felt pain not only in my neck but also a burning sensation on my face.

Luo Xi raised his sword, pointing it at the man and demanding, "What grudge do you have against us? Why are you doing this?"

"Grudge? How would I know? You should ask your little sister." The man replied mockingly, pinching my cheek.

In retaliation, I stomped hard on his foot. He didn't evade; instead, he calmly endured the pain and turned to Luo Xi, saying, "I see you're not human. Have you considered joining us? This Qiongyun Sect isn't a place where you can stay forever. Why not work under me? It's better than being discovered and expelled by Qiongyun Sect, or worse." He paused, pushing me aside. After a moment of contemplation, he added, "For someone like you, with spiritual awareness, there are many precedents of being captured and refined."

This man was initially here to seek revenge for the Moon Shadow Sect against Yier. But now, he was emphasizing Luo Xi's identity and inviting him to join. Could he be some elite from the Moon Shadow Sect? If so, how does he know so much? And is what he says true?

Seeing Luo Xi's silence, I defended him righteously, "Don't spout nonsense! Qiongyun Sect isn't as bad as you think. We trust Qiongyun Sect and our Immortal."

The man's gaze turned cold as he raised an eyebrow at me. "Trust? Do you trust that unreliable Qiongyun Sect and that unreliable Que Han? Do you also believe that all those caves in Qiongyun are just for raising demon beasts for fun?" His lips curled into a charming smile as he whispered seductively in my ear, "Actually, you're quite interesting. Why not come with me? I'll make you the second most powerful in this world, just below me. How about it?"

Feeling his breath tickling my ear, I stepped back and pushed him away. "You can say whatever you want, but even if everything you said is true, I have no interest in hearing it."

He clapped his fan in his hand, persistently trying to entice me, "Then what are you interested in? Tell me. Come with me to a place where you can have anything you desire."

"What she desires is something you cannot provide." Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed from above. Thunder roared, and a bolt of white lightning shattered the roof, striking towards the man. He smiled faintly, looking up as the white light turned him into a wisp of smoke that dissipated.

Dead...? No, he must have escaped. But who intervened? This technique seemed familiar. When Lian Mu lost control due to the Chi Ming demon, he was also struck by this white light. Could it be that someone is secretly helping me with these incidents?

"Qing Yue." A voice called from behind me.

I would never mistake this voice.

Turning around, I saw the Immortal standing there, smiling at me in his white robes, as elegant and beautiful as a white plum blossom dusted with fresh snow.