The Illusion of Strings

After leaving Xieyue Tower, Chen Jinshu took out her white Muli veil, then slipped quietly into the crowd. Under the guidance of Xiao Yin she quickly spotted the two cultivators whose auras she had sensed earlier.

One walked ahead, the other followed close behind. Despite their proximity, their clothing and bearing suggested no affiliation whatsoever.

The one in front looked like an ordinary rogue cultivator, while the one behind wore a long, dark robe.

"If they do know each other, it could be tricky to deal with them."

Through her Observation Technique, their cultivation levels were laid bare — both were at the peak of Qi Refining, just a hair's breadth from Foundation Establishment.

However, Chen Jinshu had already established her foundation. Together with Xiao Yin, who was at ninth-level Qi Refining, they held the upper hand. Moments later, she watched as the two left the Pingwu Marketplace, one after the other.

"Xiao Yin, shrink yourself and tail them. If I follow directly, I'll draw too much attention," she instructed the bluish-gray bird perched on her shoulder.

"Yes, master!"

Xiao Yin shrank to a small size, similar to the Fire Sparrow from before, though its mixed gray-and-white plumage clearly marked it as a hybrid species. Pleased with the transformation, Chen Jinshu released the sparrow from the marketplace, then feigned browsing at a nearby stall.

Meanwhile, about ten li outside the Pingwu Market—

Two figures moved in tandem along a forest path, shadowed from above by a flock of tiny birds. Xiao Yin blended in among them and soared forward. From its aerial vantage, it saw the two human cultivators chasing each other without the slightest hint of cooperation.

Though confused, the sparrow relayed everything to Chen Jinshu. Having already set off after them, Chen Jinshu picked up her pace upon receiving the images. She estimated the clash would occur about twenty or thirty li from here. Her goal was simple: to be the sparrow in the back, ready to strike once both sides were worn down.

At a sparse grove twenty li out—

The rogue cultivator in front suddenly halted and barked coldly over his shoulder at the black-robed man, "Why have you been following me?"

As the words fell, the man's form shifted — a once scholarly-looking young man now bore a bristling beard and a burly frame. With a mocking smirk, his eyes gleamed playfully.

"So, you're no amateur. You lured me here by pretending to be weak," the black-robed cultivator said, voice dark.

"Heh! Without that trick, how else would greedy rogues like you come running, offering up resources for me to plunder?" the bearded man sneered.

Xiao Yin perched quietly on a nearby branch, watching closely. It was intrigued to see that the man also used transformation techniques.

"Who's feeding who is still up for debate!" the black-robed man snapped and slapped the pouch at his waist.

Buzzing—

In an instant, a swarm of black spirit bees poured out, darkening the sky as they charged toward the burly man under his command.

"Ah, a bug-cultivator, are you?" the burly man laughed. "Shame I'm one too—only my insects are stronger!"

He smacked his belt, releasing an even louder buzzing as massive, sharp-jawed insects flew out, swarming the sky in turn.

"Giant Fang Bugs!" the black-robed man exclaimed, startled. The two swarms collided mid-air in a furious clash. In moments, insect corpses rained from the sky — the majority being the black-robed man's bees.

"Damn it!" he cursed, slapping his pouch again. This time, two peacocks launched into the air, their tail feathers glowing like moonlight and dotted with emerald eye-spots.

Deadly beauty in motion.

The peacocks unfurled their fans mid-flight and loosed a volley of sharp, feather-like arrows toward the burly man's insects. Green trails shot through the sky like meteors — dazzling, yet deadly.

"Even emerald peacocks… You really came prepared," the bearded man muttered, his eyes flashing.

He began to reconsider continuing the fight. He commanded his insects to press the attack, then himself vanished, slipping away in a flash of dust-colored wind.

"Trying to run? Not that easy!" the black-robed man growled and transformed into a gust of black wind, chasing after him.

When Chen Jinshu arrived, the battlefield was already littered with insect corpses, some still twitching in agony.

"Quite the battle…" she murmured, then moved swiftly to pursue.

Two quarters of an hour later—

Chen Jinshu stood silently on a tree branch beside Xiao Yin holding her Lüqi Zither. She had followed and observed long enough to confirm the identity of the black-robed cultivator — Li Chenliang. His techniques were nearly identical to those from years ago.

Though both were at the peak of Qi Refining, the brutal exchange had left them severely wounded and drained.

"Fellow Daoist, how about we stop here?" the burly man said wearily, his robe torn and spirit energy depleted. "You can't kill me, and I can't kill you. Any further and we'll draw attention."

"Cultivation!" Li Chenliang's voice cracked, manic. He had already lost many spirit pets in the pursuit—how could he stop now?

At that moment, a ripping zither note rang out, instantly plunging both men's heart rates to a crawl. Chen Jinshu had flicked a string on her Lüqi Zither, sending green soundwaves rippling outward.

Ting…ting…dong…dong…

A graceful melody echoed through the air, but the illusionary soundwaves cut like blades. A crane's cry pierced the tune, sharp as shattered light, like it could tear the world apart.

She plucked the feather string with her ring finger, and the ground below erupted with azure, thorned vines that snared the stunned, motionless men. That first note had already pulled them into an illusory realm formed by her sound technique.

"Ahh!"

Li Chenliang groaned in agony, blood streaming from his eyes, ears, and nose, his face twisted in pain. The bearded man fared better, but his face was still violet with suffocation, as if invisible hands were crushing his throat.

Xiao Yin screeched from above, diving down and seizing both peacocks in its talons. Had Chen Jinshu not requested them alive, they would have died in an instant. She strummed again, and the music turned sharp — crane beaks morphed into blades, spearing toward the two men's throats.

Whoosh—

Spurt—

Blood arced into the air as both men's necks were pierced by those spectral crane beaks…