"A teacher like master, a disciple like student. Senior Sister Xiao, let's stay far away from her, or we'll end up harmed by her."
A disciple of the One Spirit Sect tugged at Xiao Nishang's sleeve and stepped back himself.
"Heh, so you still remember I'm your senior sister? Since that's the case, you should know what happens when you frame me. I haven't settled the score with you yet." Liu Jing curled her lips, her eyes sparkling as if all of Xiao Nishang's past deeds were laid bare before her.
"Fine, if Senior Sister won't accept my goodwill, so be it." Xiao Nishang's heart fluttered in panic as she stumbled back a few steps, turned, and left, her face still wearing that expression of wanting to cry but daring not to.
"What's with the arrogance? After what happened, if it were me, I'd be too ashamed to even step outside. But she has the nerve to bully the weak right in our own ranks."
"What do you know? Her master's a shameless wretch, so naturally she's got no face to lose either."
Liu Jing's face suddenly turned cold. A sword appeared in her hand, and she pointed it directly at the gossiping Spirit Sect disciple, fuming, "What did you say? Say it again if you dare."
"Say it? Think I'm scared of you? I said your master is a shameless slut who cheated her way to the elder position with dirty tricks, and on top of that, she's been entangled with several elders. When it all came to light, she turned around and blamed others."
"My master didn't cheat! She won the elder position fair and square. She was completely set up by someone else." Liu Jing gripped her sword hilt tightly, using all her strength to keep the blade from piercing the man's throat.
"You—"
"Enough, stop it! Haven't you embarrassed us enough?" Xiao Nishang, seeing she had achieved the desired effect, immediately scolded that disciple.
"Senior Sister, I'm sorry, I didn't expect him to blurt all that out."
"Save your fake kindness." Liu Jing sheathed her sword without even glancing at her.
"What a show." Ye Lanshan clapped slowly, her mocking gaze fixed squarely on Xiao Nishang's face.
"Who do you think you are to talk about our Senior Sister like that?"
If they couldn't touch Liu Jing, surely they could deal with this pretty boy? A Spirit Sect disciple, his face dark, launched a killing strike at him.
"Silken Rain."
Ye Lanshan dodged his attack and threw out a mystic technique.
Everyone's jaws dropped in shock. A ninth-level Grand Mystic General? Who would've thought this weak-looking kid was so strong?
That Spirit Sect disciple died under Ye Lanshan's technique, and Xiao Nishang's face twisted in shock. Her expression darkened as she turned to Ye Lanshan, her entire aura beginning to rise.
After all, as the leader in the scramble for the Twin Fruit, how could she be weak? Unlike that unlucky Liu Jing, she had nothing suppressing her cultivation.
She suddenly unleashed her aura—a first-level Mystic Emperor General, far above Ye Lanshan's level.
"Killing one of my Spirit Sect disciples for no reason—don't you owe me an explanation?"
"What, dropping the act? Good, it's tiring to watch you pretend anyway."
Ye Lanshan fanned herself leisurely, showing no sign of remorse for taking a life.
"Wooden Thorns."
Xiao Nishang, face grim, launched an attack at her.
Yet Ye Lanshan kept fanning herself calmly, unconcerned about her situation, until the attack was nearly upon her. Only then did she lazily unleash Devour.
Though she was only an eighth-level Grand Mystic General, her actual combat power rivaled a first-level Mystic Emperor General. With Devour, an ancient killing weapon, there was no way she'd lose to Xiao Nishang.
"How... how is this possible?" Xiao Nishang stumbled back, unable to believe that a first-level Mystic Emperor General like her couldn't beat an eighth-level Grand Mystic General.
"If you have nothing else, miss, we'll be on our way." Ye Lanshan smirked, her extraordinary bearing nearly dazzling Xiao Nishang.
So handsome—why hadn't she noticed how striking this pretty boy was before?
In her daze, Ye Lanshan and her group had already disappeared into the distance.
"Hey, spill it. What's going on? What's the deal with your master?" Walking along, Ye Lanshan finally asked Liu Jing in a low voice.
Liu Jing remained silent, unwilling to say anything. Ye Lanshan didn't press further—she wasn't one to meddle anyway. Helping her out multiple times was already generous; if Liu Jing didn't want to talk, she wouldn't force it.
Ye Yutian watched coldly, his tolerance for the group's pleasantries solely for Ye Lanshan's sake. He wouldn't lift a finger for anyone else.
Yue Shu, seemingly pure as the world itself, was actually the most heartless, so he naturally stayed out of it.
As for Mu Xinlian, her emotions had all but faded away, leaving only guilt toward Yue Shu and nearly all her remaining feelings focused on Ye Lanshan.
The journey was heavy with silence, no one speaking.
"Don't worry. If she really gets on your nerves, I'll take her out for you." Ye Lanshan, seeing Liu Jing trudging ahead without a word, gently patted her shoulder. After all, Liu Jing was one of her few friends, and she'd help where she could.
"Is this the way to the Misty Forest?" Ye Yutian glanced at the path. If he remembered correctly, it led there.
"Right, didn't I mention earlier? I need to bring a group out." Ye Lanshan nodded, her tone warmer toward him.
"The Misty Forest? I've heard a demon sleeps there. Isn't it too dangerous to go in blindly?" Yue Shu knew of the Misty Forest.
Despite his frail appearance, he'd been everywhere on this continent—even the legendary Sunset Mountain Range, where few returned, he'd braved.
"Don't worry, the demon's not there anymore." Ye Lanshan thought of Shangguan Xin in her space, locked in a fierce struggle with Wu Tengyun. He was nothing like the terrifying tales made him out to be.
Clearly, she'd forgotten her first encounter with Shangguan Xin.
"Huh?" The group voiced their confusion. "How do you know the demon's not there?"
"I know because I have my ways. Why do you need to ask?" Ye Lanshan gave a dismissive look, hardly about to tell them the demon was in her space, brawling like a child.
"Ye Lanshan, I think I'll part ways here. I really have to go back now." Liu Jing forced a bitter smile, holding a butterfly in her hand that quickly turned into a letter.
Without a second thought, Ye Lanshan pulled several bottles of pills from her space and pressed them into Liu Jing's hand, tapping her own head as she said, "Remember, in a place like the One Spirit Sect, full of scheming, you need more than just strength—you need this."
"Got it. Don't worry, my promise to support you isn't just talk." Ye Lanshan would never realize that in that moment, she'd gained a loyal companion who would stop at nothing, sacrifice anything, to protect her life.