Chapter 82: The Ancestor’s Belated Rebellion (9)

Towering mountains rose in succession, dense forests sprawled, and thorns covered the land.

A group of people now moved swiftly through the thicket, their passage pressing grass and foliage aside, only for them to rebound and restore their original form once the group had passed.

“They’re not chasing us anymore, are they?”

“No... they aren’t.”

Jiang He signaled for everyone to be quiet, making sure no pursuers remained behind before letting out a breath. “Rest here.”

She turned and handed Ling Qiong some water. “Ancestor, would you like some?”

Ling Qiong leaned against a tall tree, her expression showing little fatigue.

After Ling Qiong’s identity had been exposed, Yan Weishan had hardly spoken before launching an attack.

Yan Weishan was the first to strike, and the others naturally followed suit.

Jiang He and her group couldn’t allow Ling Qiong to face danger alone, so they joined the chaos.

Yan Weishan targeted Ling Qiong with determination, his intent clear: to make her pay for his disciple’s death.

But Ling Qiong was not so easily subdued.

Yan Weishan couldn’t land a blow on her, and she even used him as a makeshift weapon, inadvertently injuring several of his allies.

And the outcome?

Ling Qiong had just begun to relish the fight, certain she could sweep through her foes, when Jiang He and the others dragged her away to flee.

“…”

She truly could have done it!

From Jiang He’s perspective, their side was outnumbered and outmatched, so escape was the only sensible option.

When the opportunity arose, she immediately pulled her little ancestor to safety.

“We need to alert the elders at once. Yuelu Manor can no longer be our refuge.” Now that the people of Tianqing Sect knew she and the ancestor were together, suspicion would soon fall on Yuelu Manor.

The elders’ plan wasn’t meant to be exposed so soon…

But it hardly mattered; sooner or later, confrontation was inevitable—this was merely ahead of schedule.

“Little ancestor, senior brother, this place feels… off.” It was too quiet.

Ling Qiong tilted her head upward; a pair of dark red eyes stared back, only a few meters above.

Her expression unchanged, she lowered her gaze and pointed upward. “There’s a snake.”

Everyone: “!!!”

They all looked up.

A massive black serpent lay coiled among the treetops, its head hanging directly over Ling Qiong, tongue flickering slowly.

“Hiss hiss hiss~”

Jiang He focused on the snake, gesturing to Ling Qiong. “Ancestor, don’t—Ancestor?” Where did she go?!

From the corner of her eye, Jiang He saw nothing but empty ground below.

“Senior brother! The ancestor has fled!”

Ling Qiong was already dozens of meters away, her figure nearly concealed by the dense vegetation.

Everyone: “…”

She hadn’t moved so fast when they were being pursued earlier!

“Hiss hiss~”

The black serpent flicked its tongue, slowly opening its blood-red maw, poised to strike.

“What are you waiting for? After her!” If they didn’t hurry, the ancestor would vanish completely.

—Page 1/3—

The group finally snapped to attention and rushed after her.

The black serpent pursued from above, moving through the treetops much faster than they could run on the ground.

They’d just escaped one chase, and now another—this time by a snake. The feeling was anything but pleasant.

“Senior brother, senior brother, the ancestor… the ancestor’s gone!”

The dense forest ahead was silent; Ling Qiong left no trace.

Behind, leaves rustled and branches occasionally snapped—the serpent was drawing closer.

“We need to lure the snake away, split up to search for the ancestor. Once you find her, fire a signal flare.” Jiang He divided the flares among the group and sent them off.

…

Ling Qiong had run a fair distance, and when silence settled behind her, she slowed and finally stopped.

“Whew…”

Such a massive snake—truly terrifying.

She pressed a hand to her chest, exhaling deeply.

Once she’d recovered, something felt amiss.

Where was Jiang He and her group?

Those who should have been close behind were now nowhere to be found.

“…”

Were they really that slow?

Ling Qiong decided to wait for them.

But she waited and waited—no one appeared.

She scratched her head and spun in place, finally sighing and turning back.

Her disciples were such a worry.

Couldn’t even flee properly!

She’d have to go back and find them herself.

And there was a snake!

She was scared!

She’d run too fast before, not noticing how thick the vegetation was; now, retracing her steps was difficult.

The leaves were sharp, and any misstep risked a cut.

Ling Qiong grew frustrated, wanting to take flight, but the trees were too close together.

She kicked the undergrowth, thoughts of giving up swirling through her mind.

Just as she kicked a second time, intending to quit, her peripheral vision caught a flash of gold.

Golden light shimmered behind the grass; her kicking had disturbed the thicket, revealing more.

Ling Qiong crossed her arms and stood for a minute, then, like a thief, parted the grass to peer through.

…Nothing useful.

The glow was further away.

Ling Qiong made her way, stumbling through, until finally she saw, behind a lush patch of vegetation, a person lying prone.

“Lou Xingluo”—the name shone in bold, dazzling golden characters above his head.

Ling Qiong: “…”

Wow! My little cub is online!

But this manner of arrival…

Was he even breathing?

—Page 2/3—

[Dear, he’s alive, but if you don’t act, he may not last much longer.] The flashing system appeared instantly.

Ling Qiong: “…”

Hmph, some dogs run quicker than lightning when it’s time to scam money!

Ling Qiong took a breath and held it, her cheeks puffing out.

She rolled the person over, and upon seeing his face, her mood improved, feeling she could carry on for a few more seconds.

Lou Xingluo looked no more than seventeen or eighteen, eyes tightly shut, long, slightly curled lashes casting shadows beneath his lids.

His fair skin bore scratches, beads of blood clinging to them, lending an unexpected charm.

His lips were full and pleasing, though their paleness made him seem fragile.

The pale purple robe was covered in subtle dark patterns, understated yet luxurious… likely quite valuable.

Ling Qiong cupped her face, her lips curving ever upward. Truly beautiful…

[Dear, won’t you draw a card?] If she kept staring, the target would die!

“…” Ling Qiong’s smile fell flat. “No money.”

[……]

Ling Qiong genuinely had no money.

Lately, she only had to ask and someone would bring what she needed; she’d never seen what currency looked like in this world.

Was she supposed to mortgage her kidneys?

With nothing in hand, the system had nothing to say.

Ling Qiong lifted him up, finding no fatal wounds.

But his breathing was weak, his pulse barely discernible…

…

Lou Xingluo opened his eyes to a sky full of stars, flames dancing at the edge of his vision, and faint whispers of wind.

The scent of grass and leaves drifted in with the breeze, carrying the dampness of the night, cool and refreshing.

Yet, one side of his body felt unusually hot, his skin burning.

He lowered his head; beside him, a fire blazed fiercely, roasting meat above its flames.

The meat was crisp and golden, oil dripping into the fire with a sizzle.

The aroma of cooked meat overtook the scent of vegetation.

Lou Xingluo swallowed, propping himself up.

The surroundings were empty—no one in sight.

He tugged at his robe, revealing his calf.

His leg had been bandaged, blood seeping through, staining the cloth with dark marks.

He reached out to touch the butterfly-shaped knot, then looked around.

Who had saved him?

“Don’t come any closer!” A girl’s clear voice rang suddenly from the darkness.

That voice seemed fearful, as if she’d encountered some danger.

———Little Theater———
Little Fairy: Don’t come any closer!
Little Angel: Got tickets!
Little Fairy: Come on! I’m ready! Let **** come at me even harder!
—Page 3/3—