Chapter Seventy-Seven: Leaving the Spring Rain Pavilion

You Ruoying could not stand the way she drew attention to herself, and spoke in a clear voice, “Let’s stop dawdling here. Those two Golden Core cultivators might return at any moment.”

Qu Yiqiu had no intention of playing the savior; it was mere coincidence that she had rescued them. Supporting Li Qing, she said, “Fellow Daoist You is right. Let’s go up quickly. I’ll stay behind to cover the rear.”

Li Qing and the other women rose one after another, gazing at her with boundless gratitude.

You Ruoying was the first to peek out of the tunnel, surveying the surroundings. Once she was sure the two Golden Core cultivators were nowhere to be seen, she beckoned to the others.

Li Qing led everyone up in an orderly fashion. Qu Yiqiu watched them, her heart gradually settling, then quietly took several steps back.

She could not leave with them; if she encountered Huo Tangsheng again, he would undoubtedly see through her disguise.

Thinking herself unseen, Qu Yiqiu slipped into the depths of the darkness. She did not realize that a pair of icy blue eyes had already taken note of all her movements and now followed her in silence.

According to Jin Yiqiu, there were two long-distance teleportation arrays hidden in the deepest part of the dungeon.

One white, leading to a neutral city; one red, leading to the Venomous Manor.

All she needed to do was step into the white array.

Qu Yiqiu crouched on the damp stone floor, feeling for the carved petals of a lotus flower.

A moment later, the petals suddenly contracted and closed, forming a bud.

The floor beneath her sank, flipping her down to the lowest level of the dungeon.

Qu Yiqiu glanced quickly around and spotted the white and red teleportation arrays behind three thick stone pillars.

She did not immediately step into the white array, but circled around the red one first.

“Xiao Yan, can you tell where this array leads?” she communicated within her mind.

Xiao Yan shook his head. “It’s too far. I can’t sense its destination.”

Qu Yiqiu touched her nose, hesitating to approach with the Grand Shift Talisman in hand.

Jin Yiqiu must have had some tricks up her sleeve to have risen to the position of courtesan at the Spring Rain Pavilion. It was hard to believe she would so obediently reveal the location of the arrays.

“Huh? Master, I see someone behind you,” Xiao Yan suddenly said, puzzled.

Qu Yiqiu’s alarm bells rang. Spiritual energy surged within her, and she struck violently behind her.

Qian’er’s face was filled with terror. Qu Yiqiu’s attack was so fierce that she had no choice but to conjure a water shield in front of her.

“Senior, I came especially to thank you!”

The two blasts of energy collided in midair, and Qu Yiqiu instantly recognized Qian’er’s face, hastily withdrawing her power.

However, Qian’er could not retract her water shield so quickly. She stared at Qu Yiqiu in shock as the shield hurtled toward her.

Qu Yiqiu’s eyes widened. She quickly conjured a protective barrier before her, but was still knocked several yards back by the impact.

Qian’er hurriedly flicked out her fish’s tail, using its strength to catch hold of Qu Yiqiu. The two of them, both gripping the Grand Shift Talisman, happened to land on the white teleportation array. The formation flared with radiance, spinning slowly, and transmitted them away.

Qu Yiqiu was utterly bewildered.

Had she just seen Qian’er’s legs turn into a fish’s tail?

In the span of a few breaths, they arrived at the other end of the array.

Qu Yiqiu looked at Qian’er, whose face was pale as paper, and could not help glancing at her lower half.

Legs again?

Qian’er, drained, released Qu Yiqiu’s hand and pulled a crystal vial from her neck, pouring its contents into her mouth.

Qu Yiqiu seized the chance to survey their surroundings, then looked back at Qian’er.

“You’re from the merfolk?”

After drinking from the vial, Qian’er’s color improved somewhat. At Qu Yiqiu’s question, her eyes darted nervously, arms crossed, her head shaking vigorously like a rattle drum as she denied it, “I—I’m not—I’m human… Qian’er is human, not a demon, please don’t kill me!”

Qu Yiqiu blinked. She was clearly merfolk.

“All right, I believe you’re not a demon.”

“I’m not a demon, I’m not…” Qian’er suddenly looked up, her watery eyes full of sincerity. “Thank you for believing me. Qian’er really isn’t a demon!”

Qu Yiqiu nodded. She was about to ask why Qian’er had followed her when Xiao Yan’s warning sounded in her mind.

“Master, there’s a baleful aura approaching.”

A cold glint flashed across Qu Yiqiu’s face. With a swift motion, she struck Qian’er lightly on the head, drawing her into the spirit beast pouch, and sent a message, “Don’t speak. A demonic cultivator is coming.”

Qian’er, confused, stayed in the tiny space of the pouch, her heart pounding like a drum.

“My benefactor found out I’m merfolk… what do I do, what do I do, will she kill me? Father, Mother… wuwuwu…”

Qu Yiqiu held the pouch tightly, afraid Qian’er would suddenly pop out.

The ancient door opened quietly, and a withered figure appeared.

“Ningning, what brings you here?” Wu Dingshan’s voice was hoarse and aged.

Qu Yiqiu turned slightly aside to avoid his burning gaze. “Elder Wei sent me.”

Jin Yiqiu, that wretch, truly couldn’t be trusted—even in death she left her with a pitfall.

After she left the Elegant Chamber, her master-servant pact with Jin Yiqiu had been severed.

It was clear that Jin Yiqiu had met with misfortune, but who had acted against her?

Wu Dingshan chuckled deeply. “Ningning, you’re just in time. There’s something I wish to give you.”

Qu Yiqiu eyed him warily. What was he trying to give her now?

This man looked to be at the end of his years, his aura very similar to Wei Juan’s.

Could he be the master of the Venomous Manor?

Wu Dingshan’s sparse white brows twitched, a strange light flickering in his eyes. “You seem much quieter today, Ningning. Are you not pleased with your master’s reward?”

Qu Yiqiu collected herself and replied with a playful smile, “You overthink, Master. I’m simply so overjoyed that I’m left speechless!”

Wu Dingshan seemed in excellent spirits. He grinned broadly, then, moving as swiftly as lightning, seized Qu Yiqiu by the shoulder and tossed her onto the couch, throwing an ancient round box into her hands.

Qu Yiqiu was too startled to move, fearing the old fox might try something inappropriate.

Wu Dingshan threw his head back and laughed, his skeletal hands clasped behind him as he turned to look outside.

“Guard the pill well for me. I want to see which of those two children finds out first that you have it.”

With those baffling words, he strode out, laughing with his hands behind his back.

Qu Yiqiu let out a deep breath.

She had not expected the old fiend to leave so quickly; it seemed someone was waiting for him outside.

She looked around, recalling the scene before the door closed, and suspected she was in the back of Wu Dingshan’s personal chambers.

Her spiritual sense was blocked by an invisible barrier. Nothing could get in or out.

“Xiao Yan, do you think you could evade that old man’s spiritual sense?”

Xiao Yan tilted his head, replying earnestly, “His aura is peculiar—too much baleful energy. His spiritual sense might be stronger than other cultivators of the same rank. But the space here is rich with spiritual power now, vast and potent. If I absorb some, I should be able to avoid his detection.”

Qu Yiqiu ran her fingers along the array carved on the edge of the ancient box, and asked inwardly, “If you absorb the space’s power, will it affect anything here?”