While Xia Ning Chang and Yang Kai lay asleep, wrapped in each other's warmth beneath the dim moonlight leaking through the inn's paper windows, the quiet peace of the night masked a growing storm outside.
Unknown to them, two groups hidden within the same inn were already stirring—watching, waiting.
In a separate room lit only by the flicker of candles, the air was thick with suppressed bloodlust. Long Hui sat with a cold sneer on his face, surrounded by a few members of the Blood Group. Their robes bore faint crimson patterns like dried blood, and each man carried an aura that whispered of countless lives taken without mercy.
Long Hui's expression twisted as he leaned forward, fingers drumming against the wooden table.
"Lord Wen," he said with disdain wrapped in arrogance, "when do we begin? That dog Yang Kai is here. With your strength, seizing him should be trivial, right?"
The man addressed—Wen Fei Chen—smiled lightly, eyes half-closed, but the air around him grew sharp. He was no ordinary cultivator. At the True Element Boundary Fifth Stage, his presence alone distorted the temperature in the room. A respected elder in the Blood Group, Wen Fei Chen was not someone to offend lightly.
"I can begin whenever you wish, Young Master Long," Wen Fei Chen said calmly. "This town is small. Its people won't stir unless a battle shakes the heavens. With my methods, no one will know a thing."
Long Hui smirked. "Good. That bastard dared to meddle with my woman. Tonight, I'll make sure he never does it again. As for that icy girl he clings to... she'll warm my bed soon enough."
A few Blood Group men chuckled lowly at his crude declaration, but Wen Fei Chen's face remained unreadable.
"Master Long," he said slowly, "may I offer a suggestion before we act?"
Long Hui raised a brow, impatient. "What is it?"
Wen Fei Chen steepled his fingers. "I have been wondering... Why would they travel this far, from the High Heaven Pavilion, to a remote town like this—on horseback, no less?"
"You think there's something else going on?"
"Most likely," Wen said. "This isn't just a romantic getaway or a coward's escape. I suspect they're here for Black Wind Mountain. There's something hidden there. A treasure, perhaps. Something worth protecting."
Long Hui frowned, his anger briefly tempered by curiosity. "Black Wind Mountain? That cursed place? People go looking for riches there and vanish without a trace."
"And yet they've come," Wen Fei Chen said with a small, knowing smile. "Not from the usual entrance, either. They avoided the front gates. That tells me they know exactly where to go—and what they want."
Long Hui's eyes lit up with a greedy gleam. "So we follow them in, let them take the risks, and once they find it… we take it all?"
"Exactly," Wen nodded. "We capture the woman, kill the boy if necessary, and claim the prize for ourselves. It's a far more elegant solution than launching an attack now and alerting the surrounding sects."
"But…" Long Hui hesitated, voice a little strained, "...what if they flee tonight?"
"They won't," Wen said confidently. "The girl is barely recovering. They'll rest at least one more day. And even if they do flee, I've stationed six elite cultivators outside—masters at the Separation and Reunion Boundary. No one escapes from that net."
Long Hui sat back in his chair, slowly grinning. "You've planned ahead, I see."
"I always do," Wen Fei Chen said simply.
There was a pause as Long Hui considered his options. His lustful eyes drifted toward the window, toward the room he knew Xia Ning Chang slept in.
"...But I could have the girl tonight, couldn't I?" he murmured.
"You could," Wen replied, his tone polite but carrying a hidden weight. "But Master Long… if you wait, you may have both the girl and the treasure. A few more days of patience may bring you far greater pleasure."
Long Hui clenched his jaw, torn between immediate gratification and the promise of greater gain. After a long moment, he leaned back and laughed.
"Hmph. Fine. I'll wait. But when the time comes…" his smile turned cruel, "I want to be the one who breaks that cold façade of hers."
Wen Fei Chen nodded. "As you wish."
Outside the inn, hidden by shadows and layered formations, six cloaked figures stood on watch, each one a silent predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
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The mountain before them loomed like a sleeping titan, its jagged silhouette brushing the sky. It cast a deep shadow across the land, as if guarding the valley cradled beneath it. From their perch atop the cliff edge, Yang Kai and Xia Ning Chang looked down upon the natural amphitheater below—perfectly circular, like it had been carved by divine hands.
The valley was vast, spanning at least several dozen li across, yet serene. From this height, the depth of the descent was dizzying—nearly three hundred feet straight down. Yet, instead of danger, the scene below was tranquil. A sea of green foliage blanketed the valley floor, interrupted by the occasional shimmer of clear brooks and the distant sparkle of dewdrops on leaf-tips. Birds chirped, wind whispered, and for a moment, it felt like they had stumbled into a world untouched by violence.
Verdant hills, limpid waters… the scenery was breathtaking.
Xia Ning Chang held up her delicate wrist and examined the jade bracelet carefully. The faint blue glow that pulsed across its surface dimmed entirely, a sign of peace. Relief washed over her delicate face, and she beamed like a spring blossom.
"Our luck is very good," she said, her voice lighter than before. "There aren't any formidable demonic beasts down there."
She exhaled deeply, her shoulders relaxing. The journey through the Black Wind Forest had been tense, each step a gamble against the unknown. That they had managed to avoid so many deadly encounters was nothing short of miraculous. Had her bracelet not revealed safe paths, they might've never reached this place in one piece.
"But…" Yang Kai narrowed his eyes as he stared down at the valley. "It looks very ordinary. Peaceful, even."
"It's not time yet," Xia Ning Chang said with a cryptic smile, her eyes sparkling with secrets. "This place… it hides its true face well. If Master hadn't stumbled upon it by accident years ago, we might never have known its significance."
She turned to him, voice softening with reverence. "It was here that he first conceived the method to refine the Nine Yin Dew Crystals. The moment he saw this valley, he felt the peculiar gathering of Yin Qi, like water preparing to freeze into ice. Everything began from that realization."
Yang Kai crossed his arms and frowned. "Then why did he leave at such a critical time? Also… you still haven't told me how exactly I'm supposed to help you obtain these Nine Yin Dew Crystals."
They had been rushing for days, barely sparing time for sleep, and though Yang Kai hadn't questioned things until now, the mystery gnawed at him. What if the opportunity came and passed before he even understood what to do?
Xia Ning Chang avoided his gaze, the wind catching the edges of her black robes and fluttering her hair like ink flowing through water.
"When the time comes," she said gently, "I'll tell you everything."
Her words were vague, but her tone was steady, as though she had unwavering faith in him.
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Although Xia Ning Chang had told him this place was safe, it was always wise to be cautious.After inspecting the mountain valley, he couldn't find any signs of danger nearby.Yang Kai had to wait until the afternoon of the next day before Xia Ning Chang finally returned to the mountain valley.Even though he didn't know what she had arranged around the valley, he could tell it had consumed a significant amount of her World Qi, judging by her pale complexion."I'm going to rest first. Tonight, between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., the Nine Yin Dew Crystals will gather and open. They will remain open until sunrise. We must locate and obtain them; if we fail within that time, they will go into hiding again," Xia Ning Chang said anxiously before placing several grains of compounding medicine in her mouth and forcing herself to keep it shut.She then sat down to meditate.Yang Kai stood beside her, guarding her while following the Buddhist law—motionless like a statue.
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Somewhere near the mountain valley, several miles away, the members of the Blood Group and Storm House were distressed.
After following Yang Kai and Xia Ning Chang into the interior of Black Wind Mountain, they had suffered great losses.
There were originally 17 people; now only 13 remained. The others had lost their lives to the constant demonic beast attacks.
The Blood Group still had seven members left, but they had once again lost a Separation and Reunion Boundary master. Now, only three such masters remained. Many of them were wounded—Wei Fei Chen's chest was stained with blood, and the two remaining Qi Transforming Stage disciples were utterly exhausted.
In the Storm House group, only six people remained. Apart from Nu Lang, who was in the Qi Transforming First Stage, there were four disciples at the Initial Element Stage. The final member had incredibly good luck—his only injury was a blow to the head, which had left him mentally disabled.
Out of everyone present, the only one still in perfect condition was Long Hui.
His status was special. Even during the most intense battles, he was protected and kept in the center of the formation. Naturally, that made him nearly impossible to harm or kill.
After pursuing Yang Kai for several days, Long Hui finally lost his patience. "Hallmaster Wen, do we still need to keep chasing? Continuing like this will only cause more losses. When Grandfather investigates, who will take responsibility?"
Wen Fei Chen was thoroughly angered by Long Hui's attempt to push the blame onto him. If it weren't for wanting to please you, I wouldn't have made this decision. If I'd known how dangerous this journey would be, would I have had the guts to follow? If so, I'd have already killed Yang Kai in that small village.
Though he thought this inwardly, Wen Fei Chen only said, "There's no need to pursue them any further. It's clear they've already reached their destination. That mountain valley ahead seems to be their goal."
As soon as he heard those words, Long Hui's expression changed. "What did you just say? You mean the thing they're looking for is just up ahead?"
"That's right. They should have arrived there yesterday. But even after all this time, they still haven't moved, so it's likely they've reached their destination," Wen Fei Chen smirked.
"Then what are we still waiting for? Didn't we chase them all the way here for this moment?" Long Hui's heart pounded. Obtaining treasures was secondary—what he truly wanted was to see Xia Ning Chang's true appearance. He had held himself back for so many days already—how could he keep holding it in?
Wen Fei Chen only smiled. "Although they've reached their destination, it seems they haven't found what they're looking for just yet. Young Master Long, please bear with it a bit longer. I promise the girl won't fly away."
Long Hui was growing impatient. Wen Fei Chen had said the same thing back in the small village. And during their journey here, they had suffered heavy losses. Naturally, he was unwilling to keep waiting.
But he couldn't express his frustration openly. So, after thinking it over for a while, he finally said, "Then we'll wait two more days. If they haven't moved by then, we will!"
Wen Fei Chen nodded helplessly and sighed internally. Someone like Long Hui, who only has women on his mind, will never amount to anything in the future.