Outskirts of the Luoyun Mountain Range.
“It’s this area.” Lu Xueqing crouched down and pushed aside a cluster of shrubs, revealing a deep claw mark on the ground. “Tracks from an ironback bear. Judging by the size of the print, it’s an adult, at least at the sixth level of Qi Refining.”
Bai Qingxue crouched down to examine it. There was fresh soil at the edges of the print; it must have been left within the last two days.
She looked into the forest in the direction of the tracks and could faintly smell a rank, musky odor mixed with the scent of damp, decaying leaves. It didn’t seem right.
“It’s not just one,” Bai Qingxue said.
Lu Xueqing looked at her. “How can you tell?”
“The directions of the tracks don’t match. Some go north, others go west, and the spacing varies. If it were the same bear, the tracks would be continuous. But these marks look like several bears converged on a single point from different directions.” Bai Qingxue pointed to several tracks leading in different ways. “There are at least four.”
Lu Xueqing looked closely, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. “Junior Sister, you have excellent observation skills.”
She stood up and continued, “Ironback bears are usually solitary and highly territorial; they don’t gather together. Unless—”
“Unless something drove them to the same place,” Bai Qingxue finished.
The two looked at each other in silence.
Lu Xueqing unsheathed the sword at her waist, its blade glowing with a faint spiritual light. “Be careful. Stay behind me.”
Bai Qingxue nodded, her right hand gripping the hilt of the Frost Condensation Sword.
They headed deeper into the forest, following the tracks. The light grew dimmer as the canopy above thickened, almost entirely blocking out the sky.
The rank stench in the air grew stronger, now mingled with a faint scent of herbs.
Lu Xueqing suddenly stopped, her brow furrowed tight.
“Monster Control Incense.” She lowered her voice, her expression changing slightly. “Someone is using this to manipulate monsters.”
Bai Qingxue looked at her.
Lu Xueqing pointed a finger, and with a slight surge of spiritual power, several wisps of dark red smoke faintly appeared in the air. They were extremely thin and nearly impossible to notice without careful inspection. She explained, “This is a method used by demonic cultivators. Monsters become violent and lose their reason when they smell it. I’ve seen records of it in the sect’s ancient texts; it affects cultivators too.”
She then looked at Bai Qingxue with concern. “How are you feeling right now?”
“I’m fine,” Bai Qingxue said. “My constitution isn’t very sensitive to these things.”
Lu Xueqing nodded and didn’t ask further, though she tightened her grip on her sword. “Anyone capable of setting up such a formation wouldn't be below the late stage of Qi Refining. We’ll retreat as soon as we find the source; don't try to force a confrontation.”
They continued deeper. The forest grew denser, and the light dimmed to a twilight gloom. The cloyingly sweet herbal scent grew stronger, mixing with the musky rankness of monsters to create a nauseating smell.
Pushing through a patch of low shrubs, they suddenly reached an opening.
It was a naturally formed hollow surrounded by giant trees. In the center of the clearing stood a black wooden stake about the thickness of an arm, with a wisp of dark red smoke burning at its tip.
The pillar of smoke was very thin but remained cohesive, rising straight toward the canopy and weaving a nearly invisible net through the trees.
Around the stake, seven or eight monsters were either lying or standing. There were ironback bears, wind wolves, and several massive grey-maned boars. They were as still as statues, their eyes clouded and red, saliva dripping from their mouths. Occasionally, one would let out a low breath, yet they remained entirely peaceful toward one another.
“The formation core,” Lu Xueqing whispered. “That stake is the heart of the Soul Control Formation. Destroy it, and these monsters will regain their senses.”
Just as Bai Qingxue was about to speak, the wind wolf closest to them twitched its nose.
It had caught the scent of strangers.
Its clouded, dark red eyes snapped toward the shrubs where they were hiding, and a low whimper escaped its throat. The sound wasn't loud, but it pierced the silence of the clearing like a needle.
Every monster raised its head at once.
Several pairs of dark red eyes stared straight at them.
“Retreat.” Lu Xueqing grabbed Bai Qingxue’s wrist and stepped back.
It was too late.
The wind wolf lunged first, followed by a second and a third. The heavy footsteps of the ironback bears made the ground tremble, and the grey-maned boars lowered their heads, tusks forward, like a moving wall.
“Junior Sister, I’ll hold them off. You go destroy the formation core.” Lu Xueqing released Bai Qingxue’s wrist and charged forward.
With a flash of sword light, the leading wind wolf was forced back. Lu Xueqing’s sword technique was sharp and steady, each strike perfectly blocking a monster’s path without wasting a drop of spiritual power. However, there were too many monsters for her to restrain them all.
An ironback bear bypassed her defense and lunged at Bai Qingxue.
Bai Qingxue did not retreat.
Frost.
The moment the Frost Condensation Sword was unsheathed, a thick frost mist exploded outward, covering a radius of several yards. The ironback bear’s vision was obscured, its lunge veering slightly off-course as it brushed past Bai Qingxue’s shoulder. She moved silently through the mist, circling to the bear’s side.
Ice Seal.
The tip of her sword tapped the ironback bear’s hind leg. Pale blue spiritual light sank into its flesh, and white frost spread, causing the bear’s movements to visibly stutter for an instant.
It was only an instant, but it was enough.
Bai Qingxue didn’t linger to fight. Using the frost mist as cover, she dashed toward the black wooden stake in the center of the clearing.
Another wind wolf blocked her path. She leaned to the side to dodge its pounce and delivered a backhand strike into its shoulder blade, channeling her Ice Spirit power through the sword’s tip. The wolf’s front leg stiffened, and it lost its balance, sliding across the ground.
Three yards. Two yards. One yard.
“Left!”
Lu Xueqing’s voice came from behind.
Bai Qingxue glanced sideways. A grey-maned boar was charging her with its head down, its tusks glinting coldly, less than three feet away. There was no time to dodge.
But Bai Qingxue didn’t stop. Instead, she jumped at the exact moment of impact, her toes tapping the boar’s rough head to launch herself into the air. The boar couldn't stop its momentum and slammed into a tree root.
Taking advantage of the opening, Bai Qingxue poured all her Ice Spirit spiritual power into her blade and swung downward.
Shatter Ice.
The sword qi bit into the stake, splitting it down the middle. The dark red smoke ceased instantly.
The monsters in the clearing froze in unison. Their clouded, dark red pupils began to clear. They looked around blankly as if waking from a nightmare, then one by one, they turned and dragged their exhausted bodies into the depths of the dense forest.
Bai Qingxue stood where she was, gasping for breath. Over half her spiritual power was depleted, her shoulder throbbed where the ironback bear had grazed her, and her right hand shook uncontrollably as she held her sword.
“Don’t move.”
Lu Xueqing had appeared beside her at some point. She placed a hand gently on Bai Qingxue’s shoulder while the other pulled back the torn fabric of her robe to inspect the wound.
“It’s okay, just a graze. It didn’t hit the bone.” Lu Xueqing took a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve, poured out some medicinal powder, and carefully applied it to Bai Qingxue’s wound. Her movements were light, as if she were afraid of causing pain.
Bai Qingxue looked down at that hand, remaining silent.
After applying the medicine, Lu Xueqing took out a clean strip of cloth to bandage her. As she worked, she said, “That was far too dangerous. If you hadn’t jumped over it, those tusks would have run you through.”
“I was confident I could make the jump,” Bai Qingxue said calmly, as if she hadn't just been in peril.
Lu Xueqing looked up at her and gave a helpless smile. “Yes, you did make the jump.”
She finished tying the bandage and looked Bai Qingxue over once more to ensure there were no other injuries before letting out a sigh of relief.
“Anywhere else feel uncomfortable?”
“No.”
Lu Xueqing nodded, put away the medicine bottle, and stood up. Her gaze fell on the shattered stake.
Bai Qingxue crouched down and picked up a fragment. Its surface was engraved with intricate runes, the dark red lines looking as if they had been painted with blood. It was ice-cold to the touch.
“A Soul Control Formation.” Lu Xueqing took the fragment and examined it, her brow furrowing. “The person who set this up must be at least at the late stage of Qi Refining. It’s a good thing they weren’t nearby, or we would have been in for a fierce battle.”
She handed the fragment back to Bai Qingxue, her tone becoming serious. “When we return, give this fragment to Elder Liu and explain the situation here in detail. It’s no small matter for such methods to appear near Xuantian Sect.”
Bai Qingxue put the fragment into her storage bag and nodded.
Lu Xueqing looked at her and suddenly smiled, reaching out to pat her uninjured shoulder.
“I owe you today, Junior Sister.”
Bai Qingxue looked at her, and after a moment of silence, replied softly, “I wouldn’t have been able to charge in if Senior Sister hadn’t been blocking them.”
Lu Xueqing’s smile deepened at those words.
A mountain breeze blew past, causing Bai Qingxue’s hair—damp from sweat and mist—to cling to her cheeks. Those few strands of white hair were exceptionally striking in the dim light.
Lu Xueqing stared at those strands. Her fingers twitched, and as if possessed, she reached out toward them.
Halfway there, Bai Qingxue tilted her head slightly.
The movement was subtle, almost imperceptible, but Lu Xueqing’s hand froze in mid-air.
She suddenly realized how much she was overstepping. She was just a senior sister; they had only met a few times and shared one mission.
Tucking someone’s hair was too intimate.
“…Sorry,” Lu Xueqing whispered, preparing to withdraw her hand.
But Bai Qingxue didn’t dodge again.
After a moment of silence, Bai Qingxue tilted her head slightly toward her, an almost imperceptible sign of permission.
Lu Xueqing’s heart skipped a beat. She used her fingertips to gently tuck those few strands of hair behind Bai Qingxue’s ear. Her fingers brushed against the cool skin, feeling like she had touched a thin sheet of ice. The sensation was chilly, yet it made her fingertips burn slightly.
“There.” She withdrew her hand, her voice a bit dry.
Bai Qingxue gave a quiet “mm,” her expression as calm as ever.
Lu Xueqing didn’t say anything else. She turned and said, “Let’s go, Junior Sister Bai.”
Bai Qingxue nodded.
The two headed back the way they came. Lu Xueqing walked in front at a moderate pace, making sure Bai Qingxue could follow without effort. She looked back occasionally to ensure Bai Qingxue hadn’t fallen behind or was pushing herself too hard.
“Junior Sister, make sure to rest well for a few days once we’re back. Don’t let that shoulder wound get wet, and change the medicinal powder every day.”
“Mm.”
“Next time there’s a mission, why don’t we pair up again? Two people are more stable than one.”
Bai Qingxue was silent for a moment before slowly agreeing, “Alright.”
Lu Xueqing smiled and said no more.
The light along the mountain path grew brighter as they emerged from the dense forest. In the distance, toward Tianshu City, the swirling clouds and mist made the view unclear.
Bai Qingxue followed behind, her expression as calm as usual.
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