Chapter 81: Lying in Wait

Bai Ruyu's face was ashen, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. She pressed a teleportation talisman to her body and vanished from where she stood.

Liu Xixi, Jue Ming, and Liu Mei were even more battered—faces bluish, shivering from the cold, coughing up blood. Liu Xixi’s golden-backed mantis was barely clinging to life; she quickly took out a healing pill, swallowed one, and tossed a black-colored pellet to the mantis—a special beast-healing medicine from the Beast Master Sect.

Jue Ming’s prayer beads had lost much of their sacred glow, his monk’s robe was in tatters, and his left shoulder was a mess of blood and torn flesh. He was gravely wounded. Swiftly, he consumed a healing elixir; the Buddhist radiance flickered across his body, his injuries slowly mending.

Liu Mei was mostly drained of spiritual power but otherwise unscathed, a testament to the special forging of her spiritual weapon, which enabled her to unleash such devastating power. Nonetheless, her expression was grim as she spoke: “Who could have expected Bai Ruyu to burn through her painstakingly awakened Ice Phoenix bloodline? The power was overwhelming. If not for our own secret arts, we would have perished on the spot. Though we survived, our injuries are not light!”

Liu Xixi snorted coldly. “This is all Sima Tu’s fault, that selfish traitor. If the four of us had joined forces, Bai Ruyu might not have escaped. We’re badly hurt, but she must be worse off. She used a forbidden technique, burning her bloodline; even if she survived, she’s gravely wounded. We must seize the moment and pursue her, eliminate any future threat.”

“But our wounds need time to heal. By then, who knows where Bai Ruyu will be hiding?” Jue Ming said worriedly, for he had taken a blow from both the Fire Python Talisman and Bai Ruyu’s Phoenix Song Slash, making his injuries the most severe.

Liu Xixi, brimming with confidence, replied, “No need to worry, just watch.”

She slapped her beast pouch, and with a flash of golden light, another golden-backed mantis appeared on the ground, its massive three-zhang-long body gleaming with razor-sharp, saw-like limbs.

With a flick of her wrist, Liu Xixi retrieved the wounded mantis into her pouch.

Jue Ming and Liu Mei both started in surprise, wary glances passing between them.

Liu Mei’s beautiful eyes flashed as she asked, “Why didn’t you release this one earlier, Liu Xixi? Bai Ruyu might not have escaped otherwise.”

Liu Xixi spread her hands helplessly. “Do you think I didn’t want to? My spiritual sense can barely control one second-rank golden-backed mantis, let alone two. It’s exhausting. Our master used a supreme secret art to seal these two mantises, both ready to advance to the second rank. I was entrusted to bring them into this minor arena and release them to evolve, so they wouldn’t be rejected by the local laws. But under these restrictions, controlling even one pushes me to my limits.”

Jue Ming suddenly understood. “So that’s how it is. But no matter; with this peak-form golden-backed mantis, Bai Ruyu is doomed. From here, we’ll follow your lead.”

“Isn’t it obvious? We give chase! Come up!” With that, Liu Xixi leapt onto the mantis’s back and sat cross-legged.

Jue Ming and Liu Mei exchanged a glance and quickly joined her.

Liu Mei’s eyes glimmered as she said, “I think Bai Ruyu, if she wants to recover her strength quickly, will be headed to only one place.”

Jue Ming and Liu Xixi’s eyes lit up at the same moment. “The Deepwater Cold Spring!”

Liu Xixi issued a mental command, and the golden-backed mantis spread its wings and soared into the sky, racing straight toward the Deepwater Cold Spring. The three immediately sat to meditate and restore their spiritual power and wounds.

Bai Ruyu, using the teleportation talisman, reappeared four miles from Spirit Peak, nearly stumbling from weakness. Her face was bloodless, and every bone in her body was cracked.

Such was the backlash from burning her bloodline. Most painful of all, the Ice Phoenix blood she had so painstakingly awakened was utterly depleted, though at least her life was spared.

She quickly swallowed a healing pill, hatred boiling in her heart. Liu Xixi, Liu Mei, Jue Ming—I will tear you all to pieces to ease the hatred in my soul.

With these thoughts, she produced a small white boat, sighing in relief. “Thank heavens for the White Banner Boat my grandmaster gave me. As long as I have spirit stones, I can activate it. Otherwise, I’d never have escaped this calamity.”

She made a pass with her fingers, and the little boat gleamed, expanding to seven feet. Bai Ruyu slowly climbed aboard, placed two medium-grade spirit stones into the grooves, and the boat shot out like lightning—a white streak heading straight for the Deepwater Cold Spring.

The White Banner Boat was twice as fast as the finest flying artifact. Within a few hours, she arrived at the Deepwater Cold Spring, circled down, put away the boat, and moved toward the spring.

Suddenly, a surge of resentful energy erupted into the sky, transforming into the shape of a graceful woman whose face was shrouded in mist, making her features unrecognizable. She floated in the air, clutching a black gourd in her arms.

Bai Ruyu’s expression changed dramatically, and she instinctively took a step back. A second-rank wraith—equivalent to a Foundation Establishment cultivator! If this spirit turned hostile, she would be doomed.

At that moment, the wraith’s voice rang out, sweet as silver bells: “My master’s foresight is truly remarkable. I’ve waited here only a few hours, and you’ve already arrived. My master invites you for a discussion. While the elite disciples of the other sects haven’t arrived yet, let’s go.”

Bai Ruyu’s thoughts raced. If she refused, this spirit would surely kill her. The black gourd in her hands filled Bai Ruyu with dread. And if she fell into Liu Xixi’s hands, death would be certain. It was better to see who this master was, then decide.

With this realization, Bai Ruyu managed a faint smile and said, “Since your master has so sincerely invited me, how could I refuse? I am curious—who is capable of having a second-rank wraith as a servant?”

The wraith nodded. “My master’s grandeur is beyond your comprehension. Only after you have truly become his servant will you know the happiness within. Since you’re willing, there’s no need for me to use force.”

With that, she tapped the demon gourd, which expanded to seven feet. Reaching out, her arm, formed from resentful energy, grew enormously and grasped Bai Ruyu, placing her atop the demon gourd.

Bai Ruyu could sense the wraith’s overwhelming power. Even at full strength, her “Ice Burst Strike” might not prevail. So, she did not resist—without meeting this master, she was still safe for now.

The wraith carried Bai Ruyu onto the demon gourd, and with a thought, it split the air, vanishing within a few flashes.

Bai Ruyu quietly closed her eyes, meditating and refining the healing pill, restoring as much strength as she could. After about an hour, the demon gourd conjured a protective shield and dove straight into Dead Resentment Valley.

The gourd descended to the valley floor. The wraith woman inhaled several mouthfuls of the miasma, sighing in pleasure, “Delicious.” She then said to Bai Ruyu, “My master is just ahead. Let’s go.”

Bai Ruyu frowned and stepped off the gourd, glancing around with a wry smile. This was the Valley of Grievances, a realm of pure resentment. Here, wraiths were many times more powerful than outside—she could not hope to escape.

The demon gourd hovered above her, shielding her from the deadly miasma.

The wraith floated ahead, and Bai Ruyu followed cautiously.

After ten or so paces, they came upon a five-zhang-wide talisman array, octagonal in shape, emanating a terrifying aura of righteous energy that formed a protective dome. Within sat a plain-looking young man, cross-legged, hands forming seals, his body glowing with radiant light. Before him hovered the King of Spirit Fruits, now reduced to the size of a walnut. With each seal, a thread of spiritual energy drifted from the fruit into the young man’s nostrils, vanishing without a trace.