As soon as the talisman paper was taken out, the Golden Lion immediately reacted, eyeing the paper warily with a low growl of displeasure rumbling in its throat.
Li Fei cried urgently, "Stop provoking it! That roar earlier nearly killed us all!"
The Black-veiled woman moved everyone to the doorway before returning, speaking softly, "The Golden Lion's roar is unpredictable and unstoppable—even ordinary Celestials can't withstand it. Young Master Hu, don't be reckless."
Hu Jiaping seemed not to hear. He gently tossed the talisman paper forward. Strangely, while all other curse seals were ineffective within the restricted area, this sheet of paper floated up on its own, drifting leisurely toward the Golden Lion.
The Golden Lion reacted as if facing a mortal enemy. It abruptly stood, baring its bloody maw, and unleashed another earth-shaking roar. Fortunately, its movement gave Li Fei an opening to escape. Her ears nearly burst again, and she desperately covered her head. Yet this terrifying roar seemed to hit an invisible wall, failing to affect Hu Jiaping and the others. The talisman paper absorbed the lion's roar completely, continuing its slow drift toward the beast.
Fear flickered in the Golden Lion's eyes as it retreated several steps. Seizing the moment, Hu Jiaping grabbed Li Fei and ran. This action truly enraged the beast. Abandoning caution toward the talisman, it roared furiously and gave chase. Its massive size allowed it to catch up in mere strides, swiping down with a colossal claw.
Hu Jiaping dodged with monkey-like agility, rolling aside before sprinting and shouting, "A Mu!"
The Black-veiled woman's form dissolved into black smoke. As the haze dispersed, a slender pitch-black sword appeared midair. Hu Jiaping leaped up, snatching the sword in mid-flight. A cold glint flashed as the blade left its scabbard—its surface as dark as the sheath itself. Yet the sword was incomplete, its tip broken off. So this was the "Temper Edge" they'd mentioned before. The so-called "broken Temper Edge" referred to this shattered blade.
Even fractured, a mystic sword housing a weapon spirit was utterly different from ordinary arms. The moment Temper Edge was drawn, a dragon's mournful cry echoed, and the thick demon qi and miasma surrounding them were split apart by a single slash. Dodging the Golden Lion's second swipe, Hu Jiaping struck like lightning, slicing its leg. Blood sprayed instantly—Temper Edge had cleaved through the lion's thick hide with one stroke.
The Golden Lion howled in pain. Limited to just two moves—its roar and swipes—neither proved effective, and now it had been wounded. Finally showing fear, it growled low and shrank back, though its golden eyes lingered on Li Fei with pitiful longing.
Ri Yan had explained that the demon qi leaking from the Nine-tailed Fox sealed on its back made the lion restless, hence its desire to keep Li Fei nearby. Thinking this, Li Fei almost felt sorry for it. She reached for a Demon Vermilion Fruit to offer, but her hand slipped, and most of the fruits in her arms tumbled to the ground. A dozen or so rolled to the Golden Lion's feet. It sniffed them and growled again—whether pleased or angered was unclear—but its relentless pursuit gradually slowed.
Temper Edge dissolved back into black smoke, and moments later, the Black-veiled woman reappeared. The two seized the chance to flee the restricted area where monstrous creatures were sealed. Only after passing through the stone gate did Hu Jiaping finally exhale in relief.
"How do we close this gate?" he asked.The black-veiled woman leaped into the pit at the end of the fork in the path. Whatever she did caused the stone door to silently close again, and her figure was lifted up by a small stone platform. It turned out there was a stone platform in that cave—once the mechanism was triggered, it would descend, and only when triggered again would it rise.
Hu Jiaping examined everyone's injuries. Ji Tongzhou was by far the worst off, suffering from both miasma poisoning and injuries from the roar of the Suanni. The poor young man was deathly pale, his breathing faint as a thread. Hu Jiaping immediately took out a medicinal pill and forced it into his mouth, shaking his head with a sigh. "You could have run anywhere—why did you have to barge into the sealed restricted area?"
After enduring one ordeal after another, Li Fei now felt utterly drained from head to toe the moment they escaped. Too exhausted to speak, she sat to the side in a daze, nearly falling asleep.
The black-veiled woman carried A Jiao on her back and gently cradled Li Fei in her arms, murmuring, "Whatever needs to be said can wait until we're above ground. This isn’t a place to linger."
Hu Jiaping suddenly noticed the purple-clad beauty on her back and chuckled. "Ah, so this is the fake Lin You? Tsk tsk, she’s quite the beauty! No wonder Brother Mo was so infatuated!"
The black-veiled woman shot him a cold glare, and he immediately straightened his expression. "You're right. Let’s get out of here quickly!"
Sword flying was forbidden in the restricted area, so he had already secured ropes along the cliff edges when descending. Following the markers left in the forest, they soon found the hanging ropes. After climbing for a long time, the thick miasma gradually thinned. Hu Jiaping drew spiritual energy into his body, and a small white cloud appeared beneath his feet, carrying them swiftly back to the academy.
When Li Fei awoke, her entire body felt warm, her bones light and soft. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar ceiling—this wasn’t her Thousand Fragrance Chamber. Nearby, someone seemed to be speaking softly, but her consciousness was too hazy to make out the words.
Turning her head, she realized she was lying on a small bed in a large room filled with many beds. At a glance, she spotted Baili Changyue lying opposite her, enveloped in an ice-blue healing net, her clothes stained with large dried bloodstains, still unconscious.
Changyue? Li Fei froze for a moment before jolting awake, all drowsiness vanishing in an instant. Had they returned to the academy? Was everyone alright? She sat up abruptly and saw that the other beds in the room were occupied—Ji Tongzhou and Lei Xiuyuan were both covered in ice-blue healing nets. Aside from her, no one else was awake.
Her bed was near the window, where the voices outside continued: "...The academy isn’t an independent Immortal Sect. The instructors are all elite disciples invited from other sects. Miss A Jiao, even I have no grounds to excuse Master Lin You’s actions in hiding you. Master Lin You is from the Fire Lotus Temple. If this gets out, it will only widen the rift between the Mountain and Ocean Sects."
A Jiao’s charming, carefree voice chimed in, "I didn’t harm her—I even treated her well these past few months! You Mountain Sect people are so petty, always nitpicking!"
Zuoqiu Xiansheng replied gently, "You misunderstand, miss. To abduct and hide someone without cause is no different from provocation. Moreover, given your status as a member of the Ocean Sect, shouldn’t you have considered the consequences more carefully?"A Jiao said anxiously, "Then what should we do? Can I apologize to them? This was all my own willful actions, it has nothing to do with the Mountain Sect or Ocean Sect! I’ll release Lin You right away!"
Mo Yanfan also spoke up, "Zuoqiu Xiansheng, it’s true that A Jiao was at fault first, and this matter arose because of me. I’m willing to accompany A Jiao to apologize to the seniors of the Fire Lotus Temple and accept any punishment."
Zuoqiu Xiansheng laughed. "Young Master Mo is from Star Rectitude Hall. If you and A Jiao openly go to apologize to the Fire Lotus Temple, what would your sect think? Young people, acting solely on impulse and passion is hardly prudent."
After a moment, he suddenly added, "As for the matter of A Jiao using Star Rectitude Hall’s Word Spirit Nightmare Art to harm Academy disciples—"
Before he could finish, Mo Yanfan urgently interjected, "Zuoqiu Xiansheng, I swear on my life that this was definitely not A Jiao’s doing!"
Zuoqiu Xiansheng chuckled again. "I said you’re impulsive, yet you still don’t listen. A Jiao used Star Rectitude Hall’s Word Spirit Nightmare Art to harm others, was injured by Star Rectitude Hall’s Zhen Yunzi, and has now fled to an unknown location. The Academy neither knows her origins nor her name, but one thing is certain—she is definitely not from Star Rectitude Hall. Young Master Mo, in upholding his sect’s reputation, pursued her all the way but failed to capture the demoness, yet unexpectedly rescued Mr. Lin You. The Fire Lotus Temple owes Star Rectitude Hall a favor—this is the first joy. The Mountain and Ocean Sects need not fall into discord—this is the second joy. Star Rectitude Hall is cleared of suspicion and blame—this is the third joy. The two of you, deeply in love, need no longer live in fear—this is the fourth joy. With four joys at your doorstep, why must you two still wear such bitter expressions?"
"Zuoqiu Xiansheng..." Mo Yanfan’s voice trembled slightly. He clearly understood the implications of this arrangement. The Academy was willing to bury this incident to protect A Jiao’s identity as an Ocean Sect disciple—this was an enormous favor to both Star Rectitude Hall and the Eastern Sea Myriad Immortals Assembly. Words of gratitude felt insufficient; he could only bow deeply, filled with admiration and gratitude for the Academy’s founder.
A Jiao said softly, "Zuoqiu Xiansheng, I will remember your kindness today for the rest of my life. When I return, I’ll speak to my father about participating in the Academy’s new disciple selection at this year’s Myriad Immortals Assembly."
Zuoqiu Xiansheng couldn’t help but laugh heartily. "If the Ocean Sect is willing to come, the Academy naturally welcomes you with open arms. Though the Mountain and Ocean Sects’ cultivation methods differ, you might find our little disciples beneath your notice."
After some more casual conversation, Mo Yanfan took A Jiao and left the Academy to find Lin You. The room fell silent for a moment before the door suddenly opened—it was Zuoqiu Xiansheng from the front hall entering. Li Fei couldn’t help but feel awkward upon seeing him; she kept unintentionally eavesdropping like this, though it was never deliberate.
Fortunately, Zuoqiu Xiansheng didn’t mind. He first checked the injuries of the other children before pulling up a chair to sit across from Li Fei and asked gently, "How are you feeling?"
She shook her head. "I’m fine. I’ve been alright all along."
He said, "These two children show signs of miasma poisoning, and their internal injuries are severe. Earlier, Young Master Mo and Jiaping told me everything that happened. Your fall into the restricted area was also due to the Academy’s oversight, so we won’t pursue the matter of trespassing into the sealed forbidden zone."
Li Fei nodded silently.Zuoqiu Xiansheng gazed at her with a gentle expression and continued, "You truly are unharmed. Though you were unconscious when brought up, not a single scratch was found on you. Yet you gave Jiaping quite a fright—he said you were pinned beneath the Golden Lion and feared you'd lost limbs."
Li Fei coughed lightly and murmured, "It was only because the masters arrived in time. I... was terrified too at that moment."
"Your constitution is rather extraordinary." Zuoqiu Xiansheng smiled warmly at her. "I suspect this is why Dongyang Xiansheng sent you to the Academy's preliminary examination site. Evil spirits cannot approach you, the thick miasma of the Restricted area couldn't touch your body—in fact, you purified much of it. Even the Golden Lion's roar couldn't harm you. And then there's these."
He produced two shriveled, purplish-black fruits from his sleeve. Li Fei instinctively touched her chest, only to find her pockets empty—the Demon Vermilion Fruits she'd carried were gone. The monsters had given her over a dozen earlier, but she'd accidentally dropped most beneath the Golden Lion's feet. The remaining two had somehow withered into this inedible state.
"Do you know what these are?" Zuoqiu Xiansheng asked kindly.
She knew they were called Demon Vermilion Fruits, but could only feign ignorance now. Shaking her head, she replied, "No... but Ji Tongzhou ate one and his fractures healed immediately."
Zuoqiu Xiansheng explained, "These are called Vermilion Fruits. For ordinary mortals or demons and humans with low cultivation, they possess miraculous properties—regenerating flesh on bones, even reviving the dead. The fruits themselves aren't rare. The difficulty lies in their growing environment—they only thrive where spiritual energy or miasma is extremely concentrated. Even the Academy's abundant spiritual energy couldn't sustain them. See how they withered upon being brought here? When grown in spiritually rich areas, we call them Celestial Vermilion Fruits; in miasma-saturated regions, they're Demon Vermilion Fruits. Though named differently, their effects are identical." He chuckled at her startled expression. "Surprised that something so spiritual could emerge from filthy miasma? In truth, 'spiritual energy' and 'miasma' are merely terms we cultivators use. Spiritual energy nourishes Immortal Techniques, while demonic energy coalesces into miasma. Just as heaven and earth divide into yin and yang, these forces repel yet cannot separate—they must maintain balance. So too with Celestials and demons: plundering and opposing each other, yet ultimately interdependent. These are Demon Vermilion Fruits—only monstrous creatures can harvest them. The demons in the Restricted area gave them to you, didn't they?"
Li Fei's shock was so great her palms instantly grew damp with sweat—how could he know?! Now that he'd uncovered these secrets, what would he do to her?!
"Don't be afraid," Zuoqiu Xiansheng said soothingly. "The reasoning isn't difficult to deduce. Your unique constitution blocks and purifies miasma, making you a great threat to those creatures in the Restricted area. Fearing you, they naturally offered their most precious treasures to persuade you to leave—that's the demons' logic, something we humans don't comprehend. Pity these fruits wither without miasma, becoming inedible. They can only be discarded now."
Still shaken, Li Fei hugged her knees tightly. Before this ancient Celestial, her secrets felt like ice exposed to sunlight—slowly melting into visibility. What if he discovered Ri Yan within her? The Restricted area still sealed Ri Yan's demonic energy. If they learned of this, they'd surely take him away!
All this time, it had been Ri Yan protecting and guiding her. She couldn't let him fall into these Celestials' hands—she had to protect him.Zuoqiu Xiansheng noticed her stiffened posture and continued, "There are some words I've wanted to say since the first time I met you. Do you realize this yourself? Compared to a single earth-attribute Spirit Root, your constitution is the most precious thing. But precisely because it's rare, it can easily invite trouble. Though you're young, you're sensible enough not to broadcast your special constitution. Remember, 'the innocent man gets punished for his treasure'—when something exceedingly rare exists within someone weak, it often brings great calamity. Jiang Li Fei, starting today, I hope you tell no one about your special constitution. Only when you've grown strong enough to protect yourself can this secret cease to be one. Until then, not a single word should be spoken."
Was this... a warning for her? Li Fei couldn't help but look up. Zuoqiu Xiansheng's smiling eyes were hidden behind his snow-white beard and hair, gentle and kind, reminding her of her Master. This was the first time someone had earnestly advised her about her constitution. She understood he meant well, and warmth spread through her heart as she nodded firmly.
"Then, starting today, the female disciple Jiang Li Fei, previously identified as having a single earth-attribute Spirit Root, was misdiagnosed due to the last examiner being an impostor. Thus, your Spirit Root test is invalid." He withdrew from his sleeve a pearl the size of an egg. Inside the pearl, the water was dotted with rain-like marks, with only a tiny patch of yellow earth at the bottom.
Zuoqiu Xiansheng narrowed his eyes with a surprisingly playful smile. "Now, after my personal examination, I've discovered you possess a primary water and secondary earth Spirit Root—quite rare indeed."
What was he...? Li Fei was stunned for a moment before realizing. A single earth-attribute Spirit Root was far too conspicuous, drawing too many eyes to her alone, which might lead to the discovery of her special constitution. By publicly declaring the Spirit Root test as erroneous, Zuoqiu Xiansheng was diverting attention to make her less noticeable—and safer.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Li Fei's eyes reddened. Suddenly, Zuoqiu Xiansheng took out a string of bead-sized pearls from his robe—the Amulet Beads Dongyang Zhenren had given her. Previously, in the Restricted Area, the Evil-warding Pearl had cracked and lost its efficacy due to the overwhelming Miasma. Yet somehow, Zuoqiu Xiansheng had restored them, and now their pure spiritual energy clung to them even more intensely than before.
He slipped the beads onto Li Fei's wrist and said, "If anyone asks, just say it's the effect of the Evil-warding Pearl. I suspect Dongyang Zhenren had the same intention when he gave them to you."
Li Fei touched the beads, tears spilling uncontrollably. She quickly wiped them away and whispered, "Thank you..."
Zuoqiu Xiansheng smiled faintly. "Since you've recovered, return to your room now. These three children likely won't recover until tomorrow morning—no need to rush."
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