The private inn atop the mist-shrouded hill had long since fallen silent. The flickering lantern cast long shadows along the wooden floor. Bai Ling placed her empty teacup down on the table with a soft clink. Her golden eyes shimmered beneath the low light.
"Speak," she commanded, her voice calm, yet razor-sharp. "What have you found… in this brief period of time?"
The kneeling shadowed figure flinched, his breath catching slightly.
"M-My lady… w-we have found three individuals that match the portraits you provided. The young man, the woman in white, and the other woman with silver hair."
Bai Ling's fingers tapped once against the porcelain.
"But?"
"B-But… they suddenly disappeared."
She narrowed her eyes. "Disappeared? Did you check the area properly?"
The subordinate trembled and bowed even lower. "Y-Yes, my lady. We scoured the entire vicinity. We even used trace detection arrays, but… not a single footprint remains."
"Where was the last place they were seen?" she asked coldly.
The man hesitated.
"It… it's a place not marked on any maps. Deep woods. We called it a dead zone at first. But now…"
"Speak."
"It's covered in a strange forest. Mirror leaf Forest. But… we could detect no signs of human activity. Not even a beast."
Bai Ling's brows furrowed. Her lips curled faintly into a displeased frown.
"Take me there."
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Mirror leaf Forest
The forest whispered like a dreaming beast. Mirrorleaf Forest stretched wide under a shroud of silver fog, each leaf glittering like polished jade, shimmering with a strange light. Trees rose tall and ancient, their pale bark glinting like polished stone, and the air held an odd, mirrored chill—like every step could reflect your thoughts back at you. No birds sang, no beasts stirred. Only silence, thick and absolute.
Bai Ling stood at the edge of the forest, her long black cloak fluttering in the eerie breeze. Her sharp gaze swept over the unnatural stillness. The ground beneath her boots was cold. Too cold.
"Strange… I can't even hear spirit beasts," she muttered.
Her eyes flashed crimson for an instant. The aura of a powerful cultivator enveloped her as she raised two fingers and began forming a complex incantation seal in the air.
A faint golden sigil expanded outward, hovering just above the forest floor. It blinked once… then vanished.
She tried again—another formation, this time laced with dark purple strands that pulsed like veins. Still, nothing. Not a single trace responded.
"Tch." Her expression darkened. "Even aura residue… is gone."
"My lady…" one of the subordinates stepped forward nervously, his voice shaking. "Could it be… a powerful barrier formation?"
"Of course it is, you fool," Bai Ling snapped, though her voice remained oddly amused. "But one that erases even spatial traces… That's no ordinary concealment."
She turned and scanned the forest once more. Then, she closed her eyes and let her spiritual sense spread.
Still nothing. An absolute void.
Her hand clenched, nails digging into her palm.
"Hmph. You're clever… hiding under my nose."
She exhaled slowly and then turned to her subordinates.
"Station four men at each side of this forest. North, south, east, and west. No one goes in. No one comes out. If you see even a shadow move… send word through the flame talisman immediately."
"Yes, my lady!" they responded in unison—though fear clung to their voices.
"And if you fail…" she let the words trail off, but the cold gleam in her eyes finished the sentence.
The figures bowed deeply and vanished into the trees, one by one, dissolving into shadow.
Left alone, Bai Ling stared into the forest once more.
A faint wind blew, rustling the Mirrorleaf canopy above. For a moment, she thought she saw her own reflection in every leaf.
She narrowed her eyes.
"You're hiding from me," she whispered. "You think a formation can protect you forever?"
She smirked, her red lips curling with disdain.
"Even if you have some skill… so what?"
Drawing a small black jade flute from her sleeve, she tapped it lightly against her palm. Her spiritual energy pulsed—subtle and coiled like a serpent.
She looked toward the sky, her voice low and mocking.
"You think you've won, little prey? That you've escaped?"
She turned away from the forest and walked slowly, her boots silent against the cold ground. Then she murmured softly under her breath, almost like a lover whispering to the wind.
Suddenly she laughed,
"Hehehehe....run...run."
"But you'll run out of places to hide…"
Her golden eyes flickered back toward the forest one last time.
"And when you do… I'll be waiting. With my sword."
She vanished in a blur of dark light, leaving only the silence of Mirror leaf Forest behind—silent, silver, and watching.
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FROST CLOUD PAVILION
Within the Frost Cloud Pavilion's Jade Lotus Courtyard, incense smoke spiraled gently into the air, its delicate scent laced with allure and elegance. The sun filtered through patterned silken screens, casting faint golden light upon the room.
Today, Chu Yao was dressed not as a mere elder but as a woman with grand ambitions.
Her attire was scandalously captivating—an embroidered robe draped loosely across her shoulders, barely concealing her generous curves. The plunging neckline exposed the upper swells of her chest, like forbidden fruits ripe for plucking. A translucent silk cloth ran down her long, bare legs, ending just above her delicate foot soles, where jeweled anklets shimmered with every movement.
Any man who set eyes on her today would risk losing sanity. If not control, they will pounce on her to savor the two forbidden peaches on her chest .
But her bold presentation was far from vanity—it was calculated. Tonight, she was to meet with the Holy Son of the Azure Dragon Sect, a young man with immeasurable authority, destined to inherit the mantle of Sect Master.
And I, Chu Yao… will become the Sect Leader of Frost Cloud Pavilion, she thought with a smirk.
A soft laugh broke her thoughts.
"Miss, you look divine," said a young maid who was gently pinning up Chu Yao's long black hair. Her eyes gleamed with admiration and mischief. "When the Holy Son sees you, I'm sure he'll take you straight to the bridal chamber!"
Chu Yao chuckled, feigning modesty, but her eyes glittered.
"Are you certain?" she asked, though the answer hardly mattered.
The maid giggled, "Of course, Miss! Among all the women in the region, who could compare to your beauty and cultivation? You're one in a million."
Satisfied, Chu Yao reached for a small porcelain box nearby. With delicate fingers, she opened it, revealing a few lustrous pills—each one enough to make a low-level cultivator weep with gratitude.
"These are for you," she said, offering them carelessly.
The maid's eyes widened with delight. She quickly accepted the pills with both hands, bowing deeply. "Thank you, Miss! Thank you!"
But before she turned to leave, Chu Yao's voice dropped to a more commanding tone.
"And remember—when the Holy Son arrives and we speak, accidentally address me as 'Sect Leader.' Just once or twice. Make it sound natural like you've made a mistake."
The maid straightened, nodding seriously. "Yes, Miss. I understand."
Chu Yao stood and adjusted her robe, letting one side slide just a bit lower, baring more of her shoulder.
" Miss..." Still calling me that.
"Try it now," she said without looking.
" Sect Leader—ah! Miss! " the maid stammered.
Chu Yao smirked, eyes gleaming with amusement. "That's it. Just like that. Now go. See that everything is perfect for his arrival."
The maid bowed once more before hurrying away.
Left alone, Chu Yao glanced at her reflection in the polished bronze mirror.
"Soon," she murmured, "I'll no longer be just a Pavilion Elder."
She brushed a finger along her exposed collarbone, imagining the Holy Son's gaze.
"No one will stop me. Not even that little peasant girl."
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End of the Chapter.
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