The Mischievous Girl

Qiu Qianyue glanced at Jue Ya’s lifeless body, her brows furrowing as she muttered to herself, “Damn, I killed him in a fit of anger. I didn’t even get the chance to ask about Gu Feiyan’s whereabouts.”

“If you’re looking for Gu Feiyan, I can tell you where she is,” Gu Xunhe said after a moment of hesitation, his expression shifting between uncertainty and calculation as he remained suspended mid-air by Qiu Qianyue’s power.

“You should’ve said so earlier,” Qiu Qianyue’s eyes lit up, and she smiled sweetly. The spiritual energy holding Gu Xunhe aloft softened, gently lowering him to the ground.

Gu Xunhe stood up, brushing the dust off his golden robes. He retrieved a scroll from his spatial ring and handed it to Qiu Qianyue with utmost respect. “Thank you, Heroine. This is the route Gu Feiyan’s team is taking.”

Taking the scroll, Qiu Qianyue examined it carefully before giving Gu Xunhe’s handsome face a light, almost mocking pat.

Slap, slap.

“You’re such a good boy. Why couldn’t you be this cooperative from the start?”

If this had been any other situation, Gu Xunhe would’ve exploded in rage and drawn his sword. But now, he forced a humble smile, nodding repeatedly. The seemingly delicate woman before him exuded an aura so terrifying that even standing near her felt more oppressive than facing his own father.

His heart pounded in fear, his legs trembling so much that he could barely stand.

With the scroll in hand, Qiu Qianyue wasted no more words. Ignoring the chaos and the injured people around her, she activated her famed technique, Divine Footwork. A fragrant white lotus bloomed beneath her feet, and her body turned ethereal before vanishing entirely.

By the time everyone realized it was only an afterimage, her true form was long gone.

***

“Young Master!”

Several subordinates rushed to Gu Xunhe’s side to tend to his injuries. He swallowed a healing pill from his spatial ring, his face pale as he stared in the direction Qiu Qianyue had disappeared. A bitter smile spread across his lips. “That was… close.”

“Young Master, Junior Brother Jue Ya is dead. There’s nothing we can do for him,” one of the subordinates said, his voice filled with grief.

“It’s fine,” Gu Xunhe said after catching his breath. A sinister smile crept across his face as he added coldly, “Losing Jue Ya is a small price to pay for sending that calamity after Gu Feiyan. We’ve gained more than we’ve lost.”

***

The Next Day.

“Roar!”

The deafening roar of two massive, snow-white beasts sent birds scattering from the forest. The creatures, with their long fangs and heavy bodies, charged at Gu Feiyan’s team with earth-shaking force.

“Snow Traveler Lions?!” Gu Feiyan exclaimed, her whip lashing out as her eyes filled with confusion. “These beasts are known for their gentle nature and lifelong loyalty to their mates. Why are they suddenly so aggressive and attacking us?”

“Something’s not right. Someone must be behind this,” Qin Gou said calmly. The white paper lantern in his hand flared to life, its blue flames roaring like a dragon as they struck the male Snow Traveler Lion squarely in the face.

Dreamwalker’s First Ability: Dreamfire Devourer.

The blue flames engulfed the lion’s snowy mane, turning it into a blazing fireball. The beast howled in pain.

“Impressive. That’s as strong as a mid-stage Hidden Artifact Realm cultivator’s full power,” Gu Feiyan said, clearly impressed.

Qin Gou nodded slightly. “The only downside is that it drains too much spiritual energy for someone like me, who’s still at the Weapon Refining Realm.”

“Junior Brother Qin has already developed a complete life-bound spiritual tool at the Weapon Refining Realm? I’m impressed!” Hu Le, who was battling the female Snow Traveler Lion alongside his brother Hu Yin, exclaimed. “When Senior Sister Gu mentioned it earlier, I could hardly believe it.”

“Focus, Hu Le. In Snow Traveler Lion pairs, the female is much stronger than the male,” Gu Feiyan reminded him as she continued to fend off the male lion.

“Got it, Senior Sister. Don’t worry,” Hu Le said confidently. He summoned his life-bound spiritual tool, a massive iron hammer. Hu Yin followed suit, conjuring a semi-transparent iron spike about two meters long.

“Ha!” Hu Le shouted, slamming the hammer onto the spike. The spike pierced through the female Snow Traveler Lion’s massive body, pinning it to the ground. Though the beast roared and struggled, it couldn’t break free. Not a drop of blood was spilled, but its movements were completely restrained.

Both Snow Traveler Lions, equivalent in strength to late-stage Hidden Artifact Realm cultivators, were subdued thanks to the team’s seamless cooperation.

“Let’s spare their lives. Even if we skinned them, Snow Traveler Lions wouldn’t fetch a good price. They’re utterly useless,” Gu Feiyan said bluntly.

As Qin Gou swallowed a spiritual recovery pill, he said gravely, “The real issue is finding out who’s behind this. These lions might’ve been sent to drain our energy.”

Just then, a corpse fell from the sky, landing directly in front of the group.

The body’s face was frozen in terror, its eyes wide open in a deathly grimace. The sight was chilling.

“I know this person! He’s Zhuo Xueyang, a disciple of the sect and one of the Young Master’s followers!” Liu Ying exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock.

Moments later, more bodies rained down—two, three, five—until ten corpses lay before them. Some wore the robes of the Seed Demon Holy Sect, while others were unaffiliated cultivators.

Then, as if appearing out of thin air, a figure in snow-white robes stepped forward gracefully.

“Don’t be afraid,” Qiu Qianyue said, her hands clasped behind her back. Her smile was carefree and radiant. “The ones causing trouble have all been dealt with. Now, how will you thank me, Gu Feiyan?”

As Qin Gou stared at the familiar, doll-like face—still as delicate and beautiful as ever, even after years—he felt as if he had been transported to another lifetime. His fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white, and his eyes burned with fury.

That damned girl!