Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Visitors Arrive

A rush of movement, a sharp intake of breath, and then Bai Li Xu’s voice rang out from nearby, clipped with urgency. “Young master!”

From the crack of the rockery, Bai Meng Jin caught the faint outline of the viewing pavilion. Within it, the luminous pearls embedded in shell ornaments still gave off a dim glow—but beyond that small circle of light, everything was devoured.

The Myriad Phenomena Star River above had vanished. The real starlight and moonlight were gone too. Even the lights of countless homes below seemed erased, as if the entire city had been cut away.

It felt as though the world had narrowed to a single pavilion surrounded by endless night.

“This is a Divine Power Barrier,” Ji Xing Ge said, voice tight. “At minimum, Nascent Soul Stage. For a barrier this large…” She swallowed. “It’s likely Divine Transformation.”

In this world, cultivators beyond the Composite Stage were legends. The Divine Transformation Stage was the highest realm that still walked the mortal world.

If someone at that level had come—

They were in deep trouble.

Ji Xing Ge opened her hand. A transparent pearl appeared in her palm. Within it burned a single feather wrapped in flame.

She crushed it. The pearl shattered into smoke-light.

“I’ve notified my father,” she said. “But with a move this big, they won’t let anyone enter the Star-Plucking Tower easily. Before reinforcements arrive, we have to protect ourselves.”

Then she turned toward Ling Bu Fei, disbelief bleeding into irritation. “Why aren’t you worried? They’re definitely coming for you.”

Ling Bu Fei’s voice remained steady, almost bored. “Who did you offend? How did they follow you all the way here?”

Ji Xing Ge’s temper detonated. “You’re the one screaming thief! What enemies would Phoenix Roost Valley have? Only you, Young Sect Master Ling, are hated enough to drag trouble everywhere!”

Bai Meng Jin’s lips twitched despite herself.

Then an old voice rang from above, heavy as stone.

“Who are you? State your name!”

Ji Xing Ge went still. Then, with sudden understanding, she pointed toward Ling Bu Fei as if accusing him of a personal betrayal. “You go out with a bodyguard?”

Bai Li Xu answered as if it were obvious. “What status does my young master have? How could he risk himself? If he were captured and used to threaten the sect, would the Limitless Sect be controlled by petty villains?”

The logic was so painfully reasonable that Ji Xing Ge couldn’t even argue.

Ling Bu Fei spoke again, dry and calm. “Don’t worry. Great-Uncle Ku Mu won’t pry into what happens around me. If I’m not in danger, he won’t come out.”

“Oh.” Ji Xing Ge’s reply came out stiff, like she’d just realized how foolish she’d sounded.

Bai Meng Jin slipped away from the rockery before anyone could notice her.

On the rooftop, her brother and sister stood near the Myriad Phenomena Star River’s mechanism, their faces pale in the dim glow, bodies held tense as if the darkness might bite.

Relief loosened the knot in Bai Meng Jin’s chest.

“Sis! Brother!”

Bai Meng Xing spun the moment he heard her voice. “It wasn’t me! I only touched it once—I didn’t break it!”

Before the darkness fell, he’d insisted on getting close to the Myriad Phenomena Star River. The control mechanism sat right here, and he hadn’t been able to resist. The moment he brushed it, the world went black.

In that instant, a dozen thoughts had flashed through his mind.

How much was the Myriad Phenomena Star River worth? Would the Bai Family’s entire fortune be enough?

If it wasn’t enough, would he be forced to stay here and work as punishment for the rest of his life?

No, no, no. He was about to go to the Cinnabar Cloud Palace. He would soon become a disciple of the Upper Three Sects. His bright future had only just begun. He couldn’t be trapped here.

Bai Meng Jin gave him one look, then turned to Bai Meng Lian. “Are you all right?”

“Sister!” Bai Meng Lian’s tension eased visibly, as if she’d finally found an anchor. “We’re fine, but what’s happening? What is this?”

“A Divine Power Barrier,” Bai Meng Jin said. “A high-level cultivator has arrived.”

Bai Meng Lian’s face drained. “Nascent Soul Stage… or higher?”

“Likely Divine Transformation,” Bai Meng Jin said quietly.

Bai Meng Xing finally caught up to the meaning and went pale. “So it’s a high-level cultivator fight—not me breaking the Myriad Phenomena Star River?”

Bai Meng Lian shot him a look. “What is going on in your head? If you broke it, we’d pay. If Divine Transformation cultivators fight, we could die!”

Bai Meng Xing froze, the panic finally hitting. “Right… what do we do? Sister, are we going to die?”

“Their target isn’t us,” Bai Meng Jin said. “We just need to hide. Elder Yi Ming will notice something is wrong and come find us.”

Her gaze flicked to the mechanism. “Good. The Myriad Phenomena Star River is the control switch for the Star-Plucking Tower’s restrictions. You two hide below. Until Elder Yi Ming arrives, don’t take a single step outside.”

Bai Meng Lian grabbed Bai Meng Xing and hauled him down. “Come on.”

Bai Meng Jin shoved a thick stack of talismans into their hands. “Defensive talismans. Use them if something happens. It’s better than nothing.”

Bai Meng Lian stared at Bai Meng Jin’s empty hands. “What about you?”

Before Bai Meng Jin could answer, the voice above rang again, darker, more severe.

“Who are you? State your name!”

Bai Meng Jin’s shoulders eased a fraction.

Good. She hadn’t been wrong. Young Sect Master Ling couldn’t possibly have no protection.

When there was no answer, the voice pressed, heavy with pressure. “Sneaking around—too ashamed to show yourself?”

A silvery laugh drifted through the darkness. A woman’s voice, light with poison. “Ku Mu, you old thing. You’re still not dead?”

Ku Mu.

Bai Meng Jin’s mind snapped into place.

Venerable Ku Mu of the Limitless Sect.

He was ancient—of the same generation as Old Sect Master Jiang. He hadn’t come out of seclusion for many years. In Bai Meng Jin’s last life, she’d never seen him fight. She didn’t know how strong he truly was.

Venerable Ku Mu fell silent for a moment, then said in a heavy voice, “So it’s you, Second Lady Hu.”

Bai Meng Jin frowned.

Second Lady Hu?

She didn’t recognize that name. By the time Bai Meng Jin reached the peak of cultivation in her last life, this woman was likely already long gone.

Second Lady Hu spoke with a smile, resentment running underneath it like a current. “Of course it’s me. Surprised?”

Venerable Ku Mu didn’t answer her tone. “What are you doing here? This isn’t where you should be.”

Second Lady Hu’s laugh turned cold. “What do you think I’m here for? Of course I’m here to see Ling Yun Zhou’s good son!”