Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Taking a Loss for Nothing

Bai Meng Jin’s vision spun. Dust stung her throat, stone grit scraped her palms, and above the Star-Plucking Tower, spiritual light tore open the night like lightning.

Halfway up, the battle in the sky had already erupted.

She had plenty of ways to stay alive. But in front of a naked gap like this, even Lord Yu Mo would’ve found no way out. Divine Transformation Stage cultivators clashing was like mountains colliding—anyone beneath them could only pray not to be crushed.

Before she could steady herself, a sharp, nasty voice snapped from below. “Have you had enough groping?”

Groping?

She hadn’t even touched anything.

That shock just now—she’d only grabbed at her own clothes to keep from falling. What, exactly, was there to grope?

Blamed for doing nothing. She knew that script far too well.

Her first thought was simple: If you’re going to say I did it, then I’ll do it properly—so I don’t take the fall for nothing.

So she reached out and gave him a solid squeeze—

“Uh?”

“Ha?”

Before the people involved could even react, the bystanders froze first.

Ji Xing Ge stared, eyes round. She hadn’t even brushed a single finger against Ling Bu Fei’s sleeve before he’d picked her apart for it. Where had this fierce little miss come from, bold enough to do something like that right in his face?

That took nerve.

And Ling Bu Fei’s expression—

It was spectacular.

Serves you right, Ji Xing Ge thought, watching him go rigid. You tease people all day. Someone finally got under your skin.

She burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. “So you can have a day like this too! You deserved it!”

Bai Meng Jin lifted her head, feigning innocence—and met a face that hit like a punch.

In her last life, Sect Master Ling had stayed out of sight. They’d never met. She hadn’t expected him to look like this.

No wonder he was always complaining about people “coveting his beauty.” Thinking back, she could only name one face that might compare—Ning Yan Zhi.

But Immortal Lord Ning was a sword immortal far above the dusty world, distant and untouchable, like a flower on a cliff no one could ever reach.

Young Sect Master Ling was different. His handsomeness was cold and sharp, almost heartless—yet the corners of his eyes carried a lazy hint of desire, the kind that lured people into thinking they could drag him down into worldly temptation.

[This isn’t what the rumors said at all.]

Wasn’t Sect Master Ling supposed to be driven and humble, a model cultivator admired across the Nine Provinces?

What had he done after seizing power in her last life—to the point he’d started spreading that ridiculous pile of nonsense about himself?

“Young master!”

Bai Li Xu’s voice cracked. He looked utterly lost.

Ling Bu Fei’s face darkened further. “What are you staring at?” he snapped. “Help me up!”

“Ah? Oh… yes!”

At last, the world started moving again. Bai Li Xu hauled him up, and the two of them climbed out of the rubble, brushing stone chips and dust from their robes.

Ling Bu Fei straightened his sleeves with stiff precision, then stole a quick glance at the “female warrior” who’d just dared to lay hands on him.

Young. Willow-slim. Skin like polished jade. And her face—

Thinking of that sudden close-up, he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Good. At least it wasn’t some terrifying shrew taking advantage of him.

He cleared his throat, as if he’d only just noticed her. “Miss, who are you? Why are you here?”

Ji Xing Ge, still in high spirits from watching him eat dirt, took an instant liking to the girl. She didn’t look like a bad person. “Answer him,” she said first, bright-eyed. “Where did you come from?”

Bai Meng Jin lowered her lashes, meek as a lamb. “I… came with Elder Yi Ming of the Cinnabar Cloud Palace. After the auction ended, I went up to look around with my older siblings, and I didn’t expect that…”

“Oh.” Ji Xing Ge’s expression eased. “So you’re with the Cinnabar Cloud Palace?”

“Not yet.” Bai Meng Jin waved her hands quickly. “Elder Yi Ming is escorting us back this time.”

Ji Xing Ge relaxed a little more.

If the Cinnabar Cloud Palace had its eye on her, she likely wasn’t some random troublemaker.

Bai Li Xu cut in, sharper. “If you haven’t entered the Cinnabar Cloud Palace, how do you have such deep cultivation? And your aura… it doesn’t feel right.”

Bai Meng Jin looked at him in surprise.

Because of her situation, she couldn’t display her strength openly. She’d concealed her cultivation carefully. She hadn’t expected Bai Li Xu to sense something off so quickly.

Elite disciples of the Limitless Sect really were a different breed.

“It’s a long story.” She hesitated, then said softly, “My cultivation came by accident. I didn’t train for it myself. The details are complicated, and until the elders of the Cinnabar Cloud Palace decide what to do, I can’t talk about it freely.”

She paused, then added, “But I do have a token from Perfected Chang Ling to prove it.”

Ji Xing Ge took the token, checked it, and nodded. “It’s real. It’s from the Cinnabar Cloud Palace.”

Only then did Bai Li Xu stop pressing.

Another surge of spiritual power exploded overhead. This time, a beam of light shot in and spread into a shield over the viewing pavilion, barely protecting the structure from the shockwaves.

Bai Li Xu immediately herded Ling Bu Fei inside. Chun He, pale-faced, called out too. “Miss, get in here!”

The five of them crowded into the pavilion, the barrier humming as it absorbed the impact above.

Ji Xing Ge used the moment to grab Bai Meng Jin’s hand like they were already friends. “Miss Bai, we met by chance today. If we survive this, come to Perching Phoenix Valley as my guest.”

Ling Bu Fei glanced over, his tone faintly mocking. “Ji Xing Ge, you’ve known her for five breaths and you don’t even know her background. Aren’t you afraid of bringing a wolf into your house?”

Ji Xing Ge’s smile dropped. “What wolf? Miss Bai only touched you once, that’s all. She didn’t do it on purpose. Can you stop being so petty?”

“Touched?” Ling Bu Fei’s jaw tightened. “The first time was an accident. What about after that? I told her to stop and she still did it. You’re going to tell me that wasn’t on purpose?”

Silence.

Four pairs of eyes turned toward Bai Meng Jin.

She peered up at him timidly. “I was dizzy. You said ‘touch,’ so I touched. It was only after that I realized what you meant.”

So now she was blaming him.

For the first time in Ling Bu Fei’s life, he felt what it was like to be so furious he couldn’t even speak. Yet when he met her wide, innocent gaze, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything truly nasty either.

Ji Xing Ge was delighted. “Hahahaha! Now I’ve seen it—one thing really can hold another in check. Young Sect Master Ling, watch your manners!”

Ling Bu Fei kept a stony face. “You’re still laughing. Aren’t you afraid we won’t get back?”

Ji Xing Ge shrugged. “I’ve already thought it through. Those Divine Transformation Stage cultivators are fighting. We can’t interfere. What’s the point of worrying ourselves sick? Their target is you. If you lose, you’re the one who suffers. What does it have to do with Perching Phoenix Valley?”

Ling Bu Fei went silent.

Ji Xing Ge smiled sweetly, satisfied she’d finally landed a blow. “What, regret it now? If you’d agreed to my suggestion earlier, I’d be worried for you too.”

Ling Bu Fei looked blankly at her. “Forget it. You can’t help anyway. You’d just stand there worrying. What use is that?”

Ji Xing Ge’s jaw tightened. But when she glanced at Bai Meng Jin, her anger eased.

Fine. Why waste fury on him?

Above them, the fight paused—only for the voices to sharpen.

Second Lady Hu’s tone carried open threat. “Old Ku Mu, keep dragging this out and you’ll be sitting down to die ahead of schedule!”

Immortal Lord Ji Yuan Si followed, calm but edged. “Senior Ku Mu, the Limitless Sect is powerful. We don’t want to push this past the point of no return.”

Venerable Ku Mu’s voice came back, older than before, as if each word scraped against time. “The moment you made a move against the Young Sect Master, you crossed that line. If you want an explanation, come to the Limitless Sect. What kind of skill is it to bully a child?”

Po Qian Jun spoke coldly. “Enough. If we drag this out, the Limitless Sect will send people. Ling Yun Zhou’s son is right here. Let’s see who actually has the ability.”

As the last word fell, golden light gathered above the pavilion.

A giant golden hand formed in midair—and reached down to seize them.