Chapter 44

Chapter 44: The Trail Appears

Inside the Star-Plucking Tower, porcelain clinked against porcelain.

Shang Lian Cheng, who’d been nodding off behind half-lidded eyes, jerked awake. “What was that? What happened?”

The shopkeeper beside him nearly jumped out of his skin. “Nothing, nothing. Don’t worry, Boss. With Lord Shao Yang here, what could possibly happen?”

Phoenix Parasol City was governed by several great families. The Shang Family held the upper hand because Shang Shao Yang sat at Divine Transformation Stage.

As long as Lord Shao Yang remained, the Shang Family could sleep easy.

But Shang Lian Cheng couldn’t shake the unease in his gut.

This time involved the Limitless Sect and the Cinnabar Cloud Palace.

Among the Upper Three Sects, Cang Ling Mountain—where the Elf gathered—rarely meddled in worldly affairs.

The remaining two stood as pillars of the cultivation world, facing each other across countless rivalries and alliances. Together, they held most of the world’s weight.

Shang Lian Cheng sighed and looked toward the hall.

In a single day, the Star-Plucking Tower had gone quiet.

Unrelated guests had been dismissed. In the reception hall now, every seated cultivator was either from the Cinnabar Cloud Palace or the Limitless Sect.

In other words, he couldn’t afford to offend a single person.

All he could do was pray Young Sect Master Ling and the Cinnabar Cloud Palace disciple would be found safe. Otherwise, Phoenix Parasol City’s days would turn bitter.

In the hall, an old Daoist who’d been sitting with eyes closed opened them at last.

The scattered cultivators looked over immediately.

“Senior Brother,” Elder Yi Ming asked, worry threaded through his voice. “How is it?”

The old Daoist—Elder Qiu Zhen—shook his head, grave. “It’s concealed.”

Elder Qiu Zhen specialized in divination. After last night’s incident, Elder Yi Ming had invited him to track Bai Meng Jin’s whereabouts.

Elder Yi Ming nodded, forced patience in his posture. “If Second Lady Hu dared kidnap Young Sect Master Ling, she must have prepared thoroughly. How could she be easily traced?”

He offered a bitter smile. “Sorry to trouble you, Senior Brother. I dragged you all this way.”

Elder Qiu Zhen waved it off. “Since she’s a disciple Senior Brother Chang Ling took a liking to, I should help. It’s just that…” He paused, eyes clouded. “I couldn’t be of use.”

Elder Yi Ming exhaled slowly. “Senior Brother Chang Ling entrusted the Bai Family junior to me. I thought it would be simple, but who knew it would turn into this mess? How can I explain it to him?”

“It isn’t Junior Brother’s fault,” Elder Qiu Zhen said. “They came for Young Sect Master Ling. The Bai Family junior was collateral. Senior Brother Chang Ling will understand.”

Elder Yi Ming’s gaze flicked toward the Limitless Sect side. “Let’s wait. Maybe they’ll find them first.”

He wasn’t wrong. The Cinnabar Cloud Palace had lost a disciple who hadn’t even officially entered yet. The Limitless Sect had lost its Young Sect Master.

If anyone would tear the mountains open to find the missing, it would be the Limitless Sect.

The Limitless Sect cultivators had heard every word.

A young-looking Nascent Soul cultivator snorted under his breath. “Those ox-nosed Daoists really know how to calculate. We do the searching, and they wait to pick up the leftovers.”

An older female cultivator glanced at him coolly. “They’re not wrong. It’s one disciple who hasn’t even joined. Of course they won’t treat it as urgent. But if we can’t bring back the Young Sect Master, we’ll lose face.”

The young Nascent Soul cultivator curled his lip. “Tai Yi Hall sent three elders. That’s our top combat power.”

He leaned back, tone sharp. “We haven’t seen movement like this since the Devil-Sealing Barrier incident. The Young Sect Master is really something.”

The older female cultivator’s gaze hardened. “Stop being snide. It’s not like the Young Sect Master wanted to be kidnapped. No matter how unhappy you are, don’t speak like that. If someone hears you, they’ll think our sect is divided.”

Even he didn’t dare push against her authority. “Understood, Senior Sister.”

The noise in the hall scraped at Ji Xing Ge’s patience. She got up and walked out for air.

Bai Li Xu stood at the entrance. When he saw her, he nodded politely. “Miss Ji.”

Ji Xing Ge felt an odd kinship—both of them had been involved in Ling Bu Fei’s disappearance. “At a time like this, they should be searching,” she muttered. “Instead they’re playing mind games.”

Bai Li Xu didn’t comment on elders, but the way he’d stepped outside said enough. “Miss Ji, don’t worry. The Tai Yi Hall elders have stepped in. They’ll find the young master.”

Ji Xing Ge nodded, but anxiety still gnawed at her.

Her father had mobilized too. Ling Bu Fei had come to visit Perching Phoenix Valley, and he’d vanished on the way back. No matter how sharp his tongue was, they’d known each other since childhood. Responsibility and worry tangled in her chest.

And it was already the second day with no news.

Second Lady Hu had a grudge against his father. What would she do to Ling Bu Fei in her fury?

They stood in silence until Ji Xing Ge noticed two young people outside, hovering like they were waiting for a verdict. “Those two—are they Miss Bai’s older siblings?”

“Yes,” Bai Li Xu said.

Ji Xing Ge’s expression softened. “Miss Bai is unlucky. She hasn’t even joined yet, and the Cinnabar Cloud Palace barely cares. They sent one old Daoist to divine, and that’s it.”

Bai Li Xu kept his tone neutral. “Second Lady Hu’s target is the young master. She won’t harm Miss Bai.”

“Once the elders find the young master, she’ll be safe.”

“Let’s hope so,” Ji Xing Ge said.

A shout rose from the street.

“What happened?”

Ji Xing Ge leaned out.

“Look! A huge lightning pillar—someone in the mountains is undergoing tribulation!”

Tribulation?

Ji Xing Ge’s eyes widened. A Nascent Soul breakthrough in Phoenix Mountain? That would be impressive.

She looked toward the distant peaks.

Sure enough, a thick pillar of light speared upward from the mountains, bright enough to stain the dawn.

Bai Li Xu frowned. “No. Tribulation lightning falls from above.”

His gaze sharpened. “That one is rising from below.”

Ji Xing Ge froze. “So it’s not tribulation…”

“Someone’s fighting,” Bai Li Xu said.

“Who would dare fight on Phoenix Mountain?” Ji Xing Ge’s voice sharpened. “Do they think Phoenix Roost Valley and Phoenix Parasol City will just let it happen?”

Before she finished, Nascent Soul cultivators poured out of the Star-Plucking Tower in a grim rush, expressions tightening the moment they saw the light.

The older female cultivator glanced once and raised a Message Talisman. Her voice cut cleanly through the air. “Martial Uncle, we’ve found the Young Sect Master. Come quickly.”

She flicked the talisman away and turned into a streak of light, flying toward Phoenix Mountain.

“Senior Sister, wait!” the young Nascent Soul cultivator cried, chasing after her.

Elder Yi Ming and Elder Qiu Zhen exchanged a look and also turned into beams of light.

Bai Li Xu’s breath came out hard—relief and dread tangled together. “It’s the young master.”

He leapt onto his sword and flew after them.

“Hey!” Ji Xing Ge called, furious and helpless. “You could at least bring me!”

But she was only Foundation Establishment Stage. She could do nothing but watch the lights vanish into the distance, leaving her behind with her worry.