Chapter 023

Chapter 23: Encountering the Spirit Weasel Pack

Wei Yun Xi refused to let the comment slide and immediately lifted her head high, saying, “Elder Sister, you shouldn’t discourage us like that. Our cultivation is low now, but it doesn’t mean it’ll never improve. With your current strength, Elder Sister Yun Ting, you can definitely deal with early-stage first-rank spirit beasts.”

Though Wei Yun Xi’s words flattered Wei Yun Ting, they also resonated deeply with everyone. Even Wei Zong Jin nodded in agreement beside her.

Actually, Wei Yun Qing regretted her words the moment they left her mouth. She had merely wanted to refute Wei Yun Xi and hadn’t meant to belittle her own kin.

Wei Yun Ting smiled warmly, saying, “Junior Sister Yun Xi is right. Low cultivation now doesn’t mean we can’t hunt spirit beasts. As long as we work together, we can do it. Yun Xi, you must have learned some alchemy techniques from your uncle’s family. We’ll be looking forward to your fasting pills—they must taste like grilled meat.”

Hearing that, Wei Yun Xi smiled sweetly and nodded, inwardly sighing at how mature the children of this cultivation world were. With just a couple of sentences, Wei Yun Ting had united the Wei family disciples and praised Yun Xi’s alchemy potential, making everyone feel happy.

Having failed to assert herself, Wei Yun Qing fell silent, pretending to meditate instead.

About half an hour later, the young disciples from Emerald Jade City had finished eating, relieved themselves, and even organized themselves into teams, subtly accepting the Wei family’s leadership as they waited to continue their journey.

Wei Yun Ting was pleased with everyone’s obedience. She waved her hand and called out clearly, “Everyone, split into three groups. Pay attention to movements in the forest on either side as we go down the mountain. Move out!”

She immediately took the lead, with Wei family disciples following closely behind.

Wei Yun Xi didn’t want to be near Wei Yun Qing. Based on her reading experience, the protagonist was always at the center of trouble. Not wanting to get dragged into anything, she deliberately walked alongside Wei Zong Hao, consciously widening the gap between herself and Wei Yun Qing.

Wei Yun Qing, meanwhile, stuck close to Wei Yun Ting and Wei Zong Jin. One had higher cultivation, and the other was her usual cultivation partner, making her feel more comfortable. Gradually, she moved toward the front of the group.

Wei Zong Hao tossed a dried fruit into his mouth, then turned to Yun Xi and asked, “Junior Sister Yun Xi, why aren’t you walking with your sister?”

Without hesitation, Wei Yun Xi said bluntly, “I don’t want to walk with her. She always takes my things.”

Wei Zong Hao immediately became curious, asking, “What did she take from you?”

Wei Yun Xi described the incident of Wei Yun Qing trying to take her mother’s hairpin after her mother had “fallen.” She even mentioned their father was aware, quietly tarnishing Wei Yun Qing’s image.

Although Wei Zong Hao was young, he’d already cultivated for a year. He winked knowingly at Yun Xi, lowered his voice, and said, “I heard my mother mention that Concubine Du was very jealous of your mother. She probably instructed Yun Qing to take your belongings now that your mother’s gone.”

Wei Yun Xi didn’t expect Little Fatty to enjoy gossip so much, but she cooperatively nodded, even adding in stories from her uncle’s family.

They spent the journey whispering about Wei Yun Qing and sharing snacks, still keeping pace. The nearby Feng family disciples overheard, causing their opinion of Wei Yun Qing to worsen as well.

An hour and a half later, some children began falling behind and asked to rest. Wei Yun Ting checked the sun’s position, then agreed.

Truthfully, many of these children were mortals who hadn’t begun cultivation. Managing an hour and a half without falling behind was already commendable.

After a brief fifteen-minute rest, they continued descending the mountain.

Less than half an hour later, commotion broke out at the back of the group, accompanied by the children’s screams.

Curious, Wei Yun Xi instinctively released her divine sense. What she saw made her scalp tingle. A dense swarm of creatures that resembled spirit weasels but were only the size of rats chased after them, frightening the children at the rear into panicked flight.

As the running began, their formation fell apart. The slower ones stumbled to the ground, crying loudly. Faster ones grabbed their friends and sprinted ahead.

Yet, when some children were tackled by the spirit weasels, they vanished instantly. Seeing this, Wei Yun Xi felt relieved. At least no one would actually lose their life. Clearly, someone was secretly watching over them, noting their performance.

She had suspected from the start that the sect wouldn’t abandon a group of little radishes on a mountain. Likely, this was a test, and those who vanished had merely been disqualified.

Wei Yun Ting quickly noticed something was wrong and shouted, “Don’t stop! Keep running! Once we leave their territory, the spirit weasels won’t follow!”

Wei Yun Xi pulled back her divine sense, grabbed Little Fatty beside her, and swiftly ran downhill.

In the moment before retracting her divine sense, she caught an unnatural expression on Wei Yun Qing’s face. Wei Yun Qing had even moved slightly closer to Wei Yun Ting, clearly uneasy.

Wei Yun Xi’s mind raced. She suddenly remembered that during the earlier rest, Wei Yun Qing had accompanied a mortal girl to relieve herself. Could Wei Yun Qing have done something to attract the spirit weasel pack?

Apart from intruding into their territory, such fierce pursuit usually meant someone had taken something they shouldn’t have—perhaps herbs guarded by the weasels, their food, or even their young.

Wei Yun Xi’s speculation, informed by novel-reading tropes, flashed quickly through her mind but didn’t slow her down.

Wei Zong Hao initially kept pace but soon started panting, asking as they ran, “How much farther? Why are these spirit weasels still chasing us?”

Wei Yun Ting also sensed the situation was strange. They had already left the spirit weasels’ territory, yet the creatures persisted, clearly targeting the group at the front.

Being older, Wei Yun Ting quickly raised her voice, asking loudly, “Did anyone take something they shouldn’t during our rest? If so, quickly throw it away, or the weasels will never stop chasing us. We’ll all be disqualified!”

“No way!”

“Who would dare pick something up here?”

“Who was it? Give it back to the weasels—don’t drag us all down!”

“Hurry, I can’t run anymore!”

“If someone causes me to fail, I’ll drag them down with me!”

The entire team erupted into chaos, accusations flying, yet no one stepped forward to admit guilt.

Seeing this, Wei Yun Ting again shouted, “Split up by teams! Captains, scatter and run separately. The group pursued by the weasels is the one with the problem. The other teams, shake them off and continue ahead.”

She wasn’t worried they would get lost; after all, Grand Righteous Sect was clearly visible from here. Unless they were blind, they’d find their way.

Hearing Wei Yun Ting’s command, the captains immediately acted, taking their teams into the forest.