Chapter 050

Chapter 50: Lurking in the Shadows

Wei Yun Xi was always alert. Immediately sensing something off, she secretly informed Wei Zong Hao, and the two siblings quickly arranged to meet during lunch.

“Yun Xi, are you sure someone has their eye on us?” asked Zong Hao.

“Yes. If it happened once, it might be a coincidence, but this has gone on for three days in a row. Something’s definitely wrong,” Yun Xi replied firmly.

“Do you think they’re after our spirit fields, or us specifically?” Zong Hao asked again.

Yun Xi shook her head gently, “I’m not sure.”

In truth, she had some guesses. She was worried that perhaps Chen Feng’s companions had come sniffing around. If that was the case, trouble would surely follow.

Zong Hao rubbed his face anxiously, saying, “They’ve chosen the worst possible time. I’m just about to break through to the seventh layer of Qi Refining. If anything happens now…”

Yun Xi shared his concern. She leaned close and whispered something into Zong Hao’s ear, leaving him conflicted.

“Do you think this will work?” he asked, uncertainty clear in his eyes.

“It has to,” Yun Xi said firmly. “We can’t afford to let them lead us around by the nose.”

“Alright, I’ll follow your lead,” Zong Hao agreed.

The two swiftly parted ways, preparing carefully for whatever trouble might come their way, waiting quietly for the hidden threat to show itself.

The one watching Yun Xi and Zong Hao was none other than Tang Ru—Chen Feng’s former lover.

Tang Ru, now a concubine of a Golden Core Daoist Master, had advanced her cultivation to the ninth layer of Qi Refining. In fact, she would have reached Foundation Establishment long ago, had she not given half of her cultivation resources to Chen Feng.

Yet, Chen Feng hadn’t visited her for two whole months. He hadn’t even collected the resources she’d left hidden for him, causing her worry. Growing anxious, she secretly spent spirit stones to find his whereabouts.

Chen Feng, however, had planned his revenge against Yun Xi in utmost secrecy, intending to steal her resources and silence her permanently. Confident in his superior cultivation, he hadn’t shared his intentions with anyone, not even Tang Ru, for fear of exposing himself.

The sect forbade disciples from harming each other. Chen Feng wouldn’t leave such obvious evidence, and since he was merely an Outer Sect disciple who hadn’t qualified for a soul lamp, his death had gone unnoticed by the sect. Only Tang Ru remembered and worried about him.

Feeling uneasy, Tang Ru used a jade hairpin Chen Feng had given her to cast a tracing spell, discovering his last known location around the second-tier spirit fields on the Outer Five Peaks. But beyond that, his trace vanished.

Fearing the worst, Tang Ru hired people to investigate, and Wei Yun Xi and her brother naturally came under scrutiny. Initially, she suspected them, but after tracking their movements carefully, Tang Ru dismissed the pair as unlikely culprits.

She knew Chen Feng well. He would never attack someone unless victory was certain. While he might target Yun Xi alone, she was two stages weaker than him, utterly incapable of harming Chen Feng.

Turning her suspicions elsewhere, Tang Ru unintentionally spared Yun Xi further trouble.

Meanwhile, unaware of this, Yun Xi and Zong Hao couldn’t tell if the mysterious watchers wanted their spirit rice or their lives. Thus, they paused their cultivation routines and diligently guarded their fields.

Elsewhere, Wei Yun Qing had been living quite comfortably lately. She’d taken a task sorting medicinal herbs on Alchemy Peak, gradually befriending the senior brothers there. With her obedient and earnest appearance, she gained the approval of Senior Brother Ye and secured a long-term position sorting spirit herbs. Not only did she earn spirit stones, but she also had access to discounted pills, which filled her with smug satisfaction.

Since the Wei siblings excluded her, she chose to shine alone. Realizing the enormous benefits of becoming an alchemist, Yun Qing firmly decided on the path of pill refinement. As someone with dual Water-Wood spiritual roots, she had a natural affinity for cultivating spirit plants. She planned to use earth fire for pill refinement until Foundation Establishment, at which point she’d search for alien flames. If she succeeded, her strength would soar.

Moreover, Yun Qing wanted to confirm once more a vision she’d experienced—a place vividly etched into her memory, rumored to contain an alien flame. She vowed to investigate, but her current cultivation was far too weak. Thus, her only choice was to accumulate strength.

The next day, Yun Qing eagerly returned to the courtyard to share her good news but only found Wei Yun Ying. Learning that Yun Xi planned to stay permanently at the Outer Five Peaks cultivating spirit rice, Yun Qing sneered contemptuously and mocked her cousin.

Wei Yun Ying, uninterested in Yun Qing’s bitter words, quickly excused herself to cultivate, leaving Yun Qing feeling thoroughly bored.

Seeking sympathy, Yun Qing next visited Zong Jin and Zong Yu, but the two brothers didn’t even spare her a glance. Both claimed to have urgent sect tasks and left without another word, leaving Yun Qing stamping her feet in frustration before returning to Alchemy Peak alone.

At this point, the eight Wei siblings had embarked on their respective cultivation paths, slowly drifting apart. Some walked hand-in-hand, supporting each other, while others plotted against their own kin. Some fell behind, eventually vanishing quietly into obscurity, while others pressed onward, determinedly carving out their own bright futures.

Returning to the present, Yun Xi and Zong Hao awaited trouble with cautious readiness. Before the anticipated confrontation, however, they encountered the master of spirit field number 59—a cultivator named Fan Si at the eighth layer of Qi Refining.

Noticing Fan Si lowering his field’s protective barrier, Yun Xi and Zong Hao approached respectfully.

Fan Si glanced down at the two siblings, only reaching his chest in height, and chuckled, “I planned to claim both adjacent fields, but you two were quicker.”

Yun Xi smiled warmly and replied, “Senior Brother Fan, these fields were assigned to us by Steward Wang. Since it’s our first time cultivating spirit rice, he thoughtfully gave us fertile land. If Senior Brother Fan prefers connected fields, we can exchange ours after the harvest.”

Fan Si’s mood improved immediately. Seeing Yun Xi’s thoughtfulness, he laughed, “I’m acquainted with Steward Wang. When the time comes, I’ll help you exchange for similar fields next to each other. I promise you won’t lose out.”

“We appreciate your generosity, Senior Brother Fan.”

Having built a friendly rapport, Yun Xi subtly signaled Zong Hao, who stepped forward and spoke softly, “Senior Brother Fan, you might not know since you just ended your seclusion, but recently there have been suspicious people loitering near our fields. We’re unsure of their intentions, perhaps they’re eyeing our nearly-ripe spirit rice. Can Senior Brother Fan advise us?”

Fan Si frowned immediately. He was familiar with opportunistic thieves. These were second-tier spirit fields; after giving the sect its required share, cultivators could keep the remaining rice, earning at least a hundred low-grade spirit stones if diligent.

“You’re new cultivators and your levels aren’t high yet; it’s normal to attract unwanted attention. I suggest you spend spirit stones to hasten your spirit rice’s maturity, harvest early, and submit it promptly—better than losing it all to thieves.”

Zong Hao asked in surprise, “Are there really people in our sect who would do such a thing?”