Chapter Sixty-One: Into Peril

Not long after Jade Fragment and Tearless left, the sky suddenly grew thick with dark clouds. Thunder rumbled deeply, and a web of violet lightning threatened to pierce the dense heavens.

As the lightning flashed, an unsettling air lingered, faintly perceptible. Light Dust rose and went to the doorway, gazing toward the mountain, then turned to White Crane and Locust Hermit, saying, “Nature’s omens never come without cause. I believe we should bring those two back.”

White Crane agreed, “I was thinking the same.”

Locust Hermit, arms crossed behind his head, cast a sidelong glance at White Crane. “It’s just a bit of thunder and a few sparks—what’s there to fear?”

“Brother Locust, aren’t you worried Jade Fragment might be frightened?” Light Dust glanced at the increasingly ominous sky, anxiety stirring within.

These two, alas… never ones to inspire confidence.

At the mention, Locust Hermit fell silent. He relished his moments of leisure, but concern for the young girl was genuine.

As hesitation lingered, Bright Yi returned to the Two Insect Courtyard after completing his task.

He saw at once that his junior brother was absent, and a foreboding sense rose in his heart. He strode inside. “Sister Light, where is our junior brother?”

Light Dust regarded him, her mind racing: The strange changes in the heavens—could they be connected to the two entering the mountain?

“Sister Light?”

“Oh, the two of them went up to play,” Light Dust replied, raising her hand to point toward the peak.

Bright Yi’s expression changed dramatically at her words; he grabbed his sword and rushed out.

“Brother Bright, is something wrong?” Light Dust seized his arm. “Is it… the mountain?”

Bright Yi glanced at the delicate hand on his wrist, subtly extricating himself. “That mountain is forbidden within our sect. It is not to be entered lightly.”

“Forbidden?” The revelation shocked not only Light Dust but also White Crane and Locust Hermit.

How could it be forbidden?

“Yes, before the master became sect leader, a Blood Lord came to provoke the sect. They fought for seven days, and in the end, the master used the sect’s secret arts to seal him within the mountain. That was eight hundred years ago.”

White Crane gasped at the tale.

Clearly, today’s omens must be tied to that Blood Lord.

He rose at once. “This was our oversight—Brother Bright, lead the way before disaster befalls.”

Bright Yi nodded, and Locust Hermit could sit still no longer. With a start, he jumped up and hurried after, Light Dust and White Crane close behind.

They left the Two Insect Courtyard in haste, flying directly toward the mountain.

Meanwhile, in the pine forest, No Wind stood watching the sky, calculating with a sweep of his sleeve.

Oddly, no matter how he divined, the mists obscured all clarity, except for a mass of red light approaching—a beast’s furious roar, or perhaps just the howling of the gale.

No Wind, uneasy, spoke to Perching Sage Lord, “...I’ll go check.”

Perching Sage Lord glanced at the horizon, his brows knitting, thoughts turning. He suppressed his own concern, saying, “Why panic? There are plenty of juniors here—you just watch.”

“What did you see?”

“Rest assured. Your precious child will come to no harm. Who knows, he may even encounter good fortune.” Perching Sage Lord’s gaze sharpened as he looked down.

Ah, No Wind—concern breeds confusion.

“...” After a moment’s daze, No Wind suddenly realized, stamping his foot, “No, Tearless is too young—I must...”

“Ah, can’t you calm yourself? All these days you’ve watched your son, and not noticed the red mist lingering around him?”

“I...” Indeed, he hadn’t. Watching day and night seemed barely enough; how could he notice anything else?

“Relax. With my old eyes, I see this child has some destiny.” At least, better than you as a father.

No Wind was silent for a while. “Then I’ll return to the Two Insect Courtyard and wait for news. I can’t rest easy here.”

Perching Sage Lord raised his hand, letting him go first. What could be done? The man now had a son.

“Let’s go.”

“Go.”

With a gesture, the two slipped directly back to the courtyard.

Meanwhile, the true protagonists were still rummaging through the mountain grass.

Jade Fragment, usually gentle and frail, had climbed and scrambled all over the mountain without so much as a gasp.

She searched through a nest of grass, finding nothing. Turning to Tearless, who was staring at the sky, she asked, “Tearless, where did you used to catch those red bugs?”

Tearless watched the endless flashes of violet lightning, his gaze growing strange. “In the water,” he replied absently.

Water? Jade Fragment felt she’d finally found the key.

Water—then they should look for somewhere with water.

She jumped up, dragging Tearless along, winding through the dense forest. With so many twists and turns, they soon forgot the way back.

The deeper they went, the louder the thunder grew.

A thunderclap exploded nearby, startling Jade Fragment and draining her earlier courage. In fear, she gripped Tearless’s hand so tightly it turned pale.

But the child seemed oblivious, following some mysterious pull, step by step into the depths.

No telling how long they walked, but at last they reached the edge of a lake.

Jade Fragment, near tears from fright, forgot her terror at the sight of water.

She released Tearless’s hand and rushed toward the shore.

No sooner had she stepped into the water than a torrent surged up from the lake. Jade Fragment tumbled and crawled back, almost reaching Tearless when suddenly her ankle sank—she was dragged off the bank.

Luckily, she reacted quickly, clutching a large stone and halting the sudden pull.

Before she could catch her breath, the force behind her grew. She looked back and saw what was holding her.

She burst into tears. “Bad man, help me, help…”

From the depths emerged a Blood Python, its entire body crimson, as thick as three adults could embrace.

Its tongue had wrapped around Jade Fragment’s ankle.

Hearing her cry for help, the Blood Python snorted, “Help? I’ve waited eight hundred years for you two. If you escape, what will I eat for strength?”

Jade Fragment sobbed even harder, “Don’t eat me, I’m… I’m not tasty.”

She hugged herself tightly.

The Blood Python stared with eyes like millstones. “If I don’t eat you, I’ll eat him.”

“Him? Well… ah, no, not good.” Jade Fragment nodded, then shook her head.

“So, is it good or not? Should I eat you, or him?” The Blood Python had spent eight hundred years in the lake, consuming only fish and shrimp.

Over time, even those were gone.

He needed blood-rich beings to recover, but fish and shrimp offered only meager sustenance.

Occasionally, an animal drinking at the shore would be dragged in and eaten, but soon even they avoided the lake.

Recently, he’d seen a red light rising from the direction of the Two Insect Courtyard—a rare supplement, but he couldn’t leave.

Now, his fortune had arrived.

He did not go to them; they came to him.

When fate delivers itself, who would refuse?

He summoned wind and cloud, used lightning as a lure, guiding them step by step to the lakeside.

He thought, very well—once I devour these two, I’ll go hunt No Wind for revenge.

With a flick of his red tongue, Jade Fragment was about to be swallowed whole.

She cried, “Don’t eat me, eat him… sob…”

Terrified, Jade Fragment forgot everything Locust Hermit had told her. Her mind was filled only with the gaping maw, her face pale as death.

If not for the stench of the python, which made her dizzy but not faint, she’d have collapsed.

The Blood Lord flung her aside and turned to devour Tearless.

His true target had always been Tearless.

The girl had come on her own, so he grabbed her first.

From the first glance at Tearless, he knew his supplement had arrived.

So, devouring Tearless was the priority; the girl was merely a bonus.

He intended to eat one, but now had two. When fate delivers, why not accept?

He was about to swallow his prize when Bright Yi, White Crane, and the others arrived.

“Damn beast, release my junior brother!” Bright Yi shouted, drawing his sword.

White Crane unsheathed Compassion, preparing a powerful strike. “Do not harm anyone!”

The Blood Lord lashed his tail, sending the lake’s waters surging toward the shore.

Bright Yi and White Crane parried together, Locust Hermit joined with a slashing strike, causing the valley to shake violently.

Light Dust, seeing this, hurriedly wrapped Jade Fragment in her water sleeves and pulled her to safety.

The Blood Lord would not yield.

His two fangs curved like scimitars, howling as they struck at Light Dust and Jade Fragment.

At the same time, a water python several times thicker than himself erupted from the lake.

White Crane and Bright Yi engaged the water python, Locust Hermit rushed to help Light Dust.

“Take her away,” Light Dust said, tossing Jade Fragment into Locust Hermit’s arms, then drew the Four Symbols Pipa.

Her fingertips plucked the strings; waves of sound rippled forth, binding the two scimitars.

The Blood Lord roared. With just another foot, he could have slain them both.

Light Dust’s fingers danced, sound waves like whips ensnaring the blades, then intensified the melody, sending hidden force at the water python.

“Damn it!” The Blood Lord, enraged, submerged Tearless.

He transformed into human form, feet planted in the water, leaping onto the python’s head.

True energy flowed from his feet into the python, making the combined attacks of the three useless.

Locust Hermit, holding Jade Fragment, gritted his teeth and decided to carry her down the mountain.

The girl’s condition was dire; her breath grew weaker for reasons unknown.

If they waited any longer, something terrible might happen.

Elsewhere, No Wind and Perching Sage Lord were shocked at Jade Fragment’s state.

Examining her internally, she was unharmed; externally, only scrapes.

By all appearances, she should not be so weak.

Even when both Perching Sage Lord and No Wind infused her with energy to restore her life force, there was a faint sense that it could not be anchored.

Both men were alarmed.

Locust Hermit paced anxiously, then stopped and bowed to the two. “Thank you for your efforts. I’ll be back soon.”

“Where are you going?” No Wind called.

“To find White Crane. Last time, the Young Tower Lord was at death’s door, and White Crane’s pill saved him. I’ll seek one now, please.” With that, he vanished.

No Wind watched Jade Fragment, growing concerned for Tearless.

Though Perching Sage Lord claimed this was the child’s opportunity to forge destiny, he still worried as a father.

Perching Sage Lord reassured, “Don’t worry. Though I find the boy disagreeable, among them he’s the most promising.”

He added, “Didn’t Locust Hermit mention it? The boy has something precious. If anything happens, there’s no need to panic.”

“Let’s hope…” Tearless, alas.

Locust Hermit reached the lakeside, where the battle had reached a fever pitch. He knew that in such combat, life hung by a thread.

But Jade Fragment’s situation could not wait; after his inner turmoil, he shouted, “Brother!”

White Crane was momentarily distracted, but reacted swiftly, raising Compassion to block his chest.

Bright Yi supported from the side, barely fending off a sudden attack.

White Crane’s brows furrowed as he addressed Bright Yi and Light Dust: “Be careful, I’ll be back soon.”

“Take care,” Light Dust urged.

“Mm.”

With a combined assault, White Crane retreated to the shore. “What’s happened?”

“Jade Fragment’s fading. Do you still have the pill that saved the Young Tower Lord last time?”

If there was any other choice, he would not ask.

Calling White Crane away now put everyone else at risk. But she was not just Jade Fragment—she was his Second Miss...

White Crane produced a porcelain bottle. “Take it.”

Locust Hermit gripped the bottle tightly. “Thank you!”

With that, he hurried down the mountain.

White Crane turned back, pupils contracting.

“Careful…”