"...All you need to do is survive within the evil cultivators' ranks. Make use of their resources to push your cultivation to Nascent Soul. When the time comes, you will have your part to play."
Xiao He froze, not understanding Wei Yunxi's intent.
Wei Yunxi smiled slightly: "Perhaps this is the evil cultivators testing you."
A chill ran through Xiao He. He had been so focused on his sister that he nearly forgot how crafty evil cultivators were. He frowned: "Then could the information I brought back be false, a smokescreen they set up?"
"That is why I told you not to act rashly. This trip was to investigate the truth behind your sister's 'death'. Up to now, what have you found?"
At that, Xiao He shook his head. "Aside from the secret realm vanishing for no reason, nothing. I cannot even verify whether my sister truly died. If I keep digging, I will alert the Su family."
Wei Yunxi was unsurprised. Narrowing her eyes, she said: "Then alert the Su family. Borrow their hand to 'escape back' to the Central Region and confront the evil cultivators. If they cannot produce proof that your sister was killed by righteous cultivators, you fight them to the bitter end."
Understanding dawned, and Xiao He nodded. "I understand. I will play the part well."
Wei Yunxi lifted a finger and sketched the phantom of another black token in the air. "Xiao He, track the movements of this token. See where it appears frequently. I suspect it is the entry token to another evil cultivator hideout."
Sweeping it with his divine sense, Xiao He nodded: "It does resemble the token I gave you earlier. I will keep an eye on it."
"Then good luck. If I do not contact you, you need not contact me."
"Alright."
Wei Yunxi abruptly changed the subject: "What mark did the evil cultivators leave on you?"
Xiao He gave a bitter smile. "They planted a restriction in my sea of consciousness. If I grow disloyal, they will shred my divine soul and let an evil soul control my body, so this shell can keep serving them."
Wei Yunxi disagreed calmly: "An evil soul taking a body makes control convenient, but high-level cultivators can still discover it. The last large sweep across the five regions killed many who were possessed, which cost them dearly. That is why they are hiding their heads now.
Which makes defectors like you even more valuable. They cannot afford to lose manpower, so they will cinch the leash on you as tightly as possible.
Whether they seized your weakness or blamed your sister's 'death' on righteous cultivators, it was all to make you serve them wholeheartedly. For the moment, they will not discard you easily. You can afford to be a bit hysterical. Understand?"
Xiao He nodded thoughtfully to show he understood. Only then did Wei Yunxi slip out of his room.
After she left, Xiao He sat the whole night, thinking through everything from start to finish, including his second meeting with Wei Yunxi, and even his sister's injuries. A self-mocking smile tugged at his lips. He had been narrow-minded, charging into a dead end to reach this point.
At sunrise, Xiao He rubbed his face and strode out. For his sister's sake, he would pull himself together and keep matching wits with the evil cultivators.
Wei Yunxi's divine sense kept casual watch on Xiao He. Seeing him depart Qianling City, she did not follow. She wandered the city once, then prepared to return to the sect.
She still remembered inviting Xun Kun to visit Haoran Sect. He had agreed, and was likely already on the road. The matter of Xin Qiujian also awaited her return.
Just as she left Qianling City's bounds and was about to release her flying boat, three Golden Core cultivators blocked her path.
Wei Yunxi feigned alarm: "What do you want?"
The leader, a Golden Core man, said: "My young lord wishes to invite you for a talk."
"Who is your young lord? Do I know him?"
"My young lord is Su Qingzhuo, a young master of the Su family. To be favored by him is your blessing."
Wei Yunxi touched her altered face. Her disguise should be sound. She asked with feigned curiosity:"May I ask what the young master sees in me? I am just a loose cultivator at Foundation Establishment, not young anymore. I do not think I have anything that could sway a Su family young master."
The leader's mouth twitched. He also wanted to know. The young master had only glanced at this female cultivator from a teahouse by the street, then ordered them to invite her over. They were helpless.
"Ahem, perhaps he feels you are fated. Please, Xiaoyou, come with us."
Wei Yunxi rubbed her chin. Sensing no malice, she decided to meet this Su Qingzhuo.
"Very well. I am curious too. Senior, lead the way."
She turned back toward Qianling City. This time, they went to an inconspicuous little teahouse. On the third floor, she met Su Qingzhuo.
Su Qingzhuo wore a rather flashy robe in a purplish-pink hue. A black jade pendant carved like a compass hung at his waist. His features were ordinary, but his phoenix eyes, bright as the stars, drew attention. They were the highlight of his face.
Right now, those eyes flickered as he tried to pierce the clouds concealing Wei Yunxi's true face. He had used the Illusion-Piercing Eye on this "ordinary" female cultivator and found he could not even see through her cultivation, only that her face was fake. So he had sent his Golden Core guards to invite her.
Wei Yunxi stood there and let the young master look, one brow lifted in amusement. Was her background so easy to pry into?
"Young lord!"
The Golden Core guard suddenly cried out. Everyone saw blood trickling from Su Qingzhuo's eyes.
Only then did Su Qingzhuo feel the stab of pain. He hurriedly withdrew the divine ability and collapsed into his chair.
The three Golden Core guards bristled as if facing a great enemy, forming a triangle around Wei Yunxi. Blade, sword, and spear appeared in their hands.
Wei Yunxi finally spoke: "Young master, why did you invite me here?"
Su Qingzhuo was busy nourishing his eyes with spiritual power and could not answer. Wei Yunxi had no desire to negotiate while standing. Her figure blurred as she slipped out of the encirclement and sat opposite Su Qingzhuo.
The three guards' faces changed. They regretted bringing her before the young master. This unremarkable woman's cultivation clearly exceeded the three of them.
The leader signaled the others with his eyes, ready to call for backup.
Wei Yunxi merely flicked her sleeve. All three dropped straight to the floor, fast asleep.
Su Qingzhuo had to open his reddened eyes and cup his hands: "Forgive us, Senior. I was rude. Please do not harm my guards."
"Rest easy. They are only asleep. Now can you answer why you invited me?"
Su Qingzhuo swallowed. "I, I could not see through your cultivation and wished to make your acquaintance."
Wei Yunxi said lazily: "Tsk. Such a nice mouth, yet the first thing out of it is a lie. Is telling the truth so difficult?"
Su Qingzhuo's hand clutched the compass-shaped jade at his waist. After a struggle, he said:"My master told me that my benefactor would appear in Qianling City, and that I should wait here for the cultivator whom even the Illusion-Piercing Eye could not see through."