When Xun Kun heard that name, he lowered his eyes, thought a moment, then said:
"Xin Qiujian is indeed a disciple of Kunmo Sect. He has been out roaming for fifty years, returns to the sect only rarely to hand in missions, and is one of our low-key Nascent Soul cultivators. He has never taken a disciple."
From Xun Kun's explanation, Wei Yunxi understood why the evil cultivators had chosen Xin Qiujian as a vessel. His presence in the sect was faint, he walked a solitary path, and was away for years on end. Even if something happened, it would take a long time to notice.
Seeing Wei Yunxi silent for a while, Xun Kun asked:
"Did he do something that offended Haoran Sect?"
Wei Yunxi nodded.
"He used Bao Jun and Xun Yue as the vanguard to wear down my strength, then planned to sit back and reap the fisherman's profit by ambushing me and taking my head."
Before she finished speaking, Xun Kun's brows were already furrowed. Wei Yunxi gave him no chance to interject and continued:
"Too bad his skill was inferior. I killed him. To flee, he abandoned his body and sent his Yuányīng flying, and that was when I discovered he was not Xin Qiujian at all, but an evil soul."
Xun Kun's pupils contracted. His gaze sharpened.
"Wei Daoyou, do you have proof for what you say?"
"Naturally. I brought both the corpse and the Yuányīng back to the sect. Since this involves Kunmo Sect, I sealed the evil soul away and waited for you to come so we could interrogate it together. After all, we are not familiar with the true Xin Qiujian."
Xun Kun rubbed his fingers. A chill flashed in his eyes. "In that case, let us question it now. I would like to see what the evil cultivators are plotting."
If what Wei Yunxi said was true, then could there be others like this within Kunmo Sect? If even a Yuányīng Zhēnjūn like Xin Qiujian had fallen, what of other high level cultivators? Xun Kun did not dare pursue that thought further.
Wei Yunxi appreciated his decisiveness and led him straight to the Law Enforcement Hall.
Hao Song Zhēnjūn, on duty today, had received Wei Yunxi's message in advance. When she arrived with Xun Kun, Xin Qiujian's corpse had already been laid out in a side chamber for Xun Kun to identify, and the jade bottle sealing the evil soul sat on the main hall's jade table, waiting for Wei Yunxi to unseal it.
Xun Kun first examined the body. Looking at the ruined remains, his mouth twitched. It felt like Wei Yunxi's strikes were getting heavier each time.
Wei Yunxi cleared her throat and explained: "I had just clashed with Bao Jun and Xun Yue. Worried about getting dragged into a wheel battle, I chose to end it quickly. So I struck a little harder than usual."
Xun Kun nodded. If he had faced three Nascent Soul opponents in rotation, he too would have opted for swift resolution, eliminating one first if he could. It was just that the one eliminated this time was a Kunmo Sect cultivator, which left a sour taste.
"This is indeed Xin Qiujian of my sect."
With identification confirmed, Hao Song Zhēnjūn stroked the goatee on his chin.
"Then let us question this evil soul and learn when Xin Daoyou was replaced."
He lifted a hand and suspended the jade bottle in midair, then looked to Wei Yunxi. She had used a bloodline secret art to seal it, so only she could undo it.
Wei Yunxi nodded, formed a seal, and unraveled the ward.
The instant the seal broke, a tiny Yuányīng wreathed in gray qi burst from the bottle, making a last desperate bid to escape. Wei Yunxi snared it with a net of thunder, and said lazily:
"Where do you think you are going? Did I say you could run?"
Bathed inside and out in thunder, the small Yuányīng's face twisted. The gray qi within it dissipated at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the baby shrank a whole size before it finally shouted:
"Spare me, Zhēnjūn. I will not run. Please stop."
Only then did Wei Yunxi withdraw the thunder net. She glanced at Xun Kun.
"Xun Kun Daoyou, you may begin."
Staring at a miniature baby that bore no resemblance to Xin Qiujian, Xun Kun knew she had not lied. He asked coldly:
"When did you seize Xin Qiujian's body?"
"In the midst of his heart demons."
"How long have you occupied this body?"
"Five years."
"What was your mission this time?"
"To kill Wei Yunxi."
Xun Kun let out a cold laugh.
"With just you? Did you never consider you might fail and be incapable of completing the task?"
Madness flashed across the small Yuányīng's face.
"As long as I could gravely wound Wei Yunxi, that would suffice. One big problem solved, and conflict between Haoran Sect and Kunmo Sect would be stoked.
I was already prepared to abandon the body. That would be more convincing. Kunmo Sect would never ignore a Yuányīng disciple being killed. Your two sides would only spiral deeper into hostility."
"Hmph. You simply underestimated Wei Daoyou's strength, and now the one who is caught is you."
Xun Kun cut off the fantasizing and stabbed straight at the heart.
The Yuányīng's features contorted further, and then its body suddenly began to swell. It was the prelude to a Yuányīng self-detonation.
Startled, Hao Song Zhēnjūn moved on instinct to stop it, so agitated that he yanked out a tuft of his own beard.
Wei Yunxi, however, acted first. From the moment she broke the seal, her divine sense had circled the thing, watching its state. The instant it prepared to explode, she raised her hand and unfolded her Wind and Snow Domain, trapping it within.
A flash of shock crossed the Yuányīng's face, followed by burning hate. But once set in motion, the self-detonation could not be halted. A muffled bang shook the great hall.
The blast tore through Wei Yunxi's Wind and Snow Domain. She spat blood, her face going pale as paper, and was hurled out of the hall.
Her spiritual power would not circulate. She was about to meet the ground face-first when the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella appeared in her hand, opening to bear her up. The black dragon on the canopy surged into relief, and a piercing dragon's roar echoed across the sect.
The lifelike black dragon tore free of the canopy. Its tail coiled tightly around Wei Yunxi to shield her, while its raised head glared at Hao Song and Xun Kun, ready to strike at any moment.
Hao Song's hand shook in excitement and plucked out more beard hairs. Xun Kun had seen the might of her treasures before; he took two steps back before speaking.
"Wei Daoyou, are you all right?"
Wei Yunxi had already steadied her breathing. She wiped the blood from her lips.
"I am fine."
Then she sent a voice transmission to the umbrella's spirit. "Hei Yao, I am unharmed. Come back."
Only then did Hei Yao slowly shrink and return to the canopy, which Wei Yunxi drew back into her dantian.
At that moment Yu Ling appeared, white robes and silver hair, his presence vast. Hao Song and Xun Kun both bowed on reflex.
Yu Ling merely waved a hand. Right now he only cared about his disciple.
"Yunxi, are you hurt?"