Xun Kun was anxious to return and report this to his sect. Yu Ling Zūnzhě's disciple had even been seriously injured over the matter. Kunmo Sect would certainly owe this favor, and he needed to lay everything out to his master, so the sooner he went back, the better.
Naturally Yu Ling Zūnzhě had no reason to keep Xun Kun. Besides, with his own disciple injured, Lingxue Peak was no place to host a guest. He said gravely:
"At first light tomorrow, Law Enforcement Hall will deliver Xin Qiujian's corpse. Stay on Lingxue Peak for the night."
Once Xun Kun entered the guest courtyard, Yu Ling went to the back mountain to see Ancestor Hao Yi.
At that moment, Hao Qing Zūnzhě was recounting his trip to Mingjian Gate to Hao Yi, Hao Hui, and Hao Yan.
"Ming Hong Zūnzhě is willing to stand with Haoran Sect during the Five Region Grand Tournament. He did suggest passing the news to Huaxin Gate, since they are hosting this tournament. If the evil cultivators act at all, they will pick the Central Region. I did not object."
Ancestor Hao Yi was unsurprised. Ming Hong was far easier to deal with than Ming Jia. She said:
"You did right. Let the people of Huaxin Gate have the headache."
As they spoke, Yu Ling appeared before the four.
Hao Yan, who had been lounging lazily, straightened at once when she saw Yu Ling. Her phoenix eyes narrowed.
"Yu Ling, who caused the disturbance on Law Enforcement Peak?"
Yu Ling saluted the four before he spoke. "An evil cultivator's Yuányīng self-detonated. Fortunately, Yunxi acted in time and prevented irreparable damage, but she herself suffered heavy backlash. I just brought her back to Lingxue Peak."
Hao Qing Zūnzhě frowned slightly.
"Kunmo Sect's Xun Kun came to visit Yunxi. How did she end up at Law Enforcement Hall?"
When Hao Qing had gone to Mingjian Gate, Wei Yunxi had not yet returned to the sect. He did not know she had slain a Kunmo Sect cultivator who had been possessed by an evil soul on her way back, hence the question.
Yu Ling briefly explained what had happened, then added:
"Xun Kun intends to return to Kunmo Sect tomorrow. He takes the matter of Xin Qiujian's possession very seriously. I am worried the evil cultivators may make a move against him in secret. If something happens to him in the Western Region, it will be hard to answer to Lin Lang Zūnzhě."
Hao Qing could not help laughing.
"Yu Ling, just say what you mean. No need to circle around. You are worried that boy Xun Kun will get lost in the Western Region and never make it back to the Southern Region."
Yu Ling cast a cool glance at Hao Qing Zūnzhě and cleared his throat.
"Lin Lang Zūnzhě does not wish that particular shortcoming of Xun Kun to be spread about."
Hao Yan's phoenix eyes widened.
"Hao Qing, how did you learn of this?"
Hao Qing smiled.
"It was a coincidence. On my way back to the sect I saw Xun Kun fighting someone. I took a look and found people from Tianling losing to him and abandoning their ship.
The boy had to steer a flying boat himself. I clearly saw he set his destination as Haoran Sect, yet he steered in the opposite direction.
I was puzzled, and off he went. My curiosity got the better of me, so I followed.
A quarter-hour later he realized he was going the wrong way, used a treasure that points the right direction, corrected his course, and turned the boat around. This time he did head the right way, but not even the length of one stick of incense later, he veered off again.
I found it too funny and revealed myself to ask what business he had at Haoran Sect. He presented a calling card from Lingxue Peak, and I realized he was Yunxi's invited guest, so I brought him back along the way."
Hao Yan laughed until even her phoenix eyes disappeared.
Hao Hui remembered the youngster named Xun Kun. Back in the new secret realm on Baohua Mountain, Yunxi had joined forces with him to destroy the evil blossom. He was Lin Lang Zūnzhě's favored disciple of Kunmo Sect. Hao Hui clicked his tongue.
"He is a cultivator after all. How does one end up with a flaw like not knowing directions? Cultivators have divine sense. He is at least a Nascent Soul. He should not be able to lose himself."
Yu Ling followed up: "That flaw is well hidden. Since he started cultivating, he never went out to temper himself alone. Most of the time he formed teams with his sectmates. He rarely left the sect at all, so very few people know."
Hao Qing chuckled. "Enough. I will do a good deed to the end. I brought him back, I will see him sent home. At least let Kunmo Sect owe Haoran Sect a favor. Yunxi's injuries must not be for nothing."
Yu Ling had been waiting for that.
"Many thanks, Senior Brother Hao Qing."
Done with that, Yu Ling continued: "The 'worker bees' we sent out from the Hive have trickled back reports. No trace of evil cultivators yet. With the Five Region Grand Tournament approaching, many cultivators are flooding into the Central Region."
"No matter. Let Huaxin Gate worry about that. I trust they will take seriously the message Mingjian Gate delivered."
Hao Yi never overstepped. She only needed to ensure no evil infiltrators entered Haoran Sect and that the Western Region stayed stable.
Half an hour later, Yu Ling returned to the Hive, while Xun Kun in the guest courtyard had already sent word back to Kunmo Sect with a transmission jade.
After reading the message, Lin Lang Zūnzhě crushed the chess piece in her hand to powder and snorted coldly. "These evil cultivators truly have gall, daring to lay hands on Kunmo Sect. They are plainly treating the Southern Region's first sect as if it were nothing."
She spoke to herself, then went to see her own Ancestor.
Early the next morning, Xun Kun received a storage pouch from Law Enforcement Hall containing Xin Qiujian's corpse. Hao Qing Zūnzhě had come along.
Xun Kun saluted at once, puzzled why Hao Qing would be there.
Hao Qing smiled and explained:
"The Sect Master fears you may encounter trouble in the Western Region, so he asked me to escort you. I also have matters to discuss with your master, so we travel together."
Xun Kun understood immediately. They feared something might befall him in the Western Region and Haoran Sect would be blamed, so they would simply escort him back to Kunmo Sect.
He felt it a touch exaggerated, but remembering yesterday's Yuányīng self-detonation, he bowed. "Many thanks, Hao Qing Zūnzhě."
Seeing Xun Kun grasp Haoran Sect's intention, Hao Qing directly swept him away from the mountain gate.
——
This time Wei Yunxi remained in seclusion for a full half year, warming and restoring her meridians before emerging. After coming out, she still did not leave Lingxue Peak. She released Dian Dian and Fei Xia, who had just broken the cocoon and become a butterfly again, from her space.
Dian Dian circled her several times, then pounced into her arms and whimpered:
"Master, how did you get hurt again? Dian Dian could feel it even inside the space. Who had the ability to injure Master so badly?"
It had all happened too fast. Wei Yunxi had only had time to send the Dian Dian hidden in her sleeve into the space, so Dian Dian did not know that the evil cultivator's Yuányīng had self-detonated.
Wei Yunxi stroked Dian Dian's head to soothe it.
"Your master's life is hard to snuff out. I will not hand myself over so easily. Still, it was close this time. The evil cultivator's Yuányīng I captured actually self-detonated. Luckily, when I released the infant I had already drained part of its power with lightning arts. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable."