Cultivators browsing the street stalls suddenly noticed snowflakes drifting down from the sky. In the instant they looked up, no one realized two people had vanished.
The targets of the Shadowscale Serpent's strike, Zhang Lingrui and Lin Keyang, turned back on alert. They only glimpsed a blur, then more snow fell. The two exchanged a look, and Lin Keyang blurted without thinking, "It is Ran Xi."
Usually a bit carefree, Zhang Lingrui also turned grim. "Go. We return to seek Ancestor."
"Alright."
They were about to slip away from the market when a lazy voice sounded by their ears, Hao Yan Zūnzhě's voice. "No need to worry. Do what you came to do. Ran Xi can handle it."
They paused, then let their hearts settle. If Ancestor had spoken, there would be no problem.
Lin Keyang said, "Let us go look elsewhere."
Since they could not help, they would not linger.
Zhang Lingrui nodded, and the two strolled out of the stall market.
High above, concealed in the air, Hao Yan stood beside a white-robed, white-bearded Divine Transformation cultivator. He frowned, about to speak, when Xiang Sizi appeared at Hao Yan's side the next breath.
At Xiang Sizi's arrival, the white-robed cultivator dismissed his questions and offered a polite cupped-hands salute.
Dressed, as ever, in that eye-catching violet-red robe, Xiang Sizi returned the salute with an enchanting smile, then said to Hao Yan, "You left mid-sentence. Why did you run out?"
Hao Yan glanced toward Yunxi, who was pounding someone inside the "domain" she had constructed, and smiled. "Zuo Qiu's disciple is exactly like him. Weak, yet addicted to picking fights. She knew she was no match, and still had to jump out and provoke her. Of course she is getting beaten."
Watching Yunxi's fists thud home, Xiang Sizi laughed aloud.
The moment Yunxi sensed the Shadowscale Serpent move against Zhang Lingrui and Lin Keyang, she opened her Wind and Snow Domain and neatly enclosed both Wei Yunqing and the serpent.
In the next breath, Cong Shan burst from the spirit beast pouch and hurled itself straight at the serpent, swift and sure. Yunxi sent a voice transmission, "Cong Shan, do not actually eat it. That thing is filthy. Cripple it badly, that is enough."
"Understood, Master."
Every spine on Cong Shan's body bristled. It curled into a spiny ball and rolled toward the serpent.
Wei Yunqing realized at once that she had been shifted to another space. She knew the situation was bad, but it was too late to flee. The next instant, a heavy punch slammed into her abdomen. The force sent her flying, so hard she did not even have time to cry out.
Even as she roused water and wood spiritual power to dull the pain and steady herself, Yunxi released five split-shadows, hemming Wei Yunqing in and laying into her, every strike solid and merciless.
Bang, bang, bang
Echoed through the Wind and Snow Domain, tangled with Wei Yunqing's screams.
The Shadowscale Serpent fared no better. Its tail was pierced again by Cong Shan's spines. It had no chance to escape. It spat venom at Cong Shan, tried to bite and force it to let go.
Too bad. Cong Shan kept itself tightly curled, a hedgehog of pure thorns. The serpent could not find purchase, its tongue flicking furiously as it twisted itself into knots to avoid those spines.
Numb from the beating, Wei Yunqing finally activated a protective jade pendant and screamed hysterically, "Wei Yunxi, what exactly do you want?"
Yunxi said nothing. She only kept punching. Six identical faces wore the same cold smile as she spoke in a low voice, "What do you think I want? Did you really believe that just because you contracted that Shadowscale Serpent I would have no way to deal with you?"
Wei Yunqing's eyes shifted. She knew Yunxi had already discovered the serpent's trail, but she still argued, "You say Yingxi is yours, so it is yours? When it crawled into my cave residence grievously wounded, I saw no contract mark on it. That spirit beast does not belong to you."
Yunxi barked back without mercy, "So you took it upon yourself to contract it, then planned to set it on same-sect cultivators, in front of everyone, on Huaxian Gate's turf. Is your brain waterlogged?"
Wei Yunqing's evasive movement lagged a beat. Yunxi's fist landed again. A crack ran through the jade pendant. It would not last long.
Gritting her teeth, Wei Yunqing flashed out of the ring of "six Wei Yunxi." She felt it keenly now. She had truly lost control just then, and in a rush of heat had ordered the serpent to bite. Yunxi had seized on it at once.
Yunxi blurred, recalled her split-shadows, and said coldly, "Wei Yunqing, during the Five Region Grand Tournament you had best behave. Otherwise, I will not mind cleaning house for the sect."
Her icy gaze scraped over Wei Yunqing inch by inch. She truly had killing intent.
If not for the protection of the Heavenly Dao, Yunxi would have found a way to kill this fake "daughter of luck" long ago, rather than let her hop around until now. Especially now that the protagonist's halo on Wei Yunqing had been worn away to almost nothing.
But if she killed this Wei Yunqing, the powers above might send down another "Wei Yunqing," which would be even harder to control. At least she understood the current Wei Yunqing. If the girl stirred trouble under her eyes, Yunxi could predict it and avoid being forced into passivity.
The thought still left her vexed. For the bigger picture, she could only swallow it for now. That did not mean she had no temper. Beating the girl black and blue today felt cleansing, but the desire to cut someone down could not be hidden in her eyes.
Wei Yunqing's body trembled. She could feel the gulf between them. Wei Yunxi was the same age, yet she could drag her into a personally constructed "domain," and when she hit her she did not even use spiritual power. Still, Wei Yunqing felt as if every bone in her body were about to shatter.
Her new spirit pet was crying to her through the contract mark as well. Wei Yunqing had never felt such defeat. She clenched her fists and ground out, "I understand. Tell your beast not to harm Yingxi."
Yunxi had never intended to kill the Shadowscale Serpent. It was still useful. She crooked a finger and recalled Cong Shan. Then she flashed forward again, thunder spiritual power wrapping her fist as she drove a full-force punch into the light barrier, shattering the protective glow and destroying the jade pendant outright.
Wei Yunqing paled with fright and instinctively retreated with a rush of spiritual power. Yunxi withdrew her Wind and Snow Domain, and when Wei Yunqing tried to take to the air, the city's no-flight array slapped her down. Yunxi did not spare her another glance. She went right on browsing the loose-cultivator stalls.
As Wei Yunqing was knocked from the sky, a solemn voice rang into her sea of consciousness."Cultivator of Haoran Sect of the Western Region, within this city, only Divine Transformation cultivators may fly. As this is your first offense, you are given a warning. Offend again, and your tournament qualification will be revoked."
Face burning red, Wei Yunqing could only force herself to return to Huaxian Gate.