Chapter 48: The Second Martial Exercise Conceals a Murderous Intent

The Second Martial Exercise had finally arrived; some disciples looked as though they had everything under control, while others were flustered and panicked, unsure of what the road ahead held.

Hanyang brought the sixty-four Outer Disciples to the foot of Yinyu Peak. At the entrance to the mountain, the two Elders, Danyang and Danzhu, had already been waiting for a long time. After the group of disciples paid their respects, the two True Persons began to read out the requirements for the martial exercise.

The subject of this martial exercise was the Spirit Keeper Fruit. Once one entered this Mountain-Arranging Array, one would have to stay for a full day and night before being able to come out. Each Spirit Keeper Fruit counted as one point, and if one managed to pick one of a different color, they would receive an additional five points. Whoever had the most points at the end would be the winner.

Or, if someone was exceptionally lucky and managed to catch the fifty-point Floating Cloud Purple Herb and break the array eye, they could end the martial exercise early.

But if one picked other Spirit Plants by mistake, corresponding points would be deducted.

As soon as the crowd heard this, they were in an uproar: firstly, they had never heard of a point deduction rule, and secondly, the scrolls posted at Hufeng Hall previously had never mentioned any Floating Cloud Purple Herb.

Just as the Outer Disciples were whispering among themselves, the two True Persons, Danyang and Danzhu, pinched their hand seals and opened the mountain array.

"Once you enter this array gate, you may be transported to any place within the array. If you are fortunate enough to land where the Spirit Keeper Fruits are abundant, you might just take the top spot," Danyang Zhenren said, nodding to Hanyang to signal the start of the martial exercise.

They weren't even going in together!

The disciples prayed in their hearts as they lined up to enter the mountain array, each one hoping that they would be just as Danyang Zhenren had described and land right in a pile of Spirit Keeper Fruits.

On Wangxian Terrace, Shangqing Zhenren and five other True Persons were observing the Dust-Peering Mirror together, and even Lingxiang had a seat among them.

Only, she was a bit different today: ever since she had obtained the Fire Spirit Bead, she had been wearing much thinner clothing, but now she was wrapped in thick cotton garments, which truly left Zhaoming Zhenren extremely puzzled.

Could it be that this girl had lost his precious bead?

Thinking this, he felt a sharp pain in his heart and hurriedly asked about it.

"Look at what Fifth Senior Brother is saying, am I the kind of person who would lose a treasure?" Lingxiang smiled and tucked her hands into her sleeves. "It's just that I'm not carrying it on me right now. Besides, since you gave it to me to play with, why are you asking for it back now? You and I had an agreement that day; surely you don't intend to go back on your word, Senior Brother?"

Her words were so thorough that Zhaoming Zhenren really found it difficult to ask about the whereabouts of the Fire Spirit Bead again.

Practitioners value trust and righteousness, so he could not easily take back what he had promised, but he still had not recovered from the pain of losing his treasure.

Chengxin Zhenren felt deeply for his plight, but could only shake his head and pat Zhaoming Zhenren's shoulder to offer comfort.

Who told him she was their own Junior Sister!?

Seeing Chengxin Zhenren act this way, Lingxiang sneered and began to sing.

"A poor girl like me, traveling the world, yet without a single skill to rely on. I finally obtained some magical treasures, only to have them coveted by others, or have someone secretly take my hard-earned efforts to provide for their own disciples..."

She pulled a handkerchief from somewhere, and while singing, she feigned wiping her face:

"How unfair is the heavens, to treat me this way, woo~"

The Elders were wondering what kind of trouble she was stirring up again, when they saw her glancing at Fuyin Zhenren from time to time while wiping away tears.

Fuyin felt his skin crawl as he was stared at: Lingxiang hadn't done much while down the mountain, but she had learned seven or eight parts of those theatrical singing styles, and coupled with her affected mannerisms and her way of pointing at the mulberry to curse the locust tree, he was truly helpless.

"Ahem!" Fuyin Zhenren cleared his throat. "You stare at me like this, yet I don't know where I have offended you. Why not tell me directly, so that Senior Brother can offer an apology?"

"That's what you said, Sixth Senior Brother! All you Senior Brothers can bear witness." Lingxiang said, taking the *Record of Plants and Herbs* from her sleeve.

As soon as Fuyin Zhenren saw this book, he knew it was bad: this booklet was something he had seen on a table when he went to find her at Xianyun Abode the year she went down the mountain. He had picked it up to read, felt it was written quite well, made some minor corrections, and then took it down the mountain to print a few copies. He had only intended to let the sect disciples read it to broaden their knowledge, but he had forgotten to tell her about it...

"I didn't expect that Sixth Senior Brother would even think of the book title for me, leaving me not knowing whether I should be overwhelmed with gratitude or not," Lingxiang said, pinching her fingers into an orchid gesture to weigh the booklet in her hand.

"Ahem!" Fuyin Zhenren coughed again. "This... Senior Brother printed your book without your consent, which is indeed Senior Brother's fault. How about my secret chamber..."

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by a soft cough from Shangqing Zhenren.

Fuyin Zhenren was startled and hurriedly changed his words: "How about Senior Brother gives you a Spirit Treasure to apologize?"

This condition was tempting, but...

Lingxiang hesitated for a long time before she finally spoke with difficulty: "I'll let the apology go, but when you see something in this Dust-Peering Mirror later, don't be in such a hurry to hold me accountable."

Hearing her say this, Fuyin Zhenren breathed a sigh of relief: his Spirit Treasures were not as numerous as those of Senior Brother Chengxin and Senior Brother Zhaoming; he couldn't give them away many times before he would be empty-handed. But then he thought: hold her accountable? Could this crafty girl have already done something, and was now using this to bargain for a favor?

The more he thought, the more he felt it was as he suspected. He glanced at Lingxiang suspiciously and then stared intently at the Dust-Peering Mirror.

However, the Elders only focused their energy on the performance of the disciples and ignored some minor details. Only Shangqing Zhenren was restless, though he did not know where the flaw lay...

On Yinyu Peak, a person dressed in Outer Disciple attire was wandering aimlessly. It was unknown what method he had used, but there was no Spirit Qi about his body, and in his hand, he held a disc-like object of unknown purpose.

When this person walked into the depths of the dense forest, he stood still, as if thinking about something. After a long time, he looked at the object in his hand, seemingly hesitating whether to throw it away, yet appearing reluctant to do so.

He stood there like this, staring, without moving a muscle.

"You've come?" The person in white did not look back, fanning himself. In this cold winter season, such a display seemed extremely out of place.

"Yes!" The person who arrived was the one dressed in the Outer Disciple attire. He bowed to the person in white and asked, "I do not know what instructions the Envoy has for me, having summoned me here today five days ago."

With the martial exercise approaching, the coursework was tightly scheduled, and the Outer Disciples were traveling together; it was indeed not easy to slip away.

The person in white did not care at all about the situation of the person behind him, as if he did not care about the person's life or death. He paused for a moment before taking an object from his bosom—it was the disc-like object.

"This is a Compass engraved with a Summoning Array. Place it on Yinyu Peak before the martial exercise. Once the Mountain-Arranging Array is activated, it will start along with it." As he spoke, he threw the Compass to the person behind him.

The man caught the Compass, his heart in a tangle, though he did not show it on his face.

But who was the person in white? He was the head of the capable lieutenants beside the Demon Lord. Although he did not turn his head, he could still feel the man's hesitation.

"You must remember, your mother's life is still in this seat's hands. Only by working well for me can you keep her safe and sound!"

The person dressed in Outer Disciple attire stood for a long time. Finally, as if he had made up his mind, he threw the Compass into the bushes and turned to leave.

Yet he did not notice that there was someone behind him who had been watching him silently for a long time.