Chapter 161: Notes Above Senior Sister Pei Yan

Yan Xiao grinned as he slung an arm around Zhou Qing, excitedly saying, "When the time comes, you and Sister Pei Yan lead the main assault—we'll clear out the flunkies and handle the support. This teamwork is perfect."

"Where is he?" Zhou Qing asked.

Yan Xiao said, "Bei Mang Mine."

Zhou Qing: "..."

I myself had already informed the Sect Master and the Elders about that outpost.

The Master even sent several top disciples to clean it out—how dare he still stay there?

He really thinks the light won't reach under the lamp.

Interesting.

"Let's go quick—delay invites trouble!" Yan Xiao urged.

The three of them deliberately disguised themselves as disciples of Cangyan Dao Palace and sped toward Bei Mang Mine.

About three days later, Yan Xiao suddenly stopped and pulled out his identity token.

"Sister Shi Zhen said someone arrived at Bei Mang Mine—she and the others evacuated quietly to avoid exposure and are now just ahead of us!" Yan Xiao said.

Lei Luo couldn't wait: "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Why the rush?" Yan Xiao teased.

Lei Luo's face flushed with embarrassment. "Well, you know—opposites attract, right? This is my first time teaming up with two beautiful senior sisters."

"Look at you, such a pitiful sight!" Yan Xiao laughed.

Zhou Qing said, "It seems Sister Pei Yan is cautious too—she moved too far. This place is still at least two days' travel from Bei Mang Mine."

"Let's head over first—we can discuss our strategy," Yan Xiao called.

The group moved forward, and under the night sky, they soon spotted a campfire ahead in the woods.

"Brother Zhou, Brother Yan!" Shi Zhen rose with a smile to greet them.

The smile Zhou Qing had just begun to show froze instantly—he instinctively reached for Po Shang Feng, then quickly regained composure.

"Sister Shi Zhen!" the others greeted in return.

Shi Zhen beamed, but glanced at Lei Luo, slightly embarrassed: "Technically, I should call you Brother Lei."

Lei Luo had entered Nascent Soul a full decade before Shi Zhen—and without using a Nascent Soul Pill. His future path would inevitably stretch farther.

Lei Luo waved a hand. "It's just a title. Besides, if I call you Senior Sister, it makes me feel younger."

"So you're saying I'm old?" Shi Zhen joked—rarely for her.

Lei Luo turned even more awkward.

"Brother Zhou, Brother Yan!" Pei Yan also rose from beside the fire to greet them.

Her jet-black hair was tied high into a ponytail; she wore a simple, fitted outfit, a soft whip coiled at her waist, its tip swaying slightly, adding to her brisk, spirited aura. Every gesture radiated efficiency and boldness.

"Greetings, Sister Pei!" the three bowed quickly.

Pei Yan smiled warmly. "You haven't eaten yet, have you? I just hunted a few rabbits with Sister Zhen—join us!"

Lei Luo sniffed the air. Though they'd long since abandoned Grain Grain Bigu, an occasional snack was still delightful.

Especially under a clear moonlit sky, with beautiful senior sisters beside him.

Yan Xiao, ever hungry, grinned and patted his belly. "Smells amazing! I never knew Sister Pei's cooking was this good—we won't be polite then."

Zhou Qing smiled too, but his hand inside his robe clenched tightly.

He could understand the note hovering above Shi Zhen's head—【Newly Emerging Star, Brother Zhou】—but why did Pei Yan's head also bear a golden term?

And the text was faint, flickering in and out.

Yet he could still make out the characters " Sheng " and " Chu."

He'd never bound Pei Yan.

His talent skill 【Heart-View Vision】 was currently at LV4—he'd bound only twelve slots total.

They were: Lu Yaoyao, Li Daoxuan, Yan Xiao, Shi Zhen, Jiang Pu, Second Uncle, Mo Xingjian, Gao Xuan, Xuanyou Immortal, Xuanji Zi, Bai He, and Sima Yaoji.

If Second Uncle had transformed, the term above his head would be crystal clear.

And among all bound individuals, only Sima Yaoji—whom he'd hated a year ago, with the note 【Creature to Swallow Alive】—had such a term.

It matched the two faint characters perfectly.

At this thought, Zhou Qing swallowed hard.

He suddenly recalled: days ago, before leaving, Elder Jiang Pu had come to him, saying that half a year ago, Sister Pei Yan had been in danger—her soul lamp dimmed, but timely rescue saved her.

Now it was clear—this had all been an act.

Sima Yaoji had indeed repossessed a body—but he never imagined she'd choose Sister Pei Yan.

No, not fully possessed—if she had, the note wouldn't look like this.

Once possession was complete, Sister Pei Yan would be dead, and the Soul Lamp Tower would have detected it immediately.

"She's doing this for today—or rather, for me!!!" Zhou Qing's heart pounded—he suddenly understood.

No wonder he hadn't heard a whisper of her in a year—she'd been waiting for him all along.

"Fourth Brother, what are you standing there for? Come over!" Yan Xiao plopped down beside the fire, then shouted when he saw Zhou Qing still standing.

Zhou Qing forced a strained smile, pretending ignorance, and walked over to sit down.

Pei Yan and Shi Zhen sat across from them; the group formed a circle around the fire, looking like ordinary sect siblings gathering.

"Try my big sister's cooking!" Shi Zhen carefully took down the roasted rabbit meat from the spit and offered it enthusiastically.

Yan Xiao and Lei Luo licked their lips, eager to dig in.

Zhou Qing wanted to stop them immediately—but feared alerting the enemy.

Were there others hiding nearby?

Blood Bone Old Ghost?

Or the other two stronger among the Five Heavenly Prodigies?

There was still room to retreat—if they broke the surface now, there'd be no turning back.

Zhou Qing's face remained calm, but inside he was frantic.

He couldn't believe Shi Zhen had been with her for half a year.

No time to think further—he immediately scanned the rabbit meat with his ability.

【Ordinary Mountain Rabbit: This rabbit has been expertly roasted, nearly fully cooked, delicious—worth savoring.】

Seeing the feedback, Zhou Qing finally exhaled in relief.

To avoid suspicion, he stood up quickly, grabbed a rabbit leg: "So hot, so hot!"

He blew on it, inhaled deeply, then grinned at Pei Yan across the fire.

"I never knew Sister Pei's cooking was this exceptional—just a plain rabbit, yet so fragrant. When we return to the sect, I'll have to visit Yuqing Peak often."

Zhou Qing then began eating.

Pei Yan smiled. "If Brother Zhou likes it, come anytime."

Yan Xiao and Lei Luo each devoured a leg, praising: "Delicious! So good!"

Zhou Qing ate while constantly scanning the surroundings.

According to Elder Jiang Pu, Sister Pei Yan's soul lamp had dimmed half a year ago—likely when Sima Yaoji first possessed her.

And someone must have helped—but to avoid suspicion, it was only partial possession.

Meaning Sister Pei Yan was still alive, though suppressed by some method.

If possible, he must find a way to save her!

Zhou Qing quickly formed a preliminary plan.

This bitch had spent half a year crafting this illusion—and now, using Shi Zhen's mouth, she'd lured them out. Her hatred ran deep.

If I were her, after being humiliated and scheming for so long, I'd make the enemy beg for death—slowly, torturously, to sate my rage.

The fact that the meat held no poison confirmed it.

And the memories of our battle had been erased by the Sect Master.

So she likely didn't remember exactly how she'd been reduced to just a Nascent Soul.

His greatest fear now: were there others hidden nearby?

If so, he'd have to eliminate them silently, then flee immediately.

At this moment, Zhou Qing's mind raced, spinning out plan after plan.

Then Yan Xiao stood up and sat beside Pei Yan.

Pei Yan's expression changed slightly—fear flashed in her eyes, and she instinctively shifted away.

Yan Xiao, grease smeared across his mouth, asked curiously, "Sister Pei, what seasoning did you use? This flavor is incredible."

Pei Yan immediately rose and sat beside Zhou Qing, smiling: "Just ordinary seasonings—just put more care into them."

Watching her reaction, Zhou Qing felt tense—but couldn't help a small smile.

Clearly, Yan Xiao's earlier antics—carrying her two severed body parts, those twisted words—had left deep psychological scars.

Yan Xiao "Oh"ed, about to say more—but Pei Yan turned to Zhou Qing, serious now: "Brother Zhou, when we deal with Blood Bone Old Ghost, for safety's sake, we may need to borrow your poison."

Zhou Qing looked at Pei Yan—his spirit stirred instantly.

Without hesitation, he pulled out Po Shang Feng.

"No problem—I've already prepared it!" Zhou Qing wiped his greasy hands.

Pei Yan stared at the broken sword but didn't touch it, studying it curiously: "What kind of poison is this? The Kill List says once touched, it causes unceasing bleeding that can't be stopped quickly?"

Before Zhou Qing could answer, Yan Xiao said: "It's those Cangyan Dao Palace bastards' fault. Once, Fourth Brother got hit by their trick—a tiny wound on his finger, just a little cut, kept oozing nonstop. Old Mo nearly chopped his whole hand off."

"Hey Fourth Brother, I never asked—when did you start researching this poison? Give me some too."

Zhou Qing's eyes darted, then he said, "I'm nothing special—it's just a niche poison. Once it cuts the skin, it heals within half an incense stick, but it causes panic. Don't believe me? Look."

As Zhou Qing spoke, his broken sword spun in his hand, aiming to slash his own palm—but suddenly, as if by accident, it sliced straight into Pei Yan's calf, and blood immediately seeped out.

Pei Yan's pupils shrank instantly; she stared at Zhou Qing in disbelief.

Her gaze held shock, anger, and a flicker of suspicion—but she dared not show it too clearly, forcing herself to remain calm.

Zhou Qing seemed startled too, his face filled with panic. He leapt up, bowing repeatedly: "Sister Pei, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry—I didn't mean it!"

Pei Yan's hand clenched tightly, bones cracking—but she quickly released it, forcing a faint smile.

"It's fine, fine—it's just a small cut. And according to you, it'll heal in half an incense stick," Pei Yan said.

Zhou Qing nodded vigorously. "Sister, rest assured—it'll be fully healed in a moment."

Even Yan Xiaohu felt awkward now, but he quietly grew suspicious.

He knew his fourth brother too well—normally, he never acted so reckless. Yet just now, his behavior had been sudden and strange.

They'd planned to deal with Blood Bone Old Ghost together—why suddenly turn on one of their own?

Zhou Qing scratched his head awkwardly, then said, "Well, the wound's already done. Sister, check—can you even stop the bleeding with spiritual power?"

Pei Yan nodded, channeling spiritual energy to staunch the flow—and her face instantly twisted in shock.

It was true!

Yet upon closer inspection, she found no other toxins.

No one noticed the strange curve curling at Zhou Qing's lips as he said, "When I tricked Song Yuan, he was terrified—kept swallowing antidote pills. Blood Bone Old Ghost spread rumors that it couldn't be stopped, but it was all just scare tactics."

Zhou Qing chuckled.

Fortunately, Sima Yaoji's memories had been erased—after all, tetanus had pierced straight through her abdomen.

She knew better than anyone whether the bleeding could be stopped.

"By the way, I'm curious—how did you trick Sima Yaoji into that state a year ago?" Pei Yan asked again.

I thought you weren't curious—you're preparing a preemptive defense!

Before Zhou Qing could think of a reply, Yan Xiaohu suddenly spoke.

"I'm curious too. Perfect chance to tell everyone. Hey, Fourth Brother—straighten your back first. Master told me to keep an eye on you."

Zhou Qing looked at Yan Xiaohu, surprised—but instantly understood.

Third Brother truly was coarse on the outside but sharp within.

He straightened his back immediately, then explained to the group: "I've got a poisonous sore on my back—it still hasn't healed. Thanks, Third Brother, for watching over me."

Hearing this, Yan Xiaohu immediately caught the signal and silently prepared himself.

If Fourth Brother had looked genuinely startled, he'd have thought he imagined things.

But Fourth Brother followed his cue—this proved something was off.

Had he noticed something strange? Or smelled something?

Why, at such close range, dare he not even use telepathy?

Could it be—

Yan Xiaohu's gaze casually fell on Pei Yan and Shi Zhen. A faint unease stirred in him.

Pei Yan, Shi Zhen, and Lei Luo all looked curiously at Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing cleared his throat. "That battle was intense—you can't imagine what I did. Guess why I made the Sect Master erase her memories?"

The others shook their heads.

Zhou Qing grinned. "How about this? We've got time to kill. Let me set up a model for you. Then, when we fight Blood Bone Old Ghost, we can replicate it exactly—saves time and effort. What do you say?"

"Great idea!" Shi Zhen was the first to agree.

She was only at the early stage of Nascent Soul—this ambush against a Nascent Soul peak warrior still left her uncertain.

She wasn't afraid of dying—she feared holding everyone back.

Lei Luo nodded eagerly. Yan Xiaohu immediately chimed in.

Zhou Qing seized the moment: "Since everyone agrees, good. It's a formation—powerful. I'll set up a simple model. Remember your positions, especially the core. If it's destroyed, the whole formation fails."

"And as I set it up, I'll recount every moment of that battle against Sima Yaoji—the bitch. It was hilarious!"

Zhou Qing burst into laughter at the end.

Pei Yan laughed along—but Zhou Qing, standing right beside her, felt a chill crawl up his spine. Still, he pretended nothing was wrong, looking at the others.

"I need a few more materials. Anyone have something that blocks rescue signals?"

Lei Luo frowned. Why would they need that for a simple model?

Before he could speak, Yan Xiaohu pulled out two talismans and handed them over.

"I got these from the Exchange Hall—expensive. They'll last only an hour!" Yan Xiaohu said.

Zhou Qing's eyes lit up.

No wonder Third Brother was always prepared.

"I don't need it. Third Brother, you keep it. It's just a simulation. This is for when we ambush Blood Bone Old Ghost—if he tries to call for help. Just activate it beforehand!"

Zhou Qing grinned.

Yan Xiaohu understood at once—but still said, "Pfft. With just us five, we won't need this. We'll finish him before reinforcements arrive. Right?"

Lei Luo looked confident. Shi Zhen looked uneasy.

Pei Yan glanced at her still-bleeding wound, then smiled. "Don't worry. Once we start, he won't get a chance."

Zhou Qing's heart sank.

But he kept his composure. "For safety, do any of you have something to dampen battle fluctuations? He's in Beimang Mine—remote, but near Lingyun Prefecture's main road."

"With so many Nascent Soul cultivators fighting, someone's bound to notice. If another faction swoops in to steal the victory, we'll be fools."

Shi Zhen said, "Who'd dare attack us?"

"Not impossible. We'll all take damage. Don't forget—east of here, besides our five sects, there are over a thousand minor sects. Many have Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation cultivators."

"If a Nascent Soul peak from another sect takes a gamble, he'll strike it rich. Afterwards, everyone'll think we killed each other. And I've got Jipin spirit stones in my storage bag—loot from Sima Yaoji!"

Zhou Qing waved his storage bag.

Lei Luo opened his mouth: "I think—"

*Slap!

Yan Xiaohu smacked him hard on the back of the head. "Why so many questions? Do you have it or not?"

Lei Luo rubbed his head sheepishly, then pulled out a soft blue-glowing jade. "This is my sect's Jinglan Spirit Jade—mined from the Thunder Pool. Extremely rare. Our sect uses it in special training grounds to block the Thunder Pool's roar…"

"Enough babbling. Just activate it?" Yan Xiaohu snatched it.

Absolutely no sense of timing.

Lei Luo nodded. "Yeah!"

Shi Zhen sighed. "Zhou Brother, you've been influenced by Luo Lingling. She's always this cautious."

Zhou Qing stood, embarrassed. "You know—close to vermilion, you turn red; close to ink, you turn black."

But he had less than half an incense stick left. Once Sima Yaoji realized her wound wouldn't stop bleeding, she'd tear off the mask.

After all, no one was a fool.

Still, he had to find a way to get Lei Luo away—at least keep him out of the Fotu Formation later.

Sima Yaoji's Nascent Soul enhancement, "Body Swap Illusion," was terrifying. Last time, if he hadn't bound Lu Yaoyao, that sword strike would've ended him.

Of everyone here, only Lei Luo lacked a term annotation—he could fight freely with the others.

He had to act fast. If others were nearby, they'd be trapped like dumplings.

Also, he couldn't harm Pei Yan's body—or her soul.

If pushed too far, she might resort to a full possession. For Yuqing Peak, the loss would be incalculable.

"This place is too cramped. Let's go over there—more open terrain. Sister Pei, need me to help you?" Zhou Qing turned to her, concerned.

Pei Yan laughed. "You underestimate me too much. This little cut? How much blood could it lose? You think I'll faint?"

Yan Xiaohu teased, "I bet Fourth Brother's got designs on Sister Pei. All this setup—just to offer his arm now."

"Third Brother, don't joke!" Zhou Qing's ears turned red.

Lei Luo blinked.

Why did everything feel… off? He couldn't quite say why.

Not just Zhou Brother's clumsy mistake and flushed face—but even Yan Ye—after knowing each other over two years, they'd never acted like this: slapping heads, snatching things, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Soon, the group entered the night. Zhou Qing found a wide clearing, pulled out the eight flags of the Fotu Formation, and planted them around. "This is the core. Remember it."

He pointed deliberately, then inserted sixty high-grade spirit stones.

"The energy drain is this big?" Shi Zhen gasped.

A single Nascent Soul Pill cost no more than a hundred and some mid-grade spirit stones. She still hadn't repaid Zhou Qing.

After all, during the Five Sects War, she'd died multiple times. Her earnings went first to Sister Pei—she'd provided the spirit stones for Shi Zhen's Nascent Soul breakthrough.

But still—could one formation really consume half a Jipin spirit stone?

Had the wealth gap between her and Zhou Brother grown this wide?

Happy New Year, everyone!

A new year, a new month, and right in the middle of the double vote period—San Xing begs for a vote. Thank you all!

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(End of Chapter)