Chapter 136: The Red Thread Winds, Its Flavor Gradually Shifts

At the instant before her fingertip would touch Qianmian's pallid palm, it jerked to a stop. Shi Ran's hand hung in midair, just as her heart hung over the abyss right now.

Qianmian's teasing smile seemed to deepen a bit, but his eyes held no urging, only a patience that saw through everything.

He saw through her struggle and was certain of her choice.

Shi Ran's breathing grew slightly ragged; the red thread at her wrist writhed uneasily, the strange craving for Qianmian's aura becoming clearer, mingled with instinctive revulsion, leaving her agitated. Was this reaction of the red thread a trap's bait, or a true guide?

Ultimately, the instinct to survive, worry for her Master's injuries, and fear that this strange red thread might run wild overwhelmed everything. She closed her eyes, then opened them to find only resolute determination at the bottom of her gaze. She did not touch Qianmian's hand, merely drew back her own and said coldly, "Lead the way."

Qianmian gave a light chuckle, seeming neither surprised nor bothered by her wariness. "A wise choice, elder sister." He withdrew his hand, turned with elegant grace, as if they were not fleeing but strolling through their own courtyard, "Keep up—if you get lost, I may not be able to find you in time. This forest, you see, will eat people."

As he spoke, he moved, slipping into the thick mist like a ghost—extremely fast yet utterly silent.

Shi Ran's heart tightened; she immediately stirred her spiritual power and gave chase. The layer of rotting leaves underfoot was soft, slick, and sticky, hiding pits and tangled roots; visibility was under ten zhang, the gray-white mist not only blocking sight but seeming to absorb sound, swallowing spiritual fluctuations. Her divine sense here was like mired in mud, extending only a small circle around her body before being bounced back by an invisible barrier.

Qianmian's figure appeared and disappeared in the mist like a pale wraith. He was obviously very familiar with this place, always able to sidestep entangling poisonous vines, hidden mire, and even strange plants emitting faint energy fluctuations in advance. His chosen path seemed without pattern, at times winding, at times darting swiftly between the roots of giant trees.

Shi Ran followed closely, daring not to relax in the slightest, while extending her senses fully. Silence was the main theme here, but beneath that silence lay countless faint, hair-raising sounds: a distant dragging noise, occasional wing-flutters from the mist overhead, and an ever-present dripping sound that seemed to echo right by her ears.

"Watch the purple moss on the left," Qianmian's lazy voice drifted from the mist ahead, tinged with teasing, "Touch it once and you'll itch so badly you'll want to peel off your skin, and it'll last days—crying for mom and dad won't help."

Shi Ran instinctively avoided that patch of carpet-like moss emitting a faint purple glow in the dim light.

"See those glimmering white specks in the hollow of that crooked-neck tree on the right? Don't be curious—that's the nest of sleep-spiders; disturb them and we'll both end up eternally entwined here… though I'm not keen on that." Qianmian continued pointing with his grating tone.

His words seemed flippant, yet each time they warned of deadly danger at the crucial moment. Shi Ran's doubts deepened: Who exactly was he? Why did he know the misty forest so well? What kind of entity was his "employer," capable of directing such a figure to "rescue" her?

After advancing about half an hour, Qianmian ahead suddenly halted his steps and raised a hand to signal.

Shi Ran immediately held her breath and focused, leaning against a massive tree trunk, warily scanning the surroundings. The mist remained thick, but here the wind sounded a bit louder, mixed with… a faint sound of flowing water?

"Shh…" Qianmian slipped silently to her side, lowered his voice, the frivolous look on his face receding slightly, replaced by a hint of caution: "Ahead is the Weeping Gulch, one of this forest's several deadly hazards. It sounds like water, but the stream is actually extreme concentrations of yin-filth aura mixed with bewildering mist; a single drop will freeze and corrode the soul. What's more troublesome is that there are usually some 'things' guarding the banks, 'drinking' or… hunting."

"How do we get past?" Shi Ran whispered, her heart involuntarily quickening. The red thread at her wrist also warmed slightly, as if it both loathed and was excited by the aura ahead.

"Normally you'd have to detour far, seeking a few specific stone piles, but that's time-consuming and laborious, and ambushes often lurk near those piles." Qianmian's mouth curled again with that wicked grin, "But we have a shortcut."

He glanced at Shi Ran's wrist: "Your 'little treasure' seems particularly fond of yin-filth energy, right? Just now it devoured those resentful spirits very cleanly."

Shi Ran's face paled: "You want to use it against the stream?"

"No, no, no," Qianmian shook his head. "That stream's energy is vast and杂; your red thread, though fierce, might get 'blown apart' or backlash if you touch it rashly. I want it to draw the attention of the 'hunters' on the bank. Those things are most sensitive to vibrant life force and special energy fluctuations. You activate the red thread, release a wisp of aura—like… well, like casting bait when fishing—to lure them away. We'll then rush through a shallow, narrow spot upstream."

"That's too dangerous!" Shi Ran immediately refused. Actively stirring the red thread? After losing control in the back alley and ancient passage, she feared it immensely. And to use herself as bait!

"Oh?" Qianmian raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a better plan, elder sister? Force a breakthrough? Or wait here for the Inspection Bureau to catch up? Or turn back?" With each question he stepped closer, his pallid face bearing a cold, oppressive pressure, "Don't forget, your Master is still waiting for you to bring back the hope of salvation. You're unwilling to even risk this?"

Shi Ran bit her lower lip; her Master's pallid face flashed before her eyes. She was once again driven to the brink of a cliff.

"Exactly how should I do it?" Her voice carried a barely perceptible tremor.

Qianmian broke into a satisfied smile and quickly explained: "It's simple. I'll point you a direction; you face that way, fully activate the red thread, releasing the strongest killing aura and energy fluctuation—just a burst, then immediately retract, and we'll dash full speed across the shoal. Those dumb things will be drawn by that instant burst of aura; by the time they react, we'll already be on the opposite bank."

He pointed left-forward: "Over there, about a hundred zhang away, there's an expanse of bare black rock; it's the narrowest, the water shallowest, with stepping stones beneath. Remember, when crossing, no matter what, do not touch the stream water!"

Shi Ran followed his gaze and could see only rolling thick mist, and deep within the mist an increasingly clear, heart‑chilling yin coldness and the sound of flowing water.

She had no more time to hesitate.

Drawing a deep breath, she tried to sink her intent into her wrist. The red thread seemed to sense her resolve, turning scorching and excited, a violent killing intent stirring within.

"Ready…" Qianmian narrowed his eyes, his body slightly coiled like a leopard poised to strike.

Shi Ran focused all her spirit, striving to control that terrible power and guide it to her fingertips.

"Now!"

A soft hiss—

A crimson flare, more condensed and vividly piercing than in the ancient passage, burst from Shi Ran's fingertip like a blood‑colored arrow, ripping through the gray‑white mist, carrying a soul‑shuddering murderous aura, shooting toward the direction Qianmian pointed.

In that instant, Shi Ran felt her consciousness nearly overwhelmed by the violent joy transmitted from the red thread; she bit hard on her tongue, the sharp pain letting her retain the last shred of clarity, forcibly cutting off the energy output, and the crimson flare vanished abruptly.

"Go!"

Almost simultaneously with the crimson flare's launch, Qianmian gave a low shout and shot forward like lightning!

Shi Ran dared not delay, pushing her movement technique to the utmost and sprinting after him!

A wailing—

A howl—

Barely a second after they set off, from the direction of the Weeping Gulch came several sharp, twisted, inhuman howls, brimming with the anger of being disturbed and the greed drawn by that strange killing aura; the thick mist roiled violently, and vague hulking black shapes, twisted and enormous, could be seen lunging at incredible speed toward where the crimson flare had vanished.

A bone‑chilling yin coldness surged forth! A narrow stream barely a zhang wide appeared before her eyes! The stream water was thick as ink, black, its surface rolling with gray‑white bubbles, emitting a sound like myriad people sobbing; merely approaching made Shi Ran's soul feel pinpricks of sharp pain and icy numbness.

Qianmian had already stepped onto the protruding black stone in the stream, and in a flash he was on the opposite bank.

Shi Ran followed closely, picked her landing spot, and leapt!

Just as she hung in midair, another change occurred!

A black shadow lurking in the silt beneath the stream bank, apparently more interested in the passing "food," shot upward! It was a monster serpent made of pitch‑black slime and pallid bone, eyeless, with a huge mouth bristling with fangs, lunging straight for Shi Ran's ankle.

It was too fast, too close! Shi Ran, airborne, could not dodge at all! She saw that foul‑smelling maw about to bite down.

Qianmian stood on the far bank, coldly watching, seemingly with no intention to intervene!

The shadow of death instantly enveloped them!

At that critical juncture! Shi Ran's wrist‑bound red thread sprang to life on its own! Not an attack, but a sudden downward flick, like a living tendril, precisely striking the monster serpent's skull!

Crack! A sharp sound!

The monster serpent seemed to have been seared by a red‑hot iron, letting out a shrill wail as it jerked back into the mire, splattering a few black drops of stream water!

Shi Ran seized the moment, barely landing on the opposite bank, staggered a step, and was steadied by Qianmian's outstretched hand.

The instant his hand touched her arm, Qianmian's hand was icy cold, unlike a living person's, but he released it at once, his gaze locking onto her wrist where the red thread slowly retracted, seeming still eager, even faintly swaying toward the mire; his eyes flashed with profound astonishment and scrutiny.

"Tsk, truly a guardian of its master." He remarked, his tone odd.

On the far bank came the angry roars of the monsters lured away, now realizing they'd been duped, yet they seemed extremely fearful of this little stream, not daring to step even half a pace beyond it.

Shi Ran was still reeling, her heart pounding, her back soaked in cold sweat. In that instant she had truly smelled the breath of death. And the red thread had saved her again—this uncontrollable power left her feeling deep fear… and a hint of reliance?

"Your little trinket gets more interesting by the moment." Qianmian withdrew his gaze, resuming his careless smirk, "Looks like on this journey I'll have to rely more on you, elder sister."

Shi Ran ignored his teasing, merely silently pulling down her sleeve to cover the red silk on her wrist, her voice ice-cold: "Continue leading the way."

"All right, all right, truly aloof." Qianmian shrugged, turned and continued forward.

After passing Weeping Gulch, the mist seemed to thin a little, but the trees grew older and denser, the light grew ever darker, as if dusk had fallen early. The sense of oppression in the air only increased.

After proceeding for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Qianmian ahead stopped again. This time, the ease on his face completely vanished, replaced by a solemn vigilance.

"What's wrong?" Shi Ran asked softly, also sensing that the surrounding atmosphere was unusual. It was too quiet; even the faint rustling and dripping sounds before had vanished, a deathly silence.

"There's the stench of the Pure Dust Office." Qianmian sniffed, his eyes sharp as he scanned the surrounding thick fog, "And there are quite a few people; it seems the guards at some exit have been alerted, they've expanded their search range. Truly, they won't give up."

"Pure Dust Office? Just hearing the name sounds troublesome. He couldn't help but ask, 'Can we go around it?'"

"That's probably difficult." Qianmian frowned slightly, "They likely set up a rudimentary formation of 'Search Heaven and Earth'; although the Misty Forest causes great interference, large-scale movement is easily detected by its fluctuations. We happen to be within their search fan."

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked at Shi Ran, a strange glint flashing in his eyes: "Forcing a way in definitely won't work; startling the snake will draw more people. It seems we need to use some special method."

"What method?"

Qianmian didn't answer directly, but took out a thumb-sized black jade bottle from his bosom. He pulled the stopper, and an extremely faint yet dizzying, mind-swaying strange fragrance drifted out.

"This is Mirage Incense," Qianmian explained, "It can distort perception, creating brief illusions. Enough to cause those guys' judgments to slip a little. However, this scent is equally effective on us; inhaling too much will cause hallucinations. So……"

He looked at Shi Ran, the corner of his mouth curling: "I need a small favor from you, sis. Your red silk, since it can consume energy, could you temporarily bind this fragrance in a small circle around us, both interfering with outside detection and keeping us from inhaling too much?"

Shi Ran immediately became wary: "I cannot control it precisely!"

"No need for precision," Qianmian said quickly, "You just need to guide it, making it feel that this fragrance is 'something that needs to be encircled.' This thing has a slight attraction to it; it shouldn't be hard. This is currently the fastest and most covert method, unless you want to try being invited by the Pure Dust Office for tea. Their tea is not pleasant."

Again using the red silk! Shi Ran's inner resistance reached its peak. Each use of this power felt like dancing on a cliff's edge, not knowing which time would cause total loss of control and a fall.

But in the distance, a faint, orderly surge of spiritual power with a killing intent could already be felt, slowly and steadily advancing. The Pure Dust Office's people are getting closer!

No time left!