Chapter 648: If you can't stop it, then strike!

I've long heard of the junior sister; today I finally get to see her.

Master's darling, she smells fragrant all over.

You pervert, get lost! Don't scare the junior sister.

Junior sister, you're too pretty! Look at this little braid—it's exactly like those of the Western Regions people.

This is clearly a disguise, not her true face. But the eldest senior brother said she herself is a peerless beauty—our Meteor Sect has finally produced a great beauty!

Am I really that ugly?

She's not ugly, but she's nowhere near a great beauty—haha!

You... hum! Forget it, for the junior sister's sake I won't argue with you.

Junior sister, rest assured—we're not like those two idiots, Zi Su and Xuan Che. Their personalities have always clashed with ours; otherwise they wouldn't have been left to guard the mountain.

It's just you, junior sister—don't be afraid. We've all heard from the eldest senior brother about the stupid things Zi Su and his lot did to you; the eldest senior brother was also foolish, and we all scolded him together.

We few aren't like that, junior sister—please don't dislike us...

Surrounded by a cacophony of voices, Li Qingluo felt her head about to explode.

She couldn't even take it all in, let alone respond.

With great effort, Zhui Yu and Que'er managed to pull their young lady out of the crowd, while those over there continued arguing about how to pass on the sect's new techniques to the junior sister.

Master hasn't been around these years; can't we teach what we've researched ourselves to the junior sister?

If anyone's teaching, it'll be me.

The eldest senior brother said the junior sister's swordsmanship is superb—she left Zi Su unable to respond. Whether we can teach her will have to be tested by sparring later.

Junior sister, when can we spar together?

Que'er hurriedly said: 'No!'

Our young lady hasn't been allowed to freely brandish swords for the past few months!

Don't even think about it.

Saying this, they stood protectively in front of Li Qingluo with fierce vigor.

Several senior brothers and sisters exchanged glances.

They didn't look down on Que'er's status like Zi Su did; they just felt a bit let down, each uttering an 'oh' before lowering their heads.

Que'er, on the other hand, felt a little embarrassed.

Miss, am I being too fierce?

Li Qingluo: 'The senior brothers and sisters won't be so petty.'

They're martial heroes, all unconcerned with trivialities.

Saying this, Li Qingluo lifted her gaze to the several senior brothers and sisters, gave them a gentle smile and nodded.

Luo'er has met the three senior brothers and the fifth senior sister.

On the way here, Xuan Cang had mentioned that Li Qingluo was born of noble status.

But if we treat her with sincerity, she will return it.

Old Three and the others heard it and didn't think much of it.

That's the junior sister newly taken in by Master!

Her noble status is also our junior sister's.

Do we really judge people by status? Our junior sister is here to be cherished and doted on—we won't neglect her!

Li Qingluo naturally didn't know these words.

She merely felt that these senior brothers and sisters seemed hostile toward her.

Not only were they not hostile, they were quite friendly.

She naturally replied in kind: 'If the chance arises, we can certainly spar. Please, senior brothers and sisters, don't look down on us then—feel free to guide Luo'er more.'

Everyone looked at each other, and we all liked each other.

However, Li Qingluo was also curious about their sudden appearance.

Have you been in Wusun all along?

What exactly did the Wusun Empress Dowager have you do for her?

Xuan Cang explained: 'The Wusun Empress Dowager had those four select and train a hundred‑person squad. They can kill with fluent Central Plains swordsmanship, scale walls with agility, and take lives unseen and unheard.'

Luo'er, you also know that the Western Regions' killing methods are usually straightforward.

Such a guard unit doesn't exist yet.

When I found them, that hundred‑person squad had already received the Wusun Empress Dowager's order to rush to Hala City.

As for those four, they're still imprisoned in the Wusun Prince's mansion.

I went to see the Wusun Khatun, which got those four released. We rushed nonstop to meet you and Master, but that hundred‑person squad must be faster than us—it should have reached Hala City several days ago.

Luo'er, where's Master?

How did you get out of the city?

Is Master still well?

Li Qingluo: 'Master...'

Just thinking that Ana'er actually hid a hundred‑person squad from me, while yesterday she was clearly using my people to escort her and Master on errands, and today she's hiding my entourage……

Li Qingluo paced in place, muttering: 'She used my people to arrest Kulte and all the guards, servants, and old retainers—saving her own forces while making full use of mine.'

Perhaps she didn't expect me to act so quickly.

But it's absolutely been calculated all along—Kulte would come provoke me!

She is the Wusun Empress Dowager; to have gotten this far she must have schemed every step.

Li Qingluo quickly lifted her gaze to the several senior brothers, her expression cold and stern: 'Master might be in trouble.'

Let's go!

Having said that, she turned her head, immediately climbed onto the carriage, and gave the order: "Return to the city!"

Sha Yi also finally rushed back in a hurry at this moment.

Miss, my subordinate discovered that the Qiu Lin Tribe has lost a second house head. This second house head is the biological younger brother of Qiu Lin Hanhai, sharing the same parents!

Li Qingluo heard this and her face changed drastically: "It's a soul swap!"

But why would she conceal her soul swap and act secretly from me?

Not only does she insist on hiding it from me, she even went to another residence... Could it be my master?

Li Qingluo's suspicions grew stronger, and her unease intensified.

No longer daring to delay, the group hurriedly ran toward the city gate.

Xuan Cang and his companions put on their masks; Li Qingluo's group had Western Region faces, and having just left the city gate, they smoothly entered together.

But just as she stepped inside the city gate, soldiers immediately brought over several portraits.

The people in the portraits all had Western Region faces, exactly matching Li Qingluo and her companions' appearances.

The soldiers ordered the city gate guards: "Forbid these people from freely entering and exiting the city gate!"

As you command!

Soon, Li Qingluo's group hurried to another residence of A Na'er.

From afar, they saw guards stationed at the manor's gate, with others patrolling.

The Third Senior Brother immediately recognized them: "These are exactly the people we trained!"

Li Qingluo nodded at Zhui Yu, who immediately went over and exchanged a few words with them.

It seemed they were about to come to blows.

After Zhui Yu returned, she firmly said: "No one is allowed to approach, for any reason!"

Even though she had already guessed it, upon confirmation Li Qingluo's heart sank a little more.

Li Qingluo looked at several senior brothers and sisters: "Now I only have eighteen people I can dispatch."

"Senior brothers, I'll give you ten people; can you divert their attention, even hold them off for a moment?"

"Master may be in danger; I must break in to find out what's happening!"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Cang and the others' faces all showed anxiety.

"Whatever Little Junior Sister says, we'll do!"

Li Qingluo gave them a firm nod, then devised a plan for how to break in.

The several senior brothers and sisters led by the third senior brother, being more familiar with the hundred-strong guard detail, took ten people to go distract them.

Xuan Cang and Zhui Yu then stormed the main gate.

Li Qingluo did not follow them inside; escorted by Sha Yi, she went around, scaled the wall, and silently entered the inner courtyard.

For Li Qingluo's group, making a feint east while attacking west was the quickest and least labor-intensive method.

Even A Na'er hadn't expected her to break in so quickly.

"It must be this Li Qingluo!"

"This woman is extraordinarily clever; her scheming and strategy surpass that of my former self by many folds. Though I had been extremely cautious, I still couldn't hide from her!"

"But weren't eleven of her people sent out of the city yesterday?"

"How did so many more pop up out of nowhere?"

Because several of the senior brothers had their faces covered, the guards dared not confirm their identities.

A Na'er paced angrily around the room.

However, the matter has already begun; it cannot be abandoned midway.

Her gaze turned icy cold, like a winter wind that could cut flesh, falling sharply upon the guard who came to report.

"If we can't stop them, then kill them!"

"No need to show mercy."

"Remember, we must absolutely not let her actually get close to this place!"

Having said that, she coldly glanced to the side.

The shaman doctor was performing the soul-moving technique, so the entire room was laid out with an evil-spirit formation.

However, he said that this method of retrieving the soul was the first time he had ever done it in his life.

No one else could truly retrieve a lost soul.

Because the one whose soul is to be moved must have been miserable and desperate in life, with resentment rising to the heavens, for this technique to succeed.

Therefore, Kulte's true soul might be extremely hard to find; if it has already gone to the underworld, it would require more time, a stronger formation, and only a minuscule chance of recovery.

However, Qiu Linhanhai, who currently occupies Kulte's body, has already been forced out of Kulte's physique.

"This thief, go die for real!"

At this moment, three large tubs were placed in the room.

The middle large tub contains Kulte.

The left large tub holds Qiu Linhanhai's younger brother.

The tub is filled with blood-red; this person has had almost all of his blood drained, his dying curses still echoing in A Na'er's ears, but now he retains only a dead expression.

Thus, the first step of the soul-retrieval technique has been completed.

Now, as long as we find Kulte's soul and retrieve it, we can proceed to the final step!

"We must absolutely not let Li Qingluo ruin my grand plan!"

A Na'er paced back and forth in the room, finally arriving beside the large tub on the right.

She gazed expressionlessly at Nan Gongdi seated inside.

The water inside has also gradually begun to turn red.

It was precisely the blood flowing from Nan Gongdi's body, and it had even stained his entire lower half red.

"This is what you willingly chose."

"I could have exchanged my life for my son's."

"Nan Gongdi, nobody is forcing you."

A'na'er said coldly.

Nan Gongdi weakly opened his eyes and looked at her: "Yes."

"It is what I willingly chose."

"This is also the last thing I can do for you and your son."

"A'na'er, please continue to hate me..."

Hearing this, A'na'er flushed with anger: "You think I'd just forgive you?"

"Nan Gongdi, I will hate you till my dying day!"

Nan Gongdi satisfiedly curled the corner of his mouth slightly.

So be it.

Just then, the witch doctor's eyes lit up and they exclaimed in surprise, "Found it!"

And the sound of fighting came from inside the courtyard.