Thump

 

Thump 

 

Thump

 

Within her room, Meng Lin looked at her arm where a shocking transformation was happening.

 

The Ancient Spirit Seal which was only covering her forearm had extended to her shoulder, its serpentine body changing within her view.

 

"I wonder how long this will last" Meng Lin muttered, every time she hears the heart beat, her own blood stirs a little almost as if reacting to it.

 

The Crimson Tortoise Dragon, having just eaten the two Ancient Spirit Beast Pills, was undergoing an evolution.

 

Chirp 

 

Xiao Jin appeared next to the glowing arm, his tiny golden form flickering with agitated light. 

 

It was currently in awe, the energy signature it felt from the heartbeats.

 

Meng Lin contemplated, the process would likely take time.

 

Fortunately, Ancient Spirit Seals did not consume the master's spiritual energy while evolving.

 

The seal could remain dormant for as long as necessary,

Meng Lin closed her eyes.

 

Since there was nothing she could do to help, she simply closed her eyes, entering meditation without circulating her qi.

 

She missed this feeling, she hadn't had the free time to be this idle, thus she decided to meditate, even if it would take hours.

 

However, she hadn't even taken five minutes before her eyes snapped open.

 

No sooner had her eyes opened when a beam of light suddenly stopped over the city, an intense aura enveloping the city.

 

Chirp 

 

Chirp 

 

Xiao Jin was suddenly startled.

 

The little golden silkworm immediately flew into the air, golden light flickering around his tiny body as he stared toward the ceiling. His instincts were clearly sensing the pressure descending upon the city.

 

Meng Lin slowly rose from her seat, grabbing Xiao Jin with one hand and tossing him in the System Beast Garden.

 

Her brows furrowed as she felt the aura spreading across the city like an invisible ocean. Even from this distance, she could feel the vastness contained within that aura.

 

'Ensoulment Realm.'

 

She Immediately became alert, An Ensoulment Realm cultivator appearing above a city like this was unusual enough. The fact that the person wasn't even attempting to conceal their aura made the situation even stranger.

 

She contemplated for a moment before taking a step forward, space shifted before her and her perspective changed, everything looked the same, yet there was a dark layer around them.

 

This is the result of surrounding herself and shifting space to hide within the void.

 

Taking another step the void shifted and moments later, Meng Lin stood concealed within the void high above the city, her figure hidden behind layers of void space.

 

Her eyes swept across the newcomers.

 

The moment she saw one of them, her expression became strange.

 

Senior Sister Liu.

 

A trace of surprise flashed through her eyes before quickly fading away. Looking at the lineup surrounding the woman, understanding gradually dawned upon her.

 

'She actually came looking for me.'

 

Her gaze shifted toward the others.

 

The middle-aged man standing at the front possessed the aura of an Ensoulment Realm cultivator. The pressure radiating from him alone surpassed everyone else present combined.

 

The remaining two were younger.

 

Meng Lin only needed a glance to determine their cultivation.

 

'Nascent Soul Realm.'

 

The same realm as Senior Sister Liu.

 

Her expression became thoughtful.

 

Three Nascent Soul cultivators and one Ensoulment Realm cultivator had traveled all the way here. There was no need to guess who their target was.

 

The question was how did they track her.

 

Meng Lin narrowed her eyes.

 

Her first thought was the jade box, it had been the item Senior Sister Liu had attacked in the first place. However, did Senior Sister Liu reveal its existence to others as well.

 

Could they have another jade box?

 

At the same time that Meng Lin appeared in the concealed space.

 

Below, an old man appeared atop the rooftop. His expression was grave as he cupped his fists toward the four newcomers.

 

"This humble steward of the Heavenly Crossing Building greets the distinguished senior. May I ask what brings such esteemed guests to our humble city?"

 

Meng Lin looked down, realizing it was the Nascent Soul cultivator that she had sensed when she first arrived at the city.

 

Nascent Soul mid stage.

 

The middle aged man, Lu Qian didn't even spare him a glance. Instead, he turned toward Senior Sister Liu, his voice carrying a hint of impatience.

 

"Well?"

 

Senior Sister Liu stepped forward and flicked her sleeve. Spiritual light gathered before her, forming a projection within the air.

 

Meng Lin immediately recognized the image.

 

It was her.

 

"We are looking for someone," Senior Sister Liu said. "She should have arrived in this city recently. Have you seen anyone resembling this person?"

 

The old man studied the projection for several moments. Eventually, he shook his head apologetically.

 

"This city receives countless visitors every day. This old man cannot recall seeing someone matching that description."

 

Senior Sister Liu frowned.

 

"She should be in the Soul Wandering Realm. At most, peak stage."

 

The steward hesitated briefly before shaking his head once more.

 

"I have not encountered anyone fitting those details. My apologies, senior."

 

"Waste of time."

 

One of the young men sneered openly.

 

"A Nascent Soul ant like you probably wouldn't notice a dragon even if it slept in your courtyard."

 

The steward's smile stiffened slightly.

 

Meng Lin's expression also became strange. 'Aren't you also in the Nascent Soul Realm?' she thought.

 

"Enough."

 

Lu Qian's voice interrupted the exchange as he gestured towards Senior Sister Liu.

 

Senior Sister Liu immediately nodded and produced a sect token. Spiritual light surged into the token while countless runes illuminated across its surface.

 

The token trembled.

 

A faint azure thread emerged from its center and stretched outward into the distance.

 

The token trembled slightly.

 

A faint azure thread emerged from its center and stretched outward through the air. The thread extended several hundred meters before abruptly coming to a halt.

 

Meng Lin's eyes narrowed.

 

The thread had stopped directly in front of her concealed position. Although it couldn't reveal her exact location, it was clearly locked onto something she possessed.

 

'So it's because of the sect token.'

 

The realization came almost immediately. Whatever method Senior Sister Liu was using was likely a sect technique to locate lost or trapped disciples.

 

Senior Sister Liu frowned.

 

"Why did it stop?" Her eyes followed the azure thread, yet all she could see was empty air.

 

The two young men exchanged glances.

 

Lu Qian remained silent.

 

His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the point where the thread ended. Unlike the others, he didn't immediately dismiss what he was seeing.

 

His spiritual consciousness swept forward, and the surrounding space was completely empty, he couldn't sense anything.

 

"Interesting." He said, a faint ripple appearing within his eyes.

 

The surrounding spiritual energy immediately became restless as his consciousness intensified. Invisible pressure spread outward, causing even the Nascent Soul steward below to feel his scalp grow numb.

 

Without warning, Lu Qian extended a finger before tapping.

 

Boom!

 

Space trembled.

 

A low rumble echoed throughout the heavens. The seemingly empty region before him suddenly distorted as countless ripples spread through the air.

 

"Oh?"

 

Lu Qian's brows rose slightly, a hint of suprise appeared within his eyes, a casual attack from him couldn't disrupt the surrounding space.

 

Rumble!!!

 

The world suddenly lost its color as a massive amount of Qi gathered around Lu Qian, behind him. A silhouette of a giant appeared and he struck out with a palm.

 

Crack!

 

A faint crack appeared and within the void, Meng Lin's expression became serious.

 

Crack. Crack.

 

Fractures rapidly spread outward over the surrounding space, and like a shattered mirror. The concealed space surrounding Meng Lin immediately burst apart.

 

Fragments of distorted void scattered throughout the sky before gradually fading away. A figure slowly emerged from the collapsing concealment, standing calmly amidst the drifting fragments as though she had been there the entire time.

 

For a brief moment, complete silence descended upon the group.

 

Senior Sister Liu's eyes widened.

 

"It's her."

 

Excitement appeared on her face, after searching for so long, she had finally found Meng Lin.

 

However, the excitement only lasted a moment.

 

Her expression froze, she realized that Meng Lin wasn't wearing the Immortal Lotus Robe, and more importantly, the aura radiating from Meng Lin's body was frightfully terrifying.

 

It caused a sense of panic within her, however she also sensed that she was only at the Nascent Soul Realm.

 

The exact same realm as her, her panic quickly faded. There was an Ensoulment Realm expert standing beside them.

 

What was there to fear?

 

Meanwhile, Lu Qian silently observed the female cultivator that just appeared.

 

His gaze lingered on the shattered void surrounding Meng Lin. The more he looked, the more surprised he became.

 

A Nascent Soul cultivator hiding herself within the void.

 

Even many Ensoulment Realm cultivators could not accomplish such a feat without relying on special treasures.

 

'a special physique, or does she possess a unique technique?'

 

The thought surfaced within his mind.

 

This woman was far more troublesome than Senior Sister Liu had described.

 

However, Lu Qian did not reveal any hostility. Instead, a faint smile appeared on his face as he clasped his hands behind his back, his posture becoming considerably more relaxed.

 

"Meng Lin is the name right, i heard you possess a robe carrying the aura of an Immortal Lotus." His voice was calm and courteous, as though they were discussing a simple topic rather than confronting one another in the sky. "Would you be willing to part with it? If so, I am willing to compensate you handsomely."

 

Senior Sister Liu's eyes widened.

 

The two young men were equally surprised. None of them understood why Lu Qian was suddenly acting this way.

 

Before arriving, he had clearly shown irritation in the matter. Yet now he was speaking with a friendliness that bordered on admiration.

 

Meng Lin frowned slightly.

 

So that was the reason.

 

The Immortal Lotus Robe.

 

"I don't have it anymore." Meng Lin shook her head slightly. "It got lost five years ago."

 

The smile on Lu Qian's face twitched.

 

For a brief moment, he simply stared at her. Then he slowly laughed.

 

"Lost?" he repeated.

 

The word sounded ridiculous coming from his mouth. His gaze never left Meng Lin's face.

 

"Young friend, if you do not wish to hand it over, you can simply say so."

 

His smile remained.

 

However, the warmth behind it had already vanished.

 

An item carrying the aura of an Immortal Lotus was priceless. Even if it possessed no practical combat function whatsoever, countless experts would still fight over it until rivers of blood flowed.

 

Lost?

 

Who would believe such nonsense?

 

Initially, he had intended to establish a friendly relationship. A Nascent Soul cultivator capable of hiding even from an Ensoulment Realm Cultivator was already worthy of investment.

 

However, all that was with the prerequisite that she handed the Immortal Lotus Robe over, otherwise he would not be able to explain to the Clan why he took a Realm Breaking Crystal from the treasury.

 

For a moment, a dangerous silence descended upon the sky.

 

Meng Lin quietly watched him.

 

It's not that she has it, she truly lost it. Although her answer wouldn't be different if she truly had it herself.

 

Whether it was destroyed, taken away, or simply lost somewhere beyond her reach, she doesn't feel her connection to it anymore.

 

The moment these people arrived, she had already understood their intentions. They hadn't come seeking a fair transaction.

 

They had come because they believed she was weaker than them.

 

Her gaze shifted toward Senior Sister Liu.

 

A cold light appeared within her eyes.

 

Back then, had she not possessed the Soulbound Amulet of Resurrection, she would have truly died there.

 

Meng Lin wasn't particularly fond of holding grudges however, she wasn't a saint either.

 

A life debt was a life debt.

 

Since Senior Sister Liu had tried to send her to the grave, it was only fair that she returned the favor.

 

A voice interrupted her train of thought.

 

"Young friend, perhaps you should reconsider."

 

The man's voice remained calm.

 

However, the pressure surrounding the city suddenly increased. Clouds churned overhead as the spiritual energy of heaven and earth began trembling.

 

"Treasures capable of attracting immortals should not remain in the hands of someone incapable of protecting them."

 

Meng Lin sighed.

 

"Let's just skip this friendly part, you want to attack, right."

 

A vein twitched on Lu Qian's forehead.

 

Boom!

 

An overwhelming pressure descended from the sky.

The spiritual energy within hundreds of miles instantly became sluggish. 

 

The surrounding cultivators felt as though an invisible mountain had suddenly fallen upon their shoulders.

 

Meng Lin's expression changed slightly, she couldn't move.

 

The spiritual energy surrounding her body became incomparably heavy. Even moving a finger suddenly required tremendous effort.

 

'Realm suppression.'

Meng Lin immediately understood what was happening, she had encountered something similar before.

 

However at that time, she had immediately entered the Brute Qi state, and immediately after that she entered the Brute Flesh State, increasing her power way beyond the point of ignoring the realm suppression.

 

She could do the same at this moment however she chooses not to.

 

A faint look of surprise appeared in Lu Qian's eyes. Even while being suppressed, she was still calm and composed.

 

"What a pity."

 

Lu Qian slowly shook his head.

 

"A talent such as yours could have gone far." His gaze became completely indifferent. "Unfortunately, you chose the wrong path."

 

Then he waved his hand.

 

"Kill her."

 

The two young men behind him moved instantly.

 

Powerful late stage Nascent Soul auras erupted from their bodies as they shot forward like streaks of lightning. One thrust forward with a jade spear while the other released a fist technique.

 

The surrounding sky exploded with spiritual energy as a giant crimson beam and a giant golden fist descended toward Meng Lin with killing intent.

 

Meng Lin didn't move.

 

Rather, a dark, gashly qi coiled around her body before she extended a finger.

 

A wisp of dark qi gathered at her fingertip, it was no larger than a candle flame, however the sky suddenly dimmed at its appearance.

 

Thump!!!

 

A giant withered finger appeared above the city, each segment skeletal and impossibly long, as though it had existed since the beginning of time. 

 

"What is that?!"

 

Senior Sister Liu's face instantly turned pale as a chill ran through her body. An indescribable sense of danger surged within her heart.

 

Even Lu Qian's expression changed.

 

Meng Lin's finger gently moved forward.

 

The giant skeletal finger mirrored the motion, descending towards the two attacks.

 

Then it touched them.

 

Tap!

 

The crimson beam and golden fist violently trembled as the deathly aura washed over them. The immense spiritual energy contained within both techniques rapidly dimmed before dispersing into countless particles of light.

 

The two young men's eyes widened.

 

A chill unlike anything they had ever experienced surged through their bodies while every instinct they possessed screamed in warning. 

 

One of the young men began to retreat. Unfortunately, it was already too late.

 

The giant finger had already descended upon them and before it even arrived, a miasma of gray permeated the sky.

 

The spear-wielding cultivator felt his arm suddenly wither as vitality began to vanish from the flesh. Gray decay spread through his body faster than spiritual sense could follow.

 

"No—!"

 

His scream had barely left his mouth before the decay consumed his shoulder. By the time the sound reached everyone's ears, it had already spread throughout his body.

 

His flesh shriveled, his blood dried and his bones rapidly began to brittle.

 

His Nascent Soul emerged in terror, desperately attempting to escape from his dying body. The tiny figure had only traveled a few meters before it touched the descending gray aura.

 

Then it crumbled. Instantly not a trace remained.

 

Beside him, the second cultivator's face twisted in horror as he noticed the gray aura approaching.

 

A jade shield appeared before him while a defensive talisman ignited and a protective robe erupted with brilliant spiritual light. 

 

Layers of protection instantly enveloped his body as he desperately tried to survive.

 

The gray aura arrived.

 

The spiritual light surrounding him rapidly dimmed before all three treasures dissolved into countless motes of light. Not even a single breath passed before they completely vanished.

 

It was as though the treasures had never existed at all.

 

The cultivator's expression turned pale.

 

The gray aura swept across his body.

 

His flesh immediately began withering while the vitality within his blood rapidly faded away. He didn't even have enough time to escape with his Nascent Soul before he turned to dust in the wind.

 

Within a single breath, two Late Stage Nascent Soul cultivators vanished.