Seventy-seven

With the mediation of Yixiu and Yidan, Master Floating Cloud begrudgingly apologized to Ye Yin, after which he pouted and refused to acknowledge her further. The once inscrutable, formidable boss figure Ye Yin had envisioned for Master Floating Cloud had now shattered completely, replaced by the image of a shameless, sharp-tongued old pervert with masochistic tendencies—a vertiginous fall from grace. Still, she remained vigilant; anyone who could reach the Nascent Soul stage in the modern world, so inimical to cultivation, was by no means an ordinary person. A person's moral character rarely correlated with their strength.

Yixiu directed the others to set up a small temporary camp on the spot, laid out a simple teleportation array, and then sought instructions from Master Floating Cloud for the next course of action.

Master Floating Cloud coughed with exaggerated gravitas, stroked his beard, and said, “Most of you are seeing battle for the first time and lack experience. Therefore, you mustn’t venture far today. Only hunt within the limits set by the law rings. If the ring gives a warning, retreat immediately! Remember, you may kill the mutant beasts however you wish and keep their crystal cores for yourselves. Demon beasts, however, must be handed over, preferably captured alive; if not, try to keep the bodies intact unless you encounter high-level demon beasts and your lives are in danger—do not damage them unnecessarily. The more you catch, the greater the reward. Of course, some fire-ability users shouldn’t meddle—you just ruin everything the moment you act. Better to stay at camp and cook, all right?”

Ye Yin’s fist clenched so tightly it cracked. Yixiu and Yidan glanced around silently, checking for any large, dangerous objects in her vicinity that might need to be preemptively removed.

“As for me and your senior and junior uncles, we’ll be on patrol overhead. If anything happens, send up a signal immediately. Understood?”

“Understood!” came the resounding, unified reply, startling a flock of old crows into flight.

“Hey, could you keep it down? You’ll scare off all the wildlife!” Master Floating Cloud fumed.

“Understood...” came the more subdued response.

Because the teleportation array could only send fewer than five people at once, everyone naturally divided into small hunting groups and were transported in batches into the safe hunting zone protected by Master Floating Cloud’s barriers.

Though Master Floating Cloud had publicly mocked her, Ye Yin had no intention of backing down and giving him the satisfaction. Ignoring his expression, she lined up to collect her law ring and spirit beast pouch, then marched boldly into the teleportation array with Situ Fei.

The law ring looked like an ordinary iron band but had two unique functions. First, it warned users not to leave the safe zone—if anyone neared the barrier’s edge, it would emit a sound even more grating than a pig being slaughtered. Second, it would guide users back to camp—pressing a connector on the ring would summon a red line pointing the way.

The ring was simple to use. After fiddling with it for a while, Ye Yin lost interest. Moreover, not only did they not encounter any demon beasts on their path, even mutant beasts were scarce, and she began yawning repeatedly.

“There’s too many wolves and too little meat,” Situ Fei remarked, catching her third mutant rabbit with a vine. “What are demon beasts like, anyway? How are they different from mutant beasts? How many are there in such a huge area?”

“Don’t ask me—I have no idea,” Ye Yin replied. “Judging by that old pervert’s attitude, their people must have special methods of capture. We’re unlikely to find any just by wandering around.”

“I see.” Situ Fei sounded disappointed. “I was hoping to catch a few dragons or phoenixes for pets.”

“...Great idea, you can ask the old pervert for one.”

“Sure!” Situ Fei said cheerfully. “There’s a spring over there, so let’s cook these rabbits. I brought utensils and seasoning.”

Ye Yin was momentarily caught off guard by Situ Fei’s enthusiasm. “Aren’t you worried these things are poisonous?”

“Not at all. People have been selling them at the base for ages, and nothing happened after eating them—they’ve been tested. I just think those aren’t fresh. I’ve long wanted to butcher some myself. Anyway, we can’t compete with the professionals for demon beasts, so let’s treat this as a paid spring outing.”

While the disciples of Qingyun Sect were frantically working together to capture demon beasts, Ye Yin and Situ Fei were huddled around a fire, relishing braised mutant rabbit with potatoes. The meat, as expected of mutant beasts, was particularly tender and flavorful. They only stopped eating when their bellies were round and full.

“My goodness, that was delicious. I must catch a few more to take home for my parents to try. Do you think demon beasts taste as good?”

“Get rid of that thought,” Ye Yin said, covering the dying embers with dirt. “Demon beast bodies and inner cores are extremely precious materials. Qingyun Sect wouldn’t take such risks if they weren’t in urgent need.”

At first, she hadn’t understood, but thinking it through made it clear. The sect had just recruited many new disciples, and their stock of pills and tools must be insufficient. With spiritual herbs nearly extinct and the risks of gathering rare materials in zombie-infested lands mounting, capturing demon beasts was still more cost-effective.

“Yin Yin, you’re amazing! How do you know all this?” Situ Fei looked at her with admiration.

“I have friends in the business,” Ye Yin replied. “Picked up a few things here and there.”

“Alright.” Situ Fei shrugged. “Anyway, a single crane will be enough for me. Come on, let’s catch more mutant beasts!”

“Just a few more rabbits—we don’t have anywhere to store them.”

Clearly, Situ Fei was prepared. She produced several folded burlap sacks with a sly grin. “See these!”

“You don’t expect me to carry them, do you?”

“Oh, come on, Yin Yin! With your talent as both an ability user and an awakened one, if you were a man, I’d marry you for sure!”

“I refuse.” That shot straight through Ye Yin’s resolve.

“Sorry, I mean, if I were a man, I’d have to marry you,” Situ Fei solemnly corrected herself.

“Too late,” Ye Yin said, striding off.

“Wait for me!” Situ Fei hurried after her.

As Ye Yin carried two bulging sacks of mutant rabbits and pheasants down the slope, Hong Shao and several daoists, both male and female, were locked in a fierce struggle with a giant, purple spider. The spider seemed formidable, and though they attacked together, they were clearly struggling.

Spiders feared fire, and Ye Yin’s fire ability would be useful here. She was about to step in when she recalled Master Floating Cloud’s warning and instead turned to Situ Fei. “You handle it.”

Situ Fei nodded. At once, the shrubs near the spider’s lair erupted in growth, thorny branches surging forth to bind the giant spider tightly. Seizing the opportunity, Hong Shao unleashed a beam of golden light, and as the spider’s mind faltered, quickly threw out a spirit beast pouch to capture it.

“Miss Ye, thank you so much!” Hong Shao, recognizing a familiar face, ran over cheerfully. “I’d always wondered, but to think the legendary heroine was—”

“Where’s he?” Ye Yin interrupted.

“He didn’t come, not feeling well,” Hong Shao said regretfully. “Several junior sisters wanted to stay behind to care for him, but he didn’t appreciate it and slipped away somewhere. I keep telling them, feelings have to be mutual—don’t waste your time on one-sided crushes...”

“Watch your mouth,” a daoist nun approached, eyeing Ye Yin up and down before asking Hong Shao, “You just said she’s who to Xi Yu?”

“A friend,” Ye Yin replied. “Nothing more than acquaintances.”

“That’s not quite right,” Hong Shao missed Ye Yin’s warning glance. “I think he’s always warmest toward you. Every time you two meet, he talks endlessly, but as soon as someone comes, he leaves—like some kind of secret relationship, haha!”

The atmosphere instantly chilled.

Why was this youthful romance trope rearing its head among daoists? What happened to cutting off all attachments...

Ye Yin shifted the sacks on her back. “Since you’ve caught the spider, we’ll take our leave.”

“Don’t let us keep you,” the nun said coolly. “You two go on catching those poor mutant beasts; it seems to suit you.”

Ye Yin had no interest in pointless bickering, but Situ Fei wasn’t having it. “Oh, big words! As if you caught that spider yourselves. Lying with a straight face—impressive.”

“We almost had it before you interfered. Who needed your help?”

“Pah! You’ve got some nerve saying that! Grandpa Qiao and the others are watching from above—should we ask them to judge?”

The nun’s face darkened, but a petite, delicate junior beside her tugged discreetly at her sleeve, forcing her to swallow her retort.

“Come on, ignore them,” Ye Yin said, half coaxing, half persuading, as she pulled Situ Fei away. Hong Shao grinned as he watched them leave, a trace of satisfaction in his eyes.

“Argh! She makes me so mad!” Situ Fei fumed even after they’d walked half a mile.

“What are you angry about?” Ye Yin asked, chewing on some sourgrass she’d just found.

“Just thinking about that nun’s face annoys me! Listen, Yin Yin, you should just win over that Xi Yu guy, just to spite her.”

“Why are you so fired up? I’ve already forgotten about it,” Ye Yin said, sharing half the sourgrass with her. “Here, try it—it’s good.”

“This isn’t the time for snacks!” Situ Fei protested.

“It’s pointless,” Ye Yin said. “I don’t even know her, and I doubt I ever will. Less trouble is better. Besides, Xi Yu shouldn’t be dragged into such petty matters... he’s too pure, not to be defiled.”

“Uh...” Situ Fei reached out to touch Ye Yin’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever, do you?”

“Of course not.”

High above, Master Floating Cloud watched the scene unfold in his mirror, and couldn’t stop himself from gushing, “Little Feifei is so handsome! By the way, her wood ability seems similar to our wood techniques, but to reach that level would take fifty or sixty years of cultivation. Ability users are truly remarkable!”

Beside the lotus seat, a five- or six-year-old boy in white, with loose hair, said coldly, “The one to watch is the woman beside her.”

“What, the flat-chested girl?” Master Floating Cloud asked.

“I can’t say for now, but she gives me a very dangerous feeling. We must keep an eye on her,” the boy said, his eyes icy.

A smile lingered on Master Floating Cloud’s lips, unreadable in the shadows. “Uncle-master.”

Ye Yin and Situ Fei wandered the designated area for over two hours, and aside from a few sacks of mutant beasts, gained nothing. Along the way, they ran into more ability users, all in similar straits. They decided to join forces and eventually returned to camp to throw a bonfire party, butchering the day’s catch and warming wine, everyone in high spirits.

Not all the daoists were unfriendly. Some ability users managed to glean insider information about the mission: “We’re just here to make up the numbers! I heard that demon beasts are full of treasures, way beyond what people like us can handle.”

“Then why drag us out here? Couldn’t they do it themselves?”

“Who knows!” the speaker said, taking a comfortable sip of wine. “Whatever happens, those old guys up in the sky are watching over us. We’re just waving flags on the stage—might as well enjoy the show, right, Director?”

Ye Yin, busy gnawing on a chicken leg, mumbled a response.

Situ Fei laughed. “Don’t bother her—she’s earned this meal.”

As the group reveled, a commotion erupted nearby. Ye Yin looked up to see a short-haired woman carrying a bazooka-like weapon facing a crowd of agitated daoist nuns who were animatedly gesturing and complaining.

“Who’s that?” someone asked.

“That’s Wei Chi Nan, someone promoted directly by the Commander,” Situ Fei replied. “She’s a bit odd and doesn’t really mingle with others.”

Ye Yin approached, intending to inquire, but as soon as the nuns saw an ability user leader arrive, they crowded around, clamoring for justice.

“Director Ye, you have to do something! She killed our demon beast!”

“That was a third-rank demon beast! Do you know how long it took us to find it?”

“Exactly! We only asked her to lend a hand, and she just blasted it with her rocket, nearly blowing us up too!”

...

Ye Yin quickly pieced together what had happened and, suppressing her laughter, put on a stern face as she looked at the reckless bazooka-wielder. The woman’s features were delicate, her expression indifferent, and she was completely unmoved by the nuns’ accusations.

“Can you explain what happened?” Ye Yin asked.

“Ah.”

“...And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m hungry.” With that, Wei Chi Nan walked off without a backward glance, heading straight for the fire where mutant beast meat was roasting, leaving Ye Yin frozen in place.

“What kind of attitude is that?”

“She doesn’t even respect her own superior—no wonder she’s so reckless!”

“Whatever, Director, you handle it. She’s under your command, so we can only come to you.”

Ye Yin heaved a long sigh. Clearly, this mission was destined to be fraught with disaster...