Chapter 28: The Most Expensive Fireworks

“Jade token, jade token, must have the jade token, must have the jade token, must have the jade token.”
“With the jade token, Master won’t be angry anymore. Master won’t be angry, the jade token will appease Master…”
“Master, Master mustn’t get angry…”
“Jade token, get the jade token. No, mustn’t take the jade token.”
“Core, demon core, need a demon core. The jade token is useless. Demon core, demon beast, eighth rank, seventh rank, sixth rank… the higher the better! The jade token is useless, once broken it’s no use, only my own jade token is useful.”

If Wen Jinge were here, she would certainly realize that her good disciple had already mastered sword flight, and not just that—he could search for his target while flying. He had perfectly inherited Wen Jinge’s penchant for courting danger, boldly barging straight into the lair of a sixth-rank demon beast.

Unfortunately, Wen Jinge arrived too late.

“Wow! Come look, there’s actually a cave here,” Wang Sizhun called, pointing at the hole in the ground and sniffing the air. “I can smell the aura of an array. Look, this pile of stones! Some expert must have set up a formation here.”

Tang Miao-miao was at a loss for words. She carefully used a Manifestation Talisman, and after confirming the footprints on the ground, she stepped along them. Watching the spiraling cyclone ascending above, she murmured, “So the legendary ‘Ascending to Heaven’ actually exists. Did someone climb to the skies, step by step, emerging from this cave?”

Yuan Qingling could only shake his head at this group of juniors. Back when he was snubbed by Fan Zifan, he’d intended to leave the Xuan Yun Sect immediately, but the infamous Immortal Wen performed a heaven-shaking technique, which left him utterly convinced.

Especially now, facing his own advancing age, with his seventieth year approaching, he felt a renewed urgency. In a fit of resolve, he had abandoned the position of head of the Moon-Seizing Sword Sect.

He’d originally entered this illusion realm alone. Later, when these children were being hunted by their peers, he saved them and brought them along.

After that, they got lost.

“Could it be that we’re trapped here because of the array?” Yang Wennan clutched his sword more tightly. Tang Miao-miao was using more and more talismans, and the footprints became increasingly clear, mostly scattered near the cave.

“They lead off into the woods. Let’s leave this place,” Yuan Qingling said, already drawing his sword. Given his seniority, none of the juniors dared to argue.

“Be careful, Senior Brother Yuan,” Yang Wennan said, ushering Tang Miao-miao and Wang Sizhun away. One was a spell-caster, the other a talisman-user; staying would only be a burden, so it was better for him to take them.

Unfortunately, his reasoning was entirely wrong. The real danger was not around the cave, but in the treachery of the human heart.

The three of them soon found swords pressed to their throats.

“Senior Brother, it’s been a while! Hand over your jade tokens.”

“Jian Ting?” Yang Wennan realized only his head could move; Tang Miao-miao and Wang Sizhun were just as immobilized. “You stuck immobilization talismans on us?”

“Yes. Otherwise, if you realized I was alone, wouldn’t that be awkward!”

“Jian Ting!”

All three pairs of eyes were drawn to the man sitting on the ground. He bore an eight-tenths resemblance to Jian Ting—clearly, they were brothers. Yang Wennan recognized him as Jian Shujie.

“Aren’t you disciples at the Shadowless Hall? What are you doing here at Xuan Yun Sect?” Yang Wennan snapped, irritated. “What, chasing me out wasn’t enough? Now you’ve come to Xuan Yun Sect to finish the job?”

“Pah!” Jian Ting sneered, tying them up and slapping his dagger against Yang Wennan’s face. “You think you’re worthy? Why is it that wherever you go, you’re always calling the shots, while we’re treated like rats? On the outer mountain, disciples aren’t allowed to fight, but here—”

He glanced up at the sky—no Shadow-Capturing Crane in sight. He was reassured.

“Jian Ting!” Jian Shujie was frightened by his brother’s actions. “You promised you only came to seek a master, not to kill anyone!”

“What are you afraid of? We’ve been trapped here so long, and they can’t get out. Who’ll know how they died?”

“This isn’t like you, Jian Ting.”

“Oh? This isn’t like me, then what am I like?” Jian Ting laughed coldly, glaring at his brother in mockery. “What rank are you? Only one above that lucky dog Wen Immortal’s disciple. Me? Barely at seventh rank. And here? The first thing you run into is a fourth-rank demon beast. Did you fight it? Worthless! Not even once!”

Jian Ting grew more furious at his brother, raining blows and kicks on him. “Back when we entered the Shadowless Hall, you said we’d both make a name for ourselves. But then? Wasn’t it me who forced him out? Who do you think you are!”

“Senior Brother Yang,” Tang Miao-miao nudged Yang Wennan’s arm. The three of them were tied up against a big tree, practically pressed together. Jian Ting, cherishing his talismans, had removed them after binding them. “I… I think there are ants crawling on me. Could you scratch me? It itches.”

Yang Wennan hesitated—after all, she was a talisman-user, and now was no time for modesty. He reached over.

Sure enough, there were stacks of talisman papers up her sleeve—so many that he didn’t know which to pick. He watched Tang Miao-miao mouth the words, “Any of them, take as many as you can.”

She had all sorts—many useful, many not. Whatever Yang Wennan managed to grab would depend on luck; the more, the better.

“What are you two doing?” Jian Ting snapped.

“Scratching off ants!” Wang Sizhun shivered and straightened up.

Pity she hadn’t yet learned to set formations with her hands behind her back.

“My hand itches,” Tang Miao-miao shifted her hand.

Yang Wennan saw the two women helping to draw attention, and exchanged a glance with Tang Miao-miao. Her lips quivered, the talisman papers in her hand heating up. Without looking, he flung them all out in one go.

Wen Jinge, just returning to the cave area with her shadowy companion, heard a series of thunderous booms, followed by bursts of fire lighting up the sky.

“Master, what’s happening down there?” Wang Xi asked.

“Why don’t you go down and see?” Wen Jinge suggested.

“I… I don’t think that’s necessary!” Wang Xi scratched her head. “I’ll just stick with you, Master.”

“Your eyesight is pretty good, isn’t it?”

“It’s decent, I suppose!” Wang Xi didn’t know why her master had paused here, but a master was always a step ahead—her words had to be pondered.

“What do you practice?”

“Sword.”

“Archery?” Speaking of archers, Wen Jinge recalled someone from her mind. She looked at Wang Xi’s carefree grin. “Do you like fireworks?”

“Love them! But in Qianyan Kingdom, they’re banned—they say they might disturb the immortals in the sky.” As she spoke, her eyes sparkled like stars, gazing straight at Wen Jinge.

Wen Jinge, unable to hold back, gave her a light smack and finally broke into laughter. “Immortals—like me?”

Wang Xi kept grinning mischievously. “Exactly.”

Wen Jinge soared on with her, no longer hiding her identity—she had already accepted Wang Xi as her disciple. “Hold my hand for a while, and I’ll give you the most spectacular fireworks show you’ll ever see.”

“Alright!”