Walking to the entrance of the cave, Ling Xiyue finally stopped.
“Why did you come back just now?”
Luo Qingchen was taken caught off guard.
“I went into the cave to get something. Didn’t you see the Blood Soul Flower fly past in a flash?”
“That is not what I meant.”
Ling Xiyue turned around.
“You completely didn’t have to come back.”
“If you had used that flower on yourself, it would have been even more effective against your backlash, and it could have even improved your aptitude.”
“You are only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, and this Secret Realm is full of danger. To use the most precious thing on someone else—don’t you feel it was a waste?”
Luo Qingchen scratched her head.
‘What is wrong with this person? I save her, and she finds a problem with it?’
“If you fall, what am I supposed to do? You’re the only one in our team who can fight. Without you, what can me and this stupid dog do?”
“Don’t bring me into this, Lord Dog can run and jump!” Xiao Bai interjected from behind.
Luo Qingchen ignored the dog and continued her argument.
“Besides, what is there to think about? If a teammate is about to die and you have medicine in your hand, you use it.
Back when I played games, I never hesitated to heal my teammates, let alone—”
She swallowed the rest of her words.
‘Let alone the fact that you just got me out of a tight spot.’
‘Let alone the fact that you were at the front holding off the two strongest beasts.’
‘Let alone the fact that even when you thought I had run away, you chose to keep fighting alone instead of chasing me down and stabbing me to death.’
Luo Qingchen did not say those things.
It would sound too sappy, and given Ling Xiyue’s prickly personality, saying them would only make her uncomfortable.
Ling Xiyue stood there, staring at Luo Qingchen for a long time.
Although she didn’t quite understand some of the words, a warmth spread through her heart.
Luo Qingchen felt uneasy under her gaze.
“Don’t look at me like that. Is there something on my face?”
Ling Xiyue looked away and muttered something under her breath.
Luo Qingchen didn’t catch it.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Ling Xiyue began walking into the cave.
After two steps, she stopped again, her back toward Luo Qingchen.
“My Spiritual Root is a bit special. I was born with the ability to sense… malice in others.”
Luo Qingchen raised an eyebrow.
“Every time my fellow disciples approached me, I could sense it. Some wanted to use my status and position to gain something; some wanted to please the Sect Master through me; some wanted to obtain resources and status from me.”
Ling Xiyue’s voice was very calm, devoid of any fluctuations.
“Over time, when they realized they couldn’t get any benefits from me, they began to ostracize me. I couldn’t be bothered with them, so it only grew worse.”
Luo Qingchen remained silent.
“When you said earlier that you could help me change my fate, I didn’t sense that you wanted to scheme for anything, so I thought there was truly something wrong with my fate—that only people with ulterior motives would approach me.”
“I actually do have a goal,” Luo Qingchen confessed honestly, thinking to herself that what she was after were the rewards from the Jade Slip.
Ling Xiyue paused.
“But I won’t harm you, and I won’t plot against you. What’s mine is mine, and I won’t force what isn’t.”
Luo Qingchen stretched.
“I’m the type of person who is timid and afraid of death. If I can talk my way out, I won’t lift a finger. If I can run, I won’t fight a hard battle. But there is one thing—”
She held up one finger. “I never pit my own people.”
Ling Xiyue stood there in silence for quite a while.
Her Spiritual Root sensed no malice.
From beginning to end, there wasn’t even a trace.
This little thief, who talked a mile a minute, was actually the first person she had met in over 20 years who held no malice toward her, despite having a goal.
Ling Xiyue said nothing more and walked straight into the cave.
However, Luo Qingchen noticed that the tips of her ears were slightly red.
Luo Qingchen chuckled twice and followed her inside.
***
At the cave entrance.
The restriction had already been dismantled by Luo Qingchen, leaving the opening wide like an unlocked door.
That wouldn’t do.
Luo Qingchen stood at the entrance, her hands quickly forming seals.
Threads of spiritual energy shot from her fingertips, reconnecting to the nodes of the array patterns.
Dismantling an array was easy, and putting it back together wasn’t too difficult for her.
In the *Guide to Picking Doors and Prying Locks*, there was a chapter specifically on “Reverse Array Placement,” which was about reinstalling a lock after picking it.
Rule Eight of the Thief Heaven Sect: After taking what you want, remember to close the door; leaving no trace is the mark of a high-level disciple.
The threads of spiritual energy wove through the array patterns, braiding back together layer by layer.
A golden film of light reappeared, sealing the cave entrance.
Ling Xiyue stood nearby, watching the restriction slowly return to its original state.
“You even understand ancient arrays?”
Luo Qingchen’s hands paused.
“What! This array is ancient?”
“The structure of these patterns and the spiritual energy circuits are completely different from the current array systems.” Ling Xiyue took two steps closer, carefully observing the lines on the light film. “This kind of nested chain restriction is the handiwork of at least 3,000 years ago. The records of Hidden Sword Mountain only mention them; there are no actual examples.”
Luo Qingchen blinked. 3,000 years ago?
She smacked her lips, a complex feeling rising in her heart.
Oh, Thief Heaven Sect.
For a sect’s heritage to include ancient restrictions from 3,000 years ago and even organize a complete methodology for breaking them—how many generations of accumulation did that take?
From the *Guide to Picking Doors and Prying Locks* to the *Shadowless Hand*, from the *Breath Concealment Technique* to *Treading Snow Without Trace*, every single technique was specialized to the extreme.
Snatch, Retreat, Dismantle, and Hide—they simply had no offensive methods.
Those four words supported an entire sect.
It didn’t sound prestigious, but their strength was undeniable.
Yet, such an incredible sect had vanished overnight, from the Sect Master down to the disciples, all because they stole from someone they shouldn’t have.
Now, she was the only one left.
Luo Qingchen touched the Deception Jade Slip on her chest, her heart filled with a mix of emotions.
When her Cheap Master had shoved the Jade Slip to her, he had died before even finishing a full sentence.
The secrets and the curse of the entire sect were now weighed down on an early Foundation Establishment fledgling like her.
But looking at it from another perspective—in her past life, she was a 996 corporate slave who died at her desk without even getting overtime pay.
Now, at least she had techniques, spiritual tools, and a middle Core Formation teammate to cover her.
She wasn’t the best, but she was far from the worst.
She should be content.
“What are you thinking about?” Ling Xiyue’s voice drifted from deep within the cave.
Luo Qingchen pulled herself out of her thoughts, brushed the dust off her hands, and walked in.
“Nothing, just reflecting on how I’m actually a pretty impressive face-reader, even if I have bad luck.”
Ling Xiyue stood in the center of the cave’s main hall.
She glanced at her but didn’t take the bait.
She remained silent for a few breaths before speaking.
“The medicinal power of the Blood Soul Flower is still circulating in my body. Most of my previous internal injuries have healed.”
Luo Qingchen nodded, waiting for her to continue.
Ling Xiyue paused.
“I have gained some insights and wish to attempt a breakthrough here.”
Luo Qingchen was stunned.
“A breakthrough? To the late Core Formation stage?”
“Yes.”
Luo Qingchen’s mind raced.
The power of the Blood Soul Flower combined with the insights from battle meant that striking while the iron was hot was indeed the best move.
If she missed this window, who knew how long it would take to reach the threshold again.
“How long will the breakthrough take?”
“At the fastest, 7 days. At the slowest, half a day.”
“Sure. This place is protected by a restriction, so things from outside can’t get in. It’s safe.”
Ling Xiyue looked at her and paused again.
“During the breakthrough, I cannot be distracted, and I will be unable to move.”
Luo Qingchen gave an affirmative hum.
“In that state, even a common animal could kill me.”
Luo Qingchen hummed again.
Ling Xiyue’s tone was flat.
“I hope this Little Thief can act as a protector for a while.”
Luo Qingchen’s face darkened.
She understood every word, but the way they were put together left a bad taste in her mouth.
What did she mean by “even a common animal could kill me”? And what was with “I hope this Little Thief can act as a protector”?
‘Is this a blatant test?’
She was putting herself in her most vulnerable state to see if Luo Qingchen would take the opportunity to strike.
And besides, what kind of nickname was “Little Thief”? She had just told her to call her Xiyue, so why was she “Little Thief” now?
Luo Qingchen’s lips twitched.
Despite her internal complaints, she waved her hand casually.
“Go ahead and break through. I’m here.”
She paused, then added, “But could you not call me ‘Little Thief’? At least use my name.”
Ling Xiyue had already turned to walk toward the stone chamber at the very back of the cave.
Without looking back, she threw a sentence over her shoulder.
“We can talk about that once you prove you aren’t a little thief.”