Chapter 35: Intelligence

A flurry of dense footsteps echoed from outside the tree hole.

The sound of dry branches being snapped was exceptionally clear in the silent, dense forest.

The flush on Ling Xiyue’s face vanished instantly, leaving her pale.

The Green Scale Sword let out a low hum within its scabbard.

Killing intent flooded the cramped tree hole in an instant.

The surrounding air dropped to the freezing point.

Luo Qingchen quickly made a hand gesture, signaling Ling Xiyue to remain silent.

She crouched low, leaning toward the edge of the concealment array’s light screen.

Looking out through the translucent array patterns, she saw two cultivators, a man and a woman, approaching.

Both wore the robes of the Tianyin Sect.

The male cultivator was in the early-stage Foundation Establishment, while the female was in the middle-stage Foundation Establishment.

The two were looking around warily.

In front of them, a shimmering Spirit Pigeon fluttered its wings.

The Spirit Pigeon circled the tree hole, refusing to leave.

Luo Qingchen let out a long breath.

They weren’t Nascent Soul old monsters.

This would be easy.

Ling Xiyue didn’t care about the level of their cultivation.

As long as they were alive, they were a risk to her location.

She tightened her grip on her hilt.

The Green Scale Sword was drawn out by 1 inch.

A frigid sword intent was on the verge of overflowing from the tree hole.

Luo Qingchen was quick to react.

She grabbed Ling Xiyue’s hand and forced the Green Scale Sword back into its scabbard.

“Eldest Senior Sister, don’t be impulsive!”

“Why use a cleaver meant for a bull to kill a chicken?”

“These two are information sources delivered right to our door. Didn’t we just discuss needing a weakling with information? Here they are.”

“Capture them alive.”

“Just watch me.”

Luo Qingchen let go, her hands moving in a blur.

She pulled out over a dozen Array Flags from the Jade Slip Space.

Her movements were incredibly skilled.

The Array Flags silently sank into the ground inside the tree hole and around its entrance.

A Link Trapping Array.

A Binding Array.

Layer upon layer was stacked.

Xiao Bai hugged that gaudy album and huddled into a corner.

He rubbed his paws together and muttered in a low voice.

“Luo the dog, you’re truly wicked.”

“You’re even scamming early-stage Foundation Establishment noobs.”

“I actually feel sorry for them.”

Luo Qingchen glared at Xiao Bai.

“Shut up and read your book.”

—

Outside the tree hole.

The female cultivator stopped, her voice full of impatience.

“Senior Brother, is your Treasure-Seeking Spirit Pigeon even accurate?”

“This gods-forsaken place doesn’t even have a single spirit herb!”

“We’ve been wandering for ages, and all we’ve done is eat dirt!”

The male cultivator beat his chest, promising confidently.

“Don’t worry, Junior Sister!”

“The Spirit Pigeon is flying here, so there is definitely a great treasure!”

He pointed at the tree hole ahead.

“Look!”

“This tree hole has traces of array fluctuations.”

“This is definitely not naturally formed.”

“It must be a cave dwelling left behind by a predecessor!”

“There’s definitely a high-grade magical tool hidden inside!”

“Moreover, the technique of this array is completely different from what we use now; it follows the arrangement habits of ancient cultivators.”

To show off in front of his companion, the male volunteered himself.

“Junior Sister, please step back.”

“Watch your Senior Brother break the array!”

The male cultivator drew the dharma sword from his waist.

Spiritual power poured into the blade.

He unleashed a barrage of attacks against the concealment array Luo Qingchen had set up.

Various flashy incantations slammed into the light screen.

The commotion was quite loud, and the light effects were at maximum intensity.

But when they landed on the array, they only triggered weak ripples.

He couldn’t even break a single hole.

It was pure scratching.

Inside the tree hole.

Luo Qingchen pulled some spirit fruits from the Jade Slip Space.

Leaning against the stone wall, she ate while watching the show.

*Crunch, crunch.*

The sounds echoed through the tree hole.

Ling Xiyue looked at the male cultivator outside.

Her brow furrowed slightly as she spat out a single word.

“Stupid.”

Luo Qingchen handed over a bright red fruit that looked like an apple.

“Want some, Eldest Senior Sister?”

“Watching a monkey show without a snack feels a bit dry.”

Ling Xiyue turned her head away, refusing to communicate.

Half an incense stick later.

The male cultivator outside had worked himself to exhaustion.

He was drenched in sweat, gasping for air.

The spiritual power in his Dantian was nearly depleted.

The array remained completely unmoved.

The female cultivator behind him was starting to yawn.

“Senior Brother, can you do it or not?”

“If not, let’s go somewhere else.”

The male cultivator felt he was losing face.

He bit the tip of his tongue, preparing to force a secret technique.

“Junior Sister, don’t be anxious!”

“This array is about to break!”

Luo Qingchen saw the perfect timing.

She spat out a fruit pit and snapped her fingers.

She took the initiative to deactivate the outermost concealment array.

The array’s light vanished instantly.

The pitch-black entrance of the tree hole was revealed.

Seeing the light screen disappear, the male cultivator was stunned for a moment.

Then, he was ecstatic.

He turned and shouted to the female cultivator.

“Junior Sister, look!”

“I broke it!”

“I told you my array-breaking method was unrivaled in the world!”

The female cultivator ran over with eyes full of admiration, not holding back her praise.

“Senior Brother, you’re amazing!”

“You could even break an ancient array.”

“Let’s hurry inside and see what treasures are there!”

The two rushed excitedly to the front of the tree hole.

They poked their heads in to look.

The smiles on their faces froze instantly.

There were no great treasures in the tree hole.

There were no peerless cultivation manuals.

There was only a young girl in the middle-stage Foundation Establishment, leaning against the wall and eating a fruit with a smile.

Beside her was an iceberg-like female sword cultivator who radiated a terrifying pressure, whose gaze could kill, and whose cultivation was completely unreadable.

And there was a dog.

It was currently clutching a copy of *Fairy Ruyan’s Album* while drooling.

The air went completely dead at that moment.

Everyone stared at each other.

The scene was extremely awkward.

Extremely terrifying.

The male cultivator’s head thudded.

He reacted quickly, realizing instantly that they had kicked a steel plate.

This wasn’t a cave dwelling left by a predecessor.

This was clearly the Palace of Yama.

Scared out of his wits, he let out a shrill scream.

“Junior Sister, run!”

He turned to flee, not even bothering with his companion.

Luo Qingchen’s lips curled up.

She lightly tapped her foot.

“Rise!”

The Trapping Array she had prepared in advance was instantly activated.

The array patterns on the ground lit up.

Several thick ropes of spiritual power burst from the soil.

At lightning speed, they coiled around the pair’s ankles.

Before the two could even take three steps, they were tripped to the ground.

The spiritual power ropes quickly spread upward, binding them like cocoons.

*Whoosh!*

The two were hoisted up, hanging upside down from a thick branch outside the tree hole.

They struggled frantically.

The more they struggled, the tighter the bindings became.

Luo Qingchen wiped the fruit juice from her hands and slowly walked out of the tree hole.

She looked up at the Tianyin Sect couple swinging in mid-air.

The male cultivator was so scared that tears and snot flowed down his face.

“Senior, have mercy!”

“This junior failed to recognize greatness!”

“I have disturbed your peaceful cultivation!”

The female cultivator was trembling so much she couldn’t even speak.

Luo Qingchen gave them a “kind” smile.

“You two.”

“Quite the skills you have, hunting for treasure all the way to my head?”

“Come, let’s have a calm and peaceful chat.”

Luo Qingchen pulled over a dry log and sat down firmly.

She crossed her hands over her knees.

“Where is the entrance to this Secret Realm?”

“What exactly happened?”

“And how did those old monsters outside get in?”

She pointed behind her at Ling Xiyue, who was walking out slowly.

The cold light of the Green Scale Sword was exceptionally piercing in the dim forest.

“If you dare tell even half a lie…”

“The one behind me is my Eldest Senior Sister. She isn’t exactly a gentle soul. If she’s in a bad mood, she’ll mince you into garlic paste in a heartbeat.”

Ling Xiyue frowned at Luo Qingchen but said nothing, cooperatively drawing the Green Scale Sword halfway.

Seeing the sword about to leave its scabbard, the male cultivator shook like a leaf.

“I’ll speak! I’ll tell you everything!”

“Just don’t kill me!”

Luo Qingchen pulled back two steps in disgust; this guy was way too cowardly.

“Hurry up.”

“My patience is limited.”

Xiao Bai looked at the album, crossing his legs and shaking his head.

“Tsk tsk, Luo the dog actually has the nerve to look down on someone else’s cowardice.”