I'm Feng Aotian—And I’m Running Away from My Wedding - Chapter 8

“Rustle, rustle…”

The cave was dim and flickering, the sounds of fists and kicks mingling with the roars of the Shadowless Bear. For a moment, it was unclear who had the upper hand.

Suddenly, a burst of white light erupted from the depths, accompanied by the faint scent of medicinal herbs.

“It’s Soulburn Blossom! The Soulburn Blossom that can increase the success rate of alchemy!”

A startled exclamation brought the chaotic scene to an abrupt halt.

With such a treasure before them, who wouldn’t fight with their lives on the line? The two disciples unleashed their most hidden techniques. The tall, timid disciple no longer hid. Gritting his teeth, he took out a small talisman inscribed with a golden bell and stuck it to his leg. He then began stomping wildly at the shadows, hoping to land a hit on the Shadowless Bear.

“He even has a Golden Bell Talisman. This guy must be quite wealthy.”

Li Baiying had already moved to a spot above the rock, giving her a clear view of the fight. She too noticed the herb, but because of her elevated position, she also spotted a pile of root-like leaves on a haystack deep inside the cave.

Spirit beasts like bears have a habit of storing food. Beyond food, they also collect medicinal herbs for healing, just in case. And in this secret realm, even the lowest-grade herbs were of decent quality.

“It seems today will bring a bountiful harvest.”

Li Baiying was in no hurry at all. She leisurely watched the life-and-death struggle below, occasionally offering a mental critique.

“I need to learn a sound-blocking spell when I get back. Otherwise, I’ll keep thinking to myself, and over time, I’ll go mad from the silence.”

Despite her complaints, she didn’t dare take her eyes off the scene for even a moment.

“Thud!”

Suddenly, a figure was sent flying heavily against the cave wall, unconscious and possibly dead.

“H-help! Save me!” The tall disciple, seeing his protector knocked out so easily, completely lost his composure. Fearing for his life, he no longer held back. He hastily pulled out a stack of crumpled yellow papers and began hurling them at the shadows on the ground.

“Boom!”

A louder explosion followed. This time, even the top of the cave wall was affected, sending countless shards of rock raining down.

“Huff, huff… Did it work?” The tall disciple struggled to sit up, ignoring his wounds, and crawled on all fours toward the Soulburn Blossom.

However, just as he was about to reach out and touch it, the back of his neck was struck solidly.

“Tsk, so fragile after all.”

Li Baiying revealed herself, cautiously glanced at the Shadowless Bear’s corpse, and immediately pulled a hemp rope from her backpack to tie the two unconscious men together.

Her initial intention was to eliminate them outright, to cut the weeds and dig up the roots. But then she thought of Qin Yixiao waiting outside. It might be better to leave the decision of their fate to her, as a way of repaying the favor for using the Spirit Fox to find the treasure.

With this in mind, Li Baiying began plundering without hesitation.

She uprooted the Soulburn Blossom, leaving nothing behind, and gathered all the other herb fragments in the cave. Then, she turned her attention to the two disciples, who were now like lambs awaiting slaughter.

…

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Qin Yixiao entered the cave at her urging.

“Here, whether these two live or die is entirely up to you,” Li Baiying said, noticing her deep in thought. She added, “I’ll help you dispose of the bodies cleanly.”

“Let them go.”

“What?” Li Baiying thought she had misheard and repeated, “Let what go? The Shadowless Bear? It’s already dead.”

“I mean, let these two go.”

Qin Yixiao gazed at her calmly, a deep, unfathomable glint flickering in her eyes. “With the tracking talisman on you, you’ll bring trouble upon yourself.”

“I’m already tangled in enough trouble, what’s one more? But you, why do you keep enduring when they’re the ones leading the bullying against you?”

“None of your business.”

The icy retort made Li Baiying clench her fists unconsciously. Just as she was about to step forward, her peripheral vision caught the girl standing firmly in front of her, neither submissive nor overbearing. Suddenly, Li Baiying’s tension dissipated. “Fine, if that’s your choice, I’ll respect it.”

“But don’t regret it later.”

With that, she took out half of the spoils she had gathered earlier and tossed them onto the ground. “From now on, we’re even.”

Without waiting for Qin Yixiao’s reaction, she turned and strode away briskly.

Over the next few days, Li Baiying resumed her solitary treasure-hunting journey. This time, she had brought only a treasure compass into the secret realm. Yet, with so many treasures around, the compass spun wildly, pointing in all directions, utterly useless. Instead of guiding her, it sent her wandering around like a headless fly.

Still, luck seemed to favor her. Time and again, she stumbled upon disciples locked in fierce battles. Like a fisherman profiting from a struggle between a snipe and a clam, she seized the opportunities to snatch quite a few treasures.

Finally, the day to exit the secret realm arrived.

Li Baiying and the other disciples from her clan were lifted by a gentle white light, descending slowly onto the vast mountaintop.

“Everyone, after ten days of trials, I trust you’ve reaped abundant rewards. Now, it’s time to showcase your gains.”

Wu Ling was the first to act. With a wave of her hand, the disciples from her family stepped forward one by one, emptying the contents of their bags.

“Golden-winged Vine, Crimson Cloud Demon Mushroom… Not bad, not bad. Oh? And the corpse of a spirit beast?”

She flipped the creature over, revealing its green face and fanged teeth. “It’s actually a second-tier Stone Steel Wolf.”

The massive wolf’s head bore several dents, as if it had been struck repeatedly. Li Baiying recognized at a glance that it had likely fallen into a trap set by a plant-type spirit beast, only to be scavenged by a passing disciple. But most of the onlookers were whispering among themselves:

“A second-tier beast must possess the strength of the fifth level of the Innate Realm!”

“Even more than that. Spirit beasts of the same tier almost always overpower martial artists. To bring back an intact corpse, this person’s strength is unfathomable.”

Hearing the exclamations of awe, Wu Ling narrowed her eyes in delight. Suddenly, with a casual sweep, she gathered all the treasures from the ground. “Shall we continue the comparison, Elders?”

“Of course. It’s still uncertain who will emerge victorious,” Li Anqing remarked indifferently. Just as she was about to call her disciples forward, the white-bearded elder cut in:

“I wonder how a giant serpent compares to a Stone Steel Wolf? One of our disciples has brought back an even larger spirit beast.”

As he spoke, a tall disciple stepped forward, beaming with pride as he set down the trophy he had been carrying on his shoulder, earning a chorus of admiration.

The next moment, with a loud thud, a Shadowless Bear, as large as a calf, landed heavily on top of the giant serpent, startling the tall disciple so much that he leaped three feet into the air.

“Hah, have you forgotten the moment you were scared out of your wits?”

Casually tossing down a mountain of treasures, Li Baiying strode forward, a hint of mockery in her gaze. “What’s the point of comparing sizes? This Shadowless Bear of mine is a third-tier spirit beast.”

Instantly, a wave of gasps swept through the crowd.

Li Baiying paid no attention, thoroughly amused by the sight of the tall disciple’s flushed face, torn between speaking up and holding back. “Shall I help jog your memory?”

“You… you’re going too far!” Of course, he couldn’t let her expose his secrets, even this giant flood dragon had been found for him by his subordinates. Now, being publicly mocked yet unable to defend himself, he nearly choked on his own breath, coughing uncontrollably.

“Ying’er, that’s enough!” Li Anqing frowned slightly, stepping in to intervene.

She noticed that not only were the surrounding disciples staring, but even the two elders beside her had their eyes glued to the pile of treasures. The items she alone had found had essentially secured their victory.

“Family Head Li has raised her daughter well. I concede defeat in this round.”

Wu Ling’s eyes flickered slightly as she decisively drew the serrated wolf-tooth blade. “This is the prize.”

“…Elder Wu, won’t you count them again?” The white-bearded elder forced a strained smile at her straightforwardness. He turned to glance at his own disciples, but none met his gaze, Qin Yixiao had even emerged empty-handed.

Seeing the outcome was settled, he reluctantly produced the alchemy furnace, feigning magnanimity as he said, “A bet is a bet.”

“Thank you both for your generous gifts. From now on, the three clans of Mount Taichu must remain united as one to face external threats together.”

Li Anqing swept her long sleeve, collecting the treasures. Though she had achieved a complete victory, no particular joy showed on her face, instead, a shadow of worry seemed to creep across it.

Countless eyes were fixed on Li Baiying at the center, yet she appeared completely oblivious, happily brandishing the long blade with a gleeful flourish.

The tallest tree catches the wind.

Almost simultaneously, this thought flashed through her mind.

At the edge of the crowd, Qin Yixiao watched Li Baiying’s foolish, grinning display and furrowed her delicate brows.