Who Can Say for Sure

The Jizhi Azure Bird swept through the air.

All of a sudden, it visibly hesitated.

Wang Li and He Lingxiu both easily steadied themselves in midair. The changes in their expressions were exactly alike: both frowned slightly.

Then they exchanged a glance, understanding each other without a word.

The Jizhi Azure Bird came from the Chaos Domains. It should have been exceptionally sensitive to the aura of certain high-level powers from the Chaos Domains.

At this moment, some sort of aura connected to a powerful force from the Chaos Domains had likely erupted within the Lesser Jade Continent.

He Lingxiu was the azure bird's owner, so she naturally guessed at once why it had reacted so strangely.

But Wang Li had also understood immediately, which could only mean that his knowledge truly surpassed that of ordinary cultivators by far.

Still, low-level cultivators had the self-awareness of low-level cultivators.

The more a power surpassed their level, the less it had to do with them.

The azure bird paused for only an instant before continuing its rapid flight.

"Fellow Daoist Hehe."

Wang Li looked in the direction the azure bird was flying. His slightly furrowed brow quickly relaxed. "Where are you headed? Are you sure you haven't gotten lost?"

He asked because the azure bird was flying neither toward Scorched Wood Market nor directly toward the Chaos Domains.

In his view, if they wanted to enter the Seven Treasures Ancient Domain as quickly as possible, they definitely had to use a teleportation array.

And the nearest place with such a teleportation array should have been Scorched Wood Market.

The Seven Treasures Ancient Domain lay within White Bone Continent. Even in a straight line, it was more than seven thousand li from the Lesser Jade Continent to the edge of White Bone Continent, not to mention that some regions in between simply could not be crossed.

When he and Lü Shenliang had previously gone to White Bone Continent, they had first gone to Evil Water Continent, then used Evil Water Continent's teleportation array to reach White Bone Continent.

Among the four eastern fringe continents of Red Mountain, Fire Sparrow, Lesser Jade, and Evil Water, Evil Water Continent was closest to White Bone Continent. But the waters within Evil Water Continent itself were exceedingly intricate and filled with demon beasts. The many waters between it and White Bone Continent also saw the hauntings of high-level demon beasts. They were generally used for bloody trials by powerful sects of Evil Water Continent, and ordinary low-level cultivators would avoid venturing deep inside unless they had some special need.

"You'll know soon enough." Hearing Wang Li's question, He Lingxiu merely replied blandly.

"Fellow Daoist Hehe, since we're companions about to venture together into a place like the Seven Treasures Ancient Domain, can't you show a little more sincerity?" Wang Li looked at her somewhat gloomily. "The way you put it, I'm truly worried I'll be tossed out of the sky again, only to find five fellow Daoists eagerly waiting for me below."

He Lingxiu answered with another chuckle. "Wouldn't that just benefit you again, letting you rob them to your heart's content?"

"You can't put it that way." Wang Li said, "Not every fellow Daoist is as kindhearted as your senior brother and senior sister."

He Lingxiu sneered. "You mean not every fellow Daoist is as foolish as my senior brother and senior sister?"

"Not at all." Wang Li said. "I think Shun Xin Ru Yi, Qi Kai De Sheng, and Fellow Daoist Changming are all good people. They're all quite capable of reading the situation."

He Lingxiu did not continue tangling with Wang Li over that topic. "Since you understand Jiaomu Market's business so well, you should also know that apart from not casually revealing your or my identity, you shouldn't waste your effort guessing at other people's identities either. You should understand that the more you know, the more trouble you'll have in the future."

As she spoke, she kept her eyes fixed on the changes in Wang Li's expression. Yet once she had finished, there was not the slightest trace of surprise on his face.

She gave a self-mocking smile. "So you had already guessed that others would be traveling with us this time?"

Wang Li smiled faintly. "What is there to guess? From the very beginning, didn't you tell me you wanted me as a guide? As for rescuing people and dealing with cultivators pursuing those people from the Scripture-Abandoning Dao-Departing Alliance, that isn't a guide's job. Besides, since those people from the Scripture-Abandoning Dao-Departing Alliance come from no ordinary background, their sects surely wouldn't be willing to put all their eggs in one basket."

"It's good that you had already thought of that."

When He Lingxiu heard Wang Li say this, she knew there was no need to further remind him about the backgrounds of those three young cultivators from the Scripture-Abandoning Dao-Departing Alliance. "This time, some cultivators will accompany us to the Seven Treasures Ancient Domain, but I know nothing of how many there are or where they come from."

"The more afraid they are of being implicated, the less those sects behind the three cultivators will dare use their own sect members. They may not even dare hire cultivators from the Lesser Jade Continent. As for cultivators willing to take on such work, they are probably true desperadoes." Wang Li looked at her deeply and said slowly, "It's quite impressive that you were able to get in touch with this job. But since you understand what sort of cultivators you'll be traveling with, you naturally know how dangerous this journey is. I can only take risks for the spirit sand needed for cultivation. After all, to obtain enough spirit sand in ordinary times, I must also take a few shortcuts. But you are different. As the illegitimate daughter of the Huayang Sect Master, the spirit sand you need for one or two years of cultivation—or meeting those pursuing cultivators, robbing these people... you shouldn't care about benefits like those. In my view, you must be curious about why those three young cultivators of the Scripture-Abandoning Dao-Departing Alliance ventured deep into the Chaos Domains, and why they drew the attention of the Three Sages' disciples who oversee the various continents."

When Wang Li again mentioned that she was the Huayang Sect Master's illegitimate daughter, He Lingxiu's face could not help darkening. But upon hearing his final few sentences, her expression instead became completely calm.

"You're right. But to tell you the truth, I don't know much either. I only vaguely feel that this trip of those three may be connected to some secret and some supreme treasure. But whether that is truly the case, I'm afraid we can only find out after coming into contact with the cultivators pursuing them."

"Ha!" Wang Li rolled his eyes without the slightest politeness. At most, he believed only a few parts of what He Lingxiu said. "When you first found my senior sister and me, you kept things hidden and covered up, saying nothing you didn't have to. Was it because you feared that the more I knew of the dangers involved, the less I would dare accept this guiding job?"

"Quite the opposite. I was afraid that if I said too much, even your senior sister would become interested. Even if she couldn't enter the Seven Treasures Ancient Domain, I would still fear that she might wait in White Bone Continent. If that happened, what might occur would truly be impossible to predict." He Lingxiu narrowed her eyes. "In the Chaos Domains, cultivators are never the main characters. The greatest dangers always come from countless unknown factors. Since you people enter and leave the Chaos Domains every so often, why would you fear what sort of cultivators you might encounter inside?"

When she said that, Wang Li suddenly felt somewhat guilty and could not help turning his head to look around.

"What, are you worried that your senior sister said she wouldn't come, but actually followed us in secret?" He Lingxiu stared blankly.

Wang Li smiled bitterly. "Who can say for sure?"