Yun Qingxuan's heart gave a sudden leap. She instinctively thought Su Li had discovered her.
Only when she realized her current state was "void" did she feel slightly reassured.
At the same time, a thought stirred in her heart. She continued staring into Su Li's eyes, but saw no focal point in his pupils.
She also sensed that Master Su Li was on guard and wary, his expression cold and stern.
This clearly meant that he hadn't truly seen her. He had merely sensed something unusual and instinctively felt that someone was "watching" him!
Yun Qingxuan realized that when she had spied on Hua Yunxiao and that old ancestor earlier, they hadn't noticed her. This time, however, Su Li had noticed her and "locked onto" her position. That was proof enough that he was a true Heavenly Secrets Master—and perhaps, as Yun Wanchu had said earlier, in certain respects he even surpassed a legendary master like Zhuge Wuwei!
Yun Qingxuan relaxed slightly. At the same time, she had already made a bold decision!
"Go back."
Her thoughts gathered, and the world before her eyes instantly shattered like a dream or a bubble.
The next moment, the tea before Yun Qingxuan was boiling, bubbles gurgling up from the can.
Wisps of pale smoke drifted upward, rising and swirling like all manner of rare beasts leaping and bounding about in delight.
Yun Qingxuan silently gazed at the Soul Perishing Tea Can before her. The Soul Locking Tower inside it, glowing faintly, had shrunk until it was no bigger than her thumb. Her heart suddenly grew very peaceful.
It was as if no matter how momentous the matter, nothing could stir her in the slightest.
With a thought, Yun Qingxuan withdrew her Cloud Thunder Spirit Flame and placed the Soul Perishing Tea Can directly into her Universe Ring.
Then she opened the door and walked out into the night.
Luoxia Barren Mountains, Silent Ancient Temple.
Zheng Tianyin and Wang Wenyuan watched the trembling crystal coffin intently, waiting for the final step of the refinement to be completed.
Just then—
Boom!
The crystal coffin suddenly shook violently.
Then the dense symbols crawling over it like tadpoles abruptly froze in place.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
A series of sounds rang out like a silver vase shattering. The tadpole-like symbols on the coffin's surface were suddenly riddled with cracks like a spiderweb.
The cracks spread rapidly, and in an instant the symbols shattered, turning into a cloud of black dust that gradually seeped off the crystal coffin and into the bright red blood.
The blood, which had still been boiling and bubbling furiously, seemed to have been inked over. Its bright red color immediately turned dark red, then purplish-black.
"Hmm?"
Zheng Tianyin and Wang Wenyuan's breathing hitched, their expressions turning uncertain.
Then they exchanged a glance, their faces growing more solemn.
"Someone interfered? That old geezer Hua Yunxiao? Could he have noticed what we were doing?"
Yun Yifan's face also darkened. They were just one step away, and now something had gone wrong?
"Imperial Lord, for this to be forcibly interrupted and even backfire on Mu Qingya's body, it couldn't have been done by an ordinary cultivator. Hua Yunxiao may be powerful, but he couldn't possibly have such ability!"
Zheng Tianyin snorted coldly.
Wang Wenyuan stroked his blue-gray beard and pondered briefly. "That young man certainly had no means of resisting. In that case, the only possibility is that old Zhuge interfered in secret. I'm afraid it has something to do with the Heaven's Secrets Sacred Jade in his hands."
Yun Yifan's pupils contracted. "The Heaven's Secrets Sacred Jade? Doesn't that mean we're in trouble? More importantly, they seem to have noticed something. We were so secretive this time—could he really have divined it?"
Yun Yifan's expression darkened further. If they had divined even the slightest clue, their chances this time were probably slim.
He had endured for hundreds of years for this!
At long last, he had seized such an extraordinary opportunity. If he missed it, he truly couldn't bear the thought!
"Imperial Lord Yun, there's no need to worry. Even that old Zhuge can't divine anything about this. Most likely, they simply took precautions and secretly protected that young man. If they had truly noticed something, the Hua Clan and the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion wouldn't have fallen into their current state.
"So there's no way this has alerted them.
"Things are only a little more troublesome for us now. We'll have to act in person."
Zheng Tianyin looked much calmer. From his tone, he clearly didn't think much of Zhuge Wuwei.
Wang Wenyuan added confidently, "Exactly. No matter how capable they are, could they really reverse reality and break our 'Yin-Yang Celestial Pivot' innate secret art?"
Yun Yifan nodded slightly, his expression gradually settling. His eyes, however, grew even more sinister.
Su Li withdrew his gaze and breathed out slowly.
At this rate, it looked like they were about to play one of those Black funeral-coffin songs and give him a grand burial.
The feeling of being watched had vanished.
The unknown terror had gradually faded as well.
But Su Li knew that the real danger had only just begun.
At that moment, he'd even thought about leaving something behind in this world—perhaps a final letter, or a wish.
In the end, however, it all turned into a lonely sigh.
Who would read his final letter?
Who would fulfill his wish?
It would only make him a bigger laughingstock.
Su Li brought up the system and took another look. Then his pupils contracted slightly.
His Heavenly Secrets Value had somehow climbed from 74,361 to 92,361!
It had risen by a full 18,000 points!
Su Li opened the detailed section of the system panel and saw a very strange message.
[The Life Archive of Yun Qingxuan has undergone a drastic change. Gained 18,000 Heavenly Secrets Value (causal connection—defying fate, tribulation upon her).]
Su Li read it, and his mind churned.
He would soon reach 99,000 Heavenly Secrets Value.
But would he still have the chance?
Knock, knock, knock—
As he was lost in thought, a soft knock sounded from outside the room.
In the darkness, those three knocks were especially clear, like the toll of a death knell hammering straight into Su Li's heart.
"Come in."
Su Li regained his composure and spoke calmly.
Creak—
The door opened.
In the soft moonlight, a young woman dressed in white as snow stood there quietly, her bearing cold and aloof.
The breeze swept past, sending her snowy-white gauze skirt fluttering and snapping in the wind.
"Master Su, forgive me for visiting at this late hour. Would you be willing to have a deep conversation with me?"
Yun Qingxuan's face was somewhat pale, but her large, bright eyes gazed straight at Su Li.
As she spoke, she didn't wait for his reply. Instead, she walked right in and came to a stop less than a meter away from him.
A faint, delicate fragrance drifted toward Su Li's nose, carrying a hint of spirituality, a cool, ethereal scent of Heart-Questioning Tea.
"If I said I wasn't willing, would you refrain from having a deep conversation with me?"
Su Li looked at Yun Qingxuan calmly and asked in return.
At the same time, he said inwardly, "Lightblue, lock onto this person and open her Life Archive for the next seven days!"
Before you continue