She sensed where the source led.
Shi Ji lowered her head and looked at Nezha.
"Who is your master?"
Nezha did not answer.
A crane's cry suddenly rang out beyond the city.
White Crane broke through the clouds.
On his back sat Taiyi Zhenren in Daoist robes, the Fly-Whisk resting in the crook of his arm.
He landed atop the city wall without looking at Li Jing.
Nor did he first look at Biyun Boy's body.
He looked at Shi Ji.
"I am Taiyi Zhenren. Greetings, Fellow Daoist Shi Ji."
Shi Ji did not loosen her hold on the boy.
"Your disciple killed my attendant."
Taiyi Zhenren said:
"Nezha is young and activated an old weapon of Chentang Pass by mistake. I will discipline him myself."
Shi Ji looked at him.
"Give his life back."
Taiyi Zhenren frowned.
"Biyun Boy is already dead. I can send him on to reincarnation."
The boy's body in Shi Ji's arms had not yet gone cold.
Blood still seeped from the hole in his chest.
When she heard the word "reincarnation," her fingers slowly tightened around the hem of the boy's robe.
Li Jing fell to his knees.
"Immortal Master, this happened because my family failed to discipline him properly."
Shi Ji ignored him.
So did Taiyi Zhenren.
Shi Ji raised a Sky-Shaking Arrow.
Its shaft was clean, bearing no trace of Qianyuan Mountain.
She no longer looked at the arrow, only at Taiyi.
"Since your disciple fired the arrow, I will kill neither mortals nor Li Jing today. I will only take Nezha to Golden Ao, so that my master Tongtian and Sage Yuanshi can examine this matter face-to-face."
Nezha's shoulders tensed.
Li Jing jerked his head up.
The Fly-Whisk in Taiyi Zhenren's hand drooped, and his voice deepened.
"Nezha cannot go with