Li Clan Daughter

Zhang Yuan steadied himself and looked ahead.

The Gate stood open. A young woman stood in the doorway, dressed in white that outshone snow, her figure graceful and her bearing rather cold.

"Qi Refinement Realm. This person... something's wrong with her."

Xiao Yuanjun narrowed her eyes and warned him.

Her divine ability had always been unfailing. No one short of a Foundation-Building Heavenly Being could see through it, yet the woman before them had clearly noticed her.

"Yes, I can see that." Zhang Yuan's gaze grew grave.

Everything about the young woman looked fine. One glance told him she was a well-bred daughter of the Eastern Bian Li, but her face alone... truly looked unlike an ordinary person's.

It was not that she was hideously ugly. Quite the opposite: judging by half her face, she should have been quite lovely.

The problem lay in the other half of her face—or, more precisely, her left eye.

Her left eye was crystalline and translucent, reflecting a cold gleam. A cluster of crystals had grown from it, dozens of transparent crystals extending from her pupil, each distinct, covering the upper-left half of her face. Some even floated beside her eye.

"What is your name, fellow Daoist? What brings you here, sneaking in so late at night?" the young woman asked coolly.

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking someone else's name?" Xiao Yuanjun countered with a chuckle.

The young woman fell silent for a moment.

"Li Zhongshuang."

Li Zhongshuang?

I've never heard of anyone by that name in the Eastern Bian Li.

Xiao Yuanjun pondered. She knew little about the Eastern Bian Li's Outer Dao practitioners, but she knew their Gang Sha Path cultivators like the back of her hand.

Before coming, she had done her homework thoroughly. From Foundation-Building Heavenly Beings down to Qi Refinement Perfected, she could name practically all of them.

"Zhang Yuan, did you ever see her during your stay with the Li?" Xiao Yuanjun asked.

Zhang Yuan shook his head.

Never mind seeing her—he had never even heard of anyone like her at the Li Residence.

She was probably an unfavored member of a collateral branch of the Li.

"I am Xiao Yuanjun, and this is my Founding Grand Disciple, Zhang Yuan."

Xiao Yuanjun introduced both herself and Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan turned toward Xiao Yuanjun and whispered, "Master, we're here to steal. Is giving our real names really a good idea? Why not use false names?"

"Oh, right. I forgot. Never mind, never mind, none of that matters." Xiao Yuanjun gave an embarrassed smile and waved it off.

"To be frank, fellow Daoist, this Founding Grand Disciple of mine has an affinity with that [stolen-life baleful intent]. If you could bear the pain of parting with it, my disciple will surely repay you generously someday."

Li Zhongshuang remained composed and said coolly, "All right."

"All right?" Xiao Yuanjun froze for a moment.

Even if the Eastern Bian Li had vast holdings and wealth, surely they could not squander it like this. An earthly baleful force was immensely precious, yet she would simply give it away?

"Then you have my thanks, fellow Daoist." Xiao Yuanjun immediately smiled and beckoned to the Jade Peach inside the room.

The Jade Peach slowly floated toward her.

Yet as it passed Li Zhongshuang, the Jade Peach suddenly stopped in midair. A cold current threaded with ice crystals held it up, preventing it from moving another inch.

Li Zhongshuang stepped forward, shielding the Jade Peach in front of her.

"What does this mean? Have you decided not to give it to us?" Xiao Yuanjun asked, narrowing her eyes, her divine ability poised to strike.

"Come take it yourself, fellow Daoist," Li Zhongshuang replied.

"So that's what you meant. I misjudged you..." Xiao Yuanjun said in sudden understanding.

Before she finished speaking, Xiao Yuanjun's figure dissolved like mist.

[Severing Past and Present, Leaving No Trace].

This divine ability of hers was not merely useful for petty theft. It worked wonders in magical combat as well.

Zhang Yuan and Li Zhongshuang both froze, clearly not expecting Xiao Yuanjun to vanish so suddenly.

"Thank you for the treasure, fellow Daoist."

By the time her voice sounded again, Xiao Yuanjun was already behind Li Zhongshuang, seizing the Jade Peach.

Li Zhongshuang's brows tightened slightly. She turned swiftly and unleashed a cold current.

[Fivefold Body-Rending Qi]!

The divine abilities collided, sending waves of air surging outward.

The corners of Xiao Yuanjun's mouth lifted as she flashed back to Zhang Yuan's side just in time.

"What are you standing there for? We've got it—time to run!"

Urging him on, Xiao Yuanjun grabbed Zhang Yuan by the collar and strode through the air.

By the time Li Zhongshuang dealt with the [Fivefold Body-Rending Qi], the two had already disappeared into the rainy night.

Despite having the [stolen-life baleful intent] stolen, Li Zhongshuang's expression remained unchanged, showing neither resentment nor anger.

Watching the direction in which Zhang Yuan and Xiao Yuanjun had departed, Li Zhongshuang took a Giltwood Box from her sleeve. The box possessed a wondrous quality, releasing wafts of delicate fragrance that soothed the mind and calmed the spirit. It was clearly immensely precious, worth a fortune in gold.

Yet even such a precious wooden box was merely a vessel for holding something else.

The truly precious thing lay inside.

Li Zhongshuang opened the box. Within lay a spiritual root suffused with flowing treasure light, an immortal spiritual root of the highest grade in the Outer Dao.

Now, however, it was no longer an Outer Dao immortal spiritual root. The Little Ancestor had reforged and transformed it into a [Supreme Unity Heavenly Dipper].

Although it had been reforged and transformed, the karma attached to this [Supreme Unity Heavenly Dipper] remained.

And just moments ago, through the workings of the Netherworld, that karma had found its connection in Zhang Yuan.

"Who... are those two?"

One possessed exceptionally profound Daoist attainment in the Qi Refinement Realm. The other had no cultivation at all, yet shared a karmic connection with the [Supreme Unity Heavenly Dipper] in her hand.

Li Zhongshuang frowned in thought, growing suspicious of Zhang Yuan's and Xiao Yuanjun's identities.

Knock, knock, knock!

A knock came at the Gate.

"Zhongshuang, thieves have infiltrated the residence. Are you hurt?"

Li Houcheng hurried into the courtyard with a crowd of guards, asking with concern.

“Lord of the clan, I'm all right.” Li Zhongshuang shook her head.

"That's good. That's good."

Li Houcheng let out a long breath, then said, “Zhongshuang, there are no outsiders here. You needn't call your father ‘Lord of the clan.’”

"All right." Li Zhongshuang nodded.

"Zhongshuang, did those thieves come here just now?" Noticing the wrecked courtyard, Li Houcheng asked another question.

"Yes."

Li Zhongshuang nodded, pondered for a second, then said, "They took the [stolen-life baleful intent]."

Li Houcheng's expression changed dramatically. "The [stolen-life baleful intent] is gone? What about the [heavenly dipper] I prepared for you?" he asked urgently.

"That wasn't lost. I have it here," Li Zhongshuang said, showing him the wooden box.

"Good, good, good. It's only an earthly baleful force. If it's gone, it's gone. As long as you're unharmed, Zhongshuang."

Li Houcheng relaxed and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Losing only an earthly baleful force was an acceptable loss. Had they also lost the hard-won [Supreme Unity Heavenly Dipper], he would certainly have faced impeachment, and even his position as clan Lord would have passed to someone else.

"Zhongshuang, did you see where those thieves went?" Li Houcheng asked again.

His Li clan had vast holdings and wealth, and could certainly afford to lose one earthly baleful force. Still, recovering it would naturally be best.

Li Zhongshuang's gaze shifted slightly. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "I didn't see. One of the two was far stronger than me."

"Never mind. Get some rest, Zhongshuang. As for the missing [stolen-life baleful intent], I'll have your eldest uncle find you another earthly baleful force to condense your divine ability."

With that, Li Houcheng left the side courtyard.

Some rejoiced while others grieved.

At that moment, Zhang Yuan was in wonderful spirits, the gloomy clouds of past days swept clean away. Even as Xiao Yuanjun dragged him through the woods outside the city, fleeing for his life with rain plastered across his face, he felt as though the sky were high and the air crisp.

There was no other reason.

With the [stolen-life baleful intent] in hand, he was on the verge of entering the Qi Refinement Realm of the Sha Ingestion Gang Devoration Path. Not only could he resolve his bodily problems, but the path to immortality was now within sight.