Escape

Li Lingsu, the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect, bowed repeatedly, his face full of apology.

"This was to test your abilities. If this matter would put you in danger, I wouldn't have come to ask for your help tonight. Besides, Sister Qing is not a bloodthirsty person. Unless there is a grudge between us, she will stop short of causing trouble during the day."

"I can tell."

Xu Qi'an sat at the table, intending to pour himself a cup of tea, but suddenly remembered that this was a dream, so he gave up.

Li Lingsu said, "Two years ago, my junior sister and I went down the mountain to travel and seek enlightenment in the mortal world. On our journey, we visited Donghai County and met the Dongfang sisters, who are the First and Second Palace Masters of the Donghai Dragon Palace."

Xu Qi'an nodded slowly. "Donghai County, the city of chaos."

Donghai County is adjacent to the East Sea. It once belonged to the Great Feng, but was later occupied by the Witch God Cult. It was then taken back by the Great Feng, and the two sides were locked in a tug-of-war for many years. With the tacit understanding between the Great Feng and the Witch God Cult, it eventually became a city of chaos.

Like Yunzhou, Donghai County was a chaotic place. However, the latter was even more disorderly, filled with Jianghu forces, Rogue Person, and wanted criminals from the Witch God Cult and the Great Feng.

"The Dragon Palace of the East Sea is located in the East Sea Prefecture; it's one of the top powers there, isn't it?"

Xu Qi'an didn't know much about Donghai County; he had only heard of it by name.

Li Lingsu nodded:

"My elder sister is named Dongfang Wanrong, a peak fourth-grade wizard. My younger sister is named Dongfang Wanqing, a peak fourth-grade martial artist. To be honest, the reason I got involved with them was entirely because of my junior sister."

"She has a strong sense of justice. When she was cultivating in the mountains, the environment was simple, and she only came into contact with her fellow disciples. Heh, our Heavenly Sect has always been pure and desireless, and we are too lazy to even bully our fellow disciples."

"Therefore, we did not realize her strong sense of justice at the time. After she came down the mountain, she gradually revealed her true nature. She would get involved in anything she couldn't stand."

"You must have heard of the name of the Flying Swallow Heroine while you've been traveling the martial world; she is my junior sister."

Xu Qi'an silently gave a thumbs-up to the Heavenly Sect's Holy Son's complaints.

"It was during a chivalrous act that my fellow disciples and I met the Dongfang sisters, and moreover, through a series of fortuitous opportunity, we forged a deep friendship."

Could you please describe the process in detail? I'd like to share it with this studious and motivated child.

He smirked, a forced smile playing on his lips, "So, you're dating both of them at the same time?"

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect nodded somewhat awkwardly.

Xu Qi'an inwardly exclaimed that the expert was truly knowledgeable. A peak fourth-rank expert, regardless of the system, was a pillar of strength and a top-tier existence in the mortal realm.

These two beautiful sisters were actually willing to share a husband.

He glanced at the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect, a hint of approval in his eyes, and pondered:

"Judging from what you're saying, those two sisters should be deeply in love with you, so why are you thinking of running away?"

Upon hearing this, the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect said with a sigh, "Your cultivation is profound; you must know of the Heavenly Sect."

Seeing Xu Qi'an nod, he didn't give a long introduction to the Heavenly Sect, but went straight to the point. "Our Heavenly Sect cultivates the Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions. What is the Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions? Our Master said that it is to be still and unmoved by emotions, as if one has forgotten them."

"My understanding is that it means not being moved by emotions or disturbed by feelings. Forgetting emotions is not the same as being heartless; it means having feelings but not being bound or trapped by them, reaching a level of transcendence and detachment."

"Assimilate to heaven and earth; what is called heaven's selfishness is used in the most impartial way."

"This level can only be achieved through enlightenment, just like a martial artist's neutralizing force and 'intention,' both of which require self-comprehension."

Xu Qi'an listened patiently, but he didn't actually absorb anything.

Raising his hand, he timely interrupted the Holy Son's incessant chatter, frowning as he asked, "What's the connection between these two things?"

"Of course it's related."

Li Lingsu sighed, "To forget love, one must first experience love, therefore..."

He glanced at Xu Qi'an, seeing the other's expression of realization, and was about to continue speaking when he heard the mysterious man in blue sneer:

"So, you used them and then abandoned them?"

Li Lingsu's expression stiffened for a moment, then she retorted loudly:

"It's not that I started this relationship and then abandoned it; it's just that I still have missions to fulfill with my sect, and I need to find my own path. Besides, the Holy Son or Holy Daughter of the Heavenly Sect will inherit the throne of the Heavenly Sect in the future."

"I bear the heavy responsibility of my sect; how can I be bound by personal feelings? It would be better to forget about each other in the martial world. So I followed my junior sister and wandered far away, leaving Donghai County."

"What a fine 'let's forget each other in the rivers and lakes' attitude. You scumbag!" Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

"But Sister Qing and Sister Rong don't think so. They think I'm a heartless and ungrateful person who turned love into hatred. A year ago, they finally tracked down the whereabouts of my fellow disciples and me."

"My junior sister completely disregarded the bonds of kinship, standing idly by, leaving me to flee for my life alone."

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect looked heartbroken. "In the end, I couldn't escape their clutches. Now my cultivation is sealed, my Primordial Spirit is sealed, and I'm being held captive by Sister Qing and Sister Rong."

"What a blissful thing!" Xu Qi'an's mind was full of complaints, but he didn't know how to express them. He slowly said:

"So you want me to help you escape their 'clutches'?"

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect nodded repeatedly.

"Oh!"

Xu Qi'an chuckled:

"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do. Both of them are at the peak of the fourth rank. Martial artists are one thing, but one of them is a wizard, skilled in divination. You must have items like your hair, skin, flesh, and blood in their hands. They only need to cast a divination to find out your location."

"They might even turn their love into hatred again because of your infidelity and unleash a curse upon you."

Of course, your "personal belongings" may not necessarily be in your hands; they could also be inside their bodies.

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect remained calm and composed.

"I can guarantee that Sister Qing and Sister Rong wouldn't want to kill me. Of course, even if they choose to use a curse to kill me, I won't complain, because my love for them comes from the bottom of my heart."

With women on both sides, does he even deserve to talk about love? Hmm, I don't think I'm qualified to say that about him. Xu Qi'an still shook his head:

"The point isn't whether you're prepared to die; the point is that they might not want to kill you, but they'll definitely take their anger out on me. I can't possibly be a match for two peak fourth-rank experts."

"What do you mean?" The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect scrutinized him, frowning as he said, "You can use the Heavenly Gu's ability to shift stars and change constellations to shield my aura. They won't be able to find me, so it's very safe."

"How did he know I had the ability to 'shift stars and change constellations'?" Xu Qi'an was startled and almost went into battle mode, overturning the table and turning on him.

But considering that the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect could be considered half one of their own, they endured it.

"Don't be nervous. I have witnessed the ability of 'Shifting Stars and Changing Constellations' and experienced it myself. I encountered it by chance on the street during the day and sensed the aura of the Heavenly Gu. Only those who have personally received the power of the Heavenly Gu can sense it."

"However, the natal Gu on your body is really strange. Besides the Heavenly Gu, you also have Dark Gu, Power Gu, and Poison Gu."

There's also the Heart Gu, the Love Gu, and the Corpse Gu. No, the real question is, you actually contained the power of the Heavenly Gu, the Star-Shifting Gu? Xu Qi'an asked this question.

"Well, this is a long story."

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect said, "Back then, in order to escape the Eastern Sisters, I fled south all the way to the Gu Clan, where I was rescued by a beautiful, lively and cheerful girl."

"She felt sorry for me, so she took me to the Heavenly Gu Clan and asked Granny Heavenly Gu to use her Star-Shifting and Constellation-Changing power to shield my aura and block Sister Rong's divination tracking. Do you know Granny Heavenly Gu? She's an extremely powerful senior."

Xu Qi'an asked, "Then how did the Dongfang sisters find you later?"

Upon hearing this, the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect revealed a familiar, awkward smile:

"Later, I hit it off immediately with that Gu clan girl. On a moonlit night, I touched her without hesitation, and she touched me without hesitation. We even made a vow never to be separated."

Xu Qi'an's heart skipped a beat, and he silently looked at him. "Who is that girl?"

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect said blankly, "She is a girl from the Love Poison Department."

Pfft. Xu Qi'an almost covered his mouth and burst out laughing, maintaining his cool and aloof persona:

"So, in order to get rid of him, you walked right into his trap, allowing the Eastern sisters to find you?"

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect sighed:

"But I was truly happy when I was with her, and I really liked her. But she was more possessive than Qingjie and Rongjie, and she even planted a love potion in my body."

"Besides, with Sister Rong and Sister Qing, I still have a chance to escape. If I stay with the Gu Clan, there are many spies, many experts, and their methods are unpredictable. I simply cannot escape."

The wondrous adventures of the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect have led to entanglements with three women. Xu Qi'an crossed his arms and placed them on the table, saying:

"What level of cultivation are you, and how much of your strength can you use? This is crucial to my plan. Also, I can save you, but you have to offer me a reward that satisfies me sufficiently."

Li Lingsu was both surprised and delighted. After careful consideration, she sincerely said:

"I was a fourth-grade Nascent Soul. When I went down the mountain to travel, my junior sister and I were both at the Yin Spirit Realm. A year later, I had reached the fourth grade, while she was only at the fifth grade."

"During the six months of pursuit, I was unable to concentrate on my cultivation. Then, during the six months of house arrest, my cultivation was sealed, and I have been stuck at a standstill ever since. At most, I can now unleash power at the seventh rank."

"A seventh-grade Qi cultivator, barely able to manipulate some Law Artifact."

"A complete weakling," Xu Qi'an mentally assessed.

After Li Lingsu finished speaking, she continued:

"As for the reward, I am penniless now. My land... well, everything is with my junior sister, including gold, silver, Law Artifact, and some heavenly materials and earthly treasures."

"After you rescue me, I will take you to find her. I will give you half of all my savings, hehe, that's no small fortune. If you don't trust me, you should trust the reputation of the Flying Swallow Heroine."

He had an expression that said, "My junior sister is a big shot." In terms of status in the martial arts world, Li Miaozhen was indeed a big shot.

After considering for a long time, Xu Qi'an said, "I will try to help you, but I can't guarantee success."

The two immediately discussed it in hushed tones.

The next day, Li Lingsu woke up feeling utterly exhausted, with a slight soreness in her lower back.

Before reaching a high level, the physical enhancement of the Daoist School system is not strong, far inferior to that of martial artists of the same realm.

The wind howled in the courtyard; that was Sister Qing practicing her boxing skills.

In the warm bedroom, in front of the dressing mirror, a slender and alluring woman, draped in a light veil, is putting on her makeup, turning her head with a charming smile.

"Li Lang, are you awake?"

Li Lingsu threw back the covers and got out of bed, embracing the alluring woman from behind, and said:

"Good sister, let me help you draw your eyebrows."

Dongfang Wanrong smiled gently, raised her face slightly, and closed her eyes.

As Li Lingsu drew her eyebrows, she said, "Pingzhou porcelain has a warm and smooth texture; I'd like to go and have a look."

Dongfang Wanrong frowned and said, "Our schedule is very tight."

Li Lingsu smoothed her brow with her fingertip and said softly, "Don't frown, it will detract from Sister Rong's stunning beauty."

Dongfang Wanrong's face flushed, and she said, "Well, alright then, half a day at most. We must set off by lunchtime."

After having breakfast, the group from the East Sea Dragon Palace went out into the streets, showing off and ostentatiously. Unlike last time, this time they walked instead of riding in a sedan chair.

Two peak fourth-rank soldiers walking the streets—no amount of ostentation is too much.

Strolling along, she bought quite a few porcelain items. Li Lingsu deliberately drank a lot of tea and whispered:

"Sisters, I need to relieve myself."

Dongfang Wanqing nodded, her beautiful face expressionless, and said, "I'll stay with you."

He immediately took several maids and went with Li Lingsu to the outhouse in the shop's inner courtyard.

Dongfang Wanqing and her maid stayed at a distance, observing from afar.

Li Lingsu released the pressure in her bladder, looked down, and saw a fat rat in the latrine, half of its body submerged in the excrement. The rat raised its head, its dark, shiny eyes looking at her.

"I'm in the restroom; the two sisters are temporarily separated."

He said in a low voice.

The big rat turned and walked away. A few seconds later, a noisy squeaking sound came, and a group of rats appeared in the cesspool. They used their powerful jumping ability to leap out of the cesspool.

They rushed into the courtyard, covered in excrement, and pounced on Dongfang Wanqing and several guards.

At the same time, the sound of barking dogs came, and more than a dozen dogs of various sizes rushed into the yard, baring their teeth and lunging at Dongfang Wanqing.

These animals could not harm martial artists, but the chaos they caused left several women, including Dongfang Wanqing, bewildered. Their first reaction was not to break out of the "encirclement" and capture Li Lingsu.

Instead, it stirred up the air currents, shaking off the stench-filled rats and the rabid dogs.

This gave Li Lingsu a very valuable opportunity to escape.

Xu Qi'an emerged from Li Lingsu's shadow, pressed down on his shoulder, and slowly glanced at Dongfang Wanqing in the distance, only to see the beautiful and refined woman's expression change drastically.

He withdrew his gaze and said in a deep voice, "Let's go!"

The two disappeared immediately.

"You bastard!"

Dongfang Wanqing leaped into the air, briefly floating above. Looking down from above, the houses stood side by side, and pedestrians bustled about. How could she possibly see any trace of the two of them?

Her face was ashen, her aura surging as she landed in front of the shop, stepped over the threshold, looked at her sister, and said in a deep voice:

"Li Lang has been arrested."

The charming and beautiful Dongfang Wanrong frowned, calmly took out a talisman with a strand of hair tucked inside.

She closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, formed a hand seal, and cast a Method Formula. Finally, she lost her composure, her face turning pale. "The divination has failed."

Dongfang Wanqing's eyebrows furrowed, and she whispered, "It's that man in blue from yesterday."

The mysterious man in blue from yesterday, Dongfang Wanrong, turned to look at her younger sister, her tone somewhat urgent. "Why did he take Li Lang away?"

PS: I'm feeling pretty good today, and I wrote this chapter ahead of schedule.