Chapter 13: Turmoil Resurfaces

Elder Mingyang did not question her about why she had appeared there; after a brief thought, she realized Senior Brother Qi must have already explained it for her.

She glanced at Shen Jingze, who was being lectured nearby, and sighed inwardly: as fellow disciples of Spirit Sword Peak, how could there be such a vast difference between people?

With the matter concluded, the moment Ji Ning had been looking forward to most finally arrived.

"If not for Junior Sister Ji’s assistance this time, I fear my soul would have been extinguished, and the Gale Sword would have been buried here along with me."

As he spoke, Qi An handed the jade tassel hanging from his sword hilt to Ji Ning. "Consider this jade a token of my gratitude. It is a storage vessel capable of holding living creatures—such as your spirit pet. Furthermore, the jade can change its shape as you desire. I have already wiped my spiritual imprint from it, so feel free to try it out."

Could she put the little fox inside? Ji Ning’s eyes lit up instantly; she had been worrying about that very thing.

The excuses she had prepared in her mind withered away, and she simply offered her thanks. What she had earned through her own ability needed no refusal.

"If one day you happen to pass through a land of endless desert sands and scattered stone caves, do pay a visit to the West Mansion Gate."

Leaving behind these cryptic words, Qi An departed, riding his sword alongside the disciples of the Sword Inquiry Hall.

West Mansion Gate? What a strange name...

"Do you know what kind of place that is?"

"Squeak! No idea, I want to eat~"

Ji Ning didn't dwell on it, assuming Senior Brother Qi was just recommending a tourist attraction. She took out the paper spirit crane Shen Weifeng had given her and infused it with a touch of spiritual energy. With a *pop*, the crane grew instantly, becoming large enough to carry two or three adult cultivators with ease.

Once both she and the fox were seated securely, the paper crane slowly ascended, forming a protective barrier as it flew toward the living quarters of the Spirit Cloud Peak disciples.

The breeze brushed past them freely. The little fox stood against the wind, its fur pressed flat against its body, revealing a rather sturdy little frame.

A sudden inspiration struck Ji Ning. She stroked the fox’s head and said excitedly, "You were sleeping in that egg all this time, so you must not have a name yet. How about I give you one?"

"Squeak! Okay! Make it a nice one~"

"Hmm... Snowball, how does that sound?"

The little fox tilted its head and let out a dissatisfied squeak: "Squeak! That’s so ordinary~"

"Ahem, what is the most important thing when naming someone? It’s the fit! Snowball is a perfect match for you, trust me!"

Under Ji Ning’s glib persuasion, the name was settled. Little did she know that in the days to come, Snowball would truly grow into a ball—the kind that could crush Ji Ning with a single paw.

Before long, the paper crane reached the courtyard where Ji Ning lived, circled for a while, and finally landed on the roof.

Ji Ning was quite confused. She looked down and saw a sea of people looking up, with fellow disciples standing both inside and outside her courtyard to watch the spectacle.

Ji Ning felt embarrassed. Did these people have nothing better to do?

Someone below had sharp eyes and recognized her. "Isn't that Junior Sister Ji, who has been missing for several days?"

Someone else questioned, "Junior Sister Ji? Is that the Ji Ning who was the center of attention a few days ago?"

"That’s the one. I heard Chen Xu was beaten so badly he hasn't stepped out for days..."

"I've never seen the flying spirit tool Junior Sister Ji is riding. It’s even better-looking than the ones our Martial Uncles use!"

The rising and falling waves of discussion left her rooted to the spot. This was not the scene she had desired. For a moment, Ji Ning felt like a monkey in a zoo, being watched and discussed by everyone, only without anyone throwing her food.

Sensing that Ji Ning had landed safely, the paper crane suddenly shrank, its tail trailing silver light as it flew off toward Spirit Sword Peak on its own.

The remaining mess, of course, had to be dealt with by Ji Ning herself.

She leaped lightly into the courtyard. A group of bold disciples immediately swarmed her, eager to ask about the flying spirit tool, but the noise and clamor made Ji Ning’s ears ache.

After talking until her throat felt raw, there were still those who refused to leave. Fortunately, Jiang Yeqiu appeared in time and, using Uncle Wang’s name, managed to shoo them all away.

Just moments ago, Jiang Yeqiu had been working in the dining hall when she overheard people talking about a giant crane appearing over Spirit Cloud Peak. A hunch told her it might be Ji Ning, who hadn't returned in days, so she had hurried back.

"Many thanks, Senior Sister." Ji Ning bowed in gratitude. Having not slept all night and then enduring such a racket, she was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

She wanted to go back to her room and sleep until she recovered; she would take a break from cultivation today!

However, Jiang Yeqiu’s next words hit Ji Ning like a bucket of ice water, catching her off guard.

"Ningning, isn't today the inspection day for the Medicine Valley? I haven't seen you for three or four days, and I thought you had been busy working on that there the whole time."

"Ah?!" Ji Ning sobered up instantly. That wretched formation had trapped her for over four days!

She only had herself to blame for this; she had been too busy laughing at Shen Jingze to remember to ask.

The Medicine Valley inspection involved distributing contribution points on the spot, and they would not wait for anyone. Even though she had a purse full of low-grade spirit stones and was feeling quite wealthy, even a small fly is still meat, and she had promised to share some with Senior Sister Jiang.

Seeing her reaction, Jiang Yeqiu immediately guessed that she hadn't been to the Medicine Valley at all. Recalling what she had seen the day before, she looked worried. "Don't go today... I’m afraid Ye Yueqing might cause trouble for you."

Ji Ning, who was just about to head to the Medicine Valley, paused and looked at Senior Sister Jiang in confusion.

That Ye Yueqing would dare to strike while she was already in the spotlight showed that she had underestimated the woman.

"She went to the Servant Hall the day before yesterday and registered for a spirit field..." Jiang Yeqiu paused and added, "I’m afraid she’ll be there today as well."

Ji Ning opened her tired eyes and forced a strained smile.

Who would have thought that for a cultivator, sleep would become such a luxury?

Going to the Medicine Valley would surely involve a war of words. After bidding farewell to Senior Sister Jiang, Ji Ning hurried toward the valley.

The blinding sun climbed higher. On the path to the back mountain, only a single water-blue figure could be seen rushing forward.

She knew it was a trap, but she had no choice.

To dare cast slurs in broad daylight meant Ye Yueqing likely had a thorough plan. If she didn't go, she would be left unable to defend herself and at the mercy of others.

Still, she couldn't guess what method Ye Yueqing would use. It wouldn't be as simple as calling her sister to force a two-on-one fight, would it?

Ji Ning soon reached the entrance of the Medicine Valley. Looking ahead, she saw Uncle Wang leading a group of disciples as they inspected the spirit fields one by one. Standing beside him was a stern-looking stranger dressed in steward’s robes, who exuded a powerful aura.

Was there such a steward on Spirit Cloud Peak?

Ji Ning stopped and pondered.

As luck would have it, Uncle Wang turned his head and caught sight of her. His cautious expression relaxed for a second before he whispered a few words to the powerful-looking uncle beside him.

They were too far away; she would have needed supernatural hearing to make it out. But she saw the uncle turn to squint at her, his expression complex—distrust outweighed any sign of welcome.

Ji Ning paid him no mind, instead scanning the crowd for Ye Yueqing as she walked.

When their eyes met, a spark of animosity flashed between them. Ye Yueqing let out a cold snort and turned her head away, looking smug.

As she got closer, the stranger’s robes caught Ji Ning’s attention. Uncle Wang’s sleeve only had one cloud pattern, but this man had two. There was a difference in status.

So, he was an uncle from the Outer Sect...

Could it be that Ye Yueqing intended to bully her by pulling strings?