When Hua Xi and Hua Lei arrived, they saw Du Yanran whipping her crimson silk ribbon in wide arcs, attacking wildly in all directions. Not far from her, a male cultivator lay sprawled on the ground.
"Sister, what's going on?"
Hua Lei stood just behind Hua Xi, his white robes fluttering, amusement flickering in his eyes as he watched Du Yanran's indiscriminate assault.
"She's changed her face. Who knows whose identity she's wearing now."
At that moment, the Purple Butterfly returned to its master's side, transmitting the scene Hua Xi had missed.
Hua Xi's gaze sharpened. She turned to her younger brother. "Go check on that male cultivator."
With no choice but to obey, Hua Lei flashed forward and appeared beside the man.
This male cultivator had likely been traveling with Du Yanran and had been caught in the same trap set by the Purple Butterfly.
As Hua Lei extended his divine sense to inspect him, the man's eyes snapped open. His hand clenched around his spirit sword, and he leaped back, wary eyes fixed on Hua Lei.
Sensing that the stranger's cultivation was higher than his own, Hua Lei's eyes flickered. The man cupped his fists and spoke with respect: "I am He Jintang of the Law Enforcement Hall. Greetings, Seniors. What instructions do you have?"
So, this was He Jintang from the Law Enforcement Hall. He was currently on a mission to verify the rumors about the Yin Yang Gate destroying the blood sacs, as well as track down the culprit Du Yanran.
He hadn't expected that as soon as he stepped into the Yin Yang Mountain Range, he would be ambushed by a fifth-rank spirit beast, a Scarlet-Eyed Tiger.
He Jintang was at mid-stage Nascent Soul, but facing a fifth-rank beast was difficult. After several exchanges, he found himself struggling.
He was skilled in metal-element sword arts, but the Scarlet-Eyed Tiger was earth-aligned. The two clashed fiercely, battling from the mountain's core all the way to its outer regions.
Only the Law Enforcement Hall's defensive treasure kept him alive. Unfortunately, his timing was terrible.
Not long ago, Yin Xuan, the Gate Master of the Yin Yang Gate, had personally led a team to wipe out the hidden blood sacs. Their incursion had stirred up countless spirit beasts within the Yin Yang Mountains.
Back then, Yin Yang Gate's cultivators had been powerful and numerous, forcing the spirit beasts to flee.
Even high-rank beasts near the battle site abandoned their lairs. This Scarlet-Eyed Tiger was one of those beasts. When the fighting was over and the cultivators retreated, it returned to its den, only to run into He Jintang.
Thinking He Jintang intended to claim its lair, the tiger erupted in fury. It had been unable to fight against so many earlier, but this lone cultivator's cultivation was weaker. It lashed its tail and attacked with lethal intent.
For He Jintang, this was a calamity he hadn't invited. He had barely stepped into the inner region when a high-rank beast started chasing him. He could only defend while retreating toward the outer regions.
Along the way, he encountered a female cultivator from the Yin Yang Gate. Her displayed cultivation was late-stage Nascent Soul. With a single flick of her hand, she struck at the Scarlet-Eyed Tiger.
Her crimson ribbon seemed soft and graceful, yet its flick sent the beast flying. He Jintang finally caught his breath and prepared to finish the creature off. But then a violet butterfly fluttered past his eyes, and dizziness swept over him.
"Not good!" Alarm shot through He Jintang. His hand moved faster than thought, slamming down on the defensive charm at his waist. This was a standard Law Enforcement Hall defense treasure, issued to all cultivators on missions.
The next instant, the woman who had come to his aid suddenly turned and started attacking empty air as though besieged by invisible enemies.
He Jintang instantly understood. He feigned injury and collapsed, unmoving.
Within ten breaths, another man and woman appeared. Sensing their cultivation outstripped his, He Jintang stayed down, pretending to be unconscious until one approached him. Then he leapt to his feet.
"Well now, you're cautious," Hua Lei said with a faint smile. His divine sense swept over He Jintang, noting the protective barrier surrounding him.
Meanwhile, Hua Xi had already formed hand seals, reseeding the "Flower Seal" into Du Yanran's hair.
A moment later, Hua Xi strode over to stand beside her brother. He Jintang instinctively stepped back.
"Which sect are you from?"
"Heavenly Sword Sect."
Hua Xi and Hua Lei exchanged a look, then Hua Xi continued: "You know this woman?"
"I don't, Senior. I was battling a fifth-rank Scarlet-Eyed Tiger when she suddenly appeared to help me."
Hua Xi arched a delicate brow and studied He Jintang carefully. From what she knew, Du Yanran was not the type to help strangers without reason.
"Sister, don't overthink it. Du Yanran probably noticed he's a Heavenly Sword Sect cultivator," Hua Lei said bluntly.
Hua Xi agreed with her brother's analysis. He Jintang's heart trembled. This woman was his mission target. He cast another wary glance at the still-attacking Du Yanran.
"Don't bother looking. Her cultivation is higher than yours, and she's using illusions. But if it came down to a fight, you could probably best her. She just has some underhanded tricks. Be cautious."
With that, Hua Xi and Hua Lei turned and vanished.
Their mission was complete. Since Mo Yue Zūnzhǔ hadn't ordered her death, the Hua Clan's role was only to track her movements. When their master returned, he would decide her fate.
He Jintang was stunned by how easily they let him go. Wasting no time, he retreated from the Yin Yang Mountains.
He hurried straight to a city under Yin Yang Gate control, reporting Du Yanran's location before heading into a Sword Pavilion to send word back to the Law Enforcement Hall.
He Jintang served in the Intelligence Division. He had clearly seen what those two cultivators did to Du Yanran and noticed the double lotus emblem on their robes, confirming their affiliation with the Hua Clan.
Before Jian Sheng Jūnshàng went into seclusion, he had specifically instructed that Du Yanran was a person Jian Lu Zūnshàng was deeply invested in. In fact, the initial intelligence about Du Yanran's whereabouts had come from the Hua Clan.
Now, He Jintang understood how the Hua Clan tracked her so precisely. They had marked her.
Once Du Yanran slaughtered her imagined foes, she quickly realized she had been deceived. The Heavenly Sword Sect cultivator she meant to control had also vanished. Alarmed, she teleported away.
Moments later, Yin Yang Gate cultivators arrived at the spot she had been and set off in pursuit along her escape path.
Tianquan City
Jian Jing tore open space, stepping out over Tianquan City. One by one, the others emerged from the void and landed outside the gates.
Their sudden appearance drew attention from those entering the city. They had changed out of their sect robes for discretion, but ironically, it made them even more eye-catching.
Jian Dan wore a sky-blue robe, her figure tall and elegant, carrying an ethereal grace. Jian Jing, her Senior Sister, was in a white narrow-sleeved robe, exuding heroic energy.
Jian Po, clad in black, had enchanting peach blossom eyes that brimmed with flirtation, making her seem both dangerous and alluring. Jin Liuli, the lowest in cultivation among them, wore a red robe, giving her the delicate charm of a sheltered beauty.
Jian Dan beckoned Jin Liuli closer and whispered softly: "Go back to your clan grounds first. Check on the situation. Try to meet with your aunt if possible. Return tomorrow and meet us here, then we'll decide our next steps."
"Yes, understood," Jin Liuli said, biting her lip. She bowed to the three and slipped into the city.
Jian Dan turned to Jian Jing. "Senior Sister, have you been to Tianquan City before?"
"I have, but it's been centuries," Jian Jing said, a rare note of nostalgia in her voice.
"Three beauties, do you need a guide?"