When Yu Songnian actually stepped back, making way for the delicate-looking woman beside him to face the fight alone, several Yu clan disciples immediately sneered.
"Trash will always be trash. Hiding behind a woman now?"
"What, think we'll show mercy just because she's pretty? Let her come and die if she wants."
"Little girl, I heard you calling him 'Senior Brother.' What bad luck you have, being stuck with this coward. Tell you what, get on your knees and beg a few times, and I might just let you walk away."
Yu Songnian let out a quiet sigh, glancing at the Yu clan disciples with a faint trace of pity in his eyes.
Yun Jin smiled gently at them. "Get on my knees and beg?"
"What? You got a problem with that? Or are you really planning to fight us?"
As if they'd just heard the funniest joke in the world, the group burst into laughter.
Yun Jin laughed with them.
But she was laughing so gleefully, so unbothered, that their own laughter slowly died out. One by one, they looked at her with growing unease.
Had this woman lost her mind from fear?
Yun Jin's eyes curved into crescents as she suddenly sheathed the Tai'a Sword with a serene smile. "You lot don't seem worth drawing my blade for."
Their expressions tightened. Just as they were about to speak, a gleam suddenly flashed through Yun Jin's eyes.
The ones who met her gaze instantly froze, their eyes dull and vacant.
Yun Jin raised a hand with a casual motion.
Those disciples abruptly turned and struck out at their own companions.
"What are you doing? Are you crazy?" the others shouted, stunned and furious.
But their turned allies had already lost all reason, attacking in a frenzy. At first, the rest tried to defend themselves, but it didn't take long for anger to flare. Soon, they were retaliating with full force.
Yun Jin, meanwhile, pulled out a chair and a handful of sunflower seeds from her storage pouch. She settled in to watch, leisurely cracking seeds between her teeth.
This was her first time using the Soul Control Art taught by Master Liu Li, and she had to admit—it worked beautifully.
"Senior Brother, want some?" Yun Jin offered a handful of seeds to Yu Songnian.
Yu Songnian shook his head, his expression conflicted. There was never any doubt Yun Jin would win. But her methods were becoming more and more inscrutable. Even as her senior brother, Yu Songnian found himself unable to grasp the limits of Yun Jin's strength.
Yun Jin watched for a while longer. The two groups were too evenly matched. It was going to take time. She was already getting bored.
Her Soul Golden Core spun wildly, spiritual force weaving into seven fine threads. Each thread stabbed cleanly into the minds of the battling disciples.
The next moment, they all froze mid-fight.
Then, as one, they turned toward Yun Jin and dropped to their knees, mouths opening and closing mechanically.
"Spare me, Fairy."
"Spare me, Fairy."
Yun Jin took out a shadowstone, humming cheerfully as she recorded the scene. Once she had enough footage, she placed the shadowstone right in front of them, set to play in a loop.
Beg for mercy, huh?
Go ahead and admire your own majestic forms while groveling.
"Senior Brother, let's head into the city," Yun Jin said.
Yu Songnian gave a nod.
Neither of them spared another glance for the kneeling Yu clan disciples as they strolled into Lin City.
Once Yun Jin was far enough away, the Soul Control Art lifted. The seven disciples regained consciousness.
Still groggy, they blinked—only to find a shadowstone floating right in front of them, playing a loop of themselves kneeling and begging for mercy.
A crowd had already gathered, whispering among themselves.
"What are you looking at! Scram! Get lost!" One of the Yu clan disciples leapt up, face flushed, and shoved the onlookers away.
"Damn it!" The others rushed forward, striking at the shadowstone in fury.
But no matter how hard they attacked it, the shadowstone remained unscathed, as if it were forged from divine steel.
Helpless, they could only pick it up and flee.
What else could they do?
Leave it there to loop endlessly?
They ran all the way back to the Yu clan estate, clutching the stone. And the entire time, the loop continued to play:
"Spare me, Fairy."
"Spare me, Fairy."
The people of Lin City watched the scene playing on that "large screen," caught between wanting to laugh and not daring to.
"Close your eyes! Everyone, close your eyes! Look again and I'll gouge them out!" one Yu clan disciple screamed hysterically.
Some of the onlookers flinched, genuinely afraid, and actually shut their eyes. Only when the embarrassed disciples had sprinted off did the crowd dare to open them again.
"Who was it this time that slapped the Yu clan down?"
"Who knows? But whoever it was, the Yu clan's not going to let her off easy."
"Sigh…"
Everyone fell silent at the mention of the Yu clan. Their faces were filled with complicated emotions, as though they had plenty to say but didn't dare utter a word.
"Are you all that afraid of the Yu clan?" a cool voice suddenly asked.
They turned and saw a young man with a cold, aloof expression standing next to a girl with bright, smiling eyes. Both were watching the crowd with curiosity.
"No no no! Of course not. The Yu clan helped build Lin City. They're the benefactors of everyone who lives here," someone quickly blurted out. The others all chimed in to agree.
The crowd dispersed at once.
Yun Jin raised an eyebrow. "What exactly has the Yu clan done in Lin City to make ordinary people this terrified?"
Yu Songnian's face had also darkened. "Junior Sister, I want to look around the city."
Yun Jin nodded. "I'll go with you."
They altered their appearances and changed into local attire until they blended in completely. Then, they found a small restaurant, ordered a few snacks, and began eavesdropping on the conversations around them.
"Hey, did you hear? Some Yu clan disciples got humiliated right at the city gate!"
"I heard! It was that waste, Yu Songnian. He came back!"
"He's useless. No way he pulled that off. But the woman beside him—she knew some kind of wicked art! I saw it myself. One glance from her, and those arrogant Yu clan disciples were on their knees, begging for mercy!"
"Wicked art? Then she must be part of the demonic path! Terrifying stuff."
"No kidding. But even if she's from the demonic path, I'd say she's better than the Yu clan."
"Hiss—Chen, are you crazy? How can you say something like that?"
This "Chen" seemed to realize his slip and hurriedly changed the subject.
Soon after, he finished his drink and left the restaurant.
Yun Jin and Yu Songnian exchanged a look, then quietly followed him.
Lin City was the largest settlement within a hundred-mile radius. Like most cities, it housed both cultivators and mortals. And those without spiritual roots made up the overwhelming majority.
Chen, as it turned out, was one of those mortals.
He had no idea he was being tailed, swaying slightly as he made his way back to his small thatched hut.
He sat in silence for a moment.
Then suddenly broke into loud, gut-wrenching sobs.
Outside his home, he didn't even dare to cry. Only within these four walls could he afford a little release. As he wept, a handkerchief was quietly extended in front of him.
"Here. Wipe your tears."
"Thanks," he replied automatically, taking it without thinking.
Then his entire body froze.
He turned around slowly.
A girl of fifteen or sixteen was watching him with bright, curious eyes.
Beside her stood a man in black robes, cold and intimidating as death.
A girl and a man like that…
Chen shivered from head to toe.