Chapter Five: Perils Abound

The cave was damp and cold, but I had no choice. I found a spot against the stone wall, curled up, and wrapped my arms around myself, shivering.

I squinted my eyes, trying to fall asleep. The sound of rats scurrying near my feet was constant, but I ignored it, wanting only to rest.

My surroundings became increasingly blurry as my thoughts drifted into another world. I realized I was dreaming, a dream as dark as the cave, reminiscent of the eerie mountain of Gui Li Shan.

A faint sound from the outside world pierced my dream, becoming the only thing I could hear. It grew louder and transformed into a piercing shriek.

I jolted awake, feeling the bristles of a rat's whiskers against my face. However, what emerged from the darkness were the antennae of an insect, probing my face.

I pressed myself against the stone wall, my body nearly glued to it. As the antennae retracted, I turned and ran, shouting for help.

The two guards outside the cave rushed in upon hearing my cries. They froze, their faces turning pale as they glanced behind me.

Seeing their reaction, I dared not move. Stuttering, I asked, "Is it... is it very big and scary?!"

"Yes, but don't move. It won't notice you if you stay still," one of them said, trying to reassure me while nudging his companion. "Xuan Ming, you stay here. I'll get the elder."

With that, he dropped his sword and ran without looking back.

The one named Xuan Ming, unable to stay calm, let out a shout and also fled.

Really? These two were disciples of the Qiongyun Sect, just like the immortal, yet they couldn't handle seeing a monster?

Curiosity getting the better of me, I cautiously glanced back.

I finally understood why they couldn't hold their swords steady.

The creature was a grotesque amalgamation of various insects: a spider's head with eight eyes, long cricket-like antennae, a snake-like body, and a scorpion's stinger on its tail.

To make matters worse, as I prepared to flee, I found my feet tightly bound by spider silk.

Misfortune truly came in waves. Even in this seemingly serene place of cultivation, monsters seemed unwilling to leave me alone.

I couldn't bear to look at the creature any longer. Desperately, I grabbed the jade pendant from my waist and shouted, "Stay back! Or else!"

As I spoke, my actions followed. I felt the jade pendant fly from my hand and strike something with a sharp "thud," followed by a series of ear-piercing screeches.

My mind couldn't help but vividly imagine the monster opening its bloody mouth, even feeling some drool splattering on my face. Suddenly, it patted my shoulder and said, "Hey, are you too scared to move? You're as stiff as a log." Wait, it could talk? Could it be a demon that had gained sentience?

I forced my eyes open and saw a handsome man in white standing before me.

He smiled as soon as he saw me open my eyes, his eyes curving into charming crescents. His clear, bright laughter, like a refreshing autumn rain, washed away my fears.

With his arms crossed and a playful smile, he said, "You're not hurt, are you? Don't worry, that strange creature is dead. I can't believe Linglu sent Xuan Ming and Xuan Ling, those cowards, to guard you. She wasn't afraid of any accidents happening."

Then he bent down, picked up the jade pendant, and handed it back to me. "Next time, don't throw this around. It's precious. But just now, if it hadn't emitted light to distract that thing, I might not have been able to kill it in one strike."

Taking the jade pendant, I scratched my head awkwardly and asked, "Is the immortal awake yet?"

He nodded as if suddenly remembering something and said, "My brother is looking for you. Come on, I'll take you to him."

He grabbed my hand without hesitation and started walking, explaining as we went, "The moment I saw you, I knew you couldn't have hurt my brother. It turns out Sister Ling was mistaken. She was just anxious. Don't take it to heart."

I nodded and played along, "Yes, she had her reasons. Even though I'm young, I wouldn't hold a grudge over such a small misunderstanding, right? But if you keep holding my hand like this, my arm might actually break." I pulled my arm free and gave him a dry smile.

"Pfft, does your smile have to be that ugly?"

I didn't respond, just grumbled internally: Do I have to? Yes, I do. Everyone on this mountain seems strange. I don't want to get entangled with any of them to avoid future trouble.

We soon arrived at a palace that looked as if it was built from white jade. The cracks in the walls exuded a chilling aura, making my skin crawl. Above the entrance were the words "Tianxuan Hall."

As soon as we entered, the white-clad woman who had captured me came forward with a guilty look.

"Qingyue, I misunderstood your identity before and caused you to be imprisoned. It was my fault. I'll make it up to you. If you had explained to me then, I wouldn't have misunderstood you."

Her words sounded more and more off. Back then, she had sealed my mouth, preventing me from explaining. I couldn't take the blame for this.

I was about to defend myself when she looked at me and continued, "It was a coincidence that the Ye Ying Sect attacked Qiongyun with demonic beasts while my brother wasn't here. He was also fighting the Xinghuo Sect. I was so anxious that I carelessly let Xuan Ming and Xuan Ling take you to the cave where we sealed the demonic beast. Fortunately, Brother Lingyi arrived in time to avert the danger."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but think: This immortal's sister is really clever. She's exonerated herself, and if I pursue it, I'll seem unreasonable.

Maybe she deliberately had those two take me to the cave with the demonic beast, then claim she knew nothing and blame it on them. But even if she usually disguised her intentions flawlessly, one person's testimony is always flimsy. She must have used some means to deal with them by then.

But why would she want to kill me when we had just met? Such a beautiful face hiding a heart like a snake's—it's truly shocking.