Chao Jinsui returned to the inn in Yuanyang City and simply packed up her things.
System: “Host, the second stone, is it in Kunlun?”
Chao Jinsui chuckled lightly. “Then do you think Kunlun’s fortune is flourishing right now?”
Flourishing to the point that even the mountain gates have been surrounded, reduced to the laughingstock of the entire cultivation world?
System: …That really doesn’t look like a place that has a Butian Stone, huh.
“Chao Xiaotu has a maternal grandfather in Taixuan Wuji. Her mother died when she was very young, and she grew up in Taixuan Wuji from childhood, only returning to Kunlun Sword Sect at fifteen. If the Butian Stone is anywhere, it should be in Taixuan Wuji.”
But speaking of which—it was rather strange.
Since turning fifteen, Chao Xiaotu had rarely returned to Taixuan Wuji.
“However, if she still hasn’t given up on reviving Su Liuyun this time… she’ll only go to Taixuan Wuji to seek help.”
The System could not help saying, “Host, your father… is he a bit… ill-fated for his wife?”
It was the first time Chao Jinsui had heard such a description. She paused, then laughed:
“Ill-fated for his wife? He’s not just ill-fated for his wife—he’s ill-fated for the whole family.”
Thinking carefully, in her previous life she died, Chao Zhaoyue also died, Chao Xiaotu later died as well, all of them passing young. And once he became sect master of the Kunlun Sword Sect, everything rapidly declined—clearly a disaster star reincarnated.
After quickly packing up, the group set off toward Taixuan Wuji. Passing through Yuanyang City along the way, as their group appeared on the main street, the entire street fell into silence, and passersby all turned in unison to look at them.
Hongniang subconsciously raised a mirror to check herself: still just one head—why is everyone staring?
But very quickly, Hongniang realized they weren’t looking at her—they were looking at Chao Jinsui.
Because the Su family had been dealt with, she hadn’t worn her veiled hat when leaving the city today. Her figure was slender and well-proportioned, her features extremely delicate—especially those almond eyes that glimmered like cold stars, carrying an exceptionally tranquil beauty, as if veiled in mist and smoke. When her hair had been long, she looked ethereal like an immortal; now, with shoulder-length hair, she resembled a very clean sword.
Especially when she looked toward Hongniang, her gaze gentle and serene.
But not to the point that merely appearing would cause an entire street to erupt and turn back to stare. Cultivators of the cultivation world weren’t mortals; they had seen much, and wouldn’t stare so blatantly at someone.
Soon, the mystery was solved. Lingyun was hopping not far away, waving at them: “Senior Sister Suisui, Sister Hongniang, come look here quickly!”
It turned out there was a wanted notice posted on the city wall.
Hongniang clicked her tongue in amazement. “This is a red-grade wanted notice, isn’t it?”
Once such an order is issued, all cultivators under heaven may kill on sight.
No wonder everyone who saw them turned back to look. If Chao Jinsui hadn’t just broken through to the mid-Nascent Soul stage and her aura still wasn’t perfectly concealed, what happened just now might not have been mere onlooking.
Hongniang’s expression turned strange. “Little sword cultivator, what exactly did you do?”
After all, the only one who had ever made it onto a red-grade wanted notice before was the Demon Lord himself.
Chao Jinsui didn’t know the reason either. She looked up—and froze for a moment. On the city wall were two extremely abstract red wanted portraits.
On the left, a short-haired, round-faced female sword cultivator holding up a matchstick (Kunlun Sword);
On the right, a great demon with a pair of horns, baring fangs.
Look left: not a good person;
Look right: Zhong Kui reincarnated.
Equally ugly in artistic skill.
And in the middle—no one knew which household in Yuanyang City had done it—someone had pasted a “double happiness” character between the two wanted notices on the city wall.
Sui: …
Who on earth did this!
Chao Jinsui tore down the wanted notice and looked at it. The charge read: colluding with the demon race, annihilating the main lineage of the Su family.
Lingyun said indignantly, “It must be Chao Xiaotu!”
Chao Taichu cared about his reputation; he would not turn family affairs into a joke for the entire cultivation world. Someone who could do something like this—there was no need to think—only Chao Xiaotu.
In the cultivation world, there were two great organizations. The Jade Sword Alliance, to which the round-faced girl Chao Jinsui had met last time belonged, was one composed of sword cultivation sects. Any sword sect of standing took pride in being admitted into the Jade Sword Alliance, and the ten great sword sects within it were the ten strongest sword cultivators in the cultivation world, safeguarding it;
At the same time, there was another organization standing parallel to the Jade Sword Alliance, called Taixuan Wuji. If the Jade Sword Alliance was the organization that protected the cultivation world in times of crisis, then Taixuan Wuji was the standard that upheld fairness and justice in the cultivation world, eradicating treachery and evil. From sect disputes above, to private grievances below.
If injustice appeared in the cultivation world, if there were people of extreme evil, Taixuan Wuji would directly issue a Taixuan wanted order. What made the Taixuan order terrifying was that it was not one family or one sect hunting you down—it commanded the entire cultivation world. Once you were on the Taixuan wanted list, you became the enemy of the entire cultivation world.
It was precisely because of the existence of the Jade Sword Alliance and Taixuan Wuji that although the cultivation world revered strength above all, it could still maintain superficial harmony. There had never been any atrocity that enraged both heaven and mankind, and the various sects coexisted in peace.
This was completely different from the petty tricks Chao Xiaotu had liked to play before. This move was an open, righteous scheme. Chao Xiaotu had directly reported her to Taixuan Wuji.
Hongniang said with a grin, “It’s already like this, and you’re still going to Taixuan Wuji? Little sword cultivator, I think you can’t survive in the cultivation world anymore. Why not come defect to our Demon Lord instead?”
Chao Jinsui folded the wanted notice shut. “Go. Why wouldn’t I go?”
Only, with a Taixuan Wuji wanted order on her head, and so few short-haired female sword cultivators in the cultivation world, she had no choice but to put the veiled hat back on.
Who knew that every city they passed on the road required her to remove the veiled hat for inspection; the searches were extremely strict. If Chao Jinsui hadn’t known illusion techniques, the group would have had to avoid towns altogether and live exposed to wind and dew along the way.
—That was Taixuan Wuji’s influence.
Once an order was issued, none under heaven dared disobey.
The group stopped at the gates of Taixuan City. The city walls of Taixuan City were much taller than those of other cities. In the center was a solemn yin-yang emblem, and Taixuan disciples in heavy armor patrolled everywhere. At the gate stood a massive tiger-head execution block, giving off an immense sense of oppression, with four characters carved upon it: eradicate treachery, eliminate evil.
“For Taixuan Wuji to issue a red-grade order, your younger sister must have extremely solid evidence.”
Hongniang turned to look at the wanted criminal. “Little sword cultivator, if you’re not certain, we’re just walking to our deaths.”
Lingyun: “Senior Sister Suisui, I can testify, but Chao Xiaotu’s maternal grandfather is an elder of Taixuan Wuji…”
The wanted criminal herself examined the tiger-head execution block. “I remember Taixuan Wuji has a rule—within one month of the order being issued, you can go to Taixuan Wuji to prove your innocence. If you can prove Taixuan Wuji made a misjudgment, the wanted order can be revoked. And you can also obtain one promise from Taixuan Wuji—no matter the request, as long as it is without cause, Taixuan Wuji cannot refuse.”
Taixuan Wuji had originally become the balance of the cultivation world, the eye of judgment. First, because of heavenly oath contracts, wrongful judgments were extremely rare. Second, because of this rule that people had gradually forgotten.
One promise from Taixuan Wuji—whatever request was made, as long as Taixuan Wuji could accomplish it, it absolutely could not refuse.
System: [Host, you mean…!]
Chao Jinsui: 【When the time comes, as long as we find a good excuse and have Taixuan Wuji hand over one stone, it shouldn’t be difficult.】
Chao Xiaotu’s move of pulling the rug out from under her had indeed been unexpected.
But danger and opportunity coexisted. Otherwise, with Taixuan Wuji so vast, could she really just fight her way in?
Moreover, when Chao Xiaotu used Lingyun as a shield and treated lives like grass, no Taixuan order was issued. When Madam Zi killed thousands of women in Yuanyang City, no Taixuan order was issued. Yet she, who had done nothing, was to become a red-grade wanted criminal. There was no such logic in the world.
Thus, within Taixuan Wuji City, beneath the solemn tiger-head execution block, the red-grade wanted criminal walked straight in openly and boldly.
Because she was too righteous and confident, the disciples inspecting entry into the city did not suspect anything at first.
But the next moment, the tiger-head execution block that discerned every detail dropped down!
The disciple chased after her and asked, “What do you have on you?”
She gathered her sleeves together. “Nothing at all.”
The disciple said suspiciously, “Impossible! Then why would the tiger-head execution block fall?”
She replied unhurriedly, “It must have sensed the righteous aura surrounding me.”
Disciple: “……”
Seeing her so matter-of-fact, he simply hadn’t expected that a red-grade wanted criminal would dare speak such wild words.
But seeing how naturally she walked, how full of righteous bearing she appeared, the Taixuan Wuji disciple scratched his head and, in the end, did not chase after her to question further.
Lingyun: ? We got in just like that??
Hongniang: ? Then as fellow red-grade wanted criminals, why did the Demon Lord attack Taixuan City in a night raid the other day?
But clearly, things were not that smooth.
Chao Xiaotu had been staying in Taixuan Wuji these past days, her expression constantly gloomy. That day, Shi Chunqiu had a disciple take her out to stroll around the city to clear her mind.
From afar, she saw a figure resembling Chao Jinsui’s back. Suspicion showed on her face, but then she saw the three of them standing with arms folded at a candied hawthorn stall, waiting, looking extremely leisurely. For a moment, she could not be certain. After all, if it really were Chao Jinsui, would she truly dare to swagger into Taixuan Wuji?
Chao Xiaotu observed for a while, then led her people toward the three of them.
Seeing completely unfamiliar faces, Chao Xiaotu examined them closely, then suddenly said, “Stop!”
Chao Jinsui’s steps paused. Lingyun clutched her sleeve. Hongniang narrowed her eyes slightly, and even Xiao Yanjing raised its head.
Chao Xiaotu looked them over. “Disguises are not allowed within Taixuan City. Don’t you know that?”
“The three of you are sneaky, hiding your faces, even using illusion techniques. Could you be wanted criminals?”
As soon as the words fell, Chao Xiaotu beckoned. The surrounding Taixuan Wuji disciples immediately moved in, surrounding the three of them.
Chao Xiaotu smiled. “If you don’t dare show your faces, then go to Taixuan Wuji’s dungeon and let people have a good look—see whether you’ve done something guilty.”
In an instant, the three of them were tightly surrounded.
Chao Jinsui slowly stuffed the candied hawthorn into Xiao Yanjing’s mouth, then turned back to look at Chao Xiaotu, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time. Her gaze lingered on her face for a moment, and when she spoke, it was a devastating blow right from the start: “Chao Xiaotu, have you suffered qi deviation?”
Hearing that familiar voice, Chao Xiaotu was jolted in shock. She had only meant to test them—who would have thought Chao Jinsui would really swagger into Taixuan Wuji like this? She immediately cried out, “Chao Jinsui?! How dare you appear here?”
So shocked was she that she didn’t even notice what Chao Jinsui had said.
Chao Jinsui, meanwhile, casually picked up Xiao Yanjing and coiled it in her hands, then straightened and looked at the faint demonic aura on Chao Xiaotu’s body.
All cultivators have their path. Once the dao heart shatters, one suffers qi deviation.
And Chao Xiaotu’s path—Chao Jinsui guessed—was probably her firm belief that she was the female protagonist. That could also count as a kind of stable dao heart. Of course, the premise was that her male protagonist, “Su Liuyun,” had not died.
But now that Su Liuyun was dead, her “path” was gone as well.
Her efforts in her past life, her persistence in this life, had all vanished like smoke. Of course she would collapse, suffer qi deviation. Chao Xiaotu wanted to trap herself in one corner.
