But if she tried stepping out of the storybook and looked again at this cultivation world, heaven and earth were vast, and there was much she could accomplish.
However, why should she tell her that?
Meeting Chao Xiaotu’s incredulous gaze, Chao Jinsui smiled lightly. “Long time no see.”
Not only would she come—she would come openly and uprightly.
Chao Jinsui lowered the brim of her hat, like a swallow flying along a beam, lightly landing at the main gate of Taixuan Wuji.
A clear breeze brushed past, sleeves and hems fluttering.
Before everyone’s eyes, she lifted the brim of her hat, revealing striking shoulder-length short hair. The surrounding cultivators instantly erupted in an uproar.
She raised her eyes—those almond eyes gleamed like cold light upon lacquer, her figure as striking as a crane.
Who could have imagined that someone on a red-grade wanted order would dare appear so openly at the gates of Taixuan Wuji? Chao Xiaotu was stunned. She stared at Chao Jinsui in disbelief, then immediately shouted, “She’s a red-grade wanted criminal—quick! Quickly seize her!”
The surrounding disciples surged forward.
But Chao Jinsui moved with nimble footwork. With a few leaps, the tips of her feet touched the ground, and she had already jumped onto the imposing stone statue. In a clear voice, she declared:
“I, Chao Jinsui, have come to Taixuan Wuji to seek instruction.”
A wanted criminal—not only daring to come, but even boldly calling at the gate.
—Such a spectacle had not appeared in five thousand years of the cultivation world.
The people within Taixuan City all stepped forward, more and more coming toward the main gate of Taixuan Wuji. Those watching the commotion quickly surrounded Taixuan Wuji so tightly that not a drop of water could pass through.
Finally, after three calls, the gates opened.
Walking at the very front was Shi Chunqiu. “What an arrogant junior, daring to trespass into Taixuan Wuji!”
He swept a glance at the aura around her and snorted coldly. “So you have already reached the mid-Nascent Soul stage. No wonder your courage is so great.”
As soon as he spoke, murmurs buzzed all around.
Even if your cultivation is high, Taixuan Wuji is not a place you can come and go from as you please. Today you come here—are you not afraid that all the cultivators in Taixuan City will capture you alive? Even if your cultivation is decent, can you fight one against a thousand?”
Chao Jinsui: “Since I dared to come today, naturally I have made thorough preparations.”
Chao Xiaotu stepped forward, standing proudly beside Shi Chunqiu. “Chao Jinsui, you slaughtered the main lineage of the Su family, colluded with the demon race, and dared to offend the dignity of Taixuan Wuji. Today is your day of death!”
Shi Chunqiu did not stop her. With a lift of his hand, countless Taixuan Wuji disciples instantly surrounded the place. On the tall city towers not far away, countless arrows gleaming with cold light all aimed in Chao Jinsui’s direction.
In an instant, swords were drawn and crossbows cocked—the tension reached its peak.
Chao Jinsui remained unhurried. “Taixuan Wuji is a place that reasons things out. Since I came today, it is naturally to reason things out with all of you.”
The next moment, with a light tap of her toes, she arrived atop the tower before the gates of Taixuan Wuji. On that tower stood a huge drum, covered in dust.
She said, “If I remember correctly, this drum is called Ming Bu Ping.” [Sounding Injustice]
With a resounding boom, the drum—silent for a thousand years—rang out into the clouds, shaking everyone’s spiritual platform.
The surroundings instantly fell silent.
Chao Jinsui: “If I also remember correctly, after a Taixuan Wuji wanted order is issued, if there is injustice, one only needs to strike this Ming Bu Ping drum, and Taixuan Wuji must reopen the case. Is there such a rule?”
Shi Chunqiu said nothing. Beside him, Aunt Ping spoke, “There is such a rule. Are you sounding injustice to request a retrial?”
Chao Jinsui: “Exactly.”
Shi Chunqiu glared coldly. “What do you mean? Are you questioning Taixuan Wuji’s fairness?”
Chao Jinsui replied leisurely: “Justice lies in the hearts of the people—not in any single sect or are you, Taixuan Wuji, the so-called supreme principle?”
Shi Chunqiu was about to speak again when Aunt Ping said softly, “Chunqiu, step back.”
Aunt Ping nodded slightly. “There is such a rule. Taixuan Wuji acknowledges it.”
“Once a red-grade wanted order is issued, in a thousand years there has never been a survivor. Bearing pursuit and crossing mountains and rivers, I came only to prove my innocence. Coming here this time, I have wagered my life. What about Taixuan Wuji?”
Those words forced Taixuan Wuji to make a public promise, staking the reputation of all Taixuan Wuji.
Sure enough, as soon as the words fell, the crowd erupted in an uproar.
The Taixuan Wuji disciples all glared furiously at Chao Jinsui.
She smiled faintly and shifted her tone. “Senior, I will not make things difficult for you. I remember that the second half of this rule of Taixuan Wuji says: if there is a wrongful case, if a wanted order was wrongly issued and someone was truly unjustly accused, then you must grant one request. As long as Taixuan Wuji can accomplish it—through mountains of blades or seas of fire you will not refuse.”
Aunt Ping stared at her for a long time. After a while, she finally spoke. She did not mention whether she would agree or not, only said, “First prove your innocence. Then we will discuss the rest.”
Chao Jinsui smiled. “That is only proper.”
“But since everything has been laid out,” her gaze swept over the people around her still holding blades and spears, “why still point swords at me?”
Seeing that those around them began lowering their swords, Chao Xiaotu grew anxious, shouting furiously, “Didn’t you all see? She’s making excuses! The evidence is already conclusive—why aren’t you arresting her?!”
She could not understand—why, even at this point, could Chao Jinsui still sway people with just a few words?
Shi Chunqiu’s face turned ashen. Not wanting his granddaughter to embarrass herself in public any further, he barked, “Xiaotu! Stop this nonsense!”
He signaled his attendants to pull Chao Xiaotu away, then turned gloomily to Chao Jinsui:
“Tomorrow, Taixuan Wuji will reopen the trial of this case. You will explain yourself before everyone. At that time, Taixuan Wuji will naturally handle matters impartially.”
His tone shifted, a faint cold smile slowly appearing. “However, as a red-grade wanted criminal, you naturally cannot roam freely outside. First, you must enter Taixuan Wuji.”
Behind him, the towering Taixuan Wuji loomed like a colossal beast that had crouched there for a thousand years. Shi Chunqiu stood with hands behind his back, looking at Chao Jinsui, his gaze dark—as if saying: do you dare?
At that moment, Lingyun in the crowd suddenly raised her voice and shouted:
“Senior Sister Suisui, go in then! If tomorrow you can’t appear properly, it means this old man is afraid Taixuan Wuji will lose face and harmed you!”
“If you lose even a single strand of hair, it’s this bunch of petty villains from Taixuan Wuji doing something behind your back!”
Shi Chunqiu’s face darkened several shades instantly.
The corner of Chao Jinsui’s lips curved into a smile as she prepared to lead her people inside.
Shi Chunqiu: “Wait. What do you think Taixuan Wuji is? Naturally, only you may enter alone.”
Lingyun glared fiercely at him, lifting her chin. “I’m a witness!”
Shi Chunqiu took a deep breath, then moved to stop Hongniang. Hongniang twisted her body charmingly. “Oh my, I’m also a witness!”
Finally, Shi Chunqiu fixed his gaze on the snake in Chao Jinsui’s hands—one look and it was clearly a spirit beast.
He roared, “That wouldn’t also be a witness, would it?!”
Chao Jinsui smiled. “My bonded spirit beast. Very bad temper. Cannot be separated from me.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the ill-tempered Xiao Yanjing opened its gaping maw and spat a mouthful of black flames, nearly burning off the old man’s white hair.
Because the long-silent “Ming Bu Ping” had been struck, although their freedom was restricted, Taixuan Wuji could not treat her as a prisoner. Yet the wanted criminal showed not the slightest self-awareness. Once she started being picky, she angered Shi Chunqiu so much his beard nearly flew up.
She demanded only the finest spirit tea—tea from before the Qingming harvest, nothing later;
No rooms by the water, no rooms by the corridor—only a quiet, secluded one;
Even her snake had to be served several hundred jin of spirit beast meat!
After finally angering everyone enough that they stormed off, Xiao Yanjing suddenly felt deep respect for the human cultivator currently drinking tea and slithered off to chat with fellow colleague Hongniang:
Humans—cunning to such a degree;
Their shamelessness—terrifying to such a degree!
Compared to them, demons were far inferior.
Yes—Taixuan Wuji’s recent heavy security and their intense reaction when Chao Jinsui came knocking at their gates was because their auction house had been ransacked by demons. It was just that the news had been tightly suppressed by Taixuan Wuji.
Their Demon Lord—when acting—not only launched night raids and fought, but also intimidated, threatened, and coerced with promises.
Yet this human cultivator merely moved her lips and slipped right in. Not only did she become an honored guest, even her snake got meat to eat!
Their lord—despicable and irritable—if any demon dared hang back during a fight, he would kick them straight into the enemy camp; also cruel and shameless, and none of the promises he drew had ever been fulfilled.
Xiao Yanjing submitted to the Demon Lord’s oppressive might, angered but daring not speak.
Humans, however, were different!
Xiao Yanjing was fiercely tempted.
Hongniang fiercely despised her colleague Xiao Yanjing’s wavering stance.
✦ ─ ˗ˋ ୨୧ ˊ˗ ─ ✦
That night, in the middle of the night, Chao Jinsui got up, changed into night clothes, took the Kunlun Sword, avoided the cultivators patrolling near their rooms, and like a streak of black shadow, vanished into the night.
On the one hand, Chao Jinsui wanted to figure out the location of the Butian Stone, so she could later find an excuse; on the other, she also wanted to know exactly what evidence Chao Xiaotu had in her hands.
Taixuan Wuji’s strength did not lie in how many disciples the sect had, nor in how powerful its protective formation was, but in the influence formed over thousands of years through convention and subtle shaping. As long as that influence was not overturned, Taixuan Wuji would remain invincible.
Even Chao Jinsui could not be careless. She landed lightly on the eaves, lowered her body, and carefully observed the surrounding defenses.
But it seemed that tonight’s visitor on the rafters was not only her.
At this moment, night enveloped everything, and a strange black mist spread across the entire Taixuan Wuji.
Wherever the black mist reached, guards and patrolling cultivators immediately became dazed.
This black mist could cause hallucinations!
Chao Jinsui immediately covered her mouth and nose, held her breath, and crouched low to reduce her presence: could there be another group targeting Taixuan Wuji?
From afar, she saw countless clumps of black qi descend, transforming into a group of black-clad figures.
The one in the lead wore a black veiled hat, his appearance obscured, but in the night sky his figure was tall, his presence overwhelming.
One by one, the black-clad figures stepped forward and reported quietly. They had searched all over Taixuan Wuji’s auction house without success. Although the Demon Lord said nothing, the demons were already trembling like they were walking on thin ice, afraid that the next moment their lord would despise them as useless and kick them one by one into the Myriad Demon Pit.
The leader’s expression was dark, impatiently rubbing his palm, yet he said nothing—only lifted his hand slightly.
The black-clad figures all rose.
Like flowing water, they entered Taixuan Wuji’s treasure pavilion.
However, the very next moment, the leader suddenly turned his head sharply. A black blade shot from its sheath and shot straight toward Chao Jinsui!
Chao Jinsui reacted quickly. With a tap of her toes, she retreated dozens of steps in an instant.
That black figure was already pressing straight toward her face!
Seeing that familiar black skull about to pounce, she flipped aside to dodge—but instead of retreating, she advanced. With a tap of her toes she charged straight at him. Just as his palm was about to strike down, with lightning speed she suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist and rolled with him on the ground.
Already extremely irritable today because his subordinates were too foolish, the Demon Lord flew into a rage. “Which suicidal—”
You bastard!
Daring to touch the Demon Lord’s waist—audacious beyond belief! Utterly shameless!
Halfway through speaking, she pulled down her face covering. “It’s me.”
The raging fury went biu—extinguished.
His irritable expression quickly settled, but the coarse words from his outburst had already escaped—
So the handsome demon reacted swiftly, coughed lightly, and said:
“Which suicidal… wretch.” (calm tone)
Wretch: …?
The demons rushing over in utmost urgency to protect their lord: …?
