Inside the Slaughter God Pavilion's Meditation Chamber
The room was hushed, illuminated only by the flickering light of a single spirit lamp. Lin Che sat in deep concentration, his fingers weaving intricate seals. A faint, purple lightning crackled at his brow as he prepared to perform the External Incarnation technique, intending to send a copy of himself to scout the treacherous Hidden Dragon Abyss.
BANG!
The door to the chamber was thrown open with such force that it shattered the tranquil atmosphere. Luo Jiayin rushed in, her face ashen, her usually immaculate hair in disarray. The calm and collected saintess was gone, replaced by a woman gripped by sheer panic.
"Lin Che! It's a disaster! Ying'er… your little sister… she's vanished!"
All of Lin Che's focus evaporated. The lightning at his brow extinguished as he shot to his feet. "Vanished? What are you talking about?"
"She left this morning and hasn't returned! No message, nothing!" Luo Jiayin's eyes were red-rimmed with worry. "You know her! By this time, she'd be tearing the kitchen apart looking for food or buried under a mountain of snacks. This is completely out of character!"
A cold, heavy dread settled in the pit of Lin Che's stomach, followed immediately by a wave of crushing guilt. I've been so absorbed with the Pavilion and searching for Qingyao that I neglected her.He had foolishly assumed the army of spirit beasts at her command would be protection enough. What a failure I am as a brother.
"Blood Fiend!" he commanded, his voice sharp and cold.
A crimson shadow shot from his sleeve, materializing into the miniature form of the ferocious blood beast. "Can you sense her aura?" Lin Che demanded.
The creature raised its head, its essence spreading out like spectral tendrils. After a tense moment, it growled uncertainly, "Master… the trail is faint. But it seems to lead… west."
"West." Lin Che's eyes narrowed, his decision made in an instant. "Mobilize the entire Pavilion! I want a search conducted across ten thousand kilometers to the west. Find her. I want her back, unharmed. No exceptions!"
The command sent a shockwave through the stronghold. Warriors poured into the streets. Even the ever-jesting Old Ma grew serious, his fingers flying as he performed calculations. Luo Jiayin was already a streak of light, racing toward the setting sun.
Five Thousand Kilometers West, Deep within Xiya Mountain
This was a place of ancient, towering trees and choking miasma, renowned throughout the domain for its peril. And here, in the heart of these desolate mountains, a small figure was carefully leading her menagerie of monsters through a strange forest of stone pillars.
Lin Ying showed no trace of fear. On her face was a look of pure curiosity… mixed with a familiar, gluttonous glint.
The truth was simple: she had eaten her way through every restaurant in Xuantiān City. Bored, she had heard a rumor—Xiya Mountain was teeming with rare, high-level spirit beasts. A brilliant, if not entirely well-planned, idea had formed: Capture new pets for my army… or find a new delicacy for my menu!
And so, the "Snack Procurement Corps" had marched into the wilderness.
The plan went awry almost immediately. A flash of pure white—a fox with nine flowing tails and captivating, amber-colored eyes—had darted across her path. Spellbound, Lin Ying gave chase, forgetting all sense of direction. Now, lost and surrounded by an alien landscape, even her compass spun uselessly.
"Where did that pretty fox go?" she muttered, scratching her head as her beasts waited patiently behind her.
As if in answer, the mist ahead parted. And there, looming over her, was a sight that stole her breath.
It was a statue. A hundred zhang tall, carved with impossible, lifelike detail, it depicted a nine-tailed fox sitting in regal repose. Its stone gaze was both majestic and alluring, seeming to stare directly at the tiny intruder.
"Wow…" Lin Ying breathed, completely unaware that she stood in a place even the domain's most powerful experts feared to tread.
Driven by curiosity, she reached out and touched the cold stone base.
HUM!
The moment her fingertips made contact, the statue's empty eyes ignited with twin spheres of ghostly blue fire!
An ancient, desolate power erupted, flooding the stone forest. Lin Ying's beasts whimpered and crouched low. Startled, the girl jumped back. On her forehead, the usually hidden Chaos Azure Lotus Mark glowed with a soft, ethereal light.
"What's happening?" she whispered, a knot of dread tightening in her stomach. This was no simple statue.
Far away, racing toward the mountain at breakneck speed, Lin Che felt the "Nine Heavens Dual Cultivation Art" grow warm against his chest. Within its pages, the lotus mark representing Su Qingyao shimmered faintly—a silent, eerie response to the peril his sister now faced.