Chapter 31: The Xuan Yun Sect Calls You Home for Dinner

"Lu Wei, the God of War of White Deer—knowing that is enough." Wen Jingge still smiled as if nothing was wrong. If her face weren’t so pale and her hands weren’t trembling, no one would guess she was at her last gasp.

"Master, would you like to rest first?" Wang Xi was genuinely worried for her beloved teacher. Before coming up the mountain, she’d heard Wen Jingge had only just awoken from a long sleep, and now, barely awake, she’d been dragged into fight after fight, tending wounds repeatedly.

This time, if not for her concern for Senior Brother Qiao Yu, how could she have forced herself, sick as she was, into the Boundless Illusion?

"If I rest now, I may well rest for good."

"Alright," Wang Xi pressed her lips together, saying nothing more.

"Sword cultivators, form the array with me." When Wen Jingge thought of sealing the demon, the diagram of the formation appeared in her mind. The only spell cultivator had collapsed, leaving only her to barely scrape together the necessary power. She strode toward Lu Wei, who was trapped at the heart of the formation.

"What’s this? You finally recognize my power? Want to give me your body? You’re a fine sword embryo, not bad at all."

"The last demon who spoke to me like that was destroyed. I don’t mind doing it again. Whatever your strength, that belongs to antiquity." Wen Jingge sat cross-legged at the center of the formation, and Lu Wei couldn’t help but regard her with renewed interest.

"You won’t live much longer," Lu Wei squatted before her, pressing his head close to hers. "Your life is borrowed."

"Oh? So who am I, then?" Wen Jingge was intrigued. "Can you tell?"

"Either way, your time’s almost up. You should've died long ago." He crouched, staring at the formation. Now that he’d been captured, he made no fuss, as if convinced Wen Jingge could do nothing more to him. "Why not lend me your body? Let’s merge, and I’ll make you stronger."

"No, thanks." Wen Jingge closed her eyes, shutting out distractions and steadying her spirit. "I’m already strong enough."

"But you could be stronger. Truly, I can help you live longer. You used that thing to prolong your life because you want to live, didn’t you?"

Wen Jingge’s eyes snapped open, and "Nonexistent" trembled along with her. Both she and her system were on guard. "How much do you know?"

"Trade?" Lu Wei narrowed his eyes, certain this woman would take the bait.

"Wouldn’t killing you be easier? Right now, you’re in no position to bargain."

Lu Wei drew a sharp breath. He hated her attitude, but it felt oddly familiar. Impatient, he spat, "Fine! Here’s what I know: a big one, a small one. The big one’s unclear, the small one chatters endlessly. The big one extended your life. Now will you stop refining me?"

"I won’t refine you."

The formation around them lit up, and Lu Wei panicked. "You’re breaking your word! Don’t lie to me—this is clearly a refining array, I’ve suffered here before!"

"We’re short on people, just three. I’ve made improvements." Wen Jingge’s eyes gleamed as she looked at him. She liked this demon more and more—he knew so much. Later, she’d have to knock Qiao Yu out and get him to teach her. These formations, she’d seen in ancient books in the library, but most were incomplete; she had to deduce the rest herself.

Lu Wei became even more anxious. So she was an amateur? All that fear for nothing!

"In the future, behave yourself and I’ll let you out." Wen Jingge, still kneeling, crossed her hands over her forehead and bent down to the ground.

With her murmured chant, Lu Wei was drawn away by a force—similar to the scent that lured him here, both belonging to immortals.

But before he could ask more, his soul returned to Qiao Yu’s mind.

Qiao Yu opened his eyes, nothing but whites showing.

"Master…" He gritted his teeth against the pain, fumbling blindly. "Master, where are you? Is it night?"

"Who can you blame for rolling your eyes!"

"Rolling my eyes?" Qiao Yu was confused. "I didn’t! I opened them and they were like this. Master, I found a lot of demon cores, please don’t be angry, alright?"

"When did I ever ask you to find demon cores?"

Wen Jingge was exhausted; the task was done, she supposed.

Qiao Yu had suffered grave wounds in the illusion, diagnosed as demonic possession. Now the demon was inside him—perfect.

"It’s—it's my own dullness," Qiao Yu bowed his head. "Master, please don’t be angry. My face hurts, my hands hurt, my whole body hurts. Can you punish me only after my wounds heal?"

"Sister, Sister, are you there?" Song Huan’s voice sounded from her pocket. "Sister, when you leave, could you bring the other disciples out as well? Many are injured, there’s no need to continue the trial."

"I’ll try." Wen Jingge looked up at the sky, speechless. The clouds above still bore a few cracks—could she still borrow strength from them? "Did you send word?"

"Elder Qiushui is still in seclusion. Once the seal was broken, the illusion began to close. Now, only those inside can leave."

"So you made no preparations and just sent disciples to their deaths?" Wen Jingge almost laughed from anger. If she hadn’t recklessly entered and accidentally discovered her ability to borrow power, would all these disciples have died?

"Sister…" Song Huan didn’t know how to explain—it wasn’t his responsibility.

"Forget it." Wen Jingge cast a disdainful glance at Qiao Yu’s dirty clothes. "Are the robes I ordered ready?"

"From the sect? Yes, yes, they’re ready." Song Huan panted, relieved to have found something that wouldn’t make Sister angry.

"Good, tell me the exit location, and get Elder Qiushui to patch up the illusion. It’s about to collapse."

"What? The seal—it's sealed, isn’t it?" Song Huan puzzled over the recording stone. The entrance had vanished, all the items that broke the seal converged here. Except for the one inside Qiao Yu, nothing else slipped through.

"Heavens!" Wen Jingge knew they were watching. "I’ve nearly broken it."

[Oh my! Wen Jingge, what strange thing have you done now?] "Nonexistent" was truly flustered.

"Just picking things up as I go." Wen Jingge smiled, pulling out talisman paper, a brush, and gold sand from her ring. "Come here, hold my hand and write."

Tang Miao-miao was puzzled. The immobilizing talisman earlier had been drawn by Wen Jingge first, far more complex than hers. The rest had been finished together. "Immortal Master can write talismans, can’t you?"

"Master’s tired!" Wang Xi, as considerate as ever, grabbed Tang Miao-miao’s hand and pressed it into Wen Jingge’s palm, making a fist and gesturing cheerfully: "Senior Sister Wang, go for it! Master will make sure you’re the brightest star!"

Wang Si-chun: …

Though Tang Miao-miao was meant to draw, Wen Jingge ended up guiding her hand, as she still needed to check the robes, using the opportunity to refresh her reputation for ferocity.

A quarter hour later, Tang Miao-miao fainted, but before losing consciousness, she made sure Wang Xi recorded her moment of becoming the brightest star.

Suddenly, several large characters appeared in the sky: "(Ink Blob), Xuan Yun Sect calls you home for dinner!"

Every disciple saw their own names on the ink blobs, and upon seeing that message, they were all forcibly lifted into the sky.