Chapter 53: Leave It to Me

Su Youji's body trembled.

His name is Ji Ning?

"He came looking for me?" Su Youji's heart was a tangle of emotions—a hint of surprise and excitement, but also a trace of guilt! Because she knew well that this was the home base of the East Smoke branch, naturally filled with many formations and restrictions, heavily guarded. Ji Ning was formidable, but trapped inside this lair, he would face endless trouble.

Originally, she had thought Ji Ning would stay on the Star Island for a million years, while she would peacefully cultivate the legacy of 'Flying Immortal Saint Lord' here. The Flying Immortal Saint Lord was most skilled in charm, illusion, and control! He was a terrifyingly powerful Daoist Lord, so fearsome that he was honored as 'Saint Lord'. Even slightly weaker beings would be controlled the moment he looked at them!

How terrifying was that?

Su Youji was naturally gifted in charm. Back when she had no legacy or guidance, she had created her own technique, excelling in charm. Thus, she had passed the Flying Immortal Saint Lord's series of life-and-death trials and finally qualified to become his personal disciple!

"Originally, I planned to cultivate for a hundred thousand years, reaching the third level of this 'Flying Immortal Secret Art', then simultaneously control those eighteen World-level cultivators outside and quietly slip away," Su Youji thought. Even now, she could control two or three World-level cultivators at once, but the control from this secret art was only short-term.

Su Youji had never considered breaking out by force. After all, this was the home base of a branch of the Huilan Sect. Who would dare to force their way in? Her plan was to control the eighteen World-level cultivators and sneak away.

"Should I let him in?" Qingfan the Immortal asked.

"Mm," Su Youji nodded.

"Understood." Qingfan the Immortal looked at Su Youji and smiled, "You seem distracted. What exactly is your relationship with him?"

Su Youji shook her head: "Not distracted. I am his follower; he is my master."

"Master..." Qingfan the Immortal was also startled.

...

At the cave entrance.

Ji Ning exchanged a few words with Qingfan the Immortal.

"You joining the Huilan Sect is fate between us. Come into my cave and sit, let's talk properly. These days, your big sister has been bored to death." Qingfan the Immortal deliberately teased Ji Ning. After learning that he was Su Youji's master, she was very surprised, realizing that this white-robed youth was certainly extraordinary. Making such an extraordinary person call her 'big sister' was quite amusing.

Ji Ning glanced at her and smiled: "Senior apprentice-sister, please."

"Mm." Qingfan the Immortal walked inside.

Ji Ning followed.

The eighteen World-level cultivators sitting cross-legged outside on guard watched this scene. Especially when they saw Qingfan the Immortal actively inviting Ji Ning in, the black-robed elder's expression turned unpleasant. He coldly shouted: "Junior apprentice-sister Qingfan, don't corrupt the new junior apprentice-brother to help you."

"That's none of your business." Qingfan the Immortal didn't look back but sneered coldly.

"Junior apprentice-brother Beiming, remember what you should and shouldn't do." The black-robed elder warned icily, his voice full of chill.

...

Su Youji stood outside her own room, staring at the distant turn, watching expectantly.

Finally, Qingfan the Immortal appeared around the turn, followed by a white-robed youth carrying a sword on his back. He looked the same as always, the same as in her memory.

"Master..." Su Youji watched, her heart complex.

Guilt?

Gratitude?

Back on the Star Island, when she was on the verge of exhaustion and despair, she had shed tears upon seeing Ji Ning. This time at the East Smoke branch, even though it was a great trouble for Ji Ning, he still came.

"You're always helping me. I'm called your follower, but I've never been able to help you." At this moment, Su Youji suddenly understood that she would probably never forget Ji Ning saving her on the Star Island, nor this reunion at the East Smoke branch.

"Youji." Ji Ning walked over.

"Master." Su Youji lowered her head slightly, "I caused the trouble."

"I heard that the branch leader of East Smoke wants to seize your treasure, and also the Flying Immortal Saint Lord's statue?" Ji Ning said.

Su Youji looked at Ji Ning in surprise: "You already know?"

Ji Ning turned to Qingfan the Immortal beside him and said: "Immortal Qingfan, Youji wants to leave. What obstacles are there?"

Qingfan the Immortal immediately sensed a change in the white-robed youth's demeanor and tone. Earlier at the cave entrance, he had humbly called her 'Senior apprentice-sister Qingfan', but now, though still speaking naturally, his words carried obvious confidence and dominance.

"For Sister Youji to leave, first there are the eighteen World-level cultivators watching at the entrance." Qingfan the Immortal said, "They keep constant watch. At the slightest movement, they'll likely report to that idiot branch leader, who can then command a large group of World-level cultivators and even use the many formations and restrictions of the lair. Then there would be no escape."

Ji Ning nodded slightly, matching what he knew.

"Master, give me another hundred thousand years, and I might have a way." Su Youji said. With time treasures, a hundred thousand years would actually be millions of years, which should be enough.

"If it takes too long, there might be complications." Ji Ning said, "This East Smoke branch leader, being able to lead a branch, likely has considerable backing in the main sect. If he wants to break into a disciple's cave to capture a World-level cultivator not of the sect, as long as he has a good excuse, he might get Huilan Daoist Lord's approval. You've only been hiding here for a few hundred years, so he's still patient, but not for long."

Su Youji's expression changed.

Indeed.

If the East Smoke branch leader received orders from the main sect to come in and capture her, she would have no way out.

"Leave it to me. I will naturally take you out." Ji Ning said.

Su Youji felt warmth in her heart. Though she worried for Ji Ning, after years of following him, she had grown accustomed to trusting him, because he was indeed powerful and monstrous.

"This friend Ji Ning." Qingfan the Immortal beside him said disapprovingly, "You can't act recklessly. Inside my cave, bound by sect rules, they dare not enter. But if you take Sister Youji out of the cave, they can act. They won't show mercy to non-sect disciples."

"Immortal Qingfan, just watch from the side." Ji Ning turned to Su Youji and said, "I'll put you into my cave treasure."

"Mm." Su Youji nodded.

Qingfan the Immortal objected: "Sister Youji, this can't—"

But Ji Ning waved his hand, directly putting Su Youji into his cave treasure, then turned and walked out.

"You..." Qingfan the Immortal immediately followed behind.

...

At the cave entrance.

Ji Ning walked out of the cave and saw the eighteen World-level cultivators sitting cross-legged outside.

"Out so soon?" The black-robed elder looked at Ji Ning. The other World-level cultivators also stared at him, their auras stern.

"Did Immortal Qingfan ask you to help take that Fire Fairy out?" The black-robed elder's voice grew even colder.

"No." Ji Ning said directly.

"Junior apprentice-brother, that Fire Fairy is involved in a significant matter, so we can't just let you go like this." Another red-haired child said hoarsely.

"Are you going to search my treasures?" Ji Ning frowned.

"A cultivator's treasures may contain secrets; we naturally won't forcibly search. But you need to swear a lifeblood oath that you did not take the Fire Fairy away." The black-robed elder said calmly, "If you truly didn't, swearing this oath will do no harm. But if you did, the oath will backfire and kill you on the spot."

"Swear the lifeblood oath, and we'll let you leave."

Whoosh.

A dark red crystal pillar flew before Ji Ning.

Ji Ning glanced at the dark red crystal pillar, then shook his head. Suddenly, he manifested three heads and six arms. His six arms abruptly extended, and his six massive palms, as if covering heaven and earth, reached out to grab the group of eighteen World-level cultivators.

"What?"

"Careful!"

Qingfan the Immortal, following behind, watched dumbfounded. He was actually attacking directly? Was Su Youji's master foolish enough to start a fight inside the East Smoke branch's lair?

"Hmph."

"How foolish." The eighteen World-level cultivators instantly activated their formation, their bodies surging with magic power. They were deployed in such numbers precisely because they could join forces; even if Su Youji charged out with her insect beast puppet, they could hold her off for a short time.

"Boom!"

With six massive palms instantly enveloping them, a loud crash sounded. They directly grabbed one World-level cultivator, like catching a chick, and forcibly pulled him into the cave treasure. With one snatched away, the entire formation was forcibly torn apart.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." The six massive palms swept in all directions.

"Run!"

"How can he be this strong!"

"Flee!"

The World-level cultivators were stunned. But after just one exchange, eleven of the eighteen were captured alive by Ji Ning, while the rest fled in all directions.

However, the powerful fluctuations from the clash, within the East Smoke branch's lair spanning only ten million li, were clearly sensed by every World-level cultivator. Instantly, a vast number of divine senses and immortal senses swept through the void, converging here.

"Who are you, trespassing into our Huilan Sect!" A divine sense surged, a voice exploding in Ji Ning's ear.

"Hmph!"

Ji Ning's divine sense suddenly erupted, sweeping violently in all directions. Nourished by the power of the Blueflower Mist, Ji Ning's soul was comparable to a one-step Daoist Lord's, and his divine sense was equally at that level. The divine senses and immortal senses of the World-level cultivators were an entire major level weaker.

With Ji Ning's divine sense surging out, it crashed against the surrounding divine and immortal senses, crushing them all. Nearly three hundred divine and immortal senses were suppressed by Ji Ning alone. The gap between a World-level cultivator and a Daoist Lord was indeed too vast.

"Rumble..."

In an instant, across the entire ten-million-li range of the East Smoke branch, only Ji Ning's divine sense dominated, suppressing all other divine and immortal senses!

"The Fire Fairy is my follower. I have come to the Huilan Sect's East Smoke branch today to take my follower away." Ji Ning's voice resounded throughout every corner of the East Smoke branch, "I believe that everyone here knows right from wrong regarding your branch leader's attempt to seize my follower's treasures. I wish to leave with my follower now. I do not wish to slaughter wantonly, but anyone who blocks me... will be killed without mercy!"

The voice thundered, echoing everywhere in the East Smoke branch. All the divine and immortal senses of the World-level cultivators within were suppressed, unable to resist.

Qingfan the Immortal stood at the entrance of her cave, watching this scene and listening to the voice reverberating through heaven and earth, utterly stunned.

...