Chapter Twenty-Three: Tracking the Fire Mark

Qinglan’s disdain for the noble clans offended the unreachable pride Zhu Ning held for her family’s glory. Trembling with rage, Zhu Ning spat, "What do you know! Our ancestors bled on the frontiers, battling the demon race for hundreds of years to earn the status we hold today. This is all rightfully ours!"

Qinglan watched her quietly and asked with genuine intent, "And what of you? If one day you reach the Spirit Origin Realm, will you shoulder the cultivator's duty to protect humanity? Will you head to the Eastern Wastelands to guard the borders and continue the century-long glory of the Zhu family?"

Every word Qinglan spoke carried weight. Zhu Ning’s self-righteousness faltered; she wanted to retort but found no words. After a moment of silence, she began to sneer with biting mockery. "In the end, you still can’t let go of those ant-like mortals… How laughable. Do you fancy yourself a savior?"

A look of superiority flashed across her face, as if she were looking down upon the insignificance of the world from the clouds. "Once a cultivator awakens their spirit root and draws spiritual energy to temper their body, they have stepped onto the path of cultivation. The arts of the five elements, soaring through the skies, and the quest for eternal life—we and those base mortals have long been as different as clouds and mud, practically two separate species."

She leaned forward slightly, her eyes filled with cruelty as she stared at Qinglan. "It is truly ridiculous that you are so consumed by the perspective of mortals. Heh, you just want to protect that girl, don't you? I will make sure you don't get your way. You think that shopkeeper can keep her safe? When I return, I will kill her. I will trample her to death with ten warhorses; I will smash her to pieces, hahahahaha..."

*Snap!*

A crisp, sharp whip-crack cut through the air, silencing Zhu Ning’s ferocious, manic laughter.

Zhu Ning’s laughter vanished instantly. A flicker of confusion crossed her eyes.

Why? Why could she suddenly no longer sense her spiritual energy?

Why was the pain from her wounds suddenly so intense?

She looked down and saw that her dantian had been shattered. Her spirit root was destroyed.

...

Zhu Ning clutched her trembling dantian, her body shaking violently. "You... you dare..." Her mouth hung open, her eyes filled with utter disbelief.

"I hope you can continue to lord it over others when you return," Qinglan said coldly.

She understood the ruthlessness of the noble clans better than anyone; a Zhu Ning who had lost her value had also lost all right to command the family's resources.

Without another glance at her, Qinglan turned and swung the wooden whip once more.

*Snap!* Another lash struck Zhu Ning squarely on the head, knocking her unconscious.

...

Qinglan took Zhu Ning's storage bag and looked toward the two figures locked in fierce combat nearby. A sharp glint appeared in her eyes. She put away the wooden whip and blood-thorn, taking up Zhu Ning’s long spear instead.

She crouched to gather her strength, glancing at the spiritual weapon that attempted to resist her. With a cold hum and a tight grip, she surged her spiritual energy, forcibly suppressing the spear.

*Whoosh!*

Qinglan thrust the spear with explosive force. Accompanied by a piercing, icy gleam from the spearhead, it shot straight toward Zhu Yue!

Zhu Yue was currently engaged in a duel with Yuedong, the two locked in a stalemate, leaving her no room to deflect this attack.

Her heart skipped a beat, but she remained composed, intensifying the flames of her spiritual armor. She felt like she was wearing a burning suit of war, not overly concerned, as this was only an attack from an Awakening Realm cultivator—hardly enough to shake her defense.

However, the spear’s aura was like a dragon, unstoppable. The moment the spear made contact with her armor, a crisp *crack* echoed through the air. A thin fissure appeared on the armor, and the light of the flames dimmed significantly.

Zhu Yue, still in shock at the power of the attack, gasped, "How is this possible!"

Yuedong, waiting on the sidelines, did not miss such an opportune moment.

He steadied his mind and unleashed an even more violent storm of flying sand and stones. In an instant, the balance between the flame and the shifting sands was shattered.

Zhu Yue’s defense collapsed instantly. Countless deep fissures spiderwebbed across her armor before it was shredded by the sharp, swirling sand. Her body was forced backward, and she spat out a mouthful of blood, her exquisite features twisted in agony.

Having lost the protection of her flame armor, this retreat left her trapped deep within the shifting sands.

She saw the unconscious Zhu Ning not far away and could hardly believe it. "What is going on? How could you possibly defeat her!"

Qinglan said nothing, instead drawing her blade, Qingying Luo, and preparing to join the fray.

Zhu Yue’s face turned ghastly, her eyes locked on Yuedong. "Are you truly determined to fight the Zhu family to the death?"

Yuedong did not answer; the spiritual seals in his hands still glowed, and the sands continued to roar.

Zhu Yue laughed out of sheer fury. "Fine, fine! Then let us all die together today!"

A red, spherical fruit appeared in her hand, and she moved to crush it!

Yuedong: "Hm?"

Qinglan: "Whoa!"

...

Seeing the opponent about to unleash a major technique, Yuedong withdrew his formation, pulled out a spiritual shield to block them, and stood ready.

Qinglan: *I don’t know what kind of treasure that is, but hiding is the best first move.*

However, Zhu Yue did not crush the fruit as expected. Instead, she flashed toward Zhu Ning, scooped her up, and fled!

...

Just as she was about to depart, she suddenly froze. Only now did she realize the horrific consequences of the battle.

"How could you... how could you cripple her? She is the family head’s most beloved descendant..."

Zhu Yue’s voice trembled—she was the one who had brought Zhu Ning out. Now that Zhu Ning was crippled, how could she face the family head?

Consumed by fear for her own future, she crushed a jade token. A crimson flash of fire surged forth like a viper, piercing through the spiritual shield and entering the bodies of Yuedong and Qinglan.

Zhu Yue carried Zhu Ning away, quickly vanishing into the distance. Her voice drifted back, laden with rolling fury: "You two have been marked by me. From this day on, my Zhu family will hunt you until the end of time!"

...

Yuedong and Qinglan stood side by side, their eyes meeting.

Qinglan sighed, helpless. "Why does it feel like there is no end to these fights?"

Yuedong’s gaze was deep, as if this were a common occurrence—an instinct, even. "This is only the beginning. The path of cultivation is exactly this: one must contend with others and defy the heavens. This is our destiny."

"However..." Yuedong changed his tone, "why did you not kill her?"

Qinglan felt a wave of fatigue. She shook her head. "She is already crippled; she will no longer be a threat to anyone."

Yuedong understood; she simply could not bring herself to take a life. He said no more. "This place is not safe. We must leave at once."

If Zhu Yue returned with experts from the Zhu family, they would have no chance of survival.

Qinglan nodded and darted forward. Yuedong followed closely behind, his gaze falling on the dark scroll held tightly in his palm, his expression growing heavy.

It seemed that the study of the Arrowhead Formation would have to be put on hold for the time being.