Chapter 147: The Arrival of Shen Ruru

Xu Xiaosheng sensed someone entering long before they arrived. He did not speak, merely finding the intruders to be foolishly overestimating their own abilities.

He was currently nursing his injuries, a disdainful smirk playing on his lips. It was laughable—if the Snow Chant Sword could be taken by just anyone, there would be no point in this fairyland existing at all.

With this thought, he circulated his spiritual energy once more. Dim light flickered around him. The weather seemed poor, with heavy, oppressive clouds gathering. He opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.

Perhaps feeling fully confident, Xu Xiaosheng suppressed his injuries and stepped outside to stand for a moment.

The sky was a thick, ink-black expanse, devoid of light, casting a heavy, suffocating feeling over the heart. Xie Yingying, located on the other side, felt the same.

She had become separated from the group, and with the air feeling stifling and humid as if rain were imminent, she felt a tightness in her chest, as if she could not catch her breath. She frowned.

Bai Shengyun and his companions had long realized they were separated from Xie Yingying. Seeing the weather, Bai Shengyun furrowed his brows. Bai Qirui, observing his expression, felt a twinge of surprise—unsure if he was startled by the rare display of human emotion from Bai Shengyun or by his evident concern for Xie Yingying.

A fierce wind began to howl, and a torrential downpour followed. Everyone was caught off guard, soaked to the bone, their swords dripping with water.

They exchanged glances and, spotting a cave ahead, hurried inside. No sooner had they entered than someone began to complain.

"What kind of weather is this? If I had known we’d run into this, I never would have come."

Bai Qirui used his spiritual power to ignite a fire, telling them to dry their clothes.

"Let’s have no more complaints. Since we are all here, we are in this together, so no one should blame anyone else." For some reason, as they looked at Bai Qirui’s smiling face, they detected a chilling coldness behind it, and everyone immediately fell silent.

On the other side, Xie Yingying was faring worse. She had yet to find shelter, her clothes thoroughly drenched. After sneezing several times, she finally found a dilapidated cave.

Assuming she was alone, she hesitated for a moment before taking off her outer robe, using her spiritual energy to light a fire to dry it.

She sat with her knees hugged to her chest, looking out into the rain and murmuring, "I wonder when this rain will stop."

She grew drowsy, and as the rain began to taper off, Xie Yingying drifted to sleep right where she was.

When she awoke the next day, her head felt heavy and her body lethargic. Dazed, she realized she had caught a cold.

There was nothing she could do but hope to find Bai Shengyun and the others soon. However, fate was unkind. Not long after setting off, she encountered news that shattered her spirits.

Hardly had she walked a few paces when she stumbled upon a guardian beast of the realm. The creature was scarlet, breathing heavily, and the scorching heat it exhaled made Xie Yingying tremble.

They stood in a standoff until, suddenly, Xie Yingying’s sleeves fluttered as she pinched a spell and lunged toward the beast. The talisman struck the creature, exploding in a burst of spiritual energy that scattered the surrounding birds and beasts.

The beast’s pupils constricted into slits. It swiped its claws and pounced toward her.

Unable to dodge, Xie Yingying was sent flying by the shockwave. The attack had been little more than a tickle to the beast; her efforts had been in vain. Amidst the sound of the beast’s breathing and the swirling debris, Xie Yingying collided with a tree, blood instantly soaking her back.

The crimson stain on her clothes was a shocking sight. Feeling a sharp, piercing pain, she gritted her teeth, knowing she was no match for the creature, and turned to flee.

Fortunately, the beast was clumsy, and she was agile. As it pursued her, she spotted a hollow in a tree and accelerated, darting inside. Unable to see her, the beast eventually returned to its original post.

Xie Yingying watched from the corner, letting out a sigh of relief as calm returned. Suddenly, she noticed a formation within the hollow; it emitted a strange luster. Puzzled, she approached it.

She touched it lightly, expecting no harm, but was met with a surge of pain throughout her body.

"Forget it. I’ll let Bai Shengyun and the others break it; I don't want to get scolded for breaking it myself."

She sighed. At that moment, the wound on her back began to throb. She was at her limit.

The recent battle had taken a heavy toll. She was already in poor condition—drenched by the rain, suffering from a cold, and now severely wounded. Having not had a drop of water, her lips were cracked and dry.

Her hair had lost its luster, her eyes were no longer clear but clouded, and her eye sockets were sunken. She looked utterly haggard. Even the most beautiful vessel needs sustenance to endure.

Her clothes were stained with mud and looked wretched. If she were to run into Ning Qingqing looking like this, she would surely be mocked.

Thinking of this, she decided to head out to clean her wound and wash her clothes.

She had been marking her path the entire way to ensure she wouldn't get lost. The appearance of the cave and the formation had been far too strange, leaving her suspicious, yet fearing she was overthinking, she continued on with a heavy heart.

What she did not see was that the moment she left, the cave vanished into thin air.

Bai Shengyun and Bai Qirui’s group were also wandering aimlessly. The area was vast, and one wrong step could lead into a pit, forcing them to be extremely cautious. Although the formation had lost its connection, it did not affect their perception.

The path ahead was quiet but shrouded in thick white mist. Occasionally, the faint sound of a dog barking could be heard. It was too distant for others to hear, but for Bai Shengyun and Bai Qirui, it was audible enough.

"Should we change paths?" Bai Qirui suggested, wanting to preserve their manpower.

"No, this way is faster." The two had completely opposite temperaments; Bai Shengyun sought speed. Just as they were considering their options, they sensed something unusual.

Someone was coming. Though they did not know who, everyone retreated to the room as quickly as possible. It was Shen Ruru. A faint, lingering fragrance drifted through the air. Bai Shengyun, who knew her methods all too well, wanted nothing to do with her, yet she took advantage of the situation.

Shen Ruru curled her lips into a seductive smile, attempting to close in on Bai Shengyun.

Her nails were painted a striking red, glaringly obvious in the dim light. Bai Shengyun felt only disgust for such people, but suddenly, he felt a wave of heat wash over him.

His body felt as if it were no longer under his own control, compelled to lean toward Shen Ruru. Realizing immediately that he had been struck by her charm spell, he braced himself.

Shen Ruru, believing victory was within her grasp and failing to see Bai Shengyun's subtle resistance, was suddenly struck by a palm blast.