Chapter 147: No Path to Ascend the Floating Island

Using a copper cymbal, Lei Xiang sealed Qianqian’s primordial spirit. Tian Rui immediately retracted the golden oil net, then raised her hand and tossed over a jade slip, articulating each word clearly: “This is the formation I just empowered onto the black crystal bullet—‘Heavenly Thunder Blossoms Everywhere.’ Study it carefully yourself. I need to enter seclusion for a while. We will meet again at the Ru Family Inn in three months, and then you will help me with that matter.”

Lei Xiang caught the jade slip, puzzled. “Why the Ru Family Inn? That’s a stronghold of the Laughing Fang organization. Isn’t this like a lamb walking into the tiger’s den?”

Tian Rui smiled faintly. “Since moving into the Ru Family Inn, I’ve developed telepathic sensitivity. The thing I seek is connected to the inn. You don’t need to concern yourself with anything else. Just focus on your cultivation now. I must quickly absorb the demon pill from the Ten Thousand Changes Trail to restore my powers.”

Watching Tian Rui’s retreating figure, Lei Xiang understood she had recovered well enough to maintain form for such an extended time. Perhaps once she fully absorbed the demon pill, her strength would multiply. At that point, she would no longer fear wisdom teeth or cavities.

Flying alone for nearly a hundred miles, Lei Xiang finally landed on a desolate island. He did not rush to cultivate but set up two layers of protective formations. Then he released a crystal jade puppet, handing it his Celestial Spear. With the puppet as his guardian and the defensive formations in place, no one below the late Nascent Soul stage could harm him, allowing him to cultivate in peace.

He took out the ordinary jade slip and probed its contents with his divine sense. After a while, his face lit up with excitement, as if discovering a new world. Muttering softly, “So this works too. Had I known, I would have integrated the attack formation as well. Then my Celestial Spear would be even more invincible.”

The formation, called “Heavenly Thunder Blossoms Everywhere,” had been empowered by Tian Rui onto the black crystal bullet. From Lei Xiang’s analysis, this attack formation was certainly not of the human realm. Its power rivaled the explosive force of the black crystal bullet itself. Lei Xiang summoned three exquisite refining furnaces floating before him from a storage pouch. With two fingers drawing strange symbols in the air, each flew into the furnaces. He added a black crystal bullet, then continuously formed hand seals and chanted spells. Above his head, three zhang high, a small thundercloud gathered and slowly descended.

Within the cloud, lightning flickered faintly—that was “Heavenly Thunder Blossoms Everywhere.” Lei Xiang’s sword finger slanted and guided a bolt of heavenly thunder, which plunged sharply onto the black crystal bullet inside the furnace. With a light “pop,” the bullet shattered under the burden. Undeterred, Lei Xiang continued his experimentation.

A month and a half later, after tidying everything away, Lei Xiang smiled and patted a certain storage pouch. The newly forged black crystal bullets lay safely inside. Those enhanced with the “Heavenly Thunder Blossoms Everywhere” formation had at least tripled in power. Now, Lei Xiang’s confidence soared. He had even more ideas—such as condensing the divine thunder slash he cultivated into a form and embedding it into the Celestial Spear via a certain formation, which would greatly amplify its power.

But now was not the time for research. He needed to resolve Qianqian’s matter first, then hurry back to the Ru Family Inn to meet Tian Rui and help fulfill her wish. On one hand, Lei Xiang was a man of his word and could not betray his promise. On the other, he was curious to see what treasure could drive Tian Rui to such lengths.

The copper cymbal was taken out, and the sealing hand seals were activated. Qianqian’s primordial spirit appeared before him. Compared to two months ago, it looked even weaker, like a candle flickering in the wind. The green radiance had faded nearly to white—exactly the effect Lei Xiang wanted. He had not interrogated it immediately but confined it for a month to break its sharpness. Now, it seemed he had succeeded.

“Witch Qianqian, there’s no need to hide anything. You know the fate that befalls those who fall into my hands. There’s no chance of leaving alive. But if you cooperate, I can let you reincarnate. What do you say?”

Hearing Lei Xiang’s calm words, Qianqian’s spirit showed no change but conveyed a weak mental voice: “I’m already at this point of despair. It seems that agreeing with you is my only path now. Ask your questions—I promise to answer everything.”

Lei Xiang nodded slightly. “I have only two questions, both simple. First: about fifty years ago, was there a girl named Yang Chun Baixue, also from your Laughing Fang? Oh, and her husband was that traitor you once led a siege against—Dugu Yixiao. You are an elder of Laughing Fang, holding a high position, so you should remember her. I only want to know her current status. Is she alive or dead?”

Qianqian answered without hesitation: “I might not know about others, but I know this girl well and can give you a very satisfactory answer. But I want to know what guarantees you’ll let me reincarnate.”

Lei Xiang grinned, showing his small tiger teeth lazily. “Do you still have the right to bargain with me in your state? Haha. Since I promised, I will keep it. Otherwise, I could use the soul-searching technique. Do you think you’d still have the strength to self-destruct before I control you?”

Qianqian, considering the logic, gave up her pretense and generously recounted the whole story. It turned out that Dugu Yixiao and Yang Chun Baixue were assassins nurtured from childhood by Laughing Fang. Over ten years ago, the organization discovered Yang Chun Baixue possessed a unique * physique—one rare in a hundred thousand years. The leader, Ya Zhu, abducted her, intending to make her his furnace vessel. But Yang Chun Baixue fiercely resisted. Meanwhile, Ya Zhu’s wife was terminally ill. To try a miracle, they planned to select a young mistress to revive her by marriage. So Yang Chun Baixue was married off to the young master in name only, never truly a couple. Then calamity struck: both the old and young masters perished suddenly, allowing Yang Chun Baixue to survive.

Lei Xiang asked, “Where is she now?”

Qianqian responded, “The new young master wants to master a domineering cloning technique, which requires her unique * body. He intends for her to train alongside four others to ultimately form the Five Maidens Court technique… She is currently imprisoned in the reef prison of the Suspended Island.”

Lei Xiang’s expression darkened. Yang Chun Baixue was found, but rescuing her posed a dilemma. From Qianqian’s tone, the girl had become a puppet, a walking corpse awaiting the right moment to be used in the cloning technique. What could be done?

After a pause, Lei Xiang continued, “My second question: where exactly is the Suspended Island? How does one reach it? Tell me, and I will grant your reincarnation.”

Qianqian’s spirit trembled slightly; the green glow flared briefly, then dimmed. Her answer was simple and resolute: “I don’t know!”

Lei Xiang was stunned. How could someone of Qianqian’s status not know the way to Suspended Island? Was she still holding back? Given the circumstances, there was no reason to conceal it or fear Laughing Fang’s punishment. “Do you understand the consequences of lying?”

Qianqian appeared helpless at his threat. “Believe it or not, I truly don’t know how to get to Suspended Island, nor its exact location. Only Ya Zhu and his two guardians know—Wisdom Tooth and Cavity. That’s the truth.”

“Looks like I’ll have to get it from your memories myself,” Lei Xiang said without delay. He formed a spiritual seal to conjure a phantom hand, seizing the green primordial spirit sphere. Then, from his palm, he unleashed bright silver lightning spikes, sharp and tangible, piercing the green orb.

The orb trembled violently as if enduring unbearable agony. Lei Xiang’s mind received Qianqian’s trembling voice: “Lei Xiang… you… I really don’t know… you… just kill me… ah…”

Three minutes later, Lei Xiang withdrew his divine power. The green orb gradually calmed. But his expression was ice-cold. Through the soul-searching method, he confirmed Qianqian had not lied—she truly didn’t know the way to Suspended Island. This complicated matters. However, there was a small surprise: he uncovered a secret of Laughing Fang. For nearly a century, they had been hoarding spirit stones, amassing a great many. If he could reach Suspended Island, he could steal them.

But without a path, how to get there?

Though displeased, Lei Xiang waved his hand and released the green spirit orb, fulfilling his promise by letting it reincarnate. In his mind remained Qianqian’s final words: “Thank you.”