Chapter 112: Abduction

The dwarf girl extended her pinky finger to tease the flying insect, then pouted and said, "It told me that you two know my father. Even though you are annoying Daoist cultivators, you didn't speak ill of my mother. Otherwise, I would have dealt with you!"

Hong Jian and Lu Yanchang both changed color.

"Is this your spirit pet?" Lu Yanchang asked, astonished. He had long heard that some cultivators skilled in beast and insect taming could subdue creatures through secret arts to claim them as their own. Among the Daoists, the most famous was the God-slayer Xing Wuyai, and the methods of the Heavenly Demon Sect were undoubtedly adept at raising and controlling insects.

It was one thing for the dwarf girl to keep a bug as a pet, but if, as she implied, this insect called "Little Black" could act as an informant, that was truly miraculous.

The dwarf girl said unhappily, "Little Black is my younger sister."

Lu Yanchang was left speechless. He wanted to ask, "How did your mother give birth to you and her as well?" and "Does your father know about this?" A series of questions clogged his throat, making him roll his eyes in frustration.

The other party was merely short in stature, not a literal child; it was better not to provoke her.

Hong Jian gave him a faint look and took over the conversation, saying to the girl, "It is very obedient. One can see that you two are very close."

The dwarf girl beamed. "Yes. We have lived and cultivated together for many years. After my mother died, the elders didn't like me, so only Little Black kept me company."

She looked up, studied Hong Jian, and suddenly asked earnestly, "I am your grand-uncle's cousin, so does that make me your aunt?"

She seemed to look forward to being Hong Jian’s aunt, her large eyes filled with longing, making it impossible for Hong Jian to distance herself. The paths of the Dao and the Demonic were incompatible, yet this little girl, with a small black beetle resting on her palm, looked so incredibly lonely.

Hong Jian sighed and said, "That is correct. My grand-uncle is a Nascent Soul master of the Dan Ya Sect, named Jing Baixi. He is your father's own nephew."

The dwarf girl immediately looked conflicted. She eagerly introduced herself to Hong Jian: "My mother named me Jing Xiaoyun, but every time my grandfather hears that name, he flies into a rage. He forbids me from using the surname Jing and insists I take his, calling me Cheng Duoduo." She hesitated, then added stammeringly, "My mother said the Dan Ya Sect is full of bad people. Why would my cousin stay there?"

Hong Jian found this question difficult to answer.

She thought: To them, the mother and daughter, all Daoist cultivators are naturally villains. The Dan Ya Sect cultivators who wounded Jing Xiaoyun’s mother and abducted her father are the worst of the worst. That she was willing to speak calmly to me was likely only because I knew the old man Jing. Yet, from the perspective of a Daoist, not only is this family demonic, but that woman had openly come to provoke them; it was only natural for the sect to "subdue the demons and defend the Dao."

Furthermore, she had no idea what state the Dan Ya Sect was in now.

These thoughts were a tangled mess, so in the end, Hong Jian simply told her the bad news about her grand-uncle: "Many years ago, my grand-uncle was framed because of your father. He went missing on the way to the Demon Refinement Prison, and I fear the worst has happened to him. The man who harmed him is the villain who imprisoned your father, a leader named Ji Youyun."

Jing Xiaoyun grew furious, flames of rage igniting in her eyes. "Ji Youyun? I have heard that name. Where is he now? I will go and kill him!"

Lu Yanchang, for reasons unknown, suddenly said, "Ji Youyun is very powerful, and they even have a Spirit Severing expert on their side. You are no match for him!"

These words were a hundred times more effective than if he had said, "That's great! Go and avenge your father and cousin." Jing Xiaoyun became even angrier, and even the demonic insect on her palm was affected, flapping its wings and buzzing around her in agitation.

Jing Xiaoyun stood up abruptly, shouting like a petulant child, "If you look down on me again, do you believe I’ll beat you until you’re toothless? If that Ji fellow were really as strong as you say, how could he have been beaten to a pulp by my grandfather this time?"

Hong Jian felt a sudden stir, frowned, and sighed, "Why did you only come now? If it had been a few decades earlier, perhaps your family of three could have been reunited, and my grand-uncle might not have been harmed."

Still fuming, Jing Xiaoyun retorted, "Blame you Daoists for hiding this cursed prison so well! My mother searched for years and couldn't find it. It was only this time that our Sect Master, Li Hun, sent a message to my grandfather that he knew to bring people here to break the prison."

"Your Sect Master? Who is that? It sounds quite impressive," Hong Jian asked, fishing for information.

"Of course he is. Our Heavenly Demon Sect is one of the top sects across the sea. My grandfather said that our branch was separated from the main sect by the Endless Sea and couldn't withdraw in time, fearing that our descendants would never reunite. Who would have thought that a few days ago, during our 'Heavenly Demon Sacrifice,' the current Sect Master would suddenly send a message through soul projection."

Seeing Hong Jian still looked confused, she paused and added, "I forgot, you Daoists wouldn't know what soul projection is. I don't mind telling you: the supreme secret art of our Heavenly Demon Sect is called the *Great Heavenly Demon Three-Eye Soul Projection Sutra*. Both the three eyes and the soul projection teach one how to control other spirits, which requires first honing one's own soul to be incredibly powerful."

Hong Jian nodded quickly, feigning instruction; she had indeed long heard of the *Great Heavenly Demon Three-Eye Soul Projection Sutra* and had a rough understanding of it.

Jing Xiaoyun continued, "Our current Sect Master is a Spirit Severing expert who has dominated the other side of the sea for seventeen or eighteen hundred years. With his lifespan running out, he used the highest forbidden technique of the *Great Heavenly Demon Three-Eye Soul Projection Sutra* before his passing. His primordial spirit incarnation bypassed distance and the 'Sky Curtain' to descend thousands of miles away into our village. He not only ordered my grandfather to break the prison here but also said that all prisoners should be kept alive and captured to be raised for later use, as they will be of great value when his personal disciples arrive."

Hong Jian looked at Lu Yanchang, signaling with her eyes: "Helian is in no danger; you can rest easy now."

Lu Yanchang chuckled.

Jing Xiaoyun was beaming as she spoke of the Sect Master's soul projection, temporarily forgetting her earlier displeasure. It was clearly the first time in her life she had witnessed such a grand event, and she was still excited just mentioning it. She said, "The Sect Master is a little old man with a very long beard. He is about the same height as me and treated me very kindly. He even gave me some personal guidance before his incarnation dissipated."

Lu Yanchang interjected, "Then what are you worried about? Your grandfather will surely listen to the Sect Master. If he isn't killing all those other Daoists, why would he kill your father?"

Jing Xiaoyun looked sad and self-reproachful. "It's all my fault. I was so worried that I went to beg my grandfather, but he flew into a rage. He said that while he would spare everyone else's life, he would kill my father the moment he laid eyes on him."

Lu Yanchang comforted her, "Your grandfather was just speaking out of anger. Not to mention that he wouldn't dare disobey the Sect Master's orders, you are all grown up now. At most, he’ll torture your father a bit. There’s no reason for him to kill his own son-in-law, even if he dislikes him—he’d be afraid of you hating him for the rest of his life."

Jing Xiaoyun cheered up slightly. She held the flying insect in her palm and raised it to her eyes. Four eyes met, separated by barely an inch. After a moment, the insect called "Little Black" fluttered its wings and vanished, heading who knows where.

Jing Xiaoyun crinkled her nose and said to the two of them, "Grandfather and the others have moved on. I told Little Black to scout around. If we can't find him, we’ll have to go home first. If things are as you say, I'll find a way to sneak my father out."

Lu Yanchang asked with concern, "Your grandfather is so powerful, are you sure you can steal someone from him?"

Hong Jian glanced at him silently. Hearing this, she knew Lu Yanchang had ulterior motives and was still trying to find a way to rescue Helian.

Jing Xiaoyun tilted her head, looking troubled.

A kindly smile appeared on Lu Yanchang's face—he looked like a big grey wolf hiding its tail—as he said, "I have heard of a treasure called the 'Immortal Rainbow Glow.' It can conceal one's cultivation level to deceive those stronger than oneself, and it can also mask one's aura. If you take it, you could enter and exit your grandfather's cave dwelling at will without being discovered."

"Ah, how interesting! Where is this 'Immortal Rainbow Glow'? Let’s go borrow it!" Jing Xiaoyun said with delight.

"That won't work. Since it's called the 'Immortal Rainbow Glow,' it is naturally kept at the Immortal Cloud Cave. That is a prestigious major sect among the Daoists. Never mind you; even if I or this junior sister of yours went to borrow it, they wouldn't give us the face," Lu Yanchang said meaningfully.

Jing Xiaoyun froze, then turned furious. "If they won't give face, then this lady will just go and snatch it!"

Lu Yanchang thought to himself: *That's it. You and your mother are truly mother and daughter; even your thoughts are exactly the same.*

He nodded in approval, then immediately put on a worried expression. "That treasure is in the hands of a Nascent Soul elder; I fear it won't be easy to snatch. Let's just forget it; don't set your sights on it. We'll think of another way."

Jing Xiaoyun rolled her eyes. "What's so great about a Nascent Soul? Hurry up, don't talk nonsense. Where is the Immortal Cloud Cave? Lead the way."

The girl was simply too straightforward. Lu Yanchang was overjoyed and quickly agreed.

He glanced cautiously at Hong Jian and said, "Junior Sister Fang, come along too. There’s safety in numbers." He wasn't afraid of Hong Jian exposing his use of Jing Xiaoyun for his own vendetta; he was worried she would seize the chance to slip away. The girl looked so gloomy and full of heavy thoughts—he had to grasp even a heaven-sent opportunity, and he couldn't afford to be careless.

Hong Jian, in front of Jing Xiaoyun, could not use secret sound transmission to communicate with Lu Yanchang. Hearing his invitation to the Immortal Cloud Cave, she hesitated. "That Nascent Soul elder you mentioned and Miss Wen are..."

*She asked after all.* Lu Yanchang felt a headache.

He scratched his head and explained, "It's true they are cultivation partners, but the wonders of the 'Immortal Rainbow Glow' are also real. We'll snatch it, and Xiaoyun will only use it temporarily. Once she's done, I'll give it to you."

Hong Jian thought to herself: *You haven't even finished tricking one person, and now you want to trick me into going to the Immortal Cloud Cave as well?*