129 - Confession (Ying Cheng)

**Chapter 129: Puzzle** Yan Jue emerged from the cave and began gathering fruit in the nearby woods. The Five Dragon Secret Realm, though man-made, boasted treasures and wonders no less impressive than those found in natural realms. Clusters of pale purple spirit fruits hung from the treetops, appearing lush and ripe. Yan Jue picked several, intending to study their properties later. Qi Xian Qing stood beneath the tree, watching the girl dressed in white leap effortlessly among the branches, and couldn't help but smile faintly. Still insists she's not a playful monkey. Clearly, she’s no different from one. After plucking more than a dozen fruits of various colors—green, red, and purple—Yan Jue hopped down from the tree. With a bright smile, she was about to speak to Qi Xian Qing when suddenly, a loud noise erupted from a distance. A deafening beastly roar followed. Yan Jue paused, instinctively turning to look. Du Ming and Duan Lu Xi lay on the ground nearby, their hair tousled and robes crumpled, looking quite the worse for wear. In front of them stood a black dog, likely a spirit beast given the intricate marks on its forehead. It glowered menacingly at the two, appearing like a cornered creature ready to fight back. Yan Jue noticed the rope in Duan Lu Xi's hand. “They actually tried to capture a spirit pet here in the secret realm.” Typically, disciples of the Five Dragon Sect would venture to Qingqiu Dao to catch spirit beasts. However, many spirit beasts dwelled within the secret realm as well, offering disciples without a spirit pet a chance to try their luck closer to home. As Yan Jue was observing, her head was gently ruffled from above. The faint scent of plum blossoms wafted from Qi Xian Qing, as pure as snow in a winter forest. Yan Jue turned to her, “What is it?” Qi Xian Qing subtly furrowed her brow and gently tugged Yan Jue away. “Don't get too close. They might mistake you for a spirit beast and try to catch you.” This childish gesture from Qi Xian Qing intrigued Yan Jue, and once she processed it, a smile formed on her lips. It wasn’t that she feared being mistaken for a pet, more likely, she didn’t want anyone to disturb their moment together. Yan Jue playfully shook Qi Xian Qing's hand. “But I want to join the fun.” Qi Xian Qing quirked an eyebrow, slowly turning back to look at her with a gaze that feigned grievance and reproach. The roars from the spirit beast grew ever louder. Yan Jue nudged her aside. “Senior Sister! I’ll come find you tonight!” Just as Yan Jue was about to dash off, Qi Xian Qing snatched her back by the waist. Yan Jue's sensitivity was heightened with her nearing the end of her cycle, and she found herself momentarily weakened by the touch. Feeling the softness pressed against her back, her throat reflexively constricted. Qi Xian Qing, ensnared by the sight of the girl’s flushed profile, lowered her head to press a lingering kiss on the side of Yan Jue’s neck. Yan Jue, finding it hard to keep her balance, was firmly steadied by Qi Xian Qing, who securely held her waist. Yan Jue’s mind went blank. She wanted to ask Qi Xian Qing to be gentle, to avoid leaving any marks. Although cultivators were less sensitive to such matters than modern people, walking around with a visible mark would inevitably attract attention—especially from someone like Yun Rang. Qi Xian Qing herself was unsure of her own motivations. Perhaps it was because Yan Jue was incredibly endearing, stimulating a constant sense of looming threat within her. Unless she left some mark on Yan Jue, she found it hard to be at ease. While Qi Xian Qing secretly wished to tether Yan Jue to her side, wanting her attention solely and always, she knew it was unrealistic. Yan Jue wasn’t her possession; she had her own life and many friends. Qi Xian Qing lightly tapped Yan Jue's sacrum, causing her to shiver as her mind heated up, forgetting her previous intentions altogether. As Qi Xian Qing’s lips roved downwards, Yan Jue could feel her eyelids slightly drooping, amber eyes misting over with a fragile sheen. Qi Xian Qing released her. “Go on.” Yan Jue swayed again but was held steady by Qi Xian Qing. Shamefully, she found herself reluctant to leave. Qi Xian Qing’s teasing had stirred a desire to linger in her presence. Knowing that Qi Xian Qing would undoubtedly tease her if she suddenly decided not to leave, Yan Jue huffed, adjusted her collar, shot Qi Xian Qing a fierce glare, and turned away. By the time Yan Jue arrived where Du Ming and Duan Lu Xi had been trying to capture the spirit beast, everything had settled. The surroundings were in disarray, with Duan Lu Xi still holding the rope. The black dog, however, was nowhere to be seen, only a deep crater in the ground bearing witness to its escape. Yan Jue approached. “What were you trying to catch?” Duan Lu Xi shrugged. “I don't know... When I saw the spirit markings, I got interested.” Du Ming ran over, tearfully exclaiming, “Yan Jue, we had our eyes on an adorable little dog. We wanted to keep it as a spirit pet, but it was too fast to catch.” Yan Jue replied tersely. Duan Lu Xi wondered aloud, “Do you think there are any Qilin in this Five Dragon Secret Realm?” Yan Jue was surprised. “Qilin?” “It's said that the Qilin is the guardian beast of the Five Dragon Sect, unique to the whole Five Dragon Mountain, and it's female,” Duan Lu Xi explained. “Highly intelligent and capable of enhancing luck significantly, it has a fondness for souls.” Du Ming sighed, “Why even think about that? Even if we encountered one, we couldn’t capture it.” Yan Jue's thoughts drifted to the little black bundle she had concealed but quickly dismissed the idea. Du Ming suddenly pointed at Yan Jue’s neck. “Yan Jue, what happened to your neck?” Her white skin easily displayed any redness, making it no surprise that Du Ming noticed so quickly. Yan Jue’s heart thudded in her chest. Instinctively, she covered her neck with her hand. “Too many mosquitoes in spring. One bit me.” Du Ming nodded in sympathy. “Mosquitoes do love biting necks. So bothersome.” ... Back in her room, Yan Jue retrieved the black bundle from her storage pouch. Since opening its eyes, it had become restless, always squirming within the pouch. When she took it out, it blinked blue eyes at her, innocence etched on its face. She handed it a spirit-feeding pellet, which the small creature eagerly devoured. Leaning her chin in her hand, Yan Jue mused, “You like eating souls… Could you actually be a Qilin?” Qilin were mythical beasts known to favor spirit-feeding pellets and had an interest in souls. Yan Jue recalled how the demon progenitor had diligently incubated the black beast egg when she first found it. In every respect, its characteristics seemed to fit perfectly. After spending some time playing with the black bundle, Yan Jue placed it back into the storage pouch. As she stepped into the courtyard, she noticed Yun Rang standing patiently in the shade of a tree. Accustomed to these encounters, Yan Jue greeted her with a smile. “Senior Sister Yun, is there something you need from me?” Yun Rang gazed at her, showing signs of displeasure. “I presume, Junior Sister Yan, that you’ve already uncovered the next clue.” Yun Rang had managed to find the soybeans based on the clues provided by Yan Jue. However, beneath the large tree where the soybeans had been hidden, there was no hint of green beans. Through the events that transpired, Yun Rang had realized that, much like Qi Xian Qing, Yan Jue was a formidable presence. If she didn’t follow this next clue closely, she would surely lose. Though Yan Jue wasn’t a direct competitor, buying clues from her felt far less daunting than seeking them from Qi Xian Qing. Yan Jue nonchalantly offered, “The next clue will cost two hundred high-grade spirit stones.” This price was both reasonable and fair, and as the top disciple of the Qidun Sect, Yun Rang had no reason to refuse. After settling the price, Yun Rang left. Yan Jue watched her retreating figure disappear around the mountain path, then took out a messaging talisman to summon her team for a meeting. Apart from Duan Lu Xi, all the team members were from the Shuiyun Sect. Huang Yi and Song Jia had a particularly convenient journey, and Muyen Sect was also very near to Shuiyun Sect, allowing Duan Lu Xi to arrive quickly. The small room filled with five people. Yan Jue instructed Zhu He to bring out the green jade glaze pot, placed on the table, lit by incense. Shortly, the table was laden with dishes. Steaming hot food was served, and everyone chatted as they ate. Standing by the table, Yan Jue announced, “First, we now have the final clue.” She then spread the paper they had found that day across the table. The paper, extracted from a bamboo tube, was covered with intricate patterns. Everyone scrutinized the patterns, pondering deeply. Duan Lu Xi frowned slightly. “Is it a map?” Yan Jue brought out the Five Dragon Secret Realm map to compare with the patterned paper. As before, the lines appeared illogical, devoid of any semblance to a map. The food on the table cooled as they were no closer to solving the puzzle. Lightly tracing the rough paper with her fingertip, Yan Jue suddenly realized something, hesitating for a moment. She quickly pulled open a drawer, extracting a sheet of letter paper, and compared the two. The patterned paper revealed its difference—being noticeably thicker than ordinary paper. A sudden thought struck Yan Jue; she began rifling through the papers on the table. **Yan Jue lifted the bowl, poured water into it, and soaked the paper.** Song Jia watched anxiously beside her, nearly stunned. "Senior Sister Yan, this is our next clue!" Yan Jue submerged the paper in the water, yet it didn’t wrinkle like ordinary paper. Indeed, as she suspected. Under sunlight, the dampened paper became slightly translucent, revealing something underneath. The intricate patterns were merely a decoy; the true secret lay within the paper itself. Duan Lu Xi quickly caught on and handed over a pair of scissors. Yan Jue felt the edge of the paper and sensed a rougher area—it had been deliberately stitched together. Carefully, she snipped the paper open, and inside fell a thin, hidden package. A concealed formation likely protected what was inside, preventing it from being easily discovered. Yan Jue tore open the package, spilling out a collection of tawny fragments. Everyone looked on, puzzled. Suddenly it clicked for Yan Jue—the logic of the Five Dragon Sect's puzzle. She halfheartedly fit two pieces together. This was indeed the real next clue. These fragments formed a puzzle; once completed, they would reveal what the sect genuinely wanted them to find out. That afternoon, Yan Jue and her team spent hours piecing the fragments together in their room. The pile was immense, totaling hundreds of pieces. Even after two hours, only a small portion was complete. At this pace, who knew when they’d finish. Yan Jue yawned. “Let’s continue tomorrow.” --- Once Duan Lu Xi and the others left, Yan Jue stored away the fragments and headed to the Icy Peach Courtyard. Stepping inside, she found Qi Xian Qing kneeling solemnly on the floor, a serious expression on her face. Qi Xian Qing had gathered several shenguang incense, which she lit in front of the leaves holding the sect leader's spirit. Incense was essential for maintaining spirits. The soul of the culinary spirit from the jade-green glaze pot was supported with blessing incense, the least expensive type. Dragon incense was mid-range, while shenguang incense was the finest available. As the chief disciple of the Zhenhuo Sect, Qi Xian Qing had ample resources, and naturally, she provided the best for the sect leader. The small bluish-black spirit of the Five Dragon Sect Master sat cross-legged on the bodhi leaves, diligently absorbing the incense's spiritual energy. For reasons unknown, Yan Jue felt a pang of discomfort watching this scene. Standing behind Qi Xian Qing, she cleared her throat. The Five Dragon Sect Master frowned, clearly displeased by the interruption during his meditation. A mischievous idea struck Yan Jue, prompting her to step forward and embrace Qi Xian Qing's waist, pressing her downwards with playful force. Caught off guard, Qi Xian Qing crumpled into a prone position, turning to meet Yan Jue's merry gaze. Mu Zhongzi opened his eyes, his brow involuntarily furrowing. Since that day, this junior disciple had persistently lingered by Qi Xian Qing's side. The sect leader entrusted Qi Xian Qing greatly, especially at this most vulnerable moment in his state, preferring to have no one else around him. Just as the sect master intended to speak, he caught sight of the girl giving Qi Xian Qing a soft, teasing glance, before affectionately kissing her neck, her expression shy and delicate.