Though Feng Yan had taken part in many missions, he had never traveled this far before. After witnessing those terrifying scenes, even he felt his scalp tingling—let alone Du Lingfei.
Fortunately, despite encountering many fearsome beings along the way, none of them had shown any aggression toward the group. At most, they had only glanced at them. It seemed as if some aura on the trio kept them from provoking these beasts.
Bai Xiaochun speculated that it might be because they were disciples of the Spirit Stream Sect. After all, this vast territory was under the influence of that sect.
And so, the three of them continued onward in a state of constant tension. Every month, they would report their location to the sect at the designated time. After two long months, they finally arrived at the edge of the sect's domain—**the Falling Star Mountains**.
Along the way, Feng Yan had thought about making another move, but the terrifying things they encountered left him deeply uneasy. Bai Xiaochun's cautiousness also made him constantly stick close to Du Lingfei, leaving Feng Yan with no chance to strike. So he endured in silence.
Now, standing at the edge of the Falling Star Mountains, a glint of malice flashed through Feng Yan's eyes when he looked at Bai Xiaochun—something others wouldn't notice.
"He's really dead set on killing me… What kind of grudge is this?" Bai Xiaochun was deeply troubled. With his keen intuition, he had long seen through Feng Yan's intentions.
The Falling Star Mountains stretched north to south endlessly, like a massive serpent slithering across the land, as if splitting the world in two.
From a distance, the sky on the other side of the mountains even appeared faintly red.
Legend said that long ago, a star had fallen from the heavens and crashed into this place, causing the ground to collapse. A portion of it rose up, forming this vast mountain range.
Inside the mountains, dense forests and ferocious beasts abounded. But there were also many rare herbs and plants, making it a place filled with danger and opportunity that often lured cultivators in.
"This is the Falling Star Mountains," Du Lingfei said softly. The long journey had exhausted her, and now that they had reached their destination, she finally relaxed.
"This is where Junior Brother Hou last contacted the sect." Feng Yan slapped his storage pouch and pulled out a compass-like magical item.
It had a single needle that spun rapidly.
"According to the sect's regulations, disciples must report their position every month. This Spiritstream Compass can point us to the location of Hou Shidi's last transmission." As he spoke, the needle abruptly stopped, pointing in a specific direction.
"We found it!" Feng Yan took off at once. Du Lingfei's expression changed slightly as she followed.
Bai Xiaochun looked out over the forested mountain range. The vast greenery stretched as far as the eye could see, the dense canopy broken only by the occasional beast cry or distant roar.
Frowning, he activated the protective light of his jade pendant, making sure that he would detect any disturbance instantly. Only then did he move forward cautiously, keeping a safe distance from Feng Yan.
Feng Yan and Du Lingfei advanced quickly into a mountain valley filled with ancient trees. Their trunks twisted like giant pythons, knotted and gnarled. In the dark of night, they would surely look terrifying.
An hour later, deep in the valley, the trio stopped abruptly. Feng Yan looked down at the compass—the needle was now pointing directly at a massive tree, so thick it would take ten people holding hands to encircle it.
"Junior Brother Bai, go check it out," Feng Yan said, pointing to the tree.
Bai Xiaochun hesitated, eyeing the tree carefully. After confirming nothing seemed off, he pressed the jade pendant at his waist. The green glow surrounding his body grew thicker, and he even pulled out several talismans, sticking them to his robe. Then, inching forward three steps at a time, he slowly approached.
"So afraid of dying—how did he even choose to cultivate?" Du Lingfei snorted. She already disliked Bai Xiaochun, and though she too had faced danger on this journey, Bai Xiaochun's extreme caution was increasingly irritating to her.
Bai Xiaochun ignored her. Cautiously reaching the tree, he took out a flying sword and peeled back some of the bark. Spotting a patch of fresh growth, he pried it open—revealing a hidden jade slip inside.
He carefully extracted it and sent a stream of spiritual energy into it. His face changed slightly before tossing the slip to Feng Yan.
Inside was a single, incomplete sentence:
**"I discovered another lead—going to verify it at the Luochen Clan..."**
Feng Yan frowned after reading it and passed it to Du Lingfei, who also frowned in thought.
"The Luochen Clan…" she muttered after a long pause, gazing deeper into the mountain range.
The Falling Star Mountains were enormous, filled with resources, and located on the border between the Spirit Stream Sect and the Blood Stream Sect. Naturally, the sect had stationed a guardian clan here: the **Luochen Clan**.
The Luochen Clan had many members and had guarded this region for a thousand years. Each generation had a Foundation Establishment elder, making them strong enough to defend the area.
Their mission even mentioned that if they encountered danger, they could seek aid from the Luochen Clan.
But now, the jade slip left by Hou Yunfei pointed toward the Luochen Clan—and he had vanished after going there to investigate something.
"What do you think? Should we visit the Luochen Clan?" Feng Yan asked casually, glancing at Bai Xiaochun before turning to Du Lingfei.
"Senior Brother Feng, Senior Sister Du, since we found the jade slip, our mission is complete. We should prioritize safety—why take unnecessary risks?" Bai Xiaochun quickly replied, glancing around uneasily. This place gave him a bad feeling.
Du Lingfei hesitated. If they returned now, she figured they'd only receive the basic reward. But if they uncovered more leads, they might earn a higher reward.
Seeing her uncertainty, Feng Yan frowned. If they returned now, he might lose his chance to kill Bai Xiaochun. So he spoke calmly.
"I think we should check it out. Since we're already here, we should get to the bottom of what happened to Junior Brother Hou. The Luochen Clan might even help us search. That would increase our reward."
"Besides… as long as we don't go too deep into the mountains and stay near the edge, there won't be much danger. As for the Luochen Clan, humph—they're under the Spirit Stream Sect. All their bloodlines bear the sect's mark. They are bound for life and cannot betray us. How could they dare be disrespectful?" Feng Yan's voice was slow and steady, then he looked at Du Lingfei.
She nodded. What he said made sense to her.
"Alright, let's visit the Luochen Clan. Maybe Junior Brother Hou disappeared after leaving there."
Seeing her agree, Feng Yan smiled. A trace of coldness flashed in his eyes when he looked at Bai Xiaochun.
"Our mission is already complete—why complicate things further?" Bai Xiaochun frowned.
"If you're afraid, then don't come," Du Lingfei snapped. She didn't wait for a reply and immediately headed out.
"Junior Brother Bai," Feng Yan said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "I'm responsible for this mission's evaluation. If we don't move forward together, I'll have no choice but to note it down. With Du Lingfei as witness, I can mark you for dereliction of duty. The Discipline Hall won't be easy on you."
Bai Xiaochun's face darkened. His blood surged. As he watched Feng Yan walk ahead, red veins appeared in his eyes. Though he feared death, he was beginning to understand: the only way to survive was to strike first and eliminate Feng Yan.
**"You're forcing my hand, Feng Yan!"** Bai Xiaochun stood silently for a moment, then lowered his head and followed after them.
The three slowly disappeared into the forest.
Two hours later, after nonstop travel, the sky had dimmed. As the sun set in the distance, darkness crept into the forest.
"We're here," Feng Yan said suddenly.
The trio came to a stop. Ahead, the forest thinned out, revealing an area paved with green stone tiles.
Several traditional courtyard homes formed a sizable estate—enough to house hundreds. But though it was only dusk, when the household should be bustling with activity, the entire compound was eerily dark and silent. It blended with the night, giving off an atmosphere of desolation.
Only the two lanterns hanging beside the front gate gave off a faint glow. No wind blew, yet the lanterns swayed gently, casting strange shadows on the two stone lion statues guarding the entrance.
The sight made both Feng Yan and Du Lingfei's expressions change.
As for Bai Xiaochun, the moment he saw the manor, an intense sense of danger surged in his chest—as if every fiber of his being was screaming at him.
**"Something's not right…"** Feng Yan muttered, a chill creeping up his spine. But before he could finish speaking—
**Creak…**
The front gate of the estate suddenly opened with a groan.
A gust of cold wind blew out from within.
And faintly… a shadowy figure silently appeared just inside the doorway.