Chapter 11: Different Paths, Different Plans Section 2: An Unintense Pursuit and Battle

Section 2: The Unrelenting Pursuit

The envoy’s group suddenly became aware of the Flying Immortal Sect’s followers pursuing from behind. At first, Bu Jingshan harbored some doubts, but upon learning that the leader was Qiu Ye, and that they followed without blocking the path or questioning, he guessed that Qiu Ye had come to recruit experts for the State of Chu, which eased his mind.

The Flying Immortal Sect’s elite trailed for two days. That day, a guard from the envoy’s team reported that the Martial Venerable of Zheng, named July, was also trailing behind. Upon receiving this news, Chu Gaoge’s expression grew grave. He finally dismounted, turned his horse, and rode to greet them.

“I wonder where Martial Venerable July leads your men. If you do not mind, why not travel together? It would be an opportunity to exchange martial knowledge along the way,” Chu Gaoge offered.

“We appreciate the kindness of Crown Prince Chu. Our sect crosses borders only to find our enemy, Bai Ling. We dare not disturb Your Highness,” Qiu Ye replied politely, though Chu Gaoge understood it as a veiled threat.

The Flying Immortal Sect was effectively a state within the state of Zheng, known to all. If they insisted on conflict, they would not hesitate to offend Chu Gaoge. He also knew Qiu Ye’s independent nature and had witnessed July’s reckless and willful behavior during the Divine Martial Arena—July was even more unruly than Qiu Ye. Chu Gaoge smiled faintly, remounted, and rejoined his carriage.

On the eve before crossing the border, Chu Gaoge sought out Bai Ling and her daughter, persuading them to disguise themselves, don Chu’s guard armor, and depart under cover of night. Bai Ling and her daughter, well aware of the overwhelming enemy forces and unwilling to rely on Chu Gaoge’s sympathy, knew that crossing the border alone was fraught with danger. They bowed in thanks and agreed to his plan.

Clad in guard armor, Bai Ling and her daughter slipped away from the inn under the veil of darkness. Shortly after their departure, Bu Jingshan left as well.

He suspected the Flying Immortal Sect’s pursuit was intended to pressure Bai Ling and her daughter into separation. Though Chu Gaoge appeared to care for them, he was keen to prevent the situation from escalating and involving too many. He clearly anticipated that their disguise and departure would not fool the Flying Immortal Sect. Once Bai Ling and her daughter left, the sect’s followers would surely give chase, and no one would notice his own departure.

Bu Jingshan ran through the night, reaching the mountains beside the border city. Upon climbing into the forest and sensing safety, he finally stopped to rest. Having escaped Zheng, Bu Jingshan felt a great relief. After a brief rest, he shed the heavy Chu guard armor, feeling light and unencumbered, and hurried onward through the night without delay.

After traveling for about an hour in the mountains, he suddenly heard strange noises from a distance. Cautious, Bu Jingshan found no safe hiding places nearby and hurried to a cliff’s edge. Spotting a large rock beneath the cliff that could conceal a person, he quickly leaped down and hid.

Meanwhile, Bai Ling and her daughter, following Chu Gaoge’s advice, disguised themselves as guards and left the inn. Bai Ling, having weathered countless storms in her life, understood Chu Gaoge’s intentions and knew their escape would not fool the Flying Immortal Sect. Before departing, they feigned requesting help from two nearby guards to buy supplies. Bai Ling’s daughter’s beauty, along with the generous silver offered, made the two resting soldiers eager to accept the money and seek out shops.

Once the two soldiers left, Bai Ling and her daughter slipped away in the opposite direction.

Under the cover of night, the mother and daughter carefully navigated through alleys, avoiding main roads to the border city, and ascended the mountains.

Bai Ling cursed, “That wretched Crown Prince! To avoid involving others, he’s willing to abandon us mother and daughter. How detestable!”

“Mother, why must we return to Chu after escaping this time?” the daughter asked.

“We live under the eaves and must bow our heads. To rebuild the White Palace, we have no choice but to endure. Hurry, this ruse won’t fool Qiu Ye for long,” Bai Ling replied, urging her daughter onward.

They climbed higher, unwilling to rest, pressing forward for over an hour.

Both were internal martial arts masters, relying heavily on internal energy cultivation, which drained their vitality. At last, they paused to rest. Suddenly, a cold snort echoed through the dark forest.

Startled, the mother and daughter sprang to their feet, eyes alert toward the sound’s origin.

From the pitch-black woods, several figures emerged, led by none other than Qiu Ye.

“You sly vixen thinks you can slip away like a cicada molting its shell? You greatly underestimate us,” Qiu Ye sneered.

Mistaking the absence of Martial Venerable July as a sign that Qiu Ye had divided their forces for caution, Bai Ling and her daughter realized their plan had not escaped notice.

“You think a few of you can hold us back? Qiu Ye, you are far too arrogant!” Bai Ling drew her sword in a swift motion.

“Empty threats. Your strength has barely recovered to seventy percent; you’re not worth my attention,” Qiu Ye said, pulling off Bai Ling’s headdress, letting her hair fall freely across her chest. Bai Ling, sensing the imminent attack, whispered urgently, “Go quickly! The revival of the White Palace depends on you!”

Her daughter gripped her arm tightly. “Mother! We still have a chance to win…”

“Go! Do you want me to die with regrets?” Bai Ling’s eyes blazed with fury as she snapped.

“Still sacrificing yourself to protect others, you sly fox?” Qiu Ye flung off her outer robe and shouted sharply.

The mother and daughter braced themselves. As Qiu Ye’s black hair flew wildly, twenty-some glimmers of light appeared in the darkness, shooting almost simultaneously into their backs, forming the pattern of the Big Dipper constellation.

A figure leapt from dense branches to the ground—July. She looked coldly at the terrified and desperate mother and daughter.

Qiu Ye kicked Bai Ling’s daughter three meters through the air, sending her crashing to the ground. Grabbing Bai Ling by the throat, she lifted her off the ground completely.

“Shameless! A Martial Venerable resorting to treachery…” Bai Ling, knowing death was certain, began to speak but was cut short by Qiu Ye’s cruel manipulation of her tendons and bones, eliciting agonized screams.

“Hidden weapons are meant for treachery. Have you forgotten that’s what you said years ago?” Qiu Ye taunted as she punched Bai Ling’s energy core.

Bai Ling’s daughter, restrained by the Seven Star Lock technique, was kicked again by Qiu Ye, her face torn by rocks upon landing. Witnessing her mother’s torment, she cried out in fury, “Martial Venerable? If you have the guts, fight me one-on-one!”

“At the Divine Martial Arena, you had your chance. This isn’t a tournament—we are here to kill, not duel. No one will fight you,” Qiu Ye sneered as she slashed Bai Ling’s face with her nail. “You sly fox, tell me how should I torment you?”

Bai Ling writhed in pain, her face slashed and despair overwhelming her. She burned with hatred, desperate for revenge. Yet, they were ambushed and rendered powerless before they could even struggle.

“I’d rather die than at their hands!” she shouted, her face instantly swollen from Qiu Ye’s slap.

“Mother!” Bai Ling’s daughter screamed, her hatred blazing. Knowing she was powerless to save her mother, she steeled herself, turned, and dashed toward the cliff’s edge, leaping into the void.

Two Flying Immortal Sect warriors hurriedly gave chase but failed to catch her, helplessly watching her plunge down.

“Why bother? You, sly fox, have long been our sworn enemy. As for your daughter, I intended to grant her a swift end,” Qiu Ye said coldly.

Bai Ling glared at Qiu Ye with deep hatred, her pain rendering her speechless.

Though July felt little pity for Bai Ling’s daughter’s death, understanding enemies must be killed, she found Qiu Ye’s merciless torture of one so defenseless unsettling and urged, “Qiu Ye, give her a quick death…”

Unexpectedly, Qiu Ye flared with rage, sweeping her sleeve to push July aside and shouted, “A quick death? What do you know! Years ago, it was this sly fox who tortured and slaughtered our sect’s disciples. How many were mutilated and smeared with honey, left to rot in the mountains! Today, I will never grant her a quick death. This matter is none of your concern!”

Unaware of past grievances, July saw Qiu Ye’s hatred for Bai Ling and chose not to interfere further.