Flying – who doesn’t want this ability to soar through the skies?

  But don’t think Bubai was wasting his spirit stones just for the sake of it. The spirit sword was actually another cog in his plans.

  Bubai has never forgotten the ravine the spirit boat had flown over.

  If he wanted to cross unnoticed from the Sunrise Desert back to the orthodox territory of the Cloud Sword Sect, he will need flight capability of some sort.

  Compared to other universal flight artifacts like magic carpets or other magic tool mounts, the spirit sword was considered to be amongst the cheapest option.

  This was mainly due to its restrictive requirement of sword Qi.

  Only those sword cultivators at the foundation realm or above have sword Qi aplenty enough to drive a spirit sword to achieve the legendary sword riding!

  The cliché sword flight. It was once Bubai’s dream to touch the clouds through this avenue.

  Alas… gone were those days. His chance along with it.

  He has no sword art foundation. Without sword Qi, a spirit sword was nothing more than a stronger sword in his hands.

  But this didn’t mean the sky was forever out of reach…

  Not being able to fly solo doesn’t mean he can’t soar to the heavens in a duo!

  He can’t drive, but isn’t it just right that there’s a beauty next to him that can take him to fly?

  Of course, hitching a ride with others isn’t completely safe. He really didn’t dare to gamble before.

  Even though Xiao Lan seemed utterly bound to his boat called love, love was unpredictable as the wind.

  So, Bubai still had a shadow of doubt that she might turn against him or separate ways eventually.

  After all, a woman’s heart is like the eye of a needle at the bottom of the sea. Who knows what they’re really thinking!

  But now, with the tribulation seed of pleasure planted inside her…

  Eh. The future is an open sky of possibilities. Who knows what will happen.

  It’s just like playing stocks, and the spirit sword was just another investment on his part.

  After paying for the sword, Bubai slid it into his storage pouch.

  The shopkeeper watching this only gave him a faint eye roll, as if he'd seen it all before.

  When the couple turned to leave, the shopkeeper's perfunctory farewell drifted after them, "Golden Sun welcomes you anytime!"

  Stepping out into the cool air, Bubai tenderly took Xiao Lan's hand and helped her slide her glove back on.

  His eyes then lifted to meet the painting half-hidden in shadows. "After refinement, what level can you reach?"

  Her veiled gaze was steady, like the surface of a still lake. "Seven or eight cheng."

  Seventy to eighty percent. It wasn’t bad. But...

  "Oh, so still not perfect."

  "The best match comes from the companion sword selected from the Cloud Sword Tomb," Xiao Lan added, her tone bland, as if stating a simple fact.

  "Your companion sword…" Bubai began, but she cut him off with a single word.

  "Lost."

  She didn’t elaborate on when or where, but Bubai could easily guess it had been taken away, most likely when she was captured.

  A brief flash of sympathy crossed his face, but he quickly masked it.

  Squeezing her hand gently, Bubai promised, "One day... I’ll find it back for you."

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Xiao Lan looked back at him in silence, eventually bowing her head and acknowledging with a soft "En."

  Bubai smiled. "Let’s go home and cultivate."

  Beside him, the beauty adjusted her weimao, her movements graceful and unhurried as she slipped her hand into his.

  With lightness in their steps, Bubai led her forward, skirting around the edges of the plaza where the crowd was thinner.

  Too bad masking himself would likely invite law enforcers to stop him on the spot.

  Thus, the lack of a mask made him an easy target for curious or judgmental eyes. Finger-pointing and strange looks followed them, some clearly treating him like the butt of a joke.

  But not all were arrows aimed at his back.

  The hype over the festivities and upcoming competitions was clear as day.

  Along with these came rumors and gossips, bringing a particularly relevant news to his ears.

  "Why are all the scary tigresses from the Punishment Hall out with full force?"

  "Heard it’s a murder case."

  "Which poor bloke is it this time?"

  "It’s not just one, but an entire gang. A fellow tea brother of mine said it was the Hunter Gang."

  "Heh, those unscrupulous backstabbers? I say it’s retribution. They turned a blind eye when they went after so many sect members. Now they’ve finally kicked an iron plate."

  Another disciple took the chance to add some salt. "Speaking of this, don’t you think there’s a strange smell to it? I heard the entire gang vanished into thin air just like that... Even bodies couldn’t be found."

  "You don’t say. I almost thought there was an evil spirit on the loose."

  "Hey, where can there so many evil spirits?! Just tricksters pretending to be ghosts!"

  "Right! I heard the big shot behind them called for an investigation days ago, but there had been no movement… well, until today. I bet they’ve finally locked onto the culprit? Must be that missing guy..."

  Their fading echoes lingered in Bubai’s skipping heart like the scent of rain before a storm.

  He just buried the dead in the morn, and now the investigation was already catching on so fast?

  The unnerving speed left Bubai cursing inwardly.

  Must be that He Guofu guy. A smiling tiger when they met, but once they turned around, that guy was most likely playing tricks.

  Of course, if that was really the case, it wouldn’t bother him too much. It was all part of his plans, after all.

  For wealthy inner disciples, any outer disciple crime was a hefty fine at best. If caught, he can definitely afford it.

  The murder of a fellow inner disciple, one sheltered under an elder to boot, was another matter.

  Big versus small. Bubai can still judge which should be put first.

  His train of thought was: If the law enforcers diverted their force to chase after the breadcrumbs in the outer sect, they wouldn’t commit fully on investigating another matter.

  Alas... it seems that didn’t seem to be the case.

  After traveling another section of their journey, the truth was turned over.

  From afar, Bubai could already see a checkpoint set up on the road leading into the East District ahead.

  Several masked women garbed in black were stopping passerby disciples, sharply questioning them while showing a portrait. “Have you seen this man?”

  To his dismay, the painted portrait was of decent quality, and the unmistakable face on it made his stomach drop. Long Batian.

  Others might mistake the intentions of the hunt, but as the culprit behind both cases, Bubai couldn’t be more clear.

  The Law Enforcement Hall was already on the hunt.

  The partner in crime beside him similarly caught onto the clues. She glanced at him, sending out a voice transmission, "Okay?"

  Bubai nodded faintly, sending back a reply, "Fine. Just be waterproof on your end."

  "En."

  Cold confidence was etched into each of their assurances, but each step still must be more cautious than the last.

  So whilst they continued forward within their little bubble of calm as if nothing could bother them, they still weaved a new path through convenient detours to slip past the outer investigation net.

  Whether their movements looked suspicious or not hardly mattered. What must come will eventually come.

  The inevitable only made Bubai inwardly sigh.

  Merlin, so much was happening that it was sometimes hard to keep up with all the variables tangling together.

  If his life were a story, how wonderful it would be to skip ahead all this chaos and directly diving straight into the tournament.?

  Scratch that.

  It would be even better to time-skip to the moment he finally leaves this forsaken sect—if ever.

  Too bad reality was full of problems and refused to let him rest in these final days.

  Their safe arrival back at their tower only marked the arrival of another problem.

  When the tower entrance opened, Bubai barely had time to savor the homely atmosphere before another problem greeted them in an unwelcoming, arrogant drawl.

  "Tch. You've finally returned."

  Welcoming them home was the scoffing Xiao Hong, standing in the corridor with arms crossed in a stance of haughty impatience.

  "When I saw the tower was empty, I almost thought you ran away. Cowardice would suit human trash like you, after all."

  Run away? With the barrier caging the sect, there was nowhere to run.

  Even if he ran to hide in the outer sect, it would only delay the inevitable and likely brand him with an additional charge of absconding from crime.

  That’s why Bubai steeled himself and schemed to pull this arrogant vixen into the water in order to stay afloat rather than passively await his fate!

  Keeping his expression steady, Bubai met her disgusted gaze head-on. “What I say I’ll do, I won’t run from. Since you’re here, is it time?”

  Xiao Hong clicked her tongue in irritation. “Duh. Why else am I here? The elder is waiting. Whatever tricks you have left, this is your last chance. Don’t think for a moment you can wriggle your way out of this.”

  Giving him a final, disdainful glance, she turned on her heel, strutting away with an air of smug superiority. “Hurry up. I don’t have all day to waste on someone like you.”

  Bubai exchanged a glance with Xiao Lan. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, “I’ll be fine. Wait for me.”

  Xiao Lan’s cold fingers curled slightly around his, a subtle sign of her reluctance to let go, but she released his hand all the same.

  There was no room for hesitation, no room for turning back.

  So, the beauty was left behind and the man chased after the guiding crimson flame.

  The time had finally come for a showdown, one that would determine his coming fate within the sect!