Chapter 18: Finally Laying All the Cards on the Table

“A master has arrived at our Sanqing Mountain; they wiped out the cat demon last night.”

“Wait, really? Didn't Senior Sister Luo say this morning that Senior Brother Ke was the one who did it?”

“Nonsense. I was there last night, and it was already dead by the time I arrived.”

“Is it that person who wiped out the spirits at the back mountain training grounds last time? The one they still haven't caught?”

“I bet it's them. That person is too powerful; a cat demon has so many lives, yet they were wiped out in minutes.”

……

Outside the main hall of Sanqing Palace, several disciples gathered under a large tree, waiting to be summoned.

The Sect Leader and the Elders were currently dealing with the aftermath of last night's events. An Zhi had come to deliver the *Demon Subjugation Records* following the instructions of Fan Jin and Fan Jin's subordinate.

Just as she stepped out of the doorway, An Zhi overheard her fellow disciples discussing last night's incident. They were making it sound legendary, spreading wild rumors that some incredible demon hunter had come to Sanqing Mountain to challenge the sect.

“Hehe!” An Zhi couldn't help but chuckle as she quickened her pace.

However, just as she was about to head down the mountain, her mood soured. She saw Luo Ling marching toward her angrily, brandishing a whip, followed by three female disciples. Judging by her expression, it looked like she had just been scolded again.

An Zhi didn't even want to look at the woman's face. She wanted to hide, but there was only one path down the mountain.

With no other choice, she could only brace herself and keep walking forward.

“Shen An Zhi.” Luo Ling’s gaze was sharp. “Instead of looking after the old man in the Blessed Land, what are you doing running around here?”

The question was utterly devoid of grace. An Zhi rolled her eyes but still gave her the courtesy of a formal salute. “Senior Sister, Martial Uncle Fan sent me to deliver something. It’s nothing important; I’m heading back.”

With that, An Zhi turned to leave.

“Stop.” Luo Ling was already in a foul mood, and seeing An Zhi’s defiant attitude, she blocked her path. “I’ll say it one more time: don't think that just because you've reached the Blessed Land, I can't control you. From now on, you are only allowed to stay within the Blessed Land.”

Luo Ling’s tone was unfriendly, a blatant threat.

“Are you just looking for trouble?” An Zhi asked abruptly.

In Luo Ling's eyes, she wasn't afraid of An Zhi's anger, but rather her sudden, blunt attitude, which felt like a complete lack of respect. Infuriated, she snapped, “Heh, me? Looking for trouble? Why would I bother arguing with someone like you, who has no talent and is only fit to serve an old man?”

“You!” An Zhi was so angry she nearly coughed up blood, momentarily speechless.

Seeing An Zhi silenced by rage, Luo Ling grew even more smug. “Don't even dream about participating in a battle as spectacular as last night's for the rest of your life. Just go back and serve old man Fan properly, hahahaha!”

“Hmph, 'spectacular'? No one even knows who wiped out that cat demon. You have a lot of nerve being so shameless,” An Zhi countered, finding her footing. She knew how much Luo Ling valued her reputation.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Senior Brother Ke destroyed it with his Buddhist whisk!” As soon as Luo Ling finished, she felt her own confidence waver.

An Zhi gave a faint smile. “Hehe, keep making it up. Go on...”

Facing An Zhi's provocation in front of her three junior sisters, Luo Ling felt she was losing face. “Shen An Zhi, just you wait!”

With that, Luo Ling led the three disciples quickly toward the main hall; after all, the Elders were waiting.

Walking along the small paths of Sanqing Mountain, An Zhi’s mood improved once she calmed down. She even made a special stop at Longxing Platform to watch the sun setting over the mountain.

Thinking about the eight demon seals she had collected in total—which, after spiritual energy conversion, made her a bona fide Five-Qian Demon Hunter—she felt that all the grievances were worth it. At least the future looked promising.

With a light step, she wound her way through several paths and returned to the Blessed Land.

But the moment she arrived, she realized something was wrong.

Fan Jin was standing quietly under a peach tree, leaning on his cane. Beside him, on a stone pedestal, the Spirit Snake was encased in a layer of golden light.

This was not simple. An Zhi looked at the Spirit Snake curled up on the pedestal.

“You're back!” Fan Jin turned around slowly.

“Ma... Martial Uncle, hello. The items have been delivered.” An Zhi spoke, but her eyes never left the Spirit Snake.

Fan Jin leaned on his cane and slowly sat down in a rattan chair. He said nothing.

*Hiss... hiss...*

The Spirit Snake looked exhausted; it had tried to rise and flick its tongue twice, only to fail both times.

“Snake Bao, Snake Bao!” An Zhi stepped forward to grab the snake, but she couldn't break through the golden light.

“It is an evil spirit,” Fan Jin said with a sigh. “The Sanqing Blessed Land is the source of Sanqing Mountain's true essence. No demon spirit should be able to get close, yet this snake managed to hide within the Blessed Land without being detected by bypassing the true essence.”

An Zhi froze for a few seconds before dropping to her knees, her eyes turning red.

This sudden action caught Fan Jin off guard; he stood up in surprise, not expecting her to kneel.

However, after regaining his composure, he slowly sat back down in the rattan chair.

“I... I know you've been good to me. You know everything I've done. When I was injured by a demon, you sent me medicine; when I wanted to advance, you 'accidentally' dropped the Yuhua Sword for me to find.” As An Zhi spoke, tears began to fall. “For this past year, I've either been bullied on this mountain or set up by others. Only you and Snake Bao have been kind to me.”

An Zhi was right. Her current achievements were inseparable from Fan Jin's help. He had turned a blind eye to her actions and even occasionally dropped hints to guide her, all for her sake.

“Last time, when you made me chop wood all night, you were actually protecting me. You knew Elder Taiqing had already ambushed the back mountain training grounds, waiting for me to take the bait.” An Zhi didn't want the Spirit Snake to be harmed, and she felt a deep, soul-baring gratitude toward those who were kind to her. “Last night, in the Bamboo Forest, Snake Bao helped me wipe out the cat demon. I collected eight demon seals in total.”

An Zhi pulled eight demon seals from her pocket, placed them on the ground, and continued, “I haven't converted a single one yet.”

Looking at the red-eyed, sobbing child before him, Fan Jin immediately stood up and helped her to her feet. “I have no intention of blaming you. If I wanted to blame you, I would have confined you to this Blessed Land long ago.”

“I know.” An Zhi wiped her tears and snot and continued, “The Yuhua Sword recognizes its master. When I tried to take it, I almost froze to death, but your image appeared in my mind. The Yuhua Sword knew that you had accepted me, so it accepted me too.”

“Sigh!” Fan Jin let out a long, helpless sigh. “I didn't expect you to turn Sanqing Mountain upside down. The Sect Leader was furious today; he gave Ke Dasheng and Elder Shangqing a severe reprimand.”

“Thank you. And thank you, Snake Bao.” An Zhi knelt again and kowtowed. “Martial Uncle, please let it go. It has never done anything wicked.”

Fan Jin looked back at the sealed Spirit Snake on the stone pedestal, his mind filled with questions.

The Sanqing Blessed Land was the dragon vein and the source of the mountain's true essence. No demon spirit could enter; even a Demon Venerable with a thousand years of cultivation would retreat from its powerful essence. Yet, this Spirit Snake moved through the Blessed Land as if it were an empty room.

More importantly, Fan Jin had previously thought An Zhi's success was entirely due to her own efforts and his guidance. It wasn't until last night that he realized the Spirit Snake had played a crucial role in her achievements.

“Martial Uncle,” An Zhi pleaded again when she saw he remained silent. “*Sob*... I can't be without it, just like I can't be without you.”

An Zhi was truly devastated. If Fan Jin destroyed the Spirit Snake, what would happen when Fan Jin could no longer walk in a few years? Facing the massive void left by the Sanqing Palace, where would her path lead?

“Get up.”

Fan Jin concentrated his powerful spiritual energy into his finger and struck the stone pedestal. The golden light surrounding the Spirit Snake vanished instantly.

“Snake Bao, Snake Bao!” An Zhi cradled the snake in her palms, her tears falling one by one onto its body.

The Spirit Snake, which had looked as though it were about to wither away, suddenly twitched its two antennae. “Hehe, don't be sad. I'm fine.”

Seeing the snake speak, An Zhi kissed it in excitement.

“*Sob*... Martial Uncle, thank you! Thank you, Martial Uncle!” An Zhi cried out in gratitude.

……

(End of Chapter)