Shui Ling had previously shared quite a bit of information with Yang Kai about the situation in this region, even going so far as to admit frankly that if ranked according to the faction tiers from the Great Han side, the Water God Temple would only barely qualify as a first-rate power here, given that it had a Sacred Realm expert in residence.
Her modesty had led Yang Kai to assume the Water God Temple wasn't particularly impressive.
But now, watching the way the expressions of these Pride Alliance members shifted, he suddenly felt that the faction Shui Ling came from was actually not bad at all.
At the very least, the group led by the young woman had turned visibly grave the moment they heard the name "Water God Temple." Their hostility diminished considerably, replaced by a flicker of wariness in their eyes.
The young woman glanced at Shui Ling with some hesitation, then she and the others took several steps back and began whispering among themselves.
Yang Kai had no idea what they were discussing, nor did he have any intention of eavesdropping on their private conversation. He simply waited quietly.
Shui Ling looked entirely at ease. She hadn't been sure what place this was before and hadn't dared reveal her identity, but once she heard them claim to be from the Pride Alliance, her worries evaporated.
After all, the Water God Temple wasn't particularly far from the Pride Alliance—only about half a round trip by foot—and the two sides even had occasional trade dealings. They were on reasonably friendly terms.
The Pride Alliance members whispered among themselves while periodically glancing at Yang Kai and Shui Ling, apparently debating whether Shui Ling's claims were genuine.
After quite some time, the young woman finally let out a soft breath and called out to Shui Ling, "Miss, you say you're from the Water God Temple. Do you have any proof?"
"I do." Shui Ling smiled, produced a deep blue jade token, and tossed it casually toward the young woman.
The young woman caught it and probed it carefully with her senses. Her expression grew even more solemn. She nodded and said, "This jade token does indeed contain the power of water. It was likely carved by an expert proficient in water-based forces. However, I'm sorry—we've never seen this particular token before, so we can't confirm that you're truly a disciple of the Water God Temple."
As she spoke, she tossed the jade token back. Though the hostility on her face had lessened considerably, a measure of vigilance remained.
She pondered for a moment, then said, "How about this—if it's not too much trouble, would you two be willing to stay at our Pride Alliance base for a few days? If we can verify that you really are a disciple of the Water God Temple, then we'll consider today's incident as if it never happened. But if not... well, you understand."
Her words balanced soft and hard approaches, delivered with neither servility nor arrogance—a display of both meticulous thinking and the ability to adapt on the spot.
"Sure." Shui Ling giggled and readily agreed.
Her identity was genuine, after all. Once the Pride Alliance people looked into it, they would figure that out soon enough.
"Yang Kai, what do you think?" Shui Ling turned to consult his opinion as well. After all, Yang Kai was the type who responded poorly to coercion. If these people were too heavy-handed about detaining them, it might provoke his darker side, and things could spiral into a fight.
Yang Kai shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. I don't really have anywhere to be anyway."
Shui Ling let out an inward sigh of relief.
The young woman nodded warmly. "Then please, follow us!"
With that, she took the lead, and Yang Kai and Shui Ling followed behind her. Meanwhile, the six or seven Shenyou Realm cultivators positioned themselves behind the pair, forming an encirclement from both front and back.
Such caution spoke volumes about their wariness.
As they traversed the swampy terrain, the young woman also made casual conversation with Shui Ling, fishing for information. Shui Ling had nothing to fear and naturally didn't hold anything back.
The more they talked, the more the young woman felt that Shui Ling didn't seem to be lying.
"Oh, by the way, what's the deal with this Crimson Blood Orchid you mentioned?" Shui Ling asked casually.
The young woman let out a bitter laugh and, without holding back, recounted everything that had just happened.
When she finished, Shui Ling turned to Yang Kai and stuck her tongue out.
Yang Kai wore a perfectly innocent expression—he genuinely hadn't known they were in the middle of something critical.
"Now that it's escaped, it'll be at least half a year before it resurfaces. There's even a good chance it'll leave this swamp entirely. Finding it again will be next to impossible," the young woman sighed.
"Is this Crimson Blood Orchid really that important to you?"
"Not particularly important to us, but it's absolutely essential for the young master of the Langya Blessed Land. We promised to deliver the Crimson Blood Orchid to the Langya Blessed Land people in half a month. Now that we've lost a celestial treasure, I have no idea how we'll explain it."
"The young master of the Langya Blessed Land—Mu Hui? Is he injured?" Shui Ling exclaimed in surprise.
"Do you know Young Master Mu?"
"Yes, I do." Shui Ling nodded.
The young woman's eyes flickered, and she suddenly broke into a smile, her attitude becoming noticeably warmer. "It seems you really are from the Water God Temple."
"Of course. Our Water God Temple and the Langya Blessed Land are on good terms. Since Mu Hui needs it, I might be able to help you."
"Oh?" The young woman halted in her tracks and looked at her quently.
"That Crimson Blood Orchid fled into the mud, correct?"
"That's right."
"Take me to the spot where it disappeared, and I'll see if I can find it again."
The Pride Alliance members stared at Shui Ling in blank astonishment. After a long moment, the young woman shook her head with a bitter smile. "Miss, I appreciate the offer, but this swamp is nothing but mud and water beneath the surface, stretching thousands of zhang deep. Even a water-attribute expert wouldn't be able to locate it. I know the Water God Temple focuses on water-based cultivation techniques and martial skills, but..."
"I'm not limited to water-based powers alone." Shui Ling smiled confidently.
She was naturally a Water Spirit Body—a special constitution. In places with water, she could unleash far beyond her normal capabilities.
The young woman hesitated briefly, then suddenly nodded, turned, and headed in a different direction. "Then follow me."