From a distance, everything on the hill appeared perfectly normal, without the slightest change. In reality, however, this was nothing more than an illusory projection.
As Han Li gazed at the tree, the words once mentioned by
According to them, if circumstances permitted, the undercover agents planted among the Human and Demon Clans would arrange for a personal meeting with whoever came to collect the intelligence, so as to relay certain information that was inconvenient to commit to writing. But if the situation was simply too dangerous for a face-to-face encounter, then all the intelligence would be stored at the designated location for pickup.
His spiritual sense had already swept the area, and it was clear no one was coming in person.
In that case, the task was actually simpler. All he had to do was retrieve the item, and his mission would be complete.
With this thought in mind, Han Li wasted no more time. He extended a finger and drew it through the air before the ancient tree.
With a soft *pu-chi*, a streak of azure sword qi shot forth, and the charred tree split cleanly in two, toppling to either side.
A milky-white jade slip rolled out from within.
A look of pleasure crossed Han Li's face. He reached out with one hand through the air, and the jade slip immediately rose into the sky, hurtling straight toward him.
At that very moment, a muffled boom echoed from above. A bolt of golden light suddenly pierced through the illusory barrier Han Li had set up and shot straight for the jade slip.
Han Li's expression shifted slightly. Without a moment's hesitation, he raised one hand as azure light flashed, and a green luminous hand instantly materialized above the golden light, clawing downward.
A familiar, light giggle rang out as the golden light shattered like a phantom beneath the green hand's grasp. But the jade slip, which had been flying toward Han Li, suddenly halted in midair. A faint white shadow materialized beside it, and with a seemingly casual lift of the hand, it deftly plucked the jade slip from the air.
"Fellow Daoist Ye!" Han Li narrowed his eyes and instantly recognized the white shadow for what it truly was — none other than the white-robed young woman called
"Brother Han, it seems your journey went smoothly enough. You made it here with remarkable ease." The young woman's gaze drifted over the jade slip in her hand, and she spoke with a cheerful smile.
"What do you mean? Did Fairy Ye run into trouble on the way? I waited for you all at the exit of One Line Sky and at the forest's edge for quite some time, but there was no sign of you whatsoever. What happened?" A strange light flickered through Han Li's eyes as he asked.
"Quite simple, really. Fellow Daoist Long and I encountered that flock of wind serpents inside One Line Sky and had no choice but to scatter. To shake them off, we had to change our route, and we ran into a few more minor nuisances along the way. Naturally, you would never have crossed paths with us." The young woman smiled alluringly, revealing a hint of feminine charm.
Han Li's heart tightened slightly. He caught a subtle undercurrent in her words that gave him pause.
Before he could formulate a reply, a flash of green light suddenly appeared in the air to one side, and two more streaks of light shot into the clearing. As the radiance faded, a man and a woman were revealed.
The man was strikingly handsome, the woman breathtakingly beautiful — none other than Long Dong and the young woman,
"It's you!"
"So you really did get here ahead of us!"
Two entirely different exclamations rang out from the pair, both tinged with surprise.
It was Xiao Hong who showed a trace of astonishment upon seeing that Han Li had also arrived safely, while Long Dong's face lit up with visible delight at the sight of the white-robed young woman.
"It isn't that I'm fast — it's simply that the two of you were a bit slow." The white-robed young woman regarded them with a casual air.
"The item — Miss Ye has already retrieved it." Long Dong's gaze swept over the object in the young woman's hand, and a half-smile played across his face.
When Xiao Hong saw the jade slip resting in the white-robed young woman's grasp, her expression shifted subtly.
"That's right, I did just acquire this. Though in all fairness, it was Fellow Daoist Han who arrived first. I was merely a step ahead of the two of you by a narrow margin." The young woman let out a clear, pleasant laugh and spoke with an unhurried air.
"Brother Han, is this jade slip the only thing here?" Xiao Hong was silent for a moment before suddenly asking.
Han Li's mind stirred, but his outward expression remained calm as he nodded.
Seeing Han Li's answer, Xiao Hong fell silent. Long Dong said nothing, his eyes fixed on the young woman. The white-robed young woman, for her part, merely lowered her graceful head and smiled as she toyed with the jade slip in her hands.
In an instant, the clearing fell deathly silent. Yet the tension in the air grew unbearably heavy, like the ominous stillness before a storm.
"Little Sister Ye, might I trouble you to let me take a look at this jade slip first? Among the agents sent to the Wood Clan, there were several from our Black Phoenix Clan. There may well be messages from our people inside." Xiao Hong's expression softened, and she spoke with an amiable, pleasant tone.
"I'm afraid that won't do. I hope you'll forgive my candor, Sister Xiao, but the Wood Clan's agent roster also includes someone from our Ye family. Why don't I review it first and then hand it over to you?" The white-robed young woman pressed her lips together and offered a radiant smile.
At these words, Xiao Hong's face changed drastically, and she could no longer maintain her pleasant demeanor. Her gaze turned cold and dark.
"Since we've already retrieved the item, this is no place to linger. We should leave this forest as quickly as possible," Long Dong said in an even, unperturbed voice.
"That was my intention as well." The white-robed young woman agreed readily, without the slightest hesitation.
Xiao Hong's lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing.