Chapter 12: Fox Tail

"Li Changshou should have just stuck with one of the pairs; why did he have to split into three groups!" Jiu Jiu, sitting cross-legged on a gray cloud amidst the mist above the Misty Forest, thumped her knees in frustration. She yearned to take a long swig from her wine gourd to alleviate the anxiety gnawing at her.

She hadn't anticipated so many disciples would come to the North Continent for this cultivation trial; four of them were even precious Immortal Seeds of the sect, meaning no mishaps could occur. Now, with these five individuals boldly splitting into three groups, Jiu Jiu felt immense pressure.

They were all so... recklessly naive! But then she recalled that when she was a young disciple, her ambition was just as boundless.

Jiu Jiu casually pulled out her wine gourd and removed the stopper, but after a brief hesitation, she replaced it. "Never mind," she muttered, "I'll hold out for another twenty days."

The miasma prevented Jiu Jiu's immortal sense, even at the True Immortal Realm, from extending too far. Fortunately, this was only the outer perimeter of the North Continent, where venomous beasts were not particularly strong, and human cultivators or demon races rarely operated. The latter typically ventured into deeper parts of the region.

After a moment's thought, Jiu Jiu turned to Yuwen Ling, who stood on the gray cloud behind her. She had intended to instruct him to follow Youqin Xuanya and Yuan Qing, which would considerably lessen her own burden. However, just as the words reached her lips, Jiu Jiu blinked slightly, recalling Li Changshou's message to her when she kicked him: "Martial Aunt Jiu, individuals with unknown origins are always suspicious; one should not trust them lightly."

The words Li Changshou had transmitted to her when she kicked him echoed in her mind. While Jiu Jiu was somewhat dismissive, believing the large man behind her to be quite vulnerable, she still found herself hesitating.

"No matter," she thought, "these five youngsters are still within the range of my immortal sense, so there's no need to rush yet." As she steered the gray cloud forward, Jiu Jiu turned her head and instructed, "Big guy, stay close to me." "Rest assured, Immortal," Yuwen Ling replied with a bow, maintaining a distance of about ten meters as he followed her on his cloud.

The five disciples chose three distinct paths, naturally widening the distance between them as they progressed. After much deliberation, Jiu Jiu decided to temporarily trail Wang Qi and Liu Yan'er, as she felt relatively more assured about Yuan Qing and Youqin Xuanya.

As for Li Changshou... While Jiu Jiu was quite concerned, she couldn't simply abandon the two pairs to protect him alone; that would be far too blatant a display of favoritism. Instead, she resolved to alternate trailing the three groups, ensuring her protective presence was evenly distributed among them.

According to the rules of the cultivation trial, the sect's immortals were only responsible for bringing disciples to the destination and allowing them to undergo the trial, with minimal further intervention. It was understood that "life and death are decreed, and wealth is heaven-sent"; rapid growth in perilous environments necessitated accepting the risk of losing disciples.

Jiu Jiu's immortal sense showed Youqin Xuanya and Yuan Qing swiftly heading towards their designated area. The pond where 'Anhuo Mingxin Grass' grew was considered one of the safer zones within the Misty Forest. Though they didn't dare to fly, their ground speed was respectable. They maintained a brisk pace, one behind the other, with little communication, and easily repelled any occasional attacks from venomous beasts.

Jiu Jiu could observe Wang Qi and Liu Yan'er simply by looking down. The two walked and chatted, seemingly developing a slight mutual affection. While they frequently encountered attacks from venomous beasts and insects, they handled them calmly, demonstrating considerable strength. "Though nothing significant is happening," she mused, "I'm inexplicably irritated."

Jiu Jiu's lips pursed. She shifted her immortal sense to check on Li Changshou... He was gone! Had he been dismembered by venomous beasts so quickly? Or perhaps swallowed whole by some ferocious creature?

Jiu Jiu's brows furrowed deeply, and she immediately amplified her immortal sense to search. No, that wasn't it. There was some method shielding her immortal sense. She could still detect his aura to the north, moving at an incredibly fast pace—nearly twice as fast as Youqin Xuanya and Yuan Qing!

"That damned ninth-stage Spirit Transformation realm cultivator! Rushing into the depths of the Misty Forest, are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Jiu Jiu silently raged, looking up, her already stretched hemp robes flapping wildly around her.

She glanced at Wang Qi and Liu Yan'er, who were currently examining a poisonous flower. With a point of her left hand, she swiftly propelled her cloud in Li Changshou's direction. She would catch him and hand him directly over to Wang Qi for supervision!

Moments later, Jiu Jiu hovered directly above Li Changshou, matching his speed. As she looked down, her brows furrowed deeper and deeper. "This guy..." she thought.

He appeared to be using a 'Concealment Talisman' to mask his aura, preventing detection by distant ferocious beasts. Furthermore, Li Changshou wasn't risking aerial travel; instead, he was employing a highly sophisticated footwork technique called 'Swimming Dragon Seeking Cloud Steps.' His feet blurred into streaks of afterimages, demonstrating his ninth-stage Spirit Transformation cultivation to its absolute peak. "Wait, that medicinal cauldron hanging from his waist..."

Jiu Jiu sniffed, catching a faint, peculiar scent. After a moment of thought, her face registered surprise. "It's Red Sun Venomous Dragon Saliva?!"

Red Sun Venomous Dragons, native to the North Sea, relished preying on demonic beasts, venomous creatures, and ordinary beings. However, their excessive cruelty and widespread slaughter depleted the Dragon Race's already scarce fortune, leading to a massive purge by the Dragon Race tens of thousands of years ago. This Red Sun Venomous Dragon Saliva, though not exceptionally rare, was still quite valuable. Jiu Jiu wondered where Li Changshou had managed to acquire a piece. With it hanging by his side, ordinary venomous creatures wouldn't dare approach him—no wonder he was charging forward so fearlessly.

Jiu Jiu's eyebrows subtly arched. "This guy has certainly made a lot of preparations," she murmured. "It seems he genuinely has an urgent herb he wants to find. What could it be?" From behind her, Yuwen Ling's rough voice rumbled, "Immortal, why don't you go down and ask?"

"No need," Jiu Jiu said, stretching. "If one only cultivates under the sect's protection, they'll just be useless even after becoming an immortal." She glanced at Yuwen Ling behind her. "Come on, let's go check on your Highness. Don't go spreading rumors that I, your Martial Aunt, am biased." Yuwen Ling immediately nodded in agreement, looking somewhat eager, a fitting reaction for a loyal guard.

However, as Jiu Jiu turned and flew into the distance, a small black beetle flew out from beside Yuwen Ling's leg and burrowed into the gray cloud beneath his feet. This movement was incredibly subtle and timed precisely when Jiu Jiu was using her immortal sense to check on the other four disciples. Even though Jiu Jiu's cultivation far surpassed Yuwen Ling's, she failed to notice his small maneuver. After the two of them departed, the beetle continued to dart through the gray mist, closely tailing Li Changshou.

"Hmm?" Li Changshou looked up at the sky. Even amidst his rapid movement, he subtly sensed something unusual, as if a pair of eyes were watching him from above. However, a careful investigation revealed nothing amiss.

His Martial Aunt? Probably not, this gaze carried hostility. Adhering to the principle of "better safe than sorry," Li Changshou stopped, quickly formed hand seals, and muttered incantations. Subtle ripples immediately appeared on the gray-black ground before him.

He stepped into the ripples, his body swiftly sinking into the earth and vanishing in the blink of an eye. This was the Five-Element Escape Technique, specifically Earth Escape.

Moments later, Li Changshou emerged from a patch of grass about twenty-five kilometers away. The venomous insects and several venomous beasts that had gathered nearby swiftly scattered in all directions. The sensation of being watched had indeed vanished.

Li Changshou quickly assessed the surrounding terrain, then lowered his head and resumed his rapid sprint. He casually drew two talismans from his sleeve and affixed them to the outside of his thighs, causing his speed to surge even further. These were 'Thousand-Mile Swiftness Talismans,' relatively common charms designed to enhance the user's running speed, typically intended for novice Qi Refinement cultivators.

Li Changshou had already concluded that his group of five would definitely encounter some unforeseen events during this trial. Although the Misty Forest was dangerous, this particular area was merely the outermost perimeter of the North Continent. Cultivators at the Return to Void realm could easily navigate it with a bit of caution, despite the North Continent's formidable reputation.

But then there was Yuwen Ling, who had appeared out of nowhere; Yuan Qing, who always seemed so kind; Youqin Xuanya, seemingly cold but likely unsophisticated beneath the surface; and the princess, representing worldly royalty...

Li Changshou's mind began tracing a thread of clues, making him increasingly certain that some plot was unfolding. The mastermind behind it might have believed their plan was flawless, but sending a worldly royal guard cultivator to appear midway, rather than directly approaching high-ranking sect experts to explain the situation and prevent Youqin Xuanya from leaving, was inherently illogical.

Never mind, none of this concerned him. While running, Li Changshou pulled out his simple map and glanced at it, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

If he had any other choice, he would never have risked coming to such a perilous place; it completely contravened his life's maxim of "hiding in the mountains until old age and death." But his Master...

"Supreme Purity above, untouched by all causes, warding off all evil!" With a soft cry, Li Changshou bolstered his spirits and continued to sprint through the black jungle, thick with poisonous miasma.

Moments later, however, Li Changshou once again felt the subtle sensation of being watched. His brow furrowed slightly, and he silently cursed the trouble. This time, instead of revealing more of his escape techniques, Li Changshou inspected several combat items within his storage artifact, his spiritual sense already beginning to scout for suitable ambush locations.

Though he was cautious, he was by no means timid; there was a distinct difference between the two. For a considerable time thereafter, Li Changshou merely retained the unsettling sensation of being watched, encountering no ambushes or surprise attacks.

He remained mentally tense for two full days and nights, employing the Earth Escape technique several times, yet the sensation of being tailed persisted. Li Changshou calculated his current position; he had clearly ventured deep into the Misty Forest and should now be beyond the reach of Martial Aunt Jiu's immortal sense.

He hadn't rested for a moment, yet felt no fatigue, a testament to the significant results of the endurance training he had diligently pursued for many years. Suddenly... a surge of killing intent?

Li Changshou's extended spiritual sense detected no immediate threats; the opponent clearly possessed methods to evade spiritual perception. His gaze swept towards the source of the killing intent—the shadowy jungle to his left. Li Changshou continued his forward sprint, but his left fingertips subtly rubbed together, releasing transparent, web-like silk threads along his side. Simultaneously, his right hand imperceptibly conjured a faint breeze on his other flank. This was his detection tool: Heavy-Eyed Three-Headed Spider silk. Before long, a somewhat blurred image began to form in Li Changshou's mind.