Chapter 207: I Would Not Turn Down a Request

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The cultivator descending from the heavens wears a thick brown cloak with a hood on it that doesn’t leave even an inch of her body exposed. Even her face is hidden behind a white veil. However, no matter how covered up she is, there is no mistaking her power.

Heaven Realm, Ninth Level.

She is the White Fairy of the Border Territories, a hero who shows up to protect the weak and downtrodden regardless of which side of the border they belong to. Liu Jin first heard about her from Colonel Peng, but it wasn’t until he talked with Song Daiyu that Liu Jin learned she had another name.

Bai Wen, the disciple of one of the Five Fairies of the Divine Frozen Palace.

“I believe I told you to step away from that boy,” Bai Wen says. Her voice is melodic yet cold.

Yong Zhunyi and Ye Zheyu do not move. Not because they mean to challenge Bai Wen but because their every instinct screams at them to stand still. Even the slightest movement from them could create a lethal opening.

“Disciples of the Eternal Flame Clan,” Bai Wen says, taking note of their robes. “I am not surprised to find that you enjoy beating your juniors. Such savagery is fitting for you. However, this country has far too much of such things already.”

She raises a finger. The air around them grows cold, and the ground makes creaking noises as it frosts over.

“Do not make me ask you to step away a third time.”

Yong Zhunyi and Ye Zheyu immediately back away, their Qi still blazing around them to protect them. However, it’s pointless. They might be some of the strongest cultivators of their generation, but in front of Bai Wen, they might as well be newborn pups. They are in the Earth Realm. She is in the Heaven Realm. They are Core Disciples of the Eternal Flame Clan. She is the personal disciple of one of the strongest cultivators of the Divine Frozen Palace.

Power, experience, knowledge. There is not a single area where they are superior to Bai Wen.

And yet, when Yong Zhunyi speaks, he manages to sound calm.

“Fairy, this is a misunderstanding,” he says. “The boy you protect is not someone worth protecting. He is a traitor and a thief who sabotaged my companions and me by denying us medicine when we needed it most, leading to the death of one of our own.”

Liu Jin blinks.

That is… not entirely untrue. Indeed, Yong Zhunyi likely picked those words because they were not untrue, knowing his life could very well be forfeit if Bai Wen caught even a glimpse of falsehood coming from him. It says a lot about Yong’s ability to think under pressure. Most likely, he is relying on Liu Jin’s tale being too outlandish to be believable to get out of this situation.

Fortunately, Yong Zhunyi does not know a great many things.

“Lady Bai Wen, I am Liu Jin, a friend of Xiao Shuang,” Liu Jin says, his voice clear and strong despite the pain. “The same Xiao Shuang who is a disciple of Meng Yue, one of the Five Fairies of the Divine Frozen Palace.”

Gritting his teeth, Liu Jin uses his one arm to take out the knife Meng Yue gifted him from his spatial pouch and presents it to Bai Wen.

“Many years ago, Lady Meng Yue gifted this knife to me,” he says. “It has served me well, but my foes this time are beyond me. They consort with those beyond the Dead Plains for purposes I know not. I come to you in need of shelter and to warn you of the danger they pose.”

Liu Jin’s declaration freezes Yong Zhunyi and Ye Zheyu in place. For a moment, everything seems to stand still. Not even a lone gust of wind dares disturb the scene. Then…

Step.

Step.

Step.

Calmly, as if she had all the time in the world, Bai Wen steps between Liu Jin and his two pursuers.

“I see,” Yong says. “This… I believe this will hurt.”

“I am not a member of your Eternal Flame Clan,” Bai Wen says sharply. “Do not assume I am willing to engage in the same cruelty you so eagerly do. This will be quite painless.”

Yong shakes his head. “You misunderstand me. When I say this will hurt, I am not referring to anything you are about to do, Great Fairy.”

Yong’s words puzzle Bai Wen and Liu Jin, but neither gets the chance to ask him to explain himself.

Yong Zhunyi and Ye Zheyu are squashed right before their eyes.

It is as if their bodies had suddenly been struck by a giant invisible hammer. The two cultivators become little more than splashes of blood and gore, yet that all fades away in the blink of an eye. As if their very existence had been a lie.

Bai Wen and Liu Jin are left alone.

“What a curious little technique,” Bei Wen says, more interested and curious than shocked. “I do not believe that sort of technique is popular in the Eternal Flame Clan. In fact, I do not believe I have ever seen that exact type of spatial displacement before.”

Her words make Liu Jin turn to her. “Spatial displacement?“

“It means they have been transported elsewhere,” Bai Wen explains. “Of course, it was not them who used the technique. It felt more like they gave a signal to the one who did.”

Liu Jin resists the urge to point out he knows what spatial displacement is in favor of focusing on the latter part of her words. Yong Zhunyi and Ye Zheyu had given off a signal somehow.

It seems Brother Ye was not exaggerating. Those flesh buds do have their uses. If so, the ones they have must not be as simple as the ones haphazardly placed on Huang Shing and the other disciples of the Eternal Flame Clan during their battle against the Fleshcrafter.

“I suppose this saves me the trouble of thinking what to do with them,” Bai Wen says, not sounding even slightly displeased by their escape. “Furthermore, that they could call for that sort of esoteric technique lends some credence to your words.”

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Something about the way she says it makes Liu Jin narrow his eyes.

“You could have stopped them,” he guesses.

“Correct,” she confirms for him. Liu Jin can almost see her eyes shining behind her veil. “However, I have no intention of being used as an assassin by someone I just met.”

Liu Jin looks down. He is not pleased that Yong Zhunyi and Ye Zheyu have gotten away after he revealed so much about himself. That will doubtlessly come back to haunt him. Luckily, Feng Zhi will learn some of it through Yi Jiao before anyone else can tell him, so the damage is somewhat mitigated. Still, it is not an ideal situation.

And yet… Bai Wen’s words are fair. More than fair even.

“It seems I have been rude,” Liu Jin says, picking himself from the ground and offering her a bow. “You have my deepest gratitude. Without your assistance, this Liu Jin would have been taken captive and eventually killed. That I am here and whole is thanks to you.”