Chapter 86: Chapter 78: She Flees, He Chases, Winged but Can’t Escape

On the back mountain stood an undeveloped cliff.

The area was filled with jagged rocks and battered by fierce winds. Below the precipice was a churning sea of clouds.

’If I can just climb down from here, I might be able to get outside the sect’s Array and get back on the right path!’

Holding her breath, she was about to approach the cliff’s edge when a figure suddenly flashed out from behind a large boulder.

"Junior Sister?"

"What are you doing up so late? Did you come out here to feel the breeze?"

"Was the battle with the great demon not enough for you? How about I spar with you for a couple of rounds?"

Su Ling’er felt her blood run cold.

’Are you kidding me?!’

’Where did another person pop out from?!’

’Don’t any of you people sleep at night?!’

’Can you please stop "running into" me all the time?!’

’Can’t you just leave me alone for a little while?!’

"N-No, that’s alright, Senior Brother."

She forced herself to calm down and squeezed out a smile.

"Um... I came... I came here to enjoy the view!"

"The scenery here is magnificent. I thought I would take this opportunity to comprehend the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth!"

Hearing this, the man nodded thoughtfully, then folded his arms, stood to one side, and proceeded to watch how she would comprehend the Great Dao.

Su Ling’er felt incredibly uncomfortable under his gaze. She didn’t dare move forward, nor did she dare make any sudden moves.

"This cloud... this mountain..."

She had no choice but to bite the bullet and begin her "comprehension," hoping to wait him out.

But after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, her senior brother was still standing in the same spot with his arms folded, not moving an inch.

Su Ling’er’s heart sank little by little.

She braced herself and continued her awkward "comprehension" for another incense stick’s worth of time.

She went from watching the clouds to watching the rocks, and from the rocks to the ants on the ground.

She mumbled phrases like "the Dao follows nature" and "a world in a grain of sand," but this senior brother showed no intention of leaving.

’Don’t you have your own business to attend to?!’

’Why do you keep staring at me?!’

’You haven’t fallen for me, have you?!’

’No, that’s not it!’

’These lunatics think differently from normal people. He must be monitoring me!’

Left with no other choice, Su Ling’er gave up and turned back once more.

The senior brother wanted to "thoughtfully" escort her back, but Su Ling’er quickly waved her hands, forcing a smile.

"Senior Brother, there’s no need, really!

The scenery here is magnificent, you should stay and enjoy it!

Yes, yes, I’m not tired. I can get back on my own!"

Two consecutive failures left Su Ling’er filled with frustration.

She felt like a moth caught in a spider’s web; no matter which direction she flew, she would crash headfirst into the invisible net.

She forced herself to calm down and think of a more viable way to leave.

Having made up her mind, she composed herself and crept toward a more remote side gate on the western side.

However, just as she was about to reach the west gate, a senior sister popped out from around a corner, all smiles.

"Oh, what a coincidence, Junior Sister."

"Where are you headed so late?"

Su Ling’er’s heart skipped a beat, but she already had her excuse ready and repeated the bit about "comprehending heaven and earth."

Unexpectedly, after hearing her out, the senior sister grabbed her hand and said enthusiastically,

"Aiya, why go to all the trouble of running down the mountain to comprehend the Great Dao?"

"Our sect has everything you need! Come on, I’ll take you to a great place!"

Then, she found herself being dragged along by the other woman, her body frozen stiff.

Only after another round of pestering and rambling did she finally manage to get away from her.

The fourth time, the fifth time...

It was always the same, as if she were trapped in an endless loop.

She refused to accept it. She couldn’t believe there wasn’t a single chance!

This time, she abruptly changed direction and rushed toward an exit by the back fields, where the sect’s defenses were relatively weak.

She even went as far as to exhaust all her Spiritual Power to execute the "Star Stepping Skill" for a quick breakthrough!

But she had run less than a hundred meters before she once again "happened" to run into a disciple at a corner.

The person smiled and greeted her, "Junior Sister, still not asleep this late?

What a coincidence, I just came out on patrol and saw you.

You seem to be in a hurry. Is there something urgent I can help you with?"

Su Ling’er’s heart grew even colder. She stopped in her tracks.

This time, she didn’t even need him to say more; she had already anticipated the entire conversation that would follow.

"Senior Brother, no need, no need!"

she said, waving her hands while gasping for breath.

"I was just... practicing my morning run!"

"Yes, a morning run! I’ll go back now, I’ll go back and sleep!"

With that, she hastily turned and headed back.

In her panic, she blindly fled down a path that led past the alchemy building.

But before she could get close, the alchemy fanatic Lu Wu burst out of the building, his eyes bloodshot.

"Junior Sister, what brings you here?!"

Lu Wu’s eyes lit up instantly.

"Did you come here to learn Alchemy?"

"I just finished refining a new batch of pills and need someone to test them. Want to help me see how they turned out?"

"No thanks! No thanks, Senior Brother! I don’t want to, I don’t want to!" Su Ling’er was scared out of her wits.

"Are you sure you don’t want to?"

But Lu Wu pressed closer, step by step.

"I thought you did quite well with your Alchemy last time, didn’t you?

You only killed a few people, but you might have a talent for it!

Come on, practice some more. Maybe your Alchemy skills will improve!"

"Really, no need! Really!"

"I... I was just passing by! I’m so tired, I’m going back to sleep now!"

Su Ling’er shrieked and retreated in disarray once again.

’Why?’

’Why do these people always manage to run into me?’

’Time and time again!’

’No matter where I try to go.’

’No matter what excuse I use.’

’No matter what time I choose.’

As long as she dared to approach the sect’s borders, a senior brother or sister would always appear before her, blocking her path.

She flees, they pursue. It’s as if they’re everywhere.

She flees, they intercept. They always have the perfect reason.

She flees, they block. She... can’t escape even if she grew wings!

...

In the Eldest Senior Brother’s cave abode, the steam from the Spiritual Spring gradually dissipated.

Lin Qingfeng had finished his bath and changed into a loose, black robe. He was about to lie down on his cold jade bed to relax with a few of the game’s built-in mini-games.

Before going to sleep, he habitually opened the sect map again, wanting to see if Su Ling’er had obediently returned to her own small cabin to sleep.

When he looked, he couldn’t help but frown.

On the map, the point of light representing Su Ling’er was moving around like a headless chicken.

She kept rushing toward one edge of the sect, then turning back;

then rushing to another, and turning back again...

She had been going back and forth like this several times already.

’Something’s not right...’

’Could it be...’

A thought suddenly popped into Lin Qingfeng’s mind.

’Could it be... that Junior Sister wants to run away?’

The moment the thought appeared, he himself found it somewhat absurd.

’That’s impossible, right?’

’She personally slayed a Core Formation great demon while only at the peak of the Qi Refining stage.’

’Shouldn’t this be the time when her sense of belonging to the sect is at its strongest? A time when she should be prostrating herself in admiration for me, her Eldest Senior Brother?’

’Why would she want to run away?’

Although he couldn’t figure it out, Su Ling’er’s abnormal behavior made it impossible for him to lie down and rest.

"I’d better go and ask her myself."

In the next instant, his figure vanished into the night.