Chapter 72: The Trap Unveiled: Ji Ling’s True Allegiance

“That naturally requires you to strike against Yun Xueshang—she is simply too young, too dazzling. We, who dwell in the shadows, find her utterly an eyesore.”

The black-clad figure opposite Ji Ling slowly pushed back their hood, revealing a beautiful yet somber face.

Dark green hair cascaded over their shoulders, their skin as fair as snow, and a pair of golden vertical pupils were particularly intimidating.

A long fringe obscured half their face, adding to their eerie aura.

“How am I to strike against her? This has already exceeded the scope of my abilities.”

Ji Ling’s brows furrowed slightly.

“You are aware that she only recently succeeded in entering the Soul Transformation realm. Even if I am at the late stage of Soul Transformation, I might not be able to defeat her swiftly. Moreover, she is now permanently stationed at the Carefree Sect. Even if I dislike her, I have no way to act against her within the sect.”

“But doesn’t she have a daughter, and a beautiful Dao companion?” the dark-green-haired woman retorted, her golden vertical pupils gleaming ominously.

“And I heard… that rabbit you raised is now very close to her daughter? A few days ago, I even attended Yun Xueshang’s Peak Master ceremony on your behalf to offer congratulations?”

As she spoke, her gaze fixed intently on Ji Ling, unwilling to miss any subtle change in her expression.

“Heh, it was merely some childish play among juniors.” Ji Ling scoffed lightly.

“The child is close to her; that day, she ran off to join the fun herself. When people saw her, they spread rumors that I had ordered her to offer congratulations. It’s nothing more than idle gossip.”

The woman opposite her scrutinized her for a moment, as if believing the explanation, then let out a cold snort.

“Fine, I can’t be bothered to argue with you. I’m only telling you a way to deal with her.”

“A way? Qing Luo, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Ji Ling repeated, a hint of confusion on her face.

“Since your little rabbit and Yun Xueshang’s daughter are on good terms, why not strike through her?” the woman named Qing Luo said, her eyes glinting with malice.

“Have her consume a pill secretly laced with Soul Dispersing Powder. Then, when she reunites with Yun Xueshang and her daughter, secretly detonate it with your spiritual energy. This shouldn’t be difficult for you, should it?”

She paused, then added, her tone laced with temptation:

“For a sword cultivator who hasn’t yet condensed sword intent, Soul Dispersing Powder is lethal, even if she’s in the Soul Transformation realm. You, on the other hand, can simply feign ignorance, pretending your little rabbit was poisoned by an external evil cultivator.

“You could even take the opportunity to stage a tragic act, solidifying your position… killing two birds with one stone, wouldn’t that be splendid?”

Ji Ling remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke under the other’s scrutinizing gaze.

“What about Sixteen?”

“Sixteen? Are you referring to your rabbit?”

Qing Luo burst into laughter, her clear voice turning hoarse and rasping.

“Hahahahaha! Don’t make me laugh! You clearly know that after that Eight-Turn Soul Reversion Pill was mistakenly swallowed by your ordinary test rabbit, it couldn’t be retrieved, nor could its medicinal effects be reversed!

“Are you actually still foolishly dreaming, raising that rabbit, attempting to extract the medicinal power?!”

“Or… have you truly developed feelings for that rabbit, raising it as your own daughter?”

She abruptly stopped laughing, staring intently at Ji Ling, like a predator eyeing its prey.

“…”

“Haha.”

Ji Ling let out a long sigh.

“Rongrong was right, after all… I knew it. Tonight, I truly wouldn’t be able to resist killing you, Qing Luo.”

“What did you say?!”

Qing Luo slammed her hand on the stone table, abruptly standing up, her eyes wide with shock and fury as she glared at Ji Ling.

“I said, I will kill you.”

Ji Ling’s tone remained calm and unruffled.

At the same moment, a milky-white sword pellet flew from her mouth. A faint medicinal aroma wafted from the pellet, which whistled through the air.

It could not be captured by divine sense, and it shot directly towards Qing Luo’s face!

Carefree Sword Art, First Form: Shadowless!

“Ji Ling! How dare you—!”

Qing Luo sharply turned her head, dodging the attack. Tiny drops of bluish-green blood instantly seeped from the corner of her left eye, falling to the ground and emitting a corrosive sizzling sound.

“Roar—!”

She let out a painful, furious roar, her body suddenly twisting and expanding. The small, dilapidated temple instantly shattered and collapsed under her monstrous form.

She was covered in dark green scales, like black jade, glistening with a cold, metallic sheen under the moonlight, transforming into a colossal python!

The python’s golden vertical pupils, each the size of a doorway, glared fixedly at Ji Ling hovering in mid-air. A terrifying wound on its left eye still emitted tendrils of black mist.

This black mist, seemingly a potent venom, instantly stopped the bleeding. A human-like expression of shock and fury appeared on its face as it hissed:

“Ji Ling! You, with your sword pellet that cultivates poison, think you can kill me?!”

“This young master might not be good at dealing with a poison-immune worm like you… but what if we join in?”

A sweet, charming voice suddenly rang out.

In an instant, countless streaks of dark tea-colored sword light emerged from the void, blossoming like vibrant flowers.

They converged into a sword array, striking directly at the giant python’s wounded eye, their brilliance dazzling—

Carefree Sword Art, First Form: Fleeting Bloom!

“Yue Jue—!”

The giant python was struck by the sword light, its head violently snapped to one side, emitting a mournful shriek. The scales around the wound shattered, and blood gushed forth.

But this was not the end.

Almost simultaneously with the sword light’s descent, several figures appeared: a bald, muscular man wielding a greatsword, a woman in a flowing sky-blue robe like a dancer, an elegant scholar with dual swords—

—and a cool, aloof girl with white hair and white robes, a long sword in hand.

The five positioned themselves in four directions, completely sealing off the giant python’s escape routes.

“Yue Jue, the surrounding weapons are mixed with Yun Xueshang!

Hahaha! Good! To deal with just me, you’ve mobilized all the Peak Masters of the Carefree Sword Sect! You certainly hold me in high regard!”

Qing Luo’s gaze swept over everyone with suspicion, then she burst into angry laughter.

‘Damn it! When did Ji Ling set this trap? I should have known she was unreliable!’

With thoughts racing, she hissed again:

“Do you truly believe this orthodox traitor? She is Ji Ling, who conspired with me to deal with Yun Xueshang!”

She flicked her tongue, specifically glaring at Yun Xueshang.

“I’ll tell you—she is the true culprit who caused Jiang Changge’s death back then! Without her intelligence, we wouldn’t have been able to ambush Jiang Changge at all!”

Her tongue flicked again, turning towards Ji Ling.

“Ji Ling! Stop pretending! You are just like me, driven by love turned to hatred, wishing for that promiscuous woman Jiang Changge to die without a burial place! Decades ago, we were birds of a feather! Now, what good person are you pretending to be?!”

As she covertly accumulated spiritual energy, she sternly declared:

“Don’t think you can get away by betraying me! The orthodox path never tolerates those involved with evil cultivators—I can’t escape, and you won’t escape either!”

“Alright, alright, stop trying to sow discord here. Aren’t you annoying?”

Yue Jue lazily picked at her ear with a finger. With a flick of her digit, countless dark tea-colored sword lights once again gathered behind her, forming a gigantic sword-light flower, its aura overwhelming.

“Our little grand-aunt was an undercover agent arranged by the orthodox path from beginning to end. She’s much cleaner than a venomous woman like you.

If not for Rongrong’s prophecy, and our concern that she would be in danger if she continued undercover, fearing that you stupid worm would discover and silence her, you’d still be in the dark right now.”

“But now—”

A sharp glint flashed in her languid, alluring eyes.

“You should just hurry up and die!”