Chapter Fourteen: I've Had Enough

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After living in the Myriad Spirits Sect for so many years, Jiang Heng had seen all manner of flying magical artifacts, both large and small.

Whenever her fellow disciples flew on their artifacts, they were usually either hurried and tense or wore haughty expressions. This was the first time she had ever seen someone as relaxed as Han Jie.

He leaned lazily against the side of the vessel, basking in the sunlight and drifting clouds. The only thing missing was a blade of grass between his teeth.

For a moment, it almost seemed as though they were merely riding in a little boat across a lake—not venturing into a secret realm for exploration, but taking a leisurely sightseeing trip.

Then again, it made sense. To cultivators at the Core Formation stage like them, a third-rank minor paradise was hardly frightening at all.

As long as they made adequate preparations, they would certainly return safely with a full harvest. It was no different from an outing.

While Jiang Heng was lost in thought, Han Jie suddenly spoke.

“Junior Sister Jiang, are you not fond of talking?”

Jiang Heng was startled. “I suppose I am.”

She had once been very talkative.

But ever since her rebirth, the weight of her emotions had pressed heavily upon her heart, leaving her unable to find peace.

With no one around whom she could confide, she had gradually become half mute.

When they reached the assembly point, Jiang Heng had barely stepped off the flying vessel when someone seized her wrist from behind and pulled her aside.

It was Shen Yanchu.

His expression was extraordinarily complicated, mingling anxiety, concern, guilt, and more.

“Why have you only just arrived? I already spoke with your Second Senior Brother and the others. They will protect you. Hurry over and join them.”

Shen Yanchu tugged at Jiang Heng, intending to lead her away, only to find that she would not budge.

Jiang Heng pulled her hand free and took a step back. “I’m not going. Also, Senior Brother, do not come bother me again.”

Shen Yanchu thought he must have misheard her. “You… think I’m a bother?”

Jiang Heng’s tone remained flat. “Senior Brother, you are not truly a gentle or fair person. Why insist on maintaining that image and wasting so much time and effort?”

“What I hate most is the way you create the illusion of caring for me and give me hope, only to stab me in the back at the critical moment. You have done it too many times. I have had enough.”

With that, she turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Han Jie glanced at the frozen Shen Yanchu without saying a word, then followed her.

Once everyone had arrived, one of the peak masters used a voice-transmitting artifact to announce the precautions for entering the minor paradise, then issued a stern command.

“Everyone inside this minor paradise will be disciples of our Myriad Spirits Sect. You must not harm your fellow disciples. You are to cooperate and help one another. When you encounter spiritual herbs or demon beasts, whoever subdues them first may claim them. If you cannot manage alone, seek assistance. The spoils shall be divided according to the established rules. Is that understood?”

The crowd shouted their acknowledgment.

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The peak master summoned his natal artifact. A ray of rosy light shot into it, instantly refracting into hundreds of beams that struck the circular boundary gate hanging in midair, its surface shimmering like rippling water.

Amid a chorus of sounds like shattering glass, the Myriad Spirits Sect disciples who had obtained entry quotas flew one after another toward the minor paradise.

Just as Jiang Heng was about to cast the Wind-Controlling Art, Han Jie pulled her onto his flying vessel.

“Save your spiritual power. There will be plenty of places inside where you’ll need it,” Han Jie said.

Jiang Heng nodded.

The scene fell into Huo Shiqing’s eyes.

He stared in the direction of the two of them. His face revealed nothing, yet a chill permeated the air around him.

Just as the legends claimed, the minor paradise truly deserved its other name—the Fragmented Spirit Realm. The spiritual energy within was astonishingly abundant.

They had yet to see any demon beasts, but precious spiritual herbs grew everywhere.

Azure skies, white clouds, open grasslands, and mountain forests formed a landscape beautiful enough to be a painted scroll.

Jiang Heng had no heart to admire such tranquil scenery. Her eyes shone as she searched for spiritual herbs, snatching them up the moment she spotted them.

Han Jie accompanied her leisurely, watching as she gathered the herbs and occasionally pointing out which varieties were more valuable.

In less than an hour, Jiang Heng’s storage pouch was full.

She looked at the bulging pouch and knew she ought to clear some things out to make room for anything more precious they might encounter later. Yet for a moment, she could not decide what to part with.

Suddenly, Han Jie handed her a storage pouch. “Borrow this one. Return it to me when we leave.”

Jiang Heng did not accept it. “Everyone needs a storage pouch. Senior Brother Han certainly needs yours as well. There’s no need to give it to me.”

Storage pouches involved the laws of space, and every material used in their construction was precious and rare. As a result, they were expensive and produced in limited quantities. Sometimes, even a large sum of spirit stones was not enough to buy one.

Jiang Heng had originally possessed three storage pouches, but she had sold the other two, leaving only this one, whose capacity was very small.

For a blessed land such as the minor paradise, everyone who entered had made thorough preparations, hoping to bring back as many treasures as possible. Who would ever think they had too many storage pouches?

Han Jie showed her another storage pouch. “The one I gave you is the smaller one. This larger one has a space of roughly one mustard seed. It is enough for me.”

Jiang Heng’s heart trembled.

A storage pouch this large could hold the entire Medicine Hall.

She gritted her teeth and accepted it. “Thank you, Senior Brother Han.”

She had intended to say something about repaying him, but with her current cultivation and strength, she apparently could not offer him much help. Thus, she did not make any empty promises.

She would remember this kindness in her heart and repay him when she had the opportunity.

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Zhu Zhu suddenly sprang from Jiang Heng’s arms onto Han Jie’s shoulder and began rubbing against his face.

Jiang Heng felt somewhat awkward. She half-raised her hand, then decided it would be inappropriate and lowered it again, telling Zhu Zhu not to cause trouble.

Han Jie placed Zhu Zhu in his palm and examined it for a while. “Is this your spirit pet?”

Jiang Heng nodded. “It hasn’t acknowledged me as its master yet, but for some reason it has become attached to me. We agreed that once it hatches, we’ll form a contract.”

Han Jie returned Zhu Zhu to Jiang Heng. “Keep it hidden. Don’t let anyone else see it. To possess such intelligence before even hatching, it must be a high-level demon beast or spirit beast. It could easily arouse other people’s envy.”

Jiang Heng solemnly agreed.

After this small interlude, the two grew considerably closer, and Jiang Heng began taking the initiative to ask Han Jie about himself.

According to Han Jie, he had originally been an unaffiliated cultivator. Tired of wandering and fighting outside, he had entered the Myriad Spirits Sect and taken Peak Master Ji as his master. In the future, he might consider becoming an alchemist specializing in healing.

“That would make you a rare talent,” Jiang Heng said. “If the sect knew you had such aspirations, it would certainly do everything in its power to cultivate you.”

Han Jie smiled. “Perhaps. What about you? What do you plan to do in the future?”

The future?

At present, Jiang Heng had only one goal: to secretly accumulate strength and take revenge. She had never thought beyond that.

Although Xu Ning’an was only at the Qi Refining stage, she possessed many life-saving treasures. Moreover, several senior brothers were constantly at her side, protecting her.

To kill her while avoiding those obstacles, and to do so without alerting their master and the others and provoking the sect to hunt her down, was beyond Jiang Heng’s abilities at present.

Xu Ning’an had her entire lineage behind her.

Jiang Heng had only herself.

The disparity between them was overwhelming. Apart from avoidance and endurance, Jiang Heng had no other choice.

She knew that Xu Ning’an wanted her dead. She simply did not know why Xu Ning’an had yet to make a move.

Even with the aid of the Evil Rakshasa Way and the memories of her previous life, taking revenge in this life would be extraordinarily difficult and dangerous. She had never had the leisure to consider what might come afterward.

If she truly succeeded in taking revenge, what would she do next?

Would she still be a normal cultivator by then? Or would she have already suffered the backlash of the Evil Rakshasa Way and lost her mind entirely?

Jiang Heng could not answer at once. Han Jie did not press her, simply allowing her to remain lost in thought.

Just then, a sharp, earth-shaking howl suddenly rang out from nearby.

A demon beast!