SWNOVELXO Chapter 12 - Pursuit
Chapter 12: Pursuit
Wanxing Mountain Range, Fallen Immortal Lake.
The stubble-faced man with a sword strapped to his back stood by the lakeside, his gaze shifting between the opposite bank hundreds of meters away and the center of the lake.
What should have been rippling emerald waters was now dominated by a towering pillar of ice reaching toward the sky.
The hundred-meter-tall column gleamed like crystal, perfectly transparent and emanating an ancient, bone-chilling cold. Under the cascading moonlight, this coldness constantly spread, freezing the entire vast lake surface.
The stubble-faced man clicked his tongue, rubbing his arms as if warding off the cold. He muttered a sigh.
“Tsk, tsk, good thing I didn’t chase after them alone. With ice of this scale, by the time you reported back and returned, I’d probably be frozen inside that giant ice block.”
These two were the same man and woman who had appeared outside the temple earlier.
The woman still wore the same black robe with red trim that hugged her graceful figure. Her high ponytail swayed gently behind her as she gazed at the enormous ice pillar in the lake and spoke with a clear certainty, “It’s Ran Qingmo from the Sword Sect.”
The stubble-faced man narrowed his eyes, then suddenly stomped his foot. His form instantly blurred before reappearing atop the massive ice pillar at the center of the lake.
The woman is also chasing after his form, arriving just as the man crouches on the ice, running his fingers along its crystalline surface.
The woman surveyed their surroundings, her gaze sweeping across the landscape from their high vantage point.
The forest surrounding Fallen Immortal Lake, composed of hundred-meter-tall trees, had been flattened over a vast area, evidence of the fierce battle that had taken place.
After a moment, she asked the man, “Have you found anything?”
The man, still crouching, stroked his stubble and said with slight hesitation.
“The one who fought with Ran Qingmo… doesn’t seem to be human.”
“A demon?” The woman frowned, thinking for a moment. “There aren’t many shape-shifting great demons in the Wanxing Mountain Range capable of fighting Ran Qingmo to this extent.”
The stubble-faced man smirked, placing a palm-sized scale near his nose to sniff it before tossing it to the woman. “It’s not one of those old monsters, but a female serpent.”
The woman lowered her gaze to look at it. “A female serpent? Can you tell what kind?”
The stubble-faced man pondered briefly before saying in a low voice:
“The residual Qi resembles that of a Seven Lives Serpent. And judging by the techniques and lingering Yuan Qi, this python has probably shed its skin six times already.”
He clicked his tongue in amazement. “Tsk tsk… A six-cycle Seven Lives Python. One more shedding, and it would’ve fully stabilized its human form. Must be someone important from the snake demon clan in the Demon Kingdom.”
He paused, then stood with an unusually solemn face. “Ran Qingmo trapped it with this ice pillar. It broke free by reverting to its true form. From the looks of it, Ran Qingmo wasn’t trying to fight her head-on.”
The woman’s frown deepened.
“Are you trying to say that the Third Young Master was taken by Ran Qingmo?”
The man didn’t answer immediately.
After thinking for a long while, he shook his head.
“I’m not certain, but at least here at Fallen Immortal Lake, Ran Qingmo was trying to protect the Third Young Master. Inform the Eldest Young Master and the other search parties that we’ve found the Third Young Master’s whereabouts.”
Confusion flashed in the woman’s eyes. “But we haven’t yet—”
“The kidnapper hasn’t deviated from their path this whole time.”
The man cut her off with a wave, standing atop the hundred-zhang ice pillar as he stared at the towering mountain in the distance that resembled a sky-devouring beast. “They’re heading to Tianmen Mountain.”
***
The wound on the white tiger’s back was hideous. Though scabbed over, the crimson stain that had spread across its snow-white fur remained eye-catching.
Xu Yuan, new to this world and not yet versed in cultivation, couldn’t deduce more information from the wound’s shape or depth.
However, the fact that the white tiger was injured was significant enough.
During his unconscious state, for the two of them to travel from their previous location to Tianmen Mountain in just four days, the white tiger must have carried him forward.
Yet this white tiger, which served as his transportation while unconscious, had been injured by an external threat despite Ran Qingmo’s presence.
Whatever happened during those four days was far more intense than he’d imagined.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Xu Yuan once again surveyed his surroundings.
Snowflakes drifted down from the sky with the desolate winter wind. Beneath the thick snow, the blood-stained bones of a beast were faintly visible.
This discovery immediately sank Xu Yuan’s heart. He glanced at the slender snow wolf on the ground and sighed softly.
The bloodied remains were likely prey that the white tiger had caught and devoured earlier. Judging by the size of the animal carcass, they must have stayed in this spot for at least a day.
A whole day…
With pursuers on their tail, what could have forced Ran Qingmo to stop and rest?
Xu Yuan’s gaze settled on the black-robed woman meditating in the snow.
Moonlight caressed her veil as her ink-dark robes fluttered in the wind, making her resemble a beautiful sculpture.
A thousand thoughts flashed through Xu Yuan’s mind as he took a deep breath.
“You’re injured.”
His voice was soft, dissipating instantly with the mountain wind.
After a moment of silence, Ran Qingmo remained with her eyes closed in meditation but did not deny it.
“Yes.”
“Seriously?”
“Somewhat.”
His suspicions confirmed, Xu Yuan rubbed his temples and looked back at the endless sea of trees below.
“What about the other party?”
“Her injuries are a bit lighter than mine.”
“…”
Xu Yuan fell silent.
He thought of the wound on the white tiger’s back. He must have been a burden to her.
The wind howled desolately, and stars filled the sky.
After a long while, Xu Yuan spoke again, his words sincere, “I’m sorry.”
“…”
Ran Qingmo didn’t respond to his apology but said flatly with her eyes still closed.
“Since you’re awake, go up the mountain with it. I’ll wait for her here.”
As she spoke, she flicked her wrist and tossed a small object to Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan reflexively caught it and looked down to see a small ice crystal sword, translucent as ice.
Xu Yuan couldn’t help but ask, “What’s this?”
Ran Qingmo opened her eyes and looked at the white tiger beside her. “If it acts strangely, crush this.”
Realization flashed in Xu Yuan’s eyes.
He had been wondering why the white tiger had become so obedient to Ran Qingmo in just four days—it turned out that she had done something to the creature’s body.
Without another word, he pocketed the ice sword and climbed onto the tiger’s back.
When his weight pressed against its wounded back, the beast shuddered visibly but otherwise remained still.
Fortunately, aside from this, the white tiger showed no other major reaction.
Seated atop the tiger, Xu Yuan looked down at the meditating woman and said quietly, “I’ll wait for you at Suspended Heaven Cliff at the top of Tianmen Mountain.”
“…”
After a beat, Ran Qingmo’s voice was as serene as when they’d first met. “No need.”
Xu Yuan held her gaze and repeated firmly,
“I said, I will wait for you at Suspended Heaven Cliff.”
“…”
Ran Qingmo’s beautiful eyes blinked, showing a trace of confusion.
She was trying to understand why this man insisted on waiting for her.
Xu Yuan didn’t explain, simply staring back in silence.
If Ran Qingmo didn’t come, he would have to jump off the cliff.
With the original body’s abysmal luck stat of 3, forget about finding any hidden cave—he’d just splatter against some jagged outcrop halfway down.
Unable to understand his insistence, Ran Qingmo shook her head lightly.
“I left a trace of my Qi on you. I can find you.”
Xu Yuan lied through his teeth, enunciating each word, “The cave can block Qi traces.”
Ran Qingmo fell silent.
A long moment passed.
Then, slowly, she opened her eyes fully and tilted her head up to look at the richly dressed young master astride the tiger under the moonlight.
Silence, as they locked eyes.
Finally, she nodded gently, her red lips parting beneath her black veil. “All right.”
Xu Yuan smiled softly. “Come soon.”
Without a sound, the white tiger transformed into a white blur and sped toward the mountain peak, leaving only the black-robed figure sitting like an ink painting on the vast, desolate snowy ground.