“Oh—no. I didn’t see him clearly. They were too fast. There was blinding light everywhere, demonic energy surging, thunder roaring. Huge chunks of ice were flying around—it was freezing. The entire valley was almost flattened. I ran out immediately.”
So he hadn’t seen faces at all. Malcolm looked ashamed.
Lauren shook her head. “It’s fine. With your cultivation level, you shouldn’t stay inside long anyway.”
Just from that description alone, she could guess.
Light. Flower Wife. Senior Brother. Herbert. They were all fighting.
As for Indiana—she only had a soul inside her body. No matter how cunning she was, she shouldn’t be capable of that level of destruction alone.
Unless…
The old man inside her possessed countless divine treasures. Someone who had ascended once already—
They were operating on a completely different level.
Gerald kept sighing. Dante tried to soothe him. “Master, let’s wait a little longer.”
Gerald waved him off but kept glancing toward Lauren.
The matter of this “seal” was clearly more serious than he’d realized. It involved ascension. Which cultivator didn’t aim for ascension?
Yet for countless years, no one had succeeded. And now they were saying it was tied to Sky-Covering Valley?
Could Freya’s disappearance into the valley have something to do with this grand scheme?
Gerald suddenly clenched his teeth and pulled out a shimmering golden robe.
“Here.” He thrust it into Malcolm’s arms. “Put this on. Go back in.”
Everyone froze. Dante’s eyes widened. “Master—that’s your finest treasure!”
The robe was nearly a celestial artifact—virtually indestructible.
Gerald had once sworn he would wear it during his tribulation if he ever had the chance to ascend.
Gerald looked at his youngest disciple. “This robe will protect you. It will ensure you can escape. Take it before I change my mind.”
Malcolm accepted it respectfully. “…Master?” He tugged slightly. “You can let go.”
Gerald still had a death grip on the sleeve. “…Sigh.”
He finally released it, waving him away. “Take it. But don’t damage it. Bring it back when you come out.”
Watching Malcolm step back into Sky-Covering Valley wearing his treasured robe—
Gerald looked like someone had sliced off a chunk of his flesh.
He had chased Timothy because of a supposed stolen treasure.
In the end? He hadn’t recovered anything. Instead, he’d handed out his own greatest treasure.
His resentful glare swept toward Lauren and Dante. You two little liars.
This time, the wait stretched longer. Half an hour passed.
No Malcolm. An hour. Still nothing.
Gerald’s expression darkened. Lauren and Dante didn’t look much better.
Could something have gone wrong?
Unable to bear it, Gerald sent a transmission back to the sect, ordering someone to check Malcolm’s spirit lamp.
When they confirmed the lamp was still burning steadily— He finally exhaled.
Two hours passed. Still no one.
Night fell. The valley entrance was swallowed in darkness.
Gerald’s face was grim. Lauren’s heart pounded. Just as dread began to sink in—
Something heavy crashed down in front of them.
The three of them rushed forward. It was a body. Charred black. Clothes torn and tattered. Hair completely gone.
The skin on the face cracked and burned beyond recognition. The chest rose and fell violently, accompanied by painful, rattling sounds from the throat. It looked exactly like someone who had just survived a thunder tribulation.
Barely alive. Burned to a crisp.
“Wh–who is that?” Dante blurted out.
Gerald’s face went pale. “Don’t tell me… don’t tell me that’s my Malcolm—”
Lauren rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt. “It’s a woman.”
She pointed flatly. “Look at her chest. That’s Indiana.”
The two men stared at her in disbelief. She’s burned beyond recognition. How can you still tell?
Lauren rubbed her nose. There were only two women inside. Flower Wife was an old woman—she didn’t look anything like this. Who else could it be?
Gerald groaned. “That traitor from the Moonlit Sect… how did she get thrown out?”
“Master,” Dante said suddenly, “there’s a plaque on her back.”
Lauren quickly flipped Indiana over. She had barely picked up the wooden plaque when Gerald snatched it away.
He read aloud:
> ‘Many thanks to the fellow Daoist outside for sending me a disciple. It is only proper to return the courtesy. This woman is my token of gratitude.’
Gerald’s face twisted violently. “That damned bald monk!” he roared. “Trading my disciple for this useless piece of trash?!”
His eyes bulged with fury. He pulled out a jade tablet and began scribbling on it furiously with his finger.
Lauren, meanwhile, quietly exhaled in relief. If Indiana had been thrown out like this, it meant Light and the others had won.
Indiana’s cultivation had been stuck at Golden Core Great Perfection. Now that she was outside, the seal clearly hadn’t been reinforced.
Which meant— The alien spirit from the upper realm was probably dead. Just as that thought settled—
Gerald grabbed Indiana, tied the jade tablet around her neck— And hurled her back into Sky-Covering Valley.
“…Master?” Lauren stared at him. “What are you doing?”
“I’m making that bald bastard send Malcolm back!” Gerald barked. “Shameless! Not only does he keep my disciple, he even dares to—”
He choked. The loss hurt too much. His disciple was gone. His golden robe was gone.
Lauren and Dante exchanged a look. They completely understood. The Sect Leader had truly lost everything.
A moment later—
Thud.
The charred body was thrown back out. Hanging from her neck was a new plaque. Two bold, flowing characters: Dream on.
Lauren and Dante didn’t know what Gerald had written. But judging by those two words, whatever it was—Light had rejected it without hesitation.
Gerald nearly coughed blood. “Unbelievable!” he raged. “That bald monk actually shaved Malcolm’s head!”
“What?!” Lauren blinked.
Poor Malcolm. He’d gone in with long, flowing black hair. And in less than half a day—he was bald?
Gerald looked like someone had stabbed him in the heart. “He dared to forcibly ordain my disciple!” he growled. “Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!” What hurt even more—
Malcolm was still wearing his golden robe. If Light detained him permanently—
Wouldn’t that mean he’d lost both disciple and treasure? Gerald looked like he might faint from the injustice.
He yanked out another jade tablet and began writing again in a fury.
“Sect Leader,” Lauren interrupted quickly, grabbing his sleeve before he could throw Indiana back in again, “write a few more lines. Ask about the situation inside.”
Right. He was so blinded by anger he’d forgotten the actual important part. Gerald hastily added several more questions.
Then, without the slightest gentleness, he tied the new tablet to Indiana and flung her back into the valley again.
Indiana, who was already clinging to life by a thread, was tossed around like a sack of charcoal.
The three of them stood at the entrance and waited. After a while—
Thud.
She was thrown back out again.
Lauren stepped forward and checked her condition.
Her Golden Core was shattered. Her spiritual sense had collapsed. By all logic, she should have died already.
And yet—
She was still breathing. Barely. Stubborn as a cockroach.
Lauren untied the plaque and read:
> The foreign spirit has been extracted from her sea of consciousness and dispersed. Herbert and his disciple are safe. All is under control.
Lauren let out a long breath. As she’d guessed. The alien spirit was gone.
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