Chapter 1

Bai Fuying felt as if she were lying on the ground like a corpse, being dragged forward by someone. The fabric on her back had already worn through, and her skin scraped against the rough stones, causing a burning pain. Cold creek water washed over her right arm, sending a chill through her entire body. It was precisely this icy pain that abruptly woke her up. Bai Fuying suddenly opened her eyes. What met her gaze were towering trees, lush foliage, and a small patch of sky about the size of a palm. Someone was dragging one of her legs, humming a little tune leisurely while slowly traversing the forest along a creek filled with pebbles. The man was not tall, with a thin and bony frame, wearing a black women’s Taoist robe, looking quite out of place. As he moved forward, Bai Fuying’s still-wet blood seeped into the creek, leaving a winding trail of blood. Seeing this person’s figure, Bai Fuying’s eyes shifted slightly. However, before she could gather her thoughts, her vision went dark. Her forehead accidentally hit a sharp stone, and blood immediately gushed out. Blood flowed down her temple, leaving two shocking streaks. But Bai Fuying didn’t care about the pain. She kept her eyes open, silently observing the surrounding environment. The sky was getting darker, the forest was deep, and the mountain spring produced a gentle gurgling sound. Bai Fuying pondered for a moment, then quietly extended her hand and slipped a sharp stone into her sleeve. This was the “weapon” she had chosen for herself. With a weapon in hand, Bai Fuying felt a bit more at ease. She glanced at the nearby woods, slowly closed her eyes, and began to think of a way to break free. Bai Fuying was not unfamiliar with the male cultivator dragging her. His name was Qian Sanjin, a notorious demonic cultivator in the Taihuang region. This man was sinister and ruthless, often lurking at the edge of Taihuang, capturing exiled cultivators from Zhongzhou. The exiles were usually stripped of their cultivation, unfamiliar with the area, and thus easily sold as slaves in the black market, completely defenseless. Qian Sanjin earned commissions through such methods. However, to be honest, his cultivation level was mediocre, belonging to the bottom tier of Taihuang. Nevertheless, Bai Fuying’s current physical condition was extremely poor, making it difficult to handle even a slightly stronger ordinary person, let alone a cultivator. Thinking of this, Bai Fuying’s eyes moved slightly. She closed her palm, tightly gripping the crude weapon, allowing the sharp edge of the stone to cut into her hand, causing fresh blood to drip. At this moment, Qian Sanjin seemed to sense something. He suddenly stopped, looking around, and his humming ceased abruptly. Bai Fuying immediately closed her eyes, forcing the tense muscles in her body to relax, pretending to remain unconscious. Qian Sanjin was naturally cautious. If he noticed something wrong, it would be difficult for her to find another chance to escape. She needed to find a way to deceive him. As expected, Qian Sanjin did sense something amiss. He turned around, casting a suspicious glance at her body, then dropped her leg and walked toward her head. His shoes crunched on the gravel, producing a chilling sound. A few moments later, the heavy footsteps stopped abruptly, and a cold gaze swept across Bai Fuying’s face. After a few more moments, Qian Sanjin let out a cold laugh. The next instant, an intense pain, as if being crushed by a heavy object, came from her fingertips. Cold sweat soaked Bai Fuying’s back instantly, and even the back of her hand spasmed uncontrollably from the pain. Seeing this, Qian Sanjin did not relax. Instead, he pressed her knuckles more brutally with his shoe. Bai Fuying used all her strength to suppress the boundless anger, trying to remain calm as she endured the storm of pain. Fortunately, seeing no reaction from her, Qian Sanjin finally breathed a sigh of relief and stopped the torture. He moved his foot away, grabbed one of Bai Fuying’s legs, and continued dragging her deeper into the forest. Behind him, Bai Fuying slowly opened her eyes, calmly continuing to survey her surroundings. She was currently in a region called Taihuang. The environment here was harsh, surrounded by mountains and filled with miasma, forming a natural barrier. Even a cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage could not pass through the miasma to enter. Since ancient times, Taihuang had been a treacherous place that struck fear into the hearts of Zhongzhou cultivators. Nearly a thousand years ago, Taihuang became the preferred location for major sects to exile traitors and demonic cultivators. Only two types of people lived here: demonic cultivators who were exiled and the descendants of demonic cultivators. Bai Fuying belonged to the former group. Amidst her chaotic thoughts, night gradually fell. Night always descended quickly in the forest. Before long, the shadows of the trees swallowed the last ray of dusk, and only vague silhouettes could be seen in the dim light. Qian Sanjin stopped again. He took out a few spirit stones from his storage bag, placed them in several positions, and then infused them with spiritual energy. A semi-transparent spiritual barrier rose up. The night was too dangerous, and Qian Sanjin did not intend to travel further, giving Bai Fuying a chance to catch her breath. She took the opportunity to recover her strength as much as possible, preparing for any unexpected situation. On the other side, Qian Sanjin started a fire and sat on the ground, his triangular eyes cautiously scanning the surroundings.