"Martial Uncle Wei is truly wise, though using the teleportation array feels a bit extravagant," Hua Xuanzi said with a smile.
"A little extravagance is no problem," Yun Xi replied calmly. "I doubt this matter will stay quiet for long. Once you return to the sect through the teleportation array, pass the news along so they can decide whether to send more people.
We four may find the treasure after all this effort, but that doesn't mean we'll be able to keep it. If I remember right, most cultivation cities are guarded by at least one Nascent Soul cultivator."
"Understood," Hua Xuanzi said, straightening her expression and answering respectfully.
Cao Yi and the others overheard Yun Xi and Hua Xuanzi's conversation. They agreed that Yun Xi had thought everything through and silently approved of her plan. As for the spirit stones needed for the teleportation array, they could afford that much.
An hour later, the group arrived at the gates of Yuxing City.
Not long after they left the scene of the Golden Core self-detonation, two other groups arrived to investigate. One group wore black robes, clearly evil cultivators. The other wore grey, likely loose cultivators.
After inspecting the site, both groups glanced toward Yuxing City, then departed in tacit silence. None of this was known to Yun Xi's group.
Once inside the city, Cao Yi and the others immediately sensed that someone was watching them. Still, their expressions remained calm as they led the nine Foundation Establishment disciples toward the teleportation hall.
The Zhēnrén guarding the hall greeted them with a pleasant smile.
"Apologies, the teleportation array has encountered some issues and is currently out of service. If you're in a hurry, there are airships available."
Cao Yi's eyes flickered. He cupped his hands with a smile.
"I am a fourth-grade formation master. I may be able to assist in repairing the array."
The hall's Zhēnrén maintained his smile but declined politely.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Daoyou, but the teleportation array has dedicated formation masters. I can't step beyond my role, so…"
Cao Yi had offered his help as a test. The polite refusal confirmed what he suspected—someone in Yuxing City had already decided they weren't allowed to leave. And whoever that was probably already knew about the treasure map. Things were getting interesting.
Yun Xi smiled and spoke casually.
"Senior Brother Cao, we only wanted to send our juniors away to avoid implicating them. If the teleportation array isn't an option, the airships will do. Since the treasure map is with us, they won't be in danger. It'll just take a bit more time."
Her words seemed vague on the surface, but anyone who understood the subtext would grasp the meaning.
Sure enough, after Yun Xi spoke, the Zhēnrén's gaze shifted slightly. He quickly responded, "My apologies for the inconvenience. If you choose to take the airship, I can offer an eighty-percent discount."
He handed over a jade token. One side depicted a flying ship, and the other bore two characters: "Tian Lin"—the name of the airship company.
Yun Xi swept the token with her divine sense and smiled to herself. This Tian Lin Airship Company really did have a presence everywhere. Last time, they had conveniently sent them to the Ninefold Sacrifice Array in Shuangshan City. Then they helped Wei Yunqing seize the chance to obtain the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame. Each time, they appeared at just the right moment, then withdrew once the job was done.
Cao Yi cupped his hands and thanked him, accepting the token before leading Lin Sheng and the others toward the airship dock.
Yun Xi casually moved to walk beside Cao Yi and quietly explained her suspicions about Tian Lin Airship Company, suggesting the disciples take a different airship line instead.
Cao Yi was even more cautious than Yun Xi. He had already planned not to use the discount token. Now that Yun Xi had mentioned Tian Lin's strange pattern, he was even less likely to hand them any advantage.
When they reached the dock, Cao Yi decisively arranged for the nine disciples to board a different vessel—a ship that had made a temporary stop in Yuxing City and had no ties to Tian Lin.
After seeing them off, the four elders casually found an inn and settled in. There was no need to rush.
To stay together, they rented a small courtyard. Cao Yi personally set up a new defensive array to ensure their conversations could not be spied upon.
Yun Xi also released her Flying Mist Butterflies to collect information. She sent one at the third rank to the City Lord's estate.
Once that was done, the four gathered to examine the so-called treasure map more closely, hoping to uncover something new.
Zhang Lingrui studied it carefully but found nothing unusual. Lin Keyang was equally stumped. Only Cao Yi examined the map with particular focus, suspecting there might be a hidden formation inscribed on the beast-hide scroll.
Yun Xi had the same thought. When her divine sense swept over the scroll and detected nothing concealed, she considered using fire, water, and other physical tests. She didn't say it out loud though—it felt too crude for the cultivation world.
After his inspection, Cao Yi finally said, "I don't see any hidden formations, but something about this scroll feels off. I just can't figure out what."
He passed the scroll to Yun Xi.
"You're meticulous. Maybe you'll find something we missed."
Yun Xi accepted the beast-hide scroll and first rubbed it gently with her fingers, feeling its texture. Then she held it up against the midday sun and let the light pass through it.
Sure enough, in one corner, faint characters appeared, as though written between the inner layers of the scroll.
"Senior Brothers, look here. There's writing."
The others leaned in. In tiny script, a single line became clear. Zhang Lingrui read it aloud in a whisper.
"Burn with an exotic flame to reveal the key."
Lin Keyang frowned. "So this means we need to use an exotic flame to burn the scroll in order to obtain the key to the treasure?"
"Seems like it. But where do we get an exotic flame?"
Zhang Lingrui began to worry. Exotic flames weren't something one could easily find.
"Should we try using ordinary fire first?"
Lin Keyang made the suggestion.
Cao Yi didn't object. He formed a seal with his hand, summoning a ball of fire beneath the scroll. They waited a full incense stick's time, but the beast-hide scroll remained unchanged. Ordinary fire clearly didn't work.
Meanwhile, ever since Yun Xi saw those words, her mind had begun connecting the dots.
Hua Xuanzi and Zhao Jinmu had both managed to form their Foundation and obtain the beast-hide scroll. That had something to do with her. Although Zhao Jinmu claimed he found the scroll himself, the way he glanced at Yun Xi while saying it told her otherwise. She was now sure they had taken the scroll from the group they ambushed in the sect's rear mountains.
Because of her and Zong Hao's intervention, Hua Xuanzi and Zhao Jinmu avoided being tricked. Not only did they form their Foundations successfully, but they also discovered the other half of the treasure map in Yuxing City. Combined, the two pieces formed a complete map.
The key to entering the treasure's hiding place lay in burning the scroll with an exotic flame. If she hadn't seized the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame first, this opportunity would have gone to Wei Yunqing.
She had unknowingly stolen another of the female lead's chances. That thought made her genuinely happy.
She also felt fortunate she'd acted decisively that time, using her spatial jade token to take the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame. That was her first time using the token's spatial ability to snatch a fortuitous encounter.
To Yun Xi, securing this opportunity was perfectly justified. With a light cough, she said,
"Senior Brothers, I refine pills, and I happen to have obtained an exotic flame. It might help us out."
All three of them instantly turned toward her.
Zhang Lingrui smiled with squinted eyes.
"Junior Sister Wei, quickly show us your exotic flame!"