Hao Yinqin carefully studied her.
Her refusal to speak only confirmed that her identity was far from ordinary.
Everything lined up with his suspicions. Ever since Pu Yehai reported that a Divine Transformation cultivator had appeared on Gu Ling Mountain, he had been wary.
The spies he placed in Central Domain had also sent word that a great power from the Spirit Realm might have descended. He had never told Pu Yehai about this. As a sect master, the only person he trusted was himself.
"Hahaha, may I dare to ask Fairy her honored name?"
After a moment of thought, he cupped his hands with a genial smile toward Yao Ranran.
Xiao Fengyi and Lin Fang both stiffened, exchanging shocked glances. Their eyes carried the same bewilderment: why was Hao Yinqin showing such an attitude toward Yao Ranran?
Yun Dehe's face lit up with triumph. For the first time, he truly relaxed.
Yao Ranran's gaze swept across Hao Yinqin, lingering on the blood mist around him. She replied calmly, "Yao Ranran of Gu Ling Mountain, merely a loose cultivator."
Hao Yinqin chuckled, unconcerned. "A loose cultivator? Rumor has it that for Spirit Realm cultivators to descend, they must use certain means, such as inhabiting a vessel in this world, hiding their true form, thereby evading the punishment of Heaven…"
He did not finish the sentence, instead fixing her with a deep, meaningful look.
Yun Dehe's hand on his beard froze, his expression gradually becoming solemn.
Could Fairy Ranran truly be a senior from the Spirit Realm?
Not only Yun Dehe, even the blood-soaked Xiao Fengyi and Lin Fang lying on the ground were struck by this thought.
Both stared up at Yao Ranran in stunned awe, their hearts swelling with sudden hope.
"Senior, please save us! If you can get us out alive, Miao Yun Sect will offer you the supreme-grade spirit stones we recently excavated from Duanya Mountain!"
Lin Fang clutched at this final straw, desperately pleading.
At the mention of supreme-grade spirit stones, Yao Ranran frowned slightly.
She had far too many of those. The so-called spirit stones from Duanya Mountain—were they not the very ones she had deliberately left behind when fleeing? She had hurriedly abandoned one or two deposits on purpose, to lure the three great clans and loose cultivators into fighting amongst themselves, making it impossible for them to chase her.
When Yao Ranran gave no response, Xiao Fengyi's eyes lit with sudden inspiration. He quickly added, "Not just spirit stones. Senior, you may not know, but besides those, a supreme-grade spirit vein has also appeared in Central Domain!
If you can save us from here and unify the Eastern Wilderness, Miao Yun Sect is willing to capture the woman who stole the supreme-grade spirit vein and present both the vein and her head to you!"
Yao Ranran: "…"
Lu Ziqian: "…" Kill his master to offer her to herself?
No one could be more speechless than this master and disciple pair.
Yet Xiao Fengyi and Lin Fang remained oblivious, believing themselves clever, thinking they had seized upon Yao Ranran's greed.
Lin Fang nodded eagerly. "My Senior Brother is right. Spirit stones are nothing, only a spirit vein matches Senior's status. That wretched thief who stole it deserves death. If not for her interference, that spirit vein would already belong to Miao Yun Sect!"
Xiao Fengyi felt her words were somewhat exaggerated but still chimed in, "Please trust Miao Yun Sect's strength, Senior. We will soon capture that woman and offer the spirit vein to you with both hands!"
Yao Ranran silently regarded the two of them.
Hao Yinqin narrowed his eyes. "So Miao Yun Sect has already discovered the identity of the one who stole the spirit vein?"
Lin Fang smiled brightly. "Of course!"
Lu Ziqian glanced at Yao Ranran and instantly understood. Xiao Fengyi and Lin Fang were lying. In truth, they knew nothing.
Yao Ranran tilted her head, curious. "When the supreme-grade spirit vein emerged at Duanya Mountain, no one from Miao Yun Sect was present. How then did you investigate the woman's identity?"
Lin Fang failed to catch the trap in her words and hurried to answer, "Though our disciples were not at the scene, the Yu family girl saw that woman with her own eyes, and the Ye family's young master Ye Nantian was taken by her. With such clues, Miao Yun Sect naturally has ways to uncover her identity!"
"Then tell me, what is this woman's name? And compared to me, who is more beautiful?"
Without thinking, Lin Fang blurted, "Naturally Senior is far more beautiful. Rumor says that woman's beauty rivals a celestial fairy, but how could such a person exist in this lower realm? Only Senior possesses such grace, transcendent and beyond the dust of this world…"
Before she could finish, Xiao Fengyi suddenly gripped her hand hard enough to hurt, forcing her to stop and look at him.
"Senior Brother, why are you grabbing me?"
Xiao Fengyi ignored her, staring wide-eyed at Yao Ranran, disbelief etched into his face.
"You… you… Senior, did you perhaps go to Duanya Mountain in Central Domain not long ago?"
Lin Fang froze. "Senior Brother, what nonsense are you spouting? Eastern Wilderness and Central Domain are tens of thousands of miles apart. How could she possibly return here in such a short time…"
As she spoke, her gaze drifted back to Yao Ranran's face, and she fell into silent thought.
Xiao Fengyi pressed heavily, "Senior, can you answer me? Your appearance matches the rumors exactly!"
He had once dismissed those tales as wild exaggeration. How could such unparalleled beauty exist in the world? But now, at the brink of despair, he had seen Yao Ranran…
Hao Yinqin too was shaken by their words.
Yes—why had he not considered this?
A face like hers, how many could exist in this world?
All at once, excitement surged in him, mixed with unease.
If the supreme-grade spirit vein was truly in her possession, then killing her would mean gaining both the Eastern Wilderness and the spirit vein.
Everyone's eyes turned to Yao Ranran, their gazes tangled with expectation and dread.
Yao Ranran glanced at their faces and smiled lightly.
"There is only one First Fairy of the Six Lands of Central Domain. I thought you had already guessed it was me. It seems I overestimated your wit."
Her calm, melodious voice fell like thunder, shocking all three into stunned silence.
"It is actually you!" Hao Yinqin's voice trembled with excitement.
His ambition stretched beyond the Eastern Wilderness. He wanted Central Domain as well.
He never imagined that the supreme-grade spirit vein over which Central Domain had gone mad would appear before him like this.
If he seized this woman, the vein would be his, and the unification of the Eastern Wilderness and domination of Central Domain would be within reach.
"It is me."
Yao Ranran nodded with a faint smile.
Lin Fang's eyes bulged wide as she gaped at Xiao Fengyi. "Senior Brother, am I trapped in Hao Yinqin's illusion?"
Xiao Fengyi pressed his lips tight. "Lin Fang, if I could, I would also tell you this was all Hao Yinqin's illusion…"
Lu Ziqian interjected with blunt honesty, "Daoyou, there is no illusion here, and Sect Master Hao has no need to use illusions on you either."