Screams echoed from the camp, and Ji Shiyou, worried for his fellow disciples, pushed his movement technique to the extreme, instantly returning to the encampment.
He saw no abnormality within the camp; the bonfire still burned. The tents were quiet, and it seemed no one had heard the screams. Ji Shiyou suddenly felt something was wrong. The screams had been loud, audible even from a distance outside the camp. Logically, his fellow disciples inside the tents should have heard them even more clearly and come out to investigate. Why hadn't they? Where were the disciples on watch?
He scanned his surroundings, but the disciples on watch were nowhere to be seen. He discovered their weapons scattered by the bonfire, along with drag marks.
"What happened?"
At that moment, Ming Yue ran back, panting, and asked Ji Shiyou.
"The camp was attacked, and the disciples on watch were taken. You stay here and check on the people in the tents to see what happened. Why didn't they come out? I'm going to rescue them."
Ji Shiyou briefly instructed Ming Yue, then followed the drag marks on the ground. The disciples of the Golden Crow Palace never parted with their weapons unless they were killed. With no bodies or bloodstains on the ground, they must have been knocked unconscious and abducted. He was anxious to rescue them, fearing that any delay might lead to their demise.
He had already checked the tents and found no signs of damage. His other junior disciples should be out of immediate danger. As for why they hadn't emerged, rescuing the captured disciples was the priority, and he didn't have time to investigate. Thus, he delegated this task to Ming Yue.
Seeing Ji Shiyou depart, Ming Yue quickly opened Tian Jian's tent. She found the Golden Crow Palace disciples inside sleeping like logs. She shouted several times, but none of them woke up. Ming Yue then dragged Tian Jian out of the tent.
"No wonder they're sleeping so soundly; they were drugged. You're lucky you ran into me."
Looking at the still unconscious Tian Jian on the ground, Ming Yue understood the reason for everyone's deep slumber. They had all been collectively drugged, rendering them deaf to the earlier screams and Ming Yue's calls.
Ming Yue formed a hand seal, and countless snow-white pear blossom petals appeared in the air. Then, the flying petals vanished, replaced by a refreshing pear blossom fragrance that permeated the camp. Ming Yue's true form was a pear blossom tree, and her fragrance could calm the mind, open the senses, and detoxify, making it a nemesis to all sedatives. This was why she was so proud upon realizing everyone had been drugged. Dispelling poisons was her specialty.
"Senior Brother, what happened?"
As the pear blossom fragrance wafted over, Tian Jian, groggy, stood up from the ground. He didn't know why he was lying on the ground outside the tent. Seeing Senior Brother Ji Shiyou looking at him, he asked with a bewildered expression.
"You were all drugged, and the disciples on watch are missing. Don't ask too much, hurry and follow me!"
Seeing that the Golden Crow Palace disciples were waking up and emerging from their tents, all looking at her with confusion, Ming Yue had no time for explanations. She didn't want to overthink it either; Ji Shiyou had set three rules for her, one of which was not to talk too much. She wanted to lead everyone to find Ji Shiyou quickly. So, she led them in the direction Ji Shiyou had gone.
Just then, another scream rang out.
"It's Junior Sister Jun!"
Tian Jian recognized the voice as Jun Shuxue's and immediately said. Everyone then realized Jun Shuxue was not with them. They hurried towards the sound and found her under a large tree, confronting Ji Shiyou with her sword in hand. Behind her, two figures lay on the ground, their fate unknown. Judging by their clothes, they were likely the two Golden Crow Palace disciples on watch.
"Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, quickly kill this demoness! She's a demonic cultivator who abducted the two junior disciples on watch and absorbed their vital essence."
Seeing everyone arrive, Jun Shuxue shouted. Ming Yue felt a headache coming on. This woman was causing trouble again. However, Ji Shiyou was being slandered, and she didn't know how to explain. Should she reveal that their bodies had been swapped and that their Senior Brother was in her body? The matter was too bizarre; would anyone believe it?
"Senior Brother, the corpses are shriveled, leaving only skin and bone. This is the work of a demonic cultivator. However, Junior Sister Jun, do not speak carelessly and slander Fairy Ming Yue."
Tian Jian examined the bodies of the two deceased fellow disciples and reported to Ming Yue, still somewhat disbelieving Jun Shuxue's words. He suspected Jun Shuxue was acting out of unrequited love and slandering Ming Yue.
"Slander? Ridiculous! Second Senior Brother, Senior Brother, you've both been deceived by this demoness. Everything that happened, I saw with my own eyes. I couldn't sleep at night and wanted some fresh air. I saw this demoness knock out the two junior disciples on watch and drag them away. So, I followed, wanting to find out what she was doing. I saw her drag them here. Her demonic nature flared, and she drained them into dried corpses. It's all my fault for not discovering it sooner, for not stopping her earlier, which led to the deaths of two junior brothers. By the time I reacted, it was too late. I could only cry out a warning and call for you all."
Hearing Tian Jian question her, Jun Shuxue spoke with feigned grief.
"You're spouting nonsense. I only heard a scream and came chasing after it. When you saw me, you screamed again. I never even touched them, so how could I have harmed them? What is your motive for slandering me?"
Seeing his fellow disciples looking at him with suspicion after hearing Jun Shuxue's words, Ji Shiyou, despite his usual reticence, had to explain. He had chased here, seen two figures lying on the ground, and just as he was about to investigate, Jun Shuxue pointed her sword at him. Then Jun Shuxue screamed, and before he could understand what was happening, Ming Yue, Tian Jian, and the others arrived. What angered him most was that Jun Shuxue had slandered him as a demonic cultivator who killed fellow disciples.
"Demoness, you're the one talking nonsense. I only screamed once. Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, fellow disciples, how many screams did you hear?"
Jun Shuxue, unyielding and confident, appealed to everyone for confirmation.
"One."
"Only one."
Everyone replied. They had indeed only heard one scream. This made them believe Jun Shuxue's words even more, meaning there was only one liar. They all drew their weapons and pointed them at Ji Shiyou.
"I heard two screams."
Ming Yue quickly stated that she had heard two screams. If she didn't speak now, seeing the situation, Ji Shiyou would be attacked by everyone.
"Senior Brother, are you still defending this demoness? Our fellow disciples are dead! You're lying for her. Are you worthy of the respect everyone usually has for you? You're a disgrace to being the eldest disciple of the Golden Crow Palace!"
Jun Shuxue accused Ming Yue with a look of heartfelt pain. The other disciples' expressions also turned grim. They also believed that their Senior Brother was infatuated and was covering for Ming Yue.
"Wait, you were all unconscious and didn't hear the first scream. So, I have to ask, if everyone was unconscious, why weren't you? Did you administer the drug?"
Targeted by Jun Shuxue, Ming Yue became angry. What did this have to do with her, yet it was directed at her? Her fighting spirit was ignited, and she began to counterattack.