Half an incense stick’s time later.

Inside the study of Listening Wind Pavilion.

According to the booklet from the Nine Mansions, this seemingly ordinary study room was actually arranged with every item serving a special purpose. Anyone who carelessly tampered with them would be slain by the array.

The corpse of Zhou Xiyu from the Ancient Yue Sword Sect, lying at the door of the study, served as the best proof.

Xu Taiping moved Zhou Xiyu’s corpse aside, then stood at the center of the study with Lin Buyu.

“I’ve checked the map; the nearest teleportation site to the southwest is Dew Garden. We just need to face that direction to be teleported there,” he said to Lin Buyu.

Lin Buyu put away the letter in her hand and extended her jade-braceleted hand to Xu Taiping.

Xu Taiping nodded and boldly took Lin Buyu’s hand.

“We should be teleported to the Peony Pavilion in Dew Garden. Upon arrival, we must be cautious of ghosts or cultivators from other sects lying in ambush,” he reminded Lin Buyu.

Lin Buyu nodded at his words, then lightly lifted her palm, pinching a talisman scroll between her fingertips and said, “Even if there are demonic cultivators ambushing us in the pavilion, this Xuan-grade Spirit Shield Talisman can support us for a moment.”

Seeing this, Xu Taiping’s face lit up with joy, and he nodded in agreement: “Then there should be no problem.”

“But why isn’t the teleportation array reacting?”

He quickly noticed another issue.

Hearing this, Lin Buyu grabbed Xu Taiping’s hand and said, “Could it be that you’re holding it too lightly?”

“That’s possible,” Xu Taiping mused, feeling there was some truth to it. He had been holding Lin Buyu’s hand gently out of concern for propriety, not as firmly as she was.

“Holding it like this shouldn’t be a problem.”

Just as Xu Taiping was about to tighten his grip, Lin Buyu interlocked her fingers with his and said matter-of-factly.

“Ah… it does seem to be the case,” Xu Taiping first froze, then nodded.

At that moment, he could clearly feel the warmth from Lin Buyu’s palm, the delicate touch of her skin, and the spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from the bracelet on her wrist.

Without a doubt, this was the correct posture to activate the teleportation array.

“Boom!”

Just then, a violent surge of spiritual energy erupted from beneath their feet.

Soon after, they saw their surroundings become increasingly blurred.

And in the instant the teleportation array activated, Xu Taiping glanced across the corridor opposite the study and saw Duan Tianya holding a bunch of white crystal chrysanthemums, quietly waiting for the female Flying Zombie to awaken.

“Good luck, Elder Duan,” Xu Taiping murmured.

…

At the window ledge of Listening Wind Pavilion.

“It was around this time back then, too,” mused a weakening Duan Tianya, leaning back in his chair as the evening sun cast its rays on his face, sizzling his Corpse Ghost body with a “sizzle” sound.

Yet he seemed oblivious to the pain, still wearing an expression of enjoyment.

“Snap!”

At that moment, the female Flying Zombie beside him suddenly opened her eyes and violently grabbed his throat.

“You’re awake,” said Duan Tianya, not showing any sign of pain, but instead a nervous and excited expression.

“Crack!”

The female Flying Zombie, still enraged, tightened her grip, about to snap Duan Tianya’s neck.

“For… for you,” Duan Tianya struggled to lift his hand, presenting the white crystal chrysanthemums to the female Flying Zombie.

His eyes were filled with nervousness, but it was the kind of nervousness a young man feels when confessing to someone he admires for the first time.

Just like before, upon seeing the white crystal chrysanthemums, the rage on the female Flying Zombie’s face dissipated, replaced by a “sweet” smile.

She took the flowers and began to tear the petals one by one, as usual.

Duan Tianya watched quietly, then said with a smile to the female Flying Zombie in front of him, “Feather, this time your master will no longer hide from you.”

Finally, as the last petal of the last white crystal chrysanthemum was torn off by the female Flying Zombie, a mournful and resentful scream echoed through Listening Wind Pavilion.

…

Dew Garden.

Peony Pavilion.

Unlike some of the eerie places in the Ruins of the Cloud Dream Marsh, the Peony Pavilion in Dew Garden remained undamaged by ghosts due to its intact barrier.

Inside the pavilion, the grass was lush, and peonies bloomed under the setting sun, like a fairyland.

However, while the barrier of the Peony Pavilion could keep out Corpse Ghosts, it could not stop cultivators who entered the garden to explore.

“Senior Brother Liu, I told you it’s impossible for anyone to teleport here. How easy could it be to take the treasure from the array’s core?” A burly man complained to another burly man beside him.

If Xu Taiping were here, he would surely recognize these two.

Yes, they were the subordinates of the young master of Yunjing Palace, who had previously attacked Zhou Ao at the teleportation platform.

“Don’t be careless. Those two disciples from Qingxuan Sect might really come through here. The male disciple is manageable, but if the female disciple who controlled the Breaking Cloud Sword Array returns to meet with the group of female disciples in the front courtyard, they might escape!” another disciple from Yunjing Palace suddenly warned.

“Yes, Senior Brother Song,” the two reprimanded men immediately bowed and continued their patrol around the octagonal pavilion.

Four disciples from Yunjing Palace surrounded the small pavilion.

“Boom!”

At that moment, a violent surge of energy emanated from inside the pavilion.

“Someone actually teleported here?!”

The four disciples from Yunjing Palace were all astonished.

“Stay alert. As soon as someone teleports in, throw out your talisman scrolls to injure them on my command!” Senior Brother Song immediately ordered in a stern voice.

The other three disciples, upon hearing this, clenched their talisman scrolls in hand.

“Boom!”

Following a loud explosion, two figures appeared in the pavilion, hand in hand.

One was a tall and slender young man, and the other was a beautiful and ethereal young woman.

Who else could it be but Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu?

“It really is you two!” Senior Brother Song’s expression relaxed upon seeing Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu.

After all, he was well aware of their cultivation levels. With a four-against-two advantage and the aid of talisman scrolls, he was confident of victory.

“You two are surrounded by us. Surrender now!” Senior Brother Song sneered at Xu Taiping and Lin Buyu.

“Are we surrounded?” Lin Buyu turned to look at Xu Taiping.

“It seems so,” Xu Taiping nodded, placing his hand on the hilt of the Spring Tiger saber.